The World Tomorrow

Tribulation

by Herbert W Armstrong

(PLAY FROM START)

The very first issue of the Plain Truth Magazine which came out with the February issue of 1934; and at that time it was - well it had the most humble beginning of any magazine that I know. Now the Plain Truth today has grown to one of the great mass circulation magazines of the whole world; but at that time it had to start so humbly, a home made magazine you might say, just printed on a borrowed mimeograph, about 350 copies, the first issue.

I want to read you now the front cover of that magazine. And the lead article; 'Is a World Dictator About to Appear?' This is what it said back in 1934:

"Will it be Mussolini, Stalin, or Roosevelt? [Now they were prominent on the news at that time. Continuing, the Plain Truth said] Everybody senses that something is WRONG with the world ... that some mighty event is about to occur. What is it? Bible prophecy tells! Here is a solemn warning ... and it is the plain truth!"

"We live today in the most strenuous, anxious, momentous hours of earth's history."

I was writing that back in 1934 with the first issue of the Plain Truth. It continues:

"Today we stand in the very threshold of colossal events that will stagger the mind of mortal man. Just now, it is like the lull before a great and devastating storm. Everyone senses it!"

That was, let me repeat again; back in the year of February 1934. Continuing now, there was the subhead; 'The Lust for World Power':

"Ever since the Pharaohs ruled in Egypt – on down through ancient Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome - on to Napoleon, and then the Kaiser [that was very recent at the time I wrote this, you know] - there had been a lust for power to rule the world."

"It is commonly known today that Mussolini,[ Mussolini was then living in the height of his glory, that] Mussolini's whole aim is to restore the ancient Roman Empire in all its former splendor, power and glory - and Rome did rule the world!"

Now, let me add here that shortly after that, and back at that time it was announced, it didn't even make front page news; but it was announced in newspapers and I did announce it on radio at that time before the public. That Mussolini had conquered Ethiopia, that he added Eritrea, Italian Somaliland and Italy and made a concord with the Vatican in Rome. And he did announce that he had restored the Roman Empire. But it was such an insignificant little restoration of the Roman Empire, as I say, it didn't even make front page news at that time. Now, it's soon going to come up again, and this time fifty years later. Now continuing that issue of the Plain Truth. Back in 1934 I said this:

"Today, Prime Minister Macdonald [he was in office at that time in England] of Great Britain and President Roosevelt [that was Franklin D Roosevelt] are striving frantically to avert [and to] postpone, the impending next world war [that was World War II, that had not yet come when I wrote that, but I had been prophesying it was imminent, that it would come; continuing] - while the nations prepare even more feverishly for WAR!"

"Three or four short years ago many laughed and scoffed when [I] said that there would be another world war in five to seven years [actually it did come in 1939 and I was writing this in 1934, it did come in five years later]. They do not laugh and scoff today. Everyone KNOWS today that the next world war is coming, and SOON. Every move for peace has failed."

Once again I remind you that, that was written back in 1934, the first issue of the Plain Truth magazine. The Plain Truth is still announcing events before they happen. The Plain Truth has always been many, many years before its time. It is a world news magazine that not only foretells what is going to happen according to Bible prophecy but explains the world news and its meaning. Beside explaining the Bible and world conditions, home and family conditions, and many other things.

Why the Delay? (PLAY FROM 05:50)

Now, why the delay in this United States of Europe? It is a resurrection of the Medieval Holy Roman empire. The Holy Roman Empire was started in the year of 554, after the fall of the major ancient Roman Empire. The major ancient Roman Empire was from 31 BC until 476 AD. But, at the behest of the Pope at Rome, Justinian, the ruler of the East in Constantinople, was brought to Rome and he revived what they call the Roman Empire; but it became known as the Holy Roman Empire and it lasted until after Napoleon in 1814 AD.

Now, ever since the nations in Europe have wanted to reunite. And I have been foretelling it, the Bible foretells it, just as I did foretell World War II now I am foretelling World War III. People scoff, they didn't believe it then – it happened. Some people may be scoffing today – it will happen, and you can bet your life on that, because you are betting your life on it.

Now, why has it not come sooner? Why has it been so long; and I have known it was coming for fifty years now. Well, in Europe they are divided by different language barriers, there's so many different languages; for example; there is German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, many different languages. They have various national aspirations that divide them, national patriotisms and of course they are always competitive. Then they have various currencies and monetary systems and all of those things tend to divide them.

Now always in the so-called Holy Roman Empire, the Catholic Church, was the sort of cementing agent that cemented the nations together and brought them together religiously; and Bible prophecy says will be once again. The nations cannot get together politically all by themselves. Even religion in Europe has been divided between the Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church in the East. They have been absolutely divided, and of course, the major point is that the churches in the East, and every ecumenical movement, tending toward trying to bring unification once again; they have said that they will not accept the Vatican, or the Pope, as the head over the Eastern Catholic religion.

Well, I can tell you now the day before I arrived in Athens and I arrived there from South Africa, I'd been down in South Africa and also in Nairobi and the day before I arrived there, there'd been a meeting of the European Parliament. Now the European Parliament is merely the political arm that is working for the political unification of Europe, or reunification. One of the great motivating powers that is tending to bring them together now is fear of increased Soviet threats, and they are alarming Europe, believe me. I've been there and I've talked to the men over there.

Now I was in conference with some very high officials in Greece, in Athens, and one, the leader of this group said, quote; "the peace of the world depends on the unification of Europe". The resurrection of this Holy Roman Empire. That expresses the way they feel over there. The whole peace of the world depends on it.

Now, an important leader in Athens said that the Eastern Orthodox Church is now prepared to accept the headship of the Pope at Rome over both churches if they can get together. Now the infallibility doctrine of the infallibility of the Pope is still in question, the Eastern Orthodox Church has not yet accepted that. I predict that they will accept it in a matter of a very few months.

Now from there I went on to Madrid in Spain, and there I had a very fine personal meeting with the King of Spain, Juan Carlos. I've met him before about eight years before, he was glad to see me again; and I can just tell you he is personally very interested in seeing this United States in Europe get together and emerge. We, we had quite a talk about it. Now recently Pope John Paul II had made a tour into Spain. No Pope had ever visited Spain before, it was the first time. But John Paul II did and he had a very triumphant visit there and he especially laid great emphasis on the need of the nations of Europe getting together under the Roman Catholic Church, remembering their roots, their heritage and how religion had bound them together all these years and there is no other way they can be together. And so, I can tell you that the Vatican is moving in that direction to do everything possible to bring it about.

The Next World War (PLAY FROM 11:39)

Now, all the pieces that have divided them over there, are beginning to fall into place, and it's very shocking news. You'll find it prophesied in the seventeenth chapter of Revelation and many other prophecies in the Bible. And it is going to trigger World War III, the feared, the unthinkable nuclear World War III. I want to read you what the Bible says about this World War III coming on; it's in Matthew 24 and I'm going to show you how the time is now. And it begins, I'll just begin in verse 21, it's a prophecy of Jesus Christ Himself when He was here on earth and speaking of this time that we are in now He says:

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be [that's the time of trouble in the world, that'll be far greater than World War I and World War II, much greater]. And except those days should be shortened [unless God Almighty Himself intervenes supernaturally to cut it short], ...no flesh [should] be saved [alive]...": (Matthew 24:21-22)

It's talking not of spiritual salvation but saving humanity alive. In other words; every man woman, child on earth would be snuffed out. You, your children, myself, all of us. Humanity would be erased.

Let me tell you, my friends, for the first time in all history; and it only began thirty years ago with the production of the hydrogen bomb. One thousand times more powerful than the atomic bomb that destroyed whole cities in Japan, Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And that atom bomb that destroyed whole cities is only the spark that triggers a hydrogen bomb. A hydrogen bomb probably could completely destroy all New York City and its environs. And let me tell you that just off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and not too far off the coast, now I happen to know this; are Russian submarines with enough missiles that can be fired from those submarines that could destroy – completely destroy Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC. You might say, the entire Atlantic seaboard. And the Russians have nuclear hydrogen bombs, and missiles, that could also be shot off from other points and could completely destroy Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, St Louis, Indianapolis, and coming on Kansas City, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle.

What are we going to have left if that happens? Now in the sixth chapter and verses six and eight of Ezekiel you will find it says that all of our cities are going to be destroyed at this time.

"In all your dwellingplaces [it says later in Ezekiel] your cities shall be destroyed...and then you shall know that I am the [Eternal]." (Ezekiel 6:6-7 paraphrased), God says.

Now that expression is used in the prophecy of Ezekiel only to show the time of the second coming of Christ. Now let me go on reading you in Matthew 24:

"...except those days should be shortened, no flesh should be be saved [alive]...[That great tribulation that is the nuclear World War III, drop down just a few verses to verse 29] Immediately after the [great] tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light...the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" (Matthew 24:22,29 paraphrased)

God will have such great supernatural powers that He will end it before all humanity is destroyed. We've come to the place where man has created the Frankenstein that can destroy himself and mankind would be destroyed if God Almighty didn't intervene. Then, what's the next thing to happen? And then; says verse 30, the next verse:

"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes [or 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)

And also with supreme authority, the Supreme Authority of God Almighty.

The True Gospel is Suppressed (PLAY FROM 17:08)

Now, next I want you to notice; I want to go back to verse 14. What is to happen at the same time, or just before this Great Tribulation? In Matthew 24 back here in verse three; Jesus' disciples had been asking Him to tell them what would be the sign of His coming and the end of this world, not the end of the earth, but the end of this civilization, this world, the end of this world. Now He talked about some other things that they had asked Him first before He came to that, because they had asked Him two questions; but in verse 14 He said:

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

Then it goes on and immediately after that will come this Great Tribulation. Now let me tell you something; this program started back in 1934 in the first week in January. The Plain Truth started the first week in February in 1934. After 19 years this program had been preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God coast to coast in the United States. That Gospel had not been proclaimed in the world for 1900 years at that time.

Then, the first week in 1953, exactly 1900 years from the time that the apostle Paul said that Gospel had been suppressed and that Gospel had not been proclaimed. Instead of proclaiming the Gospel that Jesus proclaimed - He proclaimed the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. Not a kingdom of men, not a kingdom of the United States, or of Russia, or of Europe; but the Kingdom of God! A new world, a new system of living altogether, a new entire world. That was the message, that was the Gospel.

The apostle Paul wrote in 53 AD, in the first chapter in the Book of Galatians, and verses six and seven how they had already turned from that Gospel; it had been suppressed to another gospel. And men had turned to a gospel of men, not the Gospel of Christ, but of their own gospel, those who were proclaiming it. Claiming to be the ministers of Christ, claiming to represent Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself had said: many would come in His name as His ministers, but saying that Jesus is the Christ. Oh yes; proclaiming Christ to the world and yet deceiving the many. How could that be? You know Jesus Himself said in one case:

"...in vain do they [even] worship me [as He said], teaching for doctrines your own traditions and the commandments of men. And making the commandments of God of no effect by your tradition." (Matthew 15:9,6 paraphrased)

And my friends, that's what this world has been doing for 1900 years. There's much preaching about Christ, there's much preaching about Christianity. It is not the Christianity of Christ. It is not the Gospel that Jesus preached; it's a gospel of men about the Messenger and not His message. It's not the real Christianity, it's masquerading under that name and it's about time we look into the Bible – blow the dust off of it; as I've been saying now for the past 50 years on the air.

And the things that I've been predicting that have come out of the Bible, the Bible is the Word of God, and what He predicts is coming true. I haven't predicted those things out of my own mind or my own ideas, I only predict what I find in the Bible. You can find the same thing if you're willing to believe what Jesus said.

The Bible is the Word of God (PLAY FROM 21:28)

Now, Jesus Christ is the Word of God, He is the Word of God in person. The Bible is the same Word of God precisely, but in writing. It's precisely what He said. Now when Jesus was on earth He said that He was the Word of God but He said He had not spoken of His own ideas, or what He thought; but He spoke only what God Almighty the Father had told Him to speak and in the same way.

Listen my friends, I speak only what He has told me to speak. And He tells me right here in this Word and I don't speak anything else. And I've been saying that these things are going to come to pass – they have been coming to PASS! And they're going to come to pass. How am I going to know what is going to come, how am I going to understand the Bible? You'll find in the Bible it says:

"...a good understanding have all they that do his commandments..." (Psalm 111:10)

Why is it that the Christian churches say the commandments of God are done away! They don't keep His commandments. They don't, they say the law is gone! The Law of God and the Law of God is merely God's way of living and all of our troubles in the world and all the wars have come because of the way we are living. The Bible says:

"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the [ends] thereof are the ways of death." (Proverbs 16:25)

We've been living the way that seems right to men. Men have their ideas of morality, their ethics, their aspirations. Oh yes; and some of them coincide with some of the Commandments of God. You know, they will admit that it is wrong to have another God before the true God, to take His name in vain, or to make idols and pictures of what God looks like, they will admit that you should honor your parents, they will admit that it is wrong to commit adultery, wrong to commit murder. In fact, that is capital crime in man's laws. Stealing, oh yes, that's a great crime too; that's one of the Commandments of God. Lying, perjury, coveting; they will admit that. But there's one commandment they will not accept and that is the fourth commandment and they will not accept it.

But they follow the way of man, and the church that goes by the name of Christ, has been doing that, my friends, for the past almost 1900 years. I ask you, blow the dust off your Bible, look into it for yourself; see that these things are true. Your Bible says that all nations have been deceived by Satan the devil, and they have been.

This Word is being proclaimed, the Gospel of the Kingdom has been going to the world, and I've carrying it there and I have carried it before Kings and before Prime Ministers and Presidents and Emperors all over this world. I have spoken to more heads of government in their own offices than any other man on the face of the earth today – and I don't think anybody can gainsay that. God Almighty has opened the doors and I have been going through those doors. People may scoff; the things that God says are going to come to pass and I just try to speak His world faithfully, that's what I do.

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