At Least Two Wrongly Claim Great Tribulation Will Begin in 2008

Pantheon of Rome: A Symbol of Unity Among Religious Error

One of my personal goals is to warn people about false leaders/prophets/teachers who claim to be associated with the Churches of God (see also the article Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders?).

I earlier wrote about one individual who wrongly indicates that the Great Tribulation may begin in the Spring of 2008 (see Sep-Oct 2007 Journal Out for details). Another individual that I never highlighted on this news page stated it had to begin in the Fall of 2007.

Yesterday I received an email from another apparently claiming that the Great Tribulation will begin in the Fall of 2008. Here is what he wrote:

Please, do not confuse me with R Weinland. I strongly disagree with most of what he says. For one thing I endeavour to provide scriptural backing for everything that I say. However I do say that 2008 is a critical year. As stated on the website I expect the Abomination (the man of sin) to be set up at the end of Sep and to go to the Holy Place within 75 days, triggering the occupation of Jerusalem. We shall know soon enough if I am correct!

Sincerely James Malm

While I do not doubt his sincerity, he is wrong that the abomination will be set up in September 2008. However, he is probably correct to indicate that we all may be able to agree on this in October 2008.

I am working on a detailed paper on Daniel 11 and perhaps will post it during 2008. For now, there should be enough details in the article Who is the King of the North? to show people that September 2008 is simply too early.

But there is another, Ronald Weinland, who continues to make quite a stir on the internet as he too claims that the Great Tribulation will begin in 2008 (please see the article Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God). Ron Weinland also falsely claims to be one of the prophesied two witnesses (to learn more about God’s final two, please see the article Who Are The Two Witnesses?).

He specifically teaches such things as:

2008—God’s Final Witness reveals the Seven Thunders of the Book of Revelation, which the apostle John was not allowed to record! It also gives more specific end-time prophecies that will sharply increase during the next year and one-half when the final tribulation of this world strikes (Quote online 6/13/07).

This first phaseof this Fifth Thunder has already begun in a very small way upon the Church of God that was scattered, after the prophesied apostasy (2 Thes. 2)…Instead, these will stubbornly cling to their own ideas of how they believe God should teach them through their own organizations. This phase of the Fifth Thunder is one of my own choosing, which God has granted me as part of His own will and purpose for the Church (2008 – God’s Final Witness, p. 92).

Irrespective of assertions by various self-appointed “prophets”, the fact is that the great tribulation as described in the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation) will not start in 2008.

Why?

As I indicated above, the King of the North (Daniel 11) also known as the Beast (Revelation 13:1-10) is not ready. The fact is that the European Union is still not the economic and military power it needs to be in order to eliminate the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

And even though events in Iraq and Iran may help lead to the ascension of a strong Muslim leader, the Arab League is still not united enough to be the prophesied King of the South. And while I do agree that there are tensions in the Middle East, the infrastructure for a power there to challenge the European Union still is not there (more information is in the article The Bible and the Arab World In History and Prophecy).

While the European Union even signed an agreement to for additional military, political, and economic unity about two weeks ago, they simply are not ready yet to be the dominant leader of the world (though they are taking steps in that direction).

Even though Europe is filled with religious symbols and religious error, it still is not at all unified religiously at this time. The European peoples are secular now and do not consider that they are united with each other. And there is even discussion currently in Belgium about it splitting in two now (though both parts would remain part of the EU should this occur).

One Greek told me last June (while I was in Greece) something to the effect that a Greek feels no reason to die for a German, no Italian would feel a reason to die for one who is French, etc. He specifically stated that the peoples in Europe still do not consider themselves as “European” as opposed to being Greek, Serb, Dutch, Polish, German, etc.

The Europeans, thus, are simply not ready to fulfill their role as the supporters of the King of the North – the Final Beast military power yet.

Furthermore, the new religion of the King of the North (apparently a more ecumenical version of Catholicism) has not even been announced, let alone accepted, yet.

Although the current Pope Benedict XVI is working on getting the Eastern Orthodox to be more unified with his church, even he is not ready to espouse the more ecumenical form of Catholicism that would be needed for the masses. Nor do I believe that the Europeans themselves will become particularly religious until they become more determined to unite against a future Muslim entity–and while this will most likely occur in the relatively near future, it seems impossible for this to be the case by the end of 2008.

As I have written before, the Europeans have not completed their Galileo project; Galileo is a “GPS” system that will allow them to work independently of the US military’s system. I believe a system like that will be essential to plans for a surprise attack–which is the type of attack I do anticipate.

And while the Europeans have somewhat strengthened their military significantly, it is not quite strong enough to try to take on the USA, etc. Military action normally occurs when one side feels that it has an overwhelming military advantage–and the Europeans are not quite there. And while surprise will most likely play a role, I simply do not believe that the European leaders have confidence that they could take the USA out at this time. Nor do I believe that many of them even have any intentions to do that yet (see Isaiah 10).

And while “Galileo” itself is not a biblical requirement, the idea of having its own powerful military clearly is. Notice this verse describing the Beast:

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4).

The above would only be said of a power with massive and successful military abilities–and the EU is simply not there, yet.

Furthermore, the ongoing bureaucratic discussions in Brussels still show that the Europeans have not finished their systems for “international prosperity”. Nor have they acknowledged ten kings which need to be determined (Revelation 17:12)–though that particular step could happen immediately if appropriate.

There are also events in Daniel 11, Matthew 24, and other prophecies that I do not believe have been fulfilled to the degree necessary for the actual final 3 1/2 year great tribulation to begin in 2008 (though it will start in the future, and actually could begin several years from now).

Even though even Catholic prophecies indicate a great ruler to arise in Europe who will eventually destroy the English (for documentation, see the article Who is the King of the North?), there simply is not such a person who could be ready for this by 2008.

Assertions from people who claim to be in the COG notwithstanding, the Great Tribulation will NOT start in 2008.