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COGWriter

There are more and more reports about the very wealthy spending money to attempt to survive various troubles and situations that the world faces.

Michael Snyder posted the following:

The World Is Bracing For An Apocalyptic Future

When you imagine our collective future, what do you see?  Today, most people do not envision a positive future for humanity.  Our movies, our television shows, our video games and our talk shows are filled with apocalyptic themes, and there is constant speculation about what is ahead of us on social media.  Global events have really started to go haywire in recent months, and faith in our leaders has never been lower.  A lot of people are realizing that when things really start hitting the fan nobody is going to come riding along to rescue them.  So sales of emergency food and supplies have soared to record levels, and millions of us are planning for life in a world that has gone completely and utterly mad. …

At this point, even the wealthiest members of our society are preparing for worst case scenarios.  The following comes from a Daily Star article entitled “‘Bible prophecy is coming true’ as claims billionaires build huge underground bunkers”…

Podcaster Christina Randall claims that Zuckerberg’s bunker is just the latest of around 15 doomsday shelters being built by billionaires around the globe.

“It is definitely very interesting that they’re choosing to build something that sounds like it could be fully self-sustaining, especially if something catastrophic happened to the world and it was no longer habitable,” she said.

“Why not just build a regular old mansion or some kind of commercial facility that could generate Zuckerberg even more money?”

She stressed: “This building is definitely not cheap, it is estimated to cost over $270 million and it looks like this is going to be the largest private personal construction project in human history. We’re talking about over a quarter of a billion dollars.” …

If everything is going to be just fine, why are so many billionaires building massive survivalist compounds?

Can anyone out there answer that question?

A very large portion of the general population is deeply concerned about what is coming as well.

Billions of dollars is being spent on emergency food and supplies, and I fully expect that 2024 will shatter all previous records. …

Over the past few years, many Americans have actually moved to a different part of the country in anticipation of the very challenging times that are ahead of us. …

We really are on the verge of an extremely apocalyptic future, and we will soon see things happen that many people never even imagined would be possible.

Millions upon millions of people have a gut feeling that really bad stuff is on the horizon, and it won’t be too long before it becomes clear why so many of us have been preparing for the worst. 02/13/24 https://themostimportantnews.com/archives/the-world-is-bracing-for-an-apocalyptic-future

While moving to a less populated part of the USA may help some temporarily, it is not where God has promised to protect Philadelphian Christians. More on that can be found in the article: There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra.

That said, notice also the following:

Swiss company unveils fortified luxury bunkers designed for the apocalypse

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

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

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

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

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

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

As far as the wealthy and prepping goes, the UK’s Guardian posted the following:

The super-rich ‘preppers’ planning to save themselves from the apocalypse

4 September 2022

Tech billionaires are buying up luxurious bunkers and hiring military security to survive a societal collapse they helped create, but like everything they do, it has unintended consequences

As a humanist who writes about the impact of digital technology on our lives, I am often mistaken for a futurist. …

I found myself accepting an invitation to address a group mysteriously described as “ultra-wealthy stakeholders”, out in the middle of the desert.

A limo was waiting for me at the airport. … They sat around the table and introduced themselves: five super-wealthy guys – yes, all men – from the upper echelon of the tech investing and hedge-fund world. At least two of them were billionaires. After a bit of small talk, I realised they had no interest in the speech I had prepared about the future of technology. They had come to ask questions. …

Eventually, they edged into their real topic of concern: New Zealand or Alaska? Which region would be less affected by the coming climate crisis? It only got worse from there. Which was the greater threat: global warming or biological warfare? How long should one plan to be able to survive with no outside help? Should a shelter have its own air supply? What was the likelihood of groundwater contamination? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system, and asked: “How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?” The event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, solar storm, unstoppable virus, or malicious computer hack that takes everything down.

This single question occupied us for the rest of the hour. …

Many of those seriously seeking a safe haven simply hire one of several prepper construction companies to bury a prefab steel-lined bunker somewhere on one of their existing properties. Rising S Company in Texas builds and installs bunkers and tornado shelters for as little as $40,000 for an 8ft by 12ft emergency hideout all the way up to the $8.3m luxury series “Aristocrat”, complete with pool and bowling lane. The enterprise originally catered to families seeking temporary storm shelters, before it went into the long-term apocalypse business. …

 Ultra-elite shelters such as the Oppidum in the Czech Republic claim to cater to the billionaire class, and pay more attention to the long-term psychological health of residents. They provide imitation of natural light, such as a pool with a simulated sunlit garden area, a wine vault, and other amenities to make the wealthy feel at home.

On closer analysis, however, the probability of a fortified bunker actually protecting its occupants from the reality of, well, reality, is very slim. https://www.theguardian.com/news/2022/sep/04/super-rich-prepper-bunkers-apocalypse-survival-richest-rushkoff

Yes, the probability of such bunkers actually protecting their occupants for long is indeed very slim.

But many, instead of putting their confidence in God, are hoping shelters will work.

And it is not just the super-wealthy.

Now see an earlier report about preppers:

Study Finds Rise In ‘Doomsday Prepping’ Due To Mainstream American ‘Culture Of Fear’

August 10, 2019

CANTERBURY, England — “Doomsday prepping” or stockpiling food, medicine, weapons and other supplies in case of an apocalyptic scenario has long been considered peculiar behavior only exhibited by conspiracy theorists and other extremists in the United States. However, such prepping has actually been steadily on the rise in the U.S. over the past decade. So, what’s causing this surge in stockpiled rice packets and underground bunkers? One group of researchers say it is an ever growing sense of impending doom in American culture.

Many have speculated that this surge in doomsday preppers over the last 10 years was linked to an extreme political reaction among many conservatives to Barack Obama’s initial election in 2008, but a new study out of the United Kingdom finds that neither the Obama presidency nor extreme right-wing conspiracy theories in general are the main cause of this growing phenomenon.

Researchers interviewed preppers from 18 U.S. states and asked about their motivations for stockpiling food and supplies. The results indicated that, although most did seem to be conservative and fear liberal policies, the main reason behind their motivations was the overall sense of fear currently dominating U.S. culture across a variety of media channels. Most Americans can’t seem to log online or turn on the television without being hit by a grim view of the future being reported or speculated on.

Potential occurrences commonly worried about by preppers include possible economic depressions, terrorist attacks, cyber-attacks, pandemics, or environmental disasters. https://www.studyfinds.org/study-finds-rise-in-doomsday-prepping-due-to-mainstream-american-culture-of-fear/

Yes, there is a lot of bad news. And in many ways, there is a sense of fear, not only in the USA, but also around the world.

Jesus taught rough times would come.

7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:7-8)

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

So, Jesus said there will be wars, food shortages, and troubles–we have been seeing these this year.

Let me add that the USA, for one example, will end up much worse than even most preppers think.

Is hording gold or prepping the answer?

No.

Jesus warned:

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Now, that does NOT mean that having food or money for emergencies is not a good idea:

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children (Proverbs 13:22a).

3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished (Proverbs 22:3).

Of course, since gold is regarded as a disaster hedge by many investors, prudence might dictate that perhaps a small fraction of your liquid assets be in gold: (Caulkins J. WHEN MONEY FAILS. Good News, WCG, October-November 1979)

But Jesus is warning that we can have the wrong focus and that if our priorities are too much on the physical that we can lose it all.

Doomsday preppers (those who seem to think that they will survive well during the 3 1/2 years that starts with the Great Tribulation) do not realize there are factors that they have not considered–or at least not well enough.

Those without food or shelters will seek out those with both. And there will be many, many times more of those people than people with prepper shelters.

The USA, itself, will be destroyed by a European force (Daniel 11:39), dominated by Germany (cf. Isaiah 10:5-12)–many will become captives (Amos 7:17; see also Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?). Interestingly, the German military is interested in Germans building bomb shelters in their homes:

February 9, 2024

Citing a draft document from Germany’s Defense Ministry, local tabloid newspaper Bild reported that Germans are expected to build their own bomb shelters as the country’s national draft emergency defense plan has already assigned the construction roles to civilians.

With only 579 functional bomb shelters in Germany, the government is counting on its citizens to convert their own homes into “fallout” shelters, setting up their own reinforced shelters in places such as basements and garages, in case a major war breaks out in Europe. https://survival.news/2024-02-09-germans-turn-their-homes-into-bomb-shelters.html

Germany is more and more getting ready for war.

That said, Bible shows that some few will escape the captivity that will impact the Anglo-American peoples (Ezekiel 5:1-4) will go to the mountains:

16 ‘Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains
Like doves of the valleys,
All of them mourning,
Each for his iniquity.
17 Every hand will be feeble,
And every knee will be as weak as water. (Ezekiel 7:16-17)

Yet, notice also something from the prophets Amos and Jeremiah:

9 ‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. 10 For they do not know to do right, ‘Says the Lord, ‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’” 11 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered.” 12 Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria — In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch! 13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”Says the Lord God, the God of hosts, 14 ‘That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground. (Amos 3:9-14)

19 They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness (Lamentations 4:19).

The above indicates that some will be hiding in the mountains and other places in the USA while others are will be taken out of the USA (which is the prophetic Samaria–see Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New). Most of the Anglos that are not killed will be made slaves. Hiding in the mountains may protect a few for a time, but it will be relatively few that survive that way for long.

They will be pursued.

But didn’t Jesus teach to flee to the mountains?

Well, yes for the mountains of Judea:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)

But He also did not say one should plan to stay in them. Consider that Jesus then added:

17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! (Matthew 24:17-19)

Now this does not mean that Jesus expected one to go to a stocked bunker. Only that those in Judea who have not fled before they see the abomination will not have time to do anything then but flee. In time, any who are Philadelphian Christians will go elsewhere (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra).

Notice something else that Jesus taught:

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

13″He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘ (Revelation 3:7-13)

Jesus tells His followers to watch, pray, and change enough to be accounted worthy to escape these things. Physical protection from the coming hour of trial is possible to those who will properly heed the word of God (cf. Zephaniah 2:1-3). Jesus clarifies in Revelation 3 that He is specifically referring to providing protection to the Philadelphian Christians.

Furthermore the Bible is clear that NOT ALL CHRISTIANS are promised this protection:

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:14-17)

Two types of Christians are discussed above. A group that flees to a place and the rest that do not do so.

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

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

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

18:48

Doomsday Preppers and Preparation

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

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

Put your confidence in God, not bunkers.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 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.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
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.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture? Did the Bible teach that Jesus raptures Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus Himself teach? Do the scriptural passages that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins point to prove their left behind pre-tribulation rapture assertions? Do all Christians get protected from the Great Tribulation? Who does the Bible teach will get protected? Is the Great Tribulation the ‘wrath to come’ that Christians are promised protection from? This is a video.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
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

Black Soldier Fly larva
(Photo public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Euronews posted the following:

Fact check: Are Europeans being forced to eat dangerous insects?

17 February 2025

Online users are claiming the European Union has allowed dangerous insect-based foods onto the market, after a product containing UV-treated yellow mealworm was green-lit earlier this month.

“Out of ecological madness, they are taking the risk of poisoning an entire continent in order to compete with livestock farming,” stated Florian Philippot, President of the French conspiracist and hard Eurosceptic Les Patriotes party in a video posted on X, which has amassed more than 200,000 views.

The misleading online claims originate from Eurosceptic accounts, European far-right politicians, as well as US right-wing conspiratorial accounts.

Conspiracy theorist and radio show host Alex Jones, who has been found guilty in numerous high-profile cases involving defamation and libel, declared that a “cancer-causing bug protein” is being pushed “into the food supply worldwide” in an X post.

Is there any substance behind these claims?

Last Monday, the European Commission approved the use of up to 4% UV-treated yellow mealworm in products such as bread, cheese and pasta. …

In many African and South American countries, insect consumption is a traditional practice, whereas in Europe, insects are subject to rigorous checks before they can be approved for the market.

This includes an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an independent scientific body that works alongside the European Commission.

“There is no safety concern, this product can be safely consumed because we have done a comprehensive assessment of its composition, and there was no issue found by our experts here”, Ermolaos Ververis, scientific officer at EFSA, told Euronews. …

On 8 February, far-right Patriots for Europe MEP Petra Steger asked, “First, they said meat is bad – now there’s insect meal for breakfast. What’s next,” in a post shared on X.

Despite scientists’ labelling the products safe to consume, one factor could continue to hinder their popularity among European consumers. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/17/fact-check-are-europeans-being-forced-to-eat-dangerous-insects

Are certain insects in the food supply dangerous?

Yes!

Last Summer, Dr. Joseph Mercola wrote:

The Push for Bug-Based Diets Continues

August 28, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

August 26, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The European Union ignored the following scriptures:

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

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

God’s people are not supposed to eat bugs.

We are to be holy in all of our CONDUCT:

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

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

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

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

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

Notice also:

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

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

July 26, 2024

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

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

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

Contamination of Insect-based Foods

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A while back, we put out the following sermon about the food supply:

1:07:48

Evil is Affecting the Food Supply

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

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

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

Yes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

We put together the following related video:

14:44

3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse and Food

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

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

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

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

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

Related to insects in the food supply, we just also have the following video:

14:51

Should Christians Eat Insects?

It is reported that 2205 insects are being eaten around the world in 128 countries as part of the food supply. This is being pushed by the World Economic Forum, United Nations, and the government of the United States of America? Does the Bible endorse eating any insects? If so, which? Some people promote “cockroach milk” as well as larvae-derived “Entomilk.” Does France have the biggest insect farm? Are there thousands of insect farms in Thailand? Does the New Testament support that Christians are to be holy and not eat unclean meats and insects? Could God have had health reasons to tell His people not to eat certain creatures? What are some health issues that eating insects, mealworms, etc. have reportedly caused? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Should Christians Eat Insects?

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; three short videos are also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food?, Should Christians Eat Insects?, and COVID, Pandemics, and Unclean Meat.
Cannibalism is Wrong, But it is Coming! Is it logical to eat human flesh? Or is it a curse that will return? Here is a link to a related video: Cannibalism is prophesied!
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here are some related videos: GMO Risks and the Bible and GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras?  Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?  and Human-Monkey Embryos and Death.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.

COGwriter

The Munich Security Conference has ended and many in Europe are in shock:

‘It’s Trump’s world’: European leaders divided on how to navigate ‘cacophony’

17 February 2025

Indeed, the consensus that emerged from Munich and its preceding days was Trump 2.0 is a far more disruptive and chaotic force than the worst fears of British, European and Middle Eastern diplomats. Abrupt and inchoate decisions in foreign policy follow one executive order after another. …

 Nathalie Tocci, the head of the Italian thinktank IAI, questioned whether something more profound was under way between Europe and the US. “One interpretation about what has happened in the last few days is that maybe this US administration does not quite like us very much, and maybe if we act by spending more on defence, and all the rest of it, we can somehow rekindle US interest and perhaps even US affection for Europe, including Ukraine. That is the best case scenario,” she said.

“But should we not consider there is a scenario out there, in which there is absolutely nothing we can do to rekindle that love, affection and interest, and therefore we are alone, facing a US administration that deliberately wants to weaken and divide us?”

Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor after elections this month, did not go as far as Tocci, but accepted the Vance speech had broadened the points of issue between Europe and the US. “Disagreements between the US and Europe have taken on a completely new quality,” he said in his weekly email to supporters. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/17/its-trumps-world-european-leaders-divided-on-how-to-navigate-cacophony

As US recedes, NATO scrambles to find a new leader

MUNICH — European officials say they get Donald Trump’s point: They need to take care of their own defense — with less help from the Americans.

But on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this weekend, few European allies were raising their hands.

It was the central question swirling through the crowded halls at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof: Who will be the continent’s security provider if the U.S. military scales down its presence — or simply packs up and leaves.

“Who is that person?” said Giedrimas Jeglinskas, chair of the National Security and Defense Committee in Lithuania’s parliament and a former NATO official. “You need to have some sort of hard power behind you to be really sitting at the table now.”

Germany has the continent’s largest economy, but the jury is out on Berlin’s latest defense plans until after this month’s election.  …

It wasn’t hard for most Europeans to read between the lines. “It’s clear where the United States is. It’s not in Europe,” said a former NATO official, who like others was granted anonymity to speak candidly about dynamics within the alliance. “Europe is going to realize, ‘…, we’re on our own.’” 02/16/25 https://www.politico.eu/article/us-recedes-nato-scrambles-find-new-leader-munich-security-conference/

MUNICH, Feb 16 (Reuters) – They should not have been surprised. Yet European officials have been left shocked and flat-footed by the Trump administration’s moves on Ukraine, Russia and European defence in recent days.

At a major security conference in Munich at the weekend, there was a sense of dismay and disbelief – and a whiff of panic – among European delegates even as some tried to put a brave face on a dizzying few days of declarations and diplomacy. …

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Chief among their fears: that they can no longer be sure of U.S. military protection  … Europeans are reeling from a blizzard of Trump administration moves in recent days, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/shocked-europeans-play-catch-up-after-trump-moves-ukraine-2025-02-16/

European leaders are in shock and disbelief about the Trump-Vance Administration.

Now, as far as the European Union goes, what WILL HAPPEN IS THAT IT WILL REORGANIZE (Revelation 17:12-13) AND EUROPE WILL TURN AGAINST THE USA (Daniel 11:39)!

Related to the coming European Beast power turning against its former American friends, here is something from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Donald Trump’s foreign policy statements have unsettled many—in the USA as well as foreign nations. …

The Bible teaches about a great power who will be destroyed by its friends, who become enemies (Lamentations 1:1-2)—some statements by Donald Trump are pushing “friends” (NATO allies) into being enemies. …

The Bible is clear that there will be problems in Europe (Daniel 11:41-43), yet it also shows that Europe will undergo several reorganizations (Revelation chapters 16-18), and the two reorganizations in Revelation 17:12-13 specifically will not turn out well for the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39) or the Arab world (cf. Daniel 11:40-43).

Some “right-leaning” European political leaders seem to be re-energized by Donald Trump who because of his breaking political norms and acting like a ‘strong man.’[1] One of the unintended consequence of his actions is, that after crises (cf. Revelation 6:7-8), more Europeans will decide that they need their own even stronger leader—which will happen per Revelation 13:10 and 17:13. …

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

¹ How lonely sits the city
That was full of people!

How like a widow is she,
Who was great among the nations!

The princess among the provinces Has become a slave!

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

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

Notice the one who was “great among the nations” will be conquered by friends, who will become enemies.

The USA was prophesied to be “great” in Genesis 48:19 and is considered by international sources to be great among the nations of the world today.[2]

[1] Axelrod J. Donald Trump and Elon Musk Have Energized the German Far-Right. Mother Jones, December 21, 2024

[2] ^{Hartig H. Majority of Americans say U.S. is one of the greatest countries in the world. PEW Research Center, August 29, 2023}

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

Others have also noted that Donald Trump is treating nations who are considered to be “friends” as enemies (e.g. see RT: Zelensky says US doesn’t care about EU; BBC: Frenemies?).

Yes, the Bible teaches about a great power who will be destroyed by its friends, who become enemies (Lamentations 1:1-2).

Right now, the Europeans are trying to figure out what to do.

But, ultimately, the Bible shows that Europe will reorganize and become totalitarian:

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)

This Beast leader will eliminate the Anglo-American world order with a new, and even worse, world order.

Consider the following prophecies about the one who will be in charge:

21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. (Daniel 11:21)

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain. … the king of the North (Daniel 11:39, 40)

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity. (Daniel 8:23-25)

The above leader is the final European King of the North Beast power. He is an autocrat. He will eliminate the USA, Canada, and the UK.

Europe will conclude that it needs someone stronger than Donald Trump.

The rise again of Donald Trump and many of his statements and actions are accelerating Europe’s path towards militarization, as well as turning against the USA.

The unintended result of that will be Europe one day conquering the USA.

COGwriter

Are you familiar with the simplicity that is in Christ?

Are you sure you understand that?

The Apostle Paul wrote:

2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted — you may well put up with it! (2 Corinthians 11:2-4)

Related to how the simplicity in Jesus the Christ goes, the following from the Apostle Paul conveys that:

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; (Hebrews 5:8-9)

Jesus obeyed and suffered and became perfect. Jesus will provide eternal salvation for those that obey Him. Is that simple enough?

Notice that, according to the Apostle Paul, obedience IS A SALVATION ISSUE!

Sadly, most who claim Christianity do not understand that. They do not understand that because they tend to teach a different Jesus, do not believe they need to obey Him as He obeyed His Father’s commandments (John 15:10), and have adopted many practices that neither Jesus nor His faithful followers engaged in. And most of those who do teach that they should obey, reason around the obedience in ways similar to those of the ancient Pharisees whom Jesus denounced for such practices (e.g. Matthew 15:1-9).

The reality is that most who profess Christianity in today’s world do not adhere to what the original apostles taught. Councils of men, ecclesiastical politics, theological interpretations, philosophy, and higher criticism have all had their part in complicating the simple beliefs and practices of the original Christians.

Yet, as the Apostle Jude exhorted, true Christians are “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

But even by the time of Jude and Paul, false teachings and wrong philosophic influences had begun to push forth a corrupt religion that began to call itself Christian.

Yet, the relationship of Christians with Jesus is not complex or confusing. It is simple, yet profound.

Here is what the Apostle Peter said needed to be done :

38 … Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

29. … Peter and the apostles … said, “We are obligated to obey God rather than men.

30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree.

31. Him has God exalted by His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.

32. And we are His witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29-32, AFV)

By obeying God we live the way of love that results from keeping His commandment (James 2:8).

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, (1 Timothy 1:5)

Jesus said:

22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22)

17 … But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Notice that Jesus is talking about those who already claim Him, yet they need to endure to the end to be saved–hence, Jesus made it clear that just claiming His name is not enough. Those who want eternal life are to keep the commandments.

Basically, if we continue to strive to keep God’s loving commandments until our physical life ends we are to attain salvation (Matthew 10:22). And scripture teaches that will happen at the first resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; Revelation 20:4-6).

Just calling Jesus ‘Lord” or thinking God has used you somehow does not make you a Christian! Jesus said:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jesus also said:

15 If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)

10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:9)

Yes, those who love Jesus keep the Commandments.

Here is something by the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God about those that failed to follow simple, original Christianity:

Well, let’s turn for a moment over to 2 Corinthians, the eleventh chapter where the apostle Paul — this was in his time along around 50 AD or somewhere along in the middle, there, of the first century — and Paul is speaking here to the church at Corinth, in his second letter, then, in chapter eleven — 2 Corinthians. So Paul says, to the people in that church at Corinth:

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety [he’s very clever, very subtle. There it mentions the devil as a serpent], so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus…” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

They have come preaching a Jesus that did away with His Father’s law and His Father’s commandments!

Jesus said, “I have kept my Father’s commandments ” (John 15:10).

He said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done!” (cf. John 13:15)

But many have come in the name of Christ and preaching that Jesus is the Christ and saying, “the law is done away.” That’s a different Jesus; that’s a smart-aleck Jesus that knew more than His Father and did away with His Father’s law. That is not the real Jesus. The real Jesus KEPT His Father’s commandments and told us to do the same thing. Go back and read Matthew and Mark and Luke and John and see what He did.

“For [he continues] if he that cometh [that is false preachers, now] if he that cometh preaches another Jesus [another Jesus that knows more than His Father] whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit which you have not received, or another gospel which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.” (2 Corinthians 11:4)

Now he goes on talking about these false apostles coming in sheep’s clothing and claiming to represent Christ. In the thirteenth verse — just a few verses later — thirteenth, and fourteenth, and fifteenth verses — 2 Corinthians, the eleventh chapter:

“For such are false apostles [now here they are described — false apostles], deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel [now they’re not real apostles of Christ. But it says]; no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed as an angel of light. And therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

So it shows there false apostles coming to deceive the people. And that was even in the first century. (Armstrong HW. Revelation – Closed Book Until the End. World Tomorrow Radio broadcast, c. 1960)

“the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3) … It’s very simple my friends, the thing is — obey God. You have to surrender your way, you have to give up the traditions of the people and of the time and turn to God and the ways of God. That’s quite simple. And Jesus came and died for us because we have transgressed His ways and to pay the penalty of that transgression in our stead. Otherwise you wouldn’t need a Saviour; you need a Saviour because of your disobedience. Jesus died to take away your past sin, and your guilt — to reconcile you to God so you can receive God’s Holy Spirit, the love that will fulfill His law, to make it possible for you to keep the law of God. (Armstrong HW. False Gospels. World Tomorrow Radio broadcast, c. 1960)

Satan “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).

Satan did not want Jesus to obey (cf. Matthew 4:8-10)–Satan does not want you to obey.

Information about what to obey, and how many have reasoned around properly obeying, as well as some prophecies about the Antichrist not obeying can be found in the free, online, book: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

Now, here is an incomplete and improper view of the “simplicity’ from a Protestant named David J. Stewart:

“THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST,” which is THE GOSPEL. The Word of God plainly teaches that it is “SIMPLE” to get saved. How simple is it? Very, very, very simple!!! I mean, it is so simple that I can sum it up with just one word… “BELIEVE.” IT IS SIMPLE, FREE AND EASY TO BE SAVED!!! …

You don’t have to become a theologian to be saved… JUST BELIEVE!!! To believe means to “trust.” …

Adding even the slightest human effort will cancel one’s faith; such as, sacraments (water baptism, communion), prayer or good works. Either Jesus does ALL the saving, or else you don’t get saved!!! (The Simplicity that is in Christ. January 2017. http://www.jesusisprecious.org/fundamentals/simplicity_that_is_in_christ.htm viewed 01/17/23)

While we are saved by grace through faith, and not works (Ephesians), it does require some human effort to obey. Obeying DOES NOT cancel one’s faith, but clearly demonstrates that the faith is real.

As far as belief goes, while that is needed, the Apostle James wrote:

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (James 2:19-24)

Demons believe, but will not truly obey. The Protestant reformer Martin Luther did not care for James’ epistle, not only did he refer to it as an “epistle of straw,” he would not accept verses like James 2:24.

It takes faith to truly obey–if you will not obey you do not have the real and right kind of faith. The New Testament is clear, Christians are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

A Christian is simply one who believes the Bible and has God’s spirit (Romans 8:9), who believes in, obeys, and follows the lead and example of Jesus the Christ, but who refuses to accept traditions of men (cf. Mark 7:6:13) to the contrary.

Sadly, that is not the case with over 99% of people claim Christianity.

Christianity has a simplicity–strive to obey God and live His way of love.

Any other way is NOT the simplicity in Christ.

We also have the following related video:

14:32

Do You Understand the ‘Simplicity that is in Christ’?

In 1 Corinthians 11:3, the Apostle Paul mentioned the ‘simplicity that is in Christ,’ but warned that people could be deceived away from it. Do you know what that simplicity is? Is it simply to “believe” and not even pray as Protestant David Stewart asserted? Are we saved by grace for good works? Are Christians supposed to obey? Did Jesus and the Apostle Paul tie obedience in with salvation? What are Christians supposed to obey? Can false ministers look good? Do the Ten Commandments have anything to do with love or the simplicity that is in Christ? Will those who call Jesus ‘Lord’ and even do wonders in His name necessarily be saved? What book of the New Testament did Martin Luther refer to as “an epistle of straw’? Did Jesus die for your disobedience? What did Peter say about obedience and the Holy Spirit? What did James say about faith and works? Do the demons believe? Can faith and works be tied together? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these topics.

Here is a link to our video: Do You Understand the ‘Simplicity that is in Christ’?

(Unsplash photo)

COGwriter

Are “liberal women” happy?

According to the following, the answer is “No!”:

Why So Blue: Liberal Women are Less Happy, More Lonely. But Why?

Young liberal women are especially prone nowadays to reporting poor mental health. This was the discovery that Zach Goldberg made almost five years ago pouring over Pew data in the spring of 2020. Further research in 2022 found that depression had surged among liberal high school girls in the last decade-and-a-half, and much more so for them than other high schoolers, especially conservatives.

Is this ideological gap in the mental health of liberal and conservative women still present?

Yes, new evidence from 2024 American Family Survey indicates it is. Young liberal women are markedly less satisfied with life than their conservative peers. Specifically, we found that 37% of conservative women reported being “completely satisfied” with life, whereas only 12% of liberal women did. Young conservative women are three times as likely to report being very satisfied with life compared to young liberal women. Moreover, liberal women are two to three times more likely to report they are “not satisfied” with their lives, compared to conservative women. And consistent with previous research, the effect of ideology on young women’s happiness held up to controls for age, education, race, and income. …

Our results from the American Family Survey are striking. Conservative women ages 18-40 are married at rates that are 20 percentage points than liberal women in the same age group. And whereas over half of conservative women in this age group attend church weekly, only 12% of their liberal peers do. 02/13/25 https://ifstudies.org/blog/why-so-blue-liberal-women-are-less-happy-more-lonely-but-why

Brad Wilcox, a sociology professor at the University of Virginia and fellow at the Institute for Family Studies who analyzed the survey’s data, said he believes there are a couple of reasons why conservative young women are more likely to be happier than their liberal counterparts.

“We’ve seen in the research that conservative women tend to be more likely to embrace a sense of agency and to have the sense that they are not, in any way, the victim of larger structural realities or forces,” he told Fox News Digital.  “They’re also less likely to catastrophize about public events and concerns,” and “more likely to think of themselves as captains of their own fate,” Wilcox added. …

The survey also notes that conservative women are more likely to accept biological and social differences between males and females.  The ideal was thought to be common sense for thousands of years but has come under fire from feminists in the past decade as a “social construct of the patriarchy”.  The deconstruction of societal norms has been so pervasive, governments across the western world have tried to encode intersectional feminist taboos into law and punish people who remain skeptical.

One side effect of the rise of feminist authority that liberals apparently did not expect is the decline in relative happiness of women.  The issue was fist noticed around 2009 when a study out of the University of Pennsylvania stunned the mainstream media – Despite decades of greater access to the jobs market, institutional influence and life options since the 1970s, young women have become increasingly less happy compared to their counterparts of past generations.  Though the study avoids addressing the problem of feminism directly, it does suggest that modern constructs may play a major role in creating anxiety for women.  02/15/25 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/liberal-women-are-lonely-and-unhappy-according-latest-polls

Consider also that teens of conservative parents also tend to be in a better mental state than those with liberal parents:

The Apostle John wrote:

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

Misery is not what God wants to have.

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

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

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

Always “if only.”

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

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

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

What’s Your Concept?

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

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

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

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

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

A Catalog of Wealth

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

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

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

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

But Was He Happy?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From Persecutor to Persecuted

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yet Paul Was Happy

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

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

The answer is: NOTHING.

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

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

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

But Are They Relevant Today?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notice the following instruction from God to young men:

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

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

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

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

Do you know who the Bible says is happy?

God’s people:

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

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

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

If you really do, you should be happy.

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

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

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

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

We are to delight in God’s ways:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consider:

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

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

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

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

8:55

Want to Be Happier?

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

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Biblical Keys to Happiness This is an article for those interested in biblical teachings about being happy. A related sermon is available and is titled: 14 Biblical Keys to Happiness.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
Ten Steps to Rid Yourself of Fear This is a vastly expanded version of a shorter article by the late Dr. Herman Hoeh on getting past fear. Here is a link to a related sermon: Ten Plus Steps to Rid Yourself of Fear.
Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido. In German: Glaube für die von Gott Berufenen und Auserwählten. In French: La Foi pour ceux que Dieu a Appelés et Choisis. Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen.and here is a link to another sermon Faith and Courage. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese N{ÇQsNŽOáNðv„\e‡zà. Here are links to the sermons Christian Faith and Increasing Faith.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in thousands of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

COGwriter

Deutsche Welle wrote that “Friedrich Merz is the frontrunner to become Germany’s next leader after February’s elections” (01/24/25 https://www.dw.com/en/friedrich-merz-what-to-expect-from-germanys-likely-next-leader/audio-71403615)

EuroNews reported the following related to him:

16 February 2025

”I’m hearing from the one-on-ones and the meetings here at the conference that there is a lack of German leadership within the European Union, and I fully agree with those who are demanding leadership from Germany, and frankly I’m willing to do that because I’m seeing that Germany is in a strategic position at the centre of Europe; that so many things in Europe depends on Germany,” Friedrich Merz told a panel discussion on Saturday.

Context: The leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is widely tipped to be the next German Chancellor following elections to be held on February 23. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/16/munich-security-conference-here-are-the-7-quotes-you-need-to-remember

Notice that he wants Germany to lead Europe, he is expected to become Germany’s next chancellor, and he is pointing to himself to be the leader for Europe.

Consider something that happened in Germany a while back:

December 16, 2022

Germany — is facing its own internal right-wing threat, as was made clear last week when German police arrested more than two dozen right-wing extremists plotting to violently overthrow the government. …

In Germany, the plotters who were arrested belong to the Reich Citizens’ Movement (Reichsbürgerbewegung), a loose-knit group of right-wing German radicals who believe the existing German government is illegitimate and needs to be replaced by a new and distinctly authoritarian “Reich.” Although details about the group’s plans are still emerging, press reports have breathlessly announced that Germany dodged a bullet and only just “averted … a Fourth Reich.” Others have noted with relief that plans to “reinstall a Fourth Reich” had been defeated with the arrest of the Reichsbürger movement’s ringleader, the German aristocrat and “would-be leader of the Fourth Reich,” Prince Heinrich XIII from the House of Reuss in the state of Thuringia. …

The proliferation of references to a Fourth Reich is hardly new, though it is newly intense and widespread. Originally, the concept was coined by opponents of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich, who sought to herald the vision of a fourth successor Reich as a democratic alternative to Nazism.

After World War II, however, the concept was reappropriated by unrepentant Nazis who hoped to recreate the authoritarian spirit of the Third Reich. Simultaneously, Western democracies used the concept of a Fourth Reich in admonitory fashion to warn against the possible postwar resurgence of Nazism. This history shows why it is critical to take those actors who seek to bring about a Fourth Reich seriously. https://www.phillytrib.com/commentary/its-important-to-take-those-calling-for-a-fourth-reich-seriously/article_cceb0f80-866f-54ba-aab1-aa2816658d23.html

While many look at Europe as a democracy and do not see it as having much military clout, the reality is that things can change quickly.

For one example, France called for an emergency meeting to take place tomorrow because of comments and positions from the Trump-Vance Administration, including because of comments made by JD Vance on Friday:

 Updated 16 February 2025

• France confirmed it is hosting a summit of European leaders on Monday as the region seeks to respond to the US’ change of course on Ukraine
• The MSC entered its final day as rifts emerged between Europe and the US over how to deal with security concerns https://www.dw.com/en/msc-2025-france-plans-ukraine-summit-amid-us-fallout/live-71599568

The Europeans are more and more concerned. More and more are concluding that the USA is not, or should no longer be, the leader of the West.

This is setting the stage for an ambitious dictator to one day rise up. That WILL happen according to the following biblical prophecy:

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)

Now, let’s look at some history from last century about Germany changing quickly:

February 8, 2025

According to historians, it took Adolf Hitler 53 days to transform the Weimar Republic into the Third Reich, replacing that feckless democracy with the mother of all modern dictatorships.

In a recent piece for The Atlantic, Timothy W. Ryback, director of the Institute for Historical Justice and Reconciliation in The Hague, clocks it at “one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes.”  …

There are a few key points of special relevance to the perils facing our own democracy.

There were those who — even in early 1933, when Hitler was still getting his ducks lined up — grasped the disaster to come, some with uncanny specificity. But the vast majority, not just in Germany but across the globe, continued to pursue normal, often enthusiastic, relations with the Third Reich. Hitler hosted the 1936 Olympics, the first instance of sportswashing, and still the most egregious.

When the president of the Weimar Republic, the aged war hero Paul von Hindenburg, appointed Hitler as chancellor on January 30, 1933, Hitler’s National Socialist (i.e., Nazi) Party controlled only 37 percent of the seats in the Reichstag, the republic’s legislature. The Nazis had, in fact, suffered significant losses in the preceding parliamentary elections in December 1932. Hitler further had all but two members of his cabinet chosen for him as part of the deal resulting in his appointment, so it contained only two of his own party loyalists. https://whowhatwhy.org/politics/government-integrity/a-fourth-reich-its-not-just-a-bad-dream/

As far as Germany repeating its Nazi past goes, that was long the view of the old Radio Church of God:

At a rally of 500 in 1958, in the city of Munich, former SS Colonel Julius Zuchbold addressed his old Nazi cronies with this summation of the present German situation: “We do not intend to go to sleep. We will stay alert and exploit all rights and privileges which the democratic system offers to us. Yet we will be a power WHENEVER WE DECIDE TO BECOME A POWER!” (The New Germany and the Old Nazi, by T. H. Tetens, page 80.)

Just as Gehlen’s intelligence agents were asked to go underground and later brought out to apparently serve the West, every other phase of German activity has followed the same pattern.’ The Krupps and the Flicks are back in German industry, the Hermann Abs and Robert Pferdmenges are back in German banking, Dr. Hans Globke, one of Hitler’s chief assistants, is the right-hand man of Dr. Adenauer in the present German government!

The situation is summed up by Mr. William L. Shirer — author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich — stated in an address in Seattle on April 12, 1961, “The vast majority (in a poll taken in Germany) said that Nazism was a GOOD IDEA, only badly carried out. Their comment was that, ‘It lost the war for us! The memory of Hiller is far from bad and far from dead.” …

As long ago as January 1960 Dr. Adenauer on a state visit to Italy told the Pope, “I believe that God has given the German people in these calamitous times a special task. We are the GUARDIANS OF THE WEST against any mighty force which would descend upon our lines from the East.” …

“Fascism in Europe is about to be reborn in respectable business attire, and the Treaty of Rome will finally be implemented to its fullest extent.. the dream of a Holy Roman, Empire returning to power to dominate and direct the so-called forces of Christian mankind of the Western world is not dead, but still stalks through the antechambers of every national capital of continental Western Europe… IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE LEADERS IN THE COMMON MARKET NATIONS TO RESTORE THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE WITH ALL THAT THAT MEANS!” (Northwest Technocrat, Vol. XXV, No. 205.)

United within the ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire; united by the common spiritual bond of universal Catholicism; united in a burgeoning and booming industrial economy that dominates today’s world; united geographically in the most productive and industrial complex of all the earth — at least TEN NATIONS OF MODERN EUROPE WILL MARCH ONTO THE SCENE OF WORLD HISTORY AS THE GREATEST SINGLE HUMAN FORCE EVER SEEN BY MAN!

This United Europe will form a nonaggression pact or political alignment of some sort with the Soviet East. (Hill DJ. What is GERMANY’S DESTINY? Plain Truth, March 1962)

Well, since that article came out, we have the European Union which has come out of the old ‘Treaty of Rome’ and it basically comprises most of the area of the old ‘Holy Roman Empire’–and it includes a political alignment with what was then considered to be the Soviet East. More on the development of Europe from the Treaty of Rome to present to future prophecies can be found in the article: The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17.

Notice also something about Germany’s history published back in 1985 by the old Worldwide Church of God:

In 1933 Adolf Hitler, using Germany’s growing economic crisis as a stepping-stone to power, gained control of Germany, inaugurating the Third Reich of German history.

It quickly became clear that Hitler’s geopolitical aims far transcended his own country’s borders. Hitler held an unshakable conviction that his German Reich would one day rule all of Europe — and from there seize the leadership of the world! He dreamed of a “new world order” that would remake the political face of the earth, with himself at its helm.

In 1939 Hitler began in earnest his struggle for the mastery of the world. (Stump K. Coming Soon – A New World Order. Good News, 1985)

While Adolf Hitler tried to establish his third reich, what exactly is the ‘fourth reich’? Notice one interpretation:

The Fourth Reich (German: Viertes Reich) is a theoretical future German empire, following the First Reich (the Holy Roman Empire, 962–1806), the Second Reich (Imperial Germany, 1871–1918) and the Third Reich (Nazi Germany, 1933–1945). (Wikipedia, accessed 04/03/15)

Some believe that Germany already has had a type of fourth reich as it has been able to dominate European matters at least for the past decade or so. The statements from Friedrich Merz show that many in Germany think that Germany has been the de facto leader of Europe, but that even more German leadership is needed.

Could there be some type of a ‘fourth reich’ this century to follow the ‘third reich’ of last century?

The old Radio Church of God thought so:

The “German Problem” is not dead. Germans are thinking more than ever of an undivided Reich – and of an undivided Europe! … On the 17th of June, Germans celebrated a national holiday a day dedicated to AN UNDIVIDED GERMANY. Stores closed. No one worked. The striking thing is that this day signifies something that has not happened yet! Most holidays commemorate an event – something that has already taken place. Not this one – it looks forward to an event which all Germans hope for and even pray for – AN UNDIVIDED GERMANY! (Kelly R. The March for an Undivided Germany. Plain Truth, September 1964)

Well, since that came out, East and West Germany united, the European Union formed, and a European currency has been implemented.

So, is a ‘fourth reich’ in the process of forming? Some in Germany and elsewhere seem to think so.

However, this does not mean that everyone in Germany wants it to militarily dominate the world, but Bible prophecy shows that deep down, those there do want to dominate.

Notice the following prophecy:

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings? (Isaiah 10:5-8)

Notice that the leader of the final empire will not think that he wants to destroy nations, but he really does, and really will.

Notice that Isaiah tells of a time when the end time Assyrian power will be sent against an ungodly (NKJV), “hypocritical” (KJV) nation. The Hebrew word used signifies being “soiled” or impious, and certainly that is now the case for the nation known as the United States. The Snowden leaks of USA espionage and the rise of Donald Trump have enraged the Germans.

Not only do they feel that the USA has been rogue and hypocritical here, they feel that the USA is not really a friend, but a temporarily “necessary partner” (see Another poll reveals that Europeans mainly consider that the USA is a ‘necessary partner,’ not an ally).

Biblically, the final European King of the North will lead a revived ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ This will be the empire of the Beast power of Revelation 13. This new world order, which will have German dominance, will in a sense be its fourth militaristic reich (reich means reign).

The Bible tells of a time when a European power will defeat many (Daniel 11:39-43) and also dominate the world economically (Revelation 18). Germany will be a major factor in this although there will be problems in Europe (Daniel 2:41-43), after some reorganizations it will arise (Revelation 17:12-13).

A ‘fourth reich’ is in the process of being made, but it is not here yet. But something that can be called that will arrive.

There will be many unintended consequences of the Trump-Vance Administration.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: ¿Deben los Diez Reyes gobernar sobre diez naciones? A related sermon in the English language is titled: Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
The Large Hadron Collider has Military Potential Some say this European project is only peaceful. So why is it working on capturing antimatter? Here is a link to a related video: Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Greco-Roman Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest? A video of related interest would be: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Europe’s Future. Two shorter video are also available: Blockchain, Karl Guttenberg, and 666 and The Middle East, Prophecy, and Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Roman Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: Alemania en la profecía bíblic. Here are links to two English language sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy. Here is one in the Spanish language: Alemania en profecía Biblica.
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.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Hierapolis, Turkey (Photo by Joyce Thiel)

COGwriter

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

14:42

Apollinaris of Hierapolis

Who was Apollinaris of Hierapolis? Apollinaris was a leader of the Christian church in the 2nd century. He was believed to be the bishop of Hierapolis, which is located in modern day Turkey. But what did he believe? What doctrines did Apollinaris adhere to? As a leader of the early church Apollinaris held to the original doctrines of early Christianity. Apollinaris is considered to be a saint by the Roman Catholic church. So, if Apollinaris held to the tenets of the original Christian church, which he did, and since the Roman Catholics considered Apollinaris a saint, which they did, and still do, one would think Apollinaris would also hold to the same beliefs as the Roman Catholic church. Let’s see. Apollinaris was a Quartodeciman, which means he observed the Passover on the 14th of Nisan,. The Roman Catholics changed the date of the Passover to Sunday and called it Easter. Apollinaris held to the belief of the original Christian church in a binitarian God. The Roman Catholics, contrary to the original church, changed their belief to a trinitarian god. Apollinaris believed in the still future 1,000-year Millennium as defined in the Bible. The Roman Catholic teaching appears to be the only doctrine associated with Antichrist that is condemned in the current official Catechism of the Catholic Church. Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NKJV) So who changed? Apollinaris or the Roman Catholic church? Dr. Thiel shines the light of the Bible on this question with documented quotes from Roman Catholic sources as well as the Bible.

Here is a link to our video: Apollinaris of Hierapolis.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Apollinaris of Hierapolis He was an early church leader that may have known Melito and Polycarp; he also wrote about the Passover. Here is a link to a related video: Apollinaris of Hierapolis.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
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.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? Two related sermons are available Scripture and Traditions and Tradition and Scripture.
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 and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

COGwriter

The Munich Security Conference is going on. Many have been shaken by American actions, including statements from US Vice President JD Vance:

15 February 2025

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an “army of Europe” to guard against Russia as he suggested the US may no longer come to the continent’s aid.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he also said that Ukraine would “never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement” after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks.

In a speech on Friday, in which he attacked European democracies, US Vice President JD Vance warned that Europe needed to “step up in a big way” on defence.

Zelensky said: “I really believe the time has come – the armed forces of Europe must be created.”

He said: “Yesterday here in Munich, the US vice president made it clear [that] decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending.

“From now on things will be different and Europe needs to adjust to that.”

On Saturday, Zelensky said: “Let’s be honest. Now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on an issue that threatens it.

“Many, many leaders have talked about Europe that needs its own military.

“An army, an army of Europe.”

The concept of a European army is something that has been proposed by other leaders, including France’s President Emmanuel Macron who has long backed the bloc’s own military to reduce its reliance on the US.

Zelensky said: “A few days ago, President Trump told me about his conversation with Putin. Not once did he mention that America needs Europe at the table – that says a lot.

“The old days are over when America supported Europe just because it always had.” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgl27x74wpo

It is not just Ukraine’s president that is concerned. Notice also the following related to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz:

Germany rebuffs ‘dictated peace’ for Ukraine at Munich security summit

Chancellor Olaf Scholz also rejected the call from US Vice President JD Vance to open Germany’s door to far-right parties.

15 February 2025

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz launched a strong defence of Ukraine saying a peace deal to end the three-year Russian invasion cannot be imposed on Kyiv.

“There will only be peace if Ukraine’s sovereignty is secured,” he said on the second day of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. …

“A dictated peace will therefore never find our support,” added Scholz, in a rebuke to United States President Donald Trump who recently held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, without the participation of the Ukrainians.  …

Meanwhile, Scholz rejected foreign interference in German elections after US Vice President JD Vance attacked how governments in Europe seek to counter bids for political influence by far-right groups such as Germany’s Alternative for Germany AfD.

Germany “will not accept outsiders intervening in our democracy, in our elections. That is not appropriate – especially not among friends and allies,” he said after Vance’s criticism.

“We are absolutely clear that the extreme right should stay outside the political decision-making process and there would be no cooperation with them,” Scholz later told reporters. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/15/germanys-scholz-offers-firm-backing-for-ukraine-on-day-2-of-munich-summit

15 February 2025

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said his country won’t accept people who “intervene in our democracy”, a day after US Vice President JD Vance criticised European leaders.

In a speech on Saturday morning, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended his stance against the far right and said Germany will not accept people who “intervene in our democracy”, a day after US Vice President JD Vance met with the AfD leader and criticised European leaders.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, Vance criticised European governments’ approach to democracy and said he fears free speech across the continent is “in retreat”. …

Scholz further responded to Vance’s comments by saying “Germany is a very strong democracy, and as a strong democracy, we are absolutely clear that the extreme right should be out of political control and out of political decision making processes, and that there will be no cooperation with them.”

“We really reject any idea of cooperation between parties, other parties and this extreme right parties.” https://www.euronews.com/2025/02/15/scholz-germany-wont-accept-people-who-intervene-in-our-democracy

Notice also:

Vance brings a wrecking ball to diplomatic gathering in Munich

14 February 2025

The U.S. vice president roasted the continent’s way of governing itself.

JD Vance’s fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference — part of his multi-day debut on the world stage as U.S. vice president — dominated the marathon high-level gabfest among hundreds of top foreign dignitaries and national security elites.

“No one is talking about anything else,” said a senior Eastern European official. …

“This is a new United States and it’s clear the old one Europe’s been used to for decades is gone,” said one former senior U.S. diplomat. “It could be this is the one wake-up call that actually wakes Europe up.”

POLITICO spoke to 14 conference attendees at the forum, several of whom were granted anonymity to discuss their reactions to Vance’s speech candidly. Many reacted with a mixture of shock and anger.

From inside an overflow room — the main conference hall was jam-packed — attendees laughed sardonically when Vance mentioned “shared values.” …

That went for the professional diplomats, too. “This is all so insane and worrying,” said a German official. …

Top European officials who may have come into the weekend ready to be careful and diplomatic with the Americans took the gloves off after Vance’s speech. “If I understood him correctly, he is comparing parts of Europe with authoritarian regimes. This is not acceptable,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. https://www.politico.eu/article/vance-brings-a-wrecking-ball-to-diplomatic-gathering-in-munich/

It should be clear to all that many in Europe are offended by the Trump-Vance Administration.

Of course, that is not unexpected. Here is part of number 22 of my 2024 list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

22. Reelection of Donald Trump and His Adminstration

In the Bible News Prophecy magazine, October-December 2024 edition, number 22 was listed as “The Incoming US Presidential Administration”

So, it was renamed.

The reelection of Donald Trump has sent shockwaves throughout the world as well as through the legacy media of the United States.

It has brought both hope to some and worry to others.

Donald Trump will be apocalyptic. At least 20 warnings/predictions I made before his last Administration assumed office came to pass (for details see Donald Trump in Prophecy).

Look for Donald Trump and His Administration to offend the Europeans, cause international trade concerns, push many nations further away from the United States, change matters in Ukraine, affect matters in the Middle East, impact US energy production, impact immigration, impact the move away from the US dollar, and further divide many in the United States.

Notice the last statement above.

ALL of those things have happened in the last month.

That said, one of the unintended consequences of the Trump-Vance Administration is that they are accelerating change in Europe.

Notice also:

Von der Leyen demands trigger of emergency clause to massively boost defense spending

14 February 2025

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, von der Leyen said she wanted to trigger an emergency clause that would allow governments greater leeway so that military expenditure would not be counted in their tightly controlled budget deficit limits.

“I will propose to activate the escape clause for defense investments,” she said. “This will allow member states to substantially increase their defense expenditure.” … von der Leyen said Europe was “now in another period of crisis which warrants a similar approach” to that of the Covid pandemic. …

“Now is the time to move mountains in the European Union,” said the ex-German defense minister.

The Commission will allow look to funnel more private investment to defense and launch joint projects of common interest — much as the bloc already does on clean energy initiatives — covering things like advanced air defense.

“Let there be no room for any doubt, I believe that when it comes to European security Europe has to do more and must bring more to the table,” von der Leyen said. “We need a surge in European defense spending.” https://www.politico.eu/article/von-der-leyen-proposes-triggering-clause-to-massively-boost-defense-spending/

Europe is starting to get more concerned about its military readiness.

The Bible shows that Europe will reorganize, become totalitarian, and become militaristic:

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)

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1-10)

To prove that this Beast MUST be European, check out the video: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?

This Beast is also called the King of the North in the Book of Daniel. This leader will eliminate the Anglo-American world order as well as a coming Middle Eastern North African power the Bible refers to as the King of the South..

Consider the following prophecies about the one who will be in charge:

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

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:36-43)

Notice verse 39 above–understand that the Bible is saying that the European power will destroy the power with the “strongest fortresses,” the strongest military–that is a reference to the conquering of the United States as it currently is the place with the strongest military in the world.

As I have long written, it is likely that this Beast may attack under the guise of a NATO exercise and/or otherwise feign military support for the USA and the UK.

The Donald Trump – JD Vance Administration are offending the Europeans and accelerating Europe’s path towards militarization.

The unintended result of that will be Europe one day conquering the USA.

Location of the Cook Islands
(Picture by TUBS via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Voice of America reported the following:

China, Cook Islands sign strategic partnership pact

February 15, 2025

China and the Cook Islands on Friday signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, but the lack of transparency around the details has alarmed New Zealand, the South Pacific state’s closest democratic ally.While details of the agreement remain unclear, public statements from Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and the islands’ Seabed Minerals Authority signaled that the Cook Islands and China would look to deepen cooperation in areas such as deep-sea mining, infrastructure enhancement, climate resilience, and economic cooperation.

The signing of the agreement is part of Brown’s seven-day diplomatic tour to China, during which he visited several Chinese research institutions and met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in the northern city of Harbin.

Li said Beijing is willing to “deepen political mutual trust and expand practical cooperation with the Cook Islands,” while Brown said his country will “strengthen multilateral coordination on climate change and in other areas, and push for the sustained, in-depth development of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.”

Analysts say the agreement is Beijing’s latest effort to increase its influence in the Pacific region amid growing tension between some Pacific countries, including the Cook Islands and Kiribati, and such democratic allies as New Zealand and Australia.

“China benefits from friction between longstanding partnerships in the Pacific as it seeks to position itself as an alternative partner,” said Anna Powles, an associate professor in security studies at Massey University in New Zealand.

New Zealand has expressed serious concerns about the deal between the Cook Islands and China, criticizing the South Pacific country for lack of transparency and consultation with Wellington over the details.

The Cook Islands has a free association agreement with New Zealand, which allows it to manage its foreign affairs while requiring it to consult Wellington on issues related to foreign policy.

“Under our constitutional arrangements, we expect, you know, matters of defense and security to be transparently discussed between partners. That’s all we’re asking for here,” New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told a news conference Monday.

Despite New Zealand’s concerns, Brown has characterized conversations around the deal as “guided by what is best for the Cook Islands” and said “there is no need” for Wellington to get involved in the negotiation of the agreement with China. https://www.voanews.com/a/china-cook-islands-sign-strategic-partnership-pact/7976033.html

The Cook Islands have long been used by Anglo-American shipping vessels.

Wikipedia has the following related to some of its history:

British explorer and naval officer Captain James Cook arrived in 1773 and again in 1777,^[21] giving the island of Manuae the name Hervey Island. The Hervey Islands later came to be applied to the entire southern group. The name “Cook Islands”, in honour of Cook, first appeared on a Russian naval chart published by Adam Johann von Krusenstern in the 1820s.^[15]

In 1813 John Williams, a missionary on the colonial brig Endeavour (not the same ship as Cook’s) made the first recorded European sighting of Rarotonga.^[22] The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland; trouble broke out between the sailors and the Islanders and many were killed on both sides.^[22] The islands saw no more Europeans until English missionaries arrived in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and many islanders are Christians today.^[23]

The islands were a popular stop in the 19th century for whaling ships from the United States, Britain and Australia. They visited, from at least 1826, to obtain water, food, and firewood.^[24] Their favourite islands were Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Penrhyn.

The Cook Islands became aligned to the United Kingdom in 1890, largely because of the fear of British residents that France might occupy the islands as it already had Tahiti.^[25] On 6 September 1900, the islanders’ leaders presented a petition asking that the islands (including Niue “if possible”) should be annexed as British territory.^[26][27] On 8 and 9 October 1900, seven instruments of cession of Rarotonga and other islands were signed by their chiefs and people. A British Proclamation was issued, stating that the cessions were accepted and the islands declared parts of Her Britannic Majesty’s dominions. …

When the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect on 1 January 1949, Cook Islanders who were British subjects automatically gained New Zealand citizenship.^[33] The islands remained a New Zealand dependent territory until the New Zealand Government decided to grant them self-governing status. …

In March 2019, it was reported that the Cook Islands had plans to change its name and remove the reference to Captain James Cook in favour of “a title that reflects its ‘Polynesian nature'”.^[17][18] It was later reported in May 2019 that the proposed name change had been poorly received by the Cook Islands diaspora. As a compromise, it was decided that the English name of the islands would not be altered, but that a new Cook Islands Māori name would be adopted to replace the current name, a transliteration from English.^[37] Discussions over the name continued in 2020.^[38]

On 25 September 2023, the United States recognised Cook Islands sovereignty and established diplomatic relations. (Cook Islands. Wikipedia, accessed 02/15/25)

As the above report shows, the Cook Islands were, for a time, part of the British Empire, then overseen later by New Zealand.

Now, they have made a deal with China.

Let me add that my wife Joyce and I have visited the Cook Islands. Their location helps expand the reach of any nation closely involved with them.

Now, more and more, China is moving in.

So, this looks to be a loss of yet another “sea gate” from the Anglo-American nations.

Last Fall, it was announced that the British were ceding the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, so we put out the following video:

14:36

Prophecy: UK’s Loss of Chagos Islands

On May 28, 2019, Dr. Bob Thiel posted and predicted that the United Kingdom would lose the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia. He repeated that prediction on October 1, 2024. On October 3, 2024, the BBC reported that the United Kingdom was going to lose the Chagos Islands and give its sovereignty to the nation of Mauritius, thus confirming his predictions. US President Joe Biden praised the UK decision. Why did Dr. Thiel make that prediction? Was it based on several biblical prophecies? Have other predictions related to loss of ‘sea gates’ possessed by the UK and United State of America come to pass? Will the UK one day lose the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, and even Northern Ireland for their disobedience? What are some of the Bible prophecies that pointed to the attaining of sea gates and losses of territories to the end time descendants of Joseph, Ephraim (the company of nations, once the British Commonwealth) and Manasseh (a once great nation, the US). Does the Bible have the “more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV)? Were prophets and prophecies expected in the ‘last days’ according to Acts 2:17-18? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel discuss these matters. They also referred listeners to a free online book which helps identify various peoples that the Bible prophecies about titled ‘Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?’ URL: https://www.cogwriter.com/LostTribes.pdf

Here is a link to our video: Prophecy: UK’s Loss of Chagos Islands.

More “sea gates” will be lost by the Anglo-American nations.

Consider that, over the years, Argentina has made it clear that it wanted the Falkland Islands back.

The people who live on the Falkland Islands flat-out want to remain part of the UK. They have consistently made that known, but many in Argentina feel that they are entitled to those territories.

Many in Latin America see the presence of the UK in the region as an inappropriate relic of colonialism.

The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic Ocean on a projection of the Patagonian Shelf about 310 miles (500 kilometers) east of the Patagonian/Argentinian coastline. They consist of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, along with about 700 smaller islands. Stanley, which is on East Falkland, is the capital and largest city. Less than 3,000 people live on them.

Although the voting people who live on the Falklands have made their preferences known, I believe that the Bible shows that the UK will end up losing the Falklands.

The UK has has controlled the Falkland Islands since the 1830′s and it is obvious that most who live there want to remain under British rule.

There is also the fact that Spain wants the British territory of Gibraltar. Plus Kiribati, another former British and American claimed property, is moving more towards China and further away from Australia and New Zealand (see https://www.voanews.com/a/china-cook-islands-sign-strategic-partnership-pact/7976033.html). Gibraltar and Kiribati will cease being a sea gate for the Anglo-American nations.

What might any of this have to do with the Bible?

Notice a prophecy about what was told to the wife of Isaac:

60 “Our sister, may you become The mother of thousands of ten thousands; And may your descendants possess The gates of those who hate them” (Genesis 24:60).

We in the Church of God have been teaching for decades that the United Kingdom and USA would ultimately lose many of their sea gates–we believe they possessed them because of blessings from God and would lose them because of blatant disobedience.

In the June-July 1982 edition of the old Plain Truth magazine, the WCG had the following from Gene Hogberg:

… the Falklands are lost in the long run.

Yes, despite British hopes, this will also ultimately include the loss of the Falkland Islands (which the Argentinians, and apparently now the EU, refer to as the Malvinas) and also Gibraltar–which Spain wants. Notice a couple of prophetic warnings that are consistent with that:

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

23 ‘And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, 24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. 25 And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. (Leviticus 26:23-25)

Here is 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?:

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 do not see in history that the Jews possessed the gates of those who hate them. Yet, in the 19^th and/or 20^th centuries, many of the major sea gates of the world were possessed/controlled by the United States (Panama Canal and several locations in the Pacific ocean) and the British Empire (Straits of Malacca, Singapore, Suez Canal, Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Hong Kong, Simon’s Town/Cape of Good Hope, etc.). And while that is no longer the case for many of them, they seem to have been prophesied to be taken away for disobedience as well:

⁵⁸ “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, ⁵⁹ then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues — great and prolonged plagues — and serious and prolonged sicknesses. … ⁶³ And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. (Deuteronomy 28:58-59,63).

Certainly, these nations have disobeyed the God of Abraham. It appears that the remaining “sea gates” that the UK has such as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands will be separated from UK control.

The gains and losses of many of the sea gates of the world by the Anglo-Saxon descended nations show that Bible prophecies have been and are being fulfilled.

The fact of the losses so far, of many of the Anglo-Saxon sea gates, should show us that various prophesied curses have begun to hit the Anglo-Saxon nations. More will as well until the Anglo-dominated nations (including the USA) will be no more.

We also have the following video related to the Falklands:

15:15

Falkland Islands and Prophecy?

In mid-July 2023, the European Union (EU) signed a declaration from officials from 33 Latin American nations who are part of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that also referred to the Falkland Islands as the “Islas Malvinas,” which is the term that the Argentinians call it. Argentina wants those islands, which the UK acquired back in the 1830’s. Will that happen? Are there prophetic ramifications to that as well as the loss of other “sea gates” once held by the United Kingdom (UK) and/or the United States of America? What are some of the relevant passages from the Bible? Does Dr. Thiel expect the UK to also lose control over Gibraltar and the Chagos Islands? If so, based on what scriptures? What about the role of Europe in some of this? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Falkland Islands and Prophecy?

Prophecies are being fulfilled.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? For many years, the major sea gates of the world were possessed/controlled by the United States (Panama Canal and certain locations in the Pacific ocean) and the British Empire (Straits of Malacca, Singapore, Suez Canal, Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Simon’s Town/Cape of Good Hope, Malta, etc.), and many are no longer under their control. Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). UK Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK will defend the Falklands Gibraltar. Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with those ‘sea gates’? Do promises made the Jacob’s mother Rebekah play a role? What about Deuteronomy 28? This is a video.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.
21st Century Church of God Prophets Are there any true prophets in the 21st century? What about false prophets? What are scriptures and fruits to identify the true from the false? You you prove all things and test the spirits?
Church of God Leaders on Prophets Have there been prophets throughout the church age? Are any supposed to be around in the last days? What have COG leaders stated or written about prophets? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Leaders on Prophets.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?

Dr. Michael Germano

COGwriter

Dr. Michael Germano, former dean of Ambassador College, died this week. His funeral is planned for next Wednesday.

He is survived by his wife Brenda.

I have long known him.

The first encounter I had with him was related to binitarianism.

He later became part of the Living Church of God.

We also shared LCG’s condo in one or two of my visits to Charlotte back in 2008/2009.

One thing that was interesting to me was related to his education.

Among other degrees, Michael Germano had a master’s degree from the University of LaVerne and a doctorate from the University of Southern California. He also had other degrees and probably was the most educated person in the Churches of God.

One of my connections with him was that I have a bachelor’s degree from the University of LaVerne and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California (my Ph.D. is from the Union Institute and University).

Another connection was our mutual interest in church history.

He and I used to speak a lot, even after I left LCG. Mainly on matters of church history.

We last spoke several months ago.

He will be missed.