Part 4 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 in which Flurry claims any one belonging to any of the other COGs are doomed to endure the Great Tribulation unless they join PCG (and pay PCG three tithes and extra offerings). This booklet 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, Part 2 and Part 3.

Chapter 4

How hard is it for man to learn to be ruled by God? Very hard. (p. 41.)

Well, maybe you and your ministers should learn to be merciful to PCG members if it is this hard "to be ruled by God" as is stated here.

After that Flurry flatters PCG members by saying they are spoken of in the Book of Jeremiah as watchmen who will lead the entire world to find God.

Each holy day will have watchmen preparing the people to properly learn God’s plan. This obedience will fill the world with joy and hope.

Who will these watchmen be? ... The watchmen are protecting people from losing their eternal glory with God! That majestic goal can be accomplished only if people look to God’s government. The watchmen who help prepare them for God’s Kingdom are the ones who keep God’s holy-day plan today. The firstfruits are being harvested today so they can help Christ harvest the world! It’s such a beautiful plan.

EACH HOLY DAY IS FILLED WITH VISION. This vision of the World Tomorrow is deeply etched into God’s very elect today. They have a critical watchman role to fulfill in the very near future—for all humanity! (pp. 45-46.)

What flattery Flurry gives to PCG members. People wonder why PCG members stay despite the problems within PCG. It is partly because they read words like this from Flurry and they believe him. 

What a fabulous future the people of America and Britain have. Imagine, they won’t sorrow any more at all. What a utopian future! What a magnificent message we have for Israel and the world! What a godly HOPE we have for the whole world! (p. 46.)

Flurry is right. This is utopian. And Utopia literally means nowhere.

This virgin could only be Christ’s bride. Only the cleansing blood of Christ and the Holy Spirit could make any one of us a virgin. Ancient Israel never fulfilled this role—only God’s Church. God’s bride was obeying Christ, but then they turned away. This is the Laodicean rebellion mentioned in many prophecies. (p. 47.)

Nonsense. The seven church eras doctrine is complete nonsense. Also British Israelism is complete nonsense. It is built on a foundation of sand.

And Flurry simply injects "the Laodicean rebellion" into many parts of the Bible, repeating what he said in repeating what he said in Malachi's Message, which Gerald Flurry actually plagiarized from The Letter to Laodicea by Jules Dervaes (written December 1986-January 1988). 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 founded on a work of intellectual theft?

We now continue.

Page 48 contains a photo of a wedding. The minister appears to be Gerald Flurry himself.

At this point Flurry then claims that God always uses one man government to operate any group that belongs to (PCG's) God. Essentially Flurry is saying one must follow Flurry to follow God and gain a spot in the place of safety.

In this end time, a man was sent to restore all things (Matt. 17:10-11). God sent ONE MAN to do that job. The Church’s calling was to back and support him. God’s Church revolved around that man. Like Paul, they followed him as he followed Christ (I Cor. 11:1). So Christ must send “a man” who is obedient to Him. Christ does His Work through that man.

This is how we follow Christ and submit to His government. This is the way God has always led Israel and His Church. This is clearly taught in the Bible. God used one-man leadership like Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David and the apostle Peter, just to name a few. ...

The Church revolves around a man—Christ’s man. This you can and must prove to yourself. You are under a curse if you just follow a man (Jer. 17:5). It must be Christ’s man.(p. 49.)

As noted earlier in posts concerning his other booklets, Isaiah's End-Time Vision and From the Beginning Gerald Flurry claims the right to have one man rule within PCG. Flurry teaches that God sends revelation through one man at a time and he (Gerald Flurry) is that one man. As for everyone else it is their role "to back and support him" according to Flurry.

God is revealing a deep and often fatal flaw even in His own Church. He is revealing to us WHY His Laodicean Church has gone astray. All of their leaders have rejected Herbert W. Armstrong as God’s end-time Elijah. That also means the Laodiceans would reject the man who would follow in his footsteps. (p. 49.)

What nonsense! Many COG groups teach that HWA was the end time Elijah.Why does Flurry say untrue things?

Flurry continues praising the principle of one-man rule. If one does not agree that the church should revolve around one man, namely Gerald Flurry, then such a person must be punished by being cast into the Great Tribulation.

Most of God’s people have chosen to reject God’s one-man government. They often talk about “the evils of one-man government.” They refuse to let God’s Church revolve around a man. They must be plunged into the Tribulation, where God makes them choose His government or eternal death. ... We must submit to God’s government today, or we’ll never rule with Christ or be in His Kingdom! (p. 50.)

Again it must be stated that "God's government" is a loaded term with Flurry. According to himone can only be under "God's government" by being a member of PCG.

Even Jeremiah’s temporary “doom” contains great hope. He was not a prophet of doom. He was a prophet of incredible hope. If only the world could understand his wonderful message now, so much suffering could be prevented. Jeremiah talked about bad news only because of this world’s rebellion against God. But his overall message was filled with hope! (p. 51.)

This paragraph probably comes from the original booklet, Jeremiah: Prophet of Doom -- or Hope? But in 1999 it appears PCG greatly revised that booklet to produce the current booklet being studied now.

Chapter 5

Now God gives another warning. “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion” (Jer. 6:22-23). Here is a great nation north of Jerusalem. They have a history of CRUELTY in warfare. THEY SHOW NO MERCY IN WARFARE. They are men of war. A very good description of Germany! (p. 53.)

Flurry here has just admitted that in the Bible "north" means north of the Holy Land. But Gerald Flurry still insists that Iran is the King of the South even though it is east of the Holy Land.

Also the Germans are not descended from the Assyrians. That is nonsense.

God’s Church is a fortress that God will protect—if the members obey His law. We have nothing to fear if we obey God. But if we fail to obey God, then we are entering into a time when fear will be, by far, THE MOST DOMINANT THEME OF OUR LIVES! (p. 54.)

This is a perfect example of the dispensing of existence, one of Lifton's eight criteria for thought reform (which is sometimes called brainwashing). Failure to live up to the dictates of PCG is to be penalized in a most severe and horrifying way. Existence outside of PCG is viewed as a fate to terrible to describe. Therefore staying is PCG is presented as the only thing one can do to avoid the Great Tribulation.

We all have read about how Satan comes as an “angel of light” (II Cor. 11:14). We often see a leader hugging kids and talking endlessly of love, love, love, and we find it so hard to envision this person as being motivated by Satan. But that is how Satan comes! He appears as an “angel of light.” We must understand this or be deceived! (p. 57.)

Is this referring to Tkach, Sr.'s PR campaign to get closer to WCG members during the early years of his rule?

So when the Babylonians conquered Judah, they killed both of Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes! Then they blinded Zedekiah and took him to Babylon. ...God has given His end-time people this revelation through Jeremiah. It’s mainly for us today. If we refuse to submit to God’s inspired word, then our future will be like Zedekiah’s fate! (p. 58.)

If you do not join my PCG then you shall be like Zedekiah, Flurry is saying here.

In Jeremiah 26:2, God says we are not to omit one word. That means you never compromise with what God says. Herbert Armstrong often said if there was any reason that he could see why God would use him, it was because he would not compromise one iota with God’s word. (p. 58.)

If HWA treated the truth so reverently then why has PCG changed what "Elijah" (HWA) said? Gerald Flurry's PCG has changed Mystery of the Ages, The Proof of the Bible and Who or What is the Prophetic Beast? Of course it is entirely possible there are more changes. These changes are made for PCG's benefit. PCG has altered what HWA supposedly says.

This message is mainly for today. Jeremiah is discussing a NUCLEAR DISASTER where cities are left “WITHOUT AN INHABITANT”! In Jeremiah’s time, Jerusalem was not left without an inhabitant. But many American and British cities will experience this nuclear disaster in the near future, if they fail to repent! (p. 60.)

HWA's fear mongering that Christ would return in 1975, and then by 2005, etc, failed miserably. Therefore no one should fear the fear inducing false prophesies PCG preach which are largely updated revisions of what HWA taught.

The most hatred for God’s message always comes from the religious sector. Mr. Armstrong is a perfect example of that. While many world leaders and dignitaries respected him, the religious community hated what he stood for. (pp. 61-62.)

Perhaps one reason why these world leaders and dignitaries respected HWA so much was that Herbert W. Armstrong tried to obscure the fact that he was a religious leader himself. He did this by establishing the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation in order to hide his role as a religious leader to these world leaders and dignitaries he visited.

After this Flurry mentions Urijah, who prophesied like Jeremiah but fled to Egypt due to persecution by the authorities of Judah. But the Kingdom of Judah took him back from Egypt and executed him. Flurry uses Urijah's lamentable fate to claim the other COG groups (LCG, UCG, etc.) are like Urijah and will suffer a similar fate for not submitting themselves to Flurry's authority within PCG.

Some Laodicean leaders today proclaim many of Herbert Armstrong’s teachings, but reject the Philadelphia Church which God raised up to succeed him! What will happen to them? They don’t have God behind them, so they will panic when real persecution comes. Like Urijah, rather than staying with God and Jeremiah, they run—and it may get them killed!

They lack faith in the living God BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTING HIS WORK. God said He would raise up a Work in our day which many wouldn’t believe even when told (Hab. 1:5). If we can’t even recognize where God’s Work is, then something is TRAGICALLY LACKING in our spiritual lives! (p. 63.)

Note how Flurry has redefined "faith in the living God" as supporting PCG (supporting His work). So we see that Flurry teaches that one must send in the three tithes and extra offerings to PCG or else one does not have faith in God. What disgusting heresy this teaching is!

Chapter 6

In this chapter Flurry cites a co-worker letter by Tkach Sr. This letter is also cited in Gerald Flurry's booklet, Zephaniah's Day of the Lord.

God will punish the U.S. and Britain as no nations have ever been punished, if they don’t wake up! (p. 65.)

This is just another phobia inducing statement designed to persuade PCG members to stay in PCG regardless of their feelings contrary to PCG dogma which PCG's leaders constantly tell them to suppress.

God has perfect vision. He has already seen the wailing pain of His own Church in captivity. It hasn’t happened yet, but you can be sure that it will happen just as God says. (p. 66.)

It is now fifteen years since this booklet was published. Eleven years since this version of this booklet was printed. Tkach's WCG still have yet to have been brought into German captivity as Flurry confidently stated here.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised” (v. 25). Who are the circumcised and the uncircumcised? God will punish His Laodicean Church along with the nations of Israel. Only God’s people can truly understand this. (p. 66.)

And of course Flurry has redefined God's people here to mean only PCG members. In fact only those who have read and studied Flurry's writings understand these things. Now in many other places Flurry refers to WCG members and members of all the offshoot groups as "God's people" but in the passage above Flurry clearly means only PCG members. 

Do you and I know deeply that we can’t direct our own steps? God says if you really know this, you will continually ask God to correct you. Do you frequently ask God for correction because you know that no man can direct his own steps? You can’t even direct one of your steps. (p. 66.)

It is with words like these that PCG's leaders make PCG members unsure of themselves and make themselves dependent upon what those above them (usually the PCG ministers) tell them what to do. And with words like these so many PCG members are brought under control.

Only in the end time can we fully put the biblical “puzzle” together. God is revealing the pieces of the puzzle needed to complete the picture. (p. 67.)

In fact Flurry devises his own interpretations and PCG ministers and members learn to repeat and believe what Flurry tells them. It is not the will of God.

After this Flurry accuses the leaders of the other COG groups and the secular leaders of America of failing to warn people of the nuclear catastrophe he says is soon to occur.

Nuclear proliferation is a mind-numbing reality, and God’s own ministers won’t prophesy what God says about it! Write for our free booklet The Lion Has Roared. It will explain exactly what the future holds for Israel. IT WILL MAKE YOUR BONES SHAKE AS JEREMIAH’S DID! (p. 69.)

Note how Flurry wants the reader to be scared. A scared reader will be panicking and could be talked into doing something he or she would not normally agree to do.

On page 71 there is a picture of a mushroom cloud caused by the detonation of a nuclear bomb. My word! What a mature and civilized way to settle an argument with those who supported the Tkach changes, say, You will get nuked! What fear mongering madness!

The prophet that has God’s word is commanded to speak it faithfully. God is talking to ministers who had His precious truth and failed to teach it. Only the Laodicean era of God’s Church had the truth in this end time and TURNED AWAY FROM IT. (p. 73.)

Aside from John Amos, not one WCG minister chose to submit themselves to Flurry's authority. Flurry says all these horrifying words at the ministers of Tkach's WCG and not one (aside from John Amos who was already under Flurry's authority within WCG) chose to listen to him.

After this Flurry complains that those who supported the Tkach changes say the prophecies of HWA's WCG are a burden. Flurry is not impressed with such complaining and replies that the fears will come upon any who complain in such a manner.

God is stating that the Laodicean Church thinks His word is a burden. That is why they are changing many major doctrines. ...

These Laodiceans ministers have a faithless view of prophecy. They don’t see the positive side of prophecy—only the negative side. Prophecy is a great burden to them.

So God answers to warn them of His justice. He says, Since you think prophecy only means calamity and disaster, I will bring these prophetic calamities and disasters down on your head! They will see the prophecies they fear most come crashing down UPON THEM. (pp. 74-75.)

This is just deceptive words designed to make the reader think that not doing what Flurry says is wrong and evil. Flurry is just trying to manipulate the reader so that he or she will do what Flurry says, not least get three tithes and extra offerings.

In fact Flurry has made many declarations that are simply not true. He says HWA was right when in fact HWA made many false prophecies (that Mussolini then Hitler was the world dictator, that Christ would return in 1975, that Christ would return by 2005, etc.). Flurry accuses the other COG groups of not recognizing HWA as the end time Elijah but in fact many COGs teach this very doctrine. Flurry says Germany started the Yugoslav Wars in December 1991 but in fact armed conflict began in June 1991, six months earlier. Flurry is a false prophet. He has no power to make these things true.

Also it must be noted how confusing this passage is because elsewhere Flurry defines all the other COG offshoot groups as Laodiceans as well, yet many of them continue to hold the prophetic views taught by HWA's WCG.

Even the Laodiceans who repent in the Tribulation will have a certain eternal shame because they lost such a large share of their magnificent reward. Everybody will always know why they are not in God’s headquarters temple forever (Rev. 3:12). (p. 75.)

This is the same threat Flurry utters at the Laodiceans in Malachi's Message. It is nonsense. If such a deified Laodicean should become a God being as fully God as God is God, why would such a being feel shame at being of a lower rank then others? Would Jesus be ashamed of being of a lesser rank then God the Father, as is claimed by HWA? Of course not! Then how can Flurry say that deified Laodiceans will be ashamed? How could rank mean anything to a being that is as fully God as God is God? Flurry is trying to say the Laodiceans are cursed even after being deified as God beings. Oh how cunningly Flurry uses HWA's God Family doctrine to scare people into joining PCG. Flurry is just trying to manipulate the reader into becoming a subservient, tithe paying member of PCG.

Chapter 7

It is easy for us to get excited today about perhaps finding the ark of the covenant. But we need to keep everything in perspective. The ark was very important in leading a carnal nation. It represented God’s presence. However, it is soon to be forgotten as we move on to the spiritual family of God. Today God lives in each member of His Church. There is no comparison between that begettal and the physical ark of the covenant. (p. 79.)

Considering recent news that PCG is trying to establish a college in Britain and possibly planning to look for the Ark of the Covenant there these words are intriguing in that they show that at the time of this booklet's initial printing Flurry was not that interested in this topic. It is a shame that Flurry seems to have abandoned his disinterest in finding the Ark of the Covenant.

Flurry again flatters PCG members, saying a most glorious future awaits them if they remain loyal to PCG despite the many problems present there.

“One of a city, and two of a family” is leading to this magnificent future! Christ’s bride is to share David’s throne with Him. We get to share in this most royal future. We shall have a world and universe responsibility. That time is almost here. Now is the time to prepare. Let’s not neglect this unparalleled calling! (p. 80.)

What a promise Flurry gives to anyone who is willing to join PCG and pay three tithes and extra offerings. What a way to over ride peoples' natural restraint and self preservation in order for them to feel good, even ecstatic, at giving large amounts of money to PCG, even one's own inheritance.

God’s Church has been a major disaster in this end time. ... They have rejected the Work God gave them to do. THEY SHOULD BE HELPING THE PCG DELIVER JEREMIAH’S MESSAGE! This job is being done now, but only by a small very elect remnant. Only they are showing forth the praise and glory of God today! Only they are receiving God’s blessings today. (p. 81.)

Here is Flurry once again saying that one can be saved only by PCG. "Only they [PCG] are receiving God’s blessings today." These are just manipulative words designed to compel the reader to join PCG and pay tithes to PCG, the tithes that Flurry and his collaborators live on. It is with manipulative words like these that PCG gets an income of about $19.5 million a year, as was the case for PCG in 2012.

God commands His little remnant “to speak unto them this word.” This is the very word you are reading now! You are a part of this amazing prophecy. (p. 81.)

Why would God reveal prophecies to a man who plagiarized The Letter to Laodicea? Flurry only wants the reader to think the Bible is talking about themselves specifically in order to persuade such persons to sent in three tithes and extra offerings to PCG.

The kings and queens who sit upon David’s throne in London, England, ARE TO BE WARNED BY OUR MESSAGE ABOUT BEING SPIRITUALLY DRUNK! A very specific message to a specific group of leaders. (p. 81.)

Has Flurry ever warned the Queen of England that Germans will soon conquer Britain and America in a nuclear war. I'm sure he could just send a letter and tell her. Has he done such a thing?

There was only one Jeremiah. And there is only one man publicly proclaiming his message today. That is the way God always warns! (p. 82.)

And so Flurry proclaims himself to be the modern day Jeremiah. What a way to belittle Jeremiah by claiming to bear his prestige and authority. What madness!

How can we take these prophecies lightly? God is going to dash people one against another! He is going to destroy the nations of Israel. The living God will have NO MERCY on the nations of Israel! ARE WE TOO DRUNK TO EVEN KNOW WHAT INDESCRIBABLE TERROR THAT MEANS?! Do we believe God? (p. 82.)

It is quite easy to take Flurry's prophecies lightly considering the many false prophesies he and his predecessor HWA delivered. HWA said Christ would return in 1975 and it did not happen. Why would anyone take such a man seriously? Certainly not because he was right.

The royal family of Britain will understand whose throne they are sitting on! It’s only a matter of when. It is because of pride that the royal family and all Israel reject the truth we have taught for over 50 years about that throne. God is acutely concerned about that throne, regardless of their pride! There is abundant proof that it is David’s throne, the very throne Christ is to sit on when He returns. THE REASON PEOPLE REJECT WHAT WE TEACH ABOUT DAVID’S THRONE IS NOT FOR A LACK OF PROOF. IT IS PRIDE! It’s time we faced the truth about our own pride! THE LIFE OR DEATH OF NATIONS ARE AT STAKE! (p. 83.)

It matters not how much Flurry says it but such fear inducing words can never change these simple facts: the British are not descendants of the Biblical Israelites and the British throne is not a continuation of David's Dynasty. Flurry is woefully wrong. There is no need to fear his false prophesies that are based on the nonsensical and false beliefs of British Israelism.

If this flock was given, through whom was it given? The same person who taught us about David’s throne and who Israel is in this end time—Herbert W. Armstrong. When he died, the flock was driven away and scattered.

Only God’s Church has been given the key of David vision. Only they know the truth about David’s throne. Only they can give God’s warning message. At the time of greatest need for a warning, most of God’s flock has been scattered. This is a staggering tragedy. (p. 83.)

The followers of British Israelism and many of the other COG groups also teach that the British throne is the continuation of the royal line of David. I myself learned this doctrine from LCG. Also the followers of British Israelism devised, believed and spread these ideas without any help from Herbert W. Armstrong. In fact HWA learned British Israelism from such persons as J. H. Allen, who took the idea from earlier proponents such as Richard Brothers, John Wilson and Edward Hine.

Tell me where there is a stronger warning in any four verses of the Bible! Please read those verses again. (p. 84.)

If you want the reader to repeat what he or she has already read it is not good. Once again we see Flurry is quite blatantly trying to make the reader scared in order to make he or she do things he or she would not normally do.

Anciently, Manasseh “seduced” Israel into being more evil than other nations (II Kings 21:1-3, 9, 16). (p. 84.)

Why does Flurry claim Manasseh was the King of Israel? He was the King of Judah. And British Israelism so loves to claim that Israel and Judah are separate and distinct.

After that Flurry again complains about the Tkach changes, even saying it is as terrible as the sun suddenly disappearing out of its time.

We have to grasp the magnitude of this disaster. What happens literally if the sun goes down while it is yet day—perhaps high noon? It would be a worldwide catastrophe of indescribable magnitude! God is trying to get us all to see the towering spiritual disaster that has struck His Church worldwide. Spiritual Israel— God’s Church—is dying. The outcome has eternal consequences. There is no greater crisis! We must warn a Church of God that is in gross darkness. (pp. 84-85.)

Flurry then brings up Urijah again in order to claim that any COG member or group that does not submit to his (Flurry's) authority is doomed and lacks (PCG's) God's protection.

The story of Urijah is an example of what we are talking about. He taught essentially what Jeremiah did. But he apparently wasn’t walking by faith and supporting God’s Work being done through Jeremiah. That is undoubtedly why he was killed (Jer. 26:20-24). (p. 85.)

After that Flurry seems to suggest that traitors will infiltrate PCG and later leave PCG. He said something similar in Ezra and Nehemiah: Building God's Temple as may be seen in these posts about that booklet (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3). How can such unhinged words not spread paranoia and fear among PCG members?

God may very well inspire more and more people to help His Work today. BUT WE MUST EXPECT THAT AS TIMES GET MORE TRYING, AND THE CAPTIVITY OF BABYLON GETS CLOSER, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE DEFECTING FROM GOD’S TRUTH. JEREMIAH EXPERIENCED IT AND SO SHALL WE. Like Urijah, some may just want to selfishly do their own work, even though it could bring upon them physical and even spiritual death. (p. 85.)

What a way to preemptively discredit the words of any PCG member who leaves because of the many problems in PCG.

Jeremiah was not a machine. He had a weak human spirit as we do. He needed people to help and support him—as we do. We are doing by far the most important work on this earth. Now we are being tested to see if we are real soldiers of Jesus Christ or if we just talk about being a true Christian—one who follows Christ. (p. 86.)

Some wonder why PCG stay despite the problems there. It is partly because they read words like this and believe them.

Flurry insists that any who oppose PCG are fated to fail and Flurry and his PCG will overcome all obstacles.

People will fight against us today and not prevail. They will fight us and lose! Why? Because God is with us. He will deliver us because we are doing His Work. God will deliver us from evil men. We must have the strength of a “brasen wall.” If God is with us, and we are with God, we can’t lose! We’ll always win against those who fight God! Expect it. May God help us to build more faith. No matter what happens, if we remain faithful, in the end we win! (p. 86.)

So do not dare to think about leaving PCG and stop paying those tithes to PCG Headquarters.

This post 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 5.]