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
Final Eras of the Church (Revelation 3)
The area of proof that will now be addressed, that we are in the very end of this age, is one that every member of the Body of Christ should be very familiar with and find easy to acknowledge- to admit our history as the true Church of God which is in perfect agreement with the Word of God. Yet that is not the case because most are not faithful witnesses to this history.
This area of scripture, covered in large part by the article "Dead, Revived, Rejected!" in our booklet, "Time Is Running Out," will only touch upon a few matters in a brief overview of Revelation 3, which identifies the last three eras of the Church.
As was previously mentioned, God told Sardis that it was spiritually dead and that the truth they had remaining was dying out. If God had allowed that to happen, the Church would not have survived to the return of Jesus Christ. But God has made it plain that the Church would be alive at Christ's return and that the gates of hell could not prevail against it. So the Church had to be revived. Truth that was dying out had to be restored.
This restoration of truth, which occurred during the leadership of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and the period of time we know as Philadelphia, should be an easy thing to acknowledge. Yes, God revealed foundational truth to His Church once again. This era kept His word and did not deny His name. Sardis was known for just the opposite- letting the word of God die out as they themselves were dying spiritually- denying the life of God to live in and through them.
Our history is a testimony to the truth that God used Mr. Armstrong to restore truth to His Church. Doors were opened by God that made this task possible- doors that no one could shut. Scriptures foretold of an Elijah to come who would restore all things. Today, people argue over this rather than acknowledge the truth of what is apparent- again, more proof that the word of God agrees with our history as being the true Church of God spoken of in prophecy.
Jesus was asked by his disciples about the Elijah to come. "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things" (Matthew 17:11). What needed to be restored before Jesus Christ could return to this earth? A great sign that we would be at that end-time would be when this occurred. It is a needful part of the history of the Church! God revealed that the truth would die out toward the end and the Church would begin to die spiritually. In order to prevent that from happening, God restored all truth necessary for salvation that would once again give life to His Church. Truly, the Elijah would first come and restore that truth to the Church. Can anyone deny what God performed through His end-time apostle during the era of Philadelphia?
Yet today there are many who are tearing down this understanding. One evangelist is placing doubt in the minds of brethren by criticizing what was done during Philadelphia. Such tactics only serve to weaken the Church even more.
Faithfully reviewing our history and acknowledging that this history is in perfect and complete harmony with the word of God and end-time prophecies should serve to strengthen brethren and sober us to the reality of how little time we have left to prepare ourselves. Yet this evangelist "of a large organization" waffles back and forth on this subject. He even plants the thought that there are experts who believe one of the two witnesses may fulfill this role of the Elijah to come. How could such a man be so blind, especially after all that he experienced in the Church during Philadelphia? And who are these "experts?" Have these experts written commentary about this subject, and are they supposed to be "Bible scholars," who are in fact actually outside the Church- without the spirit of God dwelling in them? Do we look to experts outside the Church to help us understand the true word of God and those things that can only be revealed through God's spirit? What would either of these two witnesses restore in that last 3 1/2 years before Jesus Christ returns? That questions alone should show how foolish this evangelist has been in presenting such suggestions!
The restoration of foundational truth to a dying Church is witnessed by our history and the work God did through Mr. Armstrong. That is why Jesus Christ concluded His instruction to Philadelphia by saying, "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Revelation 3:11). God worked long and hard through Mr. Armstrong and the Philadelphian era to restore His truth to the Church, and His great desire toward us is that we hold fast what He gave.
Rather than being faithful witnesses of those things we have witnessed at the end of this age, pride has filled the Church with self-importance about our own good and our own ability in handling the word of God. And rather than be faithful witnesses of all that has come upon us, brethren would rather turn inwardly by building up the self or one's organization in order to keep from acknowledging the truth they must eventually face! Such attitudes have led to spiritual blindness, nakedness, complacency, and lukewarmness. These attitudes grew very strong in the late 1980s and are still active to this day.
This is the very reason so many people have remained scattered- because there has been too much pride to admit to being spued out of God's mouth. So most brethren have not repented and become zealous to God as Laodicea is instructed to do. The refusal to admit to such a state, the refusal to admit one's weak condition and the refusal to admit to having been scattered and spued out of God's mouth are testimony to being in the very last era- an era that is steeped in pride. Refusal to admit this truth is the very thing that prevents a person from repenting in the way God instructs. That is why so many have clung to some identity with Philadelphia because they cannot admit- cannot repent of a powerful Laodicean spirit that has been working in the Church. We tend to see ourselves as better than that- richer spiritually than that. Could the verses of Revelation 3 be any stronger testimony of where we are in time? Laodicea is the last era mentioned by Jesus Christ. There are none to follow. How close to the end of Laodicea are we? Jesus Christ is ready to come back to this earth. The opening of that door is rapidly approaching.
Overwhelming Scriptural Proof!
As we examine the proofs that we are in the very end of this age, we need to stop and consider the spiritual health of the Church. As you focus on each of these proofs, you should begin to be deeply sobered to understand that we are not only living in the midst of end-time prophecies that are being fulfilled, but many of these prophecies are finished and are now history. These prophecies bring to light another matter that should begin to sober you even more deeply- these proofs manifest the depth of spiritual sluggishness and sickness that exists within the Church.
When God revealed the Sabbath to us, how many areas of scripture did we have to examine before we could see the truth? How many complete chapters of scripture are written for us that exclusively focus on the Sabbath? As we are called and led by God's spirit into truth- if we seek to be in harmony with Him- we will readily accept such truths which are based on relatively few scriptures. What about our belief concerning Atonement? How many areas of the Bible reveal the truth on this subject? What about the doctrine of second tithe? What about the Last Great Day and the great resurrection at that time? As you begin to examine many of the beliefs we have received from God and the very few areas of scripture that have convicted us of God's truth- when He has opened our mind through the power of His spirit- then you must ask, "Why are there so many scattered brethren who will not accept what God has to say about this end-time where we now find ourselves?" Why is the truth being resisted now?
The proof is overwhelming that we are in the end!
Why do God's own people resist His Spirit and refuse to accept what He wants us to see? The failure of so many brethren to acknowledge where we are in time and the failure to accept our recent history as being in absolute harmony and fulfillment with the Word of God should help us to see the depth of blindness and weakness that exists in the Church. This too is proof of where we are.
It takes a humble spirit to accept correction and chastening from God. It takes humility to admit sin and weakness. It is because of pride and haughtiness that we are unable to receive what God desires to give us. We are going to experience a great escalation in the shaking of this earth, and the hope for the Church is that this will turn our attitude away from pride and bring us to humility so we will stop resisting our God.
There are far more scriptures that cry out to us that we are in the midst of the fulfillment of end-time prophecies than there are for almost any other truth or doctrine God has previously revealed to us. Do you remember how Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong spoke so often about the Bible being nearly one-third prophecy and that around ninety percent of that prophecy is for the end-time? We have already lived through many end-time prophecies, and we are about to be catapulted into the time of great physical tribulation, during a final 3 1/2 years, that leads to the very return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth. We are so close to that final time that some who will read these words will actually be living in that final period of great physical tribulation on all the world.
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