Archive for April, 2009

Weather & Wheat

Thursday, April 30th, 2009


Wheat

COGwriter

Earlier this year, I reported about wheat crop problems in China (Drought, Wheat, & China) and Argentina (Argentina, Drought, & Wheat).  Here is a report related to the United States:

Grain Outlook: Who Saw This Coming?
Cattle Network – April 28, 2009   excerpt…
Drought in Texas and Oklahoma, plus two hard freezes hurt wheat badly.

The USDA Crop Progress report released April 27th, showed 73 percent of the Texas wheat crop rated as poor or very poor.

Only 11 percent of the Texas crop was considered good or excellent. Sixty-four percent of the Oklahoma winter wheat crop rated poor or very poor. Nine percent was good and none of the wheat in Oklahoma was rated as excellent.
The full extent of the freeze damage to Oklahoma wheat will not be known until the wheat has headed out. By comparison, the Kansas hard red wheat crop rated 48 percent good or excellent. Only 15 percent was poor or very poor. Some wheat in the southern tier of Central Kansas counties was hurt by the freezes, but at this time it is thought impact on final yields will be minimal.
Soggy fields in the Eastern Corn Belt and Upper Great Plains spring wheat areas have delayed corn planting, raising questions about the number of acres that will be planted to corn and spring wheat this year; and the acreage that may be shifted into soybeans. Aside from bidding a premium into the Minneapolis spring wheat price, traders seem to be ignoring the potential impacts of the situation.

The second cold, wet spring in a row has corn planting running behind normal, although planting progress picked up considerably in the Western Corn Belt during the fourth week of April. In the 18 major corn states, as of April 26th, 22 percent of the corn had been planted compared to the average 28 percent. However Eastern Corn Belt states were still running far behind normal. Two examples: Only four percent of the corn in Illinois had been planted versus a normal 43 percent and Indiana was only two percent planted versus the normal of 25 percent. Corn planting in the Mid-south didn’t keep up this week, especially in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Corn Belt corn producers like to have corn seed in the ground by May 1st. Big planting rigs can plant lots of corn in a hurry, but they have to be able to get into fields without sinking in up to the wheel hubs. In many areas, that will not be possible until later in the month.

The next important date is May 10th. That is the date past which yield potential for corn starts to decline dramatically. Corn yields held up last year, even with late planting, because near ideal, but rare, late summer and early fall growing conditions allowed the corn to mature. If corn price is high enough to give good returns even with lower yields, producers might decide to go ahead with corn. But many will switch to planting soybeans. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=310415

Disruptions of the grain production in food exporting nations can cause serious famines and even starvation in various places.

Famines are one of the events that Jesus referred to as part of the beginning of sorrows:

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 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).

Without repentance, even bigger food shortages are expected.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?
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?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as his timing and at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most detailed of the articles here at COGwriter related to prophecy and Barack Obama.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled since he is to be the USA president?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”?  When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Russia and China to Increase Military Cooperation

Thursday, April 30th, 2009


Chinese Soldiers

COGwriter

Russia and China have again publicly announced that they plan increased military cooperation:

Russia and China announce new era of military cooperation
The Times – April 29, 2009

Russia and China announced plans for an intensified programme of military cooperation yesterday as part of a burgeoning “strategic partnership”.

As many as 25 joint manoeuvres will be staged this year in a demonstration of strengthening ties between Moscow and Beijing, Russia’s Defence Minister, Anatoly Serdyukov, said at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Liang Guanglie.

Mr Serdyukov gave no details of the planned exercises but said that Russia was “satisfied with the level of our military and military-technical cooperation” with China. The talks took place ahead of a meeting in Moscow today (wed) of defence ministers from the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO), seen as an emerging rival to Nato.

The Kremlin underscored the SCO’s growing military role, saying that the meeting of defence ministers was one of its “most important activities”. The SCO held its first military exercises in 2007, when Russia’s then President, Vladimir Putin, praised the organisation’s “growing defence potential”.

Russia and China are founding members of the body along with the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. India, Pakistan, Mongolia and Iran have observer status at SCO meetings.

Russia and China staged their first joint war games in 2005 after resolving outstanding border disputes between them. However, Moscow views Beijing as a lucrative market for defence exports and has sold billions of dollars of weaponry to China since the collapse of the Soviet Union ended their Communist rivalry.

President Medvedev described the relationship the former Cold War foes as a “strategic partnership” when he met China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi at his country residence outside Moscow on Monday. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said later that Russia and China shared “a common vision of the contemporary world”.

Both states have a keen interest in keeping the United States and Europe out of Central Asia as competition intensifies for access to the region’s enormous oil and gas reserves. Kyrgyzstan bowed to Russian pressure in February and ordered the closure of a US military base used to supply Nato operations in Afghanistan on the same day as it received pledges of $2.15 billion in aid and loans from the Kremlin.

Russia also announced yesterday that it would conduct at least five test launches of its new Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile before putting it into service at the end of this year…

The trials are part of a modernisation programme for Russia’s armed forces… http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6188506.ece

The Bible shows that after the Great Tribulation, those of the North and East (apparently references to Russia, China, India, and their future allies) will cause problems for and attack the European King of the North.

This announcement for increased cooperation among Russia, China, and certain allies is simply one step leading to that prophetic fulfillment.

Those interested in more details, should study the following:

Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: Prophecy Japan in prophecy. What is prophesied for Japan. Will God save the Japanese?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What is prophesied for Russia? What will it do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?

Obama’s First 100 Days

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

COGwriter

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 is being hailed as the end of the first 100 days of the Barack Obama presidency.  Since Franklin D. Roosevelt (but especially since John F. Kennedy), the first 100 days has been considered a significant milestone for USA presidents.

Unlike many of his predecessors, Barack Obama not only has tried to accomplish as much of his agenda as possible during his first 100 days, he also took advantage of the 70 or so days from the time of his election to inauguration to try to “hit the ground running” (to cite an American expression).

As USA President, Barack Obama has shown himself to be well organized and disciplined.  He has tried to handle both his public and family matters in a professional manner.

He has somewhat “wowed” the international press and seems to have taken many steps to improve the image of the country to those outside the USA.  Including many hostile governments.

He has a very tough job to do.  We in LCG believe that all Americans should pray for the President and have publicly advocated that (see LCG: Pray for President Obama).

Here are some of the highlights of his first 100 days:

  1. In some of his very first acts, President Obama has lifted restrictions on funding abortion counseling outside the USA (see Obama’s Abortion Changes) as well as lifted restrictions related to stem cell research (COGaIC and LCG on Stem Cells).  Both steps essentially will result in increased abortions.
  2. President Obama announced major stimulus packages which he hopes will pull the USA economy out of its current financial crises.  Yet, this plan will greatly accelerate the accumulation of debt by the United States.  According to a prophecy in the Book of Habakkuk, the ones that do that in the time of the end will have their creditors rise up against them and plunder them (see Anglo – America in Prophecy).
  3. President Obama has taken many steps to increase governmental involvement in the USA economy.  Although his predecessors took similar steps, the amount of government involvement has probably not increased at this rate since the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt.  And while some view this as a good thing, the Bible warns about governments who get too much control of the economy (Revelation 13).
  4. His first international contact was to the head of the PLO.  He also has had other contacts with Muslim and Arab leaders.  He has made public statements praising Islam.  According to Forbes magazine, an old Shi’ite prophecy states that when a tall black man leads the greatest armies of the West, this will enable the rise of the final imam, also called the Mahdi.  The Bible seems to refer to this person as the final King of the South.
  5. Barack Obama has changed the USA’s position on the European Union and intends to encourage it to grow politically and militarily (for details, see Obama Proving Apocalyptic).  This will likely help enable the rise of the one the Bible refers to as the final King of the North.  Also known as 666 or the Beast.
  6. Barack Obama has taken steps to reduce improper and unacceptably poor treatment of various prisoners accused of terrorism.
  7. Barack Obama has dealt with at least one pirate capture.
  8. Those in his party have succeeded in getting US senators Joseph Lieberman and Arlen Specter to support his agenda more than expected (Arlen Specter announced on April 28, 2009 that he would switch parties.  This would tend to give President Obama a ‘filibuster proof’ majority.)
  9. Though announcing cuts in Iraq, Barack Obama has taken steps to increase the USA’s presence in Afghanistan, while at the same time having the Secretary of Defense explain that the USA will have to reduce spending on certain future military capabilities (see Russia & USA to Differ in Military Support).  The Bible shows that the USA and its Anglo-allies will be taken over and having their military-power stretched and reduced would seem to be a concurrent step for this to occur (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy).
  10. Because of reports of a “swine flu” outbreak, the President has requested $1.5 billion to try to deal with it.  He also has been working to reassure Americans that the nation is prepared for a possible pandemic.  The Bible tells of pestilences as a sign of what Jesus calls “the beginning of sorrows” (see also Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011?).

These first 100 days have, to a fairly complete degree, validated my (and others) assertions after his election that Barack Obama would be apocalyptic (see Cardinal: Obama Apocalyptic).  However, despite messianic claims of some (Obama Crowned as Messiah?), Barack Obama is NOT the saviour of the USA nor he is the final antichrist (see as I have long wrote, please see Barack Obama is Not the Antichrist and Eight More Reasons Why Barak Obama is NOT the Antichrist).

We are living in the last days and it is only logical that whoever would have been USA president during this time would take steps similar to many of those that President Obama has taken.

President Obama needs our prayers.  The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Without national repentance, the United States is doomed for destruction.  The focus needs to be on turning to the God of the Bible and not simply on the hope that President Obama will somehow stave off economic disaster for 4-8 years while ignoring the nation’s sins.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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.
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?

$1.5 Billion for “Swine Flu”

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

COGwriter

Last week I reported that the so-called “swine flu” might be a problem.  Well now the USA seems to think that it might become one as well:

Officials: Government Well-Prepared for Swine Flu, but Worst Is Yet to Come

By Ben Pershing
A panel of experts reassured senators today that the government was well-prepared to cope with the widening swine flu outbreak, even as they warned that the situation is likely to get worse before it gets better.

At a hastily arranged hearing of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that handles health issues, a quartet of government officials on the front lines of the swine flu battle outlined all that they are doing to contain the crisis, from beginning work on a vaccine to boosting surveillance at the border. But the fight is far from over, they said…

In the middle of the hearing, Harkin got word that President Obama had officially asked Congress to include $1.5 billion to combat the swine flu in the upcoming supplemental spending bill, most of which will be devoted to funding for Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure is expected to be taken up by both chambers early next month.

Even before receiving word of Obama’s funding request, Harkin said he would “push very hard” to include flu preparedness money in the supplemental measure. Harkin made a point of saying he had helped to insert $870 million into the economic stimulus package for pandemic flu preparedness, money that — as has been much discussed this week — was eventually cut from the bill before passage. “I was disappointed that the money was taken out of the recovery package,” Harkin said.

Hailing from a state where pig farms are plentiful, Harkin also wanted the hearing to amplify the message that the swine flu outbreak should not make Americans afraid of what they eat. He invited John Clifford, a top official at the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, for that express purpose.

“This is not a food-safety issue. Pork is safe to eat,” Clifford said, lamenting that the name of the virus might have mistakenly given people the opposite impression…

“Over a period of anywhere from four to six months or so, you may be able to start getting off the assembly a number of doses, so that we might have it ready for people several months from now,” Fauci said. Having a vaccine ready will be particularly important next winter, when the regular flu season comes and cases of swine flu might spike. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/04/government_well-prepared_for_s.html?hpid=topnews

One concern that I have had about the debt accumulation in the USA is what will it do when if really needs massive amounts of money for a future crisis and no one will lend to it anymore?

While the current  “swine flu” may or may not be transmitted now by eating pork, biblically, pork is NOT safe to eat.

At least two cases of this flu are reported in Spain (apparently from one or two who visited Mexico).  Many are reported to be infected in New York.  As of about an hour or so ago, the death toll in Mexico was 152.

In California, the governor indicated that it is possible that two died from this disease so far.  But the causes of death of those two were not totally certain.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?
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?
Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play

UCG’s May Elections

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Laodicea
Ruins of Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

The Journal reported the following:

MILFORD, Ohio—United Church of God elders have nominated nine fellow elders to fill four open seats on the 12-man council of elders.

Voting for the four spaces will take place in May 2009 at the general conference of elders in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area.  For the open “international” position, elders will choose between David Baker of Honeoye Falls, N.Y (who serves in Africa, even though he lives in New York), and William Eddington of Melbourne, Australia.

For the three spots open to U.S. elders serving in the U.S. ministry, fellow elders will choose from Gary Antion, Batavia, Ohio; Scott Ashley, Arvada, Colo.; Jim Franks, Milford, Ohio; Doug Horchak, Plano, Texas; Richard Pinelli, Batavia; Melvin Rhodes, Lansing, Mich.; and Richard Thompson, Eustis, Fla.

UCG had some internal dissension last year when Aaron Dean was re-elected to this Council (for details and related links, please see UCG Having More Dissent).

The Council of Elders essentially is the top governing body in the United Church of God.  All members of the Council were once members of the old Worldwide Church of God when Herbert W. Armstrong was alive.  UCG essentially has a presbyterian form of governance.  In UCG,  ministers nominate and vote for the Council members, who in turn control UCG.  The ultimate power in UCG resides in its ministry, although the Council is the one who approves future ministers.

Herbert W. Armstrong taught the following about governance:

The government of God is of necessity government from the top down. It cannot be ‘government by the consent of the governed’ …

The Presbyterian Church is organized with the presbyters or ministers in control. The Congregational Church delegates top authority to the congregation–“government by the consent of the governed.”

And so it goes. The churches of this world of Satan are organized according to humanly devised patterns. But the Bible gives explicit directions in regard to Church government. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. God’s form of government is, indeed, hierarchical. God the Father is head over Christ–the sole Lawgiver and supreme authority…

To administer these many operations, God–not a vote of the members–“hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers.” (Armstrong HW. Mystery of the Ages, Dodd & Mead, 1985, pp.49, 242, 244).

The United Church of God, like nearly all groups that had origins in the old WCG other than the Living Church of God, has adopted a differing form of governance than  Herbert W. Armstrong taught.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had?
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the Living Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
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.

Jordan’s King: Israel Has 18 Months

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Jerusalem

COGwriter

The King of Jordan made some bold declarations on Meet the Press yesterday:

Jordan: Israel Faces War If It Does not Agree to Arab Terms
Israel National News – April 27, 2009
Israel faces all-out war within 18 months if it does not come to terms with the Arab world and allow the establishment of a new Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, according to Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

The Hashemite monarch also declared on America’s Meet the Press television program Sunday that threats from Iran and Al Qaeda will fade away once Jerusalem is divided.

His position basically echoed the Palestinian Authority (PA) stand that its demands are a condition for peace and are not a matter for negotiation, despite diplomatic and media language about Israel and the PA each making concessions.

The king responded to virtually every question concerning the Middle East by pointing to Jerusalem. “In Arab and Muslim minds, the most emotional aspect is the Palestinian cause and that of Jerusalem. And from there leads all the other problems,” he argued.

When program host David Gregory asked if it’s not a “fantasy’ to think that the problem of Al Qaeda will disappear so easily, the Jordanian monarch answered, ”What — what is Al Qaeda’s platform is — is the plight of the Palestinians in Jerusalem under occupation.”

Gregory challenged him that the terrorist organization may not believe what it says, but King Abdullah II was unmoved. “You can’t really take them that seriously when the core issue, the major grievance in the Arab and Muslim world is solved,” he explained.

He followed the same track concerning Iran and “any crisis you want to talk about…. All roads lead back to Jerusalem.”

The king, who visited U.S. President Barack Obama during his visit to the United States, was equally emphatic and simplistic concerning the Iranian nuclear threat, which worries the Arab world as well as Israel.

Asked by Gregory what is the best way for the U.S. to persuade Iran to retreat from its nuclear program, King Abdullah II responded, “Solving the Israeli-Palestinian problem.” Gregory asked, “That’s it?” and the king explained, “That allows us to then solve the Israeli-Arab-Muslim problem.”

He continued, “Let me go back to saying I think that the challenge we have here in America is connecting the dots. If you have an issue of the threat that Iran poses to Israel, which is what Netanyahu was saying, the best way of solving that problem is solving the core issue, which is the Palestinian problem and that of Jerusalem.

“There’s more of an incentive for the Iranians to continue down that path when there’s an argument that they want to use in front of their people that Palestinians are under occupation.

The Jordanian monarch held out the chance for Israel to make peace with 57 countries that do not recognize Israel today. “Look, Israel, if you solve the Palestinian problem, if you allow us to solve the problems of Jerusalem, we all want to have peace with you.”

He warned that if Israel does not deal with the Arab demands over Jerusalem within the next 18 months, “there will be another conflict between Israel and another protagonist. He charged that outside interference, meaning the U.S., is a requirement to force a peace agreement.

“America is providing a new image of what and how things should be done. And I think that the world has a belief in the president, a lot of faith in what he has to say. Obviously the pressure on the president is to deliver,” he added.

So Israel has to decide, does it want to make a relationship with 57 nations or does it want to stay Fortress Israel?

18 months from now would be the Fall of 2010.

So, apparently the King of Jordan believes that Israel has 18 months to make a major “peace deal” (though there will not truly be permanent peace, cf. Ezekiel 13:8-10, that early).  I would have to believe that if it were to do so, Israel would want it confirmed by the USA and the EU.

Regular readers of this page are aware that the Bible tells of a time where a seven year peace deal is made, but that gets broken in the middle (Daniel 9:27) and that related events begin the Great Tribulation.

Events in the world line up to bring many biblical prophecies to pass.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
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. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradaumus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
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? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Rome Trying to Regain Cenacle

Monday, April 27th, 2009


The Cenacle in the building on Mount Zion

COGwriter

The Church of Rome is getting closer to re-attaining a prize that it has wanted for some time.  And that is the location of the site that it is believed that Jesus held His last Passover, commonly referred to as the Last Supper.

Israel’s Control of Mt. Zion in Danger

Israel National News – April 26, 2009

Ten-year-long negotiations between Israel and the Vatican appear to be drawing to a close, with concerns rising that Israel will cede control of the building housing King David’s Tomb in Jerusalem.

The Bilateral Permanent Working Commission – a team of negotiators representing Israel and the Vatican – released an upbeat press release at the end of last week, speaking of “meaningful progress,” “great cordiality,” and a mutual commitment to reaching a final agreement “as soon as possible.”

Tellingly, a plenary meeting has been announced for this Thursday, April 30, at the Foreign Ministry. The meeting will be chaired by the two states’ deputy foreign ministers, Danny Ayalon and Monsignor Pietro Parolin. It is widely believed that the agreement will be signed then.

Church Demands Parts of Mt. Zion
The two states have been negotiating a treaty since March 1999 on matters having to do with Church-owned or Church-claimed property in Israel. Among the most significant issue under negotiations is the Vatican’s demand for the Last Supper room, located on the second floor of the ancient Mt. Zion building that also houses the tombs of Kings David, Solomon, and Hezekiah.

In addition, the Vatican is claiming areas around Lake Kinneret, as well as in Caesaria and Jerusalem.

Hints and implications in the Vatican and Catholic press have long indicated that the negotiations are expected to end successfully, from the Catholic vantage point, in time for Pope Benedict’s visit to Israel two weeks from now.

“This is a shame and a disgrace of unequalled proportions,” said Daisy J. Stern, M.D., who has been leading an information campaign on the topic. “Giving away these important areas has no Halakhic [Jewish legal] validity, of course, but signing it away will definitely make it very difficult to ever reclaim them.”

Mt. Zion – International Center for Catholics?
At present, since shortly after the Six-Day War in 1967, the Diaspora Yeshiva has run the Mt. Zion compound, on which it is located, and warns of the catastrophic implications for Israel and the Jewish People if the deal goes through.

The director of the yeshiva explained that if the Catholic Church receives control of the area, just a few hundred yards from the Temple Mount and adjacent to the Old City walls, it will turn it into “the international center for Catholics all around the world, and if the pope just gives the word, Christians will be flocking over here en masse.”

“This is an enormous issue that is being pushed through without any public debate whatsoever,” he said.

Vatican Signs Agreement with Arab League
Dr. Stern notes that though there had been reports that an agreement might be signed last week, “nothing happened – except that while they [the Vatican representatives] were talking with Israel, they signed an agreement with the Arab League. This is very worrisome. There are no details on the agreement with the Arab League, except that it aims to promote ‘peace, security and stability.’ Who knows what that really means? Are they dividing up the spoils of the future Vatican agreement with Israel – or perhaps they are preparing for the next Arab war with Israel? We don’t know.”

“This new agreement with the Arab League renders the Vatican, most gravely, an interested party in the Israeli-Arab dispute,” said Prof. Hillel Weiss of Bar Ilan University, who has been closely following the issue.

Of further concern is the fact that Israel is investing some 6 million shekels in improvements and renovations to various sites in preparation for the Papal visit.  Work at the Last Supper room has been underway for some time.

Blueprint of an Agreement

A Foreign Ministry official confirmed in 2005 that a “blueprint of a possible agreement with the Vatican has been received.”  The proposed contract, as Arutz-7 reported at the time, read as follows:

“The State of Israel hands over to the Holy See the use of the Cenacle [the room of the event known as the Last Supper, above King David’s tomb – ed.], of the access path to it, and of the spaces adjacent to it… It is the Holy See’s intention to inform the Bishops – and through them the world’s Priests – that the Catholic Church has been given the use of the Cenacle, inviting them to visit the Holy Place together with their faithful…

The Holy See hands over this use of the Cenacle to the Custody of the Holy Land [which acts on behalf of the Holy See]… [which] will keep the Cenacle open from 6 AM to 8 AM for the celebration of the Holy Mass… Official liturgical celebrations of non-Catholic Churches can take place only upon prior written permission by the Custody of the Holy Land.”

The proposed agreement also stipulated that the Holy See will preserve the historic character of the site and keep it open to pilgrims and tourists, and that Israel will provide for the safety of the site. The Foreign Ministry official said at the time that “Israel is not prepared to relinquish its jurisdiction over this area.” The world will find out later this week whether this position is still valid.

Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein, who founded and still runs the Diaspora Yeshiva, officially known as Yeshiva Toras Yisrael, told Arutz-7 in the past that “according to their bible, the Land is to return to the Christians, and 144,000 Jews are to return to Mt. Zion. Their plan is for them to take control of the site, and then to announce that they are holding a mass reenactment of the Last Supper, with [all types of religious rituals], and to invite millions of Christians to come to Jerusalem and celebrate.” Rabbi Goldstein said that this means much tourism money for Israel, and that someone in the Israeli government is apparently very interested in making this happen…

The King David’s Tomb complex, some 100,000 square feet, is “certainly one of the holiest spots in the Land of Israel,” a yeshiva source said. “David, Solomon and others kings of Judea are said to be buried here. We’ve already given away the Temple Mount and the Machpelah Cave, except for here and there when we’re allowed in; now they want to give Mt. Zion away as well? For thousands of years, this area was almost always totally closed off to Jews.

Dr. Stern and others are attempting to organize a public protest, beginning with an email and fax  campaign to Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon, who will represent Israel at the Thursday meeting.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/131032

The the root of word Cenacle, cena, means dinner.

Perhaps, for historical purposes, I should mention that this location is believed to have been the site of perhaps the earliest Christian church.  But it was not a Roman Catholic location originally, it was a location that the Nazarene Christians held their services until it was forcefully taken over by supporters of Emperor Constantine in the fourth century.

To enforce persecution against Christians who did not accept Constantine’s doctrines, around 332, Constantine issued what is known as the Edict Against the Heretics (Eusebius of Caesarea. The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, Book III, Chapters LXIV, LXV.—Constantine’s Edict against the Heretics. Volume I, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd Series, ed. P. Schaff and H. Wace, Edinburgh: repr. Grand Rapids MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1955; the digital version is by The Electronic Bible Society, Dallas). Because of this edict, the Greco-Roman confederation gained power and took over some of the places that the “Judeo-Christians” had. Catholic priest Bagatti reported:

In 333 the Bordeaux pilgrim found there a basilica erected “by order of Constantine”. By then the holy place had passed from the hands of the Judaeo-Christians, who had held it until then, to those Gentile Christians (Bagatti,  Bellarmino. Translated by Eugene Hoade. The Church from the Gentiles in Palestine. Nihil obstat: Ignatius Mancini, 1 Februari 1970. Imprimi potest: Herminius Roncari, 26 Februari 1970. Imprimatur: +Albertus Gori, die 28 Februarii 1970. Franciscan Printing Press, Jerusalem, 1971, p. 61).

The holy place mentioned above was a meeting place for the Christians. It has been called Sion and Cenacle. Some believe it is wear, or near, where Jesus was buried and resurrected. The Greco-Romans eventually added a shrine and a variety of relics (But notice that it seems that the Constantinian Christians tried to imply that their shrine practices were original even though they were not.

This is also from Catholic scholar, Bagatti, who wrote:

In light of this evidence, which shows two rival communities, we can understand the curious information supplied by Gregory Asharuni (7th cent.) regarding the ordering of the functions and religious pilgrimages established in the 4th century in the different shrines. He says that St. Cyril bishop of Jerusalem (313-386) sent a request to bishop Peter of Alexandria to have the ancient lectionary compiled by St. James. bishop of Jerusalem; Peter found it in the monastery of St. Anthony and sent it to the Holy City. With the diffusion of this news, probably, the idea was to insinuate that the functions established in Jerusalem in the church after the erection of the various shrines, went back to the time of St. James himself, although they were not practiced by those who occupied the mother church of Sion (Bagatti. The Church from the Circumcision, pp. 11-12).

So, the Catholic scholar Bagatti realizes that there were no shrine ties to the original Jerusalem church that James had in the first century. He believes that the Constantinian Christians wanted to imply that their pagan shrine practices were original, although there is no way that they could have been. Sadly, I believe that he is correct about that. Most people simply do not realize that Justin, Tertullian, and others were all aware that there were two significant groups of those who professed Christ until the 4th century. One retained the original Jewish-Christian practices, like the Passover on the 14th, and the other, a confederation of Greco-Roman locations that distanced themselves from those practices and instead implemented shrines and other practices that the original Christians would have condemned.Notice that Constantine ordered faithful Christians in Jerusalem killed if they would not violate biblical dietary guidelines:

That there existed strife between the different branches of the faithful can easily be gathered from the expression of the anonymous pilgrim of Bordeaux in 333, who says that the three basilicas were erected by the gentile Christians “at the command of Constantine”, that is by force, and from the late account of Eutychius (PG 111,1012-1013) that, just at this time, the faithful while they were leaving the church on Easter day, were forced to eat pork under the pain of death. We know how the Judaeo-Christians refused this in order not to transgress the Mosaic law to which they held there were bound ( Note: There was NO Easter day observed by the true Christians. Easter is an Anglicized mistranslation of the Greek term for Passover. True Christians observed just Passover, the Sabbath, and the days of unleavened bread that time of the year. Ordering Christians to be killed if they would not eat biblically-unclean meat is NOT Christian, but is terrible persecution!

Interestingly, even The Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges that the Roman and Orthodox Churches got the emperors to persecute those who did not accept what became beliefs of mainstream Christianity and that Constantine declared himself a bishop:

When Constantine had taken upon himself the office of lay bishop, episcopus externus, and put the secular arm at the service of the Church, the laws against heretics became more and more rigorous. Under the purely ecclesiastical discipline no temporal punishment could be inflicted on the obstinate heretic, except the damage which might arise to his personal dignity through being deprived of all intercourse with his former brethren. But under the Christian emperors rigorous measures were enforced against the goods and persons of heretics. From the time of Constantine to Theodosius…Theodosius is said to be the first who pronounced heresy a capital crime; this law was passed in 382 (Wilhelm J. Transcribed by Mary Ann Grelinger. Heresy. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VII. Published 1910. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York). Of course, if these emperors were truly Christian, they would not have killed and persecuted those faithful to apostolic teachings, nor endorsed carnal warfare. Real Christians do not kill, torture, or persecute, it is Constantinian ones who do.

Furthermore, according to the Bible (cf. Acts 8:18-23;20:28), and even Greco-Roman church teachings, one is not supposed to be able to make oneself a bishop. Furthermore, Constantine did not meet the following biblical requirements:

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:2-7).

Emperor Constantine was a novice, did not display good behavior, was violent, apparently did not rule over his house well, etc. Thus, by honoring him as they do, the Greco-Roman churches are admitting that their religion was based upon a leader who was unacceptable according to biblical standards.  And one who helped distort the history of the Nazarene Christians.

Notice what is essentially an admission from Catholic scholar Bagatti commenting on how little Eusebius ( a contemporary of Constantine) reported about an early, Judeo-Christian, church in on Mount Sion in Jerusalem:

In the latter text Eusebius takes Sion for the whole city and so does not intend to describe the state of Sion as such…To explain the silence on the mother church which certainly was in Sion, we can only identify this synagogue mentioned by the Bordeaux pilgrim with the church adapted for use by Judaeo-Christians, and therefore according to their usage, a synagogue. This is confirmed by St. Cyril, who some half a score of years later…calls the place “a church of the Apostles”…

Perhaps, I should add here that Catholic scholar Bagatti believed that non-reporting about the Judeo-Christians was intentional.

St. Epiphanius, also a witness to the situation…In the Ancoratus, (40, PG 43,89-90) written in 373, the saint enumerates the Holy Sites of the Passion…Since the Cenacle, which is not mentioned, is of prime importance…and other places are of little importance, we must admit that the omission is intentional. We guess that he did not wish to record it because he held the Judaeo-Christians as heretics. (Bagatti. The Church from the Circumcision, p.11).

In other words, the place that probably was the original church location in Jerusalem was a Judeo-Christian place, but essentially the historians of the Catholic Church, Eusebius and Epiphanius omitted it. If their history was of the TRUE church, it is rather limited. Both of these “histories” de-emphasized the faithful biblical Christians in Asia Minor and elsewhere.

I suspect that full coverage of what really happened with the true church would have disclosed significant doctrinal differences from Rome that his emperor, Constantine would not have liked. I do not think that Eusebius wanted to tell Constantine that the faithful in Asia Minor and Palestine never accepted the Greco-Roman confederation nor the authority of the “Bishop of Rome”.

This suppression/destruction of early information also explains much of why early Church of God views still are not fully known by many today—documents that emphasized differences from the 4th century Greco-Roman confederation of churches were often suppressed or destroyed.

Those interested in what really happened to create what is now called Christianity and the two differing original groups, should consider carefully and prayfully studying the following articles:

The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
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!
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups?
The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?

Obama Crowned as Messiah?

Sunday, April 26th, 2009

COGwriter

While there have been a lot of low level reports that some think that USA President Obama is some type of Messiah, apparently this idea is getting more coverage:

100 days in office, coronated Messiah

Arms outstretched, he wears crown of thorns on his brow
WND – April 25, 2009   excerpt…
Even the title of the piece, “The Truth,” suggests a play on biblical themes, as Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

“More than a presidential portrait,” writes D’Antuono on a website touting the painting, “‘The Truth’ is a politically, religiously and socially-charged statement on our nation’s current political climate and deep partisan divide that is sure to create a dialogue.”

Like others in the news who have depicted Obama in Christ-like imagery, D’Antuono insists he isn’t claiming the man is Messiah, but only inviting “individual interpretations.”

As WND has reported, D’Antuono follows others who have cast Obama in messianic imagery…

Others, such as Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, have been far clearer in their nearly religious adoration of Obama. As WND reported, Farrakhan declared last year that when Obama talks, “the Messiah is absolutely speaking.”

Addressing a large crowd behind a podium with a Nation of Islam Saviour’s Day 2008 sign, Farrakhan proclaimed, “You are the instruments that God is going to use to bring about universal change, and that is why Barack has captured the youth. And he has involved young people in a political process that they didn’t care anything about. That’s a sign. When the Messiah speaks, the youth will hear, and the Messiah is absolutely speaking.”

Farrakhan pointed out that the man Nation of Islam followers refer to as “the Savior,” Fard Muhammad, had a black father and a white mother, just as Obama did.

“A black man with a white mother became a savior to us,” he said. “A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall”…

P.J. Gladnick of NewsBusters, in an article about D’Antuono’s painting on the eve of the Obama administration’s 100-day-mark, notes that the messianic parallels begun early in the presidential campaign don’t seem to be stopping:

“The artist quite clearly portrays Obama as a latter day Christ-like figure, considering the outstretched arms and the crown of thorns. Obama worship, complete with halo images, has been noted before,” writes Gladnick, “but it was nothing compared to current expressions in awe of ‘The One’ as we approach his hundredth day in office on Wednesday.”

source: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96138

Now, of course, Barack Obama is NOT some type of messiah.  Nor, as some at the other extreme believe, the final Antichrist.

But, because of his timing, background, and policies, Barack Obama is apocalyptic and will help enable the rise of the King of the North and the King of the South, and hence the destruction of the United States.

We truly are living in exciting times.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
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.
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?
The Antichrist Quiz Do you really know much about the Antichrist?
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.
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Catholic writings indicate this, but what does the Bible show?

LCG on Israel, Iran, and EU

Sunday, April 26th, 2009

Jerusalem

COGwriter

The following were in LCG’s latest weekly update:

Israel Threatens the U.S. The new Israeli President, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated in a recent interview that “The American president… must stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—and quickly—or an imperiled Israel may be forced to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities itself.” Mr. Netanyahu went on, “You don’t want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs. When the wide-eyed believer gets hold of the reins of power and the weapons of mass death, then the entire world should start worrying, and that is what is happening in Iran” (Atlantic Monthly, March 31, 2009). Also, in a recent meeting with President Obama, the Sultan of Saudi Arabia pressured the U.S. not to concede to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and risk destabilizing the Middle East. Long ago, God prophesied that He would make Jerusalem a “cup of drunkenness” or a “cup of reeling” to all the surrounding peoples. He also warned that Jerusalem would be a “very heavy stone” and that nations who would arise against it would be “cut in pieces” (Zechariah 12:1-3). Today, while many nations would like to destroy Israel if they could, this nation is “too heavy” to move and is really causing world leaders to “reel” as they try to figure out what to do with it. We must continue to watch how God’s prophecies will come to pass.
The EU and Germany “Snub” Israel. Events in recent weeks have seen German President Merkel postpone indefinitely a meeting with her Israeli counterpart—urging him to continue pushing for a two-state solution in the Holy Land. Germany’s foreign minister also recently failed to extend an invitation to meet with Israel, something customarily done in his letter to a new Israeli government official. Concurrently, the EU is considering the idea of sanctions against Israel unless it makes progress toward a two-state solution (IsraelNationalNews.com, April 7, 2009). These actions support the Palestinians who have pushed for years for an “equal vote” with Israelis. Several Palestinian leaders have indicated that they will accept rule or oversight from any outside party, so long as they have an equal vote. God prophesied that during the final three-and-one-half years prior to Christ’s return, a European Beast power would be in control of the Holy Land and that this Beast power would be heavily influenced by a powerful church (Daniel 9:27; 11:40-42; Luke 21:20-24; Revelation 17). It is sobering to watch Germany and the EU pushing an agenda for Jerusalem that could lead to the fulfillment of long-standing Bible prophecies.

The tiny nation of Israel is in a difficult spot.  It is fairly convinced that ultimately Iran will nuke it if if takes no pre-emptive action against Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the USA will somewhat isolate it if it does.  Also, as  the Palestinian birth rates are expected to put Jews in a minority position, it would not surprise me, however, that Israel will come around to accepting more of the EU’s position on the so-called “two-state solution”.

Actually, since the Bible shows (Daniel 9:27) that the European “prince” of the north will make a major seven year peace deal (which he will break after he becomes the King of the North) that will apparently involve Israel, Israel ultimately will embrace what the Europeans will be promoting in a relatively short time from now.

LCG and I will continue to try to inform those that wish to know as events in the world line up and bring biblical prophecies to pass.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
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. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradaumus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
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?
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
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? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
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.

Report on WCG’s Changes

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Worldwide Church of God Transformed from Truth to Fairy Tales

COGwriter

WCG’s recent name change (reported here the day it happened on this page, see WCG Changes Name to GCI!) has been picked up by another religious news source:

Worldwide Church of God Changes Name to Signal Inner Change

Religion News Service reports that the Worldwide Church of God, which re-examined and later rebuked the teachings of founder Herbert W. Armstrong after his death in 1986, has changed its name to Grace Communion International. “We are a church that God radically transformed,” said church president Joseph W. Tkach, who is a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals. “Our new name is consistent with the transformation and aptly describes what God has made of our fellowship.” Armstrong denied the Christian belief in the Trinity and took Old Testament law to heart and encouraged works of righteousness to earn salvation. The church lost half its members, 95 percent of its 1,000-person staff, millions of magazine readers and its college in Pasadena, Calif., when it officially repudiated Armstrong’s teachings and “prophetic speculation” in the mid 1990s. http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/11602619/

Of course, while we in LCG believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we would not agree that the Greco-Roman Trinity that WCG, now GCI, adopted is a proper “Christian” doctrine.  We also strongly deny that the old WCG taught that any can earn salvation through our own works of righteousness.  It is only by grace that one is saved, through faith.

We in the Living Church of God truly believe the following:

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The reader who sent me the link to this news item wrote:

the interesting thing to me is the quote “The church lost half its members, and 95 percent of its 1,000-person staff”  and the people who report on that write as though it is a good thing? Of course they never mention where the lost souls went to?

And of course, that is also a good point.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?  Is there a threeness in the Godhead?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
Did the True Church Ever Teach the Modern Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?  Did they have a different viewthan the one adopted by Theodosius’ Council?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Are You Saved? Do You Love Jesus? What is a True Christian? What is the Gospel? Evangelist Richard Ames answers those important questions.