thetrumpet--2020-02-03--The UK Lets China In

The UK Lets China In

The monarchy has gone terribly off track , especially in the last three years .
Why ?
Prince Harry and his wife , former actress Meghan Markle , have stepped down as senior members of the British royal family .
Why does news about the monarchy keep getting worse and worse ?
This decline is prophesied in your Bible but is also related to the best possible news you could ever hear—news that will fill the Earth with joy like never before !
The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry wanted certain access and privileges without as much responsibility , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations against the royal family .
He and his wife are receiving advice from former United States President Barack Obama and his wife , Michelle .
Remember , Obama sent a bust of Winston Churchill back to Britain soon after taking office , an open expression of contempt for the British Empire .
I don ’ t know what kind of advice he might be offering to the departing royals .
Several months ago , a reporter asked Meghan in a tv interview how she was doing .
She said that it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the reporter , “ Thanks for asking , as not many people have.
” The public accusation that the royal family doesn ’ t really care about her shocked many .
Friends and aides of the Sussexes have accused the royal family of having it in for them from the start .
But the evidence is hard to see .
“ People had bent over backwards for them , ” said one palace aide .
“ They were given the wedding they wanted , the house they wanted , the office they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had the backing of the family .
What more did they want ?
” A lot of Prince Harry ’ s colleagues in the army are really angry with him for the way he has spoken about the royal family .
They don ’ t share his sentiment .
The problems keep mounting for Britain .
The nation is trying to solve the protracted problem of Brexit .
Prince Andrew has dealt with severe criticism for his relationship with the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein .
What is going on here ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ King David forever .
“ And when thy days be fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers , I will set up thy seed after thee , which shall proceed out of thy bowels , and I will establish his kingdom .
He shall build an house for my name , and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever ” ( 2 Samuel 7:12-13 ) .
This is an everlasting covenant ( 2 Samuel 23:5 ) , meaning the throne must be somewhere on Earth today .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for thousands of years .
As of three years ago , they no longer have it .
God has established a new stone and a new throne , as I explain in The New Throne of David .
But why would God remove the throne from where it was ?
Everything revolves around David ’ s throne—today and in the World Tomorrow , and for all eternity .
Jesus Christ will rule from that throne , assisted by the tiny group of people who proclaim God ’ s message to the world before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never been anything in this world like the British royal family .
But something much greater is coming : “ For unto us a child is born , unto us a son is given : and the government shall be upon his shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonderful , Counsellor , The mighty God , The everlasting Father , The Prince of Peace .
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end , upon the throne of David , and upon his kingdom , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever .
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this ” ( Isaiah 9:6-7 ) .
This future spiritual government will bring all humanity under subjection to the throne of David .
All will become a part of spiritual Israel .
David ’ s throne will unite the world !
Today , division is spreading like a plague , but God gives us hope !
There will be peace—not just on Earth , but in the universe !
God the Father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Until January 2017 , Queen Elizabeth ii ruled from David ’ s throne .
Here ’ s part of the reason why she no longer does , excerpted from The New Throne of David : We must know where the throne of David is today , or we can ’ t discern whether God is keeping His promise to King David !
Why don ’ t we hear more discussion about the throne and these staggering prophecies ?
God has always expected David ’ s kingly line to uphold the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah , and speak there this word , And say , Hear the word of the Lord , O king of Judah , that sittest upon the throne of David , thou , and thy servants , and thy people that enter in by these gates : Thus saith the Lord ; Execute ye judgment and righteousness , and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor : and do no wrong , do no violence to the stranger , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shed innocent blood in this place .
For if ye do this thing indeed , then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David , riding in chariots and on horses , he , and his servants , and his people ” ( Jeremiah 22:1-4 ) .
Ask yourself : Is the British royal family today really fulfilling these requirements ?
The monarchy has always had flaws , but never until the last few decades has it intentionally devalued David ’ s throne .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s happening with the royal family : “ And I will prepare destroyers against thee , every one with his weapons : and they shall cut down thy choice cedars , and cast them into the fire .
And many nations shall pass by this city , and they shall say every man to his neighbour , Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city ?
Then they shall answer , Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God , and worshipped other gods , and served them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a covenant with David , which his own descendants have forsaken !
The Queen and the rest of the royals ought to be seeking the righteousness of David !
This is bad news for the royal family , but it ’ s also good news when you understand the truth about the new throne .
You don ’ t have to guess where the throne is today !
You can stake your life on this throne !
Many great men of the Bible did .
I wrote in The New Throne of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years since ?
A civil war within the royal family !
Queen Elizabeth ii is almost 94 years old .
Her husband ’ s health is failing .
Prince Harry has said that no one else in the royal family wants to be crowned king or queen , and now he has backed up those words by essentially leaving the royal family !
“ Harry ’ s determination to be ordinary seems reflected in his love life , ” Newsweek reported in 2017 .
“ His [ now wife ] Meghan Markle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but she is also a divorcée , a vocal feminist and American , none of which conforms to the stereotype of a royal consort.
” “ The younger royals are just too interested in the cringe-inducing world of celebrity and in the popularization of their own image , ” the Spectator commented .
“ We are told that they are reinventing the concept of monarchy for the digital age ….
” That article concluded with an analysis of the younger royals eagerly associating with celebrities , then posed the chilling question : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to go wrong ?
” Finally , the British and the whole world can see what I have been telling you for decades !
God shows us exactly what is wrong with the royal family : They have forsaken God ’ s covenant with David .
The Queen returning the throne to Scotland in 1996 exposed a degeneration in their faith .
Things have gotten much worse ever since .
“ And the angel said unto her , Fear not , Mary : for thou hast found favour with God .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thy womb , and bring forth a son , and shalt call his name Jesus .
He shall be great , and shall be called the Son of the Highest : and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David : And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end ” ( Luke 1:30-33 ) .
It ’ s not over for the British royal family or for this dark world !
Christ Himself is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30:24 says , “ … in the latter days ye shall consider it.
” Consider it would be better translated “ understand it thoroughly.
” In the end time , God has revealed the truth about the throne of David so we can understand it thoroughly !
It ’ s time we repent of our sins and support God ’ s Work .
“ Alas !
for that day is great , so that none is like it : it is even the time of Jacob ’ s trouble ; but he shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it shall come to pass in that day , saith the Lord of hosts , that I will break his yoke from off thy neck , and will burst thy bonds , and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him : But they shall serve the Lord their God , and David their king , whom I will raise up unto them ” ( verses 7-9 ) .
Jacob ’ s trouble means that America , Britain and the Jewish nation are suffering for their rebellion against God .
The suffering will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all His loyal saints to help teach them the right way to live .

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his National Security Council decided on January 28 to allow Chinese company Huawei access to “non-core” parts of its network, as it builds portions of Britain’s 5G network.
Though the council says that Huawei will not be granted access to “sensitive locations” or nuclear sites, it made the decision despite warnings from the United States that allowing the Chinese company access to its networks could jeopardize trans-Atlantic intelligence sharing.
The council decided to proceed with the deal because, despite Huawei being a “high risk vendor,” it determined that it could safely navigate the cybersecurity risks. The decision was also motivated by the belief that banning Huawei would have resulted in losses of tens of billions of pounds as well as “significant consumer delays,” according to the Telegraph.
Johnson said he would never “jeopardize” Britain’s security relationships. Digital Secretary Baroness Nicky Morgan asserted that high-risk vendors, such as Huawei, “never have been and never will be in our most sensitive networks.”
But U.S. security expert Klon Kitchen warned that Britain’s dual action of trusting Huawei and believing that it can keep Huawei out is a “terrible mistake.” He warned:
Chinese law says that all information—even your information—that transits, is stored on, or in any other way touches the networks of a Chinese company is considered “Chinese information” and, therefore, must be made available to the country’s intelligence services. Huawei’s assurances that your information is protected from these laws are not credible and the fact that these networks can be technically “secured” will do nothing to change this fact.
Had Britain decided not to partner with Huawei, it might have suffered in loss of income and consumer delay. But with this decision, it has swapped those risks for those of potential loss of security, sovereignty and intellectual property.
China is one of the world’s foremost cyber-aggressors. It is infamous for its cyberwarfare, started in the early 1990s as “information warfare”: an accumulation of information so as to enhance the war-fighting capability of the armed forces.
It is this Chinese desire for information that makes the United Kingdom’s cooperation with Huawei so dangerous. Huawei has been dogged by accusations of poor engineering and security on its networks, as well as outright spying on behalf of the Chinese government.
While Huawei has always denied the accusations of spying, it could be forced by Chinese law to hand over information it accumulates, especially that of the UK, an ally of the U.S., China’s great geopolitical rival.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab admitted that it is impossible to eliminate the risk from cooperation with Huawei. The National Security Council has determined that this high risk is worth the reward. But Bible prophecy indicates that it is a move the UK will regret.
In the May 2005 Trumpet issue, editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote that this technological and computer dependence would prove to be the “Achilles’ heel” of Western nations. This is prophesied in Ezekiel 7:14: “They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.”
Mr. Flurry commented on this verse, writing:
The trumpet of war is to be blown in Israel—mainly America and Britain. … It seems everybody is expecting our people to go into battle, but the greatest tragedy imaginable occurs! Nobody goes to battle—even though the trumpet is blown! Will it be because of computer terrorism?
Allowing China access into the UK’s computer network certainly facilitates the fulfillment of this prophecy. America and Britain both have a heavy reliance on technology, but it is this trusted technology that is going to contribute to their undoing. Mr. Flurry further wrote that the great danger in America’s and Britain’s dependence on technology “is in the military.”
This move by the British National Security Council is a dangerous step that could have long-lasting effects. To fully understand the significant cyber-vulnerabilities of the U.S. and the UK, read “What Happens When the Plug Gets Pulled.”


thetrumpet--2020-02-03--A World Full of Sin and in Serious Trouble

An anti-government protester flashes the victory gesture by flaming tyres during a protest against the new Iraqi prime minister designate @ @ @ @ @ city of Najaf on February 2 , 2020 .
A World Full of Sin and @ @ @ @ @ weekend the Trumpet hosted its first Personal Appearance Campaign in Birmingham , England .
In @ @ @ @ @ prophesied that Britain would not be part of the soon-coming European empire .
When Britain @ @ @ @ @ 1973 , it would have been easy for critics to scoff at Mr. Armstrong ’ @ @ @ @ @ Britain is out of the European Union .
How did Mr. Armstrong know it would @ @ @ @ @ disease outbreaks , anti-government protests , homelessness , civil war-like division , gross immorality .
@ @ @ @ @ world ?
And why , in our technologically advanced societies , are conditions getting worse @ @ @ @ @ react to the messages and fellowship at the Birmingham Personal Appearance Campaign .
Subscribe to @ @ @ @ @ on Apple Podcasts , Google Play or by RSS

A World Full of Sin and in Serious Trouble
PAC Update (4 minutes)
Over the weekend the Trumpet hosted its first Personal Appearance Campaign in Birmingham, England.
Scoffers (7 minutes)
In 1956, Herbert W. Armstrong prophesied that Britain would not be part of the soon-coming European empire. When Britain joined the economic community in 1973, it would have been easy for critics to scoff at Mr. Armstrong’s forecast. Today, Britain is out of the European Union. How did Mr. Armstrong know it would happen?
World Conditions Worsening (40 minutes)
Natural disasters, disease outbreaks, anti-government protests, homelessness, civil war-like division, gross immorality. What is happening to this world? And why, in our technologically advanced societies, are conditions getting worse and worse?
Feedback (5 minutes)
Trumpet readers react to the messages and fellowship at the Birmingham Personal Appearance Campaign.


thetrumpet--2020-02-03--30 Years of the Trumpet

30 Years of the Trumpet

A look at the work behind this unique newsmagazine The Philadelphia Trumpet started in February 1990 .
This issue marks our 30th anniversary .
Our publisher , the Philadelphia Church of God , has also just completed its third decade .
The Trumpet is unlike any other newsmagazine .
You know that if you have been reading us for any time , and you will especially note it in this special anniversary issue .
We look at the protests and clashes over government taking place in nations around the world , and use this trend to provide a biblically prophetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government—a perspective you will find nowhere else .
This magazine is unique .
You need to understand why .
Our Trumpet is “ the voice crying out in the wilderness.
” That means there are many voices in a wilderness of mass confusion .
That is one of the drawbacks of living in the Information Age : There is too much information .
You hear a multitude of “ voices , ” but all have a false hope .
But there is one voice—and only one voice—that offers an awesome hope—a real solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And you don ’ t have to guess about where that voice is .
You can prove this message true , every step of the way .
We deliver a trumpet message—an impact unlike that of a soothing violin .
We have to proclaim the worst message ever read or heard by mankind .
But far more important , we deliver the best news that man has ever received—or ever will receive !
One newsmagazine wrote that mankind needs “ a strong hand from someplace ” to solve our problems .
That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all about .
We are declaring that a “ strong hand from someplace ” is about to come .
And it comes at a time when human survival depends on it !
There is an old adage that says “ It is darkest just before the dawn.
” That is so true today .
You need to hear about the darkness and the dawn .
This issue of the Trumpet gives you both .
But there is more emphasis on the bad news .
That is so you can respond in a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news in your life now !
Bible prophecy shows that we are on the verge of a world full of hope , peace and an abundant life of endless joy .
You have the unparalleled honor of helping to usher it in !
To help you better understand that , I want to tell you about the larger work we have been doing these past 30 years .
As I do , think about this one point .
In the decades after Jesus Christ died and was resurrected , the true Church of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of believers , but it was spreading God ’ s message .
Some Jewish religious leaders imprisoned the apostles , but that failed to stop the message .
So this religious council debated whether to begin executing them .
One wise Pharisee gave this recommendation : “ And now I say to you , keep away from these men and let them alone ; for if this plan or this work is of men , it will come to nothing ; but if it is of God , you can not overthrow it—lest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God ” ( Acts 5:38-39 ; New King James Version ) .
This is excellent advice we can apply to almost any venture .
When it comes to religion , this is how we discern between “ him that serves God and him that serves Him not ” : Wait and watch and look at the results .
As Jesus Christ said , “ By their fruits shall ye know them.
” We have been around for 30 years .
That is plenty of time to show a lot of fruits .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruits of our work—and whether it is of men or whether it is something much more .
The beginning of our work actually goes back much further than 30 years .
It goes back to 1934 and another small beginning : one man and his wife .
The work at this time had no resources to speak of .
It was just one man ’ s efforts to study the Bible , submit to God , and deliver a unique , Bible-based , authoritative message from God .
Herbert W. Armstrong sacrificed everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rural western Oregon , first to a group of scattered churchgoers , then to a radio audience of several hundred on a low-power local station and a couple hundred subscribers through a rudimentary bulletin , or magazine .
One day , as Mr. Armstrong was walking along a gravel road from one tiny congregation to the next , a man came up to him and told him , “ You ’ re preaching the straight truth of the Bible .
That offends people .
… You won ’ t get far.
” This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biblical message , but he said it would “ come to nothing.
” Yet Mr. Armstrong continued preaching , addressing important Bible questions .
Is the Bible God ’ s Word ?
Which weekly day should Christians keep ?
Should we observe the Bible ’ s annual holy days , and why ?
Can Christians divorce ?
What is baptism ?
Is evolution biblical ?
Does Satan exist ?
Why did Jesus Christ come ?
What was His message ?
Did He abolish the law ?
Does prophecy apply to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its power ?
Why so many churches ?
What happens when we die ?
Mr. Armstrong asked these questions , and he answered them , from the Bible .
The audience grew .
The Church grew .
It gained more radio stations , more subscribers , more members , more prayers , more financial support .
The message itself expanded .
New teachings from the Bible were added to the old , answering questions , deepening understanding and adding to the excitement .
What is God like ?
What is the human mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does marriage exist ?
Why does family exist ?
What is God ’ s form of government ?
Should Christians obey civil authority ?
Where did civilization originate ?
Where did America come from ?
What is ahead for America ?
What is ahead for mankind ?
How should I live my life ?
What is my purpose ?
The teachings were authoritative and bold and straight out of the Bible .
The message was unlike any other .
It turned to Bible verses that were overlooked or avoided by other preachers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades , the work that preached this message continued to grow !
It added new magazines , a Bible correspondence course , a liberal arts college , a second college campus , then a third , a weekly television program , an auditorium , a concert series , a message .
The Church spread around the world .
I became a member of this Church in 1961 .
Those of us who were part of the Worldwide Church of God under Mr. Armstrong understood that we were part of something great .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 million copies of the Plain Truth in seven languages , we had enrolled 2 million Bible correspondence course students , and we were broadcasting on 382 television stations around the world .
Millions of letters and telephone calls were coming in .
Mr. Armstrong visited and built personal relationships with hundreds of leaders worldwide , including dozens of heads of state , heads of government , legislators and other leaders whom he shared his message with .
The Ambassador International Cultural Foundation operated in countries around the globe , providing humanitarian aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporting biblical archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem .
It also sponsored a concert series at Church headquarters in Pasadena , California , in Ambassador Auditorium , hosting world-class performances by artists who were household names in America and beyond .
By the time Mr. Armstrong died in January 1986 , Church membership was more than 130,000 .
Our children were part of fantastic youth programs .
We were learning inspiring , life-changing truth about how to be fathers and mothers and sons and daughters , why those roles even exist , and what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the news and understood what we were seeing , and even what to expect based on Bible prophecy .
Under Mr. Armstrong , the Church of God practiced the way of give—of godly character , generosity , cultural enrichment , true education—of beautifying the environment and caring for fellow man .
Mr. Armstrong never deviated from his God-given commission to preach the gospel , and the work prospered !
His work acknowledged God ’ s desire to have all men saved and brought to the knowledge of His truth ( 1 Timothy 2:3-6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of God ’ s love for all mankind .
The message of the Bible was going out with greater and greater power , and the message itself was becoming greater and greater , and more and more powerful !
It was amazing to be part of .
If It Be of God Many of our readers still remember what life was like in the Church under Mr. Armstrong .
If you were applying the Bible and family-based teachings , you personally experienced something life-changing in that Church .
Now , did Mr. Armstrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard and dedicated his life to that work .
But was the Worldwide Church of God in the 1980s a product of his intellect or speaking style ?
It doesn ’ t take great spiritual discernment to recognize that God was behind that work , God was blessing it , empowering and multiplying it .
Mr. Armstrong was the man He had called to lead it , and because he submitted to Him , God miraculously made it happen !
No man could have ever built such a marvelous and wondrous work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sustained by the miracles of the living God !
What distinguished Mr. Armstrong ’ s accomplishments was that they were all built on the foundation of God ’ s truth .
God flooded Mr. Armstrong with biblical understanding , restoring all foundational true doctrine to His Church through that man ( Matthew 17:10-11 ) .
We learned and lived by the wonderful truths of God , and our lives were richer as a result .
That Church was a work of miracles .
But on Jan. 16 , 1986 , Mr. Armstrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church after that was as astonishing as its rise .
The leaders who succeeded him closed down programs , canceled and even destroyed literature , intimidated and excommunicated members .
Why ?
Because they were changing the teachings .
They rejected what Mr. Armstrong taught and promoted “ new ” doctrines , literature , programs , plans and ideas—which were similar or identical to the unbiblical mainstream Christianity that many Church members had left .
The results were disastrous .
Soon , Church projects were closing , income was dropping , and membership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spiritual fruits .
The precious truths God had restored through Mr. Armstrong , recorded in books and other literature , were being diminished , disparaged and attacked .
Many important books stopped being printed and distributed .
The faith of thousands of people was being destroyed !
The Church was dying !
But did the source of the power behind Mr. Armstrong die ?
Did God die ?
Absolutely not .
Where is the great Almighty God who was behind the powerful work of Herbert Armstrong—today ?
Thirty years ago , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders who replaced Mr. Armstrong fired me and my assistant for holding fast to the message Mr. Armstrong taught .
They knew better than him .
They said his teachings were “ riddled with error ” and that he was a terrible leader .
They planned to take the organization God had built through him in a new direction .
Suddenly I was a fired minister with no congregation , no salary or anything else—except those Bible truths that I believed with all my being .
Now , 30 years later , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work is of men ?
You can tell a lot by judging the fruits .
The Worldwide Church of God continued to decline , fracture , splinter and further decline .
It closed down all of its major projects , sold off its assets , completely rejected everything Mr. Armstrong taught .
It even changed its name .
The Philadelphia Church of God has far fewer people than the Worldwide Church of God had when Mr. Armstrong died in 1986 .
But I encourage you to examine the miraculous work God is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trumpet , with a circulation of more than 240,000 , the Key of David television program , which broadcasts to a potential audience of over 400 million worldwide , theTrumpet.com , which receives more than 2.5 million visitors a year , Royal Vision Christian-living magazine , Watch Jerusalem magazine , True Education youth magazine , and an updated version of Mr. Armstrong ’ s Bible correspondence course with more than 100,000 enrollees .
We have conducted more than 50 Personal Appearance Campaigns like those Mr. Armstrong held ; we have regional offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Philippines ; we have a 170-acre headquarters campus in Edmond , Oklahoma , which includes the majestic Armstrong Auditorium , where we host world-class concerts .
We have a cultural foundation sponsoring concerts in the auditorium and biblical archaeology in Jerusalem .
We have even exhibited some of the most biblically important artifacts ever found : clay seals that once belonged to princes who persecuted the Prophet Jeremiah , and that once belonged to King Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah .
Since 2001 , our college , Herbert W. Armstrong College , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom over 80 have been employed full-time or part-time in the work .
We have a 22-acre campus just north of Stratford Upon Avon , England , and a corporate jet that expedites our growing work .
But most importantly , we have the truth of God !
Our understanding and message are what really make us unique—not the material possessions we have ( which other churches have more than us ) .
For 30 years now , the Trumpet has been explaining world events in light of Bible prophecy , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Based on the Bible , we prophesied the emergence of Iran , the rise of Russia and China , the failures of American foreign policy , the separation of Britain from the European Union , and many other specific events and trends .
This record proves we have the truth .
We have the same truth God gave Mr. Armstrong , and , just as with him , that truth has grown , deepened , widened , multiplied .
God has continued to bless us , as He did Mr. Armstrong , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stop speaking to His people when Mr. Armstrong died .
He continued to give His people “ present truth ” ( 2 Peter 1:12 ) that builds on the foundation of the truth He restored through Mr. Armstrong .
The pcg produces over 100 books and booklets , the majority of which contain new biblical understanding from the great God .
Our possession of God ’ s truth is the single greatest proof that the God who inspired Mr. Armstrong is behind this work !
This message is what most excites our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We hope you can clearly identify the same miracles and blessings that built Mr. Armstrong ’ s work .
Our time in this age of man is fast running out .
God is growing much more urgent in trying to reach His sons who have turned away from Him , because eternal life hangs in the balance .
We urge you to respond to Him !
If you recognize something unique and powerful in the Trumpet , then know that the Trumpet is only the tip of the iceberg of the Philadelphia Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much more for you to learn about and benefit from beyond revealing insight into world events .
There is an entire way of life and an awesome future ahead .
It is available to you—if you will not only read , but make a decision : Is this the work of men , or is this the work of God ?

A look at the work behind this unique newsmagazine
The Philadelphia Trumpet started in February 1990. This issue marks our 30th anniversary. Our publisher, the Philadelphia Church of God, has also just completed its third decade.
The Trumpet is unlike any other newsmagazine. You know that if you have been reading us for any time, and you will especially note it in this special anniversary issue. We look at the protests and clashes over government taking place in nations around the world, and use this trend to provide a biblically prophetic perspective on the larger questions of human government—a perspective you will find nowhere else.
This magazine is unique. You need to understand why.
Our Trumpet is “the voice crying out in the wilderness.” That means there are many voices in a wilderness of mass confusion. That is one of the drawbacks of living in the Information Age: There is too much information. You hear a multitude of “voices,” but all have a false hope. But there is one voice—and only one voice—that offers an awesome hope—a real solution to all of our frightening problems.
And you don’t have to guess about where that voice is. You can prove this message true, every step of the way.
We deliver a trumpet message—an impact unlike that of a soothing violin. We have to proclaim the worst message ever read or heard by mankind. But far more important, we deliver the best news that man has ever received—or ever will receive!
One newsmagazine wrote that mankind needs “a strong hand from someplace” to solve our problems. That is what the Trumpet’s message is all about. We are declaring that a “strong hand from someplace” is about to come. And it comes at a time when human survival depends on it!
There is an old adage that says “It is darkest just before the dawn.” That is so true today. You need to hear about the darkness and the dawn. This issue of the Trumpet gives you both. But there is more emphasis on the bad news. That is so you can respond in a way that will eliminate most of the bad news in your life now!
Bible prophecy shows that we are on the verge of a world full of hope, peace and an abundant life of endless joy. You have the unparalleled honor of helping to usher it in!
To help you better understand that, I want to tell you about the larger work we have been doing these past 30 years.
As I do, think about this one point. In the decades after Jesus Christ died and was resurrected, the true Church of God was a small and persecuted group of believers, but it was spreading God’s message. Some Jewish religious leaders imprisoned the apostles, but that failed to stop the message. So this religious council debated whether to begin executing them. One wise Pharisee gave this recommendation: “And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39; New King James Version).
This is excellent advice we can apply to almost any venture. When it comes to religion, this is how we discern between “him that serves God and him that serves Him not”: Wait and watch and look at the results. As Jesus Christ said, “By their fruits shall ye know them.”
We have been around for 30 years. That is plenty of time to show a lot of fruits. I want to ask you to evaluate the fruits of our work—and whether it is of men or whether it is something much more.
Herbert Armstrong
The beginning of our work actually goes back much further than 30 years. It goes back to 1934 and another small beginning: one man and his wife. The work at this time had no resources to speak of. It was just one man’s efforts to study the Bible, submit to God, and deliver a unique, Bible-based, authoritative message from God.
Herbert W. Armstrong sacrificed everything to preach this unique Bible message in rural western Oregon, first to a group of scattered churchgoers, then to a radio audience of several hundred on a low-power local station and a couple hundred subscribers through a rudimentary bulletin, or magazine.
One day, as Mr. Armstrong was walking along a gravel road from one tiny congregation to the next, a man came up to him and told him, “You’re preaching the straight truth of the Bible. That offends people. … You won’t get far.” This man recognized the truth in Mr. Armstrong’s biblical message, but he said it would “come to nothing.”
Yet Mr. Armstrong continued preaching, addressing important Bible questions. Is the Bible God’s Word? Which weekly day should Christians keep? Should we observe the Bible’s annual holy days, and why? Can Christians divorce? What is baptism? Is evolution biblical? Does Satan exist? Why did Jesus Christ come? What was His message? Did He abolish the law? Does prophecy apply to the modern world? Why has Christianity lost its power? Why so many churches? What happens when we die? Mr. Armstrong asked these questions, and he answered them, from the Bible.
The audience grew. The Church grew. It gained more radio stations, more subscribers, more members, more prayers, more financial support.
The message itself expanded. New teachings from the Bible were added to the old, answering questions, deepening understanding and adding to the excitement. What is God like? What is the human mind? What is human nature? Why does marriage exist? Why does family exist? What is God’s form of government? Should Christians obey civil authority? Where did civilization originate? Where did America come from? What is ahead for America? What is ahead for mankind? How should I live my life? What is my purpose?
The teachings were authoritative and bold and straight out of the Bible. The message was unlike any other. It turned to Bible verses that were overlooked or avoided by other preachers and by Christianity in general.
Over the decades, the work that preached this message continued to grow! It added new magazines, a Bible correspondence course, a liberal arts college, a second college campus, then a third, a weekly television program, an auditorium, a concert series, a message. The Church spread around the world.
I became a member of this Church in 1961. Those of us who were part of the Worldwide Church of God under Mr. Armstrong understood that we were part of something great. In the 1980s, we were sending out 8 million copies of the Plain Truth in seven languages, we had enrolled 2 million Bible correspondence course students, and we were broadcasting on 382 television stations around the world. Millions of letters and telephone calls were coming in. Mr. Armstrong visited and built personal relationships with hundreds of leaders worldwide, including dozens of heads of state, heads of government, legislators and other leaders whom he shared his message with. The Ambassador International Cultural Foundation operated in countries around the globe, providing humanitarian aid, funding schools and educational programs, supporting biblical archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem. It also sponsored a concert series at Church headquarters in Pasadena, California, in Ambassador Auditorium, hosting world-class performances by artists who were household names in America and beyond.
By the time Mr. Armstrong died in January 1986, Church membership was more than 130,000. Our children were part of fantastic youth programs. We were learning inspiring, life-changing truth about how to be fathers and mothers and sons and daughters, why those roles even exist, and what they are preparing us for. We watched the news and understood what we were seeing, and even what to expect based on Bible prophecy.
Under Mr. Armstrong, the Church of God practiced the way of give—of godly character, generosity, cultural enrichment, true education—of beautifying the environment and caring for fellow man. Mr. Armstrong never deviated from his God-given commission to preach the gospel, and the work prospered! His work acknowledged God’s desire to have all men saved and brought to the knowledge of His truth (1 Timothy 2:3-6). It was an inspiring display of God’s love for all mankind.
The message of the Bible was going out with greater and greater power, and the message itself was becoming greater and greater, and more and more powerful! It was amazing to be part of.
If It Be of God
Many of our readers still remember what life was like in the Church under Mr. Armstrong. If you were applying the Bible and family-based teachings, you personally experienced something life-changing in that Church.
Now, did Mr. Armstrong do all that? He certainly worked hard and dedicated his life to that work. But was the Worldwide Church of God in the 1980s a product of his intellect or speaking style?
No—the great God did that!
It doesn’t take great spiritual discernment to recognize that God was behind that work, God was blessing it, empowering and multiplying it. Mr. Armstrong was the man He had called to lead it, and because he submitted to Him, God miraculously made it happen!
No man could have ever built such a marvelous and wondrous work in this satanic world. It was built and sustained by the miracles of the living God!
What distinguished Mr. Armstrong’s accomplishments was that they were all built on the foundation of God’s truth. God flooded Mr. Armstrong with biblical understanding, restoring all foundational true doctrine to His Church through that man (Matthew 17:10-11). We learned and lived by the wonderful truths of God, and our lives were richer as a result.
That Church was a work of miracles.
But on Jan. 16, 1986, Mr. Armstrong died. And what happened to the Church after that was as astonishing as its rise. The leaders who succeeded him closed down programs, canceled and even destroyed literature, intimidated and excommunicated members. Why? Because they were changing the teachings. They rejected what Mr. Armstrong taught and promoted “new” doctrines, literature, programs, plans and ideas—which were similar or identical to the unbiblical mainstream Christianity that many Church members had left.
The results were disastrous. Soon, Church projects were closing, income was dropping, and membership was declining. But far worse were the spiritual fruits. The precious truths God had restored through Mr. Armstrong, recorded in books and other literature, were being diminished, disparaged and attacked. Many important books stopped being printed and distributed. The faith of thousands of people was being destroyed! The Church was dying!
But did the source of the power behind Mr. Armstrong die? Did God die? Absolutely not.
Where is the great Almighty God who was behind the powerful work of Herbert Armstrong—today?
Thirty years ago, in an office in Pasadena, the wcg leaders who replaced Mr. Armstrong fired me and my assistant for holding fast to the message Mr. Armstrong taught. They knew better than him. They said his teachings were “riddled with error” and that he was a terrible leader. They planned to take the organization God had built through him in a new direction. Suddenly I was a fired minister with no congregation, no salary or anything else—except those Bible truths that I believed with all my being.
Now, 30 years later, what are the fruits? Which counsel or work is of men? You can tell a lot by judging the fruits.
The Worldwide Church of God continued to decline, fracture, splinter and further decline. It closed down all of its major projects, sold off its assets, completely rejected everything Mr. Armstrong taught. It even changed its name.
The Philadelphia Church of God has far fewer people than the Worldwide Church of God had when Mr. Armstrong died in 1986. But I encourage you to examine the miraculous work God is doing with this few!
The pcg produces the Trumpet, with a circulation of more than 240,000, the Key of David television program, which broadcasts to a potential audience of over 400 million worldwide, theTrumpet.com, which receives more than 2.5 million visitors a year, Royal Vision Christian-living magazine, Watch Jerusalem magazine, True Education youth magazine, and an updated version of Mr. Armstrong’s Bible correspondence course with more than 100,000 enrollees. We have conducted more than 50 Personal Appearance Campaigns like those Mr. Armstrong held; we have regional offices in Australia, Canada, England and the Philippines; we have a 170-acre headquarters campus in Edmond, Oklahoma, which includes the majestic Armstrong Auditorium, where we host world-class concerts.
We have a cultural foundation sponsoring concerts in the auditorium and biblical archaeology in Jerusalem. We have even exhibited some of the most biblically important artifacts ever found: clay seals that once belonged to princes who persecuted the Prophet Jeremiah, and that once belonged to King Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah. Since 2001, our college, Herbert W. Armstrong College, has graduated over 280 students, of whom over 80 have been employed full-time or part-time in the work. We have a 22-acre campus just north of Stratford Upon Avon, England, and a corporate jet that expedites our growing work.
But most importantly, we have the truth of God! Our understanding and message are what really make us unique—not the material possessions we have (which other churches have more than us).
For 30 years now, the Trumpet has been explaining world events in light of Bible prophecy, and we have a proven record of accuracy! Based on the Bible, we prophesied the emergence of Iran, the rise of Russia and China, the failures of American foreign policy, the separation of Britain from the European Union, and many other specific events and trends. This record proves we have the truth.
We have the same truth God gave Mr. Armstrong, and, just as with him, that truth has grown, deepened, widened, multiplied. God has continued to bless us, as He did Mr. Armstrong, with new revelation. The living God did not stop speaking to His people when Mr. Armstrong died. He continued to give His people “present truth” (2 Peter 1:12) that builds on the foundation of the truth He restored through Mr. Armstrong. The pcg produces over 100 books and booklets, the majority of which contain new biblical understanding from the great God.
Our possession of God’s truth is the single greatest proof that the God who inspired Mr. Armstrong is behind this work! This message is what most excites our people and many of our readers.
We hope you can clearly identify the same miracles and blessings that built Mr. Armstrong’s work.
Our time in this age of man is fast running out. God is growing much more urgent in trying to reach His sons who have turned away from Him, because eternal life hangs in the balance. We urge you to respond to Him!
If you recognize something unique and powerful in the Trumpet, then know that the Trumpet is only the tip of the iceberg of the Philadelphia Church of God work. There is so much more for you to learn about and benefit from beyond revealing insight into world events. There is an entire way of life and an awesome future ahead. It is available to you—if you will not only read, but make a decision: Is this the work of men, or is this the work of God?


thetrumpet--2020-02-03--Mexican Cartels Get European Guns

Mexican Cartels Get European Guns

The monarchy has gone terribly off track , especially in the last three years .
Why ?
Prince Harry and his wife , former actress Meghan Markle , have stepped down as senior members of the British royal family .
Why does news about the monarchy keep getting worse and worse ?
This decline is prophesied in your Bible but is also related to the best possible news you could ever hear—news that will fill the Earth with joy like never before !
The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry wanted certain access and privileges without as much responsibility , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusations against the royal family .
He and his wife are receiving advice from former United States President Barack Obama and his wife , Michelle .
Remember , Obama sent a bust of Winston Churchill back to Britain soon after taking office , an open expression of contempt for the British Empire .
I don ’ t know what kind of advice he might be offering to the departing royals .
A lot of Prince Harry ’ s colleagues in the army are really angry with him for the way he has spoken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t share his sentiment .
The problems keep mounting for Britain .
The nation is trying to solve the protracted problem of Brexit .
Prince Andrew has dealt with severe criticism for his relationship with the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein .
What is going on here ?
God promised to preserve the line of King David forever .
“ And when thy days be fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers , I will set up thy seed after thee , which shall proceed out of thy bowels , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He shall build an house for my name , and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever ” ( 2 Samuel 7:12-13 ) .
This is an everlasting covenant ( 2 Samuel 23:5 ) , meaning the throne must be somewhere on Earth today .
The British people possessed the throne of David for thousands of years .
As of three years ago , they no longer have it .
God has established a new stone and a new throne , as I explain in The New Throne of David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throne from where it was ?
Everything revolves around David ’ s throne—today and in the World Tomorrow , and for all eternity .
Jesus Christ will rule from that throne , assisted by the tiny group of people who proclaim God ’ s message to the world before Christ ’ s Second Coming .
There has never been anything in this world like the British royal family .
But something much greater is coming : “ For unto us a child is born , unto us a son is given : and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : and his name shall be called Wonderful , Counsellor , The mighty God , The everlasting Father , The Prince of Peace .
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end , upon the throne of David , and upon his kingdom , to order it , and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever .
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this ” ( Isaiah 9:6-7 ) .
This future spiritual government will bring all humanity under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All will become a part of spiritual Israel .
David ’ s throne will unite the world !
Today , division is spreading like a plague , but God gives us hope !
There will be peace—not just on Earth , but in the universe !
God the Father and Jesus Christ will make sure of it .
Until January 2017 , Queen Elizabeth ii ruled from David ’ s throne .
Here ’ s part of the reason why she no longer does , excerpted from The New Throne of David : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David is today , or we can ’ t discern whether God is keeping His promise to King David !
Why don ’ t we hear more discussion about the throne and these staggering prophecies ?
God has always expected David ’ s kingly line to uphold the highest standard : “ Thus saith the Lord ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah , and speak there this word , And say , Hear the word of the Lord , O king of Judah , that sittest upon the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thy servants , and thy people that enter in by these gates : Thus saith the Lord ; Execute ye judgment and righteousness , and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor : and do no wrong , do no violence to the stranger , the fatherless , nor the widow , neither shed innocent blood in this place .
For if ye do this thing indeed , then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David , riding in chariots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his servants , and his people ” ( Jeremiah 22:1-4 ) .
Ask yourself : Is the British royal family today really fulfilling these requirements ?
The monarchy has always had flaws , but never until the last few decades has it intentionally devalued David ’ s throne .
God is so upset at what ’ s happening with the royal family : “ And I will prepare destroyers against thee , every one with his weapons : and they shall cut down thy choice cedars , and cast them into the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this city , and they shall say every man to his neighbour , Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this great city ?
Then they shall answer , Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God , and worshipped other gods , and served them ” ( Jeremiah 22:7-9 ) .
God made a covenant with David , which his own descendants have forsaken !
The Queen and the rest of the royals ought to be seeking the righteousness of David !
This is bad news for the royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good news when you understand the truth about the new throne .
You don ’ t have to guess where the throne is today !
You can stake your life on this throne !
Many great men of the Bible did .
I wrote in The New Throne of David : What has happened in the three years since ?
A civil war within the royal family !
Queen Elizabeth ii is almost 94 years old .
Her husband ’ s health is failing .
Prince Harry has said that no one else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowned king or queen , and now he has backed up those words by essentially leaving the royal family !
“ Harry ’ s determination to be ordinary seems reflected in his love life , ” Newsweek reported in 2017 .
“ His [ now wife ] Meghan Markle , might be a well-known actress , but she is also a divorcée , a vocal feminist and American , none of which conforms to the stereotype of a royal consort.
” “ The younger royals are just too interested in the cringe-inducing world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own image , ” the Spectator commented .
“ We are told that they are reinventing the concept of monarchy for the digital age ….
” That article concluded with an analysis of the younger royals eagerly associating with celebrities , then posed the chilling question : “ Was this the moment when it all started to go wrong ?
” Finally , the British and the whole world can see what I have been telling you for decades !
God shows us exactly what is wrong with the royal family : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with David .
The Queen returning the throne to Scotland in 1996 exposed a degeneration in their faith .
Things have gotten much worse ever since .
“ And the angel said unto her , Fear not , Mary : for thou hast found favour with God .
And , behold , thou shalt conceive in thy womb , and bring forth a son , and shalt call his name Jesus .
He shall be great , and shall be called the Son of the Highest : and the Lord God shall give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David : And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end ” ( Luke 1:30-33 ) .
It ’ s not over for the British royal family or for this dark world !
Christ Himself is about to rule all nations forever !
Jeremiah 30:24 says , “ … in the latter days ye shall consider it.
” Consider it would be better translated “ understand it thoroughly.
” In the end time , God has revealed the truth about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it thoroughly !
It ’ s time we repent of our sins and support God ’ s Work .
“ Alas !
for that day is great , so that none is like it : it is even the time of Jacob ’ s trouble ; but he shall be saved out of it .
For it shall come to pass in that day , saith the Lord of hosts , that I will break his yoke from off thy neck , and will burst thy bonds , and strangers shall no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall serve the Lord their God , and David their king , whom I will raise up unto them ” ( verses 7-9 ) .
Jacob ’ s trouble means that America , Britain and the Jewish nation are suffering for their rebellion against God .
The suffering will intensify until God resurrects King David and all His loyal saints to help teach them the right way to live .

As United States President Donald Trump considers officially labeling Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, new facts are being exposed about the shocking ways drug smugglers get their weapons. Three months ago, a battle occurred in Culiacán, Mexico, between the Sinaloa cartel and militarized police. The cartel clobbered law enforcement using machine guns and armored vehicles, including a truck with a turret. Eight hours into the battle, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ordered his troops to surrender.
After the battle, munitions intelligence from Armament Research Services revealed that the weapons used by cartel gunmen at the battle in Culiacán included Austrian Glocks, Belgian machine guns, Italian handguns and Romanian AK rifles.
Since Mexico has some of the most restrictive gun ownership policies in the world, cartels often purchase their weapons in other nations and then smuggle them into Mexico. Since the cartels have well-established smuggling routes into the United States, it is common for them to recruit “straw purchasers” to legally buy U.S. guns to hand over to smugglers for transport into Mexico. Many American officials pushing for stricter gun control in the U.S. say that nearly all of Mexico’s gun violence is perpetrated with illegal firearms from north of the Rio Grande. The discovery of European weapons in Culiacán proves them wrong.
Mexico’s Secretariat of National Defense estimates that almost 2 million firearms have been smuggled into the country in the past decade—roughly 200,000 guns per year.
Of these firearms, 70 percent come from American gun shops in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. The other 30 percent comes from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain and other European nations. And these statistics ignore increasing evidence that Chinese companies are smuggling guns and precursor chemicals for narcotics manufacturing to drug cartels in the state of Colima. They also ignore guns sold to cartel agents from corrupt factions of the Mexican military.
In Europe, state-owned arms factories sell guns to the Mexican military and Mexican police. In many cases, these buyers pass on these European-made guns to drug cartels.
German armament manufacturing company Heckler & Koch was recently fined $4.2 million for selling rifles, ammunition and other weapons to Mexican law enforcement officials in the violence-ridden states of Chiapas, Chihuahua, Jalisco and Guerrero. Germany’s War Weapons Control Act forbids selling weapons to these states because cartel agents have infiltrated local law enforcement.
Investigators discovered seven Heckler & Koch rifles used by corrupt police officers in the 2014 kidnapping of 43 students at the behest of the Guerreros Unidos cartel. Even though Heckler & Koch directors deny having committed any offense, two former employees were given suspended prison sentences for their part in the scandal.
Even if there is no evidence European arms manufacturers intend for their weapons to be used by cartel gunmen, the fact that cartels have gotten their hands on European guns is a threat to America. During the Cold War, Russia and China deliberately supported Latin American cartels as a means of undermining America from within. There is some evidence that China continues this strategy today. And if European leaders are not deliberately arming cartels, they certainly have the ability to do so if they desire.
The drug trade presents any power that wants to destabilize the U.S. with an opportunity.
“With more than 100 million people, a growing economy and Atlantic and Pacific ports, Mexico is the only country in the Western Hemisphere that could theoretically (which is hardly to say inevitably) threaten U.S. dominance in North America,” Peter Zeihan wrote for Stratfor in 2008. “[I]n many regards, Mexico as a failed state would be a worse result for Washington than a hostile united Mexico. A hostile Mexico could be intimidated, sanctioned or even invaded, effectively browbeaten into submission. But a failed Mexico would not restrict the drug trade at all. The border would be chaos, and the implications of that go well beyond drugs. One of the United States’ largest trading partners could well devolve into a seething anarchy that could not help but leak into the U.S. proper.”
Politicians have put forth proposals to curb the carnage destroying Mexico. Leftists say that few people would die if the U.S. legalized drugs and banned guns, instead of vice versa. And many conservatives say that a border wall would stop the flow of drugs into the U.S. and the flow of guns into Mexico. Yet the facts show that as long as there is a multibillion-dollar demand for drugs in the U.S., the cartels will be able to purchase weapons from Austria, Belgium, China, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Romania, Spain, Venezuela and a myriad of other nations in their efforts to infiltrate Mexico and the U.S.
Roughly 15,000 trained fighters work for the Mexican cartels. And over the past decade, they have received roughly 1.4 million guns from the United States and 600,000 guns from Europe (in addition to an untold number from China and Latin America). That is a lot of firepower purchased with drug money. Combine this firepower with that of the 1.4 million gang members cartels use to distribute drugs throughout the nation, and Mexican cartels are tapping into a force as large as the U.S. military.
The alliance between Mexican cartels and U.S. street gangs may represent America’s most serious domestic security threat. And it is assured that America’s adversaries are taking note of this strategic weakness. This entire situation is an example of the consequences of breaking God’s law. If Americans had not abandoned biblical family values, a generation of youth would not have been driven into hopelessness, escapism and drug addiction. The alliance between cartels and street gangs would have never formed.
Herbert W. Armstrong proved in his book The United States and Britain in Prophecy that the peoples who settled the United States and Britain descended from the ancient Israelites. And a Bible prophecy reveals that the cities of end-time Israel will burn with fire as a consequence of the people’s rebellion against God’s law.
“Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. … Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners” (Isaiah 1:4-5 , 7; English Standard Version).
This prophecy notes that it will be primarily strangers and foreigners burning America’s cities, but the reason God allows them to do so is because Americans have turned away from His law. The fact that American drug money is allowing violent cartels to defeat Mexican law enforcement with European guns should be a wake-up call to every American!
For more information on how drug addiction and other problems are destroying the U.S., read Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s free booklet No Freedom Without Law.


thetrumpet--2020-02-03--China Now World’s Second Largest Arms Exporter

New arms production data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (sipri) on January 27 suggest that China is now the second-largest weapons producer in the world. This will allow further Chinese power projection over key trade routes.
The past three years have seen a major leap in arms production for China. In 2017, sipri placed China as the sixth-largest weapons producer in the world.
Chinese weapons production is now second only to the United States. China spends between $70 billion and $80 billion on its arms industry each year. Russia, the third-largest producer, only spends $37.7 billion. Though China is still dwarfed by America’s $226.6 billion weapons production, it remains formidable on a global scale.
Four Chinese arms manufacturers rank in the top 20 producers globally. Combined, their sales generate about $54.1 billion. Three of those four also rank in the top 10 globally.
sipri also noted that the research underestimates the amount of Chinese weapons being produced. In the past, sipri has excluded Chinese companies from its list of the world’s top 100 arms producers because credible financial information was not available. However, greater information now available for some companies has made it possible to track their production more accurately.
The Chinese regime tends not to reveal accurate figures on strategically important data. Other companies and more data exit that could paint an even more aggressive picture of Chinese weapons production.
Most of the arms being produced are bought by the Chinese government. The surge in production means that China is successfully following the directive of President Xi Jinping, who intends to create a “world class” army with fully modernized weapons. China is also one of the worlds top arms exporters. According to sipri, China was the world’s fifth-largest exporter from 2014 to 2018.
China’s push to develop its own weapons industry and modernize its forces is happening in every branch of its military. On air, land, sea and increasingly online, China is moving ahead. In 2019, the Chinese Navy surpassed the U.S. Navy in number of ships. The same year, it began launching advanced Type-055 destroyers.
“Under Chairman Mao, the Chinese were weak, backward and too mired in domestic turmoil to pose a formidable threat to world powers,” we write in our booklet He Was Right. But one man, Herbert W. Armstrong, saw China’s future clearly. It continues:
That was the general scene in the Orient at the time. Most analysts of that era said the ussr was the primary power the Western world should fear, China was essentially a non-threat, and bitter enmity would remain between Moscow and Beijing for decades or even centuries. But since Mr. Armstrong’s forecasts were based not on appearances, but instead on the sure word of Bible prophecy, they were precisely the opposite of prevailing analysts’ views!
Mr. Armstrong founded the Plain Truth magazine, the predecessor of the Trumpet. He made bold forecasts about China’s rise at a time when it seemed the nation was doomed to be a backwater of the world. Time has proved him right. China is now a modern military power and aims to control the surrounding trade routes. Even a few years ago, most did not expect China’s arms industry to produce as much as it has.
China is identified as one member of the biblical “kings of the east” (Revelation 9:16). Its rise presages the start of the Great Tribulation—this globe-encompassing war will start with a siege. In “China Is Steering the World Toward War,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote that God will use China to lay siege against America’s key trade routes.
Anciently God warned the nation of Israel that its enemies would “besiege thee in all thy gates” (Deuteronomy 28:52). This refers to sea gates, which China is currently gaining control over. God allows this punishment because these nations are filled with sin today. “This warning is not just for an ancient nation,” Mr. Flurry wrote. “It is a prophecy for the modern-day descendants of Israel!”
China’s growing military power is preparing the way for this siege to become reality. To learn more about why Bible prophecy tells us to watch China’s rise, read Mr. Flurry’s article “China Is Steering the World Toward War.”


thetrumpet--2020-02-02--The Prophecy That Explains the World

The Prophecy That Explains the World

I recently experienced a breakthrough in the way I understand world news .
I believe I see the world more clearly today than I did even just a few weeks ago , and in my Trumpet Brief today , I ’ d like to share how this happened .
This expansion in thinking came while studying a recent message from Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry .
This message is now in article form and is available for you to study .
“ America Has Been ‘ Fundamentally Transformed ’ ” explains an astonishing Bible prophecy that helps us see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world events .
Mr.
Flurry ’ s article revolves around a prophecy explained in 2 Kings 14 , Amos 7 and Daniel 8 .
To understand it , we must first understand two principles of biblical prophecy .
The first is the principle of duality .
Many of the events and trends that occurred in ancient Israel and Judah were prototypes of what would happen to the descendants of these peoples in the “ latter days.
” Second , we must understand the meaning of the term “ Israel.
” The Bible generally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nations that descended from the 12 sons of Jacob ( whose name God changed to Israel ) .
But God also prophesied that the descendants of two of Jacob ’ s grandsons , Ephraim and Manasseh , would inherit the birthright promise made to Abraham and become especially powerful nations : Britain and the United States .
For that reason , God often uses “ Israel ” in Bible prophecy when referring to the British and the Americans .
2 Kings 14:23-29 record the history of Israel ’ s King Jeroboam ii and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 41-year reign in the eighth century b.c .
Amos 7 is a prophecy for the “ latter days ” and actually forecasts the emergence in the end time of an Israelite leader much like King Jeroboam ii .
The fulfillment of that prophecy is U.S. President Donald Trump .
In his recent article , Mr .
Flurry focused on another aspect of this crucial prophecy .
The passage in 2 Kings 14 shows that Jeroboam ii became king during a time of extreme upheaval ; a time when the nation ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ restored the coast of Israel … .
For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel , that it was very bitter : for there was not any shut up , nor any left , nor any helper for Israel ” ( verses 25-26 ) .
The Hebrew word for affliction means “ depression , ” “ misery ” or “ defiled.
” The Albert Barnes commentary says that Jeroboam became king when Israel was in “ extreme depression and weakness.
” The severity of Israel ’ s debilitating condition is clearly evident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven : but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
” The kingdom was in the throes of an existential crisis ; it was the result of a massive conspiracy to “ blot out the name of Israel.
” God was ultimately responsible for Israel ’ s fate and He was not ready for this colossal surge of hatred to destroy the kingdom , so He raised up King Jeroboam ii .
This man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to temporarily save the kingdom .
Verse 27 says explicitly that God saved Israel “ by the hand of Jeroboam.
” Here ’ s the essential point : This same spirit of hate toward Israel is once again surging across the Earth .
There is , yet again , a powerful conspiracy to “ blot out the name of Israel.
” “ Satan hates everything God is about , ” wrote Mr .
Flurry .
“ He harbors terrible hatred for Israel—spiritual Israel ( God ’ s Church ) and physical Israel ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly America , Britain and the Jewish state in the Middle East ) ” ( ibid ) .
If you understand this deep hatred for and attempt to destroy “ Israel , ” and where it comes from , the chaotic world around you suddenly makes a lot of sense !
This satanic attack against Israel surges through virtually all of the major trends now unfolding in the two leading nations of the descendants of Israel ( America and Britain ) and even the Jewish state , which is named Israel .
Think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America and Britain : on the rapid replacement of traditional morals and virtues with radical secularism and open socialism ; on the revulsion for Britain ’ s colonial past and the notion of American exceptionalism ; on the open hostility for British and American history ; on the denigration of the Founding Fathers and empire builders ; on the routine assaults on the Constitution , tradition , free speech and the rule of law ; on the ubiquitous accusations of institutional racism .
Think about the impeachment of America ’ s president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain ’ s royal family .
All these trends and events are major battles in a broader war to “ blot out the name Israel.
” Each is an attack on the institutions , traditions and virtues that connect America and Britain to their history—history that is recorded in the Bible and unfolded as a function of specific biblical prophecies .
This is an attack concentrated only against the aspects of American and British history that connect these nations to the truth about biblical “ Israel.
” This is a radical attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This stunning prophecy in 2 Kings 14 explains the essential reality at the essence of virtually all the major trends in America , Britain and the Jewish state !
Just as there was anciently , there is today a diabolical conspiracy to “ blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.
” Satan and those he is using do not merely seek to conquer these nations of Israel and eradicate their past .
As it says in 2 Kings 14 , they want to “ blot out the name of Israel from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these nations ’ reason for existing .
That purpose was created by God and leads people toward the greatest truth in the universe !
This prophecy reveals the true objective of all the enemies , foreign and domestic , of America , Britain and the Jewish state .
The radical left is not seeking merely to destroy the administrations of Donald Trump , Boris Johnson and Benjamin Netanyahu .
It does not seek to merely replace center-right political parties with extreme-left policies and ideologies .
This is not about communism replacing capitalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Satan is using to attempt to “ blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.
” The objective is to eradicate the history , the culture and heritage , the historical institutions and patriarchs of these three nations .
This hatred runs far deeper than most people know .
We must understand the ultimate source of this hatred .
“ Satan ’ s goal is to ‘ blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.
’ That means from all over the entire Earth !
” Mr .
Flurry wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Israel so passionately ?
This is the most crucial truth to understand .
In Mystery of the Ages , the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote : “ The truly amazing truth about Israel is a mystery totally unknown by any religion—by Christianity—by even Judaism !
” The “ mystery of Israel ” is the mystery of God ’ s towering , history-altering , civilization-defining twofold promise to Abraham and its extraordinary fulfillment in Abraham ’ s descendants .
The fulfillment of this promise explains Britain ’ s empire and colonial past , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and institutions .
This prophecy explains American exceptionalism , the Constitution , and how this nation became the single-greatest nation on Earth .
But there is more to the Abrahamic promise and the “ mystery of Israel ” than this physical dimension .
“ It is indeed true that the nation Israel was God ’ s chosen people .
But understand : They were not chosen as ‘ teacher ’ s pet ’ nor for special favors .
They were chosen for a special purpose preparatory to the ultimate establishment of the kingdom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emphasis added throughout ) .
The undeniable virtues preserved and spread by the descendants of Abraham did not originate in Abraham .
They came from God !
The entire purpose of God granting these blessings to Israel was to spread them to humanity .
This isn ’ t just about a family or a race or nations .
This is about God and humanity .
When you understand the “ mystery of Israel , ” you understand the truth about human nature , the need for God ’ s Holy Spirit , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relationship with God , the gospel of the coming government of God , and the incredible human potential—to be born into the Family of God .
The “ mystery of Israel , ” explained Mr. Armstrong , has “ great significance in God ’ s purpose for all peoples !
One can not understand the real purpose and incredible potential of man without this vital knowledge.
” Satan doesn ’ t just hate the people of Israel , the nations who through no merit of their own have been the blessed inheritors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and many of the laws of the Bible ) .
The devil hates the “ name , ” the truth and knowledge—the divinely revealed understanding—embodied in Israel ’ s history .
He hates Israel because America and Britain ’ s very existence proves the existence of God and that the Bible is God ’ s Word .
He hates Israel because its presence and history reveals the gospel of the Kingdom of God .
He hates Israel because Israel has the throne of David from which Jesus Christ Himself will rule when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the existence of Israel reveals man ’ s incredible human potential .
Learn more about the mystery of Israel by reading Mr.
Flurry ’ s most recent and incredibly powerful article , “ America Has Been ‘ Fundamentally Transformed , ’ ” as well as “ The Mystery of Israel.
” Also request The United States and Britain in Prophecy , by Herbert W. Armstrong .

I recently experienced a breakthrough in the way I understand world news. I believe I see the world more clearly today than I did even just a few weeks ago, and in my Trumpet Brief today, I’d like to share how this happened.
This expansion in thinking came while studying a recent message from Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry. This message is now in article form and is available for you to study. “America Has Been ‘Fundamentally Transformed’” explains an astonishing Bible prophecy that helps us see through the thick, confusing fog of world events.
Mr. Flurry’s article revolves around a prophecy explained in 2 Kings 14, Amos 7 and Daniel 8. To understand it, we must first understand two principles of biblical prophecy. The first is the principle of duality. Many of the events and trends that occurred in ancient Israel and Judah were prototypes of what would happen to the descendants of these peoples in the “latter days.”
Second, we must understand the meaning of the term “Israel.” The Bible generally uses this name to refer to the nations that descended from the 12 sons of Jacob (whose name God changed to Israel). But God also prophesied that the descendants of two of Jacob’s grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, would inherit the birthright promise made to Abraham and become especially powerful nations: Britain and the United States. For that reason, God often uses “Israel” in Bible prophecy when referring to the British and the Americans.
2 Kings 14:23-29 record the history of Israel’s King Jeroboam ii and the extraordinary national resurgence that occurred during his 41-year reign in the eighth century b.c. Amos 7 is a prophecy for the “latter days” and actually forecasts the emergence in the end time of an Israelite leader much like King Jeroboam ii. The fulfillment of that prophecy is U.S. President Donald Trump.
In his recent article, Mr. Flurry focused on another aspect of this crucial prophecy. The passage in 2 Kings 14 shows that Jeroboam ii became king during a time of extreme upheaval; a time when the nation’s survival was at stake.
Jeroboam, “restored the coast of Israel …. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel” (verses 25-26). The Hebrew word for affliction means “depression,” “misery” or “defiled.” The Albert Barnes commentary says that Jeroboam became king when Israel was in “extreme depression and weakness.”
The severity of Israel’s debilitating condition is clearly evident in verse 27: “And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.” The kingdom was in the throes of an existential crisis; it was the result of a massive conspiracy to “blot out the name of Israel.”
God was ultimately responsible for Israel’s fate and He was not ready for this colossal surge of hatred to destroy the kingdom, so He raised up King Jeroboam ii. This man was a powerful implement brandished by God to temporarily save the kingdom. Verse 27 says explicitly that God saved Israel “by the hand of Jeroboam.”
Here’s the essential point: This same spirit of hate toward Israel is once again surging across the Earth. There is, yet again, a powerful conspiracy to “blot out the name of Israel.”
“Satan hates everything God is about,” wrote Mr. Flurry. “He harbors terrible hatred for Israel—spiritual Israel (God’s Church) and physical Israel (modern-day nations descended from ancient Israel, particularly America, Britain and the Jewish state in the Middle East)” (ibid).
If you understand this deep hatred for and attempt to destroy “Israel,” and where it comes from, the chaotic world around you suddenly makes a lot of sense!
This satanic attack against Israel surges through virtually all of the major trends now unfolding in the two leading nations of the descendants of Israel (America and Britain) and even the Jewish state, which is named Israel.
Think on the great trends of the moment in America and Britain: on the rapid replacement of traditional morals and virtues with radical secularism and open socialism; on the revulsion for Britain’s colonial past and the notion of American exceptionalism; on the open hostility for British and American history; on the denigration of the Founding Fathers and empire builders; on the routine assaults on the Constitution, tradition, free speech and the rule of law; on the ubiquitous accusations of institutional racism.
Think about the impeachment of America’s president, Brexit and the slow-motion destruction of Britain’s royal family.
All these trends and events are major battles in a broader war to “blot out the name Israel.”
Each is an attack on the institutions, traditions and virtues that connect America and Britain to their history—history that is recorded in the Bible and unfolded as a function of specific biblical prophecies. This is an attack concentrated only against the aspects of American and British history that connect these nations to the truth about biblical “Israel.” This is a radical attempt to abolish what God promised to Abraham.
This stunning prophecy in 2 Kings 14 explains the essential reality at the essence of virtually all the major trends in America, Britain and the Jewish state! Just as there was anciently, there is today a diabolical conspiracy to “blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.”
Satan and those he is using do not merely seek to conquer these nations of Israel and eradicate their past. As it says in 2 Kings 14, they want to “blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.” They want to eradicate these nations’ reason for existing. That purpose was created by God and leads people toward the greatest truth in the universe!
This prophecy reveals the true objective of all the enemies, foreign and domestic, of America, Britain and the Jewish state. The radical left is not seeking merely to destroy the administrations of Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Benjamin Netanyahu. It does not seek to merely replace center-right political parties with extreme-left policies and ideologies. This is not about communism replacing capitalism. All of these issues are simply weapons Satan is using to attempt to “blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.”
The objective is to eradicate the history, the culture and heritage, the historical institutions and patriarchs of these three nations. This hatred runs far deeper than most people know. We must understand the ultimate source of this hatred. “Satan’s goal is to ‘blot out the name of Israel from under heaven.’ That means from all over the entire Earth!” Mr. Flurry wrote.
Why does the devil hate the truth about Israel so passionately? This is the most crucial truth to understand.
In Mystery of the Ages, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote: “The truly amazing truth about Israel is a mystery totally unknown by any religion—by Christianity—by even Judaism!”
The “mystery of Israel” is the mystery of God’s towering, history-altering, civilization-defining twofold promise to Abraham and its extraordinary fulfillment in Abraham’s descendants. The fulfillment of this promise explains Britain’s empire and colonial past, its monarchy and its many wonderful traditions and institutions. This prophecy explains American exceptionalism, the Constitution, and how this nation became the single-greatest nation on Earth.
But there is more to the Abrahamic promise and the “mystery of Israel” than this physical dimension. “It is indeed true that the nation Israel was God’s chosen people. But understand: They were not chosen as ‘teacher’s pet’ nor for special favors. They were chosen for a special purpose preparatory to the ultimate establishment of the kingdom of God!” (ibid; emphasis added throughout).
The undeniable virtues preserved and spread by the descendants of Abraham did not originate in Abraham. They came from God! The entire purpose of God granting these blessings to Israel was to spread them to humanity. This isn’t just about a family or a race or nations. This is about God and humanity.
When you understand the “mystery of Israel,” you understand the truth about human nature, the need for God’s Holy Spirit, the path to salvation, how to have a relationship with God, the gospel of the coming government of God, and the incredible human potential—to be born into the Family of God.
The “mystery of Israel,” explained Mr. Armstrong, has “great significance in God’s purpose for all peoples! One cannot understand the real purpose and incredible potential of man without this vital knowledge.”
Satan doesn’t just hate the people of Israel, the nations who through no merit of their own have been the blessed inheritors of God’s promises to Abraham (and many of the laws of the Bible). The devil hates the “name,” the truth and knowledge—the divinely revealed understanding—embodied in Israel’s history.
He hates Israel because America and Britain’s very existence proves the existence of God and that the Bible is God’s Word.
He hates Israel because its presence and history reveals the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
He hates Israel because Israel has the throne of David from which Jesus Christ Himself will rule when He returns.
He hates Israel because the existence of Israel reveals man’s incredible human potential.
Learn more about the mystery of Israel by reading Mr. Flurry’s most recent and incredibly powerful article, “America Has Been ‘Fundamentally Transformed,’” as well as “The Mystery of Israel.” Also request The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong.