July 4, 2008

"BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD GOD, THAT I WILL SEND A FAMINE IN THE LAND, NOT A FAMINE OF BREAD, NOR A THIRST FOR WATER, BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD ..." (Amos 8:11).

Dear Brethren,

Last week, I used a writing regarding the above Scripture from one of our writers for the Philadelphia Remnant Magazine, Mr. Garfield Gregoire.

In this writing I intend to elaborate further on this subject by utilizing some of his very good writings as well as those of Mr. Mark Mendiola who researched and contributed the quoted writings of Mr. Armstrong as well as adding some very good comments.

A Very Serious and Important Subject

The famine of the Word is one that we need to think seriously about realizing how precariously close we are now to the time of the fullness of it and the Great Tribulation.

Possibly some of you will remember that Mr. Armstrong often spoke of the closeness of the Great Tribulation toward the end of his life with loving and caring concern for each of us.

This is a subject that should give us much room for serious and sober thought realizing the scarcity of hearing and reading the fullness of the doctrinal teachings as restored by Jesus Christ within His Church through His late apostle and the Elijah to come, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong; for it is very rare.

This should also stir us to become involved as much as possible in doing the Work Jesus Christ has given us before the fullness of the famine of the word comes to pass! For that will be the time when we are no longer able to reach out and help our scattered brethren any longer.

The Holocaust of World War II

Not ever having to face the magnitude of the horrors the Jewish people suffered unto tortuous deaths during World War II it is easy to just passively think about it and move on with our everyday lives without ever offering up fervent prayers for the Sardis and Laodicean eras of the Church of God or for the people of Israel.

This should be as real to us as it was with Abraham who entreated the LORD God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of the righteous dwelling in those cities (Genesis 18:16-33).

The End-Time Warning

In addition to our prayers there is the Work Jesus Christ has graciously blessed us by using us as a conduit in giving a final warning to all these many peoples before this Work ends. For at that time will be the fullness of the famine of the Word.

This will be the time the members of the Church of God who will NOT be counted worthy to escape those horrors will be running to and fro trying to find the fullness of the true teachings as taught by the true and faithful Church of God (Revelation 3:7-13)! It will be too late for they will have already departed for the place of safety (Matthew 25:8-13; Revelation 12:17; 6:9-11).

There will be a short interval of time between the fullness of the famine of the Word and the actual beginning of the Great Tribulation for there has to be freedom of movement for them to be able to travel while seeking the SPIRITUAL OIL. Once the Great Tribulation begins there will be no longer any freedom of movement.

A means of stirring us into greater fervency and involvement should be the realization there are many you and I know, men, women, and children, who will have to suffer the horrors of that time! And among them will be our relatives – and possibly – even some of us may not make it either unless we heed the words of Jesus Christ (Luke 21:36; Ezekiel 9:4-6).

This should give all of us real cause to not only be praying fervently for them, but also to try and reach them with the spiritual food that Jesus Christ has made possible to have on our websites; mainly the Recorded Works of God’s late apostle and the promised Elijah of the end-time..

Our Stats reveal there are many thousands who visit our websites from many different countries! Many of them read and listen to the Recorded Works of Mr. Armstrong. They also read the Philadelphia Remnant along with the Three Elijahs writings as well. In addition to their prayers and Bible studies there is the added SPIRITUAL OIL on those websites for them – now!

We need to ask ourselves: whether our hearts and prayers are really involved in an intense manner to try and do all we can to make possible the righteous might be spared as Abraham asked of the LORD God in regard to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Time Line

The time line is made known by Mr. Armstrong who wrote that it will not take place until the Great Tribulation.

While there is yet some daylight we must be doing all we can to try and reach the people of God before the darkness of the night sets in and no man can work (John 4:35; 9:4).

Mr. Armstrong repeatedly stated this prophecy will be fulfilled at the time of the Great Tribulation. Therefore, it is yet to be completely fulfilled.

Further Explanation

There is a need to understand that the famine of the Word has a beginning and will require some little time before the fullness of it comes into place.

This can be understood when we consider the beginning and conclusion of the Day of the LORD. The Scriptures reveal the fullness of it will not be reached until Jesus Christ returns to this earth.

However, Scripture also indicates that it begins at the time of the completion of this Work, the ELECT flees; and later on when the world will begin to see the heavenly signs; and then, the actual appearance of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:2, 14, 29-31; 25:10-13; Luke 13:24-25).

The Scattering of the Flock

The beginning of the fulfillment of the Famine of the Word is connected with the falling away of many thousands of the membership along with the scattering of the Church of God brethren that began taking place about the time of the death of Mr. Armstrong in 1986.

Though there were a few websites that had the Works of Mr. Armstrong on them for some few years, it was not until the Passover season in 2006 that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s Philadelphian Work was fully revived by Jesus Christ with the Church of God-Faithful Flock’s 14 web sites and publication of the Philadelphia Remnant magazine in addition to the weekly comments and monthly writings in The Journal.

Because of Jesus Christ’s involvement the accomplishments of the Church of God Faithful Flock’s must be emphasized in preserving virtually all of Mr. Armstrong’s sermons, booklets and articles, making them available to people throughout the world.

Many thousands have been viewing our web sites and reading the Philadelphia Remnant in recent months. While finding God’s truth is difficult, they still have access to this precious material. They still can hear Mr. Armstrong powerfully thunder a warning and witness to the world and find God’s words intact.

The full truth is still available via the Church of God, Faithful Flock. While scattered brethren are wandering to and fro, they still can find God’s words on our web sites. The truth still is available. It has not been cut off entirely. New people still are being called, repenting and getting baptized.

My Previous Writing

Below is part of my previous writing on this subject on our web site regarding the Philadelphia Remnant magazine:

“Brethren, we are critically close to the end and the beginning of the Famine of the Word; a time when God’s true teachings can no longer be heard (Amos 8:11-12). This will be a time of trying to obtain oil for their empty lamps and not able to find any (Matthew 25:10).

“The Door was Closed

“It was at the time of Mr. Armstrong’s death that Jesus Christ began CLOSING THE DOOR to the Work He had given him to do at the end time for a space of time (Revelation 3:7).

“This interim of time would make possible the fulfilling of prophecies, such as the falling away of the tares (over 50,000 of them, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; II Thessalonians 2:1-3, 10-12), and also the scattering of the true members of the Church of God (Daniel 12:7; Ezekiel 34; Jeremiah 23).

“Those prophecies would NOT have been fulfilled had he lived! He had to be taken out of the way by his death to make the fulfillment of them possible (II Thessalonians 2:7). 

“The Door Opened Once Again

“Since these prophecies have for the most part been fulfilled, Jesus Christ has begun REACTIVATING those same Works – the very Works of the End-time Elijah just shortly before the beginning of the famine and disease epidemics begin having a vise-like deadly grip on the lives of the people of the House of Joseph! The DOOMSDAY CLOCK IS TICKING!”

A Different Time

In one respect the Church of God Faithful Flock’s Work does not compare in magnitude to what Mr. Armstrong accomplished during his life, but on the other hand through the websites, Jesus Christ is using his Recorded Works to do an even greater Work than he did during his life-time ministry. Its impact should not be diminished nor minimized.

From one point of view the lifetime Work of Mr. Armstrong was preparation for this end-time Work.

With all of the foregoing in mind the importance of this Work cannot be overly emphasized! We must keep in mind the stark warning from the prophet Amos is that we do not have much more time before the fullness of what he prophesied will take place:

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord GOD, “that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but shall not find it” (Amos 8:11).

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s Explanation

Mr. Armstrong always equated this “Famine of the Word” with the Work’s shutdown and end of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, coinciding with the European beast power’s rise in Europe. We’re not yet there – but that time is rapidly approaching.

Mr. Armstrong stressed in his last letters to us and sermons that the Work and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom needed to continue even if he were to die. When the Work’s door is closed entirely is when the Famine of God’s Word will grip this nation and world (Revelation 3:7). That undoubtedly will occur when our web sites are shut down and our magazine ceases to be published. That hasn’t yet happened.

In a sermon he gave on Nov. 27, 1982 titled “U.S. of Europe is Coming,” Mr. Armstrong declared: “Anyway this whole United States of Europe, when it goes together, is going to trigger nuclear World War III. Now let me tell you what else it's going to do. It's going to END OUR WORK! OUR WORK WILL BE THROUGH of getting the gospel to the world. That is, very shortly after it goes into force and effect; because they will move in such a way that it will end it. And then I'll tell you what will happen. As you read here in Amos, the 8th chapter and verse 11 of Amos. Amos 8:11 ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread ... but of hearing the word of the LORD.’ ”

In a Nov. 22, 1982 co-worker letter, he wrote: "... brethren and co-workers, the prophesied Great Tribulation (nuclear World War III) will start soon after the European unification. That means OUR WORK OF SPREADING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD WILL BE FINISHED! We have not now much more time. Soon shall come a FAMINE of hearing the Word of the Lord (Amos 8:11). God says, work while it is day, for the night is coming when no man can work – in the Work of God! Nothing else is important in our lives, now, but this all-important Work of God."

In 1975 in Prophecy, he wrote: “During this hellish 3½ years, there will be no religious freedom. The entire western world will be under the resurrected Roman Empire – Church and State united – the religion and all schools under a Roman Hierarchy, enforced by the civil police. The entire eastern world will be under atheistic Communism. Neither the eastern nor the western world will permit any true Gospel preaching whatsoever.

“This is the time, following the famine of food, when there shall be a spiritual famine – a famine of hearing the true WORD OF GOD (Amos 8:11). Millions who now HEAR the true Gospel on The WORLD TOMORROW program worldwide, but who treat it lightly or spurn it, will wish THEN that they had heeded!”

In Russia in Prophecy, Mr. Armstrong stated: “‘Wherefore,’ continues verse 24 (Ezekiel 7), ‘I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: and I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease. ... DESTRUCTION cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none … then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest’ (verses 25-26).

“Yes, when this comes, our people finally will cry out for a true prophet or minister of the Eternal God – but it will be too late! For then shall have come the time spoken of by the prophet Amos, when there shall be a FAMINE OF hearing the words of the Eternal – (Amos 8:11) – an end of true Gospel preaching. Already the people and their paid ministers have turned their eyes and ears from God's law.”

Mr. Armstrong repeatedly stressed the Great Tribulation and Europe’s rise to power would put an end to God’s Work and start the famine of the word:

• "I ask you, brethren, in Jesus' name, to put whatever you are able into God's Work in this crisis hour before the Great Tribulation that will cut off our work just prior to the soon-coming of Christ and the World

• Tomorrow." November 1985 co-worker letter.

• "Our labors in GOD'S WORK will be ended soon after the resurrection of the impending United States of Europe!                                                                         August 14, 1978 co-worker letter.

• "Brethren, time is running out on us. When this great European power emerges, our great Work will be just about over. The day shall have arrived when 'no man can work,' as Jesus said (John 9:4) Coworker letter, July 16, 1982

Mr. Armstrong in the January 1980 Good News magazine said the Work’s end would be 1,335 days prior to Christ’s return or 75 days before the Great Tribulation’s start:

“Never before have we understood these periods of 1,260 days, 1,290 and 1,335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us – GOD’S CHURCH – who wait and endure until the 1,335 days – approximately 1,335 days prior to Christ's coming. But since no one can know the day or the hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day that this 1,335 days begins. But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED EUROPE shall appear – the revival of the medieval "Holy Roman Empire." The Time We Are In, Now

“It now appears likely that God's present Work through us will come to an end 1,335 days before the approximate date of Christ's return in supreme POWER and GLORY! It appears the Roman European armies will surround and take half of the city of Jerusalem 45 days later, and the GREAT TRIBULATION will begin 30 days after that. And the GREAT TRIBULATION, running parallel to the worldwide telecast of the TWO WITNESSES (Rev. 11), will last approximately 3½ years.”  The Time Has Come for Fasting and Prayer!

God’s Work Continues – for Now

There are several thousand scattered members of the Philadelphia era who will become part of us before the time to flee for the place of protection as promised by Jesus Christ.

Christ emphasized, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest!” (John 4:34-35)

A harvest is still under way. The night has not yet come when no man can work. We are still getting nourished by trying to finish God’s Work.

The confused people are yet wandering in search of God’s Truth, and they will find it before much longer. Many are waking up and finding God’s truth. The Famine of the Word is not yet here in its fullness because God’s Work continues and will for some little time.

We must not let down spiritually! To do so is to adopt a Laodicean attitude that is prevalent among so many other groups that could place us in real jeopardy and also experience the fullness of the famine of the Word and the horrors of the Great Tribulation.

With loving concern for each of us,

Don Billingsley

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