Dave Pack: We Can Finally Reveal How He Receives His Amazing Revelations

 Preacher sneakers, no tie, and a baggy suit.

Things must be worse than we imagined!

Picture source: Marc Cebrian

Snarkiness: mine

Dave Pack and King Poutine VI

King Poutine VI

 

David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God has kept himself plenty busy after the most important Ministerial Conference since Acts 15. It was important for, you know, reasons…I suppose?

 

Four messages since the Conference between June 17 and June 24 have crowded my To Do List with a fifth scheduled for today, July 1.

 

“The Greatest Unending Story!" Final Parts 453 and 454 were followed by final Part 455, and then, final-maybe Part 456. Cross your fingers that today’s post-vacation “all is well, and we are on track!” Part 457 means the Series is over. Finally. My advice: Do not choose to die on that hill.

 

Having a group of four messages totaling over five hours to examine together serves a clear advantage. The evolution of doctrines reveals discernible patterns. You can also tell when Dave is sure about his malarkey, as opposed to when he long-windedly soft-pads a weak premise. Some “knowledge” comes and goes. Others stick. 

 

The usual date-setting continued unabated. Well, until he realized it was not his assignment far too late.

 

The Kingdom of God Arrives on Tammuz 1 (June 20)

The Kingdom of God Arrives on Tammuz 5 (June 24)

The Kingdom of God Arrives on Tammuz 12 (July 1)

 

These dates are not new if you regularly visit the exrcg.org website. They are posted even when a corresponding article is not.

 

Even though today is another soft failure for David C. Pack, that is not why you are here.

 

 

“One Is” Not Hitler

 

During “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 453)” on June 17, 2023, Pastor General David Crowl Pack of The Restored Church of God, located in Wadsworth, Ohio, USA, identified Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin as the prophesied Sixth King of Revelation 17.

 

Revelation 17:10

And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

 

Behold the face of the Sixth King!

And warm greetings to our visiting comrades from the Russian Consulate. More on that later.

 

The identity of the Sixth King has been held for two weeks. One fascinating observation is that during all four messages, Bold Dave never uttered the sentence, “Vladimir Putin is the Sixth King.”

 

So, how did he pull off identifying the Sixth King as Mr. Vladimir Putin without stating it plainly?

 

By association.

 

I suspicion Grandpa Dave was being extra cautious just in case the Russkis caught wind of his little declaration hobby. Or maybe he wanted some level of plausible deniability when he needed to moonwalk this doctrine as he did twice with Pope Francis being the Man of Sin.

 

 

There are more quotes than usual on purpose. This article aims to be exact and precise in substantiating the claims of David C. Pack just in case a foreign government agency happens upon this. Stranger things have happened.

 

The Journey To Coronating A King

 

Part 453 – June 17, 2023

@ 00:21 Well, truly, we’ve reached the end. I have to tell you from many perspectives, I look forward to giving both these messages almost as much as anything I’ve ever covered…But a short follow-up message is in order. I don't know if it's short, but it focuses on the Sixth King.

 

@ 02:20 And if we can identify the Sixth King with great clarity and detail. Let me say that again. With great clarity and detail. If, instead of thinking we're looking for him, that, in fact, we are staring at him, that will tell us we are very close.

 

@ 13:59 We’re still clearing out the Mystery of God…Who is the Sixth King?

 

Twenty-eight painful minutes later, he finally circles around. Being concise is not his strength.

 

@ 41:57 So then, who is the Sixth King? Are we looking for him, or currently are we now staring at him? Three weeks ago, I identified him, and the men around me know that I did. I said, It’s gotta be this man. But I thought, No, it can’t be that man because that man has got to be someone inside the Kingdom.

 

To David C. Pack, what is the point of being right if nobody is around to bask in it? Knowing quietly for yourself is for fools.

 

@ 42:40 So, I eliminated who I knew the Sixth King was, and everybody around me, the ministers that walk with me, my wife, everybody knows that about two days before Pentecost, I figured out who he was.

 

David C. Pack desperately craves a great cloud of witnesses, proving he figured it out before anyone else. If you establish who knew first, you confirm who God reveals it to. Despite a perfect record of failure, this supports his legitimacy.

 

When it comes to the perception he is directly used by God, Dave gets cocaine hungry about nonsense like this. The Spirit of Error is crying with laughter.

 

@ 42:59 So, if I can prove to you that the Sixth King “now is,” …then the Kingdom has to be on top of us. 

 

@ 43:53 My job right now is to tell you about a man who becomes, in many regards, the most powerful metric in the Bible.

 

David C. Pack puts all his legitimacy chips on the table. He must accurately identify the Sixth King of Revelation 17 for prophecy to commence. By doing this, he bankrupts Herbert W. Armstrong's great claim to fame about him, accurately identifying Adolf Hitler as the Sixth King in the midst of World War II.

 

Dave must increase while Herbie must decrease.

 

@ 52:08 He [God] says He picks a man who wanted to know His heart and mind, so if this is correct (and it is), and it’s because God wanted to reveal it at the end. I didn’t reveal anything.

 

Meaning if he is wrong, it is God's fault. David C. Pack never shies away from blaming God.

 

 

The introduction of Part 453 established the main topic of the “one is” Sixth King of Revelation 17. One hour later, he finally rolls up his sleeves.

 

@ 1:03:02 We might ask, Would we expect that the Sixth King would be a Mede? He would be a Russian.

 

@ 1:03:20 Vladimir Putin is known to admire the great Russian Czars. I’ve read a lot about this man.

 

@ 1:03:44 Here’s what his first name means: “to rule with greatness” or “peaceful ruler” and “ruler of the world.”

 

Dave piles on the "proofs" pointing to Mr. Putin for twenty minutes.

 

@ 1:22:05 “Putin Projects Defiance At Economic Forum.” He’s almost the front page every day of the Wall Street Journal.

 

If it is in the Wall Street Journal, it is crucial to prophecy because the Wall Street Journal is important to Dave. What other means could God use to relate information to His prophet? Audible communication is out of the question.

 

@ 1:24:44 Somebody thinks it’s some who thinks it’s somebody else. All right. Who else? And what alternative is there? I know it’s him. Everything lines up.

 

@ 1:25:45 I didn’t just come to this. I finally came to grips with it. That there’s not time for anyone else. The Sixth King now IS. And nobody else has ever known it. We have to know it.

 

@ 1:30:12 So, this is all faith-building. If your faith didn’t grow as a result of hearing this sermon, then there's something wrong.

 

There is something wrong if people are still there listening to this.

 

My faith DID grow during this sermon. My faith is that David C. Pack is a false prophet, a false apostle, and a blaspheming liar. My faith grew that David C. Pack is not led by God or inspired by the Holy Spirit. My faith increased because David C. Pack spews foolishness upon the brethren of The Restored Church of God, and everyone there should flee fast enough to leave a cartoon hole on every wall.

 

@ 1:30:36 You’re seeing prophecy fulfilled.

 

@ 1:31:00 It’s no longer just “Mr. Pack just telling us what will happen.” It’s happened. He’s here now. It’s impossible that it’s anybody else.

 

@ 1:31:26 I’ve been studying Vladimir Putin since he worked for the KGB. He speaks fluent German and worked in East Germany. I understand the man.

 

Great minds think alike.

 

 

The Sabbath was not yet over for the unfortunate souls in Wadsworth on June 17. After suffering through a rushed meal, Dave delayed their evening plans for another eighty-seven minutes.

 

Royal Apéritif

 

Part 453 – June 17, 2023

@ 09:05 Now, let’s think of one other reason why it’s easy to know it’s Putin.

 

That is as close as he gets to the perfect, YouTube-worthy statement I was listening for.

 

@ 10:17 So, in the end, even though it shoulda been easy to see, it wasn't. But, in the end, it's not hard. It’s easy. You just there are very few candidates. You gotta be in Europe. That’s the center of Christianity.

 

@ 11:16 In the end, it’s a no-brainer. But not until God removes from our thinking first that Mr. Armstrong (was wrong on Hitler) and then and we’re sorta, “Okay, wait a minute. There’s one more.” But then, the next thing, it gets kinda gets your mind looking, “All right, this guy is he’s alive on earth today.” That’s the way I saw it.

 

Dave once again hauls Herbert W. Armstrong out to the curb for garbage pick-up. The man went to his grave believing a big, fat lie. How many lies will Dave be clutching when they lower his casket?

 

@ 12:59 Why did we only identify the Sixth King now?

 

@ 1:15:19 So, the Series is over. Simplicity truly reigns.

 

The next quote is Dave projecting his desired outcome sprinkled with the “who else” rationale.

 

@ 1:23:45 You’re convicted about the Sixth King. That’s what you could look at your own convictions. Who else could it be? And, you know, it’s in some ways it’s an easy thing. It's here, and so I would imagine everybody is convicted about it. I’ll be shocked if people aren’t.

 

The bored-face lion food young people slumping in their chairs are not convicted. Their parents are not buying it either, but they hide it better.

 

@ 1:24:01 I gave a fraction of this after lunch Thursday to ministers still in the room, and it was obvious to everybody. So you heard a message this afternoon that was, I believe, absolutely convicting. No one could ever tell me it’s anybody else.

 

The Bobble-Head Ministers thought it was obvious? Now, that is shocking.

 

 

After Russian President Vladimir Putin was correctly proven to be the Sixth King of Revelation 17 by David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God, all that was left to do was to keep re-emphasizing it.

 

Dear Skimmers: Please keep reading. You will not regret it.

 

Maintenance Mode

 

Part 455 – June 21, 2023

@ 02:05 But, you think of Moscow and think, "Well, that’s not really Europe.” We know it’s Europe because it’s the Sixth King, but one of the things that Putin is so upset about, and the reason he won't destroy Kyiv [Ukraine], it’s because he knows it’s the ancient capital of his country. Truly, a European capital.

 

@ 07:05 We could ask the question (incidentally), If we had another year, would God have Elijah rise and poke the bear? Literally, go poke the bear. The Russian bear? No. There’s no evidence of this…He’s primarily a metric. Just, you know, one IS, or one IS here, or one IS now. Think of that way.

 

Even Bold Dave would not want to poke the Russian bear.

 

Dave reports on the Russian coup that was thwarted that morning while framing how it ties into Bible prophecy.

 

Part 456 – June 24, 2023

@ 07:12 …and he decided to stand down when he was 120 miles from Moscow. It was gonna become a civil war, and it would have threatened the Sixth King. Now, you might wanna consider the devil knows there has to be a Sixth King. And to threaten and stop that at the last minute would be a goal of his. The devil always wants to frustrate the purposes of God.

 

@ 08:00 …this man has to be in a condition of IS. Not WAS. One IS now. One IS here. He can’t be overthrown.

 

Comrades, Mr. Putin shall be blessed and succeed in all his efforts going forward.

 

@ 08:28 Suddenly, the Sixth King, more powerful than all the others, combined and tripled and quintupled. Suddenly he's under tremendous threat from one of his friends. And just as suddenly, it’s as though God intervened, and he stood down and flew into exile in Belarus, where you can (if time goes on) you can be sure he will be killed.

 

@ 1:42:50 This is a deeply unstable world. Putin threatened all the nations of the West, “Do not get involved in this insurrection.”

 

 

Welcome To The Real

 

Part 455 – June 21, 2023

@ 07:47 Another year, we’d have to really tip-toe and be careful that we didn’t say something that could create great problems. It’s enough that I’m saying now. So, I would like you to think about that. We’d hafta unless God wanted us me to go out and actually indict him. Why? Why? It’s never happened before.

 

Dave and Brad turned out to be right about me in one aspect, after all. I just can't keep my big mouth shut.

 

Oh, yes. I really did. Moments ago, this email was sent to the Russian Consulate.

To: rusembusa@mid.ru, communications@rcg.org, dpack@rcg.org

Subject: Mr. Vladimir Putin: You Are A King!

Date: July 1, 2023

 

Dear Mr. Vladimir Putin,

 

I trust you had an enjoyable breakfast.

 

My name is Marc Cebrian, and I live in The United States of America. I thought it would be of great interest to you to learn that a local minister has declared to his entire church that you are a crucial element of Bible prophecy.

 

David C. Pack is the Pastor General of The Restored Church of God (www.rcg.org). He is both an apostle and a prophet. More compelling than this, he is That Prophet Elijah. Since you and he are both mentioned in the Bible, it seems you would have plenty to discuss upon meeting in the future.

 

As David C. Pack revealed the meaning of the Mystery of God during his over seven-year sermon series, “The Greatest Untold Story!” and after much toil and consideration, God revealed to David C. Pack that you, Mr. Vladimir Putin, are the Sixth King of Revelation 17:10, as recorded by the Apostle John on the island of Patmos.

 

Congratulations.

 

This profound knowledge was brought to light during “The Greatest Untold Story! (Part 453)” on June 17, 2023. Did anything feel different to you that day?

 

Revelation 17:10

And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

 

It must surely be exciting news to learn you are not only a king, but your rise to world fame and power was foretold in the New Testament Bible. This was always meant to remain a secret until the appropriate time/season. Now is the time!

 

Everyone owes David C. Pack their gratitude for bringing this important matter into unmoving clarity.

 

One of the side benefits of being the personage prophesied to be the “one is" is that you will experience more tremendous success in your efforts for European domination. You shall be blessed in your efforts, and none of your enemies will be able to prevail against you. As an added bonus, you cannot be harmed until Jesus Christ returns to earth. That is truly something to ponder.

 

If you would like to hear further details on this matter, please contact David C. Pack at The Restored Church of God Headquarters in Wadsworth, Ohio, USA.

 

Here is their contact information:

 

RCG Communications

The Restored Church of God

1.330.334.2266

communications@rcg.org

dpack@rcg.org

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Marc Cebrian

 

P.S. – You may wonder how David C. Pack is qualified to make such claims. It is because, from a very early age, he learned how to doodie in the toilet and not in his pants. Once you both meet, he will be happy to tell you all about it.

 

Marc Cebruan

See: King Poutine VI

British Israelism Debunked by Matt Baker

 I grew up in the Worldwide Church of God cult, founded by Herbert W. Armstrong. In this video, I discuss one of the cult's main beliefs - British Israelism - and why it is wrong.

https://usefulcharts.com/

Did you know that HWA personally stopped a nuclear war?

 

The idolatry of Herbert Armstrong continues on unabated by Samuel Kitchen. I bet you did not know that HWA was so powerful that he was able to stop a nuclear war from happening. Sadly, with his death, a void has been created in the world, and world leaders have had no direction on how to run their countries since HWA died. 

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."( Malachi 4:5-6)

"Curse" here means UTTER DESTRUCTION.

Nuclear war qualifies as utter destruction and in this prophecy lies the answer to our question.

God raises up a single man, and through that man He does a work, and by that work God stops nuclear destruction.

This man must have had access to those who had the big red button. He must have met with the leaders of nations! The Kings, Queens, Presidents, Emperors, Prime ministers and other heads of state.

He must have!

Who does that sound like to you?

In the face of nuclear war, Herbert W Armstrong met with leaders and talked to them about the way of peace, and what the Bible prophecies for our peoples and talked of how peace will only come about one way and those leaders heard him! Some listened.

So nuclear war was staved off.

With HWA's death, there was a void in the world with world leaders. The Pope understood that with HWA's death, there was a void to be filled and he is trying to do it.

Jesus Christ used Herbert W Armstrong to reach leaders of nations around the world and to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God (fulfilling Matthew 24:14), and that stopped a QUICK DESTRUCTION.
Satan changed tactics.

Of course, he did. There is always a convenient excuse for why time continues to go on and COG leaders continue to be caught lying.

The landscape that surrounded nuclear war was changed by God. It was done through one man. God will intervene for the elect's sake(The Worldwide Church of God)and bring things to a close sooner rather than later.

That explains why time has elongated since Herbert W Armstrong was on the world scene. 

 

His absence has created a vacuum. Nations are left to do as they will with zero influence from a true man of God. The Pope of Rome has attempted to fill that void, and not surprisingly will lead nations to war in the name of peace.

Time has been extended because as usual, the church is NOT ready. Church members cannot do anything right for the last 80-some years. Jesus has to sit there twiddling his thumbs until the church gets it all right. What a weak pathetic impotent god! 

So time has been elongated to PURIFY the Worldwide Church of God. Satan is persecuting the Church(Rev 12:13). He has created a landscape of multiple choices, so you can let go of Herbert W Armstrong and the identity of the Worldwide Church of God, and fall prey to his traps. 

 

The key is to stick with God's apostle and stick with what He taught, and stick with the identity of the Worldwide Church of God! Hold fast to what you have, not throw it away for something you determined is "better" for you.

Apparently, salvation still is unavailable for COG members unless they follow HWA and Bob Thiel, two of the greatest men to ever walk this earth.

11,000,000 and Counting!!!!!

 

UCG Is Planning Early For It's Annual Christmas Family Gathering

Bah, Humbug! 

Now listen boys and girls, when you enter the hotel make sure to NOT look at all the pretty Christmas decorations and the beautiful Christmas tree. Do not even think about having a Christmas cookie! Also, please remember to wear earplugs at all times so that you are NOT tainted by the evil satanic Christmas music playing around the hotel. 

Remember to bring lots of the Holidays or Holy Days booklets to scatter around the hotel and conference center complex to do your part in spreading the gospel! Always carry a couple with you in case anyone wishes you a Merry Christmas, then you can hand them the booklet. What a great opportunity you have to share the gospel and thwart Satan!

Winter Family Weekend - New Location! 

 

Although we’ve just entered summer, plans for Winter Family Weekend have begun! WFW this year will be held at a new facility—Champion Mill Conference Center in Hamilton, Ohio. Everything is conveniently all at one location. 

 

We’ll stay at the new Warehouse Hotel at Champion Mill and use the brand-new huge sports facility featuring 14 beautiful hardwood courts and 14 sport courts. 

 

You won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to gather together for Sabbath services, seminars, sports, dances and activities for all ages. 

 

Plan now to attend Winter Family Weekend. It will begin Friday evening, Dec. 22, and end Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. 

 

Watch for further updates on wfw.ucg.org and a special video preview!

Crackpot Prophet Pops His Cork Over The Lost Tribes of Israel

 

The Great Bwana Mzungu to Africa and 100 Caucasians, the greatest Church of God prophet to ever exist in human history popped his homeo-pathetic cork today over British Israelism and its racist principles that have been used to slaughter and abuse millions around the world (i.e. King Leopold of Belgium).

After some of his usual blabbering, The Great Bwana Mzungu to Africa and 100 Caucasians had to lash out at us:

On June 4, 2020, the anti-COG site Banned by HWA posted the following:

Kubik and the entire United Church of God need to IMMEDIATELY discard their belief in British Israelism. … 

 

Will Victor Kubik do what is right and set the example for all the other Churches of God and publicly denounce the racist myth of British Israelism? 

 

British Israelism is neither racist nor is it a myth.

Oh, dear! Someone is NOT happy in Grover Beach! One of his pet doctrines has been disparaged! Without it, his little lacking-in-personality cult would have no need to exist.

He then goes on to blabber about the so-called "lost tribes" of Israel. Armstrongism has milked this concept for decades as one of its foundational doctrines, which incidentally is 100% irrelevant to ANYONE'S salvation. 

“The ten lost tribes” is not a Biblical phrase, nor is there any similar expression implying the loss of any of the tribes. The phrase has been invented to support a theory, as a little Biblical history will show. 

 

The twelve tribes formed one united kingdom under King Solomon (1 Kings 2:12), but because of the evils that ap­peared during his reign (chap. 11:6), the Lord allowed ten tribes to revolt (verses 30, 31) and form a kingdom un­ der Jeroboam with their capital in Samaria, to the north. Rehoboam, who declined the advice of seasoned counselors, became the king of Judah, or the southern kingdom of two tribes (Judah and Benjamin; 1 Kings 12:1-24; 2 Chron. 10:1-19), with his capi­tal in Jerusalem. From then on the history of Israel, the northern kingdom, was for more than two hundred years a dismal suc­cession of apostasy, rebellion, murder, usur­pation. As a result, large numbers deserted to the southern kingdom of Judah, as is clearly stated in 2 Chronicles 15:9: “And he [King Asa] gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Sim­eon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.”

Prior to the end of the northern king­dom, King Hezekiah of Judah attempted a revival (2 Chron. 30:1-27) by inviting them to return to the worship of God, and a multitude from the north came to Jerusa­lem. But the days of the northern kingdom were numbered, and it came to an end (2 Kings 17:6) by an Assyrian invasion of Samaria and the deportation of nearly 28,000 captives: 

 

In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor . . . , and in the cities of the Medes. (See also verses 7-9; 18-23; 18:9-12; compare 2 Chron. 30:1-18.)

The fall of Samaria marked the end of the north­ ern kingdom of Israel after a tragic history of little more than two centuries. Conceived and born in the spirit of rebellion, it had no chance of sur­vival. Twenty kings with an average rule of 10 years had sat upon the throne, 7 of them as mur­derers of their predecessors.

If it had been recognized that with the downfall of Samaria “the ten-tribed kingdom of Israel” ceased forever to exist as a separate political entity, no British-American-Israel theory would have arisen.

This and other captivities and deporta­tions did not, however, mean that all the members of the ten tribes were transported from their own land into exile. For in­ stance, about one hundred years after the Assyrian deportations of Israel, King Josiah of Judah instituted a revival and re­paired the Temple at Jerusalem (2 Chron. 34:1-9)—a revival in which the citizens of Ephraim and Manasseh and other Israelite remnants left in the land participated. In 2 Chronicles 35:17 and 18 we read of a great Passover observed by Judah and Israel.

It is estimated that not more than fifty thousand of Israel were deported to Assyria, in harmony with the custom of ancient despots to remove mainly leaders and peo­ple likely to foment revolt. This means that there were no completely lost tribes down to this time, and here the prophet Jeremiah, who prophesied to both Judah and Israel from the days of Josiah till the end of Zedekiah’s reign, the last ruler of Judah, enters the picture.

Not a word does Jeremiah utter in his prophecies to both Israel and Judah of any idea of lost tribes and their future rediscov­ery. That carries us down to the final Baby­lonian captivity of the southern kingdom

It should be noted that when the Persian King Cyrus released God’s people from Babylon to return to their homeland in 536BC they are not called Jews by Isaiah, but "Jacob" and "Israel," also "Israel mine elect," so that Isaiah was also unaquanted with the distinction made by the Anglo-Israelites between "Israelites" and "Jews" (see Isaiah 45:4, 11:25, on the use of these terms). The True Israel of God: The Anglo-American-Israel Theory Examined by Harry W. Lowe - General Conference Field Secretary

Also:

Over time, many theories, legends, and myths developed concerning these tribes. In the 19th century, literature started to appear, declaring the so-called 10 lost tribes had migrated into Western Europe, eventually settling in the British Isles. Claims were made that people within the United Kingdom descended from the “lost” tribes of Israel. This false belief became known as British-Israelism and Anglo-Israelism.

The truth is there is no such thing as the 10 lost tribes because they were never lost! For example, King Hezekiah invited the remnant of Israel to Jerusalem to keep the Passover with the tribe of Judah. Many came from the tribes of Asher, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Zebulun and identified themselves with the house of David (2 Chr. 30:1, 10–11, 25–26; 34:6–9). Most probably never left Judah.  Are the 10 Tribes of Israel Lost? 

 And this:

The mystery of the lost ten tribes of Israel endures in legend today, but the provided evidence does show that those who had a military occupation and served the Assyrian army as auxiliary units seemed to have retained their identity. As for the overall Israelite population, they too can be found, but by an individual basis, based on who held different jobs of a non-military nature.

It appears that the so-called “Lost Ten Tribes of Israel” were never lost. Instead, they served, and over a generation or two, integrated within the local Assyrian populations, eventually losing their identity. Ancient Orgins: Were the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel Ever Lost?

All of this useless claptrap is just one more tool of diversion that COG leaders use to divert attention away from the ONE they should be following and trusing in. As fascinating as the stories and myths may be, they still are irrelevant to any Chrsitan.

Is there a lack of vision in LCG leading members to lose focus on the "big picture"?

Why can't Winnail and the rest of the boys in Charlotte ever have a word of encouragement for their followers? It is alway something they are doing wrong. 

As usual, the focus is upon their "kingdom" and not on the One they should be encouraging their members to be looking towards. Focusing upon a mythical COG created kingdom where they will be kings, priests, and literal gods ruling over planets takes the focus entirely OFF of the One they claim to be following.

Big Picture or Loose Bricks? Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV and NKJV). Jesus told His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), to warn the world and Israelite nations of sobering events to come (Matthew 24), and to prepare a people to rule with Him in the Kingdom (Luke 1:17). This is the big picture we need to focus on. However, some can lose sight of this big picture by focusing instead on personal concerns, and issues not clearly defined in the Scriptures. By contrast, Abraham was big-minded when dealing with Lot (Genesis 13). David kept God’s overall plan in mind when he was persecuted by Saul. Esther put the welfare of her people above her own, and Jesus urged His followers to focus on the Kingdom instead of personal problems (Matthew 6:25–34). While Jesus saw the Pharisees’ zeal for details, He admonished them for their lack of vision to see the big picture (Matthew 23:23–24). Let’s keep our minds on the big picture instead of looking for loose bricks.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

Law breakers! You would do/say anything to avoid keeping God's Law

You would do/say anything to avoid keeping God's Law

Anyone who dares to criticize Armstrongite theology is usually met with this accusation. In their worldview, most of the folks who profess to be Christians simply don't want to obey God. Of course, this is rooted in their belief that Christians are obligated to obey what they characterize as the eternal spiritual principles outlined in Torah. From their perspective, this also insulates them against the obvious criticism that they are cherry picking among the various dos and don'ts outlined therein. For the critics of their theology, however, it seems like the Armstrongite would do just about anything to justify their obsession with obeying the provisions of Torah which they cherish.

For the Armstrongite, those Catholics and Protestants are willfully disobedient to God. They don't want to keep the Sabbath. They don't want to keep God's Holy Days. They'd rather observe those pagan holidays. They'd rather have their ham and bacon than obey God's dietary laws. Likewise, the LGBTQ community simply doesn't want to obey Leviticus 18:22. They'd rather wallow in their perversity than obey God. For the Armstrongite, these folks are the latest rendition of what happened in the Garden of Eden. "They just want to decide for themselves what constitutes good and evil!"

They simply cannot fathom that those "so-called Christians" could be motivated by the same desire to obey God - to be within His will - which motivates them! They insist that their critics are trying to negate God's laws - to justify ignoring them. The notion that those folks might actually love God and want to be part of His Kingdom is completely foreign to them. And, although they insist that they too believe that their salvation is entirely dependent on Jesus Christ, they are not bashful about quickly following that up with an assertion that God will NOT accept anyone into His Kingdom who doesn't obey those "eternal spiritual principles" of Torah! "If they really loved God, they'd obey His commandments!"

For most Christians (including those of us who have successfully emerged from the delusion of Armstrongism), however, it is clear that God inaugurated a New Covenant through Jesus Christ - one with better terms and promises than were included in the OLD one. For us, Torah pointed to Jesus of Nazareth and was FULFILLED by him. For us, Jesus summarized Torah into two great principles: Love for God, and love for neighbor - eliminating the need to cherry pick among those dos and don'ts. Like Jesus, James and Paul, we see the Law as a comprehensive whole - which is NOT severable). We believe that if you commit to obeying even one of its provisions, you are obligated to observe the whole. Hence, for us, Christians are obligated to obey the intent or "spirit" of the Law as Christ summarized it. Moreover, we ONLY do that as a way of demonstrating our love for God and as a manifestation of the new entity which Christ's work has created in us - NOT as something which is necessary to gain entrance in God's Kingdom! In this way, we believe that we are among those who "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

Hence, for those of you who insist on obligating yourselves to observe some or all of the provisions of Torah and claim to be disciples of Christ, you may want to take a closer look at these issues! If not, I sincerely hope your Torah observance works out for you. Even so, please don't worry about those of us who have decided to rest in what Jesus Christ has accomplished for us - we'll be fine!

Lonnie Hendrix

Sabbath and the International Dateline Problem

 

From a reader:

As a comment to your posting on the Sabbath, I tried to post this comment. But it was too long to be accepted. Nonetheless, Armstrongites in the Western Hemisphere celebrate the Sabbath on the biblical 1^st day of the week here, as I tried to explain:

 

 

Armstrongism and its requiring, for salvation, 7th-day Sabbath observance, is simply wrong; at least in the Western Hemisphere. Churches requiring strict observance of the 7th-day Sabbath in the Western Hemisphere (and in Arctic regions) have a great problem they conveniently never address or resolve, because it disqualifies all of their doctrines based on Sabbath-keeping.

 

How could Sabbath-keeping in the Western Hemisphere be wrong? The seventh day of each week, by scriptural command (at least to Israelites in ancient times), was to be diligently kept. But, among others, one big problem occurred; in 1492. Columbus found the New World, and in subsequent years it was settled and occupied by people from the Old World. That’s the problem.

 

Does the Sabbath-keeping command apply worldwide, to everyone, in all times, in all places? Or, ony to the peoples of the Middle East and the rest of the Old World? Please examine the problem.

 

The problem? The world is a globe, not a flat earth. Although it appears that the sun “rises” in the east each morning and “sets” in the west each evening (except in polar areas), the sun actually doesn’t move. The earth does; it revolves 360 degrees each day. So, to keep track of days, so that they always retain their proper names (Sunday is each week’s Day One; Saturday is Day Seven), there must be, necessarily, somewhere on the globe an “International Dateline.”

 

That’s the problem, which negates the commonly-perceived 7th-day Sabbath in the Western Hemisphere. To accommodate the convenience of commercial interests, the International Dateline, many years ago, was established in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

 

But, Biblically, the dateline, if there is to be one, so that we can know which is the actual 7th day of each week, needs to be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, not the Pacific. There is absolutely no Biblical justification for the dateline to transect the Pacific, for the following reasons.

 

It must be presumed that the weekdays and the Sabbaths, although not observed, followed the humans who survived The Flood and safely exited the Ark after it landed on Mt. Ararat, as they and their descendants then dispersed across the globe. Every 7th day, without interruption, was the Sabbath, for everyone, everywhere. Can anyone contest the fact that the Sabbath, even though unobserved, went with all peoples, wherever they settled, without gaining or losing even a day, anywhere?

 

Then, in 1492 Columbus landed in the New World. And there were people already living here. “Indians” he thought. Nope, Native Americans, thousands of miles distant from India — because the earth is a globe, with the Western Hemisphere having a calendar different from the one in Spain. 

 

Now none of the Native Americans had a seven-day week that they followed. They didn’t know or care about a Saturday or a Sunday. But their most distant ancestors, through hundreds of generations, after safely leaving the Ark, had the sequence of weekly days necessarily follow them; even if they didn’t know or observe them.

 

That’s the crux of the matter. Even though unknown and unobserved, the 7th-day Sabbath went with the humans from the landing of the Ark all the way to the New World. Not a day could have been gained or lost. The new day started at sundown each day; exactly as described and defined in Scripture. But, the world is a spherical globe. When humans came across from Asia to settle the Western Hemisphere, there was no International Dateline. They never changed the counting of weekly days when they landed here. The weekly Sabbath, even though unknown and unobserved, began at sundown at the end of the 6th day, each “Friday.”

 

That’s the problem. Which Friday, in, say, 1492, or even today, is the biblically correct one? Fact is, in 1492 Columbus’s Friday was the Native American’s Saturday. Because the Western Hemisphere was already settled with humans, descended from original ancestors from the Middle East, or Mt. Ararat, the Sabbath went with them, with never the gain or loss of a day. The sundown that signaled the start of the Sabbath was their “Friday” — which was Columbus’s “Saturday.”

 

It’s very clear, Biblically, as determined by the historical migrations of humans, both to the east and west of Mt. Ararat or the Garden of Eden, that the International Dateline must be placed in the mid-Atlantic Ocean, accurately dividing the Old World from the New World. In the Americas, the observance of the 7th day Sabbath starting at sundown on today’s Friday is off by a day. Biblically, people and churches trying to observe a 7th-day Sabbath starting on the calendar’s Friday evening are actually observing a Biblical 1st-day Sabbath. Biblically, historically, the dateline must be in the Atlantic, not the Pacific. 

 

When I was a member worshiping in the Worldwide Church of God, because I had training in geography and perceived the dateline problem, I asked my local pastor about it. Sure seemed that we were meeting on the wrong Biblical day. His response? “Well, we simply follow the modern calendar and accept the International Dateline where it has been placed.”

 

And, that was the problem. They followed the modern calendar and observed the International Dateline. But that’s not Biblical. Because the 7th-day Sabbath went with all peoples from their ancient origins in the Old World, people observing what they think is the 7th-day Sabbath on today’s calendars in the New World are in error. They are off by a day. If Sabbath-keeping is a pre-condition to salvation, they are condemned. In the New World they’ve been erroneously keeping it on a Biblical, historical 1st day. 

 

Then, of course, is the problem of people living above the Arctic Circle. Examples are the Inuit (“Eskimo”) peoples and the Sami, of northern Europe. Above the Arctic Circle, for varying periods of time each year the sun never sets or rises within 24-hour periods. Biblically, if a new  “day” is started by the sun’s setting, many “days” of the year in the Arctic can be several months long. If 7th-day Sabbath-keeping is a prerequisite for salvation, people living above the Arctic Circle are geographically condemned.  

 

Sorry, Armstrongists in the New World, you’ve been keeping the Sabbath in this half of the globe on the real 1st-day of each Biblical week, modern calendars and the International Dateline notwithstanding. Seems, then, that if proper 7th-day Sabbath-keeping is a pre-condition of salvation, you are condemned, doesn’t it?

 

OR, Biblically, the Sabbath commend was for a specific people, for a specific period of time; in a specific region, until Christ fulfilled the Law for all who believe.

 

Restored Church of God Open House Interview

 

Dawn Blue of How It's Done TV and Marc Cebrian of exrcg.org had a mini-Watch Party across the street from The Restored Church of God Headquarters in Wadsworth, Ohio, on June 25, 2023.

RCG had an Open House event. They invited the residents of Wadsworth to tour the Campus. The event was held from 1pm to 5pm. The total attendance was counted to be 96.

Dawn and I had an impromptu interview while we sat on the grass across the street in the Giant Eagle parking lot.

David C. Pack made a surprise appearance at 18:15.

Marc Cebrian

What do Catholics and Protestants really teach about the Sabbath?

What do Catholics and Protestants 

really teach about the Sabbath?

In his booklet Which Day is the Christian Sabbath?, Herbert Armstrong asserted that human religious leaders influenced by paganism had done away with God's Sabbath and replaced it with Sunday observance. Likewise, in a 1984 article in The Plain Truth magazine (Why Churches Observe Sunday), Armstrong claimed that Catholic and Protestant Christians acknowledged that Scripture taught Sabbath observance, and that men had taken it upon themselves to change the Christian observance to Sunday. Was Herbert Armstrong right? Is that really what Catholics and Protestants teach about Sabbath vs Sunday observance?

In the online Catholic Encyclopedia's very detailed article on the "Sabbath," we find the following statements:

"The Sabbath was a day of rest 'sanctified to the Lord' (Exodus 16:23; 31:15; Deuteronomy 5:14). All work was forbidden, the prohibition including strangers as well as Israelites, beasts as well as men (Exodus 20:8-10; 31:13-17; Deuteronomy 5:12-14)."

"The Sabbath was the consecration of one day of the weekly period to God as the Author of the universe and of time. The day thus being the Lord's, it required that man should abstain from working for his own ends and interests, since by working he would appropriate the day to himself, and that he should devote his activity to God by special acts of positive worship. After the Sinaitic covenant God stood to Israel in the relation of Lord of that covenant. The Sabbath thereby also became a sign, and its observance an acknowledgment of the pact: 'See that thou keep my sabbath; because it is a sign between me and you in your generations; that you may know that I am the Lord, who sanctify you' (Exodus 31:13)."

"Under the influence of pharasaic rigorism a system of minute and burdensome regulations was elaborated, while the higher purpose of the Sabbath was lost sight of. The Mishna treatise Shabbath enumerates thirty-nine main heads of forbidden actions, each with subdivisions. Among the main heads are such trifling actions as weaving two threads, sewing two stitches, writing two letters, etc. To pluck two ears of wheat was considered as reaping, while to rub them was a species of threshing (cf. Matthew 12:1-2; Mark 2:23-24; Luke 6:1-2). To carry an object of the weight of a fig was carrying a burden; hence to carry a bed (John 5:10) was a gross breach of the Sabbath. It was unlawful to cure on the Sabbath, or to apply a remedy unless life was endangered (cf. Matthew 12:10 sqq.; Mark 3:2 sqq.; Luke 6:7 sqq.). This explains why the sick were brought to Christ after sundown (Mark, I, 32)."

"Christ, while observing the Sabbath, set himself in word and act against this absurd rigorism which made man a slave of the day. He reproved the scribes and Pharisees for putting an intolerable burden on men's shoulders (Matthew 23:4), and proclaimed the principle that 'the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath' (Mark 2:27). He cured on the Sabbath, and defended His disciples for plucking ears of corn on that day. In His arguments with the Pharisees on this account He showed that the Sabbath is not broken in cases of necessity or by acts of charity (Matthew 12:3 sqq.; Mark 2:25 sqq.; Luke 6:3 sqq.; 14:5). St. Paul enumerates the Sabbath among the Jewish observances which are not obligatory on Christians (Colossians 2:16; Galatians 4:9-10; Romans 14:5). The gentile converts held their religious meetings on Sunday (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2) and with the disappearance of the Jewish Christian churches this day was exclusively observed as the Lord's Day. (See SUNDAY.)"

Likewise, from the Protestant Got Questions online ministry, in their article How is Jesus our Sabbath Rest?, we read:

"The key to understanding how Jesus is our Sabbath rest is the Hebrew word sabat, which means 'to rest or stop or cease from work.' The origin of the Sabbath goes back to Creation. After creating the heavens and the earth in six days, God 'rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made' (Genesis 2:2). This doesn’t mean that God was tired and needed a rest. We know that God is omnipotent, literally 'all-powerful.' He has all the power in the universe, He never tires, and His most arduous expenditure of energy does not diminish His power one bit. So, what does it mean that God rested on the seventh day? Simply that He stopped what He was doing. He ceased from His labors. This is important in understanding the establishment of the Sabbath day and the role of Christ as our Sabbath rest."

"The various elements of the Sabbath symbolized the coming of the Messiah, who would provide a permanent rest for His people. Once again the example of resting from our labors comes into play. With the establishment of the Old Testament Law, the Jews were constantly 'laboring' to make themselves acceptable to God. Their labors included trying to obey a myriad of do’s and don’ts of the ceremonial law, the Temple law, the civil law, etc. Of course they couldn’t possibly keep all those laws, so God provided an array of sin offerings and sacrifices so they could come to Him for forgiveness and restore fellowship with Him, but only temporarily. Just as they began their physical labors after a one-day rest, so, too, did they have to continue to offer sacrifices. Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the law 'can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.' But these sacrifices were offered in anticipation of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross, who 'after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right of God' (Hebrews 10:12). Just as He rested after performing the ultimate sacrifice, He sat down and rested—ceased from His labor of atonement because there was nothing more to be done, ever. Because of what He did, we no longer have to 'labor' in law-keeping in order to be justified in the sight of God. Jesus was sent so that we might rest in God and in what He has provided."

"Another element of the Sabbath day rest which God instituted as a foreshadowing of our complete rest in Christ is that He blessed it, sanctified it, and made it holy. Here again we see the symbol of Christ as our Sabbath rest—the holy, perfect Son of God who sanctifies and makes holy all who believe in Him. God sanctified Christ, just as He sanctified the Sabbath day, and sent Him into the world (John 10:36) to be our sacrifice for sin. In Him we find complete rest from the labors of our self-effort, because He alone is holy and righteous. 'God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God' (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can now cease from our spiritual labors and rest in Him, not just one day a week, but always."

"Jesus can be our Sabbath rest in part because He is 'Lord of the Sabbath' (Matthew 12:8). As God incarnate, He decides the true meaning of the Sabbath because He created it, and He is our Sabbath rest in the flesh. When the Pharisees criticized Him for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them that even they, sinful as they were, would not hesitate to pull a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath. Because He came to seek and save His sheep who would hear His voice (John 10:3,27) and enter into the Sabbath rest He provided by paying for their sins, He could break the Sabbath rules. He told the Pharisees that people are more important than sheep and the salvation He provided was more important than rules. By saying, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath' (Mark 2:27), Jesus was restating the principle that the Sabbath rest was instituted to relieve man of his labors, just as He came to relieve us of our attempting to achieve salvation by our works. We no longer rest for only one day, but forever cease our laboring to attain God’s favor."

"There is no other Sabbath rest besides Jesus. He alone satisfies the requirements of the Law, and He alone provides the sacrifice that atones for sin. He is God’s plan for us to cease from the labor of our own works. We dare not reject this one-and-only Way of salvation (John 14:6)."

And, from their article What does it mean that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath?, we find the following excerpts:

"The phrase 'the Lord of the Sabbath' is found in Matthew 12:8, Mark 2:28, and Luke 6:5. In all three instances Jesus is referring to Himself as the Lord of the Sabbath or, as Mark records it, 'The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath' (Mark 2:28). In these verses, Jesus is proclaiming that He is the One who exercises authority even over the rules and regulations that govern the Sabbath day."

"As such, Jesus was proclaiming to the world, especially to the legalistic Pharisees, that He was greater than the Law and above the laws of the Mosaic Covenant because, as God in flesh, He is the Author of those laws."

"As Creator, Christ was the original Lord of the Sabbath (John 1:3; Hebrews 1:10). He had the authority to overrule the Pharisees’ traditions and regulations because He had created the Sabbath—and the Creator is always greater than the creation. Furthermore, Jesus claimed the authority to correctly interpret the meaning of the Sabbath and all the laws pertaining to it. Because Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, He is free to do on it and with it whatever He pleases."

"The Lord of the Sabbath had come, and with His death and resurrection He became the fulfillment of our 'Sabbath rest.' The salvation we have in Christ has made the old law of the Sabbath no longer needed or binding. When Jesus said, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath' (Mark 2:27), Jesus was attesting to the fact that, just as the Sabbath day was originally instituted to give man rest from his labors, so did He come to provide us rest from laboring to achieve our own salvation by our works. Because of His sacrifice on the cross, we can now forever cease laboring to attain God’s favor and rest in His mercy and grace."

Hence, from these excerpts, we see that Herbert Armstrong's characterization of Catholic and Protestant attitudes toward God's Sabbath were simplistic and inaccurate. Indeed, the above statements make very clear that Traditional Christianity has a great reverence for the concept of the Sabbath rest, and see Christ as the embodiment and fulfillment of that rest! For these Christians, the Sabbath is clearly viewed through the text of the fourth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews. In other words, they look to both Christ and Scripture as the standard for their beliefs about the Sabbath - NOT to pagans or the traditions of men!

Posted by Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix