Thursday, October 16, 2025

The Sea Peoples and British-Israelism: The Presence of Europeans in Bronze Age Palestine

 

A Temple Relief Depicting the Egyptians at War with the Sea Peoples under Ramesses III

The Sea Peoples and British-Israelism

The Presence of Europeans in Bronze Age Palestine

By Scout

"At this time the island of Britain was called Albion.  It was uninhabited except for a few giants.”

– Geoffrey Monmouth, The History of the Kings of Britain

 

I saw a giant at the grocery store few weeks ago.  He wasn’t just tall and fragile-looking like some giants with endocrine problems.  He was tall and also robust.  I would say he was about 6’8”.  He was broad-shouldered and looked athletic. My guess is that he weighed one hundred pounds more than me.  I’m a little over six foot and weigh about 190. But I felt quite small. Seeing someone so large did not disrupt my shopping although his size gave me momentary pause.  When I see big people, I just wonder where they get their clothes.  I worked with a huge Irish guy one time.  He wore a size 17 shoe.  Where does one even find something like that?  That brings me to Goliath the Philistine.  

Archaeogenetics has established that there were people in Palestine during the late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age with the same population genetics as Europeans.  But they were not of the tribe of Ephraim.  Nor were they of the tribe of Manasseh.  They came from a non-Israelite population and their history should be interesting to anyone who is seriously considering the idea of British-Israelism.  Goliath is a part of that consideration. 

The Sea Peoples and the Philistines

The Sea Peoples were a diverse coalition of people who originated in Southern Europe and West Asia.  They fought against and plundered various cities in the eastern Mediterranean.  Ramesses III of Egypt repelled a massive invasion of these people during his reign. Ramesses III defeated these seafaring invaders and transplanted some of them to southern Canaan. The Egyptians recorded that among this diverse group of invaders were the Peleset or the Philistines.  Other historical evidence indicates that the Philistines came out of the Greek sphere and originated around the Aegean Sea and settled around 1175 BC in Canaan.

The Table of the Clans of Noah in Genesis 10 indicates that the Philistines were Hamitic descendants of Mizraim, another name for the Egyptians.   It is entirely plausible that the Sea Peoples, a motley group, could have included these descendants of Adam living in Greece and came to have their name.  The precise relationship between the Genesis 10 Philistines, the Sea Peoples and the Europeans is a little vague working from historical references alone.  Genetics does much to clarify this.

The Archaeogenetics of the Philistines in Brief

Archaeogeneticist Michal Feldman, in conjunction with the Max Planck Institute, analyzed the genetics of 10 individuals who were excavated in the Philistine city of Ashkelon.  The burials date from the Early Iron Age, the 12th Century BCE, a little earlier than the time of David who lived in the 11th Century BCE.  She found four infants whose genetics indicated a Southern European ancestry.  A Southern European origin for the Philistines is supported by language studies and pottery types.  The Philistines are associated with the Aegean and in particular the island of Crete.  Crete is thought to be the Caphtor which is mentioned in the tribal name Caphtorim in Genesis 10.  Further research indicates that over time these early Europeans were absorbed into the Levantine population.

One of the excavated infants, labelled ASH067, was haplogroup R.  This connects these people to the Pontic Steppe Pastoralists who occupied most of Europe.  The haplogroup could not be fully sequenced, though markers were identified, so we do not know if it is haplogroup R1b or R1a, respectively corresponding to western Europe and eastern Europe. It is likely that it is R1b because that population existed in the Aegean region.  This drives the conclusion, then, that there were Europeans among the mixed population of the Philistines in ancient Palestine. I think that Goliath was one of them.  

Goliath the European Giant – Maybe

Goliath was a big guy.  But he was not so big that David could not comfortably use his sword (1 Samuel 21:9).  My conjecture is that he was a big European – maybe standing at 6’ 8”.   The Jews in the time of Christ were on average around 5’ 1” and weighed about 110 pounds.  My guess is that the earlier Israelites in the time of David were about that same size.  Europeans are a larger people and a big western European would seem like a terrifying giant on the battlefield to the Israelites back then.  It’s the case of a guy wearing a size 7 shoe meeting in bellicosity a guy wearing a size 17 shoe in low tech, sword against sword circumstances. 

There are, of course, other theories.  Malcolm Gladwell made a persuasive argument that Goliath suffered from acromegaly.  And there is a possible Biblical connection between Goliath and the sons of Anak who were supposed to be giants.  I think the Anakim were big people at one time but I also think that the expression “sons of Anak,” referring to large people, entered the Hebrew language as a figure of speech later.  There is also a possibility that he was descended from the Rephaim, another Biblical race of giants. The Talmud asserts that Goliath was descended from a sister of Ruth named Orpah.  Further, Ruth and Orpah were both daughters of Moabite King Eglon. And Orpah may have been the mother of other Philistine giants who lived in the city of Gath.  The connection between Ruth and Orpah would make David and Goliath distant cousins.  Theories abound.  One thing that is not theory is the genetic evidence that there were Europeans at one time among the Philistines.

A Challenge to Armstrongists with Money for Archaeology

R1b-M269 is the haplogroup of the British and other Northwest Europeans. This subclade of haplogroup R originated about 13,000 YA in Eastern Europe.  If the R1 haplogroup associated with ASH067 in Ashkelon is actually R1b-M269 then it is the earliest occurrence of this haplogroup in ancient Palestine.  It places people of European descent in the camp of the enemies of Israel (Might this not have some prophetic significance?).  But further, it is a singular occurrence and does not reflect a high-density population in ancient Palestine of R1b-M269.  Yet, if G.G. Rupert and HWA are right, British-Israelism would predict that the excavated burials of ancient Palestine should contain R1b-M269 at high density. 

Instead of funding the excavation of the City of David or other similar projects, would it not be more valuable to fund excavation that might establish that this high-density population of R1b-M269 at one time existed in ancient Palestine in the area of the thirteen tribes? Imagine the headlines.  “Ancient Israel is the Home of the Western European People Based on New DNA Findings.”  Think of what a boost that would be to the End-time Work. HWA’s key to prophecy would be underpinned by the best archaeology and technology available to us.  If one is confident about British-Israelism, this challenge could be easily and elegantly met and would be well worth the effort.

The Outcome 

Up to this point, the presence of Europeans in late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Palestine as indicated by archaeogenetics is problematical for British-Israelism.  The finds at Ashkelon indicate that the early Europeans were not Israelites but were among the Philistine enemies of Israel during the time of the Judges and David.  It is true the sample size in small, but I expect more and more data will surface.  Perhaps, Goliath himself was a big Western European.  That Goliath was related to the British and other western Europeans is a much more plausible hypothesis, based on credible scientific evidence, than the idea that the British are descended from Israel. 

Reference

This link contains links to other articles: New DNA Study Suggests Philistines Came from Crete

 

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Deni Azeredo Interview: Exposing the Upper Echelons of the WCG:

 


Join us for a revealing interview with Deni Azeredo, a Brazilian American who now resides in Brazil. Deni's unique perspective as someone who grew up in the Worldwide Church of God offers an inside look at the intricate and often perilous dynamics of this high-control group. 

Deni's father worked at the church headquarters in Pasadena as a groundskeeper and Portuguese translator, placing their family in close proximity to the church's leadership. Deni attended the prestigious Imperial Schools and was one of the 'Little Ambassadors,' performing with children from around the globe to bolster the church’s image. 

In this episode, Deni shares his firsthand experiences navigating the upper echelons of the cult, detailing the backbiting and dangerous political games among the leaders. He provides an intimate look at the controlling world of Herbert W. Armstrong, shedding light on the complex power dynamics and the constant maneuvering for favor and position within the church's hierarchy. 

Beyond his childhood and adolescent years, Deni also recounts his time in the military, including his service in Iraq, offering a comprehensive view of his journey from a child within a powerful cult to a seasoned veteran. 

Don't miss this in-depth exploration of life inside the Worldwide Church of God and the personal journey of someone who lived through its inner workings. Like, comment, and subscribe for more eye-opening interviews and discussions.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Why do so many in the COG need an angry Christ to return?




For decades, far too many in the COG movement have verbally voiced their opinion that they need an angry image of Jesus returning with a rod of iron in his balled-up fist, ready to smash the world to smithereens. 

Many a sermon has been heard by countless ministers expressing their desire to see this happen. They have gone too long doing what was right in God's eyes and still suffering as they watch those around them receiving all kinds of good things. It's not right, and their god is ready to wreak havoc. They need the world to be spanked with a rod of iron. Rod Meredith was particularly fond of this, and thus today, Bwana Bob Thiel, his apostate protege, also needs his god to be angry.

I saved the following quote from some COG site a while back that expresses this same desire today. They were ticked off at an article in Beyond Today, a cheap version of Tomorrow's World. How dare Jesus return and deal gracefully with those in the world! How dare he!


Not sure I agree with their statement that the Government of God won't be controlling....Christ is going to rule with a rod of iron, any who rebel will suffer no rain. Sounds pretty controlling to me....as it should be. I'm afraid many in God's Church have forgotten a lot of doctrine.

They were offended at this article:



Eg point 3 on page 11 "It will be a government that leads the people without being controlling or abusive"; point 7 on page 13 "Perfect justice will be administered"; "Civil Disagreement" on page 29.




Sunday, October 12, 2025

Crackpot Prophet: Publishes List Of His Books That WIll Be Used By God To Train People In The Kingdom



After having one of his simpering acolytes drone on about humility at the Feast—because nothing screams "humble" like a scripted sermon using Bwana Bob's own words—God's self-proclaimed greatest gift to the entire universe boldly declared that his books are so mind-blowingly essential that they'll be the go-to textbooks in the Kingdom of God to enlighten the clueless masses with "the truth." Oh, please, spare us the divine ego trip.

One thing's crystal clear about the god of Armstrongism: it has to be the most impotent figment of imagination ever concocted. Out of centuries of actual devout Christians and martyrs who, you know, suffered and died for their faith, not a single one is deemed worthy to ascend to godhood like the oh-so-special Armstrongites will. Nope, they won't even get a cameo in teaching duties in the kingdom— that's reserved exclusively for Church of God elites. Only the devoted disciples of Herbert Armstrong get that golden ticket. How utterly, profoundly stupid could we have been to swallow this steaming pile of nonsense?

Seriously, why do these Armstrongite leaders strut around like their words are pure gold, destined for eternal posterity? Who in their right mind—or any mind at all—in the kingdom of God would waste a single second flipping through gems like The Missing Dimension in Sex, The US and BC in Prophecy, Mystery of the Ages, Malachi's Message, or whatever drivel Bwana Bob spews from his pulpit or scribbles down? None of this garbage will have even a shred of relevance in the Kingdom—it's like bringing a flip phone to a quantum computer convention.

No one will bother cracking open The Gospel of the Kingdom of God when they're literally lounging in the presence of the gospel message incarnate. Who needs a dusty old book when you've got the real deal? Groundbreaking insight, right?

And, who on earth—or in heaven—needs an Armstrongite tome on salvation when everyone's already living it out in technicolor perfection? The sheer asshattery of it all is beyond appalling—it's a masterclass in delusion!

Not a single soul will give two hoots about 21st-century Islamic and Biblical prophecies once they're all ancient history, wrapped up and filed under "been there, done that." Shocking, I know.

And the absolute crowning turd in this punchbowl? There's not one single human who's ever breathed air, or ever will, who needs to clutter their brain with the "history" of the laughably misnamed Continuing Church of God! Hell, even today's Christians couldn't care less, except maybe to note how it's bloated with so many bald-faced lies and batshit claims that it has all the credibility of a flat-earth convention.

Anyway, picture this: your long-lost relatives, chilling by the waters of Babylon, picnicking in the Herbert W Armstrong Park in the New Jerusalem,  or having a bite to eat at the Great Bwana Mall, will be there eagerly devouring these "masterpieces." Yeah, because that's exactly how eternity rolls—endless book club sessions on outdated cult fiction. What a paradise!


While we have many, the following look to be particularly applicable to the ‘instruct many’ prophecy related to predominantly Philadelphian Christians: 
 
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God The Beast power will be promising a humanitarian utopia that he will not truly be able to deliver. Philadelphian Christians who understand the gospel of the kingdom will be able to better explain why God’s kingdom is the answer. This booklet is available in hundreds of languages. 
 
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This book answers some of the basic questions about the human life and what God’s purpose is. 
 
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Most in the world do not understand the plan a loving God truly has for humanity. 
 
Continuing History of the Church of God This is a short overview of church history and shows that it was the Church of God in Asia Minor and Antioch that stood up against many of the early heretics and that the beliefs of the early Christians are best held by the Continuing Church of God. 
 
Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? The end time Beast power will feign support of a religion that will be considered as ‘catholic.’ Since the Church of Rome claims it gave the world the Bible, it says it alone has the right to interpret it. This book helps explain where the Bible came from, what the correct books are, what the best manuscripts are, and the fact that it was the Church of God who maintained the chain of custody of the books–not the Vatican or the other Greco-Roman faiths. 
 
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century There are reportedly over 2 billion Muslims. Can you possibly help instruct them about God’s plan for them? 
 
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The true Church of God is NOT Protestant. This book gives extensive details as to why that is so. Plus goes in depth to explain to Protestant and others that it is the Continuing Church of God, and not the Greco-Roman faiths, that best practices sola Scriptura. 
 
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church While the Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholic churches believe they have the original faith and that is backed up by the writings of those they call the “early fathers,” the reality is that they have deviated from the Bible and early Christian leaders–most of which they call ‘saints’ on many serious and core doctrines. The information in this book is well expected to “instruct many” in the time of the end. 
 
Now that does not mean our other books and booklets are not important to know–and they can also be referred to–and all are found at the following link: CCOG Free Books and Booklets. 
 
Non-Philadelphians will not know enough to instruct many in this age. Oh yes, they will teach people during the millennium. But, the lack of knowledge of church history, development of heresies, and proper prophetic understanding will prevent most non-Philadelphians from fulfilling the “instruct many” prophecy in Daniel 11:32. 
 
Because some of what people in the world will be interested in will be a bit historical, and to them unique, the listed books were written. These books are part of the CCOG preparation for the short work. 
 
If YOU are willing to be used by God and will support the true Philadelphian remnant leader, God may well have YOU instruct many. Either directly, or at least, indirectly.