World Tomorrow

Prophecy's Purpose

by Herbert W Armstrong

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Once again, where is this world headed now? Only Bible prophecy can tell us but no one has understood the Bible prophecies until very, very recently and almost nobody even now. It seems that almost nobody understands that there is a purpose being worked out here below, as Winston Churchill said to the United States Congress during World War II. I've repeated that again, and again, and again, and I need to repeat it some more because people do not realize, they do not understand that there is a purpose being worked out here below among human beings on this earth. And that implies a Higher Power above doing the working out!

What is that purpose? Almost nobody knows. Now Bible prophecy has been closed and sealed until now. And even the Prophet Daniel didn't understand the prophecies he was writing. You find in the twelfth chapter here of the Book of Daniel and beginning with verse eight. Daniel says; "...I heard..." (Daniel 12:8). He heard the things that an archangel was telling him, and revealing to him, and he was writing it down; it's been preserved in history for us today. He says:

"...I heard, but I understood not: [and] then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed...and sealed [up] till the time of the end." (Daniel 12:8-9)

We're in that time of the end now. Now in verse four; Daniel wrote this, or rather the angel said to Daniel:

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words...seal the book, [until] the time of the end: many shall run to and fro [look at transportation, how people are going to and fro so rapidly today; never until the twentieth century did that happen, many shall run to and fro], and knowledge shall be increased." (Daniel 12:4)

In the decade of the sixties the world's fund of knowledge doubled; but the world's troubles doubled also in that same decade. "... many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Daniel 12:4). We're in that time now, of the knowledge explosion, rapid transportation. But the prophecies have been closed until now. But they are opened now at this time. Now God's time has come. The keys that unlock prophecy to our understanding have now been found.

And one of those keys is a very startling thing that very few people understand. I have written a book, and over two million people, as a matter of fact approximately 2,250,000 people have received and read this book. 'The United States and the British in Prophecy’ Where is the United States and the English-speaking people? Where are they mentioned in the prophecies of the Bible? Where are they mentioned in the Bible? The Bible mentions small nations; it mentions Greece, it mentions Ethiopia, it mentions Egypt, it mentions other nations. Could it omit such great nations as the British people, the United States? It doesn't; and yet I'll venture to say that none of you know where it is mentioned in your Bible.

Now here is a book of over two hundred pages I'll be glad to send you gratis, no request for money, no charge, it's free, no obligation, no request, no follow up; 'The United States and Britain in Prophecy’ I'm going to announce something else at the close of the program, so remember this, jot it down, I'll give you the mailing address at the close of the program. And you may have your copy, if you've not already received it, as I say, more than two million people have received it already.

The True Gospel and a False Gospel (PLAY FROM 04:30)

Now it's rather shocking to know that the gospel that Jesus Christ preached, or the gospel of Christ, has not been preached to the world, and was not preached for exactly 1900 years. It was not proclaimed to the world. Now that's a rather shocking statement. Haven't you heard the gospel of Christ? No, you heard a gospel about Jesus Christ. But the gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel that Christ Himself proclaimed. He was a Messenger sent from God. Just read in the third chapter of the book of Malachi, a prophecy in the Old Testament prophesying that Jesus would come as a Messenger sent from God with a message to this world. That message was the gospel and gospel means 'Good News', and it was good news! All we have in the world today is bad news. That was good news.

But what was that gospel? What was the message that Jesus brought? What was His message? They proclaim about the, what they call the gospel, about the Messenger; but they don't say anything about His message. And most of you have not heard it except on this program. What was that gospel? In Mark, the first chapter beginning with verse one it says:

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ..." (Mark 1:1)

Then it talks about John the Baptist preparing the way for His coming, and then it comes to the gospel in verse 14:

"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel [what gospel, what gospel did Jesus preach, and why haven't you heard it? Preaching the gospel] of the Kingdom of God [the Kingdom of God], And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:1, 14-15)

Repent means to acknowledge you've been wrong. Repent means turn around to a different life style, a different way of living; God's way of life. And practically nobody knows what is God's way of life; that is the way God lives. I've talked about that before, and I don't have time at the present time to go into that. But it is the Kingdom of God, was the message that Christ brought. And the Kingdom of God has not yet appeared – even yet.

But in 53 AD, I want you to notice what happened: in the year of 53 AD the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Churches up in Galatia. That is, well, the nation of Turkey is occupying that land today. Beginning with verse six, Galatians one in the New Testament, Paul wrote:

"I marvel that ye are so soon [turned] from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel [now they were turned to another gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ was beginning to be suppressed, it was completely suppressed by 70 AD]: Which [he says] is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7)

And it certainly has been perverted. Why haven't you heard it? Why isn't it being proclaimed today? Listen to what Paul wrote:

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed [and then he makes it a double curse, the next verse he says]. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received [which Paul had preached], let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9)

How about those that preach another gospel today? Paul is proclaiming a double curse upon them. Now, what gospel did Paul himself proclaim? Turn back to the book of Acts, in the very last few verses of the book of Acts, the twenty eighth chapter beginning with verse 30, and you'll read it in other passages just before this in the book of Acts; but in verse 30:

"And Paul dwelt two whole years [this was in Rome] in his own hired house [or hired hall where he preached], and received all that came unto him [and these were Gentiles, Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, and this is the message he preached to Gentiles], Preaching the Kingdom of God..." (Acts 28:30-31)

That was the gospel Paul preached! He pronounced a double curse on anyone, man or angel, that would preach any other gospel. And yet other gospels have been preached; a gospel about the person of Christ. Oh yes, that is needed, that is needful, that is a small part of it but it's not all of it. The real gospel is news, good news, and that is the news He brought. That is the message He preached, and that was the Good News of the Kingdom of God, that is coming in your lifetime and mine now in this twentieth century, just right near the end of this twentieth century.

"Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things [concerning] the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." (Acts 28:31)

So, that is what the apostle Paul was preaching.

What Is the Kingdom of God? (PLAY FROM 10:23)

The Kingdom of God; now what is the Kingdom of God? What did he mean by the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is the Government of God over the whole world. And the Kingdom of God is the Government of God being proclaimed and the Government of God over the world by the Family of God. And the Family of God is that to which those who are called through Jesus Christ may be born; you may be born into the God Family.

Today Satan has deceived the whole world into thinking, well, 'born again' is just something that happens to you right now in this life. Oh poppycock! I wish that we could all get our eyes open. The Bible says; "...flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God..." (I Corinthians 15:50). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh..." (John 3:6). That's what we are, and flesh and blood can't inherit the Kingdom of God. But Jesus Himself said to Nicodemus:

"...that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

That is in John three and in verse six. Is spirit! You are not spirit, I am not spirit – yet. But I hope to be, and I hope you will be. That which is born of the Spirit is no longer human, no longer flesh and blood.

Do you know that only Jesus Christ has been born again? He was born once as a human, He had God's Holy Spirit, He never sinned. But He paid for your sin and mine by His death. And then He was born again by a resurrection. Read it in the first couple, or three verses of the first chapter of Romans. He was born by a resurrection, and He is now very God. And He's the firstborn of many brethren, and they are the brethren that have not been born of God even as yet.

Now, the Kingdom of God is the Government of God over the entire world. You read of that back here in the eleventh chapter of Revelation and in verse 15:

"...The kingdoms of this world are become [that is 'shall', this is a prophecy, and shall become] the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15)

Over the governments, the kingdoms, the nations of this world; that means the United States, that means Britain, that means Canada, that means Russia, that means China, that means France, and Germany, and the nations of this world. Our Lord and His Christ is going to rule. And then again in the nineteenth chapter of Revelation and verses six and seven. I would like to have you notice this; where the prophet John is mentioning what he heard and saw in a vision, and he says:

"And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." (Revelation 19:6)

Jesus Christ will come as the Lord God who is going to rule and reign; do you know that Jesus Christ was born - not only just to be a Savior but much more, also to be a King and to rule over all the nations of this world. When we're born again we will be the saints that'll rule with Him. So, it continues here:

"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come [He's going to marry the Church, and it says here], ...his wife hath made herself ready."(Revelation 19:7)

That doesn't mean that everyone, every individual in it will be ready, but the Church will be ready, the Church of God will be ready, because God says so; and when He says so it's really going to happen.

John's Vision (PLAY FROM 14:51)

Now, the book of Revelation is a story flow of events to happen. It will reveal what must shortly come to pass, in the Book of Revelation. I've had a number of programs on this book of Revelation and there is a story thread, a time sequence of events in the book of Revelation. But, that time sequence is interrupted by a few inset chapters. Now the twelfth chapter of Revelation is an inset chapter; the thirteenth chapter, the seventeenth chapter; they are all inset chapters that are just sort of set into the story flow, or going back a ways and bringing up something just to bring it up to date to the point of the story.

And now the theme of the entire book of Revelation, as I have said time and again on this program, is the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord is when God will take over all the nations of the world and begin to rule through Jesus Christ. We've been in what we might call; 'the day of man'. I think it might better be called; 'the day of Satan' because there is an invisible Satan mentioned again, and again, and again, in the Word of God. And it is God speaking in this Word. And there is an invisible Satan, and he has been really swaying this world and really ruling. And it has been really the day of Satan; or we call it the day of man.

And the book of Revelation is about the Day of the Lord; but something is going to lead up to it and is going to run right into it. Now chapters thirteen and seventeen show events that cause the Day of the Lord to come. Immediately precede it, that lead up to it, just before it comes. So once again I'd like to just begin in the thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation; Revelation the thirteenth chapter, if you will now, and in the first verse:

"And I stood [on] the sand of the sea..." (Revelation 13:1)

John is writing what he saw in a vision; now in his vision, like a dream you know, he is, like he's dreaming this, or is seeing in a vision. He seems to be standing on the sand of the sea on a seashore, right up the very shore of the sea:

"...and I saw a beast [that is a wild animal, coming] up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns..." (Revelation 13:1)

Now that's a rather peculiar type of a wild animal. It's a wild animal, but here God is using wild animals to be symbols for certain nations, for certain kingdoms that men have had, swayed by Satan on this earth. And He takes those wild animals that have the same characteristics, the same type of character, shall we say, that those particular nations have, and that symbolize them, or illustrate them. Now this one had:

"...seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the [names] of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard [now it wasn't a leopard, it was just like a leopard, just a very peculiar wild animal that he saw], and his feet were as the feet of a bear..." (Revelation 13:1-2)

Now a leopard's body is the strongest part of the leopard, it's quick and catlike. It is in the cat family, and very quick. But the feet of the bear are the strongest part of the bear, so it has the strongest part of a bear:

"...and the mouth of a lion [especially the male lion, the mouth is the strongest part of it, not his feet, and the mouth of a lion]: and the dragon [which is called in the twelfth chapter, Satan the Devil, the dragon] gave him his power, and...seat, and great authority. (Revelation 12:2)

Now here is a wild animal that has power, a seat and great authority, speaking like it is speaking of governments.

The Symbols Explained (PLAY FROM 19:27)

Now, what is it talking about? These symbols are explained back in the seventh chapter of the book of Daniel; and you have to go back to the book of Daniel to understand it. Now in the eighth chapter {1} of the book of Daniel beginning with verse one:

"In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar [that was in the Chaldean Empire, Babylon, in the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar] a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in a vision [now this is again like a dream but a vision God was giving him to reveal truth, and I saw in a vision]; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace [that was at the seat of the government], which is in the province of Elam..." (Daniel 8:1-2)

"...Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of...heaven strove upon the great sea [there was a storm] And four great beasts [now here are four wild animals that Daniel saw] came up out of the sea [now he was right on the sand of the sea just like John,] different one from the other. The first was like a lion...[Now the second was like a bear, and the third was like a leopard, but that] beast had...four heads; and dominion was given unto it." (Daniel 7:1-6)

Notice now, he's describing the same thing that John saw in his vision. And verse seven:

"After [that] I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: [and] it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was [different] from all of the [other] beasts [or wild animals] that were before it; and it had ten horns." (Daniel 7:7)

Now here you see exactly the same thing that John had seen, except this is four animals, and John just saw one animal that had these same characteristics. Now then beginning with verse seventeen:

"These great beasts, which are four, are [now this tells us, the Bible explains its own symbols, you don't have to guess at what these symbols mean, these four beasts are] four kings [or kingdoms because the fourth beast was the fourth kingdom he said], which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High [that is real converted Christians who have, and are led by the Holy Spirit of God, the saints of the Most High] shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, [and] even for ever..." (Daniel 7:17-18)

Under Christ, at the time of Christ's coming. Now that is speaking of governments in this world, or kingdoms, or empires, or governments, in this world before the coming of Christ. And before the saints, which is the Church, that'll be His Bride, that will meet Him when He comes, and which as I read to you, will be prepared and ready when He comes.

But now what four kingdoms are these? For that we have to turn back a little further into the book of Daniel; back into the second chapter of Daniel. And here in the second chapter of Daniel; Daniel was brought before the King, Nebuchadnezzar. Now this is the first of the world empires, this is the first of the real-world governments of man that have ruled the world. Man's governments started out with little cities, and city-states, and then there would be two or three cities, and finally this Nebuchadnezzar got a whole world empire together. And this is showing the governments of that system of Gentile world governments right up until our time today, and what is going to happen today.

Daniel Explains to Nebuchadnezzar (PLAY FROM 24:16)

Now Daniel came before the king. The king had had a great dream; in the dream, he saw - had seen - a stupendous image, a great statue, a stupendous one. He said it was it was so great it was terrifying. And it had a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thigh of brass, legs of iron, and the feet of iron and the toes part of iron and part of miry clay. I don't have time to go into all of it in this particular program. But I want you to notice now and beginning with verse 40 in Daniel 2; and he will identify this and you get the meaning:

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron [which was the Roman empire by the way]: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise." (Daniel 2:40)

Now Daniel explains here in the second chapter, explaining the dream to King Nebuchadnezzar, that it represents the governments of the world right up till the time of the coming of Christ. From 604 BC, and the time of King Nebuchadnezzar; and it represents first the Chaldean Empire, then the Persian Empire, then the Greco-Macedonian Empire, and finally the Roman Empire. And other governments like the Holy Roman Empire, the middle dark ages, until we come to our time today. Now notice:

"And whereas thou sawest the feet and [the] toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided..." (Daniel 2:41)

Now that's getting down to our day, the time – and it shows that Christ's coming is going to smite this whole image, representing the governments of this world, on the toes. And that there's a time sequence, beginning at the head, which was Nebuchadnezzar; down to the toes, which represent the time that we're living in today, and within this present generation.

"...the kingdom shall be divided...there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly [weak, or] broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: [and] they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay [they won't get along together, and it won't last long in other words]. And in the days of these kings..." (Daniel 2:41-44)

Of the toes, we're waiting for that to happen in Europe today, my friends, that is the next thing to happen. Where are we now? Just before this is happening:

"...in the days of these kings...the God of heaven [shall] set up a kingdom..." (Daniel 2:44)

That is the Kingdom of God, that is the final end of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God; and Christ is coming to set up the Kingdom of God and to rule all nations:

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom [the Kingdom of God], which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms [it will rule all of the nations of this earth together], and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands [in other words not human hands, but coming supernaturally from God, which is the coming of Christ in power and glory as the King of kings to rule all nations], and that it brake in pieces the iron, [and] the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation [is] sure ." (Daniel 2:44-45)

It is as sure as the rising to tomorrow's sun, and it is going to happen, and it is going to happen in your time and mine.

Now I would like you to know more about the book of Revelation for example, and these things. Again, I want to offer you as I have in other programs the booklet on; 'The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last!.' You can then begin to understand this greatest book of prophecy; 'The Book of Revelation Unveiled at Last!.' Write in for this book; 'The Book of Revelation .' There is no charge, there's no obligation, no follow-up or request for money.

So until next time, Herbert W Armstrong, goodbye friends.

Footnote:

{1} Mr Armstrong said seventh chapter instead of eighth.