Is Crackpot Prophet The Modern Day Elijah and One of the Two Witless Witnesses?

 

It is so comforting to know that God has been working behind the scenes to make Bob Thiel the greatest COG leader the church has ever seen in its entire history and who is behind the most superfantabulous COG to ever exist! Our God is an awesome God! 

Anyway, the Great Bwana to Africa and 299 Caucasians has a new article up trying to prove that his church and that he could possibly be the end-time Elijah and one of the two witless witnesses. Sadly, Thiel is just one more in a long line of men (and a couple women) down through the last 80 years of the Church of God movement that has claimed such mantles. Like all the others before him, he is not Elijah and not one of the two witless witnesses. Besides, Ron and Laura Weinland have already claimed that honor.

The Great Bwana and the official true dreamer of the Church of God has this to say:

Although people like the discredited Ron Weinland and David Pack have claimed to be ‘Elijah,’ neither of them are. 

 

Yet, the Bible does show that there will be an ‘Elijah’ who is alive before Jesus returns and that it is likely that he will be one of the two witnesses. And as Jesus is likely to return within the next couple of decades, it is reasonable to consider that he must be alive today. 

 

Could he be one who has restored information on church history, doctrine, prophecy, and the reason that God created anything? Could he be one reaching people around the world with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in nearly 100 different languages? Or has God not chosen to have him do much at this stage?

Well, that is the $64,000 question! 

Could it have been Herbert Armstrong? Nope!

Those with a WCG background might find the following quote from Herbert W. Armstrong of some assistance here as he wrote:

I have been asked “Are you the Elijah?” And I say “No.” (Armstrong, Herbert W. Congress of Leading Ministers Hears Defined and Reemphasized Spiritual Organization of Church. Worldwide News, March 6, 1981, p. 10)

Never fear though, the Great Bwana is setting us to know just who might be the end-time Elijah and one of the two witless witnesses:

HWA, himself, wrote:

Jesus shall come, SOON NOW, to RESTORE ALL THINGS! He did NOT restore all things when he first came. John the Baptist did not “restore all things.” But the one who was to “restore all things” just before the “day of the Lord” and preparing the way for Christ’s second coming, was YET to come, in the future, as Jesus said. Now what are the “all things” to be RESTORED? “Restitution” means restore to a former state or condition (Armstrong HW. Brethren & Co-Worker Letter, August 24, 1982). 

 

Note that HWA states ONE (Elijah) comes just before the day of the Lord—an event that still has not occurred, hence some additional restoration beyond what HWA did is needed–and this has been happening in the Continuing Church of God. CCOG has restored more than any COG in the 21st century and under the human leadership of Bob Thiel it continues to do so. In time, God will make the final Elijah clear to all willing to see (this is NOT saying that he MUST be Bob Thiel–but we believe it will be a leader in CCOG).

The Great Bwana then trots out Herbert Armstrong, again...

Furthermore, it should be noted that a careful reading of another one of HWA’s articles supports the idea that the Philadelphia era will need to have something else be restored. HWA wrote:

This very WORK OF GOD for our day is foretold in the prophecy of Revelation 3:7-13. But there it is revealed that we, today, are a people of but little strength – little power (verse 8)! – within ourselves though we have faithfully KEPT GOD’S WORD! The impact of this WORK OF GOD today is going out only through the power of God! Are you having your part in this very WORK OF GOD? But – let’s face it! – WE DO NOT HAVE WITHIN OURSELVES, AS GOD’S INSTRUMENTS FOR HIS WORK TODAY, ANYWHERE NEAR THE POWER OF GOD THAT ACTIVATED THAT ORIGINAL FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH! For that very reason, the living Christ says (verse 8), He has opened to us the gigantic door of MASS COMMUNICATION! The magnified power of the microphone and the printing press. Yet that is only physical, mechanical power! The REAL POWER that makes God’s Work vital and alive is the Holy Spirit of God! (Armstrong HW. Christians Have Lost Their POWER! Plain Truth, Jun 1958).

The Greek word translated as strength, dunamis, which HWA refers to as power, is the same Greek word that is normally translated as ‘miracle’ or ‘miracles’. Thus, Revelation 3:8 shows that the Philadelphia Church will have some type of miracles, and although I agree with HWA’s position that the initial power/miracle had to do with electronic media, I also agree with him that the old WCG did not have, “ANYWHERE NEAR THE POWER OF GOD THAT ACTIVATED THAT ORIGINAL FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH.” Thus, HWA acknowledged, howbeit indirectly, that the power of God had not been fully restored to his WCG. And it should be noted that dreams and gifts of prophecy were given to the first-century church (Acts 2:17-18) and thus, according to his own writing, there should be these type of occurrences at the end. One group in the 21st century has that (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the ContinuingChurch of God and How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God).

A failed prophet quoting another failed prophet. Two wrongs do not make Bwana Bob right.

The Great Bwana concludes while whining once again like a third-grade school girl that COG members continue to ignore him. Everyone's salvation is at stake for failing to acknowledge Bwana Bob as the Chosen One, the leader of the most incredible COG in human history, and that he is the most educated leader that has ever led any COG since Elijah himself walked the earth.

The Elijah’s restoring of “all things” means that he is to be restoring information that the true Church of God once understood, but later must have lost or misunderstood. 

 

The problem is that just as many would not hear Elijah’s or John the Baptist’s messages, relatively few will pay much attention to the end time Elijah as well.

 

Common Faith Network Panama City Beach Feast Site Infections

 

Another COG group, called Common Faith Network, has had issues with COVID this year, CFM is an amalgamation of various COG's, including Church of God International and Christian Educational Ministries that share core beliefs and meet together throughout the year at various times and as one group at the Feast.

Common Faith Network, led by Jim O'Brien, Bill Jacobs, and Guy Swenson (former UCG ministers) held a Feast of Tabernacles in Panama City Beach, Florida this year. This Feast site is considered one of the largest Feast locations in the COG movement now.

A source has relayed to us that at least 30 people have been infected with COVID at this site.

CGI Texarkana: Numerous Members Infected At Hot Springs Feast Site

 

An anonymous source sent in several items of documentation concerning the Church of God International Texarkana church. Quite a few of its members have been infected with COVID at the Hot Springs Feast site. The interesting thing is that the Texarkana official church site makes no mention of this, but the private Facebook group has numerous members asking for prayers as they deal with COVID infections. The Hot Springs Feast organizer is one of those infected.

The source mentioned this:

My guess is that many Armstrongites got Covid at the feast, but they do not want to admit it publicly, only to other church people privately.

And I am not suggesting that the church leaders are necessarily behind this cover up. I think these people are simply embarrassed because they have fought hard and long against vaccines, masks, and social distancing. And now they contracted Covid at the Feast, where “God placed His name!”

Satan Sends A Cough, Fever and A Terrorist To Persecute Three Of Bob Thiel's Minister's

 

Satan was up to his crafty ways again, which in COG speak is a sure sign that the end is nearly here:

CCOG members Terry Nelson and his sons Andre and Asher went to Malawi for the Feast of Tabernacles to work with those in Malawi and Mozambique. This morning, I received the following report about their return: 

 

I'm sick now with Fever and Coughing, but so far I can breath ok; Asher's sick also but not as bad; Andre seems ok, with slight throat issues, we didn't hardly sleep much in the last 24 hours, most likely from lack of sleep from the Terrorist on board our Flight; The man was a Somalian American, sitting in the next isle from us; he was getting loud around 2 am, the male flight attendant told him to quiet down, that's when he grabbed the flight attendant and was going to Punch him, I jumped out of my seat to intervene, then he threw a drink at one of the Female attendants; me and some other men met in the back and planned on restraining him: there was no sky Marshall on Board, I was not afraid, I stood my ground and was ready, we were able to restrain him and zip tie him, until we landed in Dublin Ireland for refuel, the police took him off the plane in Dublin, he also said he had a bomb on board, so there was an internal and external baggage check; fortunately we were able to clear Customs, then our symptoms got alot worse; interesting how all these attacks, came at this Feast; we must be getting close.

So, they boarded a plane Malawi or Mozambique already knowing they already had fevers and were coughing? 

"In Other Words..."

 

"What are some things that many Laodiceans decide?"

 Dr Robert Thiel

"I said it. I believe it. That does it for ME"

God has not been using dreams to communicate in the 21st century, despite the view of the old Worldwide Church of God that God would use dreams in the future and the Apostle Peter saying they would be given by God in the last days (see Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).

In other words...  "Now I know that, as a man of science, dreams are just dreams, or at least I should know,  but since I need to be a prophet, going back to the age of ignorance on such things is important to my all about ME need and status in the Churches of God.  Being a prophet comes like way ahead of being a man of science for me. Thus, superstition, hearing the voices of God in MY head and magic serves ME. "

God is not using any prophets in the 21st century yet, despite the Apostle Peter saying God would use them in the last days (see also Church of God Leaders on Prophets).

In other words... "Look, here's the deal.  Since these definitely are the Biblical "last days" and since the Bible says there will be prophets in the last days, I simply must be a prophet since I have said I am and it's the Last Days! Duh!  What word don't you understand?" 

Being comfortable with their current situation is more important than being willing to support the main Philadelphian remnant because of limited local congregations (see also Congregations of the Continuing Church of God).

In other words... "Ok, here's another deal. It's obvious no one knows who I am, being a prophet and all that. I know I don't have any local churches for people to not forsake the assembly of our true selves in. I do recognize that I may not have support because few agree with me.  Lack of support is like that. But that shouldn't keep people from agreeing with ME and recognizing just who I am!  And too, I'm comfortable with my current situation and it is more important for them to support my insignificant self than for me to support their insignificant selves."

It is not necessary to learn to instruct many in this age, despite the prophecies in Daniel 11:33 (see also Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word).

In other words... "Instruction, as the only true Prophet in the Church of God cults today must obviously be from ME. How can they learn anything that's actually true, without hearing it from ME?  If they don't hear instruction from ME, then it's not instruction and can't possibly be true!  This ain't rocket science. Why is this so hard for people to understand?  Laodiceans!  That's why!  I get no respect!"

It is okay to believe various prophetic errors (for details, check out the article Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?).

In other words... "If I believe something to be so and they don't agree with ME, then OBVIOUSLY they believe prophetic errors! Hello!  It's them, not ME.  I imagine they think it's  also ok to belong to the FALSE CHURCH!  Though when I think about that, no one really thinks that way, but when you don't follow ME and agree with ME, that is exactly you are thinking is ok.  Oh sure, that's how I think about my own sliver created church too, which is ok, because it's MY CHURCH! And because I'm a prophet and it's MY  church, it has to be the true one . What? Do you think I'd believe errors?  Hello!  They are not errors precisely because I believe them not to be! I'm a prophet for God's sake!"  

Crackpot Prophet Says You Are A Laodicean If You Do Not Believe His Dreams Are From His God...WUT?

 

It's been a few days since we had our favorite self-appointed prophet to the Church of God featured here. Our day would not be complete without some wackadoodle comment from the Great Bwana to Africa and 299 Caucasians.

It still frosts his self-righteous butt that 99.99% of the Churches of God ignore the Great Bwana and refuse to heed his message, as convoluted as it is.

As the leader of the greatest Church of God in human history and the most highly educated man to ever lead a church, those that do not listen to him are labeled as the dreaded Laodiceans. Nothing frightens a wayward Church of God member more than being labeled a Laodicean and know in the back of the mind that the licking flames of the lake of fire are not too far behind.

According to the self-appointed prophet, these are the signs of wayward Laodiceans who have refused to follow him:

What are some things that many Laodiceans decide? 

 

God has not been using dreams to communicate in the 21st century, despite the view of the old Worldwide Church of God that God would use dreams in the future and the Apostle Peter saying they would be given by God in the last days. 

How dare we not recognize his nightmares as direct communication from God! Bad Laodiceans! Bad!!!  

God is not using any prophets in the 21st century yet, despite the Apostle Peter saying God would use them in the last days. 

According to the great Bwana, biblically illiterate church members who do not believe there should be prophets in the church are part of the problem today. 

Being comfortable with their current situation is more important than being willing to support the main Philadelphian remnant because of limited local congregations.

The Geat Bwana also is really perturbed that NO ONE and I repeat NO ONE in the COG movement supports him with their money.  COG members are not drawn to him because he has no local congregations in 99.99% of the United States and elsewhere. No one wants to sit in someone's living room and listen to two hours of the Great Bwana preach a boring sermon as he bounces in the chair and waves his arms.  

It is not necessary to learn to instruct many in this age, despite the prophecies in Daniel 11:33. 

 

It is okay to believe various prophetic errors.

All other COG leaders and prophets are wrong, except the Great Bwana to Africa. Laodicean COG members are being led astray by these false prophets. If they only would follow the Great Bwana, things would be ok and they would know the correct time to flee to the godforsaken deserts of Jordan. 

The 100% Failure Rate Of Prophecy In The Churches of God

In light of the recent post here about Gerald Weston's whitewashing of Herbert Armstrong, Rod Meredith, and the Church of God's abysmal track record on prophecy, I thought this would be a great separate thread.

Weston's explanation of HWA's 1975 in Prophecy booklet might be more believable if HWA hadn't already had a track record by then of making predictions and setting dates, which can be traced all the way back to early editions of the Plain Truth in the 1930s. For instance, the June 1934 edition of the Plain Truth had a chart in it where HWA labeled 1936 as the "end of the age." When that didn't happen, he simply kicked the can down the road a bit and made other predictions, and set other dates, much like Pack, Flurry, and others do today. For example, in the February 1938 Plain Truth, he declared Mussolini the "Beast" of Revelation, and in January of 1939 he further promoted this idea, saying that "MUSSOLINI UNDOUBTEDLY IS THE "BEAST" and "MUSSOLINI WILL FIGHT CHRIST!"

Weston also ignores the fact that HWA also promoted and taught the idea of 19 year time cycles, and made his own claims based on those time cycles. For example, in Chapter 24 of his Autobiography, he has this to say, 

"God set the earth, sun, and moon in their orbits to mark off divisions of time on the 

earth. One revolution of the earth is a day. One revolution of the moon around the earth is a lunar month (according to God’s sacred calendar). One revolution of the earth around the sun is a solar year. But the earth, the sun, and the moon come into almost exact conjunction only once in 19 years. Thus 19 years mark off one complete time-cycle!" 

He went on to use this statement to promote the idea that God timed his entry into the ministry based on the number of time cycles that had occurred since Pentecost of 31AD. 

It is both a double standard and rank hypocrisy to criticize the "speculations" of others, making the statement that "some never learn" while glossing over and excusing the same behavior in the very leaders you hold up as bastions of "truth" such as HWA and Meredith. 

It would be totally refreshing if just one of these guys was able to admit that HWA engaged in this behavior and was WRONG, as did Rod Meredith and others, and that we need to learn from the false claims and sins of our predecessors so we don't fall prey to repeating their mistakes. 

It is contradictory to claim out of one side of your mouth, as HWA did, that you were not called to "be a prophet" while also writing articles and booklets predicting specific events to be fulfilled by specific people, using titles such as "1975 in Prophecy" and also claiming that you are the fulfillment of an end time "voice crying out in the wilderness" as prophesied in Malachi 3:1. 

"John the Baptist was a voice crying out in the physical wilderness of the Jordan River area, preparing for the human physical Jesus' first coming to a material temple at Jerusalem, to a physical Judah. But that was a type, or forerunner of a voice "lifted up" (greatly amplified by modern printing, radio and TV), crying out in the midst of today's spiritual wilderness of religious confusion, announcing the imminency of Christ's SECOND coming as the spiritually GLORIFIED Christ, to His spiritual temple (the Church resurrected to spirit immortality)." Plain Truth Magazine, January 1980

If you claim you aren't a "prophet" that doesn't excuse you if you then go on to make false predictions, or engage in the same behavior that defines a false prophet.  

Concerned Sister

 In a second comment, there was this:

The date setting, and the abundant evidence of its ongoing denial, backpedaling, and rewrite is exactly why God would have to use a completely new and different group as His end time witness. Armstrongism has burned itself as a credible witness, and current members are just kidding themselves if they think otherwise. The credibility of other Christian groups has also fallen apart.

If you're just pulling into town from the feast, looking forward to a sabbath in your home town, and thinking to yourself "See? We have the truth about God's test commandment, the sabbath, so God will reveal His plans to us!", then you better wonder about the effectiveness of the sabbath as a signifier of God's True Church, because Armstrongism has a 100% failure rate in end time prophecy, dating way back to the WW-II era when HWA was preaching that the war would culminate in Armageddon, Hitler and Mussolini were the Beast, and Pope Pius was the AntiChrist. And, this was before Israel was even reborn as a nation, which was very necessary for the prophecies in Revelation to come to pass. For years, he denied that Hitler's body was Hitler, and preached that he was alive in South America, and would arise to complete the job. Sounds soooo much like a recent president, doesn't he? False leaders are always detached from reality!