Reading PCG's Booklet, Nahum: An End-Time Prophecy for Germany

Let us now look through Gerald Flurry's booklet, Nahum: An End-Time Prophecy for Germany. This booklet was first published in 1996 and later revised in 2000, 2005 and 2011. I am reading through the 2005 version for this post but it appears to be very similar to the current version. You can read the current version of this booklet on their website.

Let us see what Flurry has to say.

Flurry says Nahum wrote his message, not speak it, therefore PCG must speak for his message for him today (p. 1.).

Flurry condemns mainstream Christianity for presenting Christ as a sentimental wimp.

Nahum was a very poetic writer. He wants us to see that God is full of fury and wrath. He is about to take vengeance. That should strike fear in Germany and the entire world. But they have been deceived by a pagan Christmas message that just focuses on the baby Jesus in a manger.

When was the last time you heard of Christ as an avenging destroyer? This world does not know the true God—and that includes the world’s religions! (p. 2.)

Here Flurry alludes to HWA's ban on Christmas which PCG continues to cruelly enforce upon PCG members in order to keep them socially isolated from the surrounding society in order to exploit them more effectively. This doctrine was inherited from HWA, who plagiarized this idea from the Jehovah's Witnesses who banned Christmas among themselves in the 1920s.

In this booklet Flurry focuses upon the supposed punishment Germany shall receive after destroying the United States, Britain and the State of Israel in the Holy Land.

Flurry says natural disasters are the result of (PCG's) God's wrath.

How does God express His wrath? ... God inflicts the wicked with hurricanes and tornadoes. He sends storms, which bring flooding and destruction. ... God dried up the rivers and sent a drought that withered all these regions! God will devastate Germany the same way. (pp. 2-3.)

Flurry says that PCG has a duty to warn the German people not to go on the warpath and destroy America, Britain and the State of Israel in the Holy Land.

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him” (verse 7). “The day of trouble” refers to this end time. God promises to be “a strong hold” and protect any German person who heeds His warning. God doesn’t want anyone to suffer through this fiery furnace. But the dreadful Day of the Lord is almost here and only the faithful saints will be protected. It is a conditional promise. We must trust God in an atmosphere where most of God’s own people are lukewarm! God inserted verse 7 for His people who are warning Israel and Germany. The people who are doing the work of an end-time Jonah. (p. 3.)

Flurry fear mongers that the Germans are on the verge of committing atrocities that will make World War II look tame.

Around 50 million people were killed in World War II. Deaths in World War III will eclipse that number by billions! Bible prophecies reveal that most of mankind will be dead when Christ gets here! (Matthew 24:21-22). (p. 4.)

In Flurry's opinion the other nations of the world are already groveling before Germany and this is even before the dreaded military leader arises who will worship Satan and be his tool.

Soon, Germany will be ruled by a man more cunning and deceitful than Adolf Hitler.

America, Britain and the Jewish nation of Israel almost grovel before Germany today. Britain tried that approach before World War II with Hitler. That approach will bring about our destruction! Instead of listening to God, they will try to deal with this vile leader who devises evil against God! Satan will inspire this man to send a flood—probably an army—after God’s own people as they are taken to a place of safety (Revelation 12:14-16).

We must not forget that Satan is worshiped by Germany and the “Holy” Roman Empire (Revelation 13 and 17). This German leader will be working directly for Satan! (pp. 4-5.)

It is nonsense to say America, Britain and the State of Israel "almost grovel before Germany today." Is that really true? No, it is not. But Flurry has strong motivations to convince you that is the case. He is trying to make you scared that World War III is just around the corner so you had better pay Flurry and Co. three tithes and extra offerings to get to the place of safety.

He also makes this statement.

The name Holy Roman Empire or German Reich will be sown no more forever! (The name German actually means “war man.”) ... What fantastic news for all the Earth! (p. 5.)

The word German was inherited from the Romans. The Romans were never able to conquer the Germans so they labeled them war men. And because Latin heritage was passed on through the century we still use the name the Romans used for them. But the Germans do not call themselves that. They call themselves Deutsch.

Flurry then states that he is prophesied of in the Book of Nahum and that he bears the responsibility of warning the German people not to go on a warpath. He is staking his claim to be the only legitimate successor to HWA's WCG.

Who is the “him” bringing the message of Nahum to the world? You must look to one man—and only one man—who has this majestic message today. He and God’s loyal remnant will be proclaiming prophecy of such great news that it overshadows all the bad news!

God says you can see the feet of him that publishes peace. We must not spiritualize this away. It is clearly prophesied that a man would be delivering the terrifying news about World War III—and the wonderful peace beyond!

God always works through one man. You must find the man if you are to support God’s work. He has feet and he uses them (figuratively) to deliver God’s message. His life must be dedicated to doing God’s work. Or God wouldn’t give him new revelation. ...

Only the Philadelphia Church of God is receiving new prophetic revelation from God today. Only we teach the whole truth about Nahum—and all the minor prophets—and the major prophets.

The Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) has been given the Nahum commission directly from God! We must not fail! Nobody else fully understands this message.

The message of Nahum and other prophets must be delivered now! Nahum only wrote this message in a book. Today is when this message must be delivered and the feet seen. Do you see the feet of him who publishes this message of peace? The PCG rises at the same time as the old Babylonian system (Habakkuk 1:5-6). (pp. 6-7.)

Flurry boasts that "Only the Philadelphia Church of God is receiving new prophetic revelation from God today" but I cannot help but notice that these new revelations essentially build up on Malachi's Message. PCG is not flooded with new revelation, he just expands upon or repeats what he wrote in Malachi's Message. It is the same revelation repeated from a different angle.

Also it must be stated that much of Gerald Flurry's new revelations in Malachi's Message are plagiarized from the writings of Jules Dervaes, specifically The Letter to Laodicea. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work.

Flurry then continues to state that Germany is going to be greatly routed by Russia and China during the final end time events. He also alludes the fall of the Roman Catholic Church at this time but he never states directly that he means them. On page 9 he cites some of the old inscriptions of ancient Assyria to claim that Germans have always had militaristic tendencies.

Flurry boasts that it is obvious that the Germans are descended from the Assyrians.

Historians know the Assyrians have a bloody history. And modern historians know Germany has had an unparalleled history of causing bloody wars. What most historians don’t know is that the Assyrians and the Germans are the same people. However, this fact is easy to understand—if you know secular history, Bible history and Bible prophecy. But even secular history alone should give you that understanding! (p. 10.)

Actually the idea that Germans are descended from the Assyrians comes from British Israelism. Originally the British Israelism movement viewed the Germans as fellow brothers of the British. But later leaders decided otherwise as mentioned in a previous post.

Edward Hine (1825-1891) arose after [John Wilson (1799-1870)] and he rejected Wilson's identification of Germans as Israelites but instead identified Germany as Assyria, and furthermore taught that the biblical struggle between Israel and Assyria would repeat itself in the future. He taught that Assyria was also lost like Israel and "the modern-day Assyrians were none other than the Germans." Furthermore these two nations "were destined to continue the struggle" in the future. ([Michael Barkun, Religion and the Racist Right: The Origin of the Christian Identity Movement,] p. 11). HWA adopted this same idea of Germany's ancestry and its future of the great physical adversity of Israel from Hine.

So we see that Flurry is actually depending upon the writings of this obscure movement for his assertion that Germans are Assyrians.

Also it should be stated here that DNA evidence conclusively proves that Americans and British peoples are not descended or related to the Jews. British Israelism is false.

After this Flurry fear mongers that America and Britain will enter into some kind of alliance with Germany only to be utterly betrayed.

God says we must declare Israel’s abominations to them. We must prophesy about Israel’s abominable sins and the violent double-cross by the Germans! God says we must declare it! No other church can or will do so! (p. 11.)

Actually there are many COGs that also believe that Germans are Assyrians and teach that the Germans will soon destroy America and Britain. Why is Flurry misleadingly implying that no one else outside of PCG knows of these things? In fact this sort of talk is quite common among the COGs. Why does Flurry say untrue things?

But what is not quite so common among the COGs is to tie this in with the Tkach changes and demand members of WCG and all other COG groups (labeled "Laodiceans" by Flurry) to immediately join PCG or be left behind to face the Great Tribulation.

Just before Germany attacks, God’s Laodicean Church defiles His sanctuary and profanes His sabbaths, or holy days. This evil is occurring in God’s Laodicean Church right now! God commands that we declare the Laodicean abominations as well. ... The wonderful news is, if the Laodiceans—or anyone else—heed our warning, they can escape the German nuclear attack! What a wonderful physical blessing that would be. (pp. 11-12.)

After that Flurry quotes a news article to make his fear inducing prophesies seem somewhat realistic. The news article is about Patrick Nicholls resigning as vice-chairman of the Conservative Party in Britain and saying that Britain should leave the European Economic Community/European Union (p. 12.).

Flurry then brings up HWA.

America and Britain helped greatly in rebuilding Germany. But they ignored the message of Herbert W. Armstrong. Even as Germany was being destroyed, he prophesied that it would rise again and inflict far more destruction than World Wars I and II combined! For the most part, that message went unheeded. Now Britain and America are about to pay a bloodcurdling price for their rebellion against God! (pp. 12-13.)

Why was HWA ignored? It might have something to do with the fact that Herbert W. Armstrong confidently predicted that Germany would triumph over Britain and America during World War II. HWA prophesied that Hitler was the Beast who would destroy Britain and America. But the British and the Americans did not listen to him but instead defeated and routed the German foe.

But despite this specular prophetic failure HWA continued to claim that Germany would arise from the ruins and destroy the United States and Britain. He later said this occur in 1972-5 shortly before Christ's return in 1975. He continued to make this fear inducing false prophecy until his death. Maybe that is why the Americans and the British did not listen to him.

The Holy Roman Empire started about 1,500 years ago. The seventh and last resurrection is now forming on the world scene! (p. 14.)

The Holy Roman Empire actually started in A.D. 800 with the coronation of Charlemagne by the Pope. That is about 1,200 years ago, not "about 1,500" as Flurry says here.

Flurry is probably referring to the Byzantine Empire of A.D. 554-800 which, according to HWA's teachings, constituted the first of seven revivals of the Roman Empire. That is called the Byzantine Empire. No one calls them the Holy Roman Empire. Well, except for this small religious movement started by HWA in order to make some of their prophetic speculations seem more logical and coherent then it actually is.

Would you trust a man who makes careless statements like this to know God so well that he will lead you to a place of safety?

Who is warning about Germany today with any impact? Only the PCG! The book of Nahum must be delivered. This is the message we must deliver to Germany. (p. 16.)

How many Germans are even aware that PCG exists? I strongly suspect very few.

Of course if Gerald Flurry had not squandered more then PCG's annual income in building Armstrong Auditorium maybe he could have gotten more publicity for PCG's message in Germany.

Flurry ends this booklet with these words.

We are on the brink of a nuclear disaster in this world. Germany is going to trigger a nuclear war that would destroy all life from this planet if Christ did not intervene. No scholarly denial will change that future! God’s true Church must deliver the warning of this coming holocaust. It is the world’s only hope to avoid nuclear catastrophe. (p. 17.)

And so another of Gerald Flurry's booklets comes to an end.

Similar to every booklet of his I have read so far he claims the Book of Nahum talks about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG and that only PCG can escape the Great Tribulation. PCG is not flooded with new revelations, instead Flurry simply applies the ideas of Malachi's Message onto other Biblical Books. Sometimes he adds a little detail but such details merely build up upon what he wrote in Malachi's Message.

And Flurry says the Book of Nahum is talking about Gerald Flurry.