by Herbert W. Armstrong

This thought came to me as I was eating breakfast this morning: In all this world’s history God has never started an important Work, or Special Activity through a chosen human, and then, after that Special accomplishment is well-advanced, ALLOWED His chosen human leader to be overthrown by Satan – or in any way to turn false!

Yet those promoted high within that Work or special activity for God, have been allowed to turn false, against God’s chosen leader.

Start with Moses – specially called and chosen by God to lead the Israelite slaves out of Egypt and to the promised land. Moses was human. He had human faults and weaknesses – but he also had human strengths, and God gave him the extra strength needed.

Moses’ brother, Aaron, had been elevated high as Moses’ spokesman (since Moses had a speech impediment – he stuttered). Aaron, with his sister Miriam, did once turn false and say to Moses, in effect: “Who do you think you are? We are just as high – on a level with you.” God punished.

Then there was Korah. He and others associated with him in a rebellion had been raised to high position in the nation Israel – a nation emigrating from Egypt with 2 ½ or more million people (600,000 men age 20 and above plus women and children).

There was real organization within that nomadic nation, but none equal to Moses in top authority under God – and no “number two” man, in authority over all except Moses.

Yet Korah and his fellow-dissidents were not satisfied with their already lofty positions – they wanted to “GET” – take to themselves MORE AUTHORITY, EQUAL TO MOSES. God caused the earth to swallow them up.

But the man God had prepared in advance, the man God chose as His instrument in STARTING the tremendous project of moving some 2 ½ million people to the promised land – was never allowed by God to go wrong.

Yet Moses was abused, accused, criticized.

The same with Joshua, the man God chose to take over after Moses’ job was completed and pilot God’s people across the Jordan river into the promised land. Joshua remained FAITHFUL!

Jesus Christ appointed Peter chief apostle to Israel, and Paul chief apostle to the Gentiles. They were falsely accused, opposed, criticized – but neither was allowed by CHRIST to turn wrong – though some under them did turn wrong.

In our time, God first prepared, then called me unmistakably, to raise up the Philadelphia era of God’s Church – at this END-TIME just before the end of this world – and to proclaim the GOOD NEWS of the World Tomorrow and the Kingdom of God. That was 46 years ago – though God called and chose me 52 years ago.

But what has happened in that 46 years? My elder son, Richard David, was taken in death – dying “in harness” on a baptizing tour –the most loved of the ministers in God’s church, because he exuded so much LOVE! But then my second son came along, “prepared” in all the evils of enlisted men in the U.S. Navy, and made number two man (this was MY mistake, not yet then realizing God has never used a “number two” man in authority). I delegated considerable authority to Ted, but he went way beyond what I delegated, and assumed TOTAL AUTHORITY, trying to cut me off completely – which meant also cutting off all above him (which meant cutting off Jesus Christ and God Almighty). There were also others that were either POWER-hungry, or money-hungry (probably mostly the former).

I came to LOVE, to ENTRUST AUTHORITY to, to honor and respect Albert Portune, David Antion, C. Wayne Cole, Raymond Cole, Ron Dart – all men high in God’s Work today, as Korah and his fellows were in Moses’ day. And now WHERE ARE THEY? All are trying to DESTROY the very WORK OF GOD they once sought to climb the ladder in its SUPPORT. Today the living Christ, Head of the Church, is SETTING IT BACK ON GOD’S TRACK, yet these dissidents would have you think Christ’s apostle and even the Church has gone sour – and, like vultures of the sky, they figuratively hover over it, waiting for this that and the other member to DIE SPIRITUALLY, so they may gobble up the remains! They no longer seek to build – they seek to DESTROY!

Well Brethren, just where do we stand AT THE MOMENT? During the past year this Church of the living GOD has been at least 75% set back on God’s track. We are getting frighteningly close to the END of this age. This church was drifting into a Laodicean condition. (Incidentally, both the “Sardis” and the “Laodicean” eras of the church were GOD’S CHURCHES – NOT SATAN’S!) Someone spread the false rumor that I have said these others were or will be Satan’s churches. The Sardis era in the main had become spiritually dead – had rejected too much of GOD’S TRUTH – was accomplishing virtually NOTHING in spreading the true Gospel to the world (indeed had no clear conception of what that Gospel is). The Laodicean church will be characterized by spiritual lukewarmness – half of its membership (Matt. 25: 1-13) will be shut out of the Kingdom of God.

But, the BAD NEWS, as it appears today, my dear brethren, is that we, undoubtedly of the “Philadelphia” era – my son’s ridicule notwithstanding – are in serious danger of BECOMING also the “Laodicean era.” I am personally much concerned about that. If YOU are NOT concerned, then indeed we are in mortal DANGER!

Satan is pulling out ALL STOPS now to DESTROY THIS CHURCH OF GOD! No matter how angrily and vehemently they deny it, SATAN is USING these former leaders, and they are yielding completely to Satan’s will! I no longer hesitate to call a spade a spade!

But what Jesus Christ raised up is the CHURCH OF GOD. Today it encompasses the earth, so we call it The WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD! Garner Ted bragged to me that HE built this Church. It was BUILT when he was 3 years old! Much, much later, my son was allowed to have microphones before him that went out on hundreds of stations. But what CHRIST BUILT through his father placed those microphones before him. He STARTED nothing! He pioneered NOTHING! But a letter from one woman member illustrates what happened. She first heard of us through one of my son’s TV programs and wrote for literature. She read booklets that I wrote, on what is Salvation, what is the Kingdom of God, What Do You Mean, “BORN AGAIN?” etc. And THESE BOOKLETS led to her conversion. There have to be many like that.

Let me close with one thought. It is now a little late in life for me to turn to Satan’s way, as so many others in high places have done.

God never yet has let one through whom He STARTED a great project turn wrong – and He has never yet let such an appointed leader of His die until his job was FINISHED!