PCG Claims European Power to Become 10 Nations

Gerald Flurry of the Philadelphia Church of God
PCG’s Gerald Flurry

The improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) reported the following:

The Trumpet has long forecast, based on Bible prophecy, that Europe would be dominated by a combination of 10 nations. Currently the eurozone is made up of 16.

Could this crisis be what whittles Europe down to 10 core nations? Perhaps. But as one EU senior negotiator said, “The eurozone debt crisis has a long way to run. No one knows where it is going to end up. Only one thing is sure, the eurozone will change.”

The Bible tells us that Europe will become a more unified group of 10 nations. This is where the trend is leading. Keep watching the euro crisis. (Germany and France Discussing New European Currency. June 24, 2010 | From theTrumpet.com)

While there is a “Euro” crisis and it is possible that it could be replaced as my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect states, this insistence on a 10 existing nation European power is not biblically correct (for some other comments, see also PCG Gerald Flurry: EU to be Smaller). Notice what the scripture actually says:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

The above scripture does NOT say that ten existing nations will be the group that gives their power to the Beast, but ten kings who had not kingdom get power and transfer it. This, as I have written before (see Herman von Rompuy, the Greek Debt Crisis, and Where May this Lead?), means that a political/structural shift is expected to happen in Europe. Hence while nations will be involved, this is more likely groups of nations, combinations of nations, or redrawn territorial borders. To teach that this means that there must be 10 nations as they currently exist is in error.

One of PCG’s claims is:

The PCG is the only Church that holds onto ALL of what Christ established through Mr. Armstrong (Flurry, Gerald and Leap, Dennis. Ezra and Nehemiah: Building God’s Temple. Booklet. 1997. p.29).

Yet, Herbert W. Armstrong’s old church taught:

These ten nations, or groups of nations, comprising the modern revived Beast, are to fight Christ at His coming. This shows the time for the fulfillment of this prophecy…Remember that there must be TEN NATIONS or groups of nations to comprise the final resurrection of the modern “Holy Roman Empire”! (AMBASSADOR COLLEGE, BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE. LESSON 32 (1963, 1965, 1967, 1969)

Furthermore, since PCG was able to pay for the rights of the book The Mystery of the Ages, perhaps they may wish to reflect on what of the late Herbert W. Armstrong’s taught on this point:

“And in the days of these kings…”–it is here speaking of the ten toes, part of iron and part of brittle clay. This, by connecting the prophecy with Daniel 7, and Revelation 13 and 17, is referring to the new UNITED STATES OF EUROPE that is now forming, out of the European Common Market, before your very eyes! Revelation 17:12 makes plain the detail that it shall be a union of TEN KINGS OR KINGDOMS that (Rev. 17:8) shall resurrect the old ROMAN EMPIRE. So, mark carefully the time element! “In the days of these kings”–in the days of these then nations or groups of nations that shall, IN OUR TIME, resurrect briefly the Roman Empire… (The members of the European Common Market are probably not the same ten that will resurrect the Holy Roman Empire.) (Armstrong HW. Mystery of the Ages. Dood, Mead & Company, New York, 1985, pp. 301,302-303)

PCG should not keep teaching nor implying that the scripture is speaking of ten existing nations unless they also add an expression indicating groups of nations or some other qualifier.

The European Union currently has 27 member nations, with several additional nations likely to join. As a result of the Lisbon Treaty (European empire formed yesterday, but few in America seemed to notice), all the nations in the EU are obligated to adopt the Euro once their economies are ready for it. So, the Lisbon Treaty would need to be modified if this is to be changed (it would take 15 of the 27 European nations representing at least 65% of the population of the European Union to make such a change law).

And though the Bible supports the idea of some type of consolidation, it is highly unlikely that most of the countries now in the EU will not become part of the final Beast power. This is not to say that some may not possibly leave, but to continually teach that it will be whittled down to ten currently existing nations is going beyond what scripture teaches.

PCG’s Gerald Flurry is a self-appointed prophet. And if this position that the European power must be reduced to ten current nations is one of his “prophecies”, this will be another area that he will be shown to be a false prophet.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.
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?