Personal
from Herbert W. Armstrong

Just where are we now, in the prophesied panorama of events leading to the END of this age?

Both world events and occurrences in the Church indicate we are in the time mentioned in Daniel 12.

In verse 2, Daniel speaks of the resurrection of saints at the time of Christ’s coming. Then he speaks of events leading up to that crowning event of history. He says: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (verse 4).

We have come to that time – the TIME of THE END! Rapid travel, to and fro, at high speed! We are definitely in the END TIME! Knowledge has been increased on earth amazingly. We have been going with increasing momentum through the age of invention, the age of science and technology, the air age, the space age and now the NUCLEAR age. Now, for the first time in human history, the weapons of mass destruction have been produced that can erase all humanity from the earth!

In the one decade of the ‘60s, the fund of human knowledge DOUBLED. Also the world’s troubles and evils DOUBLED!

In verse 7 it is stated, “And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”

It seems indefinite as to the antecedent of the pronoun he, above. Other translations use the word they. But surely Satan is now endeavoring to scatter and even totally nullify the power God has given to His Church. There has been a falling away, though compared to the total number, it has been minimal. And the attack of the State of California was an action calculated to DESTROY the Church of the living GOD! Yet Jesus Christ our living HEAD has used it to draw us much closer to HIM and to one another.

Our Work in the hands of Christ is NOT YET FINISHED, and He will not allow the Work to stop until it is finished! And when will that be? It surely can’t be much longer. We are certainly on the final lap, if not the homestretch – but no definite date can, of course, be set.

But when Daniel writes, in verse 7, “all these things shall be finished,” he refers back to the subject of this 12th chapter mentioned at the beginning-when the archangel Michael shall stand up (verse 1) (as also mentioned in Rev. 12:7) and Satan shall be cast down – and the GREAT TRIBULATION (verse 1 and Matt. 24:21-22. Mark 13:19-20, Luke 21:22) from the beginning will be 3 1/2 years.

Daniel did not understand, but the angel said, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end (Dan. 12:9).

And then what – in the TIME OF THE END, into which we have entered? “Many shall be purified and made white, and tried …but the wise shall understand” (verse 10). WE ARE IN THAT TIME OF TRYING AND TESTING. TO BRING US CLOSER TO GOD – TO PREPARE US FOR CHRIST’S COMING, NOW!

Many of us are being tried and tested as NEVER BEFORE – and for our own good!

But, verse 11, from the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away. Consider this a moment. This does NOT imply a material temple to be built in our time in Jerusalem. It does seem to imply the Israelis may restore the daily (twice daily) sacrifice – possibly at the Wailing Wall. The indication is the armies of the “beast” of Revelation 17, entering Jerusalem (Dan. 11:41, Zech. 14:2) will stop this daily sacrifice. “And the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” What is this abomination?

This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15. In Daniel 11:31, the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes were at Jerusalem, and some commentators have interpreted it as Antiochus placing a statue of Jupiter in the Holy of Holies in the temple. Not only does Matthew 24:15 also refer to this. But in a parallel New Testament Luke 21:20 speaks of the same thing as “Jerusalem compassed with armies.” This is the correct meaning of this “abomination.” It is the armies – not a statue – that made Jerusalem desolate.

From this time (Dan. 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1,290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the” 1,335 days.

Never before have we understood these periods of 1,260 days, 1,290 and 1,335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us – GODS CHURCH – who Wait and endure until the 1,335 days – approximately 1,335 days prior to Christ’s coming. But since no one can know the day or the hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day that this 1,335 days begins. But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED EUROPE shall appear-the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the great tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beast’s” armies will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the great tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain – and possibly the same day or immediately after, on United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall then fully realize, is the time of “Jacob’s trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics. Another third will die of the war – our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12).

But while this most terrible TRIBULATION IS happening to our people, shall we of God’s Church be protected? My son Garner Ted is now scoffing in derision at our being taken to a place of safety during the great tribulation.

Does Revelation 3:10 mean what it says? The Unger’s Bible dictionary, under article on the great tribulation, refers to Revelation 3:10, showing the great tribulation covers the whole earth. No other such time of worldwide trial and trouble is prophesied. A Bible I formerly used had in the marginal reference of Revelation 3:10 “or, the great tribulation.”

Also Revelation 12:14 shows the Church being FLOWN into a place of safety in the wilderness. After this (Rev. 12:17), Satan will make war with the remnant or Laodicean Church. That leads up to Christ’s coming.

So, where are We NOW, in the panorama of prophecy?

We have reached the time just before a “United States of Europe” restores the “Holy Roman Empire,” under the papacy, in a union of church and state.

The present pope, John Paul II, could very well be the pope who will trigger this and bring it into reality. Gene Hogberg’s articles in The Plain Truth show much light on this very likely possibility. Once that third great world power is formed, our work will soon be over. That could happen in a year, two years or five years. It could happen SUDDENLY, leaving the whole world aghast in WONDER!

Right now the Iranian crisis is the BIG NEWS. The Moslem present head, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomaini, is today threatening to try the remaining U.S. Embassy hostages as spies, which would mean they would be executed. That could provoke a WAR – unless President Jimmy Carter is too weak.

The WHOLE WORLD Is now ON FIRE! This is not the GREAT TRIBULATION, but is certainly preliminary to it.

It’s time for intensive FASTING AND PRAYER.