Don’t Ignore Bible Prophecy: In spite of the fact that nearly a third of the Bible is prophecy—much of which pertains to our time today—Bible prophecy is seldom or never addressed by mainstream “Christianity,” and the subject is largely ignored by modern media. Yet no other religious book contains a collection of more than two thousand amazingly accurate prophecies that have come and are coming true—which is one of the proofs of the divine inspiration of Scripture (Isaiah 46:8–11). Though the Bible devotes more verses to prophecy than any other subject, ministers in some Churches of God have been admonished not to talk about prophecy, because it can attract the wrong kind of people and lead some into prophecy addiction. However, God has given His Church “a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV) so it can fulfill its mission of warning God’s people and the world of coming events (Matthew 24) and give us hope for the future (Daniel 2:44; Isaiah 2:2–4; 11). Let’s never ignore Bible prophecy.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
Here we go again, another urgent reminder from Douglas Winnail: “Don’t Ignore Bible Prophecy.” Because clearly, if there’s one thing the Bible is desperate for us to do, it’s to spend as much time as possible worrying about the end of the world. Roughly one-third of the Bible is prophecy, we’re told, and ignoring it apparently makes us spiritually negligent, possibly even complicit in the coming chaos.
How dare mainstream Christianity mostly focus on things like grace, love, and following Jesus instead of obsessing over whether Russia, China, or the European Union is secretly fulfilling ancient prophecies this week? It’s almost as if they think the gospel is sufficient on its own. The horror.
How dare mainstream Christianity mostly focus on things like grace, love, and following Jesus instead of obsessing over whether Russia, China, or the European Union is secretly fulfilling ancient prophecies this week? It’s almost as if they think the gospel is sufficient on its own. The horror.
The message helpfully acknowledges that some ministers have warned against over-emphasizing prophecy because it can attract “the wrong kind of people” and lead to “prophecy addiction.” But then it bravely overrides that concern, because apparently the risk of creating anxious, hyper-focused members is worth it. After all, someone has to warn the world about all the terrible things that are definitely about to happen.
Nothing says “good news” quite like regularly reminding people that global catastrophe is just around the corner and that only those paying close attention to the right interpretations will be prepared. It’s a bold strategy: keep the flock slightly terrified, then offer them hope after the really bad stuff happens. Classic.
Nothing says “good news” quite like regularly reminding people that global catastrophe is just around the corner and that only those paying close attention to the right interpretations will be prepared. It’s a bold strategy: keep the flock slightly terrified, then offer them hope after the really bad stuff happens. Classic.
And let’s not forget the special calling. While other Christians are apparently busy being deceived by their lack of prophetic insight, we have been given “a more sure word of prophecy” so we can fulfill our mission of warning everyone. It’s almost like having secret access to the divine weather forecast that nobody else bothered to check.
Of course, there’s always that awkward part of the New Testament where Jesus and the apostles seem far more interested in transformed hearts, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit writing God’s law inside people rather than on endless prophecy charts. Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8–10 talk about a covenant based on relationship and internal change, not on correctly identifying modern nations with ancient ones.
But why focus on something as boring as “Christ has already overcome the world” when you could instead spend your time decoding the latest geopolitical developments as if they’re a divine scavenger hunt? Much more exciting.
But why focus on something as boring as “Christ has already overcome the world” when you could instead spend your time decoding the latest geopolitical developments as if they’re a divine scavenger hunt? Much more exciting.
The New Covenant even has the audacity to suggest that believers can have peace now, rather than a nervous hope that arrives only after the Tribulation, the mark of the beast, and whatever else is currently trending in prophecy circles. How terribly inconvenient.
A Quick Summary for the Prophecy Enthusiast
- Old approach: Read the Bible, get scared, warn everyone else to get scared too, repeat.
- New Covenant approach: Jesus already dealt with the biggest problem (sin and death). The Spirit is at work in hearts. Try not to be anxious about tomorrow.
One of these feels like it was designed to produce slightly neurotic disciples who are always bracing for impact. The other feels like it was designed to produce people who can actually sleep at night.
So by all means, study prophecy if you enjoy it. Just don’t let anyone convince you that failing to make it your primary spiritual focus means you’re ignoring God. That particular guilt trip has been running for decades, and it’s remarkably effective at keeping people dependent on the next urgent prophetic update.
After all, nothing unites a group quite like a shared sense of impending doom… and the comforting belief that at least you saw it coming.
So by all means, study prophecy if you enjoy it. Just don’t let anyone convince you that failing to make it your primary spiritual focus means you’re ignoring God. That particular guilt trip has been running for decades, and it’s remarkably effective at keeping people dependent on the next urgent prophetic update.
After all, nothing unites a group quite like a shared sense of impending doom… and the comforting belief that at least you saw it coming.
13 comments:
Same old same old isn’t it. And in spite of prophecy, the lcog is shrinking and dwindling in numbers, as is its ‘outreach’. Income down, membership down and so on. The decline is irreversible now, and hopefully with their decline so will the harm they have caused. And their doctrines they hold so dearly, like BI will vanish. Yet we see within Christianity a rise in young people attending churches globally, especially in the USA, and that is to be welcomed. And Armstrongism is like a rotting corpse emitting a large stink, awaiting its burial. And Jesus said He will build His church, and the opposite is happening within the Armstrong movement.
Another funny thing I heard from Weston and LCG on their prophecy message, he talks about watching for Europe being the beast in one breath, then in the other breath he talks about the northwest European countries being Israelite peoples going to be punished. So which is it? We focus on which European countries Doug and Gerry. The ten right, which ones (They don't know yet).
LCG and other splinters have confused the gospel with prophecy. Prophecy is only a percentage of the gospel. One has to read 23 chapters before you get to the Olivet Prophecy.
By the way, Europe is burning up right now. Stay cool everybody, because it's strange weather ahead.
Anon, Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 4:50:52 PM PDT, wrote:
Same old same old isn’t it. And in spite of prophecy, the lcog is shrinking and dwindling in numbers, as is its ‘outreach’. Income down, membership down and so on. The decline is irreversible now, and hopefully with their decline so will the harm they have caused. And their doctrines they hold so dearly, like BI will vanish. Yet we see within Christianity a rise in young people attending churches globally, especially in the USA, and that is to be welcomed. And Armstrongism is like a rotting corpse emitting a large stink, awaiting its burial. And Jesus said He will build His church, and the opposite is happening within the Armstrong movement.
******
Yes, "Same old same old..." repeat spiritual food (Junk Food?) from Doug Winnail, who still believes in a Mickey Mouse Millenniumism with his Jesus "very soon" to return and begin some 1,000 year reign of a kingdom of God established on earth.
And Doug wrote: "...Don’t Ignore Bible Prophecy: In spite of the fact that nearly a third of the Bible is prophecy—much of which pertains to our time today..."
Who told Doug that nearly a third of the Bible is prophecy, and that much of that 1/3 "...pertains to our time today..."?????
It sounds so "all SELF," like Doug is the important one, or that the living group is so important that much of that prophecy is going to occur during Doug's/ manmade Living group's lifetime.
When God's kingdom is established on earth, it everlasting. It is not something that lasts for a 1,000 years, Satan exits the pit and messes up (Rev 20) the entire world again. What happened to Doug's Jesus, "another Jesus?"
Is it possible that Doug after all his time associated with WCG, then the United Ass., and then the Living group is still a babe and has been deceived, and that possibly in truth much of that prophecy (1/3 of the Bible) pertains to the time after Satan exits the pit, and after a short/little time/season all shall know the LORD?
Time will tell...
John
Rots your brains, rots your kidneys, rots your heart: Cucaracha!
And yet they still pretend to understand it!
BB
Read between the seemingly superficial lines of what Doug wrote, and you'll see that it is in fact a very radical statement. By acknowledging "some Churches of God" he is contradicting the old WCG/LCG teaching that although there may be various church corporations there is only one Church of God. And by acknowledging that some within LCG are "the wrong kind of people" he is going much farther with his correction than is usually done, as the usual approach is to attack the wrong ideas, not to say that there is a "wrong kind" of people. DSW's comment may look very routine on the surface, but it is actually a much more powerful critique of the Weston-led LCG than most will probably realize.
I'm not sure how much of the sacred word is devoted to end time latter day biblical prophecy, but whatever the amount it is still a vital part that is " given by inspiration of God, and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness " (2 Tim.3:16). It is good WHEN used properly (1 Tim.1:8).
Lonnie recently posted that the book of Revelation is the perfect conclusion to the Judeo-Christian canon, proclaiming the ultimate antidote to humanities ills, being God's judgement on human governance. Nobody wants to experience the fallout of this judgement, even when it's not directed toward us. God has not appointed us to wrath. Even so, we do not like it, we know it's coming but we do not know when. But when compared to the ultimate of all human fears (death), we don't like it, we know it's coming, but most of us are not sitting around stressing over it. It happens when it happens. Until then, for a variety of positive reasons, we count our blessings, focus on living, and focus on the One who has blessed us with life now and that which is to come. That's the healthy thing to do.
I believe that the narrow gate is to have a healthy respect for prophesy. The book of Revelation was inspired by God, and is there for a reason.
It’s okay if they want to continue to press the British Israelism and German Assyrianism prophecy, and if it happens then it happens. And just because someone doesn’t want to get with that program doesn't disqualify them from being a Christian.
That identity tribal-nation prophecy doctrine has nothing to do with having Christ as your Lord and savior. Cleaning you up from the inside, being your High Priest and advocate with the Father.
They might end up being right (which I doubt), but their attitude is not right. “We have the sure word of prophecy”, yea like 1975 was sure. And their other former leader, “in the next 5 to 10 years.” Doesn’t seem so sure to me.
Let's throw one of Herbie's paradigms back at them. He used to,say, "It's not the thing that is good or bad, it's the USE of the thing!" And he was right. Prophecy was used to leverage and abuse people who sought God and wanted to serve Him. That is an evil misuse. My sentence in Armstrongism was commuted to time served in 1975. The people who allowed themselves to be reprogrammed in 1975 continued to suffer horrible things at the hands of people who so quaintly called themselves "God's ministers".
Prophecy is OK just so long as you don't allow people to dictate your choices and behavior using it. Nobody knows Jack about it anyway. They've proven that over and over and over again. They're just a bunch of overgrown kids playing mud pies.
Correct, I just want to read Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel or Isaiah and get the biblical lessons from those prophets. And that's exactly what Christ and the apostles did when quoting them (Matt 15:7, Hebrews 8:8 & Acts 2:16-17). They didn't use the nation-identity approach to prophecy. I like to follow their approach. But armstrongist affirm that it's the end time and they must use their version of the prophecy gospel.
Armstrong systems misuse 2 Peter 1:19 by turning a verse about the reliability of Scripture into a claim that they possess special prophetic insight.
In 2 Peter 1:19, Peter is not giving special prophetic authority to a church or a leader. He is contrasting the dramatic experience of the Transfiguration with the reliability of the written prophetic Scriptures. His point is that Scripture itself is the “more sure word of prophecy” - more dependable than visions, personal revelations, or human claims.
Peter directs believers to pay attention to the prophetic writings because they are stable, trustworthy, and illuminated by Christ, not because any organisation possesses unique prophetic insight.
Armstrongists reversed this meaning. They use the verse to claim that they have been given a special prophetic commission and unique understanding of world events. In reality, Peter is grounding Christians in the certainty of Scripture, not elevating any modern church or leader as the exclusive interpreter of prophecy.
When the Catholics canonized the New Testament for us, the book of Revelation just barely made it in. Some of the learned scholars had pronounced difficulties with it.
9:28 That’s a great point, about their misuse of 2 Peter 1:19. They are reading it the wrong way.
Other versions give a better translation than the one they use: Check out the Good News Translation
2 Peter 1:19 So we are even more confident of the message proclaimed by the prophets. You will do well to pay attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place until the Day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts.
Peter referred to the prophets/scriptures when Pentecost happened in Joel 2, referring to the sufferings of Christ in Isaiah 53, and defending himself against the people who rejected Christ as the chief cornerstone in Psalm 118 in Acts 4, as well as quoting other Psalms relating to Christianity. As a validation of the truth of scripture.
And even if he wanted to make it about himself to receive specific revelation, he could refer back to being one of the apostles that did get the vision of the Transfiguration (Matt 7), or the vision about sheets with animals (not to call any man unclean) in Acts 10 for the behalf of the Gentiles. But he didn’t have that attitude.
But what the Armstrongist do is input certain modern nations into those prophets, so if “you reject those modern nations representing certain tribes in those prophets” then you are rejecting scripture and prophecy as far as they are concerned.
The Apostles Peter Paul and James didn’t use prophecy like that. They took the spiritual lessons from scripture whether it was from the law, prophets or writings and implemented them in the Christian religion.
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