That war was the context of that last post, and that war is continuing to draw closer and closer as that time is now upon us. Even now, there are leaders in Russia and in China who have plans already in the works to engage in such a war.
Very few who are in the world or those in the environs of God’s Church who were scattered, grasp the potential and severity of world conditions that have so rapidly escalated and will lead into a massive world war that is now just in front of us. The truth is that the world and even the Church of God that was scattered will be caught off guard with what quickly happens once massive destruction begins to strike this earth.
These events for this end-time are not coming about in the way that most in God’s Church have believed over the past few decades. Christ gave the analogy of the end-time (once great destruction strikes) as being like a thief in the night because his prophecy concerns how the world will be totally caught off guard and asleep and his warning against this. Yet, no matter how much of a warning has gone out, Christ’s prophecy has now been fulfilled, for the world and the Church that was scattered is fast asleep.
An Awakening
Just as God’s Church was fully caught off guard and asleep when the apostasy (great falling away) occurred on Dec. 17, 1994, the world and the Church that was scattered are now going to be fully caught off guard concerning the final end-time events. For the Church that was scattered, the devastation that begins once the Second Trumpet sounds will be the beginning of a great wake up call that will eventually lead to 63,000 scattered brethren being brought together once again into one true fellowship—together with God—reunited at last!
The Church that was scattered does not believe that end-time events can happen so quickly and powerfully or that Christ could return by Pentecost of 2013. But what people “believe” is what has magnified their state of “sleep.” Such statements are not happily received, but it is the truth.
So what does the scattered Church believe? Addressing such a question will help understand the awakening that is to come.
Many believe that a physical temple must begin to be constructed in Jerusalem or that, at the very least, an altar must be set up on the old holy site of the original temple. That will NEVER happen, for if such an attempt were even begun, there are multiple millions of people who would immediately be willing to give their lives in sacrificial jihad in an all out war against Israel.
So why do some teachers of the scattering insist that such an event must take place before the end-time can occur? The answer is because they believe that a “desecration of the holy place” must occur that is similar to the desecration done by Antiochus Epiphanes when he had swine offered upon the altar. They continue by teaching that this is analogous to a future “abomination of desolation” that must occur at the temple site (or on the altar) after such new construction has begun.
Yet even those who espouse to uphold “all” the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong fail to acknowledge what he taught long before he died. He stated that no such temple could be constructed before Christ’s return and that it could never be dedicated as “holy” before God; therefore, there could not be such an abomination of desolation for something that is not “holy” before God. He went on to reveal that the temple being referred to was the Church and not a physical temple. Where were these ministers when Mr. Armstrong gave these sermons? After all, these sermons were sent out for the entirety of the Church to hear.
In addition, it is taught that there will be a single great government leader (a beast) to emerge out of a revived Holy Roman Empire, yet the Bible clearly reveals that there will be ten nations that emerge and give their power to a beast system for one hour. Some of these ministers continue by teaching that a great false religious leader will make the “whole world” to worship this individual who is the beast. Can you imagine those in Islam worshiping such an individual or those in Russia and China who are prophesied to go to war against the beast power? Such ministers have lost any sense of true reason and Biblical sound mindedness.
The truth is that the cohesion that draws these final ten nations together is short-lived and not strong at all. After all, they are described as strong in power, but not really held together with any strength at all: iron mixed with clay.
There are many more examples of differences in belief among scattered groups, but a different reality is now upon us and these two examples are enough to make the point. Time will reveal the truth.
The events that so many in the Church (that was scattered) believe must first happen are the very events that will shock them when they begin to occur and this shock will help give them a massive awakening. Right now, the actual events that are about to be unleashed on the earth are believed to be, by those in the Church that was scattered, as possible only in years from now and not in months or even weeks, as the truth is.
Deaf and Blind
When people are in a deep sleep, they can neither hear nor see. That is the world today. To find meaningful news that might help illuminate end-time prophetic events is actually a task, for most news is reported from selfish interests that are focused inward and near to home. The attitude is: “Who cares about what is happening in the rest of the world?”
Then, if world news is actually addressed, it is most often given from a perspective of the “prepared” sound bites offered by governments who exercise their political agendas. These sound bites rarely reveal true motives and objectives or illuminate true conditions. Whether it is about global or national economics, or that which involves geopolitical maneuvering (as with NATO, Turkey, Syria, Iran, the Persian Gulf, etc., etc.), news reporting has little to do with what is actually true. Most is “smoke and mirrors” and those who are blind are willingly used (made pawns), led, and further lullabied by it.
After this post, there is really no more need of warnings for what is coming, for the world is asleep and time has indeed fully run out. The “Day of the Lord” is at hand—we are IN it! We have just passed through the night-time portion of God’s final day. It began at sundown after May 26th when we entered the night-time portion of this last prophetic day for mankind in this present age. If only all could see! Paradoxically, it is by this very day-time portion of the “Day of the Lord” that mankind will be brought to “see” and “hear,” and by this, the blindness and deafness of mankind will begin to be healed.
No More Warning
In the future, any post that might possibly be written on this site will no longer be warnings, but only explanation of the realities that are taking place in the light of the day of Christ’s return as King of kings. God is not going to give any more warnings to this world or to the Church that was scattered. The time for warning has ended because the time for fulfillment is at hand—it has arrived!
The Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God