By COGwriter
The Apostle Peter stated:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18)
Are these the last days?
The late Herbert W. Armstrong believed that he was in them.
Plus, he said was an apostle last century:
But a goal has been achieved (and I want you to understand it) by this Church, during the second half of this twentieth century, that all humanity has striven to achieve and never could before. And that is a unified government. ... There were 17 other major points of doctrine that they had lost, and God has restored all of those to the Church through His apostle. (Armstrong HW. Unity. Sermon given February 4, 1984) A
s John the Baptist was the physical messenger in the physical wilderness of Jordan, so there would be a messenger with a message—with a VOICE CRYING OUT in the SPIRITUAL WILDERNESS of the modern Twentieth Century, and the last half of the Twentieth Century ... an apostle ... (Armstrong HW. Mission of the Philadelphia Church Era. Sermon given December 17, 1983)
HWA referred to himself as " God's apostle for our day" (Armstrong HW. The Incredible Human Potential. 1978).
Various ones associated with the Church of God have referred to HWA as the '20th Century Apostle.'
We are now in the 21st century.
What about prophets?
Are there any 21st century prophets?
Should there be?
Yes, according to scriptures including Acts 2:17-18.
The New Testament is clear that there would be prophets (e.g. 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, including in the last days (Acts 2:17-18; see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).
Back in 1986, then WCG evangelist L. Leroy Neff (now deceased) wrote a lot about how to identify a true prophet as well as what is not required:
"How can you tell the impostor from the true servant of God? The answer will probably be quite surprising to many people because they are using an unscriptural basis for evaluation" ...
What are the credentials?
Some people would look to a prophet's or minister's credentials. He would be accepted if he were educated at a recognized theological institution. Others would look for a minister's popularity, his charisma, his personality or his speaking ability.
But the Scriptures show that God's servants have sometimes not had these qualities or credentials. They were not graduates of the recognized theological institutions of their day. Moses had trouble speaking in public (Exodus 4: 10). Jeremiah was "too young" (Jeremiah 1:6). Paul lacked certain speech abilities (I Corinthians 2: 1, II Corinthians 10:10). Even Jesus Himself had no outstanding personal characteristics that set Him apart from others, as the religious leaders had to pay Judas to point Him (Matthew 26:47-49).
Some would expect to find a true minister or prophet in a large and beautiful church building. Yet, during the history of the early Church, there is no mention of church buildings. Instead we read that the Church was not a building at all, but the people who were called out of this world to become the Church. The people (the Church) met in various buildings, sometimes in Church members' homes (Romans 16:5, I Corinthians 16:19, Philemon 2). Paul preached for two years while under house arrest in rented facilities. He probably had both living quarters and a meeting hall of some kind (Acts 28:30-31).
Jesus said His followers would not be many in number, but would be comparatively few: "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). (Neff LL. Imposter--or--True Prophet -- Which? Good News, December 1986, pp. 10-11)
A true prophet would not need to be from a major theological institution, have the most magnanimous personality, be charismatic, or have a necessarily impressive Church. He also does not have to have had a ministerial background. Or does the prophet even, like apparently the Apostle Paul per 2 Corinthians 10:10 and 11:6 or Moses per Exodus 4:10 or Jeremiah per Jeremiah 1:6, need to be a great speaker. God chooses who His prophets are.
The Bible teaches that doctrine comes by looking the at many places in scripture, here a little and there a little:
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Isaiah 28:9-10, KJV).
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Many have their minds made up, and will not concede that the Bible says that they need to be more open and not rely on their own (mis) understandings (Proverbs 3:5-6) and not accept true prophets.
But weren't false prophets also expected?
Yes.
The Bible teaches that there will be true vs. false prophets. The Bible says to listen to prophets from God and it also tells how to determine that a prophet is false. Notice the following:
17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)
So, God's people are to listen to His prophets, but do not need to heed the false ones.
Now, let's look at a couple of former Worldwide Church of God ministers who claim to be prophets (note: there were one or two others from WCG who claimed to be, who died).
One is Gerald Flurry. He is a self-apointed prophet who has 1) added non-biblical requirements to be a church member, etc. and 2) he has made numerous false prophecies. See also: PCG: Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God.
Here are three of his false prophetic positions (and these are not the only ones):
1. Joseph Tkach was the man of sin in his original Malachi's Message booklet. Then after he died, Gerald Flurry switched that to Joseph Tkach, Jr. (See also PCG: Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God). Yet, neither of them have, nor will, fulfill the biblical criteria for that. Many other COGs also misunderstand the identity of the 'man of sin,' yet they normally have not claimed that this applied to one of the Tkachs (for details, see Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2?).
2. Gerald Flurry wrote the following:
Donald Trump Is Going to Win This Election
November 9. 2020
This past Friday night, Joe Biden held a big parade and made a victory speech. Saturday, the American news media decided to declare him the winner of the election and the president-elect of the United States.
It does appear strongly that this man will be America’s next president. But I absolutely do not believe that at all. Regardless of how things look right now, I am confident that Donald Trump will remain president. …
Unfulfilled Prophecies
The Trumpet has been explaining biblical prophecies that apply to Donald Trump and to America—specific end-time prophecies that must be and will be fulfilled.
We have shown how President Trump is here to stop the destructive spirit that is working to destroy America. …
But looking at this modern-day Jeroboam, you have to say God gave Israel a “savior”—at least to the extent that He wouldn’t let these enemies bring down the nation. He has been blocking this movement to “blot out the name of Israel [which includes America] from under heaven.”
And is his job finished? No, it isn’t. So I don’t believe at all that he is going to disappear from the scene!
The Trumpet has also pointed to a prophecy in Amos 7 that tells us a lot about this end-time Jeroboam. None of that prophecy has yet been fulfilled—but we can be sure that it will be, and President Trump must be in power for this to take place. God is going to fulfill every prophecy of His Bible! …
Donald Trump certainly has his problems, and God sees those—but He chose him as a savior—temporarily—for this nation! https://www.thetrumpet.com/23137-donald-trump-is-going-to-win-this-election
While God will fulfill every prophecy of His Bible, Gerald Flurry has a history of misunderstanding and misinterpreting biblical prophecies. THIS ELECTION means the one last November. Gerald Flurry wrote that Joe Biden would NOT be President of the USA and he was “confident that Donald Trump will remain president.”
Nor, by the way, is Donald Trump the USA's savior.
PCG posted:
December 17, 2020
Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s cover story for the January 2021 Trumpet issue is titled “Why Donald Trump Will Remain America’s President.” It explains that President Trump will remain in office because of Bible prophecies in 2 Kings 14 and Amos 7. Now that the Electoral College has voted for Joe Biden, some earthshaking frauds are going to have to be exposed for these prophecies to be fulfilled. https://www.thetrumpet.com/23279-prominent-election-attorney-stock-up-on-guns-and-ammunition/print
Gerald Flurry was clearly wrong about “prophecies.” Donald Trump did not remain in office.
Furthermore, notice another of his errrors that he wrote:
2 Kings 14:28 gives us insight into what is happening during the pause in Trump’s rule, between his first and second term. ...
President Trump could also lead some states to secede from the union. That would lead to some kind of warfare.
Verse 28 of 2 Kings 14 strongly indicates that Mr. Trump recovers his presidency by some kind of warring—not voting.
It seems certain to me that this will happen before the next presidential election in 2024—unless there would be some kind of war and voting combined. But 2 Kings 14:28 does not even hint of an election.
(Flurry G. What Will Happen After Trump Regains Power. Philadelphia Trumpet, July 2021 https://www.thetrumpet.com/23957-what-will-happen-after-trump-regains-power)
Gerald Flurry was predicting some type of 'war' that will put Donald Trump in office before the 2024 election (I bolded his statement above to make it easier for people to notice that he has been wrong about that). Gerald Flurry has a documented history of error.
The New Testament teaches:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Gerald Flurry’s insistence that Donald Trump would remain in office shows that he failed the test.
3. As far as Amos 7 goes, PCG’s Gerald Flurry was proven wrong on something else he wrote:
A Time of Extreme Urgency
Amos “warned the people that the supreme moment of their success was but the prelude to their doom” (Soncino commentary). This is what we are looking at with Donald Trump assuming the American presidency. Some people believe there was good news in this election. The Republican side was ecstatic. Right after the election, Rush Limbaugh said, “We just got our country back!” But they didn’t! The “good news” is a mirage. It is a false hope.
This is actually a prelude to America’s doom. A man is on the scene whose house God is going to take out by the sword! Conditions in America may improve for a short time. It may even help the work of God. But its ultimate end is destruction. Our people are going to face the wrath of God until they repent!
Amos 7:7-17 show that our time is very limited. What is going to happen in the next four years or perhaps even less?
This is one of the strongest, most urgent warnings in the Bible!
“Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit” (verse 14). Amos had no formal seminary or college training. God simply gave him a job. Even without “credentials,” God used this man!
“Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land” (verses 16-17). Amos had a very different view from Amaziah: He knew this was a message from God!
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). How will this famine of the word come about? God’s Church will be forced to leave. No one will be here to deliver the message anymore. When this faithful remnant of God’s people is taken to a place of safety, God’s message will cease, except what we do from there. The nations of Israel have had over 80 years to heed this message, but soon they will not be able to even find it.
Verse 14 talks about people who are going to “fall, and never rise up again.” This is talking about 50 percent of God’s own Laodicean or lukewarm church who will lose their eternal lives! What a tragedy—the greatest tragedy in this end time! …
If there are protesters who can stand up and speak out so boldly against President Trump, shouldn’t the people of God speak out boldly? We have to warn this nation! Verse 2 concludes, “and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel shall wither.” The Anchor Bible says the subject here is a cosmic holocaust—a nuclear holocaust! God is about to send nuclear fire! (see also verses 4, 7, 10, 12, 14; 2:2, 5). https://www.thetrumpet.com/14642-who-is-the-modern-day-jeroboam viewed 01/21/21
No, 50% of Laodiceans DID NOT lose their eternal lives by April of 2021, which was four years after Gerald Flurry’s article was officially published (it actually was published a month or so earlier). Gerald Flurry is wrong about that. And while the USA may well experience a nuclear fire, it will not happen before 2027. Gerald Flurry is NOT God’s prophet.
Yet, many still follow him, despite his being proven falseness.
There was a former UCG minister named Ronald Weinland. He claimed that the 1290 days of Daniel 12 began in 2007. He also claimed that there would not be a president after George Bush. Ronald Weinland did an interview on The Mike McConnell Show Radio on April 7, 2008. Here is something he stated:
RW: Well the first time they will but when uh nuclear weapons go off they can’t blame that on uh global warming. During this first stage the forty-five days to ninety days that’s exactly what people will do. You’re exactly right . But after that period of time it’s going to it’s going to change dramatically as things of terrorism begin to take place in this country because we have four trumpets that are going to take place here over six months to a year’s period of time and as they take place it’s going to bring this, the United States here to demise. We are we are not we are at our end as far as our country is concerned. I’ve made many comments on different interviews here that we may be able to scrounge together having elections in November but there will not be a new president take office in January…
RW: If it doesn’t pan out the only thing I would do is uh . So if I responded to anything at all was to explain to people I was a false prophet that’s the only answer. That I’m no longer a minister.
MM: So if by Labour Day we’re still having a picnic.
RW: Well then I’m I’m through.
MM: Then you would find a different line of work.
RW: Absolutely…
The USA was not nuked. The fact that Barack Obama became President of the United States on January 20, 2009 should be clear proof he was also in error on that point. Yet, Ron Weinland did not change his line of work as he said he would. Ronald Weinland made a variety of other false claims such as he claimed to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up, that the Great Tribulation began on March 18, 2008, Jesus would return late September 2011, that Jesus would return on May 27, 2012, and later that Jesus would return on May 19, 2013 (see also CGPKG: Concerns About Ronald Weinland's Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God).
In terms of Protestants called prophets, Harold Camping failed miserably claiming Jesus return in 2011 (see also Harold Camping's Teachings About the End of the World Do Not Agree with the Bible ). Furthermore, the late Pat Robertson stated that the Messianic Protestant Jonathan Cahn was a prophet (see Pat Robertson declared 'Harbinger' author as God's prophet). Yet, Jonathan Cahn was wrong about the blood moons and twice about Shemitah year destruction (see also ‘Warning Signs of America’s Destruction – Jonathan Cahn’).
Partually, because of them and some lessor known figures, nearly all in the Churches of God have rejected those claiming to be prophets.
While that has been appropriate for those I have denounced, sadly most end time Christians have been self-satisfied and/or relied on the dismissal of others to overlook what God's word says God would be doing at this time related to prophets.
Norman Edwards, a former employee of the old WCG and later a former board member of the old Global Church of God, wrote the following:
There are over 40 separate passages about prophets and their prophecies in the New Testament—so many that one might easily get tired of reading them! We have left out verses about the Old Testament prophets and New Testament false prophets to keep the list shorter. If we want God to show us what will happen in the future, we need to “desire earnestly to prophesy” (1 Cor 14:39). It is a New Testament teaching we must not ignore! ...
Do people today have faith that God is able to prophecy through people ...?
1Jo 4:1-2 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
Note: If there were no true prophets, there would be no need to “test the spirits”—because every prophet would be a “false prophet”. But because there are both true prophets and false prophets, we need to “test the spirits”. (Edwards N. Need Prophets More than Prophecy. Shepherd's Voice, Fall 2013)
Two Wrongs Do Not Make a Right
... 37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. But be sure that everything is done properly and in order (1 Corinthians 14:31- 33, 37-40).
Simply because some congregations do not follow this scripture does not mean that there is not a proper use of spiritual gifts today. Think about this. Almost all of us would agree that we know of another church denomination or congregation that teaches erroneous doctrines. But does that error stop us from teaching the Bible? It should not. Similarly, many people do not attend church congregations because they have experienced corruption there before. But should that stop us from continuing to meet in congregations as the Bible instructs?
Two wrongs do not make a right!
Simply because some congregations that promote “spiritual gifts” do not follow all the scriptural teaching on it, does not mean that dedicated believers can abandon these vital gifts. It becomes all the more important for godly people to do it right. The number of false prophets compared to the number of true prophets does not matter. Elijah went up against 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah. The power of God destroyed all the false prophets (1 Kings 18:17-40). (Edwards N. Spiritual Oomph! Shepherd's Voice, Fall 2015, pp. 11-12)
Basically, Norman Edwards is saying that the New Testament does tell of prophets, and that even though there can be vast multitudes of false prophets, that those who will really be the most faithful will listen to God's prophet(s). Jesus Himself also warned in His parable of the talents that some would not support the work for fear of mistakes, and Jesus condemned the one who was afraid to do what should have been done (Matthew 25:24-30).
TWO WRONGS DO NOT MAKE A RIGHT!
The existence of false prophets does NOT excuse not supporting a real one.
Consider that the Book of Proverbs warns:
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes Than seven men who can answer sensibly. (Proverbs 26:16)
Now, most end time Christians do not believe that they are lazy, but wise.
Yet, they overlook evidence because they are uncomfortable with the idea that there could now be a prophet that they should heed.
It is NOT safer to reject a true prophet because there are many false ones.
While the Book of Acts mentions various prophets (e.g. Acts 21:10) and even prophetesses (Acts 21:8-9), can we find in church history if there were any prophets after the New Testament was finished?
Yes.
In a document believed to be put together by Church of God leaders in Smyrna in around 158 A.D., called the The Martyrdom of Polycarp, is the following:
16:2 In the number of these was this man, the glorious martyr Polycarp, who was found an apostolic and prophetic teacher in our own time, a bishop of the holy Church which is in Smyrna. For every word which he uttered from his mouth was accomplished and will be accomplished. (The Martyrdom of Polycarp. In: Holmes M. The Apostolic Fathers--Greek Text and English Translations, 3rd printing 2004, pp 222-249)
It appears that "prophet" was one of Polycarp's roles. The fact that he was a traveling prophetic teacher (he visited Rome as well as parts of Asia Minor) indicates he was a prophetic evangelist. And he looks to be the "one man" God had lead the true Church for many years.
Herbert W. Armstrong endorsed Polycarp as a Church of God leader:
It is significant that after his release John trained Polycarp elder of Smyrna, a city near Ephesus in the province of Asia. ... At neighboring Smyrna, Polycarp presided over the Church of God for half a century after John's death. Polycarp stood up boldly for the truth while many fell away and began having fellowship with the Catholic bishops of Rome. History relates that following the example of Peter, Paul and John, Polycarp wrote many letters to congregations and individuals, though all these have perished, save one in an edited version. (Armstrong HW. The Church They Couldn't Destroy. Good News, December 1981)
The letter titled The Martyrdom of Polycarp is basically all about the killing of Polycarp, but also states:
The church of God which sojourns at Smyrna to the Church of God which sojourns in Philomelium and to all the congregations of the Holy and Catholic Church in every place … the elect, of whom this most admirable Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. (The Smyrnaeans. The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna Concerning the Martyrdom of the Holy Polycarp, 0:1, 16.2. In Ante-Nicene Fathers by Roberts and Donaldson, Volume 4, 1885. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), printing 1999, p. 42)
Since the old WCG acknowledged Polycarp and the validity of the The Martyrdom of Polycarp , that church acknowledged he was a prophetic teacher.
The Roman Catholic saint Jerome reported that Tertullian reported that in the second century, Christians considered Church of God leader Melito of Sardis as a prophet. Tertullian, related to Melito from Jerome, wrote:
Melito of Asia, bishop of Sardis ... he was considered a prophet by many of us. (Jerome. De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men), Chapter 24. Translated by Ernest Cushing Richardson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 3. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1892.)
Herbert W. Armstrong wrote that Melito, along with, Polycarp, was one of the "of the true Christians observing Passover on the 14th of Nisan, first month of the Sacred Calendar" (Armstrong HW. The Plain Truth About Easter. WCG booklet, 1973).
Melito was the "one man" who was leading the Church of God for a time and he was an overseer (bishop) and prophet.
Did you know that he wrote about prophets?
Back in 2006/2007, I translated Melito's Greek text from H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die, commonly referred to as Melito's On the Prophets. I submitted the following as to support a koine Greek class I took as a rough translation of the first part of it:
You give the gift of prophecy through your spirit in your way ... (Melito, On the Prophets. Translated by Bob Thiel from the Greek from the H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die)
Melito was a second century Church of God leader who Christians considered to be a prophet. Since Melito was considered as a prophet, he may have written that first line to remind his critics and supporters that God decides how to give the gift of prophecy, not humans. By the way, note that I translated and submitted this well before Dr. Meredith told me in October of 2008 that God may consider me to be a prophet as well as years before I had the double-portion anointing. As COG leader Melito wrote, God gives the gift of prophecy HIS way which often involves dreams per Numbers 12:5-6 (see also Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).
Sadly, many people think God needs to give the gift of prophecy according to THEIR (Laos) Way/Judgement (Dike) (Laodicea). Since Melito was considered as a prophet, he may have written that first line to remind his critics and supporters that God decides how to give the gift of prophecy, not humans.
It is reported that the 'Nazarenes' of the fifth century had at least one prophet:
In his Commentary on Isaiah Jerome quotes some fragments from an exegetical work by an unknown Nazoraean author which he did not, however, take directly from one of their writings, but probably from Apollinaris's commentary on the same prophet. (Skarsaune O, Hvalvik R, editors. Jewish Believers in Jesus: The Early Centuries. © 2007 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., p. 473)
The old Radio/Worldwide Church of God taught that these Nazarenes were COG Christians (Hoeh H. A True History of the True Church. RCG, 1959).
Notice something else from the old Radio Church of God:
Paulician Church Government
The Paulicians claimed to be THE "holy universal and apostolic church" founded by Jesus Christ and his apostles. Of the false churches, they would say: "We do not belong to these, for they have long ago broken connection with the church."
They taught that the Church is not a building, not just an organization, but an organism — the body of truly converted baptized persons, which has continued unbroken with the apostolic traditions from its beginning. Jesus Christ was and is the HEAD of that Church.
Paulicians also taught that the Scripture is for the layman as much as for the minister. They continually urged the people to check the Scriptures for themselves, and accused the priests of hiding the Scriptures in order to deprive the people of the truth and of making monetary profit in addition by dispensing a SUPPOSED word of God in its place. ...
Four of their greatest leaders, the Paulicians called APOSTLES and PROPHETS. ...
Any greatness is not of the man, but of the OFFICE. No man is qualified for it but through the Holy Spirit.
Though you might not respect the MAN, YOU had BETTER respect that OFFICE!
THAT office is of God. (Lesson 50 - I Will Build My Church, Part 2. 58 Lesson: Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, 1965)
The New Testament endorsed prophets, and the old Radio Church of God taught that they existed beyond New Testament times.
The 'Paulicians' were part of the Smyrna Church Era and the Pergamos Church Era.
And, it should be pointed out that a Worldwide Church of God evangelist taught that the Thyatira Church Era had a "school of the prophets" in a paper that was approved by the college of that church (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 28, 155).
Notice also:
Prophet Inspired by God
From the Catholic Encyclopedia, article Arnold of Brescia:
They looked on him as a prophet inspired by God.
Why would they do that if he were a politician, trying certainly to establish democratic government in pagan Rome? That disagrees with what else they were trying to get across. They [these people in this country who followed him] looked on him as a prophet inspired of God. …
Henry of Lausanne, a monk of Cluny … when he came into contact with Peter De Bruy, he quit using a cross. …They said he was endowed with a spirit of prophecy. …
The church of the Waldenses has inscribed the name of Arnold as in her spiritual genealogy. (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 87,103)
What about the Sardis Church era? Notice something written by a then WCG evangelist:
German Anabaptists ... Carlstadt, a Sabbath keeper, said. Another prevailing feature of their system was a belief in immediate or prophetic inspiration, which if it did not supercede the written word, assimilated them to its author. Notice even there, the test of a prophet was the written word! (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 166, 167)
The old Radio Church of God taught:
I Corinthians 12: ... prophets ... Christ is not placing many in this office. (Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 4-5)
Not MANY does not, and cannot, mean NONE in the 21st century!
Furthermore, the old WCG/RCG taught about a coming Elijah in accordance with the following:
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5)
It can thus be concluded, that the Philadelphia Church Era also taught about at least one coming prophet.
So, we see that the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God taught that there were prophets throughout the church eras (including people like the Apostle John in the Ephesus Church Era).
The apostles were confirmed by signs that followed them (Mark 16:20) and there have been signs that have confirmed the leadership of the Continuing Church of God. And the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God pointed to a dream that preceded its formation in becoming the group to originally hold the Philadelphia mantle.
Now those of you who believe the Bible and accept that there is such a thing as "church eras," pray and think about what I am going to write related to Philadelphia and Laodicea.
First of all, Jesus only promises to protect the Philadelphian Christians from the hour of trial, also called the 'great tribulation' (Matthew 24:21):
7“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Notice Jesus praises the work of the Philadelphians, as well as the fact they have kept His word and not denied His name. This is partially-related to Philadelphians accepting true hierarchical church governance -- that is some most end time Christians do not fully accept, even though some think that they do. More on that can found in the article: The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government.
Now let's see what Jesus said to the Laodicean churches -- plural:
14 “And to the angel of the church]of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:14-20)
Laodiceans are the bulk of end time Christians--not only are they NOT promised protection from what is coming, they are admonished by Jesus to repent. Yet, they feel that they are in need of nothing--which, in the case, includes the need to believe and heed any who claim to be a prophet.
Therefore, and this is the main point of my bringing church eras into this, IT WILL NOT BE CLEAR TO MOST END TIME CHRISTIANS THAT GOD HAS A PROPHET (OR PROPHETS) AND THAT THEY NEED TO HEED HIM WHEN HE GIVES THE MESSAGES THAT GOD WANTS GIVEN.
If so, all would know to flee when it is time and the Bible is clear that not all Christians would flee.
Notice that only some end time Christians, the most faithful will be persecuted then flee, whereas others will not flee and will be then persecuted by Satan:
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:13-17)
Since the time to flee will not be clear to the non-Philiadelphians, do not rely on the criteria that most end time Christians have for a true prophet.
Now the Bible says that God appoints prophets in 1 Corinthians 12:28.
How would God put in a prophet that He knew most end time Christians would not heed?
Have you ever thought about that?
Recall that Jesus says He is knocking, yet the Laodiceans were not listening.
The Bible teaches:
1 Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)
Isn't that something a 21st century prophet would be doing?
Consider that multiple thousands of Church of God members, including the ministry, have heard warnings from places such as the COGwriter Church of God News page. Yet, the vast majority have failed to sufficiently respond to Jesus' words about being Laodicean or what I post on that as well as other theological and prophetic subjects.
Since Jesus pointed to the last church of Revelation 2 & 3 needing to repent, plus only promised the Philadelphian Christians protection from the coming hour of trial, plus we know from what the Apostle Peter said there would be prophets in the last days, and that the last generation Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 would see the return of Jesus in the 21st century, how would God appoint a 21st century prophet?
Would He do some dramatic miracle to make it clear to all end time Christians?
No.
Jesus also refused to do a dramatic one on more than one ocassion when pressed to prove who He was (Matthew 12:38). He then said:
“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign" (Matthew 12:39)
Laodiceans do not consider that they are evil, but clearly they are in an "evil and adulterous generation."
A dramatic miracle is not what end time Christians should expect--but like some of the scribes & the Pharisees (Matthew 12:38-39), some of the crowd seeing Jesus dying (Matthew 27:39-40), as well as robbers executed with Jesus (Matthew 27:44), that is what Laodicean Christians seem to expect.
First Kings shows a series of dramatic things occurring, but that God was not speaking thru them, instead the Bible shows something else:
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)
But many have false pursuaded themselves that they need a massive miracle or to be moved emotionally by a charismatic speaker. But that is not normally how God works.
If you go to the Old Testament, and read about the prophets, very few actually displayed any dramatic miracles. Most simply wrote and preached a few things.
Have you considered whether you have have heeded any without dramatic miracles back in Old Testament times?
Jesus pointed to religious leaders who THOUGHT they would have heeded, but He knew that they would not have (Matthew 23:29-32).
If YOU think you are different than them, can you accept what the word of God says abut how God appoints prophets:
5 Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said,
"Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream. (Numbers 12:5-6)
Notice that the above says that God's plan is that He will speak to His prophets in a dream. That is a major way that God appoints prophets. God does not say rely on an organization to declare one.
Interestingly, the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God taught that God used dreams and would in the last days (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God), yet most in the COGs today seem not to accept that.
Are prophets supposed to self-declare?
Yes.
Notice the following:
22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the Lord ... " (1 Kings 18:22)
1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
2 Hear this, you elders,
And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!
Has anything like this happened in your days,
Or even in the days of your fathers? (Joel 1:1-2)1 The word of the Lord which came to Zephaniah (Zephaniah 1:1)
We hear nothing else about how they were appointed. God appointed them and they declared it.
Hosea declared:
1 Hear the word of the Lord,
You children of Israel, (Hosea 4:1)
Read the Book of Hosea. See what God had him do related to sexual relationships. It is doubtful that almost any Christian would have accepted him as a prophet in his day, yet he was a prophet of God.
Consider the following:
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. 4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. (Jonah 3:3-5)
God did not appear to those in Ninevah, only Jonah did. But the people accepted Jonah's declaration he was a prophet of God. If they would not, they would have perished.
Notice also:
14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah:
"I was no prophet,
Nor was I a son of a prophet,
But I was a sheepbreeder
And a tender of sycamore fruit.
15 Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock,
And the Lord said to me,
'Go, prophesy to My people Israel.'
16 Now therefore, hear the word of the Lord:
You say, 'Do not prophesy against Israel,
And do not spout against the house of Isaac.' (Amos 7:14-16)
Amos explained that God called him to be a prophet, even though people did not believe he was a prophet.
I was no prophet nor the "son of a prophet" either, just a long-term member of the Church of God before I had the dreams.
That said, notice also the following:
28 The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream (Jeremiah 23:28)
So, a prophet is to say if he had a prophetic dream. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THAT GOD USES DREAMS TO APPOINT PROPHETS THEN YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THE WORD OF GOD. Many do not believe that God uses dreams even though He did in the 20th and 21st centuries (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).
In the Old Testament that seems to have a dream or other message from God and then speaking of it were perhaps the only requirements.
However, in the New Testament, a laying of hands seems also to be involved.
This is consistent with the following from the Apostle Paul:
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. (1 Timothy 4:14)
The Radio Church of God reported:
God gives special gifts — special powers of His Spirit — to those who are set apart by the laying on of hands. Remember that it was by the laying on of hands that Timothy received the added ability, called "prophecy" by the King James translators. (Ellis WH. Why We Have the Laying on of Hands Ceremony. Good News Magazine April-May 1965)
Timothy was also an evangelist per 2 Timothy 4:5. He like myself and Polycarp of Smyrna were prophetic evangelists. This involved the laying on of hands.
Before getting the laying on of hands, notice something that the Apostle Paul wrote:
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1)
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy ... (1 Corinthians 14:39)
Since the Apostle Paul said to do that, on a regular basis since at least 1977, I have done so in my prayers.
Notice that Jesus said that a true prophet will basically self-declare:
40 "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. (Matthew 10:40-41)
Yes, if you can accept a true prophet who declares he is a prophet, yes, you can get the reward of a prophet.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary states:
in the name of a prophet—for his office's sake ...
shall receive a prophet's reward—What an encouragement to those who are not prophets!
Yes, that should be encouraging.
Yet, throughout history, people said bad things about God's prophets and even falsely accused Jeremiah of lying (e.g. Jeremiah 43:1-7).
Jesus said:
11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
Many once nominally part of the COG (e.g. see Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch) as well as many inside still claiming to be have said false and evil things against me (e.g. see Can Christians Actually be Cursed By Witches or Witch Doctors?).
In the late Summer of 2005, LCG's then Presiding Evangelist, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith telephoned me and appointed me as an advisor to the evangelists on doctrine and prophecy. It was his idea, not mine. That was his first somewhat official recognition that I had some type of prophetic role.
Herbert W. Armstrong wrote that Melito, along with, Polycarp, were leaders "of the true Christians observing Passover on the 14th of Nisan, first month of the Sacred Calendar" (Armstrong HW. The Plain Truth About Easter. WCG booklet, 1973).
Did you know that Melito wrote about prophets?
Back in 2006/2007, I translated Melito's Greek text from H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die, commonly referred to as Melito's On the Prophets. I submitted the following as a rough translation of the first part of it:
You give the gift of prophecy through your spirit in your way ... (Melito, On the Prophets. Translated by Bob Thiel from the Greek from the H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die)
Melito was a second century Church of God leader who Christians considered to be a prophet. Since Melito was considered as a prophet, he may have written that line to remind his critics and supporters that God decides how to give the gift of prophecy, not humans. As a COG leader Melito wrote, God gives the gift of prophecy HIS way.
Sadly, many people think God needs to give the gift of prophecy according to THEIR (Laos) Way/Judgment (Dike) (Laodicea).
A year or two after I translated that document from Melito, on October 3, 2008, Roderick C. Meredith who has probably the longest ordained COG evangelist telephoned me and said to me, “God may consider you to be a prophet.” It was Dr. Meredith who first brought up the topic about Bob Thiel being a prophet. After he brought it up, in that conversation, I told him that I had been praying for that spiritual gift for over 30 years. He concurred and approved that was something I should have been doing.
Dr. Meredith must have brought up the prophet matter again shortly thereafter as an email I sent him on November 16, 2008 stated, "Now, you have mentioned to me a couple of times that God may regard me as a prophet. And, of course, it was you and not I that first brought that subject up."
In late January/early February 2009, Dr. Meredith told me over the telephone that if he (Dr. Meredith) raised his title to the office of apostle, he was considering ordaining me (Bob Thiel) as a prophet. He apparently was unwilling to do the ordination without him being above me. But, of course, his possibly raised position should not have been relevant--but it was to him. His hesitation to do the ordination himself brought to mind the situation with Saul and David as Saul knew David was to be the next king per 1 Samuel 24:20, but Saul, even though he was God's anointed (and Dr. Meredith may have been for a time), would not publicly accept that.
That said, on February 4, 2009, Dr. Meredith told me over the telephone, "You have an in-depth understanding of prophecy and details of church history. You could be a prophet--that may be what God will have you do." He also asked me to pray then that he would live another 7-15 years then--I prayed and he did (he died on May 18, 2017--just a little over 8 years later).
The other Charlotte-based evangelists before I had to leave LCG also considered that I may be a prophet. That also showed that they believed God would have prophets in the 21st century.
On August 26, 2012, in my office which was then in Arroyo Grande, California, LCG evangelist Dr. D. Winnail told me, “We all think that you might be a prophet.” In order in order to determine who “We all” was, on September 7, 2012, I telephoned Dr. Winnail and asked if this was a reference to all three of the LCG Charlotte-based evangelists and Dr. Winnail concurred that I was teaching Christian truth. Furthermore, on January 7, 2013, which is AFTER I left LCG, Dr. Douglas Winnail sent me an email, which included the statement, "we made comments to you that “you may be a prophet.”
Yet, like various of those who claimed Jesus taught the way of God, but did not follow (Luke 20:21) and those who said they accepted Jeremiah's prophetic authority (Jeremiah 42:1-6), yet turned against him (Jeremiah 43:1-7), none of the Charlotte evangelists followed what they indicated God was doing with me and none of them laid hands on me for that prophetic role.
Though some have since denied the truth, the fact is that the three top evangelists in LCG ALL stated I could be God's prophet before I left that orgnization.
So, what was I to do while in LCG?
Support the work, pray about the prophetic matter, and wait.
Furthermore, in November and December 2011, I counseled with my then pastor Dr. Jeffrey Fall, as well as LCG minister Gary Ehman, about the prophet matters. I told both of them that I thought that I needed to have hands laid upon me again in order to validate the view that I might be some type of a prophet. They both told me that, in their view related to being a prophet, baptism was scripturally sufficient. While that sounded logical, the statement from the Apostle Paul to Timothy about getting hands laid upon him (1 Timothy 4:14) gave me personal pause. And that caution led to me pray more about it. Thus, instead of concluding that I had sufficient anointing, especially considering the relative enormity of some of the ramifications of this as a conclusion, I searched the scriptures and concluded that, perhaps like Gideon (Judges 6:36-40), that I would seek further outside confirmation. And prayed God would provide that (or instead essentially provide information to deny that) when I was to visit Charlotte, North Carolina in December 2011.
On December 15, 2011, LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour, while laying hands on me, was moved by the Holy Spirit to pray that God would grant me a "double portion" of His spirit, which he said was reminiscent of the passing of the mantle from Elijah to Elisha as recorded in 2 Kings 2:9-13. He said that day that he had never been moved to pray that God would grant me a "double portion" of His spirit to anyone else before. LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour said he had never done that before, and he himself stated that what he had done can not be humanly undone.
Some have objected saying that Gaylyn Bonjour had not intended to ordain Bob Thiel as a prophet by asking God to grant Bob Thiel a 'double-portion' (2 Kings 2:9) of God's Spirit. This is true, but it ignores the fact that Isaac did not want to give the blessing to Jacob, but Isaac did inadvertently do so (Genesis 27:35), and God honored the unintended/undesired request of Isaac. Unlike Jacob, I had not intended to get that blessing nor trick Gaylyn Bonjour in any way.
At meeting with the LCG evangelists on December 16, 2011, Richard Ames prayed, with “Amen” concurrence from Dr. Meredith and Dr. D. Winnail, that "Dr. Thiel" would continue to do the proclamation (evangelistic) work that God has had given me to do, etc. He also specifically called my writings/work “an additional witness.”
On March 23, 2012, Gaylyn Bonjour again told me he felt that in the Bible the “double-portion of the Spirit” anointing was related to “the passing of the mantle” and that it mattered not what certain other leaders would say because it is God, and not an organization of men, that truly appoints prophets, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:28). It was later that day I told Dr. Meredith about the anointing.
Gaylyn Bonjour later saw the emphasis on the helping the poor in Africa and elsewhere as a sign that his prayer for me to have a double-portion of God's Spirit was granted.
On November 28, 2019, Gaylyn Bonjour stated that he believed that God answered his prayer regarding Him granting me a double-portion of His Spirit. Furthermore, on that same date, Gaylyn stated that he tells those who ask:
I have known Bob Thiel since 1986. He has always been honest, dedicated, and sincere.
And that includes what I have written about him and the prophet matter. My teaching about what happened is accurate and not false.
Of course, it is God who appoints prophets (1 Corinthians 12:28), but the reality is that the Charlotte-based evangelists supported telling me that God may consider me to be a prophet. Thus, those who suggest otherwise should ask themselves how many others in the history of the Radio/Worldwide/Global/Living Church of God have the top leaders told that God may consider them to be a prophet? Or any other COG group saying someone outside of its formal leadership was a prophet? I would suggest that the only one to be told this at least by the Radio/WCG/GCG/LCG leadership, at least multiple times over the course of years, was me, Bob Thiel. And that God led Gaylyn Bonjour to anoint and pray over me for a 'double-portion' of His Spirit as he did.
Since it is God who appoints prophets (1 Corinthians 12:28), it seems that because Dr. Meredith personally did not anoint me, God took steps to get that anointing done by a properly ordained member of the eldership. And this happened. And the anointing combined with events that happened in LCG since the anointing (such as the adoption of foreign doctrine) forced me to recognize that LCG could no longer have the Philadelphia mantle (see also Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God) and to go out on faith to establish the Continuing Church of God. I did not leave LCG because they rejected my prophetic role. I left LCG because after the top leadership there clearly decided against keeping their word, I concluded that they did not have the biblical character to possibly hold the Philadelphia mantle (see also Roderick C. Meredith's Accusatory Letter to Bob Thiel). I, thus decided to accept that God no longer wanted one anointed as a prophet to stay with an organization that could not possibly lead the final phase of the work.
David was prophet, Acts 2:30. Yet, when Samuel anointed him, that was not stated, but that God's Spirit then came on him mightily, like more than others get (1 Samuel 16:12-13). David was then twice publicly anointed (2 Samuel 2:4), with the last one by the elders of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3). Additionally, David's son Solomon was anointed twice to be king per 1 Kings 1:39 and 1 Chronicles 29:21. So, we see the precedent where some have been anointed more than once for the same basic role, as well as sometimes being anointed by those of a lessor position.
Because my 'double-portion' ordination was private, reminiscent of what happened to David when Samuel anointed him, it looked like a more public ordination should be done. In Nairobi, Kenya on February 9, 2017 long time COG ministers/overseers Evans Ochieng (of Kenya, formerly GCG) and Samuel Gyeabour Ofosu (of Ghana, formerly CG7) publicly anointed me as an overseer, evangelist, and prophet. In this way, there were hands laid on me by men who were in (or had been in) Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicean era churches.
I am not self-appointed, despite slurs and various false statement to the contrary--but to a degree am self-declared.
Does God make His prophets clear popular enough that pretty much all humans accept one?
According to the Old Testament and the words of Jesus, the answer is no.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, KJV)
The Apostle John added "test the spirits, whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1).
Have you proven ALL THINGS related to a prophet? Or are you more like one who despises the idea that God really has one or more prophets in place today?
According to the Bible, you should prove these matters.
Although Jesus gave many signs (John 2:11; 6:2, 26; 7:31; 9:16; 11:47; 12:37), the people apparently wanted different ones:
37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:
“Lord, who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (John 12:37-38)
Jesus denounced those who wanted different signs from Him (Matthew 12:38-39). Non-Philadelphians are unwilling to accept God’s signs–that’s the biblical reality. God does not always show signs the way many seem to think He has to.
Jesus also said:
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20)
So, what are the fruits?
Good trees produce a lot of fruit. Jesus also said:
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit ... (john 15:16)
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred. (Mark 4:20)
Deuteronomy 7:13 also refers to people as the fruit of the womb, as does Psalm 127:3.
If fruits can be defined as people in the Church of God, then CCOG has those.
Anyway, the only x-WCG group to add over 9,000 congregants in the past eleven years is the Continuing Church of God which began with 5 people on December 28, 2012.
If fruits include restored doctrinal and prophetic truths (see Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things), since CCOG formed, it has produced the most fruit that way.
As far as other fruits go, Deuteronomy 18:21-22 stated, if a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, he must be right or he is not from God.
But it is not just enough that the prophet be right not to be false. Notice also the following:
1"If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' — which you have not known — 'and let us serve them,' 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)
So, if the prophet does not keep and advocate keeping God's commandments, he is also false.
Thus, another fruit of a true prophet is that he advocates that people keep God's commandments.
We have a book that I wrote on that titled: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.
The Bible reported that Elijah was a prophet (1 Kings 18:22). Jesus said in the last days, a coming Elijah would "restore all things" (Matthew 17:11). More things have been restored in the CCOG than other other church in the 21st century. For a list, check out the article: Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth." (Romans 9:28)
Unlike Paul's statement about the fulness of the Gentiles, we see that only a remnant of Israel will be saved in this age.
But we also see hints that there will be a 'short work.'
Here is something Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in a letter dated September 17, 1982:
It is written in Romans 9, concerning this very END TIME, "For he (Christ) will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth" (verse 28).
While we were not in the very end time then, we are much closer to it now. In a letter dated October 18, 1983 he wrote that he realized that the 'short work' was for the future:
I feel God will move swiftly soon to make a short work preparatory to Christ's coming.
The short work most definitely involves preparation now (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word). And an important part of the short work relates to the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, which, in a sense, is cut short as it triggers the end coming:
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
We in the CCOG have been working on the fulfillment of that. This is part of why more materials, literature, articles, books, booklets, and websites are being developed and/or added to. That is basically the purpose of our literature as well as getting our English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, translated into over 1000 languages–we seem to have been the only COG to do that (see also Preaching the Gospel in Over 1000 Languages).
The Apostle Paul wrote:
13 ... I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. (Romans 1:13)
So, Gentiles being called is a fruit for the Apostle Paul, who was also a prophet that had visions (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:1) and who wrote prophecies (e.g. 2 Thessalonians 2; see also 2 Peter 1:19-21).
He also said warned he warned Christians night and day about false leaders and false doctrine while teaching God's ways:
27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts 20:27-31)
That is, in several ways, similar to the COGwriter Church of God News site which has articles day and night on doctrine, prophecy, and warning about false teachers.
With that in mind, notice a prophecy Paul wrote that will be fulfilled in the 21st century:
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)
Consider that according to Jesus, it is the Laodiceans that are wise in their own eyes (cf. Revelation 3:14-18)–and the bulk of the Laodicean Christians that do not properly accept the fulfillment Romans 11:25 as being necessary.
As far as the timing of Romans 11:25, continuing in the sequence we read:
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27)
So, in the sequence of Romans 11, we see the full number of the Gentiles will come into the faith (Romans 11:25), prior to Jesus’ return (Romans 11:26)--this is to happen in the 21st century
The late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, taught the following about Romans 11:25:
Now I want you to study carefully one of the most wonderful, important chapters in all the Bible — the 11th of Romans. … Verse 23 says those who abide not still in unbelief shall YET receive salvation. … Now study carefully beginning verse 25: “Blindness in part is happened to Israel [HOW LONG? Forever? No — note it], UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” — the end of this age during which God is calling a people from among the gentiles to bear His name (Acts 15:14). (Armstrong HW. Where Will The MILLENNIUM Be Spent? Tomorrow’s Word magazine, September 1971, p. 5)
Where is this occurring most in the Churches of God?
Well in the CCOG where we have had over 9,000 Gentiles come in (see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?). Unlike various other x-WCG groups, the vast bulk with us were NOT once part of the old WCG nor were their parents part of the old WCG.
This is a fruit of a prophetic evangelist.
We have also not ignored the Ezekiel warning (see What is the Ezekiel Warning?) as, for one example, our free online book, Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?, demonstrates.
Here is a brief summary list of fruits of a 21st century prophet:
-Dream(s) from Gd that come to pass (Acts 2:17-18; see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).
-Anointed to receive a "double-portion" of God's Spirit (cf. 2 Kings 2:9-13; see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God).
-Being told by church leadership God may consider one to be a prophet (cf. Jeremiah 42:1-6) then them not following (Jeremiah 42:1-6, 43:1-2; see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets ).
-Telling people the dreams and declaration of a prophet status (Jeremiah 23:28; see .also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God).
-Having predictions that came to pass (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets).
-Being ridiculed and spoken badly about (Matthew 5:11-12; e.g. see also Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch).
-Teaching truth night and day and warns against false teachers (Acts 20:27-31; see also Church of God News & News of Interest to those once affiliated with the Worldwide Church of God).
-Not making false prophecies (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets).
-Promoting the Ten Commandments and the true faith (Deuteronomy 13:1-4; see also The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast).
-Restoring doctrinal truth in the end times (Matthew 17:11; see also Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things).
-Preparing for the Short Work of Romans 9:28 and the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14 (see also Preparing for the 'Short Work' and The Famine of the Word and Preaching the Gospel in Over 1000 Languages).
-Reaching Gentiles (Romans 11:25; see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?).
-Geting out the Ezekiel warning (Ezekiel chapters 3,5, & 6; see also Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?)
-Leading the fast growing x-WCG in the 21st century (Matthew 7:16; Mark 4:20).
Please accept the criteria that God, not some organization claiming to best represent Him, has set for determining who is a true prophet of God. Do not add non-biblical criteria, which is what most have done.
Accept God's form of governance (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government), which means how HE ordains leaders.
That said, there will be two witnesses that God will grant power to in the 21st century (see also Who Are The Two Witnesses?).
Notice that they are prophets:
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 11:3-10)
Some, improperly, think that those are the only possible prophets in the end times, but that is not consistent with Acts 2:17-18.
Use the criteria of the Bible.
The Church of God acknowledged prophets throughout the church age.
The word of God says that there will be prophets in the last days who have dreams and these are NOT limited to the two witnesses.
Do not be Laodicean and think you are better off not proving whether or not God has any prophets at this time.
If you will not so prove, you will fact consequences according to the word of God.
Instead, it is better to accept a prophet by the word of a prophet and hence, according to Jesus, receive a prophet's reward (Matthew 10:40-41).
Thiel B. 21st Century Church of God Prophets. (c) 2024 0305 COGwriter https://www.cogwriter.com/21centuryprophets.htm