Church of God News

COGwriter

Yesterday, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost became Pope Leone, Pope Leo XIV.

This post has a lot of information from my brand new book, available on Amazon Kindle for $3.99, titled The Last Pope of the Malachy Prophecies: Do Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Leo XIV?

One wonders if he took that name, at least partially, because of Pope Leo XIII. Here is some information on him:

Pope Leo XIII … is well known for his intellectualism and his attempts to define the position of the Catholic Church with regard to modern thinking.  … He influenced the Mariology of the Catholic Church and promoted both the rosary and the scapular. … Leo XIII is particularly remembered for his belief that pastoral activity in political sociology was also a vital mission of the church as a vehicle of social justice and maintaining the rights and dignities of the human person. Leo XIII issued a record of eleven papal encyclicals on the rosary, earning him the title of the “Rosary Pope”. In addition, he approved two new Marian scapulars. (Pope Leo XIII. Wikipedia, accessed 05/08/25)

Prior to becoming pope, Leo XIII helped arrange an ecumenical meeting which has been called the First Vatican Council.

Robert Prevost, himself was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 14, 1955, the son of Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martinez. He is the first ever pope from the United States. Robert Prevost is a dual citizen as he also holds a Peruvian passport.

His father is of French and Italian ancestry, which could be interpreted that he is some type of Roman, ethnically, from Italy. But also in the sense that parts of France and Italy were long in the so-called Holy Roman Empire. Expect, that if there is a long reign, Pope Leo XIV to promote Europe and a type of revived ‘Holy Roman Empire.’

He served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, and was general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013. Spanish Augustinians first went to Peru in 1551. The order has, in particular, spread internationally the veneration of the ‘Mary’ under the title of Our Lady of Good Counsel.

There have been complaints that Robert Prevost was too tolerant of and not punitive enough against a couple of clergy members involved in sexual abuse. But that is not an uncommon charge against American bishops.

While not known for being particularly Marian, Leo XIV will take some Marian-type steps if he reigns very long.

Upon becoming Pope Leo XIV, he called for people to build bridges through dialogue. Note that the term Ponifex Maximus literally means “Greatest Bridge Builder.”

Leo XIV will be ecumenical. And, because of the Augustine Order connection, militant in some ways.

Because of the timing of his papal election, Pope Leo XIV could possibly fulfill biblical prophecies about a particular False Prophet, the final Antichrist.

But we will need to see if he ends up doing “great signs” and wonders:

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. ¹³ He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. ¹⁴ And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:11-17)

If Pope Leo XIV does not perform “great signs” and never calls fire down from heaven, then he could not be the final Antichrist and would not be the last Pontifex Maximus. But if he does those signs, that would point to him being the final Antichrist.

Now, there is a list of pontiffs that an Irish Roman Catholic bishop named Malachy put together in the 12th century. Over a decade ago, I bought a copy of the book shown above related to the Malachy predictions of 112 future popes.

Though various Roman Catholics believe that the list was divinely inspired, and this also seems to have been the position of the Protestant prophetic writer Hal Lindsey, many (including this author) do not believe that the list was from God. Many make light of the list for a variety of reasons.

Even the expression “malarkey” seems to have originated as a derivative of the word Malachy, possibly because of how some viewed Malachy’s writings. Malarkey signifies worthlessness.

Yet, his list has been remarkably accurate–though one has to include a few “antipopes” for it to work.

I have long believed that the list was demonically-inspired–hence I do not rely on it.

Now there are several similarities between the prophecy of Bishop Malachy related to the last pope and statements in the chapter 17 of the Book of Revelation (also known as the Apocalypse).

Let us look at the entire prediction of the final pope by Bishop Malachy as reported in The Catholic Encyclopedia:

“In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations, after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End.”

Now let us notice that the Bible warns about something happening in the end time that is consistent with parts of the Malachy prophecy.

1 And there came one of the seven angels, who had the seven vials, and spoke with me, saying: Come, I will shew thee the condemnation of the great harlot, who sitteth upon many waters, 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication; and they who inhabit the earth, have been made drunk with the whine of her whoredom.

3 And he took me away in spirit into the desert. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  4 And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scarlet, and gilt with gold, and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of the abomination and filthiness of her fornication.  5 And on her forehead a name was written: A mystery; Babylon the great, the mother of the fornications, and the abominations of the earth.  6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And I wondered, when I had seen her, with great admiration.

7 And the angel said to me: Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast which carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.  8 The beast, which thou sawest, was, and is not, and shall come up out of the bottomless pit, and go into destruction: and the inhabitants on the earth (whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world) shall wonder, seeing the beast that was, and is not.

9 And here is the understanding that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, upon which the woman sitteth, and they are seven kings:  10 Five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come: and when he is come, he must remain a short time.  11 And the beast which was, and is not: the same also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but shall receive power as kings one hour after the beast. 13 These have one design: and their strength and power they shall deliver to the beast.  14 These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and elect, and faithful.

15 And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and nations, and tongues.  16 And the ten horns which thou sawest in the beast: these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her with fire.  17 For God hath given into their hearts to do that which pleaseth him: that they give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God be fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest, is the great city, which hath kingdom over the kings of the earth.  (Revelation 17:1-18, DRB)

In both Malachy’s list and the Book of Revelation we see:

1. Reference to the city of seven hills/mountains.
2. The destruction of the city of seven hills/mountains.
3. The end of a power in Rome.
4. Persecution.
5. Troubles/tribulations on the earth.
6. A type of judgment.
7. Events for the end time.

The persecution that the Bible tells of is of the truly faithful (Revelation 17:6 and seemingly others per 17:16-17). And the judgment that the Bible shows will happen, will also come from God (Revelation 17:1,14; cf. 6:10; 18:10).

Earlier this year, some thought that the Malachy listed pointed to the end coming in 2027. Related to that and other prophetic matters, we put out the following related video:

Here is a link to our video: Malachy Prophecy, Francis, Doom in 2027?

In my previous ‘Last Pope’ book of 2013, I wrote:

Pope Francis I … if he does not perform various signs and wonders, the Bible is clear that he certainly would not be (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:13-16).

The same is true for Leo XIV.

That said, my book about the Malachy prophecies and how Pope Leo XIV could be the one to fulfill the last one is now available on Amazon Kindle: The Last Pope of the Malachy Prophecies: Do Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Leo XIV?

A print version should be available soon.

Some items of related interest may include:

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.

(Unsplash photo)

COGwriter

Notice something from Nick Giambruno:

The Two Catalysts Driving the Next Great Monetary Reset

May 8, 2025

All of this points to something big on the horizon, driven by two key catalysts. We’re entering a pivotal moment—one where the economic, monetary, and geopolitical landscape is shifting. These changes aren’t random or isolated; they are the result of deep structural pressures that have been building for decades. While the signs have been there for some time, recent developments make it clear that the system can no longer hold as-is. A reset is not only possible—it’s likely. And two key forces are pushing us there faster than most realize. The first is the long-ignored, but now unavoidable, debt crisis. The second is the Trump administration’s strong belief that an overvalued dollar has hollowed out the US economy, weakening exports, offshoring jobs, and undermining American industry. Let’s break down these two powerful catalysts driving the next great monetary reset—starting with the one that has silently eroded America’s financial foundation for decades: the debt.

Doug Casey stated:

Doug Casey on the Debt Spiral, Treasury Market Stress, and a New Financial Order

May 7, 2025

I wouldn’t own bonds at this point. They’re at least a triple threat to your money.

The first risk is interest rates. I think, for a number of reasons, interest rates are headed back up to the levels of the early 1980s, when the US government was paying almost 20% for its money. They trended down to near zero over 40 years, and the long-term trend has reversed.

Second is the rate of inflation. The government will continue running giant deficits, regardless of DOGE’s best efforts. Those deficits will necessarily be monetized. Monetary inflation is headed up, and the dollar is headed down.

Third is the default risk. There’s no guarantee that all that debt out there, even from the US government, will be paid off. In fact, I’m confident it won’t be. It can’t be, unless the dollar is destroyed—which is the worst alternative. …

You shouldn’t have confidence in the US government or its debt at this point, notwithstanding the best efforts of DOGE—which are wonderful, but I believe will fail catastrophically.

Can a president influence interest rates? Not really. If Trump wants lower rates, the US government has to radically cut its spending, its size, its currency debasement, and its taxes. None of that is going to happen, however, so there’s no reason to have confidence in the dollar. …

Treasuries are already losing their foundational role in the international monetary system. Why? Because dollars, not Boeings or soybeans, have been the major US export for the last 40 years.

There’s a huge overhang of many trillions in the hands of foreigners who, unlike US citizens, don’t have to hold US dollars or US bonds. And at some point—when confidence collapses, and there are lots of reasons it will—they’ll start unloading those Treasuries. Those dollars will come home to roost, taking prices to unbelievable levels and transferring physical assets in the US into the hands of foreigners and out of the hands of Americans.

What would the investment implications be of such a shift?

Well, it’s regrettable, but almost inevitable that it will happen. The investment implications are catastrophic for Americans and anybody who owns US dollars or US debt.

I therefore continue to own gold and Bitcoin. As far as other investments are concerned, almost everything today is a speculation. You can forget about the word “investment.”

As the debt spiral accelerates and confidence in fiat erodes, Doug believes gold is not just a safe haven—but a necessary lifeboat.

Yes, what the USA is doing is unsustainable and worse than most believe.

But at least some are wondering.

And while I do not have confidence in the longevity of Bitcoin, for a time gold will retain value AFTER the US dollar is worthless.

Of course, others like Bitcoin as much or more. Related to that the Continuing Church of God put out 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?

The USA is the most indebted nation in the history of humanity. Rising interest rates increase the debt and look to one day result in a debt spiral that will be a factor in the elimination of the USA!

This increasing of debt cannot go on forever.

Even when he was President of the United States, Barack Obama said the levels of debt his Administration oversaw was “unsustainable,” yet the debt keeps going up.

Notice the following levels of official US debt:

• January 20, 2009, $10,626,877,048,913.08, date Obama-Biden Administration inaugurated.
• January 19, 2017, $19,944,429,217,106.77, date Obama-Biden leave office, replaced the next day by Trump-Pence.
• January 19, 2021, $27,752,835,868,445.35, the date  Trump-Pence leave office, replaced the next day by Biden-Harris.
• January 17, 2025, $36,206,593,315,575.15, the last business date for the Biden-Harris Administration (see also  https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny)

And it has gone up billions more since January 17, 2025–the last business day before Donald Trump assumed office again.

Official US debt nearly doubled under the Obama-Biden Administration. It also greatly increased by about the same amount in only four years under the Trump-Pence Administration. Debt went up over $8 trillion during the Biden-Harris Administration and is expected to increase greatly.

The Bible warns about debt and disobedience:

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

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

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

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

Now, you may wish to read and re-read something that the prophet Habakkuk was inspired to write over 2600 years ago:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you. Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

9 “Woe to him who covets evil gain for his house, That he may set his nest on high, That he may be delivered from the power of disaster! 10 You give shameful counsel to your house, Cutting off many peoples, And sin against your soul. 11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, And the beam from the timbers will answer it. (Habakkuk 2:9-11)

The above prophecy will be fulfilled at the time of the end (cf. “The message was true, but the appointed time was long…in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come,” Daniel 10:1,14). Daniel 8:19, 11:27,29,35 use the same Hebrew term for “appointed time” as Habakkuk 2:3, while Daniel 10, using a different term, ties the latter days to the time in Daniel 8:19. Habakkuk 2 was not fulfilled in its entirety anciently.

And that is not a new idea. The Dead Sea Scrolls discovered last century were helpful in various ways, and included something related to Habakkuk.

Dead Sea Scrolls’ Commentary on Habakkuk

The Dead Sea scrolls have the following in a Commentary on Habakkuk from roughly 2000 years ago. The following was translated in the 1950s by F.F. Bruce:

God commanded Habakkuk to write the things that were coming upon the last generation, but the fulfilment of the epoch he did not make known to him. (1Q p Hab. vii 1-5)

While ancient commentaries like this are NOT scripture, this particular one shows that those who understood the Hebrew language, around 2000 years ago, believed that Habakkuk’s words had NOT been fulfilled then and were for the time of the end.

As far as to who these passages in Habakkuk are directed to in the end, it makes little sense that these verses in Habakkuk 2 would be directed towards the modern nation of Israel as it does not have enemy creditors. It must be a nation or group of nations with some prominence at the appointed time of the end. As far as “violence of the land” as a contributing factor, this would seem to include crime, military missions, and perhaps riots/civil unrest, but might it also include promotion of violent sports? Is the USA government not giving shameful counsel regarding matters such as homosexuality and abortion?

Since the USA is the most indebted nation of all time, and since the tiny nation of Israel does not have enemy creditors, it is logical that the prophecy in Habakkuk is directed towards the USA.

And the timing?

Well, years before I saw the Dead Sea document, I concluded that because Habakkuk 2 states it is for the appointed time of the end, that it pertained to our current generation.

After Jesus warned about the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8), other problems (Matthew 24:9-13), the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22), His return (Matthew 24:29-31), etc. He stated:

32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near — at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  (Matthew 24:32-35)

The sorrows have begun, we are in that GENERATION.

In light of that, consider that the Book of Proverbs teaches:

12 There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13 There is a generation — oh, how lofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.

15 The leech has two daughters —
Give and Give!

There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”: (Proverbs 30:12-15)

It appears that for many USA politicians the debt is never enough.

This will not end well for the USA.

Related to USA debt, we put together the following video:

14:44

And the Debt Goes On …

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

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

While some have claimed that Habakkuk 2 is really only a prophecy for the Babylonian Beast (or ancient Chaldea), that is in error for several reasons. The fact that the prophecy will tarry (seems like it takes a long time to fulfill) shows that this cannot be a prophecy for “the end time Babylonian Beast” as some have asserted because the end time Beast will not be accumulating debt for many years before it is taken over, whereas the USA has been doing so for decades–the Babylonian Beast will not have power for but a fraction of that time.

The Bible shows that the Babylonian Beast power will be taken over by Russia and nations all around the world and it will not be because of monetary reasons:

50:41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance;
They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

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

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

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

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

Thus, end time daughter of Babylon will not be taken over because of debt from creditors as the attack will not be related to wanting money!

But, debt will be a factor in taking over the USA per Habakkuk 2 and Deuteronomy 28!

Perhaps it should be pointed out that the old Radio Church of God did teach that Habakkuk 1 had future fulfillment and tied it in with Isaiah 10 (Hoeh H. The Race Question. Plain Truth, July 1957 p. 22)–which WCG tied in with the coming destruction of the USA.

Furthermore, the old Worldwide Church of God did clearly teach that Habakkuk 2 had future application:

Habakkuk … God also said that this vision was to be written for our benefit today. … (Habakkuk 2:3). God showed Habakkuk that He will punish all the unrighteous at the end-time. … (Habukkuk 2:8, 10, 16-17) (Armstrong HW, editor in chief. THE MINOR PROPHETS SPEAK TO US! Youth Bible Lessons, Level 7, Lesson 9, 1986, p. 4)

So, yes, the old WCG understood that Habakkuk 2 was prophetic for the end time–not that it was fully fulfilled thousands of years ago (which many in certain COGs wrongly believe).

On the other hand, some will discount Habakkuk because it is prophetic.

Do you believe the words that God inspired Habakkuk to write? If so, do you really understand what is going to happen to the USA, UK, and their Anglo-descended allies relatively soon?

There is also a YouTube video related to this: Was USA debt and destruction predicted 2,600 years ago?

The days of the USA are numbered and are almost up.

The rising USA debt cannot continue indefinitely–there is a major price to pay.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.
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.
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.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

ZeroHedge reported the following:

Trump Unveils U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal

May 8, 2025

Trump announced in the Oval Office that the U.S. and the U.K. have finalized a “great deal” on trade.

Highlights of Trump’s announcement (courtesy of Bloomberg):

• Trump says the UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non tariff barriers that discriminated against American products
• “Today’s agreement with the UK is the first in a series of agreements on trade,” Trump says
• “The final details are being written up. In the coming weeks we’ll have it very conclusive,” Trump says
• Tade deal will lead to the creation of an aluminum and steel trading zone, and a secure pharmaceutical supply chain, Trump says

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick spoke after Trump:

• Our 10% tariffs on the UK will stay on 
• Says the UK will purchase $10 billion in Boeing planes

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/trump-reveal-major-trade-deal-between-us-uk

This is not unexpected.

Notice something I predicted in my December 2024 post titled 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

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

Donald Trump feels that the USA and UK have a special relationship and he will look to make a more favorable trade deal with the UK than with the rest of Europe. https://www.swineweb.com/canada/canada-faces-growing-trade-tensions-with-u-s-diversification-becomes-key-priority/

That has been happening and with the UK it now has.

As far as Canada goes, Donald Trump met Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney this week. And despite differences:

May 8, 2025

Canadian Prime Minister Carney is said to have a strong working relationship with U.S. President Trump. This rapport could help maintain some continuity in trade relations.

That said, Donald Trump has pushed Canada and much of the world away from the USA. Yet, Canada still wants to, and needs to, trade with the USA or its economy will collapse.

Perhaps the trade deal with the UK will let Canada see basically what Donald Trump is looking for.

Now, why did I write that the UK and USA would make a trade deal, which now has happened?

Well, for one reason, the Apostle Peter wrote:

19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).

This is the case with the Continuing Church of God as we do rely on the word of God for doctrine as well as prophecy.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

25 items to prophetically watch in 2025 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 25 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon video: 25 Items to Watch in 2025.
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.
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?
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Freemason brotherhood symbol

COGwriter

France’s President Macron reportedly spoke to Freemasons and encouraged Freemasonry:

Emmanuel Macron spoke to Freemasons saying ‘Liberty and secularism are inseparable. Secular France is the natural daughter of the Republic.’

May 5, 2025

Emmanuel Macron made French history today by becoming the first president of the Republic of France to visit the 32,000 member strong French Lodge of Freemasonry where he gave a speech calling for Freemasons to help keep France a ‘secular Republic’. Macron gave rousing support to the Grand Lodge members assembled there, telling them that they are a noble and necessary force who stand against baseless conspiracy theories. He also thanked Freemasons for their tireless support of the Euthanasia Bill France will vote for on May 27th. …

“The dialogue between the Republic and Freemasonry is polished by a complicity that is in no way a conspiracy,” declared Emmanuel Macron, the first president to address the Grand Lodge of France. “Freemasonry is leading a vital struggle for the benefit of humanity”, he said. President Macron also urged Freemasons to “take pride in their endorsement of the euthanasia legislation”, describing it as ‘a matter of utmost importance.” …

Emmanuel Macron called on Freemasons on Monday, May 5, to be the “watchdogs” of secularism in the face of the “trap of identity-based interpretation.”

“I ask you to be ambassadors of secularism,” to demonstrate that “this is not a law of exclusion but of assembly,” to “continually repeat that the only word that fits secularism is that of freedom,” declared the Head of State during a speech before the Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of France. …

“Secular France is the natural daughter of the Republic. Let us beware of the trap being prepared by those who would like to interpret the 1905 law in terms of identity under the pretext of secularizing society, with the sole aim of attacking religions and beliefs, particularly in the name of their alleged incompatibility with the values ​​of the Republic,” Emmanuel Macron insisted. https://www.nowtheendbegins.com/emmanuel-macron-tells-freemasons-that-liberty-and-secularism-natural-daughter-of-french-republic/

The original article is in French–here is a link  READ MORE.

Freemasonry is a ‘secret society’ (meaning that although the group itself is known, its members are sworn to secrecy about much of what it is and does). It is not actually supposed to be secular as, even though atheists have been allowed to become members, one is supposed to acknowledge some type of ‘god’ in order to be a member.

The Freemasons have the word “Free” as centuries ago, actual masons were allowed to freely cross national borders in order to build massive buildings. While modern Freemasons are rarely builders of massive monuments anymore, they kept the term “Free,” which seems to imply they are free to learn more about the practices, etc. of Masonry.

Here is some information from an actual Freemason website:

What is Freemasonry?

Freemasonry is the oldest, largest and most widely recognized fraternal organization in the world. Founded in London, England in 1717, its current worldwide membership totals 3.6 million members, 1.6 million of which are in North America. …

As a fraternal organization, Freemasonry unites men of good character who, though of different religious, ethnic, or social backgrounds, share a belief in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of mankind.

The traditions of Freemasonry are founded upon the building of King Solomon’s Temple, and its fraternal ceremonies use the working tools of the stonemasons to symbolize moral lessons and truths. For example, Masons are reminded at Lodge to “meet upon the level of equality, act by the plumb of uprightness, and part upon the square of virtue.” https://www.freemason.com/how-to-join/what-is-freemasonry/ access 08/25/18

Historically, there were some ties between the Freemasons and a group called the Illuminati in the 18th century. Some claim that the Freemasons are the Illuminati. Others believe that the Illuminati are like a subset of the Freemasons, whereas others feel that the Illuminati per se, no longer exist, but that many of their ideas live on in Freemasonry.

That said, Joe Biden was given a membership in the Freemasons earlier this year, according to Zenit, a pro-Vatican news source:

Joe Biden Formally Joins Freemasonry the Day Before Leaving the Presidency of the United States Biden’s adherence to a Masonic Lodge has been interpreted by many as a confirmation of the criticisms that point him out as a “false Catholic.” During his mandate, Biden supported progressive policies that included the defense of abortion, unions between same-sec persons under the name of “marriage” and euthanasia, topics that are directly opposed to Catholic Doctrine.

(ZENIT News / Washington, DC, 25.01.2025).-A Masonic Lodge of the United States announced former President Joe Biden’s adherence to it on January 19. The Controversy Around Joe Biden: His Joining of Freemasonry and the Questioning of His Catholic Identity The announcement that U.S. President Joe Biden officially joined the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge in South Carolina on January 19 of this year has generated intense debate in religious and political circles. This decision again puts at the center attention on the historical tensions between the Catholic Church and Masonry, as well as Biden’s role as leader that, despite saying he is a practicing Catholic, has been questioned for his political positions and decisions.

For centuries the Catholic Church has maintained its forceful stance against Freemasonry. …

Biden’s adherence to a Masonic Lodge has been interpreted by many as a confirmation of the criticisms that point him out as a “false Catholic.” During his mandate, Biden supported progressive policies that included the defense of abortion, unions between same-sec persons under the name of “marriage” and euthanasia, topics that are directly opposed to Catholic Doctrine. Moreover, his role in approving the sending of weapons to areas of conflict has been questioned by religious sectors, which accuse him of promoting “death policies.” https://zenit.org/2025/01/25/joe-biden-formally-joins-freemasonry-the-day-before-leaving-the-presidency-of-the-united-states/

There is a photograph of Joe Biden receiving what seems to be some type of membership in the link above.

There have long been Roman Catholic concerns about Freemasonry:

June 1, 2019

For the past 300 years, Freemasonry has done all in its power to do to the Catholic Church what the old heretics did to Christ, they wish to make it a merely human institution without divine powers. In this way, divorcing it from the divine assistance, they can overpower it. https://fsspx.news/en/news-events/news/ephesus-fatima-48248

Roman Catholics, historically, have considered the Freemasons to be a threat.

The Bible tells of one to arise in Europe who will deceitfully arise promoting peace:

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)

Some small group is going to back this leader. It is not certain that it is Freemasons or the Illuminati or something like that, but somehow there are supporters of the Beast’s agenda.

Consider that the Bible warns of a power with a compromised religion (Revelation 17) that is involved in politics:

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:1-5)

It would seem reasonable that both the Vatican and the Freemasons would support this.

A leading Freemason has publicly endorsed a cardinal for the papacy:

Leading Freemason supports Cardinal Parolin for Pope, says Francis had masonic ties

May 6, 2025

Cardinal Pietro Parolin is a leading Italian Freemason’s choice for Pope, and the former Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy has also hinted that the late Pope Francis may have been a Freemason himself.

In an interview published by the Italian Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper on May 3, 2025,  Giuliano Di Bernardo, a leader in masonic circles, revealed that he is a close friend of Cardinal Pietro Parolin. He said that he and Cardinal Parolin have known each other for at least twenty years and have mutual respect for each other.

“If the Church still has a glimmer of rationality, it must elect Pietro Parolin as Pope. It is the only way to restore its authority,” he declared. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/leading-freemason-supports-cardinal-parolin-for-pope-says-francis-had-masonic-ties/?utm_source=featured-news&utm_campaign=usa

It is possible that Giuliano Di Bernardo did this on purpose to endorse Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Yet, it at least as possible that he did this to misdirect the cardinals to push someone else the Freemasons really want. We will see.

Let me add that it has long been my position, based on scriptures such as Daniel 11:38, that the Beast leader would, temporarily, feign Roman Catholicism. So much so, that he would perhaps initiate a ‘new order’ within Roman Catholicism.

I do not believe he will truly be a believer in Roman Catholicism, but will use that faith and persuade it to compromise. He and the false prophet/beast of the earth, will promote a compromised version of Roman Catholicism, but not really even believe that.

Vatican involvement is clearly shown with the beast:

7 … I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her … 9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. (Revelation 17:7,9)

According to even Roman Catholic scholars the seven mountains/hills are a reference to Rome.

Notice a similarity to how the Beast gains his power and what we previously read in Daniel 11:23-24:

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)

Both the Vatican and the Freemasons have supported the European Union and various European goals.

Now, although the beast and supporters appear to be in league with the Vatican (as the first 13 verses of Revelation 17 support), notice that supporters of the Beast will turn against the Church of Rome:

15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:15-18)

Well “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” is a reference to the compromised Church of Rome.

Now, presuming that there is Masonic support for the rise of the Beast, there may also be Masonic support for the destruction of the Church of Rome.

Satan will one day, in my opinion, also exploit the historical animosity between the Masons and the Vatican.

Notice the following from our free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

The World Worships the Beast

The Book of Revelation teaches:

⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)

The “him” above is the Babylonian European Beast.

The “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) has worked to set the stage for this Beast to have secular and religious supporters of various types.

Secular organizations such as the World Economic Forum (WEF),[i] United Nations,[ii] and the Bilderberg Group[iii] all support a type of a somewhat ecumenical-interfaith-merged religion, allowing for certain differences, yet possibly writing their own holy book with artificial intelligence! [iv] They all promote what could be called a ‘globalist’ agenda, consistent with prophecies (e.g. Revelation 17:1-5).

The European Union does as well, however, its view is that Europe should lead a coming “new world order.”[v]

In May of 2022, World Economic Forum’s founder Klaus Schwab, who is German, said he wanted to make it “clear” — “the future is built by us.”[vi] And the WEF will work with others, like European politicians, to make that happen. WEF Chief Executive Philippe Donnet wrote related to global governance, “The world needs a leader. Europe should step up … Global leadership, especially in socioeconomic terms, could become the shared goal of European citizens.”[vii]

Furthermore, the WEF has wanted Roman Catholic involvement and Pope Francis has, at least twice, sent Klaus Schwab pro-WEF letters.[viii]

In 2020 Prince Charles, now king Charles III, endorsed the WEF’s globalist ‘Great Reset” agenda.[ix] There are prophecies about some of the UK (Ephraim) calling out to Germany (Assyria) after the start of the Great Tribulation (cf. Hosea 5:13). It is likely that at least one or more members of the British royal family will do this, though it will not turn out as they would have hoped (cf. Hosea 5:13b, 11:5).

Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, who has pushed for more European integration, has personally spoken at a WEF meeting a decade ago[x] and was still listed as part of the WEF on its website in 2023.[xi] Herr Guttenberg also has directly called for Europe to reorganize.[xii]

The WEF has called its version of a reorganized world The Great Reset.[xiii] Many aspects of The Great Reset align with a future the Bible warns against. In 2021, the WEF announced it would work with Big Tech and governments to be able to control and censor the internet[xiv]—such control would seem to contribute to the coming “famine of the word” (Amos 8:11-12).

In 2022, Klaus Schwab told the G20 (a group of the most influential/powerful government leaders of the world) that he believed that “a deep systemic and structural restructuring of our world” was needed.[xv] While a deep European restructuring will occur (cf. Revelation 17:12-13), it is scripturally warned against. In 2023 in a keynote speech at the World Government Summit, Klaus Schwab stated, “I agree, artificial intelligence, but not only artificial intelligence, but also the metaverse, neospace technologies, and I could go on and on … And, who masters those technologies, in some way, will be the master of the world”[xvi]–and that is basically what he called for. Bible prophecy points to computer technologies to be used by the coming Beast power (cf. Revelation 13:16-18).

On the opening day of the WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland in 2023, Klaus Schwab called for his supporters to “master the future,”[xvii] which looks to be directed towards globalist totalitarianism. On the closing day of that conference “Tanja Fajon, Slovenia’s minister of foreign affairs, complained about countries placing their own sovereignty over the interests of the ‘world order,’ “ [xviii] (the loss of national sovereignty will happen at least in Europe according to prophecies such as Revelation 17:12-13).

Another 2023 WEF Davos speaker, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (Pakistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs) stated shortly after Tanja Fajon, “Here at WEF…there’s a lot of discussion about what the new world order will be…” and he also stated that that they needed to continue working towards, “building this new world order.” [xix] Having watched the video clip of this, Bilawal Zardari also looked to be calling for something consistent with the final time of the Gentiles (Ezekiel 30:3). By not appreciating warnings contained in biblical prophecies, many are pushing in a direction that will end in death and destruction that the Bible says to flee from (cf. Revelation 18:2-19).

It needs to be pointed out that this book is not asserting that the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Freemasons, Bilderberg Group, etc. cannot do anything good. They do have many positive goals, yet also some goals that are opposed by scripture. Despite the good, the Bible warns:

¹ Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; (Psalm 127:1)

And, since these groups do not promote the supremacy of the God of the Bible, they, in that sense, labor in vain.

Related to goals of the New Age movement, consider the following:

A number of fundamental beliefs are held by many New Age followers…

• Universal Religion: Since all is God, then only one reality exists, and all religions are simply different paths to that ultimate reality. …
• New World OrderAs the Age of Aquariusunfolds, a New Age will develop. This will be a utopia in which there is world government, and end to wars, disease, hunger, pollution, and poverty. People’s allegiance to their tribe or nation will be replaced by a concern for the entire world and its people.[xx]

This also sounds consistent with what the Freemasons say they want:

What is the Mission of Freemasonry? To promote a way of life that binds like-minded men in a worldwide brotherhood that transcends all religious, ethnic, cultural, social and educational differences; by teaching the great principles of brotherly love, relief and truth; and, by the outward expression of these through its fellowship, to find ways in which to serve God, family, country, neighbors and self.[xxi]

There has, historically, been friction between the Freemasons and the Vatican, though this has lessened under Pope Francis.[xxii] However, Freemasons, and others without strong ties to the Church of the City of Seven Hills (Rome), are likely to be among those that will one day betray it after the Beast is more fully in power and an antipope is in place consistent with Revelation 17:16-18.

[i] Yanklowitz S. Global unity or chaos: Special report from the World Economic Forum! Jewish Journal, September 6, 2011

[ii] Secretary-General briefs Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. United Nations, January 26, 2016

[iii] Richardson I, et al. Bilderberg People. Taylor & Francis, 2013

[iv] Global Agenda: Role of Faith in Systemic Global Challenges World Economic Forum, June 2016; Campbell M. WEF speaker suggests ‘New Bible’ written by AI. The Counter Signal, June 13, 2023

[v] Balázs P. ed. Europe’s Position in the New World Order. Center for EU Enlargement Studies, 2013

[vi] Klaus Schwab at World Economic Forum: ‘The future is built by us.’ World Tribune, May 23, 2022

[vii] Donnet P. The world needs a leader. Europe should step up. WEF, January 17, 2018

[viii] To Professor Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum. From the Vatican, 12th January 2018; Franciscus PP. Message of His Holiness Pope Francis to Prof. Klaus Schwab. From the Vatican, 17 January 2014

[ix] Alessi C. ‘A golden opportunity’ – HRH the Prince of Wales and other leaders on the Forum’s Great Reset. WEF, June 3, 2020

[x] Stott M. German minister fears “infectious momentum” in Mideast. Reuters, January 28, 2011

[xi] Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg. World Economic Forum https://www.weforum.org/people/karl-theodor-zu-guttenberg accessed 01/21/23

[xii] Centrifugal Force An Interview with Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. Octavian Report, c. 2017; Octavian Report video on November 15, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTL_CgBwmxo

[xiii] Scwab K, Malleret T. COVID-19: The Great Reset. Agentur Schweiz, 2020

[xiv] Hohmann L. World Economic Forum (WEF) Announces Creation of Orwellian ‘Global Coalition for Digital Safety’ Global Research, 1 July 2021

[xv] Florio G. World Economic Forum Chairman Klaus Schwab Announces His Plans For A “Deep Systemic And Structural Restructuring Of Our World” At The G20 Summit. Evie magazine, November 15, 2022

[xvi] Parker T. Klaus Schwab: Those who master new technologies “in some way, will be the master of the world.” Reclaim the Net, February 14, 2023

[xvii] Coglianese V. Editor Daily Rundown: Klaus Schwab Opens 2023 World Economic Forum With Call To ‘Master The Future’Daily Caller, January 17, 2023

[xviii] Dutton J. ‘New World Order’ Remarks at Davos Spark Flood of Conspiracy Theories. Newsweek, January 20, 2023

[xix] Dutton J. ‘New World Order’ Remarks at Davos Spark Flood of Conspiracy Theories. Newsweek, January 20, 2023

[xx] NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY a.k.a. Self-spirituality, New spirituality, Mind-body-spirit. Religious Tolerance.org http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm viewed 07/29/22

[xxi] Reading Lodge No. 254 Free and Accepted Masons of the State of California. https://reddinglodge.org/mission-and-vision-of-freemasonry/ accessed 08/01/22

[xxii] Why do the Freemasons Love Pope Francis? OnePeter5, April 7, 2017

The Continuing Church of God also put out the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:16:04

Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome

What is Freemasonry? How long has it been around? Does Freemasonry point to cataclysms, such as Armageddon in 2022? Were many US founders and presidents Freemasons? Is there a difference between the USA/UK Freemasons and those in continental Europe? Can a biblical Christian be a Freemason? Are Roman Catholics allowed to be Freemasons? Do the Freemasons have a plan that includes an ecumenical Pope? Are Rotarians Freemasons? What about the Illuminati? Are many conspiracies about the Freemasons false? Could Freemasonry play a role in the rise of Europe and the destruction of the Church of Seven Hills?

Here is a link to the sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.

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

14:58

Freemasons and Vatican Officials Seek Cooperation

On February 16, 2024, some high-level clergy of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy met with three Grand Masters of the Freemasons. Since the Vatican has prohibited its members from being Freemasons, why might this be? Are there related ‘globalist’ interests? Do the Freemasons assert that Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti (Brothers All), saying the Church had finally embraced “universal fraternity” is in line with “the great principle of modern Freemasonry”? Are there any biblical reasons to consider that the Church of Rome and the Freemasons may cooperate? What is Freemasonry according to the Freemasons? Could at least one of the kings mentioned in Revelation 17:12 be a Freemason or at least have ties to it? Are there any scriptures that suggest that the Freemasons may betray the Church of Rome? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to the sermonette: Freemasons and Vatican Officials Seek Cooperation.

Destruction will hit Rome, and the Freemasons in Europe may well be major supporters of that.

It is interesting that France’s President Macron is publicly supporting the Freemasons, whereas as US President Joe Biden looks to have joined on his last day as president.

World events are aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies.

Some items of related interest may include:

Freemasonry and the Destruction of Rome? What is Freemasonry? What about ties to the Illuminati? Could they be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy? Here is a link to a related sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Another video is related to China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative (Silk Road project): watch Is China paving roads to Armageddon?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Mystery of Iniquity What is the mystery of iniquity? How did it start? How will it end? Two related sermons are also available: The Mystery of Iniquity and The Mystery of Lawlessness.
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.
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.

(BibleHub)

COGwriter

India launched missiles into Pakistan:

7 May 2025

In a dramatic overnight operation, India said it launched missile and air strikes on nine sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting what it called militant positions based on “credible intelligence”.

The strikes, lasting just 25 minutes between 01:05 and 01:30 India time (19:35 and 20:00 GMT on Tuesday), sent shockwaves through the region, with residents jolted awake by thunderous explosions.

Pakistan said only six locations were hit and claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets and a drone – a claim India has not confirmed.

Islamabad said 26 people were killed and 46 injured in Indian air strikes and shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) – the de facto border between India and Pakistan. Meanwhile, India’s army reported that 10 civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling on its side of the de facto border. …

The majority of experts agree that a retaliation from Pakistan is inevitable – and diplomacy will come into play.

“Pakistan’s response is sure to come. The challenge would be to manage the next level of escalation. This is where crisis diplomacy will matter,” says Mr Bisaria.

“Pakistan will be getting advice to exercise restraint. But the key will be the diplomacy after the Pakistani response to ensure that both countries don’t rapidly climb the ladder of escalation.” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd020710v1ko

May 7, 2025

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered his armed forces to prepare a plan for “self-defense” with “corresponding actions” in order “avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives”. The order was issued after an emergency National Security Commitee (NSC) meeting on Wednesday.

Although Jesus stated, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9), we are hearing a lot about wars and rumors of wars these days.

Jesus, of course, prophesied this would be the case:

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:6-8)

While the end is NOT yet, many are troubled.

And there are many conflicts around the world.

The USA keeps bombing the Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis have bombed Israel and other places.

Israel is often bombing Syria and Gaza.

Gaza is fighting Israel.

Hezbollah, of Lebanon, and Israel are often fighting.

Russia and Ukraine are fighting.

Haiti has, to a degree, been at least partially taken over by violent gangs.

The situation between Kosovo and Serbia remains tense.

There is fighting in Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (with alleged Rwandan support).

There continues to be concerns that China may try to take over Taiwan.

There are also Iran and the USA and Israel.

There are also terrorist forces of significance fighting in various countries of Africa, including Nigeria.

Syria still has remnants of its civil war and other issues.

Not only are there internal issues in Venezuela, it has made naval incursions and threats against parts of Guyana.

And there are other issues in Asia and elsewhere.

Notice the following prophecy from the Book of Revelation:

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

The literal Greek here for “peace” (εἰρήνην transliterated as eirēnēn) in Revelation 6 can be interpreted to mean taking away prosperity as well (see BibleHub.com).

Barnes Notes on the Bible states:

The power given to him that sat on the horse: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. This would seem to indicate that the condition immediately preceding this was a condition of tranquility, and that this was now disturbed by some cause producing discord and bloodshed. This idea is confirmed by the original words – τὴν εἰρήνην tēn eirēnēn – “the peace”; that is, the previously existing peace. When peace in general is referred to, the word is used without the article: Matthew 10:34, “Think not that I am come to send peace – βαλεῖν εἰρήνην balein eirēnēn – upon the earth.”

So, this rider is not just a rider of war, but taking away THE peace. Trade wars also reduce tranquility.

Revelation 6:3-4 is NOT prophesying constant physical warfare everywhere, though physical violence and warfare (consistent with Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21) will also occur.

But things will get worse than they are now.

Many suspect WWIII is soon:

6 May 2025

Between 41% and 55% of respondents in the five European countries polled: Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, said they thought another world war was very or fairly likely within the next five to 10 years, a view shared by 45% of Americans.

Majorities of 68% to 76% said they expected any new conflict would involve nuclear weapons, and between 57% and 73% also said a third world war would lead to greater loss of life than in 1939-1945. Many (25% to 44%) believed it would kill most people in the world.

Most people, ranging from 66% in Italy to 89% in the UK, said they would expect their country to be involved in such a war – but only minorities, from 16% in Italy to 44% in France, thought their armed forces would be able to defend them.

In contrast, 71% of Americans said they had confidence in the US military. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/06/majority-in-us-and-west-europe-think-third-world-war-likely-within-10-years-poll-ve-day

Are those in Europe and the USA who believe that World War Three will occur within a decade right?

Yes, I think so.

But it will not be the war that that they expect. WWIII will be Europe conquering the USA and its British-descended allies (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11). Many will see that they had false confidence as the USA military will be defeated.

Before then, we will see other conflicts, and even temporal peace in places like the Middle East (cf. Daniel 9:26-27).

Currently, in terms of escalation, the situation between Hamas and Israel is high–and it will worsen.

Related to the ceasefire deal they had earlier this year, we put out the following related video:

14:47

Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27

Peace at Last! Peace at Last! World News Item: Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire! But will this ceasefire really bring about peace in the mid-east? There are three phases to the ceasefire agreement. Is it possible that both Israel and Hamas will abide by the conditions set forth in all three phases? Would their past performance be any indication of their future performance? Dr. Thiel sheds the light of Bible prophecy on these world events in addition to giving us insight into a future peace deal spoken of in the book of Daniel. A peace deal between the King of the North and the King of the South. Will that peace deal result in peace? If the cease fire between Hamas and Israel and the peace deal between the Kings of the North and South don’t bring about peace – what will?

Here is a link to our video: Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27.

As warned in that video, the ceasefire did not last.

The old WCG put out the following:

Where is it all going to end? That was the question the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ posed in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. Christ’s answer, known as the Olivet Prophecy, is quite revealing. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars,” Christ said, referring to one of the prophetic signals that would herald the end of an age (verse 6).

Certainly there have always been wars. And certainly Christ’s words had particular meaning for that day and age. Within a few short decades Roman legions under the command of Titus sacked, burned and pillaged the city of Jerusalem.

But Jesus’ warning about war was also applicable to another period in history. In the book of Revelation, Christ, speaking through the apostle John, amplified some of His previous prophetic statements. In the sixth chapter, John writes: “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword” (Rev. 6:4).

John was not speaking about the fall of Jerusalem. That war was already some twenty years behind him. John was referring to future events that would bring 6000 years of human history crashing to a cataclysmic close. … John is referring to a time yet ahead of us when “peaceful coexistence” will be a thing of the past. …

It’s no wonder that Jeremiah, in referring to these tumultuous times, stated: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble …” (Jer. 30:7). (Ritter G. 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse – The Red Horse – War, pp. 48, 52; see also Ritter R. The War that could end it all. Good News, December 1975)

There may also be wars in parts of the world that have rarely had them (perhaps, for example, even between some South American nations), as well as wars in areas that have long been especially tense (like Korea, possibly involving other Asian nations). Damascus (capital of Syria) ultimately will be destroyed and could be a signal for destruction to come for Jacob (Isaiah 17:1-4). There will likely be civil unrest and perhaps rioting in scales not seen before, including within some Western nations (such as in Europe and North America). This will lead to military leaders rising up in various parts of the world. And one European (the final King of the North) will, after making one or more false peace deals/pronouncements (e.g. Daniel 9:26-27; 11:27; 1 Thessalonians 5:3), become the final Beast leader (Revelation 13:4) and he will take over many nations (Daniel 11:39-43).

We are getting closer to the start of the Great Tribulation than most people realize.

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

1:15

Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Revelation 6:1-8 shows the opening of four seals and discusses the rides of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Each of which appears to be associated with aspects of the “beginning of sorrows” that Jesus mentions in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What do each of the horsemen represent? Did the old Worldwide Church of God teach that these rides were still in the future in the late 21st century? Could any have began in the 21st century? Does the rider of the white horse represent Jesus or false religion? Are there ties to the interfaith and ecumenical movements? What might the bow the horseman has represent? Could this be a tie to Satan the Devil? What about the Beast and False Prophet? Has the “beginning of sorrows” started? Could the first seal be opened? Could COVID-19 have anything to do with the second seal? Has “the peace” been taken from the earth? Could the rider of the red horse have begun with an opening of the second seal? What about riots, looting wars, and rumors of war? Are food inflation, food shortages, and famines associated with the opening of the third seal and rider of the black horse of famine? Could human actions such as evolution teachings, genetically-modified crops, and viral research be factors in the rides of the four horsemen? Is more than death related to pestilences associated with the rider of the pale horse, the fourth seal? Why might this be a factor in 666? Will most people fail to recognize the rides of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse until it is too late to take action? What about the fifth seal and the start of the Great Tribulation? Are there problems with Roman and Eastern Orthodox prophecies concerning the end and the Great Monarch? What about prophecies related to Noah, the King of the North, Armageddon, and Antichrist? Dr. Thiel covers these issues and also includes some speculation and analysis.

Here is a link to the sermon video: Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

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

14:32

Donald Trump, Europe, and Nuclear Weapons?

Are European leaders quite concerned about a possible second Donald Trump presidency? Have any European leaders publicly proposed developing ‘Euronukes’ because of Donald Trump? Do European leaders believe that Europe should have nuclear weapons independent from the United States of America? Does the Bible prophesy anything like nuclear destruction coming to the USA and its British-descended allies? Do biblical prophecies really point to the USA being destroyed by its European friends in places like Daniel 11:39 and Lamentations 1:1-2? Do Europeans think they need to have nukes whether or not Donald Trump gets into office again? Did the late Herbert W. Armstrong state back in 1989 that the Great Tribulation could actually begin with a nuclear attack by the coming European King of the North Beast power against cities in the USA, UK, and Canada? Are the Europeans now increasing their military spending and considering adding their own nukes? Is there hope from the coming Kingdom of God and the return of Jesus? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Donald Trump, Europe, and Nuclear Weapons?

Devastation is coming.

However, the good news of the Kingdom of God is that Jesus will return and put a stop to the type of nuclear and/or other devastation that will happen during the Great Tribulation:

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29-30)

6…And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

Real peace is coming (check out the free online booklet: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God).

But the Great Tribulation, which will include something at least as bad as nuclear destruction, will come first.

Much is happening.

As Jesus stated:

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:37)

Some items of possibly related interest include the following:

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.
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.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

(Pixabay photo)

COGwriter

Euronews reported the following:

Is Trump destroying the dollar – and what does it mean for the euro?

6 May 2025

The US greenback — and its relationship with bond yields — has recently given economists much to chew over. The US dollar index, which measures the value of the greenback against six foreign currencies, has dropped more than 8% since January. Last month, it hit its lowest level in three years.

At the same time, US bond yields have been rising, defying a standard economic pattern. …

Against a backdrop of unconventional economic policies from US President Donald Trump, markets are now behaving more erratically. …

Dollar supremacy

The dollar cemented its status as the world’s reserve currency in 1944 at the Bretton Woods conference, an event which also brought about the creation of the IMF and the World Bank. Rather than linking world currencies to gold, delegates decided to peg them against the dollar. …

Trump is undermining the dollar …

Since the debt crisis of 2009, the euro has earned back investor confidence. The ECB now takes a more active role in supporting economies through bond-buying programmes, and the EU has shown its willingness to prop up flailing member states. …

Despite this, the euro still has a long way to go. https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/05/06/is-trump-destroying-the-dollar-and-what-does-it-mean-for-the-euro

In an email today, Nick Giambruno wrote:

The Two Catalysts Driving the Next Great Monetary Reset

May 6, 2025

All of this points to something big on the horizon, driven by two key catalysts.

We’re entering a pivotal moment—one where the economic, monetary, and geopolitical landscape is shifting. These changes aren’t random or isolated; they are the result of deep structural pressures that have been building for decades.

While the signs have been there for some time, recent developments make it clear that the system can no longer hold as-is. A reset is not only possible—it’s likely. And two key forces are pushing us there faster than most realize.

The first is the long-ignored, but now unavoidable, debt crisis.

The second is the Trump administration’s strong belief that an overvalued dollar has hollowed out the US economy, weakening exports, offshoring jobs, and undermining American industry. …

No country has ever achieved and sustained wealth solely through a weak currency. Yet, this is precisely what those in power seem to believe. And they appear to be moving toward a reset that fundamentally realigns the US economy and trade system.

On a related note, Financial Times reported:

Trump has created a chance for the euro to rival the dollar

European leaders need to shed their political timidity to take the necessary steps

4 May 2025

It has long been an EU aspiration that the euro would rival the US dollar for global dominance, or at least for monetary sovereignty at home. Now, the self-sabotage of Donald Trump’s Washington is a golden opportunity to realise the dream — if European leaders can overcome their political timidity over doing what it takes to grasp it.

True, as in many areas of economic policy, it is unclear what the Trump administration’s goals are for the greenback. Some of its members think the dollar’s attraction — the “exorbitant privilege” of guaranteed cheap credit from the rest of the world — is in fact an exorbitant burden that, by driving up the currency, depresses American manufacturing. Others, notably Treasury secretary Scott Bessent, insist the US is committed to a strong dollar policy. …

Confidence in the dollar has taken a knock from Trump’s tariff policy, but also from his team’s airing of bizarre financial policy ideas. These include forced conversion of Treasury bonds or charging fees for the privilege of lending to the US government. The administration’s aggression against the rule of law makes all legal claims uncertain, including financial ones.

Can European leaders hear the markets’ scream for help in the form of an alternative asset? If ever the time was ripe for a “Hamiltonian moment”, in which Eurozone countries issued a large and permanent stock of common debt to gradually replace the fragmented landscape of national sovereign bonds, this is it. …

Recommended US dollar Martin Wolf talks to Kenneth Rogoff: Trump is accelerating the dollar’s decline In other words, the global trade outlook matters for currency questions, too. Europe can use its agenda to deepen trade with the rest of the world to boost the euro’s attractiveness. That requires not just taking the agenda seriously — passing the trade deal with the Mercosur bloc, for example. It also demands offering financial tools to encourage trading in euros, from swap lines with trade partners to a digital currency designed to work for cross-border corporate trade. Unifying stock markets and a pan-EU so-called “28th regime” of corporate law should help boost risk capital in euros. https://www.ft.com/content/c02cdfac-8c46-4b67-9a3b-2aa4312852b9

In many ways, Donald Trump has made Europe, and its currency, more attractive on the world scene.

Tariffs and sanctions and the threat of more tariffs and sanctions are causing more nations to turn away from the USA and look more towards each other.

The Europeans have long wanted the euro to push the US dollar’s reserve currency status aside. Plus there is the BRICS+ alliance that has long wanted to stop using the US dollar for cross-border trade.

Related to the US dollar and BRICS, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

14:31

BRICS Push Aside USA Dollar

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

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

Now, Donald Trump did threaten the BRICS alliance to not come up with a unified currency to bypass the US dollar.

Related to some of that, last Fall I wrote:

Neither a possible Trump-Vance or Harris-Walz Administration has proposed anything that would truly stop de-dollarization. Actually threats against nations involved, by Donald Trump … will tend to increase the speed of de-dollarization. (Thiel B. MW: Can America Survive Global De-Dollarization? COGwriter: No! COGwriter, October 4, 2024)

Well, that is happening. There will be many unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s statements and policies.

Notice something from my latest book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

The USA dollar will ultimately crash and be worthless. That “pride” of American power will be broken (cf. Leviticus 26:19). …

European leaders have been working for years to establish a new reserve currency for the world, partially with the intent to remove the USA dollar from its current position as a reserve currency.

Those in Russia, Iran and some of the Arab lands, along with nations such as Brazil and India have discussed plans for the removal of the dominance of the USA dollar in global trade as well. Many are now working on that, along with China, in what is called the BRICS alliance.[i] While Donald Trump did not cause all of this, an unintended consequence of the use of sanctions in the Trump-Pence Administration (as well as by the Biden-Harris Administration) is that more nations are looking to bypass the dollar. …

When the U.S. dollar is no longer the world’s reserve currency, this will hurt the USA financially. Increasing debt, including “quantitative easing,” is a form of dishonest profits that is not something that God approves of and will punish the USA for (cf. Ezekiel 22:13-16).

Inflation will eventually hit the USA extremely hard. As the world becomes less attached to the American dollar, many financial jobs and opportunities will be in places other than the USA. Eventually, but not yet, the USA dollar will become worthless.

Will it always be straight downhill for the economy of the USA?

No.

There are some reasons to have some temporary optimism. Proposed reductions in government regulations are expected to boost the economy. In addition, technological and other developments may temporarily support the U.S. economy—as can reductions of regulatory burdens.

Some policies of Donald Trump’s may help. …

For years, I have written that because of improvements in various aspects of energy and other technology (some of which Donald Trump seems to support), the USA may experience even more of an energy export boom, such as with oil and natural gas, etc. that may prolong its days of economic prosperity.[ii]  But prolonging is likely all that is possible as its destruction is prophesied (Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8). …

Since many are now questioning the role of the USA dollar as the world’s reserve currency, more are looking into other currencies as well as gold.

Gold will set records in U.S. dollar terms. …

When the U.S. dollar totally collapses people all around the world will consider that even if the euro (or something similar) is strong, having a more gold-backed currency would be safer.

The collapse of the USA dollar will shake a lot of the world’s confidence in non-gold backed currencies. The Europeans do not have to have a perfect currency, only one that is perceived to be in better shape than the USA dollar or various other currencies.

Having the European power acquiring more gold to back the Euro or possibly another future European currency (that might potentially replace the Euro or even a basket of currencies) may greatly increase European credibility, prosperity, and influence around the globe, even if the backing is only implied.

The debt accumulation policies of the Obama-Biden and the Trump-Pence Administrations, which were a massive acceleration of the previous policies of the Bush Administration, have to a large degree been continued and expanded by the Biden-Harris Administration.

The increases in America’s debt are heading the world into the time when something other than the U.S. dollar will be valued as its reserve currency.

A Trump-Vance Administration would need to make massive changes to possibly prevent this.

The USA and its dollar are at serious risk. …

Unintended Consequences

While Donald Trump seems to believe that his policies are best for the United States, notice some unintended consequences of them: …

• Pushing tariffs and sanctions on other countries is contributing to the rise of the final time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24; Ezekiel 7:24).
• Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. This is also helping set the stage for the coming European Babylonian Beast to dominate international trade.

[i] ^{BRICS Expansion, the G20, and the Future of World Order. Carnegie Endowment for the International Peace, October 9, 2024}

[ii] Thiel B. Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States. Nazarene Books, 2013, pp. 67-48

Since the above was published, gold has set records in US dollar terms multiple times. And more countries are looking seriously about bypassing the US dollar because of tariffs, sanctions, and other economic issues.

The Continuing Church of God put together the following video in November 2024 on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

14:50

SWIFT end to the US dollar?

After World War II, the US dollar became the world’s primary international trading currency. In this video Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie went over some of the reasons for that development. They also discussed US dominance of SWIFT. SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. SWIFT provides a network that enables financial institutions worldwide to send and receive information about financial transactions. The use of sanctions and the weaponization of SWIFT by the US was brought out as were alternatives to SWIFT development by Russia (System for Transfer of Financial Messages-SPFS) and China (Cross-Border Interbank Payment System-CIPS). Also the BRICS Pay alternative to SWIFT, mentioned at the BRICS Kazan Summit in October 2024 was mentioned as well as “the Unit”, which is a potential, gold-backed currency that Vladimir Putin brought up as another alternative. An article titled ‘The Biggest Story that’s NOT Being Told Will WREAK HAVOC on the US Economy’ was discussed along with the specter of extreme inflation hitting the US once its dollar is no longer relied on internationally. The fact that SWIFT is supposed to be a European system, and one that Europeans want more control of, was mentioned along with the fact that the Europeans could also push harder for the end of SWIFT and/or the US dollar dominance. The timing of the coming Great Tribulation and US banking/financial matters was also mentioned.

Here is a link to our video: SWIFT end to the US dollar?

The US dollar is going away as the world’s premier currency and the damage to the US economy is beyond what most of its politicians realize.

Yet, it will take time for the US dollar to be dethroned. Gold and the Europeans will be involved. Many seem to forget that one of the purposes of the euro was to reduce the need to trade in US dollars in Europe. That has resulted in relatively little cross-border trade in US dollars across Europe.

Do not think that Europe will not one day support the complete toppling of the US dollar as well as the US itself (cf. Daniel 11:39).

After the US dollar is gone, the Bible shows that Europe will dominate international trade and finance, and this will involve gold (cf. Daniel 11:37-43; Revelation 18). It will also make deals with the BRICS+ nations.

The end of US dollar dominance is coming.

That will be one of the many unintended consequences of Donald Trump’s statements and policies.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.
The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Bitcoin

COGwriter

While many see Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a way to have financial privacy, the European Union wants that to stop:

EU to ban anonymous crypto accounts and privacy coins by 2027

The European Union is set to impose sweeping Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rules that will ban privacy-preserving tokens and anonymous cryptocurrency accounts from 2027.

Under the new Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR), credit institutions, financial institutions and crypto asset service providers (CASPs) will be prohibited from maintaining anonymous accounts or handling privacy-preserving cryptocurrencies, such as Monero.

“Article 79 of the AMLR establishes strict prohibitions on anonymous accounts […]. Credit institutions, financial institutions, and crypto-asset service providers are prohibited from maintaining anonymous accounts,” according to the AML Handbook, published by European Crypto Initiative (EUCI). …

“The regulations (the AMLR, AMLD and AMLAR) are final, and what remains is the ‘fine print’ — aka the interpretation of some of the requirements through the so-called implementing and delegated acts,” according to Vyara Savova, senior policy lead at the EUCI.

She added that much of the implementation will come through so-called implementing and delegated acts, which are mostly handled by the European Banking Authority:

“This means that the EUCI is still actively working on these level two acts by providing feedback to the public consultations, as some of the implementation details are yet to be finalized.”

“However, the broader framework is final, so centralized crypto projects (CASPs under MiCA) need to keep it in mind when determining their internal processes and policies,” Savova said. 05/02/25 https://cointelegraph.com/news/eu-crypto-ban-anonymous-privacy-tokens-2027

This is not a surprise. I have been warning that cryptocurrencies were either going to be eliminated or controlled by the Europeans.

Bitcoin wants to survive, but governments seem to believe that they have the right to financial controls even for ‘currencies’ they have had no part in producing.

Here is something I posted January 8, 2014:

On the other hand, there are some who believe that Bitcoin will become fully regulated/taken over to the point that it will be associated with the ‘mark of the beast.’ Here is one such comment:

If I’m allowed to get Biblical…”Rich man or poor man, free or bond, will not be allowed to buy or sell unless he accepts the mark of the beast.”

Bitcoin is a very smooth end run to achieve that objective.

Here is another related item:

MARK OF THE BEAST WATCH! Canada to get world’s first Bitcoin ATM…

The ATMs will use palm scans to identify users and enforce the limit, which is also designed to prevent problems with anti-money-laundering laws. http://ppsimmons.blogspot.com/2013/10/mark-of-beast-watch-canada-to-get.html

Yet, it is not likely that ‘Bitcoin’ will be the currency of the Beast.  But the Chinese seem to have ‘beast-related’ reasons to go against Bitcoin.

As far as the the “mark of the beast” scripture goes, it is from the Book of Revelation.  Notice that it makes the following statements concerning the financial controls of the coming Beast power:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18)

The Bible is clear that the time is coming when the Beast power will have implemented some type of strong financial control.   The Chinese want Bitcoin restricted and/or eliminated as they do not have the control over it that they want.

As far as what Bitcoin is, here are comments from what Bitcoin’s website says about it:

Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money.

Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks; managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. Bitcoin is open-source; its design is public, nobody owns or controls Bitcoin and everyone can take part. Through many of its unique properties, Bitcoin allows exciting uses that could not be covered by any previous payment system.

FWIW, I have never had or traded in Bitcoins or other alternatives like that. The idea of a financial system free of government regulations and reporting appeals to many, but governments tend to frown on that–generally speaking, governments want to be able to control/regulate more and more, not allow people to have freedoms to be regulated/controlled less.

On September 7, 2017, I posted:

Is Bitcoin related to the ‘Mark of the Beast‘?

The following, from Jim Rickards, hints that it might be:

Interest in Bitcoin is red hot at the moment. It’s impossible to open a website, listen to a podcast, or watch a video in the financial space without hearing about the meteoric rise in the price of Bitcoin. …

Yet the crypto-hysteria is distracting you from a scary truth no one is talking about. There is every indication that governments, regulators, tax authorities, and the global elite are moving in for the crypto-kill. The future of Bitcoin may be a dystopia in which Big Brother controls what’s called “the blockchain” and decides when and how you can buy or sell anything and everything.

Furthermore, cryptocurrency technology could be the very mechanism used by global elites to replace the dollar based financial system. …

Governments have been patiently watching blockchain technology develop and grow outside their control for the past eight years.

Libertarian supporters of blockchain celebrate this lack of government control. Yet, their celebration is premature, and their belief in the sustainability of powerful systems outside government control is naïve.

Governments don’t like competition especially when it comes to money. Governments know they cannot stop blockchain, in fact they don’t want to. What they want is to control it using powers of regulation, taxation, and investigation and ultimately more coercive powers including arrest and imprisonment of individuals who refuse to obey government mandates with regard to blockchain.

Blockchain does not exist in the ether (despite the name of one cryptocurrency) and it does not reside on Mars. Blockchain depends on critical infrastructure including servers, telecommunications networks, the banking system, and the power grid, all of which are subject to government control. https://dailyreckoning.com/global-elites-secret-cryptocurrencies/

Jim Rickards’ comment about “Big Brother” controlling buying and selling is consistent with biblical prophecies.

On Janaury 1, 2022, we uploaded the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

9:03

EU to be ‘Sheriff’ of BitCoin & Digital Currencies

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

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

On December 14, 2024, we uploaded the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube 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?

While many people have made a huge amount of money on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, do not think that they will ultimately offer financial privacy.

The time will come when the Beast power that will rise up in Europe will control buying and selling and will insist on identifying all involved.

While the Beast power will not be fully in place in 2027, more tools he will use look like they will be in place by then.

Although the USA is not likely to repent to prevent this nationally, nor can the action of the Chinese or something like Bitcoin prevent it, personally you can repent as well as physically take steps before the dollar-based economic systems collapses.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What About Silver? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
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.

Gaza Strip and Israel as shown on Wikipedia May 5, 2025

COGwriter

Israel is planning more military actions in Gaza. Here is a report from Euronews:

Israeli cabinet approves plan to seize all of Gaza Strip, reports claim

May 5, 2025

Since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March, Israel has taken control of further territory in the Strip, which now amounts to roughly 50% of Gaza.

Israel has approved plans on Monday to capture the entire Gaza Strip and remain in the territory for an unspecified amount of time, two Israeli officials said, in a move that, if implemented, would vastly expand Israel’s operations in the Palestinian territory and likely face fierce international opposition.

Israeli cabinet ministers approved the plan in an early morning vote, according to AP, hours after the Israeli military chief said the army was calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The new plan, which the officials said was meant to help Israel achieve its war aims of defeating Hamas and freeing hostages held in Gaza, would also push hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to southern Gaza, which would likely exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were discussing military plans.

Sadly, the breaking of the ceasefire was NOT a surprise.

Shortly before he left office, US President Joe Biden declared that the ceasefire deal was how “permanent peace” would be attained in the region. In response to that, I posted:

Permanent peace will not come to the Middle East until AFTER Jesus returns. (Thiel B. Joe Biden announces Hamas-Israel deal and claims a “permanent” peace–but what about Daniel 9:27? COGwriter, January 15, 2025)

Related to that ceasefire deal, we put out the following related video:

14:47

Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27

Peace at Last! Peace at Last! World News Item: Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire! But will this ceasefire really bring about peace in the mid-east? There are three phases to the ceasefire agreement. Is it possible that both Israel and Hamas will abide by the conditions set forth in all three phases? Would their past performance be any indication of their future performance? Dr. Thiel sheds the light of Bible prophecy on these world events in addition to giving us insight into a future peace deal spoken of in the book of Daniel. A peace deal between the King of the North and the King of the South. Will that peace deal result in peace? If the cease fire between Hamas and Israel and the peace deal between the Kings of the North and South don’t bring about peace – what will?

Here is a link to our video: Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27.

Israeli Defense Forces are considering a major assault into Gaza:

Senior defense official: IDF to launch major Gaza op if no hostage deal by end of Trump’s Mideast visit

May 5, 2025

A senior Israeli defense official says the military will launch its major offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots,” if no hostage deal is reached with the terror group by the end of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week.

Trump is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates between May 13 and May 16.

“Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots,’ whose objective is the defeat of Hamas in Gaza and the release of all hostages, was unanimously approved yesterday by the security cabinet,” the defense official says in a statement to reporters.

He says the IDF will “bolster its forces and operate with intensity to defeat Hamas and destroy its military and governmental capabilities, while creating strong pressure for the release of all hostages.”

According to the official, “a central component of the plan is the extensive evacuation of the entire Gazan population from combat zones, including from northern Gaza, to areas in southern Gaza, while creating separation between them and Hamas terrorists, in order to allow the IDF operational freedom of action.”

“Unlike in the past, the IDF will remain in every area that is conquered, to prevent the return of terror, and will handle every cleared area according to the Rafah model, where all threats were leveled and it became part of the security zone,” he says, referring to an Israeli-held buffer zone. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/senior-defense-official-idf-to-launch-major-gaza-op-if-no-hostage-deal-by-end-of-trumps-mideast-visit/

So, there are Israeli plans to completely takeover Gaza.

However, prophetically, things will NOT turn out as many Israeli officials seem to hope.

In the October-December 2019 edition of Bible News Prophecy magazine, we had the following in an article about Gaza and the Palestinians:

Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy

By Bob Thiel

The Palestinian-dominated areas of the West Bank and Gaza have been in the news a lot. A violent-prone group known as Hamas essentially runs the region called Gaza.

What will happen to Gaza? Does the Bible teach anything about the Palestinians? …

Bible Prophecy Tells About Gaza and Palestine

Zechariah had a prophecy of change coming to Gaza:

5 Ashkelon shall see it and fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; And Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. The king shall perish from Gaza, And Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. 6 “A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, And I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. 7 I will take away the blood from his mouth, And the abominations from between his teeth. But he who remains, even he shall be for our God, And shall be like a leader in Judah, And Ekron like a Jebusite. 8 I will camp around My house Because of the army, Because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, For now I have seen with My eyes. (Zechariah 9:5-8)

Some (see Matthew Henry’s Commentary, etc.) believe that this was fulfilled in the past. However, as future prophecies tell of a time Gaza and the Philistines having problems (see below), the above could still have future fulfillment. …

Some of those lands, Ashkelon (located 50 kilometres south of Tel Aviv, and 13 kilometres north of the border with the Gaza Strip), Ekron (modern Tel Miqne, which is 35 kilometers west of Jerusalem), and Ashdod (located 32 kilometres south of Tel Aviv, 20 km north of Ashkelon, and 53 km west of Jerusalem), are currently dominated by the nation of Israel.

Ashkelon, Tel Migne, and Ashdod are claimed to be part of Israel. They are not in the Gaza Strip (they are all north of it) nor part of the other Palestinian controlled region known as the West Bank. Therefore, it looks like the Palestinians will either control those cities again or be so numerous in it that they are the ones affected in Jeremiah 25. It is my current view that the Palestinians will gain land that the nation of Israel thinks it will continue to control. Since these are not lands currently considered to be ceded in a peace deal, this looks like losses from the State of Israel after the deal of Daniel 9:27 is broken (cf. Daniel 11:31). …

Amos specifically recorded a prophecy about Gaza:

6 Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Gaza, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because they took captive the whole captivity
To deliver them up to Edom.
7 But I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
Which shall devour its palaces.
8 I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn My hand against Ekron,
And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
Says the Lord God. (Amos 1:6-8) …

Also notice what Zephaniah prophesied:

4 For Gaza shall be forsaken,
And Ashkelon desolate;
They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday,
And Ekron shall be uprooted.
5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
The nation of the Cherethites!
The word of the Lord is against you,
O Canaan, land of the Philistines:
“I will destroy you;
So there shall be no inhabitant. (Zephaniah 2:4-5)

Though there was a partial fulfillment near the time this was written, the time has not yet been when there was no inhabitant in Canaan, hence this prophecy is for the future. Gaza will change and be forsaken!

Although Palestinians will one day end up with more land that Israel now dominates, Gaza will be forsaken. One way I suspect that this could happen would be if a regional war occurred directly involving Iran and likely nuclear weapons.

The Bible points to an Iranian-led force, with at least some Syrian involvement, that will cause great damage to Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:6-9).

Jesus told of a time of wars and rumors of war in Matthew 24–and this could be one of them–but it will NOT be the Great Tribulation as “but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

However, the end is getting closer (cf. Romans 13:11). And if we see a certain deal confirmed this year (cf. Daniel 9:27), the countdown for the Great Tribulation will begin.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
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.
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

A Houthi ballistic missile from 🇾🇪 impacts very nearby Ben Gurion Airport 🇮🇱. There is heavy 🇮🇱 defence, and a most intense 🇺🇸 bombing campaign against 🇾🇪, so this is not supposed to happen. It’s a consequence of the absence of a ceasefire in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/175MQ0mr5d

— Carl Bildt (@carlbildt) May 4, 2025

COGwriter

Israel was hit by what is reported to be a Houthi missile:

Netanyahu vows response after Houthi missile hits near Israel’s main airport

4 May 2025

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate against the Houthis after a missile fired by the group struck the grounds of Israel’s main airport.

In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu threatened strikes against the group, saying: “We attacked in the past, we will attack in the future”.

The missile, fired from Yemen by the Iran-backed group, landed near the main terminal of Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning, Israeli authorities said.

Four people were injured by the blast, with another two injured on their way to a shelter, Israeli media reported, citing emergency services.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement that the Israeli airport was “no longer safe for air travel”.

Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement: “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger”. …

The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group based in Yemen, have regularly launched missile attacks at Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza, but it is rare for one to make it through Israel’s sophisticated air defences.

The group have also been carrying out attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which the US has responded to by leading a bombing campaign against it – which the UK has assisted in. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyvqr00278no

The USA has been bombing the Houthis off and on and recently threatened to hold Iran responsible for attacks by the Houthis.

Thus far, neither the USA nor Israel has been able to eliminate the threat from the Houthis.

Notice something from the Houthis:

Slogan of the Houthi Movement
(From RuneAgerhus, via Wikipedia)

The above Slogan of the Houthi Movement is translated at Wikipedia as follows:

God is the Greatest
Death to America
Death to Israel
A Curse Upon the Jews
Victory to Islam

Here is more of what Wikipedia has about the Houthi Movement:

The Houthi movement (/ˈhuːθi/; Arabic: الحوثيون al-Ḥūthiyūn [al.ħuː.θi.juːn]), officially known as Ansar Allah^[a] (أنصار الله ʾAnṣār Allāh, lit. ‘Supporters of God‘), is a Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaidi Shias, with their namesake leadership being drawn largely from the Houthi tribe.^[91]

Under the leadership of Zaidi religious leader Hussein al-Houthi, the Houthis emerged as an opposition movement to Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh, whom they accused of corruption and being backed by Saudi Arabia and the United States.^[92][93] In 2003, influenced by the Lebanese Shia political and military organization Hezbollah, the Houthis adopted their official slogan against the United States, Israel, and the Jews.^[94]

(Houthi Movement. Wikipedia, accessed 07/04/24)

The Houthis clearly oppose the USA and Israel.

The Houthis have, from time to time, contributed to international chaos by attacking ships in the Red Sea which has resulted in many taking the long route below Africa to avoid the risk. This increases costs for oil and other items.

Previous USA attacks have NOT stopped the Houthi forces from their attacks against ships.

The Houthis claim that they will continue their attacks until Israel basically leaves Gaza alone. Yet, the attacks by the Houthis have not persuaded the Israelis to change in any discernible way.

Regarding the tweet at the beginning of this post that mentions the January 2025 ceasefire deal, in the CCOG, we knew that would not last. Related to that, the Continuing Church of God put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

14:47

Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27

Peace at Last! Peace at Last! World News Item: Hamas and Israel have agreed to a ceasefire! But will this ceasefire really bring about peace in the mid-east? There are three phases to the ceasefire agreement. Is it possible that both Israel and Hamas will abide by the conditions set forth in all three phases? Would their past performance be any indication of their future performance? Dr. Thiel sheds the light of Bible prophecy on these world events in addition to giving us insight into a future peace deal spoken of in the book of Daniel. A peace deal between the King of the North and the King of the South. Will that peace deal result in peace? If the cease fire between Hamas and Israel and the peace deal between the Kings of the North and South don’t bring about peace – what will?

Here is a link to our video: Hamas Israel Ceasefire and Daniel 9:27.

That said, many consider that the Houthis are simply Iranian proxies carrying out what Iran wants done.

The Bible shows that God will allow what looks to be an Iranian led confederation to strike the nation of Israel:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:1-14 NKJV)

The Houthis are strongly tied to Iran, hence they may help fulfill the above prophecies. While Israel wants revenge, notice that the time will come when “great damage” will come to Jerusalem. That damage is much more than what happened at Israel’s airport.

Last year, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to Iran and Israel:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Iran and Israel Conflict.

The Middle East remains an area to watch.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to two related videos: Gaza and Bible Prophecy and Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2025, 2026, or 2027? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A short video is available titled: Great Tribulation Trends 2025.
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.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been urged to call an “emergency meeting” after the Trump administration cut grants to seven Australian universities.https://t.co/07ETiIE3jy

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 22, 2025

COGwriter

The voters of Australia, like those in Canada, rejected a candidate who held positions closer to Donald Trump:

First Canada, Now Australia: The Trump Factor Boosts Another World Leader in an Election

May 3, 2025

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was returned to power in an election Saturday, the latest left-leaning leader to achieve a comeback victory as President Trump roils global markets and upends international affairs. https://www.wsj.com/world/first-canada-now-australia-the-trump-factor-boosts-another-world-leader-in-a-close-election-bef1c5a1

May 3, 2025

The Australian Electoral Commission’s projections gave Albanese’s ruling center-left Labor Party 70 seats and the conservative opposition coalition 24 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, the lower chamber where parties need a majority to form governments. Unaligned minor parties and independent candidates appeared likely to win 13 seats.

Meanwhile, Liberal-National Coalition leader Peter Dutton has lost his seat of Dickson, in Brisbane, to Labor’s Ali France. …

Opposition Liberal Party spokesman, Senator James Paterson, defended the conservative campaign, which he also said was negatively affected by “the Trump factor”. “It was devastating in Canada for the conservatives … I think it has been a factor here, just how big a factor will be determined in a few hours’ time,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

“Trump had a massive effect in changing people’s perception of risk,” election analyst Tony Barry told the ABC. …

Dutton had proposed slashing the federal education department as part of his pledge to sack 41,000 public servants, a move Labor has described as being pulled “from the DOGE playbook”. https://www.newsweek.com/australian-election-results-doge-donald-trump-factor-anthony-albanese-2067638

May 3, 2025

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has become the first Australian prime minister to win a second consecutive three-year term in 21 years. …

The Australian Electoral Commission’s projections gave Albanese’s ruling center-left Labor Party 70 seats and the conservative opposition coalition 24 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, the lower chamber where parties need a majority to form governments. Unaligned minor parties and independent candidates appeared likely to win 13 seats. …

Labor argues Dutton’s administration would slash services to pay for its nuclear ambitions.

“We’ve seen the attempt to run American-style politics here of division and pitting Australians against each other and I think that’s not the Australian way,” Albanese said.

Albanese also noted that his government had improved relations with China, which removed a series of official and unofficial trade barriers that had cost Australian exporters 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion) a year since Labor came to power in 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/australia-labor-party-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton-trump-election-results/

If you look at the tweet at the beginning of this post, you can see that there have been issues other than just trade that has caused Australians to not like those they associated with policies of Donald Trump.

Yet, irrespective of the vote and views of Donald Trump, Australia still considers itself highly dependent on the United States as its key military ally.

Australia, like Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and the USA are all part of the “Five Eyes” alliance and this election (nor the one recently in Canada) is expected to change that, for now at least.

Interestingly, if it were not for Donald Trump’s tariffs and other threats, according to earlier polls, the elections in both Canada (who just re-elected Mark Carney) and Australia would have put in leaders who were less left-leaning.

It is also interesting to note, like Australia’s Peter Dutton, Canada’s main opposition leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat in Monday’s general election. Both look to have been impacted by what has been called the “Trump Effect.”