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How the World and Christianity Were So Deceived #4
We are given these things as a testing of our faith
Fred R. Coulter—December 29, 2018
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Let's see how God wants us to worship Him and seek Him. This is very important, because what we're getting into here is perhaps one of the worst heresies to come into the Church of God other than Sunday-keeping. We will see that God is seeking people.
- How does He seek them?
- Who is He seeking?
- What will their response be?
We know that in Rev. 1, 3-5 that the seven eyes of God are going around the world seeking those who are seeking Him! So, it's a mutual thing.
Why did God reach down and call the ones whom He has called? Because He's searching for those who want to come to Him!
- What is the most important thing concerning our relationship with God?
- Is it a place?
- Is it a thing?
- Is it an object?
John 4:20—Jesus was talking to the woman at the well: "'Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, but you say that the place where it is obligatory to worship is in Jerusalem.'"
- Did Jerusalem make your worship better if you were in Jerusalem?
- Or if you were in your home?
- Of if you were on a trip?
- What if Jerusalem was so corrupt, like in the days of the Messiah?
- What are you going to do? Stay away!
Verse 21: "Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You do not know what you worship….'" (vs 21-22).
Remember how the Samaritans got there. The king of Assyria, who was over Babylon at that time, put in all kinds of Babylonians. They didn't know how to worship God. God sent lions among them, so the king of Nineveh sent a Levite to teach what them what they should do, but it was a perverted form of what it should have been.
"'…We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews'" (v 22).
All of those who were first converted were belonging to Judea and Galilee who were by nature called Jews, whether they were of the tribe of Judah or not. That was the first fulfillment of 'God will save the tents of Judah first.' For the first 12 years it went to the Jews.
Verse 23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth…"
If you analyze that, that shows there are false worshippers. Otherwise, it would be anyone who would worship would then be a true worshipper. So, there are false worshippers!There are false prophets!
"…for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must… [obligatory] …worship in Spirit and in Truth" (v 23-24).
If you read Matt. 13 very carefully you will see that salvation is a very difficult proposition in this age. There are many different things concerning the individual: whether they believe or are deceived, whatever. Here's another aspect of it:
Matthew 13:24: "And He put another parable before them, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who was sowing good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping…'" (vs 24-25).
Remember the verse that says, 'You who are sleeping, wake up!'? That means spiritually! They were sleeping spiritually. There were a lot of them that were napping, or not holding fast to the doctrines or in a state of sleep.
"…his enemy came… [Satan the devil] …and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away" (v 25).
That's very interesting! Let's read on and find out about the tares, because they look like the real thing and sometimes they sound like the real thing, and sometimes they're so wooshy-gooshy that people think they're so lovey-dovey that it's incredible. Have we all experienced that? Yes, indeed!
Verse 26. "Now, when the blades sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared…. [because they didn't have any spiritual fruit] …And the servants came to the master of the house and said to him 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did these tares come from?' And he said to them, 'A man who is an enemy has done this.' Then the servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go out and gather them?' But he said, 'No…'" (vs 26-29).
Why? How do we have our faith tested? We're going to talk about that in just a bit!
"'…lest while you are gathering the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, 'Gather the tares first, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my granary'"'" (vs 29-30).
When we die and the our spirit goes back to God, that's like being put into the granary for the resurrection. This is so that we can discern:
- right from wrong
- good from evil
- truth from error
and all of the shades in between, which muddles the true teachings of God! It's going to happen all the way down through time, from the time of Christ down to our day!
What do you do when the enemy is around? You get their book! I was sent this book: The New Throne of David by Gerald Flurry
When you find something that is false, you don't necessarily have to read every word. You can go through and pick out the things that are false, and I thank the one who sent this to me for highlighting the things that are wrong.
One of the main things we are to do is prove all things, hold fast to that which is good—the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians. How do you prove it? By matching what is said to what Jesus said, and if there's a variance you reject [what is said as opposed to what Jesus says].
The New Throne of David by Gerald Flurry:
In November 2016 I called a church-wide fast for the growth of God's work to be held on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.
So, we're two years away!
Those who had to work that day fasted instead on Jan. 14, the Sabbath Day. I have said before that I have never received a vision from God outside the Bible, and I still say that, but on Feb. 14th I did have some interesting words come to my mind about several Scriptures.
As it happened before, the words came into my mind and led me to a Scripture. But this time I heard a strong voice and that never happened to me before. The voice said, "There's a new stone of destiny and new Throne of David."
Undoing all the prophecies of the Old Testament. When he reads the O.T. it is Herbert Armstrong and him; that's what it is!
The Stone of Destiny is the stone over which the British monarchs are crowned, and is also known as the Stone of Scone or Jacob's Pillar Stone.
Then Flurry turns around and says that now there's a new one:
The Stone has always been connected with the throne, so it is very important Biblically and historically. The Stone is a symbol of David's throne.
And it's still there in Scotland! That hasn't changed, but Flurry found a new one! He tells the account how when there was an evangelistic campaign up in Eugene, Oregon, that Herbert and Loma Armstrong stayed at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. Since it was small house he would get up and go pray in the morning out where this rock. So, this became Herbert Armstrong's 'prayer rock.' Then Flurry goes through the various events and says:
Mr. Armstrong's prayer rock has replaced the Stone of Destiny. We have proved that Mr. Armstrong was the end-time type of the original Elijah…
No! He wasn't!
…We must then follow Mr. Armstrong's example!
If he prayed before the rock, what should we do? Pray before the rock?
The understanding that God has given me about this stone underlies this point emphatically!
Amazing! Amazing! Then he twists all kinds of Scriptures to show it.
God made a covenant with Mr. Armstrong, and He knew that Mr. Armstrong would do the job.
Did he ever!
It would make sense for the new Stone of Destiny to relate to Mr. Armstrong.
Isn't that amazing? So, Flurry went to Oregon and found the stone!
Christ is pleased with His messenger.
I don't know if he's talking about Armstrong or about himself. But if God was pleased with Armstrong, why has the Church been scattered?
How God is honoring Mr. Armstrong with this new Stone of Destiny.
God is also pleased with the spiritual sons of Zadok, who like Zadok the prince to King David, anciently remained loyal to God's Throne from beginning to end, He trust's His people to take care of the prayer rock…
Flurry's Church!
…the new Stone of Destiny, this is noble and worthy cause.
Let me tell you a little bit about Gerald Flurry. He is a dictatorial authoritarian in everything that he does. He forbids any in any of his congregations to talk to anyone not in the so-called Philadelphia Church of God!
That is a hypocritical name for a church, because his church is anything but brotherly love! You need to understand that. Why do I say that? Because I know of three suicides of people who were forbidden to talk to their grandmother/grandfather, father/mother because they weren't in the Church, they were in some other church!
Do you think that God is going to reveal anything to anyone like that? God does not operate in giving a voice! He operates by:
- your seeking God
- you want to love God
- you want to keep His commandments
- you want to do the Truth
That's how God operates!
Flurry has all these people in there that he has been with all of these cockamamie interpretations of the Old Testament, either Herbert Armstrong or himself.
Let's give one other example of his false interpretation: Remember when Joseph Tkach was made head of the Worldwide Church of God? Flurry said that Joseph Tkach was the 'abomination of desolation' to stand in the Holy Place, being the Church!
- Why is that a big lie? The 'abomination of desolation' is going to occur in the temple yet to be built!
- What's going to happen to the one who goes in there and says that he is 'God.' He's going to be destroyed by the brightness of His coming!
- Was Joseph Tkach destroyed by the brightness of the coming of Christ? No! He died of cancer, because that must have been a punishment for his hatred of the Sabbath Day!
There are going to be people out there saying, 'How dare you say this, how dare you say that?' Well then, you get your Bible and prove it yourself!
We recognize this reality, though the world does not. But many will come to see this truth while we are in the place of safety.
- Guess what's going to happen? The new Stone of Destiny is going to be taken to the place of safety!
- How is that going to happen?
- What did Jesus tell the people in Judea? If you're in the field, don't go back and get your coat!
Let's continue on with this 'powerful prayer rock.'
In his autobiography, Herbert Armstrong described what he called "a prayer rock" that he used very early in his ministry during his time in Oregon.
Not a true statement! It was during the time of an evangelistic campaign!
It was in 1933 Mr. Armstrong was holding a series of Bible lectures at the Filbert School in Eugene over near the Fisher's farm where he was staying.
"To the rear of the Fisher farm home was a fair-sized hill. Running over this hilltop for exercise I discovered a rock about 14 inches high.
There's a picture and it's more than 14-inches high!
It was in a secluded spot. It came to mind how Jesus had dismissed the multitudes, and gone up into a mountain 'apart' to pray—alone with God. I dropped to my knees before this rock, which seemed just the right height to kneel before, and began praying earnestly for the success of the meetings. It became sort of a daily pilgrimage, during my stay at Fishers', to this, which became my 'prayer rock.' I'm sure that I drank in much energy, spiritual strength and inspiration at that prayer rock."—quote from Herbert W. Armstrong in his autobiography
(https://www.pcog.org/articles/3720/it-all-started-at-a-rock)
You get inspiration and power and strength from God, not a rock!
Why didn't Jesus do this when He was up on the mountain and He prayed for the twelve? Why didn't He chisel out equal sized stones for each one of the apostles and tell them that 'this is a dedicated prayer stone for you to pray over every time you pray'? Of course He didn't do that! You pray to God!
Then they (Flurry) went up to Oregon to get it and they offered to pay for it, but they gave it to him for free.
We brought it to our headquarters' campus in Edmonton, Oklahoma, put it on display. God wanted us to have this rock!
Not true! He wants you to be in the Kingdom! Flurry is using that as a substitute for the symbolism of Christ Who is our Rock, and God! That Rock is like a mountain, showing the power of God! That is a symbolism! We are not to go to Mt. Sinai and pray to the mountain because God was on top of it. How are they going to get that to Petra?
He's got all kinds of other things in here, wandering around with the most ludicrous interpretations of the Word of God.
That's an idol! Everything in Edmonton, OK, is an idol to Herbert Armstrong! Everything! Yes, God did use Herbert Armstrong, and I do think he repented in the last two years of his life. But he made many, many gross and terrible mistakes for which God had to destroy the Worldwide Church of God—period! God always corrects His own first!
That quote about gaining energy and strength from the rock is in the Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong. That is idolatry even on Armstrong's part. You get strength from God!
Isa. 66 tells us the story, and unfortunately, Herbert Armstrong never understood this when he was developing the auditorium, which then became an idol in itself! To show you how cynical that some were concerning that auditorium was that we in the Church all gave money so it could be built: 'a house for God.'
But what eventually happened was that they used the money for other construction projects and Stanley R. Rader went to the Bank of America and got a $10-million loan to build the auditorium in Pasadena, on the proviso that Armstrong back off on condemning the pope, which he did!
In order to fudge and cheat, and actually curse that building, Stanley Rader persuaded Herbert Armstrong to deed the property on which the auditorium was to be built to the contractor so he would technically own it. Since he technically owned it, he didn't have to keep the Sabbath and the workers could work on it on the Sabbath! How's that for corruption? And that's just a little minor thing!
Sidebar: A million and a half dollars were taken out of third-tithe dedicated to widows to buy fuel for his jet to fly around the world.
That I know! I know a lot of things, because it made it my business to know! When the turmoil was coming, it was a terrible thing to happen.
Isaiah 66:1: "Thus says the LORD, 'The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool…. [and this stupid little rock ought to get out of the way] …Where then is the house that you build for Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all these things My hand has made, and these things came to be,' says the LORD…." (vs 1-2).
What are you going to do for God in a physical way that is tremendous work that God is going to be obligated to be there? Look at how they polluted the temple that God authorized to be built! That's why it's such a tremendous thing to be able to have contact directly—through prayer and study—with God!
- you don't need tinker-toys
- you don't need rocks
- you don't need prayer shawls like the Jews have to put over their head
And they wear phylacteries and their prayers are supposed to be heard because of that! That's contrary to this!
"…'But to this one I will look, to him who is of a poor and contrite spirit and who trembles at My Word'" (v 2). That means
- a humble spirit
- trusting God
- not lifted up in vanity
- not seeking one's own way
- not doing one's own thing
Notice, this is how He viewed the temple when they did incorrectly:
Verse 3: "He who kills an ox is as if he killed a man; he who sacrifices a lamb is as if he broke a dog's neck; he who offers a grain offering is as if he offered swine's blood; he who burns incense is as if he blessed an idol…."
What are they doing with this rock? Blessing it as an idol! Now, I'll give you the final result of it:
[Flurry says] The royal house of Britain God has rejected...
God never, never indicated that He did!
…because of the parable of the tree, a branch that became unfruitful and a branch that became fruitful.
The one that became unfruitful was Judah and the one that became fruitful was the British Empire and so forth.
Granted, today they are well down in prestige and power because of their sins, and we're soon following in their footsteps. So, Flurry interprets it this way:
The one that didn't have any fruit was Judah.
Why did the throne come to Ireland and eventually over to England? The birth of the two sons: Zarah and Perez. The two sons were born and Zarah put his arm out and the midwife put a red thread around his wrist to say that he's first, because she knew twins were coming. So, Zarah pulled it back and out came Perez, which means breech; there was a breech in the inheritance.
Zarah did not get the birthright of the throne, though he was the firstborn, but he pulled his hand back, so Perez got it. At the time of Zedekiah, Zarah represented the unfruitful bough. The fruitful bough was the transferring, through Jeremiah and the king's daughters, over to Ireland and later to Britain.
[Flurry says that] the unfruitful bough is Judah and the fruitful bough is Philadelphia Church of God.
in the person of Gerald Flurry! Now then, he's says that he's
planting the seed
because there's more to come
that the only one who's going to sit on it, on this new stone where the new throne is going to be, will be someone who is an apostle in the Church of God and of the line of Judah.
- Guess what's coming next?
- Is Gerald making his throne at this time?
"…Yea, they have chosen their own ways…" (v 3). Isn't that true with what we're talking about here with this stone.
If the stone was so important and more important than what God gave to the children of Israel, which is the Stone of Scone that is under the coronation throne—that's the only place it is—why was it up there in Oregon all these years?
"…and their soul delights in their abominations…. [Isn't that stone going to be an abomination?] …I also will choose their delusions…" (vs 3-4).
- Is that what happened with Worldwide?
- Is that what happens with everyone when they go their own way?
Look at every dictator down through history. Their own delusions, sooner or later, catches up with them and BAM!
"…and I will bring their fears upon them because when I called… [I'm sure that there are those who are saying, 'How can this be?'] …no one answered; when I spoke, they did not hear…." (v 4).
Remember this principle: You cannot receive spiritual salvation by any physical means! Impossible! It comes from God because of His love and grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to pay for the sin of mankind, which is the sin of Adam and Eve rejecting God!
"…But they did evil before My eyes and chose that in which I did not delight" (v 4).
I remember the first time I read that when we were going through all the turmoil and everything. You're out there and you feel like a person isolated, alone! How can this be? How can all of these things and all the troubles coming down be in the Church of God, contrary to the Truth of God? It got so bad that it was given over to receivership to the State of California.
Verse 5: "Hear the Word of the LORD, you who tremble at His Word, 'Your brethren who hated you, who cast you out for My name's sake, said, "Let the LORD be glorified." But He will appear to your joy, and they will be ashamed.'"
That's going to happen to more, because eternal life is for eternity! There's no way that any physical thing is going to help you become more spiritual. Never happen!
The way that Gerald Flurry does with the prophecies is like having a beautiful salad. You put it in a blender and you put it on chop and you pour it out in a bowl. That's the best way I can explain it! There's nothing solid in any of it, because everything that is good belongs to Philadelphia Church of God, everything that is bad belongs to the Laodiceans! Of course, Flurry is nearly perfect because he has the stone.
We are given these things as a test! They happen! They are tares! How long do they stay there? They're planted in every generation! Here's how you separate it all, Isa. 8. Remember that Flurry said that he heard a loud voice. Is the voice of God going to cause you to commit idolatry with a rock? Never happen!
Isaiah 8:19: "And when they shall say to you, 'Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and to wizards who peep and mutter'… [or voices that say 'there it is'] …but should not a people seek unto their God? Should the dead be sought on behalf of the living?…. [here's the correct way]: …To the Law…" (vs 19-20). What does the Law say?
- Have no other gods! They can be an idea, a person, a rock, a building, a place!
- You shall not make unto yourself a graven image of any likeness of any kind. Well, Flurry could say, 'I'm not carving on it.'
If you just keep it as an idol, it is an idol!
"…and to the Testimony! If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them" (v 20)—unless that light be, as John said, darkness!
This is why we are to study and pray! How are we going to know these things unless we stay alert and always do it.
Jeremiah 23:34: "And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, who shall say, 'The oracle of the LORD'…"—or the prayer stone of Herbert Armstrong; doesn't matter, the words make no difference. If you idolize it, and if you think there are supernatural powers in it, you're committing idolatry! Plain and simple!
"…I will even punish that man and his house. Thus you shall say each one to his neighbor, and each one to his brother, 'What has the LORD answered? And what has the LORD spoken?' And you shall mention the oracle of the LORD no more…. [He's going to cut it all off] …For every man's word becomes his own oracle; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God" (vs 34-36).
Is that not true? If you take Scripture and you do not rightly divide it, and wrongly divide it, and make yourself a chopped up salad, how are you going to understand the Truth? You're going against God!
Verse 37: "Thus you shall say to the prophet, 'What has the LORD answered you? And what has the LORD spoken?' But since you say, 'The oracle of the LORD, therefore, thus says the LORD, "Because you say this word, 'The oracle of the LORD'—after I have sent to you saying, 'You shall not say, "The oracle of the LORD."' Therefore, behold, I, even I, will completely forget you, and I will forsake you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers, and cast you out of My presence. And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten' (vs 37-40). Are not those words true to this very day? Yes, indeed!
Verse 20: "The anger of the LORD shall not return… [the anger of the Lord is still being carried out from HWA on down] …until He has executed and until He has performed the purposes of His heart; in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly. 'I have not sent these prophets, yet, they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet, they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel and had caused My people to hear My words… [rather than bring them idols] …then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God Who is near,' says the LORD, 'and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him?' says the LORD. 'Do I not fill the heavens and earth?' says the LORD" (vs 20-24).
That means filled with all of His creation! Those who believe in allegories will say, 'God is in everything everywhere and is spread out in the whole universe.' It doesn't mean that!
Verse 25: "I have heard what the prophets said, who prophesy lies in My name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.' How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies and who are prophets of the deceit of their own heart?" (vs 25-26). Does that not fit with what we're talking about today? Yes, indeed!
Verse 27: "'They scheme to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell, each one to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal. The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream. And he who has My Word, let him speak My Word faithfully…. [that's what it is] …What is the chaff to the wheat?' says the LORD" (vs 27-28).
We are the wheat! Didn't we read that the wheat is gathered into the granary? What is the chaff? The tares!
Verse 29: "'Is not My Word like a fire?' says the LORD, 'and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets who steal My words each one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets who use their tongues and say, "He says," when I did not say. Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams and tell them, and cause My people to go astray by their lies and by their wantonness. Yet, I did not send them nor command them; therefore, they shall not profit this people at all,' says the LORD" (vs 29-32).
Those are the words of God! That's what He thinks of things like this!
Now, remember there's a first fulfillment and a last fulfillment. He says that this is the last time. That is the last part of the apostolic era. When that came to an end, then the second fulfillment is at the end-time. So, this writing becomes specific to the time, and prophetic for the future.
1-John 2:18: "Little children, it is the last time; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming… [before he died] …even now many antichrists have risen up…" We're going to see them, and we'll cover some of the things of the early church fathers.
"…by which we know that it is the last time. They went out from among us…" (vs 18-19). Later there were so many within that those who understood the Truth had to leave!
"…but they were not of us… [because they were tares] …because if they were of us, they would have remained with us; nevertheless, they left that they might be exposed to show that they all were not of us. But you have the anointing… [the Holy Spirit] …from the Holy One, and you have knowledge of all things pertaining to salvation. I did not write to you because you do not know the Truth… [I'm not bringing this sermon because you don't know the Truth] …but because you know it, and you understand that not one lie comes from the Truth" (vs 19-21).
Here's a caveat with that: If you speak the Truth partially, you can create a lie! You have to have the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth! In court they say this and all proceed to lie from the judge right on down in many cases!
Verse 22: "Who is the liar if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?…." If you worship a rock are you not denying Christ?
"…He is the antichrist—the one who denies the Father and the Son…. [both] …Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. Therefore, let what you have heard from the beginning dwell in you; if what you have heard from the beginning is dwelling in you, then you will be dwelling in the Son and in the Father" (vs 22-24).
{note John 14:23 that They will make Their dwelling—Christ and the Father—within us!}
Verse 25: "And this is the promise that He has promised us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are leading you astray" (vs 25-26).
That's why I'm bringing this sermon; there are people who are being led astray. Look, Herbert Armstrong did a lot of good things. He did a lot of things that weren't good. I'm sure that he repented, but we can't put him as the model for which we do everything. The model for which we do everything comes from God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Word of God, all of it!
- not part of it
- not some of it
- but all of it put together
Verse 27: "But you yourselves have dwelling in you the anointing that you received from Him; and you do not have need of anyone to indoctrinate you; for the same anointing instructs you in all spiritual things, and is true… [this is exactly what we're doing] …and is not a lie; and if you do exactly as it has taught you, you will be dwelling in Him. And now, little children, dwell in Him, so that when He is manifested we may have boldness, and not be put to shame before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been begotten by Him" (vs 27-29).
This is what we're to do when we're confronted with something like this, and this is a massive terrible thing going on!
Pray for the brethren! I don't know if Gerald Flurry can repent or not, who knows? They are modeling after the invisible idol, which is Herbert Armstrong, and adding this to it! They're building their own righteousness in their own way.
Listen, it's all we can do to overcome human nature ourselves. Why do we need all this nonsense and satanism coming into the Church!
This is the greatest apostasy of our day today!
Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version
Scriptural References:
- John 4:20-24
- Matthew 13:24-30
- Isaiah 66:1-5
- Isaiah 8:19-20
- Jeremiah 23:34-40, 20-32
- 1 John 2:18-29
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Revelation 1; 3-5
- John 14:23
Also referenced: Book: The New Throne of David by Gerald Flurry
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 1/4/18
Copyright 2018—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.
