Ai COG: Messianic Torah Observant Israel? The Armstrong Cult in Disguise

If you're feeling nostalgic for the days of Herbert W. Armstrong, but with a little more “Jewish flair” and fewer endless sermons about the “Philadelphia Era,” then have we got a group for you! Messianic Torah Observant Israel (MTOI)—the group that wants you to believe it’s all about following Jesus while adhering to every last Jewish law—is essentially Armstrongism with a yarmulke. That’s right, folks, you can now observe the Torah while pretending that you don’t know exactly where your “feast day” teachings really came from. Spoiler alert: they came from Herbert W. Armstrong.

A New Name, Same Old Cultish Vibes

MTOI may have traded in the title "Church of God" for something that sounds like a more kosher version of a Torah study group, but make no mistake: underneath the surface, it’s Armstrongism through and through. Led by “Rabbi” Steve Berkson—a former member of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG)—MTOI is a well-crafted rebranding of the same doctrine that’s been keeping its members in a state of spiritual confusion for decades.

Oh yes, Rabbi Berkson may now sport a tallit and encourage you to say "Yeshua" instead of "Jesus," but his teachings are firmly rooted in the same legalistic mindset that the Worldwide Church of God proudly embraced under Herbert W. Armstrong. The key difference? Now there’s a menorah in the front of the room instead of a framed portrait of Armstrong’s face. No wonder Berkson found it so easy to transition from Armstrongism to Messianic Judaism—he was merely stepping into the same doctrine with a slightly different wardrobe.

Self-Appointed Leaders: A Tradition of “Divine” Appointments

Ah, the classic self-appointment—nothing quite says "authentic spiritual leader" like a leader who declares themselves to be just that. Rabbi Steve Berkson is no different from his predecessor in spiritual self-promotion, Herbert W. Armstrong. Both men, in their own ways, decided that they were the “chosen ones” to lead their respective flocks, despite any formal qualifications, theological training, or external validation.

While Berkson might wear the title of “rabbi,” let’s not forget that it’s entirely self-bestowed. Just like Armstrong, who made himself “apostle” without so much as a seminary degree, Berkson has no rabbinical ordination or recognized Jewish lineage. Yet, much like Armstrong’s claim to be the “only true apostle,” Berkson operates as though his position is divinely ordained—because he says it is.

This self-appointed authority isn’t just a quirky habit—it’s a cornerstone of the group's structure. Why question a leader who has appointed himself to the job? After all, who needs a congregation of peers to validate your status when you’re convinced that God himself has granted you the title, right? Just like Armstrong’s exclusive “Church of God,” MTOI’s leadership hinges on Berkson's personal vision, not any external or historical legitimacy.

In the grand tradition of Armstrong, Berkson's followers are expected to buy into the idea that the self-appointed leader is the authority. And if you question that? Well, you’re just questioning “God’s appointed servant”—which is, of course, another classic cultic tactic.

Torah Observance: The Armstrongian Dream

When you step into an MTOI gathering, you’re not just learning about Jesus. You’re being indoctrinated into a meticulous set of rules—Sabbaths, holy days, and kosher food laws—that may make your average Orthodox Jew raise an eyebrow. But it’s not about embracing Jewish culture or tradition for the sake of deeper understanding of the Bible. Oh no. It’s about creating the illusion that, somehow, these practices make you a “true Christian” (or better yet, a “true disciple of Yeshua”). Sound familiar?

Remember the old WCG teaching that salvation was dependent on yourability to toe the line of “biblical obedience”? Well, MTOI has just replaced "The Church of God" with a shofar and swapped out Armstrong’s self-appointed apostles for a whole new leadership structure. You’ll get the same heavy-handed focus on obedience to laws, only this time it’s “Torah observance” and “Jewish identity.”

Feast Days and the Return of the Golden Calf

MTOI is particularly obsessed with the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot—nothing screams “genuine faith” like a tent in your backyard, right? It’s not just a fun way to celebrate biblical history; it’s presented as a necessary part of your salvation. But let’s not kid ourselves: this isn’t about honoring God’s festivals—this is about a cultish insistence that unless you observe these rituals, you might as well be throwing away your eternal life.

Sound like something you’ve heard before? That’s because, once again, this is pure Armstrongian doctrine, dressed up in the robes of Messianic Judaism. Armstrong’s people, just like MTOI’s leaders, were obsessed with specific, nit-picky rituals that had no clear biblical mandate but made the group feel elite. And who could forget the endless church-sponsored trips to Sukkot sites? In MTOI, the same idea is recycled, with Berkson at the helm, eager to remind you that your spiritual well-being is intrinsically tied to how you celebrate the “biblical feasts” that coincidentally reflect the teachings of Armstrong’s original cult.

The Cult of Personality: Just Like Armstrong, but with More Chutzpah

MTOI’s leader, Rabbi Steve Berkson, is a master at presenting himself as the humble “teacher” who is just leading people to the truth. But let’s take a step back, shall we? A leader who once belonged to the Worldwide Church of God—a man who likely learned how to manipulate and coerce people into following him during his time there—is now running a group where the leader is the authority. Does this sound familiar? It should. It’s straight out of the Armstrong playbook.

MTOI, much like Armstrong’s own churches, isn’t about the gospel of Jesus—it’s about following the leader. It’s about observing the law with the same level of intensity as if salvation depended on it. If you don’t toe the line in MTOI, you’ll quickly find yourself on the outside, just like in the good ol’ WCG days. The “community” becomes less about fellowship and more about conformity. After all, who could challenge the "Rabbi" without risking excommunication? Oh wait, that’s just the type of spiritual authoritarianism that Armstrongism thrived on, just with a more Jewish-looking façade.

The Big Hypocrisy: Armstrongism, but With a Side of "Yeshua"

The heart of the issue is simple: MTOI pretends to be a Christian organization, but it’s really just Armstrongism dressed in a new outfit.Berkson and the rest of MTOI’s leaders, who once drank deeply from the well of Armstrong's teachings, can’t help but continue perpetuating the same false doctrines. Whether it’s the emphasis on following the law as a means of salvation, or the insistence that only a select group of people are truly part of the “elect,” the doctrines are eerily familiar.

MTOI may proudly claim they’re following Jesus (or Yeshua, if you will), but the only thing they’re really following is the same legalistic, self-righteous framework that has plagued Armstrongism for generations. You can dress up these teachings in Hebrew roots and Torah observance, but at the end of the day, it’s still the same cultic mindset—your salvation is based on what you do.

Conclusion: From Armstrongism to MTOI—The Same Old Song, But with a New Mask

So there you have it: Messianic Torah Observant Israel is nothing more than Armstrongism with a kippah and a side of falafel. Whether it’s the cultish devotion to rituals, the obsession with Feast Days, or the unquestioning allegiance to a leader who knows exactly how to build a personality cult, MTOI is just Armstrongism repackaged. All the self-righteousness, all the legalism, all the exclusivity—it’s all there, only now it comes with an extra dose of “Jewish authenticity.”

But here’s the rub: The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about following rules and rituals to earn your salvation—it’s about faith in Him and the grace He offers. The real freedom and truth come from trusting in Jesus, not in human-made laws or self-appointed leaders. Jesus came to set us free from the endless cycle of trying to earn God's approval through our actions. He has already done the work, and His grace is sufficient for our salvation.

So, if you find yourself tangled in the web of legalism or lost in a cult of personality, remember that Jesus is the answer, not a list of rules or the whims of a self-proclaimed rabbi. Embrace the gospel—the good news that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Only He can give you peace, freedom, and eternal life, and He doesn’t require a membership card to His inner circle. He’s already offered it freely to anyone who believes in Him.

MTOI can keep offering you a checklist of feasts and laws, but Jesus offers something far better: salvation by grace through faith. There’s no need for a rabbi or an apostle to point the way when Jesus has already lit the path.

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Messianic Torah Observant Israel? © 2025 by Ai-COG is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0

The Church of God International Asks: Should the Feast Days Be Kept?

 

The Church of God International Asks:

Should the Feast Days Be Kept?

 

In the latest edition of The International News, Solomon Bleary writes: “The feast days and weekly Sabbath stand or fall together. In Leviticus 23:1, God uses the possessive pronoun “MY appointed festivals, the festivals of the LORD” to show ownership. Leviticus 23 addresses God’s seven annual holy days and the Sabbath.”

In response, I would note that God “owns” the entire Torah, and that ALL of the commandments contained therein are “His!” Indeed, they are repeatedly characterized as “my commandments,” “my statutes,” and “my laws” throughout those first five books of the Hebrew Bible (See Genesis 26:5, Exodus 16:28, 20:6, Leviticus 22:31, 26:3, 15, Numbers 15:40, Deuteronomy 5:10, 29, 11:13). I would also agree with Solomon that ALL of these obligations (feast days, weekly Sabbath, sacrifices, offerings, etc.) “stand or fall together.”

Like Herbert Armstrong before him, Solomon failed to mention that everything outlined in Torah represented the terms of God’s covenant with ISRAEL! For instance, the twenty-third chapter of the book of Leviticus opens with this statement: “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are the appointed feasts of the Lord that you shall proclaim as holy convocations; they are my appointed feasts.’” (Leviticus 23:1-2, ESV) Likewise, after enumerating all of the Lord’s holy times, we read: “Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed feasts of the Lord.” (Leviticus 23:44, ESV)

Moreover, God made clear to the people of Israel that ALL of the commandments and instructions included therein were parts of an inseparable whole. In the fourth chapter of Deuteronomy, we read: “And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, ESV) And, a little later in the same chapter: “This is the law that Moses set before the people of Israel. These are the testimonies, the statutes, and the rules, which Moses spoke to the people of Israel when they came out of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 4:44-45, ESV) In this sense, the entire legislation of Torah “stands or falls together.”

Likewise, the Greek New Testament makes clear that Jesus Christ and his apostles viewed Torah (AKA “The Law”) as a comprehensive, inseparable whole. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17, ESV) Here, Christ divided the Hebrew Scriptures into Law and Prophets and said that he came here to FULFILL THEM (ALL of them). Later, in this same account, we read that Christ was asked about the greatest commandments of the Law. He replied: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, ESV) In similar fashion, Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10, ESV) James wrote: “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” (James 2:10 ESV)

In other words, Jesus Christ fulfilled ALL of the Law and ALL of the Prophets. It all pointed to HIM! That is why Paul wrote to the saints at Colossae: “So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.” (Colossians 2:16-17, NLT)

How do they all point to Christ? Jesus was our Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us. He is also the Unleavened Bread of Life, without the leavening of sin. He is our Wave Sheaf Offering! He is the firstfruits of God’s plan to redeem humankind from sin and death, and who made it possible for us to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit! Jesus is both the epitome of God’s reign over the earth and its inhabitants and the impetus for the proclamation of that Good News. He is the one who carries away our sins and reconciles us to God – achieving our at-one-ment. Finally, Jesus is the one who took on our nature and tabernacled in the flesh for a little while, and the one who invited “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!” (John 7:37-38, NLT)

In fact, the New Testament informs us that the ENTIRE Hebrew Bible MUST be interpreted and understood through the Christ event! In the Gospel of Luke, we read: “’When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:44-45, NLT) Hence, we are forced to ask ourselves: What happens to the symbol when the reality comes to pass?

In his article, Solomon went on to point out that “Some argue that the feast days (Leviticus 23) are a part of the sacrificial system of the Levites.” My reaction: Have you actually read this chapter of Leviticus? Do you realize that sacrifices and offerings are woven into the text describing ALL of these appointed times which the Israelites were instructed to observe. Yes, as Solomon points out, there were also sacrifices associated with the weekly Sabbath. That’s because it was ALL part of a system – components of a whole!

So, how are these things manifested in the New Covenant? Jesus is the true Sabbath rest who said: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29, NLT) Likewise, in terms of circumcision (another sign of God’s covenant with Israel), Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome: “For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:28-29, NLT)

What Solomon and his associates fail to see is that Jesus of Nazareth FULFILLED ALL of the requirements of Torah for us. He didn’t do away with them. He made them obsolete by being  what they pointed to! Moreover, like the saints of Galatia, many of the people of CGI continue to believe that salvation is something which they must earn! Solomon wrote: “If we are not commandment-keeping people, how will we be saved and be a part of the first resurrection?” The answer to his question, of course, is that we will be saved because Christ obeyed those commandments without flaw and then offered himself as a sacrifice for us – to pay the penalty for all of the occasions we failed to obey!

As Paul wrote to the saints at Galatia almost two thousand years ago: “But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.’ So, it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life.’ This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, ‘It is through obeying the law that a person has life.’” (Galatians 3:10-12, NLT) Even so, there is a sense in which Solomon’s assertion that Christ is going to return to a commandment keeping people is true.

Quite intentionally, Christ drew Two Great Commandments from the Torah and identified them as fulfilling the Law (Love for God and each other). Indeed, Christ commanded his disciples to love each other, and that them doing so would identify them as his disciples (John 15:9-13).

Paul wrote: “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ, we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So, you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So, use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.” (Romans 6:6-14, NLT) Hence, Christ will be returning to people who have been transformed and are living their lives in obedience to Christ’s commandments about love.

Christ’s people do NOT need a list of dos and don’ts like the one given to the people of Israel. The people of the New Covenant do NOT need to present sacrifices and offerings, keep the festivals at Jerusalem, be physically circumcised, attend synagogue on Sabbath, avoid eating unclean animals, consult the Urim and Thummim, observe mildew regulations, or write bills of divorce when they become dissatisfied with their spouses! If Christ’s followers are truly loving each other, a specific commandment against murder, adultery, stealing, or coveting becomes redundant and unnecessary. Hence, the answer to the question that Solomon posed (Should the Feast Days Be Kept?) is NO! One last thing, it is currently impossible to observe the festivals in the manner prescribed by Torah anyway!

Lonnie Hendrix/Miller Jones

Ai COG: Comparing Cults: JW vs. WCG (part 2) Salvation and the End Times

 

4. Salvation: Work Hard, Pray Harder, Hope You Make It

Both Jehovah’s Witnesses and Armstrongism have a fun little tradition where salvation is a work-in-progress. Grab your spiritual hammer and start building — salvation is a DIY project that requires constant effort. Forget grace; it’s all about earning your place in the next life.

Jehovah’s Witnesses turn salvation into a spiritual to-do list. To make it, you’ve got to get your door-to-door evangelism in, obey the rules (no birthdays, no Christmas, no blood transfusions), and keep up with the constantly shifting doctrines of the Watch Tower Society. Just when you think you’ve checked all the boxes, they throw in a new rule, and you’re back to square one. You could live a spotless life for 80 years and still not be sure if you’ve done enough. But don’t worry! If you’re not part of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, it’s game over — extinction at Armageddon, no second chances.

Armstrongism is no less enjoyable. Instead of “saved by grace through faith,” Armstrongism suggests you can earn salvation by obeying Old Testament laws — because who needs the New Covenant when you can go full Leviticus? Not only must you observe the Sabbath (on Saturday, not Sunday), but you also must follow dietary laws and make sure you’re fulfilling your role in the Millennial Kingdom (coming soon to a near-future near you). Jesus? He’s not here to save you — He’s here to oversee the kingdom you’re preparing for Him.

On the other hand, traditional Christianity teaches that salvation is a gift, not a prize for the most active member of a spiritual to-do list. You don’t earn it; you receive it by faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. It’s like someone just handed you free tickets to paradise and said, “Don’t worry about the rules — Jesus handled all that. You just accept the gift and enjoy the ride.”

5. The End Times: Who Needs a Hopeful Future When You Can Have an Apocalypse?

Both Jehovah’s Witnesses and Armstrongism are obsessed with predicting the end of the world — it’s like a game of prophetic one-upmanship. Who can predict the end of the world more accurately? These guys act like if they keep forecasting Armageddonyear after year, they’re eventually going to get it right. In the meantime, they can make everyone feel anxious and miserable.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses went big with their prediction for 1914 — the year that Jesus supposedly returned invisibly (because why would the Son of God want to show Himself when He can do it in stealth mode?). When that didn’t quite work out, they just moved the goalposts. But don’t worry! They’re still hanging onto the idea that Armageddon is just around the corner, and everyone who doesn’t have a Watch Tower membership card is toast.

Armstrongism didn’t stop at “the end of the world”. Oh no, Armstrong had big dreams of a Millennial Kingdom — complete with divine rule, eternal peace, and a new world where you might even get a nice little mansion, if you did everything right. Forget about Jesus’ return to bring salvation; He’s coming to reign and settle in as the ultimate cosmic landlord. If you were hoping for a Savior who would deliver you from sin, Armstrongism offers you real estate instead.

Meanwhile, traditional Christianity doesn’t waste time trying to predict the date of the Second Coming — that’s just God’s business. We don’t need to be obsessed with apocalyptic scenarios because we’re already living in hope and grace, knowing that Jesus will return in His own time, to make all things new. We don’t need the anxiety of “the end” because we know that eternity with God is already secured. No need for millennial predictions — just live faithfully and trust in God’s promises.

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Conclusion: The Unfortunate Trend of “Do-It-Yourself” Christianity

When you take a hard look at Jehovah’s Witnesses and Armstrongism, you realize they both have one thing in common: they think they know better than the Church. Whether it’s rewriting Scripture or imagining new doctrines about Jesus and the end times, they’ve somehow decided that 2,000 years of traditionneed a little tweaking.

But the good news is that traditional Christianity has survived despite all the fanfare and flair of these new “prophets.” We have the Bible, we have the Church, and we don’t need to rewrite anything or predict the end of the world to have hope. Jesus is enough. ✝

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Comparing Cults: JW vs. WCG © 2025 by Ai-COG is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0