Bitter Petulant Church of God Prophet Claims the Final Phase of the Work Is Here

The summer heat of California must really be zeroing in on Arroyo Grande, California this year.  More and more ludicrous things are flowing out of that city than ever before, all thanks to the official prophet of the end times, Almost arrested, but not arrested, Elijah Elisha, Amos, Habakkuk, doubly-blessed and ever so bitter, Bob Thiel.

Ever since he got a stinging rebuke and smackdown from his spiritual daddy, Rod Meredith, the bitter manchild has been working overtime trying to legitimize his bastardized version of what he imagines a  Church of God should be.

The Offical False Prophet of Africa has this to say:

The final phase of the work is continuing to move forward. More information is being put together, more people are being reached, and people are being reached in more languages.

What is the final phase of the work? How do biblical and non-biblical prophecies play a role? How will faithful Philadelphians be affected? And what is expected to be the Continuing Church of God’s (CCOG’s) part in it?

It is the highly dedicated in the real Church of God (COG) that will finish the human part of the final phase of the work before (Matthew 24:14-15) and during (Revelation 11:3-14) the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord. Presuming no significant organizational changes, for many reasons, the final phase of the work will be led by the Continuing Church of God (throughout Church of God history there have been significant organizational changes, so one must be cautious as more can happen).

Apostate Thiel was one of those "organizational changed" that happened when he lied that Gaylyn Bonjour doubly blessed him so he could start a new Philadelphian work.

This petulant man/boy believes that he and he alone truly understands how prophecy will be happening in the church. Elisha Thiel believes that of all the Church of God's out there today, no one has the sure word of prophecy nor the true understanding like he does.  In fact, all the COG's are so ignorant about prophecy that they will not know when the tribulation is beginning.

This final phase of the work seemingly will consist of identifying what is happening in the world (specifically also in Europe, the Middle East, and the Anglo-descended nations), preaching what Jesus commissioned in Matthew 28:19-20 around the world, finishing the proclamation of Christ’s gospel of the kingdom as a witness along with persecution (Matthew 24:9-14), the rise and work of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:2-12; which will likely overlap a few days with Matthew 24:14), the likely assistance to the two witnesses by the scattered flock (Revelation 20:4; cf. Luke 9:2-6), the three angel’s messages (Revelation 14:8-11; plus other angelic interventions), and the witness of those persecuted and martyred for Jesus (cf. Revelation 17:6). And then Jesus will return and establish the Kingdom of God.

Elisha Thiel has not preached any message around the world that has made an impact or has preached anything about the message of Jesus.  World leaders and nations have no idea who Elisha Thiel is, nor do they care.  If he can't appeal to the Church of God base then what hope does he have to witness to the world?

It should be clear to those who truly understand the warnings in the Bible that the final phase of the work for God’s people will also specifically involve dealing with the ecumenical religion that will rise up (cf. Daniel 11:36-38; Revelation 13:4,8; 14:8-13; Matthew 24:14-15) with signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) fulfilling Satan’s plan, while enduring the Beast power who will take steps to eliminate the faithful (Revelation 13:7,13-17; 14:12-13; Daniel 7:21,25).

The only "signs and lying wonders" I have seen has come directly out of Arroyo Grande!

Even though the message of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is virtually unknown to 99.999% of humanity, the petulant man/boy believes he will be killed for his message.

Being killed as the result of persecution is seemingly also part of the final phase of the work that some of God’s people will endure: 

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:12-13; cf. 6:11)

Now notice who Elisha Thiel looks to for his prophecies:

Having looked over a variety of Roman and Byzantine Catholic private prophecies, I would suggest that Satan’s planning has not always been completely in secret and that such private prophecies will be cited as “justification” for some of the coming persecutions.

Anyone can read the ancient myths and prophecies uttered by the Mayans and Catholics and read into them anything they imagine.  Even so, it does not make them true.

In order to fulfill Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20, personal visits, printed literature, and electronic media are key. In 2017, I both visited with leaders from seven countries in Africa, as well as established the website CCOGAFRICA.ORG, and went to New Zealand. In 2018, I also visited CCOG members in Europe and the USA, and wrote more booklets than in any other previous year. Evangelist Evans Ochieng has been visiting people in various parts of Africa as well and plans even more visits.

Notice the clever deception he used above:  "I both visited with leaders from seven countries in Africa..." One would assume that Elisha Thiel is mimicking Herbert Armstrong who actually visited REAL world leaders and political despots. Has Elisha Thiel done any such thing? NO! The only leaders he has visited is the representatives of various COG groups who decided that they saw a free cash cow coming their way and maybe with a local Chieftain that he needed to work through in order to build a structure for one of his African groups or to provide plots of land in order to plant seeds. Oh, and Elisha Thiel visited some of his members in Africa which apparently is another sign of a true prophet. And don't forget those booklets! Elisha Thiel has also written booklets in the last` year! Both Gerald Flurry and Dave Pack have written more than Elisha Thiel has and yet they are no more prophets than he is.

Then, as usual, the bitterness that still consumes Elisha Thiel's brain about when Rod Meredith rejected him and his foolish rantings is still a bitter pill to swallow. After years of stroking Elisha Thiel's back and patting his head like a poor little stepchild, Meredith thrust his knife in and eliminated all doubt that he thought Thiel to be a fraud. Living Church of God ministers, members and leaders swiftly discarded Thiel to the sidelines. Never has a splinter group like the improperly named "continuing" Church of God been ridiculed more than Thiel's.

About a decade ago, the late evangelist R.C. Meredith and I were talking and he agreed with various points I was raising about the end time work. And back then, I was able to help lead him to essentially state that in the end it would not mainly be the message of the COG vs. the Protestants, but it would be the COG basically vs. the ecumenical religion that will rise up in the end that will likely (for a while) refer to itself as “Catholic.” In 2005, during the Feast of Tabernacles in Clearwater Beach, after a private lunch, we and our wives met at his hotel room and I also discussed various aspects of the final phase of the work with him–and I had other meetings, discussions, and emails related to that with the other Charlotte evangelists through December 14, 2012. Yet, even though he and others in his church agreed to take many steps related to the final phase of the work, few, if any, of the promised steps were taken by his group–this is a major part of why the Continuing Church of God needed to form.

Interestingly, in December 2015, Dr. Meredith lamented the slow growth in his church. He said that 30% should be attained, but he hoped for at last 15% growth per year–something his church does not attain. Consider that the Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing COG since its formation in late 2012. On a compounded basis, it has exceeded the 30% growth in both membership and income since it formed in late 2012. Even exceeding the percentage the late Herbert W. Armstrong often pointed to as a proof of a blessing from God. While our growth rate will fluctuate, the Continuing Church of God is the only one of the ten largest COGs whose leaders had origins in the old Worldwide Church of God to do so. Currently, we have over 3,000 people with us. The Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing COG in the 21st century.

Herbert Armstrong lied about church growth and income levels, just like Rod Meredith twisted those figures around. Numbers and rapid growth do not make a "true" church! The LDS church is drawing in huge numbers which no more makes them a true church than Thiel's.

If one wants to compare Sabbatarian groups, then the Church of God 7th day has been showing steady growth for years now, much better than ANY Armstrongite COG out there. These people are certainly BETTER Christians than you will find in many COG's!

The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed more powerfully to the world as a witness and the end will come (Matthew 24:14). We in the CCOG are reaching people in over 220 countries and territories and expect to continue to lead the humanly-involved portion of that, and certain other aspects, of the final phase of the work.

Elisha Thiel really needs to stop trotting out how many nations he has reached. Web trackers do only that, someone clicked on a link to his site. If he wants to be truly picky, he has to admit that the Gospel of Banned by HWA has also reached 220 different nations through this blog!

The amazing work of Banned is going forth into all the world!

It is possible that this short work will temporarily swell the ranks of the Church of God (including some Philadelphians, but perhaps with many Laodiceans and many others not truly faithful—many may well fall away—though some of the first will be last and the last first, cf. Mark 10:31). Some will be faithful and bear fruit, while many others may leave (cf. Matthew 13:18 -23; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) once the persecuting tribulation that seems prophesied to occur prior to the Great Tribulation hits (cf. Matthew 24:9-10;21). Then the end will come.

Elisha Thiel fantasizes that the worldwide media will soon discover his forceful message and start attacking him. He imagines himself being ridiculed! Shocking! WHY would anyone ever do that??????

Partially because of the message of the COG, the people of the holy covenant will enrage the upcoming prince/king of the North (Daniel 11:28-30). One or more associated with the Continuing Church of God will be identifying that the European “prince” (Daniel 9:26-27) who is rising up to become a king, will not be able to truly bring peace.

The coverage by the worldwide media will thrust Elisha Thiel into the forefront of the news because of his message, thus guaranteeing billions will hear his message.

Media coverage would then be expected to cover more of the COG message and this may be associated with the “short work” of Romans 9:28. Since the true COG is so small, it is highly likely that it getting significant media coverage will help fulfill Matthew 24:14. Some of the Philadelphia remnant will be explaining that it is Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God and not the rise of a militaristic leader that the world needs. According to Daniel 11:32 it is “the people who know their God [that] shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Hundreds of millions, if not billions, will receive at least a partial witness.