July, 2023 - Church of God News

Archive for July, 2023

‘Number of Britons regretting Brexit hits new record high: Survey’

Tuesday, July 18th, 2023

Many in the United Kingdom are, according to polls, regretting the decision to leave the European Union, known as Brexit (BRitish EXIT from the EU).

July 18, 2023

The proportion of Britons who say Brexit was a mistake has hit a new record high this month, a survey from pollsters YouGov shows.

With few economic benefits to show for the June 2016 vote to leave the European Union, 57 percent of Britons said the decision was the wrong one compared with 32 percent who thought it was correct, YouGov said on Tuesday.

More than half – 55 percent – said they would vote to remain in the EU against 31 percent who said they would stay out if the referendum were to be held again.

The YouGov survey of more than 2,000 British people showed 63 percent now regard Brexit as more of a failure than a success compared with 12 percent who saw it as more of a success. A further 18 percent said it was neither.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in May that Brexit is delivering benefits, citing his flagship policy of freeports and value-added tax cuts that he said would make beer and sanitary products cheaper. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/18/number-of-britons-regretting-brexit-hits-new-record-high-survey

The UK Guardian had the following on Brexit earlier this year:

‘Disaster’ is right: Brexit is a self-inflicted wound that cuts dangerously deep

12 February 2023

Business leaders, initially reluctant to criticise the Tory decision to quit the EU, have begun to find their voice. Most recently, leading City figure Guy Hands called Brexit a “complete disaster” and a “bunch of total lies” that has harmed large parts of the economy.

Maybe, given the mounting evidence, it is unsurprising that business leaders, ministers and the shadow Labour team are meeting in secret to discuss how they can turn the situation around. …

The shortage of workers in the UK is cited by the central bank as the main reason for rising wages and the potential for inflation to stay high for longer than it would otherwise.

This threat of a long inflationary period is the main justification for interest-rate increases – and high interest rates are one of the main reasons the UK is likely to experience a recession this year.

Investment should make the workplace more productive, making firms more profitable and bigger, better taxpayers. Brexit has chased away many of the big foreign firms that once used the UK as a base inside the single market and discouraged domestic firms from expanding EU trade. As self-inflicted disasters go, it ranks as one of the worst in modern economic history. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/feb/12/disaster-is-right-brexit-is-a-self-inflicted-wound-that-cuts-dangerously-deep

The Guardian was always against Brexit, so this is not a surprise. There are several reasons for the economic situation in the UK, and Brexit is only one of them. A worse “disaster” will come to the UK than a recession.

That said, the situation in Northern Ireland is still precarious and has not been properly resolved.

Furthermore, it has long been the position of various ones in the European Union that the UK should be punished for Brexit as the BBC’s Kevin Connolly reported back in April 2017 (see EU states that UK must pay a price for Brexit and be worse off than EU member states):

The 27 EU Remainer states are adamant that Britain will pay a price for leaving and will be worse off outside than the union than it is on the inside.

The EU does not want other nations thinking that they can, should, or might leave.

The EU wants the UK to interpret the Brexit agreements its way (see, for example, ‘EU says Britain must respect Brexit deal down to the letter’) and EU taking legal steps as UK pushing to scrap Northern Ireland protocol). The EU has increased bureaucracy, and the UK is looking to do the same.

Massive damage of the “trust” between the UK and EU has occurred.

The EU wants to dominate world trade. It also wants the world to adopt its standards, and that includes the UK. That is part of why it has not conceded on certain trade points (plus, it wants to be seen as punishing the UK as it wants to discourage other nations from leaving the EU).

Ultimately Brexit will result in a deadly disaster for the UK, beyond economic matters.

Prophetically, that is not unexpected.

Since last century, Church of God (COG) writers have long taught that the UK would not be part of the final Beast power that will arise in Europe. Notice some statements put out by the writers once part of the old Radio Church of God, old Worldwide Church of God, and/or the current Continuing Church of God years before the Brexit vote:

Here is Britain trying to GET IN on this uniting of Europe! … It is this same daughter of ancient Babylon who is to lay the YOKE of captivity and slavery on America and Britain. …

Britain is allowing itself to get mixed in with European foreigners … When God brings Britain DOWN-the time of JACOBS’ S TROUBLE -the only time when the DAUGHTER of Babylon will be sitting astride a united MILITARY EUROPE. … in prophecy, the NAME Jacob or the name Israel, often refers to the two great nations descended from Ephraim and Manasseh. These are Great Britain and the United States. (Armstrong HW. BRITAIN’S DOOM Prophesied for Common Market Seeking Membership! Plain Truth, July 1962)

The soon-coming resurrected “Holy Roman Empire” – a sort of soon-coming “United States of Europe” – a union of ten nations to rise up out of or following the Common Market of today. Britain will NOT be in that empire soon to come. (Armstrong HW. Incredible Human Potential, Chapter 1. Everest House, 1978)

Perhaps it should be mentioned that the general position within the Churches of God is that Britain will not remain in the EU and will pull out at some point. (Thiel B. Tony Blair a Catholic EU Leader? Church of God News, June 26, 2007. http://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/tony-blair-a-catholic-eu-leader/)

It should be understood that ultimately, Britain will NOT thrive as part of the EU but will be taken over by the final European Beast power–yet its former Prime Minister is promoting something that will not help the peoples of the UK. (Thiel B. Tony Blair Calls for a Strong, Elected, EU President Church of God News, June 9, 2007. http://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/tony-blair-calls-for-a-strong-elected-eu-president/)

Ephraim (modern Great Britain) will not be part of the “Beast” power, so we can expect some significant change that will push the British out of the EU. (Davis. D. Ireland says “No!” to EU power grab. Commentary, July, 1 2008)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will not be an equal part of the European Union. Britain will either pull out or be forced out or at least truly lose its sovereignty. Many of the Anglo-peoples of the UK, USA, etc. that are not killed will to be scattered and many will be made slaves (Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?). That is what the Bible shows will happen during the Great Tribulation.

As far as this “Beast King” goes, he could possibly be the next EU president, but a restructure ultimately will be needed in Europe for the King of the North to have the type of power that the Bible indicate he will have (Revelation 17:12-13). The EU is not ready for that yet.

However, Tony Blair’s statements today are pointing to one more step towards certain biblical prophesies being fulfilled as he is realizing that the UK wants to pull out of the UK–and that is something will happen (directly or indirectly).

The final King of the North (Daniel 11:27-40) will take over the UK, USA, and their Anglo-allies according to Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:39). While more people in the UK are starting to realize that the EU poses dangers to it, most have no idea how dangerous the rising Beast power in Europe will become (cf. Revelation 13:1-4; Daniel 11:39). Britain will ultimately NOT thrive as part of the EU but will be taken over by the final European Beast power. (Thiel B. Tony Blair ‘Deeply Worried’ that UK May Leave EU. Church of God News, August 18, 2012)

Notice also the following:

EU … Britain … if she does enter the European Economic Community (EEC), will she remain in this union? … Bible prophecy clearly shows that Britain will not be one of the … NATIONS comprising the final United States of Europe (McNair R. A Strong United Europe. Tomorrow’s World, February 1970, p. 17).

Back in the early 1990s, when I was vice president of an irrigation equipment manufacturer and the EU was still called the European Economic Community, I told our British sales representative, who was visiting the factory in California, that one day the UK would separate from Europe. He flat out told me that could not possibly happen. And he gave his reasons, but they were not biblical ones–I told him he was in error. The departure of the UK from the EU shows that those of us who understood biblical prophecies were correct on this.

Many critics have claimed that there is no truth to the COG position that the Anglo-Americans (see our free online book: Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?) are descended from Israel’s son Joseph (through his sons Ephraim and Manasseh).

Yet, it is because of our understanding of that, COG writers have long taught that the UK would not be part of the final Beast power. Essentially, COG writers predicted Brexit decades before the Brexit vote, including myself about 30 years ago and Raymond McNair over 50 years ago.

Notice something posted here the end of 2021;

What about Europe?

The EU will have ups and downs.

It will have financial strains because of Brexit.

Yet, it will build its military. (Thiel B. ‘One year on, what’s next for Brexit?’ COGwriter, December 31, 2021)

And Europe is now in the process of spending a lot of money to build its military (e.g. watch Is the European Beast Growing Horns?).

Additionally, after all four horsemen of the Apocalypse begin their rides, those will help trigger a financial crisis and civil unrest. Then, the Bible shows that Europe will reorganize and lose all pretenses of being democratic:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” (Revelation 17:12-14)

Notice that Europe will fight against true Christians, but that Jesus will have Europe defeated.

Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16) and establish the millennial Kingdom of God.

Here is a list of some things that the Bible shows will happen (several of which are already in progress):

Europe will end up with a great army (Daniel 11:25).
Europe will end up with many ships (Daniel 11:40).
Europe will have problems with unity (Daniel 2:41-43).
Europe will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13).
Europe will become a successful warring power (Revelation 13:4; Daniel 11:39-43) and conquer the UK (Daniel 8:24-25; cf. Isaiah 17:3).
The UK will regret Brexit (cf. Hosea 8:8-9).
But Jesus will have the European Beast power defeated (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 17:14).
Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14, 19:16-20) and establish the Kingdom of God.

Brexit will not end well for the UK nor ultimately Europe.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video for our Bible News Prophecy program:

18:31

Brexit Happened: Now What?

At 11:00 pm January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union. Many celebrated, while many mourned. Nigel Farage stated, “This is the greatest moment in modern British history.” What will happen to the United Kingdom? Will the UK be involved in trade deals with the United States of America and the Europeans? Will the UK regret the BRitish Exit (Brexit) from the EU?What will happen with the European Union? Is Europe prophesied to have a great army and many ships? Does the Bible prophesy a reorganization of Europe? Does it prophesy that the Europeans will become a conquering military power? Is the United Kingdom prophesied to be conquered? How does the Bible name the British-descended peoples? Was the British Empire the largest in world history? Was Brexit predicted by Church of God leaders in 1970 and the early 1990s? Will the European Union be negatively affected financially by the departure of the UK? Will this turn out well for the UK or the Europeans? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.

Here is a link to our video: Brexit Happened: Now What?

As far as the UK and the coming European Beast power go, understand that the Bible tells of a time when the world will be dominated by Europe (cf. Revelation chapters 13,17, and 18).

Consider, further, that the Book of Hosea specifically shows that there will be problems with Israel, Ephraim (the British), and Judah. And these are problems that seem to coincide to the sequence in Daniel 11:39-42.

Notice what Hosea 5:5 teaches will be fulfilled:

5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them.

Hosea is showing that Israel/USA, Ephraim/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, & New Zealand, and Judah (the nation now called Israel) will have problems. This prophetically may be because of an attack by the King of the North on the USA and some of its English-speaking allies (Daniel 11:39)–which also will be the start of the Great Tribulation. The USA probably will have had pride in its military power which then will be broken and its cities made desolate (cf. Leviticus 26:19, 28-33).

Hosea 8:14 discusses the cities being devoured by fire. Sodom and Gomorrah were partially destroyed to be examples to those who would go for “sexual immorality” and “strange flesh” (Jude 7)—truly those sins are becoming more in the Anglo-lands (see also The Bible Condemns Homosexuality). Those who do not believe that these words apply to the modern descendants of Jacob will not apparently understand this (cf. Deuteronomy 29:29).

Those who trust in oppression and perversity will have sudden destruction come upon them (Isaiah 30:12-13). The British-descended nations should know better, but will not repent, and Hosea was inspired to write:

5 Ephraim… the Assyrian shall be his king, Because they refused to repent. (Hosea 11:5)

This is not to say that non-Anglo peoples do not have sin or that they will not be punished. The Bible is clear that Assyria will be an end time, northern power that God will punish per Zephaniah 2:13-15, which seems to go along with Revelation 18:1-10. Many will be made slaves (see also Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

Then Hosea shows that the following also comes about:

6 “With their flocks and herds

They shall go to seek the Lord,

But they will not find Him;

He has withdrawn Himself from them.

7 They have dealt treacherously with the Lord,

For they have begotten pagan children.

Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage. (Hosea 5:6-7)

Because of the “sin of Samaria” (Amos 8:14; which looks to be a reference to the modern USA) there will be a famine of the word that God will have happen (Amos 8:11-12) to at least the North Americans—the place where much of the Philadelphia remnant would have fled from (between Daniel 11:30-39).

Hosea continues to record terrible distresses for these people, then notice what follows in Hosea 5:13-14.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor heal you of your wound. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.

So then Ephraim tries to make a deal with Assyria–more than the UK simply regretting Brexit. Prophetic Ephraim is the United Kingdom and its British-descended allies. Prophetic Assyria is Germany and its European allies. It is likely that at least some member of the British royal family will be involved in attempting to make a deal with Germany–and the current visit by King Charles III looks to be a prelude to set the stage for this.

Also notice Hosea 8:8-9 where Ephraim apparently tries to pay for help while Israel (perhaps the USA or the USA and Judah) is essentially gone:

8 Israel is swallowed up; Now they are among the Gentiles, Like a vessel in which is no pleasure. 9 For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers.

In Hosea 12:1, we again see that Ephraim tries to make a deal with the Assyrians:

1 Ephraim feeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians. And oil is carried to Egypt.

By attempting to establish better relations with the Europeans, King Charles III looks to be helping set the stage now for the UK to ask Germany for help in the future.

And in Hosea 7:11-12 Ephraim also tries to make a deal with Egypt and Assyria. This deal seems to be made after the USA has been eliminated or is on its way out.

11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense—They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria. 12 Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them, According to what their congregation has heard.

There would seem to be no point in going to Egypt if the King of the South has already been overwhelmed by the King of the North, so this attempt to make deals might happen fairly early in the Great Tribulation.

There is nothing that I am aware of in world history that shows that Ephraim calls to Egypt after Hosea was written in a manner to fulfill that prophecy. Since this is a prophecy that must come to pass, this is one more reason why I believe the Bible supports the concept that the King of the North invades the USA and its English-speaking allies before it invades the King of the South–this is something several COGs do not understand nor teach correctly (see also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?; here is a link to a related video: 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors).

Notice that Ephraim will eat unclean things in Assyria:

3 They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And shall eat unclean things in Assyria. (Hosea 9:3)

These verses in Hosea suggest that the Ephraimites (United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) and the Jews (modern Israel) think they should get some protection from Assyria (Germany), probably because the USA (Manasseh) was the primary reason the King of the North attacked the strongest fortresses and/or because they have made various treaties.

Furthermore, it shows that one of the reasons that Israel, including Ephraim, is swallowed up is because they trusted Assyria. King Charles III, for example, may feel trust that way as he is generally in favor of European globalist views.

Yet, the Bible shows that Assyria is a people who Isaiah 10 shows will destroy nations:

5 Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations. (Isaiah 10:5-7)

Interestingly, Ephraim, Manasseh/Samaria, and Judah are also prophesied to turn on each other to some degree (Isaiah 9:21).

This seems to be consistent also with a Roman Catholic prophecy:

St. Senanus (died 560): They (English) themselves will betray each other… (Culleton, The Prophets and Our Times, p. 128)

Hosea 10:9-11 suggests that Ephraim and Judah will be forced into hard labor, perhaps around this time as well; while 11:1-8 says that Assyria will be the king of Ephraim and Israel, because they refused to repent, and that the sword will devour their cities.

The last verse in Hosea (14:9) begins with:

9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them.

Note that the word translated as “prudent” above is the same Hebrew word biyn that is in Daniel 11:33/35 as understanding. Since I believe that the Philadelphian portion of the Church is to have the wise and prudent, I believe that Hosea is giving more insight as to why it may be tied into Daniel 11.

Very few in the Church of God have tried to connect the prophecies of Hosea together. Most will not know when it is time to flee and when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late.

As a prelude to this trip by King Charles III, we put together the following related video:

14:52

King Charles Setting Prophetic Stage?

Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III will be making his first international state visit from March 26-31, 2023 by going to France and Germany. Some believe this is intended to attempt to smooth over some relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Could there be any connection to the goals of the World Economic Forum? Could this visit possibly help set the stage for the UK (prophetic Ephraim) to fulfill certain prophecies related to Germany (prophetic Assyria) after the start of the Great Tribulation? Are there biblical prophecies that suggest that the United States of America and its British-descended allies may turn on each other? Did Nostradamus also seem to predict that as well as some events that now seem to be happening–such as opinions not being free? Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by a European power? Is King Charles knowledgeable about any biblical prophecies concerning the British peoples being descendants of the Israelite tribe of Ephraim? Are the North American and British peoples prophesied to have a European king over them because they refuse to repent? What to prophecies by Hosea, Daniel, Amos, and Isaiah show? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: King Charles Setting Prophetic Stage?

Anyway, yes, there will be more regrets related to Brexit in the future.

Much more than the recent poll suggests.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Post Brexit Prophecy On June 23, 2016, the voters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) chose to leave the European Union. Now with this BRitish EXIT (Brexit) vote, what is prophesied to happen to the UK? Will the UK do well or be taken over and made slaves? Dr. Thiel explains from biblical prophecies what is ahead for the UK, Europe, and even the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a video.
Why Prophecy? Why is so much of the Bible devoted to prophecy? Some question or downplay the role of prophecy. This article gives some of the biblical reasons why prophecy should be important to Christians. Here is a link to a related video: Christians, Why Prophecy?
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.
Trade Disputes: CCOG Warnings Are Coming to Pass Trade tensions and talks of trade wars have escalated. US President Donald Trump has put Europe, China, Mexico, and other lands on notice that he wants to change how international trade with the USA has been going. Tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, and even more tariffs are being implemented. Is this all just happenstance? Are we yet in a trade war? What will Europe do? Has the Church of God been warning about trade disputes and a coming trade war for decades? What about the Continuing Church of God (CCOG)? What has been warned, what has been happening, and what will happen? Will trade disputes be a factor in World War III (WW3)? Dr. Thiel explains what has been taught and what to expect.
Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass? Trade issues, tariffs, and talk of trade wars are in the news. Can trade wars lead to World War III like they did to World War II? Are the events going on with the USA, UK, Asia, and Europe consistent with warnings published by the true Church of God (COG) over the past several years and decades? Do Germany and China hope to take advantage of trade frictions involving the Trump Administration and the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement? What about Mexico and South America? Does the Bible teach that Europe
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.will become a major trading power? Will the final European Babylonian trading power be destroyed? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
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-Celtic 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?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
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?
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 are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
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? 2031 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?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
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.
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.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
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 four related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on ‘Number of Britons regretting Brexit hits new record high: Survey’

S&P’s chief economist says US dollar, ‘will no longer be the dominant world currency’

Tuesday, July 18th, 2023

A top economist warns the US dollar will ‘no longer be the dominant world currency’ as trade in Chinese yuan rises https://t.co/E0xI2nLZO4

— Insider Business (@BusinessInsider) July 12, 2023

COGwriter

It is becoming clearer, even to some in the mainstream, that the US dollars days as the world’s primary reserve and trading currency are numbered:

US Dollar Will Lose Status As World’s Reserve Currency, Says S&P Global’s Top Economist

An economist at the world’s largest credit ratings agency says the US dollar’s global reserve currency status is now in the process of fading away. …

With “a fragmentation around the edges,” Gruenwald says that the US’ aggressive sanctions on Russia in response to its conflict with have prompted other countries around the world to begin trading in other currencies besides the dollar, and to start rebuilding their gold reserves.

Says the economist,

“We’ve got other things happening outside of the dollar world.”

Gruenwald also referenced the rise in trade being done in the Chinese yuan and the low financing offered by Chinese banks like the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the New Development Bank (NDB), which was started by BRICS, the economic coalition of Brasil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

“The U.S. (dollar) will continue to be a leading world currency, (but) it will no longer be the dominant world currency.”

Earlier this month, former House Speaker Paul Ryan said the greenback’s position as the world’s reserve currency was in jeopardy as the US government accumulates massive amounts of debt. https://dailyhodl.com/2023/07/17/us-dollar-will-lose-status-as-worlds-reserve-currency-says-sp-globals-top-economist/

Yes, US debt and sanctions, etc. have gotten many to question its dollar.

While the dollar is not done, its days are numbered.

Forbes reported the following:

… The dollar doesn’t have quite the pull it used to, S&P’s chief economist says

The power of the greenback may be beginning to fade and is being pushed down the global pecking order … a top economist has warned.

Speaking during an S&P Global Ratings event in London, Paul Gruenwald the rating firm’s chief economist, cautioned that the dollar “doesn’t have quite the pull it used to.” …

Another major issue facing the dollar is Russia.

U.S. economic sanctions imposed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine saw the nation turn to the {Chinese} yuan, also referred to as renminbi. …

Last week Paul Krugman, a Nobel Laureate and economist, wrote in the New York Times that “the greenback’s dominance won’t last forever, because nothing does.” …

A major factor working against the dollar is its weaponization against Russia.

Sanctions thus far have included freezing Russia’s ability to use half of its reserves as well as hamstringing its access to the transaction portal SWIFT.

In April, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNN: “There is a risk when we use financial sanctions that are linked to the role of the dollar that over time it could undermine the hegemony of the dollar.” …

IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director, Gita Gopinath, voicing similar concerns, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also wary of the impact of weaponizing the currency.

In April the Twitter owner responded to a video claiming “de-dollarization is real and is happening fast.”,…

In April, while on a trip to China, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked: “Why should every country have to be tied to the dollar for trade?… Who decided the dollar would be the (world’s) currency?”

Lula da Silva continued: “Why can’t a bank like the BRICS bank have a currency to finance trade between Brazil and China, between Brazil and other BRICS countries?… Today, countries have to chase after dollars to export, when they could be exporting in their own currencies.” https://fortune.com/2023/07/12/paul-gruenwald-sp-chief-economist-dollar-dominance-might-fade/

More and more are validating what has been posted here for years about the US dollar, sanctions, gold, debt, and what other countries are now doing.

Regarding sanctions, in August 2018, we put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

15:19

US Sanctions and Tariffs leading to New World Order?

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said new US sanctions would be a declaration of economic war. Iran, North Korea, China, Europe, and Turkey are also upset about USA sanctions and tariffs. A Turk asserted “Somebody must find a solution and stop the USA.” The BRICS nations see US sanctions and tariffs as helpful to their objectives to trade without the USA. Are “unintended consequences” of USA policies threatening the current Anglo-American world order and leading to a New World Order? What has ‘Lord’ Jacob Rothschild and Russian President Vladimir Putin stated? Does Bible prophecy show that a confederation of Turks, Arabs, and Europeans pose a real threat to the USA and UK? Is the final time of the Gentiles coming? Will it be worse than people imagine? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: US Sanctions and Tariffs leading to New World Order?

The world is in the process of dethroning the US dollar. And that will happen.

What most Americans do not realize is that the largest export from the USA is actually its currency–which is basically debt notes.

Russia, China, India, some European nations, and others have been trying to see if a gold-backed currency could dethrone the USA dollar.

As far as gold as a partial replacement, in April 2021, we put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

12:30

Gold Backed Currency to Replace the US Dollar?

China introduced something that was called the gold-petro-yuan back in 2018. Since then, the global share of US-dollar-dominated exchange reserves have dropped to 59.0%. In April 2021, China became the first major economy to unleash a Central Bank Digital Currency. China also has given its banks permission to import large amounts of gold. Is China preparing for a gold-backed yuan to push aside the US dollar or to help it survive a US dollar cataclysm? Are other nations preparing to push the US dollar aside? Do Europeans seem to have the most gold? Are Europeans prophesied to gain more gold? Is the US debt trajectory sustainable per Fed Chairman Jerome Powell? Does the Bible warn of the end coming to the highly indebted in Habakkuk 2:6-8? Why does it looked like a gold-backed currency will replace the US dollar? Will the US dollar, ultimately, become essentially worthless? Dr Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Gold Backed Currency to Replace the US Dollar?

Furthermore, here is something related to debt and the US dollar being the primary reserve currency from my January 2021 book Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction:

Joe Biden and many other American politicians have not run away from increasing U.S.A. debt—that will be to the nation’s peril.

The Bible warns about something that will happen to a heavily indebted nation. Notice what the Hebrew seer Habakkuk wrote over 2,600 years ago:

³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry … ⁵ Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man …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’? ⁷Will 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… (Habakkuk 2:2-3,6–8).

Notice that what is to happen is so bad, that people who read the prophecy should run, when it is time for it to be fulfilled. Since that prophecy is to be fulfilled at the appointed time of the end, it is still for the future, but perhaps not too far distant in the future. No nation has ever been in as much total debt as the U.S.A.

The “U.S. is highly vulnerable to loss of confidence by foreign creditors.”[i] U.S. government debt is “extremely vulnerable to foreign attack because of the high percentage of foreign ownership — almost 40% of the market.”[ii]

Interestingly, in the past, one foreign creditor, China, has raised concerns about the U.S. debt that are so serious, that its potential dumping of that debt has been called China’s “nuclear option”[iii] against the U.S.A.—an option that involves no military intervention, but that could greatly harm the U.S.A.

Others have been concerned that Russia will perhaps encourage something like this when the timing is right. European leaders have been working for years to establish a new reserve currency for the world, partially with the intent to remove the U.S. dollar from its position as the world’s primary reserve currency.

Those in Iran and some of the Arab lands, along with nations such as Brazil and India have discussed plans for the removal of the dominance of the U.S.A. in global trade as well. The former President of Brazil, Lula, even claimed that eliminating the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status was one of the reasons that the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was formed. [iv]

The Bible clearly warns against cheapening the money supply and encourages having money hold its value (Proverbs 25:4 Isaiah 1:25, Ezekiel 22:18-22). Yet policies enacted under the Obama and Trump Administrations, following certain other administrations, have ignored these warnings.

No nation in the history of humankind has ever accumulated as much debt as the United States of America (because the U.K. may have close to the highest amount of per capita debt,[v] its fate would be similar). Destruction is coming.

However, the relationship between debt accumulation and prophesied destruction remains unapparent to many. Because there is a time lag, many ignore that there will be real consequences (cf. Ecclesiastes 8:11; Habakkuk 2:3,6-8). Yet, these increases of debt are utterly dangerous.

When the time comes when the Federal Reserve is no longer able to keep interest rates artificially low, the U.S.A. will continue past the point of no return. That will become one of the final factors that will cause creditors to rise up and destroy the U.S.A.

The Economy

While pushing biblically immoral ideas is bad for the economy, it should be noted that economies vary. A modern reality is that being the world’s de facto reserve currency has helped prolong the U.S.A.’s dominance.

When the U.S. dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency, this will hurt the U.S.A. financially. Increasing debt, including “quantitative easing,” is a form of dishonest profits that is not something that God approves of and will punish the U.S.A. for (cf. Ezekiel 22:13-16).

Inflation will eventually hit the U.S.A. extremely hard. As the world becomes less attached to the American dollar, many financial jobs and opportunities will be in places other than the U.S.A. Eventually, but not yet, the U.S.A. dollar will become worthless (worth no more than the scrap or sentimental value of the cotton-paper it is printed on).

Will it always be straight downhill for the economy of the U.S.A.?

No.

There are some reasons to have some temporary optimism. The longer there is some economic stagnation in parts of the economy that governmental COVID-19 policies contributed to, the more demand tends to build up, and an increase in demand may prolong the economy. In addition, technological and other developments may temporarily support the U.S. economy—as can reductions of regulatory burdens.

Some policies of the Biden-Harris Administration may help. Others see problems. The Biden-Harris team looks to increase various regulations and impact some industries negatively (such as the fossil fuel industry). Various ones see their proposed policies and cabinet selections as a refreshing change that they hope will fuel economic growth and shared prosperity.

Notice what was told to a king whose was prophesied to lose his kingdom:

²⁷ Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity. (cf. Daniel 4:27)

Repentance can prolong prosperity, but promotion of sin leads to destruction. But, it is not expected that Joe Biden or Kamala Harris will push for scriptural national repentance.

[i] Rickards J. Axis of Gold. The Daily Reckoning, December 20, 2016

[ii] Ibid

[iii] Gertz B, China Debt Threat. Washington Times, March 2, 2011

[iv] Escobar P. BRICS was created as a tool of attack: Lula. Asia Times, August 28, 2019

[v] Conway E. Britain showing signs of heading towards 1930s-style depression, says Bank. Telegraph, March 16, 2009

A dominant world reserve currency loses its position if enough nations do not want it to be.

Historically, world reserve currencies have come and gone–remember that the British pound held that role for over a century.

The end of US dollar dominance is coming. This will greatly hurt the economy of the USA–no matter who becomes its next president.

There will be a new world order coming and it will not be one dominated by the Anglo-Americans.

If you think that the USA will continue to be number 1 and claim to believe the Bible, please consider biblical prophecies such as Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8; Isaiah 10:5-11 (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses and/or watch Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on S&P’s chief economist says US dollar, ‘will no longer be the dominant world currency’

The Trinity and 1 John 5

Tuesday, July 18th, 2023

COGwriter

Some claim that 1 John 5:7-8 is proof of the Greco-Roman trinity (and that the above diagram ‘explains’ the trinity).

But should that verse be used as proof?

Furthermore, is what some think 1 John 5:7-8 states really even supposed to be in the Bible?

The above drawing is also used by some trinitarians to explain the trinity, even though it clearly violates laws of logic. It was basically developed because although most who profess Christ claim to believe in the Greco-Roman trinity, it is a concept that is contradictory, so trying to show it in a drawing supposedly makes the illogical easier to understand.

But was the trinity a doctrine of the New Testament or early Christians?

Here is what one modern historian wrote about it:

Like other doctrines that became central to the faith, however, belief in the Trinity was a historical development, not a “given” from the early years of the faith. A. The basic notion of the Trinity is that there are three persons in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are all equally God and of the same substance, but despite the fact there are three persons, together, they compromise only one God, indivisible in nature. B. This doctrine does not appear to be a doctrine pronounced by the historical Jesus, Paul, or any other Christian writer during the first hundred years or so of Christianity. C. It cannot be found explicitly stated in the earliest Christian writings. The only passage of the New Testament that declares the doctrine (1 John 5:7-8) was not originally part of the text but was added by doctrinally astute scribes at a later date (it is not found in any Greek manuscripts until the 11th century) (Ehrman B. From Jesus to Constantine: A History of Early Christianity, Part 2. The Teaching Company, Chantilly (VA), 2004, p. 43).

The above properly concludes that the trinity was not an original Christian belief and that the only passage in the New Testament that supposedly declares that doctrine (1 John 5:7-8) was added at a later date.

Here is the version of 1 John 5:7-8 as improperly shown in the NKJV and the modern Douay Rheims:

7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. (1 John 5:7-8, NKJV)

7 And there are three who give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. 8 And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7-8, Douay-Rheims)

But much of what is shown above was ADDED to the original biblical texts.

Here is what the original text supports according to Dr. Daniel Wallace, professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary (a trinitarian institution) wrote:

The Textual Problem in 1 John 5:7-8:

“5:7 For there are three that testify, 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.” –NET Bible

Notice that this is much shorter than what most Protestant or Catholic translators now show. Even certain trinitarian scholars realize that instead of teaching the trinity, the above has to do with Jesus and baptism (see Nelson Study Bible, p. 2147 which is also quoted in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?). It was only after someone scribbled a side note, well after the Bible was written, that the trinitarian view was added.

How late was the addition that made it longer?

Here is something from Dr. Daniel Wallace on the longer addition:

This longer reading is found only in eight late manuscripts, four of which have the words in a marginal note. Most of these manuscripts (2318, 221, and [with minor variations] 61, 88, 429, 629, 636, and 918) originate from the 16th century; the earliest manuscript, codex 221 (10th century), includes the reading in a marginal note which was added sometime after the original composition. Thus, there is no sure evidence of this reading in any Greek manuscript until the 1500s; each such reading was apparently composed after Erasmus’ Greek NT was published in 1516. Indeed, the reading appears in no Greek witness of any kind (either manuscript, patristic, or Greek translation of some other version) until AD 1215 (in a Greek translation of the Acts of the Lateran Council, a work originally written in Latin)…

The Trinitarian formula (known as the Comma Johanneum) made its way into the third edition of Erasmus’ Greek NT (1522) because of pressure from the Catholic Church. After his first edition appeared (1516), there arose such a furor over the absence of the Comma that Erasmus needed to defend himself. He argued that he did not put in the Comma because he found no Greek manuscripts that included it…

In reality, the issue is history, not heresy: How can one argue that the Comma Johanneum must go back to the original text when it did not appear until the 16th century in any Greek manuscripts? (Wallace DB. The Textual Problem in 1 John 5:7-8. http://bible.org/article/textual-problem-1-john-57-8)

Although the NIV gets I John 5:7-8 right, the KJV, Douay-Rheims, NKJV and many other translations of I John 5:7-8 include words not in the original text. On page 1918, The Ryrie Study Bible reminds everyone, related to the NKJV:

“Verse 7 should end with the word witness. The remainder of v. 7 and part of v. 8 are not in any ancient Greek manuscript…”.

In other words the words “in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth” are not inspired and are not supposed to be in the Bible.

Now lest any Catholics have a different view, although the CHANGED version of the Latin Vulgate contains a version of this, the Codex Amiatinus (Codex Amiatinus. Novum Testamentum Latine interpreter Hieronymo. Epistula Iohannis I V:6-8. Constantinus Tischendorf, Lipsiae. 1854 http://books.google.com/books?hl=pl&id=x0opAAAAYAAJ&q=NOVUM_TESTAMENTUM_LATINE#v=onepage&q=NOVUM_TESTAMENTUM_LATINE&f=false viewed 04/21/12), which is believed to be the closest to the original document that Jerome originally translated into Latin, also does not have this as The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

Codex Amiatinus The most celebrated manuscript of the Latin Vulgate Bible, remarkable as the best witness to the true text of St. Jerome…(Fenlon, John Francis. “Codex Amiatinus.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 21 Apr. 2012 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04081a.htm>)

Note: Yes, I personally read the Latin in the Codex Amiatinus and compared it to the changed version and more modern version of the Latin Vulgate which differs from the early version in that the modern version adds “in caelo, Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus. Et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra:” (Latin Vulgate . com is provided by Mental Systems, Inc. http://www.latinvulgate.com/verse.aspx?t=1&b=23&c=5 viewed 04/21/12).

In other words, Roman Catholic scholars realize that the texts that Jerome used to originally put together the Latin Vulgate Bible (the basic Bible for Roman Catholics) did not have the late addition (which, of course, it could not originally have had as that addition came about many centuries after Jerome did his translation).

Basically, what seems to have happened is that a monk put a personal note related to his interpretation of the ‘three’ mentioned in the first part of 1 John 5:7. One or more scribal monks after him, inserted his note actually in the text. It was NOT inspired by God.

The Protestant and Greco-Roman Catholic Bibles that have the added words are relying on very late documents that were not considered to be original. Some, of course, have ignored the truth about the origin of 1 John 5:7-8 and wish to believe that because early heretics seem to have possibly referred to it (one popular online source falsely claims that Tertullian, who followed the heretic Montanus, quoted the omitted words in Against Praxeas–this is not true as I have read that writing and it is not in there–but even if it was, Tertullian was a heretic follower who did not seem to have the proper canon), that it must be true–but that of course is a lie.

Even various trinitarian scholars have concluded that 1 John 5:6-8 essentially has to do with Christ–not the “trinity” (see Nelson Study Bible, p. 2147 which is also quoted in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

Notice more of what the trinitarian Dr. Wallace has said about it:

In 1516, Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch humanist scholar, published the first printed Greek New Testament—on March 1, 1516. When it came out, he did not have this verse, 1 John 5:7 in there, affirming the Trinity. There were Catholic scholars who got very upset with him for not putting it in there. And in his second edition of 1519, he didn’t have it. What he mentioned in his notes in that second edition is “I did not put it in because I did not see it in any Greek manuscripts.” … his third edition of 1522 now has 1 John 5:7-8 in it with that Trinitarian formula.

That is something that has plagued English readers of the Bible, but not German readers. Because Martin Luther based his New Testament on the 1519 edition that didn’t have that. So, in 1519 Luther was using that edition and it didn’t have that Trinitarian formula. German Christianity has never had a problem the Bible, never had the Trinitarian formula in 1 John 5:7-8. As stated, it made it into Erasmus’ 1522 text and then in the King James Version Bible after that. Erasmus basically puts it in under protest. … It seems that this particular reading was never part of the Greek New Testament until after there was a protest. … It never affected Christians through any of the church councils. They never pointed out that verse, because it did not exist in the Bible. So, they came up to the doctrine of the Trinity on some other basis. (Wallace D. What are Some Passages You Interpret Differently than Dr. Ehrman?, 1 John 5:7-8. YouTube video. Jan 15, 2011)

Yes, “the Trinitarian formula in 1 John 5:7-8” was not part of the true Textus Receptus. Notice that the Greco-Roman church councils did not mention it, as the addition did not exist in scripture. Understand that it is from the councils of men (influenced by Imperial authorities and others) that the trinitarian doctrine came from.

The so-called “trinitarian formula” was never part of the biblical text. Notice also the following from Dr. Bruce Metzger:

(1) The text is missing from all Greek manuscripts except eight and these contain the passage of in what appears to be a translation of the Latin Vulgate …

(2) The passage is quoted in none of the Greek Fathers, who, had they known it, would most certainly have employed it in the Trinitarian controversies (Sabellian and Arian). Its first appearance in Greek is in a Greek version of the (Latin) Acts of the Lateran Council in 1215.

(3) The passage is absent from the manuscripts of all ancient versions (Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Arabic, Slavonic), except the Latin; and it is not found (a) in the Old Latin in its early form (Tertullian Cyprian Augustine), or in the Vulgate (b) as issued by Jerome … or (c) as revised by Alcuin…

The earliest instance of the passage being quoted as a part of the actual text of the Epistle [italics added] is in a fourth century Latin treatise entitled Liber Apologeticus (chap. 4), attributed either to the Spanish heretic Priscillian (died about 385) or to his follower Bishop Instantius. (Metzger B. A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2^nd ed. Hendrickson Publishers, 2005, pp. 647-648)

Despite the facts of history, what some seem to want to do is claim that because some writers wrote statements similar to the extra words added to 1 John 5:7-8 that this proves that they were originally in the inspired manuscripts of scripture (e.g. Rogers J. Why Creeds and Confessions? Lulu.com, pp. 98-99).

Instead, if such trinitarian writings prove anything, they point to a monk of some type who read non-biblical texts (probably the late 4^th century document known as the Latin Liber Apologeticus by the gnostic Priscillian) and then decided to insert a comment he read elsewhere.

The truth is that the current Protestant and Catholic Bibles, which have the added words, are relying on very late documents that were not considered to be original or faithful to the original text of the Bible. Some, of course, have ignored the truth about the origin of 1 John 5:7-8. The reality is that scholars realize that 1 John 5:7-8 additions were added centuries after the New Testament was originally written.

It is partially because of intentional errors, like including words that should not be in 1 John 5, that Muslims claim that the New Testament cannot be trusted because ‘Christians’ (so-called) changed it. The Apostle Peter warned, “there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies … And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed” (2 Peter 2:1-2). Certainly, that warning applies to any who intentionally changed the Bible on their own (see also Revelation 22:18-19).

According to Protestant Dr. Wallace, here is what the original Greek supports for 1 John 5:7-8:

“5:7 For there are three that testify, 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.” —NET Bible

Furthermore, other Protestant trinitarian scholars have concluded that what should be in 1 John 5:6-8 essentially has to do with baptism and Jesus—not the “trinity”:

5:6 Water and blood have been interpreted … (1) as Jesus’ baptism and death, (2) as His incarnation … Most scholars favor the first interpretation …

5;7, 8 The Holy Spirit testifies in accord with the water and the blood (v. 6) that Jesus is the Son of God (Radmacher ED, general editor. Nelson Study Bible. New King James Version, 1997, p. 2147).

Properly understood, 1 John 5 simply is not teaching the modern Greco-Roman trinity that most who profess Christ claim to believe in.

I would like to mention here that BECAUSE most Bibles contain the false long addition to 1 John 5:7-8, that Muslims often cite this as absolute proof that the Bible has been tampered with and cannot be trusted like they claim the Koran can. The belief and use of 1 John 5:7-8 causes the name of Christ (through the term ‘Christianity’) to be blasphemed among the Gentiles (Romans 2:24; Isaiah 52:5). No honest translator should have ever included it in the Bible as anything other than a footnote that it was improperly added in later centuries as a pretended addition to the text.

Origins of Certain Trinitarian Terms

The Cathecism of the Catholic Church itself admits that the Church (not the Bible) had to come up with terms of “philosophical” (pagan/Greek) origin to explain the trinity:

251 In order to articulate the dogma of the Trinity, the Church had to develop its own terminology with the help of certain notions of philosophical origin: “substance,” “person,” or “hypostasis,” “relation” and so on (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 74).

According to a Greco-Roman Catholic bishop named Marcellus of Ancyrae, around the middle of the fourth century, certain aspects of trinitarianism came from paganism and the term “hypostases” entered the professing Christian world from a heretic named Valentinus:

Now with the heresy of the Ariomaniacs, which has corrupted the Church of God…These then teach three hypostases, just as Valentinus the heresiarch first invented in the book entitled by him ‘On the Three Natures’. For he was the first to invent three hypostases and three persons of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he is discovered to have filched this from Hermes and Plato (Source: Logan A. Marcellus of Ancyra (Pseudo-Anthimus), ‘On the Holy Church’: Text, Translation and Commentary. Verses 8-9. Journal of Theological Studies, NS, Volume 51, Pt. 1, April 2000, p.95 ).

So, it was a heretic that introduced the trinitarian term hypostasis.

The term “substance” basically comes from a Greek term that was introduced to the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches by the pagan sun-worshiping Emperor Constantine. Protestant scholar H. Brown noted:

Although Constantine is usually remembered for the steps he took toward making Christianity the established religion of the Roman Empire, it would not be wrong to consider him the one who inaugurated the centuries of trinitarian orthodoxy. It was he who proposed and perhaps even imposed the expression homoousis at the Council of Nicea in 325, and it was he who provided government aid to the orthodox and exerted government pressure against nonconformists. ( Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988)

It should be noted that it is understood, even by some Roman Catholic scholars, like Priest Bellarmino Bagatti, that those considered to be Judeao-Christians did not accept the Emperor’s non-biblical term:

The point of view of the Judaeo-Christians, devoid of Greek philosophical formation, was that of keeping steadfast to the Testimonia, and therefore not to admit any word foreign to the Bible, including Homoousion. ( Bagatti, Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Gentiles in Palestine. Nihil obstat: Ignatius Mancini, 1 Februari 1970. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari, 26 Februari 1970. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 28 Februarii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1971, pp. 47-48)

Regarding the New Testament, even a trinitarian scholar has admitted that the Bible promotes a binitarian view, and does not teach what is now considered to be the trinity:

The binitarian formulas are found in Rom. 8:11, 2 Cor. 4:14, Gal. 1:1, Eph. 1:20, 1 Tim 1:2, 1 Pet. 1:21, and 2 John 1:13…No doctrine of the Trinity in the Nicene sense is present in the New Testament…There is no doctrine of the Trinity in the strict sense in the Apostolic Fathers…(Rusch W.G. The Trinitarian Controversy. Fortress Press, Phil., 1980, pp. 2-3).

The terms trinity, threeness, or trinitarian are not found in the Bible. The Protestant reformer Martin Luther himself taught:

It is indeed true that the name “Trinity” is nowhere to be found in the Holy Scriptures, but has been conceived and invented by man. (Luther Martin. The Sermons of Martin Luther, Church Postil, 1522; III:406-421, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

According to Roman Catholic sources, the term trinity, in relation to the Godhead, did not come until the late second/early third century. Yet, the idea of the trinity was apparently voiced by the heretic Montanus and developed by a famous Gnostic heretic named Valentinus in the mid-2nd Century. One of the so-called Montanist Oracles, spoken by Montanus was:

“I am the Father and the Son and the Paraclete.” (Didymus, De trinitate iii. 41. 1.) (Assembled in P. de Labriolle, La crise montaniste (1913), 34-105, by Bates College, Lewston (Maine) http://abacus.bates.edu/Faculty/Philosophy%20and%20Religion/rel_241/texts/montanism.html 01/31/06).

This is one of the first references to a trinitarian view of the Godhead (the other earliest one was from the heretic Valentinus–it is unclear which was first). The paraclete is a term used to signify the Holy Spirit (it is from the Greek term parakletos). Eusebius records (Eusebius. Church History, Book V, Chapters 18-19) that church leaders in Asia Minor and Antioch, such as Apollonius of Ephesus, that Serapion of Antioch, Apollinaris of Hierapolis, and Thraseas of Eumenia opposed the Montantist heresies (Apollinaris of Hierapolis and Thraseas of Eumenia were Quartodecimans, and Apollonius likely was as well). And Irenaeus recorded that Polycarp denounced Valentinus.

Muslims have claimed that Christians changed the Bible and that God is not trinitarian. The change of 1 John 5:7-8 is something that they point to as proof.

The reality is that the longer addition of 1 John 5:7-8 was unknown to early Christians as it was not part of the Bible. Church of God Christians never accepted it.

If Protestants really believed in sola Scriptura and Greco-Roman Catholics accepted the original faith, none of them would be trinitarians.

And although it is shocking to some, the early faithful clearly held what has been called a binitarian or semi-Arian view of the Godhead.

Those interested in studying this doctrine in more detail, should consider looking at the following documented items:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
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.
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Jesus is God, But Became Flesh Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what? Here is information in the Spanish language¿Es Jesucristo Dios?.
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Why Does Jesus Have Two Different Genealogies listed in Matthew 1 and Luke 3? Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38 seemingly list two different genealogies for Jesus. Why?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
What is the Holy Spirit? This is an article by Rod Reynolds.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? For a related sermon, watch: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.
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?
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.
Valentinus: The Gnostic Trinitarian Heretic He apparently was the first Christ-professing heretic to come up with the idea of three hypostases.

Posted in Church History, Doctrine | Comments Off on The Trinity and 1 John 5

‘Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal’

Monday, July 17th, 2023

COGwriter

There looks to be more international fallout related to what is happening with Russia and Ukraine:

Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal

17 July 2023

Russia has notified the UN, Turkey and Ukraine that it will not renew a crucial grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the agreements had reached a “de facto” end on Monday.

The deal let cargo ships pass through the Black Sea from the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny/Pivdennyi.

But, Moscow said it would return to the agreement if its conditions were met.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had long complained that parts of the deal allowing the export of Russian food and fertilisers had not been honoured. In particular, he said grain had not been supplied to poorer countries, which was a condition of the agreement.

Russia also repeatedly complained that Western sanctions were restricting its own agricultural exports. Mr Putin repeatedly threatened to pull out of the agreement.

The country’s foreign ministry on Monday reiterated these grievances, accusing the West of “open sabotage” and of “selfishly” putting the commercial interests of the deal ahead of its humanitarian goals.

But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters he believed that Mr Putin “wants to continue the agreement” and that they would discuss the renewal of the deal when they meet in person next month.

The grain deal is important as Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of sunflower, maize, wheat and barley. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66223280

There are always costs associated with sanctions. Since the BBC reported the above, another report came out:

Russia Terminates Black Sea Grain Deal, Wheat Prices Spike, As Extent Of Crimea Bridge Terrorist Attack Revealed

July 17, 2023

Wheat prices jumped as news broke Monday that Russia let the UN-brokered grain deal lapse at midnight, Istanbul time, marking the end of the Turkey-administered humanitarian corridor which let Ukrainian grains get exported to global markets. Russia since confirmed the deal has been “terminated”. According to the latest from Moscow, as well as the US reaction:

Russian U.N. Mission: No more talks planned on black sea grain deal, Russia’s decision to withdraw is final — RIA

RUSSIA TELLS UN SHIPPING AGENCY IMO THAT END OF BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL MEANS ‘GUARANTEES FOR SAFETY OF NAVIGATION ISSUED BY RUSSIAN SIDE WILL BE REVOKED’ – LETTER EXCERPT SEEN BY REUTERS

RUSSIA ALSO TELLS IMO THAT ‘PROACTIVE NECESSARY ACTIONS AND RESPONSE MEASURES TO NEUTRALIZE THREATS POSED BY THE KIEV REGIME IN THE AREA WILL BE TAKEN’ – LETTER EXCERPT SEEN BY REUTERS

U.S. ENVOY TO U.N. SAYS RUSSIA ENDING BLACK SEA GRAIN DEAL AN ‘ACT OF CRUELTY’

What was formally called the Black Sea Grain Initiative had already been extended for multiple short increments since its implementation in July 2022. https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/russia-terminates-black-sea-grain-deal-wheat-prices-spike-extent-crimea-bridge

History has shown that wars often lead to famines, food shortages, and/or food inflation. And we have seen that over the past year or two.

Jesus warned:

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 13:8)

We have seen nations against nations, limited famines, troubles, and are in the beginning of sorrows.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/272760/barley-harvest-forecast/
accessed 04/22/22

Related to Ukraine, perhaps it should be noted, that according to Statista, Ukraine has been the world’s fourth biggest producer of barley. Ukraine is also the leading exporter of sunflower seeds–sanctioned Russia is second.

In its booklet about the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, the old Ambassador College put out the following:

Famine Stalks The Earth

“… And there shall be FAMINES… ” — Matthew 24:7

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. ” — Revelation 6:5-6

AS RAPIDLY as the third horseman appeared on the heels of the second, famine follows rapidly on the heels of war. Starvation and scarcity are the natural and immediate results of crop damage. defoliation, contaminated water supplies, destroyed livestock, and the unusually high food demands of a standing army — all caused by war. …

The well-trod path of … war, leading to … famine is an oft-repeated chapter of man’s sordid past. (Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Ambassador College Press, 1973)

While we are not to the Great Tribulation yet, at least some of the four seals of Revelation 6 are in the process of being opened.

Food inflation is associated with the ride of the third horseman as Revelation 6:5-6 states. Nations around the world have been affected by food inflation–and this started BEFORE Russia moved troops into Ukraine–but it has worsened since.

Notice again something quoted by the old Ambassador College, but now with a more modern translation:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6, NKJV)

The above prophecy specifically calls out a rise in the price of wheat and barley, while it also warns about the oil. Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat, barley, rapeseed (canola) oil, and sunflower oil. Ukraine does produce wine, but it is not a major international exporter of it.

That being said, it is interesting that Ukraine is a significant provider of three of the four items that are associated with the ride of the 3rd horseman of the Apocalypse.

The Bible shows that more food price inflation is coming.

That will also be followed by death and pestilence–the 4th horseman, and the start of the Great Tribulation, which is associated with the opening of the 5th seal of Revelation 6.

Related to food inflation, Russia, & Ukraine, we put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

16:00

Russia, Ukraine, Food, & the ride of the 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse

Did you know that the sanctioned lands of Russia and Belarus are dominant suppliers of ingredients used in modern fertilizers? Are you aware that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 33% of the farmland in Ukraine may not be planted and/or harvested because of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine? Are parts of the world like Sudan, Lebanon, and the USA experiencing food price inflation? What about impact on the Palestinians in Gaza? Could any of this help lead to the rise of the King of the South? What are some factors that look to increase rice prices? Did Jesus warn of wars and troubles? What are three foods that Ukraine exports that are associated with the shortages and food price inflation of the ride of the third horseman of the Apocalypse? What does Jesus say His followers should do? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters in this video.

Here is a link to the video: Russia, Ukraine, Food, & the ride of the 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse.

We are getting to the end of the 6,000 years that God has allowed humans to rule themselves, which will soon be followed by the 1,000 year reign of Christ. Pray for Jesus to return and God’s Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).

But prior to Jesus’ return,”there will be great tribulation” as Jesus foretold (Matthew 24:21).

Jesus told His followers:

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)

As we get closer to the end of the age, it is even more imperative that we do so.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
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. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and 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.
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 four related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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? 2031 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?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on ‘Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal’

I365: Is the global heatwave God removing the sun from its ‘sheath’ for final judgement?; AOL: Air quality alerts issued for Midwest due to Canadian wildfire smoke

Monday, July 17th, 2023

China just experienced its highest temperature in recorded history, topping out at an unbelievable 52.2°C (126°F).

This crushes the country’s previous all-time high by 1.7°C (3°F). pic.twitter.com/CrmdgGgm7g

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 16, 2023

COGwriter

Israel 365 News reported the following:

Is the global heatwave God removing the sun from its ‘sheath’ for final judgement?

July 17, 2023

Israel, like many other regions of the world, is currently experiencing a heat wave. While global warming is the focus of political debate, Jewish sources relate that a drastic increase in solar heat is expected as the Final Redemption approaches and that it will play multiple roles in the end of days. …

The heat wave, dubbed Kleon by meteorologists, has affected the entire Mediterranean region as well as the Balkans and much of Europe. It is expected to continue into the middle of next week

More than a third of Americans were under extreme heat advisories, watches and warnings as a blistering heat wave that’s been the hottest weather of the year. …

The global heat wave has special meaning for the Biblically-minded. According to Jewish tradition, Elohim is the name of God, designating His aspect revealed through nature. It is also the name of God describing his aspect of judgment. The Bible frequently describes divine retribution coming through extreme natural conditions. In Deuteronomy, Israel is warned that God’s displeasure at their sins could be expressed in extreme heat waves.

“And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.” Deuteronomy 28:23

In Malachi, heat waves are clearly described as a part of the process of geulah (redemption), a punishment for those who oppose God.

“Then shall ye again discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. For behold the day cometh it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud and all that work wickedness shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze saith Hashem of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi 3:18-19

The Bible also describes the sun as having healing properties. After self-circumcising, Abraham was sitting in front of his tent recuperating. Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. Genesis 18:1

Global warming is hinted at in Isaiah as part of a Messiah-age healing process::

“And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, when Hashem binds up His people’s wounds and heals the injuries it has suffered.” Isaiah 30:26

Conversely, the Talmud in Nedarim 8b describes a form of global warming as a punishment, literally hell on earth. Reish Lakish states: “In the future (in messianic times) there will be no Gehennom. Rather God will remove the sun from its sheath; the righteous will be cured by it, and the wicked will be judged by it.” https://www.israel365news.com/373610/is-the-global-heatwave-god-removing-the-sun-from-its-sheath-for-final-judgement/

Well, no, to address the question in the headline, what is happening now is NOT the final judgment, but it is consistent with the words of Jesus:

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 13:5-8)

Weather troubles are consistent with the “beginning of sorrows” that Jesus referred to and that we are now in.

Notice also something from AOL:

Air quality alerts issued for Midwest due to Canadian wildfire smoke

July 17, 2023

Air quality alerts were issued for much of Montana, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana on Sunday because of lingering thick smoke from Canadian wildfires, the National Weather Service said.

The U.S. EPA’s AirNow air quality page rated the air in Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Des Moines as “unhealthy” as of early Sunday afternoon. In Omaha and Cincinnati, the air quality was rated as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

The smoke concentration is expected to wane by Monday across the Great Lakes, Midwest and northern High Plains, but there will still be enough smoke in the area for continued unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, weather officials warned.

There were nearly 900 active wildfires in Canada on Saturday, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. The fires are burning from coast to coast, according to a map updated daily by the center. To date, Canadian wildfires have burned around 10 million hectares this year, an area roughly the size of the state of Indiana. https://www.aol.com/air-quality-alerts-issued-midwest-114513072.html

As regular readers of this page are aware, I have repeatedly warned of weather problems coming. Back in 2009, in my book, 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, I wrote that the following was about to happen:

Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters. Matthew 24:7

The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:8

Since that was published, we have had record smashing heat, various serious fires, and odd weather problems. These weather issues should serve as a wake-up call.

What about high heat and what could be considered part of the final judgment of this world?

Here is what the Bible teaches related to that:

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

But, the above prophecy is for several years into the future–we are not too near that yet. But I believe that this will happen in the 21st century.

Related to weather matters, we just put together the following video which was uploaded yesterday:

15:00

Apocalyptic Weather?

Michael Snyder wrote that we are experiencing “apocalyptic weather’? Why? What has been happening with heat, drought, flooding, and weather extremes? What have news agencies been reporting? Is there a way, according to the Bible, that this could change? Is weather totally random or does God control the weather? Are groups like the United Nations, the Vatican, and the World Economic Forum proposing ideas related to changes in weather (which they tend to call ‘climate change’)? Could weather at all be related to obedience or disobedience to God’s laws? Does the Bible show that God sometimes uses weather as a warning as well as to encourage people to repent? Does the Bible tell of more extreme weather happening after the start of the Great Tribulation? What about “troubles” during the beginning of sorrows? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Apocalyptic Weather?

Some items of interest may include the following:

Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon: Christians and the Environment (there is also a YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy, one titled Will Pollution lead to the End?, and one called COP 27 and Solving Climate Change).
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. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on I365: Is the global heatwave God removing the sun from its ‘sheath’ for final judgement?; AOL: Air quality alerts issued for Midwest due to Canadian wildfire smoke

The federal US ‘Ponzi scheme’ will unravel in disaster

Monday, July 17th, 2023

Charles Ponzi in 1920 (Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The USA continues to increase its official debt–and as happened last month, officially raised its so-called debt ceiling (“so-called” because the “ceiling” keeps getting raised) by about $4 trillion more dollars.

Debt will end in disaster for the USA.

In 2021, Asia Times reported the following:

The great federal-debt Ponzi scheme

July 5, 2021

As long as the Fed is willing (and the market allows it) to buy arbitrarily large amounts of government debt, the price of US government debt is whatever the Fed says it is. It’s like the pump part of a pump-and-dump scheme in the stock market, except without the benefit of an exit strategy.

This Ponzi game can continue until inflation rises to the point where investors flee the Treasury market, yields soar and the economy falls back into recession. If the Fed and Treasury are willing to stake the credit of the United States of America on this game, it can last for a while. No matter how big a player you are, though, no one will take your marker at the craps table forever.

Without exaggeration, the US federal debt market is the most manipulated market of importance in the world at this writing. …

I examined seven important categories of “core” inflation (leaving aside energy and food prices): shelter, medical care, new cars, used cars, durable goods, nondurable goods, and urban transportation. The “breadth” index is simply the number of those indices where inflation is two standard deviations above the twenty-year mean, and the present score is six out of seven. The “surprise” index is the average of the standard deviation of each component relative to the mean: on average, year-on-year inflation of these components is four standard deviations above the mean. In other words, we have the highest and broadest-based inflation in twenty years.

There’s nothing transitory about this. On the contrary, inflation will get worse, as the bubble in home prices feeds into consumer inflation. The median US home price at sale rose 23% year-on-year as of May, according to the National Association of Realtors. https://asiatimes.com/2021/07/the-great-federal-debt-ponzi-scheme/

Yes, despite its size and impact on the world economy the USA cannot continue to indefinitely do what it has been doing regarding debt and financial manipulation.

The amount of official federal USA debt is expected to exceed $35 trillion in the next couple of years. And, yes, inflation has gotten worse since that 2021 article came out.

As far as being a ‘Ponzi’ scheme by the US Treasury, here is information about Charles Ponzi:

Charles Ponzi (/ˈpɒnzi/, Italian: [ˈpontsi]; born Carlo Pietro Giovanni Guglielmo Tebaldo Ponzi; March 3, 1882 – January 15, 1949) was an Italian swindler and con artist in the U.S. and Canada. His aliases include Charles Ponci, Carlo, and Charles P. Bianchi.^[1] Born and raised in Italy, he became known in the early 1920s as a swindler in North America for his money-making scheme. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeeming them at face value in the U.S. as a form of arbitrage.^[1]^:1^[2] In reality, Ponzi was paying earlier investors using the investments of later investors. While this type of fraudulent investment scheme was not originally invented by Ponzi, it became so identified with him that it now is referred to as a “Ponzi scheme.” His scheme ran for over a year before it collapsed, costing his “investors” $20 million (inflation adjusted to $250 million as of 2020). (Charles Ponzi. Wikipedia, accessed 07/05/21)

Basically, Ponzi scheme is to pretend something is more valuable than it is, in order to con others to support it financially.

With Treasury manipulation and military power, along with corruption in international governments, the USA has been able to pull this off for a lot longer than Charles Ponzi could.

Yet, the time will come, according to Bible prophecy, when the nations of the world will no longer accept the pledges (US Treasury Bills and Notes) of the indebted one:

2 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:2-3)

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).

Please pay attention to the fact that that above is a prophecy for the appointed time of the end–essentially the time of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21; watch also Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027?). The USA has been accumulating pledges in the form of US Treasury bonds and notes, and is the most indebted nation of all time. The above prophecy is NOT a reference to the nation calling itself Israel as it has nothing compared to USA debt.

Notice that the prophecy in Habakkuk says what will happen is so bad, that people should run who read it. That is, they should seriously consider what this means and take the appropriate steps.

Foreign creditors will rise up.

The Bible clearly warns that an indebted people will be destroyed by people whose language that they do not understand, and that the destruction will be fairly total:

43 The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed…47 “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. 49 The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. 51 And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you. 52 They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you (Deuteronomy 28:42-45,47-52).

7 The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)

13 And the Lord said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, 14 but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts…16 I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have consumed them.” (Jeremiah 9:13,14a,16)

12 One-third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one-third shall fall by the sword all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. (Ezekiel 5:12)

Most will not believe, but that was expected:

6 “Don’t say such things,” the people respond. “Don’t prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!” (Micah 2:6, New Living Translation)

16 … You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, And do not spout against the house of Isaac.’ (Amos 7:16)

People will not want to hear! See also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word.

The ‘Ponzi’ scheme that the USA has been pulling off will not go on forever–even though politicians act like it can.

Watch also the following:

14:44

And the Debt Goes On…

On June 3, 2023, US President Joe Biden signed a bill to increase the official debt-ceiling of the United States. According to its Treasury the “ceiling” has been changed, increased, or delayed 78 other times. The official debt has nearly tripled since the Obama-Biden Administration. The official debt increased about $2 trillion per year under Donald Trump’s Administration and has done close to that in the Joe Biden Administration. While the USA has been able to increase debt with limited consequences (like inflation) so far, does the Bible show this can end in destruction? What did God warn about debt through the prophet Habakkuk? Is getting into high amounts of debt a blessing or curse according to the Bible? Do Democrats or Republicans currently have a plan that will now be implemented to pay off the debt? Has the USA been functioning as an international “leech” consistent with statements in the Book of Proverbs? Does the Bible say it is wicked to borrow money you do really intend to repay? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel cover these matters.

Here is a link to our video: And the Debt Goes On…

Furthermore, the Bible is clear that the USA will be taken over (cf. Daniel 11:39) and debt will be a factor per Habakkuk 2:6-8.

Do not believe in Ponzi schemes.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria .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.
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. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and 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.
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 are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic 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?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Brexit Happened: Now What? At 11:00 pm January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union. Many celebrated, while many mourned. Nigel Farage stated, “This is the greatest moment in modern British history.” What will happen to the United Kingdom? Will the UK be involved in trade deals with the United States of America and the Europeans? Will the UK regret the BRitish Exit (Brexit) from the EU?What will happen with the European Union? Is Europe prophesied to have a great army and many ships? Does the Bible prophesy a reorganization of Europe? Does it prophesy that the Europeans will become a conquering military power? Is the United Kingdom prophesied to be conquered? How does the Bible name the British-descended peoples? Was the British Empire the largest in world history? Was Brexit predicted by Church of God leaders in 1970 and the early 1990s? Will the European Union be negatively affected financially by the departure of the UK? Will this turn out well for the UK or the Europeans? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
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? 2031 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?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details. A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle), you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on The federal US ‘Ponzi scheme’ will unravel in disaster

Scott Lively explains belief that King Charles represents ‘the final Steward of Gondor’

Sunday, July 16th, 2023

(Warner Brothers’ promotional poster)

COGwriter

Saw the following unusual article at World Net Daily by Scott Lively:

It is fairly well-known in Christian circles that J.R.R. Tolkien intended his masterpiece, “The Lord of the Rings,” to be at least in part a Christian allegory. …

Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” preserved many elements of the Christian allegory …

Christ imagery in the film is most dramatically linked to the wizard Gandalf in “The Two Towers,” when (“on the third day”) in blinding white garments he appears on the crest of the ridge overlooking the valley of Helm’s Deep with the “host of heaven” … the true Christ figure in “The Lord of the Rings” is not Gandalf but Aragorn (played by Viggo Mortensen), a character whose storyline mixes elements of Christian theology with those of British Israelism, a fact best encapsulated in the title of the final book “The Return of the King” (Isildur’s heir). …

The most obvious aspect grounded in basic Christian theology is the theme of the second coming of Christ as King of Kings. Through most of the trilogy, Aragorn displays Christlike humility and devoted service to the cause of protecting humanity from evil, always soft-spoken and kind-hearted but unwavering in his righteous cause, like Jesus during his first coming. Only at the end is Aragorn revealed to be the “high king” (king of kings) foretold by prophecy, who then leads the armies of righteousness against the legions of Sauron/Satan.

A second major aspect, common to both traditional Christian theology and to British Israelism, is the theme of a prophesied Millennial Kingdom that follows the War of Armageddon. The coronation of Aragorn occurs only after the conquest of the wicked, amidst many symbols of millennial harmony – a scene much more extensive in the book than in the film.

But a third major aspect, central to British Israelism and unrecognized by most Christians, is the theme of an interrupted royal succession in which the throne is held for long ages of time by a “steward” (the steward of Gondor) awaiting the return of the true king. …

To be clear, I do not endorse British Israelism, … BUT very importantly, it is a doctrine that was so enormously influential in Great Britain from the 16th century through the very early 20th century that I contend it is impossible to understand the rise and rule of the British Empire without knowing BI’s history among the elites. What matters most is not whether BI is true, but that key elites believed it to be true and for hundreds of years set world-shaping policy based in part upon that belief.

The essence of BI doctrine is this: In Genesis 49:10, the patriarch Jacob prophesied that a Hebrew monarchy would arise under his son Judah, to wit, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet until Shiloh [Christ] comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.” Judah had two sons, Zerah and Perez, and the monarchy was vested in the Perez line beginning with David and ending with Jesus (Matthew 1:3-16). …

When the Perez line was supposedly terminated by Nebuchadnezzar’s murder of King Zedekiah and all his male heirs (Jeremiah 39:6-7), Jeremiah took the kings daughters (who did in fact survive, per Jeremiah 43:5-6) to Ireland where the alternate Judean royal line of Zerah had supposedly migrated generations before. Thus, BI theory contends, unbroken royal succession continued by marriage of the two royal lines, and expanded to Scotland and then Great Britain, memorialized by the “Stone of Scone” (“Jacob’s pillow”), which literally sits on a shelf under the seat of the official throne to this day. …

Laugh if you must, but this is the very belief that from the late 1500s onward united certain Jews (Elves), Scottish Protestants (Dwarves) and the British millennialists (Men) in British-Israelism influenced policy that culminated (during Tolkien’s formative years) in the world-shaking liberation of the Holy Land from the Ottoman Turks (Orcs) in 1917 and the subsequent repatriation of the Jews there.

And, bizarrely, Tolkien’s high fantasy seems coincidentally (or perhaps prophetically) to have foreshadowed the British monarchy today in that the final Steward of Gondor was Denethor (King Charles), whose wife Finduilas (Princess Diana) bore him two heirs, Boromir (Prince William) and Faramir (Prince Harry) before dying during their childhood (as did both Finduilas and Diana), and who reigns under the menacing shadow of a powerfully ascendant, 07/14/23 https://www.wnd.com/2023/07/prophecy-j-r-r-tolkien/

Well, I was unaware of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ connection to King Charles III or real Christianity.

But biblically, it should be pointed out that the royal successors to King David of Israel are not “stewards,” they are the occupants of the throne according to promises related to King David. And that is something that King Charles III has a connection to.

Notice something from our free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

The Throne of David Was to Continue

Let’s look at some prophecies related to the throne of David:

⁴⁵ … King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever. (1 Kings 2:45)

³ “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴ ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’”(Psalm 89:3-4)

² … Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates! (Jeremiah 22:2)

¹⁷ “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸ nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’” (Jeremiah 33:17-18)

The above passages make clear that the throne of David was to last. Since scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), then someone has to be on that throne now. Let me also state that there have been Levites ever since Jeremiah 33:17-18–the fact that they do not do their original biblical role for offerings does NOT change the fact that they still exist, which is all that scripture requires for them. It should also be noted that Young’s Literal Translation says “one” instead of “a man,” which literally allows for a woman to have the throne (the NET uses “successor” and the NLT uses “descendant”).

Furthermore, since God had Jeremiah write this during the life of the last king on the throne of David in Jerusalem (Zedekiah) this may also be suggesting that Jeremiah would be involved in the continuity of the Davidic throne.

Although some have improperly asserted that Jeremiah 33:17 does not mean that anyone actually has to be on the throne, only available to be on it, remember also the following:

¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Genesis 49:10)

The Bible shows that scepter came to David of Judah when he became king (cf. Numbers 24:17; 2 Samuel 8:2). Some who do not accept that the British Royal family can be holding that scepter have said that, “Until Shiloh comes” means Jesus’ first coming. However, that is in error for three reasons.

The first is if that were the case, then where were the kings between Zedekiah (the last King of Judah) and Jesus? There were none.

And secondly, during His first coming, Jesus said His Kingdom was future (John 18:36), so He did not assume the throne then. Critics of what is known as British-Israelism do not seem to realize that and they wrongly rationalize away many scriptures. Jesus will sit on the throne of David in millennial the Kingdom of God.

And thirdly, note that Genesis 49:10 has to be a reference to the second coming of Jesus, as we did not see the obedience of the people given to Him during the first coming. Hence, biblically, there had to have been a royal succession from Judah’s line after Zedekiah until Jesus’ return.

Consider that through the prophet Nathan, God made a remarkable promise to King David:

¹² “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. … ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 15-16)

The throne was to be established forever—and it has been! And this is the throne Jesus will return to.

Scripture is plainly teaching that someone has had to have been on that throne since the time of the Zedekiah (a contemporary of Jeremiah), who was the last king of Judah in the Holy Land until Jesus returns to set up the millennial kingdom.

Since someone had to fill the regal role, we can see through historical records and legends that the royalty in the British Isles fits this.

Now, some have pointed to Jeremiah 22:28-30 as proof that, because God said that Coniah (also called Jeconiah) would not have son to be on the throne of David as proof that the line would not continue, that overlooks the fact that the line continued through Coniah’s brother Zedekiah (1 Chronicles 3:16).

Through the prophet Nathan, God made a remarkable promise to King David:

¹² “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. … ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 15-16)

The throne was to be established forever—and it has been! This is the throne Jesus will return to.

The idea that “Christ upon His return, will take over David’s throne” was believed by those who held to many Church of God doctrines in Transylvania during the late Middle Ages.[i]; see also Die Sabbatharier in Siebenburgen.[ii]

The idea that Jesus would return to the throne of David is NOT a 19^th, 20^th, or 21^st century invention.

This ‘throne of David’ doctrine is also taught in the New Testament:

³¹ … Jesus . ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. (Luke 1:31-32)

²⁸ So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Matthew 19:28)

Notice that these are still future prophecies. Jesus has been appointed “heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2). Jesus is not now on the throne of David and He will not be until the coming millennial Kingdom of God (cf. Acts 2:29-30; Revelation 11:15, 20:4).

Therefore, until Jesus returns, someone needs to be on the throne—and the British Royal Family has an occupant to this day.

The New Testament also teaches:

⁵ … Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed … (Revelation 5:5)

Note that even in the last book of the Bible, Jesus is again tied in with David and is prophesied to prevail. Jesus will gain the throne of David (Luke 1:32).

[i] Marx G. The Beliefs and Practices of the Church of God in Transylvania During the Middle Ages, 1588-1623

[ii] (The Sabbatarians in Transylvania) Ihre Geschichte, Literatur und Dogmatic (their story, literature and doctrines) ein Beitrag zur Religions und Kulturgeshichte der Juengsten Drei Jahrhunderte (a contribution to the religious and cultural history of the last three centuries) von (by) Dr. Samuel Kohn, printed in Leipzig, Germany in 1894

Irrespective of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ speculations, the reality is that King Charles III is on the throne of David.

A complete list of occupants of that throne to present is in our free online book: Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North, and Christian Persecution from the Beast; and WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Posted in Religious News | Comments Off on Scott Lively explains belief that King Charles represents ‘the final Steward of Gondor’

Malware re-direct attacks removed!

Sunday, July 16th, 2023

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

Over the past several weeks we have received occasional reports that users at the COGwriter.com website have sometimes been redirected to some type of advertisement. Since COGwriter.com never has accepted any advertisements or paid content, we knew we were not the source.

In the Continuing Church of God’s Letter to the Brethren: July 13, 2023, we had the following related to that:

Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.

We have had some reports of problems people have had when at the COGwriter.com website. Essentially, false re-directs come up with various searches and some links. We are working on this and would appreciate your prayers.

The Apostle Paul warned:

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

And we certainly seem to be seeing this with the interference we have run into. Paul further wrote:

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

So, again your prayers would be appreciated as we try to work through this.

Anyway, yes, Satan’s minions did attack the COGwriter.com website. And yes, God answered our prayers about this.

Bill Wedekind discovered that various files at the COGwriter.com site had been hit with malware.

Malware, short for malicious software, refers to any intrusive software developed by cybercriminals (often called hackers). As far as we have determined, the malware that hit the COGwriter.com website simply re-directed some clicks to advertisements.

Jesus said:

44 … the devil, … He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

The re-directs were lies, hence that is clearly the connection to Satan.

The Apostle Paul warned about our time:

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, …

12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1-4, 12-13)

So, yes, we were hit with persecution from brutal, slanderous, evil imposters who were more interested in deceit and money than in truth.

Jesus said:

20 If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20).

Jesus also said:

18 … I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

Satan cannot stop the church, but certainly can persecute and attack (1 Peter 5:8-9).

Bill Wedekind worked until about 1:00 this morning his time to clean up all the infected files.

When he and I checked it today, we have not run into any more malware redirects. If you encounter any further false re-directs, please let me know. My email remains COGwriter@aol.com

My thanks to Bill Wedekind for his work, dedication, and determination.

Jesus warned:

4 … the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4, NKJV)

4… the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4 KJV)

In an October 23, 1980 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:

The Bible warns us the time is just ahead when NO MAN CAN WORK—in the Lord’s Work.

In a November 22, 1982 co-worker letter, Herbert Armstrong wrote:

… brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work – in the Work of God! Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God. (http://cog-ff.com/html/pcomments_07_04_08.html, viewed 10/03/13)

So, the Bible tells of a time that will come when the word of God will not be found. And that would seem to be because it will be taken off the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is accessed by people in every country, and thus some type of internet restriction/suspension/site removal is coming–and that will be because of something even worse than malware.

Related to internet control, the Continuing Church of God has the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

17:58

Internet Censorship and Prophecy

Are concerns about internet censorship limited to nations such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But what about the USA, Canada, and Germany? What about the European Union? What about internet media companies such as Facebook, Google, YouTube, or email services like MailChimp? Has the attempt to control information been made by various ones over the centuries? Was the New Testament affected by it? What about the church throughout the centuries? Has the Bible already been partially censored? Which Bible prophecies point to coming Internet censorship? What about the Book of Amos? What about the coming 666 Beast and final Antichrist? Is there anything that can be done about this? Should Philadelphian Christians be working on anything now? Will preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God vs. a highly media-supported alternative lead to a ‘famine of the word’? More internet censorship is coming as various statements in the Bible support.

We also put out the following:

Orwell’s 1984 by 2024?

In 1949, the late George Orwell wrote a disturbing book about a totalitarian government called “nineteen-eighty four.” Despite laws that are supposed to protect freedom of speech and religion, we are seeing governments taking steps consistent with those that Geroge Orwell warned against. We are also seeing this in the media, academia, and in private companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter. With the advent of technology, totalitarianism beyond what Orwell wrote is possible. Does the Bible teach the coming a totalitarian state similar to George Orwell’s? What about the Antichrist and 666? Will things get worse? What is the solution? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more. A written article of related interest is titled “Totalitarian controls getting closer–The Guardian pushing internet censorship.”

Here is a link to our video: Orwell’s 1984 by 2024?

666 control and Orwellian suppression of the truth is coming.

More stifling of religious speech will happen.

The prophet Amos was inspired to record the following:

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

But Matthew 24:14 will be fulfilled BEFORE the full ‘famine of the word’ happens.

After the Gospel of the Kingdom of God has sufficiently reached the world the end comes and the Beast will rise up (Matthew 24:14-22, Revelation 13) and more totalitarian controls will be put in place.

More speech restrictions, censorship. and persecutions are coming (cf. Revelation 13; Amos 8:11-12).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
Internet Censorship and Prophecy Are concerns about internet censorship limited to nations such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But what about the USA, Canada, and Germany? What about the European Union? What about internet media companies such as Facebook, Google, YouTube, or email services like MailChimp? Has the attempt to control information been made by various ones over the centuries? Was the New Testament affected by it? What about the church throughout the centuries? Has the Bible already been partially censored? Which Bible prophecies point to coming Internet censorship? What about the Book of Amos? What about the coming 666 Beast and final Antichrist? Is there anything that can be done about this? Should Philadelphian Christians be working on anything now? Will preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God vs. a highly media-supported alternative lead to a ‘famine of the word’? More internet censorship is coming as various statements in the Bible support.
The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions Was the Church of Rome really responsible for this? What happened? Here is a link to a related video sermon: The Past and Future Inquisition.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Orwell’s 1984 by 2024? In 1949, the late George Orwell wrote a disturbing book about a totalitarian government called “nineteen-eighty four.” Despite laws that are supposed to protect freedom of speech and religion, we are seeing governments taking steps consistent with those that George Orwell warned against. We are also seeing this in the media, academia, and in private companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter. With the advent of technology, totalitarianism beyond what Orwell wrote is possible. Does the Bible teach the coming a totalitarian state similar to George Orwell’s? What about the Antichrist and 666? Will things get worse? What is the solution? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more in this video.

Posted in COG News | Comments Off on Malware re-direct attacks removed!

BibleNewsProphecy: King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

Sunday, July 16th, 2023

3rd Century portrayal of Samuel anointing David
(public domain photo from Yale University)

COGwriter

We put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel, the audio portion of which was sent also for broadcast on WRMI shortwave at 5850 kHz at 0130 UTC Monday (which is 8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time on Sunday), Wilkins Radio Network yesterday (12 stations), and for the European Gospel Radio station AM 1323 kHz Wednesday 21:30-21:45 CET (European Central Time):/: We just uploaded a new related video:

14:53

King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

The Bible talks a lot about King David of Israel–he is mentioned in books in the Hebrews scriptures and the New Testament. Is there any physical proof, archaeological evidence that he existed? Or, as some at Wikipedia put it, is he only a legend like King Arthur or Homer epic tales? Did Professor Yosef Garfinkel of Hebrew University conclude that King David ruled over fortified cities like the Bible points out? Do ancient tablets found at Mari point to the rule of King David? Does the Mesha Stele help prove that King David was real? What about the Tel Dan Stele? Does the Bible warn about false knowledge, false science, and deceiving people who will not hold to scripture? Was there really a town of Ziglag that David fled to? Could there be a successor to King David alive today? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these matters and discuss archaeological proofs related to King David.

Here is a link to our video: King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
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.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Donald Trump, and Prophecy On December 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise related to the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. This brought anger, protests, and rockets from some Palestinians. It also brought condemnation from European allies–it has been claimed to be disruptive and even catastrophic. The Palestinian President (Mahmoud Abbas) said that this pronouncement eliminated the USA as being a fair mediator for a peace deal. Others have claimed that Donald Trump is an end time Cyrus and his pronouncement will lead to a Third Temple in Jerusalem. Is there ever going to be a peace deal? If so, will Europeans be part of it? Is Donald Trump a ‘Cyrus.’ Do the Jews require a Third Temple for sacrifices? Dr. Thiel answer those questions and more in this video.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Biblical Archaeology This is a website that has more information on biblical archeological as is sometimes known as the Bib Arch site.
The Old Testament Canon This article shows from Catholic accepted writings, that the Old Testament used by non-Roman Catholics and non-Orthodox churches is the correct version.
Old Testament History This is a link to articles that essentially back up the historical accuracy of the Hebrew scriptures (AKA The Old Testament).
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
The 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.

Posted in COG News, Old Testament History | Comments Off on BibleNewsProphecy: King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

‘These Are The World’s Biggest Arms Importers’ Could this impact the King of the South and the King of the North?

Saturday, July 15th, 2023

🪖Qatar’s arms imports increased by 361% from 2016-2020, according to a report by @SIPRIorg. The arms were imported from the US, Russia and France. Read more 👇 https://t.co/zonl8mnwn5

— Doha News (@dohanews) March 15, 2021

COGwriter

ZeroHedge reported the following:

These Are The World’s Biggest Arms Importers

July 15, 2023

Qatar was the world’s biggest arms importer in 2022, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. …

When looking at the main importers of arms over a five year average (2018-2022), India was the biggest arms importer with a global share of 11 percent, followed by Saudi Arabia (9.6 percent), Qatar (6.4 percent), …

from 2013-2017 to 2018-2022. … Europe … {had} a 47 percent increase in the flow of arms to the continent. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/these-are-worlds-biggest-arms-importers

Before going further, let me add that Qatar is considered to be a significant supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood (e.g. https://amwaj.media/media-monitor/report-uae-contracted-swiss-firm-to-label-european-muslims-as-extremists).

The logo of the Muslim Brotherhood contains the Qu’ran and the sword–hence showing it supports some type of militaristic Islam.

As far as the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood, it wants a massive Islamic caliphate ruled, of course, by a Muslim leader.

Notice the following that was once at the Muslim Brotherhood’s website:

The Muslim Brethren…believe that the caliphate is a symbol of Islamic Union and an indication of the bonds between the nations of Islam. They see the caliphate and its re-establishment as a top priority, subsequently; an association of Muslims people should be set up, which would elect the imam”. (zhyntativ. HASAN AL-BANNA AND HIS POLITICAL THOUGHT OF ISLAMIC BROTHERHOOD. IkhwanWeb, May 13, 2008. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=17065 viewed 09/22/11)

What is the Muslim Brotherhood?
The world’s largest and most influential Islamist movement. Founded in Egypt in 1928, the group was originally focused on ridding the country of corrupting secular influences brought by British colonial rule. Over the years, it established branches and affiliates in many countries to promote traditional Sunni Islamic morals, social justice, and the eradication of poverty and corruption. “The Islamic nation,” its charter states, “must be fully prepared to fight the tyrants and the enemies of Allah as a prelude to establishing an Islamic state”—ideally a re-established caliphate, stretching from Spain across the Middle East and Central Asia to Indonesia, to be governed according to Islamic sharia law. (Understanding the Muslim Brotherhood. February 14, 2011. © The Muslim Brotherhood. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=28019 viewed 11/21/2011)

The Muslim Brotherhood apparently wants, as its top priority, a pan-national Islamic caliphate ruled by an Imam. It will not end up with Spain, if I understand certain aspects of Bible prophecy correctly, but the confederation of the final King of the South may go from around Western Sahara and/or Mauritania to Oman (with possible involvement and/or coordination with Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and/or Indonesia).

That said, what about arms importing and the the biblical King of the South and the King of the North?

Consider the following scriptures:

25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. (Daniel 11:25-27)

The “He’ is a reference to the King of the North. Notice that the King of the North ends up with a “great army”–he also ends up with “many ships” per Daniel 11:40. Notice also that the King of the South have a “very great and mighty army.”

So, yes, both powers will end up with what the Bible calls “great” armies.

Consider also that the Europeans have greatly increased military spending since Russia’s “Special Military Operation” into Ukraine (e.g. watch Is the European Beast Growing Horns?). The prophesied reality is that the final King of the North will rise up.

And yes, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others in the Middle East have been building up arms. The prophesied reality is that the final King of the South will rise up. That is basically what groups like the Muslim Brotherhood want to happen.

Here are some comments published by the old Worldwide Church of God related to the coming King of the South and King of the North:

Just as there is yet to be a final “king of the north” — called in Bible symbolism “the beast” — who will arise as superdictator over an end-time European confederation, there may very well emerge in the same manner a final “king of the south” — an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly even bearing the very title Mahdi! And these two individuals will eventually find themselves in a head-to-head confrontation — possibly over oil — which will ultimately lead to devastating war in the Middle East! …

King David of ancient Israel, in a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the coming 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” of Daniel 11 — 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 people dwelt in the land known as Syria today]; Gebal [Lebanon], and Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks]; the Philistines [the modern Palestinian Arabs] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon]; Assur [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also is joined with them: they have holpen [helped] the children of Lot [Jordan and western Iraq]” (Psalms 83:4-8).

Amazingly” such an alliance is already in the making!… Israeli leaders are becoming concerned about what they perceive to be a growing European pro-Arab tilt.

Mideast Invaded

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,” with disastrous consequences for the entire Middle East — both Jew and Arab alike. The entire region will be subjected to armed invasion! …

“Daniel 11:40-41: “And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south] like a whirlwind … and he shall enter into the countries…. He shall enter also into the glorious land [Palestine], and many countries [Arab countries of the Middle East] shall be overthrown….”

The modern State of Israel will be conquered. Jerusalem will be besieged and taken. The prophet Zechariah also speaks of this capture of Jerusalem, revealing that eventually half the city will be taken into captivity by the European power (14:1-2).

In addition, Daniel’s prophecy specifically mentions that Egypt will be conquered by the German-led European forces. Isaiah shows that Syria, too, will become a “ruinous heap” (17:1-3).

The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the face of invasion. Some of its component countries will be directly occupied by European troops. However, as revealed in Daniel 11:41, Jordan (the present-day descendants of Moab and Ammon) and Turkey (Edom) will escape occupation. Other Arab countries may also avoid full occupation, possibly remaining in some sort of limited alliance with United Europe. “Libya” (or Put, the North African Arabs) along with ” Ethiopia” (or Cush, certain black African nations) shall be “at his [the king of the north’s] steps” — or “following him” as some translations render it. (Stump KW. Te Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979)

As I have been writing for years, the King of the North will arise after various crises.

The King of the South will arise after various crises.

Of course, as the passages in Daniel 11:40-43 point out, that final King of the South will be defeated. Others, like the following, show betrayal:

Furthermore, even the Muslims have a prophecy that their leader will be betrayed:

5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it 6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand men. (Ibn Zubair Ali, Mohammed Ali. The minor signs of Last Days from: The Signs of Qiyamah. http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophecies/minor.html viewed 07/15/23).

But, sadly, groups like the Muslim Brotherhood have overlooked prophesies about the coming defeat of their hoped-for leader, such as prophecies also found in Ezekiel 30:1-8.

Now while the Bible shows that this coming King of the South will be defeated, it should be noted that the USA itself will be eliminated before the King of the South is (cf. Daniel 11:39-43; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

Anyway, we are seeing military changes in the world and the coming King of the South and King of the North will rise up, as the Bible prophesies.

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. Here is a version the Spanish language: ¿Esta Surgiendo el Rey Del Sur?
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. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
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 are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Europe and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Posted in Prophecy | Comments Off on ‘These Are The World’s Biggest Arms Importers’ Could this impact the King of the South and the King of the North?

Church of God News

Archive for July, 2023

‘Number of Britons regretting Brexit hits new record high: Survey’

‘Disaster’ is right: Brexit is a self-inflicted wound that cuts dangerously deep

Brexit Happened: Now What?

King Charles Setting Prophetic Stage?

S&P’s chief economist says US dollar, ‘will no longer be the dominant world currency’

US Dollar Will Lose Status As World’s Reserve Currency, Says S&P Global’s Top Economist

… The dollar doesn’t have quite the pull it used to, S&P’s chief economist says

US Sanctions and Tariffs leading to New World Order?

Gold Backed Currency to Replace the US Dollar?

The Trinity and 1 John 5

‘Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal’

Russia officially pulls out of Ukraine grain deal

Russia Terminates Black Sea Grain Deal, Wheat Prices Spike, As Extent Of Crimea Bridge Terrorist Attack Revealed

Russia, Ukraine, Food, & the ride of the 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse

I365: Is the global heatwave God removing the sun from its ‘sheath’ for final judgement?; AOL: Air quality alerts issued for Midwest due to Canadian wildfire smoke

Is the global heatwave God removing the sun from its ‘sheath’ for final judgement?

Air quality alerts issued for Midwest due to Canadian wildfire smoke

Apocalyptic Weather?

The federal US ‘Ponzi scheme’ will unravel in disaster

The great federal-debt Ponzi scheme

And the Debt Goes On…

Scott Lively explains belief that King Charles represents ‘the final Steward of Gondor’

Malware re-direct attacks removed!

Internet Censorship and Prophecy

Orwell’s 1984 by 2024?

BibleNewsProphecy: King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

King David: Any Archaeological Proof?

‘These Are The World’s Biggest Arms Importers’ Could this impact the King of the South and the King of the North?

These Are The World’s Biggest Arms Importers

Get these news items sent to you on a daily basis

Recent Posts

Free Online Books and Booklets

International Languages

Pages

Categories

Archives

Abbreviations

Links