Church of God News

ISIS Flag (also known as the Black Flag of Jihad)

COGwriter

The terrorist who plowed his ISIS flag toting truck into a crowd in New Orleans, apparently also intended more terror:

Bourbon Street Terrorist’s Bombs Made With Extremely Rare Explosive, Officials Say

January 5, 2025

The terrorist who killed 14 people and hurt 35 more in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year’s Day prepositioned bombs that used an extraordinarily rare explosive compound, senior law enforcement officials have told NBC News. The two devices didn’t detonate, but authorities are scrambling to learn how Shamsud-Din Jabbar was able to incorporate a type of explosive that has never before been used in a terror attack in America or Europe.

At around 3 am on Wednesday, Texas-born Houston resident Shamsud-Din Jabbar used a pickup truck to plow a path of carnage through a crowd of New Year’s partiers on Bourbon Street, before police killed him in a shootout. The 42-year-old US Army veteran’s plan had another dimension of death that he failed to execute: The FBI and ATF say he’d built two bombs that were rigged to be detonated with a transmitter that was found in his rented Ford F-150 truck.

The improvised explosive devices were placed in recreational coolers that Jabbar placed on Bourbon Street; that action was recorded on security cameras. Neither bomb exploded, and investigators are still trying to determine whether that fortunate fact springs from a design flaw, a malfunction or Jabbar’s failing to attempt to trigger the devices.  …

Given the particulars of his military service, it’s unlikely Jabbar’s novel bomb-making knowledge was gained during his time in uniform. “Jabbar was in the regular Army as a Human Resource Specialist (42A) and Information Technology (IT) Specialist (25B) from March 2007 until January 2015 and then in the Army Reserve as an IT Specialist (25B) from January 2015 until July 2020,” a Pentagon official told Task & Purpose. “He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant at the end of service.”

The pickup truck that Jabbar used to murder 14 people and wound dozens more was adorned with an ISIS flag. Law enforcement officials say that he posted videos to Facebook hours before his attack. Seemingly created for the benefit of his family, the videos showed him pledging allegiance to the Salafist terror group as he was driving. …

Jabbar’s younger brother, 24-year-old Abdur Jabbar, told the New York Times that his older brother’s mass murder wasn’t an exemplification of Islam. “What he did does not represent Islam. This is more some type of radicalization, not religion.” https://www.zerohedge.com/political/bourbon-street-terrorists-bombs-made-extremely-rare-explosive-officials-say

The Islamic State (ISIS) had called for those sympathetic to it to carry out terrorist attacks on January 1, and Shamsud-Din Jabbar did so. He was also killed. The fact that he had some very rare explosive suggests that official reports that he acted totally alone seem to be wrong.

The following is in my free online book Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century:

An Islamic Misunderstanding About Jesus

While the group that called itself the Islamic State does not represent most of Islam, notice something it had in a magazine article titled Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You:

We hate you, first and foremost, because you are disbelievers; you reject the oneness of Allah – whether you realize it or not – by making partners for Him in worship, you blaspheme against Him, claiming that He has a son, you fabricate lies against His prophets and messengers, and you indulge in all manner of devilish practices (Dabiq, issue 15, Shawal 1437, 31 July 2016, p. 31).

Getting past the hate comments, the reality is that the prophets DID teach that God would have a son. Notice what the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write:

⁵ For a child has been born to us, A son has been given us. And authority has settled on his shoulders. He has been named The Mighty God is planning grace; (Isaiah 9:5ab, Jewish Publication Society 1985—this is Isaiah 9:6ab in most other translations)

Notice what the Psalmist prophesied:

⁶ ‘Truly it is I that have established My king
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.’

⁷ I will tell of the decree: The LORD said unto me: ‘Thou art My son, This day have I begotten thee. (Psalm 2:6-7, Jewish Publication Society 1917)

So, the Hebrew scriptures (even with Jewish translations) clearly prophesied that God would beget a Son.

Jesus was begotten to be the Christ:

¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Muslims are supposed to believe the Old and New Testaments–though many claim that they were altered. Yet, there would be no reason to accept that the Jews would have altered a prophecy in Isaiah to point to a Son being born who is called the “Mighty God” as that would support views of Christians. Nor would they have altered the Psalms for the same basic reason.

And getting back to Isaiah, The Great Isaiah Scroll was one of the so-called Dead Sea Scrolls found by Muslim shepherds in 1946. That scroll has been dated to be between 1900 to 2300 years old.

Here is a translation of the relevant part of Isaiah 9 in The Great Isaiah Scroll by Professors Petwer W. Finch and Eugene Ulrich (italics added by them as they were not in The Great Isaiah Scroll):

⁶ For a child is born to us, a son is given us. The government will be on his shoulders. He is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6ab)

So, The Great Isaiah Scroll also shows that a son was to be born who would be God.

Now, here is a translation from the Dead Sea Scrolls (3Q2 Psalms) of the following:

⁶ “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.” ⁷ I will tell of the decree. Yahweh said to me, “You are my son. Today I have become your father. (Psalm 2:6-7)

Yes, God has a son and yes, He is the Father.

The Islamic State was wrong: it is NOT a lie to point to Jesus as the Son of God, and His arrival was prophesied. More on that can be found in the free book, available online at ccog.org, titled: Proof Jesus is the Messiah.

That said, the Bible warns that more terrorism will hit a corrupt people:

5 They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, Because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation. … 25 The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within (Deuteronomy 32:5,25)

12 “Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh. (Ezekiel 21:12)

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:25-27)

5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

6 You have forsaken Me,” says the Lord,
“You have gone backward.
Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you;
I am weary of relenting!
7 And I will winnow them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land;
I will bereave them of children;
I will destroy My people,
Since they do not return from their ways.
8 Their widows will be increased to Me more than the sand of the seas;
I will bring against them,
Against the mother of the young men,
A plunderer at noonday;
I will cause anguish and terror to fall on them suddenly. (Jeremiah 15:6-8)

Consider the following as applicable to the terrorists themselves:

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…30…violent, proud, boasters,…31…unmerciful; (Romans 1:28-31)

8 … And the violence of the land and the city,
And of all who dwell in it.

9 “Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house,
That he may set his nest on high, (Habakkuk 2:8-9)

We continue to see shootings and other terroristic acts.

What Shamsud-Din Jabbar did and attempted to do will not be the end of that.

We are in a violent generation:

11 There is a generation that curses its father,
And does not bless its mother.
12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation — oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives, (Proverbs 30:11-14)

We just uploaded the following video:

14:33

The City is Full of Violence

“Bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.” This is a mandate of the Continuing Church of God. Newsflash – Ford pickup truck plows into crowd in New Orleans. Newsflash – Driver blows up Tesla pickup truck in Las Vegas. Newsflash – Mass shooting in New York City injures 10. Newsflash – Murder in New Zealand. Newsflash – Murder in Montenegro. Truly… “The City is Full of Violence”. Everywhere we look we find terror and violence the whole world through. Is there any light of prophecy that can offer a glimmer of understanding and hope to a world gone berserk? Dr. Thiel says yes. God tells us why this is happening, and God also tells us how to put an end to this madness. In this video Dr. Thiel quotes several scriptures that point to the reason we find “terror within” and shines the light on the answer to turn the terror into peace.

Here is a link to our video: The City is Full of Violence.

The problem is moral decline and lack of proper fear of God.

This has impacted pretty much all of American society.

More terrorism is coming.

National repentance is what the USA needs. But since that is not likely, personal repentance is.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
Crime can be stopped…here’s how! This was a booklet that was edited with some updates by Dr. Thiel. Here is a link to a related sermon: Crime and How it Will be Stopped!
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims. Here is a link to a sermon in the Spanish language: El Imám Mahdi las mujeres y la profecía bíblica
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here are links to two related sermons: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada
(Wikipedia photo)

COGwriter

After US President-elect Donald Trump made his recent comments about Canada becoming a state in the USA, Kevin O’Leary said he would like to negotiate a deal to make that happen:

Television personality Kevin O’Leary says he wants to “start the narrative” with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to negotiate a deal that would merge the economies of Canada and the U.S. O’Leary claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “Canadians over the holidays have been talking about this.”

The Florida-based entrepreneur appeared on Fox Business weeks after Trump’s quip that Canada should become the 51st state of the U.S. and taunting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by calling him a “governor.”

“I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested,” O’Leary claimed. “Nobody wants Trudeau to negotiate this deal … I don’t want him doing it for me, so I’m going to go to Mar-a-Lago.”

On the American program, he talked about the possibilities for sharing resources, using a common currency, creating a new EU-like passport and figuring out taxes across the board.

He added that “of the 41 million Canadians, I think most of them would trust me on this deal.”

A poll from Leger earlier this month found that only 13 per cent of Canadians are warm to the idea of the country becoming the “51st state.”

On Monday, Trump reposted a tweet from Leading Report about O’Leary’s idea. 12/31/24 https://ca.news.yahoo.com/kevin-oleary-wants-to-negotiate-with-donald-trump-about-combining-economies-of-canada-and-us-181042917.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLmdvb2dsZS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADCwF-oSZerRHYzkXBMv9vgM4W17-Om3LU8g6B76ecSBHAyVKy4UN_QlU7_NBSCxaTeB5ITf-7DD0zxULTk-F6HonbHvINjB4bw77D5C9RrOKpze6xAVbH-xYvPwc1nzU13pSsnHpR5wG3bOqpuJZn8qdbcCADLBsaHUiqLjk3Nk

Well, despite Kevin O’Leary’s confidence in himself, it does not sound like most Canadians want to be part of the USA.

That said, the Economist posted the following:

Why Canada should join the EU

Europe needs space and resources, Canada needs people. Let’s deal

Is international conflicts go, none did so little to disrupt the global order as the “whisky wars” that pitted Canada against Denmark for four decades. Flaring up in 1984, the unlikely spat involved a one-square-kilometre island in the middle of an icy Arctic channel marking the border between Greenland (now a self-ruling part of Denmark) and the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Both sides assumed the rock was theirs. What might have been considered a casus belli by lesser countries became, for the northern duo, an exercise in diplomatic civility. Canadian officials visiting the island marked their territory by leaving whisky and flags; Danes asserted sovereignty by snaffling the booze and leaving their own schnapps for Canadians to enjoy. In lieu of shots fired, polite letters were occasionally exchanged. When the quarrel grew tiresome a working group spent years agreeing to split the island down the middle, ending all hostilities in 2022. https://www.economist.com/europe/2025/01/02/why-canada-should-join-the-eu

While the USA, Canada, and Denmark all have expressed interest in Greenland, those there have aligned themselves with Denmark and the EU.

Greenland is not a reason most Canadians would cite as a reason to join the EU.

The threat of tariffs against Canada and against the EU by Donald Trump, however, is a reason that both sides might talk more about cooperation.

That said, the idea of Canada potentially joining the European Union is not new.

Notice something I posted here back in 2009:

Canada, Aiming to Curb U.S. Reliance, Starts EU Talks

Bloomberg – May 6, 2009

by Theophilos Argitis

Canada, the world’s eighth-largest economy, kicked off trade talks with the European Union as it seeks to reduce dependence on a slowing U.S. economy. Prime Minister Stephen Harper met European Commission President Jose Barroso today in Prague to discuss an accord. Canada’s exports will drop 22 percent this year because of the weak global economy, the country’s export development agency predicted last month.

“This is an historic step for Canada,” Harper told reporters in Prague. “It is a glimmer of light in the darkness of this global recession.”

A trade agreement with the European Union would be the country’s largest since the North American Free Trade Agreement. Canada is suffering its deepest slump since the 1930s amid plunging demand for its goods in the U.S., which buys about 80 percent of its exports.

Canada, home to aircraft producer Bombardier Inc. and among the world’s 10 largest auto producing nations, will record a 7.3 percent drop in first-quarter output, the country’s central bank estimates.

Canadian officials, including Trade Minister Stockwell Day, also have complained about what they say is growing protectionism in the U.S.

Protectionist Risk

A U.S. decision to let states exclude Canadian companies from projects paid for by the $787 billion stimulus package risks igniting a protectionist backlash, Day told reporters last month in Washington. The U.S. also recently imposed $54.8 million in duties on softwood lumber from four Canadian provinces.

Canada and the EU, too, will need to overcome trade disputes as they start negotiations. The European Union yesterday approved a ban on imports of seal products, prompting Canada to threaten action with the WTO.

The EU is targeting products derived from seals that are killed and skinned in ways that cause pain and suffering.

Day told reporters yesterday in Prague the dispute won’t affect the trade talks with the EU.

“We’re going to pursue a broader trade agreement with the EU but there will always be individual disputes as there will be with this case with the seals,” he said.

A trade agreement could boost Canadian exports by C$12 billion ($10.2 billion) annually, Day said.

Beyond Tariffs

The scope of negotiations will reach beyond tariffs, making it a broader agreement than Nafta. Canada and the EU are seeking an “ambitious” agreement including government procurement and regulatory co-operation, according to a statement released by Harper’s office today. Canada and the EU traded C$90.4 billion worth of goods in 2008.

An agreement may open up European markets to Canadian aerospace and engineering companies such as Bombardier and SNC Lavalin Group Inc., while providing Europeans access to Canada’s energy resources, said Simon Potter, a trade lawyer at McCarthy Tetrault in Montreal.

“This is the very first trade deal we’re going to sign with a huge economy after Nafta,” Potter said in a telephone interview. “I expect energy is going to be a major part.”

Canada sits on the largest pool of oil reserves outside of the Middle East, and is a major exporter of natural gas.

“Europe strategically is looking to work its way out from the yoke of Gazprom and seeking other suppliers,” Dale Botting, an economic development official from Saskatchewan, said in a telephone interview. Canada “can try to fill the gap.” http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aA7320P3ohA0&refer=canada

Back in 2009, I also posted

Interestingly, to me it least, was something I saw on Canadian television several years ago that indicated that in the future, Quebec would become an ally of the EU and help lead to the destruction of Canada (and possibly also the USA, if I remember that part well enough).

As  I have long believed and reported, the USA and Canada will make various deals with the Europeans, but ultimately, the USA, Canada, and their Anglo-allies, will decide to cooperate more with each other than with the Europeans (Quebec, though, could be in a different category).

However, Anglo-unity is likely to be one of the factors that will lead to the destruction of the Anglo-descended peoples by the coming European Beast power.

Let me add that since the UK had Brexit, that would be another reason that Canada would not want to voluntarily join the EU.

However, the time will come when Canada, along with the United States, will be conquered by the coming European Beast power and its lands will be divided (cf. Daniel 11:39).

This will happen no matter what Kevin O’Leary may or may not do.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy,Roman Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.

Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?

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.

(Above from Pixabay)

COGwriter

Are there threats associated with governments going cashless? Are CBDCs a good thing?

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

14:37

CBDCs and a Cashless Society

“Bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.” This one of the mandates of the Continuing Church of God. The Beast of Revelation is shown as controlling all buying and selling. Might CBDCs fill a role in that control? The Bank of International Settlement predicts there will be at least 9 CBDCs in circulation by 2030. Globalists would prefer a faster pace. What nations or groups of nations are pushing for a Central Bank Digital Currency? There is one group of nations that has claimed it wants to be the dominant force in a CBDC. Will this group of nations become a tie-in to the 666 Mark of the Beast? How close are we to CBDCs? Dr. Thiel uses verses from Bible prophecy to shine the light of understanding on the dangers of the coming Beast power and the cashless society promised by CBDCs. You can read the corresponding article to this video titled “Yes, there are threats of cashlessness, most in NZ, Canada, the US, & Australia oppose CBDCs, yet the IMF continues to push for CBDCs.”

Here is a link to our video: CBDCs and a Cashless Society.

The European ‘666’ will arise and control buying and selling.

And for a time Europe will “master the future” under a totalitarian dictator.

But the good news is that it will one day be replaced by the coming Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 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.
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
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.

(Photo from Pixabay)

COGwriter

ZeroHedge posted the following by Marco Butler:

2025 Crystal Ball: 10 Bold Predictions Not To Ignore

It is that time of the year when all investors look back at the past 12 months and try to anticipate what is in store for the next 12. …

Even though forecasting is a difficult task, and portfolio management is not solely about forecasting but also about risk management and adapting to the environment to deliver the appropriate risk adjusted return. In this context, there are ten bold predictions investors should not ignore as they look ahead to the next 12 months.

1. The FED will resume rate hikes before December 31, 2025.

In 2024, the FOMC delivered irrelevant rate cuts that culminated in a predictably hawkish tone at its final meeting of the year, as the FED began to factor in the impact of tariffs on the U.S. business cycle. Investors should remember that this is not the first time the FED has embarked on an interest rate cut cycle while the U.S. economy was in an inflationary boom. …

3. The US energy sector will outperform the Magnificent 7.

Savvy investors also know that when the US economy is in an inflationary boom, as it has been since October 2023, energy-consuming sectors—proxied by the IT sector and more narrowly by the “Magnificent 7″—outperform energy-producing sectors, which can be proxied by the energy sector. However, as tariffs are implemented and the so-called ‘Trump rally’ morphs into ‘Trump Stagflation,’ and as the US economy transitions from an inflationary boom to an inflationary bust, energy-producing sectors will outperform energy-consuming sectors. …

4. The US 30-Year Yield rise above 6.0%.

With the US government facing more than $10.0 trillion in debt to refinance in 2025 alone, and with tariffs and tighter immigration policies set to be implemented once the 47th US president is eventually inaugurated on January 20th, the FED may be tempted, or even forced, at some point to implement yield curve control to preserve the health of the US banking system and maintain a semblance of importance and credibility.

7. Physical gold will outperform Bitcoin.

Investors who have studied the business cycle throughout history understand that there is only one asset class that has preserved wealth during inflationary times, particularly during inflationary busts, and that provides a hedge against government actions and the rising risks of wars: PHYSICAL GOLD. While Wall Street and even politicians, who will do whatever it takes to be elected, have sold the idea to uneducated YOLO investors that Bitcoin is an antifragile asset, the reality is that Bitcoin, like other cryptocurrencies, is the biggest scam ever created by authoritarian governments. …

8. The Eurozone will implement capital controls.

Outside of Japan, which is expected to experience the first significant crisis among the wrongly called developed markets, Europe will not only be the region most impacted by the implementation of tariffs by the 47th U.S. president but will also have to deal with rising political instability. Recent events in France and Germany have shown that lame-duck governments are impotent in implementing the necessary reforms to avoid an inevitable sovereign debt crisis. In this context, investors should not only avoid the European banking sector but also be aware of the rising risk in the Eurozone of implementing capital controls to prevent a complete meltdown of its financial sector. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2025-01-04/2025-crystal-ball-10-bold-predictions-not-ignore

While Marco Butler listed 10, I only plan to comment on the five shown here (his entire article with all ten is at the link above).

1. The US Federal Reserve reduced interest rates in 2024 in what looks to have been an effort to assist the economy of the Biden-Harris Administration. But many felt that was not justified because of inflationary issues. Raising rates would also have international consequences, including impacting Europe.

3. If Donald Trump can get several of his energy policies in place, yes, the US energy sector will do well financially.

4. At some point in time, US Treasuries will have to pay a much higher rate than they currently do. We will see if the 30 year rate will exceed 6% by the end of 2025. But it could.

7. In many ways, Bitcoin is a scam. But, so too now, is the US dollar. Gold, which has other issues, is in a different category. But there is no assurance that gold will outperform Bitcoin in 2025–if we see the peace deal of Daniel 9:27, or certain other developments, gold may drop in 2025.

Bitcoin, itself, is backed by nothing and can also be destroyed. Some suspect that massively fast computer chips, like Google’s Willow, may be a threat to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin according to this report from Forbes:

Small Step Or Giant Leap? Assessing Google’s Quantum Threat To BTC

December 19, 2024

Any major developments regarding quantum computing tend to cause a collective intake of breath among the crypto community. Google’s latest announcement launching its quantum processor, dubbed Willow, is no different. Not only does Willow feature double the number of qubits (or quantum bits, the quantum equivalent of processing capacity in traditional computers), but Google has also managed to reduce the instability usually caused by adding more qubits.

Therefore, Willow offers increased computational capacity relative to the number of additional qubits compared to other quantum machines. To put this into context, Willow takes around five minutes to execute a task that would take a standard supercomputer a trillion trillion years to process.

This significant leap forward in processing power leads to questions about Bitcoin’s legendary security, unbroken for 15 years since the genesis block. Bitcoin relies on cryptography, including the SHA-256 algorithm, which is secure enough to withstand any brute-force attack by traditional computers. But, if we put the same task in front of increasingly powerful quantum machines, a successful attack will begin to approach the point of feasibility. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nimrodlehavi/2024/12/19/small-step-or-giant-leap-assessing-googles-quantum-threat-to-btc/

I have long warned that Bitcoin had risks, and this looks to be another one.

A couple of years back, ZeroHedge posted the following:

The Bitcoin is ‘as-good-as-gold’ myth is over

November 17, 2022

When you invest in gold or buy silver coins … you are choosing to invest in an asset that has no counterparty risk.

Sadly those who have been holding their bitcoin on the crypto exchange FTX, have not experienced the same level of reassurance and service from the exchange’s management.

This time last year, cryptocurrency enthusiasts were still touting “Crypto as the new gold”– crypto touted as having the same ‘safe’ attributes as gold.

The main attribute is that it is a currency that government doesn’t control. Also, it is without counterparty risk. The latest debacle has once more proved this is not always the case for cryptocurrencies.

The news that the crypto exchange FTX was filing for bankruptcy on November 5 sent Bitcoin plunging down a further 25%.

This is on top of the more than 60% Bitcoin has already declined since its November 2021 peak. …

The FTX collapse has brought to light that the CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, had authorized billions of dollars worth of customer assets to be lent to its affiliated trading firm Alameda Research to fund risky bets.

According to news reports Alameda Research owes FTX upwards of US$10 billion. This is more than half of its US$16 billion in customer assets!

The bankruptcy case is likely to take years to unravel. There could be more than one million creditors, and more than 100 other related corporate entities involved.

Everyone who thought they owned Bitcoin held by FTX became an unsecured bankruptcy creditor. These are the ones who must now rely upon some Court to confirm just how much, or any Bitcoin they will receive. …

Only time will tell if the timing of the test (on the heels of the FTX collapse) is simply ‘bad timing’ or an omen of a system building in even more risk. Investing in physical gold and silver are still the tried-and-true alternative!  https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2022-11-17/bitcoin-good-gold-myth-over

Yes, gold and silver have been safer than being with FTX.

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, have never been backed by anything other than the desire of many to use it to trade or speculate with. (Note: that although currencies like the USA dollar were once backed by gold, currently it, and nearly all currencies of the world, are backed by nothing either–so in that respect are not much different than cryptocurrencies.)

As long time reader of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, I never bought into the myth that Bitcoin was “as good as gold” and have long warned about it–here is a link to something posted here back in 2014: Bitcoin seller ‘goes dark’–Bitcoins are not the answer.

Notice also the following:

Crypto has made its own place in the world by making an amazing leap forward as a medium of exchange, with thus far unrivaled capabilities. But crypto is not gold, and can never be gold. I suggest that BTC and Crypto are better as a medium of exchange, while gold is a better medium for storing value.

This is not because of some dogma I have for the metal. Some will trot out “you are just talking your book” when I mention this.

The simple fact is, out of the near 185,000 tons of estimated above ground gold, someone owns, all of it. Every fine gram of gold above ground belongs to someone already, whether that be in the form of bars, coins, jewelry, the thin layer on astronauts helmets that protect them from solar radiation, or the gold plated contacts in the mining rigs used to mine crypto. New gold mined from the ground is usually spoken for before it ever hits a refinery. My job as a physical gold fund manager is not to convince people to buy gold, that job has already been done.

The reason crypto can never replace gold lies in physics: Gold cannot be destroyed

Everything else can. Computers. Exchanges. Mining Pools. Wallets. Powergrids. Internets. Nations. You name it. If you blew up the planet earth, the gold atoms would still be there.

Unlike anything else you can invest or store money in, gold doesn’t rely on any external force for this to continue to be true over time. It is sort of like a battery with no expiration date.

Gold exists as atomic number 79 on the periodic table. It is chemically inert and does not interact with oxygen. It is the only element with properties that make it completely immune to the forces of entropy. The only way to destroy it would be to fire it into the sun, or somehow put it in the middle of an equivalent fusion reaction that took the atoms apart at a subatomic level. (Stanczyk A. A Gold Guys View of Crypto, Bitcoin, and Blockchain. Medium.com, December 10, 2017 https://medium.com/@alex.stanczyk/a-gold-guys-view-of-crypto-bitcoin-and-blockchain-26e42eeab6b7)

That said, Bitcoin is still around.

But it remains my view that once governments get involved enough with their own digital currencies, that steps to eliminate Bitcoin will take place.

The European Union has already taken steps, some of which are in the following video:

9:03

EU to be ‘Sheriff’ of BitCoin & Digital Currencies

Will Bitcoin remain unregulated? The European Union does not think it should be and it released a paper titled “Proposal for EU Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets.” Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, earlier endorsed EU regulation of crypto and digital currencies. A Belgian declared that the EU was the “new Sheriff in town” to deal with the “wild west” of Bitcoin, blockchain, and other cryptocurrencies. The European Union now also has the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in operation, mainly to deal with financial matters? Will the Europeans end up controlling buying and selling associated with 666 in Revelation 13:16-18? Is Europe taking preliminary steps to do so now? Dr. Thiel address these issues.

Here is a link to our video: EU to be ‘Sheriff’ of BitCoin & Digital Currencies.

The Bible teaches that the coming Beast power will control buying and selling (Revelation 13:16-18)–hence the Bible makes no provision for something like Bitcoin being able to operate like it has.

Gold will outlast the US dollar and the European Beast power will have it.

Related to Bitcoin and gold, we have the following video:

15:07

Bitcoin … as good as gold?

“Bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.” This is the mandate of the Continuing Church of God. The world events Dr. Thiel will focus on today will be the recent record rise in the value of Bitcoin to over $100,000.00 The are several questions that will be addressed. Among them are: Will Bitcoin replace gold? Is Bitcoin as valuable as gold? Will nations just accumulate Bitcoin, will they just accumulate gold, or will they accumulate both? Will governments embrace bitcoin? What about the US dollar? Will it be replaced by Bitcoin? Is it possible that the US Dollar will still be the world’s reserve currency well into the Great Tribulation? How about Bitcoin? Is something similar to Bitcoin prophesied in the Bible? Dr. Thiel addresses these world news item in light of Bible prophecy. He uses scriptures that address the status of the US Dollar’s value during the Great Tribulation as well as the use of a Bitcoin like crypto currency by the Beast of Revelation 13. Is it possible that both gold and Bitcoin will be useless as a hope for salvation? Dr. Thiel gives the prophetic answer to that question at the end of this video.

Here is a link to our video: Bitcoin … as good as gold?

8. European financial and banking issues may well worsen. Europe is facing trade issues with the US, combined with a desire to deal with migrants, while trying to support a vastly stronger military.

After the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates a couple of years ago, the Europeans blamed the USA for putting them in a position to have to raise interest rates. Basically, because the USA kept raising its interest rates, the Europeans felt that they must do so also or face too much capital outflow. So, presuming the US Federal Reserve does this in 2025, this will impact Europe.

As far as Europe facing a banking crisis, notice something the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, said in a sermon on July 7, 1984:

And I can see now, the event that is going to trigger the formation of the reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come…

But I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations in Europe to realize they must unite! … Well now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger…that is the economic situation in the world…

The whole banking structure in the United States is a network all jointed together. But not only that, one nation has to deal with other nations and imports and exports. And so they have to have a means of transforming money from one nation to another. And so the banking structure is international and interwoven…

Now when the financial structure breaks down, all civilization is going to break down…

So, an economic or banking crisis is what Herbert W. Armstrong concluded would drive Europe to unite.

And, I agree that it will take some type of crisis for Europe to reorganize.

The Bible shows that a major reorganization is prophesied to happen and push Europe under totalitarian control:

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

Economic issues will be one of the factors that will get Europe to decide to reorganize and support a dictator that the Bible calls the Beast.

Biblical prophecies will come to pass.

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What About Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (by Lommes via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Eurasia Review published the following:

Best Bet For 2025: Stronger Trade Ties Between Europe And China – OpEd

January 4, 2025

One development for 2025 that can be seen clearly in the crystal ball is improving trade ties between China and Europe. The reason this is a virtual certainty is Donald Trump is doing everything he can to convince the world that, under his leadership, the United States is an unreliable trading partner. …

If the US is not going to be a reliable trading partner for at least the next four years, and possibly many more years into the future, Europe would be wise to look elsewhere. And there is one obvious elsewhere: China.

China’s economy is in fact already considerably larger than the US economy and growing far more rapidly. This fact is obscured by the tendency in the US media to use exchange rate measures of GDP, rather than purchasing power parity (PPP) measures. …

The larger size of China’s economy makes it a more attractive trading partner in any case, but it is also more likely to stick to its commitments than the United States as long as Donald Trump is in charge. For this reason, we can be fairly certain that Europe will be looking to shore up its trade relations with China … https://www.eurasiareview.com/04012025-best-bet-for-2025-stronger-trade-ties-between-europe-and-china-oped/

EuroNews published the following:

This is a moment of intensifying geopolitical conflicts, rising global protectionism and a sluggish world economic recovery.

Against this backdrop, European friends are paying close attention to China’s economic prospects and the future of China-EU cooperation.

China recently held the Central Economic Work Conference, the country’s most important annual economic meeting. A series of important signals were released from the meeting.

It is important to note that the Chinese economy will achieve new development, which means new opportunities for China-EU cooperation. We have full confidence in this regard. …

China is ready to share development opportunities with Europe and the wider world. We believe that a better China means a better world, and a better world means a better China.

Over the years, China has consistently contributed around 30% to global economic growth.

This year, China lifted all restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, introduced the first nationwide negative list for cross-border trade in services, and steadily expanded access in sectors such as telecommunications, internet, education, culture and healthcare. …

The world has entered a period of turbulence and transformation. China and the EU, as two major forces driving multipolarity, two large markets supporting globalisation, and two great civilisations advocating diversity, have no fundamental conflicts of interest.

There is far more consensus than divergence and far more cooperation than competition. This makes us partners, not rivals.

The essence of China-EU practical cooperation in trade and other areas is complementary advantages and mutual benefit. https://www.euronews.com/2024/12/20/chinas-new-economic-development-offers-fresh-opportunities-for-china-eu-cooperation 

The use of “intensifying geopolitical conflicts, rising global protectionism” while claiming that China and the EU are the “two major forces driving multipolarity” basically mean that there are concerns about the US and Donald Trump and that the EU and China need to take steps to deal with that.

From a prophetic perspective, notice part of number 8 of my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

8. Trade

Not all warfare is militaristic. There is also economic warfare.

This often involves trade.

The major use of sanctions, mainly pushed by the USA, has been continuing.

This is affecting trade and pushing trade away from the USA. But also encouraging the Anglo-nations to try to increase trade with each other. …

And Europe?

Well, Donald Trump’s reelection is a major concern for Europe and its trade.

In 2018, I wrote:

The Europeans have been working with Latin America, China, Russia’s Eurasian Union, and other areas of the world to try to set up its dominance of world trade as well as standards for world trade. (19 items to prophetically watch in 2019)

Such deals have been happening. But expect more concrete action, at least partially because of the reelection of Donald Trump, along with J.D. Vance.

Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. In the next several years, deals and more trade will occur with Africa, Asia, and Latin America. …

Yes, world events are aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies.

That said, in 2025 Europe will work on getting more of the world to accept its standards and trading matters. This will help Europe ultimately dominate trade.

The reelection of Donald Trump will motivate many to trade with each other because of his threats of tariffs, etc.

For a time, Babylon will dominate world trade:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 18:2-3).

While ‘Babylon’ will not fully reign in 2024, with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

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

At the beginning of this post is a drawing of some of the infrastructure that China is working on for trade with its Belt and Road Initiative. We can see that parts come to the edges of Europe. Remember that roads work both ways. Consider further that Europe also has a similar, but smaller, project called the Global Gateway. These projects will aid in their ability to trade, including with the Europeans and Chinese trading with each other.

Related to the ‘Global Gateway,’ the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

12:52

EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War?

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

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

That said, while the USA supported and praised the new connectivity initiative from the G20, the connectivity does not really connect the USA.

The reelection of Donald Trump has accelerated the desire of the Europeans to secure trade deals outside of the USA.

Biblical prophecies will come to pass.

We continue to see steps that are aligning with them.

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

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

1:19:20

25 Items to Watch in 2025

In Mark 13:37, Jesus tells His followers to watch world events that will precede His coming. In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over 25 items to watch in 2025 and points out events that were related to several of them in 2024:

1. Scoffing in the Last Days
2. Immorality Prophecies Being Fulfilled
3. Media, Internet, and Other Censorship
4. Weather Sorrows and Troubles
5. Earthquakes and Volcanoes
6. The White Horse of the Apocalypse
7. Strife and the Red Horse of War
8. Trade Issues
9. The Deal of Daniel 9:27
10. Knowledge Increasing
11. Debt
12. US Dollar Dominance will Decrease
13. CBDC and 666
14. Gold
15. Unrest, Terror, and the Dividing of the USA
16. Europe Will Work to Reorganize
17. Europe Will Have a Great Army and Many Ships
18. Steps Towards the Formation of the King of the South
19. The Time of the Gentiles will Lead to Armageddon
20. Jews Readying to Sacrifice
21. Inventions of evil things
22. Reelection of Donald Trump and His Adminstration
23. Totalitarian Steps
24. Preparation for the Short Work
25. Fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 and 28:19-20

Dr. Thiel goes over prophetic scriptures (in 2 Timothy, Habakkuk, Amos, Daniel, Matthew, Mark, Romans, Revelation, Isaiah, 2 Corinthians, Psalms), including those that must be fulfilled before the start of the Great Tribulation, as well as others that also need to be fulfilled before Jesus returns. When are some prophetic events expected and not expected to be fulfilled? Could we see events in 2025 in the Middle East involving Israel & Iran that would lead to the Great Tribulation starting in 3 1/2 years? Dr. Thiel goes over many biblical items and ties them in with world events that happened and are in the process of happening.

Here is a link to our video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. Here is a video in Spanish: ¿Qué es un verdadero cristiano?
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.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
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.
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. 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.
Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido. In German: Glaube für die von Gott Berufenen und Auserwählten. In French: La Foi pour ceux que Dieu a Appelés et Choisis. Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen.and here is a link to another sermon Faith and Courage. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章. Here are links to the sermons Christian Faith and Increasing Faith.
Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This free booklet contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there.
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Africa, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Canada, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Europe, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.AFRICA This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations YouTube channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs. Also available at BitChute COGAnimations https://www.bitchute.com/channel/coganimations/
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced hundreds of videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. You can find them at them on YouTube at BibleNewsProphecy https://www.youtube.com/user/BibleNewsProphecy, plus also on Vimeo at Bible News Prophecy https://vimeo.com/channels/biblenewsprophecy as well as on Brighteon Bible News Prophecy https://www.brighteon.com/channel/ccogbnp and Bitchute Prophecy https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo. Also available at BitChute COGAfrica https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogafrica/
CDLIDDSermones channel. This contains messages in the Spanish language
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Also available at BitChute COGTube https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
Study the Bible Course A free online course to help you learn and study the word of God.
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. 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.

WCG booklet cover

COGwriter

ZeroHedge posted the following:

Freedom Is The Only Way To Beat Authoritarianism

January 3, 2025

Andy Kessler writes in his latest Wall Street Journal column that the U.S. “is strong precisely because we don’t all think the same way. New ideas come from new ways of thinking.” Kessler puts it so well. We individuals generally see the present and future very differently, and it’s this very division praised by Kessler that powers so much advance. …

At the same time, the desire among the world’s producers to know about us Americans is something to celebrate, not legislate against: they want to know about us because we’re the most productive people on earth. The better they understand us, the better their ability to meet and lead our needs.

What’s important is that the prosperity of the American people is, per Kessler, borne of freedom; of Americans disagreeing about everything and getting to vivify their discordant viewpoints in the marketplace. …

The main thing is that disagreement about what will meet and lead the needs of the consumer is what puts the past and present out to pasture, not protectionism.

Protectionism is about limiting and disfiguring the choices of people, not allowing an endless debate within the marketplace to sort out what the future will look like. … Better to rely on freedom. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/freedom-only-way-beat-authoritarianism

While it is true that economic freedoms tend to improve economic outcome, the idea that Americans have been blessed mainly because of their own efforts pushing economic freedom is biblically in error.

Notice the following from the Bible:

10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.

11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end — 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

18 “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 19 Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God.  (Deuteronomy 8:10-20)

The US is full and self-satisfied and normally does forget God.

Relatively few realize that God promised blessings to the descendants of Joseph that have come to pass. Notice the following from 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?:

When Jacob was older, God renamed him Israel (Genesis 32:28). When he was even older, he passed on his name and gave blessings to Joseph’s two sons:

¹¹ And Israel said to Joseph, “I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!” …

¹⁵ And he blessed Joseph, and said:

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

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

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

²⁰ So he blessed them that day, saying, “By you Israel will bless, saying, ‘May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!’ “

²¹ Then Israel said to Joseph, “… ²² Moreover I have given to you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.” (Genesis 48:11,15-22).

In Genesis 48, Jacob is clearly indicating that biblically one or both of the sons of Joseph could be referred to by the name Israel (though Ephraim looks to be referred to more as Israel than Manasseh through scripture) and seemingly also Jacob.

Ephraim is Firstborn

God had Jacob intentionally give the “right hand” blessing to Ephraim (Genesis 48:13-14) and God later declared:

9 For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is my firstborn. (Jeremiah 31:9)

Hence, God clearly decided that one who was not actually born first in any family would be designated as the firstborn, indicating Ephraim was to receive firstborn blessings. Ephraim was born last, after the 12 sons of Jacob and after his brother Manasseh—this brings to mind the passage from Jesus about the last being first and the first last (e.g. Matthew 19:30).

Moses wrote of the following blessings to the descendants of Joseph:

¹³ And of Joseph he said:

“Blessed of the Lord is his land, With the precious things of heaven, with the dew, And the deep lying beneath, ¹⁴ With the precious fruits of the sun, With the precious produce of the months, ¹⁵ With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills, ¹⁶ With the precious things of the earth and its fullness, And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush. Let the blessing come ‘on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.’ ¹⁷ His glory is like a firstborn bull, And his horns like the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh.” (Deuteronomy 33:13-17)

So, Ephraim and Manasseh were promised many blessings. Those of us who believe the Bible understand that some peoples had to receive those blessings.

Consistent with Deuteronomy 33:17, Britain had colonies (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Falkland Islands) and other large outposts (Rhodesia, India, Hong Kong, and South Africa) to “the ends of the earth,” while the USA has had military bases all over the world. And, together, the Anglo-American nations have militarily pushed people around the world. …

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that the United States received the blessings to Manasseh and did become a great nation. The Encyclopedia Britannica once reported:

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

As far as Ephraim goes, we believe that the promises went to the United Kingdom and its British descended allies. As far as being greater in some ways to the U.S.A., notice the following:

In 1913, 412 million people lived under the control of the British Empire, 23 percent of the world’s population at that time. It remains the largest empire in human history and at the peak of its power in 1920, it covered an astonishing 13.71 million square miles – that’s close to a quarter of the world’s land area.[ii]

The British Commonwealth was truly a multitude of nations. The sun did not set on the old British empire. Even today, we see a company of nations from Ephraim including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

[i] Harris, JT, et al. United States. Encyclopædia Britannica. Updated December 22, 2019

[ii] McCarthy N. The Biggest Empires In Human History. Statista, December 19, 2019

Yes, the blessings that the US and its British-descended allies have enjoyed have come from God.

As far freedom goes, the world is not truly free today as Satan is still on his throne.

In his book, A World Held Captive, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about the world and how Satan got on his throne:

You live in a world of awesome progress, but paradoxically, of appalling evils. WHY? It’s a world held captive, deceived into loving its captivity. Deliverance from kidnap in deception, human discontent, suffering and death hastens nearer. World peace, happiness and joy are just around the corner. …

You live in a world almost 6,000 years along on its course of history. You see the world as it is today at this advanced stage of civilization, with its systems of organized society. …

We look back far into prehistory, at the beginning of life and all things.

There can be no understanding of the present without a right knowledge of origins …

Job 38 says plainly the earth was created when angels had been previously created. God placed a throne of GOVERNMENT on the earth. Both Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 reveal the cherub Lucifer being placed on the throne of the earth. II Peter 2:4 reveals that angels SINNED. Lucifer was a super archangel. Lucifer had been trained in the administration of God’s government on the very throne of God in heaven. He was supremely beautiful, dazzling in brightness. Vanity seized him. Vanity is self-glory, self-centeredness, concern for self even to the point of hostility toward others. He became jealous, envious, resentful and hostile against God his Creator. He turned hostile to the law of God. He turned to a way of life of vanity, covetousness, envy, rivalry, competition, violence and destruction. And this hostile way of life is itself a LAW. It is the law of vanity, self- concern, “do your own thing,” rebel against the authority of God. That, then, became the basic LAW of the GOVERNMENT of Lucifer, whose name was changed to Satan the devil. The name Satan means “adversary.”

So the government of God on the earth had been replaced by the government of Satan. …

Precisely at this point we come to the very root of the world in which you live today. This is where it all started. This is the point in time where today’s world was started on a course still continuing in our time. All that had gone before — the existence of the God family from eternity — the creation of angels — the creation of matter and the material universe, the presence of angels on the earth, the THRONE and GOVERNMENT placed on earth — the SIN of Lucifer and earth’s angels, the replacing of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD by that of Satan over the earth …

The Two Symbolic Trees

God placed Adam and Eve after creation in the beautiful garden of Eden. In its midst were two special symbolic trees of tremendous significance. Adam did not have immortal God life, but God freely offered it to him through the tree of LIFE.

Adam had to choose between the government of Satan with its self-centered way of life, and the government of GOD with its GOD-centered way of life. Each way of life was the basic LAW of a GOVERNMENT. God could have RESTORED the government of God on earth through Adam, had he chosen that WAY of ETERNAL LIFE.

On creation, late on the sixth day we call Friday, God briefed Adam and Eve on the situation. He continued through the Sabbath eve and on that first Sabbath. He explained that if they adopted the way of SELF-centeredness, symbolized by the tree of “the knowledge of good and evil,” they would reject God’s gift of LIFE (immortal), and on taking the forbidden fruit they would surely DIE.

After that Sabbath, when Adam neglected looking after his wife, Eve stole out alone away from her husband. She encountered Satan in the form of a serpent. The human family was a direct threat to Satan’s continued rule on earth’s throne.

Notice, however (Gen. 3), Satan did not say to Eve, “Choose MY government and my law of vanity and self-centeredness, and reject God.” He merely tempted her with the city of the forbidden tree, appealed to her intellectual vanity, suggested God wasn’t fair, and let her succumb to his deception, assuring her she was already an IMMORTAL SOUL. She was deceived into believing Satan, disbelieving God and into TAKING of the forbidden fruit. She gave also to her husband, and Adam willingly disobeyed God. Adam took TO HIMSELF the knowledge — that is, the production of knowledge — of what is good and what is evil.

Thus the first created human disbelieved God, disobeyed God, chose to go HIS OWN WAY, do his own thing. Adam did it willingly, but not apparently willfully.

Willingly, Adam was led into captivity by Satan. He had willingly gone along with Satan, the arch kidnapper of all time.A World Held Captive

Adam had been created with the potential to be born a son of GOD. Even though not as yet even a begotten son of the GOD FAMILY, he had been created as potentially just that. Once he succumbed to Satan’s WAY of choosing to “do his own thing,” in rebellion against a deliberate command of God, he became spiritually the property of Satan. He actually had succumbed to the GOVERNMENT of Satan, choosing the LAW of that government, leading automatically into attitudes of self-glory, coveting, competition, desire to GET rather than God’s way of GIVE. 

All humanity came out of Adam and Eve. The present world was FOUNDED in them. The WORLD has ever since been HELD captive! The world had thus chosen THE WAY of the kidnapper, rather than of the potential Parent!

But God the Father was to pay the ransom price and even yet bring his potential spiritual children back to him.At the Foundation of the World

Upon Adam’s sin, God closed off the tree of life, until the second Adam, Jesus Christ, should pay the ransom price.

There cannot be a law without a penalty. The penalty of human sin is DEATH. At this very foundation of the world, it was determined that Jesus Christ, as the “Lamb of God,” should be slain in payment of the penalty for all human sin (Rev. 13:8), effective upon repentance and faith. It was also determined by God at that time that all Adam’s children should die (Heb. 9:27), but as in Adam all must die, so in Christ the same ALL shall be made alive by a resurrection from the dead to be judged (I Cor. 15:22). …
Jesus, unlike the first Adam, did choose the tree of LIFE. He did obey God. He met, conquered and qualified to replace Satan on the throne of the earth. …

Why the Church Age?

Since Jesus founded the Church — the foundation of the coming world of God — more than 1,950 years have passed. One might wonder, WHY these more than 1,950 years of the “church age,” before establishing the Kingdom?

God’s purpose is to choose and call certain ones out from the ways of Satan’s world, and train them to become teachers and rulers when God sends Christ back to earth as KING of kings and LORD of lords to rule, teach and convert all who then shall be willing. All who have lived in this world and become set in its wrong and evil ways must be taught the right ways of God.

Those converted and finally saved in the Church then shall be kings and priests and given power to rule and teach all others (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 5:10). For this nearly 2,000 years of training, Jesus has been High Priest and head of the Church, in heaven supervising his Church.

On Christ’s return in supreme power and glory, Satan shall be removed from earth’s throne. Jesus Christ will sit on the throne of David ruling over Israel and also on the THRONE OF THE EARTH, now still held by Satan. (Armstrong HW. A World Held Captive. WCG booklet, 1984)

Yes, Jesus will return and Satan will be bound:

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  (Revelation 19:11-13)

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while. (Revelation 20:1-3)

And Jesus was prophesied to proclaim liberty:

1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,  (Isaiah 61:1-2)

And Jesus stated He fulfilled that prophecy on a Sabbath:

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21)

Each week, when we keep the Sabbath, we, in essence, have a certain liberty from the world and its systems.

As far as proclaiming liberty to the captives, that is one reason that the Continuing Church of God has had its English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, translated into over 1,500 languages and dialects.

Regarding eternal liberty for the world, God has a plan which will result in people of every nation and race being saved:

9…I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  (Revelation 7:9-10)

God has a plan where people of every nation will be able to rule:

9 … You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.  (Revelation 5:9-10)

God has a plan where “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6):

21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved. (Acts 2:21)

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).

God has a fantastic, and loving, plan.

Liberty and freedom will reign.

It will not come the way that a writer on ZeroHedge has suggested.

Pray, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:10), for God’s kingdom to come.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
The Two Trees: Only Two Ways of Life This is from a two-part radio broadcast from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here is a video on: Cause and Effect: Two Trees, Two Ways.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.
Human Nature: Good or Evil? a Did God create humans evil or good? What is human nature? Where does it come from? Here are links to two related sermons: Human Nature: Its Cause and Solution and Human Nature: Where Did it Come From?
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a related sermon video The Christian Sabbath and How and Why to Keep It.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Proclaiming the Gospel in Over 1500 Languages Which languages are being used to fulfill Matthew 24:14? Are all languages significant? Here is a link to the sermon: Behind the Work 2024: Languages for the Kingdom.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair?, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains who he was and how he should be viewed today.
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18?
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.

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

A new study points to increased cancer risk among people who drink more than a small amount of alcohol:

3 January 2025

Alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the US after tobacco and obesity and should carry a label warning consumers about their cancer risks, according to a new advisory by the US surgeon general.

Released on Friday, the advisory revealed that alcohol use contributes to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and about 20,000 cancer deaths each year. It also found that alcohol-related cancer deaths shorten the lives of those who die by an average of 15 years.

The US surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, also called for the guidelines on alcohol consumption limits to be reassessed so consumers can weigh the cancer risk when deciding whether or how much to drink. Alcohol in the US already has warnings on birth defects and impairments when operating machinery. …

Among women, breast cancer makes up approximately 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths. Meanwhile, liver cancer, at approximately 33%, and colorectal cancer, at approximately 21%, make up the majority of alcohol-related cancer deaths in men.

Overall, consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancer. In addition to colorectal and breast cancers, alcohol consumption increases the risk of mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box and liver cancers.

The advisory also found that about 83% of the estimated 20,000 alcohol-related cancer deaths in the US annually occur among people who drink at levels above the federally recommended limits of two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women. It also stated that the remaining 17% of the estimated 20,000 annual alcohol-related cancer deaths occur at levels within the recommended limits. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/03/alcohol-cancer-link-preventable-cause

An older study suggests that those who drink a lot less tend to live longer than those who do not drink any alcohol:

Modest drinking has been repeatedly discussed in scientific papers as protective against certain diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, but in most cases, alcohol worsens health conditions, especially when consumed at high risk levels. The complexity of the risk relationship between alcohol and health conditions has confused clinicians as to whether it should be recommended. The study aims to balance the risks and benefits of modest drinking. This retrospective cohort study of 430,016 adults recruited from a standard health-screening program since 1994, with 11,031 deaths identified as of 2008. Drinking distinguished “modest drinker” (no more than one drink a day) from “regular drinker”. Mortality risks including all-cause mortality and diseases-specific mortality with hazard ratio (HR) were calculated by adjusting for 15 confounders. Life table was used for life expectancy. Risk predictors were subjected to Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to identify significant predictors in multivariate models and life expectancy analysis. Nearly one out of 4 males (23%) was a modest drinker, who gained 0.94 year (95% CI 0.65–1.23 year) in life over non-drinker and had 8% reduction in adjusted all-cause mortality (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.97). In contrast, regular drinkers had 43% increase in overall mortality (HR 1.43, CI 1.35–1.52) and shortened life by 6.9 years (95% CI 6.6–7.1 years). As most drinkers also smoked, 59% in modest and 75% in regular, the combined effect shortened life by 2.0 years (95% CI 1.6–2.4 years) in modest drinker and 10.3 years (95% CI 9.8–10.7 years) in regular drinker.  (Liu Y, et al. The effects of modest drinking on life expectancy and mortality risks: a population-based cohort study Scientific Reports, Published: 06 May 2022)

My read of the above is that if a light drinker does not smoke, he or she has a less risk of cancer and may live a little longer than someone who does not drink any alcohol.

So, is alcohol a blessing or a curse? Or perhaps both? What does the Bible teach?

Here are some excerpts from an article titled Alcohol: Blessing or Curse? in the old Good News magazine:

Alcohol can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how it is used. Most people who drink alcoholic beverages find them to be a blessing. On the other hand, sadly, there are a few who find through abuse of such beverages – that alcohol can be a curse. This group includes the approximately 10 percent of drinkers who develop the malady of alcoholism, which destroys them physically, mentally and spiritually.

It doesn’t matter whether the alcohol is consumed in beer, wine, whiskey, gin, vodka, vanilla extract or mouthwash – they all contain the same ethyl alcohol or ethanol (C2 H 50H), and people need to be aware of the proper – and improper – uses of this chemical.

Religious uses of alcohol

In the Old Testament alcoholic beverages were important in various aspects of religious observance.

God’s people, Israel, were commanded to include drink offerings they made to God (e.g. Num. 15: 5, 7, 10). Wine was among those blessings of which the Israelites payed tithes and gave offerings to their Creator (Neh. 10:39, 13:5)…

Alcohol as medicine

The medicinal value of alcohol is in its ability to act as an anesthetic (painkiller) and an antiseptic (prevents infection).

The good Samaritan poured oil and wine into the wounds of the man he befriended on the road to Jericho (Luke I 0:30-37); undoubtedly the purpose of the wine was to deaden some of the pain and to prevent infection. Today we have more advanced drugs for anesthesia, such as novocaine, which dentists use to deaden nerves when they pull teeth. Alcohol, though now generally mixed with other patent medicines, is still recognized and used as an antiseptic for minor scratches and cuts.

The apostle Paul suggested that Timothy use a little wine for his stomach’s sake (I Tim. 5:23). The Bible does not indicate the nature of Timothy’s stomach problem or what his “often infirmities” were, but per­ haps there was some difficulty with the drinking water or Timothy had a digestive impairment. However, whatever it was, note that Paul said to use a little, not copious amounts, of wine…

Drinking for pleasure

In addition to the religious and medicinal uses of alcohol, God also approves of drinking to add pleasure to social occasions such as weddings and parties. Wine and other alcoholic beverages can make people more cheerful and give greater enjoyment to already happy gatherings. They “gladden the heart of man” (Ps. 104:15, Revised Standard Version).

Christians should always exercise caution when using alcohol for pleasure, however, because of the ever-present danger of overuse, which will utterly destroy any enjoyment that could have been derived from a social occasion. Nobody likes a drunk, including the drunk himself…

Alcohol abuse…

Christ Himself warned His followers not to be drunken (Luke 21:34). Paul told the Corinthian church to “put away from among yourselves” any member who was a drunkard – to have no fellowship with such a person (1 Cor. 5: 11-13). No person who is unable to use alcohol properly is fit to be a minister (1 Tim. 3:3, 8, Titus 1:7). Paul taught the Ephesians to “be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess,” but rather to be filled with the Spirit of God (Eph. 5:18).

Have you ever been guilty of drunkenness?…

The Bible nowhere commands Christians to drink alcohol, with the exception of about a tablespoonful during the Passover service. Alcohol should be seen as a blessing that God has given human beings to honor Him, to help heal our bodies, to cheer us up when needed and to add pleasure to meals and social occasions. As Christians, we should be aware of the benefits and dangers of alcohol and use it properly, so we can truly consider alcohol to be the blessing God meant it to be.

In certain areas, however, excessive drinking and ‘binge drinking’ are serious problems.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Fact Sheet on Binge Drinking states:

According to national surveys

• Approximately 92% of U.S. adults who drink excessively report binge drinking in the past 30 days.²
• Although college students commonly binge drink, 70% of binge drinking episodes involve adults age 26 years and older.³
• The prevalence of binge drinking among men is higher than the prevalence among women.⁴
• Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.³
• About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.⁵
• About 75% of the alcohol consumed by adults in the United States is in the form of binge drinks.⁵
• The proportion of current drinkers that binge is highest in the 18- to 20-year-old group (51%).³

Binge drinking is associated with many health problems, including—

• Unintentional injuries (e.g., car crashes, falls, burns, drowning).
• Intentional injuries (e.g., firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence).
• Alcohol poisoning.
• Sexually transmitted diseases.
• Unintended pregnancy.
• Children born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
• Liver disease.
• Neurological damage.
• Sexual dysfunction.
• Poor control of diabetes. (http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm)

While light alcohol consumption (no more than one drink in a day for most people) has health benefits, excessive consumption of alcohol is dangerous.

Notice the following:

1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise. (Proverbs 20:1)

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

1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, Whose glorious beauty is a fading flower Which is at the head of the verdant valleys, To those who are overcome with wine! 2 Behold, the Lord has a mighty and strong one, Like a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, Like a flood of mighty waters overflowing, Who will bring them down to the earth with His hand. 3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, Will be trampled underfoot; (Isaiah 28:1-3)

18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (Ephesians 5:18)

The partying drunkard is also specifically condemned as part of those that will not inherit the kingdom of God:

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

The fact that the average college binge drinker is defined as one who gets drunk doing this at least twice per month shows the lack of concern for biblical morality.

The Bible also condemns those who encourage others to drink excessively:

15 “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor,
Pressing him to your bottle,
Even to make him drunk,
That you may look on his nakedness!
16 You are filled with shame instead of glory.
You also — drink!
And be exposed as uncircumcised!
The cup of the Lord’s right hand will be turned against you,
And utter shame will be on your glory. (Habakkuk 2:15-16)

If you, or a loved one, has a problem with binge drinking or anything else to do with alcohol, pray about it and seek counsel.

In addition to contacting the ministry, secular sources can also be of assistance. A list of sources from the CDC can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/resources.htm. Furthermore, there are groups like Alcoholics Anonymous in many other nations. People with alcohol problems can be helped. And the Bible encourages people to leave the “binge drinking” lifestyle.

Excessive binging on alcohol is a serious problem in many societies. And is one that needs to be repented of–whether by males or females.

So while alcohol can and should be a blessing, overindulgence for many can turn into a curse.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
Should Christians Smoke (or Chew) Tobacco or Marijuana?  Is smoking a sin? What does the Bible teach? What have COG leaders written? Can smokers change? What about marijuana? Here is a link to a related video: Should You Smoke? Would You Like Help to Quit?
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?
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.
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.

Herbert W. Armstrong

COGwriter

Received the following in an email:

Herbert Armstrong. I notice you quote him a lot at COGwriter.com Sometimes i wonder why COG people do this? I ask this because i have noticed as i try to share the truths of God with people online anytime someone connects a COG to WWCOG, they will bring up how the WWCOG and Armstrong had false prophesied multiple times.

Let me add that I also quote from government officials, mainstream news sources, etc. and do not agree with all they say.

That said, there are several reasons that Herbert W. Armstrong or materials from the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God, of which he was Pastor General, are cited here.

But first, consider that all humans are flawed:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

The Bible makes that clear and even mentions serious sins that some of God’s servants have had (such as King David’s adultery & murdering, plus a wrong prediction by the Apostle Paul come to mind).

As far as false prophecies go, Herbert W. Armstrong had misunderstandings related to WWII and sometimes pointed to dates that he should not have–and we do not attempt to defend his errors. To his credit, however, he asserted that he was not a prophet. And as far as the internet goes, I have addressed many of the accusations against him in article titled: 17 Accusations and Truthful Responses About Herbert W. Armstrong. Plus also in another article titled: What is Armstrongism? Are Some Dismissive of Original Christianity?

People can choose to believe the truth or lies.

We in the Continuing Church of God, believe that God used Herbert W. Armstrong to raise up the Philadelphia era of the the Church that Jesus discussed in Revelation 3:7-13 (see The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant). We believe God used him to restore various truths that the true church lost by the early 20th century (see The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made?).

The Continuing Church of God believes that we best represent the continuation of the Philadelphian part of the Church of God–see Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God? Herbert W. Armstrong is one in the list of successors we trace our history through (see Continuing History of the Church of God).

So, Herbert W. Armstrong and other Radio/Worldwide COG writers are quoted to show that we continued the basic teachings that were held in the Philadelphian era of the Church. Plus, we also do this to show that much of what we teach was taught by an earlier COG (which is also why we quote early 2nd century COG writers, like Polycarp of Smyrna). Many people, including those with a COG background, often do not realize what was taught on various matters–hence quoting those sources helps demonstrate that we in the CCOG are continuing with those teachings.

We have also restored more details and truth as would be expected in these last days.

Furthermore, we are also doing what the Apostle Paul wrote:

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

What does that mean?

It means that if Herbert W. Armstrong taught something that we believe the Bible or various facts support, we are happy to present that. We do not exalt Herbert W. Armstrong or anyone else above scripture.

We strive not to teach error and do not teach that what Herbert W. Armstrong wrote is not subject to correction. The Bible, not Herbert W. Armstrong, is the standard that we go by.

Despite organization changes, successively and doctrinally we are NOT a new church. We teach Laying on of Hands succession from the apostles. We clearly trace our history from the Book of Acts to present (see Continuing History of the Church of God).

Therefore, we often quote Church of God leaders, not just from the New Testament, but also those from the second century A.D. to present. We do this to demonstrate the consistency of the doctrines of the true church as well as to show what “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) was in the period immediately after the death of the last of the apostles.

I, Bob Thiel, do not know everything, nor does anyone else. The Bible teaches, “in a multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 24:6)–Herbert W. Armstrong’s writings are among those I read for possible counsel. His writing style is still of interest to many–and is a method to use to reach some (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:20-22).

Now, let’s see what Herbert W. Armstrong taught related to himself and the Bible:

“Don’t believe me – BELIEVE YOUR BIBLE – BELIEVE GOD!”

(Herbert W. Armstrong, Plain Truth magazine, Sept. 1963, Personal p.1)

Now, the same 1963 issue of the old Plain Truth shows a bit more for that quote from Herbert W. Armstrong:

Don’t believe me – BELIEVE YOUR BIBLE – BELIEVE GOD! I always say…check up! Listen without prejudice, with open mind, then check up–go to your BIBLE, and BELIEVE what you read there. (Armstrong HW. Personal from the Editor. Plain Truth. September 1963.)

That is great advice. And we would tell Protestants, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, LDS, and everyone else the same thing. Here is my own slightly expanded version of the above:

“Don’t simply believe me – Believe what the Bible really Teaches – Believe the Truth – Prove all things – Believe God!”

And I will take it one step further. Irrespective of how any may view the role that God has for me, unless I am directly quoting the Bible, or preface a statement to something of the effect of “thus saith the Lord,” I am NOT necessarily stating anything that is not subject to later correction. We who are truly part of the Church of God only accept as inspired the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament and no other document. Therefore, although other current and historical documents/articles/books/booklet/posts by various Church of God leaders throughout history often have value, as they generally also tend to contain personal opinion, we do not consider that any of them are on the same level as sacred scripture, and hence believe that they can contain error.

As suggested earlier, Herbert W. Armstrong’s writing style often conveys many points in an understandable manner. A manner that we do not feel that we must re-word. A manner which provides variety. Hence, he is quoted.

Plus, none of us are experts in everything. Hence, citing others who have more expertise or perhaps a better way to say something helps the listener learn better. It also helps with time constraints to quote something when it is pertinent.

As mentioned before, he and/or the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God literature are quoted here is to show that certain points covered at COGwriter.com are consistent with the them. Hence, we truly are continuing those teachings. Teachings that groups outside the CCOG sometimes have forgotten or neglected to teach.

Still another reason for various quotes is to point out that the general prophetic outline that Herbert W. Armstrong taught is coming to pass.

For some examples, the old Iron Curtain fell, Germany reunited, the Europeans have their own currency, the United Kingdom has left the European Union, the Europeans are working on building a unified military, relations between the Europeans and the USA are straining more and more, the USA is in decline as a world power, etc.

Another reason to provide quotes is that many anti-COG sources on the Internet sometimes misrepresent what Herbert W. Armstrong taught.

Related to one, GotQuestions.com (who still has not corrected something I brought up years ago), we put together the following:

21:14

What is Armstrongism? Are Some Dismissive of Original Christianity?

The physical head of the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God was the late Herbert W. Armstrong. What he taught has been derided as “Armstrongism.” What were some of those teachings? Was the old Worldwide Church of God some type of weird cult or did it strive to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints? Is “Armstrongism” improperly maligned and falsely described at GotQuestions.com? Are concepts such as the tribes of Israel, ‘soul sleep,’ and three resurrections unique to Herbert W. Armstrong or were they long part of original Nazarene Christianity? What about various holidays and Christianity? In this video, Dr. Thiel goes over his early experiences with “Armstrongism” as well as gives scriptures about persecutions that would affect Christians.

Here is a link to the sermonette: What is Armstrongism? Are Some Dismissive of Original Christianity?

Many do not understand true, original Christianity, so they bash/misrepresent Herbert W.  Armstrong and/or teachings that he had.

In the CCOG we have never taught that Herbert W. Armstrong nor any COG leader was the standard, the truth in the word of God is.

Herbert W. Armstrong changed his position on various matters and never claimed infallibility. Nor do we.

But, as a continuation of the true apostolic Church of God, we in the Continuing Church of God believe it is helpful to quote recent, as well as ancient, COG writers for their perspective and insight, as well as to show continuity.

All who profess Christ should, “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

The reason that we quote the Bible and other COG leaders is to help show that we do.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What is Armstrongism? Did Herbert W. Armstrong raise a new faith or promote the original Christian faith? Here is a link to a related video: What is Armstrongism? Are Some Dismissive of Original Christianity?
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18?
The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made? Some have said healing, others other subjects, but probably the first change had to do with eliminating being part of the Philadelphia era. This article documents what those changes were and compares the Tkach list of restored truths to Herbert W. Armstrong’s list of restored truths. It contains many quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here are links to a related two-part sermon: The 18 Restored Truths: 1-8 and The 18 Restored Truths: 9-18.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near 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. Two sermon-length videos of relaled interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains who he was and how he should be viewed today.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
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? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
17 Accusations and Truthful Responses About Herbert W. Armstrong He, even after his death, keeps being improperly maligned–here is the truth on these matters.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example? Here is a related sermon video: Martin Luther and Herbert Armstrong: Reformers with Differences.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. There is also a YouTube video: The Seven Church Eras of Revelation. There is also a version in the Spanish language: Las Siete Iglesias de Apocalipsis 2 & 3.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: Ephesus Church Era.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc.Here is a link to a related video sermon: The Smyrna Church Era.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church. Here is a link to a related sermon video: Pergamos Era and the Antichrist.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition. It claimed succession from the apostles. Here is a link toa related sermon: Thyatira, Succession, and Jezebel.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant Though the era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D., but a remnant has continued. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God were part of the era, and now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a related sermon: Philadelphia Church Era: History & Teachings.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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 2000 different languages there.

COGwriter

Many are concerned about a trade war because of the re-election of Donald Trump. Europe may be hit hard:

Trump exposes EU bankruptcy on trade, war and climate

European patriotic parties have a historic opportunity after US election.

January 2, 2025

A specter is haunting Europe – the specter of Donald Trump. The European elites did not expect him to make a comeback and, worse still, they have no clue how to counter him. …

Donald Trump is coming back as #47. He is the very antithesis of woke America. He will end the war in Ukraine, which will humiliate European foreign policy. He has announced that he will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, giving the US a massive cost advantage over European industry, burdened by carbon taxes.

He wants to impose massive import tariffs, forcing Europe’s export industries to invest in the US. Trump has exposed every single European political decision of the last four years as wrong-headed.

And to make matters worse, Trump will make it impossible for the Eurocrats to conceal their failures. … the EU is too weak to stand up an independent foreign and trade policy. …

European patriots must provide for the defense of their countries rather than wasting their resources on counterproductive proxy wars. https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/trump-exposes-eu-bankruptcy-on-trade-war-and-climate/

A survey by Deutche Bank sees trade war as the biggest observable risk for 2025

What Is The Biggest Risk For 2025 …

January 1, 2025

The Deutche Bank 2025 global financial market survey had 471 responses from around the world, and was conducted between the 10th and 13th of December 2024. …

A global trade war is seen as the biggest observable risk for 2025, followed by a tech stock plunge and concerns over inflation and bond yields …

Investors think Trump means business on tariffs but an average score of 5 means that they don’t think he’ll be as aggressive as the campaign pledges. Only 6.4% think he’ll be more extreme … https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/what-biggest-risk-2025-and-13-other-highlights-dbs-2025-market-survey

Yes, there are fears and concerns about trade wars and Donald Trump.

Also from a prophetic perspective, notice number 8 of my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

8. Trade

Not all warfare is militaristic. There is also economic warfare.

This often involves trade.

The major use of sanctions, mainly pushed by the USA, has been continuing.

This is affecting trade and pushing trade away from the USA. But also encouraging the Anglo-nations to try to increase trade with each other.

Back in 2008, I posted the following:

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. (Thiel B. A Combined EU & North American Trade Block Coming? COGwriter.com, March 3, 2008)

Since the above was posted, the Europeans and Americans continue to have military agreements, the UK essentially reduced its trade from the rest of Europe because of Brexit, today we see a UK-NZ trade deal, the EU has made trade deals with Mexico and Latin America (see EU’s Juncker essentially verified accuracy of 2008 COGwriter prediction on trade), the USA made a new trade deal with Canada (see Brexit: ‘The end is nigh’ and Donald Trump signs Canada-Mexico trade deal), the UK and EU continue to have trade friction (see DW: EU-UK trade war looming as Northern Ireland Protocol tensions hit boiling point), and the EU has continued to push its standards (which is one of the reasons there is an issue related to Brexit and Northern Ireland). In 2021, the UK made deals with New Zealand (see CNN: New Zealand and the United Kingdom reach free trade deal) and Australia (see UK & Australia make trade deals, so?). And the USA made a special deal with the UK and Australia (see AUKUS alliance; EU wants its own stronger military).

Expect the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to try to increase trade with each other.

Donald Trump feels that the USA and UK have a special relationship and he will look to make a more favorable trade deal with the UK than with the rest of Europe.

And Europe?

Well, Donald Trump’s reelection is a major concern for Europe and its trade.

In 2018, I wrote:

The Europeans have been working with Latin America, China, Russia’s Eurasian Union, and other areas of the world to try to set up its dominance of world trade as well as standards for world trade. (19 items to prophetically watch in 2019)

Such deals have been happening. But expect more concrete action, at least partially because of the reelection of Donald Trump, along with J.D. Vance.

Europe will reach out to various ones in Asia and Africa, as well as Latin America. In the next several years, deals and more trade will occur with Africa, Asia, and Latin America. …

Expect more trade conflict between Europe and the USA and UK.

The Bible shows that Europe will, for a time, dominate trade (cf. Revelation 17 and 18).

As far as another confirmed prediction in 2024 goes, notice something I posted the morning after the November 5th presidential election:

According to the major media, Donald Trump won re-election. … Europe will get more serious about trade deals with others internationally, such as being more motivated to approve the trade deal with the Mercosur block of South America. (Thiel B. Media declares Donald Trump won the election–now what? y Donald trump y eventos para observar. COGwriter, November 6, 2024)

Then, a month later:

December 6, 2024

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sealed a massive trade agreement with South America on Friday, in a bold step that threatens to widen a rift between France, which hates the deal, and her native Germany, which loves it. …

The accord, which eluded von der Leyen in her first term, marks a massive geopolitical win as she embarks on her second. It seeks to deepen ties between the EU and Mercosur — which comprises Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and newcomer Bolivia — just as Donald Trump threatens to launch a global trade war when he returns as U.S. president next month.

“We are sending a clear and powerful message,” von der Leyen told a joint press conference. “In an increasingly confrontational world, we demonstrate that democracies can rely on each other. This agreement is not just an economic opportunity. It is a political necessity.” https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-mercosur-countries-seal-controversial-trade-deal/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=LinkedIn

Yes, world events are aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies.

That said, in 2025 Europe will work on getting more of the world to accept its standards and trading matters. This will help Europe ultimately dominate trade.

The reelection of Donald Trump will motivate many to trade with each other because of his threats of tariffs, etc.

For a time, Babylon will dominate world trade:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 18:2-3).

While ‘Babylon’ will not fully reign in 2024, with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

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

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

Well, yes, in 2025 Europe will be reaching out to Africa, Asia, and Latin America on matters of trade.

The Bible shows that Europe will, temporarily succeed:

3 … all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:3)

9 The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her … 19 in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! (Revelation 18:9,19)

Europe does not have to be perfect to do this, but perceived for a time, as the best economic option for the world.

Although it does not look like that now to most people, Europe is prophesied to do so.

The reelection of Donald Trump has accelerated the desire of the Europeans to secure trade deals outside of the USA.

Biblical prophecies will come to pass.

We continue to see steps that are aligning with them.