Latest Audio - 2025-11-08
The world’s largest economy …173,000 troops deployed in 159 countries …750 foreign military bases across 80 countries…
Is America Really
Too Big To Fail?
A brief overview of the American military shows just how powerful the nation really is. This awesome power costs - around $841 billion dollars for the current year - but as we shall see, there is an “elephant in the room”. First, a look at the power:
“The ever-expanding American military footprint covers nearly every continent. While the United States has long had a military presence in other nations, the scope significantly expanded following the passage of the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, which, in the wake of 9/11, permitted the support of foreign forces against various terrorist groups.
The US has since had 173,000 troops deployed in 159 countries as of 2020 and currently maintains at least 750 foreign military bases across 80 countries, according to the Conflict Management and Peace Science journal.
As the top military power in the world, according to the Global Firepower index, the US has a vested interest in the national security of countries across the globe. In situations that do not warrant combative military intervention or would threaten relations with allies, the government may oversee or aid more minor disputes within countries, such as counterterrorism efforts. This type of involvement is known as a ‘shadow war,’ a somewhat covert military operation conducted on behalf of a smaller power.” (kxnet.com)
Some Areas Of US Involvement
US involvement in the Ukraine/Russia war
US involvement in China/Taiwan dispute
US involvement in Venezuela
US involvement in Europe
US involvement in Japan
US involvement in Nigeria …
With the largest economy by far in the world, over 750 military bases around the world and massive military might, surely they are all powerful?
Where Are US Troops Stationed?
“As of March 2025, the US military consisted of 2,862,089 active-duty, reserve, and civilian personnel worldwide. The US has a strong military presence both domestically and overseas, with 1.5 million active-duty service members stationed at home or abroad.
In addition to millions of troops, the Department of Defense manages 568,000 facilities, covering 27 million acres, across 4,790 military sites worldwide.
As of March 2025, the US had 2.6 million military personnel, including active-duty troops, reserve, and civilian workers stationed domestically. Of these, 1.1 million were active-duty troops across 50 US states, Washington, DC, and 5 US territories.
In terms of overseas deployments, there were over 243,048 US military and civilian personnel stationed in foreign countries as of March 2025:
177,209 active-duty
29,445 National Guard/reserve
36,394 DoD civilians
In early 2025, the United States had nearly eighty-four thousand US service members in Europe, according to the United States European Command (EUCOM). The total amount varies due to planned exercises and regular rotations of troops in and out of the continent.
Germany 38,600
United Kingdom 10,000
Italy 12,600
Poland 14,000
Spain 3,500
Romania 2,150
Turkey 1,700
Greece 600
More than forty US military bases span the continent, from northwestern Greenland to Turkey’s border with Russia. The bulk of bases are concentrated in central Europe —primarily in Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom.” (cfr.org)
The Cost Of Equipping An American Soldier
“The standard infantry soldier could range from $5,000-50,000. A Javelin anti tank missile could cost $200,000-400,000. Nobody is an army of one. For every trigger puller there are about 6–8 people who make it possible for them to do what they do where they do it. During WWII for the USA it was 1 to 14. The US military spends about $900 billion every year on about 3 million troops. That’s about $300,000 each. Most of that is personnel costs (pay, benefits, food, clothing, housing, medical).
When it comes to military equipment, especially individual gear, there’s a wide range of quality — and with it, price. Example: Ukraine is using a variety of sniper rifles. The cheapest ones are probably the American Savage 10, which cost around $700 each, while the excellent Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifles go for $5,000.
Of course, you can buy really expensive items, but I usually opt for ‘very good quality but not crazily overpriced’ gear. Below are the typical costs (all prices in US dollars):
Ballistic helmet: $500
Ear protection (Earmor or Peltor): $250
Night vision (PVS-14): $3,300
Combat uniform (M-Tac Ukraine): $250
Boots (Lowa Zephyr): $200
Plate carrier vest (Tasmanian Tiger): $200
Plates (Level 4): 2 x $300 = $600
Pouches for the plate carrier vest (Tasmanian Tiger): $150
Hi-tech soldiers’ equipment can be very pricey. A helmet for an F-35 pilot - for example - is about $400,000.” (quora.com)
US: Largest Air Force In The World 2025
“Air force aircraft - 5,057
Army aircraft - 5,714
Navy aircraft - 2,438
It is hard to take in the military might of the USA. It’s simply huge!
The Cost:
The Tomahawk cruise missiles - $1 million each.
The current most expensive fighter is the F-22 Raptor, at $143 million.
F35 Lightening ll - $109 million.
Boeing F18 - super hornet - $73 million.” (aerotime.aero)
Surface-To-Air Missiles
“The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, last line of defense against imminent threats, comes in at $950,000.
The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, clocks in at a cost of $1,490,000 per missile.
The Block IIIAZ variant of the SM-2 has a price tag of $770,000.
Finally, the SM-6 is currently the only missile capable of intercepting hypersonic weapons, although only under certain circumstances. The cost for arguably the Navy’s most flexible missileis $4,270,000 per round.
The SM-3 specializes in knocking out ballistic missiles at long ranges while they’re flying outside of the atmosphere. The extremely high tech multi-stage SM-3s come in at $12,510,000 for the Block IB, and $28,700,000 for the Block IIA.” (twz.com)
Aircraft Carriers
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier:
“Cost - US$1.98 billion in 1975 ($11.4 billion in 2024) According to the US Navy’s budget reports, the total lifecycle cost of the USS Nimitz is around $23 billion.” (wikipedia.org)
The US has 10 such aircraft carriers and…
“The Navy is aiming to build 12 Columbia-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines at a cost of $132 billion.” (portal.ct.gov)
How can a nation of this size and power be destroyed? It doesn’t seem possible. But it is going to happen - and suddenly.
The question is - how?
The Elephant In The Room
The metaphorical elephant in the room represents an obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about.
And Here It Is!
DEBT!
US national debt as at October 4th 2025 stands at $38 trillion …
See US debt grow in real time
Here are the top 4 expenses … the big spend items!
Social Security $1,447 billion
Medicare $965 billion
Net Interest $933 billion
National Defense $841 billion
(pgpf.org)
“At current interest rates, the US is paying nearly $3 billion a day in interest on its public debt. Recently released data showed that annualised interest payments on US public debt rose to $928 billion in the first quarter of this year.” (tavexbullion.co.uk)
The US is having to spend more on the interest on their loans than they spend on Defence.
As long as they are able to borrow money, the power is still there. But the more they borrow, the higher the interest payments. Many are pointing out that the increase in borrowing is unsustainable.
America’s ‘power’ is being paid for by borrowed money.
Finance: The Major End Time Problem
Mr Armstrong was inspired when he said:
“…I can see now the event that is going to trigger the formation of reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the Medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come.
…I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out of a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations of Europe to realize they must unite.
Well, now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger it and that is THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE WORLD.
NOW WHEN THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE BREAKS DOWN, ALL CIVILIZATION IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN. I just wanted to say that much - maybe you can begin to see how serious this thing can become!” (Sermon - July 1984)
Privileged Information
There is also end time information that we get from God’s apostle that we can get nowhere else. Again this is understanding that we must not take for granted because there are many in the church at large today who have no idea what this is all about.
Information regarding the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days.
“Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290, and 1335 days. But is seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us – GOD’S CHURCH – who wait and endure until the 1335 days – approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming.
…But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END.
That will be a time when the UNITED EUROPE shall appear – the revival of the medieval ‘Holy Roman Empire.’
We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation.
[At the 1290 day mark:] Forty-five days later ‘the beast’s’ armies will surround Jerusalem.
[At the 1260 day mark:] Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain – and possibly the same day or immediately after, on United States and Canadian cities.” (Pastor General’s Report - 1979-11-20 - The Time We Are In, Now.)
Before The 1290 Day Mark
Before “the beast’s” armies will surround Jerusalem - and stop the daily sacrifices, another major event has to happen. It’s easy to read over this verse, but this is a major event! This has to occur just before the 1290 day mark.
“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south [an Arab confederation?] push at him: and the king of the north [Europe] 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.” (Daniel 11:40)
It seems that the US is not involved at this point!
The Message Has Never Changed
Keep in mind that when Mr Armstrong wrote the following, the situation in the world was very different. The cold war was in full swing. The Berlin wall divided Germany. Germany was actually two very different nations - East Germany was communist controlled while West Germany was a free democratic nation.
From the beginning of Mr Armstrong’s ministry, the warning went out to watch for the resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire.
End Time events revolve around this event!
This warning still stands!
“Follow the Money” - The Trigger
Mr Armstrong links the breakdown in the world’s financial structure with the formation of the resurrected Holy Roman Empire.
“ …I can see now the event that is going TO TRIGGER THE FORMATION OF REUNIFICATION IN EUROPE; the resurrection of the Medieval Holy Roman Empire … and that is THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE WORLD. NOW WHEN THE FINANCIAL STRUCTURE BREAKS DOWN, ALL CIVILIZATION IS GOING TO BREAK DOWN.” (Sermon - July 1984)
Since 1927
“The Bible foretells that third round – and it spells DOOM for us, as God’s punishment, because we, as a nation, have forsaken Him and His ways! The third round is termed, in prophecy, an invasion by ‘BABYLON’ – a resurrected Roman Empire – a European Union. I have been proclaiming that since 1927.” (The Autobiography, Volume 2 - Chapter 49)
A UNITED GERMANY
“Germany — a UNITED GERMANY with her former territories restored — is ready to emerge as the strongest nation on earth at the head of a revitalized and resurgent Europe! This power colossus is then going to deal a death blow to the United States and Britain…” (The Plain Truth, October 1964)
The Frankenstein Monster
Talking about the Holy Roman Empire, Mr Armstrong wrote:
“In its final phase, to appear in our day, will merely be a restoration of that ancient Roman Empire – a United States of Europe which we are beginning to foster within the confines of the ancient Roman Empire! We are building the Frankenstein Monster that is destined to destroy us!” (The Plain Truth, June 1955)
A Final Warning From God’s End Time Apostle
We would all do well to take heed.
“…And politics will enter into it and I can see where it is going to cause Europe to unite and turn against the United States. And if you want to know what will happen…
Read the last chapter in the book ‘United States and Britain in Prophecy.’
Now you may have read it, go home and read it again.
Brush up on it and refresh your mind on it…
BECAUSE WE’RE COMING TO THE TIME WHEN IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.” (Sermon - July 1984)
Looking back to the Future
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Proverbs 29:18)
One effective teaching tool God uses is to have us do physical things to drive home spiritual lessons. Unleavened Bread is a prime example, but so too is the command to live in tabernacles – temporary dwellings – when obeying the command (keeping the law) of the Holy Days outlined in Leviticus 23. And by doing so, we are then given the priceless understanding of the gospel Christ brought. "The Good News of the World Tomorrow" ... the Plan of God, outlining His goal for all humanity. And as Mr. Armstrong mentioned at the beginning of his sermon on the Last Great Day in 1979:
You’ve been literally, through sermons and through sermonettes, living through the coming thousand years of peace. The time with Jesus Christ here, ruling the whole world and all nations; and many of us, hopefully, ruling with Him on His throne. A time without any Satan, a time when the Earth will be as full of the knowledge of God as the ocean beds are full of water, and the Earth has almost none of the knowledge of God today. What a difference that will be! (Why The Holydays – LGD 13 Oct 1979).
And indeed ... "happy is he" because of the incredible, uplifting picture we were given to visualise! And we NEED to keep that vision clear in our minds, now that we have returned from this year's Feast and are facing the dark days of 2025 and onwards. Everyday life will crowd in; problems at work, in the family, ill health, financial shortfalls, and the frustrating battle to avoid worldly celebrations ... Halloween, Christmas, New Year etc and the hype and pagan paraphernalia that goes along with them.
If anything, we need a clarity of vision even more now than we did back in Mr. Armstrong's time! Anti-Semitism is again rearing its ugly head, nations are slugging it out with other nations, crime in our nations appears out of control, as does illegal immigration and inflation. Germany is rearming, the weather systems are becoming more and more dangerous. Morality has sunk to an all-time low ... could Sodom and Gomorrah have been worse than what we witness today? But don't dare make that observation in public or you could find yourself incarcerated for 'hate speech'.
It's vital that as we come back into this darkening world, we must never let go of the real purpose of the Feast; to grasp a vision to hold onto, and that is why God has us physically live the millennial age! The world doesn't have that vision and daily we witness the blind leading the blind. If we neglect that vision we'll be no better, and as Proverbs 29:18 reminds us, without it, we will perish. But it will take effort to recapture the future reality we were immersed in for those eight days. So what I want to do in this Pastor's Report is to take our minds back to the overall thrust of the Feast messages – the future painted for us – and encourage you to put yourself in that picture. Make it relevant to YOU and your family – and then watch it become far more meaningful.
Visualising the Time Frame
- "Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings." (Leviticus 23:3)
Why Tabernacles? To remind us of the temporary nature of not only our life, but of this part of the Plan of God. The very first of the "feasts of the LORD" mentioned in Leviticus 23 is the weekly Sabbath. And we can see from what is written in Hebrews chapter 4, that there is more than initially meets the eye to this weekly rest, as it also pictures rest from the six 'days' – i.e.. millennia – of Satan's rule on this earth. And God has witnessed these past six thousand years in a very different way to we human beings:
- For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4)
- But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (II Peter 3:8)
As was brought out in the opening night service, we are fast approaching 'sunset' on the Friday night, i.e the end of the sixth day – as God's looks at mankind's time on earth. We might not have to put up with this world for much longer, which is very good news. And therefore not have to put up with our personal trials and heartaches much longer either! But it also should encourage us to make sure we are ready for the teaching job we've been called for. A few days ago we heard of a fellow AC student we knew well who has just died, and his burial is today. His time has run out, as it will for all of us, one way or the other. And time will also run out for Satan's rule on this earth ... his reign is merely temporary, and he is well aware of the fact!
- Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to 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. (Revelation 12:12)
So as we revisit the prophecies we had brought to our attention at the Feast, realise that although they were hand written possibly 4,000 years ago, the way God views time the ink has hardly had time to dry, they are that relevant to us today.
Visualising GOD'S Government over the World
- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
The day of Atonement assures us that the current god of this world will one day be deposed. So imagine for a moment a world ruled instead by the King of kings ... a world without political parties of any kind. Without Congress, without the House of Representatives, Houses of Parliament, a Senate, National Diet. No human monarchies, democracies, totalitarian regimes, dictatorships, capitalists, socialists, communists, fascists ... in fact no type of human governmental or political system whatsoever!
Plus, any other religion or belief rather than the Truth has been banished! No more Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other 'ism'. In essence – no more religious chaos, because the satanic broadcast has been silenced and at the last trump, the kingdoms of this world became those of Jesus Christ; "and he shall reign for ever and ever". (Revelation 11:15) But Christ will not be reigning and ruling alone. The last two church eras in particular mentioned in Revelation 3 are promised rulership with Christ – we'll be an integral part of His government! ... a great honour and responsibility.
No more worldly peace deals which are not worth the paper they are written on. No more broken ceasefire agreements, hostage taking, ethnic cleansing, religious contentions because under Christ, you and I – His kings, judges and priests – will ...
- ... judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.
- The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
- He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. (Psalm 72:2-4)
The re-education of the world is also part of our job description. As a significant part of the ruling family of God, see yourself as one of the king/priests ... guiding, comforting and helping the confused, battered and broken individuals at the beginning of the millennium to understand HOW humanity ended up on the verge of annihilation, and how it's possible to avoid it ever happening again. With Satan removed and God's spirit made available...
- Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
- And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
- And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; (Isaiah 32:16-18)
Visualising Crafting A Paradise
- In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
- And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2,3)
As we learnt at the Feast, there is a great deal more behind the word "carpenter" that is used in Matthew 13 and Mark 6, when referring to Jesus Christ. He is a "tekton" – craftsman, workman, planner, artisan, .. (Strongs GK 5045) . And as His co-workers in crafting a new environment, we'll have the fascinating hands-on opportunities to remake a whole new world ... starting most likely one hamlet, village or city at a time. Perhaps at the very beginning we'll be taught some basics of town planning but no doubt Christ will also use our natural talents to the full, as He has told us in the above scripture.
In each and every human being is a 'creative gene' of some form or other, and we'll be able to give our individual creativity full reign once changed to a Born Son of The Creating God. Personal creativity is being sidelined, even quashed with AI being so extensively used today, whereas in the future we might well find talents we never knew existed – not having the time, energy or money right now to branch out and attempt other skills. And those we do have naturally, it seems obvious that – as in the days when the Tabernacle in the wilderness was being constructed – we too will be granted vastly increased expertise in our area of "tekton-ship"! (Exodus 31, 35)
But one major change that we'll be instrumental in crafting for our people is the Sabbatical year, which has greater implications far beyond just "resting the land." Visualise for a moment:
1) No more supermarket chains, as there will be no foodstuffs to sell in the 7th year. Instead, perhaps small village shops, farmers markets, neighbours bartering goods.."5 courgettes for your melon?" ... sharing our excess, and thereby learning first hand the joy of giving. Back in 1973 a book was published: "Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered" by a Mr. Schumacher. It is now ranked among the 100 most influential books published since WW2, and indeed the 'small' that is coming will also be beautiful!
2) The Kibera-type slum areas will never again rear their ugly heads! Once rehoused in their own house, on their very own plot of land (Micah 4:4), we'll be teaching people the basic laws of hygiene (Deuteronomy 23:13,14) and God's approach to land and animal management – and towards their neighbours – all of which are outgoing, GIVING, as expressed in Exodus 23:11, Leviticus 19:10 and 23:22.
Any debts they might incur will be cancelled that seventh year and the Jubilee itself means that landownership will always return to the family eventually.
- Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
- And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
- And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. (Amos 9:13-15)
Visualising Restoring Health
- Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: (Isaiah 35:5,6)
At the very beginning of the millennium immediate healing will no doubt be necessary for many, if not most. As part of the God family, the chances are that you and I will have the awesome ability to give sight back to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb and replace damaged or missing limbs ... all of which Christ did on a regular basis 2000 years ago. That's something to contemplate and to visualise in full technicolour!
Just think: no more interminable hospital waiting lists for even a minor operation. No more crowd-funding in the hope of raising multiple thousands of dollars for a life-saving operation, before it is too late. The God family (you and I) will be on hand to heal and make whole again but also teach how the problem could have been avoided initially.
On a more long-term basis though, a vital and beneficial by-product of the Sabbatical year will be vastly improved human health. Once the Give way is extended even to the soil and the animals, that healthy land will produce nutritious crops and robust, thriving livestock. Human beings literally are what we eat, and we will take immense pleasure in seeing our people and their families blossom and glow with wellbeing. (Exodus 23:25,26)
Illness brought on by the omnipresent stress of today will also disappear. With nations not lifting up (cruise missiles) against other nations, so the threat of death and destruction has gone, along with famines and disease endemics. And what can be more beneficial to peace of mind than knowing the fabulous future God wants for them and their children?
- And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
- The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. (Deuteronomy 28:11,12)
Visualising the Joy set Before Us
- Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
- Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. (Jeremiah 31:12,13)
Having a clear vision of the future was vital for Christ as He drew near to the time of His crucifixion, and we might take that thought and personalise it: " for the joy that was set before us, we endured the end-time trials and heartaches, because we are to be made pillars in the temple of our God". (From Hebrews 12:2)
Initially, there might not be a great deal of joy at the beginning of the millennium because just about every individual will have lost a loved one in the horrors of the previous few years. But we will be able to reassure and comfort them, and bring hope, joy even, into their lives with this solid assurance, carrying on from the previous verses in Jeremiah:
- Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
- Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
- And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border. (Jeremiah 31:15-17)
Can we even begin to imagine how the unveiling of God's Plan for them – the millennial people – will impact on their minds? There will be singing, dancing, music making ... rejoicing to end all rejoicing. Walt Disney was once asked why so many songs in his movies and he replied that when the intensity of the moment goes beyond words – whether it is joy, sorrow or love, then you need music to convey it. In effect – "Music says it better".
- "When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy". (Job 38:7)
- Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
- Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
- Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
- For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
- Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. (Psalm 149:1-5)
- The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Visualising the Second Resurrection
Over the past 6000 years billions have lived and died, the majority because of wars, famines, natural disasters ... it is the rare individual who has died peacefully and full of years in his own bed. In the past 20th century alone, it has been estimated that well over 200 million people perished as a result of wars and conflicts "killed or allowed to die by human decision". That's a figure we find hard to visualise, and sometimes it helps to concentrate on just one or two individuals:
In the British Army of the WWI era, for example, it has been estimated that around 250,000 boys under the age of eighteen fought and died for their country ... While the bulk of these boy soldiers were in their late teens, and thus close to the minimum age limit of eighteen (to enlist, but they had to be nineteen to fight on foreign soil), others who were far younger ended up in the trenches. Indeed, the youngest soldier to have fought in the extremely bloody and drawn-out Battle of the Somme was reported to have been a mere twelve years old.
The memory of this child was recalled by another boy soldier, George Maher, who was barely into puberty at the time he was a private fighting in the trenches. Maher was only thirteen at the time, and he said that the twelve-year-old couldn’t even see over the top of the trench... (warhistoryonline.com)
Thankfully, this young boy – the same age of one of our grandsons – will be reunited with his family and there surely will be great excitement building towards the end of the millennium as you and I and our fellow family members prepare the earth for this emotional and amazing time!
Perhaps there's a particular era in history you are looking forward to learning more about first hand – from the "horse's mouth"? And undoubtedly, each one of us has at one time visualised being reunited with one or two people in particular. For me personally, I never knew my mother's father because he died of mustard gas poisoning from WW1 when she was just 8 years old. And my uncle Tommy died on the Burma railway. My wife never knew her grandparents or her uncle Henry – again casualties of war. Some of you have lost babies and children. Perhaps some of us regret losing touch with family members. Perhaps we hadn't let them know how much we appreciated them – and then it was too late. Thankfully they will all live again and we can make up for lost time. Not only will they be stunned to find themselves alive and in a glorious environment, but with their friends and family members there too. Picture that moment!
What will we say to them initially? How will we even start explaining what has happened since they died, now over a thousand years ago! Will we go back to Satan's rebellion, then on to the two trees, leading up to this specific day – and then onto mankind's ultimate goal? One thing we do know for sure is that it will be a time of great rejoicing when the Truth sinks in!
- And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
- And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
- He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
- And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:6-9)
Visualising our Eternal Home
- Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name (Revelation 3:12)
Revelation 21, and verses 9 to 27 describe the 'material' beauty of the future New Jerusalem; massive gates of pearl, streets made of gold, the foundations made of precious stones. A mind-blowing scenario we struggle to imagine. But there is more to the New Jerusalem than meets the eye. It will certainly be a breath-taking environment, but on its own, it wouldn't be enough for the "everlasting joy" promised. Some of the wealthiest people on the planet today are the most miserable and the most lonely! God lives in fabulous splendour right now, (Revelation 4) but His desire from OT times, was that He wanted to live with His people... (Exodus 29:46, Ezekiel 37:27, Zechariah 8:8)
And that is what will make the New Jerusalem our home ... FAMILY! The GOD family! Not the dysfunctional loose groupings of individuals pervasive in society today, but the way God intended families to live together "from the beginning", with His kind of love – "agape" – outgoing concern, resulting in peace, harmony, mutual love and respect, and wonderful fellowship, for eternity.
As we shortly enter another year under the sway of the god of this world, let's remember that the millennial rest is but a matter of minutes away in God's time frame. This time WILL come, and it's well worth meditating on as did brethren of old ...
- "...and having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth ...
- ...[for] they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:13,16)
- And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
- And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
- 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 21:1-7)
“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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