The World Tomorrow

Daniel 11

by Herbert W Armstrong

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Will Russia ever invade? Will Russia ever conquer the United States? My friends, a most unexpected event is going to happen in the meantime that is going to take the breath of Russia, as well as rock the United States back on its heels. It’s going to make the whole world stand aghast. If only you could pull back the curtain and see what lies behind and what is going to happen in the immediate future. I want to tell you that the foreign policy of the United States would be changed on the double-quick.

You can know what’s going to happen, it’s definitely prophesied. God Almighty is working out a purpose here below. He is working it out according to a plan. All in the world that history amounts to is simply the recording of the past events in this world up until now, working out that plan. And prophecy is nothing but future history recorded in advance, working out that plan, how it’s going to go from here. And the God who is working it out knows the end from the beginning, and we can understand the Bible prophecies. There are reasons why they have not been understood. There are reasons why no church denomination on the face of the earth today has an understanding of biblical prophecies. I’ve opened up that reason to you.

If you turn back to one of the greatest books of prophecy in all the Bible, and that’s the prophecy of the Book of Daniel. Daniel recorded what he was given. Some of the things he saw in vision. Some of them were just the account of the visions of King Nebuchadnezzar, and other things. But finally he’s winding up here with his own vision. When the greatest prophecy, the longest prophecy in all the Bible had been given to the prophet Daniel, it involves the tenth, eleventh and twelfth chapters, the last three chapters in the Book of Daniel. And Daniel says at the very conclusion of this prophecy in the twelfth chapter and eighth verse of the book;

"...I heard but I understood not... [but he wanted to understand, so he said]...O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? [but] he said [the archangel Gabriel who was giving him this information said], Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up [I want you to get it, the words are closed up] and sealed till the time of the end." (Daniel 12:8-9)

The words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Now, how are we going to know the time of the end? Here it is, the very next words;

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand [even then the wicked shall not understand]; but the wise shall understand." (Daniel 12:10)

Now, what are the wicked in Bible language? In Bible language, of course, the wicked are sinners and; "...sin is the transgression of the law [of God]." (I John 3:4)

Now, who are the wise according to Bible language who shall understand? In the one hundred and eleventh Psalm, I want to read to you; "The fear of the [Eternal] is the beginning of wisdom..." (Psalms 111:10)

Here are those that have wisdom, those that are wise, those that really fear the Eternal God. Now, just a moment, just before this, two verses before, we read this in the seventh verse of the one hundred eleventh Psalm;

"The works of his hands [God’s hands] are verity and judgment..." (Psalms 111:7)

What do you read in the Bible that God wrote with His own hand, His own finger? Why the Ten Commandments on two tables of stone. Now notice, "The works of his hands are verity and judgment... [I wonder if it means the Ten Commandments? The very next words, the same sentence are this] ...all his commandments are sure [all his commandments, the works of His hands are sure]. They stand fast forever and ever... (Psalm 111:7-8)

Ten Commandments Are For Ever (Play from 3:55)

You know that nearly every church today, nearly every religious organization says that the Ten Commandments do not stand fast forever and ever. They dispute this. They tell you, and they give you their word that the Ten Commandments do not stand fast, and they don’t exist any more. Now, the Bible gives you its Word, and all scripture is given by inspiration of God, (II Timothy 3:16) so this is the very Word of God. They, the Ten Commandments, His Commandments, which He wrote with His own hand, stand fast forever and ever. That hasn’t ended yet. Who are you going to believe?

You can find hundreds and hundreds of preachers, my friends, that will assure you, and they’ll wax very hot over it, and they will assure you that the commandments are done away. The carnal mind is enmity against the God who said they stand forever, and is not subject to the law of God . And doesn’t like the law of God, because it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, because it is hostile to God (Romans 8:7). And if you don’t believe that you turn over to the eleventh chapter of II Corinthians where you will find that the ministers, who claim to be the ministers of Jesus Christ, today, and who pose as the ministers of Jesus Christ, are actually the servants of Satan the Devil - a great many of them.

"And no [wonder]; for [even] Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (II Corinthians 11:14)

And he poses as an angel of light, and they pose as having righteousness. Let me just read that to you. Because here in the third verse, Paul had said;

"...I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh [that’s the minister that comes to preach to you] preacheth another Jesus..." (II Corinthians 11:3-4)

A Jesus that was a smart-aleck young man, that knew more than His Father in heaven and did away with His Father’s law. Let me tell you something, my friends; "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) But the word God is 'Elohim', that’s the Hebrew word in which it was written by Moses, and that means more than one. Now, in John 1:1, in the New Testament, you read;

"In the beginning was the Word [the Logos, that is one of the persons of God], and the [Logos] was with God [there was another person that is also God] and this Logos was with God and [this] Logos [also] was God... [and] All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1,3)

And this Logos which is the Word, the Spokesman; "...was made flesh, and dwelt among us [and we beheld his glory...as the only begotten of the Father], full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)

That is Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus Christ is God. He has existed and co-existed with God the Father from eternity. All things were made by Him. In Ephesians you will read that; "God [there speaking of the Father]... created all things by Jesus Christ :" (Ephesians 3:9)

Christ is the Word. Now, how was creation? How did it take place? He spake and it was done. Christ is the Spokesman. How did He speak? When He was here on earth - and He is the same yesterday, today and forever and has never changed, as you read in your Bible (Hebrews 13:8), - Jesus said;

"...I have spoken nothing of myself; the Father that sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say and speak." (John 12:49 paraphrased)

Jesus obeyed His Father’s commands. The Father is the lawmaker. James tells you in the New Testament there is one lawgiver. God is a Kingdom, not one person, and a kingdom is a government, and God is the supreme Government, the Supreme Governor, the Creator, Ruler of the entire universe. Now, how does God rule? God the Father makes the laws. He sits supreme at the top.

Jesus said while He was equal to the Father and; "..thought it not robbery to be [considered] equal with the [Father]:" (Philippians 2:6) Yet He said; "...my Father is greater than I" (John 14:28). He said; "...the Father that sent me...gave me a commandment, what I should...speak." (John 12:49)

And He spoke exactly as He was commanded, and told by the Father. He said; "...I have kept my Father’s commandments..." (John 15:10)

And again, He said to you, and to me that He had set us an example that we should follow in His steps (John 13:15). My friends, you’re getting the truth of the Bible; I’m giving you now what the Bible says on this subject from one end to the other and this is it.

Jesus - The Spokesman (Play from 8:25)

Now listen, Jesus then did what His Father commanded. He is the Word, the Spokesman and He spake and it was done. And you turn back here now to the first chapter of Genesis, and you find the power that did the work.

"The earth was without form, and void; darkness was upon the face of deep, and the Spirit of God [there’s the power of God, the Spirit of God] moved [or brooded] upon the face of the waters." (Genesis 1:2)

And the whole earth had a liquid surface, the whole earth at that time. I think a good translation there would be of its fluid surface, and the whole earth was water. Finally, the dry land appeared. But He spake, and it happened. Because God said - who was that did the saying? Why the one who became Christ, the Logos, the Word but He spoke and He said only as the Father commanded Him.

Now, there is more than one person in God. God is the Supreme Ruling Kingdom. There is one lawmaker - that is the Father. He is the one who makes the laws. He sits supreme above Christ. But He has made the one that we call Christ, the one that was made flesh, and dwelt among us, the one who was crucified for us but whom God raised from the dead, and who ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, He has been given all power in heaven and in earth. And He is the one that God has made the Executive, the one to execute the ruling and also the judge. He is the one who is the Executive Department, and the Judiciary. And God is the Law Making Department of this universe, I mean the Father — God the Father. And that’s the way it is and there it is the authority of Christ.

Now, Christ is one with God and He prayed; "...that the Church would be one, even as He and the Father are one." (John 17:11 paraphrased)

Then is He a smart-aleck that knew more than His Father? And made a, decided that His Father had made a great mistake in His Father’s laws and did away with them? He kept His Father’s commandments. When a young man came to Jesus Christ and said;

"...Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16)

Why didn’t He answer just like your average preacher would answer today, and say, "Why, look here young man, you’re not to do anything, - why Jesus did it all for you. There isn’t a thing for you to do." The young man said, "What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Did Jesus say, "Do nothing, just believe, with an empty faith and do nothing?" Did Jesus say, "There’s nothing for you to do, it’s all going to be done for you by me on the cross?" No, Jesus Christ told him the way to eternal life, He told him the way to gain salvation and eternal life. He said;

"...if thou will enter into life... [does this apply to you and to me today? Or was Jesus preaching lies? Or was He preaching something temporary? Has He changed? Or is He same today as when He uttered these words] If thou will enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17)

Do you believe that, my friends? Do the preachers believe it today? I can answer - No they don’t. They’re preaching another Jesus, than the Jesus that I’ve been telling you about. If you’ll open your Bible and if you’ll blow the dust off of it, my friends, you’ll find that Jesus Christ that kept His Father’s commandments, that told you that the way to eternal life. There is something for you to do! Now;

"[Eternal life] is the gift of God, you get it by grace. It comes through faith. But even that faith, not of yourself, it is gift of God. And it isn’t of works lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 paraphrased)

But listen, why don’t they read the next verse there in Ephesians the second chapter when they read that “Not of works lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:9)? Why don’t they go on and read the next?

"For we are his workmanship created in [true righteousness and holiness]...” (Ephesians 2:10)

We Are His Workmanship (Play from 12:21)

Wait a minute, let me turn to that and just read it for you. I’m getting so many passages here that, I’m going back to the others. I’m not through with them yet. Verse ten, verse nine says, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” and that’s not the end. Why do they always stop there and not read that next verse? Next time you hear a preacher read that, and stop right there you ask him why he didn’t read that next verse? Listen, here it is;

"For we are his workmanship..." (Ephesians 2:10)

You see, God is the great potter, we are the clay and we are His workmanship, His creation. And He is creating in us the character, the fine noble divine character to elevate us up to His level, and to bring us into the Kingdom of God. God is a Kingdom. We cannot see the Kingdom of God except we be born again. But we can become first begotten, and then born as the very sons of God - as Jesus has become a Son of God, and is God, and is glorified, and is worthy of the worship of the angels. And He is the firstborn of many brethren. And we shall be like Him if we surrender to God. If we repent of our rotten ways of living, that we have lived contrary to the ways of God. And we shall be glorified together with Him.

Oh, why don’t you get the truth of your Bible my friends? Why don’t you wake up to the purpose of your life? Why don’t you see what salvation is and what it’s all about? Oh, away with this superstition that you’ve been hearing, this empty religion, this nothingness that’s been preached to you. That God is either a stern harsh God, that delights in your suffering, and wants to take away every pleasure from you. Or else that God has gone way off and isn’t concerned about this world, and you can do just what you please. And that God only is concerned about getting you saved after you die, provided you will undergo a lot of torture, and one thing and another, in the way you live here and now. What kind of God, my friends, do we believe in? Let’s wake up. Listen, let me read this;

We are his workmanship [God is the Creator. He’s really doing the work, you can’t really make yourself over, but you can surrender to let God do it. We are his workmanship], created in Christ Jesus [or you might say, being created in Christ Jesus, if we’re Christians; unto what? Why doesn’t your preacher read this, these very next words here, that he always stops before he gets to them?] Created in Christ Jesus unto good works..." (Ephesians 2:10)

Created in Christ Jesus unto good works . And they’ll tell you, "Why, there aren’t any good works in salvation, there’re no works of any kind." I want to tell you, my friends, there are works. And there are either good works or bad works. And if you don’t have good works, you’ve got evil works - which are you having? You can’t avoid having some kind of works. There is a way that you think, and there’s a way that you live, and it’s either good or it’s evil. And the way you think and live that’s your works. Now, which are they — right or wrong? The preacher that tells you there aren’t any works doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I tell you it’s about time we wake up. Yes; "...created in Jesus Christ [if we’re Christians] unto good works, which God before [hath] ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Walk in what? These good works. God hath ordained before that we should walk in them. Now, let me read all of that again. That’s part of this passage that says; "...by grace are ye saved through faith; and that, not of yourselves..." (Ephesians 2:8 paraphrased) Don’t you know that even faith is a gift of God? It is the gift of God, not of works. Your works are not the thing that imparts eternal life to you, my friends. You don’t earn it, you can’t earn it.

"Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2;9)

If you could earn your own way, you’d brag around and say, "Look how good I am, I earned my own way." And listen, here’s what they’re doing. Here’s what these deceivers, that are themselves deceived. And perhaps they’re sincere, maybe these preachers believe it. I’m not accusing them of being insincere. I am just saying that they are misguided, and they are wrong, and they are in error. But when the blind lead the blind they’re both going to fall in the ditch, if you’re going to be one of their followers, and let them lead you. Now listen; "...by grace are you saved..." (Ephesians 2:8)

There is no other way. But because your works can’t earn it, they say there aren’t any works. And because God demands your works as a prior condition, before He will save you by His own free grace. They can’t see that. And so they say that since you can’t earn your own salvation, there isn’t anything to do. Well, that just isn’t the truth, and that is absolutely contrary to what the Bible says, and it makes God out a liar. Now, I don’t say these preachers are liars necessarily, because perhaps they really believe what they’re saying. And I think a liar is a man that knows better. Well if they’re ignorant, they don’t belong in any pulpit, I’ll tell you that. Now, let me see, back here in II Corinthians 11, I didn’t finish this. Well, here they; "...come preaching another Jesus [that Paul said], we have not preached, or...you receive another spirit, which you have not received [oh, there’s a carnal spirit going around the world today], or another gospel, which you have not accepted..." (II Corinthians 11:4 paraphrased)

Another Gospel Being Preached (Play from 17:52)

There is another gospel being preached today. The gospel Jesus preached was the gospel of obedience to God. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of God is a government. And from Genesis to Revelation, God is portrayed as the Creator Ruler. As the one who rules His creation. And the whole thing in the Bible is that we are given the free moral agency to disobey God, and we have done that very thing. But God has given us a mind to see it, and to be able to repent and to start to obey God. And sin is this disobedience against God. And the only reason you need a Savior is because of disobedience to the law of God because the Bible says, I John 3:4, that;

"...sin is the transgression of...law." (I John 3:4)

The law of God, and consequently, because we have rebelled against God’s government over our lives, because we have broken His laws, because we have gone the way that seemed right in human eyes, Jesus had to come and die for us all. Now, what’s the way of salvation? You’ll find that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. You will find that Peter and Paul quoted from the Old Testament, in the New Testament preaching. You will find that all of the New Testament evangelists quoted from the Old Testament. And you go back here in Isaiah and you’ll find the way to salvation;

"Seek ye the LORD [seek ye the Eternal] while he may be found [and how?], ...Let the wicked forsake his [his own] way... and let him return unto the Eternal [and God’s Government and rule, while He may be found], Because God’s ways are not your ways, neither are his thoughts your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:6-8 paraphrased)

There it is. That’s the way of salvation and that’s the way that Paul taught the Gentiles. And they were converted under that kind of preaching, not the kind you’re hearing today. And the gospel that Jesus preached was the gospel of surrender to the obedience of God. Today, you hear an empty message about the person of Christ. And it’s wonderful to deify Jesus because He is deity. And it is wonderful to tell how a great person Jesus was. Because He certainly was and is, and to exalt Him. And He is to be worshipped. And His name is the all-powerful name, the greatest name in heaven above or on earth beneath. That’s true, but that alone, my friends, is not enough.

Jesus came with a purpose. And to make you and me see that we have not lived right. And that we can live the right way. And can have imparted to us that very power, and life of God through the Holy Spirit, which is also the faith of God. And which also is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, and which is the strength and the power of God in every way. Now, later, He says here that such ministers; "...are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness..." (II Corinthians 11:13-15)

Pretending to be righteous, pretending to be the ministers of righteousness, while they are the ministers of sin. If the law is done away, my friends, then Jesus Christ is the minister of sin. And that’s the kind of a Christ they try to preach to you today! They preach to you about the person of Christ but they don’t tell you His message. Why? Well, there it is. Now, back to Daniel, where we were, the twelfth chapter of Daniel;

"...Go thy way, Daniel: the words [of this prophecy] are closed up and sealed till the time of the end [how are we going to know the time of the end]. Many shall be purified, and made white [a time of trying and testing on the real people of God. And I want to tell you we’ve been in that time now in this past generation. It’s here in this twentieth century at last. Be made white], and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: [and the wicked are those that disobey God] and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (Daniel12:9-10)

And now, I was showing you that the wise are those that have; The "fear of the [Eternal]...a good understanding have all they that do his commandments..." (Psalms 111:10)

Psalms, 111:10. Now, the other verse I read you, the seventh and eighth verses a while ago;

"The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They [all his commandments] stand fast forever and ever... (Psalms 111:7-8)

That’s in your Bible and I want to tell you, my friends, those words given by inspiration of God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God. Those words are going to face you and judge you in the Judgment — we’re to be judged by the Word of God. (Revelation 20:12) And that’s the Word of God that will judge everyone of you. Now, those that keep His commandments are the only ones that shall understand. That excludes an awful lot of preachers and churches right there. Now, the prophecy has been closed until now. Now, here in the fourth verse we read this;

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end [now, here the time of the end is described this way]: many shall run to and fro [and you find now not a few but many. And they’re not walking any longer, they’re running — that is speed. And the speed today is by automobile or fast railroad trains or by airplane, one way or the other. Well, running to and fro], ...knowledge shall be increased."" (Daniel 12:4)

We can understand the prophecies today, my friends. But it’ll have to be someone that can believe, and explain, and understand something that they didn’t have fifty years, or a hundred years ago, because these prophecies weren’t opened up then.

Predestination (Play from 24:07)

Now, do you know, my friends, that there are hundreds, upon hundreds of millions of people who have never even heard the name of Christ. And Jesus Christ Himself said He is the door and if anyone tries to climb up and get into the Kingdom of God by any other method - except through the sheepfold, the main door to the sheepfold - that man is a thief and a robber and he will never get in. (John 10:1-9) Now, my Bible says there is no other name given among men under heaven whereby men may be saved - there is no other way of salvation. (Acts 4:12)

Now, if you want to know the answer to this question; those people who never heard of Christ when they die, do they go to hell or do they go to heaven? Or what happens to them? If you want to know the answer to that, I have a booklet that will give it to you. You can know! I have a booklet that will show you where you can find it in your Bible, and believe what the Bible says, not necessarily what my booklet says. I don’t ask you to believe that. I ask you to open your mind. Now, this is quite a shocking booklet. It’s pretty strong meat, and if you can’t take good strong meat, and be debunked a little bit, on the some of the superstitions, and some of the fables that have been embraced and accepted by the mass of humanity, why, don’t write in for it because this is good strong meat. It’s a booklet called 'Predestination,' 'Predestination.'

Now, you probably have wondered a lot about predestination. Are some people predestined to be saved? And others predestined all in advance to be lost? Has God already set the die before you were born, as to whether you’re going to be saved or lost? If so, my friends, you haven’t got anything to say about it, now have you? Alright, I think that’s something a lot of you would like to know about. That’s been a question that very few have understood and if you want to understand it write for that booklet on 'Predestination.'

Now, you’ll have to request that by name. Don’t ask for a booklet I mentioned on this broadcast, I won’t remember what it is. Alright, you’ll have to write down that name 'Predestination.' Now, here’s another one, you’ll have to write down the name if you want it. That’s the booklet on 'Water Baptism.' If you want to understand about water baptism, write for that booklet on 'Water Baptism.' And also our booklet on faith. 'What Kind of Faith is Required for Salvation'?