Month: February 2020

The Three Resurrections: a Validation

-by Andy Yparraguirre-
1Co 13:8-12  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  (9)  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  (10)  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.  (11)  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  (12)  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

How many resurrections does the Bible indicate are going to take place? The Worldwide Church of God (WCG), God’s true church under the end-time apostle Herbert W. Armstrong, taught and believed that there shall be three instances of resurrection of the dead. However, this doctrine had not been explained conclusively so that sometime after the falling away of the WCG, and in the light of a new understanding of certain scriptures pertaining to resurrection, there is now a belief for only two resurrections for all that have died. Notwithstanding, most if not all of the other groups that split from the WCG still believe in three resurrections.

Which is which? The scriptures declare:“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming” (1 Cor. 15:22-23). God has established an order in which mankind shall be brought back to life beginning with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being preeminent in that order. Following next to Christ, will be the resurrection of the firstfruits (Rev. 14:4), referred to as the first resurrection according to Revelation 20:4-5.

But how many more resurrections shall occur after that? Is the resurrection of the rest of the dead mentioned in Revelation 20:5 the second resurrection? Will the second resurrection be the last and final one? If this is the case, shall the resurrection of the dry bones of the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 37:11) belong to and be included in the last resurrection? Are there no events in between and separating the resurrection of the dry bones of Israel and the resurrection of the dead that will be raised after Satan the devil is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10-12)? Is there not a possibility of a third resurrection? A deeper look at the scriptures related to resurrection is necessary to see through the glass the entire picture, not darkly, but clearly.

God’s Awesome Power Demonstrated

The power to resurrect or raise the dead back to life demonstrates the awesome power of God, the Almighty Father, over his whole creation. It affirms that in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and everything therein (Gen. 1:1-25; John 1:1-3) including Adam and Eve, the first man and woman ever, who were made out of the dust of the ground (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7). With this power God is able to execute judgment on the fate of every human being both the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). It establishes that God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word who was with God in the beginning are able to give life and save every human being from the power of death because they are the source of life (John 1:4). No less than Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Almighty Father, explained this vital fact.

John 5:19-21  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.(20)For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (21)For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

When God, through the Word who later became flesh (John 1:1,14) created Adam and Eve and breathed the breath of life into their nostrils (Gen. 2:7) there were no human witnesses to attest to this wonderful manifestation of the power of God. It was not so when Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. Apart from his disciples the Jews were present as he called Lazarus out of the grave. They were there to serve as personal witnesses for us today to believe in God’s awesome power that Jesus Christ demonstrated before their amazed eyes.

John 11:40-Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

John 11:41-45  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  (42)  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.(43)  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.(44)  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.(45)  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

Jesus brought back the dead Lazarus to life to demonstrate God’s power to save man from the power of death and to prove that God sent him into the world (verse 42).

John 11:11-15  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.(12)  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.  (13)  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.  (14)  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. (15)And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

The same was true when Christ raised a young man from the dead by merely touching his bier (Luke 7:14-16) and calling him to arise. People glorified God saying that he “hath visited his people”.

Resurrection by Three’s

God, the Almighty Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ had in previous times and on different occasions given back life to the dead providing us today a hint as to the number of future resurrections. In the Old Testament, God, through the prophets Elijah and Elisha, performed three (3) such resurrections:

  1. God raised the son of the widow who provided Elijah food while he was at Zarephath in the land of Zidon (I Kings 17:17-23);
  2. Through Elisha, God gave a son to a Shunammite woman who was childless. When he died due to a sickness in the head God brought him back to life also through Elisha (2 King 4:32-36); and
  3. God raised a dead man back to life when it was thrown into the bones of Elisha who was a man of God (2 Kings 13:20-21).

In the New Testament God through Jesus Christ himself performed three (3) resurrections to demonstrate the salvation of man and to prove that he was the Son sent from the Father in heaven. These are namely:

  1. The resurrection of the only son of a woman from Nain (Luke 7:11-15);
  2. The resurrection of the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue (Luke 8:49-55); and
  3. The resurrection of Christ’s beloved friend Lazarus (John 11:38-45).

God performed three (3) more resurrections apart from that of Christ himself and these are, namely:

  1. The resurrection of many saints who obviously heard the loud voice of Jesus, when he was at the point of death (Matt. 27:50), and came out of their graves after his resurrection (verses 51-53);
  2. God through Peter, caused the resurrection of a generous woman of Joppa named Tabitha who was a disciple (Acts9:36-41); and
  3. Through the apostle Paul, God resurrected a young man named Eutychus who died after falling from a window (Acts 20:7-12).

Obviously, these previous resurrections totaling nine in all: three during the time of the prophets as recorded in the Old Testament; three during Christ’s ministry while he was in the flesh preaching the coming kingdom of God; and three after Christ’s death and resurrection are indicative of the number of resurrections to be fulfilled in the future.

In one of the many parables of Jesus Christ while preaching the gospel of the coming kingdom of God, he told the multitude gathered in the seashore,

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened” (Matt. 13:33, emphasis mine).

This parable concerning the coming kingdom is yet another indication that God will perform three resurrections to fulfill the whole plan of salvation and finish the establishment of the kingdom of God. Can we prove this through other scriptures?

This Is Not Second Resurrection

Two of the scriptures that were used to explain for only two resurrections are quoted below:

Revelation 20:4-5  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (5)  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

On page 39 of “The Deep Things of God” (DToG) booklet it is written that verse 5 above together with verse 12 “imply that after the 1000 years of Christ’s reign ALL of the DEAD will be raised up in the Second Resurrection”.

However, verse 5 simply means that there will be no resurrection within the 1000 years of Christ’s reign and verse 12 simply gives a scenario of another resurrection after the 1000 years wherein God will sit on the throne (verse 11 see also Rev. 4:2 and 5:1) to judge according to their works and the books those that are raised back to life. There is no particular mention in these scriptures that Revelation 20:12 refers to the Second Resurrection or that this is all of the rest of the dead that will be resurrected after the first resurrection has transpired. In fact, nowhere in the entire Bible is there any specific reference to a second resurrection. The idea that Revelation 20:12 is the second resurrection might have been introduced as corollary to the resurrection of the firstfruits given that the latter has been stated specifically as the first resurrection. It must be emphasized that Revelation 20:5 simply means that no resurrection will transpire within the one thousand years of Christ’s reign. Problem arises if it is construed that the dead mentioned in Revelation 20:12-13 is the entirety of the rest of the dead (after the firstfruits are raised) because this is not the case as will be shown later in this article. Whether or not the rest of the dead shall be resurrected in one single resurrection, after completion of the 1000 years, the scriptures quoted above do not categorically declare. Moreover, logic would tell us that Revelation 20:5 will not be rendered invalid or false regardless of how many resurrections will transpire after the 1000 years have expired. The statement: “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished” would still hold true and valid no matter how many resurrections transpired after that period. Again, Revelation 20:5 simply means that there will be no resurrection for the rest of the dead during the 1000-year reign of Jesus Christ. Verse 5, when taken together with Revelation 20:11-12 does not in anyway mean that the latter is the second and last resurrection.

Applicability of John 5:28-29

Now that we understand that the rest of the dead in Revelation 20:12, which shall be raised back to life, does not necessarily have to be the second and the last resurrection, to which resurrection does John 5:28-29 apply?  

John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,(29)And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

It is self-evident in the way these verses are worded that they refer to a resurrection after which there will be no more dead to be found in the graves. At this particular hour ALL dead will hear Christ’s voice and so none will remain dead. Therefore these verses must be referring to the final resurrection described in Revelation 20:12. But are these verses also applicable to Revelation 20:5? If the rest of the dead (after the firstfruits are resurrected, verse 5) is not all of those stated in verse 12 then John 5:28-29 does not apply to all the dead of verse 5 but only to the last portion of it. It is correct to apply John 5:28-29 to Revelation 20:12 but erroneous to apply it to all the rest of the dead in verse 5. This error could be avoided by not taking and applying John 5:28-29 independently from the preceding verse 25.

John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

This verse took effect and has been at work from that moment when Jesus Christ pronounced it until now. It shall continue to be applicable into the future until John 5:28-29 shall be fulfilled along with Revelation 20:12.

When Jesus Christ qualified the hour that is coming with the phrase, “and now is”, he was in effect saying that such an hour, when the dead who shall hear his voice shall live, had come to them and took effect. God’s people today and the rest of the world will soon find and witness the fulfillment of John 5:25 when it shall be fulfilled with the first resurrection and after that also in the second resurrection. Those who will hear the voice of the Son of God shall live, while those who don’t shall remain dead until John 5:28-29 shall be fulfilled in them (Rev. 20:12). Moreover, before the no resurrection period of a thousand years comes, and before the resurrection of the firstfruits a few individual resurrections might still be performed in accordance with John 5:25 as the following verses indicate:

Matthew 10:5-8  These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:  (6)  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (7)And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (8)Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Emphasis mine)

Now with the clearer understanding of the applicability of John 5:28-29, can we already see at least two more resurrections after the resurrection of the firstfruits?

Two More Resurrections

Daniel 12:1-2, which is used alongside John 5:28-29 to discount a third resurrection actually reveals the reality of two more resurrections apart from that of the firsfruits.

Daniel 12:1-2  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  (2)And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Emphasis supplied.)

It is obvious that this resurrection does not refer to the first resurrection because none will be sent to everlasting contempt when the latter takes place. As correctly pointed out in the DToG booklet, this resurrection of the “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth” consists of only one moment of resurrection wherein some will receive everlasting life and some everlasting damnation. However, it might have been overlooked that the phrase “many of them” in verse 2 above implies that this particular resurrection will involve only a portion and not all of the rest of the dead. If it were all of the rest of dead, the appropriate phrase should read “And all of them…”or simply, all “that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…”. Therefore the phrase “many of them” implies that after the first resurrection at least two more groups will have to be resurrected separately on different occasions, or order (I Cor. 15:23) namely: 1) the resurrection of the many of “them” and 2) the resurrection of the rest of “them” or what remains of the dead after the many of them had been resurrected. When will these two resurrections occur? To answer this question we must understand carefully the phrase “many of them” in verse 2 in relation to the phrase “thy people” in verse 1. We must also keep in mind that this resurrection in verse 2 is only for the “many of them” that have remained dead after the first resurrection and not for all of them. 

The phrase “thy people” suggests that this special group (the “thy people”) are all Israelites. This is obvious as Daniel, to whom the words of the Lord had been addressed, was himself an Israelite (Dan. 1:3-6) a descendant of Abram whom God set apart to be a great nation (Gen. 12:1-4). The Gentile nations such as the Chinese, for example, and other Asian peoples were not and could not be referred to as “thy people” to Daniel as they were a different people (Gen. 10:1-5). With this understanding, the phrase “many of them that sleep…” and “… shall awake” in verse 2 should be construed to mean many of the Israelites who have died… shall be resurrected some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt sometime after the 1000 years of Christ’s reign has been finished. This must be the Second Resurrection. In this case, the rest of the dead Israelites would still be in their graves waiting for their appointed time while the many of them were already awakened. This latter group might have their opportunity to make it into God’s kingdom previous to and during the 1000 years of Christ’s reign but failed to qualify for eternal life. Some of those that will be awakened have made it to be spirit God beings while the rest are physical human beings and will be given God’s Spirit to help them qualify into God’s kingdom. However, if we don’t connect “many of them” with “thy people” the former should be construed to apply to all those who are dead from the time of Adam (less the 144,000 firstfruits of the first resurrection) regardless of nationality. Under this scenario there will be two possibilities: 1) the “many of them” shall be composed of all races and nationalities and likewise the “rest of them” or 2) the many of them are all Israelites and the rest of them are non-Israelites. In either case and or possibility there would still be at least two more resurrections to take place in addition to the first resurrection. However, in both cases those who will raised in the third resurrection shall be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone as their final judgment. But, when will the Second Resurrection occur?

When the Thousand Years Are Expired

What will happen when the thousand years of Christ’s reign expires? Of course as pointed out earlier the rest of the dead shall live again only after the one thousand years are finished. But what will happen before the rest of the dead are resurrected? What are the important events that shall transpire?

Revelation 20:7-9  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  (8)  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  (9)  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

After the thousand years have expired, Satan shall be loosed out of prison to deceive the nations and with Gog and Magog, attack and encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city. In verse 3, it is stated that Satan shall be loosed only for “a little season”. How long is a little season, within which Satan would deceive Gog and Magog to lead an attack and encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city, is not clear from scripture. It has been suggested though that this period must be long enough for Satan “to deceive Millions of people” (DToG p. 33). However, it is clear that this period will begins at the completion of the one thousand years of Christ’s reign and expires before the resurrection of the dead mentioned in Revelation 20:12. Will there be a resurrection of the dead during this period of “a little season” within which Gog and Magog shall battle with and encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city?

In Ezekiel 38:8-12 more details surrounding the battle of Gog and Magog against the camp of the saints and the beloved city are revealed.

Ezekiel 38:8-12  After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.  (9)  Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.  (10)  Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:  (11)  And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,  (12)  To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

There is no doubt that these verses describe the same event prophesied in Revelation 20:7-9 that will transpire after the 1000 years are finished and before the resurrection of the rest of the dead of Revelation 20:12. But before Gog and Magog attack and encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city some restoration activities (verse 8 & 12) should first take place involving the land of Israel and its people.

Second Resurrection, Before Gog and Magog Attack

More details of these restoration activities are described in Ezekiel 36:8-12 and Ezekiel 36:24-27. These restoration activities will take place during the 1000 year reign of Christ and extend into the little season given to Satan the devil to deceive Gog and Magog against the saints and the beloved city. 

Ezekiel 36:8-12  But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.  (9)  For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:  (10)  And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded:  (11)  And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.  (12)  Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.

Ezekiel 36:24-27  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.  (25)  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.  (26)  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.  (27)  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

God will cause all the scattered people of Israel to be taken from among the heathen and gathered out of all countries, and brought back to their own lands that are to be healed earlier. In addition God will also give his spirit to the Israelites. This will be a major work of the 144 thousand Israelites that were sealed (Rev. 7:4-8) and delivered from the time of trouble (Dan. 12:1, Matt. 24:21), before the wrath of the Lamb begins (Rev. 6:16), with the help of the 144 thousand firstfruits under Christ’s direction during their reign of a thousand years. Then God will cause the dry bones of the house of Israel to be resurrected most likely, immediately after the 1000 years expires and then finish the restoration of Israel.

The Dry Bones of the Whole House of Israel

In Ezekiel 37 the Eternal God, in spirit, caused the prophet Ezekiel, one of the first among those in captivity in Babylon during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, to pass by round about a valley full of dry bones. He was told   to prophesy upon the dry bones.     

Ezekiel 37:1-6  The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,  (2)  And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.  (3)  And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.  (4)  Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.  (5)  Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:  (6)  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

In these scriptures, the Lord GOD asked Ezekiel whether or not the dry bones, that were many in the open valley, can live? Clearly the matter is about a resurrection involving these dry bones. The Lord went on and instructed Ezekiel to prophesy that these dry bones shall live again. The scriptures that follow show that the prophecy shall be fulfilled and that these dry bones are the whole house of Israel (verse 11).

Ezekiel 37:11-14  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.  (12)  Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.  (13)  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,  (14)  And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it,saith the LORD.

God will give his spirit to these resurrected Israelites (verse 14) and they shall know that the Eternal God had prophesied and performed it. The scriptures show clearly that all these dry bones are purely Israelites. There is nothing to indicate that some are non-Israelites or of other nationalities. If it is correct that the “many of them” of Daniel 12:2 is associated with the “thy people” of verse 1 then these resurrected dry bones of Ezekiel 37 could be it. This is a resurrection separate and distinct from the rest of the dead described in Revelation 20:12-13 which is multi-racial in character. This will be the second resurrection. 

And then, before Gog and Magog attack and encompass the camp of the saints and the beloved city, God will first cause the divided Israelites to be united under King David who by then will have ruled with Christ for a thousand years.

Ezekiel 37:16-28  Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:  (17)  And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.  (18)  And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?  (19)  Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.  (20)  And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.  (21)  And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:  (22)  And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:  (23)  Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.  (24)  And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.  (25)  And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.  (26)  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.  (27)  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (28)  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

Finally, after Israel is fully restored and reunited under one king, even King David, Gog and Magog will make their move of attacking the camp of the saints and the beloved city.

The scriptures above show clearly that some very important events are going to be fulfilled before Gog and Magog shall attack the camp of the saints and the beloved city of Jerusalem. But some of these events, including the attack of by Gog and Magog the camp of the saints and the beloved city, will transpire between two (2) resurrections, namely: 1) the resurrection of the dry bones of the house of Israel (Ezek. 37:11) and 2) the resurrection of the rest of the dead mentioned in Revelation 20:12-13. These events prove conclusively that the resurrection of the dry bones of Israel and the resurrection of the rest of the dead (Rev. 20:12-13) are two (2) separate and distinct events. This validates that indeed there will be three resurrections to be fulfilled, namely: 1) the 1st resurrection for the firstfruits, 2) the 2nd resurrection for the dry bones of Israel, and 3) the 3rd and last resurrection for the rest of the dead. ■

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We welcome reactions and comments from the brethren to help clarify any issue relative to this article.

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HELPFUL COMMENTS IN UNDERSTANDING THE ABOVE ARTICLE

On First Resurrection and Rest of the Dead

(Revelation 20:4) And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

(Revelation 20:5)But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

COMMENTS: These verses mean that:

  1. The first resurrection shall occur before the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth;
  2. There will be NO resurrection within the 1000 years of reign of Christ;
  3. The resurrection of the rest of the dead shall happen only after the 1000 years is finished.

However, these scriptures do not mean:

  1. That there shall be only one resurrection after the 1000 years.
  2. Necessarily that all of the rest of the dead, that shall live again (verse 5), all belong to the second resurrection

On “thy people” of Daniel 12:1

(Daniel 12:1)And at that time shall Micl stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

COMMENTS:

  1. The “time of trouble” referred to is the coming great tribulation (Mat. 24:21) starting with the opening of the 5th  seal (Rev. 6:9) and continuing with the blowing of the seven trumpets ofthe 7th seal (Rev. 6:17; 8:1)that compose the wrath of the Lamb, that shall occur just before the 1000-year reign of Christ *Rev. 20:4-6);
  2. The “thy people” mentioned in the scripture must be the Israelite people as the word “thy” was with reference to Daniel who was an Israelite (Dan. 1:3-6);
  3. Those to be delivered shall be delivered from the coming time of trouble or great tribulation. These are the few Israelites written in the book. They must include the 144,000 Israelites that shall be sealed prior to the opening of the 7th seal (Rev. 7:3-4).

On the “many of them” (verse 2)

(Daniel 12:2)And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

COMMENTS:

  1. This describes a future resurrection distinct from the first resurrection because in the latter (first resurrection) none shall be condemned into everlasting contempt or second death(Rev. 20:6);
  2. A thousand years must have elapsed and separated verses 1 and 2 of Daniel 12 when these are fulfilled in view of Revelation 20:5 which states that“ the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished”;
  3. The phrase “many of them” implies that those that shall be resurrected at this point is not the entirety of the rest of the dead that remains after the first resurrection but only part of them. If this were the entirety of the (rest of the) dead the phrase should be “all of them” that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake…;
  4. If we connect verse 2 with verse 1 it can be inferred that this “many of them” that will be resurrected are purely Israeli nationals (Ezek 37:10-11) and this includes everyone that shall be given the holy spirit during the 1000 years of Christ’s reign of which, those who qualify will inherit everlasting life; those who fail, everlasting contempt. Others will be given the holy spirit for their opportunity to qualify.

(Ezekiel 37:10)  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

(Ezekiel 37:11)  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Q3. True or False: Christ did humanitarian work on Sabbath days

Question No. 3 

True or False: Christ did humanitarian work on Sabbath days

-by Brod Andy and Brod Belo

We will show that the answer is FALSE.  Christ did God’s work only!

We will continue our review of God’s doctrines in preparation for our final exam.  We will focus on Sabbath-keeping.

The WCG under Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr. instituted some changes on the Sabbath observance.  In his Christmas Eve 1994 sermon (posted on GCI website), Mr. Tkach said:

“If the choice is between (not) working on the Sabbath and providing food for the family, IT IS NOT A SIN TO WORK ON THE SABBATH.

These were not the words we heard from our first teacher Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong when we were young and impressionable. These were the words of an examiner!  To remind ourselves, we are now being tested.  We are now taking our final exams.  Our task is to contend for the faith that was once delivered.

This was what we heard when we were young:

Exod 31:14 (KJV) You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defiles it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever does [any] WORK therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

Human laws may only be amended by human lawmakers.  In the same manner, God’s laws may only be amended by God himself.  Mr. Tkach in effect appropriated to himself a prerogative of God by amending God’s law on the Sabbath. 

Deut 4:2 (KJV) You shall not ADD unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish [ought anything] from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

As a servant of God, he elevated himself above his LORD.  In legal parlance, this is called “usurpation of authority”. 

Matt 10:24 (KJV, Christ speaking) The disciple is not above [his] master, nor the servant above his lord.

Let Mr. Tkach tell us his basis in issuing the above amendment to the Sabbath law.  In the same 1994 Christmas Eve Sermon posted on the GCI website, he said:

“Work on the Sabbath

“In John 5, let’s see what Jesus did on the Sabbath, and what he said about the Sabbath. He had gone to the Pool of Bethesda and found a man who had been lame for 38 years. “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” (verse 6).

….This man did want to be healed, so Jesus said: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat” (verses 8-10).

Question: Is there a law forbidding man to carry his mat on the Sabbath?  Let’s find out what kind of work may or may not be done on Sabbath days:

Exod 20:9 Six days shall you LABOR, and do all your WORK: 10 But the seventh day [is] the Sabbath of the LORD your God: [in it] you shall not do any WORK, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger that [is] within your gates:

11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The word WORK has different meanings. 

  1. In Exod 20:9 above-cited, the word WORK, Heb. MELAKA, item 4399 in Strong’s, means deputyship but not servile (servile means befitting a slave or servant), EMPLOYMENT.  Melaka therefore means the worker is either an EMPLOYER who deputizes others, or a SALARIED EMPLOYEE. 

So it is clear, if you are an employer, you may not operate your enterprise on the Sabbath.  If you are an employee, you may not report for work on the Sabbath. 

  • In the next verse, Exod 20:10, the word WORK, Heb. MA’ASEH, item 4639 in Strong’s, means occupation. This means the worker is SELF-EMPLOYED.  This type of work is also not allowed.

Note that in both cases of melaka and ma’aseh, the worker is a free man.  

  • On the other hand, the word LABOR in verse 9, Heb. Abad, item 5647 in Strong’s means enslave, bond-service, compel. It means the worker is a slave. The word labor therefore refers to servile work and the slave is not free.  In this case, THE MASTER IS BEING ADDRESSED.  He should let his servant rest on Sabbath days.   

The law on the Sabbath in Exodus 20 was amplified in Deuteronomy 5:14:

Deut 5:14 (KJV, the LORD addressing the masters) But the seventh day [is] the Sabbath of the LORD your God: [in it] you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, …THAT YOUR MANSERVANT AND YOUR MAIDSERVANT MAY REST AS WELL AS YOU.

For this reason, servants who escaped from their masters, most likely arising from the masters’ failure to abide by the law, are not condemned by God:

Deut 23:15 (KJV) You shall not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto you: 16 He shall dwell with you, [even] among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of your gates, where it likes him best: you shall not oppress him. {likes…: Heb. is good for him}

Clearly, the fourth commandment prescribes that the Sabbath is a day of rest from our own occupations (for the self-employed), employment (for both employer and employee), and servile work (for the servant).

  • Human endeavors and worldly pursuits, are also prohibited:

Isai 58:13 (KJV, the LORD addressing the Israelites) If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, [(i.e., if you turn away your foot) from] doing your pleasure on MY HOLY DAY; and (instead) call the Sabbath a delight, the holy (day) of the LORD, honorable; and shall honor him (by obeying his fourth commandment), NOT doing YOUR OWN ways, nor finding YOUR OWN pleasure, nor speaking [YOUR OWN] words:

14 Then shall you DELIGHT yourself in the LORD; and I WILL CAUSE YOU TO RIDE UPON THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH, and FEED you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of the LORD had spoken [it].

MR. TKACH’S NEW DOCTRINE

Now, we can examine Mr. Tkach’s teaching on the Sabbath.  He quoted from the account in John 5 in the NIV.  Let’s read its entirety:

The Healing at the Pool

John 5:1 (NIV) Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda a and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed (waiting for an angel to stir the water. 4 Whosoever steps in first when the water is stirred gets healed of his diseases) 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

7“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

8Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 

9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

11But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

12So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

13The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

14Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 

Let Mr. Tkach continue:

“Now admittedly, there was no emergency. The man didn’t have to go anywhere on the Sabbath. He could have stayed there until sunset. But Jesus had told him to carry something on the Sabbath, and the Jewish leaders didn’t like that. They found out that Jesus had done this healing on the Sabbath, and in verses 16-17 we read: “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’”

“Here Jesus admits that he was working on the Sabbath and he was not sinning.

Note: We have defined above all the kinds of prohibited human work which are mainly EMPLOYMENT or OCCUPATION for the purpose of earning a living.  GOD’S WORK, which Christ was doing, was NOT prohibited in the fourth commandment. 

Let Mr. Tkach continue:

“Jesus was not afraid to use the word “WORK” to describe what he was doing.

Mr. Tkach here did not distinguish between man’s work and God’s work.  Remember that we are being tested by God.  To state clearly, only man’s work is prohibited on the Sabbath. 

Mark 2:27 (KJV) And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made FOR MAN, and not man for the Sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath (indicating he could do God’s work!)

Let Mr. Tkach continue:

“In the new covenant, we need to take a more FLEXIBLE APPROACH with WORK and HUMANITARIAN needs.

“Scripture says that those who don’t provide for their own families are worse than unbelievers, and common sense says that, too.

That is correct. 

1Tim 5:8 (KJV, Paul speaking) But if any (man) provides not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (unbeliever).

But God set a time limit on when to work for a living, and when to rest.

The Sabbath is a time for humans to stop working for a living.  Working on the Sabbath day removes the holiness of the day, which is the emphasis of the command:  Remember to keep it holy.   On the other hand, the holiness of the day was reinforced when Christ healed sick persons on the Sabbath day because Christ was doing HOLY WORK. 

To summarize, it can therefore be said that “God’s work may be done during Sabbath days”!

Let’s see what John said in another instance:

BLINDMAN A PROP TO SHOW GOD’S POWER

John 9:1 (KJV) And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was BLIND FROM [HIS] BIRTH. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Please take note of Christ’s answer debunking Mr. Tkach’s claim that he did humanitarian work:

3 Jesus answered, Neither had this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the WORKS OF GOD (not HUMANITARIAN works) should be made manifest (or visible) in him.

…6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

…14 And it was the SABBATH DAY when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

In short, THE BLIND MAN WAS A PROP to support Christ’s HOLY WORK of preaching the gospel.  He was introducing God the Father and HE WAS SHOWING THAT GOD THE FATHER IS A POWERFUL GOD. 

Christ was therefore not doing humanitarian work, although it looks like he was at first glance.

John 9:4 I must WORK the WORKS of HIM (i.e., God the Father) that sent me, (not humanitarian – humanitarian work means work of humans, not of God)…

Let Mr. Tkach continue:

“Some people want boundaries spelled out for them. Others do not, and they want to live their Christian faith as guided by broader principles. Jesus saw PRINCIPLES as MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPECIFIC RULES…We see it in his approach to the Sabbath, too. HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES are more important than strict taboos.

“But not everyone has a grasp of the BROAD (humanitarian) PRINCIPLES as well as Jesus did. So, if they need rules, they are welcome to keep their own rules — as long as they do it to the glory of God, as long as their faith is in Christ and not in their rules. The main point is that one group shouldn’t criticize the other.

Mr. Tkach created here a “division” in the Church of God: Conservatives and Liberals:

“The CONSERVATIVES should not condemn the actions of others, and the LIBERALS shouldn’t despise the rule-keepers. We should welcome each other based on faith in Jesus Christ.” (End of quotes)

Question:  How can we welcome in the congregation someone who is always ABSENT from the Sabbath assembly and working somewhere else to earn a living?  This is a NONSENSICAL INSTRUCTION!  (nonsensical – foolish, senseless, absurd; not practicable) This must be a test! 

Isai 56:6 (KJV) Also the sons of the stranger (Gentile) that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, EVERY ONE THAT KEEPS THE SABBATH FROM POLLUTING IT, and takes hold of my covenant; 7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices [shall be] accepted upon my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL people.

To summarize, Mr. Tkach did not tell us Christ’s real reason for healing the sick on Sabbath days which was: to SHOW THE POWER and MIGHT of God the Father, NOT to do humanitarian work.  Remember that we are being tested today.

Isai 58:13 (KJV) If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, [(i.e., if you turn away your foot) from] doing your pleasure on MY HOLY DAY; and (instead) call the Sabbath a delight, the holy (day) of the LORD, honorable; and shall honor him (by obeying his command), not doing YOUR OWN WAYS (like humanitarian work), nor finding your own pleasure (like going to the beach), nor SPEAKING [YOUR OWN] WORDS (like making plans for the next weekdays):

14 Then (in keeping the Sabbath properly) shall you delight yourself in the LORD; and I WILL CAUSE YOU TO RIDE UPON THE HIGH PLACES OF THE EARTH, and FEED you with the heritage of Jacob your father: FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAD SPOKEN [IT].  (Wow, this is God who promised this! God always keeps his promises!)

Delighting ourselves in the LORD means we only do God’s work on the Sabbath.  MAN’S WORK is prohibited in order to give way to GOD’S WORK (God’s work is: creating man after his own likeness, Gene 1:26). 

Christ’s conclusion. 

Mark 2:27 (KJV) And (Christ) said…The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath…

Our conclusion:  From the above indications, the Sabbath was made for man TO KEEP!  Man is to remember to keep it HOLY as God made it. It was made for man; therefore we need to keep it holy WHILE WE ARE STILL HUMAN.■

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We welcome reactions and comments from the brethren to help clarify any issue relative to this article.

Q2. True or False: Jesus Christ is the Focus of Our Worship and Faith

Question No. 2

True or False: Jesus Christ is the Focus of Our Worship and Faith

-by Brod Andy and Brod Belo

At the outset, our answer is FALSE. Christ is not and should not be the focus of our worship and faith but God the Father in heaven. In John 14:1 Jesus told his disciples to believe God and believe him also. This single verse alone already shows the focus of our faith. First is belief in God the Father and second is belief in Jesus Christ.

Joh 14:1 (KJV, Christ speaking) Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.

It is easier to believe in Christ because of historical accounts but to believe in God the Father really requires much faith (Heb. 11:1). One just has to believe Christ without proof or evidence that there is a Father in heaven.

John 1:18 (KJV) No man had seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared (or introduced) [him].

Our faith should be first and foremost to God the Father because we must believe who He is even if not anyone in this world except Jesus Christ had seen Him at any time.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is (God), and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Christ will look for that kind faith when he comes back:

Luke 18:8 (KJV, Christ addressing the elect) …[W]hen the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?

Having said thus, let us continue with our review of WCG doctrines in preparation for our final exam. 

(All our posts on this section of the website are part of a review course designed ONLY for ex-members of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) in preparation for the imminent return of our High Priest, Jesus Christ.  If you were not a WCG member, this doesn’t concern you! )

In taking this review course, we should be reminded of Paul’s and Christ’s instructions:

2The 2:15 (DBY) So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold fast the instructions which you have been taught, whether by word or by our letter.

Reve 3:11 (KJV) Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have (been taught), that no man take your crown.

We need to dissect the teachings of our teachers to know which doctrine to hold fast. 

Here are quotes from Chapter 2, page 13 digital copy, Transformed by Truth, by our SECOND TEACHER Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr., as quoted by his own son, Dr. Joseph Tkach, Jr.:

“Christmas Eve Sermon, 1994

“No one would deny that the gospel, the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, is the CENTER OF CHRISTIANITY. But, it seems that Christians often get sidetracked. Unique doctrines, legalistic regulations, prophetic speculations, and personality cults seem to blur the central truths of the faith until some Christians act as if they are in a theological fog. God’s light doesn’t seem to be getting through the barriers they have erected.

“God graciously brings renewal among His people that REFOCUSES THEM ON JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith. FAITH IN CHRIST SHOULD ALWAYS BE OUR FOCUS.” 

On page 17 of the same book, Dr. Joseph Tkach Jr. again quoted his father as saying:

“God respects our willingness to sacrifice to obey Him even though our understanding was incomplete. God doesn’t hold it against us. But now God has called on the church to grow deeper in understanding. To worship Christ and not the Sabbath. The Sabbath was not made to be worshiped; CHRIST IS TO BE WORSHIPED….” (End of quotes)

Let’s hear from the AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH identified in Heb 12:1-2 as Jesus Christ himself.  He said to a Samaritan woman:

John 4:21 (KJV) Jesus said unto her (a Samaritan woman), Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, WORSHIP THE FATHER.

Note that Jesus Christ introduced God the Father to the Samaritan woman.  This was so because Christ’s main assignment was to introduce God the Father.  How do we know this?  Because he did it!

John 17:26 (KJV, Christ reporting his accomplishments to God the Father before his death) And I have declared unto them (disciples) your name, and will declare [it] (through the apostles): that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

In the Old Testament times the name of the Father was never mentioned in relation to worship so that neither the Samaritan woman nor the apostles had known that there is a God the Father.  Abraham also did not have knowledge about God the Father. He knew only of the Most High God whose high priest was named Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20). The Most High God must be the God that Jesus Christ has introduced to the Samaritan woman and to the apostles as the Father to be worshipped. Also, during the time of the Israelites, the LORD God was the God that they worshipped (Exod. 20:2-3). This was the same LORD God who called Abram out of his homeland (Gen. 12:1) and the same LORD God who actually did the creation of all things (Gen. 2:4) and who, from all indications, became Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3, 14-18). A change was therefore instituted by no less that Jesus Christ on the matter of worship – he directed the people to WORSHIP GOD THE FATHER. 

WORSHIP OF CHRIST NOT PRACTICABLE TODAY

When Jesus Christ was born wise men from the east sought where he was so that they could worship him (Matt. 2:2). They knew from scriptures (Isa. 9:6-7) that he was the mighty God that was to be born king in the throne of David. Even Herod the king of Judaea at that time also sought to see Jesus Christ purportedly also to worship him (Matt. 2:8). All of these previous forms of worship were by sight (Exod. 19:16-20) and not in spirit. Christ-worship therefore cannot be done today because he is not here.  Instead, Christ told the Samaritan woman that the time comes (it has come already) … to worship the Father “in spirit and in truth”.

Father-worship therefore took effect after Christ declared it. That changed the whole thing about worship to God. Now the focus of worship is to God the Father and it is no longer by sight but “in spirit and in truth”.

John 4:23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS shall WORSHIP THE FATHER in spirit and in truth: for THE FATHER SEEKS SUCH (true worshippers) TO WORSHIP HIM. 24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.

Note that Christ did not say he himself is seeking worshippers. Since true worshippers shall now worship the Father, then worshipping of Christ today is, from all indications, false worship. However, worship to the LORD God Jesus Christ by sight may resume in the future when he will reign for 1000 years not far away from now (Zech. 14:9,16), i.e., if he requires it, and that is a big IF. It could then be the time when all knees should bow to Jesus … to the glory of God the Father (Philip. 2:10-11) as some interpret this verse to mean.  (Another interpretation is: all knees should bow to God the Father at the “name” or at the instruction of Christ, which is more consistent with his instruction to the Samaritan woman!)  Mr. Tkach’s injunction therefore to worship Jesus Christ in our time now before his glorious coming is out of season and premature and is nothing more than man’s commandment, not God’s.

Note that Mr. Joseph Tkach, Sr. in effect contradicted, even countermanded, Jesus Christ in declaring that Christ himself is to be worshipped!  Or, maybe not! What do you think? Remember that we are examinees!  We are the ones being tested by God. 

We are taking a “true or false” exam, so our off-the-cuff answer to Christ-worship is FALSE.  As we have mentioned at the outset, Christ directed us to WORSHIP GOD THE FATHER, NOT HIM.

Paul made it clear to the Corinthians:

1Cor 8:6 (KJV) But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.

7 Howbeit [there is] not in every man that knowledge:

PRAYING AN ACT OF WORSHIP

Jesus taught his disciples to whom, when, where, how to pray and what to pray for:

Matt 6:6 (KJV, Christ giving detailed instructions on how to pray) But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you hast shut your door, PRAY TO YOUR FATHER which is in secret; and your Father which sees in secret shall reward you openly.

…9 After this manner therefore pray you: OUR FATHER which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong had issued an unnumbered restored truth directing us to worship the Father. Here is an excerpt from Mr. Armstrong’s Bible Study  conducted on January 21, 1984 under the title The Spiritual Law versus Rituals:

 (Play tape starting Counter at no. 17:12)

“THE EARLY NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

“So now the first opposition of the Church was Jewish, who refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah. And so the purpose of the teaching of the twelve apostles was to prove that Jesus was the Messiah…

Let’s skip some details and continue:

(Tape Counter No. 19:08)

            “All right, the third thing that happened next — this opposition put an emphasis on Jesus as the Messiah, and it had a tendency to DE-EMPHASIZE God the Father. Now bear that in mind, because I didn’t mention that Sabbath. That’s another truth (that GOD THE FATHER SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED). I don’t know that I’ve mentioned that before. Perhaps some of you never thought of that. LET’S SAY WE ARE REVEALING THAT TRUTH THEN RIGHT NOW.” (End of quotes)

Acknowledgement:

The authors would like to acknowledge here the contribution of the Church of God International (CGI) in identifying this hitherto unnumbered truth and sequencing it as No. 19 in Mr. Armstrong’s list of Restored Truths. 

The pertinent CGI webpage featuring this subject may be accessed at the following address:

https://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getstudytools&InfoID=1377460627&SearchWhat=KeyWord&SearchFor=Restored%20Truth%2019&NoShow=&page=&return=search

Conclusion: To state clearly, any pronouncement from any authority or layman prescribing Christ-worship before his coming reign of a thousand years is simply man’s idea and not based on the word of God.  It is God the Father who seeks worshippers now and those who do that, in the words of Christ, are TRUE WORSHIPPERS. 

John 4:23 (KJV) But the hour comes, and now is, when the TRUE WORSHIPPERS shall WORSHIP THE FATHER in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such (true worshippers) to worship him.

Any deviation from Christ’s instruction could make us false worshippers. That’s something we don’t want to happen to any former WCG member. ■ 

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We welcome reactions and comments from the brethren to help clarify any issue relative to this article.

The World in Prophecy (An Outline)

-By Brod Belo and Brod Andy-

No evil things shall happen to this world and none of God’s servants will know it in advance. That’s the assurance we have from the words of the LORD when he said:

Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  (7)  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (Amo 3:6-7). 

The world we are living today is speeding fast toward its terrifying end, but the good news is: A New World will open where this present world closes. Hereunder is an outline of where this world is presently in and of the prophesied things to come. It is hoped that this article will provide the impetus the called out of this world needs to remember who they are.   

Where is this World Now in Prophecy?  

  1. This present world has already entered the time and season of the “day of the Lord” (1Thess. 5:1-2; 2Thess. 2:1-4; Rev. 10:7). This day came on the night of October 1, 1997 exactly 6000 years since God created man, as revealed to an end-time John, when he understood that the “day of the Lord” and the “day of the Lord’s Wrath” are 2 different events (p. 28, The Day of the Lord – 6000 Years Have Ended, 3rd ed.).  The day of the Lord’s wrath (Rev. 6:17), the 7th seal, is just a part of the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord (Rev. 1:10) began even before any of the seals of the book (Rev. 5:1) at the hand of the Father has been opened. There is much spiritual darkness and confusion today as never before (Amo. 5:18; Zep. 1:15) and this will lead to more conflicts, world war 3, famines, pestilences and physical darkness and destruction. 
  2. This world is already living the period leading to the final revival of a powerful empire symbolized by feet made partly of iron and clay (Dan. 2:33) of the great image in king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. It is described as partly strong and partly broken (Dan. 2:42). This is the beast that shall come out of the bottomless pit (Rev. 9:1-11; 17:8). It is presently composed of more than 20 European countries but will soon be reduced to 10 within few years. 
  3. There is now standing in the holy place, that is God’s church, the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Matt. 24:15). In the 7th candlestick church (Rev. 3:14) today, the church of the Laodiceans, its leader has become an abomination standing in the holy place (pp.17-22, WHOSO READS, LET HIM UNDERSTAND! 2nd ed.) for claiming that he is THAT prophet (John 6:14; Acts 3:23), a title that belongs only to Jesus Christ.  Soon invading troops (physical abomination) will surround and despoil Jerusalem (Luk. 21:20). (Note: Jerusalem is not a holy place today nor until that time. Only God’s true church is a holy place today.) 
  4. The falling away (2Thess. 2:3) has been fulfilled already which in effect fulfilled Matthew 24: 2 the destruction of the spiritual temple, the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). The man who succeeded HWA caused it to fall away and he was identified as the man of sin (pp.79-88 Malachi’s Message to God’s Church Today, 1995 ed.). 
  5. Revelation 6:2 pertaining to the white horse has been fulfilled already. It was fulfilled by the falling away from the truth when the highest official of the true church sat on it like a horseman with a bow deceiving and to deceive the called out of this world (The White Horse and the Red: Mystery Truly Unlocked, unpublished article). 
  6. The preaching of the gospel in all the world for a witness (only and not to convert the world) unto all nations, has been fulfilled already (Matt. 24:14). Herbert W. Armstrong did it with great power and worldwide reach through radio broadcast, “The World Tomorrow” telecast and “The Plain Truth” magazine. That work was finished and no man can do it again as he did. This is one significant crucial sign of the end of this present world.
  7. Revelation 6:4 has been fulfilled already and highlighted with the 9/11 attack at the American soil. Al Qaeda is the red horse, Osama bin Laden was the horseman and the great sword given him is terrorism (The White Horse and the Red: Mystery Truly Unlocked, unpublished article) . Without an official declaration of war against any nation terrorism has taken the peace from earth since 9/11. Some Bible scholars have attributed this event in 2001 as the push of the king of the south to the king of the north (Dan. 11:40). The drama that occupied our TV sets just recently involving US and Iran is a clear indication that terrorism is here to stay and could well be the kindle to World War 3. Iran is heavily supporting terrorism around the world. 
  8. The black horse (Rev. 6:5-6) could be galloping already but we are not yet sure who are the actors. Let us keep watch on president Trump of the US as he could be the horseman with a pair of balances in his hand. Balances symbolizes trade and commerce and this president flaunts that he is good in business deals. His signature “trade war” foreign policy could lead to famine and another world war. He has just presented to the world recently the most divisive “Middle East Peace Plan” ever that could also set the stage for another world war.

What is in the Immediate Future Just Ahead?

  1. When Revelation 6:8 is fulfilled world war 3 will erupt. A fourth of the population will be killed or die due to famine, diseases, their own governments’ doing and the war. The possibility that this will happen in 5 years is supported by the fact that relationships between and among nations today is tense and distrust is high. The US, a member of NATO allied nations and the Islamic States in the Middle East will most likely trigger this war. 
  2. Invading army troops (physical abomination) will surround and despoil Jerusalem (Luk. 21:20) in the guise of peacekeeping. It is time for the Jews to flee or be killed. The great tribulation will begin (Matt. 24:21; Rev. 6:9-11) and true Christians will be persecuted.
  3. Jesus Christ will cut short the tribulation for elect’s sake (Matt. 24:22). Heavenly signs will appear (Matt. 24:29-30; Rev. 6:12-15).   
  4. The wrath of the Lamb will come with the blowing of the 7 trumpets (Rev. 6:16-17; Rev. 8 & 9). The first 4 trumpets are supernatural interventions from God to stop the war (Rev. 6:15-17). 
  5. At the blowing of the 5th trumpet the powerful empire, the “Beast”, will revive (Rev. 9:1-11). It is composed today of more than 20 countries. It is likely that the territory they occupy today will be divided into 10 larger states or kingdoms (Rev. 17:12) to consolidate power and minimize disagreements. This is the same beast of Revelation 13 & 17. 
  6. When the 6th trumpet sounds, Russia’s and China’s military might (Rev. 9:13-16) will mobilize against the Beast. China is taking control of an international sea lane in South China Sea as Russia pursues its expansionist ambition in Ukraine. Report reaching the camp of the Beast (Dan. 11:44) will lead to an all-out war. We need to watch how events will unfold as Christ visible coming is getting nearer.
  7. Before the start of the great tribulation the 2 witnesses will begin their ministry prophesying the imminent coming of Christ (Rev.11:3, 15). During this period the spirit of God will be given to 144,000 Israelites (Rev. 7:4) in preparation for their work in the 1000-year reign of Christ. After 1260 days of their ministry the 2 witnesses will be killed (Rev. 11:7).
  8. After 3 ½ days the 2 witnesses will be resurrected (Rev. 11:11) as Christ comes in the clouds to meet them and the rest of 144,000 firstfruits (Rev. 14:1-4) on a future Pentecost day (Feast of Trumpets Or Pentecost, Which?), the feast of firstfruits, at the sound of the 7th and last trumpet (1Thess. 4:16-17). Immediately they will proceed to heaven and presented to the Almighty Father.
  9. For about 113 days, marriage celebration and coronation activities will take place (Rev. 19:6-9) in heaven and after that on the following feast of trumpets Christ together with the 144,000 firstfruits and host of angels will return to the earth (Rev. 19:11-21) ready to make war with the kingdoms of this world (Zech. 14:2-3). This will fulfill Daniel 2:44-45. Ten (10) days later on the day of Atonement Satan will be put in prison for 1000 years (Rev. 20:1-3) in the bottomless pit.
  10.  Jesus Christ will begin to reign on earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16) in the following feast of tabernacles. There will be new and different world of peace, prosperity and abounding happiness under the righteous government of Christ (Isa. 9:7). At this point this world, this present world of Babylon, will come to its end (Matt. 24:3). 

Salvation to All and Setting Up of God’s Kingdom

  1. The master plan for salvation of man and the setting up of God’s kingdom is pictured by the little understood and generally ignored feasts of God called feasts of the LORD in Leviticus 23. For example the Passover pictures the sacrifice of Christ which he fulfilled according to scriptures (Lev. 23:5; 1Cor. 15:3) and rose again according to scriptures (! Cor. 15:4; Lev. 23:10-11; John 20:1-19). When Christ reigns on earth for 1000 years it will be in accordance with this master plan. His 1000-year reign is pictured by the feast of tabernacles (Lev. 23:34; Rev. 20:4-7). Satan’s imprisonment together with the rebellious angels’ is pictured by the day of Atonement (Lev. 23:27; Rev. 20:1-3; 2Pet. 2:4; Jude 1:6). This too is in accordance with this master plan.
  2. During the 1000 years of Christ’s reign there will be worldwide restoration work (Isa. 65:17). The land of Israel, ravished by many wars, will flourish and made ready for the return of all Israelites scattered in other countries (Ezek. 36:4-8, 24). God’s spirit will be given to the Israelites only (Ezek. 36:25-28) but the rest of the living will just have the knowledge of God (Isa. 11:9-10) and learn the way to live (Isa. 2:2-4). They will not be given God’s spirit yet during this period. 
  3. After 1000 years of Christ reign there will be another resurrection but only of the Israelites (Ezek. 37:10-11). Those who were given God’s spirit in their lifetime and made it will be rewarded eternal life, those who didn’t will be damned (Dan. 12:1-2). But those who died not having received God’s spirit will be given and allowed to live and shall be judged according to their fruits or works (Rev. 20:12-13). Meanwhile those living Israelites who made it will be changed from flesh to spirit eternal being (1Cor. 15:51-52) and those who didn’t will also be damned. Those damned will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 19:20; 20:15).
  4. Satan will be released for a little season (Rev. 20:3,7) to deceive once again the world and put a united rebellion against God (Rev. 20:8-9) but a fire from God will devour them (verse 9). And then Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev.20:19) and to be tormented for a long period (Rev. 20:10). People will be able to see him there (Isa. 14:15-17; Ezek. 28:17-18).
  5. God the Father will come down from heaven and another resurrection will take place for the rest of the dead. Along with all others, that have not yet received God’s spirit, they will be given God’s spirit (Joel2:28; John 7:37-39) and then they will be judged according to their works (Rev. 20:12-13). All those who will qualify to God’s kingdom will have eternal life and those that will not, will be thrown in the lake of fire and brimstone. This is the Last Great Day or eighth and last day of the feast (Lev. 23:36; John 7:37). 
  6. After this, Satan and all the rebellious angels will be put to death (Ezek. 28:18-19; 1Cor. 15:25-26; Heb. 2:14).
  7. Finally, Jesus Christ will turn over the Kingdom to the Almighty God, even the Father (1Cor 15:24). There will be no more tears and sorrow, joy and happiness will abound THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS FULLY ESTABLISHED.

Rev 21:3-4  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.  (4)  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.

The White Horse and the Red: Mystery Truly Unlocked

 (Written to confirm that the day of the Lord has already come)

-By Andres N. Yparraguirre, Jr.

In Luke 18:1-5 Jesus Christ gave an intriguing parable about a persistent widow that sought justice from an unjust judge. For a while the judge ignored the widow but afterward resolved to avenge her against her adversary as she might weary him. Continuing in verses 6-8 Jesus Christ concludes that if the unjust judge has avenged the widow how much more God his own elect who cry to him day and night, despite bearing with them for long. God will certainly avenge them.

But here’s the intriguing point. Jesus Christ asked, “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (verse 8 last part). Why did Jesus Christ have to ask this question? Was it because he foresaw that when he comes only a very little few would believe even from among the called out of this world? Jesus Christ must be referring not to his visible coming in power and great glory (Matt. 24:30) but to his invisible coming (Matt. 24:36-44) as a thief in the day of the Lord (1 Thess. 5:1-2; 2 Pet. 3:8-10). That must be the reason why he indicated that not many would believe it when he comes.

How about you? Have you heard it preached that the day of the Lord has already come as a thief in the night? Do you believe it? Or are you of the opinion that the day of the Lord can never be known until Christ comes visibly in power and great glory because no less than Christ himself told his disciples that only the Father in heaven knows of that day and hour (Mark 13:32).

But if you are one who believes that this day has already come, what is your basis? Do you have proof to show those who will believe only with hard evidence? Nine (9) years ago in 2009 some members of a little-known splinter church of God went out of this little flock alleging that the day of the Lord doctrine is mere speculation and erroneous. They doubted how their leader arrived at the conclusion that the day of the Lord began on October 1, 1997 when there was no trumpet blown yet and no sudden destruction happened (Joel 2:1-4; 1Thes. 5:1-3) on that day in 1997. Is this indeed mere speculation or truth back up by scriptures and events? 

God’s Master Plan: The Kingdom of God  

Those who are older in the church (Worldwide Church of God) learned through Christ’s work with Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) that the master-plan of God for the salvation of mankind and God’s coming kingdom would take at least 7,000 years to finish. They understand that the plan is pictured by the feast days (Lev. 23:1-44) that they keep annually. They know that the feast of tabernacles (verse 34) pictures the 1000 years of Christ’s reign after executing closure to the 6000 years of man’s failed rule (Dan. 2:44; 1Cor. 15:25) under the influence of Satan the devil. And then when the kingdom of God is firmly established on earth our Father in heaven, the Almighty God, himself will come to receive the Kingdom from His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ (1Cor.15:24).

God’s master plan can be rightly considered as the mother of all prophecies which shall be fulfilled according to God’s immutable word in Isaiah 46:9-10 that he would do according to his pleasure what he declared in the beginning. The problem is, we do not know exactly when but only have God’s word that he will “Surely … do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amo 3:7). About 1988 years ago, Jesus Christ began to preach the kingdom of God and said that it is at hand (Matt. 4:17). The apostle John also wrote that the time is at hand and that God gave the Revelation to our Lord Jesus Christ to show to his servants the things which are coming to pass shortly. So where are we now in prophecy? 

A Preconceived Opening of the Sealed Book

In chapter 5 of the book of Revelation the apostle John saw in a vision the Almighty God in heaven, with a book in His right hand protected with seven (7) seals.  Only Jesus Christ is able to open the seals of this book. When the seals were opened (Rev. 6:1-17) John saw certain events happened. When the 7th and last seal was opened, John saw destructive events, associated with trumpet sounds, taking place and culminating in the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth (Rev. 11:15).

In the booklet “The Book of Revelation … Unveiled At Last” the end-time apostle, HWA has written and seemed to believe that the first four (4) seals of this particular book were already opened as early as when he wrote the booklet in 1972 or earlier. He also discussed that Matthew 24:4-8 corresponds to the opening of the first four seals. The late Robert G. Ardis (RGA) pastor general of the Church of God’s Faithful (CGF) apparently supported this understanding but as we will show later this was just a preconceived idea that remained undiscovered in the past. On page 30-31 of the booklet “The Book of Revelation UNDERSTOOD AT LAST” Mr. Ardis wrote:

“Now we come to chapter 6 and the first four seals. Mr. Armstrong gave us partial understanding of the seven seals. During his ministry he preached extensively on Matthew 24. In that chapter, Jesus Christ actually reveals the meaning of the seven seals in His Olivet Prophecy! The disciples of Christ were anxious to understand when Christ would return and what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the ‘world’. In verses 4-5 He gives these signs: “And Jesus answered and said unto them. Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Christ’s first warning is about FALSE RELIGION. Many would come “in His name”… but would deceive many! Now observe how this warning is pictured by the first rider of the first seal. 

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (Rev 6:1-2)

Christ is pictured in Revelation 19:15 riding a white horse, but having a sharp sword – not a bow.”  

I would never think that HWA and RGA were deceived on this subject nor wanted to deceive God’s people about these things. They were God’s faithful servants that Christ used powerfully to reveal and make us understand today the many wonderful truths that set God’s elect apart. But with respect to the opening of the seals in Revelation 6, that was what they were able to see with their spiritual eyes from the written words of God. It simply was not yet time however, for certain details to be understood in the past and we just continued to believe in the preconceived idea that the first four seals were already opened when HWA wrote about them. But this is not accurate. In Matthew 24:4-13 Jesus Christ merely described the general condition of the world before the day of the Lord comes and not of the specific events John saw when the seals are opened after the day of the Lord has begun. It must be noted that no seal is opened before the day of the Lord begins. Our Lord Jesus Christ could not have possibly revealed something that has to be revealed only after the day of the Lord has begun – which during that time in the Olivet Prophecy no one else knew but only the Father. Mr. Ardis correctly pointed this out on page 30 of “The Book of Revelation … UNDERSTOOD AT LAST”. He wrote: 

“Here is a Biblical fact – the events in the story flow of Revelation can ONLY be understood if a person has proven that the day of the Lord comes first! The day of the Lord begins BEFORE the SEALS are opened – thus, it is plain to see that UNDERSTANDING of the BOOK of REVELATION is given AFTER the Day of the Lord has begun!”

The Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians validated the fact that the day of the Lord has not yet begun in the days of HWA as the preconditions for it have not occurred yet and therefore no seal could have been opened. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 reads:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

(2Th 2:1-4)

When HWA wrote “The Book of Revelation … Unveiled At Last”, it was simply not time yet to fully understand certain prophecies, especially the greatest secret that the Almighty Father kept to himself about the day of the Lord. The falling away has not yet occurred nor the man of sin revealed. But now the day of the Lord is no longer a secret to a very small number of God’s people. Through the book “Malachi’s Message” written by Gerald Flurry (GF) in 1989, God has opened their mind to understand that when PG Joseph Tkach, Sr. changed church doctrines away from truth, the above pre-conditions for the day of the Lord to come had been fulfilled.

That is now church history. The falling away did come, and as a consequence the spiritual night descended, God’s people had fallen asleep spiritually and the man of sin was revealed. Mr. Flurry exposed who this man was. Now that the spiritual night, that is, the falling away had already occurred, the day of the Lord could already come as a thief in the night. However, it was only after seven (7) years that the beginning of the day of the Lord could be revealed.

One last condition needed also to be fulfilled in addition to the two preconditions cited above. This is for the 7th church angel (Rev. 10:7) of the church of the Laodiceans – the Philadelphia Church of God today, to begin to sound in (or during) the days of its voice (Rev. 10:7). This too had been fulfilled, (see “The Little Book … unveiled at last” pp. 26-32, 1999 edition by Robert G. Ardis) – and then on October 1, 1997, our Lord Jesus Christ revealed to RGA that the day of the Lord has already come – “the mystery of God” (Rev. 10:7; Mark 13:32) was “finished”- the 6000 years of man’s time has come to end. (Pls. visit www.setapartbytruth.org for the references.)

Time to Understand   

This is where we are right now – the day of the Lord has already come and the whole world does not know it. Even most of God’s people can’t believe it even if told as our Lord said in Luke 18:8. Jesus Christ has already sent, and signified through an angel, to an end-time John, RGA, the book of Revelation so that we can now understand the things written in this book – the things which the apostle John saw and wrote: the things which the church witnessed in the recent past, and the things which are and the things which shall be hereafter (Rev. 1:1, 19) from the perspective of the day of the Lord.

The urgency of the time we are living today just before the great tribulation begins can be understood already even as we are now seeing the spiritual abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. GF of the PCG fulfilled the abomination of desolation for claiming as That prophet, a title that belongs exclusively to Jesus Christ, as he stands as the human leader of the 7th candlestick church of the Laodiceans. Matthew 24:15 is an urgent warning message for God’s people today of the imminence of the great tribulation.  

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

(Mat 24:15-21)

We can now understand fully the meanings symbolized by the White and the Red Horses and the other things seen with the opening of the 1st and 2nd seals of the book in the right hand of the Almighty Father in heaven.  Meanings which were hidden before the day of the Lord has come as the seals were still in place and close. At this point though we don’t have complete understanding yet of the 3rd and 4th seals other than that they represent great famine and another world war leading into the great tribulation. But Christ has now truly unlocked the mystery behind the 1st and 2nd seals because the time has already come for his servants to understand. In the months ahead we will expect Christ to reveal to anyone of his servants the mystery behind the other seals the way we can now understand the 1st and 2nd seals.  

Opening of the 1st Seal Fulfilled

The world and even most of God’s people today do not know that the 1st seal of the book at the right hand of the Almighty Father in heaven is now open. The opening of the 1st seal unlocks the mystery about the white horse and its rider – mystery that could not be understood while the seal was locked. 

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

(Rev 6:1-2)

We don’t know exactly the day and hour when Jesus Christ opened the first seal, but as early as the feast of tabernacles 2018 it was clear to me that the white horse rider of Revelation 6:1-2 was also the man of sin who sat at the temple of God (2 Thess. 2:3-4). He was the same man Jesus Christ has warned his disciples of the 6th candlestick church, that might take their crown if they didn’t hold fast to the truth (Rev. 3:11). There were few in 2009 who previously believed but eventually doubted alleging that RGA just speculated the beginning of the day of the Lord on October 1, 1997. But as will be presented here shortly, the events pictured by the 1st seal are now recent history. Every former WCG member should have known this unless one has fallen soundly asleep. These things happened just before and after the death of HWA the original Pastor General of the WCG. These are not speculations. 

Speculations

In the past a lot of speculations and/or interpretations had been offered about the white horse and its rider and the bow and the crown given to the rider. But the interpretations vary and were mere speculations because these were made: 1) before the day of the Lord has begun and 2) by men who were mostly not God’s servants (Amos 3:7; Rev. 1:1). 

One interpretation has it that the white horse in Revelation 6:2 is the same as in Revelation 19:11 which symbolizes clean and righteous warfare whose rider is no less than Jesus Christ the coming king. 

Another interpretation suggests that the 1st seal initiates worldwide conquest by the Antichrist the rider who imitated Christ; the bow symbolizes war; and the crown symbolizes victory of the Antichrist who was elected king of the world. 

Yet another interpretation suggests that the rider with bow and crown represents the rule of kings and lords on earth, such as the Roman Caesars. The bow symbolizes conquering and the crown symbolizes dominion. So the white horse and its rider stands for earthly rule and authority and dominion. 

But these are all inaccurate if not totally wrong. 

Deception in God’s Church

As correctly explained by HWA and based on Matthew 24:4-5, the 1st seal is about religious deception. However, this deception has nothing to do with the churches or religions of this world. Deceiving this world again and again will not benefit Satan anything. This world does not need further deception. After all Satan is the god of this world and he had it deceived since the beginning of civilization (Rev. 12:9) except a very few people that God called for a special purpose. Instead, the 1st seal has everything to do with the deception of God’s own people in the end time – they who have been called out of this world, and chosen and were possessors of the truth.

When Christ or the apostles warn against deception it is always the true followers of Christ who are being warned not the world. In particular, what is pictured by the 1st seal was the deception of the 6th candlestick church, the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) just after the death of its human leader HWA. This deception was orchestrated by the man of sin who sat in the WCG as if he were God (2Thess. 2:3-4). Many of the baptized members of the church are so deceived today that they have returned to false Christianity of this world such as Sunday keeping instead of Sabbath, the Trinity doctrine and Christmas celebration. Others are simply confused not knowing how to find the church which continues to follow where Jesus Christ goes (Rev. 14:1-4; John 14:1-4).

This is the plain truth revealed in the scriptures. If these people fail to overcome in the coming great tribulation or wake up before that time and return where Christ is, eternal death awaits them as their reward instead of receiving eternal life and a crown of glory and royalty. Jesus Christ has warned this church to hold on to the truth even as he said he was coming quickly in one scripture and suddenly in another. 

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 

(Rev 3:11)

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

(Mal 3:1)

The timing of this event is unmistakable. The Lord God sent HWA for more than 50 years to prepare the way for Christ coming to the church while preaching the coming kingdom and then Christ came and found the church being deceived and conquered for ignoring his warning. This man mentioned in Revelation 3:11 is not just anybody with power to deceive. This was the man who rode on the white horse of Revelation 6:2 with a bow and to whom a crown was given. This is the same man who sat in the temple of God (2Thess. 2:3-4). 

The Man Who Sat on the White Horse

At the precise juncture in the history of WCG, God’s 6th candlestick church, a man was placed in a controlling position of great influence and authority to replace the truth with falsehood. To keep their crowns God’s people must hold fast to the truth they have before this man took over the reign of and exercised power and authority over the church. This man was out to conquer God’s people in the church and not the world. God’s people must overcome him (Rev. 3:12). Let’s read again Revelation 6:1-2.

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

(Rev 6:1-2)

With hindsight in our favor it is now easy to understand that the death of HWA and the succession of Joseph W. Tkach (JWT) as pastor general of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) fulfilled Revelation 6:1-2. In the vision John saw a white horse. This is the WCG the 6th candlestick of God’s church, holy and righteous as symbolized by the white color of the horse. John saw a rider with a bow sat at the white horse. This was JWT a man of great influence in the church being an evangelist, member of the church advisory council of elders, the head of the church administration and a confidante of HWA in his latter days. This man was at the saddle of the white horse – God’s church in the dying days of HWA ready to take charge. 2Thessalonians 2:3-4 very aptly described this horse rider as he sat at the temple of God – the true church.

These scriptures quoted below indicates that this man had not been converted as a true follower of Christ that embodies the truth. Christ’s servant Jude warned of this kind of men who crept in unawares, ungodly men who would turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and deny our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 1:3-4). This man simply entered the church to ride on it for power and glory at the expense of the truth and destruction of everything that God built through HWA.  

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2Th 2:3-4)

Just a few days before he died on January 16, 1986, HWA appointed JWT his successor and Pastor General of the WCG. That is what the crown given to him that sat on the white horse pictures. This crown symbolized the highest office, power and authority in the church next only to Christ that is why this man acted like he was God in casting aside the truth and replacing them with false doctrines of this world’s deceived Christianity. What about the bow? Most interpreters erred on the meaning of this object which they supposed to be a weapon for killing when used with arrows.

Contrary to generally held interpretation, this bow is not for shooting arrows. This bow is just a piece of cloth. The Greek word used for bow in Revelation 6:2 is “toxon” and it means “simplest fabric”. Now is it a coincidence that Tkach means weaver? The rider was not given a bow or a piece of cloth because that’s what he was – a weaver and he was skillful in weaving lies. That was his trade and it was his character. He lied about his work experience and he lied to God’s people about crucial decisions he made about the direction the church took a couple of years after the death of HWA (pls. search the article: The Plain Truth About Joseph W. Tkach – Apostle? Or Apostate?). This usage of bow which means fabric appears only once in the entire Bible. The bow for shooting arrows appears many times but only in the Old Testament. The first usage of the latter was in Genesis 27:3 when Isaac asked his son Esau to hunt and take him a venison. 

Now if this bow of the horse rider is not for shooting arrows what has it to do with the horseman’s task of conquering and to conquer? A horse regardless of color is a beast of war although it is also used to deliver something such as a message. In this case it was obviously used for both as the rider was out conquering and to conquer God’s people by means of a false message about salvation through belief in a false Christ. This war is not physical, with the use of arms or weapons to kill people but spiritual, a battle of the mind and spirit, a battle for our belief in the truth that is why there is no mention of arrow or sword such as in the 2nd seal. The apostle aptly warned us about this battle in 2Thessalonians 2:1-4.

So what is the use of this piece of cloth? This bow or piece of cloth symbolizes deception. It was used by the rider as a “smoke screen” to cover the eyes of the white horse – the WCG – to hide his lies and lead its followers off track into false Christianity. That was how he went conquering and to conquer the ministry and membership of the church. Like a magician who uses a piece of cloth to hide the tricks he makes, the horse rider used the cloth to deceive and conquer the church – but not all. For there were few who have kept their watch (1Thes. 5:4-7) and saw the lies. They are now the remnant of the 6th candlestick church which Jesus Christ continue to sanctify or set apart with the truth.

However, there is no doubt that the white horse rider succeeded in conquering and to conquer. Just look at what happened to most of God’s people today – greatly deceived, confused and lost; disunited and unable to follow where Jesus Christ now is as they follow deceived leaders or just become a church to themselves. What a disaster! But there is still time. Hopefully, they can still recover and find Christ before it’s too late.  

Opening of the 2nd Seal Fulfilled

Now what is the mystery we have unlocked concerning the red horse and its rider? Like the 1st seal before it the understanding of the 2nd seal remained hidden while it has not been opened.  Most commentaries agree that the 2nd seal is about war but they vary as to which war this is about. For instance some interpretations suggests that the red horse of the 2nd seal represents war and bloodshed as nation will rise against nation during the tribulation. Others believe that this seal represents a great conflagration of a coming World War III when Daniel’s three kings oppose the Antichrist who will respond in deadly fashion to swiftly crush his enemies. And others still have advanced the idea that this was the civil war in the Roman empire that lasted for 92 years in 193 -284 AD.

This latter interpretation is erroneous due to the fact that the opening of the seals were intended in the end time. The first one suggesting that this pertains to the great tribulation is also incorrect because the great tribulation is depicted by the 5th seal not the 2nd seal! The closer interpretation appears to be about the coming World War III. Its timing though and the players are amiss.    

However, the mystery associated with the 2nd seal of Revelation 6:3- 4 is now clearly understood because the day of the Lord has already come and the seal opened. Let us read this verse alongside Matthew 24:6-7 and understand. 

“And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”

(Rev 6:3-4)

And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Mat 24:6-7)

Looking at Revelation 6:3-4 by itself shows clearly that the 2nd seal is about the taking away of peace on earth or about war as most interpretations have come to agree. However, since war has been a frequent occurrence since the time Jesus Christ prophesied in Matthew 24:6-7 about wars and rumors of wars in the first century A.D. until now, we are left with the challenging task of determining which war the 2nd seal refers to. Added to this is the Task of ascertaining the identity of the rider on the red horse and the horse itself and who gave sword to the rider.

However, with the benefit once again of hindsight at our employ and with the process of elimination the task is made much easier. Using the process of elimination it can be determined that the 2nd seal does not refer to the great tribulation because the latter is symbolized by the 5th seal. This can’t also be a large scale, massive war of worldwide magnitude either, in view of the 4th seal that specifically describes that a fourth part of the earth’s population will have to die or be killed with sword (war), with hunger, with death (natural and or sickness/disease) or by their governments’ (beasts) doing. 

If the 2nd seal does not refer to the great tribulation or a third world war, which war is this? To answer this question needs another question. What was it, in the aftermath of the white horse of the 1st seal, which dramatically took away peace from the earth in such a horrifying fashion, it trembled and terrified the whole world? Do we remember what was it? Of course it was the September 11, 2001 terror attacks executed on the American soil – the land of the brave and the free, and still the most powerful nation on earth today! Don’t you agree?

It used to be said that “when the US sneezes the whole world catches colds”. I think this was true then and is still today. Applying this adage to that event in 2001 it can be inarguably said that when the US was terrorized on that fateful day, peace was also taken away from the whole world.  And it is so unto this day. That night when it was known that Al Qaeda was behind the attacks, President George W, Bush described the attack as “evil, despicable act of terror”. He said further that the US was “at war with a new and different kind of enemy”.

A month later, in October 2001, US and western coalition forces attacked Afghanistan, haven of Al Qaeda terrorists. On March 19, 2003 the US and coalition forces primarily from UK also initiated war against Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in just three weeks. It has not been considered previously that these disturbing and destructive events fit squarely into the picture symbolized by the 2nd seal but it did.

The Red Horse and Its Rider 

Around the time when the man of sin was being prepared to assume control of God’s church for his role in fulfilling prophecy, a major development was happening in the world stage to fulfill the events described in the 2nd seal. A son of a wealthy Yemeni immigrant in Saudi Arabia was being prepared to lead a revolutionary group organized to advance Islamic ideology, overturn un-Islamic regimes in the Middle East and establish Islamic rule. He was Osama bin Laden, who in 1988 together with his mentor, the radical pan-Islamist scholar Abdullah Azzam, co-founded al-Qaeda. Azzam believed that all Muslims should rise up in jihad, or holy war, to create a single Islamic state.

During the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet troops (1979-1988) bin Laden and Azzam joined the resistance movement rallying financial and moral support for the Afghan rebels and recruiting young men to join the Afghan jihad. The al-Qaeda was not initially a terrorist group as Azzam, its co-founder and principal strategist was against killing people who are non-combatants. After Azzam’s assassination in November 1989 Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, a hardliner and practical terrorist and mastermind of the deadly Egyptian Islamic Jihad, took over as chief strategist.

It was then that symbolic acts of terrorism were adopted as al-Qaeda’s strategy to promote its ideology and achieve its objectives. Thus al-Qaeda fulfilled the red horse of Revelation 6:4 and Osama bin Laden, the rider who sat thereon. When al-Qaeda granted Osama bin Laden the authority to conduct acts of terrorism, power was in effect given to him … to take peace from the earth through terrorism which the great sword symbolized. His primary targets are the US and it western allies and all enemies of Islam. 

Peace Taken from the Earth

On December 29, 1992 the first Al Qaeda terror attack was carried out in a hotel in Aden, Yemen targeting American troops who fortunately had just left earlier. The attack killed an Austrian tourist and a Yemen citizen. On September 11, 2001 under bin Laden’s order Al Qaeda suicide terrorists simultaneously hijacked four (4) commercial flights that crashed the jet liners to their designated targets in the US territory killing at least three thousand men, women and children of various nationalities but mostly Americans. Since that time in September 2001 the world was never the same again. 

In May 2005, in describing al-Qaeda’s global impact, Rohan Gunaratna, Senior Fellow at the United States Military Academy, West Point wrote:

“Unlike other terrorist groups al-Qaeda presents an unprecedented threat to America, its allies, and to global security in general. In addition to training its own members—(4000 was the October 2001 estimate, according to the Western intelligence community)—al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime trained 70,000 members in its camps in Afghanistan. While al-Qaeda conducted one major attack every year prior to 9/11, al-Qaeda and its associated groups have conducted one attack every three months since 9/11. Although it is the most hunted terrorist group in history, the campaign of holy war unleashed by al-Qaeda is likely to outlive itself and the current generation of Islamists.”

The retaliatory operations of the US with the help of its allies including the invasion of Iraq in 2003 only gave rise to more terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) which sow indiscriminate violence and executed their enemies with incredible brutality. As a consequence, more anti-terrorist operations and even attacks and invasion of countries perceived as havens or supporters of terrorists have been planned and conducted. Peace indeed has been taken from the earth by the Great Sword of Terrorism and people are killing one another as al-Qaeda, the Red Horse of Revelation 6, and other Islamic jihadists that it inspired continue to gallop unto this day.  

Conclusion

In Matthew 24:32-34 we read: 

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

(Mat 24:32-34)

Through the above quoted parable, our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the means how to watch successfully for the coming of the kingdom of God in our generation. He is telling us today that if all the signs are fulfilled then the kingdom of God is near even at the doors. Those who initially believed that the day of the Lord has already come but eventually doubted, thought that this is just speculation.

But here we have shown that the 1st and 2nd seals of the book in the hand of the Almighty Father in heaven had already been unlocked and opened the mystery about the white horse and the red horse of Revelation 6. These are clear and unmistakable proofs that that day of the Lord has already come and the Kingdom of God is near indeed even at the doors. 

But we must keep watching world events. Of particular interest is Donald Trump. He should be in the radar screen as he could be the rider on the black horse holding a pair of balances (could be symbolic of trade war) in his hand after he captured nomination of the GOP and eventually the presidency of the US. This could be the fulfilment of the 3rd seal. The ongoing trade war, if mishandled, could trigger worldwide famine and world war III described by the 4th seal.

Another person of interest is the charismatic Pope Francis who is bent on unifying the Christian religion in 2025 to coincide with 1700th anniversary of the Christian unity forged under the auspices of Emperor Constantine in Nicaea, Turkey. This pope might be already riding the pale horse.  Soon the great tribulation of the 5th seal will be fulfilled and overtake many in the split and splinters of the church. And then the events of 6th and the 7th seals will be fulfilled. These things can happen very quickly. #

Here’s Why Jesus Christ Was and is God Before and After His Earthly Life

(Written for better understanding of Jesus Christ as Savior)

-by Brod Belo and Brod Andy-

In a Bible study conducted in Tandag City by a certain minister of a well-known church organization in the Philippines he cited scriptures after scriptures to prove that there is only one God – that is the Father in heaven, and that Jesus Christ is just a man. There is no issue that the Almighty Father is God and will always be. But there is controversy as to whether or not Jesus Christ is also God, now and before he put on the nature of an earthly man. 

The minister’s main argument anchors tightly on certain scriptures that clearly state that only the Father is the true God and/or the LORD the God of Israel alone is God and there is none else. He put forth the following verses as proofs for the exclusivity of the Father as the only God that exists in the universe: There were many other verses but let’s just focus on these major ones presented below (modern King James texts used throughout):

Joh 17:1-3  These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you:  (2) As you have given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him. (3) And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

Isa 45:3-5 (The LORD speaking to King Cyrus) And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel.  (4)  For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.  (5)  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me:

…22  Look unto me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Another argument that the minister put forward is the fact that spirit beings can’t be seen and since Christ was seen even after his resurrection then he is not God but a mere man.

Joh 20:27 Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither your finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

It’s hard to argue against what seemed to be unassailable proofs such as above and especially when these are anchored on God’s words. But let us see. 

Our Counter-Arguments

The Word of God

In laying down his argument the minister conveniently avoided certain verses that tend to contradict his claim of a singular God. He avoided John 1:1-3 quoted below:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word* was God.  (2) The same was in the beginning with God.  (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (Joh 1:1-3) 

The above verses clearly state that the Word was God and he existed in the beginning with another God. In casting it aside the minister contended that it was just God’s word (implying common noun) that was with God in the beginning and this word became flesh later (verse 14). He conveniently ignored the fact that it was clearly written with capital letter “W” implying that it was a proper name of another God other than Him that was called God. The following verse will prove that it was a proper name for another God that was with God in the beginning.

Rev 19:11-13  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war.  (12)  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  (13)  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Jesus Christ was already the Word of God even before this point when Revelation 19:11-13 will be fulfilled that is why he told Philip in John 14:10:

“Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words* that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in (with) me, he does the works.”

Clearly the Word existed as God in the beginning and he was with another God. Later on the Word was made flesh and assumed the name Jesus Christ (John 1:14, 17).

But why did Christ declare that the Father is “the only true God”?  There are three (3) reasons: 1) they are both Gods but the Father is greater than the Son; 2) Jesus Christ has humbled himself and took the nature of a servant, that is why he is also called the Son of man; and 3) at that time when Jesus prayed he was not in full divinity as a God because he was in the flesh.

Joh 14:28  You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

In John 5:19-21 Jesus showed why the Father is greater than him. He learned everything from the Father including the power to raise the dead back to life.

Joh 5:19-21  Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.  (20) For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. (21) For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will.

In Philippians 2:5-10 it is clearly shown that although Jesus Christ was in the form (nature) of God, he did not desire to be regarded highly as God but humbled himself. For this reason God recognized his humility and exalted him.

Php 2:5-8  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  (6) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  (7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  (8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross

Php 2:9-11  Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  (10) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Two God Beings at Creation

The minister also avoided Genesis 1:26 quoted below where it shows that in the beginning of creation there were at least two God beings talking with each other. 

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.  (27)  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

(Gen 1:26-27)

Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Above verses show that at least two God beings had agreed to make man after God-kind and not after mankind unlike what they had agreed to make other creatures after their (the creature’s) kind. However, in the actual work of creating only one of them did it. This confirms what is stated in John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16 that the Word or Jesus Christ created all things.

Joh1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Creating the invisible world includes creating angels which are spirit beings. How could a mere man do it unless he is higher than angels in power? But man is lower than angels according to Hebrew 2:7. Therefore the Word must be God if he had created the spirit world. 

In refusing to accept above verse as proof that two God beings must have existed in the beginning, the minister argued that an angel was with God at that time when God created man. Granting that this was true, we will now ask: 1) Since only one of them did the actual creating (verse 27) of man, who did it, the angel or God?; and 2) In whose image and likeness were the first man and woman created after? Was it in the image and likeness of God or of the angel that was with God? The answers to these questions will lead one to conclude the existence of two God beings at man’s creation in the beginning.

Who is the God of Israel?

But why did the Lord, in the Old Testament, said that “… I am God, and there is none else”? To answer this question, we need to ask another question. Has God the Father ever dealt with the Israelites at any time? Has any man, by himself, known the Father? Who is the God of Israel, the Lord in the Old Testament? In John5:36-37, we read:

Joh 5:36-37  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.  (37) And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

In the above verses, Jesus Christ told his listeners that they have not heard the Father’s voice, nor seen his shape at any time. At any time would include the time when the Lord in the Old Testament declared “I am God, and there is none else” (Isa. 45:5, 22). Now, if no man has ever heard the voice of the Father at any time, whose voice was it that told the Israelites who their God was? The obvious answer to this question is, there is a God other than the Father. He was the Word that was with God in the beginning. The Father has not dealt with the Israelites at any time and he was not the God of Israel they knew. In the verse below, it was not also the Father that talked with Moses but the other God, the Word, who existed with the Father in the beginning.

Exo 33:11 And the LORD spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

In Matthew 11:25-27, we read,

Mat 11:25-27 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes.  (26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight. (27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

In the above verses, Jesus Christ said that only he, the Son, knows the Father. He knows so much about Him that he even said they look alike. Here is what Christ told Philip when they talked about the Father.

Joh 14:8-9 Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us.  (9) Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known me, Philip? he that has seen me has seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father?

Since the Father is in heaven and no man has seen Him at any time, how did Christ know how the Father looks except he had come from heaven? The obvious answer is he knew because he was the Word the God who was with God the Father in the beginning as John 1:1-2 declares. Okay, fine, but WHY DID THE LORD HAVE TO TELL ISRAEL THAT THERE IS NO OTHER GOD BUT HIM ALONE? That’s a hard question that needs a longer answer to be fully understood. An article about ambassadors of God is coming out that will provide a thorough answer and more understanding of this subject. 

Suffice it to state here that because the Father has never dealt with Israel directly but the LORD who brought them out of Egypt then he could bluntly say “… I am God, and there none else”. Remember, the first of the Ten Commandments declares:

“I am the LORD your God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  (3) You shalt have no other gods before me.”

(Exo 20:2-3)

It was not the Father who declared the Ten Commandments to the Israelites but the LORD who introduced himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Moses’ father (Exo. 3:6). Before the LORD, he declared, there should be no other gods. However, there is another God after him who is higher in authority and He is the Almighty Father in heaven. I hope that is not difficult to understand.

David knew that there exist two God beings, one is higher in rank than the other.  The higher ranking God is God the Father, while the lower-ranking God is the Son, who agreed to be his father’s servant.

Psal 110:1 (KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD (who became God the Father) said unto my Lord (who became Jesus Christ), Sit you (this was an ORDER, a COMMAND, from the higher in rank to the lower indicating they have a hierarchy) at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.

Spirit Beings Can be Seen If They Want to

Let’s now confront the last argument which is that since spirits such as Gods and angels can’t be seen or are invisible, therefore Jesus Christ is not God because he can be seen. 

The Bible description of one born of the Spirit is found in John 3:7-8.It reads:

Joh 3:7-8  Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again.  (8) The wind blows where it lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

In addition to being invisible, spirit beings (i.e. born of the Spirit) are like wind that blows where it “lists” (or wishes) and its sound can be heard but hard to tell where it is coming or going. 

In confronting this last argument, it will necessary to ask 1) Is there no exceptions to this some sort of a rule such that a spirit being has some kind of discretion to be seen or be not seen? 2) Has not Jesus Christ demonstrated the qualities of one born of the Spirit after and even before his resurrection?   

To answer the first question let us find if there is record in the Bible that 1) a man had seen an angel; and 2) that a man had seen God.

Let’s look at the book of Genesis chapter 19.

Gen 19:1-2 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;  (2) And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

Gen 19:12-13  And the men said unto Lot, Have you here any besides? son in law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whatsoever you have in the city, bring them out of this place:  (13)  For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.

Here in the above scriptures, a man called Lot saw and entertained two angels appearing as men who alerted and helped him get out of Sodom quickly so that his household would not suffer destruction with the rest of Sodom. Earlier in chapter 18 of Genesis these angels also appeared to Abraham together with the LORD (God) who communicated his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Gen. 18:16-20).

Gen 18:16-22 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.  (17)  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;  (18)  Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?  (19)  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him.  (20)  And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; (21) I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.  (22)  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Has the LORD, the God of Israel, ever shown his shape to anyone? Let’s go to Exodus 33.

Exo 33:12-23 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, you say unto me, Bring up this people: and you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, I know you by name, and you have also found grace in my sight.  (13)  Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found grace in your sight, show me now your way, that I may know you, that I may find grace in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people.  (14)  And he said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.  (15)  And he said unto him, If your presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.  (16)  For wherein shall it be known here that I and your people have found grace in your sight? is it not in that you go with us? so shall we be separated, I and your people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.  (17)  And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that you have spoken: for you have found grace in my sight, and I know you by name.  (18)  And he said, I beseech you, show me your glory.  (19)  And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.  (20)  And he said, You cannot see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.  (21)  And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand upon a rock:  (22)  And it shall come to pass, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cliff of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by:  (23)  And I will take away mine hand, and you shall see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Moses had not only talked with God he also saw the glory of God but excluding the face lest he died. This God was not the Father but the Word the LORD in the Old Testament.

What about Jesus Christ? Had he demonstrated the qualities of one born of Spirit? Let’s find the answer from John 6.

Joh 6:14-20 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.  (15)  When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.  (16)  And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, (17)  And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.  (18)  And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.  (19)  So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.  (20)  But he said unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Jesus purposely didn’t board the ship together with the disciples to avoid the multitude. Instead he met the ship walking or should I say “floating” on the sea. He was still in the human flesh when he performed this. After his resurrection Jesus also entered a house whose doors were closed for fear of the Jews. He did this not once but twice.

Joh 20:19-20  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.  (20)  And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Joh 20:26-27 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.  (27) Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither your finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

At this point it should be abundantly clear that there are two God beings existing today executing their purpose for creating man after their own image and likeness and establish God’s kingdom here on earth (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 11:15). One of them is the Almighty Father and the other is His Son, Jesus Christ, the Word who was with God (the Father) in the beginning. But perhaps the best argument to prove that Jesus Christ was and is God before and after his earthly life is a direct statement from scriptures that he was made lower than angels because otherwise he would not die and be the savior to everyone who believes in his name. His death not only reconciles man to God it has also given him power to destroy Satan the devil. 

Heb 2:9-10  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.  (10)  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings…14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Eze 28:14  You are the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set you so: you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire…18  You have defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.  19  All they that know you among the people shall be astonished at you: you shall be a terror, and never shall you be any more.

Finally it must be stated that the destiny of man is to be born into the family of God and be like the Father and Jesus Christ in image and likeness and spirit composition so that we will be able see them as they are in the fullness of their majestic glory. David knew he could see God because he will be like God when he is resurrected:

Psal 17:15 (KJV, David praying to the LORD) As for me, I WILL BEHOLD YOUR FACE in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your LIKENESS.

1Jn 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not.  (2)  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

They who are born into the family of God shall see the Father as He is because they shall be LIKE Him. At last God will no longer be invisible to them.