By Wilfred J. Hahn
Eternal Value Review
Of late, some offshoots of the British Israelite persuasion (also called
Armstrongites),
have been proudly proclaiming that they “told you so” in respect of
recent gyrations in Europe. If so, what have they been saying?
They
see recent financial and economic tremors in Europe as the final
staging to the emergence of the Holy Roman Empire in which Germany plays
a ruling role.
The
economic rise of Germany in recent years along with the advent of
financial melt-downs in some of the periphery European countries, is
proof-positive to them that their prophecies are correct. Particularly,
the Philadelphian Church of God (PCOG), which publishes the Trumpet, feels much emboldened in its perspectives.
To
be sure, European financial instabilities today very likely will play a
role in the emergence of the next world order. However, there is no way
of anticipating the various convolutions that may unfold in the interim
and over what timeframe. One must also not forget, that we live in a
globalized world today where international financial markets and
economies are tightly intertwined. Given these complexities and
unknowns, we believe that facts and prophetic scriptures cited to
support the views of the Armstrongites are distorted.
We
do recognize that there are widely varying views amongst the (often
bitterly feuding) groups that find lineage from the original
distinguishing positions of the British Israelite movement of the 19th
century. While some do take a scholarly approach (like the late Dr.
Eugene Scott) others promote wild-eyed speculations without literal
Biblical substantiation, holding the most bizarre of views. As a group,
just what makes their interpretations so different?
The
foundational difference that is common to all of these groups is that
they consider many of the prophecies addressed separately to the House
of Judah and the House of Israel (the ancient northern kingdom) as
applying to the last days. The House of Judah (comprised of the tribes
of Benjamin and Judah) are the Jews of today, whereas the lost 10 ten
tribes of the House of Israel are “discovered” to exist incognito in the
form of mostly northern European peoples.
Yes,
you will have read that correctly. The lost 10 tribes of Israel (those
that were deported and dispersed abroad by the Assyrians in the 7th
century B.C.) are thought to be found in the form of modern-day
countries in Europe and America. For example, they view Britain as
modern-day Ephraim and America as the tribe of Manasseh. It is a long
story for which we have not space to elaborate further. The fact is that
the 10 northern tribes were never lost. All 12 tribes of Israel are
today represented by the Jews (this latter term finding its root
originally in the word Judah). The New Testament (of course, documenting
a time over 700 years later than the 7th century B.C.) mentions the
names of the 10 northern tribes (Also, see
Luke 2:36
which names the House of Israel tribe of Asher as being the ancestor of
Anna the prophetess). Therefore, the Israel of today is already a blend
of the House of Judah and the House of Israel. The prophecy found in
Ezekiel 37:19-22) - the two houses of Israel and Judah being made into one stick - has already been fulfilled.
Today,
there is not a small number of groups that propound similar views,
causing somewhat of a groundswell amongst Christians; drawing them into
accepting their fantastical interpretations. While the teachings of the
Armstrongites are not yet mainstream, they are nevertheless quite
prevalent.
One
of the more prolific of these groups is the already mentioned PCOG. As
such, we address here some of their statements in regards to Europe,
Germany, the Holy Roman Empire and end-time prophecy.
To
begin, the Philadelphians have an unfounded fixation with Germany. Just
as the House of Israel supposedly migrated to America and became the
European nations of Britain, France and others, apparently so also did
the Assyrians. The Armstrongites claim that they migrated to the
environs of modern-day Germany. This apparently happened after the fall
of Assyria to the Babylonians. As Assyrians were a war-loving, cruel
people, the PCOG is sure that Germany will be the country that will rule
brutally over a new Europe, this taking the form of a group of 10
kings.
Recent
events in Europe, of course, only add fuel to the PCOG’s conviction
(and boasting, we may add). Indeed, Germany which has the largest
economy of all the 17 eurozone countries, is in a position of large
influence. To the PCOG, this all is a prelude to a Fourth Reich (a
revived Holy Roman Empire), a state of organization where Germany will
rule over Europe. An evil strong man (Antichrist) will come from this
empire as he is said to be an Assyrian (
Isaiah 10:5,
Micah 5:5).
These
views are not altogether in agreement with Bible prophecy. We observe
faulty and confused interpretations at several levels. (To be sure,
these differences in views alone do not affect one’s salvation.)
To
begin, Bible prophecy expressly reveals that the rule of the 10 kings
(a power coalition of 10 nations) emerges before the Antichrist is
revealed. In other words, 10 kings come first, then the 11th who is then
revealed as the Antichrist enters the scene. Shown as a king (the Old
Testament’s parallel to today’s rulers) he must therefore represent a
country. Therefore, if Germany is today to be one of the 10 kings that
are to arise as a revived Roman Empire, then their leader cannot then
emerge to be the Antichrist. He must be the leader of yet another
country and not of the 10. How so?
Daniel expressly says “here before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among” the first 10 horns (
Daniel 7:9).
(A horn often symbolizes power and kings in the Bible). Clearly, it is
an 11th and different king (likely representing a smaller nation) who
arises while the previous 10 are still in existence. Germany already
exists … and is not small! We can cite more verses that demolishes the
Philadelphian fixation with Germany.
Overall,
the Philadelphian framework with respect to both the historical and
last day sequence of rulers as laid out in the Bible is also flawed. For
example they take an incorrect interpretation of the seven heads shown
in Revelation 17. As we have outlined in the past, the 7 heads (who are
also 7 kings) represent the historical lineage of the major Gentile
powers that have ruled and suppressed the Hebrews. On the other hand,
the group of 10 which are also mentioned in Revelation 17 (and four
other times in Scripture) exist at the same time.
Revelation 17:10
says that the 7 heads “are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is,
the other has not yet come.” Just who are these kingdoms? Quoting the
November/December issue of the
Trumpet, the PCOG assigns the
identity of the “five fallen” as follows: Justinian (A.D. 554);
Charlemagne (A.D. 800); Otto the Great (A.D. 962); Charles V; and
Napoleon who crowned himself emperor in 1804. Such interpretations are
highly imaginative and subjective … not to mention scripturally unsound.
How so?
John
the Revelator wrote down the visions given to him late in the first
century. Just how could the five kingdoms that had already fallen all
yet come to power in later centuries as the PCOG claims? Moreover, just
how is it possible to name Hitler as the sixth head (which the PCOG
does), a person who John the Revelator told us existed at the very
present time that he was writing his prophecies? And, just how is it
that the Philadelphians have determined that the 1930s to 1940s period
qualifies as the time that “is”? If so, there must have been a second
coming of John this past century which we missed.
We
make yet a few more points that will tie together the fallacies that
underlie PCOG dogma with respect to Germany, the Holy Roman Empire and
the Bible’s entire view on historical and end-time geopolitics.
The
Bible very clearly reveals that the sixth, and seventh heads as well as
the 8th king (6th through 8th kings/kingdoms mentioned in Revelation
17) are all of Roman derivation. The previous 5 kingdoms pictured in
Revelation 17 (the five that are fallen) are not Roman.
According to our deductions (and many prophecy experts), the prior five “kings that are fallen” (
Revelation 17:12)
are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persian and Greece. As mentioned, the
sixth head, said to be in power at the time that these prophecies were
given to John, is Roman. There can be no doubt this Roman identity.
Scripture then proves that the coming 7th head (one with 10 horns, which
signifies a ruling power which in this case is the collective of 10
contemporaneous kings) and 8th king who emerges later as the Antichrist,
are also of Roman heritage. Here we must go to
Daniel 7:24 which substantiates this view.
The book of Revelation, after all, fits hand in glove with the prophecies in the Book of Daniel.
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