PCG’s view on Iran, Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia are in error

PCG posted the following from its leader Gerald Flurry:

A Sudden Whirlwind

The Bible tells us that Iran is the “king” of the Middle East. Compared to the Iranian tiger, the Islamic State is merely a mouse! …

The Trumpet has been telling you for over 20 years about the impending clash between Iran and Germany. That forecast is based on this biblical prophecy: “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [an Iranian-led Middle East power] push at him: and the king of the north [a German-led European power] shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40). …

Iran has influence in Syria, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq and Sudan, plus control of both points of entry into the crucial Red Sea—the most important trade route in the world. It has surrounded the key oil-producing state of Saudi Arabia. …

Iran’s Allies

In the April 2011 Trumpet, we forecast Libya’s fall into the Iranian camp. At the time, nothing was happening in Libya. The only way we could know this was by looking at that same prophecy in Daniel 11.

Here is what I wrote in that issue: “Until now I have not understood much about why the two nations of Libya and Ethiopia are mentioned in verse 43 along with Egypt. These two nations are the key that unlocks the strategy of radical Islam. The strategy is going to shake the U.S. and Europe to their foundations!”

Daniel 11:42-43 read, “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.”

Think about it: Why would Germany conquer Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia during a war with Iran unless those nations were allied with Iran? …

All Germany needs now is a strong leader to replace Angela Merkel. That man is coming (Daniel 8:23). Once he takes charge, Germany will cause World War iii by engulfing Iran in a whirlwind!

There is not one place in the Bible that tells us Iran is prophetically the king of the Middle East. PCG has been wrong for over 20 years, yet it still has supporters who do not realize this. While the Bible shows that Iran will be broken militarily (Jeremiah 49:34-38), the Bible does not specify that Germany is the cause.

Furthermore, it needs to be understood that Libya and Egypt are NOT allies of Iran, despite Gerald Flurry’s claims. Now related to Egypt, Gerald Flurry wrote the following in the October-November 2012 edition of the Philadelphia Trumpet:

Egypt Unites With Iran and Fulfills a Bible Prophecy…

Over the last 20 years, I have been explaining the prophecy in Daniel 11 which says that Egypt would fall to radical Islam, ally itself with Iran, trash its peace treaty with Israel, and become a violent enemy of Israel and the United States.

In August, that prophecy was fully and totally fulfilled! It is now reality!

Egypt and Iran are now allies…

A Fulfilled Prophecy

In a January 2006 letter to co-workers, I wrote: “We have said for years that Egypt has been a friend to the West, but because of this prophecy [Daniel 11:42], we also said that could change. … As the MB grows more popular it will strengthen its ties with Islamic powers throughout the region—especially Iran. … [W]atch for Cairo to distance itself from America. Should the MB ever take control, there is no doubt that a strong alliance between Iran and Egypt will be built.”

That is a fulfilled prophecy.

Egypt and Iran are not now strong allies. His “prophecy” has not been fulfilled. Simply do a google news search and you will find many articles explaining that Egypt is still a rival to Iran and that they are not strong allies. Gerald Flurry may disagree, but the Iranians mainly support Shi’a Islam and the Egyptians Sunni Islam–and the two groups are not close enough together to consider them “strong” allies.

Egypt is voting today, and is expected to continue to not go for Islamists:

October 18, 2015

CAIRO — Egypt’s first parliamentary election since the 2013 ouster of an Islamist president and the election a year later of the general who removed him began Sunday, with the outcome likely to be a compliant legislature that will back, rather than challenge, the policies of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

El-Sissi, who as military chief led the ouster of Mohammed Morsi, has since taking office 16 months ago waged a campaign to revive the country’s ailing economy, fight an Islamic insurgency and assume a greater role in a turbulent Middle East — all while silencing opposition at home. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/10/18/world/middleeast/ap-ml-egypt-election.html

Egypt is not in Iran’s camp.

To address one of his question, the German King of the North will take over North Africa and the Middle East because the Bible teaches that a leader called the King of the South (who rules over those regions) will push at him. This is understood to be an attack as the following three translations of Daniel 11:40 indicate:

New International Version
“At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.

New Living Translation
“Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood.

English Standard Version
“At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.

The reason that King of the North, therefore, comes as a whirlwind and defeats those associated with the King of the South is because the King of the North is facing attack. This is not a difficult concept.

Gerald Flurry wrote the following about four years ago:

Until now, I have not understood much about why the two nations of Libya and Ethiopia are mentioned in verse 43, along with Egypt. These two nations are the key that unlocks the strategy of radical Islam…

There are several Middle East nations not mentioned in Daniel 11:40-44 either by their ancient or modern names—for example, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.

But two more nations are mentioned for a reason I have not understood as I do now.

Libya and Ethiopia

“But he [the king of the north] shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps” (Daniel 11:43). Why did God inspire the mentioning of Libya and Ethiopia? Every word in God’s inspired Bible has significance. God placed two nations in the same verse as Egypt for a definite reason. This verse states that Libya and Ethiopia are also going to be closely allied with Iran!..

So you need to watch Libya and Ethiopia. They are about to fall under the heavy influence or control of Iran, the king of the south…

Whoever heavily influences or controls Ethiopia will undoubtedly also control the small areas of Eritrea and Djibouti on the Red Sea coastline. These areas only recently became independent of Ethiopia. Also, I believe the Bible view is that these small areas are included as a part of Ethiopia…

I did a television program on January 27 of this year. The viewers were asked to watch Libya and Ethiopia because of new understanding I had received the previous day…

We believe that the new understanding we received about Libya was a miracle. We also believe the timing of when we received that understanding was a miracle.

Such miracles are not just coincidence.

You need to continue to watch for Libya and Ethiopia to make a severe and rapid turn into the radical Islamic camp.

So the Bible indicates that Libya and Ethiopia also have to be subdued by the king of the north because they were in the radical Islamic camp. Those two nations were “at his steps.” Both countries have already been influenced by radical Islam. But they are not in the radical Muslim camp—yet. (Flurry G. Libya and Ethiopia Reveal Iran’s Military Strategy. Philadelphia Trumpet, April 2011)

Libya and Ethiopia are NOT under heavy influence from Iran. While some terrorists in Libya do accept Iranian money/arms/support, Libya simply is not under the heavy influence of Iran–even though one or more factions has Iranian support.

Muslims are only about 34% of the population of the nation of Ethiopia and that nation is not under heavy influence from Iran.

As far as ‘Ethiopia’ goes, PCG also has this wrong in a more significant way. The word improperly translated as ‘Ethiopia’ in the KJV/NKJV is NOT the nation of Ethiopia. The word “Ethiopians” is not in the Hebrew in the Old Testament. The word translated as “Ethiopians” is the plural of the word Kuwshiy, which according to Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary means descendants of Cush. Or in other words, people of dark color–and it is commonly translated as Cush or Cushite in many Old Testament passages. Prophetic interpretation should not be based on mistranslations and faulty traditions, like Gerald Flurry is basing some of his on.

The late WCG evangelist Raymond McNair wrote:

Daniel 11 also mentions some of the Mideast peoples who will be involved in that struggle among the nations at the close of this age. The belligerents will include the “King of the North,” the leader of the European Union (or its final outgrowth, called the “Beast”). The “King of the South” (an Islamic leader—apparently from Egypt {or} some other Muslim state) is also referred to. The following lands/peoples are specifically mentioned: Egypt, the Holy Land (Israel/Palestine), the Ethiopians (modern Cushites, south of Egypt), Libya, Edom, Moab and Ammon. Many descendants of the ancient peoples known as Edomites or Idumeans now live in the West Bank, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Arabia, Yemen, the Persian Gulf states, etc. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! Copyright Raymond F. McNair 2005, Church of God—21st Century).

So, Raymond McNair also realized that the term Ethiopia meant Cushites. The Cushites are also shown to support an Egyptian-based power in Ezekiel 30:2-9.

The King of the South is NOT Iran as PCG continues to push. Iran is due east, not south, of Jerusalem. PCG has many aspects of prophecy wrong.

All that being said, there is a lot concerning Iran in the news as well as other nations PCG mentioned. But it needs to be the Bible, and not faulty interpretations, that is the basis for proper prophetic understanding.

As cited before, we in the Continuing Church of God “have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).”

Many these days ‘pick and choose’ and believe that if they follow what they agree with in one group or the other that they will know what is really going on and that they will then be able to be protected from the coming Great Tribulation. As appealing as this concept is to many, biblically it is in extreme error. Those who do not properly ‘gather together’ as Zephaniah 2:1-3 teaches are deluding themselves as far as protection is concerned (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a related YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
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. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution? This is a sermonette-length video.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? A related video is Middle East Peace? When?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.