The draft of our new booklet on Military Service and War has entered the first review cycle.
A new StandingWatch program was recorded Thursday and has been posted on the web. The program discusses the terrible tragedy in Asia and is titled, “Why the Catastrophe in Asia?”
The Scripture that some use to teach this concept is Matthew 24:22. Various translations use the terms “cut short” in quoting the words of Jesus Christ. For instance, the NIV states: “‘If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.'” Similarly, the NKJV renders this verse: “‘And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.'”
What days will be “cut short” or “shortened”?
In verse 3 of Matthew 24, some of the disciples asked Jesus: “‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'” Jesus answered them by revealing events far into the future, and He concentrated His response on the events of the generation alive at the time that the Father would send Jesus back to the earth to forcefully intervene in world affairs.
Jesus stated: “‘Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things know that it is near–at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but MY WORDS WILL BY NO MEANS PASS AWAY'” (Matthew 24:32-35).
Jesus is very clear in stating that what He has spoken regarding prophecy will come to pass–all of it! This includes even everything written in the Old Testament regarding the end time, as Christ is the “Word of God” — the Father’s Spokesman –, inspiring those writings (compare Revelation 19:13; John 1:1, 14). In the parallel record of Luke, we find this statement by Jesus: “‘For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled'” (Luke 21:22). Time and again, Jesus spoke of fulfilling the things written about Himself, and there is no record of Him not completing all that was written about Him (Compare Matthew 21:4; John 13:18; Matthew 26:56; John 19:28). Jesus emphatically stated that He fulfilled ALL that was written about Him: “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me'” (Luke 24:44).
In very plain language, Jesus taught about His role, and He further declared that the Word of God would be carried out: “‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled'” (Matthew 5:17-18).
This comprehensive statement from Jesus applies to specific prophecies about Him for the time of His physical lifetime, and they apply to yet future events involving not only Himself but the entire Word of God!
From this we can understand that all of what God’s Word has recorded concerning prophecy will be fulfilled!
Some refer to 1 Corinthians 13:8, claiming that this passage says that certain prophecies will not be fulfilled. However, this is not what that passage conveys. It reads: “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail.” Later, in verse 13, Paul says: “And now abide faith, hope, love.” The contrast here is between something which will endure forever, and something which will only endure for a while and then vanish away.
Please note that Paul is using different words for “fail” in verse 8. In the Greek, the word associated with “love” is “ekpipto,” which means, according to Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible, “to fall off or away.” The Greek word associated with “prophecy” is, “katargeo.” It means, according to Young’s, “to make useless.” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible gives, as one possible rendering, the expression, “vanish away.”
While love will always endure (as it is part of God’s character–in fact, God IS love), prophecies will cease. This could be a reference to inspired preaching by men (as there will come a time when all men will have been changed into spirit beings–or those who did not qualify for God’s Kingdom will have ceased to exist); or, it could refer to prophecies of the future. If the latter, then they will cease when the events prophesied will have come to pass.
Paul is not saying that some of God’s prophecies, if they are UNCONDITIONAL, will not come to pass. It is true, however, that God has given certain prophecies which are conditional; that is, they depend on whether or not man repents. Notice, for example, Jeremiah 18:7-11; or the entire book of Jonah.
What then is meant in Matthew 24:22? What will be “cut short” or “shortened”?
In the entire record of Matthew 24, Jesus presents an overview to His followers (that includes us in our own generation) of events in the world that will lead to His return. However, He specifically states that we will be only able to recognize the generation of His return (verse 34), but not the exact day (verse 36), nor the exact times or seasons (Acts 1:7), that is, the exact year or the season of that year. Horrific events of wars, earthquakes, persecutions and great tribulation will arise during the period leading to God’s intervention in human affairs. This time period will be unique for its misery and stark hopelessness, with the real certainty of life being eradicated from the earth (Compare Matthew 24:21-22)!
When Jesus does return to this earth, He will face the challenge of dealing with a planet that has been devastated! Isaiah 49:8 states that the coming Messiah would “‘…restore the earth.'” Great future damage will occur to the earth–much of it at the hand of mankind. We find this ominous statement in Revelation 11:18: “‘The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those WHO DESTROY THE EARTH.'”
We understand, then, that God will send Jesus Christ back to this earth to stop what mankind is doing. Through science, various nations have now gained access to the power of nuclear weapons, as well as biological agents, along with other unimaginably vile inventions capable of destroying life on the entire planet. Prophetic events yet to occur indicate that men will begin wars in which these devastating devices will be unleashed on such a scale that only the intervention of God through Jesus Christ will put an end to this coming suicidal madness! (Our writings consistently warn of these impending occurrences. “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord” deals with many of the specific prophecies in this regard; also, please see our internet video program at www.standingwatch.org.)
The answer to what will be “cut short” or “shortened” is exactly stated in Scripture: It is “the days” (Matthew 24:22), when all these terrible end-time events will take place. In other words, man’s time to completely destroy life will not be allowed to run its full course, as God will cut short the destructive actions of a world in rebellion against God–one that will even fight Jesus Christ at His return (Compare Revelation 19:11-21). None of God’s Word will be “cut short” or “shortened.” In fact ALL that God has prophesied unconditionally for the future will come to pass until the last jot and the last tittle are completely fulfilled!
On Saturday, January 1, 2005, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Not of This World.”
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
Our booklet, “Tithing–Today?” was sent out this week to our subscribers. The booklet is also posted on the Web.
The Bible clearly reveals that Jesus Christ, when He was here on earth as a human being, did not wear long hair. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:14: “Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?” It would therefore be inconceivable to assume that Jesus would have worn long hair.
Some have misunderstood a passage in the book of Matthew, erroneously claiming that Christ was a “Nazirite” (also spelled Nazarite in the Authorized Version) and that He therefore wore long hair. However, Christ was not a Nazirite, but a Nazarene. The passage in Matthew 2:23 reads:
“And he [Joseph] came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He [Christ] shall be called a Nazarene.'”
Jesus was called a Nazarene, because He lived and grew up in the city of Nazareth. He was not a “Nazirite.” The sixth chapter of the book of Numbers describes the law of the “Nazirites.” Those who took the vow of a Nazirite did not cut their hair, but they were also prohibited from drinking any wine or touching a dead body (Numbers 6:4-6). Christ, however, did drink wine (Luke 22:14-18; Matthew 11:19), and He did touch dead bodies (Luke 8:51-55).
If Christ had been a Nazirite, He would have broken His vow and thereby violated one of God’s laws. But He said that He had kept His Father’s commandments (John 15:10), including all ritual laws still in force and effect at His time, and we read that He never sinned. The Bible defines sin, however, as the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4, Authorized Version). Therefore, Christ could NOT have been a Nazirite.
Christ was a Jew, and He looked like an ordinary Jewish man, without special beauty in appearance (compare Isaiah 53:2). Judas had to identify Him to others with a kiss. He was able to escape on occasion, by mingling with the crowd and going “through the midst of them” (Luke 4:30; John 8:59). Apart from the Bible, archeology and history also confirm as well that the Jews at the time of Christ did not wear long hair. Christ, therefore, did not either–otherwise, He would have stood out in a crowd, and a special identification through Judas would not have been necessary.
Recently, Israeli and British forensic anthropologists and computer programmers got together to create Christ’s face featured in “Popular Mechanics,” a 1.2 million circulation magazine. They did not mean to imply that Christ actually looked the way the magazine cover portrayed Him, as they used the skull of a Jew from the first century — not, of course, the actual skull of Jesus. They nevertheless determined that Christ did not wear long hair. Other experts agree with that conclusion. On February 24, 2004, Reuters wrote:
“‘… Jesus didn’t have long hair, said physical anthropologist Joe Zias, who has studied hundreds of skeletons found in archeological digs in Jerusalem.’ [He also mentioned:] ‘Jewish men back in antiquity did not have long hair.’ ‘The Jewish texts ridiculed long hair as something Roman or Greek,’ said New York University’s Lawrence Schiffman. Along with extensive writings from the period, experts also point to a frieze on Rome’s Arch of Titus, erected after Jerusalem was captured in AD 70 to celebrate the victory, which shows Jewish men with short hair taken into captivity. Erroneous descriptions of Jesus in Western art have often misled film makers in their portrayal of Jesus, experts say.”
It is important to realize that virtually all depictions of Christ don’t accurately reflect His appearance as a human being on earth. He did not wear long flowing hair, and He did not look like a woman. He was a carpenter, a builder, and He was also the leader of former fishermen. Even His hair color was probably not blond — as depicted on most paintings — but black, as the Hebrew people at the time of Christ were recognized as having predominantly black hair.
In any event, Paul tells us that we are not to “know” Christ “according to the flesh.” We read in 2 Corinthians 5:16 (Phillips): “… even though we knew Christ as a man, we do not know him like that any longer.”
It is dangerous to focus on images and pictures of Christ, including portrayals of Christ by actors in movies, and think that in some way those portrayals may accurately represent how Christ might have looked. We are to focus on Christ as He is now — a powerful Spirit being! To get a correct portrayal of Christ’s present appearance, please read Revelation 1:14-16. Christ has white hair — as white as wool or snow — and His eyes are like flames of fire, while His face shines like the sun in full strength. THAT is the Jesus Christ of the Bible — God the Son, who is worthy of worship!
Most “Christians” would like to think that they are currently worshipping God in the right and true way. But the reality is quite the opposite.
Take, for example, the custom of Christmas. There are many resources, readily available, which attest to the fact that Christmas had its roots in paganism long before the birth of Christ. The Bible itself condemns these practices (ones still observed today) as they were extant in Old Testament times. Also, nowhere in the Bible will you find Christians celebrating Christmas. The fact that Christmas is not of Christian origins is not in dispute here.
In fact, many openly admit that Christ was not born on or near December 25th, and that it is indeed a day that originates in paganism. So, it really stands to reason that it is one of the highest forms of hypocrisy to say that we are worshipping God by taking on an irreligious observance such as Christmas. If we take a contrivance of ungodly inception and say that we are doing this in honor of God, can we not see how little this makes sense? (Compare Matthew 15:7-9)
In John 4:24 we are admonished to worship God in TRUTH. In the previous verse it states that the TRUE worshippers of God will worship Him this way. God has written down for us this way and TRUTH in the pages of our Bible. We will not find “THE TRUTH” in the teachings of man or, worse yet, of Satan. It is important to God that we study the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15) and give all diligence to them in order that we succeed (2 Peter 1:10) in doing God’s will, the right and TRUE way.
Christmas is not the way that God wants us to glorify and honor Him. He has set aside His own holy days for a special reason. For a more in-depth look at these subjects, please read our booklets, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” and “God’s Commanded Holy Days.” In addition to the articles on Christmas, published in this Update, you may also want to review our special Update #122 on Christmas, which was published on December 19, 2003.
On Saturday, December 25, 2004, Norbert Link will give the sermon, continuing the series on the life of David.
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
A new member letter was sent out this week. In it, Edwin Pope discusses “peace on earth” and the erroneous concepts of the Christmas tradition. You can find the letter on the Web.
A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Hope for the Future?”
This is indeed the understanding and teaching of the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates in Canada and Great Britain.
First, let us realize that the message, that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel, was in fact a modern prophecy for a modern “Ezekiel”:
It is critical to understand that under Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the nation of Israel became divided. Two separate nations developed, known as the “house of Israel,” with Samaria as its capital, and the “house of Judah,” with Jerusalem as its capital. We read in 1 Kings 12:19-20 (AV): “So Israel [being reigned by King Rehoboam, son of King Solomon] rebelled against the house of David unto this day. And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam [a prominent officer] was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.”
King Rehoboam of Judah tried to unite the two kingdoms (of the house of Israel and the house of Judah) by force, but God prevented him from doing so. We read in 1 Kings 12:21, 24 (AV): “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon… Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.”
The two houses or kingdoms did not unite again throughout their history. They remained separate as two kingdoms — the “house of Israel,” consisting of the ten northern tribes, and the “house of Judah,” consisting of the southern tribes of Judah (The house of Judah was later joined by the tribes of Benjamin and Levi, compare 1 Kings 12:21, 31). We even read in 1 Kings 16:5-8 about a war between Israel and Judah or the Jews. Later, the ten tribes, led by the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, became “lost” from public view. Unbeknownst to most, they are today to be found in English-speaking nations around the world. Many people believe that the Jews are identical with the modern house of Israel, but this is simply not true. Christ spoke of the “LOST tribes of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6; 15:24). James referred to all of Israel and Judah as the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1; compare Revelation 7:4-8). We read that in the FUTURE, a unification of the houses of Israel and Judah will occur, under Christ’s rule, when they come out of a (future) captivity and return to the Promised Land (Jeremiah 30:3; 33:7).
In due time, the ancient house of Israel went into captivity, in 721-718 BC, by the hand of the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:5-6, 23). The house of Judah did not go into captivity until more than one hundred years later, by the hand of the Babylonians, under king Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:1-10).
This background is important to understand, if we want to comprehend the prophetic messages that God gave to the ancient prophet Ezekiel.
In a member letter, dated November 19, 1976, Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986) explained how he came to this vital understanding in the early years of his conversion and ministry:
“In those early days I was especially interested in the book of Ezekiel. A special reason was that I saw Ezekiel was first given God’s message in PROPHECY, while he was a Jewish slave, by the River Chebar in the land of Babylon. Now this was close to 120 years after the House of ISRAEL had been taken captive to ASSYRIA. My astonishment was aroused when I saw that his message was to be taken to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. Now Ezekiel was a slave among the HOUSE OF JUDAH — not Israel. By this time many of the ‘lost sheep of the House of Israel’ had migrated north and west from Assyria. They were, by Ezekiel’s time, in Britain and Western Europe.
“… The first message, or instruction from God, comes, beginning the second chapter [of the book of Ezekiel]. ‘And He said unto me, son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation…[and they shall know] that there hath been a prophet among them’ (Ezek. 2:3,5…)… In chapter 3:1 God says, ‘… GO speak unto the House of Israel.’ Again in verse 4, ‘Son of man, GO, get thee unto the House of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.’ NOWHERE in the Bible are JEWS called ‘the House of Israel.’ This term applies ONLY to the TEN-tribe Kingdom of Israel taken into Assyrian captivity more than a hundred years before Ezekiel and the Jews of the House of JUDAH were taken to Babylon. Nowhere in the book does Ezekiel record his journey from where he was in Babylon to those of the House of Israel who were then in Britain and Western Europe. Nowhere does he record his giving of the message to them. He merely RECEIVED the message. He merely RECORDED IT IN WRITING. There is no reason to think his message was ever delivered to the House of Israel in Ezekiel’s time. The message in fact is for today — and contained a WARNING of things to happen to Britain, America and the Western European nations NOW in OUR DAY.”
What we should notice very carefully from the foregoing is that Ezekiel was in captivity, when he received messages to be delivered to the house of Israel and other nations, including the Ammonites (Ezekiel 25:2), Moab (Ezekiel 25:8), Edom (Ezekiel 25:12), the Philistines (Ezekiel 25:15), Tyre (Ezekiel 26:2-3) and Egypt (Ezekiel 29:2) — all a great distance from his location in Babylon. We need to note, too, that Ezekiel saw visions of impending destruction upon Israel “in the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity” (Ezekiel 1:2-3). Jehoiachin went into captivity in 596 B.C. The fifth year brings us to about 592 B.C. — over 125 years AFTER the removal of the house of Israel in 718-721 B.C.! Ezekiel, a young captive Jew in Babylon, was given a future prophetic message for the house of ISRAEL, including a message about future punishment and slavery, over 120 years AFTER the ancient house of ISRAEL had already been punished and gone into captivity. Ancient Ezekiel never reached the ancient house of Israel with God’s prophetic message.
As we have explained in our booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” the modern house of Israel consists of English-speaking nations, including the United States of America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. And God has given His end-time Church the charge to proclaim the “Ezekiel warning message” to those peoples.
The Ezekiel warning message (Ezekiel 3:16-21) is something that we have to take seriously. It is part of the gospel message of the Kingdom of God, that has to be preached (Matthew 24:14). Before the wonderful world tomorrow can be ushered in, the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord have to be fulfilled, which will be a time of terrible trouble for the modern nations of the houses of Israel and Judah, as well as the entire world.
We find this commission from God to Ezekiel: “‘…Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse–for they are a rebellious house–yet they will know that a prophet has been among them'” (Ezekiel 2:3-5).
Ezekiel’s message has become a part of God’s Word. This warning from God is for our day, and it MUST BE PROCLAIMED–along with many other prophecies preserved in the Bible for us! That responsibility has passed along to the Church of God!
In the book of Ezekiel, the prophet is compared with, and even called a “watchman.” But the book of Ezekiel is for our time today — and it is therefore God’s end-time Church, which is to function as “a watchman” or “watchmen.” Notice these Biblical examples:
“So you, son of man: I have made you a WATCHMAN for the HOUSE OF ISRAEL; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them of Me” (Ezekiel 33:7).
“I have set WATCHMEN on your walls, O Jerusalem; THEY shall never hold THEIR peace day or night. You [plural in the Hebrew] who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent” (Isaiah 62:6).
“Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That WATCHERS come from a far country And raise THEIR voice against the cities of Judah” (Jeremiah 4:16).
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, “We will not walk in it.” Also, I set WATCHMEN over you, saying, “Listen to the sound of the trumpet!” But they said, “We will not listen.” Therefore hear, you NATIONS, And know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O EARTH! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people–The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words Nor My law, but rejected it'” (Jeremiah 6:16-19).
We are to WATCH the events around us (Matthew 24:42), discerning the times, so that we can be effective WATCHMEN in God’s service (compare Amos 3:7), warning others of what will surely come to pass. Notice Hosea 5:9: “Ephraim [modern Great Britain] shall be DESOLATE in the day of rebuke; among the TRIBES OF ISRAEL I make known what is sure. Hosea 7:12 adds: “I will CHASTISE THEM [Ephraim] According to what their congregation HAS HEARD.”
Ezekiel 33:2-6 explains to us WHY God’s Church is to proclaim God’s warning message:
“When I bring the sword upon the land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their WATCHMAN, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet… [and] takes the warning will save his life. But if the WATCHMAN sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the WATCHMAN’S hands.”
God wants His Church to preach the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on earth. This includes, blowing the trumpet and warning of impending disaster. Some will listen and change their ways so that they, too, may enter the Kingdom. Many others, though, will not heed the message. Still, if His Church shrinks back from its God-given responsibility, He will have no pleasure in it (Hebrews 10:37-39).
On Saturday, December 18, 2004, J. Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “Your Relationship with God,” Part 4.
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.
