Church of God News

COGwriter

A flu pestilence is starting to hit Europe:

Various pestilences are not unexpected as Jesus taught:

6 See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:6-8).

Europe, however, will come through this flu epidemic and ultimately will be the premier power in the world until Jesus returns.

Some articles of possible interest may include:

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”? What is ahead for Europe?
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans (the Hindus may have some predictions for the next decade as well). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
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?
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Young Grasshopper

COGwriter

The following three news items mentioned locust infestations:

A photostatic copy of a page from Ilustração Portugueza, October 29, 1917, showing the crowd looking up

COGWriter

The Pope has come out to develop a policy on how to handle the many so-called apparitions of Mary and the related messages that they proclaim:

Ronald Weinland’s CGPFK website actually states the following:

Book – 2008 God’s Final Witness – inaccurate timeline
Some have questioned selected statements in the book 2008 God’s Final Witness, believing they have found a contradiction. Most misunderstandings come when people have “read into” what was written. It is easy to read our own thoughts/ideas into what we believe we “see” when we are reading. It would be good to listen to the sermon entitled, “Three More Weeks” (March 29, 2008), as it addresses this subject matter.

One would think that since 2008 was over and most people have never heard of Ronald Weinland (and far less heard of the one he claimed was the second of God’s two witnesses–his wife), that all associated with CGPFK would realize that Ronald Weinland had many inaccurate timelines.

After all, it is 2009.

But, since CGPFK is inviting those who doubt Ronald Weinland’s accuracy to look at his 3/29/08 sermon, let me once again quote from it–here is some of what Ronald Weinland stated in it:

If by Pentecost I’m just going to make this real clear to everyone. If by Pentecost it is not powerfully and abundantly clear that there has been a great deal of destruction that will clearly encompass a third of all plant life in the US and at least the clear results of this mingled with blood the death of very much animal life and the beginning of large numbers of human life then I will stop preaching. Just so all the critics and everyone out there will understand. I am true to my word in these things. OK? And for all the critics if by the end of July and for most likely around Pentecost if nothing has clearly caused great destruction and death I will make it very clear that I was a false prophet. I will do exactly what I said I would do on all of those interviews that I have held; to do less, aah well, would be quite insane. (Weinland R. Three More Weeks–quote from near the 1 hour 28 minute point from the CGPFK website version. Sermon given March 29, 2008).

Since that Pentecost was June 8, 2008 and Ronald Weinland did not do that, it should be clear to all that he did have an inaccurate timeline.  This is not simply a misreading–it is a documented fact.

Furthermore, notice the following from pages 116 and 244 of his book, 2008 God’s Final Witness:

Once the Seventh Seal is opened, the first of Seven Trumpets
will be blown. Each Trumpet will announce a specific phase of
great tribulation on the earth. The first four trumpets will
proclaim the demise of the United States and her closest allies…

By the fall of 2008, the United States will have collapsed as a world power…

The United States has not yet collapsed as a world power.

And in terms of timelines, Ronald Weinland now teaches that the first trumpet did not blow until December 14, 2008 and that even it was spiritual (see Ronald Weinland & 2008: God’s Final Witness).

Ronald Weinland made many mistakes and false prophecies.

No one should follow this repeatedly proven false prophet.  His timelines have repeated proven themselves to be inaccurate.

Remember that the Bible itself teaches:

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 18:21-22)

Ronald Weinland is a false prophet.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples ofthe United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?

Pope Benedictus XVI

COGwriter

A reader (and regular news contributor to this page) sent in the following news item:

That same reader made the following observations and comments:

I would add that before becoming Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger was the leader of the office that used to head up the inquisition.

I should also add that we in the Living Church of God do teach that persecution is coming.  And we believe that much of it will be due to misguided ones affiliated with what will later come out of the Vatican.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view?  Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches?  Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!

The Strength of Dollars Have Long Been Part of the “Pride of the Power” of the USA
(which will be broken per Leviticus 26:19)

COGwriter

With risking showing the obvious, notice the following two news items:

• The federal government will have to borrow more money than at any time in history.
• To raise that money, it will have to shove aside individuals, businesses, local governments and virtually all other borrowers, scooping up most of the funds available in the already-tight credit markets.
• By crowding out other borrowers, it will sabotage its own efforts now underway to restore private credit markets …
  It will put great upward pressure on interest rates — and ironically…
• It could bring on a new, more virulent debt crisis that deepens and prolongs the economic decline.

The above news items have not gotten close to how bad it will get in the USA.

The following, from the Bible, is now occurring:

43 The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. (Deuteronomy 28:43-45)

The following, also from the Bible, which I have referred to many times, will also occur:

For the vision is yet for an appointed time.
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie…
‘Woe to him who increases
What is not his–how long?
And to him who loads himself with many pledges’?
Will not your creditors rise up suddenly?
Will they not awaken who oppress you?
And you will become their booty (Habakkuk 2:3,6,7).

Notice that Habakkuk wrote that at the appointed time of the end (which is mentioned several times in Daniel 11, hence this appears to be for the same time) a those who are deep in debt (loaded with “many pledges”) will become the “booty” (slaves) of creditors. The USA is the most indebted nation of all time and its English-speaking allies are all also deeply in debt. Since we are near the appointed time of end, does it not make sense that this would be referring to the USA and its English-speaking allies?

And when our creditors rise up, that will be worse than what any news commentator I have seen has been alluding to.

For articles of additional related prophetic interest see:

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?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans (the Hindus may have some predictions for the next decade as well). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
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?
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?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  This is my longest article on biblical and non-biblical prophecies that may involve Barack Obama.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
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”? What is ahead for Europe?

COGwriter

Last night, the latest newsletter from Legacy Institute’s Leon Sexton (who is based in northern Thailand) arrived.  Here is some of what he reported about his health:

Gloria has had to pick up a lot of the school administration duties since I left the hospital. It is a lot of work.

I still get easily fatigued and continue to have high blood pressure and blood sugar problems…

I remain in the saddle.

Gloria is Leon Sexton’s wife.  I have reported about his health before (see Leon Sexton’s Health Problems) and while it seems like he is recovering, it is possible that eventually he will need to leave Thailand.

Leon Sexton used to accompany the late Herbert W. Armstrong to places like Thailand.

Senator (now also President Elect) Barack Obama

COGwriter

Someone sent me an email suggesting that Barack Obama may be the one the Bible refers to with the number 666.  Here is some of what that email stated:

666.  Revelation 13:18 says “the number of the Beast … is the number of a man and his number is six hundred threescore and six.”  6+6+6=18, the number of letters in Barack Hussein Obama, whose Chicago power base includes the 60606 zip code.
On November 5 — the day after the election — in Obama’s home state of Illinois — the evening pick 3 lottery number was 6-6-6.

Of course, Barack Obama is NOT 666 (nor is he the final Antichrist, see Prophecies of Barack Obama?).

Why not?

First of all, his name does NOT add up to six hundred, sixty and six.

Secondly, a winning lottery number is not proof.  Nor is the zip code of Chicago at all relevant.

But the subject of 666 is important and relevant.

LCG’s late John Ogwyn wrote this about the meaning and origins of 666:

Scarcely any prophetic subject has elicited more conjecture and speculation than the “mark of the Beast.” In addition to a “mark,” Revelation 13 also mentions an “image” of the Beast as well as the mysterious “number of his name”—666…

Since the Roman Empire is the Beast described by John in Revelation 13 and Revelation 17, the “mark” is a brand or mark of the Roman Empire. The “image” of the Beast must be something modeled or patterned after the Roman Empire.

Before going further, notice that Revelation 13 mentions a second “beast” with an earthly, not heavenly, origin (v. 11). It outwardly masquerades as Christian, seeking to be identified with Christ, the Lamb of God (cf. John 1:29) but receives its power from the devil, that old dragon (Revelation 12:9). In prophecy, horns are used to represent rulership or authority, and this creature is pictured with two horns. Revelation 13:12 reveals that this second beast insists that all give their allegiance and loyalty to the Holy Roman Empire, the beast whose deadly wound was healed (v. 12). This second beast is described as performing great miracles, which will deceive humanity (vv. 13–14). In Matthew 24:24, Christ prophesied of “false Christs” who will deceive all but the very elect…

The earliest proposed solution to the meaning of 666 is a tradition attributed to Polycarp, the disciple of the same Apostle John who wrote Revelation. This tradition is preserved in the second century writings of Irenaeus. The number 666 is “…contained in the Greek letters of Lateinos (L=30; A=1; T=300; E,=5; I=10; N=50; O=70; S=200)” (Commentary on the Whole Bible, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown). Lateinos is a Greek term referring to the Romans. Interestingly, the Greek expression meaning “the Latin kingdom” (h Latine Basileia) also has a numeric value of 666. Greek writers commonly referred to the Roman Empire in this way. The book of Revelation was originally written in Greek, as it was written to Greek-speaking churches in ancient Asia Minor…

The founder of ancient Rome was Romulus, from whose name Rome and Roman are derived. The Latin name Romvlvs is written in Hebrew as Romiith. In the Hebrew language this also adds up to 666 (resh=200, vau=6, mem=40, yod=10, yod=10, tau=400). Thus, in both Greek and Hebrew, the two languages of the Bible, the number 666 is stamped upon the kingdom that derived from Rome (Ogwyn J. The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality?).

Hence, LCG teaches that 666 represents a civil Roman leader/kingdom (scripturally referred to as “the beast”) who will maintain a religious alliance.

And that is that 666 represents those that follow forms of false Christianity–but also symbolizes the beast–the final leader of the Holy Roman Empire who will be ultimately influenced by the Vatican (by way of a demon-influenced individual who the Bible calls the false prophet, Revelation 16:13, and who is probably an “antipope” in the sense that even Roman Catholics would consider a demon-influenced pontiff an antipope).

Specifically 666 is the number of the first beast in Revelation 13 as distinguished from the Antichrist, who is the second, the two-horned beast, in the same chapter. And as Revelation 13 shows, the two-horned beast works with, and promotes, the seven-headed (and ten-horned) first beast in that chapter.

Perhaps I should add emphasize that the two-horned beast (also known as the false prophet or the final Antichrist) is mainly a religious, not a military leader–the military leader’s empire is “666.”

UPDATE 01/20/2013 Want to learn more than can be put into a post?  The Barack Obama Administration has already began to fulfill at least a dozen predictions from my 2009 book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect.  I have now greatly expanded my research on prophecies associated with Barack Obama and now have a new book available for only US$9.98.  It is titled Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and what will happen to the United States.

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For those who prefer an actual physical book, Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States is available to order from www.barackobamaprophecy.com as a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many predictions that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future.  It is US$9.98.  The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

SDA/COG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Continuing Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.  It also explains more about 666.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about 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.
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.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.
Barack Obama Carries Hindu Monkey God Although there are some strange and false stories about Barack Obama, this one seems to be true.
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.
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?
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?

Laodicea Has Many Scattered Structures that Are Relatively Ineffective

COGwriter

COGaIC is a group that tends to be secretive about itself as it restricts outsiders from many of its publications.

However, I recently was sent a copy of a Fall 2008 report written by David Hulme (its leader, who was formerly president of the United Church of God–see also In Their Own Words: Doctrinal Differences Between the old United Church of God and the old Global Church of God) that gives some insight into its actual size:

What I’d like to give you today is a progress report that will explain what we’ve been doing in the Church and the Work over the last year or so…

In some parts of the world you will find that there are a lot of people coming into the Church. You find quite a multiplying going on in Africa at the moment. you don’t find it very much in the UK, but it’s not true of everywhere in the UK. You don’t find it everywhere in the US…

What has been happening in the Church? In the US and Canada we have 1150 people in regular attendance and we have 53 churches. If you do your maths you realize that a lot of these churches are rather small…

At the Feast last year we had about 1300 people in attendance. Let’s go to other parts of the world. In Australia we have 68 people and six churches. In the Philippines we have 156 people and seven churches. In addition we have 11 members in six countries, remote areas all around Southeast Asia who are looked after by Australia. Last year we had 77 people at the Feast in Bright, in Australia, and 132 in Iloilo, in the Philippines.

In Africa we have an interesting situation. We have English and French speaking brethren there numbering 700! So they are a sizable portion of our total numbers. They are scattered through 38 congregations. A recent report I saw has congregations in places that even I was not aware we had people! So there are some small groups forming in countries where hitherto we have not had anybody.

In the UK we have about 300 people in 14 congregations. The Feast there is one of our larger ones, about 320 there last year. In Germany we have two congregations and 20 people. We have people of the German language background in Switzerland as well. We have France and Switzerland represented in the French language: 21 people in two congregations. In Scandinavia we have about 10 people, mostly in Denmark and Norway and Sweden, I believe. (Hulme D. Feast of Tabernacles 2008 Progress Report. Church of God, an International Community)

The overall trend for COGaIC seems to be down as far as members and attendees are concerned.  Whether or not that trend will continue is unclear.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Church of God, an International Community (COG aic) This is the group led by David Hulme. It seems to minimize parts of biblical prophecy.
The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
Attending the Church of Choice This article discusses whose choice is important to worship God; should you attend the church of your choice or the church of God’s choice?
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it?
18 Truths Restored to the Churches of God Herbert W. Armstrong wrote that he felt he had restored at least 18 lost truths to the Church, here is Herbert W. Armstrong’s list given 12/17/83. This articles also has links to show that these truths were believed by professors of Christ in earlier times, hence they were not some invention of Herbert Armstrong.
Do You Believe God Used Herbert W. Armstrong to Raise Up the Philadelphia Era of the Church of God? Nearly everyone while in WCG used to believe this, most do not seem to anymore.
In Their Own Words: Doctrinal Differences Between the old United Church of God and the old Global Church of God Older quotes from the leadership and some of the membership of these two organizations are included without added commentary (until the end and the 7/31/98 update) which highlighted some of the differences between them.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.