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Pope Leo XIV confirmed that he is about to declare John Henry Newman a ‘doctor of the church’:

August 1, 2025

Pope Leo XIV is naming St. John Henry Newman the next Doctor of the Church!

Why will Newman be named a Doctor of the Church? Simply put, because of his incredible contribution to the field of theology. …

Newman pioneered what would become official Catholic teaching at Vatican II: the development of Christian doctrine.  …

Newman didn’t prove the Immaculate Conception using the Bible alone. Instead, he points us to Scripture to show that this doctrine was there in its rudiments from the very beginning (Gen. 3:15).

Newman loved to use images from nature.

Newman reveals that the Protestant doctrine of sola scripture isn’t biblical. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/john-henry-newman-doctor-of-the-church

Before going further, let me note that John Newman correctly realized that Protestants did not really practice sola Scriptura, instead of pursuing the original faith, he decided to accept compromise with paganism.

Anyway, here is more related to him and what the Church of Rome wants to do related to him:

The crown jewel of Newman’s theological career is his great work, The Development of Christian Doctrine. In fact, it was what he discovered as he wrote this work that made him Catholic. …

In a gesture that bridges centuries of theological reflection and spiritual depth, Pope Leo XIV has confirmed that John Henry Newman, the 19th-century English cardinal, will be proclaimed Doctor of the Church — a title reserved for saints whose teachings have profoundly shaped Catholic doctrine. The announcement, made on July 31, marks the first such declaration by Pope Leo XIV since his election less than three months ago. Pope Francis merchandise Vatican City travel guide This recognition places Newman among a select group of 38 Doctors of the Church, only four of whom are women. The distinction is not given lightly: it signifies a life not only of personal holiness but also of enduring theological brilliance. Newman, a former Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism, has long been revered as a thinker whose influence resonates far beyond the confines of 19th-century England. https://zenit.org/2025/07/31/pope-leo-xiv-grants-his-first-doctorate-this-is-the-saint-named-the-38th-doctor-of-the-church/

John Newman was an Anglican priest who became a Roman Catholic priest, then a bishop in the 19th century. He eventually was raised to the rank of cardinal, which is the highest ecclesiastical rank for a Roman Catholic bishop, other than being the pope. Announcing him to be a ‘doctor of the church’ would seem to be a further signal to others outside the direct fold of the Vatican that they too can be honored if they support the Church of Rome and its ecumenical and interfaith agendas.

Anyway, Cardinal Newman wrote on various matters.

One of the things he wrote about was to condemn the biblical and early Christian view of the nature of the Godhead:

Lucian, who schismatized or was excommunicated on his deposition, held heretical tenets of a diametrically opposite nature, that is, such as were afterwards called Semi-Arian…I would rather direct the reader’s attention to the particular form which the Antiochene corruptions seem to have assumed, viz., that of Judaism… (Cardinal Newman, John Henry. The Arians of the Fourth Century. Longmans, Green, & Co., New York, 1908, pp. 7,9).

Lucian of Antioch was from the late 3rd century, martyred in the 4th century, and reportedly was a Sabbath-keeper. As far as being semi-Arian, up until the latter half of the fourth century, even most Greco-Romans held a semi-Arian/binitarian view of the Godhead (see Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning). The trinity itself was not formally adopted until the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. (see Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?). It basically was a compromise that was influenced by pagan Mithraism.

Lucian, himself, also ran a school promoting the literal understanding of scripture, as opposed to the allegorical approach that those in Alexandria, Egypt supported. By pushing analogy and allegory over scripture, Cardinal Newman and the Church of Rome went away from the Bible and the original Christian faith (see also Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?).

Note that even a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible states:

 “Contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, Douay-Rheims)

Cardinal Newman did not do that. He was a compromiser.

He further wrote about the Antichrist not being a trinitarian:

But, whereas one heresy and that the last, which has now risen as harbinger of Antichrist, the Arian, as it is called (Athanasius. Translated by JH Newman and Archibald Robertson. Four Discourses of S. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, Against the Arians Discourse 1. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies.)

Thus we have found S. Athanasius calling Arianism “the forerunner of Antichrist,” ( Newman JH. Four Discourses of S. Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, Against the Arians Discourse 2. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies.)

Since the two witnesses (see Who Are The Two Witnesses?) would espouse the semi-Arian view of the Godhead (for details that may suggest why see Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning), apparently Athanasius seems to be warning that this will come just prior to the return of Jesus. And Cardinal Newman’s writings highlight that.

Now, related to history, here is something he wrote about the Church of Rome first being considered the Antichrist and Babylon:

Now, one of the first questions which it is natural to ask on entering upon the subject is, whereas the Pope is said to be Antichrist, sometimes from the fourth, sometimes from the seventh century, when was he first detected and denounced, and by whom?

On this point Dr. Todd supplies us with much information, from which it appears that the belief that the Pope was Antichrist was the conclusion gradually formed and matured out of the belief that the Church of Rome was Babylon, by three heretical bodies, between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries, in consequence of their being submitted to persecution for their opinions:

“In the middle of the eleventh century, numerous emigrants from Thrace and the East had established themselves in the north of Italy, and especially in the neighbourhood of Milan; and some, despising a fixed habitation, or unable to obtain one, itinerated throughout various parts of France and Germany. The doctrines of these sects exhibit various shades of extravagance and error, and appear to have had a close affinity with the Oriental Manichees or Paulicians, from whom they are historically descended…they despised all external religion, ridiculed the office and powers of the priesthood, the efficacy of the Sacraments, and especially the use of baptism.”—Pp. 28-30.

These were the Albigenses, the first of the three independent families of heresy above mentioned…It would appear from these that the Albigenses founded their opposition to the Church on a Manichæan principle, viz., that, as there was an evil deity, and he the author of the visible world, so was he author also of the visible Church, which in consequence was “the devil’s basilica and synagogue of Satan,” and, in the language of the Apocalypse, “the mother of fornications.” (Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies. http://www.newmanreader.org/works/essays/volume2/antichrist1.html viewed 12/03/07).

What the Cardinal seems to be teaching is that beginning in the fourth-seventh century one or two groups apparently began to feel that the Pontifex Maximus was an antichrist and that one who calls himself Pontifex Maximus may be the final antichrist. It should be pointed out that the Roman bishops did not refer to themselves by the pagan title of Pontifex Maximus (literally meaning the “greatest bridge-builder” between mortals and the gods) until the late 4th century–hence that is probably why they began to be referred to as “anti-Christ” or at least his representative back then. The Church of Rome supported Emperor Constantine, and later Emperor Theodosius’ persecutions against Church of God Christians in the 4th century (see Persecutions by Church and State).

Overall, it looks like Cardinal Newman recognized that some people that were associated with the Church of God realized that the title Pontifex Maximus was the type of title the final Antichrist would have.

It is of interest to note that groups that traced their descent from the Paulicians were clearly teaching a version of the papal antichrist doctrine in the eleventh and later centuries–but Cardinal Newman also indicates it was much earlier than that ((Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies. http://www.newmanreader.org/works/essays/volume2/antichrist1.html viewed 06/28/19, p. 117)). Some affiliated with the Paulicians and Albigenses were in the Church of God (see articles The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present; 2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc.; 3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church; 4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition).–hence an understanding of the papal antichrist view has long been a Church of God view.

Although the Bible teaches that there are many antichrists, it also indicates that one will later be the Antichrist. And essentially all the antichrists preach a message different from the Apostle John–hence we in the Churches of God recognize that to a degree, all false religious teachers claiming Christianity are antichrists–we do not limit this to Roman or Orthodox Catholic leaders (we also include Protestant leaders).

This seems to be consistent with what one group told Bernard the Inquisitor, in the early 14th century, who reported:

…they claim that there is a double Antichrist, one spiritual or mystical and the other the real, greater Antichrist…(Bernard Gui: Inquisitor’s Manual, Chapter 5. Translated by David Burr, History Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. http://phi.kenyon.edu/Projects/Margin/inquisit.htm 04/09/07).

As far as a spiritual or mystic antichrist and a later one, that is consistent with what the Apostle John taught in 1 John 2:18. The “spiritual antichrists” would be perhaps all false Christian leaders (this is not at all limited to Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders, it includes even some who claim to be in the Church of God), while the “real Antichrist” is the final MAJOR false prophetic leader.

Notice also the following from Cardinal Newman:

Now let us recur to the ancient Fathers, and see whether their further anticipations do not run parallel to the events which have since happened. Antichrist, as they considered, will come out of the Roman Empire just upon its destruction;—that is, the Roman Empire will in its last days divide itself into ten parts, and the Enemy will come up suddenly out of it upon these ten, and subdue three of them, or all of them perhaps… (Newman JH. The Patristical Idea of Antichrist, Lecture II. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies)

The above writing suggests that while there will be a resurrected Roman Empire, at first it will seem fine, but then it will change.  This appears to be a prophecy about what will happen to the changed European Union in the future and seems to be consistent with Isaiah 10:5-11 where a power that does not mean to become militaristic does so.

Notice also the following unusual comment from Cardinal Newman:

Antichrist must have some similarity to the Pope … (Cited in Mass A.J. Antichrist. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Copyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

And that is correct.

It is my view that the final Antichrist will be a pontiff (a type of antipope pontiff) that will feign Roman Catholicism and essentially allow it to be betrayed in accordance with Revelation 17:16-18.

And my view is also consistent with something else written by Cardinal Newman:

The defenders of the Papal-Antichrist theory…cite St. Bernard as identifying the Beast of the Apocalypse with the Pope, though St. Bernard speaks in the passage of the Antipope; they appeal to the Abbot Joachim as believing that Antichrist will be elevated to the Apostolic See, while the Abbot really believes that Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See (Cited in Mass A.J. Antichrist. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I. Copyright © 1907 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Bar Kokhba coin (CNG)

COGwriter

In its most recent newsletter, the Temple Institute had a link to the following:

EMPEROR HADRIAN GREENLIGHTS THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE!

Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled from 117 to 138, hoping to gain the cooperation of the Jews during the first years of his reign issued a decree allowing Jews to return to Jerusalem and even to rebuild the Holy Temple. The Jews responded with great excitement and began practical preparations for the rebuilding, only to witness the decree rescinded after Samaritan informers convinced Hadrian that the Jews would repay Hadrian’s benevolence with rebellion.

This series of events, which took place during the lifetime of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananiah, is recorded (Genesis Rabba 64.10):

“In the days of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya, the evil empire decreed that the Temple should be constructed. Papus and Lulyanus set tables from Akko to Antioch, and they provided those ascending from the exile with silver and gold, and all their needs. The Samaritans went and said: “Let it be known to the king…that [if] this rebellious city is built, and its walls finished, they will not pay minda, belo, or halakh” (Ezra 4:12–13) – minda is property tax, belo is poll tax, and halakh is head tax. He said to them: ‘What can I do, I issued a decree.’ They said to him: ‘Send and say to them: Either move it from its place, or add five cubits to it, or subtract five cubits from it, and they will relent on their own.’ The assembly of Israel were gathered together in the Beit Rimon valley. When those missives arrived, they began weeping. They wanted to rebel against the empire…”

The Samaritans knew that the Temple needed to be rebuilt in its precise former location and even a minor change in location was unacceptable to Israel.

Hadrian, for his part, drastically changed his approach to the Jews and he soon after prohibited the study of Torah, forbade the use of the Hebrew calendar, and executed many Jewish sages. The Bar Kochba revolt would soon after break out. 07/17/25 https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1159213482904614&set=a.627296572762977

This is interesting for several reasons.

Emperor came to power after Emperor Trajan. Which was shortly after the Trajanic wars of 115-117 (also known as the Kitos War) where certain Jews revolted across several provinces in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as in Egypt and Libya.

Emperor Trajan apparently felt his first rebuilding edict could calm matters down. But, he had changes.

And in 130 CE, Hadrian visited the Eastern Mediterranean and decided to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem as the Roman colony of Aelia Capitolina. The Jews then instituted the Bar Kokhba revolt, which was final major Jewish uprising and last organized attempt to regain national independence from the old Roman Empire.

In an older newsletter, the Temple Institute had the following:

Iyar 21, 5780/May 15, 2020 …

Rare Coin From Bar-Kokhba Revolt Unearthed Near The Temple Mount In Jerusalem: ‘Year 2 of the Freedom of Israel’. Archaeologists unearth coin dating back to Bar Kochba revolt which reads “Return to Israel”, “Jerusalem”. In honor of Lag B’Omer, the Israel Antiquities Authority on Monday revealed a rare bronze coin from the period of the Bar Kokhba revolt (circa 132 CE).

While Emperor Hadrian did not accept Simon Bar Kochba as the true Messiah, he did not accept Jesus either, but you should.

Anyway, as the result of the Jewish revolt and a later edict by Emperor Hadrian, there ended up being a split in Jerusalem between the faithful, who had to flee, and the apostates, who due to cowardice, etc. adopted Sunday, unclean meats, and stopped keeping the Holy Days as the Bible commanded.

That cowardice also spread to Rome and elsewhere and was a factor in the acceptance of Sunday as well as the change of the date of Passover to Sunday.

There were many ramifications of Emperor Hadrian’s edicts and most of the professing Christian world has been affected by the fall out of them to this day.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Marcus of Jerusalem: Apostolic successor or apostate? Marcus is claimed to have been the 16th bishop of Jerusalem, but did he get his position from faithfulness or political compromise?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Easter? If not, when did this happen? Where did Easter come from? Is Easter supposed to be Passover? What do scholars and the Bible reveal? Here is a link to a related video: Amazing Facts About Easter.
Sunday and Christianity Was Sunday observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians? Who clearly endorsed Sunday? What relevance is the first or the “eighth” day? A related sermon is also available: Sunday: First and Eighth Day?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book. We also have the book translated in the Spanish PRUEBA de que JESÚS es el MESÍAS and French PREUVES QUE JÉSUS EST LE MESSIE languages.
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? Why is the Jews’ claimed year off by two centuries? When will Jesus return? 2032, 2035, or 2036 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?
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
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.

Pope Leo XIV
(Photo from Edgar Beltrán of The Pillar via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

A reader in Italy sent me a link to an article written in Italian (https://www.maurizioblondet.it/el-papa-prevost-miscredenti-convertitevi-allagenda-2030/) which I machine-translated into English. It concerns Pope Leo XIV, whose birth name was Robert Francis Prevost. Here are some excerpts:

Pope Prevost: “Unbelievers, convert to Agenda 2030!”

by Martino Mora

-during the first green Mass  in history, in Castel Gandolfo, a Leo XIV dressed in green (otherwise what kind of  green  would it be?) affirmed the need for “conversion”.

To Christ? No to environmentalism: “We must pray for the conversion of many people,” Prevost stated, “both within and outside the Church, who still fail to recognize the urgency of caring for our common home. Many of the natural disasters we still see around the world, almost every day in many places, in many countries, are partly caused by human excesses and their lifestyles. Therefore, we must ask ourselves whether we ourselves are experiencing that conversion: how much we need it!”

Wow. So you can be inside the Church and not be “converted” to  green . While those outside must convert… also to  green .

Like Bergoglio, no more, no less. Like Greta Thunberg. …

Prevost speaks of “natural law” and means the UN’s human rights. He speaks of “conversion” and means the acceptance of environmentalism. A nightmare.

Prevost is Bergoglio with a human face. The methods and style may change, but the essence remains, alas: the self-dissolution of the Church. 07/15/25

The reference to Bergoglio is a reference to the late Pope Francis. The statement, “Prevost is Bergoglio with a human face” brought to mind the following:

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. (Revelation 13:11)

Now, I am not saying that Pope Leo XIV must be the one prophesied in Revelation 13:11, but he does look like a lamb to many.

The 2030 agenda is something that Pope Francis, the United Nations, and various globalist groups have endorsed.

That said, long term readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page realize that I have long called the UN’s 2030 ‘New Universal Agenda’ a ‘false gospel.’

Here is some information about it in our free booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom of God (note that this booklet has been translated into over 900 languages/dialects):

Does humanity have the solutions?

The world faces many problems.

Many people are hungry. Many people are oppressed. Many people face poverty. Many nations are in serious debt. Children, including unborn ones, face abuse. Drug-resistant diseases concern many doctors. Major industrial cities have air too polluted to be healthy. Various politicians threaten war. Terrorist attacks keep happening.

Can world leaders fix the problems facing humanity?

Many think so.

New Universal Agenda

On September 25, 2015, after a key-note speech by the Vatican’s Pope Francis, the 193 nations of the United Nations (UN) voted to implement the “17 Sustainable Development Goals” of what originally was termed the New Universal Agenda. Here are the UN’s 17 goals:

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

This agenda is supposed to be fully implemented by 2030 and is also called the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It aims to solve ailments facing humanity through regulation, education, and international and interfaith cooperation. While many of its objectives are good, some of its methods and goals are evil (cf. Genesis 3:5). This agenda, also, is consistent with Pope Francis’s Laudato Si encyclical.

The “New Universal Agenda” could be called the “New Catholic Agenda” as the word “catholic” means “universal.” Pope Francis called the adoption of the New Universal Agenda “an important sign of hope.”

As a follow-up to the UN agreement, there was a meeting in Paris in December 2015 (officially titled 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change). Pope Francis also praised that international agreement and advised nations “to carefully follow the road ahead, and with an ever-growing sense of solidarity.”

Nearly all the nations in the world agreed to the Paris accords, which had specific environmental goals and financial commitments. (Then US President Barack Obama signed a document to commit the USA to this in 2016, but in 2017, US President Donald Trump stated that the United States would NOT accept the agreed to Paris accords. This caused international outrage and has helped isolate the US from Europe and many other parts of the world.) Pope Francis later stated humanity “will go down” if it does not make his changes related to the climate.

While no one wants to breath polluted air, go hungry, be impoverished, be endangered, etc., will human attempts to meet the goals of the United Nations’ 2030 agenda and/or the Paris accords solve the problems facing humanity?

The Track Record of the United Nations

The United Nations was formed and established on 24 October 1945, after World War II, in order to prevent another such conflict and to try to promote peace in the world. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193.

There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of conflicts around the world since the United Nations formed, but we have not yet had what could be described as the third World War.

Some believe that international cooperation like the United Nations claims to promote, combined with the type of interfaith and ecumenical agenda that Pope Francis and many other religious leaders are trying to promote, will bring peace and prosperity.

However, the track record for the United Nations to do this has not been good. In addition to the numerous armed conflicts since the United Nations formed, multiple millions are hungry, refugees, and/or desperately poor.

Over a decade ago, the United Nations set forth to implement its Millennium Development Goals. It had eight “development goals,” but this did not succeed, even according to the UN itself. So, in 2015, its so-called “17 Sustainable Development Goals” were adopted. Some are optimistic. Some consider it a utopian fantasy.

As far as utopia goes, on May 6, 2016, Pope Francis said he dreamed of a humane European utopia that his church could help that continent attain. Yet, the Pope’s dream will turn out to be a nightmare (cf. Revelation 18).

There May Be Some Cooperation and Success, But …

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary states that utopia is “an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect.” The Bible teaches that humanity cannot solve its problems on its own:

²³ O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. (Jeremiah 10:23, NKJV throughout unless otherwise indicated)

The Bible teaches that international cooperation will fail:

¹⁶ Destruction and misery are in their ways; ¹⁷ And the way of peace they have not known. ¹⁸ There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:16-18)

Yet, many humans are working towards their view of a utopian society and even sometimes try to involve religion. But almost none are willing to follow the ways of the one true God. It is not that there will be no progress towards any of the United Nation’s or the Vatican’s goals. There will be some, as well as some setbacks.

Actually, and probably after massive conflict, a type of international peace deal will be agreed to and confirmed (Daniel 9:27). When it is, many will falsely tend to believe that humanity will be bringing about a more peaceful and utopian society.

Many will be taken in by such international ‘utopian progress’ (cf. Ezekiel 13:10) as well as by various signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). But the Bible says such peace will not last (Daniel 9:27; 11:31-44), despite what leaders may claim (1 Thessalonians 5:3; Isaiah 59:8).

The idea that, apart from Jesus, humanity can bring utopia in this ‘present evil age’ is a false gospel (Galatians 1:3-10). …

The ecumenical and interfaith movements that the United Nations, Vatican, many Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox leaders are promoting are clearly condemned by the Bible and should not be encouraged. Jesus warned of ones claiming to follow Him who would “deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). Much ecumenism is related to the “white horseman” of Revelation 6:1-2 (who is NOT Jesus) and the harlot of Revelation 17. …

Problems in the world, in places like the Middle East (despite expected temporal gains, e.g. Daniel 9:27a; 1 Thessalonians 5:3), will not be solved by humans—we need the peace of the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17).

The problems of international terrorism, despite expected gains, will not be solved (cf. Ezekiel 21:12) by the deceived in the United Nations (cf. Revelation 12:9)—we need the joy and comfort of the Kingdom of God.

The problems of the environment will NOT be solved by international cooperation, as the world’s nations will help destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18), but they will be solved by the Kingdom of God.

Issues of sexual immorality, abortion, and selling human body parts will not be solved by the USA (cf. Revelation 18:13), but by the Kingdom of God.

The massive debt that the USA, UK, and many other nations have will not be solved through international brokering, but ultimately (after destruction per Habakkuk 2:6-8) by the Kingdom of God.

Ignorance and miseducation will not be solved by the United Nations—we need the Kingdom of God. Religious strife will not truly be solved by any ecumenical-interfaith movement agreeing to salvation apart from the true Jesus of the Bible. Sin is THE PROBLEM in the world and for that, we need Jesus’ sacrifice and His return in the Kingdom of God. Modern medical science does not have all the answers for human health—we need the Kingdom of God.

Here is a link to our free online booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Note: Translations of this booklet are available in hundreds of languages at https://www.ccog.org

Well, what about some type of world government by 2030?

There could be a world government by then, as the 6,000 years God has allowed humanity to rule itself under Satan’s influence is drawing to a close (though it could be perhaps up to a decade or so later than that).

Before the millennial Kingdom of God is in place, the world will see a world government dominated by a European Beast and Antichrist, and then after they are defeated (Revelation 19), the one glorious government known as the millennial Kingdom of God (Revelation 20:1-6) will be put in place.

With many disappointed with “climate progress” and other matters, many leaders want to accelerate aspects of the 2030 Agenda.

Related to that, we put together the following related video:

15:02

UN Wants to Accelerate Agenda 2030

The United Nations has ’17 Sustainable Development Goals’ as part of its Agenda 2030 adopted back in 2025. In September 2023, a summit was held where the UN pushed for the acceleration of the goals and many were not progressing as the UN wanted them to. Are these goals consistent with what Klaus Schwab’s World Economic Forum, the Vatican (in Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical) and Lynn Rothschild’s Council for Inclusive Capitalism have called for? Might this all be leading to some type of a totalitarian globalist system? Are parts of the goals good? Are some of the goals unattainable according to the Bible? Has the UN been pushing toward a global system of governance? Will a totalitarian system result in utopia before Jesus returns and ushers in the millennial Kingdom of God? Could the year 2030 be relevant? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters and more.

Here is a link to our video: UN Wants to Accelerate Agenda 2030.

While we do not want to promote pollution, temperature records are going to be broken and new ones set.

The solution is to turn to God and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness as Jesus said (cf. Matthew 6:33).

Some items of related interest may include:

The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon: Christians and the Environment (there is also a YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy, one titled Will Pollution lead to the End?, and one called COP 27 and Solving Climate Change).
Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to three related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
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? 2032, 2035, or 2036 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?
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.
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?
The Malachy Prophecies and “Peter the Roman” An Irish bishop allegedly predicted something about 112 popes in the 12th century. Pope Benedict XVI was number 111. Francis could be number 112–if he counted. What about Pope Leo XIV? Could he reign until Rome is destroyed. May he be an antipope/final Antichrist? Here is a link to a related sermon: Pope Leo XIV & Antichrist Prophecies.
The Last Pope of the Malachy Prophecies: Do Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Leo XIV? This 154 page book has biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies related to the last pope, an antipope who will be the final Antichrist. It is also available on Kindle: The Last Pope of the Malachy Prophecies: Do Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Leo XIV?-Kindle.

Model of the ancient tabernacle with a tent in Timna Valley Park, Israel
(Photo by Ruk7, Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The coalition supporting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be falling apart. Notice the following:

Netanyahu’s coalition is rattled as ultra-Orthodox party announces exit over military draft law

July 15, 2025

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party that has been a key governing partner of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Tuesday it was leaving the coalition government, threatening to destabilize the Israeli leader’s rule at a pivotal time in the war in Gaza.

United Torah Judaism’s two factions said they were bolting the government over disagreements surrounding a bill that would codify broad military draft exemptions for their constituents, many of whom study Jewish texts instead of enlisting to the military. …

The departure of a party that has long served as a kingmaker in Israeli politics doesn’t immediately threaten Netanyahu’s rule. But, once it comes into effect within 48 hours, it will leave the Israeli leader with a slim majority in a government that could now more heavily rely on the whims of two far-right parties. …

United Torah Judaism’s departure has a window of 48 hours before becoming official, meaning Netanyahu can still find ways to satisfy the party and bring it back into the coalition. But Shuki Friedman, vice president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, said the gaps between the draft law currently on the table and the demands of the party are still wide, making a compromise unlikely during that time. https://apnews.com/article/israel-netanyahu-government-gaza-war-elections-e207f3519314012df4c489fe1eaafa33

One member of one of the “far-right parties” that Benjamin Netanyahu looks to need now is Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir–he is someone that the Biden-Harris Administration denounced (see Ben Gvir is criticized for going to ‘Temple Mount’ and is being pressured to push for Jewish Passover sacrifice). Another is Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich–and he has called for the construction of a third temple (see Israel’s Finance Minister calls for building ‘3rd Temple,’ but all that is needed is permission for sacrifices).

That said, what triggered this post was that a reader in Italy sent me at link to an article in Italian (https://www.maurizioblondet.it/israele-tutto-pronto-per-il-terzo-tempio-anche-il-nuovo-piano-regolatore-per-il-traffico-verso-il-sito/), which I machine-translated into English. Here are some translated quotes from it:

July 15, 2025

“The Third Temple is ready: it just awaits the REMOVED of the remaining buildings on the Temple Mount.

Our team of architects is responsible for preparing the plans for the Third Temple.

These plans take into account the latest techniques, especially in terms of environmental protection and the latest standards.
These plans will be submitted by the Jerusalem Municipality once the Temple Mount has been cleared of existing buildings.
Subsequently, the Ministry of the Interior Committee will approve the Municipality’s plans and give the green light for construction (District Committee). Our lawyers are defending the project before the Municipality, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Supreme Court.

The Temple Institute wants all the Muslim buildings removed (see https://templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions/?utm_source=chatgpt.com). That would likely spark a major war, so that is not expected to be granted (though an attack from Iran could possibly clear the area).

The Temple Institute has made some attempts to offer sacrifices on the area called the Temple Mount in the past, but has often ran into political/judicial opposition. Israeli courts have generally agreed that Jews have the right to perform animal sacrifices, but have repeatedly denied this right as the timing would have excessively negative consequences. And to rebuild a temple in the area that the Muslims consider sacred would be even more problematic politically–especially at this instant. Yet, because the Muslims have a strong presence at the site of the old Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) with their al-Aqsa Mosque, some consider the actual construction of a Jewish temple there to be impossible.

Furthermore, in a case heard in 2010 by the Supreme Court in Israel concerning the sacrifices, there was the following report:

The organizers also demanded to be allowed to celebrate this coming Passover holiday on the site of the Holy Temple by offering the Paschal sacrifice. They noted that according to Jewish Law, the Holy Temple does not need to be built in order to resume the sacrificial offerings. They emphasized accordingly that the Temple Mount organizations are not trying to change or make modifications to any existing structures on the Mount, but rather aim to receive permission to build a temporary altar, which would be dismantled immediately following the Passover Offering. (Fendel H. Supreme Court: No Passover Sacrifice Again This Year. IsraelNN.com, March 24, 2010. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/136699)

Although the court ruled against allowing this THEN on current political grounds, the point is that there are many Jews are willing to resume the sacrifices without a temple being built or the Temple Mount at all modified.

Now, one question is would the Temple Institute be willing to sacrifice on the area called the Temple Mount even if it were not “cleared of existing buildings“?

Yes, and I was told that when I asked an employee of the Temple Institute when I visited Jerusalem some years ago.

The fact that Israel’s Finance Minister has called for a temple suggests that, to a degree, political sentiment is moving more towards allowing the sacrifices.

Also, consider the following from last August:

A far-right Israeli minister has sparked outrage by saying he would build a Jewish synagogue at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem if he could, …

The Al-Aqsa compound is Islam’s third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian identity. It is also considered by Jews to be the site of the First and Second Temples – the latter destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

“If I could do anything I wanted, I would put an Israeli flag on the site,” Ben-Gvir said in the interview.

Asked several times by a journalist if he would build a synagogue at the site if it were up to him, Ben-Gvir finally replied: “Yes.” https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/26/israeli-minister-ben-gvir-says-he-would-build-synagogue-on-al-aqsa-compound?utm_source=chatgpt.com

While many do wish to build another temple, it should be pointed out that:

1. Biblical prophecies do not require that a Jewish temple be built in Jerusalem before Jesus returns (for details, see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).
2. There is no biblical requirement for a temple to be built for sacrifices to resume (cf. Ezra 3:6).
3. Jewish leaders have long recognized the second point (see also Nascent Sanhedrin structure and high priest: The plan is to start animal sacrifices–this would fulfill prophecy!)–which is part of why there have been animal sacrifices this century.
4. The Bible also tells of daily sacrifices being stopped (Daniel 9:27, 11:31)–and since they have not started, their start is a prophetic event to look out for.

The sacrifices could be resumed with a synagogue or even a tent.

Furthermore without a temple, on December 10, 2018, the Sanhedrin had a major sacrificial ceremony. The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to it:

6:57

Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!

The Reconstituted Sanhedrin performed a ceremony on December 10, 2018 to dedicate a new altar for the use of daily sacrifices. High Priest Rabbi Baruch Kahane officiated. How does this align with Bible prophecy? Daniel wrote three times that the daily sacrifices must stop, hence they first must resume. The Great Tribulation will begin shortly after these sacrifices stop. In this video Dr. Thiel, who has also been to Israel and spoken with The Temple Institute quotes several scriptures and explains why the actions by the Sanhedrin align with prophecy and the end times.

Here is a link to our video: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!

As far as animal sacrifices go, notice that the Bible shows that during the time of Ezra animal sacrifices in the Temple were made before the second Jewish Temple was built:

2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings. 4 They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. 5 Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not been laid. (Ezra 3:2-6)

An actual rebuilt temple on the Temple Mount is not biblically required for the resumption of animal sacrifices, and many Jewish religious authorities realize this.

The Temple Institute had the following in its newsletter last year:

“In accordance with all that HaShem had commanded”

(Exodus 39:42)

Adar Sheni 5, 5784/March 15, 2024 …

“In accordance with all that HaShem had commanded Moshe, so did the children of Israel do all the work. Moshe saw the entire work, and lo! they had done it – as HaShem had commanded, so had they done. So Moshe blessed them.” (Exodus 39:42-43)

… The grand finale of the building of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) …

A modest tent made of wooden beams and animal skins, of dyed fabrics and, yes, of vessels fashioned from silver and gold, …

So concludes the book of Exodus, with the completion of the Tabernacle, its assembly by Moshe, and the filling up of the Tabernacle with the cloud of “the glory of HaShem.” (ibid 40:35)

One point from the Temple Institute’s newsletter was that the original tabernacle used for animal sacrifices was a tent.

While the Temple Institute actually wants the area known as the Temple Mount to be cleared of Muslim mosques, etc. in order to build a massive ‘third temple’ (see I365: Hamas ‘striving to ignite the region during Ramadan’ says Mossad; COGwriter: Could Jesus return in 2031?), the reality is that they only need an altar and perhaps a tent. This is also consistent with scripture.

It should be understood that the Bible itself nowhere teaches that animal sacrifices require a temple in Jerusalem. Also, the position of certain other Jewish scholars is that a physical temple, while helpful, is NOT required.

Until Solomon built the first temple (1 Kings 6:14), the Bible shows that the Jews sacrificed on altars. David, Solomon’s father, for example sacrificed on an altar (2 Samuel 24:25), as did Aaron and his descendants (Exodus 20:24; Leviticus 1:10-11).  And prior to all of that, Abel (Genesis 4:4), Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 22:9-13), and others sacrificed animals to God.

So for over 3,000 years, animal sacrifices were offered without a Jewish temple.

Since the sacrifices will be stopped (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) they must first start. And that is something that the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin are working towards.

As Jesus said:

35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:35-37)

The animal sacrifice situation is one of the events we in the Continuing Church of God are watching for.

Related to what is needed for the sacrifices, we have the following related video:

14:58

Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent

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

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

Last week, the Temple Institute had a red heifer sacrifice done, supposedly as practice. We then put out the following related video:

15:02

Red Heifer Sacrificed!

On July 8, 2025 a red heifer was sacrificed by kohanim (Levitical priests) under the order from the Temple Institute in Israel.

What difference does that make? Why should the sacrifice of a red heifer even be worthy of repeating? What if every hair on the red heifer wasn’t red? What if only two hairs were another color? Would that make a difference? Could certain Jews accept the ashes of the one just sacrificed for any “purification” purposes? What does the Book of Numbers actually teach about a red heifer?

Because of the following scriptures: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:13-14), why would a Christian even care if the Jews sacrificed a red heifer in Israel or not?

The reason Christians, and everyone else for that matter, should want to pay any attention to this is that this “practice” sacrifice looks to be setting the stage for the fulfillment of prophecies regarding animal sacrifices in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11). The stopping of animal sacrifices will lead to the countdown to the greatest trial and tribulation the world will ever know (Matthew 24:21-22). Does the Bible show any relationship between resumed animal sacrifices, the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days prophecies, the Great Tribulation, and the return of Jesus?

Watch this video as Dr. Thiel uses the word of God to shed the light of Bible prophecy on the tremendous prophetic importance of the sacrifice of the red heifer and its time stamp in relation to the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the return of Jesus.

Here is a link to our video: Red Heifer Sacrificed!

The latest practice sacrifice and burning of a reddish heifer by the Temple Institute are intended by it to further set the stage for the sacrifices to start–which they will.

Now getting back to politics, Benjamin Netanyahu looks like he even more needs “the far right.” Two in his cabinet have already called for a Jewish religious building, or other presence, on the area called the Temple Mount. Political pressures will one day be a factor in the resumption of animal sacrifices. We seem to be getting closer to that time.

We all need to watch and pray as Jesus said in Luke 21:36 and grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18) and as the Apostle Paul wrote:

25  … exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.  (Hebrews 10:25)

That day is approaching more and more.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and 5 Red Heifers and Year 5783?
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.

King Charles III (White House photo)

COGwriter

King Charles III participated in a pagan-type ceremony.

Inside King Charles’s fiery gathering that shone a light on his beliefs

12 July 2025

It wasn’t exactly a run-of-the-mill royal occasion.

In the sunny gardens of the Highgrove estate, I stood in a circle with King Charles and an eclectic group who were attending his first “Harmony Summit”.

We raised our arms in honour of nature as we stood around a fire, which was burning within a ring of flowers.

Presiding over the fire ceremony, in which we rotated as we honoured the north, south, east and west and then Mother Earth, was an Indigenous leader – an Earth Elder – wearing a headdress and a dazzling robe of blue feathers.

A conch shell was blown. Butterflies flew around the flowers. And, in a concession to modernity, as well as holding up feathers in a blessing for the King, the elder was reading his incantations from an iPhone.

There were people reaching to the sky, wearing colourful face paint and elaborate necklaces, while I held my palms up self-consciously, melting in my M&S suit.

The summit was a celebration of the King’s philosophy of harmony with nature – an inaugural event that the King’s Foundation hopes will become a regular gathering.

It brought together representatives from Indigenous peoples, including from tribes in the Amazon, along with environmentalists, climate campaigners, organic farmers, herbalists, educators, crafts people and philanthropists. …

The King, in a light summer suit, spoke a few quiet words of welcome, wearing a circlet of feathers and a scarf that had been draped ceremonially around his shoulders.

A humane, ruminative, humorous and quietly radical figure, he was at the centre of what he hopes will become the first of many such gatherings. …

In his book, Harmony – A New Way of Looking at our World, the King describes his purpose as a “call to revolution”, and writes that he recognises the strength of the word. …

Within strands of Christianity, the King is also said to be have been interested in the Orthodox faith and its use of icons.

In October 2019, there was a pagan ceremony at the Vatican which involved a naked statue related to an Amazonian deity called Pachamama. This caused a stir among Roman Catholics as the ceremony seemed to be authorized by then Pope Francis who actually blessed that statue. See: Amazon conference ends with Pope Francis leaning toward married priests and the acceptance of pagan idols and watch Pachamama: Pope Francis declares Black Madonna holiday.

The Apostle Paul warned the faithful:

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

By blessing the pagan statue, Pope Francis figuratively, and likely literally, touched and promoted the unclean.

Then Pope Francis, as well as King Charles, have both promoted an interfaith globalist agenda.

As far as King Charles himself goes, he has tended to be ecumenical.

As Prince Charles, he also had been a member and supporter of the globalist World Economic Forum (WEF). Perhaps it should be mentioned that in 2020, then Prince Charles declared that there was no alternative but to support the WEF’s ‘Great Reset’ agenda (https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/great-reset-launch-prince-charles-guterres-georgieva-burrow/).

Related to Charles and religion, notice the following from the past:

In 1994, Charles triggered controversy when he said he would be defender of faith rather than Defender of the Faith, in a desire to reflect Britain’s religious diversity. There were suggestions that the coronation oath might be altered.

In 2015, he clarified his position in an interview with BBC Radio 2, saying his views had been misinterpreted. He said: “As I tried to describe, I mind about the inclusion of other people’s faiths and their freedom to worship in this country. And it’s always seemed to me that, while at the same time being Defender of the Faith, you can also be protector of faiths.”

He pointed out that the Queen had said her role was “not to defend Anglicanism to the exclusion of other religions. Instead, the Church [of England] has a duty to protect the free practice of all faiths in this country. I think in that sense she was confirming what I was really trying to say – perhaps not very well – all those years ago.”

Now, as he ascends the throne almost three decades after that controversy, most people would agree that Charles should champion the right to religious belief and practice of all his subjects, not just that of the dwindling number of people in the pews of Anglican churches. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/09/king-charles-to-be-defender-of-the-faith-but-also-a-defender-of-faiths#:~:text=He%20said%3A%20%E2%80%9CAs%20I%20tried,also%20be%20protector%20of%20faiths.%E2%80%9D

King Charles III … Early on, he promised to be the defender of all faiths and has followed through by regularly incorporating interreligious events into his busy diary… https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/29/uk/royal-year-in-review-intl-gbr-scli-cmd/index.html

It is his interreligious promotions and connections with groups like the World Economic Forum and other groups that have raised concerns of some. After all, even ‘satanism’ is considered to be a faith–as is Amazonian paganism.

That said, Charles sits on the throne of David. Even in the Old Testament we read that many who sat on that throne were not faithful to the religion that they were supposed to be.

As far as the British connection to the throne of David, here  is something from my 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 Throne of David Was to Continue

Let’s look at some prophecies related to the throne of David:

⁴⁵ … King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever. (1 Kings 2:45)

³ “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ⁴ ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’”(Psalm 89:3-4)

² … Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates! (Jeremiah 22:2)

¹⁷ “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; ¹⁸ nor shall the priests, the Levites, lack a man to offer burnt offerings before Me, to kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’” (Jeremiah 33:17-18)

The above passages make clear that the throne of David was to last. Since scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35), then someone has to be on that throne now. Let me also state that there have been Levites ever since Jeremiah 33:17-18–the fact that they do not do their original biblical role for offerings does NOT change the fact that they still exist, which is all that scripture requires for them. It should also be noted that Young’s Literal Translation says “one” instead of “a man,” which literally allows for a woman to have the throne (the NET uses “successor” and the NLT uses “descendant”).

Furthermore, since God had Jeremiah write this during the life of the last king on the throne of David in Jerusalem (Zedekiah) this may also be suggesting that Jeremiah would be involved in the continuity of the Davidic throne.

Although some have improperly asserted that Jeremiah 33:17 does not mean that anyone actually has to be on the throne, only available to be on it, remember also the following:

¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. (Genesis 49:10)

The Bible shows that scepter came to David of Judah when he became king (cf. Numbers 24:17; 2 Samuel 8:2). Some who do not accept that the British Royal family can be holding that scepter have said that, “Until Shiloh comes” means Jesus’ first coming. However, that is in error for three reasons.

The first is if that were the case, then where were the kings between Zedekiah (the last King of Judah) and Jesus? There were none.

And secondly, during His first coming, Jesus said His Kingdom was future (John 18:36), so He did not assume the throne then. Critics of what is known as British-Israelism do not seem to realize that and they wrongly rationalize away many scriptures. Jesus will sit on the throne of David in millennial the Kingdom of God.

And thirdly, note that Genesis 49:10 has to be a reference to the second coming of Jesus, as we did not see the obedience of the people given to Him during the first coming. Hence, biblically, there had to have been a royal succession from Judah’s line after Zedekiah until Jesus’ return.

Consider that through the prophet Nathan, God made a remarkable promise to King David:

¹² “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  ¹³ He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. … ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 15-16)

The throne was to be established forever—and it has been! And this is the throne Jesus will return to.

Scripture is plainly teaching that someone has had to have been on that throne since the time of the Zedekiah (a contemporary of Jeremiah), who was the last king of Judah in the Holy Land until Jesus returns to set up the millennial kingdom.

Since someone had to fill the regal role, we can see through historical records and legends that the royalty in the British Isles fits this.

Now, some have pointed to Jeremiah 22:28-30 as proof that, because God said that Coniah (also called Jeconiah) would not have son to be on the throne of David as proof that the line would not continue, that overlooks the fact that the line continued through Coniah’s brother Zedekiah (1 Chronicles 3:16).

Through the prophet Nathan, God made a remarkable promise to King David:

¹² “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  ¹³ He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. … ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, 15-16)

The throne was to be established forever—and it has been! This is the throne Jesus will return to. …

British Royal Family

Are there other biblical connections between the British Royal Family and the line of King David?

Yes.

When the wife of King James II, Mary/Margaret, was made Queen Consort, the ceremony in the mid-15^th century tied her in with the wives of the Israeli patriarchs: Sarah (Abraham), Rebecca (Isaac), and Leah & Rachel (Jacob).[i]

In the early 17^th century, Stuart King James I claimed to be the King of Israel.[ii]

In 1860 and 1881, Frederick Glover wrote about the connection between the children of Israel and the British. Later, he shared information with Queen Victoria. This was then reported in a New Zealand newspaper in 1902:

FRA Glover … was led into an examination of the Royal pedigree, … he sent her Majesty a letter …

The Queen’s answer … acknowledged … that she was already in possession of the facts of which he had spoken to her concerning her ancestral line.  …

This communication … led him to believe that the facts were actually accepted as genuine by the Royal Family – as true and authentic.[iii]

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, was the last surviving granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Princess Alice was the main patron of the British-Israel-World Federation organization which formed in 1919. She attended the federation’s first Congress in July 1920, and remained a patron of the BIWF until her death in January 1981.[iv]

Furthermore, notice something that the then Duke of York, who later was King George VI of Great Britain from 11 December 1936 until his death on February 6, 1952, reportedly wrote in 1922:

… I am sure the British Israelite business is true. I have read a lot about it lately and everything no matter how large or small points to our being ‘the chosen race.’[v]

So, even a recent King of Great Britain believed in British-Israelism (though Ephraimites, per say, are not the chosen race—they are recipients of certain covenant blessings).

In ancient times, God had the prophet Samuel anoint David to be king with oil from Israel (1 Samuel 16:1,13). Notice now a part of the ceremony for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II back in 1953:

O Lord and heavenly Father, the exalter of the humble and the strength of thy chosen, who by anointing with Oil didst of old make and consecrate kings, priests, and prophets, to teach and govern thy people Israel: Bless and sanctify thy chosen servant ELIZABETH, who by our office and ministry is now to be anointed with this Oil, … And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so be thou anointed, blessed, and consecrated Queen over the Peoples, whom the Lord thy God hath given thee to rule and govern,[vi]

So, we see a tie in with governance, oil, Israel, David’s son Solomon and other biblical aspects. The ancient kings of Israel were anointed (1 Samuel 15:1; 1 Kings 1:34) with oil (1 Samuel 16:13). Scepters were long recognized in the Bible as a symbol for ruling (Genesis 49:10; Ezekiel 19:14) and one was given to the new Queen. Having all of these as part of a coronation ceremony may be more than a coincidence or simple imitation of what some saw in the Bible (some assert the basic ceremony originated with Bishop Dunstan of the 10^th century, but it is difficult to know what was done earlier in Scotland or Ireland and if he had access to any related information).

Here is some of what was said when King Charles III was anointed with oil as part of his coronation on May 6, 2023:

Be your head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed. And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern …[vii]

Let it be added that Jerusalem was reportedly mentioned at least three times in his coronation ceremony.[viii] And that is where Solomon would have been anointed king.

Furthermore, the olive oil mixture to be used to anoint King Charles III was consecrated on the Mount of Olives which is adjacent to Jerusalem, and according to Justin Welby (the Archbishop of Canterbury), “ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.” [ix] While those “ancient kings” referred to may only go back to Crusader times, it is possible that some anointing oil was originally brought to Ireland by Jeremiah and, in time, others decided to replenish it with an olive oil mixture from Jerusalem.

Have any in the current Royal Family believed in British Israelism?

Well, as it turns out, a longtime colleague of mine (who asked not to have his name in this book because it could impact his relationship with the Royal Family), told me on April 6, 2022, that decades ago, then Prince Charles privately told him that “he believed that the British royalty was part of the line of David, but would never say this in public or print” and that Charles seemed to know a lot about the British-Israelite matter.

[i] Ashmole E. The entire ceremonies of the coronations of His Majesty King Charles II. and of her Majesty Queen Mary, Consort to James II: As published by those learned heralds Ashmole and Sandford. With the prayers at full length. To which is prefix’d, an introduction historical and critical; likewise an appendix, containing many curious particulars. MDCCLXI, pp. 33-35

[ii] Brackney, p. 61

[iii] Adams RN. The King’s Pedigree. Otaga Witness, September 24, 1902, p. 69

[iv] Stanley B. Christianity in the Twentieth Century, A World History. Princeton University Press, 2018, p. 24

[v] George, Duke of York. Letter, 1922. Facsimile printed in The Independent, April 6, 1996 as cited in Crawford H, Leo R. Scholarship, Sacrifice and Subjectivity: The Renaissance Bible Today. Taylor & Francis, 2021, p. 113

[vi] Church of England. The Form and Order of the Service that is to be Performed and the Ceremonies that are to be Observed in the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in the Abbey Church of St. Peter Westminster on Tuesday the Second Day of June 1953. Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1953, pp. 12-13

[vii] The Coronation: King’s coronation order of service: Follow ceremony including hymns, prayers and readings. Sky News, May 6, 2023

[viii] Ibid.

[ix] Khalil h, Foster M. Holy oil to anoint King Charles III on his coronation, has been consecrated in Jerusalem. CNN, March 4, 2023

A full list of succession can be found in the 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?

Back in 2023, related to King Charles III, we uploaded the following related video:

14:52

King Charles Setting Prophetic Stage?

Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III will be making his first international state visit from March 26-31, 2023 by going to France and Germany. Some believe this is intended to attempt to smooth over some relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Could there be any connection to the goals of the World Economic Forum? Could this visit possibly help set the stage for the UK (prophetic Ephraim) to fulfill certain prophecies related to Germany (prophetic Assyria) after the start of the Great Tribulation? Are there biblical prophecies that suggest that the United States of America and its British-descended allies may turn on each other? Did Nostradamus also seem to predict that as well as some events that now seem to be happening–such as opinions not being free? Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by a European power? Is King Charles knowledgeable about any biblical prophecies concerning the British peoples being descendants of the Israelite tribe of Ephraim? Are the North American and British peoples prophesied to have a European king over them because they refuse to repent? What to prophecies by Hosea, Daniel, Amos, and Isaiah show? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: King Charles Setting Prophetic Stage?

King Charles III looks to be promoting the interfaith agenda that various globalists want.

But such an agenda is not part of the Christian faith, nor something he should be promoting.

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, and Christian Persecution from the Beast; and WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?

The King’s Pedigree This is an article published by the Otago Witness in 1902 related to connections of the British Throne to the throne of King David of Israel. This also has some modern commentary inserted in italics.

Red heifer being burnt July 1, 2025
(Screenshot from Israel National News via Israel365News)

COGwriter

Israel365News reported the following:

Practice Burning of Red Heifer Carried Out

July 11, 2025

Last Tuesday, a practice red heifer burning was conducted. A video from the drill was published on Israel National News.

In the drill, a red heifer that had been housed at Shiloh by the Boneh Israel organization was prepared and burned on a pyre of wood as preparation for the possibility of an actual ceremony in the future. The heifer was not suitable for the actual ceremony, as it had been inspected by the rabbis of the Temple Institute and judged to have non-red hairs, thereby disqualifying it. The heifer was burned on a pyre of wood precisely as specified in Jewish sources.

The practice burning was carried out at an undisclosed location in Samaria. The actual red heifer may only be burned at a specific location on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

The red heifer project is being carried out by the Temple Institute under the auspices of Rabbi Azariah Ariel. https://israel365news.com/410435/practice-burning-of-red-heifer-carried-out/#google_vignette

I had speculated, based on certain statements from the Temple Institute, that they could sacrifice one of the ‘red heifers they had this year (see Red Heifers, 2 disqualified, 3 potentially left–might one be sacrifices in 2025?)–but this July sacrifice was not  that one.

Why?

Because of the claim that the one sacrificed was disqualified as well as the date.

Notice the claimed reason for the disqualification:

A red heifer raised in Israel was disqualified for sacrifice after two black hairs were found on its body. It was used in a practice burning ceremony for priests. 07/08/25 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/411316

The fact that the Temple Institute claims they do not currently accept that sacrifice does not mean that they cannot change their mind.

How come?

Well, it has also long been my view that even if there were a couple of non-red hairs, the Jews, biblically-speaking, could accept that if they felt the need.

Notice something posted here on July 12, 2024:

Getting back to the Temple Institute, it also posted:

Promise Of The Red Heifer!  …

The red heifer is a cow that is reddish-brown in color. …

The burning of the red heifer is one of the 613 Jewish commandments. In the words of Maimonides, [1] “He commanded us to prepare the red heifer, so that its ashes be ready for one who needs it for purification from the impurity of a corpse.”

The complete renewing of all aspects of the Holy Temple service, and the revival of complete ritual purity among Jews, is contingent upon the preparation of the red heifer. …

In our generation, in which we look forward to the reinstitution of the service in the Holy Temple, …

The heifer must be completely red, meaning, there must be no other colored hairs among the red ones. … The Jewish law pertaining to the red heifer hair color requirement is as follows: If the cow has two white or black hairs next to each other – it is invalid. [5] Even if those hairs are plucked – the heifer is still invalid. [6] The eyes of the heifer, teeth, and tongue do not have to be red. However, if the horns and hooves are black, they must be removed without harming the flesh of the heifer, in order for the red heifer to be valid for this commandment. [7]

Before going further, let me state that the Bible DOES NOT SAY THAT THE HEIFER CANNOT HAVE ANY OTHER COLORED HAIRS. The Bible also says nothing about the color of hooves or horns being removed. The references, which can be found at this link: https://templeinstitute.org/para-aduma-the-red-heifer-5/#7 are to Jewish sages and traditions–they are not literal biblical commands, but Jewish interpretations.

While many of the Orthodox Jews cling to tradition, some are more flexible when they see a reason to avoid it, particular if it is not required by the Bible.

Now, going to the Bible itself, here is what the Hebrews scriptures say about a red heifer:

1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come. 3 You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; 4 and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. 6 And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. 8 And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. 9 Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them. (Numbers 19:1-10)

While the red heifer is to have no blemish or defect, the number of possible hairs not being fully “red” is not mentioned. Jews have interpreted Numbers 19:1-10 to mean that another red heifer needs to be sacrificed for sacrifices to be resumed or for the Messiah to return. While that is not directly stated above, it could be implied from that one is again needed for those who do not accept Jesus came as the Messiah. And if those who want to sacrifice will not do so until they have a red heifer, then in that respect a red heifer is important. Certain Jews, like those of the Temple Institute, have added non-biblical requirements for the ‘tenth red heifer’ that while not biblically essential (and Jesus complained that the Jews in His day did that as well as is recorded in Mark 7:9-13), may be humanly necessary for the Jews to accept a particular red heifer as rabbinically valid.

Now, presuming that the Temple Institute kept some of the ashes from the burning this week, it does have the ashes of a red heifer. That does not mean that they will not sacrifice a future red heifer, but let’s just say that they have ashes of a red heifer should they feel they are necessary for some of their objectives.

Consider that in July 2024, the Temple Institute had the following in its newsletter:

Tammuz 13, 5784/July 19, 2024 …

“The Time Has Arrived!” When the other kohanim heard the sound of the muchni raising the laver, they exclaimed “The time has arrived!” Meaning, the time of sanctification has come, for our colleague has now reached the laver. This was the signal for them to prepare themselves to begin their tasks, as well.

It then had a link to something that linked to the following:

The altar is the very heart of the Holy Temple, for all of the Divine service is centered around it: all of the daily and additional offerings, as well as the individual and congregational offerings.  …

There is a specific concern of the laws of Biblical purity with regard to the copper laver, although the same problem can effect certain other vessels as well: anything left overnight in a sacred vessel becomes unfit for use in the morning. If water was left in the laver overnight, the kohanim would not be able to sanctify themselves with this water. Thus, the laver had to be emptied of its contents at the end of the day. But how could it be refilled quickly with enough water? In addition to this kohen who officiates at the removal of the ashes, all 12 kohanim who will soon be performing the daily morning offering must also wash their hands and feet at the laver! https://templeinstitute.org/a-day-in-the-holy-temple-part-3/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1BfrWbDtGe4A3SMJuRCcftzb7OplkYiikQTHsHaTFok3oeiR4zaJ99aMo_aem_-MWXfGkAknQ_ltPu0Tdnyw

Basically, the Temple Institute was hinting that it is getting time to prepare for having twice daily sacrifices.

Related to the idea of twice daily sacrifices, Israel365 News reported the following in 2023:

Girl creates daily schedule calendar …

August 15, 2023

While many people are praying for the arrival of the Third Temple, one special young girl took on a daunting project that is a huge practical step in jump-starting the Temple service.

Miriam, a young autistic girl, took a step towards realizing her dream of seeing the Temple restored by creating a calendar detailing the daily schedule of the Temple service.

“My name is Miriam,” the article read. “I am an autistic girl and not independent in many things, but I understand everything and communicate by typing. …

“I thought for a long time about what I could do that would be significant, something that would help everyone think and prepare for the Temple. I decided to make a Temple calendar.”

“I wrote down on a calendar the hours of the Tamid daily sacrifice for every day and the Tamid evening sacrifice. I also wrote when there is an additional (Musaf) sacrifice.” …

For Miriam, the calendar is a powerful tool for creative visualization.

“I want you to look at the calendar every day and remember what we are missing right now, every day,” she wrote. “I have written everything in the present tense so that we can feel what it is like … Let’s pray together that God will bring us redemption soon and that the priests will offer these sacrifices … ” …

The calendar is freely available for download in a PDF file ready for printing at home. Printing instructions are on the last page of the file.

“I would be very happy for you to print the calendar and hang it on your wall,” Miriam wrote. “I would be very happy if you could help me distribute the calendar.” https://www.israel365news.com/374536/girl-creates-daily-schedule-calendar-for-third-temple/

Here is a downloaded picture of Miriam’s animal sacrifice calendar:

I machine-translated one of the dates from the calendar above. Here is the translation via Google translate:

6:18 Sunrise, always a sacrifice

Additional victim: 15:17

Always a sacrifice

18:59 Sunset

The requirement for two sacrifices per day comes from the Book of Numbers:

3 “And you shall say to them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the Lord: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering. 4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, the other lamb you shall offer in the evening,  (Numbers 28:3-4)

Christians, however, do not need to have animal sacrifices NOR THE ASHES OF A RED HEIFER as we accept that Jesus’ death eliminated that need, as the following in the New Testament points out:

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.  (Hebrews 9:11-15)

Since Christians do not need to be sacrificing animals, why is the idea of animal sacrifices of prophetic interest?

Two reasons.

First, since the Jews do not accept Jesus’ sacrifice, they believe that they still need to have daily sacrifices.

And the second is that Bible prophecy shows that there will be animal sacrifices again. And that the stopping of them will have prophetic ramifications:

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)

31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Daniel 11:31)

11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. (Daniel 12:11)

Daniel 9 and Daniel 11 involve actions by one who will be the prophesied European King of the North Beast power. And he will be involved in stopping those sacrifices.

For those sacrifices to be stopped, they must be started.

Having done a red heifer sacrifice shows that at least some Jews are willing to start animal sacrifices.

Miriam’s calendar was another small step towards that.

Related to that, we have the following video:

14:41

Jewish Animal Sacrifice Calendar

A young autistic woman in Israel has put forth what she hopes will be used as a calendar by Jewish priests for making daily animal sacrifices, once they have been resumed. Does the reconstituted Sanhedrin or the Temple Institute believe that such sacrifices can be resumed without a massive Jewish temple? What happened in the days of Ezra? Will such sacrifices be resumed? Does the Bible teach that such sacrifices will be stopped? If so, when will the sacrifices start and end? Any connection of the sacrifices to the Great Tribulation or the return of Jesus? Could a red heifer be sacrificed in the Spring of 2024? What about 1290 days of Daniel 12? Does the Sanhedrin have a dedicated altar that they can use now for sacrifices? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Jewish Animal Sacrifice Calendar.

When may the animal sacrifices start?

According to the New Testament, they will be started PRIOR to the start of the Great Tribulation as they are stopped just prior to the Great Tribulation–which in the sequence in Daniel 11, starts in verse 39 (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?), which is, of course, after the sacrifices are stopped in Daniel 11:31.

We are getting closer to the time of starting the animal sacrifices.

For such sacrifices to stop, they first must start.

This is something that  wants. And they want it as soon as possible.

UPDATE 07/13/25: We just uploaded the following related video:

15:02

Red Heifer Sacrificed!

On July 1, 2025 a red heifer was sacrificed by kohanim (Levitical priests) under the order from the Temple Institute in Israel.

What difference does that make? Why should the sacrifice of a red heifer even be worthy of repeating? What if every hair on the red heifer wasn’t red? What if only two hairs were another color? Would that make a difference? Could certain Jews accept the ashes of the one just sacrificed for any “purification” purposes? What does the Book of Numbers actually teach about a red heifer?

Because of the following scriptures: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:13-14), why would a Christian even care if the Jews sacrificed a red heifer in Israel or not?

The reason Christians, and everyone else for that matter, should want to pay any attention to this is that this “practice” sacrifice looks to be setting the stage for the fulfillment of prophecies regarding animal sacrifices in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11). The stopping of animal sacrifices will lead to the countdown to to the greatest trial and tribulation the world will ever know (Matthew 24:21-22). Does the Bible show any relationship between resumed animal sacrifices, the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days prophecies, the Great Tribulation, and the return of Jesus?

Watch this video as Dr. Thiel uses the word of God to shed the light of Bible prophecy on the tremendous prophetic importance of the sacrifice of the red heifer and its time stamp in relation to the beginning of the Great Tribulation and the return of Jesus.

Here is a link to our video: Red Heifer Sacrificed!

The latest practice sacrifice and burning of a reddish heifer moves by the Temple Institute are intended by it to further set the stage for the sacrifices to start–which they will.

Biblical prophecies will be fulfilled.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and Red Heifers and Antichrist? and Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent. Here is a link to two videos in the Spanish language: Novillas rojas and La novilla roja y su posible implicación profetica.
Which Laws were Superceded? Which Remain? What about the Ten Commandments? What about the 613 regulations (called 613 Mitzvot) in the Old Testament? Which were ‘done away’? Here is a link to a related sermon video: ‘What was ‘Nailed to the Cross’? About about the 613 Mitzvot?
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book. We also have the book translated in the Spanish PRUEBA de que JESÚS es el MESÍAS and French PREUVES QUE JÉSUS EST LE MESSIE languages.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Who were the Nazarene Christians? What did they believe? Should 21st century Christians be modern Nazarenes? Is there a group that exists now that traces its history through the Nazarenes and holds the same beliefs today? Here is a link to a related video sermon Nazarene Christians: Were the early Christians “Nazarenes”?
Does the Church of God need to be headquartered in Jerusalem? Some say so. But what does the Bible teach?
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
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.
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 is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: N;ÿ Œ
f/’Y’jNº’ÿ Here is a link to a related English sermon video titled: The Man of Sin will deceive most ‘Christians’.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.

Claimed LGBTQ Pride Flag

COGwriter

LifeSite News out the following:

California priest says God is ‘proud’ of ‘LGBT Catholics’ during homily at ‘Family Pride Mass’

July 8, 2025

David Andel told “LGBT Catholics” during a sermon for the Diocese of San Bernardino’s first-ever “Family Pride Mass” last month that God is “proud” of LGBT Catholics and their families.

Andel, a priest in the diocese, emphasized during his homily that God loves and is proud of Catholics who identify as LGBT as well as their families for persevering in their faith despite “persecution,” per the diocesan news outlet Inland Catholic Byte. The June 28 Mass, which was celebrated at St. John Bosco Mission, was organized by Embrace, the diocese’s official “LGBT ministry,” to add a “Catholic dimension” to “Pride Month” and remind Catholics who identify as LGBT and their families that they are welcome in the Church.

During the homily, Andel first underscored that God is proud of “LGBT Catholics,” who have remained in the Church despite the “persecution” they’ve experienced from other Christians.

Like any good parent, God is proud of you. God is proud of you for turning the other cheek; for forgiving seventy times seven, the same offenses and the same insults; for your love for your enemies and your prayers for those who persecute you; for persevering in your faith in spite of some Christians who don’t give you posada and want you to go elsewhere; for your courage, your love and your compassion for others; for your insistence and confidence that you are indeed beloved and belong in the Church.

The priest then stressed that God is also “proud” of the parents of “LGBT Catholics.”

And God is proud of you parents for loving your child unconditionally, that is, with no condition that they be the way you hoped and prayed they would be or that they love whom you want them to love; for defending your child – physically, verbally and morally; for planting the seed of faith in your child, watering it with years of prayers, and waiting patiently for it to bear fruit. You are God’s beloved children, in whom God takes delight.

READ: Fr. James Martin urges Catholics to celebrate LGBT ‘Pride Month’

While Andel is correct that God unconditionally loves all people, including those with same-sex attraction, and the parents of LGBT people are called to also show compassion and love toward their children, the priest omitted any mention of Catholic teaching on same-sex attraction.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and “contrary to the natural law” and that the homosexual inclination is “objectively disordered.” The Catechism is very clear that homosexual activity can never be approved and repeats that “(h)omosexual persons are called to chastity.” Homosexual acts are mortal sins; https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/california-priest-says-god-is-proud-of-lgbt-catholics-during-homily-at-family-pride-mass/?utm_source=most_recent&utm_campaign=usa

As far as being “proud” goes, notice the following scripture:

16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Note that pride is condemned.

As far as a lying tongues, the LGBTQ+ community falsely asserts that there are more than two genders and that they were “born that way”–they were not–watch: Gay Gene? Born That Way?

Related to hands that shed innocent blood, the LGBTQ+ community is pro-abortion and the pedophile actions of certain of their members sheds innocent blood another way.

As far as a heart that devises wicked plans, the legislative, societal, and school plans of the LGBTQ+ community are evil.

As far as feet that are swift in running to evil, their attendance at “Pride parades,” is just one example.

Yes, the LGBTQ+ community is composed of false witnesses that speak lies. It is NOT good to promote Drag Queens, their story hours, and various other forms of perversion, despite the LGBTQ+ community saying it is.

And yes, they want to sow discord among brethren by belittling, censoring, and denouncing biblical morality.

Notice also the following:

9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them,
And they declare their sin as Sodom;
They do not hide it.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought evil upon themselves. (Isaiah 3:9) NKJV

4 A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the plowing of the wicked are sin. (Proverbs 21:4)

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for pushing an ancient LGBTQ agenda. The moderns are no better and seem to be worse. And, of course, they do not like the Bible condemning their behaviours and pride as sin.

The Bible warns about something consistent with that in the last days:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-7)

Those of us who hold to the idea that sexual relationships are only to be between a man married to a woman are considered to have “ugly narrow-mindedness” by supporters of the LGBTQ movement.

22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.  (Leviticus 18:22)

13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. (Leviticus 20:13)

5 A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 22:5)

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:24-32)

Sadly, the Roman Catholic priest does not seem to understands the Bible nor the destructive nature of the LGBTQ+ crowd.

Many people seemingly despise the moral teachings of the word of God–this will not end well:

12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:

“Because you despise this word,
And trust in oppression and perversity,
And rely on them,
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you
Like a breach ready to fall,
A bulge in a high wall,
Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.
14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel,
Which is broken in pieces;
He shall not spare.
So there shall not be found among its fragments
A shard to take fire from the hearth,
Or to take water from the cistern.”  (Isaiah 30:12-14)

Destruction is coming to the USA–as well as its British-descended allies–and it will be worse than most people will believe.

And it will be sooner than most imagine.

All, including Roman Catholic priests, should believe and heed the Bible.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality and the LGBTQ agenda?  Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? A short video is available titled: Gay Gene? Born That Way?

Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’, Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children, Disney’s abominable promotions!, USA pushing gender confusion, and New Transgender Study.

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.

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.

Erton C. Köhler is elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the next quinquennial term. ANN reports: https://t.co/1NKBjAll7S

— Adventist News (@adventistnews) July 4, 2025

COGwriter

The Associated Press put out the following report:

July 8, 2028

Erton Köhler, a Brazil-born pastor known for his innovative approach to evangelism, is the newly elected president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church General Conference — and the first to hail from South America.

Köhler will serve as the spiritual and administrative leader for the global movement, which claims 23 million members in more than 200 countries. He was voted into the position during a recent gathering of the General Conference, the denomination’s top governing body, in St. Louis.

The church’s sprawling geographic reach poses just one of the hurdles ahead in his duties as president, especially with today’s political polarization and national allegiances, Köhler said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“If I can choose one word that represents the challenge of this moment, the word is ‘unity,’” he said. “It’s not easy to keep that unity because our members, they’re citizens, they’re living in the local society, they’re influenced by that.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant denomination … They are known for their beliefs that Christ’s second coming is near, and that the Bible requires observing the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh day of the week. …

In addition to the church’s emphasis on the Sabbath, Köhler also thinks Adventists’ long-standing focus on healthy living can appeal to younger generations. …

The faith was influenced by the visions of Ellen White, who is considered a prophet. Her extensive religious writings, while deeply influential in shaping the church, are not given the same weight as Scripture. https://apnews.com/article/seventh-day-adventist-new-president-brazil-2ec1ee0bb819a2e14bbfeddd2003f772

Unlike the SDA church, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) is NOT Protestant (see our free ebook Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).

Also, unlike the CCOG, the SDAs changed on matters such as the use of crosses and the Godhead.

Regarding crosses, Ellen White wrote:

Papists place crosses upon their churches, upon their altars, and upon their garments. Everywhere is seen the insignia of the cross. Everywhere it is outwardly honored and exalted. But the teachings of Christ are buried beneath a mass of senseless traditions, false interpretations, and rigorous exactions. … The worship of images and relics, the invocation of saints, and the exaltation of the pope, are devices of Satan to attract the minds of the people from God and from His Son. (White EG. The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan. Guttenberg Project edition, p. 590)

How was that interpreted?

Historically our Adventist church viewed the cross as a pagan symbol (Bacchiochi S. Is the Cross a Pagan Symbol? Endtime Issues Newsletter, 124, 2005, p. 17)

But that changed and since no later than 1997 a cross containing logo has been in use by the official SDA church.

Some have indicated part of the reason that church did that was to make the SDAs more acceptable to other Protestants and Rome (cf. Nyazika P. The Final Call. Lulu.com, pp. 131, 176).

The SDAs also changed their view on the Godhead.

Notice what James White (the husband of Ellen White) wrote:

The Father is the greatest…The Son is next in authority…The inexplicable Trinity that makes the godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough…(Quoted in Wiebe E. Who Is the Adventist Jesus? Published by Xulon Press, 2005, p. 167).

…the Trinity does away with the personality of God…(ibid, p. 88).

The greatest fault we can find in the Reformers is, the Reformers stopped reforming.  Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of the Papacy behind such as the natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sundaykeeping, the church would now be free her unscriptural errors (Ibid, p. 89).

So James White considered the trinity to be in the same category as Sundaykeeping–do SDAs realize this?

Here are some admissions concerning Ellen White and the trinity from The Ellen White Estate, Inc. official website:

Ellen White never used the term “trinity”…at times she used the pronoun “it” when referring to the Holy Spirit (The Ellen G. White Estate. Questions and Answers About Ellen G. White: The Godhead.  http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/faq-egw.html#faq-section-c2 viewed 7/30/08).

In a book co-written with James White, SDA pioneer Joseph Bates wrote:

Respecting the trinity, I concluded that is was an impossibility for me to believe…(Bates J, White J. The Early Life and Later Experience and Labors of Elder Joseph Bates.  Published by Steam Press of the Seventh-day adventist publishing association, 1878. Original from the New York Public Library. Digitized Jun 13, 2007, p. 210).

SDA pioneer J. Waggoner wrote:

The inconsistencies of Trinitarians, which must be pointed out to free the Scripture doctrine of the Atonement from reproaches under which it has too long lain, are the necessary outgrowth of their system of theology. No matter how able are the writers to whom we shall refer, they could never free themselves from inconsistencies without correcting their theology…“To the contrary, the advocates of that doctrine really fall into the difficulty which they seem anxious to avoid. Their difficulty consists in this: They take the denial of a trinity to be equivalent to a denial of the divinity of Christ. Were that the case, we should cling to the doctrine of a trinity as tenaciously as any can; but it is not the case. They who have read our remarks on the death of the Son of God know that we firmly believe in the divinity of Christ; but we cannot accept the idea of a trinity, as it is held by Trinitarians, without giving up our claim on the dignity of the sacrifice made for our redemption. (J. H. Waggoner, ‘The Atonement in Light of Nature and Revelation’, 1884 Edition, chapter ‘Doctrine of a Trinity Subversive of the Atonement’)

SDA scholar Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote:

The truth is that our Adventist church would not be here today, had it not been for the prophetic guidance of Ellen White. She played a leading role in shaping our message and mission. For example, we noted in the newsletter no. 150 the role of Ellen White in leading our church to accept the Doctrine of the Trinity (ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 153.”The Pre-Advent Judgment – Part I”).

He also wrote:

The doctrine of the Trinity has been under the crossfire of controversy during much of Christian history. Our Adventist Church has not been exempted from the controversy. In the newly released book The Trinity: Its Implications for Life and Thought (Review and Herald, 2002), Prof. Jerry Moon, one of the three authors, offers a most informative historical survey of the gradual evolution of Adventist pioneers from anti-Trinitarian to Trinitarian beliefs…

It is unfortunate that those apologetic endeavors often resulted in heretical anti-trinitarian teachings that have plagued Christianity until our time. In fact, most of today’s anti-trinitarian heresies found in such religious movements as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Unitarians, and liberal theologians, trace their roots to the early church (Bacchiocchi S. The Importance of the Doctrine of the Trinity. ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER NO. 147. 5/11/06).

The above is probably not a good use of the term “liberal theologians.” The normal definition (as Dr. Bacchiocchi must have known) is that liberal theologians are normally those that discount original teachings–that is what the SDAs themselves have sadly done. The truth is that the SDAs were once anti-Trinitarian. This is a significant difference between the COGs and the SDAs as the Church of God has always been non-Trinitarian (please see the article Binitarian View). (For quotes from SDA scholars on what the SDAs once believed and now believe on the Godhead, please see Appendix A at the end of the article titled Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

The SDA Church was not just anti-Trinitarian, it was also binitarian.

Another SDA scholar, G. Pfandl, wrote this about the Semi-Arians (a title that somewhat applies to those in the COGs):

While the Seventh day Adventist Church today espouses the doctrine of the Trinity, this has not always been so. The evidence from a study of Adventist history indicates that from the earliest years of our church to the 1890’s a whole stream of writers took an Arian or semi Arian position…

Semi Arianism…They rejected the Arian view that Christ was created and had a different nature from God (anomoios dissimilar), but neither did they accept the Nicene Creed which stated that Christ was “of one substance (homoousios) with the Father.” Semi Arians taught that Christ was similar ( homoios) to the Father, or of like substance (homoiousios), but still subordinate” (Pfandl, Gerhard. THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY AMONG ADVENTISTS. Biblical Research Institute Silver Spring, MD June 1999, http://www.macgregorministries.org/seventh_day_adventists/trinity.html, 5/12/06).

A number of Adventist authors today who are opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity are trying to resurrect the views of our early pioneers on these issues. They are urging the church to forsake the “Roman doctrine” of the Trinity and to accept again the semi-Arian position of our pioneers…

J. N. Loughborough, in response to the question “What serious objection is there to the doctrine of the Trinity?” wrote, “There are many objections which we might urge, but on account of our limited space we shall reduce them to the three following: 1. It is contrary to common sense. 2. It is contrary to scripture. 3. Its origin is Pagan and fabulous.”

And R. F. Cottrell, in an article on the Trinity, stated:

To hold the doctrine of the trinity is not so much an evidence of evil intention as of intoxication from that wine of which all the nations have drunk. The fact that this was one of the leading doctrines, if not the very chief, upon which the bishop of Rome was exalted to the popedom, does not say much in its favor…

The rise of the Trinity doctrine in our church was the outworking of a slow process that occurred over many years. It was not imposed on the church arbitrarily; it evolved slowly from within. The first positive reference to the Trinity in Adventist literature appeared in the Bible Students’ Library series in 1892…

Most early Adventist pioneers were anti-Trinitarians… In 1931 the Adventist Yearbook contained a statement of twenty-two fundamental beliefs, one of which was the Trinity (Pfandl G. The Doctrine of the Trinity Among Seventh-day Adventists. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/1 (Spring 2006): 160–179).

What the above quotes leave out is that the anti-Trinitarian writers lost out because Ellen White allegedly published a pamphlet in 1897 declaring the Holy Spirit “the third person of the Godhead” (the SDAs were “Semi-Arians” before this–though they did not tend to use that term). The truth about the Holy Spirit can be found in the article Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity?

Furthermore, SDA scholar Dr. Jerry Moon reported:

In 1846 James White dismissed the doctrine of the Trinity as “the old unscriptural trinitarian creed”… That most of the early leaders among Seventh-day Adventists held an antitrinitarian theology, and that a major shift has since occured, has become standard Adventist history  in the 43 years since E. R. Gane wrote an M.A. thesis on the topic…

At the core of the debate is the question whether Ellen White’s position on the Trinity ever changed. Some assume that she never changed, that either she always believed in the Trinity or never believed in the Trinity. There is ample evidence, however, that Ellen White’s beliefs did change…

She did not initially recognize His trinitarian nature… About 1850 she reported, “I have often seen the lovely Jesus, that He is a person. I asked Him if His Father was a person and had a form like Himself.  Said Jesus, ‘I am in the express image of My Father’s person.’”   Thus she gained visionary confirmation of what her husband had written in the Day-Star in 1846, that the Father and the Son are “two distinct, literal, tangible persons”…

Brick by conceptual brick, (perhaps without even being aware of it herself) she was slowly but surely dismantling the substructure of the antitrinitarian view, and building a trinitarian view. In another clear break with the prevailing semi-Arian consensus, she declared in 1878 that Christ was the “eternal Son”…

In 1890, she followed up her 1888 affirmation of Christ’s unity with the Father (in nature, character, and purpose) with perhaps her last major statement that can still be read ambiguously. “The Son of God shared the Father’s throne, and the glory of the eternal, self-existent One encircled both.”46 Retrospectively, this phrase harmonizes perfectly with her later statements (especially Desire of Ages, 530) that Christ is “self-existent” and that His Deity is not “derived” from the Father. It is also possible, however, to read the sentence from a binitarian (two-person Godhead) or even semi-Arian (Christ inferior to the Father) perspective…

As the conflict dragged on into 1905, Ellen White wrote … There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit–those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ… Her latest affirmations of one God in three persons are fully in harmony with the first explicitly trinitarian belief statement among Seventh-day Adventists, published in 1913, during her lifetime, by F. M. Wilcox, editor of the Review and Herald…

As the conflict dragged on into 1905, Ellen White wrote … There are three living persons of the heavenly trio; in the name of these three great powers–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit–those who receive Christ by living faith are baptized, and these powers will co-operate with the obedient subjects of heaven in their efforts to live the new life in Christ… Her latest affirmations of one God in three persons are fully in harmony with the first explicitly trinitarian belief statement among Seventh-day Adventists, published in 1913, during her lifetime, by F. M. Wilcox, editor of the Review and Herald …

… the 1946 General Conference session voted the first officially Adventist endorsement of belief in the Trinity, just 100 years after James White’s strong rejection of that idea in the 1846 Day-Star. This change was not a simple reversal. The evidence is that Ellen White agreed with the essential positive point of James’s belief, namely that “the Father and the Son” are “two distinct, literal, tangible persons.” Subsequent evidence shows that she also agreed with James’s negative point: that the traditional, philosophical concepts held by many trinitarians did “spiritualize away” the personal reality of the Father and the Son.82 Soon after this she added the conviction, based on visions, that both Christ and the Father have tangible forms. She progressively affirmed the eternal equality of Christ and the Father, that Christ was not created, and by 1888, that an adequate concept of the atonement demands the full and eternal Deity of Christ. Only in the 1890s did she become aware of the full individuality and personhood of the Holy Spirit…at Avondale in 1899 she declared, “the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds, unseen by human eyes; . . . He hears every word we utter and knows every thought of the mind.”83 This confirms the fourfold hypothesis with which this article opened. First, E. R. Gane’s characterization of Ellen White as a “trinitarian monotheist” is accurate regarding her mature concept of God, from 1898 onward. (Moon J. “Ellen White and the Trinity”1. ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 150. June 27, 2006).

It is important to note that SDA scholars admit that the Semi-Arian position was the prevailing view as late as 1878–thus this is something that the SDAs have changed (again, others have claimed that some changed Ellen White’s writings and that she never endorsed the trinity).

SDA Glibert Valentine, vice-president for academic administration, Mission College, MuakLek, Thailand wrote:

Many early Adventist pioneers such as James White, Joseph Bates, J. H. Waggoner, and R. F. Cottrell were, in fact, strongly anti-Trinitarian… semi-Arian concepts of Christology were fairly deeply imbedded in early Adventist beliefs and literature (Valentine G. How clear views of Jesus developed in the Adventist Church. At Issue, December 2006).

Unlike the SDAs, the Church of God (while believing in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) has been essentially anti-Trinitarian and has never accepted the Roman, Eastern Orthodox, nor Protestant views of the Trinity (as adopted in 381). But, the SDAs have.

Additionally, notice:

A historical “Ecumenical Charter” was signed by Seventh-day Adventists, Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Evangelicals and Methodists on January 25th, in Bologna, Italy. The charter says that “the most important task of the Churches is to proclaim the Gospel together through word and action, for the salvation of all human beings. (Gendron M. Catholics Seek Unity with SDA’s and Evangelicals. Proclaiming the Gospel newsletter, March 2020)

Yes, many within the Protestant world believe that they are basically unattached versions of the same church based in Rome. The ecumenical movement is pushing ahead. The SDA signer of the “Ecumenical Charter” was SDA Pastor Giovanni Caccamo, who was the former Secretary of the Italian Union of Seventh-day Adventist Churches:

The Ecumenical Charter was signed on the final day of the 2020 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. A 17-minute sermon was given by Seventh-day Adventist Pastor Giovanni Caccamo to commemorate the ecumenical signing ceremony. Pastor Giovanni Caccamo is the former Secretary of the Italian Union of Seventh-day Adventist Churches. . .

There is a long history of ecumenism in Italy, and those responsible for this are at the highest levels of leadership in the church. . . .

Pastor Stefano Paris is the President of the Italian Union of Seventh-day Adventist Churches. He is the top Adventist leader in Italy. Not only does Pastor Stefano Paris oversee the churches throughout Italy, he is also a leading participant in the ecumenical movement.

Pastor Stefano Paris was featured in the 2019 Brochure advertising the 2019 United Nations Interfaith Harmony Week. When you look at the brochure you realize that the President of the Italian Union of SDA Churches is part of the “Interfaith Table of Rome!”. . .

The ecumenical crisis in Italy goes even higher than President Stefano Paris. Ted Wilson, President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, was in Rome with President Stefano Paris in 2018. Ted Wilson addressed specifically the ecumenical movement. . . .

In the above video Ted Wilson says we should not engage in the ecumenical movement or compromise our faith. But then he says that we must be in the “forefront” of making friends by being friendly with the leaders of other churches. These two statements are problematic when considering the current ecumenical crisis in Adventism.

Signing this Ecumenical Charter was not simply expressing friendship; it was entering into an ecumenical confederacy with the other churches. We have a major problem because we can’t seem to distinguish between being friendly and entering into ecumenical partnerships with Rome. Every time church leaders get admonished for engaging in ecumenism they respond with a reassuring smile and say, “No, that was not ecumenism, we were just being friendly.” 02/20/20 http://adventmessenger.org/seventh-day-adventists-roman-catholics-and-evangelicals-sign-a-historic-ecumenical-charter-that-affirms-faith-in-one-holy-catholic-apostolic-church/?fbclid=IwAR374C_ixIZwQaLFoCzA5-sLqPamu69pfUjJVctHWaoKK48y72DoRCO6Xlk

Now, it should be noted that that the Inter-European Division of the SDA church denounced the signing, essentially stating that it went too far towards unity (Statement on the position of the Inter-European Division on the involvement of an Italian Seventh-day Adventist Pastor in the signing of the Ecumenical Charter of the Council of the Christian Churches of Bologna. Press release EUD: “Charta Ecumenica di Bologna”. February 24, 2020; see also Seventh-day Adventists’ ecumenical controversies).

Officially, “Seventh-day Adventists . . . stress the conviction that many Roman Catholics are brothers and sisters in Christ” (How Seventh-day Adventists View Roman Catholicism. This statement was recorded on April 15, 1997, by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) and released by the Office of the President, Robert S. Folkenberg).

By calling “many Roman Catholics … brothers and sisters in Christ,” the SDA movement looks like it has moved away from its views on the papacy, like it has on crosses.

Although they keep the Sabbath and Holy Days, plus do not eat biblically unclean animals, Messianic Jews are NOT in the Church of God. Unlike those in the CCOG, they consider that the Protestants are real Christians.

A member of the SDA church asked me to summarize the differences between his church and the Continuing Church of God (CCOG). Here is a list of some of them:

1. The SDAs accept Ellen White as God’s prophetess. CCOG does not. We see her as false on many points. Hence, CCOG sees no need to heed her pronouncements from a biblical perspective as some are in conflict with scripture and reality.
2. Ellen White taught that the angel Michael became Jesus. CCOG strongly disagrees (see Did the Archangel Michael become Jesus?).
3. Ellen White falsely taught that the Day of Atonement was October 22 in 1844, whereas it in 1844, the Day of Atonement began at sunset September 22 and ran through sunset September 23rd (see http://www.hebcal.com/hebcal/?year=1844&v=1&month=x&yt=G&nh=on&nx=on&o=on&s=on&vis=on&a=on&D=on&d=on&set=on&heb=on&c=off&zip=&m=72).
4. SDAs believe 1844 has a significance that CCOG says the Bible does not support.
5. The SDAs changed to accept the Greco-Roman trinity. CCOG does not (see Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).
6. The SDAs teach a Sunday morning resurrection, whereas the CCOG teaches Jesus was resurrected on a Saturday afternoon (see also What Happened in the ‘Crucifixion Week’?).
7. The SDAs changed to accept pagan holidays like Christmas. CCOG does not (see Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? and What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?).
8. The SDAs often consider themselves Protestant and the Protestants as true Christians. CCOG does not (see Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from Protestantism).
9. SDAs do not keep God’s holy days. CCOG does (see Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?).
10. CCOG keeps Passover annually in accordance with the scriptures, whereas the SDAs keep some version of it quarterly, which is not biblical. See also Passover and the Early Church.
11. SDAs do not understand God’s plan of salvation. CCOG does as we understand that God will offer salvation to all that ever lived (see Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation).
12. Ellen White and other SDAs put forth the view that the United States of America is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13:11 (see SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666). We in the CCOG teach Revelation 13:11 is a reference to the “false prophet” (Revelation 16:13,19:20) and final “Antichrist” (1 John 4:1-3), which is an individual, not a nation.
13. SDAs believe swearing oaths is fine (White EG. Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing), the CCOG does not because instructions from Jesus in Matthew 5:34-36.
14. SDAs do not understand Isaiah 65:20 and admit that it looks like in contradicts an official SDA belief–the SDA’s hold more of a Protestant, than biblical view, on that (see also Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).
15. SDAs do not clearly teach that 666 is the European Beast of the Sea, but CCOG does (see also Who is the King of the North?).
16. SDAs do not believe that saints will be on the Earth during the millennium, CCOG does (cf. Revelation 5:10; 20:4-6; see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).
17. SDAs use crosses a part of the symbols for their religion, whereas CCOG does not (see also What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol?).
18. The CCOG teaches an “age to come” (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Hebrews 6:5), whereas because of a vision from Ellen White, the SDAs do not teach that.
19. SDAs call the truth that Jesus was killed on a Wednesday “unscriptural” (Standish RR, Standish C. The General Conference Confronts Apostasy. Hartland Publications, 2006, p. 84), whereas the CCOG accepts that Jesus died then.
20. CCOG teaches the good news of the Kingdom of God and we do not believe the SDA church understands the full gospel or that it teaches it (see also The Gospel of the Kingdom of God).
21. CCOG’s priorities are essentially Matthew 24:14, Galatians 2:10, and Matthew 28:19-20, while the SDAs do not consider those the same way as CCOG. (see Behind the Work 2016: All Nations, Tribes, People, and Tongues and also MATTHEW Here are links to twelve sermons covering the 28 chapters of Matthew: Matthew 1-2: Greek or Aramaic, Jesus, and the Star?, Matthew 3-5: John the Baptist, Temptations, and the Beatitudes, Matthew 6-7: Charitable Deeds, the Rosary, Prayer, the Golden Rule, and Faith, Matthew 8-10: Married Clergy, Faith, Coming Persecution, and the Ecumenical Agenda, Matthew 11-12: John the Elijah, Sodom, Unpardonable Sin, & 3 Days and 3 Nights, -14: Parables, Mustard Seeds, Birthdays, and Faith, Matthew 15-16: Tradition, Signs of the Times, and The Rock & Peter, Matthew 17-18: Transfiguration, Elijah to Come, Taxes, and Forgiveness, Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?, Matthew 21-23: ‘Palm Sunday,’ Come as You Are?, and the Greatest Commandments, Matthew 24: Temple Destruction, Sorrows, Tribulation, and the Return of Jesus, and Matthew 25-28: Midnight Cry, False Christians, Resurrection, & Teaching what Jesus Taught.
    MARK Here is a link to a sermon covering all of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark: What did Jesus teach in the Book of Mark? Here is a link to six sermons covering all the verses in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 1-2: Author, Prophecy, & Miracles, Mark 3-5: Healing, Demons, and Parables, Mark 6-9: Tradition, John’s beheading, Elijah, and Restoration, Mark 10-12: Marriage, Divorce, Needle Eye, Greatest Command, & Taxes, Mark 13: Temple, Four Horsemen, Troubles, Great Tribulation, and Gospel Proclamation, and Mark 14-16: Jesus’ Priorities & Betrayal, the Resurrection, Signs, and Reaching the World.
    LUKE Here are links to eight sermons covering the entire ‘Gospel of Luke’: Luke 1-2: John the Baptist, Mary, and the Census, Luke 3-6: John the Baptist, Jesus’ genealogy, Satan’s Influence, and the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 7-9: Miracles, Purpose of Parables, Kingdom of God, and Women Supporting the Ministry, Luke 10-11: The 70, Doing the Work, the Good Samaritan, Prayer, and Signs, Luke 12-13: Priorities, Delayed Fruit Bearing, Little Flock, Prophecy, and the Narrow Way, Luke 14-16: The Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 17-20: Faith, the Kingdom, Gathering, Prayer, & Rewards, and Luke 21-22: Giving, Sorrows, Persecution, Tribulation, Fig Tree, and Violence. The last sermon also covers Jesus’ words in the Book of Acts.
    JOHN Here are links to a seven-part sermon series covering the entire ‘Gospel of John’: John 1-3: Anti-unitarian, Wine, Being Born Again, & Heaven, John 4-6: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, Miracles and the Bread of Life, John 10-12: Sheep, Hirelings, Lazarus/Soul Sleep and ‘Palm Day’, John 13-15: Footwashing and the Words of Jesus, John 16-18: Truth, Trinity, and Pontius Pilate, and John 19-21: Do not only try, do what God wants.
    REVELATION This is a link to a sermon covering words Jesus spoke as recorded in the Book of Revelation and in first and second Corinthians: Revelation: Jesus’ Final Words.)
22. CCOG traces its history from Acts 2 to present. The SDA church traces itself from the Protestant and Advent movements. See also Continuing History of the Church of God.
23. SDAs improperly teach that the Church of God came out of their church. The CCOG teaches that the early SDAs had some exposure to COG doctrines, but ended up rejecting many to follow Ellen White. The COG preceded the formation of the SDA movement by over 18 centuries (see also the free online book: Continuing History of the Church of God).
24. The SDAs remnant teaching about itself now is mistaken as the ‘remnant’ it taught pointed to in Revelation 12:17 are non-Philadelphian Christians who are not protected in a place in the wilderness during the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra).
25. The CCOG teaches that God is calling the elect now (see God Calling You?), but will call others later (see Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation). The SDAs do not teach that.
26. The CCOG teaches more fully the meaning of life than the SDAs (see also The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?).
27. CCOG seems to more clearly teach deification than the SDAs (see The Laodicean Church Era and also What is Your Destiny? Deification? Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God?).
28. The CCOG teaches more fully how to live as a Christian than the SDAs (see also Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian).

There are other differences, but hopefully this will assist those interested in knowing that.

But, basically, the SDAs are Protestants who differ because of Ellen White, Saturday, and unclean meats. See also Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from Protestantism.

As far as Ellen G. White goes, her writings are considered “inspiration” by many SDAs (e.g. Vance MP. The Future of Democracy. Plain View, Jan-Mar 2005, pp.5-6). But as a prophetess, she had numerous failed prophecies.

Perhaps I should add that the late Richard Nickels reported the falseness of at least one of Ellen G. White’s “visions”:

1856 Vision Proven False

Ellen G. White wrote in her Testimonies for the Church that “At the General Conference at Battle Creek, May 27, 1856, I was shown in vision some things which concern the church generally; . . . I was shown the company present at the Conference. Said the angel, ‘Some food for worms, some subjects of the seven last plagues, some will be alive and remain upon the earth to be translated at the coming of Jesus’.”12

All of the people alive at that conference have died, presenting a serious question as to the authenticity of Mrs. White’s visions. (Nickels R. History of the Seventh Day Church of God, Volume I. Chapter IV)

The seven last plagues still have not began, Jesus has still not returned, and all that attended that Conference are dead. This vision was false.

Notice something else that Ellen White taught:

…the Day of Atonement occured on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month (Leviticus 16:29-34)…So it was believed that Christ, out great High Priest, would appear to purify the earth by the destruction of sin and sinners, and to bless His waiting people with immortality. The tenth day of the seventh month, the great Day of Atonement, the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary, which in the year 1844 fell upon the twenty-second of October, was regarded as the time of the Lord’s coming…

“There shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he comes out.” Leviticus 16:17.  So when Christ entered the holy of holies to perform the closing work of the atonement, He ceased His ministration in the first apartment.  But when the ministration in the first apartment ended, the ministration of the second apartment began.  When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the Day of Atonement, he in before God to present the blood of the sin offering on behalf of all Israel who truly repented of their sins.  So Christ has completed only one part of His work as our intercessor, to enter upon another portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before the Father in behalf of sinners. (White EGH.    The great controversy between Christ and Satan: the conflict of the ages in the Christian dispensation.  Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1911, pp. 400, 428-429)

Notice how she is tying her interpretation in with the biblical Day of Atonement.  R. Nickels, discussing Ellen White’s position, pointed out:

It is a well-documented fact that the Day of Atonement in 1844 fell on September 23, and Atonement can NEVER fall as late as October 22 (Nickels, We Are Sabbath-Keepers, Not Seventh-Day Adventists, p. 8).

In 1844, the Day of Atonement began at sunset September 22 and ran through sunset September 23rd (see http://www.hebcal.com/hebcal/?year=1844&v=1&month=x&yt=G&nh=on&nx=on&o=on&s=on&vis=on&a=on&D=on&d=on&set=on&heb=on&c=off&zip=&m=72).

Thus, Ellen White’s interpretation does not square with what one would expect with the biblical/Hebrerw calendar. But this was her first big “prophetic” insight–and biblically in error.

Also notice this warning from Ellen White:

It is not really wise to have children now. Time is short, the perils of the last days are upon us, and the little children will largely be swept off before this. –Letter 48, 1876 (White E.  Last Day Events: Facing Earth’s Final Crisis.  As printed by Pacific Press Publishing, 2002, p. 36)

As far as I have been able to see, the Adventist children were not “swept off” then as it was not time for “the perils of the last days” that Ellen White discussed in 1876.

Here is another prediction from Ellen White:

Testimonies Volume 1…“January 4, 1862, I was shown some things in regard to our nation…it is all a bitter denunciation of Lincoln’s administration and management of the war. Every move had been wrong and only defeat was prophesied…” (Cornelius J. The Commandments of Men.  Xulon Press, 2008, p. 286)

But Lincoln’s side did win that war (granted at a major cost). Thus saying she “was shown” that Lincoln’s side would be defeated is proof that she was not shown by God.

A former SDA sent the following:

I thought you would be interested in the following prophecies from Ellen White that did not come true. They were not conditional. Notice she says she saw and said the angel. That means in a vision. According to Deuteronomy you only need one prophecy to fail to discredit the prophet. I don’t know how adventists still believe in her. When referring to her they use the term the spirit of prophecy.

“I also saw that Old Jerusalem never would be built up …” Early Writings p75

“But now time is almost finished, and what we have been years learning they will have to learn in a few months …” A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White p55

“… the graves opened … and in the same moment we were changed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air.” The Day Star January 4 1846

“At the conference a very solemn vision was given to me. I saw that some of those present would be food for worms, some subjects for the seven last plagues, and some would be translated to heaven at the second coming of Christ, without seeing death …” Spiritual Gifts Vol 2 p208

“Said the angel … when England does declare war, all nations will have an interest of their own to serve, and there will be general war, general confusion … this nation will yet be humbled in the dust …” Testimonies for the Church Vol 1 p259

Note: this nation is referring to the United States. (Email to COGwriter 11/08/16)

But, of course, old Jerusalem has been built up, the time was not almost finished in the 1800s, the SDAs of the 1800s are all dead, and when England declared war (WWI and WWII) the USA was not humbled in the dust, as the allies’ side won.

Thus, while Ellen G. White may have correctly stated some events before they occurred, the falseness of many of her “predictions” indicates that she was not truly God’s prophetess.

Yet Ellen White claimed:

In these letters which I write, in the testimonies I bear, I am presenting to you that which the Lord has presented to me.  I do not write one article in the paper expressing merely my own views.  They are what God has opened to me in vision– the precious rays of light shining from the throne (White EGH.  Testimonies for the church, Issue 31.  Pacific Press, 1882.  Original from Columbia University. Digitized Aug 19, 2009, p. 63).

The Bible teaches that if someone claims God gave a prophecy that does not come to pass, that person is a false prophet:

21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ — 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

Several groups, like the SDAs, do keep the seventh day Sabbath, but are not part of the Church of God (COG).

The Continuing Church of God has the following sermon about some of the reasons certain Sabbath observing groups are not COG on our ContinuingCOG channel:

1:20:28

Seventh Day Baptists/ Adventists/ Messianics: Protestant or COG?

Although Seventh Day Baptists (SDBs), Seventh-day Adventist (SDAs), and Messianic Jews keep some version of the seventh day Sabbath, are they Protestant or Church of God. What do they claim? What do they teach? What do SDAs and Messianic Jews teach about their history? Do SDBs cite groups who held Church of God (COG) and not SDB doctrines? Which group teaches the original biblical Christian faith? How do the SDAs, Messianics, and SDBs agree with Protestants on issues such as salvation, history, and the Godhead, which differ greatly from the Continuing Church of God (CCOG)? Are there really 613 laws of the Torah? What are 28 ways the SDAs differ from the CCOG? Are ‘Black Israelites’ right about Jesus being a black African? Was the Day of Atonement on October 22, 1844 according to Rabbinical or Karaite Jews? Did the SDAs or COG come out of the Millerite movement? Did Ellen White make false prophecies that she insisted came from God? If so, what were some of them? Did the SDA church send out literature it knew was clearly wrong? Was Ellen G. White’s sanctuary interpretation the “complete system of truth”? Did SDAs once teach crosses were pagan, but now include them in their official logo? Which of the 4 church’s (SDB,SDA, Messianic, CCOG) doctrines have the most biblical and historical support? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon video: Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language:  CCOG and SDA differences and similarities. 
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? Two related YouTube videos would be Beware of the ‘Ecumenical Cross’, The Chrislam Cross and the Interfaith Movement, and Origin of the Cross.
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view? A related sermon is available: Truth about the Holy Spirit: What THEY do not want you to know!
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. A related sermon is available: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Did the Archangel Michael become Jesus? The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach this, and SDA Ellen White did, but does the Bible allow for this?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.
Mysteries of God. What is God? This free e-book answers many questions, such as is God omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent? Does the Godhead consist of a closed trinity or an expanding family? Here are links to related sermons: Mysteries: Is God Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient? and Where Did God Come From? What Does God Look Like? and How is God One? Creeds? and Jesus and Trinitarian Mythology and Mysteries: The Holy Spirit and God’s Names and Kingdom and Mysteries of the Gospel and Deification.
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? Will 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?
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.

Promotional poster from Temple Institute Newsletter July 12, 2024

COGwriter

In its latest newsletter, the Temple Institute has the following:

“Take for you a red heifer”

(Numbers 19:2)

Tammuz 9, 5785/July 5, 2025

So much happens in this week’s Torah reading, … Moshe, dejected and disappointed that he won’t be leading Israel into the promised land, nevertheless expedites Israel’s military exploits, bringing the nation to the eastern edge of Canaan, ready for his successor to lead them in. Bereft of his sister Miriam, who always looked after him and to whom he owed his very life, and bereft of his brother and close associate in leading Israel these forty years, Moshe nevertheless pushes onward. For all purposes relieved of his command of Israel, a lame duck prophet and savior, the sole survivor of his siblings and on the receiving end of Israel’s myriad complaints, Moshe is all alone. Even G-d has told Moshe it’s time to call it quits. Nothing awaits Moshe but his impending day of death. Hardly a storybook ending for Israel’s greatest prophet.

But there is comfort for Moshe. Parashat Chukat opens with the ordinance of the red heifer, a simple, innocent animal whose ashes will provide for the death transcending purification of one who has come close to death, having come in contact with a corpse. Chukat is a parasha filled with death and with endings, a grim reminder that life is not forever and all good things eventually come to an end. But the inexplicable power of the ashes of the red heifer say otherwise. Death, even death, the most conclusive phase of life, is not the end. This is a message for us all, but G-d, in His great compassion, focuses His attention of Moshe, as He teaches him the Chok – the beyond human comprehension – ordinance of the red heifer, whose ashes, by Divine fiat and Divine fiat alone – allow us to transcend death and catch a glimpse of the other side. On the surface and in practical terms, the purifying power of the ashes of the red heifer grants us entry into the inner courtyards of the Holy Temple, a place of life and life only, where death has no dominion and the eternal life giving Presence – Shechinah – of HaShem is the only reality.

While this life is not the end, there is no longer a true need for a red heifer.

Yet, the Temple Institute believes one is needed.

The last page of a post from the Temple Institute had the following:

The Tenth Red Heifer Will be Prepared by the Messiah

In recounting this historical record in his commentary to the Mishna, the great Maimonides ends with the enigmatic statement: “… and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be G-d’s will.”

With this amazing statement, Maimonides recounts an ancient tradition – that the tenth red heifer is associated with the Messianic era. Does this perhaps mean that the appearance of a red heifer in these waning end times is an indication, a forerunner of the appearance of the Messiah himself, who will officiate at its preparation?

If there has been no red heifer for the past 2,000 years, perhaps it is because the time was not right; Israel was far from being ready. But now… what could it mean for the times we live in, to have the means for purification so close at hand? With the words of Maimonides in mind, we cannot help but wonder and pray: If there are now red heifers… is ours the era that will need them?

On this note, it is fitting that we pay particular attention to a Midrashic teaching:

Each day in the Holy Temple, the Levites sang a special daily song. …

Levites stood atop the platform in that place of sublime inspiration and holiness for the last time, all of a moment they received the most profound flash of prophetic revelation…

And they prophesied, they saw with perfect clarity of vision, that although the terrible destruction now loomed all around them on this Saturday evening, the continuation of their service would most certainly come about as well. The day would come when the Holy Temple would be rebuilt. Though it may be far off in the distance, it would certainly transpire, for it is a Divine promise…

At that moment they could see that it would truly come to be. The rebuilding would happen, even if it happens very slowly, and in stages, one step at a time. For like the morning dawn, “such is the way of Israel’s redemption. In the beginning, it progresses very slowly… but as it continues, it grows brighter and brighter.”

So too, the Levites perceived that the long process of Israel’s redemption, hinging on the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, would begin again on a Wednesday… thus they sang the song of Wednesday, for they sang not of destruction, or revenge, but of promise continuation, renewal and rebirth:

The Levites saw that Jerusalem and the Temple Mount would stand desolate for nearly two millennia… but they would be regathered by Israel once again on a Wednesday: Wednesday, June 7th, 1967 was the day they saw. https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-the-tenth-red-heifer/

It should be noted that the Jews, of course, should accept Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus is not going to sacrifice a red heifer upon His return. Nor does the Old Testament, the Hebrew scriptures, teach that. This is another Jewish tradition that is not from the Bible. A Midrashic teaching is a Jewish tradition, not a biblical command.

However, there is actually support in Jewish traditions, as well as from the Hebrew Bible, that Jesus is the Messiah. Related to that, the Continuing Church of God put out this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:12:35

Jesus for Jews?

Since there are at least 200 scriptures in the Hebrew Bible that Jesus fulfilled, why do most Jews not accept Jesus as the prophesied Messiah? Is the claim in the Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906 that “there appears to be no evidence of any Jewish conception of a Messiah suffering through and for his people” true or misleading? What do Jewish writings, including those in the Babylonian Talmud (Mishnah and Gemara) and various Targums reveal? What about the Dead Sea Scrolls? Was the timing of Jesus’ arrival and death consistent with any Jewish writings or records? Do any Jewish writings point to Jesus miraculously healing the sick? Do ancient Jewish writings tell of the Messiah who would offer Himself to take away the sins of Israel? Do Jewish writings tell of Messiah son of Joseph dying to later be resurrected? Do any Jewish writings point to Messiah son of David coming in the clouds, like 1 Thessalonians 4 does? Are there Jewish writings claimed to be related to the archangel Gabriel which tells of a resurrection after three days? If the Jews believed the Old Testament and certain of their writings, shouldn’t they accept Jesus as the prophesied Messiah? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters.

Here is a link to our sermon: Jesus for Jews?

Getting back to red heifer matter, Christians realize that we do NOT need a red heifer for redemption as Jesus was the sacrifice:

11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:11-15)

Yet, it is a fact that certain Jews believe that a red heifer must be sacrificed before daily sacrifices can be started.

Five red heifer candidates arrived in Israel in 2022. Many were excited.

But back in March 2025, Israel365 News reported the following:

RABBI ARIEL: “At this moment, we do not have a red heifer suited for the ceremony”

March 7, 2025

Rabbi Azariah Ariel, the head of the Temple Institute’s Red Heifer Project, recently gave a Hebrew language interview, answering many of the questions concerning the project’s recent developments.

At this moment, we don’t have in our possession in Israel a red heifer that is verifiably kosher and suited for the ceremony. About two years ago, five excellent red calves were brought to Israel. They had been checked and certified in America as perfectly red but several months after they arrived, they began to grow white hairs. There is an ongoing discussion in the Temple Institute regarding their suitability about whether the proximity of the hairs to each other disqualifies the cows or not.”

A red heifer is an entirely red female cow with no more than one non-red hair on its entire body. In the language of the Bible, red is not exclusively what we know today as red. It also includes brown and other similar shades of red. This excludes black. All of the hairs on its body must be the same color. The animal must also be two years and one month old. There can be no blemish, no holes in the ear, and it may never have carried a burden.

While all the cows were once entirely red and later grew non-white hairs, they are occasionally inspected to determine whether the non-white hairs remain.

“The question now is how to proceed. There are several essential questions that must be addressed regarding the cows themselves and other issues surrounding the issue of the Temple and the Temple service,” Rabbi Ariel said. “We are speaking with a wide range of rabbis and professionals about these issues we haven’t dealt with in over 2,000 years.” https://israel365news.com/400976/rabbi-ariel-at-this-moment-we-do-not-have-a-red-heifer-suited-for-the-ceremony/

Before going further, let me state that the Bible does NOT state that a red heifer can or cannot have one white hair or some hairs that are not red. Jews, however, have various traditions, though. But now, the Temple Institute is not ready to certify any as kosher, but is investigating if perhaps they could.

Now, going to the Bible, here is what the Hebrews scriptures say about a red heifer:

1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come. 3 You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, that he may take it outside the camp, and it shall be slaughtered before him; 4 and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned. 6 And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening. 8 And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. 9 Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them. (Numbers 19:1-10)

While the red heifer is to have no blemish or defect, the number of possible hairs not being fully “red” is not mentioned. Jews have interpreted Numbers 19:1-10 to mean that another red heifer needs to be sacrificed for sacrifices to be resumed or for the Messiah to return. While that is not directly stated above, it could be implied that one is again needed for those who do not accept Jesus came as the Messiah. And if those who want to sacrifice will not do so until they have a red heifer, then in that respect a red heifer is important. Certain Jews, like those of the Temple Institute, have added non-biblical requirements for the ‘tenth red heifer’ that while not biblically essential (and Jesus complained that the Jews in His day did that as well as is recorded in Mark 7:9-13), may be humanly necessary for the Jews to accept a particular red heifer as rabbinically valid.

In the past, the Temple Institute posted:

Promise Of The Red Heifer!  …

The red heifer is a cow that is reddish-brown in color. …

The burning of the red heifer is one of the 613 Jewish commandments. In the words of Maimonides, [1] “He commanded us to prepare the red heifer, so that its ashes be ready for one who needs it for purification from the impurity of a corpse.”

The complete renewing of all aspects of the Holy Temple service, and the revival of complete ritual purity among Jews, is contingent upon the preparation of the red heifer. …

In our generation, in which we look forward to the reinstitution of the service in the Holy Temple, …

The heifer must be completely red, meaning, there must be no other colored hairs among the red ones. … The Jewish law pertaining to the red heifer hair color requirement is as follows: If the cow has two white or black hairs next to each other – it is invalid. [5] Even if those hairs are plucked – the heifer is still invalid. [6] The eyes of the heifer, teeth, and tongue do not have to be red. However, if the horns and hooves are black, they must be removed without harming the flesh of the heifer, in order for the red heifer to be valid for this commandment. [7]

Before going further, let me state that the Bible DOES NOT SAY THAT THE HEIFER CANNOT HAVE ANY OTHER COLORED HAIRS NOR ARE ALL THE “613 Jewish commandments” BIBLICAL (see Which Laws were Superceded? Which Remain? What about the 613 regulations (called 613 Mitzvot). The Bible also says nothing about the color of hooves or horns being removed. The references, which can be found at this link: https://templeinstitute.org/para-aduma-the-red-heifer-5/#7 are to Jewish sages and traditions–they are not literal biblical commands, but Jewish interpretations.

It is likely that IF the government of Israel would give permission for daily sacrifices in a place that is agreeable to the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin, that it may be relatively quickly determined that one of the remaining red heifers is acceptable.

Let me state that we know that the daily sacrifices will be re-implemented by certain Jews as the prophet Daniel was inspired to write numerous times that they would be stopped:

13 And I hear a certain holy one speaking, and a certain holy one says to the wonderful numberer who is speaking: Until when [is] the vision of the continual [sacrifice], and of the transgression, an astonishment, to make a treading down of both sanctuary and host? 14 And he says to me, Until evening—morning two thousand and three hundred, then is the holy place declared right. (Daniel 8:13-14, LSV)

27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering … (Daniel 9:27)

31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. (Daniel 11:31)

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

So, we see that after a deal is made, 3 1/2 years later, sacrifices will be stopped. By who? Well, the “he” above was called a “prince” in Daniel 9:26 and will become the King of the North Beast leader as discussed in Daniel 11:31,40. Since those that wait the 1335 days are then blessed–this looks to be a reference to Jesus returning and establishing the Kingdom of God a little less than four years after the daily sacrifices are stopped by the Beast.

Since the sacrifices will be stopped, they must start. And that is something that the Temple Institute and Sanhedrin are working towards.

The fact is that certain Jews (and others) have put a lot of time and money into red heifer projects. They likely have other potential reddish heifers in the works.

That said, the Temple Institute wants the area known as the Temple Mount to be cleared of all Islamic structures in order for it to construct a temple as they believe that Muslim structures are where their temple needs to be. Hamas knows this and claimed that because of that and the fact that the Temple Institute claimed to have several red heifer candidates, that was one reason they attacked on October 7, 2023.

Here is some information from two webpages of the Temple Institute related to clearing the area called the Temple Mount:

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

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

As for the ashes of the red heifer, while these are essential, the possibility to temporarily proceed with the Divine service at the Holy Temple, when the majority of the nation of Israel is ritually impure, as is the case today, exists according to Torah. This is in order to assist the nation to begin, or continue, the service, even during extreme situations.

In short, it is not “technical” issues that are holding up the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, as these can be worked out. What is need is the will of the people of Israel, and the nations, to do what is necessary and build the house of G-d. https://templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions/ accessed 03/17/24

Having a Temple Institute-connected group sacrificing a red heifer could well be perceived as a sign that the Jews intend to remove those Islamic structures. A red heifer sacrifice could enrage certain Muslims and could result in an expanded war. The sacrifice of a red heifer could also be perceived as a another reason, by the government of Iran, for it to launch an attack against Israel.

In January of 2024, a Hamas spokesperson confirmed that the red heifers were a reason it launched its October 7th attack (see I365: Hamas Spokesman: Oct 7 attack launched to stop the red heifers). Let me add that in January 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the statement, “Hamas and its backer Iran” (https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-vows-no-palestinian-state-attacks-israeli-media-denies-blindsiding-gallant/ 01/18/24)–so it would seem that Iran itself could have concerns about the red heifer sacrifice.

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

Now, it should be pointed out the Jews do not need a massive temple in order to re-implement animal sacrifices. All they need is an altar and possibly a tent, which they have.  And I was told this personally by a member of the Temple Institute when I was in Jerusalem, plus was also so told in an email from a representative of the reconstituted Sanhedrin (see also Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).

We have a video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to that:

14:58

Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent

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

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

While the Temple Institute remains confused about whether or not any of the red heifers it has access to are “qualified,” and biblically, no red heifers are required (cf. Hebrews 9:13), the red heifer matter remains something to “Watch” as Jesus indicated in Mark 13:37.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and Red Heifers and Antichrist? and Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent. Here is a link to two videos in the Spanish language: Novillas rojas and La novilla roja y su posible implicación profetica.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Which Laws were Superceded? Which Remain? What about the Ten Commandments? What about the 613 regulations (called 613 Mitzvot) in the Old Testament? Which were ‘done away’? Here is a link to a related sermon video: ‘What was ‘Nailed to the Cross’? About about the 613 Mitzvot?
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!

COGwriter

NewsMax reported the following:

Leaked Vatican Docs Undermine Francis on Latin Mass

July 3, 2025

The debate in the Catholic Church over the celebration of the old Latin Mass is heating up just as Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate is getting under way, with the apparent leak of Vatican documents that undermine the stated reason of his predecessor Pope Francis for restricting access to the ancient liturgy.

The documents suggest that the majority of Catholic bishops who responded to a 2020 Vatican survey about the Latin Mass had expressed general satisfaction with it, and warned that restricting it would “do more harm than good.”

The texts from the Vatican’s doctrine office were posted online Tuesday by a Vatican reporter who has followed the Latin Mass dispute, Diane Montagna. …

In one of his most controversial acts, Francis in 2021 reversed Pope Benedict XVI’s signature liturgical legacy and restricted access for ordinary Catholics to the old Latin Mass. The ancient liturgy was celebrated around the world before the modernizing reforms of the 1960s Second Vatican Council, which allowed Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular, with the priest facing the pews.

Francis said he was cracking down on the spread of the old liturgy because Benedict’s decision in 2007 to relax restrictions had become a source of division in the church. Francis said at the time he was responding to “the wishes expressed” by bishops around the world who had responded to the Vatican survey, as well as the Vatican doctrine office’s own opinion.

“The responses reveal a situation that preoccupies and saddens me, and persuades me of the need to intervene,” Francis wrote at the time. Benedict’s relaxation had been “exploited to widen the gaps, reinforce the divergences, and encourage disagreements that injure the church, block her path, and expose her to the peril of division,” he said.

The documents posted online, however, paint a different picture. They suggest the majority of bishops who responded to the Vatican survey had a generally favorable view of Benedict’s reform and warned that suppressing or weakening it would lead traditionalist Catholics to leave the church and join schismatic groups. They warned any changes “would seriously damage the life of the church, as it would recreate the tensions that the document had helped to resolve.” https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/vatican-leaked-documents/2025/07/03/id/1217446/

Notice also:

VATICAN CITY, July 1, 2025 — New evidence has come to light that exposes major cracks in the foundation of Traditionis Custodes, Pope Francis’ 2021 decree that restricted the traditional Roman liturgy.

This journalist has obtained the Vatican’s overall assessment of the consultation of bishops that was said to have “prompted” Pope Francis to revoke Summorum Pontificum, Benedict XVI’s 2007 apostolic letter liberalizing the vetus ordo, more commonly known as the “Traditional Latin Mass” and sacraments.

The previously undisclosed text, which forms a crucial part of the official report by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on its 2020 consultation of bishops concerning Summorum Pontificum, reveals that “the majority of bishops who responded to the questionnaire stated that making legislative changes to Summorum Pontificum would cause more harm than good.”

The overall assessment directly contradicts, therefore, the stated rationale for imposing Traditionis Custodes and raises serious questions about its credibility. https://dianemontagna.substack.com/p/exclusive-official-vatican-report

Pope Francis did upset some who call themselves traditionalists with his pronouncements related to the ‘Latin Mass.’

But he is not the only one who has not told the full truth about Latin Mass.

While some Roman Catholics believe that the original Christians held “mass’ in Latin, that is simply not true.

Notice the following that is in my free online book, Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church:

Latin Mass and Liturgic Changes

Despite the view of some Roman ‘traditionalists,’ the original church liturgy was not in Latin nor did it resemble Roman Catholic mass. Notice three Roman Catholic reports:

In the third and fourth centuries A.D. … Latin began to replace Greek as the common language of the Roman world and soon became the language of the liturgy. Exactly how this change in the liturgy came about is uncertain. … Because Christians had not used Latin for worship prior to this, words had to be adapted or imported (often from Greek) to express Christian ideas, beginning the development of an ecclesiastical form of Latin. There is also evidence that the Roman Canon was influenced by prayers from the Eastern churches. (Tufano VM. When did we start celebrating Mass in Latin? US Catholic, June 18, 2010)

The word Mass (missa) first established itself as the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice in the West after the time of Pope Gregory the Great (d. 604), … Mass goes back in … a custom that takes us at once into the third century (Pohle J. Sacrifice of the Mass. The Catholic Encyclopedia)

Roman Mass … and the established customs became “ritualized” over the centuries. … As early as the fourth century, fixed liturgical rites can be found in the Church. (The Traditional Latin Mass: A Brief History. MyCatholicSource.com, accessed 09/22/20)

Some assert Latin Mass began to be used by the Roman Bishop Victor c. 190. But even if the early use of Latin in the late 2^nd century is true (and using the common language of an area for church services makes sense), Latin still was not the original language of original church services—that was Aramaic/Hebrew. However, Greek quickly became used as the New Testament epistles—which were written in Greek—help demonstrate.

Not only were original church services not in Latin, according to The Catholic Encyclopedia, they were not called Mass until the 7^th century. Furthermore, as many rituals in Latin Mass came from the 3^rd and 4^th centuries, those practices were not really a part of the regular original services.

Roman Catholic sources clearly teach that ritualized Latin Mass was a change from the original catholic liturgy. More changes occurred in the 13^th through 15^th centuries (Jedin H, ed. History of the Church, Volume 2. Crossroad, New York, 1993, p. 326).

The Eastern Orthodox, also, have freely admitted that their liturgy CHANGED. Notice this from one of their writers:

The liturgical practices of the church at Antioch did not stagnate. As does every early tradition of the church, the liturgy continued to expand in content and meaning. (Lucas J. Liturgical Pattern and Experience in First Century Antioch. By the Waters: Selected Works by Students of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, vol 7, Fall 2008, pp. 40-52)

The original church liturgy did not have much resemblance to Eastern Orthodox services, which begin and end with the “signing of the cross.” The teaching that the “liturgical practices of the church at Antioch did not stagnate” demonstrates that what ended up in Antioch changed—hence the Eastern Orthodox admit that what they now have is NOT the original catholic liturgy.

Some claim that they follow the “Divine Liturgy of St. James.” However, that was not original, nor did James come up with it as The Catholic Encyclopedia and the OrthodoxWiki also understand:

… the famous liturgy of St. James. That it was actually composed by St. James the Less, as first Bishop of Jerusalem, is not now believed by any one; (Fortescue A. Liturgy of Jerusalem. The Catholic Encyclopedia)

The general scholarly consensus is that this liturgy originated in Jerusalem during the late fourth or early fifth century. It quickly became the primary liturgy in Jerusalem and Antioch. Although it was later superseded in Jerusalem and Antioch by the Liturgy of St. Basil and the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, it had already spread to other areas of the Church. (Liturgy of St. James. OrthodoxWiki, accessed 06/04/21)

So, what the Eastern Orthodox now do was not original.

Unlike how Eastern Orthodox church service were conducted, there were no icons, incense, signing of the cross, or leavened bread as part of the original church services. Nor “chanting” sermons nor hymns sung to Mary. None of the known current Eastern Orthodox litanies (‘petitions’ recited by the clergy and responded to in a recurring formula by the people) were originally used by early Christians either.

The CCOG {Continuing Church of God} maintains it has continued the original catholic church practices when it comes to church services, or the liturgy.

So, no, Latin mass is not an original tradition of the catholic church–but a change in liturgy.

Now, what about praying to the East?

Some may wish to read the Bible, as it objects to this. Here are quotes from the New Jerusalem Bible, which is a Roman Catholic translation of the scriptures into the English language:

¹⁵ He said, ‘Son of man, do you see that? You will see even more loathsome things than that.’

¹⁶ He then led me to the inner court of the Temple of Yahweh. And there, at the entrance to Yahweh’s sanctuary, between the portico and the altar, there were about twenty-five men, with their backs to Yahweh’s sanctuary and their faces turned towards the east, before the rising sun. (Ezekiel 8:15-16)

So, although the Bible warns against worship towards the east and associates it with sun-god worship, the Church of Rome is encouraging this.

Why might the Church of Rome be encouraging something in conflict with the Bible here?

Well, sadly, many practices associated with sun-god worship, specifically Mithraism were adopted by the Church of Rome. Mithraism had priests pray towards the sun, which in the morning meant towards the east. Notice the following report from the Roman Catholic scholar F. Cumont (bolding mine):

The priest was the intermediary between God and man. His functions evidently included the administration of the sacraments and the celebration of the services. The inscriptions tell us that in addition he presided at the formal dedications, or at least represented the faithful one on such an occasion along with the Fathers; but this was the least portion only of the duties he had to perform; the religious service which fell to his lot appears to have been very exacting. He doubtless was compelled to see that a perpetual fire burned upon the altars. Three times a day, at dawn, at noon, and at dusk, he addressed a prayer to the Sun, turning in the morning toward the East, at noon toward the South, at evening toward the West. The daily liturgy frequently embraced special sacrifices.

…the orthodox and heretical liturgies of Christianity, which gradually sprang up during the first centuries of our era, could find abundant inspiration in the Mithraic Mysteries… it appears certain that the commemoration of the Nativity was set for the 25th of December, because it was at the winter solstice that the rebirth of the invincible god,* the Natalis invicti, was celebrated. In adopting this date, which was universally distinguished by sacred festivities, the ecclesiastical authority purified in some measure the profane usages which it could not suppress. The only domain in which we can ascertain in detail the extent to which Christianity imitated Mithraism is that of art. The Mithraic sculpture, which had been first developed, furnished the ancient Christian marble-cutters with a large number of models, which they adopted or adapted…(Cumont, pp. 166, 193,196-197).

Many of the doctrines and practices mentioned above were NOT held by the original Christians. For articles related to them, please see Do You Practice Mithraism?, Sunday and Christianity, What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?, Did Early Christians Believe that Humans Possessed Immortality?, and What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?

Even Wikipedia realizes that worship towards the east does not come from Christianity:

The practice of praying towards the East is older than Christianity (East. Wikipedia, accessed 07/06/16)

Eastern worship is condemned in the Continuing Church of God booklet Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?:

Notice what Jesus Himself taught:

²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Many think that it does not matter what or how they worship, only that they make some attempt. That is not what Jesus said that the Father wants.

Jesus also taught:

⁸ “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. ⁹ And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9)

People may pray out loud or silently, but notice that they can be worshiping God in vain if they are following the imaginations of their own mind or ‘traditions’ of human beings which are contrary to God’s ways. Intentionally praying to the east (Ezekiel 8:16) and certain holidays that many who claim Christianity observe, do not come from the Bible, but from compromises with pagan “traditions of men” (see also our booklet Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?). …

While some have said that having icons around reminds them to pray, the Apostle John wrote:

²¹ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (1 John 5:21).

He did not say that idols/icons should be around to encourage prayer. The pagans did that. And the Bible teaches that the true God does not want to be worshiped as other gods have been (Leviticus 18:24-30; Deuteronomy 12:29-31).

The Bible points to God’s throne being in the far north (Psalm 48:1,2; Job 37:22; Isaiah 14:13; Ezekiel 1:4) and when I pray, I tend to look towards the heavens to the north, presuming God’s throne is above that (cf. Isaiah 40:22). This helps remind me that God rules the expanses of the universe (Thiel B. Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? Nazarene Books, 2015).

To learn more about what the Bible teaches about prayer, check out our free online booklet Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?

To learn more about early Christian liturgical practices and original catholic beliefs, check out the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church.

The Church of Rome has not held to many of the beliefs and practices of the original catholic church.

Yet, we in the Continuing Church of God hold to the original Christian beliefs and are contending earnestly for them (Jude 3)–should you?