COGR – Jesus Directs The 7th Trumpet Ministry To Harvest
February 1, 2024
Good day! I am writing a series of short reviews of abbreviated COGR video clips. I am looking for input and comments. If it makes it easier, I will be glad to supply a Word document so comments can be put in the document, and we can communicate directly. My email address is lattema@icloud.com. I hope you find these reviews helpful.
Transcript:
This message of the end time. Thank you. Brother, it’s actually the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to this current apostolic ministry and pushing them to preach what they’re preaching. It’s not a matter of us assuming or presuming upon ourselves to say who we are. It’s not a matter of Brother Ray so bold as to say, well, here I am telling John, it’s not that, Jesus is pushing us here. Jesus is doing it. No longer are we at the time where we beg the Lord to do it. Now we’re at the time where the Lord commands us to do it. Those are two different things. I’m glad that I live in the time where I don’t have to beg Jesus to let me see the judgment of God and the goodness of God in the land of the living. I’m glad I live in the time where Jesus is saying, you go do this because I’m telling you it’s time. The Lord Jesus has been wanting to say this for a long time. He’s had long patience, but the wait is over. Go and reap.
Commentary:
Earlier, Stephen made the claim that Brother Warner’s ministry had begged Jesus to bring about the final eschatological judgment, but the time was not right. There was some harvest during Brother Warner’s time but not the harvest that was needed. Fortunately for us, according to Stephen, time has progressed, and that final eschatological judgment has arrived. Jesus is ordering the 7th Trumpet Ministry to harvest. It is Jesus who guides their preaching and actions.
The text Stephen refers to is Revelation 14:17-14:19 17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he, too, had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes, and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
Stephen identifies the angel of verse 17 as the 7th Trumpet Angel/Ministry and the angel of verse 18 as Jesus. Is this an accurate understanding? Or, said differently, is there anything in Scripture that would identify those two angels?
One argument that comes to the surface when trying to identify the angel of verse 17 as the 7th Trumpet Ministry is: why should anyone accept this identification? Given the ancient and symbolic nature of the text, what would compel us to identify the angel in that manner?
There are not a lot of explicit details given about this angel. This in and of itself creates a problem with developing the identity of the angel. In addition, the text doesn’t mention the “7th Trumpet Ministry” or provide characteristics that unambiguously match the angel’s description of this contemporary organization. Interpreting the passage as a directive to a present-day ministry is both speculative and unsupported by the biblical text.
Historically, various theological traditions have offered interpretations of Revelation, and a significant diversion from these established understandings raises concerns. Stephen’s identification is novel and diverges from all other interpretations.
Employing the historical-critical method of biblical interpretation encourages understanding the text within its historical and literary context. A cautious approach is essential to avoid imposing contemporary frameworks onto ancient symbols without sufficient historical justification. Selective literalism, where certain symbols are taken literally while others are not, undermines the interpretative integrity of the text.
The 7th Trumpet Ministry has no Biblical support, and given the other flaws in the identification, it is very unlikely that this is a correct identification.
The suggestion that the angel in Revelation 14:18 is Jesus merits a closer look as well. This is a novel understanding with little or no support. Considering the broader biblical context and the unique titles and roles assigned to Jesus in Revelation, it does not seem likely that the angel found here is Jesus. Throughout the book, Jesus is consistently called “the Lamb” and “the Son of Man,” emphasizing his redemptive work and eschatological judgment. In contrast, Revelation 14:18 describes an angel with authority over the fire and the harvest, aligning more with traditional angelic roles than the specific titles given to Jesus.
The context supports the rejection of the idea that the angel is Jesus. Each angel in this chapter delivers messages related to the end times, indicating specific tasks or messages. Identifying one of these angels as Jesus would disrupt the narrative consistency, as Jesus is portrayed separately with distinct actions and attributes throughout Revelation.
The Biblical representation of Jesus varies considerably from that of the angels. While Jesus is depicted with vivid symbols elsewhere in the book, the angel in Revelation 14:18 is associated with fire and the harvest, aligning more naturally with traditional angelic symbolism.
Scriptural cross-references further support the argument for a distinct identity. Traditional angelic roles involving fire and the execution of divine judgment align more closely with the description in Revelation 14:18 than with the specific attributes assigned to Jesus elsewhere in the Scriptures.
As mentioned previously, over its 40-year existence, significant mythology has been developed in the theological understanding of the COGR. While generally internally consistent, it is often not biblically accurate. What has happened here is that Stephen has reached into the mythology of the COGR and dragged it forward, presenting it as a biblical truth. It is not. None of what Stephen says is accurate.
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