While
writing about the
events that will
begin taking place
just inside of the
soon-coming
millennium, I find
it most
interesting to
think about the
overall changes to
take place at the
beginning, and
just inside of the
millennium, as
well as to try and
picture the day to
day happenings
with the families
of the tribes of
Israel settling
down in their new
homes.
At
the same time it
is also
interesting to
think of the laws
of God that will
be taught and
obeyed that few
people ever think
about today, let
alone obey.
Laws, some feel
have no relevance
for our day and
time
To
use an example,
some years ago I
talked to one of
the men in the
Letter Answering
Department in
Pasadena,
California whose
responsibility it
was to answer
letters containing
questions having
to do in all areas
of the Bible. I
had a question
about his written
answer to someone
regarding the land
Sabbath.
It
was his belief
that laws
pertaining to the
land Sabbath have
no relevance for
farmers today. I
asked him if they
would be obeyed in
the millennium? He
had to admit they
would. (He was
another one who
accepted the
worldly-wide
protestant
teachings.)
In
this writing it is
my purpose to
bring to our minds
some of the
physical laws that
should be very
important to us
today for they
bear on our health
and well-being.
They are also
important due to
the fact we will
be teaching them
inside the
millennium to
Israel.
We
also need to
realize
disobedience to
the physical laws
often carry over
into the violation
of spiritual laws.
Once we see our
Spiritual
transgressions we
repent and God
graciously
forgives us.
However we do not
always see the
transgressions in
the physical area
and because we do
not our health and
well-being will
often suffer over
time if the
understanding of
what we are doing
wrong does not
take place.
(Please review the
3rd law of success
in the booklet
written by Mr.
Armstrong: “The
Seven Laws of
Success”)
All
of the laws of
God, both
Spiritual and
Physical, are
designed for our
good and God
expects us to obey
them. And we must
if we expect to be
blessed by Him.
Failure to do so
results in sin,
Spiritual and
physical, and
forgiveness must
be asked of God,
and changes made.
With
this in mind think
of what Jesus
Christ said in His
teachings to His
disciples in what
is called the
Sermon on the
Mount that have to
do with all of the
laws of God –
both physical and
Spiritual for He
speaks of the law
and the prophets,
meaning all of the
laws He gave
through Moses to
the children of
Israel:
“Do
you think that I
came to destroy
the law and the
prophets. I
did not come to
destroy but to
fulfill. For
assuredly I say to
you, till heaven
and earth pass
away, one jot (the
smallest letter)
or one title
(smallest stroke
in a Hebrew
letter) will by no
means pass away
till all is
fulfilled (until
everyone is
fulfilling His
laws).
Whoever breaks one
of the least of
these commandments
and teaches men
so, shall be
called the least
[by those] in the
Kingdom of heaven,
but whoever does
and teaches them,
he shall be called
the greatest [by
those] in the
kingdom of
heaven” (Matthew
5:17-19).
In
brief, all of
God’s physical
laws that are
applicable to us
today are to be
obeyed by His
people. As an
example: Though
sacrificial laws
were to be obeyed
by physical Israel
up to the time of
the death of Jesus
Christ, and will
be again in the
millennium,
Scripture makes
known they are no
longer required of
His Church at this
time (Daniel 9:27;
Hebrews, plus).
As
members of God’s
Church our
sacrifices are of
a spiritual nature
. However God will
re-institute the
physical
sacrifices in the
beginning of the
millennium and
will be carried
out by the people
of Israel. (More
about this in
later writing.)
The
Agrarian Life —
The
Israelis returning
from exile will
become involved in
farming due to the
need of food
supplies.
Scripture implies
that even the city
dwellers will have
their homes spaced
far enough apart
to make possible
gardens and a few
fruit trees:
Virtually everyone
will become
involved in
farming whether on
a larger scale or
just a large
garden.
“But
everyone shall sit
under his vine and
under his fig tree
...” (Micah 4:4;
Zechariah 3:10).
From
the very beginning
a very important
physical law will
begin to be taught
in a class-room
type setting to
the future farmers
of Tomorrow’s
World. A law
that will be
understood and
begin to be put
into practice at
the appropriate
time. Some few
years later the
Gentile nations
will also be
taught the same
laws by Israel.
A
Smog-free World
Ahead —
Some
may wonder how the
farmland will be
cultivated.
Will it be by
belching diesel
and gas powered
tractors that spew
large amounts of
pollutants into
the air thus a
continuation of
the smog-laden air
we breathe into
our lungs today?
The
world we will soon
enter will come to
be the Wonderful
World Tomorrow!
This evil world of
today will come to
an end with the
coming of Jesus
Christ.
However all of its
unsolvable
problems will have
to be dealt with
and resolved by
Jesus Christ and
His new Family
Members.
This
will not happen
overnight!
As Mr. Armstrong
has said it will
take about three
generations to
turn mankind
around from going
the wrong way.
This is made clear
from what God says
about Egypt and
all nations who are
to be punished if
they do not come
up to Jerusalem to
keep the Feast of
Tabernacles
(Zechariah
14{16-19).
The
new world will
begin to be freed
from all of the
terrible problems
that confront us
today in all areas
of life through
change of heart
and right
education. This
will also include
the very unhealthy
air we are forced
to breathe
wherever we may
live.
Undoubtedly
airplanes,
motorized vehicles
of all kinds, and
farm tractors,
will be
re-designed so as
to be powered by
another type of
energy that will
be utterly
harmless to
mankind and all
living creatures.
Scripture
implies that
horses will once
again be used in
farming in the
beginning years in
Israel:
“For
behold, I am for
you, and I will
multiply men unto
you and you shall
be tilled and
sown. I will
multiply men upon
you, all the house
of Israel, all of
it: and the cities
shall be inhabited
and the ruins
shall be rebuilt.
I will MULTIPLY
upon you man AND
BEAST; and they
shall increase and
bear young: I will
make you inhabited
as in former times
... (Ezekiel
36:9-11).
The
land will be
divided up into
much smaller farms
than we see today.
There will be no
large farm
monopolies
squeezing out the
small farmers.
As the result all
of the family
members will have
their individual
responsibilities.
No idle young
people. This
will eliminate the
threat of crime.
Jesus
Christ Will Set
the Stage —
But
before health can
come back to the
earth there will
be a need to
remove the curse
on the earth due
to mankind
insisting on his
own reasoning
ways.
A
dramatic change
will take place
all over the
surface of the
earth that will
also have a
positive effect on
the depleted and
exhausted farm
lands of today.
This
will be brought
about by a
worldwide
earthquake of such
great magnitude
that has never
been witnessed
since the
beginning of
mankind! It will
give the
inhabitants of the
earth a
roller-coaster
ride they will
never forget!
Because
of this earthquake
the surface of the
earth will then
begin to be
prepared for the
great food
production that
will be necessary
over time to meet
the needs of the
ever-expanding
population of
Israel and the
Gentile nations.
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL
BE LIKE, Pages
78-79
“Notice
how God describes
these conditions
in many parts of
the Bible.
‘Then
shall the lame man
leap as a hart,
and the tongue of
the dumb sing: for
in the wilderness
shall waters break
out, and streams
in the desert.
And the parched
ground shall
become a pool, and
the thirsty land
springs of water:
in the habitation
of dragons
[jackals], where
each lay, shall be
grass with reeds
and rushes,’
(Isaiah 35:6-7).
Read
the whole 35th
chapter of Isaiah.
God
says, ‘The
wilderness and the
solitary place
shall be glad for
them; and the
desert shall
rejoice, and
blossom as the
rose. It
shall blossom
abundantly, and
rejoice even with
joy and singing
...’ (Verses
1-2). ...
Think
about the vast
wastes of the
earth. Does
it sound
incredible,
unbelievable that
God could make
them blossom like
a rose? Why
should it? ...
The
God of all power,
who formed the
hills and the
mountains (Amos
4:13; Psalm 90:2),
will re-form them
– will reshape
the surface of
this earth.
Read
of the huge
earthquakes yet to
come which will
directly
accomplish much of
the rehabilitation
of the land
surfaces (See
Revelation 16:18;
Zachariah 14:4).
God says, ‘The
mountains quake at
Him, and the hills
melt ...(Nahum
1:5). ...
Think
of the multiple
millions of
additional acres
available to
mankind if some of
the world’s
oceans were
reduced in size.
And God says they
will be!
Notice it: ‘And
the [Eternal]
shall utterly
destroy the tongue
of the Egyptian
sea; and with His
mighty wind shall
shake His hand
over the river,
and shall smite
the seven streams,
and make men go
over dryshod’
(Isaiah 11:15).
Today’s
Suffering Farm
Land —
The
farm land of today
is almost completely exhausted
due to farmers
worldwide
continuing to
follow the WAY OF
CAIN, just as all
the farmers have
before them.
The
whole society will
have to be turned
around from the
wrong way this
world has been
going since Adam
and Eve were
driven out of the
Garden in Eden.
Cain,
their first-born
son, set the stage
for all future
farmers by showing
contempt for the
land while
exploiting it
(Genesis 4:2,
11-12; Jude 11).
The world has
followed the way
of Cain!
Compendium,
Volume II,
pages 324-325, H.
L. Hoeh
“Cain
is an important
figure in
theology. He
is equally
important to
history and
geology. Geology?
Indeed! As
the result of the
sin of Cain the
entire history on
human society –
and the earth’s
surface –
changed. ...
Cain, says
Josephus, sought
to gain his
livelihood by
farming methods
which depleted the
soil – “It
shall not
henceforth yield
unto thee her
strength; ...”
God put a stop to
Cain’s way –
the way of
getting. If
Cain and his heirs
had been allowed
to continue their
agricultural
pursuits, soils
all over the world
would long ago
have been rendered
unfit for
cultivation.
Human life might
well have been
snuffed out by
mass starvation.
The geological
record tells us
what God did to
save the soil from
utter depletion.
Mountain chains
arose where there
were none before.
Seas dried up.
The balmy
semitropical
climate of the
world rapidly
shifted into
torrid zones.
Wherever Cain
wandered his
agricultural
pursuits came to
naught. When
it should have
rained, the
weather turned
dry. Just as
he was about to
reap the ripening
crop, a storm blew
in. Nothing
turned out right.
Cain was forced to
turn to hunting
and gathering wild
fruits and
berries. He
and the
generations who
followed him eked
out a wretched
living. All
this is recorded
in geology and
archaeology.”
Can
there be any doubt
but that farmers
of today are
following in the
way of Cain?
Think about what
they are doing to
the soil!
Not only are they
spraying chemical
fertilizers into
the soil for the
fast growth of
crops, but also
using poisonous
pesticides on all
of the growing
vegetables, grain
crops, and the
fruit tress to
kill the insects!
In so doing they
have interrupting
the balance in
nature!
By
interfering with
the delicate
balance in nature
has brought real
problems on the
farmers.
Continually they
are struggling
with one poison
and then another,
each one stronger
than the one
before, trying to
stay on top of the
insects who
continue to grow
stronger. It
is a battle the
farmers will not
win!
At
the same time all
the food of
whatever kind God
has created for us
to receive with
thanksgiving that
have been designed
by God to nourish,
give good health,
and sustain our
bodies, are
lacking in the
necessary and
essential minerals
and vitamins.
As the result we
feel compelled to
purchase these to
try and maintain
some semblance of
health and
well-being.
Even
the dairy cows are
tampered with
today. They are
highly specialized
in breed to give
huge volumes of
milk. Within
the feed they are
given to eat are
terrible things
that are proved to
be harmful over
time to both the
cows and the
people -- that is
all those who
drink their milk
and eat their
cheese and butter.
As
an example:
Consider the MAD
COW DISEASE that
affected the
United Kingdom of
late where large
herds of cattle
and sheep had to
be slaughtered due
to their unhealthy
diet. It has
also touched other
nations of Israel
as well. I am
afraid we have not
seen the end of
this.
After
purchasing the
organic milk we
drink, I read what
was written above
the milk and
related dairy
products, it said:
“The
dairy farmers from
whom we purchase
our milk products
have signed
certified copies
stating they do
not use rBST (the
synthetic Bovine
Growth hormone (BGH
recombinant
somatotiopic)”
I
am fearful many of
our members
purchase their
food supplies
without ever
really thinking
about their own
health and the
family.
Even the beef
stock are fed the
same kind of
highly specialized
feed with added
things that would
turn our stomachs
if we really knew
what we eat and
drink. This
is done to put
weight on them
fast and therefore
increase their
profits.
We
live in a highly
competitive world.
People who feel
compelled to join
the rat race to
survive. A few
farmers have made
the choice to try
and do things the
right way.
They are to be
commended.
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL
BE LIKE, page, 86,
Mr. Armstrong,
“Our fields are
cursed, cursed
with upset
weather, drought,
flood, insect
damage and disease
– cursed with
chemicals and
man-made
blight.”
It
is an upside down
world that will
have to be turned
right-side up! People are
so accustomed to
living in this
kind of world they
do not know they
are standing on
their heads!
Notice what was
said about the
apostle Paul and
those with him by
the hostile Jews
while in
Thessalonica:
“Those
who have TURNED
THE WORLD UPSIDE
DOWN have come
here too” (Acts
17:6-7).
This
not only has to do
with the deception
of religion, but
in every way.
As was said to Mr.
Armstrong in the
early years,
(words to this
effect),
“Everything man
touches he
soils!”
Jesus
Christ will Turn
the World
Right-side Up —
Jesus
Christ will bring
the needed changes
to turn the world
right-side up!
Mankind will be
expected to work
within this
framework. This
will be brought
about through a
change in heart
and right
education that
will be taught by
the teachings of
His laws.
And all Israel
will be expected
to obey them.
After
God turns Israel
around, He and His
Family Members
will begin working
with the Gentile
nations.
But, as the Bible
makes clear, it
has to begin first
with Israel for
they will not only
set the right
example, but will
also be the
teachers.
As
an example: Jesus
Christ intends the
people of Israel
learn needed
lessons through
the physical
sacrifices that
will begin to be
offered once
again. The same is
true with
re-building the
good earth by
putting into
practice laws that
pertain to the
soil, and with
God’s good
blessings on it,
and their efforts,
it will come to be
richly productive
just as God tells
us.
“Behold,
the days are
coming,” says
the LORD, “when
the plowman shall
OVERTAKE the
reaper. And
the treader of
grapes him who
sows seed; the
mountains shall
drip with sweet
wine. And
all the hills
shall flow with
it. I will bring
back the captives
of My people
Israel; they shall
BUILD the waste
cities and inhabit
them; they shall
also plant gardens
and eat fruit from
them” (Amos
9:13-14).
How
beautiful and
lovely it will be
when all peoples
on earth will be
turned around with
a right
relationship with
God and will be
living their lives
in harmony with
God’s laws.
Notice how the
Psalmist words it:
“Let
the peoples praise
You, O God; let
all the peoples
praise You.
Then the earth
shall yield HER
increase; God, our
own God will bless
us. God
shall bless us,
and all the ends
of the earth shall
fear Him” (Psalm
67-5-7; Leviticus
26:3-4).
The
earth is
personified in
this Scripture as
then yielding her
increase due to
mankind having
learned and
practicing God’s
laws, both
Spiritual and
physical.
The
Beginning —
The
very necessary
giant earthquake
will take place
when Christ steps
down on the Mount
of Olives and will
bring about the
worldwide needed
changes as made
known by Scripture
and the writings
of Mr. Armstrong.
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL
BE LIKE, pages
76-77
“Today
– the greatest
and most awesome
problem of all is
the population
explosion.
Growing
populations in all
nations are
rapidly
outstripping the
ability of the
world to sustain
them. ...
Remember, not more
than 10 percent of
the earth’s
surface is
tillable, or
arable, land.
And now the latest
UN figures
indicate the world
will double in
population in just
35 short years.
... But God has
the solution, and
how simple it is.
Simply make most
of the world
cultivatable. ...
Then provide good,
gentle rainfall,
in right balance,
just at the right
season. And
what happens?
Multiple millions
of acres of
unbelievably
fertile,
productive,
wonderful farmland
become available
– just waiting
to be discovered,
and pioneered. ...
Look
what God promises
‘Fear not, you
worm Jacob, and
you men of Israel,
I will help you,
says the [Eternal]
and your
Redeemer,’ says
the Holy One of
Israel. ‘Behold,
I will make you a
new sharp
instrument having
teeth, you shall
thresh the
mountains, and
beat them small,
and shall make the
hills as chaff.
You shall fan
them, and the wind
shall carry them
away, and the
whirlwind shall
scatter them: and
you shall rejoice
in the [Eternal],
and shall glory in
the Holy One of
Israel. When
the poor and needy
seek water, and
there is none, and
their tongue
faileth for
thirst, I the
[Eternal] will not
forsake them, I
will open rivers
in high places,
and fountains
[artesian wells]
in the midst of
the valleys.
I will make the
wilderness a pool
of water, and the
dry land springs
of water.
...’”
Multiple
Billions to
Populate the Earth
—
The
changes that will
come about will
make possible the
needed food
supplies for the
ever-expanding
population of
mankind throughout
the millennium;
they will also
make possible the
provisions to meet
the needs for the
multiple billions
who will be
resurrected in the
beginning of the
Great White
Throne:
TOMORROW
... WHAT IT WILL
BE LIKE, Page 87
“Will
there be room for
the multiple
billions of humans
on earth? Of
course.
Remember, only 15
percent of the
earth’s surface
is habitable today
– and not more
than 10 percent is
cultivatable.
But when God makes
all the earth
habitable, even
changing the whole
weather patterns
of earth, the
ocean currents,
and flow of arctic
air, the jet
streams, the
pattern of
mountain ranges
and placement of
continents, all
earth will be
peopled. ...”
What
a wonderful and
caring God and
Father we have;
and Jesus Christ
who voluntarily
gave His life that
all of mankind
might ultimately
have the
opportunity for
salvation.
Lessons
to be Learned by
the Israelis
—
As
Mr. Armstrong
implied in the
above quote: the
needed changes he
described will be
there immediately,
but the virgins
areas probably
will not be
pioneered until
the need develops,
probably well into
the millennium.
With
the greatly
reduced population
of mankind due to
famine, disease
epidemics,
warfare, Great
Tribulation, and
Armageddon, there
will be no
immediate need
until mankind
begins to
experience a
population
explosion, and
also to begin
preparing for the
Great
Resurrection.
In
the beginning of
the millennium,
the Israeli exiles
will be settled in
the ancient
Promised Land. As
such there will be
no need for the
land of Israel
will be large
enough to
facilitate them
with much room
left over.
It
seems necessary
the Israeli people
will have to work
to some extent
with the
carry-over of some
of the problems of
today. If Jesus
Christ made
everything perfect right
from the beginning
there would be no
learning that
would lead to
teaching others
from personal
experience.
This
is what we should
be learning during
our physical lives
as members of
God’s Church who
will in this
coming time be
teaching the human
teachers in this
coming new world.
Obedience
and practice of
these physical
laws over some
little time will
make way for new
rich soil for the
planting and
growth of healthy
grain crops,
vegetables,
the setting out of
new fruit trees,
and other needs.
All will have to
be worked with and
require some
little time for
Scripture reveals
the land will be
desolate.
Even so, the
rebuilding of the
cities and farms
buildings will
spring up
virtually
overnight.
An
example that could
be thought of is
Berlin and London
at the close of
World War II.
It was said that
it would take at
least 50 years
before Germany
could be rebuilt
form the pile of
rubble it came to
be from the
continued
bombings. It
took far less time
for both.
Beautiful new
structures came
into existence
almost overnight
due to the hard
and untiring
efforts of the
German people and
people in England.
And so will it be
in Tomorrow’s
world!
To
Be Continued —
Some
of the laws of God
will be totally
new to the Israeli
people. The first
one I will plan on
writing about in
the next writing
will be the land
Sabbath. It
is a physical law
of God.
However it has
other laws
connected with it
such as the
giving of the
firstfruits from
harvested crops,
and the firstlings
of the herds.
All
have to do with
honoring God who gives the
good blessings. Not
to honor God is a
Spiritual law and
affects our
personal
relationship with
Him (the 1st
and 5th
commandments in
particular). Then
the tithing laws
are affected by
not obeying this
one land-Sabbath
law.
With
this in mind we
can see why James
was led to write
and make known to
us that if we
break one law we
are guilty of all
of them (James
2:10).
Until
next time, our
continued love and
prayers for each
one,
Don
Billingsley
To
listen to our
Church services by
a speaker phone,
please dial (free
call): 1-800-
820-4690, then
follow the
operator’s
instruction and
punch in the
following numbers:
7076149, then to
be followed by the
pound sign #
