Sooner than many expect, a world of peace and happiness will be right here — on planet Earth.
FOR 50 YEARS, on radio and television, a voice has rung out, "Well greetings, friends around the world. This is Herbert W. Armstrong bringing you the GOOD NEWS of the WORLD TOMORROW!" Good news? Is there any? The world tomorrow? What's that? For 50 years the news of the world today has seldom been good. Wars, rumors of war, earthquakes, volcanos, hurricanes, tornados, political upheaval, coups and rebellions, drought and hunger have dominated the headlines. Yet for 50 years Mr. Armstrong and the Plain Truth magazine have constantly reported there is GOOD NEWS. The good news is that humanity at long last will be shown the way to peace, prosperity and happiness. But how?
Too Good to Be True?
Many simply cannot imagine a world without strife, upset weather, war. But that's the world prophesied for tomorrow in the book we call the Bible. Can you imagine a world where nations live at peace? Where not one dollar is budgeted for defense? Where no family has to worry about sons and daughters being sacrificed on a battlefield? Where words like tank, battleship, bomb, warhead and holocaust are only in the vocabulary of historians? Can you further imagine a world where hurricanes never blow ashore? Where tornados never touch down? Where all volcanos are extinct? Where earthquakes never occur? This is prophesied for nations that will choose to follow God's way of life. And can you believe a world where drought need never affect a crop? Where hunger is unheard of? Where floods never destroy homes? Where rain falls in due season? Where food supplies are more than adequate to support the population of the entire world? This is also prophesied. But for a few nations who will have to learn lessons the hard way, God will withhold such blessings till they learn how to live. Read Zechariah 14:17 as an example: "If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain" (NIV throughout, except where noted). In the day of God's kingdom, upset weather or other less than desirable conditions will only be used to teach that following God's laws leads to all the good anyone could possibly want. And can you imagine a world where people learn to respect the music, dance, art, looks, abilities and talents of each other? Too good to be true? No — that's what has been prophesied in the pages of the Bible for thousands of years. And that has been the message of this magazine for 50 years.
But How Can This Be?
This utopian world of which we speak is not going to be brought about by the efforts of men. It will not come from peace conferences, unilateral discussions and summit meetings. For nearly 6,000 years mankind has proved incapable of living at peace. No form of human government has brought universal peace and happiness. And scientists have certainly proved they are incapable of controlling the powerful forces of nature — though they can unleash the secrets of the atom! No, the fantastic world tomorrow will not be a result of politics, science or technology. It will not be by blind chance either. Man will not just accidentally stumble on the way of peace. It will come from one source, and one source only. The Eternal God will intervene in the affairs of men. He will send Jesus Christ to bring world peace. In the first days of the New Testament Church the apostle Peter boldly proclaimed, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you — even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets" (Acts 3:19-21). But what needs restoring? Frankly — EVERYTHING! Mankind has managed to pollute the entire planet. The air is filled with smoke. The streams, rivers and lakes are filled with chemicals. The land has been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and so many other "cides" that food has minimal nutritional value. And we've already discussed man's total inability to live at peace. But what needs restoring more than anything else? The GOVERNMENT OF GOD! Yes, the government of God. When God sends the Messiah to bring about the utopian world tomorrow, the first order of business is government. When the Messiah appears the Bible says: "Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations [which had been rebelling]. He will rule them with an iron scepter.... On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:15-16). Call the event what you will, the appearance of the Messiah, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the end of the age. It all spells the end of this society and the dawning of a new age — the world tomorrow. And it begins by God sending Jesus Christ to rule over all nations on earth.
Peace at last
Probably one of the most astounding disappointments of all history occurred in the trying years before World War II. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in 1939 had been to the Continent for discussions with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Upon his return to England the world press recorded his hopes for "peace in our time." Within months Nazi troops had invaded Czechoslovakia. Six months later Hitler's forces attacked Poland and the most catastrophic war in all history was under way. Some 2,700 years ago God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write, "The way of peace they do not know" (Isa. 59:8). It was true then. It is still true today. The testimony of recorded history bears that out. But in the world tomorrow war will not be taught. In the world today war is a way of life. Vast sums are devoted to defense and military. Schools of war train men and women in the skills of killing other human beings. That kind of financial allocation and teaching will soon be a part of the ancient past. Notice what the prophet Micah wrote about the world soon to come: "Many nations will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation; nor will they train for war anymore" (Mic. 4:2-3). Can you imagine what kind of economy could exist if not one penny was spent on defense? And the greatest minds were devoted to efforts of peace, not war? The kind of buildings, transportation, communications and conveniences we would have! That is exactly what is going to happen.
A Change in Nature
God's government and worldwide peace are only the beginnings of the fantastic world tomorrow. One of the most beautiful scriptures in the Bible describes just how total the restoration of God's way will be. Describing conditions after the Messiah appears, Isaiah wrote: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither " harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:6-9). So meaningful is that scripture that the seal of Ambassador College depicts it. When God created Adam and Eve, he placed them in the beautiful garden of Eden. There they could enjoy the beauty of flowers, pristine air and water, and all the food they would need. But as a result of their sin — the decision to pursue their own course — to decide for themselves what is good and what is evil — God drove them from the garden. They would then work midst thorns and thistles, weeds and briers. The nature of many animals was changed, becoming hostile to man. So it has been ever since. In the world to come, as Isaiah wrote, even ferocious ,beasts and poisonous vipers will be changed to domesticated, tame creatures. Also of that time Isaiah wrote: "The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus [or rose], it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God" (Isa. 35:1-2). Not only that, sickness and disease will be healed. "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb [mute] shout for joy" (Isa. 35:5-6). Good health, peace, great weather and abundant crops will make the world tomorrow a wonderful place to live.
Family Life Restored
Without a doubt one of the most needed aspects of human relationships that needs restoring is family life. Virtually no society in all history has truly practiced the God-inspired, biblical instructions on marriage and child rearing. We can at least get a glimpse of the happy family life from a few scriptures that look to the future when God's government is set up. Jeremiah wrote about the restoration of God's way: "The sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying, 'Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures forever'" (Jer. 33:11). For most of human history the joy of brides and bridegrooms has only turned to sorrow. Sickness, poverty and war have epitomized vast segments of human history. But in that world to come, the joy of the wedding will live on and on. Husbands and wives growing in love as each year goes by. They will have healthy and happy children. And they will know how to rear them. Notice what Zechariah saw as God revealed the future to him: "The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there" (Zech. 8:5). Without fear of serious accident, kidnapping, mugging, abduction and the host of modern atrocities that plague our societies, children will play openly — free from harm from man or beast. And verse 4 tells us, "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of his [and her] age.'" War will not consume the strength of young men. Mothers will not die in childbirth. Sickness, disease, hunger and malnutrition will not consume thousands daily as in our "enlightened" 20th century. In that world everything good will be the norm. God will prove his way is the only way by giving mankind 1,000 years of his government and instruction.
A New World Coming
This utopian world that Herbert W. Armstrong and the Plain Truth magazine have proclaimed now for 50 years is just as certain as the rising of tomorrow's sun. The apostle Peter said: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.... For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy [Spirit]" (II Pet. 1:19,21, AV). No one knows exactly when the kingdom of God is going to be established. But world events are rushing toward that inevitable day. And it could happen a lot faster than many would humanly predict. If you want to know even more about what is prophesied for the future, read Mr. Armstrong's free book The Wonderful World Tomorrow - What It Will Be Like! You will find there is a world soon coming that exceeds all you have ever hoped the world could be.
Copyright © 2024 Herbert W Armstrong Library