Archive for April, 2025

EU President says because of Donald Trump ‘The West as we knew it no longer exists’

Wednesday, April 16th, 2025

 
European Union Flags (via Pixabay)

COGwriter

Euronews reported the following:

‘The West as we knew it no longer exists,’ von der Leyen says amid Trump tensions

16 April 2025

Europe is still a peace project. We don’t have bros or oligarchs making the rules. We don’t invade our neighbours, and we don’t punish them,” Ursula von der Leyen said in a wide-ranging interview with the Zeit newspaper.

“The West as we knew it no longer exists,” Ursula von der Leyen has declared amid rapidly deteriorating relations with the United States under Donald Trump’s administration, which has forced Europe to look elsewhere for allies and partners.

In the aftermath of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which Brussels has decried as “neither credible nor justified”, the president of the European Commission has been working the phones with representatives from Norway, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Von der Leyen has also spoken with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, fuelling speculation of an imminent thaw in EU-China ties after years of tensions.

“The world has become a globe also geopolitically, and today our networks of friendship span the globe, as you can see in the debate about tariffs,” von der Leyen told the German newspaper Zeit …

“Right now, I could have these conversations 24 hours a day. Everyone is asking for more trade with Europe – and it’s not just about economic ties. It is also about establishing common rules and it is about predictability. Europe is known for its predictability and reliability, which is once again starting to be seen as something very valuable,” she said.

“On the one hand, this is very gratifying; on the other hand, there is also of course a huge responsibility that we have to live up to.” …

Asked if America was a friend, a former friend or an opponent, the Commission chief avoided “these kinds of classifications” while admitting the relation was “complicated”. …

“Europe is still a peace project. We don’t have bros or oligarchs making the rules. We don’t invade our neighbours, and we don’t punish them. On the contrary, there are twelve countries on the waiting list to become members of the European Union. That’s about 150 million people,” she said, referring to the accession process. …

when asked if Europe should “trust the Chinese”, she did not refute the growing speculation of a rapprochement. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/16/the-west-as-we-knew-it-no-longer-exists-von-der-leyen-says-amid-trump-tensions

Yes, the EU is interested in more trade deals and more nations want to make trade deals with the EU.

The EU is looking less and less favorably towards the US and seems to feel it no longer really leads the West–and that is has less need for the US.

Ursula von der Leyen is basically publicly stating that the US is no longer part of the West’s leadership, is not really a friend anymore of Europe, and that the rest of the world is looking to Europe.

This is a big deal.

It is also consistent with a prophecy in Lamentations 1:1-2 that the one that was great among the nations (the US) will be conquered by friends who became enemies (the final European Beast power).

Notice something that came out after Donald Trump was elected the first time:

America Has Abdicated Its Leadership of the West

14 November 2016

For 100 years, the United States was the leader of the free world. With the election of Donald Trump, America has now abdicated that role. It is time for Europe, and Angela Merkel, to step into the void.

Even history sometimes leans toward pathos. In January 2017, when Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, the American Age will celebrate its 100th birthday — and its funeral.

The West was constituted in its modern form in January 1917. World War I was raging in Europe at the time and in Washington, D.C., President Woodrow Wilson told his country that it was time for Americans to take responsibility for “peace and justice.” In April he said: “The world must be made safe for democracy.” He declared war on Germany and sent soldiers to Europe to secure victory for the Western democracies — and the United States assumed the leadership of the Western world. It was an early phase of political globalization.

One hundred years later: Trump. …

What will happen to the West, to Europe, to Germany without the United States as its leading power? Germany is a child of the West, particularly of the United States, brought to life with American generosity, long spoon-fed and now in a deep state of shock. The American president was always simultaneously our president, at least a little, and Barack Obama was a worthy president of the West. Now, though, we must come to terms with a lack of Western leadership. …

America was long the benchmark for the West. But if Trump governs as he promised he would during the campaign, the land of the free will abdicate its role as leader of the free world. Then, it will be Europe’s turn. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/trump-election-means-europe-must-now-lead-west-a-1120929.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook#ref=rss

Notice that Der Spiegel stated that if Donald Trump keeps his promises, it will be Europe’s turn to lead the West.

Donald Trump has concerned, and offended, the Europeans.

And it is worse now than the first time he was in office.

As far as trade and Europe go, notice something from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Trade

Historically, Donald Trump has called for “fair trade” and indicated that various nations, including several in Asia, are not engaged in fair trade, so he has proposed high tariffs.[i]

Donald Trump has called tariffs, “the most beautiful word in the dictionary” and even proposed massive tariffs (up to 2000%) on Mexico if it will not do what he wants.[ii] He has basically also proposed a minimum of 10% tariffs on goods from much of the rest of the world.

Some believe that Donald Trump’s positions on trade will lead to a global trade war.[iii] Europe has said it will hit back against Donald Trump’s tariff policies.[iv] It is my position that trade disputes will be a factor in Europe taking military action against the USA one day.

One of the unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and other trade matters is that it is motivating nations he has threatened to look to trade more with each other. … (pp. 51-52)

The USA itself, as well as Donald Trump specifically, have repeatedly shown the Europeans that it does not trust them, yet it sometimes will trust them too much. According to the Bible, the time will come when the USA will find that continental Europe will be an enemy (cf. Isaiah 10:5-11) and not an ally (Ezekiel 23:4,9-10; Lamentations 1:1-2). (p. 58)

The USA will be attacked by “friends” consistent with the following:

1 How lonely sits the city
That was full of people!
How like a widow is she,
Who was great among the nations!

The princess among the provinces
Has become a slave!

2 She weeps bitterly in the night,
Her tears are on her cheeks;
Among all her lovers
She has none to comfort her.

All her friends have dealt treacherously with her;
They have become her enemies. cf. Lamentations 1:1-2).

Notice the one who was “great among the nations” will be conquered by friends, who will become enemies. (pp. 140-141)

  • Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. This is also helping set the stage for the coming European Babylonian Beast to dominate international trade. (p. 210)

[i] Trade: Donald J. Trump’s Vision. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/trade accessed December 16, 2016

[ii] Pan J. Donald Trump calls tariff ‘the most beautiful word,’ threatens up to 2,000% tariff to block Mexican car imports. Yahoo News, November 3, 2024

[iii] Islam F. Will Trump’s victory spark a global trade war? BBC, November 7, 2024

[iv] Vella JH. EU’s game plan for Trump trade war: ‘Hit back fast and hard.’ Polico.eu, October 21, 2024

(Thiel B. Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Nazarene Books, 2025)

Yes, as I warned, “One of the unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and other trade matters is that it is motivating nations he has threatened to look to trade more with each other.”

According to the Bible, Mystery Babylon the Great will rise up in Europe and be the world’s major trading power per the 17th and 18th chapters of the Book of Revelation.

Donald Trump has inadvertently accelerated the process for this to happen as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has stated, “Everyone is asking for more trade with Europe.”

And according to biblical prophecies, Europe is going to benefit financially from trading around the world. Related to trade and prophecy we made the following video:

14:49

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.

Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

A massive shift in the world is happening. Mystery Babylon is about to rise in Europe.

Are YOU paying attention?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be … US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in to this video as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Also listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.
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? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
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.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Mike Gendron trying to discern truth in a world of deception

Wednesday, April 16th, 2025


(Old WCG booklet cover)

COGwriter

In one of his newsletters, Mike Gendron led with the following:

Discerning Truth in a World of Deception

We are living in a world where truth is being twisted, manipulated and suppressed by hypocritical politicians, government agencies, religious leaders, corrupt scientists and the liberal media. Our debased culture is redefining truth and reality. No one knows who to trust or how to avoid being misled or deceived. The only way we can be victorious is to fight the good fight of faith against worldly ideologies. We can never let a lie of the devil go unabated and we must be discerning. This means we must examine everything and hold onto what is good (1 Thes. 5:21).
What Is Discernment?
Discernment distinguishes truth from error in order to prevent false teaching from infiltrating the church. The Hebrew word “bin” and the Greek word “diakrino” are used hundreds of times in Scripture to make distinctions, to separate things at their points of difference. It calls for black and white thinking and a refusal to color issues gray. Those who apply discernment consistently in every area of life are sure to walk in the wisdom of our Lord (Prov. 2:1-6).
Why Is Discernment Necessary?
Satan is the god of this world and the father of lies (John 8:44). We need to be aware of his schemes to deceive, corrupt, falsify, blind, destroy, devour and kill. We need to discern good from evil and expose those who call evil good and good evil. The apostle John exhorted Christians to make judgments concerning doctrinal and spiritual issues: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). All Christians are called to judge righteously by using the Word of God as the plumb line for discerning truth from error. And judge we must because the Father of Lies deals in half-truths, and his fatal lies are often coated with a thin veneer of truth to deceive the unsuspecting.
Why Do We Need Discernment?
Christians need discernment to know and prove the will of God so that we will not be conformed to this world (Rom.12:2). We also need to test the veracity of every teaching of man (Acts 17:11). Without discernment we could not identify the counterfeits from the genuine. Paul warned us that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” (2 Cor. 11:13-15). We also need discernment to avoid being “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).

Mike Gendron is a former Roman Catholic who has warned against some of their changed doctrines, but sadly he has embraced others. To know what the original catholic church taught, check out our free online b ook: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?

Censored News recommended the following article:

We can talk to people anywhere in the world live, on facetime or Zoom and it costs nothing and this remarkable device is only a little bigger than the palm of your hand and fits easily in our pocket.

The atmosphere around our planet is covered by thousands of satellites that monitor us and help us constantly with GPS tracking devices. Millions of messages are being beamed around the world every second in the blink of an eye. We are being monitored in our cars, on the street, shopping, eating or at work. Back home we have flat screen high definition televisions in most rooms, (which also watches us). Even more gadgets, laptops, tablets and PC’s allow us to stream or download anything we may desire. Radio waves, TV signals, communication, entertainment networks. Every day, billions of invisible messages, images and videos are being transmitted all around us. The air and atmosphere is the highway of our wonderful technological world but, who owns it?

The following is an excerpt from Ephesians 2.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, (the devil) of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

And again in Ephesians 6.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

“The Prince Of The Air”

Satan controls that highway. Satan, known in the Bible as “The Prince Of The Air,” he is in control of our airways. He is the Prince of tech and has established the foundation of his empire here on Earth through airwaves, radio waves, TV signals, communication, entertainment networks, streaming. From two black and white TV stations and an analogue radio back in 1957 to a sophisticated interconnected communication network capable of getting into the heads of almost 8 billion people today and talk about deception, we didn’t even realise, brilliant!

1 Peter 5:8, NIV: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Worse is yet to come, 5G is now in place along with RFID Chip technology and Artificial Intelligence which will replace everything from sex-workers to truck drivers, factory workers to soldiers, causing mass unemployment and at the same time developing a “usless society,” which will of course need a chip to enable them to receive unemployment benefits, medical checks and “proof of vaccination” against anything our government demands.

Yet, how could this have happened in such a short time?

Matthew 24: 24. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you ahead of time.

We have been deceived of that there is no doubt!

In just over 60 years the devil has cleverly outsmarted our society and replaced the innocence of black and white tv shows and radio programes with a diet of sex, hate, violence and magic. Good old, Rock n’ roll, known back in the day as music of the devil, has been replaced by foul-mouthed rappers singing about rape, murder and drugs. Sex has exploded onto our screens. Teen Vogue and other children magazines have run articles teaching young girls and boys how to enjoy anal sex. Every second of every day 30,000 Americans are watching porn. Every day, 25% of all online traffic is directed at pornography with many thousands of them in search of child porn or rape. Some sexual transmitted diseases such as Gonnharea have become so widespread in people it is now immune against even the strongest antibiotics. Almost 70% of people aged between 1-49 are living with herpes and there is no cure. Most suffer oral infection but nearly 200 million have genital infection.

Satan didn’t just take over the airwaves he took over our heads…

Since the Covid virus was announced on New Year’s Eve, 2019 the world has quickly spiralled into a Hollywood Esque zombie movie filled with anarchy, hate, spite, ugliness and violence which has exploded into unprecedented levels. Just ten minutes on your Facebook timeline or Twitter will shock you into believing the world has actually lost its mind. Evil is out there but in the form of indifference, a lack of empathy or genuine feeling for our neighbour has taken root and it appears to be mutating at a similar speed as the Covid-19 virus infecting people with hate and anger. 03/26/21 https://www.thebigwobble.org/2021/03/the-prince-of-air-and-you-were-dead-in.html

Satan’s broadcast has deceived the whole world:

2 … the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2)

9 … that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan … deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9)

Speaking of deception, notice the following from Michael Snyder:

The Vast Majority Of The Global Population Has Eagerly Embraced A Giant Deception

March 30, 2021

We were promised that 2021 would be the year when things would turn around because the vaccines would bring the COVID pandemic to an end. Hundreds of millions of doses have already been administered all over the globe, and millions more are being administered with each passing day. But the pandemic is not ending. The number of confirmed cases is now escalating dramatically, and the head of the CDC says that she is “scared” of what is ahead. …

Well, if the vaccines were going to save us from the pandemic, why hasn’t it happened already? …

Some would have us believe that cases are rising because not enough people have been vaccinated yet.

But we keep getting more and more reports of people that have been “fully vaccinated” but are still catching COVID and testing positive…

This isn’t what we were promised.

We were told that if we took the experimental shots that we would be fully protected.

But it turns out that isn’t true after all. …

Sadly, those that were expecting the vaccines to end this pandemic have been living in a fantasy world.

Lots of people have still been getting infected even after being “fully vaccinated”, and most experts believe that the new variants will soon make the existing vaccines pointless. …

But the truth is that this pandemic is not going to end any time soon. …

Is COVID the end of the world?

Of course not.

The vast majority of those that get it end up recovering.

But it is not a “fake pandemic” either, and those that were expecting the vaccines to save us were just being delusional.

Ultimately, COVID should be a major wake up call for all of us. Because if a relatively minor pandemic can cause this much global chaos, what is going to happen when a true killer pandemic finally hits us?

If the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, life will not be “getting back to normal” this summer.

Instead, there will be more lockdowns, more mask mandates, more social distancing measures and more pressure put on people to get shots.

This is the “new normal”, and it isn’t pleasant at all.

So many prominent voices have told us so many things about this pandemic, but almost all of those voices were completely wrong. https://endoftheamericandream.com/the-vast-majority-of-the-global-population-has-eagerly-embraced-a-giant-deception/

Michael Snyder is a Protestant, who has also fell for a lot of deception. Protestantism was NOT the faith of the original Christians. For details which prove that, check out the free online book: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism.

Jesus said:

44 … the devil …. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)

The idea that humans are to be non-binary is a lie that Satan has gotten many to accept in the past couple of years.

Related to Satan as the head deceiver, in a World Tomorrow telecast, the late Herbert W. Armstrong stated:

Now in Ephesians the second chapter and the first two verses where it says:

“And you [that is the people in the Church, the Christians, converted people in the Church at Ephesus;] And you hath he quickened [that is, made alive, not immortal, but spiritually alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world [what is the course of this world? They were all in it before they were converted;] the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit [Satan the devil is a spirit;] the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:1-2)

He is working IN people. And Satan has deceived all nations, all people and all religions, believe it or not; and that’s a hard thing to believe. Some day the world’s going to wake up to the truth and it’s going to be absolutely dumbfounded and astounded when it sees the truth because it has been deceived. YOU have been deceived. I was deceived until God opened my eyes and made me willing to accept the truth. Some people hear the truth but they’re not willing to accept it.

I want you to notice, the sixth chapter of Ephesians and verses 11 and 12: “Put on the whole armour of God…” (Ephesians 6:11)

This is a message to real Christians who really are converted, who have repented and who have believed Christ and believed what He said and His message:

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of [Satan] the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood [that is, our problems and our troubles and our controversies are not with other human beings as we think], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [or wicked spirits] in high places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Wicked spirits in high places that are really ruling the world, Satan and his demons. And the world doesn’t know it because it can’t see them, it can’t hear them. And Satan has been — he’s the prince of the power of the air. He surcharges the air with his attitude of vanity, of coveting and of jealousy and envy, of competition and strife, of wanting to destroy, of wanting to take away from others, that leads to controversy and to war and to death and to every wrong thing, every ill, every evil that is besetting this world today.

My friends, you need to know something about the devil instead of just forgetting and just saying, well, I don’t know anything about him. I have a booklet about him, just coming off the press now; Did God Create a Devil?

Yes, Satan’s broadcast is promoting wickedness around the world.

And that includes his influence over governments and “Big Tech” to promote wickedness and to call evil good.

Isaiah, however, warned against doing that:

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

Isaiah’s writing aligns with those of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

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

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

Those pushing for a great reset, the UN 2030 goals, the LGBTQ+ agenda, interfaith movements etc. do “not like to retain God in their knowledge,” therefore “God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”

Is this a conspiracy?

Isaiah wrote:

12 Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’
Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,
Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. (Isaiah 8:12)

What is going on with the ‘great reset,’ UN, LGBTQ+, and interfaith movements is not so much a hidden conspiracy–as it is out in the open–but essentially the result of humanism that is influenced by Satan for those who do not truly believe the Bible.

Understand that the Bible even shows that Satan works through religious leaders:

14 … For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

The Apostle Paul warned about more than only religious leaders as well:

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)

Satan deceives the whole world and it is getting worse.

Satan the devil is real and the world is falling for his power of the air.

The Bible prophesies that most people will fall for it even more:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

You need to have the love of the truth now so that you may not be deceived.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Human Nature: Good or Evil? a Did God create humans evil or good? What is human nature? Where does it come from? Here are links to two related sermons: Human Nature: Its Cause and Solution and Human Nature: Where Did it Come From?
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
Close Encounters of a ‘Spirit’ Kind discusses some experiences I believe were (demon) ‘spirit’ related. A video is also available titled: Poltergeists and Lying Wonders.
Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim This is information about various types of angelic beings.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Another video is related to China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative (Silk Road project): watch Is China paving roads to Armageddon?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Mystery of Iniquity What is the mystery of iniquity? How did it start? How will it end? Two related sermons are also available: The Mystery of Iniquity and The Mystery of Lawlessness.
Freemasonry and the Destruction of Rome? What is Freemasonry? What about ties to the Illuminati? Could Freemasons be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy? Here is a link to a related sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.

Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?

China and USA will BOTH be hurt by trade war — will there be a winner?

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025


(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

There are costs to tariffs. There are debates about who will win this. Some say the USA and some China:

Who Holds The Cards In The Trade War: U.S. Or China?

April 15, 2025

He who produces or he who consumes. Who holds the power? If China cut off the United States, shelves could go empty in weeks. If the U.S. closes its doors to China, the country’s income would collapse ushering in a severe depression.

So should American’s count their blessings as they are showered with inexpensive goods or is “the customer always right”? https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/who-holds-cards-trade-war-us-or-china

Trump is ‘shredding’ credibility with allies while China benefits, former national security advisor John Bolton says

April 15, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump’s moves to take China to task on trade are likely to backfire as his sweeping global tariffs hit allies as well as rivals, according to former national security advisor John Bolton.

“This is certainly not the way you treat your friends. You don’t slap them in the face publicly and say, I’m going to tariff you unless you do better on trade negotiations,” Bolton told CNBC’s Dan Murphy on Monday.

“And in fact, the one country that really deserves a trade war — China — we’ve put them in a much better position strategically by going to war on tariffs with our best friends, whereas if we had all joined together, maybe we would have had an impact on China’s behavior. So, this is a not just an economic blunder, which I think it clearly is. It’s a strategic blunder that’s going to cost the United States dearly if this tariff policy isn’t reversed.” …

“If you want to deal with that problem, certainly it would make sense to get together with Japan, Korea, Singapore, other Asian countries, the European countries, others around the world who have been victimized by China in the same way the U.S. has,” Bolton said.

“Instead, we’re having a war with our friends and really crippling our ability to deal effectively with China.”

Xi on a charm offensive

International leaders have criticized Trump’s actions. On Tuesday, French Prime Minister François Bayrou said that “the president of the United States has started a hurricane” that shattered trust around the world, according to a Reuters translation.

On Monday, Chinese Premier Xi Jinping embarked on what some observers are dubbing a charm offensive through Southeast Asia, first visiting Vietnam followed by scheduled trips to Malaysia and Cambodia. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/15/trump-shredding-credibility-with-allies-as-china-benefits-john-bolton.html

China Orders Boeing Jet Delivery Halt as Trade War Expands

April 15, 2025

China has ordered its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing Co. jets as part of the tit-for-tat trade war that’s seen US President Donald Trump levy tariffs of as high as 145% on Chinese goods, according to people familiar with the matter.

Beijing has also requested that Chinese carriers halt any purchases of aircraft-related equipment and parts from US companies, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing matters that are private. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-15/china-tells-airlines-stop-taking-boeing-jets-as-trump-tariffs-expand-trade-war

US exports will be affected and this will impact many jobs–as well as US jobs involved with importing. Consumers in the US will be impacted: The standard of living in the USA has long been subsidized by nations such as China. Prices of many items will rise in the USA.

China, however, will also be affected.

Victor Davis Hansen wrote the following:

China Would Lose A ‘Trade War’ With The US… “Gradually, Then Suddenly”

China’s trade war bluff may backfire as the U.S. pushes allies to choose between a rogue economic actor and a flawed but fairer partner with unmatched global power.

No one wants a “trade war” with China, or for that matter with any nation. Nonetheless, China has been waging one for years and is now locked in a tariff recalibration with the Trump administration.

In this American effort to find trade parity and equity, China can do some short-term damage to the U.S., especially in terms of ceasing exports of some pharmaceuticals, phones, and computers. But ultimately, it cannot win—and will eventually lose catastrophically. It will likely accept that reality sooner rather than later.

We are only in the first week of the escalating rhetoric and tariffs. But already China is appealing to its Asian rivals, Australia, and the EU to join in fighting the supposed American bully. …

China is running a nearly $1-trillion trade surplus with the world. Its mercantilism is the result of market manipulations, product dumping, asymmetrical tariffs, patent, copyright and technology theft, a corrupt Chinese judicial system, and Western laxity—or what might be mildly called “bullying.” The U.S. accounts for about a third of China’s trade surplus, with most of the EU and Asian nations accounting for the other two-thirds.

In the past, third-party nations did not appreciate the ends to which China has gone to warp the international trading system. …

If China really does reduce most of its exports to the U.S., America will have to scramble for a year or so to establish new supply chains and some alternate importers of U.S. products. But after a year of gradual dislocation, China will begin to hemorrhage, and then quite suddenly, given the U.S. has almost all the advantages—if it chooses to use them.

One, if it ever comes to a real trade war, remember that nations with the higher tariffs and larger trade surpluses usually lose, given that their economies are far more dependent on mercantile exports and trade imbalances. Psychologically, it is far harder to convince the world of victimhood when tariffs and surpluses illustrate contrived trade aggression. https://amgreatness.com/2025/04/14/china-would-lose-a-trade-war-with-the-us-gradually-then-suddenly/

Yes, China has a lot to lose.

Despite preparing for a trade war for some time, China is vulnerable.

Internally, China has lots of rules in place that also make it subject to major civil unrest.

While China has grown tremendously, economically, one of the things that most Westerners do not realize is that China has a system that prevents its citizens from agrarian areas from having the same rights as those in urban areas. It is called the hukou. Here is more information about that:

The hukou
Through a rigorous and rigid household registration system designed to control the movement of China’s 1.3 billion people, the central government classifies all its citizens as either city dwellers or rural peasants. The registration, also known in Chinese as hukou, determines not only a citizen’s residence but also what kind of social services individuals are eligible for…In Beijing, which has an estimated 5 million migrant workers, none of these people are allowed to obtain state-sponsored health care or schooling if their hukou is registered in their hometowns—which most likely it is. As a result, their children—many of whom are born in the Chinese capital—can only attend privately-run and unapproved schools. (Mong A, Gu B. In Beijing, 40,000 students stranded. MSNBC, August 19, 2011. http://behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/19/7413538-in-beijing-40000-students-stranded?lite)

What is hukou

A hukou determines where your kids can go to school, where you can own a home, city or regions where you can access healthcare, find permanent jobs and receive loans. …

Historically, the hukou system and the danwei have formed the basis of social order allowing Beijing to control any labour strikes or protests by workers. …

The hukou system has allowed the Beijing government to control labour mobility in the vast network of industrial production hubs across major cities.

As foreign travel and work opportunities have become difficult since the pandemic started, there is growing frustration among the youth. …

The change in the hukou system is responding to the lack of jobs and growing frustration with Beijing’s zero-Covid policy. Even the foreign talent China has relied on to fill the skills gap continues to exit the megacities. Beijing isn’t depending on the return of foreign workers anymore, and instead, the strategy appears to be to boost growth at home through policy realignment.

The jobs crisis and flailing economic growth has Beijing worried. The Chinese cities now seem confident with the idea of permitting a demographic change within their territories.

The growing moment to change the hukou system has the potential to transform the social order in Chinese society, which will leave an impact on politics. 07/06/22 https://theprint.in/opinion/eye-on-china/growing-frustration-in-youth-has-the-chinese-govt-worried-it-sees-solution-in-hukou/1026134/

The hukou looks to be a factor in economic problems and social unrest in China.

Neither China nor the USA will ultimately “win” this trade war.

There will be costs to both sides, despite various pundits who claim that one or the other is winning (which could appear true for a time).

As far as biblical prophecies pointing to a winner, that is covered in our latest sermonette video:

14:49

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.

Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be … US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in to this video as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Also listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.
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? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
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.
The Two Trees: Only Two Ways of Life This is from a two-part radio broadcast from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here is a video on: Cause and Effect: Two Trees, Two Ways.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.

 

Euro emerging as safe haven amid Donald Trump tariff moves

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025


(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

The US dollar has dropped compared to the EU’s euro and the value of gold. Here is a report related to the euro:

Euro emerges as safe haven amid Trump tariff turmoil

15 April 2025

Investors are shifting away from the US dollar in response to Trump’s aggressive tariff policies and new confidence in the eurozone. Could this be the single currency’s moment to shine? …

The euro has surged over 10% against the US dollar since January …

While much of the euro’s rally stems from a flight from the dollar due to US President Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies — including steep tariffs of 145% on China — part of the single currency’s strength reflects growing confidence in the eurozone economy.

The 20-member eurozone is rebounding from a mild recession in 2023, with growth of 0.8% last year and a projected 1.3% expansion in 2025. However, looming 20% US tariffs on imports from the European Union — currently paused for 90 days — could still derail this outlook.

Anticipating a European recovery amid US economic uncertainty, many foreign investors are shifting capital from the dollar into European stocks and bonds, further bolstering the euro’s value. … major currency swings of 10% in mere months are relatively rare and the euro is increasingly being seen as a counterweight to the dollar during these turbulent geopolitical times, as fears grow that Trump’s tariffs could tip the US economy into recession.

“Trump is undermining trust in the rationality of US policymaking, the long-term outlook for US growth and the sustainability of its public finances,” Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank, told DW. “As a result, the dollar is losing some of its value, but the euro is no real alternative.”

Schmieding cited the damage Trump’s trade agenda could do to the global economy, which he said “could weigh on eurozone growth and require the ECB to respond with more rate cuts.”

Oxford Economics estimates that if Trump proceeds with 20% tariffs on EU exports, eurozone growth could decline by up to 0.3 percentage points this year and next. The projection assumes Brussels would respond with targeted countermeasures on US goods rather than full-scale retaliation. https://www.dw.com/en/euro-emerges-as-safe-haven-amid-trump-tariff-turmoil/a-72216210

Dollar Hits 3-Year Low Against the Euro in Tariff Turmoil

April 11, 2025

The dollar continued its fall against major currencies …

Why The Dollar Is Weakening

“The main catalyst is an apparent repatriation trade from European investors, who are selling USD denominated assets and repatriating capital to the eurozone,” says Peter Kinsella, global head of forex strategy at Union Bancaire Privée (UBP). …

According to ING forex strategists, “The euro remains a key recipient of dollar outflows” and the massive EUR-USD rally is “almost entirely a function of the loss of confidence in the dollar, and not at all justified by underlying short-term rate dynamics.” https://www.morningstar.com/markets/dollar-hits-3-year-low-against-euro-tariff-turmoil

Safe-haven gold surpassed the key $3,200 mark for the first time on Friday, spurred by a weaker dollar and economic concerns due to an intensifying trade war. …

“Recession risks are mounting, bond yields are soaring, and the U.S. dollar continues to weaken – all factors reinforcing gold’s role as a crisis hedge and inflation shield,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/gold-bolts-past-3200-on-dollar-slide-safe-haven-flows.html

The Europeans have long wanted the euro to push the US dollar’s reserve currency status aside and the BRICS+ alliance wants to try to stop using the US dollar for cross-border trade. Overall the European and BRICS+ nations have also been accumulating gold.

Will the Euro surpass the US dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency?

Some suspect it might:

Euro Challenges USDollar As Global Currency

January 15, 2022

Statista’s Katharina Buchholz notes that there are other indicators that already show the Eurozone’s growing economic prowess and international importance. The value of global payment transactions in Euro has been inching up to that of the U.S. dollar, data from the Swift international payment network shows, hinting at increased activity around the currency. … Faith in the U.S. economy and its growth is meanwhile shakyaccording to CNBC, as uncertainty around President Joe Biden’s “Built Back Better” economic package continues.  https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/euro-challenges-usdollar-global-currency

Proportionally, the world still primarily uses the US dollar as its primary reserve currency.

But, because of US sanctions and tariffs, increasing US debt and money supply increases, and the general strength of the European economy, more are looking towards the Euro as the US dollar replacement.

Notice something from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

The USA dollar will ultimately crash and be worthless. That “pride” of American power will be broken (cf. Leviticus 26:19). (p. 24)

European leaders have been working for years to establish a new reserve currency for the world, partially with the intent to remove the USA dollar from its current position as a reserve currency. (p. 39)

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

Inflation will eventually hit the USA extremely hard. As the world becomes less attached to the American dollar, many financial jobs and opportunities will be in places other than the USA. Eventually, but not yet, the USA dollar will become worthless.

Will it always be straight downhill for the economy of the USA?

No.

There are some reasons to have some temporary optimism. Proposed reductions in government regulations are expected to boost the economy. In addition, technological and other developments may temporarily support the U.S. economy—as can reductions of regulatory burdens. (p. 41)

Since many are now questioning the role of the USA dollar as the world’s reserve currency, more are looking into other currencies as well as gold.

Gold will set records in U.S. dollar terms. …

When the U.S. dollar totally collapses people all around the world will consider that even if the euro (or something similar) is strong, having a more gold-backed currency would be safer.

The collapse of the USA dollar will shake a lot of the world’s confidence in non-gold backed currencies. The Europeans do not have to have a perfect currency, only one that is perceived to be in better shape than the USA dollar or various other currencies.

Having the European power acquiring more gold to back the Euro or possibly another future European currency (that might potentially replace the Euro or even a basket of currencies) may greatly increase European credibility, prosperity, and influence around the globe, even if the backing is only implied.  (pp. 205-207)

The USA and its dollar are at serious risk. …

Unintended Consequences

While Donald Trump seems to believe that his policies are best for the United States, notice some unintended consequences of them: …

  • Pushing tariffs and sanctions on other countries is contributing to the rise of the final time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24; Ezekiel 7:24).
  • Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. This is also helping set the stage for the coming European Babylonian Beast to dominate international trade. (p. 210)
  • Gold which will outlast the dollar of the USA. (p. 211)

Well, gold has hit many records against the US dollar since that book came out mid-January 2025. And the euro has risen.

The USA has been gambling with its currency for many years.

Its leaders basically think that they can continue to get away with it.

But one day they will not (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8).

What about Europe?

Now, it is true that Europe has many issues. Yet, several of the nations there have been accumulating and/or repatriating gold.

Understand that the Bible shows that the time will come when Europe will prosper mightily and be involved with gold (cf. Revelation 18).

Now, consider a story, I have reported here many times before:

There once was a movie that had two men camping outdoors. Suddenly, one man yells, “Run, a bear!” The other man yells back, “You can’t outrun a bear.” The first man responded with, “True, but all I have to do is to outrun you.”

The implication is that the first man only needed to be better runner than the second man, which presumably the bear would consider to be weaker, and then catch and destroy. This would, supposedly, allow the first man to survive.

From an economic perspective, the story basically is that the debt and economic situation in Europe does not need to be perfect, only perceived to better (or at least similar) than that of the USA to someday surpass it.

While the Bible shows that gold and silver will one day be considered worse than useless (cf. Ezekiel 7: 19), it also shows that it will have value after the USA is defeated (cf. Daniel 11:39-43).

That being said, yes the USA dollar will collapse one day–and some type of European back currency, possibly the Euro or perhaps some type of international basket of currencies will replace the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

The US dollar will one day be worth no more than its scrap or burning value, other than perhaps as a collector’s novelty.

As far as gold as a partial replacement for the US dollar, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

12:30

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

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

The US dollar will collapse a few years before Jesus returns.

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

Hopefully, you are taking the proper spiritual steps now, whether or not you might be American.

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.
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.
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 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.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.

USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? 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? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

 

Early people considered to be Greco-Roman Catholic saints held to a doctrine the Church of Rome considers to be that of Antichrist

Tuesday, April 15th, 2025


“Orthodox” 16th Century Representation of the “Apocalypse”

COGwriter

April 15th is when some in the Church of Rome will honor one of their “saints” and bishops named Victorinus. Here is some of what The Catholic Encyclopedia reports about him:

St. Victorinus

An ecclesiastical writer who flourished about 270, and who suffered martyrdom probably in 303, under Diocletian.

He was bishop of the City of Pettau (Petabium, Poetovio), on the Drave, in Styria (Austria); hence his surname of Petravionensis or sometimes Pictaviensis, e.g. in the Roman Martyrology, where he is registered under 2 November, which long caused it to be thought that he belonged to the Diocese of Poitiers (France). Until the seventeenth century he was likewise confounded with the Latin rhetorician, Victorinus After. According to St. Jerome, who gives him an honourable place in his catalogue of ecclesiastical writers, Victorinus composed commentaries on various books of Holy Scripture, such as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Isaias, Ezechiel, Habacuc, Ecclesiastes, the Canticle of Canticles, St. Matthew, and the Apocalypse, besides treatises against the heresies of his time…

Like many of his contemporaries he shared the errors of the Millenarians, and for this reason his works were ranked with the apocrypha by Pope Gelasius. (Clugnet, L. (1912). St. Victorinus. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved April 1, 2013 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15414a.htm)

Notice that like MANY GRECO-ROMAN LEADERS and those that they and the Protestants consider to be saints, just prior to Constantine, taught the millennium. That was both a biblical doctrine as well as the teaching of most professing Christians prior to Emperor Constantine. The millennium was certainly part of the apostolic tradition (the Apostle John, after all, wrote about it in Revelation 20), thus any who challenge or dismiss it are not being faithful to biblical doctrine nor apostolic tradition.

Victorinus wrote the following about the Book of Revelation, in likely the late 3rd century:

FROM THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER.

1–3. “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a chain in his hand. And he held the dragon, that old serpent, which is called the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed a little season.”]…

For we know not of those who seem to stand whether they shall not fall, and of those who are down it is uncertain whether they may rise. Moreover, that he says that he is bound and shut up, that he may not seduce the nations, the nations signify the Church, seeing that of them it itself is formed, and which being seduced, he previously held until, he says, the thousand years should be completed, that is, what is left of the sixth day, to wit, of the sixth age, which subsists for a thousand years; after this he must be loosed for a little season. The little season signifies three years and six months, in which with all his power the devil will avenge himself under Antichrist against the Church. Finally, he says, after that the devil shall be loosed, and will seduce the nations in the whole world, and will entice war against the Church, the number of whose foes shall be as the sand of the sea. (Victorinus. On the Apocalypse. Translated by Robert Ernest Wallis. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. [Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.], p. 359. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf07.vi.ii.xviii.html).

He also wrote:

…that true and just Sabbath should be observed in the seventh millenary of years. Wherefore to those seven days the Lord attributed to each a thousand years; for thus went the warning: “In Your eyes, O Lord, a thousand years are as one day.” Therefore in the eyes of the Lord each thousand of years is ordained, for I find that the Lord’s eyes are seven. Wherefore, as I have narrated, that true Sabbath will be in the seventh millenary of years, when Christ with His elect shall reign. (Victorinus. Commentary on the Creation. Translated by Robert Ernest Wallis. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight).

The Catholic Encyclopedia states:

… a large number of Christians of the post-Apostolic era, particularly in Asia Minor, yielded so far to Jewish apocalyptic as to put a literal meaning into these descriptions of St. John’s Apocalypse; the result was that millenarianism spread and gained staunch advocates not only among the heretics but among the Catholic Christians as well … Papias of Hierapolis, a disciple of St. John, appeared as an advocate of millenarianism. He claimed to have received his doctrine from contemporaries of the Apostles … A witness for the continued belief in millenarianism in the province of Asia is St. Melito, Bishop of Sardes in the second century (Kirsch J.P. Transcribed by Donald J. Boon. Millennium and Millenarianism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Copyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

COG leader Papias is consider a saint by Greco-Romans and the CCOG. Notice the following:

These things are attested by Papias, an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp … there will be a period of some thousand years after the resurrection of the dead, and that the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this very earth. (Eusebius. The History of the Church, Chapter XXXIX, Digireads, 2005, pp. 68-69)

Greco-Romans and the CCOG consider Melito of Sardis a saint. He also taught the millennium as attested by various Roman Catholic writers. Here is one example:

Melito of Sardis, a well-known bishop and his followers defended millennialism. He undoubtedly borrowed some of his theories from his compatriot, Papias and relied on the Apocalypse. It is interesting to note that Melito knew how to associate with millennialism in all confidence under the Roman Empire; the Empire raised up and grew at the same time as the new religion, in order for him to be considered her defender he (Melito) had to prevail. It was a test to bring to life (introduce) (the) millenarianism while isolating it from the theories on the final destruction of the earthly empires and this before all the other empires under the Roman Empire; theories which until then, were an integral part of that doctrine and to a certain extent served as a starting point: but in itself was a disastrous test which shook the old dogmatic foundation.(Gry L. Le millenarisme dans ses origines et son developpement. Alphonse Picard, Paris, 1904, pp. 81-82. Translated into English by Gisele Gaudet, March 2015)

Irenaeus of Lyon, who is considered to be a major saint by the Greco-Romans, wrote:

John says … : “And he will cause a mark [to be put] in the forehead and in the fight hand, that no one may be able to buy or sell, unless he who has the mark of the name of the beast or the number of his name; and the number is six hundred and sixty-six,” that is, six times a hundred, six times ten, and six units. [He gives this] as a summing up of the whole of that apostasy which has taken place during six thousand years.For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. And for this reason the Scripture says: “Thus the heaven and the earth were finished, and all their adornment. And God broughtto a conclusion upon the sixth day the works that He had made; and God rested upon the seventh day from all His works.” This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year…. He says, “Whosoever shall have left lands, or houses, or parents, or brethren, or children because of Me, he shall receive in this world an hundred-fold, and in that to come he shall inherit eternal life.” … These are [to take place] in the times of the kingdom, that is, upon the seventh day, which has been sanctified, in which God rested from all the works which He created, which is the true Sabbath of the righteous …If, however, any shall endeavour to allegorize [prophecies] of this kind, they shall not be found consistent with themselves in all points, and shall be confuted by the teaching of the very expressions [in question].(Irenaeus. Adversus haereses, Book V, 28:2-3,33:2, 35:1. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885)

Throughout history, although the Romans and Orthodox did not normally teach it, it was an original belief and some small groups did. Notice that late as 1966, a Roman Pontiff blessed a book that endorsed a version of millenarianism:

In chapter 20 of the Apocalypse it is said that … The saints are then to reign with Christ a thousand years …

Many early Christians took this as a literal description … Millenarians, i.e., believers in the reign of a thousand years. This belief was common in the early Church … It appeared from time to time in the Middle Ages, and is still advocated by some of the more obscure sects …

This period of the First Resurrection will end … It is the time when the Seventh Millennium will set in, and will be the day of Sabbath in the plan of creation. … The day when the Sabbath starts will be the coming time of peace … It will be the time when there will be an answer to our daily prayers: ‘THY KINGDOM COME — ON EARTH.” …

It has been the common opinion among Jews, Gentiles, and Latin and Greek Christians, that the present evil world will last no more than 6,000 years … Christians and Jews, from the beginning of Christianity, and before, have taught that 6,000 years after the creation of Adam and Eve, the consummation will occur. The period after the consummation is to be the seventh day of creation–the Sabbath…St. Jerome said, “It is a common belief that the world will last 6,000 years.”

… I believe that as the last days come to an end so will the sixth day of creation. (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 67, 113-115, 179)

So, no longer teaching the millennium has been a change in Roman Catholic understanding.

The Roman Catholic Church, in spite of the fact that it admits that many of its early saints taught the millennium, now strongly condemns this belief. Notice:

676 The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the “intrinsically perverse” political form of a secular messianism. (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 194).

It should be noted that the millennial teaching appears to be the only doctrine associated with Antichrist that is condemned in the current official Catechism of the Catholic Church (which was the first new one in hundreds of years). The one that has the imprimatur of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who is now called Pope Emeritus and formerly Benedict XVI.

Notice something else that Victorinus wrote:

And when for man’s salvation He was made man to overcome death, and to set all men free, and that He offered Himself a victim to the Father on our behalf, He was called a calf. (Commentary on the Apocalypse, Chapter 4 verses 7-10)

And it is true that Jesus came for all, not just the elect.

Perhaps it should also be added that researcher and Professor Ilaria Ramelli felt that Victorinus taught Apokatastasis (Ramelli I. The Christian Doctrine of Apokatastasis: A Critical Assessment from the New Testament to Eriugena (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae). Brill, 2013, pp. 608-614), which was something that Cardinal Ratzinger had condemned.

It tends to amaze me that some associated with the Church of Rome do not realize that many of their “saints” held positions that are so strongly condemned by the current Roman Catholic Church.

Some articles of related interest, which contain many scriptures to search to verify what I am saying, include the following:

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? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
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
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’.
All the Prophets Spoke of Apocatastasis The Apostle Peter said all the prophets spoke about “apokatastasis. Do you know what that is? Watch also ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.

The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a related sermon video The Christian Sabbath and How and Why to Keep It.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

European Union’s reputation and influence growing with ASEAN and Central Asian nations

Monday, April 14th, 2025


 ASEAN Nations (Public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The ASEAN nations are leaning more towards the European Union:

EU’s reputation grows among Southeast Asian elites

14 April 2025

A new survey of Southeast Asian opinion leaders shows renewed trust in the EU …

More than half of opinion makers in Southeast Asia believe the European Union will “do the right thing” to improve the world, according to the latest research published by the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

The annual survey compiles answers from the ASEAN-10 — Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, and Brunei. For the first time this year, it also includes Timor-Leste.

The institute quizzed more than 2,000 people over who they believe are “in a position to inform or influence policy” in the Southeast Asian region. …

Among other questions, they asked if participants believed the EU would “do the right thing” and “contribute to global peace, security, prosperity, and governance.” …

The EU is close to finalizing free trade deals with Indonesia and Thailand. In January, Brussels and Malaysia agreed to restart trade talks, while talks with the Philippines resumed last year. https://www.dw.com/en/eus-reputation-grows-among-southeast-asian-elites/a-72220096

We are seeing another sign of less US influence in Asia, as the EU gains influence. Notice also the following related to the EU and Central Asia:


Central Asia (Public domain via Wikipedia)

EU Unveils $13.2 Billion Investment Package for Central Asia

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Union (EU) has launched a package of $13.2 billion for the Central Asian region under its Global Gateway investment program.

“Central Asia has a significant share of global reserves, and Europe wants to give a fair offer, a special offer. As partners, we want to build local value chains for critical minerals. This means that the value created here in the region stays in the region, and it creates good jobs. Because we think when our partners grow, also Europe grows,” Ursula von der Leyen said in a press statement following the Central Asia – EU Summit on April 4 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, according to Astana Times.

She emphasized that Central Asia’s significant natural resources and industrial potential align with Europe’s sustainability goals.

“Europe aims to create a complete value chain, not merely purchase raw materials. This is vital for generating local employment and upholding high environmental and social standards,” she added.

At the summit, Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a substantial investment package for Central Asia, with priority sectors including transportation infrastructure, critical raw materials, energy transmission, and digitalization. …

Another important area is critical raw materials, which are needed to power the clean transition and the clean economy of tomorrow. The EU has already signed Memoranda of Understanding on critical minerals with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and has brought this cooperation to a new level by endorsing a Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Raw Materials, she explained.  …

As economic ties between Central Asia and Europe deepen, recent US trade tariffs may further accelerate the shift. https://caspiannews.com/news-detail/eu-unveils-132-billion-investment-package-for-central-asia-2025-4-6-0/

In its effort to bring the regions closer, the EU prioritized the flagship project – the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, investing $11 billion. The EU is building dams to support the region’s water and energy security and is also creating a new green belt in the Aral Sea basin “for the desert to bloom with life again.”

With transatlantic ties under stress …, the European Union has been shifting focus toward the five post-Soviet states of Central Asia. Last week, the inaugural EU-Central Asia Summit was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attended and met with each Central Asian leaders, with von der Leyen declaring that “for Europe, Central Asia was a partner of choice”. …

Approximately 80 million people reside in Central Asia, with a deep culture and sizable market. 04/08/25 https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/what-explains-europe-s-interest-central-asia

The US has been losing influence in Asia as China and the EU has been rising. Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats have not helped. There are many unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s policies and statements.

That said, notice the the EU is spending funds in Central Asia as part of its Global Gateway program.

Global Gateway is Europe’s answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Related to that and trade, we in the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel years back:

12:52

EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War? 

The European Union announced that it planned to spend €300 billion ($340 billion) in a program called ‘Global Gateway.’ According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen it is a “true alternative” to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the Silk Road Project. Both the EU and Chinese projects will improve road, ports, and/or other infrastructure to connect with Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Will this result in increased trade for Europe and Asia during the time of the Gentiles? Will Babylonian Europe dominate trade for a time? Will devastating war hit Europe with Russian and Eurasian involvement? Would infrastructure these projects are involved in be used for war? What about preparation for Armageddon? Dr. Thiel address these issues and cites biblical prophecies related to these matters.

Here is a link to our video: EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War?

Last year, in my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025, I predicted:

Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. … in 2025 Europe will work on getting more of the world to accept its standards and trading matters. … with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

The final time of the Gentiles is approaching. We are seeing BRICS, the Global South, the EU, and others working on ways to trade and not have to deal with the descendants of Ephraim (UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) and Manasseh (the USA).

The Europeans will work with many nations to secure stronger trade agreements.

This is happening. The USA has been wishing to change trade deals. And the ASEAN nations are leaning more towards the European Union, the EU is trying to finalizing free trade deals with Indonesia and Thailand, while also working with Malaysia and the Philippines, plus also Central Asia.

To learn more scriptures and other information related to future trade, we put together the following video:

14:49

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Then listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.

Here is a link to our video: Trade Wars – and the Winner will be …

Church of God warnings on trade are coming to pass.

Are YOU paying attention?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Trade Wars – and the Winner will be … US President Trump imposed tariffs on a global scale. Those tariffs were imposed on friend and foe alike. It seems as if President Trump is no respecter of nations. But how will this work out for the United States? Will these tariffs result in other nations drawing closer together that have had rather cold, and even not so cold, relations in the past? Will global tariffs result in trade wars? Were the events which are happening predicted by any in the Continuing Church of God? Is Europe drawing closer to China? Is Europe drawing closer to Latin and South America? With the exception of a few of America’s allies, is the net result of these tariffs a worldwide scramble to create new alliances and new trading partners to the exclusion of the United States? What will be the future result of these new alliances? Many of the nations that are now seeking new alliances were just recently America’s allies. They were her friends. Dr. Thiel brings to light the fate of America and her allies at the hands of her former friends, as revealed in the book of Lamentations. As we rapidly approach the end times listen in to this video as Dr. Thiel brings to light world events. Also listen as he shines the light of Bible prophecy directly on the questions raised from these world events.
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? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
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.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Scotland ‘Big Brother’ moves a prelude to what will be developed by the Beast in Europe?

Monday, April 14th, 2025


Front Cover of the First (1949) Edition of ‘1984’

COGwriter

Natural News reported the following:

Scotland’s digital ID system sparks “Big Brother” fears amid privacy backlash

April 14, 2025

Scotland’s government is rolling out a nationwide digital identification system, ScotAccount, designed to streamline access to public services such as healthcare, taxes and benefits. However, privacy advocates warn that the centralized database, part of a larger shift toward digital governance, threatens individual freedoms by creating a vulnerable repository of sensitive data. Critics, including Big Brother Watch, argue the system risks becoming mandatory by default, exposing users to hacking, government overreach and the erosion of privacy. …

Big Brother Watch, a civil rights organization, calls the system a “honeypot for criminals and hackers,” citing the risks of storing vast datasets in one centralized location. Madeleine Stone, a spokesperson for the group, warns, “These plans could give the Scottish government free rein to build huge population-wide datasets and share personal information between departments, disadvantaging those who rely on physical documents.”

Security experts agree. …

Privacy concerns over centralized ID systems are not new. The … EU’s GDPR regulations reflect broader anxieties about data exploitation. Scotland’s case, however, underscores the tension between efficiency and autonomy.

As governments worldwide adopt digital systems, the stakes grow higher. The surveillance state, once a dystopian trope, is evolving into reality. https://www.naturalnews.com/2025-04-14-scotland-digital-id-system-big-brother-fears.html

Of course, it is not just Scotland putting together ways for more surveillance. More and more we see a growing trend towards being watched with video cameras, similar to and often worse than what was in George Orwell’s book, Nineteen Eighty-Four. In that book, it mentions that ‘Big Brother,’ meaning the government, was always watching you.


Ukrainian poster on side of an industrial building (Борис У.)

In more and more ways now, with modern technology, that is possible.

Here is something that Wikipedia posted about George Orwell’s novel:

Nineteen Eighty-Four (also published as 1984) is a dystopian novel and cautionary tale by English writer George Orwell. It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell’s ninth and final completed book. Thematically, it centres on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours within society. …

The story takes place in an imagined future. The current year is uncertain, but believed to be 1984. Much of the world is in perpetual war. Great Britain, now known as Airstrip One, has become a province of the totalitarian superstate Oceania, which is led by Big Brother, a dictatorial leader supported by an intense cult of personality manufactured by the Party’s Thought Police. The Party engages in omnipresent government surveillance and, through the Ministry of Truth, historical negationism and constant propaganda to persecute individuality and independent thinking. (Nineteen Eighty-Four. Wikipedia, accessed 04/14/25

Many governments around the world are putting totalitarian surveillance steps in place–including many beyond what George Orwell imagined.

Now, notice also the following from my 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

3. CBDCs and 666

Notice the following prophecy:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18)

This type of financial surveillance could not have happened during the time of the Apostle John as there was no real way to monitor many financial transactions then (despite the fact that ‘preterists’ believe this was fulfilled almost 2000 years ago, see also The Dangerous Rise of Preterists). The same was true for all the centuries that followed until the late 20th and now the 21st century. But now not only does the technology exist to monitor most financial transactions, the political will is there as well.

It will be a European power that will fulfill the above prophecy of 666 (watch Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?). …

While 2025 will not see a cashless world, expect to see more movements towards monitorable payments. …

Look for more totalitarian steps to be proposed and/or implemented in 2025.

Yes, Scotland has proposed a totalitarian step in 2025 and it is not the only place.

Related to some Orwellian moves in Europe, the Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel discussing various views and scriptures about that:

14:40

Is Germany Becoming Orwell’s 1984?

In his novel 1984 George Orwell described a totalitarian government that controlled all aspects of human existence. “Big Brother is Watching You” was the reality of this government. George Orwell introduced “Newspeak”, a language that was designed to limit the range of thought. He also defined his concept of “Doublethink”, which is the ability to hold two contradictory beliefs at once and, yet accept both as reality. In 1984, the Thought Police were tasked with actually controlling what people can even think, let alone what they can say! The year 1984 has come and gone, but has George Orwell’s “Big Brother” government finally started to arrive? Are many governments in the world today adopting many of the ideas and tactics outlined in George Orwell’s book? If so, what government or governments are leading the way? Has Germany just put in its own version of “Thought Police”? Think about this: There is now a German Government initiative to report your family for wrong think. Dr. Thiel quotes Luke 12:53 in our Bible and then goes on to further shine the light of Biblical prophecy on the answers to these ‘666’ matters. He provides answers from the verses of the Bible that bring prophecy to life.

Here is a link to our video: Is Germany Becoming Orwell’s 1984?

Sadly, the type of society that George Orwell wrote about is taking shape. Many realize it, but do not know what do to about it. But many can be called now (see What Did Christ Mean – Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen?).

Furthermore, there is good news as the Kingdom of God will come and replace the Orwellian (Revelation 13:16-18) system that we see being put together today.

And have no doubts, the type of Orwellian society that the Bible warned about for the end times is truly taking shape. The German position on social media is simply another step in preparation for that.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.

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? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.

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? 2032 or 2035 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

Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.

Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

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 Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!The World’s False GospelThe Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Should Christians pay taxes?

Monday, April 14th, 2025


(From Pixabay)

COGwriter

April 15th is traditionally the day income tax returns are due in the USA (the date is extended if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday). Many in the USA are now scrambling to try to get their returns done.

Governments around the world spend tax money on many things that Christians should not support. This was also the case in Roman times.

Yet, what about taxes? Should Christians pay them? Why do the descendants of Israel pay them?

In the USA, one of the biggest bites on our income is taxes. There are state and federal income taxes, sales taxes, property taxes and other taxes. And in some countries, especially in Europe, taxes are higher. In the USA, and elsewhere, additional taxes, such as “wealth taxes” are likely to be proposed and implemented.

What did Jesus teach in the Bible about taxes?

Jesus taught that people were to pay taxes:

14 When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16 So they brought it.

And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mark 12:14-17)

Notice that He also paid taxes, even though He knew He should be legitimately exempted:

24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?”

25 He said, “Yes.”

And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”

26 Peter said to Him, “From strangers.”

Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” (Matthew 17:24-27)

The Apostle John taught:

6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

While governments come up with reasons why they want taxes, some of which seem more legitimate than others, the Bible suggests that governments will increase taxes essentially for the benefit of the government. And essentially this is a punishment for disobedience.

Notice what happened to ancient Israel when they wanted a king instead of a prophet of God as their primary human leader:

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day — with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods — so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:4-20)

Since the time of Samuel, governments have often not been satisfied for a tenth, but have wanted more and more. And this is happening to many of those in the USA, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere.

History shows that taxation occurred in places such as ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. The famous Rosetta Stone mentions taxes on grain and wine. Humankind has suffered taxation throughout history, and much of this is a consequence of rejecting God’s government. But of course, taxes themselves are a lesser of the many evils human’s have suffered because of this rejection.

Yet, the time will come when Jesus will return and restore the government of God. There will be no improper nor unfair taxes then. When Jesus comes and establishes His kingdom, humankind will accept His government and the current tax burdens will be replaced by a proper tithing-based system.

Years ago, the Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our YouTube channel called Bible New Prophecy:

Should Christians pay taxes? What does the Bible teach about taxes and their origins for the people of Israel? What about Constitutional issues? Will there always be taxes? What is tithing? What did Jesus teach about taxes and tithes? Are taxes or tithes more complicated? Are taxes a new invention or part of ancient history?

Here is a link to that video: Should Christians Pay Taxes?

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Taxes What caused the descendants of Israel to pay taxes? Should Christians pay taxes? If you prefer, or additionally, you could watch the video Should Christians Pay Taxes?
The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had? What are some of the scriptural limits on ecclesiastical authority? Do some commit organizational idolatry? Here is a Spanish language version La Biblia, Policarpo, Herbert W. Armstrong, y Roderick C. Meredith sobre el gobierno de la Iglesia. Here is a link to a sermon titled Church Governance.
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel? Who is preaching the gospel? Here is a version in Korean 복음이란 무엇인가?
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.
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? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
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.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There are also two YouTube video related to this: Living as a Christian: How and Why? and Living as a Christian: Pure Milk of the Word.
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.
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.
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.

Is the AfD is destined for the German government?

Sunday, April 13th, 2025


Logo of German Party

COGwriter

Germany’s Alternative für Deutshland (AfD) party continues to increase in popularity.

This has concerned many in Germany as well in other European nations.

What will happen with the AfD?

Here is one view in an article at RT:

Here’s why the AfD is destined for the German government

The right-wing party has taken the lead in a nationwide poll for the first time. It won’t be the last – and the establishment only has itself to blame

12 April 2025

Germany has an undeserved reputation for dour rationality and lacking an appreciation of the absurd. In reality, however, Germany is a – for want of nicer terms – very counterintuitive country. …If you happen to be the single most popular and perfectly legal political party in Germany, get ready to never be allowed to actually participate in governing. Because Germany is also a country in which that single most popular party – the Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland, commonly known simply as AfD) – is locked out of building governing coalitions. By definition.

That system is called a “firewall” – against that nasty most popular party that makes life so difficult for all those other, no longer popular parties. It has absolutely no basis in the constitution or in law.

Come to think of it, as the “firewall” systematically and deliberately treats the votes of AfD voters as somehow less effective than those of others, it may well be the “firewall” itself that is unconstitutional, at least in spirit if not even by the letter of the law. So much for Germany, the country that allegedly loves order and rules.

In reality, the “firewall” amounts to a dirty political cartel and a form of disenfranchisement: The traditional parties, feeling threatened by the insurgent AfD have simply decided that they do not care what the voters say and won’t have anything to do with it. Since German governments are virtually always based on coalitions, which means that the AfD and its voters are treated as inferior. That this means that, as of now, in particular voters in the former East Germany are subject to this kind of discrimination, adding a West-East aspect to it that sits very badly with talk about German unity.

To get one thing out of the way: For now, it is only one poll that shows the AfD in the lead; other polls still have it in (barely) second place after the mainstream conservatives of the CDU/CSU bloc (which, in reality, functions as one party) of soon-to-be chancellor Friedrich Merz. But these differences are irrelevant. What matters is that the AfD’s rising trend is unbroken. That is definitely a blow to Merz, even before he has officially assumed office, as international observers are noting. Especially in view of the fact that Merz’s own poll numbers are cratering at the same time.

Yet there is a broader point, too: The whole “firewall” strategy is malfunctioning extremely badly. Sensible observers have long predicted it, and now it is becoming ever more obvious: Freezing the AfD out only serves to make it stronger. …

A senior AfD leader, Alexander Gauland, is already more than confident: It’s a natural law that we’ll be ahead of the CDU at the next elections,” he recently declared. That may be jinxing it. The AfD is, after all, much less unlike other parties than the latter like to pretend: The AfD as well may end up squandering its current good luck with infighting, for instance, over how to react to US President Donald Trump’s tariff attacks, which will severely harm Germany.

Yet there is no doubt that the traditional parties are doing their utmost to repel not only voters but even their own members. In particular Merz’s CDU is in barely contained rebellion: its members and voters are fuming at having voted conservative and yet being saddled with a massive deficit spending program. …

There is “massive” unrest among the CDU’s base of ordinary party members, and in Germany’s “East,” that is, what used to be the former German Democratic Republic, the CDU has decisively lost the last federal elections. The demand is to tear down the so-called “firewall” against the AfD and start collaborating with it systematically. It is symptomatic that this very local rebellion is making news all over the country.

“What a scandal! Opening the gates to the far right!” many will scream. Yet they have it all upside down: Disregarding the fact that, in reality, the CDU/CSU conservatives and the AfD mostly see eye-to-eye ideologically, one day, in the not so far away future, the AfD may well enter and perhaps even dominate a German government. The irony is that when that happens, those who have upheld the, frankly, moronic “firewall” will have only themselves to blame. Because the real question is not if the AfD will enter government in Berlin but how and, in particular, how strong. The longer the “firewall” is kept up, the more likely the AfD will not just participate but dominate.

Last year, German leaders proposed a firewall to stop the AfD from gaining power (see also ZH: German Elites Call For “Firewall” To Prevent Conservative Governance After AfD Election Win).

Yet, the AfD continues to gain more support.

Here is something from last year from the German news source Deutsche Welle:

The far-right AfD won big in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia ― a disaster for the parties that make up Germany’s coalition government. What will the consequences be for national politics?

2 September 2024

This is the first time in an election for a state parliament that the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party received more than a third of the vote. A newly established populist party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), managed to score votes in the two-digit range in their very first election. Plus, the parties which make up the Berlin-based federal government have never seen such bad results in a regional vote.

In the eastern states of Saxony and Thuringia, the far-right AfD received more than double as many votes as the three parties which make up the federal coalition government — the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), environmentalist Greens and neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) — combined. These parties’ results are each in the single digits. The Greens in Thuringia and the FDP in both states even failed to meet the 5% threshold to be represented in the state parliaments. …

Four out of five German voters have said they are unsatisfied with the work of the federal government, and that has long been the case. The monthly survey conducted by pollsters infratest dimap regularly shows poor results for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers.

The coalition is seen as being engaged in constant quarrels, incapable of action. https://www.dw.com/en/populist-gains-in-state-elections-jolt-german-government/a-70106153

More Germans are concluding that their version of democracy is not solving their concerns.

The stage is being set for a strongman to arise again.

A reorganization is prophesied for Europe:

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

While we are still years away from the above reorganization, notice it is not a change through the general voting process.

The Bible shows that a totalitarian leader will arise in Europe who, though talking peace, eventually will destroy places like the USA, UK, and Canada:

24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity. (Daniel 8:24-25)

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).

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)

So this leader gives people the impression that there will be “peace” and is involved in some type of deal. This is the same leader that confirms the covenant in Daniel 9:27. The term is translated as “peace” in Daniel 8:25 is from the Hebrew term shalvah and essentially means security. In other words, this leader will destroy “many” who are under the impression that they are secure because of some type of security and/or trade arrangement. Such arrangements are now commonly referred to as peace deals or treaties.

The AfD is considered Germany’s anti-migrant party–and it asserts migrants have been a major factor in crime and less peace. The AfD’s influence has been growing as more in Germany have been supporting it in elections.

While the AfD has its own problems, its rise is demonstrating that Germans are becoming less tolerant of migrants and the status quo than many thought.

A while back, we put out the following video:

14:22

AfD: Prelude to a Hitler Beast?

Germany’s Alternative für Deutshland (Alternative for Germany in English) party celebrated its 10th anniversary on February 6, 2023.

It objects to:
❌More illegal migration
❌More asylum abuse
❌More crime
❌More housing shortage
❌More Cancel Culture

The AfD also asserts, “Now it’s time to change that. And that’s only possible with us.” Many are concerned that the AfD’s growing political influence will impact Germany. Can a strong man worse than Adolf Hitler, that the Bible calls the Beast rise up from Germany? Could Europe reorganize with a small backing to put this leader into place? Does the AfD want to make a deal with Russia? Will Germany make a future deal with Russia that would be opposed to the USA? Does the AfD want religion involved to meet its objectives in such a way that it could support the coming King of the North Beast power that the Bible warns will arise in Europe? Could Europe unite under such a leader according to scripture? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.

Here is a link to our video: AfD: Prelude to a Hitler Beast?

The rise of AfD reminds some of pre-WWII Germany.

The Beast power will rise in Europe and “firewalls” against the AfD will not stop that from happening.

As the RT article hints, it may be a factor in this occurring.

We are getting closer and closer to WWIII.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

Germany in Biblical Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here are links to two sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the BibleEurope In ProphecyThe End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?
 Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: N;ÿ Œf/’Y’jNº’ÿ Here is a link to a related English sermon video titled: The Man of Sin will deceive most ‘Christians’.
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 three related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For. The Future King of the North, and Rise of the Prophesied King of the North.
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 DNALost tribes, prophecies, and identifications11 Tribes, 144,000, and MultitudesIsrael, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British RoyaltyGentile European BeastRoyal Succession, Samaria, and PropheciesAsia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the NorthChristian Persecution from the BeastWWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Time of Reflection and Celebration — Keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread

Sunday, April 13th, 2025

Unleavened Bread (Public Domain Pictures)

COGwriter

The Days of Unleavened Bread began at sunset April 12th last night and runs until sunset April 19th, in 2025.

A secular source posted the following:

Time of reflection and celebration …

April 12, 2025

One of the holiest holidays of the year begins for the Jewish community …. at sundown Saturday and is a time of reflection and celebration, …

This special time commemorates the Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt.

Those who celebrate … remove leavened foods and eat … unleavened bread. https://www.wvtm13.com/article/time-of-reflection-and-celebration-as-passover-begins/64465319

But this season, for Christians, commemorates more than the Exodus.

We Christians observe that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on Passover and that we are to try to live, as He did, without sin and hypocrisy, of which leaven symbolically can represent (Luke 12:1).

The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

Purpose of Festival

But let us learn the full significance of this. WHY did God ordain these feast days? What was His great PURPOSE? Turn now to Exodus 13, verse 3: “…Moses said unto the people, Remember THIS DAY, in which ye CAME OUT from Egypt…” This was the 15th of Abib. Verse 6: “Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall be a FEAST unto the Eternal… This is done BECAUSE of that which the Eternal did [a MEMORIAL]… and it shall be for a SIGN” — (miraculous PROOF of identity) — “unto thee upon thine hand, and for a MEMORIAL between thine eyes” — WHY? — “that the LORD’S LAW MAY BE IN THY MOUTH… Thou shalt therefore KEEP this ordinance…”

Oh, beloved brethren, do you see the wonderful meaning? Do you grasp the true significance of it all? Do you see God’s PURPOSE? The PASSOVER pictures the DEATH OF CHRIST for the remission of sins that are past. The accepting of His BLOOD does not forgive sins we SHALL commit — it does not give LICENSE to continue in sin — therefore WHEN we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time — PAST SINS.

But shall we stop there? Past sins forgiven. But we are still flesh beings. We still shall suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its clutch — we have been SLAVES to sin, in its power. And we are powerless to deliver ourselves from it! We have been in BONDAGE to sin. Let us understand the picture — the meaning. (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979).

To what degree should Christians put away sin?

Completely.

As Jesus taught, “you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Leaven symbolically can be a type of sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

Like sin, leaven puffs up. As seven is God’s number symbolizing completeness, Christians are to follow the Passover with seven days of unleavened bread. The meaning and the symbolism is not complete with just Passover. Passover pictures the acceptance of Christ’s blood for the remission of past sins and the death of Jesus.

Should we leave Christ symbolically hanging on the tree (Galatians 3:13)? The seven days of unleavened bread following Passover help picture to us the complete putting away of sin, the keeping of the Commandments — after past sins are forgiven as the result of Jesus’ sacrifice.

The Days of Unleavened bread picture the life and work of the risen Jesus. Jesus ascended to the throne of God where He is now actively at work in our behalf as our High Priest, cleansing us of sin (Hebrews 2:17-18) delivering us completely from its power!

Were these days done away? Notice something else that Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

Not Abolished With Old Covenant

Observe that the Days of Unleavened Bread are a PERIOD, having two high-day SABBATHS. And this PERIOD is established FOREVER — while the Israelites were still in Egypt — before the ceremonial law of Moses had been given or written — before God even proposed the old covenant! What the law of Moses, or the old covenant, did not bring or institute, THEY CANNOT TAKE AWAY! In Fenton’s translation, the 17th verse is translated: “consequently KEEP THIS PERIOD AS AN EVER-LASTING INSTITUTION.” The whole period is included.

This ALONE ought to prove that the HOLY DAYS — and the seven Days of Unleavened Bread — are binding today, and FOREVER!

Now, if these texts apply to the 15th, not the 14th, as they assuredly do, and is here conclusively proved, then is the Passover established FOR-EVER? Indeed it is! But THESE texts above refer to the FEAST and not the PASSOVER. In the paragraph beginning Exodus 12:21 the PASSOVER is again referred to, and verse 24 establishes it FOREVER! . . .

To observe Passover alone, and then fail to observe the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, means, in the symbolism, to accept Christ’s blood, and to continue on in sin — to say . . . the LAW is done away, we are under grace, meaning license, to continue in sin!

The seven Days of Unleavened Bread picture the keeping of the Commandments, which is another way of saying the putting away of sin. (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979).

Early Christians did not believe that the Days of Unleavened Bread were done away. They kept them.

The Greco-Roman Catholic writer Eusebius recorded that Polycrates of Ephesus, around 195 A.D. wrote the following to the Roman Bishop Victor who, as the previous writing showed, wanted all who professed Christ to change Passover from the 14th of Nisan to Sunday:

We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead? All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ‘ We ought to obey God rather than man’ (Eusebius. Church History, Book V, Chapter 24. Translated by Arthur Cushman McGiffert. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series Two, Volume 1. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1890. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Notice that Polycrates said that he and the other early church leaders (like the Apostles Philip and John, and their successors like Polycarp, Thraseas, Eumenia, Sagaris, Papirius, Melito) would not deviate from the Bible, and that they knew the Bible taught them to keep the Passover on the correct date, and not on a Sunday. Also notice that they always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. Polycrates also reminded the Roman bishop that true followers of Christ “obey God rather than men.”

The old Radio/Worldwide Church of God taught about Polycrates:

History has recorded for us the words of one church leader from Asia Minor. His name was Polycrates, living around the end of the second century. (Marx GO. WHY CELEBRATE EASTER? Plain Truth. March 1967)

Polycrates had been part of “the catholic church of God.” (Lesson 50 – I Will Build My Church, Part 2. 58 Lesson: Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, 1965)

The “catholic church of God” was NOT the Roman Catholic church. For more information, check out the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church.

Jude wrote Christians “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). And faithful Church of God Christians were recorded as doing so.

Notice what a respected Protestant scholar reported about the second century:

the churches of Asia Minor … The most important in this festival was the passover day, the 14th of Nisan … In it they ate unleavened bread, probably like the Jews, eight days through … there is no trace of a yearly festival of the resurrection among them … the Christians of Asia Minor appealed in favor of their passover solemnity on the 14th Nisan to John (Gieseler, Johann Karl Ludwig. A Text-book of Church History. Translated by Samuel Davidson, John Winstanley Hull, Mary A. Robinson. Harper & brothers, 1857, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Feb 17, 2006, p. 166).

So, like the Apostle John (the last of the original apostles to die), the early faithful Christians in Asia Minor observed Passover and the  Days of Unleavened Bread.

There is a spurious document, probably from the third century, that mentioned the Days of Unleavened Bread:

17 We said unto him: Lord, after how many years shall this come to pass? He said unto us: When the hundredth part and the twentieth part is fulfilled, between the Pentecost and the feast of unleavened bread, then shall the coming of my Father be (so Copt.: When an hundred and fifty years are past, in the days of the feast of Passover and Pentecost, &c., Eth.: . . . (imperfect word) year is fulfilled, between the unleavened bread and Pentecost shall be the coming of my Father, Lat.). (The Epistula Apostolorum from Montague Rhode James in The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1924), pp. 485-503)

17 … We said to him, “Lord, the things which you revealed to us at the beginning are great things. In what sort of great power will you come ? Or what sort of perceptible state ?” He answered and said to us, “Amen, I say to you that I will come like the sun shining, I being light of seven times greater than it (sun) in my glory. The wings of clouds carrying me in glory and the sign of the cross before me, I will come upon the earth and give justice to the living and the dead.” We said to him, “Lord, after how many years will these things happen.” He said to us, ” if the part of a hundred and the part of twenty are complete in the middle of the Pentecost and the feast of the unleavened bread, the presence of the Father will take place. (The Epistula Apostolorum. English translation of the Coptic text Anthony Alcock. https://archive.org/stream/EpistulaApostolorum/EpistulaApostolrum_djvu.txt accessed 11/18/15)

Presumably this means that some were keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread and felt it had some type of future applicability.

Adventist researcher Daniel Liechty reported Sabbath-keepers in Transylvania in the 1500s and later kept the biblical Holy Days (such as the Feast of Trumpets called Day of Remembrance below) (and those are days his church does not observe):

The Sabbatarians viewed themselves as converted Gentiles … They held to the biblical holidays. Passover they celebrated with unleavened bread … The first and last seventh day of Passover were full holidays (Liechty D. Sabbatarianism in the Sixteenth Century. Andrews University Press, Berrien Springs (MI), 1993, pp. 61-62).

By first and last days of Passover, he is referring to the first and last Days of Unleavened Bread. Notice that in the 1600s, those who kept the days of unleavened bread were persecuted for their beliefs:

And finally, the tragic “Accord of Deés” or Complanatio Deesiana in July 1638 definitely disjoined Sabbatarians from Unitarians. Unitarians were ordered to worship Jesus, baptize in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and to allow their publications censured–a coerced “complanatio.” The “Judaizers” and those who rejected and cursed Jesus, however, were excluded even from the new amnesty. Sabbatarians were easy target of the new discriminatory law: they observed the Sabbath, therefore they farmed on Sundays, abstained from eating pork and blood, celebrated the Passover with unleavened bread, and refused baptism of their children–the very sign of their expected conversion” (Gellérd, Judit. Spiritual Jews of Szekler Jerusalem A Four-Centuries History of Transylvanian Szekler (Székely) Sabbatarianism. In Literature of Memory VI: Hope and Despair STH TS 870, Fall 2000 Professor Elie Wiesel. http://www.unitarius.hu/cffr/papers/sabbat.htm–12/14/02).

Note that the “Judaizers” are separate from “those who rejected and cursed Jesus.” In this region, there were both apparently true Christians (the “Judaizers” who celebrated the Passover with unleavened bread, etc.) and those who rejected Christ as Messiah (hence the Judaizers were not actually unitarian).

In the early 1600s, a Sabbath-keeper in the British Isles, named John Traske, wrote the following about observing some version of Passover and/or the resurrection:

‘the fourteenth of the March moon’ to coincide with the Jewish Passover, and should be followed by the eating of unleavened bread for seven days. (Falconer John. A Breife Refutation of John Traskes Judaical and Novel Fantyces, pp. 57-58, as cited in Ball B.  Seventh Day Men: Sabbatarians and Sabbatarianism in England and Wales, 1600-1800, 2nd edition.  James Clark & Co., 2009, pp. 49-50)

In the 20th century, the old Radio Church of God did so:

To observe Passover alone, and then fail to observe the seven days of unleavened bread, means, in the symbolism, to accept Christ’s blood, and then to continue on in sin. (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News magazine, April 1954)

Christians have kept the days of unleavened bread throughout the church age.

We in the Continuing Church of God still do so today.

Here is an offertory for today:

15:32

Holy Day Offertory: Days of Unleavened Bread

Why would an offering be taken up on the first and last Day of Unleavened Bread? Does this come from the Bible? Does the Bible warn that not giving tithes and offerings is robbing God? Does God promise blessings to those who give? Should the church support ministerial travel according to the Apostle Paul? What about the church using funds to support the poor, widows, and the hungry? Is the Continuing Church of God also using funds to expand the number of translations of the English-language booklet, ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom of God’? What about funds to fulfill Jesus’ commissions to the church in Matthew 24:14 and 28:19-20? Should the most faithful church be striving to reach those in the North, South, East, and West? How is the CCOG working to do so? Dr. Thiel addresses those matters in this offertory message.

Here is a link to the offertory: Holy Day Offertory: Days of Unleavened Bread.

The Continuing Church of God put together this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:16:12

Leaven, Avoiding Sin, and God’s Ways Are Best

This is a message for the First Day on Unleavened Bread. How are sin, leaven, and this festival tied together? Are Christians really supposed to eat unleavened bread for each of the seven Days of Unleavened Bread? Why? What is leaven? How is it like sin? What did the old Worldwide Church of God teach? Do both leaven and sin puff up? Are God’s rules arbitrary or are they for our own good? What is sin? What about the Ten Commandments? Do we need to overcome Satan, society, and self? Why 7 days? Are we to do more than not sin, like doing good? Do Christians sin? If so, can they be forgiven? Do we need God’s help to overcome sin? Do people sow what they reap? Can avoidance of sin make our eternity better? Dr. Thiel addresses those points and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Leaven, Avoiding Sin, and God’s Ways Are Best.

Here is a suggested holy day service for the First Day of Unleavened Bread for our scattered brethren and other interested people:

For those interested in two services, here is a suggestion for the second service:

Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.

Here is some Spanish language information:

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Leaven, Sin, and Why to Not Sin What is leaven? What is sin? Why is sin so bad? Can sin effect your eternity? Here is a link to a related sermon: Leaven, Sin, and Purpose.
Unleavened Bread, Jesus, and the New Testament? What happened to Jesus during the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do the Days of Unleavened Bread have any Christian meaning? Are there passages in the New Testament supporting not only keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread, but the meaning behind them? Here is a link to a related sermon: Unleavened Bread, Jesus, and the Apostles.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out CCOG Passover Service. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: Les Chrétiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain?Here are some YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread: Let’s Talk About the Days of Unleavened Bread, Unleavened Bread: No Tolerance for Sin, Leaven and Sin, and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Lesson 34 – Days of Unleavened Bread – Your Part In God’s Master Plan Radio COG 1965 unedited lesson.
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation? A related sermon video is also available: 7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons.
Perfection? Does God have faith in humans? A message for the seventh-day of unleavened bread. A related sermon is titled: Does God have faith in humans?
UCG and Its Unleavened Bread Study Paper What does the Bible say about eating unleavened bread for seven days? What has UCG officially said about it?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2033, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur ? In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日? 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church. Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, and What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, and Early Heresies and Heretics, and Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, and Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, and Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.

Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido. In German: Glaube für die von GottBerufenen und Auserwählten. In French: La Foi pour ceux que Dieu a Appelés et Choisis. Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen.and here is a link to another sermon Faith and Courage. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章. Here are links to the sermons Christian Faith and Increasing Faith.
Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This free booklet contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?

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
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?
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
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 Prop
hets’.
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.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there.
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Africa, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Canada, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Europe, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.AFRICA This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章,其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中,准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations YouTube channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs. Also available at BitChute COGAnimations https://www.bitchute.com/channel/coganimations/
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced hundreds of videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. You can find them at them on YouTube at BibleNewsProphecy https://www.youtube.com/user/BibleNewsProphecy, plus also on Vimeo at Bible News Prophecy https://vimeo.com/channels/biblenewsprophecy as well as on Brighteon Bible News Prophecy https://www.brighteon.com/channel/ccogbnp and Bitchute Prophecy https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo. Also available at BitChute COGAfrica https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogafrica/
CDLIDDSermones channel. This contains messages in the Spanish language
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Also available at BitChute COGTube https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
Study the Bible Course A free online course to help you learn and study the word of God.
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of GodContend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.