News and Announcements

Vital New Biblical Tools for All in the WCG Splinters

A series of tools based on David C. Pack’s milestone sermon series, “The Greatest Untold Story,” will be posted over the next several weeks.

The first, a list-form article titled “Many Questions God Answered” is now available. It presents a host of questions the Church never saw, or did but could not answer, surrounding the arrival of God’s Kingdom and many related subjects. They are to help God’s people in every group come to grips with all that was never understood before now. The initial purpose is not yet to provide answers but rather to bring powerful stimulus to thinking people. The answers to all these questions and others will be made plain through three coming additional tools.

Sermon: The MASS HEALING of God’s People—Just Ahead!

I am posting a new message, “The MASS HEALING of God’s People—Just Ahead!” A spectacular, divine promise has been hidden in God’s Word, lost until it was God’s time to reveal it with 29 PLAIN PROOFS. This message explains—and conclusively PROVES!—that part of God’s “restoration of all things” (Matt. 17:11) involves completely healing ALL brethren who choose to return to His Church when He reunifies it.

After 6,000 years of man’s misrule of the planet, a terribly poisoned environment—air, water and soil—coupled with confusion and ignorance about good health, has made achieving it difficult to the point of almost impossible. Horrible diseases are on the rise—old scourges reappearing, new ones arriving, and seemingly all illnesses becoming more resilient and dangerous. Many brethren have lost limbs, or been crippled, blinded and maimed either from birth or through accident.

Sermons: First a MOSES, Now ELIJAH—130 Proofs!

I have given a three-part sermon series unlike anything The Restored Church of God has posted. Titled “First a MOSES, Now ELIJAH—130 Proofs!”, it explains monumental prophecies with crystal clarity. It carries far-reaching implications for former members of the Worldwide Church of God and others in its offshoots.

These messages will not even be close to what you expect, nor what angry enemies will report about them. Do not “answer the matter before you hear it” (Prov. 18:13). After 15 minutes, you will not want to stop. And don’t let your minister stop you. He cannot give you eternal life!

Among the most important prophecies in Scripture, Malachi 4:5-6 states that without the end-time Elijah’s arrival, God would “smite the earth with utter destruction”!

A Conclusion Everyone Should Read

This will be my last announcement for some time. It brings additional aspects of the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy to completion. Many thousands have read the special Friday Announcements and are still reading them. Brethren have come with The Restored Church of God prior to the Feast of Tabernacles, even during—and after. They came to believe the prophecy and understand we are all in a waiting mode.

This longer, important announcement will bring final elements to the prophecy, but also helpful excerpts from an extraordinary 1972 article by Herbert W. Armstrong about how Christians should view matters of prophetic timing. Readers will find it fascinating. No next “date” will be set. I will explain what had not been understood. At the same time, God had more knowledge to reveal before and during the period around August 30 this year. This announcement completes what else we learned.

Awesome Knowledge—and a Great Parallel!

If you read last week’s announcement you know we hold no doubt that God’s prophecy in Haggai and Zechariah is still very much “on.” This announcement explains additional expansive elements of the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy that none of us had yet understood. In fact, what you will read this week and next time may help you understand why more time was needed for us to prepare for God’s fulfillment of the prophecy. This included understanding more of what was going to happen. As mentioned in previous announcements, this one will open your eyes to things God has long intended to do with His end-time Church and Work.

God’s Word is crystal clear!

The first element involves an Old Testament account in I Kings 19. More than a year ago I learned that God had “reserved” (the word He chose) an end-time “remnant” (again, His word) of His people who were as hidden to those in His Church as the faithful 7,000 in Israel were to Elijah in I Kings 19:18. It was in Romans 11:3-5 that the apostle Paul referenced this New Testament “remnant according to grace”—meaning they were of spiritual Israel, the Church. It was just as obvious through simple study that the remnant of two chapters earlier in Romans 9:27-29 could only be describing those of physical Israel—the surviving descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel that were coming out of captivity. I covered details about the remnant of God’s Church in a series of seven sermons late last summer.

How Long Will You Wait for God’s Prophecies?

This is the first of about three more announcements to be posted about the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy. Thousands of brethren, literally, in the splinters have read some or all of the previous 25 announcements. (Over 27,000 of the “God’s People Back Together—Soon!” series have been downloaded.) We have the numbers! It is clear that some brethren ARE “considering their ways.” We have many emails attesting to this. That is wonderful to see. The next announcements will explain additional expansive elements of the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy that none of us here had seen. They will open your eyes to things God has long intended to do with His end-time Church and Work that no one ever understood before, and you will see that His Word is PLAIN! These announcements will bring clarity to questions about “dates,” and how brethren should now view the “when” of the Haggai/Zechariah prophecy’s fulfillment.

Before covering vital points and scriptures that all should now keep in mind, it is of course obvious there was an error in the prophecy’s timing. There may be other details that are wrong. I always knew this and said it to the Church more than once. In fact, we are still learning additional elements of it. Mr. Armstrong puzzled and puzzled and puzzled over certain much less complicated prophecies. He often said that things he learned came over time—not all right away, or even close in some cases. There are points we learned “late” in what is an enormously complex prophecy. We knew from early on in our pursuit of the truth that this prophecy did not carry with it the kind of time that Mr. Armstrong always had to properly sort through prophecies—ones that, however great in magnitude as we know some are, were simpler to understand.

I will explain a week after the Feast EXACTLY what was misunderstood about the prophecy’s timing. It appears we will not be waiting a long time—not another year—for its fulfillment. (Earlier announcements have been corrected.) Next Friday, I will post another one detailing three crucial elements that were previously unexplained, with three more to be explained after the Feast.

Time to Prepare

This is one of my last announcements in this long series covering one of the greatest prophecies in the Bible—the reunification of God’s people. Much has already been covered. There is no value in restating all that has been written. Twenty-four previous announcements are available on our website. This one will be much shorter, covering final points.

“Notification” by God

Some weeks ago I explained that this prophecy’s fulfillment is not very far off.

For those who wish to be objective, but who take as a starting point that they do not believe the prophecy is imminent, ask why you disagree with the internal elements of the prophecy itself. I have put in a great many hours preparing what you read because there is value in getting people to think about what will happen BEFORE it happens. If you are among those who agree with the prophecy but have decided that some much later year carries a better chance for fulfillment, then you are probably already at least a little bit “considering your ways” as God instructs twice in Haggai 1. This much is good. The job was never mine to convince you of the prophecy, but rather to inform you in the spirit of God’s promise in Amos 3:7, explained last Friday. It is God’s job to convince you of EVERYTHING He is going to do. His servants merely inform you, knowing they are powerless to convince. Grasp this difference.

Two Culminating Events

Before beginning this next-to-last announcement, those watching the progress of God’s Church will be pleased to read of the next BIG DEVELOPMENT in His Work. We have finally been able to purchase 59 acres of adjacent woods and farmland to expand our campus—now upper and lower sections—to 88 acres, making it now three-quarters of a mile long. We are absolutely thrilled about this development. We have wanted this land for almost five years and nine months. And over this time we have come to really NEED it for a variety of reasons. Here are some: (1) A powerful agricultural program, featuring a small farm with barn, crops, livestock and poultry in the spirit of the Big Sandy agricultural program approved by Mr. Armstrong and directed by Mr. Dale Schurter to speak to the world about God’s form of agriculture. (2) Room for a much expanded summer camp that would by next year be on our own property—much easier than driving almost to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (3) A pavilion and ballfield for the Church, the camp and college activities. (4) Additional much needed parking space for activities right next door at a future Auditorium. (5) A few faculty residences. (6) A source for natural gas, lumber, food and water. (7) A place for possibly one college/camp community center/building.

There may be some other small adjoining properties that someday could be added, but it is this central addition that will allow the projected pattern of buildings, grounds and gardens to capture the elegance of the former Ambassador College campus in Pasadena, California, but also the more rural Big Sandy, Texas environment. It also brings in elements that will reflect the environment at Bricket Wood in England. The whole campus will be (and is already coming to be) woven in trees, gardens of every design, as well as one or more small lakes, a stream with three waterfalls (now complete) and other water features, all interwoven with uplit walkways and sitting areas.

With this advancement, enormously important infrastructure has basically all fallen into place to go forward with what all of these Friday articles are announcing.

The Full Picture

We return to Haggai’s all-important prophecy. We have reached the point that other passages—Old Testament and New—that are directly related must be explained. These final announcements will cover scriptures that have only been generally referenced so far (many not at all). They clarify critical aspects of the prophecy. God foretold that TWO culminating events would occur that would cause His people to suddenly return to His Church. God must use climactic actions—one shocking—to GET THE ATTENTION of His people. As I said last week, most are largely now not paying attention to these announcements because they think they have no reason to. Also from last week, regular readers of these posts realize that things miraculous are scheduled to occur. These must now be understood because they are almost upon us.

Crucial Questions—Important Answers!

This announcement will be short. The next two will be longer. This one covers a few specifics to keep in mind. A number of questions will be answered—basic ones that most are not yet asking but who soon will be.

First, last Sabbath we began our 10th annual Ministerial Conference from July 12-20—the first one on our new Headquarters Campus. It was completed this afternoon, with most attendees scheduled to return home on Sunday. By every account, it was a spectacular experience, and was made more inspiring in that it was held in our absolutely beautiful new assembly hall in our new Hall of Administration building. Field ministers and Headquarters managers had the opportunity to hear six days of lectures on a range of topics, with the imminent return of all God’s people an overarching theme woven into many presentations. The Headquarters ministry and department managers gave Conference attendees an inside view of the awesome Work that God is doing in His Church, and showcased the many cutting-edge tools and technology that allow the ministry to efficiently and effectively serve the flock of God.

We cannot help but think of the large splinters that are so far—far!—FAR!—behind God’s Church in so many of these regards (and many others). Many ministers would care about this if they knew, but they just do not know that they are. “Blissful” ignorance will soon give way to jubilant exhilaration at what lies ahead for ministers who have been sitting for years in almost desperately boring conferences that primarily served only to waste time. If you think this an overstatement, WAIT AND SEE! We are left to contemplate how many more ministers and elders will soon be meeting with us.

An Open Letter to All Splinter Ministers

This announcement addresses all ministers and elders throughout the splinters and slivers, including those who went home after the apostasy. But first an announcement that continues to force hard questions into the face of people still generally unwilling to examine the organization they attend and why they remain there. Ask yourself why the following powerful opportunities are coming to The Restored Church of God and not your group. Ask why they seem to be virtually nonstop here—almost routine—when nothing like them is occurring anywhere else.

TWO new open doors—one BIG!—unexpectedly presented themselves to us to expand TV coverage in the United States and around the world. The first involves a network called theWALKtv where we have secured a prime Sunday morning time slot—11:30 a.m. ET—beginning July 21. It has 209 affiliates (many in small markets) in the United States, which reach 50.2 million households through antenna, an additional 37.2 million through cable and all Free-to-Air satellite viewers in North America and the Caribbean on the Galaxy 19 satellite. This is about three-quarters of all television households in the United States (plus more internationally). Outside North America, theWALKtv reaches the U.S. Virgin Islands, Finland, Curacao and India. And viewers can now watch The World to Come™ on the following streaming devices and services: ROKU, Film On, iPoint Television, Jericho Christian Television, Omniverse and Seen on Demand.

Another absolutely wonderful slot just opened on Word Network. We took it yesterday. The World to Come will begin airing on September 1, 2013 at 10:30 A.M. ET SUNDAY MORNING! This network has over 800 U.S. affiliates (broadcast and cable) covering 134 DMAs (Designated Market Areas), and reaches over 90 million TV households in the U.S. It also reaches over 100 million households in Europe and 610 million more worldwide—perhaps close to one and a half billion people with a prime slot. Word Network blankets over 200 countries and territories via satellite and/or cable. Its fleet of five geostationary satellites spans the globe, covering everywhere except South America. This network also is on DIRECTV and Sky Angel Faith & Family TV in the United States, Sky UK, Sky Italia (Italy), Tata Sky (India) and Flow TV (Jamaica).

Why Reunification SOON!

This announcement presents many reasons that reunification is drawing near. There is much proof!

Let’s recall again. Previous announcements explained why Haggai 1:15 describes this event as happening “in the second year of Darius the king.” For those who believe this date pertains to the Persian King Darius (who lived over 2,500 years ago), remember that the modern Zerubbabel is also described as the “son of Shealtiel” and Joshua as the “son of Josedech.” Let’s reason together. The modern types of these two men are obviously NOT sons of these two fathers of long ago. The Bible is obviously speaking in code about what are two modern leaders. Mr. Armstrong knew the ancient Zerubbabel having been born to a man named Shealtiel had nothing to do with his prophetic fulfillment of this role. The same would be true of the modern Joshua regarding the irrelevancy of the ancient figure Josedech.

Similarly, the description of the timing of fulfillment must also be in code. Now think. If God specified in advance the exact year, the entire world would know when the prophecy would be fulfilled! See this! Now let’s think again. God does not name in the Bible (or need to) the modern Elijah of Malachi 4:5-6 and Matthew 17:11 because His Spirit will guide those who are looking to Him to see who fulfilled this role. Fruits, as well as who fit the profile, eventually revealed the man’s identity—Herbert W. Armstrong. For that matter, the same applied to Zerubbabel. The same principle would apply to the identity of the Beast and False Prophet, whom God would never name in advance—or the Two Witnesses, among others. But eventually God’s people WOULD know who these people are. Back to Haggai. First, to believe the prophecy is fulfilled during the reign of Darius would mean Haggai is an historical account, and not PROPHETIC. The first thing the thoughtful reader understands is that this prophecy has nothing to do with the reign of a king that lived over 2,500 years ago!

Who Is the Modern Joshua of Haggai and Zechariah?

In previous announcements, we saw that the prophets Haggai and Zechariah include instruction to men named Zerubbabel and Joshua. We learned these leaders were prophetic types of men who would come 2,500 years later. Passages in Zechariah reveal that these modern types worked primarily sequentially, not in parallel. Simple observation also makes this obvious. Otherwise, who was Joshua in our past? No one knew. This would make no sense to anyone.

This TWENTIETH announcement reveals the identity of the modern Joshua. It shows how to know who is Mr. Armstrong’s true successor. I urge you to read with an open mind. You will see the Bible interpret itself. You will also see an overwhelming number of facts that will be impossible to misunderstand for those with even a little of God’s Spirit. The truth will be obvious to thinking people.

Most in the splinters are not yet reading these announcements. The Haggai prophecy actually shows that this would be the case, but also that it would change. (My two final announcements will explain this.) God, through His Spirit, is about to begin communicating individually with these thousands currently cut off from Him. His Spirit now lies dormant in them because, having left His Church, they have for over 20 years been unwilling to “consider their ways” (Hag. 1:5, 7). God had to put them out of His Church—disfellowship them (I Cor. 5:5; I Tim. 1:20)—until they had learned bitter lessons, and until He was ready to address them. Much like people who broke the Sabbath, stole God’s tithes, skipped the Feast of Tabernacles or committed adultery, God is preparing to “reinstate” thousands of people at the same time IF they consider their ways—their false doctrines, traditions, behavior and worldly standards.

God’s Work Advances—Again!

This Friday announcement will be different from all the ones before it and the others that will follow it. Next week, the pattern of announcements will grow even more explicit—and more serious—as to the fulfillment of Haggai’s prophecy. But you will also find this announcement more than interesting.

This morning and afternoon, The Restored Church of God held a very special ribbon cutting ceremony for our new Hall of Administration building. The ceremony took place under a beautiful summer sun, and those in attendance included numerous city officials, members of the community, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, contractors, vendors, teenage children of members from around the world who are in the United States attending our youth camp and members from local media. Our dedicated staff, now numbering close to 100, also attended the event and helped provide the support for all the activities. The former mayor of Wadsworth (2004-2008), Congressman Jim Renacci, now the U.S. Congressional Representative of Ohio’s 16^th district, joined me in addressing the audience who were seated under a magnificent white tent to shield them from the sun. As a private citizen serving on the Wadsworth Board of Zoning Appeals, Congressman Renacci created the zoning environment that paved the way for the development of our campus. Also on the program and representing the current mayor Robin Laubaugh was the Wadsworth City Council President Tom Palecek. Mayor Laubaugh, who has been extremely helpful in our efforts to develop the campus, was unable to attend due to the birth of a new grandchild in another state.

In my brief address I shared some history of the Church, along with explaining the grand vision we have for our campus. I explained that, in late 2007, a property I had driven past for years in Wadsworth, I suddenly saw as perfect for all of our rapidly expanding needs, meaning five buildings it would have to contain. I envisioned a shimmering jewel befitting the Great God that would be visible—as a biblical “city set on a hill”—to literally hundreds of thousands every day on highways passing either side of what would become our “lower campus.” At the reception that followed, there was an air of genuine excitement that the city would benefit greatly from what we are doing. Soon hundreds of employees will join the already 100 who are here. Included below are a few photos from the event:

“Consider Your Ways”—Self-examination Begins NOW!

In previous announcements, we covered the big elements of the “Church of God” landscape that will change in light of the Haggai prophecy. We saw reunification of God’s people will explode the size and scope of God’s Work and that brethren will be together for the Feast of Tabernacles, Sabbath services, socials, Spokesman/Graduate Clubs, youth camps, Ministerial Conferences, college and more. Obviously, these changes will be BIG, but in a sense not as big as those that must occur in the lives of individual Christians. YOU must be ready to give up doctrines, traditions, practices, policies and standards that you have unwittingly (or wittingly) absorbed. This EIGHTEENTH announcement covers how God’s people, throughout the splinters and slivers, must examine themselves.

While Haggai 1 was previously explained, brief review is necessary. Recall what God twice tells the remnant: “Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts; CONSIDER YOUR WAYS. You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus says the Lord of hosts; CONSIDER YOUR WAYS” (Hag. 1:5-7).

One of the Bible’s most profound passages has become one few any longer read: “Seek you the Lord while He may be found, call you upon Him while He is near: 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, says 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” (Isa. 55:6-9). Most people live their lives generally believing their ways and thoughts are probably much like God’s—that God is sort of like they are. They assume they are generally pleasing Him. They do not live with the daily reality that they fall far short of what God expects—as far “as the heavens are higher than the earth.” And this would be under normal circumstances. Add that God’s people today are in the wake of an apostasy. They are divided, involved in every kind of wrong conduct (ways) and thoughts, while participating in a variety of humanly devised “works of God.” And they have accepted a host of false doctrines. How much more would the God of Isaiah 55:6-9 expect you to “Consider your ways” today, and to do this with zeal and drive because of the urgency of our times? This passage by itself should help you understand WHY God says to “Consider your ways.”

“BACK TOGETHER”—What This Means!

Over 20,000 people have read my mid-March article “God’s People Back Together—SOON!” (with dozens more every day). The great majority of these thousands are asleep and in disbelief of the prophecy. Some of the same thousands are reading every week, many no doubt out of curiosity but most of the others simply in disbelief (this includes mockers looking for “entertainment”). A few hundreds (possibly thousands) of readers appear to be in partial or even full agreement. This means most are not yet reading and believing what is being posted. The prophecy that I have been explaining actually reveals that this would happen. But the content and magnitude of coming announcements will change both these positions in a BIG WAY in weeks to come. The prophecy also makes this plain. Everyone will be reading these announcements, and soon everyone who hopes to retain God’s Spirit will have to ACT on their content. (Some thousands have already followed God’s Spirit back to His Church—His House.) Eventually, MANY thousands more will come!

Everyone wants to know WHEN this will happen—WHEN this prophecy will be fulfilled. God’s exact timing for action will be announced in two weeks!

This SEVENTEENTH Friday announcement brings detail about what will change when all God’s people are in one organization. It examines the exciting implications of brethren reuniting in God’s Church. What is coming will be dramatic! We saw from Haggai that God has been desolating (a process now largely complete) the splinter “houses” built by individual men. We also learned God has a Plan to bring His people back to His House to do His Work. After false leaders captured the Worldwide Church of God (the WCG), brethren scattered in many directions. Since the apostasy, they have remained divided, while yearning to be together.

“The Greatest Work Lies JUST Ahead…”

This SIXTEENTH Friday announcement is shorter than most others. It reveals the coming SIZE and SCOPE of the final Work of God before Christ returns! A few background paragraphs set up powerful announcements you will read momentarily.

Those who are reading these special weekly announcements understand that only a few groups—perhaps four—are making any real attempt at doing God’s Work. However sincere, we saw from Haggai that these are merely doing works of men, not directed by the living Christ who only heads and works through His government and His Church. Also not teaching God’s full truth to the world, these “houses” of men are doing their own “works”—NOT God’s. This is about to change in a BIG WAY! When God dissolves the splinters, combining all resources, HIS ensuing Work will be ENORMOUS—beyond imagination!

Most of God’s people remember Mr. Armstrong repeating often, “God’s Church must preach the gospel and do the Work until Christ returns.” It is no surprise then that most brethren choose to attend splinters doing some kind of “work.” This “we-are-doing-something” pattern of the bigger groups has lulled thousands into believing they are continuing—participating in—the Great Commission as Mr. Armstrong taught it. They are not (or even close), but this will soon change for thousands of brethren. The apostle Paul foretold a closing “short work” (Rom. 9:28), and God’s ONE Church will complete it!

HAGGAI—A Prophecy for OUR TIME! (Part 4)

This is the final article in a series explaining the end-time application for all God’s people of the book of Haggai. In the first three parts, we learned that a group called “this people” believed it was not yet time to return to and rebuild God’s “House” and to do His Work. They were busy running “every man unto his own house.” The “houses” described were plainly seen to be the various splinter groups that split from the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) during and after the apostasy. Haggai 1 also revealed that God is bringing a seven-fold desolation on these organizations due to their outright rebellion against His government, doctrines and ways. If you have not yet read the first three parts of this series, this article will make no sense to you. Stop now and read them. They provide vital foundational understanding for this concluding article. (Other vital announcements will continue each Friday from here on.)

While Haggai 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 addressed the remnant as a whole (this would naturally include the ministers), the verses we will now examine form God’s specific message to the ministers—the “priests”—who are involved with God’s people. The word priests is God’s obvious code for ministers. God’s Church does not involve a priesthood, and all the reasons that this is not talking about ancient or modern Jews (and thus their priesthood) have been covered in previous parts. This said, the continuing message obviously still also applies in its own way to laymembers. We pick up with Haggai 2, verses 10 to 13, with an exchange of questions that God wanted Haggai to carry out with today’s modern ministry. Each minister reading this series ought to see what follows as God talking to YOU:

“In the four and twentieth day of the NINTH month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests [ministers] concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.”

HAGGAI—A Prophecy for OUR TIME! (Part 3)

Before returning to Haggai (Part Three), two important announcements can be made official. They involve the second and third buildings of our new Headquarters campus, both previously introduced. Construction is now tentatively scheduled to begin on our Mail Processing Center in mid-June. This two-story 12,000-square-foot building will house the Church’s mailing and in-house print operations, as well as the Landscaping and Construction Departments. And construction will now begin on our Media Center in mid-July. Over 4,000-square-feet in size, this one-and-a-half-story building will be a truly state-of-the-art facility. It will contain three studios of different sizes, as well as our growing Media Production Services Department (already six full-time people, with others on the way in September). We are currently finalizing construction documents.

Also, we officially moved into the new Hall of Administration building on Monday and everything went extremely well. Incredibly, God’s Work was only “down” for one business day. The building has already turned out to be much more beautiful—and functional—than anyone anticipated. We are still receiving furniture, hanging pictures, finishing certain “touches” here and there—and of course unpacking. The thought that three buildings will be in place and complete before Thanksgiving on a magnificent campus has all of us inspired beyond words. Perhaps also before Thanksgiving we could be announcing a beautiful fourth building—the Student Center.

Part Two of this series covered Haggai chapter one. This includes the meaning of the “houses,” the people who occupy them, as well as the ongoing process of punishment that God is bringing to those He calls “this people.” If you have not yet read Part One and Part Two, stop and read them first. Otherwise, this article will make no sense to you. The first two parts provide crucial context for all that we will see in Haggai 2. We learned that, cut off from Christ, organizations outside God’s ONE Church are doing works amounting to almost nothing, and what little they are doing God declares that He is “blowing away.” (Part Two carried a policy statement to all ministers that is repeated at the end of this announcement.) But there is more to understand about chapter one before examining chapter two. We pick up repeating Haggai 1:12:

HAGGAI—A Prophecy for OUR TIME! (Part 2)

Read to the conclusion, especially if you are a MINISTER. A policy statement appears that you will want to know.

This is Part Two in a series of articles announcing an awesome prophecy in Haggai about all of God’s people coming back together. Last Friday’s announcement (the twelfth one) laid the groundwork. We saw Mr. Armstrong taught that Haggai and Zechariah were prophecies for God’s people alive in the end time. Historical background, general principles about understanding prophecy and the biblical definition of God’s House were explained, along with the first two verses of Haggai. With only the foundation laid, we have just begun what there is to learn. Part Two is not the place to begin.

The task from this point on is not to include much detail by examining every Hebrew word, which certainly could be done. There is a great deal of backup material that proves the brief summary points included here. Some concise proof is included so the reader sees that comments are not mere assertions based on my or anyone else’s opinion.

HAGGAI—A Prophecy for OUR TIME! (Part 1)

As mentioned in last Friday’s announcement, many of God’s people are becoming excited about the prospect of coming back together. For decades, brethren have lamented that they are divided into competing groups. Most have probably asked at some point, “Is this scattering God’s will? Why would God allow us to be attending in so many organizations?” Various reasons for this have been presented. But over time, most gradually came to accept this new condition, even though Christ and His Word do not authorize it. Others attempted to simply redefine the biblical definition of the true Church to fit the new church “landscape” (i.e., God’s Church now consists of many groups or “branches”). Still others feel something should be “done about it!” All attempts by brethren to “unite the groups” have failed. Neither has an “Elijah” arrived to bring everyone together (as some falsely anticipated, claiming Mr. Armstrong did not fulfill this role). The feeling of nostalgia for the “old days” remains strong among most of God’s people. They want things “the way they used to be.”

God knew our time would come, and foretold that an apostasy would strike His Church at the end of the age (II Thes. 2:3). But what has not been known until now is that God also recorded that an end-time regathering of His people into one organization would occur. I have referenced this in multiple recent Friday announcements. This TWELFTH announcement begins the explanation of this colossal prophecy. The body of the prophecy is found in the books of Haggai and Zechariah (many related verses are elsewhere), and the detail God brings will shock you. Virtually no one speaks of Haggai, or Zechariah 3 and 4—or is even thinking about them. For many people, elements of this series will be a refresher, but it will also be revelatory to everyone. First, important background is necessary.

What Most Once Knew, But Almost All Forgot!

One-third of the Bible is prophecy—history written in advance. How often did Mr. Armstrong say this? Over four-fifths of this future history is yet to be fulfilled. Tragically, most of God’s people have fallen into near total ignorance of and terrible confusion about the Bible’s prophetic meaning. This includes being now largely unable to recognize the speed, sequence and seriousness—and the awesome magnitude!—of certain onrushing prophecies, even the basic ones—those made plain in the Bible and referenced time and again by Mr. Armstrong. This is on top of not truly comprehending what any of them actually means! Many have questions, but few are getting right answers. The result? So many just cannot untangle the maze of what happens when, as well as where and to whom—and why!

The Cover-ups!

Last Friday’s announcement stated that I would explain the short-term strategy that leaders will employ to try to explain away worsening trends their organizations are suffering. This TENTH announcement speaks to the necessary cover-ups that will come from the top leaders (they are already taking place) in the face of increasing bad news confronting them.

For a while these men will be able to cover up some or much of what is happening, but the moaning and howling over the trends explained last week will eventually be deafening. It will probably shortly grow MUCH WORSE, when all denials about decline will become impossible to sustain. The tsunami of facts, evidence and proof will overwhelm all ability to deny the truth.

Think. The top men in these organizations now face a dilemma—and it is REAL. They have two options: (1) Speak little or nothing about financial and other problems in their organizations. In essence, act as though nothing is happening and put on a “happy face” or (2) be honest with their membership.

Seven Worsening Trends Coming Upon the Splinters!

Many thousands have read previous Friday announcements about what is foretold to happen to the organizations that formed after the Worldwide Church of God apostasy. Many of these have asked what the downward spiral of these big groups will look like through the run-up period to God bringing all of His people back together into one organization. This and next week’s announcements will cover two crucial aspects of what to watch for. The following Friday (April 26) or the one after (May 3) will likely be the natural time to begin introducing the biblical framework of the prophecy, including specific verses. At this point, I have merely alluded to the prophecy’s last chapter—the reuniting of all God’s people!

What is coming in the prophecy’s present chapters is not complicated to understand. God makes clear that what happens will fall into seven categories! Brief summary statements are all that is necessary to understand HOW—in what WAYS—the splinter organizations will eventually suddenly collapse after final, prophesied culminating events. Nothing will stop this—NOTHING!—and its arrival is as sure as sunset. The following trends are already happening to some degree—but they will worsen dramatically for a very short period. For over five months, I announced to brethren in The Restored Church of God that these things would happen, and why. These items are what God lists in His Word:

Article: “God’s People Back Together—SOON!”

Announced earlier, the most important and conclusive article I have written to the Worldwide Church of God splinters has been posted! I promise this will be the single most crucial one you will ever read. If you do not read it all, it will be the worst decision you have made since God called you. Believe this!

If there were just one book or article I have written that you could be compelled to read, this would be it. Start it, and you will almost certainly go on to read (and study) it multiple times!

God wants His people together. A detailed and powerful prophecy reveals that He is planning to bring it about. This article introduces how and why God’s people—every last one—will SOON be back together!