TheJournal

3 Horst Obermeit says people like

Dale Dupont are seen as a threat
3 Mary Thompson encourages COG
folks to please welcome the stranger
4 Doug Ward says The Harbinger is a
good example of pesher interpretation

News of the Churches of God 28 Bob Thiel’s new hymnal includes

songs by Ross as well as Dwight

Vol. XVII, No. 3 Founded 1997 Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Two United ministers speak The Journal

before Dave Havir’s church invites readers’
By Dixon Cartwright Mr. Mischnick, 92, who was or-
Feast reports
B IG SANDY, Texas—Something
new and different—at least it
was new and different for the
Big Sandy area, home of at least a dozen
Church of God groups—happened on
dained in the old Radio Church of
God in 1963, delivered a sermon titled
“Love.”
“Today I thought I’d talk about a
simple subject: God,” Mr. Mischnick
T
HE JOURNAL: NEWS OF THE
CHURCHES OF GOD invites
readers to send in reports of
their 2013 Feast of Tabernacles
observances.
the Sabbath of Aug. 24, 2013. began. Who and what is God? he
Two United Church of God (UCG) rhetorically asked. Members of the Churches of God
ministers delivered sermons at the “It seems to me the answer is sim- and other Sabbatarian fellowships
Church of God Big ple,” he said. are meeting this year at several
Sandy (CGBS), He quoted 1 hundred Feast sites, with most ob-
which is not part of John 4:8 to show servances beginning the evening
the Ohio-based UCG. that the definition of Sept. 18.
The independent of God is “love.” Mail your article to Feast Re-
CGBS is pastored “He that loveth ports, P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy,
by Dave Havir. not knoweth not Texas 75755, U.S.A. Or E-mail it to
Since its begin- God; for God is [email protected]. Or you may
ning in 1995, the love,” he read. fax it toll-free to 1-888-488-6603.
UCG has kept pret- Al Mischnick Gerald Seelig
Mr. Mischnick Photographs as prints or E-mail
ty much to itself advised his listen- attachments are also welcomed.
when it comes to sharing pulpits ers to love God, love neighbor and Please mention the dates of
with other Church of God groups. love each other. UNION OUTING—Jean Danis of Montreal, Que., Canada, smiles during an your observance, especially if it
Famously, or infamously, Aaron “God never changes,” he concluded. outing on Lake Union in Seattle, Wash. Mrs. Danis’s husband, Michel, was a does not begin on the evening of
Dean, a member of the UCG’s coun- presenter at the One God Seminars in the Seattle area sponsored by Ken
In His image Sept. 18, and the name of the
cil of elders, was publicly censured by Westby’s Association for Christian Development in June 2013. The seminar ses-
church fellowship or affiliation, if
the council after he preached before a Mr. Mischnick’s son-in-law, Ger- sions comprised the 12th annual one-God conference. See a related article and
any, or other sponsor of the site.
small non-UCG group in Huntsville, ald Seelig, 63, of Cincinnati, Ohio, photo on page 28 of this issue of THE JOURNAL. [Photo by Michel Danis]
Texas, in 2007. delivered the second of two sermons,
Since early 2011, however, the UCG also on “love.”
has changed or relaxed some of its
rules, including precepts that preclude
pulpit sharing.
God’s love means He has “com-
pletely freed us of our sins, washed us
and cleansed us with His Spirit and
Would-be church reformer recalls efforts to revise
Simple subject
The two speakers here on Aug. 24
we are now free and put back togeth-
er, and He is working with us in a
miraculous way,” Mr. Seelig said.
seven Worldwide Church of God doctrines in 1974
were a longtime Church of God elder, God is “making us in His image,” By Dixon Cartwright campus of Ambassador College in to do with his history and instincts as
Al Mischnick of Little Rock, Ark.,
and his son-in-law, Gerald Seelig.
he concluded. “And what is that
image? It is love.”
A UBURN, Wash.—During his
One God Seminars in Seattle
a few weeks ago, in June
2013, Ken Westby talked with this
writer about high and low points of
1959, graduated in 1964 and married
fellow AC student JoAn Goodson in
1964.
He served faithfully as an elder in
the old Radio Church of God, which
a church reformer.
In making them, he told the story of
his life in the Churches of God and his
hopes and aspirations.
But, first, here is a brief listing of
his life and career in the Churches of Herbert W. Armstrong founded in his areas of interest that pertain to his
Barrett book takes wide view God, including his
role in the famous
1927 or 1934, depending on how you
interpret the early history of the
seven main points:
The old Radio/Worldwide Church
of Armstrong movement East Coast Rebel-
lion of 1974.
He also spoke of
church.
Mr. Westby, nowadays at age 74,
pastors a COG congregation called
of God’s doctrine and practice on di-
vorce and remarriage, which many
longtime members still refer to as
By Gavin Rumney the nature of Jesus, Virtual Church that meets on the In- D&R.
The writer, a former member of the

A UCKLAND, New Zealand

—British scholar David V.
Barrett’s Fragmentation of a
Sect: Schism in the Worldwide
Church of God, hardback, 280 pag-
Worldwide Church of God, produces
the Otagosh blog (otagosh.blogspot.
com). In 2010 he completed a theol-
ogy degree, majoring in biblical stud-
ies, from Otago University, Dunedin,
including its impli-
cations for Chris-
tian theology and
doctrine. (See the
sidebar beginning Ken Westby
ternet and by telephone each Sabbath.
He’s also founder and operator of
the Association for Christian Devel-
opment, based at his home office here.
The church’s doctrine and prac-
tice concerning tithing.
The doctrine on healing.
The change of date for the Feast
of Pentecost.
es, was published in January 2013 New Zealand. on page 6 of this Would-be reformer Church authority.
This book review is a compilation
by Oxford University Press. of recent Otagosh posts. For a related
issue of THE JOURNAL for the theology Mr. Westby is known by many Church eras.
Barrett’s earlier work includes news article, see “New Book From part of the interview.) longtime Church of God members as British-Israel.
The New Be- Oxford University Press Analyzes Frag- a would-be reformer of WCG doc-
lievers (Cas- mentation of the Worldwide Church Served faithfully trines and policies or as a fomenter of Founding congregations
sell, 2001), of God,” THE JOURNAL, issue No. 152, Mr. Westby’s Church of God years the 1974 East Coast Rebellion, de- Mr. Westby mentioned some of the
which devoted dated March 13, 2013. began in the 1950s when he was a pending on your point of view. congregations he helped found and
This version of Mr. Rumney’s re- pastor in the Radio and Worldwide
its final chap- view has been lightly edited for teenager. For this interview Mr. Westby re-
ter to a discus- length, American newspaper techni- He enrolled in the Pasadena, Calif., ferred to seven main points that have See WAS IT A REBELLION, page 6
sion of the cal style, paragraphing and subheads.
WCG. Frag-
mentation of a
which it is a study: the many

Gavin Rumney
Sect is based
on his recent
doctoral thesis
Churches of God which are off-
shoots of the Worldwide Church of CGI to expand Internet, cancel broadcast TV
at the London God. It is, after all, their story . . .
The church will “maintain our ministry and church greater exposure
School of Economics.
Author Barrett is a former teacher,
intelligence officer and journalist. He
has been a freelance writer specializ-
“I hope that all readers will find
this account of a group of heterodox,
millenarian, Sabbatarian, British-
Israelite Churches, which splintered
T YLER, Texas—The Church of
God International announced television presence internationally,
plans to drop its long-running along with Internet television syndi-
Armor of God TV program from cation,” Mr. Groce said in a letter to
broadcast television in September the church’s ministers.
to millions of more homes” through
Web sites, Facebook, YouTube and
Google Ad Words.
The Armor of God program will
ing in new religious movements for in hundreds of directions after their
20 years. He gained his Ph.D. in soci- founder died, even a fraction as ab- 2013 in favor of expanding its still exist and include presenter Bill
ology of religion from the London sorbing as I have for all these years I Internet-based print and video Watson of Hinckley, Ohio, and will
School of Economics in 2009. have been observing them.” efforts. be supported on the technical end by
CGI chief executive Charles media producer Mr. Reed.
Please read Let there be light Groce said, “Because of our The Church of God International,
From the author’s note that ap- So the tone is set for what might limited exposure to major chan- founded in 1978, resides on the Web
pears on page ix: be the most significant studies ever nels, we were left out of many at cgi.org.
“This . . . is an academic book published on the movement founded thousands of homes.” It has congregations in the United
which I hope will contribute to by Herbert W. Armstrong. So the church’s board of di- Charles Groce Jeff Reed Bill Watson States, Australia, Canada, Jamaica
social science and religious scholar- Up till now there has been a great rectors evaluated the church’s and the Philippines.
ship. I also hope it will be read by deal of heat, but not much light shed, public-media effectiveness and “de- He said a new employee at the Write the CGI at 3900 Timms St.,
members of the religious groups of See LITTLE HAS BEEN SAID, page 26
cided to take our evangelism in a dif- church’s headquarters here, Jeff Tyler, Texas 75701, U.S.A., or info@
ferent direction.” Reed, has the “knowhow to give our cgi.org. Or phone (903) 939-2929.
2 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Letters from our readers

The excellence of women selfish undertaking on my
How to subscribe to THE JOURNAL
T ina Engelbart’s article in the lat-
est issue of THE JOURNAL [“Just
What Did Jesus Mean About
Women Rulers?” in issue No. 153] is
interesting to me.
part, I decided to let them
suffer. I suppose it’s pos-
sible I may discover
that people do sur-
Keep up with news of the Churches of
God and your friends in all the groups by
subscribing to THE JOURNAL: NEWS OF THE
CHURCHES OF GOD for (in the United
mail to one of these addresses (when
ordering from the U.S. address, please
remit in U.S. funds):
prisingly well with- THE JOURNAL, P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy,
Many churches believe women States) $15 for six issues, $28 for 12 is-
out my advice. That sues or $49 for 24 issues. Gift subscrip-
Texas 75755, U.S.A.; info@thejournal.
should not be ministers or priests— could be encouraging. tions to THE JOURNAL are available. For
org. (See subscription prices above.)
not even elders. These churches quote For a little overkill and non-U.S. subscriptions mailed from Big THE JOURNAL, c/o Lewis McCann, 24
passages in the Bible to back up their to foment the ultimate so- Sandy, the price is $17 for six issues, $30 Bradvue Cres., Bradville, Milton Keynes
beliefs. cial neglect, I decided to for 12 issues or $51 for 24 issues. For MK13 7AJ, United Kingdom; £18 for 12
Their reasoning seems valid until take a break from telling prices for ordering through one of our issues; [email protected].
we read the chapters before and after other people what to do. international distributors, below, please
Canadian subscribers: Please sub-
their quoted passages. This shows promise. check with the individual distributor.
scribe through the Big Sandy address.
The Bible can be quoted to mean People weren’t that obe- To subscribe, renew or order a gift sub- Canadian subscriptions in U.S. dollars
just about anything if we take parts mind to a better understanding of Ho- dient anyway, and maybe now they scription in the United States, Australia, are $17 for six monthly issues, $30 for 12
out of context. sea, where I found answers to my iden- will show some initiative. Britain, Canada, South Africa, New Zea- issues or $51 for 24 issues. Please remit
In my opinion, women are just as tity problems. It may well be easier to control land or elsewhere, use the coupon on the in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank or as
smart and capable as men and can be The House of Israel has been sifted what goes in my mouth than what last page or a plain piece of paper and a postal money order.
excellent ministers. In the old days no into every race and nation. If one is comes out. I may want to give up junk
priests were women in the Bible, but not born in the United States, that food altogether. ter what the Bible says. walk through. I could see part of the
women had many children then and doesn’t mean there is no Israelitish Phil Griffith Romans 8:7 reminds us that the room and the nurses out the end of it.
didn’t have time to be church leaders. origin in that person. Delight, Ark. carnal mind (human mind) is an I’d studied Mormon accounts of
Earl Cayton There is no room for any kind of enemy of God. near-death experiences and so was
San Francisco, Calif. racism among God’s people. Be prepared Someone might ask: Don’t these familiar with the tunnel concept.
It may well be that God is retriev- Dear COG friends, wouldn’t it be people have a heart and feelings? I’ve always believed that the tunnel
Be of good cheer prudent to prepare (stock up?) for any
This is in answer to Tina Engel- ing a remnant of His people Israel Here is what God says in Jeremiah experience was a drug reaction. Per-
from all the nations (Revelation 7:9; (disruptive) cyclical solar flares, haps the drug was a sedative, although
bart’s question [in issue No. 153]: comet-mass ejections, electromagnet- 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all
“Just what did Jesus mean about wom- Acts 10:35) as the firstfruits of His things and (not just wicked, but) des- I don’t know and didn’t ask enough
salvation and forerunner of the gener- ic storms this summer, fall and spring? questions.
en rulers?” Robert Engelhart perately wicked.
If you want to run for president, al salvation to come with the return of Considering how plain God makes I believe there is evidence that par-
Jesus Christ. Zion, Ill. ticular versions of near-death visions
Tina, I will not oppose you, but I will all this, what do you think God wants
not vote for you or campaign for you. As we know, in Jesus Christ we are Recommended books us to do? are influenced by cultural and reli-
The mother of Jesus had no ideas of all saved by grace, not by race. Some good books to add to your Paul and Micki Herrmann gious beliefs.
leading, only praising God. Sasha Veljic Bible-study library: Metairie, La. For example, brief research on this
Don’t be like the women of the holocaust.memorial.society@ The General Epistles: A Study topic shows that during some near-
world, who want to rule men. gmail.com Guide and The Appointed Times of Proper justice death experiences Christians may see
(Likewise, men should not assume Novi Sad, Serbia Jesus the Messiah. There seems to be a dividing line in Jesus, and Hindus may see their gods
the role of women.) Both are comprehensive books, not the splinter groups. Many who believe (such as the god of death). But Hindus
People are worthy Mr. Armstrong was the end-time Eli- don’t see Jesus, nor do Christians see
Be of good cheer. Someday you Recently I have been attending a booklets, and are available free from
won’t be a woman. You will be a son Christian Biblical Church of God at jah are holding fast to his doctrines, Hindu gods.
church. I don’t necessarily agree or and they include the doctrine that Variations on these themes may be
of God (as an angel of heaven) born disagree with anything or everything cbcg.org.
into His family. Mac Overton wearing makeup is a sin. influenced by belief in heaven for
its members believe or do. As anyone Many who do not believe Mr. Arm- mainstream Christians, belief in rein-
Yes, Tina, I love you as a sister in who ever goes to church can tell you, Gilmer, Texas
Christ. But I haven’t changed my strong was the end-time Elijah allow carnation for Hindus and belief in a
this is not unusual. Signs in the sky members in their congregations to preexistence for Mormons. Can all
mind about 1 Corinthians 14:34 and 1 Frankly, I was just a bit bored and [Letter to Tim Kelley, who wrote wear makeup.
Timothy 2:12. these beliefs be true?
lonely and couldn’t think of anything “Signs in the Colorado Sky: Finger of If ministers approve of practices Mac’s and Linda’s article men-
Lawrence Mumme better to do. Some lady said she went
Tucson, Ariz. God Points Way” in issue No. 152 of that harm God’s sheep and as a result tioned information obtained during
there and they weren’t picky and THE JOURNAL, dated March 13, 2013:] cancer and other complications enter
No room for racism would let anyone attend and in any I want to let you know that your their bodies, wouldn’t it be proper jus- See MORE LETTERS, page 5
The article “Arizona Preacher De- attire. She was right. article in the recent JOURNAL was one tice if God allows these ministers
cries Race and Genocide Beliefs” [is- Recently this church suggested of the best I have ever read. It was riv- and/or their wives to be stricken with
sue No. 153] struck a chord with me fasting. It was suggested that individ- eting, heartbreaking and exciting all cancer and other sicknesses and dis- Please let THE JOURNAL
because I had similar issues regarding uals choose or not choose to do this rolled into one. eases as well? know when you move
my spiritual identity.
I came into the WCG in 1992, too Please notify THE JOURNAL before you move
late to witness racist or genocidal com- or change your mailing address. Send
ments in the “old-time” WCG. ‘I want to let you know that [Tim Kelley’s] article in the recent your old and new addresses to Change of
Since I am a Caucasian, race didn’t Address, P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy, Texas
play any important role in my spiritu- JOURNAL was one of the best I have ever read. It was 75755, U.S.A., or to the appropriate ad-
al journey. dress listed in the box at the top of this
I have never been a racist. riveting, heartbreaking and exciting all rolled into one.’ page. Or you may fax 1-888-488-6603 or
However, the attitude of superiority E-mail [email protected] or leave a
in relation to other nations was quite voice message at 1-866-949-7294 to
obvious among the descendants of the fast and, if doing it, to adapt it to their I normally do not read THE JOUR- It is time to hold fast to what the report your address change.
birthright promise, Americans in par- individual goals, needs, abilities and NAL, but your article certainly got my end-time Elijah—the end-time apos-
ticular. situations. attention, even the headline. tle—taught us. Quit kidding ourselves
In the old WCG literature I found One of the things that was suggest- I’m so happy you found your broth- that we no longer need God’s guid-
references to the white Israelitish race.
However, I didn’t measure up to the
ed was a junk-food fast, which didn’t
seem to fit my situation. But, like any
er’s body. I cannot imagine what a
trial that was.
ance through the teachings and doc-
trines set into church through Mr.
TheJournal
News of the Churches of God
standards of being Israelite, for I was little kid, I didn’t want to be left out, I had thought about “signs” many
not born in an Israelitish country. Armstrong! P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy, Texas 75755
so I decided to fast what comes out of times and dismissed the topic as Wake up, Church of God!
I found another amazing tendency putting pressure on Yahweh. Anyhow,
THE JOURNAL: NEWS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD is pub-
in our midst. I cannot call it anti-Semi- my mouth rather than what goes in. Donald Raymond Wheatley lished by JMC Associates.
Like most people I am somewhat after reading your article I prayed for Via the Internet
tism. I would rather term it anti-Jew- a sign about a situation we have been
POSTMASTER: Send change-of-address no-
ishness. critical of others. So not criticizing Near-death tunnel vision tices to THE JOURNAL, P.O. Box 1020, Big
In the WCG the members rather others seemed like a big sacrifice. dealing with for a very long time. The Sandy, Texas 75755.
next morning I got one! Amazing! Mac and Linda asked for JOURNAL
tended to dismiss anything Jewish in If you ever try it, be warned. It is readers with near-death experiences to SUBSCRIPTIONS: U.S.: $15 for six issues; $28
favor of Israelitish. We had forgotten tough. You will have to keep your mind Renetta Wilson for 12 issues; $49 for 24 issues. Outside
Via the Internet contact them. U.S., mailed from Big Sandy: $17 for six
that Christ Himself was a Jew who and body busy elsewhere or you will [See “Could Soul-Sleep and After-
explode inside. People seem to go out issues; $30 for 12 issues; $51 for 24 issues.
stated that salvation was of the Jews What would God do? life Doctrines Stand Some Tweak-
of their way to be worthy of criticism. THE JOURNAL is an independent publication
(John 4:22). Most professing Christians have an ing?” by Mac Overton and Linda Moll not affiliated with any church organization.
Paul points out that salvation per- As though this was not enough self- attitude. Here it is: Smith in issue No. 152 of THE JOUR-
punishment, I decided not to give peo- Printed in U.S.A. © 2013 JMC Associates.
tains to everyone who believes the Let’s say they see clearly, without NAL, dated March 13, 2013.] All rights reserved. No part of this publica-
gospel, first to the Jew (Romans 1:16). ple advice. any doubt, that the Bible convincingly I saw a tunnel but have never be- tion may be reproduced or transmitted in
In a sense, the old WCG was some- Here again, people seem in great teaches that offerings should not be lieved it was a portal to a conscious any form or by any means, electronic or
what racist when it came to Jews. need of advice, and it would seem they collected on the seven holy days, that afterlife. It may have been tunnel mechanical, including photocopying, record-
I found myself in an identity mess. might not make it without my advice. Jesus at His last supper used and ate vision. ing or any other information-storage-and-
Several years ago God opened my Because this started out as a rather retrieval system without the written permis-
leavened bread and ate leavened bread After reading Mac’s and Linda’s sion of the publisher.
throughout the seven days of Unleav- review [of a book by Dr. Eben Alex-
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER: Dixon Cartwright
ened Bread, and that none in the New ander], we might consider tunnel
CONNECTIONS EDITOR: Linda Cartwright
Testament Christian church (which vision or its causes as a factor in some
Phoning, faxing or writing The Journal started after Acts 2) kept the Feast of of the accounts of near-death experi- CONTRIBUTORS: Ewin Barnett, Ian Boyne, Trey
Cartwright, Earl Cayton, Dave Havir, Reginald
Tabernacles, not even once. Never. ences that involve tunnels.
THE JOURNAL has three telephone numbers, and two of them are toll-free. Then how do they justify disobey- My experience occurred nearly 37
Killingley, Kathleen McCann, Mac Overton,
Jamie Payne, Linda Moll Smith, Eric Snow,
The main office number is 903-636-4779. The toll-free number for ing these things? years ago when I was 33. I was in the Ellis Stewart, Bill Stough, Wesley White, Ken
voice mail is 1-866-949-7294. Leave a message and, if appropriate, Could it be because our human hospital after serious blood loss that Westby
someone will get back with you. The toll-free fax number is 1-888-488- minds are carnal, not willing to be had been stopped. I had even walked CIRCULATION: Linda Cartwright
subject and obedient to what God into the hospital emergency room on WEB SITE: Alan Ruth, [email protected]
6603 and is useful for letters to the editor, Feast reports and other says? (see Romans 8:7). my own. THE JOURNAL will not knowingly print inaccu-
articles. Or write [email protected] or THE JOURNAL, P.O. Box People reason like this: My church The tunnel I experienced was per- rate information. THE JOURNAL will run correc-
1020, Big Sandy, Texas 75755, U.S.A. teaches things and I’ve been doing fectly round, appeared to have a cylin- tions if notification of errors is received with-
them for 10, 20, 30 years. drical shape and dimension with a in a reasonable time after publication.
I will continue doing them no mat- diameter large enough to crawl or
Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) THE JOURNAL 3

Cartoon by Earl Cayton, San Francisco, Calif.

Columns and commentary

People like Dale are viewed as a threat
The writer, a longtime Church of Carolina to visit family, mentioned me in my place. When I pointed out to
God member, lives with his wife, Sue, that he would be going to South him that it seemed strange to see him
in North Carolina. America to help with the problems in Cogwa when he had defended
going on there. Mario, all he could say was that he
By Horst Obermeit He also mentioned he had come to didn’t have all the facts back then.

K ENLY, N.C.—I was amused

by the article by Dale Dupont
in the latest JOURNAL (issue
No. 153, dated July 22, 2013, head-
the United States as a young boy from
Cuba. His history was similar to mine.
I came from Germany when I was 10.
lined “Corporate and Spiritual Au- Bless them that curse you
All the guilt
A few months ago I had a lengthy
E-mail exchange with a friend and
former pastor here who is now a UCG
thority Collide”). I was scheduled to take a business pastor.
It certainly trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, the week When I pointed out to him that the
points out exam- after my recent conversation with UCG leadership wanted the Jim
ples of the type Mario. Franks contingent out of the UCG and
of pastoral con- So I decided to point out to him forced the split with their harsh ap-
trol I’ve seen in that, since Jesus taught we should love proach, he did not like how I charac-
various of the our enemies, the UCG should treat terized the split.
ministries over members nicer than enemies. He felt all the guilt lay with those
the years and But what seemed to be going on who left. “After all the animals are on board, Noah, I
continue to see was not anything like what Jesus I have heard that viewpoint from suggest we move the termites into a jar!”
in the United taught. various friends in the UCG. Whenever
Church of God We discussed this for some time, I’ve broached reconciliation with
(UCG) and the Horst Obermeit with Mario pointing out to me that I friends and family who no longer
Church of God a was wrong and, according to him, “if attend together while living in the
Worldwide Association (CGWA, or it’s gangrene it must be cut off” (refer- same city, the UCG answer has been
Cogwa), where I visit periodically. ring to those rebelling against the that they did not leave and they see no
I’m not surprised that Dale was UCG leadership).
treated as he was or that Mike Hanis- A local elder was present during the
reason to reach out to those who did. How about a list of unaltered
ko did not want to answer Dale’s charges. exchange between Mario and me. The Uncognitive dissidents
People like Dale are often viewed as elder finally chimed in to say I should On the other hand, those in Cogwa hymns from the purple hymnal?
a threat. Although take the approach
I stay in touch that the UCG was The writer is a second-generation unbiblical,
with various of The amusing part came some months later doing unchristian nondenominational Judeo-Christian undoctrinal or
the COG pastors things that forced born and raised in the Worldwide both. It would
whom I knew per- after Cogwa formed and Clyde took more than them to leave. Church of God. Her family fell away also note which
sonally, I have no-
ticed they do not
half of the Raleigh congregation with him. When the topic
of reconciliation
after the changes in 1996.
Since June 2011 she has attended
hymns were
edited and which
like to be told that is brought up there, Sabbath services with Grace Com- worldly de-
what they are doing is not what the disclose to Mario that I was not a the answers lean towards the idea munion International. nominations
Bible actually teaches. member of the UCG. that they were forced to leave because GCI’s denomi-
I told them both that I wasn’t talk- of unchristian behavior by the lead- By Velvet Delorey
national lead-
Have you an amusing anecdote?

visiting the UCG shortly before the

breakup with Cogwa a couple of years
ing about membership but about the ership.
I had an amusing incident while teachings of Jesus.
Just the facts
It was interesting in light of all of
that to see the professions of peace
and bliss after the split from both
C ORNER BROOK, Nfld., Can-
ada—For those who prefer
to sing only scripturally ac-
curate hymns, this article includes
a list of the only hymns that were
Velvet Delorey
ership cherry-
picked from
for the rest of
the hymns in the newer hymnal.
ago. It was when Clyde Kilough came The amusing part came some months camps. It was sad to see all of that. transferred from the Worldwide The unaltered hymns:
to Raleigh, N.C., to be the pastor of later after Cogwa formed and Clyde On top of that, since the split there __________
Church of God’s 1974 purple
the UCG congregation. took more than half of the Raleigh has been an abundance of sermons on hymnal to the 1993 hymnal. Ame r ic a th e Beautiful
Along with Clyde, Mario Seigle congregation with him. unity. They don’t even seem to hear The WCG was renamed Grace Battle Hymn of the Republic
came that first day, and both of them Those exiting the UCG at that time the cognitive dissonance in such Communion International in 2009. Behold the Day Will Come
spoke. Mario, who was in North included the elder who had tried to put messages. A future article may include all Bless the Lord Eternal, O My Soul
the changes made that rendered Blest and Happy Is the Man
Dwight Armstrong’s original hymns See HERE’S A HANDY LIST, page 8

Religious titles often mask bad behavior

The writer pastors the Church of
God Big Sandy and is a regular col-
umnist for THE JOURNAL.
materialized in the New Testament.
People ascribed titles to themselves,
even though their behavior was evil.
havior to satisfy their love of power
and money.
And consider this: Even if there are
Please, Church of God
By Dave Havir
Jesus said to beware of false
prophets (Matthew 7:15). Even though
apostles and prophets in our modern
world, it is my view that they would people, welcome the stranger
B IG SANDY, Texas—On Aug.
3, 2013, I gave a sermon in our
home congregation titled “Do
Not Be Preoccupied With Titles.”
The purpose of the sermon was
those people projected themselves as
leaders, Jesus called them dangerous
wolves.
Paul warned about false apostles
(2 Corinthians 11:13). Even though
not be a part of some hierarchical sys-
tem designed to control people.
I don’t believe God has set up a
hierarchical system with oppressive
The writer is a clinical psycholo-
gist in Louisville. She attends a
small home fellowship with her hus-
band, Dan Vandivier, and friends
by the pastor of the Church of God
Big Sandy when he came to visit our
small group in Kentucky in Decem-
ber 2012.
dictators over the believers. from the surrounding area. But allow me to share some
to encourage friends to pay more those people masqueraded as
attention to behavior than leaders, Paul called them de- I don’t believe God has set up a thoughts of my journey among peo-
to titles. ceitful workers. hierarchical system with benevolent By Mary K. Thompson ple of the Church of God tradition.
dictators over the believers.
In that particular sermon I
mentioned four specific titles.
In this article I want to discuss
one of those titles: “religious
Peter warned about false
teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3). Even
though those people drew
many followers, Peter
Benevolent dictators are better than
oppressive dictators. But don’t be
fooled by people who promote a be-
L OUISVILLE, Ky.—Have you
ever wondered how your be-
havior to visitors to your
church service
may have af-
It is a somewhat foreign concept
to me that people are “called” to be
in “the church.” In my upbringing
there was a belief that some voca-
leader.” said their motive was to nevolent dictatorship. God has not tions were a calling, but there was
As with the other titles men- take financial advantage of the established a dictatorship over the fected them not this concept in regard to the
tioned in my sermon, the les- people. believers. emotionally? believer in general.
son is to avoid focusing on the I do believe that God has provid- Have you ever My childhood church did not
title of religious leader and to Bad people and bad systems ed servants with gifts of leadership to wondered how evangelize in a concerted way but
compassionately focus on behavior. Notice two factors that con- enable them to be helpers of the joy of your behavior seemed quite open to inquiries about
tribute to the problem of people with believers. Verses that contribute to my toward your joining the church. It had an orga-
Old Testament title titles exhibiting bad behavior. family mem-
perspective include Matthew 20:25- nized program to provide education
The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel First, bad people ascend to posi- 28 and 23:5-15; Acts 20:28-35; 2 Co- bers may have and a way to formally join the
quoted God as warning the people tions of religious leadership and dis- rinthians 1:24; 1 Timothy 6:3-10; 1 impacted them church if that was the decision of the
about people who ascribed the title play their bad behavior. Peter 5:2-4; and 3 John 9-12. emotionally? Mary Thompson candidate.
“prophet” to themselves, even though Second, many religious denomi- Even more
important, have you ever considered So it has been somewhat hard
the behavior of those people did not nations have established bad religious People surrender to control for me to understand that many in
warrant the title. systems that often attract leaders who if your behavior has ever stood in the
One of the main lessons from 2 way of someone’s conversion? the Church of God tradition believe
Those rascals claimed to speak for crave power and money. Corinthians 11 is how many believers that some people do not even have
God, even though God had not given Someone could ask: Do you be- overlooked the serving behavior of Different background the choice to become a member of
them a message to speak. lieve there are apostles, prophets and Paul and grew fixated on people who their church because God has not
The prophets speak a vision of teachers in our modern world? I wanted to write an article from
assumed for themselves the title of the perspective of a family member called them.
their own heart and not out of the My reply: It is my perspective that apostle. That belief may explain some of
mouth of the Eternal God (Jeremiah there are true teachers in our modern attending Church of God functions
When you read verse 5 you can with my husband, who is a long- the reticence to welcome visitors
23:16). world. warmly and with compassion and
Her prophets quote the Eternal But it is my perspective that there are almost hear frustration in Paul’s words term member of this tradition.
about why the people became so ob- I have experienced welcoming openness.
God even when He has not spoken no true apostles and true prophets in our
(Ezekiel 22:28). modern world. sessed with people who erroneously and unwelcoming responses over On the other hand, I think it is
I realize that there are people who gave themselves the title of apostle. the years. understood that it is always good
New Testament titles ascribe such titles to themselves. But “For I consider that I am not at all I am happy to say I was baptized See WHEN I STARTED, page 7
Notice that the same condition they generally exhibit controlling be- See IT’S A SHAME, page 5
4 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Essay The Harbinger’s prophecy explanations good example of pesher

Dr. Ward, a professor of mathemat- The economic recession that be- The commentary on Habakkuk 2 is They may also have seen a refer- bolism can be construed in imagina-
ics at Miami University in Oxford, gan in 2008 came one sabbatical cycle similar. The discussion of Habakkuk ence to the prayers of James in Isaiah tive ways.
Ohio, and his wife, Sherry, are editors after the terrorist attacks, with the 2:4 (“The righteous will live by his 54:14, which says that Jerusalem The same can be said for prophetic
of Grace and Knowledge, a Web site 2001 terrorist attacks and the 2008 fi- faith”) says: would be protected “in righteous- passages. Readers of biblical prophe-
that discusses Christianity’s Hebraic nancial disaster both occurring right at “Interpreted, this concerns all those ness”; i.e., in James the Righteous. cies naturally see the text through the
roots and other biblical and historical the end of a “year of release.” who observe the Law in the House of Based on these clues, it has been lenses of their own times, and so, for
topics of interest to members of the Judah, whom God will deliver from speculated that early Christians may instance, scores of candidates for the
Churches of God. Grace and Knowl- Popular book the House of Judgment because of have connected a number of refer- Antichrist have been identified over
edge can be viewed online at www. The Harbinger has been a popular their suffering and because of their ences to “righteousness” in Isaiah’s the centuries.
graceandknowledge.faithweb.com. book, with more than 3,700 reviews at faith in the Teacher of Righteousness.” I can personally attest to the popu-
Amazon.com as of early September larity of pesher interpretation in the
By Doug Ward Pesher practiced for 2,000 years Adventist movement, since I spent
2013.

O XFORD, Ohio—On Sept. 12,

2001, the day after the infa-
mous terrorist attacks on the
United States, the U.S Congress is-
sued a resolution in response to the
The book seems to have struck a
chord with many American Christians
who are worried about current events,
believe America is headed in the
On the other hand, Habakkuk 2:16
(“The cup from the LORD’s right hand
is coming around to you, and disgrace
will cover your glory”) is seen as a
warning directed to the Wicked Priest.
many years in the Worldwide Church
of God (WCG), an Adventist denomi-
nation with its own idiosyncratic
views about prophetic texts.
I will illustrate with examples:
wrong direction and are eager for bib-
crisis. lical guidance in trying times. So, in relating Isaiah 9:10 to a cur-
In reading that resolution (quoted rent construction project in New York Seven successive eras
However, I am not convinced by
here from page Mr. Cahn’s argument that Isaiah 9 City, Jonathan Cahn is not doing For years the WCG taught that the
117 of The Har- contains a direct message for the something new. seven churches in Revelation 2-3 rep-
binger), Senate post–9/11 United States. Pesher interpretation has been prac- resent seven successive eras of Chris-
Majority Leader The use of Isaiah 9:10 by Congress ticed for more than 2,000 years. In this tian history.
Tom Daschle and the new construction at Ground essay I discuss several additional ex- According to this reading, the mes-
stated: Zero were not motivated by defiance amples of what might be called pesh- sage to the church at Ephesus is direct-
“I know that toward God but by a natural desire to er interpretation. ed to the earliest Christians, the mes-
there is only the rebuild and defy the terrorists. They raise questions about how to sage to the church at Smyrna is for
smallest mea- distinguish valid and invalid biblical Christians in the next historical peri-
sure of inspira- Different relationship interpretation, and I will suggest some od, and so on.
tion that can be The United States is not in the same possible answers. Specifically, since the WCG be-
taken from this Doug Ward kind of covenant relationship with lieved that genuine Christians observed
devastation, but James the Just in prophecy the seventh-day Sabbath, the messages
God as the nation of Israel was, so we
there is a passage in the Bible from should not expect to find direct mes- Among the first Christians, James prophecies with James, much as the were for Sabbath-keeping Christians in
Isaiah that I think speaks to all of us at sages to America in the prophets. the brother of Jesus was a highly es- Qumran sectarians connected “righ- their respective historical periods.
times like this: Moreover, the fact that the fallen teemed leader. Hegesippus, a 2nd-cen- teousness” in Habakkuk with their The WCG saw itself as the “Phila-
“The bricks have fallen down, but tree at Ground Zero and the fig tree of tury Christian, states concerning James: Teacher of Righteousness. delphia era” of Christianity and a spe-
we will rebuild with dressed stone; the Isaiah 9:10 are both called sycamores “Because of his superior righteous- cial recipient of the message of Reve-
fig trees have been felled, but we will ness he was called the Just and Obli- Overseer and taskmaster lation 3:7-13, including the promise of
in the English language has no rele-
replace them with cedars.” vance to the meaning of a prophecy as—meaning, in Greek, ‘Bulwark of For example, Isaiah 60:17 says, “I protection from tribulation in verse 10.
Congress chose the biblical passage given in Hebrew. the People’ and ‘Righteousness’—as will appoint Peace as your overseer,
quoted in the resolution, Isaiah 9:10, the prophets declare concerning him” and Righteousness as your taskmas- PCG a response to
as a poetic expression of America’s Pesher, anyone? (quoted by Eusebius of Caesarea in ter” (NRSV). eras-doctrine change
determination to bounce back and Jonathan Cahn’s attempt to make a Ecclesiastical History 2.23). James was the divinely appointed After WCG founder Herbert Arm-
rebuild after the Sept. 11 attacks. very specific connection between Isai- “overseer” or “taskmaster” of the first strong died in 1986, the new leader of
In its original context, though, Reading prophecies into Scripture Christians in Jerusalem, so this verse the church, Joseph Tkach Sr., institut-
ah 9:10 and the 21st-century United
Isaiah 9:10 had a different meaning. States is an example of what biblical Here Hegesippus expresses a belief could have been applied to him. ed sweeping doctrinal reforms. The
scholars call “pesher interpretation” that James the Just was mentioned by Similarly, one can imagine verses like WCG quickly repudiated many of Mr.
Assyrian attack the biblical prophets. Isaiah 1:21 and Isaiah 5:7 being con- Armstrong’s distinctive teachings, to
(pesher is from an Aramaic word
Back in 732 B.C. the House of Is- meaning “to interpret”). What prophecies did early Chris- nected to the martyrdom of James. the dismay of many members.
rael had just sustained an attack from In pesher interpretation, a contem- tians apply to James? Among the teachings dropped by
the powerful Assyrian Empire. In Later in the excerpt cited by Euse- Flexible texts the WCG was the “church eras” inter-
porary meaning is assigned to a scrip-
events described in 2 Kings 15:29-30, ture, usually a prophecy, without re- bius, Hegesippus gives one example. My remaining examples come from pretation.
King Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria had gard to the scripture’s original context Concerning corrupt leaders in Jeru- the past 500 years. One disgruntled elder, Gerald Flur-
attacked cities in northern Israel and and meaning. salem who conspired to put James to Our next stop is the early 16th cen- ry, responded by starting a new group,
taken captives. death, he comments: tury. After Columbus made his voy- the Philadelphia Church of God.
This defeat should have served as From the Dead Sea Scrolls “This fulfilled the prophecy of Isai- ages to America, Europeans learned In Mr. Flurry’s view the WCG had
a wake-up call for Israel, leading The term originates in biblical com- ah: ‘Let us remove the just man, for he there were people in the western hemi- entered the “lukewarm,” Laodicean,
the nation to turn back to God in mentaries found among the Dead Sea is unprofitable to us. Therefore they sphere of whose existence they had era of church history, and Christ had
repentance. Scrolls, especially the Habakkuk com- shall eat the fruit of their works.’ ” not previously been aware. called him to preserve Mr. Arm-
Instead, Israel responded in “pride mentary written by someone from the The prophecy referenced by Hege- Looking to the Scriptures for ways strong’s doctrines and help as many
and arrogance of heart” (Isaiah 9:9), sect that collected the scrolls. sippus is Isaiah 3:10 in the Septuagint, to understand this new information, WCG people as possible to see the
announcing (according to the next After quoting a short passage from the Greek translation of the Hebrew some believed they saw a reference to error of their new ways.
verse) that it was perfectly capable
of handling its own affairs apart Listen up, Laodiceans
from God. Mr. Flurry believed that his book
As a result, God allowed the attacks In pesher interpretation, a contemporary meaning is Malachi’s Message, a polemical work
by Israel’s enemies to continue (vers- he believed was directed specifically
es 11-14). A decade later Assyria con- assigned to a scripture, usually a prophecy, without to WCG members, provided a fulfill-
quered the House of Israel. ment of Jesus’ promise to “stand at the
regard to the scripture’s original context and meaning. door, and knock” (Revelation 3:20) in
A 2012 best-seller order to get the attention of the Laodi-
Jonathan Cahn, the leader of a Mes- cean church.
sianic congregation in New Jersey, Habakkuk, the commentator then says, scriptures. Isaiah 3 predicts the fall of the inhabitants of the Americas. Malachi’s Message is full of pesher
sees Congress’s use of Isaiah 9:10 as “Its pesher is . . . ,” and gives an in- Jerusalem, and Jerusalem fell to the In Jesus’ Parable of the Great Ban- interpretation, much of which would
one of a number of signs from God terpretation of the passage. Romans in A.D. 70, just eight years quet (Luke 14:16-24), those who are be intelligible only to readers from a
that the post–9/11 United States faces Habakkuk’s prophecy comes from after the martyrdom of James in 62. invited to a banquet decline to attend, WCG background.
the kind of imminent divine judgment the late 7th century B.C., shortly before Like other early Christians, Hege- making various excuses. The host then Mr. Flurry reads Malachi 2, a proph-
described in Isaiah 9. the House of Judah was attacked by sippus no doubt believed that the death instructs his servant to scour the streets ecy that delivers correction to the priest-
In his book The Harbinger: The An- Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. of James served to hasten the destruc- looking for people willing to attend. hood of Israel in the 5th century B.C., as
cient Mystery That Holds the Secret of tion of Jerusalem and the temple. It is generally understood that the a message directed specifically to the
America’s Future (FrontLine, 2011), Prophecy details host in the parable represents God, while ministry of the WCG in the 1990s.
Mr. Cahn claims Isaiah 9 gives a spe- Wall around Jerusalem the banquet represents the great mes- For example, when Malachi 2:14
But the commentator from Qumran
cial warning to 21st-century America. links the details of the prophecy to the There may be another clue in the sianic banquet in the Kingdom of God. says that God “hath been witness be-
In support of his claim he makes narrowly specific concerns of his sect obscure word oblias mentioned by tween thee and the wife of thy youth,
the following assertions and observa- Hegesippus. New twist in 16th century against whom thou hast dealt treacher-
about 500 years later.
tions: For example, a comment on Ha- Prominent scholar Richard Bauck- The new twist added in the early ously,” he sees a condemnation of the
bakkuk 1:4 (“The wicked hem in the ham suggests that oblias may be a 1500s is the idea that the three people WCG clergy.
Attitudes of defiance rough transliteration of the Hebrew in the parable who make excuses rep- In Gerald Flurry’s eyes WCG min-
righteous”) says that “the righteous” is
Isaiah 9:10 expresses ancient Is- the Teacher of Righteousness, the phrase gevul-am, which can be trans- resent three population groups to isters had betrayed the bride of Christ
rael’s defiance toward God. The Unit- founder of the sect. lated “bulwark of the people.” whom the gospel had already been (the church) by abandoning teachings
ed States of America has a similar atti- It identifies “the wicked” as the Mr. Bauckham sees a possible ref- presented: Jews, Muslims and nations of Herbert Armstrong.
tude of defiance. Wicked Priest (believed to be one of erence to Isaiah 54:12, which pictures in the eastern hemisphere. In Malachi 2:12 Malachi prophe-
The United States has “rebuilt with the Hasmonean priest-kings), an oppo- a wall around Jerusalem in the mes- In this reading of the parable the dis- sies that God “will cut off . . . the mas-
dressed stone” at Ground Zero (the 16- nent of the Teacher of Righteousness. sianic age as a gevul. covery of nations in the western hemi- ter and the scholar, out of the taberna-
acre site of the terrorist-attacked World The commentator sees Habakkuk Hegesippus, earlier in the passage sphere is an instruction from God, the cles of Jacob.”
Trade Center in Lower Manhattan), 1:5 (“For I am going to do something quoted by Eusebius, says that James host, to take the gospel to those nations.. The Flurry view of this passage is a
beginning new construction with a in your days that you would not be- was constantly making intercessory So 12 Franciscan missionaries, in warning against WCG leaders for
huge stone from the Adirondacks. lieve, even if you were told”) as a ref- prayers for the people, which made his 1524, were sent to central Mexico for relying on the guidance of Christian
At Ground Zero is a memorial to erence to people who ignored the words knees as rough as those of a camel this purpose (see 2012 and the End of scholars in their decision to imple-
a fallen sycamore tree, and the “fig of the Teacher of Righteousness. (Hebrew gamal). the World by Matthew Restall and ment doctrinal reforms.
trees” in Isaiah 9:10 are also known as Habakkuk 1:6-11 describes the There may be a play on words be- Amara Solari). Mr. Armstrong vs. Mr. Tkach
“sycamores” in the English language. Babylonian enemy who would attack tween gamal and gavul, with early
A special evergreen tree has been Judah. The commentator relates this Christians viewing the prayers of Lenses of their own times Another instance of Mr. Flurry’s
planted at Ground Zero, the same fam- passage to the Romans, the powerful James as a protective wall around Je- Parables are good candidates for pesher interpretation is his explana-
ily of tree as the “cedars” in Isaiah 9:10. empire of his own time. rusalem in fulfillment of Isaiah 54:12. pesher interpretation, since their sym- See THE LAODICEAN ERA, page 5
Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) THE JOURNAL 5

The Laodicean era began in 1500s, 1850s, 1798 and 1900s

Continued from page 4 perspective by consulting high-quality a good way to gain insight into its mean- formulations in the early Adventist they believe these verses are directed
tion of 2 Thessalonians 2. sources from multiple points of view. ing. Such studies can be helpful both for movement. William Miller, who pre- to them in a special way.
Here Paul mentions someone who parables, like the Parable of the Great dicted the Second Coming would But, in general, I argue that the end
Read widely Banquet, and for prophetic passages. occur in 1844, dated the start of the does not justify the means. Our at-
would hold back “the secret power of
lawlessness” (verse 7, NIV), after For example, Mr. Flurry’s writings With regard to Revelation 2-3, inter- Laodicean era to 1798. tempts to apply a scriptural passage
which time “the lawless one will be assume that the only genuine Chris- preters have been connecting the mes- stand on firmest ground when they are
tians in the world are a small group of sages to the seven churches with eras Sardis began in 1850s rooted in the original context and
revealed” (verse 8).
Mr. Flurry identifies Mr. Armstrong Sabbatarian Adventists. of church history since medieval times. In 1850 early Seventh-day Adventist meaning of the passage.
as the one holding back the power of But those who read a wide variety Moreover, the assignment of these Hiram Edson identified the Sardis era as For example, a call to repentance
lawlessness, and his successor, Joseph of Christian literature and study Chris- eras has varied a great deal according Protestants who had not heeded Miller’s from Isaiah 9:10 simply can be based
Tkach, as the “lawless one.” tian history are unlikely to come to to the time and theological persuasion message, Philadelphia as Sabbath-keep- on the dangers of an attitude of defi-
such a view. of the interpreters. ing Adventists, and Laodicea as Sun- ance toward God.
Gaining perspective For that reason groups like Mr. day-keeping Adventists. There is no need to invent more-
Flurry’s discourage their members Laodicea began in 1500s direct connections to specific present-
Most readers will be quick to iden- Laodicea began in 1850s
tify Malachi’s Message as invalid ap- from reading sources outside their own During the 16th century, English day circumstances.
plication of Scripture. literature. Protestant Thomas Brightman (1557- But by the late 1850s the Seventh-
(I recommend Christian History 1607) identified the Church of En- day Adventists settled on their own What about James?
Gerald Flurry lives in a strange
world, one in which he and Herbert magazine as one balanced and infor- gland of his time as the Laodicean era group as the Laodicean era, and, ever What about the connections appar-
Armstrong occupy central positions in ently made by early Jewish Christians
the divine plan. Rather like the man in between “righteousness” in the book
the Carly Simon song, he seems to be Mr. Flurry’s writings assume that the only genuine of Isaiah and James the Just?
As a Christian, I think an argument
vain enough to think these scriptures
are about him. Christians in the world are a small group can be made for the validity of these
However, Mr. Flurry’s followers do connections. The prophecies of Isaiah
not believe he is doing pesher inter- of Sabbatarian Adventists. were originally directed to Israelites
pretation. They revere him as a ser- and have much to say about the Mes-
vant of God, just as the members of siah and the messianic age.
the Qumran sect revered their Teacher mative source on Christian history and in a critique of the church establish- since, they have used Revelation 3:14- Since the first Christians were Is-
of Righteousness. traditions.) ment. (See Studies in the Book of Rev- 22 as a way to promote reflection, re- raelites living in Jerusalem at the
If many prophecies have fulfill- elation, Steve Moyise, editor.) pentance and revival. dawn of the messianic age, it is not too
Complex picture The exercise of identifying church much of a stretch for them to see ref-
ments in the end time, and if we are Laodicean rationalists
living in that time, then one would Similarly, if we believe that the eras in Revelation seems akin to tak- erences to a close relative of the Mes-
expect an end-time servant of God to United States was founded as a “Chris- However, things looked different to ing an ink-blot test or consulting a siah in Isaiah’s prophecies.
fulfill prophecies. tian nation” under a special covenant evangelical Protestants 400 years newspaper horoscope: There are nu- Their interpretation seems to me to
with God but is now in spiritual de- later. For example, in 1943 Charles A. merous possibilities, depending on have a much firmer foundation than
But how can we know? cline, we may find The Harbinger Nash saw the Philadelphia era extend- one’s point of view. the others I have presented.
So how can we distinguish pesher compelling. ing from 1648 to his time, with mod- The historical data suggest to me Overall, the activity of assigning
interpretation from genuine fulfill- However, a careful study of Amer- ern “rationalistic” trends constituting that the “church eras” model is not the fulfillments to biblical prophecies
ment of prophecy? ican history will reveal a more-com- Laodicea (“A Scriptural View of best way to interpret these chapters. probably should be accompanied by a
The passing of time can provide an- plex picture, one of a nation that has Church History,” Bibliotheca Sacra But I think pesher interpretation warning label that reads DON’T TRY
swers. Today we do not even know the done much good in the world but has 100, (1943, pp. 188-198). can sometimes have beneficial results. THIS AT HOME.
identity of the Qumran Teacher of Righ- always wrestled with moral and spiri- The 16th-century European inter-
tual problems. Philadelphia’s Great Awakening pretation of the Parable of the Great Choose your interpretations wisely
teousness, and I am not aware of anyone
who thinks the prophecies of Habakkuk Today abortion is such a problem, In 1969 Mennonite pastor Menno J. Banquet probably helped promote History suggests we should be
make special reference to him. while earlier in American history slav- Brunk identified the time of Wesley, Christian evangelism and outreach. cautious in our application of proph-
It is likely that 50 years from now ery was a great national sin. The United Whitefield and the Great Awakening in ecy, relying first on interpretations
States has not fallen from a moral gold- the 18th century as the Philadelphia era. Revelation 3:14-22 prophesies SDAs based on sound methodology: read-
no one will remember Gerald Flurry,
and it will be easy to evaluate the en age because it has never had one. The call to repentance in Revela- ings that come to us from Jesus and
Studying how a scriptural passage Laodicea began in 1798 tion 3:14-22 is particularly powerful His early followers and have passed
claims of The Harbinger.
In the meantime we can gain valuable has been interpreted over the centuries is There were a number of church-era for Seventh-day Adventists because the test of time.

It’s a shame More letters from our readers

to condone Continued from page 2
the near-death experience of some
man, pagan continuous weekly cycle)
—as well as changing the “day” from
The “restrictions seem reasonable de-
spite there being no biblical justifica-
every third year (Deuteronomy 14:27-
29; 26:12).
bad behavior that could not otherwise have been
known.
sunset to sunset.
When they made these changes
tion for them . . .”
Yes, the postponements and the
No “third” tithe. No “first” tithe.
David Rydholm
Continued from page 3 I personally knew a perfectly ratio- (under pressure from Rome), it be- “Saturday Sabbath” can seem right Via the Internet
inferior to the most eminent apos- nal lady who reported a spirit ap- came necessary to come up with rules and reasonable (despite the confusing
calculations and formulas), but in the The traditional box
tles” (2 Corinthians 11:5). peared to her and gave her important to prevent problems from arising,
end they lead to death, not life (Isaiah I recently viewed your article on the
In verses 22-33 Paul lists the family information she was unable to problems that never existed as long as
1:13-14). canon of the Bible [“Lo and Behold,
various ways he had served them. find any other way. the Torah was followed.
Michael Turner an Elephant Is in Our Room,” by Dix-
The people were overlooking his Spirits need to be tested, whether After all:
Powderly, Texas on Cartwright, issue No. 146, dated
wonderful behavior because they they appear during near-death visions “The New Moon is still, and the
or in a manifestation of light at the Dec. 20, 2011].
were mesmerized by the titles of Sabbath originally was, dependent Creation by Triad I find that it brings some intriguing
the frauds. foot of a bed, like this lady. upon the lunar cycle” (Universal Jew- I would like to submit an alterna-
I believe there are physical causes points to surface. Your article seems to
Not only did the believers over- ish Encyclopedia). tive opinion to the evolution–vs.–spe- go to the heart of the problem of reli-
look the honorable behavior of for near-death experiences such as “The Sabbath depending, in Is- cial-creation discussion. (As that con-
mine and others. It is reasonable that a gion as it is practiced in the world of
Paul, they tolerated the rotten be- rael’s nomadic period, upon the obser- ciliatory preacher Art Mokarow likes today: Simply tell me what to believe,
havior of religious leaders who malfunctioning brain could interpret vation of the phases of the moon, it to say, this is simply “where I’m at.”)
tunnel vision as a tunnel. make it convincing and I am yours.
gave themselves titles. could not, according to this view, be a The particular pronunciation and I do support you when you write
When you read 2 Corinthians Name withheld fixed day” (The Jewish Encyclopedia). English transliteration of Elohiym
Cottonwood Heights, Utah articles outside the box of the tradi-
11:20 notice how the believers pas- “The week of seven days was marks it as not only a plural word but tional religious viewpoint.
sively surrendered their will to peo- Rules became necessary connected with the lunar month, of a plural of three or more. If more people had the spiritual
ple with religious titles. Regarding an article by Henk Jens which it is, approximately, a fourth. If it were to describe only two enti- backbone to write and teach the many
The believers allowed people in THE JOURNAL (issue No. 151) on The quadripartite division of the ties, it would be Elohyim. Leaving the biblical truths that do exist outside the
with titles to take them into bond- page 18: month was evidently in use among the y out of these words has led to signifi- box of traditional religion and honest-
age: to control them. When I first encountered the issue Hebrews and other ancient peoples . . . cant confusion. ly ask their congregations or audi-
The believers allowed people of postponements back in the ’90s, I “Observations of the four phases of This indicates to me that heaven ences to check up and prove what they
with titles to devour them: to take thought: Wow! They’re postponing the moon led the Hebrew nomads spon- and earth were created by a Triad in are teaching, maybe we would not
advantage of them. holy days just because of food! taneously and independently to devise Genesis 1:1, but sometime later a re- have the religious confusion we see in
The believers allowed people But in actuality the postponements the system of dividing the interval be- creation occurred, this time performed all denominations today.
with titles to steal their money: to are the direct result of Jews doing tween the successive new moons into by only two, because the third entity I am sure you have received some
demand financial payments from away with the new moon and perma- four groups of seven days each” (The had become disqualified from the cre- comments from disgruntled people
them. nently linking the Sabbath day to Jewish Encyclopedia). ative Group. because of what you wrote in your
The believers allowed people Saturday (the seventh day of the Ro- Henk Jens states in his ad/article: Apparently most, if not all, of the article, but do not get discouraged.
with titles to exalt themselves over adversary’s creative authority was Just as Adlai Stevenson stated, “all
them: to established a two-tiered stripped from him prior to the creation progress has resulted from people who
class system. of Adam and Eve. took unpopular positions.”
The believers allowed people Phoning, faxing or writing The Journal Richard A. Heath That quote reminds me of my spir-
with titles to hit them in the face or Ferrum, Va. itual Head, Jesus Christ, who never
THE JOURNAL has three telephone numbers, and two of them are toll-free.
abuse them in other ways. Every third year backed down from teaching the truth
If some people with feigned re- The main office number is 903-636-4779. The toll-free number for The Levites who received all the even in the face of deadly opposition.
ligious titles try to do those things voice mail is 1-866-949-7294. Leave a message and, if appropriate, tithes—Numbers 18:21—were 2 per- If you want to subject your mind to
to you, shame on them. someone will get back with you. The toll-free fax number is 1-888-488- cent of the population (Numbers 1-4; some biblical writings that are outside
However, if you choose to con- 6603 and is useful for letters to the editor, Feast reports and other 26; 31:30). the box of the traditional teachings,
done such horrible behavior from Why did 2 percent of the popula- visit my blog at williestraighttalk.
articles. Or write [email protected] or THE JOURNAL, P.O. Box
people with religious titles, shame tion get 10 percent, seemingly way too blogspot.com.
on you. 1020, Big Sandy, Texas 75755, U.S.A. much, of the harvest every year? Joseph Willie
They didn’t. They got 10 percent Covington, La.
6 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Was it a rebellion or reform movement? Depends who you ask

Continued from page 1 stacked up against the wall.
Church of God. (The church changed “Beautiful paintings. I love paint-
its name in 1968.)
“I was out in the field ministry for a Ken Westby talks about church history, ings. I love art museums. I drool over
them. But they were stacked against
the wall sometimes three and four
year doing what they called grad work
between my junior and senior year,
1962 and ’63,” he began. theology, doctrine, nature of Jesus, virgin birth deep in the rooms in his house.
“He’d say how much he’d paid for
“Carn Catherwood and I raised up this and how much he’d spent for that.
the churches in Indiana and Cincin- By Dixon Cartwright pose of the one-God conferences? asked what is the first and greatest “We ministers would try to think

A
nati, and I worked with Dean Black- UBURN, Wash.—A few days How would you evaluate them, look- commandment. Jesus didn’t dither. He it’s all for the college and represents
well administering the Chicago region after this year’s One God ing back over the past 11 years to the came right out with it. The first and God and must be top drawer and first
and did baptizing tours up into Minne- Seminars in Seattle, Ken West- first one, in 2002? greatest commandment is the Shema: class. We’d kind of rationalize some
sota, the Minneapolis area, Wisconsin by sat for an interview in which he Ken Westby: I was counseled by a Hear, O Israel, the Lord is one. of that.
and throughout the Midwest. talked about church history and theo- lot of people back in the ’90s not “But you had to realize it’s also a
logical and doctrinal matters pertain- even to bring up this whole one-God Dr. Dorothy lot of personal acquisitions and a lot of
“Then I went back to college for
my final year, 1963-64, during which ing of the nature of Jesus and the vir- business. Then, in the early ’90s, Dr. Charles money leaning against walls.
JoAn and I got engaged and then mar- gin birth. Most pastors over the years have Dorothy, my brother-in-law, was in “Yet here we were trying to figure
ried.” Mr. Westby’s current thinking on heard the question “Is Jesus God?” our local fellowship here. I gave the out how we could get some local
Jesus’ birth differs from anything and the Jehovah’s Witnesses thing sermon every week. He gave the church buildings built and where the
Detroit and Toledo members of the Churches of God about Michael involving the angel Bible studies. kids in the congregations could have a
His first assignment as a formally have ever heard. His thoughts on the and so on, and then the Trinity. Charles was a scholar’s scholar, place to do some basketball and other
employed minister was to assist Art subject are reported exclusively later We [in the Churches of God] were fluent in a dozen languages. He was activities and we could have social out-
Mokarow with the churches in De- in this article in THE JOURNAL. against the Trinity, but we had the doing some verse-by-verse work reach even to our local community.”
troit, Mich., and Toledo, Ohio. Binity. through the Old Testament.
Several one-God speakers These questions pointed to some Then, when he later got into the Buying can be cheaper than rent
Mr. Westby started a church in
Midland, Mich., in 1965, then moved Mr. Westby and several other scriptural problems, particularly when
book of Mark, he was making obser- Mr. Westby said he presented sev-
to Kansas to pastor churches in Wi- speakers made their arguments for you have 10,000 mentions in the Old vations about the names Jesus liked eral plans to the Pasadena “hierar-
chita and Liberal. He conducted a the existence of only one God in his Testament of God as singular. to use to refer to himself, Son of Man chy” about how to build reasonably
Bible study regularly in Kearney, Neb. 12th annual One God Seminars June One question is how do you exist and so on. priced buildings for congregations,
8-9, 2013. (See a news article about before you come into existence. The He talked about how Jesus never which he said would have cost the
New D.C. area the seminars on page 28 and related formulations that were put together called himself God, how the disciples church less than paying for rent for
Then he and Mrs. Westby moved photos on pages 1, 8 and 28.) in the 4th and 5th centuries about would have totally fallen out of the the various Sabbath-service facilities
down to Salina, Kan., and shortly after Most seminar presentations each Jesus being 100 percent man sound tree, would have left him immediate- around the world.
that Herbert Armstrong ordained him year promote the concept that, al- good, but they don’t work out. ly, had he called himself God because “But they wanted all the money
to the rank of pastor and appointed though Jesus is the Son of God, was that would have been about as blas- funneled through headquarters to basi-
him superintendent over a new area crucified, died and rose from the The creed of Christendom phemous as you could imagine. cally keep the people sending the
called the Washington (D.C.) District. dead, Jesus is not God. The formulations were for politi- It finally dawned on me that God money out there. The hierarchies, the
Beginning in 1968 he pastored This is different from the teaching cal reasons to pacify the elements is just one and that Jesus was 100 elite, had to control everything and
congregations in D.C. and Baltimore, of most churches. percent man and, had to make all the decisions.
Md., and oversaw churches “down Mainstream just like Luke “We had this two-tier attitude
through the Carolinas and into Penn- Christ i a n i t y a n d
j u s t about every-
Mr. Westby’s current thinking on Jesus’ and Matthew
say, was born of
where the ministry was royalty and
knew better and the common people
sylvania,” he said.
Later the WCG enlarged the Wash- one who calls him- birth differs from anything members of a woman. I be- out there were, you know, we just
ington District and began calling it the self a follower of gan to take that were sort of the sheep. It was a little
Washington Region, which serviced Christ believes Je- the Churches of God have ever heard. at face value. disrespectful, frankly.”
“the entire East Coast from the Ca- sus, along with the I soon men-
Father and the Holy tioned to Dr. Do- To doctor or not to doctor
nadian border all the way down to
Georgia,” Mr. Westby remembered. “It Spirit, is God. that were fighting each other over rothy that I’d come to believe that A third area of concern for Mr.
included many churches and pastors.” The Churches of God derived this business. This was hundreds of there is one God and that Jesus is not Westby and some of his fellow elders
That was the setup for Mr. Westby from the Radio/Worldwide Church years after the days of the apostles. God. was healing.
and the church as it was organized of God founded by Herbert W. Arm- THE JOURNAL: You were a Bini- “What do you think of that?” I “There was the idea that the healing
in the mid-1970s when all hell broke strong in the 1920s and ’30s also tarian, like Mr. Armstrong and many asked Charles. idea, the sacrifice of Christ, was dual
loose. believe Jesus is God but that the Holy others. What changed your mind? He said, “Ken, you didn’t get that [spiritual and physical], which I don’t
Spirit is not. Mr. Westby: I’d been dealing with from me, did you?” think it was.
Doctrines and policies Rather, according to the old WCG, these questions, but I’d always come He was afraid he might have led “But the main thing was the antipa-
“During that time [in the years just the Holy Spirit is the power of God, down on the side of the Binity, that me astray. He was always so polite thy toward doctors we had. A lot of
before 1974] we were accumulating not a person in a God family or God the Father is part of a Godhead and careful, not wanting to disturb people tried to demonstrate their faith-
information that we wanted to bring Godhead. with Jesus in it. anybody’s faith. fulness to God by ignoring pleas from
forth to the leadership [in Pasadena] So Mr. Westby is swimming up- In fact, I debated Anthony Buz- I said, “Well, no, not directly, al- family and everybody else to get some
and to doctrinal committees for re- stream when he preaches and teaches zard back in the ’80s in a public though I listen to your studies care- medical attention that could have eas-
view to correct—or at least look that Jesus is, in several significant forum, taking the side of the Binity, fully.” I said, “No, Charles, you’re ily solved many of the problems.
into—what we thought were doctrinal senses, one of us rather than worthy and he was taking the side of the one not to blame,” and he seemed to “The brethren saw the idea of con-
problems with the administration and of worship in the sense Christians God. I thought I bested him in the breathe a sigh of relief. sulting doctors as trusting Beelzebub,
policies that were being adminis- worship God the Father. argument. He said, “Well, Ken, to tell you the as they’d been taught, or the evil one
tered,” he said. In Mr. Westby’s residence in a But I got to thinking about things, truth I’ve been there for several years.” or whoever. Such ideas were pounded
The doctrine that weighed most Seattle suburb on June 13, 2013, the and the more I looked into it, and the It wasn’t more than a couple of into their heads over the years.
heavily on Mr. Westby’s mind and con- longtime Church of God minister more I researched, I began to come to months after that that I was holding “At the same time, it would trickle
science, he said, was “D&R.” The and writer talked about the one-God the conclusion that, you know, by his hand as he gave up his last breath. out that many of the ministers did use
divorce-and-remarriage teaching was concept and his conferences. definition there can be only one God. He died on Fathers’ Day in 1996 in doctors for this, that and the other.
such a focus of attention and concern __________ And then there was the great Southern California. “It became a confusing area, and
that it qualified for its own abbreviation. prayer, the Shema, Deuteronomy 6, THE JOURNAL: What did the peo- there were cases of little children and
Evaluating 12 conferences which is the very creed of Christen- ple who supported your ministry others who, frankly, died when they
Lots of D&R THE JOURNAL: What is the pur- dom, which Jesus reiterated when See LONGTIME ELDER, page 8 easily could have been helped and
“I had a lot of what we’d call D&R there would have been no offense to
cases coming to my desk all the time,” God at all. It was a silly teaching.”
he said. “They required my attention The big problem, he said, was “we that God was happy with. hood. I saw that transposition as ques-
didn’t have that doctrine right. We had Mr. Westby reported his decision to tionable at best.” Timing of Pentecost
to help decide whether or not a mar-
riage was, quote, bound, unquote.” it wrong. The fruits were certainly David Antion, vice president of min- Tithing is a “good principle,” Mr. The fourth of the seven topics
If a husband or wife was judged to bad. That was obvious. istry at church headquarters, and Mr. Westby continued. “But, like other Mr. Westby concerned himself with in
be “bound” to a previous spouse Antion reported the situation to Her- principles, it should be of a voluntary his efforts to reform the church was
Strange fruit bert Armstrong and his son, Garner nature. It shouldn’t be coerced. It the dating of Pentecost.
through an earlier matrimonial union,
then the married couple were advised “So we wanted the church to sit Ted Armstrong. should be of the heart. “We came to believe that Pentecost
that to gain membership in the church down and Mr. Armstrong and others in “David thought this would be the “I began to see the tithing operation should have been on a Sunday rather
they would have to legally dissolve the hierarchy to take a fresh look at the energy that might provide the impe- at the headquarters operation as a huge than on a Monday every year,” he
their marriage or at least separate and entire thing and see if our approach, tus for the Armstrongs to, you know, cash slush fund that enabled the reli- said.
no longer live as husband and wife. which was like the Catholic approach stop running around the world doing gious royalty with their little jet air “That research had been done by
“Unless candidates for baptism to D&R, was the right approach. their thing and actually attend to force and the big fat rolls of money to Dr. Ernest Martin. It had been out
agreed to leave their mates that the “We wanted to determine whether some of these doctrinal matters,” Mr. fly around the world living like jet-set- there for years, but Mr. Armstrong just
church and ministry determined they divorce could be forgiven like other Westby said. ters and spending very freely on what- put his feet on the ground on that. It
were not bound to, then we would not sins and people could then start afresh ever they wanted to do. was a matter of pride and revelation to
and try to make a marriage right the Tithing transposition “Meanwhile the poor people we him, apparently. He wasn’t going to
baptize them,” he said.
The situation was “complex,” he way it should be.” D&R was the No. 1 thing. But were out visiting with every week budge on it.
continued. “There was a lot of heart- Or was the mistake of a bad mar- there were other concerns Mr. Westby were trying to scrape up tennis-shoe “I’m sure God could wink at the
ache, lots of tears, a lot of people in- riage really something that had to be and many of his fellow elders had at money to get their kids in school for fact that you’re wrong on the day, but
volved. lived with in perpetuity? Those were the time. the fall. if you find out you’re wrong you
“So in some of our regional direc- the questions on Mr. Westby’s mind. Out of a list of seven concerns “It just didn’t seem right.” ought to do what’s right, okay?”
tors’ meetings—and we met frequent- that were heatedly discussed in the
Enough was enough church of the 1970s, No. 2 on Mr. Up against the wall Perceived problem
ly, with eight of us throughout the
country representing 90 percent of the At some point in his evolution, Mr. Westby’s list was tithing. Mr. Westby remembers visits with The fifth item on Mr. Westby’s
church—we went through the D&R Westby made the decision to refuse to “Yes, there was the tithing matter,” Mr. Armstrong at the pastor general’s 1974 list was church authority, which
question at length. “separate any more families.” Mr. Westby said. “I called it hyper- residence in Pasadena. is implicit or explicit in all seven of
“We [the WCG elders in the region] That was after he “became thor- tithing, which didn’t seem biblical. “I would go out to Pasadena and he the points.
read all the relevant books on it at the oughly convinced” through his think- There were the three tithes, and there would take me through his home, “It was one of the bigger things,” he
time and concluded, to our satisfac- ing and Bible study that the church, in was the transposition of those which he did on several occasions, said: “this hierarchical rule. If you per-
tion, that we had real problems.” its D&R approach, was not on a path Levitical tithes to a modern priest- and show me the paintings that he had See THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH, page 7
Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) THE JOURNAL 7

The Worldwide Church lost about 10,000 members in 1974

Continued from page 6 1974], but it had already started to list of seven problems in need of “Ted said we can’t bring these Westby Talks About the ‘East Coast
ceived a problem and you tried to change,” Mr. Westby said. reform was church eras. things up to my dad right now because Rebellion’ of 1974,” THE JOURNAL,
move it up the line to get something “Herman Hoeh and some of the “This whole schematic of these var- at the moment he’s real hyper. Jan. 30, 1998.
resolved, you always butted up against others, quote, discovered, unquote, ious eras [based on verses in Revela- “Ted said, ‘I don’t know when my (See also “Another Minister [David
this church authority. church authority in the early ’50s and tion 2 and 3], the Worldwide Church of dad will be calm and can rationally look Antion] Tells About 1974,” THE JOUR-
“It was not our job to question. It then came to the conclusion that this God as the Philadelphia era: There’s no into this. Maybe a year from now, may- NAL, Feb. 26, 1998.)
was just our job to obey, even if the was the one and only true church, and biblical basis for that at all,” he said. be several years from now. I can’t say.”
that meant that Herbert Armstrong Mr. Westby responded to the young- Speaking for God
orders were wrong. U.S. and B.C.
“Jesus had 12 apostles. How did we was the head of the one and only true er Mr. Armstrong: I never felt like I had joined the
end up with just one?” church and was the most important No. 7 on the Mr. Westby’s list “ ‘Well, what are we supposed to Worldwide Church of God to serve a
man on earth. was British-Israelism, epitomized by do in the meanwhile, Ted? Tear peo- man, but to honor God and to be faith-
The evolution of WCG authority “So here we have God the Father, the old Radio Church of God’s book- ple’s lives apart, separate husband and ful to His Word,” Mr. Westby said.
Early in the Radio Church of God we have Christ, we have Herbert Arm- let The United States and British Com- wife and children and everything until “But next thing you know you’re
the authority problem didn’t exist in strong, and we have the rest of us. monwealth in Prophecy. your dad gets relaxed and ready to sucked up into a work and you do this
the same way, Mr. Westby said. “Having a clear line of authority “We had this thing about British- look at it? That’s no way to treat the transferral business where it’s no
“I remember even in the late ’50s was helpful in whipping people into Israel being the key to all prophecy,” heritage of God, is it?’ longer just the Word of God. It’s the
Mr. Armstrong used to get apoplectic, shape. he said. “Then Ted’s voice deepens and he work of God, and it’s no longer God
red and upset, when anyone would you’re following but the men of God
call him an apostle. who are speaking for God.”
“I remember back in ’59 Jimmy
Friddle introduced him as apostle one
‘Herman Hoeh and some of the others discovered church authority Mr. Westby said all he wanted was
to continue doing his best to follow
time in Tacoma during a service. in the early ’50s and then came to the conclusion that Herbert the will of God.
“Mr. Armstrong didn’t even say hi “So I figured, well, I’m going to
to the congregation. He just stormed Armstrong was the head of the one and only true church.’ continue ministry as God helps me to
up there and railed at Jimmy for do it.
claiming that. ‘How many times have “But I did learn some good truths
I told these young guys I am not an “And it was also something the “I believe we’re Israel. I still do. booms, ‘Well, Ken, there’s authority from the Worldwide and from the
apostle?’ he yelled. ‘I will not be rank-conscious ministry glommed But I don’t think it’s any key to salva- in the church.’ ” ministry of the Worldwide Church,
called an apostle.’ onto, and they wanted to know where tion or key to understanding every- and I don’t regret that at all.”
they fit. thing. It was made way too much of, Fired and disfellowshipped
“I was pretty new at the time. I Associated churches
thought: Why is he thumping so hard “I remember Rod Meredith several and the truths were just too thin.” Not long after that, Herbert Arm-
on this poor guy?” times saying, sometimes with a smile strong fired and disfellowshipped Ken Mr. Westby’s Associated Churches
on his face, half jokingly but also kind Fired in the process Westby, and the events of 1974 shifted of God continue in their present-day
Helpful line of authority of serious, that he was the third most Mr. Westby’s “reform movement” into high gear. incarnation as the Association for
When did Mr. Armstrong’s view of important guy on earth.” didn’t work out as he had hoped. In “All of a sudden we were no Christian Development (godward.org).
himself and his apostleship change? fact, it blew up in his face. longer employees of the Worldwide “I’ve been working on that now for
Bible basis lacking “When we finally decided to make Church of God. I was fired, and they 40 years. It’s a small ministry, and its
“Mostly it changed after I left [in
The sixth item on Mr. Westby’s our stand, we got fired in the process,” fired 35 other guys who were either main emphasis has been on education,
he said. associated or they thought were asso- helping Christians develop in the mind
“Ted Armstrong calls me up and ciated with me. and character of God and to realize
Please notice says, ‘Hey, Ken, I agree with you on
D&R and I’ve felt the same way for
“Some were, and some were fired
by accident.”
they don’t need other people making
decisions for them. They can attain a
Views stated in any article, letter or other feature in THE JOURNAL years. I agree with you on this, that maturity to make their own decisions.”
and the other problem, but we just 10,000 lost For more from Mr. Westby, about
are those of the writers or sources quoted by the writers and
should not be viewed as the official position of any group or orga- have to give it time, and we have to The church lost about 10,000 mem- his annual One God Seminars, doc-
wait.” bers that year, Mr. Westby said, with trine and the Bible, see “Ken Westby
nization, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of anyone on the Garner Ted Armstrong mentioned about 3,500 of them affiliating with Talks About Church History, Theol-
staff of THE JOURNAL. Articles, letters and features are presented in to Mr. Westby that the time wasn’t his new Associated Churches of God. ogy, Doctrine, Nature of Jesus, Virgin
the interest of furthering communication among the brethren of the right to bring up problems, especially (For Mr. Westby’s detailed recol- Birth” beginning on page 6 of this
Churches of God. about D&R, to his father. lections of those events, see “Ken issue of THE JOURNAL.

When I started attending a COG, I felt a sense of guardedness

Continued from page 3 holy days and the belief that there is mous with a specific organization. scriptures about how to treat visitors God more. They take their observance
and worthwhile to plant seeds that no eternal hell. I challenge those of you who are and strangers. There are many inter- of the Sabbath seriously and view it as
may yield fruit in the future. In fact, I know many Christians members of this tradition to think esting examples of God letting it be a loving gift God gave His children.
who continue to attend Protestant and about when your conversion began known that only He knows and deter- I have come to know and care
Cool first impressions Catholic churches but do not believe and to ask if God was not working mines who is in and who is out. about the small group of people my
I started attending a few church ser- in an eternal hell because they believe with you for many years before your husband and I have met with for sev-
vices in the Church of God tradition this concept is inconsistent with belief formal baptism or entry into the God knows who are His eral years now.
with my husband several years ago in a loving God. Church of God. The book of Jonah is an interesting
before we were married. example of God deciding who is in Came to be baptized
At that time he was attending with At a loss Another challenge and who is out. It appears God had to After gaining more experience with
a larger COG organization. Some of People in many denominations are at I would also ask if you are not still work with one of His prophets to the COG understanding of God’s na-
the people were friendly, and some a loss to explain this belief, since they in the process of conversion. Even if make this clear. ture and plan of salvation, and seeing
were cold. do not understand the Bible in the same you believe that only those with your The story of the woman at the well more examples of how this is lived
There was an overall sense of guard- way most COG members do, and they set of beliefs are acceptable to God, is is another example: Christ decided out by many believers, I have come
edness, almost as if I were a reporter live with this seeming inconsistency. it not possible that God is already who was worth interacting with and to agree with and accept this belief sys-
attending the service to write an I have been struck by the sincerity working with some of those in other revealing His truth to. tem and was recently baptized into
exposé. and commitment of most of the people churches and that this is part of a long The woman was not a member of the church.
I remember being part of some ini- I don’t really know what specific
tially friendly conversations, and then, church I joined. I was baptized by the
when the other person found out that I
was not in “the church,” he would
I don’t really know what specific church I joined. pastor of the Church of God Big Sandy.
That congregation is important to me
cloud over and close up. To me, I joined the church of those who because I have attended the Feast with
I also once ran into someone with that group for several years now.
whom I had spent a good amount of worship in spirit and in truth. To me, though, I joined the church of
time at a prior Feast. Then, when she those who worship in spirit and in truth.
found out that my husband and I were
attending the current Feast with a I have met through COG groups. It process of conversion? “the church” for several reasons, but Thankful for loving brethren
COG group different from the one she seems there is a real thirst for knowl- I will add here that, as far as I know, Christ chose to reveal His true nature I know I would never have stayed
was with, she slinked away as if find- edge about God and a determination no one has applied this term (“uncon- to her, possibly because of her open- around long enough to consider these
ing out I had the plague. to live in a way that is pleasing to God. verted mate”) to me and that the use of ness to hearing and understanding. beliefs and get to know many in this
This was hurtful and sad. This has been inspiring to me and a the term may be a thing of the past or tradition if I had not been welcomed
beautiful thing to behold. at least limited to certain individuals Warm reception and accepted as a fellow searcher.
Thirst for knowledge or groups. I recently have had warm, open and I am glad that my initial impression
My motive in attending church Dismissive approach I did hear of some horrible things supportive experiences when attend- of many church members as guarded
events was not to judge or criticize. I I later learned that many of the min- that were said to the spouse of another ing Feast sites sponsored by the and cliquish has given way to a better
was not attending out of mere curiosity. isters in the COGs’ past (and in some church member that were hurtful and Church of God Big Sandy and in meet- impression.
My initial reason for attending was of the present COG groups) had potentially damaging. ing with a small group in Kentucky. I write this in the hope that you will
to understand my husband’s beliefs referred to spouses of church mem- Some of the attitudes underlying I have found myself accepted and consider how you treat visitors and
and religious experiences. bers as “unconverted mates” if they this term still appear to exist to some embraced. I have found many people those from other traditions as you
As I continued to attend, I found did not share the beliefs of the Church extent and continue to be hurtful at who were willing to patiently explain relate to them when they visit your
myself curious to know more about of God or if they were not members of times. their beliefs, the reason they think as church services or other functions,
the doctrinal beliefs of this group, a given church organization. This hurt may apply to the spouse they do and the biblical support for including the Feast of Tabernacles.
since some of the beliefs were appeal- I think it is clear that this term is or family member from a different tra- their beliefs. I want to thank everyone who has
ing to me and were in line with some rather dismissive of the spouse’s own dition and to church members who I have observed their loving-kind- been open and loving to me through
of the questions I had had about the faith tradition and beliefs. married outside the tradition or joined ness to others, including my husband the years and for sharing with me what
church in which I had grown up. The term implies that conversion the church after they were already and me. I have come to see as a beautiful pic-
These included continued celebra- begins and ends when one joins the married. I have noted how seriously they ture of the future and an insightful and
tions of some of the Old Testament correct church, one that is synony- I think there are several relevant study and work toward understanding true understanding of God’s nature.
8 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Longtime elder gives theory of virgin birth, Jesus’ paternity

Continued from page 6 God. I was learning. thing having heard only about God obviously do not hold to the orthodox talks about forgiveness there is no
think about your exceedingly signifi- But just because God is merciful and never having heard about Jesus? view, but how unorthodox are you? mention of payment, no mention of
cant doctrinal change? and may wink at some people’s igno- sacrifices, none of that. In the basic
rance does not mean we should go Buddhists and pagans Green eyeshade prayer he shows us how we receive
Lost half his support around and sell ignorance by the gal- Mr. Westby: Yeah, isn’t that what Mr. Westby: I mentioned in our first forgiveness, and we should have a
Mr. Westby: About half of our sup- lon, you know, because it gets happened to all the prophets and one-God conference, back in 2002, willingness to forgive others.
port evaporated when we started winked away. David up to that point in history? Are that what makes a sacrifice efficacious
teaching about the one God. No, we should be seeking truth and there going to be two tiers in the is the willingness of the receiver, in The Atonement doctrine
Most of the stuff I speak on is prac- the highest-quality truth and, at the Kingdom of God, one THE JOURNAL: Doesn’t what you’re
tical Christian living, but I decided to same time, not be judging our brother for those who lived saying here impact significantly the
focus on the one-God idea in these an- along the way. before Jesus’ time and central tenet of Christianity, which I
nual seminars and introduce it to folks. another for those who would say is the Atonement doctrine?
The seminars are not just about Defining Christian lived after? If it’s not true that there is sort of a
whether Jesus is God. They’re about the THE JOURNAL: So just what do you Are we going to say cash-register exchange, a payment in
openness of God, which is part of His mean Christian? to David you didn’t return for forgiveness, what does that
nature, that everything is not set, fatalis- Mr. Westby: None of these names, know Jesus? How do to the need for Jesus’ sacrifice?
tic, like predestined, like with Calvin. including “Christian,” is perfect. Ob- would that work out? Mr. Westby: Jesus gave himself as a
The future’s partly open and partly viously Jesus was not a Christian, was People get formulaic in servant for us in the ministry of the
set, and God does listen, He does he? He was not a follower of himself. this, they get mystical, gospel of the Kingdom of God, and he
change. That’s the whole point of prayer. He was a follower of God. He was a and they lose sight of laid his life down in the service. That’s
Most of the feedback over the years follower of Yahweh, Yahovah. He was the point. what got him killed.
to the seminars has been positive, I’d a God-fearer. Take some Buddhist God didn’t kill him, for crying out
say. A lot of criticism, of course, dis- But the word Christian is all right or some pagan some- loud. The Jews put the Romans up to
agreements. when we understand that we’re fol- where, the finest, nic- killing him. It wasn’t God doing the
But it’s amazing how many people lowing Christ and, like Christ, we are est person you’ve ever killing.
have said to me, you know, I had some following God. going to find. They
questions on this. I never gave it much don’t know anything 100 percent human
thought. And they start answering Isn’t exclusivism necessary? about the God of the THE JOURNAL: So Jesus was 100
their own questions. THE JOURNAL: You preach the Bible or anything else. percent human. But how does that
need for inclusivity rather than exclu- Will God in His mercy 12th ANNUAL CONFERENCE—Ken Westby makes a work taking into consideration the
Ripple effect sivity in Christianity. But mustn’t let them find that out point at his One God Seminars in the Seattle, Wash., area virgin birth? It seems like a 100 per-
THE JOURNAL: But doesn’t a radi- there be a measure of exclusivity in sometime? in June 2013. [Photo by Dixon Cartwright] cent human would have both father
cally different view of Jesus have a Christianity, thanks to the rightness Yeah, I think so. and mother who are 100 percent hu-
ripple effect on other traditional and of some doctrines and the wrongness man as well.
Church of God beliefs and doctrines? of some doctrines? Focus on the canon this case God, to be merciful to re- Mr. Westby: Yeah, I believe Jesus
Mr. Westby: Well, yeah. For exam- Christian teachers and preachers THE JOURNAL: THE JOURNAL over ceive the sacrifice and to forgive. was 100 percent human, but we don’t
ple, people get hung up on all the have always said there’s only one path the past two or three years has run arti- Some people say that Jesus had to be know exactly what it meant when it
blood talk. Blood is a symbol. The to God, that Jesus is the way, the truth cles about the Bible canon. It really God to be worth more than everybody said the spirit overshadowed Mary
blood is the life. When you read and the life. That, by definition, is an got going with the coverage we had of else so his sacrifice would be worth [Luke 1:35]. I take that to mean a mir-
blood, just read life. exclusivist doctrinal position. the debate between Art Mokarow and enough to save everybody. I know the acle happened, a virgin gave birth.
Jesus was willing to give up his life, Mr. Westby: Generally, yes, and, in Dennis Diehl in Texas in 2010. arguments. I used to make them. Some say that had to be from the
which he did, for the cause of his some respects, no. As far as the spirit The problems with the canon were In that view, God’s sitting up there seed of the Father. Somehow God had
Father, for his disciples, to share truth, to put a seed in there.
to share hope, to give the good news But was that needed? How did
of the Kingdom of God and the means Adam come about, and Eve? Was
of ingressing into the Kingdom and to ‘In that way of looking at things, God doesn’t really forgive. He just there something inferior with human
preach the simple way, which is sim-
ply turning toward God.
gets paid, then any penalty for our sins automatically and mechanically stock that meant God had to put a God
seed in Mary? After all, who made
I think the teaching of the one God goes away. How does that work? What kind of forgiveness is that?’ human stock if not God? And after
just brings the reality of the Word of what pattern did He make humans?
God much closer. After Himself, for crying out loud.
So could He not—and I’m just ask-
Is it mandatory? of Jesus, yes, that is the only way focused on in several of the statements with His little green eyeshade. He’s ing; I’m not being dogmatic about
THE JOURNAL: How committed are toward God, a total and giving and made during that debate. [See issue No. totaling up the sins of everybody, and this—could He not have just had Jo-
you to the one-God doctrine? Let me submission of yourself to God. 139 of THE JOURNAL, dated June 17, they weigh a lot, and the only way seph’s sperm put in Mary? After all,
rephrase that. Would you say the one- But Jesus’ name is not like some 2010, and several subsequent issues.] they could get counterbalanced was if the Bible does refer to Joseph being
God doctrine is optional for Chris- magical charm like in Ali Baba and You don’t have to go into detail here, something worth more, something Jesus’ father.
tians? Or is it mandatory? the Forty Thieves: You’ve got to say but you wrote a critique [titled “Are We worth more than all humans, would
Mr. Westby: It’s optional, sure. Is “Jesus” or the door won’t open. Christians Merely Canon Fodder?” in then die to pay for them. Planting a seed
God tolerant of our ignorance and No, the name of Jesus and God’s issue No. 147, dated Dec. 20, 2011] of And here we come to this sort of THE JOURNAL: You’re talking about
what we don’t know? I hope so, be- name refer to what they stood for. It’s one of my canon articles. Maybe you cash-register exchange. There is a some kind of artificial insemination?
cause there’s a lot I don’t know. like Jesus’ life, his blood. The blood is could touch on it because you have payment made, and apparently re- Mr. Westby: Well, Mary became
THE JOURNAL: Looking back at symbolic of him. So when we follow been one of my polite critics on this. ceived, for our sins. Who is it paid to? pregnant, but she was a virgin. So,
your days as a Trinitarian and then a Jesus we follow one who gave himself Mr. Westby: Well, besides basically Well, I guess you pay it to God. Is yeah, she must have been inseminated.
Binitarian, do you see yourself as a totally to God in love and service to saying that you’re full of crap? that who you pay it to? She could have been inseminated with
Christian back in those days? his fellowman. THE JOURNAL: That’s okay. I might Joseph’s sperm, because the Bible
Mr. Westby: Yes, I was a Christian. THE JOURNAL: At least theoretical- be full of crap. Does God get paid to forgive? refers to Jesus as Joseph’s firstborn.
I was moving Godward. I was seeking ly, would it be possible to do that very In that way of looking at things,
Brevard Childs God doesn’t really forgive. He just Human father, virgin birth
Mr. Westby: Well, I’m a follower of gets paid, then any penalty for our THE JOURNAL: So in what sense is
Brevard Childs’ concept of the canon. sins automatically and mechanically Jesus God’s son?
Here’s a handy list of hymns that I don’t believe in inerrancy or that
there are some original autographs
goes away.
How does that work? What kind of
Mr. Westby: Well, God is the Father
of the first Adam and the second
migrated from the purple hymnal that are perfect. That’s all nonsense.
We have no original autographs.
forgiveness is that?
Does the sacrifice of the lamb, the
Adam, Jesus. He is the Father of us all.
I’m not being dogmatic, but I think
None of them are perfect. What we perfect lamb, with no blemishes or this is a possibility. Jesus was born as a
Continued from page 3 O That Men Would Praise Their have are copies of copies of copies. fleas on it, no hairs out of place, does baby, as a human being, and I think he
Blest and Happy Is He God! But the canon came together, and I the perfection of the lamb make it had a human father as well as Mary,
But as For Me, I’ll Call on God O Thou the Shepherd of Israel Art
Onward Christian Soldiers think there’s a brilliance in the canon. acceptable as a sacrifice and payment? his human mother. But whatever hap-
By the Waters of Babylon It was a process. Or is it really the attitude of the per- pened it was all done by God. It was a
Our God Is Good and Upright
Come Thou Almighty King Praise Belongs to God I think the canon should be respect- son offering the lamb, with a humble miracle, because Mary was a virgin.
For Even From My Youth, O God Praise God’s Name! ed but also acknowledged that it’s heart, that God pays attention to? The point is that Jesus was a human
For Thy Law Is Truth and Love Praise the Eternal With a Psalm! not a perfect thing, because it is a hu- Over and over in the Old Testa- being 100 percent, and he was accepted
Give Ear to My Prayer, O Lord Righteous Judge man work. ment, God says the blood of bulls and as such by his brothers and everybody.
Give Ear Unto My Words, O Lord Rise and Judge, Eternal One The perfection is that God can goats doesn’t take away sin. The only And he suffered, was tempted and
Give Judgment to the King, O God Save Me, O God, by Thy Great reveal Himself over the centuries in a thing that forgives sin is God. God died and now lives forever.
Glorious Things of Thee Are Name
Sing Praises and Rejoice! multitude of cultures and we can get willingly forgives sin. That’s what This is somebody we can identify
Spoken the point. And the point is pretty sim- mercy is. He wants to forgive, and He with and who identifies with us.
God Speaks to Us Sing Songs of Praise to Him!
Sing to the Lord with Cheerful ple: that we’re to become like Him, forgives when we ask for forgiveness. There’s nothing we can go through
Hallelujah! Praise God! Voice and to be good. The rest is symbolism, symbolic that he hasn’t in some similar way
Hear My Cry, Eternal One The Day and Night Are Thine actions that we do to acknowledge our gone through as well, and he’s ready to
His Mercy Never Fails Thee Will I Love, O Lord The nature of Jesus’ sacrifice humanness. Most of the sacrificial of- help us in his church to fill the ranks.
Holy Mighty Majesty They Are Blest Who Are Forgiven THE JOURNAL: You mentioned ear- ferings that were made in the Levitical We needn’t feel far away from God
How Good It Is to Thank the Lord Thou Shepherd That Dost Israel lier that Jesus was a man just like us. priesthood didn’t even involve sin or far away from Christ, because that’s
How Long Eternal Hide Thou Keep How could he be a man just like we offerings. exactly what they want us to feel.
Away? Trust in God and Stand in Awe
Turn, O God, and Save Me are if he had no human father? That’s They want us to feel nigh and close.
How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings a significant difference between him Pay-for misnomer _________
In Distress I Cried Unto the Lord Unless the Lord Shall Build the
House and us, isn’t it? Now, Jesus gave his life, but not to See related articles beginning on
In Thy Lovingkindness, Lord Unto God I Lift My Voice Further, in private conversations pay for your sins. Many scriptures pages 1 and 28 of this issue.
Lord, I Will Praise Thee! Wait and Hope and Look for God you have mentioned you have changed show every man is accountable for his Visit Ken Westby on the Web at
Mount Zion Stands Most Beautiful Where Shall I Go From Your your mind regarding the virgin birth, own sins. This whole idea of “pay for” godward.org. Write him at westby@
Not Many Wise Men Now Are Spirit? the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice, the for- is a misnomer, anyway, and I know godward.org or at the Association for
Called Who Shall Dwell on Thy Holy giveness of sins. there are some translation problems Christian Development, 27013 Pacific
O Come and Let Us Worship Him Hill? How would you briefly describe the and all of that. Highway S., No. 400, Des Moines,
role of Jesus in our religion? You In the Lord’s Prayer when Jesus Wash. 98198, U.S.A.
 Connections: Member to Member
Issue No. 154 PUBLISHED BY THE JOURNAL: NEWS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD Aug. 31, 2013

Make a connection PLEASE BEGIN THE FREE . . . .

THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN
Darlene Warren is leaving the staff went to mass on Easter Sunday and ized I needed God in my life. I got IN PROPHECY
of THE JOURNAL and CONNECTIONS spent two weeks at the beginning of through my teen years, but, like with
and will no longer handle advertising
sales and no longer write her column
every summer enrolled in summer
catechism. I was just a kid and scared
most of you, it wasn’t easy.
I mean, after all, we were “differ-
OUTREACH PROGRAM
in this space each issue. when I walked into that huge audito- ent.” You remember, don’t you? My IN YOUR HOMETOWN OR CITY
This article, her last column for rium in Oakland. point today is, there are still young FOR INFORMATION GO TO:
THE JOURNAL and CONNECTIONS, was I wish I could say my fears eased people out there trying to do the right
also her first 14 years ago. It origi-
nally appeared in the issue dated Feb.
a bit when the service
began. I wish I
thing, trying to find their place
in the world, trying to find a
AMERICA AND BRITAINS FUTURE.COM
US-BRITISHFUTURE.COM PO BOX 4877, OCEANSIDE, CA 92052
28, 1999. could say I place to fit in.
For a news item about Darlene, made friend- Maybe you didn’t have
see “Notes and Quotes” on page 28 ships there that that special person to
of this issue. have lasted me encourage you and make
a lifetime. I wish I you feel wanted and A new book by Sheila Graham about
By Darlene Warren could say someone needed, but now we women, religion, identity, community
B
IG SANDY, Texas—When I reached out to me. have the chance to
was 10 years old I began at- I can’t. reach out and en- From Fear to Faith is available on all the iProducts,
tending the Radio Church of Instead, a man kept repeat- courage. from iPhone to iPad to Kindle. It’s a slice of the history of
God. My very first service was on ing how evil Christmas was and There’s a young the patriarchal Worldwide Church of God seen through the
Christmas Day 1965. We met in a how Santa Claus was pagan. I was person out there eyes of women. § Though it is about discrimination in
huge, old building on the seedy side horrified! who needs you. It may the name of religion, it also documents what these women
of Oakland, Calif. How did a little I was in a strange place and (look- be your own child, a grand- value from their experience as members of the former Worldwide Church
Mississippi girl wind up there? ing back) in a strange time. A time child, a neighbor boy down the road. of God. § The author, a former managing editor of the WCG’s flagship
Well, that’s another story for an- when Saturday-night socials included Reach out and make a connection publication, The Plain Truth, interacted with these women and experienced
other time. The point is, I was there, the viewing of a documentary about with a young person today. what it meant to be a female in the denomination. § Sheila Graham is also
like it or not. Nazi Germany with scene after scene You just might be surprised at the the author of the popular ebook The Proverbs 31 Woman. § From Fear to
Up until this time I had spent little of dead bodies piled on wagons. difference you make in their life. You Faith is available only in ebook form right now. It is priced as low as
time in any church at all, although my A lot of things have changed since just might be surprised how much Amazon would allow (99¢) so more could read it.
mother made sure my sister and I then, haven’t they? I grew up. I real- better it will make you feel.

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Did Jesus Think Adultery

Justified Divorce?
H istorically the churches of God
have taught adultery was justi-
fication for divorce. Yet Jesus
diminished the Law of Moses that
allowed divorce for adultery. Moses
highly respected Arndt & Gingrich
lexicon indicates the same. Strong’s in-
dicates ‘harlotry.’
Church researchers seem to have
ignored this. Some have relied heavily on
The word ‘prostitution’ lends itself
to metaphorical or figurative applica-
tions of condemnation of almost any-
thing. As such, it should be no surprise
that the word is given a range of mean-
tery or just any sexual misconduct.
God did not divorce Israel until her
conduct showed her to be a confirmed
prostitute (Jer 3, Exe 16). Do the lead-
ers of the churches of God have the
used ‘ervah, translated ‘uncleanness’ (Deu commentaries, which by their nature are ings sufficient to confuse those who spirit of God or not? Those who allow
24:1) as justification for divorce. a reflection of the typically Protestant are not paying close attention. People divorce for simple adultery are sup-
It is also used throughout Leviticus 18 theology of the commentator. used it in many different ways, just like porting hard-heartedness within the
and is translated ‘nakedness.’ Leviticus Why would prostitution be the pri- English speakers will brand someone as people of God. This is contrary to the
18 shows this word to be a euphemism mary meaning of ‘porneia’? Consider a prostitute even though they are not spirit of the Creator who suffered long
for sexual relations (Lev 18:18-19; 20:11, that in Classical/Koine Greek: ‘Porneuo’ actually involved in sexual relations with ancient Israel.
means ‘to prostitute.’ A ‘porne’ is a pros- with paying customers. Don’t wait for someone ordained of
18). Moses then allowed divorce if a wife
titute. A pornos is a male prostitute. A Those who think Jesus intended por- men to look into this for you. This area
did not maintain her sexual fidelity.
neia to mean any sexual misconduct has supposedly received careful study.
Did Jesus undercut that instruction porneion is a house of prostitution, or
don’t understand the mind of God in If this has escaped our teachers, can we
only to again allow divorce for any sex- brothel. Pornidion are brothel-keepers. this matter. Jesus clearly did not intend think nothing else has escaped them?
ual infidelity? (Mat 19:3-9). Ek-porneuo means to go a-whoring or to connect porneia with simple adultery. Don’t assume this is the only thing
Jesus allowed divorce for porneia. If prostitute yourself. Kataporneuo means That is what Moses allowed because of that is misunderstood about the mar-
porneia = sexual immorality, Jesus un- to make a prostitute. Pornokopeo is a the hard-heartedness of Israel. Jesus riage relationship, not to mention the
dercut the Law of Moses, then allowed whoremonger. condemned divorcing for that cause. spirit of God. Develop your own rela-
divorce for the same reason. This Can a prostitute be what she is, a English ‘prostitution’ is not neces- tionship with the real Head of the con-
makes no sense. prostitute-house be what it is, a prosti- sarily a perfect match for porneia, but gregation of God by an in-depth study
Greek-English lexicons disagree tute-keeper be what he is, and yet pros- certainly must be close. Fornication is of His word.
somewhat as to the primary meaning titution does not primarily mean the included in porneia and was simply con- This is simply one more piece of the
of porneia. Most notable among lexi- business that a prostitute does under sidered a specialized form of prostitu- iceberg of misunderstanding that blinds
cons is the exhaustive Liddell & Scott the direction of a prostitute-keeper in a tion. In Matthew 5 and 19 Jesus is (Rev 3:17) the churches of God. (Click:
Lexicon that claims ‘prostitution’ is prostitute-house? Even so, the primary allowing prostitute-like conduct as jus- Other Studies / Divorce & Remarriage
the primary meaning of porneia. The meaning of porneia is prostitution. tification for divorce, not simple adul- at the web address below.)

★ www.creatorscovenant.org ★ PO Box 1002 • South Pasadena, CA 91031

This page is part of CONNECTIONS: MEMBER TO MEMBER, the advertising section of THE JOURNAL
10 ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

The Church of God

is not prepared for
Church of God,
The Return of Jesus Christ The MOST HIGH GOD
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Should the Feast of Tabernacles be observed

in a summer or fall month? Should the first
month of the year be a winter or spring month?
Dedicated to the Reconciliation of
The Sabbath Keeping Churches of God 2013 Feast Plans (moon) shall be the feast of Lev. 23:40: “. . . You shall

Jesus of Nazareth warned his followers that those who would soon
come after him should be very careful about how they built the
Church of God.
T he Christian Church of
God plans to host a
small F.O.T. site in
Lantana, Florida (Palm Beach
County), Oct.
tabernacles for seven days
unto the LORD.”
The above dates (Oct. 21-28)
take into consideration the
rejoice . . . seven days.”
Other scriptures tell us to eat
and drink, etc., be thankful,
be joyful.
following: During certain years, many
He warned that the coming of false prophets would cause the 21–28, 2013. This
Ex. 23:16: “. . . And the feast farmers were observed to be
church to be built upon a foundation of sand, unless certain princi- date is believed
of ingathering, which is in the very concerned (worried)
ples were followed. to comply—be
end of the year, when thou while attending the Feast at
in harmony—
Did Jesus of Nazareth warn his followers to be cautious about build- hast gathered in thy labors Jekyll Island, Georgia. Why
with Scripture.
ing their house, the house of God, upon sand? out of the field” (after the was this? It was because their
Consider these harvest) crops were still in the fields
When we look at the modern church of the 20th and 21st century, do examples (from when they were directed to
Neville Gilbert Deut. 16:13: “Thou shalt
we see a house built upon sand, or one built upon the rock? the KJV). attend the Feast, which had
observe the feast of taberna-
Do we see a house that stands and grows strong, or do we see a Gen. 1:14: “. . . Let there be cles seven days, after that been scheduled and started in
house of God that splits and falls? lights in the firmament of the thou hast gathered in thy a summer month before the
heaven (sun and moon) . . . corn and thy wine” (after the harvest was completed—and,
This short but powerful Bible study will assist all Christians in their and let them be . . . for sea- in some cases, even started.
quest to construct and nourish a growing Church of God.
harvest)
sons, and for days, and years.” This situation is almost cer-
Lev. 23:39: “Also in the
Please visit our website, and study our recent article: “A House Built Ex. 12:2: “. . . Beginning of fifteenth day of the seventh tain to occur this year, 2013.
upon Sand.” You might even consider using the article as a Bible months: it shall be the first month, when you have Is this what God intended?
study guide with your fellowship group. month of the year to you” (in gathered in (after) the fruit Note: Israel and Georgia are
the spring, not winter). (crops) of the land, you close to the same latitude,
“A House Built upon Sand” Lev. 23:34: “. . . The fifteenth shall keep a feast unto the which would mean the same
I think you will find to be an eye-opening study. day of this seventh month LORD . . .” harvesttime.
Please visit our website at

ReconciliationGroup.org www.Fla-ccog.com • Telephone 561-547-4952

Email [email protected] or [email protected]
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Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ 11

Connections runs classifieds

Resources Obituaries Obituaries
C ONNECTIONS runs classifieds: help wanted, for sale, pen pals, prayer Christian Straight Talk, www.williestraighttalk. Robert “Bob” Earl Dahms Jr., 64, a 24-year res- sons and daughters-in law, Jack and Ruthann
requests and more. Send ads (including prayer requests and obitu- blogspot.com. Joseph and Barbara Willie dis- ident of Bowie, Md., and previously of Traer, Pyle, Dennis and Joye Pyle, and Ray and
cuss a variety of subjects relating to the New Iowa, died June 23, 2013, of a heart attack. § Sherron Pyle; three daughters and sons-in-law,
aries) to CONNECTIONS, P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy, Texas 75755, U.S.A., or Covenant gospel (Sexuality, Trinity, Sin, He was born May 14, 1949, in Cedar Falls, Norva Lee and Ronald Kelly; Natalie and Tony
Prophecy}. Expand your biblical horizons. Iowa, to his late parents, Robert and Jayne Hammer; Dana Kaye and James Kissee; 21
to Linda Cartwright at [email protected]. Dahms. § Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and one
Virtual Church, Ken Westby, every Sabbath, 11 accounting from the great-great-grandchild. § She was preceded in
a.m. Pacific, 12 noon mountain, 1 p.m. central, 2 University of Mary- death by her parents, William J. and Martha
p.m. eastern, (916) 233-0562, www.godward.org. land, where he was Alice Ott; her husband, Norvel Pyle; her sons,
Www.creatorscovenant.org., P.O. Box 1002, the assistant director Joseph Danniel Pyle and Jimmy Lynn Pyle; a
Cities of the Holy Land South Pasadena, CA 91030. of the physics depart-
ment. § Bob was a
brother, Virgil Ott; and sisters Nela James,
Addie James and Lela Wood.
ICY, P.O. 208, Pocahontas, AR 72455. Civil War buff who
CMC J Q J L V G PME H C U N D P Y M enjoyed gardening Lorraine E. (Zahn) Moss, 86, passed away Aug.
11, 2013, in Lincoln, Neb. § She was born Nov.
Jan Aaron Young, [email protected]; with his wife, the out-
Q Q U Y T Y R E I R E D K E U B KWC X articles: http://23jan.spaces.live.com. doors, and playing 19, 1926, on a farm four miles south of
with his grandchil- Syracuse, Neb., to Paul F. and Lena K.
C P LW Z K T I C J L Q K S B J T A E V The Ezekiel Watchman, P.O. Box 130, Valley dren. § He attended (Miesbach) Zahn.
Springs, CA 95252, ezekielwatchman.org, (209) Worldwide Church of She attended country
O F UM J L J Q Y E A G F S G R E F I A 772-0737 or (209) 772-2993. God congregations in school and graduat-
Washington, D.C., ed from Syracuse
F S I V E D WM N G S C C T G S O P Z Q Ministry Publications, P.O. Box 715, Cotton-
wood, AZ 86326. and Waterloo, Iowa, High School. Upon
from 1968 to the graduation at age 16,
L B GHQ C Q C X NUH B A A H T N G S Who Can You Trust? [email protected]. 1990s. He was a Bob Dahms she taught country
local-church elder school for two years,
A A T L V V A GHD R P Y R E MOMD N Henk Jens, P.O. Box 121, Belmore, N.S.W. serving the Waterloo many times riding a
2192, Australia. www.rightly-dividing.net. horse bareback to
ME Y FWF A P U P E L EM L S A NN C congregation. § He was preceded in death by
his son, Michael P. Dahms. § He was married by and from school. §
Radio4Living.com, whatnextmedia.com, what- Lorraine completed a
B A Z BM Z P H E T J A P U A I A C B D [email protected]. WCG preaching elder Vince Panella in 1971. §
He is survived by his beloved wife of 411/2 B.S. in mathematics
a the University of
B O L B H S P J WR P N B E S Z P R L Y Art Mokarow, P.O. Box 1197, Montgomery, TX years, Anita; his sons, Robert Aaron Dahms of
Crofton, Md., and John Dahms of Frostburg, Nebraska at Lincoln
77356, [email protected], GodsPuzzleSolved.
and taught junior-
A B DH E Q O Q GHNM I D N L A T E Q com. Biblical-history programs at youtubecom/ Md.; a daughter, Rachel G. Swingler of
high-level math in
biblicalhistory/art. Hanover, Pa.; a brother, Richard Dahms of
C B F D A E J G I J S A D I O Q I E K A Bowie, Md.; a sister, Rebecca Dahms-Lioi of F r e m o n t , N e b . § Lorraine Moss
Building Bridges Not Walls, www.Reconcili- Catonsville, Md.; and four grandchildren. Later, while working
HK E P I Z R L J A V NU Z C K R E A M ationGroup.org.
Josephine Addaline Skaggs, 94, of Leesburg,
at an insurance com-
pany in Denver, she applied for and accepted a
R C D T U G I S O F O L GM N R A V J R The Church of God is not prepared, www.
ChildrenofGod.net, P.O. Box 30332, Little Rock,
Texas, died July 19, 2013, in Pittsburg, Texas.
She is survived by her son Marcus Ellwood
position with the University of Southern
California at Berkeley at the Los Alamos
Z WM Y H P E S H D V M T A P VML E H AR 72260. Skaggs of Durango, Colo., daughters Julia
Billingsley of Leesburg, Mollie Weatherman of
Nuclear Laboratories in 1950, working in the
theoretical-physics department under Dr.
MG P O P L YM I E O D L U Z T A L R K The Church of God Big Sandy, www.churchof- Burleson, Texas, and Beulah Crabb of Odessa, Stanislaw Ulam in connection with the building
godbigsandy.com. Texas; grandchildren and spouses Audrey and of the first hydrogen bomb. There she met
U V U I N F E S V D B S M S Y A S D I F From Jerusalem to the Sea of Glass, www. David Burke of Clifford Moss of Wichita Falls, Texas, also a
ozwitness.net/. Boone, Iowa, Marc mathematician, who worked in the weaponiza-
L F D O J N X HO N D AMA S C U S C H and Jodi Skaggs of tion division. § They moved back to Lincoln in
America and Britains Future, US-Britishfuture. Colorado Springs, 1955 while Clifford earned his degree in den-
I N YWC O S S E T O L B O Z T Z UH I com, P.O. Box 4877, Oceanside, CA 92052. Colo., Rachel and tistry. They built a home in Syracuse in 1960
Aldis Strautins of and raised five sons. § Lorraine was a home-
S H I L OHU P YMH T E R A Z A N O I Malachi in Context Is Vital! Lawrence G. Mum- Grand Junction, maker and enjoyed traveling, especially to
me, P.O. Box 86094, Tucson, AZ 85754. Colo., Aaron Crabb of Colorado, New Mexico and elsewhere in the
Odessa, Sean and Southwest. § She loved the mountains and was
Ai Caesarea Philippi Jericho Samaria Www.cgministry-inchrist.org, cgminchrist@ Katie Mitcham of excited and energized by traveling to and
charter.net. Fayetteville, N.C., spending time there with family. She always
Beersheba Capernaum Jerusalem Sodom
Should the Feast of Tabernacles be observed in Jessie Crabb of said, “When I see the mountains, I feel so alive!”
Bethel Damascus Joppa Shiloh a summer or fall month? Should the first month Washington, D.C., § Always kind and supportive, she said the
of the year be a winter or spring month? Amy and Barry Smith most important thing in her life was her family:
Bethlehem Gaza Megiddo Sidon of Gilmer, Texas, and parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and especially
www.Fla-ccog.com, [email protected].
Caesarea Hebron Nazareth Tyre Amanda and Ben her sons. § She was preceded in death by her
Jesus the God. Jesus the Man. Priesthood/ Arhelger of Doss, husband, parents and brother, Norman (Betty).
Ministerial Duties. Ray Daly, rayedaly@bis. Texas; great-grand- Josephine Skaggs § Survivors are Scott (Peggy) Moss of Bluffton,
midco.net or 3 Santee Rd., Lincoln, ND 58504. children Caleb Ste- Ind., Grant Moss of South Hadly, Mass., John
phen Burke, Joshua David Burke, Peter Knox and Paul Moss of Lincoln and Eric Moss of
Connections: Member to Member Burke, Sarah Joy Burke, Maria Grace Burke, Chapel Hill, N.C. She is also survived by four
P.O. Box 1020 • Big Sandy, Texas 75755 • (903) 636-4779
For rent Abigail Elizabeth Burke, Dillon Jerry Skaggs, grandsons, Geoff, Rob, Zack (Melody) and
Need a safe home for your daughter to stay for Joshua Marcus Skaggs, Sydney Nicole Mitch (Dana), whom she cherished as well.
CONNECTIONS: MEMBER TO MEMBER is published by THE JOURNAL: NEWS OF THE CHURCHES OF GOD. © 2013 JMC Skaggs; and Talija, Karlis and Sofija Strautins,
Associates. For display-advertising rates and deadline information, please write Linda Cartwright at college in Michigan? See the ad on page 10. Grady B. Jones, Jr., 71, passed away on Aug.
Will Mitcham, Owen Jude Mitcham, Harrison
[email protected] or P.O. Box 1020, Big Sandy, Texas 75755, U.S.A. Or call (903) 636-4779 from 8 Rex Mitcham and George Marcus Smith. She is 13, 2013. He was born on March 26, 1942, in
a.m. to 5 p.m. U.S. central time. Toll-free fax: 1-888-488-6603. Toll-free voice mail: 1-866-949-7294. Feast of Tabernacles also survived by a sister, Jewell Derrick of Hedley, Texas. § Grady was a veteran of the
Reserve, N.M. § Mrs. Skaggs was preceded in U.S. Army, having served during the Vietnam
The Christian Church of God 2013 Feast Plans, death by her parents, John Albert Finch and War. § He received
www.Fla-ccog.com. Beulah Kemp Finch, husband Marcus Skaggs, his bachelor’s de-
daughter Jeanne Roxanne Skaggs, grandson gree from the Uni-
Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles with the versity of Texas at
South Texas Church of God, Terry Post, P.O. Box Wesley Weatherman, brother John Finch and
sister Mary Lilly Huffmon. Tyler and was a pur-
Why do you 1089, La Vernia, TX 78121. Phone (210) 392-
4891. Email [email protected]. Dale LeRoy Atteberry, 74, of Holyoke, Colo.,
passed away July 26, 2013, after a six-month
chasing agent and
plant scheduler for
East Texas Contain-

tithe on money? Personals

Widower, retired teacher, conservative, fit, long-
battle with cancer. He was born in Denver,
Colo., on Feb. 11,
1939, to Elton and
ers for 35 years. He
was a member of the
American Legion in
time COG member, seeks single COG lady 50- Alvidean (Anderson) Mineola and the
Few of us have taken a closer look at the Scrip- 62 for long-term relationship. Friendship first. Atteberry. § Dale’s Masonic Lodge in
Write Gordon Winkelman, 9571 E. 5th St., family moved from Tyler. § Grady is sur-
tures to see what it really says about tithing. Tucson, AZ 85748. Pictures, please. Denver to Parker, vived by his wife of
Colo., when he was 33 years, Sue Jones
Honestly, where does the Bible say, or even hint, 13. He always con- of Big Sandy; two
that we are to tithe on the money we earn? What Free/trade s i d e r e d Pa r ke r Grady Jones sons and daughters-
home. He met his i n - l aw, R o n a n d
Free: About 20 copies of the Ambassador future bride, Colleen
truly is Biblical “increase”? Few doctrines have College yearbook, The Envoy, from the 1970s
Sheila Cemer of
C a s s i d y, i n h i g h Spring, Texas, Paul and Katie Cemer of Hous-
been as badly misrepresented as the doctrine of through the 1990s. I’m giving them away, but you school when she ton; one daughter and son-in-law, Angela and
will need to pay postage. Mrs. Clyde Mottin, 514 moved from Califor- Kelly Richmond of Palestine; six grandchildren,
tithing. If you now tithe on money, on your pay- Milan Ave., Ravenna, NE 68869. Phone (308) nia to Parker. They Ethan Cemer, Emy Cemer, Clarissa Cemer,
452-3340. married at the end of Derek Cemer, Lauren Allen and Clayton Rich-
check, then you owe it to yourself and your fam- his college years at mond; several precious great-grandchildren; two
Pen pals Dale Atteberry Colorado State Uni- brothers and a sister-in-law, Troy and Carol
ily to get the facts. Read this detailed study of versity in Fort Col- Jones of Amarillo and Bobby Jones of Chandler,
Sabbath-keeping Christian from India (68), lins, where he stud- Texas; and many loving nieces and nephews.
tithing which has been freeing people from the false teachings on would appreciate pen pals from all over the ied agriculture. § Dale taught vo-agri for a time
in Nebraska, bought fat cattle and sheep for a Funeral services for Lyna Jane Bryant, 58, of
tithing for over 20 years. (Suggested donation, $3 ppd) world. Hobbies: reading Christian books and
packing house in Pueblo and tried his hand at Sulphur Springs, Texas, were held on Sept. 6,
literature. P.V. Henry, Pulickal House, Njaralloor
the Farmers Home Administration in New 2013, at West Oaks Funeral Home in Sulphur
Kara, Kizhakkambalam, Kerala-683 562. India. Springs with Pastor Tim Eden officiating. Inter-
Mexico. § His family moved to Holyoke, Colo., in
1971, and he has been involved with agriculture ment was at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery with
Obituaries much of the time since then. § Dale was a long- Juan Olvera, Reed Bryant, Roger Thompson,
A sunset-to-sunset weekly Funeral services for Gladys M. Duke, 84, of Big time member of 4-H, helping as an adult to
instruct in leather craft. § Dale loved life and
Roy Thompson, Josh Hans, and Rodney
“Moose” Worley serving as pallbearers. § Mrs.
Sandy, were held Aug. 26, 2013, Croley Funeral Bryant, a member of the music faculty at
Sabbath is not in the Bible! Home Chapel in
Gladewater, Texas.
loved to laugh. He had a story for every situa-
tion. § He still had too many things to do and
places to go to end it now, but he knew in the
Ambassador College,
Big Sandy in the
Burial was in Rose- end the only important thing was to be in the 1980s, passed away
It is an old story: assuming a belief comes from the Bible, when in wood Cemetery in Kingdom of His Heavenly Father when “Thy on Sept. 3, 2013, at
Upshur County. § Kingdom comes.” § Dale was preceded in death Paris Regional Medi-
fact the Bible says nothing of the sort. Most of us came out of B o r n o n N ov. 1 6 , by his parents and infant grandson, Cole cal Center in Paris,
1928, in Russellville, McClain Roper Atteberry, son of Aaron and Texas. § She was
Protestantism because we saw exactly that. The Ark., she entered into Annette. § Dale is survived by his loving wife of born March 14, 1955,
eternal rest on Aug. 50 years, Colleen, and son Clayton and wife in New Castle, Pa., to
truth, the Scriptural truth, is the sunset-to-sunset 22, 2013. She was a Glenn W. and Estella
Trudy, their children Elise and her husband
weekly Sabbath doctrine is just ANOTHER ONE of homemaker. § Mrs. Mason Smotherman, Travis and Cassidy (Adams) Thompson.
Duke is survived by Atteberry; son Aaron and wife Annette and their She married Roger
those beliefs that has no Biblical basis whatever! two sons and daugh- son Jess Atteberry, all of Hawkins, Texas; son Bryant on Sept. 29,
ters-in-law, Vaughn Clinton and wife Susan of Loveland, Colo., and 1979, in Fort Worth,
Shocking though this may be, it is the provable and Sylvia Duke of their sons Roy, Ryan and Brylle Salazar, all of Texas. He survives. §
Greeley, Colo.; and three great-grandchildren; a S h e r e c e i ve d h e r
Hawkins and Ted and
truth. For nearly 20 years the book, The Scrip- Joan Duke of Lindale; Gladys Duke sister, Darlean, of masters' degree from
Johnstown, Colo.; Texas Christian Uni- Lyna Jane Bryant
tural Weekly Sabbath is NOT from Sunset-to- eight grandchildren, versity. § Mrs. Bryant
Charlotte Duke, Ar- and a brother, Keith,
of Palmer, Alaska. was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church,
Sunset, has shown the vital truth on this crucial thur Duke, Alasdair Duke, Caroline Duke, Col- where she was an organist and pianist, and was
lene Duke, Darrell Duke, Briana Duke and Brad Alvah Pyle, 99, en- involved in the Community Bible Study. § She
subject. The Biblical facts and history do not lie. Duke; one great-granddaughter, Rylie Duke; and tered into eternal rest taught fifth-grade music at Douglas Intermediate
two sisters and brothers-in-law, Billie Jean and on Aug. 3, 2013. Born and ECLC. She gave private music lessons,
Read the facts for yourself. Is Lev. 23:32 really Bill Walters of Michigan and Elsie Lewis of on Dec. 15, 1913, in played the harp and was a member of the North
proof of a sunset-to-sunset weekly Sabbath? Could it be an ancient Kentucky. § Mrs. Duke was preceded in death by Flippin, Ark., she was East Texas Choral Society. § Besides her hus-
her husband, Rillie “Rudy” Duke. a homemaker and a band she is survived by her mother, a son, Reed
Babylonian method of reckoning the day gradually replaced the member of the United Bryant of Sulphur Springs, daughters Lauren
Church of God. § Olvera (and husband Juan) of Sulphur Springs
observance of the true Biblical day? This book is a must read. Order Mrs. Pyle’s family is and Leslie Hans (and husband Josh of Dallas),
thankful she was grandchildren Jasmine, Maya and Adrian Ol-
yours today. (Suggested donation $3, ppd) Lawless God—Lawless Church theirs and that they vera, and brothers, Roger Thompson (and wife
were hers and that Reggie) of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Roy Thomp-

To order these books write:

IMPOSSIBLE? she belonged to the
beautiful extended Alvah Pyle
family of which she
son (and wife Pat of Baltimore, Md.). She was
preceded in death by her father and brother
Russell Thompson. Memorials may be made to
williestraighttalk.blogspot.com was the matriarch. § She was a faithful person Our Savior Lutheran Church Memorial Fund,
ICY WARNING: who demonstrated her love for and belief in
God every day. She shared and helped well
1000 Texas St., Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. An
online guest book is available to sign at www.
P.O. Box 208 • Pocahontas, AR 72455 beyond her family. § She is survived by three westoaksfuneralhome.com.
For the new creation only
This page is part of CONNECTIONS: MEMBER TO MEMBER, the advertising section of THE JOURNAL
12 ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

An Abib Resurrection?
here is a time coming when some of Once that had been achieved, and put into fornication.’ (See our article ‘What Is Babylon?’) If therefore you will not watch, I will

T God’s people will be found in Jeru-

salem carrying out the task God has
set for His Church, Joel 2:1: ‘Blow
the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in
my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of
practice by a few, God began to reveal deeper
understanding to them of the events pictured by
those Feast Days, and that has been an on-going
process which is necessary if God’s instructions are
to be carried out at Jerusalem, leading up to the
They never get a chance to carry out the will
of God from Jerusalem. Neither will some of
them reach Petra, because they have placed their
trust in the words of men and a mistaken sce-
nario, rather than the words of God. They are
come on you as a thief, and you will not
know what hour I will come upon you.’
The Firstfruits are not casual Christians. They
are deeply committed, serious students (disciples)
of Jesus Christ, and Christ expects us to be aware
the land tremble: for the day of the LORD return of Jesus Christ at the 6th Seal, not the 7th unprepared like those virgins of Matthew 25, and of and place all the scriptures together to com-
comes, for it is near at hand.’ Seal, to gather in His Saints at the resurrection. so it is unlikely that they participate in the resur- plete the jigsaw, even those ignored by most.
Our God is just and merciful and will not bring Although it is possible for us even now to rec- rection, either, and will as a result experience the Isaiah 28:10: ‘For precept must be upon pre-
punishment upon this world without first giving ognise the fulfilment of scriptures which are Great Tribulation! cept, precept upon precept; line upon line,
people everywhere a warning to depart from their leading up to the tribulation and the Day of the Just before the 31⁄2-year point during Daniel’s line upon line; here a little, and there a little.’
evil ways, and, in order to do that, He will first Lord, we know that it will not be possible to pre- 70th week, Daniel 9:27 (read our article ‘Under- We have already seen that there is no doubt
reach every man and woman around the world dict in advance the specific time of the beginning standing Daniel’s 70th Week’), the work of the that these events take place some 31⁄2 years
with a miraculous warning through dreams or of those last 7 years. We are to watch and pre- Church from Jerusalem will be complete: ‘And he before Jesus Christ finally returns from Heaven
visions, delivered by an angel, Revelation 14: 6-7: pare ourselves for His return, but we will still be shall confirm the covenant with many for one with His Bride, the Saints (halfway through
‘And I saw another angel fly in the midst of surprised when He begins His intervention, Mark week: and in the midst of the week he shall Daniel’s 70th Week).
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to 13:5: ‘And Jesus answering them began to cause the sacrifice and the offering to There has been speculation that, once we
preach unto them that dwell on the earth, say, Take heed lest any man deceive you.’ cease, and for the overspreading of abomi- understand that Christ’s harvest of His Firstfruits
and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, Luke 12:35-36: ‘Let your waists be girded nations he shall make it desolate, even until must take place at the time of the firstfruit barley
and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear about, and your lamps burning. And you the consummation, and that determined harvest in Israel, the resurrection may take place
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of yourselves be like unto men that wait for shall be poured upon the desolate.’ at the day of Pentecost, at the end of the barley
his judgment has come: and worship him their lord, when he will return [Greek Their ‘sacrifice and offering’ will be their harvest, Leviticus 23:16-17: ‘Even unto the day
that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, ‘breaks away,’ cf. Matthew 25:10] from the giving all they possess to preach the words of after the seventh sabbath shall you number
and the fountains of waters.’ wedding; that when he comes and knocks, warning, and the promise of God’s Kingdom, fifty days; and you shall offer a new grain
Despite the immediate worldwide impact of they may open unto him immediately.’ from Jerusalem. Now it is time for them to flee offering unto the LORD. You shall bring out
that earth-shaking event, very few people will Revelation 3:3: ‘Remember therefore how before they are trapped in Jerusalem by the of your dwellings two wave loaves of two-
actually repent, forgetting the warning in their you have received and heard, and hold fast, Beast’s armies, Daniel 12:11: ‘And from the tenths of an ephah: they shall be of fine
rejoicing and celebration of what they believe is and repent. If therefore you will not time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they
their future safety, 1 Thessalonians, 5:3: ‘For watch, I will come on you as a thief, and away, and the abomination that makes des- are the first fruits unto the Lord.’
when they shall say, Peace and safety; then you will not know what hour I will come olate set up, there shall be a thousand two However, those loaves contain leaven, and so
sudden destruction comes upon them, as upon you.’ hundred and ninety days.’ are unlikely to picture the Firstfruits who become
travail upon a woman with child; and they So, when the angel of Revelation 14:6-7 flies, Luke 21: 20-21: ‘And when you shall see Christ’s Bride, who are counted as holy and sin-
shall not escape.’ Hence the need for a contin- it will come as a complete shock to the world, but Jerusalem surrounded with armies, then less by Christ, Revelation 14:5: ‘And in their
uous warning from Jerusalem, first from the not to those who have been carefully preparing know that its desolation is near. Then let mouth was found no guile: for they are with-
faithful Church of God, and finally in the last 31⁄2 their lives to fulfil their God-given task at the end- them who are in Judea flee to the moun- out fault before the throne of God.’
years, from the two witnesses. time, which is documented from those scriptures tains; and let them who are in the midst of In 2002 I went to Israel with two fellow min-
At this time, almost none of the Church of God which are usually ignored, in our End Time Series. it depart out; and let not them that are in isters, on the first of the now annual Abib inspec-
appreciate this heavy responsibility which God God has actually given us many scriptures that the country enter into it.’ tions, to follow the example set by the priests at
has laid upon them (See our End Time tab), pre- will help us prepare our lives for these momentous There are indications that they pause in Tekoa, the time of Christ, in order that we might estab-
ferring to believe their given current scenario that events that will occur during the first few months a small town some 12 miles South of Jerusalem, lish the beginning of God’s New Year and the
the Tribulation lasts just 31⁄2 years, during which of those last seven years, after the angel flies. to sound a last warning about the encircling true Holy Days, after the pattern used at the time
they believe that the Church will be taken to a To the majority then, even of the Church, the armies, but then they press on towards the of Christ. On my return I gave a sermon at church
place of safety. They forget that that scenario was end-time will come as a shock, but gradually God mountains. Significantly, the Greek word here for on the second High Sabbath during Unleavened
suggested more than a generation ago and that, is preparing His servants so that they will know ‘mountains’ is specific for the “mountains on the Bread in which I first suggested that the resur-
as we approach the ‘time of the end,’ God has what to expect and what He requires them to do. East of Jordan and those in the land of Ammon rection was likely to be on the day of the Wave
promised to grant His faithful servants much more 1 Thessalonians 5:4: ‘But you, brethren, are and the region of Petra,” states Vines Expository Sheaf offering. This is what I said in that sermon:
understanding, Daniel 12:9: ‘And he said, Go not in darkness, that that day should Dictionary of New Testament Words. “There is one aspect of the Feast of Unleav-
your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up overtake you as a thief.’ Before they pause to rest at Engedi, where ened Bread that I want to zero in on today, Leviti-
and sealed till the time of the end.’ The very fact that the Christian world then David hid from Saul, while following the track cus 23:10-13: ‘Speak unto the children of
Sadly, almost all of God’s people are fast rejoices, but actually fails to seek God or repent, from Tekoa towards the Dead Sea, the Beast’s Israel, and say unto them, When you are
asleep. Matthew 25:5: ‘While the bridegroom is also a sign to them, 1 Thessalonians 5:3: ‘For armies approach, and the events of Revelation come into the land which I give unto you,
tarried, they all slumbered and slept.’ They when they shall say, Peace and safety; then 12:14-16 will take place: ‘And to the woman and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you
are lulled into a false sense of security by placing sudden destruction comes upon them, as were given two wings of a great eagle, that shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your
their trust in large corporations which have travail upon a woman with child; and they she might fly into the wilderness, into her harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave
proved blind to the scriptures they do not choose, shall not escape.’ place, where she is nourished for a time, the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted
and unreceptive to any change in their doctrinal The angel’s message, of Revelation 14:6-7, is and times, and half a time, from the face of for you: the next day after the sabbath the
beliefs, lest they lose both members and income, the sign to them to carry out God’s instructions in the serpent. And the serpent cast out of priest shall wave it. And you shall offer that
and so God has had to raise up just a few inde- Revelation 18:4 and make their move to Jerusa- his mouth water as a flood after the day when you wave the sheaf a male lamb
pendent ministers who, like Elijah, are prepared lem, something completely neglected in the teach- woman, that he might cause her to be car- without blemish of the first year for a burnt
to proclaim all His words without fear or favour ing of the Churches of God: ‘And I heard anoth- ried away by the flood.’ (Read ‘Division of the offering unto the Lord. And the grain
to all, even though it may not be popular, and er voice from heaven, saying, Come out of Saints’ on the End Time tab in order to under- offering thereof shall be two-tenths of
largely ignored,Amos 3:7: ‘Surely the Lord God her, my people, that you be not partakers of stand the events around the resurrection.) an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an
will do nothing, unless he reveals his secret her sins, and that you receive not of her Now, the question is, have we actually under- offering made by fire unto the Lord for a
unto his servants the prophets.’ plagues.’ This chapter speaks of geographical stood WHEN the resurrection is to take place? We sweet aroma: and the drink offering thereof
God’s first step was to remind those few min- Babylon, unlike the spiritual Babylon of chapter 17. do not know exactly when Jesus Christ will inter- shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.’
isters that the Hebrew Calendar, as we find it Sadly, that neglect will mean that they will be- vene directly, through His angel, to begin the End “In particular I want to examine the special
today, used by the Church of God to establish the come trapped in their nations when, just months Time last 7 years, but, if we have fully prepared by offering in verse 13: ‘And the grain offering
Holy Days, did not exist at the time of Christ, and later, the Western nations of Babylon fall, and, with repentance and closeness to the words we have thereof shall be two-tenths of an ephah of
that they should return to the process used then the world’s policeman removed, widespread wars received from God, and keep His true Holy Days, fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made
to correctly establish those vitally important result. Revelation 14:8: ‘And there followed we can then know when the resurrection is to by fire unto the Lord for a sweet aroma: and
Holy Days. Vitally important, because each one another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is take place in relation to current events, Revelation the drink offering thereof shall be of wine,
pictures an important stage, if we wish to fully fallen, that great city, because she made all 3:3: ‘Remember therefore how you have re- the fourth part of a hin.’(Normally, there would
understand the Plan of God! nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her ceived and heard, and hold fast, and repent. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

www.ozwitness.net/
Click on the ‘Media’ tab for the Abib film about the Firstfruit harvest

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Jesus the God, Jesus the Man

T
he Jesus born of Mary heaven, one who was not, and same being, nor could they ever man,” which is now with Him, and and blood being also.
was a “flesh, bone and never could become, a man. But, have become the same being. (See return it to the earth and place it But, who could he have been?
blood” human being as John 3:13 tells us, “No man again John 3:6.) within the egg of a woman. How about Enoch, of whom it says
(Hebrews 2:17). has [risen into] heaven, but [the Jesus Christ said of John the The spirit of Elijah was placed “God took him”? (Genesis 5:24).
The words “Son of Man” are man] that came down from heav- Baptist that “he is Elijah”—or in the egg of Elizabeth, and Elijah
en. Even the Son of God, who is “was” Elijah prior to his death. was “reborn.” In other words, the If God took a “man” into
used many times in the New Testa-
[now] in heaven”! But is this Truth? Yes. For “there flesh, bone and blood Elijah was heaven, then is it a great thing
ment. Each and every time they are
to imagine that God could send
referring to this human—meaning
him back (the spirit within him)
he was not the “Son of God.” and put him into an egg within
Now, the Father “sent his only A ‘Spirit God’ came down from heaven, and Mary—just as he did with
begotten Son into the world.” Since Elijah? Is anything impossible
the Father is “Spirit,” then the Son a ‘physical man’ came down from heaven, for God?
he sent was “Spirit” (John 3:6).
“That which is born of the as the Gospel accounts tell us. The conclusion: A physical son
flesh, is flesh. That which is born came from heaven, was reborn as
of the Spirit is Spirit.” a flesh, bone and blood human. A
Spiritually begotten God came
To put this another way, that from heaven and “emptied him-
which is flesh, bone and blood See? A “Spirit God” came down is a spirit in man” (Job 32:8). reborn as a flesh, bone and blood self” into the physical man.
cannot come forth from that from heaven, and a “physical When a man dies, this spirit in human who was named John.
which is totally Spirit—meaning man” came down from heaven. As man “returns to God who gave it” But John says of the flesh, bone Thus, a physical man spoke the
God did not become man. the Gospel accounts tell us, they (Ecclesiastes 12:7). and blood Jesus that he “was words of the Spiritual God.
We have seen that there was a came down during the same gen- It is a simple thing for the before me”—meaning he existed So we have the Son of Man,
Spirit being who came down from eration. These could not be the Almighty to take that “spirit in prior to Elijah, as a flesh, bone and we have the Son of God.

— Ray E. Daly • [email protected] —

Priesthood/Ministerial Duties
F
or he shall be judged priesthood/ministries have very lit- that was supposed to be in charge are a part of said ministries. be inflicted. Murder? Die! No plea
“ without mercy, that
has shown no mercy.
tle knowledge of what the law
teaches as it pertains to human
of state affairs. The congregation
elected “representatives” to serve
It is of the duty of the priest-
hood/ministries to “teach the
bargaining, no appeals, no long-
term (not even short-term) con-
And mercy rejoices relationships—within the churches them in local and far-off govern- law.” This means teaching what finement. Murder? Die! “Thus
against judgment!” (James 2:13). and without the churches. mental capacities. the law actually says, not what saith the law.”
The above scripture is often There is one major principle Of course, it was not long until men may want it to say. Again and again it is the duty
misunderstood by most religious recorded within the Old Covenant these elected officials usurped the We are told what it is that the of the priests/ministers to shout
ministries—whether said min- law that all priests/ministers and authority of the congregations and Almighty wishes for the “priests/ out aloud what the law says, not
istries are of those that believe the their congregations need to under- made the electors their servants— ministers” to teach: “Cry aloud, to hide in fear as the churches are
Old Covenant law of Moses is still stand. That principle is that, as it was in the first century. spare not [or, ‘teach it as it is’], and doing today.
in effect, or of those that believe according to the law of Moses, no After the return from exile, we show [1] my people their [3] trans-
Moses’ law is ended. priest/minister was ever given find a completely different govern- gressions, and the [2] house of Drug manufacturers and distrib-
The evidence before us seems authority over the congregation. mental system from that which Jacob their [3] sins” (Isaiah 58:1). utors are murdering thousands
to show that neither of the two If you do not believe this state- the law calls for. The transgressions and sins and thousands every year. This
groups actually grasps the meanings ment to be true (and many do not Ezra, the priest, took charge, referred to are clearly spelled out warrants the death penalty. Again
of said scripture. Or the Truth of said even care), then do your duty and even though he had no lawful in the law. Sin, then, equals crime and again and again it is the duty
scripture. “Search, Study, Prove, Try.” Read authority to do so. If Ezra be today. But there seems to be a dif- of the “church” to teach the Truth
In this article I am not espe- of what the law teaches to the
cially speaking to those who think “state,” to which the responsibili-
Moses’ law is done away with. ty of judging and carrying out the
They are ignorant of the fact that The priesthood/ministries had two areas of penalties of the law has been
“Love your neighbor as yourself” given in the law.
is the epitome of Moses’ law. authority. One was the priestly duties within the Today’s Sabbath-observing
“If you fulfill the royal [Moses’] priests/ministers: If you are not
law according to the Scriptures, temples. The second was their duty to ‘teach the law.’ now preaching the Truth of the
you shall love your neighbor as law of Moses to the peoples of
yourself, you do well” (James 2:8). Israel, and any gentile who listens,
But I am writing to those then you are deliberately, though
churches that believe Moses’ law is every word of “the law” and you judged rightly, he brought the ference in the intent of the two deceived, putting the twig before
still in effect and are very openly will not find the priesthood/min- “gentile” system of government words. the nose of the God, who caused
opposing the command to “love istries to have been given the rule with him. Transgressions seem to point to Moses to write his laws, with ink,
your neighbors.” over anyone, except those within This “priesthood ruling over the a lack of doing, while sin points to in a book.
Most of those who today are of their own. congregation” continued to devel- an act of doing. Today’s ministers, take note!
the COG pod came out of the The priesthood/ministries, op until the first century, when we In other words, while murder is You have absolutely no law-given
Worldwide Church of God. If you according to the law, had two find its final chapter within the evil a “sin/crime,” it is a “transgres- right to “rule over” God’s called-
think said church was one of areas of authority given to them. of the Pharisees and their holding sion” for the priests/ministers not out ones. They have law-given
brotherly love, you are deceiving One was the priestly duties that onto the congregation through to “cry out” against murder. And authority over you, but you have
yourself. Deception is no excuse were to be performed within the fear tactics. it is a “transgression” not to none over them—except for what
for not accepting the Truth. Having temples. The second was their Want to hear the Truth? Well, if teach what ought to be the penal- the law says.
a “good attitude” is not an given duty to “teach the law.” Jesus Christ were on earth today ty for murder.
excuse. Truth is Truth. Good To teach it. Not to be judges of he would likely have called out to “My people” means they are “He shall be judged without
attitude means nothing if Truth is it. For it was the “state,” and not the WCG and said, “Pharisees! not themselves of the mind-set of mercy, who has shown no mercy.”
not involved. the “church,” that had the author- hypocrites!” If he were to come to murderers. But sin seems to show Murderers, illegal-drug manu-
In the first part of this article I ity to judge. The church taught the the ministries of today’s spin-offs that mankind far too often is of facturers and distributors show no
discuss what relationship the law, and it was the duty of the from the WCG, the words would said mind-set. Thus it is the duty mercy. They ought not to be
priesthood/ministries have with state to do the judging and vary little. of the priests/ministers, to cry out granted mercy. It is your duty to
the law, as it is recorded in the enforce the penalties. How can I say this? All one has to the state, to enforce the law, “cry this out.” Do your duty. Or
“book of the law”—which was When Israel first entered into to do is view the lack of “brother- with “righteous judgment.” be judged “fearful of what man
written with ink by Moses. Canaan, it was with the law. In ly love” that is shown between “Righteous judgment” simply can do to you.”
It is very evident that today’s the law, it was the congregation ministries and the believers who refers to the penalty that ought to I hope you listen and . . . ?

— Ray E. Daly • 3 Santee Rd., Lincoln, ND 58504 —

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14 ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Where Is the...
True Church today? Jesus Christ said, “I will build My Church.” He did not say “Churches,”
denominations, “sects.” He said the gates of hell would not prevail
against that Church. Somewhere that original true Church exists today.
But WHERE? WHICH? . . .” (WHERE Is the True Church booklet, Mr.
Herbert W. Armstrong).

Dear Brethren, 10 years Jesus Christ has used me in writ- but space prohibits it. Noah’s time, and later with Sodom and

L
istening to a taped sermon given by ing paid articles in every publication of this Writings in The Journal— By read- Gomorrah, many will awaken too late
Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong recently newspaper. And in each one I have urged ing the ads and writings of the men and (Luke 17:26-30). Are you sleeping?
in our weekly Church service, he all who bother to read my writings to read women in the Journal of their beliefs and The Apostle Paul exhorts members: “. . .
mentioned how sometimes he would the Mystery of the Ages and see if they are teachings it can easily be seen they are off- Knowing the time, that now it is high
become very depressed knowing the peo- the same as the teachings of the churches track, never converted, or have walked time to AWAKE out of sleep; for our
ple in the Church were not getting the they attend. And if not, move away from away from their calling from God and Salvation is nearer than when we first
understanding of what Jesus Christ had them posthaste (Proverbs 14:7-8), and Jesus Christ, deceiving and being deceived believed. The Night is far spent, the
led him to teach and write. retain your virginity (Revelation 14:4). (II Timothy 3:13). This is why I am told Day is at hand. Therefore let us cast
He added that at least 50 percent did No Questions—The very sad and dis- many refuse to subscribe to the Journal. off the Works of Darkness, and let us
not; he then said, “I wonder if anyone tressing part is that hardly anyone ever Ministers and members alike pay no put on the Armor of Light” (Romans
really understands.” The passage of time bothers to question their leaders regard- heed to the writings in Scripture warning 13:11-12; Ephesians 6:10-18).
has proved him to be right with all but a ing their beliefs and teachings! Yet virtual- of the false teachers and urging all to “. . . The Future—There are those in soci-
very few as made known by Jesus Christ in ly all of them have either accepted some of earnestly contend for the faith ety who are very sobered and frightened
His letter to the Church of God of the the pagan doctrinal teachings or all of which was once for all delivered to by viewing the downward slide into the
Philadelphia Era (Revelation 3:7-13); them as taught by the apostate pastor gen- the saints . . .” (Jude 3-6). bottomless pit of evil in America and
members who have been led by God’s eral in the WCG (1986-1994). Test Ourselves—A very serious ques- Britain—and they are asking themselves:
Holy Spirit into all the TRUTH (John 16:13), During his tenure many ministers are tion needs to be asked of each of us for it “Will there be a future for us?” Should we
and clinging to it (Revelation 14:1, 4-5). known to have taught the “new teach- has to do with where our future may be be not ask the same question of ourselves?
Except for a small Congregation in ings,” as they were called, in their local beyond this life: Are you a true saint of The answer can be a resounding
Belgium associated with us, as far as is churches. In reality they are old and God and Jesus Christ? How do you know? “YES!”—there will be a glorious future for
known I am the only one of the ministry pagan! However, in the formation of their The Apostle Paul wrote: us if we are practicing living by every Word
who continues to uphold all of the doctri- new corporate churches after 1994, they “Examine yourselves as to wheth- of God (Matthew 4:4), while having a close
nal teachings, including the true govern- have put on a new face indicating they er you are in the FAITH. PROVE YOUR- and ongoing relationship with Him. In this
ment of God, that Jesus Christ used Mr. have put those pagan teachings behind SELF. Do YOU not know yourselves context the Apostle Paul wrote:
Armstrong to restore within His Church. them; hypocrites, as the Apostle Paul that Jesus Christ is in YOU?—Unless Philippians 2:12: “Therefore, my
Sermon Tape Played—We usually terms such leaders (I Timothy 4:1-2). indeed you are disqualified” (II beloved, as you have always obeyed,
play a taped sermon given by Mr. Herbert Free Admission Made—The contin- Corinthians 13:5). not as in my presence only, but now
W. Armstrong every third Sabbath in our ued acceptance of the pagan teachings was I Care—Brethren, I do not write for much more in my absence, work out
Church services. As to why: We know he was admitted to a number of us in a group fame and gain! I write because of having a your own salvation with FEAR and
the one Jesus Christ raised up in this end- meeting by the present leader of the UCG sincere godly caring love for you. Many of Trembling.”
time to preach the gospel, sound the Ezekiel in its beginning at the Feast of Trumpets you I have known over many years—some Church of God, Faithful Flock—
warning message, and begin the Church of in Sacramento, California, in 1995. He told since 1953. I believe what I read in the end- Jesus Christ is using this small flock to
the Philadelphia Era with its restored true us that some of the ministers with them time prophecies with all of my heart and support His Work via our websites with
doctrinal teachings (Revelation 3:7-13). had accepted Dr. know they are soon to come to pass. the Recorded Works of His late Apostle to
And because of this firm belief there is Hoeh’s version of Jesus Christ does not want you to send out A WAKE-UP Call to God’s true
the need for us to be continually reminded the trinity, “The experience the horrors of the Great people in light of the evil we now see grow-
of the offices in which Jesus Christ used Thinker!” These are Tribulation or the Lake of Fire; ing and prevailing about us: a soon-com-
Mr. Armstrong, as an apostle and the Eli- your teachers hiding and neither do I! ing time of terrible and horrible conditions
jah to come, while having our minds re- what they really be- Rising Together—What a won- that will affect every person on earth!
freshed with what we were taught by Jesus lieve or possibly derful blessing it would be for all of (Matthew 24:21-22).
Christ through him; for unless we are very even teaching some us to be graced with the loving, car- It is hoped all will wake up who are in
careful those precious jewels of truth can of these erroneous ing, protective arms of Jesus Christ churches with unconverted or apostate
get away from us as they have with thou- beliefs in their and have them encircled about us ministers, who have rejected Jesus
sands of former members. churches. and rise together to meet Him in the Christ by going OFF-TRACK from His true
An Imperfect Man—Though Mr. Some Know Bet- earth’s atmosphere when He returns doctrinal teachings in part or in whole,
Herbert W. Armstrong was an imperfect ter—A few of the to this earth. However, right or and will quickly get back on-track and
man, like Elijah (James 5:17-18), as well ministers know bet- wrong, we each escape the worst of these coming
as all of the other prophets and apostles, ter, but they largely have to make our horrors!! Remember: “God’s eyes are
and each of us, no one can honestly dis- remain where they Above: This is a new book recently completed and can own choices. No upon the TRUTH” (Jeremiah 5:2; John
pute the fact that Jesus Christ did use him are due to friend- be read or downloaded from our website (www.cog- one else can do it 17:17; Matthew 4:4).
in all the areas he was commissioned to do ships, recognition, ff.com). This book continues to support what Jesus
Christ used His Promised Elijah of the End-time to re- for us (Deuteron- Please know that, unless there is a
during his God-given mission (Malachi employment and store: the Ten Commandments, Statutes and Judgments, omy 30:11-20). change with godly repentance, Scripture
4:4-6; Matthew 17:10-11). No one else has salaries, Balaam’s and related areas, along with the original Doctrinal Worldly Con- makes known many thousands of mem-
come on the scene or will in the little time wages (II Peter 2:15). Teachings (Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 17:10-11; Jude 3). ditions—Please bers will experience the horrors of the
left before calamity strikes! Others do not seem look around and Great Tribulation! (Revelation 6:9-11).
For those who continue to turn their to care one way or see the reality of WHY? because of continuing to CHOOSE
back and dispute the use of Mr. Armstrong another! what is taking place in this nation and the pagan teachings of Satan the devil
by Jesus Christ will have to try and explain In 1996, I disputed the placing of a pas- other nations of Israel! It is grievous to see through an apostate pastor general while
to Him why they moved away from the tor over our region. He had been known to the continued downward slide of evil that rejecting the teachings of Jesus Christ
true recognition of His apostle, and prom- have accepted the pagan teaching of being knows no boundaries in both societies of through His apostle and end-time Elijah!
ised Elijah, who was used to restore His born again now. A regional conference America and Britain (which includes (II Corinthians 11:3, 13-14; Colossians 2:6-
true teachings in the soon coming judg- was called in our area with this minister Canada, Australia, and South Africa)! 8; Daniel 12:10; Isaiah 33:6). Are you get-
ment that all of us will be facing: present. However, it is more alarming is to see ting it! Sadly, at this point it does not look
John 12:48: “He who rejects Me, Declared Myself—Before all the as- the Corporate Churches sleeping their way very promising.
and does not receive My words, has sembled pastors, I made the statement I through these evil times along with the Your caring friend and servant in
that which judges him—the word would continue to believe and teach the churches of this world! (Matthew 25:1-13). Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior,
that I have spoken (and written word) teachings we had been taught by Mr. Sadly, just like the pre-flood world in —Don Billingsley
will JUDGE him in the last day” (II Armstrong. All sat with their heads down.
Corinthians 5:10). Not one said, “I am with you and will do The quotes and photos above are intended for educational purposes only. Entire contents © 2013 The Church of God.
Writings in The Journal—For over the same!” Not one! I could relate more All Rights Reserved. The copyright subsisting in material quoted in this publication and trademarks appearing in this
publication belong to the respective owners thereof, and no claim of ownership therein is made by The Church of God.

http://bodyofchristonline.us • http://cog-ff.com • http://www.ezekielwatchman.org

P.O. Box 130 • Valley Springs, CA 95252 • (209) 772-0737

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The Ezekiel WATCHMAN

God’s Warning Message
“. . . The end has come it has DAWNED for you; Behold it has come! . . . a day of trouble
is near; . . . Now upon you, I will soon pour out My fury . . . So you, son of man: I have made
you A WATCHMAN for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth
and WARN them for Me” (Ezekiel 7:6-8; 33:7).

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful Day of the LORD” (Malachi 4:5).

By Alton B. (Don) Billingsley, Christ! The witness is there for those who have the eyes to see were—and continue to be—interested only in their own pur-
Church of God, Faithful Flock and the ears to hear with a severe warning: suits: fame and gain. Yet Jesus Christ has given them respite, a
Matthew 7:21-23L “Not everyone who says to Me, little time to see their errors just as He did the Thyatira Church
‘Lord, Lord,’ shall ENTER the Kingdom of Heaven, BUT Era (Revelation 2:21).
‘The Rejection of he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will
say to Me in that Day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we NOT prophe-
So far it has not happened, and time is quickly running out!
It does not come easy to write as I do of men who were in high
Jesus Christ’ sied (preached) in Your Name, cast out demons in Your offices, but I do because of my continued godly love for them

D
Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’ And and the membership. I plead: Do not resist the sound of God’s

“
ue to political correctness, so as not to offend then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart trumpet of warning:
other religions, the House of Joseph, America, from Me; you who PRACTICE lawlessness.’ ” God’s Indictment of the Obstinate—“. . . WHOEVER
Britain, and Judah, along with the other Tribes of This should be enough to put the FEAR of God within all of us hears the SOUND of the Trumpet and DOES NOT take
Israel, have rejected Jesus Christ, not only in real- not to deviate from any of those doctrinal teachings Jesus Christ Warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his
ity, but His very Name as well! It is spreading like used His late apostle to restore within His Church as promised BLOOD shall be on his own head. He HEARD the Sound of
a very fast-growing cancer all over America. by Him for the end-time (Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 17:10-11). the Trumpet, but did NOT take WARNING; his blood shall
This can be witnessed in the news on television and else- Judgment—Remember, all of us will stand in Judgment be upon himself. But he who takes Warning will SAVE his
where. In virtually every area the NAME of God and Jesus before the ever-living Jesus Christ in the Day of His judgment life” (Ezekiel 33:3-5).
Christ is being banned from graduation ceremonies, and in and will have to answer for what we now believe and teach And because of faithfulness and loyalty to Jesus Christ, and
many schools, state and federal buildings, chaplains in the mil- (Romans 14:10; II Corinthians 5:10). His TRUE TEACHINGS, as taught by Christ through Mr. Herbert
itary, veterans’ funerals, etc. (Michael Snyder, July 25, 2013). Peo- A Needed Lesson from History—After Samuel had grown W. Armstrong, the Elect of His faithful and true Church will
ple want even the memory of God and Jesus Christ removed old, the leaders in Israel came to him and asked that he make a shortly be going to the place of Safety (Revelation 3:7-13)—leaving
from their lives. king for them like the kings of other nations. Samuel was dis- behind the Laodicean and Sardis members to endure the horrors
This makes it very evident that Israel has forgotten her iden- pleased and prayed to God about it: that are even now beginning to fall on the House of Joseph by
tity, history, and source of her blessings, and she does not want I Samuel 8:1, 5-8: “And the LORD said to Samuel, the fury of nature (Revelation 3:14-22; Ezekiel 7:12, 26).
to be reminded of any of it: ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you, The Advancing Day of the LORD—Soon the DOOR will be
Hosea 13:4-6: “Yet I am the LORD for they have NOT REJECTED YOU, closed—and the signs of the approaching fullness of the Day of the
your God ever since the land of but they have REJECTED Me, that LORD will begin being seen much more dramatically, as were seen before
Egypt, and you shall know no God I should NOTreign over them.’ ” Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D.
but Me; for there is no savior besides After the death of God’s late apos- Question—Are YOU hearing the sounding of the Trum-
Me. I knew you in the wilderness, in tle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, the pet warning—and responding to it? You can know IF you are
the land of great drought. When ministry and members were given a experiencing a right and close relationship with God and Jesus
they had pasture (prospered, Deuteron- leader who pleased them due to his Christ—and by coming to be a part of this Congregation of the
omy 8:1-20), they were filled and their dismantling the rulings and doctrinal Philadelphia Church Era that Jesus Christ is now using to com-
heart was exalted; therefore they teachings over his nine-year apostate plete His Work with the fullness of the true teachings—a Work
FORGOT Me.” leadership. that is presently going through the Door that is yet OPEN
From the early years of their histo- The Pied Piper—And like the (Revelation 3:7-8). Please know there is precious little time left!
ry until now, God has continued to pied piper playing his musical instru-
use His true prophets and apostles to ment while leading the children into The MYSTERY OF THE AGES
warn all those who would bother to the forest where they were massa- Jesus Christ led His apostle and the promised Elijah—His
listen to His warning message of the cred, so will it be for the unrepentant teacher—Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong to write the last book of his
terrible times to soon befall them due who were led by the apostate pastor- life, THE MYSTERY OF THE AGES, to be A REMINDER of all of the
to their obstinate rejection of Him: general toward the soon-coming Great Tribulation! And they doctrinal teachings that Jesus Christ RESTORED within His Church
Hosea 8:12, 14: “I have written will suffer a similar fate—unless there is a dramatic change, and through him. And by the use of this original unedited book with
for him the great things of My law soon! the Holy Bible, God’s people should be enabled to recognize the
(law refers to rules of human conduct; hu- And, like those children, hardly anyone even bothers to strong deception that has come on His Church by Satan the
man societies break down without law— seriously think about themselves and where they are going!!! devil and keep apart from it.
chaos develops as is now seen, Habakkuk Self-Justification—And those who do bother to think
3:2; Hosea 5:9), but they were consid- remain where they are, justifying themselves by their human The Philadelphia Remnant Magazine
ered a strange thing . . . for Israel reasoning (Proverbs 14:12, 14-15). Please know it is a truism that To be kept informed from a Biblical perspective the meaning
has FORGOTTEN his Maker, and one comes to be known by the company he or she keeps. And of the continued record breaking disasters in the nations of
has built temples (religious and otherwise); Judah has also unless a change is made very soon it could come to be too late Israel, and other major problems that are now coming closer
multiplied fortified cities; but I will send FIRE upon his (Proverbs 13:20; 12:26). together we offer freely a subscription to our magazine. It can
cities (nuclear), and it shall DEVOUR his palaces (Ezekiel Members do not seem to grasp how so very close we are to also be read on our website (www.cog-ff.com).
6:6-7; 12:17-20). the terrible problems to befall the House of Joseph. Even of late,
Due to their obstinate refusal to listen and heed the warning, we have been seeing the forerunners of disasters in various The Three Elijahs
their DAY of reckoning will come on them like a rat caught in a forms as a warning sign of others to soon follow.
trap—as Jesus Christ said, totally unexpected (Ezekiel 7:14): God’s Watchman—It does not seem to matter to the gain- The book of The Three Elijahs can now be read on our
Luke 21:35: “. . . That DAY will come on you unexpect- sayers and disbelievers who do NOT want to accept the fact that website (www.cog-ff.com) or downloaded from it. This
edly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on Jesus Christ is still using Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong, though book makes known how these Three Men were used by God to per-
the face of the earth.” dead, by use of his Recorded Works on our 14 websites to con- form basically the same responsibilities and for the same reasons.
The Rejection of Jesus Christ by the Corporate tinue to preach the Gospel and cry out the Ezekiel Warning God had ample reason for these three men to have the same
Churches—It is sad to say, but very true, that virtually all of the Message as he did during his life-time mission. name as Elijah. And though John the Baptizer and Mr. Arm-
corporate churches have also rejected the real Jesus Christ! Like Preposterous, totally unbelievable, you say? Nevertheless this is strong had their own names, they were “. . . to go forth before
the Protestant Churches, and the Sardis Church Era, they worship true, and both Scripture and time will fully make this known! Him (Jesus Christ) in the spirit and power of Elijah”
Him in Name, but they deny Him by refusing to believe and teach (Habakkuk 1:5; 3:2; 2:1-3; Isaiah 29:14). (Luke 1:16-17). Thºe identity of the end-time Elijah is estab-
the fullness of God’s true doctrinal teachings He used His late Church of God, Faithful Flock—Jesus Christ chose to lished with Biblical proof and by his fruits.
apostle to restore within His Church. God voices the WARNING: use such a tiny flock of people as we are to support His Work
Hosea 4:6: “My people are destroyed for LACK of because no other leader was willing to step into the gap after the The quotes and pictures above are intended for educational purposes only.
Knowledge. Because YOU have Rejected Knowledge, I death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong with the fullness of doctri- Entire contents © 2013 The Church of God. All Rights Reserved. The copy-
will also REJECT YOU from being priest for Me; BECAUSE nal teachings, including the teaching and practicing of God’s right subsisting in material quoted in this publication and trademarks
you have forgotten the LAW of your God, I also will for- government with love, respect, and support of all those doctri- appearing in this publication belong to the respective owners thereof and
get your children.” nal teachings and rulings made by him. no claim of ownership therein is made by The Church of God.
There is no real difference between them in the sight of Jesus Sorrowfully, the leaders who refused to step into the gap

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How the OT Lord, LORD, God and GOD Relate to God’s Name and His NT Identity
This study examines the meaning and significance of the printed forms Lord, LORD, God and GOD and how these relate to the Tetragrammaton, JHVH, which is the remnant of God’s
name originally revealed to Moses and which is essential for understanding which God spoke to Moses from the Burning Bush.

(1) Introduction • God (Strong H430, Hebrew: Elohim) Hebrew subject, Elohim, too is singular. God’s promise to Moses of a NT Prophet
When the similitude (angel) of the LORD God means “God” in reference to the God of Section 6.7 of paper P2 gives a detailed (Deut 18:15-20—see below), let us put God’s
of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob spoke to Israel, overview of this and shows that God the Fa- Word ahead of Church of God tradition.
Moses from the Burning Bush (Exod 3:1-6), • LORD (Strong H3068, the Tetragrammaton, ther was the Creator and God of Eden who
He gave his name (verse 14) to Moses and JHVH) for which the Jews read “Adonai”, (10) Some key OT and NT Scriptures
spoke in Gen 1:26 and which is consistent
which name survives to this day as the so- • GOD (Strong H3069, the Tetragrammaton, Let us now review some key scriptures.
with the next section.
called Tetragrammaton which means the four JHVH) for which the Jews read “Elohim”. Jesus declares in John 5:37 that no one has
(Hebrew) letters. • Tetragrammaton: (Strong H3068 / (8) JHVH always refers to God the Father! seen or heard his Father and surely that must
This name literally means, The Eternal or H3069, Hebrew JHVH). The surviving We saw how the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, include Moses at the Burning Bush. But note
The Self-existent One or I AM that I AM. The four letters of God’s name announced at JHVH is rendered in English Bibles by the all- that at Jesus’ baptism God the Father’s voice
Tetragrammaton is usually written as YHWH the Burning Bush—often incorrectly de- capital forms, LORD and GOD and that we was heard, saying, “This is my beloved Son in
but as we will see this should be JHVH. In noted as YHWH. should not assign to those their apparent whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:19). My
addition it has become increasingly fashion- meanings but instead we should rather think in paper P10 explains that Jesus meant that start-
able to claim God’s name is Yahweh or (5) The vowel and consonant “i” terms of “The Eternal” or similar. ing in Eden mankind has not obeyed or
Jehovah but it will be shown that neither of The letter “j” was not known to the translators The OT God of Abraham named Himself in believed his Father. For example, although
these should be used. First we should address of the 1611 KJV and they used the letter “i” the Burning Bush “The Eternal” because this God the Father instructed Moses to have all
our Heavenly Parent as Father (Mat 6:9) rather both as a consonant and a vowel. So in the 1611 marks that He has existed without a break males born in the desert circumcised (Lev
than by name and second the vowels of His edition we see names like Iacob, Iesus, Ioel and from all past eternity and will continue to exist 12:1-3), Joshua 5:2-7 reveals Moses had failed
name were lost and with those His name. Eliiah (sic) instead of their modern forms, without a break for all future eternity. to enforce this. Also not even Moses had truly
Jacob, Jesus, Joel and Elijah. During the 1630s Since the Tetragrammaton means “The seen God the Father but had seen only a simil-
(2) How man lost God’s name the letter “j” was introduced as a modified “i” itude (Num 12:8).
Eternal” it can apply only to God the Father
Moses was the first to receive God’s name to replace “i” when used as a consonant. Acts 4:24 with 27 plainly infers that God
and never to Jesus because with his death
(Exod 6:3) and he is also responsible for re- It is important to recognize that the letter “i” the Father and not Jesus was the Creator of all
Jesus’ eternity was interrupted by three days
cording this name in the Hebrew OT in Exo- (later “j”) serves as consonant in most lan- things in Heaven and Earth.
dus 3:14. In those days only the Hebrew con- and three nights.
guages and is pronounced as the “y” in “yes”. Therefore not Jesus but God the Father was Although the KJV states in Ephesians 3:9
sonants without vowels were recorded. Since Unfortunately English and French pronounce that Jesus was the Creator, it is now known
the text was regularly read aloud during reli- the eternally existing God who spoke to
this consonant as the “j” in “jam” but this is Moses from the Burning Bush and who named that the phrase “by Jesus Christ” was not part
gious services, the vowel sounds were pre-
not done in most other languages, including himself there “The Eternal”. of Paul’s autograph.
served. When the Jews were dispersed
NT Greek and OT Hebrew. Let us not modify Before the reader rejects this let him con- Section 4.1 of my paper P2 shows that John
amongst the nations, it was decided to add
the transliteration of God’s name to suit the sider Jesus’ testimony of Mark 12:26-27, 1:3 contains three gross mistranslations to
vowel points to the all-consonant OT Hebrew
vagaries of English pronunciation. where he refers with the pronoun “He” to the make it appear that Jesus was the Creator.
text to preserve this before it was lost.
Unfortunately by then it was too late for God of Abraham who spoke to Moses from 1 Corinthians 10:4 states, “. . . and they
(6) The sacred names affectation
God’s name, the Tetragrammaton, because the (burning) bush. It is plain from this that drank of that spiritual Rock that followed
Let us consider the affectation of rendering
God’s name had not being read aloud, and so its Jesus knew his Father had been the LORD God them, and that Rock was Christ”. HWA misin-
God’s “divine” name as YHWH or Yahweh.
vowels were lost. Indeed the only vowels asso- of Exodus who spoke to Moses. terpreted this to mean that Jesus was the LORD
First there is no letter “y” in Hebrew and so
ciated with the Tetragrammaton were those of Likewise Peter declared in Acts 3:13 that God of Exodus. To see this is an error, first
we should not use this letter to transliterate
the words read in place of the Tetragrammaton, the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob note that as God of Exodus, Jesus would have
God’s name in English. The first consonant of
namely: “Adonai” (Strong H136, meaning: glorified His Son and so identified God the led rather than followed Israel! Second there is
the Tetragrammaton is the Hebrew letter “jod”
lord) and “Elohim” (Strong H430, meaning: Father as the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of no pronoun them in the Greek text and so the
and linguistically this corresponds to the letter
God). Although the Jews preserved the four Jacob, who according to Exod 3:6 spoke to verb “followed” refers to following in time
“i” when used as a consonant but this must be
consonants of God’s name, they lost its vowels Moses from the Burning Bush. rather than following Israel. Jesus was the
pronounced as the “y” in “yes”. English pro-
and with that they lost God’s name. Let the reader recognize these are biblical Rock for the NT church to drink from—see
nunciation must not override the etymology of
This lack of vowel knowledge is also re- facts which point to Satan having deceived not Section 3.4 of paper P2.
the Hebrew Tetragrammaton. As a result only
flected in Hebrew proper names incorporating only Christendom but also the Church of God When the LORD God said in Eden, “. . . and
the form IHVH or JHVH are true representa-
part of God’s name. For example, through pre- into believing that Jesus was the God of Exodus. thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen 3:16), He
tions of the Tetragrammaton.
fixes Jeho- or Jo- and suffixes –iah or –jah as Now had Jesus been the God of Exodus, referred with the 3rd-person pronoun “his” to
A similar comment applies to Yahweh with
in Jehoshaphat, Joel, Isaiah and Elijah. This then He would have married Israel at Mt Sinai Jesus’ heel and therefore God the Father was
the additional point that its vowels “a” and
shows we can’t tell whether the first of the and God the Father would have remained a the LORD God who said this.
“e” are only wild guesses that are unlikely to
Tetragrammaton’s missing vowels is an “e”, single Father! Then God the Father would Paul writes (Rom 5:10), “For if, when we
be correct. My short paper, Q2, The Affecta-
“o” or “a”. So let no one try to tell you that have begotten His Son through His Son’s were enemies, we were reconciled to God by
tion of Using Hebrew Divine Names explains
God’s name is Yahweh, or Jehovah because Wife, Israel by Mary. That would have meant the death of his Son . . .”. How plain that we
this further.
there is even confusion over the first of its incest and adultery and surely that can not be were alienated in Eden from God the Father
Note that none of the NT writers used
vowels and total ignorance over the remainder God’s Way. My short papers Q6, Q7, A2 & and again we see that the Creator and LORD
Hebrew divine names for God the Father and
of the Tetragrammaton’s vowels. A3, and the study P2 explain this further. God of Eden was God the Father.
His Son Jesus in the NT Greek texts. Indeed
In Deuteronomy 18:15-20 the LORD God of
(3) How the translators handled this. their Greek texts even declined the proper (9) Satan’s deception of the Church of God. Exodus told Moses that He will send a Prophet
Hebrew OT proper names are transliterated name for Jesus as Iesous for the nominative, as Unfortunately Satan has been extraordinarily with his message. In Acts 3:20-23 Peter quotes
into English by replacing their Hebrew letters Iesou for the genitive and dative and as Iesoun successful in deceiving Christendom, includ- from there and reveals that Jesus was that
with their English equivalent. for the accusative case. The divine name advo- ing the Church of God on the nature of the Prophet. Also Jesus said His Father sent him.
Transliterations are not translations and cates conveniently overlook this. “Godhead”. Most of you were willing to look Again we see that God the Father was the God
therefore result in Hebrew names being adopt- Since we no longer know the vowels of the into the errors of Christendom when HWA of Exodus who spoke to Moses.
ed into English without conveying their Tetragrammaton it is unwise to pretend that declared God’s Truth but since then you have Section 4.6 of my paper P2 shows that
Hebrew meaning—e.g. Abraham and David. either Yahweh, Jahweh or Jehovah represents stopped looking into God’s Truth. Jesus did not name himself “I AM” in John
Having lost its true vowels, the Tetragram- God the Father’s Hebrew name. I show in paper P5, that Jesus was from all 8:58 but with “Before Abraham was, I am”
maton could not be transliterated. Although
(7) God and Elohim past eternity a Self-existent God but who sur- attested to his existence predating even Abra-
the Jews later added the vowels of Adonai and
Elohim to the Tetragrammaton, this only The OT basic from “God” (Strong H430, rendered this to become incarnate and die as our ham. Since the God in the Burning Bush did
marked which of these two Hebrew nouns Hebrew, Elohim) when used in reference to atoning Passover Lamb. Therefore I claim that name himself “I AM” in Exodus 3:14 but
they read instead of God’s name. the true God of Israel means “God” and is God the Father and His Son Jesus were origi- Jesus did not name himself “I am” in John
Instead of transliterating the Tetragramma- always a singular Hebrew noun. This is often nally two distinct self-existent God Persons. 8:58, we may not identify Jesus as the LORD
ton the KJV and other translators rendered this disputed but the fact is that throughout the The reader needs to understand since Jesus God in the Burning Bush.
by the all capital forms “LORD” and “GOD” Hebrew OT “Elohim” in reference to the God agreed to surrender his former self-existent
(11) Concluding Remarks
depending on the Tetragrammaton’s vowel of Israel, always governs only singular He- deity to become incarnate and die as our
Most will dismiss what I wrote because they
pointing being the vowels of Adonai or brew verbs and pronouns. Passover Lamb that there remains now only
can not bring themselves to admit that they
Elohim. Although LORD and GOD are proper Many point to the plural pronouns “us” and one truly self-existent God, who is God the
have not truly known God the Father. Also
English words, they are not a translation of the “our” making the noun “God” (Elohim) plural Father. This fundamental truth has been
they will not acknowledge as essayed in paper
Tetragrammaton as shown next. in Gen 1:26 but this is refuted by placing side missed by Unitarians, Trinitarians and the
P1, “Laodicea’s Lamp!”, that the WCG under
by side the following:- Church of God.
The Tetragrammaton’s consonants, J-H-V-H, HWA went badly off the rails in 1974. I have
• And God said, let us make man in our Many will reject the claims of this study cit-
are derived from the Hebrew verb “to be” and found not even one minister and only few
image ing a dozen or so NT scriptures which Section
therefore its true meaning is something like, church of God members are willing to honest-
• And Bob said, let us make dolls in our 4.0 of paper P2 shows were falsified in the
The Eternal or The Self-existent One or I AM ly inquire into these matters. We should not be
image Greek manuscripts, mistranslated or misinter-
Readers should think “The Eternal” rather surprised over this because mankind was
Since the plural pronouns “us” and “our” do preted through false doctrine. Yet sections 3.0
than Lord or God whenever they see in the OT always more interested in human (church) tra-
not turn Bob into two or more persons, so they and 5.0 of paper P2 show many scriptures that
the all-capital forms “LORD” or “GOD”. dition than in God’s Truth.
also do not turn God into two or more God support this study. So is the Bible self-contra-
(4) Summary of Titles and God’s name Persons in Gen 1:26. In both examples, God dictory and our faith in vain or should we Email comments etc to [email protected]. The
Next a summary of the key titles and name of and Bob denote a single speaker who address- renew our study of the Bible? Hebrews 1:1-2 papers mentioned above are available at my
the God of the OT:— es one or more near him. shows that God the Father was his own Word Home page www.rightly-dividing.net or may
• Lord (Strong H 136, Hebrew: adonai) lit- The Hebrew verb for “said” in “And God in OT times and Jesus became the Word of be requested from: Henk Jens, P.O. Box 121,
erally means “Lord”, said . . .” (Gen 1:26) is singular and so its God only in NT times. Since this agrees with Belmore, NSW, 2192, Australia.

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An Abib Resurrection?
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Firstfruits, there are two kinds, Revelation 7:4, the woman were given two wings of a great rection remains a mystery to most of the Church
be only one tenth deal of an ephah offered here.) and 13-14: ‘And I heard the number of them eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, of God because most have been led to believe
“Until this year this offering has meant little to who were sealed: and there were sealed a into her place, where she is nourished for a that the resurrection occurs on a day which does
me. We have always understood that the 7 week hundred and forty and four thousand of all time, and times, and half a time, from the not reflect its true symbolic position in God’s
period from the Wave Sheaf until Pentecost pic- the tribes of the children of Israel . . . And face of the serpent.’ But Wave Sheaf day, seven Plan, the harvesting of God’s Firstfruit harvest.
tured the Firstfruit harvest of Christians—all one of the elders answered, saying unto me, weeks earlier, did not seem to fit in either. Instead, they believe it to occur on a day pictur-
those begotten by God’s Holy Spirit—and of Who are these who are arrayed in white Obviously, we are actually talking about a ing the blowing, by an angel (not God, as actually
course we understand that the Wave Sheaf itself robes? and from where did they come? And point six months before the Feast of Trumpets occurs at the resurrection, Zechariah 9:14) of the
pictures the very first of the Firstfruits, Jesus I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said takes place on the first day of the seventh month. final trumpet, before Armageddon, a sign of dan-
Christ, the first resurrected from the dead, but to me, These are they who came out of The earliest time that Wave Sheaf day can occur ger and war. (See Vines’ ‘Trumpet.’)
what does this offering represent? the great tribulation, and have washed during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is But, through the keeping of the true calendar
“Numbers 18:12: ‘All the best of the oil, and their robes, and made them white in the when the Sabbath falls on the previous Saturday. of God, the knowledge which Daniel was told to
all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, blood of the Lamb.’ ” See Figure 1, below. expect to be revealed at the time of the end has
the first fruits of them which they shall offer I then went on to compare the 144,000 who When Passover falls on the Sabbath, the fol- been given to those faithful Christians whose
unto the Lord, them have I given you.’ are special even amongst the Firstfruits, who take lowing day, Sunday, is also Wave Sheaf day in minds are open to the words of God, and so we
“The whole of the Firstfruits are special to part in the first resurrection, and then become the order for it to occur during the Feast, Leviticus see the fulfilment of 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-4: ‘But
God, but the first of the Firstfruits are even more Bride of Christ [in Heaven, before the throne of 23:11, ‘And he shall wave the sheaf before the of the times and the seasons, brethren, you
special—Exodus 23:19: ‘The first of the first- God!]. Lord, to be accepted for you: the next day have no need that I write unto you. For you
fruits of your land you shall bring into the Revelation 14:1-4: ‘And I looked, and, lo, a
house of the LORD your God.’ Lamb stood on mount Zion, and with him a FIGURE 1
“This is an offering from amongst the First- hundred and forty-four thousand, having Sabbath Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
fruits, Leviticus 23:13-14. It is detailed in Leviticus his Father’s name written in their foreheads Passover 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2:14-15: ‘And if you offer a grain offering of . . . These are they who were not defiled 14th 15th 21st
your first fruits unto the Lord, you shall offer with women; for they are virgins. These are
for the grain offering of your first fruits they who follow the Lamb wherever he
green ears of grain dried by the fire, goes. These were redeemed from among after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.’ yourselves know perfectly that the day of
even grain beaten out of full ears. And men, being the first fruits unto God and to When this occurs, Wave Sheaf day falls on the the Lord so comes as a thief in the night [if
you shall put oil upon it, and lay frankin- the Lamb’—with the second group of 15th day of the first month, Leviticus 23:6: ‘And they are in darkness], For when they shall say,
cense thereon: it is a grain offering.’ 144,000 and the innumerable multitude on the fifteenth day of the same month is Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
“It is not to be confused with the Firstfruits of of Revelation chapter 7 verse 4 and 9, who come the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: comes upon them, as travail upon a woman
Pentecost, Leviticus 23:17: ‘You shall bring out out of the Great Tribulation, verse 14. seven days you must eat unleavened bread.’ with child; and they shall not escape. But
of your dwellings two wave loaves of two- Continuing from the sermon: How does that help solve the problem? Well, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that
tenths of an ephah: they shall be of fine “The 144,000 of Revelation 14 do not follow in an intercalated year, which was, at the time of that day should overtake you as a thief.’
flour; they shall be baked with leaven; they the broad way, the comfortable journey, for as Christ and still is, decided by God’s control of the Here are contrasted two groups of Christians:
are the first fruits unto the LORD.’ Christ said, ‘strait is the gate and narrow is weather and the barley crop in Israel, one extra one group who will be caught up in the Great
“Only this year, after we participated in the the way that leads into life and few there be month is added before the next year starts, mak- Tribulation, and one group who will escape God’s
search for abib barley in Israel to determine the that find it,’ and their testimony to others about ing 13 months in that year. wrath because they are diligently and personally
start of God’s year, did I understand exactly what God’s word can bring persecution. Half of such an intercalated year will therefore examining the scriptures, verses 6 and 9:
abib barley is. [The firstfruits of] the Abib bar- “The road to life can be harsh and sometimes have 15 more days than normal, leading to the con- ‘Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but
ley, which must be used for this special offering, lonely, beset with tough spiritual challenges. One clusion that the resurrection year, here, has to be in let us watch and be sober . . . For God has
is barley that has matured enough to be parched has to be prepared to stand alone for Christ and an intercalated year in order for 31⁄2 years to sepa- not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
(that is, dried by the fire) and still produce a solid His word, and that, my brethren, is why God val- rate the resurrection from Christ’s return with His salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.’
grain that can be ground into a flour. This is the ues the abib barley and demands it as an early Bride at the Feast of Trumpets, which is a scriptural Into which group will you fall? Will you follow
barley that determines the start of the year: the special offering from amongst the Firstfruits. The requirement according to the timing of Revelation the earlier traditions of the Church of God, or trust
first month is named after it—the Abib. Two to abib Christian has matured in a tough environ- 12:14: ‘And to the woman were given two the end-time revelation of truth which has been
three weeks later, most barley is now fully ma- ment and not been afraid to stand up and wit- wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into there all the time in God’s Word, plain end-
ture and ready to reap as a crop. ness, against the flow, strengthening his fellow the wilderness, into her place, where she is time instructions for those who have had their
“But this special offering is not the fully brethren in God’s Word.” nourished for a time, and times, and half a eyes open to God’s word and faith to follow it?
mature barley; it is the earliest abib barley that Here in this sermon, I had referred to an offer- time, from the face of the serpent.’ As it says in the same chapter, verses 20-21,
has to be parched by the fire to produce useful ing which I suggested pictures the early Firstfruit Then, if we count back from the Feast of ‘Despise not prophesying. Test all things;
grain. It is not as plump and rounded as fully harvest, which becomes the Bride of Christ on Trumpets, the first day of the seventh month, 6 hold fast that which is good.’
mature grain . . . the Sea of Glass in heaven, Revelation 19:7: ‘Let months would normally bring us to the first day –––––––––––––––
“Interesting, then, that God demands this spe- us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to of the first month. But, if we count back from 15 See also our FAQ tab, soon to include ques-
cial early offering of the first of the abib Firstfruits him: for the marriage of the Lamb has days beyond the first day of the seventh month, tions on this subject.
of the barley harvest. What does this mean? come, and his wife has made herself ready.’ because of an intercalated year, we reach 2000 years have passed since the New Testa-
“Jesus Christ is the Wave Sheaf offering, the That marriage, after the pattern of the first mar- Wave Sheaf day, when the 14th of Abib, ment Church believed Christ would return in their
very first [sheaf] 1 Corinthians 15:20: ‘But now riage of God to Israel at Sinai, will take place in
is Christ risen from the dead, and become Heaven, at Pentecost. FIGURE 2: One half of an intercalated year
the firstfruits of them that slept.’ Eleven years have passed since that sermon, 15th 15th
“At His coming they that are Christ’s arise, 1 and as a result of concerns from faithful brethren
Corinthians 15:23: ‘But every man in his own it became obvious that the suggestion that the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they resurrection of Christians pictured by the abib 1st month 7th month
that are Christ’s at his coming.’ barley offering on Wave Sheaf day was not
“These are they who have the Holy Spirit, enough. It needed more evidence from the scrip-
Romans 8:23: ‘And not only they, but our- Passover, is on a Saturday. This is no coincidence lifetime, but God’s true Church continues to grow
tures, and the point that 31⁄2 years cannot be fit-
selves also, who have the firstfruits of the if the scriptures are to be fulfilled. in grace and knowledge. It was my task to simply
ted into the period between the Feast of Trum-
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within our- pets and Wave Sheaf day, let alone Pentecost, Two things then, must occur, for the scriptures present these scriptures, and those on the web site,
selves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the needed to be answered. to be fulfilled: so that, when the angel of Revelation 14:6-7 flies,
redemption of our body.’ God expects us to put all the scriptures togeth- 1. Passover in the resurrection year must fall God’s witness will go forth from Jerusalem just as
“They are the Firstfruit harvest, James 1:18: er to solve such problems. The first conclusion on a Saturday-Sabbath. His word requires, because some of God’s faithful
‘Of his own will begat he us with the word must be that Pentecost is ruled out as the time of 2. In an intercalated year (which we will not people will be ready and prepared to act, in the
of truth, that we should be a kind of the resurrection. There is no way that half a year see until the end of the year). brief period then before the Israelite nations fall.
firstfruits of his creatures.’ can be fitted into the time between Pentecost and See Figure 2, above. Thank you for reading this series.
“But let us remember that even amongst the the Feast of Trumpets, Revelation 12:14: ‘And to So it is that we find the timing of the resur- —Ozwitness

‘For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion
unto the LORD our God. For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief
of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel’ (Jeremiah 31:6-7).

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18 ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

laymen believe them demonically influenced.

There are 4 steps to possession: Influence—
person entertains a sinful idea and gives into

Now and New World Order temptation. Obsession—the unhealthy impulse

becomes a continued activity, resistance almost
gone. Demonization—control from outside in
the addiction. Possession—person embraces
Part 21 full carnality and is subject to Satan’s control.
Reuter’s article entitled Scientists Want
Debate on Animals with Human Genes reported
Secret Destiny of America (1972) smuggled to the US to continue his work in foreign troops. Key bridges are fortified to with- on mice that can speak, and dogs with human
CIA mind control programs as MKUltra. stand 70 tons. Police and sheriff departments are hands or feet. National Geographic foretold in
B y 33º Mason Manly Hall: Ancients knew
of America thousands of years before
Columbus, their new Atlantis envisioned in
2045 singularity—above humans
buying dogs to be trained by foreigners. Many
presidential executive orders involve taking
2007 that within 10 years human-animal hybrids
would be walking on earth. Law schools are
Sci-fi novelist Vernor Vinge announced at a control of the US under martial law, rounding debating what laws will govern them, while
ancient temples of Egypt, Greece and India, of thousands of lab studies are delving into genetic
Universal Brotherhood (Freemasonry). “One 1993 NASA symposium that “within 30 years up people in over 1000 concentration camps
we will have the technological means to create prepared and many he has seen, including gas alterations. Already, tissue can be reanimated
of the Ptolemys of Egypt built a ship large chambers. One he saw is large enough to put 4 from dead human cells to avoid the ethics of
enough to have an orchard of fruit trees on the super-human intelligence. Shortly after, the
human era will be ended.” box cars in, equipped with 6-inch pipes to fumi- using living human embryos for research.
deck with swimming pools and fountains gate. The old buildings are now sealed to pre- Will hybrids as mice with human brain parts
stocked with live fish.” Mayans advanced Ray Kurzweil helped invent a print-to-
speech reading machine for the blind. He knew vent gas leakage. An Indianapolis facility laid become self aware? Humans hope to be
roadways, calendar, buildings and observato- Moore’s law states the number of transistors off 212 workers, replaced by foreigners not hav- enhanced with sonar or magnetic orientation
ries before Spaniards overran them. Such you can put on a microchip doubled every two ing qualms about killing US citizens. Already, from animals; sense quakes or tumors. Or have
advanced knowledge was suppressed to con- years. The same effect shows if you graph the US bases are manned by one million foreign night vision as cats or see infrared part of light
vey that the past was primitive. amount of computing power (in millions of troops. More than 2000 Russian tanks, military spectrum. The SOPHIA project named after a
Secret societies “practiced beliefs and doc- instructions per second) over time that can be trucks and chemical warfare vehicles were spot- Greek goddess is a university study to verify
trines privately for which they would have bought for $1,000. Both curves were constant ted at Gulfport, Mississippi, arriving in 1994. contact with entities, deceased people, spirit
been condemned and persecuted if these rites in the past back to 1900. What about the future? Israel had taken up the star god of Acts 7:43 guides, angels or ETs.
were made public.” Freemasons continue wor- “Here’s what the exponential curves told (as US and other nations) of 5 points, and the Do transplanted organs retain memory of
ship of Dionysian gods under geometric sym- him. We will successfully reverse-engineer the 6 of the state of Israel or Rothschild. The Uni- the donor? Some anecdotal evidence of dis-
bols. With the rise of Catholics, Masons be- human brain by the mid-2020s. By the end of versal Jewish Encyclopedia says the 6-point tinct changes in behavior have been noted in
came even more secretive, and later adopted that decade computers will be capable of hu- star is derived from Egyptian worship. humans, as a new craving for something
some Christian terms to hide. Francis Bacon’s man-level intelligence.” That the curves point Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated which the donor liked. What about such things
secret societies were set up in America by the to 2045 when machines will pass humans (if tells that “Satanists have always equated the as wolf parts in humans? Absurd? Parts of
1700s—Alchemists, Cabalists, Mystics, Rosi- humans do not meld with machines first). flaming torch as a symbol of Lucifer.” As the brain from quail embryos were transplanted
crucians and Freemasons. [These curves may be accurate in the past, but Statue of Liberty and Olympic torch [and Bet- into chicken brains and the chickens had quail-
The US flag committee was influenced by a that does not mean they will continue to be ter Business Bureau logo]. like vocal trills. The 3-15-09 Congressional
Professor who urged adoption of the red and correct. Though inevitable?] Wheeler notes that 35 days after President Quarterly reported on hearings more like a
white stripes for the sun god, and the British William Harrison’s inaugural speech that en- Hollywood sci-fi pitch than sober science,
Union Jack canton of 3 crosses. First used on Semiramis in US Medal of Honor raged Jesuits, he was poisoned and died. “From telling about super soldiers with added intelli-
July 2, 1776, and seen by British soldiers who Diana is worshiped by all the world (in var- 1841 to 1963 we, the people of the US, have gence of animals for extreme lethal force.
approved it, being identical to the British East ious guises, Acts 19:27) and her statue is atop had 7 US presidents assassinated” orchestrated Gregory Stock in his book Redesigning Hu-
India Company’s flag. [US remained a virtual Madison Square Garden. The US 45-cent by the Jesuits. JFK was assassinated at a Ma- mans: Our Inevitable Genetic Future claims
colony of the company-nation.] stamp to fund breast cancer research depicts sonic place, Dealey Plaza (with street layout of “We simply cannot find the brakes.” DARPA
The US Great Seal of unfinished pyramid her, known for many breasts. a pyramid, shot in the same 3 places used in the invests billions of taxpayer dollars to enhance
with All-Seeing-Eye was urged by an agent of The Congressional Medal of Honor Society Hiram Abiff play Masons rehearse). soldiers with hormones, genetic concoctions,
a secret order. The eagle was originally a uses a 5-point star and states: “Minerva, the Occultists favor certain numbers as 11. The implanted microchips and drugs to deaden ten-
phoenix or fire bird of the gods, changed to an Roman goddess of wisdom and war . . . [the Illuminati wanted to tell fellow adepts they dencies for sleep, fear and reluctance to kill.
eagle for secrecy. Hall claimed the US Great original] 13 red and white stripes . . . represent successfully carried out WWI by signing the ‘Killing machines’ that do not rest.
Seal at that time was regarded as a symbol of a the rays of the sun . . . In 1965 the Air Force armistice on the 11th day, 11th month and 11th Many vaccines and Genetically Modified
secret society and not the proper device for a MOH was created and it replaced Minerva hour. JFK was killed on the 11th month, 22nd food mix human, animal or plant genes with-
sovereign state, and Charles Norton claimed it with the head of the Statue of Liberty . . . day on the 33rd parallel. The 911 events likewise. out adequate testing—are we what we eat?
was a dull emblem of the Masonic Fraternity. derived from the imagery of Semiramis, wife Constantine set up Sunday worship in 321 Much canola, corn and soybeans are gene-
Most US citizens did not know this until it was of Nimrod and Queen of Babylon.” AD saying: “Let all the judges and town folk, spliced from bacteria and viruses. They tend to
printed on $1 bills in 1935, by 33º Mason FDR. [Many Minervas are at DC, as at the Library and the occupation of all trades rest on the linger in the human body. Big corporations as
The Statue of Liberty, built for and received of Congress (16 in one room!); and other venerable Day of the Sun.” He then had his Monsanto got law so that GM food need not
by Freemasons, shows enlightenment [by depictions of her as Columbia. “The entire eco- wife and son murdered, and his statue made as be labeled, so many humans are lab rats test-
Lucifer], as the radiant All-Seeing-Eye above nomic system of the West is based on Babylon Apollo the sun god. ing long term effects.
the pyramid. [Depicted in movies as Columbia . . . religion is also rife with Babylonian con- DNA hybrids of Satanists exist, hundreds of The two DNA strands may be enhanced to
on a stepped pyramid with lighted torch near cepts.” The first daily newspaper in NY City thousands of Rothschild family biological make a triple helix. No doubt cloning of
peak of a pyramid-like cloud. Hall wrote in The was American Minerva. The US District Court children with multiple personalities, devel- humans is taking place. Designing babies is
Secret Teachings of All Ages: “This gigantic features Minerva dictating the Constitution!] oped by incest, torture and mind control. One certainly possible. Research is going on so the
gilded figure, with its crown of solar rays and who broke away is Philip de Rothschild who mind can be uploaded with new programs as
its upraised torch, signified occultly the glori- Behold a White Horse (2009) tells: Claimed from the Nephilim bloodline the Matrix movies.
ous Sun Man of the Mysteries, the Universal By Cisco Wheeler “born into the Illuminati. through the Roman Empire’s Romulus and “The genie is so far out of the bottle today
Savior.” Antichrist. Its head looks male.] At 2 years of age she was put under the Nazi Remus. Philip was surprised to see so many of that even college students are attending annu-
doctor Joseph Mengele for mind control. For his family in key positions of leadership al synthetic biology contests where nature-
Fourth Reich of Nazis altering witches’ brews are being concocted by
the next 28 years she managed to survive this around the world as presidents, after partaking
“The Fourth German Reich, unlike its pre- hell on earth.” with them in ritual worship. All these people the scores, splicing and dicing DNA into task-
decessor, would be an economic rather than a Albert Pike wrote that Freemasonry derives like him maximally demonized. fulfilling living entities.”
military empire, but not just German.” from the Cabala, that Jews began to write and “The last non-dissociative President of the Former chairman of President’s Council on
Wikipedia: Some eurosceptics use the use in their Babylon exile. When Israel recent- US was Dwight Eisenhower, except for him Bioethics Leon Kass said “All of the boundaries
Fourth Reich as a derogatory term to describe ly took over the Palestine town of Ramallah, everyone since Teddy Roosevelt has held some are up for grabs. All of the boundaries that have
the European Union, with connection to the army broadcast pornography on 4 TV sta- level of dissociative disorder and some level of defined us as human beings, between a human
Germany’s dominant position. It refers to a tions, offensive to Christians and Muslims. involvement with the occult. President Bill being and an animal and between a human
resurrected 3rd Reich. Jerry Golden shows the Illuminati and their Clinton has full blown multiple personality being and a super human being or a god.”
NWO, trying to take over the Temple Mount disorder and is an active sorcerer in the satan- The extinct Pyrenean ibex or wild mountain
2009 writings of Adam Lebor goat was brought to life by cloning DNA from
with their Antichrist. Their design for the New ic mystery religions. This is true of Al Gore as
“A secret report shows how the Nazis planned Israeli Supreme Court Building reflects them well. I have known misters Clinton and Gore skin samples. In 2010 a cloned bull came to life
a Fourth Reich in the EU: The 1944 Red House and Masonic symbols: An All-Seeing-Eye on from our childhood as active Satanists.” from a bull two years dead. Other means are
Report detailed how industrialists were to top of a pyramid; an inverted cross stairway, [Satan prefers rulers who are Satanists!] studied to resurrect mammoths and other extinct
finance the Nazi party that was forced into un- an obelisk, a stairwell depicting a fertility act; beasts. Some claim Nephilim were hybrids, a
derground activity [‘abyss’ of Rev 17:8].” Ger- and a Masonic square and compass. The Tom (and Nita) Horn books cross between humans and fallen angels (Gen
man businesses were to set up sleeper agents Rothschilds withheld the building’s cost (they Forbidden Gates (2010) is about tran- 6:1-6). Producing giants—not only physically
abroad in front companies, covers for military founded the nation and own 80% of it). shumanism, genetics, robotics, artificial intel- bigger but smarter—more controlled by demons.
research and intelligence until the Nazis re- Retired US Joint Staff Army Officer ligence and nanotechnology: The DMT drug is What if Nephilim tissue was reanimated if
turned to power. Alexander Cuppett reports that tens of thou- naturally produced by some plants and by the found? During the Iraq war US troops scav-
Their monetary unit became the Deutsch- sands of Chinese and Russian UN troops and pineal gland behind the forehead known as the enged for relics, maybe finding texts with
mark in 1948 [a kind of Mark of the Beast]. In police are training in the US to take over the 3rd eye. Used by shaman and medicine men to location of Nephilim to ‘raise’ as super sol-
1957 the US High Commissioner for Germany US. US troops have to salute these soldiers contact spirits. DMT churches contact spiritual diers. Joel may have prophesied of hybrid
John J. McCloy declared amnesty for industri- who barely speak English at military bases in intelligences. Assemblies of God have nature men-animals (Joel 2:2-11). Dan 2:43 foretells
alists convicted of war crimes so these leading charge of missile silos. The plan involves US youth camps trying to connect with spirits. the end time and mingling with the seed of
Nazis led the European Union. troops and National Guard away from the US Descartes thought the pineal gland was a men. Gen 11:6 says nothing will be restrained
not able to defend the homeland while sta- portal to the spirit realm. H.P. Lovecraft from them, men left on there own.
Jim Marrs’ Rise of 4th Reich claimed evil spirits could be accessed through According to a pilot, though the book
tioned overseas. And outlaw guns in the US
After 911, US did as Hitler after the false under martial law. it. A National Geographic journalist tried DMT Longwalkers is fictional the cover accurately
flag op Reichstag burning: instituted planned He says he did not receive some of the high- and felt like a trip to hell with demons pulling portrays a real 12-foot dead giant found while
security measures, surveillance, etc. Set up Of- est awards in the military to allow enemies to her to the dark side. Rick Strassman’s book The US Forces hunted the Taliban in 2005. He had
fice of Homeland Security for a police state take over here. Black masks were used at Waco Spirit Molecule documents his studies in con- six toes on each foot and six fingers on each
with National Guard policing, Patriot Act to disguise foreign troops used, a common trolled clinical trial ingestion of DMT. The per- hand. [Though rare, this happens to non-giants
forced on Congress with little time to read, this practice to hide foreign troops jumping in and son in seconds seems to mimic alien abduction. too, called polydactyl. Genesis 6 Giants
prepared years in advance. out of helicopters. Americans have videotaped Aleister Crowley was fond of absinthe to (2009) by Stephen Quayle shows photos of
[The Bush Family aided Hitler’s rise, and such exercises, but the film is electronically aid in opening a portal. It is distilled from the giant human skeletons found.]
trading with the enemy was barely caught. jammed. He tells that a Montana state trooper wormwood plant and named after the goddess NY Times 7-20-10 reported on the nonprof-
George Herbert Walker and Prescott Bush stopped a convoy of trucks. The driver flashed Artemis who supposedly controls access to the it Lifeboat Foundation to shield from abuses of
were active in eugenics societies popular a Dept. of Defense badge and told him to get spirit realm. neurodrugs and neurodevices. So the world’s
among the wealthy elite, with the Skull and lost. He followed the convoy to a restaurant, Renowned exorcist Gabriele Amorth wrote population could not be made to commit sui-
Bones Club.] slashed a tarp and saw a Russian howitzer used in his 2010 book about Satanic sects up to car- cide, and would be safe from nano-creatures.
The Illuminati used Josef Mengele to exper- to keep the peace in Soviet-occupied nations. dinals. Witches have already taken over some Sounds crazy but is funded by firms as
iment in trauma-based mind control. He was Cuppett notes road signs are posted to direct churches, particularly charismatic ones, the CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ 19

$250 million in weapons, vehicles and supplies

in 505 bases in Iraq, and the largest embassy in
the world was built there.
Now and New World Order grailcode.net
Helpfreetheearth.com—Opening and closing
ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics fea-
tured rituals glorifying Satan, celebrating birth of
a world government (NWO). Such as a giant red
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE “When our Founders declared a new order of the tomb of Osiris between the Chefren pyramid phoenix with dragon head, framed by an Illu-
Google, Hewlett-Packard and Sun Micro- ages they were acting on an ancient hope that is and the sphinx. Manly Hall wrote that “The minati pyramid. It appeared to rise out of flames
systems. meant to be fulfilled.” In speaking to Palestinian Dying God shall rise again!” And “The out- while a rock band sang We Can Rule the World.
The thesis Ghosts in the Machine published leaders in June 2003 he said “God told me to come of the secret destiny is a World Order Another scene showed Lucifer’s fiery sperm fer-
in the Journal of the Society for Psychical invade Iraq.” That would be the god of Masonry. ruled by a King with supernatural powers . . . tilizing an Egg and later it became a giant sleep-
Research discovered what seemed like natural Masons claim they derive from Tubalcain (Gen descended of a divine race . . . a family of ing infant, son of Lucifer and Prince of darkness.
causes produced visions of ghosts or alien 4:22 of Lamech’s evil line). Manly Hall claimed heroes-perfected human beings.” “The Phoenix (Lucifer) rising was seen at
grays using 19 hertz standing air waves. Masons who know the Craft have the seething Our bodies filter chemicals but also are influ- the Chile mine disaster when the fenix (phoe-
Another study, of epileptic seizures in a woman energies of Lucifer in their hands. enced by new chemicals in food and water, be- nix) capsule ritually rose up 33 times. One of
using implanted electrodes in her brain, found a Henry Kissinger said Americans would be coming altered. Our DNA has much junk DNA the risen mine rocks was delivered by Chile’s
shadow person imitating her body when the outraged by UN troops in their midst, unless which seems turned off, and God may have President to the Queen of Buckingham palace
area about her left ear was stimulated. Are these there was an outside threat, then they would done that to stop when demons continued their the next day.” Phoenix rising is at the center of
actually gate ways for access to demons? plead for them to guard in a world government giant and gene program after the Deluge. So a the UN Security Council’s mural, not rising
Does this match the Bible’s use of the ear for and relinquish their personal rights. scientist might be able to turn them back on, from ashes but sheds its skin like a snake.
spiritual understanding? The Levitical priesthood Obama went to visit the Great Altar of Zeus and perhaps the chip or Mark may do just that. The Jerusalem hymn kicked off the Olym-
instructions states putting blood on the right ear in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, the original On the UK’s University of Bradford’s web- pics (and sung at William’s wedding). The
(Lev 8:23-24). A 2005 ChildWise study noted 1 Satan’s seat (Rev 2:13) moved there. He site, Robert Lomas posted in an archive on crazy-looking and very expensive Olympic
in 4 children under 8 use a cell phone (next to the ordered a replica of the Altar. He had a stage Freemasonry what he received from Masons, logo of year 2012 actually was shaped to form
ear), and by 11 reaches 89%. Many warn of safe- made of a Greek Temple to Zeus for his elec- about the Masons’ 1st degree. That they trace Zion, including the dot for the lower case I
ty risks of these phones. The 2010 Proceedings tion, and it was ridiculed by Republicans as the the Pleiades system of Apollo-Osiris in myths which is not in the number 2012.
of the National Academy of Sciences stated that Temple of Obama. He later gave a speech in about him and as god of Masonry, and the date Napoleon Bonaparte said the Jesuits are a
magnetic currents toward the right ear lobe Colorado next to a painting of the Altar, repeat- he is scheduled to return. The new age of Osiris military order, not a religious one; their chief an
impaired the person’s ability for moral judg- ing Hitler’s actions with it. was set to begin on 12-21-12. It is prophesied army general, for most universal, despotic
ments, so a current could disrupt their view of Could the US be designed to bring in the on the US Great Seal in two ways using the power. The Jesuit University in San Francisco
right and wrong. Scientific American reported Antichrist? David Ovason told in his book Secret number of stones in the pyramid shown. is 70 miles from Bohemian Grove and had the
controlling of brain function by electromagnetic Architecture (endorsed by 33º Mason Klein- The Capitol faces the Washington Monument phone number 666-6666.
stimulation over the cranium. knecht former NASA head) that the US capital is as the Vatican Dome and Egyptian obelisk, both According to Masonic calculations, Prince
Dreams of hard-core gamers were studied aligned with the constellation Virgo (Isis). represent the womb of Isis or Semiramis and the William is predicted to be crowned World
and reported in Live Science showing gamers Mason gods were invoked in the cornerstone lay- obelisk Osiris’ or Nimrod’s phallus, the missing Dictator in 2015 at age 33. The Antichrist will
had reversed-threat nightmares—so the dream- ings of important national buildings as the part after he was dismembered. Henry and Gray be revealed as such very late (2 Th 2:3-9).
er became the one who threatened instead of Capitol to gain their approval and it and other in their book Freedom’s Gate: Lost Symbols in Big Brother by Mark Dice (2011)
was threatened. So a scary nightmare appeared buildings copied pagan temples, as the Lincoln the US Capitol tell that it is a religious temple
and Jefferson Memorials. Gentiles sacrifice to “including housing the image of a deified being, Facial recognition software is available for
fun, the dreamer was the demon attacker. These cell phones. By taking a picture you can find info
gamers tended to become very aggressive in demons (1 Cor 10:20). DC also has a clearly vis- heavenly beings, gods.” Egyptians used obelisks
ible street design of Baphomet, the goat-headed to regenerate or energize from the sun god Ra, on the person online. Naked body scanners at air-
real life. The 2010 movie Inception features ports search for concealed weapons. Actresses
stealing of corporate secrets by invasion of god [that resembles Uncle Sam!]. A statue of viewed in most pagan ritual as sexual fertility
George Washington was made in the same bare- rites. Ezekiel wrote of the image of jealousy and complain of virtual rape by ‘random’ scanning to
dreams to extract private info. In real life, func- see them naked. Scanners can be used on
tional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Com- chested pose as Baphomet, for public display. weeping for Tammuz (Osiris, Eze 8:5).
IN GOD WE TRUST was made US motto, but The Washington Monument is 6666 inches crowds, with the same health risks of radiation.
puted Tomography are able to read and influ- Police may use video cameras, but if a citizen
ence the brain. Aaron Saenz at the Singularity which God? Based on the Masonic symbolism tall (or some say 6660) and 666 inches along
of the US Great Seal and the vast number of each base. It is encircled by 50 US flags so they records what a cop is doing he is told to stop.
Hub believes the scientific reality of Inception In 1980 Lt. Col. Michael Aquino wrote in
is being worked on. depictions of ancient gods at DC, it is not the represent the mating of Isis and Osiris. Pha-
God of the Bible. Masonic astronauts had mis- raohs when alive went into the temple to repre- PSYOP to MindWar about ultrasound or ELF
Wired magazine’s 12-21-07 article The waves from great distance to induce human
‘Voice of God’ Weapon Returns reported on sions and vehicles named for gods. Osiris is sent Osiris incarnate, and in death experienced
another name for Apollo, or variant Apollyon as apotheosis, to join Osiris. Each US president brains to become passive or alert. The US
DARPA’s sonic projector and troops imple- Army in 1998 released reports of weapons to
menting the Long Range Acoustic Device as a in Napoleon, and Abaddon (Rev 9:11). The 3 continued the ritual in death. Washington’s
pyramids of Giza were aligned with the 3 belt body had sprigs of acacia to symbolize (Osiris’ beam voices directly into people’s brains, cause
modified Voice of God weapon on Iraqi sol- fever or epileptic seizures. An enemy can be
diers. To induce these religious soldiers to hear stars of Orion (Osiris). When Nimrod (Osiris) and) George’s resurrection. He is displayed
died, his wife Semiramis claimed he was placed above the Rotunda ascended to the gods. Every made crazy. The New Mental Battlefield article
Allah speaking to them to surrender or run in the 1980 Military Review reported on Soviet
away. This ploy was used in the 1991 war using among the gods as the Orion constellation. president in death since Lincoln (after the dome
Manly Hall wrote that “Osiris will rise in was built) has lain in state beneath to symbol- weapons on dissenters without evidence of foul
Silent Sound Spread Spectrum that seemed to play. Of course, MKUltra did mind control to
lead to the surrender of thousands of Iraqi sol- splendor from the dead and rule the world ize their ascending to the gods, too.
through those sages and philosophers in whom On an 1865 card entitled Washington and make assassins.
diers hearing voices. Echelon and Carnivore record all electronic
Senator Joe Biden asked John Roberts vying wisdom has become incarnate.” And he noted Lincoln Apotheosis, Abe is shown after death
this was symbolized in the US Great Seal. ascending to George among the gods. “Walt communications. By data from Twitter, Face-
for chief justice of the Supreme Court “Can a book and MySpace, thieves learn time to steal
microscopic tag be implanted in a person’s body Noah and his sons were the only ones not cor- Whitman eulogized him as the American when the victim is away from home. The latter
to track his every movement? . . . You will rule on rupted by Satan’s seed. Genetic alteration Osiris.” Next to the Rotunda is the Congres- two use fine print in Terms of Service that what-
that—mark my words—before your tenure is allowed some fallen angels to incarnate, and their sional Prayer Room with a picture of George ever you post (as pictures) can be modified and
over.” Speaking of it forced upon someone. Pa- genetics continued in Noah’s sons’ wives of Ham praying to the All-Seeing-Eye above him. The distributed to other media for profit (not to pay
tent attorney Elaine Ramesh of Franklin Pierce and Japheth. None noted in Shem’s. Much gene Crypt is the room below the Rotunda [with you). Mark Zuckerberg became a billionaire
Law Center says microchip implants will first be splicing is going on by the military inspired by Rosicrucian symbol at center]. though his Facebook is free, by selling posted
voluntary as a national ID system, then when it Satan to repeat, so the days preceding Christ’s Former Jesuit Malachi Martin claimed the info to others for data mining. Jailbroken cell
has become familiar it will be made mandatory. return are similar to before Noah’s Deluge (Mat Catholic priesthood was infiltrated so the pope phones can run illegal apps, such as one that
The 1973 high school journal Senior 24:37). While Gen 6:2-4 seems to involve mating would be deceived into making the world wor- alters the caller ID. In the 1990s the Dept. of
Scholastics introduced the idea of buying and with human women, using their ova or stem cells ship Antichrist. That many priests are now Defense demonstrated its voice synthesizer to
selling in the future by inserting numbers in was more likely the meaning as secret studies Satanists and homosexuals. That Lucifer was alter a voice to sound like someone else.
foreheads in the article Who Is Watching You? today with supposed aliens. Choosing women effected within the Roman Catholic Citadel on Senator Russ Feingold was the only senator
It predicted buying and selling by computer with the best chance of producing demonic off- 6-29-63, with the same black magic ceremony to vote against the Patriot Act. He said if you
only. “In the program people would receive a spring. Omega Conspiracy tells of ‘alien’ abduc- in Charleston, South Carolina for Mason head- lived in a police state allowing police to search
number assigned them tattooed in their wrist or tions for DNA and mutilated animal bodies found quarters the same time. your home without warrant, to arrest and jail
forehead. The number is put on by laser beam in UFO flap areas, remains of experiments. you indefinitely without legal counsel, you
Nimrod became a gibbowr which can mean Babylon Rising (2011) by Rob Skiba
and cannot be felt. The number in the body is would not want to live in that country.
not seen with the naked eye and is as perma- giant (Gen 10:8). He may have been genetical- Nimrod’s birthday is celebrated Dec. 25th for Police want DNA and fingerprint samples.
nent as your fingerprints.” ly triggered, turned on as a latent diabetic con- the Antichrist, it is not Christ’s. Other holidays These do help catch criminals, but innocent
In 1980 US News and World Report told that dition in a human with no symptoms suddenly are for him, his wife or her son. On 4-29-2003 people can be found guilty by bad testing. A
the federal government planned on using has diabetes because of a poor diet. And genes BBC news announced the tomb of Gilgamesh Japanese cryptographer fooled fingerprint scan-
National ID Cards so no one could work or can be turned off and on at certain times and was found in Iraq, and next month US troops ners 80% of the time using gelatin and molding
conduct business without it. Regarding a chip ways. Unclean spirits can appear like frogs stole the artifacts, and a month later they started plastic to copy someone’s prints.
inserted in the body, the 5-7-96 Chicago (Rev 16:13-16). Babylon’s destruction leaves the war. A multi-star US general said the A cybernetic brain from 25,000 rat brain
Tribune wondered if we could trust Big Brother monsters, devils and satyrs (Isa 13:1-5, 19-22). remains of Gilgamesh (Nimrod) were preserved neurons living in a petri dish successfully
under our skin. Wisconsin passed a law pro- New diseases are produced for biowarfare well. The operation was to extract his DNA. learned to pilot a F-22 fighter jet simulation.
hibiting employers from demanding their em- and likely source of many ‘biblical’ plagues to Later, the US built its largest military base by it. The cells lay on top of 60 electrodes to form a
ployees be chipped, and other states are trying come. Some targeted for one ethnic group. The Washington Monument is the biggest neural net. Handicapped people could regain
to do the same. RFID bracelets are put on new- Israel announced it invented a bionic hornet phallic symbol on the planet. The eagle symbol use of their limbs or prosthetics.
borns at more hospitals. used for spying, killing people and in swarms is displayed everywhere in the US, up to 12 Dice ends his book with quotes and ideas
Apollyon Rising (2009): Most US Found- can take down fighter jets (Rev 9:3?). times on military uniforms and topping flags. It from Orwell’s 1984 implemented today: A
ing Fathers and many presidents were Free- The US and other nations are involved in stands for the phoenix or sun bird, and the snitch culture (UK citizens watch monitors for
masons, and made or allowed many false gods genetic research, so animal eggs are used to Ascending One, that is Nimrod. Two are on pil- suspicious activity, and kids watch their parents
on national buildings or statuary. US is claimed create hybrid human embryos for stem cells in lars at The Awakening of a giant emerging out to report on electricity they waste at home). The
to be Christian, but they omitted images of medical research. “Not counting synthetic biol- of the sands of our National Harbor. US Dept. of Homeland Security has recruited
Christ. George Washington wrote to the Mass. ogy where entirely new forms of life are being A consortium of 13 world banks changed Boy Scouts to use fake rifles in various scenar-
Grand Lodge 12-27-1792: “I sincerely pray that brewed.” Chimera creatures are produced with Iraq’s old Dinar currency to the New Iraqi ios, such as confront a disgruntled Iraq war vet-
the Great Architect of the Universe may bless animal and human genes. National Geographic Dinar (NID) of little value but with the most eran who became a domestic terrorist. The US
you and receive you hereafter into his immortal May 2009 reported on the Recipe for a Resur- anti-counterfeit measures on the planet. The old Dept. of War was changed to Defense in 1947,
Temple.” While Masons appear Christian, they rection about bringing back to life dinosaurs as Roman Dinar or denarius may be noted in Rev now it should be the Dept. of Offense. Orwell
secretly worship GAOTU, Lucifer, as their DC the movie Jurassic Park. 6:6. The NID is rapidly going up in value. Oba- wrote of the Dept. of Truth, which of course
temple is styled after an Egyptian one. Head of Egyptian Antiquities Zahi Hawass ma said Iraq’s economy will grow faster than really told lies.
Bush Jr. stated in his 2nd inaugural address reported on his greatest find in 1999, the burial China’s. To help rise, the US left more than —Mr. Jan Young

[email protected] Past articles: janaaronyoung.wordpress.com

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How Marriage Mirrors Our

Relationship with God, Part 1
WA pointed out that much of what almost as strong as one poured out of solid con- pretty well. It took a lot of pieces, but it was

H God has set up in this life is a ‘shad- crete. And all it takes to build a wall is one little eventually built. It took a lot of time to build,
ow’ of what is to come, just as God insignificant bit at a time.
told us. He strongly pointed out how

in store for us.

It doesn’t have to be built all at once. Here

enough to have visited Mexico for the Feast,

but it was eventually built.
Why did I repeat that? A marriage is sup-
marriage and family in this physical in the U.S. we tend to start something and fin- posed to last a lifetime. That’s a long time.
life are a forerunner of the future that we have ish it in a short time. But, being blessed Plenty of time to build a pretty substantial wall.
Another aspect to this wall thing is that you
From my memories, he focused on the posi- I have been able to watch how work is cannot see the wall your mate is building! You know
tives of marriage and how it represented the done there. very well if you are accumulating grudges and
positives of our relationship with God. How Workers or developers offenses on your side, but
God is building His family and how we can be a may start a project, and it you cannot read your mate’s
part of it. How the roles of father and mother may be weeks before they mind. You don’t know if
are played out in this physical life to mirror the complete a section. Some- they are carrying baggage
roles to be filled in the future. times years. But, by build- from years ago or not. You
What I wanted to point out in this series isn’t ing with small components hope they are following
the positive side of the example, but the nega- like concrete block or God’s instructions to for-
tive. Not that there is anything negative about bricks, they can stop at any give. But you don’t know
what God is planning for us—but what we some- time and wait any amount they are.
times do to negatively impact what He’s plan- of time to restart their “Well, that’s their prob-
ning for us, and sometimes how we destroy it. work. The end result is lem!” right? Wrong, wrong,
Unfortunately I have some experience in this nearly as strong as one that wrong!!! It’s yours!
arena of life. Hopefully I haven’t cut myself off was done with no delays in In most Western nations
from God, but I have been in marriages that the work. now, either party can file for
have failed. Just as there are always two sides to Those offenses which divorce. And they really
every dispute, I have my share of blame to carry inevitably come all . . . add . . . up! Humans need little if any reason to do so. When they
in these failures. Just as my wives have had their have the blessing of memory. Without it, we file, their issues that caused them to do so sud-
issues to deal with. wouldn’t live long. We learn that the stove is denly become your problems. Separation from
That said, I think I might be able to offer hot. Don’t touch it ’cause it burns. So we stay your children, family members, money, resi-
some wisdom gained from experience if anyone away from hot things. dence; all these and more suddenly are some-
wants to listen. Experience is a hard schoolmas- We learn about falling and how it hurts when thing you have to deal with whether you like it
ter, and I don’t recommend seeking this kind of we stop at the bottom against the hard floor. So or not.
education if someone else’s example can be we learn to be careful when we are on an ele- That’s why I am writing this. Because it seems
used for an example. vated platform. that most humans I know aren’t willing to rec-
I have noted over the years that people You know what else we learn? Don’t make ognize their part in the problem.
always start off with the highest hopes and your wife mad. It will come back to haunt you. Yes, they know they may be becoming alien-
dreams when they decide to get married. Now, that might be a little humorous, but if ated towards their mate, but inevitably I see
Everything is roses and honey. But, as we all you smiled you did so because you know it’s true! and hear, “I had no idea that they felt . . .”
know, soon enough the new lovers find out that Well, guess what, wives. We remember, too. I’m not a counselor or minister and have no
he squeezes the toothpaste in the middle and And, while it may not be the best thing for our credentials other than I have been through this
she snores like a freight train. marriage, we know there are places we just more than once. In my industry, construction, I
Ahhhh, the joys of learning to live together shouldn’t go. Even if we want to. hear all sorts of stories from guys (and some
and becoming one. Those women) about their side of
kinds of minor annoyances the divorce. And it’s always
every married couple has to unexpected.
deal with at the start are At some point people become As for my recommenda-
sometimes difficult to deal
with, especially if one or both
so tired of repeated offenses tions for marriage, I would
recommend that you keep a
people have not developed a (real or imagined) that they don’t sledgehammer handy to bust
healthy dose of patience. But overlook problems anymore. up the wall as it starts to grow.
they are just the beginning. That hammer might be a
As life goes on, the really relationship with your minis-
big things start to come up. ter so you both can talk and he
First it’s usually family relations and how to For instance, if we want to watch the game can help knock it down before it gets too tall
break away and actually become a separate on Sunday afternoon but we know you have a and thick. Or maybe it’s a counselor that you
functional family unit without the undue influ- honey-do list, if we don’t tackle something on it both can trust.
ence of either other side. there will be a price to pay. You need to have, in your tool box, the ham-
Then money issues may start showing up. Or Or if our lovely wife wants to have a night out mer of forgiveness. And you’d better use it on a
maybe child rearing differences. Or any number with her friends playing euchre, and her husband regular basis. But, since you can’t see the wall
of other differences in dealing with life and the makes an issue of it since he wants a hot supper your mate is building, you need some means to
challenges of working together. when he gets home, she might defer the night find out how you can work to eliminate the wall
Whatever the problems (here is the key) at out. But she will remember. The husband remem- of separation they are building.
some point people become so tired of repeated bers the game. She remembers the night out. I’m not here to tell you how to do it, because,
offenses (real or imagined) that they don’t over- Is either of them right to hold a grudge? frankly, I don’t know all that well. But I see the
look problems anymore. They become brick- Probably not. I’m not here to be a referee. I’m end results, and I know it has to be done or
layers. They start building a wall. One brick at here to tell you what happens. That grudge is divorce happens.
a time. “another brick in the wall,” as the song goes. If you don’t find a way to minimize the wall
If you have seen a building site with brick or One isn’t so bad. Four or five might be a stum- your mate is building, it will continue to grow
concrete block work going on, you know the bling problem, but it’s not insurmountable. and grow and grow till it’s so tall, so thick and
wall starts out only 4 or 8 inches tall. But each Have you ever seen pictures of the Great Wall so strong that the marriage fails. I have seen
completed course brings it that much higher. of China? It’s made out of bricks, stones, blocks, this in my life and in too many others lives. Take
In the case of concrete blocks, if there is re- whatever you want to call them, but it is made it for what it’s worth to you.
inforcement steel in the wall and the centers of out of small bits, as compared to the whole. Next time I’ll tell you what I suspect can
the blocks are filled with mortar, the wall can be It was built to stop invasions, and it worked happen between us and God.

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Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day

“These are the feasts of The Lord which you shall Someday Jesus will return to the earth to set up to then suffer eternal destruction. How can one
proclaim in their seasons. The 15th day of the sev- and govern his Father’s 1,000-year kingdom. Even believe God is going to celebrate the eternal death
enth month is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven when that Millennial Kingdom is established, hav- of anyone? God does not desire that any should
days. On the first day there shall be a holy convo- ing respect for God will not end. Tabernacles will die (Ezekiel 18:32).
cation” (Leviticus 23:34-35). not end. “Living waters shall go out from There are still others who think the LGD represents
Jerusalem when The Lord shall be king over all the the ‘jailing’ of Satan for all Eternity. The truth is the
The Feast of Tabernacles (also known as Feast of
earth. And it shall come to pass everyone left of all
In-gathering and Feast of Booths) is celebrated devil is to be destroyed in a Lake of Fire when God
the nations . . . shall go up from year to year to
toward the end of the agricultural year in the is finished with him (Matthew 25:41). (Request a
worship The King . . . and keep the Feast of
northern hemisphere of this planet. Growth of copy of the free study booklet, Satan Dies.)
Tabernacles. Whoso will not come up of all the
food plants and their harvesting is all but com- They who retain God and Christ as their leaders
families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship,
pleted and colder winter months are approaching. have made a contract that pays out with eternal
upon them shall be no rain. There shall be a
Originally, the timing for Tabernacles fit well with plague wherewith The Lord will smite the heathen life. For them, the Last Great Day feast is the best
the environment and climate in which the that come not up to keep the Feast of of all the chapters written in the Heavenly Book of
Children of Israel were placed by God. Because of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16-19). Life because their names are recorded in that
that, some people today think Tabernacles, as well Book as acceptable to God and Christ (Revelation
It has been said anything can be proven using the 20:12 / Revelation 21:27). The Last Great Day feast
as other annual feast times, no longer are in force.
Bible. The proper way to approach any religious commemorates the culmination of God’s plan for
Old Israel is gone, they say. Such people forget
statement or idea is to use the Bible in an attempt human salvation—the gift of eternal life (1Corin-
that the annual feast times were not the exclusive
to prove some statement or idea as false. The thians 15:20-23).
property of the Israelites. They were then, and are ancient Bereans were commended for that kind of
today, God’s feasts. approach. Paul and Silas had brought them new God’s annual feasts show the steps one must
Tabernacles was the time when people appeared ideas. The Bereans listened, then thoroughly climb to ascend to, and be admitted before, the
before God to give thanks for the blessings of examined the scriptures to see if what they had Throne in Heaven. They show the way to eternal
increase they had received and guidance God been told could be considered true (Acts 17:11). life. The feast times are the essence of the First
gave for the works of their hands. Commandment: Have no other gods before the
When something about religion or God is heard, One who sits upon the throne of heaven. They are
Some religious groups believe the seven days of check it out with the Bible. There should be at for all who would repent of sin. They are not feasts
Tabernacles represent a spiritual clock ticking off least two ‘witnesses’, three or more is better, for of the unconverted of the world.
thousands of years and when the last number on establishing truth (Matthew 18:16). Important
ideas and principles are mentioned multiple times. Two feast days are associated with the Days of
the clock is reached all human life will end and
Something that sounds contradictory will be made Unleavened Bread in the Spring. The first feast day
Judgment will be invoked upon humanity. As
clear when every bit of information is used. commemorates God’s ability to remove anyone
proof, usually quoted is 2Peter 3:8. That scripture
from bondage to others. The second commemo-
says: “With God, one day is as 1,000 years”. Obvi- “The 15th day of the seventh month shall be rates success from bondage because of God’s
ously the verse has nothing to do with giving an the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days, and on help. Pentecost commemorates the giving of
annual ‘thank you’ to God. the eighth day shall be a Sabbath” (Leviticus God’s Spirit. The Spirit is a gift from God, a helper
Others believe Tabernacles represents the tempo- 23:34, 39). and comforter leading to all truth.
rary status of human life. They point to Leviticus The Last Great Day (also called Eighth Day of Trumpets is the fourth annual feast day. When the
23:40-42 where the Children of Israel occupied Tabernacles) is a separate annual feast. While actual time comes, seven trumpets will be sound-
temporary ‘booths’ during the feast. They equate Tabernacles is for giving thanks to God at the ed in order. They will announce punishments upon
those temporary structures to the temporariness approaching end of a year, the Last Great Day a morally corrupt, sinning humanity. The only
of the human life span. While the years of human feast is not about ending, but about a beginning. trumpet that will be desirable is the seventh. It
life are relatively short, the biblically stated reason The LGD commemorates the resurrection to will announce establishment of God’s Kingdom of
for the Feast of Tabernacles is to show one’s spiritual life of the righteous of God. Only they Peace. Should Jesus not come when he does, no
appreciation for what God has done during the will be granted admittance into Eternity (Reve- flesh will be saved alive (Matthew 24:22).
past year. It has nothing to do with: ‘Eat, drink, for lation 3:12 / 22:14).
tomorrow we die’. The Day of Atonement commemorates the sacri-
Jesus was in the Temple in Jerusalem on the Last fice made by Jesus The Christ. He gave his sinless
Moses also told the people: “After you have gath- Great Day. Standing in the midst of the multitude, life as an atonement for sin. His blood, given as an
ered in your corn and wine, rejoice in the feast and he loudly proclaimed: “If any man thirsts, let him offering, can cover one’s sin. Some people say the
eat before The Lord God so you may learn to fear come to me and drink. He that believes in me, as devil’s lockup for the Millennium is what the Feast
The Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23). scripture says, out of his belly shall flow rivers of of Atonement shows. That’s not biblical. Neither is
Some church groups wave the fear aspect in the living water” (John 7:37-39). identifying the devil as an atonement. Who in their
faces of their membership as a means of forcing right mind wants Satan standing before God as
attendance at Tabernacles. The hidden purpose for Jesus was the Lamb sent to lead humanity to the
Fountain that supplies living water (Revelation the atonement for their sin?
keeping the numbers up is mainly about control
and financial. More people means a bigger mone- 7:17). That Fountain is the Father God of Heaven These are the biblically stated reasons for each
tary offering will occur. (Jeremiah 2:13). In analogy, the Father’s Spirit is the of God’s annual feast days. Any other idea(s) or
well supplying the water (John 7:38-39 / John 4:14). reason(s) is invalid assumption, and at worst, just
Actually the original Hebrew word translated fear a plain lie!
in the King James Bible (Strong’s Concordance OT While many Christian professing individuals
#3372) means: to revere. There is a difference be- believe Jesus someday will return to the earth and The annual Sabbath feasts were not just for the
set up and govern God’s 1,000-year kingdom, few long dead Israelites. The annual feasts were not
tween being frightened of God and having rever-
understand that Jesus will be joined by former just for Jews during the physical lifetime of Jesus.
ence and respect for God (Exodus 20:18-20). To
humans made spiritual (Revelation 3:21 / The feast times transcend Time itself showing the
have awe at the immense power possessed by the
Revelation 1:6). Those former humans are the steps one must follow to obtain the eternal
Supreme Creator of the Universe, to have awe at
firstfruits of God’s harvest of humanity. promise God offers.
the bountiful love and mercy He possesses, this is
the kind of fear one should have (Revelation 14:7 Some people think the Last Great Day celebrates God lives in Time. God inhabits Eternity (Isaiah
/ Revelation 19:5). “The fear of The Lord is the the resurrection of people who never had knowl- 57:15), as will all who are accepted as His begot-
beginning of wisdom” it says in Psalm 111:10. edge of God or Jesus and are brought back to life ten children.

Ministry Publications • P.O. Box 715 • Cottonwood, AZ 86326 USA

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Forget the Calendar...

Let’s Talk About God’s Feasts
O
ne of Satan’s most church by HWA and Dr. Hoeh. chodesh. The translation of that am profaned among them.” competent, understanding,
effective tools in Both of these gentlemen were Hebrew word is “New Moon.” In verse 30 he said he looks converted human being to tell
misleading the men of good spirit and well In 1611 A.D., when the for a man to make a hedge and us when the first day of the
churches of God is to intentioned. King James scholars translated stand in the gap before him, seventh month occurs.
get the church off track, and This reminds me of Mark the Scriptures into English, it and he found none. How sad The Jewish leaders can give
heading in the wrong direction. 7:7-9: “Howbeit in vain do they was natural for them to use it would be if that Scripture us numerous reasons why they
In the earliest days of the New worship me, teaching for doc- the word month, because by came to pass. choose to make the calcula-
Testament Church, as reported trines the commandments of 1611 they were not recog- The question we might want tions so difficult and so convo-
in the pages of your Bible, we men. For laying aside the com- nizing the new moon. If every to address is this: How difficult luted. These numerical gymnas-
see that there were some with- mandment of God, ye hold the time you read the word month is it to calculate the annual tics were never a part of God’s
in the Church of God who tradition of men . . . Full well in scripture you said the words Feast days, as God gave them will or His Word.
attempted to force the Gentiles ye reject the commandment of “new moon,” you would even- to Israel? Brethren, God did not give a
to go through Judaism in order God, that ye may keep your tually realize the significance If you have a fifth-grader group of Ph.D.s the under-
to be a good Christian (Gal own tradition.” of what the translators did in in your group or in your family standing of his annual Feasts?
2:11-14). Question? If we can become honest error. circle, put a calendar in front He gave them to a group of
Satan’s methods and goals sloppy with the keeping of the When we realize that every of them and asked them wandering Hebrews living in
seldom change: Get the church Feasts, what’s next? Feast of God is directly con- to count from day 1 to day the desert with no scientific
off track and headed in the The Sabbath? Tithing? Clean nected to a new moon, we will 15. Then ask them to count instruments of any kind.
wrong direction. and unclean? Look what hap- see more clearly the evidence 7 more. Congratulations! Why is the church leadership
Since the mid-1990s the pened when the church of God at of the simplicity with which They just accurately enumerat- unable to get together and tell
Church of God has been misdi- Rome decided to move the “keep- God created His Feasts. ed the seven days of Unleav- us when and how to do it
rected into a continued discus- ing of the Paschal celebration” When the nation of Judah ened Bread. properly? Most of the church
sion about the calendar issue. from the 14th of the 1st month to was in captivity, the Word of Now, from the weekly leaders that I know personally
As Christians who are con- the Sunday after the full moon God inspired the Prophet Sabbath within the Days of are converted, honorable,
cerned about the proper keep- (Cat. Ency. article “Easter”). Ezekiel to condemn the spiritu- Unleavened Bread, ask them to educated, dedicated men of
ing of God’s annual Feasts, the God. I don’t think it would be
subject has drawn widespread disrespectful to ask them the
attention.
One Church of God teacher Dedicated to the Reconciliation of question: Why do you refuse
to get this issue out in the
informed me that he had writ- open instead of hiding behind
ten over 1,000 pages on the The Sabbath Keeping Churches of God one obscure text about “the
subject of the calendar. One oracles of God”?
could say that that may be a In my opinion, God’s people
bit of overkill. There are, how- It took less than 100 years to al leadership of God’s people. count seven more Sabbaths. are not going to sit idly by
ever, a few key points that we turn the truth of God into a lie. Ezekiel was not a historian; Congratulations! The next day while some of the major ques-
must understand before we are Instead of wasting our time he was a prophet. Prophets is the Day of Pentecost. tions about God’s Feast days
able to have a discussion of quibbling over “calendar write about things that are We are halfway through the go unanswered.
any substance. issues,” shouldn’t we be having going to come to pass. It is year and we didn’t need a The Church of God in my
Are you aware that: an honest discussion about the important that we recognize Levitical priest or a member of opinion needs to be reconciled
God never gave Israel a proper timing of God’s annual that fact when we read the Sanhedrin to get us there. not only with God but with one
calendar? Feast Days? A question for Ezekiel 22:23-30. All we really need is for a con- another. Instead of reconcilia-
He gave them Feast days? those who quibble over the He was inspired to write verted, understanding human tion, we see split after split with
The word calendar never keeping of the New Testament about a conspiracy by the being to tell us when day 1 is. no end in sight. Is there anyone
appears in Scripture? Passover: Should it be on the preachers in the midst thereof The fall festivals are just as who earnestly believes that God
Calendar is never evening of the 14th or the (verse 25). In verse 26 he talks difficult to accurately locate. All is pleased with the splits that
mentioned in the seven evening of the 15th but some- about Judah’s Priests who have we need to know is when is have occurred and continue to
major English translations of times keep it on the right day violated his law and profaned day 1 of the seventh month. occur within His body?
the Bible? of the wrong month? his holy things and put no dif- Once we know that, our fifth- Please visit our website, rec-
Furthermore, although most That can and does happen! ference between the holy and grader can tell us when the onciliationgroup.org, for what I
of the mainline churches of It happened in 2013. This profane. He goes on in the 10th, 15th and 22nd of the sev- hope will be a refreshing and
God claim to follow the was one of the frequent years prophecy that they “hid their enth month occur. educational visit. Please read
Hebrew calendar, there is never when the Jews claim the eyes from my Sabbaths, and I Again, all we need is a our article “A House Divided.”
a mention of the Hebrew calen- beginning the new year came
dar anywhere in the Scriptures. before the end of the old year.
How in the world can they This is easily provable
claim to follow something does You need to know how the
not scripturally exist? If they Jews calculate the first month
were honest about what they of the year. You will no doubt
are doing, they would admit be surprised!
that they are simply following a First of all, let us recognize
Jewish tradition without scrip- that there is no Hebrew word
tural backing of any kind. for month. In the first five
Please don’t take any of this books of the Scriptures, the
as a condemnation of the English word month has been
Elders of God’s church. They are inserted 78 times in an honest
merely following a tradition error. The Hebrew word which
that was placed into the is translated month is the word

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Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ 23

God’s Wife
By Art Mokarow
P.O. Box 1197 • Montgomery, TX 77356 • [email protected] • www.GodsPuzzleSolved.com

I
n the beginning God created The Heavens and, when it was created, God saw that “it was
and The Earth. Ten words compose the first good” (Genesis 1:3-4 and Revelation 21:23-24).
sentence of The Bible. This was before Jesus (The Word) became
The Fourth Day is when flesh (John 1:14).
The Father of All made This Glory, The Goodness of God, all began
the sun, the moon and all the from God Himself before His “Son” was born.
other stars in the solar sys- Since God is a Father, there must be a wife. God
tem—called planets. These would never sin as a fornicator.
planets reflected the sun. Jesus, Himself, said that “only God is good,”
which also meant Jesus excluded Himself
God’s First Light (Matthew 19:16-17).
In Hebrew, the word “God”
God’s Holy Wife
is a plural noun with many Art Mokarow

capabilities and talents. What are these gifts that Marriage in The Holiness of God is between a
God has only within Himself? You are to under- CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

stand that everything that

was, is or will be is what ema-
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nates from God.
What God, The Father, Vol. I—Puzzles

God’s Puzzle Solved

Faith With Works

God’s Plan of Salvation
Vol. V—Testimony
Is the Bible Inspired?
Revelation and the
Queen of Heaven
produced in the past and will
God’s Puzzle Completed

The Mystery of God

Spiritual Growth

Faith That Saves
The Goodness of God’s Law
The True Churches of God
God’s Gift of Inheritance
The Silk Road

Prophecy Is Cyclical Paul’s Religion The Great Falling Away
produce in the future is as He
God’s Mystery Fulfilled
Vol. IX—Prophecy

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Vol. II—Image
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24 ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Who Is the Wife of God?

www.GodsPuzzleSolved.com
P.O. Box 1197 • Montgomery, TX 77356 • [email protected]

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE of God is a “Spirit” like Him, “kind after kind,”
man and a woman—“What God has joined to- and must be “Holy” like The Father.
gether let no man put asunder.” They are to
be of one flesh as Eve came out of Adam’s Paul Defined God’s Wife
bone; that is, his DNA (Genesis 2:18-22). “Kind The Apostle Paul, taught by Christ, was in-
after kind.” structed who The Wife of God was. Paul wrote to
Both Adam and Eve were made in The Image Timothy that he transferred something to the
of God, the power from within God alone. They young Evangelist when he laid his hands on him
were both within God and His “DNA.” It is a (II Timothy 1:6). Here is what Paul offered to
matter of “kind after kind.” Timothy: “For God has not given us the spirit of
Adam and Eve were equals, just like God but fear; but of power [almighty] and of love [to our
in the flesh like Jesus. You still need a Mother death—faith] and of a sound mind [wisdom and
just like God. Both are equals coming from God knowledge—truth]” (verse 7).
since they are “kind after kind” (DNA) (Genesis The Wife of God, as Scripture proves, is The
1:27). Adam was a physical figure, a theophany Holy Spirit of God. A fetus in a mother’s womb
of Christ (Romans 5:14). is protected and nourished until a new baby is
born—“kind after kind” like the Father.
God’s Holy
An umbilical chord
Name
The wife of God is a Spirit like is attached to the child’s
Jesus teaches you Him, kind after kind, and must navel. The fetus is
how to pray to God— be Holy like the Father. safely protected by
“Our Father, which the water, and if the
are in heaven, Hal- mother is careful it
lowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9). In Greek the will never be harmed. Read Isaiah 66, where a
word “hallowed” has two significant parts. child’s birth is explained.
“Hallo” represents a royal crown that is “Holy”
and “wed,” which “is joined together as a mar- A New Birth
riage.” Both become one. How the earth and everything in it were born
can be read in the following scripture: “And the
God’s Wife
earth was without form [no structure] [just like a
The Holy One of God is to declare The Name fetus] and void [lacking a shape] and darkness
of God. Every individual who has that name [space—no light] was upon the face of the deep
must be “Holy,” completely without a blemish or [water]. And the spirit of God [Holy Spirit]
the smallest flaw. The Name of God is beyond moved upon the face [surface] of the water”
“perfect”; it is complete, fulfilled without mea- (Genesis 1:2).
sure. God is, therefore, Eternal. What was The Holy Spirit of God pondering
The Family of God, His “wife and children” over the water? The Holy Spirit of God was won-
represent only goodness (like God). But there dering what this new birth—this first new
is much more. Jesus, speaking to The Samaritan birth—would look like.
Woman, told her how to worship God, “God After much ruminating, God directed His
is a Spirit and they that worship [adore- “Wife” to be a helpmate (Genesis 2:18). This be-
love] him must worship him in spirit and truth” comes personal between a man (husband) and
(John 4:24). his wife.
Who is The Wife of God? You must have the God has The Holy Spirit as His “helpmate.”
complete biblical truth from The Bible. The Wife CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

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Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) ★ ★ ★ THIS PAGE CONTAINS PAID ADVERTISING ★ ★ ★ 25

The Holy Spirit Is More

Than Just the Power of God
www.GodsPuzzleSolved.com
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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE equal like Adam and Eve. God, The Father of
Paul, as The Messiah instructed him, de- Everyone and Everything (Hebrews 3:4), is mar-
scribed the whole-armor protection of God. To ried to The Wife of God, who takes care of The
be Saved by God, one needs to know “the truth” Great House of God and keeps it clean without
(wisdom—knowledge), “the righteousness” (God’s) spot or blemish (II Timothy 2:18-21).
Gospel of Peace (The Rest of God). You need God provides everything His “family” needs
The Faith of God to withstand Satan. Then you and eternal safety. But His “wife,” The Holy
need The Helmet of Salvation (protect your Spirit of God, does all the work to keep the fam-
mind) and The Sword, which is The Word of ily estate as The Father wants it to be.
God (Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrew 4:12). As The Wife of God manages the entire House
It cannot be said any simpler. The Wife of God of God with her hired servants (the angels), they
is The Holy Spirit of God is the family coach and all need to do the job perfectly without the tiniest
example, teaching how flaw, and she is hon-
to live in The Way of ored as The Mistress
God. Zechariah, The The Holy Spirit of God is the family of The House of God.
Prophet, declared it as coach and example, teaching how The Father provides
more than just a pow- to live in The Way of God. an estate with many
er of The Might of God. mansions for the whole
Here is what The family forever. The wife
Word of God is as Paul taught. Here is what the manages the entire household and is very virtu-
angel told Zechariah: “This is the word of the ous in being a helpmate to God, her husband.
Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, Not by might, nor She, alone, does all the work in managing
by power but by my spirit [wife] said the Lord of everything God, The Father, provides. The wife
hosts [full army]” (Zechariah 4:6). came out of God and is equal and she is a beau-
The Holy Spirit, which consists of The Words tiful, perfect, flawless, virtuous woman (Pro-
and The Will of God, is more powerful than any verbs 31).
kind of sword. Here is what it does: “For the Elohim, as a noun (meaning God), made every-
word of God is quick [fast] and powerful and thing but His “wife.” The Holy Spirit of God over-
sharper than any two-edged [terrorist] sword, sees all of her husband’s wealth and riches. She
piercing even to the dividing [cutting up] asun- does the work and is a single being God created.
der [the flesh] of soul [physical life] and spirit As a plural noun, “Elohim” (God) and His
[minds] and of the joints and marrow [DNA] and “wife” are “Holy” like God, and she is responsi-
is a discerner of the thoughts [ideas] and intents ble for all God gave her.
[desires] of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). How Elohim in its verbal form always does “the
much scripture do you need? work” as a Creator. His “wife” takes care of the
creation her Husband, God, created.
Elohim the Verb
When the husband—God—and His “wife”
“Elohim” is plural as a noun—“one being,” have multiple children on their estate—New
including all that The Father was, is and can Jerusalem, everything will be new (Revelation
be—The I Am. Now you have clearly been 21:1-5). The Holy Spirit of God (The Wife of
shown that The Holy Spirit of God is The Wife God) will keep their Holy House—New Jeru-
of God. They, together, are “One Spirit” and salem—“Holy.”

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26 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Little has been said about a high-demand church in free fall

Continued from page 1 zell. Those tens of thousands—includ- This would make the WCG, which to say (and I thoroughly agree) that This is a kind way of letting the
when it has come to discussing the col- ing not a few readers of my blog reached a 100,000-plus membership, “the success of the Worldwide Church apostle off the hook somewhat.
lapse and disintegration of the World- (otagosh.blogspot.com)—simply dis- the most significant BI body of all time. of God came from its professional But Barrett doesn’t have to look far
wide Church of God. appeared off the membership lists. marketing . . .” to find examples to the contrary; for
Where did they go and why? The heart of the matter Whether in magazine publishing, example, the 1986 edition of the Auto-
Partisans for the various factions
are rarely able to achieve the degree of But Barrett isn’t writing as a jour- In Barrett’s view BI was the heart television or radio, the WCG’s PR was biography in which most references to
detachment necessary to rise above nalist. He’s writing as a scholar. of Herbert Armstrong’s message and a class act. his son Garner Ted are carefully excised.
the battlefield and take in the wider “I am not concerned here with the one he often claimed credit for Another example would be the
spiritual truth of the beliefs of those I through some sort of unmediated Playing fast, loose 1960s booklet The Wonderful World
perspective.
The problem has been compounded am studying.” revelation. He applied Paul’s words Armstrong’s predilection to play Tomorrow: What It Will Be Like, coau-
by dilettantes outside the movement In order to maintain objectivity he in Galatians 1:11-12 to himself, and fast and loose with the facts, however, thored by Garner Ted but republished
who have rushed in to support church is studious in his terminology. The with minor changes some 20 years later
leaders who they see as taking an WCG is described as a millennialist soley under Herbert Armstrong’s name.
agreeable position. (or millenarian) Sabbatarian move- Contra Halford, WCG publications
There has been much talk about ment rather than an Adventist body. underwent regular revisions, but usu-
doctrine and teachings, but little about The prolific gaggle of fractious fac- ally to paper over the many cracks in
the human cost of a church—and a tions is collectively referred to as “the fact and failed prophetic chronology.
high-demand church at that—in free Worldwide family.”
Chapter 4: The decade from hell
fall. Precious little talk, also, of lead- Spewing forth into all the world
ership accountability. The fourth chapter of Fragmenta-
Drawing on earlier studies, Barrett tion of a Sect is titled “Schism and
Beginning the balance observes that movements like World- Scandals in the Seventies.” In just
Fragmentation of a Sect goes a wide can be placed on spectrums more than 20 pages Barrett reviews
long way toward redressing the bal- ranging from nontotalitarian to totali- the WCG’s decade from hell. He dis-
ance. Stepping back from the polemic tarian, and inclusive to exclusive. cusses:
and apologetics, Barrett maintains a Quoting one such source: “The in- The prophetic failure of 1972
rare critical distance. clusive organization retains its fac- (and 1975).
His interest is not in theology but tions while the exclusive organization Changes in doctrine over Pente-
sociology, the people part of the equa- spews them forth.” cost and D&R (divorce and remar-
tion, and provides what United Barrett notes that inclusive “most riage).
Church of God reviewer Michael Sny- certainly does not apply to the World- What Barrett describes as “the
der deems a “secular analysis” (which wide Church of God.” liberal dilemma.”
sounds suspect, but simply means the A diversity of beliefs, differing per- The sex scandals that engulfed
theological spin and posturing have spectives and—horror of horrors— first Garner Ted Armstrong and later
been, for once, set aside). voices of dissent from “a loyal opposi- Herbert Armstrong.
It is, after all, a fascinating story in tion” within? Unthinkable! The ousting of Garner Ted.
its own right, with the tragedy and ON THE AIR—Herbert W. Armstrong broadcasts and records an episode of his The If you want a potted summary of
Warning to independents the Worldwide Church of God’s tribu-
pathos of a long-running soap opera. World Tomorrow program on the Radio Church of God’s Pasadena, Calif., property in
Some of us have had bit parts over A contrast is drawn to another high- the late 1950s or early 1960s. See a similar, but not identical, photo on page 171 of lations at this crucial moment in its
one or more seasons. Others have ly schismatic form of fundamentalist The Fragmentation of a Sect by David V. Barrett published by Oxford University Press history, you would be hard pressed to
identified closely with certain of the Christianity, the Christadelphians. in early 2013. [Photo by Robert Macdonald] find a better one than this.
lead characters. This community, unlike the WCG, has
had little centralization and yet has an in a 1976 sermon he stated: is demonstrated in his claims to have Fallout response
But the lessons to be learned are not
only for those whose lives have been unenviable record for fragmenting. “I came to the truth in a way I know separated from the parent body, the I personally found this painful terri-
caught up in the ongoing drama, but Perhaps there is a word of caution of no other church leader. I know of Church of God (Seventh Day), in 1933, tory to revisit. A few highlights (or
for everyone who wants to understand here for those independent bodies in no other minister who ever came to it forgoing any further salary from that perhaps lowlights) that caught my at-
how a seemingly successful religious the “Worldwide family” who now by himself through the leading of God organization. tention:
movement can crash and burn, taking imagine they have safely sidestepped in that way.” The impression is also given that Marion McNair recalling that the
down with it the dreams and even part future division by adopting a local, Which is hardly the whole story, Armstrong took a principled decision move to Pasadena was a response to
congregational polity. given his prior exposure to the work of to leave his former affiliation. In fact, the fallout from the failure of Arm-
of the very identities of its followers. individuals like G.G. Rupert and J.H. Richard Nickel’s research turned up strong’s now-forgotten prophecies in
Chapter 2 makes the introductions Allen (author of Judah’s Sceptre and evidence to the contrary: the 1940s.
Rigorous fact-checking
Chapter 2 attempts to provide an Joseph’s Birthright). “A ledger book from the Church of The final exchange between fa-
The book has had a lengthy gesta- introduction to the doctrines of the Barrett quotes a 1928 letter from God Publishing House in Salem, West ther and son that included Ted’s fa-
tion period that included a rigorous Worldwide Church of God under Armstrong to Allen’s publisher in Virginia, in 1937, also shows that Arm- mous outburst “You [verb deleted] my
process of consultation and fact- Herbert W. Armstrong. which he floats the idea of his own strong received pay at this time.” In sister!” followed by Herbert’s equally
checking. This review, as it progress- Barrett makes the interesting com- book, acknowledging that it would reality his ministerial credentials were famous response.
es, will seek to do justice to Fragmen- ment that, unlike some other hetero- essentially be a rewrite of Allen. revoked in late 1937 for “continuing to Recollections of the scapegoat-
tation by working its way through the dox groups, the WCG was upfront Anyone who has read Armstrong’s preach contrary to Church doctrine.” ing over the STP (Systematic Theol-
sections of the book, some in greater about its beliefs. The United States and British Com- ogy Project), the madness of the “cul-
detail than others. This is broadly true, but it is also true, monwealth in Prophecy alongside Where’s the time gone? tural revolution” that followed Ted’s
Intensive case study as this reviewer can personally attest, Allen’s book will immediately recog- Barrett relates the embarrassing in- expulsion, [WCG attorney and trea-
that new members were often surprised, nize the substantial dependence (i.e., cident over the Has Time Been Lost? surer] Stan Rader, and Herbert’s disas-
In his first chapter Barrett provides trous marriage to Ramona Martin.
an outline of his work, its purpose and
the ground rules he followed. The end of innocence
Fragmentation is “an intensive case
study,” not of the Worldwide Church
In David Barrett’s view British-Israelism was the heart of There are more-comprehensive ac-
counts, but Barrett’s purpose with this
of God in general, but of the problems Herbert Armstrong’s message and one he often claimed credit chapter is to provide needed back-
that arose when members (including
ministers) were presented with radi- for through some sort of unmediated revelation. ground for later developments. This
he does remarkably well.
cally conflicting demands. A couple of personal comments. In
On the one hand, this was an extreme the opinion of this reviewer it was in
example of an “obey those in authority” after baptism, to discover some of the plagiarism) of Sceptre by Armstrong. booklet with the Church of God (Sev- the ’70s that the rot became apparent
community. Even if the church was church’s more-demanding teachings. And yet, as Barrett comments, this enth Day). to anyone with eyes to see, and every
wrong on an issue, loyalty trumped con- Triple tithing, for example, was not link “would be ignored for the next In 1965 the legal beagles at Ambas- crisis that followed hinged on the peri-
science, and it was up to God to provide widely advertised until people had half century or more.” sador College discovered that the od from the 1972 fiasco to the receiv-
the necessary correction. joined the fold, nor the antimedicine mother church was also publishing a ership crisis. It was, for many, the end
On the other hand, members had stance. John Halford correspondence booklet with the identical title and of innocence.
distinctive beliefs that had been ham- Awareness of issues like these also Also of interest are comments by very similar content.
mered in over the decades. varied depending on exactly when you John Halford in personal correspon- They dashed off a letter requiring Chapter 5: Freezing Mr. Rader out
Few Christian communities could joined the WCG. In the mid-1970s, dence to Barrett about the use made of them to cease and desist. It probably Chapter 5 is “Revolution and
claim as many distinctive and uncom- for example, high-demand require- Worldwide’s BI publications by Aryan seemed a reasonable case of righteous Schism.” In 1981 Herbert Armstrong
promising doctrinal propositions to ments were deemphasized in church supremacist groups (p. 37). outrage, as Armstrong had copyright- established a committee of top minis-
which assent was required: the sev- publications. The WCG’s ties to William Miller’s ed the content back in 1952. ters: the Advisory Council of Elders.
enth-day Sabbath, the Old Testament Adventist revival, and through that to The CG7, however, kept excellent The move was kept secret from Stan
holy days, a form of triple tithing, a re- Some surprises Seventh-day Adventism, are widely records, pulling a copy of their own Rader. Armstrong was playing a high-
conceptualization of the Godhead (as Barrett’s discussion falls under four known. title out of the files from the 1930s and stakes chess game to freeze Rader out
an expanding family), dietary restric- main headings: Barrett reminds his readers of the finding that it appeared on their litera- of the succession.
tions, a belief that Christ was to return Sabbatarianism and law. SDA church’s early opposition to Trin- ture list as early as 1925! That, at least, is the way Aaron
in their lifetimes, British-Israelism, the Millenarianism. itarianism, a denial that was preserved Apparently they were more gener- Dean tells the story.
apostleship of Herbert W. Armstrong. Connections to Seventh-day Ad- until recent times in Worldwide. ous than Armstrong’s lawyers, not Successors were named—and then
So what happens when a lock-step ventism (and possibly to Mormonism). He also notes the opinion expressed pressing the WCG to withdraw the replaced—on a kind of flavor-of-the-
“heterodox sect” like Worldwide be- British-Israelism. by this reviewer that the WCG owes a plagiarized publication. month basis. Among those so desig-
comes rapidly “denominationalized”? This material is intended to provide good deal to Mormonism both during nated for a while was, apparently,
One term to describe the conundrum background information, and much of its formative years alongside the Garner Ted excised Herman Hoeh.
is cognitive dissonance. it will fall into the “general knowl- Church of God (Seventh Day) and fol- John Halford, current editor of Chris- Nine days before Armstrong’s
The focus of the book is, then, on edge” category for readers already fa- lowing separation from that body. tian Odyssey, published by Grace Com- death Joseph Tkach’s turn came up.
what happened to “the hundreds of miliar with the WCG. munion International (the name the The rest, as they say, is history.
ministers and tens of thousands of Having said that, I suspect there may Chapter 3: WCG a class act WCG now operates under), explained First doctrinal issue
members . . . who refused to ‘convert’ be some surprises. Barrett estimates, In Chapter 3 David Barrett intro- to Barrett that, yes, there were problems
along with their movement.” for example, that at its height in the duces Herbert Armstrong and pro- with Armstrong’s writings that justified Barrett identifies Trinitarianism as
This is the largely untold story of 1920s the British-Israelite movement vides some essential background to their withdrawal from circulation. the first significant doctrinal issue that
the “reformation” that receives little could claim only 5,000 or so members his early years. One of the issues was, he stated, the new leadership cabal confronted
examination in books written by insid- in the United Kingdom, and fewer still Armstrong’s role in advertising is that Armstrong “never went back and “in response to a Roman Catholic
ers like Joe Tkach Jr. and Mike Fea- in nations beyond its borders. mentioned, and Barrett goes as far as rewrote and updated.” See DAVID BARRETT, page 27
Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013) THE JOURNAL 27

David Barrett unexpectedly compares Mr. Armstrong to a guru

Continued from page 26 coming millennial Kingdom of God the author, maintaining that democrati- of Jehovah’s Witnesses (Charles Taze again as the final straw but with a dif-
priest challenging an anti-Trinitarian (and the nuclear tribulation that pre- zation is just around the corner: “Now Russell and Judge Rutherford). ferent weighting: first the Sabbath,
letter in Plain Truth” (p. 89). cedes it). we can become democratic.” Such transitions, it seems, are no second the law, third the Trinity.
The other major domino to fall was More than one reader of the UCG’s I suggest you don’t hold your breath. easy thing. Worldwide’s, though, was An outright majority agreed with
British-Israelism. The process Barrett Good News magazine has noted the What Halford means by democratic worse than most, notes Barrett: the statement that “individual church
labels denominalization was to become irony of that name in a periodical that falls a long way short of what most of us “The successors to the founders of members should be able to disagree
unstoppable, and breakup inevitable. routinely delivers steaming piles of might mean by that term, but he main- Mormonism and the Jehovah’s Wit- with their church leaders and local
The about-face has been described fear and pessimism. minister and still say in the church.”
as a five-stage process (p. 95): Barrett goes on to throw the major
Change? What change? COGs onto a “hardline-liberal” con- The unfitness challenge
We haven’t changed any doc- tinuum. Flurry and Pack hug the Turning the focus further onto church
trines. We’re simply clarifying the lan- extreme-hardline mark, while the governance, respondents strongly sup-
guage in which we describe them. UCG and the various COGlets that ported the idea that leaders were unfit
Mr. Armstrong, on his deathbed, trace their origins to Garner Ted for office if they displayed pride, arro-
asked Mr. Tkach to look into precise- Armstrong’s departure in 1978 huddle gance and authoritarianism.
ly this area and/or to correct the errors at the liberal end. Meredith’s LCG is Personal-morality issues scraped in
in this book. We’re doing exactly what placed somewhere in between. at No. 5 on the list.
he wanted us to do. Liberal is a misleading term, how-
Although well intentioned, Mr. ever, both because conservative Amer- It would be interesting to know if
Armstrong sometimes got a little car- ican media have demonized the word these results would have also held true
ried away in his enthusiasm. and because by any sane standards for those who departed in the 1970s
Mr. Armstrong was wrong. none of these groups is truly liberal (as when the Armstrongs’ moral failings
the most recent issue of The Good began to surface in the public arena.
Love it or leave it News demonstrates). As for decisions on which of the
The deceit was transparent to most. Alternate terms like progressive are various alternate schismatic groups
Long-serving minister Dennis Diehl sometimes used, but that too is relative. were chosen as bolt-holes [places of
called Tkach out on this: escape or refuge], leadership and doc-
“If something is wrong for you, Typical church service trine issues had priority, and personal
then leave it,” Diehl wrote. “Don’t de- Barrett has a nice section that de- ties of friendship and family ranked
stroy it and drive many to despair, scribes what happens in a typical much lower.
skepticism and, in some few cases, lit- COG church service. The result is a diaspora that shows
eral suicide. Interestingly, Barrett finds not a lot little regard for relationship solidarity.
“Instead you made everyone else of difference with more-mainstream I suspect this is because breaking free
leave. Now, that’s power: stupid, self- “evangelical” services and compares BREAKING GROUND--Garner Ted Armstrong and his father, Worldwide Church of
from a manipulative, controlling reli-
serving and egocentric power.” the tone of a COG sermon with some- God and Ambassador College founder Herbert W. Armstrong, operate a bulldozer to gious group involves intensely per-
Barrett maintains that, from their thing you might hear at “any Christian help clear the way for a building on the Big Sandy campus of Ambassador College in sonal decisions.
perspective, the Tkach leadership “had tent crusade.” 1965. The groundbreaking was for the first of the four original men’s dormitories on
found the Truth, and had seen the error the Texas campus. [Photographer unknown] Final chapter and appendices
of their (and their church’s) ways, and Emphasis on literature Chapter 10 provides a brief reprise
had an absolute duty to bring their Worldwide has always placed great tains that—despite the pretense of “epis- nesses changed emphases within (three pages) of the book’s structure,
church out of darkness into light.” emphasis on its “literature.” Not a lot copal” governance—“Joe Tkach wants those religions; the Tkach[e]s, father followed by a series of appendices.
(My personal assessment is less that’s original has been produced over to be the last autocratic pastor general. and son, changed their religion funda- Of these, No. 4 was of particular in-
sunny than this. Rhetoric is one thing; the decades, with many sects simply And he is taking active steps . . .” mentally. It was the extent of that terest to this reviewer. Survey respon-
underlying motives are always more rewriting the same material over and There is an irony in those first three change, and how the Tkach[e]s dents were asked to identify the spe-
complex than any justifications of- over again or, where possible, reprint- words, “Joe Tkach wants.” And what achieved it, that created such shock, cific group they affiliated with after
fered, especially with leaders who ing old out-of-copyright publications. Joe wants is paramount. anger, and distrust . . .” (p. 187). leaving the WCG, and then the group
seem to take pride in being nonreflec- Even during Armstrong’s time, re- Any shuffling off the throne will be they were currently involved with.
tive in their practice.) cycling occurred, as Gary Scott [of the when he’s good and ready, in his own Alpha males
Not surprisingly, many had moved
There is discussion of the extent of now-defunct XCG blog] clearly showed sweet time, and regardless of the So, to look ahead to the next step, on in relatively short order. One hun-
membership loss and the enigma of with Mystery of the Ages. ongoing collateral damage of delay. what happens when the alpha males dred fourteen respondents initially
Herman Hoeh, who, contrary to his The rest of the chapter is largely That’s democratic? who run most of the splinter groups went with the United Church of God,
convictions, lent his name and reputa- concerned with the assorted sects that pass on to their eternal (or perhaps for example, but only 76 remained as
tion to bolster the new regime. have calved off from the three post- Guruic validation infernal) reward? of late 2008.
Armstrong schisms (the PCG, GCG/ There’s a good deal about how au- I’ve always thought that the most
Chapter 6: Fascinating instability LCG, UCG). thority validation is expressed in the interesting and fragile transition ahead Given subsequent events, including
What makes the “Worldwide fami- Also getting a mention is “Garner splinters, and no discussion of this will be in Roderick Meredith’s Living the Church of God a Worldwide Asso-
ly” so fascinating is its instability. Not Ted Armstrong’s Legacy”: groups that subject is complete without reference Church of God. ciation (CGWA) bloodletting, this fig-
a year goes by without another bunch ure would now be perhaps halved.
of disaffected insiders breaking off Of the 38 who went out after Rod-
erick Meredith (i.e., Global or Living),
from one or more of the existing break-
away groups.
David V. Barrett identifies three major schisms from the less than 50 percent remained in 2008.
If you have a taste for this kind of Worldwide Church of God since the death of Herbert Blatherless lens
thing, the resulting drama can be riv-
eting entertainment. No matter how Armstrong: the PCG, GCG/LCG and UCG. There is much in David Barrett’s
off the wall the newest variation on a book to ponder for those who have
theme might be, it will probably at- journeyed on this path, and he provides
tract support—until it too crumbles. trace themselves back via the Church to Armstrong’s 1939 article in which Barrett quotes something I wrote in a clear lens devoid of the usual apolo-
Witness Bob Thiel’s microsect, of God International. he railed against hierarchic structures. 2009 on possible disintegration. getic blather and self-justification that
established after Fragmentation went No single chapter, not even one of But it is toward the end of the chap- In contrast, John Meakin is opti- have dominated discourse on the WCG.
to the presses. more than 40 pages, can possibly pro- ter that Barrett takes an unexpected turn mistic that all things “will carry on If you want to follow a Tkach-
vide comprehensive coverage of all by comparing Armstrong to a guru. without [missing] a beat.” friendly party line, there are books by
The three biggies the bickering factions, but Barrett has A guru? There are a variety of We’re both guessing, but if I was a Joe Jr. and Mike Feazell (it is fair to say
Barrett identifies three major schisms the most important bases covered. terms, some technical, some descrip- betting man I’d put a $50 bill down on the present leaders of GCI will have lit-
from the WCG since the death of Arm- tive and a few completely unprintable, major eruptions. tle to celebrate in this publication).
strong: Gerald Flurry’s Philadelphia Chapter 7: The Barrett analysis that have been applied in the past to There’s more to Barrett’s discussion If you want a hardline schismatic
COG, Roderick Meredith’s Global With Chapter 7 Barrett moves on, Armstrong, but guru hardly rates. of these matters, which lead into the perspective, there is Stephen Flurry’s
COG (and, later, Living COG) and the having clearly established the back Barrett cites Anthony Storr’s criteria next-to-last chapter based on feedback book.
United COG. story, to his analysis, overlaying the in establishing characteristics of a guru. from COG members and ministers. David Barrett’s, however, is a book
All of these groups have since calved work of a number of sociologists on It is a fascinating discussion. To cite just If I took away one thought from members and former members of “the
numerous breakaways. the Worldwide epic. one example from Storr: “Gurus tend to this section, it would be a renewed Worldwide family” will want to read
Relative size is, as Barrett clearly The key issue for what follows is be intolerant of any kind of criticism, appreciation of that old aphorism for themselves simply because it does
demonstrates, notoriously problemat- authority and governance in the believing that anything less than total about those who ignore history being step away from the sound and fury of
ic, and, given the tendency by the groups church, and he begins with a discus- agreement is equivalent to hostility.” doomed to repeat it. the battling factions and self-serving
themselves to huff and puff with self- sion of Max Weber’s categories. Herbert Armstrong was hardly a propaganda.
inflating PR, his estimates are neces- Barrett observes that the Tkachniks guru in the Wizard of Id mold—no as- Chapter 9: Questionnaire results
It will also serve as a case study in
sarily ballpark figures. used the top-down structure established cetic tendencies whatsoever as he The penultimate chapter is in many the sociology of religious movements
For newcomers to the wonderful by Armstrong to further their own very cheerfully guzzled coffee on the Day ways the most fascinating of Fragmen- for years to come, and perhaps as some-
Worldwide family feuds, Barrett ex- different agenda (a strategy that this of Atonement—but, if gurus can wear tation, largely drawn from the results of thing as a fly in the ointment for some
plains a few things members would reviewer regards as blatant, bloody- expensive suits and suck the dollars a questionnaire designed by the author of the received wisdom in this field.
take for granted. minded and shameless manipulation). out of their followers’ pockets to and completed by more than 300 mem-
The gospel, not of personal salva- John Halford provides the apologetic maintain an indulgent lifestyle and an bers of the various offshoot bodies. I highly recommend it.
__________
tion, is a news announcement of the for this in personal correspondence with ego-stroking image, then Armstrong In the questionnaire Barrett asked,
meets the criteria well. among other things, what doctrinal The Fragmentation of a Sect, with
issue first raised a red flag about the photos and line drawings, is available
Chapter 8: Nothing succeeds direction the church (WCG) was taking. from Amazon.com and other sellers,
When you’re out and about on the Web, stop in at like succession A further question asked what was including the Oxford University Press
Chapter 8 zeroes in on the issue of the “final straw” that led to separation. Web site, for prices ranging from
succession. The founder of a new reli- The largest number identified the $49 to $55.
TheJournal
News of the Churches of God
gious movement (in this case Herbert
Armstrong) dies—and then what?
move toward Trinitarianism as the
first issue to cause doubts.
See also “Book Includes Section of
WCG and Derivatives,” THE JOURNAL,
We can find plenty of precedents. The second factor was the cut- Jan. 31, 2001; “Author Requests Help
Barrett touches on a range of leader- ting loose from Sabbath observance. With His Study of the WCG Off-
We’re right where you’d expect us to be, at ship transitions including those of This was followed by a more- shoots,” July 31, 2008; and “New
www.thejournal.org Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), general worry about the church’s posi- Book From Oxford University Press
L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology), Joseph tion on the law issue. Analyzes Fragmentation of the World-
Smith (Mormonism) and the founders These same three factors appear wide Church of God,” March 13, 2013.
28 THE JOURNAL Issue No. 154 (Aug. 31, 2013)

Ken Westby presents 12th annual seminars Notes and quotes

By Dixon Cartwright rael: “Pope Benedict’s Theological
Darlene moves on 1,600 visitors monthly.

F EDERAL WAY, Wash.—Ken

Westby and other presenters met
here June 9, 2013, for Mr. West-
by’s 12th annual One God Seminars in
this Seattle suburb.
Three-Card Monte” and “The Power
of the Priestly Blessing Unleashed.”
Carlos Jimenez, Atlanta, Ga.: “Did
Calvin Murder Servetus? A Review of
Stanford Rives’ Book by That Title.”
BIG SANDY, Texas—Darlene
Warren, for 14 years editor of the
CONNECTIONS section of THE
The “Librarians” section is a
series of 30 short comments Mr.
Harris has written over two years
that are updated monthly.
JOURNAL, has
Founded by Mr. Westby in 2002, Sean Kelly, Albany, N.Y.: “Who resigned Promoted on the site are
the conference, sponsored by Mr. West- Is John Biddle?” booklets related to America and
from the staff
by’s Association for Christian De- Lindsey Killian, Seattle: “Heav- Britain in prophecy, as well as
of this news-
velopment, has convened in several enly Flesh: John 6 as a Template for Germany and the Middle East in
paper.
locations including the following Understanding the Jesus of the Fourth prophecy.
Mrs. War-
cities or their suburbs: Gospel.” A “Daily News” section fea-
ren, who had tures free excess to more than
Akron, Ohio; Albany, N.Y.; Atlanta, Owen Murphy, South Slocan, served since
Ga.; Austin, Dallas and Tyler Texas; B.C., Canada: “Upon This Rock.” 20 newspapers and magazines
the March from around the world.
Pasadena, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; and Noel Rude, Portland, Ore.: “Sub- 31, 1999,
Washington, D.C. stitution, Imputation or Victory: Un- Visit Mr. Harris’s Web sites at
issue as THE americaandbritainsfuture.com
Mr. Westby said his conference’s derstanding Sacrifice and Atonement JOURNAL’s and us-britishfuture.com.
seminars aim to discuss and promote SEATTLE SEMINARS—Carlos and in Light of God’s Nature.” Darlene Warren and CON-
the idea that, although Jesus is the Sarah Jimenez of Atlanta, Ga., attend Ken David Sielaff, Beaverton, Ore.: NECTIONS’ ad Little book with a long title
Messiah and Son of God, he is not Westby’s One God Seminars in June “Where in Jerusalem Was the Actual saleslady and a columnist, will DESOTO, Texas—John
God as the Father is God. 2013. Mr. Jimenez made one of the pre- Site of the Temple?” be missed.
sentations. [Photo by Dixon Cartwright] Hawkins, who has studied theol-
This year’s presenters and topics: Robert Woodburn, Houston, Tex- “It’s not quite the same ogy for more than 50 years, has
Mark Bosserman, Fargo, N.D.: as: “The Man Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5): around here without Darlene a new edition out of his 88-page
“Only One God for 72 Hours?” Sean Finnegan, Albany, N.Y.: How Is This Man Different From All working with us,” publisher prophecy booklet, End Time:
Anthony Buzzard, Atlanta, Ga.: “The Holy Spirit and Translation Bias: Other Men?” Dixon Cartwright said. “We Where Will You Be? Dead or
“Is Christianity the Only World Re- A Smoking Gun of Trinity Mischief,” See an article based on an inter- wish her well and know she Alive? The Coming Great
ligion Which Begins by Discarding Its Parts 1 and 2. view with Mr. Westby recalling his will succeed at anything she Worldwide Holocaust: Will You
Founder’s Creed?” Ray Gebauer, Placentia, Calif.: history in the Churches of God be- wants to do.” Be Accounted Worthy to
Michel Danis, Montreal, Que., “The Dark Side of Logic.” ginning on page 1 of this issue of THE See Mrs. Warren’s last Escape?
Canada: “The God Jesus Worshiped.” Nehemia Gordon, Jerusalem, Is- JOURNAL. column on page 9 of this issue. The new edition includes
It is a reprint of her first column several pictures, most in color.
in 1999. Contact Mr. Hawkins, “an
Bye and all the best, Darlene. ordained elder and minister of

It won’t be long now: New hymnal on its way Friends to the end
VALLEY SPRINGS, Calif.—
YaHuwah and YaHushua,” at
1315 Dynamic Dr., DeSoto,
Texas 75115.
RROYO GRANDE, Calif.— Mr. Jutsum for use in WCG church able from Amazon.com for $8.99. “For over 10 years Jesus Christ

A The founder of the Continuing services, Dr. Thiel said.

Church of God (CCG), based
Since Amazon was recently selling
“Many will recall such titles . . . as used copies of the 1974 edition of the
here, announced that its new song- ‘By This Shall All Men Know,’ ‘How WCG’s hymnal for more than twice
that amount, “some looking
has used me” in writing articles in
every issue of THE JOURNAL, Alton
“Don” Billingsley wrote recently.
“Except for a small congrega-
Qualifications questioned
A JOURNAL reader recently
sent this newspaper an article by
Frank Nelte of Hideaway, Texas,
book, The Bible Hymnal,
will soon be available. for a Church of God hymnal tion in Belgium associated with about Lucifer in which Mr. Nelte
may find it a bargain,” Dr. us [the Church of God Faithful argues that Lucifer is not really a
In a press release church Flock], as far as is known I am name of Satan.
founder and pastor Bob Thiel said.
He noted that hymns by the only one of the [Church of In fact, he says, the name is a
Thiel said his church’s God] ministry who continues to “mistranslation” in the book of
book consists of all the Herbert Armstrong’s brother
Dwight reside in the public uphold all of the doctrinal teach- Isaiah and is not appropriate for
hymns that appear in the ings, including the true govern- the devil, because it means
domain, but Ross Jutsum’s
1974 edition of the hymnal hymns do not. ment of God, that Jesus Christ “Light-bringer.”
of the old Worldwide Church But the CCG has a special used Mr. [Herbert] Armstrong to Mr. Nelte’s paper inspired a
of God (WCG). arrangement with Mr. Jutsum restore within His church.” back-and-forth discussion a
As well, the new book to include his hymns in its A few ministers in the splits while back
has an additional 10 hymns Dwight Armstrong Bob Thiel Ross Jutsum new book. from the Worldwide Church of with another
composed by music man For another article about God “know better,” Mr. Billingsley Church of
Ross Jutsum of Sierra Madre, Calif. Good and How Pleasant’ and ‘It Won’t Church of God hymns, see Velvet said. “But they largely remain God writer,
The late Herbert W. Armstrong Be Long Now.’ ” Delorey’s editorial beginning on page where they are due to friend- James Malm
had long ago approved the hymns by The new book of hymns is avail- 3 of this issue of THE JOURNAL. ships, recognition, employment of Maple
and salaries.” Ridge, B.C.,
Others, he said, “do not seem Canada.
to care one way or another.” “Frank
For more of Mr. Billingsley’s Nelte’s entire

The Journal:
thoughts on the state of the argument is
Churches of God and what the nothing but
brethren need to do, see his Frank Nelte smoke and
article and open letter on pages mirrors to
14 and 15 of this issue of THE confuse and distract from the fact

Subscribe or renew! JOURNAL.

America’s and Britain’s future
that the KJV of Is[aiah] 14:12 is
based on the available Hebrew
text and not on his false Vulgate
premise!” Mr. Malm wrote.
OCEANSIDE, Calif.—Five
hundred fifty new readers Mr. Malm said he wondered,
To subscribe, simply send a check or money order. Or now you can visit the “America and Britain’s after reading what Mr. Nelte
pay with PayPal (paypal.com), Dwolla (dwolla.com) or a credit card. Future” Web site every month, wrote, if Mr. Nelte is a “Masonic
announced Brian Harris, founder Lodge member.”
(Fax 1-888-488-6603 or write [email protected].) and operator of the site. Mr. Nelte’s lengthy response to
In January 2013 the first title Mr. Malm’s response included
Be sure to check your mailing label. If you have only one or two or in his “Librarians Comment” sec- his conclusion that Mr. Malm is
“zero” issues remaining, we suggest mailing in your renewal now so tion was “Google the Origin of
Christmas,” which attracted
“totally unqualified to expound
the Scriptures.”
you don’t miss any issues of your favorite Church of God newspaper. 11,180 hits. To read the latest from Mr.
March and June were the next Nelte and Mr. Malm about
Contact THE JOURNAL best, with 8,922 and 8,305 hits, Lucifer and many other subjects,
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