AMERICA'S
GREATEST PROPHET
THE ENDTIME ELIJAH
Herbert W Armstrong
America’s Most Important Prophet
is also The Most Important Prophet of God
since Bible Times!
by Geoffrey R. Neilson
(Ambassador College alumnus, Bricket Wood, Herts, UK 1964-7)
Known to millions worldwide--hardly anyone has recognized
the real identity of the prophet whom God promised to send in our day.
No prophet of God has more clearly prophesied Britain and America's current decline, and future defeat in World War 3--unless they forsake their idols, and truly worship the Almighty.
For over 50 years this prophet edited the eventually over 8,500,000 circulation "The Plain Truth" magazine, and presented "The World Tomorrow" broadcast, publicly restoring more Bible truth than anyone since the Bible prophets, on over 600 radio and TV stations, and in hundreds of congregations worldwide.
Like all true Bible prophets, beyond The Great Tribulation, he foresaw the future literal Restoration of the Kingdom of God on Earth, to be governed by the soon-coming Messiah.
This book contains conclusive proof that Herbert W Armstrong--a descendant of King David of Israel--is The Endtime Elijah. And shows why nobody else can be.
It shows where we are in Bible prophecy now.
And reveals your only way of escape from the coming greatest Holocaust ever of World War 3.
Introduction
God's Promise To Send Elijah the Prophet
Background
The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy
Seven Proofs Herbert W Armstrong is The Endtime Elijah:
Proof #1: HWA Confirmed he is The Endtime Elijah
Proof #2: HWA Operated at the Time of The Endtime Elijah
Proof #3: HWA Ministered to the Constituency of The Endtime Elijah
Proof #4: HWA Turned the Heart of the Fathers to the Children,and Vice-Versa, as Prophesied
Proof #5: HWA Promoted the Law of Moses, as The Endtime Elijah Must
Proof #6: HWA Was a Prophet, as The Endtime Elijah was Predicted to be
Proof #7: HWA Restored All Things as The Endtime Elijah has to
Analysis
Can One of The Two Witnesses be Elijah?
The Good News
The Wonderful World Tomorrow--Heaven on Earth!
(Please note the extra chapters in the 270-page printed version of this book are listed at the end of this online version).
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God's Promise To Send Elijah the prophet
For about 2500 years God's clear promise, "I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD," has remained unfulfilled in the closing verses of the Bible's Book of Malachi.
Unless the above promise is fulfilled, no other Bible prophecy can be trusted to be reliable.
At last, verification of this modern prophet's arrival, and proof of his identity, can be corroborated. This has profound implications for everyone. Unless Elijah came, God said he would utterly destroy the Earth!
Orthodox Jews still symbolically reserve a place at the Passover meal each year in expectation of Elijah's arrival. Most of the 2,000,000,000 Christians seem to overlook this crucial prophecy.
Few have been aware of the endtime Elijah's arrival, or even understood that he is the most prominent Jewish prophet of our age. Like John the Baptist who was his forerunner, "Elijah has come, but they did not recognize who he was".
A skilled editor/publisher/broadcaster/educator the final Elijah acknowledged genealogical proof that his mother was descended from King David, making him a prophet with Jewish Royal blood. He both taught and observed the Law of God with rare insight, and clearly recognized that the genuine Messiah is the real Jesus of Scripture, now glorified in Heaven, who is coming soon to rule the world with a rod of iron. He exposed the imitation gentle 'Jesus' promoted at Xmas and in Sunday Schools as a myth adopted from pagan Babylonian religion.
No-one in history has more widely promoted the truth than this authentic latter-day Elijah, that the Jews (Judah) are only one of the 12 Tribes of Israel. And, that the Anglo-Saxons of America and Britain are the leading and birthright Tribe (Joseph)--the chief modern descendants of ancient Israel.
No-one has warned the modern descendants of the "Lost Tribes of Israel", in plainer language; more boldly; for a longer period; and on a wider scale: Unless the USA and UK return to genuine Bible-based worship of the true God, they will be taken into national captivity by today's generation of their ancient enemy--who now dominates the rising European beast power already threatening British and American sovereignty.
No-one has more vigorously warned of the many troubles America and Britain are now facing--which are leading to the unprecedented Holocaust which Daniel the prophet foretold will eclipse World War 2 (Daniel 11:40-45; 12:1). The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Jesus of Nazareth, also predicted this unprecedented time of world trouble, called The Great Tribulation.
Understanding the prophetic identity of the endtime Elijah is also the key to understanding where we are now in Bible prophecy.
The information on this site should be of particular interest to the 100,000,000 or more people who--without realizing who he really was--read Elijah's bold prophecies or heard the prophet's striking voice, during the five decades he edited "The Plain Truth" magazine, and made the daily "The World Tomorrow" radio and TV broadcasts.
This author’s book comprehensively shows God has fulfilled his promise, and identifies the only person who can possibly be the genuine modern prophet Elijah.
Professing Christians and Jews, at least, ought to recognize that the massive knowledge explosion and phenomenon of extensive worldwide travel--of the last about 70 years--are the very characteristics Daniel the famous Bible prophet predicted would dominate the endtime.
The endtime Elijah's Restoration or revival in a worldwide church, is a prototype of, and will be followed by, the Messiah's Restitution of the literal Government of God on Earth.
Not only is the endtime Elijah a descendant of the Royal House of King David, he was the most prominent Jewish prophet of the 20th Century. He visited the modern State of Israel over 40 times, officially met with a succession of her Prime Ministers starting with Golda Meir, Jerusalem's famous Mayor Teddy Kollek, and other leaders of the Jewish state.
This Elijah principally preached to Britons and Americans, who more than any nations have promoted the Bible. These Anglo-Saxons (and also Celts) are not only the spiritual descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel, but their literal descendants.
Call it one of the greatest solved mysteries of the last 2500 years. Call it the ultimate positive identification of a missing person. In reality this book is a confirmation that God has faithfully kept his promise to Israel, to send the endtime Elijah. It shows God has fulfilled his promise; and demonstrates why only the person identified can possibly be the genuine modern prophet Elijah.
The Plain Truth is that Elijah has come already!
In the Hebrew Bible, after the major prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, come the 12 minor (or shorter) prophetic books, of which Malachi is the last. Malachi is also positioned as the last book before the New Testament in the Christian Bible.The last section of Malachi contains God's promise to send the endtime Elijah.
It's as if the last prophetic thing God wants to remind the reader, is that he is going to send Elijah before he sends the Messiah:
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD..."
While religious Jews may still observe their Passover ritual of waiting for Elijah, few Christians are looking for this prophet.
This ought not to be the case, since God is faithful. His Word is certain. The Messiah cannot appear before Elijah does.
The search for Elijah should be more intense than America's search for the much-wanted Osama bin Laden, accused of masterminding the September 11, 2001 attack on New York City's World Trade Center.
Sadly, faith in God's promises has eroded immensely with the explosion of secular knowledge. Few in today's world know of God's promise to send Elijah. Very few have tried to identify him.
The original prophet Elijah was a prototype of the endtime Elijah, in that he restored knowledge of the true God in ancient Israel. He burst onto the scene seemingly from nowhere (in 1 Kings 17).
In the next chapter, the Bible describes how God used him to destroy the prophets of Baal, who had seduced Israel with their counterfeit religion, and pagan 'Lord', which amounted to worshipping Satan.
On January 7, 1934--seemingly from nowhere--at age 42, but with a wealth of experience in business, advertizing, and life, plus eight years of serious independent Bible Study behind him, Herbert W Armstrong burst on the American scene with what became The World Tomorrow radio broadcast, (and The PLAIN TRUTH magazine, less than a month later).
For decades these 30-minute ad-libbed programs of Mr Armstrong (and later his youngest son, Garner Ted Armstrong), consumed more radio time than any other in history, eventually on over 600 stations simultaneously.
Herbert W Armstrong's message was right out of the pages of the Bible, but as up-to-date as the latest news bulletin:
GOD IS SOON GOING TO ESTABLISH
HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH, WITH
HEADQUARTERS AT JERUSALEM, UNDER
THE RULERSHIP OF THE MESSIAH.
It was the same message the Apostle Peter referred to--"the times of restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21).
That statement should galvanize the alert reader to the realization that here indeed was a genuine prophet of God.
Before the Messiah and God's Kingdom arrive, however, the world has some very serious lessons to learn. They involve the same lesson the original Elijah taught the prophets of Baal: Recognize and worship the genuine God, or face obliteration. See 1 Kings 18.
In his day, John the Baptist was asked whether he was the expected Elijah. John admitted he wasn't (John 1:19-21). However, the Bible notes that John was a prototype of the endtime Elijah, and a type of the original Elijah. He came in their spirit, (Luke 1:17). John paved the way for the Messiah's first, human appearance, whereas the latter-day Elijah prepares the way for the Messiah's glorious Second Coming.
Jesus, the Christ--or Anointed One--the Messiah, also said, "...This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent" (John 6:29).
While he was referring to the fact that God sent him, in principle this statement is true of anyone God sends. It most definitely applies in principle to the endtime Elijah whom God promised he would send.
Therefore, to deny that Elijah is Elijah, is to fail to do the Work of God. It also denies God fulfilled his promise to send that prophet to do the Almighty's Work.
Interestingly, one of the key phrases Herbert W Armstrong used was "do the Work of God". He applied this to what he was doing as the endtime Apostle, in preaching the same Gospel of the Kingdom of God which Christ proclaimed and commanded be preached to all nations, with the support of his disciples. (See Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20).
"Apostle" means "one sent forth" by God.
The Bible predicts no more than three major endtime genuine prophets of God will arise. These are Elijah the prophet, and the Two Witnesses described in Revelation 11 and Zechariah 4. By definition they are the last Apostles whom God will send before the arrival of the Messiah.
An idea that goes back to first century Jerusalem is that one of the Two Witnesses will be Elijah. It's an idea which some believe even today, and can only be true if a remarkable miracle occurs, which will be discussed later.
The mission of the endtime Elijah is one of Restoration.
Restoration of the comprehensive teachings of the Spiritual Temple, or Church of God, and Restoration of the Government of God on Earth in the Church. This foreshadows what Christ will later accomplish in greater Israel and in all the world.
Restoration of any building is by its nature a lengthy process. Christ's Restoration will be accomplished over a thousand years. By contrast, the mission of the Two Witnesses is short--1260 days--and involves destruction, a rapid process.
From the time Herbert W Armstrong was first called and started a proper restoration of how to observe the genuine seventh-day weekly Sabbath, in its spiritual intent, in 1926--until the completion of his Restoration in 1986--was about 60 years. That is a much more realistic length of time than 1260 days, for Elijah to accomplish his major Restoration of "all things", (as Jesus described the endtime Elijah's mission in Revelation 17:11).
Shortly before the Messiah's arrival, the whole world (except a minority of God-fearing folk) will celebrate the death of the Two Witnesses "...because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth" (Revelation 11:10).
Their 1260 days will not be a time of restoration.
The Two Witnesses will be clothed in sackcloth, a symbol of mourning. Elijah comes bringing reconciliation between elders and their offspring--a time of rejoicing.
The Two Witnesses will kill anyone who tries to harm them, with miraculous fire from their mouths. They will stop rain, cause drought and probably famine. They'll have the power to turn bodies of water, rivers, lakes, dams, reservoirs, seas and bays, into blood that destroys drinking water, fish life, and has other negative consequences. The Two Witnesses will have the power to bring about worldwide plagues of greater impact than Moses brought on Egypt. (See all of Revelation 11).
These are all acts of destruction, not restoration.
The mission of the Two Witnesses is to be witnesses of God.
God calls them "my two witnesses" partly because he owns them and sends them; partly because they testify of him and his Work.
That Work includes what God did through Elijah's Restoration.
The Two Witnesses must witness that God faithfully sent the endtime Elijah as he promised to. They will probably be able to do this because they are very familiar with the Work of God, and longstanding faithful participants in it.
God says "...my two witnesses...are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth" (Revelation 11:3-4). Seven churches are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. "...the seven candlesticks [actually lampstands]...are the seven churches"--or seven successive eras of the true Church (Revelation 1:20).
In other words, the Two Witnesses are supported by members of the two last eras of the Church: Philadelphia and Laodicea.
One Witness will be of Philadelphia, the other of Laodicea.
This is implied in Zechariah 4:3. "And two olive trees by it, one upon the right [side] of the bowl, and the other upon the left [side] thereof. In Bible terminology, the one on the right suggests a wholehearted supporter, the one on the left implies a less committed or non-supporter. (See Matthew 6:23; Matthew 25:33;41; Ecclesiastes 10:2).
In Daniel 12, the prophet encounters two individuals. The one above the river and clothed in linen (a symbol of righteousness), knows where he is in the final 1260 days of endtime prophecy leading to the Messiah's arrival.
The one below the river is silent, suggesting he acknowledges the authority of the first Witness, and submits to what he says. This is precisely the condition repentant, formerly lukewarm Laodiceans, will have to come to, if they are to be accepted by God. A description of their previously unacceptable attitude is given in Revelation 3:14-22.
In principle, this analysis supports Mr Armstrong's view of the two divisions in the Church he raised.
Witnesses testify about things they have firsthand knowledge of in court cases. God has a case against Israel and the nations.
The Two Witnesses must testify that God sent Elijah to Israel before Satan's Great Tribulation--and that because they didn't heed his over 50-year warning--they will be punished in that time of unprecedented trouble.
The Two Witnesses must warn the other nations (the Gentiles) who will be used to bring The Tribulation on Israel, that unless they repent, they will suffer worse punishment, directly from God, during the subsequent dreadful Day of the LORD. (See Joel 2 and 3).
The Two Witnesses must proclaim the imminent visible arrival of the only true Messiah, the glorified Jesus Christ, to set up the Kingdom of God, based in Jerusalem, and soon to rule the whole world.
The Two Witnesses will oppose two leaders supernaturally empowered by Satan to counterfeit that worldrule. The political dictator--to whom 10 rulers of nations will give their power--and his miracle-working religious pontiff--are described in Revelation 13 as two beasts or wild animals.
During the Tribulation, the Bible reveals the House of Israel--especially its leading Tribes (which the article identifying the Tribes of Israel shows, today are England and America) will be defeated and in national captivity. The Jews will be besieged in their homeland, with half the city of Jerusalem occupied by Gentiles (Zechariah 14:2).
The Gentiles, or nations other than Israel, will gather at Armageddon to fight against Christ at his Second Coming (Revelation 16:12-16). They'll lose. Their leaders, the first Beast and his False Prophet (the second Beast), will be executed by Christ at his Second Coming (Revelation 19:20).
The 1260-day prophetic ministry of the Two (God-empowered) Witnesses coincides with the length of the Tribulation, when Israel is in captivity.
There's no way the Two Witnesses could restore all things to Israel during this time of upheaval, once one understands the real identity of Israel.
Israel's slavemasters then will not allow them to keep the weekly and annual Sabbaths--including the 8-day Feast of Tabernacles commanded in Scripture--or the dietary laws of Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
Besides, the whole Hebrew Calendar revolves around a cycle of 7 periods of 7 years, plus the 50th Jubilee Year. This includes 7 sabbatical years in which farm land is laid to rest.
The 1260 days of the Two Witnesses would not even allow for the restoration of one Land Sabbath. Yet failure to observe the Land Sabbaths was part of the reason Israel was originally evicted for disobedience from the Promised Land--and must be a factor in Israel's endtime eviction (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 26:33-35).
By contrast, Herbert W Armstrong; the endtime Elijah's Restoration, from 1926 until he died in 1986, was about 60 years long. That is longer than a Jubilee cycle. Therefore, he could restore all things.
The first thing he restored was a proper understanding of how to observe the weekly Sabbath, with the spiritual intent that God intended--without the burdensome pharasaical prohibitions which stem from human tradition and not Scripture.
During his long ministry, Mr Armstrong also instituted experimental farm projects in the Green Belt of Hertfordshire, near London, England and in Big Sandy, Texas, in the USA. There his staff ran farms which implemented the Land Sabbath and other Bible principles of farming, and taught interested farmers around the world the same knowledge.
The Two Witnesses will neither have the time, nor the opportunity, to restore such values to Israel.
The endtime Elijah is a unique prophet, who is associated in Scripture with the equally special servant of God, Moses.
Few men have had as long and full a life, or ministry, as Herbert W Armstrong, which would allow them to do the Work of the endtime Elijah. Few have had his tireless energy, combined with extraordinary talents of extemporaneous professional speaking ability; concise, clear writing style; advertizing and other media skills; matched with an unparalleled understanding of Bible prophecy and doctrine.
Besides this he had excellent business acumen; educational leadership; a keen appreciation of and fostering of the arts; the know-how to restore fine old buildings and build magnificent new ones with gardens, that gained awards and international recognition.
Few could also have had his royal lineage through King David of Israel, and have personally known as many famous people and heads of state, royal personages, world class entertainers, media, business, and ordinary people. Few could have had and done all this and also have raised and headed a groundbreaking, worldwide church, with a worldclass major circulation magazine, and delivered daily global radio and television broadcasts.
The point is, not many men have the credentials to be the endtime Elijah, although a number have claimed this title. Only one person can legitimately be that prophet. These proofs show that person can only be Herbert W Armstrong.
In order to properly understand who the endtime Elijah is, and grasp the significance of his mission, one first needs to know the identity of the modern descendants of Israel.
Because many Jews still observe, or are perceived to observe, the seventh-day of the week, true Sabbath, they are thought to comprise all of Israel--since God gave that nation the Sabbath as an identifying sign of who his people are.
The Jews, however, are only a small minority of the whole of Israel. Bible prophecy cannot be understood if one assumes it revolves mainly around the Jews.
One of the first things Herbert W Armstrong did in his early years--even before he was ordained--was to identify the leading Tribes of Israel, whom he subsequently preached to more than anyone else. He didn't invent or originate this knowledge, he restored it in a clear and comprehensive fashion, so that it was understood by countless millions of people around the world.
RESTORATION WAS ELIJAH'S PRIMARY JOB, NOT ORIGINATION.
Anyone who does not restore the knowledge about Israel's identity, and preach it to the Lost Tribes of Israel, cannot be Elijah. Anyone who does it in the endtime after Herbert W Armstrong, is too late to be Elijah.
The true Church was started in Jerusalem 31AD, 1900 years before Mr Armstrong was ordained as a minister. In 70AD, the second Temple of God was destroyed in Jerusalem by the Romans. They killed about one million Jews at the same time.
The majority of members in the Jerusalem Church were Jews.
The whole nation was in turmoil. The later epistles of the Apostles reveal that there was also turmoil in the Church, which became infiltrated by heretics, who were evicting genuine members.
There was a great Falling Away from Truth then, just as there was predicted to be in this endtime we live in.
"...the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ...[shall not come],except there come a falling away first...because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie..." (See 2 Thessalonians 2).
Herbert W Armstrong's often made bold statement that he had restored the Gospel (or Good News) of the soon-coming Kingdom of God--1900 years after Christ and the Apostles had--took into account that there had been a Falling Away from truth by the end of the First Century. It was also a subtle way of announcing that he was the endtime Elijah. No-one had comprehensively restored all things in the interim.
Mr Armstrong also clearly announced he was the endtime Elijah in his final book, "Mystery of the Ages", published when he was 93 years old and of clear mind, a few months before his death.
Herbert W Armstrong knew he was the endtime Elijah. He publicly, but humbly, proclaimed his identity. It may have been too subtle for even many of his followers to grasp, but the fact is he not only knew his role, he fulfilled it magnificently!
The following chapter summarizes some key points of Mr Armstrong's teaching about the identity of Israel today, which is essential for understanding Bible prophecy and Elijah's identity.
Remember that the promise by God to send Elijah, is contained in the Book of Malachi, which was addressed to the 12 Tribes of Israel--and not just to the Jewish Tribe.
As the next section clearly shows, the Hebrew Scriptures themselves show that the main--and indeed the majority--of the Tribes of Israel, are not Jewish!
America and Britain in Bible prophecy
This section proves they are the descendants of the chief of Israel’s ‘lost’ Tribes.
To understand this information, assume for a moment as it does (if you don’t believe it), that the Bible in its original form is the inspired infallible Word f God.
The world’s best-selling book, which paradoxically relatively few people have read from cover to cover--let alone understood much of --refers to events from prior to the Creation of the Universe until the time of a New Heaven and New Earth. About a third of its pages document and prophesy from God’s perspective, the rise and fall of many nations during man’s sojourn on this planet. Roughly 90% of those prophecies relate to events in our time or the near future. These events are to take place in what the Bible calls “the endtime”.
The Bible’s own definition of the endtime is that it is when massive increases in knowledge and global travel occur, which in hindsight we know first escalated in unprecedented proportions in the 20th Century and continue. In other words, by its own definition we are well into the Bible’s “latter days”.
Bible prophecy itself predicts that it won't be fully understood until the endtime--the era leading to, and just before, the Messiah's visible intervention in world affairs.
Even then, such understanding is only obtainable through Divine revelation, to those responsive to God's call, as Daniel reported in his 12th chapter, verses 8 to 10:
"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what [shall be] the end of these [things]? And he said, Go your way, Daniel: for the words [are]closed upand sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."
The wealthiest and most powerful nations ever in history have been America and the British Empire. Therefore, Bible prophecy could not overlook the USA and Britain and be credible. It doesn’t. And the time is coming when every American and Briton will understand where their nations are mentioned in the Bible!
A SHORT HISTORY OF ISRAEL
From the start of the 1800's, Britain and America suddenly acquired more than two thirds of the natural and cultivated wealth of the world. This is unique. No such thing had ever happened in human history. Britain has since lost her Empire, which was at its height at the end of the 19th Century, under Queen Victoria.
While the United States of America remains the world's only superpower, worrying signs indicate her fall will be even more sudden and ignominious than Britain's.
The reason for Britain and America's ascent to greatness--and then swift fall--was predicted in the Bible, God's inspired Word, thousands of years ago.
The nations of the world began when God literally created Adam and Eve, regardless of the myths of evolution that claim otherwise.
The disgraced angel who seduced our human parents, renamed Satan, caused them to rebel against their Maker. Satan has deceived the brightest minds even, into believing they have no Creator. They seem to have faith they evolved in a lengthy series of random, but fortuitous, collusions of physical matter. The laws of physics themselves, bear the hallmark--as does the whole Creation--of being intelligently designed. God's view is that he has given enough evidence of his existence, so that agnostics, unbelievers, and worshippers of false gods, have no excuse for their ignorance.
"For the invisible things of [God] from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things" (Romans 1:20-23).
"Which of you by taking thought can add one foot to his stature?", Jesus asked. How much less can a chemical soup, an amoeba, or an ape make itself evolve into a more complex creature? By what process of blind evolution did the non-intelligent substances--the air we breathe, water in its diverse forms, sunlight, and natural foods--become so exactly suited to the needs of man and living creatures?
Come Judgment Day, many seemingly wise people are going to realize how foolish the idea of evolution has been.
1656 years after Adam and Eve's creation about 6000 years ago, (the Bible informs us), the world had become so anti-God that the Creator destroyed everyone on Earth except for Noah and seven members of his family.
After the Flood, which is referred to in the ancient traditions of various nations--not just by the Bible--Nimrod, a great grandson of Noah, organized another rebellion against God that was equally satanic. Nimrod is credited with building the Tower of Babel, mentioned in Genesis 11:1-9, which partly states:
"And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do...So the LORD scattered them abroad from there upon the face of all the earth..."
Mankind is again at a point where anything imagined can be done--and evil again abounds. Jesus predicted the endtime would be as bad as the days which led God to Flood the Earth in Noah's time (Matthew 24:37-38).
In Nimrod's day, God reacted by changing the language of the various families, scattering them around the world. Today, grown into tribes and nations, though largely dispersed and divided--many have broken through the language barrier. Many more still cling to their Babylonian religion in a variety of culturally different forms.
The senior patriarch of Israel, Abraham, was descended from Noah, through one of his sons, Shem. God noted that Abram, as he was originally called, was not in rebellion against him, but respected his status, power, and Divine Laws.
"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house, unto a land that I will shew you: And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:1-3).
This is a dimension that is missing in the understanding of most historians about the nations of mankind.
The Creator told Abram to leave the bright lights of the Babylonian city of Ur, and led him to the land of Canaan, which we know today as the Promised Land or the Holy Land.
"So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken...and [was] seventy and five years old when he departed...Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten...and they went into the land of Canaan..." (Genesis 12:4-5).
"And the LORD said unto Abram...Lift up...your eyes, and look...northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, TO YOU WILL I GIVE...AND TO YOUR SEED FOR EVER".
So this was a perpetual Covenant deeded by God to Abram and his descendants. It included the area of Jerusalem. The claims of the Palestinians to Jerusalem or any territory in the Holy Land are contrary to God's own word, and therefore completely illegitimate.
"And I will make your seed [or descendants] as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, [then] shall your seed also be numbered".
That cannot just refer to the relatively small Jewish population. It must include other descendants of Abram.
"Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I [God] will give it unto you. Then Abram removed [his] tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which [is] in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD". (See Genesis 13:14-18).
Hebron is where the patriarchs of Israel were buried, and remains an important location in the territory the Jewish State inhabits today, richly symbolic of the Tribes of Israel's beginnings.
Later, "...the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates", which borders modern-day Iraq (Genesis 15:18).
THE PROMISE TO ABRAM, WAS TWO-FOLD: FIRST OF NATIONAL AND WORLDWIDE GREATNESS; AND SECONDLY OF SPIRITUAL GRACE AND FAVOR--THE MESSIAH, AND SALVATION, WOULD COME THROUGH ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS.
"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared...and said unto him...your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you...This [is] my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be circumcised". (See all of Genesis 17 and Genesis 28:14. Circumcision was a symbol of the Holy Spirit converting a human mind upon repentance, from hostility, to compliance with God's Laws. See Romans 2:25-29).
Today Jews and various Arab nations still acknowledge Abraham was their forefather, while others have lost sight of this fact.
The Jews have never been many nations. They alone cannot fulfill this prophecy. Nor can the Jews and Arabs alone fulfill this prophecy.
Abraham thought the birthright would go to his firstborn son Ishmael, (who became the ancestor of the Arabs, who still think they are entitled to the privileges of the firstborn, which continues to account for their political views). But Ishmael was not the son, whom God had promised would be born to Sarah.
"...Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before you! AND GOD SAID, SARAH YOUR WIFE SHALL BEAR YOU A SON INDEED; AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME ISAAC: AND I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT WITH HIM FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT, [AND] WITH HIS SEED AFTER HIM. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto you at this set time in the next year" (Genesis 17:18-21).
The promises to Abraham were to be given through his son Isaac and his descendants. They were to own the strategic gates of their enemies (Genesis 22:17). Isaac's son was Jacob, whose name was changed by God to I s r a e l. He had 12 sons, who became the famous 12 Tribes of Israel.
"And God said unto...[Israel], I [am] God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; A NATION and A COMPANY OF NATIONS shall be of you, and kings shall come out of your loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you will I give the land" (Genesis 35:11-12).
The promise made to Abraham, was to pass on to his son Isaac; then to his son Israel; and then to Israel's firstborn son.
This extended promise involved One Great Nation, and A Commonwealth of Nations--something never fulfilled by the Jewish Tribe.
THE BIRTHRIGHT PROMISES of land and inheritance of wealth, were to be passed on from father to son.
THE SCEPTRE PROMISE was that of royal office, which would culminate in the Messiah, who would bring grace and spiritual salvation to all nations--when they are eventually brought back into the fold of God (Zechariah 14:16). "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of
Sheth" (Numbers 24:17). This was a prophecy of the coming Messiah.
The birthright, or right of the firstborn--involving great material blessings--was never made to the Tribe of Judah, the Jews, who were not the firstborn of Israel's 12 sons. The firstborn of Israel's 12 sons was Reuben. However, because his flagrant sin shamed his father, Reuben's inheritance
was given to Joseph instead, who was the firstborn of Israel's favorite wife, Rachel.
THE TWO PROMISES MADE TO ABRAHAM OF RACE, AND GRACE, WERE TO BE INHERITED SEPARATELY. "THE SCEPTRE SHALL NOT DEPART FROM JUDAH" (GENESIS 49:10)--"BUT THE BIRTHRIGHT WAS
JOSEPH'S" (1 Chronicles 5:1-2).
King David was of the Tribe of Judah, and of the Royal line. So was Jesus of Nazareth, who said "Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22).
God intended the birthright to pass to Abraham's firstborn son Isaac, conceived by his wife Sarah, and it did. "And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac" (Genesis 25:5).
Not to Ishmael, the forefather of the Arabs.
Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau, the firstborn, sold his birthright to Jacob, who was later renamed "Israel" (Genesis 25:29-34).
Israel, told Joseph who was to receive the blessing of the firstborn, "your two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto you in the land of Egypt before I came unto you into Egypt, [are] mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine" (Genesis 48:5).
In other words, just before his death, Israel made his grandson's Ephraim and Mannaseh equal to his own 12 sons. More than that, since the firstborn's inheritance passed from Israel to their father Joseph, it would next pass to Ephraim and Manasseh and their descendants--down to this day!
"And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought [them] near unto him. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands [knowingly]; for Manasseh [was] the firstborn. And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day...bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth"
So two distinct peoples--yet brothers--who are not Jews, not of the Tribe of Judah, were to carry the names "Israel", (and "Abraham" and "Isaac") and grow into a huge population at the centre of world affairs.
WHERE ARE EPHRAIM AND MANASSEH TODAY?
"And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put your right hand upon his head. And his father refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]: he also shall
become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In you shall Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh" (Genesis 48:13-20).
Ephraim was to be the greater by becoming a company or commonwealth of nations; Manasseh was to become the greatest single nation.
Of all nations in history, only the British Empire (and its Commonwealth) and the United States of America, have been capable of fulfilling this prophecy.
And fulfill it they do.
"The British Empire: 500 years that shaped the world (1497-1997)"published in 1997 by "The Daily Telegraph", contains a short history of the following BRITISH IMPERIAL TERRITORIES, consisting of 375,000,000 people who came under the sway of British rule, at a time when Earth's population was considerably smaller than it is now. This figure does not include the number of people
in the United Kingdom itself, and indicates British territories at different stages in those 500 years.
Even America never ruled over as many territories and over as many people, as did the British Empire--the greatest empire in world history--and the subsequent British Commonwealth:
Aden, Anguilla, Antigua, Ascension, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Bermuda, Bhutan, British Antarctic Territory, British Columbia, British Guiana, British Honduras, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Kaffraria, British New Guinea, British Somaliland, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burma, Canada, Canada East, Canada West, Cape Breton Island, Cape Colony (Cape of Good Hope), Cayman Islands, Ceylon, Connecticut, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Delaware, Dependency of South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Dominica, Egypt, Eire, Ellice Islands, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Florida, Gambia, Georgia, Gibraltar, Gilbert Islands, Gold Coast, Grenada, Heligoland, Hong Kong, India, Ionian Islands, Iraq, Kuwait, Labuan, Malacca, Malaya, Maldive Islands, Malta, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mauritius, Minorca, Montserrat, Mosquito Coast, Natal Territory, Nepal, Nevis, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, New Hampshire, New Hebrides, New Jersey, New York, New South Wales, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Borneo Territory, North Carolina, Northern Rhodesia Territory, Nova Scotia, Nyasaland, Orange Free State, Palestine, Penang, Pennsylvania, Pitcairn Islands, Prince Edward Island, Qatar, Queensland, Rhode Island, Rhodesia, Rupert's Land and North West Territory, Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts), Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Sarawak, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sikkim, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Australia, South Carolina, South West Africa, Straits Settlements, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Tanganyika, Tasmania, Tobago, Transjordan, Transvaal (South African Republic), Trinidad, Tristan da Cunha, Trucial Straits, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Virginia, Victoria, Weihaiwei, Western Australia, Zanzibar.
Britain lost her last major colony, Hong Kong, at midnight on June 30, 1997--witnessed by Prince Charles. The loss of Gibraltar may be the most symbolic when it comes.
Notice that when Israel placed his hands on the heads of his grandsons to bless them, he did so by crossing his arms. A main feature of the British flag used from January 1, 1801 (when they started to inherit the promises God made)--the Union Jack--is a cross made of two diagonals, which could symbolize Israel's crossed arms.
The very first time the word Jews is mentioned in the Bible, they are at war with Israel (and Syria):
"Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome [him]. At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day" (2 Kings 16:5-6).
AFTER KING DAVID'S SON SOLOMON DIED, THE LATTER'S SERVANT JEROBOAM, THE EPHRAIMITE, SPLIT THE 10 NORTHERN TRIBES OF ISRAEL OFF FROM JERUSALEM'S RULE, AND ESTABLISHED HIS CAPITAL AT SAMARIA. THIS BECAME KNOWN AS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. THE TWO REMAINING SOUTHERN TRIBES, WITH JERUSALEM AS THEIR CAPITAL, JUDAH (THE JEWS) AND BENJAMIN, WERE CALLED THE HOUSE OF JUDAH.
"So Israel rebelled against the [Jewish] house of David unto this day" (1 Kings 12:19). All Jews are Israelites, but most Israelites are not Jews. In a similar way all Californians are Americans, but most Americans are not Californians.
The cause of the division in the 12 Tribes of Israel is clearly explained in 1 Kings 11 and 12. Somehow most people have overlooked it in their own Bible. 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, list the separate reigns of the Kings of Judah and the Kings of Israel, over two distinct geographical locations in the Holy Land.
Whenever the Bible uses the term "House of Israel", it never refers to the Jews.
The promises of national greatness, which were to be inherited by Ephraim and Manesseh--otherwise called the Tribe of Joseph--the leading Tribe of the House of Israel, were suspended because of their sins against God.
In 721-718BC the warlike Assyrians took Israel captive and deported them from their homeland.
"In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor [by] the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes" (2 Kings 17:6).
They never returned, and became known as the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel. They were lost spiritually as much as they were lost in identity and geographically, principally because they never maintained the sign of the seventh-day Sabbath.
"And the king of Assyria brought [men] from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed [them] in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof" (2 Kings 17:24).
In 587BC the Babylonians took the Jews and Benjamites captive. See 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 52. From 70 years later, a smallish percentage of them returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 2 and 8; Nehemiah 7 and 12). Many Jews became dispersed worldwide. As long as the Jews kept the Sabbath their identity was recognized as Israelites--but they were also mistaken for being all of Israel.
Near the end of the Book of Leviticus, which contains many laws relevant to the worship of God, the Creator warned Israel: "But if you will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments...then I will punish you seven times more for your sins" (Leviticus 26:14,18).
In four instances in Leviticus 26 a similar warning is stressed.
The expression "seven times" can refer to either duration or seven fold i n t e n s i t y of punishment. Daniel 4:16 shows the former, when Nebuchadnezzar was punished for seven years. Daniel 3:19 demonstrates the latter, when Nebuchadnezzar made the fire seven times hotter.
As for duration, in the Bible the term " t i m e " can symbolize one 360-day long year in fulfilled prophecy. The duration of the ministry of the Two Witnesses is "a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days" (Revelation 11:3). During the same period "the woman...is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent" (Revelation 12:14). Simultaneously "...the beast...was given...a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months" (Revelation 13:4-5). This is the same time frame as The Great Tribulation when "for a time, times, and an half...he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, [and] all these [things] shall be finished" (Daniel 12:7).
By comparing these various descriptions of the same period of time, it can be deduced that 1260 days; 42 months; a time, times, and half a time; refer to three-and-a-half 360-day years.
In Leviticus 26, however, the time of punishment referred to is not a short one of only 7 years. Another factor must be included, the day-for-a-year principle mentioned in Numbers 14:33-34:
"And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years...After the number of the days in which you searched the land, [even] forty days, each day for a year...[even] forty years..."
The principle is repeated in Ezekiel 4:6, "And when you have accomplished them, lie again on your right side, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed you each day for a year".
In Leviticus 26, "seven times", therefore, represents 7x360 days = 2520 days, which symbolize 2520 years in fulfilled prophecy. 2520 years was thus the length of time which the blessings promised to Abraham, through his great-great-grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh and their Israelitish descendants, would be suspended--if they rebelled against God.
Since the House of Israel, headed by the Tribe of Ephraim (whose capital was at Samaria), was conquered and driven from the Holy Land in 721-718BC, it is implied they would receive the withheld promises starting 2520 years later, or from 1800-1803AD.
Remember, the name I s r a e l was named on the sons of Joseph, who were not Jewish, not of the Tribe of Judah. They were to "grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (Genesis 48:16).
WHOEVER THE LEADING OF THE "LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL" ARE TO DAY--THEY ARE NOT JEWS!
Shocking, but true!
It was precisely at 1800-1803, that Britain and America began to inherit their great wealth and power.
British imperial growth and expansion arose largely from diplomacy and military conquests in the century leading up to and including the 1800's. By January 1, 1801 the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, and Ireland, was declared. By 1804 London was the financial hub of the world. Britain's military dominance was assured by the defeat of Napoleon in 1814. Queen Victoria of Great Britain was made Empress of India January 1, 1877, which ratified the British Empire--the greatest empire in world history.
The height of the British Empire is said to have been between the June 21, 1887 Golden Jubilee and June 22, 1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. As a result of the first two World Wars between 1914 and 1945, though having fought valiantly Britain declined in moral and material wealth. In 1958 the British Commonwealth replaced the British Empire.
From what had once been only 13 American States, the huge Louisiana Purchase of the middle of America from France, allowed the formation of the contiguous United States of America--creating the greatest single nation ever!
Ephraim and Manasseh, or the Tribe of "Joseph [was predicted to be] a fruitful bough, [even] a fruitful bough by a well; [whose] branches run over the wall" (Genesis 49:22).
That the Anglo-Saxons of Britain and America have certainly been. They extended beyond their boundaries, colonizing other nations, literally and culturally. The name Saxons is derived from the term "Isaac's sons". Vowels aren't used in Hebrew spelling. The promises to Abraham, remember, were through Isaac to whom he initially gave all he had.
God promised to bless the Tribe of Joseph materially above all others: "[Even] by the God of your father, who shall help you; and by the Almighty, who shall bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lie under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren" (Genesis 49:25-26).
Joseph was the one to whom God gave dreams when he was a teenager, that he would become the greatest in his family (Genesis 37:1-11). Those prophetic dreams were to be fulfilled first in Joseph becoming second-in-charge to Pharaoh of Egypt, the then greatest nation on Earth, and saving his family of Israelites; and secondly they have been fulfilled in Joseph's descendants in the endtime, Ephraim (England) and Manasseh (the USA), becoming the chief nations in the world. They will be further fulfilled when the Messiah reigns, and uses those Tribes to bring salvation to all mankind, in conjunction with the House of Judah.
Not the Jews, the Church, American Indians, nor any other peoples have received such promises and blessings from Heaven, as have the white, English-speaking, Anglo-Saxon Britons and Americans.
The 10 Tribe House of Israel never was Jewish. It was often spoken of prophetically in the Bible as "Ephraim", after its leading Tribe, who was to receive the birthright, which we call "England" today.
The Book of Hosea is a blistering prophecy against Ephraim (England) in the endtime--now--because of her sins. Read that book of the Bible, substituting the word "Ephraim" for "England", and you'll have a sense of God's view of that nation today.
GOD SAID: "...I AM A FATHER TO ISRAEL, AND EPHRAIM [IS] MY FIRSTBORN" (Jeremiah 31:9). This is a confirmation by God through the prophet Jeremiah that that's how the genealogy and birthright was reckoned.
Solomon's servant Jeroboam, tore the majority of the united kingdom of Israel away from the Tribe of Judah and the ruling Jewish dynasty of David (1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10; 11:1-4). It became the divided kingdom. Interestingly, when Ephraim started to inherit the blessings after 2520 years, she called herself the United Kingdom. Although not re-united with the Tribe of Judah, the line of sovereigns ruling her now are of the House of David, as prophesied. Jeroboam was of the Tribe of Joseph, an Ephramite, not a Jew. In modern terms, Jeroboam was an Englishman.
Jeroboam changed Israel's main annual festival, the 8-day Feast of Tabernacles celebrated in the seventh month, to the eighth month, contrary to the Law of God. There is reason to believe he also illegally changed the Law to observe the seventh-day weekly, Friday-sunset to Saturday-sunset Sabbath, to the 'eighth' day, or Sunday. A day which Britons and Americans have continued to observe although it is at the opposite end of the week from what God commanded, and what many Jews still observe.
Despite the split in the nation of Israel, God had made an everlasting covenant with David (of Judah) that the Sceptre Promise of an unbroken royal lineage culminating in the Messiah would be through his Jewish genealogy (2 Samuel 23:1-5; 7:4-5, 12-16).
Therefore, it should not be a surprise to find a descendant of David on the throne of Israel (not Judah) today!
This was a continuation of the promise to Abraham.
Anyone looking at photos of the young Monarch crowned in Westminster Abbey in 1953, should wonder whether this is not a modern-day Esther whose true genealogy has been hidden.
During the last King of the House of Israel's reign, Hoshea, "the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only" (2 Kings 17:18).
The 10 Tribes conquered by the Assyrians and removed from the land, lost their identity because they abandoned the weekly Sabbath--which God said was a sign of who they were--and because of their idolatry, they were no longer associated with the true God.
God had commanded Israel "You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God. You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I [am] the LORD" (Leviticus 26:1-2).
It was principally for the violation of these two Commandments that the House of Israel went into captivity.
IT IS PRINCIPALLY FOR THE VIOLATION OF THESE SAME TWO COMMANDMENTS THAT THE MODERN-DAY DESCENDANTS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THE ANGLO-SAXON BRITISH AND AMERICANS ARE GOING TO GO INTO CAPTIVITY--UNLESS THERE IS NATIONWIDE REPENTANCE.
At their height, Britain and America shared almost three-quarters of the world's wealth. This simply cannot be said of the Jews or any other nation.
No other people, with a special relationship between them (as brothers have), combined, owned the inventive industrial, manufacturing, and business skills and power of Britain and America; the rich farmlands of the USA, Canada, Australia, and Southern Africa; the mineral and goldfields of South Africa,Australia and Alaska; the great sheep and cattle ranches of Tasmania, New Zealand, and the USA; plus the political stability and miltitary power to protect their assets.
In the late 1970's, American companies abroad produced more than any other country except mainland American companies.
The combined military, mercantile, industrial, political, scientific, technological, educational, judicial, cultural, and moral power of America and Britain in their heyday has been unequalled in human experience. Greater than Babylon, Egypt, Persia, Greece, or Rome, these two brother-nations are unique.
They are the two main Tribes of Israel today. The inheritors of the blessings God made to Abraham for his obedience and faith. "Because...Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws", God confirms (Genesis 26:5). "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he went" (Hebrews 11:8).
Abraham Lincoln acknowledged that Americans found themselves "the legal inheritors" of "the fairest portion of earth, as regards fertility of soil, extent of territory, and salubrity of climate...we toiled not in the acquirement or establishment of them."
In calling for a national fast, and prayers, on March 30, 1863, President Lincoln stated: "...it is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God...and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that these nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord...We have been the recipients of the choicest blessings of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers; wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown; but we have forgotten God! ...we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own."
For that reason, President Lincoln called for nationwide fasting and repentance. The fate of America hung in the balance at that time, but God heard the prayers of Abraham Lincoln and the American people.
Today the threat to America--and Britain--is thousands of times more dangerous, with nuclear, biological, chemical, and other forms of warfare.
[Since September 11, 2001, the whole world is aware that America's fate is now, (again) precariously hanging in the balance].
Winston Churchill told the United States Congress: "...he must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below of which we have the honor to be the faithful servants."
Where are the leaders now, when they are needed most, who have the vision, understanding, and boldness to bring America and Britain to repentance on their knees, in sincere and contrite prayer before God?
The English-speaking world has been given vast unprecedented physical wealth because God promised it to Abraham's descendants (through Isaac, and subsequently Ephraim and Manasseh), because of Abraham's faith, obedience, and worship of God.
After receiving those blessings, the modern descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, based mainly in the UK and USA, have rebelled against God to a greater extent than their ancestors. They are warned by many Bible prophecies that unless they repent, God will destroy their nations and reduce them to slaves.
Even Moses prophesied about this: "For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt [yourselves], and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands" (Deuteronomy 31:29).
The handwriting is on the wall.
The coming trouble is prophesied in the Bible to be unequalled ever! It is not called THE GREAT TRIBULATION for nothing, (Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21-22).
"Alas! for that day [is] great, so that none [is] like it: it [is] even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:7). Jacob is Israel, whose principal Tribe is Joseph, whose descendants Ephraim and Manasseh--the English and Americans of today--will bear the brunt of this unprecedented Tribulation.
God's punishment will be swift, severe, and just.
Repentance means going in the opposite direction from sin. "...sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). The main points of God's Law are listed in the Ten Commandments (recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5).
Britain and America are unlikely to repent as nations. That doesn't stop individuals from getting on the right side of God before the Trouble starts. "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, [three of the most righteous men in the Bible] they should deliver [only] their own souls by their righteousness, says the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 14:14).
Mankind, despite its multitude of religions, is in rebellion against God. The Bible confirms this by showing that when the Messiah appears he will be opposed by the armies of the world which will have gathered at Armageddon, north of Jerusalem:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war...And he has on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:11;16).
"And I saw the Beast [the final World Dictator], and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him [the Messiah] that sat on the horse, and against his army" (Revelation 19:19. See also Revelation 16:12-16; 17:12-14).
There can be no global peace until after this, when God's Supreme Government, which will be headquartered in Jerusalem, rules all nations.
Satan, the enemy of God and humanity, is behind the present world chaos, He is the invisible 'god' swaying minds to rebel against their Creator (Revelation 12:9; 1 Corinthians 4:4).
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (Matthew 24:21-22).
The Book of Ezekiel was directed to the descendants of the House of Israel, over 100 years after they went into captivity anciently. This is a prophecy for their present day ancestors, principally the English and American Anglo-Saxons.
"A third part of you shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about you; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall
know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them" (Ezekiel 5:12-13).
"In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished" (Ezekiel 6:6).
The scale of this prophesied devastation suggests nuclear or worse weapons will be used. The fall of Britain and America will be greater than of any previous civilization.
Robbed of their land, wealth, freedom, and the majority of their population, a very small remnant of Americans and Britons will be so humbled that they will cry out to God for mercy--and receive it.
Only a very few will heed this warning before the time.
The real harvest of the warning message preached vigorously for over 50 years on "The WORLD TOMORROW" radio and TV broadcasts, and in "The PLAIN TRUTH" magazine, will be when America and Britain are conquered.
Millions will then remember where they heard God's call for repentance. They'll realize it was a genuine message from God, delivered by his messenger.
"Then shall they know that I [am] the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed. Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that comes forth from the LORD. And they come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you [as] my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goes after their covetousness. And, lo, you [are] unto them as a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear your words, but they do them not. AND WHEN THIS COMES TO PASS, (LO, IT WILL COME,) THEN SHALL THEY KNOW THAT A PROPHET HAS BEEN AMONG THEM" (Ezekiel 33:29-33).
The only pre-Tribulation prophet of God this could refer to is the endtime Elijah.
God does offer protection to individuals who repent, even if the nation won't. "Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, your habitation; There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come nigh your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:8-11).
Jesus of Nazareth said of the coming Tribulation "For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luke 21:35-36).
Genuine and faithful members of the true Church of God are specifically offered protection:
"Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown" (Revelation 3:10-11).
On the first day of Pentecost which started the New Testament Church of God in Jerusalem, the Apostle Peter made it clear how one becomes a member of that spiritual body of people:
"...let all the house of Israel [which today is led by England and America] know assuredly, that God has made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized [that is, be immersed fully in water, as a sign of the death and burial of the old sinful man] every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [after the laying on of hands on the head of the baptized, by the baptizer]. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:36-39).
Failure to do so is to make the wrong decision.
God isn't bluffing! This is for real! But most will disregard this warning until God removes all distractions to get their attention. When they have no job, money, TV, car, house, entertainment, city, and nation, and are slaves in a foreign country, then some will repent bitterly.
God compelled everyone in Nimrod's day--which wasn't many, since it was not too long after the Flood had killed all but eight people on Earth--to scatter from Babel speaking new languages which divided them.
Their descendants grew into families, tribes, and nations, which today are dispersed worldwide, still clinging to Babylonish religion, in a variety of culturally different forms. They remain essentially the same religion that Nimrod and his consort Semiramis used to seduce people away from God, at the Tower of Babel.
The prophet Isaiah foretold that God would ultimately destroy the daughter, or descendant of, Babylon. Read all of Isaiah 47 to see this.
This "Lady of Kingdom's" fate is described in more detail in Revelation 17,18 and 19. She is a great worldwide religious system, steered by a universal church, which engages in affairs with the kings and rulers of nations. The true Church, by contrast is the Bride-to-be, engaged to, and faithful to Christ the Bridegroom, whom she'll marry at his Second Coming. This union is symbolized by holy matrimony.
The counterfeit church, is a harlot, which rides--or guides--a political beast (or animal), which has already had six resurrections, and will soon have a seventh. This Beast is the so-called 'Holy' Roman Empire. The harlot sits on "seven mountains" indicating her headquarters are in Rome (Revelation 17:9).
In the Divinely inspired Revelation the Apostle John was shown, he was told, "And the woman which you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 17:18).
"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead [was] a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus..." (Revelation 17:4-6).
In the endtime there "...are TEN KINGS, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour [a short time] with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb [the once slain but now glorified Son of God, Jesus the Christ, or Messiah], and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings..." (Revelation 17:12-14).
This is the final resurrection of the unholy Roman Empire. It will be led by a world ruler whom Scripture calls "the Beast" (or "the Wild Animal"). He is accompanied by "the False Prophet", a religious pontiff of Babylonian persuasion, who will perform deceptive 'miracles' that will deceive the world, that the First and Second Beast are representatives of God.
"And I [the Apostle John] beheld another [second] beast...he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon...he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceives them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the [first] beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the [first] beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the [first] beast should be killed. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the [first] beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the [first] beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six [that is, 666]" (Revelation 13:11-18).
The False Prophet will direct the world toward worshipping the Beast--the system and its world-ruler, and by inference, Satan who is behind them. The image of the Beast is the hierarchical system of the Roman Church which was patterned after the Roman Government. [See Chapter 20 in the printed book]. That doesn't rule out the possibility that there may be some endtime literal or symbolic image as well. (See all of Revelation 13). Empowered by Satan, and with the backing and resources of 10 rulers of other nations, this endtime world-ruling Babylon will appear unbeatable in war.
This church-state power is the force which will defeat America and Britain. It will be led by a coalition of the descendants of the Assyrian and Babylonian peoples who anciently defeated the House of Israel and the House of Judah individually. Historically the city of Babylon was destroyed--but not all her inhabitants, whose descendants are with us today.
The ancient Assyrian nation renowned for its skill at war, settled in Germany. "German" means "War men". Twice Germany tried to defeat Britain and America in the 20th Century. In World War 3--The Great Tribulation--they will succeed, and again carry away the House of Israel, as they did to Israel's forefathers. (See Chapter 21).
History will repeat itself because Israel has not heeded the lesson of history. "The LORD shall bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon your father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim [the English] departed from Judah [the Jews]; [even] the king of Assyria"--when the Tribes split (Isaiah 7:17).
This is an endtime prophecy referring to our day!
"..the spoil of Samaria [the capital of the 10 Tribes of Israel--which today is London] shall be taken away before the king of Assyria" (Isaiah 8:4). "...the Lord brings up upon them...the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah [the modern Jewish State]; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach [even] to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of your land..." (Isaiah 8:7-8).
Today, the ancient Babylonians or Chaldeans, are settled mainly in Italy, the center of Roman, actually Babylonish, religion.
It is going to shock the world to discover that Simon the sorcerer (mentioned in Acts 8:9-25)--whom the Apostle (Simon) Peter rebuked strongly--also called himself Peter (or Pater, or Papa), and appropriated the name of Christ, turning genuine Christian grace into license to "do away with" God's Law (Jude 4). There is no evidence whatsoever in the Bible that the genuine Apostle Peter ever went to Rome. (See Chapter 20). His associate the Apostle Paul went there preaching the true Gospel, and Rome executed him.
This counterfeit Peter started the Rome-based religion--based on Babylonian traditions--which the world calls 'Christianity'. It is not, and never has been, an outgrowth of the Jerusalem-based true Church of God, which Jesus Christ and his Apostles founded.
This Babylonish system Beast Power--with a United States of Europe power base--will defeat the modern descendants of the House of Israel (led by England and America), and severely wound the Jewish Tribe located in the State of Israel (Hosea 5:13).
At Christ's Second Coming, the relatively few in the previous 6000 years who had surrendered their lives to God, will be resurrected to immortality and power, and be part of God's Divine Government located in Jerusalem. (See Chapter 22). The Messiah, will rescue a repentant remnant of Israel's Tribes--in a global Exodus that will eclipse the one in the days of Moses--and set up the 1000-year worldwide reign of the Kingdom of God on Earth. This Wonderful World Tomorrow will be a millennium-long Sabbath of peace and prosperity on Earth. (See Chapter 22).
During this period Satan will be imprisoned and unable to influence anyone. At the end of the Millennium he will be released for a short time, and expose those who never wholly supported God's way of life even under the best circumstances (Revelation 20:1-10).
God's Millennium will be followed by a shorter period (probably 100 years) in which everyone who ever lived will be resurrected, given their first opportunity to know and live God's way, and be judged (Revelation 20:11-15).
Christ alluded to this time of the Great White Throne Judgment, when he mentioned that people from the different ages of Tyre and Sidon, Sodom, and 1st Century Capernaum would in the future be living contemporaneously (Matthew 11:20-24).
"By God's direction and authority", Herbert W Armstrong affirmed, "I have laid the truth before you!! To neglect it will be tragic beyond imagination! To heed, will bring blessings, happiness and glory beyond description! The decision is now yours!"
Herbert W Armstrong gave essentially the same message--but more detailed--(besides a comprehensive explanation of the Bible's other main points), to the general public from 7 January 1934 until his death on January 16, 1986. Since then, various of his disciples have continued teaching essentially the same truths, though not with the resources, authority, or ability he had. A list of some of their publications containing further proof of the identity of Britain and America (and other subjects) can be seen at the end of Chapter 13.
Without going into much detail, it should be pointed out that Herbert W Armstrong showed that there is Bible and historical evidence that the prophet Jeremiah escaped with the daughters of ancient Judah's last King--Zedekiah--to Ireland in 569 BC.
King David, to whom God promised he'd always have a descendant of his on the throne (2 Samuel 7:13-17), was of the line of Pharez, as was Jesus of Nazareth.
Their ancestor Judah, the father of the Tribe bearing that name, had twins--Pharez (or Peres--meaning, "breach"); and Zarah (or Zara; Matthew 1:3) whom the midwife tied a scarlet thread to for identification). Their unusual birth caused a breach between them because Zara (who should have been firstborn), was preceded by his brother (Genesis 38:12-30).
That breach was healed long afterwards, when an Irish King (Herremon)--of the Zara line, married one of the King of Judah's daughters (Tea) whom Jeremiah brought to Ireland--assisted by his scribe Baruch. From there, the throne moved to Scotland and later to England (home of the Tribe of Ephraim).
God had predicted this partly through the prophet Ezekiel. Talking of King Zedekiah of Jerusalem (or Judah) he said, "...I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar [the King], and will set [it]; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one [a daughter], and will plant [it] upon an high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell" (Ezekiel 17:22-23).
NOTICE THAT THE HOUSE OF JUDAH--WHICH HELD THE SCEPTRE PROMISE OF THE LINE OF KINGS ENDING WITH THE MESSIAH--WAS TO BE PLANTED IN THE MOST EMINENT PLACE OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. JUDAH'S ROYALTY WAS TO RULE FROM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, NO LONGER TO BE SITUATED IN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH!
The leading Tribe of the House of Israel is Ephraim--which has long been known as the English of England.
"And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which [is] in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, you Jeroboam [the King who caused the division between Judah and Israel], and all Israel; Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, [even] to him and to his sons by a [margin: perpetual] covenant...?" (2 Chronicles 13:4-5).
In other words, God's promise to David was a perpetual line of descendants over the House of Israel, which will eventually re-unite with the Tribe of Judah again.
Today, Queen Elizabeth II sits on the lineal throne of King David!
Satan knows it, and wants to destroy the monarchy in order to subvert God's promise to David, and God's plan to save the world through Israel. That is a major factor why the Royal Family has faced so much turmoil in recent years.
When Christ returns, he will gather the scattered remnant of Britons, Americans, Jews, and the other Tribes of Israel to the Promised Land, and claim the throne of David (Luke 1:31-32).
Many kings of Ireland, Scotland, and England have been crowned while seated over "Jacob's (that is Israel's) Pillar Stone", also known as the Stone of Scone, which was for many years part of the Coronation chair in Westminster Abbey, on which Queen Elizabeth II was crowned. (See Genesis 28:18).
Is it mere co-incidence [this author asks] that Queen Elizabeth's one granddaughter is named Zara? Or, that she was born on 15 May 1981--the 33rd anniversary of the State of Israel (Judah) declaring Independence? Or that Queen Elizabeth's first State visit as Queen (on 24-26 June 1955), was to Norway?
Joseph (whose chief Tribe is Ephraim), and Benjamin (modern-day Norway and Iceland) were the two favorite sons of Israel, and the only two sons of his favorite wife Rachel. Benjamin was also the Tribe that stuck with the Tribe of Judah, even though the first King of all Israel--the Benjamite Saul, and his lineage--were replaced by King David of the Tribe of Judah. Norway was behind the Oslo Accord attempt to solve the State of Israel (Judah's) problems. Interestingly, Norway was the only nation to vote on Britain's side in the United Nations during the Falkland Crisis. There is a special relationship between England and Norway, just as there is between England and America. (And, between the Jews and America). The reason is they are all brothers. All Israelites. And the only ones descended from his favorite wife, Rachel.
Queen Elizabeth is a modern day Esther. Few know her real origin.
She is the ultimate Jewish princess (now Queen).
It is not in the scope of this book to provide the proof, but there is evidence that the other modern Tribes of Israel are primarily the white, democratic peoples, listed below.
THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL
(as identified by Herbert W Armstrong)
(See the prophecies about them in Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33).
JOSEPH--inheritor of the firstborn's birthright, passed on through his two grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh.
Ephraim: the Anglo-Saxon English in Britain and wherever they settled, such as Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the USA.
Manasseh: the Anglo-Saxon Americans of the USA.
JUDAH--inheritor of the Sceptre promise of the Royal Davidic line of kings, ending with the Messiah. The Jews worldwide, although they are still partly interspersed with Levi, and probably some Benjamites.
BENJAMIN--Norwegians and Icelanders of Norwegian descent. Went with the Tribe of Judah when Israel split, and so may still be partly with them. A good proportion live in the USA today. Israel's youngest son and the only one besides Joseph, who was born of his favorite wife Rachel, and thus the closest relation of Ephraim and Manasseh, while historically the most sympathetic to Judah. Prophesied to be like a ravenous wolf, as were the Vikings (Genesis 49:27); and, in contrast, to be blessed in some special way by God (Deuteronomy 33:12; Genesis 43:34; 45:22). Today Norway awards the Nobel Peace Prize, and is consistently judged one of the best countries to live in. The Tribe's history in the Bible is one of contrasts between some of the best and worst examples of human behavior. True to Benjaminite character, under the pressure of World War 2, Norwegians produced the most committed underground resistance against the Nazis, but also the worst traitor, Quisling. Israel’s first King, Saul was a Benjamite who started out as the best man personally selected by God, and ended in the worst way--rejected by God. His son Jonathan is the outstanding Old Testament example with David, of a man of integrity with true love. The Apostle Paul was a Benjamite who started out as the worst enemy of the early New Testament Church, and ended as its most prolific writer and promoter.
REUBEN--the French wherever they are including in Luxembourg (but not the Spanish-like people in the South of France). Technically they were the firstborn, but lost the birthright blessing due to sexual misconduct. This partly explains the reason the French regard their way as superior, and the friction between themselves and the English. Prophesied to have "the excellency of dignity...and power" (epitomized by Charles de Gaulle) but be "unstable as water" (Genesis 49:3-4).
LEVI--The Welsh, also scattered throughout the Tribes. (See Genesis 49:5-7). "...the Levites [which were] the singers ...[being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets" (2 Chronicles 5:12).
SIMEON--Probably the fiercest of the Scots who traditionally were in the forefront in war, (see Genesis 49:5-7); and scattered throughout the Tribes. Some Scots appear to be of the Tribe of Judah.
ZEBULON--The Dutch; and most Afrikaners (some Afrikaners are of Reuben, or other Tribes). Notice Genesis 49:13 where this Tribe is prophesied to be a haven for ships. Rotterdam is the largest port in the world; and the Cape of Good Hope--which the Dutch East India Company developed, and the Afrikaner rulers of South Africa held for sometime, was perhaps the most strategic seagate of all.
GAD--The Swiss. "Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last" (Genesis 49:19). The whole nation in the endtime is itself an armed troop, which has survived through its policy of neutrality and inventiveness. While some Swiss may be of Gentile origin, the majority probably aren’t.
ASHER--The Belgians. Prophesied to produce rich bread and royal dainties (Genesis 49:20). Belgium is famous for her confectionery and fine lace work. The current geographic boundaries of European nations don’t necessarily draw the exact lines between the various Tribes of Israel there.
NAPHTALI--The Swedes. Prophesied to "give goodly words" (Genesis 49:21), Sweden awards the Nobel Prizes.
ISSACHAR--The Finnish. Compare the reference in Genesis 49 with that of Deuteronomy 33, with this and all the Tribes.
DAN--The Irish and the Danes. Dan had the tendency to leave his name wherever he travelled. Such as Dan-mark. Lon-den-derry. Din-gle. Dun-dee. Irish history shows Ireland was settled by the Tuatha de Danaans--meaning "Tribe of Dan".
THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO EACH OTHER:
Of the 12 Tribes only JOSEPH and BENJAMIN are sons of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel. They were also Jacob's two favorite sons. Only Benjamin was born when Jacob was converted, and renamed
"Israel" by God.
The Anglo-Saxon English descend from Joseph's grandchild Ephraim, whom God declared his firstborn to inherit the national blessings he had promised through Abraham and Isaac. His brother Mannaseh's descendants are the Anglo-Saxon Americans, also chosen by God for great blessings. Benjamin's descendants are Norwegians (who've had long and friendly relations with Britain and America); and their Icelandic descendants.
Jacob's first wife Leah, in order, bore REUBEN--Jacob's firstborn son (the Northern French); SIMEON (the fiercest of the Scots, who are partly scattered among the other Tribes); LEVI (the Welsh and also partly scattered among the Tribes; JUDAH (the Jews and some of the Scots, both also partly scattered); ISSACHAR (the Finns); and ZEBULON (the Dutch and the majority of Afrikaners).
Rachel's maid Bilhah bore DAN (the Irish and the Danes); and NAPHTALI (the Swedes).
Leah's maid Zilpah bore GAD (the Swiss); and ASHER (the Belgians)--or at least the core population of those nations.
Therefore, in modern terms, the 12 Tribes of Israel are:
Sons of Jacob and Rachel:
The Anglo-Saxon English and Anglo-Saxon Americans; plus the Norwegians and their Icelandic descendants.
Sons of Jacob and Leah:
The Northern French and their brothers elsewhere such as in Luxembourg; the fiercer Scots; the Welsh, Jewish Levites partly scattered amongst the Tribes; other Jews and other Scots; the Finns; the Dutch and most Afrikaners.
Sons of Jacob and Rachel's maid Bilhah:
The Irish; the Danish; and the Swedes.
Sons of Jacob and Leah's maid Zilpah:
The Israelitish Swiss; and Belgians.
As with any brothers, and especially brothers with different mothers, the Tribes don't always see eye-to-eye today. They will when the Messsiah regathers a remnant of them in Jerusalem and resettles them in the Promised Land.
The name "James" is a Greek form of the name "Jacob", whose name God changed to "Israel". Therefore, the famous King James version of the Bible--which Britain and America distributed worldwide--could be called "the King Israel Bible", or “the King of Israel’s Bible”.
Chapter 1
Seven Proofs
Herbert W Armstrong is
The Endtime Elijah
The following seven chapters contain proof that Herbert W Armstrong, and only he is, was--or could be--the endtime prophet, Elijah.
This is an extraordinary claim, but it is The Plain Truth.
No-one else can comply with all the following biblical criteria to be the endtime Elijah. They either come on the scene at the wrong time, or to the wrong audience, with the wrong message, failing to restore what Elijah must--therefore--they have the wrong identity, and cannot be that prophet.
At first glance, the first proof might seem like no proof at all. Anyone can claim to be Elijah. However, the genuine Elijah has to know who he is--and confirm his identity--in order to do his work.
Proof #1:
HWA Confirmed he is The Endtime Elijah
"Behold, I [God] will send you Elijah the prophet..." (Malachi 4:5)
Ever since Malachi was inspired by God, some 2500 years ago, to predict that Elijah would come before the endtime Day of the LORD's visible intervention in world affairs, various individuals have erroneously claimed to be that prophet.
"...this is the record of John [the Baptist], when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed...I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias? [that is, "Elijah"]. And he says, I am not...(John 1:19-21).
John the Baptist knew he wasn't the endtime Elijah. If his mission had been to restore all things, Christ's teaching ministry would have been unnecessary. Christ did point out, however, that John the Baptist was a type of the endtime Elijah, in that he paved the way for the First Coming of the Messiah, while the latter-day prophet, (still to come at that stage), would prepare the way for his Second Coming.
Only one person can be the legitimate endtime Elijah. That person has to know his own identity in order to understand and accomplish the mission that God prophesied for him.
Herbert W Armstrong was first called by God in the American Fall or Autumn of 1926. The first day of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere that year was also the first day of the Hebrew civil calendar year; and the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew religious calendar, or the Feast of Trumpets. That Jewish Calendar Holy Day was the traditional day from which the Kings of Israel and Judah counted the start of their reigns from.
Mr Armstrong's whole vigorous life up till then in the business and advertizing world, had been without his knowledge a preparation for the job God wanted him to do.
Mr Armstrong later obtained genealogical records that he was a descendant through his mother of King David. Therefore, (although he was brought up in the Quaker church) he was unaware until later that he was of Jewish Royal lineage, and a recipient of the Scepter promises made to the House of Judah. The Scepter promise culminates in another of David's descendants, Jesus of Nazareth, becoming the ruler of all 12 Tribes at his Second Coming.
God had his entire Bible canonized at various stages, but always by his two leading leaders of the time. For example, the first five, the most important books of the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), were authorized as being part of the Bible by Moses--the civil and legislative leader of Israel--and Aaron--the High Priest. The primary books of the New Testament were approved by Peter--the chief Apostle--and John--the Apostle closest to Christ, who received the Revelation of God, the last book of the Bible.
Therefore, it should be expected that the endtime Elijah would come with the highest credentials, from God's point of view. The Apostle Peter had the God-given authority to declare some of the Apostle Paul's writings Holy Scripture during the 1st Century.
"...even as our beloved brother Paul...according to the wisdom given to him has written to you; As also in all [his] epistles, speaking...some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16).
It is possible the Two Witnesses will declare some of the endtime Elijah's writings Holy Scripture. They are prophesied to come with extraordinary power and authority from God.
Mr Armstrong became a sort of King over the worldwide Church he founded and ruled. Considering all these factors, the most likely date on which God called him, was the Feast of Trumpets, September 9, 1926.
Herbert W Armstrong was born in Des Moines, Iowa--on July 31, 1892--during the middle of the Golden and Diamond Jubilees of Queen Victoria, at the height of the British Empire; and during the time of the 23rd President of the United States of America, Benjamin Harrison.
No one else claiming to be the endtime Elijah could better these, or the other credentials, listed in this book.
He died during the tenure of the 40th President (Ronald Reagan), on January 16, 1986.
From early in his ministry, Herbert W Armstrong proclaimed that the comprehensive true Gospel of the coming literal Kingdom of God on Earth, had not been preached for 1900 years until he restored it!
That bold statement was also a subtle way of announcing to Israel and the world, that Herbert W Armstrong is the endtime Elijah!
Few of his disciples even, grasped the significance of that statement, although he repeated it many times, to countless millions in his worldwide audience, during his 55-year-long ministry, (from 1931 to 1986).
Interestingly, 55 is the numerical value of the name "Elias", the Greek translation of "Elijah" in the New Testament. Mr Armstrong was also 55 when he started Ambassador College.
"...Jesus...said...Elias [(the endtime) Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things" (Matthew 17:11).
That implied there would be a huge Falling Away from the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles, sometime after his death--which would only be revitalized when Elijah came in the endtime.
That is a clear, plain, Bible truth, which has been understood by few.
Christ's statement also shows that until Elijah comes in the endtime with his major Restoration of Truth, the general state of religious affairs in Israel would be in a state of ruin, in God's eyes. Substitute the name Israel for the list of nations at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today., and you have an idea of how extensive the problem is.
The New Testament itself is a record of the progressive infiltration into the Church of heresies and heretics. After the four Gospel accounts of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the Acts of the Apostles, the epistles of the Apostles were largely written to address problems in various congregations of the 1st Century Church.
By the time the longest standing Apostle, John, wrote his epistles--near the end of that century--it was necessary to warn the Church: "Whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, has not God. He that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son. If there come any to you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed" (2 John 9-10).
Things had come to the point where genuine members were being thrown out of the true Church by heretics: "I wrote to the church: but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, receives us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and forbids them that would, and casts [them] out of the church" (3 John 9-10).
If Elijah hasn't yet come, all churches or other organizations claiming to represent God today, are in a state of doctrinal disrepair--until Elijah does come and restore all things.
"But I say to you, That [Elijah] is come already, and they [recognized] him not..." (Matthew 17:12)
Since Christ stated that the true Church would never die out, its various eras would have to retain an understanding of the key doctrines necessary for salvation. However, it could not retain the comprehensive body of Truth, since Elijah was to restore "all things". Mr Armstrong understood this to mean that Elijah would primarily restore, and preach, the full disclosure of God's 7000-year Plan for Mankind; see that the Government of God was restored in the true Church; and proclaim that it would be restored in Jerusalem when the Messiah arrived. He did all these things.
Herbert W Armstrong did more than an Elijah-like Work, he was (and is) the endtime Elijah.
In his Autobiography (Vol 1, page 437, printed 1973), Mr Armstrong wrote: "...July 9 [1933]...meetings at the Firbutte School...[were] the small...s t a r t of [the] Work reaching millions...I spoke on prophecy". 27 people attended the first night, which started a six-week campaign that averaged 36 people.
"...God committed to me in July, 1933, Christ's great commission--to take Christ's gospel announcement to the whole world for a witness to all nations" (The Autobiography of Herbert W Armstrong, Vol 2, page 586, hardcover, quoting his own Member letter of May 16, 1977).
These are the words of a man who understood his calling and global mission as Elijah, and fulfilled it.
The Radio Church of God, which Mr Armstrong raised--as the sixth, or Philadephian era of the true Church, was incorporated on October 21, 1933. Revelation 2 and 3 contain messages to seven literal congregations of the 1st Century, New Testament Church, which were located on a mail route in Asia Minor. Those messages, Mr Armstrong explained, are also prophecies of the seven eras of the Church from its inception up to the endtime.
Mr Armstrong had located remnants of the fifth era, to which Christ gave this message: "...to the angel of the church in Sardis write;...I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and are dead...I have not found your works perfect before God...You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; ...they are worthy" (Revelation 1-6).
This was precisely the condition of the Church of God Mr Armstrong found. By contrast, the sixth era he started, was given this message by Christ:
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David, he that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens; I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are [spiritual] Jews [that is, true Christians] and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have that no man take your crown. Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:7-13).
In other words, the sixth era was to be towards the end of the 6000 years which God allotted for man's rule, under Satan, on Earth. A time when God opens the door for the Church to do a great Work. The great Work prophesied to occur in the latter days was that of Elijah the prophet's Restoration of All Things. That precisely describes the Work Herbert W Armstrong did, and claimed to do.
By contrast, the seventh era of the true Church of God, was to be characterized by a great Falling Away from the standard set by the Philadelphian era. That is exactly what happened to the Worldwide Church of God after Mr Armstrong's death in 1986. On May 9, 1997 it officially became a Protestant organization, completely repudiating the Restoration of Mr Armstrong, the endtime Elijah.
The leadership of the new organization introduced so many heresies that it can no longer be identified as a legitimate Church of God--with all that implies--even if some of its members still associate with its original tenets, to one degree or another. They also influenced many now no longer in its fellowship, to lower their standards, and become part of the spiritual body of people Christ calls "Laodicean". The message of Christ to the seventh era is strikingly relevant to what happened to the Church after Mr Armstrong's death:
"...to...the church of the Laodiceans write...I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot...because you are lukewarm...I will spue you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
"...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:14-22).
Christ pictures himself as standing outside the door of this Church--not within their fellowship--unless they individually repent, and let him back in.
The pattern of prophesied events is clear. After Jesus and the Apostles proclaimed the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God on Earth, there was a 1st Century falling away from truth. The Church would continue but be small and scattered until the endtime, when Elijah the prophet would restore all things. After his ministry would come the great endtime Falling Away from what Elijah restored. That is precisely the pattern history has taken.
This indicates we are very late in the prophesied scheme of events leading to The Great Tribulation, the Day of the LORD, and the Messiah's appearance.
KNOWING WHO THE ENDTIME ELIJAH IS, IS A MAJOR SIGN of WHERE WE ARE IN THE TIMETABLE OF BIBLE PROPHECY!
In Jerusalem, on May 15, 1985--the 37th Roman Calendar Anniversary of the State of Israel, Herbert W Armstrong finished his magnum opus, "Mystery of the Ages". The book was published later that year around the Feast of Trumpets, that autumn, on which Holy Day he gave his last sermon. It was a very clear oral testimony from the 93-and-a-half year old patriarch, which summarized important prophecies he’d made about the coming Kingdom of God.
This is a further indication that Mr Armstrong was the endtime Elijah, since it was a tradition among the patriarchs of Israel to give an oral prophecy shortly before they died.
Jacob (Genesis 49); Moses (all of the Book of Deuteronomy, see especially Chapter 33); Joshua (Joshua 24); David (1 Kings 2:1-9); and Jesus of Nazareth (John 13 to 17); all gave such oral prophecies shortly before their death.
In "Mystery of the Ages", completed near the end of his long life, Herbert W Armstrong clearly identified himself as the endtime Elijah, as these extracts (from pages 9-10 and 139-140) show:
"We now live in the era biblical prophecy calls the last days--the last generation before the coming of Christ to rule and accomplish on earth what mankind should have done. In these last days, according to biblical prophecy, knowledge, spiritual as well as material, was to be increased. The true Church of God was to be set back on the track, restoring the glorious apostles".
"In the book of Isaiah is a 'NOW' prophecy: 'The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the Lord...lift up your voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say...Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: and his work before him' (Isa 40:3,9-10)".
"That voice now cries out!"
"The prophet Malachi confirmed this: 'Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold he shall come says the Lord of hosts' (Mal 3:1)".
"The Elijah to come" [Mr Armstrong's own section heading]
"Both of these prophecies have a dual application. First, they refer to John the Baptist, who prepared the way before Jesus' human ministry more than 1900 years ago. BUT, as a prototype, or forerunner, these prophecies foretell one to prepare the way before Christ's Second Coming as king of kings and Lord of lords to RULE over ALL NATIONS!"
"Malachi's prophecy, like Isaiah's, if you will read on past the first verse, refers to a human messenger preparing the way before Christ's now imminent Second Coming, this time in supreme POWER AND GLORY as Ruler over all nations!"
"Understand the duality principle here. These prophecies refer to a type and its fulfillment."
"John the Baptist was a voice crying out in the physical wildereness of the Jordan River area, preparing for the human physical Jesus' First Coming to a material temple at Jerusalem, to a physical Judah.
But that was a prototype, or forerunner of a voice 'lifted up' (greatly amplified by modern printing, radio and TV), crying out in the midst of today's spiritual wilderness of religious confusion, announcing the imminence of Christ's Second Coming as the spiritually GLORIFIED Christ, to his spiritual temple (the Church resurrected to spirit immortality. Eph 2:21-22)".
"Jesus came, over 1900 years ago, to announce the FUTURE kingdom of God. He's coming this time to ESTABLISH that kingdom. That endtime last warning message is now going out worldwide in amplified power".
"It's going before kings, emperors, presidents, prime ministers of nations--and to their peoples, on all continents and all nations of the earth!"
Since Mr Armstrong was doing all these things, in the context of his book, it is clear that he identifies himself as the prophesied-to-come endtime Elijah. This is confirmed in the next extract from pages 348-349 of "Mystery of the Ages" under the section heading:
"Elijah to Come in Our Day". [Mr Armstrong's own section heading]
"Remember, once again, God's principle of duality. As Jesus said in Matthew, the prophecy of Malachi 3:1 applied to John the Baptist in type; but if you will continue reading through verse 5, it becomes very clear that the prophecy is speaking of one to prepare the way before the Second Coming of Christ. John the Baptist was a voice crying out in the physical wilderness of the Jordan River, preparing the way for the First Coming of Christ, as a physical human being, to his physical Temple at Jerusalem and to the physical people of Judah, announcing the advance good news that the kingdom of God would in the future be established. But also preparing the way before his Second Coming was a messenger of whom Elijah was a type. A voice crying out in the worldwide spiritual wilderness of religious confusion, preparing the way for the spiritual glorified King of kings and Lord of lords to come in the supreme power and glory of God to his spiritual temple, the Church (Eph 2:21), to actually establish the kingdom of God".
"Further, in Matthew 17:1-8, Peter, James and John saw the vision of Moses, Elijah and Christ glorified in the kingdom of God. Then in verse 10 the disciples asked Jesus, 'Why then say the scribes that Elias [Elijah] must first come?' Remember John the Baptist had finished his ministry and had been imprisoned before Jesus even begun his ministry. At the time the disciples asked this question, John the Baptist had come and been put to death. Yet Jesus answered, speaking of the yet future, '[Elijah] truly shall first come, and restore all things' (verse 11)".
"This could not possibly refer to John the Baptist. John the Baptist restored nothing, but called on people to repent in preparation for the First Coming of Jesus as a physical human".
"In the first few years of the New Testament Church, Jesus' true gospel had been suppressed and supplanted with a false gospel--not the gospel of Christ (the kingdom of God) but man's false gospel about a Christ who did away with his Father's commandments".
"Also Malachi 4:5-6 pictures the Elijah to come at the very end of the Church age--at a time when, if this endtime message were not proclaimed, the glorified Christ would come and smite the world with total destruction. (The word c u r s e in this verse is translated from the Hebrew, which in Moffatt's translation is given the meaning total destruction)".
Mr Armstrong obviously referred to himself in the above description, humbly acknowledging he was the endtime Elijah. He, and other ministers supporting him, had often said he was doing "an Elijah-like Work".
He further stated in "Mystery of the Ages" under the section heading "Education in the World Tomorrow":
"This Headquarters Church, at Christ's own world capital of Jerusalem, then, undoubtedly will be given the administration of the world's new system of education".
"Also the indication is that the teaching of spiritual truth--of the true gospel, the spiritual conversion of the world--will be directed, worldwide, from this Headquarters Church, under Elijah and the overall direct supervision of Jesus Christ" (page 349).
If you carefully read Mr Armstrong's explanation above, along with Matthew 17, it is clear that both Jesus and Mr Armstrong, refer to the endtime Elijah in the Transfiguration vision.
After seeing the vision of the future kingdom of God--with Christ, Moses, and Elijah resurrected in it during the Millennium--the three leading Apostles, Peter, James, and John, asked Jesus why the scribes taught that Elijah must come before then.
At the time the vision was seen, both the original Elijah, and John the Baptist, had finished their Work, and were dead. Jesus said
a future Elijah, of whom these two men were prototypes, would come to restore true worship in the endtime.
Herbert W Armstrong acknowledged he was that endtime Elijah, by his words and deeds.
Neither the original Elijah, nor John the Baptist, had the opportunity to be in charge of a worldwide Church and worldwide educational headquarters, during their lifetime--as Mr Armstrong was. Jesus instructed his chief disciples, "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead" (verse 9). It's application was not relevant to the time of the original Elijah, nor John the Baptist.
The Elijah seen in the vision was the one who would restore all things in the endtime!
Therefore, in the vision in Matthew 17, since the Elijah seen was the endtime one, the disciples must have seen Christ and Moses speaking with Herbert W Armstrong!
Some might ask how God could know what Mr Armstrong would look like 1900 years before he was born. "...Jesus...said...with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
Thus, the Elijah who will be in charge of "the teaching of spiritual truth--of the true gospel, the spiritual conversion of the world...directed, worldwide, from...[the Jerusalem] Headquarters Church...[will be Herbert W Armstrong, under]...the overall direct supervision of Jesus Christ".
The Elijah in the vision could not have been the original Elijah. He died before the Church started--and thus could not restore the truth that departed after the 1st Century falling away. The same is true of John the Baptist. They were both prototypes of what the endtime Elijah would be like.
No-one else in the last 6000 years has had more experience and success in preaching the true Gospel worldwide than Herbert W Armstrong. Why would God choose someone of less achievement to accomplish the even greater future assignment during the Millennium? The original Elijah and John the Baptist hardly travelled anywhere. They had no idea of the global population to be reached in our day, nor the kind of global communication necessary to do so. Something Mr Armstrong pioneered the use of in preaching the kingdom of God worldwide. They are more likely to be his assistants than vice-versa. It appears to this author that the first Elijah shall be last, and the last Elijah first, of the three Elijahs.
Note also that in Malachi 4:4 which concerns the endtime Elijah, he is linked with Moses and the LORD of the Old Testament (who later came in the flesh as Jesus Christ).
These are the three figures in the vision of Matthew 17. Moses represented the legislative and judicial arm of the Government of God, which will administer the Law of God in the kingdom of God. Elijah represented the spiritual education arm of that Government, which will teach the Law of God, in conjunction with Moses. Christ is the Ruler-to-be overall in the millennial kingdom of God.
Jesus said "Not...any man has seen the Father..."(John 6:46). Yet Moses saw the back of the LORD, showing he was not God the Father. Ancient Israel "...drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). The one who became Christ was the member of the God Family who dealt with Moses and ancient Israel, and who will do so again as Messiah, at his Second Coming.
Even he was not officially recognized for who he was by his own people, the Tribe of Judah, when he came to them in the 1st Century. Nor was John the Baptist officially recognized as a forerunner of the endtime Elijah. Little wonder that so few have recognized the endtime Elijah in our day.
Up until the time of John the Baptist, Jesus said no greater person had lived than John. That means that John the Baptist was greater than the original Elijah. Since the endtime Elijah achieved far more than both of them, it seems that statement is also there to show how great God considers the endtime Elijah.
Every member in the last two eras (of this important endtime), came into the Church as a direct, or indirect, result of the ministry of Herbert W Armstrong. During the Tribulation, Israel will know there has been a prophet among them, and some will repent as a result. It will either be as a result of the ministry of the Two Witnesses, who surely must refer to the endtime Elijah's over 50-year warning to the Tribes of Israel--or as a result of what Chapter 10 shows is possible. Israel's failure to heed Elijah’s warning is the reason she is going into Tribulation.
In the resurrection beyond the Millennium, all those many world leaders Mr Armstrong proclaimed the Gospel to before his death, will be astonished to see him as a resurrected, glorified, 1000-year old then, immortal member of the ruling Government of God. Repentance will come easy to them. And they will positively influence millions of their former subjects to follow the same path.
THE PLAIN TRUTH IS THAT HERBERT W ARMSTRONG PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE WAS THE ENDTIME ELIJAH, IN VARIOUS WAYS AND OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THIS BOOK SHOWS THAT HE IS THE LEGITIMATE BEARER OF THAT TITLE.
The combined total of converts which will eventually be ascribed, directly or indirectly to the ministry of the endtime Elijah, will exceed that of possibly anyone. And therefore, the final evaluation of God is more than likely to be, that the endtime Elijah was greater than even his prototype, John the Baptist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following genealogies show that Herbert W Armstrong and the Queen of England, are both descended from King David of Israel and the Royal House of Judah.
THE GENEALOGY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Adam--m--Eve
Seth
Enos
Cainan
Mahalaleel
Jared
Enoch
Methuselah
Lamech
Noah
Shem
(Genesis 5:1-32)
Eber
(from which the name "Hebrew" is derived).
Terah
Abraham--m--Sarah
Isaac--m--Rebekah
Jacob
renamed Israel by God--m--Leah (first wife), from whom came:
Judah
(forefather of the Jewish of the 12 Tribes of Israel.
"The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from
between his feet, until Shiloh [meaning the Messiah] come; and to
him [shall] the gathering of the people [be]" (Genesis 49:10). The
most important line of Royalty lasting until Messiah comes, is by
definition Jewish. Its prophesied unbroken line had to continue
after Israel and Judah were taken captive, outside the Promised
Land!]
Zarah
(descendants shown later) & twin brother:
Pharez
(descendants shown below; See Genesis 38:27-30).
Ezrom
Aram
Aminadab
Nashon
Salmon
Boaz--m--Ruth
(See the Book of Ruth).
Obed
Jesse
King David
(of Judah and all of Israel, 1 Kings 2:11).
King Solomon
(of Judah and all of Israel, 1 Kings 2:12).
Rehoboam,
(Solomon's son)
(became King of Judah and Benjamin after the 10 northern
Tribes of Israel split off. The history of the two lines of
Kings are found in the Bible's books Kings and Chronicles.
(See 2 Chronicles 9:31-16; 1 Kings 11:1-14:31).
Abijam
(1 Kings 15:1-8).
Asa
(2 Chronicles 14:1 to 16:14).
Jehosophat
(2 Chronicles 17:1 to 21:4).
Jehoram
The original Elijah wrote him a prophetic letter
long after the prophet was taken away by a whirlwind.
(2 Chronicles 21:4-20
Ahaziah
(2 Chronicles 22:1-9).
Athaliah
(2 Chronicles 22:10-12).
Joash
(2 Chronicles 24:1-27).
Amaziah
In his day, "Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man
fled to his tent"--showing they weren't the same Tribes
(2 Chronicles 25:1-28).
Uzziah (Azariah)
(2 Chronicles 26:1-23).
Jotham
2 Chronicles (27:1-9).
Abaz
(2 Chroncicles 28:1-27).
Hezekiah
(2 Chronicles 29:1-32:33).
Manasseh
(2 Chronicles 33:1-20).
Amon
(2 Chronicles 33;21-25).
Josiah
(2 Chronicles 34:1-37.
Jehoahaz
(2 Chronicles 36:1-4).
Jehoiakim
(2 Chronicles 5-8).
Jehoiachin
(2 Chronicles 36:9-10).
Zedekiah
The King of Judah when Nebuchadnezzar took that Tribe captive to Babylon,
(2 Chronicles 36:11-14; Jeremiah 52).
Tea Tephi
Daughter of King Zedekiah taken to Ireland bythe prophet Jeremiah.
Married Eochaidh (the Heremon),
a descendant of Judah's other twin son Zarah
(Genesis 30:27-30)--ancestor of the Ancient Irish Kings--via
Mahol (1 Kings 4:31); and Calcol:
(1 Chronicles 2:6), called Cecrops in Tottens Old Irish Genealogies).
From Tephi and Eochaidh came the Kings of Ireland and Scotland
The Scottish line (of David) continuing to Queen Elizabeth II is:
Fiachra
Fergus I
Manius
Dornadil
Reuthar
Edars (in time of Christ's birth)
Conaire the Great
Corbred I
Corbred II
Modha Lamha
Conaire II
Corbred Dalraida
Eochaidh
Athirco
Findachar
Thrinklind
Fincormach
Romaich
Angus
Eochaidh
Erc
Fergus the Great
Dongard
Govran
Adan
Eugene
Donald
Ethach
Ethdre
Ethafind
Ethas
Alpin
KENNETH MACALPIN
Constantine
Donald VI
Malcolm
Kenneth II
Malcolm II
Beatrix
Duncan
Malcolm Canmore--m--St. Margaret
(After this the line also goes through King Edward I, and to
Herbert W Armstrong as shown below in the list after Queen Elizabeth's genealogy).
David
Henry
Isabel
Married Gwaltor Rt. Bruce (also descended from Kenneth MacAlpin).
Robert
Robert
Robert the Bruce
Marjory
Married Walter Stewart (also descended from Kenneth MacAplin).
Robert II
Robert III
James I
James II
James III
James IV
Mary, Queen of Scots
James VI & I
(Union of England Scotland 1707)
Princess Elizabeth Stewart
Princess Sophia
George I
George II
Prince Federick of Wales
George III
Edward Duke of Kent
Queen Victoria---m--Prince Albert
King Edward VII--m--Queen Alexandra (who comes from the Zarah
line of Judah--ancestor of the Ancient Irish Kings, via Mahol: 1
Kings 4:31; and Calcol: 1 Chronicles 2:6--called Cecrops in Tottens Old Irish Genealogies).
King George V--m--Queen Mary
George VI
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
THE GENEALOGY OF HERBERT W ARMSTRONG
Mr Herbert W Armstrong stated in his Autobiography (Vol 1, p11, hardcover):
"My ancestry, through a paternal great-grandmother, traces back to
Edward I King of England".
The breach between the brothers Pharez and Zarah shown above, was healed with the marriage of Eochaidh the Heremon and Tea Tephi about 580 BC,
from whom came the Kings of Ireland and Scotland, and subsequently of England).
EDWARD I (born 17 Jun 1239, died 7 Jul 1307). He was King of
England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, (and the Isle of Man from
1290). Crowned in Westminster Abbey, 18 Aug 1274. The 16th
Century inscription on his tomb is "Hammer of the Scots". Also
called The Lawgiver. Of the House of Plantagenet. The first truly
English King, Edward was a masterful ruler, great legislator, and
military genius. He created the title Prince of Wales, which
Prince Charles now carries. Edward I brought the Stone of
Scone to Westminster Abbey and was throned sitting over it.
(See "Kings and Queens" by Lambert & Gray ISBN 0 00 458954 8
the list of Kings is based on the chart
"The Heritage of the Anglo-Saxon Race", The Covenant Publishing Co. Ltd, London).
According to writer and minister in the original Worldwide Church of God, Robert C. Boraker, Herbert W Armstrong’s paternal great-grandmother was Elizabeth Cope. “He [Mr Armstrong] once said that the Cope Foundation had sent him an ancestral chart that traced his ancestry from Elizabeth Cope back to King Edward I. That lineage was given in the 1983 Feast film, "Behind the Work." I copied it from the video and added details as follows*:
Constantine
Donald
Malcolm
Kenneth
Malcolm
Beatrix
Duncan
Malcolm Canmore--m--St Margaret
Empress Matilda (daughter of King Henry,married Geoffrey IV Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, of
the Angevin Dynsasty. Also called the House of Plantagenet, and the House of Anjou).
Henry II of England
John
Henry III
Edward I, King of England--m--Eleanor of Castille (first wife, 1246-1290)
v
Princess Joan Plantagenet--m--Sir Gilbert De Clare
(Joan was the most important of the children of Edward I and his beloved wife Eleanor)
v
Lady Margaret De Clare--m--Hugh De Audley
v
Margaret De Audley--m-- Sir Ralph De Stafford, Earl of Stafford
v
Margaret Stafford--m--Sir John Stafford of Bramshall
v
Sir Ralph Stafford of Grafton--m--Maud Hastings
v
Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton, 1384-1419--m--Elizabeth Bindette
v
Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton, living 1467--m--Eleanor Aylesbury
v
Sir Humphrey Stafford of Grafton, executed in 1486--m--Catherine Fray
v
Sir Humphrey Stafford--m--Margaret Tame
v
Anne Stafford, living 1613--m--Sir Anthony COPE
v
Edward Cope of Brixton, living 1613--m--Maud
v
John Cope of Marden, Wilts.--m--Margaret
v
John Cope, d. 1649--m--Elizabeth
v
Oliver Cope of Avebury, Wilts.--m--Rebecca (came to Pennsylvania in 1683 having
received a grant of land from William Penn at "Backington", Naaman's Creek).
v
John Cope, 1691-1773, of East Bradford, Chester Co., PA--m--Charity Jefferries
v
John Cope,1730-1812,--m--(2) Mary Dickinson
v
Jesse (Joshua) Cope--m--Margaret Dixon
v
Elizabeth Cope--m--Samuel ARMSTRONG
v
Nathan H. Armstrong--m--Lydia HOLE daughter of Elon Hole
v
Horace Elon Armstrong--m--Eva WRIGHT (HWA’s mother)
v
HERBERT W ARMSTRONG
--m--
Loma Isabella Dillon
v
Garner Ted Armstrong
(the fourth of four children).
Most of the above details are verified in the book, "Living Descendants of Blood Royal" by Count D'Angerville, Vol.3, pp. 172-173, published by World Nobility and Peerage, London and Paris, 1964. Mr. Armstrong once said he did not have a middle name to begin with. But since there was another Herbert Armstrong in Oregon, he added the "W" which he took from the family surname of WRIGHT”.
*[connecting “v”arrow links and italicized entries inserted by GRN. Also see The Royal House of Britain an Enduring Dynasty by Milner, Covenant Publishing, London, which confirms the Elizabeth II and Edward I’s genealogies).}.
__________________________________________________
THE HEALING OF THE BREACH THROUGH
THREE OVERTURNS
While he was not original in doing this, Herbert W Armstrong agreed with the truth that the Royal line of Kings God gave to Judah would be overturned three times.
"And you, profane wicked prince of Israel [Zedekiah], whose day is come, when iniquity [shall have] an end, Thus says the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high. I will OVERTURN, OVERTURN, OVERTURN, it: and it shall be no [more], until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [to him, the Messiah]" (Ezekiel 21:25-27).
The first overturn was when the wicked Zedekiah of David's dynasty had the crown removed from him, and he died in captivity in Babylon.
Ezekiel 17 shows in allegorical language that a daughter of King Zedekiah of Judah would be planted in the highest branch of Israel. "And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree [Judah], have exalted the low tree [Israel, which had gone into captivity earlier], have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done [it]" (Ezekiel 17:24).
Israel had remained without a king many years (Hosea 3:4).
"Also I (God) will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning" (1 Chronicles 17:9). Jeremiah the prophet was commissioned to do the planting.
According to tradition, Jeremiah planted the Royal Dynasty of David's dynasty in Ireland around 569BC bringing the lia-fail stone (or Jacob's pillar-stone, also called the Stone of Scone, on which British Kings were crowned); which was overturned and planted in Scotland; then overturned and planted in England, where today Queen Elizabeth II continues the dynasty.
The Tribe of Judah's Pharez-David-Zedekiah line possessed the Scepter, and would remain on the throne until the Messiah comes. The Tribe of Judah's Zarah line nevertheless believed the right to the Scepter was theirs. The breach was healed when Eochaidh (The Heremon)--of the Zarah line, married Tea Tephi of the Pharez line--from which the Kings of Ireland and Scotland come.
There is no doubt that Herbert W Armstrong is an important person of Royal descent in God’s sight.
Chapter 2
Proof #2: HWA Operated At The Time of The Endtime Elijah
“...I [God] will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the LORD"
(Malachi 4:5).
The "dreadful Day of the LORD" does not refer to a bad Sunday. Jesus said he was the Lord of the real, Friday-sunset to Saturday-sunset, weekly Sabbath (Luke 6:5). However, the expression refers not to the weekly Sabbath, but to the time of God's wrath, and visible intervention in the affairs of mankind, which follows and cuts short The Great Tribulation.
The Tribulation is Satan's wrath directed against the nations of Israel listed at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today.--but primarily against Anglo-Saxon Americans, the English, and Jews.
The Day of the LORD is the period in which God punishes the unrepentant, begins to rescue Israel, and demonstrates his supreme power.
"For the day of the LORD [is] near upon all the heathen: as you have done [to Israel], it shall be done to you: your reward shall return upon your own head...But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob [Israel] shall possess their possessions" (Obadiah 1:15,17).
God promised to send Elijah before the Day of the LORD, in what the Bible calls "the endtime". This further rules out John the Baptist, or Jesus, as being that prophet, since they appeared too early.
How can we know if this is The Endtime?
If we are living in the age Bible prophecy calls "the time of the end", there ought to be evidence to that effect.
Many ministers, church goers, and skeptics say we can't know if this is that endtime. As Jeremiah predicted:
"...the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the [time of the] judgment of the LORD" (Jeremiah 8:7).
Satan knows his time is short (Revelation 12:12), but Christ hasn't a clue when he is coming back, and neither do you, is what many are saying, in effect.
While no-one knows the precise day of the appearance of the Messiah, there are guidelines in Scripture to the general time; and at the very end, a 1335-day countdown to Christ's Second Coming.
The idea that Christians can't have a clue when Christ is coming until the day he arrives, ignores many Scriptures.
They'd have to fail to notice the rise of The Two Witnesses, The Beast and False Prophet, The Tribulation, The Heavenly Signs and the incredible Day of The LORD. And be unable to count 1260 days, 1290, or 1335 days.
These most momentous events in history will escape the understanding of the vast majority of mankind, but not the wise.
In his day, Herbert W Armstrong clearly demonstrated we are living in the endtime. We are closer to the end now, than we ever were in his lifetime.
The major Bible signs of the endtime are clear. We don't have to guess about them.
The prophet Daniel was told to seal the meaning of the book he wrote until the time of the end; when many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4).
Have there ever been so many millions of cars; long-distance buses; high-speed trains; numerous ocean-going vessels; aircraft of every description; rockets that have taken men to the moon; space shuttles; even an international space station in orbit? Has there ever been a previous time in human history when more running to and fro has been possible?
Any decent history book will tell you there was nothing like this in the past.
This alone shows we are in the unprecedented time of the end.
With international access to radio, television, satellite communications, computers, the internet, books, newspapers, magazines, CD's, DVD's, home and cellphones, movies, the Hubble telescope plus other space exploration; and numerous facilities for education and scientific research--has there ever been a previous time in human history when it was possible for knowledge to increase so rapidly and so widely as in this information age?
Have there ever been so many translations, and aids to understanding the Bible as there are now? Has the Bible ever been so widely distributed worldwide?
The answer has to be "no". We live in the unique endtime.
Mr Armstrong was an eye-witness of the world changing from the days of horse and carriage to the complex endtime scientific age.
The 12th chapter of the Book of Daniel predicted that at "the time of the end", there would come "a time of trouble; such as never was since there was a nation".
Jesus of Nazareth prophesied that: "...except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]..."(Matthew 24:22).
Has there ever been a time in world history prior to the 20th Century development of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons--with the means to deliver them anywhere on Earth--when humankind could have utterly destroyed itself.
The Encyclopedia Britannica shows that mankind first had the power to destroy itself from 1955. About 40 years later, Saddam Hussein alone has been claimed to have had enough weapons to kill every person on earth!
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the Apostle Paul predicted "...in the last days [before the Messiah appears] perilous times will come"--and outlined what it will be like:
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away".
This describes many in our present society? Another indication that we are in the last days.
The criminals are no longer just in prison now. They're in government, in big business, in sport, in religion, in the police force, in every facet of society.
Christ foretold in Matthew 24 that in the endtime it would be "as in the days before the flood...[when] Noah entered the ark..." [when, as Genesis 6:5 records] "the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually".
The sins, which the Bible calls "works of the flesh" (described in Galatians 5:19-22) are widespread today:
Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, lust, greed, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, heresy, envy drunkenness, revelries and murder.
We are living in days like those of Noah, which were prophesied to come again only in the endtime.
Have a look at Matthew 24 in your own Bible. This is Christ's famous prophecy about the endtime.
In verse 3, the disciples asked three questions.
--WHEN will these things be?
--What will be the sign of your Coming?
--And of the end of the age?
Christ warned about religious deception, wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
In Verses 6 to 8 of Matthew 24 Christ said these things were not THE END--but were A SIGN of the BEGINNING of sorrows.
There have always been such disasters. So how does Christ's reference to them have significance? It can only be that they are signs because their frequency and intensity increases in the latter days indicating The Tribulation is near.
Verse 9: "THEN"--after many wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences--of great magnitude...THEN they will deliver you up to Tribulation"--the time the real trouble begins.
Verse 14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and THEN the END will come."
Herbert W Armstrong has already preached the Gospel worldwide.
However, the Two Witnesses still have to also preach the Gospel to the whole world. Their ministry only terminates at the end of their 1260 Days--shortly before THE END--in the sense that Christ's Second Coming terminates man's allotted 6000 years to rule himself under the sway of Satan.
In Matthew 24, Verse 15 Christ further pinpoints the time factor and the final sign just prior to The Tribulation:
"WHEN...[that involves TIME] you see the Abomination of Desolation..." [that involves seeing a SIGN]--"THEN let those in Judea flee..." Judea is the territory presently called the State of Israel.
Now notice how the signs have intensified in our day leading up to The Tribulation.
In Verse 7 Christ predicted: "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..."
The first two World Wars in history--are estimated to have killed 74,000,00--and wounded countless more. The 20th Century also witnessed numerous other conflicts, including the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf War.
Since it has never been possible to have so many wars, with so many never before known terrible weapons, this must be the endtime--leading up to The Great Tribulation--which Christ predicted.
Christ also predicted notable "famines" would precede The Tribulation. According to "The Guinness Book of Records 1997", the worst famine [in the 20th Century] killed about 40 million people in northern China..."
A decade before the end of the 20th Century, "The Earth Report" from London noted:
"For the first time in human history we are witnessing famine on a continental scale, with two-thirds of African countries affected. Within a few years [famine] will...become a global and a chronic problem...[because of] unfavorable climatic conditions...the population explosion...low-yielding traditional agriculture...and poverty..."
2002 saw Africa faced with widespread famine and expected famine.
Since famine is a natural consequence of war--of which there have never been greater ones until now; of upset weather patterns (such as the unrivalled El Nino brings about); and of a population explosion--which could never have been greater; how can we be living in any other but the noteworthy time of unprecedented endtime events involving and leading to the famines, which Christ predicted?
Christ also forecast that "pestilences"--or disease epidemics would be widespread in the latter days just before The Tribulation (verse 7).
AIDS was unknown before the last half of the 20th Century. By the start of 1999, more than 30,000,000 people were infected by it. AIDS, however, is but one of numerous ailments confronting mankind now.
Scientists warn that antibiotics are fast becoming ineffective.
It has never been possible to so quickly spread disease epidemics throughout the world as it is now--with our unrivalled in any previous era--means of rapid transport.
Never until the 20th Century have there been disastrous oil spills; chemical leaks; nuclear disasters like Chernobyl; chronic industrial pollution and smog--endangering entire plant, animal, and human species.
1995 and 1998 were the two most disastrous years in recorded history, up until then, according to "The London Telegraph".
Christ's predictions could not have referred to events in any other than our time. We are in the endtime days leading to The Great Tribulation. Thankfully they are also leading to the appearance of the Messiah soon after, bringing the Wonderful World Tomorrow, millennial Kingdom of God, which the endtime Elijah predicted and promoted.
Christ further said there would be "earthquakes in various places" in the endtime.
There were at least 78 major earthquakes in the 20th Century, killing over one-and-a-quarter-million people, according to the official record keepers.
No previous earthquakes could have done more damage than the San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Kobe Quakes--because no such major cities existed prior to the 20th Century.
"The Times [of London] ATLAS OF THE 20th CENTURY--The Definitive Account of Our Century" published in 1996 calls the 20th Century, "The Revolutionary Century". Below are some of the chapter headings reflecting main themes of that century.
Are these things that have continued from the beginning of Creation? Or are these mainly unequalled events that mark this as the unique endtime?:
--The Population Explosion
--Global Voluntary Migration
--Major Refugee Movements
--New infectious diseases identified since 1976
--Range of malaria
--Incidence of tuberculosis [which kills more people than
AIDS and malaria combined]
--Telecommunications
--Air Transport
--Motorization
--Mass Leisure
--Tourism
--Terrorism. There were over 5000 acts of international terrorism from 1968 to1994.
--Acid rain; petrochemical, ocean, and river pollution
--Deforestation: rain forests under threat
--Drought
--Flood damage from 1973
--Radioactive fall-out
--The World Drug Trade ("By the mid-1990's the trade was estimated to be worth $500 billion, making it
the single most lucrative business sector in the world".
--Space Exploration
--The New Economic Super-Powers: Germany and Japan
Without the evidence available now, the Apostle Peter was inspired to forsee 1900 years ago: "...that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation" (2 Peter 3:3-4).
But things have never been like they are now.
THIS IS THE ENDTIME!
The video industry is known in United States trade circles as the business sector built by pornography. The internet is rife with porn.
Before the 20th Century phenomenon of the wide public acceptance of pornography, and the means to mass produce and distribute it--pornography could never have been so widely circulated as now.
Things now must be worse than they were in Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed.
God m u s t intervene soon, if he is consistent.
Herbert W Armstrong long predicted, during the 20th Century, that the curses for disobedience to God--listed in Deuteronomy 28--would befall the endtime descendants of the tribes of Israel unless they repented.
--Cursed shall you be in the city, and in the country.
--Cursed shall be your food.
--Cursed shall be your children.
--The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart.
--The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher.
Such curses have plagued America, Britain, and the other descendants of Israel, as never before.
"Moreover all these curses [which includes many others cited in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26], shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to
keep His commandments and his statutes which He commanded you".
Surely this indicates the time of Jacob's [Israel's] trouble --The Great Tribulation--is near.
No truly converted person can deny that the world now is in the state of spiritual meltdown, which the Bible said it would be in the endtime--and shortly before The Great Tribulation.
Israel--especially the leading Tribes of England and Anglo-Saxon America--will go into captivity (in the Tribulation) because of their sins, and failure to heed the warnings to repent, of the God-inspired endtime Elijah.
God's Two Witnesses are only empowered for 1260 literal days (or 3-and-a-half prophetic days), the combined length of the Tribulation, and the Day of the LORD which cuts it short. This is the same length of time that the First Beast and the False Prophet will be empowered by Satan. Therefore, the Two Witnesses only have about 900 days before the Day of the LORD literally shakes the Earth.
The Day of the LORD, which is mentioned many times in Scripture, will probably be one prophetic day long, or 360 days in length.
Since Israel will be in captivity in the Tribulation, and the entire world will be in upheavel during the tumultuous Day of the LORD, it would be impossible for the Restoration of Elijah to take place then. His Restoration must take place before those events, in a time of relative peace. That's exactly what Herbert W Armstrong was able to accomplish during more than half-a-century.
The endtime Elijah not only comes before the Day of the LORD, he must come before the start of the Tribulation. Otherwise Israel will have had no major prior warning from God.
The Two Witnesses testify that God is God, as the original and latter Elijah did. But part of the testimony of the Two Witnesses must surely be that Elijah, whom God sent, has come already, but his warning was not heeded--and that's why Israel is going into captivity.
In hindsight, it can be seen that the commencement of Elijah's Work announced the endtime had started. The death of the endtime Elijah, signalled the completion of his Restoration, and announced that the Great Falling Away would follow in the true Church.
There cannot be the Great Falling Away from Truth until there is first the Great Restoration of endtime Elijah, from which there can be the Falling Away.
The Falling Away precedes The Great Tribulation. It is followed by the Day of the LORD.
"...for [that day of the LORD, and the LORD's subsequent arrival shall not come], except there come a falling away first..." (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
That Falling Away from the Truth, which the endtime Elijah restored, has already taken place in the worldwide church he founded. Therefore, we know we are near the start of the final 1335 Day countdown to the end. (See Daniel 12:10-13).
Born in 1892, "The Autobiography of Herbert W Armstrong" tells how he grew up seeing the world change from how it always had been for thousands of years, to the modern age with its unprecedented explosion of knowledge, accompanied by extensive global travel.
These are the two hallmarks which Daniel the prophet was informed by God, would characterize the endtime:
This would include the increase of spiritual knowledge, because God promised to send the latter-day Elijah in the endtime.
The increase of spiritual knowledge was fulfilled during Herbert W Armstrong's lengthy ministry when he expounded the meaning of Scripture, including prophecy, under inspiration of the power of the Holy Spirit.
The internationally famous evangelist Billy Graham, once said that no-one knows more about Bible prophecy than Herbert W Armstrong. He was correct in that assessment.
Although he had done some preliminary broadcasts from October 9, 1933, Mr Armstrong took the official starting date of "The World Tomorrow" radio broadcasts to be January 7, 1934, when they first became regular programs. "The Plain Truth" magazine was started February 1, that year. The first real office of the Radio Church of God, (using the address P.O. Box 111, Eugene, Oregon), opened on May 14, 1941. That was 7 years to the day before the State of Israel declared independence.
Mr Armstrong started the first of three liberal arts, university level, Ambassador Colleges, to train a field ministry and their wives--and other staff--in Pasadena, California on October 8, 1947.
A second Ambassador College in America was located in Big Sandy, Texas. The British based Ambassador College was situated between St Albans and Watford, 21 miles north of London, at Bricket Wood, in the green belt area of Hertfordshire, on the Hanstead House estate previously owned by Sir David Yule. Ambassador College, Bricket Wood, opened its doors to British and a variety of international students on October 14, 1960.
In 1934 the beginning year of the radio broadcast and magazine, Herbert W Armstrong predicted Benito Mussolini would attack Ethiopia and would declare that the 'Holy' Roman Empire had been revived. Both these things happened. After invading Ethiopia, Mussolini declared on May 9, 1936 that Italy had an Empire again.
The so-called Holy Roman Empire had always been under German kings and located essentially on German soil. The 'Holy' Roman Empire's "sovereign was usually the German king, and the German lands were always its chief component", according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. The same article entitled "Holy Roman Empire" also states:
"The German Empire of 1871-1918 was often called the Second Reich (empire) to indicate its descent from the medieval [Holy Roman] empire; by the same reasoning, Adolf Hitler referred to Nazi Germany as the Third Reich".
Mussolini and Hitler collaborated in forming the Rome-Berlin Axis which was proclaimed on October 25, 1936. It lasted for exactly 444 weeks, ending on the day Mussolini died, April 28, 1945. Hitler committed suicide two days later.
Mr Armstrong would have been justified in basing his conclusion on what Mussolini would do, on at least three things.
Firstly, that the endtime had started, because he now understood previously sealed endtime prophecies, which Daniel was told could only be understood once the latter days started; and that they'd only be understood by "the wise". That is, those who were obedient to the Law of God, and had their eyes opened by him to understand endtime prophecy. Mr Armstrong had become obedient to God's Law.
Secondly, it was during this time that the unique Bible prophecy in Revelation 17:9-10 was opened to Mr Armstrong's understanding, which can only be understood at one time in history, in the present tense form in which it was written.
"And here [is] the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits. And there are seven kings [or kingdoms]: five are fallen, and one is, [and] the other is not yet come; and when he comes, he must continue a short space".
When understood, the prophecy revealed that there would be seven successive resurrections of the 'Holy' Roman Empire.
"One is", could only be understood in the present tense time when it was actually occurring.
The only window of opportunity to see this was during the 444-week revival of the 'Holy' Roman Empire under Mussolini and Hitler.
No-one else but Herbert W Armstrong saw this at the time.
That indicated to him that endtime prophecy was being opened, and therefore that the endtime had begun. It also meant that Mr Armstrong was a prophet, because God had promised:
"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
Mussolini and Hitler's Rome-Berlin Axis constituted the sixth resurrection of the 'Holy' Roman Empire, supported by the Roman Catholic Church. While it was known that Mussolini regarded himself as a new Caesar, Herbert W Armstrong was unique in identifying him as the sixth king of Revelation 17:9-10, at the time Mussolini held that office.
To have understood this prophecy, which revealed the start of the endtime, by God's own definition made Herbert W Armstrong a prophet enlightened by Heaven. Since the major prophet God promised to send in the endtime was Elijah, that must be who Mr Armstrong was.
Thirdly, Daniel had very specifically prophesied:
"...at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships..."
Italy had secured two ends of Ethiopia for herself. Her inland thrust led to a war in 1896 against Ethiopia which Italy lost. This was unique because it was the only defeat of a European power by an African state. And, therefore, not generally expected.
Mr Armstrong saw that at that time the "king of the north" applied to Mussolini, the sixth king of Revelation 17:9-10, and that the "king of the south" applied to Ethiopia (Abyssinia) which Mussolini later defeated.
Mr Armstrong soon understood--even before World War 2 was over--that the prophecy did not apply solely to the start of the endtime with Mussolini's actions, but also was applicable to the termination of the endtime, when it applied to the seventh and final king over the resurrected 'Holy' Roman Empire, who is also the First Beast of Revelation 13.
Prophecy, Mr Armstrong saw, often has a dual application. "...and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He [the king of the North, seventh king, or First Beast] shall enter also into the glorious land [the Holy Land], and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many" (Daniel 11:40-44).
The second part of the dual application would involve the seventh revival of the 'Holy' Roman Empire, which will invade the Middle East, principally Jerusalem and the Holy Land of Israel.
Ultimately, God predicted: "...I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south" (Zechariah 14:2-4).
Doubtless it is the Old City half of Jerusalem with the coveted Temple Mount which will be taken captive by the King of the North. He is also the First Beast--the political/military dictator of the world, at the latter end of the endtime. Thus the Jews will temporarily lose, again, what they regained in the 1967 Six Day War. But the Messiah will come to their rescue.
As the years rolled by, Herbert W Armstrong and his staff documented and commented on the mounting evidence that we are indeed in the endtime.
Mr Armstrong showed that in Matthew 24, Christ himself interpreted the key events of prophecy which are sealed in the Book of Revelation, which only Jesus can open (Revelation 5:1-5).
The events predicted began to be fulfilled at the time of the prophecy about 1900 years ago, but are intensifying in the endtime.
Only Christ can unseal the prophecies. Only a prophet in the true Church would be given their correct interpretation. The seven seals cover all the prophecies in the Book of Revelation. When opened they reveal:
--Widespread religious deception masquerading as God's Truth.
--Great wars.
--Famine.
--Disease Epidemics.
Combined with the huge increase in knowledge and global travel, plus 'natural' disasters, events would culminate in The Great Tribulation--which would extinguish all human life, unless God intervened by sending the glorified Christ.
It was only in the 20th Century that man acquired the means to kill everyone on Earth, making Christ's prediction hugely relevant that "...except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]... " (Matthew 24:22). It is also verified that the endtime is here.
During the very time in which Mr Armstrong warned Israel and the world--there came to be at least these different methods whereby man could destroy himself: nuclear annihilation, chemical warfare, overpopulation and resulting famine, disease epidemics, and environmental pollution. A British scientist announced a new method in April 2001: It's now possible with current technology to divert asteroids to destroy a nation, or all of human life on Earth.
The very year Herbert W Armstrong was born, 1892, saw in America the following firsts:
The first radio broadcast demonstration; the first web-fed four-color rotary printing press used; the first concrete road built; the first automobile pneumatic patent; the first Addressograph invented; the first moving picture studio built; the first public speaking department in a university started; the first practical duplex telegraph patented; the first succcessful automatic telephone system invented; and the first portable typewriter invented, (according to "Famous First Facts--A Record of First Happenings, Discoveries and Inventions in the United States", by Joseph Nathan Kane; H.W.Wilson Company, New York, 1950; pages 559-560).
All of these things were used by Mr Armstrong to deliver his message. God saw that they were started in the year he was born, and fully developed by the time Mr Armstrong was ready to use them to preach the Gospel worldwide.
Neither the flesh and blood Jesus of Nazareth or his First Century Apostles, nor anyone since, has had the open door and means to preach the true Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the extent that Herbert W Armstrong did in the 20th Century.
How could anyone be the endtime Elijah more than him?
The Two Witnesses "...are the two olive trees, [symbolizing two leaders filled with God's Holy Spirit] a n d the two [lampstands] standing before the God of the earth" (Revelation 11:4).
"...the seven [lampstands] which [John saw] are [or symbolize] the seven churches" (Revelation 1:20).
In other words, the Two Witnesses--who are "two prophets" of God (Revelation 11:10)--lead and represent the last two eras of the Church, during their ministry. One comes he Philadelphia era, the other from the Laodicean era. Church members from these two eras support them, in the 1260 days of their empowerment.
In the endtime, Israel will eventually know that "a prophet has been among them" (Ezekiel 33:33). Notice that it does not say they'll know that two prophets are among them.
The Two Witnesses will have a worldwide impact. They are part of the Church--by definition being part of two of the lampstands, which symbolize the last two eras of the Church. They have their roots in the Work of God that the endtime Elijah did.
Their Work will be a continuation of his. Many who respond during the 1260-day empowerment of the Two Witnesses, will doubtless be people who had prior contact with the endtime Elijah's ministry.
The recognition that what he predicted has come to pass will trigger their conversion.
Interestingly, Mr Armstrong spent a great deal of time over the airwaves, delivering the warning message of Ezekiel to the endtime descendants of the House of Israel. Ezekiel himself was never able to do this personally in his day. God gave Ezekiel's prophetic message to him long after Israel went into captivity. He himself was captive with the House of Judah, in Babylon, in a location different to where the House of Israel was (Ezekiel 1:1-3). Mr Armstrong pointed that out many times.
Ezekiel's message--like much of prophecy--was meant for the endtime descendants of the House of Israel. It primarily concerned warning the House of Israel that unless they repented of their sins on a national basis, they would be severely defeated--and the remaining remnant would go into captivity.
Ezekiel never delivered it. Herbert W Armstrong did!
Another indication that he was the endtime prophet, Elijah.
The combined total of direct and indirect conversions in the endtime before the Messiah arrives, of Herbert W Armstrong will exceed that of anyone else. Is it any wonder he, as the endtime Elijah who restores all things, is seen in the Transfiguration vision with Christ and Moses--instead of T w o endtime Witnesses?
Jesus was privately asked by his leading disciples "...when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3). The very first thing he warned them about was widespread religious deception. "...Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name,
saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4-5).
Mr Armstrong pointed out that Christ's warning here was not that people would impersonate Jesus, but by attaching his name to their misleading teachings, they'd deceive many.
Christ nowhere predicted huge amounts of people are going to be converted down through the eras of the Church--except in the last stages of the endtime, when a great multitude will respond to the chastisement of the Tribulation and the message of the Two Witnesses (Revelation 7:9-17). Even it will be small in comparison to the total population of the planet (Luke 12:32).
After Jesus Christ's resurrection, the 1st Century, Church of God, started on the day of Pentecost in 31AD with 120 disciples, who were joined by about 3000 others that day, in Jerusalem (Acts 2:41).
The "many" Jesus referred to, who are deceived by false teachers, believe they are faithful people of God, when they are not. A third of the world claims to be Christian. If Christ is to be believed, many of them are deceived. Shocking--but true!
The Book of Revelation, which God gave to Jesus to have the Apostle John record, specifically states that "...the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan...deceives the whole world..." (Revelation 12:9).
SATAN DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD!
It's not just many misled people who mistakenly think they are Christians who are deceived. The other two thirds of the world, which doesn't even pretend to follow Christ, is also deceived by Satan. Including agnostics and atheists.
The religious state of the world now, is as Jesus predicted it would be in the endtime.
Any person claiming to be a Christian, who doubts that, ought to ask themselves questions like these raised by Mr Armstrong:
Since Jesus kept the last day of the week Sabbath, in compliance with the Ten Commandments--the foundational Law of God--which he said not even one jot or tittle had been done away with, why do the majority claiming to follow Jesus, observe the first day of the week?
The Bible scholar Dr Samuele Bacchiocchi's thesis "From Sabbath to Sunday" --authorized by the Vatican--proves from its own library's archives that the Roman Catholic Church changed God's weekly Sabbath Day to the opposite end of the week, without Bible authority!
Jesus said "...An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:39-40). Since Jesus gave only this one important sign to the world of his Messiahship, why do professing Christians instead believe that Christ was in the grave only from late on 'Good' Friday until early Sunday morning?
That is a period considerably less than three days and three nights. Using this reckoning, professing Christians d e n y the crucial sign Jesus gave that he is the Messiah.
The world Herbert W Armstrong warned has become worse because it has not repented. Today it is racked with wars, violence and general lawlessness. Droughts, famines, floods, earthquakes, and other 'natural' catastrophes frequently occur in diverse areas. Disease epidemics are rampant. The United Europe Mr Armstrong forsaw is a reality now. It awaits only the leadership of the supernaturally empowered satanic Beast. He will invade the State of Israel--and subdue the world--aided by a deceptive 'miracle working' religious pope, and 10 other rulers who will give their military, political, and economic power to him.
The State of Israel has long been under huge pressure, which is leading to the prophesied major wound she is prophesied to receive in the endtime (Hosea 5:13; 8:14).
The aggressive Islamic world already exists which will deliver the prophesied King of the South, whose prophesied attack on the King of the North is bound to be over the clash of interests concerning Jerusalem. Both the Muslim world and the Vatican, ignoring that God deeded Jerusalem to Israel forever, wrongly claim it is theirs.
Major fires affect the nations of greater Israel.
Diseases and bad weather have and will hugely damage the British and American crops and economy, such as with the disastrous mad-cow disease.
The curses in Leviticus 26 striking or yet to strike America and Britain and the Anglo-Saxon/Celts people worldwide include: terror that truly terrifies; consumptive diseases that wastes one away; burning ague (or fever) that consumes the eyes, and causes sorrow of heart (impairing physical, mental and spiritual faculties); farming in vain since produce is eaten by Israel's enemies; killed by enemies in conflicts (as in Vietnam); reigned over by foreigners who hate the descendants of Israel; fleeing when none pursue; having God break the pride in the power of the nation; heaven as iron (no rain), earth as brass (no crops); plagues multiplying in proportion to Britain and America's sins; wild animals robbing one of children, destroying livestock, and reducing population. Desolate highways. Rampant disease. Food not enough (or nourishing enough) to satisfy; chastised seven times more severely for sins by God (with the seven last plagues of Revelation); cannibalism of one's own children; important places destroyed; religious and secular idols demolished; cities ruined; churches desolate; enemies who invade astonished at the destruction (even as the September 11 planners were surprised at the extent of damage they did); Israelites to be scattered among the heathen nations; then their land will enjoy her (seven year) sabbaths; survivors to be captives in the enemy's lands, where they'll be very afraid, having no power to stand before them".
Herbert W Armstrong powerfully warned about all these things from 1934 to 1986. If individuals deeply repent in captivity (or before) of disregarding the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between himself and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses, then he will forgive and accept them back.
Deuteronomy 28 further warns the latter-day descendants of Israel--especially the English and English-speaking Americans:
Cursed shall you be in the city: [crime; smog; traffic; high cost of living; drugs].
Cursed shall you be in the country: [crop failure; mad cow and foot and mouth disease; pollution].
Cursed shall be your basket and kneading bowl [cancer-causing processed, and maybe genetically modified, foods].
Cursed shall be the fruit of your body [abortion; thalidomide births; congenital defects].
The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart: [high incidence of mental asylum cases, and widespread demand for psychologists, psychiatrists, and 'New Age' counsellors, indicating general lack of mental health].
The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower: [a general trend in the USA is affirmative action; Britain is already flooded with non-British; Israelitish South Africa gave away its birthright to non-Israelites; Australia has the second largest Greek city in the world and is host to many Asian immigrants who have prospered].
You shall betroth a wife, but another man will lie with her [Britain and America are rampant with pre-marital sex, adultery, and divorce].
Those who remain alive during the captivity of the Tribulation, who still will not repent, will suffer the Third Woe--or 7 Last Plagues described in the Book of Revelation:
1--malignant sores affect those with Mark of the Beast
2--everything in the sea dies
3--fresh waters also turn to blood
4--sun scorches people
5--light turned off in Beast's kingdom
6--Euphrates River dried, Kings of East go to Armageddon
7--worst earthquake in history, all islands disappear, great hailstones fall.
The Gentiles--or nations other than those descended from Israel--will fight Christ after gathering at Armageddon, north of Jerusalem, and will lose terribly.
In order for the endtime prophecies to be fulfilled, of Jerusalem being trampled underfoot by the Gentiles for 1260 days (Revelation 11:2); of half the Jewish section of Jerusalem being taken captive (Zechariah 14;1-2); of Assyria invading Judah (Isaiah 7:17; 8:7-8); of some in Judea being capable of fleeing at the s i g n of the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15-16)...there has to be a sizeable Jewish presence in the biblical land of Israel in the endtime.
This had not been the case since 70AD in the 1st Century AD,
when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, under Titus. He razed Jerusalem and is said to have killed a million Jews, forcing most of the remainder to disperse around the world, until the 20th Century.
In the 19th Century a newspaperman and Austrian Jew, Theodor Herzl, published a book "Der Judenstaat". It stirred the passions of Jews worldwide, with its vision of a Jewish state. The book was one of the main catalysts which motivated Jews to turn their dream of returning to the Promised Land into a reality.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917 led to the 29 November 1947 United Nation's resolution to partition Palestine between Jews and Arabs. The State of Israel was proclaimed on 14 May 1948. Today Israel is the strongest military power in the Middle East.
In the 6 Day War of 1967 the Jews recovered the old part of Jerusalem with the Wailing Wall and Temple Mount site, which has to be in their possession for the prophecy of the Abomination of Desolation to be fulfilled (Daniel 12:11; Luke 21:20-24; Matthew 24:15-20).
The return of the Jews to their homeland--which took place during the lifetime of Herbert W Armstrong--is a s i g n that has already taken place, indicating the return of Christ will occur in this generation.
The commission Christ gave the original Apostles was to preach the Gospel to all the world, but primarily to the Lost Tribes of Israel, as He had done (Matthew 10:5-6; 15:24;28:19-20). This they did. However, the knowledge of where the dispersed Tribes of Israel went, became lost.
In order for the prophecies to be fulfilled that the Gospel was to be preached worldwide shortly before Christ's return, the Lost Tribes had to first be identified again in our day. This was never comprehensively done until Herbert W Armstrong did it in the 20th Century.
After collating the existing evidence, Mr Armstrong first produced a manuscript in April 1928 identifying the Anglo-Saxons of Britain, and the United States of America as the two leading of the 10 Tribes of the House of Israel. It was to these two Tribes he primarily preached. However, all the Tribes exist in America to which he preached extensively. Representatives of most of the world's nations also live in the USA, and heard his message.
Mr Armstrong also identified the other Tribes as being mainly located in the democracies of Western Europe, other than the Jewish Tribe. (This excludes Germany, which he identified as the ancestors of the ancient warrior Assyrians. God is going to use them to punish the Tribes of Israel in the Great Tribulation, unless the Israelites repent).
The correct identification of the 12 Tribes in our time by Herbert W Armstrong, and his 52-year preaching of the true Gospel to them--is a sign already fulfilled, that Christ's return is imminent.
At the end of the 1st Century the New Testament Church had lost its first love (Revelation 2:1-7); wolves had taken over some of its congregations (3 John 9-10); there was a great falling away from truth (2 Thessalonians 2); and therefore the Good News that the coming Kingdom of God is to be established by Christ in Jerusalem was not widely spread anymore.
There were small subsequent revivals of the true Church through the ages, but nothing to match the impact of Christ and the original Apostles.
In order for a global endtime preaching of the Gospel to fulfill prophecy, there had to be a major revival of the Church in our time. Looking back, it is clear that this started with Mr Armstrong being called to a God-ordained mission in 1926, and the subsequent 21 October 1933 inauguration of the Radio Church of God in Eugene, Oregon--later renamed Worldwide Church of God, when it reached that status.
With the support of the organized Church, Herbert W Armstrong preached the Gospel to the Lost Tribes of Israel by radio, TV, the print media, public campaigns, and private visits with world leaders.
The rise of the Worldwide Church of God preaching the true Gospel in the endtime, has been a sign that Elijah has come and the return of Christ will be in our lifetime.
Since the Wicked one--whom Christ will destroy at his Second Coming--has a 1260-day-administration in the endtime, which only starts AFTER the Great Falling Away from truth in God's Church occurs:
It is clear that the endtime Elijah has to finish his Restoration Work BEFORE the Falling Away, BEFORE The Great Tribulation, BEFORE the appearance of the Wicked one.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day of Christ's Coming shall not come], except there come a falling away first…
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:3,8).
In her 15 July 1996 "Christianity Today" magazine article entitled "From the Fringe to the Fold", Protestant historian Dr Ruth Tucker stated that the doctrinal changes made by Herbert W Armstrong's successors in the Worldwide Church of God, after his death, are THE LARGEST REVERSAL OF TEACHINGS BY A CHURCH IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY!
In other words:
NO GREATER FALLING AWAY FROM ORIGINAL DOCTRINE TAUGHT, HAS EVER TAKEN PLACE IN ANY OTHER CHURCH.
THEREFORE, THIS HAS TO BE THE GREAT FALLING AWAY PREDICTED BY THE APOSTLE PAUL.
Otherwise there still has to be a greater restoration of truth than Mr Armstrong accomplished for a greater falling away to occur.
That makes no sense, since Mr Armstrong restored all the truth necessary for salvation; the government of God in the Church--and preached the true Gospel to a wider audience than anyone in the history of the world BEFORE the Falling Away. This included reaching numerous heads of states in the endtime with the announcement that God's Kingdom is coming.
The inescapable truth of the Bible is: If the endtime Elijah has not yet come, then no 20th or 21st Century church has yet comprehensively understood God's truth--and none will until Elijah restores true worship.
Jesus Christ predicted that in the endtime, "because lawlessness will abound, the ("agape"--Godly) love of many will grow cold" (v12) in the true Church. Any genuine member knows that has happened in our day during this time of general lawlessness in the world--influencing many who regard themselves as people of God, to wrongly believe they don't have to obey his Law.
The natural affection and love of many in the world has also grown cold in this endtime, as the Apostle Paul predicted it would: "...in the last days [before the Messiah appears] perilous times will come." He outlined what it will be like in 1 Timothy 3:1-5):
-- "men [people--will be] lovers of themselves"
-- "lovers of money"
-- "boasters"
-- "proud"
-- "blasphemers"
-- "disobedient to parents"
-- "unthankful"
-- "unholy"
-- "unloving"
-- "unforgiving"
-- "slanderers"
-- "without self-control"
-- "brutal"
-- "despisers of good"
-- "traitors"
-- "headstrong"
-- "haughty"
-- "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"
-- "having a form of godliness but denying its power"
The description above--in one way or the other--fits the majority of people in the world.
Since wicked thoughts lead to actions--and much of the news and entertainment broadcast nowadays revolves around these attitudes, we have to be living in days like those of Noah--which were only prophesied to come again in the endtime.
A sure sign God will intervene in world affairs soon, and that Herbert W Armstrong did warn Israel in the endtime.
He also warned that Britain and America would lose their strategic sea-gates. Since his death America has lost the important Panama Canal, and Britain is reported to be in the process of losing the also important Gibraltar sea-gate--besides the others already lost.
A list of these is a telling s i g n of already fulfilled prophecy. Britain's loss of the Falklands and Gibraltar may be two of the final signs she is about to lose her sovereignty, which some point out now has been severely eroded by the European Union.
If the endtime Elijah has not yet come, then we are not in the endtime.
But every sign screams out that we are in the momentous endtime! When looked at logically, all the evidence is that Elijah has come already.
Herbert W Armstrong Is The Only Major Person To Come At The Right Time, To The Right Audience, With The Right Message, Who Could Qualify To Be The Endtime Elijah. Anyone Else Was Too Early, And Is Now Too Late, To Fulfill That Office.
Chapter 3
Proof #3: HWA Ministered to The Constituency
of The Endtime Elijah
"The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel...
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet..." (Malachi 4:5).
The constituency of the endtime Elijah is primarily Israel. In order to address this constituency, the endtime Elijah first has to correctly identify it, since the knowledge of who the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel are, became lost even to themselves.
Herbert W Armstrong identified who especially the main Tribes of Israel are before he started his fledging ministry, which grew to be worldwide.
As has already been shown, his most widely distributed book, "The United States and Britain in Prophecy", pointed out that this constituency was enormously larger than the Jewish population of the world.
God promised to send Elijah to Israel. Primarily that means, to the House of Israel. And most specifically to its leading Tribe Joseph, whose sons Ephraim and Mannasseh, are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxon English and Americans, respectively.
It also meant reaching the other Tribes of Israel.
In a general sense Elijah was also sent to Judah--the Jews--since they are the important inheritor of the Scepter promise. But primarily, Elijah was sent to the Lost House of Israel. Herbert W Armstrong went to all of Israel, (as defined by the list of nations at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today.).
This included visiting many of the Prime Ministers and other leaders of Judah (the modern State which calls itself "Israel"--but consists mainly of the Jewish Tribe).
One of the first world leaders which invited Mr Armstrong to visit him was Prime Minister Golda Meir of that country, which is not to be confused with the House of Israel, which never was Jewish.
All the Tribes of Israel are in any case represented in the USA, which Mr Armstrong saturated with his message of the coming "Wonderful World Tomorrow" millennial Kingdom of God. He died at age 93-and-a-half, having successfully completed his mission.
The extent to which Herbert W Armstrong preached to the constituency of Israel, can be seen by the following facts. In addition, as was prophesied of Israel's leading Tribe, Joseph, this endtime Elijah's mission branched over the wall to reach the tallest trees of many other nations.
HWA Founded a Worldwide Church.
By the end of his life in 1986, Herbert W Armstrong had opened Church offices in the USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Columbia, South America, Puerto Rico, The Caribbean, France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, The Philippines, Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Mauritius. These were the regional bases for distributing his material, Church congregations, and individual disciples, were in almost every country of the world.
In 1926 Mr Armstrong's wife Loma (nee Dillon), was told by a neighbor of the o n l y weekly Sabbath commanded in the Bible, the one lasting from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset. She immediately understood the need to observe it, as one of the cardinal laws of the Ten Commandments. He fiercely resisted, until in an endeavor to prove her wrong, Mr Armstrong--using professional business methods--researched the matter, only to discover she was right.
This led to an in depth six-months study of the Bible, in which Mr Armstrong was horrified to find that many of the major teachings of the large established churches, are the exact opposite of what the Bible says...just as Sunday--the first day of the week--is at the exact opposite end of the week from the true Sabbath, which is the seventh and last day of the week.
Mainstream churches teach that people go to Heaven when they die. Mr Armstrong saw that Jesus taught "...no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven" (John 3:13).
Instead of people going to Heaven, Mr Armstrong fully comprehended that Jesus would be coming back to Earth. An angel told the disciples when Christ ascended "this same J e s u s, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). And, that Christ's Gospel--or Good News message--revolved around his future return to establish the world-ruling Kingdom of God. The same message all the prophets of God had taught (Acts 3:18-21).
This had been Christ's message from the beginning. "Now after that John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [or Good News] of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15).
The repent part included the reason why Jesus had to die--and be resurrected--for humanity, and the love God displayed in sacrificing his own Son.
The Kingdom of God, would see this now glorified Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords, as Supreme Ruler over civil and religious affairs. He would govern from Jerusalem extending his dominion until it ruled every nation, tribe, and individual. He would govern according to the already revealed Laws of God established in the Bible.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).
While many churches taught that God's Law has been done away, Mr Armstrong learnt that Jesus taught the exact opposite: “ Think not that I am come to destory the law, or the prophets:
I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17-19).
Mr Armstrong discovered, that the Bible defines what sin is. "Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). The Law of God is outlined in detail in the first five books of the Bible. the Ten Commandments, are the foundation on which all the other statutes and judgments mentioned from Genesis to Deuteronomy are based. The first four Commandments govern how we ought to love God, the last six govern how we ought to love other people.
Even the way Mr Armstrong divided the Ten Commandments into 4/6 is interesting, as the numerical value of the name Elijah in the section ending with Malachi 4:6 is 46. The Jews divide them 5/5. 55 is the numerical value of Elijah's name in the New Testament. Perhaps there is a Divine hint there.
Jesus didn't do away with the Law of God, Mr Armstrong observed. Jesus magnified how it ought to be kept, showing God intended the spirit of the Law to be observed--as well as the letter of the Law. For example, the Seventh Commandment not only forbids adultery, Christ showed it forbids even contemplating that sin (Matthew 5:27-28). That made the Law of God far more binding, and applicable to every thought and action.
Whereas the major churches teach that when people die they go to heaven, or have an immortal soul so that they don't really die, Mr Armstrong found that the Bible teaches that "...the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23). That is, eternal death.
The whole of 1 Corinthians 15, written by the Apostle Paul, who had been taught by the leading rabbinical teacher and understood the official Jewish viewpoint of his day, and by Jesus, shows that a resurrection is necessary if we are to ever live again after death.
Paul explained "The last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (verse 26). Death, being the total absence of life, is every person's very real enemy. Jesus came to save humanity from sin, which includes literally saving them from the eternal death penalty, which their sins have earned.
The second half of Romans 6:23 quoted above, states "but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord". Eternal life is not something one automatically has. It is a gift given by God, but only to those who repent and obey him.
That involves repenting of past sins, a commitment not to repeat them, keeping God's Ten Commandments, and proper adult baptism, to demonstrate one's sincerity, and receive God's Holy Spirit--the power which enables one to keep the Law of God in its spiritual intent.
The Apostle Peter confirmed this. "[Jesus]...has God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Spirit…God has given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:31-32).
One cannot have eternal life without first receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, and living a life of overcoming sin, self, society, and Satan. One cannot experience eternal life in a human body. God has to supply a new immortal, Spirit-composed body to those he resurrects.
Speaking to genuine Christians, the Apostle Paul pointed out that "...God...has also sealed us, and given the earnest [or, a deposit] of the Spirit in our hearts" as a guarantee that he would resurrect them with an eternal spiritual body and mind (2 Corinthians 1:22. See also chapter 5:5 in the New King James Version).
Mr Armstrong was shown by God that even the Creator's identity was misunderstood by the established churches, who believe Heaven is run by an impossible to clearly explain, mysterious Trinity of persons. The Bible by contrast, he saw, likens the Godhead to an easy to understand family. The Almighty God is the Father of all, Jesus is his firstborn Son (of many other brethren yet to be resurrected to immortality).
Spiritually "...Jerusalem...above...is the mother of us all" (Galatians 4:26). The Holy Spirit is the power by which God accomplishes all he does. It is not a third person in a closed Trinity. Spiritually the Church is the Bride-to-be of Christ, which will marry him at his Second Coming, and through her, future generations of children will be born into the Kingdom of God.
Just as Christ is the future husband of the Church, (which is Spiritual Israel), so is a man the husband of the wife he marries (Ephesians 5:22-33).
God is in the process of increasing his family. Just as you carry the name and characteristics of your parents, the sons and daughters of God, born again into his Kingdom composed of immortal Spirit, will carry his name and characteristics. The Apostle John told recipients of God's Holy Spirit in his day, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
God progressively, one doctrine at a time, opened Herbert W Armstrong's mind to understand the comprehensive, true and clear message of the Bible. Understanding the characteristics of the true Church, one of which was that it was a "little flock" (Luke 12:32)--not some huge denomination--he set out to find it. He knew it existed because Jesus had said "...I will build my church; and the gates of hell [that is, the grave--symbolizing death] shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
In other words, the true Church of God, which Jesus founded, would never die out. (Mr Armstrong also came to realize that the widely held view, that upon death sinners go to an ever-burning hell fire, is not biblical either. That is neither the Bible's meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek words translated "hell", nor is it the nature of a loving God to punish in that fashion, neither could human flesh burn for very long before being totally consumed).
Mr Armstrong saw that in twelve places in the New Testament the genuine congregation of true believers had the name "Church of God". He knew their modern equivalents would also be keeping the seventh-day of the week Sabbath sign, for they were Spiritual Israel. Going by biblical guidelines, he located remnants of the true Church of God in the United States. They were indeed a little flock, and had lost many Bible truths.
They were not actively trying to preach the Gospel to the whole world, but tended to be focused on their own group.
Coming to know and work among these people, Herbert W Armstrong was ordained around Pentecost 1931. That was, he pointed out, exactly 100 19-year cycles of the moon in the Hebrew Calendar, after the New Testament Church started in Jerusalem in 31AD. (By comparison, the Roman Catholic Church claims to have started in Rome in 33AD).
Mr Armstrong had been a highly ambitious and financially successful advertizing copywriter and salesman, exuding energy and accomplishment. Then, on three separate occasions his business had been snatched from his grasp due to changing circumstances beyond his control.
Brought to a point of total humility, Mr Armstrong was baptized as an adult, and then inspired with a new mission.
Mr Armstrong identified the Sabbath-keeping Church of God he located, as remnants of the fifth era of the original Church which Jesus Christ and his Apostles had founded in 31AD.
God used Herbert W Armstrong to raise the sixth--or Philadelphia era--of the true Church (Revelation 3:7-13).
Before then, Mr Armstrong sent his treatise on "Anglo-Israelism" to Andrew Dugger, one of the leaders of the Church of God he had searched for and found. In a letter dated April 20, 1928, Dugger agreed to read it (and a manuscript Mr Armstrong wrote showing strategic flaws in the theory of evolution).
While the document identifying the Lost Tribes of Israel was acknowledged, it wasn't taken seriously enough by that Church of God to publish it. The successors of that organization still don't believe it. The July-August 2002 edition of their magazine "Bible Advocate" (page 5) claims "Neither Bible history nor prophecy deal directly with specific states outside the then-known world stretching from the western Mediterranean to southern Asia. Today's world powers are not named therein: ...England...Germany ...the US..."
That Church seems unaware that endtime prophecy deals with the descendants of the peoples of Bible times--who are around today-- and therefore does refer to modern nations.
Even his critics have acknowledged that by February 1929, Herbert W Armstrong had started writing what became his most widely distributed work "The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy"--and that by that time, he already saw his mission to warn the world.
His tent campaign starting July 9, 1933--which Mr Armstrong regarded as the real start of his evangelistic Work of preaching worldwide--took place [this author notes] on the 777th day inclusive after the idealized date of him being called on the Feast of Trumpets, 9-9-1926. The Radio Church of God was incorporated on October 21, 1933.
July 9, 1933 had been less than six months after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933.
Mr Armstrong started his regular radio broadcasts on January 7, 1934, and started publishing "The Plain Truth" magazine on February 1 that year, with the cover story: "Is a World Dictator About to Appear?"
Hitler became Dictator of Germany on August 2, 1934--and a prototype of the coming endtime world-dictator Beast. This further shows that after God prepared Herbert W Armstrong for his mission, he started fulfilling it at a crucial time in history.
World War 1 and World War 2 proved to be the worst wars in human history until then. Scripture clearly shows that World War 3 will be an even greater Holocaust. Today, even a rudimentary knowledge of the world's arsenal of weapons shows that is bound to be the case.
The radio broadcast Herbert W Armstrong started--which became known as "The World Tomorrow" program--started on the 100-watt Eugene, Oregon station KORE.
From about two decades later, with help from his gifted son, Garner Ted Armstrong, the broadcast grew to be on over 600 stations worldwide. The Worldwide Church of God was the largest purchaser of radio time in the world for decades, at the time when radio was its most effective. In many areas the broadcast could be heard several times during the day, or night.
Later the broadcast was televised and shown over many stations internationally.
Herbert W Armstrong was a pioneer in religious broadcasting. No-one claiming to be Elijah before him, could ever have surpassed the extent of Mr Armstrong's media reach in his day, and is now too late to claim they first restored all things in the endtime true Church of God.
"The World Tomorrow" program was first broadcast outside Oregon, on September 15, 1940 on KRSC, Seattle, Washington. On January 5, 1953 it first went to Britain and Europe via Radio Luxembourg, then the most powerful radio station in the world. It later was broadcast to Britain from seven different ships located outside that nation's territorial waters.
There's no question that many in Britain did hear the message of the endtime Elijah. Some became members of, and some ministers in, God's true Church.
Aides of Mr Armstrong also made the broadcast in seven foreign languages, including French, German, Italian, Dutch and Spanish.
HWA Founded The Most Widely Circulated News Magazine On Earth
"The Plain Truth" magazine was launched on February 1, 1934 and eventually reached a worldwide circulation of over 8,000,000. That made it the biggest circulation news magazine of all times. Remarkably, it achieved that circulation carrying no commercial advertizing, and charging no cover price. It only promoted further free publications that the Worldwide Church of God offered. The
Gospel, Christ had commissioned his disciples, must go to the nations free of charge. And that's how Herbert W Armstrong provided it.
"The Plain Truth" magazine was translated into the above and other languages, such as Norwegian; and allied material was distributed in languages as diverse as Afrikaans and Swahili.
Although Herbert W Armstrong primarily preached to the nations he identified as descendants of Israel, his message was broadcast worldwide.
"The Plain Truth" magazine was sent to virtually every nation on Earth. It was also advertized in major magazines around the world, including the large circulation "Reader's Digest", and in well-known local publications.
In the late 1970's Mr Armstrong's son, Garner Ted Armstrong --whom many could not distinguish from his father's voice--himself held 50 personal appearance campaigns in the United States and Canada, echoing his father's message.
In his later years, Mr Armstrong placed several full-page advertisements in the prestigious "Wall Street Journal" newspaper. The message of the endtime Elijah was thus widely circulated through various methods.
HWA Personally Preached to Over 70 Nations
Herbert W Armstrong himself personally delivered the message of the soon-coming Kingdom of God to many of the leading reigning Kings, Queens, Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other world leaders of his day. In all, he personally delivered his message to over 70 nations. Sometimes this would include a public appearance campaign.
It is improbable that any modern--or ancient--religious leader, had as much access to, and been on such good terms with, as many world leaders--as was Herbert W Armstrong, (with the possible exception of some Roman Pope). This despite the fact that Mr Armstrong's message effectively announced that each nation was going to have to surrender in the future to The Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. Something Scripture shows the nations will not surrender without a huge fight, which they'll lose.
Many of these leaders died shortly after Mr Armstrong visited them.
Probably, this author surmises, because God wants them to have Elijah's messages of the Wonderful World Tomorrow, as one of the first things they'll remember when resurrected into the kingdom of God on Earth.
Churches claiming to be Christian usually hold the view that today is the only day of salvation: anyone not saved by Jesus before they die is doomed forever. This consigns at least two-thirds of the current population of the planet, which doesn't claim Jesus as their Savior, to eternal oblivion; as well as the bulk of people who have ever lived.
It suggests the Devil is winning a war for 'souls'.
Mr Armstrong, possibly uniquely as a religious leader in the modern age, understood the Bible teaches no such thing.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise...but is...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
The Apostle Paul understood the truth of this matter, saying that eventually: "...all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this [is] my covenant to them, when I shall take away their sins. As ...touching the election, [they are] beloved for the fathers' sakes. For the gifts and calling of God [are] without repentance [or recall]" (Romans 11:25-29).
The 37th chapter of Ezekiel--about the famous "valley of dry bones"--concerns the future physical resurrection of all of the House of Israel who died in the past, (and those yet to die before that resurrection), who were not genuinely converted before their death.
"And he said to me [Ezekiel], Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, you know. Again he said to me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say to them, O you dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live" (Ezekiel 37:3-5).
"Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost [which is exactly what many churches today teach is the irreversible condition of those not 'saved' before death]: ...And you shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it], says the LORD" (Ezekiel 37:11-14).
Substitute the expression "the whole house of Israel" with the nations listed at the end of the chapter identifying the Tribes of Israel today.--and the countless millions of their dead since the patriarch Israel lived--and the innumerable millions soon to die in the Tribulation--and you have an idea of the army of Israelites that will be resurrected from the dead after the Millennium, to be given their first real chance of salvation.
This demonstrates the power, and love, of God.
God, being God, has systematically worked out in advance, what he wants to accomplish in the end. Scripture confirms that. It also reveals that God appoints the world's rulers. With that sort of control, it seems obvious that he will use those same leaders in the resurrection, for his purpose of converting the nations.
When rulers which a nation knew of in their time, are dramatically converted after being resurrected, it will influence those subjects to follow the same path. This will be especially true of the non-Israelitish nations, who've often been ruled by tyrants.
Those who will be resurrected earlier, at the Messiah's appearance at the start of the Millennium, are the
relatively few genuine members of the spiritual Body of believers, whom God has called through the ages, to be members of the Government of God forever. Such as the Old Testament Prophets and other righteous people listed in Hebrews 11, the Apostles of Jesus, and the membership of the seven eras of the true Church of God. This number of "firstfruits"--in the First general Resurrection (after Christ) will be 144,000. (See Revelation 14; Jude 14; and Chapter 19 in the printed version of this book).
The vast majority of those deceased before the Second Coming of Christ--as Mr Armstrong showed--will only be resurrected 1000 years later, after the Millennium. When those leaders see again the by then 1000-year old, glorified, immortal Herbert W Armstrong in the Government of God--and themselves resurrected only to human existence--the shock and reality of his original message will sink in. As will the potential to also become an immortal son of God. "God is reproducing himself after his own kind," Mr Armstrong often explained.
These very world leaders Mr Armstrong witnessed to, will doubtless be key ones he interacts with at the time of their resurrection over a thousand years from now, to bring Israel and the nations to conversion, under the ruling King of kings, and Lord of lords, Jesus the Messiah, in conjunction with Moses.
This indicates that Herbert W Armstrong's Work was far more important and far-reaching than even many of his disciples--or critics--understood. It perhaps also explains why ever since his death--there has been a sustained attempt by some (under the influence of Satan)--to discredit him.
Those Kings and Queens and leaders of nations Herbert W Armstrong witnessed to, will be as shocked to see him glorified then, as were the disciples to see Jesus transfigured with Moses and Elijah, in a vision.
These members of Royalty and other world leaders, will have no problem then understanding that he was the endtime prophet Elijah.
Conversion will come quickly to them. They in turn will help positively influence countless of their resurrected countrymen.
The cumulative effect of the endtime Elijah's Work will only then be truly appreciated. Of course, he would be the first to correctly admit that without the Father and the Son, he would have been powerless to do any spiritual good.
God has determined in advance how his plan works out, and who the chief role players are. His calling and gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
HWA Founded 3 Colleges to Train Ministers From Around The World
On October 8, 1947 Herbert W Armstrong founded the first of three unique co-educational university level Ambassador Colleges, which were based on the Law of God.
Their purpose was to train a ministry, their wives, and other staff for the worldwide mission Mr Armstrong and the Church had, to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to Israel, and the rest of the world.
The first Ambassador College was located at 300 West Green Street, Pasadena, California. This was after many years of following a Master Plan of restoration of the existing buildings, and gardens, which had been a millionaire's residence. The library building was the former home of the founder of International Harvester. That name could describe the spiritual function of the Church.
This campus three times won the award for the best looking and best-maintained campus in all of America!
The beauty went deeper, and was reflected in the genuinely friendly and helpful attitudes of the faculty and students. A visiting Queen of one nation summed up the experience by saying after her visit, "I've just been in Heaven!"
A second Ambassador College in America was located in Big Sandy, Texas. The British based Ambassador College was situated between St Albans and Watford, 21 miles north of London, at Bricket Wood, in the green belt area of Hertfordshire, on the Hanstead House estate previously owned by the millionaire Sir David Yule. Ambassador College, Bricket Wood, opened its doors to British and a variety of international students on October 14, 1960.
The other Ambassador College in America was in Big Sandy, Texas. Both there and at Bricket Wood, experimental farm programs were instituted on the Bible's standards of agriculture and rearing of livestock. The information learnt was shared with interested farmers around the world, free of charge.
Ambassador Colleges were not just places to study the Bible with an exploratory frame of mind, but also places to put its foundational principles into practice. They were environments conducive to positive learning experiences, good character formation, social enrichment, and clean wholesome fun.
Ambassador Colleges were a unique foretaste of the Wonderful World Tomorrow which Herbert W Armstrong prophesied would come.
Mr Armstrong published high quality, visually interesting, beautifully bound, and substantial yearbooks--called "The ENVOY"--which showcased the Ambassador Colleges annually. They are evidence themselves of the fine quality of those institutions.
The Law of God was promoted and faithfully lived by, at these institutions of higher learning, producing harmony, peace, and productive, purposeful lives.
Mr Armstrong was 55 when he started the first Ambassador College in 1947. He was 82 when he finished building it, with the jewel in the Crown City (as Pasadena is also known) campus--the magnificent Ambassador Auditorium, which became world renowned.
Ambassador Auditorium was dedicated "to the Great God". The modern but stately building is made from various items from around the world, symbolizing the global Work of the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W Armstrong's supervision.
Among Mr Armstrong's natural gifts, he possessed perfect pitch musically. As a result, Ambassador Auditorium was brilliant acoustically. Mr Armstrong invited many of the world's leading musicians and entertainers to perform at the venue, in a series of memorable concerts.
It's as if God brought the best of the world's best to the House of God, which Elijah built, so that one day in the future, God will have a reference point from which to start dealing with these maestros. For those who die before the Millennium, it will be when they are resurrected immediately thereafter, over 1000 years from now. They too will be astonished to discover that God and his endtime Elijah had touched their lives over a millennium earlier. Imagine the inspired performance to God's glory, which they'll give then!
After coming into contact with the Radio Church of God (later renamed Worldwide Church of God), many people asked for further information about what the Bible really taught. Many questions were already answered in Mr Armstrong's already printed publications. A team of assistants processed the mail and telephone enquiries by sending the appropriate item or information.
More specific questions were answered by the Church's Pasadena headquarters, and regional offices opened in various parts of the world.
The ministry trained at Ambassador Colleges was sent worldwide. Teams of two men together visited tens of thousands of individuals and families in their homes, who requested it, travelling extraordinary distances to do so in some cases.
At it's height the Worldwide Church of God had about 140,000 people in attendance. Every one of them had some interaction with one of the ministers. Besides that were the many more people visited who never progressed to that stage, who were witnessed to.
HWA Published a Comprehensive Bible Correspondence Course
One of Herbert W Armstrong's early associates in the Church, Dr C. Paul Meredith, took detailed notes of his inspired preaching, which became the basis for the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course.
This Course was sent free upon request, like all the literature of the Church. At one stage it consisted of over 50 lessons. They were largely made up of questions which led the student to Scriptures which proved the major doctrines of the Bible. Students were required to write down their answers and complete a test after every fourth lesson, which was sent to their closest regional office for marking.
More than 2,000,000 people were enrolled in the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course during Mr Armstrong's ministry. It was one of the most effective tools for bringing people to a good understanding of the Bible, and conversion.
HWA Published "The Good News" Magazine for Church Members
While "The Plain Truth" magazine was directed at the average person in the world, "The Good News" magazine was written for people who had become members of the Worldwide Church of God. It fulfilled the need for an even more in depth understanding of Scripture, once people were committed to the Church's goal of reaching the Kingdom of God.
Like "The Plain Truth" magazine, "The Good News" magazine was edited by Herbert W Armstrong, and also distributed worldwide. At one stage Mr Armstrong also published "Tomorrow's World" magazine. It contained more spiritual material than "The Plain Truth" and was intended especially for Co-Workers who wanted stronger meat. Mr Armstrong wrote regular letters to "The Plain Truth" mailing list and to Co-Workers.
HWA Published Seven Major Books Clarifying The Bible's Message.
Herbert W Armstrong published seven major books,
(six of which he wrote), which explained in clear language key doctrines of the Bible. They were all offered free of charge. These were:
1--The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy
[identifying the leading descendants of Israel today, which provides the key to understanding endtime prophecy].
2--The Human Potential [showing God's ultimate destiny for mankind].
3--Tomorrow...What It Will Be Like
[outlining the nature of God's coming kingdom, on Earth. This volume was also
published by Everest House, New York, and available through bookstores].
4--The Missing Dimension in Sex
[explaining God's point of view on the subject].
5--The Autobiography of Herbert W Armstrong
[two volumes revealing how he came to understand the Bible, and the origins and Work of the Worldwide Church of God under his direction].
6--The Bible Story
[various book length volumes written and illustrated for children, by Basil Wolverton, based on Mr Armstrong's teachings, and edited by him].
7--Mystery of the Ages
[an overview clarifying the major doctrines of the Bible in one volume. This summarized Mr Armstrong's
teachings, and was published when he was 93. It also effectively declared that Elijah's Restoration in the Church was complete].
HWA Published a Library of Bible Orientated Booklets
Being a prolific writer of clear copy before he even got involved with his mission of announcing the coming Kingdom of God, Mr Armstrong redirected his energies to publishing a veritable library of booklets, which showed the Bible's viewpoint about ancient and modern questions. (He also published booklets and reprinted articles from his magazines, some written by disciples of his). The subjects covered every aspect of Christian interest, including:
All About Water Baptism.
Answers from Genesis.
Are We Living In The LAST DAYS?
A Tale of two Prophets.
A True History of the True Church.
A world held captive.
Christmas--the untold story.
Come Help Humanity!
Coming--A New Age!
CRIME CAN BE STOPPED...here's how!
Did God Create a Devil?
Divorce and Remarriage.
Does God E x i s t ?
Does God heal today?
Do you have an Immortal Soul?
Easter is pagan!
Ending Your Financial Worries.
Famine--Can we survive?
Germany in Prophecy.
Has T i m e Been Lost?
HIPPIES--Hypocrisy and "Happiness".
How often should we partake of The Lord's Supper?
How Religion Deceives You.
How to have a Happy Marriage.
How to Study the Bible.
How to understand Prophecy.
HUMAN NATURE--Did God Create It?
Is God a Trinity?
Is Sex Sin?
Is there a R e a l Hell Fire?
IS THIS THE END TIME?
Lazarus and the Rich Man.
Managing Your Personal Finances.
Modern Dating.
NEVER BEFORE UNDERSTOOD: Why Humanity Cannot Solve
Its Evils.
New Facts about Marijuana.
1975 in Prophecy.
Pagan Holidays--or God's Holy Days--Which?
Principles of Healthful Living.
Read the Book.
Seven Proofs of God's True Church.
Sunset to Sunset--God's Sabbath Rest.
Teach your Children About God.
The Bible: Superstition or Authority? --and can you prove it?
The Book of Revelation unveiled at last.
The Christian Sabbath.
THE DILEMMA OF DRUGS.
The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse.
The White Horse--False Religion.
The Red Horse--War.
The Black Horse--Famine.
The Pale Horse--Disease Epidemics.
The Gospel.
The Key to the Book of Revelation.
The Mark of the Beast.
The Middle East in Prophecy.
The Modern Romans--The Decline of Western Civilization.
The New Feminism...have Women ever R e a l l y Had Their Rights?
The Occult Explosion--What Does it Mean?
The Plain Truth About Child Rearing.
The Plain Truth About Christmas.
The Plain Truth About Easter.
The Plain Truth About Healing.
The Proof of the Bible.
The RESURRECTION was NOT o n S u n d a y !
The Road to Eternal Life.
The Sacred Calendar.
The Seven Laws of Radiant Health.
The Seven Laws of Success.
The 10 Commandments.
The "Tongues" Question.
The Wonderful World Tomorrow.
This is the Worldwide Church of God.
TITHING.
True Womanhood--Is it a 'lost cause'?
Truth About EARTHQUAKES!
Truth A b o u t Makeup.
War and Military Service.
What do you mean--"The Unpardonable Sin"?
What Do You Mean--Born Again?
What Do You Mean--Conversion?
What Do You Mean--Salvation?
What Do You Mean--The Kingdom of God?
What happens after death?
What Is a REAL CHRISTIAN?
What is the TRUE GOSPEL?
What is the Reward of the Saved?
What is Faith?
What is your Destiny?
What kind of Faith is required for S a l v a t i o n ?
What's behind the Energy Crisis?
What Science Can't Discover About the HUMAN MIND.
What will you be doing in the Next Life?
Where are Enoch and Elijah?
Where is God's True Church Today?
Which day is the Christian Sabbath?
Which Day is the SABBATH of the New Testament?
Who is the Beast?
Who or What Is the Prophetic Beast?
Who Was Jesus?
Who will rule Space?
Why Marriage? Soon Obsolete?
Why Were You Born?
World Crisis in Agriculture
World Peace: How Will It Come.
You can quit Smoking.
Herbert W Armstrong Fulfilled The Mission Of The Endtime Elijah, Comprehensively Preaching To His Constituency--
The Modern Descendants Of The House Of Israel.
Mr Armstrong Also Branched Over The Wall.
Assisted By The Worldwide Church Of God Ministers, And its Membership and Co-Workers, He And The Ministry Travelled To Many Countries Where People Requested A Visit, Spreading The Gospel Globally, And Baptizing An International Congregation Of Latter-Day Saints, In Preparation For The Coming Kingdom Of God.
Since God was behind this whole operation, the probability is that Herbert W Armstrong's ministry reached at least some representatives of all 70 of the original nations mentioned in Genesis 10, as a reference point for when God deals with them in the future.
Chapter 4
Proof #4: HWA Turned the Heart of the Fathers
to the Children, and Vice-Versa
In Bible terms, the expression "fathers" refers to the patriarchs of Israel, primarily Abraham, his son Isaac--through whom God's promises would pass--and Jacob, (renamed Israel), whose name and blessings were to be perpetuated through his grandson's Ephraim and Manasseh.
In a genealogical and Bible sense, the term "children" refers to the descendants of Israel, who today are mainly the nations listed at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today..
The heart of the patriarchs of Israel was set on worshipping the true God. Abraham is the father of those faithful to God, Scripture shows. He is the grand human patriarch of literal Israel, and of those converted from all nations, whom God counts as Spiritual Israel--who comprise the true Church of God.
"...Abraham our father...believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness...reckoned...when he was...[yet]...uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe..."
"...the promise, [was] that he [Abraham] should be the heir of the world...Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be" (extracts from Romans 4:1-18).
Abraham's son Isaac lived a faithful life, and is a type of the Messiah, who was offered as a sacrifice. Israel fathered the 12 Tribes of Israel, and passed his inheritance and name to his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh the ancestors of the Anglo-Saxon English and Americans. The name "Saxons" has been shown to be derived from "Isaac's sons".
Therefore, Elijah in the endtime, was to direct the important God-orientated leanings of the heart of the faithful patriarchs of Israel to their latter-day descendants, chiefly in the British domain and the United States of America.
This is precisely what Herbert W Armstrong did.
In a description of John the Baptist, who was a type of the endtime Elijah, an angel delivered this message from Heaven:
"...many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he [John the Baptist] shall go before him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elias [Elijah], to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:16-17).
This is exactly what Herbert W Armstrong did on a much larger and worldwide scale--as the endtime Elijah--that John typified.
The latter-day Elijah's turning of the heart of the children, or descendants, of Israel to their patriarchal forefathers involves their repentance to God. Repentance is the process whereby sinners--and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God--turn around and start walking God's way.
The procedure of repentance, which the patriarchs of Israel followed when God called them, would be what Elijah would cause the endtime descendants of Israel to duplicate.
In doing so, one of the Ten Commandments they would abide by, would be the Fifth Commandment. Its instruction to honor one's father and mother would result in these descendants of Israel also turning their heart to their own literal fathers:
"Honour your father and your mother: that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God giveth you" (Exodus 20:12).
Many of those called during Mr Armstrong's ministry were only children, or rebellious teenagers, when they first heard him, including this author. When they later got married, many of their children also had their heart turned to their literal fathers.
Whatever the age of the others called into the Church, plenty were also influenced to turn their heart to their literal fathers.
Naturally these things did not happen literally in every instance. Jesus foretold that there would be tares amongst the wheat, and that the Devil would snatch away the good Word of God sown amongst some who were genuine.
The Apostle Paul showed how God considers that "...the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy" (1 Corinthians 7:14).
In other words, children with one (or both) parents converted, are considered by God to be of special importance to him. Therefore, this must be the time God is working with them. There's no guarantee there'll be another opportunity if they reject this one.
Since the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, should any of these endtime children become unholy by departing from God's way of life, it stands to reason that God may be compelled to allow them to be punished in the Great Tribulation, in order to alert them to the reality that their privileged status has to be taken seriously if they are to enter the Kingdom of God.
Anyone who genuinely repents as a result of Herbert W Armstrong's ministry, who is of
Israelitish stock, has their heart turned to that of their patriarchal fathers, as the prophecy foretold!
Some of the children who have forsaken the way of God, after being taught it by their parents, are bound to yet turn their heart to their literal and patriarchal fathers in the faith, as a result of the coming Tribulation. The game is not over, as their generation might say. God's purpose for them will be fulfilled, or forfeited to someone else.
Herbert W Armstrong turned the heart of the fathers to the children--and vice-versa--both physically and literally, and spiritually and symbolically. He himself had a successful marriage of almost 50 years, and spoke and wrote a great deal about marriage and the traditional family consisting of father, mother and children.
Mr Armstrong published various booklets on the subject, such as "How to Have a Happy Marriage", "The Plain Truth About Child Rearing", and implemented programs, which strengthened marriage and parent/child relationships. This included having local ministers give sermons and advice on these subjects.
This author can personally testify that after coming into contact with Mr Armstrong's teachings, as a 15-year old rebel, my relationship with my parents improved dramatically.
Most of the students of the three Ambassador Colleges were youngsters of Israelitish background, who were taught the principles of good family relationships in the compulsory Principles of Living class, which Mr Armstrong personally taught, including at the British campus where this author studied.
Furthermore, Mr Armstrong also founded Imperial (Grade and High) Schools for pre-College students. These emphasized respect for parents, teachers, elders in general, and God and his Law above all.
Mr Armstrong continually pointed out that God's Law, is a law of love. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3).
Ambassador Clubs at the Colleges were replicated around the world in local congregations of the Worldwide Church of God, under the name Spokesman Club. Among other things, these Clubs taught, mainly young men, the art of public speaking; leadership in and respect for constituted authority in the home, Church, and society.
And, how to apply God's Law, with love, in their families. These were an improved version of the famous Toastmasters Clubs. They were later expanded to co-educational Teen Clubs.
Besides this, Mr Armstrong instituted the Worldwide Church of God's Summer Education Program, or SEP, in various countries.
Based on the concept of American summer camps, these yearly, usually three-week long experiences were jam-packed with top-class outdoor activities, wholesome social opportunities, and Bible-based family orientated education. The main Orr, Minnesota SEP site in America, alone benefited over 30,000 youngsters who participated over a period of 35 years, according to Floyd and Mardell Kielczewski who lived and worked at the camp for many years, (reported "The Journal" June 30, 2002. SEP was also held in the UK, South Africa, Australia, and elsewhere.
In addition, Mr Armstrong published "Youth" magazine. It was an interesting, high-quality, full-color, well-written, professionally produced periodical, aimed at helping youngsters successfully deal with family life and life in general, according to Bible principles and Law.
Mr Armstrong further published Bible orientated lessons with tests--similar to the Correspondence Course--suitable for different aged children, which youngsters completed in conjunction with their parents.
All these innovations of Herbert W Armstrong brought practical improvement and love into many families who sensibly applied what he taught.
By preaching the need to obey the Fifth Commandment of God to honor one's parents, this endtime Elijah influenced many of the descendants of Israel to improve this relationship.
The prophecy did not promise every father/child division would be reconciled. Cases where this did not happen cannot annul the fact that Herbert W Armstrong turned the heart of many of the endtime fathers and children in Israel, to each other--as no-one else did in the 20th Century, or since--and as the endtime Elijah was prophesied to do.
Herbert W Armstrong symbolically turned the heart of the patriarchs of Israel--including Abraham, Moses, and David--and literally turned the heart of the genuine Jesus, and the Grand Patriarch of all, God the Father--to many of the descendants of Israel.
Over two million individuals subscribed to the "Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course"; over eight million subscribed to--and perhaps 30 million read--"The Plain Truth" magazine every month; countless millions heard and watched "The World Tomorrow" radio and TV broadcasts.
At the height of his mission people contributed $200,000,000 a year to further Herbert W Armstrong's preaching of the true Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. That money did not all come from his own baptized Church members, who were always less than 100,000 strong.
The fruits of Herbert W Armstrong's efforts in this direction, corroborate that he was the endtime Elijah. He did make a people ready for the Lord. Through him God revived the true Church, whereby the descendants of Israel in the endtime could receive the Holy Spirit. Receipt of God's Spirit is essential for anyone to be resurrected from the dead to immortality; or to be changed if alive at Christ's return, into an immortal child of God.
While Jesus did say that John the Baptist was a prototype of the endtime Elijah, he also specifically said that another--the endtime Elijah--was coming to restore all things--said it after John was dead; and indicated, therefore, that there would first have to be a falling away from everything Jesus taught, before Elijah's major restoration was necessary.
"When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples...Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some [say] John the Baptist: some, Elias [Elijah]; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets."
Notice that Christ's answer denies that he is any of these men. It's a clear denial that he was Elijah.
"He says to them, But whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed [it] to you, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 16:13-17).
Because the original Elijah was taken away miraculously by a flying chariot "into heaven", some believe he will return in the endtime, as they believe he is still alive. (See 2 Kings 2:9-10). One of Mr Armstrong's early booklets showed why that notion is not Scriptural.
The Bible talks of three heavens: The atmosphere around the Earth; the realm of the planets and stars; and God's Heaven, where he resides. We've already seen that Jesus revealed no human has been that to that Heaven.
About 10 years after Elijah's trip in the flying chariot, he wrote a warning letter to King Jehoram of Judah. (See 2 Chronicles 21:1-20, noting verse 12). Elijah was still on Earth. His flying chariot trip must have been much like an airline flight through the atmosphere of this planet. He was merely transferred from one place to another for God's purposes.
"...it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). When the time came, the original Elijah died. He is not in Heaven today. Nor is any other human, other than the resurrected Jesus who temporarily came in the flesh, then returned, glorified, to Heaven.
No Other Man In The Endtime Has Exceeded Or Preceded Herbert W Armstrong’s Achievement, Of Fulfilling Malachi’s Prophecy Regarding The Turning Of The Heart Of The Patriarchs Of Israel And Their Descendants To Each Other.
This is further proof that Herbert W Armstrong is the endtime Elijah.
Proof #5: HWA Promoted the Law of Moses
as The Endtime Elijah Must
"Remember you the law of Moses my servant,
which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel,
[with] the statutes and judgments.
Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the LORD"
(Malachi 4:4-5).
Falling in the context of his promise to send the endtime Elijah, God's reminder to remember his Law, has to be a key component of the message of that prophet.
As the American news analyst and broadcaster Ted Koppel once pointed out, the headline news of any day usually revolves around infractions of the Ten Commandments. They are a living, invisible force, that when transgressed exact an automatic penalty.
The Law of Moses is actually the Law of God, which the Creator revealed through him, on Mount Sinai, codified in Ten Commandments, listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.
The statutes and judgments based on the Ten Commandments are found in the rest of Exodus, and the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. They, and the Ten Commandments were for all Israel--whose descendants are listed at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today.. It was not just for the Jews, the Tribe of Judah. Technically Moses wasn't even a Jew, he was of the Tribe of Levi:
"These [are] the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. And the name of Amram's wife [was] Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom [her mother] bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister" (Numbers 26:58-59).
The Law given through Moses is God's Law, which regulates the affairs of all men, whether they are aware of it, or not.
As Jesus Christ's closest human friend, the Apostle John, was inspired to write: "Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" of God (1 John 3:4).
Christ himself said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17-19).
The endtime Elijah, therefore, has to be someone who promotes God's Law.
He can't be any of the numerous 'Christian' leaders who erroneously claim that Christ did away with the Law of God. That notion is even more absurd than claiming George Washington or Abraham Lincoln did away with the American Constitution, or that Winston Churchill did away with the British Parliament.
Christ went on to say, in the same context, "...I say to you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20).
In other words, the endtime Elijah would not be someone who promoted the traditional Jewish Pharisees' view of the Law of Moses--with all their added man-made restrictions. He had to be someone who understood and taught the spirit of the Law, as Christ did, because he was inspired by and infused with the Holy Spirit of God.
This involves the literal meaning of the Law of God, but also the intent of the Law. As Jesus explained, the 7th Commandment that forbids adultery also forbids even illegal desire--or lust--to sin in this way (Matthew 5:27-32).
Turning the hearts of the fathers of Israel to their descendants and vice-versa, involves preaching the Law of God, which the patriarchs upheld.
This is the identical Law of God, which Jesus said he did not come to do away with. The same Law that God gave to Moses to teach ancient Israel. The very Law which God punished Israel for not keeping, by evicting them from the Promised Land, and withholding his promises of inheritance to them for 2520 years.
It is the precise Law which Herbert W Armstrong restored in the momentous 20th Century of increased knowledge and extensive running to and fro, which the Book of Daniel prophesied would characterize the endtime. The only Law which can genuinely turn the patriarchal and latter-day Israelites hearts to each other.
The power to fully obey God's Law in its spiritual intent is not possible without having God's Spirit. God's Spirit is only given to those who obey him. That power was given to the Hebrew prophets. It was the force through which God inspired them. Through Jesus Christ, this power became more widely available through the Church of God which he started, as this description in Acts 2 shows:
"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit... ...this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh..."
Like many prophecies this one has more than one fulfillment.
The original 120 disciples of Jesus and about 3000 others--many from the Diaspora of Israel visiting Jerusalem to observe the Day of Pentecost--received the Holy Spirit on that first New Covenant Holy Day.
It's unlikely that this 1st Century, first era, of the true Church of God, ever grew to anything like the size of the endtime penultimate era of the Church which Herbert W Armstrong established worldwide, using modern communications methods and global travel.
The 20th Century experience has been that once the Prophet or Apostle whom God sends, is taken away, his people have little power. The same thing happened in the 1st Century Church of God.
However, an even greater pouring out of the Holy Spirit yet seen is prophesied for the near future. Revelation 7 describes 144,000--12,000 from each of the literal Tribes of Israel--who will be sealed with the Holy Spirit before the Day of the LORD, and before the Messiah's arrival.
Note the list of Tribes in Revelation 7 cites Joseph--and Manasseh.
This gives the Tribe of Joseph, a double portion and blessing, in fulfillment of the promises made.
"...the birthright was Joseph's" (1 Chronicles 5:1-2). The Law of God stated "...acknowledge the...the firstborn [son], by giving him a double portion of all...the right of the firstborn [is] his" (Deuteronomy 21:17). God said: "...I am a father to Israel, and
Ephraim [is] my firstborn" (Jeremiah 31:9).
Ephraim--the modern day English people--the chief descendants of the Tribe of Joseph, will with his brother Manasseh--the Anglo-Saxon Americans--each receive one of the territories for the 12 Tribes in the Kingdom of God. This gives the Tribe of Joseph a double-portion over the other Tribes--including Judah--in their future inheritance of the Promised Land. However, the Messiah and David who will be King of Israel under him, and at least most of the 12 Apostles who will be over the separate Tribes in the Kingdom of God, will be of the Tribe of Judah.
This also corresponds with the fact that the majority of baptized members and co-workers in the Church which Herbert W Armstrong raised, were of American and English stock. Mr Armstrong prophesied that greater fruit would be produced from his Work, when the pressure of the Tribulation is on those who heard him during peace time.
This also partly explains why Satan has inflamed human hatred against the Chosen People. The Kingdom of God is going to end the Devil's morally bankrupt rule over the Earth, so he's trying--in vain--to prevent its realization, by killing off its potential leaders.
The Tribe of Dan is omitted from the list in Revelation 7. Anciently Dan was situated in the North of Israel, and tended to be the first of the Tribes to be influenced negatively by the adjacent pagans. The Tribe of Dan today is no different. It is more influenced by Roman religion than the other Tribes. Moses prophesied of this in his outline of what would happen to the Tribes: "Dan...as one of the tribes of Israel...[shall say]..."I have waited for your salvation, O LORD" (Genesis 49:16-18). Eventually they will receive it, after national repentance.
The 144,000 in Revelation 7 are literal descendants of the Tribes of Israel.
They are not to be confused with the 144,000 in Revelation 14. Those 144,000 have become immortal. (See Chapter 19 in the printed book, mentioned at the end*).
Mr Armstrong located the endtime remnant of the spiritual descendants of the 1st Century congregation which had been recipients of the Holy Spirit. From the start of his ministry in 1931 he taught the Law of God, attracting people God called, who learning to obey God's Law, were given his Holy Spirit too.
No-one more vigorously promoted the Law of God which God gave through Moses, to the 20th Century descendants of the Tribes of Israel, than did Herbert W Armstrong!!!
This is further proof that he is the endtime Elijah.
Herbert W Armstrong did not promote a pharisaical liturgy of do's and don'ts, such as some of those who sat in Moses' seat did in the time of Jesus.
Mr Armstrong's approach was:
"God's law is spiritual and can be summed up in one simple but all-inclusive word--love...love toward God and love toward neighbor. These, in turn, are subdivided into the 10 Commandments. Jesus magnified this law by showing its principle expands to cover virtually every possible human infraction".
"...this law of God produces peace, happiness, co-operation through obedience" (Mystery of the Ages, hardcover p51).
Herbert W Armstrong observed the 7th day of the week Sabbath from the beginning of his ministry--as did Jesus Christ--which God instituted from Creation; which God reminded Moses and Israel of at Mount Sinai; and which God will require be kept in the Millennium (which it symbolizes).
Herbert W Armstrong also observed and taught more 20th Century descendants of Israel than anyone, to keep--with understanding--the 7 annual Sabbaths or Holy Days of God, which Moses listed in Leviticus 23. That could not have been done on the scale he did it since Bible times, and may be unequalled in all history. Certainly no-one else managed this on the global scale that Mr Armstrong did.
The 8-day long, annual Feasts of Tabernacles, which Herbert W Armstrong arranged to be kept by tens of thousands of people worldwide, for decades, must at their height have constituted one of the largest, most organized, best understood, and most continuously held such gatherings of this festival of God in all of Israel's existence.
Few leaders e v e r could match this record alone. What other claimant to the title "endtime Elijah" has done more?
None of the Gentile religions have ever produced a leader who could possibly be this prophet. The largest of the Western world's religions, Roman Catholicism--and its Protestant daughters--do not observe these Feasts commanded by God, through Moses. The endtime Elijah could not, therefore, be someone practising what they preach.
"The Golden Bough" by Sir James Frazer, and "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop, a former Roman Catholic Bishop, trace the pagan origins of various of the festivals which these religions observe today--such as Xmas and Easter.
The bulk of churches claiming to be Christian today believe that Jesus did away with God's Law, "nailing it to the cross". What was nailed to the stake was the literal body of Jesus. His death paid the price for our transgression of God's Law, or our sins.
"...the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Since "...all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)--every human is guilty of breaking God's Law, and therefore is sentenced to death. That is why mankind needs a real Savior.
The only person qualified, and appointed by God, to that position is Jesus his Son--the Messiah--who died though he lived a perfect life as God in the flesh, in order to redeem humanity.
The closest human friend of Jesus, the God-inspired Apostle John stated:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3,14).
This verse also confirms that it was the pre-existent Jesus who created everything, and dealt with ancient Israel as the LORD of the Hebrew Scriptures.
"...God said, Let u s [plural] make man in o u r [plural] image, after o u r [plural] likeness..." (Genesis 1:26).
The Hebrew word for God in this verse is "Elohim"--which like the English word "family" describes one unit consisting of more than one member. God is a family, Mr Armstrong pointed out.
Jesus "...is the head of the...church...the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the pre-eminence" (Colossians 1:18). The firstborn we've seen is entitled to a double inheritance. Being the firstborn implies that there will be other children in the family of God, who are born in the same way as Jesus was. That is, they will be born again, this time immortal. No-one else at this stage is born again in that manner. It will not happen until the Second Coming of the real Jesus.
Writing to genuine Spirit of God filled Christians, the Apostle John said, "...now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).
The Word (later born in the flesh as Jesus, partly so that he could die to pay for man's sins), was the actual Creator of humanity--and, therefore, worth more than what he created. That's why his one death was a price more costly than every human who'll ever live. No-one else could make such a sacrifice. No father could give up a more worthy son. This sacrifice was literally priceless.
"Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead...This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:10-12).
The endtime Elijah would not only have to promote the Law of Moses, he would have to also promote the name of
Jesus Christ, as the Messiah and Savior.
Herbert W Armstrong, however, fulfilled both of these requisites superabundantly. God saw to it that he was both
genuinely Jewish and genuinely Christian.
Mr Armstrong showed that Jesus Christ did not die to make us free to break God's Law. That would only increase our sin, and sin is the cause of Christ's death. Jesus died to free us from the penalty of eternal death which breaking God's Law earns.
Jesus died in our stead. His blood covers our sins--obliterates our transgressions of the Ten Commandments, and their spiritual ramifications--but this only takes effect when we repent.
Christ's death wipes the slate of past sins clean. Animal sacrifices foreshadowed this--but could never actually accomplish what Christ's priceless sacrifice did. Furthermore, we are saved by his resurrection to life. "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:10).
Ancient Israel and Judah were capable of obeying the letter of God's Law. They did so under several of their Kings. However, Mr Armstrong showed they were not capable of keeping God's Law in its spiritual intent, because they had no general access to God's Spirit. The Apostle Paul clarifies the issue:
"...to be carnally [fleshly, or naturally] minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal [normal] mind [is] enmity against God: ...it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:6-9).
The Spirit of Christ is the Holy Spirit of God, the only force that can empower the human mind to understand the spiritual things of God and his Law. The prophet Jeremiah foretold of the future time when:
"Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them...out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake...But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... says the LORD, I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS; and will be their God, and they shall be my people...I will remember their sin no more" (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
The only way this is possible is for access to God's Holy Spirit to be generally available to the Houses of Israel and Judah. This will start, on a national level, with the 144,000 from the various Tribes of Israel, mentioned in Revelation 7.
In this context, God challenges both false religious claimants to the title of "Israel" and atheistic scientists: "Thus says the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says the LORD" (Jeremiah 31:37).
To be a genuine Christian, (or Spiritual Israelite), one has to have the genuine Holy Spirit of God. This cannot be faked, bought, or manufactured. It is a gift that comes only from God. As the Apostle Peter testified: "...we are his witnesses of these things; and [so is] also the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:32).
This obedience involves not only remembering the Law of Moses (which is really God's Law), but keeping God's Law according to the spiritual purpose God intended--of showing outgoing love towards God above all, and showing love to your fellow humans.
This was one of the main themes of Herbert W Armstrong.
The tendency of many in the Tribe of Judah has been to acknowledge the Law of Moses in a literal sense, but then build a hedge of humanly devised laws encircling God's Law, creating an unnecessarily heavy burden. Jesus pointed this out to the scribes and Pharisees of his day, in no uncertain terms; see Matthew 23. A review of the current orthodox list of do's and don'ts, which Jews are expected to observe to keep the Sabbath, is proof that things haven't changed much since the time of Jesus.
The tendency of "Protestants" is to embrace "another Jesus" who they say did away with the Law of Moses, contrary to what the real Jesus taught.
The tendency of Roman Catholics is to place their traditions above Scripture, and claim the promises to Israel now apply to them. In effect they deny the Law of Moses and deny the Law-of-God-obedient 1st Century Jerusalem Church that Jesus Christ started.
History records that the Roman Catholic Church has at various times tried to destroy the Bible, Jews, and Law-of-God-keeping genuine Christians. Catholicism was the religious force behind the previous six resurrections of the so-called Holy Roman Empire. They will be the religious force behind its seventh resurrection--a United Europe--which Herbert W Armstrong predicted in the first World Tomorrow radio broadcast, and in the first Plain Truth magazine in 1934.
This is further evidence that Herbert W Armstrong is the endtime prophet Elijah.
Besides the weekly 7th-day of the week Sabbath, (which actually runs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset), the Law of Moses--contained in a wider sense in the first five books of the Bible--includes 7 annual Holy Days which God commanded Israel to keep throughout its generations, forever.
How many of the Israelitish nations listed at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today. are keeping these Holy Days of God today? How many of the citizens of those nations even know they are legislated in Leviticus 23?
No-one in modern British, American, or Jewish history, has taught more descendants of Israel (and others) to observe ALL the Holy Days of God, with understanding of their meaning, more than Herbert W Armstrong!
Further proof that he is the endtime Elijah.
Here is a summary of those 7 Holydays, which are calculated according to the Bible-based Hebrew Calendar.
The Passover (on the evening starting 14 Nisan):
"And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover. And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel" (Numbers 9:4-5). Even Orthodox Jews today don't keep the Passover when Moses did, they keep it on the fifteenth of Nisan, showing how few people keep it correctly.
Strictly speaking this is not a Holy Day but a sacred evening memorial, which precedes the 7 Holy Days. Originally it pictured Israel's deliverance from Egypt. In New Covenant symbolism, ancient Egypt is a type of sin, with Pharaoh representing Satan in his dogged determination not to release his captives. Jesus said the Passover is a memorial of his own death. His shed blood covers the sins of the repentant who accept him as Savior.
"...the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also [he took] the cup [of red wine], when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink [it], in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do shew the Lord’s death till he come" (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Also see Leviticus 23:5 and Matthew 26:26-29). This ceremony is only observed once a year.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
This festival lasts 7 days--the first and last day being Holy Days. God forbids normal work being done on his Holy Days. The Feast of Unleavened Bread revolves around eating no leavened bread or other leavened products during the period. Unleavened bread (matzos) is eaten with meals each day. Leavened bread contains a rising agent which puffs it up, symbolic of sin and pride. Eating unleavened bread for 7 days symbolizes putting sin completely out of one's life, picturing the kind of life Jesus the Messiah lived. (See Leviticus 23:6-8; Matthew 26:18-19; Acts 20:6).
The Feast of Pentecost
Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Firstfruits, because it occurs around the time of the Spring, small first harvest, in the Holyland (Leviticus 23:9-22; Exodus 23:16; Acts 2:1-21; 20;16; 1 Corinthians 16:8).
The Jews believe God gave Moses the Law on the Day of Pentecost. In New Covenant terms Pentecost symbolizes the coming of the Holy Spirit, which writes the Law of God on the hearts and minds of converts.
The Holy Spirit helps the small amount of Firstfruits grow ripe for harvesting. They are plucked by the Messiah, in the First general Resurrection to eternal life, at his Second Coming.
The very symbolism of the event shows there will be relatively few people made immortal in the First Resurrection. Revelation 14 indicates there'll only be 144,000: Those who have remained faithful to God's calling, from the time of Abel to the end of the time of God's Two Witnesses (Matthew 23:35; Revelation 11).
The Feast of Trumpets
This Holy Day occurs at the start of the main Autumn harvest, introducing the other festivals held at that time. The ancient Kings of Israel counted the start of their reigns from the Feast of Trumpets, which also symbolizes the day Jesus Christ will return to commence reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords. (See Leviticus 23:23-25; Matthew 24:30-31; Revelation 11:15).
"...the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump[et] of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Book of Revelation shows the sequence of events that lead up to Christ's return. They are portrayed as 7 Seals which only Jesus can open, revealing False Prophets, War, Famine, Pestilence, Great Tribulation, Heavenly Signs. The 7th Seal consists of 7 Trumpets, the last of which has 7 Final Plagues--which seem to occur in the 24 hours of the Messiah's arrival, which starts with the sound of the 7th Trumpet being blown.
One author, who specialized in studying the Book of Revelation, found that more books have been written about it than any other book in the Bible. Of course, they all disagree with each other. There can only be one correct explanation of the prophecy, and Herbert W Armstrong's makes more sense than any, because he (a) allowed Christ to interpret the book's symbols, and (b) because he understood the overall Plan of God, which can only be done by observing a l l the Holy Days of God, enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to their meaning.
Herbert W Armstrong’s restoration of Bible Truth included unveiling the meaning of the Book of Revelation, at last. That was not possible in any previous era of the Church, since the keys to open it--in the Book of Daniel--were shut until the endtime!
Since no-one preceded him in coming to this knowledge, and teaching it to Israel, and others worldwide, it is further proof that Herbert W Armstrong was the endtime Elijah.
The Day of Atonement
The Passover pictured Christ's shed blood atoning for our individual past sins. Atonement means to "cover" (the sins) or be "reconciled" with (God or God with the sinner). The Day of Atonement symbolizes the reconciliation of all Israel and all humanity with God--by removing sin and its author, Satan.
"...the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them" (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Addressing genuine Christians, the Apostle Paul stated, "...in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, [Satan] the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2).
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]" (Ephesians 6:12).
"...the Devil...Satan...deceives the whole world: he was cast out [of heaven] into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9).
In Hebrew Scripture symbolism, the high priest selected two goats which he presented before God on the Day of Atonement. (See Leviticus 16). One was slain, which Mr Armstrong showed symbolizes the slain Jesus. The other had the sins of Israel laid on his head, and was lead into the wilderness to wander. The second goat, called Azazel, symbolizes Satan--the real author of sin. When Christ returns, he will have Satan and his demons imprisioned for the duration of the Millennium. That's what the Day of Atonement pictures.
"...I [the Apostle John] saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season" (Revelation 20:1-3).
Complete at-one-ment between God and man cannot take place until Satan is removed.
The Day of Atonement is observed by fasting completely--going without all food and water for 24 hours--as a symbol of humility and repentance before God.
In ancient Israel, the High Priest went o n c e a year only, into the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle of God. That was on the Day of Atonement. He took the blood of the slain goat there, to the mercy seat, which symbolized God's Throne. In New Covenant symbolism this pictures Christ approaching the throne of God the Father on behalf of repentant sinners.
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal for us]".
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Hebrews 9:11-15; compare with Leviticus 16:15-19).
When Christ died, the massive curtain covering the entrance to the Holy of Holies was ripped in two, from top to bottom. It dramatically demonstrated that Christ's sacrifice now allowed access to God's Throne. (See Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38).
Acts 27:9 shows that over 30 years after Jesus died, and was resurrected, the early New Testament Church still observed the commanded Holy Day fast on the Day of Atonement.
Herbert W Armstrong restored Day of Atonement observance in the Church of God worldwide, as the endtime Elijah would be expected to.
The Feast of Tabernacles
The 7-day Autumn Feast of Tabernacles symbolically portrays the later large main harvest of Israel, which Christ will cultivate in the 1000-year Millennium. Once Israel is back on track, then the other nations of the world which have envied, sometimes even despised, the modern descendants of Israel, will begin to comprehend that the solution to their problems, and their spiritual salvation depends on following the lead of God's Chosen People, under the Messiah.
The Chosen People of God are not just the Tribe of Judah--but all 12 Tribes of Israel, as listed at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today.. They are called "Chosen" because they were chosen by God to set the example, to the other nations, of living his way of life.
This they haven't yet succeeded in doing, but after national chastisement and repentance, they will succeed during the Millennium, in a time of universal peace and prosperity for all nations. It will be the time of the reign of Christ and his 144,000 resurrected-to-immortality prophets and saints.
Israel was chosen because their ancestor Abraham obeyed God as no-one else did (Genesis 26:4-5). The other nations have no legitimate cause for complaint.
During the Messiah's Millennium: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, [the glorified Jesus] which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious" (Isaiah 11:6-10).
God the Father is going to send his firstborn Son, the glorified Jesus, to Jerusalem--to rule the world. He will ensure that Jerusalem is the undivided perpetual capital of all Israel. There'll be no Philistines there after that, literally or metaphorically.
The Jews will recognize that the all-powerful, Spirit Being Messiah--who came to Earth as the human Jesus--and keeps the Law of Moses, and who literally saves their nation from destruction, is their Messiah.
Jeremiah foretold there is still going to be a greater Exodus than in Moses' time--A SECOND EXODUS of descendants of Israel from around the world--who will go back to the Promised Land.
"...behold, the days come, says the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD lives, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD lives, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries where I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land" (Jeremiah 23:7-8).
God is going to heal the breach between the House of Israel and the House of Judah--something that has never happened since they split after King Solomon's death, and give them access to his Holy Spirit.
"Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which [is] in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, [even] with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand".
"And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of ISRAEL; and one king shall be king to them all: and they SHALL BE NO MORE TWO NATIONS, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all" (Ezekiel 37:19,22).
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, [that] the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob [Israel]; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law[which God has never done away with], and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
“And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:2-4).
The only solution to the Middle East crisis is going to prove to be the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus the Son of God, whose world government will rule from Jerusalem. There will be no Palestinian state in the New Israel.
"And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem [to fight the Jews, and the Messiah] shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" --which has never been done away with by God (Zechariah 14:16).
Just as Herbert W Armstrong did on a smaller scale, the Messiah is going to restore observance of the Feast of Tabernacles--eventually worldwide. Any nation refusing will be punished by God withholding rain in due season (Zechariah 14:17-19). This shows the seriousness with which God views the keeping of his Feasts, and how important Herbert W Armstrong's restoration of them was. This is another sign that he is the endtime Elijah.
The pattern in the Bible--starting with Adam and Eve--is consistent. God first reveals his Law to whoever he is working with; then allows time to put that way of life into practice; before allowing Satan to test whether they really love God. At the end of the Millennium, God will allow Satan out of his prison for a short while to test the mettle of Earth's inhabitants.
If people during the Millennium only live a normal 70-80 year lifespan, only the last generation will be compelled to discern between God's way and Satan's deceptions, as Satan won't be around during those 1000 years.
Since all people born in the Millennium, when resurrected, will be an important tier in the structure of God's growing immortal family, it seems necessary [to this author] that they are all capable of spotting and resisting Satan's methods.
It would fit the pattern if those born in the Millennium all lived to its conclusion, and Satan tempted all.
Therefore, this author concludes that Christ's restitution of all things may include restoring human lifespan to 1000 years. The ages of Adam and his descendants before the Flood in Noah's time, were close to 1000 years. Thereafter they were reduced dramatically. If so, only those born in the first year of the Millennium will actually live 1000 years. Every following year, those born would live a year less than those born in the previous year.
After living in the best conditions any humans have, during the Messiah's Wonderful World Tomorrow, those who genuinely love God, his way of life, and Law, will not be deceived by Satan's offer of an alternate lifestyle.
"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city [Jerusalem]: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [were thrown], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever" (Revelation 20:7-10).
The overwhelming majority of people in Christ's Millennium will be faithful and be given immortal life as children of God. [As an aside, note that while the Lord of lord and King of kings--Jesus the Messiah, is ruler of Earth during the Millennium--that the fire mentioned above comes from God the Father who is in Heaven until after the next event].
The Last Great Day
After the 7 days of the Feast of Tabernacles picturing the Millennium, is a separate 8th day, called the Last Great Day. Herbert W Armstrong showed--perhaps uniquely in the endtime--that it symbolized the time when God will resurrect all those who have died never understanding his Truth.
This means 99.99% of all people who've ever lived and died. Including almost everyone whom the world's largest churches think are lost forever.
This is the time described in Ezekiel 37 when the whole House of Israel--ancient and modern--which has died before the arrival of the Messiah in the endtime, will be resurrected back to mortal life.
They will be resurrected into a Paradise created under the direction of the Messiah during the previous 1000 years.
But every person who has ever lived will find that his or her sins have incurred the penalty of eternal death. They will all be offered the chance of eternal life. The conditions will be exactly what Jesus and his Apostles always said God the Father requires:
Repentance of past sins. Acceptance of Jesus Christ's sacrifice to pay for and blot sin out. Adult full-immersion-baptism with understanding that it symbolizes the death of the old sinful person, and the resurrection of the new. The anointing (and laying on of hands of God's ministry), to symbolize receipt of the Holy Spirit. And, a life of overcoming self. Overcoming society and Satan will not be problems then. Most will have the sense to recognize Christ's world is far superior to the one of Satan they previously lived in, and he won't be around.
This time is also called The Great White Throne Judgment.
It is the same time Jesus described, when "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this [1st Century] generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah [who lived hundreds of years before the 1st Century]; and, behold, a greater than Jonah [is] here" (Matthew 12:41).
It's the same time "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this [1st Century] generation [when Jesus lived], and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon [who lived about 1000 years before Jesus]; and, behold, a greater than Solomon [is] here" (Matthew 12:42).
Jesus made the same point in Matthew 11:20-24. The 1st Century inhabitants of the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, are going to be resurrected at the same time as the judgment of the inhabitants of the cities of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon from earlier generations. (See Matthew 11:20-24). For example, Jesus referred to Sodom in the time of Abraham--who lived about 2000 years before these 1st Century cities.
All previous generations who lived and died in the first 6000 years before the Millennium, from Adam and Eve on, will be resurrected to mortal status in The Great White Throne Judgment--which starts after Satan is permanently removed from the Earth.
Imagine the shock these billions of individuals and families will experience. They'll find themselves alive, as if woken from a long sleep. They'll be healed of whatever caused their death, whether old age, disease, accident, natural disaster, war, famine, or murder.
Many who thought they understood what life was all about, will be dismayed to find themselves still on Earth--and not in Heaven, nirvana, limbo, purgatory, hellfire, or reincarnated as a butterfly or part of the cosmos.
They'll find themselves alive again on Earth, which by then will have been made heavenly by the Messiah. The long-haired, effeminate-looking, gentle-Jesus of their imagination, will be seen to be a deception of Satan, when they encounter the magnificent world-ruling King of kings, and Lord of lords, who is the real Jesus.
Imagine the family reunions of long-deceased relatives! Picture the joy of mothers reunited with their babies who died prematurely, now both resurrected back to good health! Imagine widows seeing their husbands alive again! Visualize the exhilaration of meeting grandparents, parents, or brothers or sisters, who died before you could know them--or after you grew to love them! Imagine the worldwide rejoicing, and praising of God--when an even greater crowd than in the Millennium--of the deaf will hear, the blind will see, the lame will dance, and the mute will sing!
Imagine all the famous, notorious, and unknown persons from past history--other than the 144,000 Firstfruits and the Millennium converts previously resurrected to immortality--who will be in that resurrection to mortal life.
"And I saw a great white throne...And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [the grave] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works" (Revelation 20:11-13].
This Judgment appears to be a 100-years long. In it the majority of mankind will be given their first chance to understand and live God's way, imbued with his Holy Spirit.
"There shall be no more there an infant of days, nor an old man that has not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner [being] an hundred years old shall be accursed" (Isaiah 65:20).
At the end of this period, those found worthy of "death and hell [the grave] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death"--which is permanent (Revelation 20:14).
The rest--the vast majority of people who have ever lived in the first 6000 years of human history--will be given immortality as children of God.
After this, the Apostle John was shown there will be: "...a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God [the Father] himself shall be with [men, and be] their God...And [an angel] carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God..." (Revelation 21:1-3,10).
This wonderful vision of God's Plan for Mankind--Herbert W Armstrong saw clearer--and before anyone else in the 20th Century. It can only be fully understood by someone actually observing the 7 Holydays which are part of the Law of Moses.
HERBERT W ARMSTRONG DID REMEMBER THE LAW OF MOSES, And Promoted It More Thoroughly Than Anyone In The Endtime, As The Endtime Elijah Was Prophesied To Do.
Chapter 6
Proof #6: HWA Was A Prophet
As The Endtime Elijah Must Be
"Remember you the law of Moses my servant,
which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel,
[with] the statutes and judgments.
Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD"
(Malachi 4:4-5).
Herbert W Armstrong was the pre-eminent genuine Hebrew prophet of the 20th Century. He is the only major prophet God sent in the 1900 years after Bible times, until then. Logically, he has to be the one stand-alone prophet whom God promised to send in the endtime--the final Elijah. Ultimately, however, the fulfillment of his God-inspired predictions will corroborate his identity.
Herbert W Armstrong's restoration of Bible Truth included unveiling the prophetic meaning of both the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.
That was not possible in any previous era of Jewish history or any era of the Church, since the keys in the Book of Daniel were sealed until the endtime!
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he reveals his secret to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). By God's own definition, for Herbert Armstrong to be the first to understand these two key prophetic books of the Bible, means that he is a genuine and major prophet. Indeed it means HERBERT W ARMSTRONG IS THE MAJOR PROPHET WHO INTRODUCES THE ENDTIME!
God only promised to send three major prophets in the endtime: Elijah, and the Two Witnesses. Mr Armstrong preceded the arrival of the Two Witnesses. Therefore, he must be the endtime Elijah.
Mr Armstrong stressed that the key to understanding endtime prophecy was to understand the identity of Israel--mainly Britain and America--in the latter days. Most prognosticators of the future still don't understand even that.
Since no-one preceded him in coming to the clear comprehension of these two crucial books in the endtime, nor exceeded him in forthrightly announcing Israel's true identity to a huge worldwide audience, are further proofs that Herbert W Armstrong is the endtime prophet Elijah.
The greatest prophecies of Herbert W Armstrong--which are major by any Bible prophet's standard--are yet to be fulfilled.
The realization that he was a prophet--for most people who heard, saw in person or on TV, or read, Mr Armstrong's predictions--will only come when the Tribulation comes upon them:
"And when this comes to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet has been among them" (Ezekiel 33:33).
That itself was another prediction Mr Armstrong made which is yet to be fulfilled.
In the second volume of his Autobiography Mr Armstrong recalls:
"The February-March, 1939, issue of The Plain Truth contained another article on the resurrection of the Roman Empire to come. We have warned radio listeners of this prophesied event since the first year we were on the air--1934. We have shouted this prophecy ever since 1934 in The Plain Truth. This issue carried a full-page map...showing the territory of the original Roman Empire."
"This map included four of the sea gates that control sea-access to this entire territory. The article stressed the fulfillment of the prophecy of Genesis 22:17 and 24:60, showing how the U.S.A. and Britain were to possess the sea gates of enemy nations..."
"These four vital sea gates, the article explained, must be taken from Britain before the 'beast' power--revived Roman Empire--can rise. Britain since, has lost Suez and exercises no real control over the other three." (See hardcover edition, pages 4-5).
The Apostle John predicted the "beast [will] rise up out of the sea" (Revelation 13:1). Once Britain and America entirely lose their grip on these four sea gates, which give access to the Beast's underbelly--the Mediterranean Sea--the Beast will be free to rise.
The other three sea gates Mr Armstrong was doubtless referring to are the Bosporus, and the Dardanelles Strait, running through Turkey; and the Strait of Gibraltar.
In 2002, Britain decided to share Gibraltar with Spain--which will definitely be part of the final resurrected Roman Empire.
Turkey--through which the Bosporous and Dardanelle pass--is currently friendly with America and Britain. She is also trying to become a full member of the European Union; and showing signs of reverting to an Islamic State. Either way, those conflicting loyalties are bound to strip America and Britain of the use of these sea gates.
The Turkish people are the modern descendants of Esau--the older twin brother of Jacob (who was renamed Israel). Their conflict started even in the womb of their mother, Genesis 25:20-28 explains. Jacob later bought the birthright from Esau (verses 29-34), and tricked their father into giving it to him. God allowed this because Esau disdained the birthright, not appreciating its great value.
Esau was also called "Edom" (Genesis 25:30). Mr Armstrong showed that the prophet Obadaiah predicted that in the endtime, Edom--that is, modern day Turkey--would terribly betray the Israelites. This would include Britain and America losing access to the Bosporous and the Dardanelles Strait sea gates:
"For [your--Edom's (endtime Turkey's)] violence against your brother Jacob [Israel--especially Britain and America] shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off for ever. In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even you [were] as one of them".
"But you should not have looked on the day of your brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah [the Jews] in the day of their destruction; neither should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress".
"You shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yes, you shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest you have stood in the crossway, [the Bosporous and Dardanelles are a sea gate crossway between Asia and Europe] to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest you have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. For the day of the LORD [is] near upon all the heathen: as you have done, it shall be done to you: your reward shall return upon your own head" (Obadiah 10-15).
Mr Armstrong showed that later, in the Day of the LORD, God would dry up the daughter of Babylon's sea--that is, the Mediterranean Sea of the endtime descendant of Babylon. (See Jeremiah 51:33,36).
Herbert W Armstrong's Bible-based prediction that Britain and America would lose control of the Suez Canal, the Bosporous, Dardanelles, and Gibraltar--before the final 'Holy' Roman Empire fully emerged--is now a lot easier to see than it was in 1934 or 1939.
It also means we now are on the verge of seeing the rise of that Beast Power of Revelation 13: the 7th revival of the Roman Empire.
Mr Armstrong further prophesied that the powerbase in Europe--including the dried up Mediterranean Sea--of the final Roman Empire--whose religion is really Babylonian--will be uninhabited during the Millennium. (See Jeremiah 51; Revelation 17;18;19). That's how great the devastation will be which God brings on the enemies of America, Britain, and the Jewish State.
While he understood the significance of the Book of Ezekiel sometime before then, around May 1941, Herbert W Armstrong recalled he "began to see how Ezekiel 33:1-19 and 3:17-21 took on immediate and specific and personal significance" for himself (Autobiography of HWA, Volume 2, p36).
The reader is requested to read those two passages in their own Bible, in order to better understand Mr Armstrong's reaction.
"I could see this 'sword' of WAR coming! I looked around. NO ONE had ever sounded this warning! No one was then sounding it! [Remember that America only entered World War 2 as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor, seven months later, on December 7, 1941] ...how terribly God is going to punish North America and the British Commonwealth people for...our sins..." (page 38).
Herbert W Armstrong's first nationwide audience was on August 30, 1942 over radio station WHO, broadcasting from his birthplace, Des Moines, Iowa. In it, Mr Armstrong prophesied about the coming United States of Europe, which he already was seeing would be the cause of World War 3--The Great Tribulation predicted by Daniel and other Bible prophets. (See page 66).
Herbert W Armstrong was an accredited press representative as, Editor and Publisher of The PLAIN TRUTH magazine, at the historic San Francisco Conference to adopt a Charter for the United Nations, which started on April 25, 1945. Following two devastating World Wars, Mr Armstrong was God's witness that political figures there called the UN "civilization's LAST HOPE!"
That "last hope" has not stopped war, and is ultimately going to fail, Mr Armstrong prophesied from its start.
Most of Herbert W Armstrong's major prophecies are yet to be fulfilled--but are certain to occur--since they are firmly based on rock solid Scripture. They follow the overall basic pattern of events portrayed symbolically by the annual Holy Days, and the Bible prophets.
We've already seen Mr Armstrong correctly prophesied Mussolini would be the 6th head of the revived Roman Empire.
He further showed that the final 7th head will be the Beast Power of Revelation 13--which will be led by a World Dictator, to whom 10 European kings yield their power; influenced by a major world Religious Prophet performing deceptive miracles, for a total of 1260 days.
This is described by the Apostle John who saw "...a beast rise up out of the sea...upon his heads the name of blasphemy...and the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority...and his deadly wound was healed:and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"
"...power was given to him to continue forty [and] two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God...and...to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given unto him over ALL kindreds, and tongues (languages), and nations, And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb [Jesus]..."
This reinforces the Bible's view that the majority of people on the planet are--and will be--deceived by Satan, the god of this world.
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth...he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and [he] causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceives them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do..."
"And he had power to give life to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed".
"And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the m a r k, or the n a m e of the beast, or the n u m b e r of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six [666]." (Above extracts from Revelation 13).
The Bible calls these two representatives of Satan, the Beast and the False Prophet. Because the world will worship the First Beast, it must think he is the Messiah or God. Therefore, it may also believe the False Prophet is the endtime Elijah who prepares his way [this author surmises]. The original Elijah brought fire down from heaven, as the False Prophet will; see 2 Kings 1.
Herbert W Armstrong plainly prophesied that:
Britain and America, have inherited the birthright blessings God promised to Abraham, and his descendants, from about 1800.
The UK and USA have lost sight of their origins, and the source of their blessings--but will realize their identity in the future.
Because of their sins--especially idolatry and Sabbath-breaking--God is going to punish Britain and America--with the various curses for disobedience listed in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28--and by being defeated in our lifetime, suffering terribly at the hands of their enemies in The Great Tribulation.
A revived European-based 10-nation 'Holy' Roman Empire--promoting what is actually Babylonian religion--will be the aggressor, led by the political/military Beast and his deceptive 'miracle-working' religious False Prophet, who are empowered by Satan for 1260 days.
Two Witnesses of God, who have divinely miraculous powers for 1260 days, will oppose them.
German military power will be a key component of the Beast Power. The 'Holy' Empire was historically a German led force.
This worldly union of church and state, Beast Power, will invade the Middle East, capturing at least half of Jerusalem; Egypt and other Middle East nations--shortly before the Great Tribulation starts--thereby also securing the Suez Canal sea gate and the world's major oil-fields. Jordan will escape capture.
Turkey is going to betray Britain and/or America, and the State of Israel, whereby the Bosporus and Dardanelles sea gates will be lost.
Britain will lose Gibraltar, (and her remaining sea gates).
Losing grip of the four sea gates to the Mediterranean underbelly of the Beast, it will be free to rise and attack the UK and USA.
America will lose the Panama Canal (she did at the end of 1999), and her other sea gates.
Mr Armstrong prophesied through the Cold War that Russia will not attack America, as some erroneously think is prophesied in the Bible.
World War 3 is going to be so bad that unless God intervenes no human would survive.
After fighting off an Islamic attack, the leader to become the First Beast, will secure the Middle East, and defeat Britain and America. This European-Beast Power will later strike out at the dominant Eastern power-bloc (Daniel 11:40-45). Its 200,000,000 army will retaliate, partly by going to the Middle East to battle the Beast, in a conflict that will kill a third of humanity (Revelation 9:13-21).
God will intervene by sending the glorified Messiah--Jesus--as the literal Savior of the world. The armies of the world will gather to fight him, because they have been duped into worshipping the Beast and Satan (whom the First Beast symbolizes). They are likely to believe Jesus is Satan, or an alien invader.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that great Heavenly Signs will precede "the Day of the LORD" intervention in world affairs, which will cut the Tribulation short--but not the 1260-day administration of the Beast and False Prophet (Joel 2:31).
The armies of the world will be totally defeated by Jesus the all-conquering King (Revelation 19:17-21).
The returning Messiah, the glorified Jesus Christ, will release and gather in the greatest Exodus ever, the captive remnant of all the Tribes of Israel to Jerusalem. (See again their identities at the end of The article identifying the Tribes of Israel today.). "...behold, the days come, says the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD lives, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD lives, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries where I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land" (Jeremiah 23:7-8).
Mr Armstrong foresaw that even the Jewish remnant will accept the all-powerful real Jesus who saves them, and acknowledge he is the Messiah, when he rules with God's Law from Jerusalem over all the world.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that the New Israel will prosper like no other society, in a righteous way, under the Messiah (See Isaiah 11 and Amos 9:13, for example).
"And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16). Those nations refusing will receive no rain (verses 17-19).
Mr Armstrong prophesied that at Christ's Second Coming the First general Resurrection will occur, of those prophets and saints born again as immortal Spirit sons of God. They will rule under Jesus Christ during the Millennium, as part of the Government of God. Mr Armstrong named certain of the more prominent Bible characters who will be in charge of different departments under Christ. The father of the faithful Abraham is bound to be the Messiah's chief advisor; along with the team of Isaac his son, and Jacob (the patriarch Israel) his grandson. King David will be over a united New Israel; with the 12 Apostles over the 12 Tribes; Moses over all national and international implementation of government; Elijah over the religious education. All will work according to God's Laws.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that the patriarch Joseph would be made director of the world's economy--a job he qualified for as administrator under Pharaoh over ancient Egypt. "Joseph will be...[over world]...agriculture...industry...technology, and its commerce--as well as money and monetary system...on the international level, the same in every nation" ("Tomorrow...What It Will Be Like"" page 58).
Joseph's descendants--Ephraim and Manasseh--the repentant remnant of modern day Anglo-Saxon Britons and Americans in the Millennium, with their genius for saturating the world with their culture, Mr Armstrong prophesied they will then export God's culture worldwide.
Several points above indicate that Mr Armstrong did not prophesy a solely agricultural Millennium. Christ himself said the faithful would rule over cities. Isaiah predicted that in the Millennium "...they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations" (Isaiah 61:4). Mr Armstrong prophesied that the patriarch Job, a master builder, would be in charge of worldwide reconstruction and whatever major engineering may be required in the Millennium under Christ. (Compare Job 1:3 and 3:14 with God's challenge to Job as a builder, in Job 38:4-6).
Mr Armstrong showed that God, the Master Planner, had pre-determined before the foundation of the world--whom he would call in the first 6000 years--to be the leaders of his world government in Christ's Millennium to follow. Mr Armstrong prophesied that faithful Church members of no particular rank now, will be given important rank in God's kingdom.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that England and America--the Tribe of Joseph--and the other of the 10 Lost Tribes of Israel will again be joined with the Tribe of Judah--the Jews--as one nation under the glorified Messiah, the real Jesus (Ezekiel 37:15-28).
The double-blessing of the birthright promises which belong to the Tribe of Joseph (1 Chronicles 5:2)--that is, the remnant of Anglo-Saxon British and Americans alive at the start of Christ's Millennium--will be inherited anew in the New Israel (Revelation 7). While Mr Armstrong may or may not have directly stated this, the principle is in line with his teaching.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that the Third Temple of God will be built during the Millennium--not before--by the Messiah, in the territory of the Tribe of Judah (Ezekiel 48:8). Priests and those of the Tribe of Levi who serve in that Temple will live nearby, as the same chapter shows.
The Messiah will make this combined New Israel the greatest nation on Earth, in order to re-educate all other nations in the worship of the true God.
Mr Armstrong showed the gradual evolution of man and the Universe is going to be demonstrated to be a myth by Jesus, through whom God made all things (John 1:1-5,14). "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness" (1 Corinthians 3:19). This will involve the scrapping of books and educational courses of virtually every discipline that academics treasure today.
There'll be no Oxford University, Harvard, MIT, Sorbonne, or any other academy teaching what they currently do, in the Wonderful World Tomorrow. The foundation of all education will be the Word of God, as it was in the original Elijah's three Colleges (2 Kings 2:3; 2:5; 4:38), and the three Ambassador Colleges which the endtime Elijah founded.
Mr Armstrong foresaw that in the Millennium there'd be no organized gambling, prostitution, pornography, rampant adultery, divorce, crime, jails, CIA, FBI, Scotland Yard, no political parties, worldly entertainment industry or its idols, polluting factories, mass-production of junk, artificial foods, competitive greedy big business, inflation, insurance companies, mortgage companies, world banks, crippling interest rates, credit buying, stock markets, no arms manufacturers, armies, wars, famine, disease, drug research, major hospitals, abortion clinics, mental institutions. No evolution-based education or research--no "science-so-called". In other words, Christ is going to dramatically change society. Things will be done God's way--decently and in order.
Mr Armstrong outlined the Bible's predictions of the new world the Messiah will bring, which will revolve around worship of God, and love for fellow humans. Fathers will again be the head of the home, with supportive wives, and obedient children. Each family will be given their own piece of land to develop. "...they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make [them] afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken [it]" (Micah 4:4).
Mr Armstrong pointed out that God predicted he is going to once again give mankind one universal language (as before the Tower of Babel): "...then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent" (Zephaniah 3:9). This will doubtless come as a shock to those nations who are obsessed with their current language, but it will make for better universal understanding and harmony under the King of kings.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that everyone will know about the real God in the Millennium"...for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9; see also Jeremiah 31:34). In effect this will mean the nations of the world will forsake their religions for the Truth of God. It will involve the total destruction of all the idols, icons, carved representations, paintings, images, statues, altars, temples, churches, seminaries, 'holy' books, music, and paraphernalia involved in pagan, pseudo-Christian, new age, Babylonian, Roman, Egyptian, and every other false religion, sect, creed, mythology, fable or legend.
No Satan worship, demonism, witchcraft, or any form of occult activity whatsoever will be allowed in God's kingdom.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that the Messiah will expose Xmas, Easter, and other holidays as pagan, and remove their commercial component, which will eradicate them.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that instead of tax, the biblical tithing system--of giving God one tenth of one's increase--will be practised universally. This will radically alter the world's economy. Since tithes are paid to God, and the firstborn Son of God will be in Israel, it will also ensure that wealth will flow to Jerusalem as to no other city.
Mr Armstrong prophesied God will change human nature. He'll do this by removing Satan the tempter; convict people of their sins and need for repentance; and provide access to his Holy Spirit (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Mr Armstrong prophesied that God's Government on Earth--Theocracy--will eradicate Communism, Fascism, Socialism, Democracy, and every other form of human governance.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that Satan would be imprisoned for the 1000-years of Christ's Millennium, then released for a short-time to test the faith of those alive then, and that some would fail the test (Revelation 20:7-10).
Mr Armstrong prophesied that all who died in the first 6000 of human history not knowing God's way, would be resurrected (probably for 100 years)--in the Great White Throne Judgement--to have their first real opportunity for salvation (Revelation 20:11-15). They will be astonished at the Wonderful World Tomorrow which Christ created over the previous 1000 years.
Mr Armstrong prophesied that all those who rebel against God by the end of the Millennium, or by the end of these 100 years, will be terminated forever: "...the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).
Herbert W Armstrong understood the endtime had arrived--and that his charge--as the final Elijah--was not so much to originate prophecy, but to restore its understanding, and show how the Bible interprets itself in the light of latter-day events.
This chapter summarizes some of the many important Bible-based endtime prophecies which Herbert W Armstrong made.
They are major prophecies with global and eternal consequences, reflecting an understanding of God’s blueprint for humanity, which only the endtime Elijah could restore.
He had presented many high quality, specially made pieces of Steuben Crystal to Royalty and Heads of State worldwide. The Council of Elders of the Worldwide Church of God presented Herbert W Armstrong himself with an $11,500 unique Steuben Crystal creation called "Elijah's Cup", (the May 10, 1982 issue of the organization's newspaper "The Worldwide News" reported).
Elijah's Cup was a fitting recognition and symbol of the Work of God done by this prophet. No-one else in the endtime has or can still qualify to receive it.
These are some of the world leaders who personally received Herbert W Armstrong on an official basis. In God's Kingdom, at the latest, they will realize that they met the endtime prophet Elijah in this life. That will have a profound affect on them, and those whom they will influence then.
Charles, Prince of Wales, British heir to the Throne.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of Britain,
at 10 Downing Street.
King Leopold III of Belgium (who presented Mr Armstrong with the last of four rare watches made from a World War 1 cannonball, to honor his contribution to world peace).
Prime Minister Golda Meir of the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Menachem Begin of the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir of the State of Israel.
Prime Minister Shimon Peres of the State of Israel.
President Yitzhak Navon of the State of Israel.
Mayor Teddy Kollek of Jerusalem.
Mr Moshe Kol, Israeli Minister of Tourism and Development.
Emperor Hirohito of Japan conferred on Mr Armstrong the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Second Class (the highest honor a non-Japanese can receive).
Prince Makasa, brother of Emperor Hirohito.
Prime Minister Eisaku Sato of Japan.
Prime Minister Tanaka of Japan.
Prime Minister Miki of Japan.
Prime Minister Fukuda of Japan.
Prime Minster Ohira of Japan.
Prime Minister Suzuki of Japan.
Prime Minister Nakasone of Japan.
Mr Armstrong also knew eight Cabinet ministers of the Diet who called themselves his "Japanese sons".
Franz Josef Strauss, Premiere of Bavaria, West Germany.
Count Otto von Hapsburg,
head of the 700-year old Hapsburg dynasty.
President Anwar el-Sadat of Egypt.
President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India.
President V.V. Giri of India.
President Suharto of Indonesia.
President Nguyen Van Thieu of South Vietnam.
President Suleiman Franjieh of Lebanon.
Emperor Hailie Selassie of Ethiopia.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit of Thailand:
the King honored Mr Armstrong with the royal decoration of "Commander of Our Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand".
Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien of Thailand.
Prime Minister Kittikachorn of Thailand.
Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda of Thailand.
King Mahendra and the Crown Prince of Nepal.
King Birendra of Nepal.
Jomo Kenyatta, founder of Kenya.
President Moi of Kenya.
King Sobhuza II of Swaziland.
Acting President George Ladas of Cyprus.
President Sam Nujoma of Namibia.
King Hussein of Jordan.
King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Honorable Deng Xiaoping leader of China.
Prime Minister Hua Guofeng of China.
President Jayewardene of Sri Lanka.
Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon.
President Allende of Chile.
Prime Minister John Vorster of South Africa.
President Nicolaas Diederichs of South Africa.
Former President J.J. Fouche of South Africa.
President Nicolae Ceauseca of Romania.
General Carlos Romulo of the Philippines.
President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines.
Mr Armstrong was awarded "The Presidential Merit Medal" by the President of the Philippines in 1983.
Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Bangladesh.
High Commissioner Lt. General Lampert of Okinawa.
Dr Tran Nguon Phieu, Social Welfare Minister in Vietnam Government.
Nagendra Singh and Manfred Lachs of the World Court.
These are a few of the numerous worldclass entertainers who performed between 1974 and 1995, at Ambassador Auditorium, which Herbert W Armstrong built in Pasadena, California:
Classical:
Opera Singers:
Luciano Pavarotti, Marilyn Horne, Deborah Voigt, Thomas Hampson, Kathleen Battle
Legends of the piano:
Artur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz, Andre Watts
Great Orchestras:
Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Carlo Maria Giuilini and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra
The Russian National Orchestra
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
St. Martins-in-the-Fields
Placido Domingo and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
The King's Singers
Classical Music, Soloists:
James Galway (flute), John Williams (guitar), Julian Bream (guitar), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello), Yo Yo Ma (cello), Pepe Romero & the Romeros.
Singing Legends:
Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Tony Bennet, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, The Kingston Trio, Jack Jones, Steve Allen, Roger Williams, Helen Reddy, Don Maclean, Shirley Jones, Buddy Greco.
Country Headliners:
Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, Mark O'Connor, Allison Krauss & Union Station, Del McCoury & Laurie Lewis.
Giants of Jazz:
George Shearing (piano), The Modern Jazz Quartet, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, Dave & Don Grusin, Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Henry Mancini, Chick Corea, Mel Torme, Stephane Grapelli, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Haden & Quartet West, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Mann, Cleo Laine & John Dankworth, Gerry Mulligan, Lee Ritenour, Joe Henderson, Dianne Schuur, Arturo Sandoval, Stanley Turrentine, Kenny Barron, Dick Hyman, Eddie Daniels with Gary Burton, Maynard Ferguson, Poncho Sanchez, Ernie Watts, Al Hirt, Peter Erskine, John Patitucci, Joe Pass, Toshiko Akiyoshi & Lew Tabackin, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, The Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie
Other Stars:
Marcel Marceau, Jose Greco Dance Company, Ravi Shankar.
Imagine the response of these musicians when they discover--after the Messiah appears, or when they are resurrected--that they performed at the headquarters of the true Church of God, built by the endtime Elijah! In most--if not all cases--their astonishment will result in their talents being transformed to sing the praises of God, influencing many others to follow suit. That probably was the longterm plan God had in mind for their performances at Ambassador Auditorium.
Herbert W Armstrong's Ambassador College was also involved in joint participation with Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the most important archaeological dig at the time--at the South Wall of the Temple Mount--under the direction of that university's former President, Professor Binyamin Mazar. A formal ceremony on December 1, 1968, ratified the joint participation.
Many Ambassadors from different countries have also heard Herbert W Armstrong speak at official occasions, or in the presence of world leaders. In addition Mr Armstrong formally spoke to various business leaders internationally at Rotary, Lions, and Kiwanis Clubs.
The Ambassador College Cultural Foundation sponsored a tour of the USA for China's Little Ambassadors (children's group) of Shangai--whose highlight was a tour of the White House by Nancy Reagan, accompanied by Herbert W Armstrong. AICF was founded by Mr Armstrong on March 18, 1975 as a humanitarian, cultural, charitable, and educational organization, which practiced the good works which the Church preached.
Although he was brought up in a Quaker home, Herbert W Armstrong's mother was of Jewish descent, through the Royal line of King David of Israel. Jewish descent today is reckoned through the mother. Had Mr Armstrong been brought up Jewish, being born on July 31, 1892--7 Ab in the Hebrew Calendar--his barmitzvah readings, which he would have had to recite in the synagogue when 13, would have been Isaiah 40:1-26 and Deuteronomy 3:23 to 7:11.
Some rabbis believe these readings are prophetic of how the boy's life will turn out. Looking back after his death, it would be difficult to choose a more fitting summary of Mr Armstrong's ministry than the prophecy in Isaiah 40:1-26. The passage contains themes that he many times preached about; it states that God will come with a "strong hand" [with an Armstrong?]; and speaks of "The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God". This is the very description Mr Armstrong applied to himself, which was applied in Scripture to John the Baptist, a forerunner of the endtime Elijah (Matthew 3:3).
The reading from Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11 starts with Moses' plea to God to change his mind, and allow Moses to walk into the Promised Land before he died--which God turned down. Mr Armstrong had anticipated being alive when Christ returned, which would have allowed him to cross over alive into the Promised Land of the Messiah's coming Millennium. God didn't allow it. The passage also contains the second giving of the Law (The 10 Commandments), which Mr Armstrong also gave in the sense that he spiritually magnified the Law in a way similar to what the Messiah had done at his First Coming, as no-one else has done.
This passage also contains the famous injunction (the Shema) which Jew's recite daily and regard as the essence of their faith: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Herbert W Armstrong, as the endtime Elijah, clarified how God is One--in the light of the Messiah's New Covenant revelations. The Tribe of Judah is going to be compelled to re-evaluate how it is that God is One, at the Second Coming of the Messiah--when he comes with all power, and rules Israel according to the Law, as the immortal Son of God.
In this author's study of the teachings of Herbert W Armstrong since 1958, he has never read or heard anyone refer to these barmitzvah readings regarding God's Apostle. Therefore, it is unlikely Mr Armstrong was even aware of how they related to him. They are nevertheless prophetic of his ministry as the endtime Elijah.
Herbert W Armstrong is the endtime prophet Elijah whom God promised to send to restore all things; raise an alarm about the impending destruction of the world unless Israel (and the nations) repent; and to proclaim the Good News that the soon-coming Messiah is going to establish the world-ruling Kingdom of God on Earth, with headquarters in Jerusalem.
NO-ONE ELSE BUT HERBERT W ARMSTRONG HAS, DOES, CAN, OR WILL, FIT THE PROFILE OF THE ENDTIME ELIJAH.
Chapter 7
Proof #7: HWA Restored All Things
As The Endtime Elijah Has To
"And Jesus answered and said unto
them, Elias [Elijah] truly shall
first come, and restore all things"
(Matthew 17:11).
The context of the above passage was after both the original Elijah, and John the Baptist, were already dead--and therefore shows that the endtime Elijah would be the one to restore all things. If John the Baptist had restored all things, Jesus Christ's preaching would only have been a continuation of John's ministry.
Instead, Christ's ministry was a profound restoration of the message all the prophets had given in the past--announcing the coming restitution of God's Government and Kingdom on Earth; see Acts 3:21; (which is yet to occur)--and a magnification of how the Law of God is to be observed in the New Covenant dispensation which Jesus initiated.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3,14).
Besides--the Word, born as the human Son of God--Jesus of Nazareth who never sinned--sacrificed his life (which was worth more than the entire human family he'd created), to pay in our stead, the eternal death penalty we've each incurred for our sins.
Christ also started the New Covenant Church, which consists of members who are endowed with the Holy Spirit--which was only available to the prophets and a few others before the New Testament Church commenced.
Therefore, the ministry of Jesus clearly involved greater restoration (and innovation) than anything John the Baptist did.
The very fact that Jesus said that Elijah would restore all things, shows that he understood there would be a massive Falling Away from the Truth he taught. And that it would only be fully restored in the period before the Day of the LORD, during which the endtime Elijah was active.
Herbert W Armstrong long pointed out that the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God--which Christ and the Apostles preached--had not been comprehensively proclaimed for 1900 years until he restored it.
No Pope of the Roman Catholic Church could credibly claim to be the endtime Elijah, because: "From the 11th to the 20th century the Roman Catholic Church has claimed to be the only authoritative apostolic church united by a recognition of the jurisdictional primacy of the bishop of Rome as the successor of St. Peter" (Encyclopaedia Britannica article "Roman Catholicism, history of)".
Besides, God never promised to send the endtime Elijah to Rome--which never has been the headquarters of his Church--but "to Israel" (Malachi 1:1; 4:4-6). The RCC's claim to be "Spiritual Israel" is equally spurious.
No Protestant Church leader today, who is faithful to the founding doctrines of the Reformation--nor any Jewish rabbi faithful to strict Orthodox beliefs--could rightly claim to be the endtime Elijah either--since the understanding of latter day prophecy is something relatively new. Something only to be understood in the endtime of massive increased knowledge and international travel: the very time that Herbert W Armstrong came to understand and teach the meaning of Bible prophecy, as no-one else before him.
For an Orthodox Jewish or Catholic 'Elijah' to "restore all things" in the endtime, would imply their faiths have been in a state of doctrinal disrepair for almost 2000 years. Not something either will admit.
Mr Armstrong explained:
"In 69 A.D., the Christians fled from Jerusalem...For the next hundred years, church history is virtually a blank...IT WAS THE MYSTERIOUS 'LOST CENTURY' OF CHURCH HISTORY! ...When the curtain rises, about 170 A.D., we behold a 'Christian' church hardly recognizable!"
"In most vital points of doctrine and custom it is the very antithesis of the Church of the original Apostles founded by Jesus Christ...yet it...calls itself 'Christianity'" ("God Speaks Out on The New Morality" by Herbert W Armstrong, page 32 hardcover, published 1964).
Mr Armstrong showed that Edward Gibbon's famous work "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" (Volume 1, chapter 15) notes "the dark cloud that hangs over the first age of the Church". That "A Handbook of Church History" by the noted English author Samuel G. Green states, "The thirty years which followed...the [70AD] destruction of Jerusalem are in truth the most obscure in the history of the Church. When we emerge in the second century we are, to a great extent, in a changed world."
"The remaining thirty years of the first century are involved in mysterious darkness, illuminated only by the writings of John. This is a period of history about which we know least and would like to know most" ("History of the Christian Church" by Philip Schaff).
Any religion claiming to have had a continuous and firm grip on all God's truth from the 1st Century (or before)--without the need for the endtime, pre-Kingdom of God, Elijah, to restore all things--cannot be the true faith of God!
The plain truth is that 1900 years later, Herbert W Armstrong restored all things necessary for salvation, and he restored the Government of God in the true Church of God.
For Elijah to restore "all things"before the endtime Day of the LORD, there FIRST had to be a GREAT Falling Away prior to the endtime. That Falling Away took place, as indicated above, after the ministry of Jesus and the 12 Apostles, and especially in the 30 years following the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70AD.
But there could not be the prophesied endtime Great Falling Away from Truth, unless Elijah's Great Restoration of All Things had first taken place, from which there could be that Falling Away.
The Falling Away prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 2 is obviously dual.
It applied to the 1st Century Falling Away, and it refers to the endtime Falling Away.
With respe