Church of God News

Michael in the Hebrew language

COGwriter

Did you know that the Seventh-day Adventist ‘prophetess’ Ellen White taught that the archangel Michael was Jesus?

Did you know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses still teach that?

Recently, one raised as a Seventh-day Adventist told me that Ellen White held that view and that he found it blasphemous. When I asked him for citations, he sent the following that Ellen White taught:

Patriarchs and Prophets page 761—Again: Christ is called the Word of God. John 1:1-3. He is so called because God gave His revelations to man in all ages through Christ. It was His Spirit that inspired the prophets. 1 Peter 1:10, 11. He was revealed to them as the Angel of Jehovah, the Captain of the Lord’s host, Michael the Archangel.

Prophets and Kings page 572—For three weeks Gabriel wrestled with the powers of darkness, seeking to counteract the influences at work on the mind of Cyrus; and before the contest closed, Christ Himself came to Gabriel’s aid. “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days,” Gabriel declares; “but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” Daniel 10:13.

Early Writings page 164—Moses passed through death, but Michael came down and gave him life before his body had seen corruption. Satan tried to hold the body, claiming it as his; but Michael resurrected Moses and took him to heaven. Satan railed bitterly against God, denouncing Him as unjust in permitting his prey to be taken from him; but Christ did not rebuke His adversary, though it was through his temptation that the servant of God had fallen. He meekly referred him to His Father, saying, “The Lord rebuke thee.”

The Story of Redemption page 206—Moses passed through death, but Michael came down and gave him life before his body had seen corruption. Satan tried to hold the body, claiming it as his; but Michael resurrected Moses and took him to heaven. Satan railed bitterly against God, denouncing Him as unjust in permitting his prey to be taken from him; but Christ did not rebuke His adversary, though it was through his temptation that the servant of God had fallen. He meekly referred him to His Father, saying, “The Lord rebuke thee.”

19 Manuscript release 106.2—Jude presents the example of Christ. He says, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil He disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee” (As cited in an Email to COGwriter@aol.com 11/06/16)

Those in the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) believe that Michael is simply an archangel, not divine. Nowhere does the Bible teach that Jesus was once Michael.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses still teach that Jesus was the archangel Michael:

The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is the archangel, Jesus Christ, also called Michael. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9) Under his authority are seraphs, cherubs, and angels. (The Truth About Angels. Jehovah’s Witnesses Official Web Site. Appeared in The Watchtower November 1, 1995. http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1995/11/1/article_02.htm 07/09/07)

Michael is a name given to Jesus in his role as a heavenly Ruler (Pay Attention. p. 289).

Michael [another name for Jesus] and his angels battled with the dragon…Revelation 12 (What Does the Bible Really Teach?Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Brooklyn, 2005, p. 89).

The Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God, but the CCOG does.

The Bible is clear that Jesus was not an angel and that God did not exalt any angel like Jesus was exalted.

Notice what the Book of Hebrews teaches:

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

5 For to which of the angels did He ever say:
“You are My Son,Today I have begotten You”?

And again:
“I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”?

6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:
“Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

7 And of the angels He says:
“Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But to the Son He says:

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

10 And:
“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.”

13 But to which of the angels has He ever said:
“Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:1-14)

Angels, including archangels are ministering spirits–they are not part of the Godhead. For more details, see also Did the Archangel Michael become Jesus?

More information on the Godhead can be found in the following:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Jesus is God, But Became Flesh Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what? Here is information in the Spanish language¿Es Jesucristo Dios?.
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Why Does Jesus Have Two Different Genealogies listed in Matthew 1 and Luke 3? Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38 seemingly list two different genealogies for Jesus. Why?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here is a link to a related sermon: Proof Jesus is the Messiah: Certainty.
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
What is the Holy Spirit? This is an article by Rod Reynolds.
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD.
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a longer article than the Binitarian View article, and has a little more information on binitarianism, and less about unitarianism. A related sermon is also available: Binitarian view of the Godhead.

The archangel Michael is not Jesus, our Saviour.

Some items of related interest may include:

Did the Archangel Michael become Jesus? The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach this, and SDA Ellen White did, but does the Bible allow for this?
What is Restrained and Who is Restraining in 2 Thessalonians 2:7? Are sorceries being restrained until the future? What is the mystery of lawlessness? Could Michael be the restrainer? Here is a related article in Spanish: ¿Qué es lo que se restringe y quién lo está restringiendo en 2 Tesalonicenses 2:7?
SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
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.
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith. Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses? A related sermon is also available: Jehovah’s Witnesses: Right and Wrong Teachings?
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.
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?
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Jesus is God, But Became Flesh Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what? Here is information in the Spanish language¿Es Jesucristo Dios?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here is a link to a related sermon: Proof Jesus is the Messiah: Certainty.

COGwriter

The anti-Church of God website, Banned by HWA , posted the following that seems to be written from a Protestant perspective:

Is there really a greater reward because you went to church on a different day and a few other days thru the year and didn’t eat pork?

I wonder sometimes how the Cogs have been lead to speak of the Law and how this sets them apart from the “false christians”.  The cog law-keeping has only a few elements different from sincere Christians.  Is there really a greater reward because you went to church on a different day and a few other days thru the year and didn’t eat pork?  Is that really the difference?  Is it really just that easy? What of those christians that sincerely observe most of the law simply by walking in God’s Spirit? They truly believe the law as such was only given to Israel so they congregationally worship the Lord on Sunday rather than Saturday. Is that the great deception? …

Lets not forget that before 1974 or so, Pentecost was kept on Monday. Did those who died before it was changed to sunday never quite achieve first fruit status because they believed something wrong (much like The COGs judge sunday keepers)? Do members in the COGs question such things? …
I’d love to see how a COG member would answer these things…

Jim

As it turned out, in the latest CCOG book, Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differs from most Protestants, most of those issues were addressed.

Without going into all the details and reasons in this post, here are some quotes from that book that give insight to answer Jim’s (and others) questions:

Christians imitate Jesus and the Apostle Paul by striving to keep the Ten Commandments. Many Protestants do not understand that. They also do not understand the statement by Peter and the other apostles that God’s Holy Spirit is “given to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). Those who say Jesus is Lord, but practice lawlessness, will not be in His Kingdom if they do not truly repent (Matthew 7:21-23). …

The Ten Commandments were made known to us to help build character in us so that we will be able to be better (cf. Psalm 119:72) and make eternity better. We can, in this life, make our own eternity better if we truly trust Him (cf. Proverbs 16:20). …

Real Christians have repented, been baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Here is essentially the biblical definition of who is and who is not a real Christian:

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Romans 8:9)

A real Christian has the Spirit of Christ, no one else is a true Christian.

Who receives that Spirit?

Only those who obey are given the Spirit of Christ (Acts 5:32).

Thus, God is the judge of who is, as well as who is not, a real Christian.

Despite claiming sola Scriptura (Latin for ‘Scripture alone’), Protestants accept many doctrines based more on tradition than the Bible. …

Protestantism does not really accept sola Scriptura as it accepts many positions and doctrines that are in conflict with scripture. …

Martin Luther admitted:

It is indeed true that the name “Trinity” is nowhere to be found in the Holy Scriptures, but has been conceived and invented by man. (Luther Martin. The Sermons of Martin Luther, Church Postil, 1522; III:406-421)

The trinity doctrine was not from sola Scriptura.

“Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) taught:

²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

The truth is that God is NOT a trinity and Christians should not vainly worship God based on improper traditions from men (cf. Matthew 15:3-9).

Yet, most who claim Christianity ignore the Bible and teach the trinitarian tradition that was adopted centuries later by a council of men. …

Peter was still believed to have observed ‘Jewish practices’ and, also, never ate unclean meat (Acts 10:14).

Furthermore, much later than the time of the Joppa vision, the Apostle Peter wrote:

¹⁴ … not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

Now where is that first written in the Bible to ‘be holy because God is holy’?

It is Leviticus 11:44 & 45 where God is talking about avoiding unclean meat! The statement Peter quoted about being Holy as God is holy is repeated only three more times in the Hebrew Bible, the first in Leviticus 19:2 where it then discusses the Sabbath and the second in Leviticus 20:7 where it teaches about not being involved with witchcraft and then keeping God’s statutes. Does your church teach that you are to be holy as God?

Protestant churches, however, generally do not teach that a sign of being unholy would be eating biblically unclean meats or violating the Sabbath.

The final time ‘be holy because God is holy’ occurs is in Leviticus 20:25-26 where God explains about avoiding unclean animals and being holy.

So what could Peter have been talking about? The only subjects from the Old Testament could have been unclean meat, the seventh-day Sabbath, or the statutes in the Law, including witchcraft. However, the context says to avoid lusts. Lust is unlawful desire. Apparently, Peter is including desires such as eating that which is unlawful.

Paul emphasized that Christians were not to be unclean nor be misled by those who did not teach that:

⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)

Notice that God says that eating unclean animals makes one abominable and that God’s people are to be separate:

²⁵ You shall therefore distinguish between clean animals and unclean, between unclean birds and clean, and you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird, or by any kind of living thing that creeps on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean. ²⁶ And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine (Leviticus 20:25-26).

Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:

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

Now, see something the Apostle John was inspired to write:

¹¹ He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still (Revelation 22:11).

Notice that the holy are distinguished from the filthy (the unclean). Notice also that the Bible warns about those who love and believe a lie:

¹⁵ But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:15)

And, in my view, those who believe that God’s people are to eat biblically unclean animals are accepting a lie. Consider also that dogs are biblically-unclean animals that eat any type of animal and that they are not to be emulated in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible.

All should realize that Paul did not want Gentile Christians to participate in uncleanness and that is something that they should repent of. Paul also wrote:

⁵ For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them (Ephesians 5:5-7).

Is eating biblical prohibited foods or not eating them a sign of disobedience? Is not consuming what the Bible prohibits covetous?

Peter added:

⁹ … the Lord knows how … to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, ¹⁰and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority (2 Peter 2:9-10).

Some, sadly, despise biblical authority to eat whatsoever they lust after.

The inability for non-Sabbath-keeping religious leaders to not properly distinguish between things such as clean and unclean was prophesied long ago (Ezekiel 22:26).

All people have done wrong (Roman 3:23). And God knew that would happen before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8).

Although many hope that they are in God’s church, consider the following:

Yet none is truly the Church OF GOD, unless it is GOD’S CHURCH, continuing doctrine, practice, organization, in all ways on the original biblical pattern, headed by Jesus Christ, yet belonging to God the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, having GOD’S TRUTH, fulfilling Christ’s commission of proclaiming his GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM OF GOD to the world as a whole. (Armstrong HW, Mystery of the Ages)

We in the Continuing Church of God have continued in the original doctrine while we proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14).

While many focus on outward differences such as the Sabbath, Holy Days, and unclean meats, a major difference between Protestants and the Continuing Church of God is the hope of salvation and why we live differently.

Whether or not you are Protestant, God has a plan for you involving Jesus.

All should properly do what the Apostle James wrote:

²¹ Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

²⁶ If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. (James 1:21-26)

Many Protestants are hearers more than doers who do not truly understand the hope of salvation we really have in Jesus.

Do you feel that God has a plan that is intended to save nearly all that ever lived or condemn most that ever lived?

Protestants, like the apostate Marcion, doom most human beings to eternal torment.

We in the CCOG realize that God is wise, all-knowing, loving, and all-powerful. We have faith that He has a plan of salvation that will result in the salvation of the vast majority of people who ever lived.

Consider that since the CCOG believes that Christians will be rewarded for their works, deified after being resurrected, and will have dominion over the universe, we live our lives with that in mind (cf. Hebrews 11).

Can you be like the Bereans of old, that when they heard teachings that they had not expected, that they “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11)?

Hopefully, you are willing to believe the word of God and facts of history over unbiblical traditions.

Notice the instructions in the Book of Proverbs:

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. ⁸ It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

⁹ Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; ¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

¹¹ My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; ¹² For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:5-12)

Shouldn’t we all want to be those in whom God delights?

In this life, we are to develop the love of God by living our lives HIS way. Any other way is evil.

Trust God and do not be wise in the eyes of unbiblical traditions of men.

The Christian purpose for this life is to build character so you can maximize your potential and increase how much better you can give love in your own unique way to make eternity better for everyone, including yourself, in Jesus’ service.

That is what real Christianity is all about.

The true Christian faith once delivered to the saints is taught in the 21^st century by the Continuing Church of God.

While the above book goes into more details as to why real Christians live differently than the Protestants, additional information is also in the book The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?

As far as God’s plan goes, it includes all, including non-Sabbath keepers.

Some people are being called in this age (see Is God Calling You?).

All others will be called later (see Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation).

As far as making a mistake about the Day of Pentecost last century, the old WCG was misled by a mistranslation. Once it confirmed that, it confessed its error and repented. And if even the mistake were a sin, the New Testament teaches:

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)

Those who keep Sunday and fail to keep the biblical holy days are welcome to look into those issues as well and repent. More on the holy days can be found in the free online booklet: Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? (it also goes over certain mistranslations that Protestants tend to improperly rely on to justify not obeying God on those matters).

As far as the rewards go, Jesus said:

29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (Matthew 19:29-30)

So, yes, some called later may very well have rewards greater than those called now. According to Jesus, rewards will be based on what you do with what you have been given (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 12:48).

Consider something that the Apostle Peter wrote:

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 1:5-11)

Those who eat biblically-unclean meat, do not keep the Sabbath, who observe pagan holidays, etc., have NOT obeyed God–which is the requirement to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32). Hence, that is why they would not be considered as true Christians. Notice that simply calling Jesus “Lord” is not sufficient according to Jesus:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

But what about Christians who do obey and do not practice lawlessness?

Well, also according to Jesus, in the end times, most real Christians are Laodicean. While they do keep the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17), because they do not properly support the most faithful end time work, Jesus said that unless they repent He will spew them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:14-18).

So, it is more than just obedience to rules.

The bottom line is that God is to be worshiped in truth. The Sabbbath, etc. are part of that truth.

And the other bottom line is that most Christians in the end do not have the right work–and therefore have their own obedience issues. They are not cold like the lawless, nor hot like the Philadelphian Christians, but lukewarm according to Jesus (Revelation 3:14-18).

All will be judged by the works (1 Peter 4:17; Revelation 20:12-13).

As far as the reward goes, Jesus said:

27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. (Matthew 16:27)

Those who do not obey God, do not have the works He expects.

All will be “rewarded” accordingly.

Some items of possibly related interest include the following:

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?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.
The Good Samaritan A public domain claymation for younger people.
Mystery of Iniquity What is the mystery of iniquity? How did it start? How will it end? Two related sermons are also available: The Mystery of Iniquity and The Mystery of Lawlessness.
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?
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
6. 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.
7. 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. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?

Jews Who Barely Survived the Holocaust in WWII

COGwriter

Today is Holocaust Day–a memorial to remind people of the terrible persecution of Jews and others during WWII.

The German press reported the following:

27 January 2020

Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorates Nazi crimes worldwide. On January 27, 1945, the Soviet army liberated the prisoners in Auschwitz. What they found was unfathomable. …

Shortly after the beginning of World War II in September 1939, Oswiecim was conquered by the German Wehrmacht and annexed by the German Empire. In 1940, under the leadership of Heinrich Himmler, the SS was able to quickly and without much construction work convert the camp area into a concentration camp, the Auschwitz I main camp. …

Before the Second World War, about half of Oswiecim’s 14,000 inhabitants were Jewish. …

The Nazis’ racial “cleansing” policy had the Jewish population displaced to make way for resettled Germans. … Auschwitz was turned into a systematic death factory of unimaginable proportions in the spring of 1942. …

In the spring of 1943, additional ovens were put into operation in the expanded complex of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The SS tested their functionality on a group of transported prisoners: After their agonizing death in a gas chamber filled with Zyklon B, the bodies of 1,100 men, women and children were burned, and their ashes dispersed in surrounding lakes — just as the remains of other murdered concentration camp prisoners and deportees would be.

The camp’s construction manager, SS Lieutenant Colonel Karl Bischoff, reported to Berlin: “From now on, a total of 4,756 bodies can be cremated within 24 hours.” …

While it’s likely that we will never know the precise number of victims, it’s now estimated that over 5 million people were deported to Nazi concentration camps. Only very few survived. …

According to the numbers of the Auschwitz Memorial, more than 1.1 million people were killed at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. Ninety percent of the victims were Jews … https://www.dw.com/en/auschwitzs-harrowing-history/a-52082752

While people have asserted “never again,” recent events in Europe have gotten various Jews to have concerns.

Notice something from a Jewish writer also published by the German press:

Opinion: Do Jews have a future in Europe?

Seventy-five years after Auschwitz was liberated, Jews in Europe are facing new challenges. The continent must become safe again, says guest author Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis.

26 January 2020

At the end of WWII, a large proportion of Holocaust survivors felt that there was no Jewish future in Europe. The majority emigrated to Palestine to be a part of the new Jewish State, where Jews would always be welcome. Others emigrated to the Americas, with only a minority remaining in Europe, holding on to the belief that they could rebuild a Jewish future. …

What went on to become the European Union was founded as an economic union with the central aim of ending the constant state of war and competition between the major powers.

The European Union, according to former European Commission President Roman Prodi, was an assembly of minorities, which helped Europe’s Jews to take part in this process, not as outsiders, but as fully fledged citizens of Europe.

Rising anti-Semitism

However, today, the reality is that the European project has not delivered on all its goals. We are as aware of anti-Semitism today as we have ever been. Fifteen years ago, terrorism hit Europe and specifically European Jews; attacks in many European countries went almost unnoticed. Since that time, anti-Semitism has been progressively more present on three fronts: the far right, the far left and through religious fundamentalism.

Sadly, the Jews of Europe have had to ask themselves yet again if there is a future on the continent. https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-do-jews-have-a-future-in-europe/a-52154607

Europe will one day become a totalitarian state again. It will not be safe for any who will not take the Mark of the Beast or worship the European Beast:

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:5-8)

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.  (Revelation 13:15-18)

Europe will become a very dangerous place.

As far as the Holocaust of WWII goes, in 2018, it was reported that 22% of American millennials had not even heard of the Holocaust (see Many have not even heard of the Holocaust: And Jesus said something worse is coming).

It is astounding that many do not know about the Holocaust–but it is not something that many in the mainstream want remembered. That fact brought following scripture to mind:

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)

Though most sane people never wish to see this type of holocaust again, a worse time is coming (Daniel 7:25; Matthew 24:21; Lamentations).

I would like to add that it was not only Jews that were killed in the Holocaust. Hitler’s plans apparently included the killing of most of the Ukrainians. Notice the following:

The Holocaust in Ukraine took place during the occupation of Ukraine by Nazi Germany. Between 1941 and 1945, approximately 3,000,000 Ukrainian and other non-Jewish victims were killed as part of Nazi extermination policies, along with between 850,000 – 900,000 Jews who lived in the territory of modern Ukraine. More Ukrainians were killed fighting the Wehrmacht than American, British, and French soldiers combined. Original plans of genocide called for the extermination of 65% of the nation’s 23.2 million Ukrainians, with the remainder of inhabitants to be treated as slaves. Over 2,000,000 Ukrainians were deported to Germany for slave labor. In ten years’ time, the plan effectively called for the extermination, expulsion, Germanization or enslavement of most or all Ukrainians.

One of Hitler’s ambitions at the start of the war was to exterminate, expel, or enslave most or all Slavs from their native lands so as to make living space for German settlers…

The most notorious massacre of Jews in Ukraine was at the Babi Yar ravine outside Kiev, where 33,771 Jews were killed in a single operation on September 29–30, 1941. (An amalgamation of 100,000 to 150,000 Ukrainian and other Soviet citizens were also killed in the following weeks). (The Holocaust in Ukraine. Wikipedia, viewed 04/28/14)

Thus, people in Ukraine have had historical reasons to be concerned about a German-dominated Europe.

Despite the horrors of the Holocaust, Jesus said that a worse time will come:

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. (Matthew 24:21-22)

19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. (Mark 13:19-20)

The Great Tribulation will be a time of horror and death.

The USA (Daniel 11:39) and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies will be conquered (cf. Daniel 8:24-25,; Jeremiah 30:7).

Persecution will be bad and Christians will be affected:

3 And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 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?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them (Revelation 13:3-7).

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. (Daniel 8:23-24)

Though some Christians will end up being protected (see There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra), many will be killed (watch The Coming Persecution of the Church).

Death will reign until after Jesus eliminates it (cf. Romans 5:17-20; Revelation 21:4) and the Kingdom of God is set up.

That is the worldwide solution. Individually, people can repent and live their lives in preparation for that Kingdom.

Do not delay (cf. Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy).

The above photos of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reflect what pre-tribulation rapturists hope to miss

COGwriter

Is there a pre-tribulation rapture of the church?

No, not according to scripture.

Plus teaching it leads to bad fruit. Notice something from a Protestant minister and theologian named Joseph Swank:

Kobe Bryant (photo by Keith Allison)

COGwriter

Basketball celebrity, Kobe Bryant died today:

January 26, 2020

Hours after news broke of Kobe Bryant’s death, the Recording Academy paid tribute to the NBA legend on the Grammys stage.

Host Alicia Keys somberly took the stage on Sunday night, telling the audience, “Earlier today, Los Angeles, America, and the whole wide world lost a hero. And we’re literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built.” …

Bryant died on Sunday afternoon after his private helicopter crashed in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas. Eight others were killed in the crash as well, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna (“Gigi”). The helicopter was reportedly on its way to Gigi’s basketball game in Thousand Oaks. https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/grammy/alicia-keys-boyz-ii-men-pay-tribute-to-kobe-bryant-at-grammys-with-its-so-hard-to-say-goodbye/ar-BBZlTCY

Kobe Bryant was not known as a true Christian.

Does God have a plan for him?

Yes.

Could he still have an opportunity for salvation?

Yes.

Although Roman Catholic and Protestant theology improperly teach otherwise, God has a plan to offer salvation to all who ever lived.

To those called in this age, and to others (almost certainly including Kobe Bryant) in the age to come.

So, no, Kobe Bryant is not doomed.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
od’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
Predestination: Did God really call You? Why? Predestination? Is your ultimate fate decided for you in advance? Here is a link to a related video sermon: Predestination: What it is and what it is not. Another related video is Predestination and Pentecost.
God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
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?
What Happens After Death? Is death like sleep, or is that a cultic idea? Can you speak to the dead? Here is a link to a related sermon: What really happens after death?
The Second Death The New Testament speaks of something called the “second death.” Who will be subject to it? How does it end? Here is a link to a related sermon: First death, Second death.
Study the Bible Course Lesson 15: What is “Hell”? What are the different words translated as “hell” in English? Does Gehenna mean something different than Hades. What happens? What about worms dying not?
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.

Eurasia (Keepscases)

COGwriter

Notice the following related to Eurasia:

Eurasia /jʊəˈreɪʒə/ is the largest continent on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. … The division between Europe and Asia as two different continents is a historical social construct, with no clear physical separation between them; thus, in some parts of the world, Eurasia is recognized as the largest of the six, five, or even four continents on Earth. In geology, Eurasia is often considered as a single rigid megablock. However, the rigidity of Eurasia is debated based on paleomagnetic data.

Eurasia covers around 55,000,000 square kilometres (21,000,000 sq mi), or around 36.2% of the Earth’s total land area. The landmass contains well over 5 billion people, equating to approximately 70% of the human population. … Some major islands, including Great Britain, Iceland, and Ireland, and those of Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia, are often included under the popular definition of Eurasia, in spite of being separate from the contiguous landmass.

Physiographically, Eurasia is a single continent. (Eurasia. Wikipedia, accessed January 26, 2020)

Strategic Culture (SC) thinks to prevent World War III, that Europe needs to look towards a united Eurasia and away from the USA:

What Europe Can Do to Avoid WWIII? Say ‘No!’ Now to Its Start

The US Government … wants Europeans to pitch-in for more US-run invasions. Europeans find this disturbing, but not repulsive enough to say, flat-out, “No!” to it. However, only that “No!” can stop the onrush toward a massive US war against both Iran and Iraq, which would spread ultimately into a global nuclear war between US and Russia. …

Europe must, at last, say “No!” to US, the tyrant over the entire world — Bolivia, Venezuela, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and more.

On January 6th, Barbara Wessel, a columnist for Germany’s Deutsche Welle (DW), headlined a common European sentiment: “Trump has Europeans caught in a trap: Europe is suffering under the way Donald Trump makes political decisions on the fly. The only option left is to appeal to Iran’s interest in self-preservation”. …

The presumption on which such sentiments are based is that things must go on as before, and EU must continue to be allied with US, instead of with the rest of the Eurasian Continent — but this presumption (EU with US instead of with all the rest of Eurasia) has been false ever since the US Government went wild in its response to the mainly Saudi Arabian 9/11 assault against the US …

Germany, France, Italy, Spain and all the rest of Europe, actually belong with all the rest of the Eurasian Continent, rather than with the formerly democratic but now fascist United States across the Atlantic Ocean. A federal Eurasia, composed of free and independent states within a wider United States of Eurasia, would have 4.618 billion population, almost half of the entire world, and wealth to match that, and economic growth which far exceeds that of what will then be left of the US-and-its-allied-countries …

US Government actually is … a global empire — the largest that the world has ever known. Europe is, and can only be, vassals in that empire. …

Europe is the US regime’s indispensable ally. If EU breaks away from US and joins with the rest of the Eurasian continent instead, at least the possibility will exist for avoiding a … future of continued and accelerating vassalage to the US regime for the entire world. …

It will be up to Europeans whether to order all US troops to leave, and to tariff all imports from America, and to sanction and boycott US brands and increasingly replace them with Eurasian ones instead. Trump can be trumped, but only Europe has the clout to do it. The future will be decided by Europeans. https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/01/24/what-europe-can-do-to-avoid-wwiii-say-no-now-to-its-start/

No, WWIII is not a global nuclear war between Russia and the US.

Yes, the world is going to be greatly affected by European plans and actions (cf. Revelation 13; Daniel 11). But the future will not be brighter because of it.

The Bible warns:

I8 The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.  (Isaiah 59:8)

Just like there were two trees in the Garden of Eden, there are two ways now (see, also The Two Trees: Only Two Ways of Life).

The right one is God’s way, which involves seeking first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). The wrong one is all other ways. They will lead to war, including WWIII.

According to the Bible it will be the Europeans taking over the US and its British-descended allies (Daniel 11:39). Though, in my view, Russia as well as some Asian nations are likely to support it.

Actually, while the Bible points to a temporary increase of cooperation between Europe and Asia, that will be a factor leading to, not stopping, WWIII. And after the alliance between Europe, Russia, Asia ends, that will lead to WWIV and Armageddon.

As far as pressures from US President Donald Trump, this has resulted in the Europeans forming PESCO, which seems to be intended to be the framework of a European army that is independent of the US and NATO.

Europe is pushing ahead with many projects in PESCO:

The creation of Permanent Structured Cooperation, or PESCO, was designed in 2017. The structure sees 25 of the 28 (soon to be 27) member states pursue structural military and defence integration through shared initiatives and the pooling of resources.

Since its inception, PESCO has greenlighted 47 different ventures, with the next step being the implementation stage. This will prove critical for the scheme’s credibility in terms of establishing tangible outputs to boost European defence, which has long been criticised – particularly by the US – for being too light in terms of both spend and commitment.

Five of these new projects focus on training, and cover areas such as cyber capabilities, diving, special operations, tactical and medical, as well as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) elements. Additional initiatives are aimed at enhancing collaborative actions between PESCO member states on capability development at sea, air, and space.

“In two years’ time, member states will come back to – possibly – new decisions on projects, but these next two years will be dedicated to work full speed on implementation, exactly because we know the test will be on delivery and implementation”, said Federica Mogherini, the outgoing High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

A spokesperson for the European Defence Agency has said that “This third wave of PESCO projects saw Member States bring forward solid defence capability projects. However, if PESCO is to have a lasting, even structural impact on the European defence capability landscape, it is important to start embedding the EU perspective of the twenty PESCO commitments in national defence planning processes”. updated 1/23/20 https://www.southeusummit.com/europe/eu-defence-faces-significant-challenges-despite-welcome-pesco-additions/

Yes, Europe is pushing ahead with its military plans. The Bible teaches that it will have a “great army” (Daniel 11:25), a significant navy (Daniel 11:40), and it hints of European air power (cf. Daniel 11:40).

Related to PESCO, we put together the following video:

15:25

PESCO and a Great European Army

In November 2018, French President Macron called for a “true European army” because of China, Russia, and the USA. Some others in Europe have echoed that sentiment. On November 9, 2018, US President Donald Trump called that an insult, but the next day said that the USA wanted “a very strong Europe.” Emmanuel Macron referred to Donald Trump as “my friend” and indicated a desire to strengthen Europe’s military spending. In December 2017, 25 European nations agreed to be part of a military alliance called PESCO. Europe also has NATO and IEI. Will Europe end up with “a great army”? Has Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty gotten some to say that Europe must rebel against the USA? Is the idea of a United States of Europe and a European army a “paranoid fantasy” or a biblical reality? Will the USA regret Europe becoming a stronger military power? Will the USA be betrayed by “friends” such as its continental European allies? Does the Bible teach any or all of this? Are there connections to the Beast of Revelation or the King of the North of Daniel 11? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters in this video.

Here is a link to that video: PESCO and a Great European Army.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about WWIII’s timing and how he thought it would begin:

World War 3 brings with it THE GREAT TRIBULATION. That is now next in order. But Jesus, in foretelling this chain of world events, said the GREAT TRIBULATION would be preceded by the world-wide proclaiming of HIS Gospel. “The GOSPEL must first be published among all nations,” said Jesus (Mark 13:10), or, as recorded by Matthew (24:14): “This Gospel OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto ALL NATIONS; and THEN shall the END (of the world) come.” (Armstrong HW. Brethren and Co-Worker Letter, May 22, 1953)

Matthew 24:15…That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beasts armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). … We have reached the time just before a “United States of Europe” restores the “Holy Roman Empire,” under the papacy, in a union of church and state. (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).

Notice that the UK, USA, and Canada are mentioned in the above writing.

Something that resembles nuclear devastation is one of the prophesied curses mentioned in the Bible:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 28 And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ 29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:23-29).

6…He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 6-7)

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand
And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah (Isaiah 9:19-21).

The above descriptions are consistent with a nuclear or similar attack. Manasseh represents the USA and Ephraim its British-descended allies. THIS HAS NOT YET HAPPENED IN HISTORY AND IS A PROPHECY FOR OUR TIME. While Israel was uprooted historically, the land did not burn up or become brimstone. Deuteronomy 29:23-29 provides one reason why most Protestants and most others that profess Christ do not understand these prophecies–they do not do the words of the law that God expects His people to do today.

Some may say that Europe does not have its own arsenal of nuclear weapons. Yet, France does.

Furthermore, US nuclear weapons in Europe are under substantial control of the Europeans themselves.

Related to that, we made the following video:

15:27

Nuclear bombers for the Beast?

It is reported that the Germans are looking for a new bomber to be able to be used to deliver US B61-12 atomic bombs. Does Germany already have access to American nuclear weapons it can now use? What about Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands? Has there been increased interest in more independent European nuclear capacity since the election of US President Donald Trump? What has Berthold Kohler, Herbert W. Armstrong, Nigel Farage, Jean-Claude Juncker, and Maximilian Terhalle said about Europe’s militaristic ambitions? What about Bible prophecy? Could the Great Tribulation begin with a thermonuclear strike? What has Time, NTI, and Global Research reported about European nuclear weapons available to European nations? Is a nuclear attack consistent with prophecies? Might the coming Beast use nuclear weapons against the USA? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Nuclear bombers for the Beast?

Contrary to the beliefs of many (including Strategic Culture), WWIII will involve the destruction of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon-Celtic descended allies. by a power based in Europe.

Europe is upset with the US and it is rigorously planning and working on its own military.

Eventually, this will result in the destruction of the US (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
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: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic 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?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
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? 2027 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2020, 2021, or 2022? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿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 and newer video is: Could the Great Tribulation Begin in 2020?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
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.
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.
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? Two YouTube video are Is China THE Threat to the United States of America? and China: A King of the East.
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? What about the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New Who were the Samaritans? Do the represent true Christianity or something else? Here is a link to a related sermon: USA in Prophecy: Samaria.
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? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
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.

COGwriter

The impact of the ‘Wuhan coronavirus’ continues to grow:

January 26, 2020

(CNN) A third case of coronavirus has been confirmed in the United States as a top Chinese health official delivered some worrisome news about efforts to contain the fast-moving virus. …

News of the latest American case comes as Chinese Health Minister Ma Xiaowei delivered the worrisome revelation that people can spread the virus before they have symptoms — which a veteran US health adviser called a “game changer,” but not in a good way. It calls into question current US practices to contain the virus, Dr. William Schaffner, a longtime adviser to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said. “When I heard this, I thought, ‘Oh dear, this is worse than we anticipated.’ It means the infection is much more contagious than we originally thought,” said Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. If Ma is correct — and information about this virus is constantly evolving — people can go two weeks without realizing they’re sick, during which time they can spread the virus, which has killed more than 50 people in China. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/26/us/coronavirus-orange-county/index.html

January 26, 2020

BEIJING (AP) — A new viral illness being watched with a wary eye around the globe accelerated its spread in China on Sunday with 56 deaths so far, while the U.S. Consulate in the city at the epicenter announced it will evacuate its personnel and some private citizens aboard a charter flight.

China’s health minister said the country was entering a “crucial stage” as “it seems like the ability of the virus to spread is getting stronger.”

Related stories

• – California patient is 3rd US case of new virus from China
• – What’s new in the China virus outbreak

Ma Xiaowei declined to estimate how long it would take to bring the situation under control, but said travel restrictions and other strict measures should bring results “at the lowest cost and fastest speed.” …

The latest figures reported Sunday morning cover the previous 24 hours and mark an increase of 15 deaths and 688 cases for a total of 1,975 infections.

The government also reported five cases in Hong Kong and two in Macao. Small numbers of cases have been found in Thailand, Taiwan Japan, South Korea, the U.S., Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France and Australia.

The U.S. has confirmed cases in Washington state, Chicago, and most recently Southern California. Canada said it discovered its first case, a man in his 50s who was in Wuhan before flying to Toronto. Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea each reported one new case Sunday, while Thailand reported three new cases. …

Chinese authorities announced a temporary ban on the trade of wild animals Sunday, saying they will “severely investigate and punish” violators. They also called on the public to refrain from eating wild animal meat. https://apnews.com/6e3165077bc60bd14f2c2d031c2e6272

January 26, 2020

With SARS, the virus came initially from bats and then was passed, apparently, to civet cats and eventually to humans. Initial indications point to the new coronavirus, too, having come from bats, but it isn’t yet known how it made its way to humans.

Coronaviruses have proven themselves masters at jumping from one species to another, and how they affect each species can differ greatly. An infection hardly noticeable in a wild animal, perhaps a civet cat, may spread easily to the next cage, whether that cage houses more civets or another mammalian species. With coronaviruses, the jump from species to species appears to happen fairly easily.

The massive poultry farms of Asia, which may house as many as 5 million chickens, present a different but also potentially lethal source of human infection. There, viruses such as influenza become highly adapted and, in crowded circumstances, ever more deadly to chickens, as there is no cost to the virus if it’s lethal — the next host is only a beak away. These virulent avian influenzas can and have killed people. But humans have to catch them directly from the birds. Because they have become so precisely adapted to chickens, the viruses have little potential for human-to-human transmission.

The same evolutionary process can occur on massive pig farms, and can be even more dangerous to people, since people are more like pigs than like chickens. The deadly 2009 swine flu pandemic sprang out of one such massive pig farm in Veracruz, Mexico, where hundreds of pigs died in an outbreak that eventually moved into people.

Caging different wild beasts together by the hundreds or thousands, as in a wet market, can produce a particularly dangerous environment for infectious diseases like coronaviruses. Not only is there an array of possible host species, but large numbers of humans are brought into close contact with the animals, too. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-26/new-and-dangerous-coronaviruses-will-keep-emerging-until-we-focus-on-preventing-them

One study suggested a snake may have brought the virus to the market,  but other experts were skeptical. The search for a definitive source continued.

A price list circulated on Chinese social media showed snakes, hedgehogs, peacocks, civet cats, scorpions, centipedes and more for sale at the market.

It’s not the first time these markets have bred a new disease, and experts said it probably won’t be the last. Severe acute respiratory syndrome, better known as SARS, originated at a similar market in China in 2002. It ultimately claimed nearly 800 lives.

Bird flu spread in these markets in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The H5N1 strain of influenza has killed 455 people since 2003.

Without proper sanitation and animal handling, health officials said, these markets can be spawning grounds for diseases.

Live animal markets are found across the developing world, especially in Asia and Africa.

Most animals sold there are healthy. But in the crowded conditions at these markets, one sick animal can infect many more, experts said.

Wild cards

Wild animals introduce a dangerous wild card.

For example, civet cats carried the virus that caused SARS. But scientists think the virus originated in bats.

“In the normal world, these species would never meet,” said veterinarian Tony Goldberg, associate director for research at the University of Wisconsin Global Health Institute.

“But in these live animal markets, they brought those two species together,” he said. “And when you do that in these tight, crowded, stressful conditions, you create every opportunity for these viruses to jump host species.”

The virus could spread when a vendor butchers an animal. Or a sick animal could spread it through its saliva, urine, feces or other secretions. 01/25/20 https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/live-animal-markets-worldwide-can-spawn-diseases-experts-say

So, eating biblical unclean animals seems to be the most promoted cause of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

Notice also the following:

The Chinese government forced the host of a TV show which popularized eating bats to apologize in the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak, which scientists have linked to the consumption of wild animals.

Bat soup is a delicacy in some areas of China and was known to be sold at the illegal animal market in Wuhan blamed for being the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.

A show called Beauty Eats Bats which originally launched in 2016 was blamed for re-invigorating the trend of eating bats across the country, prompting the Chinese Communist Party to demand that its female host discourage the consumption of bats.

The woman featured in the clip took to social media to profusely apologize for her role in encouraging the consumption of bats and encouraged everyone to start washing their hands more.

 

【“吃蝙蝠”視頻瘋傳 當事人：為自己的無知道歉】隨著新型冠狀病毒感染的肺炎疫情消息不斷從“一線陣地”傳來，被研究認為是病毒自然宿主的蝙蝠，引起網友關注。近日，一段上線於2016年6月的“美女吃蝙蝠”視頻被網友扒出，女主持也因吃蝙蝠而被網友聲討。 22日，涉事主持汪某表示為自己曾經的無知道歉。 pic.twitter.com/sNeEPuCjbU

— 人民日報 People’s Daily (@PDChinese) January 25, 2020

… 56 million Chinese citizens have now been quarantined, with Chinese authorities claiming that around 1300 people have been infected so far.

However, according to one hospital worker in Wuhan, the government is lying and over 100,000 people have actually been infected. https://summit.news/2020/01/25/chinese-government-forces-tv-host-who-popularized-eating-bats-to-apologize/

While I believe that consumption of biblically unclean meat was likely a factor in the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, there are other theories. Such as:

Coronavirus Bioweapon – How China Stole Coronavirus From Canada And Weaponized It

By

GreatGameIndia – January 26, 2020

Last year a mysterious shipment was caught smuggling Coronavirus from Canada. It was traced to Chinese agents working at a Canadian lab. Subsequent investigation by GreatGameIndia linked the agents to Chinese Biological Warfare Program from where the virus is suspected to have leaked causing the Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak. …

This Winnipeg based Canadian lab was targeted by Chinese agents in what could be termed as Biological Espionage.

Chinese Biological Espionage

In March 2019, in mysterious event a shipment of exceptionally virulent viruses from Canada’s NML ended up in China. The event caused a major scandal with Bio-warfare experts questioning why Canada was sending lethal viruses to China. Scientists from NML said the highly lethal viruses were a potential bio-weapon.

Following investigation, the incident was traced to Chinese agents working at NML. Four months later in July 2019, a group of Chinese virologists were forcibly dispatched from the Canadian National Microbiology Laboratory (NML). The NML is Canada’s only level-4 facility and one of only a few in North America equipped to handle the world’s deadliest diseases, including Ebola, SARS, Coronavirus, etc. http://greatgameindia.com/coronavirus-bioweapon/

The reality is that there is a biological research center in Wuhan, China. It already had something like the current coronavirus prior to 2019.

Do I believe that the Chinese intentionally released it?

No.

Do I believe that it is possible that unclean meat issues were a factor in the Wuhan coronavirus?

Yes.

Do I believe it is possible that there could be any connection to the Wuhan biological research center?

Yes.

However, irrespective of HOW this virus got going, the reality is that it has and is spreading.

Consider the following words of Jesus:

11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; (Luke 21:11)

8 And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

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

Coronaviruses are a type of pestilence consistent with troubles and sorrows.

As Jesus said, “Watch!”

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; a short video is also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food?
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Some related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
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.
Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God What are some of the main differences? Are there any similarities? A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras? Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
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? 2027 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2020, 2021, or 2022? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿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 and newer video is: Could the Great Tribulation Begin in 2020?

COGwriter

Charles Dicken’s classic, A Tale of Two Cities, starts off with the following:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Which is it in 2020? What about the 2020s?

Related to that, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video for our Bible News Prophecy program:

22:28

2020s: The Best of Times or the Worst of Times?

Are these the best of times or the worst of times? Are they really different than past times? Will the decade of the 2020s be the best of times or the worst of times? Which should it be for Philadelphian Christians? It has been claimed that 2019 was “the best year in human history”–why? Forbes has claimed “The 2020s might be the worst decade in U.S. history?” What is going right? What is better now? Are the warnings of Sodom and Gomorrah relevant in the 21st century? What things are going wrong now? Is disaster coming? What are some of the indications? What should faithful Christians be doing? Should these be the best of times for you? Is disaster going to hit the USA and the world? What, if anything, should you do about it? Are you better off alone or to respond to the warnings in Zephaniah 2:1-3 as well as those Jesus gave in Matthew 24-25, and Luke 17 and 21? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.

Here is a link to the video: 2020s: The Best of Times or the Worst of Times?

Some items of related interest may include:

20 items to prophetically watch in 2020 Much is happening. Dr. Thiel points to 20 items to watch (cf. Mark 13:37) in this article. Here is a link to a related sermon: 20 Prophetic Items to Watch in 2020.
CCOG’s 7 years of Restoration Is the CCOG doing what God expects? Does it have the fruits Jesus talked about. Have many onlookers have not properly understood various scriptures? What are signs of God’s blessing? What does CCOG expect for the future? Here is a link to a related sermon: CCOG: 7 years of Restoration.
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? 2027 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2020, 2021, or 2022? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿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 and newer video is: Could the Great Tribulation Begin in 2020?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
Independent/Unaffiliated: Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about being independent of the organized Church? Should independents who claim to accept Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings support the end time Philadelphian work? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Unity. Watch also Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near 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. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and 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?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors? Most real Christians in the last days are Laodicean and hold to prophetic errors which, unless they repent, will prevent them from being protected from the coming Great Tribulation.
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? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and 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.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.What is Your Destiny? Deification? Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God? What is your ultimate destiny? What does the Bible teach? Is deification only a weird or cultic idea? Are you to rule the universe? Here is a link to the video sermon What is Your Destiny?
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
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.
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? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
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 is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
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.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them there.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Here is a link to a short intro: ContinuingCOG Channel.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo.
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.

Desert locust (Arpingstone)

COGwriter

CBS reported the following:

Locust outbreak in Kenya is worst in 70 years: “Even cows are wondering what is happening”

January 25, 2019

Katitika, Kenya – The worst outbreak of desert locusts in Kenya in 70 years has seen hundreds of millions of the bugs swarm into the East African nation from Somalia and Ethiopia. Those two countries have not had an infestation like this in a quarter-century, destroying farmland and threatening an already vulnerable region with devastating hunger.

“Even cows are wondering what is happening,” said Ndunda Makanga, who spent hours Friday trying to chase the locusts from his farm. “Corn, sorghum, cowpeas, they have eaten everything.”

Even a small swarm of the insects can consume enough food for 35,000 people in a single day, said Jens Laerke of the U.N. humanitarian office in Geneva.  …

“The locals are really scared because they can consume everything,” said Francis Kitoo, deputy director of agriculture in southeastern Kenya’s Kitui county. “I’ve never seen such a big number.”

The locusts eat the fodder for animals, a crucial source of livelihood for families who now worry how they will pay for expenses like school fees, he said. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/locust-outbreak-in-kenya-is-worst-in-70-years-even-cows-are-wondering-what-is-happening-20202-01-25/

Locusts hit various areas from time to time, but this seems unusual intense.

The old Worldwide Church of God published the following last century:

The Prophet Joel was inspired to write:

“Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come” (Joel 1:15).

This “Day of the Lord” refers to God’s intervention in mankind’s affairs — His return to restore peace and order to a world full of sick societies. Joel’s first chapter describes some of the events which will lead up to the grand climax of the Day of the Lord as described in Chapter 2. Here in the modern language of the Living Prophecies translation is what chapter 1 says:

“Listen, you aged men of Israel [the leaders of modern-day Great Britain and the United States of America]! Everyone, listen! In all your lifetime, yes, in all your history, have you ever heard of such a thing as I am going to tell you? In years to come, tell your children about it; pass the awful story down from generation to generation” (verses 2-3).

Yes, an event utterly unprecedented in history is about to be described! Here is what that event is:

“For after the cutter-locusts finish eating your crops, the swarmer-locusts will take what’s left! After them will come the hopper-locusts! And then the stripper-locusts, too!… A vast army of locusts covers the land. It is a terrible army too numerous to count, with teeth as sharp as those of lions!

They have ruined My vines and stripped the bark from the fig trees, leaving trunks and branches white and bare” (verses 4-7).

As man uses stronger and stronger insecticides, the insect pests adapt and become ever more difficult to kill. At least in part, God will probably use this very condition to bring famine upon us.

The prophecy continues:

“The fields are bare of crops. Sorrow and sadness are everywhere. The grain, the grapes, the olive oil are gone. Well may you farmers stand so shocked and stricken; well may you vinedressers weep. Weep for (he wheat and the barley too. for they are gone. The grapevines are dead; the fig trees are dying; the pomegranates wither; the apples shrivel on the trees; all joy has withered with them. Our food will disappear before our eyes… the seed rots in the ground; the barns and granaries are empty; the grain has dried up in the fields (verses 10-17).

Notice it! Our vaunted grain surpluses will be gone!

“The cattle groan with hunger; the herds stand perplexed for there is no pasture for them; the sheep bleat in misery. Lord help us! For the heat has withered the pastures and burned up all the trees. Even the wild animals cry to You for help, for there is no water for them. The creeks are dry and the pastures are scorched” (verses 18-20).

What horrible conditions! When these things begin to come about, people will start to go hungry:

“And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied” (Lev. 26:26). (Walter EM. Famine in Prophecy. Tomorrows World, November 1969).

Yes, locusts, even when they are not fulfilling prophecies such as in the Book of Joel can lead to food shortages and other problems.

That being said, Jesus Himself warned that the “signs” of the end of the age would include pestilences and famines:

7…And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:6-8)

11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11)

Reducing food supplies can lead to famines.

In the sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation, the ride of four horsemen are described. The passages about the third and  fourth horseman are as follows:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:5-8)

So, the opening of the fourth seal is the time that the pale horse of death is apparently increasing death by war, hunger, and pestilences (the beasts of the earth).

We are not there yet, but we do seem to be in the “beginning of sorrows” that Jesus foretold.

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

25:16

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming?

Yes, we believe that a version of the ten plagues that affected Egypt will come again–‘locusts’  of some sort are part of that–though what is currently happening in Kenya is not that.

That being said, those affected in Kenya are in my prayers.

Beyond that, Kenya is a place in Africa we have regularly assisted with food and other matters. If we see famine in certain areas there, we will likely assist further, as providing support for Africans is something that we in the Continuing Church of God do (see also Letter to the Brethren: January 23, 2020).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Some related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
EXODUS Exodus sermons include Exodus 1-4: Jewish Myths or Lessons for Christians Today?, Exodus 5-7: Serpents, Blood, and Revelation, Exodus 8-9: Plagues and Prophecy, Exodus 10-12: The Last Plagues & 21st Century Prophecies, and Exodus 13-15: Passover Protection and Armageddon. There is also more, such as the article: When was the Exodus? Did it Happen? Some deny the biblical account of the Exodus. Was Ramses II the pharaoh then? When did the Exodus occur?  Is there proof outside of the Bible that there was an Exodus? Here is a related article in the Spanish language: ¿Cuándo fue el Éxodo? ¿Ocurrió realmente? Also: Reasons, Proofs, and Ramifications of the Ten Plagues of Exodus What do you know about these plagues? What happened to the ‘gods of Egypt’? Is there any confirmation outside the Bible? Might something worse be coming? A related two-part sermon is available: Egypt and the Plagues (Part 1) and Exodus Plagues and Prophecy (Part 2). Also: Exodus and the Days of Unleavened Bread This article discusses parts of the Book of Exodus with some connections to the Days of Unleavened Bread. Related sermons are available Exodus 1-4: Jewish Myths or Lessons for Christians Today?, Exodus 5-7: Serpents, Blood, and Revelation, Exodus 8-9: Plagues and Prophecy and Unleavened Bread: Lessons in Exodus.
The Philadelphia Remnant: It’s All About Love This is what CCOG teaches. It is important to remember. A related video is available: Nairobi Conference: All About Love.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
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? 2027 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2020, 2021, or 2022? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿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 and newer video is: Could the Great Tribulation Begin in 2020?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.

COGwriter

Many people want to win the lottery. Even those who rarely get involved tend to get lottery fever when the jackpot gets high enough.

It was reported that someone in North Carolina has won the lottery again:

January 25, 2020

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina woman seems to have a knack for winning lottery scratch-off games.

The N.C. Education Lottery says in a news release that Linda Tate of Durham won a $1 million prize this week after playing the $10,000,000 Colossal Cash scratch-off game.

In August 2018, Tate won $4 million after playing Millionaire Bucks.

After required state and federal taxes were withheld, Tate took home $424,509 for her latest triumph. https://apnews.com/6fc570bbbcf461758a3f60488c1ca421

In the above report, we see that Linda Tate was not satisfied after winning USD$4,000,000, since she kept gambling. We also see that she ended up with less than 1/2 the USD1,000,000 she was declared to have won.

Is it always a good thing to actually win the lottery?

Notice something from the past about the ‘success’ of the ‘winners’:

The ‘curse’ of winning the lottery?

February 6, 2018

Be careful what you wish for.

The New Hampshire woman who won the $559.7 million Powerball jackpot last month is refusing to claim her prize until she’s assured anonymity. And she may have a compelling reason to seek the guarantee.

It turns out winning a jackpot of millions or even thousands of dollars can lead to financial ruin — or even death. Several recent lottery winners have turned up dead in communities across the country. …

Sometimes hitting the jackpot simply brings “more problems,” as rapper Notorious B.I.G. put it. …

“Of the thousands of lottery winners I knew, a few were happy and a few lived happily ever after,” Edward Ugel, author of Money for Nothing: One Man’s Journey Through the Dark Side of Lottery Millions, told the Daily Beast. “But you would be blown away to see how many winners wish they’d never won.” http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/06/curse-winning-lottery.html

January 12, 2016

If you win the $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot, you may not be as lucky as you may think. Many winners befall the so-called curse of the lottery, with some squandering their fortunes and others meeting tragic ends.

“So many of them wind up unhappy or wind up broke. People have had terrible things happen,” said Don McNay, 56, a financial consultant to lottery winners and the author of Life Lessons from the Lottery. “People commit suicide. People run though their money. Easy comes, easy goes. They go through divorce or people die.”

“It’s just upheaval that they’re not ready for,” McNay told TIME on Tuesday. “It’s the curse of the lottery because it made their lives worse instead of improving them.”

About 70 percent of people who suddenly receive a windfall of cash will lose it within a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education. http://time.com/4176128/powerball-jackpot-lottery-winners/.

So, even those who ‘win’ still lose.

Notice also:

5 reasons you don’t really want to win the lottery

December 29, 2017

No one wants to discourage you from winning, but here’s a reality check: Loot can bring some ugly into your life, so you had better be ready for it. These are the ways megabucks can megabackfire.

1. Your friends will take advantage.

Once word gets out that you have the winning ticket, you can expect everyone to try to cozy up to you, …

2. Your relationship could fail.

Money woes can strain a relationship. But those who come into big windfalls find coming into a lot of money can also overtax a relationship. …

3. You’ll have an increased risk of bankruptcy.

Given the fact that you’d have enough dough to clear up your debt, bankruptcy seems a long shot after winning the lottery. But experts say lottery winners actually are at greater risk of bankruptcy. …

4. You’ll have to fight off a host of long-lost family members.

Jeff Motske, a financial planner and president of Trilogy Financial Services, headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, says lottery winners often become targets for long-lost relatives who knock on the door with one hand and hold the other palm up. Somehow they think when one family member wins the lotto, the whole family wins the lotto. …

5. You’ll be a target for a litany of lawsuits and scams.

Hoping to carve out a chunk of your fortune, Motske says lottery winners are often targets for bogus lawsuits because everyone starts to come after them. https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/5-reasons-you-dont-want-win-lottery-money-1264.php

You also seem to have an increased risk of being killed (see http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/02/06/curse-winning-lottery.html).

The fact that Linda Tate’s name is in the news for winning, helps insure that any who know her, as well as many con artists, will be able to locate her.

Lotteries are promoted by many governments around the world.

Many people fantasize about winning the lottery.

Many are convinced winning a large amount of money will improve their lives.

Yet, that is most often not the case.

Furthermore, most lose, of course, when they buy lottery tickets.

And, as I have written for years, the lottery is a tax on the poor.

The odds of winning the lottery are worse than most other forms of gambling.

And, reports by lottery winners show that they are often less happy after they win.

Gamblers, of course, typically lose.

Many deceive themselves about what they would do with large gambling winnings. Some gamblers seem to try to make some type of deal in their heads with God, hoping that He will decide that they should win.

A decade or so ago, I recall a scene from a movie called Bruce Almighty and the lottery. The premise of the movie was someone named Bruce (played by Jim Carry) complained about God and how he did not feel that God was doing His job right. So, in the movie, God allowed Bruce to be able to hear and answer prayers for a region.

It does not take long for Bruce to get overwhelmed by the process. So, for a time he decides to give everyone whatever they asked for. So, with the next lottery ticket drawing, all those in the area Bruce was responsible for, were allowed to win. The winners all acted very pleased when they won, until they realized that each would only get a few dollars as the prize was split among all who asked ‘God’ to win in that area. They were not pleased that they had to share the winnings with so many others.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:4)

I suspect that many have prayed that God would allow them to win the lottery or other forms of gambling. Few, if any, have prayed that someone they are not close to, will win.

Years ago, I reported about gambling losses per adult by nation. Here is a listing, from that post, of the nations whose people lost the most money per adult:

1. Australia
2. Singapore
3. Finland
4. New Zealand
5. United States
6. Italy
7. Ireland
8. Norway
9. Canada
10. Sweden
11. Britain

It was interesting to note that the American and Anglo-Saxon nations had six of the eleven top biggest gambling losing nations in the world.

Gambling often gets people to be focused on getting something for nothing.

I believe that public lotteries often demotivate people to improve themselves financially. Many seem to give up on improving themselves and rely on buying lottery tickets as a means to tell themselves that they are trying to get out of poverty and other financial worries.

Instead of working harder, getting better job training, and/or improving education, many poor resign themselves that the lottery is their answer. They do not understand, What is the Meaning of Life?

Many purchasers of lottery tickets also do not heed the following:

31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Instead of seeking first the Kingdom of God, they seek to get from others.

Of course, that is not limited to lottery ticket purchasers, but their focus suggests the way of get and not the loving way of give (though there can be exceptions).

Lotteries are not the answer. Lotteries are not good for humanity. Governments should not promote them.

Some items of possibly related interest include:

Gambling and Sin: Is it a Sin for Christians to Gamble? What does the Bible reveal? A related video is Gambling: A Covetous Sin?
Ending Your FINANCIAL WORRIES How can people help themselves and others financially? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. A video of related interest would be: Dealing With Financial Worries.
Tithing Questions and Some Answers Answers questions about tithing and also addresses some non-biblical arguments against tithing. Should people tithe? Here is a link to a related video sermon Tithing Answers from the Bible.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
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 Herbert W. Armstrong had seven laws that he felt could 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.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
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: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic 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?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
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 Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
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 lif