Is Makeup Wrong?
"Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window." (II Kings 9:30 NKJV)
In the late 1960's and early '70's several subversive elements had infiltrated the church, so in the decade prior to his death in 1986 Mr. Armstrong concentrated to a great degree on putting the church "back on track" and one of the contentious issues he covered was that of makeup, realising it had far-reaching consequences. And to this day, makeup is still a controversial subject among the various groups that have formed since his death. Some claim that Mr. Armstrong went "back and forth" on the subject, and that it is just a minor point. Did Mr. Armstrong vacillate on makeup? I at one time thought he had, but that was until we once again played his sermons, read his articles and rediscovered what Christ through His end-time apostle actually had to say on not just makeup, but on a number of issues that continue to divide the wider churches of God.
Back and Forth?
So is makeup just a minor issue or an outward manifestation of a much bigger problem? To find out, it is worth taking a little time to examine the recent history of the ruling on makeup in the church from the 1950's until his death, because what at first glance might appear to be "double minded", on closer inspection reveals a progressively deeper understanding of not only the makeup issue, but all doctrinal issues!
In the Worldwide News article of November 16, 1981, entitled "How Satan began injecting liberalism into God's Church" and subtitled "How Subtly Satan used Makeup to Start the Church Off the Track", Mr. Armstrong explains how the church in the 1950's came to the right ruling, but initially the "no makeup rule" was based primarily on specific points and specific scriptures, applying God's law as the world applies man's laws – trying to cover all possible infringements.
And then, in the late 1960's and early '70's Mr Armstrong became involved in meeting heads of state in nations all over the world. And during his many absences from HQ in Pasadena, rebellion set in and a number of ministers left the church. Also the ill-founded doctrinal committee was set up – an attempt as it later became clear, to DISPROVE church doctrines rather than verify them – and in 1974 Ted Armstrong brought to his father's attention that the church had misunderstood four specific scriptures that were being used to ban makeup. In the throes of leaving for a big campaign in Manilla, Mr. Armstrong typed and signed a brief statement to that effect, but in his absence, the head of Pastoral Administration added much more, liberalising and watering down what is God's mind on the subject.
And the liberalising of makeup was just the thin end of the wedge, because once Satan had his foot in the door, this permissive approach was used to help derail the church on a number of issues, and water down and liberalise other doctrines, such as healing. In fact the whole question of makeup became a catalyst for Christ guiding Mr. Armstrong into a far deeper understanding of His law and Way of life. Continuing in the 1981 WWN article:
But we need to learn that God’s law is a PRINCIPLE to be applied. It has to do first of all with an ATTITUDE OF MIND.
The Church RULED AGAINST THE USE OF MAKEUP based primarily on specific “do” and “don’t” scriptures, rather than of God’s Law. We did make the mistake of applying God’s spiritual Law as the world applies man’s laws. The average policeman today has to enforce six times as many specific laws as he is capable of remembering. I am reminded of a comic strip “There Ought to Be a Law.” Every day someone thought up a reason for making a new specific law to cover some new minor infraction. It depicted the ridiculous system of man’s laws.
Actually, God’s spiritual Law is expressed in just one simple four-letter word – LOVE. We apply that law to given circumstances. Jesus, for example, “magnified the Law and made it honourable.” At Mt. Sinai He, as YHWH, expanded it into 10 points – the first four defining the PRINCIPLE of love toward God, the last six love toward neighbor. From there it expands in principle to cover any and every question that may arise.
... Now JESUS CHRIST, through His chosen apostle, is going to RULE on this question once and for all!
THERE ARE TWO reasons, and variations of those two reasons, and God, who knows human hearts better than we know our own, KNOWS THIS. They are: VANITY, and desire to be like the world God calls us out of, or so to appear to the world ...
... Finally, I repeat, sin, spiritually, is self-centeredness, self-exaltation, desire to be beautiful, vanity, coveting, desire to GET and TAKE, to exalt the self, jealousy and envy, competition, oft-resulting violence and war, resentment and rebellion against authority. These are the PRINCIPLES of spiritual SIN. Christ is GETTING US BACK ON THE TRACK! ("How Satan began injecting liberalism into God's Church")
But WHY the Church?
Many years ago I heard a minister's wife dogmatically state ... "I will never be in a group that bans makeup". This lady clearly had no real idea WHY we have been called to be a church member in the first place and given the priceless privilege – and responsibility – of being part of the Firstfruits. Take a moment to think deeply on the following statements of Mr. Armstrong's from Mystery of the Ages, chapter 6, Mystery of the Church:
The Church, founded by Jesus Christ, has an all-important meaning to every human life that ever lived . Yet almost no one has ever known that meaning.
Even within the Christian world, [and the churches of God today!] apostasy, division and changing times have blotted out the true original meaning and purpose that now is indeed a mystery. (chapter 6, Mystery of the Church)
And regardless of whether we are a man or a woman who has no desire to wear makeup, our understanding regarding why the final ruling on this subject – and even more importantly, WHY Christ raised up His church – has a great deal to do with that "all important meaning to every human life". We are not involved in "religion" – our calling goes FAR beyond that, and it's vital we get to grips with why we have been called now. Continuing from Mystery of the Ages, chapter 6:
And just as God has not created all at once, but in successive stages, so he is bringing salvation to the world in successive stages. The Church is a necessary instrumentality preparatory to, and in order to, bring salvation to humanity. Therefore, once again, let it be emphasized that the purpose of the Church is not merely to give salvation to those called into the Church, but to teach and train those predestined and called into the Church as instruments God shall use in bringing the world to salvation.
Let us illustrate by an analogy. Many states in America have state teachers’ colleges. The states could not start or conduct schools until they had first trained teachers for those schools. The Church may be called God’s teachers’ college to prepare rulers and teachers for the kingdom of God when God does offer redemption and eternal life to the world as a whole.
The CHURCH was planned to be God’s instrumentality for calling predestinated human beings out of this world to be trained for positions of leadership in the world tomorrow, when they shall teach and train others. That is why in the New Testament, the Church is called the first fruits of God’s salvation.(chapter 6, Mystery of the Church)
But today are we ready to fulfil that role? To teach those future teachers how to accurately discern right and wrong, good and evil - the 2 trees?
- For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
- For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
- But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)
HOW we are being Taught
Just recently I heard of a family in an off-shoot of a worldly Christian denomination who have been rendered totally heartbroken because one of their children has decided to quit attending church with them. According to their beliefs, their son now has no future whatsoever! Yet this family believes in a Place of Safety, Christ's second coming and even the millennium – "as the kingdom of God on earth" but also believe that the millennium is only for the members of that particular group. They do believe in a resurrection, but again, that is only for church members. They have no concept whatsoever of why they are in their church now, (presumably for their salvation alone) or why God should allow millions to live and die before Christ came to earth 2,000 years ago, let alone before their movement developed in the 1800's.
And what should immediately spring to OUR minds? "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:22) ... IT'S THE SAME ALL! ... and the vast majority will be made alive and given their first chance to understand the Truth – pictured by the Last Great Day. But HOW did we come to know that? From our own in-depth studies? I think not.
Several years ago when my wife and I started to visit potential church members in Nigeria, an elderly man, Mr. Lambert Azubuike, said to me of his conversion that ... "I could read the Bible and see what was written there, but apostle Armstrong showed me what it meant". EXACTLY! It has been through Mr. Armstrong's sermons and articles, books and booklets that we have learnt about the Plan of God – the meaning of life itself, and the incredible potential for every single human being, illustrated through the Holy Days. From the WWN February 19, 1979 "What is a Liberal?", Mr. Armstrong writes:
How does God’s Church receive its doctrines, beliefs and teachings? Direct from God, through the channels of Jesus Christ as HEAD of the Church, and from Him through the apostles! NEVER by any others! NEVER by a group of ministers appointing themselves as a Doctrinal Committee! So it was in the first century.
How did the Worldwide Church of God receive its doctrines, beliefs and teachings? EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH CHRIST’S APOSTLE! True, I have practiced the biblical principle that “in the multitude of counsel there is safety.” On many occasions some top-level ministers have contributed certain input that has helped me in setting doctrine. BUT EVERY DOCTRINE, BELIEF AND TEACHING IN THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD HAS COME FROM CHRIST THROUGH HIS CHOSEN APOSTLE! (WWN February 19, 1979 "What is a Liberal?")
No other "Christian" church on earth comes close to having the depth of understanding we have been given through Christ's end-time apostle. Men have spent their lifetime in putting together Bible concordances and commentaries, but still have no concept of why they were born. It's not their time, but it is ours, and once given God's spirit to open our minds to this "coded book" He has determined that we receive His precious understanding through the apostle He sent. Not something to be taken lightly, as according to Jesus Christ ...
- He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (Matthew 10:40)
- He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. (Luke 10:16)
WHAT we are being Taught
Since Mr Armstrong's death – and the resulting apostasy and shattering – we are being forced to get to grips with a SPIRITUAL heritage that was left, rather than attempts to compile a "tick/check list" of every major or minor point brought to us during his ministry. 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; etc. And not only the ministry, but church members also – especially those striving to bring up children in this cesspit of a society.
A key aspect of faithfully administrating this spiritual "Way" – including the makeup issue – involves the ability to correctly apply God-given spiritual principles to each and every circumstance. This is something critical to our training that God expects all of us to get to grips with. It is something we are going to have to do continually as born sons in the Kingdom of God out into eternity. (Isaiah 51:16) When Mr Armstrong was alive, we witnessed constantly the dynamic leadership of God's Living Word through Him. From the WWN February 19, 1979 "What is a Liberal?", Mr. Armstrong writes:
In the Bible God does not write down every specific detail of the PRINCIPLE or SPIRIT of His Law! He expects us, with His Holy Spirit, to apply the principle to every circumstance, act or question.The whole duty of man is keeping God’s law IN THE SPIRIT – far more than the specific detailed letter. It is the ATTITUDE or the principle of the law. The law does not list every detail included in the duty of man. Reduced to its simplest over all denominator, the whole law is the one word, LOVE. (WWN February 19, 1979 "What is a Liberal?")
In that particular article, Mr. Armstrong uses the word "principle" a dozen times! So it would seem that a solid comprehension of this vital subject is not only relevant to our future roles as king-priests in the Kingdom of God, but also now, at this time of qualifying and overcoming. Someone submissive to God's government does not need to be backed into a corner, with no "wriggle room", before placing themselves under The Way of God. But, as did King David, will seek to RUN that way with ALL their heart (Psalm 119:32).
It seems clear to most that the time we are in now is the measuring of the temple, as brought out in Revelation chapter 11: "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." (Revelation 11:1) And for this temple to be "fitly framed together" (Ephesians 2:21) it's imperative we are all under the same government, led by the same Spirit – and not, as in the time of the judges, doing what we feel is right in OUR own sight ... or even as in Genesis 3, taking to ourselves the knowledge of what is good and evil, what is sin and what isn't!
The Two Trees – For Eternity
- The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much; and the one who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much (Luke 16:10 NASV)
I hope by now you can clearly see we've been given the basis on which to correctly judge such "very little things" as makeup, birthdays, etc... Because if there is one segment of scripture that Mr. Armstrong would regularly turn to in order to lay the foundation for the rest of his sermon or article it would be the incident of the two trees of Genesis 2 and 3. Two ways of life ... Give and Get. So simple – yet so profound. Today, these two diametrically opposing approaches to life could bring peace between Russia and Ukraine, China and Taiwan, the USA and Europe, Iran, Israel, the Congo etc etc, as they can be extrapolated into any circumstance, situation, age, culture or race. Looking ahead to those individuals that will rise in the Great White Throne Judgement ... regardless whether you were an aborigine "down under", an Eskimo in the frozen north, one of the sons of Anak – the giants that terrifed the spies – or even Stalin, Hitler or Mussolini – these two opposing ways of life can be easily understood.
In the future we may well be asked to take God's way of life to other planets and even other life forms, and our little check list that worked fine in our home town, 2026, 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), and this could well be one of them ...
- As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.
- From the center of the cloud came four living beings that looked human,
- except that each had four faces and four wings.
- Their legs were straight, and their feet had hooves like those of a calf and shone like burnished bronze.
- Under each of their four wings I could see human hands. So each of the four beings had four faces and four wings.
- The wings of each living being touched the wings of the beings beside it. Each one moved straight forward in any direction without turning around.
- Each had a human face in the front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle at the back. (Ezekiel 1:4-10 NLT)
The use of makeup - if it is to conceal a blemish or unsightly birth mark has never been an issue, but we need to be honest with our motive. I think it best to let Mr. Armstrong sum up the matter, from his PGR of July 1, 1983, "Satan hasn't given up on makeup":
In II Corinthians 3:6, it is written that we must obey the law according to the SPIRIT – that is, the principle or intent of the law – not according to the specific letter.
Today, I’m afraid, some look at SIN through Old Testament eyes. Unless there is a literal, specific, “Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt NOT,” then they say, “Isn’t it OK?” If you look at it that way, you really mean that you want to do Satan’s way, and follow the world – that you only want to follow God’s way so far as you are compelled ...
... The Church is not going to police you. But YOU ARE BEING JUDGED, N O W! The women of the world are not being judged as yet. Judgment has begun with the house of God, the Church. We in the Church are deciding OUR ETERNITY NOW. We are the FIRSTFRUITS. We are the embryo of the KINGDOM OF GOD! We are to be DIFFERENT from the world! It is GOD through Christ who is judging us right now, once for all eternity!
Before examining specific texts on the subject of make-up, let me summarize the PRINCIPLE involved – not only on make-up but on any or all subjects of what is right and what is wrong.
God’s law defines the WAY of human conduct – first of all, in relation to God, and secondly to human neighbor. LAW simply means the rules of conduct. The RULES of a basketball, baseball or football game might be called the LAWS of those games – the rules that regulate performance.
God’s LAW is stated in the one word, LOVE. The word LOVE is a PRINCIPLE, and in principle it is opposite to the word LUST. It is LOVE toward others. First of all, LOVE toward GOD, in love, worship, and obedience. Secondly it is love toward other humans. It cannot be vanity, because vanity is toward self and puts SELF before God. Love toward and worship of God in itself is the PRINCIPLE of humility, not self-glory or vanity or coveting. It is love toward neighbor in the spirit of outgoing CONCERN for neighbor’s welfare and good – of cooperation, serving, helping, sharing. It also may be love toward self in the sense or principle of concern for the physical and mental and spiritual welfare of the body and mind, which is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit.
YOU CAN APPLY THAT PRINCIPLE TO ANY QUESTION OF HUMAN CONDUCT. It is the real answer to the SIN question... (PGR July 1, 1983 Satan Hasn't Given up on Make up)
So the question isn't essentially about makeup – it's much broader than that. It's whether we correctly understand how to administer God's laws according to the spirit, the underlying principle. As Christ's apostle to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote: "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (II Corinthians 3:6) Mr. Armstrong, as our apostle grew to clearly understand the principle – hence his final ruling regarding makeup. The question is, DO WE? It's vital we do, because our calling is to be teachers – initially to mankind (Isaiah 30:18-21) – but then, as the Bride of Christ, to take God's way of life out into eternity ...
- And I saw 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 himself shall be with them, and be their God.
- And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
- And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
- And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
- He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:1-7)
Further reading:
Satan hasn't given up on make-up, PGR July 1, 1983
Sermon – What God Expects of Us, 7 November 1981
Sermon – Getting Back on Track, December 1981
Sermon – What is Sin? 5 December 1981
Sermon – Hungering for God's Righteousness 11 June 1983
2026: Dire threat of a world-ending catastrophe…
The Doomsday Clock is set at…
85 Seconds To Midnight!
It’s now been 40 years since the death of Herbert W Armstrong, God’s end time apostle. He led the Worldwide Church of God right up until his death in 1986. He headed up the world’s largest religious broadcast at that time, ‘The World Tomorrow’.
His message was simple. He preached the gospel, the good news, of the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to set up the world ruling Government of God – administered in righteousness by His spirit-born sons. He taught that this world’s ‘christianity’ preached ABOUT Christ - while completely ignoring His message.
He delivered that message!
The apostle Mark makes it very clear: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” (Mark 1:14)
He preached that the Bible reveals that just prior to the return of Christ, this world will come dangerously close to destroying itself.
“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive].” (Matthew 24:22)
Mr Armstrong warned about upcoming world events that would lead up to WW3, explaining Bible prophecy. He warned about the resurrection of the German-led Holy Roman Empire that would destroy both the USA and Britain.
We were warned to watch world events.
We ask - 40 years on…
Did he get it right?
Let’s look at what he said.
Lets look at what happened.
Let’s look at today’s world!
Is there a choice?
First - Let’s Look At The Number 40
In his Pastors Report a few weeks ago, Mr Bowles had this to say about the significance of the number 40:
“…In this Pastor’s Report, I want to concentrate on the number 40, and show you how it so often is used as the classic time of testing and trial but also - please note - preparation before a new phase begins, ie a WATERSHED event. This is not just an arbitrary number, but I believe it may have a great significance to us at this end time.
Of the hundreds of splinter groups that have formed since the apostasy took hold, many of them do not acknowledge him as the end-time apostle and the Elijah-to-come, and some even deny an apostasy has taken place! And so a 40th anniversary of his death is unlikely to mean anything to them … possibly at their peril.
2026 - A Watershed Year?
2026 may or may not be a critical time prophetically, but it would seem foolhardy to ignore the possibility - like a pregnant woman past her due date, deciding she can’t be pregnant after all … and we’ve known that to happen! So could forty years since Mr Armstrong’s death have any significance for us? Well, ‘forty years’ can also signify bringing a time period to its conclusion.” (Pastor’s Report - 9 Jan 2026)
Mr Armstrong warned:
“All signs in world events imply strongly we are now on the very eve of these events TO SHAKE THE WORLD AS NEVER BEFORE, just prior to Christ’s return, and the coming of the HAPPY PEACEFUL WORLD TOMORROW!” (The Plain Truth – August 1980)
As the Pastors Report goes on to point out:
“It’s evident that 40 years in particular can be a time of trial and testing…”
“‘Forty years’ can also signify bringing a time period to its conclusion.”
“It can also picture preparation before a new phase begins…”
We Have Been Tried And Tested
Jesus Christ gave His church a key command in the book of Revelation:
“Behold, I come quickly: HOLD THAT FAST WHICH THOU HAST, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:11)
What do we have to hold on to? We are to hold on to what we were taught by God’s end time apostle.
How important is one that God sends - an “apostle”?
“He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent [Greek: apostello] me.” (Luke 10:16)
Do we still follow the teaching of God’s end time apostle? It’s not easy in today’s world - or even within the Church. That’s why Jude was inspired to write that we would have to “…earnestly contend for the faith which was once [and for all] delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
The question is, is a person still following the teaching of God’s end time apostle? The Church of God has been well tried on this point over the last 40 years, and in many cases, found wanting! Some doctrines have been altered, some forgotten, some watered down and some totally ignored because they are “not important”!
Many In The Church Still Do Not Understand ‘The Gospel’
Mr Armstrong made it very clear as to WHY God had called some now. He also made it very clear that many were not “getting it”!
“You’re called to learn! You’re called to become a student! YOU’RE CALLED SO YOU CAN BECOME A TEACHER AND TEACH OTHERS when the time comes. And I’m afraid most of you are not doing it because we have thought, just like the Protestants do, that God is trying to save us and you just want to GET salvation.
He didn’t call you just to GET salvation. He called you to GIVE the knowledge that you’re learning to others when the time comes. And now that’s the message I wanted to bring to you this afternoon.
And I still say that the people in the Worldwide Church of God have never gotten the message! You have never gotten the real gospel yet! That is the gospel and until you come to see that - you have not understood the gospel at all.” (Sermon - Called To Be Teachers - 16 June 1984)
A Point To Think About
As teachers, we must teach the whole curriculum as delivered. The curriculum, ‘the Way’, came from God the Father. He passed it on to Christ, who then taught His apostles. This is what we will teach! We will teach what we have been taught. We will leave nothing out, nothing watered down or forgotten, nothing changed.
Many who have altered doctrines, brought in new teachings or in any way corrupted what we have been taught would do well to read what God has to say about this frame of mind:.
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)
We are to follow Christ’s example: “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 6:38)
A Man Before His Time
From the beginning, the message was unchanged - because it was firmly based on Bible prophecy.
“The Bible foretells that third round [WW3] – and it spells DOOM for us, as God’s punishment, because we, as a nation, have forsaken Him and His ways! The third round is termed, in prophecy, an invasion by ‘BABYLON’ – a resurrected Roman Empire – a European Union. I have been proclaiming that since 1927. For a while I thought Hitler might organize it – especially when he tied up with the Roman Mussolini. It wasn’t done in this second World War. It will be done and provoke the third!” (The Autobiography - Chapter 49)
Over 70 years ago, he was teaching about the reunification of East and West Germany - even before the building of the Berlin wall! He also predicted that some of the eastern European nations, which were under Russian control, would be free to join the EU!
Back in 1952, nine years before the Berlin Wall was built, Mr Armstrong warned:-
“Russia may give East Germany back to the Germans and will be forced to relinquish her control over Hungary, Czechoslovakia and parts of Austria to complete the ten nation union.” (The Good News - April 1952)
Again, in 1985, Germany unity predicted:
“Do not discount the possibility that this resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire may start by some arrangement to reunite East and West Germany first. Before World War II, a mutual accord had been made between Germany and Russia. History often repeats itself.” (The Plain Truth, October 1985)
Trade Wars And A Financial Collapse
In 1963, he warned:
“So long as present German prosperity continues… the Nazi takeover will not be possible! But — should any severe THREAT to that hard-won prosperity come — the picture will change — and change VIOLENTLY, in Germany!
Right now, that prosperity IS under threat…
…Your Bible predicts a great TRADE WAR between the burgeoning economic power in Europe and the United States.
That trade war is under way - right now!
It predicts terrible financial COLLAPSE for this country [USA]!
The $38 trillion debt is unsustainable - it simply cannot continue!
Terrible economic disasters would result!
And the result from such disasters? A NEW NAZI GERMANY!” (The Plain Truth, December 1963)
Today, the right wing AfD party is now the main opposition party in the German parliament - and support for their policies is increasing.
A Warning In 1955 - The Birth Of The EU
“The European Coal and Steel Community was formed on March 25, 1957.
On February 7, 1992, 40 years after the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, the Maastricht Treaty officially created the European Union.
Ten years later in January 2002, the Euro was finally introduced to the general public.
In 2004, ten countries joined the EU: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, followed by Romania and Bulgaria in 2007.” (lingoda.com)
Two years before all this began, in June, 1955, Mr Armstrong was inspired to issue this warning:
Talking about the Holy Roman Empire, he wrote…
“In its final phase, to appear in our day, will merely be a restoration of that ancient Roman Empire – a United States of Europe which we are beginning to foster within the confines of the ancient Roman Empire! We are building the Frankenstein Monster that is destined to destroy us!” (The Plain Truth, June 1955)
Religion To Power The New 10 Nation Europe
March 1962 - Mr Armstrong gave this warning:
“United within ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire; united by the common spiritual bond of universal Catholicism; united in a burgeoning and booming industrial economy that dominates today’s world; united geographically in the most productive and industrial complex on earth — at least TEN NATIONS OF MODERN EUROPE will march onto the scene of world history as the greatest single human force ever seen by man!” (The Plain Truth, March 1962)
Headline 11th February 2026:
“Europe ‘Must Become Military Superpower’ To Survive Without US”
(telegraph.co.uk)
August 1968: The warnings continued…
“The 17th chapter of Revelation plainly describes a spiritual-political union of TEN KINGS, ten military/political leaders, and a great spiritual leader. For decades, we have been proclaiming the eventual creation of some form of united Europe – showing the many difficulties to be resolved, the ancient nationalistic antagonisms, the memories of Germany’s neighbors of World War II, and the various religious barriers.
This will be made possible by the ‘good offices’ of the Vatican, who alone can be the symbol of unity to which they can look.
We have proclaimed repeatedly that the ultimate unifying force would be religious. We have shown how the prophecies of your Bible proclaim a great universal religious fervour will finally break down all remaining barriers to a full economic-political-military-religious union in Europe!” (The Plain Truth, August 1968)
A Time Of World Trouble Predicted:
“God will use a Nazi-Fascist Europe to punish Britain-America. Then He will use the Communist hordes to wipe out the Roman Europe.
We are entering a time of world trouble – utter WORLD chaos! There is war, strife, violence in Asia, Africa, South America – as well as Europe and North America. The population explosion is a worldwide threat to human existence. Crime, violence, sickness, disease, inequality, poverty, filth, squalor, degeneration, suffering – these infest ALL nations! But, as salvation is given first to Israel, so is corrective punishment!” (The United States & Britain In Prophecy - Chapter 14)
“…And politics will enter into it and I can see where it is going to cause Europe to unite and turn against the United States. And if you want to know what will happen… read the last chapter in the book ‘ United States and Britain in Prophecy. ’ Now you may have read it, go home and read it again. Brush up on it and refresh your mind on it, because we’re coming to the time when it is going to happen.” (Sermon – Prophecy Part 1, 7 July 1984)
“Now I hope this shakes you up a little bit because, if I can shake you up now, that’s fine. But if I don’t, the conditions in the world are going to shake you up and very soon.” (Sermon - United States Of Europe Is Coming, 27 November 1982)
If this doesn’t shake people up…
For those who are still sceptical about Bible prophecy…
then…
Follow the Science!
Listen to what this world’s experts have to say!
Civilization Collapse Now ‘Inevitable’
“The collapse of human civilization is now ‘inevitable’, according to a scholar who’s combed through 5,000 years of history. Dr Luke Kemp of the University of Cambridge has exposed clear and alarming patterns of inequality, environmental damage, reckless leadership and fragile systems that lead to ancient collapse in the modern world. ‘We can’t put a date on Doomsday, but by looking at the 5,000 years of [civilization], we can understand the trajectories we face today, and self-termination is most likely,’ he told the Guardian.
In the past, power struggles were fought with swords or muskets. Today, world leaders have access to more than 10,000 nuclear weapons. Ancient populations could return to farming or hunting to survive. But modern societies rely heavily on fragile global supply chains, if they fail, we fall with them, he shared. And with history repeating itself, he said, collapse is no longer just a possibility, it is the most likely outcome”. (dailymail.co.uk)
Doomsday Clock Ticks Forward…
Who sets the Doomsday Clock?
“The Doomsday Clock is set once a year by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. For the first several decades, Manhattan Project scientist and Bulletin editor Eugene Rabinowitch decided when, and how much, to move the Clock. His first decision: October 1949, when Russia exploded its first atomic bomb and he changed the Clock from seven minutes to three minutes to midnight.
Since Rabinowitch’s death in 1973, the Clock has been set by members of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board together with the Bulletin’s Board of Sponsors, which includes more than a dozen Nobel laureates and other international experts in key technologies.
The Bulletin’s group currently meets twice yearly to debate and discuss whether the actions of international leaders have made the world safer or more dangerous than it was in the previous year. The outcome: a decision of whether to move the Clock closer to, or further away from, midnight.” (thebulletin.org)
A Message From The Scientists
It’s now 85 seconds to midnight - the closest the Clock has ever been to midnight in its 79-year history!
“The Doomsday Clock, which has been ticking down to the end of the world for decades, is now officially closer to annihilation than ever before. On Tuesday, scientists with the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved the symbolic clock four seconds forward to 85 seconds to midnight. It’s also the closest the clock has ever been to midnight in its 79-year history, meaning experts believe humanity has never faced a more dire threat of a world-ending catastrophe than it does in 2026.
The group, which decides where the hands are set annually, cited multiple threats to global stability, including nuclear weapons, climate change, disruptive technologies like AI, and the creation of synthetic biological substances called ‘mirror life.’
Alexandra Bell, president and CEO of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, said:
‘Every second counts and we are running out of time.
It is a hard truth that this is our reality.
This is the closest our world has ever been to midnight.’” (dailymail.co.uk)
Today’s World
“THIS SOCIETY – THIS CIVILIZATION CAN’T BE SAVED!
Man, himself, is bringing this world to destruction.
Man's prediction ends with the total destruction of mankind!
GOD’S PREDICTION ENDS UP WITH UTOPIA!
“UTOPIA? WHY NOT.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BELIEVE IT!
IT WILL HAPPEN, REGARDLESS.
IT IS SURE – THE WORLD’S ONLY SURE HOPE.” (Tomorrow… What It Will Be Like - Chapter 1)
A Message From God: You Choose!
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing:
THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE,
that both thou and thy seed may live.”
(Deuteronomy 30:19)
Latest Audio - 2026-02-14
“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!
Read online or contact email to request a copy
