Author Archive

Joe Kovacs has assertions: Phenomenal prophecy for future hidden in Jesus’ first appearance

Tuesday, December 17th, 2024

COGwriter

World Net Daily posted the following:

Phenomenal prophecy for future hidden in Jesus’ first appearance

Appearing on the popular Bible program “Shabbat Night Live,” Joe Kovacs, author of “Reaching God Speed: Unlocking the Secret Broadcast Revealing the Mystery of Everything,” explored not just the historical events surrounding Jesus’ birth, but the phenomenal additional meanings that become obvious when we open our “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” on the metaphoric, Spirit level of parables. …

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told” (Luke 2:20 CSB). …

Kovacs said the shepherds of the ancient past actually represent anyone who is shepherding people to the knowledge of God, even the spiritual shepherds of today.

Kovacs said, “So, the shepherds are going to return. Not just in the event in the past, the shepherds are going to return in the future,” he told host Scott Laird. “Because anyone who shepherds God’s people is a teacher of God’s people. And the shepherds are going to be resurrected.”

“The Bible talks about this in Jeremiah 3:15. Again, part of God speed and getting up to the spirit level is connecting the dots from all over the Bible. It’s ‘here a little, there a little’ (Isaiah 28:10), and you have to put the pieces together to understand the big jigsaw puzzle that the Bible is. You know, the Bible doesn’t tell you everything in one spot. God is a good Author. He makes you read the entire book to be able to put the book together.”

“The Book of Jeremiah says … ‘I will give you shepherds who are loyal to me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill’ (Jeremiah 3:15 CSB).

“‘I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them.'” (Jeremiah 23:4 CSB)

“So this is really a prophecy for the FUTURE. God is going to raise up people from the grave to shepherd other people who didn’t understand the message in the first round. And all they that HEARD – you gotta finally hear the message of God with your ears to hear – you’re going to wonder at those things that were told. It’s amazingly good news when you learn that you can live forever and not die.

“Everyone’s afraid of death right now. That’s why the world is in the state we’re in. Everybody’s panicking. ‘Will I have enough food? Will I have enough money to pay my bills and all that?’ Because we’re afraid of dying. But when you’re not afraid of dying, that’s where the victory comes. The victory has already been won by Christ. He has been raised from the dead, and He is the Captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). He is the Forerunner, so that WE are going to be raised from the dead too.” …

“The good news given to the shepherds of the past is also the good news about the shepherds of the future. Those shepherds are anyone and everyone who believes the message of God, repents of their sin (the breaking of God’s laws) and allows Jesus – the true food, the true bread from heaven found in the house of bread in the city of the beloved – to fill their own body and literally become part of them.” 12/15/24 https://www.wnd.com/2024/12/phenomenal-prophecy-future-hidden-jesus-first-appearance/

Joe Kovacs made statements that clearly align with God’s plan of salvation.

It is great that Joe Kovacs understands that God’s plan of salvation is not limited to this age.

While I have long known that Joe Kovacs has had exposure to Church of God doctrines, and has written in support of several of them, until I had seen an earlier report in 2022 at World Net Daily I had not realized that he had such a grasp of God’s plan to offer salvation to others in the age to come. He and I have since been in touch a couple of times.

As far as putting doctrine together “here a little and there a little” related to this topic, we have a free online book: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.

This is a doctrine that God’s prophets taught throughout scripture.

Related to the prophets teaching this, the Continuing Church of God put out the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:


1:15:38

‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’

In Acts 3:19-21, the Apostle Peter stated that restoration (apocatastasis) was “spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets.” Do you know what the prophets spoke about this? In this eighth part of an eight-part sermon series on God’s plan to offer salvation to all, Dr. Thiel reads quotes and references from many prophets including Abraham, Job, Moses, Deborah, Samuel, David, Nathan, Ahijah, Elijah,Elisha,Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Obadiah, Amos, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi,John the Baptist,Paul, Peter, James, John, Jude, and Jesus Himself. Do you believe the prophets? Do you have faith in the word of God and His plan? Can the lost be saved? Understand what the word of God teaches.

Here is a link to the sermon: ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.

Some items of related interest may include:

Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
All the Prophets Spoke of Apocatastasis The Apostle Peter said all the prophets spoke about “apokatastasis. Do you know what that is? Watch also ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies? Here is a link to the video: Popes Change on Limbo and Purgatory?
The Last Great Day: Shemini ‘Azeret What is the ‘eighth day’ of the Feast? What does it help picture? A sermon on this topic is also available: Shemini Azaret: The Last Great Day.
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.
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.
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.

Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son. Here is a link to a shorter video The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’?

HD: What Christians Lose By Neglecting Bible Prophecy; COGwriter: And then there is what happens to those lukewarm about it

Monday, December 16th, 2024


(Photo from Free-Images.com)

COGwriter

Harbinger’s Daily posted the following:

What Christians Lose By Neglecting Bible Prophecy

December 16, 2024

With all that is taking place in the world, it is hard to imagine why so many in the church choose to distance themselves from Biblical prophecy. Numerous pulpits consider over one-third of God’s Holy Word (the amount containing prophecy) as a matter of secondary importance or even have categorized these portions as trivial points of contention for the body of Christ. …

There is a purpose God had in providing us with an understanding of the future in His Word, and a great deal is lost for Christians when they disregard or misconstrue these areas of the Bible.

The first thing sacrificed with indifference to Bible prophecy is a full grasp of God’s redemptive plan. Knowing the full picture—the beginning and the end—provides us with a complete understanding of God’s promises for the nation of Israel, the role and rewards of the church in eternity, and the gravity of our own salvation. …

The second aspect sacrificed with indifference to Bible prophecy is blessings and rewards. The Book of Revelation is the only book in the canon of Scripture that promises a blessing to those “that read, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 1:3).

The Apostle Paul further reveals that a “crown of righteousness” is explicitly given to “all them that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). All who long for the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will be given this marvelous reward. Those who reject Biblical prophecy will sadly forfeit this crown.

The third loss for those indifferent to Bible prophecy is the assurance of our “Blessed Hope” and the understanding of Jesus’ resurrection. One day, the trumpet will sound. …

Scripture tells us that “Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). How, then, can members of the body of Christ reject part of their Savior? https://harbingersdaily.com/what-christians-lose-by-neglecting-bible-prophecy/

Harbinger’s Daily is basically a website with articles by various Protestants.

Since it is, sadly, it does NOT understand prophecies related to God’s true plan of salvation. Two free online books, however, that do are Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism and Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.

That said, yes, Harbinger’s Daily is correct that prophecy is important and that most Christians are a bit indifferent to it.

So much so, that here is some of what Jesus prophesied about the bulk of true end time Christians:

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘” (Revelation 3:14-22)

Notice that Jesus is stating what He did because most end time Christians will NOT heed the end time prophecies as they should.

Here is something from the beginning of my article Why Prophecy?:

Should you pay attention to prophecy? Some wonder about that. Some consider that most prophecy is already fulfilled, which is a wrong and dangerous position to take (see The Dangerous Rise of Preterists).

Most world leaders look upon preaching the prophecies of WHAT GOD SAYS IS GOING TO HAPPEN as mere fanaticism or religious extremism.

They tend to spurn, scorn, ridicule, and scoff at the applicability of Bible prophecy (cf. 2 Peter 3:1-12).

To many people, PROPHECY seems to be a weird, fanatical sort of religious extremism having no bearing on actual fact or present-day world conditions. But biblical prophecies have come to pass and will come to pass.

Consider a prophecy about the wise:

3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3, NKJV throughout)

In the end-times, the wise would be the Philadelphian Christians that are holding fast and doing the work that God wants done (Revelation 3:7-13). Various of them will “instruct many” (Daniel 11:33) just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.

Interestingly, of the end-time Christians, only the Philadelphians are promised protection “from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10; see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be In or Near Petra).

God is clear that He makes prophetic statements and causes them to be fulfilled:

9 Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it. (Isaiah 46:9-11)

Fulfilled prophecy is part of the proof that God exists and should be real to your life EVERYDAY! Only the true God can make predictions and ALWAYS make them come to pass!

Between 1/5th and 1/3rd of the Bible is prophetic. Since, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God'” (Luke 4:4), knowing the prophetic word is important. All scripture, including prophecy, is important:

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

If you do not understand relevant prophecy, you cannot “be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Yet, most discount or misunderstand prophecy.

Many Misconceptions

Many people falsely ASSUME all prophecies are merely horrific foretellings of catastrophic events, of the wrathful vengeance of a harsh God who is about to descend with terrible fury upon His hapless subjects here below.

This is FAR from the truth!

Prophecies foretold the coming of Jesus as the Messiah (see also the free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah).

Biblical teachings about salvation are prophetic (see also the free online book: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation).

Furthermore, MANY of The Gospel of the Kingdom of God prophecies foretell a time of peace, of happiness, of restoration, of joy, of great prosperity and physical wealth for those who are serving God (see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).

MANY prophecies merely foretell, in advance, certain events which are to happen, the rise and fall of nations, the COURSE of world affairs! Thus, they help us understand where various events and trends in the world are leading.

Prophecy IS a chronicle of the great PLAN God is working out here below! It describes this plan in DETAIL, showing how God KNEW it would work out, according to human nature, together with other SPECIAL INTERVENTIONS of God.

The old Radio Church of God taught:

“Prophecy is HISTORY WRITTEN IN ADVANCE!” (Armstrong GT.Why Prophecy! Plain Truth, June 1960).

Yet, it should be sadly noted that, nearly all the non-Sardis COG groups have significant prophetic misunderstandings.

The Sardis group CG7-Denver, for example, is preterist and thus believes many events that are prophesied for the future are already past, hence Jesus warned them “you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3). This group has demonstrated with its loss of prophetic perspective that it has fulfilled prophecies related to Sardis.

Nearly all the rest of the COG groups are Laodicean and hold to prophetic misunderstandings, that unless they repent as Jesus tells them to (Revelation 3:14-22), they will not possibly know when the Great Tribulation will be (prophetic details are in the article The Laodicean Church Era).

And then there are a variety of wrong prophetic position of ProtestantsEastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholics.

Since many are wrong, is paying attention to prophecy and current events important?

Certainly.

God Reveals His Secrets to His servants

Notice what God had Amos record:

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord God has spoken!
Who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:7-8)

3 Woe to you who put far off the day of doom …
6 Who drink wine from bowls,
And anoint yourselves with the best ointments,
But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.
7 Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives,
And those who recline at banquets shall be removed. (Amos 6:3, 6-7)

Prophets and prophecy are important (see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God). Notice that those who DO NOT seem the care about what is going on in the lands of Joseph’s descendants Manasseh and Ephraim (the USA and its British-descended allies) will be taken into captivity (see also Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

God uses dreams and His Spirit for prophecy:

6 “Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6)

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

Many in various COGs do not take prophecy seriously enough (see also Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God). And nearly all groups have major prophetic errors (some details are in the articles The Laodicean Church Era and The Sardis Church era).

Some fail to realize that in the first recorded sermon, the Apostle Peter tied current events in with biblical prophecy and said God would use dreams and prophets in the last days (Acts 2:14-40; see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?). Partially because people were aware of the events that Peter discussed in Acts 2, many paid attention and thousands were converted (Acts 2:41).

Throughout the New Testament, Christian leaders did try to tie events to prophecy and other parts of the Bible to known events better reach their audiences (e.g. Acts 17:22-31).

The first message that it is recorded that Jesus preached (the gospel of the kingdom in Mark 1:14) and the last message Jesus gave (the Book of Revelation) were prophetic. Various messages that He gave (e.g. Matthew 24, Luke 21) were tied to upcoming world events.

Does this mean that prophecy is the most important characteristic of the true Church?

No, love is (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1,8; see also The Philadelphia Remnant: It’s All About Love).

Yet, the pursuit of love is also tied in with prophecy in the Bible (1 Corinthians 14:1). Those who truly have the love of the truth, will be spared from some prophesied events according to 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

Today, massive societal changes are taking place. Many of them are prophesied in the Bible. Even though much of the Bible is prophetic, most simply do not understand that truth about various key prophecies in the Bible that Jesus urged His followers in the end to understand (e.g. Matthew 24:15).

The Bible is clear that signs and lying wonders will deceive the masses of humanity:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Those who are not real Christians will be deceived. Yet the more faithful will be spiritually strong around this time and give a witness:

32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. 33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. (Daniel 11:32-33)

Those who are are subject to protection during the time of the Great Tribulation (Revelation 3:7-10) which begins a few verses later.

But not all Christians (like the Laodiceans and those who remain of Sardis) will be protected:

25 … Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

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)

These Christian saints have the testimony of Jesus and keep God’s commandments. Yet, we see two groups of Christians: Those protected for 3 ½ years and those who will be persecuted for 3 ½ years (time, times, and half a time). As mentioned before, Jesus only promised to protect the Philadelphian Christians from that “hour of trial” (Revelation 3:10).

Why about Jesus?

The “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of PROPHECY” and true Christians have that:

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants — things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3)

9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:9-10)

People who discount prophecy are not understanding the Bible. Prophecy is also a key in understanding why Jesus is the Messiah (see also the free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah).

As far as prophecies go, notice that in the Book of Revelation, two groups of true Christians are mentioned. One gets persecuted and then protected, whereas the other gets persecuted later and is NOT promised the same protection (Revelation 12:13-17).

According to Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:10, it is only the Philadelphian Christians that receive that promise of protection.

The Philadelphian remnant believes the prophecies and responds as they should (cf. Revelation 3:7-13).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why Prophecy? Why is so much of the Bible devoted to prophecy? Some question or downplay the role of prophecy. This article gives some of the biblical reasons why prophecy should be important to Christians. Here is a link to a related video: Christians, Why Prophecy?
How to Understand Prophecy This is the late Herbert W. Armstrong’s overview on understanding prophecy.
25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article.
Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God? Did the old Worldwide Church of God essentially predict a Philadelphian remnant? Is a Philadelphian remnant needed for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Philadelphia Remnant.
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?
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?
Philadelphian Christian Great Tribulation Protection What will the Great Tribulation be like? Does Jesus promise physical protection to some or all Christians? Where might the place of protection be? What about fleeing to the mountains? What did Ezekiel warn? Here is a link to a related sermon: Great Tribulation Protection.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here are two related items in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra? and Existe un Lugar de Seguridad.

RCG again wrong on the return of Jesus and the start of the 1335 days

Monday, December 16th, 2024


Logo of the Restored Church of God

 

On the anti-COG site, Banned by HWA, Marc Cebrian posted the following on 12/15/24 related to the Restored Church of God (RCG):

David C. Pack Declared Jesus Christ Would Return
on December 16, 2024.
But then taught maybe on January 15, 2025.
Then maybe on December 31, 2024.
Then maybe on March 29, 2025.

The inexplicable madness of The Restored Church of God continues. A prime example of the biblical lunacy the members are willing to endure centers around Pastor General David C. Pack declaring that the start of the 1335 in the book of Daniel brings salvation and Jesus Christ on December 16, 2024.

He taught this with “impossible it’s wrong” proofs during “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 545)” on November 16, 2024 and promised even more evidence was coming.

According to David Pack, Jesus was supposed to return on December 16 at 9:37 AM ET–but Jesus did not. I denounced that as not possible at the News of those once affiliated with the Global Church of God site, and of course was correct.

Nor did the 1335 days of Daniel 12 start today, December 16, 2024.

Claiming the start of the 1335 days again, is another do-over by RCG.

Just over two years ago, Restored Church of God (RCG) had put out the following:

Prophecy Update – October 24, 2022

Good evening brethren!

By every account, the mysteries revealed in parts 400 and 401 have electrified the Church.

Everything we learned – including the arrival of the 1335 tomorrow morning – remains certain. However, additional STUNNING mysteries have come clear! We may wait a bit into the month of Cheshvan – at least long enough for a part 402 explaining these things that everyone must hear. Our wait is not long.

You will want to hear this message about an hour as soon as it is posted, likely tomorrow evening!

Church Administration

No, the 1335 days did not start on October 25, 2022 as the above was teaching. RCG has so many obvious prophetic failures and doctrinal errors that it is astounding any are still with it. Regarding the 1335 days and being “certain” it began then or this morning, RCG is certainly wrong.

Why?

Well, the seven year agreement with Israel referred to in Daniel 9:27 has not occurred yet–and since the 1290 days of Daniel 12:10 does not begin until the middle of this seven year agreement, it is not possible that the 1335 days could have began on October 25, 2022 nor December 16, 2024. The daily sacrifices (see Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:10) have not even started yet, and are not about to this year (the Jews will not start them until they have a red heifer that is old enough next year).

As far as the 1335 days go, twice back in 2008, I denounced Ronald Weinland for declaring (on two different dates) that the 1335 days had begun (see CGPKG: Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God). In 2009, I denounced the now late James Malm for his false claim about the start of the 1335 days of Danial 12 (see also Shining Light: Error-Ridden James Malm Not Doing an Elijah Work).

Here are passages in Daniel, including the one that mentions the 1335 days:

4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”

7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?”

9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.

13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:4-13)

The countdown of the 1335 days did not start today.

That said, back in 2016, David Pack took a stand against a teaching of Herbert W. Armstrong with his sermon on the 1335 days of Daniel. Notice what RCG’s website stated:

While many understand what happens 1,260 days before Christ returns, as well as what happens 30 days earlier (the 1,290 date), no one understands what happens at the 1,335 days, referenced in Daniel 12:12 (NEWS AND UPDATES. Date: 2007-11-16 New Sermon. http://www.thercg.org/news.html viewed 11/21/07).

…one elder commented here at headquarters, if people can’t be motivated by a clarion call to finish the work such as this, why will those same people somehow believe the internal signal given to the church of the 1335? Why would they believe it? (Pack DC. Clarion Call — The Time is NOW! Sermon of 11/03/07).

Apparently David Pack has not read what Herbert W. Armstrong taught about this as Herbert W. Armstrong basically did understand it–and it is not an internal signal.

Furthermore, notice what Jesus taught:

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).

Now, here is some of what Herbert W. Armstrong taught about the beginning of the 1335 days:

And the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…From this time (Daniel 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to the 1335 days.” Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290. and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us–GOD”S CHURCH–who wait and endure until the 1335 days–approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming. But since no one can know the day or hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day this 1335 days begins. But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” (Armstrong HW. Personal. Good News magazine January 1980).

The organized work of proclamation has not stopped. The abomination of desolation has not been set up. The 1335 days have not begun!

As his writing above shows, Herbert W. Armstrong clearly wrote that there would be a future fulfillment of Daniel 11:31 and other verses in Daniel. And as the above shows, he taught that something would afflict the Church/work forty-five days prior to Daniel 11:31. And that around when the revival of the “Holy Roman Empire”–which scripture shows will be led by the King of the North–will occur and the 1335 days will begin (which is apparently 75 days prior to the start of the Great Tribulation). Hence those writings support the idea of looking at the few verses prior to Daniel 11:31 to see what might stop the work, and that is consistent with the intent of what he wrote. In addition, Matthew 24:14, which comes just before Matthew 24:15, states that the gospel will be preached and then the end will come, thus this is another reason why confirmation for the organized work ending should be found prior to Daniel 11:31 or perhaps Daniel 11:33 as many will be reached then. The formation of that revival of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ will occur once Europe reorganizes and gives power to the Beast (Revelation 17:12-13)–that has not happened yet (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? and The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17).

Because the 1290 days starts with Daniel 11:31, the 1335 days must begin prior to that, such as in Daniel 11:28 or 11:30–a time of persecution for the Philadelphians. The basic understanding that the old WCG had was that the Philadelphian Christians may have up to 75 days notice that the Great Tribulation would start, and that they would need to flee per Revelation 12:14-16. The idea is/was that one would wait 1335 days, as Daniel 12 states, that being 1260 days in a place of safety plus the 75 days prior (1260 + 75 = 1335). And essentially a famine of the word would occur.

David Pack is wrong on the start of the 1335 days.

Despite being wrong on many prophetic matters, notice another claim from David Pack:

You have come in contact with the only Church on the face of the earth that truly understands prophecy. On The World to Come program, we teach the meaning of today’s events, and what lies ahead for the world—and do so in detail. (Pack D. Did God Send Nostradamus? Real Truth, January 12, 2010).

Those who believe that statement from David Pack are being severely misled as he and his church clearly misunderstand various aspects of prophecy (as well as other biblical matters). Notice something that David Pack posted on June 7, 2013:

Brethren will again be unified under one leader.…Like so many other elements explained in this series, these governments will be miraculously CLOSED DOWN and SOON!

In two weeks after one more important set up announcement I will announce the year and very day that this reunification will happen. But I am not a prophet! Understand. I have NO AUTHORITY to make my own proclamations about anything regarding prophecy. (Pack D. “BACK TOGETHER” What This Means! : June 7, 2013)

David Pack is correct that he is not a prophet and that he has “NO AUTHORITY to make” his “own proclamations about anything regarding prophecy.” Furthermore, the other COGs did not get closed down soon from 2013. Additionally in 2013, someone told me that David Pack had made some outrageous claims in one or more of his sermons that he did not have in his weekly posts. Some notes from someone who listened to David Pack’s sermon back then were sent to me. Here are some of statements that he sent me that he said he heard David Pack make:

All Brethren United Soon Part 12

How could so many things happen in 24 hours?

Minute 26. Three men die- Elul 24, then everyone makes a decision that day.

Minute 29. Certain things about this prophesy is very complex, others are very simple.

Minute 30. No way everything could happen in one day.

Minute 32. Do you care most how the 3 Shephard’s die?  In their sleep, by fire?

Do you care who they are?

If God tells us then I want to know otherwise it doesn’t matter.

You are going to find out how they die and who they are.

Minute 33. I know their names 100% sure. Don’t want the names out yet. Now I’m certain I know.

Do you care where it happens? I don’t know where it will happen.

I know how they die and who they are. I’m certain.

Minute 34. How about when they die?  They die sooner then we thought.

Do they die together or separately. I know they die together.

Two culminating events. The death of these men is the first. The central point is God is going to bring his people back together/unify his people.

The ’24 hours’ was supposed to be August 30, 2013. This did not happen (and if I was supposed to be one of the three shepherds that was supposed to die, like one who sent me the notes told me I was, it didn’t happen–nor did any other known COG leaders die that day). David Pack’s speculations were proven to be wrong.

Hopefully many in RCG will realize that David Pack was truly wrong.

David Pack has made many wrong prophetic announcements, misunderstands prophecy, and has been misleading people prophetically.

To learn more about the role and requirements to be a prophet please check out the article How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God (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?).

Speaking of prophecy, I once recall hearing David Pack in a sermon (c. 2007) blast Dr. Meredith of LCG when he said that the end was more than seven years away. Dr. Meredith, of course, was right on that, but David Pack has not seemed to issue an apology.

David Pack has been wrong about many matters and many dates. I have long doubted his conversion, and his wrong prophetic pronouncements, in my view, continue to support my doubting.

That said, more on the 1335 days can be found in articles such as Who is the King of the North? and The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27.

Some items of possibly related interest might include:

RCG: Why Not the Restored Church of God? This group, led by David Pack, claims to be the most faithful. The information in this article suggests otherwise. Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Por qué no la Iglesia de Dios Restaurada?
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?
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
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?
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.
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?
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
How does the Continuing Church of God differ from other Sabbatarian COG groups? There are scores of different groups claiming to be Church of God. How is the Continuing Church of God different?
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing?
The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant Though the era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D., but a remnant has continued. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God were part of the era, and now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a related sermon: Philadelphia Church Era: History & Teachings.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
Are the Laodiceans the Modern Sadducees and Pharisees? Discusses similarities of the Sadducees and Pharisees to various COGs in this end-time.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
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.

Seventh-day Adventists and Christmas

Monday, December 16th, 2024

James and Ellen White
James and Ellen White

COGwriter

Although no real member in the Continuing Church of God celebrates Christmas, many Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) now do.

While in the CCOG, we have cited Jeremiah 10 and other scriptures as proof that Christmas trees are not appropriate for Christians, in the late 1800s Ellen White had a different view:

God would be well pleased if on Christmas, each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship (Ellen White, Review and Herald, Dec. 11, 1879 per http://www.ellenwhite.org/criticg.htm 1/11/07).

Do Adventists know that Christmas is of non-Christian origin?

Well certainly many of their leaders do.

For example, the late SDA scholar Dr. Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote:

The Celebration of Christmas in Some Adventist Churches

The religious celebration of Christmas in Adventist churches is a recent development. I grew up in Rome, Italy, where we never had a Christmas tree in our home or church. My father worked regularly on Christmas day. Our family regarded Christmas as a Catholic festival, similar to the weekly Sunday, Easter Sunday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on March 25, the Feast of Mary’s Assumption of August 15, All Saints Day on November 1, etc.

When I first came to the USA in 1960 as a seminary student at Andrews University, Christmas was primarily the Winter break. I do not recall much Christmas decorations and celebrations in the churches I visited during the four years I spent at the seminary from 1960 to 1964.

Gradually things have changed during the past 50 years. This is evident by the profusely illuminated and decorated front-end area of many Adventist churches at Christmas time. Some churches seem to compete with the rich decorations usually found in Greek Orthodox churches.

Frankly, I am not inspired by the elaborate Christmas decorations and celebration, because as a church historian I am aware of their pagan origin. Jesus was born in a humble manger. There were no fanciful decorations to celebrate His birth. It would be more in keeping with the setting of His birth, to keep the decorations simple, designed to help people catch the real spirit of Christ’s humble birth.

It was the celebration of the birth of the Sun-god in ancient Rome that was accompanied by a profusion of lights and torches and the decoration of trees. To facilitate the acceptance of the Christian faith by the pagan masses, the Church of Rome found it expedient to make not only the Day of the Sun the weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection, but also the Birth Day of the Invincible Sun-God on December 25, the annual celebration of Christ’s birth…

The term “Christmas” is not found in the Bible. It derives from “Christ + Mass,” that is, from the Mass Catholics celebrate in honor of Christ’s birth on the night of December 24. Surprisingly, there is no mention in the New Testament of any the celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Christ. The Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ birth are very brief, consisting only of few verses. (Bacchiocchi S. Day and Meaning of Christmas. ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 161, December 2006).

While Dr. Bacchiocchi appeared to be against it, Ellen White and many of her followers appear to have decided that this compromise with sun-worshipers is acceptable.

Here is one comment from The Catholic Encyclopedia:

It is true that the believers in Mithras also observed Sunday as well as Christmas.(Herbermann, Charles, and Georg Grupp. Constantine the Great. The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 1 Sept. 2008 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04295c.htm>)

An article announcing Dr. Bacchiocchi’s death also had this regarding his position on Christmas:

The adoption of the 25th of December for the celebration of Christmas is perhaps the most explicit example of sun worship’s influence on the Christian liturgical calendar,” Bacchiocchi wrote. “It is a known fact that the pagan feast of the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti – the birthday of the Invincible Sun, was held on that date.” (Expert on Bible, Sabbath dies at 70 Samuele Bacchiocchi best known for explaining shift toward Sunday worship. World Net Daily. Posted: December 21, 2008 12:49 pm Eastern. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84204)

And since Mithras’ day was Sunday and his birthday was December 25th, why would any SDA find Christmas acceptable? (Those interested in learning more about Mithratic teachings and their adoption among those who profess Christ should read the article Do You Practice Mithraism?)

Here is some of what the last newsletter from Dr. Bacchiocchi stated about Christmas:

THE CELEBRATION OF CHRIST’S BIRTH

The celebration of Christ’s birth poses two problems: the date and the manner of the celebration. Regarding the date of Christ’s birth, we shall shortly see that the adoption of the date of December 25th by the Western Church to commemorate Christ’s birth was influenced by the pagan celebration of the return of the sun after the winter solstice.

Several scholarly studies suggests that the Feast of Tabernacles in September/October provides a much more accurate Biblical timing and typology for celebrating Christ’s birth than the pagan dating of December 25th. The latter date is not only removed from the actual time of Christ’s birth, but also is derived from the pagan celebration of the return of the sun after the winter solstice…

The good news of the date of Christ’s birth, is not a festival, with its gifts, parties, fun, feasting, yule log, and lighted Christmas tree–for these are but vestiges of a pagan culture that knows nothing of the true God. The good news of Christ’s birth centers around a person–God’s unspeakable gift, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.

The Celebration of Christ’s Birth in Some Adventist Churches

Several fellow believers asked me to comment specifically on the celebration of Christ’s Birth in some Adventist churches. It is not uncommon for our larger Adventist churches to have a Christmas eve religious service. Somebody asked me the question: “Could you explain to me why some Adventist churches have special Christmas’ eve services while others do not?”

Frankly, I do not understand why some Adventist churches today are adopting the popular practice of an evening church service on December 24. Perhaps they may not be aware that they are imitating the Catholic “Christ—Mass” celebrated at midnight of December 24. They may also ignore the pagan origin of the date of Christ’s birth, which will discussed later. Most likely, for these churches it may be just a matter of cultural conformity, namely, the desire to imitate the impressive Christmas eve services held in Catholic and Protestant churches.

The religious celebration of Christmas in Adventist churches is a recent development…Gradually things have changed during the past 50 years. This is evident by the profusely illuminated and decorated front-end area of many Adventist churches at Christmas time. Some churches seem to compete with the rich decorations usually found in Greek Orthodox churches.

Personally I am not inspired by the elaborate Christmas decorations and celebration, because as a church historian I am aware of their pagan origin…

It was the celebration of the birth of the Sun-god in ancient Rome that was accompanied by a profusion of lights and torches and the decoration of trees. To facilitate the acceptance of the Christian faith by the pagan masses, the Church of Rome found it expedient to make not only the Day of the Sun the weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection, but also the Birth Day of the Invincible Sun-God on December 25, the annual celebration of Christ’s birth…

THE DATE OF CHRIST’S BIRTH

Surprisingly, there is no mention in the New Testament of any the celebration of the anniversary of Christ’s birth. The Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ birth are very brief, consisting only of few verses found only in Matthew 1:16-24 and Luke 2:1-20). By contrast, the accounts of what is known as “The Passion Week,” are lengthier, taking several chapters…

The Early Christians commemorated annually Christ’s death and resurrection at Passover, but we have no clear indications of an annual celebration of Christ’s birth. A major controversy erupted in the latter part of the second century over the Passover date, but the date of Christ’s birth did not become an issue until sometimes in the fourth century. At that time the dispute centered primarily over two dates for Christ’s birth: December 25 promoted by the Church of Rome and January 6, known as the Epiphany, observed by the Eastern churches. “Both these days,” as Oscar Cullmann points out, “were pagan festivals whose meaning provided a starting point for the specifically Christian conception of Christmas.”

Most Likely Christ Was Born toward the End of September or the Beginning of October

It is a recognized fact that the adoption of the date of December 25th by the Western Church to commemorate Christ’s birth was influenced by the pagan celebration of the return of the sun after the winter solstice. More will be said later about the factors which influenced the adoption of this date. At this juncture it is important to note that the date of December 25 is totally devoid of Biblical meaning and is grossly inaccurate as far as the actual time of Christ’s birth.

If, as it is generally agreed, Christ’s ministry began when He was about thirty years of age (Luke 3:23) and lasted three and one-half years until His death at Passover (March/April), then by backtracking we arrive at the months of September/October, rather than to December 25. Indirect support for a September/October dating of Christ’s birth is provided also by the fact that from November to February shepherds did not watch their flocks at night in the fields. They brought them into a protective corral called a “sheepfold.” Hence, December 25 is a most unlikely date for the birth of Christ.3

The most likely date of Christ’s birth is in the latter part of September or the beginning of October. This date corresponds to the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, known also as the Feast of Booths. This feast was the last and most important pilgrimage of the year for the Jews. The overcrowded conditions at the time of Christ’s birth (“there was no place for them in the inn”—Luke 2:7) could be related not only to the census taken by the Romans at that time, but also to the many pilgrims that overrun the area especially during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Bethlehem is only four miles from Jerusalem. “The Romans,” notes Barney Kasdan, “were known to take their censuses according to the prevailing custom of the occupied territories. Hence, in the case of Israel, they would opt to have the people report to their provinces at a time that would be convenient for them. There is no apparent logic to calling the census in the middle of winter. The more logical time of taxation would be after the harvest, in the fall,”4 when people had in their hands the revenue of their harvest.

Support for the belief that Christ was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs in late September or early October, is provided by the Messianic themes of the Feast of Tabernacles…

Ideal Time for the Birth of Jesus

The Feast of Tabernacles was the ideal time for the birth of Jesus because it was called “the season of our joy.” The emphasis on the joyfulness of the feast is found in the instructions given in Deuteronomy 16:13-14: “You shall keep the feast of booths seven days, when you make your ingathering from your threshing floor and your wine press. You shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns.”

A final interesting sideline supporting the possibility that Christ was born at the very time of the Feast of Tabernacles, is the reference to the wise men that came from the East to visit Christ (Matt 2:1). The land of the East is most likely Babylon, where many Jews still lived at the time of Christ’s birth. Only a remnant of the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile to Palestine during the Persian period. The wise men, most likely, were rabbis known in Hebrew as chakamin, which means wise men.

We are told that the wise men made their journey from the East to Bethlehem because they had seen “the star in the East” (Matt 2:1). Watching the stars was associated especially with the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, the roof of the booth was built with leafy branches carefully spaced so that they would screen out the sunlight without blocking the visibility of the stars. The people watched for the stars at night during the feast because of the prophecy “a star shall come out of Jacob” (Num 24:17). It is possible that it was during the Feast of Tabernacles, the special season of star watching, that the wise men saw the Messianic star and “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matt 2:10).

In the light of the foregoing considerations, most likely Christ’s birth coincided with the Feast of Tabernacles. Being the feast of thanksgiving for God’s willingness to protect His people with the tabernacle of His presence during the wilderness sojourning, it could serve fittingly to celebrate Christ’s willingness to become a human being and pitch His tent among us in order to become our Savior.

The implications of this conclusion are self-evident. The Feast of Tabernacles in late September/October provides Christians today with much more accurate Biblical timing and typology for celebrating Christ’s birth, than the pagan dating of December 25th. The latter date not only is removed from the actual time of Christ’s birth, but is also derived from the pagan celebration of the return of the sun after the winter solstice. Why celebrate the birth of Jesus at the wrong time of December 25th,—a date derived from pagan sun-worship—when the Bible provides us with a more appropriate timing and typology for commemorating such an important event?…

The Pagan Origin of Date of Christmas

The adoption of the 25th of December for the celebration of Christmas is perhaps the most explicit example of Sun-worship’s influence on the Christian liturgical calendar. It is a known fact that the pagan feast of the dies natalis Solis Invicti—the birthday of the Invincible Sun, was held on that date…

Rome and the Origin of Sunday, Easter Sunday and Christmas

Let us note that the Church of Rome pioneered not only the observance of Sunday and Easter-Sunday, but also the new date of December 25 for the celebration of Christ’s birth. In fact the first explicit indication that on the 25th of December Christians celebrated Christ’s birthday, is found in a Roman document known as Chronograph of 354 (a calendar attributed to Fuzious Dionysius Philocalus), where it says: “VIII Kal. Jan. natus Christus in Betleem Judaeae—On the eighth calends of January [i.e., December 25th] Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.”

(Bacchiocchi S. (ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 218 “The Meaning, Celebration, and Date of Christmas”. November 2008)

The idea of a December 25th Christmas is pagan, the SDAs originally did not observe it, we in the Continuing Church of God do not observe it, and it should not be observed by true Christians.

The Continuing Church of God has the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:11:08

Should you keep Christmas? Is it truly a Christian thing to do? Why or why not? Many try to teach that it is appropriate for Christians to keep it. But what do we learn from the Bible? What can church history help us better understand.

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over the following 25 reasons not to keep Christmas:

1. In Leviticus 23, God lists His festivals–with specific dates.
2. In Jeremiah 10, God says not to follow pagan practices, such as using a decorated tree, in the worship of Him.
3. Nowhere in the Bible is the date of Jesus’ birth mentioned.
4. Scripture opposes the view that Jesus could have been born in late December because the “census would have been impossible in winter” per The Catholic Encyclopedia and because shepherds were not spending the night outside with their flocks then.
5. Nowhere in the Bible is anyone instructed to observe the date of Jesus’ birth.
6. The Bible does not show that Jesus’ disciples ever observed the date of Jesus’ birth.
7. At the time of Christ, observant Jews did not celebrate birthdays, nor did early Christians.
8. The Apostle Paul wrote that Christians were not to use demonic pagan practices (1 Corinthians 10:20).
9. Christmas was NOT part of the ‘faith once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3).
10. Early church writings do not show that any Christian observed the date of Jesus’ birth.
11. The sun god Mithras was allegedly born on December 25th as the season was celebrated as the rebirth of the sun.
12. Pagans celebrated the sun-god Mithras and the god of agriculture Saturn in late December each year with lights, wreaths, parties, and gift-giving.
13. About 2 centuries after Jesus was born, Tertullian wrote that people, in what we would now call the Eastern and Roman Catholic churches, used wreaths and lights, gave gifts, etc. in late December to be like the heathen. Pagan worship really is the “reason for the season.”
14. Tertullian condemned those practices as demonic and idolatrous and further wrote that those who professed Christ should not honor pagan gods in their worship.
15. The pagan Emperor Constantine worshiped the sun-god Mithras and celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25th starting in 336 A.D.
16. Roman pontiffs followed Emperor Constantine’s lead and in 354 A.D., Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25.
17. The anti-Semite Constantinople Bishop John Chrysostom, who opposed the biblical holy days, got a December 25th celebration adopted in his area by 395 A.D.
18. The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131. It most certainly did not come from the Bible.
19. The “twelve days of Christmas” originally came from the 12 days of Yuletide which began at sunset on December 20, known as Mother Night, and ended on the night of December 31, the Night of the Oak King and the Roman day of Hecate.
20. Mistletoe came from the pagan Druids.
21. Yule logs were originally a scandal to the Church of Rome, but were later embraced.
22. Roman Catholics originally condemned Protestantism as the “Tannenbaum religion” because of what are called Christmas trees. But now Vatican City prominently displays one each year.
23. It is wrong to bear false witness, including telling lies about the mythological Santa Claus.
24. Christmas is NOT a biblical nor truly a Christ-centered holiday. It is a sentimental and commercialized pagan tradition.
25. The Apostle Paul warned Christians that they were not above God’s wrath for combing pagan traditions with Christian practices (1 Corinthians 10:21-22).

Dr. Thiel cites scriptures and historical sources to explain why those who wish to obey the God of the Bible would not celebrate Christmas.

Here is a link to the sermon: 25 Reasons to Not Keep Christmas.

Seventh-day Adventists now officially consider themselves Protestant, which means of course, they are not COG (see also Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).

Some items of related interest may include:

SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
Seventh-day Adventist President Ted Wilson’s Comments on the Remnant Church Ted N. C. Wilson spoke on the SDAs striving to be the “remnant church”, but what do the related scriptures actually teach?
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.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
Canadian & Philadelphian Mummers Parades: Another tie to Saturnalia In Canada there is a ’12 days of Christmas’ celebration involving Mummers. In Philadelphia, a parade is held on New Years. Does this come from the Bible or where?
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
How did December 25th become Christmas? Was Jesus born then? If not, why December 25? Here is the article translated into Mandarin Chinese 12月25日最后是怎么被许多基督的信仰者采纳的.
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
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.

Russia reports military advances in Donetsk

Sunday, December 15th, 2024


Map showing areas annexed by Russia from Ukraine
(Public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Russia continues to push to clear Ukrainian forces from various areas:

Russia claims capture of two more Donetsk villages

15 December 2024

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces have captured villages in two key front-line areas of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region as Moscow’s troops continue their advance toward the logistical hub of Pokrovsk and the industrial town of Kurakhove.

In a daily briefing on Sunday, it said the villages of Vesely Gai and the village of Pushkine had been “liberated.”

Russian forces have been pushing forward in the Donetsk region for months now, and their advance seems to have recently accelerated.

Ukraine’s Khortytsia group of troops on Sunday spoke of “exhausting clashes” on the fringes of Kurakhove and in the town itself, as well as to the north in the hilltop town of Chasiv Yar, which has come under intense attack. https://www.dw.com/en/ukraine-updates-russia-claims-further-advances-in-donetsk/live-71060919

Russia continues to make territorial gains.

How might this end? Here is a view published on ZeroHedge:

Peace in Ukraine

December 15, 2024

Essentially, there are six facts successful peace negotiations in Ukraine need to be based on:

  1. In all non-nuclear military scenarios Russia will emerge as the victor in the Ukraine conflict.
  2. Russia is unlikely to seek occupation of all of Ukraine.
  3. Negotiations will have to fulfil (almost) all of Kremlin’s publicly declared goals, i.e. neutrality, limited military, territorial loss, non-membership in NATO but perhaps membership of the EU.
  4. A credible force must be assigned to establish and monitor the line of ceasefire.
  5. Due to a lack of mutual trust, all parties must commit to pre-agreement acts of de-escalation.
  6. Post-war collapse of Ukraine must be prevented to avoid widespread and well-armed terrorism/banditry in the surrounding areas. Collapse will commence unless all parties commit to support Ukraine pre-agreement. …

Russia in Ukraine

There’s no denying that Russia is obliterating not just the AFU, but also Ukrainian society. …

Russia struck the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) “Oreshnik” carrying a non-nuclear payload on early morning of 21st November. These entail that there is only one (non-nuclear) endgame in Ukraine: capitulation of the AFU, either through negotiated peace or surrender.

For these reasons, the path to peace needs to be sought from the original aims of Kremlin. The publicly stated aims of the Special Military Operation (SMO), which commenced on February 24, 2022, were four:

  1. Defending the people of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics under the Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
  2. To clear “neo-Nazis” from Ukrainian leadership.
  3. To stop the nuclear weapons program of Ukraine.
  4. To stop and remove the NATO infrastructure being build, threatening Russia, from Ukraine.

In simplified terms, and as is widely known, the aim was a “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine. …

#1 and #4 can be considered as the actual aims of the Kremlin. There is where the path to peace lies.

It can also be assumed that the full collapse and occupation of Ukraine is not something the Kremlin is seeking either. …

Conflict in Ukraine has been very destructive to Ukraine, but also to the European security structure. …

Realities on the ground need to be acknowledged alongside meeting the demands of Kremlin. Peace in Ukraine will not be easy, but we need it now more than ever. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/peace-ukraine

Let me add that Russia did not begin its special military operation into Ukraine until after the Biden-Harris Administration said that Ukraine could join NATO. That, by the way, goes against promises that leaders from the USA and Europe told Russian leaders about 34 years ago (see https://natowatch.org/newsbriefs/2018/how-gorbachev-was-misled-over-assurances-against-nato-expansion).

That said, despite Ukrainian military resistance and a lot of Western weapons, Ukraine continues to lose control over more and more land.

And now, since the Biden-Harris Administration is on its way out, Ukraine has to realize that, based on Donald Trump’s comments, it is not going to receive the type of financial and military support it was getting.

As many realize, Russia attempted to make a deal with the West before it began its ‘Special Military Operation’ into Ukraine–but that was publicly rebuffed by US President Biden.

Then after the battles began, Russia agreed to a deal with Ukraine, but the US and UK interfered and pressured Ukraine not to take it.

While Ukraine has resisted and sometimes regained territories, overall its nation is facing devastation and losses in the fighting.

Anyway, back in 2013 there were protests against the democratically elected and pro-Russian government in Ukraine. Instead of backing Ukraine’s elected president, the USA backed a coup. Because of prophecies related to the “kings of the Medes” in the Book of Jeremiah, in the Fall of 2013 I wrote that Russia would end up with some territory that Ukraine claimed.

When Ukraine’s coup government took over in early 2014, one of the first things it did was to pass a bill (that ended up not being signed into law) to make Russian a second-class language in Ukraine. That incensed those in Crimea and various ones in the eastern portion of Ukraine. Many in Donbas, Crimea, and various parts of eastern Ukraine speak Russian as their native language.

In 2014, Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and become part of Russia. Russia later accepted the territory, which it had long wanted. Crimea has been a fairly poor region that felt neglected and discriminated against by the western portion of Ukraine. Many in Donbas also have felt neglected (or worse) by western Ukraine and have long wanted to be closer to Russia. It should be noted that the USA and some of its allies called the referendum in Crimea to be part of Russia some type of a sham, yet the reality is that the majority in Crimea wanted to be part of Russia. On March 18, 2014, when Vladimir Putin signed a treaty to make Crimea part of Russia (https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-to-visit-crimea-to-mark-five-years-since-).

Many of those in Crimea (other than the Tartars) and Donbas believed that they would be better off with Russia who wanted them than Kiev who claims to want to keep them, but apparently had not shown them enough signs that it would truly be able to help them.

The USA would not accept the vote by the Crimeans primarily because it seems to want to stop Russia from expanding. The USA pushed for international sanctions with Europe, many of which still remain, in an effort to hope Russia would release Crimea to Ukraine. Perhaps I should add that in 2021/2 when I spoke to a Crimean women in Germany, she told me that she was glad that Russia annexed it–and that was not something the West was reporting about that.

The USA’s position seemed to be based mainly on politics as opposed to its professed belief in democracy.

Even though the USA and many in Europe have wanted Russia to leave Crimea, on March 18, 2019, I posted:

It remains my view that Crimea and at least parts of eastern Ukraine will ultimately align with Russia.

International sanctions will not stop biblical prophecies from being fulfilled. (Thiel B. ‘Putin in Crimea as Russia Marks Five Years Since Annexation’ the ‘Kings of the Medes’ will arise. COGwriter, March 18, 2019)

And the events of the past few years confirmed my view that sanctions would not stop Russia from having territories align with it. The various sanctions announced by the USA and the Europeans look to be political punishment, as opposed to being announced by those who seriously believe that they will get Russia to cede the Donbas back to Ukrainian control (it would probably take a pro-Russian government in Kiev for Russia to do that).

Long-time readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware that I have repeatedly told of a time where those in parts of Ukraine and Moldova would end up supporting Russia. For example, here is something from 2014:

As ‘independent states’ Donetsk and Luhansk may enter into some type of joint confederation with each other or Russia. If the forces from Kiev decide to attack, they will likely fight and ask for help from Russia.

Donetsk and Luhansk may vote to be annexed by Russia, like Crimea did. Or at minimum decide to ask to be part of Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union.

The Bible has several end time prophecies concerning the Medes (Isaiah 13:17-19) and the kings of the Medes (Jeremiah 51:11, 28-29) that involve military action. Various ones in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russia, and elsewhere are part of the descendants of the Medes, as likely are some in Moldova.

Alliances consistent with end time Bible prophecy are in the process of forming. (Thiel B. Eastern Ukraine votes for independence: Kiev upset, Russia pleased. COGwriter, May 12, 2014)

In early 2022, Russia’s president declared he had recognized and accepted the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic as independent nations (see I365: Right before Messiah, US will fight Russia and China will capitalize, rabbinic “prophecy” reveals’ COGwriter: No, that is not what the Bible teaches). Then on 30 September 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in an address to both houses of the Russian parliament.

The Bible foretells a time when the “Kings of the Medes” will get together (Jeremiah 51:11, 28)–and some now have. Many in Russia, Ukraine, and even Moldova have descent from the ancient Medes.

On the Sabbath of February 5, 2022, I did a sermonette where I mentioned that lands associated with Ukraine would end up being confederate with Russia:

21:20

The situation between Russia and Ukraine has again heated up, although it has been tense since the Euromaiden protests and Russia’s annexation of Crimea. There was later a separation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church. Is war prophesied for Russia and Ukraine? Are prophecies in the Bible associated with the ‘kings of the Medes’ and a power from the “north country” related to any in Russia and Ukraine? Is a confederation of powers from the north, east, and central Asia prophesied to destroy the coming end time European Babylon? Will the destruction be reminiscent of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? How is the King of the North and who will destroy him? Do those in Russia and Ukraine have a hope of salvation? Will Russia and powers of the east be involved in the gathering in Armageddon as prophesied in Revelation 16? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy.

Since that came out, more territories that Ukraine once controlled are now controlled by Russia.

While Ukraine has put up a lot of resistance to Russia’s Special Military Operation, Russia is larger and has more troops, etc.

Remember that Jesus taught:

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. (Luke 14:31-32)

No matter what Ukraine’s leadership currently thinks, at least parts of Ukraine are going to support Russia (cf. Jeremiah 51:11, 28).

World events continue to align with properly understood biblical prophecies.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
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.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
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.

If Donald Trump is a nightmare for the European Union, what will happen?

Sunday, December 15th, 2024

  

COGwriter

The following was written by a German historian named Tarik Cyril Amar:

Trump is a nightmare for the EU in more ways than one

With its submissiveness to the US and contempt for its president-elect, the bloc’s set itself up for a perfect storm of punishment.

14 December 2024

For a man his age, incoming US president Donald Trump has a knack for cultivating a bad-boy image. Refreshingly direct to the point of rude honesty, or dishonesty, as the case may be, he has no time for polite circumlocution. His threats are harsh, his demands unvarnished, including toward Washington’s so-called allies in Europe, which really are, at best, clients, and, more realistically, just vassals. In that spirit of candid, no-frills domination, Trump already has a long record of threatening NATO, which he sees – plausibly – as a scam in which European members fleece the US to free-ride on its insane (but that’s a different story…) military spending. …

Even less noticed is the fact that the new old US president – and thus capo dei capi of the West – is not much kindlier disposed toward the EU. And yet there it is: Trump’s frank, open, and long-standing dislike for that strange bureaucratic behemoth that is about as democratic as the former Soviet Union, less efficient than the Habsburg Empire, and so full of its global “norm-setting” mission that even American “indispensability” looks oddly old-fashioned by comparison. https://www.rt.com/news/609361-trump-eu-nightmare-punishment/

It is interesting that Tarik Amar thinks that the European Union, which basically considers itself the successor to things like the Habsburg Empire is even less efficient than that. As far as its global “norm-setting” mission goes, I have warned for years that the EU wants to set standards for the world (e.g., see European dismisses US campaign rhetoric on trade, and wants the world to follow its standards and BBC: What is the quantum apocalypse and should we be scared?; EUO: EU Commission wants to set world’s first digital standards).

As far as the relationship of the EU to previous European empires, including the Habsburg dynasty, notice the following from the article The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17:

Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

“And in the days of these kings… .” It is here speaking of the ten toes, part of iron and part of brittle clay. This, by connecting the prophecy with Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 and 17, is referring to the new UNITED STATES OF EUROPE, which is now forming out of the European Common Market before your very eyes! Revelation 17:12 makes plain the detail that it shall be a union of ten KINGS OR KINGDOMS that (Rev. 17:8) shall resurrect the medieval “HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. …

The seventh is now forming—the last, final, brief resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire” by ten European groups or nations.  (Armstrong HW. 7 PROOFS OF GOD’S TRUE CHURCH: Part Four. Plain Truth, May 1979; that same exact quote is also in his 1985 book: The Bible Superstition or Authority? …and can you prove it?)

Well, what formed out of the European Common Market (which officially was the EEU) was the European Union–it is not currently constituted as the group of ten nations or groups of nations. And while there will be a reorganization leading to the the seventh involving the ten kings which Revelation 17:12-13 shows, that has not yet happened. The EU “now is,” yet since it does not have an emperor or dictator running it, it also “is not.”

When I asked him about the EU and the one that is but was not, CBCG’s Fred Coulter agreed that the one that “is” could be the European Union–and basically that “one is” should be seen as a contemporary, event, not something that the Apostle John would have known about in his time–but Fred also said this will tend to be cleared up as we get closer (telecom 5/02/24).

Going back to Revelation 17, John continued with:

9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

Note that the seventh beast per Revelation 17:10c only continues for a short time. That is 42 months per Revelation 13:5. But the sixth king, then, can be assumed to have been around for a lot longer than that. And the EU has been around for over three decades and over six if you point to the EEU/Common Market as its start, and back to 1948 if you include Benelux. …

The Bible is clear that there are seven kings, plus a related eighth, which were prophesied.

The sixth is not Vladimir Putin.

The sixth does not seem to be Benito Mussolini, for several reasons, including that Adolf Hitler was more in charge of Europe than he.

Either the first five kings were ancient, with Rome being the sixth–though that seems to be in conflict with scripture, or the first five have to do with the church-state alliance known as the Holy Roman Empire (even when not called that).

If they are related to the old Holy Roman Empire, it would seem in the 21st century, that the one that “is” which would be the sixth king, which also “is not,” could very well point to the European Union.

People of the 21st century would better relate with the EU being the one that “is” as opposed to Benito Mussolini of 80 years ago.

The EU is not, however, the seventh king–but the EU is setting the stage for the coming reorganizations of Revelation 17:12-13.

Chart of Kings/Dynasties of the Revival of Rome as the ‘Holy Roman Empire’

Kingdom with a relationship to a type of ‘Holy Roman Empire’  Date(s) of Reign Number in Revelation 17:10
Justinian’s Imperial Restoration 554 – c. 797

1

Charlemagne’s Frankish Kingdom 800 -c. 905

2

Otto the Great of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ 955 – c. 1137

3

Hohenstaufen dynasty 1138 – 1268

4

Habsburg dynasty;
Remnant until Otto formally gave up title in 1958
1274 – 1806
1806 – 1958

5

European Economic Union/
European Union
1958 – 1993
1993 – Present

6

Final King of the North Beast Future for 42 months

7

The seventh king will rise up soon.

That religiously aligned leader, who will be supported by the final Antichrist, is prophesied to rise up in Europe.

He will be the Beast of the Sea.

He will be the seventh.

The ground work for his rise is being set by the European Union, whether or not it can be definitively considered as the sixth king–it certainly now is and looks to fit the prophecies in the Book of Revelation.

Which means that the end of this age is getting near.

Here is a link to a related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.

Getting back to Tarik Amar, his article also has the following:

The Russian leadership does not merely carefully watch Trump, as you would expect. It also sends back calibrated pings that signal cautious appreciation of his overtures, as recently over his criticism of firing Western missiles at Russia.

Hence, nightmare number one for the EU: Trump is serious about ending US support for the failed project of inflicting a geopolitical demotion on Russia via a proxy war in Ukraine. That will leave not only the regime of Ukraine’s past-use-by-date leader Vladimir Zelensky high and dry but remaining fanatics in the EU as well. In the best-case scenario, the US will leave the European vassals with the cost of the postwar, whatever shape that may take. Trump has already said as much. In the worst-case scenario, EU elites could try going it alone. That is, worst-case for them, in every (un)imaginable way: economically, politically, and yes, militarily, too. …

Then, nightmare number two, there is the economy. The US-EU relationship is the single largest trade connection in the world, worth about $11 trillion per year. That, you may think, constitutes a lot of common interest and thus reasons for treating each other if not gently then, at least, cautiously. Nope, that’s not how this works, because the relationship is lopsided, and Trump is furious about it. For him, the EU’s trade surplus with the US is yet another way in which shifty Europeans have been milking America. His weapon of choice to retaliate and rectify the situation are, of course, tariffs, the higher the better. Even before his re-election, Goldman Sachs warned that his rule could cost the EU as a whole a full percent of GDP. And yes, that’s a lot, especially for a continent already largely economically depressed, demographically declining, and with badly squeezed public finances. …

EU’s wannabe despot Ursula von der Leyen. Building her own power grab – like Stalin, as it happens – on a mix of executive apparat overreach, crony networking, and ideological bigotry, she has made one serious mistake that may cost her dearly: She has cozied up so shamelessly to the outgoing Biden administration that, serious rumor has it, Trump cannot stand her. …

Even if Trump condescends to accepting such tributes from his European subjects, he will never lose sight of the one thing that really interests him (apart from his own money, power, and fame): American advantage. Whatever the Europeans will offer and however low they will kowtow, in the end, any deal will be good only for one side, the US. 12/14/24 https://www.rt.com/news/609361-trump-eu-nightmare-punishment/

Others have voiced concerns about Donald Trump and his potential impact on the European Union.

For example, last month, a reader sent me a link to a video, which I watched, titled, Trump wants to ‘aggressively’ spread Brexit throughout Europe | Yanis Varoufakis 11/13/24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhCnvVinnGQ.

In it, Yanis Varoufakis, former Minister of Finance for Greece, asserted that “Donald Trump sees the European Union as a clear and present danger to the United States.” He also asserted that Donald Trump wants more Brexit actions (other nations to leave the EU). He also asserted that Europe needs to see Donald Trump as a threat and take action.

Many in Europe are outraged that Donald Trump is back in office.

They not only did not like him the first time, they were not pleased with his support of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. Donald Trump was perhaps the best known non-Brit that supported Brexit (the BRitish EXIT from the European Union).

So, what will Europe do?

1) It will increase military spending.
2) It will seek trade deals with nations other than the United States.
3) It will try to make one or more deals with the United States.
4) It will reorganize.
5) It will conquer the United States and its British-descended allies like Canada and the United Kingdom.

Europe is prophesied to dominate the world economically for a time per the 17th and 18th chapters of the Book of Revelation.

It has already signed a major trade deal since Donald Trump’s reelection (see https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-mercosur-countries-seal-controversial-trade-deal/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=LinkedIn).

It will also reorganize into a totalitarian dictatorship:

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)

While some do not believe that it will be capable of defeating the strongest military power in the world, that too is prophesied (the “he” below is the European Beast of Revelation 17:13):

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

And after that happens, the world will marvel at the warring success of the European Beast power:

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?”  (Revelation 13:1-4)

The world will marvel, because relatively few have believed the above prophecies and have not considered that a reorganized Europe could defeat the USA–but it will happen.

The stage is being set for this and Donald Trump, unknowingly, is helping push Europe to fulfill its prophesied destiny.

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.
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 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.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill?  Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic?  Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.
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.

BibleNewsProphecy: Bitcoin … as good as gold?

Sunday, December 15th, 2024


(Photo from Pixabay)

COGwriter

The price of Bitcoin rises and falls–with the price moving up since the reelection of Donald Trump.

The Chairman of the Federal Reserve made comments about that:

Fed Chairman’s Brazen Lies About Gold Go Unchallenged

Money Metals writer Mike Maharrey yesterday shot down the laughable assertion made this week by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell that bitcoin is, “like gold,” merely a “speculative asset” and thus a competitor with gold, not the dollar, because people aren’t using bitcoin for payments or as a store of value. 12/09/24 https://activistpost.com/2024/12/fed-chairmans-brazen-lies-about-gold-go-unchallenged.html

Well, actually, after Chairman Powell made his statements, we challenged some of them and made the following video related to them, Bitcoin, and other matters. The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermonette from its ContinuingCOG channel:

15:07

Bitcoin … as good as gold?

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

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

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What About Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,500 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

What is a Woman?

Saturday, December 14th, 2024


Movie poster

COGwriter

On June 1, 2022, a video titled What is a Woman was released. Here is some information about it:

June 2, 2022

Matt Walsh’s provocative documentary, What Is a Woman?, aired online at The Daily Wire on June 1, in what the political commentator and podcast host said was “an all-out assault on gender ideology.”

It’s an ideology that uses the language of “boys and girls” and “men and women,” but can’t define what any of those are.

Walsh used thoughtful questions and humor – there are some laugh-out-loud moments – to point out the fallacies behind “gender theory.”

But even the humor has a disturbing edge, when you realize how pervasive this post-modern belief system is, how far away from the truth, and how many are in its grip.

As one of my sons said, “It was funny until you realized how sad it was.”

What Is a Woman? is intense, with moments of deep pathos, as when it showed the devastating damage to individuals and families – the direct result of gender theories that are completely disconnected from reality and truth.

Ideas have consequences.

I’ve been researching and writing about transgender issues for a long time, and even though I was familiar with many of the stories told and the truths articulated, I found the film gut-wrenching at times and deeply thought provoking.

I’d written about some of these people, but it’s different watching them tell their stories onscreen. The documentary is not for the faint of heart.

One devastating testimony came from a Canadian father who “misgendered” his 13-year-old daughter. He was imprisoned for the offense. A Canadian court mandated male hormones for the young girl, over his objections.

Another poignant story was told by a woman who had hormones and surgeries to “transition into” a man. Scott Newgent’s body, health, finances and family have been devastated by surgeries and synthetic hormones.

Here are some other the highlights (and lowlights) that stood out to me.

  • “Truth” doesn’t exist for people who’ve bought into gender identity – except “your truth.”
  • When asked, “What is a woman?”, people can’t say, are afraid to say, or don’t know how to answer the question.
  • Many gender dogmatists are angry and defensive about being asked simple questions about their beliefs – even ones they’ve seen before the on-camera interview. …

Walsh demonstrated how widespread this dogma is – in schools, entertainment, social media and the medical world.

But Africans he interviewed are blissfully ignorant of all this and see it for the nonsense it is.

Thankfully, What Is a Woman? has some good folks who are speaking the truth about this false ideology, including Walsh, himself. https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/what-is-a-woman-matt-walsh-uses-humor-pathos-and-truth-to-expose-lies-and-harms-of-gender-ideology/

Many in modern society want to pretend that the LGBTQ+ agenda is good. It is not. It is based on many lies.

But the promoters of the LGBTQ+ agendas do not want the truth out.

YouTube censored and removed one of our videos warning against pushing the LGBTQ+ agenda on children.

Google and YouTube have shadow-banned the cogwriter.com website in order to reduce people from coming into contact with the biblically-based information it contains.

In the past we put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to transgender surgeries:

14:35

New Transgender Study

A new study on the side effects of transgender sex change surgeries was conducted by researchers at the University of Florida and the health non-profit Brooks Rehabilitation. The study found that 81% of those who had undergone sex change surgeries in the past five years reported experiencing pain simply from normal movement in the weeks and months that followed — and that many other side effects are manifesting themselves as well. How do Russia and the USA handle the transgender issue? What does the Bible say? What does science show? Does the Bible warn about children being oppressors and leaders causing people to err? Are God’s people supposed to, “Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1)? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie go over these topics.

Here is a link to our video: New Transgender Study. It was original removed by YouTube, but I appealed and we won that time.

However, YouTube has also taken steps to prevent many of our videos from going viral.

But it is not just Big Tech that does not want people to know the truth about transgender matters. Notice the following:

December 10, 2024

The behavior of a researcher funded by the National of Institutes of Health, in hiding the results of a long-running study on the effects of puberty blockers on children, already has been called out by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

In his recent letter to NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, Rubio drew specific attention to an NIH-funded study by Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, of the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Despite the Obama administration‘s decision to support Olson-Kennedy’s study more than nine years ago, the findings have yet to be released, allegedly out of fear of the political repercussions.

Rubio has charged that Olson-Kennedy was part of a group of researchers who received nearly $6 million from NIH to study physical and mental health outcomes for children who receive puberty blockers and cross-sex hormone treatments as part of “transitioning” to the opposite sex.

Olson-Kennedy outlined a few of her findings in a 2020 report that said approximately a quarter of the children in the study who received these transgender medical treatments were experiencing depression or suicidal ideation.

“According to [Olson-Kennedy], she fears the findings will be used to show that puberty blockers do not improve the mental health of youth,” Rubio warned. https://www.wnd.com/2024/12/the-walls-are-closing-in-researcher-who-hid-results-of-transgender-study-now-in-legal-crosshairs/

From what I have been able to tell, the Olson-Kennedy study helped show that puberty blockers, etc. did not help. But that, like a lot of other truths related to the LGBTQ agenda, has been suppressed.

Perhaps it should be pointed out that after the What is a Woman? video came out, its site was hit with a cyber attack:

Movie ‘What is a Woman?’ hit with major cyber attack

June 2, 2022

During the premiere Wednesday night of a movie that features scholars on the political left brazenly denying basic biology in their defense of transgender activism, The Daily Wire’s website was the target of a cyber attack.

A “significant and sustained DDoS attack” Wednesday night was “meant to disrupt the world premiere of “What is a Woman,” said Jeremy Boreing, The Daily Wire’s co-CEO.

A DDoS – distributed denial-of-service – attack is a malicious coordinated campaign that seeks to shut down a computer server by flooding it with extreme levels of traffic from bots.

“A million requests per minute at the peak flooded our system and created challenges for many viewers,” Boreing said in a statement.

“Someone doesn’t want you to see this movie,” he added.

The film features the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh asking ordinary citizens, medical professionals and even African tribesmen to define “woman.”

“The left will do whatever they can to make sure no one sees this movie,” Walsh said. “They know their ideology is based on lies and their logic is hollow and premiering the movie to a massive online audience will not only be an utter embarrassment to them but will send a message that they will not win this battle.” …

The movie covers the gender-dysphoria confusion that activists use to encourage sex-change operations on children who are not old enough to vote or drink. It looks at biologically male athletes destroying records in women’s sports, the “pronoun police,” the left’s use of character assassination and censorship to advance its agenda as well as the language of “birthing persons” and the claim that “having a penis doesn’t make one male.  …

The film includes an interview with a scholar who became increasingly impatient as Walsh explained he was asking what is a woman simply because he wanted to get at the truth.

“You keep invoking the word truth, which is condescending and rude,” the academic said. https://www.wnd.com/2022/06/movie-woman-hit-major-cyber-attack/

Yes, many do not want to hear about truth, including many of the educated. The Apostle Paul prophesied that would be a feature in the last days:

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

Having said that, last weekend, my wife and I watched Matt Walsh’s documentary What is a Woman?

Matt Walsh asked various educated and less-educated American people what is a woman, and almost none of them would answer the question.

The females who did not appear highly educated seemed to hedge answers in what could be called “political correctness.”

Most of the highly educated got offended with Matt Walsh, considered his professing a desire for “truth” was offensive, etc.

Most of them displayed hate and vitriol that he would dare think knowing what a woman was had any importance as they sided with the idea that one can be any gender or gender combination they want.

Many of the so-called educated cut short their interviews with him.

The Bible is clear that men and women are different. God warned that there would be those “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). But the truth is still the truth.

The Bible also condemns males acting effeminate:

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, KJV)

Transgenderism is against scripture.

Of course, many ‘moderns’ want to act like there is no difference, but the Bible is clear that men and women are different. God warned that there would be those “who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). But the truth is still the truth.

The Bible warns against the rise of despisers of good in the last days:

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
And prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21)

Woe to those that do such things.

Matt Walsh repeatedly tried to get a professor of gender studies to define what a woman was without using the word woman, and he never did so.

That professor and others were highly offended that someone believed in truth and thought that males are males and females are females.

Later, Matt Walsh asked his wife, “What is a woman?” She said:

A woman is an adult female.

Of course, that is correct. It is also consistent with something that Jesus said:

4 … He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ (Matthew 19:14)

During the closing credits of What is a Woman?, there were clips of Ketanji Brown Jackson’s non-answers when she was asked “What is a woman?” during her confirmation hearings. Despite her non-answers, the US Senate confirmed her as Supreme Court justice.

Speaking of Ketanji Brown Jackson, notice the following:

Not Babylon Bee: Justice Ketanji Brown To Appear In Pro-Transgender Broadway Musical

December 10, 2024

Kentanji Brown Jackson may not know what a woman is, but she knows what it is to go to bed one night as just an ordinary Supreme Court justice and to wake up the next day as a Broadway star. Yup, she’s hitting the Great White Way (or, maybe, in her case, the Great Black Way) to fulfill a childhood dream: taking a turn in a Broadway musical.

Interestingly, the particular musical she’s chosen, “& Juliet,” is a tawdry pro-transgender show.  …

The Code of Conduct for United States Judges, which does not apply to Supreme Court judges, is nevertheless appropriate to quote here:

Canon 4: A Judge May Engage in Extrajudicial Activities that are Consistent with the Obligations of Judicial Office 

[snip]

However, a judge should not participate in extrajudicial activities that detract from the dignity of the judge’s office, interfere with the performance of the judge’s official duties, [or] reflect adversely on the judge’s impartiality…

Everything about Justice Jackson’s Broadway foray violates those principles. The debased plot “detract[s] from the dignity of the judge’s office,” while the fact that the musical is, in significant part, a celebration of so-called transgenderism, “reflect[s] adversely on the judge’s impartiality.” https://www.zerohedge.com/political/not-babylon-bee-justice-ketanji-brown-appear-pro-transgender-broadway-musical

Ketanji Brown Jackson keeps pushing the LGBTQ agenda–an agenda that is harmful to those who consider themselves such as well as for society according to the Bible (cf. Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

She and many others perhaps are apparently not educated enough to 1) accept the truth or 2) realize the origin of the word woman.

The Old English words “womb” (womb, also known as a uterus) and “mann” (person or human) were combined to form “wīfmann,” which later changed into the Modern English word “woman.”

So, a woman is a person who naturally has a womb.

Despite how obvious that is, notice the following absurdity from someone at CNN:

“It’s not possible to know a person’s gender identity at birth, and there is no consensus criteria for assigning sex at birth,” CNN’s Devan Cole wrote. https://nypost.com/2021/04/01/cnn-ridiculed-for-saying-no-consensus-for-assigning-sex-at-birth/

Actually, yes it is possible. And there has been a consensus for thousands of years by billions of people to assign sex at birth based on genitalia.

Furthermore, with modern technology there is another way. Notice the following from LiveScience.com:

How sex is determined

Humans have an additional pair of sex chromosomes for a total of 46 chromosomes. The sex chromosomes are referred to as X and Y, and their combination determines a person’s sex. Typically, human females have two X chromosomes while males possess an XY pairing. This XY sex-determination system is found in most mammals as well as some reptiles and plants.

Whether a person has XX or XY chromosomes is determined when a sperm fertilizes an egg. Unlike the body’s other cells, the cells in the egg and sperm — called gametes or sex cells — possess only one chromosome. Gametes are produced by meiosis cell division, which results in the divided cells having half the number of chromosomes as the parent, or progenitor, cells. In the case of humans, this means that parent cells have two chromosomes and gametes have one.

All of the gametes in the mother’s eggs possess X chromosomes. The father’s sperm contains about half X and half Y chromosomes. The sperm are the variable factor in determining the sex of the baby. If the sperm carries an X chromosome, it will combine with the egg’s X chromosome to form a female zygote. If the sperm carries a Y chromosome, it will result in a male. accessed 04/30/21 https://www.livescience.com/27248-chromosomes.html

Those claiming to be ‘transgendered’ are confused and in scientific error as the overwhelming majority of them are not ‘transgendered’ biologically, but confused mentally and spiritually.

The LGBTQ crowd pushes not only transgenderism, but the idea that gender is fluid. The idea that you can be one gender on one day, then another gender another day.

Yet, men and women are different. While one of the differences is genitalia, there are more differences than that. But one’s chromosomes never change.

Notice also the following:

4 May 2017

Researchers have revealed a breakthrough is how the sexes really differ from each other.

A groundbreaking genetic study pinponted 6500 genes that differ between men and women.

Experts say it could have a profound effect in the way we identify and treat everything from disease to fertility. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4475252/There-6-500-genetic-differences-men-women.html#ixzz4l2KCqvLW

May 7, 2017

A biological male can take hormones, surgically alter his body and identify as “female,” but the procedures still won’t make him a woman, according to new evidence found by Israeli researchers.

That’s because there are at least 6,500 genes that contain sex-specific instructions for males and females.

For the study by Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, professor Shmuel Pietrokovski and Dr. Moran Gershoni, both researchers from the institute’s Molecular Genetics Department, “looked closely at around 20,000 protein-coding genes, sorting them by sex and searching for differences in expression in each tissue. They eventually identified around 6,500 genes with activity that was biased toward one sex or the other in at least one tissue, adding to the already major biological differences between men and women.” …

The new findings are further evidence that biological males cannot simply “transition” into females and vice versa, argues Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel.

“This recent study from Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science further proves that you cannot fool Mother Nature,” Staver said. “The saying, ‘I think, therefore, I am’ is best left to philosophy and not science. Gender confusion is mental, not physical or biological. God made male and female, and no amount of protestation will change the natural created order.”

Staver called the idea that a person can choose his or her gender “fiction.”

“These Israeli scientists identified over 6,500 genes with activity that was biased toward one sex or the other in at least one tissue,” he said. “That clearly validates the genetic differences between men and women.” http://www.wnd.com/2017/05/study-more-proof-a-man-can-never-become-a-woman/

The promotion of transgenderism is not good. The truth is that males and females are different and no amount of surgery or hormone therapy changes that.

Interestingly, Matt Walsh interviewed a surgeon who mutilates genitalia, and although that doctor was highly supportive of mutilation, that doctor also called it a “Faustian bargain.”

What is that?

Here is what Encyclopedia Britannica says about that:

Faustian bargain, a pact whereby a person trades something of supreme moral or spiritual importance, such as personal values or the soul, for some worldly or material benefit, such as knowledge, power, or riches. The term refers to the legend of Faust (or Faustus, or Doctor Faustus), a character in German folklore and literature, who agrees to surrender his soul to an evil spirit (in some treatments, Mephistopheles, or Mephisto, a representative of Satan) after a certain period of time in exchange for otherwise unattainable knowledge and magical powers that give him access to all the world’s pleasures. A Faustian bargain is made with a power that the bargainer recognizes as evil or amoral. Faustian bargains are by their nature tragic or self-defeating for the person who makes them, because what is surrendered is ultimately far more valuable than what is obtained, whether or not the bargainer appreciates that fact. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Faustian-bargain accessed 12/08/24

Yes, what the one getting genitalia mutilating surgery gives up is more valuable than what that one ends up with.

Consider the truths in the following:

June 10, 2016

“War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength.”

This was the slogan of George Orwell’s fictional English Socialist Party (INGSOC) of Oceania, from his timeless dystopian novel “1984.”

Orwell depicted a mind-control technique employed by INGSOC called “doublethink,” which “describes the act of simultaneously accepting two mutually contradictory beliefs as correct, often in distinct social contexts.”

If the malleable masses could be made to believe self-contradictory, patently absurd and empirically impossible concepts as true, went Orwell’s thesis, they could then be made to believe, or do, anything.

We have entered an age that George Orwell might never have imagined. Today’s “American Socialist Party” (the secular left) has applied the doublethink mind-control technique on a grand scale.

Its slogan?

“Male is Female; Female is Male; Evil is good.”

Indeed, not only do secular leftists like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton stubbornly maintain that objective morality be treated as relative – that evil is good and good evil; they now demand that the immutable laws of physics and biology be similarly repealed.

There are things true and things untrue. It is true, for instance, that water is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (H20). No amount of wishful thinking, angry foot-stomping, or even a tyrannical presidential edict issued to America’s public school chemistry classes can change this unchangeable reality.

It is likewise true that a person born with XX chromosomes is, and shall always be, female, while a person born with distinct X and Y chromosomes is forever male. Again, no amount of self-delusion, gnashing of teeth, cross-dressing, genital mutilation surgery, or utterly bizarre presidential doublethink dictates can alter this unalterable fact.

While we would call a person who subjectively insists that water is comprised of pure hydrogen either ignorant or insane, we incongruously call the person who similarly insists that a man can somehow “transition” to a woman, “progressive.” http://www.wnd.com/2016/06/indecent-exposure-the-gender-identity-agenda/#1AERBIIbR7R1WYZV.99

Yet, the LGBTQ promoters care not for the truth on these matters, but rather to push an agenda that is evil.

Now, consider that Jesus taught:

4 “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

Jesus clearly is teaching against transgenderism and homosexual marriage.

Despite biblical warnings, many modern leaders are endorsing so-called homosexual and transgender “rights” and “same-sex marriage.” The Bible, however, warns about such leaders:

12…Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed (Isaiah 9:16).

So, leaders that ignore what the Bible teaches are leading others toward destruction.

Sadly, a lot of people Matt Walsh spoke to accepted the nonsense that being a woman is a social construct, not a biological fact.

Interestingly, when he went to Africa asked African men and women about this, they did know what a man was as well as what a woman was. The Africans acted like Westerners who did not know were loony.

Sadly, many of the ‘educated’ that Matt Walsh spoke to falsely claimed that hormone therapy was safe and completely reversible (not true) and that males who claim to be females do not have a biological advantage against real females in sports (also not true), etc.

They also pushed the false notion that if parents do not allow their children with gender dysphoria to get mutilated that they would likely kill themselves–that is also not true.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG)put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel which deals with the science, reality, suicide, and scriptures related to that the so-called transgendered:

14:49

Gender Confusion, Science, and Scripture

The British Medical Journal reports that there is an increase in “gender dysphoria in young people.” According to the Mayo Clinic, what is gender dysphoria? Is gender confusion physical or is there a psychological component associated with it? Does research suggest that most young people with it will grow out of it? Is what are called “gender-affirming treatments” the right answer? Has it been reported that Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare determined that the risks of puberty blockers and treatment with hormones “currently outweigh the possible benefits” for minors? Did researchers at the University of Florida find that 81% of those who had undergone sex change surgeries in the past five years reported experiencing pain simply from normal movement in the weeks and months that followed? What about the effects of gender altering surgeries on fertility and libido? Have researchers concluded that there are often psychological comorbidities strongly associated with gender confusion? Do studies show that “gender-reassignment” treatments reduces suicides? Do males who undergo surgerical genitalia removal have a highly increased suicide rate according to a peer-reviewed study published in The Journal of Urology? What are some of the side effect associated with “gender-reassignment” treatments? Does the Bible condone or condemn cross dressing? What did Jesus say about God making males and females? Can gender be determined by looking at XX and XY chromosomes? Are there 6500 genetic differences between males and females? Are there also differences between male and female brains that surgical and hormonal treatments do not change? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these points.

Here is a link to our video: Gender Confusion, Science, and Scripture.

One of the people that Matt Walsh spoke with was one who had the mutilating surgery and regretted it. Matt Walsh asked him to say what he tells parents of children with gender dysphoria. He said 1) children with this are more suicidal (particularly 6-7 years after they have the surgery, if they do) and should not undergo such horrible experimental procedures such as hormone blockers and surgery and 2) that parents do not have the right to change their children’s sex organs–essentially because this is wrong and irreversible in various ways.

The truth is that transgender movement opposes both science and scripture.

We should pray for those who have gender confusion.

Most will grow out of it if they do not allow themselves to be drugged or mutilated.

Now, to more fully answer Matt Walsh’s question. “What is a Woman?”

  • A woman is a person with a womb who is an adult female.
  • A woman has xx chromosomes.
  • Being a woman is not simply a social construct, but a biological fact.

Yet, in these days, sadly many of the elite cannot accept the obvious, but “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

But the truth is still the truth.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Dating: A Key to Success in Marriage, a practical dating guide for Christians This is a scripture-filled dating guide. It discusses many aspects of dating, as well as who to not consider for marriage. Two related sermons are available: The Art of Christian Dating. and No One to Date? Teen Q&A? Engagement? 2nd Marriage? A short animation is also available: First Date: Worldly vs. Christian.
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also three YouTube videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’ and Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children and USA pushing gender confusion.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱,违反诫命的就是邪恶的
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings. A related sermon is titled: Christians and the Ten Commandments.
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?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2028 or or 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details. A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle), you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.

‘Scientists Warn of Unstoppable Threat from Lab-Created Mirror Bacteria’ possible connection to the 4th horseman of the Apocalypse?

Saturday, December 14th, 2024


(US Centers for Disease Control photo)

COGwriter

A reader tipped me off to the following:

Scientists Warn of Unstoppable Threat from Lab-Created Mirror Bacteria

December 14, 2024

The ability to manipulate life at a molecular level has opened new doors in science, but it has also raised serious concerns. …

The rapid progress in synthetic biology comes with risks that scientists say we are not fully prepared to manage.

Now, a group of international researchers is warning that one such innovation — mirror-image bacteria — could become a danger too great to ignore.

These lab-created organisms, designed as reverse molecular replicas of natural life, may defy immune systems and existing antibiotics.

The warning stems from a 299-page report authored by 38 leading experts, including Nobel laureates and genome-sequencing pioneer Dr. Craig Venter.

The group argues that pursuing this line of research without stringent safeguards could unleash what they describe as “an unprecedented threat” to ecosystems and public health.

Mirror bacteria, also known as chiral organisms, are built from molecules that are structurally flipped versions of those found in nature. https://www.msn.com/en-au/health/other/scientists-warn-of-unstoppable-threat-from-lab-created-mirror-bacteria/ar-AA1vQE4X

What are “mirror bacteria”?

To understand mirror bacteria, we first need to take a look at one of the key properties of the molecules of life as we know them; they have homochirality, or uniformity of “handedness”. This means that they only come in one particular form that cannot be superposed onto its mirror image.

You can visualize this property using a pair of gloves. Place them out in front of you so that they’re mirroring each other, then put the right one on top of the left. Try rotating it – no matter what you do, they’ll never line up perfectly.

High school biology teachers will likely have told you that DNA is exclusively “right-handed”, while nearly all amino acids are left-handed. The processes in our cells and those of other organisms rely on these conformations, and they can govern how organisms interact with each other too.

In mirror bacteria, however, the molecules of life are – as you might’ve guessed from the name – mirrored. …

Are mirror bacteria a risk to us?

The expert group – which includes a number of Nobel laureates, famed geneticists, and those trying to de-extinct the woolly mammoth – doesn’t mince its words.

“Although we were initially skeptical that mirror bacteria could pose major risks, we have become deeply concerned […] our view is that mirror bacteria and other mirror organisms should not be created,” they write in a policy forum that summarizes the findings of their report.

One of the primary reasons for this is because of the potential implications for the spread of disease. 12/13/24 https://www.iflscience.com/what-are-mirror-bacteria-and-are-they-a-threat-to-humanity-77220

Urging companies and nations not to do something will not stop some from deciding that there is an advantage in doing research like that.

When discussing the results of those who do not wish to listen to God, the Apostle Paul warned about them being covetous, traitors, and disobedient, plus warned those people were also “inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:30). What is known as synthetic biology can often lead to inventions of evil things.

Nowadays with Artificial Intelligence, this looks to be a way to accelerate the trend to invent dangerous microorganisms, among other evil things.

Consider the following risk related to AI reported this past Spring:

BIOWEAPONS

May 9, 2024

The American intelligence community, think tanks and academics are increasingly concerned about risks posed by foreign bad actors gaining access to advanced AI capabilities. Researchers at Gryphon Scientific and Rand Corporation noted that advanced AI models can provide information that could help create biological weapons.

Gryphon studied how large language models (LLM) – computer programs that draw from massive amounts of text to generate responses to queries – could be used by hostile actors to cause harm in the domain of life sciences and found they “can provide information that could aid a malicious actor in creating a biological weapon by providing useful, accurate and detailed information across every step in this pathway.”

They found, for example, that an LLM could provide post-doctoral level knowledge to trouble-shoot problems when working with a pandemic-capable virus.

Rand research showed that LLMs could help in the planning and execution of a biological attack. They found an LLM could for example suggest aerosol delivery methods for botulinum toxin. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/from-deepfakes-to-bioweapons-all-you-need-to-know-about-threats-posed-by-ai-5627182

Last December, NewsMax reported the following:

Gordon Chang to Newsmax: China Working on Bioweapons

December 25, 2023 8:30 pm

Gordon G. Chang, author of “The Coming Collapse of China,” told Newsmax that Beijing is experimenting with what appears to be biological weapons targeting human brains. …

“These are biological weapons, and China isn’t part of the Biological Weapons Convention that would outlaw this,” Chang explained. …

The Times’ report cited recent studies by the Chinese Communist Party on biological weapons designed to induce sleep or sleep-related disturbances in enemy troops.

Other potential weapons would create a connection between the brain and external devices, as well as pharmaceuticals designed to impair people genetically and physiologically.

“This whole idea of ‘genetic drugs,’ although it has not really been fleshed out, clearly it is a biological weapon. And certainly, the other weapons that we’ve been talking about in this Washington Times report … [are] essentially biological-influenced,” Chang stated.

Chang believes it is time now more than ever to challenge China on their biological weapons program, which he suggested could be responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/gordon-chang-china-brain/2023/12/25/id/1147150/

So, since China did not sign the treaty saying it would not do so, it may well be that it is working on these type of weapons.

As far as biological warfare and China goes, back in January 2020, we put out the following video:

17:01

Biological Warfare and Prophecy

Is biological warfare possible? Was it prophesied? Scientists have long warned that pathogenic organisms like the coronavirus could be weaponized. Furthermore, back in 2017, there were concerns that the biological research facility being constructed in Wuhan, China was risky and that a coronavirus from it could be released. On January 25, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping publicly stated that the situation with the Wuhan-related strain of the coronavirus was grave. Did Church of God writers like the late evangelist Raymond McNair warn that engineered viruses (the “Doomsday bug”) were consistent with prophecies from Jesus? Did a warning from CCOG leader Bob Thiel warn about risks of genetically-modified (GMO) mosquitoes come to pass? Could human research and/or the consumption of biblically-unclean animals such as bats and snakes be a factor in current outbreaks or coming future pestilences? What about famines? How devastating have pestilences been? How devastating are the prophesied ones going to be? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Warfare and Prophecy.

That said, treaty or not, other nations, including the USA are involved in biological warfare research–which does imply the ability to produce biological weapons.

There have been many reports over the years about the USA being involved with pathogen research for use in biological warfare. Last summer, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was interviewed by Tucker Carlson about that. Here is something about that:

RFK Jr. Warns Of Thousands Of “DEATH SCIENTISTS” Developing Killer Microbes In America

“We are making bioweapons.”

August 15, 2023

During an interview with Tucker Carlson, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr warned that there are thousands of so called ‘scientists’ developing killer bioweapons inside America without oversight.

The topic was raised when the pair began to discuss biolabs in Ukraine, with Kennedy noting that the U.S. “has biolabs in Ukraine because we are making bioweapons.”

He then went on to state that “Anthony Fauci got all the responsibility for bio-weapons development,” adding that after three bugs escaped from three labs in the U.S. “In 2014, 300 scientists wrote to President Obama and said ‘you’ve gotta shut down Anthony Fauci, because he is going to create a microbe that will cause a global pandemic.’”

“And so Obama signed a moratorium and shut down the 18 worst of Anthony Fauci’s experiments, where most of them were taking place in North Carolina by a scientist called Ralph Baric,” Kennedy added. https://summit.news/2023/08/15/video-rfk-jr-warns-of-thousands-of-death-scientists-developing-killer-microbes-in-america/

Could the USA be so involved?

Well, it is not supposed to be:

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The United States officially agreed to it in 1975, as did most nations in the world.

Officially, the USA claims it has no biological weapons.

However, it admits that it is involved with biological research on pathogenic microorganisms, as are many other countries. The USA and many others claim that the research is entirely peaceful and that the biological pathogenic agents can be, and supposedly are, under complete control.

If Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. gets into the Cabinet of the Trump-Vance Administration, it is possible he will look more into this.

That said, notice something else from last Spring:

Exposing the Link Between Lyme Disease and Secret U.S. Biowarfare Experiments

May 11, 2024

Declassified documents reveal that the seemingly innocuous island off the coast of Connecticut may have been ground zero for government experiments with weaponized ticks, possibly unleashing Lyme disease upon an unsuspecting public.

In 2008, Kris Newby, after extensive research, released a groundbreaking documentary on Lyme disease. The film sparked widespread discussion about the origins of Lyme disease and the reasons behind its increasing prevalence. …

Plum Island, an 840-acre island located just a mile off the north fork at the eastern end of Long Island, is notorious for its secretive government experiments involving bioweapons. Newby highlighted this in a discussion with Tucker Carlson, emphasizing the island’s mysterious and concerning activities.

Bioweapons Testing Facility and Disease Cluster

People living near Plum Island started getting diseases like Lyme arthritis, rickettsiosis, and babesiosis all around the same time. Tucker Carlson discussed this and wondered if these diseases came from government experiments.

https://rairfoundation.com/exposing-link-between-lyme-disease-secret-u-s/

Whether or not Lyme Disease was human-engineered, it can be a very, very difficult disease to treat. But sadly, humans (and apparently also with the use of AI) are looking to make more devastating diseases.

And as it turns out, it is usually not difficult to turn biological pathogens into weapons.

The USA certainly has dangerous biological agents from which it could do so. So do many other nations.

Remember that Jesus Himself warned that the “signs” of the end of the age would include pestilences:

7…And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:7-8)

11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11)

Biological warfare agents certainly can be a factor in pestilences.

Furthermore, in the sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation, the ride of four horsemen are described. The passages about the fourth horseman are as follows:

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8)

So, the opening of the fourth seal is the time that the pale horse of death is apparently increasing death by war, hunger, and pestilences (the beasts of the earth).

Could humans intentionally cause some of that?

Certainly.

More pestilences are coming (Revelation 6:7-8).

In the summer of 2023, we put out the following video:

14:53

Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse

Tucker Carlson interviewed Democratic presidential party candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK). During that interview, RFK asserted that the United States has had thousands of scientists working on making bioweapons. Officially, the USA has denied this as it is a party to the Biological Weapons Convention. RFK states that Anthoy Fauci was responsible for biological weapons development. Does the ‘Global South’ consider that the West may intend to exterminate people through biological warfare? Did Jesus prophesy pestilences? Have humans engaged in biological or germ warfare for millennia? What were some things that Raymond McNair warned about over 50 years ago? Can we trust scientists to totally safely control all the infectious agents they work with? Could humankind be developing, knowingly or unknowingly, biological agents that could be responsible for many of the deaths that are prophesied to occur with the ride of the ‘pale horse of death,’ which is the fourth of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to ride? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Biological pathogens developed by humans are a real threat.

Do NOT trust the scientists who say that they are simply trying to help us fight diseases and can always control them–they DO NOT KNOW all the risks, no matter what they say.

Do not count on scientists and nations doing the right thing and not experimenting with mirror-bacteria and other types of dangerous synthetic biology.

Humans, directly or indirectly, will be a factor in the coming, more severe pestilences. Adding AI to the mix adds additional risk.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Here is a link to a related sermon:
Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation
. Here is a version of that sermon in Spanish: El Cuarto Caballo, El COVID y El Surgimiento de la Bestia del Apocalipsis. Some shorter related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Here is a link to a shorter video: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.

Sermon: The Philadelphian Remnant

Saturday, December 14th, 2024

COGwriter

There is a remnant of the Philadelphian church left now because:

  • The short-work of Romans 9:28 needs to be done.
  • Matthew 24:14 still needs to be fulfilled.
  • God promised to pour out His Spirit and give dreams and prophecies in the end before Jesus returned (cf. Acts 2:17-18).
  • An end time Zerubbabel would be part of the Philadelphia remnant to rebuild the second spiritual temple–which would NOT look anywhere near as impressive as the previous temple physically (Haggai 2:3-4,9).
  • All things needed to be restored (Matthew 17:11), and the mantle held. And important truths, such as why God created anything and why He made humans have been restored in the 21st century.
  • The full number of Gentiles must come in (Romans 11:25).
  • The end time Ezekiel watchman warning must go out (cf. Ezekiel chapters 3, 5, and 6)–and no group has ever done more than what has happened in the CCOG.
  • The Philadelphian remnant is targeted by the Beast power before (Daniel 7:25a, 11:29-35; Revelation 12:13-16) before he goes to persecute the rest of the Christians (Revelation 12:17, 13:5-10, 14:12-13).
  • Philadelphians are the only one that Jesus promises protection from the coming hour of trial (Revelation 3:10) and that has not happened yet.

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

If the Philadelphia era of the Church of God (COG) ended the last century, would there be a remnant in the 21st century? Can parts of two different eras of the COG exist at that same time? Are all COGs the same as far as God is concerned? Did Herbert W. Armstrong and the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God point to Philadelphians being around until fleeing to the wilderness before the Great Tribulation? What are scriptural reasons why there must be a Philadelphia remnant? What did dreams have to do with the old Radio Church of God and the Continuing Church of God (CCOG)? What is different about Bob Thiel being a prophet? What are ways that the CCOG differs from other COGs? Did Habakkuk predict that the work would be revived? Was there a gap in the dream that Loma D. Armstrong had? Is the CCOG preparing for the short work of Romans 9:28 while also reaching Gentiles consistent with Romans 11:25? What group is getting the Ezekiel warning out? What about the 18 restored truths? Are there any important truths that were restored in the CCOG in the 21st century? Are there are any parallels to Zerubbabel? Why will the lukewarm Laodiceans not finish the warning and gospel proclamation gospel? Could there be a scriptural need for a Philadelphia remnant left now because the short-work of Romans 9:28 needs to be done, Matthew 24:14 still needs to be fulfilled, God promised to pour out His Spirit and give dreams and prophecies in the end before Jesus returned (cf. Acts 2:17-18), an end time Zerubbabel would be part of the Philadelphia remnant to rebuild the second spiritual temple–which would NOT look anywhere near as impressive as the previous temple physically (Haggai 2:3-4,9), all things needed to be restored (Matthew 17:11), and the mantle held, the full number of Gentiles must come in (Romans 11:25), the end time Ezekiel watchman warning must go out (cf. Ezekiel chapters 3, 5, 6, and 33), the Philadelphian remnant is to be targeted by the Beast power before (Daniel 7:25a, 11:29-35; Revelation 12:13-16) he goes to persecute the rest of the Christians (Revelation 12:17, 13:5-10, 14:12-13), and that the Philadelphians are the only one that Jesus promises protection from the coming hour of trial (Revelation 3:10) – and that has not happened yet? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: The Philadelphia Remnant.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Why is there a Philadelphian remnant of the true Christian Church of God? Did the old Worldwide Church of God essentially predict a Philadelphian remnant? Is a Philadelphian remnant needed for end-time prophecies to be fulfilled? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Philadelphia Remnant.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant Though the era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D., but a remnant has continued. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God were part of the era, and now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a related sermon: Philadelphia Church Era: History & Teachings.
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV),  “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs? The Statement gives answers. Here is a related link in Spanish/españolDeclaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a printed booklet, which is available free online, titled: Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church 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.
Old Testament Church Eras Are there seven church eras in the Old Testament? Do they parallel those in Revelation 2 &3?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3
 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. There is also a YouTube video: The Seven Church Eras of Revelation. There is also a version in the Spanish language: Las Siete Iglesias de Apocalipsis 2 & 3.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: Ephesus Church Era.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc. Here is a link to a related video sermon: The Smyrna Church Era.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church. Here is a link to a related sermon video: Pergamos Era and the Antichrist.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition. It claimed succession from the apostles. Here is a link toa related sermon: Thyatira, Succession, and Jezebel.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day BaptistsSeventh-day AdventistsCG7-SalemJerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?

Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church. Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.

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

Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.

Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The 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 they develop love, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 160 different languages there.