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At that point, they will have the
opportunity to receive the Holy
Spirit, which enlivens one to
become part of God's very Fami–
ly! Such an opportunity will be
afforded Joseph Merrick. Given
bis gentleness of character, it is
hard to imagine him not choosing
the way of God.
We should also be reminded of
the need for Christ Lo return to
radically change the world. Mer–
rick could not be cured . Even
today, bis disease can only be con–
trolled. But in God's World
Tomorrow, there will be no more
neurofibromatosis. No more dis–
figurement. No more deformity.
T here will be merey . Joseph's
life was made miserab le by
unthinking, gawking and staring
people who taunted him in public,
much as little children often
make fun of those of them who
are even in the slightest way dif–
ferent from the others. God's
world will be made up of those
who act more like Treves and less
like the ugly crowd at Liverpool
Street Station. One really cannot
think of Joseph Merrick without
thinking of how God's Govern–
ment will judge people after
Christ returns:
" ... and he (the returned
Christ] shall not judge after the
sight of bis eyes, neither reprove
after the hearing of bis ears: But
with righteousness shaJI he judge
the poor, and reprove with equity
for the meek of the earth ... "
(lsaiah
11
:3-4).
Merrick wrote a short autobi–
ography, giving sketchy details of
his life. He concluded it with a
stanza from a poem by Isaac
Watts, a Nonconformist (non–
Church of England) clergyman,
which seemed to express aJI bis
hopes and aspi rations:
lf 1
could reach from pole to
pole/ Or grasp the ocean with a
span/
1
would be measured by the
soul f
The mind's the standard of
tbe man.
The Elephant Man most of all
wanted to be j udged by his
mind- hi s character- not bis
misshapen body. Someday, he
will be. o
February 1981
TIME CAPSULE
(Continued from page 14}
warning, he wrote it down- to
preserve it tbrougb the centuries
until it could be delivered.
You are now hearing that
warning message!
Ezekiel's mes–
sage-along with the warnings
and forecasts of other ancient
prophets of God - are being
broadcast daily around the world
by way of "The World Tomor–
row" radio program, and being
read monthly in the pages of
The
Plain Truth.
And the kings, pres–
idents and prime ministers of this
world are hearing them personal–
ly from Herbert W . Armstrong,
editor in chief of
The Plain Truth
and apostle of Jesus Christ. Ezek–
iel's ancient commission is
now
being fulfilled!
A Rebellious Natlon
Now notice sorne of the high–
lights of Ezekiel's message. No
warning is more urgent or more
timely for today.
" 1 send thee to the children of
Israel, to a rebellious nation that
hath rebelled against me," God
tells Ezekiel. " They and their
fathers bave transgressed against
me, even unto this very day"
(Ezekiel 2:3).
God calls the people of Israel
"impudent children and stiff–
hearted" (2:4). He is not overly
optimistic that they will respond
to bis warnings through Ezekiel.
"The house of Israel wi ll not
hearken unto thee; for they will
not hearken unto me," God
observes (3:7).
Y
et God encouraged Ezekiel to
faithfully execute his commission
nevertheless. Whether the people
heed the warning or not, God
says, "they shall know that there
hath been a prophet among
them" (2:5). They will be without
excuse!
Ezekiel's message is not a
pleasant one. It is one of "lamen–
tations, and mourning, and woe"
(2:10).
It
is one that many crit–
ics--oblivious to its real purpose
and ultimate objective- have la–
beled a doomsday message.
In reality, it is the
only
mes-
sage that holds out any real hope
for the world today!
Time of Jacob's T rouble
Conside r the following: Bible
prophecy reveals that in the years
ahead, a great confederation of
1O
nations will arise in Europe-an
end-time reviva! of the ancient
Roman Empire. This power will
come under the leadership of a
military dictator known as "the
beast" (Revelation 17:12-13).
The beast will ultimately invade
Egypt, Palestine and other arcas
of the Middle East. Later he will
confront the power of Soviet-led
Asia and then of Jesus Christ
himself at his Second Coming
(Rev. 17:14).
But where are Britain and the
United States in this prophetic
picture?
The answer is Britain and the
United States- the modern-day
descendants of Joseph, leader of
the house of lsrael-will them–
selves be subjugated by the beast!
This will occur at the beginning
of a period of religious persecu–
tion caJled the Great Tribulation
(Matthew 24:21). The prophet
J eremiah calls it "the time of
J acob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7).
The American and Briti s h
peoples are to become embroiled
in a crisis that will paJe the first
two world wars into insignifi–
cance!
See what Ezekiel has to say of
the impending fate of the 20th–
century house of Israel:
"A third part of thee shall .die
with the pesti lence [disease epi–
demics], and with famine shall
they be consumed in the midst of
thee; and a third part shall fall by
the sword round about thee; and
1
will scatter a third part into all
the winds, and
1
will draw out a
sword after them" (Ezekiel
5:
12).
One third of the peoples of
America and Britain are-yet in
the futu re- to die of famine and
disease! Another third will perish
in military attack! The remaining
third will be taken captive as
slaves into all parts of the earth!
This is the terrifying future in
store for the English-speaking
peoples if events continue in the
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