Church of God News

A Silver Nugget
(Wikipedia photo)

COGwriter

Silver is an element with an atomic number of 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal, therefore it has many modern uses.

Some see it as a major investment opportunity:

Silver prices hinge on Fed’s decision and language amid easing inflation and strong economic growth.

January 31, 2024

Silver prices are drifting early Wednesday, heading for a second consecutive monthly loss. This trend is largely influenced by investor expectations surrounding the Federal Reserve’s policy decisions and the resilience of the U.S. economy. …

Traders have scaled back their expectations of Fed rate cuts for 2024, with the probability of a March rate cut now significantly reduced …

The Federal Reserve’s post-meeting statement is anticipated to provide crucial hints about future interest rate moves. The removal or retention of specific phrases related to policy firming could signal the Fed’s readiness to shift towards rate cuts or maintain its current stance, respectively. This subtle language change could have a profound impact on financial markets, including silver. …

In the short term, the silver market is likely to remain sensitive to the Fed’s policy signals. A dovish shift, indicating potential rate cuts, could provide some support to silver prices. However, if the Fed maintains a more hawkish or uncertain stance, silver could continue its downward trend. …

In our opinion, downside pressure will continue to dominate as long as the barrier at $23.48 to $23.58 remains intact. Conversely, taking out $23.58 with conviction could trigger an acceleration to the upside. https://www.fxempire.com/forecasts/article/silver-prices-forecast-feds-language-key-to-xagusds-short-term-direction-1406245

Here is a report from a different source:

Silver: The moment to take action has arrived

January 30, 2024

After an 8% correction to start 2024 and a rejection of sub-$22, one commodity that has recently grabbed our attention as a long-term value play is the March Silver contract. We anticipate that Silver prices are trading near a critical support trendline (see chart), and the downside remains limited. The fundamentals over the past two weeks have shifted, and any one catalyst could send prices back to the 2023 double-top high at $26.43. …

Silver has lagged behind other commodities due to its dependence on industrial applications and reliance on China as a consumer. China remains the largest consumer of Silver globally, consuming 18% of global fabrication. The problem is that after a disastrous 2023 and a 43% decline in Chinese stocks since the 2021 highs, China has finally taken extraordinary measures to step up and support its economy by injecting 278 billion dollars into it and cutting the reserve ratio by 50 bps. These measures are necessary given that Chinese consumer confidence is near all-time lows and GDP threatens multi-decade lows. Since announcing the stimulus measures, we have seen a surge in everything related to China, sending the Hang Seng up 7% and Copper up 5%.

While China may be one part of the puzzle, higher interest rates have been a significant headwind that is near coming to an end. The market could see our first interest rate cut as early as March, depending on upcoming economic data. …

Regardless of whether the first cut comes in March or May, we should see a chain reaction of events leading to a weaker U.S. Dollar followed by a steady stream of fund inflows into the Gold market. Historically, Gold has, on average, seen a 6% rise within 30 days of the first interest rate cut. Additionally, the Gold/Silver ratio is trading near 88:1, leaving Silver at a historically low valuation to Gold. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2024-01-30/silver-moment-take-action-has-arrived

Historically, silver has tended to be a more volatile investment than gold. Its price–up or down–as a percentage tends to fluctuate a lot more than gold–so in that respect it is a riskier as well as potentially better (or more dangerous) investment.

On the other hand, let me flat out state that one day, not too many years from now, the USA dollar will not be worth more than the scrap or nostalgic value of its cotton-paper money.

As far as silver itself goes, Wikipedia reports:

Silver has long been valued as a precious metal. Silver metal is used in many bullion coins, …

Other than in currency and as an investment medium (coins and bullion), silver is used in solar panels, water filtration, jewellery, ornaments, high-value tableware and utensils (hence the term “silverware“), in electrical contacts and conductors, in specialized mirrors, window coatings, in catalysis of chemical reactions, as a colorant in stained glass, and in specialized confectionery. Its compounds are used in photographic and X-ray film. Dilute solutions of silver nitrate and other silver compounds are used as disinfectants and microbiocides (oligodynamic effect), added to bandages, wound-dressings, catheters, and other medical instruments.

(Silver, Wikipedia, accessed 01/31/24)

The Bible also notes that silver has been used as money for thousands of years.

We know that by the time of Abram/Abraham it was used:

2 Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.  (Genesis 13:2)

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.” 16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. (Genesis 23:14-16)

Those events in the Book of Genesis took place approximately 3,900 years ago.

It should be noted that the Bible does show that silver (along with gold) will have value into at least the first few couple of years of the Great Tribulation. Here are some end time prophecies from scripture that help show that:

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

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

12 … merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls … (Revelation 18:12)

Throughout history, governments–including the USA, but going back at least 3000 years–have often debased the value of their silver currency by making it dross.

This is something that the Bible warns against:

4 Take away the dross from silver (Proverbs 25:4a).

22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water.  (Isaiah 1:22)

25 I will turn My hand against you,
And thoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.  (Isaiah 1:25)

18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21 Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.'”  (Ezekiel 22:18-22)

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

In the USA, its “silver” became “dross” in 1965.

What is dross?

Dross is a cheaper metal that is normally placed inside a covering of a precious metal like silver. Governments began to do this thousands of years ago when they had financial problems.  Putting dross into silver cheapens currency.  Dross, like leaven, puffs up and makes something appear different than it is.

It seems obvious, to me at least, that God in addition to telling people to try to be pure, He was specifically warning against cheapening the money supply with dross in the Old Testament and, through the Apostle Paul, our spiritual lives with leaven in the New Testament.

Interestingly, the USA not being satisfied with simply making its silver dross, has taken so many steps to make its currency dross, through debt, “quantitative easing”, and politically-motivated spending, that it pays no attentions to God’s warnings about cheapening the money supply.

Many advocate gold, silver, and/or other precious metals as a hedge against this. And while I am NOT a gold or silver “bug” as I understand how some define that term, it is true that the Bible shows that gold and silver will have value into at least part of the Great Tribulation. Again, notice:

37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; (Daniel 11:37-43)

If gold and silver were of no value then, then they would not be precious (see also Zechariah 14:13-14) to the King of the North. Gold and silver are of value into the time of the final Babylon (Revelation 18:11-16). So, in that respect, the Eastern and Roman Catholic “prophecies” are correct. It may well be that the King of the North will realize that his currency needs more gold-backing as the collapsing of the USA dollar will likely send shockwaves against other paper currencies. Gold will help stabilize whatever currency he is supporting. He even may start amassing gold prior to the invasion of the USA (Daniel 11:39) or the King of the South.

Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic prophecies discuss gold, silver, and wealth in the end times.

Notice the following Orthodox prophecies:

Saint Andrew Fool-for-Christ (c. 4th century): This king will rule…Happiness will reign in the world as it did in the days of Noah. People will become very rich…The entire world will fear this king…he will pursue all persons of the Jewish religion out of Constantinople…and the people will rejoice like in the time of Noah until the deluge came God will reveal to this king all the gold wherever it happen to lay concealed from view…(Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 113,114).

Emperor Leo the Philosopher (c. early 10th century): You will amass the gold of the nations…And you will be the leader of the surrounding powers…and those that are near will prostate themselves before your feet (Tzima Otto, pp. 76-77).

To Emperor Manuel II (d. 1425): …upon the command of the the good Emperor they will go and discover treasures of gold and silver and all this will be offered as a gift to the pious ones; later on more and more valuable treasures will be found and the Emperor will do with those treasures likewise (Tzima Otto, p. 102).

Roman Catholics may wish to consider that those last three predictions sound a lot like prophecies from two of their saints about Antichrist (Ephrem is also an Orthodox saint):

Saint Ephrem (died 375): Antichrist will use worldly goods as bait. He will entice many Christians with money and goods to apostatize … The devil will help him find all the hidden treasures of the world, even those at the bottom of the ocean. With those treasures he will attain greater success for the reign of Satan than at any other time in past centuries (Connor, pp.73.74).

Saint Mechtilda (died 1299): Antichrist will, through base and false strategem, and with presents of gold and gems, attain influence over the worldly princes. They will look up to him as their Lord and God (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, pp. 133-134).

So does the Great Monarch amass gold with God’s help like Orthodox prophecies suggest or does he amass gold with the help of Satan as at least one Greco-Roman Catholic saint and certain biblical prophecies (Daniel 11:43; Revelation 18; 9:20) indicate?

The answer should be obvious to all who wish to believe the God of the Bible.

The Bible is also clear that those who amass gold and silver at the end time will find it is not the answer:

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. (James 5:1-3)

Roman Catholics who compromise with the Orthodox will likely be taken in by this lure of wealth. This is something that all (Roman Catholics and Orthodox) need to ponder.

The Bible is clear that those who amass gold and silver at the end time will find it is not the answer:

14 The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter;There the mighty men shall cry out. 15 That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, 16 A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. 17 “I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the Lord; Their blood shall be poured out like dust,And their flesh like refuse.” 18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land. (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

But again, the value of gold and silver will outlast that of the USA dollar, Canadian dollar, Australian dollar, New Zealand dollar, and the British pound (which used to be called the pound sterling as it was a silver-based currency in the past). For this reason, some in the COGS have historically suggested that that owning some could be helpful (see The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What about Silver?). But it should be noted that transporting large values of silver is difficult because of its weight relative to gold (where, depending on the ration of value, can mean 50 to 100 or so times the weight of the same value of gold).

The Bible also warns:

10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

As mentioned before (Zephaniah 1:18), the Bible is clear that gold and silver will for a while be less than worthless. Notice:

19 They will throw their silver into the streets, And their gold will be like refuse; Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them In the day of the wrath of the Lord; They will not satisfy their souls, Nor fill their stomachs, Because it became their stumbling block of iniquity. (Ezekiel 7:19).

This is probably because gold and silver cannot be eaten (in times of massive and severe food shortages many people will not be interested in it) and because of the fact that if nuclear weapons are exploded, and people are ill or dying from radiation sickness, that they will not want to have gold and silver (which retain radiation) near them.

The Bible teaches:

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)

4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
But righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 11:4)

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver. (Psalm 119:72)

However, this does not mean that owning some may not help a little bit, but that a relationship with God counts much more. It seems to also include a warning that some will apparently focus on gold and silver and not rely on God or truly give as they should to God (tithes and offerings).

Notice that the Apostle Peter clearly taught that salvation was more precious than gold and silver:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:3-9)

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Peter 1:17-19).

God’s plan of salvation will work and that, and not metals, is what really should be precious. And unlike precious metals, it will not perish.

Furthermore, the Bible shows that when the European Babylonian Beast power is destroyed, its gold and silver will not help it per the following prophecy in Isaiah:

17 “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. 18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Isaiah 13:17-19)

Yet, also notice the following:

8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water,
Now they flee away.
‘Halt! Halt!” they cry;
But no one turns back.
9 Take spoil of silver!
Take spoil of gold!
There is no end of treasure,
Or wealth of every desirable prize. (Nahum 2:8-9)

This suggests, to me at least, that the Beast power had a lot of gold and silver, and that it will again have value well after the Beast power is gone.

Yet, the solution for the world is NOT silver and/or gold (though both gold and silver will maintain value for about 3 years after the US dollar becomes totally worthless and can thus be of some benefit), but the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Back in 1961, the Plain Truth reported:

INVEST IN GOD!

Because there will come a time…when the treasures of gold and silver will be cast to the bats and moles, and people will seek TRUE VALUES! (Isa. 2: 20). “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO DELIVER THEM in the day of the wrath of the Lord: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: (you can’t eat gold! ) because it (the gold and lust for material things) is the stumblingblock of their iniquity” (Ezek. 7: 19). Then is the time YOU will want to be able to say, “God is my Friend, and He will receive me, because I served Him with my mammon (money) instead of making mammon my god!”

Yes, YOU as an individual can repent of your wrong doing against God, and turn your total resources to serving Him in getting Out this message-the gospel of the Kingdom of God-the good news of the return of Christ to set up His Kingdom! Then your dollars will be wisely invested, and God will grant you FREEDOM IN GOD’s COMING KINGDOM! (Hill DJ. What the US Gold Crisis Means to You. Plain Truth. February 1961, p. 11)

Faithful Christians give tithes and offerings (watch also Tithing and CCOG Spending) to support the work of God in order to help get Christ’s gospel of the kingdom to the world (for more details see Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel?).

That said, the recent silver discovery does provide support to the idea that silver was used in the Holy Land earlier than many thought–and yes, Abraham used it.

Related to silver, we have the following video:

15:10

Silver, Science, and Scripture

What is silver? What is it used for? How long has it been used? Will it have use in the future? There was an archaeological discovery that concluded that silver was used as a form of payment 3,700 years ago in the Levant (roughly the area of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria)–that was 500 years earlier than many thought it had been used there. Was silver shown to be used even a couple of centuries earlier than that by Abraham in the Bible? What is dross? Did ancient Rome have dross coins? Did the USA switch to dross coins instead of silver in 1965? Does the Bible teach against the use of dross? Does the Bible prophesy that silver will have value into the Great Tribulation? Are there Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies pointing to Great Monarch amassing precious metals and the Antichrist using wealth as bait? Will there be a time when people toss their silver into the street? Are there any radioactive risks with silver? Will gold and silver have value in the millennium? What does the word of God teach is more valuable than gold or silver? What should you invest in? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Silver, Science, and Scripture.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What about Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Three related sermons are available Let’s Talk About the Earthly Millennium, Millennial Utopia, and The Millennium.
Could 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 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone in 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? 2024, 2025, or 2026? 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: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.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.
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; and Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon,  When Will the End of the Age Come?, and Rise of the Prophesied King of the North.
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 Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman 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.
Tithing Questions and Some Answers Answers questions about tithing and also addresses some non-biblical arguments against tithing. Should people tithe?Here is a link to a related sermon: Tithes and Tithing. Here is a link to an older sermon: Tithing Answers from the Bible.
Why Holy Day Offerings? This is a slightly updated version of an article originally by WCG evangelist Leroy Neff that was published in the old Good News magazine in September 1983. Here is a link to a related video message: Why Holy Day Offerings?
Is Second Tithe and Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Should you save and use second tithe? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
Continuing Church of God Donations page This has information on how and where to donate as well as how funds received are spent. Here is a link to ta related video: How Does the CCOG Spend Tithes & Offerings?
Ending Your FINANCIAL WORRIES How can people help themselves and others financially? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. A video of related interest would be: Dealing With Financial Worries.
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.

BRICS header photo https://twitter.com/brics_cci/header_photo

COGwriter

The USA-UK dominated world order is being pushed aside. In addition to the goals of the European Union (which no longer includes the UK), there is the growing BRICS alliance. Originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (hence BRICS), more nations have joined and more wish to become part of this alliance.

So much so, it is now claimed to already be larger than the G7 group of mainly western nations:

Russia Says BRICS Now Surpasses G7

January 30, 2024

Russia is discussing using national systems for transmitting financial messages with other BRICS countries, the country’s central bank governor, Elvira Nabiullina, said on Tuesday, January 30.

“Russia has a System for Transmitting Financial Messages (SPFS), which is an alternative to SWIFT. Similar infrastructure exists in some other countries. We are holding discussions on the interaction of such platforms, but here the interest and technical readiness of our partners are important,” said Nabiullina.

She elaborated that 159 foreign participants from 20 countries have already joined the Russian system.

The SPFS was set up by the Bank of Russia to mitigate the risks of potential disconnection of Russian banks from SWIFT — an international interbank system for transmitting information and making payments, which links more than 11,000 organizations in almost every country in the world. …

Also, Nabiullina, told RIA Novosti that the BRICS states have exceeded the G7 in terms of share in global GDP in PPP terms.

According to the central bank chief, with the addition of the new members, the group’s share in global output rose from 31 percent to 35 percent as of the end of 2023.

The metric that Nabiullina employed is called GDP in terms of PPP, or purchasing power parity. PPP is a metric popular with many economists and compares economic productivity and standards of living between countries for the differences in the cost of goods and services.

“BRICS economies are developing quite quickly,” Nabiullina said, highlighting that the group is playing a crucial role in the world.

Last year witnessed an historic enlargement of the BRICS group. Formerly made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the economic bloc admitted Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while leaving the door open to accepting new members. https://thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/russia-says-brics-now-surpasses-g7/

I have long warned that USA sanctions were hurting SWIFT as well as other USA interests (e.g. ‘SWIFT end’ as Russian banks move towards Chinese financial system? Can this hurt the USA?).

One of the objectives of the BRICS alliance is the elimination of the USA dollar as the world’s trading and reserve currency. With that in mind, notice also the following:

BRICS: Russia Says Ditching US Dollar is a Top Priority in 2024

January 30, 2024

Following the theme that led the BRICS alliance throughout last year, Russia has said that ditching the US Dollar is 2024’s top priority. Indeed, the country is set to embrace the chairmanship of the group this year. Subsequently, it discussed the current financial reality of the global economic order as its most pressing point of cooperation.

The statement was made at a recent gathering of BRICS Sherpas and Sous Sherpas that took place Monday. There, all BRICS nations were represented, including the five newest expanded countries. …

“In line with the decision of the BRICS leaders in Johannesburg, we will explore ways to make greater use of national and local currency and payment instruments in our cross-border transactions,” Sergey Ryabkov stated during the meeting. Moreover, he added that this would be done “to reduce the negative side effects of the currency global economic system.”

Russia spearheaded the BRICS de-dollarization plans after Western sanctions were imposed following the invasion of Ukraine. That weaponization of the greenback instilled renewed fear in fellow alliance members. https://watcher.guru/news/brics-russia-says-ditching-us-dollar-is-a-top-priority-in-2024

Now, while the astute observer may notice that it was Russia making the above comments, this ditching of the USA dollar is a key objective of the BRICS alliance, and not just Russia.

The BRICS nations see the USA debt risk and despise USA sanction policies. They clearly want to topple the dominance of the US and its dollar (as do the Europeans, which is part of why they came out with the Euro).

Related to BRICS and the USA dollar, notice the following which is in my book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

Those in Iran and some of the Arab lands, along with nations such as Brazil, China, and India have discussed plans for the removal of the dominance of the U.S.A. in global trade as well. The former (again current) President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 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 in the first place. [i] Others have  noted that bypassing the USA dollar is still an object of BRICS—and officially BRICS nations “are currently working on setting up a new global reserve currency,”[ii] which may have gold-backing.[iii] The expansion of BRICS (which is in progress) may ultimately even hurt Australian trade as well as “severely weaken primacy of the US Dollar as an international currency.”[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). Debt is also warned against (Habakkuk 2:6-8). Yet policies enacted under the Obama, Trump, and Biden Administrations, following certain other administrations, have ignored these warnings.

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

[ii] BRICS developing new global reserve currency – Putin. RT, June 22, 2022

[iii] Helms K. Economists Discuss Russia, China Potentially Developing Gold-Backed Currency. BRICS Information Portal, November 11, 2022

[iv]Hunter M. BRICS Is Becoming The Big Kid On The Block: Implications For Australia – Analysis. Eurasia Review, November 1, 2022

One day the US dollar will be toppled–but that will not fully happen in 2024. But let me add that the Bible teaches that a coming European power will accumulate gold too (cf. Daniel 11:38,43; see also The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold?).

Based upon several biblical prophecies, I have long written that the Asians and Europeans will cooperate, for a time, and eliminate the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies. They will divide their lands among them per Daniel 11:39, and many of the survivors will be made slaves (for more details check out the article Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

It should be added that part of the purpose of the Euro was to bypass the USA dollar for international trade. And, that has happened completely within the Eurozone block in the EU.

Steps towards pushing away the Anglo-American dominance of the world for the past couple of centuries is happening.

Although BRICS will not dominate the world economically like the coming European Beast power will, the BRICS nations and their actions will have major impacts on the world.

Related to BRICS and the USA dollar, we put together the following video:

14:31

BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar

The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have as one of their founding goals, to eliminate the need to use USA dollars in cross-border trade. Six additional nations have been invited to join BRICS in 2024, and India reports that six more are also being looked at. The BRICS nations have already began to drop the USA dollar for some cross-border trading with Russia and China indicating that they had almost done so completely in late 2023. What will happen to the economy and value of the USA dollar if more and more nations stop using it as a primary reserve and trading currency? What about hyperinflation? Does the Bible prophesy destruction for a highly indented nation in the end time? Is the USA the most indebted nation of all time? What about the intent and use of the Euro? Will Europe and Asia cooperate to eliminate the USA and its British-descended allies?

Here is a link to our video: BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar.

A lot is happening.

The USA dollar will no longer remain “king.” This will greatly impact the economy of the USA.

As Jesus said: “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).

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; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
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 are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?

COGwriter

Israel365News posted the following:

EXPERT: Star of Jacob will appear on Friday, September 27

January 29, 2024

A brilliant but relatively unknown author and teacher referred to classical Jewish sources that described the tumultuous end of days in terms that were disturbingly similar to current events. The Zohar describes an unmistakable sign that heralds the appearance of the Messiah: the Star of Jacob first described in the Bible by Balaam. The Zohar gives a precise day and date that this pre-Messiah astral body will appear and recently, astronomers confirmed that on that precise date, a comet will appear in the heavens.

Efraim Palvanov, a teacher and author, …

“I found something a few weeks ago that just really blew me away and I’ve been really excited to share it,” Palvanov said in the video. “But I’m gonna leave that to the end. We’ll save the best for last.”So don’t  fall asleep.” …

“The description in the Zohar really fits into what’s going on over here” Palvanov notes, continuing in the Zohar.

“At that time, a nation from the end of the earth will be aroused against evil Rome and wage war against it for three months. Nations will gather there, and [Rome] will fall into their hands, until all the children of Edom will gather against it [that nation] from all the corners of the world. Then God will be roused against them…He will destroy the descendants of Ishmael from the land, and break all the powers of [all the nations’ guardian angels] Above. There will not remain any power of any people on earth, except the power of Israel alone. This is the meaning of “God is your shade upon your right hand”. (Psalms 121:5)”

“Some might say that ‘a nation from the end of the earth’ is referring to North Korea, or maybe China, somewhere from the far east, from the edge of the world,” Palvanoc speculated.

“So the Gog and Magog War will last one year and there will be a three month war against the sons of Ishmael, driving them from the land of Israel,” Palvanov summarized. “This is what we are living through today.”

“But this is the part I really wanted to get to,” he said. “We know that probably one of the oldest prophecies and oldest traditions that we have about the Moshiach (Messiah) comes from Balaam, a Gentile prophet who came to curse Israel and couldn’t curse them. Instead, he gives a prophecy that actually says ‘I will tell you what will happen at the end of days’.”

What I see for them is not yet, What I behold will not be soon: A star rises from Yaakov, A scepter comes forth from Yisrael; It smashes the brow of Moab, The foundation of all children of Shet. Numbers 24:17

“It’s one of the few places that the Torah uses the expression, ‘end of days’,” Palvanov notes.  …

The Zohar  (212b) goes into detail, describing the Star of Jacob:

“It is taught that in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will rebuild Jerusalem and reveal one firm star, glowing with seventy pillars of fire, and with seventy sparks flashing from it in the middle of the Firmament, and they will be reigned over by seventy other stars, and they will glow and burn for seventy days.”

“And [the star] will be seen on the sixth day, on the 25th day of the sixth month. It will be gathered on the seventh day, at the end of seventy days. On the first day it will be seen in the city of Rome. On that same day, three high structures of that city of Rome will fall and a great edifice will fall. The ruler of that city will die. Then the star will spread out to be seen in the rest of the world.”

The date described in the Zohar as the day on which the star will appear corresponds to the Hebrew date the 25th of Elul. The Zohar specifies that this date will fall on a Friday. …

The Zohar then describes what the world will be like in that pre-Messianic era.

“The world, at the time that Moshiach will be revealed, will have been experiencing trouble after trouble, and the haters of Israel will grow stronger. Then, the spirit of Moshiach will be aroused against them, and the evil Edom will be destroyed. The entire land of Seir will be destroyed by fire.”

“This is what we have been experiencing,” Palvanov explained. “One crisis coming right after another. The pandemic leading into hyperinflation leading into the Ukraine war leading into the war in Israel and the war with the Houthis.” https://www.israel365news.com/383223/expert-star-of-jacob-will-appear-on-friday-september-27/

Well, the Zohar is not a biblical work. Plus, the Messiah has already come.

We are also NOWHERE CLOSE for the Gog and Magog battle, as that it for a different age –over 1000 years from now (see also Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day?).

As far as the time of the Messiah goes, consider the following Jewish writing:

The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation;  two thousand years the Torah flourished;  and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era (Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sanhedrin Folio 97a).

The above is saying that 4000 years after Adam and Eve were created that the Messianic era would begin. And that is basically correct in the sense that Jesus came about 4000 years after Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden of Eden. But Jews do not accept the fact that the Messiah as already come.

Here is some information about the Jews, why they do not accept Jesus, and some reasons why their own accepted writings show that they should from our free online book Proof Jesus is the Messiah :

[Y]ou may be asking yourself, “If Jesus filled/fulfilled over 200 Hebrew scriptures, then why don’t all the religious Jews believe?”

Basically, for a combination of reasons.

Here is a summary of six of the main arguments against Jesus’ messiahship from some Jewish leaders:

1. They do not believe that all the prophecies Jesus fulfilled were messianic.
2. They do not believe that the Gospel accounts are accurate.
3. They believe that there were key messianic prophecies that Jesus did not fulfill.
4. They believe that Christians misunderstand timing and Daniel 9.
5. They rely on post-biblical traditions.
6. They see many errors in what is considered to be Christianity.

As far as that first item goes, the Jews (and others) need to consider that humans do not always understand how God works.

Consider the following about God to humankind, including the Jews:

⁸ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. ⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9, JPS of 1917)

Although many Jews (and others) do not believe that a lot of prophesies Jesus fulfilled were messianic, that does not mean that they were not. The fact that God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours hopefully will give all (Jews and non-Jews) reasons to consider that perhaps they should give further consideration to the prophesies they had not considered as messianic.

Jews do acknowledge that Jesus lived and was executed. The Jewish Encyclopedia states:

Founder of Christianity; born at Nazareth about 2 B.C. (according to Luke iii. 23); executed at Jerusalem 14th of Nisan, (Jacobs J, et al. Jesus of Nazareth. The Jewish Encyclopedia: A Descriptive Record of the History, Volume 7. 1906, p. 160)

And while 4 or 5 B.C. is probably the year of His birth, Jesus was executed on the 14^th of Nisan as The Jewish Encyclopedia states—which is the date of the biblical Passover (Leviticus 23:5).

Claims that Certain Prophecies Were Not Messianic

On the surface, various prophecies that New Testament writers pointed to that Jesus fulfilled do not clearly appear to be prophetic or messianic.

Although many of those do not bother the Jews, one of the biggest Jewish arguments against Jesus’ messiahship is a view that the Messiah was not supposed to suffer and die. Yet, Christians (correctly) assert that those were truly messianic ones that Jesus fulfilled.

The Jewish Encyclopedia goes so far as to assert (bolding mine):

Yet it would almost appear that in one sense of the word Jesus regarded himself as fulfilling some of the prophecies which were taken among contemporary Jews as applying to the Messiah. It is doubtful whether it was later tradition or his own statements that identified him with the servant of Yhwh represented in Isa. liii.; but there appears to be no evidence of any Jewish conception of a Messiah suffering through and for his people, though there possibly was a conception of one suffering together with his people. (Jacobs, p. 163)

Notice that the Jewish position is not based on any scriptures that state the Messiah would not suffer and die, but essentially on what is claimed to be Jewish tradition. Jesus, Himself, warned against relying on Jewish tradition when it was in conflict with scripture (e.g. Matthew 15:3-9). Isaiah foretold:

¹⁴ And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Isaiah 8:14, JPS)

The Apostle Paul wrote that the execution of Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23), and it has been.

Now, the Jews are correct that the suffering idea was not a Jewish conception — but that is because it was conceived by GOD as the FIRST and INDISPENSABLE PART of the plan of salvation for humankind before the foundation of the world (cf. Revelation 13:8)! The idea of a suffering Messiah is clearly biblical as can be shown in the Hebrew scriptures.

As far as any Jewish traditions go, the assertion “there appears to be no evidence of any Jewish conception of a Messiah suffering through and for his people” is false.

Various Jewish scholars have concluded that there was a Messiah who would suffer and die and one who would reign.

Notice the following from the Hungarian-Jewish author Raphael Patai:

Messiah ben Joseph, also called Messiah ben Ephraim, referring to his ancestor Ephraim, the son of Joseph, is imagined as the first commander of the army of Israel in the Messianic wars. He will achieve many signal victories, but his fate is to die at the hands of Armilus in a great battle in which Israel is defeated by Gog and Magog. His corpse is left unburied in the streets of Jerusalem for forty days, but neither beast nor bird of prey dares to touch it. Then, Messiah ben David comes, and his first act is to bring about the resurrection of his tragic forerunner.

Scholars have repeatedly speculated about the origin of the Messiah ben Joseph legend and the curious fact that the Messiah figure has thus been split in two. It would seem that in the early legend, the death of the Messiah was envisaged, perhaps as a development of the Suffering Servant motif. A prophecy of Daniel, … is the earliest source speaking of the death of a Mashiah (“Anointed”) sixty-two (prophetic) weeks after his coming and after the return and the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24-26). While it appears that Daniel had a temporal ruler in mind, whom he calls Mashiah Nagid (“Anointed Prince”), … later, the author of 4 Ezra unmistakably refers to the Messiah, belief in whom had developed in the meantime, when he puts words in the mouth of God to the effect that after four hundred years (counted from when?), MY son the Messiah shall die (4 Ezra 7:27-30).

When the death of the Messiah became an established tenet in Talmudic times, this was felt to be irreconcilable with the belief in the Messiah as the Redeemer who would usher in the blissful millennium of the Messianic age. The dilemma was solved by splitting the person of the Messiah in two: one of them, called Messiah ben Joseph, was to raise the armies of Israel against their enemies, and, after many victories and miracles, would fall victim to Gog and Magog. The other, Messiah ben David, will come after him (in some legends will bring him back to life, which psychologically hints at the identity of the two), and will lead Israel to the ultimate victory, the triumph, and the Messianic era of bliss.

This splitting of the Messiah in two persons, which took place in the Talmudic period, achieved another purpose besides resolving the dilemma of the slain Messiah. According to an old tradition, the Messiah was perfectly prefigured in Moses. But Moses died before he could lead the Children of Israel into the Land of Promise. Consequently, for the parallel to be complete, the Messiah, too, had to die before accomplishing his great task of ultimate Redemption. Since however, the Messiah would not be the True Redeemer of God if he did not fulfill that ultimate task, the only solution was to let one Messiah, like Moses, die, and then assign the completion of the work of Redemption to a second Messiah. (Patai R. The Messiah Texts: Jewish Legends of Three Thousand Years. Wayne State University Press, 2015, pp. 165-166)

Thus, to suggest that no Jewish scholars felt the Messiah could suffer or die is false. Furthermore, though the above comes up with two Messiahs, the Bible shows that Jesus came once—and fulfilled over 200 prophecies—and that Jesus will come a second time to fulfill others.

Notice also, there is a hint, associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls, that God’s Anointed was going to suffer related to Isaiah 52:14:

Isaiah … 52:14 includes an obscure hapax legomena מִשְׁחַת that appears in 1QIsa^a as משׁחתי which pointed would be מְשַׁחְתִּי məšaḥtî, “I anointed”. This, in conjunction with the added definite article on ʾadam, results in a text which Hengel translates: “I have anointed his appearance beyond that of any (other) man, and his form beyond that of the sons of humanity [the human]”. This has other textual overtones bringing the passage into an explicit connection with “anointing”.

Portion of Isaiah 52:14

(Source: Is there evidence that Isaiah 53 was viewed as a Messianic prophecy within Judaism, or is it an exclusively Christian interpretation? Christianity Stack Exchange. See also Janowski B, Stuhlmacher Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, pp. 103-104)

The Dead Sea Scrolls were from Jewish, not Christian, sources. Most of the Dead Sea Scrolls are believed to have been written before Jesus was born. The portion above comes from the “Great Isaiah Scroll”, 1QIsa^a., believed to have been written over a century before Jesus’ birth.

Furthermore, consider something from the Targum Jonathan, in the portion known as the Targum Isaiah. (The targums were—mainly in Aramaic—spoken paraphrases, explanations and expansions of scripture that began to be developed by the Jews shortly before the time of Jesus. The targums probably received the bulk of their editing in written form during the second century and were considered to be completed by the fourth century.)

Notice how the Targum Jonathan renders Isaiah 52:13:

Behold my servant Messiah shall prosper, He shall be exalted and extolled, and He shall be very strong: (Uzziel JB. The Chaldee Paraphrase on the Prophet Isaiah. London Society’s House, 1871, p. 181)

While the Targum Jonathan has various issues, the above passage shows that at least one Jew thought Isaiah 52 had messianic implications. Consider that when you tie that in with the following verse:

¹⁴ According as many were appalled at thee— So marred was his visage unlike that of a man, And his form unlike that of the sons of men— (Isaiah 52:14, JPS)

Clearly, some ancient Jewish writers did believe that the Messiah was prophesied to suffer.

And then there is this in the Talmud which cites Isaiah 53:4:

1. Giddal said in Rab’s name: The Jews are destined to eat [their fill] in the days of the Messiah. R. Joseph demurred: is this not obvious; who else then should eat — Hilek and Bilek? … Rab said: The world was created only on David’s account. Samuel said: On Moses account; R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah’s] name? — The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come. The School of R. Yannai said: His name is Yinnon, for it is written, His name shall endure for ever: e”er the sun was, his name is Yinnon. The School of R. Haninah maintained: His name is Haninah, as it is written, Where I will not give you Haninah. Others say: His name is Menahem the son of Hezekiah, for it is written, Because Menahem [“the comforter”], that would relieve my soul, is far. The Rabbis said: His name is “the leper scholar,” as it is written, Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him a leper, smitten of God, and afflicted. R. Nahman said: if he [the Messiah] is of those living [today], it might be one like myself, as it is written, And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them. Rab said: if he is of the living, it would be our holy Master; (Sanhedrin 93b)

Rabbi Yehoshua said to Rabbi Eliezer: But isn’t it already stated: “So says the Lord, Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him who is despised of man, to him who is abhorred of the nation, to a servant of rulers: (Sanhedrin 97b, v. 17)

The Zohar tradition, which is one of the comparatively less censored Rabbinic sources, offers its own material on the Messianic interpretation of Isaiah 53. … One of the Zohar’s thoughts on Isaiah 53 speaks about the Messiah as follows:

“The departed souls will arrive and tell the Messiah (about their lives), and when they describe to him the sufferings which Israel is undergoing in her dispersion, that they are guilty because they do not wish to know their Lord, he will raise up his voice and weep on behalf of those who are guilty of this, as it is written: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. “ And then those souls will rise and stand up in their posts. There is a castle in the Garden which is called the “house of the sick”. In that day the Messiah will enter into that castle and will shout, May all the sickness and pains of Israel come upon me!” and they will come. If he did not relieve Israel’s pains and take them upon himself no-one would be able to suffer on behalf of Israel’s oppression, of which it is written in the Torah: And it is written: “In truth he did bear our sicknesses”.”

As we can see, both the Zohar as well as the Talmud are depicting the Messiah as a pre-existent figure who shares and carries the sufferings and even the sins of Israel in her dispersion. Santala R. THE MIDRASH OF THE MESSIAH. 2002, pp. 108-109).

On the Great Day of Atonement the Jew feels that his sins must be forgiven before God. On that day even Isaiah 53 is sometimes mentioned. Although Isaiah 53 has been omitted from the annual reading of the prophets, so called haphtaroth, it appears in a remarkable prayer which is read in the Synagogue. The separate prayerbook for the feast days, the Mahzor Rabbah, contains a literary prayer by Rabbi Eleazar Qalir which may be from the ninth or even from the sixth century AD. … The main body of the prayer reads as follows:

“Then, before the creation, he already set up the Temple and the Messiah (the Rabbis” interpretation) – the Messiah our Righteousness has turned away from us, we are shaken, and can find no-one who can justify us. The yoke of our sins and our transgressions is a burden to us; and he was wounded for our transgressions, he suffered on his shoulders our iniquities-, there is forgiveness for our sins. In his wounds we are healed; it is time to create for ever a new creation. Send him back from the circles, bring him back from Seir, so that we might hear him in Lebanon a second time through Yinnon. He is our God, our Father, our King, he is our Saviour and he will liberate and redeem us for a second time and let us hear of his grace a second time in everyone’s sight, as it is said: “I will save you at the end as at the beginning so that I will be your God.” (Santala, pp. 111-112)

Thus, there are several reasons to conclude that some early Jews did believe that some of the passages of the servant in Isaiah 52/53 were messianic. Denying that in the 20^th and 21^st centuries does not change historical facts. The fact that the old Atonement prayer supports the idea of a second coming of a messiah from a Jewish perspective is also interesting.

Perhaps it should be pointed out that Risto Santala translated a portion of the Ruth Rabbah V,8,1 as follows:

the kingdom taken from him for a time … he was restored to his kingdom (Santala, p. 126)

The above is consistent with a second coming of the messiah, like Christians teach.

Jews should also consider that scriptures, from Genesis 4:4 on, show that sacrifices were carried out. The powerful story of Abraham’s sacrificing his son should have shown to all those who claim to be Abraham’s descendants the fact that there must be a sacrifice for the sins of humankind. And that it is logical that God would consider sacrificing His own son.

The 22^nd Psalm, as well as the 53^rd chapter of Isaiah, shows the agonizing suffering the Messiah would go through.

Consider also that a man was prophesied to be killed for a guilt offering and suffer FOR the sins of others:

⁹ He was given a grave among the wicked; in his death he was with a rich man. Although he had done no violence and had said nothing deceptive, ¹⁰ yet it pleased ADONAI to crush him with illness, to see if he would present himself as a guilt offering. If he does, he will see his offspring; and he will prolong his days; and at his hand ADONAI’s desire will be accomplished. ¹¹ After this ordeal, he will see satisfaction. “By his knowing [pain and sacrifice], my righteous servant makes many righteous; it is for their sins that he suffers. (Isaiah 53:9-11, Complete Jewish Bible)

The idea of a human sacrifice for sins of others was not something that Christians made up—the Hebrew scriptures taught it and some Jewish scholars have long realize that.

Furthermore, in the Talmud it is actually claimed that the Messiah, son of Joseph, would be killed (bolding and scriptures in the source: sefaria.org):

It is stated: “The land will eulogize, each family separately; the family of the house of David separately, and their women separately, the family of the house of Nathan separately, and their women separately” (Zechariah 12:12). …

Apropos the eulogy at the end of days, the Gemara asks: For what is the nature of this eulogy? The Gemara answers: Rabbi Dosa and the Rabbis disagree concerning this matter. One said that this eulogy is for Messiah ben Yosef who was killed in the war of Gog from the land of Magog prior to the ultimate redemption with the coming of Messiah ben David. And one said that this eulogy is for the evil inclination that was killed.

The Gemara asks: Granted, according to the one who said that the lament is for Messiah ben Yosef who was killed, this would be the meaning of that which is written in that context: “And they shall look unto Me because they have thrust him through; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son” (Zechariah 12:10). (Sukkah 52a)

While the timing in the Gemara is not right, this IS PROOF that the claim that the death of the Messiah was something only Christians saw in the Old Testament is not true. By the way “ben Josef” means “son of Joseph”—which Jesus was considered to be (Luke 3:23; John 1:45).

So, in essence, Sukkah 52a is saying that the Messiah would be considered the son of Joseph and that He would be killed. That was the case with Jesus.

The fact that the Gemara ties Zechariah 12:10 in with the Messiah, should give Jews pause to consider that it is correct for Christians to also tie Zechariah 12:10 in with Jesus (which they do with John 19:34-37; Matthew 27:3).

In addition, because it is tied in with Zechariah, this view of the Messiah being considered as a son of Joseph may well have been the Jewish understanding BEFORE Jesus was born. Perhaps God revealed that to someone, similar to how God’s Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Christ (Luke 2:25-26).

Consider also the following from Jewish writer Israel Knohl:

According to the seventh-century apocalyptic text known as Sefer Zerubabel, the “Messiah son of Joseph” was killed by the wicked “Armilus” and was further resurrected by the Messiah son of David and the Prophet Elijah. … Some evidence, however, indicates that the figure of “Messiah son of Joseph” is much older. In some texts from around the turn of the era, we encounter Joseph as a son of God who atones for the sins of others with his suffering. For example, in Joseph and Aseneth, written between 100 B.C.E. and 115 C.E. Joseph is described as “son of God” (6:3, 5, 13:13). Joseph is also called “God’s firstborn son” (18:11, 21:4, 23:10).

In another book from the Second Temple period, The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Testament of Benjamin connects Joseph and the figure of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 52–53. In this testament, Jacob says to Joseph:

“ ‘In you will be fulfilled the heavenly prophecy, which says that the spotless one will be defiled by lawless men and the sinless one will die for the sake of impious men’ “ (emphasis supplied).

These citations suggest that the designation of the suffering Messiah as the “son of Joseph” goes back to sources from the Second Temple period. (Knohl I. The Messiah Son of Joseph “Gabriel’s Revelation” and the birth of a new messianic model. Biblical Archaeology Review 34:5, September/October 2008)

The “Second Temple period” ran from c. 530 BCE to 70 CE/A.D. Thus, the idea of a suffering messiah, as God’s son, is NOT simply a Christian invention. …

Daniel 9

The ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel has been used by various ones claiming Christianity as a type of numeric proof that Jesus was the Messiah.

Actually, it has often been pointed as strong proof of Jesus’ messiahship. Since Christians did not write the Book of Daniel, many believe that Jews (and others) should accept the messiahship of Jesus because of the timing associated with prophecies in Daniel 9.

Notice some of what Daniel was inspired to write:

²⁴ Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to forgive iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the most holy place. ²⁵ Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto one anointed, a prince, shall be seven weeks; and for threescore and two weeks, it shall be built again, with broad place and moat, but in troublous times. ²⁶ And after the threescore and two weeks shall an anointed one be cut off, and be no more; and the people of a prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; but his end shall be with a flood; and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:24-26, JPS)

How is this proof of Jesus’ messiahship?

Well, it shows that the Messiah was clearly to come before the Temple is destroyed.

²⁶ Then, after the sixty-two weeks, Mashiach will be cut off and have nothing. The people of a prince yet to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary, but his end will come with a flood, and desolations are decreed until the war is over. (Daniel 9:26, CJB)

The “anointed one” is the Messiah (rendered as the “Mashiach” in the Complete Jewish Bible).

So, the Messiah had to come before the Temple was destroyed. If not, the Bible is not true and Jews should consider the ramification of Daniel 9:26.

Furthermore, the prophecy in Daniel 9:24 ties the timing of the “anointed one/Mashiach” in verse 26, to a decree. This is the decree of Ezra 7:12-26. Daniel also mentions that Jerusalem will be rebuilt and that happened as we can see in the Book of Nehemiah.

Daniel 9:25 says that after the cutting off of the “anointed one” the city (Jerusalem) will be destroyed and the sanctuary (the Temple) will be destroyed as well. The sanctuary/temple was destroyed by General Titus in 70 A.D.

In the Continuing Church of God, we have taught that Jesus was resurrected in 31 A.D. or possibly 30 A.D. (this is also partially based upon the date on the Hebrew calendar Jesus took His last Passover, plus outside confirmation related to darkness that happened per Matthew 27:45, Mark 15:33, and Luke 23:45). Hence the Temple was destroyed after the Messiah came.

Now, let’s look at an explanation from the old Radio Church of God about the Daniel 9 prophecy:

At the time of Jesus’ life on this earth, Herod — the king in Judea — the wise men from the nations to the east, and many of the priests, scribes, and elders, as well as the common people, realized that the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 was nearing its completion. The Messiah, the Prince, was eagerly looked forward to, to free them from the yoke of Roman oppression. The Messiah was expected because of an understanding of this prophecy. But He was misunderstood when He appeared in the fulfillment of this prophecy, because they refused to recognize the first portion of the prophecy and hung their hope only on the last portion. …

Here, very plainly, is listed the exact time at which the prophesied Messiah would appear to begin to do the work mentioned in verse 24. The command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. Much of the book of Ezra and the entire book of Nehemiah cover this particular event. Seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks equal sixty-nine weeks. So the prophecies show that from the going forth of the command to rebuild Jerusalem in 457 B. C. it would be 483 years until the appearance of the prophesied Messiah to begin fulfilling the works of verse 24. (Hill DJ. HERE’S WHY Jews Reject Jesus and Christians Reject Christ! Plain Truth, April 1962)

Adding 483 to the year 457 B.C. brings the year 27 A.D. (there was no year “zero” between B.C. and A.D.). That brings us to the time that Jesus began His ministry (apparently in the Fall of the year). His ministry is believed to have lasted 3 ½ years, hence the veil would have been torn in the Spring of 31 A.D.

Thus, the ministry of Jesus, as well as the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem is consistent with that prophecy in Daniel 9.

Based on that timing, one would think that the Jews would accept Jesus, but that is generally not the case.

Let’s look at a Jewish argument against Daniel 9:

Christians based their understand {sic} with a belief that the starting point of the prophesy begins in 444 BCE with the decree issued by King Artaxerxex (Ezra 7:11-16). Sixty–nine weeks (483 years) would bring you to 39 CE. This is 7 years off the commonly accepted date of 32 CE being the year Jesus was put to death. …

This seven-year discrepancy is resolved by Christian theologians who redefined the definition of a “year.” They claim that prophecies like Daniel’s are to be understood in “Prophetic years” that have 360 days rather than 365 ¼ days. (Daniel 9 – A True Biblical Interpretation A brief explanation of Daniel Chapter 9. Jews for Judaism http://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/daniel-9-a-true-biblical-interpretation/ accessed 04/24/18)

The two issues with the above are that while some Protestants may have used 444 B.C. as their starting point, the ascension year for King Artaxerxes began in 464 B.C.E., which placed his seventh year as 458-457. So, if you use 365¼ day years, you arrive at 26-27 A.D.

Let’s look at what Ezra recorded (some verses not included for space):

7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. (Ezra 7:7-8, JPS)

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel:

12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, and so forth. And now 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go with thee to Jerusalem, go. (Ezra 7:11-13, JPS)

25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people that are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye him that knoweth them not. 26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him with all diligence, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.”

27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem; (Ezra 7:25-27, JPS)

Now, the two main Jewish arguments against the timing seem to be 1) which decree, by whom, and when and 2) the anointed one does not have to be the Messiah (Jews for Judaism; other Jewish sources were also consulted to conclude this).

Yet, if one accepts the decree in Ezra 7 and that Daniel 9 was referring to the Messiah as the Anointed One (as the Complete Jewish Bible and other sources confirm), all should accept that Jesus fulfilled the timing of that.

According to Jewish writer, Abba Hillel Silver, many Jews did expect the Messiah during the first century:

The Book of Daniel, the one canonized apocalyptic tract out of many which were widely circulated and held in high regard by the people dwelt upon the mystery of the “end of days” …

Prior to the first century, Messianic interest was not excessive …

The first century … witnessed a remarkable outburst of Messianic emotionalism. This is to be attributed … to the prevalent belief induced by the popular chronology of that day (Silver AH. The History of Messianic Speculation in Israel. Written 1927. Kessinger Publishing paperback 2010, pp. 4,5)

So, there was a lot of Messianic expectation in the first century, based upon calculations from writings such as Daniel.

Shlomo Yitzchaki, also known as Rashi (RAbbi SHlomo ben Isaac), of the 11^th century, wrote about Daniel 9:24,26:

Seventy weeks [of years] have been decreed on Jerusalem from the day of the first destruction in the days of Zedekiah until it will be [destroyed] the second time. to terminate the transgression and to end sin so that Israel should receive their complete retribution in the exile of Titus and his subjugation, in order that their transgressions should terminate, their sins should end, and their iniquities should be expiated, in order to bring upon them eternal righteousness and to anoint upon them (sic) the Holy of Holies: the Ark, the altars, and the holy vessels, which they will bring to them through the king Messiah. The number of seven weeks is four hundred and ninety years. The Babylonian exile was seventy [years] and the Second Temple stood four hundred and twenty [years]. …

And after those weeks. the anointed one will be cut off. Agrippa, the king of Judea, who was ruling at the time of the destruction, will be slain and he will be no more Heb. וְאֵין לוֹ, and he will not have. The meaning is that he will not be the anointed one Heb. מָשִׁיחַ. This is purely an expression of a prince and a dignitary and the city and the Sanctuary lit. and the city and the Holy and the people of the coming monarch will destroy [The monarch who will come] upon them. That is Titus and his armies. (Rashi. Judaica Press Complete Tanach, Daniel – Chapter 9)

So, Rashi admitted Daniel 9 was a messianic prophecy that was fulfilled about the time of Jesus.

“Herod” Marcus Julius Agrippa was king of Judah from around A.D. 27—basically the same time Jesus started His ministry. So, if the timing of Agrippa is right like Rashi wrote, then obviously the timing of Jesus was in accordance with Daniel 9:24-26.

As far as Agrippa goes, the Jews revolted against him in 66. Later, he helped the Romans and their general Titus conquer Jerusalem. Agrippa was rewarded for his efforts in helping Rome and lived and reigned decades after the fall of Jerusalem. King Agrippa II was not the anointed “King Messiah.”

As far as Rashi goes, apparently the reason for the messiahship going to Agrippa was because of Israel’s sins. Rashi also declared:

After 2000 years of Torah it was God’s decree that the Messiah would come and the wicked generation would come to an end and the subjugation of Israel would be destroyed.

But Jesus did come at the right time and the Temple was afterwards destroyed as was prophesied in Daniel 9:24-26.

Consider further that Abraham ibn Ezra (1092-1167), who is considered one of the most distinguished Jewish biblical commentators in the Middle Ages, also taught “Daniel … (chap. 9) leads up to Titus and the destruction” (Silver, pp. 212,213).

So, even Jewish authorities have agreed that Daniel 9 was pointing to the time of Jesus.

Yet, notice something related to some messianic teachings in the Talmud:

The Messiah will come not in accordance with the opinion of our Rabbis, (Sanhedrin 97b, v. 5)

Of course, the Messiah comes in accordance with scripture and God’s plan. Yet it may be that the above came out because Daniel 9 pointed to Jesus and as well as the disappointment associated trying to time Daniel 9 with Simon Bar Kokhba.

Jews should accept the “chronology” of Daniel 9 which clearly pointed to the time of Jesus and the subsequent Temple destruction.

There is no doubt the Temple was destroyed.

There should be no doubt that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. (Thiel B. Proof Jesus is the Messiah. Nazarene Books, 2019)

For more details on Jesus, as well as why Jews (and others) should believe that Jesus is the Messiah, see our free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah.

Now, let’s look more into Bar Kochba, again from the free, online, Proof Jesus is the Messiah book:

According to various prophecies in the New Testament, Jesus still will fulfill various messianic prophecies that are in the Old Testament—as well as some in the New Testament.

Misunderstanding this is more than a spiritual or academic exercise.

As it turned out, when influential Jewish leaders misapplied messianic prophecies in the 2^nd century, hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed (e.g. the Bar Kokba revolt). …

“Samuel Kedar … writes that the Sages purposely stated an incorrect chronology in order to prevent people from using their chronology to accurately predict the timing of the coming of the Messiah” (First, p. 67).

Michael First also listed Jewish scholars in the 8^th through 15^th centuries (such as Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, Josippon, Moses ben Samuel ka-Kohen Gikatilla, Rashi, Zerahiah ben Isaac ha-Levi Gerondi, Abraham ben David ha-Levi Ibn David, David Kimhi, Samuel ben Nissim Masnut, Isaac ben Joseph Israeli, Isaac Abravanel) who had problems and/or wrote about contradictions related to one or more parts of the Jewish chronology of the Seder Olam (pp. 183-198).

Why does this seem to have happened?

Well, in the case of the 2^nd century Rabbi Akiva, he apparently believed so much in Bar as messiah that he felt he had to make a change in chronology that many Jews now follow.

Notice something else related to him from the Talmud where he tried to tie Bar Kokhba to a passage in Numbers 24:17:

Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai taught: Rabbi Akiva would expound, A star has risen from Jacob – “Kozba [Bar Kokhba] has risen from Jacob.” When Rabbi Akiva would see bar Kozba, he would say: “This is the anointed King – the Messiah.” Rabbi Yohanan ben Tortah said to him: “Akiva, grass will sprout from your cheeks and still the Messiah will not arrive.” (Yerushalmi, Taanit 4:5)

Of course, Bar Kokhba was not the Messiah, but believing that he was (and that Jesus was not) seems to have influenced the Jewish “dating of the world.” Akiva actually changed Bar Kosiba’s name (which suggested he was a disreputable son) to Bar Kokhba, which for a time, seemed to prolong the myth he was messianic.

Notice also:

The Sages called him not Bar Kochba (the son of a star) but Bar Koziba (the son of a lie). His real name was neither; it was Bar Kosiba. (Hammer H. One triumph and two tragedies. The Jerusalem Post, November 29, 2012)

Yet, in the early second century, Simon Bar Kokhba was endorsed:

Rabbi Akiva, the greatest sage of the generation, reacted enthusiastically to BarKochba’s heroism: Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai taught: “Akiva my master expounded as follows: “A star [kochav] will go forth from Jacob” (Numbers 28:17) – “Kosiba [Bar-Kochba’s name: Shimon ben Kosiba] has come forth from Jacob.” When Rabbi Akiva would see Bar Kosiba he would say, “This is the King Messiah!’“ (Lau B. Judaism: A movement of rebellion throughout history. Jerusalem Post, March 28, 2013)

Bar Kokhba had been declared the long-awaited Messiah by the foremost Jewish scholar of that day, the highly venerated Rabbi Akiva (Akiba) ben Joseph. … Among the many accolades heaped upon Akiva, that which elevated him as a pre-eminent authority, was the acknowledging of him as “the father of the Mishnah.” Such prominence gave great weight to the messianic expectancy Akiva placed upon Bar Kokhba.

Akiva’s students became some of the most prominent sages of the following generation. Among these was Yose (Josi) ben Halafta. … By removing the 164 (or 165) years from the duration of the Persian Empire, Rabbi Halafta was able to make the 483 year Da 9:24-27 prophecy fall reasonably close to the years prior to the 132 AD revolt during which Bar Kokhba rose to prominence as Israel’s military and economic leader. Then with Akiva proclaiming, “This is the King Messiah” followed by “all the contemporary sages regarding him as the King Messiah,” the Jewish populace united around this false hope. (Jones F. Appendix G: The Seder Olam Rabbah — Why Jewish Dating is Different. In: Pierce L, Pierce M, editors. The Annals of the World. Master Books. Copyright 2003. ISBN: 089051-360-0, pp. 932-933)

So, about a century after rejecting Jesus, Jews accepted Simon Bar Kokhba as their messiah, partially based on an erroneous pronouncement and miscalculation from a rabbi.

Unlike Jesus, Simon was militaristic. Cassius Dio claimed that 580,000 Jews were slaughtered and more died from the resulting plagues and famines related to the Bar Kokhba revolt (Mor M. The Second Jewish Revolt: The Bar Kokhba War, 132-136 CE, Brill, 2016, p. 328).

Unlike with Jesus, Jews were massively slaughtered when they relied on their traditions about the Messiah.

Their highly respected rabbis were wrong.

Those who reject Jesus as the prophesied Messiah are still wrong today. (Thiel B. Proof Jesus is the Messiah. Nazarene Books, 2019)

Jesus was peaceful and is not a national hero to the Jews. But He should be.

The Continuing Church of God put out the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:12:35

Jesus for Jews?

Since there are at least 200 scriptures in the Hebrew Bible that Jesus fulfilled, why do most Jews not accept Jesus as the prophesied Messiah? Is the claim in the ‘Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906′ that “there appears to be no evidence of any Jewish conception of a Messiah suffering through and for his people” true or misleading? What do Jewish writings, including those in the Babylonian Talmud (Mishnah and Gemara) and various Targums reveal? What about the Dead Sea Scrolls? Was the timing of Jesus’ arrival and death consistent with any Jewish writings or records? Do any Jewish writings point to Jesus miraculously healing the sick? Do ancient Jewish writings tell of the Messiah who would offer Himself to take away the sins of Israel? Do Jewish writings tell of Messiah son of Joseph dying to later be resurrected? Do any Jewish writings point to Messiah son of David coming in the clouds, like 1 Thessalonians 4 does? Are there Jewish writings claimed to be related to the archangel Gabriel which tells of a resurrection after three days? If the Jews believed the Old Testament and certain of their writings, shouldn’t they accept Jesus as the prophesied Messiah? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters.

Here is a link to our sermon: Jesus for Jews?

Jesus was the prophesied Messiah. Those who do not fully accept that do so to their peril.

And His return is not dependent on the ‘Star of Jacob’ this coming September.

Some items of related interest may include:

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?
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.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and 5 Red Heifers and Year 5783?
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?

(Official movie poster)

COGwriter

I finally watched the movie Sound of Freedom yesterday.

I reported about it last Summer when it came out and brought out the fact that YouTube censored various comments about it (see “YouTube Is Pulling ‘Sound Of Freedom’ Interviews, Reviews”).

While the movie, for the most part, attempted to be tastefully done, I suspected that it would be gut-wrenching to watch–and it was.

One of the scriptural reasons I watched it was because the Bible teaches:

2 Better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting. (Ecclesiastes 7:2)

After watching Sound of Freedom, it seemed timely to again denounce pedophilia. The Bible says:

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

According to the Sound of Freedom movie, pedophilia is a $150 billion per year industry and the USA is one of the biggest “consumers” of such.

The movie starts out with a Colombian beauty pageant winner and promoter visiting a town in Honduras, allegedly looking for children to be hired as models and possibly singers.  Parents are encouraged to bring children to an audition in the morning, where they are photographed without parents present. Parents are told to come back at 7:00 pm sharp to pick up their children. After some photos of the children are taken, the children are loaded into a cargo container and shipped off to be used as prostitutes and/or to be sold as sex slaves. The children were between about ages 5 and 12.

The pitch from the promoter, brought the following to mind:

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption … (2 Peter 2:19)

(The above verse is also applicable to religious leaders, like Andy Stanley, who promote lawlessness. See also HD: Andy Stanley Holds ‘Unconditional Conference’ Instructing Pastors To Celebrate and Affirm LGBT Congregants)

That said, many in the media do not want people to learn about how horrendous the sins of sex-trafficking are.

The Sound of Freedom movie was originally made for Disney, but it shelved it. Notice also:

Actor Jim Caviezel, … revealed recently what took place behind the scenes of a Disney movie.

“They wanted me to remove ‘God’ from all the script. True story … what happened to God? ‘God will give me justice,’” he said, quoting the book.

“I had to say, no, I can’t do this,’” he said.

The response was vintage liberal Hollywood.

“Disney said, ‘Oh, so you’re one of those?’ I said, ‘One of those what? One of those who rewrite Alexandre Dumas? One of those who rewrite Shakespeare? because that’s essentially what you did,’” he said. 07/03/23 https://www.wnd.com/2023/07/jim-caviezel-reveals-disney-told-references-god-count-monte-cristo/

Consider the above with the following:

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

The sexually immoral do not want to retain God in their knowledge (though they will tend to support various false concepts about God).

Homosexuality, pornography, and sexual immorality, combined with greed, have fueled the pedophilia situation.

I pray that the victims of such trafficking will be able to cope with what they have been through so that they can move forward with their lives.

Child pornography is considered to be a factor that encourages pedophilia. And the internet is a place where this happens, despite its illegality. We have both an article (Pornography: A scourge on society) as well as a YouTube video speaking out against pornography, including child pornography (Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?).

Of course, sex trafficking of children is not new. Notice something written against it decades ago published by the old Worldwide Church of God:

There is still a flourishing black market for kiddie porn. “Those who know” can readily obtain the literature and movies they desire…

Dr. Peter Decourcy declared in a report to the American Psychological Association: “Children constitute the most oppressed minority group in this country. It is a minority group whose members are regularly humiliated, beaten, mutilated, killed or sexually abused and who have little effective legal recourse or police protection.” …

The cause of the sexual exploitation of children, then, lies close to home — in fact, in the home.

Recent studies into incest indicate that the magnitude of the problem is far greater than previously imagined. An article in the April issue of Ms. magazine asserted that one girl in every four in the United States experiences some form of sexual abuse before she reaches the age of 18. Three-fourths of the abusers are known by their victims. And about one-third of the incidents of abuse take place in the victim’s home. In at least ten percent of all reported cases, the victim is a boy, but in virtually all cases, boys and girls, the victimizer is male.

Compounding the tragedy of incest is the fact that, unlike an isolated incident of rape, incest is a crime that may continue for years. Its victims are trapped not only by brute force but by loyalties and dependencies.

Even when incest is not a factor, Dr. Avedis Panajian, director of psychological services at MacLaren Hall (the juvenile hall for Los Angeles County), believes that the family of a child who is involved in pornography is usually the cause of the problem. “What is needed is treatment of the child and his family,” he believes.

“Turn the Hearts of Fathers to Their Children”

In ancient times, the prophet Malachi equated a loving family relationship with human survival itself. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse [marginal reading: utter destruction]” (Mal. 4:5-6).

Modern civilization is most certainly under a curse today because so many parents have become alienated from their children. The curse is reflected in skyrocketing juvenile crime, the breakdown of school systems, jails filled to overflowing, and obscenities such as child pornography and teenage prostitution.

The time must come, will come, when, in the words of noted psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, “There will exist a well-informed, well-considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit; for such mutilation undercuts the life principle of trust, without which every human act, may it feel ever so good, and seem ever so right, is prone to perversion by destructive forms of consciousness.” (Graunke DP. KIDDIE PORN Causes and Cures. Plain Truth, December 1977)

The problem has worsened since, even though there are now laws against child pornography. More and more children are being sold for purposes of sexual immorality. And more in various media want to allow pedophilia–or at least reduce criticisms of it.

The Apostle Paul prophesied that things would get worse in these last days:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

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

The Bible condemns prostitution and other forms of sexual immorality, but as a society goes further and further away from biblical morality, it should not be surprised to see the rise of horrific crimes such as the sex-trafficking of children.

While Sound of Freedom highlights some of the problems, do not think that human trafficking is about to be solved.

Human trafficking is prophesied to be part of end time Mystery Babylon’s trade:

12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. (Revelation 18:12-13)

Notice some other scriptures:

4 We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price. 5 They pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest. 6 We have given our hand to the Egyptians And the Assyrians, to be satisfied with bread. 7 Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities.  8 Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand”. (Lamentations 5:4-8)

18 They tracked our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter
Than the eagles of the heavens.
They pursued us on the mountains
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. (Lamentations 4:18-19)

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 (Hosea 8:8-9)

3 They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And shall eat unclean things in Assyria…17 My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations. (Hosea 9:3,17)

(More details are also in the article Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?)

Notice that some of the above scriptures mention Assyria (including eating unclean things there), which is who God will use to punish certain descendants of Israel, such as the USA, UK etc. (cf. Isaiah 10:5-7). Assyria is a biblical reference to the end time German-dominated Beast power (see also Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy).

The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics; another third will dies of the war–our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12). Armstrong, Herbert W. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).

Jacob’s trouble is punishment inflicted on the descendants of Israel. And this includes Ephraim and Manasseh (cf. Genesis 48), which means the United Kingdom and the United States in the 21st century (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

Sadly, prophecy is clear that there will be more human trafficking until Jesus returns.

We all should follow Jesus’ admonition to pray for the Kingdom of God to come.

Pentagon Blames Iran for Drone Attack in Jordan, 3 U.S. Soldiers Killed https://t.co/HaDPsPKQfz

— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) January 30, 2024

COGwriter

The situation between the USA and Iran continues to heat up:

January 30, 2024

The Biden administration on Monday grappled with the idea of retaliation against Iran and its proxies without escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

Unconfirmed reports suggested that President Biden would authorize military action in the Middle East early Tuesday local time. But no US strikes were recorded, further angering those in Washington who have been calling on Biden to ‘toughen up’ on Iran for many months –and who believe loss of American life must be avenged.

That is something the administration has promised, of course.

“The president and I will not tolerate attacks on US forces and we will take all necessary actions to defend the US and our troops,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Monday, reiterating that “all necessary actions” will be taken. https://www.iranintl.com/en/202401309477

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that the Middle East is at its most dangerous “since at least 1973” and “arguably” even before the Arab-Israeli War.

Blinken made the comments at a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, reacting to the drone stroke that killed three American soldiers the day before. The Pentagon put the blame on proxy groups backed and supported by Iran, in this case the Kata’ib Hezbollah.

U.S. troops and bases have been attacked more than 150 times since Hamas instigated war with Israel in Gaza on Oct. 7, but Sunday’s attack was the first to strike dead American military members. Republican lawmakers have ratcheted up pressure on the Biden administration to strike hard at Iran, the terrorist nation believed to behind all the previous attacks in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.

However, Blinken talked of a U.S. response that “could be multileveled, come in stages, and be sustained over time.”

“We want to prevent this conflict from spreading, so we are intent on doing both, that is standing up for our people when they’re attacked, while at the same time working every single day to prevent the conflict from growing and spreading,” Blinken said Monday. https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/antony-blinken-mideast-dangerous/2024/01/29/id/1151451/

Are we on the brink of a third world war?  …

The fast-moving crisis that has erupted following a drone attack on a US base near Jordan’s border with Syria is a perfect example of our frightening new reality. Although Iran has denied any direct involvement, it is clear that it is deeply implicated in what is merely the latest in a string of Tehran-linked attacks designed to drive the US from the Middle East.

Given the inevitable US response, it begs the question: why would Iran partake in such a reckless escapade in the first place? The point that is often missed in all the usual observations of Iran as a mad, evil fundamentalist regime is that it is also a failing one. …

As the scale of the mullahs’ national mutilation becomes impossible to conceal, and protest movements grow, the embattled regime has sought to deflect from its failings by doubling down on long-standing ambitions to establish itself as a regional hegemon, creating a “Shia Crescent” that can function both as a defensive sectarian shield against the Sunni and Western infidels and as a focus of imperialistic pride. Becoming a nuclear power is, of course, crucial, to such a vision.

Indeed, the real danger may be not that Iran is becoming genuinely more powerful, but that its leaders know that time is not on their side. True, Tehran is probably only a few years away from building nuclear warheads for ballistic missiles. But as its economy tanks, the regime may suspect that it will become harder for it to justify the cost of the programme to its restive citizens.

This chimes with a pattern that historians have identified throughout history. What previous world wars teach us is that it is not confident and successful countries that start wars, but corroded and schizophrenic ones that both suffer from grandiose delusions and mortal dread of the future. 01/29/24 https://news.yahoo.com/world-war-three-approaching-fast-200725730.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAKagYWpdGUUcVQ1fadEpztpSr3ap__uX_kB1stJlrNA31empTsEiZ5XHl0lVNKwKC-pM_7xPPODMHi6MNsxkWVdVJIm3h_xBqsyYAlmvbLHTZQNHpQCcPra0b-YU-inEyuBd1i4m5oGWPxvjIOQZOtnaKBdAJ-BrNCA2OEPK1Pcq

Michael Snyder posted the following:

A Time Of Wars And Rumors Of Wars, Famines, Pestilences And Major Natural Disasters

January 29, 2024

On some level, most people can feel what is coming.  That is why sales of emergency food are at record levels, shows about survival are among the most popular on television, and Mark Zuckerberg is building a “self-sustaining doomsday bunker” in Hawaii.  …

A few years ago, “World War III” wasn’t even on the horizon, but now conflicts are erupting all over the planet and the mainstream media is using apocalyptic language to describe what we are facing. …

When Israel moves into southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah north of the Litani River, things will get really crazy in the Middle East. …

Most Americans don’t realize this, but we are in the midst of the worst global food crisis in modern history right now.

And according to the EU, the number of people around the world dealing with acute food insecurity in 2023 jumped 10 percent higher than 2022’s record level…

Much bigger and much more destructive natural disasters are on the way.

If you live on the west coast, the east coast, or in the New Madrid fault zone, you will want to be on high alert for any unusual shaking from this point forward.

We are about to enter one of the most pivotal times in all of human history.

And so many of us can feel that disaster is almost upon us.

I would encourage you to get prepared while you still can, because this is not a game. https://endoftheamericandream.com/a-time-of-wars-and-rumors-of-wars-famines-pestilences-and-major-natural-disasters/

Are We On The Verge Of An Apocalyptic War With Iran?

U.S. lawmakers are calling for military strikes inside Iran in the aftermath of a horrific terror attack that left three U.S. service members dead and dozens wounded. So if the U.S. does hit targets inside Iranian territory, how will the Iranians respond? It is theoretically possible that they could back down, but I doubt it. All of the airstrikes that we have conducted so far against Iranian-backed terror groups in Iraq and Syria have not caused them to back down. And the airstrikes that we have hit the Houthis in Yemen with have not caused them to back down either. The truth is that the U.S. is already at war in the Middle East, and it appears that it could soon take an apocalyptic turn. …

Those that are urging military strikes against targets inside Iran are assuming that the Iranians only possess conventional weapons.

But what if this isn’t true?

In fact, for a long time there have been many that have tried to warn us that this isn’t true.

The Iranians are not showing us all their cards, and they have been preparing for this showdown for decades.

Interestingly, the Iranians just launched three new satellites into space…

Iran says it has successfully launched three indigenous satellites into orbit using the Simorgh carrier rocket, marking the first time the country has simultaneously sent three satellites into space.

The satellites launched early on Sunday include Mahda, weighing 32 kg, and two nano-satellites, Keyhan 2 and Hatef 1, of less than 10 kg, sent to a minimum orbit of 450 kilometers (279 miles) and a maximum of 1,100 km (683.5 mi), state media reported, citing the public relations wing of the Defense Ministry.

The Simorgh satellite carrier that carried the three satellites to space has been developed by Iran’s Defense Ministry, the ministry statement noted.

It is believed that these satellites have been sent into orbit for the purpose of guiding ballistic missiles.

We are so close to the unthinkable. …

This is a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, … 01/28/24 https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/are-we-on-the-verge-of-an-apocalyptic-war-with-iran/

Jesus, of course, warned about these things and referred to them as the beginning of sorrows:

4 Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.  (Matthew 24:4-8)

Related to sorrows, the Continuing Church of God put out the following:

Revelation 6:1-8 shows the opening of four seals and discusses the rides of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each of which appears to be associated with aspects of the “beginning of sorrows” that Jesus mentions in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What do each of the horsemen represent? Did the old Worldwide Church of God teach that these rides were still in the future in the late 21st century? Could any have began in the 21st century? Does the rider of the white horse represent Jesus or false religion? Are there ties to the interfaith and ecumenical movements? What might the bow the horseman has represent? Could this be a tie to Satan the Devil? What about the Beast and False Prophet? Has the “beginning of sorrows” started? Could the first seal be opened? Could COVID-19 have anything to do with the second seal? Has “the peace” been taken from the earth? Could the rider of the red horse have begun with an opening of the second seal? What about riots, looting wars, and rumors of war? Are food inflation, food shortages, and famines associated with the opening of the third seal and rider of the black horse of famine? Could human actions such as evolution teachings, genetically-modified crops, and viral research be factors in the rides of the four horsemen? Is more than death related to pestilences associated with the rider of the pale horse, the fourth seal? Why might this be a factor in 666? Will most people fail to recognize the rides of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse until it is too late to take action? What about the fifth seal and the start of the Great Tribulation? Are there problems with Roman and Eastern Orthodox prophecies concerning the end and the Great Monarch? What about prophecies related to Noah, the King of the North, Armageddon, and Antichrist? Dr. Thiel covers these issues and also includes some speculation and analysis.

Here is a link to the sermon video: Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Related to Iran, back in October of 2022, I posted:

I have long believed that Iran is a threat that will one day be ‘neutralized’ (Jeremiah 49:34-38), as I believe it will overplay its hand. Its confidence in its drones and other military technologies will likely get it to take destructive actions that will result in severe retaliation. … Now as Isaiah 22 shows, Israel could very well be damaged by Iran before the the Great Tribulation begins. Iranian drones may well be a factor. (Thiel B. Iran, Drones, Ukraine, and Israel. COGwriter, October 21, 2022)

Political pressure in the USA is strongly growing for the USA to take military action against Iran for its support of the Houthis (which have launched scores of attacks against USA interests in the past couple of months) and various proxies as well as Hezbollah. Iran will be neutralized relatively soon.

As far as Iran itself goes, it wants to lead all of Islam. It hopes by one day attacking Israel (according to a video it put out over a decade ago), it will get the rest of the Muslims to follow it. However, it will fail to become the leader of Islam– the Bible points to an Arabic power doing that in Daniel 11:40-43. Because of that, I have long felt that it may be that Iran would be ‘neutralized’ before the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40) rises up.

As far as Iran and Israel go, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel, the audio portion of which was sent for broadcast on the European Gospel Radio station AM 1323 kHz:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Iran and Israel Conflict.

As far as various prophecies go, let me also state that it may take a major regional war for the coming temporal ‘peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27 to be ratified. Iran, Syria, and Israel may one day be in a major regional war in the future. The USA could also be affected.

We are in the time Jesus referred to as “the beginning of sorrows,” as it appears that two or three of the four horseman of the Apocalypse have begun their rides.

In addition to “rumors of war,” we should expect more wars as Jesus warned in Matthew 24:6.

Iran may attempt to carry out its threats, and that will not end well for Iran.

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. Here are links to shorter videos: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun and Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse.
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?
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? Here are two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
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.
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.
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. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
Could 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 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Great Tribulation: What Happens First? What events have happened? What are some events that are now happening? And what events need to happen for the Great Tribulation to start? Here is a link to a related sermon video: Counting Down to the Great Tribulation. Here is a video in the Spanish language: Contando los eventos y el inicio de la Gran Tribulación.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? 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.
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? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of 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.

`

COGwriter

Israel365News posted the following:

Did God Intend America to Be a Promised Land?

January 30, 2023

The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey on the state of the nation changed from a political analysis to a religious commentary when they asked Americans whether “God intended America to be a new promised land. Half of evangelical Americans believed that the USA was indeed the promised land and a significant number were willing to take up arms to defend it as such.

SURVEY: 74% SAY THE COUNTRY HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION …

31% of the general public agreed that “God intended America to be a new promised land where European Christians could create a society that could be an example to the rest of the world.” 49% of Republicans (49%) agreed with this statement, compared with 26% of independents and only 18% of Democrats.

50% of white evangelical Protestants agreed but other white Christians were less likely to do so: 37% of white mainline Protestants and 36% of white Catholics said God intended America to be a new promised land. 44% percent of other Christians and 32% of Hispanic Catholics agreed with the statement, as did 22% of Black Protestants, 22% of non-Christian religious Americans, and 16% of religiously unaffiliated Americans.

32% of white Americans and 33% of multiracial or other-race Americans agreed with this statement, as did 29% of Hispanic Americans and 23% of Black Americans. White Americans without a four-year college degree were almost twice as likely as those with a four-year degree to agree (39% vs. 20%). …

Historian William Weeks wrote in 2002 that Manifest Destiny, which became the guiding principle of US policy in the 18th century, was based “in the faith in the nation’s divinely ordained destiny to succeed in this mission.” Or, as the contemporary historian Conrad Cherry wrote, “America is a nation called to a special destiny by God.” He stated that the British and especially the New England Puritans carried with them a “demanding sense of Providential purpose.” https://www.israel365news.com/366198/did-god-intend-america-to-be-a-promised-land/

In December 2019, Daily Reckoning had the following from Brian Maher:

The Luckiest Country on Earth

GOD looks after fools, drunkards and the United States of America, said Germany’s Iron Chancellor — Otto von Bismarck.

Of these, we conclude God looks most jealously after the United States of America. …

Consider:

God filled two oceans — one Atlantic, one Pacific — to moat it off from marauders.

Against its land borders north and south He dropped two bantamweights.

He blessed it with rich, fertile soil. Vast tracts of bountiful land. An extended capillary system of internal waterways. Natural harbors from which to send things out… and to take things in.

What other nation has enjoyed such natural, God-granted riches? …

God … has … showered America with such immense natural extravagance… only Americans themselves could make a botch of the place.

And it appears they are determined to do precisely that…

We certainly do not expect the upcoming election will unite the nation — rather the opposite.

But we do believe the center will crack under the strain.

The Cycles of Nations — and Empires

Great nations, like great empires, nonetheless run in cycles — from rosy dawn, to high and cloudless noon, to twilit sundown.

The United States is an empire of sorts, though none dare say the word.

Perhaps we are merely witnessing an empire in decline, an empire in twilight.

“Empires have a logic of their own,” wrote our own Washington and Jefferson — Bill Bonner and Addison Wiggin — in Empire of Debt, concluding:

“That they will end in grief is a foregone conclusion.”

Just so. But if the American empire is to end in grief, we only hope it is a quiet grief, a peaceful grief. 08/27/20 https://dailyreckoning.com/the-luckiest-country-on-earth/

As far as the USA itself goes, notice the following from the Encyclopædia Britannica:

The United States is the world’s greatest economic power, measured in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). … The United States is relatively young by world standards, being less than 250 years old; it achieved its current size only in the mid-20^th century. … Probably no other country has a wider range of racial, ethnic, and cultural types than does the United States. … Annually, the U.S. spends more on its military than the next seven highest-ranking countries in military spending combined. (Harris, JT, et al. United States. Encyclopædia Britannica. Last updated December 22, 2019)

Why?

Brian Maher’s title points to luck as to why the USA became prosperous.

Some have claimed it was due to some type of “manifest destiny,” which at least hints that God was involved.

God was–but not quite as many evangelical Protestants and others seem to believe.

The Bible is clear that all humans came from Adam and Eve. It has various genealogies. It also shows that God had promises recorded to certain descendants of some people.

Related to the USA, consider that Jacob, who God also named Israel, pronounced blessings on the descendants Joseph and his two sons:

2 And Jacob was told, “Look, your son Joseph is coming to you”; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on the bed. … 8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and said, “Who are these?”

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.”

And he said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.” 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. 11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!”

12 So Joseph brought them from beside his knees, and he bowed down with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh with his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near him. 14 Then Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands knowingly, for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said:

“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, The God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16 The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,Bless the lads; Let my name be named upon them, And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

17 Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.”

20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'” And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh. (Genesis 48:2,8-20)

1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days: …

22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall. 23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. 24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel), 25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb. 26 The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. (Genesis 49:1, 22:26)

That is what the Bible teaches.

We who believe the Bible realize that God would fulfill those promises.

For those who might just say that they are of little interest to Christians, notice something from the New Testament:

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (Hebrews 11:21)

Hence, we see that the New Testament endorsed the validity of the blessings from Jacob/Israel. They were not just his opinions–they were something that God inspired, and thus something God would make come to pass!

If one looks at secular history, it is clear that the Jews did NOT fulfil the prophecies that Israel was inspired to give. Consider also that the Genesis 48:16 name “Israel” was to be prophetically applied to the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh—this is not otherwise stated for the descendants of Judah (the Jews).

And while most commentators understand the passages from Jacob in Genesis 48 & 49 to be prophetic, many seem to conclude that they have been fulfilled long ago. Notice what the late renowned Protestant theologian John F. Walvoord wrote:

In general, the prophecies that Jacob bestowed on his children have been fulfilled in their subsequent history (Walvoord, John F. The Prophecy Handbook. Victor Books, Wheaton (IL), 1990, p. 33).

That statement above is outrageously inaccurate. Many Protestants simply do not understand where the USA is mentioned in prophecy (see also Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy).

Not only have most NOT been fulfilled historically, these prophesies were for the last days. (Information on the ‘ten lost tribes’ is also in the YouTube sermon titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter?)

It was during the time of the New Testament that the last days began (Hebrews 1:2), and no commentator (outside of those who accept that there are still tribes of Israel that are not affiliated with the nation now called Israel) has been able to show how the prophecies of Genesis 49:1-27 were fulfilled in “the latter days.” Nor have I seen any of them explain who “the multitude of nations” that were to descend from Ephraim are.

The historical reality is that there is no record of Ephraim and Manasseh ever becoming a great nation and company of nations before they went into Assyrian captivity in the eighth century before Christ.

Those of us who believe the Bible realize that these prophecies in Genesis 48 were to be fulfilled. And that the Bible points to Ephraim’s descendants rising up before Manasseh’s.

Looking throughout secular history, we see that the British-descended peoples (Ephraim) became a multitude of nations (Genesis 48:19) and the USA (Manasseh) became a great nation (Genesis 48:19) about ¼ of the land mass of the entire world was part of the old British Empire.

The British Empire was the largest in history and the reach of the USA has been great (bolding added):

In 1913, 412 million people lived under the control of the British Empire, 23 percent of the world’s population at that time. It remains the largest empire in human history and at the peak of its power in 1920, it covered an astonishing 13.71 million square miles – that’s close to a quarter of the world’s land area. (McCarthy N. The Biggest Empires In Human History. Statista, December 19, 2019).

From the 19^th century to present, the USA and United Kingdom have dominated the world (though this dominance will be lost by them later in the 21^st century). They have received the blessings that God promised them through Jacob.

We in the CCOG do not believe that people in the ‘lost tribes’ are superior to the Gentile-descended peoples, but basically that they received the blessings God inspired Israel/Jacob to give. We also believe that these blessings are the cause of the physical wealth of these peoples, but that those same people are in the process of losing because of rebellion against the laws of God.

Furthermore, we teach that while God does call some descendants of Israel (see God’s Grace is For All), He is intentionally calling Gentiles in this age as the Apostle Paul pointed out in many places, such as Romans 11:25 (see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?).

That being said, the Bible not only shows blessings for the USA and its Anglo-Saxon-Celtic descended allies, it also shows cursings for disobedience.

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 28:43-45,47-52).

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)

Now, some may say that since the USA has the world’s most powerful military it cannot be defeated. Yet, the Bible prophesies that it will be:

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. (Daniel 11:39)

The “he” is the final King of the North, the Beast of Revelation 13. The “strongest fortresses” in the world belong to the USA, and to a lesser degree, its Anglo-allies. The current nation of Israel does not have the strongest fortresses. And dividing the Anglo-lands would bring much more gain, than the land of Judea (see also Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided?). As many Bible commentators realize, at the time of the end there is no power that resembles the USA.

Isaiah warns that “The fortress also will cease from Ephraim” (Isaiah 17:3)–but unlike Manasseh (USA), Ephraim (UK, etc.) simply does not have the strongest fortresses in the 21st century. Yet, when you combine Isaiah 17:3 with Daniel 11:39 you see that the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies will lose their military might. The coming defeat of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies could be called World War III (WWIII; see also World War III: Steps in Progress).

So, while Brian Maher considers that the USA is the luckiest nation in the world, the Bible shows that it has been the beneficiary of God’s blessings.

While Brian Maher hopes the empire of the USA will end peacefully, the Bible prophesies it will be defeated and destroyed (see USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

The USA looks likely to be gone BEFORE 2028 if certain events occur (see Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028?). If those events are delayed, it will still not last too much longer.

Although national repentance is needed to stop that, it is not expected.

Yet, personal repentance is possible for people in and out of the USA today.

Since the USA fulfilled various “blessing” prophecies, understand that it will be on the receiving end of many “cursing” prophecies as well.

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? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of 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.
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.
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?
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.God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles? Some in the West discount God’s calling of Gentiles, but the Apostle Paul wrote about the need for them to come to the truth before Jesus returns.
What is the Ezekiel Warning? Should the end-time descendants of Israel and Joseph be warned? What should the watchman warn about? Regarding a watchman, you can watch the following video: Go, Set a Watchman.
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.
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from?
Ten Prophetic Clues Concerning Naphtali – Sweden Do the Swedes have any ties to the biblical tribe of Naphtali? Some think so
‘Ten Prophetic Clues Concerning Dan – the Irish’ Not part of the ‘144,000’ Could the Irish and Danes have descent from the tribe of Dan?
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.
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?
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
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; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? 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.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.

Sketcher’s view of the Gap Theory

COGwriter

Genesis 1:1 has the ‘In the beginning” statement and Genesis 1:2 has the “chaos and void” statement.

The time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 has been called the Gap Theory.

Where does the Bible actually begin?

In terms of time order, it would be John 1:1, and not Genesis 1:1 as many assume.

Here is an explanation from the late Herbert W. Armstrong:

If one should ask, where do you find the actual beginning of events in the Bible, most who possess even a slight knowledge of the world’s “best seller” would say, “Why in Genesis chapter one verse one, of course.” WRONG!

The real beginning, in order of time sequence, is found in the New Testament, in the first chapter of John, verse one. The events portrayed in Genesis occurred later – possibly even millions of years later. But the event recorded in John 1:1 reveals an existence perhaps long prior to the time God created the earth and the material universe. Note it: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” It continues, “The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” The term “all things” is translated in Hebrews 1:3, in the Moffatt translation, as “the UNIVERSE.” The entire UNIVERSE was made by Him!

The fourteenth verse of John 1 says: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” The Personage called the Word was the one who ultimately-yet more than 1900 years ago-was born Jesus Christ. The name, “the Word,” is translated from the original Greek text, and means, literally, just what is translated into English -“Spokesman.” But He was not the Son of God “in the beginning.” Yet the Scriptures reveal that He has always existed, and always will – “from eternity to eternity.” He was “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life . . .” (Heb. 7:3).

So think on this, if you will! Originally there existed only these two Spirit Personages, self-existent. They had creative powers – they had perfect supreme minds – they possessed perfect, holy and righteous CHARACTER.

But THERE WAS NONE ELSE – NOTHING ELSE! There was no matter – no material universe – YET! No other living being or thing. Only these two, equal in mind and powers, except that God was supreme in authority, and the Word in perfect harmony under that authority. They were of one mind, in absolute agreement.

But ALL THINGS – the universe and everything existing in it – was made by the Personage called the Word. Yet, as we read in Ephesians 3:9: “God. . . created ALL THINGS by Jesus Christ.” And prior to becoming Jesus Christ, He was “the Word!” Also, in His human life Jesus said He spoke only as the Father directed. Yes. THINK!

In the eternity even prior to “prehistory” there were these two Supreme Beings. Alone! In the emptiness of space! No other life forms – no other living beings! Nothing else!…

The Perfect Creation

The original Hebrew words (the words originally written by Moses) imply a perfect creation. God reveals Himself as Creator of perfection, light, and beauty. Every reference in the Bible describes the condition of any completed phase of God’s creation as “very good” – perfect. This first verse of the Bible actually speaks of the original PHYSICAL creation in its entirety – the universe – including the earth, perhaps millions of years ago – as a perfect creation, beautiful and perfect as far as its creation was a finished, completed work. God is a perfectionist! In Job 38:4,7, God is speaking specifically of the creation of this earth. He said all the angels (created “sons of God”) shouted for joy at the creation of the earth. This reveals that angels were created before the creation of the earth – and probably before the material universe.

The suns, planets, and astral bodies are material substance. Angels are individually created Spirit beings, composed solely of Spirit. It will come as a surprise to many to learn that angels inhabited this earth BEFORE the creation of man. This passage from Job implies it.

Angels on Earth Sinned

Other passages place angels on earth prior to man. Notice II Peter 2:4-6. First in time order were “angels that sinned.” Next in time sequence, the antediluvian world beginning with Adam, carrying through to the Flood. After that, Sodom and Gomorrah. This Book of books, containing the revealed knowledge of the Creator God, tells us that God created angels as composed of Spirit. But can you imagine angels becoming sinning angels? Angels were created with power of thought, of decision and of choice, else they have no individuality or character. Since sin is the transgression of God’s law, these angels rebelled against God’s law, the basis of God’s government. Notice carefully what is revealed in II Peter 2:4-5:

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

These verses show that universal sin brings universal destruction to the physical earth. The antediluvian sin, culminating with the flood, was worldwide, universal sin. Notice: “…the earth was filled with violence …. for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth …. for the earth is filled with violence.” (Gen.6:1 1-13). “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the [Eternal]…. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (verses 8-9). All flesh had sinned – over the whole earth. But only Noah “walked with God.” So, the Flood destroyed the whole earth – all but Noah and his family. The homosexual and other sins of Sodom and Gomorrah spread over the territory of those two cities. And physical destruction came to their entire area. The sin of the angels was worldwide; the destruction of the physical earth was worldwide. The verses quoted above place the sinning of the angels prior to the antediluvian sins that started with Adam, prior to the creation of man. And that should be a surprise revealing of one phase of the missing dimension in knowledge! Angels inhabited this earth before the creation of man. And the government of God was administered on earth until the rebellion of the sinning angels.

How long these angels inhabited the earth before the creation of man is not revealed. It might have been millions – or even billions – of years. More on that later. But these angels sinned. Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4). And God’s law is the basis of God’s government. So we know these angels, apparently a third of all the angels (Rev. 12:4), sinned – rebelled against the government of God. And sin carries penalties. The penalty for the sin of the angels is not death, as it is for man. Angels are Immortal Spirit beings and cannot die. These Spirit beings had been given dominion over the PHYSICAL EARTH as a possession and an abode. The universal, worldwide sin of the angels resulted in the physical destruction of the face of the earth…

Now back to Genesis 1: 1-2. Verse 1, as stated above, implies a perfect creation. God is the author of life, of beauty, of perfection. Satan has brought only darkness, ugliness, imperfection, violence. Verse 1 shows the creation of a perfect earth, glorious and beautiful. Verse 2 reveals the result of the sin of the angels.

“And the earth was [became] without form, and void.” The words “without form and void” are translated from the Hebrew tohu and bohu. A better translation is “waste and empty” or chaotic and in confusion.” The word “was” is elsewhere in Genesis translated “became,” as in Genesis 19:26. In other words, the earth, originally created perfect and beautiful, had now become chaotic, waste, and empty, like our moon, except its surface was covered with water.

David was inspired to reveal how God renewed the face of the earth: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30).

Now another surprise for most readers. Here is another bit of the missing dimension in knowledge, actually revealed in the Bible, but unrecognized by religion, by science, and by higher education. From verse 2 of Genesis 1 on, the remainder of this first chapter of the Bible is not describing the original creation of the earth. But it is describing a renewing of the face of the earth, after it had become waste and empty as a result of the sin of the angels.

What is described from verse 2 on, in the supposed “Creation chapter” of the Bible, did occur, according to the Bible, approximately 6,000 years ago. But that could have been millions or trillions of years after the actual creation of the earth described in verse 1! I will comment later on the length of time it might have taken before all earth’s angels turned to rebellion.

The earth had become waste and empty. God did not create it waste and empty, or in confusion. God is not the author of confusion (I Cor.14:33). This same Hebrew word – tohu – meaning waste and empty, was inspired in Isaiah 45:18, where it is translated “in vain.” Using the original Hebrew word, as originally inspired, it reads: “For thus saith the [Eternal] that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain [tohu], he formed it to be inhabited.”

Continue now with the remainder of verse 2 (Gen. 1) (the earth had become chaotic, waste, and empty): “And darkness was upon the face of the deep [the ocean or fluid surface of the earth]. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness” (verses 2-4).

Satan is the author of darkness. The rebellion of the angels had caused the darkness. God is the author of light and truth. Light displays and enhances beauty, and also exposes evil. Darkness hides both. The verses which follow in this first chapter of the Bible describe the renewing of the face of the earth, yielding beautiful lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetation – then the creation of fish and fowl, animal life, and finally man. (Armstrong HW. Incredible Human Potential, 1978)

So, yes God and the Word existed from the beginning and before anything else was made (John 1:1).

And while there was a creation in Genesis 1:1, there was a gap between that and the recreation that was needed in Genesis 1:2. Thus, this explanation (which, in my view, is the one that best agrees with the records, despite flaws of science) is commonly referred to as the gap theory. And yes, I hold to it (see How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation?).

A while back, The Temple Institute had the following in its newsletter:

“In the beginning”

(Genesis 1:1)

Tishrei 26, 5779/October 5, 2018

“In the beginning… “ A lot of things happened in six days. Between “chaos and void” to “be fruitful and multiply,” an entire world came into being.

“In the beginning,” or to be more true to the exact Hebrew grammar employed, “In the beginning of… “ In the beginning of what, we are not told.

Yes, there was a gap starting with chaos and void.

Before going into some old quotes, it should be pointed out that in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text, there a pause/gap symbol between the first and second verses of Genesis.

Furthermore, in the Masoretic text in which Jewish scholars tried to incorporate enough “indicators” to guide the reader … is one small mark which is technically known as Rebhia which is classified as a “disjunctive accent” intended to notify the reader that he should pause before proceeding to the next verse. Such a mark appears at the end of Genesis 1:1. This mark has been noticed by several scholars including Luther. It is one indication among others, that the waw (וּ‬) which introduces verse 2 should be rendered “but” rather than “and,” a disjunctive rather than a conjunctive. (Custance AC. Without Form and Void. 1970, pp. 18-19)

This shows a gap, not a conjunctive connection, between verses one and two, therefore verse one is NOT an explanation of verse two as some wish to believe.

So we see that, anciently, there is an actual gap symbol between verses 1 and 2 of Genesis. And that instead of Genesis 1:2 beginning with “And” like the KJV and Douay Rheims have, it should begin with “But.”

Now, one anti-Gap article asks, “WHY CAN’T WE JUST BELIEVE THE BIBLE?” It then refers to the biblical gap view as an “imagined theory” and claimed it was based on non-biblical evidence (Closing the Gap. co-written by Brian and Kenneth Hoeck for Truth On The Web Ministries. http://www.truthontheweb.org/gapclose.htm accessed 07/23/18), yet it failed to mention that there is an actual pause/gap in the Masoretic text of scripture.

And a correct translation of the Bible makes the point more apparent.

Let’s now see two translations of something else in the Bible:

28 And God blessed them; and God said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth.’ (Genesis 1:28, Jewish Publication Society Tanakh 1917)

28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28, KJV)

The Original Douay OT (1610) also teaches to “replenish the earth, and subdue it” (though the version I checked uses old English spelling, like “fubdew it”).

To replenish (Strong’s word 4390, transliterated from Hebrew into uwmil°uw) means to “restore (a stock or supply of something) to the former level or condition.” There would be no reason to “replenish” if there had not been a previous time when the Earth existed.

Furthermore, consider that this was the same command (with the same Strong’s word 4390, transliterated from Hebrew into uwmil°uw) God gave Noah after the Great Flood:

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1, Jewish Publication Society Tanakh 1917)

1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. (Genesis 9:1, KJV)

Adam was told to replenish as Noah had.

Now, did any old Jewish writings outside the Bible point to some type of gap?

Yes.

Here is something from an old Jewish source:

The ancient work known as The Book of Light or Sefer Hazzohar, sometimes simply Zohar was traditionally ascribed to one of Akida’s disciples, a certain Simon ben Jochai. In this work … there is a comment on Genesis 2:4-6, which, though difficult to follow, reads thus:

These are generations of heaven and earth. … Now wherever there is the word ‘these’ the previous words are put aside. And these are the generations of the destruction which is signified in verse 2 of chapter 1. The earth was Tohu and Bohu. These indeed are the worlds of which it is said that the blessed God created them, and destroyed them, and, on that account, the earth was desolate and empty. (Custance, p. 20; see also Nurho de Manhar. Library of Alexandria. The Sepher Ha-Zohar, Or, The Book of Light: Bereshith to Lekh Lekha, Chapter VIII)

So, there is a Jewish work which supports a type of ‘gap’ understanding of Genesis 2.

Here is a slightly different version of that work from the late first century/early second century:

“These (aleh) are the generations (children or races) of the heavens and the earth” (Gen. xi., 4). It has been stated that in every passage of Scripture that the word aleh occurs, there is no connection with what precedes it. This is the ease with the passage just quoted. Its logical reference and connection is with the words “tohu,” and “bohu” (without form and void) in the second verse of Gen. i. There are those who say that the Holy One created worlds and then destroyed them. Why were they destroyed? Because, as the Scripture says, “the earth was tohu and bohu,” indicating the state of former worlds before their destruction. (Nurho de Manhar. Library of Alexandria. The Sepher Ha-Zohar, Or, The Book of Light: Bereshith to Lekh Lekha. 1900-1914, pp. 127-128)

(Note that the above author meant Genesis 2:4, not 11:4 as an editor improperly added the ‘x’ instead of ‘i’ by accident as ‘aleph’ is not in Genesis 11:4, but is in 2:4.)

Thus, it should be clear that no later than the second century A.D. some version of the gap theory was documented.

As far as worlds go, while scripture does not teach that multiple worlds were destroyed (unless we are talking about what happened to the Earth after Satan and during the Great Flood) notice what the New Testament teaches:

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

More than one ‘world,’ more than one ‘age’ (the Greek is aioónas) was framed/repaired (the Greek is katartizo) by God.

The Onkelos Targum is a Jewish document, also dating from the late first or early second century (the Jewish Targums, essentially paraphrases usually in Arabic date from that period). Here is a report about it:

“Among the early Jewish writings there are a number of Aramaic paraphrases of the Old Testament. The oldest of these so-called Targums is that of Onkelos, which is confined to the Pentateuch. According to the Babylonian Talmud, Onkelos was a proselyte who was the son of a man named Calonicas, and was the composer of the Targum which bears his name, which he in turn had received from Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, both of whom lived toward the end of the first and the beginning of the second century A.D. However, in the Jerusalem Talmud the very same thing is related by the same authorities (and almost in the same words) of the proselyte Aquila of Pontes, whose Greek version of the Bible was much used by the Greek-speaking Jews down to the time of Justinian; so it is sometimes argued that Onkelos is but another name for Aquila. Aquila Ponticus was a relative of the Emperor Hadrian, living in the second century A.D. Thus even if Onkelos is not an absolutely authentic figure, the works attributed to him must still be placed very early in the Christian era.

In dealing with the first chapter of Genesis, Onkelos gave the following Aramaic paraphrase of verse 2: W’are’ah hawath tsadh’ya In this passage, the composite verb form (tsadh’ya) means ‘was destroyed,’ being the Aramaic form of the verb to be (hawath) with the feminine passive participle of the verb tzadhah, which means ‘to cut’ or ‘to lay waste.'” – Arthur C. Custance, The Doorway Papers, Vol. 6, Part 3, Ch. 3, p. 3 (as cited in Old Earth, Old View at http://www.dispensationalfriends.org/articles/envoldview.html accessed 08/02/18)

So, this is another early document supporting at least aspects of the gap theory.

Here are some comments from the later Babylonian Talmud:

‘And the earth was without form and void.’ There seems to be some reason for the earth’s despondency, as though she was aware of her lot beforehand. (Genesis Rabba 2. p. 59 http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/tmm/tmm07.htm accessed 08/02/18)

“Other worlds were created and destroyed ere this present one was decided on as a permanent one.” – Genesis Rabba 3 (as cited in Old Earth, Old View at http://www.dispensationalfriends.org/articles/envoldview.html accessed 08/02/18)

The idea that there was some type of a gap was NOT simply a modern idea to deal with evolutionists as various anti-gap writers have claimed.

Here is something that the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert Armstrong, wrote about this:

It will come as news to most readers that angels were created before the earth and the physical universe were brought into existence. Job 38:1-7 shows the angels shouted for joy when God first created the earth. It is stated in both Genesis 1 and 2 that the earth was created at the same time as the entire physical universe. …

Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning [of the physical universe] God created the heavens and the earth.” These are material and physical.

As previously stated, in the Authorized Version will be found the word heaven in the singular. But this originally was written by Moses in Hebrew. And in the Hebrew the word is in the plural–heavens–thus including not only our earth, but the entire material UNIVERSE.

It is therefore indicated that at that time–after the creation of angels–the entire universe was brought into existence at the same time as the creation of our earth. I find strong indication of this in other biblical internal evidence, and also it is definitely stated in Genesis 2:4.

The Perfect Creation

The original Hebrew words (the words written by Moses) imply a perfect creation. God reveals himself as Creator of perfection, light and beauty. Every reference in the Bible describes the condition of any completed phase of God’s creation as “very good”–perfect.

This first verse of the Bible actually speaks of the original PHYSICAL creation in its entirety–the universe–including the earth, perhaps millions of years ago–as a perfect creation, beautiful and perfect as far as its creation was a finished, completed work. God is a perfectionist!

In Job 38:4, 7, God is speaking specifically of the creation of this earth. He said all the angels (created “sons of God”) shouted for joy at the creation of the earth. This reveals that angels were created before the creation of the earth–and probably before the material universe. The suns, planets and astral bodies are material substance.

Angels are individually created spirit beings, composed solely of spirit.

It will come as a surprise to many to learn that angels inhabited this earth BEFORE the creation of man. This passage from Job implies it.

Angels on Earth Sinned

Other passages place angels on earth prior to man.

Notice II Pet. 2:4-6. First in time order “angels that sinned.” Next in time sequence, the antediluvian world beginning with Adam, carrying through to the Flood. After that, Sodom and Gomorrah. …

Angels inhabited this earth before the creation of man.

It is revealed in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, that God placed the archangel Lucifer, a cherub, on a throne on the earth. He was placed there as a ruler over the entire earth. God intended him to rule the earth by administering the government of God over the earth. And the government of God was administered on earth until the rebellion of the sinning angels.

How long these angels inhabited the earth before the creation of man is not revealed. It might have been millions–or even billions–of years. More on that later. But these angels sinned. Sin is the transgression of God’s law (I John 3:4). …

By this angelic sin, Lucifer became Satan the devil and his angels became demons.

God is Creator, Preserver and Ruler.

Satan is destroyer!

So, now we read in Jude 6-7: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”

Now back to Genesis 1:1-2. Verse 1, as stated above, implies a perfect creation. God is the author of life, of beauty, of perfection. Satan has brought only darkness, ugliness, imperfection, violence. Verse 1 shows the creation of a perfect, if unfinished earth, glorious and beautiful. Verse 2 reveals the result of the sin of the angels.

“And the earth was [became] without form, and void.” The words “without form, and void” are translated from the Hebrew tohu and bohu. A better translation is “waste and empty” or “chaotic, in confusion and in a state of decay.” The word was is elsewhere in Genesis also translated became, as in Genesis 19:26. In other words, the earth, originally created perfect and beautiful, had now become chaotic, waste and empty, like our moon, except earth’s surface was covered with water.

David was inspired to reveal how God renewed the face of the earth: “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth” (Ps. 104:30).

A Surprising Truth

Now another surprise for most readers. Here is another bit of the missing dimension in knowledge, actually revealed in the Bible, but unrecognized by religion, by science and by higher education.

From verse 2 of Genesis 1 on, the remainder of this first chapter of the Bible is not describing the original creation of the earth. But it is describing a renewing of the face of the earth, after it had become waste and empty as a result of the sin of the angels.

What is described from verse 2 on, in the supposed creation chapter of the Bible, did occur, according to the Bible, approximately 6,000 years ago. But that could have been millions or trillions of years after the actual creation of the earth described in verse 1! …

When God placed angels–apparently a third of all (Rev. 12:4)–on the newly created, perfect, beautiful and glorious earth, he set over them, on a throne, to administer the government of God, an archangel–the great cherub Lucifer. …

What Caused the Angels’ Sin?

What caused the angels on earth to sin, to turn to lawlessness? Certainly the ordinary angels did not persuade this great superbeing to turn traitor. No, it was in him that iniquity was found. But, after how long? We don’t know. God does not reveal that! It could have been any number of years from one or less to millions times millions.

And then, even after Lucifer himself made the decision to rebel and try to invade God’s heaven to take over the universe, it is not revealed how long it took him to persuade all of the angels under him to turn traitor and follow him.

I know well the method he used. He uses the same method still today in leading deceived humans into disloyalty, rebellion, and self-centered opposition against God’s government. First, he turns one or two to envy, jealousy and resentment over an imagined injustice–then into disloyalty. Then he uses that one or two, like a rotten apple in a crate, to stir up resentment, feelings of self-pity, disloyalty and rebellion in others next to them. And, as each rotten apple rots those next to it until the whole crate is rotten, so Satan proceeds.

If, in the government of God on earth today, the “rotten apples” are not thrown out early enough, they would destroy the whole government. But, once thrown out of the crate, they cannot do any more damage to those in the crate.

But think how long it must have taken the soured and embittered Lucifer to turn millions of holy angels into resentment, bitterness, disloyalty, and finally open and vicious rebellion. It could have taken hundreds, thousands or millions of years. This was all before the first human was created.

All this happened after the original creation of the earth, described in verse 1 of Genesis 1. Verse 2 of this creation chapter describes a condition resulting from this sin of the angels. The events described in verse 2, therefore, may have occurred millions of years after the original creation of the earth.

The earth, therefore, may have been created millions of years ago. But continue this passage in Ezekiel 28: “By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as proface out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy [remove] thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground…” (verses 16-17). (Armstrong HW. Mystery of Angels and Evil Spirits part of Chapter 2 in Mystery of the Ages, 1985).

Scriptures about angels provide additional support for the ‘gap’ position.

The Continuing Church of God recently put together a sermon related to the Gap Theory which is at its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:15:25

Gap Theory: Doctrine or Modern Heresy?

Must the Earth be less than 6000 years old? Was there a gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2? Was the Earth created without form and void? What are tohu and bohu? Does the second chapter of Genesis support the idea that the Earth was completed, hence indicating that there was a time it was not? Was the ‘gap theory’ produced to deal with Darwinism? Did angels have dominion over the earth and did they lose it? Does the Masoretic Old Testament provide direct support for some type of a gap? Did any ancient Jewish writers support a re-creation? Did any second century Church of God leaders teach any part of the gap theory? Did any Greco-Roman-Catholic saints teach the idea of a re-creation? What about Protestants like Martin Luther and Thomas Chalmers? What does the ‘Kolbrin Bible’ teach? Are there statements in the actual Bible that clearly support the gap doctrine? What are some of the arguments raised against the gap theory? Is the gap theory an early doctrine or a relatively new heresy? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to this sermon: Gap Theory: Doctrine or Modern Heresy?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation? Gap Theory? Does the Bible allow for the creation of the universe and earth billions of years ago? Why do some believe they are no older than 6,000 years old? What is the gap theory? Were the days of creation in Genesis 1:3 through 2:3 24 hours long? Here is a link to two sermons: Gap Theory: Doctrine or Modern Heresy? and Genesis, ‘Prehistoric man,’ and the Gap theory. Here is a link to a related article in Spanish: ¿Cuán vieja es la Tierra? ¿Cuán largos fueron los Días de la Creación? ¿Teoría de la brecha?
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?
Does it Make Physical Sense to believe in God? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true? Here is a link to a YouTube sermon titled Is it logical to believe in God?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge. Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Is There Another View of Evolution? and another titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life.
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? 2029 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?
Is God Calling You? This is a booklet discussing calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You?
Nascent Sanhedrin structure and high priest: The plan is to start animal sacrifices this would fulfill prophecy! The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to two related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

Lab-grown ‘hamburger’ (WEF via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

World Net Daily posted the following:

COGwriter

The old WCG published the following article by Clayton Steep in the August 1985 edition of the Good News magazine:

Make Your Prayers Count!

Could you be overlooking some of the most basic principles regarding answered prayer?

A major blunder. That’s exactly what Henry had just made.

“I simply don’t understand why God didn’t give me the wisdom to make the right decision,” Henry sighed, shaking his head.

Actually, Henry had made a double mistake. Double, because if we were to inquire of him, “Did you specifically ask God for the wisdom you needed?” Henry’s reply would be something like: “Er, well, no — not specifically. But,” he would hastily add, “God knew I needed it. He knows all things.”

True, God knows all things. He is fully aware of our needs. As Jesus stated, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).

But does that, therefore, render prayer unnecessary?

Not at all! The Bible clearly points out that one of the reasons we sometimes do not receive the blessings we could enjoy is simply that we do not ask God for them (James 4:2).

“Ask, and it will be given to you,” Jesus declared (Matthew 7:7). To illustrate, He gave the example of a child asking his father for some food. “If you then, being evil,” Jesus continued, “know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things…”

How? With no conditions? Always automatically? As a matter only of due course? Just because He knows we need them? Whether or not we ask? No! Read it: “… to those who ask Him!” (verse 11).

Henry should have read James 1:5 more closely. This verse doesn’t say that if you need wisdom, God will automatically supply it because you are a Christian and He knows you need it. Rather, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

God is filled with mercy and compassion. He knows what we need. He stands ready to give liberally. But He wants us to ask anyway.

Why? The fact that God tells us to is certainly good enough reason all by itself. But let’s see if we can understand why God tells us to.

A vital factor

Prayer is not an isolated and optional religious exercise. It is a vital factor, significant in determining our eternal destiny!

The supreme purpose that God is working out here on earth is the expansion of His Kingdom – His Family. He wants to make out of human beings immortal members of His ruling Family.

These must be individuals who, by their own free choice, come to fully support God’s way of doing things, who want to think as God thinks, perceive as God perceives, react as God reacts. They must want with all their hearts to be involved in whatever God is doing.

Such an attitude is essential in order to maintain, throughout eternity, harmony and peace in the God Family.

God has made us temporarily human. This existence is a testing ground so our Creator can try us and know what is in our hearts, whether or not He can trust us to live by His rules and laws (Deuteronomy 8:2). He must be sure. He is looking at us, closely examining our actions and reactions.

God takes note of what we say when we are talking to Him. Of course He knows our hearts and intents. And the Holy Spirit helps where we cannot adequately express ourselves (Romans 8:26-27). Still, as Jesus showed, the actual words we use are also important, and they ought to be meaningful, rather than vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7).

One of the obstacles to effective prayer is not often identified: It is the fact that we live in the age of devalued language. Words have never been so cheap, so frequently meaningless. All around us language is misused in advertising, politics, entertainment and casual conversation.

Because we have been disillusioned more than once by broken promises, exaggerations, shading of the truth, even outright lies, we have come to automatically doubt that words mean what their face value would indicate.

This is one reason some have difficulty believing God’s promises. It also could be one of the reasons some prayers are not as effective as they should be.

Remember that God really didn’t have to ask Adam and Eve the series of questions about what they had done (Genesis 3:9-13). He already knew the answer. He didn’t have to ask Cain where Abel was (Genesis 4:9). He didn’t have to come down to earth to verify how evil Sodom was (Genesis 18:20-21). He didn’t have to allow Jacob to contend with him all night (Genesis 32:22-30). But He wanted to — and wants to — hear from humans themselves what they have to say, and see their reactions.

Prayer changes things

The great Creator God is working out His plan. He keeps it on course, intervening when necessary in human affairs to do so. But do you realize that He allows humans with whom He is dealing to determine many of the details of how His plan develops?

Twice, Moses directly influenced, by prayer, the course of history. Because of the rebellion of the children of Israel, God on two separate occasions proposed rejecting them all and bringing forth through Moses a new nation to inherit the promises made to Abraham (Exodus 32:9-14, Numbers 14:11-20). Had Moses not fervently prayed to God to change His mind, the implication is that God would have done exactly what He had proposed.

Either way would not have impeded the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. But Moses’ prayers did determine the course that fulfillment took.

Prayer does make a difference. It changes things.

“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest,” Jesus urged (Luke 10:2). Whether or not or in what numbers laborers are sent out to do God’s work must therefore depend at least partly on prayers or the lack of them.

Make no mistake about it: God will accomplish His work of preaching the message preparing the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ — even if He has to cause the very rocks of the earth to cry the message out loud (Luke 19:40). Let us not take for granted the privilege we have of taking part in what God is doing! He doesn’t need us. But He gives us the opportunity to participate. Are you participating?

Listen to the apostle Paul: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (I Timothy 2:1-2). Whether or not or to what degree God’s work has peaceful conditions in which to function also depends therefore, at least in part, on how diligently we pray.

If we don’t ask, there is no promise we shall receive.

Do you pray every day for the work of God and for the human instruments carrying it out? You should.

Do you pray every day for God’s blessings on others as well as on your own endeavors? You should. Do you pray every day for protection and help as you function and move about in this evil and dangerous world? You should.

“Be anxious for nothing,” Paul wrote, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known [even though God is already aware] to God” (Philippians 4:6). This means bringing God into every — yes, every — facet of your daily existence.

Believe and obey

Jesus said, “And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22). So in addition to simply asking, we must believe. There is a definite and close relationship between the degree of one’s sincerity and surrender to God and the degree to which one is able to believe and pray in faith.

If you are, for example, lusting for something when you know better, if your mind is entertaining thoughts you know you should not have, you automatically cannot at the same time be asking God in unswerving faith to grant you a request. It just doesn’t work that way.

Here’s how the apostle John expressed it: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (I John 3:21). And our hearts won’t condemn us if we are doing what is right.

“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (verse 22).

What does it mean to be always in an attitude of prayer? It doesn’t mean you are talking to God every second. Even Jesus didn’t do that. But He was always in the right attitude — His conscience was undefiled before God — so He could talk directly to His heavenly Father on the spur of the moment. His thoughts were on those things that are above.

Being able to pray at any moment and total surrender to God go hand in hand. On one occasion when Jesus suddenly began to pray, He said: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me” (John 11:41-42).

How did Jesus know that? Why did God always hear Him? For the simple reason that Jesus always did those things that pleased His Father (John 8:29).

Wanting to pray or be in an attitude of prayer in “all things” is actually a valuable incentive to be obedient in all things.

Prayers of intercession

Our prayer life not only reveals to God how deeply we want Him to be involved in our lives and how deeply we want to be involved in what He is doing, but prayer also shows how interested we are in other people.

In all members of God’s Family, God wants to see a spontaneous and universal expression of outgoing concern for the welfare of others. That’s the only way to guarantee peace and harmony. It is the way of giving. Love for one’s neighbor is the very essence of God’s law (Leviticus 19:18).

One of the greatest gifts you can give to others, when you are close to God, is to pray for them. God loves it when people pray for each other. Certainly God will hear the prayers of an individual praying for his own needs. But the Bible leaves no doubt that God particularly enjoys hearing and answering the prayers of one person for the needs of another.

The apostle Paul wouldn’t have petitioned the saints to “pray for us” (Hebrews 13:18) if it didn’t make any difference whether they did.

If you want a specific request from God, have you ever thought to pray that the identical request be granted to someone else who needs it? In so doing, you get your mind off yourself and on the welfare of others. This is well pleasing to God.

In Jesus’ sample prayer outline (commonly, though mistakenly, called the “Lord’s Prayer”) the words I, me or my do not appear once (Matthew 6:9-13). All the way through the words used are we, us and our, demonstrating an unselfish concern.

God wants to hear prayers of intercession (Isaiah 59:15-16). It was through the prayers of Abraham that Abimelech was forgiven (Genesis 20:17-18). Job’s friends were forgiven through Job’s prayers (Job 42:7-10). John wrote about praying for one another to be forgiven (I John 5:16). The Bible records numerous instances of people praying for one another.

For whom have you interceded recently?

In Jesus’ early childhood, there was an elderly woman named Anna, “who did not depart from the temple, but served God [the word God is in italics to show it was added by translators] with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:37).

You can be sure that most of that prayer and fasting was not to seek Anna’s own needs and desires.

There were probably many people in the area who, over the years, went to Anna when they had a problem, because God heard and answered her prayers and everyone knew it.

King Solomon recorded a vital principle in life that reflects on this subject: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

You who are sick or afflicted, is someone praying with you for healing? The instruction from James is to “pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). It makes a difference!

Don’t lose heart

One of Jesus’ parables was given to show us we ought to be persistent in prayer, that we “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1-8).

Have you ever “lost heart” because you, along with others, have been asked to pray for someone, for example, who is terminally ill, and the person dies anyway? Have you immediately assumed something was wrong with your prayers, with your exercise of faith?

Maybe there was. On the other hand, that may not always be so. Maybe your prayers were what they should be. Maybe you did not waver in faith. But maybe enough others did not pray effectively. Did you ever think of that?

In any case, do not lose heart. Keep at it. Try again.

Being able to pray effectively does not come overnight. It has to be worked at. But it is eternally worth the effort, for through prayer you get to know God. And, just as importantly, He gets to know you.

Prayer is not just about asking God to give us things or to think God should be pleased because we address Him.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? People talk a lot about prayer. Many pray in public. Does God listen? What does the Bible teach about prayer? How can your prayers be more effective? Does the Bible give particular positions to pray in? What does God want you to pray for? What if what you want is difficult? What if what you want is humanly impossible? Why doesn’t God seem to answer all prayers? This free booklet answers all those questions and more. This contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
What Should I Pray About? An old article by Lynn Torrance on prayer.
Does God Heal Today? This historical article is by Herbert Armstrong and provides his views circa 1952, which he seemed to later modify, at least to some degree.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
Importance of Fasting An old article by Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject.
Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

BRICS Confirms Another 6 Country Expansion in 2024https://t.co/4TfiAbw0oR

— BRICS (@BRICSinfo) December 22, 2023

COGwriter

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

14:31

BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar

The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have as one of their founding goals, to eliminate the need to use USA dollars in cross-border trade. Six additional nations have been invited to join BRICS in 2024, and India reports that six more are also being looked at. The BRICS nations have already begun to drop the USA dollar for some cross-border trading with Russia and China indicating that they had almost done so completely in late 2023. What will happen to the economy and value of the USA dollar if more and more nations stop using it as a primary reserve and trading currency? What about hyperinflation? Does the Bible prophesy destruction for a highly indented nation in the end time? Is the USA the most indebted nation of all time? What about the intent and use of the Euro? Will Europe and Asia cooperate to eliminate the USA and its British-descended allies?

Here is a link to our video: BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar.

As Jesus said: “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).

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; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
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 are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?