Church of God News

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Beyond Lot’s Tent
(Public domain from Wikipedia)

COGwriter

The Book of Genesis has the following:

1 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 2 And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.”

And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”

3 But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”

6 So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, 7 and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! 8 See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

9 And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city — take them out of this place! 13 For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.

15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”

18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! 19 Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”

21 And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”

Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt. (Genesis 19:1-29)

Israel365 News reported the following that it believes supports the biblical account:

New Archaeological Evidence Points to Sodom and Gomorrah’s Location Near the Dead Sea

October 31, 2025

For centuries, skeptics have dismissed the Biblical account of Sodom and Gomorrah as myth. The story seemed too dramatic, too supernatural to be a historical fact. But new archaeological findings near the Dead Sea are forcing even doubters to reconsider. Dr. Titus Kennedy, a field archaeologist with the Discovery Institute, has uncovered compelling evidence that matches the Bible’s description of divine destruction from above.

The breakthrough centers on a geographic anchor that has been hiding in plain sight for millennia. Of the five cities mentioned in Genesis as located in the Jordan Valley, one, called Zoar, was never lost to history. Named in numerous ancient documents and located on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, Zoar provides the key to finding its infamous neighbors. Kennedy, who headed excavations in the area of ancient Zoar, explains that when angels came to save Lot from Sodom, he escaped to Zoar that same day. This means archaeologists searching for Sodom have a limited area to cover.

The answer lies in the nature of the destruction itself. For years, the leading candidate for Sodom has been Bab edh-Dhra, an Early Bronze Age city on the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea within a day’s walk of Zoar. Kennedy reports that mass charnel houses have been found there, where the dead were buried above ground instead of being interred in caves. These burial sites show evidence of fires that started from their roofs and spread downward. “This hints that the destruction came from above and was not deliberately set from within the tombs,” Kennedy said. This matches precisely what the Bible describes. …

About 20 kilometers south of Bab edh-Dhra lies the site of Numeira, tentatively identified as Gomorrah. There, Kennedy discovered human skeletons beneath a collapsed tower. “We don’t usually find complete skeletons just lying around in excavation sites from this period,” Kennedy noted, because it was customary to bury the dead in sealed tombs. This suggests a sudden catastrophe in which people died where they stood, much like what happened in Pompeii during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Two other nearby sites, Feifa and Khanazir, which may have been the remaining cities of the five-city grouping, also showed signs of sudden destruction and fire. …

Near Zoar, Kennedy excavated a cave containing Early Bronze Age pottery. Byzantine Christians built a church there, inscribed with the name “Church of Saint Lot,” the cave where Lot and his daughters fled after arriving in Zoar. The location fits the Biblical description perfectly. Genesis 19:30 states that Lot “went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the hills with his two daughters, for he feared to dwell in Zoar.” Looking at the area today, hills rise directly to the east of where ancient Zoar stood, and just to the northeast sits this ancient cave. “We can’t say for sure that it’s the place,” Kennedy acknowledged, “but it certainly fits things as far as the geography and the chronology and the tradition.”

The competing theory places Sodom at Tall el-Hammam, a Middle Bronze Age city northeast of the Dead Sea. Researchers there believe the site was destroyed by a meteor impact, based on a 1.5-meter-thick carbon- and ash-rich layer of destruction. But Kennedy points to a fatal flaw in this identification. After its destruction in the later Middle Bronze Age, Tall el-Hammam was reoccupied. It was inhabited during the Iron Age, when Isaiah and Jeremiah prophesied that Sodom remained an abandoned ruin. It was still occupied in the Roman Period when Jesus said that Sodom “would have remained until this day” if it had witnessed his miracles, implying it no longer existed. Tall el-Hammam contradicts the Biblical record that Sodom was never rebuilt. …

Kennedy’s approach differs from that of the Tall el-Hammam researchers in his strict adherence to both archaeological and Biblical evidence. The Madaba Map, a mosaic constructed around 542 CE on the floor of a church in Jordan, shows Zoar on the southeastern shore of the Dead Sea, with Lot’s Cave marked next to it. Josephus, in the first century, wrote that the Dead Sea extended as far as Zoar. Eusebius of Caesarea, in the third and fourth centuries, placed Zoar on the southeast side of the Dead Sea. The fourth-century Roman military document Notitia Dignitatum mentions a Roman encampment at Zoar, and eight tombstones of Roman military officers have been found there. The pilgrim Egaria from about 380 CE wrote about the bishopric of Zoar, and a tombstone has been discovered with a Greek inscription for Opsis, the bishop, from about 369 CE. …

The skeptics who dismissed the Bible’s account as mythology now face a mounting pile of physical evidence that demands explanation. Fire from heaven no longer sounds like ancient superstition when pottery melted at temperatures hotter than the sun’s surface and entire cities were incinerated in moments. The question is no longer whether divine judgment fell on Sodom and Gomorrah. The question is whether modern archaeology has finally located where it fell. https://israel365news.com/413653/new-archaeological-evidence-points-to-sodom-and-gomorrahs-location-near-the-dead-sea/

Here is a report from a different source:

Mysterious ravaged city ruins linked to the Bible’s Sodom and Gomorrah discovered

Archaeologists excavating near Jordan’s southeastern Dead Sea have uncovered evidence that may link the biblical ‘sin cities’ to real historical sites.

The discoveries include Sodom at Bab edh-Dhra and Gomorrah at Numera, both showing Early Bronze Age occupation, fire-ravaged ruins and permanent abandonment.

Admah and Zeboim, associated with Fifa and Khanazir, also had signs of occupation and destruction, though further excavation is needed to confirm their identities.

Zoar, near modern Safi, stood out for its continuous habitation from the Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, with excavations uncovering churches, tombstones, Nabataean remains and a cave tied to an ancient prophet said to have pleaded for God to spare the city for his refuge.

Dr Titus Kennedy, a field archaeologist, shared on the Digging for Truth podcast that the findings at Zoar help anchor the biblical narrative and contextualize the destruction of the other cities.

All five sites follow a north-south alignment along hilltops near ancient streams, reinforcing the biblical account.

‘You’ve got five cities that potentially all look the same and the same types of things happened there in the right geographical area,’ Kennedy emphasized. …

According to the Old Testament, these cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone as divine punishment for extreme wickedness, including cruelty, corruption and moral decay.

Genesis describes Sodom and Gomorrah as places where ‘the outcry against them was so great and their sin so grievous’ that God decided to obliterate them.

A prophet, named Lot, and his family were spared because of their righteousness, with Zoar serving as their refuge. …

Skeletal remains found at Numera, a proposed site for Gomorrah, were unearthed from under a collapsed tower, indicating a sudden catastrophe.

‘We don’t find a lot of intact human skeletons just lying around archaeological sites,’ Kennedy explained, noting that it is because ancient humans of this time typically placed the dead inside sealed tombs.

Both cities align geographically with Zoar and follow a north-south line of hilltop settlements near wadis, supporting the biblical narrative of the cities of the plain.

Despite some radiocarbon dates suggesting earlier destruction, pottery and other archaeological material fit the biblical timeline, reinforcing Bab edh-Dhra and Numera as plausible historical counterparts to Sodom and Gomorrah. 10/17/25 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15202431/Biblical-sin-cities-unearthed-fire-ravaged-ruins-hint-scriptures-divine-judgement.html

Yes, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Perhaps their locations have been found.

For those of us who believe the Bible, no further proof related to their existence or destruction is needed. But for some who have heard statements from pseudo-archaeologists that deny the biblical accounts, it may be helpful for them to realize that as time goes on, more and more archaeological evidence surfaces that supports the Bible.

Again, let’s see what the Bible shows happened to Sodom and Gomorrah between three thousand and four thousand years ago:

24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. (Genesis 19:24-25)

And why did it happen? The New Testament teaches:

7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 7)

Many in the 21st century have “given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh” (the LGBTQ+ agenda covers those who are going after ‘strange flesh’).

Lest anyone believe the lie that homosexuality is not condemned in the Bible, notice that acts of both male and female homosexuals are clearly condemned in the Bible:

22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.  (Leviticus 18:22)

13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. (Leviticus 20:13)

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:26-32)

God’s judgment is against homosexuality, including lesbianism. Notice that God even condemns, not just those who engage in various forms of immorality, but also those that condone it.

Why also mention Sodom and Gomorrah in the 21st century? Because God turned:

6…the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6)

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed as an example to show what happens to those that follow their ways.

Keeping the Ten Commandments reflects love. Breaking them and/or condoning those that do is evil. This should be clear to those who believe the God of the Bible.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children. What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on? There are also videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’, Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children, Disney’s abominable promotions!, USA pushing gender confusion, and New Transgender Study.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality and the LGBTQ agenda?  Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? A short video is available titled: Gay Gene? Born That Way?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? A related sermons is titled: Pornography, False Comfort, and False Religion. Here a shorter YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的 
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Will certain nations that refuse to repent be destroyed? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
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? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of 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.

(Logo of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition)

COGwriter

Could there be sinister motives at least partially behind Canada’s euthanasia program?

Yes.

This past Spring, it was noted that it is easier to get suicide assistance from the government of Canada than regular medical assistance (see Canadian government suicide assistance easier to attain than health assistance). Part of that may because some in the government of Canada likely believe it is cheaper to kill people than to treat them.

But may there be another reason, like getting more organ donations?

Here is a report:

Canadian Officials Praise Euthanasia Program as “a Huge Success” for Organ Harvesting

October 31, 2025

Canadian officials have praised Canada’s euthanasia program as a “huge success” for boosting the organ-harvesting industry.

According to researchers, a new study reveals that organs taken from people killed in the country’s MAiD program are now being used in organ transplants – which they say is much cheaper and more efficient.

Lifesitenews.com reports: On October 26, the Journal of Hepatology published research comparing liver transplants in Canada from donations after circulatory death – a problematic method of organ donation – and from donations of those who were euthanized, in the latest study into increasing organ transplants from euthanasia or so-called “medical assistance in dying” (“MAID”) victims.

“Our study provides the first large-scale Canadian experience, paralleling previous studies from Belgium and the Netherlands, showing that outcomes are positive, while also demonstrating the real impact that MAiD donation can have on the availability of organs,” co-lead investigator A.M. James Shapiro declared. …

Canada is one of few countries, alongside Australia, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands, that harvests organs from euthanasia victims. Under the Liberal government, Canada has become the world leader in organ donations from people who obtained state-sanctioned euthanasia. …

According to some estimates, a heart is “worth around $1 million in the U.S. Livers come in second, about $557,000, and kidneys cost about $262,000 each. Not to speak about human skin ($10/inch), stomach ($500), and eyeballs ($1,500 each).”

Additionally, as LifeSiteNews has extensively covered, health officials have sounded the alarm over organs being harvested from still living patients in order to obtain fresh organs for transplants.

Similarly, conservative Irish think tank academic Dr. Angelo Bottone has warned against a push to harvest organs from euthanasia victims before they are killed.

“While donation after euthanasia is already happening in those countries, doctors are now discussing harvesting organs before  euthanasia patients are declared dead, in order to preserve organ viability,” Bottone wrote.

“They propose that organs be removed under general anaesthesia before the patient is declared dead, thereby maintaining continuous blood circulation and oxygenation to the organs until the moment of retrieval,” the scholar continued. “This method could significantly improve the quality and quantity of organs available for transplantation.”

The most recent reports show that euthanasia is the sixth highest cause of death in Canada. https://www.sgtreport.com/2025/10/canadian-officials-praise-euthanasia-program-as-a-huge-success-for-organ-harvesting/

Here is another report about the mentally unstable being coerced to allow themselves to be killed:

‘Coercion wearing a polite face’: Anti-euthanasia voices warn against MAiD expansion for mental illness

October 30, 2025

Combat veteran Kelsi Sheren told an Ottawa news conference she joined the Canadian Armed Forces at 18 knowing she might die for her country, but she never imagined her own government would one day offer to help her do it.

“Behind closed doors, in quiet conversations, veterans are being offered medical assistance in dying not therapy, not recovery, not support, but death,” Sheren said. “When somebody’s drowning in trauma and desperation, that’s not a choice. That’s coercion wearing a polite face.”

The former artillery gunner and mental-health advocate spoke at a Euthanasia Prevention Coalition news conference with other anti-euthanasia voices calling on MPs to support legislation blocking the expansion of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to people suffering solely from mental illness. …

Sheren, who served in Afghanistan and lives with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and major depressive disorder, pointed out several incidents of veterans seeking help instead being “offered medical assistance in dying not therapy, not recovery, not support, but death.” …

“This isn’t compassion,” she said. “It’s a moral rot disguised as mercy. Veterans are being told their lives cost too much money. That’s not health care, it’s surrender.”

Gordon Friesen, EPC’s president, said the coalition’s message was simple: “No euthanasia for mental illness.” https://bccatholic.ca/news/canada/coercion-wearing-a-polite-face-anti-euthanasia-voices-warn-against-maid-expansion-for-mental-illness

The Apostle Paul warned that, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Let me add that the Canadian government even has ads promoting assisted suicide. I also heard a report on the radio in 2025 from a woman who mentioned that she and her mother were repeatedly pressured to sign a form for the mother to be killed.

What is happening in Canada and other lands that allows euthanasia brought to mind the 1973 science-fiction movie Soylent Green. In that film, humans ended up in the food supply, as that was considered to be more beneficial for the government than to have people live longer. Although the modern euthanized do not end up in the food supply, it would not surprise me if Canadian government officials believe that by having physically and/or mentally ill people killed, this will reduce costs for Health Canada.

This suicidal invention is wrong.

Anti-euthanasia poster (Unsplash photo)

The Apostle Paul warned:

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, (Romans 1:28-30).

Yes, those who do not want to retain God in their knowledge end up with a debased mind to do things that are not fitting, including murder and being inventors of evil things: abortion and euthanasia come to mind fitting both of those categories (as well as others in the list from the Apostle Paul).

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) also put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel (it is the same program that is also on Brighteon:

Here is a link to the video: Euthanasia: Mercy killing or murder?

Suicide is wrong, whether or not the government is involved.

The Bible teaches:

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

Euthanasia is one of those sins that we are denouncing.

The destruction of the USA, and its British-descended allies including Canada, is coming and disobedience to various laws of God will be the reason.

Physician-assisted suicide, infanticide, and abortion are wrong.

Some items of possibly related concerns may include:

Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may wish to view the YouTube videos: Abortion and Birth Control: History and Scriptures. Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt, American Infanticide, and Land of ‘Free’ Abortions and Debt.
Marijuana: Should a Christian Get High? There is increasing acceptance of the use of marijuana. How should Christians view this? Here is a related video titled How Should a Christian View Marijuana?
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 Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? Here is a link to a video The Ten Commandments: Loving God.
Crime can be stopped…here’s how! This was a booklet that was edited with some updates by Dr. Thiel. Here is a link to a related sermon: Crime and How it Will be Stopped!
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, and The Mystery of YOU.

‘ Day
Day of the Dead decorations
(Tomascastelazo)

COGwriter

Many Greco-Roman-Protestants plan to celebrate Halloween tonight.

It is not a biblical nor a Christian holiday.

The BBC posted the following:

Samhain to Soulmass: The Pagan origins of familiar Halloween rituals

31 October 2024

With its goblins, goosebumps and rituals – from bobbing for apples to dressing up as vampires and ghosts – Halloween is one of the world’s biggest holidays. It’s celebrated across the world, from Poland to the Philippines, and nowhere as extravagantly as in the US, where in 2023 $12.2 billion (£9.4 billion) was spent on sweets, costumes and decorations. …

Halloween is often viewed as a modern US invention. In fact, it dates back more than 2,000 years, to Ireland and an ancient Celtic fire festival called Samhain. The exact origins of Samhain predate written records but according to the Horniman Museum: “There are Neolithic tombs in Ireland that are aligned with the Sun on the mornings of Samhain and Imbolc [in February], suggesting these dates have been important for thousands of years”.

Celebrated usually from 31 October to 1 November, the religious rituals of Samhain (pronounced “sow-win”, meaning summer’s end), focused on fire, as winter approached. …

Samhain was the pivotal point of the Celtic Pagan new year, a time of rebirth – and death. “Pagans had three harvests: Lammas, harvest of the corn, on 1 August; the one of fruit and vegetables at autumn equinox, 21 September; and Halloween, the third,” says Baylis. At this time animals that couldn’t survive winter were culled, to ensure the other animals’ survival. “So there was a lot of death around that time, and people knew there would be deaths in their villages during the harsh winter months.” Other countries, notably Mexico, celebrate The Day of the Dead around this time to honour the deceased. …

It was believed that at this time the veil between this world and the spirit world was at its thinnest – allowing the spirits of the dead to pass through and mingle with the living. The sacred energy of the rituals, it was believed, allowed the living and the dead to communicate, and gave Druid priests and Celtic shamans heightened perception.

And this is where the dress-up factor came in – costumes and ugly masks were worn to scare away malevolent spirits believed to have been set free from the realm of the dead. This was also known as “mumming” or “guising”.

Those early Samhain dressing-up rituals began to change when Pope Gregory 1 (590-604) arrived in Britain from Rome to convert Pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. The Gregorian mission decreed that Samhain festivities must incorporate Christian saints “to ward off the sprites and evil creatures of the night”, says Baylis. All Souls Day, 1 November, was created by the Church, “so people could still call on their dead to aid them”; also known as All Hallows, 31 October later became All Hallows’ Eve, later known as Halloween. …

Echoes of Samhain also live on today in fire practices. Carving lanterns from root vegetables was one tradition, although turnips, not pumpkins, were first used. The practice is said to have grown from a Celtic myth, about a man named Jack who made a pact with the devil, but who was so deceitful that he was banned from heaven and hell – and condemned to roam the darkness, with only a burning coal in a carved-out turnip to light the way.

In Ireland, people made lanterns, placing turnips with carved faces in their window to ward off an apparition called “Jack of the Lantern” or Jack-o’-Lantern. In the 19th Century, Irish immigrants took the custom with them to the US. …

Leaving food and sweetly spiced “soul cakes” or “soulmass” cakes on the doorstep was said to ward off bad spirits. Households deemed less generous with their offerings would receive a “trick” played on them by bad spirits. This has translated into modern-day trick or treating. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20241030-samhain-to-soulmass-the-pagan-origins-of-familiar-halloween-rituals

Yes, Halloween is clearly pagan.

Israel365 News made the following comments:

October 31, 2022

Halloween is seen by many as a child-oriented holiday with no religious connotations. But the truth is that it has roots in paganism and many religious Christians and Jews reject Halloween on this basis. …

Halloween has gained in popularity in South Korea in recent years with some of the more boisterous celebrations taking place in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul, an area known for its nightlife and trendy restaurants. On Saturday night, the festivities were interrupted by a crowd crush. 154 were confirmed dead and over 133 were injured. …

Halloween has become enormously popular but its pagan roots go very deep. With connections to necromancy, religious Jews do not participate in what most Americans see as a family-oriented holiday. …

There are many Christians today that look at Halloween as a pagan holiday during which the devil is worshiped and evil is glorified. A recent survey by Lifeway Research revealed that 78% of Americans are planning on celebrating Halloween this year. …

Despite its current secular manifestation, Haloween’s pagan origins proscribe Jewish participation. This is also due to the prohibition of copying the practices of other nations (Lev. 18:3).

Halloween began as Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), one of the four main pagan holidays celebrated by the Celtics, who lived in areas of Ireland, northern England, and France before Romans conquered the region in the first century CE. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year.

Similar to modern Halloween, Celtic pagans dressed up in costumes on Samhain and lit bonfires. Samhain was seen as a liminal time, when the boundary between this world and the spirit world could more easily be crossed. As such, it was an auspicious time for summoning dark spirits to aid in necromancy, communicating with the dead to foretell the future, a practice explicitly prohibited in the Bible. …

n what is widely believed to be an effort to subsume the Celtic pagan holiday into the Christian religion, in 1000 C.E., the church declared November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day honoring the dead. The night before All Souls’ Day was re-adopted in the Celtic region, with the name changed from Samhain to All Hallows’ Eve. …

The Church of Satan, the first organized church in modern times to be devoted to the figure of Satan, perceives Halloween as an opportunity for the average American to indulge in secret Satanist fantasies. On its website, the church claims that Halloween is “the night when the mundane folk try to reach down inside and touch the ‘darkness’, which for Satanists is a daily mode of existence.” They claim that by dressing in costume, the average American is taking “a brief dip into the pool of the ‘shadow world.’” https://www.israel365news.com/276146/how-do-jewish-and-christian-traditions-view-halloween/

The truth is that those who really obey and believe the God of the Bible do not celebrate Halloween.

Yet, several years ago, actor Kirk Cameron put out a film called Saving Christmas. As it turns out, it was reported to be a box office flop (see Kirk Cameron’s Christmas movie flops).

The Continuing Church of God put together the following sermon related to Halloween on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:15:14

Halloween, Protestants, and Scripture

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? It became an official holiday in the 9th century after a pronouncement by the Roman Catholic Pope Gregory IV. Protestants such Joy Wendling, Kirk Cameron, Hailey Bieber, and Alan Rudnick think Christians should keep it. But other Protestants have issues with that. What about the Church of God, which is not Protestant nor Roman Catholic? What about Martin Luther, the Apostle Jude, the original faith, and licentiousness? Does Halloween have its origins in a pagan Druid holiday which has many of the same features as modern Halloween celebrations? What do Satanists and those who practice Wicca (witchcraft) think of Halloween? Is Halloween the right time to be a Christian witness? What about lewd Halloween costumes? Did a Roman Catholic write, “Catholic feasts are in continuity and fulfill the meaning of the pagan ones”? What did the Apostle Paul say about combining biblical and demonic practices? Did early Christians endorse anything like Halloween or ‘All Saints Day’? What is the state of the dead? Should real Christians rely on the word of God or feelings some ascribe to the Holy Spirit? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Halloween, Protestants, and Scripture.

Some Protestants and many Roman Catholics will not only observe Halloween, they will observe All Saints’ Day on November 1st, with some Mexicans celebrating the ‘Day of the Dead’ until November 2nd.

I have noticed that mainstream secular sources have pushed the ‘Day of the Dead’ a lot in the past few years–they used to basically ignore it before.

Related to all three of these observances, the Continuing Church of God put together the following sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

(EU Enlargement Forum banner, fair use)

COGwriter

While much of the media has been focused on Donald Trump and Asia, the European Union wants to expand.

There is a European Union Enlargement forum scheduled for November 18, 2025 in the Charlemagne Building in Brussels, Belgium.

Here is some EU information about it, as well as a meeting scheduled before it:

The EU Enlargement Forum is the European Commission’s flagship initiative to elevate the conversation on EU enlargement as a shared political, societal, and generational project. The renewed momentum for enlargement is a cornerstone of the 2024–2029 European Commission strategic vision. Enlargement is central to the EU’s ability to project stability, prosperity, and democratic values beyond its borders, and within. It reinforces the Union’s strategic interests, supports economic growth and competitiveness, strengthens energy security, and anchors reforms in governance and the rule of law. The EU is actively engaging the most ambitious enlargement agenda in over a decade. For the first time in a generation, the prospect of a bigger Union is within reach. …

To discuss the challenges, opportunities, and real-world practicalities of gradual integration, on 6 November, Carnegie Europe will host a public event with Stefan Lehne, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General of DG ENEST, and Iliriana Gjoni, research analyst at Carnegie Europe. https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/eu-enlargement-forum_en accessed 10/30/25

A recent poll showed that most Europeans are supportive of EU expansion:

Attitudes towards EU Enlargement

56% of EU citizens are in favour of further EU enlargement. Support is particularly high among young people: around two-thirds of respondents aged 15 to 39 believe the (potential) candidates should join the EU once they meet the necessary conditions. …

At the same time, respondents express concerns about potential future EU enlargement, the most mentioned being uncontrolled migration (40%), corruption and crime (39%), and the financial cost to European tax payers (37%). https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3413 accessed 10/30/25

An enlarged European Union means more people, more economic strength, more power in international trade, and less need to heed the United States of America. So, yes, expect more enlargement. Enlargement of the European Union is consistent with biblical prophecies (Daniel 8:9-12; Revelation 13:1-5, 17:1-2, 18:3,11), hence we will see Europe expand.

Hungary supports enlargement for the Balkans, Georgia, and Moldova, but not Ukraine:

Hungary’s complicated enlargement policy: No to Ukraine, yes to the Western Balkans

30 October 2025

Hungary is known in the European Union for its opposition to Ukraine’s EU membership bid, its veto pledge threatening the opening of negotiation chapters for Kyiv.

Yet the Hungarian stance on enlargement represents a nuanced balancing act, as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán strongly supports the efforts of the Western Balkan countries to join the EU, as well as those of Moldova and Georgia. …

Hungary supports the EU’s enlargement to the Western Balkans, including Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Hungarian Minister for European Affairs János Bóka said in October that their place is clearly in the European Union.

“The countries of the Western Balkans have been fulfilling the majority of the conditions for membership for years, yet they are not progressing at the pace they deserve,” Bóka said.

Budapest argues that enlargement would boost regional stability.

“It is clear that if there is no stability in the Western Balkans, if there is unrest, and if conflicts determine everyday life, then there will be constant uncertainty radiating from the region,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said last July.

Hungary has strong business interests in the regions, particularly in energy and banking. Budapest also maintains ties with neighbouring Serbia. The two countries are closely cooperating in trade, migration, energy and defence. …

“Hungary has supported Moldova’s EU membership so far, and we will continue to do so; there is no compromise or debate on this,” Viktor Orbán said earlier this year, adding that Moldova provides a much-needed workforce to the EU.

Hungary also supports Georgia’s accession, although the process stalled after tensions between the European Union and the ruling Georgian Dream party. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/10/30/hungarys-complicated-enlargement-policy-no-to-ukraine-yes-to-the-western-balkans

Currently, four nations in the Balkan peninsula are in the European Union: Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia (five if Romania is considered part of that peninsula).

Many EU leaders wants the rest of the Balkan nations as well. Notice something from this past Spring:

EU launches Call for private investment in the Western Balkans to drive economic growth and boost EU integration

10 April 2025

At the ADRIA Summit 2025 in Montenegro, the European Union announced a Call for Expressions of Interest to mobilise private investments in the Western Balkans aiming to support the region’s economic growth and integration into the EU Single Market. Businesses from the EU, EEA and the Western Balkans are invited to submit proposals for investment projects, with a deadline of 21 May 2025.

The European Commission will review proposals and aim to support the most suitable projects with its available policy, technical, or financial instruments. The objective is to boost private investment in infrastructure development, economic diversification, the green and digital twin transition, and EU value chain integration, with a view to creating jobs and bridging the economic convergence gap with the EU in line with the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. …

The priority areas of the Call – based on the strategic priorities of the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans and of the Western Balkans Investment Framework – are as follows:

• Green Transition

• Integration into the EU industrial supply chains/manufacturing

• Critical Raw Materials https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/montenegro/eu-launches-call-private-investment-western-balkans-drive-economic-growth-and-boost-eu-integration_en

President Vučić gets strategic support from France for Serbia’s ‘European destiny’

10 April 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron met his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić in Paris on Wednesday for a discreet working lunch, …

“I first reiterated the importance that France attaches to the democratic and European destiny of Serbia,” Macron posted.

He expressed confidence in Serbia’s ability to “return to the path of dialogue,” and called on the future government to pursue “the expected reforms” and build on the country’s recent economic progress. …

Macron’s statement on social media also confirmed France’s participation in the 2027 Expo in Belgrade, a clear show of support for Vučić.

France is also involved in broader infrastructure and energy projects in Serbia. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/10/under-fire-at-home-serbian-president-vucic-gets-quiet-but-strategic-support-from-france

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, is visiting Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of her first trip to the Western Balkans. …

The Chairwoman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željka Cvijanović, stated that the country’s EU path faces numerous obstacles.

She noted that problems can be resolved if there is mutual understanding, emphasizing that BiH could overcome these challenges “through reasonable conduct by the EU”. …

At the joint press conference with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, the EU High Representative stated that Albania could potentially become a member of the EU by 2030. She described Albania as a truly strong partner of the EU and emphasized that the country is fully aligned with the EU’s Foreign and Security Policy. …

When asked whether 2030 is a realistic target for Albania to join the EU, Kallas responded affirmatively, stressing that it is achievable if all parties fulfill their obligations.

Prime Minister Rama stated that Albania is fully aligned with the European Union in all areas. …

Montenegro has made good progress on its EU path

Prime Minister Spajić affirmed Montenegro’s determination to maintain the current pace of reforms.

“Last year was the most successful yet in terms of Montenegro’s European integration and sets the stage for continued progress this year. Montenegro has no doubts—the European Union is our strategic path, and nothing can divert us from it. We are the only country in the United Nations to have voted in full alignment with EU decisions. We are grateful for the support you’ve provided in strengthening our defense, which enables us to participate in joint NATO and EU activities. This demonstrates our commitment to foreign policy, regardless of who serves as prime minister or who is in government,” Spajić emphasized. https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2025/04/09/kallas-visits-western-balkans-there-are-no-shortcuts-to-eu-membership/

Let me add that last Fall, the Chancellor of Germany stated, “The European Union is only complete with the Western Balkans as part of it.” Expansion of the European Union is the plan as confirmed by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (see EU meets with Balkan leaders on the hope of expansion at Berlin Process Summit 2024).

Most of the nations in the Western Balkan region have waited for a long time to be in the EU, and many expected that process would be completed–or at least much further along than it is by now.

Probably at least partially because of the delays to get into the EU, Serbia has made deals with Russia and the Russian-dominated Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) (e.g. Iran praises Eurasian Economic Union, Serbia enters its deal with the EAEU, and China’s connection: Is the time of the Gentiles approaching?) as well as China (see China’s President says relationship with Serbia is ‘Ironclad’).

The EU wants the Balkans, not only because they are part of Europe but because they do not want Serbia to remain an ally of Russia. The ethnic Serbs (which are also in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina), fought against the Axis powers (which included Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy) in WWII. The Germans would prefer to have some control over Serbia itself and do not want to fight the Serbs in the future. Serbia, itself, took another step towards the EU last year when it elected to purchase military planes from France instead of Russia (https://www.ft.com/content/fa26d185-6b54-481a-b5b8-1ff41a0ab724). The EU also wants rare earth and other minerals in the Western Balkans.

There are divisions among the EU states about expansion and many other issues. Of course, division in Europe was prophesied as the following in the Book of Daniel shows:

41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)

However, Daniel also prophesied that the European Beast power will expand to the south and the 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 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.

The Balkans are south and east of the Benelux nations.

Currently, approximately 450 million people are now under a new, single (though not completely united) government, called the European Union, headquartered in Brussels.

The European Union currently has 27 member states. If you were to add the six Western Balkan areas that want to be in, plus Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, that brings the total to 36. Plus there is Turkey, but that is another matter.

Now there are groups (such as PCG and LCG) that tend to insist that the final European Beast power will only have ten or eleven nations. They look to be wrong, and thus look to be caught off guard unexpectedly (cf. Luke 21:34) if the final Beast power has more than 11 nations (See also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

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)

The European Union has demonstrated a history and willingness to enlarge–and it is interested in the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia.

Items related to the ‘little horn’, Russia, the Balkan nations, the EU, and the Beast were discussed in the following sermon:

1:00:37

Gentile European Beast

The Bible tells of a time when the Anglo-American order will be temporarily replaced by a new world order that will be dominated by a European power called the Beast of the Sea. This will be primarily a Caucasian Gentile power, with support of some with Israelitish heritage. In this sermon, Dr. Thiel goes over nearly all the nations in Europe and ties them in with progenitors listed in the Bible.

Here is a link to the sermon: Gentile European Beast.

Of course even now, not all in the Balkans, Moldova, and Georgia want to be part of the European Union. Some prefer to be in Russia’s Eurasian Union (though this is likely diminishing because of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine).

Regarding the Balkans, notice the following from 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?:

The Slavic Peoples …

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. …

Though Slavic, historically, Serbia has differed from most others in eastern Europe.

Unlike many eastern Europeans who supported Germany in WWI and WWII, the Serbs (which mainly live in Serbia, and Montenegro) were opposed and supported the Allied forces. The Serbs also worked with Russia in WWII against Hitler’s forces. Serbia is considered significantly stronger militarily than many countries with similar populations.[i]

The Bible tells of a son of Shem named Elam (Genesis 10:22). History shows that there were also numerous tribes of Elamites.[ii]

Yet researchers have concluded:

Any attempt to trace the Elamites ethnologically is beset with difficulties.[iii]

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

According to Herodotus, there were numerous tribes of the Medes.[v] And originally, this was a reference to a geographic region, and not ethnicity[vi] which included areas that the Elamites were believed to have lived in.

Pliny the Younger in his work Plinii Caecilii Secundi Historia naturalis from the first century AD (69-75) mentioned people named Serboi, who lived near the Cimmerians, presumably on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

[In the 2nd century (around 175 AD), the Egyptian Greek scientist Claudius Ptolemy mentioned in his Geography people named Serboi or Sirboi, who presumably lived behind the Caucasus, in the hinterland of the Caspian Sea.][vii]

It is likely that the Serbs were an Elamite and/or Median tribe. Croatians may have come from a different tribe. Some consider that the Serbs and Croatians had the same (or very similar ancestry) but became divided because of culture, geography, and religion: Croatians being more Roman Catholic and Serbs more Russian Orthodox.

Additionally, Croatia was part of the old ‘Holy Roman Empire,’ but Serbia was not.

Historically, the Croatians have been more supportive of Germany than Russia. It is likely that they will remain that way. Serbia has tended to back Russia more than Croatia.

Even though Serbia looks to be a nation that will support Europe for a time, it appears likely that Serbia will be part of the force that will back Russia against end time Babylon, (Ezekiel 32:24-28; Jeremiah 51:11, 27-32). …

Italy and Greece are currently in the European Union and North Macedonia has applied to be.

All of them are expected to support the final Beast power. They will have the temporal financial benefits as well as the plagues (Revelation chapters 15 & 16) and destruction (e.g. Revelation chapter 18; Jeremiah 50:41-46) that will affect the coming European Beast superstate.

Albania and Kosovo

Albanians seem to have derived from Lud (Genesis 10:22) or Canaan (Genesis 10:6).

Albania has applied to be part of the European Union. Despite an Islamic population majority, Albania looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate. Albania’s currency, called the Lek, is pegged at a fixed rate to the euro.

Though some Kosovars descended from Elam (Genesis 10:22) as many Serbs live there, Kosovo also has an Islamic population majority of people of Albanian heritage.

Before the formal introduction of the euro, which Kosovo now uses, many Kosovars used Germany’s Deutsche Mark as their currency.

Kosovo is recognized by the European Union as a potential candidate for accession and looks likely to support the coming European Beast superstate.

[i] 2022 Serbia Military Strength. GlobalFirePower.com, update of May 02, 2022

[ii] Basello G, et al., eds. The Elamite World. Taylor & Francis, 2018). The tribes of Elam were the Anzan, Uxii or Uxians, Armardians, Mardians, Khapirt, Aipir, Messadatae, Cissi, Cossaei or Coss, and Khuzi or Huzha tribe (White, Origin of Nations, p. 283

[iii] Hinz W. The Lost World of the Elamites. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1972, p. 21

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

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

[vi] Ibid, p. 62

[vii] From Petrović AM. Arheografija naroda jugoistočne Evrope, Beograd, 2006, page 19., as Cited in Origin hypotheses of the Serbs. BibleWikipedia, accessed 4/08/22

So based on Daniel 8, Balkan interest in the EU and the EU interest in the Balkans, it is likely that the Western Balkans will, at least for a time, support the coming Beast power in Europe.

Notice also the following prophecy:

10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition. (Revelation 17:10-11)

The EU looks to be the sixth king above.

Related to the European Union in prophecy, the Continuing Church of God put together this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

Here is a link to the sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.

Yes, I expect that the EU will expand and have additional nations, such as those in the Balkans.

That being said, those that become disillusioned/disappointed by the EU may ultimately back out of it–and that may include Balkan countries like Serbia.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
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 are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Could 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 2035 or? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
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.
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.

Map showing areas annexed by Russia from Ukraine
(Public domain via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Russia continues to fight Ukraine and has been making territorial gains on the battlefields. It is now close to taking over Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region:

Russia prepares to take strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk

Updated 10/30/25

Russian forces are close to taking the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk after a pincer movement almost totally encircled it while small groups of highly mobile Russian units penetrated the city, according to Russian military bloggers.

Most people have now fled, all children have been evacuated and few civilians remain. It lies on a key road which has been used by the Ukrainian military. Ukraine’s only mine producing coking coal – used in its once vast steel industry – is around six miles (10 km) west of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian steelmaker Metinvest said in January it had suspended mining operations there.

Russia wants to take the whole of the Donbas region, which comprises Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. Ukraine still controls about 10% of Donbas – an area of about 5,000 square km (1,930 square miles) in western Donetsk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Donbas is now legally part of Russia but Kyiv and the West reject Moscow’s seizure of the territory as an illegal land grab.

Capturing Pokrovsk, dubbed “the gateway to Donetsk” by Russian media, and Kostiantynivka to its northeast which Russian forces are also trying to envelop, would give Moscow a platform to drive north towards the two biggest remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk – Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-prepares-take-strategic-ukrainian-city-pokrovsk-2025-10-29/

30 October 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Wednesday (October 30, 2025) that Russian troops have surrounded Ukrainian forces in two key eastern cities of Ukraine and offered to negotiate a deal for their surrender. Ukrainian military officials vigorously denied the claim. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/putin-claims-russian-troops-have-surrounded-2-ukrainian-cities-but-ukraine-says-thats-not-true/article70219620.ece

To bolster Russia’s statements about Pokrovsk, Vladimir Putin has invited international journalists to come in and verify this:

Putin Invites Journalists To Watch ‘Thousands Of Trapped Ukrainian Troops’ In Encircled Zone

It seems the Kremlin wants to show the world just how bad the situation is for Ukrainian forces along the frontlines in the east of the country, at a moment Russian infantry troops have already penetrated parts of the city of Pokrovsk.

On Wednesday in live televised remarks President Putin said that Russia is ready to let journalists into Ukraine’s encirclement zone. Speaking from the Central Military Clinical Hospital in Moscow alongside Defense Minister Andrey Belousov, Putin declared that “In two places – in Kupyansk and Krasnoarmiysk [the Kremlin’s name for Pokrovsk] – the enemy has been blocked, in encirclement.” He said of Western journalists, “let them see with their own eyes what’s going on.”

This was offered as pushback against recent reports from Western media and NATO officials who have by and large downplayed or denied recent Russian gains. Also, the Ukrainian government has flatly rejected that the two cities are encircled, saying it’s not true.

For example, below is US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker saying this week that Russia looks “very weak” currently. “At every single turn, the Russians are not showing from a position of strength – they actually look very weak right now,” he claimed.

But Putin has made a rare overture, saying the Russian side is ready to stop fighting in this area near Pokrovsk for as long as media representatives are there. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/putin-invites-journalists-watch-thousands-trapped-ukrainian-troops-encircled-zone

Here is some information related to the city now called Pokrovsk:

Pokrovsk (Ukrainian: Покровськ, IPA: [poˈkrɔu̯sʲk] ^ⓘ; Russian: Покровск), formerly known as Krasnoarmiisk^[a] (until 2016) and Grishino (until 1934),^[b] is a city and the administrative center of Pokrovsk Raion in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is located 56 kilometres (35 mi) northwest of Donetsk. (Pokrovsk. Wikipedia, accessed 10/30/25)

Now, some aspects of Russia’s ‘Special Military Operation’ have reminded me of the USA’s civil war.

The South wanted to be independent of the North; Ukraine’s post-Maidan coup government wanted to cutoff more ties with Russia.

The North objected to slavery in the South. Russia objected to the overthrow of the elected government in Ukraine as well as how Russian-speakers in the east were treated.

The North sent in troops. Russia sent in troops.

The South fought off the North beyond certain expectations. The Ukrainians have fought off Russia beyond certain expectations.

The North, with more people, more money, and more military, changed tactics to press the South to surrender.

Russia, with more people, more money, and more military, changed tactics to gain more territory to press Ukraine to surrender territory.

It took the North a while to attain ‘victory,’ but in time its advantages won out.

It has taken Russia a while to attain ‘victory,’ but it has gained territories, and time looks to be to its advantage.

As long time readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, because of prophecies related to the “kings of the Medes” in the Book of Jeremiah, in the Fall of 2013 I wrote that Russia would end up with some territory that Ukraine claimed.

In 2014, Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and become part of Russia. Russia later accepted and annexed the territory, which it had long wanted. Crimea has been a fairly poor region that felt neglected and discriminated against by the western portion of Ukraine. Many in the Donbas region also have felt neglected (or worse) by western Ukraine and have long wanted to be closer to Russia. It should be noted that the USA and some of its allies called the referendum in Crimea to be part of Russia some type of a sham, yet the reality is that the majority in Crimea wanted to be part of Russia. On March 18, 2014, when Vladimir Putin signed a treaty to make Crimea part of Russia (https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-to-visit-crimea-to-mark-five-years-since-).

Many of those in Crimea (other than the Tartars) and in the Donbas region believed that they would be better off with Russia who wanted them, than Kiev who claims to want to keep them but apparently had not shown them enough signs that it would truly be able to help them.

The USA would not accept the vote by the Crimeans primarily because it seems to want to stop Russia from expanding. The USA pushed for international sanctions with Europe, many of which still remain, in an effort to hope Russia would release Crimea to Ukraine.

The USA’s position seemed to be based mainly on politics as opposed to its professed belief in democracy.

Even though the USA and many in Europe have wanted Russia to leave Crimea, on March 18, 2019, I posted:

It remains my view that Crimea and at least parts of eastern Ukraine will ultimately align with Russia.

International sanctions will not stop biblical prophecies from being fulfilled. (Thiel B. ‘Putin in Crimea as Russia Marks Five Years Since Annexation’ the ‘Kings of the Medes’ will arise. COGwriter, March 18, 2019)

And the events of the past few years confirmed my view that sanctions would not stop Russia from having territories align with it. The various sanctions announced by the USA and the Europeans look to be political punishment, as opposed to being announced by those who seriously believe that they will get Russia to cede the Donbas region back to Ukrainian control (it would probably take a pro-Russian government in Kiev for Russia to do that).

Here is something posted here from 2014:

As ‘independent states’ Donetsk and Luhansk may enter into some type of joint confederation with each other or Russia. If the forces from Kiev decide to attack, they will likely fight and ask for help from Russia.

Donetsk and Luhansk may vote to be annexed by Russia, like Crimea did. Or at minimum decide to ask to be part of Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union.

The Bible has several end time prophecies concerning the Medes (Isaiah 13:17-19) and the kings of the Medes (Jeremiah 51:11, 28-29) that involve military action. Various ones in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russia, and elsewhere are part of the descendants of the Medes, as likely are some in Moldova.

Alliances consistent with end time Bible prophecy are in the process of forming. (Thiel B. Eastern Ukraine votes for independence: Kiev upset, Russia pleased. COGwriter, May 12, 2014)

Several years back, Russia’s president declared he had recognized and accepted the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic as independent nations (see I365: Right before Messiah, US will fight Russia and China will capitalize, rabbinic “prophecy” reveals’ COGwriter: No, that is not what the Bible teaches). Then on 30 September 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas in an address to both houses of the Russian parliament.

As I posted here in February 2025:

The longer the conflict continues, the less territory that Ukraine will have.

No matter what Ukraine’s leadership currently thinks, at least parts of Ukraine are going to ultimately support Russia (cf. Jeremiah 51:11, 28).

That has been happening.

The Bible foretells a time when the “Kings of the Medes” will get together (Jeremiah 51:11, 28)–and some now have. Many in Russia, Ukraine, and even Moldova have descent from the ancient Medes.

On the Sabbath of February 5, 2022, which was before Russia’s troops entered Ukraine, I did a sermonette where I mentioned that lands associated with Ukraine would end up being confederate with Russia:

21:20

Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy

The situation between Russia and Ukraine has again heated up, although it has been tense since the Euromaiden protests and Russia’s annexation of Crimea. There was later a separation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church. Is war prophesied for Russia and Ukraine? Are prophecies in the Bible associated with the ‘kings of the Medes’ and a power from the “north country” related to any in Russia and Ukraine? Is a confederation of powers from the north, east, and central Asia prophesied to destroy the coming end time European Babylon? Will the destruction be reminiscent of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? How is the King of the North and who will destroy him? Do those in Russia and Ukraine have a hope of salvation? Will Russia and powers of the east be involved in the gathering in Armageddon as prophesied in Revelation 16? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues.

Here is a link to our video: Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy.

Since that came out, more territories that Ukraine once controlled are now controlled by Russia.

While Ukraine has put up a lot of resistance to Russia’s Special Military Operation, Russia is larger and has more troops, etc.

Many seem to forget that Russia has a lot of nuclear weapons and could use them in Ukraine if it thought Ukraine was going to push Russia completely out.

Remember that Jesus taught:

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. (Luke 14:31-32)

Ukraine may wish to reconsider where it is at to see if now it believes it should attempt to make a deal with Russia.

Russia is not going to cede back to Ukraine all the territory it has control over.

World events continue to align with properly understood biblical prophecies.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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 as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and 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? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
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? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of 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.

Martin Luther

COGwriter

October 31st is known by many Protestants as Reformation Day.

October 31st marks the day that Martin Luther reportedly hammered his now famous 95 theses on the Wittenberg (Germany) church back in 1517.

Here is a report from a Protestant source:

October 31, 2024

Today marks the 507th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation didn’t have a formal beginning that was recognized in the moment. However, it certainly had a symbolic beginning. When Martin Luther nailed the “Ninety-Five Theses” to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on Oct. 31, 1517, he had no idea his critique of indulgences would lead to the reshaping of Christianity in the West. The rest, as they say, is history.

Some might question whether the Reformation still matters in 2024. Since Vatican II and the charismatic movements of the 1960s, millions of Roman Catholics claim a personal conversion experience and emphasize individual Bible study. It isn’t uncommon to meet Christians who refer to themselves as “evangelical” or “born-again” Catholics. For our part, many evangelicals have a greater appreciation for the rootedness found in the Great Tradition of Christian orthodoxy. There is also a growing willingness among evangelicals to learn from pre-Reformation Christianity (especially the Patristic era) than was the case even a generation ago. It isn’t uncommon to meet evangelicals who love liturgy in public worship, follow the Christian calendar, and value the great creeds of the early Church.

Socially conservative evangelicals and Catholics also work together frequently to promote the sanctity of human life, a Biblical understanding of sex and marriage, and religious liberty for all people. Evangelicals and Catholics have learned from each other’s respective social-ethical traditions, and we’ve labored alongside each other as conservative cobelligerents in a society increasingly hostile toward our values and much of its own history. We are allies in preserving what Russell Kirk called the “permanent things” in an amnesiac nation committed to disordered notions of liberty. https://wng.org/opinions/the-enduring-relevance-of-the-reformation-1730371658

Back in 1517, Martin Luther was essentially posting, on a board, issues he felt that the Church of Rome needed to fix.

Since then, the Church of Rome has ‘fixed’ nearly all of those issues.

The Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants have been working towards more and more ecumenical unity, particularly in the past three decades.

But in this post, I would like people to pay attention to many statements few seem to know that Martin Luther made. Reading them should help people realize that Martin Luther was not an actual Christian leader like most Protestants tend to believe. Nor did he actually believe in the sola Scriptura rallying cry that Protestants tend to point to.

For one thing, Martin Luther was an antisemite.

Martin Luther wrote:

I had made up my mind to write no more either about the Jews or against them. But since I learned that those miserable and accursed people do not cease to lure to themselves even us, that is, the Christians, I have published this little book, so that I might be found among those who opposed such poisonous activities of the Jews and who warned the Christians to be on their guard against them…They are so blind and stupid that they see neither the words found in Genesis 17 nor the whole of Scripture, which mightily and explicitly condemns this lie…They are real liars and bloodhounds who have not only continually perverted and falsified all of Scripture with their mendacious glosses from the beginning until the present day. Their heart’s most ardent sighing and yearning and hoping is set on the day on which they can deal with us Gentiles as they did with the Gentiles in Persia at the time of Esther…The worse a Jew is, the more arrogant he is, solely because he is a Jew … David and other pious Jews were not as conceited as the present-day, incorrigible Jews … I wanted to present this to us Germans so that we might see what rascals the blind Jews are and how powerfully the truth of God in our midst stands with us and against them (Medieval Sourcebook: Martin Luther (1483-1546): On the Jews and Their Lies, 1543)

Martin Luther advised his followers:

… to burn down Jewish schools and synagogues, and to throw pitch and sulphur into the flames; to destroy their homes; to confiscate their ready money in gold and silver; to take from them their sacred books, even the whole Bible; and if that did not help matters, to hunt them of the country like mad dogs (Luther’s Works, vol. Xx, pp. 2230-2632 as quoted in Stoddard JL. Rebuilding a Lost Faith, 1922, p.99).

Accordingly, it must and dare not be considered a trifling matter but a most serious one to seek counsel against this and to save our souls from the Jews, that is, from the devil and from eternal death. My advice, as I said earlier, is: First, that their synagogues be burned down, and that all who are able toss in sulphur and pitch (Martin Luther (1483-1546): On the Jews and Their Lies, 1543 as quoted from Luther’s Works, Volume 47: The Christian in Society IV, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971).

We in the Continuing Church of God do not condone antisemitism.

We strive to reach Jews and Gentiles about Jesus (see also the free book, online Proof Jesus is the Messiah) as we have literature available online in over 700 languages.

While the following does not show antisemitism, notice something Martin Luther reportedly said about a disabled child (who seems to have had seems to have had symptoms of Prader-Willi Syndrome) in one of his Table Talks:

Eight years ago, there was one in Dessau whom I, Martinus Luther, saw and grappled with. He was twelve years old, had the use of his eyes and all his senses, so that one might think he was a normal child. But he did nothing but gorge himself as much as four peasants or threshers. He ate, defecated, and drooled and, if anyone tackled him, he screamed. If things didn’t go well, he wept. So I said to the Prince of Anhalt: “If I were the Prince, I should take the child to the Moldau River which flows near Dessau and drown him.” But the Prince of Anhalt and the Prince of Saxony, who happened to be present, refused to follow my advice. (T.E.C., Jr. MARTIN LUTHER’S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE MENTALLY RETARDED. Pediatrics, May 1968, VOLUME 41 / ISSUE 5)

He also reportedly said that child should be suffocated (Mile M. Martin Luther and Childhood Disability in 16th Century Germany: What did he write? What did he say? Independent Living Institute, 2005). Yet, there are some who have tried to defend his indefensible statements (e.g. Ibid).

When Jesus dealt with a disabled child, He healed him (Mark 9:17-25), not advocated for his death like Martin Luther.

Martin Luther had a history of promoting hate and violence.

The Apostle John was inspired to record:

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Revelation 13:9-10).

Notice that even until the end, saints are to be patient and NOT be among those that kill with the sword. Is it any wonder that Martin Luther discounted the literal understanding of the Book of Revelation? Otherwise he and his followers would have to change their positions on warfare

Martin Luther, himself, was a type of warmonger:

I, Martin Luther, slew all the peasants in the rebellion, for I said that they should be slain; all their blood is upon my head. But I cast it on the Lord God, who commanded me to speak this way (Werke, Erl. Edition, lix, p. 284 ‘Table Talk’ as quoted in Stoddard JL.Rebuilding a Lost Faith, 1922, p.96).

Pure devilry is urging on the peasants…Therefore let all who are able, mow them down, slaughter and stab them, openly or in secret, and remember that there is nothing more poisonous, noxious and utterly devilish than a rebel. You must kill him as you would a mad dog…

The authorities must resolve to chastise and slay as long as they can raise a finger… The present time is so strange that a prince can gain Heaven easier by spilling blood than by praying (Luther M. Against the Murderous and Rapacious Hordes of the Peasants, May 4, 1525-Erl, 24, 287, ff. As cited in O’Hare PF. The Facts About Luther, p. 232).

God did NOT command Martin Luther to speak that way. That is Satan’s way–Protestants generally do not act like Satan is the “god of this world,” but he currently is (2 Corinthians 4:4, KJV).

Anyway, it was reported that 100,000 perished at that time.

The followers of Martin Luther also condemned those who were not willing to be warriors. And they officially declared “it is right for Christians … to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers.” (Melanchthon P. The Augsburg Confession, Article XVI).

We in the Continuing Church of God hold to the original Christian teaching on this and hence do not participate as soldiers in carnal warfare nor do we endorse watching intentionally violent sports.

As far as sin goes, believe it or not, Martin Luther actually taught,

Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger…No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day” (Let Your Sins Be Strong: A Letter From Luther to Melanchthon Letter no. 99, 1 August 1521, From the Wartburg (Segment) Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores from: _Dr. Martin Luther’s Saemmtliche Schriften_ Dr, Johannes Georg Walch, Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590).

Martin Luther and many others do not understand that the Bible teaches:

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)

Martin Luther, despite claiming sola Scriptura, disparaged various books of the New Testament as of questionable value.

Up to this point we have had the true and certain chief books of the New Testament. The four which follow have from ancient times had a different reputation. In the first place, the fact that Hebrews is not an epistle of St. Paul, or of any other apostle (Luther, M. Prefaces to the Epistle of the Hebrews, 1546).

St. James’ epistle is really an epistle of straw…for it has nothing of the nature of the gospel about it” (Luther, M. Preface to the New Testament, 1546).

James … In the first place it is flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture in ascribing justification to works…Besides, he throws things together so chaotically that it seems to me he must have been some good, pious man, who took a few sayings from the disciples of the apostles and thus tossed them off on paper. Or it may perhaps have been written by someone on the basis of his preaching (Luther, M. Preface to the Epistles of St. James and St. Jude, 1546).

Concerning the epistle of St. Jude, no one can deny that it is an extract or copy of St. Peter’s second epistle…Therefore, although I value this book, it is an epistle that need not be counted among the chief books which are supposed to lay the foundations of faith (Luther, M. Preface to the Epistles of St. James and St. Jude, 1546).

Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Therefore, James’ epistle is NOT “against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture,” but instead is against Martin Luther’s misunderstandings of law and grace.

Contrary to Martin Luther’s assertion, it also should be understood that Jude’s epistle is not too similar to 2 Peter. Yet, if even it was, should it be discounted?

Maybe Martin Luther discounted it because Jude warns people:

3 … to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

And this, sadly, is not something that Martin Luther really did (though he did sometimes make some efforts towards that).

Perhaps none of Martin Luther’s writings on the Bible are as harsh as what he wrote about “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). Specifically he wrote,

About this book of the Revelation of John … I miss more than one thing in this book, and it makes me consider it to be neither apostolic nor prophetic … I can in no way detect that the Holy Spirit produced it. Moreover he seems to me to be going much too far when he commends his own book so highly-indeed, more than any of the other sacred books do, though they are much more important-and threatens that if anyone takes away anything from it, God will take away from him, etc. Again, they are supposed to be blessed who keep what is written in this book; and yet no one knows what that is, to say nothing of keeping it. This is just the same as if we did not have the book at all. And there are many far better books available for us to keep…My spirit cannot accommodate itself to this book. For me this is reason enough not to think highly of it: Christ is neither taught nor known in it” (Luther, M. Preface to the Revelation of St. John, 1522).

The above may be part of why Martin Luther did not accept the millennium and certain other teachings. Did Martin Luther not care that Jesus was the one who told John to write the Revelation down (Revelation 1:9-11)?

Martin Luther’s discounting of prophecies is dangerous for his followers living in the 21^st century.

Another reason Martin Luther may not have been able to accommodate this Revelation of Jesus Christ is because he clearly violated this warning from it:

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).

Martin Luther took away from this book through his comments about it, and this is the same Martin Luther who, it will be shown, added words to the Bible that were not there.

Although Martin Luther decried John for penning the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he did like John. According to Martin Luther:

The first three speak of the works of our Lord, rather than His oral teachings; that of St. John is the only sympathetic, the only true Gospel and should undoubtedly be preferred above the others. In like manner the Epistles of St. Peter and St. Paul are superior to the first three Gospels (O’Hare PF. The Facts About Luther, 1916–1987 reprint ed., p. 203).

Martin Luther’s position on this, and some of his other matters, appear to be blasphemous and in contraction to 2 Timothy 3:16. It was Jesus’ oral teachings, in Matthew 24, for example, that Martin Luther disagreed with.

The Bible, in Romans 3:28, states:

28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.

Martin Luther, in his German translation of the Bible, specifically added the word “allein” (English ‘alone’) to Romans 3:28-a word that is not in the original Greek. Martin Luther wanted people to believe that Romans 3:28 “a man is justified by faith alone,” but that verse does not say that.

Notice what Protestant scholars have admitted:

… Martin Luther would once again emphasize … that we are “justified by faith alone”, apart from the works of the Law” (Rom. 3:28), adding the German word allein (“alone”) in his translation of the Greek text. (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, pp. 64-65).

Furthermore, to justify his change, Martin Luther reportedly said:

You tell me what a great fuss the Papists are making because the word alone in not in the text of Paul … say right out to him: ‘Dr. Martin Luther will have it so,’ … I will have it so, and I order it to be so, and my will is reason enough. I know very well that the word ‘alone’ is not in the Latin or the Greek text (Stoddard J. Rebuilding a Lost Faith. 1922, pp. 101-102; see also Luther M. Amic. Discussion, 1, 127).

This passage strongly suggests that Martin Luther viewed his opinions, and not the actual Bible as the primary authority–a concept which should be prima Luther and not sola Scriptura. By “papists” Luther was condemning Roman Catholics.

He also made another change in Romans. Romans 4:15 states:

…because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Yet in his German translation, Martin Luther added the word ‘only’ before the term ‘wrath’ to Romans 4:15 (O’Hare, p. 201).

This presumably was to attempt to justify his position to discredit the law.

Matthew 3:2 states:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Martin Luther, in his German translation, according to at least one Catholic source, changed the word ‘repent’ to ‘mend’ or ‘do better’ (ibid, p. 201), presumably to justify his position that one does not need to obey God’s laws through repentance (others disagree on that point and indicate that the German term chosen can or should be translated as repent).

Acts 19:18, states:

“And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds…”

Yet according to one source, Martin Luther rendered it, “they acknowledged the miracles of the Apostles” (O’Hare, p. 201).

There are several possible reasons why Martin Luther intentionally mistranslated Acts 19:18, but the point here is to show that he did.

Martin Luther also taught:

And John 1 says: “The Word was made flesh,” when in our judgment it would have been better said, “The Word was incarnate,” or “made fleshly” (Disputation On the Divinity and Humanity of Christ February 27, 1540 conducted by Dr. Martin Luther, 1483-1546 translated from the Latin text WA 39/2, pp. 92-121 by Christopher B. Brown).

This was apparently done to justify his belief that Jesus was fully God and fully human while on the earth, in conflict with being emptied Philippians 2:7 (literally translated).

Luke 10:28 states:

“And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live” (KJV).

Yet Martin Luther taught:

To do means to believe-to keep the law by faith. The passage in Matthew: Do this and thou shalt live, signifies Believe this and thou shalt live. The words Do this, have ironical sense, as if our Lord should say: Thou wilt do it tomorrow, but not today; only make an attempt to keep the Commandments, and the trial will teach thee the ignominy of thy failure (O’Hare, p.205).

It is because of such misinterpretations of what the Bible states that many Protestants have tossed out the necessity to keep the Ten Commandments, even though scholars agree that they were kept by the early Christians. (Note: Although Martin Luther mentioned Matthew’s account–which is in Matthew 19:16-21–the quote in question is actually from Luke 10:28.)

Martin Luther’s disparaged various books of the Old Testament as well. Martin Luther changed or diminished the importance of at least 19 books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Esther, Job, Ecclesiastes, Jonah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation) and did not truly believe in his sola Scriptura rallying cry.

Martin Luther was not a real Christian.

Anyway, instead of being a celebration of rebellion against the Church of Rome, Reformation Day is being used for ecumenical purposes.

Let me add here that according to the Bible a false ‘ecumenical’ church will rise up (Revelation 17). According to Roman and Eastern Orthodox writings, their churches and the Protestant ones will get together in some type of ecumenical reformation. According to the Bible, that will not end well for the Church of Rome (Revelation 17:15-18) or others involved with it (cf. Revelation 18).

How many now view ‘Reformation Day’ should serve as a warning that an unbiblical, ecumenical reformation is coming.

The fact that Martin Luther really did not believe in sola Scriptura is a factor in Rome’s ‘daughters’ working to refer to her.

In order to assist those who wish to believe the Bible, we put out the following book this year: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism. Here is some information in it related to the figures shown on its front covers:

Protestant scholars sometimes call Polycarp a “proto-orthodox” Christian. This essentially means that they believe Polycarp was a faithful Christian, but that various doctrines people like him held were changed to be what is now considered to be acceptable (or “orthodox”).

The following chart has religious details about Polycarp and Martin Luther (which includes understandings of their early successors) which is intended to highlight many of their differences:

Polycarp	Martin Luther
Baptized at age 18 by a Church of God leader.	Baptized as an infant by Roman Catholic priest.
Trained by the original apostles.	Trained by the Church of Rome.
Ordained by the original apostles.	Ordained by the Church of Rome.
Related all things in accordance with scripture.	Relied on tradition if he did not care for the scriptural position.
Taught the word of God.	Felt he could change parts of the word of God.
Taught the importance of all the scriptures.	Diminished the importance of many books of the Bible.
Had a binitarian view of the Godhead.	Taught a trinitarian view of the Godhead.
Only baptized adults.	Promoted infant baptism and condemned those who did not accept it.
Did not eat unclean meat.	Ate biblically unclean meat.
Taught the Ten Commandments.	Taught a version of the Ten Commandments.
Kept the Sabbath.	Promoted Sunday.
Observed biblical Holy Days.	Observed non-biblical holidays.
Kept Passover on the 14th.	Kept Easter Sunday.
Had no idols or icons.	Had crosses and Christmas trees.
Warned that a Latin man would be 666.	Taught that the Pope was the Antichrist.
Believed in “soul sleep.”	Taught “soul sleep.”
Understood that God would offer salvation to all and that most would be saved.	Taught that most would be lost and that most would not get a real offer of salvation.
Taught the Kingdom of God was the reward.	Taught that heaven was the reward.
Endorsed the millennial doctrine.	Condemned the millennial doctrine.
Walked in the ways taught by the Apostle John, who was considered to be a Jew.	Ordered followers to burn Jewish synagogues, take Jewish wealth, and hunt Jews down.
Taught against Christian military involvement.	Condemned those who did not endorse Protestant military involvement.
Warned about the “vanity of many.”	Warned against select Roman Catholic positions.
Died as a martyr.	Had ill health for many years and died shortly after having a stroke.

Polycarp stood for and taught the original apostolic Christian faith (additional details on Polycarp’s specific teachings can be found at https://www.cogwriter.com/polycarp.htm), while Martin Luther often did not.

Although Martin Luther had some positive positions, he compromised too much and did not truly accept his own sola Scriptura rallying cry. You do not have to dig very deep into history to prove that.

We in the Continuing Church of God do not believe that Martin Luther was a true and faithful leader. We believe that he accepted the “vanity of many,” which is also happening in the 21^st century with the ecumenical movement.

Early Protestant leaders, like Martin Luther and John Calvin really did not believe in (or practice) sola Scriptura.

Actually, anyone who does, would not actually be a Protestant, but part of the Church of God.

That is something Protestants who think they believe the Bible should consider and prayerfully look into.

Those interested in learning more should consider studying the following:

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.
Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? Here are some historical and biblical insight on this question. There are many cultures that have celebrations and observances that are similar to some associated with Halloween. What did the Druids do? Is Halloween one of the most important holidays for Satanists? Do the Japanese, Indians, and Chinese have any practices that are similar to some associated with Halloween? Does the Bible endorse or condemn practices that are associated with Halloween? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Get Real About Halloween. Here are links to three related sermonette length videos: Debunking 17 reasons to celebrate Halloween, Halloween: Are there 7 reasons for Christians to celebrate it?, and International ‘Halloween’ Should Christians observe Halloween?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example? Here is a related sermon video: Martin Luther and Herbert Armstrong: Reformers with Differences.
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? (And the Protestants) Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Freemasonry and the Destruction of Rome? What is Freemasonry? What about ties to the Illuminati? Could they be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy? Here is a link to a related sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
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?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
Pope Francis’ Celebration of Reformation’s 500th Anniversary The Vatican announced that Pope Francis plans to attend a celebration commemorating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s nailing his 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. Is this part of the ecumenical movement? Is this a good thing? Does the Bible warn against this? Do Protestant leaders favor ecumenical unity? What did early Protestants teach about the papacy? Should the Bible or human committees be listened to?
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
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, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

COGwriter

The late WCG evangelist Leroy Neff wrote:

Those who are ready will be doing God’s Work, giving “meat in due season.” (Good News, May 1982)

Having seen a lot of Halloween decorations on lawns as well as seeing them for sale in stores, plus seeing Protestants who often are advocating the celebration of the Roman Catholic holiday of Halloween, reporting on this topic now is consistent with providing “meat in due season.”

Halloween, itself, is an old English word which means “hallowed evening.”

The following are from Roman Catholic writers:

It should be noted that Halloween is a Catholic holiday. Pope Gregory IV in 835 made it the universal practice in the Roman Catholic Church to celebrate All Saints’ Day on Nov. 1. All Souls’ Day follows the next day as the commemoration of all of the faithful who have departed.

“All Hallows’ Even” as the evening before All Hallows’ Day — All Saints’ Day – eventually became shortened to Halloween. Hallow, as in “hallowed be thy name” in the Lord’s Prayer, is an older form of the word “holy.” …

Nov. 1st was the day of the Celtic Summer’s End feast of Samhain, the day when the dead returned to the earth. We have retained some of these pagan elements to Halloween, as is true of Christmas and Easter.

Why would a pope put the Catholic celebration of the dead on top of the pagans’ celebrations of the dead? Because the Catholic feasts are in continuity and fulfill the meaning of the pagan ones…

So what about the indulgence in the spooky and scary? Skeletons are spooky, but they are also very Catholic. In fact, one couldn’t find a better haunted house for a Halloween pilgrimage than the various “chapel of bones” that can be found across Europe (Killian Brian. Halloween, as autumn celebration, reminder God’s name is hallowed. Catholic Online International News. 10/31/06. http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=21818).

In the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration of All Saints Day (Martyrs Day at the time) to Nov 1…in effect “baptizing” these ancient pagan celebrations (Warner M. Evangelizing with Halloween. National Catholic Register – Oct 31, 2012 http://www.ncregister.com/blog/matthew-warner/evangelizing-with-halloween)

Repentance is to proceed baptism (Acts 2:38) and paganism is to be removed, not continued.

Consider the following words of Nehemiah:

29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan. (Nehemiah 13:29-30)

Nehemiah was a leader that God appointed and he rightly stood against foreign pagan contamination that affected what was supposed to be the religion of God’s people. Today, as the New Testament also supports (e.g. 1 Corinthians 10:21), true Christian ministers are to stand against pagan contamination.

The date and many of the practices of Halloween predate Christianity and are of heathen origin.

The Bible teaches the following:

2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the people are vain: (Jeremiah 10:2-3, KJV)

Or as the NET Bible puts it:

2 The Lord says,

“Do not start following pagan religious practices.

Do not be in awe of signs that occur in the sky

even though the nations hold them in awe.

3 For the religion of these people is worthless. (Jeremiah 10:2-3, NET)

Halloween involves pagan-heathen ways–it is vain and worthless to observe it.

Furthermore, it is very important to some Satanists.

Back in 1969 Anton Lavey wrote The Satanic Bible. On page 96 (in the 1976 version) it mentions Halloween:

After one’s own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht and Halloween (or All Hallows’ Eve). (Lavey A, Gilmore P. The Satanic Bible. Avon, September 1, 1976, p. 96–note it is on page 53 of an online version I found also).

It is interesting that Halloween is considered one of the three most important holidays to these Satan worshipers (birthdays are actually number one according to Anton Lavey’s book–Walpurgisnacht is observed sort of like another Halloween).

The Bible never encourages the celebration of Halloween or other pagan worship practices. Instead, it tends to speak in a negative manner concerning them (cf. Matthew 14:6-11; Jeremiah 10; 20:14-18).

Despite all of this, many Roman Catholics and Protestants observe it.

Furthermore, each year, some Protestants will go out and support the idea that it is fine for Christians to celebrate Halloween. Here is something from earlier this month from Joy Wendling, with my comments inserted throughout in italics:

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

October 7, 2023

Halloween. Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

The obvious biblical answer is no.

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

First, I don’t think this is the right question to ask. I am not a fan of the word “should” or its negative, “shouldn’t.” “Can we” is probably a more appropriate question. But, that question still doesn’t have a simple answer.

Actually, it does. One CAN do all type of things that is wrong. But Christians should NOT do them.

I believe the Holy Spirit can and will guide your family if you seek his wisdom. If you have convictions, strong convictions about Halloween, that is your number one thing to listen to.

No, one’s feelings about how one believes the Holy Spirit is leading one is irrelevant if one concludes to go against scripture. It is the “word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), not one’s feelings that a real Christian would understand that he or she needs to listen to. The Apostle Paul wrote:

15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. (2 Timothy 2:15-17)

Practices associated with non-biblical Christianity have spread like a cancer, and real Christians should not be a party to them.

But I think that there is so much freedom in the Spirit and in our faith that I encourage you to not judge other Christian families based on their Halloween choices.

While there is freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1), notice something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:

18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (Romans 6:18-22, AFV)

So, we as Christians are to be slaves of God. Notice what the Apostles said related to that and the Holy Spirit:

29. … Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We are obligated to obey God rather than men.

30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus Whom you killed by hanging Him on a tree.

31. Him has God exalted by His right hand to be a Prince and Savior, to give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.

32. And we are His witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29-32)

So, we are to OBEY God to be granted His Holy Spirit. Yet, some seem to believe that we can CLAIM that the Holy Spirit allows activities that the Bible condemns.

How My Christian Family Celebrates Halloween

My girls love spooky, silly things and we love driving around looking at spooky houses. We’ve even sent thank you postcards to our favorite decorations. We stay away from scary and keep it fun, light, and say spooky.

We do the costumes and the trick-or-treating and my girls love Halloween music, especially the older music like Monster Mash and Purple People Eater. And I have absolutely no conviction in that at all.

No, Christian families do not celebrate Halloween. Joy Wendling is saying that her family loves things associated with Halloween and hence she and her family keep it.

I think it is just a fun way for us to be neighborly, to get to know our community, to be a part of our community, to celebrate and enjoy life with our friends and my kids’ friends and their classrooms for us. We have no convictions whatsoever and I understand that other people do. And please follow those convictions.

As far as the community and religious celebrations go, the Apostle Paul wrote:

14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

As far as being unclean goes, notice the Bible warns:

31 You do not turn to those having familiar spirits, and you do not seek for wizards, to become unclean by them; I [am] your God YHWH. (Leviticus 19:31, LSV)

As far as the Holy Spirit, convictions and sin goes, Jesus said:

8. And when that one {the Holy Spirit} has come, it will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment: (John 16:8, AFV)

Note that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, but is not a source of licentiousness. The Apostle Jude wrote:

4 there came in certain men stealthily, having been written beforehand to this judgment long ago, impious, perverting the grace of our God to licentiousness … (Jude 4, LSV)

Well, the above also would include women who teach that God’s grace is a license to rely on feelings over the word of God.

The licentious also are related to something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:12-14)

Halloween is a work of darkness and often involves revelry and various lusts. Christians are not to participate in it.

The Bible also teaches God’s people to:

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Sadly, many do not see that by justifying paganism that they are being wise in their own eyes and simply are not trusting the God of the Bible over their feelings.

The division of Christians at Halloween does far more damage than costumes and candy.

The acceptance of Halloween by professors of Christianity does the damage. The Apostle Peter wrote:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words … (2 Peter 2:1-3)

Halloween does often involve covetousness and is a destructive heresy. Because of pagan celebrations among professing Christians, the “way of truth” has been blasphemed among non-Christians, such as Muslims who know that celebrations like Halloween are demonic.

What does the Bible say about Halloween?

Halloween is not in the Bible. Trick or treating is not in the Bible. Yes, I recognize that there may be some historical elements of evil and demons and whatnot from Halloween, but that’s not what I’m celebrating.

It is not that there MAY be some historical elements of evil and demons in Halloween, there clearly are. Satan likes to make evil appear to be something that it is not. The Apostle Paul wrote:

13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Just because something may be appealing does not make it right. Eve found that out in Genesis 3:6.

Redeeming Halloween Celebrations

There’s so many great ways to love Jesus through Halloween. And to me, my biggest thing is that God is a God of redemption. He takes the gross broken, sinful things of the world and he brings light into those dark places.

Why can’t we allow God to do the same thing with Halloween? And so for me and for my family, that is the direction that we have gone is we embrace the fun part. We don’t worship Satan, do witchcraft, or any of those things that I know happen, but those things happen every day. And my kids putting on a costume and eating candy is not encouraging or discouraging the people who want to follow Satan.

Redemption is provided after repentance. Halloween does not repent and is not subject to redemption. Halloween obscures God’s plan of salvation and redemption and is not part of it.

As far as what Joy Wendling is celebrating, it is demonic. Consider something else that the Apostle Paul wrote:

20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? (1 Corinthians 10:20-22)

Christians are not to have fellowship with demonic worship practices, like Halloween.

The Apostle Paul also wrote:

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

Protestants do not PROVE Halloween is good, and those who celebrate it are certainly not abstaining from the appearance of evil.

Furthermore, the Book of Revelation warns:

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)

The principle that God’s people are not to mix paganism with Christianity is in the New Testament.

Christians are supposed to believe “the word of truth” (2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 1:13).

God is Sovereign Over Halloween Celebrations

I just want us to not limit God. And I don’t want to cut off abundance out of fear. And I don’t want to make my kids feel like they can’t enjoy non-Christian things and that God is only sovereign over certain parts of the world.

God is sovereign over all of it. He is in control. God is he has the power.

God is sovereign. But as far as celebrations go, His word lists His holy celebrations in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus:

2 … The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. (Leviticus 23:2)

Yet, it is not likely that Joy Wendling observes them, which is one of the reasons she would tend to advocate demonic holidays such as Halloween–which, of course, is NOT listed as one of God’s feasts.

God’s Holy Days picture His plan of salvation, yet many prefer their own plan of salvation, which is not God’s plan at all.

If we are Christians, we have the power to obey God. And that is what we should do–we should not see how far into the world we can stray. The Apostle John wrote:

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

Observance of Halloween is of the world–it is not doing the will of God.

I want my kids to know that God is in all of it and that he gives us grace and he gives us freedom and he gives us room to enjoy the world. That’s why I celebrate Halloween, because God can redeem things.

God can redeem prostitutes, thieves, and murderers, but we do not go about doing those things to see if we can be redeemed. We are to repent, turn away from sin, not move towards it.

Sadly, many Protestants have been affected by Martin Luther, who perversely stated:

Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger…No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day” (Let Your Sins Be Strong: A Letter From Luther to Melanchthon Letter no. 99, 1 August 1521, From the Wartburg (Segment) Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores from: _Dr. Martin Luther’s Saemmtliche Schriften_ Dr, Johannes Georg Walch, Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590).

Martin Luther and many others do not understand that the Bible teaches:

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)

I think if we allowed Him to use us in our communities at Halloween, there could be some redemption, some love getting us a little step closer to his kingdom.

We don’t need to fight against it, fight through it. Shine Jesus’s light on Halloween.

We shine the light of Jesus on October 31st by not participating in a pagan holiday. Doing that makes us shine for the kingdom of God. Observing Halloween does not do that.

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Let’s look at a verse:

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT

This really is between you, your family, and the Lord.

Well, celebrating demonic holidays is not for the glory of God. Again, let’s look at 1 Corinthians:

21 … You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons (1 Corinthians 10:21)

Halloween celebrations do not glorify the true God.

In addition the Bible specifically teaches:

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: … 20 idolatry, sorcery, … outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 … drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21).

Halloween is clearly a heresy that with elements of revelries that the Bible teaches against.

Halloween is rebellious against God and specifically promotes aspects of witchcraft. Furthermore notice:

10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you. (Deuteronomy 18:10-14).

23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. (1 Samuel 15:23).

17 And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone. (2 Kings 17:17-18).

The original KJV also has this statement:

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18 KJV).

Of course, we do not kill nor advocating the killing of witches by people now (capital punishment was always supposed to be implemented by the civil authorities). But Christians also should not participate in a holiday that glorifies or otherwise honors them either.

That said, of course, Joy Wendling is not the only Protestant attempting to push Halloween for Christians.

Here is a view from another Protestant:

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

The origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in Druidic tradition. In what is now Britain and France, it was the beginning of the Celtic year, and they believed Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks. Believe it or not, most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.

But what about today? Perhaps we can still learn from history. In the fourth century, Christians attempted to co-opt the holiday by celebrating the lives of faithful Christian saints the day before Halloween. This was a conscious attempt to provide an alternative and re-focus the day away from ghouls, goblins, ghosts, witches and other “haunted” experiences. Since that time many Christians have decided to allow their children to dress in more “innocent” costumes of pumpkins, princesses, Superman or as a cowboy. Part of this is due to the simple reality that in today’s Western culture it is nearly impossible to “avoid” Halloween.

Just before reaching a conclusion on the subject, I was struck with the thought that I ought to further my search and find out what Wicca, the official religion of witchcraft, has to say about Halloween. Perhaps they viewed the day as a simple fun and innocent neighborhood activity?

“Shock” is the only word to describe what I found. Halloween is a real, sacred day for those who follow Wicca. In fact, it is one of two high and holy days for them. The Celtic belief of spirits being released is current, along with the worship of Samhain (the lord of death) – both are promoted as something to embrace on that day. There is no question in my mind that to those who believe and follow the practices of witchcraft, Halloween represents an opportunity to embrace the evil, devilish, dark side of the spiritual world.

So after discovering this, what is a reasonable conclusion? As Christians you and I are placed in this world to be a light in a world of darkness. There is no lasting benefit to ignore a holiday that exists around us, but it also does harm to celebrate Halloween as it has originated and grown over the centuries. (Watson E. Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? CBN. http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/halloween/halloween_watt05.aspx accessed 10/18/15)

Notice something related to an ex-Satanist turned Protestant:

John Ramirez spent much of his early life with strong ties to the devil–he drank animal blood, conducted sacrifices, was baptized with the devil and got married in a demonic wedding on Halloween. …

“I wonder why people celebrate Halloween these days,” the 55-year-old told Fox News. “Because in essence, I know what Halloween is about. I was in witchcraft for 25 years … selling my soul to the devil, I was a general for the devil … as a warlock.”

He added: “Have you ever heard a Satanist say, ‘I can’t wait for Good Friday to go to church with you?’ So, why would the Christians say, ‘I can’t wait for Halloween to say I want to dress up’ … It’s cheating on God, really.”

Ramirez, who grew up in the Bronx, was part of a Satanist church from when he was 8 years old to 35 years old. …

He showed Fox News the marks on his body, the “mark of the beast,” as he reached the “highest rank of devil worshippers” and a “name chosen by the devil himself,” after kissing a human skull and being cut open and burned in demonic ceremonies. …

Ramirez said he threw away thousands of dollars worth of witchcraft materials in the closet — including human bones, cemetery dirt, etc. …

He said all the witches claiming to do witchcraft against President Trump, “That was a hoax, just to make money.”

The author of “Destroying Fear,” said, “The devil’s greatest weapon is fear,” 10/30/19 https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/halloween-celebrate-christian-satanist-evangelist

Should Christians celebrate Halloween or let their children celebrate it? No!

Furthermore, Halloween/All Saints’ Day is NOT listed in the early observances of even the Roman or Eastern Orthodox Catholic churches as the early writings by Tertullian and Origen show (see article What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?).

Back in 2014, actor Kirk Cameron, who is also a Protestant, put out a film called Saving Christmas. As it turns out, it was reported to be a flop (see Kirk Cameron’s Christmas movie flops).

The reason to bring that up is that while promoting his movie, he made several comments intended to encourage people to celebrate Halloween.

In light of his new film “Saving Christmas,” Kirk Cameron is also speaking out on Halloween celebrations, urging Christians to get into the spooky spirit this year.

“Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas” hits select theaters on Nov. 14,… Cameron addressed the same theories as they are applied to Halloween, clarifying why Christians “should have the biggest Halloween party on your block.”

“The real origins have a lot to do with All Saints Day and All Hallows Eve,” the actor told The Christian Post. “If you go back to old church calendars, especially Catholic calendars, they recognize the holiday All Saints Day, with All Hallows Eve the day before, when they would remember the dead. That’s all tied in to Halloween.”

Moreover, the “Unstoppable” star went on to cite the meaning behind dressing up in frightening costumes on Halloween, clarifying the meaning of Oct. 31.

“When you go out on Halloween and see all people dressed in costumes and see someone in a great big bobble head Obama costume with great big ears and an Obama face, are they honoring him or poking fun?” Cameron asked.

“They are poking fun at him,” the actor said, answering his own question before comparing the concept of costumes to early Christianity.

“Early on, Christians would dress up in costumes as the devil, ghosts, goblins and witches precisely to make the point that those things were defeated and overthrown by the resurrected Jesus Christ,” Cameron continued. “The costumes poke fun at the fact that the devil and other evils were publicly humiliated by Christ at His resurrection. That’s what the Scriptures say, that He publicly humiliated the devil when He triumphed over power and principality and put them under his feet. Over time you get some pagans who want to go this is our day, high holy day of Satanic church, that this is all about death, but Christians have always known since the first century that death was defeated, that the grave was overwhelmed, that ghosts, goblins, devils are foolish has-beens who used to be in power but not anymore. That’s the perspective Christians should have. http://www.christianpost.com/news/kirk-cameron-on-halloween-christians-should-have-the-biggest-party-on-the-block-128345/

Isn’t the perspective, that real Christians should have, is what does the Bible teach and what did early Christians do?

Let it be clear: EARLY CHRISTIANS DID NOT CELEBRATE ALL SAINTS OR ALL SOULS DAY. Ancient Catholic calendars did not have October 31 as a date of celebration.

Notice the following from The Catholic Encyclopedia:

All Saints’ Day

In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to interchange feasts, to transfer relics, to divide them, and to join in a common feast; as is shown by the invitation of St. Basil of Caesarea (397) to the bishops of the province of Pontus. Frequently groups of martyrs suffered on the same day, which naturally led to a joint commemoration. In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all. The first trace of this we find in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost. We also find mention of a common day in a sermon of St. Ephrem the Syrian (373), and in the 74th homily of St. John Chrysostom (407). (Mershman, Francis. “All Saints’ Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315a.htm>)

A careful reading of John Chrysostom’s 74th homily (which supposedly is where he declared this observation according to The Catholic Encyclopedia) shows that he discussed the deaths of prophets, but it is not clear to me that John Chrysostom declared the “Christian” observation of something that resembles “All Saints’ Day.”

But even if he were to endorse it, John Chrysostom was not a true Christian, plus it obviously was not an original Christian practice, as we are talking about the late 4th century. Furthermore, notice the following also from that article in The Catholic Encyclopedia:

Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for 1 November. A basilica of the Apostles already existed in Rome, and its dedication was annually remembered on 1 May. Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire Church. (Mershman, Francis. “All Saints’ Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907.)

So, November 1st did not become the widespread practice until the 9th century–this is after the Church of Rome began dealing with many of the Druid faith which did observe the night of October 31st.

“Long ago, the Celts of the British Isles used cross-quarter days to mark the beginnings of seasons. Winter began with Halloween, or as they called it, Samhain,” says John Mosley of the Griffith Observatory.

“Halloween marked the transition between summer and winter, light and dark — and life and death. On that one night, according to folklore, those who had died during the previous year returned for a final visit to their former homes. People set out food and lit fires to aid them on their journey — but remained on guard for mischief the spirits might do.” (Spooky Astronomy. http://spaceweather.com/ present 10/31/07).

October 12, 2020

The modern-day rituals of donning masks, wearing costumes, and bobbing for apples can be traced back centuries to pre-Christian-era Celtic celebrations, says Fred Supp, a history professor at Ball State University.

He points out that a majority of Halloween traditions originated with the ancient Celts and their priests, the Druids. Other civilizations adopted and modified the Celtic rituals, such as bobbing for apples or donning disguises.

“The Celts can be traced back to 800 B.C., to what is now southern Germany and include the ancestors of the Scottish, Irish, Manx, Welsh, Cornish and Bretons,” said Suppe, an expert in Celtic folklore. “Particular motifs of modern-day Halloween — such as the date and time it is celebrated, children trick-or-treating, the jack-o’-lantern and bobbing for apples — are related to Celtic traditions.”

When Christianity was introduced to the Celts, church leaders tried to persuade them to abandon their pagan celebrations and adopt the Christian calendar. Because these traditions were culturally ingrained, the church provided alternative holy days such as All Saints’ Day on November 1. https://www.bsu.edu/news/press-center/archives/2020/10/halloween-traditions-date-back-centuries

No, the true and faithful Christian church did not try to do that. But a compromised one did.

Notice that:

The Druids, and order of priests in ancient Gaul and Britain, believed that on Halloween, ghosts, spirits, fairies, witches, and elves came out to harm people. They thought the cat was sacred and believed that cats had once been human beings but were changed for punishment for their evil deeds. From these Druid beliefs come the present-day use of witches, ghosts, and cats in Halloween festivities…The custom of using leaves, pumpkins, and corn stalks as Halloween decorations comes from the Druids. The early peoples of Europe also had a festival similar to the Druid holiday…In the 700s, the Roman Catholic Church named November 1 as All Saints’ Day. The old pagan customs and the Christian feast day were combined into the Halloween festival [Halloween. World Book Encyclopedia, vol 9. Chicago, 1966: 25-26].

The origins of Halloween specifically can be traced back to the ancient Celts (who lived in what is now known as Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern France) and their Druid priests. The end of October commemerated their festival of the waning year … Druids believed that during this season spirits walked, and evil held power over the souls of men. On October 31, their New Year’s Eve, great bonfires were kindled, which were thought to simulate the sun to procure blessings for the entire succeeding year. The fires remained burning as a means to frighten away evil spirits. The Druids held these early Halloween celebrations in honor of Samhain, also known as Lord of the Dead, whose festival fell on November 1. There bonfires, or “bone fires”, were also used in animal and human sacrifice–thus the name. The tradition of lighting a bonfire has continued to modern times (Coulter F.R. Occult Holiday–or–God’s Holy Days–Which? York Publishing Company, Hollister (CA) 2006).

Lord of the Dead? Three immediate issues come to mind.

The first is something Jesus said:

27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are therefore greatly mistaken. (Mark 12:27)

The second is that the dead know nothing:

5 For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, (Ecclesiastes 9:5, DRB)

Third, notice:

43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. (John 8:43-47)

Halloween is a lie. The dead do not become more accessible then. Saints do not answer prayers.

October 18, 2021

Part of the origin for the Holiday is that the Celts believed this day was one of the days in the year when the barrier between the world of the living and dead lowered so that travel was possible.  https://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2021/10/18/why-halloween-will-change/?sh=7f07a3b5e779

That is a pagan, not a biblical, teaching.  There is not travel between the world of the living and the dead.

5 For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished;
Nevermore will they have a share
In anything done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6),

Until they are resurrected, and this resurrection has not happened yet, the dead are dead. They do not travel, they do not hear prayers, they do not do anything. Yet, most Protestants do not understand that–and the observance Halloween does not help correct their errors.

Consider also the following related to Kirk Cameron:

Cameron continues in the interview:

“Over time you get some pagans who want to go this is our day, high holy day of Satanic church, that this is all about death, but Christians have always known since the first century that death was defeated, that the grave was overwhelmed, that ghosts, goblins, devils are foolish has-beens who used to be in power but not anymore. That’s the perspective Christians should have.”

Everything in this quote shows extreme diarrhea of the mouth. Christians right up until the modern day have been afraid of devils, goblins, and ghosts, and that fear often manifested on Halloween. To the Christian of the Middle Ages the night was full of terrors, and things didn’t really change until the 20th Century. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/panmankey/2014/10/kirk-cameron-doesnt-get-halloween-like-most-people/#udp0U90wBMfduxrG.99

As far as high holy days go, Kirk Cameron should instead endorse those of the God of the Bible which are listed in the 23rd chapter of the Book of Leviticus.

Furthermore, despite Kirk Cameron’s claims, the Bible condemns pagan celebrations and early Christians did NOT dress up as witches and devils. Related to that, someone properly commented, “If there is anything Kirk Cameron is fond of, other than bananas, it is making up his own facts about things. … this week, he brings us his version of the history of Halloween” (https://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/229911/kirk-cameron-explains-how-jesus-invented-halloween-to-mock-obama-or-something/).

The Bible teaches:

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (Ephesians 6:10-17)

The Bible does not teach to put on costumes of witches or other things associated with darkness. Early Christians did NOT dress up as witches. True Christians rely on the word of God.

The perspective real Christians should have is what does the Bible teach and what did early Christians do?

The Bible condemns pagan celebrations and early Christians did NOT dress up as witches and devils. Jesus was not even born on December 25th (see also How did December 25th become Christmas?).

Christmas is a lie. True worshipers will NOT be celebrating it. To learn more about who the true Christians are, check out the following: Where is the True Christian Church Today?

Kirk Cameron not only overlooks this, he seems to be pushing a more ‘ecumenical’ and anti-biblical view of what he calls Christianity. This is wrong, and will NOT end well (cf. Revelation 18).

Now, let’s see something related to Justin Bieber’s wife Hailey:

October 18, 2019

Hailey Bieber caused some confusion when she posted an Instagram story explaining that she is “claiming” Halloween for Christians

“I’m a Christian. Do you have any idea what that means historically?” she wrote. “It means I redefine everything in culture. Pagan Feast of Winter Solstice? Oh that’s now JESUS BIRTHDAY. Pagan Feast of Spring Planting? Oh that’s now EASTER WEEKEND. Pagan Celtic Festival involving dressing up and warding off evil spirits? Oh now it’s ALL SAINTS DAY and we celebrate the VICTORIOUS CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!!! CANDY PLEASE!!!” https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/10/8594141/halloween-christian-holiday-hailey-bieber

Yes, I do understand historically what it means to be a Christian (see also Continuing History of the Church of God)–but apparently Hailey Bieber does not.

Furthermore, multiple wrongs do not make a right. No, none of the pagan holidays have been embraced by true Christians–but compromisers claiming Christ continue to do so (see also Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism). The Church/Churches that promote Halloween are not following the ways of Jesus.

Halloween gives a false impression about death. Furthermore, real Christians understood that Jesus taught:

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Halloween is NOT based on truth and real Christians understand that. Real Christians accept the words of Jesus above their opinions or temporal feelings.

Notice also the following “justifications” by Protestant Pastor Alan Rudnik:

Here are 7 ways Christians can take back Halloween:

1.  Understand that All Hallows Eve (Halloween) and the ancient pagan festival of Samhain are not the same. … Gregory III (731–741) and Gregory IV (827–844) moved the Christian holiday All Saints’ Day  from May 13 to November 1 to replace the pagan rituals on October 31 and November 1.  Gregory III instructed people to dress up as saints.  Let the occult have Samhain, we are taking All Hallows Eve back.

2. The establishment of Christmas and Easter in Europe had pagan connections but we do not  abandon these holidays.  Neither should we abandon All Hallows Eve. …

3. Understanding that early Christians contextualized early pagan holidays into Christian holidays helps us to see that we do not have to compromise our beliefs with pagan ones. Anthony McRoy, a Fellow of the British Society for Middle East Studies at Wales Evangelical School of Theology reminds us:

Of course, even if Christians did engage in contextualization—expressing their message and worship in the language or forms of the local people—that in no way implies doctrinal compromise.

4. “Evil” themes in our current secular Halloween observances were not always present. Thus, we can recapture the spiritual with the innocent. Halloween does not have to be a holiday filled with Draculas, bloody masks, or witches. …

5. If you still think Halloween is an evil day, then maybe you should see All Hallows Eve as a time when Christians can laugh and even mock evil. Anderson M. Rearick, assistant professor of English at Mount Vernon Nazarene College in Ohio, challenges us to rethink Halloween:

Should the forces of evil be mocked? Should Satan be laughed at? He most certainly should be. At the beginning of The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis includes two telling quotations, the first from Martin Luther: “The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.”

6. Christians should focus and teach the concept of celebrating All Saint’s Day, November 1st in churches.
The term “saint” is used over 60 times in the New Testament.  We protestants use the word saints to describe the Christians living and dead.  We can also honor our loved ones who have given us Christ, such as our parents, grandparents, etc…  We thank God for them and pray that the living “saints” may live in community.  Churches can use All Saints Day to light candles as an act of prayer for thanking God for the special people (“saints”) in our lives.

We can also learn from the saints of the church for the last 2,000 years.  We protestants have often been fearful of honoring and learning from the Church saints for fear that we are venerating them as Catholics do.

7. Christ holds the “keys to death and Hades” (Revelation 1:18).  We can take comfort in the fact that Christ defeated death. Even the mere name of “Jesus Christ” can make evil shutter and even follow the commands of God. (Pastor Alan Rudnik. 7 Reasons why a Christian can celebrate Halloween. October 28, 2010. http://www.alanrudnick.org/2010/10/28/7-reasons-why-christians-should-celebrate-halloween/ accessed 10/18/15)

Christians cannot “take back” what is anti-biblical–Halloween was never a Christian observance.

But apparently according to that Protestant pastor, if you feel that the Bishop of Rome has authority over your spiritual life (1), that you are to venerate dead saints and/or consider them mediators in conflict with 1 Timothy 2:5 (1,6), that modified paganism pleases God (1,2), that multiple wrongs make something right (1,2), that adopting pagan customs is not doctrinal compromise (3), that although vulgar and bad costumes are often used that because not all costumes are that way this is holiday is okay (4), that people spend Halloween mocking evil and the devil when they celebrate a pagan holiday (5), that you should venerate dead saints and light candles like the Church of Rome (6), that Halloween is a type of memorial to Christ’s death (7), and that keeeping Halloween is following the commands of God (7), then you clearly do not believe the Bible, so, if this is how you ‘take back’ Halloween, then clearly you worship a different God than we in the Continuing Church of God do. Jude wrote:

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)

Halloween, Christmas, and Easter were NOT part of the original faith. All three have aspects that promote lewdness, eg.: lewd costumes for Halloween, Christmas mistletoe for physical contact, and sex goddess promotion for Easter (the name of a sex goddess).

But, as UCG asked years ago, Can Halloween Be Christianized?:

The fundamental argument in favor of mixing ancient pagan customs and practices with the worship of God is that some believe it is an effective way to gradually win people over to Christian understanding. (Of course, in the present world we should ask ourselves why people who already see themselves as Christian would find any need to continue associations with pagan religious customs.)

This is sometimes a hotly disputed subject, and sincere people have concluded it indeed is useful to integrate the practices of ancient religious customs with the worship of God.

But perhaps we should address a fundamental question: What does God advise?

There is a scriptural precedent that offers guidance and direction for those who accept the Bible’s instruction. The Israelites were confronted with these issues as they settled and built a new nation in the Promised Land. They encountered many worshipers of pagan deities as they entered the land and for centuries faced the problem as they dealt with neighboring peoples.

Even before they entered the land, God revealed His thinking and told them how to handle this challenge. His directions were explicit: “When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed that you are not ensnared to follow them … Do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods … Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deuteronomy 12:29-32).

God’s instructions are crystal clear. He refuses to accept worship that is compromised and tainted by customs used in the worship of fraudulent religion. He expects His worshipers to revere Him in accordance with His commands, not their own imaginings.

Many centuries later the apostle Paul expressed a similar thought when correcting some in the church in Corinth for their poor judgment. “What partnership can righteousness have with wickedness?” he asked. “Can light associate with darkness? Can Christ agree with [the devil] …? Can there be a compact between the temple of God and idols? And the temple of the living God is what we are” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).

The modern debate over Christianizing pagan worship customs could be resolved simply by reading and heeding God’s plainly expressed will.

No real Christian should be debating as to whether or not to keep Halloween. Real Christians know that they should not. Perhaps it should be added that even the Church of Rome now discourages Halloween (for details see Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians?).

Notice something from the Protestant publication improperly named publication called Christianity Today:

October 28, 2016

Here are four reasons you might want to go trick-or-treating tonight:

1. There is no other night in the year when people you have not met will be coming to your door. You want to be there, meet them, and visit with them. If you are at a Halloween alternative, you miss your neighbors.

2. There is no other night when you get to go to your neighbor’s door and introduce yourself without any awkwardness (only if you have kids—otherwise it’s creepy and you should stay home and pass out candy). Tonight, you will meet people at your door and at their door—what an amazing opportunity.

Halloween trick-or-treating might be the best opportunity you have to connect with the unchurched all year.

3. You don’t have to worship the devil to go up and ask your neighbor for candy. Choose your costume and your words carefully, and many Christians find this an opportunity, not an occult experience. I know the history of Halloween, but your neighbors don’t, so don’t assume they are participating in some dark ritual if it has lost all that meaning. (Now, if you are opposed to Easter eggs, Christmas trees, and the like, I would definitely not go out on Halloween or else you are being inconsistent to your convictions.)

4. You can meet more neighbors in one night than any other day of the year. Don’t miss the best opportunity you have each year to meet your neighbors. And, while you do, get their names and numbers and have them over for dinner. Get to know them, and start tonight. http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2016/october/new-lifeway-research-pastors-and-halloween.html

Well, you certainly are not setting a truly ‘Christian’ example for your neighbors by endorsing a pagan holiday. A holiday intended to honor the spirits, increase consumption of sweets, and one where many wear lewd costumes.

Neighbors pretty much do NOT want you to trick-or-treat and then try to convert them. But the author is right for implying that many holidays Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants observe are also filled with paganism (see also Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?)–but certainly multiple wrongs do not make a right.

The Bible repeatedly teaches:

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 16:25)

8 “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today — every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8)

Furthermore, consider:

8 “Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. (Jeremiah 21:8)

19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; (Deuteronomy 30:19)

The demonically death-themed Halloween is not the way of life that the Bible advocates.

Years ago, several anti-Church of God websites posted comments from former WCG-writer Keith Stump who abandoned the original faith:

First, there’s no need to point out that Halloween is not found in Leviticus 23. (Duh.) Leviticus 23 is obsolete and irrelevant anyway…Yet some of Halloween’s customs do have roots in pre-Christian (“pagan”) practices…Some of Halloween’s customs can be traced to practices of the Celtic New Year, particularly among the Druids of ancient Britain.

Of course, since the Bible says that the holy days in Leviticus 23 are “‘The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (vs. 2), obviously those that do not believe that they need to do what the Bible teaches would consider that Halloween was acceptable. It is nice that he admits that current customs often have pagan roots–and followers of the true God are not to adopt pagan-worship practices (Deuteronomy 4:15-16).

Plus, the writings of the Apostle Paul show that Christians are not to adopt pagan worship practices. Paul also wrote:

11 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Paul and Jesus kept the biblical holy days and not demonic ones (see also the free online booklet Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?).

Early Christians did NOT consider the Holy Days of Leviticus 23 obsolete as they did observe them–that is a historical fact.

Keith Stump also wrote:

Others who are reading this have heartwarming memories of Halloween. It’s a slice of genuine Americana … Halloween reaffirmed social bonds with friends and neighbors. These are hardly the “unfruitful works of darkness” (Eph. 5:11), unless one is a fanatic who interprets that phrase like, well, a fanatic.

Now that is an attempt to try to insult and label people who do not wish to disobey God as “fanatics.” The reality is that pagans had fond memories of their holiday practices as well or they would not have continued to have their holidays. God did not say that exceptions should be made for pagan-practices that families liked (cf. Deuteronomy 4:15-16).

Christians were considered to be part of a sect that was everywhere spoken against (Acts 28:22). The Apostle Paul was considered to be part of a cult (Acts 24:14. NLB). Jesus warned that a person’s enemies would be those of their own household (Matthew 10:36). Presumably enemies of true Christianity considered those who were faithful as fanatics.

Keith Stump also wrote:

I have seen no evidence of children being psychologically warped or seduced into a life of witchcraft and perversion as a result of innocent Halloween activities.

I was unaware that Keith Stump is able to look at the heart (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7), though he probably feels that accepting non-biblical Protestant or similar faiths is not a problem. Pagan cultures have many “experts” like Keith Stump who come to similar conclusions about how many practices that are opposed to scripture affect their people. Consider also that there is not evidence that those who embrace Halloween actively promote the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The observance of Halloween absolutely pushes people away for obeying the God of the Bible–so yes, in that sense they become spiritually warped.

Keith Stump also wrote:

Halloween is also a good time to reconsider our own views about death and the afterlife. The unbiblical doctrine of “soul sleep” would be a good place to start. The Bible clearly teaches (and centuries of experience demonstrate) that death does not interrupt self-awareness; personal identity survives death!

Jesus and others in the Bible come to a different conclusion than Keith Stump here (see What Happens After Death? and Did Early Christians Believe that Humans Possessed Immortality?).”Soul sleep” is actually what the Bible teaches and early Christians also taught it.

Furthermore, most people do not use Halloween as time to consider views of their death, but instead view it as a time for a holiday of indulgence. The high prevalence of diabetes in the Western world is the direct result of consuming excessive amounts of sugars and other refined carbohydrates, which is something that modern Halloween practices do encourage.

Keith Stump also wrote:

To all COG members out there: Is your children’s Christianity so feeble as to be endangered by a plastic mask and a few candy bars? Are your children so inadequately grounded in their religion as to be tempted into a life of witchcraft by attending a costume party? Are you yourself so poorly rooted in your faith that you fear your children will ask questions to which you have no satisfactory answers?

Now, the Bible says that no unclean person will enter the Kingdom (Ephesians 5:5). I am fairly sure that the Corinthians thought that they had less feeble Christianity when they tolerated a type of fornicator in their midst. But God inspired the Apostle Paul to write:

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father’s wife! 2 And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. (1 Corinthians 5:1-3)

Christians should not be “puffed up” they think that they have spiritual strength because they have compromised with pagan-practices.

The Apostle Paul also warned:

33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

It is not good to participate in corrupt and pagan activities.

Here are some excerpts from an article in Christianity Today that Halloween endorses Halloween:

On the calendar of events for the Christian college where I teach, October 31 sits in a dark square with no acknowledgment that there is anything special about the date.

“It’s Satan’s Holiday, Dr. Rearick,” affirmed one of my students. “Didn’t you know?”

Well, no, I didn’t know … I have always considered Halloween a day to celebrate the imagination, to become for a short time something wonderful and strange, smelling of grease paint, to taste sweets that are permissible only once a year … “But look at the roots of Halloween,” some may say. “Don’t you see how evil it once was?” I do, but the operative word in that sentence is was. Samhain was once a time of fear and dread, but at one time so was Yule or Midvinterblot, as it was called in Sweden …

Christians should instead celebrate Halloween with gusto. (Rearick III, AM. Trick-or-Treat? Christianity Today, October 31, 2008. http://blog.kyria.com/giftedforleadership/2008/10/trick_or_treat.html viewed 10/17/2011)

Hallowing Halloween

Why Christians should embrace the devilish holiday with gusto—and laughter. …

I have always considered Halloween a day to celebrate the imagination, to become for a short time something wonderful and strange, smelling of grease paint, to taste sweets that are permissible only once a year. How wonderful to be with other children dressed up as what they might grow up to be, what they wished they could be, or even what they secretly feared. (Rearick III, AM. Hallowing Halloween. Christianity Today, October 2, 2000.

The above argument suggests that it does not matter if Halloween was a pagan holiday, it is not one now, so it is okay.

But based on what scripture? The Bible is clear that the God of the Bible did not want His people to adopt pagan customs (Jeremiah 10:2-3). Plus, remember that the Apostle Paul wrote, “ let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Furthermore, notice something about the type of costumes that many women like to dress up as in the 21st century:

As everyone knows, the perennial favorite among Halloween costumes for women is “ho,” followed by “sexy witch,” “sexy nurse” and “Lady Gaga.” http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-allen-halloween-sluts-20111030,0,6455906.story

No one can consider how “Lady Gaga” provocatively has dressed to be Christian, and no true believer would ever try to follow her risqué example, or to try to directly resemble some type of harlot as many women apparently like to do now.

The Apostle Paul taught:

9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, 10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

Hence, although I have heard some claim that Halloween is no longer a pagan holiday, certainly with many dressing immodestly, no one can seriously feel that Christians are to observe it.

Holidays that encourage women to dress like harlots are not holidays that Christians should want to endorse.

Many claim Christians should celebrate Halloween.

But the Bible does not endorse it–instead it warns about following pagan ways–in both the Old and New Testaments.

Jesus said:

4 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4)

Those who really intend to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” do not celebrate Halloween.

While many Protestants tend to rely on feelings above scripture, we in the Continuing Church of God  are not Protestant, but as this article demonstrates, do rely on scripture as well as historical facts.

Halloween was NOT something early Christians observed. It was adopted by the Church of Rome from the pagan Druids. Many of its modern practices are bad, and its fruits are not good.

Furthermore, it obscures God’s plan of salvation as it is an alternative that many Protestants (and others) have chosen to observe instead of those days God commands in scripture.

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

1:15:14

Halloween, Protestants, and Scripture

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? It became an official holiday in the 9th century after a pronouncement by the Roman Catholic Pope Gregory IV. Protestants such Joy Wendling, Kirk Cameron, Hailey Bieber, and Alan Rudnick think Christians should keep it. But other Protestants have issues with that. What about the Church of God, which is not Protestant nor Roman Catholic? What about Martin Luther, the Apostle Jude, the original faith, and licentiousness? Does Halloween have its origins in a pagan Druid holiday which has many of the same features as modern Halloween celebrations? What do Satanists and those who practice Wicca (witchcraft) think of Halloween? Is Halloween the right time to be a Christian witness? What about lewd Halloween costumes? Did a Roman Catholic write, “Catholic feasts are in continuity and fulfill the meaning of the pagan ones”? Did the Apostle Paul about combining biblical and demonic practices? Did early Christians endorse anything like Halloween or ‘All Saints Day’? What is the state of the dead? Should real Christians rely on the word of God or feelings some ascribe to the Holy Spirit? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Halloween, Protestants, and Scripture.

In 2024, in response to another Protestant advocating Halloween, the Continuing Church of God put out the following sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:21:36

5 Ways Christians Can Biblically Celebrate Halloween?

The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Greek scriptures (New Testament) enjoin the Ten Commandments. Did early Christians keep them? Did the Pharisees keep or actually violate all of the Ten Commandments? Do many rely on traditions of men and mistranslations of scripture as “proof” that they do not need to keep the commandments? Do the two beasts of Revelation 13, the Beast from the sea (King of the North) and Beast from the earth (Antichrist) keep or violate each of the 10 Commandments? What about Simon Magus, Marcion of Pontus, and the “mystery of iniquity” otherwise known as the “mystery of lawlessness”? Did early Christians believe that they needed to do the Ten Commandments? Were crosses considered a symbol of their faith by early Christians? Does the Book of Revelation make it clear that God’s people, the saints, are to keep the Ten Commandments? Are the Ten Commandments truth? Is the purpose of the commandments love? What are some of the anti-10 Commandment arguments? Will the two end time beasts persecute those who strive to keep the Ten Commandments? Is an increase in lawlessness a sign of the end times? Is it only those who do His Commandments that have the right to the ‘tree of life’? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: 5 Ways Christians Can Biblically Celebrate Halloween?

In 2025, we put out the following sermon:

 

1:17:17

Halloween: A Pagan Threat!

Is Halloween really a pagan threat? What are its origins? What about Charlie Kirk and the ‘Pagan Threat’? Do Roman Catholic Church leaders admit that October 31st was chosen as ‘All Hallows Eve’ as a compromise with paganism? Have Roman Catholic leaders condemned Halloween as a demonic holiday? Should Christians keep biblical holy days or demonic holidays? Are there risks and harms from Halloween and other pagan practices? Was ‘All Saints Day’ an original Christian observance? Did its date change? Should you pray to dead ‘saints’? What about the ‘Day of the Dead’? Do costumes, Jack-O-Lanterns, treats, and tricks have origins in Celtic pagan rituals promoted by the Druids related to the pagan god Samhain? Should women dress up as seductresses on Halloween? Are Roman Catholic feasts in continuity and fulfill the meaning of pagan ones” according to Roman Catholic sources? Are there any ties between commonly observed holidays and Mithraism? Are there ties between Halloween and Satanism? Should you ignore the ‘pagan threat’ if you think it will not affect your faith? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this sermon.

Here is a link to our video:  Halloween: A Pagan Threat!

Some items of related interest may include:

Halloween is Pagan Many accept that the origins are pagan. But did you know that the Church of Rome applauds that? A related sermon is available titled: Halloween: A Pagan Threat!
Is Halloween Holy Time for Christians? Here are some historical and biblical insight on this question. There are many cultures that have celebrations and observances that are similar to some associated with Halloween. What did the Druids do? Is Halloween one of the most important holidays for Satanists? Do the Japanese, Indians, and Chinese have any practices that are similar to some associated with Halloween? Does the Bible endorse or condemn practices that are associated with Halloween? Here are links to three related sermonette length videos: Debunking 17 reasons to celebrate Halloween, Halloween: Are there 7 reasons for Christians to celebrate it?, and International ‘Halloween’ Should Christians observe Halloween?
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.
All Saints’ Day, the Day of the Dead, and All Souls’ Day When did “All Saints Day” and the “Day of the Dead” begin? “What about All Soul’s Day”? Here is a link to a related sermon: All Hallowed Saints’ Day of the Dead.
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. 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.

COGwriter

Donald Trump has been working on deals in Asia:

S Korea announces lowering of tariffs as part of new US trade deal

29 October 2025

The US and South Korea have reached a broad trade deal, both countries have said following talks between their leaders.

South Korea’s presidential aide, Kim Yong-beom, said the two sides will reduce reciprocal tariffs from 25% to 15%, as was agreed earlier this year.

South Korea will also invest $350bn in the US, including $200bn in cash investment and $150bn in shipbuilding, Kim said.

US President Donald Trump, who is currently on a week-long trip in Asia, …

Trump will next meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in on Thursday on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) which is taking place in Gyeongju.

China’s foreign ministry has confirmed the meeting, which will take place in the city of Busan on Thursday, a short flight away from Gyeongju.

The US president said on Wednesday that he was “looking forward” to the meeting.

“We’ve been talking a lot over the last month and I think we’re going to have something that’s gonna be very, very satisfactory to China and to us. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly4jz9zr50o

29 October 2025

The United States and South Korea advanced trade talks on Wednesday, addressing details of $350 billion (€300 billion) that would be invested in the American economy, after negotiations and ceremonies that included the presentation of a gold medal and crown to President Donald Trump.

Both were gifts from the country’s president, Lee Jae Myung, who dialled up the flattery while Washington and Seoul worked to nail down financial promises during the last stop of Trump’s Asia trip. https://www.euronews.com/2025/10/29/trump-begins-final-leg-of-asian-tour-in-south-korea-as-pyongyang-tests-missiles

October 29, 2025

After President Trump secured a rare-earths deal and new U.S. investments during his Asia tour in Japan, he met with South Korea’s top leadership on Wednesday to discuss boosting America’s shipbuilding industry, including a potential $350 billion investment in the U.S. The meeting comes just one day before Trump is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Trump-Xi meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Beijing appears to be extending a gesture of goodwill, including the purchase of at least two cargo shipments of U.S. soybeans.

Reuters reports that China’s state-owned COFCO purchased about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans for December and January shipment through Pacific Northwest port terminals. This marks China’s first purchase of U.S. soybeans from this year’s harvest https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/china-buys-american-soybeans-trump-xi-meeting

Here is something I wrote that was published a few days BEFORE Donald Trump took office this year and it is available as a free eBook: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

Donald Trump is Fulfilling End Time Prophecy

Donald Trump is clearly an apocalyptic leader (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Although he is not the final Antichrist that the Bible warns about, Donald Trump has been helping fulfill many aspects of prophecy. Donald Trump is expected to help enable the rise of the final Antichrist—so will any possible successor to him. …

While I believe that he believes he wants to help, certain of his actions are pointing to destruction.

Donald Trump has made political, economic, and military statements which will ultimately help the rise of the upcoming Beast power in Europe. Donald Trump seems to think the relationship between Europe and the USA is better than it really is.

This European Beast power will, after it has a prophesied reorganization and rises up, destroy the United States (Daniel 11:39). And the leader of this power is supposed to rise up “When the transgressors have reached their fullness,” (Daniel 8:23). …

Unintended Consequences

While Donald Trump seems to believe that his policies are best for the United States, notice some unintended consequences of them: …

• Pushing tariffs and sanctions on other countries is contributing to the rise of the final time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24; Ezekiel 7:24).
• Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. This is also helping set the stage for the coming European Babylonian Beast to dominate international trade. …
• Pushing against Europe’s unity is encouraging the Europeans, which are prophesied to have unity difficulties (cf. Daniel 2:41-43), to try harder to unify, which will happen after at least two reorganizations (Revelation 17:12-13).
• By breaking political norms and acting like a ‘strong man’ this will help Europeans being more accepting of their beast ‘strong man’ (Revelation 13:1-10; 17:13).
• Donald Trump’s statements will help promote the rise of stronger European leaders like Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.
• Although, overall, the European nations have not paid for their defense to the amount they have suggested they would, pressuring them to spend more will 1) encourage them to be independent of the USA and 2) put Europe in a position where it has a great army (Daniel 11:25), many ships (Daniel 11:40), and access to nuclear weapons (cf. Deuteronomy 29:23-25; Isaiah 9:19-21;Ezekiel 6:6), which will help it conquer the USA, which is the military power with the strongest fortresses (cf. Daniel 11:39).

Christians are to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). By faith we trust the prophecies in the word of God over plans of humans (cf. Psalm 118:9).

That is one way for Christians to avoid negative “unintended consequences.”

More items, as well as specific predictions related to the presidency of Donald Trump are in the Amazon Kindle book: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Below, in italics, are statements from that book, with the page numbers where the prediction can be found in the printed book shown within ():

1. Pushing tariffs and other policies that foreign nations do not like is contributing to other nations looking to bypass the USA dollar, as well as trade more with each other and less with the USA. This will further push various globalist’s moves forward without the USA. (p.210) Confirmation: Because of tariff threats from Donald Trump, on 1/21/25, EU President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe would seek out others to trade with (https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-donald-trump-america-we-have-other-options-ursula-von-der-leyen/). On 2/27/25, Ursula von der Leyen went to India to push for closer trade ties for reasons including Donald Trump’s tariff pushing (https://www.dw.com/en/von-der-leyen-arrives-in-india-to-strengthen-partnership/a-71768504). On 4/16/25 she declared that, “Everyone is asking for more trade with Europe” https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/16/the-west-as-we-knew-it-no-longer-exists-von-der-leyen-says-amid-trump-tensions. On 08/07/25, China declared solidarity with Brazil against USA tariffs https://www.rt.com/news/622617-china-backs-brazil-us-bullying/ .
2. Gold will set records in U.S. dollar terms. … … gold will set further records in U.S. dollar terms in the relatively near future. (pp. 205, 206) Confirmation: Gold hit a record price on 1/31/25 (https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/gold-hits-record-high-trump-tariff-worries-mount-2025-01-31/) and it has done so at least 31 times since that book was published (https://www.bullionvault.com/gold-news/gold-price-news/gold-3600-dollar-tariffs-090820251).
3. Expect more protests against Donald Trump. (p. 15) There are issues with what Donald Trump says when he speaks. I expect protests. (p. 44). Donald Trump has been a polarizing figure and has offended many including minorities, migrants, and Muslims. Expect civil unrest and rioting. The Bible prophesies “There shall be terror within” (Deuteronomy 32:25).(p. 89). Confirmation: Numerous protests as well as some violence have begun 03/17/25 (https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/nx-s1-5328626/elon-musk-protests-tesla-takedown) and 03/16/25 (https://endoftheamericandream.com/why-is-the-media-so-quiet-about-the-anti-trump-violence-that-is-erupting-all-over-the-nation/) and June 14, 2025 (https://www.newsweek.com/no-kings-protest-largest-mobilization-since-trump-took-office-2083818).
4. One of the unintended consequence of his actions is, that after crises (cf. Revelation 6:7-8), more Europeans will decide that they need their own even stronger leader—which will happen per Revelation 13:10 and 17:13.(pp. 58-59) Partial confirmation: This already started to happen at a European political conference on 2/08/25 (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/02/08/your-time-is-over-far-right-leaders-take-on-the-eus-mainstream-parties). And at least one German politician, Friedrich Merz, has been called ‘The Führer ‘ on 03/23/25 (https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/fuhrer-germany-friedrich-merz-war-spending-frenzy) and on 4/10/25  “The man Europe has been waiting for” and he stated “Germany is getting a strong and capable government” (https://www.yahoo.com/news/friedrich-merz-man-europe-waiting-161655776.html). Furthermore, after the 5/18/25 elections in the three EU nations, Jean-Michel De Waele, a political scientist at the ULB University in Brussels, told Euronews that because of Donald Trump, more European voters are looking for strong and decisive leader https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/05/20/eu-elections-super-sunday-shows-centre-left-parties-remain-in-freefall. “Andrej Babis … Known as “Czech Trump,” … earned a decisive victory” https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/10/04/Czech-Republic-Andrej-Babis-poised-become-prime-minister-Czech-Trmp/1991759603855/
5. Donald Trump has often encouraged increased military spending by the Europeans. … Donald Trump is helping enable the rise of the King of the North/Beast power who will be in league with the final Antichrist. (p. 87) Confirmation: This is confirmed. Consider that Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission stated on 1/22/25 that Europe needs to spend more as Donald Trump called for (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/22/eu-must-spend-more-than-1-of-gdp-on-defence-to-prepare-for-the-worst-kallas-says). On 3/04/25, EU President von der Leyen proposed spending €800 on the military (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/04/von-der-leyen-pitches-800bn-defence-package-ahead-of-eu-leaders-summit). About the same time, Germany’s Friedrich Merz proposed spending €1 trillion (https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/cdu-spd-constitutional-amendment-defence-infrastructure-spending-bypassing-new-bundestag/). “Europe has become convinced that its American ally will no longer guarantee its security, and has decided to rearm massively” 03/26/25 (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/26/readiness-2030-how-is-europe-planning-to-rearm-and-can-it-afford-it). The European Commission announced on 4/30/25 that 16 European nations had been granted permission to violate earlier budgetary guidelines in order to spend more on their militaries (https://www.euronews.com/2025/05/01/sixteen-eu-countries-to-trigger-clause-to-increase-defence-spending). And then on 25 June 2025, most of the European nations pledged to spend 5% of the GDP on military matters (https://www.newsweek.com/no-kings-protest-largest-mobilization-since-trump-took-office-2083818).
6. Donald Trump’s rise has also spurred the Europeans to further unify among themselves. … Donald Trump has been pointed to by various European leaders as ‘proof’ that Europe needs more unification and distance from the USA. (p. 88) Confirmations: More of this has since happened (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/22/eu-must-spend-more-than-1-of-gdp-on-defence-to-prepare-for-the-worst-kallas-says and https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/other/eu-enlargement-debate-at-davos-focuses-on-europe-s-global-role-and-growth/ar-AA1xBhgq?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds) and a EU foreign ministers meeting on 1/27/25 called for a unified approach to deal with US President Donald Trump and what analysts refer to as his “divide and rule policy” (https://www.dw.com/en/eu-sanctions-russia-trump-2025/a-71427544). Europeans have called for a “New World Order Based on European Values” 03/24/25 (https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/new-world-order-european-values-unholy-union-globalism-and-anti-free-speech-measures). And “the old world order appears to be over – and the new world order has yet to take shape” 03/26/25 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2er9j83x0zo). On 4/16/25, EU President von der Leyen basically confirmed European unity and distance from the US and apparently because of Donald Trump stated, “The West as we knew it no longer exists,” (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/16/the-west-as-we-knew-it-no-longer-exists-von-der-leyen-says-amid-trump-tensions).
7. Donald Trump … Many have rightly pointed out that he often acts as a bully. (p. 47).Confirmation: This has happened within weeks of Donald Trump taking office (e.g. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/europe/trump-zelensky-us-deal-ukraine-russia-war-b2702046.html) and https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2025-02-10/trump-is-not-an-isolationist-hes-a-bully-and-that-hurts-us-influence-in-the-world). And it has continued since (e.g. 08/07/25: https://www.dw.com/en/trump-tariffs-new-levies-hit-eu-japan-south-korea/live-73550668)
8. It is believed that Donald Trump will likely use some type of “maximum pressure” strategy again against Iran during his next Administration. (p. 67)Confirmation: This is now his Administration’s position and Iran is not happy with it (https://www.dw.com/en/iran-says-will-not-bow-to-us-maximum-pressure-strategy/a-71745081). Furthermore, the USA also bombed Iran in June 2025 (https://www.ft.com/content/72d898ac-c18b-4884-ab94-0c21742d18e3).
9. The Bible teaches about a great power who will be destroyed by its friends, who become enemies (Lamentations 1:1-2)—some statements by Donald Trump are pushing “friends” (NATO allies) into being enemies. (pp. 48-49) Partial Confirmation: It has been reported that Donald Trump is turning USA friends into enemies, “frenemies” (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93ll927v18o). On 4/16/25, EU President von der Leyen would not confirm that the US was a friend (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/16/the-west-as-we-knew-it-no-longer-exists-von-der-leyen-says-amid-trump-tensions). Statements from Trump-Vance Administration leaders have insulted Europe 03/25/25 (https://www.euronews.com/2025/03/25/pathetic-european-free-loading-us-officials-slam-europe-in-leaked-chat) ” “Horrific to see in black and white. But hardly surprising,” is how a top European diplomat reacted to what comes across as deep, heartfelt disdain for European allies” 03/25/25 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c204vl27n2qo) and “nearly three quarters of French people now think that the United States is not an ally of France. A … very large majority in Denmark, … historically pro-American … have unfavourable views of the United States as well” 03/26/25 (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2er9j83x0zo). The USA-EU trade deal has upset many in Europe who do not consider it something an ally would do (07/28/25 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ez97zv5y5o).
10. Jesus warned about a coming time of pestilences as part of the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:4-8)—they are consistent with the ride of the 4^thhorseman of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:7-8)—that ride may well start in the second term of a Donald Trump Administration. Actions and/or inactions by Donald Trump will likely put the USA at increased risk of problems from pestilences. (p. 90) Potential confirmation: Donald Trump announced he is pulling the USA out of the World Health Organization (https://fortune.com/well/2025/01/21/trump-who-us-remove-world-health-organization/).
11. His policies are pushing nations away from the USA and helping set the stage for the final times of the Gentiles (cf. Ezekiel 7:24, 39:23; Luke 21:24). (p. 91) Partial confirmation: Donald Trump’s comments at the WEF reportedly silenced the crowd and made them “stone-faced” (Donald Trump speaks virtually to the WEF’s Davos meeting and pushes USA fossil fuels and trade matters). These leaders were not pleased and will take actions. Ursula von der Leyen said “Europe will keep seeking co-operation — not only with our long-time, like-minded friends, but with any country we share interests with” https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-donald-trump-america-we-have-other-options-ursula-von-der-leyen/. She also on 4/16/25 confirmed that many nations are contacting the EU, because of US tariff and other actions https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/04/16/the-west-as-we-knew-it-no-longer-exists-von-der-leyen-says-amid-trump-tensions. The USA tariffs of August 2025 have also contributed to that (e.g. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx23jmvn5yzo).
12. His statements are getting more in Europe to consider that they need to reorganize … The Bible shows that will happen in Revelation 17:12-13. (p. 91) Speculative confirmation: I cannot imagine that at the WEF and within the EU they are not discussing something like a stronger European leader and a reorganization of Europe. For example the chief executive of a European bank at the WEF conference stated, “I heard the EU talking about the willingness to make changes,” and “The truth of the matter is every time they do something they create more bureaucracy, more complexity. They need to have a huge reset” (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/24/davos-donald-trump-tariffs-eu-us). Germans have noticed that what they call the “far right” is gaining because of Donald Trump and that right wing leaders look more useful now (https://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/news/detail/9836 01/21/25). Furthermore, EU President Von der Leyen said this week, “To sustain our growth in the next quarter of the century, Europe must shift gears,” (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/24/davos-donald-trump-tariffs-eu-us) that sounds like a plea to reorganize.
13. Official USA debt will rise in Donald Trump’s second term in office. Donald Trump supported a bill to increase debt 03/15/25 https://www.barrons.com/articles/ai-stocks-nvidia-amazon-microsoft-coreweave-ipo-ddee09ff. On 4 July 2025, he signed it (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpvjlj3n1vmo). ·  January 17, 2025, $36,206,593,315,575.15, the last business date for the Biden-Harris Administration (see also  https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/datasets/debt-to-the-penny/debt-to-the-penny). As of August 6, 2025, the debt has risen to $36,950,459,859,111.56.
14. By focusing too much on threats from China and almost always considering the Europeans as some type of allies, a Donald Trump Administration is currently not expected to reverse the Asian ‘pivot’ strategy. Partial confirmation:Donald Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ project is an example of this 05/21/25 https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/donald-trump-announces-golden-dome-china-objects-but-wwiii-will-still-come/
15. Many in the USA do not seem to realize that once Europeans are spending more for their militaries, they will also expect to have more independence from the USA as to how military might will be used. (p. 63). Although, overall, the European nations have not paid for their defense to the amount they have suggested they would, pressuring them to spend more will 1) encourage them to be independent of the USA (p. 213). Partial confirmation: On 25 February 2025, Germany’s chancellor-elect called for military independence from the United States (https://abcnews.go.com/International/germany-move-independence-us-new-leader/story?id=119115938). On 25 June 2025, others in the EU pushed for military independence from the USA (https://www.dw.com/en/eu-pushes-for-independent-defense-amid-nato-strain/video-73032325).

There will be many unintended consequences of the Trump-Vance Administration. Donald Trump was not sent by God to save America.

Here is something else from the book:

Although Hillary Clinton is considered to have been an early promoter of what has been called the pivot strategy towards Asia,[i] Donald Trump has been somewhat supportive of that policy. This ‘pivot’ has partially been responsible for a decreased USA military presence in Europe.[ii]  Aspects of this will hurt the U.S. later.

[i] ^{Clinton, Hillary. America’s Pacific Century. Foreign Policy, November 2011; Clinton, Hard Choices, pp. 41-46}

[ii] ^{Alexander D. U.S. to cut European military bases as budgets shrink. Reuters, January 8, 2015; Vandiver J. US Army’s last tanks depart from Germany. Stars and Stripes, April 4, 2013}

Consider that, along with number 14 above. Consider not only what Donald Trump has been doing in Asia, notice also the following:

US will reduce its troops on Nato’s eastern flank, Romania says

29 October 2025

Romania’s defence ministry has said the US intends to reduce some of its troops stationed on Nato’s eastern flank.

Between 900 and 1,000 American troops will remain in Romania, Bucharest said – down from 1,700.

The ministry said the decision was expected and that the “resizing” of US forces was a result of the new priorities of the Trump presidential administration.

Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu stated that his US counterpart Pete Hegseth had recently conveyed to the Europeans that they needed to pay more attention to their own defence and that the US was shifting its attention towards the Indo-Pacific region.

The “Indo-Pacific region” mainly means steps to deal with China

Much has happened in the new Trump Administration.

While there have been many positives, there also have been, and will be, many unintended consequences of it. Donald Trump was not sent by God to save America, despite deals he may make with various ones.

Do not place your confidence in any politician.

Remember to pray, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:10), for God’s kingdom to come.

Catastrophic Category 5 #Melissa has made landfall in Jamaica with 185 MPH winds and a minimum pressure of 892 MB. This ties with the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane as the most intense Atlantic landfall on record and by the far strongest Jamaican landfall exceeding Gilbert of 1988. https://t.co/1w7RiGKZHN

— Hurricane Melissa (@YourWxDaily) October 28, 2025

COGwriter

Hurricane Melissa is believed to be tied for the strongest to hit in the Atlantic:

Hurricane Melissa brings severe flooding to Cuba after devastating Jamaica

October 29, 2025

Melissa is now a Category 2 hurricane after making landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, and is currently moving over the country causing severe flooding. It earlier devastated Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history.  … Melissa is responsible for seven deaths — three in Jamaica during storm preparations, three in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic. https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-melissa-cuba-bahamas-landfall-wednesday-climate-hnk

Hurricane Melissa became one of the most powerful hurricanes on record to make landfall in the Atlantic Basin. … The hurricane ranks in a three-way tie with Hurricane Dorian (2019) and the “Labor Day” hurricane (1935) for the strongest sustained winds at landfall, records show. 10/28/25 https://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-melissa-ranks-strongest-atlantic-storms-make-landfall/story?id=126943257

October 29, 2025

The water around Jamaica had been simmering all summer. By the time Hurricane Melissa roared ashore Tuesday, that uber-warm Caribbean Sea had helped turn it into a monster: a Category 5 storm with winds reaching 185 miles an hour, tied for the strongest hurricane to strike land in the Atlantic. …

Jamaica is waking up to devastation, with severe damage to infrastructure including the electric grid, hospitals and schools. But the true extent of the damage in the hardest-hit communities may take days to uncover, as rescue workers and families struggle to reach them.

Three days before landfall, Hurricane Melissa underwent two periods of rapid intensification as it traversed ocean water that were about 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than average for this time of year. …

And as it moved through those water, Hurricane Melissa’s maximum sustained winds doubled from 70 mph — a tropical storm — on Saturday morning to a 140 mph Category 4 hurricane just 24 hours later.

Then from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon its peak winds spiked again, going from 140 mph to 175 mph. It then intensified further overnight Monday into Tuesday morning during its final approach to the Jamaican coast. …

Kerry Emanuel, a veteran hurricane researcher at MIT, said we are now seeing evidence of greater human-caused influences on these massive storms.

“This is the third Category 5 tropical cyclone in the Atlantic this year, and the other two also went through periods of rapid intensification,” he told CNN in an email. https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/climate/ocean-warming-effect-hurricane-melissa

Hurricane Melissa is delivering a devastating blow to thousands of Haitians already suffering. Gang violence has forced many families out of their homes and onto the streets of Port-Au-Prince and the western Les Cayes region. 10/28/25 https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/video/hurricane-melissa-despair-haiti-no-way-out-but-to-die

While this is ‘hurricane season,’ the strength of Melissa has been difficult for many in the Caribbean. Sabbath services for the Continuing Church of God in Haiti were canceled last week because of early storm issues.

As regular readers of this Church of God news page are aware, hurricanes are consistent with the following scriptures about rain and wind:

26 “Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered. 27 For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, 28 Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. 29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy? 30 Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. 32 He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. 33 His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm. (Job 36:26-33)

25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders. 33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings. 36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, 37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest. 38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. (Psalms 107:25-38)

17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow. (Psalms 147:17-18)

3 He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. 5 God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. 6 For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. 7 He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. 8 The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs. 9 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north. 10 By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen. 11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. 12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth. 13 He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy. (Job 37:3-13)

God controls the weather. Jesus’ disciples got to see this first hand:

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:23-27)

Presumably, the disciples learned something from that experience.

Wet weather is sometimes used by God for judgment and correction. Hurricanes are consistent with prophecy.

Some may wish to watch our video related to hurricanes and Bible prophecy:

Hurricanes and Prophecy Hurricane Harvey dropped the greatest amount of rainfall in any USA storm. Hurricane Irma was the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic. Hurricane Irma wiped out most of the island of Barbuda, caused a million to lose power in Puerto Rico, devastated St. Martin’s, hit Cuba, and hit Florida. A news headline stated ” ‘Nature’s gone crazy’: Winds, fire, floods and quakes plague North America.” Is there any tie to prophecy? Are heavy winds and rains discussed in the Bible? Any ties to homosexuality and other forms of immorality? What about Donald Trump and Jennifer Lawrence? Does God control the weather? What does God want people to do? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more. This is a video.

As longtime readers of this page are aware, I have repeatedly warned of weather problems coming. Back in 2009, in my book, 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, I warned about something that would soon happen:

Odd weather patterns result in … natural disasters. Matthew 24:7 …

The world is actually in a berserk transition … It is the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:8 (Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Nazarene Books, 2009, p. 240)

Since that was published, we have had record smashing heat, stronger hurricanes, and odd weather problems. These weather issues should serve as a wake-up call.

While many in the media believe that climate change is the cause, and to a degree it is, they fail to understand that behaviors that many are promoting are factors.

God uses weather for various reasons, including to show people that this world will change.

Also to remind people that they need to change.

The recent storms are consistent with the following that Jesus foretold:

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

Major hurricanes are troubling. We are in the beginning of sorrows.

Weather events should serve as a wake-up call to all for repentance.

Artist depiction of Roman Catholic saint Dominic presiding over burning two at the stake

COGwriter

Is persecution for Christians over?

Well, obviously not.

And, of course, it is not just Christians that are being persecuted. Various people around the world are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

Even in the USA, many political leaders and courts are going against religious beliefs.

In addition to persecution for those who profess Christ in various Islamic lands, losing religious rights and freedoms in certain Western lands, false statements made against biblical beliefs in the media (including alternative media over the internet), and the promotion of immoral behavior by nations around the world, severe persecution will be coming specifically to true Christians.

Jesus foretold persecution:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12, NKJV throughout unless otherwise specified).

43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).

23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes (Matthew 10:23).

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (Mark 8:35)

29… Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life (Mark 10:29-30).

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all men for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved…” (Mark 13:3-13).

12… they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake (Luke 21:12).

20 If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20).

2… yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you (John 16:2-4).

Many are aware of some of the early persecutions, but few understand what teachings true Christians were persecuted for in the fourth century and beyond–some may seem shocking. At least two major persecutions are prophesied to come. Which doctrines are expected to be causes for the coming persecutions? Are the Greco-Roman churches planning on persecuting Sabbath-keepers, those who do not accept a non-biblical Mary, and those who do not wear crosses?

All the faithful will be subject to persecution and being betrayed by professing believers (Matthew 24:9-13, Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:16-18; Daniel 11:32-35).

In the past (for details see Persecutions by Church and State), Christians in the Church of God were persecuted because they:

• Kept Passover on the 14th
• Refused to eat unclean meat
• Would work on Sunday
• Had false accusations railed against them
• Were binitarian
• Kept the Sabbath
• Kept the Fall Holy Days
• Were not trinitarian
• Taught that the pope was an Antichrist and precursor of the final Antichrist
• Having and teaching from the Bible
• Rejected papal authority
• Did not accept idols
• Had different teachings than the Church of Rome
• Had writings Rome did not like
• Rejected Roman sacraments
• Objected to the dress of the Roman ministry
• Considered Rome to be the prophesied Babylon
• Taught that in the time of the final Antichrist that some would fall away
• Had practices that Rome considered Jewish
• Refused to baptize infants
• Did not participate in carnal warfare
• Teaching the millennium
• Taught the Kingdom of God
• Baptized adults

Almost all the above were beliefs of original first century Christians. Some of the others did not come on the scene until they were adopted by the Greco-Romans and then later denounced by the faithful.

In the future, according to Greco-Roman Catholic teachings, they ALSO will be persecuted for:

• Not accepting non-biblical teachings about Mary
• Not accepting the Great Monarch (Beast, King of the North)
• Teaching that the Kingdom of God will come soon
• Not wearing crosses
• Keeping the biblical Sabbath in accordance with the commandments
• Possessing/advocating writings that disagree with the Church of Rome
• Teaching after the Great Tribulation begins that Jesus will return within a few years

Christians have been persecuted for holding doctrines that we in the Continuing Church of God hold and are clearly expected to be persecuted in the future for holding Continuing Church of God doctrines.

Sadly, in the 21st century, holding to many biblical positions is considered extremist and even dangerous by various government officials.

The Book of Daniel shows a two-part persecution coming from a European leader (I added the a and b below for emphasis):

25 a He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand b For a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

First of all (a), he shall persecute certain of the saints, which is consistent with what Jesus said was coming:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 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 24:9-14)

Much of the above will affect the Philadelphian Christians (cf. Revelation 12:13), but they will later be protected (Revelation 3:8-10) in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14-16; see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra). Part of why they will be persecuted is for proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and probably also for identifying the coming King of the North, who will not wish to be identified that way. This will likely result in internet and other restrictions on getting the truth of God out to the world (cf. Amos 8:11-12).

Second of all (b), the remaining saints will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. This is the portion of the COG, the non-Philadelphians, who are NOT protected in the wilderness as Revelation 12:17 shows this separation:

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 12:17)

While many in the Church of God have experienced economic and social persecution in their walk with Christ, future severe persecution, beginning first with the Philadelphia remnant of Christians, is expected.

Persecution is a fact of history. It has happened before and we should be prepared for the fact that it will happen again. And during the time of the final persecutions, the Bible records:

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).

Thus, though the Philadelphian Christians will be subject to intense persecution first, before this, even the Laodiceans (The Laodicean Church Era) and other Christians will receive some praise if they endure the persecutions that will then come during the time of “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10).

While many seem to not wish to pay attention to this subject, the reality is that persecution has existed throughout history against those with Church of God doctrines. Jesus predicted that as well as more persecution to come. Some may be shocked by certain doctrines that Christians have been persecuted for (and often persecuted by others who profess to be Christian).

Those in the true Church of God have always been on the side being persecuted and have never been on the side of the persecutors. And this will be true again in the future.

Furthermore, in modern times persecution takes various forms such as the cancel culture of Big Tech and various governments censoring and removing biblically-appropriate content. That will worsen too (cf. Amos 8:11-12).