We are entering unchartered territor – the world as we knew it has gone…
The Tariff Doomsday Machine Roars
We were warned, back in 1963, that tariffs and trade wars were going to occur in the future - well now it’s happening! Trade wars were predicted between the USA and Europe. It was also predicted that terrible economic disasters would result. “And the result from such disasters? A New Nazi Germany!” (The Plain Truth – December 1963)
Right now, the stock market is volatile and unstable. A few days ago, in the space of minutes, trillions had been added to and wiped off some of the most sophisticated financial markets in the world (see article below).
The world financial situation is also volatile and unstable, and in Germany the new far-right party - the AfD - is now the most powerful party in the German Parliament.
Trump, Tariffs And A Stark Lesson From History
“At one level Smoot-Hawley worked. US imports from Europe slumped from a high of $1.33 billion in 1929 to only $390 million in 1932, according to an official analysis by the US Office of The Historian. That must have given some relief to domestic producers.
“The Smoot-Hawley Act was created to protect US farmers and businesses from foreign competitors. The Smoot-Hawley Act increased tariffs on foreign imports to the US by about 20%. Over 25 countries responded by increasing their own tariffs on American goods. Global trade plummeted, contributing to the ill effects of the Great Depression. The official US Senate website calls Smoot-Hawley ‘among the most catastrophic acts in congressional history.’” (investopedia.com)
However, American exporters were equally hit as other countries retaliated. US exports to Europe fell from $2.34 billion to $784 million over the same period. ‘Overall, world trade declined by some 66 per cent between 1929 and 1934,’ the USOTH said.
Then followed an economic slowdown of immense intensity, one that seemed to hit the US even harder than other countries. The slowdown spread around the world. In Germany, the unemployment rate climbed to nearly 30 per cent in 1932, HELPING TO BOLSTER SUPPORT FOR THE FLEDGELING NAZI PARTY.” (thetimes.com)
The Lessons Of History
The official US Senate website calls Smoot-Hawley “among the most catastrophic acts in congressional history.” Tariffs were set at 20%. Then followed an “economic slowdown of immense intensity.” Today, we see tariffs on some countries in excess of 100%. Looking at what happened back in the 1930’s what can we expect from the present situation? Bible prophecy certainly appears to indicate an “economic slowdown of immense intensity” - a catastrophic financial disaster.
Trump Lets Slip The Dogs Of Trade War
02/04/2025
“This week will see the opening salvoes in a global trade war that brings echoes of darker times. Donald Trump, hailing it as ‘liberation day’, proposes to impose tariffs across the board from April 2 and this will trigger retaliation. Despite the US president’s braggadocio, there are no winners from this approach, as we have seen in the past.
The protectionist policies pursued by William McKinley in the late 19th century, raising import duties to 50 percent in some instances, caused high prices and a political backlash. The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 worsened the Great Depression. The arguments used in the past were the same: if foreign goods were more expensive then Americans would buy home-produced products, bolstering US manufacturing and fuelling economic expansion. But the impact of retaliation, especially in a more integrated global trading environment than before, cannot easily be calculated.” (telegraph.co.uk)
Donald Trump Reveals Tariffs
03/04/2025
“Donald Trump announced a reciprocal tariff of 10% on the United Kingdom as he outlined a list of measures which are expected to rock the world economy. ‘It’s our declaration of economic independence,’ Trump said in announcing the tariffs. ‘For years, hard working American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful, much of it at our expense. But now it’s our turn to prosper.’” (mirror.co.uk)
The Global Trade War Has Now Fully Erupted
04/04/2025
“The global trade war is officially heating up. President Trump just unveiled a series of tariffs that were higher than expected, and business leaders all over the world are absolutely stunned. For many of those that have made a killing importing goods into the United States, their businesses have now been ruined. For many of those that manufacture their goods right here in the United States, President Trump’s tariffs are very welcome news. The tariffs that Trump has just announced will go into effect right away, and stock futures are plunging as I write this article. During the economic chaos that is ahead, there will be winners and there will be losers. But without a doubt, the global trade war that has now fully erupted will certainly be an enormous shock to the global economy.” (theeconomiccollapseblog.com)
Panic-Peddlers Alert!
No, A 50-Percent Tariff Doesn’t Mean A 50-Percent Price Hike!
“The tariff doomsday machine is roaring again. This time, it’s over talk of a 50% tariff on certain imports. Predictably, the panic-peddlers are out in force, warning that such a tariff means retail prices will skyrocket 50%. It’s an easy line to chant, BUT IT’S WRONG — FLAT WRONG — and anyone with a basic grasp of economics should know better.
Let’s make one thing clear: a tariff applies to the transaction value, not the final retail price. That cost is just the first step in a long supply chain. By the time a product reaches the consumer, it’s been marked up to cover domestic shipping, warehousing, employee wages, utilities, sales tax, and profit margins for every hand it passes through. The tariff is just one input among many.
Take a simple example. A retailer imports a widget with a $100 transaction value. Add a 50% tariff, and the cost to the importer becomes $150. That importer then sells it wholesale — perhaps at $200 — to a retailer, who marks it up again to $300 for sale. That $50 tariff is now 16.7% of the retail price. Even if every penny of the tariff is passed along, you’re not looking at a 50% increase in retail price — you’re looking at something closer to 17%.
But here’s the kicker: tariffs are not always fully passed on to the consumer. Importers and retailers know they can’t raise prices beyond what the market will bear. Sometimes they absorb part of the cost, cut expenses, renegotiate contracts, or shift to different suppliers. The market reacts; it doesn’t just lie down and take it.
Still not convinced? Look at the real-world data. The National Bureau of Economic Research analyzed the 2018–2019 US tariffs on Chinese goods. They found that for every 10% tariff, retail prices rose 1–2%. So even a 50% tariff, if applied, might cause retail prices to edge up 5–10% — not 50%. That’s a far cry from the alarmist headlines.
So why do politicians and media outlets keep pushing the scare narrative? Easy: Fear sells. ‘Fifty percent’ is a lot more dramatic than ‘maybe 5 to 10%.’ It’s easier to provoke outrage than to explain how pricing actually works. They’re banking on the average person not understanding the difference between wholesale cost and retail price — or not caring enough to dig into the numbers.
Yes, tariffs matter. They influence trade behavior. They can increase some costs. They can disrupt certain supply chains. But they’re not some magic multiplier that doubles the price of your groceries or gadgets overnight. Anyone pushing that line is either economically illiterate or deliberately misleading you.
The next time you hear that a 50% tariff will mean a 50% price hike, don’t nod along. Push back. Ask for the math. Demand the details. Because when it comes to tariffs and retail pricing, the facts just don’t support the hysteria.” (americanthinker.com)
There’s Nothing Free About ‘Free Trade’
“How ‘free’ can international trade be if its proponents depend upon a labyrinthine system of rules that requires thousand-page treaties and guidance from the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, central banks galore, the Bank for International Settlements, international standards organizations, law firms specializing in commercial and maritime law, more law firms specializing in the administrative law of specific nations, even more law firms specializing in the labor and environmental laws of each nation, and an ever-increasing number of national and international regulatory bodies to tell producers what they can and cannot produce, how and when to produce what they are permitted to produce, and whom to pay for the ‘privilege’ of producing it — all while restricting which domestic consumers around the world are permitted to purchase what the aforementioned producers end up producing?
That long question only scratches the surface of the sheer complexity of international trade, yet even in its oversimplification, it smacks of coercion, extortion, overbearing micromanagement, government corruption, and blatant racketeering. It oozes the ‘command and control’ odor we associate with a Soviet-type, socialist, or similarly centrally planned economy. Nothing about ‘free trade’ in practice sounds remotely free.” (economiccollapse.report)
Trump’s Tariff Play: The Art Of The Economic Reset
“Why are these tariffs happening? The simple answer is leverage. Trump’s worldview, and really his entire economic posture, is built around one foundational belief: America has been getting the short end of the stick in global trade for decades. Whether it’s China flooding the US with cheap goods or Europe slapping taxes on American exports while enjoying free access to our markets, Trump sees an imbalance that needs correction. Tariffs, in this context, aren’t just taxes on imports. They’re bargaining chips. By imposing tariffs, Trump is essentially saying, ‘If you want access to the world’s largest consumer market, you’re going to play fair.’
There’s also a geopolitical angle here. By reducing dependence on Chinese manufacturing, Trump is aiming to weaken China’s economic influence over the US and its allies. This isn’t just about economics — it’s about national security. The fewer critical goods we rely on from overseas, the more leverage we regain on the world stage.
At the end of the day, Trump’s tariffs are not an isolated policy. They’re a chess move in a much larger game. He’s aiming to rewrite the rules of global trade, attract massive investment back into the US, lower taxes, cut red tape, and reassert American economic dominance.
Will it work? That depends on execution, timing, and whether businesses are willing to bet on the American comeback. But one thing is clear: this isn’t accidental. It’s a calculated play to rebuild the American economy from the ground up — and it’s going to have ripple effects for years to come.” (americanthinker.com)
‘Fake News’ Added – And Then Wiped – $4 Trillion From The Stock Market In Minutes
“A tweet repeating a false claim about a 90-day pause on tariffs contributed to momentary chaos. Wall Street was braced for chaos when the US markets opened for trading on Monday, but no one could have anticipated the $4 trillion meltdown that ensued. An unsourced claim that Donald Trump was mulling a 90-day pause on the sweeping tariffs he imposed on virtually all of America’s trading partners sent stocks flying upwards before plummeting back down at breakneck speed. In the space of minutes, trillions had been added to and wiped off some of the most sophisticated financial markets in the world. In the end, it proved to be a bad misunderstanding for the markets, and an embarrassing one for the media.” (telegraph.co.uk)
“In politics, there is no use looking beyond the next fortnight.”
Joseph Chamberlain
“A week is a long time in politics.”
Harold Wilson
Trump’s US Doesn’t Just think Europe Is Obsolete – It Wants To See It Dead
“The ‘Signalgate’ scandal confirmed what Europeans already knew. The Trump administration’s disdain for Europe is deep and the transatlantic fracture is structural. While our leaders publicly play down the significance of the unravelling that is manifestly under way, few actually sound as convinced in private. Hopes persist that Europe can prevent the most extreme manifestation of the collapse in the relationship, be it an invasion of Greenland, the withdrawal of US forces from Europe’s Nato member states or an all-out trade war. Most urgently, European leaders are focused on ensuring that if (or perhaps when) the US throws Kyiv under the bus, it is Europe collectively that will somehow succeed in securing a free, independent and democratic Ukraine.” (theguardian.com)
A Global Economic War
“The Pershing Square Capital Management CEO warned that Trump’s current trajectory could devastate businesses around the world. ‘By placing massive and disproportionate tariffs on our friends and our enemies alike and thereby launching a global economic war against the whole world at once, we are in the process of destroying confidence in our country as a trading partner, as a place to do business and as a market to invest capital’.” (dailymail.co.uk)
Global Financial System Entering ‘Unchartered Territory’
“The US-China tariff escalation is moving the global financial system into ‘unchartered territory,’ and could cause ‘outright financial war,’ George Saravelos, Deutsche Bank’s global head of foreign exchange research, has warned. Saravelos issued the warning in a note to clients on Wednesday, which was quoted by multiple media outlets. The analyst, who has repeatedly warned about a looming dollar crisis and a global loss of trust in the US currency, described the current situation as a ‘collapse’ in markets. ‘We are witnessing a simultaneous collapse in the price of all US assets, including equities, the dollar versus alternative reserve FX and the bond market. WE ARE ENTERING UNCHARTERED TERRITORY IN THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM,’ HE WROTE.” (rt.com)
The Uncertain Future Of Trade
“The re-emergence of tariffs and economic nationalism signals a more contested global environment. While the WTO remains a cornerstone of the rules-based order, its authority has been weakened by stalled negotiations and limited enforcement capacity.
For investors, this shift matters. Many economies are heavily reliant on international trade, both in goods and services. Firms are used to operating in global markets shaped by decades of liberalisation and changes in the trading landscape – especially among major partners like the United States – carry direct consequences. Whether this signals a lasting turn remains to be seen, but the risks of fragmentation and volatility have clearly returned to the global stage.” (trustnet.com)
The World As We Knew It Has Gone
“Nobody wins from a trade war. First it was defence and national security. Now it is the global economy and trade. Old assumptions can no longer be taken for granted.
The world as we knew it has gone.
We must rise to meet the moment. We are ready for what comes next. The new world is less governed by established rules and more by deals and alliances.
Nobody wins from a trade war.
The economic consequences, here and across the globe, could be profound. We already have a balanced trading relationship with our American allies and work continues on a new economic prosperity deal. Nonetheless, all options remain on the table.” (telegraph.co.uk)
The Destruction Of Britain And The USA!
What we are witnessing right now is the build up to the Great Tribulation. As we get closer to the end of the age, we watch as God steps up His punishment on modern day Israel:
“I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror…
And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies…
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass…
Your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits…
I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy…
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation…
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.” (Taken from Leviticus 26:16-32)
This Is Beginning - Now
In 1980 we were told about events to watch for:
“You may be sure the West European leaders are conferring hurriedly and secretly about how and how soon they may UNITE and provide a united EUROPEAN MILITARY FORCE so they can DEFEND THEMSELVES! And so they will no longer have TO GIVE IN MEEKLY TO RUSSIA! And who will they blame for their humiliation and their necessity now to have a united Europe, with a united government, a common currency, and a common military force as great or greater than either [Russia] or the USA? They will blame the United States!
And when they are strong enough to assert themselves, Bible prophecy reveals a man will rise to take the helm in Europe and will first attack Britain for standing firm with the United States, and then they will return a lot of hydrogen bombs the US has stored now in Europe!” (The Plain Truth - April 1980)
Over 40 years ago, Mr Armstrong warned:
“But already the noose is around our necks, and is almost daily tightening! Skyrocketing inflation, devaluation of the dollar in all foreign markets, other economic ills are starting GREATLY to reduce our standard of living! I warn you, PREPARE greatly to reduce your standard of living! Even GREATER punishments are to follow!” (The Plain Truth – May 1983)
“So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Matthew 24:33)
Remember Christ’s instruction to His Church…
“I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11)
God's Unleavened Judges
"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake ... He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning ... clear shining after rain." (II Samuel 23:3-4)
Law In The Mouth
Having deleavened our homes to the best of our ability, we now find ourselves anticipating the Spring Holy Days, which start at sunset on April 12th, the Passover not being an actual Feast Day. And within the days of Unleavened Bread we should take time to meditate on the task of getting sin out of our lives, and one passage of Scripture that should almost certainly come to the fore is a section found in Exodus 13. These verses stress not only the removal of leaven, but also the positive side – that eating unleavened bread demonstrates the Eternal's law being in our mouth:
- Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
- And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
- And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. (Exodus 13:7-9)
But why is it important to picture the Eternal's law "in our mouth"? Why not "in our heart"? Or "in our being"? Clearly, one way of looking at it would be to say physically eating unleavened bread – i.e. placing it in the mouth – is being obedient to God's law. Another way is that it's merely as a preliminary stage prior to internalising it upon swallowing. But I think there is also another aspect – a third point to consider – which for us in God's Church particularly should be even more profound.
Conveying The Law
- A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:45)
So, if the Eternal's law fills our heart, what comes out of our mouth will reflect that law, that lifestyle – both in general conversation and also, more importantly, in what we teach. This was certainly true in what God gave to ancient Israel; to her kings, her priests and her rulers.
The judgements made by the king were to remain fully subservient to the laws of God:
- And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
- And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
- That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)
We can see that intent for righteousness being faithfully implemented by the actions of Jehoshaphat:
- And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,
- And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment.
- Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts
- Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.
- And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. (II Chronicles 19:5-9)
The law of truth was also to be in the mouth of the priest as he taught the words of righteousness as God's messenger:
- And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
- My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
- The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
- For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 2:4-7)
And when Joshua took over from Moses, the Logos who became Jesus Christ stressed to him the need for the law to remain within his mouth as he directed and guided the entire nation under him, according to God's will and purpose:
- Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
- This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:1,8)
The Big Picture
But were the above words written only for ancient Israel – for people long ago? Were they just pertinent to the rulers of millennia past? Not according to the apostle Paul who declares that such things are recorded and "written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Corinthians 10:11) – something further elaborated upon by Mr Armstrong regarding who the Scriptures as a whole were primarily designed for:
"It has been seeming more and more to me, as the years go by, that the Bible was written primarily for the Philadelphia era of the Church. It has not been understood previously to now. The Bible was not all written yet during the beginning of the Church (during the Ephesian era, the first era of the Church)". (Mission Of The Philadelphia Church Era – Sermon – December 17, 1983)
Those of us who aspire to the first resurrection are thereby destined to subsequently be the "priests [teachers] of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him [as kings] a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6) We thus become the kings, the priests, the rulers – and the above scriptures have therefore been written specifically for our learning! The Word of God must remain within our mouths, ready to teach, yes, but also to regulate our judgement as kings when the time comes, as part of a truly righteous, spiritually unleavened judiciary.
Judiciary versus Legislature
I use the term "spiritually unleavened judiciary" deliberately – largely separating our future function from the legislature, or lawmaking process. A dictionary definition of judiciary is "the branch of government that is endowed with the authority to interpret and apply the law, adjudicate legal disputes and otherwise administer justice" (The Free Dictionary) This distinction is because of the foundational principle found in James which reminds us that, "there is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy" (James 4:12) . Unlike the myriad of laws that human governments devise, "law" in scripture is more about showing a direction; to teach a certain way; to aim for the way to live and walk. (Strongs H08451, from 03384). And God could see this WAY being part of Abraham's very character:
- For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. (Genesis 18:19)
And God, the Lawgiver has expressed His mind in a single law – or way – that can be summarised in the one word: LOVE (I John 4:8,16). All subsequent judgements handed down by the future spiritual judiciary will remain fully subservient to this spiritually perfect, loving law already laid down by God. Even the judgements of Jesus Christ – the King of kings and Lord of lords – will always be made with total respect for what God has already determined:
- And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
- And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
- And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
- But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
- And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. (Isaiah 11:1)
The Contrast
As we can see, there is one fundamental, all-encompassing difference between the law of God and the laws of man – as Mr Armstrong explains in the Good News article on Divorce and Remarriage:
THERE IS ONE great difference between the law of God and the laws made by human government. God has given us His law in form of general principles to be applied in various cases, whereas in national laws, state laws and city ordinances, MAN tries to make multiple thousands of laws, “spelling out” every little detail in a separate law.
It is made clear for us in the third chapter of II Corinthians. ”[God] also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit” (verse 6).
God’s law is given in one single word – LOVE. God is love, His law is love – that word sums up God’s CHARACTER. The law then is amplified into the two Great Laws, love toward God, and love toward neighbor. God amplifies it a little further in the Ten Commandments – the first four giving the broad principles of how to love God and the last six how to love neighbor. But God intended us to understand the PRINCIPLE involved and apply it honestly.
Now it comes to my attention that many are finding gray areas in the D & R law. I will try to spell out a little further in a general way, and those who seek the WAY OF GOD instead of their own way will have, I hope, no difficulty in applying God’s law properly according to its intended spirit. Otherwise, those who try to reason around God’s law to have their own way will stand condemned in the sight of God.
GOD DOES NOT COMPROMISE WITH, OR WATER DOWN HIS LAW. Rather than that He GAVE His only begotten Son Jesus to pay the penalty of repented sin in our stead. (Spelling Out The Official Doctrine On D & R – GN Oct/Nov 1979)
Applying Principles
As Mr Armstrong brings out above, God's law can be summarised in a single word, "Love". However, that love is not human love – but, "the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 5:5) which is ALWAYS outgoing and concerned for others. This is true, whatever the emotional response may be, even to the point of putting the wicked to death in a lake of fire rather than allow them and others to suffer needlessly as a result of their actions. And the way that spiritual law must then be administered is always but always according to its spirit and intent – not the mere letter (II Corinthians 3:6).
Getting to grips with and applying the principle of God's law in this way is a vital subject that is not only relevant to our future roles as king-priests in the Kingdom of God, but also now, at this time – particularly when seeking to get sin out of our lives during the days of Unleavened Bread! Since the death of Mr Armstrong, we are being forced to get to grips with a "spiritual heritage" that was left, rather than compile a "tick/check list" of every major or minor point brought to us during his ministry as God's end-time apostle. Society has moved on ... it has sunk even lower than it was in his lifetime ... and sometimes the ministry is called upon to make judgements on situations that would not have even come to mind a few decades ago: transgender issues; a fractured church; Internet pornography; smartphones; social media; cyber bullying; GM foods; unclean gene splicing; Fukushima fish pollution, etc. And not only the ministry, but church members also – especially those striving to bring up children in this cesspit of a society.
But God is allowing this. He is wanting to see if we can faithfully understand and apply His basic principles – as in the future we may well be asked to take His way of life to other planets and even other life forms, and our little check list that worked fine in our home town, 2025, might not have the same relevance to angelic beings in a star system thousands of light years from Earth – for Paul tells us we are to indeed judge angels! (I Corinthians 6:3). But His overall spiritual law of love will remain inviolate – rock solid throughout the ages and areas of His domain – designed to be expertly administered in a vast range of situations by each one of us as the Eternal's spiritually unleavened Judges.
Today's World
Compared to what we see today, the founding fathers of the USA 200 years ago had a good deal more worldly wisdom when it came to moral matters. Contrast the following observation by John Adams in 1798 with the legalistic quagmire of the approach taken by the governments of the world today:
"... we have no government, armed with power, capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." (John Adams' letter to the officers in Massachusetts, 11 October 1798)
The constitution they constructed dealt largely with principles. Yet in today's world it is the opposite. Those who draft legislation have to continually try to block every twist and turn because the human heart has indeed become progressively more and more unbridled by morality and religion. We have the constitution they so carefully drafted using just 4,400 words, being used in ways that would have been utterly unthinkable 200 years ago – to justify the acceptance of sexual perversion on a vast scale; the murder of the unborn; and at the same time the removal of the 10 Commandments or other religiously moral directions from all courts of the land. God rightly summarises the chaos we find ourselves witnessing:
- The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.
- Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness.
- We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men...
- ... And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
- Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (Isaiah 59:8-10,14-15)
Unleavened Bread
Yet within such spiritually bereft judgement, God allows us to function as witnesses of this end time condition, and at the same time insists that we simultaneously develop the ability for righteous judgement ourselves. The irony is, an end time church is due to appear to which God gives the name Laodicea – which can be translated both "let the people decide – or judge" – and also "let judgement be now on the people".
It is only those people who can indeed decide and judge correctly – according to God's principles and laws – who will themselves be judged sufficiently on track to become the kings and priests God requires. Unleavened Bread is certainly an excellent time for every one of us to examine ourselves in that light – whether we are indeed becoming ready to be part of the truly spiritually unleavened judiciary – one of God's spiritually unleavened judges.
- Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
- And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
- Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (Malachi 3:16-18)
God Looks on the Heart
As we grow in understanding over the years, we can often become discouraged as God's spirit reveals depths of shortcomings that we never knew existed before. And during this time of self-examination, we might well feel we are losing the battle, rather than overcoming as we should. King David knew it wasn't a case of unearthing every little sin/weakness – he realised it was more a case of which WAY are we striving to live on a daily basis? David continually discusses "the way" of God in the Psalms, and especially in Psalm 119 and again in Psalm 139: "And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (v24)
Fortunately, the picture God gives us regarding the process of cleaning our homes of leaven should actually teach us that humanly it is impossible, as leaven permeates the whole atmosphere. But with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Instead of giving up in despair, we can therefore take heart, as we have also been given a High Priest that has already been through it all before – and God the Father has given our judgement over to Him – the Son of Man – because as such, He knows firsthand the massive temptations and pitfalls of being human.
- Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
- For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
- Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
God knows what He's doing. The apostle John records these encouraging and reassuring words of Jesus Christ;
- And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
- And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39,40)
- My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
- And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
- My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
- I and my Father are one. (John 10:27-30)
So we can be fully "confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
Having spent our human lives battling Satan and his vile mindset and the system based upon it, we should then be able to have the same approach and compassion as our elder Brother when our time comes to judge others – human or otherwise! God's law is indeed inviolate, but how we administer that law today – with true spiritual balance and an understanding of the principles involved – will reveal if we are indeed ready to be part of His soon-coming world ruling and judging family ... spiritually unleavened judges ... administering the very government of God.
- Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
- And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land...
- They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine...
- Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
- Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
- And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
- And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. (Isaiah 32:1-2,12,15-18)
Latest Audio - 2025-04-12
“Just what is an APOSTLE?”
Today we find the Church of God in a “wilderness of religious confusion!”
The confusion is not merely around the Church – within the religions of the world outside – but WITHIN the very heart of The True Church itself!
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