(NB Headings are not part of original, but are added for clarity)

World Tomorrow

World Survival

by Herbert W Armstrong

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Nuclear war is definitely coming. Bible prophecies show that whole cities are going to be laid waste in our time. The August number of the 'Plain Truth' magazine will carry a cover article; 'Humanity Won't End in a Nuclear Holocaust'. This article is going to show you the terrors of a nuclear holocaust, and it is coming. But there is also good news; humanity won't end, and on beyond is going to come a real happy and peaceful world tomorrow that we've been proclaiming on this program for a long, long time.

A former professor of Harvard University, now President of a Society called Physicians for Social Responsibility has said, quote; "We'll be lucky to survive the year of 1990; survival is the only issue that counts now."

I would like to give you a little bit of what would be the results of one hydrogen bomb. This and more too, will appear in the August number of the 'Plain Truth' in this cover article. In the first milliseconds after detonation gamma radiation would kill everything within six miles. A fireball would consume everything within two hundred and eighty square miles in ten seconds. Followed by a blast wave, that would flatten the remaining structures within four and one-half miles; that would include sky scrapers, and anything within four and a half miles. Now further; fallout would be carried into water supplies, through streams, lakes, and other sources, rendering drinking water unfit for use. In short, society as we know it today would be erased from this earth. As a matter of fact, enough hydrogen bombs could erase all human life from this earth, every man woman and child, including you and me. And Bible prophecy says such a war is definitely coming but it also says that God Almighty in heaven is going to intervene and stop it! And there is good news on beyond.

Now, the United States and the Soviet Union are not the only nuclear powers. We hear so much about the nuclear weapons of the United States and Soviet and that's where the big race is. But also, Britain and France, India and the People's Republic of China, all have the hydrogen bomb. And many smaller nations have nuclear weapons, and will have the hydrogen bomb within - if they don't already have it - within a few more years. That includes at least fifteen or eighteen other smaller nations. Now that also is prophesied in the Bible, with smaller nations are going to be coming along.

Let me give you a prophecy now from Joel the third chapter and beginning with verse nine, chapter three. Joel chapter three, beginning with verse nine; this is a prophecy for our time now:

"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong." (Joel 3:9-10)

You know, I read this prophecy many, many years ago, when I was up in Portland Oregon before I came to Pasadena to start Ambassador College. At that time, I saw whole train loads of scrap iron going toward Portland Oregon, where they were loaded on ships and shipped off to Japan. And I said at that time, I said; "All that metal is going to be melted, and is going to come back on us." And it did, in World War II. I saw this back before World War II, and those things did come. And they did beat their – the scrap iron going was the plowshares and the pruning hooks, and they were beaten into weapons of war. And it actually happened, and it is happening now again in a greater way. Continuing of this prophecy:

"Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen [that is Gentile nations], and gather yourselves together round about...Let the heathen be [awakened], and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there [I, God is speaking] I will sit to judge all the heathen round about." (Joel 3: 11-12)

It says here; "Let the weak say, I am strong. Beat your pruninghooks and your plows into spears and swords and weapons of war." (Joel 3:10 paraphrased). And that's what is going on even now.

Now, verse 13: "Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great [in the world." (Joel 3:13)

Now you will find that also referred to in the fourteenth chapter and verse 15 of the Book of Revelation. Speaking of the time just before the coming of Christ; just before the final battle of Armageddon which will be the final battle of World War III, just before the Second Coming of Christ. And it speaks there of putting in the sickle for the harvest is ripe. It doesn't explain what is meant by that, but it does here; "...for [the] wickedness is great." (Joes 3:13)

God Will Intervene (PLAY FROM 06:33)

And it is the greatness of wickedness that is now ripe, and God is going to reap all of it, and cast it away. And a happier world, and a world of peace, a world of happiness is going to come in a one world government brought to this world by God Almighty. God is going to intervene supernaturally in world affairs.

Affairs in this world have gotten to the place when man is unable to solve his own problems. One of our great news magazines in the United States said just a couple, or three, few years ago; "It would seem now, that the only hope of survival of humanity is the sudden appearance of an unseen strong hand from someplace." It's rather strange but in a secular magazine they seem to shy away from saying 'the hand of God', but it is very plain that that is what he meant. That it's going to take intervention from God Almighty.

Now, Jesus came prophesying this very thing when He was on earth 1900 years ago. You don't hear much preaching about that, but I'd like to turn to it; I want to show you just what the prophecies do say is going to happen, because this is going to affect your life, and very dramatically. In the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew, Jesus is answering His disciples who'd asked Him a couple of questions. And I want to come now to verses 21 and 22. He's speaking of our time now, as I will show you a little later, in this twentieth century, the latter half of the twentieth century:

"For then shall be great tribulation [that is time of world trouble, time of trial and test, terrible troubles], such as was not since [there was a nation, since] the beginning of the world to this [same] time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]... (Matthew 24:21-22)

The word 'alive' is not in the King James translation. But it isn't talking about spiritual salvation, it's talking about being - humanity being saved alive; and almost all other translations have it worded that way. That is the meaning of the original language that Jesus used:

"...but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matthew 24:22)

God will intervene. Now then, that is going to happen shortly before the Second Coming of Christ, and that is what is going to cut it short, and the supernatural intervention of God. Drop on down to verse 29, the same chapter:

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" (Matthew 24:29)

Supernatural powers; things that man doesn't cause. Man has been able to cause his troubles, man has been able to cause all of the heartache, and all of the suffering, and all of the violence, but man can't solve his problems. God is going to have to intervene, and do it to us, and do it for us.

The Time of Christ's Second Coming (PLAY FROM 10:08)

Now the next verse:

"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: [for] then shall all the tribes [or the nations] of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30)

They will see Him coming in the sky, in the clouds, with power and great glory, to rule all nations supernaturally. You know, there were full page advertisements in certain large major city newspapers. I had copies of them from the New York Times, and the London Times, rather recently. A full-page advertisement saying that; Christ has already come, but He hasn't shown Himself yet. But He was going to appear before the end of the month of June, before July the first. Well, He hasn't appeared. And later there was some talk, that I think appeared by the same people, whoever it was that put in such an advertisement, and there was no name to it, we didn't know who did it. Nevertheless, that He was hiding out in the slum areas of London.

Well, after Jesus said that this thing is going to happen, and that no flesh would be saved alive if God didn't supernaturally intervene in this time of trouble, and it is referring to hydrogen bombs because nothing else could obliterate all humanity, He said:

"[Then] shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive [even] the very elect." (Matthew 24:24)

They won't be able to deceive the very elect. When Christ comes all people are going to see Him. Another prophecy says; "...every eye shall see him..." (Revelation 1:7), "...coming in power and great glory, descending down from a cloud." (Luke 21:7 paraphrased). In heaven and coming down – and that doesn't mean in an airplane either. I come down out of the clouds in heaven in my airplane quite often. But I'm not coming in that kind of power and glory, I'm merely a forerunner, and someone paving the way and announcing that coming. But, far from the One who will come.

Now I want you to notice the time of this prophecy, it's just before the coming of Christ, but it has to be the time after the hydrogen bomb had been produced, because nothing else could completely obliterate whole cities and a whole nation. Because a few hydrogen bombs... Well suppose one hydrogen bomb should be dropped on New York, one on Boston, one on Washington DC, one on Philadelphia. Let's say one down on Miami, one on Houston Texas, one on St. Louis, one on Chicago, one on Kansas City, one on Denver, one on Phoenix Arizona, one on Los Angeles, one on San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle on the West coast. What would be left of the United States? Those cities and all around them would be totally destroyed, there wouldn't be anything left.

Now I want to show you some of the prophecies that say that very kind of thing is going to happen. The cities aren't mentioned but I'm going to show you that our country is mentioned, and the countries where it's going to happen. Alright, to Ezekiel the sixth chapter and verse six, in the Book of Ezekiel chapter six verse six:

"In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste..." (Ezekiel 6:6)

That is referring, my friends, to the United States, and Canada, and Britain, and our nations, the English-speaking nations. I'm going to offer you a booklet at the close of this program that shows you where we are mentioned in the Bible prophecies, and it's going to open your eyes. It's time we had our eyes open to these things, and if many people would blow the dust off of their Bibles and learn what the Bible does say, and where our nations are specifically identified in the Bible. You won't find it under the name United States, you won't find it under the name Britain, that's our modern name, but you will find it there. And I'd like to send you the booklet and there's no charge whatsoever, all you have to do is write for it. Now here again in verse seven:

"And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know that I am the LORD [or the Eternal]." (Ezekiel 6:7)

That is a saying that is used by the prophet Ezekiel again, and again, and again, and always it is referring to the time of the Second Coming of Christ. It shows that they - that even the people of ancient Israel did not know who He was. They did not know that He was the Eternal. They will know it when He comes, and they don't know it now, it is speaking of the Second Coming of Christ. Now I'd like to have you notice again now in the twelfth chapter and verse 20 of Ezekiel:

"And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD [or the Eternal]." (Ezekiel 12:20)

And there again it's mentioned, once again the time of the Second Coming of Christ. And all of this is the time of trouble such as never happened before, and never will again; because world peace is coming from that time. God will intervene and stop that time, and then will come world peace. And we have never had world peace in 6000 years, and there's a reason; it's the way we live, the way we live that is causing all the trouble on this earth.

Christ Warns His Disciples (PLAY FROM 16:35)

Now you have the time, it's just before the coming of Christ, it's the time after the hydrogen bomb had been invented.

And, now I want you to notice something else back in Matthew 24, let's turn back to that again, Matthew 24, and I want you to notice that Jesus had been at the beginning of this prophecy - and I've gone through it time and time again, and I have to go over it again to bring out a certain point right here in this connection - He'd been in the temple in Jerusalem with His disciples. They'd come outside, and He was showing the buildings of the temple; and telling them that the buildings of the temple were going to be put down, and a great time of trouble was coming, and a war, and one stone would not be left on another. Then a little later He was up on the Mount of Olives and three of His disciples are mentioned in, I believe in the book of Luke, that came to Him and as we read in Matthew 24 and in verse three {1} they asked Him: "...Tell us, when shall these things be?..."

Now He was speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple that was built in Jerusalem; "...when shall these things be? (Matthew 24:3). And then they asked Him another question:

"...and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3)

They thought His coming and the end of the world, or the end of this age, this world, would happen in their lifetime. They didn't know it was going to be over 1900 years. But the destruction of the temple did come in their lifetime, and so Jesus talked first about that, and He said:

"...Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying [that], I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matthew 24:4-5)

Now that is referring to many coming in His name, representing Him, claiming to be the ministers of Christ, and saying that Jesus is the Christ, proclaiming Christ to the world. The fact that Jesus was the Christ, is the Christ, and yet deceiving the many. You know, Jesus said that many would even; "...worship [Him], teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9). And worship Him all in vain; and He says here it'll be in vain.

Now He went on with some other things, and then finally He came in verse 14 to the sign of His coming, and He hadn't come to that until we get down to verse 14:

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end [that's the end of this world] come." (Matthew 24:14)

Now the gospel of the kingdom is the Kingdom that He had proclaimed. He had proclaimed that gospel, and in a very few years that gospel was perverted, and they began teaching another gospel. And the gospel that Jesus had preached, the gospel OF Christ, was suppressed and men began preaching a gospel of men about Christ. But it was not Christ's own gospel. What was His gospel? In Mark one and in verse one you read:

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ...[And you read of the gospel in verses 14 and 15] Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of 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 1:14-15) Repent ye, and believe the gospel.

That was the gospel He preached, but as I said a moment ago, in just a little over twenty years they'd turned away from that gospel to another gospel. In 53 AD the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, or about 53 AD, and Jesus had spoken these words about the year of 30 or 31 AD, and here Paul wrote in 53 AD:

"I marvel that [you] are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel [this he wrote to the churches in Galatia, even the churches were turning to another gospel]: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7)

So, men began preaching their own gospel just about Christ; "Just believe in Christ, and you'll be saved. Just accept Christ, just receive Christ, and you'll be saved." You know, Jesus said there's a lot more to it than just that; that's part of it alright, but there's a great deal more. And many believe Christ, He says: "...in vain they do worship me [even], teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9). And that's what they've been doing, saying that the law of God is done away, the law of God is done away. Man's gospel about Christ. And so, the churches turned to another gospel and they became part of this world, and we come into what came to be traditional Christianity. As Jesus said; keeping your own traditions, and making the law of God... and God's law is merely God's Way of Life, God's way of life is the way God lives, it's the way He set for us to live.

God's Way of Life (PLAY FROM 22:16)

You know, today we say that we want every young person to grow up and choose his own way of life, choose your own way of life, the way you want to live. And that seems to be the idea today, that anyone can just decide for himself how he wants to live, and what his way of life is. God gave us a way of life and to go contrary to that way is sin and "...the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23)

And sin is the transgression of God's law, and that law is a spiritual law. Now I John three and verse four says that: "...sin is the transgression of the law." (I John 3:4)

And in Romans seven, let's see, verses 12, 14, it says that; "...the law is [a] spiritual..." (Romans 7:14) law not a physical law; a spiritual law. It's the law of love; summed up in the Great Commandment of love to God, and love to neighbor. And in the Ten Commandments, the first four tell you how to love God, the last six how to love neighbor.

That is God's basic way of life that will lead to happiness, would lead to peace; and people are not living that way. And so we're having troubles, and we're having heartaches, and we're having discouragements, and discontent, and frustrations and total unhappiness. And God is going to bring all of that to an end. And He's going to start another way of living and ruling of the whole world.

Now traditional Christianity is pictured, and I've been picturing it to you recently in the book of Revelation in the seventeenth chapter. It came out of the old Babylonian Mystery religion and they took on the name of Christ and called it 'Christianity'. And here in verse five you read:

"And upon her [this church's] forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:5)

The Babylonian mystery religion now become great and she has daughter churches that came out of her in protest. It's about time that we consider that. Now in the eighteenth chapter of Revelation speaking of this Babylon, which is the traditional christianity of this world, you read in verse four:

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her [Babylon], my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Revelation 18:4)

And that time is right upon us and is coming very, very soon now.

Now I'd like to have you get some things that I have to send you, I can't go on talking about it forever on this program, because I've run out of time. But I can send you a lot that I don't have time to say here and there is a special book I've mentioned before, many of you have not received it yet; 'The United States and Britain in Prophecy’ Where are we mentioned in the Bible? It not only tells you that, it tells you what is prophesied to happen to our people. And there is good news in it believe me, the most wonderful good news that you ever read. But there also is a great warning of some bad news that is going to come first. You need to be forewarned, you need to know. Now this is a complete book, it's profusely illustrated in full color and it'll open your eyes. It is an eye-opening book and I know of no other book like it. You need to blow the dust off your Bible and you need to see it.

And there's no charge for this book; 'The United States and Britain in Prophecy’ It's all gratis, we'd like to give it to you, there's no follow up.

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

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