Church of God News

COGwriter

A reader forwarded me the following article related to Sony’s upcoming 2012 movie:

The maker of the upcoming apocalyptic film “2012″ has conceded he enjoyed orchestrating the visual disintegration of the world’s religious symbols, such as the Vatican and the famous statue of Jesus overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

But he left an Islamic symbol alone because he feared the reaction from the Muslim world.

In an interview with the online SciFiWire website, Roland Emmerich said he had considered including the destruction of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure in Mecca worshiped by Muslims as being built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.

“Well, I wanted to do that, I have to admit,” Emmerich said. “But my co-writer Harald [Kloser] said I will not have a fatwa on my head because of a movie. And he was right. … We have to all … in the Western world … think about this.”…

The new movie depicts the destruction of Rome, Rio and Washington. The White House gets it when a wave carries the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy and drops it atop the structure, and St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican rolls over onto a crowd of the faithful.

An excerpt has been made available:

“The whole Vatican kind of tips and kind of rolls over the people. It said something, because in the story, some people … believe in praying and prayer, and they pray in front of the church, and it’s probably the wrong thing, what they would do in that situation,” Emmerich told SciFi.

He also took out the famous statue of Jesus overlooking Rio.

“Because I’m against organized religion,” he said. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115011

While I will not comment now on Roland Emmerich’s views on religion, it may be of interest to note that although flooding is not supposed to be the cause, there are biblical and non-biblical prophecies that indicate that Rome will fall.

Some of Catholic predictions associated with this are included in the article Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?

A more detailed and in-depth sequence, including how certain non-biblical predictions line up with biblical passages, is available in my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect.

BTW, we just got the printed copies of my book in Spanish this week and it is available at 2012 y el surgimiento de la secta secreta.

COGwriter

Here is a link to an MP3 file for a radio interview I did on KKZZ 1400am radio in Ventura, California yesterday:

KKZZ Interview with Bob Thiel, author of 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect

The above link will be there for about 5 more days.  It takes several minutes to download.  I do not come on until about eight-twelve minutes after it starts, and am on until the end of the first hour of the show.  This is essentially news radio show, which starts with news, includes a variety of questions to me, commercials, and local traffic and weather reports.

Since mid-September 2009, I have done twelve radio interviews.  Some on scattered local stations throughout the USA, and at least three that were syndicated into multiple markets.  This is only the second one I have done on a California station.

One problem with doing radio via the telephone line is that it is sometimes difficult to keep the radio show hosts from veering off course and sometimes I cannot get in all the clarifying statements that I want to.  But overall, I have been able to get some of the message out about things that are predicted to come to pass.

All of the interviews so far have been related to 2012, Sony’s 2012 movie, and my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect.  In the book, I basically explain how certain predictions line up with (or are opposed to) biblical prophecies.  The book provides a sequence of events which readers can check out for themselves to see if the events are coming to pass.

Two links of essentially related interest could include:

End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. The book is for those truly interested in understanding how prophecies inter-relate and who want to see a real sequence of end time events.

VS.

COGwriter

Ronald Weinland of CGPFK made the news for being wrong yesterday:

10 Failed Doomsday Predictions

By Benjamin Radford, LiveScience’s Bad Science Columnist

posted: 04 November 2009…

With the upcoming disaster film “2012″ and the current hype about Mayan calendars and doomsday predictions, it seems like a good time to put such notions in context.

Most prophets of doom come from a religious perspective, though the secular crowd has caused its share of scares as well. One thing the doomsday scenarios tend to share in common: They don’t come to pass…

God’s Church Ministry, Fall 2008

According to God’s Church minister Ronald Weinland, the end times are upon us– again. His 2006 book “2008: God’s Final Witness” states that hundreds of millions of people will die, and by the end of 2006, “there will be a maximum time of two years remaining before the world will be plunged into the worst time of all human history. By the fall of 2008, the United States will have collapsed as a world power, and no longer exist as an independent nation.” As the book notes, “Ronald Weinland places his reputation on the line as the end-time prophet of God.”  http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/091104-doomsday-predictions.html

The above article pointed out false predictions for the end in the 19th-21st centuries.  But the problem is not prophecy, it is false prophets.  The Bible specifically warns against them:

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. (2 Peter 2:1-2)

Because of false prophets, people seem less willing to believe the true predictions of God’s word as explained by His servants.  But whether people believe the prophecies of the Bible or not, they will come to pass.

Now, as long term readers of the COGwriter page are aware, I first denounced Ronald Weinland for being wrong about four years ago.  Thus far, he has never been right, and my track record for denouncing false prophets even before their prophecies have proven to be false has not failed.

Ronald Weinland is a self-appointed “prophet” who also claims to be one of the two witnesses.  He still claims that he is God’s prophet, but his current prediction that Jesus will return on is also in error.  In his 3/15/08 sermon he said. “September 29, 2011, Jesus Christ returns”.  Here is what he and his church now teach:

As regular readers/listeners are aware, on December 14, 2008, the world entered the final 3 1/2 years spoken of throughout prophecy as the end-time of man’s rule on earth. On Pentecost of 2012, the world will experience a final transition from mankind ruling himself to that of God’s government ruling over all nations. (Weinland R.  “In” the Final Three & One Half Years.  March 9, 2009, www.ronaldweinland.com)

1260 Days: The blowing of the first Trumpet will occur/occurred on the 14th of December, 2008. This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation and 3 1/2 years until the return of Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost. The beginning of the fall of the USA and other Israelite countries begins from the start of the 1260 days (CGPFK website, FAQ–Timeline Questions Answered.  viewed 2/25/09).

Pentecost in 2012 is May 27, 2012.  But, Jesus cannot and will not return then.

Now Ronald Weinland is not unique in being wrong of course.

A relatively well known semi-Protestant, Harold Camping, has made somewhat of a splash too.  In his  publications, We are Almost There! and To God be the Glory, he inaccurately claims that certain biblical passages teach that May 21, 2011 is the date of Jesus’ return (which he calls the Rapture) and October 21, 2011 is the date for the end of the world.  And while some day I will post more about Harold Camping, let me go on record and state that Jesus cannot and will not return on May 21, 2011.

Despite false prophets rising up, the truth is that the Great Tribulation will begin relatively soon, Jesus will return, and the final Bible prophecies will be fulfilled.  But Jesus cannot return prior to 2016 and the Great Tribulation cannot begin prior to 2013.

Some articles of related interest may include the following:

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 (first April 17th, then June 2008, now December 14, 2008). Why does the Bible show that Ron Weinland is a false prophet? He also has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the Church of God.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind?
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple?
Laodicean Warning for God’s People Is there really a place of safety? Do God’s people need to be warned? Warned for what?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
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?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter). This also has YouTube videos related to 2012. The book is for those truly interested in understanding how prophecies inter-relate and who want to see a real sequence of end time events.

COGwriter

CGG’s John Ritenbaugh has instituted a variety of doctrinal changes within his group.  While groups like LCG teach that Christians are begotten by the Holy Spirit and born-again at the resurrection, CGG is now teaching a concept more similar to that of certain (but not all) Protestants:

How does one explain “this or that” regarding this “born again” question? It is very helpful to know that being “born again” is an entirely spiritual operation…

It should be easy to understand why there can be confusion over the words. We can interpret it only by what they can legitimately be translated into. They can be translated as “begotten again, “born again,” “born anew,” or “born from above.” And this may seem a little bit wild, but it is true. It can even be understood as “from a beginning” or “at a beginning.”

Now on the basis of how God deals with us in the rest of the New Testament, and after John 2 and 3, it must be understood as “born again,” and not “begotten again.” God never even one time speaks of us as being in a womb as an embryo or a fetus…Nicodemus’ error was sincere, and Herbert Armstrong’s error was sincere. (Source: Ritenbaugh J. Born Again Sermon, Part 2, June 20, 2009)

So while John Ritenbaugh admits that the terms translated as “born again” can be translated as “begotten again”, he has decided against the idea of teaching that God spiritually begets His offspring in this life who are then born again at the resurrection.

CGG has made doctrinal changes, as well as inaccurate changes (in my opinion) to prophetic understandings as well.  All should compare what their church teaches with the Bible.

According to Hislop’s The Two Babylons, being born again on earth is a long-standing pagan belief.  Hislop quotes Asiatic Researchers (Vol. vii, p. 271, London, 1806) that the Hindoo Brahmins boast that they are “twice born” men. Thus, the “born again now” idea apparently originally existed outside of Christianity.

Perhaps I should add that even in the second century (the century just after the Book of Revelation was written), there was at least one Christian writer who wrote that we are not to be “born again” until the resurrection. Notice what Theophilus of Antioch wrote,

But the moon wanes monthly, and in a manner dies, being a type of man; then it is born again, and is crescent, for a pattern of the future resurrection” (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book 2, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

In the third century, Hippolytus (the greatest of the early theologians according to Roman Catholic scholars) understood that we are begotten by the Holy Spirit at baptism. Notice what he wrote:

This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.

Come then, be begotten again, O man, into the adoption of God…For he who comes down in faith to the layer of regeneration, and renounces the devil, and joins himself to Christ; who denies the enemy, and makes the confession that Christ is God; who puts off the bondage, and puts on the adoption,–he comes up from the baptism brilliant as the sun, flashing forth the beams of righteousness, and, which is indeed the chief thing, he returns a son of God and joint-heir with Christ (Hippolytus. The Discourse on the Holy Theophany, Chapters 9,10. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

Also, even in the fourth century, it was understood that Christians are first begotten, that Jesus was the first born of the dead, and that we become born again later. For even though he had other heretical ideas, Athanasius apparently understood this as he wrote,

For God not only created them to be men, but called them to be sons, as having begotten them. For the term ‘begat’ is here as elsewhere expressive of a Son, as He says by the Prophet, ‘I begat sons and exalted them;’ and generally, when Scripture wishes to signify a son, it does so, not by the term ‘created,’ but undoubtedly by that of ‘begat.’ And this John seems to say, ‘He gave to them power to become children of God, even to them that believe on His Name; which were begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ And here too the cautious distinction is well kept up, for first he says ‘become,’ because they are not called sons by nature but by adoption; then he says ‘were begotten,’ because they too had received at any rate the name of son…He became man, that, as the Apostle has said, He who is the ‘Beginning’ and ‘First-born from the dead, in all things might have the preeminence…He said to be ‘First-born from the dead,’ not that He died before us, for we had died first; but because having undergone death for us and abolished it, He was the first to rise, as man, for our sakes raising His own Body. Henceforth He having risen, we too from Him and because of Him rise in due course from the dead…He is called ‘First-born among many brethren’ because of the relationship of the flesh, and ‘First-born from the dead,’ because the resurrection of the dead is from Him and after Him…And as He is First-born among brethren and rose from the dead ‘the first fruits of them that slept;’ so, since it became Him ‘in all things to have the preeminence (Athanasius. Discourse II Against the Arians, Chapters 59,60,61,63,64. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 4. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1892. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

Thus the idea of being begotten when converted and being born again at the resurrection was an original teaching among professing Christians.

In addition, even today, the Eastern Orthodox Church teaches:

Frank Schaeffer…calls the standard evangelical doctrine a “false bill of goods.” “The simplistic ‘born-again’ formula for instant painless ’salvation’ is not only a misunderstanding, I believe it is a heresy. It contradicts the teaching of Christ in regard to the narrow, hard, ascetic, difficult way of salvation.” (Clendenin D.B. ed. Eastern Orthodox Theology, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003, p. 268).

I consider CGG’s change also to be another one of its heresies.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Born Again: A Question of Semantics? Many Protestants use the term born-again. Do they know where the concept came from or does it matter? Are you born or begotten upon proper baptism?
What Did Early Christians Understand About the Resurrection? Is there more than one future resurrection? Did early Christians teach a physical resurrection? Did early Christians teach three resurrections?
Deification: Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God? What does the Bible teach? Is deification only a weird or cultic idea?
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?
Church of the Great God This group, led by John Ritenbaugh, says the bride must first be made ready (hence gospel proclamation is not its high priority). Might this lead to a selfish bride? This group also seriously seems to misunderstand end-time prophecy.

Nostradamus

COGwriter

2012 has been in the media a lot lately.  Here is one story related to it and The History Channel:

No Payments, No Interest, No Future?

The Age of Nostradamus

November 2, 2009

If you are the credulous type, there has never been a better time to treat yourself to some luxuries, at least if the terms of the deal are right. If the merchant or manufacturer says “no payments or interest through 2012,” go for it.

At least that’s what you conclude watching the History Channel.

For many years, the network was nicknamed the “Hitler Channel” because of all the shows it ran on World War II and the Nazis. Today, a better nickname would be the “Nostradamus Channel.” Hardly a day goes by without at least one show touting some doomsday scenario and how it was foretold.

At the center of this programming strategy lies Nostradamus, the 16th-century French apothecary whose devotees claim foresaw everything from the rise of Napoleon to 9/11. Everyone who has ever written a book on Nostradamus gets extended face time on the History Channel, where their claims are treated with the utmost seriousness.

It isn’t only Nostradamus. Name a doomsday prediction made by some long-dead person or group and chances are the Nostradamus Channel has given it a respectful airing, no matter how unhinged the claims might be.

The latest and greatest example is the new series The Nostradamus Effect. That’s the name the producers have given to the “convergence” of “doomsday prophecy” and “current events.”

We are told that for “5,000 years, prophets around the world”—including, of course, Nostradamus—“have predicted the end of days.” Operating “independently,” they have concluded that 2012 will be a “time of extraordinary shift.”

One so-called expert told viewers that “we’re on the verge of the biggest riot of all time.” Another said that “we are reaching a confluence of tipping points.” These tipping points include climate change, financial upheaval, political unrest, crop failures, terrorism, and nuclear war, to name but a few.

That sounds ominous. Of course, nobody can cite anything that sounds like an actual prediction, such as, “In 2012, the world blows up.” It’s speaking nonsense, rank speculation.

It’s not much to go on, but then again, this isn’t about facts or reason—it’s about fear. It’s about understandable anxiety made worse because in rejecting Christianity, the West has rejected the basis of its hope. A world in which God’s purposes are being fulfilled for our good has been replaced by one that leaves man in charge, mostly for ill.

The world has become literally senseless to us. We live in, as theologian Robert Jensen once put, a meaningless world wishing we could believe in something. The more events seem to spin out of control, the more we succumb to superstition and irrationality. And of course there’s always a media conglomerate ready to sell the credulous what they crave.

There’s no better example than the subject of tomorrow’s commentary, which will give you the date of December 21, 2012. Please tune in. And in the meantime, please pay your bills on time.

RCG’s improperly self-titled “Apostle”, David Pack, is scheduled to be on The Nostradamus Effect on November 11, 2009 according to his website.  I trust that despite the many issues I have about him, he will not echo the chorus of the many “talking heads” that suggest that a tremendous amount of end time prophecies really are supposed to converge in 2012.

The reality is that many are going raise false expectations about 2012 and this will turn people away from believing in any prophecy.  While the truth is that disasters are coming,  from a biblical perspective there is no way that the world can end in a flood (or any other way) by the end of 2012.  That is just a bit too soon.

Some items of related interest may include:

End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect This is a link related to a book by Bob Thiel (COGwriter).  The book explains what will, may, and will not happen in 2012–but more importantly it explains the order of many prophetic sequences that will affect everyone.  The book is now available now from Amazon.com in English, Spanish, and German.  This link also has YouTube videos related to 2012.

Aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana in Manila, Late September 2009

COGwriter

Another deadly storm hit the Philippines:

Death toll mounts as Philippines hit by third typhoon in a month

More than 100,000 evacuated as floodwaters rise in unusually late and harsh storm season

Jonathan Watts in Manila
The Observer, Sunday 1 November 2009

The typhoon death toll in the Philippines rose yesterday as the third storm in a month tore across the main island, destroying homes and sweeping away at least six people in flash floods.

More than 100,000 people were moved out of their homes ahead of the landfall of Typhoon Mirinae, the most recent of an unusually late and intense burst of storms to hit the archipelago.

Many of those who moved to emergency shelters in schools and other public buildings had only just returned to their homes after escaping an earlier typhoon, which dumped a month’s rain on the islands in one day at the end of September.

The two cyclones followed similar paths, but yesterday’s storm fortunately weakened before it hit Manila, a sprawling capital of 12 million people…

In Santa Cruz, in the centre of the country, floods sent residents clambering on to roofs. “We cannot move, this is no joke,” the mayor, Ariel Magcalas, told a radio station. “The water is high. We need help.” In Taytay township, further north, the lakeside shanty homes of about 2,000 people were destroyed by strong winds, said mayor Joric Gacula. Elsewhere trees were uprooted and power supplies cut as the typhoon made its way off the island and weakened on its way across the sea towards Vietnam.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/01/philippines-hit-by-third-typhoon

In today’s update, LCG provided the following information on the previous storms:

Dayrell Tanner reports: I have just spoken to Mr. Osillos regarding how the brethren are coping in the Luzon area after the severe typhoons and flooding. He reports that approximately 11 families in the metro-Manila area were directly affected by the flooding there, some to a greater degree than others. Disaster relief funds have been distributed to most of these brethren for their immediate needs, but there will be a need for some additional assistance for some of them to repair their homes, motor vehicles, and damaged household goods. In one case, one of the brethren had his “Sari-Sari Store” (corner store) and all his stock, including 15 liquid gas tanks, completely washed away by the raging waters. This store is the major source of income for him. However, all the immediate needs of the brethren in metro-Manila have been covered, and they are getting back to the business of picking themselves up, and getting on with their lives. The brethren are so thankful for the fast response from the Church in sending assistance for them to quickly cover their basic needs, and get back on their feet.

Mr. Osillos will be travelling to Northern Luzon next week with Deacon Tito dela Cruz to assess the needs of the brethren there, who were seriously affected by the last typhoon that ripped through their areas…. This will require a lengthy journey by bus… he will be passing by his beloved city of the pines, Baguio City, where the Feast in Luzon was held, and this time, I hope, clear blue skies will greet him. The brethren in Mindanao were not affected by the typhoons, and their Feast was one in which they enjoyed pleasant sunny weather. We have a dedicated ministry, and dedicated brethren in the Philippines, who are used to hardship in their everyday lives, and as such they are very resilient, able to bounce back after setbacks. But they cry with great fervor, “Thy Kingdom Come!”….  Mr. Tyler and I will be going over there sometime in early December to follow up on the disaster relief, to complete work on new office arrangements, to visit the ministry in the Mindanao area and to plan ahead for next year’s Feast sites.

Additional report by elder Jes Puzon: Here is good news after the Feast of Tabernacles 2009 flood in Baguio City! Noah’s first act after surviving the Flood was to express thanks to God by offering a sacrifice (Genesis 8:20). And God was pleased. Similarly, Living Church of God brethren (around 54 of us) who were riding  the “Genesis” bus in the morning of Tuesday, October 13, 2009 would like to offer God “the sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15) and “the sacrifice of  thanksgiving” (Psalm 116:17). The “Genesis” bus we were riding was the first bus to be allowed to pass through the landslide road-cut at Taloy, Marcos highway, when going down from Baguio after the recent FOT 2009 flood (we were the first bus allowed to pass through, since our bus name was Genesis). God’s timing was perfect—our scheduled trip at 5:00 a.m. was delayed for an hour, since the bus dispatcher was still taking a shower and then he found out that the door at his office was locked with the door key left inside.  Due to that delay, the brethren no longer had to go through the trouble of walking through the road-cut at Taloy with the heavy load of suitcases. We rejoice in what God has done (the brethren in the bus applauded for joy after our bus was allowed to pass through!) and glorify Him with Thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30-31).  We hope to always please our God!

It has been a rough typhoon season for the Philippines and other parts of Asia and the South Pacific this year.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Asian?  Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

COGwriter

In his latest update, ICG’s Mark Armstrong wrote the following:

The bank/insurance/auto industry bailout/stimulus spending of the past year has increased our national money supply by some 120%! Economic theory and practice is an admittedly complex and dark subject that few seem to fully grasp. But the shear enormity of current national spending projections, coupled with the obvious concern expressed by our nation’s creditors is causing extreme apprehension in many quarters. Trillions of dollars are casually projected to be the cost of “national healthcare”, and the mind-boggling bureaucracy it will require. The price tag for Cap and Trade policy is incalculable. More national “change” waits in the wings while the UN and its member nations concoct yet more international laws and agencies with enforcement powers here in the United States.

The future of our dollar is bleak, regardless of politicians’ intentions, purportedly to promote general welfare, help the poor, save the planet or whatever their selling this week. There are warning signs everywhere, with the exception of the mainstream media and occasionally they even creep in there, but only if you’re paying very close attention. We are blessed by one aspect of the information age that has made vast quantities of information available for now, but that may be changing as well if the central planners get their way. No doubt somebody’s political ox will be gored by this characterization of the present reality. We simply cannot close our eyes to the road we’re being driven down, nor the historical precedents of such policies wherever in the world they’ve been implemented.

Europe is in the midst of a change of direction, trying to dig their way out of the socialist quagmire that has kept them economically stagnant over recent decades while the United States prospered. The United States is rapidly embracing policies that have been all but fatal to prosperity in the UK and in Europe.

Iran, the foremost threat to Israel’s survival and to world security including that of the United States, has just allowed UN inspectors to visit the nuclear facility they claimed didn’t exist. According to a report issued by Debkafile last week, “Some sources in Washington take the existence of this hidden plant as evidence that Iran has got several more secret facilities running – and not just for enrichment but possibly even for covertly constructing nuclear bombs and warheads.” Additionally, there is a report that Iran is supplying Syria with “various forms of weapons of mass destruction” including missiles and midget submarines. Syria has been obstinate in its refusal to participate in any U.S. sponsored diplomacy.

The Bible is clear that in the time of the end, the highly indebted will be doomed.  Notice the following:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…
6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases
What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you (Habakkuk 2:3,6-8).

The above prophecy will be fulfilled at the time of the end for major economic powers. It makes little sense, for example, that it would be directed towards the modern nation of Israel as it does not have enemy creditors. It must be directed towards a nation or group of nations with some prominence.  It is the the United States and its Anglo-allies that have loaded pledges of debt in these end times in unprecedented levels (that they really do not expect to pay back, other than in currency that will be worth much less than it now is). In that respect they have recently plundered many nations.  And unless national repentance occurs, the USA, UK, and their Anglo-allies are doomed for destruction probably next decade.

Now, I should add that while Iran is an issue of concern, I disagree with Mark Armstrong that it is the “foremost threat…to world security including that of the United States”.  However, the situation with Iran may be the spark that will lead to the fulfillment of other prophecies (it could spark the “need” for the deal in Daniel 9:26-27, for example).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
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?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.

Richard Ames

COGwriter

In his latest commentary, LCG evangelist Richard Ames wrote:

“Christians and Halloween”

By Richard F. Ames | Thursday, October 29, 2009

Is it “fun” to play at evil? Should we follow our neighbors, like proverbial lemmings, off the dangerous cliff of pagan practices? Most of society has accepted the lie that Halloween is “innocent fun” and eagerly train their children to take pleasure in symbols of pagan, and even Satanic, evil?

Is it “fun” to play at evil? Should we follow our neighbors, like proverbial lemmings, off the dangerous cliff of pagan practices? Most of society has accepted the lie that Halloween is “innocent fun” and eagerly train their children to take pleasure in symbols of pagan, and even Satanic, evil?

That’s right! When parents let their children dress as witches, demons, goblins or skeletons, they are teaching their children values that will last long after the costume comes off! Parents should have common sense, let alone basic values of right and wrong. Teaching our children to imitate evil is an abomination in God’s sight — and we will reap what we sow! By observing Halloween, we teach our children to make light of Satan the Devil — or even to think like him! Should we then be surprised when our children remain curious about evil — or even invite it — for the rest of the year.

In Luke 7:21, we find that our Savior cured many individuals who were plagued by evil spirits. “And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.” Do we live contrary to our Savior’s example? Do we teach our children to attract and cultivate evil spirits at Halloween? Certainly, dressing up like a demon or a witch INVITES evil rather than opposes it!

The Apostle James advises us to resist evil, not entertain it! James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” That is your Creator’s instruction to you! “Resist the devil!” Do NOT join the masses in celebrating the dark world of Satan and the occult!

The Bible plainly speaks of fallen angels called demons. The apostle Paul warns us about these “spiritual hosts of wickedness” in Ephesians the sixth chapter. Read this strong admonition starting in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Some parents encourage their children to participate in the world of demons. Are some of you parents sacrificing your children to Satan and to wicked spirits? We MUST resist the world’s way of supporting the horrendous evil rampant about us. One can understand the blindness of non-Christians in participating in traditions of darkness. But for professing Christians to clothe themselves and their children with the outright symbols of evil is an affront to the name of Christ! Such practices are wicked, evil, and sinful! It’s time for such so-called Christians to repent of supporting the Devil and rebelling against Christ!

Parents also teach their children the concept of “trick or treat.” The child in essence tells an adult, “You had better give me some treat or I will trick you, or damage your property!” What kind of a Christian precept is that? It is definitely not Christian! It is teaching the “get” motive and intimidation! Jesus taught the way of life that emphasizes giving, NOT selfish getting! As the Apostle Paul stated in Acts 20:35, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ’It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  Read more

It should also be noted that although Halloween is considered to be a “Catholic holiday”, it has been condemned by Roman Catholic leaders as well in the 21st century:

Mexico’s Roman Catholic church slammed Halloween as “damaging and against the faith” on Monday, as conservatives sought to stem celebration of the ghouls-and-goblins holiday and return to the country’s traditional Day of the Dead.

The U.S.-style holiday has made broad inroads in Mexico, with monster costumes almost as widely sold as the marigold flowers traditionally used to decorate relatives’ graves during Nov. 1-2 Day of the Dead ceremonies, when families build altars and leave food, drink and flowers for the dearly departed.

“Those who celebrate Halloween are worshipping a culture of death that is the product of a mix of pagan customs,” the Archdiocese of Mexico published…

Protestant groups tend to hold mixed feelings about Halloween, though many parents let/encourage their children observe it.

For details, please see the following article:

Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? This article provides some historical and biblical insight on this question.

COGwriter

In his latest commentary, LCG’s Gary Ehman wrote:

“Why is a kid like you out on a night like this?”

By Gary F. Ehman | Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The headlines glaringly scream: “Sex Offenders See New Limits for Halloween”; “Plan Ahead and Avoid Halloween Violence”; “Halloween: A Very Dangerous Day for Children”; “Halloween Costumes Cause Pedestrian Accidents”; “Police Warn about Drugged Candy.”

It’s that time of the year again; pumpkins, witches, goblins, black cats, bats and vampires swirl around in the heads of children as they plan their annual assault on the neighborhood to get treats while threatening tricks.Parents nervously give into childish demands, driven by the economics of retail profiteering, expressed in the seasonal advertising blitz aimed at the kids who make the demands on the parents. Isn’t this just all a big bunch of fun? If so, why do we have the glaring, screaming headlines each year?

A study by the University of Michigan states that traffic deaths among children are more than four times higher on Halloween. “On Halloween night, pedestrian fatalities among trick-or-treaters are about 4.5 times the levels of other nights … ‘This increase does not occur in daylight periods and it is primarily restricted to children 15 and under,’ said John Sullivan of UMTRI.”

He noted that this is a consequence of the special vulnerability of pedestrians at night, “along with the greater than usual numbers of children out on Halloween, increasing the opportunity for an accident.”

More “scary” than this is the report from the New York Times prior to Halloween last year that: “All across the country this year, local and state authorities are placing registered [sex] offenders under one-night curfews or other restrictions out of fear that in only a few days, costumed children asking for candy will be arriving on their doorsteps” (New York Times, Oct. 2006)…

Parents need to understand that teenage boys are often the target of random Halloween crimes just as much as girls are. Not surprisingly, boys have a higher risk, because many parents fear for the safety of girls and don’t allow them out as late as boys.

In the face of these risks, is it really worth taking a chance in this violent day and age? Is Halloween just harmless fun for youth and amusing entertainment for adults?

Not according to Penn State researcher, Cindy Dell Clark, Associate Professor of Human Development and Family. She says parents need to realize that scaring children this age isn’t necessarily a way to make them safe from fears of death and other things frightening.

“Halloween is a time when we expose kids to behavior that is not the norm. Children connect the holiday with death,” said Clark, whose study, titled, “Tricks of Festival: Halloween, Children and Enculturation” was published in the anthropological journal, Ethos (www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050922020544.htm).

Is there a real story behind Halloween and other holiday traditions that claim to be Christian? Read our revealing article “What Is Hidden by the Holidays?” It will open a new understanding to why you do the things that you do – traditionally. http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/commentary/tw-comm.cgi?category=Commentary1&item=1256592613

Of course, it is not just physical safety that is the issue.  Spiritual safety, which the commentary alluded to, is even a more important issue.

To learn more please refer to the following article:

Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? This article provides some historical and biblical insight on this question.

COGwriter

A reader of the COGwriter page wanted me to look over a couple of “prophetic papers” of unitarian Wade Cox of CCG.  And while there were appeared to be a variety of points of error within them, the following statements really caught my eye in one of them:

From the Bible chronology we know that the sequence began in 4004 BCE with the creation of Adam. Bishop Ussher’s chronology, which determines the dates to 4004 BCE was issued with the early editions of the King James Bible.

Now I have written about Ussher’s chronology before, and it is flawed.  Hence any calculations based upon it should also be seen as flawed.  And I disagree with the way Wade Cox justifies going past 6000 years to come up with his “prophetic” time table (William Dankenbring’s TPM was the first I recall adding time to the 6,000 years, based upon his imagined reasons).  I believe that he simply does not rely enough on the Bible for his calculations or conclusions.

James Ussher, was the Anglican Archbishop of Armagh (in what is now Northern Ireland). He primarily based his calculations upon the chronologies and reigns of kings in the Old Testament to conclude that the world was created in the Fall of 4004 B.C. There are problems that can arise from using James Ussher’s method:

1) The first is that Ussher’s method did not seem to take into account that sometimes a son began the reign in a kingdom before his father king died (which, for one example, seems to started with with Solomon, see 1 Kings 1:32-43), hence the official chronologies often counted both co-reigns (hence this could contribute to possible over counting by Ussher).

2) He made some errors in some of his calculations.

3) James Ussher guessed that Solomon built the Jerusalem Temple in 1012 .B.C., but it was likely decades later.

4) It is probable that the 6,000 years for humans to rule over themselves apart from direct contact with God began after Adam sinned, and hence left the Garden of Eden. It is possible that this could have taken one day to twenty or so years–the Bible is not specifically clear on this point.

Thus, it is possible that even if Ussher’s calculations are close, that there still could be time left as he did not really attempt to prove when Adam and Eve were put out of the Garden of Eden–he only attempted to calculate the possible year of creation based upon his own limited understandings of biblical chronologies and other historical indicators (at least one of which seems to have been in error). Therefore, people who rely on Ussher’s 4004 B.C. calculations to claim that the 6000 years are up seem to be relying on assumption as opposed to fact.

I should state also for the record that various Catholic, Protestant, and Church of God writers have correctly believed that God does have a 6000/7000 year plan (6000 of human reign followed by 1000 years of God’s reign), and thus I believe that knowing approximately when the 6000 years began makes it easier to understand when the 6000 years will end.

Some articles of possibly related interest include the following:

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? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?  What does the Bible teach on this?  What about Catholic and Church of God writers?
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?