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
The Spiritual Temple (Matthew 24)
Another area of scriptural proof that we are in the end of this age is found in Matthew 24. This chapter begins with the account of Jesus walking with His disciples around the area of the temple in Jerusalem. As Jesus turned their attention to the temple, He said that the time would come when there would not be one stone left upon another which would not be thrown down.
The conversation had evidently sparked a strong, inquisitive response from the disciples because they asked him what would be the sign of his coming and the end of this age. They had no concept that nearly 2,000 years would pass before this would happen because they believed he would come into Jerusalem to rule during their lifetime.
The fact that these questions were a response to what Jesus had earlier told them, concerning the stones of the temple being cast down, reveals that the conversation was directed to events that would lead up to Jesus Christ coming as King of kings. He began to tell them about the events that would lead up to His coming. He concluded His remarks to them by saying, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another" (Matthew 24:30-31). And the previous verses show what would happen at the end, just before His return.
In the last few years of his life, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong was given understanding that Jesus Christ was not going to return to a physical temple, but to a spiritual one, which is the Church. He made it clear that a physical temple was not going to be rebuilt so that Jesus Christ could return to it. He made those statements because that is what some professing Christians believe must first happen before He can return. There were also people in the Worldwide Church of God who believed that a physical temple had to be built, and Mr. Armstrong wanted to make clear that Jesus Christ was returning to a spiritual temple.
The same minister referred to in the "Introduction," who also carried the credential of Regional Pastor in the United Church of God organization when he gave his sermon, mocked the belief that many of the statements made here in Matthew 24 could have anything to do with the state of the Church today or that we could now be in the end-time. He spoke of a physical temple that had to be built in Jerusalem first. Where was this minister when Mr. Armstrong began to correct such false notions? The minister was a church pastor, but he failed to grow with the Church. Such notions should have been dispelled long ago.
There are many ministers in the scattered organizations who hold to the belief that a physical temple must be rebuilt. Dr. Meredith of the Living Church of God organization has also stated this belief or that at least an alter must be erected in Jerusalem. Their literature also attests to this belief. Yet Mr. Armstrong stated in numerous sermons given in the late 70s and early 80s that Jesus Christ would return to a spiritual temple and not a physical one. He even explained that no one on this earth at this time could build a temple that would be considered by God to be holy. Therefore, in the end of this age, there could be no abomination of desolation in a physical temple nor on any alter because those things would not have God's presence in them and would therefore fail to be His.
Mr. Armstrong, in the book Mystery of the Ages, makes it clear concerning the temple to which Jesus Christ would return. As he referred to verses in Ephesians 2:19-22, he went on to say, "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" (Chapter 6, page 246).
Where were all these ministers who should have listened and learned from those basic truths God revealed through His end-time apostle? Why did these disciples fail to learn what God gave to the Church?
Our experiences of the past should make it abundantly clear that in Matthew 24 Jesus Christ was speaking of a spiritual temple and the events that were going to happen at the very end of this age, just before He returned. We have been experiencing those events Jesus Christ told His disciples about when they asked Him the sign of His coming and the end of this age. The notion that a physical temple must be rebuilt should be foolishness to us.
The Bible also uses other terms to speak of the same end-time events upon the Church just prior to the Kingdom of God coming to this earth. Many prophecies speak of a scattering with only a remnant remaining. Revelation describes a time when the Church would be spued out of God's mouth- the result being the same when speaking of a scattering of the Church. Jesus described a time when the stones of the temple would be thrown down. We have been experiencing these events. We have been living through the pain and suffering of such events.
Mr. Armstrong was filled with purpose. He understood the commission that God gave him, which was contained in these end-time events being spoken of by Jesus Christ. "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" (Matthew 24:14). Mr. Armstrong was zealously focused on accomplishing this verse. It was given to him to fulfill- not to any individual or group living today. God opened doors for Mr. Armstrong to visit with numerous world leaders in the last several years of his life. A righteous God was accomplishing a great purpose by showing that, even in the end of this age, with all his advancements, sophistication, and technology, man would still be the same and leaders would still reject God. This is indeed a witness against them.
The same account in Mark also makes it clear that God intended that there be a witness against World leaders in the end-time. "...and ye shall be brought before rules and kings for my sake, for a testimony [same Greek word as "witness" in Matthew 24:14] against them. And the gospel must first be published [Greek- proclaimed] among all nations." (Mark 13:9-10). These verses specifically apply to a commission God gave to Mr. Armstrong and the Philadelphian era to fulfill. Some either do not think that it was given to him to fulfill or that he did not finish doing it, and therefore, others must finish accomplishing it.
Why can't pastors and church leaders admit or acknowledge that these verses have indeed been fulfilled? If we are able to agree with the truth of this fulfillment, then we will better understand the battles before us today, and we will understand more fully what our focus should be, just as much as Mr. Armstrong and the Church understood what their focus was when Matthew 24:14 was being fulfilled. That time is now past! We are now deep into the time of Matthew 24:15. Grasping the reality of how far we are in completing the fulfillment of verse 15 should sober us deeply and stir up an incredibly strong sense of urgency on our part- an urgency that has sadly been lacking for several years now within the scattered church.
"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:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:" (Matthew 24:15-16).
Our experience over the past few years ought to loudly proclaim the obvious fulfillment of these two verses. Daniel spoke of an abomination in the temple. When we understand that the temple Jesus Christ is speaking of is a spiritual one, we should easily grasp that the abomination occurs within the spiritual temple of God, the Church of God, and works to produce desolation. How much of the Church still remains today? How long will leaders and pastors continue to refuse the obvious? The Church has been suffering horrible destruction.
These verses are telling us that when we see these forces at work in our midst- we are to flee. We are to flee for our spiritual lives. These are fearful times. When the power of desolation began to grow in the WCG, brethren began to flee into different organizations seeking a safe haven. People wanting to escape the falling away that was beginning to destroy so much of the Church.
We have always understood that mountains refer prophetically to governments or nations. How could this apply to the scattered Church? When an abomination of desolation began to work upon the Church, God's Church began to scatter. This scattering also resulted in the fragmenting of the government that had existed in a single organization called the Worldwide Church of God, where the body of Christ- the spiritual organism of the Church of God- had existed for several decades. When scattering occurred, the previous government began to emerge in the form of prophetic mountains- new organizations, but scattered. Brethren had a kind of safety for a time from the immediate destruction that was working upon the Church as the abomination of desolation began.
Sadly, within only a short time, this same destructive power began to work in the scattered organizations that initially fled the onslaught of the first great wave of destruction.
What some do not seem to fully recognize is that this power of desolation upon the Church was not confined to the Worldwide Church of God. This power spilled over into many groups producing a more massive scattering over many years. Most of the destructive power upon the Church has come through ministers who failed to repent when they moved from one organization to another. They carried their false ideas and/or hypocritical lifestyles into other organizations and perpetuated the process of destruction upon the Church. All organizations have experienced this. Who can deny this is true? These false ministers began to teach false doctrines in their church areas and more brethren fell victim. This is still going on!
Other false ministers have been lulling brethren back to sleep because their sermons no longer have the inspiration of God in them. They have grown weak through disobedient and hypocritical lives. When ministers begin living a lie- preaching one thing but living another- they quench God's spirit. When they begin to teach false doctrine they also quench God's spirit. Unsuspecting brethren may like the individual minister but not recognize the slow decay that works through their weak, empty sermons.
Some brethren have seen these destructive forces at work in organizations or with local ministries and find that they must flee again to another church area in the same organization, in order to escape and seek refuge. That process has been at work for several years within the Church. How can anyone deny it? How can any deny that this is indeed the fulfillment of a very specific end-time event? If we know these things, we will also come to more deeply understand that we do not have much time left until all these words of Jesus will be fulfilled. We are in the very end of this age! The proof is overwhelming! But most continue to refuse that very proof which is witnessed in their lives through their experiences within the Church. Are we going to be faithful and true witnesses of those events? Are we going to believe the very testimony (witness) of Jesus Christ and God our Father- by their own words?
Ask God for Help
This article is not meant to be exhaustive concerning the verses in Matthew 24, but only serve as a framework to address very pointed and specific issues- that, with God's spirit moving truthfully through our lives, we will be able to see. Sermons have been given on this subject that give a more in-depth coverage of these verses. These are offered upon request.
As you begin to see the overwhelming content of so many areas of proof and instruction that God has given us concerning these very times we are in, you will be moved with greater awe and a vivid sense of reality of the times we are about to enter. Ask God for help to understand what is true concerning these matters. It is only by God's spirit living in us- leading us, guiding us, and revealing truth to us- that we will be able to grasp His words.
God loves us, and He will help us to be fully prepared for what lies ahead. The pangs of labor are going to become more intense and more rapid before Jesus Christ finally returns. Don't you want to be prepared? These articles can help you do just that!
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