The Promises and the Birthright

The Promises and the Birthright

In one of their recent "web chats," the Church of God International hosted a discussion about "What is the Birthright Promise?" Like most Armstrongites who embrace Anglo-Israelism, CGI conflates "the promises" with "the birthright." Then, in a classic example of circular reasoning, they use the "birthright promise" as the principal proof that the U.S. and Britain represent modern-day Israel. Likewise, an important corollary to this "proof" is the assertion that some of the promises are "spiritual" in nature, and some of them are "material/physical" in nature.

What about these claims? How do they square with what is recorded in Scripture? Does a Divine "birthright promise" demonstrate beyond all reasonable doubt that the English-speaking peoples of the world represent the fulfillment of such a promise?

First, it is important to establish precisely which promises we are talking about. After all, most students of the Bible know that God made a number of promises to a number of different people(s). Hence, for the purposes of this discussion, we are specifically focused on the promises that God made to Abraham and his offspring.

We find these promises initially mentioned in the twelfth chapter of Genesis. We read there: "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.'” -Genesis 12:1-3 Summarizing, God promises: 1) to make him into a great nation, 2) to bless him and make him famous, 3) to make him a blessing to others, 4) to bless those who treat him well and curse those who abuse him, and 5) to bless all of the families on earth because of him. Later on, in verse seven, God adds that he would give the Land of Canaan to his descendants (Hence, the Promised Land). In the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, God also promises Abram a son (an heir) to inherit the land which "He" has promised him.

Later still, God confirms the promises which "He" has made to his faithful servant. We read: "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” -Genesis 17:7-8

Having nailed down the "promises," the next question that comes to mind is "Did God fulfill all of these promises?" And, if you think that the answer to that question is a simple "yes" or "no," you may not be as familiar with Scripture as you thought you were!

To be sure, there is certainly a sense that God fulfilled these promises to Abraham. Scripture informs us that Abraham's descendants grew into great nations (Judah, Israel, Edom, Moab, Midian, etc.) Likewise, we read in I & II Kings and I & II Chronicles about all of the kings who descended from Abraham. Scripture also informs us that Abraham was famous in his own day and has certainly been made famous to all succeeding generations by the account we have in those same writings. Finally, we know that Abraham's descendants eventually inherited the "Promised Land" and did often serve as a blessing to other nations. Can we, however, say that these promises were actually fulfilled, knowing that the Israelites eventually lost their independent kingdoms and were carried away into captivity? What happened to "It will be their possession forever"?

Even so, in the twenty-second chapter of Genesis, we are informed that God tested Abraham's faith and reconfirmed "His" promises as a consequence of Abraham's performance. We read: "This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me." Genesis 22:16-18

We ask again: Did God ever fulfill these promises to Abraham? In the New Testament book of Hebrews, Abraham is held up as one of the great examples of faith in God. -Hebrews 11 Nevertheless, we are informed: "All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." -Hebrews 11:13-16 Hence, from a scriptural perspective, whatever happened with the Israelites doesn't appear to have fulfilled the promises God made to Abraham!

Notice too, that this statement includes all of the promises made - it doesn't differentiate between "spiritual" and "material" promises! In other words, there is a definite sense that ALL of the "promises" were spiritual in nature and were to be fulfilled in the FUTURE.

Going back to the account in Genesis, we notice just a few chapters later that Isaac (Abraham's son and heir) has two sons of his own (Esau and Jacob). - Genesis 25 In this same account, we are also informed that Esau was the firstborn - the one who according to the law of primogeniture would inherit the bulk of their father's estate. In biblical parlance, it was Esau's birthright (because he was born first) to inherit whatever their father had inherited from his father (Abraham). Even so, the chapter concludes with an account of Esau selling his birthright to his younger brother (Jacob) for a bowl of stew!

Later, we learn that God appeared to Isaac and reiterated the promises which "He" had made to Abraham. We read: "I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions." -Genesis 26:3-5 Again, the promises are repeated and attributed to Abraham's obedience. In other words, because Isaac is Abraham's heir, the promises are passed on through him.

In the next chapter, we learn that Jacob stole Esau's blessing from their father. -Genesis 27 Apparently, Isaac intended to bestow an extraordinary blessing on his eldest son, but the younger son tricked him into believing that he was his older brother and secured the blessing in his stead. -Genesis 27:1-40

Later still, God makes a similar promise to Jacob in a a dream. God tells him: "I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” -Genesis 28:13-15

In this connection, it is interesting to note that the previously referenced eleventh chapter of Hebrews includes Isaac and Jacob as examples of the faithful. We read there: "It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise." -Hebrews 11:8-9 And, just so that there could be no misunderstanding the message of this chapter, the author repeats: "All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised." -Hebrews 11:39

Continuing with the account, we are later informed that God changed Jacob's name to Israel (see Genesis 32). Then, after thinking his son Joseph was dead for many years, God revealed to Israel that he would be reunited with his favorite son in Egypt and die there (see Genesis 46). Finally, just before he dies, Israel blesses Joseph's sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, and adopts them as his own (see Genesis 48). For Armstrongites, the all important scripture here is Israel's statement to Joseph about the boys recorded in verse nineteen. He said, "Manasseh will also become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. And his descendants will become a multitude of nations."

For the hosts of the CGI web chat, the scripture that ties all of this together is found in the fifth chapter of I Chronicles. We read there: "The oldest son of Israel was Reuben. But since he dishonored his father by sleeping with one of his father’s concubines, his birthright was given to the sons of his brother Joseph. For this reason, Reuben is not listed in the genealogical records as the firstborn son. The descendants of Judah became the most powerful tribe and provided a ruler for the nation, but the birthright belonged to Joseph." -I Chronicles 5:1-2 For Anglo-Israel Armstrongites, this scripture proves that the promises were divided into the "spiritual" scepter and the "material" birthright. One promising Christ, the other promising physical wealth and preeminence to the physical descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh.

Unfortunately, this scripture does NOT do what Armstrongites claim it does! If we carefully reread this scripture, we see that it is quite simply an explanation of why Reuben does not appear in the genealogical records as the eldest son of Israel! According to the law of primogeniture, he should have been the heir to the birthright. However, because he "dishonored his father," he forfeited his right to that inheritance; and Israel designated Joseph's sons as the legitimate heirs to his estate!

Now, most modern Armstrongites are willing to acknowledge that the scepter promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Even so, Herbert and some of his followers have pointed out that the promise was at least partially fulfilled through David and God's promise to him. Was it though? Wasn't David merely a component of the ultimate fulfillment of this promise? Herbert claimed that God physically kept "His" promise to Abraham and David about a kingly line by continuing that line through the Irish, Scottish and British kings and queens.

Even so, serious students of the Bible understand that the Old Testament clearly records the downfall of the Davidic dynasty, and the New Testament gospels of Matthew and Luke take great pains to record that Jesus was a descendant of David! Moreover, secular history makes plain that the Irish, Scottish and British thrones passed through several females and contained numerous gaps (thus negating the promise that "David will never fail to have a man sitting on the throne of the House of Israel" -see Jeremiah 33:17).

As for the promise of land and wealth, I suppose one could say that those promises found fulfillment in the ancient Israelites (though I've already pointed out that they lost their land and wealth because of their defeats by the Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians). And, YES, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh possessed the most land area within Israel; and God did eventually give Jeroboam (of the tribe of Ephraim) ten of the tribes of Israel to rule over.

Once again, however, the author of the book of Hebrews clearly treats this history as not fulfilling the promises made to God's children. We read there that the Israelites did NOT enter God's rest, and that the promise of that rest consequently still stands! (see Hebrews 3 and 4) Moreover, the Israelites clearly did not abide by the terms of the Old Covenant - that's why we have a NEW one (and that doesn't mean that those Israelites are permanently excluded)!

And, in his letter to the saints at Rome, the Apostle Paul makes plain that physical descent from Abraham does not make one an heir of the promises made to him. Paul tells them that it is the folks who have accepted (or will accept) Jesus Christ as the Messiah/Savior who will receive the promises. Indeed, he wrote to the saints of Galatia: "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you." -Galatians 3:26-29

Hmmm, when you put it that way, it's a bit ridiculous to suggest than any nation(s) or people(s) have yet inherited the promises made to Abraham. For those of us who are truly Christians, we know that God will completely fulfill these promises someday - not in times past or today, but someday God will keep those promises made to Abraham so long ago.

Lonnie Hendrix

Jim Franks COGWA: Masks now required for all members 10 years and up at church

COGWA Member Guidelines—U.S. Sabbath Services

Background

Much has changed in the past two months since we began holding in-person services the latter part of May. When we began reopening services, the number of COVID-19 cases was dropping, and it appeared that the end of this threat was in sight.

Now that we are in the middle of July, that is no longer the case. While some states (mostly in the Northeast) have continued to show declines, to date, 35 states are reporting an increase in cases, and in some states the daily increase has more than doubled in less than a month. In some major cities the hospitals are quickly reaching capacity. Because of this reversal of trends, some states are considering a pause to their reopening of businesses, a rollback of their plans to reopen or, in some cases, a complete shutdown once again.

When we began to reopen in May, only 10 states had a face mask requirement. Currently, 47 states have such a mandate. Those states with mandates fall into three categories: 1) 21 have implemented orders that make it mandatory to wear them in public; 2) 19 have parts of their state under orders making wearing of masks mandatory; and 3) seven require masks for employees of businesses that deal with the public. Only three states have no mandates for face coverings at all—Iowa, Montana and South Dakota. But even these three strongly recommend wearing a face covering when you are in a group, especially in a closed room. The fact that all 50 states are in agreement on a health issue, including all national and state health agencies, has caused us to consider what our approach should be for face coverings while at church services.

We have 75 percent of our congregations already wearing face coverings because of state or local requirements. After considerable thought and discussion, the administration of the Church has reached the decision that face coverings (shields or masks) will be required for all our services. There are three reasons for this decision:

1. It is our desire to follow the state requirements and recommendations. In some states churches are exempt, but not all. Given the change that has occurred in the past two months, we believe that we should abide by these requirements and recommendations.
2. It is our desire to create the safest environment possible in all our congregations. We believe we should err on the side of caution.
3. It is our desire to promote unity in all our congregations. Given the fact that most of the United States is still fighting the virus and that cases are increasing, we believe that all our congregations should be united in our approach to stopping the spread of the virus.

As more and more cases are identified, we are seeing more members becoming infected. For the past two weeks, we have been informed of two or three cases each week. So far, all have been mild. In three cases we canceled services for two weeks, per our protocol, to make sure no one else was infected.

Because of these factors, the Church is issuing the following combined statement from the administration and the Ministerial Board of Directors:

Statement/Announcement for All Congregations in the United States

Effective this Sabbath, July 18, 2020, and until further notice, we are asking that everyone over the age of 10 (this is the age set for Texas—please check with state and local authorities for the age requirement in your area) in attendance at one of our services come with a mask, a cloth face covering or a face shield (where accepted by state or local authorities).

We are asking that you wear them coming in to services, while fellowshipping prior to and after services, while exiting the room, and while singing. As long as the seating allows for a minimum of 6 feet separation, there is no need to wear them while seated during the actual service unless required by the facility or governmental authority.

Where local restrictions are more restrictive, we should comply with the local or state mandates.

If you have a medical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask, please consider using a plastic face shield instead (recommended by the CDC if you have such a condition). But if this is not possible because of your condition, you will not be required to wear a face covering. Please inform your pastor if this is your situation.

Wearing a face covering or a face shield does not replace the need to maintain the social distance of 6 feet between you and other members who are not part of your immediate family. We should also, for the time being, refrain from hugging and shaking hands.

If you are sick, we request that you stay at home and not attend services until you are well. If you have symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, then you should be tested to determine if you are infected, and if the test is positive, you should quarantine at home for at least 14 days. You should also notify your pastor as to the last time you attended services prior to the development of symptoms and subsequent positive test.

We are hopeful that, as conditions improve and we get beyond this current pandemic, we will be able to meet in services without face coverings in the very near future. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep our pastors updated as things change.

Mark Armstrong has another meltdown

Mark Armstrong, of the tiny Intercontinental Church of God, is having another fit as he sees his world crumble around him.

He writes:

The First Amendment
Does it Still Mean Anything?

Or has God's Word been abolished by American culture?

Leviticus 18:22, 25
22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Leviticus 20:13
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

1 Kings 14:24
And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

Romans 1:26-27, 32
26b ...for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

1 Timothy 1:9-10
9b ...for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10a For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind... 

Jude 1:7
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Maybe Walmart, Apple, the NCAA, the Campaign for Gay Nonsense and a whole raft of lily-livered politicians don't think we Americans still have the right to stand for the Word of God any longer. In the interest of saving what's left of our Liberty and our souls, it's time they're told otherwise by tens of millions of God-fearing Christians.

Since when has the ICG been "god-fearing Christians"?  When did his father, Garner Ted Armstrong, every worry about morality when he was fornicating with Ambassador coeds and committing adultery with the wives of certain evangelists? Where was the morality when he went to Reno and Las Vegas and gambled away church funds while screwing ANYTHING that appealed to him during one of his drunken escapades?

COG leaders have a distinct reputation of being vocal about the sins of others while their own houses and churches were and still are cesspools of filth. The leadership of the Church of God through its last 8 decades has been one of the most immoral organizations imaginable, all the while proclaiming they were the perfect representation of first-century Christianity. From ministers stalking and raping members, ministers who are pedophiles and now sit in prison, leaders who swapped mates, to ministers who participated in group orgies with both men and women. There is no limit to the things the church leadership was involved in. Literally, NO LIMITS!

So when Mark starts throwing his stones at others he had better remember his own father and grandfather and the filth they committed. Those stones are gonna hurt when they bounce back.

PATHETIC: Miserably inadequate; of very low standard.

Evolution is NOT the Origin of Life

Dr Robert Thiel

“These mysteries about how we evolved should not distract us from the indisputable fact that we did evolve.”
― Jerry A. Coyne, Why Evolution Is True

“Many people require more than just evidence before they’ll accept evolution. To these folks,
evolution raises such profound questions of purpose, morality, and meaning that they just can’t accept it no matter how much evidence they see. It’s not that we evolved from apes that bothers them so much; it’s [[the emotional consequences of facing that fact.]] And unless we address those concerns, we won’t progress in making evolution a universally acknowledged truth.”
― Jerry A. Coyne, Why Evolution Is True

“To many, evolution gnaws at their sense of self. If evolution offers a lesson, it seems to be that we’re not only related to other creatures but, like them, are also the product of blind and impersonal evolutionary forces. If humans are just one of many outcomes of natural selection, maybe we aren’t so special after all. You can understand why this doesn’t sit well with many people who think that we came into being differently from other species, as the special goal of a divine intention.”
― Jerry A. Coyne, Why Evolution Is True

“This book lays out the main lines of evidence for evolution. For those who oppose Darwinism purely as a matter of faith, no amount of evidence will do—theirs is a belief not based on reason. But for the many who find themselves uncertain, or who accept evolution but are not sure how to argue their case, this volume gives a succinct summary of why modern science recognizes evolution as true.”
― Jerry A. Coyne, Why Evolution Is True

The Painful Truth on the Bob Thiel Show....Rod Meredith on Bob Thiel "...egotistical idea that you believe you are a prophet..."

Everyone here needs to jump over to The Painful Truth site and read their article about the Great Bwana and "Prophet" to the Church of God, Dr. Robert Thiel. 

They knock him out of the park! 

 It is delightful!

Arrogant and Condescending, 

The Bob Thiel Show

The article includes Rod Meredith's letter to Bob Thiel that he conveniently glosses over.  Bwana Bob has always fed us a line that Meredith and top leadership viewed him as a prophet. Rod Meredith said it wasn't so!

It has such delectable comments from Rod Meredith to Bob, such as:

"Bob, I have personally liked you, wanted to encourage you and have tried to work with you for years. However, I have seen that you have had great difficulty in learning the lessons of deep humility that God wants all of us to learn. With very few exceptions, nearly everyone who knows you has clearly seen that—although you have a quick mind and great energy—you have nearly always thought very highly of yourself and of your own opinions. You have offended or at least “bugged” dozens of Church members with this very self-important, pushy and “know-it-all” attitude and approach. "

"However, Bob, your own remarkable vanity and “dreams of greatness” have greatly affected your ability to think clearly many times. Over the last few years, many of us have noted that you have begun to think of yourself in terms that are not realistic." 

The entire HQ ministry of the Living Church of God thought Bwana Bob was egotistical and NOT a prophet, which is contrary to all the claims that Thiel has posted stating the LCG ministry acknowledge him as a prophet.

"All of us in the meeting except Mr. Wakefield have gotten to know you somewhat and have heard many others express concern about your egotistical ideas that you believe you are a prophet or one of the two witnesses." 

We have long said that that the endless justification by Thiel on his righteousness and that Rod Meredith thought him to be a prophet was a lie. Meredith saw through Thiel's lies!

"I will just say that over and over you subtly twist, enlarge upon or exaggerate many of the things you think you heard—some of which you may have “partially heard” but enlarged upon in your own mind and received in a way that was not intended by the one doing the speaking."

There is a lot more on the Painful Truth in the article.  Please check it out! It will be the highlight of your weekend!

You will never believe Bwana Bob again!

Liar, liar, pants on fire 

Your nose is longer than a telephone wire 

Ask me, baby, why I'm sad 

You've been out all night, know you've been bad 

Don't tell me different, know it's a lie 

Come kill me, honey, see how I cry 

Why must you hurt me, do what you do 

Listen here, girl, can't you see I love you 

Make a little effort, try to be true 

I'll be happy, not so blue 

If you keep on tellin' me those lies 

Still goin' out with other guys 

There'll come a day 

I'll be gone 

Take my advice, won't be long 

When that day comes, won't be mad 

Be free of you, but I'll still be sad

 In spite of your cheatin', still love you so 

I'll be unhappy if I let you go

Living Church of God: God is about to reveal his intentions to the prophets in LCG, but no one has any idea who they are.

Doug Winnail claims that God is about to reveal his intentions to the prophets in the Living Church of God.  People have been asking for years now who those prophets are and the church says it has no need for prophets in the 21st century. Gerald Weston certainly is not one.

Poor Bob Thiel. If he had just hung around a little longer instead of self-appointing himself as a prophet, he might have been LCG's official prophet. That is what he has claimed for many years now. He thinks the is the rightful heir to prophethood status in the church and that LCG ministries were are ignorant to recognize him as one. Thankfully, Rod Meredith saw thought the lies and deceptions of Thiel and publicly denounced him from the pulpit, sending the wanna-be dictator into wild and fantastical delusions of grandeur that the church has not seen before.

A Real God Guides History: We live in a world where prominent voices claim that God does not exist, that no one can predict the future, and that human beings must determine their own future. However, the Bible reveals just the opposite! Isaiah 46:9–11 clearly states that only God can predict the future and bring it to pass. Job stated what many have forgotten today, that God “makes nations great, and destroys them” (Job 12:23–25). Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that God “removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21)—that God actually intervenes in human affairs to work out His plan and purpose. When Daniel explained a vision that Nebuchadnezzar had about the future, he told the king, “The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure” (Daniel 2:45). Nebuchadnezzar later concluded that God “does according to His will” and “No one can restrain His hand” (Daniel 4:35). The Bible is a unique book that contains specific prophecies recorded thousands of years ago—that predicted events that are making news today. Amos 3:7 states that God will reveal His intentions to His servants the prophets, so they can alert the world about the significance of coming events. All this is possible because there is a real God who reveals the future and guides the course of history.

Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

Philadelphia Church of God, Celitc Throne and New Place of Safety - Paran...The Gospel Message Has Never Been So Crazy!

The Philadelphia Church of God has pulled a lot of stunts over the decades but none of them compare to the claim they are now in the possession of the new coronation stone that their so-called "jesus" will return to sit upon.

They trecked off to Oregon and dug up a rock that Herbert Armstrong supposedly prayed at and dug it up and took it to the cult compound in Edmond, Oklahoma where it is now enshrined in a glass case resting on a royal purple base.

PCG is also obsessed with Celtic dancing and apparently considers this the dance of Kings that Jeremiah brought to Ireland when he and his daughters brought the ark to Hill Tara where they buried it. PCG sees it as their destiny to dig the ark up and take it along with Herb's prayer rock and have them ready for his "jesus" to come back and sit upon.

This Celtic crapfest mythology that they have latched on to is so important that they have commissioned a new play called Celtic Throne which they premiered in Edmond at Armstrong Auditorium and then took it to Branson, Missouri for a couple of shows.

Celtic Throne (Twitter)

In relation to this, Exit and Support had the following up:

GF said on January 15, 2017 (the day he called for a Church-wide fast): “I heard a strong voice. That had never happened to me before. This voice said, ‘There is a new stone of destiny and a new throne of David.’ ” (The New Throne of David by Gerald Flurry, Chap. 1, 2018)

Last month Brad Macdonald gave a Bible Study to members. Following is a partial transcript, including GF’s words. It was entitled, “The Urgent Need for Celtic Throne.” It also covers the Place of Safety being in Paran. (bolding mine)

Macdonald: “Celtic Throne is the United States and Britain in Prophecy performed as a dance show.”

“It’s about the New Throne of David. … Traces the throne of David on to America. Tells the story of the Davidic Covenant; … God’s relationship with America and Britain.” [see British Israelism: True or False?]

“The performance is spiritual. But to people in the world they won’t get any of that. We worked hard at this not being too spiritual. …If they aren’t religious they won’t be overwhelmed by a musical that isn’t too spiritual.”

“In June 2019 GF gave a sermon, ‘How the New Throne Changes God’s Work’ and that was turned into an article for the March-April 2020 Royal Vision.”

“In GF’s 2nd message at the FOT last year GF talked about Hebrews and the New Throne of David and probably for half of that message he talked about the Place of Safety, the 10,000 coming from Peran, and then he talked about the coronation and returning to the Place of Safety and the throne being transferred over.”

“But at the end of that sermon, he [GF] did something that I haven’t seen him do before. He stopped his sermon at 10 or 15 min earlier and he played this clip of the Irish Dancers dancing to this music that Brian Burns had written… That message, too, was written up in the March April Royal Vision.”

“This is what Mr.  Flurry got into in that 2nd Feast message last year: [reads the scripture in Jude 1:14 about how “behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000 of his saints.”]

“In the March-April Royal Vision, Mr. Flurry really digs down deep in these passages and to our time in the place of safety. It is an incredible article…we should all read and study that again.”

“Mr. Flurry explains things about the place of safety that I don’t think I’ve ever read before. …. But he gets us focused on the place of safety and on some of those details. Here’s a quote from that article [by GF]: (talking about the verse in Jude) “If Christ comes with these saints from Paran, that means before that time Christ will come personally to Peran. To what likely will be the place of safety.”

Wikipedia has this about Paran:

Biblical Paran[edit]

Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael into the Desert, illustration by Gustave Doré

The Wilderness or Desert of Paran is said to be the place where the Egyptian servant girl Hagar of Abraham's wife Sarah (Sarai) and wife to Abraham in Genesis 16:3 (who by her suggestion made his wife and bore him a son Ishmael) was sent into exile from Abraham's dwelling in Beersheba (Genesis 16:1). Hagar "departed, and strayed in the wilderness of Beer-sheba" (Genesis 21):

Then God opened her [Hagar's] eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. (Genesis 21:19-22)

Paran is later mentioned in the Book of Numbers as a place where the Israelites temporarily settled during the Exodus:

Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. (Numbers 10:12)^[1]

Paran again features in the opening lines of the Book of Deuteronomy: 

These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert beyond the Jordan--that is, in the Arabah--opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. (Deuteronomy 1:1)

He said: "The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones, from his right hand went a fiery law for them." (Deuteronomy 33:2)

King David spent some time in the wilderness of Paran after Samuel died (1 Samuel 25:1).

1 Kings 11:17-18 states that when Hadad the Edomite fled from Edom to Egypt, he passed through Midian and Paran on the way to Egypt.

It is not certain precisely where the wilderness of Paran is to be located. It is often associated with Mount Sinai in Egypt, and there is some evidence that it may originally have referred to the southern portion of the Sinai Peninsula.^[2]

Exit and Support continues:

Macdonald: “To leave Peran, you have to go to Peran. So why would Christ visit the 10,000 in the Place of Safety in the Tribulation?”

GF continues: “In I Thes. 4 it says Christ will meet everyone in the air and bring them back to earth with Him. But here we learn that He will come from Peran with His 10,000.”

“Why the difference with this group of people? Well, Peran is where the new throne will be.” (refers to Isa 16)

Back to that article from GF. “When will Christ begin ruling from that throne? It certainly would seem he needs to already be ruling on it when He gets to earth. After all He is King of Kings. A King must have a throne. Where would He take control of that throne before He arrives? The most practical place seems to be the place of safety, where the people who have the new throne are. It seems the place of safety would be where Christ officially receives His throne.”

To demonstrate how sick Flurry and the COG is about this stupid old rock, they deem it necessary for Christ to return back to. As if Jesus needs a rock, particularly Herb's rock to descend to and be crowned upon.

“Imagine Jesus Christ Himself coming to where we are. Being crowned and receiving the throne we now have, and officially becoming King of Kings. Then taking those 10,000 saints with Him.” … Think about what sort of event; celebration is going to be attached to the throne being turned over.”

“Maybe think of it in the context of just David bringing the Ark into Jerusalem and how hard David worked the 2nd time to get it right; how hard he worked, even on his dance and choreographing this journey. … The Ark as we know symbolizes God’s throne.”

GF continues: “That is overwhelming to think about. … I’m not saying absolutely this will happen, but it looks like what Scripture indicates. It certainly fits the time frame beautifully. It seems this would be the main reason Christ would come to take the 10,000 to officially assume David’s throne. If so, what a dramatic role we have in the Second Coming. This should be most inspiring to God’s people.”

Goes to Luke 1. “We have a dramatic role in Jesus Christ’s second Coming. And God wants us to start thinking about that and God wants us to start preparing for that.”

According to Stephen Flurry, the apostate son of Gerald Flurry, the PCG and the world is right on the edge of the tribulation and that the work is DONE! 

“Just look at world events. SF said in a recent message, or Trumpet Daily, “We are on the outer edges of the Tribulation. We’re done! There is no going back. The world will not be the same. … we do have to work; we do have to plan for the future, but there’s no hope in the future of this world. Our hearts have to be in this Work; our hearts have to be in the Throne of David; our hearts and energies and hopes have to be in this moment when we turn the throne over to Jesus Christ, and then we come with Him from Peran. That’s all there is! There’s nothing left in the world. ‘This is where our minds really need to be and it’s hard because we’re physical…”

The Flurry clan then pulls a Dave Pack and threatens their members with losing their salvation unless they give all they have to the work. Right now that work is flying Flurry's grandkids back and forth Celtic dance shows.

“But we can’t be consumed by [the physical]; … they can’t come before God. They can’t come before preparing for the place of safety. They can’t come before getting ready to go to the place of safety. To think, you and I are going to be a part of this, in just a few months, a year, or two or three or four. It’s really incredible.”

Reads Luke 1:30-32. “It’s incredible to think that you–YOU–will be there in that moment, if it’s the way Mr. Flurry explains it. He did say it may not happen exactly this way. But if it does and if it goes the way the Scriptures indicate, you’ll be there when Christ is given the throne of the father David. We need to start thinking about the coronation, and what might be involved in the coronation. And Celtic Throne helps get us ready for the Coronation, even if it just gets us thinking about the throne of David, and thinking about the history of the throne of David, and getting us excited for the throne of David. This show is going to help get the church ready for this moment.”

“He [God] really does want us thinking about the New Throne of David. He wants us thinking about the return of Jesus Christ. He wants us thinking about sitting on the throne of David with Jesus Christ. He wants us preparing for the place of safety. And preparing to play some role, whatever that might be, in turning David’s throne over to Jesus Christ.”

Says they are gonna create an album and a DVD. Tells how they’ve got some merchandise. “We have T-shirts and coffee mugs.”

“Celtic Throne declares the name of Israel. [Voice raises] Celtic Throne DECLARES the AWESOME — the AWESOME history of Ephraim and Manasseh — history that we should never apologize for! Mistakes have been made to be sure because all humans have human nature. But we can’t apologize for the 2,520 year promise. We can’t apologize for the way God’s worked with these nations.”

Could Herbert Armstrong have ever imagined that the end time would require the church to be putting on stage shows to get the gospel message out? Armstrongism gets stupider by the moment.

“As Mr. Flurry has been telling us the past 2 or 3 weeks, we have to uphold that history and declare the history of Israel …because GOD is involved in that history! That’s what makes it so special.”

[voice goes back to normal] “And Celtic Throne I think plays a role in that and that is something to get really excited about and to support and throw your weight behind–and everybody has. We’ve got to declare the name of Israel and we’ll do that hopefully through this show.”

“Celtic Throne will bring the New Throne of David alive. This is what GF said in one of his recent messages. This is something God’s people have been hearing about for decades. Yet, as we get closer to it, Christ is putting together the pieces so we can understand it better.

“Celtic Throne is your story; it’s your history; it your future. It tells the story of your throne. But it’s also much bigger than just us. It carries a message of hope for the world. It carries a message about God’s family, it carries a message about the incredible human potential, and it carries a message about the New Throne of David.”

[end of Bible study]

This message was insane and full of pride as it focused on GF’s New Throne of David and the Place of Safety. It shows how PCG does not put the emphasis on the Person of Christ, and His love, grace and mercy toward His children, but focuses instead on what great things members will be involved in. The emphasis is all on the New Throne of David and how members will have it in the Place of Safety (which is in Paran) and hand it over to Christ. (Read July 1, 2019 letter: Gerald Flurry’s New Throne of David.)

When has the Church of God EVER put its focus upon Christ? All we ever heard and still hear is law-keeping and punishment. Jesus is never part of the picture and when he is, he usually gets the last couple paragraphs of an article.

The Church of God has been taken over by crazy men who have self-appointed themselves, lied through their teeth trying to prove their prophethood status, spiritually abused members, dreamed incredibly stupid dreams, and tried to claim they were from God, and much much more silliness.

What an absolute embarassment the Church of God movement has become.