The Vikings: Your Ancient Tribal Ancestors...Does it Matter?

Our one and only self-appointed COG prophet and ONLY true teacher of history and the Bible is back with a wonderfully written craptastic post about the Vikings being our spiritual ancestors, thanks to the British-Israelism myth the COG embraces. 

Thanks to Herbert Armstong plagiarizing John Allen's, Judah's Scepter and Joseph's Birthright when he jumped on the money-making British-Israelism train, the Church of God got stuck with the 12 tribes nonsense as the ideal diversion to not have to talk about Jesus. After all, what is more interesting, fictional speculative history or hearing about Jesus, that effeminate emasculated dude that Protestants talk about. The Armstrong Church of God movement made a clear choice in the matter on which path to follow. From Herman Hoeh to Bob Thiel to Craig White, BI is the doctrine of the day, Jesus be damned, but Woo-hoo 12-Tribes!

Our amazing Doubly-blessed and almost-arrested Bob Thiel is enthralled by a former COG member's (Bert Otten) speculation that some of the Vikings are from the tribe of Benjamin! Who knew! 

Thiel writes:

Retired teacher Bert Otten, who was once part of the old WCG, sent me a paper with his reasons why he feels that many ‘Western Vikings’ are the descendants of the biblical tribe of Benjamin. He told me that I could edit and/or use what he sends in any way.

Here is some of his article:

The tribal area of Benjamin was a buffer area between the House of Israel and the House of Judah. People tended to stay in their cities and homes and thus a number of the Benjamites were taken along into the Assyrian captivity of the Ten Tribes. …

Vikings in the British Isles

During the Viking Age many Vikings settled in the British Isles. Many Britons have some Viking blood. … Vikings from Norway circled the whole and came from the north and settled in Scotland, Ireland (Dublin), Wales and the Isle of Man. Benjamin embraced Joseph in the Bible and in a sense Benjamin embraced Joseph on the map and mixed with Joseph.

Thanks to the Vikings we now know where the words come from when we talk about the berserk COG leaders and the ugly muck they continually thrust upon us in their sick quest for power! Again, Who knew! 

Linguistic Loans

No wonder that the English language has many Old Norse loans: anger, awe, are, berserk, call, cast, egg, fellow, fog, gap, get, gun, happy, husband, ill, kid, kindle, knife, knot, law, leg, loft, low, mire, muck, odd, outlaw, wrong, wing, window, whirl, weak, until, ugly, trust, till, tidings, thwart, thrust, thrift, though, their, teem, take, sway, sick, etc.

There are three Rachel tribes: Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin. The Rachel tribes camped west of the Tabernacle, under Ephraim’s leadership. I believe that the western Vikings (from Denmark and Norway) are descendants of Benjamin and ended up in Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands. Ephraim and Manasseh ended up in the British Isles, all three far to the west.

Quite a few Vikings settled in the British Isles. Many Danes settled in Normandy, which got its name from the Norsemen. Many of these Normans (with Viking blood) crossed the Channel with William the Conqueror (1066) and settled in the British Isles too. So, in the Viking Age many Vikings went west.

Norse Vikings

About 500 years before Columbus (1492) and the English (1497), the Norse Vikings arrived in America. The Norse Vikings sailed their ships westwards to Iceland, Greenland and Vinland (New Foundland, Canada). The Viking colony in Greenland survived for about 450 to 500 years. The Viking Benjamites were the first in the New World and the first of the Israelites to go west. Later on to be followed by many others of the Lost Tribes.

Benjamin is A RAVENOUS WOLF, in the morning devouring the prey, and at even dividing the spoil.” (Gen 49:27, RSV).

Jewish Encyclopedia

The Jewish Encyclopedia states about this: “[According to the rabbis]: His comparison to the ravening wolf (Cant. R. to viii. 1), “who devours his enemy” (Gen. xlix. 27) is referred to the men of Shiloh who stole their wives (Judges xxi.) or to Ehud or to Saul. By others it is referred to Mordecai and Esther (Gen. R. xcix. and Tan., Wayeḥi, 14; so also in the original text of the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs [Benjamin ii]; whereas a Christian interpolation refers it to Paul). …

Vikings – wolves

There is no people that fulfilled this verse as the Vikings did during the three centuries of the Viking Age. In gangs they attacked early in the morning in hit-and-run style, and at evening they divided the spoil. The common sword of the time was the Ulfberht sword. Ulfberht probably was the name of a bladesmith or of a group of bladesmiths. Ulfberht translates into English as Bright Wulf.

Benjamin & Violence (Sword)

There are tribes that are quite peaceful, like Asher, Zebulun and Issachar. Then there are militaristic tribes like Ephraim, Gad and Manasseh. The tribe of Benjamin was often involved in violence. That’s why Jacob prophesied Benjamin to be a devouring wolf.

Lefthanded Ehud single-handedly killed the king of Moab. The men of Gibeah raped a woman a whole night long so that she died. The Benjamites did not want to hand over the culprits, so they started a civil war of 1 tribe aginst 11 (Vikings avant la lettre). Abner, Saul’s army commander killed Asahel with a backwards thrust of his spear. Saul fought 40 years for his kingdom and died on the hills of Gilboa with his sons. Jonathan conquered a Philistine outpost all by himself and Saul/Paul persecuted the church with the sword.

Benjamites are good organizers and kingdom builders. At the time of the judges Israel was a loose confederation of tribes. There was no central governance, no king. God used the Benjamite Saul to build the kingdom, which was later taken over by the House of David. …

Paul was instrumental in building that Church with his missionary journeys and his epistles. Paul wrote 13 of the 26 NT books. Paul was an able organizer and he was of the tribe of Benjamin. …

Vikings – organizers & kingdom builders

Vikings were not just plunderers in hit-and-run actions, but also good organizers. Otherwise they would never have been able to make these long journeys. …

Benjamites (Vikings) are good organizers and kindom builders. The Scandinavian kingdoms today are well organized states.

Then our amazing prophet makes this mind-boggling declaration that seals the above speculation as fact:

Perhaps I should add that my wife and I have been to Iceland once.

WTH????? What does this have to do with anything?  I have stood at the crossing of ley-lines in England where ancient Celts and Druids had sacred places on which Christian churches exist today, but again, who cares? But, I am not a true prophet sent by god in this perilous end times to preach the truth lost for 1,980 years. Sigh....

Our Icelandic visitor ends with this:

While there are various ways to look at those and other prophecies, let me conclude by stating that I do believe that those of Iceland and Norway are essentially descended from biblical Benjamin, though there is ethnic intermingling.

As far as Bert Otten goes, he tends to be more of a Messianic than a Church of God leader, but we do have some points of agreement.

That being said, knowing where various peoples have come from, help us better understand how the Bible teaches that various ones will be affected by end time events that are still to come to pass.

That's a load of bullshit! While knowing about speculative mythology and history may be eternally fascinating, it has absolutely NOTHING of value for any follower of Jesus. This is just more crap to get in the way of people who should be told about Jesus and how to practice grace, love, and mercy as they make the kingdom of God tangible in the world around them, today. Sadly the COG movement places its emphasis in minor irrelevant things instead of focusing upon the bigger things in which they seem to be eternally embarrassed.

If this kind of mythology  interests you, then check it out here: Bert Otten on Western Vikings as descendants of the Tribe of Benjamin

Low-level prophet asks: Could Tkach, Sr. have consulted with the Bilderbergers about getting an earring before he decorated his Christmas tree and then relaxed with some Sabbath sex? Is there a possibility he did this while chewing tobacco? Prophets gotta ask!

 

Who in their right mind would sit and listen to this trash and think it is godly worship? Once more, Jesus gets dumped on the trash heap out behind the homeopathic pill-pushing low-level prophets' amazing HQ. This shows exactly what a cesspool Armstrongism has turned into.  Does ANYONE in 2020 care about such crap, especially his African followers? These topics are of ZERO concern to his followers or the rest of humanity.

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel answers questions that have been submitted to the Church of God on many topics, such as:

What about making/receiving organ donations?

Should you chew tobacco?

Is there any help to overcome bad habits?

Did Joseph W. Tkach, Sr. have the mantle of succession?

What is ‘servile work’?

Is sexual intercourse prohibited on the Sabbath?

Is a ‘holy kiss’ ever appropriate?

Can you home school your children?

Was it possible for Jesus to be born on December 25th?

Should we fear conspiracy theories involving the Bilderbergers, Trilateralists, Vatican, Council of Foreign Relations, Freemasons, etc.?

Should you force your ‘legal rights’?

Does Daniel 9 help prove Jesus is the Messiah?

Why should the Jews accept Jesus as Messiah?

What about the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon?

Is it acceptable for men to wear earrings?

Dr. Thiel goes through scriptures, facts, COG documents, and historical information to provide answers.

Low Level COG Prophet Claims He Has Integrity And That People Need To Humble Themselves to Follow Him

 

In his endless quest to try and legitimize himself in the eyes of his African followers, our favorite Petulant Prophet of Possiblys and Great White Bwana to Africa, Bob Thiel, claims he has the integrity to be leading a rebellious splinter group of the Living Church of God.

The end time Christians. Notice what Jesus stated and something the Apostle Peter wrote:

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:19, NKJV)

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10, KJV)

This is a peculiar people. These are people who the world does not desire. These are Philadelphian Christians.

How do we know that Zephaniah 2:1-3 is related to Christians?

Because the decree is for the end time and because of what else God inspired Zephaniah to write:

3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. (Zephaniah 2:3a)

The above is a reference to Christians as they are to be the “meek of the earth” (Matthew 5:5) and to Philadelphians who “have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility.” These are Philadelphian Christians who understand that church leaders need to have integrity and are willing to be humble enough to accept the authority of a church led by a low-level prophet in the absence of a clear apostle (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-15). They are humble enough to not think that they should remain ‘independent,’ as many who once were part of the old Worldwide Church of God, during this Laodicean time, have done.

Apparently, all true followers of God must humble themselves and kneel at Bwana Bob's feet and acknowledge him as the true leader in the church right now. After all, he is a low-level prophet and that qualifies him. Then to insult COG members who do not feel inclined to follow him and remain independent, he says they are not humble enough to accept his prophethood status.

For they are the only ones who will actually ‘gather together’ as they should. 

Why?

Because it is they who will lead the final phase of the work and it is only to the Philadelphians that Jesus promises to protect from the coming hour of trial, also referred to as the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord:

Once again, our favorite Petulant Prophet of the church says all COG members are too dumb to know when the crap is hitting the fan and will not be allowed to join up with his group in Petra or wherever he next dreams they are all going.

Who is the only Church of God in the 21st century to teach all of this?

The [improperly named] Continuing Church of God.

If you are not in Bwana Bob's personality cult then you will not be able to flee. 

If you are not with the group that is leading the final phase of the workwill you not be able to flee if you wait until the last moment? While that may be remotely possible for some, remember that God inspired Zephaniah to admonish God’s people to ‘gather together…before the decree is issued.’

Dreamy prophets are the way to go now in the Church of God.  No other COG has such a fantastic dreamweaver than the improperly named "continuing" Church of God does. that alone should make every single one of us join his group. But, woe be tot eh scoffers and the doubters!  How dare you!

Most will discount this and many will scoff. Most COGs do not have anyone considered to be a prophet, and in those other than CCOG who claim to have prophets, those prophets have been proven to be false. But the Bible says that there will be prophets in the last days and that God does communicate with them in dreams.

All Church of God groups currently in action today are nothing more than useless bumbling minuscule groups that run to and fro looking for a real prophet to lead them. The COG has never had a man more equipped to be a prophet than the one who is completely without error, which currently is Bwana Bob.  

We in the Continuing Church of God “have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).”

Whip out those checkbooks and get on your knees and humbly repent before God for failing to acknowledge the ONE TRUE MAN that God has sent to lead the church to the place of safety. 

 

UPDATED: Great signs and works are soon coming from a certain COG splinter leader “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you..."

We have been accused of being unable to see a prophet in our midst.  Nothing new to that, especially when it is our one and only Bwana Bob. The great Bwana has been trying to convince us for years that he is THE MAN! 

No other man in the history of the Church of God has more qualifications than he does.  

No one has had people dream about him in dreams like he has.  

No one has been doubly blessed in the manner he was, even though that so-called blessing came from a counterfeit practitioner of a fake gospel. 

No human leader of the church has ever been persecuted as much as he has. 

No other man in the church has ever come as Elisha, Elijah, Amos, Habbakuk, Johsua, and Malachi all at the same time. 

No other human leader has ever been ridiculed and publicly rebuked by Rod Merdith as much as Bwana Bob has; even Dave Pack got off more lightly than Bwana Bob did.

We are too blinded to see what an amazing man the self-appointed leader of the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is. he will soon be doing great and marvelous wonders for us to be amazed at. Because we failed to bow at his feet we will not know when it is time to go to Petra.

Such silly rebellious deceived people! We should be ashamed of dishonoring the Great Bwana!

Anonymous said...

You Guys wouldn't believe a prophet,if he was a prophet; out of all the would be Prophets in the COGs; his is the only one that was legit; Facts speak for themselves; Rod Meredith said God may consider you to be a Prophet, so did the other LCG Evangelists, also the Fruits; did you ever read his books or blogs; everything is spot on; also he truly cares for the poor and unfortunate Brethren: that the other Churches of God would be afraid to support, due to the financial drain; you at banned, just have a root of bitterness;. You know it's true. How unfortunate. Great signs and works are coming; the head church leaders of Jesus Day didn't believe either, because there hate blinded them

June 27, 2020 at 10:16 AM

Jesus weeps...

UPDATE:

God's greatest end-time prophet took notice that someone stood up for him here:

The facts for those who believe the Bible and are willing to believe the truth are there for those interested in being like the Bereans of old who searched the scriptures to see if things being declared were so (Acts 17:11; see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets).

Note: I do not know who the anonymous poster was nor did I ever encourage anyone at CCOG to post that or anything like that. But the biblical prophetic facts and fruits related to me are there for those with eyes to hear and ears to hear.

Here is what scripture plainly says about Bwana Bob and the rest of the lying prophets of Armstrongism. Remember that Bwana Bob depends upon lying divinations for his credibility.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 ESV / 286 helpful votes 

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Jeremiah 14:14-16 ESV / 120 helpful votes

And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them.


Matthew 7:15 ESV / 1,383 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

1 John 4:1 ESV / 1,327 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Matthew 24:24 ESV / 1,234 helpful votes

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

2 Peter 2:1 ESV / 1,153 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

1 John 4:1-6 ESV / 1,003 helpful votes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ...

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ESV / 897 helpful votes

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Matthew 24:11 ESV / 756 helpful votes

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

2 Timothy 4:3 ESV / 690 helpful votes

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ESV / 690 helpful votes

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Jeremiah 23:16 ESV / 590 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.

Romans 16:18 ESV / 535 helpful votes

For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.


Deuteronomy 18:20 ESV / 521 helpful votes

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’

Luke 6:26 ESV / 510 helpful votes

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Mark 13:22 ESV / 496 helpful votes

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Revelation 20:10 ESV / 474 helpful votes

And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Jeremiah 14:14 ESV / 465 helpful votes

And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Mark 7:6-9 ESV / 456 helpful votes

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!

2 Peter 2:3 ESV / 447 helpful votes

And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.


2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV / 397 helpful votes

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Romans 16:17-18 ESV / 390 helpful votes

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

2 Peter 2:1-3 ESV / 384 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Jeremiah 23:1-40 ESV / 336 helpful votes

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ...

Ezekiel 22:28 ESV / 321 helpful votes

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lordhas not spoken.

Jeremiah 5:30-31 ESV / 320 helpful votes

An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

1 Corinthians 14:33 ESV / 313 helpful votes

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

Matthew 24:4-5 ESV / 307 helpful votes

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV / 306 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ...

Jude 1:4 ESV / 303 helpful votes

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 13:9 ESV / 292 helpful votes

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.


2 Peter 2:1-22 ESV / 288 helpful votes

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; ...

Isaiah 8:20 ESV / 282 helpful votes

To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.

John 14:6 ESV / 281 helpful votes

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Revelation 13:1-18 ESV / 277 helpful votes

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. ...

Colossians 2:8 ESV / 272 helpful votes

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Jeremiah 5:31 ESV / 269 helpful votes

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

Matthew 7:15-16 ESV / 266 helpful votes

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

2 Peter 2:2 ESV / 254 helpful votes

And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

Ezekiel 13:6 ESV / 248 helpful votes

They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 ESV / 247 helpful votes

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Acts 13:6 ESV / 246 helpful votes

When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

Deuteronomy 13:1-18 ESV / 246 helpful votes

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. ...

Revelation 13:14 ESV / 244 helpful votes

And by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

Galatians 1:6-9 ESV / 244 helpful votes

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Lamentations 2:14 ESV / 242 helpful votes

Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not exposed your iniquity to restore your fortunes, but have seen for you oracles that are false and misleading.

Revelation 2:20 ESV / 241 helpful votes

But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

John 8:44 ESV / 239 helpful votes

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Deuteronomy 13:3 ESV / 234 helpful votes

You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul.

2 Corinthians 11:13 ESV / 232 helpful votes

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Revelation 2:2 ESV / 231 helpful votes

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.

Revelation 13:12 ESV / 230 helpful votes

It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Jeremiah 23:21 ESV / 227 helpful votes

“I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

Jeremiah 23:14 ESV / 227 helpful votes

But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”

Revelation 16:13 ESV / 225 helpful votes

And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.

2 Peter 1:1-21 ESV / 223 helpful votes

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ...

1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV / 219 helpful votes

But test everything; hold fast what is good.

Revelation 12:9 ESV / 218 helpful votes

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Micah 3:11 ESV / 213 helpful votes

Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.”

Micah 3:5 ESV / 211 helpful votes

Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare war against him who puts nothing into their mouths.

1 Timothy 6:5 ESV / 199 helpful votes

And constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Matthew 24:12 ESV / 191 helpful votes

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 ESV / 191 helpful votes

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Isaiah 56:10-11 ESV / 190 helpful votes

His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

Matthew 7:1-29 ESV / 188 helpful votes

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ...

2 Timothy 3:13 ESV / 181 helpful votes

While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Acts 20:29 ESV / 181 helpful votes

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Jeremiah 23:13 ESV / 176 helpful votes

In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray.

Matthew 7:22 ESV / 175 helpful votes

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

Revelation 13:11-15 ESV / 174 helpful votes

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

2 Peter 2:10-11 ESV / 173 helpful votes

And especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:26 ESV / 173 helpful votes

How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart,

Jeremiah 28:8-9 ESV / 171 helpful votes

The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Matthew 7:21-23 ESV / 170 helpful votes

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Revelation 13:11 ESV / 169 helpful votes

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.

2 Timothy 3:5 ESV / 168 helpful votes

Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

Matthew 24:1-51 ESV / 168 helpful votes

Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ...

John 10:1-42 ESV / 166 helpful votes

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ...

Ezekiel 22:25 ESV / 165 helpful votes

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 ESV / 162 helpful votes

Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Titus 3:10-11 ESV / 160 helpful votes

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

2 Thessalonians 2:9 ESV / 160 helpful votes

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders,

Revelation 17:6 ESV / 155 helpful votes

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

Jude 1:8 ESV / 154 helpful votes

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

Isaiah 44:25 ESV / 154 helpful votes

Who frustrates the signs of liars and makes fools of diviners, who turns wise men back and makes their knowledge foolish,

2 Thessalonians 2:3 ESV / 146 helpful votes

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

Ephesians 4:14-15 ESV / 142 helpful votes

So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Revelation 13:1 ESV / 139 helpful votes

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

2 Peter 2:18 ESV / 138 helpful votes

For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

Ezekiel 13:22 ESV / 138 helpful votes

Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life,

2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV / 136 helpful votes

Who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

Daniel 7:25 ESV / 134 helpful votes

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 133 helpful votes

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Jeremiah 6:14 ESV / 133 helpful votes

They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

Revelation 13:15 ESV / 128 helpful votes

And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

Acts 17:10-11 ESV / 127 helpful votes

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Daniel 7:8 ESV / 126 helpful votes

I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Deuteronomy 18:22 ESV / 123 helpful votes

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Prophet Thiel: The Authority on Everything

Prophet Thiel of the improperly named "Living Church of God" has been quit disturbed lately by the names of various COG's and Christian magazines.

The other day he slammed Christianity Today with this little barb:

Valentine’s Day is observed by many in February. As in prior years, in addition to seeing store displays and tv & print ads, I noticed that the falsely labeled Christianity Today (CT) is again compromising from biblical principles in order to attempt economic gain as it is promoting some jewelry purchases on its “Valentine’s Day” page.

Today his is taking potshots at Gerald Flurry's cult:

Joel Hilliker of the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (cf. Revelation 3:9) wrote the following (Lessons From the Bloodbath in Syria.  February 8, 2012. From the Trumpet.com):

Prophet Thiel's hypocrisy is beyond measure.  Look at all the baggage associated with the formation of LCG and how they all jumped ship taking Global Church of God's money with them.  Look at the people who connived behind the scenes to form both of these two groups and then stabbed their friends in the back as they left and formed new groups. Prophet Thiel needs to admit that there is NOTHING "Living" about LCG.
Improperly named Living Church of God has a lot to answer for.

Is Attendance at a COG Service Life Threatening?

Check out The Supreme Cult today and it's article about how your life is in danger if you attend a Church of God Sabbath keeping church that has descended from Herbert Armstrong.

If you attend Sabbath Services or Feasts with the Living Church of God cult, you run the risk of being shot to death by another member who finally lost it after years of the craziness in the cult. You don’t really know what is going on in the deluded mind in the person sitting next to you.


If you think this is a single incident, think again. In the Worldwide Church of God, a precursor of sorts to Living, Chuck Harris gunned down Brenda James and several others. He had been showing his gun to other members after church services in the hall they were meeting.

Read the rest of this article here:  Violence In Our Church: It's Killing Us