For the first time in the world, the weapons of mass destruction exist that can blast all humanity off the face of this earth. Our number one problem today is that of human survival. And this is very important that you open your ears, that you open your minds, that you listen.
This world is in trouble such as the world has never been before, and there are even greater troubles coming yet until God almighty steps in to end these troubles and to come and save us from ourselves.
The World Tomorrow, the Worldwide Church of God presents the World Tomorrow with Herbert W. Armstrong, ladies and gentlemen, Herbert W. Armstrong.
Greetings. It may be harder to believe than a Ripley, believe it or not cartoon.
But the gospel of Jesus Christ was not proclaimed to the world for 1900 years. It was suppressed back in the year about 53 A.D. until in our time in the year of 1953. I want you to listen while I read to you what the Apostle Paul in the New Testament wrote to the churches in Galatia about 53 A.D. The churches in Galatia in Asia minor, that is now the country of Turkey.
He said, I marvel which ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ. Unto another gospel. They had turned to another gospel. Now, it was not really a gospel because gospel is good news and this was not. So, He said, which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. You know, it's hard to believe, but it has been perverted through all these years. Millions and millions have heard a gospel. We talk about hearing the gospel. There are millions who hear it or think they do every Sunday. But what gospel is it? What gospel is it? And what gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I'd like to have you turn with me if you have a Bible, and otherwise just listen as I turn now to Mark, the first chapter, and the first verse. That is the very beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and notice what gospel he preached. It's a gospel that has not been preached for 1900 years until the year of 1953. Mark 1:1 in the New Testament, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
And then in verse 14 (Mark 1:14-15), 'Now after that, John was put in prison. Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel.' But now listen, what gospel? Jesus came 'preaching, the gospel of the Kingdom of God', the gospel of the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God? You know, some people today say the Kingdom of God is the church. I have even heard people about 40 years ago, 50 years ago saying the Kingdom of God was the British Empire. They don't say that anymore. People have a lot of ideas. Some people say, well, it's a sort of a feeling or something set up in men's hearts. But listen, He came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled. Why was the time fulfilled? Why had it not been fulfilled until then, I've been explaining that and I will explain it again. The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent ye and believe the gospel.
And He said, do two things. He didn't say, give your heart to me. He said, repent and believe the message. The gospel of the Kingdom was the good news. He was preaching, you know, not very many seem to know that Jesus Christ was a newscaster. I know He was 1950 years before his time, but he was, he was giving news that is news. You know, I read a column I've mentioned this once before, but I'm reminded of it right now, columnist who has a comedy column in many, many newspapers all over the United States, many leading newspapers was talking about news. And he says, you know, they're not printing news in the newspapers because when they printed, it's already happened and it's not new any longer. It's now old. He said, why don't they call it old instead of news? Because he said it isn't new. It's already happened. Well, you know, when Jesus Christ preached, it was new because it had not even yet happened. It was really a prophecy of what was going to happen. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. And he said, repent ye and believe the gospel that is believe the good news. How can people believe that good news if they have never heard it? And for 1900 years, that gospel was suppressed as I've just read you in the Apostle Paul's message to the Church of Galatia.
Now, what did Jesus mean by the Kingdom of God? I want to read to you a prophecy of the birth of Christ. Why was Jesus born? Why did he come? Why did he proclaim a gospel? And why was the gospel he proclaimed, or the good news, his message, a message about the Kingdom of God? Why was it?
I'd like to turn to a prophecy first. It's back in the book of Isaiah. And then I'm gonna show you where this is also quoted in the New Testament. Isaiah nine, verses six and seven (Isaiah 9:6-7):
"For unto us" (that was Israel of the Old Testament), "it was speaking unto us, a child is born" (that's talking about the birth of Jesus Christ). "Unto us, a child is born, or was to be born as he was later, after this was written, unto us, a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder. Have you ever heard Jesus Christ mentioned in connection with government? And then he came to set up a government to overthrow governments of this world, the nations of this world."
Well, let me tell you the Pharisees, the Scribes and Pharisees, and those that Jesus had to contend with 1950 years and a little more ago, they knew what he was talking about, and they were afraid. They thought he was coming to overthrow the government of Caesar, the Roman Empire at that time, which was over them at that time. "Well, the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government (now notice the government, his government, it's not only going to be set up, it's going to increase), of the increase of his government, there shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom."
Now, that was a literal government with the headquarters in Jerusalem. It was in the land we call Palestine today. And on the throne of David and upon his kingdom, a government to order it and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it.
I want to read you how that was quoted in the New Testament. The Virgin Mary was to become the mother of Jesus Christ. And the angel appeared to her with a message prior to that.
Now, this is in Luke, the first chapter and beginning with verse 30. Luke, the first chapter beginning with verse 30 (Luke 1:30). 'And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God, and behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest', God Almighty is the Highest. He was the Son of the Almighty God. 'And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne', a throne to rule with the government, 'the throne of his father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end,' the same thing I just read to you in the prophecy of Isaiah. And there it is again just before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Now the world heard nothing of Jesus born to be a king. You haven't heard much of that and to form a government who would rule this world, that would overthrow the governments of this world, that would come to stop all of the chaos in the world today and all of the terrible miseries and the, the terrible evils that this world is confronting today and to deliver us from all of those things and set up a perfect government that will bring a real utopia. You'll hear of utopia, and people laugh and you look in the dictionary, even that word utopia. And it will say it's a mythical something that never could happen. Well, why couldn't it happen? You see all of the troubles today are caused by the way people live, the things we do. And as long as we're living in the wrong way, as long as we're doing the wrong things, we're just going to have trouble and we do have trouble. There are two ways of living, as I've said so many times, basically, just speaking, basically, one is the way of give out flowing love toward others and the other is get, that's incoming lust and greed and vanity, exalting the self and coveting and wanting to take what others have. That's the way the world is living.
But Jesus was born to be a King. That's why he came into the world. I'd like to have you notice now what Jesus said to Pilate when he was on trial for his life. It's in the 18th chapter of John (John 18:37). 'Pilate, therefore, said to him, Art thou a king?' Then he asked him, 'Are you a king?' And Jesus answered, 'Thou sayest that I am a King. To this end was I born. For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.' But not very many were of the truth. Because of those who heard him, many, many, many, multiple thousands, only 120 believed what he said. You'll read that in the book of Acts, first chapter, 15th verse (Acts 1:15). But in the first, just before this, Jesus had answered Pilate and said, 'My kingdom is not of this world.' That is of this time. He didn't talk about the earth. He's talking about the world, which is man's world, man's society, man's civilization that he has built on the world. He said, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews? But now is my kingdom not from hence,' that is not from this world, not from here at this time. In other words, his kingdom was of a future time and a future world.
Now the parables of Jesus, many of them concerned the Kingdom of God. I want to read you just one parable that he said in the 19th chapter of Luke beginning with verse 11 (Luke 19:11). 'And as they heard' these things that Jesus was saying, 'he added and spake a parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem. And because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear.' Now, you see, as I just told you, he said, 'My kingdom is not of this time of this world.' The Kingdom of God did not appear, then it hasn't appeared yet, and yet people are all mixed up as to what it could be. He said, 'Therefore, a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.'
Now in that parable, he was speaking of himself as the young nobleman. He was going to the far country, which was heaven. After his crucifixion and his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven, and he's been there ever since.
Do you know what Jesus has been doing this last more than 1950 years? Well, if you have a Bible, open the book of Hebrews and begin to read it. People wonder, is Jesus still alive? He rose from the dead. That's why people celebrate on the day of Easter. But as I have shown you, Easter does not celebrate the resurrection of Jesus because he didn't rise on Sunday morning at all. But nevertheless, Jesus did rise from the dead, and he did ascend to heaven, and he's still alive, and he's been alive all these 1950 some years.
What has he been doing? Turn to the book of Hebrews, and you will find out he has been there as the high priest of the real true church of God. No, not many people understand that. Well, the true church of God understands it. And he is there supervising the work. He is the head, the living head of the church of God today. And that hasn't been known; he is the living head of the church, but he is now on his father's throne in heaven and not on earth, but he's coming to earth. And he said twice in the book of Revelation in the second chapter and in the third chapter, if we overcome, he will grant to us to sit with him on his throne when he comes back to earth and sits on the throne of David in Jerusalem, King David of ancient Israel because he was born as a descendant of David. So, David was his father many, many, many generations back.
And again, he says, if we overcome, those in God's church today that have been called by God Almighty and through Jesus Christ and his shed blood have come to God and through the Holy Spirit of God have been begotten as a child of God. He says, if we overcome, he will grant for us that he will give us power over the nations and we shall rule them with him and under him in the kingdom of God. When he comes.
Now, he's talking about in this parable of him going to heaven to receive the kingdom. And in the meantime, he's the high priest preparing the people to rule with him. That's what he's doing so that he's preparing for that kingdom right now. And judgment is on the church. Judgment is not on the world as a whole yet, there is a judgment day coming.
Well now, notice, in verse 17 (Luke 19:17), when he returns, having received his kingdom, he said unto one man, 'Well, thou good servant because thou hast been faithful in very little, have thou authority over 10 cities.' And now he says, according to your work, you shall be rewarded. Now we're not saved according to works, don't misunderstand me. But when you are saved and you are born into the kingdom of God, there are going to be different offices and there are going to be different rewards, and we're to be rewarded according to our works. That's why Christ is the high priest now preparing people for very great offices that they will be in and work that they will be doing forever and ever in the kingdom of God when he comes.
Here's one that had done fairly well, and he says, 'You will be in authority over 10 cities.' Read on. And the second came and said, 'Lord, thy pound hath gained £5.' He only did half as much. And he said likewise to him, 'Be thou over five cities.' In this parable, each one had £1, and the one had gained 10, multiplied it 10 times over, he will rule over 10 cities according to his works. That isn't going to save him, but it is going to determine the amount of reward and what he will be doing when he is one of those that has overcome and will rule with Christ on his throne in Jerusalem at the very seat of David in Jerusalem.
Now then, there's a prophecy of our end time that I want to bring you now in Matthew 24, this is really the greatest prophecy in the New Testament. It's one that I refer to quite often. And, it is the greatest prophecy that Jesus Christ himself ever gave. They've been looking at the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was on earth with his disciples, and they had just come out of the temple. Jesus said unto them (Matthew 24:1-3), 'See, not all of these things. Verily, I say unto you, there shall not be one stone left here upon another that shall not be thrown down.' He was talking about something that did happen in 70 A.D. He was talking to them at probably about 30 or 31 A.D., but he was talking about something that was going to happen in their lifetime.
Now, a little later, they were up on the Mount of Olives. And the next verse says, 'As Jesus sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, 'Well, tell us when shall these things be,' the things he talked about, the destruction of the temple. Actually, that happened in their lifetime in 70 A.D. 'And what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world?' Oh, that was going to be a long time afterward. But they asked two things; they thought his coming would be in their lifetime. Well, it wasn't, and it wasn't in the lifetime of their children, their children's children, that hasn't even come in our lifetime. But we, my friends, are the generation living when he is coming, and it's going to happen in our time.
This world is on fire. This world is in trouble. This world is in trouble such as the world has never been before, and there are even greater troubles coming yet until God Almighty steps in to end these troubles and to come and save us from ourselves.
Now notice the prophecy here of Jesus first. He answered about what they had asked and about the destruction of the temple and what would happen in their lifetime. Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Take heed that no man deceive you.' That's that generation living then, for many shall come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ, and shall deceive many'. Many would come in his name saying, 'He is the Christ.'
What gospel have you heard? You hear a gospel that Jesus was the Christ. You talk about the person. You hear about the person, but you don't hear about the kingdom that he's going to rule. You don't hear about the fact that he came as a King born to be a King, born to rule over the nations of this world. This world is in trouble right now. For the first time in the world, the weapons of mass destruction exist that can blast all humanity off the face of this earth. Our number one problem today is that of human survival. And this is very important that you open your ears, that you open your minds, that you listen.
Well, he went on talking about a few things in their time, but he didn't answer the second part of their question just yet. Then he came to verse 14 and he answered the second part about his coming, which is going to be over 1900 years later, of course. And then he said, (Matthew 24:14), 'And this gospel of the Kingdom', that's the gospel he was preaching. Then the gospel of the Kingdom of God. 'This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come?'
I've just shown you that the gospel has not been preached for over 1900 years until the year of 1953 A.D. And my friends, I began proclaiming that gospel, and God opened my mind to see it. It's right here in the Bible. It seems to me that anybody could see it if they were willing, but so few are willing to believe what God says.
Do you know that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve would not believe God, even though He was right there in person talking to them? They didn't believe what he said. He told them the way of living, but they took to themselves the way of the fruit of the knowledge of what is good and what is evil. When God was trying to impart that knowledge to them, they didn't take the tree of life; they didn't have life. They had a chemical existence. That's all you and I have, a chemical existence. Adam and Eve could have taken the tree of life, and God offered it to them, but they didn't take it. And mankind ever since has been rejecting that, and mankind ever since has been doing what he himself thinks is right, taking to himself the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. That's the way this world is going.
I was brought up in a very respectable church, but they have their own set of beliefs of what is right and what is wrong. And I was brought up believing that. I had to come to see that I was taught things that are contrary to what Jesus proclaimed and what the Bible teaches. And the Bible is the word of Jesus. It's the word of God. And he is the word. And I had to give up what I believed. I wasn't walking with God too; they can't walk together except they be agreed. And I had to begin to agree with him, and I had to give up what I believed. I had to begin to believe what he says here.
Now, then it goes on after this gospel of the Kingdom is proclaimed, you're getting down toward the very end. I began preaching it in 1934 on radio. And after exactly 19 years in 1953, I went on the most powerful station in the World Radio Luxembourg in Europe. And the gospel was going out to all Europe for the first time in 1900 years, for the first time in 1900 years. Believe it or not. That is the truth as God is my judge, that is the truth.
Now, then when we come down to this time, he says after this gospel is proclaimed to give warning, then there shall be great tribulation. We're in the four parts of it now, but it's going to be a lot worse. We're not in the real great tribulation yet, such as was not from the beginning of the world at the same time, known or ever shall be. It's going to be a far greater time of trouble yet. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved alive. It's a time when all humanity could be wiped off the face of the earth that never happened until the hydrogen bomb and the present weapons of mass destruction. We're in that time now for the first time in human history, and it's time for us to wake up and realize it.
He says, but for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened, and God will intervene. Now, you go on a little further in that same chapter in verse 29, (Matthew 24:29). 'Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give her light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven shall be shaken.' A lot of people don't know what those powers are, but there's coming the time of the great day of the Lord, when God is going to take over and intervene and begin to take over the whole reins of the earth and all nations.
Now the very next verse goes on, 'and then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn. And they shall see the son of man as Jesus Christ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory' and other places in the Bible, back in Revelation 19, for example, show he's coming as the King of kings and the Lord of lords to rule over every nation on the face of this earth. That time is coming, that is the good news that Jesus preached. The time when he will come, Satan will be abolished, and there won't be any Satan, the devil on this earth anymore. It isn't fashionable to believe there is one now, but there really is. But that time Christ is coming to abolish Satan, and he will be removed.
Now, I say to you that this day is this very prophecy that I have just read you out of the Bible fulfilled in your sight and in your hearing, and you had better heed it.
Now, there's no charge I want to offer it to you. It's not going to be followed up by a request for money. I'd just like to give it to you. And so, all you do is send your name and address to Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123. That's all the address you need. Just Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123. Or go to the telephone right now and call toll-free call 800-423-4444. That's 800-423-4444. Then in California and Alaska call collect area code 213-577-5225. That's 213-577-5225. So, until next time, this is Herbert W Armstrong saying goodbye friends.
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