Church of God News

COGwriter

NPR posted the following:

Why the U.S. isn’t ready for wars of the future, according to experts

August 31, 2024

Earlier this month, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, and the former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, wrote an article for Foreign Affairs arguing that the future of warfare is here.

They say that the U.S. is not ready for it. …

The authors argue technological developments have changed warfare more in the past several years than the decades …

Both Milley and Schmidt say that even if major efforts are made to address this change, the red tape involved with approvals from the Pentagon make it difficult to take quick, effective action.

“Not even the president of the United States can fix the procurement process of the Pentagon,” Schmidt said. …

Miley agrees … “We are in the midst of really fundamental change here. And then from that, you have to have an operational concept. And then from that, you’ve got to identify the attributes of a future force. And then from that, change the procurement system in order to build the technological capabilities, modify the training, develop the leaders, et cetera. Our procurement systems need to be completely overhauled and updated.” https://www.npr.org/2024/08/31/g-s1-20106/us-war-warfare-drones-ai-pentagon-ukraine-gaza

While there are problems with the procurement process of the US government, no that is not the biblical reason why the US is not ready for wars of the future.

First, let’s consider some aspects of immorality. The following is in my free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

Immorality

In view of Big Tech and governmental censorship, as well as their pushing certain agendas this century, consider some of what the Bible says and teaches:

⁸ Now go, write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever:

⁹ That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;

¹⁰ Who say to the seers, “Do not see,”

And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. ¹¹ Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us.” (Isaiah 30:8-11)

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)

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

More and more people do not want to hear the truths related to the law of God or prophecies from His word.

Consider also that if some say they are insulted because their sins are called out, at least some associated with European and North American governments want to make that a crime![i] Teaching the truth about biblical prophecies can now often be falsely called “conspiracy theories” as many only want to hear “smooth things.”

The Bible warns of those “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

Sadly, many are helping to fulfill the following prophecy for the “last days”:

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

Proud, boasters, lovers of themselves, and headstrong; if you do not believe these terms help describe people like some in various governments, consider that there are those that push “pride” events and have asserted that religious rights need to be scaled back.

Is that not headstrong and haughty?

With debt and rising public immorality, many have been setting the stage for the type of death/devastation that the Apostle Paul warned about:

²² Professing to be wise, they became fools, …

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 1:22,26-32)

The above scriptures are clearly condemning covetousness, sexual immorality, and that even approving of them leads to death.

God’s righteous judgment is coming to the U.S.A. and its British-descended allies.

Notice also:

²² Therefore say to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. ²³ you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.” (Ezekiel 36:22-23)

With international promotion of immoral matters, the USA and its British-descended allies have been profane among the nations.

Furthermore, understand that the Bible specifically teaches that various forms of sexual immorality defile a nation:

²² You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. ²³ Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.

²⁴ ‘Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. ²⁵ For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. ²⁶ You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you ²⁷ (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), ²⁸ lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. ²⁹ For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. (Leviticus 18:22-29)

⁵ For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Ephesians 5:5-6)

Some believe scripture, others will not.

[i] E.g. see Freedom of Speech, 2^nd edition. Christian Legal Centre, 2018

Dr. K. J. Stavrinides
(Photo from Facebook page)

COGwriter

The Facebook page of the Saint George The Great Martyr Orthodox Church posted the following:

In Memory of FATHER ALEXANDER STAVRINIDES 12/22/1934
8/24/2024

Today, we gather to honor and celebrate the life of Father Alexander Stavrinides, who touched the hearts of everyone he encountered with his kindness, humor, and his unwavering dedication to our parish.

We are truly going to miss you. We have learned so many things from him. He has taught us to love and respect each other.You were God sent to us as a church. …

Father Alexander had many hidden talents as well. He not only was a priest, he was a musician. He knew how to play any instrument he did magic on the piano, but his favorite was his violin. Don’t let me forget about his singing. He had a beautiful voice when he sang and did Divine Liturgy.

Dr. K. J. Stavrinides holds graduate and postgraduate degrees from British and European universities in Theology, Philosophy, Classical Greek, and Latin.

He was Chairman of the Classics and Philosophy Department at Ambassador University in Texas, has lectured around the world on Modern Trinitarian Problems, given lectures at Pasadena City College and Citrus College, and, in the past twenty years, in the Graduate Department of Theology at Azusa Pacific University.

No, Orthodox church, he was NOT “God sent to us as a church.” That is a blasphemous statement.

Dr. K. J. Stavrinides had been a member of the old Worldwide Church of God.

After Herbert W. Armstrong died and the Tkach Administration was in place, he rose from being basically a little known teacher to being one who tried to persuade the membership to change and embrace the Greco-Roman trinity that was enforced by Emperor Theodosius.

I remember listening to a cassette of him trying to explain the Tkach Administration’s God is … booklet. He could not do it scripturally. His “explanation” was a factor in me realizing that the Tkach Administration was falling away into apostasy (related to the falling away, see also The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings).

It may be of interest to note that Dr. Stavrinides ended up teaching at Azusa Pacific University as that is where Joseph Tkach, Jr. ended up getting his Th.D.

It may also be interesting to note that Hank Hanegraaff, known as the Bible Answer Man, who was also one who assisted the new WCG to move into apostasy, became Greek Orthodox as well.

Having studied early church history, while the Greek Orthodox do retain a number of doctrines that the Roman Catholics lost (watch Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG), they also do not keep the original Christian faith. Dr. K. J. Stavrinides should have known that.

As far as the trinity goes, it was absolutely NOT a doctrine of the New Testament or early Christians.

Here is what one modern historian wrote about it:

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

Consider that from 370-380, Demophilus was the Patriarch of Constantinople (List of Patriarchs of Constantinople. Patriarchate of Constantinople, http://patriarchateofconstantinople.com/list-of-patriarchs.html accessed 07/21/21). Here is one 5th century report related to him:

About this time the Emperor Valens went to Antioch on the Orontes; while he was on his journey Eudoxius died, after having governed the churches of Constantinople during the space of eleven years. Demophilus was immediately ordained as his successor by the Arian bishops. The followers of the Nicene doctrines, believing that the course of events was in their power, elected Evagrius as their bishop. He had been ordained by Eustathius, who had formerly governed the church of Antioch in Syria, and who having been recalled from banishment by Jovian, lived in a private manner at Constantinople, and devoted himself to the instruction of those who held his sentiments, exhorting them to perseverance in their view of the Divine Being. (Sozomen. The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen: Comprising a History of the Church from A.D. 324 to A.D. 440 ; Translated from the Greek, with a Memoir of the Author ; Also The Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, as Epitomised by Photius. Bohn, 1855, p. 264)

So, we see that the appointment of Demophilus was fairly normal, but that the trinitarian crowd elected Evagrius who was ordained by one who had been banished. They helped set the stage then, for the later removal of Demophilus.

Even the official website of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople once admitted that the arians/semi-semiarians ruled that “see” for at least “forty years” in the fourth century (Gregory I of Nazianzen 379-381. © 2010 The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.  http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/former-patriarchs/gregory-i-of-nazianzen viewed 04/17/10). Furthermore, it should be understood that there is no evidence that Constantinople had any “bishops” prior to the fourth century who were actually trinitarians.

Emperor Theodosius, a pagan who supposedly converted, declared the trinity to be the official policy of his empire in 380 A.D. That late declaration also supports the view that trinitarianism was not an original catholic belief.

The current Nicene creed, that was adopted at the 381 Council of Constantinople which was convened by Emperor Theodosius, met resistance before acceptance.

Theodosius removed Demophilus from being the Patriarch of Constantinople because he would NOT accept the Emperor’s trinitarian Nicene Creed. The 5th century Greco-Roman historian Socrates Scholasticus wrote:

When the emperor found the Church in this state, he began to consider by what means he could make peace, effect a union, and enlarge the Churches. Immediately therefore he intimated his desire to Demophilus, who presided over the Arian party, and inquired whether he was willing to assent to the Nicene creed, and thus reunite the people, and establish concord. Upon Demophilus’s declining to accede to this proposal, the emperor said to him, “Since you reject peace and unanimity, I order you to quit the churches.”

Which when Demophilus heard, weighing with himself the difficulty of contending against superior power, he convoked his followers in the church, and, standing in the midst of them, thus spoke: “Brethren, it is written in the Gospel.’ If they persecute you in one city, flee ye into another. ‘ ‘ Since therefore the emperor excludes us from the churches, take notice that we will henceforth hold our assemblies without the city. (Socrates Scholasticus, pp. 265-266)

Therefore, consider that: 1) trinitarianism was not the position of the patriarchy of Constantinople, 2) Arian meant Semi-Arian above (and this happens in other writings), 3) an emperor removed the patriarch Demophilus for not endorsing the Nicene Creed, and 4) that political considerations, not theological, looks to have been the reason to push trinitarianism.

And although it is shocking to some, the early faithful clearly held what has been called a binitarian or semi-Arian view of the Godhead (see also Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning).

People such as Dr. Stavrinides would have known the history.

The Rheims New Testament of 1582 (an English translation from the Latin) states:

³ … contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

¹⁶ Take heed to thyself and to doctrine: be earnest in them (1 Timothy 4:16)

The Eastern Orthodox Bible states:

³ … fight hard for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)

¹⁶ Watch yourself and your teaching. Continue in these things! (1 Timothy 4:16)

If Protestants really believed in sola Scriptura and Greco-Roman Catholics accepted the original faith, none of them would be trinitarians, keep Sunday, be militaristic, eat unclean animals, keep Christmas, etc.

The original apostles practiced what has been called Judeo-Christianity. Dr. Stavrinides should have known that and taught that–instead he went the way of the world.

Once the original apostles were gone (all of which died in the first century, with the possibility that John lived until the start of the second century), who was supposed to continue to contend for the original faith and be earnest in that doctrine?

Why, the true saints of course! The real Christians who practiced and held to the original faith (cf. Revelation 14:12).

Specifically, at first, the real saints of the 1^st century, some of which lived into the 2^nd century. And then others born later.

Theological scholars realize that “everyone in the first generation of Christianity was Jewish Christian” (Reed AY. Jewish-Christianity and the History of Judaism. J.C.B. Mohr Verlag, 2018, p. XXII)—they held to the original faith.

Consider also, that biblical warnings are given to NOT depart from the original faith. Not from a specific organization.

The Apostle John also confirmed that former point about those who failed to continue in what he taught (1 John 2:19) and that latter point when he wrote about a church group that started out as true that ended up not willing to accept him or other true believers (3 John 9-10). John pointed out that although they claimed to represent the original organization and they claimed that organization still existed, they did not continue with the original faith.

Further consider who will be with Jesus when He returns:

¹⁴ … they that are with him are called, and elect, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14c, DRB)

¹⁴ … those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14c, OSB)

It is those who truly hold to the original faith that are called, chosen, and faithful.

Sadly, Dr. Stavrinides, Hank Hanegraaff, Joseph Tkach, Jr. and many thousands who had at least some affiliation with the old Worldwide Church of God fell away from being faithful.

Do not follow their poor legacy.

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

The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings Who is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 referring to? Are there multiple falling aways? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: La Apostasía: Enseñanzas de la Biblia y de la WCG. There are also two YouTube videos on the subject that you can watch The Falling Away Part 1: From the Bible and Church History and The Falling Away Part 2: Positions Presented by Others.
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.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
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.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? For a related sermon, watch: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Valentinus: The Gnostic Trinitarian Heretic He apparently was the first Christ-professing heretic to come up with the idea of three hypostases.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:17:53

Final Phase of the Work: Your Part!

Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom of God was to be preached to all the world as a witness and then the end would come. Herbert W. Armstrong told of the “final phase of the work,” sometimes called the “last phase.” Could you be part of that final, last, phase? May it have started in the 20th century or is it for the 21st and the last generation? Was the Philadelphia era or its succession to fulfill Matthew 24:14? Are Christians to do more than “pay and pray”? What about obey? What are some of the ways people are supporting the final phase of the work in the Continuing Church of God? Are the faithful supposed to be able to “instruct many” at the end, as well as be subject to persecution? Is there any duality with Zerubbabel of the Hebrew scriptures? Do languages play a role in the final phase of the work? What about the calling of Gentiles? What is the open door? What about love and knowledge? How is the CCOG working to reach people with differing religious backgrounds? Should we be knowledgeable of various aspects of Satan’s plans? What message from the CCOG will seemingly spark persecution from the coming European King of the North Beast power? What about acceptance of Philadelphian church governance and and any prophets? Did Jesus teach that the faithful would be rewarded according to their works? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Final Phase of the Work: Your Part!

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Final Phase of the Work: Need and Background, Final Phase of the Work: Your Part!, and The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra. And here is a link to a related Spanish language sermon: La obra corta y el Hambre de la Palabra de Dios.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? What about modern censoring, censorship, and shadow banning? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
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 a video in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free 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.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
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, 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.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but …
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.
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.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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 1600 different languages there.

Portrait of Pope Francis
(From Quirinale.it via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The media tends to cover Pope Francis as a friend of the poor and an advocate for migrants. But is he really?

Here is a news piece related to his comments on migrants this week:

30 August 2024

Pope Francis on Wednesday criticized migration policies based on rejection, stating at his general audience in the Vatican that pushing migrants back is “a serious sin.” He argued that restrictive laws do not save lives and praised NGOs committed to rescuing migrants.

Pope Francis spoke about “people who, even as we speak, are crossing the seas and deserts to reach a land where they hope to live in peace and safety.” …

The Pope condemned those who knowingly work to push migrants back, calling it a “serious sin.” …

He stressed that stricter laws, militarized borders, and rejections are not the solution. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/59491/restrictive-laws-dont-save-migrants-says-pope-francis

Well, as far as militarized borders go, I have been to Vatican City many times. It has giant walls surrounding it. And the one place one can enter (other than visiting St. Peter’s Cathedral or the Sistine Chapel) has military guards that do not allow anyone not pre-approved to enter.

Furthermore, the Vatican has some of the world’s most restrictive immigrant laws.

Interestingly, the pro-Vatican Zenit.org news site posted the following:

Vatican City’s immigration law, one of the strictest in Europe

(ZENIT News / Rome, 08.30.2024).- The Vatican City, though best known as the spiritual and administrative heart of the Roman Catholic Church, is also a unique sovereign state governed by its own civil laws. Despite its small size and population, this city-state is rigorously safeguarded, both physically and legally, under a set of stringent regulations that define its borders, citizenship, and residency. A Fortress City Protected by Ancient Walls Encircled by the imposing Leonine Walls, the Vatican City’s borders stretch approximately 3.2 kilometers, marking the boundary between the state and Italy. These walls, dating back to the 9th century, rise 14 meters high, serving as a formidable defense for the world’s smallest independent nation. Despite its size, the Vatican maintains a strong sense of sovereignty, with these ancient fortifications symbolizing its enduring independence.

An Army and Police Force in a Tiny Nation

The Vatican’s military might may be modest, but it is not without defense. The Swiss Guard, with its 104 soldiers, stands as the smallest and one of the most iconic armies in the world. Armed not just with their traditional halberds but also with modern firearms, these guards are responsible for the protection of the Pope and the Vatican’s borders. Alongside them, the 130-strong Vatican Gendarmerie handles internal security, maintaining public order and even functioning as the judicial police. Given the Vatican’s population of just 764 people as of the 2023 census, this means the state boasts an unparalleled ratio of security personnel to citizens.

A Highly Exclusive Citizenship

Vatican citizenship is a rare status, tightly controlled and highly coveted. According to official records, only 618 individuals hold Vatican citizenship, making it the most exclusive in the world. Even fewer—just 64—possess the state’s official passports. The majority of these citizens do not reside within the Vatican’s walls but are instead dispersed globally, often in diplomatic service. Only 264 people actually live within the Vatican, including the Pope, a handful of cardinals, and the Swiss Guard. Stringent Rules Governing Residency and Citizenship

In May 2023, Pope Francis approved a new Fundamental Law for the Vatican City State, reinforcing strict criteria for citizenship and residency. https://zenit.org/2024/08/29/vatican-citys-immigration-law-one-of-the-strictest-in-europe/

So, only 264 people live in Vatican City and it has 234 soldiers and security officials. Also note that Pope Francis himself approved a law basically preventing Vatican City from taking migrants. Vatican City has militarized borders that Pope Francis condemned.

That certainly looks to be hypocritical.

But that is not the only thing Pope Francis has been hypocritical about.

Ecumenical News posted the following last Fall:

Before sharing lunch with 1,200 destitute people, Pope Francis decries scandal of material poverty

November 21, 2023

The Pope had lunch with people from Rome’s poor and economically disadvantaged for the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 19, 2023, Catholic News Agency reported.

The lunch was served in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall and preceded by the Angelus and a special Mass reported CNA.

“We are living in times that are not particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor. The pressure to adopt an affluent lifestyle increases, while the voices of those dwelling in poverty tend to go unheard,” said the pontiff in his sermon at the mass.

“We are inclined to neglect anything that varies from the model of life set before the younger generation, those who are most vulnerable to the cultural changes now taking place.” …

“The parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37) is not simply a story from the past; it continues to challenge each of us in the here and now of our daily lives. It is easy to delegate charity to others, yet the calling of every Christian is to become personally involved,” said Pope Francis. https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/before-sharing-lunch-with-1200-destitute-people-pope-francis-decries-scandal-of-material-poverty/61030.htm

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has told others to give their wealth to the poor (e.g. Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? and Pope tells United Nations to push wealth redistribution–a sign of Revelation 13 & 17?).

And while Christians should help the poor (cf. Galatians 2:10, 6:7-10; James 2:15-17), Francis has tended to hold on to the wealth of the Vatican.

This is despite something he said shortly after becoming pontiff:

“Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/16/us-pope-poor-idUSBRE92F05P20130316

In his 11+ years as pontiff, the Vatican still retains its vast wealth and has not loosened its own purse strings significantly beyond what previous pontiffs did. The one-time feeding of 1200 is nice, but it is a “drop in the bucket” compared to the Vatican’s vast wealth.

While on the surface the Pope’s words are what a ‘lamb’ may say, could it be part of the speech of a dragon (Revelation 13:11)?

The Bible tells about an unfaithful harlot church that wallows in wealth (Revelation 17:1-9, 18:7). Having been to Vatican City numerous times, I have seen some of that wealth on display.

As far as Pope Francis himself, on March 22, 2013 he stated:

As you know, there are various reasons why I chose the name of Francis of Assisi, a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/francis-address-to-diplomatic-corps

Will he take specific steps, such as the wealth redistribution he advocates, by emptying the Vatican’s coffers?

He has not yet.

Though he has repeatedly preached that others give more.

In English, there is an expression that one should, “Put your money where your mouth is.”

While we in the Continuing Church of God have done that when it comes to the poor (for some details, see our Donations page), So far, Pope Francis has not done this to any substantial degree in the years since his election to become pontiff.

Could that change?

What might happen if Pope Francis finally sells off some of the vast treasures (such as jewels and land) of the Vatican and/or gives significant amounts of money/land away to the poor?

Well, if he does that, it will likely greatly enhance the pedophile-damaged image of the Church of Rome for the media and many others around the world. This will enhance the appeal of the religion that Rome will promote. Even if it gives away only a quarter of its vast wealth.

The Bible warns that the whole world will profit financially from the final end time Babylon (Revelation 18:9, 15-19). And in addition to trade, giving away wealth and land–in conjunction with the final King of the North (Daniel 11:24, 39), that the final Antichrist will support–will be a factor in the temporal success of this condemned system.

Notice that financial pressures will be something that the Antichrist is associated with:

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. (Revelation 13:16-17)

The “He” above is the two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11), also known as the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13), and Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3).

The Bible also says that the merchants of the world will have gotten wealthy from the system that the Antichrist will promote:

2 Babylon the great…has become a dwelling place of demons…a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3…and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:2a,b,d, 3c)

So, there are several biblical prophecies that tie the power that the Antichrist supports with a type of deceitful prosperity. Did you notice the connection to a cage of birds above? Well, then notice then also the following:

27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’

30 “An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:27-31)

So, the supporters of the Beast and Antichrist/False Prophet will prosper for a time, then God will punish them.

Furthermore, notice three Roman Catholic writings/prophecies about the final Antichrist:

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

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

Saint Jerome (died 420): Antichrist…will gain support with many gifts and money. He will sell himself to the devil…(Connor E. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 74).

The Bible, by the way, does mention that the King of the North will end up with a lot of gold, silver, and precious stones (Daniel 11:38,43) and that a seven-hilled/mountain-based power will have “gold and precious stones and pearls” (Revelation 17:4).

But is it possible that before the Beast rises up that the Antichrist will use material items for bait?

Might the Antichrist use some of the wealth of the Vatican to support certain European nations/leaders?

Yes. And he may point to Pope Francis’ many statements (and, perhaps, his receipt of the ‘Charlemagne Prize’) as partial justification to use the Vatican’s wealth to support Europe.

Over a decade ago someone asked “Ask a Catholic” about that church’s wealth:

You said:

• I’m wondering why the Catholic Church has such a huge amount of wealth, as can be seen in the beautiful buildings and costly objects in them, when Jesus clearly encourages us to sell all of our possessions and give to the poor?

1. Because the historical riches it has going back to 33 A.D. are priceless and preserved for all Christendom
2. Because the faithful believe in the Church and give what they can to support the Church, following the wishes you mentioned and what the Lord has asked from us.
3. Because of the number of faithful that make up the Church are over 1.125 billion members worldwide, 65 million in the United States.

Nevertheless, the implication in your question is that the Church does not give to the poor and neither spreads the Gospel to those who have not heard it. This is a distortion of the great outreach and support work the Church has done worldwide for centuries. http://www.askacatholic.com/_WebPostings/Answers/2011_08AUG/2011AugWhyIsTheChurchSoWealthy.cfm

While the Church of Rome does some charitable works, it still has vast wealth and is not poor. We do not find that the Apostle Peter, who many erroneously claim founded the Church of Rome (even Catholic scholars realize that he did not, see What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History?), with accumulated wealth. Actually, Peter once stated:

6 “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)

But this is not the case with the Church of Rome. In addition to historically receiving property and wealth from kings and emperors and the Crusades, the Church of Rome also gets a lot of bequeaths, which some believe is related to the belief that priests can help pray people out of a non-existent place called purgatory (Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory?). And yes, people have been told that the more they give to the Church of Rome the more priests will pray for them.

The Vatican does have vast wealth. Yet, whatever was accumulated in/by the Vatican since supposedly 33 A.D. was originally not anything biblical (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).

I suspect the time will come when the Vatican will actually sell/give away/pledge some of its wealth to influence world events and affect communities. Pope Francis has been hinting at this for many years, so at some point in time, he probably intends to take action to match his rhetoric. If so, this will increase his popularity with the media, European leaders, and others in the world.

If Pope Francis does not end up doing this, he, at a minimum, has made various statements that the final Antichrist and the Beast, can point to as justification for wealth distribution/asset pledging.

Pope Francis has helped lay the foundation for the rise of the final Antichrist.

Some items of related interest may include:

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.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
Freemasonry and the Destruction of Rome? What is Freemasonry? What about ties to the Illuminati? Could they be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy? Here is a link to a related sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.
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 Roman 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?
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. 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 The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.

BRICS Drives Gold Price to All-Time High as Nations Ditch US Dollarhttps://t.co/cQGRFuBpnN

— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) August 18, 2024

COGwriter

NewsMax reported:

Gold Near Record High as US Inflation Data Looms

August 30, 2024

Gold steadied near its all-time high on Friday and was set for a monthly gain, driven by U.S. rate-cut bets and geopolitical uncertainty, while focus shifted to a key inflation report.

Spot gold was steady at $2,520.36 per ounce, as of 1132 GMT, just shy of the record high of $2,531.60 hit on Aug. 20. The bullion has gained about 3% for the month. https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/gold-record-united-states/2024/08/30/id/1178494/

Actually, the price hit $2526 today. It does not seem that the Harris-Walz interview yesterday nor comments yesterday from Donald Trump helped the US dollar value.

Notice also:

US Dollar Plummets As Global Market Shifts, Yuan & Gold Soars

August 30, 2024

The global markets are currently experiencing a tumultuous change. Rising geopolitical changes are giving birth to new economic changes. At the same time, the US dollar devaluation has peaked at its prime,  …

“The sanction situation created a huge stimulus for China to develop its [financial] system and to develop solutions to link China’s system with the Russian one,” said Alexandra Prokopenko, a research fellow at the Carnegie Institute in Berlin.

At the same time, Gold is also gearing up for a massive rally. As per Rashad Hajiyev, a notable finance analyst, gold is attempting to break out, which may help the precious metal claim the coveted $3,000 mark. …

Global alliances like ASEAN and BRICS are in the process of ditching USD due to the currency being used as a source of weaponization. https://watcher.guru/news/us-dollar-plummets-as-global-market-shifts-yuan-gold-soars

Yes, US sanctions, which have been put in place by the Trump-Pence Administration and the Biden-Harris Administration have been pushing many nations away from the US dollar and more towards other currencies and gold.

Notice also the following from last month:

The BRICS Will Use a Gold Standard

July 9, 2024

Given the following realities; the BRICS and those that wish to trade with them must go on a gold standard in part or in whole. Why?

It’s all about supply chains and payment chains. The US must rebuild supply chains to remain self-sufficient in certain commodities or it must trade with the BRICS on the BRICS terms. And that means with Gold in hand

The BRICS, in turn, must build payment chains (and value-added portions of supply chains) to replace the SWIFT system. Either that or they must then remain dependent on the US. And that means with the USD in hand

The alternative to ignoring these choices between economic self-sufficiency and a Gold standard for continued international trade is: isolation, misallocation and misuse of resources, and finally escalation of war. …

The BRICS are in the process of creating a settlement medium (currency, medium of exchange) for international trade comprised of Gold and other assets deemed separable from Dollar influence. …

It is believed the West’s G7 Central Banks will need to have BRICS currency exposure in their reserve to better hedge their own economic risks. Failing literally to have that BRICS currency, the G7 CBs and sovereign wealth funds will simply continue to accumulate the assets (Gold, Silver etc) deemed important (or hard to get on demand like Gold and Silver) within the Store of Value basket the BRICS created. in other words, they will simply reverse engineer the basket and buy the parts needed.

The G7 CBs can then trade by creating their own mirror basket of Eastern Currencies, bonds, and Gold in what will likely be an IMF/SDR type of basket for risk purposes if ever needed. …

For over a decade, discussions have simmered about moving away from the U.S. dollar. …

BRICS is advancing a three-step plan to establish a new international currency. This includes:

1. adopting a gold standard, 7
2. creating a unified payment system with advanced technologies,
3. and promoting central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

This initiative aims to reshape the global economy, challenging the dominance of the U.S. dollar established since the Bretton Woods Conference.

The BRICS nations have been increasing their gold reserves, now totaling 6.3 thousand tons. As the world’s largest gold buyers since 2022, their actions signal a clear intention to develop a new global currency. …

The End of Dollar Dependency

To achieve financial independence from Western systems, BRICS is developing its own payment systems and strengthening digital currencies. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2024-07-09/brics-will-use-gold-standard

Yes, gold has hit record highs even after the US Federal Reserve increased interest rates.

Yes, the BRICS nations have been buying a lot of gold. They do want to bypass the US dollar via gold, crypto, and/or their own national currencies (see also BRICS+ looking to bypass the US dollar–crypto could be part of the plan ).

Yes, the the USA is facing a spiraling debt problem as it continues to increase debt and will have to pay more and more interest. Eventually, all will see that the USA is past the point of no return.

This will cause major problems.

Now, let me point out that the USA reportedly has more gold than the BRICS nations do combined–as do the combined nations in Europe. However, the USA gold reserves will only cover a small fraction of its debts, even at current gold prices.

The USA simply does not have enough gold to cover its debts and will not fare well if the world switches to at least an implied gold standard to back currencies or even electronic ones like CBDCs.

As far as the USA getting past point of no return, Michael Snyder posted the following last month:

July 9, 2024

Our politicians in Washington have artificially propped up our economy for years by piling up 34 trillion dollars in debt, and the “experts” at the Federal Reserve have artificially propped up the financial markets for years by pumping trillions upon trillions of dollars that they created out of thin air into the system. But now we are so far out on a limb that there is no way back, and there is no safety net below. …

Millions of Americans are currently experiencing their own individual “economic collapses”, …

In a desperate attempt to make ends meet, many Americans have been going very deep into debt.

That worked for a while, but now delinquency rates are spiking.

In fact, the percentage of credit card balances that are considered to be in serious delinquency has risen to the highest level in more than a decade…

The flow of credit card debt moving into delinquency hit 8.9% in the first quarter at an annualized rate, above pre-pandemic levels. In fact, the percentage of credit card balances in serious delinquency – payments are at least 90 days late – climbed to its highest level since 2012.

This is an especially dangerous time to be piling up credit card debt, because credit card interest rates have moved into uncharted territory…

For years, the U.S. economy has been creeping farther and farther into the danger zone.

The limb that we are standing on is really starting to make some very alarming noises, but our leaders don’t seem to care.

Sadly, it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes. https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/just-like-this-guy-our-country-can-only-go-out-on-a-limb-so-far-before-it-finally-snaps/

Yes, disaster is coming.

The USA is the most indebted nation in the history of humanity. Rising interest rates increase the debt and look to one day result in a debt spiral that will be a factor in the elimination of the USA!

This increasing of debt cannot go on forever.

Even when he was President of the United States, Barack Obama said the levels of debt his Administration oversaw was “unsustainable,” yet the debt keeps going up.

Notice the following levels of official US debt:

• January 20, 2009, $10,626,877,048,913.08, date Obama-Biden Administration inaugurated.
• January 19, 2017, $19,944,429,217,106.77, date Obama-Biden leave office, replaced the next day by Trump-Pence.
• January 19, 2021, $27,752,835,868,445.35, the date  Trump-Pence leave office, replaced the next day by Biden-Harris.
• January 19, 2024, $34,072,342,032,939.15, after 3 years of the Biden-Harris Administration.

And it has gone up hundreds of billions more since. As of Wednesday, the official US debt was $35,269,696,270,863.86 (see also  https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny).

Official US debt nearly doubled under the Obama-Biden Administration. It also greatly increased by about the same amount in only four years under the Trump-Pence Administration. Debt went up over $7 trillion in less than four years of the Biden-Harris Administration and is expected to increase greatly.

My book, Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction, has the following:

Furthermore, the Bible warns against the type of moral decline that is occurring in the U.S.A.:

¹² Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:  “Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them,  ¹³ Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. (Isaiah 30:12-13)

But how can this happen to the U.S.A.?  It will likely happen with a combination of events. Notice:

⁵ “Moreover the multitude of your foes Shall be like fine dust, And the multitude of the terrible ones Like chaff that passes away; Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly. ⁶ You will be punished by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, With storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:5-6)

The debt situation of the U.S.A. is putting it at risk of being unable to recover should it be hit by weather problems, terrorist acts, war, riots, solar flares, severe earthquakes, civil unrest, devastation of their genetically-modified food supplies, food shortages, and/or various pestilences–an intensity of “sorrows” such as Jesus discussed in Matthew 24:4-8 leading up to the time of the Great Tribulation. Political issues, climate change, trade policies, communication’s deals, and other events are pushing the U.S.A. to a position that will encourage its takeover someday. Disasters, especially if there is an ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack, a severe solar flare storm, devastating hurricane (s) something like a massive volcanic eruption and/or massive earthquake could be part of a so-called “perfect storm” of events that could set up the U.S.A. for destruction. …

Daniel 11 … 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.

The “he” is the King of the North. This is the same King of the North that valued gold and silver in Daniel 11:38. Although other scriptures also show that gold and silver will have value around this time (like Revelation 18; 9:20), the Bible is clear that gold and silver will be worthless for a short time before Jesus returns, e.g. Ezekiel 7:19.

The fact that the King of the North himself will accumulate gold (and some silver) is consistent with several Byzantine (“Greek” Orthodox) prophecies of their expected Great Monarch:

Emperor Leo the Philosopher (died 912): You will amass gold … And you will be the leader of the surrounding nations …

Addressed to Emperor Manuel II, Palaeogous (died 1425): The Emperor … will discover gold and silver…

Saint Andrew Fool-for-Christ (c. 4^th century):  God will reveal to this king all the gold wherever it happen to lay concealed from view …[i]

One side note is that, in Egypt, major gold deposits were found in 2006.[ii] This is relevant as it does suggest that Egypt now has enough gold that a foreign power could be interested in taking/using it as Bible prophecy teaches.

Since many are now questioning the role of the U.S. 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. In 2017, I also published that in my book related to Donald Trump, and it did hit records in July and August in 2020. [iii]

It has been proposed that various nations around the world are already in the process of accumulating gold to one day overthrow the U.S. dollar—and that the “U.S. is unprepared for this strategic alternative to dollar dominance.”[iv]

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 U.S.A. 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 U.S.A. dollar.

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.

The debt accumulation policies of the Obama-Biden and the Trump-Pence Administrations, which were a massive acceleration of the previous policies of the Bush Administration, look like they will be continued by a Biden-Harris Administration.

The increases in America’s debt are heading the world into the time when something other than the U.S. dollar will be valued as its reserve currency.

A Biden-Harris Administration would need to make massive changes to possibly prevent this.

The U.S.A. and its dollar are at serious risk.

[i] Tzima Otto. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies.  Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. 76, 102, 114

[ii] A Gold Mine Worth LE 23 Billion (and counting).  Egypt Today, August, 2006

[iii] Gold hits new record, posts best month since 2016 CNBC, July 30, 2020; Woodall T. Gold surges to new highs as US dollar weakens despite growing macro risks. S&P Global, August 10, 2020

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

Related to gold, the Letter to the Brethren: August 29, 2024 of the Continuing Church of God had the following:

PREDICTION: Gold will set records in U.S. dollar terms.

MULTIPLE FULFILLMENTS:

Posted March 6, 2024: ZH: ‘We Have Liftoff!’ – Spot Gold Takes Out Record High

Posted April 8, 2024: Gold hit record high–‘What’s behind China’s gold-buying spree?’

Posted August 18, 2024: ‘Gold All Time Highs: Is $3000 Next?’

Posted August 21, 2024: Gold lifts off to another record as the US dollar is worth less; What about silver?

That prediction was from pages 171-172 in my book: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction.

In my book, Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse, I wrote:

Gold will set records in US dollar terms. (p. 170)

It did in 2020–gold futures passed $2000 for the first time ever in July 2020 (Gold hits new record, posts best month since 2016. CNBC, July 30, 2020). Notice also:

“The price of gold shot up to an all-time high of US$2,067.15 per ounce on Aug. 6” (Woodall T. Gold surges to new highs as US dollar weakens despite growing macro risks. S&P Global, August 10, 2020).

Yes, records in the price of gold compared to the USA dollar were hit.

The rising USA debt cannot continue indefinitely–there is a major price to pay.

When gold goes up in US dollar terms, that basically means that the US dollar is going down.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold? Two videos of related interest are Beast Prophecies and European Gold and Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar.
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.
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone in 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.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.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?
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.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details.  A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle),  you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.

COGwriter

Church of God (Seventh Day)-Denver (CG7-D) essentially considers Gilbert Cranmer its founder. CG7 (prior to its move to Denver) used to hold to church eras or continuity, but lost that teaching. The Denver group later decided to start its leadership history with Gilbert Cranmer. We in the CCOG do NOT include Gilbert Cranmer as one of our predecessors for reasons such as his Christology.

While Gilbert Cranmer was in a group called ‘Church of Christ’ (which later merged with other Sabbath-keepers that used and adopted the name ‘Church of God’), he wrote about being born again in the old Hope of Israel magazine.

On July 1, 2019, a reader forwarded me that article that has just been typed out in electronic form on when a Christian is ‘born again.’ So, here is his article titled “The Birth of the Spirit,” from The Hope of Israel, 14 Sept 1863, p. 3:

I wish to express a few thoughts through ‘The Hope of Israel,’ with regard to the ‘new birth,’ or the ‘Birth of the Spirit.’ I am aware that upon this subject, there exists a great diversity of opinions, at the present day.

There is no subject taught in the sacred Scriptures, fraught with greater interest than the one before us; for, said Jesus to Nicodemus, ‘Verily, verily I say unto thee, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’’ John 3:5.

Some take the position that the ‘new birth’ is water baptism. But the 6^th verse explains the two births. ‘For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ Hence the first birth, is the birth of the flesh. The birth of the flesh Nicodemus well understood. But the ‘birth of the Spirit,’ was a mystery to him. This subject so involved in mystery, we are about to investigate, in the light of the sacred Scriptures.

First, Christ is said to be the ‘first born of every creature.’ Col. 1:15. Now we would ask, was Christ the first one ever baptized in water? Most assuredly not, for Paul tells us that 600,000 ‘were baptized unto Moses, in the sea and in the cloud.’ And again, John had been baptizing six months before Christ came and demanded baptism at his hand.

Again, according to the theology of the day, the new birth is considered to be a change of heart, or conversion. If this idea be correct, there never was a man who was converted, or met with a change of heart, until Christ came in the flesh; for he was the ‘first born of every creature.’ But ‘to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them.’ Isa. 8:20. Paul has told us in what sense Christ was the first born of every creature. Col. 1:19, ‘He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first born of the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.’ Again, Paul says, 1^st Cor. 15:23, ‘That Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.’ And again, Acts 26:23, ‘That Christ should [suffer, and] that he should be the first that should rise from the dead.’ Again Rev. 1:5, ‘And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten from the dead.’

Now we will see if the Old Testament will be in harmony with the New, on this subject.

Psalm 89:27, 28, ‘Also I will make him my first born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.’ This scripture agrees perfectly with Paul to Colossians 1:18, that the first born Son of God ‘should in all things have the pre-eminence.’ Yet E.G. White, in one of her ‘visions,’ called ‘The Great Controversy,’ says, on page 43, that Moses had a resurrection 1400 years before Christ. Enough of that fable for the present.

In the above remarks, we have seen how Christ became the firstborn Son of God. Now we will see if the rest of the family are to be born after the same manner.

First, I take the position that Christ is to take the place the first Adam might have occupied, as the ‘Everlasting Father of all the redeemed family. Go with me to Isaiah 9:6, ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Now, the question arises, How, and when does he become ‘the everlasting Father’? Go with me to Isaiah 22:21, ‘And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.’

From the above scripture we have learned who is to be our ‘everlasting Father.’ Next, we ask, Who is to be our mother? Go with me to Gal. 4:26, ‘But Jerusalem which is above is free, and the mother of us all.’

Now go with me to Rev. 10:7, and we will have our father and mother married. ‘Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.’ Rev. 21:9, 10. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.’

Now turn to Isaiah 66:6, 7, 8, and you will see when the whole family is to be born. ‘A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompense to his enemies. Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.’

We learn from the scripture, just quoted that before the general resurrection of the saints, ‘the woman brought forth a man child,’ that shall rule all nations with ‘a rod of iron.’ See Rev. 19:15, And at the general resurrection of the saints, the earth will be made to give up the dead, and all the family be born ‘at once;’ or as Paul has it, ‘shall be changed, in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.’

In conclusion, I would say to the scattered flock of God, may that spirit that brought Jesus forth from the grave, dwell richly in all our hearts, that ‘our vile bodies’ may be quickened like his, at the sound of the last trump.

Gilbert Cranmer

Comstock, Mich.

Notice also the following from a later edition of the Hope of Israel:

I now propose to examine the doctrine of BEING BORN AGAIN. … If this is being born, then to be born again must be to be brought forth a second time. … Heb. 13 : 20 … Christ there was born again. … Christ was born a second time, or born again, or born from the dead.

WHEN ARE CHRISTIANS BEGOTTEN AGAIN? …. 1 Peter 1 : 3 …. Christians then are begotten again when they receive the Gospel, the word of truth : when they receive the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. …

WHEN WILL CHRISTIANS BE BORN AGAIN? — John 3 : 6 … As all Christians have been born of the flesh, they will be born again when they are born of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 15 : 44, 49 … when they become children of God, by being children of the resurrection. (Anon. Being Born Again. Hope of Israel, August 25, 1865, pp. 1,2)

Apparently, while there were questions some had, the Hope of Israel taught Christians are begotten upon conversion and receiving the Holy Spirit and born again at the first resurrection at the last trump.

The old Worldwide Church of God also taught that.

Regarding the resurrection and the last trump, the Apostle Paul wrote:

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:50-53)

As it has turned out, many get confused with English translations of koine Greek–the language the New Testament was written in (see also as the New Testament Written in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic?).

The reason to mention this is that second century Christians, for example, would have a better understanding of whether or not begotten or born was intended–plus some of them knew people who knew the original apostles.

Notice in the second century (the century just after the Book of Revelation was written), there was at least one Christian that taught that we are not to be “born again” until the resurrection. Here is some of what COG leader Theophilus of Antioch wrote:

Of the Fourth Day. On the fourth day the luminaries were made; …

But the moon wanes monthly, and in a manner dies, being a type of man; then it is born again, and is crescent, for a pattern of the future resurrection” (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

So, Theophilus of Antioch taught Christians are born-again, not now, but at the resurrection.

An interesting thing to also observe here is that the Feast of Trumpets has traditionally been the fourth biblical Holy Day and a trumpet blast is associated with Christians being born again (1 Corinthians 15:50-54) Here is a link to a related sermon video: Trumpets and Being Born Again.

In the third century, Hippolytus (the greatest of the early theologians according to Roman Catholic scholars) understood that we are begotten by the Holy Spirit at baptism. Notice what he wrote:

This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.

Come then, be begotten again, O man, into the adoption of God … For he who comes down in faith to the layer of regeneration, and renounces the devil, and joins himself to Christ; who denies the enemy, and makes the confession that Christ is God; who puts off the bondage, and puts on the adoption,–he comes up from the baptism brilliant as the sun, flashing forth the beams of righteousness, and, which is indeed the chief thing, he returns a son of God and joint-heir with Christ (Hippolytus. The Discourse on the Holy Theophany, Chapters 9,10. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

Also, even in the fourth century, it was understood that Christians are first begotten, that Jesus was the first born of the dead, and that we become born again later. For even though he had other heretical ideas, Athanasius apparently understood this as he wrote:

For God not only created them to be men, but called them to be sons, as having begotten them. For the term ‘begat’ is here as elsewhere expressive of a Son, as He says by the Prophet, ‘I begat sons and exalted them;’ and generally, when Scripture wishes to signify a son, it does so, not by the term ‘created,’ but undoubtedly by that of ‘begat.’ And this John seems to say, ‘He gave to them power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name; which were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ And here too the cautious distinction is well kept up, for first he says ‘become,’ because they are not called sons by nature but by adoption; then he says ‘were begotten,’ because they too had received at any rate the name of son…He became man, that, as the Apostle has said, He who is the ‘Beginning’ and ‘First-born from the dead, in all things might have the preeminence … He said to be ‘First-born from the dead,’ not that He died before us, for we had died first; but because having undergone death for us and abolished it, He was the first to rise, as man, for our sakes raising His own Body. Henceforth He having risen, we too from Him and because of Him rise in due course from the dead … He is called ‘First-born among many brethren’ because of the relationship of the flesh, and ‘First-born from the dead,’ because the resurrection of the dead is from Him and after Him … And as He is First-born among brethren and rose from the dead ‘the first fruits of them that slept;’ so, since it became Him ‘in all things to have the preeminence (Athanasius. Discourse II Against the Arians, Chapters 59,60,61,63,64. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 4. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1892. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

Thus the idea of being begotten when converted and being born again at the resurrection is not a relatively new one among professing Christians. But unlike the idea of being born again now, it is not a concept with pre-Christian (pagan) origins.

In addition, even today, the Eastern Orthodox Church teaches:

Frank Schaeffer … calls the standard evangelical doctrine a “false bill of goods.” “The simplistic ‘born-again’ formula for instant painless ‘salvation’ is not only a misunderstanding, I believe it is a heresy. It contradicts the teaching of Christ in regard to the narrow, hard, ascetic, difficult way of salvation.” (Clendenin D.B. ed. Eastern Orthodox Theology, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 268).

Most groups whose leaders were once part of the old WCG teach that Christians are begotten by the Holy Spirit upon conversion and getting hands laid on them and born again at the resurrection.

Here, for example, are some teachings in the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God:

11. Christians are Begotten Now (An article of related interest may include Born Again: A Question of Semantics?)

12. Born-Again at the Resurrection (An article of related interest may include Born Again: A Question of Semantics?) …

Without going into more detail here, the second century writings of Theophilus of Antioch, for example, demonstrate that Christians believed that they were to be born again at the resurrection (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapter XV) and other early writings do demonstrate that there were those who professed Christ after the death of the original apostles that seemed to hold to those “restored truths.” …

Christians will literally be born again at the resurrection (John 3:5-7) as Christ was (Romans 1:4-5).

But some hold to other views.

For example, CGG’s  founder, the late John Ritenbaugh had instituted a variety of doctrinal changes within his group. CGG is teaching a concept more similar to that of certain (but not all) Protestants:

How does one explain “this or that” regarding this “born again” question? It is very helpful to know that being “born again” is an entirely spiritual operation…

It should be easy to understand why there can be confusion over the words. We can interpret it only by what they can legitimately be translated into. They can be translated as “begotten again, “born again,” “born anew,” or “born from above.” And this may seem a little bit wild, but it is true. It can even be understood as “from a beginning” or “at a beginning.”

Now on the basis of how God deals with us in the rest of the New Testament, and after John 2 and 3, it must be understood as “born again,” and not “begotten again.” God never even one time speaks of us as being in a womb as an embryo or a fetus…Nicodemus’ error was sincere, and Herbert Armstrong’s error was sincere. (Source: Ritenbaugh J. Born Again Sermon, Part 2, June 20, 2009)

So while John Ritenbaugh admitted that the terms translated as “born again” can be translated as “begotten again,” he decided against the idea of teaching that God spiritually begets His offspring in this life who are then born again at the resurrection.

CGG has made doctrinal changes, as well as inaccurate changes (in my opinion) to prophetic understandings as well. All should compare what their church teaches with the Bible.

According to Hislop’s The Two Babylons, being born again on earth is a long-standing pagan belief. Hislop quotes Asiatic Researchers (Vol. vii, p. 271, London, 1806) that the Hindu Brahmins boast that they are “twice born” men. Thus, the “born again now” idea apparently originally existed outside of Christianity.

Getting back to the born-again teaching, we have seen various ones in early and later centuries that hold to the original position.

Christians are only begotten now, but will be born again at the first resurrection. And that is the view that we in the Continuing Church of God still hold to.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Born Again: A Question of Semantics? Many Protestants use the term born-again. Do they know where the concept came from or does it matter? Are you born or begotten upon proper baptism? Here is a link to a sermon video: Trumpets and Being Born Again.
What Did Early Christians Understand About the Resurrections? Is there more than one future resurrection? Did early Christians teach a physical resurrection? Did early Christians teach three resurrections? Here is a link to a related sermon: Understanding the Resurrections.
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.
What is Your Destiny? Deification? Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God? What is your ultimate destiny? What does the Bible teach? Is deification only a weird or cultic idea? Are you to rule the universe? Here is a link to the video sermon What is Your Destiny?
Old Testament Church Eras Are there seven church eras in the Old Testament? Do they parallel those in Revelation 2 &3?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. There is also a YouTube video: The Seven Church Eras of Revelation. There is also a version in the Spanish language: Las Siete Iglesias de Apocalipsis 2 & 3.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: Ephesus Church Era.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: The Smyrna Church Era.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church. Here is a link to a related sermon video: Pergamos Era and the Antichrist.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition. It claimed succession from the apostles. Here is a link toa related sermon: Thyatira, Succession, and Jezebel.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
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 History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
CG7-D: Church of God, (Seventh Day): History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace part of their history through some affiliation with this group. Loren Stacy is the president of the largest CG7 USA group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
CG7-S: Church of God 7th Day, Salem (West Virginia) This group formed by A.N. Dugger in 1933 when he split from the CG7 group he was once president of.
CGG: Church of the Great God This group, led by John Ritenbaugh, says the bride must first be made ready (it de-emphasizes the priority of public proclamation of the gospel). Might this lead to a selfish bride? This group also seriously seems to misunderstand end-time prophecy.
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend 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.

Logo of German Party

COGwriter

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

Germany’s far right predicted to make biggest gains since Nazi era in key state elections

August 29, 2024

BERLIN — 

It’s become a painful pattern for Germany’s political mainstream: Once again, a far-right party that for many evokes the country’s Nazi past is poised for an unprecedented show of electoral strength.

The populist-nationalist Alternative for Germany, or AfD — which in a little over a decade has gone from a stridently anti-immigrant fringe movement to a growing force in local and national politics — is forecast to perform strongly or even place first in two state elections Sunday in the former East Germany. A third vote in another eastern state is set later in September.

If the AfD takes the largest vote share in any of the balloting, as public opinion polling suggests is likely, it would mark the first such triumph at the state level for a German far-right party since World War II.

And just nine days before the first of those votes, tensions over immigration spiked sharply over a grisly stabbing spree in which a Syrian man has been charged.

Depending on the outcome, the trio of votes could be the AfD’s second big jolt to the German political establishment this year. The party, which is under monitoring by the country’s domestic intelligence agency for suspected extremism and anti-democratic leanings, surged to a second-place finish in the country’s European Parliament vote in June. …

“My hunch is that AfD will do even better than expected now after the Solingen attack,” said Sabine Volk, a political science researcher at the University of Passau. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-08-29/germanys-far-right-predicted-to-make-biggest-gains-since-nazi-era-in-key-state-elections

Support For AfD Surges In Germany After Knife Attack Leaves 3 Dead

August 29, 2024

In the wake of three fatal stabbings by a Syrian immigrant whose asylum was denied, the anti-immigration AfD may win three state elections in September.

NPR reports Man claiming to be behind Solingen knife attack turns himself in, German police say.

A 26-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker turned himself in to police, saying he was responsible for the Solingen knife attack that left three dead and eight wounded at a festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary, German authorities announced early Sunday.

On Saturday the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, without providing evidence. The extremist group said on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and that he carried out the assaults Friday night “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” The claim couldn’t be independently verified.

The attack comes amid debate over immigration ahead of regional elections next Sunday in Germany’s Saxony and Thueringia regions where anti-immigration parties such as the populist Alternative for Germany are expected to do well.

According to Reuters, Thuringia and Saxony vote on Sept. 1 and Brandenburg follows on Sept. 22. Combined, the three states have around 8.5 million inhabitants and account for 10% of Germany’s population.

The far-right AfD is expected to emerge as the strongest party in these elections. It may be difficult or impossible for an anti-AfD coalition to suppress AfD.

AfD Crowds Cheer Nation’s Most Feared Politician

The Guardian reports AfD Crowds Cheer Nation’s Most Feared Politician

Three eastern German states hold elections next month and, by a quirk of the calendar, the regions up for grabs are among those with the most supporters of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland. If the polls are accurate, the AfD could wind up the strongest party in all three, a year before the planned date of Germany’s next general election. Depending on who you ask, it would be a political earthquake, a catastrophe or a wake-up call for the country.

The strength of the AfD and a new populist upstart, the “leftwing conservative” Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance), underlines dovetailing trends in Europe’s top economy: mounting frustration with incumbents, anxiety about Germany’s military support for Ukraine and festering divisions between east and west more than three decades after reunification.

Höcke, 52, co-heads the state chapter of the AfD in Thuringia, which will vote on 1 September along with Saxony. The AfD, polling at about 30%, has been classed as “confirmed rightwing extremist” by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the domestic security watchdog, in both states. Brandenburg, the largely rural state surrounding Berlin, will hold its election on 22 September. Its AfD chapter is listed as “suspected rightwing extremist”.

Government Future in Danger

DW reports German Government’s Future in Danger in Regional Elections

Though eastern Germany is often seen as a homogenous region, there are major political differences among the states. While Thuringia has been governed for the last decade by the socialist Left Party under State Premier Bodo Ramelow, Saxony has been led by Michael Kretschmer of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2017.

In both states, the only possible coalitions that keep the AfD out of government (and all the other parties have promised to do that) appear to be an uncomfortable alliance between the CDU and Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). It would be bizarre partnership: The former is a centrist party that likes to present itself as a rock of stability, tradition, and conservatism, the latter an upstart outfit less than a year old run by a former communist with a gift for populist rhetoric.

“Sahra Wagenknecht is a cult figure in eastern Germany. She leads the party autocratically, and she is a focus of the yearning for authority and leadership in the east,” as Vorländer puts it.

An alliance with the BSW, which is polling at nearly 20% in Thuringia and over 10% in Saxony, is likely to be difficult to digest for some in the CDU. Apart from the fact that Wagenknecht was once a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) in the communist East German dictatorship, she is already making demands that will be difficult for the CDU to accept. For instance, that it should declare itself against the stationing of US medium-range ballistic missiles in Germany.

And though the BSW has consistently distanced itself from the far-right AfD and ruled out any cooperation, one fact looms uncomfortably over this election: The two parties have more in common than sets them apart.

All this leaves Scholz’s SPD in a desperate situation, especially because another eastern German state, Brandenburg, will hold an election three weeks later. Here, too, the AfD is leading the polls, with the SPD and CDU vying for second place.

Yet in some ways, it is Scholz’s coalition partners that have the most to fear from these three elections. The Green Party, currently in government in all three states, is likely to lose that influence, while the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP) are facing annihilation in the East — probably as punishment for hitching their wagon to the Scholz train. That does not bode well for Scholz’s already fractious coalition.

SPD on the Brink of Extinction

SPD is hovering around 5 percent in opinion polls in both Saxony and Thuringia. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/support-afd-surges-germany-after-knife-attack-leaves-3-dead

BERLIN (AP) — The far-right Alternative for Germany could become the strongest party for the first time in two state elections Sunday in eastern Germany, while a months-old party founded by a prominent leftist also hopes to shake up the picture as the national government has squabbled its way to deep unpopularity.

Germany’s main opposition conservative party hopes to keep Alternative for Germany at bay in Saxony and Thuringia, home to around 4.1 million and 2.1 million people, respectively. But prospects look grim for the three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s governing coalition, whose constant infighting has added to a flatlining economy and other problems to turn voters off. …

AfD has tapped into high anti-immigration sentiment in the region, with one campaign poster in Thuringia promising “summer, sun, remigration” and depicting a plane with the logo “Deportation-Hansa.”

A national AfD leader, Alice Weidel, assailed both the governing parties and the CDU — which previously ran Germany under Angela Merkel — for their “policy of uncontrolled mass immigration” following last week’s knife attack in Solingen in which a suspected extremist from Syria is accused of killing three people. 08/28/24 https://apnews.com/article/germany-elections-saxony-thuringia-far-right-afd-fc40452ba7853f0237e1c1e2bec8b27a

The far-right AfD could become the leading party in Germany’s state elections in Saxony and Thuringia, raising concerns among many immigrants. …

The mood toward immigrants has been increasingly harsh in Thuringia for some time. The recent knife attack in Solingen in northwestern Germany, which left three people dead, is likely to inflame sentiments even further. …

While many immigrants are extremely worried about AfD election victories in the states of Thuringia and Saxony, others even consider voting for the far-right party, despite its anti-immigration rhetoric and talk of “remigration” — a term coined for the plan to return immigrants to their place of origin, regardless of their citizenship status. …

“The AfD has learned how to connect with specific target groups on the new social media platforms. It has understood very well that ‘recommendation algorithms’ enable almost contradictory positions to be simultaneously spread in this social media world. Above all, there is a structural competitive advantage for anti-democratic parties: abbreviated and false content has a higher potential for virulence.” 08/28/24 https://www.dw.com/en/immigrants-in-eastern-germany-fear-afds-rise-in-state-elections/a-70072063

The AfD is considered Germany’s anti-migrant party. Its influence has been growing as more in Germany have been supporting it in elections. The fact that the Islamic State took credit for the stabbing (see Suspected Islamic terrorism hitting France and Germany–‘Islamic State’ claims involvement) reinforces the AfD view that migrants from the Middle East and Africa are a danger.

And yes, it wants many migrants–particularly Islamic ones–to leave Germany.

The Bible also shows that religion will be used by the coming European King of the North:

36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.  (Daniel 11:36-39)

The King of the North Beast will also push out Islam (cf. Daniel 11:40-43) and lead a powerful European military (cf. Revelation 13:3-4; Daniel 11:39-43). These are things that many in Europe want!

While the AfD has its own problems, its rise is demonstrating that Germans are becoming less tolerant of migrants 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.

We are getting closer and closer to WWIII.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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.
War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs Is war really coming between the Arabs and the Europeans? What does Bible prophecy say about that? Do the Central Europeans (Assyria in prophecy) make a deal with the Arabs that will hurt the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Do Catholic or Islamic prophecies discuss a war between Europe and Islam? If so, what is the sequence of events that the Bible reveals? Who does the Bible, Catholic, and Islamic prophecy teach will win such a war? This is a video.
Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe? On June 8, 2018, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the closing of seven Islamic mosques in an effort to reduce “political Islam.” In the past several years, at least 6 European nations have banned the wearing of a commonly used garment by Islamic females. Heinz-Christian Strache (later Vice Chancellor of Austria) has declared that Islam has no place in Europe. Did Germany’s Angela Merkel call multiculturalism a failure? Will there be deals between the Muslims and the Europeans? Will a European Beast leader rise up after a reorganization that will eliminate nationalism? Will Europe push out Islam? What does Catholic prophecy teach? What does the Bible teach in Daniel and Revelation? Is Islam prophesied to be pushed out of Europe? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Can the Final Antichrist be Islamic? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out. A related sermon is titled: Is the Final Antichrist Islamic or European? Another video is Mystery Babylon USA, Mecca, or Rome?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
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 ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to 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.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
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.

126 Nations Meet To Discuss Ditching The US Dollarhttps://t.co/pC2SfVkRyq

— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) August 29, 2024

COGwriter

The BRICS+ nations have been holding a summit this week. It is reported that 126 nations are now involved. Matters such as agriculture, increased cooperation, technology, and bypassing the US dollar were topics:

South Africa calls for greater focus on agricultural trade at BRICS summit

August 29, 2024

Chief Economist at the South African Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), has emphasised the urgent need for agricultural trade to be prioritised … According to him, with the recent inclusion of the new BRICS members, there is ample opportunity to expand agricultural exports. https://tvbrics.com/en/news/south-africa-calls-for-greater-focus-on-agricultural-trade-at-brics-summit/

BRICS inspiring African nations group ambassador

August 29, 2024

The group is encouraging countries of the continent to challenge Western influence, Samsondeen Olagunju has said

BRICS has become a significant source of motivation for many African countries, encouraging them to assert their independence and challenge Western influence, the International Municipal BRICS (IMBRICS) ambassador in Nigeria has told RT in an exclusive interview. …

Speaking on the sidelines of the IMBRICS forum, a gathering of local governments and municipalities from BRICS members held in Moscow, Olagunju discussed the positive impact that the group has had on the African continent.

“This cooperation has been a source of motivation to so many countries, especially in Africa,” he said. He explained that BRICS had demonstrated to the nations of the continent that they can thrive, even in the face of Western sanctions. “We only needed someone to show us the light. And the BRICS bloc so far has shown the light in Africa.” https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/274534730/brics-inspiring-african-nations-group-ambassador

August 29, 2024

The BRICS Faculty will open in Synergy University. This was announced by the rector of the university Artem Vasiliev at the VI International Municipal Forum of the BRICS countries.

Synergy University co-organized a session on the role of educational diplomacy in the development of cooperation between the BRICS countries. … “Following the meeting of the Ministers of Education of the BRICS countries in In Kazan, it was decided to expand the formats of interaction between partners. Thus, it is planned to organize a pilot international Olympiad, which will provide an opportunity for segmented selection of applicants to study at Russian universities. We are also developing an alternative university rating system, holding a forum for young scientists, and a competition for young innovators,” Olga Petrova added. https://www.akm.ru/eng/press/synergy-university-to-open-faculty-of-brics-countries/

Many nations are frustrated with the bullying by the United States–or what Hillary Clinton referred to as “soft power” when she was US Secretary of State. The pressures from the US have helped nations band together–and they want to decrease US influence, particularly also its financial influence.

Here is a little bit about BRICS+:

August 28, 2024

Initially formed as “BRIC” – Brazil, Russia, India, China – and subsequently becoming “BRICS”, with the addition of South Africa,[1] this group of countries constitutes a unique coalition of emerging economies that collectively represent a significant counterbalance to the established economic powers of the West. …

The idea of economic cooperation among BRICS members is not just theoretically appealing but is already being explored through various initiatives. For instance, the creation of joint infrastructure for mutual trade, such as commodity exchanges and logistics centers, is under discussion and some preliminary steps have been taken. …

Looking ahead, further steps could be taken to deepen economic cooperation within BRICS. These could include the full realization of joint infrastructure projects like commodity exchanges and logistics centers, as well as the development of more active industrial policies. …

The diversity of BRICS member states and the divergence in some of their policies is a challenge, yet this very diversity is what makes BRICS a unique and potentially transformative coalition. By leveraging their collective strengths and addressing their weaknesses, BRICS countries can play a pivotal role in shaping a more inclusive and multipolar world order.

In this scenario the BRICS+ initiative, which aims to expand the group by including several other emerging economies – namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – reflects the recognition of the need for greater inclusivity and collaboration in addressing global challenges. https://katoikos.world/analysis/brics-navigating-a-complex-economic-and-political-landscape.html

August 28, 2024

Over the last two years, the global economy has undergone a massive shift. The BRICS alliance has been a massive part of that, with the alliance nations dominating the list of the top 10 fastest-growing economies. Moreover, they have only pushed the United States further down the list.

The bloc has been outspoken in its pursuit to shift the financial status quo, specifically, through its quest for multipolarity and ongoing de-dollarization efforts. That has seemingly paid dividends, with economic standings showing the transition of power. …

The BRICS bloc dominates the list of the 10 fastest-growing economies, according to the UN Financial Agency. Specifically, India, China, and Russia all have a space within the top five. Alternatively, the United States has dropped to the 7th position.

India is firmly situated atop the list for 2024.

Both China and Russia are the second and fifth fastest-growing economies. https://watcher.guru/news/brics-countries-dominate-list-of-top-10-fastest-growing-economies

Yes, BRICS+ faces challenges. But the growing alliance continues to look at ways to bypass the US dollar as the following suggests:

BRICS: Alliance Crypto Payments to Overtake the US Dollar?

August 28, 2024

Ever since Russia legalized crypto payments, all eyes were on how that would integrate into its prominent economic alliance. With the bloc’s payment system on the way, digital assets could play a huge role. Indeed, BRICS crypto payments could be key in overtaking the US dollar.

The group has not been shy about its de-dollarization hopes. Since 2022, it has sought to decrease international reliance on the greenback. With Russia facing increased sanctions, alliance trade outside of the dollar became a necessity. As crypto integrations take place, efforts to ditch it could hit overdrive.

BRICS Crypto Payments May Create Path to Completely Ditch the US Dollar

Crypto is set to be a critical part of BRICS. With Russia moving to legalize the form of payment, trade settlements using the asset should skyrocket. Moreover, it could create clear avenues to continue creating a multipolar economic shift on a global scale.

It was revealed that the US dollar reserve held by central banks has fallen to 59%, according to the Atlantic Council. Indeed, that has been a notable decline since 2001, when the BRICS bloc was formed. Yet, that is only expected to continue declining amid the alliance’s actions to lessen its role.

Additionally, the yuan recently overtook the dollar in cross-border transactions for the time in China’s history. While the renminbi accounts for 48% of commerce, the greenback fell to 46.7%. Now, the BRICS bloc is looking for its crypto payments to create even more incentive to ditch the US dollar. … That would be a critical blow to the greenback. https://watcher.guru/news/brics-alliance-crypto-payments-to-overtake-the-us-dollar

Almost Half Of The World Shows Interest in Joining BRICS and Dethroning The US Dollar

August 28, 2024

Around 126 nations will attend a BRICS Municipal Conference, all showing interest in joining the bloc and ditching the US Dollar. The queue to join BRICS is getting longer as developing countries are expressing their interest in joining the alliance. Developing countries are now looking to end dependency on the US dollar to promote local currencies for trade.

The BRICS countries’ VI International Municipal Forum (IMF) will take place in Moscow on between August 27 and 28. Mostly developing countries hailing from Asia, Africa, South America, and Eastern Europe shared initial interest in joining the bloc. The newfound ambition is to strengthen their local currencies and not be dependent on the US dollar for trade. …

The 16th BRICS summit will be held in the Kazan region of Russia from October 22 to 24, 2024. The new extended alliance will get together at the table for discussions for the first time since the expansion. The center points of discussion will likely be the US Dollar, a new BRICS currency, and the future of expansion. https://watcher.guru/news/brics-126-nations-meet-with-alliance-to-discuss-ditching-the-us-dollar

Yes, the US dollar is at risk.

As long time readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, I have long warned of “unintended consequences” of USA sanctions policies (watch US Sanctions and Tariffs leading to New World Order?).

As far as cryptocurrencies go as a possible mechanism to bypass the US dollar, earlier this month we put out the following related video:

14:59

Russia, USA, & Bitcoin

On July 30, 2024, Russian lawmakers passed a bill that will allow businesses to use cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, to skirt Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s Special Military Operation into Ukraine. This is to come to force in September 2024. This is hoped to help with trade between Russia, China, India, the United Arab Emirates, and others. What are several advantages to Russia in doing so? Could there be “unintentional consequences” in dealing with Bitcoin? Is Bitcoin “as good as good” or silver? What does the Bible teach about gold? Does the Bible allow for the ‘666’ power to use unregulated Bitcoin? Was a bill been introduced in the US Congress for its Treasury to purchase 1 million Bitcoin? Has Donald Trump made statements about the USA stockpiling Bitcoin should he again become President of the United States? Does the Bible warn against debt accumulation, show that the USA dollar will one day be worthless, and prophesy that the strongest military on the earth will be conquered? Should you rely on any nation, gold, or cryptocurrency? What should Christians rely on? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Russia, USA, & Bitcoin.

Before the conference, some thought that the BRICS might propose some type of gold backed crypto currency (https://coingeek.com/is-brics-about-to-announce-a-gold-backed-currency/). And that is something that several of the BRICS nations have seriously considered.

Notice the following, related to the US dollar and BRICS, which is in my free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

Those in Iran and some of the Arab lands, along with nations such as Brazil, China, and India have discussed plans for the removal of the dominance of the U.S.A. in global trade as well. The former (again current) President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, even claimed that eliminating the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status was one of the reasons that the BRICS alliance (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) was formed in the first place. [i] Others have  noted that bypassing the USA dollar is still an object of BRICS—and officially BRICS nations “are currently working on setting up a new global reserve currency,”[ii] which may have gold-backing.[iii] The expansion of BRICS (which is in progress) may ultimately even hurt Australian trade as well as “severely weaken primacy of the US Dollar as an international currency.”[iv]

The Bible clearly warns against cheapening the money supply and encourages having money hold its value (Proverbs 25:4 Isaiah 1:25, Ezekiel 22:18-22). Debt is also warned against (Habakkuk 2:6-8). Yet policies enacted under the Obama, Trump, and Biden Administrations, following certain other administrations, have ignored these warnings.

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

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

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

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

The BRICS+ nations continue to take steps to dethrone the US dollar.

Let me add that although the European Union is not part of BRICS+ at this time, part of the reason to develop the Euro was to bypass the need for the US dollar in trade.

The Bible does point to the Europeans possibly also backing their currency with gold (cf.Daniel 11:38-43; Revelation 18).

The US is prophesied to collapse financially and be taken over (cf. Deuteronomy 28:43-45,47-52; Habakkuk 2:6-9)–yes the US is prophesied to be conquered (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).

Although the USA is not likely to repent nationally to prevent its prophesied demise (cf. Hosea 11:3a, 5b-7), personally you can repent, as well as physically take steps, before the dollar-based economic system collapses.

Do NOT place your confidence in Bitcoin, FTX, the US dollar, or gold, but “seek first the Kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold? A video of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
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.
Blockchain, Karl Guttenberg, and 666. American Express just announced a deal with Ripple related to using its blockchain technology. No longer confined to Bitcoin, blockchain technology is moving towards the mainstream. Former German Economic and later Defense Minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has long been an adviser to Ripple and has plans for internationally-expanding the use of blockchain money. Jim Rickards, Doug Casey, and others have expressed concerns that blockchain money will give governments too much control over buying and selling. Could any of this be related to biblical prophecies in the Books of Daniel and Revelation? Could any of this help fulfill the prophecies related to buying and selling and 666 in Revelation 13? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video. A related written article is also available: Amex launches blockchain-based business payments using Ripple: Prelude to the Beast and 666?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone in 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024?
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.

(Unsplash photo)

COGwriter

Inc. had a few comments about keys to happiness:

Want to Be Happier? …

The key is to know what you already want: to know your goals, your dreams, your ambitions, to know what provides you with the greatest sense of fulfillment and happiness.

Do that, and you won’t be as tempted to compare what you have with what other people have. Do that, and you won’t be as tempted to compare what you do with what other people do.

If you want to be happy, embrace the fact that only two comparisons matter.

First, compare who you are today with who you were in the past. That will remind you … just how far you’ve come.

Then compare who you are today with who you hope to someday become.

Because that will keep you focused on having, and doing, what truly matters to you. 08/04/21 https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/want-to-be-happier-science-says-avoid-effect-of-relative-deprivation-on-fulfillment-satisfaction.html

The Apostle John wrote:

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 2)

Misery is not what God wants to have.

The happiness that God has, that which He offers to us, was meant to be with us constantly. It was meant to become a permanent part of us — of our personality and character.

As far as happiness goes, the old Worldwide Church of God had an article about happiness by Charles F. Vinson in the January 1973 edition of old the Plain Truth magazine:

How MANY times have you thought, I’d be happy , if only . … “? The daydream usually continues with ” If only I had more money,” or, “if only I had married someone else,” or, “if only I could change jobs,” or, “if only I had better health.”

Always “if only.”

Is happiness the impossible dream? Why does it always seem to be somewhere around the corner, off in the vague future, but never really right now?

Certainly there are reasons enough for the world’s all-too-common victims of war, disease, hunger and poverty to be less than satisfied with living. But what makes most Americans, Britons, Japanese, Germans – peoples who, in the main, enjoy a higher degree of human comfort than most of the other peoples of the world – so often dissatisfied, unfulfilled, empty and discouraged? Why can’t these people be happy?

The answer is deceptively simple. No one has ever told them how to achieve happiness.

What’s Your Concept?

Most human beings have little difficulty conjuring up their own purple-hued vision of the ultimate in human existence – very often a pleasing combination of wealth, status and power, with freedom from frustration, both mentally and sexually. If this vaguely fits your concept of happiness, you really ought to consider whether or not this “vision of Valhalla ” is a truly worthwhile goal.

One way to find out is to examine the lives of men who have actually lived under such conditions – and to see where it got them. One of the best examples historically is King Solomon, a real-life figure widely noted throughout the ancient world for his fantastic wealth and wisdom.

Solomon had everything going for him. His father, King David, had at great effort and cost subdued the worst of the neighboring war-hungry tribes and had established a measure of peace in the Kingdom of Israel. After David’s death, Solomon stepped into a situation few men have ever had the opportunity to experience – limitless wealth at his personal disposal, a conditional promise of blessings from God and the gift of unparalleled wisdom, also given by God. Gossip undoubtedly circulated far and wide in that ancient world about Solomon’s fantastic kingdom.

Foreign royalty paid him state visits to see if what they heard was really true.

It was. What they found in the City of David only served to reinforce the Solomonic legend, even though the truth needed no embellishment. According to the Biblical record published in Second Chronicles , chapters six through nine, Solomon possessed enough wealth and power to luxuriate in a life-style making notorious penthouse-dwellers of today seem poverty-stricken by comparison.

A Catalog of Wealth

On a yearly basis, Solomon received 666 talents of gold, or about 960,000 ounces. That amounts to something like $33,600,000 in gold per year at the old rate of $35 per ounce {$1,248,000,000 per year presuming a gold value of $1300 per ounce which it has been in the 21st century}.

There are … individuals today whose yearly assets … exceed that figure on paper, but this was the real thing – solid gold. It was reputedly so common, in fact, that Solomon didn’t bother to buy certain items for himself. He had them made from his gold. His throne was made of imported ivory overlaid with gold. None of his drinking vessels were made of silver. It was simply too common, assertedly as common as ordinary rock (I Kings 10:27).

Solomon imported finery from all parts of the world. His navy reported to him each year, bringing him more gold, silver, ivory and rare animals. In a triumph of understatement, I Kings 10:23 says that Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. State visits involved extravagant exchanges of gifts. When the famous Queen of Sheba for instance, came to investigate the fabulous rumors she had heard about Solomon, she brought along 120 talents of gold, a “very great store” of spices and precious stones to boot. Nearby friendly King Hiram, who lived on the Mediterranean coast, used his ships to bring Solomon gold from Ophir, as well as large amounts of rare wood and precious stones.

However, money really wasn’t everything. The Bible says that Solomon loved “many strange women” (I Kings 11:1). That is another magnificent understatement. Solomon kept seven hundred bona-fide wives plus three hundred concubines. To impress these wives, he commanded a personal army of charioteers – 1,400 chariots, to be exact, and twelve thousand horsemen. He even built special cities for these men, and imported their horses from Egypt. To keep his wives happy, he also ordered the best of imported fabrics (I Kings 10:28- 29).

But Was He Happy?

In addition, Solomon, being king and all-powerful, could of course do anything he desired – which is precisely what he set about to do. Later on, he wrote a book about his exploits called Ecclesiastes.

In this book, Solomon relates how he experimented with nearly every- thing under the sun to see what might make him happy. Nonstop entertainment soon grew tiresome. “But I found that this, too, was futile. For it is silly to be laughing all the time; what good does it do?” (Eccl. 2:2, The Living Bible.) He mentions taking up drinking to see if happiness could be found in a bottle. Happiness wasn’t, but morning-after headaches probably were. He constructed monuments to himself in the form of immense and beautiful public works. They were impressive and undoubtedly provided a great ego-trip, but they seem to have made him no happier. He built elaborate houses for himself and constructed temples for the gods of his favorite pagan wives. He raised vineyards and conducted experiments in his botanical gardens on all kinds of rare trees and plants. He constructed waterworks to irrigate the nearby arid land. Most of this is described in Ecclesiastes, chapter two.

He stated matter of factly, “I became greater than any of the kings in Jerusalem before me, and with it all I remained clear-eyed, so that I could evaluate all these things.” This, admittedly, sounds like shades of Muhammad Ali, the boastful American heavyweight boxer, but it was the literal truth. He also confessed that “anything I wanted, I took, and did not restrain myself from any joy” (Eccl. 2:9-10, The Living Bible).

In short, Solomon had fame, money, and wisdom – every physical blessing there was to have. He tried everything there was to try – at least, all he could think of – and he had whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it. It was all paid for. He lacked absolutely nothing in the way of human comfort.

Unfortunately, Solomon was miserable. He admitted it himself . “So now I hate life because it is all so irrational; all is foolishness, chasing the wind” (Eccl. 2:17, The Living Bible).

Why on earth would a man who had everything, including an unrestricted and enormously varied sex life, be so fed up with living that he felt like committing suicide?

The truth is that Solomon knew what would have made him happy – but he ignored it. Had he paid more attention to it, he could have lived a life more like the happier, fulfilled and rewarding existence of another man who lived almost a thousand years later.

From Persecutor to Persecuted

This man seemed to have every right to be miserable. He was Jewish and a member of the sect of the Pharisees. He hated the new sect which was called “Christian” after a certain Jesus Christ who had been publicly executed, but who the Christians claimed was still alive. He considered them an annoying threat to the Jewish religious establishment in which he held a high position. He persecuted the Christians with a vigor that astounded the liberal Romans in charge of that part of the Empire.

This man was forced to undergo conversion to the very “sect” which he had been so avidly persecuting. His former compatriots probably considered him slightly insane to take such a flip-flop in his thinking. The man’s name, of course, was Paul. He later became an apostle and one of the chief figures in the development of the New Testament church.

Far from having the magnificent wealth which Solomon had enjoyed, Paul was forced by circumstance to fall back on his childhood training of tentmaking in order to support himself as he ministered to the Churches of God located around the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, he had to do much of his traveling on foot, or by ship. Devastating storms were common occurrences. Then, too, he was under constant danger from those intent upon persecuting the Church as he had once done himself. He didn’t always escape their wrath.

He catalogued his “misadventures” in the ministry in one of his published letters to the church located in the Greek city of Corinth:

“Five different times the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day. I have traveled many weary miles and have been often in great danger from flooded rivers, and from robbers, and from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the hands of the Gentiles. I have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food; often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

“Then, besides all this, I have the to pay attention to his disastrous life constant worry of how the churches and to avoid the same mistake he are getting along” (The Living Bible, II Cor. 11:24-28).

That is quite a list of adventures, enough to make men of lesser fortitude to opt for a safe, comfortable office job. But external problems were not all Paul endured. He also had what he a “thorn in the flesh,” possibly a health problem, although he doesn’t refer to it specifically by name (II Cor. 12:7). He does imply, that his eyes gave him problems (Gal. 4:15).

In addition, he just wasn’t very impressive in person. He says little about this fact, but does mention that others had tried to denigrate him in the sight of his congregation by rather nastily alluding to the fact that he was powerful enough in his letters, but that his bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible (II Cor. 10:10).

Yet Paul Was Happy

By now you can probably sense the obvious lesson about to hit you be- tween the eyes: Happiness doesn’t necessarily come from wealth, position, sexual freedom, or unlimited power and status. A man enduring the worst of living conditions, like Paul, can be happy in spite of the way things look or feel. ” . . . For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” said Paul in Philippians 4: 11. “I know now how to live when things are difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous. In general and in particular I have learned the secret of facing either plenty or poverty” (Philippians 4:12, Phillips translation).

What was his secret? What did Paul know that Solomon didn’t?

The answer is: NOTHING.

Solomon knew the same basic formula for happy living that Paul preached, but the fact that he ignored with- it literally ruined his life. As a bitter old man looking backward on years, Solomon advised younger men, made: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the, evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them … . Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: refers to as · for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl . 12:1,13).

“Fear God and keep his commandments.” That was the one thing though, which could have made Solomon happy – which would have made his fabulous wealth, not at all wrong in itself, a blessing rather than a frustration. And, obedience to the laws of God was the one ingredient in Paul’s life which enabled him to keep going – even to be happy – in spite of all obstacles in his path.

And these same principles, if you obey them, can make you happy–no matter what your situation in life if YOU choose not to ignore them.

But Are They Relevant Today?

“All right,” you say, “but we are all living in the twentieth century, not two thousand years ago in a Middle Eastern kingdom noted for its mystical adherents and richly embellished history. How would following an ancient code like the Ten Commandments help anyone living in the city ghetto, or playing the freeway game each day, or struggling with unpaid bills, striving to patch up marital spats, worrying over visits to the hospital, breathing the polluted air?” Isn’t telling everyone to do so more than just a little absurd, a gross over- simplification as a solution to complicated human problems?

Not really. The Ten Commandments are timeless and apply no matter which century you happen to have been born into. For instance, the seventh commandment says, in what sounds to many like foreboding tones, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” In other words, “Don’t cheat on your wife or husband. It’ll make you both unhappy.”

It goes without saying that all of mankind is not now obeying God – and probably won’t unless forced to. But think, for a moment, of the fantastic results which would occur if everyone on earth were to obey just that one commandment. No more broken homes. No more agonizing heartbreak which cannot be measured statistically. No more wretched childhoods spent first with one parent, then with the other, always with the tension and insecurity which accompanies such a childhood situation, and which very often produces deep problems in the adult years. If everyone were striving to obey JUST this ONE commandment, the very marriage covenant would not be entered into so blithely. Young couples would take marriage much more seriously if they realized they were marrying for life, and not simply until the next attractive body comes around. In short, obedience to that one commandment could save mankind from a whole host of premarital and marital problems, heartaches and tragedies.

But that is only one commandment out of ten, only one example of why Solomon’s advice to “fear God and keep his commandments” is an open invitation to a happier, fuller, more satisfying life – the kind of life God wants every human being to experience.

If you would like to have more information about the Ten Commandments, explaining how all of them are applicable to life in today’s world, check out our free online book, The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

We all want to enjoy life. Our Creator is concerned about how we do it.

Notice the following instruction from God to young men:

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth,
And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth;
Walk in the ways of your heart,
And in the sight of your eyes;
But know that for all these
God will bring you into judgment.
10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart,
And put away evil from your flesh,
For childhood and youth are vanity. (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10)

Girls and boys and men and women should strive to live God’s way:

1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”: (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Besides acknowledging that God exists, remembering Him also means being thankful to Him for your existence, for your parents, for His plan, and for the material things you enjoy.

Do you know who the Bible says is happy?

God’s people:

5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. (Psalm 146:5-7)

15 Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord! (Psalm 144:15)

Do you have the God of Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel in Genesis 32:28) for your help? Is the God of the Bible your Lord?

If you really do, you should be happy.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

Yes, wisdom can bring happiness to all: males and females.

If people everywhere obeyed God’s laws, there would be no war, no unhappy families, no divorce, crime, violence or stealing. People would be honest and concerned for one another’s welfare and property.

Consider also that the Apostle Paul wrote, “the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12).

We are to delight in God’s ways:

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass. (Psalm 37:3-5)

11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:11-14)

DELIGHT IN THE LORD and He will give you the proper desires of your heart.

The Continuing Church of God put together the following sermon related to happiness on its ContinuingCOG channel:

Here is a link to the video sermon: 14 Biblical Keys to Happiness.

Now, in this time of COVID-19, many are fearful and concerned. Here is something from the Letter to the Brethren: March 19, 2020 of the Continuing Church of God:

The restrictions on movement and the discouragement of physical cash because of COVID-19 are paving the way for the acceptance of the 666 Beast and total government financial control. Now, however, as Jesus said, “do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet” (Mark 13:7). Jesus also said:

33 … In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33b)

32 Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

While you should take reasonable precautions, you do not need to fear. …

With all the reality and hype about COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus) going around, the following came to mind:

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

Brethren, trust God, for we are destined to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

At risk of repeat, remember that Jesus said “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Despite inflation, COVID other variants, corrupt governments, proponents of anti-biblical morality, yes, you can be happier.

Here is a link to a video sermon: 14 Biblical Keys to Happiness.

Consider:

6 … Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. (Hebrews 3:6, NKJV)

17 “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17, KJV)!

Focus on God’s Kingdom and you being part of it. This will bring true happiness for those who really do it.

We also have a short, sermonette, video on this topic:

8:55

Want to Be Happier?

Do you want to be happier? Almost everybody does. Inc. magazine posted something online recommending what to focus on to be happy. Although Inc. did not refer to spiritual matters, a couple of its points are applicable to Christians. In this video, Dr. Thiel goes over some key points from Inc. as well as words from Jesus on what our focus should be. He also quotes scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments related to being happy. Wisdom and growing are mentioned. He mentions the Kingdom of God as well as that biblical principles for happiness are applicable to men and women, boys and girls.

Here is a link to our video: Want to Be Happier?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Biblical Keys to Happiness This is an article for those interested in biblical teachings about being happy. A related sermon is available and is titled: 14 Biblical Keys to Happiness.
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 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.
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.
Ten Steps to Rid Yourself of Fear This is a vastly expanded version of a shorter article by the late Dr. Herman Hoeh on getting past fear. Here is a link to a related sermon: Ten Plus Steps to Rid Yourself of Fear.
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 Gott Berufenen 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 N{ÇQsNŽOáNðv„\e‡zà. Here are links to the sermons Christian Faith and Increasing Faith.
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.

Black Soldier Fly larva
(Photo public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The government of Singapore is in favor of more insect consumption:

August 28, 2024

Singapore has just greenlit 16 types of insects to eat as foods. …

Grub’s up in Singapore where authorities have designated 16 creepy crawlies as safe for human consumption.

Locusts, five types of beetle grub and even a species of honeybee are among the minibeasts deemed good enough to eat, after a decision in July. The Singapore Food Agency has also greenlit imports of pasta, chocolate bars and crackers that contain insects as ingredients. One restaurant – House of Seafood – has added 30 insect dishes to its menu, ranging from sushi topped with silkworms to squid ink pasta sprinkled with house crickets. … insects can also be fed on waste … https://www.positive.news/society/as-singapore-approves-16-types-of-insects-as-food-for-humans-theres-a-growing-buzz-around-the-sector/

Dr. Joseph Mercola wrote:

The Push for Bug-Based Diets Continues

August 28, 2024

• Proponents market insects as sustainable and culturally diverse food, with over 2,000 species consumed worldwide. However, historically, insects were mainly eaten for survival, not as delicacies
• Insect-based products like “cockroach milk” and larvae-derived “Entomilk” are being developed, despite production challenges and potential allergy risks, especially for those with shellfish allergies
• The push for insect consumption is part of a larger “green agenda” promoted by organizations like the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), claiming insects are more sustainable protein sources than traditional livestock
• This movement is part of a globalist agenda to control the food supply, alongside synthetic meats, aiming to replace traditional farming with patented, ultraprocessed foods

Mealworm meatballs, anyone? Or how about a salad with a side of crickets? With the recent changes transpiring in the food industry, it’s highly possible that these will be the food choices you’ll see on restaurant menus in the future. …

But while humans did historically eat insects, we mainly did so for survival or as a last-resort tactic — not as a delicacy. https://www.sgtreport.com/2024/08/the-push-for-bug-based-diets-continues/

Michael Snyder had the following about the consumption of insects around the world:

… People All Over The Globe Are Already “Eating The Bugs” On A Regular Basis

August 26, 2024

Are you ready to “eat the bugs”? For a long time, we have been told that “eating the bugs” is just a “conspiracy theory”, but as you will see below more than 2 billion people around the world already eat bugs on a regular basis.  …

A report that was recently published in a major scientific journal says that 2,205 different kinds of insects are now being consumed all over the globe…

A 2024 report titled “The global atlas of edible insects: analysis of diversity and commonality contributing to food systems and sustainability,” has identified 2205 species consumed across 128 countries. Published in the science journal Nature, it notes that Asia has the highest number of edible insects (932 species), followed by North America (mainly Mexico), and Africa. The countries with the highest consumption of insect are Mexico (452 species), Thailand (272 species), India (262 species), China (235 species), and Japan (123 species). …

The largest insect farm in the entire world is located in France…

In Europe, France is the center of European insect farming for animal and plant feed; a biotechnology company, InnovaFeed owns the world’s largest insect farm at 55,000 sqm that produces 15,000 tons of protein a year. …

An app that allows Germans to scan food products at the grocery store indicates that a whole host of things that Germans regularly eat have bug parts in them…

A German app called Insekten Scanner scans the barcode of a food product to tell you whether it includes insect parts in the ingredients. The app, which was first developed in late 2023 and now has over 100,000 downloads, recently went viral on X after several viral posts caused outrage among Americans.

The account Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) posted a video on May 2 of a user in a German supermarket scanning items with the app, which they captioned “‘We will NOT eat the bugs’ has become reality.”

In the video, the user repeatedly receives the message “Insekten Gefunden” or “Insects Found.” Items include pudding cups, premade meals, and even chocolate candies. “Everything has bugs,” one user replied. …

The very first “insect restaurant” in the United Kingdom is getting a lot of attention for the very unique dishes that it is offering to customers…

Grub Kitchen in Wales, the United Kingdom’s first insect restaurant, focuses on sustainability and is the vision of chef Andy Holcroft. The menu ranges from minced insect Bolognese to mealworm hummus and mixed insect pakoras fried with vegetables and served with mango chutney. Grub Kitchen largely has good reviews on TripAdvisor, but one reviewer was sceptical of eating insects, writing: “If this is the future, kill me now.” …

It is being reported that Thailand already has over 20,000 insect farms…

According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Thailand can produce over 7,000 tonnes of economic insects annually. Thailand has more than 20,000 insect farms, especially cricket farms, the office said. …

In one region of India, silkworms are so popular that they are “available at every market”…

Silkworms are considered a delicacy in some northeastern states of India. In Nagaland, a state on the Myanmar border, silkworms are available at every market. Known as “eri puka” in Nagamese, the silkworms are fried, tossed together with spices, vegetables and bamboo shoots. Crispy fried grasshopper is also a common snack in the state. …

Here in the United States, more than 2 million taxpayer dollars were spent to create “the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming”…

In 2021 the U.S. National Science Foundation awarded Texas A&M and two other universities a $2.2 million grant to establish the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming. Sixteen multinational companies, including Mars and Tyson Foods, also joined as member organizations. …

No matter how many insect farms they set up, it will only make a very small dent in the nightmarish global famines that are coming.

Numerous long-term trends are combining to create a “perfect storm” for global food production that is unlike anything that has ever been witnessed in all of human history. https://endoftheamericandream.com/12-facts-that-prove-that-people-all-over-the-globe-are-already-eating-the-bugs-on-a-regular-basis/

While the Bible seems to allow for the consumption of crickets and grasshoppers, black soldier flies, mealworms, and silkworms are biblically unclean–thus should not be consumed by Christians (see also The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats):

20 ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. 21 Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. 22 These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. 23 But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you. (Leviticus 11:20-23)

29 These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth (Leviticus 11:29)

God’s people are not supposed to eat bugs.

We are to be holy in all of our CONDUCT:

15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16)

When the Apostle Peter wrote that he was quoting the part of the Hebrew scriptures that were against eating unclean creeping things:

44 For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy. Neither shall you defile yourselves with any creeping thing that creeps on the earth. (Leviticus 11:44-45)

Holy people do not intentionally conduct themselves to eat biblically unclean creatures.

Let me also add that it is almost 100% certain that COVID became a problem because of people consuming biblically-unclean meats along with the viral research that was done in the lab at Wuhan (watch also: COVID, Pandemics, and Unclean Meat).

Notice also:

Thousands of Bug Eaters Are Getting New Incurable Diseases, Doctors Warn

Thousands of bug eaters around the world are developing rare and incurable diseases, according to doctors who warn the act of eating insects is harmful to humans.

July 26, 2024

As the consumption of eating bugs has risen in popularity in recent years thanks to the push by the WEF to replace meat with insects, people who dine on bugs are increasingly being diagnosed with horrific illnesses as a result.

Infowars.com reports: The Bible instructs us in Leviticus 11: 20-23, not to eat insects, with the exception of orthopterans, specifically, locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers. Even so, permission to eat these is not instruction to do so, and there certainly isn’t reference to the Israelites making insect offerings, or of Jesus encouraging his disciples to eat them.

Eating these in a survival situation — like that of John The Baptist — is one thing, but to have insects discreetly added to our foods, or touted as the future of the human diet, as is happening in Europe, North America, and abroad, is a threat to our health, and is disgusting. …

Contamination of Insect-based Foods

Bioaccumulation of poisonous heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and others, and of pesticides including herbicides, has been documented to occur in insects used for food. This means that as insects grow and develop in a contaminated environment, or if they eat contaminated plant matter, toxic heavy metals or other toxins build up in their bodies over time. Therefore producers must carefully source insect feed, and ensure the rearing environment is free of contaminants. …

Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) larvae, full of feces, and supposedly suitable to eat.

One of the most alarming potential problems of food insect production is pre-or-post-processing contamination by Aspergillus, a common fungus that releases the mycotoxin known as aflatoxin. Cooked and dried insects can reabsorb humidity, and could grow Aspergillus, as could pre-processed insects. Aflatoxin is heat stable and cannot be eliminated by cooking insects contaminated by Aspergillus. Mpuchane et al. (1996) identified aflatoxin in edible grasshoppers at a concentration of up to 50 micrograms/kg. The European Union [EU] allows a maximum of 15 micrograms of aflatoxin per kilogram in plant based foods^***, but disturbingly, the EU does not have regulations for aflatoxin in animal based foods including insects. Aflatoxin is the one of the most carcinogenic chemicals known to man. This problem must be addressed, but unfortunately, anyone encouraging you to eat insects is not looking out for your health in the first place. …

A 2017 paper published in Clinical Toxicology presented evidence of histamine poisoning from insects, in three cases in Thailand, including an outbreak affecting 118 patients, and another incident involving 19 students. The paper focused on direct evidence in another case in which 28 out of a group of 227 students were sickened, and concluded the cause was histamines present in grasshoppers and silkworm pupae they ate at a seminar. The researchers analyzed the leftover foods, and what the 28 sickened and other 199 students ate, and alleged that the histamines were implicated, which like tropomyosins, are heat-stable (resistant to degradation by cooking). The sick students’ symptoms included hives, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and breathing problems (bronchospasm and dyspnea). …

Insect exoskeletons feature sharp protuberances made of chitin, including spines, spurs, and rigid ‘hairs’ called setae. As noted by Mézes (2018), the pointy shape of these protuberances may cause them to be mechanically toxic, by damaging the digestive tract. This is not the chitin per se causing toxicity; instead, it’s the shape of the structures formed by chitin leading to toxicity.

Spines are narrowly conical, rigid, fixed projections, found on grasshopper legs, for example. Spurs are similar to spines but are on a socket allowing movement. Setae are hair-like, and contain nerve endings for sensory perception. The hairs on the legs of a fly are an example of setae. …

It also seems reasonable to surmise, and even hard to ignore, that chewing an insect exoskeleton would produce sharp fragments that could damage the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Similarly, sharp particles could result from grinding insects during food processing. …

God had a reason to command us not to eat crustaceans and most insects. It’s misguided to believe that science is likely to fully elucidate the medical reasons for God’s instructions regarding food, especially considering the plethora of factors involved in human health that complicate dietary scientific analysis, and the sometimes-delayed health effects attributable to various factors.  … the idea of eating insects is disgusting. The best thing to do is to refuse to heed World Economic Forum head Klaus Schwab’s exhortations to “Eat ze bugs.” https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/thousands-of-bug-eaters-are-getting-new-incurable-diseases-doctors-warn/

Some lawmakers do not seem to want consumers to know about the use of bugs as part of the food supply as the following suggests:

Democrats Push to Hide Insects in American Food Supply

April 8, 2024

In Minnesota, state Senate Democrats blocked an amendment that would have required foods containing insects to be labeled.

Republicans are arguing that insects should be listed in the ingredients of food products to inform consumers.

However, for reasons that are not immediately clear, Democrats are pushing to keep bugs a hidden ingredient.

Last week, the Minnesota Senate passed S.F. 4225 – an omnibus agriculture policy bill. …

However, before the bill was passed, Sen. Torrey Westrom (R-Alexandria) introduced a commonsense amendment for food labeling.

The amendment would require food to be properly labeled if it contains either insect products or artificial “cell-cultured” food like lab-grown meat. …

However, the bill’s Democrat author Sen. Aric Putnam,(D-St. Cloud) shot down the proposal.

Putnam insists that, although “consumers should know what they are consuming,” the issue of labeling insect parts in products was a “future problem.”

He falsely claimed that insect-based “foods” and lab-grown “meats” are not available yet, and therefore, do not need to be addressed. https://slaynews.com/news/democrats-push-hide-insects-american-food-supply/

The Bible warns about the “ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18) and not letting people know that biblically-prohibited insects are in packaged foods is wrong suppression of the truth. Hopefully, the lawmakers in Minnesota will realize that.

Last September, we put out the following sermon about the food supply:

1:07:48

Evil is Affecting the Food Supply

God gave humans food and said what He made was good. What about unclean animals? What about genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)? What about ‘bioengineered foods’? What about lab meat? What about human-cloned salami? What about ‘Piggy Sooy’? Are Christians supposed to eat what is good according to Isaiah 55:2? What should we eat? What should Christians avoid eating? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.

Here is a link to the following: Evil is Affecting the Food Supply.

Now is Michael Snyder right, that despite the increasing consumption of insects, famine is still coming?

Yes.

Jesus taught that famines were part of the beginning of sorrows:

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

The rides of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:1-8) relate to what Jesus warned would happen during the beginning of sorrows.

The Book of Revelation says that there will be more food shortages and food price inflation:

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

Food price inflation has hit in many places, but will worsen.

We put together the following related video:

14:44

3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse and Food

There are reports about food price inflation around the world. While it is worsening in many areas, some believe it will improve in 2023. Instead, could prices continue to rise in 2023 and get much worse in 2024 and thereafter? What are the causes of food price inflation? Is there any connection between weather, government policies, fertilizer prices, energy costs, economic sanctions and food price inflation? What are we seeing in reports from the United Kingdom, Hungary, and South Africa? What about impacts from Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine? Could EU and/or USA policies be effecting any of this? Is the ‘black horse’ the one associated with famine, food shortages, and food price inflation in the Book of Revelation? Are there any physical lessons we can learn from ants according to the Book of Proverbs? What are some spiritual steps we should take according to Jesus? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters and more.

Here is a link to our video: 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse and Food.

Although, according to Jesus, the time of sorrows is not one to trouble Christians, notice something else that He did say:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Worse things are coming, and Jesus stated what He said He wanted all of His people to be doing. So, watch and get ready.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; two short videos are also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food? and COVID, Pandemics, and Unclean Meat.
Cannibalism is Wrong, But it is Coming! Is it logical to eat human flesh? Or is it a curse that will return? Here is a link to a related video: Cannibalism is prophesied!
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here are some related videos: GMO Risks and the Bible and GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras?  Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?  and Human-Monkey Embryos and Death.There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
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?
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.