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Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider discovered the heaviest form of antimatter ever observed!

Monday, December 30th, 2024


Large Hadron Collider CMS Particle Detector (Tighef)

COGwriter

CERN scientists have found what has been called the heaviest form of antimatter ever observed:

The heaviest antimatter particle is found in the Large Hadron Collider

December 30, 2024

Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider (CERN), the world’s most powerful elementary particle booster, have discovered the heaviest form of antimatter ever observed. This discovery is as significant as previous achievements at CERN, in particular the discovery of the Higgs boson and studies of B-meson decay.

The ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) has discovered an antimatter particle, antihyperhelium-4. It is the “evil twin” of another exotic particle, hyperhelium-4. This form of antimatter consists of two antiprotons, an antineutron, and an unstable antilambda particle, which in turn contains quarks. https://universemagazine.com/en/the-heaviest-antimatter-particle-is-found-in-the-large-hadron-collider/

The work being done in at the LHC facility is mainly for Europe (CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research) and has destructive potential. Yes, there is military potential from the world’s biggest physics project.

As far as military applications go, this European LHC project has been heavily focused on various small particles and subatomic items, including antimatter. When the Large Hadron Collider was in its infancy, many scientists doubted that antimatter could be produced and captured. But the LHC disproved that as it was able to produce and store antimatter.

As far as antimatter goes, here are some comments from NASA from the past:

Antimatter is real stuff, not just science fiction. Antimatter is firmly in the realm of science with some aspects even entering the technology realm. There is also a lot of speculation about what one might do with antimatter.

What is Antimatter?

Antimatter is matter with its electrical charge reversed. Anti-electrons, called “positrons,” are like an electron but with a positive charge. Antiprotons are like protons with a negative charge. Positron, antiprotons and other antiparticles can be routinely created at particle accelerator labs, such as CERN in Europe, and can even be trapped and stored for days or weeks at a time. And… they made antihydrogen for the first time. It didn’t last long, but they did it.

It costs far more energy to create antimatter than the energy one could get back from an antimatter reaction. … Something to keep in mind, too, is that antimatter reactions – where antimatter and normal matter collide and release energy, require the same safety precautions as needed with nuclear reactions. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/technology/warp/antistat.html

Notice that NASA acknowledges that CERN with its LHC has produced and stored antimatter, that antimatter collection is expensive, and that antimatter is dangerous. And it is something that Europe has decided to continue to research and produce.

Here is something at a CERN-related website:

In 1928, British physicist Paul Dirac wrote down an equation that combined quantum theory and special relativity to describe the behaviour of an electron moving at a relativistic speed. The equation – which won Dirac the Nobel Prize in 1933 – posed a problem: just as the equation x2 = 4 can have two possible solutions (x = 2 or x = −2), so Dirac’s equation could have two solutions, one for an electron with positive energy, and one for an electron with negative energy. But classical physics (and common sense) dictated that the energy of a particle must always be a positive number.

Dirac interpreted the equation to mean that for every particle there exists a corresponding antiparticle, exactly matching the particle but with opposite charge. For example, for the electron there should be an “antielectron”, or “positron”, identical in every way but with a positive electric charge. The insight opened the possibility of entire galaxies and universes made of antimatter.

But when matter and antimatter come into contact, they annihilate – disappearing in a flash of energy. …

At CERN, physicists make antimatter to study in experiments. The starting point is the Antiproton Decelerator, which slows down antiprotons so that physicists can investigate their properties. accessed 12/30/24 http://home.web.cern.ch/topics/antimatter

In May of 2009, Dan Brown’s movie, Angels & Demons, pretended to have antimatter captured from part of CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. A couple of years later, it was actually done at CERN:

Antimatter captured by CERN scientists in dramatic physics breakthrough

Antimatter has been captured by scientists for the first time in a physics breakthrough that echoes the hit Hollywood movie Angels & Demons.

Physicists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva have created the stuff of “Star Trek” for the first time ever: genuine antimatter.

A 17-member team announced the production and preservation of 38 antihydrogen atoms. Physicists Emilio Segre and Owen Chamberlain of the University California, Berkeley, earned the 1959 Nobel Prize for producing part of an antihydrogen atom, antiprotons. (Martin M. Antimatter captured by CERN scientists in dramatic physics breakthrough. TechNews World, November 18, 2010. http://www.technewsworld.com/story/CERN-Physicists-Create-Antimatter-and-Could-Build-a-Bomb-in-a-Billion-Years-71269.html?wlc=1290143968)

June 5, 2011

CERN scientists have now been able to isolate unstable antimatter for a grand total of nearly 17 minutes. That’s a far cry from experiments performed last fall, when scientists were only able to record the presence of antimatter for fractions of seconds. The increased longevity should now give researchers the time they need to perform studies on antiatoms related to change-parity-time reversal (CPT) symmetry.  http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2386429,00.asp

In the Angels & Demons movie, antimatter played an important role. In Angels & Demons, someone stole captured antimatter from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider on behalf of one trying to be an antipope. When the movie came out, many scientists considered antimatter only existed in science fiction, or at best only existing for a fraction of a second.  Yet, now it is considered to be a fact of science–and can exist for significant amounts of time (it is my understanding that CERN stopped holding it after 17 minutes, not that 17 minutes is the limit to its existence).

Antimatter is dangerous and CERN is learning more about it.

Now if the Large Hadron Collider does have military potential, which I have long indicated that it does, all should understand that it is likely that the Europeans and not the Americans will benefit from it. That will probably also include items related to its claimed find of pentaquarks. As well as possibly quark-gluon plasma, sometimes called strangelets, various particles, dark matter, dark energy, and observations of how certain things act/react (more on these items can be found in the article The Large Hadron Collider has Military Potential).

European technology is moving ahead.

I believe that CERN’s LHC, combined with Germany’s FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) project (which is not yet completely built), along with other technology, like its helium fusion stellarator (see Germany’s functional stellarator, Donald Trump, and ‘the unthinkable’), will help the Europeans rise economically and/or produce military weaponry to fulfill certain end time prophecies.

Now CERN is the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Some consider that its logo is 666, even though its logo is a bit more like 6666:

It has been reported that there is a statue of the Hindu god Shiva (“the destroyer”) right outside CERN headquarters…

CERN Shiva

http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=470#xqaMxR6H0BHTH4LX.99

I have long warned that CERN’s Large Hadron Collider has the potential to put the Europeans ahead of the Americans in terms of physics as well as military spinoffs of new technologies. The CERN project has produced antimatter and stored it longer than many scientists thought possible.

As far as 666 goes, while I do not believe that CERN is the 666 that the Bible warns about, I expect it to be on the same side that 666 is on. I first pointed out the 666 connection to CERN when I posted about it on November 1, 2010 (see CERN logo is 666?).

It is interesting, to me at least, that the Shiva statue is outside of CERN’s headquarters. Here is some information about Shiva:

Lord Shiva is the destroyer of the world, following Brahma the creator and Vishnu the preserver, after which Brahma again creates the world and so on. Shiva is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction and in the positive sense of destroying the ego, the false identification with the form. (Shiva. http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses/shiva.htm#.V30-8qK2eLE accessed 07/06/16)

It may well be that the Large Hadron Collider will produce destructive technology–antimatter could be part of that.

Some were worried when the Large Hadron Collider was originally started up that the start-up could destroy the world–but on September 9, 2008 I wrote that was not possible (see September 10th is Not the End of the World).

But I also wrote on that date:

On the other hand, while it is touted as simply a scientific (and not a military) device, the LHC will likely give the Europeans some technological advantages that they will eventually be able to use as they seek to strength their military. And that is likely to help them when they decide it is time to launch a surprise attack on the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Since the Bible is clear that the Beast power will have unique military advantage and the Europeans have the largest “super collider” in existence, it just may be that it will somehow lead the Europeans to get the type of military power that they are prophesied to have (cf. Revelation 13:4)

But again, the destruction of the Anglo-American powers cannot happen until at least 3 1/2 years from now, which would be no earlier than 2012. It will not be September 10, 2008. (Thiel B. September 10th is Not the End of the World, September 9, 2008).

The Large Hadron Collider is helping Europe get to the point that it will have the technology it will need to temporarily ‘rule’ the world. There have been interesting developments from it so far and more are expected.

Jesus taught:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

It may be that technologies from CERN will lead to some of the destruction of the planet that Jesus referred to. CERN is doing more than studying antimatter, it has produced and stored it. Plus it, as well as other European projects, are producing technologies that will lead to war and destruction (cf. Daniel 11:39-43).

CERN is not finished with its research and its research looks to have ramifications on the planet.

It will take the establishment of the millennial Kingdom of God to correct what ‘scientists’ and other leaders are going to do to Planet Earth.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction? In 2008, the European Large Hadron Collider, which is the world’s largest physics project, went on line. Some thought, erroneously, that it would be the ‘end of the world,’ Some have said that the project may develop military technology, while others have claimed this is not possible. One Nobel prize has already been awarded for its finds (Higgs boson). It has also found other particles (like strangelets) and set a record in producing and retaining antimatter. Will these and all other finds remain peaceful? Is anything about this project possibly connected to 666? Does Bible prophecy give us reason to consider that technology from the Large Hadron Collider may result in destruction, including the coming destruction of the United States? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and questions and more in this video
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.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: ¿Deben los Diez Reyes gobernar sobre diez naciones? A related sermon in the English language is titled: Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
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. A related sermon is titled: 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 Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

The Roman New Year has a lot of pagan connections

Monday, December 30th, 2024


Roman God Janus in Vatican Museum

COGwriter

Does God begin His new year on January 1st? If not, what is the origin of January 1st and New Year’s?

Back in 46 B.C., Julius Caesar declared that January 1st would mark the beginning of the new year. January was named after Janus, the god of gates and doors in Roman mythology. People prayed to Janus when they wanted something new in their lives (such as resolutions). Janus is normally represented with two faces, one looking to the past and the other looking to the future (the two faces also signified change that Janus would supposedly bring in, see Burchett B, Janus in Roman life and cult: a study in Roman religions, p. 15). The first day of the month of January was sacred to him.

January first is Julius Caesar’s and Janus’ New year.

It did not come from the Bible.

What About Resolutions?

Notice what the historian Tertullian wrote about winter celebrations, such as Saturnalia, in the late second century:

The Minervalia are as much Minerva’s, as the Saturnalia Saturn’s; Saturn’s, which must necessarily be celebrated even by little slaves at the time of the Saturnalia. New-year’s gifts likewise must be caught at, and the Septimontium kept; and all the presents of Midwinter and the feast of Dear Kinsmanship must be exacted; the schools must be wreathed with flowers; the flamens’ wives and the aediles sacrifice; the school is honoured on the appointed holy-days. The same thing takes place on an idol’s birthday; every pomp of the devil is frequented. Who will think that these things are befitting to a Christian master, unless it be he who shall think them suitable likewise to one who is not a master? (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapter X. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

But, however, the majority (of Christians) have by this time induced the belief in their mind that it is pardonable if at any time they do what the heathen do, for fear “the Name be blasphemed”…To live with heathens is lawful, to die with them is not. Let us live with all; let us be glad with them, out of community of nature, not of superstition. We are peers in soul, not in discipline; fellow-possessors of the world, not of error. But if we have no right of communion in matters of this kind with strangers, how far more wicked to celebrate them among brethren! Who can maintain or defend this?…By us,…the Saturnalia and New-year’s and Midwinter’s festivals and Matronalia are frequented–presents come and go–New-year’s gifts–games join their noise–banquets join their din! Oh better fidelity of the nations to their own sect, which claims no solemnity of the Christians for itself!…Not the Lord’s day, not Pentecost, even if they had known them, would they have shared with us; for they would fear lest they should seem to be Christians. We are not apprehensive lest we seem to be heathens! (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapter XIV. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

But “let your works shine,” saith He; but now all our shops and gates shine! You will now-a-days find more doors of heathens without lamps and laurel-wreaths than of Christians. What does the case seem to be with regard to that species (of ceremony) also? If it is an idol’s honour, without doubt an idol’s honour is idolatry. If it is for a man’s sake, let us again consider that all idolatry is for man’s sake; let us again consider that all idolatry is a worship done to men, since it is generally agreed even among their worshippers that aforetime the gods themselves of the nations were men; and so it makes no difference whether that superstitious homage be rendered to men of a former age or of this. Idolatry is condemned, not on account of the persons which are set up for worship, but on account of those its observances, which pertain to demons (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapter XV. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

What Tertullian seems to be saying is that observing New Year’s celebrations make Christians appear to be followers of pagan gods, and since the pagans would not intentionally celebrate days considered by many to be Christian, Christians should not celebrate days that are honored by the heathen. Specifically, he felt that those who profess Christ should not celebrate New Year’s or other pagan days, as even the observance is a form of idolatry. New Year’s was also observed in honor of the goddess Strenua/Strenia, the goddess of purification and well being. It may partially be because of her that New Year’s resolutions and vows are made.

The Bible teaches:

19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. (1 Corinthians 10:19-20)

New Year’s clearly has demonic origins.

The Catholic Encyclopedia reports:

Christian writers and councils condemned the heathen orgies and excesses connected with the festival of the Saturnalia, which were celebrated at the beginning of the year: Tertullian blames Christians who regarded the customary presents — called strenae (Fr. étrennes) from the goddess Strenia, who presided over New Year’s Day (cf. Ovid, Fasti, 185-90) — as mere tokens of friendly intercourse (De Idol. xiv), and towards the end of the sixth century the Council of Auxerre (can. I) forbade Christians strenas diabolicas observare. The II Council of Tours held in 567 (can. 17) prescribes prayers and a Mass of expiation for New Year’s Day, adding that this is a practice long in use (patres nostri statuerunt). Dances were forbidden, and pagan crimes were to be expiated by Christian fasts (St. Augustine, Serm., cxcvii-viii in P.L., XXXVIII, 1024; Isidore of Seville, De Div. Off. Eccl., I, xli; Trullan Council, 692, can. lxii). (Tierney, John. “New Year’s Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 27 Dec. 2011 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11019a.htm>)

The expression strenas diabolicas observare roughly translates from Latin to “observing the new time of the Devil.” It is likely that New Year’s resolutions are related to the purification and well being attributes of the pagan goddess. So, while a Roman Catholic council forbade the devil’s new year, many nowadays observe it.

Thus although many would be surprised to learn this, the celebration of New Year’s was originally opposed by claimed “Christian writers” according to the Church of Rome. Hence, it definitely should not be considered to be an original apostolic practice or even early tradition for the Catholics of Rome.

The Feast of Circumcision?

New Year’s day did not become a holy day for the Roman Catholic Church until 487 A.D. when it was declared to be the Feast of the Circumcision (though it may have been also observed in the fourth century, but other sources suggest eighth century or later dates):

Our “New- Year’s Day, “the “Feast of the Circumcision,” was called the octave of Christmas as early as 487, AD, and was instituted by the Church to commemorate the ceremony of the Jewish law which the Saviour submitted. In the time of Numa the old Roman heathens dedicated the day to Janus, the double-faced deity…(Savage J., editor. The Manhattan and de la Salle monthly. New York Catholic Protectory, 1875 Original from the New York Public Library Digitized Jul 13, 2006, p. 2)

The Feast of the Circumcision has been observed in the Roman church since 487 and in the Anglican church since 1549. (Douglas GW, Compton HD. The American book of days: a compendium of information about holidays, festivals, notable anniversaries and Christian and Jewish holy days, with notes on other American anniversaries worthy of remembrance. H. W. Wilson Co., 1957 Original from the University of California Digitized Sep 25, 2008, p. 2)

This gave the Greco-Roman Catholic, as well as Anglican, churches an eight-day festival with a ‘holy day’ at the beginning and the end, similar in that respect to the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:34-35). It was determined that if Jesus was born on December 25th (even though he could not have been), since he was circumcised eight days later (Luke 2:21), he would have been circumcised on January 1st, hence the rationale for New Year’s being ‘the Feast of the Circumcision.’

It should be added that there is no indication in the Bible that Jesus’ circumcision should be celebrated.

What Happens?

So, how is New Year’s celebrated? Well customs do vary around the world. Various cultures believe that meeting with people, eating certain foods, or consuming certain drinks will help insure good luck for the year.

In the 1700s, notice a poem that was written to and about Janus from The poetical works of Jonathan Swift, Volumes 2-3, By Jonathan Swift, John Mitford, p. 120:

TO JANUS, ON NEW YEAR’S DAY, 1726.’

Two-faced Janus, god of Time!
Be my Phoebus while I rhyme;
To oblige your crony Swift,
Bring our dame a new year’s gift;
She has got but half a face;
Janus, since thou hast a brace,
To my lady once be kind;
Give her half thy face behind.

God of Time, if you be wise,
Look not with your future eyes;
What imports thy forward sight?
Well, if you could lose it quite.
Can you take delight in viewing
This poor Isle’s 2 approaching ruin,
When thy retrospection vast
Sees the glorious ages past?
Happy nation were we blind,
Or had only eyes behind!

So, some consider Janus to be the “God of Time”–but no real Christian would.

It seems, though, that Janus could have been mainly a side issue for the year to start then:

The connection between Janus and the ceremonies of January first may be still further illustrated by these lines from the Carmina Tria de Mensibus:

Hie Iani mensis sacer est: en aspice ut aris tura micent, sumant ut pia liba Lares. Annorum saeclique caput, natalis honorumpurpureos fastis qui numerat proceres.

which may mean, “This is the sacred month of January—sacred because of the ceremonies. January is the beginning of the year, because the purple-clad chiefs date their office from that month.” Although Janus is used here only as a personification of his month, yet some sanctity is reflected to the god himself from the ceremonies of the day. From the lines just quoted, it seems evident that Fastorum genitor parensque* means only, “Janus, i. e. January, is the beginning of the year, a fact to be emphasized by patriotic Romans, because the consuls assumed, or renewed, office on January first.” (Janus in Roman life and cult: a study in Roman religions … By Bessie Rebecca Burchett, p. 15)

In the US and many other Western cultures, vows called New Year’s resolutions are often made. From this authors research, while repentance is a good thing, he believes that this custom of resolutions is similar to the prayers made to Janus regarding desiring something new. According to most available research, most people break their New Year’s resolutions. Hopefully they are not making them before the true God whose word says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed–Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6).

Another activity which occurs in the US and elsewhere on New Year’s is heavy drinking of alcohol. Many who go to New Year’s parties get drunk. Paul warned Christians, “Do not be drunk” (Ephesians 5:18).

Germans Call it Silvester

A reader sent me the following:

Why on earth do Germans call New Year Silvester?

No your friend isn’t planning to ring in the New Year with someone named Sylvester instead of you. Silvester is the German name for New Year’s Eve – owing to the fourth century Pope Sylvester I. Eventually made a saint by the Catholic Church, his feast day is observed on December 31.

St. Sylvester’s day became associated with New Year’s Eve with the reform of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, when the last day of the year was fixed at December 31. But despite the holiday’s Christian name, many German New Year’s traditions can be traced back to the pagan Rauhnächte practices of heathen Germanic tribes, which took place at the end of December and beginning of January.

Instead of recognizing a single day as the winter solstice, the Germanic tribes observed twelve Rauhnächte – hairy nights, so called due to the furry forms of the deep winter demons – or Rauchnächte – smoky nights, due to the practice of smoking the spirits out of one’s house on January 5. …

As in many other countries, the Germans celebrate Silvester with fireworks, champagne, and boisterous social gatherings. Making noise is key: the ruckus of fireworks, firecrackers, drums, whip-cracking and banging kitchen utensils has been driving away evil winter spirits since the days of the Germanic Teutons. One of the most famous German firework displays takes place at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Private celebrations with Böllern (firecrackers) are also common. …

The Rauhnächte were also a time when the future for the New Year could be divined. Silvester in Germany still calls for oracle traditions, which often take the form of party games. Bleigießen (lead pouring) is the most popular Silvester fortune-telling tradition. Party-goers melt small lead forms with a candle in an old spoon and pour them into cold water. The lead hardens into a shape that supposedly bears a certain meaning for the New Year. An eagle, for example, indicates career success, while a flower foretells that new friendships will develop. …

For those who go out on Silvester, good luck charms and New Year’s greetings are often exchanged. Acquaintances may give good luck charms to each other in the form of ladybugs, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes and pigs. The phrase Guten Rutsch! is another common Silvester greeting. While many Germans now use it to wish someone a good “slide” into the new year, the word Rutsch more likely comes from the Yiddish word Rosch – which means beginning or head. https://www.thelocal.de/20161230/16425

Anyway, this is NOT a Christian holiday.

God’s New Year Begins in the Spring

Is January 1st the beginning of the New Year God declared?

No.

When speaking of the Hebrew month of Abib, which occurs around late March/early April God declared,

“This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Exodus 12:2).

January 1st is not the beginning of the year for the true God, but only of certain false gods. The last biblical new year actually began at sunset April 1, 2022 (and yes, being called an ‘April fool’ is related to those who stuck with a Spring-time beginning of the new year). In 2024, it begins at sunset on the 8th of April.

Now perhaps it should be mentioned that other cultures also accept that the new year begins in the Spring. And while those cultures have various non-biblical practices, it is certainly possible that because God’s year begins in the Spring that perhaps anciently these people were aware of it, and retained the correct season, but not the practices.

Not all have followed the practices of Julius Caesar (called “Julie” below):

For some thousands of years before Julie and the Roman Senate got involved, the new year was celebrated with the first edible crops of the season or the first new moon.

In much of India, Nava Varsha is celebrated in March or April, just as in the most ancient civilizations.

Sikhs celebrate Hola Mohalla in March; ditto for Persian Nowruz.

As celebrated in China and southeast Asia, Lunar New Year still has a floating date, the first day of the first lunar month. (Shore R. Pagan Party: New Year’s traditions that hail from the depths of antiquity The Vancouver Sun, Canada – Dec 26, 2008, http://www.vancouversun.com/Pagan+Party+Year+traditions+that+hail+from+depths+antiquity/1116320/story.html viewed 01/22/09)

From a biblical perspective, the new year begins in the Spring, and hence not January 1st. And it also begins with a new moon. The fact that even many non-Christian cultures realize that should make it easier for Christians to realize that they too, do not need to heed the later practices of the Romans.

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


15:10

Pagan New Year’s Connections?

Many people around the world celebrate December 31st as New Year’s eve with drinking parties and resolutions lasting into the 1st of January. What is the connection between January 1st and New Year’s Day? Was January 1st sacred to the pagan god Janus? Were New Year’s celebrations condemned for Christian use by the historian Tertullian? Was not New Year’s Day supposedly presided over by the pagan goddess Strenua to whom pagans made resolutions to? Did not the late 6th century Council of Auxerre issue the statement, strenas diabolicas observare, meaning “observing the new time of the devil”? Did the Apostle Paul condemn mixing pagan practices with Christian ones as demonic? When was the ‘feast of the circumcision’ implemented and why was January 1st chosen? What about Pope Sylvester I and December 31st? What does the Bible teach about drunken revelries? Were aspects of New Year’s condemned by Roman Catholic leaders? Where in the Bible does God say the new year is to begin?

Here is a link to our video: Pagan New Year’s Connections?

Some items of related interest may include:

Is January 1st a Date for Christians Celebrate? Historical and biblical answers to this question about the world’s New Year’s day. A video of related interest is also available: God’s or Satan’s New Year?
Canadian & Philadelphian Mummers Parades: Another tie to Saturnalia In Canada there is a ’12 days of Christmas’ celebration involving Mummers. In Philadelphia, a parade is held on New Years. Does this come from the Bible or where?
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.
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days of the Bible mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
Mardi Gras: The Devil’s Carnival? Is Mardi Gras Christian? Do you know that in Bolivia the carnival/Mardi Gras time is part of a celebration known as the Devil’s Carnival? Where did it come from? There is also a related YouTube video Mardi Gras & Carnaval: Are they for Christians?
Should Christians Smoke Tobacco or Marijuana? Is smoking a sin? What does the Bible teach? What have COG leaders written? Can smokers change? What about marijuana?
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 Drinking, Health, and the Bible Many college students and others overindulge in alcohol. Are there health risks? What does the Bible teach? A related video is also available: Binge Drinking and the Bible.
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.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
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, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

“Switzerland Urgently Preparing Network of Nuclear Bunkers for ‘Imminent’ WW3 Outbreak,’ yet …

Sunday, December 29th, 2024

COGWriter

There are more and more reports about European nations warning their citizens and/or spending money to attempt to survive various troubles and situations that the world faces (e.g. see Sweden, Finland, & Norway bracing their residents for war, Germany Unveils ‘Most Sweeping Military Reforms’ Since Cold War & Schools should prep students for war, German minister says, and EU telling its residents to essentially be preppers in case of war or other emergencies). Notice the following related to Switzerland:

Switzerland Urgently Preparing Network of Nuclear Bunkers for ‘Imminent’ WW3 Outbreak

December 28, 2024

The Swiss government has begun preparing its vast network of nuclear bunkers for a potential World War 3 outbreak in the coming months ahead.

According to reports, Switzerland is spending 220 million Swiss franc to make sure its shelters are ready to accommodate all nine million Swiss residents when war breaks out.

Cbc.ca reports: “Pretty much all Swiss people have a bomb shelter, which has been used for a long time as their storage unit,” nuclear expert Stephen Herzog told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.  …

Nuclear bunkers, he says, are “built into the Swiss psyche.”

According to 1963 Swiss law, all of the country’s residents, including refugees and foreign workers, are guaranteed a spot in a bunker to protect them from bombs and nuclear radiation.

“Generally, if you live in Switzerland, you know where your shelter is, you know where your neighbour’s shelter is, you have your assigned place,” Herzog said.

Some of those bunkers belong to public networks, but many are private and built underneath people’s homes.

“Over the decades since the ’60s, when it was mandated to have these shelter spots that are built into every home in these private shelters, they’ve taken on new meanings,” Herzog said. …

“No one is panicking that they’re going to need the shelters tomorrow or anything like that,” he said.

Delarageaz echoed that sentiment.

“It doesn’t mean we’re preparing for a conflict. That’s not the message. But we have a network of shelters and we need to maintain them and make sure they’re functional,” he said.

“In Switzerland we have foresight…. There’s a Latin adage that says: ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’” https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/switzerland-urgently-preparing-network-of-nuclear-bunkers-for-imminent-ww3-outbreak/

While WWIII is NOT imminent, the Swiss have been making bunkers for the wealthy for a while too:

Swiss company unveils fortified luxury bunkers designed for the apocalypse

11 October 2022

Ultrawealthy individuals can still enjoy the luxury they have grown accustomed to while trying to survive the apocalypse.

Swiss firm Oppidum, which supplies fortified underground residences, has unveiled its new L’Heritage bunkers for ultra high-net worth individuals. Oppidum hired French architect Marc Prigent to design the stretched underground homes for “unprecedented times” with each one providing a minimum of 10,000 square feet of space.

According to Robb Report, the residences can be custom-made to fit the owner’s tastes and they can include extra facilities such as an extra-large garage, a private art gallery, meeting lounges, an indoor garden and even a spa with a private pool. (Related: World’s super-rich investing in luxurious “billionaire bunkers”)

The homes have two independent air filtration systems with a primary unit for peacetime operation which offers fresh air indefinitely and a state-of-the-art secondary air filtration system that can protect against airborne contaminants “be it of radioactive, chemical, biological or nuclear origin,” the website added.

Oppidum’s unique high-pressure air reserve and internal circulation gives an adequate level of oxygen in the building and simultaneously keeps an overpressure to guarantee absolute airtightness and gas-tightness of the indoor environment. https://survival.news/2022-10-11-swiss-company-unveils-luxury-bunkers-for-apocalypse.html#

While the technology may or may not be sound, the reality is that in massively destructive times, lawlessness abounds, and just because someone owns something ‘legally’ that does not mean that they will get it. Plus there are other issues.

Now some think that the Swiss are well prepared for the collapse of modern civilization:

Switzerland Is Well-Prepared For Civilizational Collapse

December 13, 2017

More than any other country, Switzerland’s ethos is centered around preparing for civilizational collapse.

All around Switzerland, for example, one can find thousands of water fountains fed by natural springs. Zurich is famous for its 1200 fountains, some of them quite beautiful and ornate, but it’s the multiple small, simple fountains in every Swiss village that really tell the story. Elegant, yes, but if and when central water systems are destroyed these fountains are a decentralized and robust system for providing everyone with drinkable water.

The Swiss political system is also decentralized.

Swiss males (and perhaps females in the future) are required to serve in the military (those who cannot, pay a special tax) creating a robust reservoir of trained citizens ready to serve in an emergency.

The Swiss have been tunneling the Alps for hundreds of years creating innumerable secret hideaways for people and stores.

As a further example of how ridiculously well prepared the Swiss are for any and all threats, there are things like hidden hydroelectric dams built inside of unmarked mountains so that in the event of mass bombings, they’ll still have electricity from these secret facilities. And, remember, these are the things the Swiss government has let us know about. It is thought that there are probably more fortifications and hidden goodies scattered about the country’s landscape. (ital. added)…

In addition, to thousands of military bunkers permeating the Swiss mountains there are several hundred thousand private and public fallout shelters the largest of which can hold some 20,000 people. …

Buried deep alongside the hydroelectric dams, shelters and food stores, the Swiss also have libraries ready to reboot civilization:

“In another [underground bunker], detailed instructions on how to build devices for reading all known data storage formats, even older formats like floppy disks, are kept, so that if that knowledge is otherwise lost, future generations can still decode our data storage devices to access the data within correctly. Essentially, the researchers involved in this particular project have attempted to create a “Rosetta Stone” of data formats and are using a ridiculously secure Swiss bunker as the storage point for that knowledge.”

Switzerland is famous for being the place to store wealth in times of crisis …

It’s no surprise that Nassim Taleb likes Switzerland because this is a country that has made itself anti-fragile in order to survive the black swans of civilizational collapse. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-12/switzerland-well-prepared-civilizational-collapse

A while back, a secular source claimed that Switzerland was one of “The 10 safest countries if World War Three breaks out” (for details, watch 10 Safest Nations to be in During WWIII).

Though Switzerland may LOOK to be safe and prepared, it is not prepared for all that will happen to it.

Consider that Switzerland is surrounded by the European Union, though it has thus far refused to officially be part of it. Yet, it does have certain agreements with the EU.

Now, biblical prophecy shows that descendants of the  Israelite tribe of Gad (Switzerland) will not remain isolated.

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

2 “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father. …

19 “Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him, But he shall triumph at last. (Genesis 49:1-2, 19)

The above is an end time prophecy as it is for “the last days.” It is a reference to Switzerland. A troop shall tramp Switzerland.

The late Dr. Herman Hoeh, while part of the old Radio Church of God, wrote the following:

Gad, which means “the troop” certainly designates Switzerland the only Israelite nation in which every man is mobilized for defense. Against Gad would come the foreign troops, said Jacob, but he will “trod upon their heel.” Moses declared that Gad does NOT “leap,” a characteristic of the colonizing or pillaging tribes. Gad “teareth the arm, yea, the crown of the head” of the Holy Roman Empire, in whose territory “he chose a first part for himself, and there a portion of a ruler was reserved.” To Gad come “the heads of the people” as they do today to Geneva. No other nation on earth so perfectly fits this description of a nation of troops. (LOCATION OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL by Herman L Hoeh (ca. 1950s) http://www.giveshare.org/israel/locationtribes.html)

Related to Gad, let me add the following scripture:

20 And of Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; He dwells as a lion, And tears the arm and the crown of his head. 21 He provided the first part for himself, Because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there. He came with the heads of the people; He administered the justice of the Lord, And His judgments with Israel.” (Deuteronomy 33:20-21)

Switzerland, Geneva particularly, has had a history of being an “international lawgiver.” Note: Even though the migrations of some of the ancestors of Switzerland and Germany are similar, while some have erroneously taught that Germany is Gad, Germany has no history of being a recognized lawgiver–but instead primarily descended from Assyria (see Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History).

Switzerland will NOT be one of the safest places to be shortly before Jesus returns.

Have you wondered where the safest place to be is in turbulent times? Are you physically prepared for what is going to happen?

Some have wondered if Israelitish-descended nations, like Switzerland, could be part of the final Beast power. History shows us that at least parts of France, as well as essentially all of the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Belgium were part of the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ Consider also that three members of the House of Luxembourg reigned as ‘Holy Roman Emperors.’ The fact that at least part of the Israelitish peoples were part of the beasts in Daniel 2:40-43 and 7:2-8, should show all that it, for a time, can be part of the final Beast power (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?)

While this news page often refers to prophecies for those descended from Judah, Ephraim, or Manasseh, some have wondered what is prophesied to happen to the descendants of the remaining tribes of Israel? Although the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) does not start with their immediate punishment (Ezekiel 5:1-3 seems mainly to point to Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh), they too will receive punishment (bolded end of verse 4):

1 “And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. 2 You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them. 3 You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. 4 Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 5:1-4)

The bolded portion seems to show that the rest of the house of Israel will have tribulation after the modern nations that include the Anglo-descended countries will essentially be gone. This would include such countries as France, Finland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Norway. The ‘small number’ in verse 3 appears to be about 10 percent as that is the amount that Isaiah 6:13 indicates will be left.

Consider also the following along with the reality that Switzerland is full of mountains:

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. (Revelation 6:12-14)

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:17-20)

5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the Lord.

6 For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, Because they are filled with eastern ways; They are soothsayers like the Philistines, And they are pleased with the children of foreigners. 7 Their land is also full of silver and gold, And there is no end to their treasures; Their land is also full of horses, And there is no end to their chariots. 8 Their land is also full of idols; They worship the work of their own hands, That which their own fingers have made. 9 People bow down, And each man humbles himself; Therefore do not forgive them.

10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, From the terror of the Lord And the glory of His majesty. 11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

12 For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up —
And it shall be brought low—(Isaiah 2:5-12)

The above time frame is the Day of the Lord. It shows that various parts of Jacob/Israel are pleased with foreigners. They have silver and gold (cf. Revelation 18:11-12). They will end up hiding in the rocks (cf. Revelation 6:15-17)–while this hiding includes all associated with Babylon, it appears to be including various tribes of Israel, like Switzerland.

Mountainous Switzerland will be affected. Switzerland will not remain a safe place.

Of course, after Jesus comes and the Kingdom of God is established, all of that type of punishment will end (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel). Switzerland will NOT be a real place of safety (Revelation 12:14-17) during the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra), even if there is some truth to the view from a physical perspective that Switzerland is better prepared for disasters than other nations.

While there is a certain escape involved in this, the protected Christians are not going to their personal bunkers, but are going to a place that God has prepared in the wilderness.

For more on who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.

A while back, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put a prepper-related video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

18:48

Doomsday Preppers and Preparation

A study came out in August of 2019 showing that so many Americans are so fearful from news reports that more have become doomsday preppers. Meaning that they are storing up food, weapons, and other supplies for an apocalyptic type event to hit the USA. Jesus said sorrows and troubles would come, then a tribulation so bad that unless God intervened, no flesh would be saved alive. Is physical preparation the answer? Should Christians do any type of disaster preparations? Does God have a plan to protect some or all Christians from the coming “hour of trial” that Jesus spoke of? Who is promised protection and who is not? Is keeping the commandments enough? What has Jesus said His people should do? Are you supporting the work that needs to be completed before the end comes? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Doomsday Preppers and Preparation.

Put your confidence in God, not bunkers.

The Swiss need to do that as well.

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 are two related items in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra? and Existe un Lugar de Seguridad.

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.

When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.

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.

Thailand accepts Russia’s invitation to become part of the BRICS+ alliance

Sunday, December 29th, 2024

COGwriter

The BRICS alliance continues to expand as Thailand has agreed to join it:

Thailand accepts Russia’s invitation to join BRICS

December 26, 2024

Thailand has accepted Russia’s invitation to become a BRICS partner state, Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nikondet Phalangkun said at a press briefing on Dec. 26.

BRICS, composed of Russia, China, India, Brazil, and other nations, is a bloc of emerging economies often portrayed as a counterweight to the Western-led world.

“On October 31, Thailand received an invitation to become a BRICS partner state from Russia, the group’s chair in 2024,” Phalangkun said.

“On December 24, the Cabinet of Ministers held a meeting and decided that Thailand would respond positively to the invitation.”

The government believes that joining the economic alliance will carry benefits for Thailand across a number of sectors.

“(M)embership in BRICS will benefit Thailand by promoting trade, investment, food and energy security,” Phalangkun said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a BRICS forum in Kazan in October 2024. According to Moscow, 36 world leaders participated in the summit. Following the event, Putin said that invitations would be sent to a number of proposed new partner countries.

Four new members – Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates – joined BRICS at the start of 2024. This marked the group’s first expansion since December 2010, when South Africa became a member. https://kyivindependent.com/thailand-accepts-russias-invitation-to-join-brics/

It should be noted that Thailand brings 66 million more people into the BRICS fold. That is almost 1% of the world’s population and the BRICS, with 3.58 billion already represented 44.2% of the world’s 8.1 billion people.

The BRICS+ alliance is getting more influential.

Notice also the following:

Thailand is currently one of 13 official Brics partner countries, including Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Partner countries, part of Brics initiatives, work towards becoming full alliance members at a later date. https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2926486/brics-membership-advances. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip. © Bangkok Post PCL. All rights reserved. 25 December 2024

So, there are a dozen other BRICS partner countries that look to have the potential to join after Thailand.

And then there are other nations in the global south that have interest.

That said, the BRICS nations do have issues as they tend to distrust one another. Plus there are border issues between China, Russia, and India.

Yet, the expression “the enemy of your enemy is your friend” is also in place here. The disdain for the USA by most of the BRICS members is one of the things that keeps them together.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One day the US dollar will be toppled.

Related to the actions of the BRICS and the US dollar, we put out the following video:

14:31

BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar

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

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

Now, let me add that the Bible teaches that a coming European power will dominate the world (cf. Revelation 17-18)–yet at least some of the BRICS nations will turn against the coming European power.

Related to the end of Europe, notice the following which is chapter 10 in our free book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?

  1. The End of the European Beast and Opposition

In the previous chapter, the rise of the European King of the North Beast power, his attack against the strongest fortresses of the USA, and his coming destruction of the King of the South in the 11th chapter of Daniel were discussed.

It will not only be the Middle East and North Africa that will turn against the King of the North, Asia will as well. This could possibly be called WWIV.

In the last verse of Revelation 8 (verse 13) the word woe is repeated three times and is later connected to three angels and three trumpet blasts which correspond to the blowing of the 5th, 6th, and 7th trumpets.

The first woe (5th trumpet) is described in Revelation 9:1-11. It involves a demonically-led force which causes torment (perhaps involving a plague of germ or chemical warfare) for those not having the seal of God (Revelation 9:4)—thus those of the 144,000 who were sealed in Revelation 7:4 are not tormented by this.

This woe looks to involve at least some of the European King of the North’s military and is consistent with something from Daniel:

44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. (Daniel 11:44)

Looking at this verse, what could be north and east of the European Beast power?

Russia, for one, which is both in Europe and Asia. Daniel suggests that it, and some of its allies, will face some of the fury of the King of the North as part of the first woe.

Despite some erroneous claims, Russia, itself, is NOT the prophesied “King of the North,” but it is prophetically pointed to as the power of “the far north” (cf. Ezekiel 38:6, 39:1-2).

Going on from the first woe comes the second woe:

12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed — by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:12-21)

Such a massively large army was not possible to be put together when Jesus had John pen the Book of Revelation in the 1st century. In the 21st century, however, it is possible, and that army would be expected to include Chinese, Indian, Russian, and other Asian peoples.

The European Beast empire will not last, but will fear what is coming.

Notice also the following from the Hebrew scriptures:

2 … A people come, great and strong, The like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations.

3 A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them. 4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run. 5 With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array.

6 Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color. (Joel 2:2-6)

During the second woe, the 200,000,000 man army looks to tie in with Joel 2:2 which discusses some of that army’s expected actions.

Before going further, understand that current projects like China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Europe’s Global Gateway are looking to connect Asia, Europe, and the Middle East in ways that look to be building infrastructure that a 200 million man army would use in order to get to Europe and the Middle East.

Peoples prophetically called Medes are also shown to destroy the final Babylon according to both Isaiah and Jeremiah:

1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw…

17 “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. 18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Isaiah 13:1, 17-19)

11 Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it,
Because it is the vengeance of the Lord, The vengeance for His temple. (Jeremiah 51:11)

The fact that there are multiple kings of the Medes indicates that powers involved in this end time confederation represent multiple governments. This would seem to include Russia, Belarus, and likely Crimea, Donbas, and some others in Ukraine, some in Moldova, perhaps some from the nation of Georgia, and some in Iran, etc.

Anciently, “Darius the Mede” (Daniel 5:31) conquered old Babylon—modern “Medes” will help do the same to the end-time daughter of Babylon.

The following passages seem also to apply:

8 “Move from the midst of Babylon, Go out of the land of the Chaldeans; And be like the rams before the flocks. 9 For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain. (Jeremiah 50:8-9)

Those who believe the Bible should leave the midst of end-time Babylon by then. Certainly, the above “north country” includes Russia, but other passages clearly point to others from Asia being involved (Jeremiah 51:27-29).

Notice some of what will happen to the coming European Babylonian Beast power led by a power from the farthest parts of the earth (Russia is the nation that is the farthest east and close to being the farthest north nation):

22 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.

23 They will lay hold on bow and spear; They are cruel and have no mercy; Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, As men of war set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.”

24 We have heard the report of it; Our hands grow feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in labor. 25 Do not go out into the field, Nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of the enemy, Fear is on every side. 26 O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us. (Jeremiah 6:22-26)

41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north, And a great nation and many kings Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth. 42 They shall hold the bow and the lance; They are cruel and shall not show mercy. Their voice shall roar like the sea; They shall ride on horses, Set in array, like a man for the battle, Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 “The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands grow feeble; Anguish has taken hold of him, Pangs as of a woman in childbirth.  (Jeremiah 50:41-43)

The “great nation” from the “farthest parts of the earth” includes Russia. There are also nations that will be confederate with it. Those would also include China and other nations in Asia, and particularly in the Far East. The “Daughter of Babylon” Jeremiah referred to is not ancient Babylon, but the end-time European power. The “kings … from the ends of the earth” seem to include South Africa and India, which are BRICS nations which have also conducted military drills with Russia and China.[i] Some nations in South America may also be involved as they seem to be part of the “ends of the earth.” Consider that Brazil and Russia already have a variety of military agreements.[ii] When the “daughter of Babylon” is in the process of falling, many will abandon supporting it. Jeremiah 50 is part of the second woe.[iii]

The second woe, according to scripture, ends 3 ½ days after the two witnesses are killed per Revelation 11:7-14. That is quickly followed by the third woe and the blowing of the 7th trumpet (Revelation 11:14-15).

Jesus returns with this trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:16) which is also the last trumpet when Christians rise up (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52). While that is comforting for Christians (1 Thessalonians 4:18), this angers the nations (Revelation 11:15-18).

So, the nations that gathered in Armageddon to fight the forces of the Beast, despite issues between them, will unite to fight Jesus, Himself! This is also described in Zechariah 14 and Joel 3.

The third woe releases the seven last plagues (Revelation 15:1), with victorious Christians then pictured on the sea of glass (Revelation 15:2).

During the third woe, when God sends corrective punishments, because the non-Christians refused to repent:

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:9)

Notice something else that happens during this third woe:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)

Forces from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean would be expected to gather related to ‘Armageddon’ as “the whole world” (Revelation 16:13-16) will be involved.

Furthermore, note that Armageddon is the gathering place, but is not shown to be where a major battle is about to take place.

This world’s two great military powers — ready to fight each other for world domination — will be suddenly confronted by what they conceive to be, in their deceived minds, a common “enemy” — the returning Jesus Christ! [iv]

“And the nations were angry…” declares Revelation 11:18. Men will not want to submit to God’s rule! Instead, they will seek to destroy Jesus Christ — whom they will regard, falsely, as the Antichrist — and his angelic armies from heaven who accompany him to Jerusalem.

Instead of fighting each other, the Beast and the kings of the east will join forces — to “make war with the Lamb” (Rev. 17:14).

From the staging ground or mustering area of Armageddon the world’s armies will move to confront Jesus Christ himself.

Where will that climactic battle be fought? … Joel 3:1-2, 9-14. … The battle, involving “all nations,” will take place in the valley of Jehoshaphat! This deep valley or ravine borders Jerusalem on the east, between the city and the Mount of Olives … Today it is more commonly known as the Kidron Valley.[v]

As it turns out, Jehoshaphat means “Yahweh judged.” Anyway, the unrepentant nations of this world will be judged there by God for their rebellion and disobedience!

That said, why would various ones wrongly think that the returning Jesus is the final Antichrist? There are basically two reasons. The first is that the world, in general, does not know the beliefs of the original Christian church (details are in our free book, online at ccog.org, titled Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?). Why would that matter? Well, there are numerous Greco-Roman Catholic writings that teach that the Antichrist will hold to those original beliefs.[vi]

The second is that there are Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies that teach that the Antichrist wins the battle associated with Armageddon. Notice two:

Venerable Maria of Agreda (died 1665) … the kings will send armies to the Holy Land, but the Antichrist will slay them all.

Anne Catherine Emmerich (died 1824) … Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo in Palestine after which seven rulers, from fear, will subject themselves to Antichrist and he will thereafter become lord of the world [vii]

Hence, many will be deceived to fight against Jesus!

Going back to Revelation 16, we see that God will also issue corrective punishment to nearly all of humanity after Babylon (the European Empire) falls:

 17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great (Revelation 16:17-21).

Notice that the islands are moved and mountains are basically gone sometime after God allows a massive earthquake. Islands and coastal regions will be filled with fearful people as the seas and the waves will roar per Jesus (Luke 21:25-26), before the islands fled (Isaiah 11:11 refers to remnants of people being on islands after this event, but likely most on them will die).

Sadly, the nations will be angry and fight against Jesus when He returns to set up the glorious kingdom of God:

16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:16-18)

19:19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.  …

21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. …

20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. (Revelation 19:19,21, 20:4-5a)

The Bible says Jesus will save the world when He establishes the Kingdom of God (2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Corinthians 15:24, 50). Otherwise, all flesh would be destroyed (Matthew 24:22).

Notice the following:

11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’ (Jeremiah 13:11)

God wants all humans, everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30), but the bulk of the tribes of Israel have been unwilling to do so.

Those nations who gathered at Armageddon, will fight against Jesus and be defeated (Revelation 19:11-21).

Towards the end of that battle, the following happens to the King of the North Beast and the Antichrist False Prophet:

45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. (Daniel 11:45)

20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)

Jesus will come to then establish the millennial kingdom of God on the earth (Revelation 11:15). That is very good news.

That being said, after the coming millennial reign, God has a glorious and fantastic plan for the vast bulk of humanity that will “live again” in the age to come (cf. Hebrews 6:5, see also the free book, online at ccog.org, Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come?). This will benefit those of the whole house of Israel as well as Gentiles.

God’s plan of salvation includes people of all races and ethnicities (Luke 13:29; cf. Revelation 7:9). It is not limited to descendants of Israel or any other ethnicity (cf. Colossians 3:11).

[i] Maromo J. SA-China-Russia military exercise … IOL, January 22, 2023; Pasricha A. India and China to Take Part in Joint Military Drills with Russia. Voice of America News, August 31, 2022

[ii] Shoigu lauds Brazil as ‘important strategic partner’ for Russia in Latin America. Tass, February 16, 2022

[iii] Lesson 36 – Feast of Trumpets – Why Christ Must Come Again! 58 Lesson Ambassador College Correspondence Course, 1969 revision

[iv] Just What Do You Mean… ARMAGEDDON? WCG, 1982

[v] Stump K. Just What Do You Mean – ARMAGEDDON? Plaint Truth, June 1985

[vi] e.g. Gregory I. Registrum Epistolarum, Book XIII, Letter 1); Culleton RG.  The Reign of Antichrist., pp. 127-128; Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 194

[vii] Connor, pp. 84,86

The Bible teaches that the coming European Beast power will be conquered by at least several currently associated with the BRICS+ alliance.

We also put out the following video:

15:09

BRICS and the Woes of Revelation

The BRICS nations consist of Brazil, Russia, China, India, and South Africa. In February of 2023, Russia, China, and South Africa held joint naval drills. In the Fall of 2022, India, Russia, and China held joint military exercises. Brazil also has a military cooperation agreement with Russia. The Book of Revelation uses the term woe three times in chapter 8 verse 13–those woes are then discussed in later chapters. Could the BRICS nations, along with the coming Babylonian European Beast power be involved in all three of the woes? Do the BRICS nations want to push aside the USA dollar? Is one of the woes tied to the rise of a 200,000,000 man army? Is there any connection to the second woe and the two witnesses? Do the woes correspond with the last of the seven trumpets in the Book of Revelation? Is one of the woes tied to Armageddon? Does Jesus return with the seventh trumpet? Will nations not be pleased when Jesus returns? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these matters.

Here is a link to our video: BRICS and the Woes of Revelation.

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

The time for that to happen is getting closer.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.

BibleNewsProphecy: The Abomination of Desolation

Sunday, December 29th, 2024

Book cover

COGwriter

Jesus warned about the abomination of desolation.

The Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel discussing various views and scriptures about it:

15:16

The Abomination of Desolation

“Bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.” This is a mandate of the Continuing Church of God. The world event Dr. Thiel will focus on today centers around the “Abomination of Desolation”. It seems like everyone that professes Christianity has heard about the abomination of desolation. It is mentioned in both the Old (Dan 11:31) and New (Matt 24:15) Testaments. Jesus Christ, Himself, referred to the abomination spoken of by Daniel the prophet. And He told us it would usher in a time of terrible trouble. Is the abomination of desolation here right now? Some think so. Has the abomination of desolation already come and gone? Some also think that has happened. Either of those events would certainly be a world event worthy of the light of Bible prophecy. Where would we look to find the abomination of desolation? Can the Bible tell us what events have to take place in order for the fulfillment of prophecy of the abomination of desolation to be complete? Dr. Thiel uses many verses that shine the light of Biblical understanding on the Abomination of Desolation.

Here is a link to our video: The Abomination of Desolation.

The end is not yet, but is relatively soon.

Rely on the word of God and His true servants, not on improper calculations or other arguments that do not fully align with scripture.

Those who wish to know more about the truth about end time prophecies may wish to study the following:

Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Judaism beliefs.
Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, which is located on a Mount Zion, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building? There is also a video titled Might the oldest church building have prophetic ramifications?
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? What about modern censoring, censorship, and shadow banning? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
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?
Zerubbabel and Prophecy Who was Zerubbabel? Was another Zerubbabel prophesied for the 21st century? What about Joshua? What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach? Here is a link to a related sermon video: Zerubbabel and Joshua for 21st Century? We also have a related sermon in the Spanish language: Zorobabel y la profecía.
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.
21st Century Church of God Prophets Are there any true prophets in the 21st century? What about false prophets? What are scriptures and fruits to identify the true from the false? You you prove all things and test the spirits?
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.

 

Red Heifers, 2 disqualified, 3 potentially left–might one be sacrifices in 2025?

Saturday, December 28th, 2024


Massive white ‘altar’ from CBS video (via Michael Snyder)

COGwriter

A reader sent me a video yesterday, which I watched, that showed the five red heifers that were brought to Israel a couple of years ago.

2 of the red heifers have been disqualified by the Jews, so there are potentially three left.

However, since many Jews believe such red heifers are so rare (supposedly only 9 others in the past 3,000 or so years), at the most, it would seem they would accept is one of them.

Here are a couple of reports from a Protestant source about the red heifers:

December 19, 2024

In an exclusive interview with Charisma Media, Byron Stinson gave an update on the red heifer ceremony, and what we need to be on the lookout for next. …

“In Numbers 19, there’s a law that says you are to bring this red cow, and the red cow is the offering or ceremony of purification. And what you do is you take the ashes of this cow and you mix it with the living water from the Gihon Spring and it brings purification, physically away from death,” Stinson explains. “Everyone’s suffering under death. Anything you can see, touch, smell, anything, it’s death.” https://mycharisma.com/propheticrevival/morning-rundown-update-what-to-know-about-the-red-heifer-ceremony/

Byron Stinson, who has been deeply involved in bringing red heifers to Israel, shares an exciting update on their progress as the historic ceremony draws near. “The rabbis have had possession of the cows now,” Stinson says, noting that the heifers reached the required age earlier this year. “They became of age back in February and March, and they’ve been preparing the things they need to be able to do the ceremony.” …

Of the five cows originally brought to Israel, three still meet the strict requirements for the sacred ritual. “Out of the five, three are still pure and could be used for the ceremony. Two have started growing a couple of white or black hairs that disqualify them,” Stinson shares. However, these two heifers may still play a vital role in the future. “They’re still very good animals that could produce another red heifer.”

Stinson continues to emphasize the significance of the red heifer ceremony, which holds deep biblical and prophetic meaning in Jewish tradition. …

“It’s only one needed for the ceremony,” Stinson explains, underscoring the rarity and importance of finding a heifer that fully meets the stringent requirements laid out in the Torah. The process has been carefully monitored, and while the selection has narrowed, hope remains strong that the upcoming ceremony could mark a monumental event in Israel’s spiritual landscape.

The heifers are currently in Shiloh, where previous red heifer ceremonies took place in ancient times.

The ceremony itself is planned to take place on the Mount of Olives, a site steeped in religious history and significance. “We have the property on the Mount of Olives… it’s in our possession,” Stinson says. 09/27/24 https://mycharisma.com/propheticrevival/red-heifer-ceremony-could-this-be-the-year/

Presuming a red heifer was not privately sacrificed already and a substitute put in place in Shiloh, it is likely that if one is to be publicly  sacrificed it would happen early in the Hebrew month of Nisan/Abib. That would be the last day or so of March or the first day in April in 2025. As far as the Mount of Olives goes, there is something that was reported by CBS which would be used to sacrifice a red heifer there earlier this year in a video (see CBS: What these red cows from Texas have to do with war and peace in the Middle East. Red Heifer to be killed on the Mount of Olives?)–that is what is shown at the photo at the beginning of this post above.

Although it has not announced that it has actually sacrificed a red heifer, the Temple Institute did a related ceremony on what is called the Temple Mount. Here is a report:

Israeli Group Practices Red Heifer Ritual In Front Of Al-Aqsa Mosque

August 8, 2024

A group of religious Israelis have been pictured practicing the ritual of the red heifer, which is meant to herald the building of a new Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to Jewish tradition, the ashes of a perfectly red heifer cow are needed for the ritual purification that would allow a third temple to be built in Jerusalem. That temple, say radical Jewish groups, must be constructed on the raised plateau in Jerusalem’s Old City known as the Temple Mount, where Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock shrine stand today.

Some believe this will herald the arrival of the messiah and possibly even the end of the world.

“Temple worshipers are now practicing the mitzvah [religious duty] of a red cow in front of the Temple Mount, which will enable the return of purity and the observance of all the temple mitzvahs,” posted journalist Yinon Magal on Tuesday, along with a picture of activists from the Temple Institute.

In 2022, five red heifers arrived in Israel from a Texas ranch and are now kept in an archaeological park next to Shilo …

The Temple Institute imported the heifers for the eventual purpose of using them in a ritual after years of searching for blemish-free cows, without a stray white or black hair.

Their eventual slaughter on the Mount of Olives will – according to advocates – allow Jewish people to be purified so they can perform rites and worship on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque. …

The Chief Rabbinate of Jerusalem has also, since 1921, officially banned Jews from entering the Temple Mount. It ruled that Jews are forbidden to enter the site unless “ritually clean”, which is impossible without the ashes of a red heifer.

Over the past century, religious Zionist groups – including the Temple Institute – have advocated for the return of Jewish prayer at Al-Aqsa, with some even advocating the demolition of the mosque and reconstruction of the temple. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israeli-group-practices-red-heifer-ritual-front-al-aqsa-mosque

Let me state that Hamas and some other Muslims are concerned about this red heifer matter.

Israel365 News reported the following earlier this year:

Hamas Spokesman: Oct 7 attack launched to stop the red heifers

January 17, 2024

The Hamas spokesman gave a rare speech on the 100 day anniversary of the war against Israel. In his speech, he cited the arrival of the red heifers in Israel as one of the motives for the massacre of Jews on October 7.

Abu Obeida, the military spokesman for the Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas terrorist organization, made a televised appearance on the 100th day of the Israeli war on Gaza.  …

The Palestine Chronicle translated his speech. In the third paragraph, Abu Obeidah listed the motives for the Hamas attack on Israel:

In his speech, he referred to the October 7 attack as “ the Al Aqsa flood”.  …

Arab-language media covered Abu Abeidah’s speech extensively, focusing on the red heifer while noting that five red female calves were brought to Israel in September 2022. After the announcement of the arrival of the cows, Hamas reacted almost immediately, warning that the potential Jewish ritual posed a threat to Al Aqsa.  https://www.israel365news.com/382489/hamas-spokesman-oct-7-attack-launched-to-stop-the-red-heifers/

Yes, many Muslims are concerned about Jewish plans for a red heifer and what is known as the Temple Mount.

Here is some information from two webpages of the Temple Institute related to that:

In our own times, the commandment of the red heifer takes on more and more significance. For without it, the Divine service of the Holy Temple cannot be resumed. There is a spiritual renaissance today in Israel; after almost 2,000 years, Israel is clearly moving towards the time when the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah – the prophesied Third Temple – will be rebuilt. https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-introduction/ accessed 03/11/24

Geo-politically, the Temple Mount has to be cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the mosques which are presently located upon it before the physical rebuilding of the Holy Temple can begin. Many scenarios can be imagined which would accomplish this, the most promising, and not necessarily the most far-fetched, would entail Moslem recognition of the Mount as the intended location for the rebuilt Temple. With the acquiescence of the Moslem world the Moslem structures currently on the Mount would be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere. https://templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions/ accessed 03/17/24

By saying that the area must be cleared of the mosques that are presently on the area called the Temple Mount, the Temple Institute is clearly including the Al-Asqa Mosque, which Muslims hold to be sacred.

The sacrifice of a red heifer may even become a factor in an expanded regional war that could ultimately result in the confirmation of the deal of Daniel 9:27 and the countdown to the start of the Great Tribulation approximately 3 1/2 years later as well as the return of Jesus seven years after the deal is confirmed by someone that the Bible refers to as a prince in Daniel 9:26. So, in that sense, a red heifer may be a sign of the countdown to ‘the end of the world.’

Now, it should be pointed out the Jews do not need a massive temple in order to re-implement animal sacrifices. All they need is an altar and possibly a tent, which they have.

This was confirmed with me personally by a member of the Temple Institute as well as by the reconstituted Sanhedrin.

We have a video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to the Temple Institute, the red heifers, and Hamas:

14:58

Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent

In March 2024, the Temple Institute recently pointed out that how God blessed the Sabbath, He also blessed the construction of a tent tabernacle. They pointed out progress from the ancient Israelites. Should Christians be making spiritual progress each year before Passover? The Temple institute has stated that the area called ‘the Temple Mount’ needs to be cleared of Muslim mosques, etc. so that a ‘third temple’ can be built. It also claims that it has four thriving red heifers, one of which it want to sacrifice before the implementation of regular animal sacrifices. Has Hamas claimed that the existence and possible use of a red heifer was a factor in its attack in Israel on October 7, 2023? Does the Temple Institute believe it must have a massive temple in order for sacrifices to resume? Or is having a priesthood, an altar, and a tent enough? What does the Sanhedrin say about that? Did Ezra write that animal sacrifices were made after the first temple was destroyed, but before the second temple was started? Is that believed by numerous modern Jewish rabbis and scholars? Does the Bible teach that regular animal sacrifices will be resumed? Could there be any relationship to the stopping of them and the return of Jesus? Is the day of Jesus coming getting much closer? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent.

It is possible that we will see a red heifer sacrificed between now and the Day of Atonement in 2025.

We will see.

But what we know for sure is that the objectives of the Temple Institute and many Muslims are in serious conflict–and that the Temple Institute keeps taking steps.

The red heifer matter remains something to “Watch” as Jesus indicated in Mark 13:37.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and 5 Red Heifers and Year 5783?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.

 

Mexico is concerned that Donald Trump may authorize military strikes against cartels–could Mexico one day turn against the USA militarily?

Saturday, December 28th, 2024


Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum
(Photo by Eneas De Troya via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

NewsMax posted the following:

Mexico Concerned Trump May Order Military Strike on Cartels

27 December 2024 09:34 PM

As Mexico braces for the return of President-elect Donald Trump, Mexican officials wonder if Trump’s threats of military action against the drug cartels will become a reality, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

According to former Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s memoir, Trump had floated the idea of using the military to get rid of drug labs owned by cartels during his first administration but was ultimately talked out of it. This time, Mexican officials are cautious of Trump’s plans resurfacing.

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, quickly shot down the idea of U.S. military assault.“There won’t be an invasion,” Sheinbaum said at a recent news conference. “It’s not going to happen.” https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/mexico-trump-military/2024/12/27/id/1193115/

Just because Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, says it’s not going to happen does not mean that the USA may not cross into Mexican territory–it has done that to many countries in the past, including Mexico.

Various statements and proposals from US President-elect Trump are upsetting nations that have been allies of the USA including Canada, Denmark, Greenland, and Panama this month as well as all of the European Union and China last month.

Notice something regarding Panama:

Panama: Protesters say ‘enemy’ Trump must leave canal alone

December 25, 2024

Demonstrators in Panama on Tuesday protested against US President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that the US government could retake the Panama Canal. …

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the US Embassy in Panama and chanted slogans such as “Trump, animal, leave the canal alone,” carrying banners reading “Donald Trump, public enemy of Panama.” https://www.dw.com/en/panama-protesters-say-enemy-trump-must-leave-canal-alone/a-71156004

Panama is considering that the USA is an enemy.

Getting back to Mexico, Donald Trump has also threatened massive tariffs as well as deporting people back to Mexico.

Mexico is taking steps:

28 December 2024

Mexico has developed a mobile application aimed at assisting migrants who fear imminent detention by the US immigration authorities and will allow them to warn relatives and local consulates, Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente said on Friday. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/116730324.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

“Probably the 25% tariff is just not going to happen, because the disastrous effects that such a tariff would have would be just too much to handle,” said Juan Carlos Baker, former undersecretary of foreign trade in Mexico and part of the Mexican negotiating team for the free trade agreement with the U.S. and Canada called USMCA.

“But that doesn’t mean that [Trump] will just lie down,” he added. “During his first administration, he did impose tariffs on Mexico; Mexico retaliated in kind. We lived for about a year with tariffs imposed between the two countries until a settlement was reached.” …

After a violent and punishing year of elections, many in Mexico expect four bruising years ahead in which this key North American relationship returns to more hostile. https://www.marketplace.org/2024/12/26/trump-mexico-tariffs-us-trade/

The USA is pushing Mexico and others away.

Consider that while their relationship is not perfect, the Europeans have been working with Mexico for some time:

January 6, 2023

EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Mexican officials “are taking their time” after Brussels made some amendments that mirror a structure used in an accord between the EU and Chile finalised last month. Brussels hopes the tweaks should smooth the deal’s ratification, but Mexico City fears they could mean the treaty requires separate stages of approval. “In recent weeks we proposed a possible solution on the legal architecture of this modernised global agreement to Mexico,” Dombrovskis said. “We think it’s a good solution, which also takes into account some of Mexico’s concerns,” he added. “We are currently waiting for Mexico’s final response on this. We’re ready to move forward with the agreement as soon as we get that reply.” Mexico is seen as a potentially leading exporter of machinery, appliances and mineral products to the EU as Brussels seeks to reduce its reliance on China. …

The EU was Mexico’s biggest export market after the US in 2021. It imported €23.4bn of goods from Mexico, with exports totalling €37.7bn. In 2020 EU companies had investment worth €176bn worth in the country. https://www.ft.com/content/c692fc26-602c-4318-a299-8fadc973b482

August 22, 2024

{In} July {2024 there was} … the creation of the Mexico-EU Chamber of Commerce, with Brussels as its logistical headquarters.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Mexico is seen as a fundamental axis for linking Europe with North, Central and South America. Due to their unique geographical location, Mexico and the EU work together to address common challenges such as security, migration and the promotion of human rights. The EU and Mexico have long-standing historical and cultural ties and share fundamental values such as democracy and respect for the rule of law. …

And, since 2018, the EU and Mexico have reached an agreement in principle to modernise the 2000 trade agreement, pending final approval by the European Parliament and Congress in Mexico to implement and replace the one still in force.

In the first twenty years of the Agreement’s entry into force, flows of goods and services between Mexico and the EU were approximately 60 billion euros. Already in 2021, the EU remained the second largest net investor in Mexico with €6.9 billion (24.6% of total net FDI) only after the United States. https://www.atalayar.com/en/opinion/claudia-luna-palencia/the-eu-mexico-business-chamber-is-now-reality/20240822190000204320.html

Consider also something that I warned about in 2008:

In the spirit of accommodation and personal interest, many of the “standards” of the European Union will be adopted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, as well as by nearly all of the countries of the world. The Arab nations will most likely agree with many of the standards as they seem to be destined to form a brief end-time alliance with the Europeans (The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy).

However, over time, it will become increasingly clear that the British will be in more agreement with the Canadians and Americans and that the European Union in more agreement with the Mexicans than the EU will have with the English-speaking nations.

Trade wars and/or serious trade disputes will most likely arise.

The Brits will ultimately decide that they are more supportive of the Americans and Canadians. They will be so much more supportive that they will end up in a trading agreement with them (with the Australians and New Zealanders probably also becoming part of that agreement).

The EU will decide that Mexico and the rest of Latin America are in more agreement with it and thus make some type of serious trading agreement with most (or all) of Latin America. The Vatican will also have influence here as Latin America is highly Roman Catholic.

The Europeans and Americans, however, will continue to have military agreements, though many will be tense about them.

Eventually, the Europeans (possibly under the cover of pretending that they are involved in a “NATO-like” exercise in North America) will eventually launch a surprise attack against the United States in fulfillment of both biblical and Catholic prophecies. The Mexicans will most likely be allied with the Europeans for this to happen. (Thiel B. A Combined EU & North American Trade Block Coming? COGwriter.com, March 3, 2008)

Expect more cooperation between the Europeans and Mexico.

Consider also, something else, I posted here is 2008:

Because of the cultural, ethnic, language, legal, and religious ties between Europe and Latin America, the two regions will likely cooperate more in the future. These ties will be primarily economic, but also may include some type of military cooperation.

While the world generally considers that Mexico and the rest of the Latin American nations are “developing”, the fact is that they have truly been developing. Several are not only becoming economic powerhouses, they have been able to do this without the massive debt accumulations that many other nations have (like the U.S.A.). And while not all of Latin America is poised for major economic activity on the world scene, once major players such as Mexico, Argentina, Brazil (Portuguese: Brasil), and Chile develop a bit more, they will have an impact not only on the entire world, but also on the other Central and South American countries that they also trade with.

With the U.S.A. and its Anglo-Allies ultimately basically out of the picture, the future power of Europe will make Europe an economically attractive trading partner (and because of its military abilities in the future, it is likely to be an attractive military partner) to those in Latin America.  (Thiel B. What’s Ahead for Latin America?. COGwriter.com, October 22, 2008)

Mexico hopes that it can trade more with Europe and not be subject to the whims of the USA.

While in the short-run the USA can take steps to seriously harm Mexico, it should be clear that the USA is seriously risking turning Mexico from an ally into an enemy.

Now, as it turns out, various ones in Mexico have long considered that the USA is an enemy nation. But statements and proposals from Donald Trump are getting more in Mexico upset with the USA.

Furthermore, many in Mexico believe that the USA improperly took lands ranging from Texas to California and points in-between. They believe that they are entitled to receive that land back. It has been called the “reconquista” (“re-conquering” in English). Interestingly, the Bible teaches that the European King of the North power will takeover the USA and divide its land for gain (Daniel 11:39; see also Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?)–Mexico will likely end up with at least some of its claimed lands back this century. And yes, I believe that Mexican troops will one day align with Europe.

I expect that Mexico will end up with at least some of its claimed lands back this century.

Mexico will get at least some of those lands back after the start of World War III.

Sound preposterous?

First notice that someone else has put together what Mexico would look like if it got all of its old lands back:

Now, notice the Hispanic population in the USA as put together by Yerevanci with the red line showing old Mexican territories:

Don’t the two look similar?

Eventually, the Europeans (possibly under the cover of pretending that they are involved in a “NATO-like” exercise in North America) will eventually launch a surprise attack against the United States in fulfillment of both biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies. The Mexicans will most likely be allied with the Europeans for this to happen.

Sound too far fetched? Notice an item of historical interest:

April 6, 2017

One hundred years ago today, the United States officially declared war on Germany and entered World War I. Days before the declaration of war, President Woodrow Wilson urged a special joint session of Congress to “formally accept the status of belligerent which has thus been thrust upon it.”

Wilson had not wanted to do this. Indeed, he’d won reelection the previous fall as the antiwar candidate, running on the popular slogans “He kept us out of war” and “America First”—appeals to voters who wanted to stay out of a major European war and avoid a simmering conflict with Mexico.

But two events would change everything, and force Americans to accept that they could no longer avoid what had become a global conflict. The first was Germany’s resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare on passenger and merchant ships. The second was the “Zimmerman telegraph,” which revealed Germany’s attempt to forge a secret alliance with Mexico against the United States, promising to help Mexico recover territory it had ceded to the United States following the Mexican-American War in 1848.

Both of these developments, like much of World War I, seem exotic and unimaginable today. A major military power attacking passenger ships with submarines? Mexico invading Texas? It’s easy to think we’ll never face such scenarios again, and we probably won’t face those particular scenarios. But as distant and strange as the First World War seems to us today, the reasons Wilson changed course and declared war hold vital relevance to our national life in the twenty-first century, and we ignore or misunderstand those reasons to our peril. https://thefederalist.com/2017/04/06/americas-reasons-entering-wwi-resonate-today/

I do believe that Mexico will be willing to cooperate with a German-dominated power in Europe to invade the USA in the future. Do not think it cannot happen. Mexico is pivoting towards Europe, while the USA has been pivoting away from both.

Back in 2019, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

11:55

On July 12, 2019, a USA flag was taken down by demonstrators and a Mexican flag was raised in Colorado. Absolut Vodka had an advertisement displaying that places like California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Colorado should be part of Mexico again. Some have called for a ‘reconquista’–a returning to Mexico lands that it ceded to the USA in 1848. Last century the German government had a plan to work with Mexico to give it back lands that it lost if Mexico would assist it against the USA in World War I. Could something like that happen in the 21st century? Does Bible prophecy show that a Germanic Beast leader will invade the USA and divide its lands for gain? Could Mexico benefit from this? Have statements and actions by US President Donald Trump gotten any leaders in Mexico to contemplate more than a trade war, but a real war? What about trade with the European Union? Will Mexico gain territories that the USA now controls? Dr. Thiel addresses these questions and more.

Here is a link to our video: Will Mexico Regain USA Territories?

Despite statements of hope that both sides will better get along, Mexico will end up with closer cooperation with Europe.

The final Time of the Gentiles is coming and it will NOT end well for the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, América central, Suramérica, Brasil y el Caribe en la profecía] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What role might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
Trade Disputes: CCOG Warnings Are Coming to Pass Trade tensions and talks of trade wars have escalated. US President Donald Trump has put Europe, China, Mexico, and other lands on notice that he wants to change how international trade with the USA has been going. Tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, and even more tariffs are being implemented. Is this all just happenstance? Are we yet in a trade war? What will Europe do? Has the Church of God been warning about trade disputes and a coming trade war for decades? What about the Continuing Church of God (CCOG)? What has been warned, what has been happening, and what will happen? Will trade disputes be a factor in World War III (WW3)? Dr. Thiel explains what has been taught and what to expect.
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.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; and Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and ArmageddonWhen Will the End of the Age Come?, and Rise of the Prophesied King of the North.
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.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.

Sermon: Is Heaven the Goal?

Saturday, December 28th, 2024

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

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

1:14:59

Protestant ministers, Roman Catholic priests, and Pope Francis have all claimed that heaven is the goal for Christians. But is that what early Christians believed according to scholars? What does the Bible teach? What is the plain truth about what Christians, heirs to the promises to Abraham, are to inherit? Did Egyptian, Greek, and Gnostic pagans teach that heaven was the reward of the saved? What was the goal of Mithraism? Could Emperor Constantine’s sun-god religion have affected the Greco-Roman Catholics and later the Protestants? What about the ‘Beatific vision’ that Thomas Aquinas and others have promoted? Is God so egotistical that He made humans just to praise Him? Does God have a plan for everyone that involves giving love? What about keeping the Commandments? Did early Christians teach God is reproducing Himself and that we are to be born as sons and daughters in His kingdom after the resurrection? Was the kingdom of God the goal for early Christians? Why will the kingdom of God be so wonderful? If our reward is in heaven, does the Bible teach it will come down to the earth? Are the meek to inherit the earth as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount? Will eternity be boring or exciting? Is your purpose to give love in a unique way in order to make eternity better for yourself and everyone else? Will multiple billions of resurrected and converted humans each be able to make your eternity better?

Here is a link to our sermon: Is Heaven the Goal?

Some items of related interest may include the following:

Did Early Christians Teach They Were Going to Heaven? What do the Bible and scholars teach? What about ‘near-death experiences’? Here are links to related sermons: The Plain Truth About Heaven, Heaven and Christianity and It’s not heaven.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Three related sermons are available Let’s Talk About the Earthly Millennium, Millennial Utopia, and The Millennium.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
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.Two related sermons are also available:  Living as a Christian and Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Here is a video in Spanish: ¿Qué es un verdadero cristiano?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the MessiahProphecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and deathJesus’ prophesied divinity200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He madeWhy Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but …
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Here is a link to a related sermon: Evolution is NOT the Origin of Life. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
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.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, PassoverWhat Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & CelibacyEarly Heresies and HereticsDoctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, MeatsTithes, Crosses, Destiny, and moreSaturday or Sunday?The GodheadApostolic Laying on of Hands SuccessionChurch in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession ListHoly Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG HistoryThe First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & CharacterThe New Testament, Martin Luther, and the CanonEucharist, Passover, and EasterViews of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & BaptismScripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. SundayChurch Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s PlanSeventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of SalvationCrosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean MeatsThe Godhead and the TrinityFleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s PlanMysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s PlanMystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to a video in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: ApocatastasisUniversal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be SavedMysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3)Is God FairWill God Pardon the Ignorant?Can God Save Your Relatives?Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!The World’s False GospelThe Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there.
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Africa, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Canada, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Europe, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.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.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations YouTube channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs. Also available at BitChute COGAnimations https://www.bitchute.com/channel/coganimations/
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced hundreds of videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. You can find them at them on YouTube at BibleNewsProphecy https://www.youtube.com/user/BibleNewsProphecy, plus also on Vimeo at Bible News Prophecy https://vimeo.com/channels/biblenewsprophecy as well as on Brighteon Bible News Prophecy https://www.brighteon.com/channel/ccogbnp and Bitchute Prophecy https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo. Also available at BitChute COGAfrica https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogafrica/
CDLIDDSermones channel. This contains messages in the Spanish language
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Also available at BitChute COGTube https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/españolDeclaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a booklet titled: Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.

Sermonette: 2025 May Be Wild

Friday, December 27th, 2024


(Pixabay image)

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God put together the following video one of our YouTube channels:

Louis Rubin said that 2025 may be wild, particularly from a prophetic perspective. He mentions that globalists want to push their version of secular utopia. He mentioned that the United Nations recently adopted its ‘Pact for the Future’ and that nations are giving up sovereignty. He brought up some of what the Temple Institute has been doing and concluded by stating what the world needs is a Savior, Jesus.

Here is a link to the video: 2025 May Be Wild.

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Archbishop Viganò says that Pope Francis’ church has nothing to do with the ‘Catholic Church,’ yet in many ways neither does his group–was the original “catholic church” the Church of God?

Friday, December 27th, 2024


COGwriter

Pope Francis’ given name at birth was Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

Lifesite News posted the following translation from an interview with Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò conducted by Andrea Caldart:

Archbishop Viganò: The Catholic Church has nothing to do with the Bergoglian church

Andrea Caldart: Bergoglio’s Church seems to be in turmoil: many faithful continue to watch this Pope excommunicating priests and others because they produce evidence that Pope Benedict XVI has never actually renounced the Petrine “munus.” Archbishop Viganò, in which Church are we living?

Carlo Maria Viganò: Bergoglio’s “church” is not only in turmoil: it is in full delirium. If this can happen, it is precisely because it is no longer the Catholic Church, but her scandalous counterfeit; and because in the place of the Pope on the Throne of Peter sits a heretical and usurper tyrant. …

Those who think that the crisis began with this “pontificate” are mistaken: the desire to tamper with the Roman Papacy dates back to the Second Vatican Council, was continued with John Paul II’s encyclical Ut unum sint, was confirmed by the anomaly of Benedict XVI’s Resignation and was then embraced by Bergoglio – in full coherence with his predecessors – with the Study Document The Bishop of Rome issued by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Redefining the Papacy “in an ecumenical and synodal mold” is the typical modus operandi of heretics to conceal behind vague formulas a deliberately subversive action, contrary to the Faith and the constant practice of the Roman Catholic Church.

We must take note of the coup d’état that was hatched by the deep church and that brought to power, up to the very top of the Catholic hierarchy, the fifth columns of the enemy, that is, of the Masonic anti-church, of the Synagogue of Satan. …

Andrea Caldart: How do you evaluate the current state of the Catholic Church with respect to traditional values and modernity?

Carlo Maria Viganò: The Catholic Church has nothing to do with the Bergoglian church, which is “conciliar,” “synodal,” and “ecumenical,” but certainly not Catholic. … The assertion that the Church must be democratic and that the laity can or should participate in its government is obviously a colossal lie: not only because this contradicts the monarchical structure that Our Lord gave Her  …

Andrea Caldart: A question arises: where does the Catholic Church “subsist” today? How can the Catholic Church exist without a visible head?

{Carlo Maria Viganò: } The Catholic Church certainly does not exist in the Bergoglian church: certainly not in the conventicle of cardinals and bishops who support the tyrant out of fear, timidity, self-interest, blackmail, or acquiescence. …

Carlo Maria Viganò: The task of a Bishop, that is, of a Successor of the Apostles, is summed up by Saint Paul (2 Tim 4:1-5): I beseech you, before God and Christ Jesus, who must judge the living and the dead, by his appearance and his kingdom: preach the word, insist on every favorable and unfavorable occasion, convince, rebuke, exhort with all kinds of teaching and patience. For the time will come when they will no longer endure sound doctrine, but, having itching ears, they will seek teachers in great numbers according to their own desires, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to fables. But be vigilant in all things, endure suffering, carry out the task of evangelist, faithfully fulfill your ministry. 12/23/24 https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/archbishop-vigano-the-catholic-church-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-bergoglian-church/

Here is a brief summary of points where I believe that Carlo Maria Viganò was correct:

  1. Pope Francis is not faithful to the beliefs of the original catholic church.
  2. The Roman Catholic Church is a “scandalous counterfeit.”
  3. The problems in it began long before Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis.
  4. There is a “deep church” associated with the Church of Rome with Masonic ties.
  5. Yes, the “Synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9, 3:9) is an applicable title for the Roman Catholic Church (see also What is the Synagogue of Satan?).
  6. The true catholic church “has nothing to do with the Bergoglian church.”
  7. The true catholic church is not ecumenical.
  8. The true catholic church is not democratic.
  9. The true catholic church has hierarchical governance (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government).
  10. The true catholic church “certainly does not exist in the Bergoglian church.”
  11. The true catholic church does not exist “in the conventicle of cardinals.”
  12. The truly faithful bishops/overseers/ministers have apostolic succession (see also Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?).
  13. The Church of Rome long ago broke away with being faithful to many true Christian doctrines (see also Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?).
  14. That faithful leaders are to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), which is what he implied with citing 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

As far as Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò goes, he used to hold a high position within the Church of Rome, but he was excommunicated last Summer (see Vatican excommunicates Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò who responds with a warning about Freemasonsry and the WEF’s influence on the Vatican)–though some say he excommunicated himself.

The Vatican currently seems to believe that Carlo Maria Viganò leads a break-away sect that is not part of them.

That said, neither the Church of Rome nor the group associated with Carlo Maria Viganò holds to the beliefs of the original catholic church.

The majority in the Church of Rome turned against the faithful beliefs in the second century A.D. For documented details, see the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church.

All who claim to be Christian are “to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Among other doctrines, that original faith did NOT:

1) Include a round Eucharistic host. For details, check out the articles: Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Greco-Roman Eucharist? and Early Christianity and the Eucharist?

2) Include idolatry. For details, check out the article: What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?

3) Observe Passover more than once per year. The repeated Eucharist is supposed to be related to Jesus’ and Passover. See also: Passover and the Early Church and Early Christianity and the Eucharist?

4) Teach purgatory or plenary indulgences. or details, check out the article: Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory?

5) Teach that tradition was above or equal to scripture. For details, check out the article: Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings

Although Greco-Roman Catholics claim to have preserved the original Christian faith, their scholars realize that they changed it. That is documented in the book Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church.

We also put out related sermons.

Here are a list of all the sermons directly tied to the Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church book:

  1. Original Catholic Church of God?
  2. Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover
  3. What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?
  4. Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy
  5. Early Heresies and Heretics
  6. Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats
  7. Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?
  8. The Godhead
  9. Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession
  10. Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List
  11. Holy Mother Church and Heresies
  12. Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs

This book and the available sermons are intended to help us to instruct many and answer many who have a professing Christian background:

33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; (Daniel 11:33, NKJV)

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. (1 Peter 3:15-16, KJV)

This information is important for you to know, presuming you wish to be one who understands and obeys God’s word.

If you missed any of those sermons, or wish to re-watch any, hopefully the list will make that easier for you.

Many with a Worldwide Church of God, or other Church of God background, may be surprised to learn who the true Christian leaders said the original catholic church was.

In the 20th century, the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God taught (bolding mine):

These words from the Syriac version of … {The Epistle to the Magnesians} Ignatius clearly demonstrate the importance of the Sabbath in the early Catholic churches. (Hoeh H. Why Do the Churches Observe SUNDAY? Good News, April 1957)

Well might Jesus say: “I know . . . where Satan’s seat is . . . where Satan dwelleth.” His “Pergamos” Church knew, too! This was a different kind of era. An age in which the True Church was actively pursued,and had to remain in hiding. … Polycrates had been … part of “the catholic church of God.” The great conspiracy had succeeded-it had stolen the name of Christ, the name of God’s Church. (Lesson 50 – What Became of the Church Jesus Built? 58 Lesson: Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, 1968, p. 8)

Polycrates came from that area in which Paul spent most of his tin1e -in Asia Minor, near Ephesus. This is also where John spent his last days. Here we have Christiam still remaining true to the faith! (Hoeh H. A True History of the True Church. Radio Church of God, 1959, p. 16)

Eusebius, historian of the early centuries of the Church, speaks of the true Christians observing Passover on the 14th of Nisan, first month of the Sacred Calendar.

“A question of no small importance arose at that time. For the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour’s passover … the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him:

“‘We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord’s coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles … and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord … and Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia … the bishop and martyr Sagaris … the blessed Papirius, or Melito ….All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith’ ” (Ecclesiastical History, book V, chapters XXIII and XXIV). (Armstrong HW. The Plain Truth About Easter. WCG booklet, 1973)

They called themselves the Apostolic Catholic church, but …  nicknamed Paulicians by their enemies … (Paulicians. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: Mun to Pay. 1911, p. 961; Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY: A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology. April 1973, p.29)

Yes, the true Church of God was the original catholic church–the first three references to the “catholic church” in the ancient literature were ALL directed at the true Church of God (detailed quotes are in the free online book Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church). As far as later designations go, those once part of the old Worldwide Church of God may be interested in learning that Dibar Apartian, a late Worldwide Church of God (WCG) evangelist, confirmed with me and my family in Evian, France, at the Feast of Tabernacles in 2008, that we were all part of the original catholic church.

The original “catholic church of God” was NOT the Roman Catholic church.

If you are interested in church history and what happened with the original church, you may also wish to read the book, which is available free online at the following link: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church.

The Continuing Church of God is NOT Greco-Roman Catholic, but neither is it Protestant. For some of the reasons why we are NOT Protestant, check out the free online book, Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?

Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 160 different languages there.