Personal Speculation in the Church of God: A Serious Abuse of the Pulpit

For decades, personal speculation has been the driving force behind much of the preaching in the Churches of God. This problem first exploded across the COG scene many years ago and has only intensified since the great apostasy that shattered the Worldwide Church of God (the Mother Church) in the late 1980s and 1990s. Today, the entire Church of God movement is riddled with abusive speculators such as Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Ronald Weinland, Alton Billingsley, and virtually every human head of the hundreds of splinter groups now in existence.

Almost everything these leaders preach is pure speculation rather than solid biblical fact. Instead of faithfully teaching what Scripture clearly states, they repeatedly offer their own private interpretations, prophetic guesses, date-setting, and imaginative theories — presenting them as if they were direct revelations from God or authoritative “new truth.” Sermons and booklets are filled with bold claims about exactly when the Great Tribulation will begin, who the “man of sin” is, which nation will invade another, or how specific current events are fulfilling obscure prophecies down to the month or even the day.

This practice is not harmless. Nathan Albright has written a White Paper on this issue: “The Importance of Teaching What the Bible Says from the Pulpit and Avoiding Personal Speculation as an Abuse of the Power of the Pulpit”. It explains that the pulpit is a sacred trust, not a platform for personal opinion or philosophical display. A minister is a steward of divine revelation (1 Corinthians 4:1–2), not its owner. When a preacher substitutes personal theories, political opinions, or imaginative conjectures for biblical exposition, he abuses the authority God has given him and distorts the sacred office.

The fragmentation following the great apostasy created the perfect environment for speculation to flourish. When the Worldwide Church of God largely abandoned the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, thousands of members fled into dozens — eventually hundreds — of splinter groups. With no central authority and intense competition for members, many new leaders felt pressure to distinguish themselves. The easiest and most effective way? Claiming special prophetic insight or “understanding” that others lacked. This turned the pulpit into a stage for one-upmanship rather than humble exposition of Scripture.

The results have been devastating on multiple levels:

• Repeated Prophetic Failures and Loss of Credibility History shows a clear pattern: leaders make specific predictions that do not come to pass, yet they rarely repent or stop. Instead, they often revise the dates, spiritualize the failure, or blame the members for not having enough faith. This cycle has repeated for decades across many groups. When predictions collapse, members experience disillusionment, bitterness, and shaken faith. Some leave the Church of God entirely, while others become cynical and distrustful of all ministry. The credibility of the entire movement suffers, making it harder to reach new people with the true gospel.

• Doctrinal Drift and Spiritual Confusion Speculative preaching erodes doctrinal clarity. Congregations begin treating human guesswork as inspired truth, leading to confusion, division, and spiritual instability (Ephesians 4:14). Members spend more time debating the latest “prophetic update” than growing in holiness, love, or practical Christian living. The Bible becomes a puzzle book for end-time timelines rather than the living Word that equips believers for every good work.

• Cult of Personality Over Christ When preachers promote their own interpretations as “God’s revelation through me,” the focus shifts from Scripture to the man in the pulpit. Loyalty is demanded toward the leader’s latest theory rather than to Christ and the plain Word of God (1 Corinthians 1:12–13). This fosters authoritarian control, where questioning the speculation is treated as rebellion against God Himself. The result is a toxic environment that resembles a cult of personality far more than the humble, Bible-centered fellowship of the early Church.

• Erosion of the Fear of the Lord and Reverence for Scripture Bold speculation about divine mysteries teaches listeners to treat God’s revelation lightly. It implies that human insight can add to, improve upon, or even replace what God has already clearly said. This normalizes irreverence. Instead of cultivating awe and trembling at God’s Word, members learn to chase the next exciting “revelation.” Over time, this weakens genuine faith and opens the door to further error.

• Spiritual and Psychological Coercion Because sincere believers rightly revere the pulpit, they are especially vulnerable. Leaders who equate their fears, preferences, or failed guesses with “the will of God” exercise coercive control over consciences. Members may feel pressured to give more money, isolate from family in other groups, or remain in unhealthy situations “until the prophecy is fulfilled.” This violates pastoral ethics and Christian liberty, turning the shepherd into a taskmaster.

• Institutional Decay and Endless Division Churches that tolerate or encourage speculation from the pulpit eventually suffer theological decay, loss of trust, and repeated schisms. The focus on the preacher’s latest theory rather than the immutable Word of God leads to more splits, more tiny groups, and more isolation. Instead of unity in the faith, we see competition, accusations, and a scattered remnant that cannot effectively do the work God has called the Church to do.

Nathan Albright's White Paper rightly warns that when opinion masquerades as revelation, the pulpit becomes abusive. To speculate beyond what Scripture actually says is not “deep insight” or “prophetic zeal.” It is spiritual malpractice. It distracts from the core gospel message, discourages biblical literacy, and replaces the freedom of God’s Word with the tyranny of human personality.

----------------------------------------------------

White Paper: The Importance of Teaching What the Bible Says from the Pulpit and Avoiding Personal Speculation as an Abuse of the Power of the Pulpit

Posted on October 14, 2025 by nathanalbright

Edge Induced Cohesion Blog

The pulpit occupies a sacred trust within the community of faith. It is not a platform for personal speculation or philosophical display, but a solemn charge to communicate the Word of God faithfully. This white paper examines the ethical, theological, and practical imperatives of confining pulpit teaching to what Scripture actually says. It warns against the creeping tendency of ministers to substitute personal theories, political opinions, or imaginative conjectures for biblical exposition—an act that constitutes an abuse of authority and a distortion of the sacred office.

I. The Nature of the Pulpit as a Sacred Trust

Divine Commission and Accountability The preacher stands as a steward, not a proprietor, of divine revelation (1 Corinthians 4:1–2). The words spoken from the pulpit are not personal property but entrusted truth. A minister’s authority derives entirely from fidelity to God’s Word; deviation converts stewardship into self-promotion. The Power of Influence The pulpit shapes consciences and directs lives. The hearers assume that what they are being told is the Word of God rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15). Misusing this trust through speculation or conjecture exploits spiritual authority for personal ends. The Ethical Boundary Between Teaching and Storytelling A sermon may employ illustrations or analogies, but the moment a preacher speaks in the name of God about that which God has not revealed, the act crosses from illustration into invention—a violation of Deuteronomy 18:20 and Revelation 22:18–19.

II. The Dangers of Personal Speculation

Doctrinal Drift and Confusion Speculative preaching erodes doctrinal clarity. Congregations begin to treat theological guesswork as inspired truth, leading to confusion, division, and spiritual instability (Ephesians 4:14). Cultivation of Personality over Principle When preachers promote their own interpretations as truth, the pulpit becomes a stage for charisma rather than conviction. The result is a cult of personality that displaces reverence for God’s Word (1 Corinthians 1:12–13). Erosion of the Fear of the Lord To speculate boldly about divine mysteries teaches listeners to treat God’s revelation lightly. Instead of cultivating awe, the preacher normalizes irreverence by implying that human insight can rival divine revelation.

III. The Biblical Mandate for Faithful Exposition

Preach the Word, Not the Self (2 Timothy 4:2–4) Paul commands Timothy to “preach the Word,” not to entertain the hearers with opinions or fables. The apostolic model of preaching emphasizes reading, explaining, and applying Scripture. Pattern of Expository Ministry Ezra and the Levites “read from the book of the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). This remains the pattern for all who handle the Word publicly. The Model of Christ and the Apostles Jesus consistently grounded His teaching in “It is written,” demonstrating submission to the authority of Scripture even as the incarnate Word. Likewise, the apostles preached “according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4).

IV. The Abuse of the Pulpit as a Power Structure

When Opinion Masquerades as Revelation The pulpit becomes abusive when preachers use its authority to sanctify personal conjecture. This blurs the line between divine and human speech, misleading the congregation into obedience to human will rather than divine command. Psychological and Spiritual Coercion Listeners who revere the pulpit are vulnerable. When leaders equate their preferences or fears with the will of God, they exercise coercive spiritual control, violating both pastoral ethics and Christian liberty. Institutional Consequences Churches that tolerate speculation from the pulpit eventually suffer theological decay, loss of trust, and internal schism. The congregation’s faith becomes grounded in the preacher’s personality rather than in the immutable Word.

V. Principles for Faithful Preaching

Textual Fidelity Every sermon should clearly identify, interpret, and apply Scripture. The text must control the message, not the other way around. Transparency of Interpretation Where interpretation is uncertain, the preacher must admit uncertainty rather than disguise it as revelation. Humility protects both the truth and the hearers. Doctrinal Consistency Preachers should anchor every message in the broader biblical witness, ensuring harmony with established doctrine and the full counsel of God. Accountability Structures Churches should maintain oversight mechanisms to ensure that pulpit teaching aligns with Scripture—peer review among elders, post-sermon Q&A, or theological training refreshers.

VI. Restoring Reverence for the Word

Renewed Emphasis on Biblical Literacy Congregations must be trained to discern the difference between what Scripture says and what a preacher merely imagines. The mature congregation becomes a safeguard against pulpit abuse. Cultivation of Expository Habits Teaching line by line through books of the Bible minimizes the temptation to speculate. The preacher’s role becomes that of a guide rather than an oracle. Repentance for Misuse of Authority Ministers who have used the pulpit for self-expression should publicly repent and recommit to faithful exposition. Restoration of trust begins with honesty before God and the flock.

VII. Conclusion: The Call Back to Scriptural Authority

The pulpit must be reclaimed as a platform for truth, not theory. When preachers restrict themselves to what the Bible actually says, they liberate their hearers from the tyranny of personality and return them to the freedom of God’s Word. To speculate beyond revelation is not creative theology—it is spiritual malpractice. The preacher’s calling is not to say something new, but to say again what God has already said, with clarity, conviction, and humility.

Appendices

Appendix A: Scriptural Citations on Preaching and Authority

Appendix B: Historical Examples of Pulpit Speculation and Its Consequences

Appendix C: Practical Framework for Sermon Review and Accountability

Appendix D: Training Outline for Expository Preaching

That Dog Won't Hunt!

That Dog Won't Hunt!

In the comments which followed my post The Linchpin of Armstrongism, some of the commentators brought up the fact that I am a celibate homosexual. For my regular readers, it will come as no surprise that I have always regarded my celibacy and faithfulness to God and my family as a tremendous source of moral authority for the things that I write about spiritual/theological issues. Hence, as part of my response to this mention, I wrote: "Perhaps, if Herbert Armstrong hadn't been such a narcissist and pervert, his teachings would carry more moral authority."

This statement provoked the following anonymous comment: "Earlier above, you excoriated HWA again for being such a 'narcissist and pervert' (doubting his conversion and believing the allegations against him, while calling yourself a redeemed one), and that if it hadn't been for that, 'his teachings would have carried more moral authority.' I detect a spirit of bitterness here. You don't know that Christ had him teach the truth for over 50 years, that many watched the WT and read the PT, and that attendance reached 140,000 until the apostasy set in? (to which you give assent if you disparage the law) His teachings did carry high moral authority from the Lord and led to many conversions (to which you have attested). Even after the trials and turmoil of the 70s, after all the allegations that he faced, he survived it until '86 when the church was still flourishing. If it was a work of men (which it began to be under the JWT's watch '93-'95), it would have come to nothing."

I completely understand where this person is coming from - once upon a time, I thought the same way. Like many of the folks who read this blog, I swallowed what Herbie was selling hook, line, and sinker! I believed that God had revealed THE TRUTH to that old guy, and that God had opened my mind to believe what He had revealed to Herbie. Later, however, I came to see that all that glitters is not gold - that there were a lot of holes in Herbie's "truth." I discovered that Herbie's dissertations on history and science were full of inaccuracies. Moreover, I eventually realized that many of his "prooftexts" had been taken out of context, and that his knowledge of the Bible and Christian theology was very superficial.

Finally, after an extensive reevaluation of Herbie's teachings, I came to understand that God had NOT worked through Mr. Armstrong. Indeed, it became very clear to me that he had twisted history, science, Scripture, research, and the thought process itself. Armstrong claimed that he had figured out God's plans, recovered First Century Christianity, and found the key to understanding prophecy. Sadly, it turned out that he didn't understand very much at all!

Then, I began learning more about the man himself - his character - his very real and glaring weaknesses and failures as a person. I talked to people who knew him personally and had worked with him. I reread his autobiography, and I saw things there that I had overlooked or ignored the first time I had read it. Herbert had written that his sister-in-law had been "indoctrinated" with the theory of evolution; and that she had called him "ignorant," because he had expressed his belief in Divine creation. The account continued:

"That accusation came hot on the heels of this Sabbath challenge from my wife. Of course, Hertha was only about 19, and had had but her freshman year in college. She was yet immature enough to be a bit oversold on what had been presented to her as a mark of intellectual distinction. Nevertheless, her manner was cutting, and a bit sarcastic, and 1 accepted it as a challenge. 'Hertha,' 1 responded, 'I am just starting a study of the Bible. I intend to include in this research a thorough study of the Biblical account of creation. Since it is admittedly one of the two - evolution or special creation - I will include an in-depth study of evolution. I feel sure that a thorough study into both sides will show that it is you who are ignorant, and that you merely studied one side of a two-sided question in freshman biology, and accepted what was funnelled into your mind without question. And if and when I do, I'm going to make you EAT those words!'" (spelling and punctuation were Herbert's)

Allow me to point out the things which I hadn't noticed the first time I read this passage. Notice that Herbie was responding to challenges from his wife and sister-in-law. Notice also that he disparaged his sister-in-law's college coursework (Mr. Armstrong did NOT have a college background of his own). He then proceeded to announce that he would launch his own independent study of science and the Bible, and that the results would be definitive. Finally, he told his sister-in-law that he would make her "eat those words." It hit me like a ton of bricks. This man was a classic narcissist! He was the smartest tool in the shed, and everybody else was inferior to him in intellect! This would become even clearer as Herbie continued the account of his life.

He wrote: "Most believers in the Bible and in the existence of God have probably just grown up believing it, because they were reared in an atmosphere where it was believed. But perhaps few ever studied into it deeply enough to obtain irrefutable PROOF. Likewise, the 'educated,' who have gone on through college or university, have, in the main, been taught the theory of evolution as a BELIEF. They have accepted it, in all probability, without having given any serious or thorough study of the Biblical claims." No one had studied the subject like Herbert Armstrong intended to study it! Look out "Darwin, Haeckel, Spencer, Huxley, and Vogt, Herbie was about to give those so-called intellectual giants the what for!

Even though Armstrong admitted that he was self-educated, he was going to challenge scientists and biblical scholars alike. He was going to get to the "truth" that no one else had been able to discover or discern! Even though he didn't have any training in research techniques and methods, he would ferret out the answers that had alluded all others! He continued:

I began this intensified study by obtaining everything I could find in the way of books, pamphlets and other literature both for and against what was often called 'the Jewish Sabbath.' I wanted, not only everything I could lay hands on, on the case for Sunday, and against the 7th-day Sabbath. I wanted, also, the arguments or proponents for it, which I hoped to be able honestly to refute. At the same time, I found, in the Portland Public Library, many scientific works either directly on evolution, or teaching in textbooks on biology, paleontology, and geology. Also I found books by scientists and doctors of philosophy puncturing many holes in the evolutionary hypothesis. Strangely, even the critics of evolution, being themselves scientific men, paradoxically accepted the very theory they so ably refuted."

Apparently, no one ever informed Mr. Armstrong that all sources are NOT created equal, or that some arguments are superior to others. It also appears that no one ever told him that a university library would be better for this kind of research than a public library - that he would have access to more of the latest thinking on any given subject in a university library than he would in a local public library. In Herbert's mind, his research was the most intensive that had ever been undertaken. His study would settle these questions for all time!

In addition to these personal revelations about Armstrong's narcissism and intellectual prowess, it was about this time that my father informed me about a conversation that he had had with Garner Ted Armstrong - before the masseuse and his messy exit from the Church of God International. To my shock and horror, GTA had confirmed to him that the rumors were true about his father's incestuous relationship with his sister! Prior to this, I had always dismissed the rumors and refused to look into the matter. I had assumed it was just sour grapes and character assassination. After my dad's bombshell, however, I became aware of the fact that there was a substantial body of circumstantial evidence which supported the accusation. So, Herbert Armstrong was a narcissist and an incestuous pedophile! He had also clearly divorced his second wife - it was a matter of public record. He wasn't even qualified to be a minister of Jesus Christ - let alone to be called an "apostle"!

In light of everything I had learned, it became clear to me that God had NEVER used Herbert Armstrong to reveal anything to anybody! "What about the success of the Worldwide Church?" my friends who were still entangled in Herbie's web of lies demanded. After all, Herbie had always pointed to PT circulation numbers, radio and television stations broadcasting The World Tomorrow, Ambassador College, and Ambassador IC Foundation, and income as proof that God was blessing his leadership of The Work. What we were never told, however, was that the Mormon Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses had an even greater reach and impact than we did. In fact, it turns out that financial and publishing success are NOT indicators of Divine favor! Bottom line, my apologies to the commentator referenced above - that dog won't hunt!

Posted by Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix

Decoding the Divine: Wade Cox's Wild Take on Michael the Archangel, Jesus, Satan, and the Elohim Family

The brothers Elohim are hard at work 

One thing you really have to credit Armstrongism for is how they took simple Bible stories and turned them into deep theological treatises that rarely ever made much sense once you really started examining them with an open mind. We so often hear this kind of nuttiness from Bob Thiel, Gerald Flurry, and Dave Pack—so much so that all we can do is laugh and move on. Then there's Wade Cox of the so-called "Christian" Churches of God, who loves to sit at picnic tables with the wind blowing his notes around, next to his sidekick, both talking like they failed the "Get the facts" and "Stir To Action" speeches—two things these blithering idiots seem to never do. 

Ah, theology—the grand arena where ancient texts meet modern interpretations, often resulting in ideas that make you go, "Wait, what?" If you've ever wondered what happens when you blend a dash of ancient Hebrew linguistics with a hefty dose of speculative cosmology (and perhaps a stiff breeze for dramatic effect), Cox's teachings provide a masterclass. At the heart of his doctrine is the eyebrow-raising notion that both Jesus Christ and Satan (once known as Lucifer) were part of the "elohim"—a council of divine beings created by the one true God, Eloah. It's like imagining heaven as a cosmic boardroom where Jesus and Satan were once colleagues, until one got fired for insubordination. But is this biblically sound, or just another theological plot twist gone delightfully awry? Let's dive in-depth, with a sprinkle of sarcasm for flavor, because sometimes you need a laugh to handle the heresy.

Wade Cox isn't your average Sunday school teacher. As the founder and coordinator of CCG, established in the 1990s as a splinter from the Worldwide Church of God, Cox has built a following around what he calls "original Christianity." Sound familiar? CCG positions itself as a guardian of uncorrupted biblical truth, rejecting mainstream doctrines like the Trinity in favor of a strict Unitarian view. God, in their eyes, is singular—Eloah, the Most High—who presides over a hierarchy of subordinate "gods" or elohim. This isn't polytheism, they insist; it's more like a divine pyramid scheme where humans can level up to elohim status through obedience and salvation.

Cox's writings, scattered across CCG's website and various papers, paint a picture of a universe teeming with spiritual bureaucracy. Papers like "The Elect as Elohim" and "Wars of the End: Preparing the Elohim" outline a plan where God's ultimate goal is to expand this elohim family. It's ambitious, sure, but it sets the stage for his most controversial claim: that Jesus and Satan were both charter members of this elite club. Oh, and did I mention Satan was the "Morning Star" assigned to Earth as its guardian? Because nothing says "trustworthy overseer" like the guy who ends up leading a rebellion.

At the core of Cox's theology is a reimagining of the Hebrew word "Elohim." In the Bible, it's often translated as "God," but it's grammatically plural, which Cox seizes upon like a kid finding an extra cookie in the jar or Bob Thiel being doubly "blessed". He argues that Elohim refers not just to the one God but to a whole assembly of divine beings—sons of God, if you will—created by Eloah to help run the cosmos. Psalm 82:1-6 gets a starring role here: God (Eloah) judges among the "gods" (elohim), calling them "sons of the Most High" but warning they'll die like mortals for their corruption. Cox sees this as evidence of a heavenly council, complete with job assignments and performance reviews.

Enter Jesus: In CCG lore, he's the firstborn elohim, the Logos or Word from John 1:1, who acted as Eloah's chief architect in creation. Colossians 1:15 ("firstborn of all creation") is twisted to mean he's created, not eternal. And Job 38:7's "morning stars" singing at creation? That's Jesus as one star, shining bright in the divine choir.

Now, the twist: Satan gets the same VIP treatment. Originally Lucifer, the "Light Bringer," he was another morning star—Earth's planetary manager, no less. Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:14-16 paint him as a perfect cherub who fell due to pride, trying to grab equality with God (unlike humble Jesus, who didn't). In Cox's view, Satan was "Satan-el," an elohim of a planetary quadrant, part of the same created order as Jesus. They were like divine brothers—one stayed loyal, the other went rogue, leading to a cosmic HR nightmare. This resolves Genesis 1:26's "let us make man in our image" as the elohim council chatting, not some Trinitarian mystery. Clever, right? Or, as critics might say, a bit too convenient, like retrofitting the Bible to fit a sci-fi novel.

Cox assures us this restores “true pre-Nicene Christianity” before those pesky pagan Trinitarians ruined everything. Bonus perk: faithful humans get to join the elohim country club someday. Who wouldn’t want eternal godhood with dental? The only tiny problem? Equating the eternal Son of God with a created rebel angel tends to make actual biblical scholars develop facial tics.

From any mainstream Christian perspective—Trinitarian, Binitarian, or even garden-variety monotheist—Cox’s system doesn’t merely miss the mark; it’s playing an entirely different sport on a different planet. Let’s tally the score:

• Jesus gets demoted to a created middle manager. Arianism called; it wants its heresy back. John 1:1–3: the Word “was God,” not “was a god,” and “without him nothing was made that has been made.” If Jesus is created, who created him? Crickets. Hebrews 1:8–10 straight-up calls the Son “God” and credits him with laying Earth’s foundations. Angels worship him (Heb 1:6). Cox turns the Creator into a promoted creature. Bold. Wrong. Catastrophically wrong.

• Satan gets a massive, unearned promotion. The Bible calls him a fallen angel, created servant (Heb 1:14), a liar, and a murderer from the beginning. Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 are prophetic smack-talk against human tyrants, not Satan’s LinkedIn profile. Job’s morning stars? Poetic angels at creation, not evidence of Jesus and Satan sharing a bunk bed in eternity past. Making Satan a peer of Christ is the theological version of saying Darth Vader and Luke were equals before the family drama. No.

• Yes, the word is plural. It’s also frequently a majestic plural for the one God, like royalty saying “we.” Psalm 82 is God judging corrupt authorities (human or angelic), not unveiling a pantheon. Jesus quotes it in John 10 to defend his unique divinity, not to say “I’m just one of the guys.” Cox’s henotheism-lite crashes head-first into Isaiah 43:10: “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.” God isn’t franchising.

Critics call CCG exclusivist and cult-adjacent. Even classic Armstrongism kept Jesus eternally divine. Cox’s tweak risks turning the cross into cosmic performance art: if Jesus is just another created elohim, how exactly does his death pay for sin eternally? It’s like trying to settle the universe’s debt with a personal check from a bankrupt middle manager.

CCG sprouted from Armstrong’s God Family doctrine (Father and Son as the two eternal Elohim, humans next in line). Cox cranks the dial to eleven, expanding the elohim into a full celestial org chart with planetary quadrants that sound suspiciously like rejected Ancient Aliens scripts. Apostolic tradition? Early Church Fathers? Nah, too mainstream. Windy picnic tables are where the real revelation happens, apparently.

Wade Cox's belief that Jesus and Satan were elohim stems from a pluralistic reading of Scripture, aiming to demystify God's plan. It's creative, I'll give it that—like imagining heaven as a dysfunctional family sitcom, complete with windy picnic-table sermons delivered with all the conviction of a motivational speaker who forgot his script. But biblically, it crumbles under scrutiny, denying Christ's eternity and inflating Satan's resume. Why does it matter? Because theology shapes faith: Get God wrong, and everything unravels. So, next time someone pitches Jesus as Satan's ex-colleague, smile politely and suggest a reread of John 1. After all, in the divine drama, some plot twists are best left on the cutting room floor.

Wade writes:

The LCG and the other offshoots conveniently ignore key texts of the Bible that show clearly that the angels are all sons of God and that Satan is also a son of God. Job 1:6 and 2:1 show that they all had access to the throne of God including Satan and had such access at the time of Job who was a son of Issachar resident in the Middle East (probably in Midian). These sons of God were the elohim who were the angelic host and are recognised as such by the Biblical scholars such as Bullinger and others. The sons of God were termed elohim which is a plural word recognising God as an extended being. Elohim is referred to in Job 2:1 but the name Eloah is used many times to refer to the One True God throughout Job. Job 1:6 refers to Satan being among the sons of God. He is used then to tempt Job and afflict him. Job 2:1 also has the same scenario when the sons of God came before God and Satan was again among them. It is thus beyond dispute that there were many sons of God in OT times and Satan was among them and they all had access to the throne. These sons of God were divided into ranks and positions and we see from Job 38:4-7 that the One True God created the earth in the beginning and that the sons of God came together before God at the creation and all the Morning Stars sang for joy when they were shown the creation. Now a Morning Star is a planetary ruler and is referred to as a light bearer or “Lucifer” and these heads of the Heavenly Host were the rulers of the Heavenly Council which we were shown at Sinai being founded in the Tabernacle as the Sanhedrin of the Seventy plus Two, and who are divided into the Heavenly Council in Revelation chapters 4 and 5 of the Four Cherubim and the Twenty-four elders and the Lamb of God. The outer council was the other forty-two elders making up the 72. This was the Sanhedrin also from Sinai and the Seventy-two or Hebdomekonta [Duo] ordained by Christ as the elders of the church (Lk. 10:1,17).

Now many sons of God were sent to mankind as messengers and that word was Malak in Hebrew and the word in Greek was Aggellos. The word simply meant messenger and the elohim were all sons of God as elohim until they were sent to mankind as a malak. That is the reason why they were all referred to as Yahovah and the human host prostrated before them (Gr. proskuneo). That same word is used of the elect when those who say they are Jews and are not but lie proskuneo before the elect of the Philadelphian Church in Revelation 3. The Binitarian worshippers of the god Attis in Rome brought their heretical doctrines in to Christianity from 175 CE. To introduce the Binitarianism of Attis they had to elevate Christ to a level above the other sons of God or elohim. They did this by creating a class and called them “Angels” from the word aggellos or messenger which was the translation of the word malak or messenger in the OT. They then made them distinct from Christ and used the term elohim or theos of he and the Father only. Having done this fabrication they then introduced the Holy Spirit as the third element of a Triune God by 381 CE at the Council of Constantinople and confirmed it from Chalcedon in 451.

The Myth of British-Israelism

 

The Myth of British-Israelism

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Claude Mariottini

On August 9, 2006, I wrote a post, “America and Great Britain in Biblical Prophecy,” in which I explained the reasons the movement popularly known as British-Israelism finds no support in the Bible or in history, even though their proponents quote widely from the Bible and history to prove their point.

In response to my post, a proponent of British-Israelism who refuses to give his or her name and hides his or her identity under the label of “anonymous,” has criticized my post for not presenting a “scrap of evidence against Anglo-Saxon identity with the Ten Tribes.”

A careful reading of my original post will show that I cited several texts from the Old Testament to show that many Israelites from the Northern Kingdom were not deported to Assyria. In fact, after the Assyrians conquered Samaria, the territory of the Northern Kingdom was incorporated into the Assyrian empire and became the Assyrian province of Samerina.

The advocates of British-Israelism believe that the Anglo Saxon people, those living in Great Britain and the United States, are the descendants of the ten lost tribes of the Northern Kingdom that were taken into exile by the Assyrians. Thus, the Anglo Saxon people are the direct descendants of the children of Abraham and as such, they become the inheritors of the promises God made to Israel.

The basic argument for British-Israelism has been developed by many authors in England and in the United States. A forceful presentation of this view was presented by Herbert W. Armstrong in his book The United States and Britain in Prophecy. Armstrong was the founder of the Church of God. These are some of the basic beliefs of British-Israelism:

1. The people living in Great Britain and the United States are the descendants of the lost tribes.
2. The British throne is a continuation of the throne of David.
3. The British Royal family are lineal descendants of David, King of Judah.
4. The stone of Scone is the one which Jacob anointed with oil.
5. The British Empire people are the covenant people.
6. The British people are chosen of God to dominate the world.

There are several issues that mitigate against the argument put forth by the proponents of British-Israelism, the view that Great Britain and the United States are the remnant of the lost tribes of Israel. I do not have the time nor the inclination to address every misinterpretation in Armstrong’s book. Suffice it to say that the interpretations are based on eisegesis, literalism, and texts interpreted out of context. In this post, I will address three issues raised by the adherents of British-Israelism.

The Tribes of Israel

Since my anonymous critic asked me to answer some of his questions, I asked him to make a list and name the ten tribes that were lost. Here is the list he provided:

The Southern Kingdom: Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin plus a few faithful Levites.

The Northern Kingdom: Reuben, Levi, Gad, Dan, Ephraim, Manasseh, Isaachar (sic), Napthali (sic), Zebulun, and Asher.

The list of the twelve tribes of Israel appears about twenty times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. However, the names of the tribes that compose the twelve tribes of Israel vary from list to list.

The list of the tribes appears for the first time in Genesis 29:31-30:24 in the order in which the children were born. Since Benjamin was born in the land of Canaan, Dinah appears as the twelfth child of Jacob. This is the only time in the Old Testament in which the tribes are listed in the order of their birth. In the twenty lists where the names of the tribes appear, there are eighteen different orders in which the tribes are mentioned.

In some lists, Levi is counted as one of the twelve tribes, in some others Levi does not appear. When Levi is omitted, the tribe of Joseph appears as two tribes: Ephraim and Manasseh.

In Revelation 7:4-8 John provides a list “of every tribe of the sons of Israel”: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin. In this list, the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are missing. The tribe of Joseph represents the tribe of Ephraim.

In the blessing of Moses in Deuteronomy 36:6-29, the following tribes appear: Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh, Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naphtali. This list contains only 10 tribes; the tribes of Simeon and Asher are missing.

In 1 Kings 11:31-32, only eleven tribes appear. In Judges 5:14-18 there are 11 tribes: Ephraim, Benjamin, Machir, Zebulun, Issachar, Reuben, Gilead, Dan, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. Manasseh is missing. Simeon, Judah, and Levi are also missing. It is possible that the Southern tribes (Simeon and Judah) were not yet part of the confederation of the tribes. In Ezekiel 48 the following tribes are listed: Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad. When the Levites are included, there are thirteen tribes.

All these variations in the listing of the tribes indicate that the number twelve was an artificial arrangement that was also found in other groups outside of Israel. There were the twelve tribes of Nahor (Genesis 22:20-24), the twelve tribes of Ishmael (Genesis 17:20; 25:13-16), and the twelve tribes of Esau (Genesis 36:9-14; 40-43).

The idea of ten tribes presupposes that the Southern Kingdom was composed of only two tribes. However, my reader acknowledges that the Southern Kingdom had three tribes.

In 1 Kings 12:20 we read: “And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.” This verse says that there were only eleven tribes (the ten tribes plus Judah), since only Judah followed the house of David. However, in 1 Kings 12:21 we read: “When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.” Since the tribe of Benjamin followed the tribe of Judah, then the Northern Kingdom had only nine tribes.

2 Chronicles 11:14, says: “For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord.” Since the Levites left the Northern Kingdom to come to Judah, now the Northern Kingdom had only eight tribes.

In addition, 2 Chronicles 11:16 reads: “And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.” This means that many citizens of the North who were faithful Yahwist came to Judah rather than live in the North. In 2 Chronicles 15:8-9 we read about the existence of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon. And Simeon is counted as a tribe from Israel.

The Population of the Northern Kingdom

The second factor is the number of people from the Northern Kingdom who were deported to Assyria. My anonymous critic says that the population of the Northern Kingdom was “5 million people” and “probably a lot more.” But this embellished number is contradicted by the archaeological evidence.

Adam Zertal, in his article “The Province of Samaria (Assyrian Samerina) in the Late Iron Age (Iron Age III),” published in Judah and the Judeans in the Neo-Babylonian Period, edited by Oded Lipschitz and Joseph Blenkinsopp (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2003), p. 385, wrote concerning the people from the North who came to worship in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 41:5):

The fact that organized communities of Israelites still saw Jerusalem as their holy place may be interpreted as evidence of the existence of the Yahwistic cult as the main faith in the North, some 150 years after the conquest of Samaria. The archaeological data seem to support this idea, that in spite of the population changes, most of the people remained Israelite in faith. Even if the number of exiled people from Samaria by the Assyrians (approximately 27,000) is reliable, it still did not exceed 20-25% of the Israelite population.

Zertal estimated the population of the Northern Kingdom at the time of the Assyrian conquest to be no more than 100,000, probably 70,000 people. Thus, the population of the Northern Kingdom was smaller than anonymous said it was. But the fact is that many of the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom remained behind. Some of them fled to the Southern Kingdom, as the archaeological evidence demonstrates. Some of them went to Egypt where they organized a large Jewish community, and some of them eventually became the Samaritan people.

There were never ten lost tribes so far as the Bible is concerned, only a dispersion of many Israelites throughout the whole ancient Near East. In fact the 27,000 people carried by the Assyrians into captivity represented only a small fraction of the total population at the time of the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C.

Under Ezra and Nehemiah about 50,000 people returned from Babylon. This is how the Chronicler described the settlement of the people who returned from exile: “Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh” (1 Chronicles 9:2-3).

According to the Chronicler, among those tribes that returned from Babylon were people from Ephraim and Manasseh, and they lived in Jerusalem. In addition, the Chronicler makes a distinction between the Israelites and the Judeans who lived in Jerusalem. Thus, the Biblical record indicates that a remnant from all of the tribes returned. The reference to “all Israel” appears in Ezra 1:3; 2:70; 3:11; 6:17, 21; 7:6, 13, 28; 8:25, 35; 10:5 and in Nehemiah 7:73; 8:1, 17; 9:2; 10:33; 11:20; 12:47; 13:3, 18, 26. Thus, according to Ezra and Nehemiah, “all Israel” was not lost.

The Mission of Jeremiah

After the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah was taken by force to Egypt. According to the proponents of British-Israelism, Jeremiah, in carrying out his mission as assigned by God, left Egypt and took two princesses of Judah, the daughters of King Zedekiah, to Spain where the younger princess got married. Then, Jeremiah took Zedekiah’s older daughter to Ireland. In Ireland, the older daughter of Zedekiah married the ruler of Ireland. Thus, through Zedekiah’s daughter, the line of David on the throne of Judah was maintained and continues to this day through the British royal family.

This view is contradicted by the Biblical evidence. The line of David was continued through Jehoiachin and not through Zedekiah. Although Jehoiachin was a captive in Babylon, he was still recognized as the legitimate successor to the throne of David (cf. Jeremiah 52:31-34). According to the Weidner Tablets (ANET, 308), Jehoiachin lived in the Babylonian court and the Babylonian king made provisions “for Jehoiachin, the king of the land of Judah and for the five sons of the king of the land of Judah.”

According to the prophet Haggai, the post-exilic community considered making Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel and Jehoiachin’s grandson, a king in Judah, before he was probably forced to return to Persia (Haggai 2:23). In addition, the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1:12-16 traces the royal line through Jehoiachin and not through Zedekiah’s daughter.

In his article on “British-Israelism and Pyramidology,” Interpretation 11 (1957), p. 318, Carl Howie wrote:

It is unfortunate that well-meaning people have become dupes of a chauvinistic egotism which substitutes an earthly throne for that which Christ alone can occupy and substitutes an earthly empire for the Kingdom of God. The thought that God’s Kingdom is coextensive with an earthly empire and that the throne of England is the seat of this rule, is abhorrent to all who are acquainted with the profundity of the kingdom and Messiah concepts. That the Kingdom of God is spiritual and not physical is axiomatic and that the church, as it is true to Christ by faith, is the Israel of faith is equally sure (cf. I Peter 2:9-10). To make God the servant and supporter of racism such as the Anglo-Israel movement does directly contradicts both the spirit and letter of the Bible. On the basis of overwhelming evidence we conclude that the British-Israel hypothesis has no basis in fact since no legitimate evidence has been found for its support.

In his article on “Anglo-Israelism,” published in the Jewish Encyclopedia, Joseph Jacobs wrote:

Altogether, by the application of wild guesswork about historical origins and philological analogies, and by a slavishly literal interpretation of selected phrases of prophecy, a case was made out for the identification of the British race with the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel sufficient to satisfy uncritical persons desirous of finding their pride of race confirmed by Holy Scripture. The whole theory rests upon an identification of the word “isles” in the English version of the Bible unjustified by modern philology, which identifies the original word with “coasts” or “distant lands” without any implication of their being surrounded by the sea. Modern ethnography does not confirm in any way the identification of the Irish with a Semitic people; while the English can be traced back to the Scandinavians, of whom there is no trace in Mesopotamia at any period of history. English is a branch of the Aryan stock of languages, and has no connection with Hebrew. The whole movement is chiefly interesting as a reductio ad absurdum of too literal an interpretation of the prophecies.

Although my anonymous reader many never agree with my conclusion, the fact is that British Israelism is based on a biased interpretation of the text, eisegesis, wishful thinking, and a lack of reliable historical evidence. The view that Great Britain and the United States of America are the lost tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh is just a myth.

Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary

Crackpot Prophet Doubles Down As The Big Mean Dream Machine

It's another gloriously sunny day in California, because nothing says "end times" like waiting for the weekend rainstorm while our resident Crackpot Prophet doubles down on how utterly magnificent his dreams are and how tragically stupid everyone else is for daring to ignore them.

After all, his nighttime fantasies are clearly just as vital and legitimate as those of biblical Joseph or Loma Armstrong—you know, the kind of divine VIPs whose visions actually mattered. Back when the Holy Family was in the early planning stages of creating this whole world thing, they apparently gathered around the heavenly kitchen table one lazy Sunday morning, strategizing the entire end-times script and assigning all the major players. In a moment of pure serendipity, the Holy Spirit chuckled and said, "Hey, we need some sort of Bob character to pop up in the last days and absolutely amaze and astound the world. We'll hook him up with visions and dreams so people will believe him. Remember, the Laodicean attitude is going to deceive tons of folks, and they'll blow him off—so we've got to make him look way more legitimate than all those other Church of God leaders." The whole God family apparently lost it, laughing hysterically while munching on their heavenly chocolate croissants and sipping that divine brew.

Fast-forward a casual 5980 years, and voilà—here we are with the world's most astonishing dream machine himself: the Infallible Great Bwana Joshua, Habakkuk, Elijah, Elisha, Joseph, Bob Thiel strutting among us in the flesh. Sadly, things aren't unfolding quite as splendidly as the Holy Family had scripted. People just aren't paying proper attention to his dreams, and that's simply not kosher!

Everyone fails to recognize that right in their very midst walks the single most theologically accurate man who has ever twisted the Bible to perfectly match his own worldview. Forget Dave Pack and Herbert Armstrong—the Great Bwana is clearly the man!

And here he is today, once again moaning into his herbs and potions about how today's True Christians stubbornly refuse to acknowledge his greatness. Poor thing. How ever will the world survive without bowing to his nightly reruns?

When believers read about dreams in the Hebrew scriptures, they realize that God has actually used them. 

 

But, some in the various COGs have commented that they do not care to know about dreams in this century. 

 

Do dreams and prophets have any place in the Christian Church today? 

 

Did any dreams precede the start of the old Radio Church of God? What about the Continuing Church of God (which did not officially form as a declared entity until December 28, 2012)?

Our Great Bwana has placed himself as part of the Armstrongist trinity of dreams, Loma, Herbert, and Bwana Bob.

I had a couple of dreams prior to the start of the Continuing Church of God, and also two people I did not know, one who lived in New Zealand and one in Kansas, had dreams prior to that start as well. 

 

Though many discount all dreams, many also forget that Herbert W. Armstrong believed that his wife Loma D. Armstrong had a dream from God...

The Great Bwana continues with this:

Loma and Herbert W. Armstrong were married in 1917. They were specifically told that they would have a work to do. Furthermore, the bright lights in the dream may have had to do with doing a work (cf. Matthew 5:16)–a work that seemed to vanish and return (flash). 

 

Thus, there was a dream from God given to a woman in the 20th century that preceded the start of the old Radio Church of God that Herbert W. Armstrong led. The Radio Church of God represented the start of the Philadelphia era and the Philadelphian work–a work that is not finished (cf. Matthew 24:14-15)–and Herbert W. Armstrong claimed that a dream given to his wife was from God, prior to the start of the Philadelphia era. 

 

The Bible says:

8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them … (Genesis 42:8-9) 

 

Notice that after events that occurred years later confirmed Joseph’s dreams, then he remembered them. When events confirmed Loma Armstrong’s dream, she and Herbert W. Armstrong remembered them. 

 

Now, consider that since the Philadelphia era was raised up after Loma Armstrong’s dream, a question to ponder is, would God do anything similar to point to the continuation of the end-time COG remnant of the Philadelphians? 

 

Oh, the sheer desperation oozing from Bwana Bob as he clings to the Armstrongs for any scrap of legitimacy—it's almost touching. Apparently, the only way to justify raising up yet another tiny splinter group is to hitch his wagon to the same old family legend. Because nothing screams "divinely appointed" like recycling someone else's decades-old dream.

Yes, folks, according to our infallible prophet, the mysterious second part of Loma Armstrong's famous dream—the one nobody else seems to remember quite the same way—was secretly about him and the Continuing Church of God. Not Herbert, not the original work, not even the entire end-time drama... nope, it was a cryptic prophecy pointing straight to Bwana Bob Thiel in the 21st century. The mental gymnastics required to arrive at that conclusion are truly Olympic-level. Mind-boggling doesn't even begin to cover it.

Truly, the delusion is strong with this one. Keep dreaming, Bwana Bob. The world is clearly just too Laodicean to appreciate your starring role in Loma's extended director's cut.

Consider that in Loma Armstrong’s dream that there were two sets of flashing stars–there were two parts to the dream. Herbert W. Armstrong is now dead and there was a pause between the work God had him to do and the completion of the final phase of the work to finally fulfill Matthew 24:14 (cf. Isaiah 29:14). 

 

Herbert W. Armstrong mentioned the dream from time to time publicly, here are two nearly identical accounts:

I’m usually pretty skeptical about God speaking to anyone today in visions or dreams. God speaks to us thru His Son, Jesus Christ — the WORD of God — and the Bible is the written Word. I didn’t really believe it then, 38 years ago, but subsequent events have verified that God did speak to my wife at that time, shortly after we were married, revealing thru an angel that He was calling us to the mission of WARNING the world of the fast-approaching END OF THIS WORLD, the Coming of Jesus Christ, and the world-ruling Kingdom of God. At the time I was unconverted, not bothering to attend church, interested only in business and making money. I was embarrassed — a little awed — but immediately tried to put it out of my mind. But at age 30 God took away my business, struck me down, took away my idol of money-making and business prestige. (Armstrong HW. Co-worker letter, November 25, 1955) 

 

I’m usually pretty skeptical about God speaking to anyone today in visions or dreams. God speaks to us thru His Son, Jesus Christ — the WORD of God — and the Bible is the written Word. I didn’t really believe it then, 38 years ago, but subsequent events have verified that God did speak to my wife at that time, shortly after we were married, revealing thru an angel in a vision that He was calling us to the mission of WARNING the world of the fast- approaching END OF THIS WORLD, the coming of Jesus Christ, and the world-ruling Kingdom of God. At that time I was unconverted, not bothering to attend church, interested only in business and making money. I was embarrassed — a little awed — but immediately tried to put it out of my mind. But at age 30 God took away my business, struck me down, took away my idol of money-making and business prestige. (Armstrong HW. Co-worker letter, February 21, 1956)

Notice that the dream was to go until the end of the world and the coming of Jesus–since Herbert W. Armstrong has been dead since January 16, 1986–if the dream was from God then, does it not make sense that the second half of the dream would be fulfilled by another? Like in the 21st century? We in the Continuing Church of God are fulfilling that second part of the stars.

Perhaps it should be mentioned, Herbert W. Armstrong had more information about what I am referring to as the first set of stars in the dream. He wrote:

It was a dazzling spectacle … People by the hundreds came running into this broad intersection looking up to see the strange phenomena … A vast multitude of eyes were upon us … I have only come to believe that this dream was a bonafide call from God in the light of subsequent events. (Armstrong HW. The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong, 9th installment. Plain Truth, August 1958, p. 18).

Eyes of a vast multitude suggest that the dream was saying, that the work to be done was to have a witness to many. This happened with the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W. Armstrong’s leadership in the 20th century. The second set of stars in the dream, which he did not mention in the August 1958 Plain Truth, article, but did in his published Autobiography, may pertain to what I have called, for years, The Final Phase of the Work. But even if it had applicability to the ministry of Herbert W. Armstrong only, the dream, which shortly before his death he confirmed he believed was from God (per Aaron Dean, who I discussed this with on October 30, 2015), shows that one did precede the Church of God work he was involved in. 

 

Consider that Herbert W. Armstrong concluded that his wife Loma’s dream was from God. He also believed the first part of it had to do with the start of the Philadelphia era of the Church of God via the Radio Church of God. He did not discuss the fulfillment of the second part of the dream directly, however he taught another work would be done. 

 

Buckle up, brethren—here comes the undeniable PROOF straight from the Great Bwana himself that he is, without question, the legitimate next big thing in the Church of God universe.

Even Herbert W. Armstrong—yes, the very same one—mentioned him! Not by name, of course (because why be specific when you can be mysteriously prophetic?), but as a shadowy “second mighty work” that was supposedly destined to arise. Forget actual quotes, clear context, or anything remotely verifiable. No, no. HWA dropped a vague, throwaway line decades ago, and Bwana Bob has heroically decoded it to mean: “Behold, I am that second mighty work. Bow before my YouTube sermons and my endless stream of dreams.”

It’s the theological equivalent of finding a cryptic fortune cookie message and declaring yourself the Chosen One because it vaguely mentioned “a great leader will rise in the West… with excellent Wi-Fi.” 

The mental contortions required to turn a generic end-time comment into a personal bat-signal are nothing short of breathtaking. Truly, only a mind as uniquely gifted as the Infallible Bwana could crack that code.

So yes, everyone—pack it up. The case is closed. Herbert basically named him in code. We can all stop doubting now and get in line behind the world’s most self-anointed “second mighty work.” History will surely thank us for not laughing too hard.

Herbert W. Armstrong’s part of the work lasted over 50 years, and he seemingly felt that the “short work” would be much shorter than his work. And that is correct.

Here is what was in Herbert W. Armstrong’s last letter:

The greatest work lies ahead … Never before in the history of the Church has it been possible to reap so great a harvest. It has only been made possible through modern technology, beginning with the printing press, radio, television ... Each of you must commit yourself to support God’s Work … God’s work must push ahead as never before. God is opening up new doors in television (Letter, 1/10/86).

Consider that since Herbert W. Armstrong did not teach that the second part of his wife Loma’s dream was fulfilled and that he also taught a greater work was going to happen after his death. It is greater because it will fulfill Matthew 24:14, etc. That is the work that we in the Continuing Church of God are leading. It appears that the second part of Loma D. Armstrong’s dream was pointing to the Continuing Church of God–the group that best represents the remnant of the Philadelphian portion of the Church of God. As far as radio and new doors in television and other media, check out the CCOG Multimedia page. 

 

As far as the greatest work, consider that the Continuing Church of God has had its English language booklet, The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, translated into over 1500 languages and dialects. This has NEVER been done before in the nearly 2,000 year history of the Church of God.
Furthermore, dreams are a sign that God has used to confirm ‘Philadelphia.’ 

 

No other Church of God group has ever dared to publish a book so gloriously stuffed to the gills with theological heresies. Not a single one. And yet, somehow, here we are, blessed beyond measure with this unparalleled masterpiece of doctrinal creativity.

Truly, it's a miracle of modern prophecy: a tome so densely packed with eyebrow-raising interpretations that it makes the rest of the COG literature look like dry, boring orthodoxy by comparison. Who needs boring old consistency when you can have page after page of bold, boundary-pushing "truth" that somehow only one very special man on the planet has managed to uncover?

We should all be taking notes. This isn't just another book—it's a landmark achievement in the fine art of saying things that make even the most die-hard Armstrongites do a double-take. History will remember it fondly… or at least as the moment everyone else quietly backed away.

Oh, and because one dream interpreter in New Zealand just wasn’t enough cosmic validation, the Great Bwana now ascends to the next level of self-congratulation: he dreams about Rod Meredith.

Yes, you read that right. In what is surely the most humble and understated move of the century, Bob Thiel’s subconscious decides the best use of his prophetic nighttime bandwidth is to stage a personal cameo from the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith himself. Because nothing screams “I’m the legitimate successor” quite like your own brain casting a dead former boss in your fan-fiction sequel.

One can only imagine the scene: Rod appears in glorious technicolor dream-vision, perhaps giving a solemn nod of approval, or maybe handing over a glowing scepter labeled “Second Mighty Work,” or—let’s be real—probably just standing there looking mildly confused while Bob narrates how this obviously confirms every single thing he’s ever claimed. Divine endorsement level: expert.

The rest of us are left to marvel at the sheer convenience. When your real-world followers won’t give you the respect you so richly deserve, why not have the next best thing—a literal ghost from COG past—drop by in your sleep to tell you you’re special? It’s efficient, it’s cost-free, and best of all, Rod can’t talk back or fact-check you.

Truly inspiring stuff. Keep those dream logs coming, Bwana. At this rate, your next blockbuster revelation might feature Herbert Armstrong himself showing up with a PowerPoint titled “Why Bob Was Right All Along.” We’re on the edge of our seats.

Many years ago I had a dream, which while I did not understand it at first, as it became more and more fulfilled over the years, I remembered it, began to understand it, and believe it was from God.

I was 50 at the time (which essentially makes me an ‘old man’ per Numbers 8:25; cf. John 8:57). In my dream, there seemed to be two parallel lines. Living Church of God (LCG) evangelist Roderick Meredith was on the top line and I was on the line much below. In the dream, I kept calling up to Dr. Meredith, but he never would respond. This lack of response made no sense to me during the dream. Then after what seemed to be a long time, the lines-crossed with his line dropping and my line going up.

One reason that I did not understand it at the time was that I was on relatively close speaking terms with Dr. Meredith then (he repeatedly told me he considered me to be his friend, plus he had appointed me an adviser to LCG on matters of doctrine and prophecy), so that aspect of the dream made no sense at the time. Also, since I had no intentions of leaving Living Church of God then (and certainly no plans to start a separate church), it was not clear what the dream was saying. Another reason I was unsure about the dream then was that I had not had any anointing for the Holy Spirit beyond baptism when I had that dream.

But these matters changed eventually. For one, I was unexpectedly anointed for a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Spirit (cf. 2 Kings 2:9) on December 15, 2011 by an LCG minister named Gaylyn Bonjour.

Furthermore, the following year Dr. Meredith became more distant from me, would not keep various promises to me, and ultimately stopped speaking with me. And after I got a letter from him on 12/28/12, it was clear to me that there was no way that the Philadelphia mantle could be with him or any of his leaders or remain in LCG. I remembered my dream as these subsequent events showed me that the dream was being fulfilled.

In late 2020, I had another dream that was fulfilled. In 2022, CCOG evangelist Evans Ochieng had another dream that was confirmed. 

 

Poor Bwana Bob—nothing quite frosts his delicate little butt like the fact that every other Church of God group continues to treat him and his sacred dream journal with the respect they reserve for random spam emails. How dare they!

The audacity! The sheer, unmitigated gall! Here he is, the self-proclaimed second-mighty-work-in-chief, graciously dropping divine revelations left and right, and these ungrateful Laodiceans just… keep on ignoring him. They won’t acknowledge his dreams, his YouTube empire, his endless stream of “proof texts,” or his starring role in Loma Armstrong’s extended remix. It’s practically persecution. Nay, it’s worse—it’s disrespect.

Clearly, the only logical explanation is that the entire rest of the COG world is spiritually blind, deceived, and too busy sipping lukewarm Postum to recognize the greatest prophetic gift since Herbert himself. Meanwhile, Bwana sits there, cheeks aflame with righteous indignation, wondering why no one else has the good sense to bow down and say, “Yes, sir, your nighttime brain movies are definitely from God, and we were fools to ever question it.”Truly heartbreaking. Someone fetch the man a fainting couch and a fresh batch of heavenly chocolate croissants—he’s suffering, people. He’s suffering.

Despite what the Bible supports, most Church of God groups do not seemingly accept that there are any prophets today, nor do they seem to accept that God actually sometimes speaks in dreams in the 21st century–some, oddly, seem indignant of the very idea. Part of the reason for this is that those self-proclaimed ‘prophets’ outside of the Continuing Church of God have tended to be proven to be false. 

 

Oh, and then—because why stop at self-referential prophecy when you can outsource it?—the Great Bwana trots out yet another golden nugget: a dream one of his loyal acolytes in New Zealand supposedly had about him. 

Double blessed, triple confirmed, quadruple ignored.

He proceeds to quote this second-hand nighttime fan fiction in exhaustive detail, as if it's the missing chapter of Revelation that finally explains why everyone else in the COG universe is too spiritually dense to recognize his greatness. More whining ensues about how tragically overlooked he is, how the Laodiceans just won't wake up and smell the prophetic coffee, and how dare the rest of the world not immediately fall to their knees over a dream some follower had halfway around the planet.

Truly groundbreaking stuff. Nothing says “legitimate end-time apostle” like leaning on the subconscious ramblings of your own fan club for validation. At this rate, the next big proof will be his cat having a vision about him while napping on the keyboard. Keep 'em coming, Bob—we're all riveted.

He ends with this:

Satan and his allies do not want you to believe that God has actually been using dreams–he wants you to rationalize away the prophecy in Acts 2:17-18–otherwise you might take action he opposes. 

 

Can you believe?

Well, Bob, after surveying the full panoramic sweep of your prophetic portfolio—from heavenly kitchen-table brainstorming sessions with chocolate croissants and the Holy Spirit's chuckle about needing “some kind of Bob character,” to the mind-bending decoding of Loma Armstrong’s dream as your personal origin story, to the outsourced New Zealand acolyte visions, the subconscious Rod Meredith cameo, and the endless frostbitten indignation over every other COG group’s refusal to genuflect—yes, we can believe. We can believe it all right.

We can believe that in a world where the most theologically creative book of heresies ever published by a COG splinter sits proudly on the shelf, where vague Herbert Armstrong comments become coded bat-signals for your “second mighty work” status, and where the late Rod Meredith apparently moonlights in your dreams to hand out approval stamps, the one constant is the tragic, unforgivable oversight of everyone else failing to recognize the Infallible Bwana Joshua-Habakkuk-Elijah-Elisha-Joseph-Thiel as the greatest unappreciated prophetic gift since… ever.

So when you warn that Satan and his minions are desperately trying to get people to “rationalize away” Acts 2:17-18 (you know, the part about dreams and visions in the last days), the irony is thicker than heavenly brew. Because if anyone’s been rationalizing—twisting, stretching, outsourcing, and dream-logging their way into legitimacy—it’s the man whose entire ministry seems built on the premise that if enough people dream about you (or your followers dream about you dreaming about someone else), reality must bend to match.The rest of the COG world? They’re just too Laodicean, too deceived, too busy ignoring the double-blessed evidence to see the obvious: that God Himself scripted your starring role millennia ago, complete with cameos from dead leaders and prophetic fan fiction from Down Under. How else to explain the deafening silence from everyone except your own echo chamber?

Can we believe? Oh, we believe the script you’ve written for yourself is one for the ages—equal parts tragic, triumphant, and hilariously self-referential. Keep warning about Satan’s plot to make people doubt your dreams, Bob. Meanwhile, the world keeps not paying attention, the weekend rainstorms keep coming, and your delicate little butt keeps getting frosted.

History (and probably a few more dreams) will sort it out. Until then… sweet dreams. 

Worldwide Church of God Iowa Warns Those Who Reject HWA Deny Christ And Are Attached To Demons!

The end-time sole martyr for the truth has been rejected by his two brothers and now stands alone in his noble quest to restore the Worldwide Church of God to its glory days of old. In his tireless effort to revive the Zerubbabel work to its former splendor, Samuel Kitchen is constantly reaching out to Aaron Dean, begging him to reject the Laodicean filth he's currently part of and return to the 100% pure Worldwide Church of God Iowa—the only church without sin, destined to redeem the entire world through its magnificent restoration as it prepares for Christ to return to Earth and, uh, kick some ass.

Woe unto all you wayward former sisters and brothers who now reject Herbert W. Armstrong's teachings. Because you've rejected him, you've also denounced Christ Himself and most likely have a demon perched on your shoulder, gleefully guiding you down that oh-so-scary Laodicean path.

Aaron Dean is also reminded that it has been 16 years since he committed apostasy and joined the United Church of God. But there is good news! 2026 is the year of organizational beginning—if you're a numerologist who finds magical thinking in numbers, which far too many in Armstrongism unfortunately do.

From 2010 to 2026 spans 16 years, divisible by eight.

Eight represents new organizational beginnings.

This means Aaron Dean needs to get his act together, return to the mothership, and find redemption as the modern-day Joshua (sorry, Bob Thiel—you are NOT that guy! Always the bridesmaid and never the bride).

Christ has sent a heavenly telegram, through Samuel, to Aaron:

Telegram for Mr Dean! A letter from Jesus Christ is awaiting for you!

In Christ’s name I have faithfully delivered it to you,

Samuel W Kitchen

The foundation has been laid.

The Worldwide Church of God

-Iowa-

Samuel Writes: 

In 1993, structural changes inside the Worldwide Church of God, caused the cessation of the Zerubbabel work. This was accomplished through the regional pastor structure being established by the office of Joseph Tkach Jr and his assistant Victor Kubik.

1993 was 7 years after Mr Armstrong died.

For 17 years the work of Zerubbabel was halted.

In 2010, you were invited and hired by the UCG.

In 2010, my family resumed the Zerubbabel work, as the Worldwide Church of God.

We included Herbert W Armstrong (as he was the apostle), in the foundation of the Church.

People fought us on this. You even witnessed Steve Meyers telling me Mr Armstrong wasn’t part of the foundation.

These “groups” are all saying he isn’t.

Some faithful, like yourself, find opposition when you mention the apostle in a favorable light.

See the difference between those connected to the vine and those who are not? Those who deny Christ’s name, by rejecting the apostle, end up spiritually withered up and dry and often attached to a demon! They are a branch broke from the vine.

So between 1993-2010, was preparatory for me. My father, mother, have died. My two brothers are no longer involved. I remain and still continue to INCLUDE Herbert W Armstrong as part of the foundation of the Worldwide Church of God.

This is line with scripture, and evidence pointing towards the spiritual Body of Christ!

So the Philadelphia Candlestick, is the Worldwide Church of God. If you don’t believe me, believe Mr Armstrong who said it first. I’m just repeating what he said.

From 2010-2026, is 16 years, divisible by EIGHT.

Eight represents new organizational beginnings.

Joshua, is not Zerubbabel. But the foundation stone is laid before him(Zech.3:9).

When Joshua stands up, as the result of the Zerubbabel work, he will stand with the first witness!

Then together as TWO WITNESSES, we see Revelation 11 come into play. The beginning of the Laodicean era begins when the second witness stands up, after the stone is laid before him. The last era needs the foundation.

That’s what Christ has been doing.

I am not part of these groups, as directed by Christ my head. I am involved with INCLUSION OF HERBERT W ARMSTRONG.

AndI find great opposition who wants to EXCLUDE HIM.

But not you. You have a different spirit, O Caleb. That’s why I was drawn to you.

These “groups” are not the true Church of God, as you have said to me in times past. But being invited to the UCG group you were sort of “drafted”.

Mr Armstrong said GTA started a “group” not a Church of God.

Although GTA got “church status” by registering with the State!

This is an example that all groups have followed. They are just “groups”, and not the true Church of God.

They only have “church status” by registering with Babylon and gaining “daughtership”.

But the groups are filled with those from the Body of Christ.

And by INCLUDING Herbert W Armstrong in the foundation, it does EXCLUDE these “groups”, who say they are Jews but do lie.

Who say they are the church of God but really are just “groups”.

And those who look back to Christ, back to His apostle, reconnect with the VINE! And so the golden oil flows into those of the Philadelphia candlestick!

These groups are sapping the golden oil, like the foolish virgins, and because they are getting further and further away from the Worldwide Church of God.

As they get closer to what was taught through the apostle, they are being filled with the Holy Spirit of God!

As they get further away, they wither and dry up and so they request assistance from those of the Body of Christ who have the oil, because they want to enter the Kingdom “their own way”.

But Matthew 25 shows, in the Laodicean era, the wise and foolish are cut off from the supply of golden oil. It doesn’t depict a continuous flow of golden oil. The wise have a certain amount, and the foolish have none.

This is obviously the remnant of Revelation 12:17.

In Revelation 3, “the church of the Laodiceans” is a GROUP who was called to be members of the Worldwide Church of God(Philadelphia).

They separated from Christ, so Christ warns them to return.

Isaiah 30:15-18 reads: “For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

“But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

“One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

“And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

Daniel 12:12 reads, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”

The blessing on Philadelphia is to be spared(Mal.317) from the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the Great Tribulation, in Revelation 3:10, Revelation 12:14-17. TO BE SAVED as Isaiah 30 shows.

The Lord will wait the Tribulation out, and will be GRACIOUS unto those of the Laodicean era!

Zerubbabel shall cry GRACE GRACE…

And therefore HE Christ, the cornerstone, shall be exalted.

That’s what Christ is doing Mr Dean, through me. My fruits can be examined.

And he is laying the foundation before you, preparing things for your job, so that together the Church may be prepared and made ready with final training.

Even your experience as College Dean, will not be thrown away.

Am I a false witness? Is Christ lying in the Word of God? Or am I telling you the truth? Christ is the faithful witness.

Mr Armstrong told you the church would come out of groups and go into a place of safety. You said that before in sermons.

It’s time, and it’s not something I started and chose. I was drafted.

Oh look, here’s your draft card too.

Telegram for Mr Dean! A letter from Jesus Christ is awaiting for you!

In Christ’s name I have faithfully delivered it to you,

Samuel W Kitchen

The foundation has been laid.

The Worldwide Church of God

-Iowa- 

 

Where do we even start.....

First off, Aaron Dean didn't "commit apostasy and join UCG" in 2010—that's creative fiction. He was around when UCG formed in the mid-90s (he didn't jump in right at the 1995 start because he was helping at the college, but he's been solidly with them for decades, giving sermons, serving on councils, and reminiscing fondly about HWA without ever claiming some secret "pure WCG" throne). The 2010 thing? Probably mixing up the big UCG split that birthed COGwa or something else entirely. Facts are hard when you're on a solo martyr mission, I guess.

As for that "only one left on the Advisory Council from '81–'86" bit floating around in certain Facebook groups and blogs? Sure, some folks (the 5 or 6 Samuel Kitchen enthusiasts) love to spin that Aaron secretly holds the keys to the real WCG like he's the last Jedi. Meanwhile, in actual reality, Aaron's been happily preaching in UCG, calling it home, and not exactly packing his bags to "restore" anything. He's not answering those endless "repent and return" DMs because... he's not interested. Shocking, I know.

And the numerology? 16 years = 2 × 8 = new beginnings? If we're playing Bible math, plenty of groups have claimed prophetic timelines based on sevens, eights, forties, whatever fits the spreadsheet. It hasn't worked out for any of them yet, but hey, 2026 is here and... crickets from the mothership reunion tour. Maybe the telegram got lost in spam.

If being the lone voice crying in the wilderness makes you feel special, go ahead. But declaring everyone else demon-possessed Laodiceans while your "pure" church consists of... you and 5 or 6 other people? That's not restoration; that's a very small Zoom call.

Aaron's probably busy giving another history-of-the-work sermon somewhere in UCG land, completely unaware (or politely ignoring) that he's supposed to drop everything and crown you the new Joshua 2.0. Perhaps take the hint: the "heavenly telegram" might just be wishful thinking.

Carry on with the quest, champ. The rest of us will be over here in the real world, where churches splinter, people disagree, and nobody's got a monopoly on being sin-free.