Table of Contents
End Time Proof
Now IN the End-Time
The Ten Virgins
The Spiritual Temple
The Man of Sin
Final Eras of the Church
Desolation of the Temple
The End-Time Elijah- Fulfilled
Unveiling the Book of Revelation
Clarifying the Seals of Revelation
First Five Seals Opened
The Sixth Seal of Revelation
The Opening of the 7th Seal
A Time for Two Witnesses
The Revelation of God's Plan for Mankind
Introduction (Plan of God)
The 7th Day Sabbath
Passover
Unleavened Bread
Pentecost
Trumpets
Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
Last Great Day
First Five Seals Opened
This area of end-time proof should be very sobering when you stop to consider the time frame upon which we are about to focus. As we have addressed in this booklet, we have not always understood end-time prophecies that pertain to the Church. Instead, where the Church was involved, we have focused more upon a physical fulfillment rather than a spiritual one. This can be difficult for people because we tend to look for physical answers first, and obviously many prophecies do have a dual fulfillment- both physical and spiritual. Sometimes there is strictly a physical fulfillment and sometimes only a spiritual one, but we tend to look for a physical fulfillment first.
Why didn't we grasp the spiritual fulfillment of many of these prophecies we have already covered? The reason is because God did not reveal them before His time to do so. We were given what we needed- when God determined we needed it. We have been given great understanding of God's purpose involving much of what will come upon this world in this end-time, but we were not given many of the specifics involving the Church.
We have always understood that a great falling away would occur at the end, but we did not grasp how. There are reasons for that!
As an example, we were given warnings throughout Matthew 24. Read those prophecies again. We were warned about false prophets and false ministers, as well as famines, wars, and pestilence. But we could only see these as pertaining to an overview of history in a physical way, growing in intensity as we drew closer to the end. We were warned in verse 4 to "take heed that no man deceive you." Although we recognized that this was a warning for all brethren since the day it was written, we failed to grasp that it was also pointed directly at events toward the end- upon the Church!
We knew that false ministers would arise from time to time, but we never fully grasped that "many" false ministers would rise and deceive the "many" within the Church. We have now lived through that time. As a result, we in the Church of God have been tried and tested to see how we would respond when it finally happened- and it happened exactly as God said it would! But we have believed that these matters applied to the world of traditional Christianity and their power to deceive. Now we can see that these words were directed at the Church for the end-time, exactly as Jesus told the disciples it would be just prior to His coming.
We are told in verse 12 that "because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." As we matured, we came to see that this can only refer to the Church because this word for love is the Greek word "agape," which is the love of God- experienced only by those in the Church. The world does not have access to this love. Yes, this love was to wax cold for many within the Church.
Mr. Armstrong always understood that his commission was in verse 14, which says, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." There are many who do not get this! They grasp neither what the purpose of this witness was, nor what God accomplished through Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia era. There are far too many who have believed that he did not fulfill this prophecy, therefore they have not believed we are in the end-time- but only getting closer to it. They have believed that they themselves or those they support must fulfill this verse.
Matthew 24 was understood in part because that is all God revealed until these times in which we are now living. After verse 14 was accomplished, God said the "end" would come. It was not intended that we grasp the fulfillment of verse 15 upon the Church until after it came to pass, therefore we could only conceive of it happening in a physical way. It was not revealed before its time because it was intended to try and test us. The abomination that makes desolate in this verse is about the Church. For several years now we have been experiencing an abomination at work that seeks to tear down and destroy the Church- making it desolate. It is an abomination to God because it is about destruction within the spiritual temple of God. We could not conceive of such a thing happening within the Church, so we believed this could only be about a physical temple.
There are many ministers in the scattered Church who still foolishly believe that this is about a physical temple that is yet to be built before Jesus Christ returns. They believe that the end-time will not be upon us until this physical temple is built or until a physical alter is set up with sacrifices offered upon it.
How many had ears to hear when Mr. Armstrong revealed to the Church, in the last several years of his life, that the temple Jesus Christ would return to was a spiritual one and not a physical one? This was covered in the article "The Man of Sin." Perhaps it would be wise to repeat the quote he made in "Mystery of the Ages" on pages 245 & 246.
The CHURCH is the spiritual Body of Christ- not a secular or worldly organization, club, or institution. Yet it is HIGHLY ORGANIZED.
Notice how thoroughly organized: 'Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.' Notice the Church is a FAMILY, even as GOD is a divine FAMILY- 'the household of God.'
Continue: 'And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building'- the Church is a building 'fitly framed together' (WELL ORGANIZED- and all parts joined and functioning together in harmony and team-work)- 'groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit' (Ephesians 2:19-22). This scripture plainly reveals the temple to which the glorified world-ruling Christ shall come at his soon Second Coming. There is no scripture foretelling the construction of a material temple in Jerusalem before Christ's appearing. The 40th chapter of Ezekiel, however, describes the building of a temple after the return of Christ.
The Church, then, is to grow into a HOLY TEMPLE- the spiritual TEMPLE to which Christ shall come- even as he came to a material temple of stone and metals and wood the first time."
God did not reveal the spiritual fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 2 concerning the "man of sin" before it was time to be fulfilled. If we had understood how these verses applied to the Church, then what finally happened would not have been much of a test or trial for us. We would have been expecting a leader of the Church, as the son of perdition, to betray Jesus Christ, and we would have been on guard to his changing the foundational truths God had previously restored to the Church through Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.
Instead, we previously believed that these verses applied to the leader of a great worldly church. We only understood that these verses seemed to go together with scriptures in Revelation that spoke of a great, false religious leader who would do "great wonders" when a final beast power arose. Now we can understand that these are two completely separate prophecies.
Prophecies Sealed
God did not reveal the specifics of many prophecies concerning the Church. But, as His people, we have sought to understand those prophecies because during these past few decades we have known that we are nearing the fulfillment of the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ. God gave us that understanding. As a result, we have sought to "watch" the events unfold around us that are leading up to that momentous time of the coming Kingdom of God.
God restored foundational truth through Mr. Armstrong, but He did not reveal understanding of all the prophecies that pertained to this end-time. Some people have been troubled because they lack this understanding while others have ridiculed Mr. Armstrong, they have used such occasions to find fault and discredit him. Others have called him a false prophet because of such misunderstanding.
On occasion, like during and immediately after World War 2, some have found fault with things Mr. Armstrong said as he pursued understanding while "watching" world events as they led closer to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. God used Mr. Armstrong, in the office of an apostle, to restore foundational truth to the Church. He did not use Mr. Armstrong as a prophet to prophesy. Prophecies had already been written and recorded in scripture. Mr. Armstrong sought only to understand them and encourage others to "watch" those things that would shortly come to pass. As we saw the end drawing nearer by being "watchful," we were sobered to be alert and have a greater sense of urgency that worked to help us draw nearer to God.
As an example, people have found fault with things Mr. Armstrong wrote in the booklet "1975 in Prophecy." That booklet helped the Church to focus more fully on just how urgent time was and how close we truly were to the end of this age. We were moving in a direction of progressive revelation in a way similar to how God progressively revealed and restored foundational truth through Mr. Armstrong. This is a maturing process of growth and movement toward the light- towards a brighter understanding of the things of God. Refusing the truth or any revelation from God is moving away from the light, which is moving in a direction away from God. Mr. Armstrong always moved in a direction toward greater understanding and revelation from God.
In the past few decades it was expedient for the Church to live in a very unique state. Understanding that the end could be very near, we needed to plan our lives accordingly with a true sense of urgency, coupled with the need to plan five and ten years ahead, knowing that the exact timing of these end-time events were not yet revealed to the Church. This booklet helped the Church grow in that understanding- that only God the Father knows the exact timing of events. God will reveal such matters to us when we need to know them. This booklet was part of a process of being led more fully into understanding of prophecy. Did error still exist? Yes! But more was still being revealed as we were being led more fully into the light. When Mr. Armstrong first began to have understanding about Pentecost, some error still existed, but he was always moving toward the light, never away from it! God did not reveal the exact timing for the observance of Pentecost until nearly another 40 years later.
Did Mr. Armstrong's inability to understand all truth perfectly reveal a false ministry or that we were not the true Church of God? Absolutely not! It simply manifests the process whereby God leads us more fully into the truth and the way in which He reveals His word to us. Such a progressive manner of revelation requires a maturing process on our part. It is God who reveals truth through whom He chooses and in His own time.
God's people have always had a burning desire to know when the Kingdom of God would come to this earth, even as Daniel, who wanted to understand the very words of the book that he himself was writing, but God said, "Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end" (Daniel 12:9).
Yes, God has been revealing end-time prophecies to the Church. Much understanding has been given to the Church through one revelation alone. That revelation is one of what we have come to recognize as the 18 truths restored to the Church. Number 15 states that "Prophecy can only be understood if you know who the Israelites are today." This revelation and restoration of truth to the Church has given us deeper understanding of prophetic scriptures regarding end-time events involving the physical nations of Israel today.
The Worldwide News of August 25, 1986 carried an article honoring Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. It listed 18 truths restored to the Church through him and stated the following under #15: Mr. Armstrong had a clear picture of which prophesies apply to us today, since he saw clearly who the descendants of Israel are. As well as proclaiming the Gospel, he preached the Ezekiel warning (Ez. 33), which was meant for the descendants of Israel at the end time. The Great Tribulation will be the time of "Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). Those who are following in the footsteps of Mr. Armstrong today are also preaching the Gospel and giving the Ezekiel warning.
As a result of this revelation from God, we have deeply understood prophetic events that are unfolding in the nations of this world in this end-time. However, still limited, we could only see the physical fulfillment of those prophecies. We did not grasp the full impact of many of those prophecies because God had not yet revealed to us what was to be fulfilled in the Church, the spiritual Israel of God.
We have understood for decades that Ezekiel 5 was about physical Israel at the end-time, but God had not revealed that this prophecy was also dual for the spiritual Israel of God- the Church.
The same is true about other prophecies. We have sought to understand them in light of whatever God had revealed up to that point in time. We were truly on the brink of greater understanding when God revealed to Mr. Armstrong, in the seven to eight years preceding his death, the significance of Jesus Christ returning to a spiritual temple and not a physical one. God had begun to reveal even greater truth to us, but it was not yet time for a complete revelation- a spiritual one.
As a result of what God began to reveal to Mr. Armstrong before his death, we are now able to understand that Matthew 24 is addressing end-time events that would occur in the Church before Jesus Christ's second-coming. By knowing that Jesus Christ is returning to a spiritual temple and not a physical one, we are able to understand that He was speaking of a spiritual temple whose stones would be cast down as part of a prophetic fulfillment about the Church. Such knowledge has helped us to understand several other prophecies, like the one mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2 about a man of sin who "sits in the temple of God." Now we can understand this as being part of the abomination of desolation that would work to make the Church desolate, just before Jesus Christ would return to this earth.
All understanding of prophecy regarding the end of this age was not revealed to Mr. Armstrong. Foundational truths were revealed through him and restored to the Church as God fulfilled the role of the "Elijah to come" through him.
Brethren need to be aware of three specific areas that affect our understanding. Those three areas are: 1) "revealed truth" that is foundational and never changes, 2) "watching" events in the light of prophetic scripture, and 3) "revealed prophecy" that is made manifest when God no longer keeps it sealed. Brethren have often confused these issues, not grasping how God works with us.
Quoting again from #15 of the restored truths, "Those who are following in the footsteps of Mr. Armstrong today are also preaching the Gospel and giving the Ezekiel warning." If brethren could truly understand our recent history and the prophecies being fulfilled as a result, there would not be so much confusion as to the task (work) that lies before us. God used Mr. Armstrong to preach the gospel in this world as a witness to all nations or perhaps better said, as a witness "of" all nations at the end of 6,000 years of man on this earth. He finished that job- the work that God gave him to do. That prophecy has been fulfilled through Mr. Armstrong, but the preaching of the gospel goes on. Today we are being tried as to whether we will remain faithful stewards of the truth- the gospel God gave us in this end-time.
Yes, the gospel should still be preached throughout the world for God's people wherever they are scattered. The world rejected that gospel message which was a witness against them in this end-time. After 6,000 years man is still responding in the same way he always has- rejecting the truth of God. The gospel message that went out "to" this world in this end-time is a testimony- a witness "of" all nations! This is a powerful testimony of how the world has received God's Word during its period of greatest prosperity and technological advancement.
An Ezekiel warning was given to this world along with the gospel message that was preached to it, but all was rejected. Only those "called" were able to receive it. If we understood these things, then we would clearly see that the Ezekiel warning for today is for the Church. Even many of those who have been called will reject the Ezekiel warning that is directed toward them. Pride will keep them from being able to receive it, just as this world has rejected that warning.
Along with the gospel being preached in all the world, the Ezekiel warning was given to physical Israel, and they rejected it. The Church is doing the same today. Most of the spiritual Israel of God is rejecting the Ezekiel warning directed toward the Church.
Sobering Revelation
In the beginning of this article it was stated, "This area of end-time proof should be very sobering when you stop to consider the time frame upon which we are about to focus." We have had a rather long introduction to this area of end-time proof because it needs to be understood in the light of our recent history. This area of proof covers Revelation 6.
This chapter starts with the beginning of the opening of the seven seals that leads up to the return of Jesus Christ and the coming Kingdom of God to this earth. It is important also to understand that Matthew 24 and the other Olivet prophecies parallel this same account found in Revelation 6. In addition, the first four seals of Revelation 6 have always been seen in light of a physical fulfillment and are often referred to as the time of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.
It is good to understand how the book of Revelation leads up to this account. Chapters two and three of Revelation cover a period of nearly 2,000 years. Here it addresses the characteristics of the seven church periods, which covers the entire time of the Church, from its very beginning until the very return of Jesus Christ. Much instruction is given to the Church in these scriptures.
But the rest of Revelation begins to focus on some very specific events. These events are prophetic in nature and reveal a very specific unveiling of events beginning with the opening of the seven seals. In the seventh seal, it is revealed that seven trumpets must sound, which also unveil specific events leading up to the seventh trumpet sounding and the seven last plagues being unveiled. All these activities are indeed about the unveiling of specific end-time events that lead up to the very return of Jesus Christ and the coming of the Kingdom of God when that seventh trumpet- the last trumpet sounds.
Revelation 5 is about the beginning of the end-time process, and it reveals that Jesus Christ is the only one who is worthy to open the seven seals which unveil those things that will happen on this earth in the end-time. Daniel was told by God to shut up the book he had written about these events because it was sealed until the end. Many prophecies throughout the Old Testament have been sealed until the time of the end when they would be opened.
"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Revelation 6:1-2).
If you refer to our previous publications, you will find that when these verses are spoken of they are understood to coincide with the same things spoken of in Matthew 24. We were given understanding only in part, and we could only see these in a physical way upon this world- increasing in momentum until the very end. But it is more than that! The physical is only a type of what was to be accomplished spiritually upon the Church- specifically at the end.
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4-5). There is indeed an increasing momentum revealed through these verses as they lead up to the very end. This is about the Church! This warning is about those things that will increase with greater power and growing devastation in the very end.
There have always been false ministers, within the environs of the Church, who have gone astray or were never a part of the body. They used the truth in a deceitful way to lead people away from God and toward themselves. Such men have often been difficult to identify because they spoke "using" the truth.
The first seal opened in Revelation is not about people becoming deceived in the world, for they are already deceived. False ministers, who claim that Jesus is the Christ and speak to brethren "using truth," are very cunning, deceitful, and difficult to identify, therefore they have great power to deceive. Although this has existed throughout time within the Church, this was to be magnified many times over in the end.
Consider what has occurred over the past decade. "Many" ministers have preached the truth that brethren recognize, yet they cunningly slipped-in deception as they preached. This has happened with every foundational truth God revealed to us, and many have been devastated by these methods.
These verses in Matthew are speaking of a time when this kind of deception will grow with intensity until the first seal is opened. Many have been deceived in this end-time, and the height of this deception became climatic as the destructive power spoken of in Matthew 24:15 was made manifest. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)" Of course, as we have previously mentioned, this account also parallels the story in 2 Thessalonians 2 concerning the man of sin who "sits" in the temple of God.
The account of the man of sin, the opening of the first seal, and the escalation of false ministers leading to Matthew 24:15 are all prophecies about the same event. All three areas focus on the same moment in time when great spiritual tribulation strikes the Church with its greatest intensity.
The result of this turbulent condition coming upon the Church automatically led to other consequences that would naturally follow. That which was to follow the first seal being opened is a direct result of the destructive power unleashed when this first seal was opened. When false ministers go astray, spreading their deception, there is always conflict within the Church. As the manifestation of false ministers intensified, more rumbling and warring erupted within the Church. "And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword" (Revelation 6:3-4).
Yes, when false ministers are made manifest on a spiritual plane, the result is one that brings fighting, destruction, hatred, and death (spiritually). The sword of false ministers is false doctrine and with that comes great devastation and spiritual murder.
"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" (Revelation 6:5-6).
As false ministers and false doctrine grew in power, brethren became weak and fell victim to the growing famine that accomplished these events. We have always understood that these scriptures spoke of famine, but we looked at them on a physical plane, even though we knew that in the end-time there would come a great famine of the Word of God. We simply were not able to put it all together before its time. God has to reveal these things to us when it is His time to do so.
"And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth" (Revelation 6:7-8).
This is simply another way of describing what we have already covered in the article, "Desolation of the Temple." In that article, Ezekiel 5 begins with great destruction that comes swiftly on Israel. As we have already covered, this prophecy has a physical and spiritual fulfillment. The spiritual fulfillment upon the Church is nearly complete to be followed by the physical fulfillment upon the physical nation of Israel.
The first four seals of Revelation describe the first fulfillment of Ezekiel 5 which is upon the Church. As with the account of Ezekiel 5, these seals are describing the same account in which a portion of the Church initially survived the first wave of destruction that came upon it. But as this fourth seal also reveals, the sword comes again with death and famine upon those that remain.
These first four seals of Revelation are about the Church and those things that would come upon her with great destructive power at the end-time. However, as the seals are opened, a shift begins to take place as the power of destruction being revealed begins to turn its focus away from the Church and towards this world. The first four seals reveal destructive power unleashed upon the Church which is a great spiritual tribulation.
We have been living through that great spiritual tribulation upon the Church. Devastating power has been working to make the Church desolate. But God will not allow this abomination of desolation to destroy the temple. This is part of the overall process of trying and refining the Church. A remnant will survive and be changed at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
A Transition in Time
The fifth and sixth seals unveil a change in focus from events happening to the Church (spiritual Israel) to events that will happen to the world and especially physical Israel- the modern-day nations of Israel.
"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (Revelation 6:9-11).
After the destruction upon the Church from the opening of the first four seals, there is a time of reflection to acknowledge that a "little season" remains before all will be complete and the Kingdom of God will be established on the earth. Obviously, those that are dead in Christ are still dead. They do not speak. However, a long time has passed as we approach the end, and those still living have experienced great suffering because of the events of the first four seals, resulting in a common spiritual cry, "How long, O Lord?" God comforts His people by telling them that all who have suffered will be requited soon and that we are near the end of the complete fulfillment and purpose He is working out in the first phase of His plan of salvation and purpose He is working out in the first phase of His plan of salvation for mankind. All who suffer and hold fast to the word of God and the testimony which they hold will be clothed in white robes. "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:13-14). Yes, all who are arrayed in these white robes are one and the same.
It is sobering to realize that most of Revelation 6 is now history, and perhaps, at the very time you are reading this, we may be much farther along, into the time of great physical tribulation on this earth when the final seal is being fulfilled.
But for now, for those who have actually experienced the Church of God being scattered, there are questions for you to consider. Do you have this hope in you that is revealed in the unveiling of this fifth seal? Do you earnestly call out to God because of the suffering you have experienced and cry, "How long, O Lord?" If you are among this group of people who have been scattered, then you know that we have experienced the worst of assaults upon the Church! We have been living through the aftermath of the opening of the first four seals! Now, we continue preparing for the Kingdom of God as we await those things that are yet to come upon this world that must fulfill a time of great physical tribulation, and then finally, the return of Jesus Christ!
----> Next