However, as I have also commented, we may be near the time that Jesus referred to as the “beginning of sorrows”.
Now, in what seems to be an unprecedented move, rice is effectively being rationed by two large USA retailers:
Sam’s Club, Costco Limit Rice Sales
AP
Posted: 2008-04-24 08:20:40
The two biggest U.S. warehouse retail chains are limiting how much rice customers can buy because of what Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., called on Wednesday “recent supply and demand trends.”
This is in addition to moves by several governments throughout the world. There have even been reports that the USA government may get involved.
The broader chain of Wal-Mart stores has no plans to limit food purchases.
The move comes as U.S. rice futures hit a record high amid global food inflation, although one rice expert said the warehouse chains may be reacting less to any shortages than to stockpiling by restaurants and small stores.
Sam’s Club followed Seattle-based Costco Wholesale Corp., which put limits in at least some stores on bulk rice purchases.
Sam’s Club declined to say if this is first time it has restricted sales of bulk foods. The limits affect 20-pound bags, not retail-sized portions. Costco could not immediately be reached for comment on its limits or whether they are the first ever. http://money.aol.com/news/articles/shopping/_a/sams-club-costco-limit-rice-sales/20080423163209990001
Several governments have also reduced/eliminated exports of rice. And there are reports that the government of the USA is considering some type of restrictions on grain purchases. Rice is the major source of food for much of the Asian world. It is a vitally important crop.
In the Book of Matthew, Jesus taught:
And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7-8).
And while there have been earthquakes in various places in the past week or so, there have not yet been major crop failures. Thus, we may be just before the time that Jesus referred to as the “beginning of sorrows”.
Furthermore, notice that it is not until another set of verses come to pass that Jesus says that the great tribulation will begin. Again notice Matthew 24:
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).
And while things such as limited rice rationing point to coming disaster in the future, at the most, currently we are near what Jesus called the beginning of sorrows, prior to the great tribulation.
Three articles of prophetic interest may include:
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012? Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies 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? Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
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For the past several years, I have felt that the United States would get a Democrat as its president in the 2008 elections, who, I have suspected, will probably gain re-election in 2012. Those are basically some speculations on my part.
Wikipedia reports this about the Democratic candidate presidential Barack Obama:
Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. … is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. He married in 1992 and has two daughters. Obama has written two books: a memoir of his youth titled Dreams from My Father, and The Audacity of Hope, a personal commentary on U.S. politics.
Born to a Kenyan father and an American mother, he passed most of his childhood and adolescent years in Honolulu, Hawaii. At age six, he moved to Jakarta where he lived with his mother and Indonesian stepfather for four years.
Thus, one born of a Kenyan father who lived in Indonesia might become the president of the United States. Perhaps I should mention that I do not plan to discuss his politics, to any major degree, at this webpage.
Prophet Of Barack Obama Warns Of Catastrophic US Destruction
By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers
Reports from the United States today are trumpeting the primary election victories of US Senator Barack Obama…
However, not to Senator Obama should these American people be looking for their greatest insight into this man, and their future, but rather their attention should be placed upon last centuries great Kenyan Prophet, Johanwa Owalo, the founder of Kenya’s Nomiya Luo Church, and who among the Kenya people of the Luo religion is believed to be a prophet similar to Jesus Christ and Muhammad, and who in 1912 made this horrific prophecy about the United States:
“So far have they [the United States] strayed into wickedness in those [future] times that their destruction has been sealed by my [father]. Their great cities will burn, their crops and cattle will suffer disease and death, their children will perish from diseases never seen upon this Earth, and I reveal to you the greatest [mystery] of all as I have been allowed to see that their [the United States] destruction will come about through the vengeful hands of one of our very own sons.” [1]
Now, I have searched the net and NOT been able to find the actual text (Visions of the Great Nyasaye) cited in the article above, hence it could all be made up. But if not, it is certainly an interesting possible prophecy about Obama.
(UPDATE 8/23/08: Today I went to the official Barack Obama website and clicked on the link that brought me to his “Fight the Smears” page. I had hoped that if this “prophecy” related to Barack Obama was an internet hoax, that by now the Obama campaign would have tried to deal with it. Since this item is not one of the many that the page attempts to dispel, I have concluded that either this “prophecy” was written many decades ago or it is simply not enough of an issue for the Obama campaign to involve itself with. I will be happy to place an update to this article if it is shown that there is not an old prophecy in Kenya regarding a “son of Kenya” being associated with the destruction of the United States.)
Of course, it is absolutely true that Barack Obama is the son of a Kenyan. Here is what the official Barack Obama website reported:
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British…Barack’s father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.)
The article by Sorcha Faal continued with:
To the greatest accuracy of the Kenyan Prophet Johanwa Owalo’s words we must note the striking coincidence that this nearly 100-year-old prophecy seemingly echoes into our troubled times, Senator Obama does appear to be the fulfillment of this prophecy as he is, indeed, a ‘son’ of the Kenyan Luo tribal religion (a mixture of Christianity and African tribal beliefs) as he was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Barack Obama, Sr. (born in Nyanza Province, Kenya, of Luo ethnicity) and Stanley Ann Dunham (who was given her fathers first name).
Even more interesting, perhaps, is that this son of the Kenyan Luo peoples, Barack Obama, is seeking to become the leader of the United States at the exact same time that the Nation of his father is in crisis due to the flawed, and as some say ‘stolen’, election which has plunged the Kenyan peopleinto tribal warfare which has claimed over 1,000 lives, and which many of the of the Luo’s believe is ushering in the times predicted by their Prophet Johanwa Owalo…
But whether that specific “prophecy” is real or not, the truth is that I will speculate that if Barack Obama is President of the United States after 2012, that it is certainly possible that the destruction (including invasion by the rising European Beast power) will happen in the 2013-2017 time frame.
But again, I also feel the same if Hillary Clinton or John McCain are in office then. (Hillary Clinton, though, is in a special category–for information on that, please see Might Hillary Clinton Partially Fulfill Bible Prophecy?) (Update 8/30/08: as John McCain selected a woman to be his vice president, the following news item might be of interest Might Sarah Palin Fulfill Prophecy?)
However, the so-called “Obama prophecy” was interesting to me–even though I still suspect that someone could have made it up.
Whether it is real or not, the following scripture, clearly is:
The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower (Deuteronomy 28:43).
Although an American, as an African-American that lived in Indonesia, Barack Obama would certainly seem to biblically qualify as an alien (as of course, do all the illegal aliens in the United States–though Barack Obama’s legal status is not a question for me). If he becomes president of the United States then perhaps there are many “Obama prophecies” that he will fulfill as the above verse could possibly be discussing Barack Obama in prophecy. But I want to be clear that I do not believe that there is any Barack Obama antichrist prophecy as Barack Obama cannot be the final antichrist (for details, see Barack Obama is Not the Antichrist).
I believe we are certainly getting close to the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)–and it is probable that Barack Obama and/or Hillary Clinton (they possibly could team up somehow–including with cabinet positions) will have a role in fulfilling biblical prophecies.
UPDATE 11/01/10: Since writing this originally, I produced an article titled Prophecies of Barack Obama? This documented article has enough items that even prophecy skeptics will be surprised.
UPDATE 09/22/11. Chapter 8 of my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect is titled Barack Obama, Islam, and the End of America. Since my book came out in mid-late 2009, at least 7 predictions related to the Barack Obama Administration have already some to pass–some of these are astounding and not in my other articles. Additionally, world events have at least partially aligned with at least two other predictions related to his administration in 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Those who order the book at http://www.thesecretsect.com and ask for the free bonus report on world events that have already aligned with predictions in the book can get an up-to-date documented list of them (currently at least 17). The other biblically-based predictions in 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect will also come to pass . And this includes ultimately, the destructive end of the United States of America. If you have not already read it, is not now the time to learn what is going to happen? The book is 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, order your copy today.
UPDATE 01/20/2013 Want to learn more? The Barack Obama Administration has already began to fulfill at least a dozen predictions from my 2009 book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. I have now greatly expanded my research on prophecies associated with Barack Obama and now have a new book available for only US$9.98. It is titled Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and what will happen to the United States.
Those interested in end-time events may wish to read the following articles:
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? This fairly detailed article is the longest on “Obama prophecies” at the cogwriter website and contains information from biblical and non-biblical sources that show how Barack Obama may lead to the rise of the Beast and the King of the South. It also discusses his religion and how that may play a role. Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013 or 2014? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? 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”? Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies 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? Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future?
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We are pleased to make two announcements. Our online graduate program will now be known as Grace Communion Seminary; secondly, we are opening enrollment to WCG members who have bachelor degrees.
The name Grace Communion Seminary (GCS) has been adopted as an appropriate description of the theological content and level of our online graduate program. Ambassador College, a California Corporation, will now be doing business as Grace Communion Seminary…
“Assimilating New People” seminar…
Randy Bloom (a member of the CAD Ministry Development Team)… conducted this workshop for Abundant Grace Fellowship in Ft. Myers, FL…
The truth is that WCG is using the term “grace” a lot these days. However, notice what the NIV teaches about some who did that:
They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality (Jude 4, NIV).
And truly, that is what happened to WCG. Those there simply do not understand grace. WCG now teaches license to sin, but they like to use the term grace as a cover.
They really need to study what the Bible really teaches.
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
Posted in WCG News | Comments Off on WCG, Grace, and License
April 22nd is called “Earth Day”. So this morning’s post will mainly concern the planet.
Some people believe that humans are causing global warming. Others vehemently deny that.
What I do know is that humans pollute and burn a lot of fossil fuels.
A news item that came out this past Sunday was interesting:
Independent – April 20, 2008
Pollution is dulling the scent of flowers and impeding some of the most basic processes of nature, disrupting insect life and imperilling food supplies, a new study suggests.
The potentially hugely significant research – funded by the blue-chip US National Science Foundation – has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions of car exhausts prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects in order to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects’ ability to repel enemies and attract mates may also be impeded.
The researchers – at the University of Virginia – say that pollution is dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent of flowers. Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said: “Scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 metres. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 metres. This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers.”
The researchers – who worked on the scent given off by snapdragons – found that the molecules are volatile, and quickly bond with pollutants such as ozone and nitrate radicals, mainly formed from vehicle emissions. This chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A vicious cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food and the plants do not get pollinated enough to proliferate.
Already bees – which pollinate most of the world’s crops – are in unprecedented decline in Britain and across much of the globe. At least a quarter of America’s 2.5 million honey bee colonies have been mysteriously wiped out by colony collapse disorder (CCD), where hives are found suddenly deserted.
The crisis has now spread to Europe. Politicians insist that CCD has not yet been found in Britain, but the insects have been declining here too, and the agriculture minister Lord Rooker has warned that “the honey bee population could be wiped out in 10 years”.
Bees are essential for the pollination of many plants that humans rely on for food. And there is no doubt that humans are the major cause of urban air pollution.
Actually, the Bible indicates that environmental factors will affect the food supply:
The vine has dried up, And the fig tree has withered; The pomegranate tree, The palm tree also, And the apple tree–All the trees of the field are withered; Surely joy has withered away from the sons of men (Joel 1:12).
Whether or not humans are the main cause of glacial melting or it is due to cyclical weather patterns, the Bible shows that the earth will warm-up and become very hot:
Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory (Revelation 16:8-9).
And while massive repentance is possible (Acts 2:38) to prevent disaster, various scriptures indicate that this will not happen.
Although the Bible does not specify that humans have had a specific part in glacial warming, it does teach that humans will suffer for destroying the earth:
The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).
Bible prophecy also shows that there will be enough climate change (probably from combinations of heat and earthquakes) that most of the islands will be gone:
Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great (Revelation 16:17-21).
The glaciers will continue to melt, humans will apparently continue to pollute, but God will put a stop to it.
And while people all over the earth will be affected by God’s wrath, those who live in islands have real reasons to be concerned about glacial melting.
A series of monthly public forums will be held in five large U.S. cities starting in June to discuss how Jesus would vote in the November election.
The 2008 “How Would Jesus Vote Tour” will bring together Christian leaders across the political spectrum to debate what biblical values should influence the voting decisions of believers. It kicks off in June in Richmond, Virginia, and then heads to Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC, where it wraps up in October.
The tour is the brainchild of Silver Spring, Maryland, pastor Bruce Clark, who has invited Christian leaders from across the political spectrum to take part in the panel discussions.
“The goal of the forum is not to tell the audience who to vote for,” he explains, “but it is to raise the issue that there are biblical values that we can bring to bear when we go in the voting booth. What are those? And also to say to the church that, yes, while some of us have a more conservative view of the world and while there are others who have a more liberal view of the world, we are essentially on the same team because we name the name of Jesus Christ. As such, why don’t we sit at the same table and at least have a dialogue?” Clark points out. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=76806
The question, however, is not HOW would Jesus vote, but WOULD Jesus vote?
Real Christian leaders should know the answer to that.
Should Christians keep the days of unleavened bread?
Strangely, most who profess Christ have no idea that the days of unleavened bread for 2008 began yesterday–and runs until Saturday evening this week. Nor do the think they should keep them.
Of course, Jesus, His Disciples, Paul, and early Christians kept them.
And even though the Apostle Paul instructed Christians to keep them, most read over what the Bible clearly states on this.
While most professing Christians are aware that I Corinthians 5:7 teaches that “indeed Christ our Passover, was sacrificed for us”, they do not seem to literally observe the verse that follows. “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (I Corinthians 5:8). Actually, most professing Christians do not seem to be aware that they are supposed to keep any biblical feast. There are many reasons, though, to so do.
Perhaps before going further, I should quote and comment the entire verse of 1 Corinthians 5:7:
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Notice clearly that the Corinthians must have been observing the Days of Unleavened Bread because the Apostle Paul stated “you truly are unleavened”. The problem that the Corinthians had was that they were not unleavened spiritually. That is why Paul continued and told them to also spiritually be unleavened “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”. This is what the Bible shows that the Apostle Paul was teaching. Do you believe it?
Furthermore, in Romans 3:25 it states, “in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed”. Does this mean we are to continue is sin? Of course not! A few verses later Paul wrote, “On the contrary, we establish the law” (Rom 3:31). So while most understand that the Passover pictures a remembrance of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice (I Cor 11:24-26), many seem to not understand that we are not to continue in sin.
Why?
Maybe one of the reasons is that they do not observe the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The Worldwide Church of God officially used to teach and keep the Days of Unleavened Bread. But no longer. In the February 1999 issue of its official publication The Worldwide News (WWN), it contained the following information in an article written by Don Mear,
“We knew that Jesus commanded us to “eat his flesh and drink his blood” by taking the bread and wine of communion. And we understood that in doing so we were partaking of the Lamb of God. We did it annually because we saw the Lamb of God as being the Passover lamb, and we knew that the Passover was an annual observance. But Jesus is more than just the Passover lamb…The author of Hebrews pointed out that we Christians “have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.” His implication is that just as they had their altar to eat from, we have our own altar to eat from. And by extension, as freely as they ate from theirs, we may eat from ours. This points us to the conclusion that Christians, who under the new covenant, are a nation of priests (1 Pet. 2:9), may eat of the sacrificial Lamb of God just as freely and frequently as did those priests of the old covenant. We are not restricted to eating the Lamb of God only once a year, any more than they were. Jesus is always our sin offering; he is always our guilt offering; he is always our peace and thank offering…Thank God our Father for the communion he gives us with himself in his beloved Son!”
Although the preceding quote suggests otherwise, the fact is that priests only ate the Passover once per year.
If the Days of Unleavened Bread were always kept in conjunction with Passover (which they always are in the Bible), then the sort of logic in the WWN article would be shown to be false. If every time one consumed the symbols representing body and blood of Jesus, they also had to keep seven days of Unleavened Bread and this was done weekly, then those so doing would never consume regular bread!
Now for those that argue that keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread is just a physical thing, there are two points to consider: the point of purging leaven out is to have sin out of our life (which is spiritual) and consuming the “Lamb of God” is also physical (with spiritual implications). Doing one without the other reminds me of certain Asiatic religions which feel that spinning a prayer wheel is equivalent to spending hours in prayer. Those followers probably at least think about some deity before they spin the wheel, but is that how God really wants to be worshiped? Does He approve of other “traditions of men” over His word?
Now it is true that leaven is not always shown to be bad. Jesus even stated, “the kingdom of God…is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures till it was all leavened” (Luke 13:20-21). This parable seems to illustrate that, even though the leaven was at first hidden, in the future all will know the true religion. Which is consistent with Habakkuk 2:14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea”.
Thus, leaven may be a symbol of false religion now, but true religion in the future.
Some may wonder if early Christians kept the Days of Unleavened Bread. Well, as shown before, Paul taught that they should. But what about others?
Notice what the Catholic writer Eusebius recorded that Polycrates of Ephesus, around 195 A.D. wrote the following to the Roman Bishop Victor who, as the previous writing showed, wanted all who professed Christ to change Passover from the 14th of Nisan to Sunday:
Notice that Polycrates said that he and the other early church leaders (like the Apostles Philip and John, and their successors like Polycarp, Thraseas, Eumenia, Sagaris, Papirius, Melito) would not deviate from the Bible, and that they knew the Bible taught them to keep the Passover on the correct date, and not on a Sunday. Also notice that they always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. Polycrates also reminded the Roman bishop that true followers of Christ “obey God rather than men”.
Adventist researcher Daniel Liechty reported Sabbath-keepers in Transylvania in the 1500s and later kept the biblical Holy Days (such as the Feast of Trumpets called Day of Remembrance below) (and those are days his church does not observe):
The Sabbatarians viewed themselves as converted Gentiles.. They held to the biblical holidays. Passover they celebrated with unleavened bread…The first and last seventh day of Passover were full holidays…There is no mention of circumcision, so it is unlikely that they practiced circumcision (Liechty D. Sabbatarianism in the Sixteenth Century. Andrews University Press, Berrien Springs (MI), 1993, pp. 61-62).
Notice that in the 1600s, those who kept the days of unleavened bread were persecuted for their beliefs:
And finally, the tragic “Accord of Deés” or Complanatio Deesiana in July 1638 definitely disjoined Sabbatarians from Unitarians. Unitarians were ordered to worship Jesus, baptize in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and to allow their publications censured–a coerced “complanatio.” The “Judaizers” and those who rejected and cursed Jesus, however, were excluded even from the new amnesty. Sabbatarians were easy target of the new discriminatory law: they observed the Sabbath, therefore they farmed on Sundays, abstained from eating pork and blood, celebrated the Passover with unleavened bread, and refused baptism of their children–the very sign of their expected conversion” (Gellérd, Judit. Spiritual Jews of Szekler Jerusalem A Four-Centuries History of Transylvanian Szekler (Székely) Sabbatarianism. In Literature of Memory VI: Hope and Despair STH TS 870, Fall 2000 Professor Elie Wiesel. http://www.unitarius.hu/cffr/papers/sabbat.htm–12/14/02).
Note that the “Judaizers” are separate from “those who rejected and cursed Jesus”. In this region, there were both true Christians (the “Judaizers” who celebrated the Passover with unleavened bread, etc.) and those who rejected Christ as Messiah (hence the Judaizers were not actually unitarian).
The New Testament shows that Christians continued to keep the Days of Unleavened Bread. Historians recorded that later Christians also kept the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Since most who profess Christ do not seem to consider that the early true Christian Church was much more “Jewish” than Greco-Roman, they tend to accept Greco-Roman holidays instead of the biblical ones that God gave to the Jews, that Jesus Himself kept, and that His early followers most definitely kept.
By keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread, Christians picture that they have heard the word of God, accepted the sacrifice of Jesus, try to put the word of God into practice, and have symbolically put false religion and sin out of their lives. By keeping the Days of Unleavened Bread, Christians show that they are willing to obey God over the traditions of men.
In conclusion, as is says in I Corinthians 5:8, “Therefore let us keep the feast”.
Which Book Do You Think Christians Should Rely On?
VS. Ronald Weinland Says His Books Are What He Wants Potential Supporters to Closely Study. The COGwriter Site Instead Urges Those Interested in Him and End-Time Prophecies to Spend More Time Checking His Writings with the Bible.
Strangely, Ronald Weinland’s pre-recorded 4/19/08 church service begins with the hymn titled “In thy loving kindness Lord”. He titled his sermon It Has Begun–the 1260 Days Have Begun.
The reason that this is so strange, is that instead of loving kindness, basically Ronald Weinland calls for the death of those who point out why he is wrong.
Here are some statements from it:
We are in Jerusalem…it has been very, very, nice hear….the Harrells are with us…
Everyone has done quite well here…This sermon is filled with power and strength, if you have ears to hear…
All of this is from God…
For those of you who want to mock, I do forewarn you, you are going to cease or you will die…You see, I have a unique job and you don’t understand what that job is…You don’t understand…
You don’t understand the power of God and what He has given me to do…
And my first exercise in use of power, that God has granted me in Revelation 11, is to you, you mockers…Truly.
It begins with you, first and foremost.
You will be the first to experience…You don’t have to wait long.
For those who mock, again, from this day forward, by what you say against God’s people, by what you say against God’s truth, by what you say against God’s truths, by what you say against God’s prophets, you will suffer from sickness that will eat you from the inside out. And you will die. Your death will not be quick…
So now according to Ronald Weinland, those who point out why he is wrong do not understand and thus he calls for their deaths.
Ronald Weinland has a history of calling for death.
Notice the following from what he calls his “second book”:
The most notable deaths early on, which are yet to come to pass, will be the two remaining television presenters in the Living Church of God.
Two years later, none of those people have died yet.
However, since the people mentioned above have not been reporting much (if anything) against Ronald Weinland, he apparently is referring to people such as me as a mocker –but at least it won’t be quick 🙂 according to him this time.
And apparently those he is calling “mockers” are now to die first, before the others whose deaths he called for 2 years ago.
I, however, am NOT a mocker. I am asking people to compare Ronald Weinland’s claims with the Bible, world events, and even his prior claims.
If anyone will honestly do that, they will conclude that Ronald Weinland is a false prophet.
Nothing happened in Jerusalem on April 17th that began the 1260 days. Nothing happened anywhere in the world that fulfilled the 1335 days nor 1290 days (which were supposed to be February 22, 2008 and March 18, 2008, respectively, according to Ronald Weinland’s earlier pronouncements).
Since nothing happened, notice what else Ronald Weinland also claimed later in that same sermon:
April 17th, 2008…
You haven’t understood what was written in my book…
God began to give me what the 17th was all about…I received strength, confidence, boldness…an absolute knowing…I know my job and I’m doing it, because it started on the 17th…
So on the day of the 17th, I knew what would happen on the world scene that most people are looking for. Nothing, nothing and that is the whole point. The world doesn’t know what to look at, what to to look for, so they must be told…
My job as an end-time witness, began on the 17th…
Having said that, more will be said in the months to come, but now is the time to publicly reveal the name of the second end-time witness. It is my wife Laura. We are a family through whom God will be working to bring an end to this age and setting the stage (and much more) for the age to follow. Many will mock and ridicule, but as we go forward, this time God will place fear in those who mock Him and His servants. Power has been given to make this so…
The second book–GOD gave me what to write as I wrote…It is about the will of God…
It has begun…
The trumpet is two-fold. It is physical and it is spiritual…
Two great events happened on the 17th…But the world doesn’t grasp…The scattered church doesn’t see it yet it.
What are those two great events?…
The revelation of both of God’s two end-time witnesses…that’s a great event that began on the 17th…
And the 17th marked the identifying and the beginning of Satan’s direct power and influence of a great false prophet, the Pope of the Roman Catholic church.
So basically, Ronald Weinland seems to be saying that because he believes he is one of the two witnesses, that he received confidence on April 17, 2008. And that this is the event that marks the beginning of the 1260 days, per Revelation 11. He also said basically what I said he would about Pope Benedict (see news item April 17th is Not the Start of the Tribulation). (I should perhaps also add that I do not believe that Pope Benedict XVI is the great false prophet that the Book of Revelation warns against–nor do I believe that Satan’s influence over the Pope increased on April 17th.)
But what about all the other events? What about people fleeing Jerusalem before the start of the 1260 days of the great tribulation per Jesus statements in Matthew 24? Of the saints given into the hand of the pompous one per Daniel 7:25-27?
Instead, Ronald Weinland is claiming that the Bible simply should not be looked to, but that people who do not understand how Ronald Weinland is trying to explain HIS book are those with the problem.
How sad.
Ronald Weinland is sadly still fulfilling 2 Peter 2:
2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Ronald Weinland is causing the way of truth to be blasphemed.
People who listen to Ronald Weinland need to stop being misled by one who primarily calls for death and ignoring the Bible, as world events have not gone as the Bible shows they must.
Some articles that might help explain some of these biblical prophecies as well as to show why Ronald Weinland cannot be right include:
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies 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 ofthe 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? Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here? Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG. There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Posted in COG News | Comments Off on Ronald Weinland Again Calls for Death
Astoundingly, Zenit.org (the Vatican’s main internet news site) reported the following:
Pope Says Dialogue Has a Purpose: Finding Truth
Greets Jews for Feast of Passover
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 18, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI says that interreligious dialogue has a purpose beyond establishing a peaceful society: The point of this dialogue is to find the truth…
Benedict XVI then noted, “There is a further point I wish to touch upon here”…
He continued: “The broader purpose of dialogue is to discover the truth”…
“Christians and Jews,” the Pope said, “are in fact, as the prophets say, ‘prisoners of hope.’ This bond permits us Christians to celebrate alongside you, though in our own way, the Passover of Christ’s death and resurrection, which we see as inseparable from your own, for Jesus himself said: ‘Salvation is from the Jews.’
“Our Easter and your Pesah, while distinct and different, unite us in our common hope centered on God and his mercy. They urge us to cooperate with each other and with all men and women of goodwill to make this a better world for all as we await the fulfillment of God’s promises.”
Truth?
Let’s look a little bit into historical writings to learn the truth about Passover and Easter.
Why?
Because the truth is that what the Pope called Easter was really a mangled up and changed version of Passover!
According to the 4th century Catholic historian Epiphanius, the Catholic Church used to keep Passover on the 14th of Nisan (which would have been last night):
Audians…they choose to celebrate the Passover with the Jews–that is they contentiously celebrate the Passover at the same time as the Jews are holding their Festival of Unleavened Bread. And indeed that this used to be the church’s custom (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 8,11; 9,2. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp. 410-411).
Furthermore, the writings of the Roman Church actually show that while it changed the calculation of it from what the Bible taught, that its “Easter” is based upon the date of the 14th of Nisan.
Strangely Epiphanius wrote this about the practices of the Greco-Roman church (which we now call Roman and Orthodox Catholics, but he calls “God’s holy church”):
But God’s holy church does not miss the truth in any way in her fixing the date of this mystery. She uses not only the fourteenth day. but also the seven days which recur order of the seven days of the week…And she uses not only the fourteenth day of the lunar month, but the course of the sun as well, to keep us from observing two Passovers in one year and not even one in another. We observe the fourteenth day, then, but we wait until after the equinox and bring the end of our full observance to the sacred Lord’s day (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section IV, Verses 3,1; 3,2; 3,3-4. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp. 25).
Well, the Catholics most certainly do not observe Passover on the evening of the 14th unless that happens to fall when some observe an evening mass–the equinox argument is not scriptural. And since the “Lord’s Supper” is observed frequently, most practicing Catholics and Protestants do observe it more than once per year.
Notice that around the time of Epiphanius, a later Roman Emperor after he became a baptized Catholic “Christian” decreed the death penalty against those who kept Passover on the biblically proper date:
Edicts of Theodosius against the heretics, A.D. 380-394…Theodosius…decreed that…by the death of the offender; and the same capital punishment was inflicted on the Audians, or Quartodecimans, who should dare to perpetrate the atrocious crime of celebrating on an improper day the festival (Gibbon E. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Volume III, Chapter XXVII. ca. 1776-1788).
Is killing those that followed the example of Jesus and John to observe the Passover on the 14th instead of Sunday a sign of a true Christian leader or a sign of a supporter of antichrist?
The Catholic and Orthodox saint and “doctor of the church” John Chrysostom preached the following in 387 A.D.:
In speaking about this feast of the Passover, the Law says to them something such as this: “You will not be able to keep the Passover in any of the cities which the Lord your God gives to you.” The Law bids them keep the feast on the fourteenth day of the first month and in the city of Jerusalem. The Law also narrowed down the time and place for the observance of Pentecost, when it commanded them to celebrate the feast after seven weeks, and again, when it stated: “In the place which the Lord your God chooses.” So also the Law fixed the feast of Tabernacles. (4) Now let us see which of the two, time or place, is more necessary, even though neither the one nor the other has the power to save. Must we scorn the place but observe the time? Or should we scorn the time and keep the place? What I mean is something such as this. The Law commanded that the Passover be held in the first month and in Jerusalem, at a prescribed time and in a prescribed place…But the Passover comes to an end on the twenty-first of that month. If they began the feast on the fourteenth day of the first month and then continued it for seven days, they then come to the twenty-first …the Law said they must not observe those rituals outside Jerusalem (John Chrysostom. Homily IV Against the Jews IV:3-4,V:4,5. Catholic Christians of Antioch. Turning to Sabbath and The New Moon Day and Other Holy Days. 387 A.D.).
Although he is correct that the Bible specifies the dates of the Holy Days (thus his church should never have changed it, as they did in the second century because of cowardice and hatred), John Chrysostom is incorrect that Jerusalem is the only place.
That is never taught in the law.
To the contrary, the Jews were not even in Jerusalem when God listed the holy days in the books of Exodus and Leviticus (Jerusalem was not taken by the children of Israel until after the death of Joshua, see Judges 1:1-8).
It is also clear from the testimonies of Polycarp, Melito, Apollinaris, and Polycrates, that the New Testament second century Christians observed Passover outside of Jerusalem, as they ALL lived in Asia Minor and none lived in Jerusalem.
The fifth century historian Socrates Scholasticus noted:
Amazingly, the Roman and Orthodox Catholic saint John Chrysostom preached the following in 387 A.D.:
The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us … There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts…If the Jewish ceremonies are venerable and great, our are lies…Does God hate their festivals and do you share in them? He did not say this or that festival, but all of them together. (John Chrysostom. Homily I Against the Jews I:5;VI:5;VII:2. Preached at Antioch, Syria in the Fall of 387 AD. Medieval Sourcebook: Saint John Chrysostom (c.347-407) : Eight Homilies Against the Jews. Fordham University. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/chrysostom-jews6.html 12/10/05).
What a strange admission! The truth is that Easter and Pentecost, which the Catholics claim to keep, are based upon the so-called “Jewish feasts” (they should instead be called God’s Holy Days).
Also notice that Pope Benedict yesterday claimed that the Jewish were of value. Furthermore, notice what the Pope stated about the “Jewish feasts” last Fall:
“These festivities,” the Holy Father wrote, “can be occasions for many blessings from the Eternal and a source of immense joy, so that the will to promote the peace that the world so greatly needs will grow within each one of us. May God in his goodness protect your community and grant that the friendship between us deepen, in this city of Rome and everywhere.” (see Pope Praises God’s Holy Days?)
Since the Pontiff seems to feel that the “Jewish feasts” are venerable, and one of a relatively few “doctors of the Roman Church” said that if they are venerable, then the Catholic holidays are lies, this thus suggests that the changes that the Catholics imposed upon them ARE LIES!
Of course, so does the Bible and the record of history.
The truth is that because of cowardice and tradition (please see Passover and the Early Church), the Roman Church adopted Easter instead of the Biblical Passover.
If the Pontiff was interested in the truth, he would advocate the observance of the seven days of unleavened bread which begin tonight at sunset.
Does anyone really think that the Pope is truly interested in dialoging on this subject so that he can tell the world the truth?
If so, I would be interested in publicly discussing this with him.
Those interested in learning more of the truth on these matters should consider studying their Bibles and reading the following:
While most who profess Christ observed “Easter” last month, those who follow the practices of the Bible, Jesus, His disciples, and the post-apostolic church, will be observing Passover tonight after sunset.
Easter Sunday was implemented because of fear and antisemitism combined with a Greco-Roman confederation who did not believe that they had to follow the practices of the Apostle John and the early Christian leaders in Asia Minor.
Notice what Polycrates wrote to Roman Bishop Victor when Victor tried to enforce a Sunday “Easter” instead of the biblical Passover:
Notice that Polycrates said that he and the other early church leaders (like the Apostles Philip and John, and their successors like Polycarp, Thraseas, Sagaris, Papirius, Melito) would not deviate from the Bible, and that they knew the Bible taught them to keep the Passover on the correct date, and not on a Sunday. Also notice that they always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. Polycrates also reminded the Roman bishop that true followers of Christ “obey God rather than men”.
Hence it is clear that throughout the second century, the churches in Asia Minor continued to observe the Passover on the 14th of Nisan (and for doing so, they were labeled as Quartodecimans by the Romans), unlike the Romans, and they refused to accept the authority of any Roman bishop over scripture.
Notice that Polycrates specifically claimed that he followed what John did. Now notice that John calls those who do not follow what he taught as antichrists:
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John 2:18-19).
Anyway, those who still obey God rather than man will be observing Passover this evening. Those who prefer the traditions of men will ignore what I have written.
And those who want to obey God will search “the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
Some articles that may be of assistance may include:
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? This article supplies some biblical answers. Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days. What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church. Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance? The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
Posted in Church History, Doctrine | Comments Off on Passover Begins Tonight After Sunset
Which Book Do You Think Christians Should Rely On?
VS. Ronald Weinland Says His Books Are What He Wants Potential Supporters to Closely Study. The COGwriter Site Instead Urges Those Interested in Him and End-Time Prophecies to Spend More Time Checking His Writings with the Bible.
And although I believe that Ronald Weinland will tomorrow claim that something happened to Pope Benedict yesterday, the truth is that Ronald Weinland’s predictions have once again proven to be false.
Notice what he posted dated 4/18/08:
The Seventh Seal has been opened and now the First Trumpet has been blown…
Having said that, more will be said in the months to come, but now is the time to publicly reveal the name of the second end-time witness. It is my wife Laura. We are a family through whom God will be working to bring an end to this age and setting the stage (and much more) for the age to follow. Many will mock and ridicule, but as we go forward, this time God will place fear in those who mock Him and His servants. Power has been given to make this so.
The glory and the honor is to God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ. And His Kingdom is almost here.
As regular readers of this page are aware, I have suspected that Ronald Weinland would name his wife as the second witness. It may be of interest to note that in his latest letter, Ronald Weinland never mentioned any actual outside event that showed that the Great Tribulation has began.
Notice the following from pages 23 and 116 of his book, 2008 God’s Final Witness:
Yes, I do know the timing of events as the Seals of
Revelation are opening. I do know we are in the end-time and
that six Seals have already been opened. I know the exact day
the First Seal was opened. As will be covered in another
chapter, I know the exact day the Sixth Seal was opened, and
the world will be shocked and in horror on the day that the
Seventh Seal is opened…
Once the Seventh Seal is opened, the first of Seven Trumpets
will be blown. Each Trumpet will announce a specific phase of
great tribulation on the earth. The first four trumpets will
proclaim the demise of the United States and her closest allies.
The world was not in shock and horror yesterday, when Ronald Weinland claimed that the first trumpet was supposed to have blown. Nor was it in shock and horror a month earlier when Ronald Weinland claimed that the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11 began and the seventh seal was opened.
Nor in his 4/18/08 letter did he point to any event involving a religious false prophet (other than he and his wife) occurring yesterday. I watched the news last night and searched the headlines this morning, and saw nothing that would indicate that 4/17/08 was the start of the 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of the Great Tribulation.
Thus events simply HAVE NOT gone the way the book 2008 God’s Final Witness said they would. The time to stop following Ronald Weinland is clearly here IF his supporters will simply face the facts.
God’s kingdom IS coming relatively soon, but not as soon as Ronald Weinland has indicated.
Additionally, the “saints of the Most High” were not yesterday given into the hand of the pompous one as the Bible shows should have happened if Ronald Weinland is to be believed:
He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time (Daniel 7:25).
Jerusalem was also not surrounded by armies with people fleeing to the mountains (Luke 21:20-23) like Jesus stated would happen. Here is Matthews’ account of what would happen just PRIOR to the Great Tribulation:
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15-21).
That simply has not yet happened. People were not fleeing to the mountains yesterday.
World events simply are NOT yet happening as the Bible shows that they would (though they later will).
Thus, Ronald Weinland is NOT one of God’s prophets nor one of His two witnesses.
Some articles that might help explain some of these biblical prophecies as well as to show why Ronald Weinland cannot be right include:
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies 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 ofthe 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? Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here? Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG. There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Posted in COG News, Prophecy | Comments Off on RW’s Wife the 2nd Witness? Comparing 4/17/08 and the Bible to “2008 God’s Final Witness”
VS. 
