Part 2 of Reading PCG's Booklet, Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible

Let us now read Gerald Flurry's booklet, Jeremiah and the Greatest Vision in the Bible. This booklet was first published in 1999. It is one of his "warning the Laodiceans" booklets. It was later revised in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2013. For this post I am reading through the 2002 version. You can read the 2013 version of this booklet on their website.

This is a continuation from Part 1.

Chapter 2

In this chapter Flurry continues to use the Book of Jeremiah to insist all other COG groups are damned by God and will be cast into the Great Tribulation unless one joins PCG. 

Jeremiah only went to Judah anciently. But in this prophecy, God is mainly addressing Jacob and Israel. Jacob was Israel’s name before he was converted. Upon conversion, God changed his name to Israel. So God is obviously addressing both physical and spiritual Israel. The CONTEXT makes that very clear. However, the emphasis is on spiritual Israel—people who knew God but then went “far from” Him. (p. 22.)

Although Flurry claims this assertion that Jeremiah is actually a polemic condemning the Tkach changes is "obvious" this is in fact a change from what HWA's WCG had taught previously. It is very common in Flurry's "warning the Laodiceans" booklets for him to assert that yet another part of the Bible is actually all about the Tkach changes, the rise of PCG in opposition to it, PCG members are saved by going to the place of safety and all others are damned in the Great Tribulation.

This is what Flurry taught in Malachi's Message and Flurry has recycled this narrative numerous times to claim other books of the Bible contain what he wrote in Malachi's Message. So we see that this booklet is Flurry's attempt to reinterpret Jeremiah as yet another retelling of Malachi's Message and Flurry presents this as "new revelation" which "proves" that one must join and stay in PCG and pay them three tithes and extra offerings.

God also brought His end-time Church into abundant spiritual truth through the late Herbert W. Armstrong. The nations of Israel defiled God’s land and the Church polluted God’s truth. Only God’s Church has God’s law. Those ministers who handle God’s law have become so Laodicean, they no longer even know God. God’s own ministers are CAUSING His people to stumble at the law (Mal. 2:7-8). How can we tell?

Because if these ministers knew God they would be where He is! Where His revelation is. Where His law of love is. Where His Work is. (p. 24.)

This is circular reasoning. Flurry elsewhere defines "where [God] is" as being PCG and only PCG. So translated into normal English what Flurry is actually saying is, You can tell "a Laodicean" is stumbling at the Law because he or she is not with PCG. This is just self serving loaded language designed to make the reader utterly convinced that one must join and stay in PCG despite the many requirements they have.

There are several different Laodicean groups in this end time. They all had God’s truth and became lukewarm. Now they often say, “Let’s all get together.” But that is not the right goal. They are erroneously assuming that God is leading them. “Where is God?” We must get together with God. (p. 24.)

Who is he talking about? Regardless of what happens the many COGs have maintained their own identity as separate churches. This sounds like a straw man argument.

They can’t discern the spiritual difference between God’s “FOUNTAIN of living waters”—a powerful flow of God’s Spirit— and a broken cistern. Their wrong choice condemns their religion. (p. 24.)

If you do not join PCG you are condemned, Flurry is saying here.

Jeremiah had a fountain of new, revealed prophecy and truth pouring into his mind. So does the Philadelphia Church of God today—just as Herbert W. Armstrong did in the past. Do we know a spiritual fountain when we see one? We do if we are not blind. (p. 24.)

So Flurry thinks he is just like Jeremiah. He also accuses anyone who does not join PCG as being spiritually blind.

The Laodicean leaders have established churches of deceit. The people are headed for the Great Tribulation and the lake of fire! (p. 25.)

This is Flurry's way of demonizing all the other COGs in order to persuade and even scare the reader into joining PCG.

THE LAODICEANS HAVE A HISTORY THAT CONDEMNS THEIR PRESENT WORK—“when He [God] led you.” The word “led” is past tense. Their history with God is past. Now they are rebelling. They rejected God’s government taught through Herbert W. Armstrong, and now they will be scourged by God. THEY COULD COMMIT NO GREATER SIN! (p. 26.)

Flurry really wants you to pay tithes to him. He wants it so badly he accuses all those who have not joined his PCG and committed to pay three tithes and extra offerings to him that he accuses them of committing a sin so horrible that there is no greater sin.

The firstfruits are the MOST NOBLE VINE GOD WILL EVER PLANT THROUGHOUT ETERNITY! There will NEVER be firstfruits again after Christ returns.

THIS IS THE MOST CRITICAL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE FOR THE FIRSTFRUITS TODAY! (p. 27.)

Flurry insists that one can become part of the super-elite of the God Family. The firstfruits are taught to be members of the God family that are of higher rank then all other God beings that are born after them.

No amount of extreme washing will make the Laodiceans righteous while God is not ruling them. They say they are not polluted or Satan-inspired. But God says they are. They talk back to God, because they have a government problem. God demands that they KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE DONE! (p. 27.)

In other words, join PCG or be damned by (PCG's) God.

Spiritually, they are acting like “A WILD ASS.” That means they have rejected God’s bridle—His government. This is what they must understand and change. God must punish them until they repent. There is no other way into His Kingdom. (p. 27.)

Unless one joins PCG he or she cannot be saved. "God's government" is claimed to exist only within PCG. And in PCG one must pay three tithes and extra offerings. So the only way into God's Kingdom is too pay PCG three tithes and extra offerings, according to Flurry.

Can you trust God to save you now? Can you trust God to heal you? (That’s a type of spiritual salvation.) We must be trusting God now to build a saving faith. That is what the Laodiceans lack. (p. 28.)

This chilling passage seems to indicate that Flurry is teaching HWA's anti-medicine superstition. Many WCG members died because HWA taught that using medicines or visiting doctors was a form of idolatry against God and therefore forbidden. William Hinson discusses this tragic topic at great length in his book, Broadway to Armageddon.

Also what the Laodiceans actually lack is in sending money to Flurry and Co. That is the real reason Flurry demonizes the other COG splinter groups so viciously.

This means that God’s Laodicean Church has rejected His government. That is why they are Laodicean. As a result, God has commissioned His Philadelphia remnant to warn the Laodiceans that they have ONE SPECIFIC, MAJOR PROBLEM WITH GOD’S GOVERNMENT that leads to all of their other problems.

We must tell God’s own people that they have broken the yoke they once wore happily. They are “UNBRIDLED.” That is why they will not be saved from the Great Tribulation. So this is a prophecy of God’s Philadelphian and Laodicean churches. (p. 28.)

You are far away from God because you are not a part of PCG, this booklet is saying. God's government can only be found in PCG so you must join and pay us three tithes and extra offerings. That is the real message of this booklet.

The "ONE SPECIFIC, MAJOR PROBLEM WITH GOD’S GOVERNMENT" Flurry alludes to is not being in PCG. Of course Flurry does not want the reader to stay in some other COG group. Flurry cannot get any money from such a person. No wonder he spreads vicious false prophesies insisting that unless one joins PCG one will go to the Great Tribulation.

We are called now to GET READY for the one and only Christ-firstfruits wedding! God will never give one Laodicean rebel such an indescribable and glorious reward. Understanding this vision will get us through any test or trial. (p. 29.)

But I thought half of the heathen Laodiceans get to be saved and are a part of "Christ's bride" -- the uppermost level of rank among the God Family superior to all other God beings who are born after Christ's return. That is what Flurry taught elsewhere. Can he not get his story straight?

After this Flurry cites the instance of the two baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24 to claim that it is a prophesy that some members of the other COG groups will convert and join PCG (and pay Flurry and Co. three tithes which is a requirement for PCG membership).

We are now in the period of GOD SETTING TWO BASKETS OF FIGS BEFORE HIS CHURCH—just prior to modern Babylon, a United Europe, attacking the U.S. and British peoples. The PCG’s job is to set the two baskets of figs before God’s Church. We have mailed Malachi’s Message and other literature to most of the Laodiceans. Also, most of them can receive our television program in their homes.

This stunning prophecy is being fulfilled even as you read this booklet! Warning the Laodiceans has always been a major part of our commission. (pp. 29-30.)

Such unsolicited mail was a major reason why PCG emerged as one of the major COG splinter groups. Clearly Flurry and his PCG owe a lot to Malachi's Message. Maybe Flurry should thank a certain Jules Dervaes. Gerald Flurry plagiarized The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes (written December 1986-January 1988) to write Malachi's Message. Dervaes' writing was sent to 237 WCG ministers including Gerald Flurry and John Amos. In fact on September 26, 1990 Jules Dervaes sent a letter to Gerald Flurry in which he denounces Malachi's Message as "a direct and clear plagiarism" of his work. Plagiarism is an act of intellectual theft. Why would God work with a group that relied upon an act of intellectual theft?

God keeps revealing more and more truth (as He did to Herbert W. Armstrong). We teach it to the Laodiceans and the world today. In the World Tomorrow, we shall continue teaching these same truths to the entire world. (p. 30.)

I have been reading a few PCG's booklets lately. Flurry does not get more and more truth, he largely recycles the ideas and themes he wrote in Malachi's Message and applying them to other Biblical Books, in this instance, Jeremiah.

The evil figs couldn’t be eaten. The Companion Bible says the word “evil” means “worth nothing.” They are fit for nothing to God. (p. 30.)

That is Flurry (not God) demonizing all the other COG groups for not sending tithes money to him.

Here is Flurry claiming this part of Jeremiah is a prophecy predicting some members of the other COG groups will convert to join PCG. Flurry insists that if one does not join he or she will be cast into the Great Tribulation.

These are the Laodiceans who left God and then RETURN unto Him with their whole heart. They are no longer lukewarm. They are whole-hearted for God. Those who go to a place of safety must give their whole heart to God today. We are called today to give our whole heart to God’s Work. Those who fail are going into the worst time of suffering ever. That shouldn’t be hard to imagine today, considering that nuclear bombs and other devices of mass destruction are being proliferated all over the world! (p. 31.)

Was Fred Dattolo reading this booklet (or words similar to this) when he decided to jump ship from LCG and head on over to PCG back in 2001?

Flurry ends this chapter with these words.

God is giving abundant revelation so we can see in precise detail what happens to His bride in this end time. That is obviously God’s top priority! (p. 31.)

Most of this "abundant revelation" is actually Flurry repeating the themes and ideas of Malachi's Message, only injecting these ideas upon other Books of the Bible, in this instance Jeremiah.

This chapter has ended but there is still more to get through in Flurry's booklet. More will be discussed in a future post.

To be continued...

 [Update: August 22, 2014: This reading is continued in Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5.]