Church of God News

COGwriter

The European Union is pressing for getting changes and more influence over international trade:

EU to Push for G20 Summit to Support WTO Reform

November 27, 2018

BRUSSELS — 

Global trade tensions are putting at risk commitments by the Group of 20 leading economies to keep markets open, European Union delegates to the G20 said, pledging to help reform World Trade Organization rules to resolve the strains.

G20 leaders meet on Friday and Saturday in Buenos Aires with the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China likely to top the agenda.

The chairman of EU leaders’ meetings Donald Tusk and the head of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, Jean-Claude Juncker will represent the 28-nation bloc at the summit.

“The outlook ahead of the summit is rather bleak. The rules-based international order is under increasing strain and global trade tensions remain unresolved, thereby negatively affecting the global economic outlook,” Tusk and Juncker said.

“We, therefore, want to focus our attention on convincing our partners that there is no better alternative than a coordinated multilateral cooperation,” they said in a letter to other EU leaders.

The United States and China have been imposing tariffs on each other’s goods in a dispute over market access, forced technology transfer, intellectual property rights and state subsidies to certain sectors that distort competition.

The EU, Canada and Japan are also involved because of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum products imposed by Washington earlier this year.

WTO rules had to be adapted to new global challenges, such as industrial subsidies, forced technology transfer and other market-distorting policies, the EU letter said.

The G20 summit should also aim to help end the blockage of appointments by the United States to the WTO’s body for settling disputes and halt the escalation of unilateral measures and countermeasures by the world’s two biggest economies.

President Donald Trump has brought the world’s top trade court to the brink of collapse by refusing to endorse new judges. From December 2019 there will be only one judge left, making it impossible for the WTO to issue final appeal rulings.

“The longstanding G20 commitments to keep markets open, to fight protectionism and support the multilateral trading system, risk becoming empty words,” the letter said.

The EU, which published proposals on Monday for WTO reform, would promote changes to the body’s three functions: negotiating, monitoring and dispute settlement to “tackle the root causes of the tensions”, it said.

The EU wants concrete progress at WTO trade discussions in Geneva by the time G20 meets again in Japan in June 2019. https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-to-push-for-g20-summit-to-support-wto-reform/4675848.html

The EU is moving to fill voids that the USA is causing.  Notice also the following from a couple of months back:

31 August 2018

Trump threatens to pull US out of World Trade Organization

President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw the US from the World Trade Organization (WTO), claiming it treats his country unfairly.

“If they don’t shape up, I would withdraw from the WTO,” Mr Trump said in an interview with Bloomberg News. …

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has also accused the WTO of interfering with US sovereignty. …

China’s commerce ministry has said it “clearly suspects” the US of violating WTO rules.

An initial complaint at the WTO was filed by China in July after Mr Trump imposed his first round of tariffs. …

The WTO is at the heart of the system of rules for international trade. It is the forum for sorting disputes between countries about breaches of global trade rules and for negotiating new trade liberalisation.

The EU, meanwhile, is trying to steer the US towards reforming the WTO rather than abandoning it.

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, told Politico magazine that it would submit plans to overhaul the organisation in September. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45364150

The USA is giving the Europeans an unprecedented opportunity to write the rules for international trade. This is one of the ‘unintended consequences’ of Donald Trump’s trade policies and statements.

While the EU has cow-towed to the USA to some degree related to sanctions and Iran, the Bible shows that Europe, for a prophesied time at least, will eventually ‘win’ the trade war. Donald Trump’s approach is helping the Europeans by giving them more credibility as the USA is getting less credibility with many of the nations it trades with (as well as those it sanctions).

As I wrote this past Summer (see ‘Trade apocalypse’ will lead to the fulfilling of prophecies in the Book of the Apocalypse), to avert what has been called a ‘trade apocalypse,’ Europe wants to rewrite the rules for international trade.

Essentially Europe will dominate the WTO or perhaps instead establish or become an important near equivalent.

That is consistent with warnings in the Book of the Apocalypse, more commonly referred to these days as the Book of Revelation. That book teaches about an end time European power:

2 … Babylon … 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:2,3)

The above is referring to the fact that nations of the world are prophesied to get wealthy trading with end time Babylon, which will be a European entity. This European power will have religious ties to the City of Seven Hills–the Church of Rome:

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Revelation 17:1-2)

9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. … 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:9,18)

The Bible tells of a trading power arising in Europe that is tied to the City of Seven Hills. Europe, the United Nations, and the Vatican have stated that they have agreed on essentially the same future for the world. Now, Europe is getting an opportunity to better mold trade in its image–with its standards and, at least indirectly, its control.

Back in 1971, the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG) published the following:

Momentous, historic events are transforming Western Europe. But most Americans are “asleep at the switch” to what is happening. It’s time for a self-centered America to wake up – before her allies become her enemies. Envision the startling future of Western Europe. A … union of perhaps 250 million people, surpassing both the United States and the Soviet Union in economic strength, possessing for the first time worldwide political power and influence. One news source recently called it an “enormous, physically powerful beast.” A new Western Europe controlling perhaps half of all world trade, by exclusive arrangements with dozens of nations who produce raw materials. A “United States of Europe” possessing one single currency – a currency so strong that it will replace the U. S. dollar as the kingpin currency of world trade.(Hogberg G.EUROPE’S COMMON MARKET RISING WORLD COLOSSUS. Plain Truth, 1971)

Now, Europe does have its own currency–a currency that some see as the logical replacement for the US dollar for world trade–especially because of US sanctions, etc. (see also SWIFT end of the USA by 2025 as EU, Russia, China, and Iran take steps?). Now, let me add that less than a decade after the above was published, the WCG publicly announced that Eastern Europe would also be part of this European power. And within a decade of that, Eastern European nations began to officially join in with what has become the European Union. And, in population (over 510 million), the European Union is actually larger than that of the USA and Russia combined (though once the UK is out, it will be a bit smaller–yet other nations want to become part of it).

The prophesied European power will be able to dominate world trade by developing/writing/controlling many of the rules for international trade and the world’s largest market.

With more and more of the world upset by US President Donald Trump, Europe is seizing an opportunity–an opportunity that will result in it fulfilling various end time prophecies.

In December 2017, I warned in my article (and sermon 18 items to prophetically watch in 2018), 18 items to prophetically watch in 2018, that trade was an area to watch. In 2018, it certainly has been.

Others can now see how Europe may rise economically and dominate trade as the USA fades from dominance.

Trade will be a factor in what can be called World War III.

As far as trade and our prophetic teachings go, here is a link to our video: Trade Disputes: CCOG Warnings Are Coming to Pass.

COGwriter

More and more we are seeing moves towards a cashless society? Is that a risk?

Sweden Is on the Verge of Going Completely Cashless: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Sweden is rapidly turning into a cashless society, which seems like the utopian dream of many a government figure. What could possibly go wrong from the government’s point of view? Isn’t it ideal that they could soon digitally control every single person in the country?

Actually, quite a few things are going wrong. …

Cash is used so infrequently that the government of the country has demonstrated concern. …

The folks of Sweden have so little use for cash that it’s predicted many stores will no longer even accept it by 2025. …

”the banks refuse to take cash.”  THE BANKS.

The reason given for the refusal to accept cash is that they wish to prevent recurrences of the violent robberies that took place in the early 2000s. …

If the government were in charge of the digital currency, the amount of control they’d have would be breathtaking. Could they simply make your digital currency invalid if you owed taxes or were suspected of a crime? Could they wipe out everyone’s online accounts in the event of some kind of bank holiday or economic collapse?

If the grid went down in a long-term way, all you’d saved would be lost forever. A short power outage would cripple communities. Every single purchase you make would leave a digital footprint, and huge amounts of personal data could be mined from it. And what about the possibility of online bank robberies carried out by hackers?

The list of things that could go wrong is infinite. …

The endgame of complete control truly seems to be in sight as more and more Swedes go cashless. 11/26/18 https://www.theorganicprepper.com/sweden-cashless/

Before going further, let me add that more and more banks are treating cash suspiciously, even in the USA.

Notice also something via Capt. William E Simpson of Western Journalism.com:

Is The Tyranny Of A Cashless Society Coming?

Like many people, I am a careful person when it comes to digital commerce, yet nonetheless I had two of my credit cards hacked (twice in the last four years) … But my experience was not unusual. Nearly 18 million Americans suffered from some form of identity theft in 2014 alone.

Digital commerce and credit cards are very problematic and are not the panacea that companies and the government want the public to believe. …

Looking to a future in which governments abolish cash in useful denominations, it follows that they will then focus on eliminating personal and commercial commerce through the use of compact high-value commodities such as gold and silver, a natural progression if $100 bills are taken out of circulation in the United States. …

The relatively few people who may ultimately control all of the digital wealth of Americans will virtually have control of all the people in a cashless society. This results in a definite loss of freedom and liberty. …

Digital currency transactions in lieu of cash would allow virtually 100 percent tracking of all Americans, including law-abiding citizens and all that we do.

We have already learned over the past eight years of the Obama-led government that governments don’t necessarily work for or even represent the will of the people. So how can anyone justify giving the government this much power over Americans? There is no such justification. …

If the minds behind a cashless society are allowed to have their way, America would become little more a monumental ant farm, where the elitist class studies Americans to a much greater extent than ever before — how we move around and what we do, use, eat, watch and listen to — and then uses this deeply insightful personal information, potentially to plot how to control everyone. Things like if we’re allowed to be born (abortions already control this to some extent), how long we get to live, and what we are allowed to do in between. Orwellian, yes, but possible nonetheless. …

India’s currency gamesare more immediate and could have a sinister effect, since it is already a socialist state and we know how fond socialists and communists are of controlling all aspects of their populations.

Here’s a video that should be alarming.

Is India executing a plan similar to what may soon be in the works for Americans?

I have to say, it’s looking like living in the countryside on a piece of land that provides sustainable sustenance and a firewall from a population that may recoil and strike out in anger sometime soon is the only viable path to surviving past what may be an ugly and austere future. Anyone who cares to look at the news these days will see riots, murders and unrest all around inside the United States, a result of numerous factors.

Even as much as many Americans admire and respect President Donald Trump, the Marxist-socialist momentum that has already metastasized in America might be too much for him and his team to overcome. Our new president definitely needs our continued strong support more than ever.

Smile and pray for the best, but adequately prepare for the worst. 02/23/17 http://www.westernjournalism.com/tyranny-cashless-society-coming/

I do not believe that the USA can go totally cashless in the first term of a Donald Trump presidency as he received most of the evangelical vote, wants to run again, and realizes that they would have major prophetic concerns if he were to do so.

Some believe that cashlessness is good. For example, last year, my wife Joyce took a picture of signs in two shops in Stockholm, Sweden:

The vision of a cashless society, from a biblical perspective, resembles something that those in Sweden will not really want.

Beast of the Sea (Revelation 13:1)

As far as Sweden goes, we put together a video on that on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

11:39

Sweden going to ‘666’ cashlessness?

Sweden continues to reduce the amount of currency notes and coins in circulation as more and more Swedes turn to digital forms of payments. Even ‘farmers’ markets’ take debit and credit cards. Will this eliminate crime or lead to the rise of the Beast and Antichrist power? Could what is happening in Sweden be a prelude to the control of buying and selling that Revelation 13:16-18 associates with 666? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues from Stockholm, Sweden.

Here is a link to our video: Sweden going to ‘666’ cashlessness?

The world in general, as well as Europe in particular, is moving more towards a cashless society.

The Bible has an end time prophecy related to financial controls of the coming European Beast power:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:16-18)

The above prophecy was written over 1900 years ago, and was not possibly able to be fulfilled until the 21st century. A century where cash is being replaced by electronic currency that can be fully tracked. And that prophesy is clearly telling of tyranny in such a society.

And what about gold?

Governments have historically confiscated wealth that included gold. The USA made private ownership of gold bullion illegal for decades and forced Americans to sell gold to the government for less than the international market value.

Something like that may very well happen again in the USA and in Europe.

Those who make gold their hope will be disappointed.

See also the article The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold?

Cash, digital money, and/or gold cannot be relied on. The Bible says that they will fail:

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. (Luke 16:9)

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. (James 5:1-3)

Money will one day fail.

Gold and silver are also not the answer to the world’s economic problems.

The real solution to the financial crises that will come is repentance and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

A cashless society is one where buying and selling can be controlled.

So much surveillance is already in place–and more is to come!

Notice also another video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

15:30

Artificial Intelligence and Prophecy

Billionaire Elon Musk declared he was worried that artificial intelligence (AI) may lead to the rise of an “immortal dictator,” a “godlike” entity that could take over the world. Is this accurate, or at least, close in some ways? Does Bible prophecy foretell of the rise of an immoral leader who considers himself above all gods? Will this result in great destruction? What is AI? How might it fit in with various prophecies? Was the increase in technological knowledge we now have prophesied over 2000 years ago? Will 666 control over buying and selling involve any form of AI? Dr. Thiel goes over many scriptures, including prophetic ones, that involve human knowledge–which is the basis of AI. He also points out that when various prophesies were made, there was no technology capable of fulfilling them, but that because of computers, such ability exists now. Dr. Thiel also points out what Jesus will do about it.

Here is a link: Artificial Intelligence and Prophecy.

The technology for the Beast of Revelation to control buying and selling is being put in place and is getting more acceptance. We are getting closer to the time of the end.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Medieval Abortion Drug Being Given

COGwriter

Many in the media are concerned that steps need to be taken to preserve the legal ability of mothers to kill their unborn children in the USA.

But, there is a different view.

World New Daily posted the following written by William Hamnet Wall:

15 deadly lies of abortion pushers

Lie No. 1: When life begins is unknown.

Science is very clear that all chromosomes, DNA and RNA are present at the moment of conception.

DNA includes more than just the cellular blueprint of your physical body down to the length of your eyelashes. It seems to lay out unique features of your mind, your natural talents, aptitudes and even what dreams are likely to enthrall you.

Lie No. 2: The unborn are not human until they take their first breath.

Science informs us that the unborn child does breathe in utero through her umbilical cord attached to mother.

I once asked an abortionist: After a baby is born, he is holding his breath, right? Yes, he said. So before the doctor spanks him, while he’s squirming upside-down held by his ankles, still attached by umbilical cord, is the baby human before his first breath? No, he answered with much less certainty in his voice, almost robotically. So the baby can be killed at that moment? He awakened to this lie’s absurdity, shook his head and agreed that would be wrong.

Lie No. 3: The mother determines her child’s value.

The fallacy goes like this: Any unborn child is worthless unless the mother ascribes some value to him or her. If she prefers to finish a college course before giving birth, then the baby becomes less valuable and is expendable. After graduation, her unborn child becomes precious.

No intrinsic value exists in early human life; our value is determined by how our birth’s timing comports with our mother’s convenience.

Lie No. 4: Abortions are safe.

There are physical and psychological consequences, some very severe. Check out the research yourself.

Question the validity of resources that ignore the psychic effects of having abortions. After all, we are more than just a body.

Lie No. 5: Infanticide is more humane than growing up poor and unwanted.

Newsflash: Very few kids are told daily how valuable and cherished they are. Most parents are struggling with their own problems and feelings of low self-worth. Many exasperated parents, in moments of selfishness, feel their children are unwanted.

Most well-adjusted people look back with tearful gratitude on the struggles of their parents raising them. How much love existed and dedication to family? Many say they didn’t even know they were poor.

No wonder so many thousands eagerly pay a fortune to adopt so-called “unwanted” babies and children to take on the privilege of being parents.

Lie No. 6: The unborn feel no pain during dismemberment at 5 months.

Much medical evidence exists to corroborate the obvious fact that pain-sensitive nerve cells have formed by this time in a baby’s development.

“The Silent Scream” is a 1984 educational film narrated by Bernard Nathanson, an obstetrician, NARAL Pro-Choice America founder and abortion provider turned pro-life activist. The film shows an abortion taking place of a 12-week-old fetus using ultrasound footage. I could not watch it, but apparently, the baby is seen screaming in agony.

After 20 weeks, no pain? Don’t believe it.

To read William Hamnet Wall‘s complete list go to http://www.wnd.com/2017/11/15-deadly-lies-of-abortion-pushers/

There have long been many lies pushed by the murderous abortion industry.

Not only are there lies by the abortion industry, that industry has greatly affected politics in the USA and many other nations. In the USA, to cite one example, it is almost required that Democratic party political candidates endorse abortion rights.

Notice that in France, the political forces want to stop people from telling the truth about abortion and passed a terrible law earlier this year:

People who try to discourage women from having abortions are now virtually considered criminals in France.

By a show of hands, French lawmakers voted to pass the law “sanctioning websites that aim to dissuade women from terminating a pregnancy by using ‘misleading claims’ on abortion.”

By “misleading,” they mean websites which “emphasize the negative psychological and physical impacts that abortions can have on women,” according to the National Right to Life.

Violators of the new law, which was passed on Feb. 16, face a punishment of two years in jail or a €30,000 ($37,000) fine, The Catholic Herald reported.

France has already imposed a ban on pro-lifers demonstrating outside abortion clinics. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/in.france.people.who.speak.against.abortion.will.now.be.treated.as.criminals/105039.htm

Consider also the following scriptures:

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:18)

Abortion is wrong. Abortion is murder. It is wrong to try to stop people from telling others the truth about abortion. France is going the wrong way on this.

Fining people, and even the implicit threat of doing so, for speech that was not intended to deceive is a police-state tactic.

Because of speech ‘laws’ and actions, the time will more and more come when the following is fulfilled:

13 Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, For it is an evil time. (Amos 5:13)

Until then, however, we in the Continuing Church of God are striving to fulfill the following:

1 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Abortion is a sin.

As far as crying aloud goes, in addition to making posts on this COGwriter news page against abortion, as well as having a longer article against it (see Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose), we have made videos denouncing it. Here are links to two of them:

Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt. What is an abortion? How are they performed? Does the Bible teach that unborn children are still human? Is abortion wrong? How many are being aborted? Has there been increases in US debt since the “legalization” of abortion? Is debt a biblical curse? This is a video.

Land of ‘Free’ Abortions and Debt The State of Oregon decided to make abortions free for those that want them. Does freedom of choice include the right to shed innocent blood? What has happened to the economy of the USA since abortions became legalized? What has happened to incomes since that time? How many babies have been killed since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973? Is there a cost to abortion beyond the financial and emotional? What does the Bible teach? What does the Bible prophesy? Dr. Thiel addresses these and other questions. This is a video.

Because we have denounced abortion and other sins, we believe that this is why places like YouTube have discouraged people (via search algorithm changes) from finding our videos.

But we continue to push forward.

Notice something that Jesus said:

4 … the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4, NKJV)

4… the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4 KJV)

In an October 23, 1980 co-worker letter, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

The Bible warns us the time is just ahead when NO MAN CAN WORK—in the Lord’s Work. We must sacrifice now as never before for this Work that we may FINISH the Work that Christ has called us to do. Pray as never before, for this Work.

We are getting closer to that time.

Notice also something that the Prophet Amos was inspired to record:

11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God,
“That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread,
Nor a thirst for water,
But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord,
But shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

Governmental persecution will eventually stop the ‘short work’ (Romans 9:28) and lead to that ‘famine of the word’ (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word).

The advocacy of homosexuality and abortion and other forms of sexual immorality, increased indebtedness, anti-religious and anti-speech actions, and acceptance of various forms of pornography that we have seen the past few years suggests that national repentance is about the furthest thing on the minds of the national political leaders and most of the mainstream media in France and the USA.

The Bible condemns those that shed innocent blood, as that is something that God hates:

So you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD (Deuteronomy 21:9).

These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).

Their feet run to evil, And they make haste to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; Wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, And there is no justice in their ways; They have made themselves crooked paths; Whoever takes that way shall not know peace (Isaiah 59:7-8).

Thus says the LORD: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place (Jeremiah 22:3).

“Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence” (Jeremiah 22:17).

Babies are innocent. Killing them is the shedding of innocent blood.

The destruction of the USA is coming and abortion in one of the many reasons why (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel). A new world order has begun to develop, and once it fully does, the USA will no longer be on top.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may also, or instead, wish to view the YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.
Land of ‘Free’ Abortions and Debt The State of Oregon decided to make abortions free for those that want them. Does freedom of choice include the right to shed innocent blood? What has happened to the economy of the USA since abortions became legalized? What has happened to incomes since that time? How many babies have been killed since the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973? Is there a cost to abortion beyond the financial and emotional? What does the Bible teach? What does the Bible prophesy? Dr. Thiel addresses these and other questions. This is a video.
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also three YouTube videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’ and Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children and USA pushing gender confusion.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality? Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? A related sermons is titled: Pornography, False Comfort, and False Religion. Here a shorter YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.

COGwriter

How will Matthew 24:14 be fulfilled?

Back in November 2002, the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith and I had a discussion about that. I reminded him that he said that LCG’s influence was like 1/2 a peanut shell in the Pacific Ocean. And got him to understand that even if LCG doubled it television coverage that this would not fulfill Matthew 24:14.

During that meeting, and subsequent meetings with other LCG evangelists, I put forth my view that for a short time, the media would focus on the message of the Philadelphian work–particularly after identifying the King of the North and explaining what he would do (cf. Daniel 11:39-43). All the evangelists seemed like they had not thought of that, but that they agreed with the vision I laid out.

In late December 2017, in the article titled 18 items to prophetically watch in 2018, I wrote:

Jesus taught:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

In the Continuing Church of God, in sermons, I have gone over every thing that the Bible records that Jesus spoke in the New Testament. …

We also have made literature available, not only on the internet, but in printed form and in multiple languages.

Jesus also taught:

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:14-22)

Notice that the Great Tribulation happens after Matthew 24:14 has been fulfilled to God’s satisfaction.

In the Continuing Church of God, we have a booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, available in close to 100 languages. They can be found at www.ccog.org

According to AWStats, our websites have been visited by people from at least 220 nations/territories. According to YouTube our online videos have been viewed by people from at least 220 nations/territories.

More will be done.

The late artist Andy Warhol was known for getting the idea out that people are entitled to their ‘fifteen minutes of fame.”

The Apostle Paul wrote that God would have a short work:

28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth. (Romans 9:28)

In the Continuing Church of God, we are preparing for this through the development of articles and booklets, and in numerous languages.

We believe that when we publicly identify the coming King of the North and explain that he is pushing a false peace and false gospel, and that he will destroy the USA and its Anglo-Saxon dominated allies, as well as an Islamic power, that media attention will be focused on us and what we teach.

This will be the short work, and will lead to the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.

Are you going to watch or support the work?

Jesus praised the Philadelphians for their work (Revelation 3:7-13), while condemning the Laodicean Christians for being lukewarm about the work (Revelation 3:14-22).

Has there been any media attention?

Yes, in addition to many radio interviews, other media has relayed some of what we teach.

Notice something from the CCOG Letter to the Brethren: April 19, 2018:

We Got Media Attention

Many of you will remember that in my 2015 sermon The Short Work, I mentioned my belief that the short work alluded to in Romans 9:28, as well as the final fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, would partially happen as the result of media coverage.

While now is not the time for the fulfillment of Romans 9:28, we did just get some media attention.

The UK Express ran three articles where I was mentioned by name this week: World War 3 WARNING: US told ‘consequences of bombing Syria’ set the stage for WAR and World War 3 PROPHECY: Did ‘Balkan Nostradamus’ Baba Vanga predict Putin’s rise to power? and End of the world: Will the world end on April 23? Will World War 3 break out?

In the first one, they embedded part of this week’s recommended sermonette video: Syria and the start of World War 3. Now, the way it was embedded does not affect the statistics that YouTube supplies us, so we are not sure how many have seen the version the Express put together. But, as a media outlet, obviously more have now seen this.

Of course, the coverage was not intended to be flattering. But that is consistent with the prophetic words of Jesus:

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12).

It is not that the UK Express was spreading evil falsehoods about us, per se, in all of the articles. But the coverage is ‘tabloid’ like and used unflattering titles.

That being said, media attention will amplify our reach and I believe will be a factor in the prophesied fulfilling of Matthew 24:14.

Now, this is not the first media attention that we got. We actually got a lot of Chinese media attention several years ago. Plus, between myself and two others in CCOG, we have done about 120 radio interviews that have been broadcast on secular stations. Also, from time to time, mainstream media sources (like the Washington Post) have accessed and published our information.

We also have received promotion, via Facebook, by a CCOG member that has gotten about 20,000 views of our animations in the past six weeks (note: YouTube does not collect statistics on those views–the numbers come directly from Facebook).

Why bring media and other promotion up now?

Two reasons.

The first is that last week, Robert Nyambaso Onsando contacted me to ask my permission to broadcast one of our sermons over a private TV station he owned, broadcasting from Kisii Town, in the Western Kenya Region.

Here is what he sent:

Hello Bob, My name is Pastor Robert Onsando, formerly SDA member until three and half years ago. When I found the truth in the Church of God. I have a TV station In Kenya and would love to use it for the spread of the Word. I met a friend in KEHANCHA from the CCOG. I am more excited.

So I asked CCOG Evangelist Evans Ochieng (man in the blue suit below) to meet with Robert Nyambaso Onsando (he is to Evangelist Ochieng’s right) about this, and he did.

After that meeting, Robert Nyambaso Onsando sent in the following report:

Praise God, the photos do not look very nice, it was already dark. We had a wonderful meeting the my brothers in Christ, God has bigger plans for His Church in Kenya and Africa. We shared quite a bit among the things we discussed was TV Station and I was open of it is God’s wish, i am ready to fully dedicate it for the work of God. I was excited with the welcome they have me to the Continuing Church of God. This is the Church I have been looking for. They have me a number of books, which I will go through. God bless.

Evangelist Ochieng believes that this will have a positive impact.

And the second item?

As it turns out, one of our newer BibleNewsProphecy videos essentially ended up being featured in another YouTube video. While this has happened in the past, this particular one is of interest because of how many people have seen it.

The YouTube video, Something is Biblical About This!, has received over 265,000 views in the past seven or eight days. After showing various leaders covered by the news, the video switches to one of our videos (PESCO and a Great European Army) and shows many excerpts for about five minutes.

So while YouTube only shows that our BNP channel has so far had less than 600 views, we actually have had a couple of hundred thousand more views than that.

We in CCOG are leading the Final Phase of the Work and various ones in the media will cover parts of what we teach in the future. Matthew 24:14, which was not the topic of the video that was covered, will be fulfilled.

Anyway, being featured in another video gives parts of the message we are proclaiming some fame. More will happen in the future.

Outside media attention of aspects of our views, including from those hostile to aspects of what we teach will help lead to the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14.

Bust of Vladimir Putin (DIE WELT) and Julius Caesar (Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The situation between Russia and Ukraine is now even tenser as naval matters are now involved:

November 26, 2018

Russian warships seized three Ukrainian naval vessels on Sunday in a narrow waterway that provides access from the Black Sea to the much smaller Sea of Azov near Crimea, ramping up already bitter tensions between the two countries.

On Sunday, Russia dispatched warplanes to patrol the area after the Ukrainian navy tried to send the ships through the Kerch Strait, a waterway with strategic significance for both countries that passes under a newly built Russian bridge.

In May, President Vladimir Putin personally opened the bridge over the Kerch Strait, connecting the Crimea peninsula — which Moscow seized in 2014 — to Russia’s mainland.

The 12-mile-long span has been touted by Russia as a claim to Crimea. Ukraine, along with nearly every other country in the world, refuses to recognize that claim.

Russian vessels rammed one of the Ukrainian boats and opened fire on the other two before seizing all three, along with their crews. Ukrainian officials have said six of its sailors were injured; Russia has said three. The boats were towed to a nearby port. https://www.npr.org/2018/11/26/670746252/ukraine-considers-martial-law-after-russia-seizes-its-ships-near-crimea

Tensions remain between Ukraine and Russia.

Recently there has also been a schism between the Orthodox of Constantinople and the Russian Orthodox Church (watch Orthodox Schisms: What Will Happen?).

Political actions led this to happen:

The Church of Russia announced this week that it was breaking ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has primacy in Orthodoxy and which has decided to give autonomy to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This decision stems directly from Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine, although Ukrainians had long been unhappy about their church remaining subordinate to Russia’s, as it had been since 1686. This year, their president, Parliament and religious leaders petitioned the leader of the Constantinople Patriarchate, Bartholomew, to grant their church independence — or autocephaly, as it is known in the church. …

The Church of Greece could also be shaken, as a number of Greek clergymen may support Moscow against Bartholomew. Russian claims to leadership of the Orthodox Christians have appealed to many since Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 and the patriarchs became subordinate to Muslim sultans. Furthermore, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s dialogue with other faiths, including the Roman Catholic Church, is deeply unpopular with hard-line Orthodox priests and monks.

Many monks in northern Greece’s self-governing monastic community of Mount Athos — regarded as the jewel in the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s crown — have pro-Russian tendencies. President Vladimir Putin has emphasized his nation’s interest in Athos, and has visited it twice. One of Athos’s 20 monasteries, Agios Panteleimon, is home to some 60 Ukrainian and Russian monks, with a Russian abbot. …

Constantinople was established by the Emperor Constantine in 330 and, as the “New Rome,” it came just after Rome in seniority. The schism in 1054 left Constantinople the primary church in the East. It is these rights of primacy that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is determined to defend, despite its very reduced circumstances following the city’s fall to the Ottomans and the withering of its own flock in Turkey.

Russia wants to project its leadership of the Orthodox world as the “Third Rome,” a role it took upon itself after breaking away from Constantinople in 1448, when its leadership disagreed with efforts to unite East and West Christendom. After 1453, many Orthodox, including the Greeks, looked to Russia for salvation from the Turks. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/19/opinion/konstandaras-orthodox-church-russia-ukraine.html

Vladimir Putin has been involved in matters supporting the Russian Orthodox Church.

Notice something reported a few years ago:

November 2, 2015

Putin’s desire to reassert Russia’s influence in the Middle East appears to be bearing fruit already. The embarrassing contradictions to USA claims will strike a blow to the U.S. propaganda machine, who have tried desperately to downplay Russia’s ever-increasing important role in defeating ISIS in the Middle East. The vacuum being left behind by Washington is being filled by Moscow. The negotiations in the Austrian capital failed to find an agreement on the fate of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Egyptian Streets reported. Russian Federation may well achieve its core military objectives in Syria – while the United States can not. …

Putin is not planning on sending Russian ground forces into action. Persecution is widespread; the low-end estimate is that one Christian is killed for religious motives every hour of every day. The Russian intervention has put the Syrian army on the offensive for the first time in months, after a series of defeats, particularly in Idlib and Palmyra. Bills Insider http://billsinsider.com/2015/11/02/4589-james-clapper-putin-winging-this-in-syria/

November 1, 2015

Back in February 2012, Vladimir Putin vowed to the Russian Orthodox Church that the protection of persecuted Christians around the world would be a cornerstone of his foreign policy. After he announced plans last month for anti-ISIS strikes, a spokesman for the Church declared it a “holy fight”.

A growing swath of the Christian minority in the Middle East, who are among the primary targets of ISIS, can’t help but respond with gratitude. Last year, the Global Post website quoted a Syrian Christian woman as summing up the sentiment: “Thank God for Russia!”

Traditionally, there was an informal division of labor among the great powers in terms of providing cover for the Christian communities of the Middle East. Russia billed itself as the patron of the Orthodox, France for the Catholics, and Great Britain for the Protestants.

Today, it’s increasingly common among the Christians of the Middle East, and their sympathizers around the world, to say that only Russia seems to be taking its responsibility seriously.

Journalist Melik Kaylan summed up the situation aptly in a May essay for Forbes.

“Putin and Assad have maneuvered to become the explicit protectors of Eastern Christianity,” he wrote. “As the U.S. and Europe are too tangled up in ideological confusion and contradictory goals to step into the breach, we furnish Moscow with easy triumphs in this area as in so many others.”

Allowing Putin to package himself as the best friend of Christians under fire has clear strategic consequences that are hardly limited to the Middle East.

There are 2.3 billion Christians in the world today, which is one-third of the entire global population. Two-thirds of those Christians live outside the West, a share that’s expected to reach three-quarters by mid-century. …

But let’s be clear: Vladimir Putin may be many things, but a 21st-century version of Constantine or Charlemagne he’s not. There’s every reason to suspect his pledge to defend Christians is based far more on Russia’s perceived interests, and his own, than a sincere desire to foster the faith. http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2015/11/01/the-risks-of-letting-putin-posture-as-charlemagne-in-syria/

October 31, 2015

Many American Christians and conservatives see Putin defending the traditional family and marriage, taking a stand against homosexuality. It does seem as if he is socially conservative or traditional — but is this based on his Christian faith or is it simply a holdover from the earlier times in Russia and the old Soviet Union? If you are old enough to remember the Cold War days, the Soviet regime was puritanical in the extreme. …

Is Putin the hope of Christianity or of the West? Is Russia the hope for the future? I don’t know; I think some Americans, particularly hungry for leadership or for something or someone to idealize, are focusing on Russia and on Putin. It’s sad, because our own country should be producing good leaders and good examples to inspire us — but where are they when we so sorely need them? http://vanishingamericanii.blogspot.com/2015/10/putin-defender-of-faith.html

Let me state that Vladimir Putin has been the most powerful political leader in the world to take a stand against parts of the homosexual agenda, vulgarity (see Russia’s Vladimir Putin takes a stand against vulgar language), and some other sins that plague Western society.

He also sent the Russian military into Syria.

I will also state that Vladimir Putin is NOT less religious than Charlemagne as far as I can tell from historical accounts. Charlemagne was considered the first ‘Holy Roman Emperor.’

I will also add that he seems to be more sincere about his Russian Orthodox faith than former US President Barack Obama was about his claimed ‘Christian’ faith. Now, I am not Russian Orthodox nor endorsing carnal warfare, but Vladimir Putin has certainly acted as a defender of that faith more than most Western political leaders have for their professed Christ-claimed faiths.

That being said, hopefully Russia and Ukraine can work out their differences peacefully.

Billy Graham’s son Franklin Graham made some comments some time ago related to Vladimir Putin:

July 12, 2017

In 2014, Graham published an opinion piece about the Russian president’s decision to sign a law barring the distribution of “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” to children. The law, which was widely perceived to be homophobic, stirred controversy ahead of the 2014 Olympic games in Sochi. But Graham defended it anyway, saying America’s embrace of LGBTQ rights amounts to “secularism” that “is as godless as communism.”

“In my opinion, Putin is right on these issues,” Graham wrote. “Obviously, he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to protect his nation’s children from the damaging effects of any gay and lesbian agenda.”

He also lauded Putin’s pledge to protect Christians in Syria, noting how it was “one justification for his support of the Assad regime in Syria.”

“It’s obvious that President Obama and his administration are pushing the gay-lesbian agenda in America today and have sold themselves completely to that which is contrary to God’s teaching,” Graham wrote. “In my opinion, Putin is right on these issues. Obviously, he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to protect his nation’s children from the damaging effects of any gay and lesbian agenda.”

“Isn’t it sad, though, that America’s own morality has fallen so far that on this issue — protecting children from any homosexual agenda or propaganda — Russia’s standard is higher than our own?” he added.

“Pray for the President of Russia, [who] defends traditional Christianity,” Graham reportedly said. …

Pat Buchanan — another leader of the Religious Right — published his own piece about Russia potentially replacing the U.S. as a bastion of “Christian values,” asking “Whose side is God on now?” …

Graham still invited a delegation from the ROC to the 2017 event, and it was moved to D.C. at the suggestion of ROC external relations head Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Moscow — the same man who helped Graham come up with the idea for the conference in the first place. https://thinkprogress.org/religious-right-russia-3e80e2ea2e4a/

Notice also something else from the past:

Well, it is true, is it not, that President Vladimir Putin stands virtually alone among national leaders of the major powers in publicly proclaiming his Christian identity, and in condemning homosexual “marriage” — while leaders of the so-called Christian West have adopted the politically correct line that these unnatural unions are now sacrosanct? And is it not true that Putin and the Russian government have been spending hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild hundreds of Russian Orthodox churches destroyed during the militant atheism of the Soviet era? Has he not restored sacred holidays of the Julian Christian calendar? Did he not sign a national law last year outlawing advertisements for abortion? To which we must answer: yes, yes, yes, yes; true, true, true, true.

Additional “facts” can be cited to paint an even more striking image of Putin as pious champion of Christianity: crossing himself and kissing the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary that he presented to Pope Francis during his 2013 visit to the Vatican; numerous appearances with (and blessings and endorsements from) Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian church leaders; signing into law a “ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia” directed at children, while President Obama promotes the LBGT agenda at every level and every opportunity; speaking out against the persecution and murder of Christians by Islamic jihadists in Syria and Iraq. …

In his current ruse as Defender of the Faith, Putin is not only channeling Stalin, but also Lenin, that original Bolshevik persecutor of the church. Lenin was the supreme pragmatist, happily willing to use “whatever works,” and constantly at odds with rigid communist “purists” who failed to grasp the necessity of operational flexibility in the pursuit of the final objective. http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/item/19162-putin-defender-of-christian-faith-and-morality

While many in the West do not trust him, Vladimir Putin has been seen as the military hope for many non-Muslims in Syria.

Of course, the Bible teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God should be the hope for Christians, but for most people in the world, they place their hope in the military.

As the photos at the beginning of this post show, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been portrayed as a modern Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar conquered lands and it was basically because of him that Rome became an empire. Julius Caesar was also considered the defender of his faith as well.

Vladimir Putin has long wanted to be the ruler of his version of the Russian side of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ (Putin claimed to be re-establishing ‘Third Holy Roman Empire,’ but that is happening elsewhere). Notice also:

As Putin slowly expands the borders of the Russian Federation and recovers ancient territory of imperial Russia, he believes he is expanding the Third Holy Roman Empire. http://www.westernjournalism.com/onward-christian-russian-soldiers-putin-believes-resurrecting-third-holy-roman-empire/#Cp5aggpzGoQqYEwJ.99

While some in the West are looking askance at Russia’s support of Assad’s regime in Syria, seeing only the realpolitik of Russian expansionism, others who are concerned about the eradication of Syria’s ancient Christian community tend to see as legitimate Putin’s concern that the Christian minority in that country will be persecuted if Assad is toppled. The beleaguered Christians in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East doubtless see the very recent Russian bombing of ISIS headquarters as a gift from God, and Putin as their potential deliverer from martyrdom.

Is there more to Putin’s intervention in Syria than the desire to save Christians?

Of course. Even Putin admits that, characterizing his policies as having a heavy dose of “common sense” plus faith. Nor should anyone discount his immersion in the deadly and murky politics of the Kremlin.

But again, Putin’s historic view is long. For him, Moscow is the second seat of Eastern Orthodoxy, the first having been Byzantium under the rule of Emperor Justinian. He will not have forgotten that the Byzantine Empire, which was profoundly informed by Christianity, at one time straddled two continents, Europe and Asia. He will also will not have forgotten that the Syrian Church, marked for extinction by ISIS, has been led by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch – Antioch, the apostle Paul’s home base for his missionary journeys and the first place disciples of Christ were called Christians. In other words, Putin’s view, shaped by Eastern Orthodoxy, is Eurasian, not just Russian. Putin sees a geographic component to Christian Orthodoxy that includes the Middle East. …

Putin, likewise, has spoken of the need for religious revival and the valuable role that the Orthodox Church plays. Says Putin: ‘The Russian Orthodox Church plays an enormous formative role in preserving our rich historical and cultural heritage and in reviving eternal moral values. It works tirelessly to bring unity, to strengthen family ties, and to educate the younger generation in the spirit of patriotism.’

Has anyone yet heard Barak Obama speak in similar terms about the Christian church in America? Has anyone noted him speaking about “preserving our rich historical and cultural heritage and reviving eternal moral values?” To ask the questions is to answer them. http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/10/who_will_save_middle_east_christians_obama_or_putin.html#ixzz3qLWJGjYK

Vladimir Putin maintains a close working relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union officially began on January 1, 2015. A few nations are in it, and several others have expressed interest in it.

Vladimir Putin wants his version of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ and is working on it. And Bible prophecy shows that Russia will lead a massive empire in the time of the end (Jeremiah 50:9,11,41-43; Isaiah 13:1, 17-19). Russia is also developing more powerful weapons (see Will Russia’s ‘Satan 2’ destroy Texas or France?).

The Bible also shows that the USA and its closest allies will fall (cf. Daniel 11:39).

That being said, will Russia be the predominant force that will destroy the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?

No, Bible prophecy indicates that force will be led by a European power (Daniel 11:39), though Asian forces will likely be involved (especially related to Australia and New Zealand). It is highly likely that the next ‘Caesar’ will be German (see also Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy).

But that does not mean that Russia will not have a place as a military power–it will–and it will help defeat the power in Europe that will arise and one day takeover the world (Jeremiah 50:9,11,41-43; Isaiah 13:1, 17-19; cf. Daniel 11:44).

COGwriter

Can you choose to be a success or failure?

Yes, though many do not realize that NOT making decisions is also a decision and that can affect success or failure.

Decades ago, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following:

WHY are only the very few—women as well as men—successful in life? Just what is success? Here is the surprising answer to life’s most difficult problem, proving that NO HUMAN NEED EVER BECOME A FAILURE! All who have succeeded have followed these seven laws! The only WAY to success is not a copyrighted formula being sold for a price. You can’t buy it! The price is your own application to the seven existing laws.

DID IT EVER occur to you that there might be a reason why so many people make a failure of life? Not only men and career women, but wives and mothers to!

Are you one who is wrestling with the problem of “making ends meet”? Nearly all of us are. This problem need not mean failure—yet it often leads to it.

It is a fact—the vast majority do wind up failures. Yet none need fail!

Take a look at the facts in the world.

Is THIS Success?

Every two minutes someone in the United States attempts suicide. Each day nearly 70 persons succeed—but is that success? The World Health Organization estimates that some one thousand people commit suicide in the world—every day!

Suicides now outnumber murders. Now various organizations for the prevention of suicide are a reality! But the cause is individual failure!

Only a minority, of course, go to this extreme, but the overwhelming majority do end their lives in failure.

Much of the world is in current “prosperity.” Yet—in booming U.S.—more businesses failed in a very recent year than in any other in the last twenty-six. Across the world streaks the shocking trend of increasing failures. Scores of millions daily allow he creeping cancer of failure to chain them to a life of unhappy circumstances, from which only death promises release.

But why?

Why are only the very few really successful? Is it mere chance—is it just happen-so—can it be luck? Or are there definite reasons?

Why do all but the very few find themselves, by age 60 or 65, dependents? Why must there by old-age pensions, public welfare aid, charities to support the non-crippled, non-handicapped helpless? Why must children so often provide for aged parents—when it ought to be the other way around?

I am going to tell you why!

There are definite causes! Seven basic laws govern success! It is high time people come to know them, and end this unhappy and needless tragedy!

Finding the Answer

When I was a young man of twenty-three, I was a member of the editorial staff of a national magazine. I was sent on tours over the United States, covering ten or fifteen states each tour. My assignment was investigating business conditions, reporting workable ideas and facts. I interviewed businessmen and chamber of commerce officials. I discussed with merchants and manufacturers their problems. I searched out ideas and methods that had been successfully applied in sales promotion, public relations, cutting costs, speeding up turnover, increasing profits.

One of the things my editors assigned me to investigate was the reason behind the success of the few, and the failure of the many. Some 95% of smaller independent merchants were reported by Dun and Bradstreet to be heading toward bankruptcy.

Of course, we were concerned then only with the success or failure of men. But the same laws apply to the lives of women.

I asked the opinions of hundreds of businessmen. Most thought success resulted merely from superior ability, and failure from the lack of it. But this opinion consigned the majority to failure from birth without a chance. If a man lacked the ability, he was foredoomed to failure. There seemed nothing he could do about it. I was not satisfied with this ides—and later I proved it false.

The manager of the large J.L. Hudson department store in Detroit thought failure generally resulted from lack of adequate capital. A minority interviewed agreed with him. But this, also, made dollars, and not the man, responsible for success or failure.

Actually, investigation showed these to be contributing factors, but only that. A more prevalent factor, I found, was fitting the proverbial “square peg in the round hole.” Most failures were misfits. Most, had they known these seven laws, could have made a success in the field where they best fit.

This quest for the reasons for success or failure intrigued me. My research on this question did not stop with these editorial tours. Observation and analysis of this problem have continued through the years.

And I know, now, that no human being need ever become a failure!

Failures are not foredoomed. Success does not just happen! It is governed by seven definite laws. If you know them, and apply them, the happy result, in the end , is assured.

Every individual was put on this earth for a PURPOSE! Every person was put here to become a success. Every human ought to enjoy the sweet taste of success—to find peace and happiness—to live an interesting, secure, and abundant life! And in order that all might—if willing—reap such full and abundant rewards, the Creator set in motion actual, definite LAWS to produce that desired result.

The tragedy is that through the centuries and millenniums man has turned his back on those laws—those causes of the very success he craves! The world long ago ignored and forgot them. Today, most people do not know what they are. Most people have not followed a single one of the seven basic laws.

I ask in all candor—isn’t that a shocking state of human affairs? It is, in fact, the colossal tragedy of all history!

You Can’t Buy it!

If some recognized authority had a copyrighted plan to sell that was guaranteed to make all who follow it prosperous and successful, I suppose people by the thousands would flock to buy the plan.

One man had such a plan. It was a sort of pseudo “psychological” religion. He promised the plan would make its followers prosperous or rich—the easy way, of course. Its propagator advertised that it had made him rich. He boasted of his fine home, his great high-ceiling pipe-organ room. The inference was that it would make its purchasers equally prosperous—but he neglected to mention that it was the naïve dupes who bought his bogus plan who made him rich.

This man stumbled onto an advertising catch-phrase for a headline in magazine and newspaper advertisements, which multiplied responses. He used it for years. But ultimately it wore itself out. This charlatan’s “success” was neither real nor lasting. He was, himself, a colossal failure.

The only way to true success is not a formula being sold like merchandise.

You can’t buy it with money. It comes to you free—without money, and without price. There is a price, of course—your own application of these definite laws. It is not guaranteed to be the easy way—but it is guaranteed to by the only way to real success!

Clark Gable—Success?

It so happens that on the very morning of the day this was originally written, I read in a London newspaper the obituary of Clark Gable, motion picture celebrity. I suppose the world would rate him a great success. But was he?

Just what is success, anyway?

How can people win success when so few know what it is?

I was struck with a number of things in this cinema-star’s obituary. My mind, of course, was on this theme, since I was at the moment writing on it.

Clark Gable was heralded on page one of this newspaper as king of the films. He was described as “the romantic hero of 90 films.” He was one of the first ten money-making stars in the years 1932-43, 1947-49, and 1955. That is 16 years. And the top film stars make fabulous incomes. “He was, ” said the obituary, “one of the few screen idols to stay the course for so long.” But does all that spell SUCCESS?

One of the “fascinating” things mentioned about his life was that he had been married five times! Would we consider at least three failures in marriage (one wife was killed in an air crash) SUCCESS? The obituary said he cultivated “the furrowed brow, the knowing frown, the half-closed eyes, those ears and the wise-guy leer.” They were not natural. He deliberately cultivated them for the women. “Clark Gable,” said the obituary, “had cultivated these for the girls for nearly the whole of his romantic reign.” You might have called it his trademark. He would.” “It’s just a business to me, always has been,” he explained. It was just his way of “earning a living.”

Rich Men I Have Known

In my lifetime I have had close and intimate contact almost constantly with recognized successful men. From age 18, in early life—within the United States. From middle-age—worldwide. I have read many books and articles written by such men, numerous biographies and autobiographies of the great and the near great—their experiences, their philosophies. I know how these leaders among men think, how they act, what principles and rules they follow.

One factor characterized nearly every one of these men. They made money. They acquired material possessions. Many headed big corporations. They achieved recognition as being important.

Significantly, most of these man practiced the first SIX of the seven laws of success. That is tremendously important!

There was the president of a great motor car corporation at the time when I was the young assistant secretary of the Chamber of Commerce in his city. He made money. He was recognized in the world as important. He rose to the top in his profession and industry. But in the flash depression of 1920 his corporation passed into receivers’ hands, he lost his personal material gains—and he ended his life a suicide! ? Was he, after all, a success. He neglected not only the seventh, but also the sixth.

Then there were two great bankers whom I knew, one of them quite intimately. This was Mr. Arthur Reynolds, president of the then second largest national bank in America. I first knew Mr. Reynolds when he was president of a bank in the city where I was born. Later, as an ambitious and rising young advertising man in Chicago, I went to him often for personal counsel and advice. He was always interested, helpful. And I always considered his advice sound, and followed it. Mr. Reynolds won a measure of national and worldwide fame.

Some thirty-five years later I walked into his great bank and inquired of one of its many vice-presidents whether he knew where Mr. Reynolds had moved, and where he had died. I had heard that he had retired and moved to our headquarters city, Pasadena, and died there. This vice president had never heard of Arthur Reynolds. “Who was he? he asked.

He inquired around. No one he asked remembered Arthur Reynolds. Finally the public relations secretary sent to the bank’s library, and presently a clerk brought a newspaper clipping. It was the sole record the bank seemed to possess of its former president, who, with his brother, was largely responsible for building up this bank to its great size and importance. The clipping was from a San Mateo, California, newspaper. It told of his death in that San Francisco suburb.

After reading it, I handed the clipped obituary back.

“You’ll certainly want to keep this,” I remarked. “It must be valuable to the bank.”

“Oh, no,” he replied. “If you knew him, take it along.”

And thus I carried from that great bank what probably was the only record of this man in the bank of which he was so long president. His “success” was not lasting. It was not long remembered.

During his busy lifetime, this man applied the first SIX of the seven rules of success. Yet whatever success he achieved was fleeting, and although he had accumulated money, acquired a nice block of stock in the bank, lived in a fine home, became recognized as important in his lifetime, all of his “success” died with him!

The other great banker was Mr. John McHugh. I first knew him as president of a bank on a Midwest city. Then I had an hour’s interesting chat with him in the Willard Hotel in Washington during the American Bankers’ Association national convention in 1920. He was then president of a well-known New York City bank. Later, consolidations of several New York banks elevated him two offices higher than the president of the then largest bank in the world. Yet some 36 years later when I inquired about him at this great bank, the answer was the same—”Who’s he? Never heard of him!” His “success” did not live after him.

But there is a real success that endures!

But IS This Success?

Yes, I have been privileged to know many of the great and the near great—especially in the American business world. I have known multimillionaire capitalist, chief executives of great corporations and banks, cabinet members in the national administration at Washington, authors, artists, lecturers, college and university heads.

For the most of them, success meant the acquisition of money and material possessions, and being of recognized status.

One important man I know was Elbert Hubbard, philosopher, prolific writer, publisher, lecturer, known as “the Sage of East Aurora.” “The Fra,” as he sometimes styled himself, became quite famous. He wore semi-long hair under an extra-size hat, and a string bow tie. He was said to be worth a half million dollars at a time when that equaled three million or more on today’s market.

He published two magazines, composed mostly of his own writings, The Philistine, and The Fra. He boasted the largest vocabulary of any man since Shakespeare. He published An American Bible, shocking many of the religious yet explaining that the word “bible” merely means “book,” not necessarily implying sacred writings, unless the word “HOLY” is prefaced. His “bible” consisted of his selection of choice writings from American authors. He included Franklin, Emerson, Paine, Jefferson, Lincoln, and, of course, Hubbard!He allotted nearly half of the entire volume to Hubbard—and all other famous Americans combined shared the remainder.

Hubbard was not the victim of an inferiority complex, and he preached a positive philosophy. He did have rare insight and wisdom in purely material matters, and a keen understanding of human nature.

He knew that “important” men craved flattery as an actor enjoys applause. A large share of his fortune was made by writing an almost endless series of booklets, captioned Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great and the Near-Great. These were printed, of course, in rare style in his own Roycroft Press. Dozens and scores of America’s rich and famous men paid Hubbard premium prices to write them up in his inimitable literary style.

An interesting sidelight on Mr. Hubbard’s concept of success came spontaneously from his lips one Sunday afternoon. He and I were chatting at his Roycroft Inn in East Aurora, New York.

“I asked a Unitarian minister,” I said, “whether he had ever been able to discern just what your religious belief really is—if any.”

“Fra Elbertus” was interested at once. “And what did he say?” he asked, curiously.

“He said he wasn’t quite sure, but he suspected that whatever your religion may be, it probably originated in your pocketbook and bank account.” There was no denial.

“Ho, ho,” laughed Elbert Hubbard, “well, I get away with it, don’t I?”

But was Elbert Hubbard a real success, after all? By human standards, I suppose he was. He knew and applied the first six of the seven laws of success. He worked hard and industriously, and he reaped a bounteous harvest—of money, popularity, acclaim. He and his wife Alice Hubbard went down together into the depths of the Atlantic when a German submarine sank the Lusitania. This was one of the overt acts of the Kaiser’s forces that plunged America into World War 1.

But his fame did not appear to last. One seldom hears of him any more.

Hubbard knew material values. But his agnosticism closed the door—and threw away the key—that led to an understanding of spiritual values. He never quite understood the real PURPOSE of life itself. He wasn’t sure whether there was a Creator. He was convinced that fundamentalist or traditional “Christianity” was an impractical superstition. He didn’t know WHY humanity was placed on the earth—or whether it just happened! He didn’t know man’s real potential destiny. He didn’t know the seventh law of success. And, not knowing or following that seventh rule, he drove himself, by the diligent practice of the six, in the wrong direction — diametrically away from true success!

It Never Satisfied

What was the real meaning of life to these “successful” men?

Their goal in life—their definition of success—was material acquisition, recognition of status by society, and the passing enjoyment of the five senses.

But the more they acquired, the more they wanted, and the less satisfied they became with what they had. When they got it, it was never enough.

Some “successful” men of the world maneuver to get their pictures on page one of metropolitan newspapers, or on the front covers of national magazines. This inflates and briefly titillates ego, but it never satisfies for long. There’s nothing the public forgets so quickly as yesterday’s news!

Such men seek the flattery of others, and engage in back-slapping to invite it. But, like an actor’s applause (the word always makes me think of “applesauce”) it doesn’t last and leaves them flat, with a gnawing inner hunger for something that will satisfy! So they become restless, discontented.

Their bank accounts may be full, but their lives are empty. And what they do acquire, which is never enough and never satisfies, they leave behind when they die!

What is wrong?

Such men started out with the wrong goals. They had not discerned the true values, but pursued the false.

Isn’t it about time we learn the true definition of SUCCESS?

Perhaps the prize example of all history is that of an ancient king, who strove hard, accomplished much, gained fabulous wealth. He experimented with every pleasure, to see whether it brought happiness.

This man said to himself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.”

Continuing to describe his experiment, this man wrote: “I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good.”

This ancient king was young enough to try to really enjoy life. He could afford it, too. He was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived—with the resources of a nation at his command. If there was not enough money for a project he dreamed up, he simply raised the taxes.

So, he continued writing of his experiment in searching for happiness and success, “I went in for great works.” Stupendous national works and projects. “I built mansions, planted vineyards, laid out gardens and parks for myself, in which I planted all manner of fruit trees, making pools to water the trees in my plantations. I bought slaves, both men and women, and had slaves born within my household. I had large herds and flocks, larger than any before me. I amassed silver and gold, right royal treasures; I procured singers, both men and women, and many a mistress, man’s delight. Richer and richer I grew, more than any before me in my country . . . Nothing I coveted did I refuse myself: I denied my heart no enjoyment—for my heart did feel pleasure in all this—so much I did get from all my efforts.

“But, ” he concluded, “when I turned to look at all I had achieved and at my efforts and trouble, then it was all vain and futile . . . all was VANITY, and a striving after wind. Nothing in this world is worthwhile.

“Utterly vain, utterly vain, everything is VANITY,” wrote this king, after his life of experimenting. All it led to was striving—yes, always striving—and for what? “After WIND,” he concluded. All that a lifetime of hard work, vigorous application, material accomplishment brought him, he concluded, amounted to no more that a HANDFUL OF WIND!

This man was called the wisest man who had ever lived. He was King Solomon of ancient Israel. But in all his costly experimenting he never found the true values—the meaning of true and lasting SUCCESS!

And WHY?

Simply because, with all his wisdom, this man sought pleasure—happiness—success—his own way, in materialism. In the beginning the Eternal Creator designated and set in motion living laws for the very purpose of producing happiness, abundant living, pure and continuous joy, in all humans who would follow them. These are the seven great laws of SUCCESS. King Solomon, like nearly all the world’s “successful” men, applied diligently the first six—but without the seventh, he started out in the wrong direction. The more he strove, the farther he went—in the direction away from true and lasting success.

He knew this seventh law. But, “Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Eternal. . . he did not keep what the Eternal commanded. Therefore the Eternal said to Solomon, ‘Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my rules which I commanded, I will surely tear the kingdom from you’ ” (1 Kings 11:6-11).

Now let me tell you the experience of a modern king. He was a close personal friend of ex-King Saud of Arabia, to whom I have been personally presented. Wealth came suddenly to Sheik Ali of Qatar (pronounced “”gutter”).

Qatar is a little Arabian country jutting into the Persian gulf. The big oil boom recently came to Sheik Ali’s little kingdom. It paid the country of 35,000 population 50 million dollars a year, of which 121/2 million went personally to old Sheik Ali, age 69.

Now what would you do with it, if you suddenly came into 121/2 million dollars a year?

The answer, in all probability, is that you would not do what you now think you would! That much money, coming suddenly into one’s hands, usually changes one’s ideas completely. That’s what it did to old Sheik Ali.

Immediately he began to build big gaudy pink, green, and gold palaces in the midst of malodorous mud hovels. They were air-conditioned, ultramodern, even equipped with push button window curtains! And now the newly wealthy sheik could avoid the 120-degree bake-oven summers of the desert.

He chartered whole airliners and took with him a retinue so large that his newly purchased palatial villa on Lake Geneva could not hold them all, and they overflowed into various resort hotels.

Then Sheik Ali indulged in the $1,000,000 purchase of a magnificent mansion overlooking Beirut—and the beautiful Mediterranean. When King Saud paid him a royal visit, he presented the king with 16 automobiles. One was embellished with gold. Old Sheik Ali became so generous in his self-indulgences, that his debts, over and beyond his fabulous income, soon mounted to 14 million dollars!

The news stories filtered around the world of how the Sheik just simply could not make ends meet on a mere 121/2 dollars a year! About the 1st of November, 1960, he abdicated in favor of his son Ahmed, age 40. A new advisory council arranged to pay old Ali’s debts, and give him a pension large enough only to provide for a mere handful of servants and a few wives.

Poor old Ali! He found it harder to make ends meet on 121/2 million annual dollars than he did in comparative poverty.

The FIRST Law

Certainly NOTHING in life is more important than to know: what is real success—and how to achieve it.

His ‘seven laws of success’ are then included in that booklet: The Seven Laws of Success.

The Continuing Church of God has also produced a sermon titled Christian Success. While the “seven laws of success” that are in the booklet The Seven Laws of Success by the late Herbert W. Armstrong were used, a lot more scriptures were included than that booklet used. And while physical success was also discussed, the sermon put more emphasis on spiritual success, which is what truly is needed to not be a failure.

We also have a booklet: Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian.

People can change if they will willingly humble themselves and take various steps.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Christian Success: What does the Bible teach? Does the Bible teach that Christians are to be successful? Are there at least seven laws of success that Christians should follow? How does the Bible teach we are to become successfully spiritually? Does the Bible really teach that Christians should be successful physically? This video answers these questions and more from the Bible. An outline of some of the scriptures used is here: Christian Success Outline.
The Ten Commandments: Cause and Effect Is everything random? Why do things happen? Are there just two ways? Should Christians keep the ten commandments? A related sermon is also available: Cause and Effect: Two Trees, Two Ways.
Why Were You Born? Why did God make you? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject. You may also wish to read the article What is Your Destiny? or watch the video, also titled What is Your Destiny?
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? If you would like to watch videos covering subjects of this article, you can click on the following links: Why YOU? Why Do YOU Suffer? and What is the meaning of your life?
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
The Seven Laws of Success Booklet by Herbert W. Armstrong that can help people become successful.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

Devil	= Secret	+ Person	+ Garden

COGwriter

Is there any indication of accounts of the Book of Genesis in China?

Do the Chinese people have ties to the Book of Genesis?

Have the Chinese retained any indirect knowledge of this in their writing?

The simple answer is yes.

Let’s notice something that the Bible teaches about Adam’s wife, Eve:

20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:20)

All who lived would certainly include the Chinese.

The Bible also specifically teaches that all peoples were together and of the same language until after the tower of Babel:

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech…

6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1,6-9).

Thus, until God confused human language and scattered people abroad, all humans were together and spoke the same language.

If the Bible is true (and I believe that it certainly is) then we would expect that perhaps somewhere the Chinese may have preserved some knowledge of some of the events recorded in the Bible prior to this scattering as well as some connection to the area of Babel.

Chinese Characters Provide a Clue

Chinese characters are essentially the symbolic representation of words. It is my understanding that both the Chinese and Japanese languages share some of the same characters, and though they pronounce the words differently, a few of the characters have the same meaning in Japanese as they do in Chinese. There are over 600 Chinese characters/symbols, and although some were changed in the 20th century, most still are essentially the same as they were thousands of years ago. (Now since I do not read Chinese, or Japanese, I am relying exclusively on the works of others–most heavily from Kees Noorlander from http://www.morgenster.org/signs.htm from which this portion of this paper is indebted to, plus a little bit from Babel Fish by Alta Vista, and quite a bit from http://www.zhongwen.com/ and from the book The Discovery of Genesis). It should be noted that in the 1950s China nearly decided to abolish characters and even now most Chinese are not taught the history and tradition behind their writing system.

Anyway, since the characters had to start from somewhere (and biblically they would have started sometime after the construction of the tower of Babel), some have suggested that perhaps these characters help demonstrate that the Chinese (and Japanese for that matter) were familiar with some of the events recorded in the first chapters of the Book of Genesis.

For example, the Book of Genesis records:

8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden…9 The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden…10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:8,9, 10).

The English term garden can be represented by the Chinese word tièn (also spelled tián). The Chinese symbol is four irrigation channels within an area of land (it can also mean farm or field). Or it possibly may be the four rivers with a type of tree in the middle of it.

Was that symbol influenced by the events recorded in the Bible or is this a coincidence?

It is difficult to know for certain as there are other Chinese symbols that can be used instead for garden.

However, there are several other characters to explore. There were two famous trees in the Garden of Eden:

9 The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9).

Recall that God gave Adam one command after placing him in the garden:

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15-17).

It is of interest to note that a Chinese symbol for Prohibition is the combination of the symbols for two trees (mù) and command. It should be noted that God, while He originally prohibited one tree, later prohibited access to the second tree (see Genesis 3:22-24).

In Genesis Eve stated:

2 We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:2).

It is also of interest to note that the Chinese symbol for Fruit is the combination of the symbols for tree and garden. While Adam and Eve were in the garden, the devil decided to implement his plan to alienate humans from God. His plan was to suggest that God withheld secret information for the humans in the garden.

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5).

As shown above, notice that the Chinese symbol for Devil is composed of the characters for secret, person, and garden. Sadly, Eve seemed to believe the devil as she desired to benefit from the fruit of the tree that was prohibited:

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate (Genesis 3:6).

God decided later to prohibit the second tree lest Eve and others desired it so much that they would go for it as well (see Genesis 3:22-24).

Notice the symbol for the Chinese word lán for desire or greed is a combination of the symbols for woman and two trees. After succumbing to temptation, humans noticed that they were naked:

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7).

The Chinese symbol for being naked has to do with clothing, one tree (the one that Adam and Eve were originally told not to eat from perhaps), and a garden with four irrigation canals. After Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden they had children. On of their sons was Abel, who raised and sacrificed sheep:

2 Now Abel was a keeper of sheep…4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering (Genesis 4:2,4).

Consider that a Chinese character meaning righteous is made up of a sheep + a hand + a lance. The New Testament account of Abel refers to:

35…the blood of righteous Abel (Matthew 23:35).

Thus, the Chinese symbol agrees with the New Testament account that essentially the sacrifice of sheep (by Abel, for example) was righteous.

Many know that Chinese history contains an account of some type of worldwide flood. There may be a couple of aspects of it preserved in its characters.

Notice a couple of statements in the Bible concerning the flood:

1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. (Genesis 7:1).

20…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water (1 Peter 3:20).

A Chinese word chuán for a type of boat is 8 + a mouth + a vessel. It may be of interest to note that one of the Chinese symbols for flood (chong) is a combination of an inverted symbol meaning “first Earthly branch” and eight (the term for eight may instead mean “person remaining””–that of itself is interesting as the symbol for eight and “person remaining” look about the same–recall that on the ark there were only eight persons remaining alive).

After the flood, humans stayed together and built a tower:

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1-4).

Yet God did not care for this:

5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:5-7).

It is highly likely that when people saw others speaking foreign languages, that they thought that somehow something at this tower affected their mouths. The Chinese symbol of a tower is grass + clay + mankind + mouth. The tower of Babel was built with bricks (grass and clay) and humans originally had one language (or mouth). It is possible that this symbol is showing that the ancient Chinese recognized a connection to the biblical tower of Babel.

The Bible shows that after God confused the languages in Babel that He scattered humans all over:

8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth (Genesis 11:8-9).

For more about this, and to see the actual Chinese characters (which for some reason would not copy properly over to this post, please check out China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters.

Chinese Characters Predate Moses

While researching this paper I came across a quote that perhaps should be placed here:

…the ancient Chinese people were quite familiar with the same record which the Hebrew Moses is popularly given credit for writing some 700 to 1,000 years later. Imagine this information being stored in special characters that were in use hundreds of years before the first page of the Bible was written! (Kang C.H., Nelson E.R. The Discovery of Genesis: How the Truths of Genesis Were Found Hidden in the Chinese Language. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1979, p. 5)

Notice that the development of Chinese characters predates the writing of the Book of Genesis. Thus, the Chinese characters seem to provide an ‘independent’ account that verifies portions of the accounts in Genesis.

Continuing, the authors of the previous citation go so far as to state:

Moreover we believe that the Chinese actually employed this historical knowledge as one small facet in the process of building their written language. The significance of this claim is broad. But most important, it appears to us to give support and added acceptance of the much slandered account of Biblical Genesis (Ibid).

Thus, the existence of these Chinese characters should be a comfort to the Chinese that their ancestors did have some type of biblical witness, as well as to the current believers that even in a land as removed as it is from the Middle East, the Chinese did know about various portions of the Genesis account. And since their characters were developed prior to Moses writing Genesis, their very existence provides additional verification that the events were known for many thousands of years.

In addition to Chinese characters, the following is a prayer believed to be said prior to the acceptance of polytheism in China. This is believed to have been written in the neighborhood of 2230 B.C., about 700 or so years before Moses wrote the Book of Genesis:

Of old in the beginning was the great chaos, without form and dark. The five elements had not begun to revolve, nor the sun and the moon to shine. In the midst thereof there existed neither forms nor sound. Thou, O spiritual sovereign camest forth in Thy presidency, and the first didst divide the grosser parts from the purer. Thou madest heaven; Thou madest earth; Thou madest man. All things with their reproducing power got their being
(He Sacrificed to ShangTi as reported in, without its edits, Kang C.H., Nelson E.R. The Discovery of Genesis: How the Truths of Genesis Were Found Hidden in the Chinese Language. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1979, p. 15).

The above, though not in perfect agreement, is in substantial agreement with the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. This account suggests that at least portions of what God did as recorded in Genesis were known to ancient peoples, including the Chinese.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters Where did the Chinese people come from? This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel. Here is a link to a version of this article in Spanish: ¿Prueban los caracteres chinos la exactitud de la Biblia?
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings 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? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
Does it Make Physical Sense to believe in God? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true? Here is a link to a YouTube sermon titled Is it logical to believe in God?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge. Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Is There Another View of Evolution? and another titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life.
How Old is the Earth and How Long Were the Days of Creation? Gap Theory? Does the Bible allow for the creation of the universe and earth billions of years ago? Why do some believe they are no older than 6,000 years old? What is the gap theory? Were the days of creation in Genesis 1:3 through 2:3 24 hours long? Here are links to two sermons: Gap Theory: Doctrine or Modern Heresy? and Genesis, ‘Prehistoric man,’ and the Gap theory. Here is a link to a related article in Spanish: ¿Cuán vieja es la Tierra? ¿Cuán largos fueron los Días de la Creación? ¿Teoría de la brecha?
Where Did God Come From? Any ideas? And how has God been able to exist? Who is God?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here is a link to a related sermon: Proof Jesus is the Messiah: Certainty.

COGwriter

The European Union (EU) met today and approved the Brexit-deal that many in the United Kingdom (UK) are skeptical about:

November 25, 2018

BRUSSELS — In a bittersweet landmark, European Union leaders gathered Sunday and sealed an agreement on Britain’s departure next year, the first time a member country will have left the 28-nation bloc.

European Council President Donald Tusk says the European Union has approved a Brexit deal with Britain.

Tusk tweeted that 27 EU leaders meeting in Brussels “endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future EU-UK relations.”

At a summit in Brussels, the leaders were preparing to endorse a withdrawal agreement that would settle Britain’s divorce bill, protect the rights of U.K. and EU citizens hit by Brexit and keep the Irish border open. They will also rubber-stamp a 26-page document laying out their aims for future relations after Britain leaves at midnight Brussels time March 29.

British Prime Minister Theresa May hailed the deal as the start of a new chapter for Britain, but European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the U.K.’s departure was a tragedy.

“It’s a sad day,” Juncker said as he arrived.

He told reporters that deal was “the best possible,” but the summit “is neither a time of jubilation nor of celebration. It’s a sad moment, and it’s a tragedy.”

May now faces the tough task of selling the deal to a skeptical U.K. Parliament. …

EU, British parliaments

The deal must still be ratified by the European Parliament, something parliament President Antonio Tajani said was likely in January.

More dauntingly for May, it also needs approval from Britain’s Parliament.

May is under intense pressure from pro-Brexit and pro-EU British lawmakers, with large numbers on both sides of the debate opposing the divorce deal and threatening to vote it down when it comes to the House of Commons next month. Brexiteers think it will leave the U.K. tied too closely to EU rules, while pro-Europeans say it will erect new barriers between Britain and the bloc, its neighbor and biggest trading partner. https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-ready-to-endorse-brexit-deal-but-much-work-lies-ahead-/4672850.html

Here is a link to a draft of the Brexit deal from the EU: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/draft_withdrawal_agreement_0.pdf

Some in the UK have referred to the current deal as a Brino–BRexit In Name Only–as it still subjects the UK to EU rules, etc. for an indeterminate amount of time, and it has “kicked the can down the street” regarding the border situation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

25 November 2018

After the EU’s endorsement of the deal, it now goes to the UK Parliament for a vote.

But given that opposition parties — not to mention many lawmakers within May’s Conservative party and the Northern Irish DUP, which supports her minority government — have indicated they’ll vote against it, the deal’s biggest test is yet to come. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/25/europe/brexit-brussels-summit-gbr-intl/index.html

Notice one view of the deal if the UK Parliament approves it:

Theresa May insisted that her Brexit deal would mean taking back control. But the Gibraltar MEP warns we would actually be giving away the control we had with the EU.

Clare Moody, the Member of the European Parliament for the South West and Gibraltar, told James O’Brien that the deal would leave the Rock would be at the mercy of the Spanish. …

With his tongue firmly placed in his cheek, James said: “But I thought the EU member states had no power at all or control over their own destiny and we’re ridden roughshod over by the Brussels pantechnicon that was piloted by sinister Germans with dreams of reintroducing the fourth Reich?

“Aren’t we taking back control?”

Ms Moody responded: “Oh no we’re not. That’s precisely the opposite of what the future framework represents.

“We will for God knows how long be taking the rules and regulations from the EU and not playing our current vital role in shaping those rules.” 11/23/18 https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/gibraltar-mep-brexit-giving-away-control/

So, Gibraltar believes it is at risk with this proposed deal–and the reality is that it is.

Should the UK Parliament disapprove the deal, the EU will be even more upset with the UK. If the UK leaves without a deal, that is called a “hard Brexit” and some believe this will cause chaos in the UK and even further upset the Europeans.

The EU leadership is not pleased that the UK voted to leave the EU. One-day, sadly, it will seek and gain revenge (Daniel 8:24-25; 11:39). Gibraltar and Northern Ireland will, no later than during the Great Tribulation, become part of the final emerging European Beast empire.

Now, some have hinted of another option: The UK asks to not leave to EU–that it cancels the Brexit. While this is something UK Prime Minister Theresa May has indicated is not an option, some think that it is:

November 25, 2018

Does Theresa May (The Brexit Prime Minister!) Pose an Existential Threat to Brexit?

No doubt that every Brexiteer on planet Earth has taken it as a threat that Theresa May intends to revoke Great Britain’s Article 50 notification to the European Union if she doesn’t get what she wants.

And extrapolating that for a moment, and as Theresa May is a self-confessed Remainer; Brexiteers must assume that Theresa May is aiming for a BRINO — a Brexit in Name Only agreement.

What other conclusion can be drawn?

The definition of BRINO varies widely depending upon whom you consult; For example, Brexiteers say that BRINO will create a situation whereby (via a weak Brexit agreement) the UK becomes worse-off than if it had stayed within the European Union — many orders of magnitude worse than a Hard Brexit which is what most Brexiteers favour — whereas BRINO to a Remainer means the only difference is that Britons continue to pay Europe’s bills but with less say in EU spending, less say in EU legislation that affects the UK, and Britons will enjoy a more arm’s length relationship with the EU.

Much worse than either of those two options is that Article 50 could be cancelled by Theresa May — especially if you’re the Conservative and Unionist Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland which would likely be removed from power at the next election and might not form a government for decades.

Smaller betrayals of the people’s trust have started civil wars and the Conservatives would roast themselves if they allowed Theresa May to revoke Article 50 thereby cancelling Brexit. https://arabiangazette.com/theresa-may-draft-brexit-deal/

The whole Brexit matter is becoming a mess for the UK. Many are unhappy, no matter what happens.

We are in the time that Jesus referred to as the “beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:4-8) and despite the relative calm in the UK now, more troubles are expected:

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

But there will also be times when things appear to be fine (e.g. 1 Thessalonians 5:3; also check out the article The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27). And changes will come.

The two major world leaders, who were not in the UK, that backed the Brexit vote were the USA’s Donald Trump (then a candidate for the President of the United States) and Marine Le Pen (currently a political figure in France).

The time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), also known as the Great Tribulation, is coming. The UK will be affected by it.

The UK itself will one day be taken over by a European power (Daniel 8:24-25)–as will the USA (Daniel 11:39; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

Yet that will not be this year, next year, nor during the first term of the Donald Trump Administration. But events, like the Brexit situation, are setting the stage for this to ultimately happen.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

15:19

Arab NATO and the Coming King of the South

For two weeks in November 2018, a joint-military exercise called ‘Arab Shield 1’ took place in Egypt. Some have wondered if this will lead to an ‘Arab NATO.’ Is this something the Obama and Trump administrations have pushed for? Is this consistent with biblical prophesies? What do followers of Islam want? What about a caliphate and the ‘Imam Mahdi? Has this type of Arab unity been promoted by American and European leaders? What territories will support the King of the South of Daniel 11? What peoples are involved in Ezekiel 30? Will Turkey betray the coming King of the South? Will Arab unity turn out well or disastrous for the Arab nations? Will Arab unity be in place by the time of the start of the Great Tribulation? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Arab NATO and the Coming King of the South.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a related YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.
The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings Who is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 referring to? Are there multiple falling aways? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: La Apostasía: Enseñanzas de la Biblia y de la WCG. There are also two YouTube videos on the subject that you can watch The Falling Away Part 1: From the Bible and Church History and The Falling Away Part 2: Positions Presented by Others.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them there.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Here is a link to a short intro: ContinuingCOG Channel.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo.
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.

TRANSFORMED FROM TRUTH

COGwriter

A while back, I received an email from GCI (Grace Communion International, essentially the group that originally ran the new Worldwide Church of God) with a link to a letter and a video message from its J. Tkach related to Christmas. His letter states:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As Christmas approaches, I’ve been preparing my heart for the season. I’ve prayed for new eyes to marvel at the birth of Jesus once again. It can be a challenge for those of us who know the story so well to remember the wonder of the incarnation. …

We’ve put together a beautiful series of short films grounded in the story of Advent, our anticipation of Christmas, and what it all means to us as believers.

There are four videos in total, each focused on a central Christian virtue modeled for us in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth …

My prayer is that these videos along with other resources and our personal example (both yours and mine) will reach beyond GCI and touch someone losing hope, searching for peace, struggling to find joy, and in need of his love this Christmas.

I would like to point to his statement, “those of us who know the story so well to remember the wonder of the incarnation.”

The story of Jesus in the Gospel accounts show us that He was not born, not ‘incarnated,’ anywhere near Christmas.

That is a story that Joe Tkach should know well.

What does the Bible teach about the time of Jesus birth?

Here is a Catholic-accepted translation of the account in the Gospel According to Luke:

1 Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. 2 This census — the first — took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, 3 and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4 So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David’s town called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, 5 in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, 7 and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.

8 In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. 9 An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel said, ‘Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. 11 Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’

13 And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: 14 Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours.

15 Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.’ 16 So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. 17 When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, 18 and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2:1-18, NJB)

Notice that, at the time of the census, Luke teaches that the shepherds were out all night in the field at the time of Jesus’ birth. This is biblical evidence that Jesus could not have been born in late December for a couple of reasons. One of them is that the practice of shepherds spending the night with their flocks outside ceased each Fall.

Furthermore, related to the reason that Joseph had to go to Bethlehem (the census) at the time of Jesus’ birth, even The Catholic Encyclopedia admits that the “census would have been impossible in winter” (Christmas, 1908). If something is impossible, then it did not happen. Jesus was not born on December 25th according to even Catholic teachers.

Since Jesus was not born then, why did Christmas end up on December 25th?

Well, basically because that was the day of celebration of the birthday of the sun-god Mithra and December 25th also took place during the Saturnalia, hence it was acceptable to at least two groups of pagans. Followers of Mithra represented an influential group in the Roman Empire. Other practices associated with Mithraism have become part of the Roman and Orthodox Catholic churches (such as their communion services) (for more details, please check out the documented article Do You Practice Mithraism?).

Notice the following:

Mithraism A pagan religion consisting mainly of the cult of the ancient Indo-Iranian Sun-god Mithra. It entered Europe from Asia Minor after Alexander’s conquest, spread rapidly over the whole Roman Empire at the beginning of our era, reached its zenith during the third century, and vanished under the repressive regulations of Theodosius at the end of the fourth century…Helios Mithras is one god…Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra, and the sixteenth of each month was sacred to him as mediator. The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season (Arendzen. J.P. Transcribed by John Looby. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Until the Council of Nicea, the December 25th Christmas holiday was not even accepted by the Roman Catholics.

But Emperor Constantine, who was a follower of Mithra, decided that the date of Mithra’s birthday should also be the date to celebrate Jesus’ date of birth:

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336AD, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December. (Why is Christmas Day on the 25th December? http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml accessed 12/07/15)

The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen’s concern about pagan gods and the church’s identification of God’s son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman “birth of the unconquered sun”), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian “Sun of Righteousness” whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival.

Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire’s favored religion. (Coffman E. Why December 25? For the church’s first three centuries, Christmas wasn’t in December—or on the calendar at all. Christianity Today, August 8, 2008. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2000/dec08.html accessed 12/07/15)

The Church of Rome decided to later require all to observe it as The World Book Encyclopedia notes:

In 354 A.D., Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun (Sechrist E.H. Christmas. World Book Encyclopedia, Volume 3. Field Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, 1966, pp. 408-417).

It needs to be understood that some scholarly sources believe that the celebration in Rome of Christmas may have began 2-3 decades earlier (because Constantine kept it on 12/25 in 336 A.D.), but none I am aware of suggest it was prior to Constantine in the fourth century.

Should real Christians call the night that the pagans worshiped the sun-god and had a wild party holy? It was not holy to the God of the Bible.

Obviously not, yet many who claim Christianity still do.

The Gospel accounts do NOT teach that Jesus was born anywhere near Christmas.

Some items of related interest may include:

What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations? A related sermon video is available and is titled: Birthdays, Christians, and December 25th.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
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?