This booklet appears to have been originally entitled Daniel: Revelation and War, and it featured a sword brandishing man on its cover. I suspect that cover was replaced with the current cover in the 2001 version.
Introduction
Daniel had to fast to hang on to those secrets. And we have to stay close to God and use His power today or we will lose God’s precious secrets—His revealed truth. We stand no chance against Satan without God’s power! (p. 2.)When I was an Armstrongite I had this idea that if one stopped doing one's duties (observing the Sabbath and Holy Days, etc.) then one would fall under Stan's sway and forget the truth and become brainwashed by Satan's invisible transmission into forgetting the dogmas taught to me by LCG and the writings of HWA that I read on the Internet. These words of Flurry remind me of that delusion LCG indoctrinated into me.
Satan makes war against God’s lukewarm saints and overcomes them (verse 7). This evil power is being built in Europe even as you read this. In fact, it already virtually controls Europe. (p. 3.)This is hyperbolic nonsense.Europe was supposed to conquer America in 1972. Even after that failed HWA and his imitators shamelessly continued to repeat the same story line to those who desperately yearned to see their sacrifices in tithes and offerings proven to be the right thing to do.
This new revelation from Daniel exposes Satan’s evil much more clearly. All his raging power will be aimed first of all against God’s end-time Philadelphians (Revelation 3:7-22). We have received this staggering revelation. Now we must digest and proclaim it to Satan’s world. (p. 3.)So this seems to indicate that this booklet will simply reinterpret yet another book of the Bible into saying, essentially, what Flurry wrote in Malachi's Message. Flurry has already done that many times as may be seen in previous posts. Let us see if he does that here in this booklet. If so then Flurry will say that Daniel is all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition, PCG members get to flee to the place of safety (usually said to be in Petra, Jordan) while all other are doomed to endure the Great Tribulation.
(Actually it is widely known that many of the ideas within Malachi's Message were plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes, written December 1986-January 1988. It was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work. PCG Information also notes that the scroll portrayed on the cover of this booklet is similar to how The Letter to Laodicea appeared when it was advertized in newspaper advertizements when it was first released.)
A casual reading of this new truth is not nearly enough to understand. You can’t comprehend this profound revelation unless you really study this booklet. If you do that, your Bible will come alive in a specific and detailed way. You will become spiritually rich and very inspired! (p. 4.)If one cannot understand after reading it once then the author is not very good. Clearly Flurry really wants to reader to deeply believe and act upon what Flurry says here.
Chapter 1
During the final days of his life, Mr. Armstrong was concerned most about the work continuing. After he died, however, there was a massive revolt against what he taught. The Laodicean era began.And it needs to be remembered that before HWA's death there was no expectation that WCG would convert into (for the most part) an Evangelical Protestant church. Also it was generally assumed that the Laodiceans would not be made manifest until the worthy WCG members fled to the place of safety. In theory there was no way to tell who is a Philadelphian or a Laodicean until the time to flee arrived.
This marked a monumental shift in the history of the Church. Of course, God was watching over events, paying very close attention. And, as we have shown repeatedly in our literature, He was allowing things to fall apart quickly for specific reasons. It was all happening according to His prophetic plan. (p. 6.)
So for Flurry to now say the Laodicean era began when HWA died in 1986 is actually a drastic and radical change from what HWA taught. It is just as dramatic and radically different of a change as any of the changes brought in under the Tkaches.
After this Flurry discusses Daniel 12:11 which talks about "the daily sacrifice" being mentioned. Flurry states that sacrifice was added in by the English translators so Flurry redefines it as "the daily" or "the continual". Flurry says that in Old Testament times this referred to daily sacrifices but now that God works through the one true church (supposedly his PCG) "the daily" or "the continual" now refers to the continual activity of "God's Church". (In PCG jargon that means WCG until December 1989 then mystically transferred to PCG according to Flurry. Of course this term varies it's meaning in other COG groups.) As shall be seen later Flurry will say that "the daily" or "the continual" was temporarily suppressed. Of course this is yet another condemnation of the Tkach changes.
God has given the Philadelphia Church very abundant truth in the major and minor prophets and other books like Lamentations and Daniel. He is using us as He did Daniel and the other prophets. We continue the same work! (p. 11.)In fact for the most part Flurry's "new revelation" is essentially a rehashing of what he stated in Malachi's Message. Gerald Flurry's booklet, Lamentations and the End-Time Laodiceans is just one of them.
The Ephesus era lost its first love and so the lamp was removed. God’s people failed to continue what Christ Himself started! (p. 12.)This is a reference to HWA's teaching that shortly after the time of the Apostles that the church forsook the truth and adopted various pagan practices and teachings that drew them into the bonds of Satan and later led to the rise of the Roman Catholic Church. HWA's teaching is largely nonsensical. There was no dark century.
The lamp had to be moved from the Ephesus era to the Smyrna era. God also had to move His lamp in the Laodicean era to another Church. (p. 12.)Essentially Flurry is telling WCG members that it is required of them to leave WCG and join PCG and pay them three tithes and extra offerings.
God moved His lamp and commanded His Church to “prophesy again.” The Laodiceans have stopped prophesying (Amos 2:11-12). However, God still continues to reveal His prophecy (Amos 3:7-8). (pp. 12-13.)Many other COG groups, the "Laodiceans" Flurry loves to demonize so much, continue to “prophesy again” by continuing to preach the same fear inducing prophecies that HWA taught for so many years.
Those comprising the altar, or ministry, let God measure them. This means these ministers tremble before God’s Word. And so do these very elect members. The majority of God’s people are Laodicean and refuse to let God measure and correct them. So they have to be put in the outer court. They go into the Great Tribulation where 50 percent will repent and 50 percent will die forever! At that time God’s very elect will be in a place of safety. The two witnesses do the continual at that time. (p. 13.)This is actually just a very elaborate way of claiming that only PCG ministers and members are true Christians compared with the other COG splinter groups and Tkach's WCG. Flurry is claiming his PCG is the one, true church.
When the organized Church continual is taken away, it causes many people to panic. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord” (Amos 8:11). The continual, or spiritual daily sacrifice, is taken away. People run to the north, south, east and west; but they can’t find God’s message as they could before. When they finally wake up, it will be too late physically! (see also Ezekiel 33:30-33). Could one of these people be you? May God help each one of us heed this message now! (pp. 13-14.)"Could one of these people be you?" The answer is no. Because much of what Flurry teaches is unrealistic.
We are now in the “crisis at the end.” The trouble is not just doubled, it is multiplied! Terrifying times are here now—worse than any time in history! (p. 14.)This is just melodramatic nonsense. Now is not the worse time in history. If anything events has improved since the end of the Cold War.
Many horrendous trials lie ahead. But it is what lies beyond those trials that should excite us beyond words to describe. An excitement that will last forever! (p. 14.)This is alluding to the heretical God Family doctrine which PCG inherited from HWA.
Chapter 2
The horn that represented the first Grecian king, Alexander, was suddenly broken. Alexander the Great, at the height of his power, died of fever suddenly while in Babylon. He was only 33 years old. (p. 16.)Wrong. Alexander was 32 years of age when he died because he died before his birthday. Flurry needs to get his facts straight.
This prophecy in Daniel also applies to an end-time Antiochus. His goal will be to crush the faith of spiritual Israel—God’s Church. There is also an end-time abomination of desolation, as prophesied here in Daniel 8 and in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. This we have known for many years. But what we have not understood is the spiritual dimension to this prophecy. ... While there certainly is a historical fulfillment to this passage, most of it is to occur in our time today. (pp. 17-18.)And so Flurry introduces his idea of a "spiritual Antiochus" who is to arise in the end time within WCG. It is important to note that HWA never taught that there would be a spiritual end time Antiochus. This is yet another one of Flurry's changes.
We have always taught that Antiochus is a type of one who will rule the resurrected Roman Empire in this end time. But he is also a type of one who would rule in God’s end-time Church! Anciently, Antiochus went to Jerusalem and desecrated the temple first. Afterward, he ransacked the whole city. It’s important that we understand this critical time sequence. (p. 18.)So Flurry is once again changing the church's teaching. Flurry is beginning to introduce the idea that thee is a spiritual leader within HWA's WCG. While HWA taught that the final Pope would be the false prophet who would ally himself with the European dictator Flurry has reinterpret certain Scriptures to claim that they are talking about the Tkach changes.
Daniel 8 is discussing transgression, truth being cast to the ground—a satanic host practicing and prospering at destroying the daily—all from within the sanctuary, God’s own Church. This is not the destruction to occur in the Tribulation. It’s going on within the Church before the Tribulation. Inside the Church, a man is acting like God, magnifying himself even to the prince of the host, casting truth to the ground. Satan is behind him. This man took away the daily—the continual—the work of God. (p. 24.)Considering that he is using the present tense Flurry seems to be talking about Tkach Jr. here. Stephen Flurry is more specific on this matter in his (highly flawed) book, Raising the Ruins. In it Stephen Flurry argues that Tkach Sr. was just a puppet for others, and Stephen Flurry implies that the real mastermind behind the Tkach changes was Tkach Jr. the entire time.
This is done partly to obscure the fact that originally PCG taught that Tkach Sr. was the man of sin, but after he died in 1995 this teaching was changed to Tkach Jr. The fact that it was Tkach Jr. who fired Gerald Flurry and John Amos made it so much easier for PCG's leaders to persuade PCG members to accept this doctrinal change.
After this Flurry then says that Daniel 8 talks about the activity of "God's Church" ("the daily") being stopped for 1150 days.
The stoppage in God’s work here in Daniel 8 actually occurs well before the Tribulation begins. The question is, when did Satan take away the daily because of sin, and when did the 1150 days end? (p. 25.)So what is Flurry going to say?
Then, on January 16, 1986, Mr. Armstrong was taken out of the way. On that day, the great spiritual war of Daniel 8 began. On that day, Satan began working mainly through one man, systematically dismantling and casting to the ground the truth that Mr. Armstrong had taught. (p. 26.)But the changes could not be done all at once. Although Tkach's changes were introduced and implemented gradually for quite awhile after HWA's death on January 16, 1986 WCG continued to teach what HWA taught and spread his teachings through The World Tomorrow telecast and The Plain Truth magazine. Many people continued to watch and read HWA's teachings produced by WCG and to be persuaded that HWA was right after HWA's death for a certain period of time.
PCG has long had a bizarre fixation with January 16 as the anniversary of HWA's death according to the calendar the Pope supposedly imposed in order to suppress the use of "God's Sacred Calendar". This teaching only further enhances this fixation.
On January 16, 1986, the daily was taken away, signaling the beginning of the 1150 days. Using January 16, 1986, as our beginning point makes Saturday, March 11, 1989, the end of the 1150 days. I was fired from the Worldwide Church of God on December 7, 1989, for upholding what Mr. Armstrong taught. That was nearly nine months after the 1150 days ended. I was fired for what I had been writing in my manuscript later printed as Malachi’s Message. And I had been working on the manuscript for nearly nine months! Though I do not remember the exact date God began revealing Malachi’s Message to me, it is safe to say that it was on or around March 11, 1989. Malachi’s Message exposed the great treachery and deceit going on within the Church at that time. It showed how the work had been stopped because of sin—a “man of sin.” (pp. 26-27.)So Flurry is now teaching that his starting to write Malachi's Message was prophesied 2500 years before within the Book of Daniel.
Flurry does not even claim that he started to write Malachi's Message on March 11, 1989. He says he is unsure. How can such an uncertain claim be viewed as "new revelation" from God?
" Malachi’s Message exposed the great treachery and deceit going on within the Church at that time." Many WCG members did similar things as well. It is absurd to pretend that only Gerald Flurry's booklet, Malachi's Message, exposed the Tkach changes and the move away from HWA's teachings.
Also during this period (January 16, 1986-March 11, 1989) many people within WCG continue to teach and believe in most of what HWA taught as they did before HWA died. Many people started to be drawn into WCG because they were intrigued and believed in what HWA taught all during this time. How can "the daily" (the righteous activities of "God's Church") be said to have been stopped during this time? It is just fanciful madness.
On March 11, 1989, God began to cleanse the sanctuary. True, it began with just me. But doesn’t God always work through one man? God revealed Malachi’s Message to one man. Over the course of 1989, He did that—to me. (p. 27.)Elsewhere Flurry teaches that God only works through one man at a time. Before this role was fulfilled by HWA, today Flurry claims that he himself is this man.
The little horn is Antiochus. Again, this is a type of the coming leader of the Holy Roman Empire. But it is also a type of a leader inside God’s own Church. There is a duality here. First, there is an Antiochus used by Satan to destroy God’s Church, spiritual Israel, from the inside. Then there is an Antiochus, leading the Holy Roman Empire, who destroys the nations of Israel.(p. 28.)So now there are two end time Antiochuses. HWA never taught this.
This evil Antiochus was given an army of God’s own people to fight against God! Satan gave him this army because God’s people sinned. (p. 29.)In other words Flurry is saying that Tkach was able to gain collaborators within WCG in order to implement changing WCG into for the most part an evangelical Protestant church.
Elijah had to be the source of this truth discussed in Daniel 8, because he restored all things—all major truth in this end time! Then, after the Church rebelled, God commanded His very elect to “prophesy again” (Revelation 10:11). We must do the continual by prophesying again as Mr. Armstrong did—with new revelation added, as always. This is all so very simple and logical if we understand God’s truth. (p. 29.)In other words Flurry wants all those who were in WCG to join PCG. Do not dare join any other COG splinter group or else you will go to the Great Tribulation, Flurry essentially says elsewhere. Flurry really does not want any WCG member choosing to join UCG or Meredith's Global Church of God (which was soon superseded by LCG) and send the tithes to them. Flurry really wants the reader to give those tithes to his splinter group, namely PCG.
Also "new revelation" means that Flurry is changing what was taught previously by HWA. PCG used to publish a booklet, Worldwide Church of God Doctrinal Changes and the Tragic Results that listed some of the changes then underway. PCG no longer distributes that booklet. No doubt this is partly because PCG's leaders fear that PCG members will notice that Flurry's "new revelation" have in many places altered what HWA taught.
We must fight to keep Satan and transgression out. That means you must have God’s government—headed by a leader like Mr. Armstrong—to implement God’s law. This is where the Laodiceans have transgressed. They rejected the government God gave to Mr. Armstrong. Only the PCG continues that same identical government. Every one of the Laodicean groups have rejected God’s government. That is why they are Laodicean! (p. 29.)Many COG groups have one man government as was practiced in HWA's WCG and PCG. Why does Flurry say untrue things?
And the real reason the members of the other COG groups are "Laodicean" is because they do not pay money to Flurry and Co. so Flurry does everything he can to demonize them in order to keep PCG members fearful of the members of the other COG groups so that they will continue to remain in PCG and continue to keep paying money to the leaders of PCG.
The host, or God’s own army, has been “trodden under foot” because of its rebellion (verse 13). This is the greatest crisis in this end time! Why? Because many of those Laodicean people will lose their salvation. Nothing could be more serious. (p. 30.)Nothing is more serious to Flurry then making sure PCG members keep paying the three tithes and are not persuaded into joining the COG groups. Flurry is afraid that PCG members will notice how similar PCG is to the other COGs and realize that they do not need to stay in PCG in order to honor what they believe to be true. Of course has developed differences compared with the other COG groups but they are not so black and white as Flurry makes them out to be.
Notice it says, “for at the time appointed the end shall be.” The time appointed at the “last end” means the 1150 days. That has come and gone—meaning there is not much more time left before Christ returns. (p. 30.)Flurry and HWA before him have been saying similar dire predictions since the 1930s. Nothing has happened. All of these dire predictions have failed miserably.
Today we are right in the midst of it. This is happening in God’s temple. This whole vision is about God’s Church right now—the last end. Daniel is trying to get us to see the kind of warfare going on behind the scenes. This is the only time of salvation for those members called into the Church of God today. Judgment is now on us. If we fail this time, there is no second chance. (p. 31.)Flurry is trying very hard to make the readers panic so that they are panicked into doing things they would not normally do.
He [Daniel] was astonished and he didn’t even understand it! Now that you understand, how astonished are you? (p. 31.)These words assume that HWA was a man used by God and considering his many false prophesies and severe personal immorality (recently confirmed to have occurred by his own niece and grandson) he was clearly never used by God in any special way.
On pages 19-23 is an insert article by Stephen Flurry discussing the image of Daniel 2. It features a picture of the image of Daniel 2 on page 20. But what Stephen Flurry says is essentially the same as taught by HWA and many other COG groups so it will not be discussed here.
Also on page 26 is a picture of HWA along with his book, Mystery of the Ages. On page 27 is a picture of Gerald Flurry with a picture of his plagiarized booklet, Malachi's Message.
Chapter 3
God primarily wants His people to focus on this spiritual abomination, the spiritual Antiochus. He comes on the scene before the physical abomination of desolation, before the final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire. (p. 33.)Here is yet another change Flurry has inflicted upon his followers just like Tkach who he loves to demonize so much. HWA taught that dualism had a physical fulfillment and then a spiritual fulfillment. Yet here Flurry has arbitrarily changed this idea and made the spiritual fulfillment begin first, to be followed by the physical fulfillment. This is precisely the opposite of what HWA taught in regards to dualism.
This is one battle we cannot afford to lose. Yet 95 percent of God’s people are losing it. And half of them will never recover. We are probably witnessing the most spiritual casualties ever in the history of God’s Church! That must serve as a warning to God’s very elect. The abomination is surely going to work hard to destroy you. But we do have an angelic army fighting for us. Nobody can stamp upon us if we’re loyal to God, because God’s angels will protect us. (p. 34.)Flurry is promising any would be convert that they will have the protection of angels if only they join PCG and pay the three tithes to Flurry for the rest of their lives.
we’re loyal to God, because God’s angels will protect us. This spiritual Antiochus is extremely arrogant. ... Through transgression this man actually got an army of God’s own people to fight against God! This does not happen in the Tribulation; they’ll be repenting of sin in the Tribulation. This has already happened. (p. 34.)A prophecy that has already happened.
“They shall not take shame” is rendered in the [Revised Standard Version], “disgrace will not overtake us.” That’s what the Laodiceans are saying, as they try to suppress the truth. But God thunders back, Disgrace will overtake you! Those people trying to stop our message will soon be very disgraced! (p. 35.)While it would be accurate to say that the leaders of Tkach's WCG have caused WCG to no longer teach the dogmas of HWA this is completely untrue in regards to the other COG groups. Why does Flurry say untrue things?
All of the Laodiceans are fighting against God! They are casting truth to the ground! They are transgressing the law, because they are rejecting the government of God! And so God calls them His enemy. If you are a Laodicean, or lukewarm, you are part of the abomination of desolation! (pp. 35-36.)Flurry labels anyone who believes the teachings of HWA and has not joined PCG as being a "Laodicean" and Flurry demonizes them for the purpose of crudely intimidating such people into joining PCG. Flurry is trying very hard to make anyone who believes HWA's teachings into feeling they have no choice but to join PCG or face a most monstrous fate, namely to endure the Great Tribulation.
(When Mr. Armstrong was alive, we thought that 2 Thessalonians 2 was about the abomination of desolation. We were only half right: It’s about the spiritual abomination! And at the same time, it gives us an insight into how the physical abomination will operate.) (p. 36.)HWA never taught that the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2 referred to a man within WCG. Flurry has changed HWA's doctrine.
Also in Mystery of the Ages HWA taught that there is a physical fulfillment which is then followed by a spiritual fulfillment. Flurry has presented this idea by sayig there is a spiritual abomination which is then to be followed by a physical abomination. The idea that the spiritual fulfillment comes first to be followed by a physical fulfillment is contrary to what HWA taught.
One group is doing the daily, and they are taken away; another is left behind to deal with the physical abomination of desolation. There is a tremendous message here: You either do the work of God, or you go into the Tribulation! God will take those who do His work to a place of safety on the wings of an eagle. They will just fly away, because they have been soaring spiritually! (p. 38.)Flurry claims that God is only working through PCG today. Any other COG is not just being unhelpful but are viciously demonized by Flurry. He even says they are fighting against God because they do not join PCG and pay the three tithes and extra offerings for him and his collaborators to live on.
Spiritually, God’s people are told to flee to the mountains, or churches of God around the world. This has been occurring since God’s Philadelphia Church was raised up. Those who fail to flee become Laodicean. (p. 39.)Flurry really wants every member of WCG or any other COG splinter group to join PCG in order to get more money.
Physically, there may be another way to view this. It is conceivable that all of God’s people could be in Judaea (Judah, or Israel), where the Jews rule their own country. All of God’s people could be there on their way to a place of safety (Revelation 12:14). First, they would flee to the literal mountains surrounding a place of protection. Then they would assemble in one place. (p. 40.)And so Flurry continues to speculate on what could happen during the end times.
Page 43 contains a picture of Ambassador Auditorium which Flurry calls "God's House".
God is pointing us to the source of the spiritual abomination: its headquarters building! Mark 13:14 says the abomination is standing where it ought not be. God is taking this personally. He has deep emotion about that history in the Philadelphia era, about the command He gave and how everyone got behind Mr. Armstrong. He is putting emphasis in these verses on this house because it was so important to Him, and He wants us to understand the magnitude of the Laodiceans’ sin! (p. 44.)Flurry seems to say that (PCG's) God is highly offended that so many WCG members did not join PCG. In reality Flurry is annoyed that people who could be paying three tithes and extra offerings to him are not doing so.
This reveals the Laodiceans’ weakness. They were absolutely dependent upon a strong leader, Mr. Armstrong, to stick with God. Their spiritual immaturity was exposed when he died. They had never been weaned from the milk. They failed to really grasp what Mr. Armstrong taught, and now they reject him as God’s end-time Elijah. (p. 44.)The reason so many WCG members were "absolutely dependent" upon HWA is because that is what HWA taught them to do. HWA was very industrious in teaching WCG members to be totally dependent upon himself and the WCG organization to a great degree.
When unexpectedly Tkach chose to renounce much of what HWA taught and to make WCG as an institution change into a largely evangelical Protestant church many WCG members who continued to believe what HWA taught were very confused and did not know what to do.
Some joined PCG, but most did not do so, to Flurry great annoyance. Many more joined Meredith's Global Church of God (most later joined Meredith's LCG) and UCG. Many others renounced HWA's doctrines entirely and went into the fold of mainstream Christianity. Many others became Atheists. Others ended up adopting all kinds of religions and worldviews imaginable. In all of this great scattering it was not immediately apparent what one should do.
But from Flurry's perspective, who enjoys leading a group that makes about $19.5 million a year, it is very obvious what he wants those troubled by the Tkach changes to do: join PCG and pay his organization more money.
In return he promises that PCG members will go to the place of safety despite the numerous failed predictions HWA, Gerald Flurry himself and those associated with them have produced.
Did you notice how our work is sandwiched between these two abominations? Where would the world be without this work? We must be prepared now, because as we do our work, the physical abomination is getting ready to do its work. (p. 47.)Once again Flurry builds up a sense of elitism among PCG members. In fact the vast majority of people on Earth have no idea PCG even exists. Also no one ever noticed how "God's Church" (WCG till 1989 then PCG afterwards) is positioned between the Tkach changes and the European-Vatican conquest of Jerusalem until Flurry devised that idea.
What a great honor to be able to serve God in this way: to tell everyone what is happening inside God’s Church and to prepare them for what Europe is going to do. We must tell the world about the two abominations. God has raised up this work. People, by and large, don’t believe it. But through us God will turn many to righteousness! That will be the greatest glory we’ll have ever been a part of! (p. 47.)You can do such wonderful things! All you have to do is join PCG and agree to pay three tithes and extra offerings for the rest of your life and do whatever you are told to do no matter how much it may harm you or your family and Flurry gets to tell you you are special while he and his organization can share out among themselves the income of about $19.5 million per year among themselves.
Chapter 4
The Philadelphia Church of God produces so much fruit because we have God’s government! Going through open doors requires judgment from someone with the authority to make decisions. You cannot build a house for God without His government. Without one man at the top with full authority, it will fail 100 percent of the time. This is so important because if we do not get this government right, we will not rule this Earth! (p. 49.)So Flurry insists that there must be "one man ... with full authority" in order for PCG to prosper. But other COG groups also have one man rule just like PCG. Also what limit is there to the one man's rule? And if one man rule is so important and useful why is it that PCG is smaller then UCG or LCG? Also why is it that The Philadelphia Trumpet has had stagnant circulation for the last ten years? Where is all the money going?
Mr. Armstrong’s judgments are legally binding on us. God condemns His Church for “departing” from “judgments” made by His apostle. Now if Mr. Armstrong wanted Mystery of the Ages to reach the largest audience possible, is that judgment legally binding on God’s people today? (p. 49.)What about the role of New Testament Prophets? HWA taught from 1953 till the day he died that Prophets have no administrative role in the church. They were only used to communicate direct revelation from God, but to administer members. HWA even said this in Mystery of the Ages. But in 1999 Flurry changed this doctrine by declaring himself to be That Prophet and using his claim to prophethood as a basis for ruling over PCG members contrary to what HWA taught on this matter. When PCG bought the copyright to Mystery of the Ages (and other writings) for $3 million PCG proceeded to change Mystery of the Ages to make HWA conform to Flurry's changes.
If HWA's judgements are legally binding on PCG members then why did PCG so self-servingly altered the book they claim to love and adore so much?
The problem with the Laodiceans is that they refuse to hearken to God’s message and accept His government. Their problem is not in finding it. They just won’t accept it. (p. 50.)Translation: because they will not join PCG Flurry then threatens them with the Great Tribulation unless they join PCG and pay the three tithes to him and his collaborators.
It takes humility to listen to what Christ is teaching. Laodiceans do not have that. They trespass against God—they have betrayed Him (see also verse 9). (p. 50)Once again Flurry demonizes WCG members and the members of the other COG splinter groups because they do not pay any money to Flurry and Co. Flurry is just trying to crudely intimidate people into joining PCG.
How much more revelation will God give to this little Church? How urgent is this revelation? God has put so many of the puzzle pieces in place. Let’s become urgent as God is! (p. 52.)Most of Flurry's "new revelation" are simply reiterations and additions to what he wrote in Malachi's Message. Flurry simply regurgitates what he wrote in Malachi's Message. Flurry simply claims that other Scriptures are all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition to them, PCG members go to the place of safety and all others are doomed to endure the Great Tribulation. In this booklet Flurry injects the ideas of Malachi's Message into the Book of Daniel.
It’s a vision about violence, warfare and bloodshed. And the warfare is over God’s revelation! Do we put as much importance on God’s revelation as Satan does? (p. 52.)Strange. I thought we were supposed to flee from Satan's example, not imitate him.
In verses 15-17, we see why Daniel remained so strong and able to fight in this spiritual war. He was humble. Daniel knew that one day man’s destiny was to rule over the angels, and yet, before these two great beings he trembled, saying, Who am I to stand before you? (p. 56.)This refers to HWA's doctrine of the God Family and his teaching that humans can become immortal God beings as fully God as God is God, though of a lower rank. This teaching is heretical nonsense.
Daniel was encouraged and uplifted. He was greatly beloved. And so are you. We are all greatly beloved. Be encouraged by that and receive God’s strength, for God has a mighty work for us to do. (p. 56.)Stephen Flurry has an insert article describing Antiochus Epiphanes who is held up as a predecessor of Tkach for changing WCG's teachings. It is quite similar to parts of "his" booklet, History and Prophecy of the Middle East, which is actually a plagiarized re-write of HWA's booklet, The Middle East in Prophecy.However this is similar to what HWA's WCG taught so it shall be ignored here.
Chapter 5
In this chapter once continues Flurry his condemnation of the Tkach changes.
The Laodiceans know about God’s true work. They talk with each other about the Key of David program and read the Trumpet. Many of them have even been behind us in our struggle to print Mr. Armstrong’s books and booklets. These people are cleaving to God’s very elect with flatteries. (p. 66.)Some people in the other COG groups decided to show solidarity with PCG during their court case with Tkach's WCG. Flurry does not want PCG members to feel any kind of fellowship or bond with such persons and therefore he malevolently chose to demonize even such signs of solidarity as deceptive flattery. Of course what Flurry really wants is to get their money. Clearly Flurry does not want moral support or solidarity from outside PCG. He wants more converts who will pay the three tithes and extra offerings to him and his collaborators to fund his PCG.
In the Tribulation they will know. But right up until that time, they will only play the game of flatteries. They don’t have the faith to know that a prophet is among them now, because they don’t believe in one-man government. (p. 66.)In fact many of these so-called "Laodiceans" have one man government as well. Why does Flurry say untrue things?
God is talking to the end-time Philadelphians directly! Daniel said this was for a “time appointed.” It’s for a specific time period—our time. And right up to the very end, some of us will fall. Haven’t we all seen that happen? The word try in verse 35 means to smelt, like smelting metal. It means a fiery trial. Even when people come into this remnant and understand, they can still fall. Should we be shocked if some leave? God says it will happen right up to the end. We are in a war. And in a war, there are casualties. Will you be a casualty? It will happen “even to the time of the end.” (p. 67.)So Flurry prophesies that some PCG members will defect and leave PCG. Flurry portrays such things as failing to mature spiritually and insinuates the most dire fate awaits anyone who does such a thing. This is manipulative preemptive declaration designed to explain away and discredit anyone who defects from PCG or are cast out of PCG. This is designed to persuade PCG members to ignore the cries of the oppressed and to simply trust what those above them tell them to think.
More on this topic may be seen in previous posts discussing Gerald Flurry and Dennis Leap's booklet, Ezra and Nehemiah: Building God's Temple (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3). There Flurry and Leap even say that infiltrators inspired by Satan will sneak into PCG in order to trick PCG members to leave. These words are designed to indoctrinate PCG members into stopping their thoughts whenever any information the leaders of PCG view as threatening comes to their attention.
The verses preceding verse 40 discuss what happens in the Church prior to the Tribulation. Then verse 40 describes what happens at the outset of the Tribulation. The king of the south, radical Islam, will push at the king of the north, the European Union. This push prompts the Eurobeast to come against Islam like a whirlwind. It all begins around Jerusalem. (pp. 68,70.)Looking at these words I cannot help but wonder if PCG is preparing to change their doctrine that Iran is the King of the South. Now to this day PCG teaches that Iran is the King of the South but I cannot help but wonder if they would try to do such a thing should events occur in a way they do not expect.
This undoubtedly is referring to God’s people who, as Mr. Armstrong taught for so many years, are the firstfruits to be harvested in God’s plan. These people will be saved out of the beast’s hand.Once again Flurry dangles the carrot of the place of safety in front of PCG members in order to bribe them into accepting whatever they are told is the truth by PCG's leadership.
Understand the context here! To this point in Daniel 11, we have seen how Satan has literally destroyed a whole Church of God, except for the few who understand and who instruct many. Satan could not spiritually get to the very elect. So now he tries to get to them physically, through the beast. But God will protect us from the wrath of Satan the devil. He will save this little sanctuary of strength. (p. 70)
God tells Michael to go and fight for these people so they might be protected. We don’t have a thing to worry about except keeping our faith strong. Our names are right there in the book of remembrance. Only you can take your own name out. (p. 71.)There is no Michael protecting PCG. How absurd claiming to have Michael's protection considering the many problems that exist in PCG.
Notice it does not say “everlasting death”—it says “shame and everlasting contempt.” That’s because it is totally unnecessary. It all could have been avoided. But because those who don’t make it polluted the sanctuary and did not repent, God makes them a shameful, contemptible example for all eternity. (p. 71.)As noted elsewhere Flurry teaches that unless one joins PCG before they flee to the place of safety even if they repent afterwards and become immortal God beings they will still live with the disgrace of not joining PCG before the Great Tribulation began and be of a lower rank compared with PCG members for all eternity.
The idea that there are different levels of rank within the God Family is an idea that has long been taught among devotees of HWA's teachings. As early as 1957 Richard David Armstrong was teaching that Radio Church of God members would gain a higher rank within the God Family that was not available to those "called" after Christ's return. I first encountered this teaching while watching a sermon by the late Syd Hull while he worked for LCG. Naturally Flurry added his own twist to this teaching to claim the "Laodiceans" will bear the shame of failing to be within PCG before the Great Tribulation starts.
We owe this world unselfish service. We owe it to these Laodiceans who have been so abused. What does it mean when we turn people to righteousness? Those who really work to do this will shine like the stars for ever and ever. What a reward! Why worry about receiving a reward now when we have such an awesome future ahead of us? Isn’t that reward enough? Today is our day. So many end-time prophecies place us right in the spotlight. God is offering us everything, if we will just turn people to righteousness. (p. 72.)In actual fact PCG members are indoctrinated into never associating with "Laodiceans" (members of other COG groups, ex-members, WCG members, etc.) in order for PCG's leaders to keep their followers under control.
We have always understood that the book of Daniel was for the end time (verses 4, 9). We just did not know how much of it referred to events within the Church during the last days. The final chapter in Daniel reveals where all these events lead. (p. 72.)Flurry makes this change seem like it is just a small change. In reality this is a radical break away from what was taught by HWA in WCG. HWA never taught that there would be a great or any other kind of apostasy within WCG.
As proven in this study on Daniel, the abomination of desolation has a physical and spiritual fulfillment. In Matthew 24, it is referring to both. (p. 73.)HWA never taught there was to be some kind of spiritual abomination. Also HWA said there is a physical fulfillment then a spiritual fulfillment. But Flurry has just reversed the order for his own benefit in order to frighten and bedazzle PCG members towards their supposed enemy within Tkach's WCG. This is done in order to distract PCG members from the problems within PCG.
We cannot be looking for a specific date. Jesus told us to watch for an event—the armies surrounding Jerusalem—and to pray always, that we might escape (Luke 21:36). (p. 75.)And yet Flurry dares to say that Christ will return in 10 or 15 years time or less in his booklet, The King of the South.
We have already seen that the length of the Tribulation is 31/2 years—or 1260 days. Since verse 11 says 1290 days, that means the abomination is set up 30 days before the actual outbreak of the Tribulation. This 30-day period is the time God allows for His people to flee to their place of protection. (p. 75.)And so Flurry speculates that there will be a thirty day period in which PCG members will flee to the place of safety, often assumed to be Petra, Jordan.
On pages 62-63 there is an insert.
God is talking about two different armies with regard to the abomination of desolation—a demon army (assisted by God’s own people who have become His enemy) and a physical army. We have to see the role we are playing in this spiritual war. (p. 63.)So Flurry claims a demon army was behind the Tkach changes. Flurry made similar accusations in his booklet, The Lion Has Roared.
Page 74 contains a picture of the Temple Mount.
Chapter 6
For 1150 days, this man (actually Satan, the power behind this man) was able to stop the daily. But God responded to that betrayal by raising up a new work. (p. 78.)But "the daily" (the righteous activity of "God's Church" as defined by Gerald Flurry) was for the most part in operation during these 1150 days (January 16, 1986-March 11, 1989). The daily was not stopped. The Tkach changes only became more obvious later on. This doctrine of the 1150 days is just a way for Flurry to claim God is on his side and to claim that Malachi's Message is trustworthy even though it was actually plagiarized from Jules Dervaes' writings.
So God raised up another era through that one man—Herbert W. Armstrong. And that end-time Elijah was loyal from beginning to end. He never faltered. He restored all things. What a servant of God! He would not compromise. Look at what one man can do.Here Flurry claims that you can be like HWA. In reality doing what PCG tells you to do actually leads the new convert into being submissive towards whatever PCG's leaders tell him or her to a frightful degree. And PCG's leaders get to live on the tithes PCG members give them.
God wants more effort from each one of us. He wants more from you. God is about to give us power over the nations. We have a big job to do. One person can do some tremendous things if he just relies on the power of God. (p. 79.)
We cannot just talk about love—we have to show it—live by it. We have to set the example for this world—show them how to love each other, how to pray together, how to rear their children. (p. 80.)In fact PCG members are indoctrinated to believe that only PCG matters in the world and that everyone outside of PCG is doomed to endure the Great Tribulation. PCG members are indoctrinated into believing that it is not possible to help heal the world until after Christ's return so therefore they must submit themselves to the whim of PCG's leaders till Christ return, in effect for the rest of their lives.
God keeps opening doors today, but most do not walk through them. Our battle is to make sure we do not separate ourselves from the open door, the daily. How do we do that? This is where this godly love comes in. First we must love God and His work above everything else. Why does God love this work so much? Because He really loves this world. If we love it as much as He does, we will deliver the daily. That is what this world needs to solve its problems. (p. 80.)In other words bring in more converts to PCG by throwing away your money to fund PCG's efforts to gain converts.
There is a group of people on this Earth that God really loves. They have God’s government. God says He will force all of these dissenting groups that have rejected Mr. Armstrong’s teachings to come back and know that He has loved His very elect. In fact, God will make the whole world know that He loved us. Then we will show them how to love each other. (p. 80.)"There is a group of people on this Earth that God really loves." HWA taught that only those called out by God today in order to join WCG had a relationship with God. But the rest of humanity are blinded by Satan and will not be called by God until the Great White Throne Judgment.
But when were events ever delayed? Mr. Armstrong wrote in 1984: “So Revelation 10 shows that when our work appeared to be close to finished more than a decade ago, God held up world events, and I was commissioned now to go with the Kingdom message to many kings or many nations and speaking different languages. That is what, as I now look back, I have been doing especially since 1972.” Mr. Armstrong knew that God had delayed world events. (p. 81.)Flurry is just explaining away how HWA's prediction that Christ would return in 1975 failed miserably. The fact that HWA's prediction failed proves that HWA was a false prophet. It was not a case of simply saying that he got the timing wrong, he was wrong. God never worked with HWA.
If we are doing our job, we don’t have to worry about physical events. We need to worry about our spiritual understanding. God has given us so much revelation. He is telling us what will happen. There is no time to worry about physical things. There is no more delay. (p. 81.)Here is Flurry indoctrinating his followers into believing that nothing matters except to build up PCG. It is with words like these that one learns how to become a fanatic.
Satan the devil is this great red dragon. Historically he has used a political-religious union in Europe—the Holy Roman Empire—to wreak havoc on the whole world. But don’t forget who is the archenemy of this dragon. It is God’s Church. In the very near future, you will see the blood of God’s people, and a lot of other people, spilled all over this Earth because of a great false church. (p. 83.)Flurry is inciting paranoia here by claiming that the future European Empire will view PCG members as their number one threat. This is nonsense. Flurry is trying to induce a phobia to make PCG members too scared to ever leave PCG despite the problems there.
This is an ugly picture. We are up against perverted demons. Do you see why people who turn against the daily become so bitter? (pp. 83-84.)Maybe these ex-members are just shocked that they were misled so extensively about so many things for so long and often at great personal cost. No wonder they get "so bitter". Frog like demons have nothing to do with it.
Page 85 contains a picture of the Earth that PCG members will supposedly rule over after in just a few years time. In The King of the South (2003 edition), page 43, Gerald Flurry even wrote these words: "most people won’t become converted until Christ returns—which is probably within 10 to 15 years or less." In other words between 2013 to 2018 or less. The very same words are present in the current 2011 version of that booklet on page 47.
God is trying and testing us now as never before so that we can qualify for that fifth Kingdom. It’s about a world-ruling empire. Today, as men fight and struggle to gain control of the Earth, God says to those who remain faithful to the end, All that these men fight for, I will give to you. (p. 86.)Flurry promises the world to those who are producing PCG's income of $19.5 million a year (2012). PCG members sacrifice and give till it hurts because Flurry and Co. told them that funding PCG is so important. But these promises are just dreams designed to get money out of PCG members.
Flurry ends this booklet with these words.
If you really believe that the Messiah is coming, you will be one fierce warrior! If you really believe this—if you have eaten it up and digested it—you will be one tough Christian. You will fight like no warrior has ever fought. People will marvel, What is it that makes him fight like that? And if that doesn’t motivate others now—if that doesn’t turn many to righteousness now—it will in the World Tomorrow. Then they will know what it was that motivated us. They will see how it changed us and made us a different kind of people.HWA and his imitators have been claiming Christ is just about to return since the 1930s. While the lay members yearned and groaned for this to happen the leaders got to live upon the great wealth they gathered up for themselves.
The Messiah is coming. Now is the time for us to seize the moment and fight for God’s truth! We will never have another opportunity like this for all eternity! (pp. 86-87.)
Summary
So after reading this booklet it is seen that Gerald Flurry claims
- "the daily" or "the continual" (the righteous activity of "God's Church", which in PCG jargon means WCG till December 1989 before being mystically transferred to PCG) was suppressed for 1150 days (January 16, 1986-March 11, 1989) ignoring the fact that WCG taught many people about HWA's teachings during that time.
- that he started to write Malachi's Message around March 11, 1989 ending the suppression of "the daily" or "the continual" thus obscuring the fact he plagiarized Jules Dervaes' writings to make Malachi's Message.
- the Book of Daniel is all about condemning the Tkach changes, as Flurry has claimed for many other Biblical Books to be about.
- that Tkach Jr. is the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2.
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