Church of God News

1997 Feast Location and Brussels, Belgium

COGwriter

Retired teacher Bert Otten, who was once part of the old WCG, sent me a paper with his reasons why he feels that many in Belgium and Luxembourg are the descendants of the biblical tribe of Asher. He told me that I could edit and/or use what he sent in any way.

Here is some of his article, along with the ten clues, with portions of the explanations edited out, mainly for space considerations:

Looking at the ‘prophetic clues’ one has to conclude that a core of the tribe of Asher once found its way to the people living in Belgium and Luxemburg (especially in the triangle Roermond-Lille-Nancy-Roermond)…

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1^st Clue: Asher – happy

And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, HAPPY am I [b_ashri], for the daughters will call me BLESSED [ishruni]: and she called his name Asher [asher: blessed, happy] (Gen 30:12-13).

And Zilpah Leah’s handmaid bore Jacob a second son. And Leah said: ‘HAPPY am I! for the daughters will call me HAPPY.’ And she called his name Asher [HAPPY or BLESSED] (Gen 30: 12-13, JPS, Jewish Publication Society).

After four sons Leah has two more sons by her maid-servant Zilpah. Asher is Jacob’s 8th son. They will call me happy, and she names him ‘blessed, happy’, Asher! This predicts Asher’s nature: jovial, genial, friendly.

‘Burgundian’ lifestyle

The national character of most Belgians in general, and Walloons in particular, is that they are jovial, genial, friendly…

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2^nd Clue: Asher – his bread shall be fat

As for Asher, his BREAD [lechem] shall be FAT [shamen] … (Gen 49:20a, KJV).

Asher’s FOOD will be RICH … (Gen 49:20a, NIV).

Literally it says that Asher’s bread will be fat. It is noteworthy that bread in England and Holland has the form of a big brick, a loaf. In France they sell the typical French bread, long thin pieces of bread. In Belgium they sell bread in big, round, ‘fat’, loaves.

However, lechem also means food in general, and not just bread. Asher’s food would be rich in content, and it would be plenteous…

3^rd Clue: Asher – royal dainties

Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal DAINTIES (Gen 49:20b).

[Asher] will provide DELICACIES fit for a king (Gen 49:20b, NIV).

This is up to a point a repeat of the fact that Asher’s food would be fat or rich. We think of all the delicacies – fries, mussels, oysters, fish, venison, etc. – served in the Belgian cuisine, but ‘delicacies’ contains much more…

Belgian Beers

Wikipedia: For a comparatively small country, Belgium produces a very large number of beers in a range of different styles – in fact, it has more distinct types of beer per capita than anywhere else in the world. In 2011, there were 1,132 different varieties of beer being produced in the country…

Belgian Chocolate

Wikipedia about Belgian chocolate: Belgium is famed for its high quality chocolate and over 2,000 chocolatiers, both small and large…

Waffles and sweets

There are also Belgian waffles (Brussels, Liège), speculoos, vlaaien (Limburg), sweets, etc. Asher’s food would be rich and he would yield royal dainties.

Tapestries, lace, comic books

Delicacies or dainties is a translation from ma’adan:

Ma’adan – or (feminine) ma’adannah {mah-ad-an-naw’}; from ‘`adan’ (Strong, 5727); a delicacy or (abstractly) pleasure (adverbially, cheerfully):–dainty, delicately, delight.

Some writers about the tribes link this with the typical Belgian delicate tapestries (made for royalty!) and with Belgian lace…

4^th Clue: Asher – friendly & favoured

And of Asher he said: Blessed be Asher above sons; let him be the FAVOURED of his brethren … (Dt 33:24, JPS).

And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be ACCEPTABLE to his brethren, … (Dt 33:24, KJV).

About Asher he said: “Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be FAVOURED by his brothers, …”(Dt 33:24, NIV).

Belgians – kind, friendly

Although Belgians may fight between themselves about language problems – a bloodless struggle – they are perceived by others as kind, friendly people. To my knowledge there are not many people who hate Belgians. The French and the Dutch may joke about Belgians, but they do not dislike them. The fact that they are liked by their neighbours, by other tribes, has favourable to them over time…

5^th Clue: Asher – … iron … under your shoe

Thy shoes shall be IRON and brass … (Dt 33:25).

YZER en koper zal onder uw schoen zijn … (Dt 33:25, SVV, Dutch Staten Vertaling: IRON and copper will be under your shoe).

An important prophecy concerning Asher is about metal. And of Asher he said … IRON and brass (or copper) will be your shoe, or will be under your shoe. The triangle Roermond – Lille – Nancy – Roermond is closely connected with iron, coal and industrialisation. To speak of Wallonia is to speak of iron. A lot can be read about the Wallonian steel industry…

Wikipedia: Wallonia is rich in iron and coal, and these resources and related industries have played an important role in its history…

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6^th Clue: Asher – … brass … under your shoe

Thy shoes shall be iron and BRASS … (Dt 33:25).

Yzer en KOPER zal onder uw schoen zijn … (Dt 33:25, SVV, Dutch Staten Vertaling: iron and COPPER will be under your shoe).

As we saw: In the Middle Ages, Wallonia became a center for brass working and bronze working, with Huy, Dinant and Chimay being important regional centers (Wikipedia).

Belgium – Congo – Katanga – Copper

The Katanga Province of Belgian Congo was one of the world’s most important copper producing areas in the twentieth century until the 1960’s. Belgium became an important importer and exporter of copper. The copper was extracted by the Union Minière du Haut Katanga...

7^th Clue: Asher – … dip his foot in oil

And of Asher he said … and let him dip his foot in OIL (Dt 33:24).

Many of the Lost Tribes prophecies are for the endtime only (acharit haYamim), for the last days…Palm oil

The modern fulfilment of this statement concerning Asher’s oil can be found in palm oil which Belgium extracted from the Belgian Congo for years. Wikipedia: Palm oil production in the Congo increased from 2,500 tons in 1914 to 9,000 tons in 1921 and 230,000 tons in 1957.

Palm oil is an important ingredient in food and non-food products like margarine, chocolate, cleaning products and cosmetics. Palm oil has become one of the most important vegetable oils.

In 1959 Belgian Congo was the sixth biggest palm oil producer of the world … Asher … let him dip his foot in oil.

8^th Clue: 8. Asher, 9. Issachar, 10. Zebulun

… and [Leah] called his name Asher [8^th son] … and [Leah] called his name Issachar [9^th son] … and [Leah] called his name Zebulun [10^th son] (Gen 30:13-20).

… of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, … of the tribe of the children of Issachar … of the tribe of the children of Asher … (Nu 34:25-27).

And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun … And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar … And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher … (Josh 19:10, 17, 24).

Leah Tribes

Leah had eight sons, six of herself and two by her maidservant Zilpah. She named all eight of them. So there are eight Leah tribes (and five Racheltribes)… There is a bond between Asher, Issachar and Zebulun in both antiquity and in modern times…Over the past 60 years there has been a close cooperation between these peoples within the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxemburg). They live closely together as they once did in Galilee, in Erets Yisrael.

9^th Clue: Asher – mighty men of valour

All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father’s house, choice and MIGHTY MEN OF VALOUR, chief of the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and to battle was 26,000 men (1Chron 7:40).

And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, EXPERT IN WAR, 40,000 (1 Chron 12:36).

There were a few militaristic tribes, but Asher was not one of them. However, the Asherites were brave fighters. Although not an aggressive tribe, they could hold their ground when called upon…

Belgae – Julius Caesar

In his book Commentarii de bello GallicoJulius Caesar divides the Celts into three groups. The most northern group are the Belgae living in the area between the North Sea, Rhine, Seine and Marne. According to Caesar the Belgae were the bravest of the three groups. This quote from Caesar became very popular in the 1830’s in an attempt to enflame Belgian nationalism…

Belgium in WW I

The Belgians fought bravely under Soldier King Albert I against the German invasion.

10^th Clue: Asher – peaceable, peaceful

And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of SHELOMI (Strong <08015>, shlomi, peacable) (Num 34:27).

The tribe of Asher is a peaceful tribe, not looking for war or trouble. This can first of all be concluded by the absence of things. There are no violent, negative, warlike stories or individuals known from the tribe of Asher in the Bible. Asher has a modest Biblical history with an absence of ringleaders in evil. The prince of Asher in Numbers 34 is even called Ahihud ben Shlomi, son of Shlomi (peaceful).

Asher is very modest in The Testament of Asher. There is no bragging like in some of the other testaments of the twelve patriarchs.

The olive tree is the symbol of Asher. This can also be connected to peace, as the olive branch is a symbol of peace.

Belgians – neutral & peaceful

The Belgians were more or less given their independence and their colonies. They were neutral twice and were invaded twice by the Germans. They fought bravely in WW I and WW II to defend themselves and their colonies, but they never attacked other nations.

I should add that we have been to Belgium at least twice and Luxembourg at least once. There may also be some of Zebulon and Reuben in Belgium.

The Bible records various promises made to the tribes of Israel in Genesis 48, Genesis 49, and Deuteronomy 33. Many seem to have overlooked those, but those prophecies have been, and will be fulfilled.

While there are various ways to look at those and other prophecies, let me conclude by stating that I do believe that those of Belgium and Luxembourg are essentially descended from biblical Asher, though there is ethnic intermingling.

Knowing where various peoples have come from, help us better understand how the Bible teaches that various ones will be affected by end time events that are still to come to pass.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.

COGwriter

In his booklet, The Seven Laws of Success, the late Herbert W. Armstrong listed the following first “six laws of success”:

Here, then, is the first law of success:

FIX THE RIGHT GOAL!…

So, the SECOND law of success in time sequence, is EDUCATION, or PREPARATION…

The all-important law coming next in time order is GOOD HEALTH…

Take the FOURTH LAW. If you are motivated by GOD’S WORD, you’ll have DRIVE…

Law Number 5—for Emergencies…RESOURCEFULNESS!…

Law number six, then, is PERSEVERANCE—stick-to-it-iveness!

Here is what he wrote related to the seventh law of success:

Still We Need Law Number 7!

Well now, it would certainly seem that if one follows these SIX laws of success, nothing more should be required!

But still, these “successful” men I have described followed these six principles. They gained their goals. They made money. They attained recognized status. They enjoyed the passing pleasures.

Still their lives were empty—they were never satisfied—they were discontented, they never found lasting, permanent, enduring happiness—they did not take their acquisitions with them when they died, and their fame died with them!

What they lacked—what ALL lack who fail of REAL success, application of Success Law number 7—the most important law of all! That is the ingredient that would have changed everything?

The Overlooked SEVENTH Law

I have reserved this all-important seventh Law till last to explain. But far from being least, it is first in vital importance!

I have held it till now because 1) it is the very last one that people will acknowledge and apply; and 2) being first in making possible real success, I want to state it last so it will remain stamped in the mind of the reader.

When serious illness strikes, people call the doctor. It is automatic for most to rely on human professional knowledge and skill—on material drugs, medicines and knives. But finally, when the attending physician—perhaps with specialists called in collaboration—gravely shakes his head and says there is no more that medical science can do—it is now in the hands of a higher Power—then, at last people cry out desperately to the Creator God!

Is it possible that the living GOD might be a factor in determining the success or failure of one’s life? Few have thought so.

People will ignore all their lives any idea of divine guidance and help—yet if one should find himself on a foodless and waterless raft after a shipwreck in mid-ocean, it is remarkable how quickly he would begin to believe there really is a living God! In last-resort desperation most people will cry out to Him whom they have ignored, disobeyed, and set at naught all their lives.

Wouldn’t it seem axiomatic that, if there is a compassionate beneficent Creator standing ready and willing to give us emergency help as a last resort, it would have been more sensible to have sought His guidance and help all along? Yet some have acquired wealth, lived luxuriously, and then, suddenly losing all, turned finally to God in their economic distress. Others have committed suicide. Few, it seems, will ever rely on their Maker and life-Sustainer until they feel helpless and in desperate need. Even then the motive too often is selfish.

Yet, if we are to enjoy the good things of life—freedom from fears and worries, peace of mind, security, protection, happiness, abundant well-being—the very SOURCE of their supply is the Great God! Since all comes from Him anyway, why not tap the SOURCE from the very beginning?

But in our day of modern science, sophistication and vanity, it has not been fashionable to believe in a Maker. In this deceived world, knowledge of God has found little or no place in modern education.

The ALL-IMPORTANT seventh Law of Success, nevertheless, is having contact with, and the guidance and continuous help of GOD!

And the person who does put this all-important seventh law last is very probably dooming his life to failure at the end.

Why of First Importance

Look again at the very first Law, as it has been listed here. It is not merely choosing a goal—any goal. It is setting as one’s life-aim the right goal.

The “successful” of this world all had goals. But their goals led to material ends. They sought happiness in vanity, pride of status, material acquisitions, physical activities and pursuits. They sought the approbation of people. But people are human, and their lives are temporary. Material objects, too, are not enduring, but wax old until consigned to disuse.

The main goals of those supposed to be successful in the world usually are two: Vanity—desire for status; and money with the material things it will buy. But happiness is not material, and money is not its source. Vanity, as Solomon observed is like a striving after wind!

These men I have mentioned made money. Their bank accounts may have been full, but their lives were empty. When they acquired money, it never satisfied, and always they wanted more. These monetary victories, these material acquisitions, gave, of course, a thrill of satisfaction—but it never lasted!

This life-long struggle—this constant striving “after wind”—striving after false values—left in its wake a trail of fears and worries, apprehensions, disappointments, heartaches, troubled consciences, discontent, empty lives, frustrations—and finally, DEATH!

Oh yes, of course there were pleasures, moments of excitement, periods of enjoyment. There were occasional thrills, temporary sensations of delight. But always they were followed by periods of depression. Always a gnawing inner soul-hunger returned. This in turn drove them to seek satisfaction in the thousand-and-one events in the world’s whirl of material pleasures and pastimes. Yet these never filled the void. They never satisfied the real inner hunger.

These people probably didn’t realize it, but the hunger was spiritual. And spiritual hunger is never satisfied by material food!

The “successful” of this world applied six of the success laws. But they left GOD out of the picture, and the happiness of real success out of their lives.

It seems almost no one, today, realizes HOW—and WHY—we were made. WHAT we humans are, and WHY we are. Why should we live in ignorance of these basics of knowledge?

Two basic and vital facts are overlooked:

1. While man was made a material being, of the dust of the ground, sustained by eating material food and drinking material water, he was made also to need spiritual food, and to drink of the “living water” of God’s Spirit. Without these spiritual needs man cannot be truly and continually happy. Nothing else really satisfies.

2. The Eternal Creator, who made us in His own likeness, is creator of ALL that is. Everything man needs to make life continuously and abundantly satisfying, must come from Him. He is the SOURCE OF SUPPLY. He is the GIVER of everything good. WHY must men ignore the true SOURCE, and try to obtain where there is nothing to be obtained? If I wish to draw clear, sparkling drinking water from a well, I will go to a well filled with such water, not to one that is empty. God says of our people: “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the FOUNTAIN of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

And again He says: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not?” (Isaiah 55:1-2.)

Once again, look at the first of the Success Laws. Stated another way, it is to DEFINE SUCCESS! And what constitutes real Success? Once you have learned the true meaning of Success, then you have found the only right goal.

The right goal sets the direction of your life’s journey. Success is the destination of that journey. Success is where you finally arrive—and true Success includes a happy and enjoyable journey along the way.

PURPOSE to Life?

Is there, after all, a PURPOSE to life?

If we were put here by a Creator, would He have put us here without a REASON? And a Creator with Mind and Power that could have designed and produced the human mind and body could have failed to make available for humans every tool, ingredient and facility needed to fulfill His Purpose!

Of course men cut off from God have no knowledge of that Purpose. For that knowledge is not material, but spiritual knowledge. And spiritual things cannot be seen—nor heard, felt, smelled or tasted. Spiritual knowledge can be transmitted only by revelation. And this world has rejected revelation. Men cut off from their Creator of necessity are spiritually blind and ignorant, groping in the dark. So they fail to seize the proper tools, ingredients and facilities.

But the Maker has sent an instruction book along with the human mechanism He made. It contains all the real answers. It reveals life’s real PURPOSE—the potential destiny of man! That instruction book, as Bruce Barton aptly said, is the “book nobody knows.” Almost no one knows that 95% of the contents of that Book is virtually ignored by the professing Christian clergy. Most scientists and educators today suppose, erroneously and in ignorance of the facts, that the Bible is merely the book of an ancient race of Jewish people, striving to devise a concept of a god—in by gone days of ignorance and superstition. They don’t examine the Book, as they examine other data, to see what it says. They ignore it as something beneath their pride of intellect to consider.

The religious Bible-believing fundamentalists generally quote and use not more than some 5% of the Scriptures. Approximately one-third of the entire contents of the Bible is devoted to ADVANCE NEWS REPORTS, called, in religious terminology, prophecy. FEW pay any attention to this third of the writings—and most seem devoid of understanding.

What almost ON ONE realizes is that the ignored 95% of that great volume is the INSTRUCTION BOOK which the Maker sent along with His product—just as any manufacturer of a material commodity does. Yet some scholars today have been surprised and shocked to learn that this ignored, maligned, misrepresented Book contains THE ANSWERS to life itself—reveals the PURPOSE of life—the LAWS that govern it—the ANSWER to what IS Success, and how to achieve it!

It has been like discovering a gold mine of knowledge they did not know existed. They have found that it MAKES SENSE—that, indeed, IT IS THE VERY FOUNDATION of KNOWLEDGE in just about all areas—that it provides the only right approach to the acquisition of further discoverable knowledge.

This ultimate potential destiny is the only TRUE goal. It is your reason for being alive! It is the reason you were born!

Those who have worked, striven, fought their way to any other goal have been wasting their lives—living for naught! They have, in true fact, been going nowhere! And how many, since humans were first put here on earth, have really known that PURPOSE—that one right goal of life? Very few, indeed!

The time when we need divine guidance, enlightenment, and help, is at the very BEGINNING—at the time when a young man or woman chooses that RIGHT GOAL. Without divine guidance the wrong goal is always set.

That is why poor people possessing the least knowledge and material goods sometimes appear to be the happiest. Actually they were not happy. They merely are less discontented! They have not progressed as far in the WRONG DIRECTION as those who smugly and vainly supposed themselves to be their more intelligent betters!

Life has a PURPOSE. God has set in actual, inexorable motion definite LAWS to PRODUCE for man every happiness, security, and GOOD thing he desires—THE WAY OF LIFE that will fulfill God’s PURPOSE for our being!

LOOK! THINK! An automobile was designed and built by its human makers to transport passengers, and do it more speedily and in more comfort than the old horse and buggy. Would it not be ridiculous if the automobile had a mind and free volition of action, and it would say: “That’s silly! I don’t think I was made to transport people. I think I was made for some other purpose. I refuse to transport people. I want to be an instrument for viewing the stars in the heavens.”

Apparently it is only stupid, foolish man—with POTENTIAL mind power and CAPACITY for intelligence beyond any creature God has created—who says “WHY have you made me thus?”

WHAT, then is the PURPOSE for which we were put here?

Of this, mankind has totally lost all conception. To people spiritually drunk on the false material concepts of our day, the statement of that purpose would appear strange, absurd, impossible. It SO FAR transcends anything conceived by humanity in this blinded world that the statement of it would prove too great to be grasped and accepted.

Suffice it to say—and I shall leave it to another booklet to explain—man was put here for the PURPOSE of being conformed to, and finally stamped with the exact perfect CHARACTER of Jesus Christ! Write for the free booklet Why Were You Born?

Christ is now stamped with the identical CHARACTER IMAGE of God, as well as the shining, brilliant, glorified appearance of God! For a mortal human to be transformed into that perfect spiritual image means that we must be CHANGED!

The Bible pictures God as the Master Potter—us as the clay. Indeed we are, literally clay images of God—composed of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). As we now bear only the physical image of the “earthy,” we shall when changed, bear the spiritual image of the heavenly—of GOD (1 Corinthians 15:47-49). So we are clay images with human minds that are free moral agents. They may submit, or they may rebel. They have power of will, and of decision.

Free to Choose

Understand this! You are a free moral agent. God will never “cram” His religion down your throat.” He will never force you to decide His way or go His way. He not only allows you to choose the wrong way—He compels you to make your own decision. Otherwise His PURPOSE would be thwarted!

The living God has set two ways before us. One, His Way, the cause of all the good things you want here and now, plus eternal life in REAL SUCCESS continuously forever. The other the way of self-centeredness, vanity, greed, envy—the way mankind has gone, in rebellion against God and His Law—the way that causes all unhappiness, suffering, evils, and ends in death. And God compels you to choose! Yet He commands you to choose the Way that leads to REAL SUCCESS (see Deuteronomy 30:19).

You Need HELP

That ultimate TRUE Success is something you cannot attain to by yourself. The ingredient you lack is the GUIDANCE, the POWER and SPIRIT OF GOD.

You must make the decision. You must set this right GOAL. You must set your will. You must expend your full effort. You must WORK AT overcoming, growing and developing spiritually, and sticking with it. Yet GOD supplies the all-important ingredient—His power, His love, His faith—His guidance—HIS LIFE!

7th Law Changes Everything

Now look how DIFFERENT a whole life becomes when this SEVENTH SUCCESS LAW is utilized.

First, it will completely alter your overall major GOAL as I have just explained. Of course, you will have other minor goals—such as the profession or occupation to provide material needs, and HELP achieve the major goal. And these minor goals always must be compatible with and contributing to the major goal.

Your main goal, now, will be spiritual and not material. It will follow the WAY OF LIFE of the Ten Commandments. You will actually LIVE BY every Word of GOD—that is, the Bible!

Now re-examine the Second Law of SUCCESS.

Your EDUCATION and entire preparation will be DIFFERENT. You will seek to learn the TRUE VALUES of life—yes, of this life as well as the hereafter! This means your number one textbook will be the BIBLE. It will reveal to you the MIND OF CHRIST. This will provide your mental APPROACH in all education and practice.

Third, you will receive the KNOWLEDGE which God reveals about laws of HEALTH.

Take the FOURTH LAW. If you are motivated by GOD’S WORD, you’ll have DRIVE. God commands that you do what you do with your might! Apply yourself! Whatever is worth doing is worth doing the very best you can! Nine Biblical passages command that you apply your self with DILIGENCE! Ten other places in the Bible command us to BE DILIGENT. And 36 Scriptures command, or show the example of acting diligently! Many of these instruct us diligently to seek God’s guidance and help, several diligently to keep His commandments.

How about the businessman? “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before [obscure] men” (Proverbs 22:29).

The Bible does not condone laziness or shiftlessness. It counsels us to consider the ant and be wise. The Bible commands industriousness!

Solving Problems

Now, Law Number FIVE. No matter how intelligent, alert, or resourceful you may be, YOU NEED GOD’S WISDOM and HELP in solving the constant problems and meeting the recurring obstacles that beset life’s path. Whether it is in business, a profession, private life or what. The man who has CONTACT WITH GOD, who can take these matters—these emergencies—these problems—in the quietness of his private prayer room to the Throne of Grace and seek God’s counsel and advice IS GOING TO HAVE DIVINE GUIDANCE! That is, of course, provided he is submissive, obedient, diligent, faithful. WISDOM comes from GOD.

May I give you a personal example? God has blessed His Work, and caused it to grow into a tremendous worldwide activity, with offices around the world. God has set me in the position of human director and leader over this expanding enterprise, employing hundreds of people. We encounter problems of all kinds, constantly. I have problems to solve, obstacles to hurdle, policies to set, decisions to make which affect many lives—frequently involve many thousands of dollars, even millions. It is a weighty responsibility.

Always—and I can remember it from at least age 5—I have desired to have UNDERSTANDING. But more than fifty years ago, I discovered that I sadly lacked, yet sorely needed WISDOM. Having dedicated my life to live, literally, according to every word of God’s Instruction Book—the Bible—I obeyed this command of God: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. . . and it shall be given” (James 1:5). He has given me wisdom. Of course He has allowed me to make mistakes—but never a major mistake that could threaten His great Work.

Wisdom must be applied to every specific circumstance individually. I learned many years ago the need of getting all of the facts bearing on a case before making a decision. But it requires more. God’s Word says that in multitude of counselors there is safety. In any important decision I call in the most competent possible counselors, specialists in the field involved.

You simply cannot know, if you have never had this divine help, how very, very much it means! We have been saved hundreds, of times from costly blunders. We are saved from worries and the “headaches” most businessmen have to suffer over such problems. We can proceed in CONFIDENCE—that assurance that is FAITH! What a blessing! What a comfort, and a joy!

It PAYS Off

People trying to live without the living CHRIST in their lives are missing the most practical and valuable asset they could have. In the language of our day, “IT PAYS OFF!” Of course, we have to expend our own effort. We have to really THINK. We use all our own effort. We have to really THINK. We use all our own resources and natural resourcefulness. But we have that added SECURITY of divine GUIDANCE. Often God simply works out CIRCUMSTANCES. He literally gives us “the breaks”! IT PAYS!

Finally, now, look at Success Law Number SIX. Perseverance—Stick-to-it-iveness—Enduring—Never quitting or giving up.

The Maker’s Instruction Book seems full of this. Jesus’ parable of the sower and the seed showed the four classes. All heard God’s Message. All were given the opportunity. Three classes GAVE UP. One never really got started. Two started out with joy and a great flourish, but let former friends, the cares of this material life, pleasures, choke them off, and discourage them. The other class of quitters simply did not have the depth of strength of character within themselves to stay with anything. They were just naturally quitters. Even of those who went on, and endured, some were more diligent, more resourceful, better prepared, more careful of health, and consequently developed farther in accomplishment than others. Theirs will be the greater reward!

Jesus Christ said, plainly, “He that endureth unto the END, the same shall be SAVED” (Matthew 24:13).

Yes, these Seven Laws are the WAY, not only to business and economic SUCCESS—they are THE LAWS that lead to rich, rewarding, interest-filled, abundant living and, in the end, to ETERNAL LIFE AND GLORY in the Kingdom of God.

It teaches you to choose the RIGHT GOAL. It teaches you to STUDY, to show yourself approved to your Maker. It teaches you to acquire KNOWLEDGE, right and true education—preparation for success. It teaches you to watch your health. It teaches diligence—drive—dedication, persistent application. It teaches resourcefulness, and offers you divine help in applying it—and it teaches STAYING WITH IT TO THE END!

WHAT A HAPPY LIFE God haw made available! What blessedness,–what JOY! What SECURITY, this life of implicit living FAITH—reliance on the Creator—GOD!

I know! I’ve been enjoying this life for more than fifty years! It’s a BUSY life—but it’s interesting, thrilling, happy, abundantly REWARDING! And to constantly look forward to the OVERALL GOAL—an eternity in THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

I want to SHARE that life with you! You may enjoy it too!

Christians should pray, study the Bible, and rely on God. It probably should be the “first law of success” though I think I understand why Herbert Armstrong listed it as the seventh.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This free booklet contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
Why Were You Born? Why did God make you? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. You may also wish to read the article What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?
What Should I Pray About? An old article by Lynn Torrance on prayer.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
The Seven Laws of Success Information by Herbert W. Armstrong that can help people become successful.
Christian Success Does the Bible teach that Christians are to be successful? Are there at least seven laws of success that Christians should follow? How does the Bible teach we are to become successfully spiritually? Does the Bible really teach that Christians should be successful physically? This video answers these questions and more from the Bible. An outline of some of the scriptures used is here: Christian Success Outline.

COGwriter

A reader informed me that Triumph Prophetic Ministries William Dankenbring died yesterday. He died on August 29, 2017, around 1:00 pm. The cause seems to have been of congestive heart failure and renal failure. UPDATE: The reader later told me that the actual date of WD’s death was August 28, 2017–sorry for any confusion.

William Dankenbring was a prolific, though often inaccurate, writer. He used to write for the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God until he left and went out on his own.

Although I heard about him originally in the 1970s, my first encounter with William Dankenbring was about 25 year ago. I wrote to him then objecting to some of his writings and asked to be taken off of his mailing list–a mailing list I had never asked to be on. Well, he was not pleased and wrote a tirade against that, which he published. All my encounters with him over the years were negative.

William Dankenbring made many false predictions over the years that I have denounced. He was always in error on those I denounced and time proved that.

For one example, here is something that I denounced on this page on April 22, 2009:

In his latest ad in The Journal, TPM’s William Dankenbring wrote the following:

Obama’s Legacy
As our nations tumble off the economic cliff and fall to destruction, prophesied in the Word of God, Barack Hussein Obama has become the President of America. Could he become the long anticipated “Antichrist”?

The Antichrist will be a governing “beast” or ravenous dictator spoken of in Revelation, chapter 13. As we study that chapter, we find that even though the Antichrist is a beast he has the number of a man, and his number is 666. Thus, numbers are important indicators of the Antichrist and of antichrist activity.

It is interesting that Obama claims Hawaii as his birthplace, although he has never proved that. Using his claim, however, we find some very interesting numbers. We know that Satan told Almighty God in Job 1:7 that he had come from walking to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. To and fro would indicate latitude, and up and down would indicate longitude.

The latitude of the claimed birthplace of Obama in Hawaii is 21.6. Those three digits that make up 21.6 are significant because the number 216 is the number 6 cubed, or 6 × 6 × 6 = 216. Obama was born on August 4, 1961, which is the 216th day of the year, another 666. We also know that Obama’s office in Chicago, Illinois, had an interesting zip code: 60606.

In the ancient Babylonian numbering system of letters having numerical equivalents increasing by six for each letter, we find that the words “A messiah Barack” equal 666. We also know from Revelation, chapters 7 and 14, that the number 144,000 represents the people of Almighty God. It is the Antichrist that tries to divide them. If we divide the number 144,000 by 666, we find an amazing quotient of 216.216216. If we divide 144,000 by 216, we get the number 666.666666.

Obama is also connected with Kenya, which is no doubt his real place of birth. The word Kenya is actually a feminine word pronounced “Keenya,” and it refers in feminine usage to the “cradle of mankind” in the native Kikuyu language. The literal meaning of the word Kenya is “the abode of the gods.” Even Obama’s political roots in Illinois are significant because the word Illinois is an Algonquin word which means ‘Tribe of superior men,’ or, in other words, the master race.

Now, most of the above is utter foolishness in my opinion. W. Dankenbring has a history of playing around with numbers and proposing positions based upon his imaginations of what he feels the numbers mean.  He has been repeatedly shown to be in error from many forecasts that he made this way (please see Teachings of Triumph Prophetic Ministries).

And while W. Dankenbring has previously suggested that Barack Obama may become “the King of the World” (see TPM: Obama – King of the World?), the fact is (as I have long wrote, please see Barack Obama is Not the Antichrist and Eight More Reasons Why Barak Obama is NOT the Antichrist), Barack Obama is not and cannot be the final Antichrist.

However, without national repentance, the U.S.A. is doomed for destruction.  And because of the timing of his election, President Obama will apparently (and mainly inadvertently) continue the trend towards that destruction.  And while I do applaud President Obama’s announcements yesterday about trying to eliminate torture by the U.S.A. government, I do not applaud his abortion positions and do not believe that he will lead the U.S.A. to national repentance.

Here is a link to another example: TPM’s William Dankenbring’s 2012 Speculation is Wrong.

Here is a link to another example: TPM’s W. Dankenbring Wrong About the Sacrifice Fulfilling Prophecy, a Needed Temple, and the Date of Passover.

But perhaps the most egregious negative experience I had with him was when I informed him that a written source he claimed proved a 15th, and not 14th of Nisan, Passover did not say what he claimed it did. He refused to even look at the actual proof when I offered it (see also TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th?).

He, like many, had an opinion, and did not want to believe facts that did not support that opinion.

More on his inaccurate teachings can be found in the article: Teachings of Triumph Prophetic Ministries.

I will pray for his family.

Reuben Was in Palestine Until Deportation

COGwriter

Former WCG member Bert Otten of the Netherlands sent me a paper which included the following (the first five clues were in an earlier post:

6^th Clue: Reuben, wine!

And the children of Reuben built HESHBON, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, And Nebo, … and SHIBMAH: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded (Num 32:37-38).

And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families. And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by MEDEBA [Madaba in Jordan]; HESHBON, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon … and SIBMAH, … (Joshua 13:15-19).

For the fields of HESHBON languish, and the VINE of SIBMAH: the lords of the heathen have broken down the PRINCIPAL PLANTS thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: HER BRANCHES are stretched out, they are gone over the sea. Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the VINE of SIBMAH: I will water thee with my tears, O HESHBON, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy HARVEST is fallen (Isaiah 16:8-9).

O VINE of SIBMAH, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: THY PLANTS are gone over the sea, THEY REACH EVEN to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon THY SUMMER FRUITS and upon THY VINTAGE (Jer 48:32).

Jordanian Wine

Some time ago I watched an interview on CNN with an Arab viticulturist Omar b. Zumot, nearby Jordanian Madaba (Medeba of the Bible). He was the first viticulturist in Jordan. They were making wine in the tribal area of Reuben!

From their website:

http://zumot-wines.com/ourPassion.php :

“When my father, Bulos Zumot, first started his business as a vintner in 1954, he had a dream. His dream was to give Jordan its niche on the map of world-class, quality wine. Though Jordan was one of the few to claim biblical origins for wine, it was nowhere on the world wine map. Local wineries made their wines using normal grapes resulting in sub-standard quality. The dream came to life in a patch of land in Madaba, near the historical Saint George Church, where we started growing the first wine grapes in Jordan. Adopting a ‘human-free’ growing policy, we decided to let nature take the lead. In our three main viticulture areas, no pesticides or artificial nutrients were used for over 13 years. Instead nature balanced itself and gave us its exceptional bounty: Wines rich with flavor, depth, and complexity.To us, nature is the true Winemaker, and wine is our passion.”

When I saw this interview I did not know yet about Sibmah’s and Heshbon’s notoriety for wine. Wouldn’t it be great if I could link up Reuben with wine in the Bible?, I thought. And then in writing about king Mesha (in the 5th clue) I discovered the viticulturist notoriety of Reubenite towns like Heshbon and Sibmah. And it is not just another mention of many. The Reuben tribal area, with Heshbon and Sibmah, are the only area and towns specifically mentioned with wine, with vinyards. They were famous for it in Israel!

Another indication: Reuben’s 4th son was named Carmi, which means my vineyard.

Wine production by country 2007[58]
Rank	Country (with link to wine article)	Production (tonnes)
1	France	4,711,600
2	Italy	4,251,380
3	Spain	3,520,870
4	United States***	2,259,870
5	Argentina	1,504,600
6	China (People’s Republic)*	1,450,000
7	Germany	1,026,100
8	South Africa	978,269
9	Australia	961,972
10	Chile	791,794
World**		26,416,532

France: Wine Country

France is a wine country, it is the wine country of the world. The French have a long viticultural tradition. Often they are the biggest wine producer (some years Italy is biggest) and they have many different kinds of wines. Their long tradition in winemaking has led to very high standards.

Wikipedia about French Wine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_wine : French wine is produced all throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world. French wine traces its history to the 6th century BC, with many of France’s regions dating their wine-making history to Roman times. The wines produced range from expensive high-end wines sold internationally to more modest wines usually only seen within France …

Reforms – The wine classification system of France has been under overhaul since 2006, with a new system to be fully introduced by 2012. The new system consists of three categories rather than four, since there will be no category corresponding to VDQS from 2012. The new categories are:

Vin de France, a table wine category basically replacing Vin de Table, but allowing grape variety and vintage to be indicated on the label.

Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP), an intermediate category basically replacing Vin de Pays.

Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP), the highest category basically replacing AOC wines …

Wine styles … All common styles of wine – red, rosé, white (dry, semi-sweet and sweet), sparkling and fortified – are produced in France. In most of these styles, the French production ranges from cheap and simple versions to some of the world’s most famous and expensive examples. An exception is French fortified wines, which tend to be relatively unknown outside France …

If there is one thing that most French wines have in common, it is that most styles have developed as wines meant to accompany food, be it a quick baguette, a simple bistro meal, or a full-fledged multi-course menu.

7^th Clue: Reuben: dignité, honneur, grandeur

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the EXCELLENCY of DIGNITY, and the EXCELLENCY of power (Genesis 49:3).

Dignity, honour …

Reuben would not be the most important, but he would still be important. He was still the eldest and first-born son. Being the firstborn gives dignity, honour, importance, grandeur, honneur. The phrase excellency of dignity is translated in other translations as:

-pre-eminence of dignity (ASV)

-pre-eminent in pride (RSV)

-first in pride (BBE)

-prééminent en dignité (DRB)

-supérieur en dignité (LSG & NEG).

French Culture

The above terminology sums it up and is more applicable to the French than anyone else. They have had the most dominant culture in Europe over the past 400 years. The upperclass, nobility, royalty, they all spoke French for centuries. For hundreds of years French was the international language, until the mid-twentieth century it was the diplomatic language.It was not until after World War II that English replaced French in importance. French is still the postal language.

French Language

French is ‘de la culture,‘ is allure, is grandeur – la plus belle langue – the most beautiful language, like the Frech are culture, grandeur and honneur.

Wikipedia about the French language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language: French is the second-most widespread language worldwide after English, being an official language in 29 countries, most of which are members of la francophonie, the community of French-speaking countries. It is spoken as a first language in France, southern Belgium, western Switzerland, Monaco, the Canadian province of Quebec and by various communities elsewhere … In 2007, French was estimated to have around 75 million native speakers; and including native speakers, there are around 274 million people that are able to speak it … French has a long history as an international language of commerce, diplomacy, literature, and scientific standards and is an official language of many international organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, the WTO and the ICRC. In 2011, French was deemed by Bloomberg Businessweek to be one of the top three most useful languages for business, after English and Chinese … French replaced Latin as the most important language of diplomacy and international relations in the 17th century. It retained this role until approximately the middle of the 20th century, when it was replaced by English as the United States became the dominant global power following the Second World War … Paris – City of la Haute Couture

Wikipedia – French Literature

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_literature: As of 2006, French writers have been awarded more Nobel Prizes in Literature than novelists, poets and essayists of any other country. France itself ranks first in the list of Nobel Prizes in literature by country.

French literature has been for French people an object of national pride for centuries, and it has been one of the most influential components of the literature of Europe … Under the aristocratic ideals of the ancien régime (the “honnête homme”), the nationalist spirit of post-revolutionary France, and the mass educational ideals of the Third Republic and modern France, the French have come to have a profound cultural attachment to their literary heritage. Today, French schools emphasize the study of novels, theater and poetry (often learnt by heart). The literary arts are heavily sponsored by the state and literary prizes are major news. The Académie française and the Institut de France are important linguistic and artistic institutions in France, and French television features shows on writers and poets (one of the most watched shows on French television was Apostrophes, a weekly talk show on literature and the arts). Literature matters deeply to the people of France and plays an important role in their sense of identity.

The above is an example of the excellency of dignity, identifying the French with Reuben.

Honneur & Grandeur, Charles de Gaulle

A good example of French grandeur and honneur is Charles de Gaulle. Churchill and Roosevelt were not very fond of him, but could not ignore him. De Gaulle embodied France, and hence was grandeur and honneur. The Dutch often want to save their skin and their trade, for the French honour comes first, l’honneur! It has often made them arrogant in the eyes of others. The French armament industry, la Force de Frappe (French nuclear bombs), their permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, they are all stakes to save French honour (l’honneur) in this Anglo-Saxon dominated world.

8^th Clue: Reuben, jealous of Ephraim

And now thy two sons, who were born … before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine (Gen 48:5).

And the sons of REUBEN the first-born of Israel (for he was the FIRST-BORN; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s couch, HIS BIRTHRIGHT WAS GIVEN UNTO THE SONS OF JOSEPH the son of Israel; and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright. For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the prince; but the BIRTHRIGHT was Joseph’s), the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi (1Chron 5:1-3).

Reuben was the firstborn and from Judah came a prince, and later the Prince, but Ephraim (England) and Manasseh (USA), the sons of Joseph (Anglo-Saxon nations), got the birthright of the firstborn. They received the great blessing of national prosperity, the best parts of the earth and the (sea)gates of their enemies. They received the blessings of national greatness promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Without knowing the above we see that French history and French spirit are dominated by jealousy towards England since the Hundred Years’ War (1339 – 1453). Again and again France tries to be the head (Louis XIV, Napoleon, Napoleon III), and again and again England prevails. Since 1815, since the battle of Waterloo, they have not waged war anymore against each other. Many times they have been allies over the past two centuries. In contrast the French were at war with the Germans (Prussians) three times in 75 years, 1870-71; 1914-1918 and 1939-1945.

One would expect a bigger dislike for Germans than for English – who helped them out twice against the Germans! – but no! There is a lot of French envy and jealousy towards the English. The Reuben – Joseph relationship between the French and English peoples put these things into perspective.

9^th Clue: Reuben, excellent, supérieur

Reuben, … my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the EXCELLENCY of power (Gen 49:3, KJV)

Reuben, … my might, and the beginning of my strength; The pre-eminence of dignity, and the PRE-EMINENCE of power (Gen 49 :3, ASV).

Reuben! … My power, and beginning of my strength, The abundance of exaltation, And the ABUNDANCE of strength (Gen 49 :3, YLT).

There is a lot af strength, might, intelligence, superior thinking, among the French. In this clue I want to stress the positive sides of Reuben’s excellence, dignity and pre-eminence. First of all there are French literature, art, sculptors and scientists.

French writers and thinkers

As far as French writers, thinkers and philosophers are concerned, let me just name a few: Descartes, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Zola, Sartre, Victor Hugo, Camus, Molière, Baudelaire Flaubert, etc. Also see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French-language_authors

Metric System

Geniality is often found in simple and plain things. The French metric system is an example of that. From 1790 to 1798 a committee of mathematicians and physicists designed the metric system for the French revolutionary government.

Every country had its own pounds, ounces and miles, not in alignment with each other, and with complicated measurements. One British pound of 1969 was 20 shillings and each shilling was 12 pence, so there were 240 pence to the pound.

There were 12 inches to the foot and I have forgotten about yards, furlongs and miles. Just try to calculate the surface of something.

During the French revolution the French came with a system based on the 10, the decimal system, in which the next measure was tenfold the first: 10 millimeter was 1 centimeter, 10 centimeter was 1 decimeter, 10 decimeter was 1 meter and 1000 meters was 1 kilometer. On top of that there was a perfect link to weights and cubic sizes. One cubic decimeter of water was 1 liter, weighing 1 kilogram. Super simple and genious at the same time! The Anglo-Saxon nations resisted the metric system for about 150 years, but most of them have given in … except for yards and miles in traffic.

Other benefits of French history are the Napoleonic Code or Civil Code. Since then we have seperation of Church and State and a bureaucratic registration of births, deaths and marriages, and a compulsary first name and family name for everyonIn the wake of the French Revolution Napoleon conquered Europe. In 1815 he lost it all and France was cut back to pre-Napoleonic times. The French left. However, much of the Code Civil stayed and the metric system conquered Europe.

Departments

Another smart system is the way departments are numbered. Nearly all départements are named after rivers and mountains. In this way one learns the mountains and rivers along with the departments, as they are alphabetically ordered. Ain becomes 01, Bouches du Rhöne (Marseille) 13, Nord (Lille) 59, Rhône (Lyon) 69, Seine (Paris) 75. The numbers of the departments are also the postal codes, so Paris is 75000. The arrondissements make up the final two figures, 75014 is the 14th arrondissement within Paris, 75000. On top of that the final two figures of motorcar numberplates are the number of the departement (and postal code). A car with 1234 AB 59 comes from le Nord, 1234 ABC 75 comes from Paris en 6789 XV 69 from le Rhône, so from Lyon. A bit complicated for foreigners, but very simple and ingenious for the French.

Armament Industry

The French have a lot of high technology, just think of the French armament industry. The five biggest arms exporters in 2010–14 were the United States, Russia, China, Germany and France.

http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy-1/economic-diplomacy/supporting-french-businesses-7569/strategic-sector-support/defence-industries-and/ :

With 5,000 companies and 400,000 jobs in the defence sector (165,000 of which directly involve armaments), French manufacturing accounts for over a quarter of European capacity. …

The French defence industry, whose main companies – Dassault Aviation, DCNS, EADS, MBDA, Nexter, Safran, Thales – are European and even world leaders, can be seen at international arms trade shows, the Paris Air Show in le Bourget, Eurosatory, Euronaval and Milipol, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to France.

Reuben, France, has an abundance of strength, excellency of dignity and power.

10^th Clue: Reuben, Gad & Manasseh

And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about (Numbers 32:33).

With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, BEYOND JORDAN eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them (Joshua 13:8).

And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to (Joshua 22:10).

The Trans-Jordan Tribes

The Trans-Jordan tribes have a special relationship with each other, due to their geography and their history (Joshua-Judges).

They showed great independence by wanting to live outside the original borders of the Promised Land (Num 20:24; 32:7), and also in their construction of the Great Altar (Josh 22). Because of the River Jordan in the low Jordan valley these tribes were relatively ‘far away’ from the other tribes. They were frequently subjected by Moab and Aram.

This being ‘far away’ from the other tribes, this independence, can be noticed among all three tribes today. The USA (Manasseh) suffer from regularly returning isolationism, and today (written in 2003, invasion of Iraq) they operate mainly by themselves on the world stage. We dealt with France’s (Reuben) obstinate and independent attitude in world politics (think of its role in NATO). Switzerland (Gad) is so independent, that they did not even want to be a member of the United Nations for 45 years. None of these three are monarchies, all three of them are republics.

Reuben – Manasseh

There is a special bond between Reuben and half-Manasseh and we see this in the special relationship USA-France. The American Declaration of Independence is based on French writers, like Montesquieu. French intellectuals were a source of inspiration for the American Revolution (1776-1783). That revolution with its writings was an extra impetus for the French Revolution of 1789. The last degenerated into the Reign of Terror.

There remained a bond between the two countries. In 1803 Napoleon sold the last French possessions, the Louisiana Purchase, for 15 million dollars to the United States. The area included the whole mid-west, from New Orleans to the south of Canada and was bigger than the existing United States at the time.

The United States remained anti-English and pro-French, for in the War of 1812-1815, they fought at the side of Napoleon … against England. With the Louisiana Purchase quite a few French had become American, as Frenchmen had settled in the crescent from Québec to New Orleans: Québec, Trois-Rivières, Montréal, Detroit (d’étroit), Terre Haute, Dubuque, Des Moines, Saint Louis, Beaumont, Bâton Rouge, la Nouvelle Orléans.

Statue of Liberty

To emphasize the bond between the two nations, the French made and gave the Statue of Liberty to the USA soon after the Centennial of the USA. They kept a 11.5 meters high copy which is in front of a bridge in the River Seine in Paris.

In World War I and II the Americans came twice to the aid of France and on top of that France received a lot through the Marshall Plan. French may resist Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and other americanising trends, but yet many French (Reuben) have a weakness for Americans (Manasseh). When they have to, many prefer speaking American English to British English.

Now although not all would agree with the above, I thought Bert Otten’s comments were a COG news item that some may find of interest.

I have also written an article titled: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? along with a video sermon: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben that some might find helpful.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
Terror: Will Paris be Destroyed? The Paris office of Charlie Hebdo were attacked in January 2015 and the City of Paris was hit with multiple terrorist attacks in November 2015. Will Paris be destroyed? Is more terrorism prophesied? Will a successful militaristic leader arise in Europe? What do biblical and Catholic prophecies teach? Could any non-biblical prophecies be devices of Satan that will deceive people about what will happen? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more through scriptures and other writings. This is a video.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? Here is a link to a related video video: Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from? Here is a link to information about doctrine in the Dutch language Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?

Joseph W. Tkach, Jr. (photo source: JJBowks)

COGwriter

Joseph Tkach, generally known as Joe Tkach, Jr., announced his retirement as president of Grace Communion International:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Tammy and I returned home a few days ago from GCI’s joy-filled Denominational Conference in Orlando. Over 1,000 members and friends attended, coming from 29 countries. Together we celebrated the theme, We Are GCI! In the “selfie” below, Pastor Doug Johannsen and I stand on stage at one of the sessions. For more about the conference, click here.

During the conference, I announced that on January 1, 2019 I will be retiring—stepping aside as President of Grace Communion International. On that date, GCI Vice President Greg Williams will become GCI President. After retiring from GCI employment I will continue serving as Chairman of GCI’s Board of Directors and Russell Duke will continue serving as Vice Chairman.

These changes in our leadership, recently approved by our Board of Directors, will be accompanied by the move in April 2018 of our Home Office from Glendora, CA, to Charlotte, NC. We’re thankful to God for the way he has provided our next generation of denominational leadership, both in our Home Office and in our other GCI offices around the globe. https://update.gci.org/category/president/

Joe Tkach, Jr. is the son of the late Joseph Tkach, Sr., who was head of the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong.

Despite Joe Sr. stating that he would try to walk in the steps of the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, he did not.

His son, Joe, Jr. is believed to have been one of a small pool of men who helped persuade Joe, Sr. to commit apostasy.

There was a massive falling away from the truth of the Church of God as the changed WCG  no longer was willing to “contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). This falling away was consistent with one prophesied in both the Old and New Testaments.

Here are some passages from the New Testament:

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…(1 Timothy 4:1).

I believe that the Tkachs did give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

Now notice something from the Old Testament:

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,
Against the Man who is My Companion,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“Strike the Shepherd,
And the sheep will be scattered;
Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.
8 And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord,
“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one-third shall be left in it:
9 I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.'” (Zechariah 13:7-9)

While the above seems to have other applications, the fact is that two-thirds of those in the old WCG accepted total apostasy after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, and about one-third did not, makes the possible application of the Tkach apostasy seem to fit.

It was not that everything that the old WCG taught was correct, but the Tkach’s tossed out many things, including the belief that the Bible trumped worldly Greco-Roman religious traditions.

Before I left, the Tkach Administration basically told me to rely on hermeneutics and opinions of worldly scholars to understand the Bible, as opposed to relying on the Bible as the primary tool to interpret it. So, I left WCG.

In time, the changed WCG became a Protestant denomination. Joe Jr. later had the name changed to Grace Communion International. Since the Tkach, Jr. WCG was not a real Church of God, I was personally glad that the name was changed.

But I did not like the doctrinal compromises with the Greco-Roman-Protestant churches that occurred in WCG. That is why I and many others left after the Tkach’s took over.

I am now with the Continuing Church of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings Who is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 referring to? Are there multiple falling aways? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: La Apostasía: Enseñanzas de la Biblia y de la WCG. There are also two YouTube videos on the subject that you can watch The Falling Away Part 1: From the Bible and Church History and The Falling Away Part 2: Positions Presented by Others.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Calendario Anual de Adoración Una crítica basada en la Biblia y en la Historia: ¿Hay un Calendario Anual de Adoración en la Biblia? A sermonette in English covers: Colossians, Galatians, and the Feasts of God.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]. A sermon is also available: How Does the Church of God Differ from Protestantism?
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: 主编： 谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made? Some have said healing, others other subjects, but probably the first change had to do with eliminating being part of the Philadelphia era. This article documents what those changes were and compares the Tkach list of restored truths to Herbert W. Armstrong’s list of restored truths. It contains many quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here are links to a related two-part sermon: The 18 Restored Truths: 1-8 and The 18 Restored Truths: 9-18.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?

Reuben Was in Palestine Until Deportation

COGwriter

Former WCG member Bert Otten of the Netherlands sent me a paper which included the following:

1^st Clue: Reuben: See, a son!

And when the LORD SAW (va-yar – וירא ), that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. And Leah conceived, and bare A SON (ben – בן ), and she called his name REUBEN (r’eu-ven – see, (a) son – ראובן ): for she said, Surely the LORD hath LOOKED (ra’a – ראה ) upon my affliction; now therefore MY HUSBAND (my man, ishi – אישי ) will love me (Gen 29:31-32, KJV throughout, unless mentioned otherwise).

Leah was unloved. Jacob loved Rachel and not Leah. However, Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Now my man will love me, for I gave him a man, she thought.

Having a son was very important in antiquity. A son is a ‘man’. It makes a father of Jacob and turns him into even more of a man than he already was. He now had a son, a man, an heir. The name ‘see (the) man’, Reuven, emphasizes the maleness of the child, therefore ‘my man’ ( ishi – אישי ) will love me, said Leah.

Reuben’s Coat of Arms: a man

There are two traditional emblems for the tribe of Reuben. Water, because he would be unstable as water (Gen 49:3-4) and ‘a handsome man’ because of his name: See a son! Reuven! (see http://www.docstoc.com/docs/77837968/Tribes-of-Israel).

This can be noticed among the French. It is certainly true for the French: See the man! See the son! See the heir! See the grandson! The French are a people with many handsome men. …

2^nd Clue: Reuben: l’amour, sex & love triangle

Now at the time of the grain-cutting, REUBEN saw some LOVE-fruits in the field, and took them to his mother Leah. And Rachel said to her, Let me have some of your SON’S LOVE-fruits. But Leah said to her, Is it a small thing that you have taken my husband from me? and now would you take my SON’S LOVE-fruits? Then Rachel said, You may have him tonight in exchange for your SON’S LOVE-fruits. In the evening, when Jacob came in from the field, Leah went out to him and said, Tonight you are to come to me, for I have given my SON’S LOVE-fruits as a price for you. And he went in to her that night (Gen 30:14-16, BBE, Bible in Basic English).

And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and LAY WITH Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it … (Genesis 35:22)

REUBEN, thou art my firstborn … thou shalt not excel; because THOU WENTEST UP TO THY FATHER’S BED; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch (Gen 49:3-4).

Reuben is a precocious nine year old when he finds dudayim, love-fruit, in the field. Apparently he knows about the use of the fruit and gives the love-fruit (mandrakes) to his mother Leah. In the Near East power was ascribed to Mandrakes, to arouse sex appeal and increase fertility. The Hebrew name duday – from dûd, to love – reflects the use of the mandrake.

Leah swapped the love-fruit for sex with her own husband, who was with Rachel most of the time apparently. From this encounter Issachar was born.

Thinking of Reuben, sex, love, fertility and love triangle come to mind. Through deceit by Laban Jacob ends up with two women. Leah and Rachel battle for Jacob’s favours. This is the first love triangle, from this love triangle Reuben is born. Rachel has Jacob’s love, but Leah has fertility, reproduction. The story about the love-fruits – I like the vocabulary of the Bible in Basic English here – is a continuation of the love triangle between Jacob, Leah and Rachel.

Reuben who is a first result of that love triangle, causes himself a new love triangle with his sexual adventure. After Rachel’s death he has sex with Bilhah, his father’s concubine.

In this Reuben is the opposite of Joseph, who refuses to have sex with Potiphar’s wife. The right of the firstborn will go to Joseph and not to Reuben (1 Chron 5:1).

Reuben’s tribe does not distinguish itself positively. The Reubenites joined the sex and dance around the Golden Calf. The tribe of Levi abstained and thus got the priesthood. Reuben also joined in

the orgy for Baal-Peor in the fields of Moab. Phinehas, of Levi, showed positive behaviour … Reuben just joined in. The Reubenites missed their chances to make a difference.

Love – l’amour – la maitresse – love triangle

Over the past 500 years, there has been more acceptance of the love triangle, of having a mistress, a lover, in France, than anywhere else.

The French kings gave the example: Wikipedia: The maîtresse-en-titre was the chief mistress of the king of France. It was a semi-official position which came with its own apartments. The title came into use during the reign of Henry IV and continued until the reign of Louis XV. From the reign of Louis XIV, the term has been applied, both in translation (“official mistress”) and in the original French, to refer to the main mistress of any monarch or prominent man when his relationship with her is not clandestine. …

3^rd Clue: Reuben & rebellion

Now the sons of REUBEN the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as HE DEFILED HIS FATHER’S BED, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright (1Chron 5:1).

Now Korah … the son of Levi, and DATHAN and ABIRAM, … SONS OF REUBEN, took men: And they ROSE UP BEFORE Moses … And they GATHERED THEMSELVES AGAINST Moses and against Aaron … And Moses sent to call DATHAN and ABIRAM … which said, WE WILL NOT COME UP (Num 16:1-3, 12). These are the families of the REUBENITES … And the sons of Eliab … DATHAN, and ABIRAM. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, WHO STROVE AGAINST Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD (Num 26:7-9).

And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the CHILDREN OF REUBEN, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? … And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel (Num 32:6-7; 14).

And when they came unto the … Jordan … the CHILDREN OF REUBEN and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to (Josh 22:10) … Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What TRESPASS is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to TURN AWAY this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might REBEL this day against the LORD? (Josh 22:16).

Reuben and rebellion

The word rebellion sticks to Reuben and Reubenites. According to some it was not just lust why Reuben took Bilhah, his father’s concubine. It was also a deliberate attempt to take over the tribe, to ascertain his authority.

Reubenites never distinguished themselves in a positive way. The tribe of Reuben murmered in the desert, just like the rest of Israel; the Reubenite spy also brought back a bad report; Reuben belonged to the 10 rebelling tribes of Jeroboam and also belonged to the 10 unfaithful lost tribes, which went into the Assyrian exile.

On top of that there are the rebellion of Dathan and Abiram (Num 16), the request to stay in Transjordan (Num 32) and the building of the Great Altar (Josh 22).

Their request to live in Transjordan caused them to live far away from the other Israelites. Their western border was the Jordan and the Dead Sea, on the south they bordered Moab and the desert in the east. It was only in the north that they bordered another Israelite tribe, Gad. Consequently they kept to themselves in the time of Deborah and Barak: … For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart (Judg 5:15-16).

Vive la révolution!

French history and French spirit have displayed a spirit of rebellion, independence and revolt, over the past 250 years. The Gauls (Celts) also had a very independant spirit at the time of Julius Caesar.

In 2003 I wrote in Dutch about Ruben-France: It seems to me that the opposition, independence and rebelliousness of the French is babwell-known. Without research come to mind: the strikes of May ’68, the Commune of Paris, the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th République, 14 juillet, 1789, the Bastille, la Marseillaise, the revolutionary years of 1830, 1848, 1870, guillotine, générale de Gaulle, Force de frappe, the leaving of NATO command.

In History of FRANCE, by Pierre Gaxotte, this spirit is even phrased in a better way: It would have been understandable if the people would have wanted to throw off the monarchy, to replace it with something else. However, ‘this something else’ was something the people were inable to stick to; it was as if the first revolution had only created the necessity to change perpetually. Absolute Monarchy, Constitutional Monarchy, First Republic, Consulate, French Empire, Restoration, July-Monarchy, Second Republic, Second Empire, Third Republic, the French State (Vichy), Fourth Republic, Fifth Republic: in 170 years time France tried out thirteen different forms of government [!].

4^th Clue: Reuben, much cattle

Now the CHILDREN OF REUBEN and the children of Gad had A VERY GREAT MULTITUDE OF CATTLE: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was A PLACE FOR CATTLE; The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying, Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, IS A LAND FOR CATTLE, and thy servants have CATTLE: Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan (Num 32:1-5).

And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our CATTLE, and cities for our little ones (Num 32:16) … Our little ones, our wives, our FLOCKS, and all our CATTLE, shall be there in the cities of Gilead (Num 32:26).

… For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the SHEEPFOLDS, to hear the BLEATINGS of the FLOCKS? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart (Judg 15b-16).

The Jordanian Highlands were the tribal areas of Gad and Reuben in Biblical times. In Jordan the desert ascends from the east to the west, to high plains with an average height of 900m above sea-level, east of the River Jordan.

This steppe land has an average height of 900m above (Mediterranean) sea-level, with peaks of 1200m in the north (Gad) and 1700m in the south (Reuben). These highlands have been inhabited for 5000 years. The climate is Mediterranean with 300mm of rain in the south and 500mm of rain in the north (Cf. Jerusalem 550mm and Paris 650mm). This is where the Reubenites (descendants: the French) and the Gadites (descendants: the Swiss) settled, because they had much cattle.

The French: much cattle

France is an agricultural nation and the French have much cattle. According to Eurostat there were 87 million heads of cattle in the 27 EU countries in 2010. In France there were 20 million cattle.

Boeuf – beef – steak of beef – le bifteck

Linguistically French is also connected with the ‘flesh’ of ‘cattle’. The bull in French is le boeuf; boeuf became beef in English; when you eat a ‘bit’, a ‘stick’ or a ‘steak’ of it, it gives a steak of beef. This became biefstuk in Dutch and the word moved back to French as le bifteck.

Cheese Country

All these cattle (and sheep) produce about 25 million tonnes of milk and dairy products. Much of this milk is turned into cheese. France is the most important cheese country in the World.

France produces about 2 million tonnes of cheese each year (Holland 700,000 tonnes). There are about 300 to 400 different kinds of cheeses. According to some, one kind for each day of the year (365). In France they say ‘le pays des 300 fromages’, country of the 300 cheeses. The French see cheese as part of their national identity.

President De Gaulle once remarked about his unruly fellow countrymen: How would you rule a country where they have 246 different kinds of cheese?

French Cheese

There is a Wikipedia page with all kinds of French cheeses: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_de_fromages_fran%C3%A7ais. A number of well-known brands are: Camembert, Roquefort, Brie, la Vache qui rit, Paturain, Boursin, Beaufort, Bleu (de Bresse), Chèvre (du Poitou), etc.

5^th Clue: Reuben: unstable like water

Reuben, thou art my firstborn … UNSTABLE AS WATER, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch (Gen 49:3-4).

And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again (Gen 37:21-22) … And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? (Gen 37:29-30).

And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again (Gen 42:36-37).

And Moses said unto … the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? (Num 32:6-7).

And when they came unto the borders of Jordan … the children of Reuben and the children of Gad … built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to (Josh 22:10).

… For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart (Judg 15b-16).

And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an 100,000 lambs, and an 100,000 rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel (2Ki 3:4-5).

Plans …

Some of these verses were already used in the rebellion chapter, but here they are again with a different emphasis. Reuben is full of passion, impetuous, uncontrolable … unstable like water. Reuben often comes with doubtful or less successful plans.

Reuben’s plan to save Joseph by having him thrown into a dry well backfired. His offer to have his two sons killed (Jacob’s grandsons!) if he did not return with Benjamin was quite absurd.

The plans of the Reubenites Dathan and Abiram to become leaders in Israel utterly failed. The plans to stay in Gilead and the building of the Great Altar barely came to a good conclusion. Deborah’s call to the arms was met with indeciveness.

Settling in Transjordan, in Gilead, had great disadvantages. Reuben was tucked away, across the River Jordan, behind the Dead Sea, far away from the other tribes.

When king Mesha rebelled against the House of Israel he conquered the tribal area of Reuben (around 835 BC). This can be read on the Mesha Stele or Moabite Stone, found in 1868 (The Mesha Stele is in the Louvres Museum in Paris!). So living far away from the other tribes was not such a good plan either. The Reubenites were under Moabite control. At the time of Isaiah all of the tribal area of Reuben had become part of the Kingdom of Moab (Isaiah 15-16).

Futile plans …

There have been a few futile French plans as well. Above we saw that France had thirteen forms of government in 170 years. This answers the phrase, unstable like water. Stability can be a great blessing for a people. Instability most often is a curse.

Many French plans backfired. Louis XIV wanted France to be vast and great and wanted the Rhine to be the national border of France. He waged war all his life. The rest of Europe turned against him and most of his plans came to nothing in the end. He set the stage for three centuries of fighting over Alsace-Lorraine.

Many of the plans of the Revolution (1789) came to nothing, the French even tried to abolish the week. They split up the months into three decades (10 days), after twelve months of 30 days there were 5 loose days to finish off the year. This Republican French Calendar was in use from 1793 to 1805. They also invented decimal time, another impractible plan. The day would have 10 hours, each hour 100 minutes and each minute a 100 seconds.

Napoleon eventually got rid of most of the fruitless plans of the revolution and fought for the glory of himself and France by conquering Europe. Also unprofitable, in the end all conquests were lost to France. What remained was the 5 million dead of all the Napoleonic wars. The French still see him as their great hero and have built him a great tomb.

France was humiliated in 1870-1871 when the Prussians (Germans) beat them in a short war and retook Alsace Lorraine.

This led to another hollow French plan: French revanchism. For 43 years French politics were dominated by revanchism, to make war with the German Empire, win and retake Alsace-Lorraine (1871-1914). They had their way. It led to World War I and consequently to 10 million dead. The War was ended by the fateful Peace of Versailles, which in turn led to World War II. The French would not listen to (moderate) president Wilson of the USA and they humiliated the Germans needlessly .

Doctor Guillotin improved the machine, so people would die a more humane death. From that moment on the guillotine executed people like a conveyor belt.

The French Non! of Charles de Gaulle towards the British was unnecessary and only slowed down history. Chirac’s nuclear testing was not needed. The Union for the Mediterranean of Sarkozy is an empty shell.

The Vichy Regime of Pétain was a disaster and led to close cooperation with Nazi Germany.

Gaxotte states in History of FRANCE, page 102, We have to admit that France sometimes developed itself, in spite of the anarchistic tendencies of the French.

Now although not all would agree with the above, I thought Bert Otten’s comments were a COG news item that some may find of interest. Since his paper was long, I only have put together the first five clues in WordPress format, but plan to post the other next week.

As far as the future of France goes, I have written an article titled: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? along with a video sermon: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben that some might find helpful.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
Terror: Will Paris be Destroyed? The Paris office of Charlie Hebdo were attacked in January 2015 and the City of Paris was hit with multiple terrorist attacks in November 2015. Will Paris be destroyed? Is more terrorism prophesied? Will a successful militaristic leader arise in Europe? What do biblical and Catholic prophecies teach? Could any non-biblical prophecies be devices of Satan that will deceive people about what will happen? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more through scriptures and other writings. This is a video.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? Here is a link to a related video video: Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from? Here is a link to information about doctrine in the Dutch language Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?

Doomsday Clock

COGWriter

Are we close to Armageddon? The ‘doomsday clock’ maintained by the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is again in the news. Some are pointing to it to support the view that the end of the the USA is closer:

Paul Craig Roberts Warns “Armageddon Is Two-And-A-Half Minutes Away”

Authored by Paul Craig Roberts,

July 27, 2017

Are you ready to die? You and I are going to die and not from old age, because our fellow Americans are so stupid, ignorant, and brainwashed that they believe the lies that are leading us to our certain destruction. This is what the Atomic Scientists tell us…

Each year “the decision to move (or to leave in place) the minute hand of the Doomsday Clock is made by the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 15 Nobel laureates”.

In 1953 the Clock was at two minutes to midnight. In the worst years of the cold war it was at 3 minutes to midnight when, in 1984 it was recorded that “US-Soviet relations reach their iciest point in decades. Dialogue between the two superpowers virtually stops. Every channel of communications has been constricted or shut down; every form of contact has been attenuated or cut off…”

And now, in 2017, it is apparent that channels of communication with Russia are being deliberately cut off – and the hands of the Doomsday Clock have been placed at just two-and-a-half minutes from midnight.

And they are right. …

The United States and the rest of the world with it along with all life on earth are being sent to their graves by the total failure of American leadership. …

America has failed itself and the world. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-07-26/paul-craig-roberts-warns-armageddon-two-and-half-minutes-away

America’s democracy doomsday clock just hit 11:58

Remember “the doomsday clock” that nuclear scientists have promoted since the height of the Cold War, chiding world leaders on how close the world stands toward nuclear Armageddon? It’s time to belatedly wind up a doomsday clock for American democracy. Looking back, we should have started a couple of decades ago with the rise of GOP obstructionism, the war on science, mass incarceration and entertainment’s “Amusing Ourselves to Death” hostile takeover of political discourse. But things start moving downward swiftly in that moment two summers ago when a real estate mogul descended on an escalator from his gilded tower on 5th Avenue. After some ups and downs these six months since Donald Trump became America’s 45th president, we may look back on this last week of July 2017 as the moment the democracy doomsday clock struck 11:58 — and the ticking noise grew insufferable. 07/26/17 http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/will_bunch/americas-democracy-doomsday-clock-just-hit-1158-20170726.html

Yes, the USA is failing the world.

On July 1, 2004, UCG reported the following:

Reagan’s Central Theme: The Shining City Upon a Hill

But it was the central theme of his presidency that most caught my attention, “The shining city upon a hill.” He mentioned: “Standing on the tiny deck of the Arabella in 1630 off the Massachusetts coast, John Winthrop said, ‘We will be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world.’”

“Well,” President Reagan added, “we have not dealt falsely with our God, even if He is temporarily suspended from the classroom.” …

Where did the theme of the shining city upon the hill originally come from? It didn’t come from Ronald Reagan or from John Winthrop.

It actually came from the Bible, and specifically, from Jesus Christ Himself. It was He who said in the Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14). https://www.ucg.org/united-news/the-true-shining-city-upon-the-hill

Well, in the 21st century it should be clear that the USA has dealt falsely with the God of the Bible. The USA is becoming less and less of an example for the world to follow. While we individually need to lead the type of lives that shine, collectively the USA is not setting a great example.

Various ones are blaming Donald Trump for the decline in American leadership. And while he has made wild, inaccurate, and offensive comments, he is not the only cause of problems with leadership in the USA.

The nearly $20 trillion in official debt, the $4-6 trillion that the Federal Reserve counterfeited (calling it ‘quantitative easing’), the US Supreme Court decisions ‘legalizing’ abortion and ‘same-sex marriage,’ bombing countries like Serbia (Bill Clinton) and Libya (Barack Obama), the lies by the NSA (see The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA), the nuclear situations with Iran and North Korea, the rampant national divorce rate (which Donald Trump did not cause, but has personally negatively affected), the rise of pornography (which Donald Trump did not cause, but has contributed to), the trade deficit, climate matters, the ecumenical/interfaith movement, etc. were not caused by Donald Trump.

Yet Donald Trump’s often bizarre statements, as well as often bizarre mainstream media coverage the past year or so, are also negatively affecting the view of US leadership around the world.

The world is taking notice and many nations and groups of nations are looking to replace US as well as UK leadership in the world (see also BRICS, Silk Road, SCO, Eurasian Union, and European Union: Final time of the Gentiles?)–and that will ultimately lead to Armageddon.

As far as ‘Armageddon‘ goes, biblically (Revelation 16:12-16) this actually does not happen until about 3 1/2 years after the start of the ‘great tribulation’ (Matthew 24:21). While the great tribulation WILL NOT begin during the first term of the Donald Trump presidency, Donald Trump is apocalyptic and has taken steps which will help lead to the end (watch Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic?). World events have confirmed at least a dozen biblically-based predictions I stated/wrote would happen if Donald Trump was elected US President (see Donald Trump in Prophecy).

Of course, he is NOT the only American leader to do so. The past few US presidents, the US Supreme Court, US Congress, the US entertainment industry, many religious leaders, various special interest groups, as well as the the sinful behavior of individuals is leading to the end of the USA.

As far as the doomsday clock goes, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about it when the doomsday clock was moved to three minutes before midnight decades ago:

January 15, 1984

I’m writing from Australia. But wherever I am, it is needful to keep in touch with the fast-moving world conditions. We all live in the same world. And the atomic scientists have now moved the DOOMSDAY CLOCK one more minute forward—from four to only THREE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT! …

Not too long ago if anyone mentioned “the end of the world,” people would have thought him to be a crackpot doomsday freak. But today the sanest atomic scientists and heads of nations are talking about doomsday and the END of this world.

These sober men are not wild-eyed religious fanatics. They KNOW what is actually happening. They know how the EVILS in this world are mounting. They know how the weapons of mass destruction have been produced that now can blast all human life into extinction.

AND THESE SOBER LEADERS ARE WORRIED! One said, “I am frankly scared!” They are bewildered, confused and perplexed. They see no way to stop what now seems inevitable!

That is because they don’t see GOD in their thinking. They know not what GOD says about it.

Yes, many events in the world are worrying scientists in the world–and they do not know that God has a plan. Now, to a degree, the ‘doomsday clock’ has mainly been meant to send a political message.

But are we closer to the end?

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

Everyday we are closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom of God, which will be preceded by a time called ‘the end.’

Are we at the end now?

Well, as Jesus stated in Matthew 24:6, “the end is not yet.”

Notice specific events that precede the end. Notice what Jesus was asked and how His answer began:

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:3-14)

Currently, we appear to be in the time that Jesus called the BEGINNING of sorrows. And while that is close to the end, the end is not yet.

Notice what happens after the beginning of sorrows:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The above has not yet happened. A time of persecution is coming and the gospel will be preached in all the world as a witness. Once God believes that has happened to the degree He intended, notice that is when the end will come.

Then notice some specific signs that precede the start of the great tribulation as well as how bad a time the end will be:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

While international tensions and environmental matters are consistent with the beginning of sorrows, there are specific signs that Christians are to see before the end actually comes. Those who put the doomsday clock together do not seem to realize that.

Jesus said, however, that His followers should watch so that they could know when the end would be, as well as escape what is coming:

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

The Bible clearly teaches that the “end of the world” will come and that there will be specific events Christians should look to see which will let them know. The Bible also clearly teaches that those who properly watch, pray, and live their life as Jesus wants them to can be protected from the coming tribulation. You are not just to watch to know the ‘when’–as many seem to do–you are to watch to realize that Jesus’ words are true, prophecies are coming to pass, and YOU need to change and live your life in such a way as God will account you worthy to escape the coming great tribulation–“the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10, ESV).

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

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

‘Doomsday Clock’ Advances Are you familiar with the ‘doomsday clock’ put out by the Science and Security Board of the ‘Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’? Since 1947, it has warned about ‘doomsday’ which that group defines as ‘the end of civilization as we know it.’ In 2015, the doomsday clock was advanced to the closes position it has been in 31 years because of the international situation and certain environmental matters. Is the end of the world coming? Do these scientists know when? Are there signs you can look at? Is there anyway to be protected from the disastrous time to come? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more. This is a video.
Is China paving roads to Armageddon? China is working on something known as the ‘Silk Road’ project or the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. NBC reports that China intends to spend one trillion dollars to build roads, bridges, railroads, and maritime facilities to reach from China to Europe and China to the Middle East. Over 60 nations, including Russia, are involved with this. Could this Silk Road project possibly produce thoroughfares that could be used by troops that will amass at Armageddon? Dr. Thiel discusses this project and some of its potential prophetic ramifications in this video.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2026 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
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? A YouTube video is available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy.
The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
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 is also a related YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
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 a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
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 is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture? Did the Bible teach that Jesus raptures Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus Himself teach? Do the scriptural passages that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins point to prove their left behind pre-tribulation rapture assertions? Do all Christians get protected from the Great Tribulation? Who does the Bible teach will get protected? Is the Great Tribulation the ‘wrath to come’ that Christians are promised protection from? This is a video.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill?  Could a Donald Trump presidency be apocalyptic?  A related video is titled: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic?
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.

“Elijah in the wilderness“

COGwriter

In The Journal: News of the Churches of God, Don Billingsley of Church of God, Faithful Flock (CGFF) had the following in a paid advertisement (bolding in the source):

Malachi 4:5-6—“Behold, I will send you the Elijah the prophet ( cf. Luke 1:17) BEFORE the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD ! . . .”

Jesus Christ confirmed this promise to His disciples, saying, “Indeed, Elijah is coming FIRST and will RESTORE all things (Matthew 16:26-27; 17:1-11).” “All things” = God’s laws and all the true doctrinal teachings while WARNING His chosen people, Israel, of the Great Tribulation (cf. Malachi 4:5-6), and preparing the way for Christ’s coming (cf. Malachi 3:1; Mark 1:1-3, 14-15).

When considering the 52 years of the ministry of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, and all that he was used by Jesus Christ to accomplish, there should be no question but that he was the one promised to be the Elijah of the end-time. Further, no one else came on the scene before or aft er to fulfill that role since 1934 until now.

Question: What would anyone else do that he has not already done? All one has to do is to seriously study the last book he wrote before he died, the MYSTERY OF THE AGES, and the two volumes of his Autobiography, while looking at his fruits over those years (cf. Matthew 7:20), to realize he was the one used by Christ in the office of Elijah.

Well, actually, the criteria to use is from the Bible. So, let’s again start with Malachi 4:5-6 as Don Billingsley did, But let’s show the entire verses (which he did not do), yet as shown in the Jewish Publication Society translation:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming Of the great and terrible day of the LORD.

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,

And the heart of the children to their fathers;

Lest I come and smite the land with utter destruction.

Notice that the Elijah is to come just before the great and terrible day of the LORD, and if he did not come, utter destruction would occur.

Herbert W. Armstrong died in January 16, 1986.

Since Don Billingsley said to look to the book the Mystery of the Ages, let’s see what Herbert W. Armstrong actually wrote about the timing of the final Elijah:

Also Malachi 4:5-6 pictures the Elijah to come at the very end of the Church age (Mystery of the Ages. 1985, p. 349).

When did Herbert W. Armstrong write that the Church age was over? Notice:

At the end of the Church age and 6,000 years from Adam, Christ would return to earth as King of kings and Lord of Lords, ruling all nations, with the saints, for one millennium. (Armstrong HW. What If Adam Had Taken of the Tree of Life? Plan Truth, March 1983)

The “very end” of the Church age was not over 30 years ago! The 6000 years has NOT yet been fulfilled (see also Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?). Since the “very end of the Church age” has not happened, and he died decades ago, his writings support that there must be another Elijah. And he was referring to an individual in the Mystery of the Ages.

Let’s address two other points that Don Billingsley’s ad brings up.

First, there is only one volume of the Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong. While Herbert W. Armstrong intended to have a second volume, he never produced one. The last Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong that was authorized was published in 1973, and it never discussed him being the Elijah.

Now, it is true that after his death, the Tkach Administration edited the Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong by removing references to Sardis and Philadelphia, and they added some letters that Herbert W. Armstrong wrote (see The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made?). But to call this the Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong is not proper. Herbert W. Armstrong, himself, did not make the edits nor authorize its publication.

Secondly, Herbert W. Armstrong never authorized what is considered to be the second volume. The book called that was prepared by the Tkach Administration, and while it mainly contained letters that Herbert W. Armstrong wrote, he did not put it together, edit it, or make it like his actual autobiography.

That being said, sometimes Herbert W. Armstrong did think that he may have fulfilled the Elijah role, but he told the late Dibar Apartian (who told me) that he was NOT the Elijah. Furthermore, essentially on his deathbed, Herbert W. Armstrong admitted to his closest aid, Aaron Dean (who told me this multiple times) that there could be an Elijah to come after he died (see also The Elijah Heresies).

This combined with what Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in The Mystery of the Ages and the length of time since his death demonstrates that Herbert W. Armstrong could not biblically be the final prophesied Elijah.

Various ones think that John the Baptist was the prophesied final Elijah and no other was to come (see The Elijah Heresies).

While it is true that John the Baptist was a fulfillment of some of the Elijah prophecies (see Matthew 11:14) and he came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), Jesus taught more on this subject:

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” 8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9 Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.”

10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. …” (Matthew 17:1-11).

In Matthew 17:11, the term translated “will restore” is the Greek term apokathistemi which means “to reconstitute” or “restore (again)” (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.) and is preceded by the Greek term men which means “truly” in the asseverative sense. In Matthew 11:14 the Greek term mello is used which means “was,”this term is not used in 17:11.

So there is an ‘Elijah’ past John the Baptist. And Matthew 17:11 does NOT say that “All things” = God’s laws and all the true doctrinal teachings while WARNING His chosen people, Israel, of the Great Tribulation.

Herbert W. Armstrong never claimed to have restored ALL THINGS (Mark 9:12). Neither did he nor the Bible define ALL THINGS as Don Billingsley has.

Don Billingsley’ ad also asks, “What would anyone else do that he has not already done?”

Well, anything that was lost obviously is something that was not commonly known.

Furthermore, has Don Billingsley ever read any errors that Herbert Armstrong wrote?

Well, various of those need to be corrected and the truth restored.

Presuming Jesus will return within the next couple of decades, then that ‘Elijah’ would need to be alive now. And he would be part of the church that places the highest priority on the truth.

Yet, most Christians seemingly refuse to accept that.

Since the Bible does teach that there will be an ‘Elijah’ who is alive right before Jesus returns (Malachi 4:5-6), thus it is not possible that Herbert W. Armstrong was the prophesied final Elijah.

We in the Continuing Church of God are regularly restoring more truth about church history, doctrine, and prophecy. And we have done this more, by far, than any other group in the 21st century (COG or otherwise for that matter).

Was that supposed to happen?

Yes.

Notice something that Daniel wrote:

4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Daniel 12:4)

Consider also the admonition of the Apostle Peter:

18 … grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

Also consider that any who have already died are not relevant regarding all things to be restored just before the Day of the Lord–only one alive then (who would also be alive now) can possibly fulfill the Elijah role to increase knowledge and restore all things. It is not that others cannot add to knowledge, but what was to be restored in the end has to come from someone who is a real follower of God who is alive at the end. Growth of Christian knowledge did not end by January 16, 1986.

Consider also that the Bible indicates that it is likely that the ‘Elijah’ will be one of the two witnesses.

In the old Radio Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

The Two Witnesses…

Who are, or will be, these witnesses? …

1st, they “prophesy” or preach a final warning to the world during “1260 days.” …

2nd, at the END of their testimony…it is “the BEAST THAT ASCENDED OUT OF THE BOTTOMLESS PIT” which kills them. …

3rd, after their testimony is ended, and they have been killed and resurrected, it says in verse 14 “the second woe is past.” …

They do the works of Moses and Elijah. …

John the Baptist was NOT Elijah as he plainly said, yet he came in the power and spirit of Elijah, and in that sense he wau Elijah. Compare John 1:22, Mat. 11:14, and the explanation in Luke 1:17. So it is likely the two witnesses will be two men who come in the power and spirit of Elijah and Moses or Enoch. (Armstrong HW. What is going to happen! Plain Truth, June-July 1934, p. 7)

Herbert Armstrong gave a speech in May 1967, in which he said the following:

“Verse 3: God will empower His two ‘witnesses’ to proclaim God’s truth for this three-and-one-half years, from the same city of Jerusalem. These two have the same powers that God had given to Moses and Elijah. That is why this Führer and his armies can not stop them. So they will be two men coming ‘in the power and spirit’ of Moses and Elijah – just as John the Baptist came in the ‘power and spirit’ of Elijah, though he was not Elijah.

“Now notice particularly verses 9 and 10: Evidently they shall not be merely speaking to a few people on a street corner – but broadcasting WORLDWIDE! (Armstrong HW. Personal from the Editor. Plain Truth, June 1967, p. 4).

Verse 3, that Herbert Armstrong alluded to, specifically states that the two witnesses will prophesy, as they are prophets. He later said he was NOT a prophet (Armstrong H. Personal from the Editor, The 19 Year Time Cycles. The Good News of Tomorrow’s World. February, 1972, p. 1).

When Herbert W. Armstrong was directing it, the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) taught:

These two witnesses are two human beings who are given extraordinary power for 3 1/2 years just prior to Christ’s return (verse 3). If any man attempts to hurt them before their ministry is up, “…fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies” (verse 5). Note how similar this is to the power given to Elijah (II Kings 1:9-15). They also have power over the rainfall, to produce drought and famine as did Elijah (Luke 4:25; I Kings 17:1-7), and to smite the earth with plagues (Rev. 11:6). Their mission will be to give one final warning (Armstrong HW, editor. The Plain Truth Personal Correspondence Department response on the two witnesses to Mr. and Mrs. Thiel. September 13, 1984).

Herbert Armstrong was NOT one of the two witnesses.

Now, as Jesus is likely to return within the next couple of decades, it is reasonable to consider that the witnesses, including the one who is the Elijah would be alive today.

The problem is that just as many would not hear Elijah’s nor John the Baptist’s messages, relatively few will pay much attention to the end time Elijah as well.

That is not a surprise as most Christians in the end times were to be Laodicean, and Jesus warned the Laodiceans since they would not ‘get with the program,’ that they would be punished (Revelation 3:14-18).

Of course, if you are willing to believe the truth and do what the Bible teaches, that does not have to include you.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
Elijah: Past and Prophesied Information about the original Elijah and some information about the Elijah-related prophecies.
The 18 Restored Truths: Do You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made? Some have said healing, others other subjects, but probably the first change had to do with eliminating being part of the Philadelphia era. This article documents what those changes were and compares the Tkach list of restored truths to Herbert W. Armstrong’s list of restored truths as well as his Autobiography. This article contains many quotes from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here are links to a related two-part sermon: The 18 Restored Truths: 1-8 and The 18 Restored Truths: 9-18.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets, yet many overlook what the Bible teaches about how to recognize a true one. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? This article contains a scripture-based checklist to assist with this determination.
How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God This is a sermon on YouTube addressing a subject that most in the Church of God do not seem to have looked into very much. It discusses scriptures and dispels some improper assertions that some associated with the COG have made about prophets in this time.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here is a sermon Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and has other Indian language translations of certain CCOG literature.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted towards Europe. It has materials in multiple European languages.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God and has articles in español/castellano.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.

Artist’s portrayal of a Cherubim

COGwriter

Do you know about angelic beings? Here is an article titled ANGELS SERVANTS OF GOD by Hugh Mauck that was put out by the old WCG:

When I was a teenager back in the late thirties and early forties, I wondered what it would be like to be invisible. I remember so well the movie The Invisible Man starring Claude Raines. It was the story of a chemist who had discovered a formula that made him invisible.

Although invisible, he could still be felt and sometimes heard when he did not wish to be. His footprints could be seen; an opening door would betray him; or he would fall over an unseen object. Unable to discover the antidote that would make him visible again, he soon became very unhappy; the novelty of being invisible became a tragedy.

The Invisible World

Science fiction and Hollywood aside, there is a very real, but invisible world – another dimension, as some choose to call it – existing along with our own – but absolutely undiscernible to our five senses. It is the spirit world of God and angels.

God tells us that He is a spirit (John 4:24); that spirit is invisible (John 3:8, Col. 1:15); and that He is the Father of all spirit beings (Heb.12:9).

God speaks of His son Jesus Christ, saying: “Who is’ the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be [or have] thrones, or dominions, or [whether they be] principalities [holders of high offices in heaven or on earth], or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1: 15-17).

Angels are called God’s sons (Job 1:6; 38:7) because God created them. But they aren’t begotten sons as is Christ. They exist in a hierarchy below the God-plane level of God the Father and Christ (Heb. 1:5-14).

Paul speaks plainly of the angels of God in the first two chapters of Hebrews. He tells us that we are created a little lower than the angels; but we have the awesome potential of becoming far greater. We are called the sons of God – not sons by creation as they are, but begotten sons with a far greater future than they. We can be born into God’s very own family as fellow-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8: 17; Gal. 3:26-29).

God’s Angels Created Before Adam

God created angels and archangels before He created and placed Adam on this earth. They were here even before the foundation of the earth was laid. They shouted for joy when they first saw the earth in all its perfection (Job 38: 1-7).

That was prior to creation week, which took place sometime after the destruction on the earth caused by Lucifer’s rebellion (Isa. 14: 12-17). The earth was not created waste and in confusion, as we find it in Genesis I:2. God created the earth to be inhabited; He did not create it in the ruined state in which it later became (Isa. 45:18).

Angels are invisible, immortal spirit beings with superior power and knowledge (II Pet. 2: 11). They have seen all the activities of man on earth, and therefore know far more about the human mind, psychology, sociology, science and all the arts than any man living. And God has put them here with us as ministering spirits, to serve us! “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14).

They are put here to help us along the road to eternal life, to save us from premature death, accident, etc., and to help us fight our battles and protect us from the devil and his demons. No wonder Elisha had no fear of his physical enemies when He saw one of God’s spirit armies standing upon the mountain (II Kings 6: 15-17).

God has had angels specifically assigned to supervise and protect His Church throughout all of its history (Rev. 1:4, 16, 20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). He has angels who continually walk through the earth to observe and report back to Him the overall conditions on earth (Rev. 5:6; Zech. 4: 10; II Chron. 16:9).

And God has angels specifically assigned to look after His begotten human children (Acts 12:15; Matt. 18: 10). God promises: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways” (Ps.91:11).

Twelve of God’s angels will be the gatekeepers in the new city of Jerusalem (Rev. 21:12), one for each tribe of Israel. These same twelve are probably assisting the Archangel Michael now.

Angels were messengers to the patriarchs of old. They appeared to Abraham, Lot, Hagar, Moses, Manoah, Gideon, Elijah and many of the prophets and apostles.

Angels do exist.

Many are fascinated by angelic beings, but some improperly pray and speak with “their angel.” In most cases where there is believed to be a response, if this is not from their imagination, they are actually connecting to the demonic world.

There are also various types of angels and spirit beings. The article partially posted above later includes information on Cherubim and Seraphim (see Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim This is information about various types of angelic beings.
Did Angels Marry Human Women? Many insist this is so and also that this mating caused giants to be born. Did this come from the ‘Book of Enoch’? What does Genesis 6:4 really mean? A related video is also available: Did Angels Marry Women and Produce Giants?
Did God Create a Devil? If not, what happened? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet.
Close Encounters of a ‘Spirit’ Kind discusses some experiences I believe were (demon) ‘spirit’ related. A video is also available titled: Poltergeists and Lying Wonders.
Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading.
Bible: Superstition or Authority? Should you rely on the Bible? Is it reliable? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.

COGwriter

Long ago, in his booklet, The Seven Laws of Success, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following related to what he called the fourth law of success:

The All-important Fourth Law

A person may have chosen his goal. Having it may have aroused tremendous ambition to achieve it. He may have started out educating and training himself for its accomplishment, and he may even have good health and still make little or no progress toward its realization.

After all, success is accomplishment. It is DOING. They say any old dead fish can float downstream, but it takes a live one to swim up. An inactive person will not accomplish. Accomplishment is DOING.

Now comes an all-important law.

The fourth success-law, then, is DRIVE!

Half-hearted effort might carry one a little way toward his goal, but it will never get him far enough to reach it.

You will always find that the executive head of any growing, successful organization employs drive! He puts a constant prod on himself. He not only drives himself, he drives those under him, else they might lag, let down and stagnate.

He may feel drowsy, and hate to awaken and get up[ in the morning. But he refuses to give in to this impulse.

I remember the struggles I once had with this situation. It was during one of my “Idea-Man” tours as a magazine editorial representative at age 22. I was having quite a struggle with drowsiness. Yet I acquired the habit of sleepily answering the morning telephone call and promptly going back to bed and to sleep. Then I bought a “Baby Ben” alarm clock, which I carried with me. But I found myself arising to turn it off, then plunging back into bed. I was too drowsy to realize what I was doing. I was not sufficiently awake to employ willpower and force myself to stay up, get under the shower and become fully awake and alert. It had become habit.

I had to break the habit. I had to put a prod on myself. I needed an alarm clock that couldn’t be turned off until I was sufficiently awake to get going for the day.

So one night at the Hotel Patton in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I called a bellboy to my room. In those days the customary tip was a dime. A half dollar then had about the same effect that a $20 bill would have today. I laid a silver half-dollar on the dresser.

“Do you see that half-dollar, son?” I asked.

“Yes, Sir!” he answered, eyes sparkling in anticipation.

After ascertaining that he would be still on duty at 6:30 next morning, I said, “If you will pound on that door in the morning at 6:30, until I let you in, and then stay in this room and prevent me from getting back into bed until I am dressed, then you may have that half-dollar.”

I found those bell-boys would, for a half-dollar tip, even wrestle or fight with me to prevent my crawling back into bed. Thus I put a prod on myself that broke the morning snooze habit and got me up and going!

Often workmen never rise above whatever job they may have because they have no drive. They slow down, work slowly, poke around, sit down and rest as much as they can. In other words, they must have a boss over them to drive them, or they would probably starve. They would never become successful farmers—for a farmer, to succeed, must get up early and work late, and drive himself. That is one reason so many must work for others. They cannot rely on themselves—they must be driven by one of more energy and purpose.

Without energy, drive, constant propulsion, a person need never expect to become truly successful.

Despite various ones in the COGs not particularly interested in the goals of gospel proclamation or changing and building the type of character that God wants, the gospel proclamation need remains per Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20, as does the need for personal repentance.

Notice something that the Apostle Peter wrote:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:2-11)

In this Laodicean era, are you truly diligent? Are you so satisfied with where you are at that you do not feel that you need to change or not change much? Jesus warned against that type of complacency:

14 And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked– 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19).

Drive helps people live up to more of their potential and accomplish more, not just for personal gain or reward, but so they can give love more. Do you truly have the Philadelphian-era drive?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? If you would like to watch videos covering subjects of this article, you can click on the following links: Why YOU? Why Do YOU Suffer? and What is the meaning of your life?
What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage and rive to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Christian Success Does the Bible teach that Christians are to be successful? Are there at least seven laws of success that Christians should follow? How does the Bible teach we are to become successfully spiritually? Does the Bible really teach that Christians should be successful physically? This video answers these questions and more from the Bible. An outline of some of the scriptures used is here: Christian Success Outline.