Latest Audio - 2025-11-29
Punishment – but Why?
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." (Matthew 24:21) ... And the cities shall be laid waste and the land desolate. (Ezekiel 12:20)
A Time of Punishment
It's very clear that we stand prophetically on the cusp of the greatest time of trouble this world has ever seen. And regardless of whether it is the world at large, or specifically the nations of Israel, or specifically the Laodicean church, this time of trouble is also seen as a time of punishment. But is that all we need to be aware of – that this dreadful time of trouble is coming? That it will initially involve the final resurrection of the holy Roman Empire? That the English-speaking nations of Britain and America will be punished? That the Laodicean church will be punished? That ultimately, the entire world will be punished? Is that all we need to know?
The glaring and simple, yet sadly too often ignored further question is, WHY? Why is God going to allow such punishment on Laodicea, Israel and the world? Is it merely the inevitable consequence of 6000 years under Satan's rule? Is there anything more specific that God highlights – something that perhaps would need to change for God to change His mind? Fortunately, God often mentions such things in the prophecies that go on to talk about the punishments themselves. 'Why?' is not merely an adjunct to the revelation He gives, but it should be regarded as the key central point of the entire 'secret' ... that He must first reveal to His servants the prophets – the most vital part of the entire prophecy that has been delivered:
- Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
- Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets .
- The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy? (Amos 3:6-8)
Differing Treatments
Before examining the 'why', it is necessary to understand another vital principle. That is the fact that God deals with different people in different ways. This is brought out quite graphically in the book of Isaiah where God points to the example in agriculture how the treatment of individual seeds must invariably differ – from the time of preparing the soil, to sowing the seed, to the best method of treating what is harvested. This is not so much a lesson in sensible farming practice, as God pointing out that the various categories of human beings He is dealing with need to be treated in different ways so the maximum harvest of human lives is made possible:
- Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech.
- Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?
- When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place?
- For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.
- For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod.
- Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen.
- This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. (Isaiah 28:23-29 NKJV)
We can also see this vital principle of God's tailor-made treatment when He needs to bring punishment on nations or individuals. This is pointed out by Jesus Christ to His disciples when asked the question:" ... Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? (Luke 12:41).
- And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
- But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Luke 12:47,48)
Three Broad Groups
The apostle Paul clearly recognised this need for a different approach depending on who he was talking to, when he said...
- For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
- And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
- To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
- To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. (I Corinthians 9:19-22)
In a similar way Mr. Armstrong also would vary his message according to who he was addressing – broadly categorised into three distinct groups: the world at large; the Israelite nations of English-speaking peoples; and the Church of God. He would go round the world talking to world leaders in a very simple way that they all could understand; the way of Give and the way of Get. Yet when talking to Britain and America in the World Tomorrow broadcast, a much more biblical message was used, pointing out the errant Christianity of the day and what the Bible actually does say. And to the true church his focus was on the spiritual dimension required – continually going back to the two trees, and the two entirely opposite ways of life, coming from diametrically opposing spirits.
THE Creator God
From a closer inspection of these three groups, we can see that what is expected of each is different. And one of the key areas – if not THE key area – that illustrates this is the recognition of the Creator God Himself. This is something that everyone in the world should be able to see but in Israel's case this Creator of Heaven and Earth is specifically Israel's God as well. And in the case of the true church, the Creator God is also our Father – working His greatest creation of all time – spirit born sons, who think as He does, sharing His spiritual 'DNA'.
We can see how this forms an essential end-time position to the world at large when we look at the message that the angel gives on the return of Jesus Christ and before the seven last plagues:
- And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
- Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:6)
In the western world especially there is truly a huge need for this message! Our children's education from kindergarten onward – and the media in all its forms – promote an entirely evolutionary position. They attribute the profound engineering and artistry we see all around us to nothing more than blind chance mutation. The beauty of the heavens is attributed to the lucky chance of an exquisitely precise, yet entirely undirected Big Bang explosion, totally ignoring the all too obvious "eternal power and Godhead" involved, as brought out by Paul in the first chapter of Romans:
- But God's anger is revealed from heaven against all the iniquity and wickedness of those who hinder the Truth by their wickedness.
- For whatever is to be known of God is plain to them; God Himself has made it plain –
- for ever since the world was created, His invisible nature, His everlasting power and divine being, have been quite perceptible in what He has made. So they have no excuse. (Romans 1:18-20 Moffatt)
Israel's God
Romans chapter one then goes on to graphically explain what this position leads to. The perverted thinking required to hold such a position – particularly in a setting of education (v28) – then cascades into a plethora of similar concepts and unmitigated evil. This is very much the 'why' punishment will come on the world at large, and particularly so for Israel. Even when we consider the mark of the Beast, it too fits within this excess of evil, replacing God's Holy Days with pagan holidays – and enforcing their observance – directing people's minds away from the Creator God, as the Sabbath itself is a memorial of creation and the annual Holy Days show His Plan. And both were given as identifying signs between God and His people!
It is the mark of the Beast, and all it entails, that is highlighted within the book of Revelation as the dividing line between those who suffer the first of the seven last plagues and those who do not (Revelation 16:2). Prior to this division the two witnesses will have been actively preaching and warning both Israel and the world what is coming and most importantly, WHY. And also no doubt informing modern-day Israel of just Who they are, Where they came from and Who their God is:
- Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
- The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
- Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. (Isaiah 1:2-4)
In the book of Ezekiel God gives some very clear explanations of the 'why' in Israel's case:
- And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned [Strongs G 02490 – to defile, pollute] my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.
- But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went.
- Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. (Ezekiel 36:20-22)
- Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
- And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them ...
- ... A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
- Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them. (Ezekiel 5:5,6,12,13)
In fact, throughout the whole book of Ezekiel – specifically written to the house of Israel in the latter days and warning our nations of the punishment God will not only allow, but also bring on us – the phrase "ye shall know" appears 25 times, and "they shall know" 26 times. God will leave Israel in no doubt as to Who is their God and WHY the correction is so necessary.
Spiritual Israel
In the case of the church, the relationship between God and His people is much, much closer. Individual members are destined to become the very born sons of God (Revelation 21:7) and collectively the wife of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:32) – the very dwelling place, or temple, of the Godhead (Ephesians 2:22). With such an exalted and responsible position the spiritual criteria involved is obviously that much greater. Simple worldly 'righteousness' becomes no more than filthy rags, for only those who are led by the spirit of God and are so developing the outgoing, loving mind of God are indeed His sons. As Mr. Armstrong brings out in Mystery of the Ages, regarding this truly converted mindset:
The very basic teaching, belief AND DOCTRINE OF God’s true Church therefore is based on the righteousness of and obedience to the law of God. That law is LOVE. But it is not human love. Human love cannot rise above the level of human self-centeredness. It must be “the love of God… shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy [Spirit]” (Rom. 5:5). Ancient Israel could not really obey God’s law – they could have kept it according to the strict letter of the law. But since love is the fulfilling of the law and they had only human self-centered love, they could not have kept the law according to the spirit – because the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. (Mystery of the Ages - p274)
As stated in Isaiah, God's thoughts and His ways are SO much higher than our feeble human attempts at righteousness – they are on a different plane altogether!
- Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
- For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
- For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:7-9)
A Stupendous Plan
In all three cases – the world, Israel and the church – God has His own stupendous plan in mind throughout. His ultimate creation: the Family of God, consisting of spirit born sons having the same mind and character as He does, influences everything He does with mankind within those three groups. This includes any punishment that may be needed. As Mr. Armstrong mentions in his Bible study on 1 Corinthians 3 and 4, when discussing how God's punishment is so different to that of the world:
Now the world has the idea that if you have done evil, you must be punished, that the punishment must impose as much pain and suffering on you that is enough to equal whatever your sin or your crime or your trouble. In other words, punishment to them is revenge. It’s getting even. You did something wrong, now I want to hurt you, I want to see you suffer. Now that is not the kind of punishment God has. God doesn’t know that kind of punishment at all. God’s punishment is always corrective. God only punishes to bring us to the place to correct us and no more than we need – just to correct us. That’s all ...
...As a matter of fact, I think God suffers with us when we suffer. He doesn't get any pleasure whatever out of our suffering. Men look on it in a different way.
Now capital punishment, God did impose in ancient Israel, but that was simply to remove them from this life and they will come up in the final Great White Throne Judgment. And there is another life after this life, and most people don’t seem to realize that. And that kind of punishment was just removing them from hurting other people now and they will be corrected when they come up in that life, and they will be straightened out and they will receive the gifts of God and the good things if they are willing.
If they are willing to, in other words, turn from the way that was wrong and that is causing pain and suffering to them and pain and suffering to others. It’s just that simple. That is the way of God. (1 Corinthians 3 and 4 - 27 July 1980)
God has a long-term view of what He plans to achieve with humanity, wanting only what is good for mankind, and as implied in so many places in the Bible, in both Old and New Testament:
- "Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11)
Ultimately God is destined to be the Father of us all – not willing that any should perish (eternally), but that all, including those within the world now, be given the chance to become members of the God Family through repentance. This is why He is so insistent on Israel protecting His Holy Name as brought out in Ezekiel 36, as they are eventually going to be used to teach the nations across this earth using their example of genuinely applying the laws that define the Way of God – a Spirit-led Way of life that will ultimately bring peace, happiness and everything good – a true Utopia on earth:
- A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
- And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them . ..
- ...And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.
- Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. (Ezekiel 36:26-27,35-36)
- And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
- And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
- O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. (Isaiah 2:3-5)
In a similar way, seeing as the church also is destined for a vital future teaching role within this process, it is necessary that our minds and the resulting actions from them now reflect those of a God-being, albeit currently still in the flesh. Hence we see the church being washed in water by the Word, in Ephesians 5, and corrected as a loving father corrects his children, in Hebrews 12. And as brought out in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Christ, our High Priest, is continually encouraging His people, His church towards repentance, change. The whole process is designed to bring many sons to glory as stated in Hebrews 2:
- For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
- For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. (Hebrews 2:10,11)
The Big Picture
What is coming on this earth is destined to be the greatest time of trouble the world has ever seen – or ever will see. It will come like a snare on the world at large (Luke 21:35) but simply knowing about the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord is not sufficient. Of far greater importance is WHY. What's the purpose of God allowing what is prophesied to take place? As God inspired Ezekiel to record, eventually all affected by the punishment will indeed understand:
- "... and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it.
- And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 14:22,23)
- And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers.
- And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.
- And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 20:42-44)
All the heartache, all the pain and suffering will finally make sense – both to the church, Israel and the world at large. There will be no more need for correction or punishment because the vital lessons will have been learnt! Mankind will have willingly turned from his way to God's way, and the result will be a world of peace, stability and everlasting joy:
- And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
- And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
- And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
- And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
- He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:3-7)
Twelver radicals… Roman Catholics… Church of England… Islam… Shia Ismaili Muslims… German evangelicals… Christian Nationalism… All in the News!
Are we witnessing a
Revival Of Religion?
The King Builds A Bridge Over A 500-Year Divide In Christian Faith
“It was the moment that made ecclesiastical history. The King and the Pope joined together in prayer, marking the public end to a 500-year-old divide and made ecclesiastical history. It was quiet, simple and understated: blink, in fact, and you might have missed it. The two heads of state, standing before a congregation in the Sistine Chapel, did not put their hands together, kneel or bow their heads conspicuously. Instead, the Pope and the Archbishop of York, representing the Church of England, spoke words of prayer in unison. ‘Amen,’ replied the King.
For the King, who has made it his mission to bridge the gap between faiths and now within the Christian faith, it was an immeasurably important gesture. Cardinal James Harvey, Archpriest of St Paul’s Basilica, told a small congregation that the ‘significance of this visit today cannot be overestimated’, explaining that the churches of England and Rome had moved from ‘mutual incomprehension and suspicion’ to a relationship which has grown ‘deeper and warmer’.
“It was in 1534 that Henry VIII broke from the Roman Catholic Church to form the Church of England, with the monarch as its supreme head.”
(mirror.co.uk)
Speaking directly to the King, who sat in a throne-like chair built for him which will remain in the basilica in perpetuity, he added: ‘Your presence is historic by any measure or calculation.’ It marked, he said, the start of a ‘soul-stirring new chapter’. The ecumenical service was created to mark the metaphorical joining of hands between the Catholic Church and Church of England.” (telegraph.co.uk)
The significance of this event will probably be lost on most in the world, but for those who have prophetic understanding, this is ‘big news’! Both the King and the Pope are Heads of State. Both the King and the Pope are the religious leaders of their states. They stood - side by side!
Mr Armstrong explains the ‘mystery of iniquity’ in II Thessalonians 2:7:
“The ‘mystery of iniquity’ was the religion called the Babylonian Mystery Religion. And it was a religion of lawlessness. That was the mystery – THE BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION. You’ll find it in the 17th chapter of Revelation, (v5) 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.” (Sermon – Bricket Wood UK - May 1974)
Pope Leo Puts The Catholic Church Back On Track
“Pope Leo XIV issued a call for renewed reverence for the liturgy of the Mass, saying it should ‘comply with established norms’ that reflect the unity of the whole church — a message traditional Catholics have hungered to hear from the pontiff since his installation earlier this year. Given how much liberalism and modernism have infected the church in recent years, his message couldn’t have come at a better time.
‘What the Catholic Church needs now is for Pope Leo to issue a definitive ruling on the liturgy to stop liberal bishops from trashing tradition and embracing compromise. The last thing Catholicism needs is for modernism to open the door for the LGBTQ agenda — which the God of the universe calls an abomination — to receive acceptance during Mass. Some parishes have already done this, and it’s utter blasphemy.’” (pjmedia.com)
Pope Leo XIV Says:
“Religious freedom is not merely a legal right or a privilege granted to us by governments; it is a foundational condition that makes authentic reconciliation possible. When this freedom is denied, the human person is deprived of the capacity to respond freely to the call of truth. What follows is a slow disintegration of the ethical and spiritual bonds that sustain communities; trust gives way to fear, suspicion replaces dialogue, and oppression breeds violence. Indeed, as my venerable predecessor observed, ‘there can be no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression and respect for the views of others’ (Francis, Urbi Et Orbi, 20 April 2025). For this reason, the Catholic Church HAS ALWAYS DEFENDED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR ALL PEOPLE.” (catholicnewsworld.com)
Those Who Forget The Lessons Of History…
“The Catholic Church has always defended religious freedom for all people.” This is a classic example of a Pope being more than a little “economical” with the truth. During the Middle Ages, tens of millions of people were tortured and murdered because they were denied the right to religious freedom. As one website put it: “What a leviathan of a lie!”
The Roman Catholic Goal
In 1978, Mr Armstrong wrote:
“Pope John… sought to strengthen the Roman Catholic Church by launching the Ecumenical Movement – hoping to bring back to the ‘Mother Church’ her daughters that had gone out of her in PROTEST – calling themselves Protestant.
At the same time Pope Paul had to contend with another power group among the priesthood, who stood sternly for the traditional conservatism. This Pope walked a tightrope, and did manage to hold the church together – though in a time of great and mounting stress.
It had seemed that the resurrection of the Catholic-ruled Europe was considerably past due. But in Revelation 7, when the time had come for the trumpet plagues to be poured out, you will read how God held up events until the sealing of the 144,000 and other great innumerable multitude. So, it has seemed God has deliberately HELD UP the resurrection of the ‘Holy Roman Empire’ UNTIL God’s GREAT COMMISSION is completed.
When this European combine – politically, militarily, religiously, with a common currency – occurs, our work will be just about over – and it will be well for us to HEED that warning!” (Pastor’s Report – August 7, 1978)
Church Of England Breaks In Two
40 million members want to ‘get back on track!’
King Charles, the supreme head of the Church of England, has always seen himself as a ‘defender OF faiths’ - rather than a defender of ‘THE faith’. Meanwhile, the Church of England has been accused of ‘theological treason’, as the following article points out.
“The unity of the Church of England has been dealt a major blow to the denomination in a punishing reminder that theological treason has consequences, after a group representing nearly 40 million members — ten times the number of Anglicans in the UK — announced they are the real Anglican Communion and will no longer be in communion with their progressive counterpart, dividing the denomination in two while declaring ‘We cannot continue to have communion with those who advocate the revisionist agenda, which has abandoned the inerrant word of God as the final authority.’
Over the past two decades, the denomination has been liberalizing at a rapid rate, recently appointing Sarah Mullally, a pro-choice feminist as the new Archbishop of Canterbury and allowing the church to bless same-sex couples, with a major contingent pushing the church to deem homosexuality no longer sinful.” (protestia.com)
The Rise Of Christian Nationalism In Britain
“A new type of Christianity - more militant, more political - is on the rise. But some in the Church of England claim this is a ‘corruption’ of their faith. Bishop Ceirion Dewar rejects the Church of England as heretics. Critics call Dewar ‘the far-right bishop’ - a label he rejects. But he does represent a new type of Christianity - more militant, more political - and one that is on the rise. This is something new and growing - a movement that has long marched against immigration, against Islam, is now marching behind the cross.
‘We are a Christian culture, a Christian nation. And I do feel like we have lost a lot of that.’ This nation of ours is under attack! We are at war!” (news.sky.com)
German Protestant Federation Abandons Long-Time Peace Stance
“The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has renounced its long-held pacifist stance in its latest peace memorandum, stating that violence is sometimes necessary to counter violence. The remarkable announcement by the federation, which represents some 17 million members, comes as the German government pushes to beef up the country’s military in the face of a perceived ‘Russian threat.’ The ‘Peace Memorandum 2025,’ which was presented at the church’s synod on Monday, marked a ‘clear reorientation of Protestant peace ethics,’ the EKD stated.” (rt.com)
Random Savagery Is Part Of European Life Now
“This morning a man shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ drove a car into a crowd on the French holiday island of Île d’Oléron, leaving at least 10 people injured. It was the latest example of something that has become commonplace across Europe, something that our leaders refuse to deal with.
Nowhere is that more visible than in Germany, where the tradition of the Christmas market is being quietly dismantled. In several towns and cities they will not go ahead as normal this year. These cancellations are not simply administrative matters. They are the visible consequences of a society that refuses to speak plainly about what threatens it. Islamist terror – or even the fear of it – now impacts the architecture of public life. The markets that survive do so behind ‘controlled zones’: fenced pockets of reassurance in cities that pretend the danger does not exist.
This is how cultures fade – not through sudden collapse, but through small, well-meaning surrenders. Each cancelled market, each renamed festival, each silence accepted for the sake of ‘safety’ is another retreat from the public square. They need not strike again; the mere possibility has achieved their purpose. The attack in France on Sunday showed how fragile the ordinary has become. Germany’s response shows how easily fear can be mistaken for compassion.” (telegraph.co.uk)
Germany To Begin Deportations To Syria
“Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared Germany will restart deporting migrants back to Syria. ‘The civil war in Syria is over. There are now absolutely no grounds for asylum in Germany, and therefore we can begin deportations,’ Chancellor Merz said on Monday evening, according to Die Welt. The longstanding open borders policy pushed by the Berlin establishment which opened the gates of Europe to mass migration in 2015, has incentivised nearly a million Syrians to migrate to Germany. Their presence in the country has become increasingly controversial in the wake of terror attacks…” (breitbart.com)
A New Nazi Germany!
“So long as present German prosperity continues… the Nazi takeover will not be possible! But — should any severe THREAT to that hard-won prosperity come — the picture will change — and change VIOLENTLY, in Germany! Remember! It was the afterwash of the disastrous stock market crashes of 1924 and 1929 that fanned the flames of violence in Germany to pave the way for Hitler!” (The Plain Truth, December 1963)
Whilst this refers to a financial disaster, it could equally apply to the present migrant situation. Germany has a problem, a serious problem, and the only party offering any solutions is the AfD!
Germans are seeking a strong government. For many Germans, the ‘pacifist stance’ is a thing of the past! In the new Germany, ‘violence is necessary to counter violence’.
As the Plain Truth article warned:
“You need to be WATCHING — and keeping your eyes on developments in EUROPE — as never before! You, at least, have been WARNED!” (The Plain Truth, December 1963)
Trump’s Middle East Blind Spots
“Washington continues to believe that prosperity can moderate jihadist ideology. This is wishful thinking.
The jihadists do not prioritize prosperity.
They want victory.
They want the destruction of Israel and the submission of the West.
A recent Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) poll of Gazans showed that an overwhelming majority do not want Hamas to lay down its weapons to end the war, even after months of suffering, displacement, and hardship. Western observers find this incomprehensible. If Hamas disarmed, Gaza could finally rebuild, attract foreign investment, and realize the prosperity promised in every Western peace plan. Still, Gazans overwhelmingly choose continued conflict over economic revival, because for them, jihadist ideology trumps (no pun intended) economic wellbeing.
The notion that jihadists can be bribed into moderation is a dangerous fantasy. THEIR IDEOLOGY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE, AND THEIR AMBITIONS ARE NOT ECONOMIC. Until the West accepts this truth, it will continue to enable the perpetuation of ideologically jihadist regimes.” (jpost.com)
Islamic Center Opens In Houston
“Dubbed a ‘milestone for the global Shia Ismaili Muslim community.’ The grand opening ceremony of a sprawling 150,000-square-foot ‘milestone for the global Shia Ismaili Muslim community and a transformative addition to the city’s cultural landscape’ has opened in Houston.
Where does the Ismaili Center stand with regard to Sharia law and texts in the Qur’an that are diametrically opposed to Western law?
Sharia law is divine in Islam and adherent Islamic institutes hail the Sharia above American and all other laws. Islam is expansionary today, as it has been for 1400 years.” (frontpagemag.com)
Islam is not like Christianity.
“This is not a religion as the West understands religion. It is a comprehensive theocratic legal system, one that seeks total submission. Islam is not like Christianity. It does not draw clean lines between worship and law or between private belief and public life.
In Islam, the personal is political.
The religious is legal.
The mosque is a courtroom, a legislature, and a military command center.
Sharia is the spine of Islamic thought — codified, enforced, and upheld across centuries.”
(theblaze.com)
Sharia Law Violates Everything The Founding Fathers Built
“In countries where it is enforced, [sharia law] often dictates punishments, civil law, and social norms based on religious authority rather than individual liberty. Punishments include public lashings, stonings, and even amputations for certain crimes. LGBTQ individuals face particularly harsh treatment, including imprisonment, corporal punishment, or death. Women’s rights and freedom of expression are often restricted as well.” (theblaze.com)
Muslim Candidates Have Seized Control
“In the span of one election, CAIR’s decades-long blueprint for political domination has come to life — forty-two Muslim candidates, backed by a Hamas-linked network, have seized key offices across America, proving that the Muslim Brotherhood’s plan to infiltrate from mosque to city hall is no longer a warning, but a reality. They told us the plan. Now we’re watching it unfold — in real time.
CAIR founder Nihad Awad preaching from a California mosque, unveiled a decades-long blueprint to embed Islamic influence inside America’s core institutions. ‘We have 4,000 mosques in the country… If each mosque funds five students in journalism, filmmaking, political science, and law… by 2050, we will have 100,000 of each — and we will run for office at all levels of government.’
That was not a sermon. THAT WAS A MOBILIZATION ORDER. Awad instructed American Muslims to stop donating to overseas relief and instead fund political power inside the United States.” (rairfoundation.com)
Twelver Shiite Ideology
“‘Zohran Mamdani could be the most dangerous mayor in American history,’ Lopez warned. ‘Not just because of policy, but because of what his beliefs will allow — and even compel — him to support.’
THE GOAL OF TWELVER RADICALS, LOPEZ NOTED, IS TO IMPOSE ISLAMIC RULE, NOT MERELY TO GOVERN ALONGSIDE OTHER WORLDVIEWS.
RAIR asked Lopez to contrast Islamic End Times theology with Christian eschatology. Her response was chilling: ‘In Christianity, human beings cannot hasten the return of Jesus. In Shiite Islam, particularly among the Twelvers, it is believed that by creating enough war, destruction, and suffering, THEY CAN FORCE THE MAHDI TO RETURN.’
That’s not faith, that’s revolutionary warfare cloaked in religion. And it’s exactly what Zohran Mamdani appears to represent.” (rairfoundation.com)
The King Of The South Attacks The King Of The North.
The king of the North is the German led Europe - but who is the king of the South?
“Islam waits to be united. The role of Mahdi – the Great Unifier of Islam – awaits a player… There is no reason to believe the days of Mahdism are past. Indeed, circumstances in the Moslem world appear riper than ever for a Mahdist flare up. Even now, a Mahdi may be waiting in the wings for the opportune moment.” (Plain Truth, December 1979)
An Arab-Moslem Confederation
“Bible prophecy reveals the coming emergence of an Arab-Moslem confederation in the Middle East. It is referred to in prophecy as ‘the king of the South’ (Daniel 11:40). This confederation will play a crucial role in end-time events.” (Plain Truth, December 1980)
The goal of Islam was clearly laid out by the king of Saudi Arabia, King Khalid, when he addressed pilgrims to Mecca in 1979. He said:
“We Muslims, the more we hold fast to these eminent ideals, the better are our prospects to get up and bring the world under our control.” (Plain Truth, December 1980)
Muslim Unity
Within the Muslim religion there are many different groups. The one event that would pull them together is a common enemy. We are told that the King of the South attacks the King of the North. Europe is the common enemy. The question is - why?
It could be the fact that Europe is deporting the Muslim ‘asylum seekers’, almost one million Syrians - plus some say up to another two million from other nations. These are mostly young men, 18-24 years old, men of fighting age! We will have to watch and see what happens. But remember, if the Muslim nations pooled their military resources, they would be a formidable enemy.
The King of the South is defeated, and the King of the North’s army goes on down and takes over most of the Middle East.
“AND AT THE TIME OF THE END shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon [Turkey and Jordan].” (Daniel 11:40)
The word “push” in Hebrew means to “butt with horns” - figuratively “to war against”.
We have an approximate timing for this event - because the King of the North’s army then surrounds Jerusalem and stops the morning and evening sacrifices.
The 1290 day mark: “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” (Daniel 12:11)
The Abomination That Maketh Desolate:
“…Speaks of the same thing as ‘Jerusalem compassed with armies.’ This is the correct meaning of this ‘abomination.’ It is the armies - not a statue - that make Jerusalem desolate.” (Pastor General’s Report – November 20, 1979)
Religion Is Involved In Most End Time Events
- The King and the Church of England in a deeper and warmer relationship with the Roman Church.
- The Roman Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Movement, hoping to bring back to the ‘Mother Church’ her Protestant daughters.
- German Protestant Federation abandons long-time peace stance.
- Islam wants the destruction of Israel and the submission of the West.
- Islamic institutes hail the Sharia above American and all other laws.
- Islam is not a religion as the West understands religion.
- The goal of Twelver radicals is to impose Islamic rule.
- Islamic Twelvers believe that by creating enough war, destruction, and suffering, they can force the Mahdi to return.
- The Muslim King of the South attacks the Christian King of the North.
- The daily sacrifices stopped!
- The Roman Church sets up its headquarters in Jerusalem…
Mr Armstrong Left Us This Warning:
“But for us?
Can we discern the sign of the times?
END-TIME EVENTS are going to happen FAST from here on!
…WAKE UP!”
“Just what is an APOSTLE?”
Today we find the Church of God in a “wilderness of religious confusion!”
The confusion is not merely around the Church – within the religions of the world outside – but WITHIN the very heart of The True Church itself!
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