LCG: Lebanese Olive Oil Situation A Sure Sign Of End Times!

 

The length Armstrongism goes to in order to justify their wacky teachings has no boundaries of integrity. This current financial situation in Lebanon has been long going in the country and is nothing new. It was exacerbated when the explosion at the port happened a few years ago and by the political corruption that has wrecked the country.

This is the kind of idiocy that I would expect from Bob Thiel, yet here we are.

A Taste of the Future in Lebanon: The people of Lebanon are suffering under severe inflation, turning the U.S. dollar into the preferred local currency over the Lebanese pound (Deutsche Welle, May 8, 2023). Prices for goods are doubling, including the price of olive oil, the crucial, locally produced cooking staple. For many, this once-ubiquitous household product is now beyond their financial reach. This, in a country where the national minimum wage for private employees is about $94 USD or €84 per month. 

 

Those with olive groves are keeping for themselves the olive oil they produce, yet, with the increased cost of transportation to olive oil facilities and frequent electricity cuts, even this is difficult. These barriers are affecting the entire olive oil industry, causing live oil prices to soar.
On the surface, the situation with olive oil in Lebanon appears to be a localized issue. But, for students of Bible prophecy it can be instructive. At the end of the age, as Christ’s return approaches, the Bible predicts plagues that will strike the Israelite-descended nations and touch the entire world. 

 

Some of these plagues are symbolized in Revelation 6 by four riders atop four different-colored horses. The third horse is the “black horse,” representing scarcity and famine (vv. 5–6). It foretells a future when the cost of a quart of wheat will be equivalent to a day’s wages. It further identifies scarcity of wine and oil, which the context suggests is cooking oil. This serious food scarcity has not yet stricken the wealthy, Israelite-descended nations, but it is prophesied to come to them in the future. The situation in Lebanon provides insight into what this future scarcity could be like, especially in regard to “oil.” For more insights into these profound end-time prophecies in the book of Revelation, be sure to read or listen to Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled.—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, and Chris Sookdeo

LCG: Those Pesky Germans Are Now Cooperating With The Japanese…And You Know What THAT Means

 

Where would the Living Church of God be without a bogeyman to whip their members into a frenzied state of fear? Nothing occupies the minds of prophecy addicts in LCG more than the Germans. Trying to ride the wave of Herbert Armstrong's hatred of the Germans and his outright lies about Hitler being alive in South America, LCG continues to dream of Germany spanking the United States. 

Nothing excites them (and Bob Thiel) more than the possibility of Germany occupying the United States, Canada, England, Australia, and New Zealand more than this. Concentration camps, meat hooks, youth taken as slaves to Europe, parents eating children, the list can go on and on in this orgasmic quagmire of blood and misery. After all, this has to happen or they will be exposed as false prophets, and we all know that THAT cannot happen!

Now those pesky Germans have started working with the Japanese as they try and combat the aggressiveness of China in that region. LCG sees this as a sure sign of prophecy that Germand and Jalan are cooperating ice again as they did during WWII. The excitement meter is off the charts on this one!

Germany and Japan Work More Closely: China’s aggressive regional actions are seen as a threat by many of its neighbors—which, in turn, are looking to gain support from allies. As the war in Ukraine continues, Germany and Japan are working more closely. In March, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a high-level delegation of German cabinet ministers to Japan for talks on strategic collaboration (Deutsche Welle, March 18, 2023). Chancellor Scholz brought with him ministers of defense, economy and climate, transportation, finance, foreign policy, and interior. Each minister met with his or her Japanese counterpart and explored areas of future collaboration.

The COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine “exposed the vulnerabilities that stem from one-sided dependencies [on China]. And so, in 2022, Germany and Japan agreed to plan bilateral inter-governmental consultations to deepen their collaboration—with a focus on economic security.” The March meeting was Chancellor Scholz’s second visit to Japan in 11 months. He expects to return for G7 meetings this month. “Collaboration is to be intensified in many areas: the fight against the climate crisis, food security, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and others.” The two nations also plan to work together to locate new sources of critical minerals as they wean themselves from their dependency on China.

Japan and Germany are no strangers to each other. They fought on the same side just 80 years ago in World War II, and they have many needs and ambitions in common. They are both highly industrialized nations with sizable economies. Revelation 18 states that the end-time European “beast” power—likely led by Germany—will be a powerful global economic force for a short time before the return of Jesus Christ. With this understanding of the future in mind, it is interesting to watch Germany make further vital connections around the globe. For greater insights on this topic, be sure to read or listen to The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-Coming Reality?

LCG: Did they just claim Bob Thiel is an agent of Satan?

 

Poor Bob Thiel. LCG's latest warnings about false teachers are going to be causing major butthurt for the little self-appointed guy. He is not going to appreciate being labeled as a misleading man who functions as an agent of Satan. Ouch!

Speaking though of men who use deceptive words, this is pretty rich considering that this is the Living Church of God promoting this. Their track record of misleading people covers decades starting with the spiritual abuse and false prophecies of Rod Meredith

Beware of False Teachers! Warnings about false teachers are found throughout the Bible. Jesus warned that false teachers would come in “sheep’s clothing” (smooth-talking, congenial, appearing spiritual) but are actually “ravenous wolves” who seek to divide and devour the flock of God (Matthew 7:15–19). Jesus said this would be especially evident at the end of the age (Matthew 24:5, 11, 24). The Apostle Paul warned that false teachers guided by a “different spirit” would masquerade as “apostles of Christ” as they mislead people and actually function as ministers of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:1–15). Peter warned they will use “deceptive words” to promote themselves and spread divisive heresies as they speak evil of the Truth and attack the Church and ministers of God (2 Peter 2:1–3). Let’s remember these warnings and ask God for the spiritual discernment to recognize false and misleading teachers (2 Timothy 1:6–7)—because we will all be tested in this crucial area.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail