Herbert W. Armstrong Audio Sermon Transcripts
The Church of God Faithful Flock brings you transcripts of sermons given by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.
Bricket Wood Message by Herbert W. Armstrong
Sermon Date: May 18, 1974
Well, greetings everybody once again. It's nice to be back at Bricket Wood. I might just say that about a week ago we did have a wonderful turnout over in Jerusalem; and I was able to speak about 25 minutes to the top people of the nation Israel—members of the Knesset, members of the Cabinet, Supreme Court Judges, presidents of universities, and former presidents, mayors, and so on. And early tomorrow morning I'm leaving for Nassau, in the Bahamas. I think there will be radio interviews. There's no television there. There will be speeches at businessmen's clubs through the week at noon, like the Kiwanis, the Rotary Club, and so on—as we had when we were there before.
What has caused this slight change? On next Sunday (I believe it is afternoon, instead of evening.) one of the two I think best known concert pianists in the world Horowitz—Vladimir, I guess it is, Horowitz—is going to be giving the first recital that has occurred on the West Coast of the United States in about 27 years at the Ambassador Auditorium. Now, I very much hated to miss it; and still it was coming on the same date as the Sunday evening campaign in Nassau. But now something else has developed; and we have decided that we will only advertise that I will be there on Friday night and Saturday night, but there'll be the three-night campaign. We'll just turn it over to Mr. Bass on Sunday night, and he will have the crowd right there. He will be the minister there. He'll have to take care of the others some other way for a while. It'll turn the people that are attracted by this campaign right over to a local minister. And that will enable me to be in Pasadena.
Now one reason that is necessary: the Oxxon... (Is that the way you pronounce it?) It's one of the biggest oil companies in the world. I think it's a consolidation of Standard Oil and several others, probably more than a billion dollar corporation (or billion pound, either one). And anyway, they are going to sponsor a national coast-to-coast broadcast on NBC or CBS about a month later of Maestro Horowitz in the Ambassador Auditorium. And to do it they'll have to give it, you know, the atmosphere—to show pictures of the Ambassador Auditorium by day and also by night, and the shimmering water, that the pillars rise up seven-stories high out of the lake of water, and interior shots I hope—because the Ambassador Auditorium is, I can say without exaggeration, the finest auditorium that has been built in the world (so far as I know) in this century.
I'm not comparing it with something like the Basilica of St. Peter down at Rome, which I think took over 200 or 300 years to build and is filled with ornate carvings, many pictures that if you see them on the walls you will think they are oil. And they are not oil. They are all various little pieces of marble, cut in the right color and put together in a way that makes a wonderful picture. Now, things like that took years, and years, and years to do. And I think there is nothing else on Earth like it, or ever has been.
But in the form of more-or-less modern architecture, I think there has been nothing that will compare with the Ambassador Auditorium; and the acoustics are perfect! The Los Angeles Music Center, which is pretty much supported by The Los Angeles Times—the same family are back of both; and they are very jealous. I don't know why they should be. We've been bringing greater attractions into the southland, as we call that area of southern California, than they have. But they could have gotten them. And, if they didn't, that's not our fault.
And our acoustics are better, as their auditorium is more than twice the size of ours; and you can't make an auditorium that big and seating that many people (in the grasp for more dollars and more profits) and have the acoustics as good. Practically all the music halls and auditoriums for big musical concerts in Europe are about the size of ours, or smaller. We seat 1,250 and they seat about 3,500; and that is the difference.
Now the Music Center in Los Angeles will compare favorably with anything anywhere in the world. They are bringing that kind of cultural attractions to southern California. It's a credit to southern California, as things in this world go. And we can't see any reason why they should be jealous, but they are. One thing that hurt them very much down there: When Maestro Rubinstein was there a year ago last January 15th, a couple of nights later (he with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra) he was doing a concerto. He insisted on taking our piano from the Ambassador Auditorium down to the Music Center to play on it. Now, that was very humiliating to them. And they had to get it into the newspaper that he had borrowed the Ambassador College piano, and it was mentioned.
Well, I told Maestro Rubinstein that I had the two best pianos in the United States in that auditorium, about three or four weeks before, when I was having dinner with him in New York. And the Maestro said to me, he says: "Young man…" Now, that was the most delightful insult that anyone has given me in a long, long time. No one has called me young man for a long time. By the way, Maestro Rubinstein just a week or two ago entered his 90th year. He's older than I am. So he could say that; and I enjoyed that very much, because I still am a young man.
I told him I had the two finest pianos in the United States. He said, "Young man, are you a professional?" I said, "No. But you are." Well he said, "You don't know what you are talking about." I said, "No. I'll let you do the talking." Well I just told you his answer. He insisted on using our piano for the concerto in The Pavilion, which is the name of the large auditorium at the Music Center, much to their chagrin; and he has done it again since.
Well, this large oil company, which probably is the largest in America now. I think it's a new consolidation. I think it includes a lot of Standard Oil, maybe Gulf Oil and several others. I'm not really up on just what it is. But they want to feature him in a program that will probably be listened to by 30-40 million people in all parts of the United States. And I need to be there to help arrange it. And I think that's very important because it'll give Ambassador College the greatest exposure to the public in the United States that we've ever had at one time, in one kind of program. So I think that's important.
Well, the Work of God is going on around the world. And the Work of God is not going on around the world in any other manner, shape, or form anywhere. And that's the main thing we are called for right now, is to get that out.
Now today I want to get back to prophecy. Not just world events. You know most prophecy and most history that you read in even profane history of the world is concerned with governments—the rise and fall of governments, and wars, and who is ruling, as ruling this or that of the other nations, and when.
In the Bible you will find however, that world events are listed only as they affect the nation Israel. The Bible is essentially the Book of Israel; and it not concerned with the affairs of other nations that have no connection, no relationship, to Israel. But still the historic portions are mostly a matter of the rise and fall of governments, and of their kings, and political and economic and governmental things. But God is interested in government, and I hope you'll see why before I'm through here this afternoon.
But I am interested now in prophecies, not of world events of this world but of God's Church. Now as in the prophecy of world events (and the many prophecies in the Bible about it), there is virtually nothing prophesied that was to happen between the first century and our time today except what you find of the seven Churches in the 2nd and 3rd chapters of Revelation. And there you find seven successive Churches, or eras of time in the Church; but also it is speaking of the Church as a whole all through the time. For example, the message to the Church of Ephesus was primarily for the Church in those early years. However, the Laodicean condition was there; and so was the Philadelphian condition. But the Ephesus condition dominated.
Now when we finally come to the Laodicean era, which is still ahead of us, the primary dominating factor will be the Church that is lukewarm. But you also find the Ephesus condition, the Thyatira condition, and all of the others there. So, in a sense, it is talking of the whole Church all the way through. When you read that, for example, if we overcome we will reign with Christ on His throne—that doesn't mean just the people of that particular era. That will apply to all eras. But still it will be the overcomers. Now I'll have something more to say about that a little later too, I hope.
But then was the prophecy in Matthew 24 about the false ministers going out and how the true gospel would be replaced with a false one, about wars, about famines, and so on. Those things have happened. There's no specific prophecy about any one event; but it's just a general condition that has prevailed more or less from the first century on till now, except that now it has escalated at the time of the end.
Now finally we come down to verses 13 and 14; and I want to emphasize verse 13 this time, where Jesus said:
Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
When I was holding the campaign, back in 1933, that resulted in the raising up of the parent Church of this Philadelphia era, we had one man who was quite a critic who attended; and it was his habit to attend any evangelistic meetings held in that area there. He would always ask the speaker a question, and he would never fail to stump the speakers. He was a Bible scholar, self-professed. He admitted it himself. And he thought he understood the Bible better than any others.
Now in Eugene, Oregon (and this was just out of Eugene) on the University of Oregon campus, on one corner of it, is a… Well, you might say a Bible school. It's really a seminary; I think of the Church of Christ. Anyway, their young men were often sent out to practice on an audience out there.
This old man, Mr. Belshaw, would always ask a question. And he'd have a question they couldn't answer, and he would expose right off the bat that they didn't know anything about the Bible; and then they'd be through. The audience wouldn't come any more.
So the first night… No, he didn't come the first night. He waited until the second night in my campaign. (And it went on for six weeks.) He said, "Mr. Armstrong." I said, "Well, yes, Mr. Belshaw." You see, it was a little one-room schoolhouse that only seated 36 people. However, we had some standing. We probably had 45 people there, which seemed like a tremendous audience at that time. He said, "May I ask you a question?" And I said, "Yes, Mr. Belshaw, you may."
He said, "May I ask you, 'Are you saved?' Mr. Armstrong?" I said, "Mr. Belshaw, you ought to know that in Matthew 24, verse 13, it says 'He that shall endure unto the end, the same SHALL BE saved." Well, everybody laughed at him because that's what he expected to say to me. He thought I would say, "Sure, I'm saved." And he was going to quote that and make a laughing-stock out of me. So it sort of got turned around. And every time he had started a heckle it happened too. God always seemed to give me the right answer.
I know later on (This was about the beginning of the 6th week.) I'd announced I was going to speak on the Sabbath question. So a minister from this school came. I think he was a graduate by this time. And it was customary in those days; and I hadn't come to know as much about the Scriptures as I do now, or I wouldn't have gone in with it. But any such meetings as that, if a visiting minister came, he was asked to lead in prayer. So I asked this visiting minister to lead in prayer. Well, his whole prayer was a tirade against the Sabbath. He thanked God that we had a Savior to worship instead of a day! And he said, "I am like the apostle Paul was. I am determined to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ; and Him crucified." He said, "Away with these things of days and things like that." Well when we arose, you see, he thought he had my sermon completely destroyed before I'd started.
Well, an incident happened that week. My wife had just written to me about it. I'd gone on down to Eugene; but my family was still up in Salem, where we'd been living for a few months. And so I mentioned this incident, that I'd just had a letter. I said, "I agree with this man and his prayer. And I too am determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
I said, "I just received a letter from my wife. And our oldest son, Richard, was playing outside. (It was summer then.) And the window was open. My wife was doing the housecleaning or something. And he was playing with another little boy. (They were both at that time, I think, 4 ½ to 5 years old.) And the other boy was using words like gosh, and darn, and gee-whiz. My son wasn't going to stand for that any longer. He stooped down, and he picked up two sticks, and he crossed them. He said, 'Donald, look here. Do you know what that there is?' 'No.' He said, 'Well, that there is a cross.' And he said, 'Do you know that they had to take Jesus Christ and nail Him up to a cross until He died there BECAUSE you are always saying gosh, and darn, and gee-whiz. Don't you say those things any more!'"
I said, "I'm, like this other minister that lead us in prayer, determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. They took Jesus Christ and nailed Him up to a cross till He died BECAUSE you people have been … Jesus said, "I have kept My Father's commandments; and I've set you an example, that you should do as I've done to you."
Now, the next verse here in Matthew 24:
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached [In Mark 13:10 it's "published."] in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and THEN shall the end come.
The disciples had just asked Him for a sign of when the end of this world would come, and He would come to usher in the World Tomorrow. And He had not given that sign until He came to this 14th verse. Now IF THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM HAD BEEN PREACHED and proclaimed to the world all through the time, up to the end and the time of Christ's coming, He couldn't say that would be the sign of His coming, could He? In other words, HE SAID RIGHT THERE THAT HIS GOSPEL WOULD NOT BE PREACHED UNTIL THE TIME OF THE END! Otherwise, what He said made no sense whatever, if it had been preached all the time. His preaching didn't mean that you've come yet, to the time of the end. So that is really a very important point.
We, right now, have come to a place that I think you find described in the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation, and beginning with verse 7. The time when it says:
Revelation 12:7 And there was…
It speaks of prophecies in the past tense, as if they had already happened—because, when it's a prophecy in the Word of God, it's just as certain as if it had already passed.
Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8) and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast out [Who is the dragon? "The great dragon was cast out…"], that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.
Now Brethren, I suppose that couldn't include anybody here? He deceiveth the whole world! You know, a deceived person thinks he's right. If you KNOW you're wrong, you WOULDN'T BE DECEIVED! Then you'd know. Deceived people are probably just as sincere as those who are undeceived and who know the truth. And this whole world is deceived! That's not saying anything against the person.
Revelation 12:9-10 …which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God.
That doesn't come until the Second Coming of Christ. But, at the time of this prophecy, the announcement will go out that now is the time, now it "is come."
Revelation 12:10 …and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them…day and night.
Now, I think Satan has a few people doing his bidding. They like to accuse me of this, and that, and the other thing. Really, I'd hate to start accusing people. That is the job the Devil is doing. Well, anyway come on now to the 12th verse:
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe unto the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
How does he know? How does he know the time is about up and that this world is about to end? Because WHAT THIS CHURCH IS DOING! The gospel of the Kingdom is NOW going to the world for the FIRST TIME in 1850-1900 years. That's how Satan knows.
Revelation 12:13-14 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. (14) And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Now, that is a prophecy that is just immediately ahead. Perhaps that war in heaven is already being fought, or has been. We are very close to that time. But beginning at that point is a good deal like coming into a movie, and it's been going on for some little time. And the things you see don't exactly make sense to you, because you don't know what had gone on before. You need to see it from the beginning. And, you know, it's a good deal like that. We start in the teaching of the Bible for this time, and prophecy for this time. And if you don't know what went on before, you just don't get it.
I've looked at sometimes plays on television. Maybe it's an hour long; and, for some reason, that I wanted to see this particular one. And I tune in when it's been going on for about 15 minutes; and, you know, I can't make head or tail of it from that time on. I don't know what went before; and everything else is just based on what went before, and you don't get the meaning. So we have to go back to the beginning. And I tell you, that's one reason people DON'T UNDERSTAND the Bible. It's one reason they DON'T UNDERSTAND the true gospel. They try to come in when it's about half or two-thirds over and understand it. And you don't get it that way at all!
We need to know what led up to it. What has led up to this point? This takes people on Earth. There's a devil here. The devil hates the people. It doesn't tell us "why" at that point. You have to go back before. How did the people come to be here? How did human beings ever come to be here? Did GOD put us here? Or did we just grow here, by evolution? Now, I would think you'd want to know that. I do. And when people try to disagree with the truth of God and of God's Church, they usually start right in there; and take it all out of context, and you don't know what's gone before and you don't understand it.
All right, let's just skim through, very rapidly. See if I can skim through in about 10 minutes.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens [It should be plural, heavens.] and the earth.
In the Hebrew language, it is plural; In other words, the whole universe. It was a perfect Creation. The Hebrew words indicate a perfect Creation. In Job 38:1-7, God is speaking to Job. He says, "Where were you, Job, when I created the Earth?" Job had apparently built a great building. He'd been the one who'd been building it. It was a building where the cornerstone was laid on last. Now there's only one kind of a building where that happens; and that is in a pyramid, where the cornerstone is the top stone. And this was one where the builders rejected that Stone [Matthew 21:42], and that Stone was Christ.
Apparently, Job then…there's some indication that he well could have been the builder of the Great Pyramid. Now, not that he was Khufu. He was not the Pharaoh of Egypt at all. But he could have been the great engineer that the Pharaoh brought in to do it for him. Anyway, God was showing how He created the Earth.
"Where were you, when I created the Earth? When I laid the line upon it? When I did this, and that, and the other thing? And ALL THE HOLY ANGELS shouted for joy!" [Job 38:7] The angels were already there before the Earth was created. It was a beautiful place. The angels were so glad to see it that they shouted for joy.
Now, that indicates to us that angels populated this Earth before Adam. God had created angels. He had put them here, if you read the various scriptures about it. First is II Peter 2nd chapter and from the 4th on through the 6th verse. You find the angels that sinned and kept not their first estate, which was this Earth. And then the next thing shows another sin—between Adam and Noah (and the Flood)—that brought destruction to the whole Earth as a result of that Earth-wide sin. Then next it mentions Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed totally; but the area that the sin covered was the area destroyed. In that case, it was just those few cities. So we know there was the destructions to the Earth.
Now you come back to the 2nd verse of Genesis 1, and you find that the Earth was in a state called in the Hebrew language "tohu" and "bohu." Those Hebrew words really mean waste and empty, or chaotic and in confusion (as a result of the angels that sinned). They were here to develop the Earth, to do something good with it, to build it up. Instead, they tended to destroy it just as Satan has induced human beings to do! We have polluted the Earth—its surface, its soil, the water, the drinking water, the air. It's all polluted. We have tended to destroy what God gave us. We are doing the bidding of the Devil, who is the god of this world.
Now we find that God's government was put over those angels. And God set one on a throne. He was a super-archangel. He was the greatest, most perfect being that God can create. Now let me tell you one thing: God CANNOT create holy, righteous character instantly in a person by fiat. That's something that can't be done. That kind of character has to be developed through experience and by time. But God created this being, great as he was; gave him powers; gave him the power of thinking, of reasoning, of drawing conclusions and making decisions, making choices. He wouldn't have had any personality or been a 'being' otherwise.
Now God instructed him in the truth, in the government of God, which is based on the law of God—which is love. L-O-V-E. Love is AN OUTGOING CONCERN towards others. And God's law is love, and God's law is not like any laws men make. God's law is a way of life. Men don't make laws that are a way of living, but laws to govern people the way the lawmakers want to rule them and govern them. So, this fellow got to reasoning. He got to thinking. You see, God's law is love. Now that's the way of peace. That is the way of cooperation. That's the way of helping, assisting, of having concern for others.
But Lucifer began to reason, "Look, I want to exalt myself. Why should I exalt God? I'm going to get myself to be bigger than God. God made the universe. He created it. I don't have the power to do that. But I'm going to try to take it away from Him. I want to take it away from Him!" So he reasoned that lust and greed would be better; that jealousy and envy would be better. He resented authority of God over him, and he began teaching his angels that. "Look, God has taken everything but this one Earth. He's got all the rest in the universe. He's not fair!"
They began to criticize God. They began to judge Him. They got into a spirit of competition and strife, of violence and war, of destruction. The name of this super-archangel was Lucifer. You read of that in the 14th chapter of Isaiah. (I can't take the time for all of that. I want to go through this real quickly, this part of it.) He was given a throne. He said, "I will exalt my throne above the angels of God."
In Ezekiel 28 it talks of him. It says he was perfect in all of his ways from the day God CREATED him (He wasn't a born being; A created being.), until iniquity was found in him. It said he sealed up the sum of perfection, wisdom, and beauty. He was a created being, a great being. But he had brought disaster to this Earth; and he had scrapped the government of God, which was here.
Now, why did God create human beings? You go back into the 2nd verse of the 1st chapter of Genesis:
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
In other words, it was chaotic and in confusion. It was waste and empty. It was covered with water. Darkness covered the face of the deep. In other words, it was all ocean. Now in the 104th Psalm, and verse 30, you will read that God sent forth His Spirit and He RENEWED THE FACE OF THE EARTH. God renewed the face of the Earth. And the first thing God said was… And God creates everything by Jesus Christ, who is the WORD of God; and He speaks and it is done. He spoke and He said, "Let there be LIGHT." Satan brought darkness. God is the Author of light, of truth. Satan is the author of error—to deceive people, to blind them, till they think they are right when they are wrong.
Sometimes he darkens those that we love the most. And Satan's been busy over here in England, very busy. God says Satan's has got people to turning and thinking that black is white, and that down is up, that east is west. They're sincere. They really believe it. But they are misled. That's the pity of it. Brethren, I tell you, we need to pray for people that have been so deceived.
Do you have to be a weak-minded nit-wit to be deceived by Satan? Do you know that he has deceived the greatest minds on this Earth! The GREATEST MINDS don't know the truth; they don't have it. They don't have the Spirit of God. They don't believe there is a Satan. They don't believe there is a God, most of them.
Well, in six days God renewed the face of the Earth. Then He said, after creating the animals each after its own kind:
Genesis 1:26 Let us…
The word for "God" is Elohim, which is a uni-plural that is used in the first chapter of Genesis. Now another word comes into the second chapter, which refers to the Word—the Spokesman, Yahweh. But Elohim is the word in the first chapter of Genesis; and it is "God," and GOD IS A FAMILY—a family of persons. ONE GOD! ONE FAMILY, But more than one person. You read of it in John 1, and the first 5 verses, in the New Testament.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
That Word became flesh and dwelt among us, it was Jesus Christ. He's always existed. He was WITH God, but He's a different person. And when He was born as a human being later, God called Him His Son. He said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." That's A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP! Jesus prayed to Him as His Father. The Scriptures show us that the Church is going to be married to Jesus Christ. The Church will be the wife. There's a Husband and a wife. There's a Father and a Son. That's A FAMILY relationship!
Now after this thing happened to the angels, why did God create human beings? There had to be a reason; and, if you don't understand that and the purpose, you don't understand things. Why didn't God create another super-being? Well, how did He know that he wouldn't do the same thing, and go the wrong way? God was left as the only Being… And the one we call the Father is the Father of the Family; but the one who became Christ was with Him, and absolutely 100% with Him in every way.
And do you know it's impossible for God to sin. God knows and is SO WELL acquainted with the fact that to go contrary to His way of love is to bring disaster, suffering, destruction, darkness, everything wrong. And so God knew that He was the only One that could be absolutely relied upon never to go contrary to His way of love, which is His law. And that was the law of the government of God.
Now, just stop and think a minute. Some people don't like LAW. They resent it. Do you know where that's coming from? That's coming from Satan! He is broadcasting. He's the prince of the power of the air. He broadcasts. And your mind is in tune with his wavelength, your mind - every one of you here. So is my mind. But when you come to know God's truth, you begin to recognize what is wrong when it comes to your mind.
Now you don't hear Satan broadcast. You don't see anything (like you do on television). He broadcasts merely in thoughts, in impulses, and in attitudes. You know, the attitude is the whole thing; the attitude. If you have an attitude of peace, of harmony, and of love—you are not going to get in trouble with anyone. But if you have an attitude of resentment, of saying "You stepped on my toes, so I'm going to sock you," or the attitude of getting to the other and hurting him before he gets to you—that's the attitude of Satan; and he puts that attitude into people.
Children grow up with it. They are not born with it. They don't have it when they're born. I have just concluded an article for The Plain Truth on human nature. Where did human nature come from? Now we've never had anything specifically on that, and it's time we had it. And so I have written, it's the part 8 of the Human Potential series. Where did human nature come from? Did God create it in us? Did God create in us a nature that is hostile to God and not subject to His law (the right way of life) and can't be? Did GOD CREATE IN US a heart that is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked? Did the God of love do that?
But we have it, don't we. Then where did we get it? God didn't create it. It's being broadcast. Children begin to get a little of it by a year and a half, or two years certainly. You'll find a little bit of rebellion against what Mom and Dad say to children before they get very old. You won't find it in an infant of 2 or 3 months old though. You see a sweet little baby. Don't think all that evil is in him. It isn't, yet. But it'll get there. And we have all tasted of the way of Satan, every one of you, and I. We all have!
Now we are put here for a purpose. God knew HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT WILL NOT AND CANNOT EVER SIN, because He will not. And He has a great program. He had a great program ahead for the angels, to cover the whole universe! Most of the universe, except for this Earth, is like our moon. It is a dead hulk of decay. Now God doesn't create things like that. There's a reason they became that way. And God intended the angels to go over the whole universe and do a tremendous job; but they had to do the job here first. They didn't.
They had to. God can't have things going without some kind of regulation. And we can't have peace, and we can't do the job God wants done, unless we are in harmony and have His Spirit of love. That's the way He had to have a government—that is based on love, on helping one another, on giving and sharing to one another.
So Satan tried to turn that into a harsh law that is trying to hurt you. And he pictures a god who is a god of vengeance and wants to get revenge on us. That's not our God! That's Satan's god. And Satan is the god of this world.
Now, God saw that the only way He could get beings that could get this job done OVER THE WHOLE UNIVERSE (more than just this Earth) was to reproduce Himself. So He started the reproduction process. To do that, it required matter. There are other reasons it required matter, and that was explained in an article (last September, I believe it was) in The Plain Truth, in installment 7. I hope you read it.
If you didn't, you'd better get the copy and go back and read it—because that's knowledge you'll never get any other place! God has not revealed it to any church. He's not revealed it to science. You won't get it in any university or college. It is the kind of knowledge you need, and you can't understand without it. God is revealing TO HIS CHURCH new knowledge, more coming now than ever did before. But the new knowledge and new teaching isn't that the law is done away. Not at all! That's Satan's teaching. That's what I had to confront 49 years ago.
Now in six days, as I said, God recreated the surface of the Earth; and it was beautiful. It was perfect. It isn't now, because man has polluted it; but it was then.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us [Not "Me." More than one person—"Let Us…"] create man in our image. In other words, "Let Us make man after the God-kind." Man was made TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. Man was given a mind, inferior to God…
I need to be triplets. I need to be several places around this Earth all at once, and I can't be. Well, God is going to reproduce Himself so that there'll be a lot of Him. And He wants us to come to be like Him; and, if we'll just yield, we can be. We can be.
Well, He created Adam. He said it wasn't good that the man be alone, so He created woman to be a help for man. As He had instructed Lucifer in the truth first and then sent him out, now He did not let Satan get to Adam… Because Lucifer had his name changed. He's now Satan. He was "Light bringer." The name Lucifer meant bringer of light and truth. "Shining star of the dawn" is the meaning of that Hebrew word, or name. And now his name is Satan, which means adversary, competitor, enemy. That's what he has become. But he's an immortal being, just as angels. He MUST remain on this Earth UNTIL a successor has qualified to restore THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD on this Earth, and has been inducted into office and restored it.
Adam was the first one that had a chance. The two trees were symbolic in the Garden of Eden. The one, of the Holy Spirit of God, that would have given him God's nature—the divine nature. He didn't have it. He never took it. The other was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They took that. And when Eve took it, and Adam took it with her, they took TO THEMSELVES the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. They wouldn't let God tell them what is the right way. "No, I want to decide for myself. I don't want any government over me!"
And YOU'LL FIND OUT THAT THOSE THAT GO OUT FROM THIS CHURCH, SOONER OR LATER, COME TO THE ONE THING: They'll say "I DON'T WANT ANY GOVERNMENT OVER ME!" And WHAT GOD DOES WANT IS HIS GOVERNMENT OVER US! THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'VE BEEN BORN, BRETHREN! (I CAN'T PUT ENOUGH EMPHASIS IN THAT.)
IF YOU HATE THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD, YOU ARE ON SATAN'S SIDE. GET OVER ON TO SATAN'S SIDE, IF THAT'S WHERE YOU STAND. BUT IF YOU ARE ON GOD'S SIDE, GET OVER HERE ON GOD'S SIDE; AND STAY THERE!
And remember: "He that endureth unto the end" is the one who's going to be saved. SATAN IS OUT TO DECEIVE YOU! I don't say, "Follow me." But I say, "Don't follow any other man. FOLLOW THE TRUTH." I do say, "Follow me as I follow Christ."
Humanity was put here to reject the way that Lucifer turned to, and his angels. To REJECT the way of defiance against the government of God! We were put here to ACCEPT the government of God to be obeyed. Obedient to the government of God; and to come to the place where, as Christ said, if we overcome—overcome Satan's way, overcome sin (which is the transgression of the law)—that we will sit with Him on His throne.
Now character must be developed. To have the character of God, it must come from God. But first we have to know God has let us all—allowed us, not caused us—allowed us to grow up accepting so much of Satan's way. Then He gives us the truth. And if we see the truth, and see that God is right, and that the way we've been going (of competition and strife, lust and vanity and greed, of resentment and rebellion against authority) is wrong; we turn over to God's way.
Now we have to be ruled by the Kingdom of God before we can do the ruling in the Kingdom of God. Does that make sense to you? Do you agree with that? Do you think the government of God is wrong? The government of God is love. People will tell you it's not the government of God. They'll tell you it's my government. Well that's what they said about Moses. They said, "Why do you take to yourself, Moses, all of this rule?"
Well those that said it went right down into the earth, didn't they?
I didn't take it to myself, brethren. I was called, and I had to swallow the most bitter pill I had ever swallowed in my life. Satan may have used Adam's wife to get to Adam; but God used my wife to get to me. Now what do you think of that? He made my wife see the truth. It angered me. I didn't want any of it. I had every argument against keeping the Sabbath that anybody can think of today. Well, that's old stuff with me. I went all through that 49 years ago. My wife just smiled and shook her head, "No." I said, "But look. You have to obey me! I'm your husband." She said, "I have to obey you in the Lord, and not contrary to the Lord." Well, I couldn't come back on that; and she remained firm. She didn't lose her love for me, but she didn't lose her love for God either.
So I agreed I would give it an honest research. I almost believed there was no God, because I was challenged on evolution at the same time. Finally I proved how false evolution is. I proved the existence of God. Next I PROVED that the Bible is the Word of God, infallible in its original writings. And, of course, we have different translations and different copies. But we can get to the truth if we want to, if we are sincere enough that we really want to. And finally I had to see that I was wrong, and the world is wrong—that all nations are deceived. Now that was a bitter pill, but I swallowed it.
I'd been in business, and I'd been quite successful. Now I had to start from nothing. And when I started preaching God's way of giving instead of Satan's way of getting, at first I was getting a salary of $3.00 a week; and we were getting eggs, and we were getting (oh) vegetables and things from some farmers thrown in. I rejected that $3.00 a week when a challenge came of obeying God. From that time, within about one week from that time, the parent Church of this era of God's Church was raised up—with 19 members. (Here's that number 19 again, that some people like to ridicule.)
And that Church is going on, bigger and bigger all the time. Sometimes a few fall away. That's been happening all these years, for 42 years now. But always, within 2 or 3 months, more new members have come in than those who went out. The Church keeps growing! THE WORK OF GOD KEEPS GROWING, because THIS IS OF GOD!
When I get into trouble, do you know where I go? I go into a private room, on my knees; and God shows me how to solve it. This is THE WORK OF THE LIVING GOD, and don't you ever forget it! It's not the work of men. And the men that go out of it go to no place. That's happened for 42 years. You see, I've seen this happen. You haven't, brethren. You don't need to take my word for it. If you want to put it to the test, go on out. I won't stop you, but I'll go on loving you just the same—because I do go on loving those who have gone out.
Well, Christ had to meet Satan and had to overcome Satan before He could qualify to rule. Now the first Adam failed. God finally let Satan get to him. He followed his wife in the wrong way. Maybe there's something to it that I finally followed my wife in the right way. Anyway, I hope so; because I know that was of God—and the true God, and not the false god. Some people get mixed up on which is God.
So Jesus Christ came and qualified. Now before Christ came, why did He come? And why are we here? I want to go now to, well, a prophecy in Isaiah. The 9th chapter of Isaiah, beginning with verse 6:
Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us [That's speaking of Israel.] a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the GOVERNMENT [the government] shall be on his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of HIS GOVERNMENT [Some people don't like government. Of the increase of His government] and peace… [Because the government of God is the only government that can bring peace.]
I talked, as I said, to the leaders of the nation Israel about a week ago. I told them of the troubles that the world is in. I have another meeting coming later, when I can go into more detail; and this particular time I couldn't because Minister Moshe Kohl (a minister in the government) had invited everybody there and sponsored it. And I couldn't go further than he would go at that time. Next time I'll be free to say all I want to say, and I will. But this, I mentioned how the world had come to the place where…
It's like an editorial in the United States News and World Report. That's one of our weekly news magazines in the United States that I try to read all the time, because it's one of the very best. This was 2 or 3 years ago. It said in the editorial that it seems that conditions have gotten to the place now where the only way we can keep humanity alive on this Earth is through the existence of and the intervention of a very powerful "unseen hand from some place."
I said, "You know who they meant. They meant the Messiah that your people have been looking for all these years. And I'M HERE TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU THAT HE'S COMING NOW VERY SOON!" And I'm going to make that announcement a lot greater as I go along. There were 170 there, of the top people of the nation Israel. I either end everything I say now with something like that; or I go even further and name names, which I will do in Israel.
The message in the 40th chapter of Isaiah speaks of the cities of Judah, and that is really Judah. It's not Israel. They don't know it. They think they're Israel. They don't know where the Ten Tribes of Israel went. The cities over there, in the nation now called Israel, are the cities of Judah. And God is going to give ME the opportunity to get that message over to them.
God's Work IS going out to the world. Enemies will try to say it isn't, because they would do anything to serve Satan because they are deceived and don't know what they are doing. Well, notice now:
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government [That's why Christ came—to govern.]and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his [David's] kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the [Eternal] of hosts will [do] this.
Now, when it says that, you can be sure it's going to be done. It will be done. Now, Jesus had to qualify. I'd like to go next to the 3rd chapter of Malachi.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me [That's really Christ speaking there.]: and the Lord, whom ye seek [Christ.], shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant…
He's a Messenger with a message. He's the Messenger of the Covenant.
Now, there was the Old Covenant; and Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant. And that married the nation Israel to God, but Israel was not a faithful wife. You know the story. There're so many prophecies about it—in Jeremiah, in Hosea, and many other places in the Bible—especially in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament too.
But there was something wrong with that Covenant. You'll find it in Hebrews the 8th chapter. You also will find it back in Jeremiah 31. The fault was NOT the law, as so many people seem to think. The fault WAS that the people didn't keep it. And what will be changed is that God will write His law of love in their hearts and in their minds. Now, that law is a spiritual law.
There also was a great system of physical laws given to ancient Israel as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. Wherever you read, in the New Testament, "works of the law" the word for "works" there is, 'ergon' is the Greek word; and it means PHYSICAL WORK. They had to do physical things morning, noon, and night to establish in them the habit of obedience.
I carry with me a watch that I hardly ever look at. I got this during the war. I had to have a watch with a very clear face for broadcasting, so I could see when I'd come to 29 minutes. I don't use this watch any more, but I carry it. Do you know why? Because it's better for the watch that it's wound every day. If I lay it in the dresser or some place at home, I'll forget it. But it's habit! I wind it every night when I take it out of my pocket to undress. It's habit.
Which is easier to remember? This is a test of intelligence. Which is easier to remember: To wind a one-day watch or an 8-day clock? Why the answer is it's much easier to remember to wind a one-day watch, because it's habit.
I had two sons. Both had become ministers in the Church of God. The one was killed as a result of an automobile accident now about 18 years ago. However - (All of a sudden what I was going to say just leaves me. Well, I'll get it back in a second or two.) Oh, when they were children. I told you a while ago that I was speaking down by Eugene, Oregon you know. And I hadn't moved the family down yet; and they were still…and I told you about my elder son, Dick.
Well now there was my younger son, whose name is Garner Ted; and he's still around, very much. And somehow Richard, whom we called Dick, (Dickey in those days), he was coming along pretty good. But Ted had just come to this age. He was between 4 and 5 years old by now, and my wife said that I was just going to have to do something. She couldn't make him mind at all. So, when I came up, I called him and I talked to him about it—the way he'd been doing; and he knew it. And I said, "Now, I'm going to have to paddle you for that." And I used a table tennis paddle. I spanked him real good.
"Now," I said, "I wonder if you will do what I tell you?" "Yes," he said he would. Well I said, "You see that chair over there. Take it and move it over here." So he did. I said, "Now take it and put it back again." So he did. I told him everything I could think of. I said do this, do that, do the other thing. I said, "Well, now you're beginning to learn how to obey. Now I'm going to watch you for the next day or two, while I'm home. I'm going to make it a habit to.
A habit of obedience! But all the sacrifices, all of their meat and drink offerings, couldn't forgive their sins; and they couldn't be forgiven until Christ came anyway. It was only a substitute. But when Christ came they didn't need the substitute any longer.
If you got in a football game (soccer over here) and one of the top players of the team who ought to be a starter is 5 minutes late getting there, and you start a substitute in his place. As soon as the main player gets there, the substitute goes out. When Christ came (and the Holy Spirit came that we could have, which they didn't have), we didn't need the substitute any more.
But you see, the spiritual law—the law that is LOVE, the law that is HOLY, AND PERFECT, AND JUST as Paul wrote in the 7th chapter of Romans that is God's Way of life! And that goes on. Yes, I had to argue with my wife, until I lost that battle 49 years ago.
Well, now notice here: Christ is coming as the Messenger of the New Covenant. The New Covenant also will be a marriage, but a marriage of THE CHURCH to Christ. And this time we will come to the place I just read to you, where we can't sin, before that marriage takes place. He said HE WILL WRITE HIS LAW IN OUR MINDS AND OUR INWARD PARTS. He wasn't talking about rituals, the works of the law. THE LAW—THE LAW THAT IS SPIRITUAL. The law that is holy, and just, and good.
You don't find any such thing about the so-called laws of Moses at all. Well, I can go into a doctrinal subject like that some of these times. I don't know why some people now, after all these years, can possibly be deceived on a point like that. Anyway, I want you to notice, here is Christ coming as the Mediator of the New Covenant.
Malachi 3:2-3 But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. (3) And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the [Eternal] an offering in righteousness.
Did Jesus do that when He came? It's speaking about THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST! He didn't do that! He didn't do any of those things. LOOK AT IT! READ IT!
Malachi 3:4-6 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the [Eternal], as in the days of old, and as in former years. (5) And I will come near to you to judgment [Jesus said the Father judges no man. He's given judgment to the Son, didn't He?], and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the [Eternal] of hosts. (6) For I am the [Eternal], I change not [and so on].
That is a prophecy of Christ at His Second Coming. Now we find:
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ…
Then it begins to speak of John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way before Him. But Jesus didn't do any of these things when He came the first time. That's speaking of a SECOND COMING and SOMEONE TO PREPARE THE WAY BEFORE HIS COMING! There's something there you'd better learn, brethren. There also was a Second Coming of Christ. And it just said here that, before He comes, there'd be someone to prepare the way. So someone is preparing the way for the Second Coming, the same as the First.
As the gospel of the first century apostles, so now; there was a great apostasy during the apostles of the first century. And we read of it over here in II Thessalonians.
II Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him. (2) That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Now he was writing about 50 something or 60 AD. I've got some notes on it somewhere, I don't have them right here. The Church was perhaps 10 or 15 years old by that time. The Church was really founded on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD. But the false church was started in 33 AD, or immediately thereafter.
II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…
Now that "falling away" in the Greek is speaking of apostasy; In other words, turning away from the truth of the gospel to a false gospel. And that did happen in their time. And a falling away is prophesied for our time now, too. And the one was only a type of the other.
II Thessalonians 2:3-7 …and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: (4) who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? (6) And now you know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. (7) For the mystery of iniquity…
The "mystery of iniquity" was the religion called the Babylonian Mystery Religion. And it was a religion of lawlessness. It was Satan's religion. Satan is the lawless one, and "iniquity" means lawless. That was the mystery—THE BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION. You'll find it in the 17th chapter of Revelation, where the name is given, as a mother church. She's the mother of daughters that have come out of her IN PROTEST, calling themselves Protestants. That is Revelation 17:5. And her name is:
Revelation 17:5 …MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
The Babylonian Mystery religion—that is the religion that was founded under Simon the magician in 33 AD. And that church still claims it was founded in 33 AD. In that they are right. But this apostasy began then, and it's a type of the apostasy in God's Church right now. But it is Satan that is in back of it; but he deceives people, and they don't know they're deceived. Now, it says:
II Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…
That was in John's day. It was already working at that time. Well, it's still working. Don't you think it isn't!
Now Jesus Christ had to qualify. And you read of the big qualification in Matthew the 4th chapter. I won't take time this afternoon for that. But Satan put Christ through, well, a kind of temptation that you have never been through. He had had to fast for 40 days and 40 nights. A man died just a day or so ago here, from fasting about 50 or 60 days. I don't think he would have lived that long if he hadn't taken a little something. And, of course, that caused uproar here; because there's nothing but violence going on now in this world. But Jesus had to qualify, and when He did:
Mark 1:14 Now after that John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
THAT IS THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD and the FAMILY OF GOD. Now I've said the government of God had been on this Earth. Christ came to preach "the kingdom of God"—which is THE FAMILY OF GOD ADMINISTERING THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD.
Now the government of God has been on this Earth, and has been taken away. But the Family of God has not been yet, and won't until the time of the resurrection and Christ's Second Coming. You see, that'll be something a lot more. That's the Family of God, into which WE WILL HAVE BEEN BORN, I hope. And, brethren, I'm afraid it won't be all of us that are in this room; but I hope it will certainly be most of us—born of God.
It is the Family of God ruling with the government of God. That's why we were born. That's why we are called. That's why humanity was put on the Earth. We need to know why we are here and the purpose that's back of it—to give us meaning, so we can understand where we are going and why. Now notice here:
Revelation 2:26 He that overcometh…
Christ had to overcome Satan. Christ had to face Satan's way, be tempted with Satan's way, and reject it; and He had to prove He would obey the government of God. And when He proved it, He said:
Mark 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.
Time had not been fulfilled until He qualified! He had to QUALIFY before He could become the future King. But there's a reason why God wasn't ready at that time yet. So He went to get the Kingdom and to return; and He's going to return very soon now. And when He comes back, He will have already been crowned. The coronation ceremony will have taken place in heaven. And He's coming as the King of kings and the Lord of lords—to rule all nations.
Now, if He had to qualify, should we rule with Him if we don't qualify in the same way, brethren? I have said we are called ahead of time. This is NOT the time God is trying to save the world. Jesus said: "None can come to Me unless the Father draws him," through the power of the Holy Spirit. He didn't come to give peace that time. He said, "Think not I come to bring peace onto the Earth." He came as He said of His coming—because "some would believe" would only cause trouble among people on Earth that are angry against the truth of God and aren't going to tolerate it if they can stand it, if they can help it.
But when God sets His hand to save the world spiritually, there won't be any Satan around. The first thing Christ's going to do when He comes again is to put Satan away for a thousand years. Then he'll be loosed a little while at the end of it. And at the end of the thousand years, people will be in peace—THE WORLD AT PEACE!
But as soon as Satan is loosed, you'll find millions of people come to war (right away, they want to). They are angry at all of the saints and those that are on God's side, and they want to kill them. Then fire will come down and devour them. That will be their first death. There'll be people that have been born in the Millennium. And God will put Satan away forever, and never can he come back to the people of this Earth again.
Brethren, we are called now. We have to contend with Satan! And Satan is after us, not others. It's "the woman" he's going after, as I read to you at the beginning this afternoon. WE HAVE TO QUALIFY. And there's going to be a difference in status and government between us and those that are called and saved later. Now, it says here:
Revelation 2:26 He that overcometh [And this is for all Churches.] and keepeth my works UNTO THE END [Enduring to the end.], to him will I give power over the nations. (27) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron.
And then in Revelation 3:21:
Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh…
That is Satan and Satan's way, and that comes under the government of God. And the only place on this Earth that the government of God is operating is in this Church. And some are going to try to get you to GET AWAY FROM THAT GOVERNMENT! "Oh," they'll say, "It's A HARSH GOVERNMENT." You tell me one harsh thing that I've ever done in this government. Go on. Tell me! You just can't. It's a government based on a law of love, and it's a government that we poor humans (those of us that God has called and put in certain offices) are trying to administer in love.
And it is those we've done the most for, and had the most love for, that will turn against us. Can you explain to me why that is? Someone said to me in Pasadena, "you notice the people that turn the wrong way? They are people who have been on the payroll getting, taking from this Work. They never can seem to get enough. But the people that are not on the payroll, and the people that are giving and not getting, they remain loyal." Can you explain that? Where your treasure is there your heart is also, if you are putting your treasure in; but if you get, you never get enough and you want more. That's hard to understand sometimes.
Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne…
He had to overcome. He said, "As I overcame." HE OVERCAME SATAN, and we have to do it. Now when you overcome jealousy and envy, bitterness and resentment against someone who stepped on your toes—you are overcoming Satan and Satan's ways, because that's where it came from. That's where it came from.
Now, I could go on and read more of this; but I just wanted to get that to you. And I want to just give you two more passages of Scriptures today. (Maybe I'm over. I don't know. No, I'm not overtime. I was afraid I was. I'll quit on time.) All right, in John 6, verse 66-67.
John 6:66 From that time [During the life of Christ on Earth.] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
What would you have done if you had lived in that day? You know, the Pharisees of that day said, "Look, if we'd lived back in the days of these prophets way back there, we would never have done like they did." That's what they said; and yet they are the very ones that cried out for the blood of Christ and said, "Crucify Him."
Some of you would say, "Oh, I would never do that." Oh, yes, you would—some of you—if you'd lived back in the days of Christ; because, if you leave His Work, you are leaving Him just as much as they did. Just as much. And you'd better think very seriously about that. Some of you are on the fence. That's a pretty poor place to be. I say, "If you are on God's side, you come in and be on God's side; and you STAND there."
John 6:66-69 From that time on many of his [Jesus'] disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (67) Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (68) Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. (69) And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
We are following that same Christ today. He's the Head of this Church. I didn't assume any rule of leadership. It was put on me. God put it there. I wanted to be humble. I didn't want to rule.
Just outside of Eugene, Oregon there were two brothers that had come into the Church; and there was a third brother, and he wasn't sure. So they had a man, a minister of the Church of Christ, come down who wanted to argue about the Sabbath. So I let him say his say first, and then I was going to answer. When I started to answer, he just shouted. And I don't know. He wasn't even making any sense of words. I couldn't get a word that anybody could hear. Finally, I said, "Well, let's have a moderator and give you so much time, and then me so much. I'll keep still while you have your time. You keep still when I have mine." He agreed, but he didn't do it. I gave him his time. I kept silent.
As soon as I began to speak, he said, "Oh, oh, oh…" Just a lot of things like that, where he couldn't hear a word. I said, "The Spirit of God isn't here." I got up and left. And the brother of these other two men turned against the Sabbath; and they were pretty bitter against me. They said, "Look, if God has called you, you've got to stand up for the truth. You've got to stand up against someone like that." Well, I said, "I just wanted peace." "Yeah, but there is a time you can't run like that." After that, if it had been repeated, I would have SHOUTED louder than he did; and God would give me a voice to do it! And I'd say, "YOU SIT DOWN, BY THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST!" and he would have sat down.
Afterwards they came (tried to heckle; and this, and that, and the other thing), but it turned against them every time. There are times you have to rule. I've ruled people that don't want peace. Well, if I've had to, I've done it. I didn't want to. Always there are those, just like there were in the days of Moses though, that like to point a finger and question and say, "God didn't choose you." Well, pray tell me, what people did then? People didn't. They just didn't.
Well, Jesus asked His disciples if they were going to leave Him. And Peter answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of truth."
This is the Church that is doing the mission God wants done today, and nobody else is doing it. If you realize that God has given us two purposes for calling us now: One is that we get His message to the world, and the other is that that very thing that He's given us to get out is the means of the second great thing, which is that we develop the character and show we can be ruled by His Kingdom. And we develop the character that we will sit with Him on His throne and rule in His Kingdom.
GOD'S WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO RESTORE THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD ON THIS EARTH! THAT'S WHY HUMANITY IS HERE! But God has adopted a hand's off policy for 6,000 years because humanity rejected God!The first two people rejected God. So He said, "You live your way for 6,000 years"—which means Satan's way, because Satan is influencing them and swaying them.
Where would you go? Who else is getting the job done? Nobody else on this Earth! Someone has to be preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ. Brethren, it's being prepared. One little insignificant thing, perhaps—it's just a physical thing; but, for the last six years, we've been clearing off over 50 feet of debris and stuff on top of the throne of David, where Christ is going to sit to rule. That's just one little thing. That's not the main thing. The main thing is announcing that the Kingdom of God is coming, as a witness before other nations; and it is being done. And God is giving me favor in the eyes of heads of governments all over this world. Nothing like that ever happened before, to me or anyone else that I know of.
Now finally: II Thessalonians the first chapter, beginning with the second verse. I want to say this to you, even as Paul said it to those of Thessalonica.
II Thessalonians 1:2-4 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) We are bound to thank God always for you [As I am, to thank God for you.], brethren, as it is meet [fit, or proper], because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds. (4) So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.
Now I think I can say I am speaking for all of the ministers, all of the loyal ministers in the Church of God, when I say that. That's the way we feel towards you people. We can't do the job God has given us to do without your backing, your help, your support, and knowing we have your prayers. That's more important than anything.
II Thessalonians 2:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.
We are announcing the Kingdom of God all over this world. God is opening the doors. It is a miracle! Nothing like it has ever happened before. And, brethren, we have to continue going.
Now, it's time the fence sitters make up their mind. And as Elijah said, if the Eternal is your God—the Eternal Creator, let's get over on His side and get well anchored and stay there, and endure until the end. If Satan, and trouble, accusations… They say questions: "Ah, but the people have questions." What they mean is "I'm trying to put doubts into their mind." EVE DOUBTED. IT WAS DOUBT. SHE DOUBTED GOD. So she went the wrong way. Brethren, let's get these doubts out of our mind. Let's get settled. Let's get anchored. Let's know where we stand, and then let's stand—because I'm going to stand there till either I die or the Kingdom comes. And I want you there with me.