Archive for May, 2023

Isaac Newton predicted the ‘end of the world’ in the this century

Monday, May 22nd, 2023


Isaac Newton, 1712 portrait

COGwriter

Isaac Newton was a famous scientist. But he also had an interest in theology and prophecy.

World Net Daily (WND) reported the following:

Sir Isaac Newton stated: “We account the Scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy. I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever. … Worshiping God and the Lamb in the temple: God, for his benefaction in creating all things, and the Lamb, for his benefaction in redeeming us with his blood.”

Captivated by Bible prophecy, Sir Isaac Newton wrote “Observations on the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John” (published in 1733), in which he stated: “Daniel was in the greatest credit amongst the Jews, till the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. And to reject his prophecies, is to reject the Christian religion. For this religion is founded upon his prophecy concerning the Messiah.”

He concluded his introductory chapter: “Daniel is most distinct in order of time, and easiest to be understood, and therefore in those things which relate to the last times, he must be made the key to the rest.”

In his preface to “The Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse” (published 1733), Sir Isaac Newton quoted a letter to Richard Bentley, dated Dec. 10, 1692: “When I wrote my treatise about our System I had an eye upon such Principles as might work with considering men for the belief of a Deity and nothing can rejoice me more than to find it useful for that purpose.”

Sir Isaac Newton wrote in “Observations on the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John” (published 1733): “The Book of Revelation exhibits to us the same peculiarities as that of Nature. … The history of the Fall of Man – of the introduction of moral and physical evil, the prediction of the Messiah, the actual advent of our Savior, His instructions, His miracles, His death, His resurrection, and the subsequent propagation of His religion by the unlettered fishermen of Galilee, are each a stumbling-block to the wisdom of this world. … But through the system of revealed truth which this Book contains is, like that of the universe, concealed from common observation, yet the labors of the centuries have established its Divine origin, and developed in all its order and beauty the great plan of human restoration.” …

In “Observations on the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John” (published 1733), Sir Isaac Newton wrote: “For the prophets and apostles have foretold that as Israel often revolted and brake the covenant, and upon repentance renewed it, so there should be a falling away among the Christians, soon after the days of the Apostles, and that in the latter days God would destroy the impenitent revolters, and make a new covenant with his people. And the giving ear to the prophets is a fundamental character of the true church. … For as the few and obscure Prophecies concerning Christ’s first coming were for setting up the Christian religion, which all nations have since corrupted, so the many and clear Prophecies, concerning the things to be done at Christ’s second coming, are not only for predicting but also for effecting a recovery and re-establishment of the long-lost truth, and setting up a kingdom wherein dwells righteousness. The event will prove the Apocalypse, and this Prophecy, thus proved and understood, will open the old Prophets and all together will make known the true religion, and establish it. … An angel must fly through the midst of heaven with the everlasting Gospel to preach to all nations, before Babylon falls, and the Son of man reaps his harvest.” (Revelation 14:6) 03/19/17 http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/what-interested-isaac-newton-more-than-science/#qWFOKKoXE3eJSk34.99

Isaac Newton was correct that prophecy is important, Daniel and Revelation lay out a lot about prophecy, and that the Protestants have major problems with prophecy.

Let us notice here that the Bible teaches:

10 … Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

Prophecy is important.

Isaac Newton warned predicting dates, as he wrote:

This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, & by doing so bring the sacred prophesies into discredit as often as their predictions fail. Christ comes as a thief in the night, & it is not for us to know the times & seasons which God hath put into his own breast. http://www.wnd.com/2008/09/75434/#GmvymUAjkYZqZ7jt.99

Yet, did so himself:

Following the day/year guideline, Newton assigned 1,260 years of the Revived Roman empire before Antichrist’s desecration of the temple. This he did realizing that the rebuilding of the temple and the judgments of Revelation did not follow the rebirth of the Roman Empire in A.D. 800. None of the prophecies of the End of Days followed the coronation of Charlemagne as Emperor of the revived Roman Empire after 1,260, nor for that matter, any of the years up until Newton’s day. Therefore, he established each day with a year from A.D. 800, arriving at the year A.D. 2060.

In a manuscript number 7.3g, f. 13v. of the Yahuda collection, Newton was even more specific about the 2060 date.

So then the time times & half a time are 42 months or 1260 days or three years & an half, reckoning twelve months to a year & 30 days to a month as was done in the Calendar of the primitive year. And the days of short lived Beasts being put for the years of lived [sic for “long lived”] kingdoms, the period of 1260 days, if dated from the complete conquest of the three kings A.C. 800, will end A.C. 2060.

But Newton’s prediction of Charlemagne’s revived Roman Empire starting in A.D. 800 and existing until the return of Christ was contradicted in 1806 when Napoleon forced the Empire’s dissolution. http://www.wnd.com/2008/09/75434/#GmvymUAjkYZqZ7jt.99

In one 1704 document Newton calculated the end of the world to be not earlier than 2060, based on a phrase from the Book of Daniel, Chapter 12, Verse 7, which reads: “and I heard him swear by him who lives forever that it should be for a year, two years, a half-year; and that, when the power of the destroyer of the holy people was brought to an end, all these things should end.”

According to the exhibit Newton interpreted this phrase as meaning that 1,260 years would pass from the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne in 800 to the end of time.

“It may end later, but I see no reason for its ending sooner,” Newton wrote in his precise cramped script. “This I mention not to assert when the time of the end shall be, but to put a stop to the rash conjectures of fanciful men who are frequently predicting the time of the end, and by doing so bring the sacred prophecies into discredit as often as their predictions fail.” https://www.archbalt.org/exhibit-shows-isaac-newtons-fascination-with-religious-writings/

Well, the world as we know it will end this century–and probably a couple of decades sooner than Isaac Newton predicted (see Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?). Isaac Newton had several misunderstandings related to days and years.

Isaac Newton seemed to see the Beasts in Revelation 13 as Roman and Greek:

And the ten horns received power as Kings, the same hour with the Beast.

At length the woman arrived at her place of temporal as well as spiritual dominion upon the back of the Beast, where she is nourished a time, and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent; not in his kingdom, but at a distance from him. She is nourished by the merchants of the earth, three times or years and an half, or 42 months, or 1260 days: and in these Prophecies days are put for years. During all this time the Beast acted, and she sat upon him, that is, reigned over him, and over the ten Kings who gave their power and strength, that is, their kingdom to the Beast ; and she was drunken with the blood of the Saints. By all these circumstances she is the eleventh horn of DANIEL’S fourth Beast, who reigned with a look more stout than his fellows, and was of a different kind from the rest, and had eyes and a mouth like the woman ; and made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, and wore them out, and thought to change times and laws, and had them given into his hand, until a time, and times, and half a time. These characters of the woman, and little horn of the Beast, agree perfectly : in respect of her temporal dominion, she was a horn of the Beast; in respect of her spiritual dominion, she rode upon him in the form of a woman, and was his Church, and committed fornication with the ten Kings. (Newton I., 1733, as published later as: Sir Isaac Newton’s Daniel and the Apocalypse with an introductory study of the nature and the cause of unbelief, of miracles and prophecy, by Sir William Whitla; 1922; Murray, London)

So, he was referring to Revelation 12 & 17 above. Here is something from Revelation 12:

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:14-17)

Then he immediately went to Revelation 13, but starting in verse 10:

The second Beast, which rose up out of the earth, was the Church of the GREEK Empire : for it had two horns like those of the Lamb, and therefore was a Church ; and it spake as the Dragon, and therefore was of his religion ; and it came up out of the earth, and by consequence in his kingdom. It is called also the false Prophet who wrought miracles before the first Beast, by which he deceived them that received his mark, and worshipped his image. When the Dragon went from the woman to make war with the remnant of her seed, this Beast arising out of the earth assisted in that war, and caused the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the authority of the first Beast, whose mortal wound was healed, and to make an Image to him, that is, to assemble a body of men like him in point of religion. He had also power to give life and authority to the Image, so that it could both speak, and by dictating cause that all religious bodies of men, who would not worship the authority of the Image, should be mystically killed. And he causeth all men to receive a mark in their right hand or in their fore head, and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name; all the rest being excommunicated by the Beast with two horns. (Newton I., 1733, as published later as: Sir Isaac Newton’s Daniel and the Apocalypse with an introductory study of the nature and the cause of unbelief, of miracles and prophecy, by Sir William Whitla; 1922; Murray, London)

The Beast will be over a kingdom that will include territories that the old Latin/Roman empire controlled, including some of the parts that were Greek (Greece and Turkey come to immediate mind). That would include much of Europe and parts of North Africa and the Middle East. The Bible shows that eventually the Beast, the European King of the North, will take over territories in the Middle East and North Africa per Daniel 11:40-43.

But that does NOT mean that the Beast of the Earth must be Greek–this leader, called the False Prophet later in scripture, will be from the Latin (RC) church.

His mark is ✠✠✠ and his name ΛATEINOΣ, and the number of his name 666. (Newton I., 1733, as published later as: Sir Isaac Newton’s Daniel and the Apocalypse with an introductory study of the nature and the cause of unbelief, of miracles and prophecy, by Sir William Whitla; 1922; Murray, London, pp. 326-327)

His mark is † † †, and his name ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ, and the number of his name, 666. (Sir Isaac Newton :: Chapter 3. Of the relation which the Prophecy of John hath to those of Daniel; and of the Subject of Prophecy.)

For more on the ‘mark, ‘ check out the article Mark of the Beast. The fact of three crosses got me to consider that this also may be a warning about trinitarianism, as Isaac Newton was not a trinitarian.

Dr. John Byl wrote:

Isaac … Newton traced the doctrine of the trinity back to Athanasius (298- 373); he became convinced that before Athanasius the Church had no trinitarian doctrine. In the early 4th century Athanasius was opposed by Arius (256-336), who affirmed that God the Father had primacy over Christ. In 325 the Council of Nicea condemned as heretical the views of Arius. Thus, as viewed by Newton, Athanasius triumphed over Arius in imposing the false doctrine of the trinity on Christianity.

According to Newton, the seventh seal began … when trinitarianism was officially ratified at the Council of Constantinople. The great apostasy was not Romanism, but trinitarianism, “the false infernal religion”, to quote Newton’s own words. (Byl J. ON NEWTON AND THE TRINITY. Translated in 2005. http://www.geocentricity.com/ba1/no077/newton-b.html accessed 05/22/21)

Athanasian Creed (though not actually written by Athanasius, but statements were attributed to him) of the 6th century states:

Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic faith.

Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.

Now this is the catholic faith:

That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity,

… we must worship their trinity in their unity
and their unity in their trinity.

Anyone then who desires to be saved
should think thus about the trinity.

The Bible teaches that you must believe in Jesus, but says nothing about worshiping a trinity in order to be saved.

That being said, Jesus taught His followers to look at various signs and events (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) as well as the Book of Daniel–plus He gave the Revelation. And Jesus did not say to mainly focus on mathematical calculations, though they can play some role.

Isaac Newton’s 2060 calculation seems a bit too late–the next decade or the one after it seem much more likely.

Those in the Continuing Church of God generally believe that the recreated world that began after Genesis 1:1 would last 6,000 years after either Adam’s creation or his sin. The 6,000 years looks to end by the first half of the 21st century as opposed to the second half (based on the timing of Jesus’ earthly ministry the 6,000 years would seem to be up between 2027 and 2033).

Before going further, it should be pointed out that Isaac Newton believed that much of Revelation had been at least partially fulfilled, but, of course, not completely.

Christians who hope they are Philadelphian may find the following from Isaac Newton to also be of interest:

In the sixth Epistle, to the Angel of the Church in PHILADELPHIA (Apoc. iii. 10, 12.) CHRIST saith: Because in the reign of the heathen Emperor JULIAN, thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep theefrom the hour of temptation, which by the woman’s flying into the wilderness, and the Dragon’s making war with the remnant of her seed, and the killing of all who will not worship the Image of the Beast, shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, and to distinguish them by sealing the one with the name of God in their foreheads, and marking the other with the mark of the Beast. Him that overcometh, I will make a pillar in the Temple of my God ; and he shall go no more out of it. And I will write upon him the name of my God in his forehead. So the CHRISTIANS of the Church of PHILADELPHIA, as many of them as overcome, are sealed with the seal of God, and placed in the second Temple, and go no more out. (Newton I., 1733, as published later as: Sir Isaac Newton’s Daniel and the Apocalypse with an introductory study of the nature and the cause of unbelief, of miracles and prophecy, by Sir William Whitla; 1922; Murray, London, p. 333)

Yes, the Philadelphians are those who will flee (for more details, see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra).

Revelation states the following about the Philadelphians:

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. (Revelation 3:7-12)

While Isaac Newton did not fully understand church eras as we in the Continuing Church of God do (nor does it look like he tied Revelation 12:17 in with the Philadelphians as he should have), he did write that the protection during the time others take the Mark of the Beast, was to be provided to the Philadelphians.

He also wrote about the Book of Revelation and the millennium :

Then he describes the sudden coming of the day of the Lord upon them, as a thief in the night, which is the APOCALYPTIC phrase; and the millennium, or thousand years, which are with God but as a day …

JUSTIN MARTYR, who within thirty years after JOHN’S death became a CHRISTIAN, writes expressly that a certain man among the Christians whose name was John, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, in the Revelation which was shewed him, prophesied that those who believed in Christ should live a thousand years at Jerusalem. And a few lines before he saith: But I, and as many as are Christians, in all things right in their opinions, believe both that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh, and a thousand years life at Jerusalem built, adorned and enlarged. Which is as much as to say, that all true CHRISTIANS in that early age received this Prophecy: for in all ages, as many as believed the thousand years, received the APOCALYPSE as the foundation of their opinion: and I do not know one instance to the contrary. PAPIAS Bishop of HIERAPOLIS, a man of the Apostolic age, and one of JOHN S own disciples, did not only teach the doctrine of the thousand years, but also l asserted the APOCALYPSE as written by divine inspiration. MELITO who flourished next after JUSTIN, 2 wrote a commentary upon this Prophecy ; and he, being Bishop of SARDIS one of the seven Churches, could neither be ignorant of their tradition about it, nor impose upon them. IRENAEUS, who was contemporary with MELITO, wrote much upon it, and said, that the number 666 was in all the antient and approved copies; and that he had it also confirmed to him by those who had seen John face to face, meaning no doubt his master POLYCARP for one. At the same time 1 THEOPHILUS Bishop of ANTIOCH asserted it, and so did TERTULLIAN, CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS, and ORIGEN soon after ; and their contemporary HIPPOLYTUS the Martyr, Metro politan of the ARABIANS (HIERON), wrote a commentary upon it. All these were antient men, flourishing within a hundred and twenty years after JOHN S death, and of greatest note in the Churches of those times. Soon after did VICTORINUS PICTAVIENSIS write another commentary upon it; and he lived in the time of DIOCLESIAN. This may surely suffice to shew how the APOCALYPSE was received and studied in the first ages : and I do not indeed find any other book of the New Testament so strongly attested, or commented upon so early as this. The Prophecy said: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this Prophecy, and keep the things which are written therein. This animated the first CHRISTIANS to study it so much, till the difficulty made them remit, and comment more upon the other books of the New Testa ment. This was the state of the APOCALYPSE, till the thousand years being misunderstood, brought a prejudice against it: and DIONYSIUS of ALEXANDRIA, noting how it abounded with barbarisms, that is with HEBRAISMS, promoted that prejudice so far, as to cause many GREEKS in the fourth century to doubt of the book. But whilst the LATINS, and a great part of the GREEKS, always retained the APOCALYPSE, and the rest doubted only out of prejudice, it makes nothing against its authority. (Sir Isaac Newton’s Daniel and the Apocalypse with an introductory study of the nature and the cause of unbelief, of miracles and prophecy, by Sir William Whitla; 1922; Murray, London, pp. 300, 303-304)

But his 2060 calculation, was really not scriptural.

The same can be said of various ones who predicted the end of the world for earlier than now as well as those indicating that it would be before 2022.

Do not let people in or out of the COGs deceive you on prophecy. Believe the Bible.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:15-16, KJV)

Believe what the Bible teaches and do not be misled by traditions of men that are in error. Including famous ones.

Sadly, there are many biblical signs related to the Great Tribulation and Jesus’ return that few understand today.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to this:

15:45

Did the famous 18th century scientist, known as Sir Isaac Newton, predict the end of the world in the 21st century? Why may the world end earlier than he wrote? Could his 2060 date be wrong? Did he have errors related to the revived Roman Empire? Did he assert that some type of cross was the ‘mark of the beast’ like the Cathari had? Did he seem to tie trinitarianism with that mark as well as being part of an “infernal false religion’? What did he teach about who would flee? Did he realize that it would be Philadelphian Christians that Jesus promised to protect from the hour of trial known as the great tribulation? Is Jesus possibly expected to return by 2031? Dr. Thiel addresses these questions and more in this video.

Here is a link to the video: Isaac Newton’s End of the World Predictions?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. Two related sermons are available: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? and The Godhead and the Trinity. A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Are there prophetic reasons to believe that the USA will not last two complete presidential terms? Yes. There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
The Great Tribulation: What Happens First? What events have happened? What are some events that are now happening? And what events need to happen for the Great Tribulation to start? Here is a link to a related sermon video: Counting Down to the Great Tribulation. Here is a video in the Spanish language: Contando los eventos y el inicio de la Gran Tribulación.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2022, 2023, or 2024? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.

Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? A related sermon is titled Tradition and Scripture.
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? Two related YouTube videos would be Beware of the ‘Ecumenical Cross’ and Origin of the Cross.
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.

 

Yes, you can understand Ezekiel 37 better than Pope Francis

Monday, May 22nd, 2023


Valley of The Dry Bones of Ezekiel 37 rendering by Gustave Doré

COGwriter

Pope Francis spoke about Ezekiel 37 several years ago:

In the Book of Ezechiel, there is a peculiar vision that is described, impressive, but capable of instilling confidence and hope in our hearts. God shows the prophet a valley of bones, detached from each other and dry. A desolate scenario. Imagine, an entire hill full of bones. God asks him, then, to invoke the Spirit upon them. At that moment, the bones begin to draw closer and unite, first the nerves grow on them and then the flesh and thus the body is formed, complete and full of life. (Ez. 37, 1-14). This is the Church! I recommend, today when you are home, to read Ezechiel, Chapter 37. October 22, 2014 http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/on-the-body-of-christ

While Pope Francis is correct that this is an impressive vision, this is a vision of those that are not now in the true Church. This is a vision for the future.

Here is a little of what Jerold Aust taught about it:

That last and great day of the annual festival days foreshadows the greatest time of salvation for the greatest number of people at one time. How wonderful it is to know the truth! The prophet Ezekiel sheds light on those incredible numbers. The setting in Ezekiel 37 is postmillennial. Remember that the first resurrection, to occur as the Millennium begins, is to spirit essence (Rev. 20:4-6). The resurrection at the beginning of the White Throne Judgment, however, is to a physical state.

Here God resurrects the whole house of Israel, which had lived and died during mankind’s first six millennia (Ezek. 37:1-2, 11). Israel may number into the billions themselves. But what of all the greater numbers of gentiles who also lived and died during that same period of time and who, too, will be awaiting their one and only opportunity to be judged and saved (I Tim. 2:4)? They will also be resurrected at that precise time.

The opportunities extended to Israel will also be offered to the gentiles (Rom. 2:9-10, Isa. 19:24-25).

Thank God this is not the only day of salvation (Isa. 49:8, Revised Standard Version). (Aust J. What the Last Great Day Means for You. Good News, October-November, 1983)

Ezekiel 37 helps show that people who were dead and not in Christ will be resurrected to the flesh and have an opportunity for salvation. Notice what it actually teaches:

1 The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. 2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. 3 And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”

4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”‘”

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.

9 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”‘” 10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.

11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. 14 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.'” (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Now will salvation be offered to all who ever lived?

Absolutely!

Notice what the New Testament and the Old Testament plainly teach:

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (Luke 3:6)

10 And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:10)

Since most who claim some version of Christianity believe that what they teach is at least partially supported by scripture, here is a link to a free online book which contains a listing of hundreds of verses in the Bible supporting apocatastasis, as well as related comments, which may be helpful for those who wish to receive their doctrine from the Bible: Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation.

Micah 7:18-19 teaches:

18 Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.
19 He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.
You will cast all our sins
Into the depths of the sea.

Is your God going to pardon iniquity for a few or nearly all of the guilty? Does God retain His anger forever? No. Does He delight in mercy? Yes. Will He later give His truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham? That is what the Bible teaches. Is this what your church teaches?

Ezekiel 11:16-20 and 36:24-38 both record that God is going to convert many sinners so that they will walk in His statutes:

16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.” ‘ 17 “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.” ‘ 18 “And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there. 19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God…”

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. 29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you. 30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 Not for your sake do I do this,” says the Lord GOD, “let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!” 33’Thus says the Lord GOD: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. 34 The desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. 35 So they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 “Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.” 37’Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock. 38 Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” ‘ “

Notice that the above has never been fulfilled by Israelites going back to the Middle East as God has YET to give them a new heart. Surely God has a plan to offer salvation to those who many now feel are lost.

Notice Daniel 12:2-4:

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase”

The above passage shows that death is like sleep. It also refers to a resurrection to everlasting life and resurrection to shame and to everlasting contempt. Notice that those who are wise will shine, and still after they shall awake, turn many to righteousness. Since they cannot turn those who are raised to everlasting contempt to life, who are they turning to life?

Obviously, those who were dead and not dead in Christ are those that are among the many that are turned to righteousness. Thus, the Bible clearly shows that there is a future offer of salvation past this current life and many will be turned to righteousness–many are then converted.

This is something that the Church of Rome does not understand.

At risk of possible gross oversimplification, there are many incomplete as well as inaccurate views of what God’s plan of salvation is that I will attempt to briefly summarize:

  • Evangelicals and Certain Other Protestants: God is trying to save everyone now through the name of Jesus. But since most have not heard the message of Christ, most who ever lived will be eternally lost.
  • Calvinist Protestants: God is not trying to save everyone now and never had a plan to truly offer salvation to all as all humans are sinners who deserve eternal punishment. Yet, God is so merciful He sent His son to die for a few (roughly 1-3% of the population) that were predestined to be called now and saved, and this shows that God has love. Nearly all who ever lived will be eternally lost.
  • Unitarians: God does not really care what you believe or do, but if you try to lead a decent life, He will save you. Note: This is not the position of unitarian groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and some others, but the position of those generally known as Unitarians (like a group I once visited near where I live).
  • Universalists: God loves everyone and will save everyone.
  • The LDS (Mormons) teach that God will not condemn those, who for no fault of their own have not accepted Christ, that He will save many through baptism for the dead and their later, hoped-for acceptance of Jesus. Hence they try to find the names of the dead through genealogical research and have people baptized in proxy for them. A sermon of related interest is available: Mormon vs. Church of God Teachings.
  • Although the Eastern Orthodox tend to consider that God’s plan of salvation is highly sacramental, they tend to teach that God’s plan is not one of terror and that somehow God may save people up through the time of the White Throne Judgment. Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
  • Roman Catholic: God wants to save everyone, but most will not be saved. Despite not hearing the name of Christ, God has a plan and will save some from the pagan religions who strive to live right and will give salvation to Roman Catholics who have gone through the right sacraments at the right time.

The Evangelicals and many other Protestants are right that it is only through the name of Jesus that one can be saved (Acts 4:10-12). But they normally limit when God can do this and do not understand about the age to come (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; Hebrews 6:5).

The Calvinists are right that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and that God has predestined some to be called in this age. But they neglect the fact that, since God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, KJV), that others who think their hope is cut off will receive an opportunity for salvation (cf. Ezekiel 37:1-11).

The Unitarians are correct that God wants people to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” (Titus 2:12). But that is not how one is saved. For it is “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Universalists are right that God loves everyone and that God wants all saved. However, since some will intentionally reject God’s offer of salvation, not all will be saved (cf. Revelation 20:13-15).

The Mormons are right that God has a plan of salvation that involves the dead who have not committed the unpardonable sin (see also What is the Unpardonable Sin?). Yet the idea that this will be helped because of ritualistic baptism for peoples names found in genealogical records is incorrect. Plus, since God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, KJV), one does not give the opportunity for salvation because one happens to have been part of a culture that maintained birth, marriage, death and/or other historical records (though the LDS believe that they will eventually get all of that information).

The Eastern Orthodox are right that God’s plan is not really intended to be one of terror. And while God actually does intend the time of the White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-12) as part of His plan, since the Orthodox do not observe the Fall Holy Days they misunderstand much of the actual plan. Up until just before they adopted ‘purgatory’ (see Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory?), the Church of Rome held a similar view to the Eastern Orthodox.

The Roman Catholics are right that God does have a plan of salvation and that plan includes reaching out to those who have never known the God of the Bible. However, since every knee will bow to Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11), all who will be saved will have to accept Him as savior. Plus, salvation is not mainly a sacramental process as the Roman Catholic tend to emphasize (though the Bible does state that believers need to repent and be baptized as the Apostle Peter taught in Acts 2:38).

The biblical reality is that while God wants us to repent (Acts 17:30), He knew that all would not. And so to reduce the number of humans who would commit the “unpardonable sin” (see What is the Unpardonable Sin? ) and thus not be eligible for salvation, He allowed Satan to blind and deceive most in this age (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11; Revelation 12:9; 13:14).

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that the Bible teaches that God made everything and it was “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and that “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3). And that God made humans upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29), but that humans felt that they could decide to disobey God’s commands (Genesis 3:6)–such disobedience is harmful to themselves as well as others and leads to death (Romans 6:23). Because of that disobedience, God stopped humans from having immediate access to the tree of life on their own (Genesis 3:22; John 6:44)–even though He had a plan of redemption from before “the foundation of the world” involving Jesus (Revelation 13:8, plus see the article Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis).

We in the Continuing Church of God believe that God gave humans 6,000 years to live their own way (please see the article Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism and a 6000 Year Plan?). And that humans will mess things up so bad, “unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved” (Matthew 24:22).

But because God has a plan for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38) and is a God of love (1 John 4:8,16; John 3:16), He will intervene and send Jesus to establish a millennial kingdom on earth (Revelation 11:15; 20:4). During this 1000-year reign the world will become beautiful again (Isaiah 35:1-10; 58:12) (see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).

After this thousand year reign, all who ever lived will be resurrected (Revelation 20:5). The judgment will begin (Revelation 20:12) and God will plead His case (Isaiah 3:13; Jeremiah 25:31). When humans see how they started out with a very good and beautiful earth and messed up and nearly completely destroyed it in their 6,000 years, it appears that they will realize that humankind, that distanced itself from the true God, cannot properly govern itself. However when they see how, when starting with a messed up and nearly completely destroyed earth at the end of the 6,000 years (please see the article Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?), that it was restored to being very good again, like Eden (Isaiah 51:3), because people obeyed the King of Kings during the millennium (please see Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?), then apparently nearly all who ever lived will repent of their ways, accept Jesus as the Christ, and will live God’s way of life.

Since God is love (1 John 4:16), we in the Continuing Church of God believe that He has a plan that takes into account how human beings would have rebelled against Him (cf. 1 Peter 1:20-21). We also believe that God is smart enough to have developed a plan that does not result in the vast majority of humanity having to suffer endless torment. Thus we believe it is logical that His plan will result in nearly everyone who ever lived, no matter what their religion or background was, to be saved. And that there are hundreds of verses in the Bible that show this—and this is God’s will (2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16-17). This plan is also consistent with writings about Christianity throughout history—though most in modern times seem to wish to overlook that fact. And a little known fact is that there are hundreds of verses in the Bible that show this (documentation is in the article Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis).

We believe that the biblical Holy Days reveal God’s loving plan of salvation (see article Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible?), yet because most who profess Christ keep non-biblical days such as Christmas and Easter, they simply do not understand that God has a plan which will result in nearly everyone who ever lived to be saved.

We believe that since God is a God of love that He wanted to reproduce Himself and share His joy to all that He could and that His plan of salvation accomplishes this. This concept of God “reproducing Himself” for us to be truly part of His family is not totally foreign to what passes for mainstream “Christianity” as even the Catholic and Orthodox “Saint” Athanasius (fourth century) taught of Jesus, “For He was made man that we might be made God” (Athanasius. On the Incarnation of the Word, Chapter 54, Verse 3) (for additional details on this doctrine, please see Deification: Did the Early Church Teach That Christians Would Become God?).

Jesus was clear that only a few will find this way in this age:

23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able (Luke 13:23-24).

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:14).

32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

So only some few will be called in this age. And there is an “age to come” (Matthew 12:32) where even infamous sinners will have an opportunity (cf. Matthew 10:15;11:22).

Jesus said His True Church would be a “Little Flock” that would be around until He returns. As mentioned before, the Continuing Church of God is such a little flock that traces its history from the Book of Acts, throughout the ages, and into the 21st century, and we are proclaiming His return.

The Bible clearly teaches:

6 …all flesh shall see the salvation of God (Luke 3:6).

Those who did not truly see and understand this plan of salvation will have it explained to them. And that is what the Last Great Day pictures.

Notice what Jesus taught:

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)

The Last Great Day helps demonstrate that all who ever lived will have an opportunity for salvation–an opportunity most will accept (John 7:37-39; Romans 11:25-26; Ezekiel 37:11-14; Hebrews 9:27-28). Those who do not observe the same Holy Days that Jesus and His disciples did, normally do not truly understand God’s plan of salvation.

A major reason that I originally became part of the Church of God is that in addition to proving all things from the Bible, I truly believe that since “God is love” (1 John 4:16) that He has a plan of salvation that will ultimately result in everyone being called and nearly every one who ever lived being saved.

That is part of what Ezekiel 37 is all about.

The Last Great Day is October 7, 2023. Pope Francis does not observe it–should you?

A related sermon is available: Last Great Day.

Some items of related interest may include:

Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
The Last Great Day: Shemini ‘Azeret What is the ‘eighth day’ of the Feast? What does it help picture? A sermon on this topic is also available: Shemini Azaret: The Last Great Day.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, PassoverWhat Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & CelibacyEarly Heresies and HereticsDoctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, MeatsTithes, Crosses, Destiny, and moreSaturday or Sunday?The GodheadApostolic Laying on of Hands SuccessionChurch in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession ListHoly Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
John Calvin, Calvinism, TULIP, and What is Predestination? Who was John Calvin? Did he believe in sola Scriptura or did he hold to unbiblical doctrines? TULIP analyzed. A sermonette related to this is also available: Tulip Predestination?
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?
Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and the Continuing Church of God The genuine Church of God is not related to the Mormons and this article explains some differences and a couple of similarities. Also, might certain LDS prophecies apply to Mitt Romney? A sermon of related interest is available: Mormon vs. Church of God Teachings.
Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith.  Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like Christian answers for Jehovah’s Witnesses to give information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses? A related sermon is also available: Jehovah’s Witnesses: Right and Wrong Teachings?

Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life? Here is a link to a related sermon: Purgatory or Apocatastasis?
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies? Here is a link to the video: Popes Change on Limbo and Purgatory?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son. Here is a link to a shorter video The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’?
hould You Keep 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. Two related sermons would be Which Spring Days should Christians observe? and Fall Holy Days for Christians.

Church of God News in Spanish

Sunday, May 21st, 2023

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God continues to get additional materials translated into the Spanish language.

Here are the translations that we received today:

Dan’s identity and not being part of the 144,000
Identidad de Dan y no ser parte de los 144,000
‘No one is reading the Bible’ ‘What Are The Consequences?’
‘Nadie está leyendo la Biblia’ ‘¿Cuáles son las consecuencias?’
HD: Survey Finds Less Than Half of Professing ‘Born-Again Christians’ Believe Jesus Was Sinless
HD: Encuesta encuentra que menos de la mitad de los ‘cristianos nacidos de nuevo’ profesantes creen que Jesús no tuvo pecado
‘Is California about to be hit by a major earthquake? Study finds LA has suffered 1,200 micro-quakes in past eight months — putting area at risk of bigger tremor’ and then there is New Hampshire & Turkey
‘¿California está a punto de ser golpeada por un gran terremoto? Un estudio encuentra que LA ha sufrido 1,200 micro-terremotos en los últimos ocho meses, poniendo el área en riesgo de un temblor más grande, y luego están New Hampshire y Turquía.
‘A Plague That Could Kill A Billion People Has Been Found To Spread “Efficiently” Among Ferrets’
Se ha descubierto que una plaga que podría matar a mil millones de personas se propaga “eficientemente” entre los hurones
Temple Institute: Be Holy; HWA: Be Separate
Instituto del Templo: Estar Santo; HWA: Estar separados
‘Scientific Consensus – A Manufactured Construct’
‘Consenso científico – Una construcción fabricada’
‘It’s Inevitable … A War Is Coming’
‘Es inevitable …Está próxima una guerra’
The Habsburg Way: Even in 2023 Habsburgs are influencers
La forma de los Habsburgo: Incluso en 2023 los Habsburgo son influencers
‘Islamized France: Controversy Erupts as Illegal Mosque Causes Chaos and Violence in Paris Suburb’
“Francia islamizada: Estalla la controversia cuando mezquita ilegal causa caos y violencia en los suburbios de París”
Can Witch Doctors Cast Spells on Christians?
¿Pueden los cristianos estar bajo el hechizo de las maldiciones de los brujos?
WND: EXODUS AHEAD The ‘one-world government’ effort is collapsing; COGwriter: Don’t inhale that hopium
WND: ÉXODO POR DELANTE El ‘esfuerzo por un gobierno mundial’ está colapsando; COGwriter: No inhale ese opio
WND: Jesus is coming soon – here’s the proof
WND: Jesús va a venir pronto – aquí está la prueba
‘The digital euro could usher in total state control’
‘El euro digital podría abrir las puertas al control total del estado’
HWa’s falling away warning and Zechariah 13
La advertencia de apostasía de HWA y Zacarías 13
Is there an Old Testament Gospel?
¿Hay un Evangelio del Antiguo Testamento?
YOU can be more hopeful
USTED puede estar más lleno de esperanza
PETA uses ChatGPT to make blasphemous Bible
PETA usa ChatGPT para hacer una Biblia blasfema
Messianic Jews, SDBs, and SDAs are not COG
Los judíos mesiánicos, SDBs y SDAs no son COG
‘King Charles said to signal interest in a trip to Israel’
‘El rey Carlos dijo que mostrara interés en un viaje a Israel’
Russia and Iran sign rail deal for corridor: Sign of the Gentiles or Joel 2?
Rusia e Irán firman acuerdo ferroviario para corredor: ¿Señal de los gentiles o Joel 2?
CBDCs: The 666 future of money? Is the US dollar really losing influence?
CBDCs: ¿El 666 futuro del dinero? ¿Está el dólar de los EE.UU. perdiendo realmente influencia?
Does mathematics prove that the universe had a beginning?
¿Prueban las matemáticas que el universo tuvo un comienzo?
Erdogan’s Daughter: ‘The Crescent will win over Cross of the West’
La hija de Erdogan: ‘La Media Luna ganará a la Cruz del Oeste’
I365: Netanyahu hails ‘perfect’ operation against Islamic Jihad
I365: Netanyahu elogia la operación ‘perfecta’ contra la Yihad Islámica
AP: Biden, congressional leaders likely to meet Tuesday for talks on raising the debt limit
AP: Biden, líderes del Congreso, probablemente se reúnan el martes para conversar sobre el aumento del límite de deuda
Jake Sullivan unveils strategy for USA to maintain global leadership
Jake Sullivan revela la estrategia de EE.UU. para mantener el liderazgo mundial
Eduard Habsburg seems to be pushing for a revived ‘Holy Roman Empire’
Eduard Habsburg parece estar presionando por un ‘Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico’ revivido
Canada wants to join AUKUS alliance, but …
Canadá quiere unirse a la alianza AUKUS, pero…
‘Stagflation is much more likely than Deflation – prepare accordingly..’
‘La estanflación es mucho más probable que la deflación: prepárese en consecuencia…’

The Continuing Church of God has a separate Spanish language website http://www.cdlidd.es. The term Continuing Church of God translates into La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios in the Spanish language, also called Castellano or Español.

We have also additional Spanish language videos on our CDLIDDSermones channel.

Our Spanish translator normally provides translated news items once or twice per month.

So, in addition to having magazines and books in the Spanish language, we also post news items in it as well.

This is another avenue we utilize to teach all that we can in accordance with Matthew 24:14, Mark 13:28-37, and Matthew 28:19-20.

The Continuing Church of God is reaching people around the world in multiple languages via the internet, printed literature, and human church leaders.

We also reach people over the radio and through videos in the English language.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, América central, Suramérica, Brasil y el Caribe en la profecía] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What role might the various Caribbean nations/territories play? Two videos of related interest are available: Will Mexico Regain USA Territories? and Donald Trump and Mexico’s future. A sermon of related interest is available: Latin America in Prophecy.

CDLIDDSermones channel. This contains messages in the Spanish language.

CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God and has articles in español/castellano.

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, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

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?

Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of GodContend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a booklet titled: Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.

Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章

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?

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 and European Gospel radio. This has an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos and other radio broadcasts. It is also available as a mobile app.

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

CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.

CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.

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.

PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.

Study the Bible Course Want to learn more about the Bible? This new course is for you! Here is a: link to Lesson 1: Why Study the Bible? Here is a: link to Lesson 2: Here’s good news…the MESSAGE sent from Heaven. Here is a: link to Lesson 3: Christ Will Stop World Suicide! Here is a: link to Lesson 4: How to Study the Bible. Here is a link to Study the Bible Course: Test 1, for Lessons 1-4. Here is a: link to Lesson 5: The Millennium. Here is a: link to Lesson 6: Utopia! It is also available in French (Leçon 1 En francés), Kiswahili (Somo 1 Katika Kiswahili), Mandarin Chinese (™–˜u : N-Vý), Tagalog (KURSO SA PAG-ARAL NG BIBLYA), and Spanish (Lección 1 En castellano).
Youth Bible Lessons We have scores of lessons for the very young through teenage to learn about the ways of God.

RT: Use of euro in global payments shrinking – Bloomberg

Sunday, May 21st, 2023


COGwriter

RT reported the following:

Use of euro in global payments shrinking – Bloomberg

May 21, 2023

The use of the euro for international settlements declined to its lowest level in three years last month, Bloomberg reported this week, citing data from SWIFT.

Statistics from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications reportedly showed that the proportion of cross-border transactions involving the single currency fell to 31.74% in April from 32.64% during the previous month. …

The report indicated that, despite the recent drop, the euro is still the second-ranked currency for international payments on SWIFT. https://www.rt.com/business/576500-euro-share-drop-global-transactions/

Markets go up and down and often do overreact. Back in February, the euro showed gains over the dollar (see ‘What’s behind the euro’s comeback against the US dollar’ and ‘Much More Pain To Come As The World Moves Away From The US Dollar As The Debt Clock Proves It Is Worthless … ‘).

That said, there will be problems in Europe before it makes the economic gains the Bible says it will make. As mentioned here numerous times, the late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, had a view about banking matters and European unity. Here is something he said in a sermon on July 7, 1984:

And I can see now, the event that is going to trigger the formation of the reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come…

But I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations in Europe to realize they must unite! … Well now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger…that is the economic situation in the world

The whole banking structure in the United States is a network all jointed together. But not only that, one nation has to deal with other nations and imports and exports. And so they have to have a means of transforming money from one nation to another. And so the banking structure is international and interwoven…

Now when the financial structure breaks down, all civilization is going to break down…

So, an economic or banking crisis is what Herbert W. Armstrong concluded would drive Europe to unite.

Notice something somewhat consistent with that:

February 9, 2023

What amazes me is how obtuse the elites in Europe are. None seem to be able to envision a future where a declining U.S. economic empire drags Europeans down. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2023-02-09/great-game-divisiveness-draws-nearer-end

We are not to that point yet that enough in Europe will more clearly see. Yet, various crises will arise in Europe and it will change (cf. Revelation 17:12-13). And Europe will blame the USA for various real and perceived harms.

Some think that the new reserve currency will be the Euro.

Could the Euro surpass the US dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency?

Some suspect it might:

Euro Challenges USDollar As Global Currency

January 15, 2022

Goldman Sachs this week predicted that the Eurozone would grow at a faster pace than the U.S. in 2022, projecting a growth rate of 4.4 percent for EU and only 3.5 percent for U.S. GDP. The latest World Bank forecast, also from January, still sees the U.S. ahead, if only by a paper-thin margin of 0.1 percent, while the new IMF outlook is yet to be released.

While the jury is still out on who will trump who for economic growth this year, Statista’s Katharina Buchholz notes that there are other indicators that already show the Eurozone’s growing economic prowess and international importance. The value of global payment transactions in Euro has been inching up to that of the U.S. dollar, data from the Swift international payment network shows, hinting at increased activity around the currency. In October 2020, Euro transaction value even slid ahead of the U.S. dollar, and while that didn’t last long, the gap between the two currencies on the world stage has become considerable smaller since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Potential reasons for this include the EU’s coordinated efforts to prop up its economy in the current crisis and its continued zero-interest fiscal policy. Faith in the U.S. economy and its growth is meanwhile shakyaccording to CNBC, as uncertainty around President Joe Biden’s “Built Back Better” economic package continues.  https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/euro-challenges-usdollar-global-currency

When I did a search for “reserve currency’ pictures in Pixabay once, on its first page, ALL of the pictures were of either US dollars or Euros, with the photo at the beginning of this post showing both.

Proportionally, the world still primarily uses the US dollar as its primary reserve currency.

But, because of US sanctions, increasing US debt and money supply increases, and the general strength of the European economy, more are looking towards the Euro as the US dollar replacement.

The USA has been gambling with its currency for many years. Its current “debt limit” matters do not make it look good to any around the world.

Yet, the leaders of the USA basically think that they can continue to get away with adding more and more debt.

But one day they will not succeed and will pay a high conquering price for the debt (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8).

What about Europe?

Now, while it is true that Europe is reeling from many issues, Europe has NOT produced as many trillions of Euros of debt that the USA has with its dollar. Plus, several of the nations there have been accumulating and/or repatriating gold.

Understand that the Bible shows that the time will come when Europe will prosper mightily and be involved with gold (cf. Revelation 18).

Now, consider a story, I have reported here before:

There once was a movie that had two men camping outdoors. Suddenly, one man yells, “Run, a bear!” The other man yells back, “You can’t outrun a bear.” The first man responded with, “True, but all I have to do is to outrun you.”

The implication is that the first man only needed to be better runner than the second man, which presumably the bear would consider to be weaker, and then catch and destroy. This would, supposedly, allow the first man to survive.

From an economic perspective, the story basically is that the debt and economic situation in Europe does not need to be perfect, only perceived to better (or at least similar) than that of the USA to someday surpass it.

While the Bible shows that gold and silver will one day be considered worse than useless (cf. Ezekiel 7: 19), it also shows that it will have value after the USA is defeated (cf. Daniel 11:39-43).

That being said, yes the USA dollar will collapse one day–and some type of European-backed currency, possibly the Euro or perhaps some type of international basket of currencies will replace the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

Here is something from my book Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction:

Since many are now questioning the role of the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency, more are looking into other currencies as well as gold. Gold will set records in US dollar terms. In 2017, I also published that in my book related to Donald Trump, and it did in July and August in 2020. [i]

It has been proposed that various nations around the world are already in the process of accumulating gold to one day overthrow the U.S. dollar—and that the “U.S. is unprepared for this strategic alternative to dollar dominance.”[ii]

When the U.S. dollar totally collapses people all around the world will consider that even if the Euro (or something similar) is strong, having a more gold-backed currency would be safer.

The collapse of the U.S.A. dollar will shake a lot of the world’s confidence in non-gold backed currencies.

The Europeans do not have to have a perfect currency, only one that is perceived to be in better shape than the U.S.A. dollar.

Having the European power acquiring more gold to back the Euro or possibly another future European currency (that might potentially replace the Euro or even a basket of currencies) may greatly increase European credibility, prosperity, and influence around the globe, even if the backing is only implied.

The debt accumulation policies of the Obama-Biden and the Trump-Pence Administrations, which were a massive acceleration of the previous policies of the Bush Administration, look like they will be continued by a Biden-Harris Administration.

The increases in America’s debt are heading the world into the time when something other than the U.S. dollar will be valued as its reserve currency.

A Biden-Harris Administration would need to make massive changes to possibly prevent this.

The U.S.A. and its dollar are at serious risk.

[i] Gold hits new record, posts best month since 2016 CNBC, July 30, 2020; Woodall T. Gold surges to new highs as US dollar weakens despite growing macro risks. S&P Global, August 10, 2020

[ii] Rickards J. Axis of Gold. The Daily Reckoning, December 20, 2016

The US dollar will one day be worth no more than its scrap or burning value, other than perhaps as a collector’s novelty.

As far as gold as a partial replacement for the US dollar, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

12:30

China introduced something that was called the gold-petro-yuan back in 2018. Since then, the global share of US-dollar-dominated exchange reserves have dropped to 59.0%. In April 2021, China became the first major economy to unleash a Central Bank Digital Currency. China also has given its banks permission to import large amounts of gold. Is China preparing for a gold-backed yuan to push aside the US dollar or to help it survive a US dollar cataclysm? Are other nations preparing to push the US dollar aside? Do Europeans seem to have the most gold? Are Europeans prophesied to gain more gold? Is the US debt trajectory sustainable per Fed Chairman Jerome Powell? Does the Bible warn of the end coming to the highly indebted in Habakkuk 2:6-8? Why does it looked like a gold-backed currency will replace the US dollar? Will the US dollar, ultimately, become essentially worthless? Dr Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Gold Backed Currency to Replace the US Dollar?

The US dollar will collapse a few years before the end of that 6,000 years and Jesus returns.

This would suggest prior to 2028 (watch Is the US prophesied to be Destroyed by 2028) or perhaps as late as 2030.

A collapse of US dollar is coming. Increasing the US debt limit will not stop that from one day coming.

There will be a new totalitarian world order coming (cf. Revelation 13) and it will not be one dominated by the Anglo-Americans.

If you think that the USA and its dollar will continue to be number 1 and claim to believe the Bible, please consider biblical prophecies such as Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8; Isaiah 10:5-11 (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses and/or watch Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?).

Hopefully, you are taking the proper spiritual steps now, whether or not you might be American.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The End of US Dollar Dominance Is the USA losing its economic status? What about the petro-gold-yuan? A related video is also available: US Dollar being challenged by Gold-Petro-Yuan.
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold and silver? Two videos of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar and Silver, Science, and Scripture.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.

USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? 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 la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details.  A Kindle version is also available 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 your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle),  you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.

 

WND: Is AI mentioned in the Bible? Yes, with catastrophic results

Sunday, May 21st, 2023


Gustave Doré’s, 1866 sketch “Joshua Burns the Town of Ai”(Wikipedia)

COGwriter

A reader tipped me off to the following posted by World Net Daily:

Is AI mentioned in the Bible? Yes, with catastrophic results

May 21, 2023

The dangers of AI, or artificial intelligence, have been at the forefront of recent news headlines, with a large majority of Americans, as well as tech giants including Elon Musk, warning it could put humanity’s very existence on the verge of extinction. …

But might there be a biblical connection to AI?

The answer is yes, according to a popular author known for illuminating Scriptures.

“Ai is actually mentioned in the Bible,” says Joe Kovacs …

“No, it’s not an abbreviation for artificial intelligence. It’s a single word spelled A-i, and can be pronounced like each of its letters, as in ‘a’ and ‘i.’ …

“It’s the name of an ancient Canaanite city, and it packs an incredible significance for today when we examine Ai on the spirit or metaphor level. … the word ‘Ai,’ which can be translated as Ruin or a heap of ruins.’

“That’s big hint No. 1, the fact that Ai actually means ruin or a heap of ruins, coming from a Hebrew verb meaning to bend, twist, pervert and distort, all leading to ruin,” Kovacs explains. …

“So Ai, the place of ruin, was closely associated with the house of vanity, nothingness, and plenty of trouble. That sounds a whole lot like our world today. …

According to Scripture, Ai was the next city after Jericho attacked by Joshua, whose name means ‘God saves,’ the same meaning as Yeshua or Jesus. … Ai, lives up to its name and becomes a complete ‘heap of ruins.’ Scripture goes out of its way to express that: ‘So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins.‘” (Joshua 8:28)

“God may be using this ancient event as a divine hint, a physical example of what today’s AI may bring if artificial intelligence twists, distorts and perverts the truth.

“Our own vanity, the nothingness of our God-opposing arrogance, could make today’s world a permanent ruin and destroy humanity, just as Elon Musk is warning and most Americans believe. The end has been declared from the beginning.” https://www.wnd.com/2023/05/ai-mentioned-bible-yes-catastrophic-results/

Yes. there was a town called Ai that was destroyed. But Joshua did not succeed the first time:

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. (Joshua 7:2-6)

Note that the children of Israel did not consider that Ai was much of a threat, but it was more powerful than it appeared to be. That has similarities to artificial intelligence–it does not look like much–it is only computer software–but many underestimate it.

That said, eventually Ai was destroyed–but at a cost.

Now as far as Elon Musk goes, he has warned about artificial intelligence for years. Here is an older video we put out related to him and AI:

15:30

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’s 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.

Yes, there are risks with the wrong use of AI.

That said, there are several biblical prophecies I believe are supportive of the existence of computers in this age. Notice something from the Hebrews scriptures, also known as the Old Testament:

4 … Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. (Daniel 12:4)

Computers, followed by the internet and smart cellular telephones, have helped fulfill the above.

Is AI potentially dangerous? Is there a dark side?

Yes.

The reason is not the technology per se, the reason is that as human societies go more and more away from God’s standards of morality, they will use more things in a negative manner. Plus, in the case of AI programs like ChatGPT, they have been programmed with biases (e.g. watch ChatGPT and 666). Also, lately I and one of my sons have been testing ChatGPT as well as Bing AI and found them lacking,  biased, and contradictory–and, often when challenged, they want to give up (as that is how Bing AI is programmed) as opposed to truly admitting their errors. The AI biases are dangerous–be careful about relying on AI conclusions.

The Apostle Paul warned the following related to the last days:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come … 13 … evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1,13)

AI looks to be part of that.

Yet, something that sound even more frightening will come–and AI looks like it will used related to it.

In both the Old and New Testaments, the Bible shows that a European dictator will rise up (Daniel 11:21-44; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10; Revelation 17:12-13).

He will want to be worshiped as if he were God in the end times:

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

He will be lawless and against the truth, and most of the world will be deceived:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, (2 Thessalonians 2:9-13).

For more information on the ‘lawless one,’ check out the article Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2?

The following New Testament scriptures support the view that to some degree, advanced computer software, which may or may not be considered as ‘artificial intelligence,’ will be used by the coming European Beast of the Sea dictator (Revelation 13:1-10) as well as his Beast of the Earth (Revelation 13:11) accomplice:

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

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 13:11-18)

Notice that the Beast of the Earth gets the people who dwell on the earth to worship the other Beast. While he will likely have what will be some type of demonic-superpower (Revelation 16:13), it is possible that something like artificial intelligence will be used to get the image of the Beast to speak and to get those who will not worship the Beast to be killed. AI will likely be involved in forcing the Mark of the Beast.

Additionally, when it comes to controlling buying and selling, that was not possible before this digital age of the 21st century. That is something that computers will be involved in. Computer software is a type of artificial intelligence. And sometimes it is specific programing that is considered AI as well.

The forcing of worship under the penalty of death, the control of buying and selling, etc. is totalitarian control.

That is coming and AI appears to be part of it.

It will be in place no later than during the time of the Great Tribulation.

Humans, if left to their own devices, would end up annihilating all human life. But the Bible shows that God will intervene:

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 24:21-22)

Jesus will destroy totalitarian Beast power and his accomplice:

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:11-19)

That Beast power will be destroyed and the Kingdom of God will be established:

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:15-18)

As far as AI goes, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) also put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to it:


17:29

In 2016, the journal of Science published a paper that claims that crowdsourcing and artificial intelligence was the best way to deal with complex “wicked problems” like disease and climate change facing humanity. Is that possible or a false gospel? Is groupthink the answer? What does the Bible teach? What are real “wicked problems” and what does the Bible teach are real solutions?

A written article of related interest is titled: Study claims artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing will solve ‘wicked problems’ in the 21st century.

Here is a link to our video: Crowdsourcing and Artificial Intelligence to solve “wicked problems”?

Bible prophecy shows that a militaristic European dictator will arise and his supporters will apparently use something like AI.

This dictator will not love the truth and will work against all of God’s Ten Commandments (for details, check out the free online book: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast).

It is the despising of the truth and God’s law that is the real threat posed by the human use of AI.

UPDATE 05/29/23: We just uploaded the following related video:

14:41

Is AI in the Bible?

The Bible refers to a place that was ruined in the Book of Joshua called “Ai.” Are there any parallels to what is known as Artificial Intelligence (AI)? What did Joe Kovacs say about that? Are there any risks to AI, such as those warned about by Elon Musk? Are common AI sources like ChatGPT and Bing AI always reliable? Are there certain passages in the Bible, such as prophecies related to the militaristic Beast and Antichrist in the Book of Revelation, that point to the use of AI in the end times? Is the use of computer software consistent with the prophecies of the 666 Beast power? Does the New Testament have warnings of impostors deceiving? Is it possible that demons and AI will be involved in the end time? Will the nations of this world fight Jesus upon His return? Could AI affect and deceive humans? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.

Here is a link to our video:  Is AI in the Bible?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: N;ÿ Œf/’Y’jNº’ÿ Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
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 Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free 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.
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 Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
The Large Hadron Collider has Military Potential Some say this European project is only peaceful. So why is it working on capturing antimatter? Here is a link to a related video: Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction?
Internet Censorship and Prophecy Are concerns about internet censorship limited to nations such as Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. But what about the USA, Canada, and Germany? What about the European Union? What about internet media companies such as Facebook, Google, YouTube, or email services like MailChimp? Has the attempt to control information been made by various ones over the centuries? Was the New Testament affected by it? What about the church throughout the centuries? Is the Bible already been partially censored? Which Bible prophecies point to coming Internet censorship? What about the Book of Amos? What about the coming 666 Beast and final Antichrist? Is there anything that can be done about this? Should Philadelphian Christians be working on anything now? Will preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God vs. a highly media-supported alternative lead to a ‘famine of the word’? More internet censorship is coming as various statements in the Bible support. This is a video.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White. Here is a link to a prophetic video Six Financial Steps Leading to 666?
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNALost tribes, prophecies, and identifications11 Tribes, 144,000, and MultitudesIsrael, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British RoyaltyGentile European BeastRoyal Succession, Samaria, and PropheciesAsia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?;  Rise of the Prophesied King of the NorthChristian Persecution from the BeastWWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

BibleNewsProphecy: The Heresy of ‘Carnal Christianity’

Sunday, May 21st, 2023


Andy Stanley

COGwriter

We put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel, the audio portion of which was sent also for broadcast on WRMI shortwave at 5850 kHz at 0130 UTC Monday (which is 8:30 pm Eastern Standard Time on Sunday) as well as the European Gospel Radio station AM 1323 kHz Monday  21:30-21:45 CET (European Central Time):

15:05

The Heresy of ‘Carnal Christianity’

Is there such a thing as ‘carnal Christianity’? If it is a false religion calling itself Christian, where did it start? Was Marcion of the 2nd century the first Protestant? What about Marcion and the Roman Catholic Church? Did Jesus teach keeping the commandments? Should the Old Testament be discarded? What did early Christian leaders do? What about Martin Luther? Is Andy Stanley right about the commandments, immorality, and not looking at ancient prophecies? What about the teachings and practices of Polycarp of Smyrna? Can Satan’s ministers appear to be angels of light? Do most practice false Christianity? Did Jesus condemn those who called Him “Lord,” but who practiced lawlessness? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these topics.

Here is a link to our video: The Heresy of ‘Carnal Christianity’

Yes, there are many anti-obedience heresies.

Do not fall for them.

Some items of related interest may include:

Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
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 are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the MessiahProphecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and deathJesus’ prophesied divinity200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He madeWhy Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but …
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free 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.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?
Marcion: The First Protestant? Considered to have been an organized heretic, he taught against the Old Testament, the law, and the Sabbath. Some have considered him to be the first Protestant reformer. But was he? Here is a link to a related sermon: Marcion: The first Protestant reformer?

 

Reuters: Russia’s Wagner claims Bakhmut; Kyiv says situation critical

Saturday, May 20th, 2023


COGwriter

Reuters posted:

Russia’s Wagner claims Bakhmut; Kyiv says situation critical

May 20, 2023

Russia’s Wagner private army claimed on Saturday to have finally captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut after the longest and bloodiest battle of the war, while Kyiv denied the city had fallen though it called the situation there critical.

If confirmed, the announcement by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that his troops had finally pushed the Ukrainians out of the last built-up area inside the city would amount to claiming Moscow’s first big prize for more than 10 months. …

“Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken,” Prigozhin said in a video in which he appeared in combat fatigues in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners. “We completely took the whole city, from house to house.”

Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters: “This is not true. Our units are fighting in Bakhmut.”

Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar reported “heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical,” she said on the Telegram messaging service.

“As of now, our defenders control some industrial and infrastructure facilities in the area and the private sector.” https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-wagner-claims-bakhmut-kyiv-says-situation-critical-2023-05-20/

ZeroHedge posted the following:

Wagner Declares Full Capture Of Bakhmut After 224 Days Of Fighting

May 20, 2023

Head of the Russian private military group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has announced Saturday that after months of grinding warfare and heavy casualties, Russia has now taken full control of the strategic city of Bakhmut.

Prigozhin is announcing final victory and that Bakhmut has finally fallen. “The operation to capture Bakhmut lasted 224 days” he said in a video posted to Wagner’s Telegram channel. “Today at noon, Bakhmut was fully captured,” he declared.

Russian state media is also declaring “The key Donbass city of Artyomovsk, known as Bakhmut in Ukraine, has been fully liberated by the Russian forces…”. …

Western media has been hyping Ukrainian “gains” of late in Bakhmut, but that doesn’t look to have ultimately been the case. Likely as verification comes of Russia’s control of the key city in Donetsk, there will be a lot of downplaying of the significance by US and Western officials. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/wagner-declares-full-capture-bakhmut-after-224-days-fighting

If Bakhmut has fully fallen, this is a setback for Ukraine.

Back in 2014 I warned about Russia taking military action in Ukraine (Thiel B. Putin declares Crimea is an inalienable part of Russia, while Moldova’s Trans-Dniester region pleads to join Russia. COGwriter, March 18, 2014).

Why?

Because I expected that at least part of Ukraine would be under Russian military dominance.

Notice also something which is in our free online book Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?:

Moldova      Chaldeans/Madai …

Russia          Madai/Mesech …

Ukraine       Elam/Madai …

Slavic peoples tended to descend through those called Sarmatians, [i] which look to have descended from the biblical Elam and Madai.[ii]

The Slavic nations are in lands south and east of the Benelux nations—so consistent with Daniel 8:9, many in Slavic Europe will support the end time European power. …

That being said, some Elamites are believed to have been the progenitors of the Serbs,[iii] but some part of the Medes (from Madai) may also have been involved.

According to Herodotus, there were numerous tribes of the Medes.[iv] …

Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus tend to be considered as East Slavs. They tend to be descended from Japheth’s sons Madai, Tubal, Mechech, and Gomer (Genesis 10:2).

All of which have descendants in Russia. Belarus seems to have mainly descended from Madai (or possibly Midian).

There were numerous tribes of the Medes (which descended from Madai) with the Buzhians in the northwest part of Ukraine.[v]

Russia, which is both in Europe and Asia, will, for a time, prosper through trade with the coming European Beast (as will Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine). …

Peoples prophetically called Medes are also shown to destroy the final Babylon according to both Isaiah and Jeremiah:

1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw…

17 “Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them,
Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it. 18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, And they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; Their eye will not spare children. 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. (Isaiah 13:1, 17-19)

11 Make the arrows bright! Gather the shields! The Lord has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the Lord, The vengeance for His temple. (Jeremiah 51:11)

The fact that there are multiple kings of the Medes indicates that powers involved in this end time confederation represent multiple governments. This would seem to include Russia, Belarus, and likely Crimea, Donbas, and some others in Ukraine, some in Moldova, perhaps some from the nation of Georgia, and some in Iran, etc.

Anciently, “Darius the Mede” (Daniel 5:31) conquered the old Babylon—modern “Medes” will help do the same to the end-time daughter of Babylon.

The following passages seem also to apply:

8 “Move from the midst of Babylon, Go out of the land of the Chaldeans; And be like the rams before the flocks. 9 For behold, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon An assembly of great nations from the north country, And they shall array themselves against her; From there she shall be captured. Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior; None shall return in vain. (Jeremiah 50:8-9)

Those who believe the Bible should leave the midst of end-time Babylon by then. Certainly, the above “north country” includes Russia, but other passages clearly point to others from Asia being involved (Jeremiah 51:27-29).

Notice some of what will happen to the coming European Babylonian Beast power led by a power from the farthest parts of the earth (Russia is the nation that is the farthest east and close to being the farthest north nation):

22 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.

23 They will lay hold on bow and spear; They are cruel and have no mercy; Their voice roars like the sea; And they ride on horses, As men of war set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.”

24 We have heard the report of it; Our hands grow feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, Pain as of a woman in labor. 25 Do not go out into the field, Nor walk by the way. Because of the sword of the enemy, Fear is on every side. 26 O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us. (Jeremiah 6:22-26)

41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north, And a great nation and many kings Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth. 42 They shall hold the bow and the lance; They are cruel and shall not show mercy. Their voice shall roar like the sea; They shall ride on horses, Set in array, like a man for the battle, Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 “The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands grow feeble; Anguish has taken hold of him, Pangs as of a woman in childbirth.  (Jeremiah 50:41-43)

The “great nation” from the “farthest parts of the earth” includes Russia. There are also nations that will be confederate with it. … When the “daughter of Babylon” is in the process of falling, many will abandon supporting it.

[i] McNair, Key to Northwest Origins

[ii] White C. In Search of … The Origin of Nations. History Research Projects, p. 283

[iii] White C. In Search of … The Origin of Nations, p. 287

ivi] Herodotos I-3. Edited by A.H. Sayce. The Ancient Empires of the East. MacMillan & Co., 1883, p. 62

[i] White C. In Search of … The Origin of Nations, p. 273

Much of the world is moving towards a type of integration that will result in the final time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24; see also The Times of the Gentiles).

Both Russia and the European Union want Ukraine and Moldova. And both have now applied to be part of the EU, but Russia does not like that.

The European Union wants nearly all of continental Europe to be part of it, and that includes Ukraine and Moldova. Moldova is a land, which like Ukraine, some in the west see as a ‘buffer’ against Russia because of geographic proximity.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, wants all the former Soviet states, including Moldova and Ukraine, to become part of Russia or at least part of his Eurasian Economic Union.

Some areas will, ultimately according to scripture, align with Russia.

Yet, the Bible also teaches that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the east.

Notice that, in Daniel 8, the Bible prophesied that a little horn would mainly expand south and east:

9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Daniel 8:9-12).

And while the above has had a past fulfillment, this prophecy seems to be dual (compare with Daniel 11:27-39). The European Union has mainly expanded south and east of the Benelux nations (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)–which is where it initially formed. Now, approximately 447 million people are under a new, single (though not completed united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels. Ukraine is mainly east of much of the EU–thus its geography is consistent with at least some of it being part of the EU. And Moldova and Georgia are south and east, which is also consistent.

In the old Radio Church of God, the late evangelist Dr. Hoeh taught that this little horn of Daniel 8 was the power that would become the final King of the North:

Turn in your Bible to verse 9: “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” …

The King of the North

The little horn in Daniel 8 is none other than the LAST KING of one of the four divisions of Alexander’s Empire. He is, in fact, the final “King of the North” described in Daniel 11. (Hoeh H. The 2300 Days. Plain Truth, August 1965)

It looks like at least part of Moldova and Ukraine will support the Europeans, at least for a time.

However, at least part of those both land look like they will ultimately align with Russia.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? What about other peoples? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about Africa, Asia, South America, and the Islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon;  When Will the End of the Age Come?Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Europe and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’.
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. Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.

Facebook censors “Jesus died so you can live’ as ‘hate speech’?

Saturday, May 20th, 2023

COGwriter

World Net Daily posted the following:

Facebook claims ‘Jesus’ is ‘hate speech’

May 19, 2023

Billy Hallowell … writes at the {Washington} Times that he was taken aback recently when Facebook sent him a notice that, “Your post goes against our Community Standards on hate speech.”

He doubled-checked the social media giant’s wild claim and found it was referring to his explanation of the Christian message of salvation documented by the story of the Resurrection.

What he said his offending post was, “Jesus died so you could live.” …

“Facebook proceeded to declare that its ‘community standards’ are meant to ensure everyone feels ‘safe, respected and welcome,’ though, in those moments of confusion over the hate speech flag, I didn’t feel any of those sentiments,” he wrote. “An ominous line about future infractions was included in the warning. It read, ‘If your content goes against our Community Standards again, your account may be restricted or disabled.'”

Ultimately, Facebook sent a follow-up that confirmed, “We have removed your post from Facebook” because the post was in violation. https://www.wnd.com/2023/05/columnist-documents-facebooks-claim-jesus-hate-speech/

Big Tech wants to eliminate the Bible.

Facebook has long been taking hits against it.

For example, years ago, a reader sent me a link to the following about Facebook’s censorship:

Internal Documents Reveal Bizarre Facebook Rules for Censorship of ‘Hate Speech’

December 21, 2016

Facebook has come under fire after German Newspaper SZ-Magazin revealed internal secret rules of deletion that show the platform flagging up the content as hate speech if it doesn’t abide to bizarre mathematical formulas. …

The documents show that Facebook actively tries to fight so-called hate speech on their platform, coining “protected categories” that help to define when the speech is hateful.

Attacks based on sex, religion, nationality, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability will be flagged as hate speech and deleted.

However, despite Facebook taking an active stance in combating hate speech, it allows some forms of hate speech. …

Despite these categories having some protection in theory, Facebook users are generally allowed to speak badly about them as long as it doesn’t include condemning actual people for being part of them. http://heatst.com/tech/internal-documents-reveal-bizarre-facebook-rules-for-censorship-of-hate-speech/

While no one should go around telling people to physically harm or hate individuals, ‘hate speech,’ the way Facebook views it, is actually a tricky thing.

Basically if you give an opinion about something that some in Facebook do not like, that can be considered as hate speech.

Since many at Facebook openly oppose the Bible, it is not a surprise that it is censoring more and more religious speech.

The world is getting less tolerant of freedom of speech.

Yet, currently, it is still time to:

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)

Which is what we in the Continuing Church of God are doing. We have denounced, not only sins that the world sometimes seems to consider politically correct, but also sins that many claimed COGs will not do, because of their own concerns about their political fates and/or fates that could happen if they offended their financial supporters if they told the truth to truly fulfill Isaiah 58:1.

Is telling people that immoral behavior is sinful ‘hate speech’?

Well, sadly some at Facebook, Google, YouTube, etc. seem to think so. YouTube, for one example, censored our video warning against indoctrinating children in LGBTQ+ matters (see YouTube censors and removes BNP video: Disney’s abominable promotions!).

Many in and out of the government have plans and are watching the internet with plans to deal with materials that they some day hope to silence.

The fact that we in the Continuing Church of God would be considered pacifists, does not change the fact that since we hold to biblical views that we will not be improperly classified as spouting ‘hate speech’ by private or government employees who do not accept biblical standards of morality.

Back in 2016, I posted the following here:

The Prophet Amos was inspired to record the following:

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)

Notice that the Bible tells of a time that will come when the word of God will not be found.

That is not talking of a time when there are no Bibles.

It would seem that Amos was writing about a time when much of the truth of God’s religion will be taken off the internet. In the 21st century, the internet is accessed by people in every country, and thus some type of internet restriction/suspension/site removal is coming.

We are getting closer to this time.

That is part of why we in the Continuing Church of God are preparing for the ‘short work’ (Romans 9:28) and the coming ‘famine of the word.’

Notice also the following:

Distressingly, Facebook is complicit in the Left’s effort to censor speech. Last week, it deployed new tools, empowering users to flag stories they believe to be untrue, which then would be dispatched to third-party “fact-checkers” for scrutiny. Stories deemed to be fake would be publicly branded as “disputed” and relegated to the fever swamps of the Facebook news feed. 12/17/16 http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/2016/12/17/facebook-complicit-in-effort-to-censor-speech

Messages that are not ‘politically-correct’ have been deemed ‘fake news’ by Facebook and others. This would seem to include warning the world that a false dictator is rising up and that the world needs the Kingdom of God.

More speech that is not ‘politically correct’ will be squelched.

In time, the ‘famine of the word’ will hit.

Jesus’ message of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will FIRST reach the world as a witness, and then the end will come:

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

The proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will succeed before the full ‘famine of the word’ will be in place. And that is why we have that booklet translated into hundreds of languages and have versions on numerous websites.

We have been preparing for the ‘Short Work’ consistent with Romans 9:28.

Big Tech will not stop Matthew 24:14 from being fulfilled.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here are two related YouTube videos titled Final Phase of the Work: Need and Background and The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
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. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!The World’s False GospelThe Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Internet Control, Famine of the Word, and 666 On October 1, 2016, the USA officially relinquished control over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), despite objections from certain political leaders and former military officials. Might this lead to more censorship, imposition on non-biblical ‘community standards,’ and loss of first amendment rights? Could this transfer of control have any prophetic ramifications? Will the internet be a factor in the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28 and the coming ‘famine of the word’ that the Prophet Amos warned about? Will internet control be something that the 666 power will have? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this video.

Sermon: ‘What was ‘Nailed to the Cross’? About about the 613 Mitzvot?

Saturday, May 20th, 2023

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

Some claim that the law of God, including the Ten Commandments were “nailed to the cross” or nailed to the stauros/stake as the Greek teaches. What was the certificate of debt or handwriting of requirements that was done away with for those who truly repent and accept Jesus? What about the Sabbath and the Holy Days? What did early Christians do? What are the 613 Mitzvot? Do these correspond with the number of seeds in a pomegranates? Were there multiple parts to the ‘Law of Moses’? Why are sacrifices and various Levitical priesthood requirements not required for Christians? Which laws are applicable today? Which are not? Why? What did Dr. Herman Hoeh write about such things? What did Jesus say about many Jewish traditions? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: ‘What was ‘Nailed to the Cross’? About about the 613 Mitzvot?

Some items of possible interest may include:

Which Laws were Superceded? Which Remain? What about the Ten Commandments? What about the 613 regulations (called 613 Mitzvot) in the Old Testament? Which were ‘done away’? Here is a link to a related sermon video: ‘What was ‘Nailed to the Cross’? About about the 613 Mitzvot?
FIRST COMMANDMENT: Priorities and the Most Broken Commandment Which commandment is broken the most? Which one is most involved with what should be your top priority? Here is a link to a related sermon: The Most Violated Commandment and Priorities.
SECOND COMMANDMENT: What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did the early Church use icons? What was the position of Christians about such things? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
THIRD COMMANDMENT: Words Matter Are you obeying the Third Commandment? Are you sure? Could you be blaspheming with your euphemisms or life actions? Here is a link to a related sermon: Third Commandment Plus: Words Matter. Here is a link to a shorter video: Was Increased Cursing Prophesied?
FOURTH COMMANDMENT: The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a link to a related sermon: Fourth Commandment: Saturday or Sunday?
FIFTH COMMANDMENT: Honor and Be Honorable The fifth commandment involves family relationships. Is it more than parents and children? What about love and ruling well your household? Here is a link to a related sermon: Honor Your Parents and Rule Honorably.
SIXTH COMMANDMENT: Anger, Murder, Abortion, Sports, Self-Control, & Kindness Is there more to the 6th commandment than not murdering? What about abortion, hate, and violent sports? What is the attitude real Christians should have? Here is a link to a related sermon:: Murder, anger, kindness, and love.
SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: Love and Faithfulness, Not Sexual Immorality The seventh commandment prohibits adultery. Jesus made it clear that it involved more than marital infiedlity. What about the LGBTQ+ movement and the Bible? Here is a link to a related video sermon: 7th Commandment: Love and Faithfulness.
The Ten Commandments in Hebrew This is a photo of a Hebrew document from the 2nd century, B.C.
Husbands Love Your Wives An article written by the late Selmer Hegvold.
Dating: A Key to Success in Marriage, a practical dating guide for Christians This is a scripture-filled dating guide. It discusses many aspects of dating, as well as who to not consider for marriage. Two related sermons are available: The Art of Christian Dating. and No One to Date? Teen Q&A? Engagement? 2nd Marriage? A short animation is also available: First Date: Worldly vs. Christian.
Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
God Created Marriage Some falsely claim that God did not create marriage and that fornication is fine.  What does the Bible really teach? Here is a version in Mandarin Chinese y^R ZZYû.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Why sex and marriage? What are each spouse’s responsibilities regarding sex in the marriage? What is not allowed according to God’s word? Why is there sex and why is there marriage? Parental discretion is advised as to whether or not everything in this article is now appropriate for their children. Dr. Thiel goes over scriptures, The Missing Dimension in Sex, and provides answers to questions many have had. A related sermon is available: Sex and Marriage. Here is that sermon in the Spanish language: Matrimonio y sexo.
Are any types of birth control scripturally allowed? Did Jesus make a statement that might be consistent with birth control? Are there any methods that might be appropriate? What methods would be biblically prohibited? Here is a link a related video: Can Christians Use Birth Control?
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.
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 are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but
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. Here is a link to a related sermon: Evolution is NOT the Origin of Life. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
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.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church. Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God? , Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, and What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, and Early Heresies and Heretics, and Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, and Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, and Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to a video in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
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. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, 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?
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, 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. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there.
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.
Continuing Church of God, Africa, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Canada, Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
Continuing Church of God, Europe, 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.
CG7.ORG This is a website for those interested in the Sabbath and churches that observe the seventh day Sabbath.
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 YouTube channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs. Also available at BitChute COGAnimations https://www.bitchute.com/channel/coganimations/
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced hundreds of videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. You can find them at them on YouTube at BibleNewsProphecy https://www.youtube.com/user/BibleNewsProphecy, plus also on Vimeo at Bible News Prophecy https://vimeo.com/channels/biblenewsprophecy as well as on Brighteon Bible News Prophecy https://www.brighteon.com/channel/ccogbnp and Bitchute Prophecy https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo. Also available at BitChute COGAfrica https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogafrica/
CDLIDDSermones channel. This contains messages in the Spanish language
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.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos. Also available at BitChute COGTube https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of GodContend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) ” & continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs–the Statement gives answers? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese ~ç~íy^v„eYOv„OáNðXðf. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu. Here is a related link in the Chichewa language: ZIKHULUPIRIRO ZA MPINGO WA CONTINUING CHURCH OF GOD. Here is a link in Romanian: Declarația de credințe a continuării Bisericii lui Dumnezeu. Here is a link in Portuguese: Declaração de Crenças da Continuação da Igreja de Deus. Here is a link in Russian: Утверждение верований о продолжении Церкви Божьей. Here is a link to a related English-language sermon: Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a booklet titled: Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.

PETA’s Preposterous Preaching

Friday, May 19th, 2023

COGwriter

The group calling itself the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, has a name that makes sense–as animals should be treated ethically. Sadly, though, PETA preaches certain policies that are preposterous and unbiblical.

One thing it opposes is what it calls “specieism.” Here is something from PETA’s website:

What Is Speciesism? …

Speciesism is a misguided belief that one species is more important than another.  …

As a result, we learn to ignore our own conscience, which tells us that it’s wrong to mistreat others. … We tell ourselves that it’s OK to eat ice cream made from cow’s milk because our desire for dessert outweighs a mother cow’s right to nurse and care for her calf. That it’s OK to steal sheep’s wool for sweaters and scarves and ducks’ feathers for pillows. https://www.peta.org/features/what-is-speciesism/ accessed 05/12/23

Well, it should be pointed out that calves are not dying of hunger because cow’s milk is used in ice cream. Cow’s produce more milk than their calves need. Also, our family used to have sheep and it is not unethical to shear their wool once per year.

Now, the PETA specieism article above ends with the following:

Animals are thinking, feeling beings … It’s time to recognize that all sentient beings deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. We can reject speciesism and act with integrity and consistency toward all living beings, and the first step is to recognize that every animal has the right to live free from human exploitation.

Let me add that PETA considers insects basically as animals with various rights as well (e.g. see https://www.peta.org/about-peta/faq/what-about-insects-and-other-pests/#:~:text=But%20PETA%20encourages%20nonlethal%20methods,kitchen%2C%20bathroom%2C%20or%20basement%3F).

The Bible teaches that animals should be treated ethically as the wicked are cruel to them:

10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. (Proverbs 12:10)

In Genesis 1:26, God gave humans dominion over the animals.

However, the Bible also has restrictions on how you can work animals. Here is one:

4 “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. (Deuteronomy 25:4)

Yes, even though humans may want what the ox may eat then, God says to let them eat. God does not condone all that humans think is efficient.

Here is another:

10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. (Deuteronomy 22:10)

Pairing animals of different sizes and strengths would place a strain on the weaker of them, or perhaps on both.

Notice, also that the Bible says workers, including working animals. should be able to rest weekly on the Sabbath:

12 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed. (Exodus 23:12)

12 ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. (Deuteronomy 5:12-14)

Again, the Bible supports treating animals ethically.

Yet, because the Bible allows the killing (Genesis 4:4, 8:20) and eating of animals (e.g. Genesis 9:3-4; Leviticus 11:2-3), the consumption on milk as food (Proverbs 27:27) and the use of wool for human clothing (Proverbs 27:26), PETA does not like it.

Actually, PETA dislikes it so much that it has put out its own version of the Book of Genesis and has stated it plans to come up with its own Bible.

It put in certain of its biases and had ChatGPT create something,

Here is something from an official PETA press release about it:

In THE BOOK: PETA’s Version of the Creation Story, animals are referred to as “beings” rather than “beasts” or “creatures” —and plant fibers, like hemp and bamboo, are used in place of animal skins for clothing, as no one with any fashion or moral sense would wear animal skins in the 21st century. 05/03/23 https://www.peta.org/media/news-releases/peta-goes-biblical-with-chatgpt-vegan-rewrite-of-the-book-of-genesis/

Well, but that is NOT what the Bible teaches.

The Bible shows that God made clothes for Adam and Eve from animal skins in Genesis 3:21.

PETA’s press release also says:

“The Bible has long been used to justify all forms of oppression, so we’ve used ChatGPT to make it clear that a loving God would never endorse exploitation of or cruelty to animals,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “It took God only six days to create the entire world, but we realized it would take us years to rewrite the whole Bible, which is why we’ve started with just the first book.”

God does NOT endorse cruelty to animals, but PETA has decided that what the Bible endorses as ethical treatment of animals is wrong. Yet, it is PETA that is wrong. It has attempted to change the word of God. For example, here is what it shows for Genesis 1:23-31:

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day, and God dubbed it “Faux-Fish Friday.”
After all, there’s nothing wrong with a little imitation.

And God, at this point, completely jazzed from the thrill of creation, said, “Hey! Let’s get some more wildlife on this planet!” So He created a plethora of even more animals, each unique and fascinating, and they all roamed the Earth without fear, for they knew they were off the menu.

He created animals of all shapes and sizes to live harmoniously with humans. Everyone
marveled at their beauty and grace, and not a single thought of fur coats crossed their minds.

And the evening and the morning were the sixth day, and God announced, “Soy Milk Saturday, anyone?”

In addition to getting the days of the week wrong, as Friday is the sixth day of the week, PETA’s version has many omissions. PETA’s version also leaves verse numbers out, which though not inspired, would have made direct comparisons easier.

Anyway, let’s see that portion of Genesis from a more accurate translation:

23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:23-31, NKJV)

Note that the creation of humans and the fact that the God of the Bible gave humans dominion over the animals was omitted by PETA in its first chapter of Genesis.

As far as getting the days of the week wrong, PETA’s second chapter of Genesis says:

And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because during it He had rested from all his work. He considered making it “Seitan Sunday” but decided that the pronunciation was
problematic so he’d leave that one up to the humans.

Here is a more accurate translation:

2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3)

PETA has this for Genesis 3:4-5:

“You will not certainly die,” the Terrible Spirit hissed. “For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. And you’ll see how you could use animals for your own purposes.”

Here is a more accurate translation:

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 3:4-5, NKJV)

PETA inserted the animal comment, which is NOT in the original Hebrew, in verse 5 as well as made other non-biblical insertions in this and other chapters of its, not God’s, book.

PETA then changed Genesis 3:21 to read:

The Lord God made garments of plants for Adam and his wife, ensuring that no harm came to the animals, and clothed them.

A more accurate translation of that verse as follows:

21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21, NKJV)

PETA also completely changed the offerings of Cain and Abel. Here is PETA’s version of Genesis 4:3-5:

Now Cain, whose heart was hardened by his actions, brought an offering of animal flesh to the Lord. Abel, on the other hand, kind and full of compassion, brought an offering of plants, the fruits of the earth, to honor the lives that would be spared.

The Lord looked upon Abel’s offering with favor, for it was given from a place of love and kindness. But He looked upon Cain’s offering with disapproval, for it was tainted by the suffering of innocent beings.

A more accurate translation of those passages is:

3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4:3-5, NKJV)

The Bible then shows that Cain killed his brother Abel:

8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. (Genesis 4:8)

Yet, PETA’s Bible changes that to the following nonsense:

Cain, always a bit shallow, was especially interested when Abel told him he could become totally ripped by eating plants.

Cain, now intrigued and with his curiosity piqued, found himself reconsidering his choices. He decided to give veganism a try to see if it might heal the rift between him and the Lord (and the rift between his image of himself and the flabby, weak meat-eater he saw every day when looking at his reflection in the pond water).

Lo and behold, Cain discovered a newfound appreciation for the Earth’s bounty and the beings who roamed it. The brothers, now united in their love for animals and a good lentil loaf, worked together to promote a kinder world.

And the Earth flourished, and the beings multiplied, and the Lord saw that it was good, and He blessed Cain and Abel for their love and stewardship.

PETA is taking away from the word of God and adding its views. PETA’s version of Genesis is false, blasphemous, and intentionally wrong.

Such should not be.

Notice something from the Old and New Testaments:

32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. (Deuteronomy 12:32)

18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19)

PETA’s blasphemy follows others who have hate for scripture (e.g., see Digital ‘Ten Commandments’ heresy and the coming Beast of Revelation).

Furthermore, because the Bible teaches that homosexuality is an abomination (Leviticus 18:23; 20:13) and that homosexuals can change (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and the current LGBTQ+ propaganda does not want that to be considered, several years ago a bill was introduced in California that, if taken to its logical conclusion, would ban the Bible.

We also made a video that discusses it and put that on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Could we see a ban of the Holy Bible in North America? Have there been partial bans proposed and enforced by government officials in Canada? Do any USA politicians consider any biblical teachings as fraudulent and hence banning them is NOT a violation of the 1st amendment to the Constitution of the USA? Are there risks associated with AB 2943? Have politicians like Hillary Clinton and California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi called for long-held religious beliefs to change and “evolve with the times”? What about Jude 1:3 and 2 Timothy 3:14? Are there biblical prophecies about not being able to hear the word of God? Might we see more restrictions on explaining teachings of the Bible on the Internet and other forms of media? What are some of the verses that various government people do not want made public? Dr. Thiel provides facts on these issues and more.

Here is a link: Banning the Bible?

While the USA likes to act like it is the bastion of free speech and freedom of religion, more and more restrictions keep getting proposed.

Attempting to rewrite the Bible is blasphemous and wrong.

Additionally, it should be pointed out that Canada has a de facto ban on parts of the Bible.

Related to that, the Continuing Church of God put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

 
15:57

In 2017, Lauri Skori of the Battle River School board told a religious school in Alberta, Canada that it could not teach/read certain portions of the Bible. In 2002, a court in Canada ruled against one who referred to certain scriptures that some homosexuals objected to. In 2017, there was “An Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act and Criminal Code” related to those who wish to be considered transgendered. Government officials in Canada and elsewhere have been ruling against the Bible. Is any of this prophesied? Will this get worse? What was the prophet Amos inspired to write?

Here is a link to our video: Canadian censoring of the Bible.

Actions, like those of PETA, were prophesied:

13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. (Romans 1:18-25)

PETA is NOT directing people to the God of the Bible.

Furthermore, groups like PETA did NOT give world the Bible–God did! See also: Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete?

No one should falsify the word of God.

And as far as specieism goes, the Bible is clear that God has a plan for humans that is beyond that for animals. God made humans to rule, not just the earth, but the universe under Him (Hebrews 2:6-10). Animals are NOT capable of this as they lack ruling abilities and are not sentient beings. They are not the same as humans.

Furthermore, God’s plan is for humans who will accept God’s way will be granted eternal life so that they can give love to make eternity better for themselves and everyone else (see The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You?).

This is not God’s plans for animals.

PETA’s views on speciesism are preposterous.

UPDATE 05/21/23: We just uploaded the following related video:

14:37

PETA’s Preposterous Preaching

The group calling itself the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, has problems with what it calls “speciesism” and the Bible. In an attempt to reduce biblical influence, it claims that it used ChatGPT in order to rewrite the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Is PETA’s version of Genesis consistent with scripture? Does PETA have trouble identifying the days of the week? Did PETA leave out statements about God giving humans dominion? Does the Bible show God used animal skins for a covering for Adam and Eve or plant-based clothes? What did PETA do to the account of Cain and Abel? Does the PETA version of Genesis push a false vegan gospel from God’s people? In this interview, Dr. Thiel quotes several passages from PETA’s version of the Book of Genesis as well as points out what the Bible teaches in Genesis as well as scriptures that provide for the truly ethical treatment of animals. Dr. Thiel also mentions some of God’s purpose for humans that animals cannot have. Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these topics.

Here is a link to our video: PETA’s Preposterous Preaching.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s PlanMysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s PlanMystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here is a link to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.
The New Testament Church, History, and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous? There is also a sermon-length video on this: Christians and Unclean Meats; two short videos are also available: Did Jesus declare all animal flesh food? and COVID, Pandemics, and Unclean Meat.
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.
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?