Dear Brethren and Friends:

My family and I have just returned from a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles celebration. Though we had human problems and "growing pains" in a few areas, literally scores of the brethren I have talked with felt that this year's Feast was truly outstanding! My family was able to attend the Feast both at Niagara Falls and Lake of the Ozarks, and the enthusiasm, warmth and love were overwhelming. The weather was almost perfect in each area and we were grateful to see so many wonderful brethren there and to feel their warmth and appreciation for the work we are doing. Thank you!

As we had hoped and prayed for, God gave us almost exactly double the attendance, globally, that we had at last year's Feast. Many of you may remember that our first year's Festival attendance in 1993 was right at 1,500 people. Last year's attendance doubled to 3,000 and this year's Feast attendance around the world was almost exactly 6,000! We are thankful for this growth, and give God every bit of the praise for what He's doing through this Work.

I can honestly tell you that the two Feast sites I attended were outstanding! At Niagara Falls, Mr. Rand Millich gave a fine sermon on the first Holy Day. Later, Mr. Ken Frank—our minister in eastern Canada—gave an extremely thoughtful and helpful sermon about the throne of David which brought tears to many of our eyes. At Lake of the Ozarks, I repeatedly heard from brethren about the strong sermons and helpful service of Messrs. Larry Salyer, Bill Swanson, Art Braidic and others at that Feast site. I know we have had equally sound sermons and brotherly service from dozens of our ministers and elders around the world.

Mr. and Mrs. Colin Adair have just returned from the Philippines where they had 169 brethren in attendance and described the Feast there as truly "great." They were most enthusiastic not only about the growth—but about the potential growth—in that part of the world. This is due, in part, because of the godly labor that Mr. and Mrs. Bill Swanson rendered God's people in the Philippines this summer during a two-month visit with the brethren all over that nation, encouraging scores of them in many ways.

Brethren, now that we are back in the office it is apparent that the Work is still growing due to the leadership and blessing of the Living Jesus Christ. We are grateful for the wonderful attitudes and support so many of you are showing for the Work. During the Feast it was obvious from talking with literally hundreds of you that most of you know that we are doing the Work. Your appreciation for this Work means a great deal to our God who heads it. He certainly wants to hear that His servants are bearing fruit in doing their assigned tasks. Your appreciation also strengthens us, your fellow laborers in the Lord, to go forward in this godly crusade! For we are not merely preaching to the "already converted," but WE are out there on The front lines with The World Ahead telecast, The World Ahead magazine and booklets aimed not only at the brethren, but at the world's SIX BILLION human beings who need to be reached with God's precious Truth!

Remember, Jesus commanded, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16). So we must not merely stay at home and preach to ourselves, but we must do a real WORK of witnessing to and warning a dying world preparatory to Christ's return. We want to reach all nations and all people with Christ's message as God gives us the strength, the ability and the means.

But, in addition to doing that, and in addition to "feeding the flock" which we certainly intend to do, we also often speak of fulfilling the "Ezekiel Commission." Since it 'has been so many years since this was explained and emphasized by God's servant, Herbert W. Armstrong, it may be helpful to review just what the Ezekiel Commission is and what our responsibility entails.

As I have often explained on the telecast, the Olivet prophecy as recorded in Luke's gospel account deals more with the national phase of this prophecy. After describing the false prophets, wars, famines, disease epidemics and earthquakes to come (as do both Matthew and Mark in their accounts), Luke states, "For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22). It is obvious here that Luke is speaking of the final wrap up of the literally scores of prophetic passages dealing with the end-time punishment of the rebellious house of Israel.

Speaking to the entire house of Israel, God says through Jeremiah, "`For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously with Me,' says the LORD. They have lied about the LORD, and said, `It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. And the prophets become wind, for the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them'” (Jer. 5:11-13).

Then God continues, "As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" (vv. 27-29 KJV).

Written over 120 years after the house of Israel's first captivity, this is certainly describing the wealth ("waxen rich") and the spoiled attitudes of millions of present-day Americans, Canadians, Britons and others. It is stating—as do many other prophecies—that God will "avenge" Himself on rebellious Israel. Thus it is the "days of vengeance" on Israel—and later on her enemies, to which Christ refers in Luke 21:22.

Jesus is then quoted as saying, "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (vv. 21:23-24).

God's true Church—the "little flock" (Luke 12:32)—is NEVER referred to as a national land or people. So God's wrath is NOT on the Church, but on rebellious Israel just before Christ's return. This prophesied time is, in fact, the future GREAT TRIBULATION.

Speaking of the whole house of Israel at the end of this age, Jeremiah writes, "Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. For thus says the LORD: `We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it'” (Jer. 30:4-7).

This day of trouble is so great that NONE is like it. So it must be the Great Tribulation—for you can't have two or three tribulations that are all the worst in human history. Note also that it is the time of "Jacob's trouble." So the Great Tribulation—as dozens of scriptures indicate—comes primarily upon the modern descendants of Jacob or Israel—modern America, Canada, Britain, Australia, New Zealand and their northwestern European brothers!

Incidentally, the time-setting is clearly indicated, for Jeremiah writes, "`For it shall come to pass in that day,' says the LORD of hosts, `That I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them. But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them'” (Jer. 30: 8-9). So Christ returns to break this "yoke" (cf. Is. 47:6) of slavery off from modern Israel. Also, this is the time of the resurrection of the righteous dead, for King David of Israel will be raised up and will once again rule over all twelve tribes of the re-united house of Israel (cf. Ezek. 37:15-20).

Brethren, don't we then—as God's people—have a responsibility to WARN our peoples in America, Canada, Britain and elsewhere about this greatest of national calamities in human history and tell them how they may avoid being destroyed or forced into cruel slavery during this horrifying time of coming trouble? OF COURSE WE DO!

In the book of Proverbs, God tells us, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, `Surely we did not know this,' does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?" (Prov. 24:10-12).

There are right now more tens of millions of humans "stumbling to the slaughter" than at ANY time in history! Our mixed-up, religiously confused people in America and much of the West have NO IDEA who they are (prophetically speaking), why they are alive or how to fulfill God's purpose.

So, as the above passage in Proverbs states, God "weighs the hearts" of each of us in His Church as to the degree of our outgoing CONCERN we have for our Israelite brethren, and their Gentile friends who choose to live among them, at this time of their greatest need. A really powerful Work of warning and teaching MUST be done—before it is too late!

God instructs His faithful servants, "Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Is. 58:1). Though some people may not like the trumpet blast of God's powerful warning message, it must be given if we are to remain faithful to our God's commission.

Remember that Ezekiel was contemporaneous with Jeremiah. Ezekiel also wrote more than 120 years after the house of Israel's first captivity. Consequently, Ezekiel's prophecies are clearly END-TIME prophecies affecting not only the Jews, but ALL the "House of Israel" today. Therefore, when God speaks through Ezekiel about having a "watchman" (Ezek. 33) who will WARN the house of Israel, we should know that He is speaking about modern Israel—right now.

Also, note that this "watchman" prophecy leads into Ezekiel 34 in which God describes the regathering of all Israel (v. 13) and, again, the resurrected King David being made RULER in the World Ahead (vv. 23-24). Brethren, with all this in mind, please read carefully the powerful statements in Ezekiel 33:1-7. Even though this present reformatted and revitalized Work is not yet three years old, thousands of brethren are backing the Global Church of God in giving this inspired WARNING to our peoples! As Mr. Herbert Armstrong used to say, "We are ALL on the watchman's team. It is NOT a one man effort!"

God says to you and me, "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 for Me. When I say to the wicked, `O wicked man, you shall surely die!' and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul" (vv. 7-9).

Therefore, dear brethren, to "deliver our soul" (v. 9) REQUIRES that we give our Israelitish peoples and their Gentile neighbors—who have shared in their prosperity and will also suffer with them in punishment—a powerful and heartfelt WARNING about their mounting SINS and the resulting Great Tribulation if they do not repent.

Probably most will NOT repent at this time. But our convicting message may nevertheless bring additional thousands or even tens of thousands of people to real repentance before the darkness falls. And millions will no doubt remember our message and realize later on that a faithful God DID warn them and did give them a chance to escape IF they had only listened! And during the misery and horror of captivity, many of these people will be sustained during unspeakable trials by their remembrance that the prophecies also contained a message of eventual deliverance, restoration and consolation through God's mercies. Our Work will impart to them the priceless commodity of hope!

This inspired "Ezekiel Commission" given to us is a wonderful and awesome responsibility! Those who should know better but REFUSE to get involved are indeed risking their "soul"—as Ezekiel indicates. But those of us who grasp our opportunity to serve and who are willing to lay down our lives for our peoples in the traumatic times ahead will be given eternal life and GLORIFIED spirit bodies. As Daniel writes, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3).

Brethren, I hope that all of us can be enthusiastically involved in preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations. I hope that we all want to participate in "feeding the flock"—which is certainly vital. And, especially now, I hope that all of us can understand the God-given commission and the overwhelming NEED to warn our Israelite-descended brethren and their Gentile friends of the coming Great Tribulation. May God grant us the understanding and the zeal to yield ourselves as instruments of the Living Jesus Christ in helping complete His Work on earth today.

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With a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles just behind us, and with the American Thanksgiving Day approaching, it is a good time to consider how much we in God's Church have to be thankful for! Most of us are living in nations where we have almost complete religious freedom. We all have the awesome privilege of really knowing the true God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We know why we are alive, where we are going and how to get there.

I'll always remember the mental turmoil that I went through for years during high school and junior college trying to discover "the answer"—the real purpose of human existence. I even wrote a poem entitled, "I Wonder," which was published in The National Anthology of High 5chool Poetry. A couple of years later; after coming to Ambassador College, learning of God's Truth through His faithful servant, Herbert W Armstrong, and being baptized, I returned one summer to visit my old high school friends in Joplin, Missouri. After a few days of visiting, doing things together and "horsing around"—as young men like to do—one of my former closest friends blurted out, "You found it, Rod, haven't you? You seem more at peace with yourself and apparently your questions about life have been answered. Right?"

"Right, Jimmy," I responded. "I'm still learning, but the real emptiness of just not knowing anything has gone away. Now I know the basic answers to life, and how to find the rest." Brethren, this understanding is absolutely priceless!

Think of all the billions of human beings in this world who literally live and die like dogs. They have no understanding of why they're here, no genuine knowledge and relationship with God as their personal Father, no assurance of a future life after they are dead.

Since all of us were spiritual "Gentiles" before our conversion, we should all relate to this admonition by the Apostle Paul: `°Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands—that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:11-12).

In addition to the awesome blessing of really knowing God as our Father, the vast majority of our brethren in the Western world have the kind of physical blessings that make us the envy of others. We have comfortable homes, more than enough food to eat, clothes to wear and other material things to enjoy. Here in the United States and Canada, especially, we have almost unlimited wide-open spaces in God's creation where we can hike camp, hunt, fish and enjoy the beauty our Creator has provided in such abundance and variety.

Most of us in God's Church also have stable, enriching marriages. We are able to enjoy the love, companionship and support of a mate and other family members as we go through the trials and tests of this life. That, too, is priceless, and something we should constantly strive to build up throughout our Christian lives.

Finally, all of us, if we truly understand, have a major GOAL—a "reason for being"—a cause greater than ourselves to be involved in. For God has called us now so that we may be His "ambassadors" to reach all the nations of this earth with His message (Matt. 28:19-20). As Paul was inspired to write, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20).

Brethren, we all need to step back at times from our daily problems, take stock and appreciate more deeply all the things we do have to be thankful for. Though we need to understand and warn our nations of their individual and national sins, God wants all of us in our personal lives to be positive and to be thankful. Again, it was Paul who wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things" (Phil. 4:4-8).

Though never wanting to boast about his personal spiritual life, Herbert W. Armstrong did occasionally give some of us early students insights into his relationship with God. I have treasured the privilege of talking to him many hours about such matters. He mentioned occasionally that he would often spend up to half of his prayer time thanking and praising God. A waste of time? No way!

For God knows that it is good for us to pour out our hearts to Him, praise Him and worship Him. King David, the "man after...[God's] own heart" (Acts 13:22), was continually praying and exulting in God. David wrote, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Ps. 34:1). "And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long" (Ps. 35:28).

David had a profound relationship with God and intended that it last through all eternity. He wrote, "So I will sing praise to Your name forever, that I may daily perform my vows" (Ps. 61:8). Brethren, let each of us be deeply grateful for all that our Father has made possible—even the trials we endure and the precious lessons we learn. For they will serve us well not only in this life, but in ages to come. And let us build the habit of thanking and praising our Maker continually. This positive, appreciative and worshipful attitude will help us stay on track—both now and forever.

It is always "time to give thanks"!

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by John H. Ogwyn

Dear Mr. Ogwyn:

I assure you with tears I am only seeking to know the truth, which I know that God will reveal to you if you pray for discernment about my intent. There has been so much trauma through all that has transpired and I have not agreed with any wrong doctrine that has come out of...[our former association].

I know that Mr. Armstrong was not perfect in understanding. I know that Mr. Meredith is not per­fect in understanding; but one thing I do know is they have never deviated from God's holy, right­eous laws.

I believe you to be a man of sincerity and truth so I am sending this to you, because I know Mr. Meredith is a very busy man. Thank you sincerely.

In the April 29 sermon by Mr. Roderick Meredith, he said that the church is the "embryo" of God's Kingdom in a very limited sense, as Mr. Armstrong has said.

I have thought: there are only two spiritual king­doms (God's and Satan's) at the present and we are either subjects of one or the other. While God's Kingdom has not come, how can we refer to it being here in embryo? God's government is still governed from God's throne. That government (Kingdom) has not been brought to the earth yet.

When we receive God's Spirit and become subject to God's laws, we are subjects in that Kingdom but not yet inheritors. That government—that Kingdom—is still in heaven and we are to pray that the Kingdom come (when God's government will reign on the earth and all will be brought into subjection to it).

The government—Kingdom—will be in Christ's hands when He comes to the earth, until he has put all enemies under His feet (1 Cor. 15:25). Then comes the end when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God (v. 24).

We know the Kingdom (government) has not come to the earth yet, but when we become Christians we are translated into the Kingdom—we become sub­jects not yet inheritors. We are told that God has delivered us from the power of darkness (Satan's kingdom) and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1:13).

We know the Kingdom is not here yet. We are in the Kingdom in respect of being in subjection to God's laws and we are children of light. Wasn't it only after Christ died and was resurrected that He could have said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18 KJV) and that the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14 could be fulfilled?

Also, we are not yet inheritors. Our citizenship is in heaven—that is where the Kingdom is at the present. We are citizens of the Kingdom now but not yet inheritors.

In relation to these things, please explain how the Kingdom can be here "in embryo." Isn't the Kingdom—the government—in its fullness (not embryo) in heaven now. And won't we be brought into that—to become inheritors? Maybe we are now an extension of that Kingdom, but can an extension be considered an embryo of that King­dom we are to pray that will come?

If there is a kingdom in another land, that kingdom would not be an embryo but fullness. If a stranger living in the United States is subject in his mind to the laws of a kingdom located in a distant land, could he be con­sidered an "embryo of that king­dom"? Maybe this [is] not a very good comparison, but I am just trying to rationalize how this could be.

I am just trying to, in humble­ness of mind, seek truth.

Thank you in Deep Sincerity,

Answer:

Dear "Letterwriter":

Thank you for your letter. I am sorry to have been so long in answering, but because your letter was unsigned, I could only answer it in this way. You refer to your hurt (please read the accompanying arti­cle) and I understand that. All of us have experienced pain and loss as a result of the events of the last sever al years.

To answer your last question first, you are correct in saying that the statement Jesus Christ made in Matthew 28:18 was descriptive of after the resurrection, when the Father restored to Him the power He had possessed from eternity. While Jesus Christ had shared power and glory with the Father before the world was (John 1:l-3; 17:5), He voluntarily emptied Himself of that power and glory to be born as a human being (Phil. 2:5-8). He was God present in human flesh, Immanuel (God with us—cf. Matt. 1:23), but He was also fully human and tempted in all points like we are, yet absolutely sinless (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15).

The statement in Daniel 7:13-14 is also descriptive of after the resurrection when Christ returned to the Father to receive "title" to the Kingdom He had qualified for by overcoming (cf. Rev. 3:21 ). Christ described the same scene that is mentioned in Daniel 7:13-14 in the parable of the young nobleman who went into a far country to get for himself a kingdom and then return (cf. Luke 19:11-12).

Your main question seems to revolve around the use of Mr. Armstrong's analogy which described the Church as the "embryo" of the Kingdom. You were correct in referring to various scrip­tures showing that true Christians are heirs of a Kingdom that is now in heaven and will, in the future, be established upon the earth as well.

However, Mr. Armstrong often sought to make the point that the Kingdom of God is not only the government of God, it is also the Family of God! In John 3:5, Jesus told Nicodemus that the Kingdom of God was some­thing into which we could only enter by birth. In Colossians 1 :18, we learn that Jesus Christ was the "firstborn from the dead" and in Romans 8:29 that He is the "first­born among many brethren." We can only enter the Kingdom of God by being "born of the Spirit" (John 3:5), for "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" ( 1 Cor. 1 5:50).

On one level, the Kingdom of God is a government that now exists in heaven and will be estab­lished on earth to rule the nations when Christ returns in power and glory (cf. Dan. 2:44). It is in this sense that we are described as hav­ing the status of foreigners and wanderers on earth today (Heb. 11:9-l0)—because "our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20). Due to our status as foreigners who are "in the world" but NOT "of the world" (cf. John 17:11-16), true Christians don't take part in worldly politics. In the world of the first century, a man derived his citizenship (politae) from his polis (city or commu­nity of origin). In Revelation 3:12, we are told that the city (polis) of God is the New Jerusalem which will eventually come down from God out of heaven and will be our home for eternity.

However, on another level, the Kingdom of God is the divine Family of God. We are told that we can neither see, enter, nor inherit it unless we undergo a rebirth and become spirit instead of flesh. While some have tried to limit the meaning of this rebirth by claiming that it is simply a change of heart and mind, the Scriptures show that much more is involved. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible points out in its article on "Regeneration," that the only time the Greek expression for "born again" is used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament), it refers to the resurrection. This is in Job 14:14 where the Septuagint uses the Greek expres­sion meaning "rebirth" to trans­late the Hebrew term rendered "change" in the KJV and NKJV.

In the sense that the Church consists of those who will be born of the Spirit, born into the Kingdom of God at the resurrec­tion, it was likened to the "Kingdom in embryo" by Mr. Armstrong. The Christian life is a time of spiritual growth and development preparing us for entrance into the Kingdom of God. In this way it is a spiritual parallel to the growth of a child in the womb of the mother.

I hope this will help you as you seek God's Truth.

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by John H. Ogwyn

The writer of the letter in the accompanying article suffers a trauma that so many of God's people are feeling. This trauma has been real, and there are high stakes, indeed, that are involved in an individual's responses to it.

The spiritual and emotional healing that is needed from this trauma is a process. It is important that we proceed from recognizing the source of pain and injury to understanding what is needed to promote the recovery of our spiritual health and energy. As we seek Him, God will restore to us the joy of His salvation (Ps. 5l : l 2); and the fruit of the Spirit will be borne in greater abundance in our lives (Gal. 5:22-23).

Satan has not given up on those whom he has been unable to mislead from the Truth. There are several attitudes that can be spiritually unhealthy and destructive. Needless to say, these are the attitudes the devil seeks to engender within us. They are analogous to the infections that can occur in wounds that have been left unwashed and untended. They are the results of unhealed hurt. Let's take a few moments to identify some of these attitudes and also to look at what God's antidote is for each attitude.

First let's set the stage. Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 34 . are strongly worded passages where God indicts His people's leaders. In these passages He also shows what has happened to the sheep of His pasture—His people. In the context, both passages clearly refer to God's national "sheep," Israel. This is made clear in Jeremiah 23:5-6 and Ezekiel 34:12-13, 23-24. However, principles found in these chapters certainly give us God's perspective on recent events that have hurt and scattered His spiritual sheep.

The trauma has produced fear and lack of trust. Fear and lack of trust reveal themselves in different ways with people of different temperaments. Some have chosen to isolate themselves as a protective mechanism to prevent additional hurt and trauma. In others, the hurt manifests itself as anger and suspicion; producing a critical and independent spirit.

We cannot afford to live our lives based upon fear. The Apostle John explained that fear produces torment (cf. 1 John 4:18). The antidote for this fear is love; the love that is a response to God's love. This love of God and realization of His love for us is the basis of our faith and trust in Him. Romans 8:28 means what it says—all things do work together for good for those who love God and who are called by Him.

The trials and tests that God has allowed us to go through as individuals and as a Church are for the purpose of refining our character and bringing us to completion as His Sons. If we can understand and accept this, then we realize that "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17).

Our trust rests upon God. He is our guarantor and His Word stands sure. One of the things that we must trust God to do is to work through His faithful servants. Just as there are false shepherds who are hirelings as well as those who are actually wolves in sheep's clothing, so are there also faithful shepherds. Christ revealed that His true servants would be proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the entire world just prior to the end of this sin-sick age (Matt. 24:14). Christ said that we would know His true servants by their fruits (Matt. 7:15-21). They will be teaching obedience to God's law and they will be proclaiming the same Good News that Jesus Christ proclaimed when He was on earth almost 2,000 years ago. That is the same message that God's servant, Herbert Armstrong, thundered to a sick and dying world for half a century.

These true shepherds are there to help the sheep of God's pasture and to assist in binding up their wounds. However, once you identify who these shepherds are by the fruits of their ministry, you must let them get close enough to help. Our ultimate trust resides in God to accomplish His purpose and to finish His Work. We don't have to be fearful of men. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 118:6, "The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (NAS).

Just as fear can cause us to withdraw in order to avoid future hurt, it can also prompt a critical and an independent spirit. We become wary of others again receiving our trust and then betraying it. Such an attitude precludes our being able to function as part of a closely knit team that Christ can use to finish His Work. One of the hard things for us to accept is how little we are able to really protect ourselves. The walls we erect in our lives to guard and to protect usually serve only to seal in hurt and to block out help.

Simply put, we cannot protect ourselves. No safeguards that we can establish on the human level, governmental or otherwise, will ever insure our safety and security. When we love and trust someone, we make ourselves vulnerable. The point is, God is our Protector. He is our refuge and our buckler in times of adversity (Ps. 18:1-3). He will deal with those who have betrayed and abused His people (cf. Ezekiel 34:10). He will demand an accounting, for God takes the way His people are treated personally. After all, Christ said in Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

The fact that events of recent years have contained unforeseen twists and turns only shows that our ways aren't God's ways. God is sovereign and is working out His own purpose, just as He foretold in the pages of His Scriptures. None of us can write the script. The best we can do is to pay attention and follow along as He turns the pages and perhaps ask for rewrites on points involving those we love.

At the time of the crucifixion, Christ's disciples were traumatized and scattered, unable to fathom why God would allow such a thing. Even though the Messiah's death had been purposed from the foundation of the world—even though it was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible—it came as a shock to the disciples. "It wasn't supposed to end that way," they thought. Of course it really wasn't the end, only the beginning. It isn't necessary that we understand all of the whys and wherefores, but it is necessary that we learn to trust and to follow our Creator. If we walk with Him, we need never fear any evil (Ps. 23:4).

God makes promises to His people who have been smitten and traumatized. In Ezekiel 34: 12, He promises to individually seek out His sheep. He stands at the door and knocks. It's not enough for God to call, however. We must answer and respond.

In Jeremiah 23:3-4, God also promises that His regathered sheep will be fruitful and increase. He declares that He will set up faithful shepherds (pastors) who will feed His people properly. God loves us. He has called us. And He will guide and watch over us as we yield to Him.

Our spiritual and emotional healing involves casting away our defective strategies of self-protection and learning to reach out to God our Father in love and trust. It involves forgiving and letting go of any spirit of vengeance. God will repay in His own way and in His own time. Another attitude that will most promote this healing is a spirit of thankfulness for God's calling and for the opportunity He is giving us to be part of His revived Work. These are attitudes that will lead to healing and growth and the peace that passes understanding, both now and forever (Phil. 4:7).

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by Douglas S. Winnail

Christians have been called to reign with Jesus Christ on this earth and to become leaders in the World Ahead (Rev. 5:10; Dan. 7:27). This life is a training ground for the roles we will play in the coming administration of God. Our future responsibilities will be influenced by how we grow and develop now (Luke 19:12-26). Are you developing the qualities that will enable you to be an effective leader under Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom of God?

The Leadership Vacuum

At a recent meeting of chief executive officers of major global corporations, chaired by former U. S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, the major topic of discussion was not about problems facing business, but the appalling lack of leadership in our age. Mr. Kissinger observed that in the past "great leaders always appeared on the scene just in time to pull the world through. But now, try to name only one FDR, or Ike, or de Gaulle or Churchill" (Fortune, Sept. 19, 1994). The author of this same article laments, "Wherever you go in business as in government these days, you hear people ask, plaintively, `Where are the leaders?'”

In country after country the pathetic lack of leadership appears to be the same. Those who aspire to lead "seem to lack the characteristics of the great leaders of the past" (Macleans, Feb. 20, 1995). This is especially true of the current younger generation of leaders whose "waffling...lack of consistency...and [they are] too cocksure to inspire confidence" attitudes "bring up the question of whether the Baby Boom generation is fit to lead" (Newsweek, Dec. 19, 1994, p. 35). "Greed, timidity and lack of vision are rampant among the current crop of pseudoleaders. All the leaders we once respected are dead" (Management Today, November 1993).

The Almighty God who inspired the Bible prophesied that times would come when leaders of stature would disappear from the scene and be replaced by young, ambitious, arrogant and inexperienced individuals (cf. Is. 3:1-4). Our present lack of REAL leaders is the result of society ignoring or rejecting revealed knowledge in the Word of God. When people lose an appreciation of the fundamental principles of human conduct found in the Bible, the knowledge of what produces real leaders begins to disappear.

The challenge facing those of us who desire to serve in the Kingdom of God, under Jesus Christ, is to identify the most important qualities of effective leadership and to foster their development in ourselves and in our children.

VISIONIS Vital

The most important quality of a leader, according to Warren Bennis, former university president and author of numerous books on leadership, is a guiding vision—a clear sense of direction. Dr. Bennis states, "All the leaders I know have a strongly defined sense of purpose.... When you have an organization where people are aligned behind a clearly defined vision or purpose you have a strong organization" (Fortune, Sept. 19 1995).

Vision is the capacity to perceive something that is not yet visible to other people. An inspiring vision focuses attention on a future goal that is practical, attainable, desirable and worth committing your life to. A shared vision is the glue that binds groups of people together in a common cause and keeps them moving forward in the face of difficulties. It gives meaning to life. Vision is "the force within a leader that spreads like wildfire when properly communicated to others" (Business Horizons, Jan.-Feb. 1994).

A leader's confidence and strong sense of commitment to a vision attracts and inspires others to follow. Jesus Christ preached a powerful vision of the future. He spoke constantly about the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God (cf. Mark 1:14-15), of a world-ruling government (cf. Dan. 2:44; John 18:36), where the saints would reign with Christ (cf. Rev. 5:10), where cities would be rebuilt (cf. Is: 61:4), the environment would be restored and sickness eliminated (cf. Is. 35:1-6), wars ended and peace finally established (cf. Is. 2:1-4).

This exciting vision for the future fired the imagination of believers during the first three centuries of the "Christian era" until theologians began to explain it away as an allegory (something merely symbolic) and then labeled it heresy (Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chap. 15).

As the real vision faded from view, the Church was torn by intellectual and philosophical controversy. The exciting vision of the coming Kingdom of God was buried under centuries of argument over the nature of God. (Is He one person or three? Does He have a body with parts?, etc.) History records that thousands of sects and competing denominations emerged, due to differing doctrines and conflicting visions of the future. Sadly, history confirms the truth of the proverb, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18 KJV). Or, as it is phrased in the NIV, "Where there is no revelation (or where revelation is rejected), the people cast off restraint." When a leader's vision gets fuzzy or confused, the glue that holds a group together begins to dissolve; people become disenchanted and drift away.

This verse reveals an additional benefit of vision in the statement: "He that keepeth the law, happy is he." Jesus Christ emphasized to His disciples that if they would seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, then everything else in their lives would begin to fall into place (Matt. 6:33). When the Kingdom of God becomes the "magnetic north" in your life, your life will take on new meaning as you prepare to serve the needs of others. Your sense of purpose, and confidence and hope in the future will motivate you and inspire others to follow.

One of the major needs in the world today is for leaders with a bold vision of the future that offers hope for mankind and presents realistic solutions for the challenges that threaten the very existence of life on this planet (The Arizona Republic, Oct. 2, 1995, p. b7). A future vision of hope is a central part of the true Gospel. If God has opened your mind to begin to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, you have been given an incredible gift that is not yet available to everyone (cf. Matt. 13:10-17). With that understanding you can let God work with you as you prepare for a position of leadership in the World Ahead.

Powerful Principles

God gave ancient Israel the Ten Commandments to form the moral foundation of their own nation and to enable them to be a model nation for others to follow (cf. Deut. 4:S-8). Those laws were to be taught by priests to the people, and by the parents to their children, so they would reap the intended benefits of obedience (cf. Deut. 4:40).

Israel's rulers were required to diligently study the laws of God in order to become wise leaders who would serve and benefit their people (cf. Deut. 17:18-20). Serious consequences would result from the failure to follow these fundamental principles. Jesus Christ amplified the law's reach to include thoughts and attitudes, so that the converted human mind could grow to express godly love (cf. Matt. 5:17-22; Is. 42:2; John 15:9-10).

Historically, great civilizations and strong organizations rested on firm moral foundations. Their continued existence depended on appreciating and emphasizing true values that had proven effective over time. Whenever the moral base eroded; the superstructure soon decayed and, eventually, crumbled. Such ethical cause-and-effect still governs today's nations, businesses, churches, families and individuals.

The growing concern for ethics in our society results from the erosion of a sense of right and wrong. Modern society's prevailing notion that there are no absolute moral values has spawned social chaos and confusion. The idea that the ends justifies the means—that anything is permissible to achieve a goal—is a false philosophy with negative consequences. Leaders who live by the writings of Machiavelli and ignore the Bible will pay a frightful price.

The commandments of God are absolute. They represent solid Truth (cf. John 17:17). They are not the "ten suggestions." They cannot be altered or compromised without serious consequences. One of the major reasons for the lack of real leadership today is the disregard for the moral values that God gave to form a firm foundation for a civilized world. The notion that these time-tested traditional values can be discarded at will has been called one of the great errors of Western Civilization that is producing disastrous effects (Civilized Man's Eight Deadly Sins, Lorenz, 1975):

Godly leaders cultivate a strong sense of right and wrong based on God's revealed Word. Individuals that love the law of God and meditate on it daily (cf. Ps. 119:97) will be given the opportunity to teach these powerful principles to all mankind in the World Ahead.

Character is Critical

Another essential quality of effective leaders is character. Character involves actually living by the principles that you profess to believe in: It encompasses "all those internal ingredients of leadership that form the basis for a leader's decision-making and actions...and what it will take for you to be worthy of people's trust" (Vital Speeches of the Day, "Leadership: Working from the Inside Out," July 15, 1994).

Studies have shown that when selecting leaders, most people look for a person who is honest, having the determination to not lie, compromise or shade the truth. Such upright character involves the willingness to admit , mistakes, make corrections and not attempt to bluff one's way through difficult situations (The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and Posner, 1987, pp. 15-27). When leaders misrepresent the truth or give in to temptation, they destroy their own credibility and effectiveness. Such character flaws by leaders demoralize, disillusion, confuse and alienate those who follow them. Eventually, people become cynical and unresponsive.

A major reason for the malaise that affects our modern society and the growing lack of confidence in and respect for public figures and people in positions of authority is related to the violation of the "trust factor" that people place in their leaders (Macleans, Jan. 2, 1989; Absolute Confusion, Barna, 1993, pp. 26-27). The mass media today seems to resonate almost daily with the character flaws of presidents, politicians, preachers—people from all walks of life. Lack of character always proves to be devastating.

Real leaders carefully cultivate character—in themselves, and in those they serve and lead. Godly men and women come to understand the value of walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. They strive to think, act and treat people as Christ would. They study the Scriptures and ask God to help them achieve those goals.

Individuals who share the goal of developing godly character are special in God's sight and will be useful instruments in His hands in the World Ahead (cf. Mal. 3:16-17).

Preparation and Positioning

If you consider the reasons for the astonishing lack of leadership today and the important qualities needed to become an effective leader, then it may become clear that God has a personal character development plan for you! God is calling and preparing you to be an effective leader in the World Ahead. He is training you to be part of a royal priesthood that will govern the world in the future Kingdom of God (cf. Rev. 5:10).

Are you motivated by the exciting vision of the Kingdom of God? Do you understand the power of right principles to maintain a just, stable and equitable society? Do you see that strong character is fundamental in maintaining the respect and trust of others?

Perhaps now that you see your future more clearly, you will to strive with all your might to make your calling and election sure (cf. 2 Pet. 1:10). Study leadership! Take the opportunity to read books and articles on this subject. Review the lives of the leaders of the Bible—both the good as well as the bad and the ugly. Watch and analyze movies and videos of great leaders. Observe people in leadership roles. Notice their strong points and weak points and how these factors influence and affect others. Learn all you can about leadership and what makes leaders effective. Nearly all the great leaders of the past studied the lives and writings of the great leaders who preceded them.

Help your children and those you live with and work with to develop qualities of leadership. Encourage them to grow, to think, to become resourceful, to seek solutions to problems, to notice needs and to desire to serve others. Help them learn to be responsible. Encourage them to dream (Reader's Digest, "Make Your Child a Leader," July 1993, pp. 19-26).

Today, real leaders are in short supply. But God is not going to be caught short-staffed. He is not planning on down-sizing the ranks of His royal priesthood in the coming reality of the World Ahead. If you prepare wisely and carefully, you will be glad you did—and so will those who will need your leadership skills in the future!

By diligently preparing now to become an effective leader, you will be fully prepared to answer the call when the final trumpet is blown—summoning those God has trained to lead the world in His ways in the World Ahead.

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by Mario Hernandez

With the end of the Feast, some people feel a sense of being "let down" as they move from the spiritual high point of the year and begin to face six months without the spiritual uplift the Feast days provide. This doesn't have to happen to you. Here's how you can avoid those post-Feast blues.

If we examine the agricultural imagery tied to God's Holy Day cycle, we will realize that there are important spiritual lessons to be garnered through the months leading up to the Passover. The ancient Israelites lived close to the soil of their Promised Land. They appreciated the physical lessons inherent in the yearly cycles of planting and harvesting that most of us "moderns" miss. Ancient Israel's ability to truly rejoice in God's fall Festival season was dependent on God's blessing the harvests. "Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice" (Deut. 16:15).

God's hand in a successful year began with the essential early rains, which were needed to soften the soil for planting and to provide moisture for germination. These rains, in the Mediterranean climate, often began at the end of the fall Festival and were considered a great blessing from God. "And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil" (Deut. 11:13-14).

Jesus Christ teaches us through the "Parable of the Sower" (Luke 8:5-I S) that the physical labor of sowing and harvesting is an important type of the spiritual labor we must perform. There is an "agricultural" work to be done now in our lives if the knowledge—the seed—we received at the Feast is to bear fruit.

If the seed we have received is to produce at all it must fall on cultivated ground instead of falling by the wayside to be gobbled up by predators. That is to say, we must cultivate understanding. The Apostle James wrote, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). The Psalmist encourages us to confess to God, "I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies" (Ps. l19:125). But merely possessing knowledge is insufficient of itself. The Church of God has seen many self-proclaimed "intellectuals" come and go because they only received "head knowledge." Something more is needed to bear much good and enduring fruit.

We cannot have the stony heart of the "intellectual," the proud, the independent or the unrepentant who receives knowledge with joy, but doesn't have the heart to love and obey God (Luke 8:13). Just as God sends the early rain to prepare the ground, so our hearts must be softened and prepared to receive God's seeds of knowledge.

Our hearts must be prepared and softened to allow God's Word to germinate and root deeply in our hearts. To the humble and repentant, God promises His Spirit, as the early rain, to soften the heart: "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God" (Ezek. 11:19-20).

Another "agricultural" work we must perform is to root out the weeds and thorns that would otherwise choke out the newly sprouted seeds of Truth (Luke 8:14). God uses weeds to typify the cares of the world, the pursuit of material goods and carnal pleasures because the weeds in our life squeeze out the essential time for prayer, study and meditation. We need these "garden" tools to cultivate the fruitful fields of eternal life.

Once the ground is prepared and the weeds kept in check, then we must with patient endurance tend our spiritual garden. "But the ones that fell on the good ground' are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience" (v. 15).

In order for God to bless us with an abundant spiritual harvest of good fruit next Feast—at the crown of the year—we must begin our preparations now so the seeds of Truth in our life will not die in a hard, dry, weedy plot, but instead will flourish. Now is the time to work.

If we persistently sow our seed with humility we will have cause to rejoice at harvest time. "Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:5-6).

God will not fail to provide the spiritual rain for the harvest. "You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance" (Ps. 65:9-11 ).

Let us not forget to appreciate and perform our "agricultural" labors throughout the year so that our harvest may be abundant at next year's Feast of Tabernacles.

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by Raymond F. McNair

Can you give biblically sound answers to the following questions?

Brethren, are you well enough grounded in the Word of God that you can "give a reason" for believing the doctrines which you hold true? Are you, in the face of false teaching, able to hold "fast the faithful word [of God] as you have been taught, that... [you] may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:9)?

It is especially important that each "elder" (Gk. presbuteros) who also serves as an "overseer" (Gk. episkopos) in God's Church be well-grounded in the true doctrines of the Bible— being "apt to teach" (KJV), or "able to teach" (NKJV) God's Word faithfully (1 Tim. 3:1-2). In addition the Apostle Peter wrote to all believers, `Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. 3:15 KJV)!

Recently, someone living in Britain sent me a list of questions which he asked the Global Church of God to answer. This inquirer admonished us to give simple, straight-forward answers—not waffling around, or failing to properly address his questions. Evidently he had been quite dissatisfied with the quality of the responses he had previously received from other religious affiliations to whom he had sent his questions. I hope you will find the answers to these questions both scripturally sound and wholly devoid of waffling and ambiguity! The questions presented here are in their original form, as the author wrote them.

1. "Is the seventh-day Sabbath a sign of God's true people, true Christians? Could a person who believes that the church changed the Christian day of rest from the seventh day to the first day be a true Christian (i.e. one who will rise in the first resurrection and reign with Christ in the Millennium)?"

ANSWER: The seventh day (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday) is the true Sabbath of God, and will always be a "sign" between humans and their Creator. At Mt. Sinai, the LORD personally commanded His people to observe the seventh day as His Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11). Christ and His apostles continued observing the Sabbath, and so did all the members of the early New Testament Church (Luke 4:16; Acts 13:14, 42; 17:2). The Sabbath will continue to be observed by all the people of God in the soon-coming Millennium (Is. 58:13-14; 66:23-24; Ezek. 45:17; 46:1-4). God says the "strangers" (Gentiles) who observe His Sabbaths (both weekly and annual) will be blessed (Is. 56:1-7).

The Hebrew Scriptures (OT) plainly reveal that God's people during all ages must keep His commandments (Ex. 20; Ps. 19:7-11; 111:7-10; Eccl. 12:13-14). Likewise, the Greek Scriptures (NT) show that keeping God's commandments (including observance of the Sabbath) is mandatory for genuine Christians (Matt. 5:17-19; 19:16-19; Rom. 7:12, 14; 1 Cor. 7:19; James 2:10; 1 John 2:4; 3:22; 5:2-3; Rev. 12:17; 22:14).

A true Christian will always seek to obey God's Holy Scriptures (including all of the Ten Commandments), not only in the letter, but also in the spirit—that is, according to the intent of the law. A Christian should fully realize that he can't keep God's commandments perfectly on his own power and strength, but that he must have the Living Jesus Christ in him, living His life in him through the Holy Spirit (Gal. 2:20). When a Christian sins by transgressing the law (cf. 1 John 3:4), he should admit his fault and completely repent of it in order to be cleansed from all unrighteousness (cf. 1 John 1:7-10).

Millions of sincere, but thoroughly deceived, religious people profess to believe in Christ, and even think they are keeping His commandments although they are not. Satan has substituted his day (Sunday, the "day of the Sun”) in the place of the seventh-day Sabbath. Sincerity alone wilt not save anyone. If someone is filled with and led by God's Spirit (Rom. 8:14), then God will surely reveal to her/him that Sunday is not His Sabbath, and will, therefore, eventually lead such a one into the truth concerning His true Sabbath so she/he can begin keeping God's Sabbath day.

2. "Who are those described as Satan's ministers in Second Corinthians 11:1[-15] ?"

ANSWER: Satan's ministers are all those who believe, teach, and practice disobedience to God and His law, that is, those who work iniquity or lawlessness (Matt. 7:23). Satan has his ministers, who teach a false gospel in place of the real Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the Good News of the soon-coming Kingdom of God (2 Cor. 11:l-15). Paul revealed that Satan certainly has his own "false apostles" (v. 13), and "his ministers" (v. 15). Jesus Christ repeatedly warned His people to beware of those who believe in Him, yet are really false ministers of Satan the Devil (Matt. 7:15-23; 24:3-5, 11, 24-26).

God has only one true Church (Eph. 4:16)! That Church is not a "corporate organization," but is comprised of all who are filled with and led by God's Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9, 24; 1 Cor. 12:13). God's Church is (and always has been) small when compared to the churches of this world. During this evil age, that true Church will always be a "little flock" (Luke 12:32; Matt. 7:13-14). According to the Word of God, Satan has many "churches." Revelation 12 depicts the one true Church of God as a "woman" who keeps God's commandments. Revelation 17 depicts the false, opposing religious system originating with a "Mother church" as a whore who engenders harlot daughter churches. This "Mother of Harlots" (v. 5) and her fallen daughters believe, practice, and teach (in the main) similar doctrines which were developed by that infamous "Mother" of all heresies.

3. "Who is the `great whore' of Revelation 17?"

ANSWER: Anyone who searches the historical record will be forced to conclude that there is only one "great whore" who, according to authentic history, gave birth to numerous "daughters"—beginning in the early 1500s, and continuing on until our time. The "great whore" rode the "Beast," that is, the Roman Empire. There is only one church which ever did that.

4. "Are the United States, Great Britain, and the associated Commonwealth nations (e.g. Australia, New Zealand) the descendants of the 10 northern tribes of Israel taken captive by Assyria?"

ANSWER: The Global Church of God believes that the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the democracies of Northwest Europe are, in truth, the physical descendants of the "Lost Ten Tribes of Israel" who were taken captive around 734-721 B.C., and never returned to their ancient Promised Land.

We also believe and teach that, according , to Genesis 48:19, the modern-day descendants of Joseph's son, Manasseh (the prophesied "great nation"), are in fact the United States of America, while the modern descendants of Joseph's son, Ephraim (the prophesied "company of nations"), are Britain and the British-descended nations of the Commonwealth.

In our monthly magazine, The World Ahead, we have published about 24 articles giving both biblical and historical proof that the Northwest Europeans are, indeed, the descendants of those Lost Tribes. The Global Church of God is now in the process. of turning those 24 articles into an 84-page booklet entitled, America and Britain in Prophecy. We are now making the final edits on this new color booklet, and hope to have it ready for distribution by December 1995 !

5. "Will these nations be taken into captivity shortly prior to Christ's return as a result of their national sins?"

ANSWER: The September 1995 edition of The World Ahead published an article entitled, "The Prophesied Future—A Time of Great Tribulation," which clearly revealed that many of the OT prophecies show that the modern descendants of Israel (Jacob) will go into a captivity called "Jacob's Trouble" (Jer. 30:7), which is the same time as the "Great Tribulation" mentioned by Jesus Christ (Matt. 24:21-22; Dan. 12:1).

In that article we showed that many of the OT prophecies were written long after the Ten Tribes went into captivity—therefore they couldn't possibly have been intended to warn the Ten Tribes of a captivity which had already happened over a hundred years prior to the time when God inspired the prophets to write their prophecies. "Jacob's Trouble" is yet future. The brunt of the "Great Tribulation" will fall on the modern Anglo-Saxon-Celtic peoples of Northwest Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

6) "Does the Church have a commission, along with the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, to warn these modern nations of the House of Israel of the captivity to befall them?"

ANSWER: Yes! Some have foolishly assumed that the many OT prophetic warnings have nothing to do with us today, and that God's Church does not need to preach those warnings to the modern descendants of the House of Israel, and to the world! But the Global Church of God, as Mr. Meredith writes in this issue, continues to believe and preach that those OT prophecies are part of the "Word of God" and should therefore be preached.

Through the pen of the Apostle Paul, God commanded, "Preach the WORD [of God]!" (2 Tim. 4:2). We must remember that the "Word" which Jesus Christ and the apostles preached was the Hebrew Scriptures (OT)! That was the only "Word" which they then had at their disposal. The NT had not even been written and compiled.

The Bible reveals that God Almighty will not bring about major calamities on this earth, unless and until He has first warned His servants, the prophets, so that they can warn those people who will be affected by the fulfillment of those prophecies. "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He [first] reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken [through His inspired OT prophecies] ! Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:7).

God sent Noah to warn the wicked pre-Flood world. He sent Lot to warn Sodom and Gomorrah. He sent many prophets to warn both Israel and Judah of their impending captivities, many years before those calamities occurred. God sent Jesus Christ to warn the Jews of His day that the Romans would destroy their capital city, Jerusalem, their impressive Temple and their country.

And in our time God has raised up His Church to not only preach the Gospel, but also to warn the modern-day descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel, as well as their Jewish brothers, that the time of "Jacob's Trouble" will overtake our peoples—unless we truly repent, and begin obeying our God.

Clearly, every true minister of God is commissioned to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; but he is also commanded to "Preach the WORD" OF GOD! God plainly reveals that if His ministers know a calamity is coming upon His physical people, and don't warn them of that expected catastrophe—then their blood will be on those ministers' heads (Ezek. 3:17-27)!

7. "Will true Christians literally become God at the resurrection? That is, literal members of the God family, born into that family at the resurrection? In other words, born sons of God, lesser in rank than the Father and Son. Is God’s purpose to reproduce Himself?”

ANSWER: Yes! God is now reproducing Himself through the process called spiritual salvation. The Global Church of God teaches that members of God's genuine Church are already His begotten "sons and daughters" (2 Cor. 6:18). We became a son or a daughter of God at the moment we received God's Holy Spirit, after repentance and baptism, followed by the laying on of hands of God's servants. At that moment, we became a spiritually begotten child of God—though not yet fully formed.

We believe that when we are truly "born" of the Spirit we will then be neither mortals nor angels, but will actually be the Spirit-born, immortal sons and daughters of God. The progeny of any creature always takes on the nature of its parents. So it is with a Christian. When one receives the Spirit of the Father, the Christian then becomes a true son or daughter of God, but comparable to a humanly begotten physical child (in the womb of its mother), a spiritually begotten child of God is a spiritual embryo or fetus!

When we become a fully mature, fully developed, Spirit-composed son or daughter of God at the resurrection to immortality, then we become a fully-formed member of the Family of God. Just as a born human child is fully human, even so a born child of God will be fully divine. Already, we are spiritually-begotten members of that divine Family (Eph. 3:14, 2:19), and we will always be members of it!

8: "Is abortion wrong? Specifically, abortion on demand, as a method to terminate a[n] unwanted pregnancy. Not an act required to save the mother's life. Is abortion of a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest wrong as well? Is abortion murder?"

ANSWER: The sixth commandment says, "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex. 20:13 KJV). "You shall not murder" (NKJV)! God's Word clearly forbids murder in any form. However, some do not equate abortion with murder!

The Global Church of God believes that abortion is to be equated with murder! When King Herod slaughtered hundreds of Jewish babies in the area of Bethlehem, this was considered by God, and is also considered by most humans, a very heinous crime. But tens of millions of unborn babies have been murdered in the modern world in a continuing litany of mass murder. This is a loathsome sin our people must repent of if our nations hope to avoid suffering the most ghastly and horrendous time of trouble ever to occur—the "Great Tribulation" (Lev. 26; Deut. 28, Matt. 24:21-22)!

We do not believe that murder is only possible after a baby is born. Rather, we believe abortion is murder—a capital sin! Life begins at conception.

Is abortion of a pregnancy that was caused by either incest or rape also murder in the sight of God? The taking of an innocent life is murder, regardless of the circumstances. In these cases the mother of such a child is put in a very difficult position. The Global Church of God believes that the adult mother of a yet unborn child is responsible to protect and nourish the unborn fetus or embryo. She will ultimately (in the eyes of God) be the one who will have to make the final decision.

The ministers of the Church are not responsible for making personal decisions on behalf of individual members. Ministers are responsible to clearly explain the Truth of the Scriptures. An individual member must apply the Word of God to his or her personal circumstances. Let us hope and pray that a woman who becomes pregnant against her will (as in the case of rape or incest) will have the knowledge, the faith and the godly fear to enable her to make the biblically correct decision regarding the life of her unborn child!

9. "Would it be wrong to wear a cross as an article of jewelry to show one's devotion to God?"

ANSWER: The Bible forbids any kind of idolatry—revering or worshipping anything other than the true God (Ex. 20:3-6). If you diligently research the origin of the cross symbol, you will find that it is a very ancient symbol, which was revered by the pagans thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Also, historically, the cross symbol has been used extensively by "the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth" (see answers 2 and 3) as her, and also her daughters' identifying "trademark."

Even though we should appreciate the fact that Jesus Christ died on the "cross"—whether an upright stake or a more traditional cross (i.e. a stake with a crossbeam. at or near the top)—this does not mean we should reverence or in any way worship such a cross.

Some might suggest that because the Apostle Paul referred to the cross of Christ about 11 times in his epistles—using it as a literary device to summarize the meaning of Jesus Christ's sacrifice—believers are then presented with an ideal symbol to represent their faith. Perhaps the "Christian" crusaders who adorned themselves abundantly with crosses thought this way as they raped, pillaged and murdered their way across Europe on their way to Jerusalem where they would slaughter the infidels—men, women and children. The Catholic priests of the Spanish Inquisition abundantly adorned themselves with crosses while they watched the torture and burning to death of thousands of their hapless victims.

Surely, it is not right in the sight of God for His children to make or worship a symbol of the very thing which took the life of His son, Jesus Christ and represents in today's and yesterday's world a great counterfeit religious heresy!

It should be obvious from the answers to the preceding questions that the Global Church of God continues to believe and teach the same doctrines as those held by Herbert W. Armstrong, who faithfully taught God's Truth for over 50 years. Through the articles in the Global Church News,

The World Ahead and our booklets, the Global Church of God will continue to feed God's sheep with the pure Word of God (1 Pet. 5:2). We ministers and writers will diligently strive to see that you, brethren, are able to give an answer for your beliefs!

But you will not remain doctrinally sound, unless you remain constant in your prayer, fasting and your regular, diligent study of the Word of God! We are commanded, "Study [God's Word) to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the WORD OF TRUTH" (2 Tim. 2:15 KJV) !

[Note: One question (concerning the meaning of "born again") is being answered in a coming article in The World Ahead—rather than giving a brief, abridged answer in this issue of the G.C.N.).

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