Herbert W Armstrong

   I would like to give you a little bit of what would be the results of one hydrogen bomb in the first milliseconds after detonation, gamma radiation would kill everything within six miles. A fireball would consume everything within 280 square miles in 10 seconds, followed by a blast wave that would flatten the remaining structures within four and one-half miles, that would include skyscrapers and anything within four and one-half miles. Now further, fallout would be carried into water supplies through streams, lakes, and other sources, rendering drinking water unfit for use. In short, society as we know it today would be erased from this earth.

   As a matter of fact, enough hydrogen bombs could erase all human life from this earth. Every man, woman, and child, including you and me. And Bible prophecy says such a war is definitely coming. But it also says that God Almighty in heaven is going to intervene and stop it. And there is good news on beyond. Now, the United States and the Soviet Union are not the only nuclear powers. We hear so much about the nuclear weapons of the United States and the Soviet Union, and that's where the big race is. But also Britain and France, India and the People's Republic of China, all have the hydrogen bomb, and many smaller nations have nuclear weapons and will have the hydrogen bomb if they don't already have it within a few more years. That includes at least 15 or 18 other smaller nations. Now, that also is prophesied in the Bible; with smaller nations are going to be coming along.

   Let me give you a prophecy now from Joel, the third chapter and beginning with verse nine, Joel chapter three, beginning with verse nine (Joel 3:9-13). This is a prophecy for our time now. "Proclaim ye among the Gentiles, prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let the men of war draw near, let them come up, beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'" You know, I read this prophecy many, many years ago when I was up in Portland, Oregon, before I came to Pasadena to start Ambassador College. At that time, I saw whole trainloads of scrap iron going to Portland, Oregon, where they were loaded on ships and shipped off to Japan. And I said at that time, "I said though all that metal is going to be melted and is going to come back on us," and it did in World War II. I saw this back before World War II, and those things did come, and they did beat the scrap iron, going was the plowshares and the pruning hooks, and they were beaten into weapons of war. And it actually happened, and it's happening now again, in a greater way.

   Continuing this prophecy, "assemble yourselves and come, all you heathen that is Gentile nations, and gather yourselves together round about, let the heathen be awakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there, I, God is speaking. I will sit to judge all the heathen round about." It says here, "let the weak say, 'I am strong,' beat your pruning hooks and your plows into spears and swords and weapons of war." And that's what is going on even now.

   Now, verse 13, "put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe, come get you down for the press is full and the vats overflow for the wickedness is great in the world." Now, you will find that also referred to in the 14th chapter and verse 15 of the book of Revelations (Revelations 14:15), speaking of the time just before the coming of Christ, just before the final battle of Armageddon, which will be the final battle of World War III, just before the second coming of Christ. And it speaks there of putting in the sickle for the harvest is right. It doesn't explain what is meant by that, but it does here for the wickedness is great, and it is the greatness of wickedness that is now ripe, and God is going to reap all of it and cast it away, and a happier world and a world of peace, a world of happiness is going to come in a one-world government brought to this world by God Almighty. God is going to intervene supernaturally in world affairs. Affairs in this world have gotten to the place where man is unable to solve his own problems. One of our great news magazines in the United States said just a few years ago, "It would seem now that the only hope of survival of humanity is the sudden appearance of an unseen strong hand from some place."

   It's rather strange, but in the secular magazine, they seem to shy away from saying the hand of God, but it's very plain. That is what it has meant that it's going to take intervention from God Almighty.

   Now, Jesus came to prophesy this very thing when he was on earth 1900 years ago. You don't hear much preaching about that, but I'd like to turn to it. I want to show you just what the prophecies do say is going to happen because this is going to affect your life very dramatically.

   In the 24th chapter of Matthew, Jesus is answering his disciples who had asked him a couple of questions. And I want to come now to verses 21 and 22 (Matthew 24:21-22). And speaking of our time, now, I will show you a little later in this 20th century, the latter half of the 20th century, For then shall be great tribulation. That is a time of world trouble, time of trial and test terrible trouble such as was not since there was a nation since the beginning of the world to this same time known or ever shall be, and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved alive. The word "alive" is not in the King James translation, but it isn't talking about spiritual salvation. It's talking about humanity being saved alive, and almost all other translations have it worded that way. That is the meaning of the original language that Jesus used. But for the elect's sake, those days shall be shortened. God will intervene.

   Now, then that is going to happen shortly before the second coming of Christ. And that is what is going to cut it short. And the supernatural intervention of God, drop on down to verse 29 (Matthew 24:29-30). The same chapter immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heaven shall be shaken. Supernatural powers, things that man doesn't cause man has been able to cause his troubles. Man has been able to cause all of the heartache and all the suffering and all the violence that man can't solve his problems. God is going to have to intervene and do it to us and do it for us.

   Now, the next verse and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. For then shall all the tribes or the nations of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. They will see Him coming in the sky in the clouds with power and great glory to rule all nations supernaturally.

   Well, after Jesus said that this thing is going to happen and that no flesh would be saved alive if God didn't supernaturally intervene in this time of trouble. And it is referring to hydrogen bombs because nothing else could obliterate all humanity. He said, then shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible, they should deceive even the very elect. They won't be able to deceive the very elect. When Christ comes, all people are going to see Him and other prophet. He says, every eye shall see Him coming in power and great glory descending down from a cloud in heaven and coming down. And that doesn't mean in an airplane either. I come down out of the clouds in heaven, in my airplane quite often. But I'm not coming in that kind of power and glory. I'm merely a forerunner and someone paving the way and announcing that coming, but far from the One who will come.

   Now, I want you to notice the time of this prophecy. It's just before the coming of Christ, but it has to be the time after the hydrogen bomb had been produced because nothing else could completely obliterate whole cities and a whole nation because a few hydrogen bombs.

   Well, suppose one hydrogen bomb should be dropped on New York, one on Boston, one on Washington DC, one on Philadelphia. Let's say one down in Miami, one on Houston, Texas, one on ST Louis, one on Chicago, one on Kansas City, one on Denver, one on Phoenix, Arizona, one on Los Angeles, one on San Francisco, Portland and Seattle on the west coast. What would be left of the United States, those cities and all around them would be totally destroyed. There wouldn't be anything left.

   Now, I want to show you some of the prophecies that say that that very kind of thing is going to happen. The cities aren't mentioned, but I'm going to show you that our country is mentioned in the countries where it's going to happen.

   Alright, to Ezekiel the sixth chapter and verse six, in the book of Ezekiel chapter six, verse six (Ezekiel 6:6-7), In all your dwelling places, the city shall be laid waste. That is referring, my friends, to the United States and Canada and Britain and our nations, the English-speaking nations.

   I'm going to offer you a book at the close of this program that shows you where we are mentioned in the Bible prophecies, and it's going to open your eyes. It's time we had our eyes open to these things, and many people would blow the dust off of their Bibles and learn what the Bible does say and where our nations are specifically identified in the Bible. You won't find it under the name United States; you won't find it under the name, Britain that's our modern name, but you will find it there. And I'd like to send you the booklet, and there's no charge whatsoever. All you have to do is write for it.

   Now, here again in verse seven, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and you shall know that I am the Lord or the Eternal. That is a saying that is used by the prophet Ezekiel again and again and again, and always it is referring to the time of the second coming of Christ. It shows that even the people of ancient Israel did not know who he was, they did not know that he was the Eternal. They will know it when he comes and they don't know it now, it is speaking of the second coming of Christ.

   Now, I'd like to have you notice again. Now, in the 12th chapter and verse 20 of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 12:20), and the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste and the land shall be desolate and you shall know that I am the Lord or the Eternal. And there again, it's mentioned once again, the time of the second coming of Christ and all of this is a time of trouble such as never happened before and never will again, because world peace is coming from that time, God will intervene and stop that time and then will come world peace. And we have never had world peace in 6000 years. And there's a reason, it's the way we live, the way we live that is causing all of the trouble on this earth.

   Now you have the time. It's just before the coming of Christ. It's the time after the hydrogen bomb had been invented. And now I want you to notice something else back in Matthew 24. Let's turn back to that again, Matthew 24. And I want you to notice that Jesus had been the beginning of this prophecy, and I've gone through it time and time again, and I have to go over it again to bring out a certain point right here.

   He had been in the temple in Jerusalem with his disciples. They had come outside, and he was showing the buildings of the temple and telling them that the buildings of the temple were going to be put down. A great time of trouble was coming, and the war, and one stone would not be left on another. Then a little later, he was up on the mount of Olives, and three of his disciples are mentioned in, I believe in the book of Luke that came to him. And as we read in Matthew 24 and in verse four (Matthew 24:4), they asked Him, tell us when shall these things be?

   Now, he was speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that was built in Jerusalem. When shall these things be? And then they asked Him another question and what shall be the sign of thy coming and the end of the world? They thought His coming, the end of the world or the end of this age that this world would happen in their lifetime. They didn't know it was going to be over 1900 years, but the destruction of the temple did come in their lifetime.

   And so Jesus talked first about that, and he said, Jesus answered and said, unto them, take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in My name saying that I am Christ and shall deceive many. Now that is referring to many coming in His name, representing Him, claiming to be the ministers of Christ and saying that Jesus is the Christ proclaiming Christ to the world. The fact that Jesus was the Christ is the Christ and yet deceiving the many, you know, Jesus said that many would even worship Him, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and worship Him all in vain. And he says, here it will be in vain.

   Now he went on with some other things. And then finally, he came in verse 14 (Matthew 24:14), to the sign of His coming. And he hadn't come to that until we get down to verse 14. And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end at the end of this world come.

   Now, the gospel of the Kingdom is the kingdom that he had proclaimed. He had proclaimed that gospel. And in a very few years, that gospel was perverted, and they began teaching another gospel. And the gospel of Jesus had preached the gospel of Christ was suppressed. The man began preaching the gospel of men about Christ, but it was not Christ's own gospel. What was His gospel in Mark one and verse one? (Mark 1:1). You read the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and you read of the gospel in verses 14 and 15 (Mark 1:14-15).

   Now, after that, John was put in prison. Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand repent ye and believe the gospel, repent ye and believe the gospel, that was the gospel he preached. But as I said a moment ago, in just a little over 20 years, they turned away from that gospel to another gospel.

   In 53 A.D., the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians or about 53 A.D. And Jesus had spoken these words in about the year of 30 or 31 A.D. And here Paul wrote in 53 A.D. I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. This he wrote to the churches in Galatia. Even the churches were turning to another gospel, which not another. But there would be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

   So men began preaching their own gospel just about Christ. Just believe in Christ, and you will be saved, just accept Christ, just receive Christ, and you will be saved. You know, Jesus said, there's a lot more to it than just that. That's part of it. All right. But there's a great deal more and many believe Christ. He says in vain, do they worship Me even teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men? And that's what they've been doing, saying that the law of God is done away, the law of God is done away man's gospel about Christ.

   And so the church has turned to another gospel, and they became part of this world. And we come into what came to be traditional Christianity, as Jesus said, keeping your own traditions and making the law of God. And God's law is merely God's way. God's way of life is the way God lives. It's the way He set for us to live.

   You know, today we say that we want every young person to grow up and choose his own way of life, choose your own way of life, the way you want to live. And that seems to be the idea today that anyone can just decide for himself how he wants to live and what his way of life is. God gave us the way of life. And to go contrary to that way is sin, and the wages of sin is death, and sin is the transgression of God's law.

   And that law is a spiritual law. God's law is the foundation of his government. The foundation of every government is a law or a constitution and the law is a way of living. A law is a way that regulates the way you live. Every government has laws, and God has laws that is spiritual laws and it's a spiritual way of life. It's God's way of life. It's the way that God has lived. And that Christ has lived, and the way they have lived together from eternity because they are immortal and have always lived. It's the way of cooperation. It is the way of love.

   All that is wrong in the world today. All that is causing the heartaches, all that is causing these wars is the way people are living today. They are not living according to God's way of life. According to the law of God, the spiritual way of life.

   Now, I John three and verse four (I John 3:4), says that sin is the transgression of the law. And in Romans seven, let's see, verses 12, 14 (Romans 7:14), it says that the law is a spiritual law, not a physical law, a spiritual law. And it's the law of love summed up in the great commandment of love to God and love to neighbor and in the 10 commandments. The first four, tell you how to love God. The last six, how to love neighbors. That is God's basic way of life that will lead to happiness would lead to peace, and people are not living that way. And so we're having troubles and we're having heartaches and we're having discouragements and discontent and frustrations and total unhappiness.

   And God is going to bring all of that to an end, and he's going to start another way of living and ruling of the whole world.

   Now, traditional Christianity is pictured, and I've been picturing it to you recently in the Book of Revelation in the 17th chapter. It came out of the old Babylonian mystery religion, and they took on the name of Christ and called it Christianity. And here in verse five (Revelation 17:5), you read, and upon her, this church's forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. The Babylonian mystery religion now become great and she has daughter churches that came out of her in protest. It's about time that we consider that.

   Now, you'll find again, in verse four, the 17th chapter (Revelation 17:4), the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, color, purple and color of royalty and rulership over nations, scarlet, the color of a whore and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls. Having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, persecuting the true church of God, a persecuting church, a false church, a church that was deceived by Satan the devil, herself deceived and one who was deceiving the world while doing it, she may have been doing it honestly because it represents human beings. The real culprit here is Satan, the devil who knows better and has deceived all nations. And here are some of the nations ruled by this woman drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

   So now we begin to get a little bit of identity of things that are coming right down to the time, right up to the coming of Christ. And just prior to that time, now in the 18th chapter of Revelation, speaking of this Babylon, which is the traditional Christianity of this world, you read in verse four (Revelation 18:4), and I heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her, Babylon, my people that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues. And that time is right upon us and is coming very, very soon, now.

   Now I'd like to have you get some things that I have to send you. I can't go on talking about it forever on this program because I've run out of time, but I can send you a lot that I don't have time to say here. And there is a special book I've mentioned before. Many of you have not received it yet, The United States and Britain in Prophecy. Where are we mentioned in the Bible? It not only tells you that it tells you what is prophesied to happen to our people. And there is good news in it. Believe me, the most wonderful good news that you ever read. But there also is a great warning of some bad news that's going to come first. You need to be forewarned, you need to know.

   Now, this is a complete book. It's profusely illustrated in full color and it will open your eyes. It is an eye-opening book and I know of no other book like it. Something you need to know, you need to blow the dust off your Bible, you need to see it. I want you to get the Plain Truth magazine. It is one of the world's great mass circulation magazines over 6 million subscribers published in six languages all over the world. And it's growing all the time and it goes into world conditions and world news and gives you the real meaning behind world news as no other magazine can as seen from biblical prophecy. You need this along with other news magazines with the news that you get every day of world happenings.

   Now there's no subscription price, it's free. We don't beg for money or ask for contributions. You don't hear of any have a program like that so far as I know and there's no charge for this Book, The United States and Britain in Prophecy. It's all grads. We'd like to give it to you. There's no follow-up. So all you do is send your request to me, Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California. That's all the address you really need, Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123.

   Or if you live outside of California, Alaska or Hawaii, go to the telephone and call 800. It's a free call. No charge just 800 is a free call. Then 423-4444, you dial 800-423-4444. There are many people waiting to receive your call.

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   You have heard the World Tomorrow with Herbert W Armstrong sponsored by the Worldwide Church of God, for literature offered on this program dial this toll-free number 800-423-4444. That's 800-423-4444. If the lines are busy, please call again or you may send your request along with the call letters of this station to Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena, California 91123. That's Herbert W Armstrong Pasadena California 91123.