Church of God News

COGwriter

ZeroHedge posted the following:

Globalist “Guru” Claims Trump’s Re-Election Will Mean ‘The Death Of Global Order’

July 18, 2024

Yuval Harari is best known as a globalist “philosopher” or “guru” closely tied to the World Economic Forum.  He is infamous for his Ted Talks and summit speeches declaring the coming abandonment of personal individualism and independence while elevating AI as the harbinger of a new technological religion.  He joyously preaches about the fusion of AI technology with the human body to give certain elitist groups the power of “gods.” His notions of the supposedly infinite abilities of algorithms to influence culture and politics are so overblown they enter into the realm of children’s fantasy. …

This is where we must address the issue of Donald Trump and how he is viewed by the globalists…

In light of the recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump I think it’s important to revisit the long running globalist narrative on the “world order” and Trump’s position as scapegoat for any and all calamities that befall it.

Their primary assertion is that any movement that values national interests over global centralization is an evil movement that must be suppressed or destroyed.  This very rhetoric has permeated leftist political organizations (including Joe Biden’s administration) and the corporate media; it is being used as a justification for subterfuge and extreme violence against conservatives.

In an interview earlier this year, Harari suggested that the return of Donald Trump would mean the “death of the global order.” He then gaslights, claiming that there is no fight between nationalism and globalism and that the idea of a “globalist conspiracy” is entirely a fabrication of populist movements. These people truly expect us to forget the censorship and oppression they attempted during covid. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/globalist-guru-claims-trumps-re-election-will-mean-death-global-order

No, electing Donald Trump will not result in the death of the globalist plans–it will tend to accelerate them.

The globalists are not giving up.

The possible election of Donald Trump will not stop the globalists from moving forward or the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

Some items of related interest may include:

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.
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
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?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Mystery of Iniquity What is the mystery of iniquity? How did it start? How will it end? Two related sermons are also available: The Mystery of Iniquity and The Mystery of Lawlessness.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

COGwriter

Sometime back, the Catholic Herald reported the following:

Cardinal Robert Sarah, the Vatican’s liturgy chief, has asked priests to begin celebrating Mass ad orientem, that is, facing east rather than towards the congregation.

The proposed reform is arguably the biggest liturgical announcement since Benedict XVI’s 2007 motu proprio Summorum Pontificum gave greater freedom for priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

Speaking at the Sacra Liturgia conference in London on Tuesday, the Guinean cardinal, who is Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, addressed priests who were present, saying: “It is very important that we return as soon as possible to a common orientation, of priests and the faithful turned together in the same direction – eastwards or at least towards the apse – to the Lord who comes”.

The cardinal continued: “I ask you to implement this practice wherever possible.”

He said that “prudence” and catechesis would be necessary, but told pastors to have “confidence that this is something good for the Church, something good for our people”.

“Your own pastoral judgement will determine how and when this is possible, but perhaps beginning this on the first Sunday of Advent this year, when we attend ‘the Lord who will come’ and ‘who will not delay’.”

These words were met with prolonged applause in the conference hall.

Cardinal Sarah had spoken on previous occasions about the merits of ad orientem worship, saying that from the Offertory onwards it was “essential that the priest and faithful look together towards the east”. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/07/05/cardinal-sarah-asks-priests-to-start-celebrating-mass-facing-east-this-advent/

So, the Vatican’s ‘liturgy chief’ says it is good for its priests to pray to the east.

Perhaps he and others may wish to read the Bible, as it objects to this. Here are quotes from the New Jerusalem Bible, which is a Roman Catholic translation of the scriptures into the English language:

¹⁵ He said, ‘Son of man, do you see that? You will see even more loathsome things than that.’

¹⁶ He then led me to the inner court of the Temple of Yahweh. And there, at the entrance to Yahweh’s sanctuary, between the portico and the altar, there were about twenty-five men, with their backs to Yahweh’s sanctuary and their faces turned towards the east, before the rising sun. (Ezekiel 8:15-16)

So, although the Bible warns against worship towards the east and associates with sun-god worship, the Church of Rome is encouraging this.

Why might the Church of Rome be encouraging something in conflict with the Bible here?

Well, sadly, many practices associated with sun-god worship, specifically Mithraism were adopted by the Church of Rome. Mithraism had priests pray towards the sun, which in the morning meant towards the east. Notice the following report from the Roman Catholic scholar F. Cumont (bolding mine):

The priest was the intermediary between God and man. His functions evidently included the administration of the sacraments and the celebration of the services. The inscriptions tell us that in addition he presided at the formal dedications, or at least represented the faithful one on such an occasion along with the Fathers; but this was the least portion only of the duties he had to perform; the religious service which fell to his lot appears to have been very exacting. He doubtless was compelled to see that a perpetual fire burned upon the altars. Three times a day, at dawn, at noon, and at dusk, he addressed a prayer to the Sun, turning in the morning toward the East, at noon toward the South, at evening toward the West. The daily liturgy frequently embraced special sacrifices.

…the orthodox and heretical liturgies of Christianity, which gradually sprang up during the first centuries of our era, could find abundant inspiration in the Mithraic Mysteries… it appears certain that the commemoration of the Nativity was set for the 25th of December, because it was at the winter solstice that the rebirth of the invincible god,* the Natalis invicti, was celebrated. In adopting this date, which was universally distinguished by sacred festivities, the ecclesiastical authority purified in some measure the profane usages which it could not suppress. The only domain in which we can ascertain in detail the extent to which Christianity imitated Mithraism is that of art. The Mithraic sculpture, which had been first developed, furnished the ancient Christian marble-cutters with a large number of models, which they adopted or adapted…(Cumont, pp. 166, 193,196-197).

Many of the doctrines and practices mentioned above were NOT held by the original Christians. For articles related to them, please see Do You Practice Mithraism?, Sunday and Christianity, What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?, Did Early Christians Believe that Humans Possessed Immortality?, and What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?

Even Wikipedia realizes that worship towards the east does not come from Christianity:

The practice of praying towards the East is older than Christianity (East. Wikipedia, accessed 07/06/16)

Eastern worship is condemned in the Continuing Church of God booklet Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?:

Notice what Jesus Himself taught:

²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Many think that it does not matter what or how they worship, only that they make some attempt. That is not what Jesus said that the Father wants.

Jesus also taught:

⁸ “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. ⁹ And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9)

People may pray out loud or silently, but notice that they can be worshiping God in vain if they are following the imaginations of their own mind or ‘traditions’ of human beings which are contrary to God’s ways. Intentionally praying to the east (Ezekiel 8:16) and certain holidays that many who claim Christianity observe, do not come from the Bible, but from compromises with pagan “traditions of men” (see also our booklet Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?). …

While some have said that having icons around reminds them to pray, the Apostle John wrote:

²¹ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:21).

He did not say that idols/icons should be around to encourage prayer. The pagans did that. And the Bible teaches that the true God does not want to be worshiped as other gods have been (Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 12:29-31).

The Bible points to God’s throne being in the far north (Psalm 48:1,2; Job 37:22; Isaiah 14:13; Ezekiel 1:4) and when I pray, I tend to look towards the heavens to the north, presuming God’s throne is above that (cf. Isaiah 40:22). This helps remind me that God rules the expanses of the universe (Thiel B. Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? Nazarene Books, 2015).

To learn more about what the Bible teaches about prayer, check out our free online booklet Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?

To learn more about early Christian liturgical practices, check out the free article: What was the Liturgy of the Early Church?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related sermon is available and titled: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer?
What Should I Pray About? An old article by Lynn Torrance on prayer. Here is a link to it in Mandarin Chinese 我应该祷告什么？
Importance of Fasting An old article by Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject. Here is a link to it in Mandarin Chinese 禁食的重要性.
What was the Liturgy of the Early Church? Were early church services mainly scriptural, emotional, or sacramental? Who follows the basic original liturgy today? A related video is also available: What were early Christian church services like?
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.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
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?
Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章
Were the Early Duties of Elders/Pastors Mainly Sacramental? What was their Dress? Were the duties of the clergy primarily pastoral or sacramental? Did the clergy dress with special liturgical vestments? Can “bishops” be disqualified as ministers of Christ based on their head coverings?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

“Elijah in the wilderness“

COGwriter

According to an article about him in The Catholic Encyclopedia, Elijah “is honoured by both the Greek and Latin Churches on 20 July.” Although many Roman Catholics (and others) believe that Elijah (or a type of Elijah) will be one of the two witnesses, The Catholic Encyclopedia article about him never mentions that role related to him.

The Bible itself tells about the original Elijah in the books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles. In his first mention, God has him called for a drought:

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” (1 Kings 17:1)

Immediately after this, God had him flee, essentially to the wilderness (1 Kings 17:3; 1 Kings 17:8-10; cf.1 Kings 18:7-14; 1 Kings 19:2-4,15), and Elijah was sometimes a voice in the wilderness.

Elijah also sometimes seemed to stand alone for God:

21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord…” (1 Kings 18:21-22)

As far as faltering between two opinions, in the COGs most hold to one or more improper prophetic opinions that differ from that of the Continuing Church of God. A list of these can be found in the article The Laodicean Church Era. Because of this unless they change, those who will not pay attention to the Continuing Church of God will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late to flee (cf. Matthew 24:15-20; Revelation 12:14-17). The Apostle John recorded that there would be two groups at the end and that one would flee and be protected from the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:14-16), while the other would not be (Revelation 12:17).

Getting back to the original Elijah, when he was the top ecclesiastical authority, Elijah did a variety of miracles, such as stopping rain (1 Kings 17:1), multiplying flour and oil (1 Kings 17:13-16), getting a dry passage over a river, (2 Kings 2:7-8), and calling fire down from heaven (2 Kings 1:10-12).

Elijah, however, over time seemed to have lost the mental/emotional ability to properly lead (cf. 1 Kings 19:13-18). God later took him and replaced him with Elisha as the top ecclesiastical authority. Elisha then received a “double-portion” (two-portion literally) of the gift that God had given Elijah:

9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. (2 Kings 2:9-13)

The recipient of the double-portion promise, Elisha, was a type of Elijah. Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13) which God wanted him to have (1 Kings 19:16-19), did a similar miraculous dry river crossing (2 Kings 2:13-14), also did other miracles (2 Kings 4:30-35; 2 Kings 10:5-14; 2 Kings 6:16-18), as he replaced Elijah as God’s top ecclesiastical authority on earth (cf. 1 Kings 19:16).

A minister of the Living Church of God prayed and anointed Bob Thiel for a ‘double portion’ of God’s Spirit back in late 2011 and told him that was reminiscent of what happened to Elisha. He also confirmed that God answered that prayer when we met in November 2019. He has since died.

Interestingly, for several years after Elisha picked up the mantle that Elijah dropped, Elijah was still alive. While many outside of the Church of God seem to doubt this, the following passage confirms that Elijah was still alive later, even though the main work/mantle had shifted to Elisha:

5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem…

12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,

Thus says the Lord God of your father David:

Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the Lord will strike your people with a serious affliction — your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day. (2 Chronicles 21:5, 12-15)

The Bible, however, teaches that a voice from the wilderness would come again:

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

John the Baptist said that he was fulfilling this (though he did not indicate he would be the only one to do so):

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”…

23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:’ Make straight the way of the Lord,”‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:19,23)

Note: In Greek the word “The” above is not present.

Jesus, Himself, confirmed that John the Baptist, who is not recorded to have done any of the miracles of Elijah, fulfilled an Elijah role:

12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:12-13)

So, the Bible tells of two Elijahs who were here thousands of years ago.

But Jesus told of another Elijah to come after He left:

11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things.” (Matthew 17:11)

That particular Elijah was also prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament). Here are Protestant, “literal,” and Catholic (note: Catholics often use the Latinized form of Elijah, called Elias below) translations:

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6, ESV)

4 Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, That I did command him in Horeb, For all Israel — statutes and judgments. 5 Lo, I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful. 6 And he hath turned back the heart of fathers to sons, And the heart of sons to their fathers, Before I come and have utterly smitten the land! (Malachi 4:4-6, YLT)

4 Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, the precepts, and judgments. 5 Behold I will send you Elias the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers: lest I come, and strike the earth with anathema. (Malachi 4:4-6, Douay-Rheims).

Notice that the various translations teach that Elijah is to be on the scene before the Day of the Lord. An event that is at least over six years from now.

Various early professors of Christ believed that an Elijah (though Hippolytus in the third century felt it was literally the original Elijah) would be coming again:

The climax of Elijah’s activity is his appearance shortly before the Messianic time. “He is appointed to lead aright the coming ages, to restore the tribes of Jacob,” says Ben Sira of him (Ecclus. [Sirach] xlviii. 10, 11). In the second half of the first Christian century it was expected that Elijah would appear shortly before the coming of the Messiah, to restore to families the purity…(‘Eduy. viii. 7…) (Elijah. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)

43…For he says, And one week will make a covenant with many, and it shall be that in the midst (half) of the week my sacrifice and oblation shall cease. By one week, therefore, he meant the last week which is to be at the end of the whole world of which week the two prophets Enoch and Elias will take up the half. For they will preach 1, 260 days clothed in sackcloth, proclaiming repentance to the people and to all the nations.46…He says by Malachi and the angel, I will send to you Elias the Tishbite before the day of the Lord, the great and notable day, comes; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, lest I come and smite the earth utterly. These, then, shall come and proclaim the manifestation of Christ that is to be from heaven; and they shall also perform signs and wonders, in order that men may be put to shame and turned to repentance for their surpassing wickedness and impiety. 47. For John says, And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. That is the half of the week whereof Daniel spoke. (Hipploytus. On Christ and Antichrist).

The Church of God position has been that someone would come in the spirit and power of Elijah to “restore all things” and possibly be one of the two witnesses. While the late Herbert W. Armstrong (who died in January 1986) sometimes indicated that he fulfilled that role, he told people, that I have personally spoken with, that there could be another other than he. Those with a WCG background might find the following quote from Herbert W. Armstrong of some assistance here as he wrote:

Those called into the Church were called not merely for salvation and eternal life, but to learn the way of God’s government and develop the divine character during this mortal life in the Church age…

Also Malachi 4:5-6 pictures the Elijah to come at the very end of the Church age (Mystery of the Ages. 1985, pp. 201, 349).

And when was the “Church age” supposed to end according to Herbert W. Armstrong’s old church? Notice:

God has set before us an open door and no MAN can shut it. God can shut it, and He will when the work is finished and the Philadelphia Church goes to a place of safety. …The Laodicean Church is not going to be worthy to escape to a place of safety. When it is too late, they will find that the Church of Philadelphia has gone to safety (What Is the “LAODICEAN CHURCH”? Good News August 1959 Vol. VIII, Number 8).

Now since the Church age has not ended, and the Day of the Lord has not yet come, then it follows that Elijah was to come on the scene publicly after this was written. His restoring of “all things” means that he is to be restoring information that the true Church of God once understood, but later must have lost or misunderstood (see also LCG on Prophets: Rare, But Look for the Fruits and Is there a need for a prophet now?).

Now, I should add that RCG’s David Pack is NOT the prophesied end-time Elijah despite his claims about it–he has NOT restored the truth and is confused/wrong on many points.

Those of the true and genuine Philadelphian remnant will pay much attention to the voice of the true final Elijah. Those who do not will not fare as well as they could (cf. Revelation 12:14-17).

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Three related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies, Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG, and 21st Century Elijah.
Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things Have all things been restored? Is there restoration going on? Is there supposed to be a 21st century Elijah? Here is are links to two related sermons: 21st Century Elijah and CCOG: Restoring All Things. Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: La restauracion de todas las cosas.
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.
Church of God Leaders on Prophets Have there been prophets throughout the church age? Are any supposed to be around in the last days? What have COG leaders stated or written about prophets? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Leaders on Prophets.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here? A related sermon is available: Prophecy and the Two Witnesses. Here is a related link in Spanish/español:¿Quiénes son los dos testigos?
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?
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.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?

Charles Ponzi in 1920 (Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The USA continues to increase its official debt.

Back in 2009, then US President Barack Obama stated that the deficit spending at that time was “unsustainable” (https://joewilson.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/president-obama-do-as-i-say-not-as-i-do May 15, 2009) yet the USA has continued down that path.

Debt will end in disaster for the USA.

In 2021, Asia Times reported the following:

The great federal-debt Ponzi scheme

July 5, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

The amount of official federal USA debt is expected to currently be about $35 trillion. And, yes, inflation has gotten worse since that 2021 article came out.

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

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

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

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

Notice that event the US Treasury secretary sees problems that she is not publicly willing to admit:

Janet Yellen Quietly Admits Serious U.S. Dollar Collapse Fears …

U.S. Treasury secretary Janet Yellen has warned countries around the world are moving away from the U.S. dollar—as the spiraling $34 trillion U.S. debt pile fuels fears of collapse—with bitcoin and crypto slowly chipping away at dollar dominance.  … Yellen has said she fears U.S. financial sanctions will reduce the role of the dollar around the world …

“We have very powerful sanctions that are available because of the important role of the dollar in international transactions,” Yellen told U.S. lawmakers on the House financial services …

“The more we have used sanctions, the more countries look for ways to engage in financial transactions that don’t involve the dollar.”

The U.S.-led western financial sanctions “will have a certain impact on the international status of the U.S. dollar,” Zhao Qingming, a Beijing-based financial expert told the China newspaper Global Times. “In the short term, the position of the U.S. dollar should remain stable, but over time, its position may weaken.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2024/07/14/janet-yellen-quietly-admits-serious-us-dollar-collapse-fears-as-trump-primes-bitcoin-for-a-4-trillion-price-surge/

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

2 Then the Lord answered me and said:

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

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

Please pay attention to the fact that that above is a prophecy for the appointed time of the end–essentially the time of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21; watch also Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027?). The USA has been accumulating pledges in the form of US Treasury bonds and notes, and is the most indebted nation of all time. It is descendants of Israel, like the USA, that are prophesied to have debt issues with foreigners if they turn from God’s laws (cf. Deuteronomy 28:43-44)–that is consistent with Habakkuk 2:6-8. The above prophecy is NOT a reference to the nation calling itself Israel as it has nothing compared to USA debt.

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

Foreign creditors will rise up.

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

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

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

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

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

Most will not believe, but that was expected:

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

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

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

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

Watch also the following:

14:44 

And the Debt Goes On…

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

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

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

Do not believe in Ponzi schemes.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Brexit Happened: Now What? At 11:00 pm January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally left the European Union. Many celebrated, while many mourned. Nigel Farage stated, “This is the greatest moment in modern British history.” What will happen to the United Kingdom? Will the UK be involved in trade deals with the United States of America and the Europeans? Will the UK regret the BRitish Exit (Brexit) from the EU?What will happen with the European Union? Is Europe prophesied to have a great army and many ships? Does the Bible prophesy a reorganization of Europe? Does it prophesy that the Europeans will become a conquering military power? Is the United Kingdom prophesied to be conquered? How does the Bible name the British-descended peoples? Was the British Empire the largest in world history? Was Brexit predicted by Church of God leaders in 1970 and the early 1990s? Will the European Union be negatively affected financially by the departure of the UK? Will this turn out well for the UK or the Europeans? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
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?
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.

 Donald Trump                  Joe Biden
(Official White House Photos)

COGwriter

US President Joe Biden who has had numerous COVID shots and COVID boosters, and who also wrongly said people vaccinated for COVID did not transmit COVID, now has COVID himself:

July 17, 2024

President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, disrupting a key campaign event meant to shore up support with Latino voters at a critical juncture in the election.

Biden, 81, was experiencing mild symptoms and has received his first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid, according to his doctor.

“I feel good,” Biden, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, told reporters Wednesday in Las Vegas, flashing a thumbs-up before boarding Air Force One to head to his Delaware residence. The president will self-isolate there in line with US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. …

It’s unclear where and when the president contracted Covid-19. But the sudden diagnosis will place him behind closed doors at a time when Democratic lawmakers have been clamoring to see him out front. …

Just hours before the White House announced Biden’s Covid-19 diagnosis, California Rep. Adam Schiff, a Senate candidate and former House Intelligence chairman, became the most prominent elected Democrat to publicly call on the president to drop out of the race.

The party remains in flux about the path forward amid fears that, in light of his disastrous debate performance last month, Biden cannot defeat Trump and risks taking down Democrats in down-ballot races with him in November.  https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html

July 17, 2024

 ABC News reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., advised President Biden to end his reelection for the greater good of the country and the Democratic Party.

Only eight days ago, Schumer had a different opinion on Biden: “I’m with Joe.”  …

Just hours after President Biden mentioned in an interview that he would consider dropping out of the presidential race if diagnosed with a “medical condition,” the elderly president tested positive for Covid-19 this afternoon. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-tests-positive-covid-after-saying-hed-consider-dropping-out-if-diagnosed-medical

That said, many have wondered about obvious and other lapses associated with Donald Trump’s security detail.

Notice a report from Michael Snyder:

Did DEI Almost Get Donald Trump Killed?

All throughout human history, leaders of nations have been guarded by elite warriors.  That only makes sense, because there is so much to lose if a king or a president is killed.  So considering the fact that we are currently the most powerful country on the entire planet, you would think that the people that are protecting our national leaders would be extraordinarily impressive.  But actually the opposite is true.  On Saturday, we had a bunch of obvious DEI hires trying to protect Donald Trump, and he almost died.

Somehow, a 20-year-old amateur with a rifle was able to scale a building on to a roof that had a direct line of sight to the platform where Trump would speak, and he was able to stay up there for nearly 30 minutes without anyone from the Secret Service doing anything about it.

Members of the crowd could see a man with a gun up there, but the Secret Service didn’t take action and they allowed Trump to speak anyway.

Either this was incompetence on a level that is difficult to comprehend, or something else was going on.

Once Trump was hit, Secret Service agents rushed to the stage.

But as Christopher Rufo has pointed out, the female agent that was attempting to shield his torso was way too short, “leaving his head and neck exposed after he stood up”…

He said: “Scene one: after President Trump ducks, a group of agents leaps to him and protects him with their bodies. A female agent who rushes to the stage acts bravely, without a doubt, but the point of the ‘huddle’ is to protect the president. The agent was much shorter than President Trump, leaving his head and neck exposed after he stood up.”

If a second shooter had been ready to shoot at that point, Trump would have been in grave danger.

But at least that first female agent was trying to do the right thing.

Another female agent on the stage appeared to be cowering behind Trump.

It took the Secret Service an eternity to get Trump off the stage and to his vehicle.

After finally arriving at the vehicle, three female agents appeared to be very frightened and very confused…

Then, he added, “Scene two: as Trump enters the escape vehicle, a female Secret Service agent fumbles her gun and cannot find her holster; another female agent appears confused and, in the moment of crisis, decides to use both of her hands to put on her sunglasses; a third looks frightened and uncertain.”

On Twitter, Michael Yon did not hold back as he criticized these agents…

Absolute humiliation for this gaggle of female Secret Service Agents.

Look at the disorder:

– Can’t holster weapons
– Gear falling to the ground
– Erratic, fearful movements
– No show of force, composure

DEI Secret Service make Presidents LESS Safe

Look, I am sure that these women are very nice people.

But they are not suited for this sort of work. 07/16/24 https://endoftheamericandream.com/did-dei-almost-get-donald-trump-killed/

Let me add that I noticed the height issue with the agents who are supposed to be guarding Donald Trump. In order to protect him from bullets all around, the agents should be at least as tall as he is. But they were not.

And yes, there were other lapses.

People should be hired who are qualified, not those who check off various boxes for what I would consider to be false ‘virtue signaling.’

And when it comes to ‘body guards,’ in Donald Trump’s case the preference instead for DEI almost proved to be a fatal.

Do not put your confidence in Joe Biden nor Donald Trump.

Put your faith in Jesus. Biblical prophecies will be fulfilled and we are seeing the stage is being set for many to be fulfilled fairly soon.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president/prime minister? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand. A video of related interest is available titled: Should Christians Vote? Another video is Biden, Trump, and the Bible.
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.
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?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill?  Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic?  Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
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.

Global North in blue and Global South in red
(Map by Specialgst via WIkipedia)

COGwriter

Although technically part of the ‘Global North,’ Russia is working a lot with the ‘Global South’:

Russian political scientist warns: The world is “on the edge of an abyss”

A top Russian political scientist has warned that the West could be on the brink of acting recklessly as it sees its influence dwindle in the wake of the Ukraine-Russia conflict.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion this week, Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of World Economy and International Relations Director Aleksandr Dynkin cautioned that the world is “on the edge of an abyss” amid a significant shift of power.

While the seat of the global world order used to be in Europe, it has been in the U.S. for quite some time. However, Dynkin believes this is all about to change as Russia, India and China enjoy growing influence that will be further bolstered by the conflict in Ukraine and its fallout. He said that the “political East” is poised to become an equal partner to the “political West.”

India and China have resisted calls to condemn Russia over its behavior in Ukraine, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi even paid Moscow a visit this week and sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The West’s declining global influence and the mental struggles of U.S. President Joe Biden could spur desperation and inspire the West to make “reckless” decisions, according to Dynkin. …

Russia is proactively pursuing the formation of a new world order

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been embarking on a diplomatic offensive with developing countries in Africa and Asia, appealing to their frustrations with the West by providing them with an alternative. …

Putin is well aware that the global South is an important part of achieving his goal, and he has been working with China to shift the global balance of power in their favor.

This October, Russia is hosting a summit for the BRICS block of nations, which added four new countries to its membership earlier this year. More than 30 are still waiting for their applications to be approved, including Thailand and Malaysia.

It is important to note that BRICS differs from the EU and NATO in the sense that it has a loose framework and its requirements for entry are considered far less strict. Emerging countries can benefit economically by joining, they maintain, without the need to become a democracy or align their economy with Western standards.

In addition to courting widespread support for a multipolar world order via BRICS, Putin is also looking to extend an anti-America coalition that will also include the Middle East and North Korea. To that end, he recently visited North Korea and met with dictator Kim Jong Un. https://www.naturalnews.com/2024-07-13-world-edge-abyss-russian-political-scientist.html

While Russia is technically more in Asia than Europe, the Russians are ethnically more like Europeans than Asians.

Notice also that Russia wants to have the Middle East as part of an anti-American coalition. The Bible tells of a time when the Middle East will turn against the USA as well as the UK. Note also that Australia and New Zealand, though in the south are considered part of the Global North, they will not survive as they have been once the USA, Canada, and UK are conquered.

Here is something from our free online book Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century:

Another possibly related set of passages related to a temporal Muslim-European alliance is found in the 83^rd Psalm. Here is part of it, starting with verse 3, with some modern national identities from former Radio and Worldwide Church of God writers inserted using “{ }”[i]:

³ They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. ⁴ They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel {includes Jews as well as the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, meaning the British-descended peoples and the USA} may be remembered no more.”

⁵ For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: ⁶ The tents of Edom {Turks and possibly Afghanis} and the Ishmaelites {Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Libya}; Moab {part of Jordan} and the Hagrites {Syria}; ⁷ Gebal {Lebanon}, Ammon {Jordan, and perhaps the UAE}, and Amalek {part of the Turks}; Philistia {Palestinian Arabs} with the inhabitants of Tyre {Lebanon; perhaps also in part of Southern Italy}; ⁸ Assyria {migrated to Germanic Europe} also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot {Jordan and western Iraq}. (Psalm 83:3-8)

Nations like Tunisia and Algeria would also be expected to be involved, as well as those associated with the end time European Beast power.

The old Radio Church of God and Worldwide Church of God published the following related to that 83^rd Psalm:

Notice an amazing prophecy about the Middle East in Psalm 83:1-8. It is a time of war. “Hold not Thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, Thine enemies … have taken crafty counsel against Thy people.” They have dealt treacherously with Judah and Israel — with the Jews and with America and Britain … Israel {Genesis 48:14-16}. The Jews are merely the tribe of Judah. …

So Germany … is ultimately going to support an Arab union against the Jews and against Israel — Britain and America! This is what prophecy foretells.[ii]

Here we see that the Arab nations mentioned are allied with Germany (Assur) which we know from other prophecies will be the military leader — naturally so — of a United States of Europe … This European power — called the “king of the North” in Daniel 11 [iii]

(Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the coming Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations — a vast confederacy bound together in an effort to crush out the name “Israel” from the face of the earth! This Arab-Moslem confederacy may very well be the previously mentioned “king of the south” of Daniel 11 — a sphere of power encompassing vast portions of the Islamic world. …

But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived. … the “king of the north” of Daniel 11 — the leader of the German-led European union — will ultimately turn against the Arab “king of the south,” with disastrous consequences for the entire Middle East [iv]

Psalm 83 is talking about an alliance of predominantly Muslim peoples aligning with a European power to go against, according to the old Radio Church of God, the Jews of Israel, the British-descended nations, and the USA. Prophetic Assyria is connected to an end time power in Germany and Europe (cf. Isaiah 10:5-11).

[i] Boraker R. SYRIA RAIDS ISRAEL – Where Is It Leading? Plain Truth. November 1966, p. 27; Hoeh H. GERMANY in Prophecy! – Part 2. Plain Truth, January 1963, pp. 28; Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy, p. 13; McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! CG21, 2005

[ii] Hoeh, pp. 28-29

[iii] Boraker, p. 27

[iv] Stump, p. 13

Russia and China, while not officially part of the King of the North or the King of the South, may well encourage the Middle Eastern people to take actions against the USA and UK.

But they will not lead the coming new world order.

That said, notice also the following report about China:

‘Peaceful modernization’: China’s offering to the Global South

Xi Jinping just offered the Global South a stark alternative to decades of western diktats, war, and economic duress. ‘Peaceful modernization’ will establish sovereignty, economy, and independence for the world’s struggling states

October 20, 2022

President Xi Jinping’s work report at the start of the 20^th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) this past Sunday in Beijing contained not only a blueprint for the development of the civilization-state, but for the whole Global South.

Xi’s 1h45min speech actually delivered a shorter version of the full work report – see attached PDF – which gets into way more detail on an array of socio-political themes.

This was the culmination of a complex collective effort that went on for months. When he received the final text, Xi commented, revised and edited it.

In a nutshell, the CPC master plan is twofold: finalize “socialist modernization” from 2020 to 2035; and build China – via peaceful modernization – as a modern socialist country that is “prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, and harmonious” all the way to 2049, signaling the centenary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The central concept in the work report is peaceful modernization – and how to accomplish it. As Xi summarized, “It contains elements that are common to the modernization processes of all countries, but it is more characterized by features that are unique to the Chinese context.”

Very much in tune with Confucian Chinese culture, “peaceful modernization” encapsulates a complete theoretical system. Of course there are multiple geoeconomic paths leading to modernization – according to the national conditions of any particular country. But for the Global South as a whole, what really matters is that the Chinese example completely breaks with the western TINA (“there is no alternative”) monopoly on modernization practice and theory. https://thecradle.co/Article/Columns/17132

China is claimed to be the world’s second largest economy after the USA, but it actually could be bigger depending upon the measurement–hence to many, China really is the alternative to the West.

But what will happen is that while Russia and China are courting the Global South, they will essentially align with Europe for a time and this will lead to the end of the USA and UK.

However, they will later turn against Europe.

8:20

China’s Silk Road and Babylon the Great

China has been embarking on a multi-trillion dollar project to build roads and ports to connect more of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to it. This has been called the ‘Belt and Road Initiative,’ Silk Road Project, Silk Road 2.0, and the One Belt, One Road Initiative. While this is expected to benefit Chinese trade (as well as provide infrastructure for the gathering at Armageddon), could this also benefit the rise of Babylon the Great foretold in the Book of Revelation and scriptures in the Old Testament? What about the proposed Polar Silk Road? Will the benefits to Europe last or will the end time ‘daughter of Babylon’ possibly face invasion from nations involved with the Silk Road project? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues with scriptures from the Bible.

Here is a link to our video: China’s Silk Road and Babylon the Great.

Let me also add that  the European Union actually has a higher gross domestic product than the USA or China. It will have issues, but will rise up and lead what some will consider the new world order–and will cooperate with Russia and China, for a time, to do so.

Related to Europe and China trade consider that:

The EU is China’s largest trading partner,^[1][2] and in 2020, China overtook the US in becoming the EU’s largest trade partner in terms of goods.^[35] Most of this trade is in industrial and manufactured goods. US is still EU’s leading partner when services are included in the calculation. (China-European Union Relations. Wikipedia, accessed 09/02/22)

The EU is the PRC’s largest trading partner,^[1][2] and the PRC is the EU’s largest trade partner.^[3] (China-European Union Relations. Wikipedia, accessed 07/13/24)

The Europeans do not want to foul-up trade with China–despite what the USA may want.

The USA’s arm twisting, using its dollar as a weapon, and often downplaying concerns of individual nations has hurt its standing in the world.

USA sanctions against Russia have pushed it elsewhere and many others that the USA has pressured have embraced Russia and/or China.

The Anglo-American dominated world order is in the process of being replaced.

Europe, itself, has been making trade deals around the world.

It has also long made deals with countries that the USA has sanctioned or somehow sidelined.

Furthermore, in order to counter some of China’s influence, it came up with something called the Global Gateway.

The EU project is ambitious. It is intended to help ensure that it, and not China, will gain dominance. This is strategically interesting in that Europe is not intending to spend as much as China, but by being more selective about where to spend its funds, it will mainly fill in ‘gaps’ that it expects will benefit it the most.

This will, also, allow for more trade between China and Europe.

Related to the Global Gateway, we put out the following related video:

12:52

EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War? 

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

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

Despite various problems, there will be increased connectivity between Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

China, Russia, and the Europeans are working on that type of increased connectivity.

Notice also the following related video:

14:54

Europe WILL deal with China

Many in Europe have suggested that the European Union should dramatically cut-off ties with the Peoples Republic of China. However, Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), a Berlin-based think tank, specialized on China, warns against trying to internationally isolate China. MERICS also pointed out that China is more popular than the United States in many parts of the world as it invests in foreign nations without telling them they need to change internal (and sometimes external) policies. The EU and China are now each others biggest trading partners when it comes to industrial and manufactured goods. MERICS advises the EU to “strengthen its role as an economic and security partner,” if it seeks “to remain a relevant geopolitical actor and protect its own interests and security,” as well as to be more energetic in the “shaping of global coalitions.” This video also discusses Europe’s answer to China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative called the “Global Gateway.” Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel also go over scriptures pointing the fact that end-time European Babylon (not the current European Union) will be involved in trade with each other. Some other items which occurred in Europe that were predicted in the old Worldwide Church of God, like a common European currency (the euro) and uniting of East and West Europe which have come to pass was discussed. And Jesus was quoted telling His followers to “Watch” (Mark 13:37).

Here is a link to our video: Europe WILL deal with China.

That said, will Russia and China bring “peaceful modernization” to the Global South?

Well, perhaps temporarily in some sense of the word.

Yet, the Bible shows that Russia and China will be part of a massive army–with others in Asia (cf. Revelation 16:12-16) that will one day conquer Europe–and this is AFTER Europe has conquered the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39 and 11:44).

Properly understood biblical prophecies are coming to pass.

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

What is happening in the eastern hemisphere is something to watch.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? Here is a link to a related sermon: Asia in Prophecy. Two YouTube video are Is China THE Threat to the United States of America? and China: A King of the East.
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims.
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.
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.

COGwriter

A reader tipped me of to the following:

A PUBLIC INQUIRY – Will the USA break up into many regions?

Secret DARPA/CIA Time Travel pre-identification of future USA balkanization was leaked in 1977 to then SRI Futurist, now Tribunal Judge Alfred Lambremont Webre

“A Public Inquiry is based on eye-witness testimony that U.S. Presidents Bush Sr, Bush Jr, Clinton, Obama, Trump, & Biden were pre-identified and groomed in 1971 by CIA’s secret Time Travel program.”— Alfred Lambremont Webre

BLAINE, WASHINGTON, USA, June 28, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — “A Public Inquiry”, a new Series of 3 research-based books on “In The Future, Will The United States Of America Break Up Into Many Regions?” is now available on Amazon.com. A Top Secret DARPA/CIA Time Travel pre-identification of a future USA balkanization was leaked in 1977 to then Stanford Research Institute [SRI] Futurist author Alfred Lambremont Webre, now a Tribunal Judge with an international Tribunal of Conscience, the Natural and Common Law Tribunal for Public Health and Justice at http://www.peaceinspace.org.

In the 3 books of the A Public Inquiry Series, Judge Webre recounts his own 1971 meeting with the Top Secret DARPA CIA time travel unit after DARPA-CIA time-traveled his landmark book “Exopolitics” from 2005 back to 1971 using classified quantum access technologies. Continuing the disclosure narrative, Judge Webre reveals a stunning January 1977 meeting with Stanford Research Institute futurist Director Willis Harman who told him of the future Balkanization of the USA, “Alfred in the Future, the United States of America will break up into many regions.” …

A Public Inquiry Book Series focuses on structural signs of a possible time travel pre-identified breaking up of the United States of America, including the 2022 adoption by the Texas State Republican Party of a plank calling for the secession of Texas from the USA, and a recent poll showing that a plurality of Trump voters in Trump leaning states favor secession from the USA– “About 33% of Trump voters in so-called red states say they’d personally fare better if their state ‘became an independent country.” https://www.rt.com/news/559080-trump-voters-favor-secession-poll/

“Support for secession is growing among every partisan group in the months following the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol but particularly among southern Republicans, a new poll found.

We may well see more division in the USA.

Its Supreme Court is highly politicized as is its Department of Justice, as well as many state and local courts.

In this year’s presidential election, both major sides are basically pushing the narrative (one more subtly than the other) that if the other side wins that the USA is over.

As far as the USA splitting up into pieces goes, I do expect that–but not because of any DARPA report.

So do some others.

Furthermore, a while back, a Russian Professor forecasted that Russia would end up with Alaska:

MOSCOW — For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart…Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s academy for future diplomats…

When the going gets tough, he says, wealthier states will withhold funds from the federal government and effectively secede from the union. Social unrest up to and including a civil war will follow. The U.S. will then split along ethnic lines, and foreign powers will move in…

“It would be reasonable for Russia to lay claim to Alaska; it was part of the Russian Empire for a long time.” A framed satellite image of the Bering Strait that separates Alaska from Russia like a thread hangs from his office wall. “It’s not there for no reason,” he says with a sly grin.

(Osborn A. As if Things Weren’t Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S. Wall Street Journal, Dec 29, 2008 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123051100709638419.html).

Although Russia does not know how it will happen, I think I do. It is certainly possible that if Russia makes a deal with the rising European Beast power that it may end up with Alaska.

Consider the following prophecy:

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

The “he” is the European King of the North (cf. Daniel 11:40). The strongest fortresses in the 21st century belong to the USA, and to a lessor degree its British-descended allies.

Since Bible prophecy points to Anglo-lands being divided in various scriptures (for more than Daniel 11:39, see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided?), Russia may well end up with some of all of Alaska and maybe even parts of Canada.

Despite what many think, Germany and Russia will one day make a deal.

Back in 1962, notice two items that the old Radio Church of God published:

United within the ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire; united by the common spiritual bond of universal Catholicism; united in a burgeoning and booming industrial economy that dominates today’s world; united geographically in the most productive and industrial complex of all the earth — at least TEN NATIONS OF MODERN EUROPE WILL MARCH ONTO THE SCENE OF WORLD HISTORY AS THE GREATEST SINGLE HUMAN FORCE EVER SEEN BY MAN! This United Europe will form a nonaggression pact or political alignment of some sort with the Soviet East. …

Modern Europe is counseling and making treaties and alliances and agreements to conquer this earth! … Germany, those living in Germany, even the German government, may not yet know that they are going to join in a treaty with the Russians to destroy the United States and bring it to its knees-it is not in his “heart” to think so, but on the other hand it IS in his “heart” to destroy-the very characteristic of the Assyrian, the modern German, is a harsh, cruel, iron, dedication to militarism and destruction! …

MAN’S ONLY HOPE LIES IN TURNING TO HIS CREATOR GOD!

“At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom. to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, TURN FROM THEIR EVIL, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them… Behold, I frame evil against YOU, and devise a device against YOU: return ye now EVERY ONE from his evil way and make your ways and your doings good!” (Jer. 18:7, 8, 11).

The case of America and Great Britain is hopeless! (Hill DJ,What is Germany’s Destiny? Plain Truth, March 1962, pp. 28-29)

The German people are now asking themselves: “Can we rely on the Americans and British?” … These questions lead to the logical conclusion that maybe the only people the Germans can rely on themselves. They are now thinking: “Perhaps we can strike a better bargain with the Russians ourselves.” …

Once a German-dominated Europe is fully established, Germany will be ready to negotiate and bargain with Russia- and behind the backs of the Western Allies if necessary. …

When will a Russo-German deal be made? Here is a quotation from a circular letter issued in September, 1950 by the Nazi Geo-political Center in Madrid:

“However long we may continue to milk the Americans of millions of dollars, there must come the inevitable moment when we shall have to make it crystal clear to them that we are not willing to join the fight against Russia for American interests … (Germany Plots with the Kremlin by T H. Terens, p. 15). …

Most Americans and Britons are not aware of what Germany and Europe are planning against them. This is partly due to the cunning of German. politics. …

World events are moving swiftly toward the climax when Great Britain and the United. States will be attacked, conquered and DESTROYED! (Boraker R. Are the Germans Secretly Dealing with Moscow? Plain Truth, May 1962, pp. 45-47)

As regular readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, I have long expected that Russia would make a deal with the Europeans.

The Continuing Church of God has the following video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel:

14:34

Russia and Mexico to Receive US Land?

Shortly after US President Joe Biden told Ukraine it could use certain long-range weapons to attack inside of Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that two can play at that game. He said that the Kremlin would consider putting ICBMs and/or other missiles in nations that are hostile to the USA. Kremlin television showed Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Mexico, and pointed to damage coming to places like Alaska. Russians have long suggested that Mexico could/should get back lands from Texas to California that the US gained at the point of a gun. Many Russians consider that Alaska should again be part of Russia. Did the Germans propose giving Mexico lands from the US during World War 1? Are there scriptures that point to the strongest fortresses of the US being conquered and having its lands divided by the European King of the North Beast power? Did Russian Igor Panarin point to the US breaking up in many pieces with Mexico getting the land back (that some Mexicans have called the ‘reconquista’), China or Japan getting Hawaii, Russia regaining Alaska, and Europe ending up with other parts of the US? Might Russia and Mexico one day cooperate when Europe wants to take over the US? Might Russia end up with at least parts of Alaska and possibly parts of Canada? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel cover these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Russia and Mexico to Receive US Land?

Russia and Europe will make some type of a deal that will not work out well for the USA or the UK.

Their lands will be divided!

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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.
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?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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?

(Photo by Geierunited)

COGwriter

Should Christians smoke?

Does smoking show love to self or neighbor?

Tobacco use is believed to kill about six million people each year.

Smoking is dangerous and hurts the smoker and those around the smoker. Can or should smokers quit?

Here is information about his own smoking and views on it by the late Hebert W. Armstrong from his Autobiography:

In order to keep up with the job, due to inadaptability and resultant slowness, it became necessary to work nights. I established a system. I worked alternately one night until ten, the next until midnight, rising at 5:30 every morning. Time had to be taken out to walk the one or two miles from my room to the mill, and also to walk over to the boarding house where I took meals. I kept awake on the job nights by smoking a pipe — my first habitual smoking. In just six months this overwork and loss of sleep exacted its toll, and I was sent to the hospital with a very severe case of typhoid fever…

I had taken up pipe smoking during those long and frantic night hours at Wiggins, Mississippi, as an aid to staying awake while I worked over the books. I had smoked, moderately, ever since. However, I will say that I was never a heavy smoker. Never more than one cigar a day, or three or four cigarettes in a day. That’s the reason I did not have the battle many men have had in breaking the habit, when I saw that it had to be broken…

{Later} I was baptized, the matter of smoking had to be settled. Of course the Quaker church, in which I had been reared as a boy, taught that smoking was a sin. But I had been unhappily disillusioned to see that in so many basic points the Bible teaching is the very opposite of what I had absorbed in Sunday school. “I’ve got to see the answer to the tobacco question IN THE BIBLE!” I said to myself. Until I found the answer in the Bible, I decided I would continue as before — smoking mildly. I had continued to smoke lightly, averaging three or four cigarettes a day, or one cigar a day. I had never been a heavy smoker.

Now I had to face the question: Is smoking a SIN? I wanted the BIBLE answer, for I had learned by this time that Christ had said we must live by EVERY WORD OF GOD. The BIBLE is our Instruction Book on right living. We must find a BIBLE reason for everything we do. I knew, of course, there is no specific command, “Thou shalt not smoke.” But the absence of a detailed prohibition did not mean God’s approval. I had learned that GOD’S LAW is His WAY OF LIFE. It is a basic philosophy of life.

The whole Law is summed up in the one word LOVE.

I knew that love is the opposite of lust. Lust is self-desire — pleasing the self only. Love means loving others. Its direction is not inward toward self alone, but outgoing, toward others. I knew the Bible teaches that “lust of the flesh” is the way of SIN.

So now I began to apply the principle of God’s Law. I asked myself, “WHY do I smoke?” To please others — to help others — to serve or minister to or express love toward others — or only to satisfy and gratify a desire of the flesh within my own self? The answer was instantaneously obvious. I had to be honest with it. My only reason for smoking was LUST OF THE FLESH, and lust of the flesh is, according to the BIBLE, sin! I stopped smoking immediately.

This beginning of overcoming was not too difficult, for it had not been a “big habit” with me. Once weaned, I was able to see it as it is — a dirty, filthy habit. And today we know it is a serious and major contributing cause of lung cancer! God designed and created the human body. He designed the LUNGS to take in FRESH AIR to fire and oxidize the blood, and at the same time to filter out of the blood the impurities and waste matter the blood has picked up throughout the body. Befouled smoke, containing the poisons of nicotine and tars, reduces the efficiency of the operation of this vital organ.

The physical human body is, God says, the very TEMPLE of His Holy Spirit. If we defile this TEMPLE — this physical body — God says He will destroy us! God intended us, if we are to be COMPLETE, to live happy, healthy and abundant lives, and to gain eternal life, to take in HIS SPIRIT — not poisonous foreign substances like tobacco.

Hebert W. Armstrong died on January 16, 1986, at age 93 1/2. His reasons for quitting smoking make biblical sense to me. People should not smoke. It harms them and others around them.

He concluded, correctly, that Christians should not smoke.

(Those interested in learning more about Herbert W. Armstrong, should read the article Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today?)

Smoking causes DNA damage:

November 3, 2016

Smoking leaves an “archaeological record” of the hundreds of DNA mutations it causes, scientists have discovered.

Having sequenced thousands of tumour genomes, they found a 20-a-day smoker would rack up an average of 150 mutations in every lung cell each year.

The changes are permanent, and persist even if someone gives up smoking.

Researchers say analysing tumour DNA may help explain the underlying causes of other cancers. …

The study, in the journal Science, was carried out by an international group, including the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridgeshire and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

The analysis shows a direct link between the number of cigarettes smoked in a lifetime and the number of mutations in tumour DNA.

The authors found that, on average, smoking a packet of cigarettes a day led to:

• 150 mutations in each lung cell every year

• 97 in the larynx or voice box

• 23 in the mouth

• 18 in the bladder

• six in the liver

Joint lead author Prof Sir Mike Stratton, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: “The more mutations there are, the higher the chance that these will occur in the key genes that we call cancer genes, which convert a normal cell into a cancer cell.”

The researchers said that in tissues such as the lung, which are directly exposed to smoke, they could find the mutational signature of the chemicals in tobacco smoke, of which at least 60 are carcinogens. …

Dr David Gilligan, consultant oncologist at Papworth Hospital and Roy Castle Lung Foundation trustee, said: “For every 150 mutations in the cell each year, that is 150 opportunities for lung cancer to develop.

“Lung cancer has been at the bottom of the survival league for many years, but there are many exciting developments, including immunotherapy and genetically targeted drug treatments.” http://www.bbc.com/news/health-37849000

Smoking is not good.

Notice some of what the New Testament teaches:

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

37…”‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Consider that smoking does not glorify God in your body–it harms your body. Consider that smoking also does not show love towards one’s neighbor–it harms your neighbor. Smoking is a sin against the body, and sometimes more than that.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Should You Smoke? Would You Like Help to Quit?

It has been said that bad habits are easy to get into, but difficult to get out of. Smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. A 20-cigarette-a-day smoker racks up an average of 150 mutations in every lung cell each year. Many find it hard to stop smoking as the nicotine habit is a difficult addiction to break. Is smoking a sin? Can smokers quit? Why did Herbert W. Armstrong quit smoking? Are there things that smokers can do to help them quit? If you have tried to quit before and failed, should you keep trying? Does the Bible offer any help to people addicted to smoking or other vices? Does Jesus promise rewards for those who overcome? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Should You Smoke? Would You Like Help to Quit?

Smoking is wrong and it kills people. God wants people to change/repent (Acts 17:30)–which means that, despite its difficulties it can be done (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13). The sooner one starts the better off one will be. Christians should strive to not smoke and should strive to be healthy.

Several items of possibly related interest include:

Should Christians Smoke Tobacco? Is smoking a sin? What does the Bible teach? What have COG leaders written? Can smokers change? What about marijuana? Here is a link to a related video: Should You Smoke? Would You Like Help to Quit?
Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to two related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food and Let’s Talk About Health.
Marijuana: Should a Christian Get High? There is increasing acceptance of the use of marijuana. How should Christians view this? Here is a related video titled How Should a Christian View Marijuana?
Alcohol: Blessing or Curse? This is an article from the old Good News magazine that attempts to answer this question.
Binge Alcohol Drinking and the Bible Many college students and others overindulge in alcohol. Are there health risks? What does the Bible teach?
Obesity, processed foods, health risks, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? Is gluttony condemned? What diseases are associated with eating too much refined foods? A related video would be Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is also a link to a video titled How to Overcome Sin.
How to Prevent Sin This is an article by Herbert W. Armstrong.
Just What Do You Mean Conversion? Many think that they are converted Christians. But are they? Would you like to know more about conversion. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.

Unemployed Americans at Soup Kitchen during the Great Depression (USNARA)

COGwriter

Daily Reckoning posted the following:

Welcome to Inflationary Depression …

Is the True Inflation Rate 19%?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics simply cannot keep up, partially because the Consumer Price Index does not calculate the following: interest on anything, taxes, housing, health insurance (accurately), homeowners insurance, car insurance, government services like public schools, shrinkflation, quality declines, substitutions due to price or additional service fees.

Those are a major part of what has gone up, which is why data on particular industries show a huge gap (groceries up 35% over four years) and why ShadowStats estimates inflation in double digits two years running, having peaked at 17%. Just adding in interest, a paper from NBER estimates, takes 2023 inflation to 19%.

Various studies have shown that since 2019 fast-food prices — a gold standard in financial markets for measuring true inflation — have outpaced official CPI by 25–50%.

Getting the inflation data wrong is only the start of the problem. We’re lucky if any government data even adjusts for the wrong numbers. …

More Lies

The problems with the employment data are getting to be more well-known. Essentially, the establishment data that is normally reported is double-counting or just plain inaccurate, and there is a huge divergence with the other method of counting jobs via household surveys. …

According to official data, the dollar has lost about 23 cents in purchasing power over the last four years. Absolutely no one believes this.

Depending on what you actually spend money on, the real answer is closer to 35 cents or 50 cents or even 75 cents… or more. We don’t know what we cannot know.

We’re just left to speculate. And this problem is combined with the reality that this is not just a U.S. problem. The increase in inflation and the decline in output is truly global. We might call this an inflationary recession or high inflationary depression, all over the world. 07/12/24 https://dailyreckoning.com/welcome-to-inflationary-depression/

World Net Daily posted the following:

The depression no one wants to admit

According to official government statistics, the economy is strong. Unemployment is low (about 5%) and inflation is mild (about 4%).

Yet every single American – those of us who live in the real world, not Washington’s ivory tower – knows something is wrong. A single trip to the grocery store is enough to verify that. A new survey by Intuit Credit Karma reported, “28% [of those surveyed] said they are putting off paying for necessities, such as rent or other bills, to afford groceries – while 27% say they are occasionally skipping meals. Another 18% have applied for or considered applying for food stamps and other types of assistance, and 15% rely on or have considered visiting food banks for groceries. … In other big-picture data, almost half of those surveyed, about 44%, said they feel financially unstable. The figure is even higher for people with household incomes of less than $50,000.”

But how can this be if the economy is so strong? The culprit, of course, is how things like unemployment and inflation rates are calculated. Modern government calculators are designed to obfuscate reality and convince people things are just ducky. 07/12/24 https://www.wnd.com/2024/07/the-depression-no-one-wants-to-admit/

There is an old expression that, “Statistics don’t lie, but liars use statistics.”

Getting back to the WND article, it also has the following:

The Brownstone Institute notes, “The Bureau of Labor Statistics simply cannot keep up, partially because the Consumer Price Index does not calculate the following: interest on anything, taxes, housing, health insurance (accurately), homeowners insurance, car insurance, government services like public schools, shrinkflation, quality declines, substitutions due to price, or additional service fees. That’s a major part of what has gone up, which is why data on particular industries shows a huge gap (groceries up 35% over four years) and why ShadowStats estimates inflation in double digits two years running, having peaked at 17%. Just adding in interest, a paper from NBER estimates, takes 2023 inflation to 19%.”

Now consider Shadowstats’s Alternate Unemployment Charts, which notes: “The seasonally-adjusted SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate reflects current unemployment reporting methodology adjusted for SGS-estimated long-term discouraged workers, who were defined out of official existence in 1994. That estimate is added to the BLS estimate of U-6 unemployment, which includes short-term discouraged workers. The U-3 unemployment rate is the monthly headline number. The U-6 unemployment rate is the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) broadest unemployment measure, including short-term discouraged and other marginally-attached workers as well as those forced to work part-time because they cannot find full-time employment.” By the 1994 calculator – and remember, the official government unemployment rate is currently 5% – the real unemployment rate is currently 25%.

As a reminder, the unemployment rate in 1933 at the height of the Great Depression was 24.9%. Let that sink in. By the economic indicators used during the Great Depression, we’re currently in a depression. …

If we ARE facing another economic depression, it behooves us to ignore the feel-good government cheering squads and act accordingly. I’ve always wondered if people knew what lay ahead in 1929, what could they have done to brace themselves in 1928?

Yes, the US government has intentionally changed how it calculates unemployment and inflation, which tends to make economic matters look better than they really are. Political greed and deceit have been used.

Instead of fixing matters, the US Federal Government continues to look at how to pump more money into the economy (out of thin air) and thus increase its inflation and its debt.

Now, despite some statistical similarities to the Great Depression, essentially because agricultural productivity and technological advancement (and massive debt), Americans are not as hungry as during the Great Depression. Hence, it certainly does not feel like the Great Depression.

That said, when the time comes that the Federal Reserve is no longer able to keep interest rates artificially low, the USA will continue past the point of no return. And its debt level already seems to be there.

The USA remains greedy. Notice that greed is believed to have been a cause of the Great Depression as the old Worldwide Church of God reported last century:

GREED — the Root Cause of the Crash

The true causes of the Depression are still with us. Burgeoning personal debt, workers demanding higher wages (often without producing any more), business cutting corners, employee theft, and stock market speculation.

The question is: HOW will these causes express themselves in the nation’s economic picture?

Statistician Roger Babson, who successfully predicted both the 1920 and 1929 crashes, has made this point clear over more than half a century of economic forecasts, and dozens of books on the subject. In essence, he said the technical statistics that economists watch are only wall thermometers telling the present “temperature” of today’s economy.

If you want to see what the temperature of the future will be, Babson counseled, look at the barometer reading — the way people as a whole are dealing with each other and how they live their own lives. In other words, are workers producing more, are employee and shoplifting thefts down, are we borrowing less, is the federal economy in the black?

On such readings of the economy, Babson was virtually the only major economist to foresee the serious crash.

The top economists scoffed when he said, on September 5, 1929, “Sooner or later a crash is coming and it may be terrific… factories will shut down… men will be thrown out of work… the vicious circle will get in full swing and the result will be a serious business depression” (John Kenneth Galbraith, The Great Crash, Houghton-Mifflin, 1955, pp. 89-90).

Government economists, on the other hand, seemingly clambered over each other to reassure the many paper-thin speculators that such talk was impossible, unthinkable, perhaps even un-American. “Don’t Sell America Short” was a common aphorism in 1929.

The Money Scramble

But had the economists looked at the furnace room — at the basic social or moral problems expressing themselves economically they would have KNOWN some kind of a “crash” was coming. Had the economists based their forecast on the materialistic attitude of most Americans, they would have seen the handwriting on the wall.

The root motivation was greed, but the main specific cause of the 1929 Depression in particular was “that private indebtedness was increasing faster than earning power, that purchasing was not keeping pace with production …” (Bining and Kleen, op. cit., p. 452).

In other words, people had bought so many items on time payments, that they couldn’t afford any more — even on installments! The people were “bought out” while the newly installed assembly lines were producing record numbers of new gadgets.

In 1929, there was a surplus of goods, but almost no buying power (money). The situation in America today is different — too few American-made goods are chasing too much available money. One causes depression, the other inflation. Both are equally catastrophic to a nation.

What then are the chances for a new kind of “depression”?

Today, America and the West still have not learned their lesson. Money madness is still a fixation of a significant sector, especially of the U. S. public. (Alexander G. THE GREAT DEPRESSION COULD it Happen AGAIN? Plain Truth, December 1970)

Yes, a great depression could happen again. Because of debt and other matters the USA is moving towards a point that it will not be able to recover from.

A recession and/or depression is likely to become one of the final factors that will cause creditors to rise up and destroy the USA.

As far as what should you do about it, physically you should prepare and realize more is coming (see als0 Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians).

Spiritually, all should heed what Jesus said about these times:

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)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
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.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
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.
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?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Obese females (Pixabay)

COGwriter

Does money influence marketing, so-called experts, etc.?

Yes.

Notice the following:

Anti-Diet: General Mills Pushes “Health At Any Size” Research With Dietitian Influencers As Obesity Rate Doubles

In news that should come as a surprise to no one, the people leading the charges against “fat shaming” and advocating for something called “anti-dieting” are…you guessed it…food companies.

People following the online trend are finding themselves (surprise!) gaining weight. That includes Jaye Rochon, who a Washington Post article profiled. She followed a “health at every size” mindset and…voila….was stunned when she put on 50 pounds, tipping the scale near 300 pounds.

Under the guise of coming off as woke and encouraging “health at any weight” (as if that’s actually a thing), the Washington Post revealed this week that General Mills, behind closed doors has been “touting anti-diet research it claims proves the harms of ‘food shaming.'”

While a company spokesperson said it “works closely with a variety of scientific, health, nutrition and other credentialed experts to ensure we provide accurate, evidence-based information,” the Post revealed the company has hired lobbyists to oppose federal policies adding health info to food labels.

Amy Cohn, General Mills’ senior manager for nutrition and external affairs, promoted anti-diet messaging to dietitians at a national food conference last fall, the report says. She criticized the media for shaming processed foods and consumers.

“You can help derail the cycle of shame,” Cohn urged the dietitians. Yeah, and add 50 pounds to your client’s ass in 6 months. 

Kathryn Lawson, a dietitian that works at Nestlé (what?), tweeted during the session: “People need to feel heard and seen to break the cycle of shame around weight loss and eating.”

Online dietitians, often backed by food makers, are gaining large followings by promoting anti-diet messages. Hashtags like #NoBadFoods and #FoodFreedom are widespread on social media. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/anti-diet-general-mills-touts-health-any-size-research-dietitian-influencers-obesity-rate

The Bible warns:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, (1 Timothy 6:10)

Yes, many are bought and paid for and harm others because of their love for money instead of loving others.

That said, while there are exceptions, in general dietitians are NOT real nutritionists.

The American Dietetics Association (ADA) is highly funded by those in the food processing industry.

One of the reasons that I know this is that I was a member of the ADA for a year.

As it turned out, its national convention was in Los Angeles, California in 1994, so since I was a member then, I attended.

While I had long-believed that the ADA was compromised by industry, the convention solidified that for me.

I saw I could get ‘continuing education credit’ if I attended a seminar on “nutritive vs. non-nutritive sweetners” by a company that made artificial sweeteners.

A couple of the largest fast-food companies had large booths at that convention as did many companies that gave out samples of various ultra-processed foods.

Sadly, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply.

One of the reasons I attended the convention was to speak to a woman who had a small item posted about diet and cancer. When I caught up with that doctor, I politely challenged what she had published as it made little sense to me as an anti-cancer approach. She then told me that the real dietary factor that had reduced breast cancer in her research was the avoidance of corn oil. But she said that they would not publish her paper if she had that in it, so she left that out. That basically meant that no one could tell from her published research why the dietary recommendations she pointed to were helpful.

This is shameful, but a lot of what is called science is either suppressed or bought and paid for by industry.

During the convention, the president of the ADA was replaced by another woman to be president. The new president probably weighed at least twice that of the departing president.

I did not renew my membership in the ADA.

That said, obesity rates are rising. And yes, promotion of unhealthy food is a factor.

Obesity is UNHEALTHY and should not be encouraged.

The Bible tells people to eat what is good:

2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good (Isaiah 55:2).

Do not overeat. Eat what is good.

Having more highly-overweight people is consistent, however, with 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!  (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Lack of self-control, while not the only factor, is a factor in obesity.

ZeroHedge reported the following related to approving of obesity;

August 8, 2022

Talk show host and comedian Bill Maher railed against the pro-obesity ‘body positivity’ movement, saying that not only is it pathetic, it’s a national security risk.

“There is a disturbing trend going on in America these days,” Maher began, adding that people are “rewriting science to fit ideology to just fit what you want reality to be.”

“We’ve gone from fat acceptance to fat celebration. That’s new. That is new,” Maher said. “To view letting yourself go as a point of pride? We used to at least try and be fit and healthy and society praised those who succeeded”

“Now the term body positivity is used to mean, ‘I’m perfect the way I am because I’m me,’” the HBO host continued, adding “It’s Orwellian how often positivity is used to describe what’s not healthy!”

“Of course, you can get away with anything bad for you when you’re young,” then said, adding “Let me ask you this: Have you ever seen a fat 90-year-old?”

Maher then noted that the military is having a harder time finding in-shape recruits, as well as how obese people have fared worse during COVID-19.

“At some point acceptance becomes enabling, and if you’re in any way participating in this joyful celebration of gluttony that goes on now, you have blood on your hands,” he said, adding “You can make believe you’re fighting some great social justice battle for a besieged minority, but what you’re really doing is enabling addicts – which I thought we decided was bad.” https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/bill-maher-slams-fat-celebration-and-body-positivity

While I have seen many people in their 90s, no, I never recall seeing any who were fat (though there probably are some). But ‘wokeness’ wants people to say bad is good.

The Bible warns:

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)

It is NOT good to tell people that it is fine to be obese–that is bearing false witness–a violation of the ninth commandment.

Although some falsely teach that Jesus taught “come as you are,” He really said:

15 … Repent, and believe (Mark 1:15)

He did not say be satisfied as you are but be willing to change and believe. And, yes, this can mean physically and not just spiritually, as other scriptures show. He also said that those who would not believe He is who He said He was would die in their sins (John 8:24).

Obesity is bad for the obese and bad for society.

Notice also the following related to obesity:

The Societal Cost of Obesity

According to researchers at Ball State University in Indiana, obesity is on the rise. Estimates based on their early research show that by 2030, in the absence of any intervening actions, a third of all children between the ages of six and eleven will be considered obese or overweight.

No doubt that is a shocking statistic. …

To measure whether or not you are overweight or obese, you must account for your Body Mass Index or BMI.

For adults, BMI consists of a person’s weight divided by their height squared. …

For children, BMI is calculated using the same formula but is interpreted using the child’s age and sex. Those results are then measured amongst a percentile. This method accounts for the difference in adolescent development for those between the ages of 2 and 19.

Health risks can occur in any individual, no matter their lifestyle or level of fitness. But for those who are obese, there is a far more heightened risk of experiencing serious health conditions. The list of potential health problems and complications is extensive and includes:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (Hypertension)
• Risk for stroke
• Sleep apnea
• Difficulty breathing
• Coronary heart disease
• Problems regulating healthy cholesterol levels (high LDL, low HDL, high levels of triglycerides
• Certain types of cancers including breast, colon, endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, liver, ovarian, or pancreatic
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis (deterioration of bone and cartilage in joints)
• Greater risk for mental illness including anxiety, clinical depression, and other psychiatric disorders
• Reduced quality of life (excessive pain, limited mobility, problems performing everyday tasks, such as standing, walking, or using the restroom)

In practically all instances, obesity also enhances the risk of premature death. …

Based on several estimates, the US has spent anywhere from $150 billion to upwards of $190 billion each year on obesity-related costs. Some put that range even higher. This includes diagnosis and treatment, as well as prevention-related costs.

By 2030 – a little over a decade away – those numbers could increase by as much as $66 billion a year.

Those figures, though, only take into account direct costs. They do not account for lost work (either in lost employee wages or lost employer productivity), insurance costs, or lower overall wages. According to some of the most prevalent reports, these secondary financial consequences are an even larger burden that the direct medical costs of obesity.

At its most extreme, obesity may prove to be one of humankind’s worst maladies. https://www.mbahealthcaremanagement.org/topics/the-societal-cost-of-obesity/ accessed 08/24/19

The USA is already massively in debt and future increases in health care costs and decreased productivity can be part of ‘the straw that will break the camel’s back’ metaphorically.

The Bible opposes obesity.

Here is what Moses and Jeremiah were inspired to write about obesity thousands of years ago:

15 You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger. (Deuteronomy 32:15-16)

11 “Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
You destroyers of My heritage,
Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain,
And you bellow like bulls,
12 Your mother shall be deeply ashamed;
She who bore you shall be ashamed.
Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness,
A dry land and a desert. (Jeremiah 50:11-12)

The idea that one should not be obese is not a new one.

Furthermore, the Bible warns about gluttony:

20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21)

Many people consume too much overly-processed convenience foods, synthetic nutrients, chemical additives, and refined grains–that is NOT good (see also yesterday’s post: ‘Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 32 Illnesses’).

People should try to eat real, not artificial, foods. Soda consumption should be almost non-existent, essentially a very rare treat.

And while they do not like to believe this, almost all obese people also need to eat less.

Many years ag0, the Continuing Church of God put out a video about concerns about eating to much on our YouTube channel called Bible New Prophecy. Here is a link to our video: Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.

That said, losing weight can be very, very difficult. But real Christians should believe the following:

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

With prayer and proper determination, breaking away from being obese can happen.

The Bible teaches:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8)

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

Do not let fear stop you from moving ahead.

Take proper action (cf. Galatians 6:9-10; Revelation 3:7-13; Zephaniah 2:1-3).

Interested in a spiritual ‘five second’ rule?

Tell yourself and pray:

I will act on the truth and not put it off because I do not feel like it. Jesus help me.

Most people can quietly pray that in 5 or so seconds.

And physically if it will help, you can count backwards from five or use some other technique to motivate you to do what is right–including with your diet. But then pray for God’s assistance.

You can eat less–take it one day at a time consistent Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:34, which when you are trying to lose weight may also mean one meal or snack desire at a time.

We also have a related video on changing your life. Here is a link to the video: ‘How to Change Your Life in 5 Seconds’.

Of course, some things take longer than 5 seconds. But asking Jesus to help you not overeat is something everyone can do.

While it may not help your weight much, exercising is good for you and your innate immune system. Related to exercise, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel: The Plain Truth About Exercise.

That being said, the US is prophesied to lose militarily in the relatively near future (cf. Daniel 11:39).

It could be that health issues, including obesity, will end up being partial factors for the defeat.

Now, related to food, we put out the following video: Let’s Talk About Food.

Related to Christian health, we put out the following video: Let’s Talk About Health.

We also have the following obesity related video:

14:55

Is Obesity OK with Scripture?

In March 2024, the BBC reported that research was pointed to over a billion people being obese worldwide. Professor Majid Ezzati, of Imperial College London, said “In many of these island nations it comes down to the availability of healthy food versus unhealthy food. In some cases there have been aggressive marketing campaigns promoting unhealthy foods, while the cost and availability of healthier food can be more problematic.” Does the Bible teach to eat what is good? While millions are dying from hunger, over a billion are obese. What are diseases that the obese are more susceptible to? Since the obese tend to die sooner than others, should obesity be accepted or encouraged? What did Bill Maher state about the ‘body positive movement’? Does the Bible condemn gluttony (overeating) and obesity? Did Jesus say to ‘come as you are’ or to ‘repent and believe’? What are some ways to help lose weight? Is losing weight very difficult? Can Jesus help? If you fail, should you give up? What about the five second method of changing? Should the obese eat less? If that does not work, what should they do? What about exercise? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these issues.

While it is highly tempting for most people to overeat, we do want to watch that and obey the word of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Obesity, processed foods, health risks, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? Is gluttony condemned? What diseases are associated with eating too much refined foods? Two related video would be Is Obesity OK with Scripture? and Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.
Should Christians Exercise? What does the Bible teach? What are some of the benefits and risks of exercise? Here is a link to a related video: The Plain Truth About Exercise.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
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; a short video is also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food?
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 ? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
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.
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.