Church of God News

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COGwriter

The Associated Press posted the following:

UN report says 282 million people faced acute hunger in 2023, with the worst famine in Gaza

April 25, 2024

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Nearly 282 million people in 59 countries suffered from acute hunger in 2023, with war-torn Gaza as the territory with the largest number of people facing famine, according to the Global Report on Food Crises released Wednesday.

The U.N. report said 24 million more people faced an acute lack of food than in 2022, due to the sharp deterioration in food security, especially in the Gaza Strip and Sudan. The number of nations with food crises that are monitored has also been expanded.

Máximo Torero, chief economist for the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, said 705,000 people in five countries are at Phase 5, the highest level, on a scale of hunger determined by international experts — the highest number since the global report began in 2016 and quadruple the number that year.

Over 80% of those facing imminent famine — 577,000 people — were in Gaza, he said. South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali each host many thousands also facing catastrophic hunger. … Additionally, while the El Nino phenomenon peaked in early 2024, “its full impact on food security – including flooding and poor rain in parts of east Africa and drought in southern Africa, especially Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are like to manifest throughout the year.” https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-acute-global-hunger-gaza-sudan-4cf3f8730a755c5324d667cb72d1c503

The Apostle James wrote:

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, (James 1:27)

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20)

Before going further, perhaps it should be mentioned that we in the Continuing Church of God have sent funds for food for those of South Sudan, Mozambique, and Malawi this year. The most recent time was Monday of this week. The United Nations report that the Associated Press referred to (https://www.fsinplatform.org/report/global-report-food-crises-2024/) also listed Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as nations with major hunger issues, which are nations where we have also provided support for food and hunger this year.

Can we solve all of the hunger?

No.

But should we help where we can?

Yes.

The Book of Proverbs teaches:

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
“Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it,”
When you have it with you. (Proverbs 3:27-28)

Notice that we are to do what we can and not make excuses to delay helping.

Notice also what the Apostle Paul wrote:

9 … James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:9-10)

9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10)

Many professing Christians seem to be weary about helping the poor and hungry–but we are not to be.

While Jesus predicted famines as part of the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7-8), He also said:

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

Do you heed Jesus’ admonition about helping the poor and the hungry?

Does your church live up to the standards Jesus set?

What about the Continuing Church of God? What does it spend tithes and offerings on?

While we use them to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14), teach all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), feed the flock, put forth the Ezekiel chapters 3,5, &6 warning?, work towards the fullness of the Gentiles coming in (Romans 11:25), work on restoring all things (cf. Matthew 17:11), watch and report on world events aligning with biblical prophecies (cf. Mark 13:1-37), prepare for the short work of Romans 9:28, lead the final phase of the work with brotherly love, and pay for various forms of media (see Continuing Church of God Multimedia page), we also use them to support the poor and hungry (including projects that help the poor produce food for themselves).

Related to spending, the Continuing Church of God put out this sermon on its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:11:00

Tithing and CCOG Spending

Should the most faithful Christian church be supported through tithes and offerings? Is that biblical? What did the old WCG ‘Tithing’ booklet teach? Are funds used to fulfill Jesus’ commissions in Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20? Do funds received by the church fund what the Bible says should be done? What did Jesus say to those sheep who gave to support the poor? If there will always be poor, does it make scriptural sense to support the poor in places like Africa? What about the fullness of the Gentiles coming in and the Ezekiel warning? Does it make sense to spend funds on radio, the internet, and other types of multimedia? What about the production and publishing of literature? Does it make sense to have ‘Gospel of the Kingdom of God’ booklets translated into over 1000 languages/dialects? How did the Continuing Church of God spend its ordinary USA donations in 2023? Should people tithe on agricultural produce only or all of their increase? Are tithes your money or God’s? Are there multiple tithes? Should you tithe on your gross or net income? Does tithing take faith in God? To whom should you tithe? How can you determine that the CCOG is the most faithful Philadelphian remnant that you should send tithes and offerings to? Are tithes and offerings income tax deductible in various nations? Do you wish to be a sheep or goat according to Jesus’ words in Matthew 25? Dr. Thiel addresses those issues and more in this sermon.

Here is a link to our video: Tithing and CCOG Spending.

Do not think that famines are going to be limited to third and fourth world nations.

The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

The black horseman’s future ride will reduce the proud faces of white America, Europe, and the British Common wealth into the blackened skin of starvation such as now afflicts the vast majority of mankind. (Alexander G. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Ambassador College Press, Pasadena (CA), 1973, p. 31)

Notice some of the penalties for disobedience recorded in the 26th chapter of Leviticus: “If after all this you have not learnt discipline but still defy me, I in turn will defy you and scourge you seven times over for your sins. I will bring war in vengeance upon you … you shall be herded into your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be given over to the enemy. I will cut short your daily bread until ten women can bake your bread in a single oven; they shall dole it out by weight [see Revelation 6:5-6], and though you eat, you shall not be satisfied. If in spite of this you do not listen to me and still defy me, I will defy you in anger, and I myself will punish you seven times over for your sins. Instead of meat you shall eat your sons and daughters” (Lev. 26:23-28, The New English Bible). Other passages warn of famine-producing upsets in weather (Amos 4:7, Deut. 28:24); ruined harvests (Ezek. 5:16, Deut. 28:17); blighted crops (Amos 4:9); harmful insect pests (Deut. 28:39, 42); and nonproductive soil (Deut. 28:23). (4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse – The Black Horse – Famine. WCG booklet, 1976)

And while the northern, Babylonian, European Beast power will prosper for a short while, it too will ultimately succumb to famine according to Revelation 18:2,8:

2 Babylon…8 her plagues will come in one day–death and mourning and famine…

We are starting to see more reports of food shortages and the potential for food inflation–and even Europe has concerns.

We have already seen food price inflation.

We have also seen signs of the ride of the third horseman of the Apocalypse.

The UN report showed a dramatic increase in world hunger.

Related to food and prophecy, we put out the following video:

14:44

3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse and Food

There are reports about food price inflation around the world. While it is worsening in many areas, some believe it will improve in 2023. Instead, could prices continue to rise in 2023 and get much worse in 2024 and thereafter? What are the causes of food price inflation? Is there any connection between weather, government policies, fertilizer prices, energy costs, economic sanctions and food price inflation? What are we seeing in reports from the United Kingdom, Hungary, and South Africa? What about impacts from Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine? Could EU and/or USA policies be effecting any of this? Is the ‘black horse’ the one associated with famine, food shortages, and food price inflation in the Book of Revelation? Are there any physical lessons we can learn from ants according to the Book of Proverbs? What are some spiritual steps we should take according to Jesus? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters and more.

Here is a link to our video: 3rd Horseman of the Apocalypse and Food.

Jesus said:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. (James 1:22-24)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
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 2025 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?
Philadelphian Christian Great Tribulation Protection What will the Great Tribulation be like? Does Jesus promise physical protection to some or all Christians? Where might the place of protection be? What about fleeing to the mountains? What did Ezekiel warn? Here is a link to a related sermon: Great Tribulation Protection.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety,’ Zephaniah 2 to ‘gather together,’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on fleeing to a place–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of related interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here are two related items in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra? and Existe un Lugar de Seguridad.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.

Sign promoting China’s Digital Renminbi CBDC
(Wikipedia Source: NateNate60)

COGwriter

The World Economic Forum (WEF) seems pleased that most nations are intending to adopt Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs):

Cashless Society: WEF Boasts That 98% Of Central Banks Are Adopting CBDCs

April 25, 2024

The WEF recently boasted in a new white paper that 98% of all central banks are now pursuing CBDC programs.  The report, titled ‘Modernizing Financial Markets With Wholesale Central Bank Digital Currency’, notes:

“CeBM is ideal for systemically important transactions despite the emergence of alternative payment instruments…Wholesale central bank digital currency (wCBDC) is a form of CeBM that could unlock new economic models and integration points that are not possible today.”

The paper primarily focuses on the streamlining of crossborder transactions, an effort which the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has been deeply involved in for the past few years.  It also highlights an odd concept of differentiated CBDC mechanisms, each one specifically designed to be used by different institutions for different reasons.  Wholesale CBDCs would be used only by banking institutions, governments and some global corporations, as opposed to Retail CBDCs which would be reserved for the regular population. …

By extension, the adoption of CBDCs by governments and global banks will ultimately lead to what the WEF calls “dematerialization” – The removal of physical securities and money.  The WEF states:

“As with the Bank of England’s (BOE) RTGS modernization programme, the intention is to introduce a fully digitized securities system that is future-proofed for incremental adoption of DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology). The tokenization of assets involves creating digital tokens representing underlying assets like real estate, equities, digital art, intellectual property and even cash. Tokenization is a key use case for blockchain, with some estimates pointing towards $4-5 trillion in tokenized securities on DLTa  by 2030.” 

Finally, they let the cat out of the bag:

“The BIS proposed two models for bringing tokenization into the monetary system: 1) Bring CBDCs, DTs and tokenized assets on to a common unified ledger, and 2) pursue incremental progress by creating interlinking systems.

They determined the latter option was more feasible given that the former requires a reimagination of financial systems. Experimentation with the unified ledger concept is ongoing.”

To interpret this into decoded language – The unified ledger is essentially another term for a one world digital currency system completely centralized and under the control of global banks like the BIS and IMF.  The WEF and BIS are acknowledging the difficulty of introducing such a system without opposition, so, they are recommending incremental introduction using “interlinking systems” (attaching CBDCs to paper currencies and physical contracts and then slowly but surely dematerializing those assets and making digital the new norm).  It’s the totalitarian tip-toe.

The BIS predicts there will be at least 9 major CBDCs in circulation by the year 2030; this is likely an understatement of the intended plan.  Globalists have hinted in the past that they prefer total digitization by 2030.

A cashless society would be the end game for economic anonymity and freedom in trade. https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/cashless-society-wef-boasts-98-central-banks-are-adopting-cbdcs

Yes, the WEF wants all financial transactions to be digital. Yes, a cashless society ends “economic anonymity and freedom.” Such is also basically prophesied to come to pass in the Bible in Revelation 13:15-18.

Last summer, a reader sent me a link to the following:

WORSE THAN CBDCs: Globalists Publish Plan for Worldwide Financial ENSLAVEMENT Under “Unified Ledger”

July 11, 2023

If you thought Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) plans sounded dystopian, just wait to read the new “unified ledger” agenda released by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS, known as the “bank of central banks”).

The plan, found at this link on BIS.org, is entitled, “Blueprint for the future monetary system: improving the old, enabling the new.” …

This new plan describes an orwellian, globalist-run “unified ledger” that records the ownership of all assets (checking accounts, real estate, bonds, stocks, etc.) on a centralized exchange run by globalists. All assets will be “tokenized,” a process that the BIS describes as, “recording claims on financial or real assets that exist on a traditional ledger on a programmable platform.”

This unified ledger will feature “programmable” entries, meaning that your ownership of assets can be revoked or altered at any time, according to the social engineering desires of the globalists. If you speak out against child sex trafficking, for example, or child trans mutilations, all your assets can vanish from the unified ledger.

That’s how you will “own nothing,” in case you were curious. https://truthbasedmedia.com/2023/07/11/worse-than-cbdcs-globalists-publish-plan-for-worldwide-financial-enslavement-under-unified-ledger/

The SGT Report posted the following interview prior to that which also talks about the WEF’s “own nothing” plan:

Doug Casey on the World Economic Forum’s Plan for Mankind and What Comes Next

November 10, 2022

International Man: The World Economic Forum (WEF) describes its mission as the “international organization for public-private cooperation.”

What do you make of the WEF and the power it wields?

Doug Casey: “International organization for public-private cooperation” is a code phrase for economic fascism—which is to say, the hand-in-glove melding of the political power of the State with the economic power of corporations. …

Things like the WEF, and other NGOs (non-governmental organizations), institutes, and think tanks, have proliferated in recent years. …

The WEF is by far the most successful of the breed. Instead of just cadging donations so intellectuals could hang around and seem prestigious, in 1971, Klaus Schwab formed a club where the rich and powerful could discuss ideas with other members of the overlord class. Political and financial types could find a philosophical home, disguising the quest for money and power with a patina of benevolence. It’s become an amazingly large and powerful organization. They have roughly 800 full-time employees, most of them very highly paid. They have an annual budget of over $300 million. Their balance sheet indicates that the WEF is worth over $1 billion, funded by major corporations who give it millions of dollars, as do various governments. Most of the world’s political leaders and corporations are members. …

It seems clear that members of the WEF have to toe the party line or be disinvited. Nobody wants to be excommunicated from the WEF or cut off from association with other rich and powerful people. … it would appear that Klaus Schwab actually originated, or at least popularized, the term “stakeholder.” Stakeholderism believes that business is obligated to treat employees, customers, local residents, and anyone who claims to be affected by business as if they had some right to what a company produces. People who identify as stakeholders easily develop into mooches and leeches. Schwab was also an early supporter of the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) movements. And political correctness in general.

With as much money, power, and influence as the WEF has, it’s easy for them to groom up-and-comers. They created several sub-organizations for people who are under 40 years old—where they can reinforce their beliefs that the world ought to go in a certain way—under the direction of WEF-type people.

Schwab has to be complimented for having built the WEF from nothing and making himself one of the most powerful people in the world. …

The problem is that the WEF people think that they know what’s best for the rest of humanity. And they feel it’s for the good of all that they be closely monitored, controlled, and guided. They’ve made statements to the effect that most people are “useless eaters,” … They’d really like to do without superfluous humans and just have the elite calling the shots. Humans that remain would amount to serfs. The WEF have said, “You’ll own nothing and be happy.” They’re very bold. https://www.sgtreport.com/2022/11/doug-casey-on-the-world-economic-forums-plan-for-mankind-and-what-comes-next/

Before going further, let me state that it will take the return of Jesus to usher in what is best for humanity not the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Kingdom of God is the solution. Furthermore, God has a plan for each and every human being. There are no “useless eaters.” All human beings have the potential to live eternally to give love in a unique manner to help everyone and to have everyone help them–for details, check out the free online booklet: The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You?

Anyway, let me add that parts of the Unified Ledger are already in place as the European Union requires more and more identification, etc. for financial accounts as does the USA and most of the rest of the world.

As far as not owning anything, consider that nearly all governments, including that of the USA, consider that the government has the first claim on your income as well as what you own.

In my view, whether called a Unified Ledger, CBDCs, electronic payments, or digital currencies, the recording of what people own and spend by governments is more and more taking place.

It is just that the Unified Ledger and CBDCs are more blatant.

According to the Bible, Europe will end up with the ability to control and monitor buying and selling (Revelation 13:16-18).

Moves in that direction were part of #13 of my list of 24 items to prophetically watch in 2024:

13. CBDCs and 666

Notice the following prophecy:

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

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

This type of financial surveillance could not have happened during the time of the Apostle John as there was no real way to monitor many financial transactions then (despite the fact that ‘preterists’ believe this was fulfilled almost 2000 years ago, see also The Dangerous Rise of Preterists). The same was true for all the centuries that followed until the late 20th and now the 21st century. But now not only does the technology exist to monitor most financial transactions, the political will is there as well.

It will be a European power that will fulfill the above prophecy of 666 (watch Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?).

It will likely take supercomputers aided with artificial intelligence to aid in the fulfillment of the scriptures in Revelation 13:15-18, as well as cyber-spying/monitoring. I do believe that cyber monitoring will be used by the European Beast, King of the North, 666 power.

We are seeing a move to digital/electronic money. Notice a news item from 2023:

EU making use of large amounts of cash illegal: Yes, this is a step towards 666!

Now, now some items from 2023:

‘2023: The ABC’s of CBDC, the Great Reset(s) & MORE Centralized Control’

WEF wants to ‘master the future’–CBDCs are part of the way

World Economic Forum pushing the inevitability of CBDCs

‘We Are Working Hard On A Global CBDC’ ‘The Reset: When Will Globalists Attempt To Introduce Their Digital Currency System?’

‘CBDCs are a solution for a problem we don’t have, and they want to implant it under our skin’

WORSE THAN CBDCs: Globalists Publish Plan for Worldwide Financial ENSLAVEMENT Under “Unified Ledger”

‘Putin Signs Digital Ruble Law Making a CBDC Possible in Russia’

NEW WORLD CURRENCY ANNOUNCED? – New BRICS CBDC To Be Launched Next Year? ’10 U.S. Sectors To Be Affected If BRICS Stops Using the Dollar’

‘EU Parliament Agrees on Digital ID Introduction and Pro-Censorship Chief Suggests CBDC Integration’

Knowledge and monitoring of financial transactions is greatly increasing.

Europe has claimed that it will be the dominant force in cryptocurrency.

The Europeans will push for a CBDC.

Many within BRICS will push for a CBDC.

While 2024 will not see a cashless world, expect to see more movements towards monitorable payments.

Expect to see more steps related to Central Bank Digital Currencies in 2024.

The fall of the US dollar and the trend towards digital money will concern many.

Look for more totalitarian steps to be proposed and/or implemented in 2024.

Biblically, we know that 666 financial controls will be put in place in Europe, and likely elsewhere.

Actions towards Central Bank Digital Currencies look to make that easier. The US Congress will not stop what the Bible shows will happen in Europe.

Related to CBDCs and prophecy, we put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Steps towards ‘666’ are clearly happening.

Yes, Europe will adopt some type of digital currency.

Probably by 2028.

For a time it will “master the future” under a totalitarian dictator.

But the good news is that it will one day be replaced by the coming Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is 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.
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 2025 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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
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.

(OpenAI logo)

COGwriter

World Net Daily posted the following:

Deceptive new tech has people voicing words they never said

April 23, 2024 at 5:54pm

Now it appears that artificial intelligence can make anyone say anyone. Literally anyone and literally anything. And the proof is in the Mona Lisa … RAPPING?

All that’s required is a still image of a face, a recording of words, singing, anything, and the new software.

Microsoft’s product exhibits the possibilities.

A report at CNN detailed one of the recent “advances” in computer tech, with Microsoft’s codes able to “take a still image of a face and an audio clip of someone speaking and automatically create a realistic looking video of that person speaking.”

“Microsoft said the technology could be used for education or ‘improving accessibility for individuals with communication challenges,’ or potentially to create virtual companions for humans. But it’s also easy to see how the tool could be abused and used to impersonate real people,” CNN documented.

“Wow. Creating videos realistically depicting people saying words they never said? What could possibly go wrong with that?” commented author and WND Managing Editor David Kupelian. “Today’s ruling elites, from the Deep State to Big Tech, are so dependent on lies and deception – while censoring and attacking unwelcome truth as ‘disinformation,’ ‘misinformation’ and ‘malinformation’ – it’s easy to imagine that before long they’ll be using technology like this to enhance their daily practice of portraying the innocent as guilty and the guilty as innocent.” …

“The move is similar to how Microsoft partner OpenAI is handling concerns around its AI-generated video tool, Sora: OpenAI teased Sora in February, but has so far only made it available to some professional users and cybersecurity professors for testing purposes,” the report said. https://www.wnd.com/2024/04/deceptive-new-tech-people-voicing-words-never-said/

More and more, technology to deceive has been developed.

Scammers have already attempted to use a deep fake to pretend to be me contacting others over Facebook in December 2023 (see No, Bob Thiel does not have a new Facebook page–the deepfake is not me) as well as in 2024. That said, I learned later that type of fake solicitation is called “catfishing.” But, it is still a lie.

But fakes are often accurate enough that many accept them.

The use of Artificial Intelligence programs by the masses is increasing–and AI can help build more convincing “deepfakes”.

Anyway, the use of such fakes is wrong–but not surprising in this age–plus the idea of fakes is warned of in scripture.

In the first century, the Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, NKJV)

Apparently, the Apostle Paul had to deal with some who faked a letter claiming it was from him as well as reports he said things he did not say. So, he warned Christians about that.

But that, of course, did not stop the fakes.

Various false gospels came out in the 2nd century (for some details, see also Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete?).

In the late 2nd/early 3rd century, a Church of God leader known as  Serapion of Antioch used the term pseudepigrapha to warn against something falsely called the Gospel of Peter (Peter did not write it; for more details, see also Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete?).

And yes, I expect that various ones will put out fakes related to leaders in the CCOG as well as likely other COG groups. Satan is the accuser of the brethren per Revelation 12:10 and will likely influence the production of videos and/or audio recording of people. Such as supposedly me, for example, saying or doing things that I did not and would not say. For what its worth, let me add I have seen that over the past year or so that people, without the use of deep fakes, believed I said things I did not say.

We have warned about the emergence of deepfakes for some time now. Back in 2021, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

13:27

Lies and Deepfakes

Jesus taught that God’s prophets would be reviled and spoken evil of. He also warned that the devil was a liar that worked to take the word of God away from those who heard it. The Apostle Paul warned that “evil men and seducers would wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13, KJV). He also warned that letters purported from him with false messages were an issue. COG leader Serapion of Antioch denounced a gospel falsely attributed to the Apostle Peter as pseudepigrapha. With the internet, lies can spread faster than before. With technology, like artificial intelligence, can we expect to see deepfakes that will make it look like Christian leaders say or do things that they did not? Do you, “prove all things” so you will not fall from the coming increased deceit? Will YOU hold fast to that which is good or be one who “loves and practices a lie’? Dr. Thiel refers to aspects of modern technology and various scriptures to warn Christians to not be misled by what is coming.

Here is a link to the video: Lies and Deepfakes.

Last year, I was presented with what I considered to be a “deepfake” computer-conversation that I was able to determine could not have happened as it was presented to myself and others. Sadly, however, some preferred to believe the lie.

The Bible warns against:

15 … whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:15)

With modern technology, highly persuasive deceit is possible–and to a degree impossible in Paul’s, and later Serapion’s, day. But Paul warned Christians to have assurance in true biblical teachers.

The Apostle Paul also taught:

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV)

Once you have proven the truth, you need to hold fast to it so you will not be deceived like others. Or tossed to and fro by every wind purporting to be true, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Ephesians 4:14, NKJV).

Also this year, there was another person pretending to be me on the internet.

The Apostle Paul warned about those who were “slanderers” in the last days, and that certainly would include those who produce deepfakes.

That said, the time is coming when those associated with the future European Beast power will make deepfakes as it pleases them, and likely also of God’s two witnesses.

That is consistent with the following from the Apostle Paul:

 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves (Acts 29:29-30)

Some supporters of the coming Beast will betray the faithful as is foretold in Daniel 11:32-24.

Deep fakes and AI will likely be used.

If you will have proved all things (like that God’s prophets, such as the two witnesses, are really God’s witnesses) you will not fall for deep fakes. Yet, most people will believe lies (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

Pray, as Jesus said to be accounted worthy to escape what is coming (Luke 21:36 and for God’s Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).

Flags of EU Nations (Pixabay)

COGwriter

The German news source Deutsche Welle published the following:

EU expansion: Can the bloc afford new members in the east?

23 April 2024

For more than a decade, the EU seemed like a closed club with several countries lining up to get in. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed this.

In December, the EU opened accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova and granted candidate status to Georgia.

Political push hits budget constraints

“For obvious reasons, the EU is now seeing enlargement as a security instrument. And the budget is part of the discussions, but it might not necessarily be the deciding factor,” Thu Nguyen, deputy director of the Berlin-based independent think tank, Jacques Delors Centre, told DW.

The recent protests in Poland are a reminder though that economics are invariably part of the EU’s political drive.  And Brussels’ new expansion enthusiasm is accompanied by fears that enlargement will put some of the EU’s members and citizens at an economic disadvantage.

The EU spends the biggest chunks of its budget on regional development and agriculture. Those member states that are less well-off get more money from the EU than they pay in. The eight countries currently in line for joining are all poorer than the current member states. Turkey is the ninth EU candidate country, but its accession process has been suspended. …

Admitting the Western Balkan countries would bring economic opportunities to millions of people, at a manageable cost to the EU. Yet, most Western Balkan countries have been EU candidates for over a decade. North Macedonia even for two. …

Ukraine — the elephant in the room

More recently, a new candidate for the EU accession has emerged on the eastern horizon: Ukraine. Hard-pressed by the Russian invasion, the country received candidate status in June 2022.

But the most populous — and poorest — of all candidate countries would be “a different ball game,” says Nathalie Tocci, “because of its size, because of its agriculture sector, because of its average wealth, and, above all, because it’s a country at war with €500 billion in reconstruction and still counting.”

If Ukraine were to join the EU, it would become the bloc’s biggest agricultural producer and weigh most heavily on the bloc’s finances. …

According to an internal investigation by the European Council, admitting all candidates would cost the EU €256 billion ($272 billion), with Ukraine alone estimated to receive €186 billion over seven years, not including reconstruction expenses. https://www.dw.com/en/eu-expansion-can-the-bloc-afford-new-members-in-the-east/a-68893299

Yes, there are concerns in Europe about the cost of EU expansion. I also expect the EU to go through at least one major financial crisis before the start of the Great Tribulation. Various expansion costs would look to be a factor in that.

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 because of the delays, 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?).

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 Serbs fought against the Axis powers (which included Germany, Bulgaria, and Italy) in WWII. The Germans would prefer to have some control over Serbia and do not want to fight the Serbs in the future. Serbia, itself, took another step towards the EU this month when it elected to purchase military planes from France instead of Russia (https://www.ft.com/content/fa26d185-6b54-481a-b5b8-1ff41a0ab724).

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 (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. The USA keeps encouraging all of this, but this will not end well for the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).

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, Ukraine, 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.

But yes, the EU is facing additional financial costs to do this.

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.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
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.
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?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
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 2025 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.

Birds that have been put down because of avian influenza.
(Photo by Roee Shpernik)

The New York Times reported:

Bird Flu Is Infecting More Mammals. What Does That Mean for Us?

April 22, 2024

There has been no stopping H5N1. Avian flu viruses tend to be picky about their hosts, typically sticking to one kind of wild bird. But this one has rapidly infiltrated an astonishingly wide array of birds and animals, from squirrels and skunks to bottlenose dolphins, polar bears and, most recently, dairy cows.

“In my flu career, we have not seen a virus that expands its host range quite like this,” said Troy Sutton, a virologist who studies avian and human influenza viruses at Penn State University. …

A highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 was identified in 1996 in domestic waterfowl in China. The next year, 18 people in Hong Kong became infected with the virus, and six died. The virus then went silent, but it resurfaced in Hong Kong in 2003. Since then, it has caused dozens of outbreaks in poultry and affected more than 800 people who were in close contact with the birds.

All the while, it continued to evolve.

The version of H5N1 currently racing across the world emerged in Europe in 2020 and spread quickly to Africa and Asia. It killed scores of farmed birds, but unlike its predecessors it also spread widely among wild birds and into many other animals. …

Flu viruses are adept at picking up new mutations; when two types of flu virus infect the same animal, they can shuffle their genetic material and generate new versions.

It is unclear exactly how, and how much, the H5N1 virus has changed since it first emerged. One study last year showed that after the virus entered the United States, it quickly mixed with other flu viruses circulating here and morphed into various versions — some mild, others causing severe neurological symptoms. …

Dr. Rosemary Sifford, the department’s chief veterinarian said the staff there were working hard to share information as quickly as they can. “This is considered an emerging disease,” she said. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/health/birdflu-marine-mammals.html

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also raising concerns about humans and what is commonly called ‘bird flu’:

WHO Expresses ‘Great Concern’ Over Potential Human Transmission of Bird Flu

April 19, 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns about the potential for avian influenza, known as H5N1, to spread to humans after recent infections were reported in cows and goats in the United States. This development marks a troubling evolution of the virus, which has been circulating among bird populations for years.

Jeremy Farrar, the WHO’s chief scientist, emphasized the gravity of the situation during a press briefing in Geneva on April 18. He noted that H5N1 has expanded its reach to new species, becoming a “global zoonotic animal pandemic.” The primary concern is that the virus could further mutate to facilitate human-to-human transmission, a scenario that would significantly escalate the risk of a global health crisis.

In the United States, the avian flu has recently been detected in cattle across eight states, with South Dakota reporting the latest cases. Additionally, a person in Texas has been confirmed to have contracted the disease. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), genetic analysis of the virus from this patient revealed a mutation that increases the likelihood of animal infections, though similar mutations have not led to widespread human transmission in the past. The CDC reassures that the virus closely resembles strains for which HPAI A(H5N1) candidate vaccines are already available, potentially easing vaccine production if necessary.

Since the virus re-emerged in 2003, 889 human cases have been confirmed, with a concerning fatality rate as 463 of those infected have died. The WHO has documented the high mortality rate associated with these infections, underscoring the critical nature of the threat. https://yournews.com/2024/04/19/2772571/who-expresses-great-concern-over-potential-human-transmission-of-bird/

Michael Snyder has been particularly concerned about this as he wrote:

There Is More To This Current Bird Flu Panic Than Meets The Eye

April 18, 2024

Why are global health officials issuing such ominous warnings about the bird flu?  Do they know something that the rest of us do not?  H5N1 has been circulating all over the planet for several years now, and it has been the worst outbreak that the world has ever seen.  Hundreds of millions of birds are already dead, and now H5N1 has been infecting mammals with alarming regularity.  The good news is that so far it has not been a serious threat to humans, but could that soon change?  According to the World Health Organization, the possibility that H5N1 could start spreading among humans is an “enormous concern”…

The fact that so many different types of mammals are now being infected is definitely alarming.

But perhaps cows would not be getting infected if we were not literally feeding them chicken crap…

As epidemiologists scramble to figure out how dairy cows throughout the Midwest became infected with a strain of highly pathogenic avian flu — a disease that has decimated hundreds of millions of wild and farmed birds, as well as tens of thousands of mammals across the planet — they’re looking at a standard “recycling” practice employed by thousands of farmers across the country: The feeding of animal waste and parts to livestock raised for human consumption.

“It seems ghoulish, but it is a perfectly legal and common practice for chicken litter — the material that accumulates on the floor of chicken growing facilities — to be fed to cattle,” said Michael Hansen, a senior scientist with Consumers Union.

It is not known if eating chicken crap is why so many cows in so many different states are being infected with H5N1. 04/18/24 https://endoftheamericandream.com/there-is-more-to-this-current-bird-flu-panic-than-meets-the-eye/

One of the reasons that ‘mad cow disease’ came about was because humans fed cows ground up dead cows and sheep. Including infected ones.

Yet, cows naturally will not eat meat. A cow would die before trying to eat a dead cow or sheep.

Yet, because of greed, some figured out that if they ground animals up and mixed it with often sweetened grains, then cows would eat it and get fatter, quicker.

Because of the emergence of mad cow disease, that practice was stopped.

But greed still prevailed as many then switched to using ground up chicken feathers and chicken manure in the feed of cows.

The Bible warns:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, (1 Timothy 6:10)

Improperly feeding cows that which is against nature is evil.

And there have already been consequences.

Here is something else from Michael Synder:

Authorities at the WHO are warning that the death rate would be “extraordinarily high” if such an outbreak were to occur…

Experts at the WHO said humans face an ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality rate if the strain were to take hold, currently killing more than half of those infected.

I agree.

The bird flu is very dangerous, and if it starts spreading among humans on a widespread basis a lot of people will die. 04/18/24 https://endoftheamericandream.com/there-is-more-to-this-current-bird-flu-panic-than-meets-the-eye/

Some think so:

And Now… “Bird Flu Pandemic Could be ‘100 Times Worse’ than COVID, Scientists Warn”

April 5, 2024

A bird flu pandemic with the potential to be “100 times worse than COVID” may be on the horizon after a rare human case was discovered in Texas, experts have warned.

The H5N1 avian flu has spread rapidly since a new strain was detected in 2020, affecting wild birds in every state, as well as in commercial poultry and backyard flocks.

But it has now even been detected in mammals, with cattle herds across four states becoming infected, and on Monday, federal health officials announced that a dairy worker in Texas caught the virus.

“This virus [has been] on the top of the pandemic list for many, many years and probably decades,” Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a bird flu researcher from Pittsburgh, said at a recent panel discussing the issue, according to the Daily Mail.

Well, biblically we know a worse pandemic than COVID-19 is coming. The avian flu currently is contributing to food price inflation. https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/85872/and-now-bird-flu-pandemic-could-be-100-times-worse-than-covid-scientists.html

Jesus warned:

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

As I posted over a year ago:

The bird flu looks to be consistent with Jesus’ words. (Thiel B. ‘World’s poultry supply threatened as bird flu spreads’ ‘Will bird flu spark the next pandemic?’. COGwriter, February 19, 2023)

That said, in February, a reader sent me a link to the following yesterday:

REVEALED: US is collaborating with Chinese scientists to make bird flu strains more infectious and deadly as part of $1m project – despite fears similar tests unleashed Covid

February 16, 2024

• Research involves infecting birds with flu viruses to make them more infectious
• The USDA is spending more than $1million to fund the risky experiments …
  

The research involves infecting ducks and geese with different strains of viruses to make them more infectious, and study the viruses’ potential to ‘jump into mammalian hosts,’ according to research documents.

It is being funded through the US Department of Agriculture and collaborating studies will take place at sites in Georgia, Beijing and Edinburgh in Scotland.

It comes despite similar research being restricted in 2022 and growing concerns that dubious Chinese studies may have started the Covid pandemic. …

The papers show funding for the avian virus research began in April 2021 and it is slated to continue through March 2026.

The USDA told this website the project was applied for in 2019 and approved in 2020.

The specific viruses the researchers will work with include H5NX, H7N9 and H9N2, WCW reported.

A 2023 study described H5NX viruses as ‘highly pathogenic’ with the ability to cause neurological complications in humans. …

The USDA told this website the project was applied for in 2019 and approved in 2020.

The specific viruses the researchers will work with include H5NX, H7N9 and H9N2, WCW reported.

A 2023 study described H5NX viruses as ‘highly pathogenic’ with the ability to cause neurological complications in humans. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13089105/US-Chinese-scientists-bird-flu-strains-infectious-Covid.html

So, nearly two months ago, there was a warning that the USA and China have been working on making new strains of the bird flu. Note that this research has been going on for years. And now, we are seeing more and more concerns about the bird flu. And yes, some scientists may be making the situation worse.

Furthermore, as I have warned for years, something worse than COVID is coming.

Before getting to a prophecy in Revelation that confirms that, in January 2020, we put out the following video:

17:01

Biological Warfare and Prophecy

Is biological warfare possible? Was it prophesied? Scientists have long warned that pathogenic organisms like the coronavirus could be weaponized. Furthermore, back in 2017, there were concerns that the biological research facility being constructed in Wuhan, China was risky and that a coronavirus from it could be released. On January 25, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping publicly stated that the situation with the Wuhan-related strain of the coronavirus was grave. Did Church of God writers like the late evangelist Raymond McNair warn that engineered viruses (the “Doomsday bug”) were consistent with prophecies from Jesus? Did a warning from CCOG leader Bob Thiel warn about risks of genetically-modified (GMO) mosquitoes come to pass? Could human research and/or the consumption of biblically-unclean animals such as bats and snakes be a factor in current outbreaks or coming future pestilences? What about famines? How devastating have pestilences been? How devastating are the prophesied ones going to be? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Warfare and Prophecy.

Yes, there are risks with scientists working on substances that could be biological weapons. And, in the case of COVID, I have long ascribed to the “lab leak” origin, and as of yet, there is no proof that was not the origin.

Now the Bible in the Book of Revelation warns:

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.  (Revelation 6:7-8)

The “beasts of the earth” include disease epidemics. Notice also the death rate. This will be many, many times worse than COVID.

Related to the 4th horseman’s ride, we put out the following video:

14:53

Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse

Tucker Carlson interviewed Democratic presidential party candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK). During that interview, RFK asserted that the United States has had thousands of scientists working on making bioweapons. Officially, the USA has denied this as it is a party to the Biological Weapons Convention. RFK states that Anthoy Fauci was responsible for biological weapons development. Does the ‘Global South’ consider that the West may intend to exterminate people through biological warfare? Did Jesus prophesy pestilences? Have humans engaged in biological or germ warfare for millennia? What were some things that Raymond McNair warned about over 50 years ago? Can we trust scientists to totally, safely control all the infectious agents they work with? Could humankind be developing, knowingly or unknowingly, biological agents that could be responsible for many of the deaths that are prophesied to occur with the ride of the ‘pale horse of death,’ which is the fourth of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to ride? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Biological Weapons and the 4th Horseman of the Apocalypse.

Biological pathogens developed by humans directly in a lab or indirectly in the food supply are a real threat.

Related to the bird flu, here is a video we just produced:

14:44

Bird Flu and 4th Horseman’s Ride

The World Health Organization (WHO) is greatly concerned that the avian flu (H5N1) is passing to cows and goats and then to humans. Have farmers done anything, like feeding chicken manure, to cows that might have affected them? Were unnatural feedings of ground up animals to cows (which are vegetarians) the cause of ‘mad cow disease’? Does the avian flu have an exceedingly high mortality rate for humans? Have any scientists suggested bird flu could be 100 times worse than COVID? Are the USA and China working on making bird flu more infectious? If so, why? Can scientists control all that can happen with biological experiments? Did Jesus warn about pestilences? Could scientists, farmers, corporations, governments, or just regular consumers cause diseases like will happen during the ride of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these topics.

Here is a link to the video: Bird Flu and 4th Horseman’s Ride.

Do NOT trust the scientists who say that they are simply trying to help us fight them and can always control them–they DO NOT KNOW all the risks, no matter what they say.

Humans, directly or indirectly, will be a factor in the coming more severe pestilences.

Let me also add, that the ride of the 4th horseman begins after the opening of the fourth seal, and that is followed by the opening of the fifth seal, which is the start of the Great Tribulation.

Yes, some variation of the bird flu could be tied to the opening of the fourth seal of Revelation and the ride of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Here is a link to a related sermon:
Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation. Here is a version of that sermon in Spanish: El Cuarto Caballo, El COVID y El Surgimiento de la Bestia del Apocalipsis. Some shorter related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here are some related videos: GMO Risks and the Bible and GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras?  Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?  and Human-Monkey Embryos and Death.
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled Sorrows and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Here is a link to a shorter video: These Signs of the 4 Horsemen Have Begun.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.

‘The Rapture of One in the Field’ etching

COGwriter

Are Protestants who believe in a pre-tribulation rapture wrong? They are according to another Protestant, Joel Richardson. Notice the following from him:

Is everything you know about Second Coming wrong?

Filmmaker, evangelist and renowned bible prophecy teacher Joel Richardson says it is a time of change for the church, especially when it comes to teachings about the End Times and the rapture. The author of the New York Times bestseller “The Islamic Antichrist” recently appeared with Joe Schimmel on Rick Wiles’s TruNews radio program to discuss the what he believes is the false doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture.

Wiles himself supports the pre-tribulation position, stating, “I personally do not believe that by the year 2020, any credible person will be teaching the secret pre-trib rapture doctrine. I think the events that are coming in the next five years will utterly destroy the doctrine.”

The pre-tribulation school of thought has been an important force in American Christianity for decades, with proponents such as Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice. This school holds believers will be raptured before the great tribulation during the End Times, thus avoiding it. In contrast, Richardson believes the rapture will not occur until during the tribulation period. Thus, believing Christians will not be spared the persecution and calamities of the End Times. http://www.wnd.com/2015/08/is-everything-you-know-about-second-coming-wrong/#RkMvkBqFXqsI4wzt.99

Iranian Shahab 3 ballistic missiles (Hossein Velayati)

COGwriter

Iran is warning Israel about responding to its attack with 300 drones and missiles:

Iran Warns of ‘Stronger Response’ If Israel Retaliates to Attack

April 14, 2024

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned Sunday against any “reckless” Israeli retaliation to Tehran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack, as world leaders urged restraint.

Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, marking a major escalation of the long-running covert war between the regional foes and sparking fears of a broader conflict, as fighting between Israel and Hamas militants rages on in the Gaza Strip. …

The response came late Saturday when Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles towards Israel, injuring 12 people, the Israeli army said.

But almost all of the drones and missiles were intercepted before they reached Israel, with help from the United States, Jordan, and other allies.

Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said 99% of the launches had been intercepted, declaring “the Iranian attack was foiled.”

While 170 drones and 30 cruise missiles were shot down before they reached Israel, a few of the 110 ballistic missiles did get through, the Israeli army said. …

Iran’s proxies and allies also carried out coordinated attacks on Israeli positions.

AFP correspondents heard blasts in the skies above Jerusalem early Sunday, and overnight people sought cover in the city while some residents stockpiled water.

People were beginning to tentatively return to the streets of Jerusalem on Sunday morning.

Ayala Salant, 48, told AFP “the situation is really frightening.”

“We are afraid of what is happening and all of the bombing and aircraft that are coming.”

Israel, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon all said they had reopened their airspace after suspending air traffic during the attack.

The Iranian army declared that its attack was “completed successfully,” which it said was in “self defense” after the Damascus strike that killed seven of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards including two generals earlier this month.

“Operation Honest Promise … achieved all its objectives”, said Mohammad Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces’ chief of staff. https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/iran-israel-war/2024/04/14/id/1160938/

Iran may consider its attack successful because 1) it showed Israel it could attack, 2) it was able to hit Israel with a few of its ballistic missiles, 3) it learned what did not get past USA, Jordanian, British, and Israeli defenses, and 4) it was able to do that without having Hezbollah luanch tens of thousands of rockets, which Iran may have Hezbollah to do if Iran launches another large attack or perhaps related to an Iranian counter-attack if Israel counter-attacks Iran.

CNN reported the following:

April 14,, 2024

Israel’s three-man war cabinet is weighing the country’s response to an unprecedented overnight barrage of drone and missile strikes from Iran, which threatens to tip the crisis in the Middle East into an untempered regional war.

The war cabinet has been authorized to decide how to respond to the attack, with one of its members – Defense Minister Yoav Gallant – warning that the event is “not over yet.”

Gallant said the attack had been “thwarted this attack in a way that is unparalleled” but added “we must be prepared for every scenario.” In his first comments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “we have intercepted, we have contained. Together we shall win.”

Israel will respond to Iran’s attack, but the scope of that attack has yet to be decided, an Israeli official told CNN on Sunday. https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/14/middleeast/israel-iran-attack-response-intl/index.html

Yes, Israel does wish to respond to this attack by Iran, but the Biden Administration does not want it to do so:

Biden: US won’t support Israeli response to Iran attack

April 14, 2024

US. President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Saturday that Washington will not support an Israeli retaliatory attack for Iran’s drone and missile assault on the Jewish state, Axios reported, citing a senior White House official.

Iran fired more than 300 missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from its territory toward Israel on Saturday night, in what Tehran says was retaliation for the April 1 killing of several IRGC officers in Syria by Israel.

The United States and other countries helped Israel shoot down the projectiles, which amounted to a 99% success rate, according to the IDF. American military forces intercepted over 100 airborne threats.

“You got a win. Take the win,” Biden told Netanyahu, according to the official, amid fears of a regional war should Jerusalem respond. …

Iran is threatening a larger attack if Israel responds militarily, while also warning the United States against further involvement.

“We used an attack with ballistic and cruise missiles. The operation was designed to attack the air base from which the Israeli planes that attacked the consulate [in Damascus] were launched. There were direct hits in the attack. We only targeted military bases,” said Mohammad Bakri, chief of staff of the Iranian Army.

“We sent a message to the U.S. that if it cooperates with Israel in the next steps, its bases will not be safe,” he added. https://israel365news.com/389194/biden-us-wont-support-israeli-response-to-iran-attack/

Well, Iran did attack Israel and Iran wants the USA to stay out of it and the USA wants Israel not to attack.

Regarding Iran possibly attacking Israel, last month I posted the following:

Someone asked me yesterday if the USA’s non-veto of an anti-Israeli UN resolution would embolden Iran.

It may.

The Bible shows that God will allow what looks to be a Iranian-Syrian confederation to strike the nation of Israel:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning, For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:1-14 NKJV)

Elam is a reference to at least some in Iran. The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

Iranians comprise nearly 70 percent of the country. Iranians, though Islamic, are totally distinct from the neighboring Arab peoples of the Middle East. They are a mixed people of the remnants of Media and Elam and other ancestors of Semitic and Hamitic stock. (Stump K. South Asia in Prophecy. Plain Truth, July/August 1986, p. 5)

The Bible tells that after Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to Kir (2 Kings 16:9-10). God’s word has the expression “the Syrians from Kir” (Amos 9:7), which is basically confirmation that Kir of Isaiah 22 would include Syrians. The Bible also tells of a time when Kir will be destroyed (Isaiah 15:1b) and also says that Syria’s capital Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).While this does not mean that Kir must (or must only) be a reference to Syria, the fact that Syria is an ally of Iran is interesting.

In Isaiah 22: 8, “Judah” is a reference to those in the land commonly called Israel–God will allow Israel to be attacked! In Isaiah 22:9, consider that “the damage to the city of David” is a reference to at least part of Jerusalem–and notice that the damage will be great. This, in turn, would be expected to result in a massive Israeli, possibly with US involvement, attack against Iran and its allies, like Syria.the

The fulfillment of Isaiah 22:6-9 could lead to the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:26-27 and the countdown to the start of the Great Tribulation.

But notice verse 8: He removed the protection of Judah.

Part of the protection of Judah, aka the nation called Israel, comes from the USA.

While Syria (and others) may be involved in removing “the protection of Judah,” the more the USA distances itself from Israel, the more tempting an attack may seem for Iran.

Anyway, we may well see Iran attack Israel in 2024, and that could possibly lead to the confirmation of the deal of Daniel 9:27. (Thiel B. VOA: Hamas Leader Speaks in Iran of Israel’s ‘Political Isolation’. COGwriter, March 27, 2024)

Yes, we have seen an attack by Iran in 2024. But as I emailed someone yesterday afternoon, I did not believe it was the attack of Isaiah 22:6-9. And it was not.

Now notice that RT reported the following related to what Iran says it may do if Israel attacks:

14 April 2024

Iranian officials, however, claimed that the barrage had “more success than expected.” The chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, said on Sunday that Tehran considers the weekend strikes a sufficient “punishment” of Israel for the attack on its consulate and has no intention of continuing the operation. However, he promised a “much more extensive” response in case of future attacks from the IDF. https://www.rt.com/russia/595936-israel-iran-russia-response/

It is a “much more extensive” military attack by Iran and its allies that will fulfill Isaiah 22:6-9. That could happen between now and the end of summer. Watch (cf. Mark 13:37).

Last year, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to Iran and Israel:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Iran and Israel Conflict.

We are in a time of wars and rumors of wars as Jesus foretold (Matthew 24:4-8).

World events are aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies.

NOTE: THE COGWRITER.COM AND CCOG.ORG WEBSITES MAY BE DOWN FOR A TIME TODAY FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM PDT.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here are links to two related videos Iran In Prophecy and  Iran and Israel Conflict.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There are also two related YouTube videos you can watch: Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated and God’s and Satan’s Plan for Jerusalem.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
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 ? 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 Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.

#Israel NOW

Iron Dome facing with Iranian drones that launched from Syria and #Lebanon#Iran pic.twitter.com/7YoTbbOUre

— Today Headlines | خبرهای روز (@Iran) April 13, 2024

COGwriter

Iran announced it launched an attack against Israel:

Iran Announces Launch Of First Wave Of Ballistic Missiles On Israel

April 13, 2024

Iranian state media has just reported that the elite IRGC has launched its first wave of ballistic and(or) cruise missiles at Israel. Already an estimated hundreds of drones are headed toward Israel. It appears Iran is seeking to overwhelm Israel’s anti-air defense systems. The United States is expected to help Israel intercept this barrage. There are statements from the Houthis saying they have also launched rockets against Israel, and there are fears Hezbollah is about to unleash a barrage too. Unconfirmed reports have said rockets have been launched from Iranian assets in Syria too.

Below is the IRGC confirmation via PressTV: “In response to the Zionist regime’s numerous crimes, including the attack on the consular section of Iran’s Embassy in Damascus and the martyrdom of a number of our country’s commanders and military advisors in Syria, the IRGC’s Aerospace Division launched tens of missiles and drones against certain targets inside the occupied territories,” the statement read. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-pressuring-china-turkey-saudi-arabia-intervene-iran-halt-attack-israel

Hezbollah also launched an attack:

April 13, 2024

Lebanese group Hezbollah has claimed in a statement that its militants launched dozens of Katyusha rockets targeting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) air defense headquarters in the Kaila barracks area of the Golan Heights.

In a statement, Hezbollah declared its support for the Palestinian people in Gaza and their resistance against Israeli attacks on civilian areas. https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-04-13-24/index.html

CBS reported:

April 13, 2024

The U.S. is on standby for further action by Iran, and from within the region via its proxies, a U.S. official told CBS News.

The U.S. is positioned to be able to shoot down incoming drones from Iran via assets in Iraq and Syria, three U.S. officials told CBS News. The U.S. also has fighter jets that are now on standby. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-launches-drone-attack-toward-israel-idf-says/

A report by Fox News indicated that the US navy has possibly shot down some Iranian drones over Iraq before they got to Israel. A report from Israel says that USA and British aircraft also shot down some drones and/or missiles launched by Iran.

Israel says it is ready:

April 13, 2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel is ready for a direct attack from Iran and will respond in kind.

“Citizens of Israel, in recent years, and even more so in recent weeks, Israel has been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack from Iran,” the premier says in a video statement.

“Our defense systems are deployed, and we are prepared for any scenario, both in defense and offense. The State of Israel is strong, the IDF is strong, the public is strong.” …

“I established a clear principle — whoever hurts us, we will hurt them. We will defend ourselves from any threat and we will do so calmly and with determination.” https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-says-israel-ready-for-direct-attack-from-iran-will-respond-in-kind/

The Bible has the following statement:

‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’ (1 Kings 20:11)

Israel may very well have little damage from this particular attack. Yet, if it feels it has important damage, some believe it will ferociously attack Iran. If that were to happen, Iran (if it only planned a limited attack) would likely to decide to hit Israel hard itself–as well as to get Hezbollah and perhaps Syria to hit Israel hard as well.

The Bible shows that God will allow something that appears to be an Iranian-Syrian confederation, to strike the nation of Israel:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots,And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning,For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts.  (Isaiah 22:1-14 NKJV)

Elam, in this context, seems to be a reference to at least some in Iran. Here some reports on the identity of Elam from the first century Jewish historian Josephus as well as the 20th century Worldwide Church of God:

Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. (Josephus. Josephus Complete Works. Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, Chapter VI, Verse 4. Translated by William Whiston in 1867. Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids (MI), 1960, p. 31)

Iranians comprise nearly 70 percent of the country. Iranians, though Islamic, are totally distinct from the neighboring Arab peoples of the Middle East. They are a mixed people of the remnants of Media and Elam and other ancestors of Semitic and Hamitic stock. (Stump K. South Asia in Prophecy. Plain Truth, July/August 1986, p. 5)

Kir looks to point to Syria. The Bible tells that after Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to Kir.  While this does not mean that Kir must (or must only) be a reference to Syria, the fact that Syria is an ally of Iran is interesting.  Some believe Kir is an area in the south of Iran, while others suggest closer to the Black Sea. God’s word has the expression “the Syrians from Kir” (Amos 9:7), which is basically confirmation that Kir of Isaiah 22 would include Syrians. The Bible also tells of a time when Kir will be destroyed (Isaiah 15:1b) and also says that Syria’s capital Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).

In Isaiah 22: 8, “Judah” is a reference to those in the land commonly called Israel–God will allow Israel to be attacked! In Isaiah 22:9, consider that “the damage to the city of David” is a reference to at least part of Jerusalem–and notice that the damage will be great. And if Israel is hit with great damage, it would seem it would hit Iran hard–perhaps even with a nuclear weapon.

Let’s look at something from the United Church of God and Isaiah 22:

Isaiah 22:6 shows the involvement of Elam. This would seem to indicate Elam attacking but perhaps not. It says Elam “bore the quiver,” which could indicate that it is serving another army, perhaps even by compulsion, which would make sense if this applied to the ancient Assyrian army, which likely had Elamites and other peoples pressed into involuntary service (the Elamite nation as a whole was supportive of Babylon against Assyrian rule). Again, however, it is conceivable that the reference is dual, applying also to the end time. As modern Elam is found in Eastern Europe, Iran and India, perhaps weapons from these areas will be utilized by the end-time Assyrian army in its initial assault on the modern nations of Israel. A “quiver” in a modern context might represent a store of missiles. (Bible Commentary Isaiah 22 Posted on Apr 5, 2003 https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-commentary/bible-commentary-isaiah-22)

The above commentary makes no statement related to Syria. And it mainly seems to suggest that maybe Iran is holding weapons, not that Iran may directly attack Israel. It points to Assyria (modern Germanic peoples) attacking.

The Church of the Eternal God has the following:

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible equates Elam with Persia. … The city of Sushan or Susa was one of the capitols of the Elamite or Persian empire …

Isaiah 22:6 prophesies, in the context of the future enslavement of the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem (compare verses 1-4):

“Elam [Iran] bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.”

The timing is again the day of the Lord or “in that day” (verses 8, 12), when God has “removed the protection of Judah” (verse 8), since they looked to their armor or military, rather than to God (verses 8, 11). We note, from Ezekiel 27:10, that at one time, “Those from Persia, Lydia and Libya Were in [mystical “Tyre’s” or modern Babylon’s] army as men of war.” So it appears that at least some modern Iranians will participate, perhaps as mercenaries, in the military attack of modern Babylon against the state of Israel.

Focusing on other passages in the Bible, we are told that apparently sometime after that attack, the relationship between modern Babylon and Iran will deteriorate, and Elam or Iran will form an alliance with the Medes or Russia against “Babylon.” (What does the Bible say about Iran’s future? June 3, 2011. https://www.eternalgod.org/q-a-10313/)

The above post makes no statement related to Syria, although it does mention Kir. It has some similarity to the UCG commentary in that it suggests that Iran is not the main player in the attack, but it points to Iranian mercenaries possibly being involved.

Unlike the Continuing Church of God, neither of those groups looks to have thought that Iran with allies like Syria would directly cause great damage to come to Israel. Such damage from Iran and its allies could come soon in 2024.

If Jesus is to return in 2031, I expect massively serious escalation between Israel and Iran.

I have long been of the view that Iran would somehow be neutralized before the start of the Great Tribulation and that could happen in 2024.

As far as Iran and Israel go, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following Bible News Prophecy video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel, the audio portion of which was sent for broadcast on the European Gospel Radio station AM 1323 kHz:

15:03

Iran and Israel Conflict

European Union foreign policy chief, Josep Borrel, has been brokering the nuclear negotiations involving Iran and said that he thinks the deal is “in danger.” Iran blames the United States, whereas the USA says they are not delaying it. Israeli sources stated that Israel will stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb. Joe Biden says the USA would use its own military power to prevent Iran from getting such a bomb if need be. In 2021, Iranian lawmakers have submitted a bill seeking the government by law to commit to Israel’s destruction by the year 2040. Does the 22nd chapter of Isaiah point to damage coming to Israel from Iran and possibly Syria? Might Iran be concerned enough about limited progress with the USA to launch some type of attack? Is Iran the prophesied ‘King of the South’? Is it reasonable to think that the prophesied peace deal of Daniel 9:27 will not happen until after a military conflict. like a regional war? Should Christians watch the Middle East? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie discuss these matters.

Here is a link to our video: Iran and Israel Conflict.

As far as other prophecies go, let me also state that it would seem to take a major regional war for the coming temporal ‘peace deal’ of Daniel 9:27 to be ratified. Iran, Syria, and Israel may soon be in a major regional war. The USA could also be affected.

We are in the time Jesus referred to as “the beginning of sorrows,” as it appears that two or three of the four horseman of the Apocalypse have begun their rides.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? Here are two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details. A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle), you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
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 2025 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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
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.

6 killed in Sydney mall stabbing; police say terror not ruled out as motive https://t.co/jqAUk9zH0o

— The Times of Israel (@TimesofIsrael) April 13, 2024

COGwriter

Shoppers were frightened and terrorized by a murdering man with a knife in Australia:

‘It was carnage’ – Eyewitnesses describe Sydney stabbing horror

13 April 2024

Eyewitnesses have described scenes of chaos as they fled a busy Sydney shopping mall where a knifeman killed six people and wounded several others.

“It was carnage,” said a witness, who was in a cafe nearby with his two young children as the attack began.

The man, who did not want to be named, told ABC News he saw a man suddenly “stabbing people indiscriminately”.

Crowds poured from Westfield shopping centre in Bondi when the terrifying incident began just after 3pm. …

Olinder Nemer told the BBC she scene was “so scary”.

“I didn’t see him stabbing people, but I saw him running with the knife,” the 22-year-old said.

“People were just running, screaming. At first we didn’t know what was happening, so we were running with everyone.”

Huma Hussainy and Mohamad Naveed spent 45 terrifying minutes hiding in a changing room.

Ms Hussainy said she was “still in shock” and described how she came within metres of the attacker outside a Lululemon store, adding that he had a knife the length of a forearm. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68805401

April 13, 2024

“They just said run, run, run — someone’s been stabbed,” one witness told ABC TV in Australia. ”(The attacker) was walking really calmly like he was having an ice cream in a park. And then he went up the escalators … and probably within about a minute we heard three gunshots.”

Six of the victims — five women and a man — and the suspect died. Commissioner Karen Webb said the eight injured people were being treated at hospitals. The baby was in surgery, but it was too early to know the condition, she said. https://apnews.com/article/sydney-shopping-center-stabbing-shot-bondi-52318d684ebbab17dcac33a833ba0d51

April 13, 2024

Six people were killed and several others injured — including a small child — when a knife-wielding attacker rampaged through a busy Sydney shopping centre on Saturday, Australian police said.

Multiple people were stabbed by the unidentified assailant, who was shot dead by a policewoman at the scene.

The incident occurred at the sprawling Westfield Bondi Junction mall complex, which was packed with Saturday afternoon shoppers.

“I’m advised that there are five victims who are now deceased as a result of the actions of this offender,” said New South Wales police assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke. The death toll later rose to six.

The motive was not immediately clear, but Cooke said “terrorism” could not be ruled out at this stage. https://www.timesofisrael.com/6-killed-in-sydney-mall-stabbing-police-say-terror-not-ruled-out-as-motive/

This horrific incident was not expected by shoppers in Bondi.

The Bible warns that “there will be terror within” (Deuteronomy 32:25).

Whether or not the government authorities classify this mass murder as terrorism, people were terrorized and at least six (plus the murderer) are dead.

Notice a prophecy from Jesus:

12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12)

With lawlessness abounding, we look to be seeing more and more mass killings.

Yes, there has been mob theft and violence throughout history. But we are seeing it worsen as we live in perilous times. That was prophesied by the Apostle Paul:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Consider also the following that is certainly applicable to parts of many cities in the world (including the USA):

23 ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence. (Ezekiel 7:23)

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…30…violent, proud, boasters,…31…unmerciful; (Romans 1:28-31)

8 … And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:8)

The above applies to the stabber.

My prayers go out to those affected by this horror.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

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 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.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam. Here is a shorter video: Afghanis: Potential terrorists?
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.
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 European Parliament

COGwriter

While many, particularly in North America, are focused on the USA Presidential election, a significant election is to take place during June in Europe in its upcoming parliamentary election:

11 April 2024

Investigate Europe analysis of the latest national election data from 11 countries found that far-right parties achieved their highest percentage of votes in rural districts. IE reporters travelled to four of these rural communities to understand what is driving voters to side with far-right parties. It is a trend likely to continue with the European Parliament predicted to take a “sharp right turn” in June’s elections.

“A broad ‘geography of discontent’ is on the rise in long-term declining regions of Europe as well as in many small cities, towns and rural areas,” said a February report delivered to the European Commission by an expert group of academics, politicians and civil society. “The sense of despair is not just limited to economic hardship but also expands to a feeling of being politically disenfranchised and socially alienated.”

This feeling of isolation, both geographically and politically, is not unique to rural areas but it is often amplified there. Chega, Germany’s AfD, PVV in the Netherlands, France’s Rassemblement National and others have played on such fears to pitch policies with broad appeal, beyond hardline stances on migration and social issues.

Europe’s far-right has been buoyed by various factors. Be it eroding support for mainstream political parties and the waning influence of leftist movements still tarred by past financial crises, or an ever-favourable media landscape and their ability to exploit polarising culture war issues. …

EU Commission, “is not merely a backdrop but a fundamental driver of mounting support for ideologies that either seek to undermine the EU or, in their most radical form, advocate for its demise.”

Netherlands

One of these advocates is the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders, the Eurosceptic firebrand recently described by Politico as “the EU’s worst nightmare”. His far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) won the most votes in November’s general election with 25 percent and is expected to be the largest Dutch party in Brussels come June.

Denounced by many for inflammatory rhetoric and past anti-Islam policies, Wilders managed to attract millions of voters, many in rural areas, by tapping into everyday concerns as well as anti-immigration sentiment. …

Portugal

In Portugal, the rapid ascension of Chega, a party formed in 2019, came from similarly populist promises to cut taxes, raise pensions and fight corruption. Leader André Ventura has also stoked fears among minorities with incendiary remarks about the Roma community, migrants and allegations of racism. …

France

In France, the Rassemblement National is conquering this same kind of vote. Marine Le Pen’s party are a favourite for June’s elections and she has vowed to tackle “authoritarian” bureaucracy in Brussels. …

Germany

Rural unease has helped anti-establishment parties capture voters who feel forgotten by decision-makers at home and in Brussels. Alternative for Germany (AfD), another Eurosceptic, anti-immigration party, is tipped to make gains in June’s parliamentary elections. …

Italy

The northern municipality of Verona gave almost 30 percent of its votes to Meloni, and in the town of Salizzole the figure was almost 50 percent — a national high. …

A small, ageing town centred around a 12th-century castle, Salizzole has voted far-right for decades. In 2022 support stemmed from familiar concerns around immigration and the area’s perceived long-term decline. The closure of its furniture factories has left an economy largely dependent on tobacco, rice and vegetable production — and increasingly migrant workers. https://euobserver.com/eu-elections/158336

Pretty much all the parties alluded to in each of those nations above are considered, by some at least, to be “anti-immigrant.”

While Ireland was not listed in the above article, it too, has migrant concerns (see ZH: ‘Irish People Are Being Attacked’ – Anti-Immigrant Riots Erupt After Dublin Stabbing Spree).

But, despite concerns about control from Brussels, in time we will ultimately see more control not less.

Related to the upcoming election and a shift to the right for European voters, a reader sent me a link to the following:

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (own report) – In next June’s European elections extreme right-wing parties threaten to become the strongest force in a third of member states and the second or third strongest force in another third. This finding comes from an analysis by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a pan-European think tank. The latest polls predict a major shift in the make-up of the European Parliament. The far-right ECR parliamentary group and ID group will together be stronger than either the Social Democrats or the conservative EPP. The study indicates that the EPP parties and Social Democrats are about to face significant losses. Although they might mathematically still form a narrow majority in an alliance with the liberal Renew Europe group, such a parliamentary coalition would be unstable and unworkable in practice. This is the background to a debate in the EU on whether, under conservative EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, forces on the far right should be embraced as partners after the election. The focus is on cooperation with the ECR group, which includes the Sweden Democrats and Vox from Spain. In the European Parliament this group is led by the ultra-right Fratelli d’Italia under Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

A ‘grand coalition’ in decline

This year’s European elections will be held from 6 to 9 June. The political groupings that have traditionally backed the policies pursued by the European Commission are likely to suffer painful losses. This is the conclusion of a study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) based on numerous national polls. The analysis predicts that the seats taken by conservative European People’s Party (EPP) will probably fall from 178 to 173, Social Democrat MEPs from 141 to 131, and those of the liberal Renew Europe from 101 to 86. The Greens, too, are expected to see their representation shrink, taking 61 seats instead of 71. These losses add up to a shift with consequences for coalition options in the Parliament. According to the forecast, the ‘grand coalition’ of EPP and Social Democrats, which had already lost its absolute majority back in 2019, will now slip from its current 45 per cent to 42 per cent of seats. A potential ‘super grand coalition’ that includes Renew Europe would reach 54 per cent, creating a mathematical majority. But in practice it would fall short of having the numbers needed for a stable coalition in the parliament. This, as the ECFR study points out, is because parties within parts the political groups in the European Parliament frequently refuse to vote with the majority, reflecting the divergent national interests involved.[1]

The far right is gaining

The ECFR analysis predicts that parties of various shades of far right politics will make significant gains. They are likely to become the strongest force [2] in nine countries and the second or third strongest [3] in nine others. They have already claimed the leadership of the Italian government, with Giorgia Meloni of the Fratelli d’Italia party as prime minister. They have prevailed in Netherlands, although Geert Wilders of the Partij voor de Vrijheid narrowly failed to become prime minister. The hard right now hold the post of deputy prime minister of Finland (Riikka Purra of The Finns party). They have participated in a coalition government in Austria in the form of the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) and been tolerated in Denmark (Dansk Folkeparti). The radical-right spectrum also includes, according to the ECFR analysis, Hungary’s governing party Fidesz, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Poland’s only recently ousted ruling party PiS (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość) under Jarosław Kaczyński. In Germany, the far right is mainly organised within the AfD. In the European Parliament, the parties of the far right have so far been loosely united either in the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group or the Identity and Democracy (ID) group. The ECR, centred around the Fratelli d’Italia and the PiS, can hope to increase its number of seats from 67 to a predicted 85. The ID group, formed around Austria’s FPÖ, the Italian Lega and the French Rassemblement National (RN), is likely to be the big winner, growing from 58 to 98 seats. There is also a sizable number of mainly extreme right-wing MEPs who are not attached to any group. 03/26/24 https://www.german-foreign-policy.com/en/news/detail/9525

As far as immigrant matters and the election go, ZeroHedge reported the following:

European Parliament Approves Controversial Migration Pact; Furious Nationalists Vow To Bring It Down After EU Elections

April 11, 2024

The European Parliament has approved the controversial EU Asylum and Migration Pact, which will see countries forced to accept their fair share of new arrivals into the bloc or pay a fine for every migrant they reject.

The new asylum and migration package was passed largely with votes from lawmakers affiliated with the European People’s Party, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and Renew Europe, with MEPs being urged to swallow their criticisms of the scheme and vote for the compromise legislation.

“History made,” tweeted European Parliament President Roberta Metsola as she praised what she described as a “robust legislative framework on how to deal with migration and asylum,” noting it had been “10 years in the making” but the EU had kept its word.

Some MEPs on both the left and the center-right revealed they voted through the pact despite its many flaws.

“The new legislation is not perfect but we can only make migration manageable and humane with one European solution,” said Hilde Vautmans, foreign affairs coordinator for Renew Europe.

Nationalist politicians across Europe expressed their anger at the passing of the pact, which they claim cedes sovereignty to an ever-centralized European Union.

“The Migration Pact organizes the tutelage and control of nations, the legal impunity of NGOs complicit with smugglers,” tweeted Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally.

She further vowed to “put an end to the accelerated pursuit of policies to encourage and organize mass immigration,” on June 9 at the EU elections in which her party is expected to win the most French seats. …

The Hungarian government reiterated its opposition to the pact following the vote with spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs citing Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó who “declared that regardless of any migration pact adopted by the European Parliament, Hungary will maintain its legal and physical border barriers and will not allow illegal immigrants entry, opposing the pro-war and pro-migration stance of Brussels’ leadership.”

The majority of lawmakers who passed through the pact were lukewarm on its contents but considered it to be a compromise to end the status quo existing in a Europe plagued by illegal immigration. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/european-parliament-approves-controversial-migration-pact-furious-nationalists-vow

So, this latest immigration bill may also be a further impetus for Europeans to vote for more politicians on “the right.”

The waves of Islamic migrants into Europe was something a pope of the last century was concerned about:

Pope John Paul II (March 1993), as reported by Monsignor Mauro Longhi on October 22, 2017: ‘Tell this to those whom you will meet in the Church of the third millennium. I see the Church afflicted by a deadly scourge. … ‘It’s called islamism. They will invade Europe. I saw the hordes coming from the West to the East’, and he described to me the countries one by one: from Morocco to Libya to Egypt, and so on to the eastern parts. The Holy Father added, ‘They will invade Europe, Europe will be like a cellar, old relics, shadowy, cobwebs. Family heirlooms. You, the Church of the third millennium, will have to contain the invasion. Not with armies, armies will not suffice, but with your faith, lived with integrity.’ ” (McLean DC. Newly revealed vision of St. Pope John Paul: Islam will invade Europe. LifeSite News, November 23, 2017. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/newly-revealed-vision-of-st.-pope-john-paul-islam-will-invade-europe)

Europe is going to change–and will deal with Islamism as Islam is NOT the prophesied religion of the coming European Beast power–he will initially feign some version of Roman Catholicism.

Roman Catholic writings also point to that:

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): Terrible wars will rage all over Europe. … In Istanbul (Constantinople) the Cross will replace the half-moon of Islamism, and Jerusalem will be the seat of a King. The southern Slavs will form a great Catholic Empire and drive out of Europe the Turks (Mohammedans), who will withdraw to North Africa and subsequently embrace the Catholic faith. (Dupont, p.76)

St. Francis de Paul (d. 1507): A new order will be founded, that of the Cruciferi, because its members will carry the cross on their banners…The Crusaders will lead the Mohammedans, the teachers of heretical doctrines and bad Christians back to Christ…the power of Islam {was} destroyed by the Great Monarch. (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, p. 142).

Power will be given to a leader, that sounds like the ‘Great Monarch,’ as Europe is prophesied to go through at least two major reorganizations in Revelation 17:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

Many of the migrants that Europeans are concerned about are Muslim, from Islamically dominated lands.

With that in mind, notice the following Roman Catholic prophecy:

Rudolph Gekner (died 1675): A great prince of the North with a most powerful army will traverse all Europe, uproot all republics, and exterminate all rebels. His sword … will combat on behalf of the true orthodox faith, and shall subdue to his dominion the Mahometan Empire. (Connor E. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 36)

If the above has a lot of accuracy (and it has certain biblical consistency), it seems to also show that all (or at least some) republics in Europe are to be uprooted and a “great prince of the North” (also called the King of the North in Daniel 11:40) will rise up–he is prophesied to eliminate a power of the currently Muslim-dominated nations in Daniel 11:40-43. The Bible in Revelation 17:12-13 supports the idea of republics being replaced by a different form of governance.

Related to Islam’s future in Europe, we made the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

17:19

Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

On June 8, 2018, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the closing of seven Islamic mosques in an effort to reduce “political Islam.” In the past several years, at least 6 European nations have banned the wearing of a commonly used garment by Islamic females. Heinz-Christian Strache (later Vice Chancellor of Austria) has declared that Islam has no place in Europe. Did Germany’s Angela Merkel call multiculturalism a failure? Will there be deals between the Muslims and the Europeans? Will a European Beast leader rise up after a reorganization that will eliminate nationalism? Will Europe push out Islam? What does Catholic prophecy teach? What does the Bible teach in Daniel and Revelation? Is Islam prophesied to be pushed out of Europe? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link: Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

That said, the coming European leader will work with the Church of Rome (whose ‘Catherdra’ is within the borders of the ‘City of Seven Hills’) for a time (cf. Revelation 17:1-13). Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Catholic private prophecies point to him (sometimes referred to as the ‘Great Monarch’) to rule over ‘New Babylon’:

Abbott Joachim (died 1202): The city of Babylon shall then be the head and guide of the world…this holy Pontiff will ask the cooperation of the generous monarch of France (Great Monarch)… A man of remarkable sanctity will be his successor in the Pontifical chair.  Through him God will work so many prodigies that all men shall revere him. (Connor, pp. 31-33)

Monk Leontios (died 543): Rejoice, oh most unhappy one, oh New Babylon! . . . You, who are the New Babylon rejoice now on behalf of Zion! New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes what a Grace you have received. Because that peace which was yours to enjoy in times past, and which God has deprived you of in course of battles, receive it once more from the hand of an Angel . . . oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Otto, Tzima. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 82-83)

Speaking of Babylon and the Europe, it may be of interest to note that the European parliament building shows similarities to the unfinished Tower of Babel from the Old Testament:

As far as the connection between what is going on in Europe and the ancient Tower of Babel, notice the following European poster from several years ago:

The trappings and the agenda that are going on do align with the type of political power that the Bible warns about.  Notice also the following:

Europe has many ties to the Beast and the woman who rides it and this is reflected in official European coinage and art. The Bible warns against the woman who rides the Beast in Revelation 17.

The Bible itself warns about a religious system based out of the city of seven hills that rides the European Beast power.

That said, Europe is inching towards putting in leaders that would be more supportive of pushing Islam out of the continent.

June’s Parliamentary elections look to possibly be a step in that direction.

Ultimately, Europe will push Islam out. And that will have to involve political leaders who want that done.

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.
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 three related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For, The Future King of the North, and Rise of the Prophesied 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.
Do You Know That Babylon is Forming? How is the final Babylon forming? Are Protestants such as Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland are endorsing something dangerous? Could Pope Francis be the ‘False Prophet’ that the Bible warns against? Is an antipope expected to endorse a one-world religion? Here is a link to a related written article In Vatican City: New Babylon more openly forming!
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
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.