Crying Aloud
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The book has several times referenced Isaiah 58:1 without focusing on what this scripture once meant to the Church. In fact, in a sense, this lone passage set the tone for how Mr. Armstrong led God’s Work throughout his ministry. When he needed to correct the Church on matters of great importance, he did it in the spirit of this verse. Naturally, when he needed to speak out in warning to powerful nations, he also did it in the spirit of this scripture.
The INTRODUCTION stated that this subject would be covered in the tone of Isaiah 58:1: “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” By now the reader recognizes the book fulfills this promise, and yet the strongest material—the most exciting and inspiring points by far—remain for later chapters. We are still laying groundwork—FOUNDATION!—for what you will learn, including why I can state now that you will be moved profoundly by coming knowledge.
Here is the point. You must recognize how the special warning to Israel is being, and will continue to be, issued. What tone of voice—what clarity of issues—and what LEVEL OF VOLUME!—God expects His servants to use. In fact, we will even see in those later chapters why God compares the voice of His Work, and of His chief servant at the end of the age, to that of a TRUMPET!
An Uncertain Sound?
Paul wrote, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to battle?” (I Cor. 14:8). Ask yourself why your organization, either in written or spoken form, does not speak with the clarity, authority and blast of power described in Isaiah 58:1 and in this chapter. Ask why there is not the same urgency in its words and “tone of voice” as Mr. Armstrong used—and as I am trying with all my might to use with you RIGHT NOW!
The United Church of God has used a variety of approaches to their telecast. These tend to almost resemble “fireside chats,” in which the sometimes two different men who “broadcast” together exchange “interesting” questions and ideas. Certainly nothing in their approach or manner remotely resembles the way Mr. Armstrong’s literally “trumpet-like” tenor voice pierced the airwaves as though it was coming from a charging bull elephant!
Another larger splinter quite literally prides itself, and this thinking emanates directly from the leader, in presenting the truth as an intellectual “vision,” a view he declares Mr. Armstrong failed to realize was the more correct way to take the gospel to the world, never mind any kind of a warning to Israel.
A side note: Any number of slivers and individuals can claim that they are “doing the Work.” I can think of several groups who have anemic and almost pitiful websites, which are invariably badly conceived and poorly maintained. That they are far from speaking with the tone and volume of Isaiah 58:1 to be used by the watchman is apart from the fact that God is not leading them. Just their paltry store of material and lack of quality reflects this much.
On the other hand, the one who believes himself to be “That Prophet” bellows and rages, primarily attacking those of Laodicea as though brothers and sisters in Christ are “enemies” in a way no true servant of God wouldever do. He actually takes pride in thundering, “We are AT WAR with Laodicea!” Obviously, God is not at war with His own people, and neither are His servants. He certainly does want to warn those of Laodicea because of what lies ahead for all who do not repent of their spiritual condition. By no definition is this strange man’s self-proclaimed “responsibility” related to the true Work of God today! It is simply alien to everything of God.
Sadly, and so very tragically, the remaining majority today seem to have fallen into believing and preferring that their leaders, whom they suppose to be used of God, should practice what God used Isaiah to CONDEMN: “Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits” (Isaiah 30:10).
I urge the reader to read the tone and language used in our books, such as America and Britain in Prophecy,Who or What Is the Beast of Revelation?, Are these the Last Days?, Why Man Cannot Solve His Problems, Tomorrow’s Wonderful World – An Inside View!, War, Killing and the Military,as well as The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked! – A Voice Cries Out—and so many more.
To understand the principle behind Isaiah 58:1 is to understand why we write as we do—why I speak with a spirit of warning to both national physical Israel and the majority of God’s people, in spiritual Israel (Laodicea). Both are in deep trouble, and a fair, just, loving, merciful God wants them to awaken before it is too late! Given the terrible time just ahead, the Great Tribulation, does any believe soft, purring tones and “commentary” about it will get the job done?
By no stretch! And each of God’s people will have to decide the manner in which they will support who and what this chapter describes.
The Devil’s Role
Remember that it is the devil who seeks to thwart God’s Work in every possible way. And he is not particular about how he does it. He does not care if he destroys the Work outright—as with the outcome in Pasadena—or merely destroys the brethren’s understanding of what the Work is—the case in the splinters. He knows that once either has happened, he can divert people into other priorities, including a re-engineered definition of whatis the Work and what is the gospel, for those who even still believe something should be done!
Some time ago, I spoke for many hours with one of the most senior evangelists from the early years, ordained in 1952. It was an astonishing conversation. I was appalled to learn that he did not even remember the term “Ezekiel Warning.” He had no recollection whatsoever of Mr. Armstrong having used this term. I could not believe my ears, and that I had to carefully explain it to him several times in the same conversation. He proved that complete amnesia can strike anyone.
Jesus promised His disciples that “the Holy Spirit…shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). As with the true gospel, and so many other points, if you have forgotten how Christ, through Mr. Armstrong, taught this enormous doctrine—the special warning is certainly one of the very greatest doctrines, involving a whole book of the Bible and other passages—and its vital importance to the Church, ask God to help you remember both.
He will answer you—and He will also help you understand how John 14:26 and receiving more of the Holy Spirit is a crucial part of the process of ANOINTING YOUR EYES!
A Conclusive Statement
The final statement that we will read from Mr. Armstrong describes how God’s Church will remain a “little flock, persecuted, despised by the world.” However, this will not deter it from continuing to announce the kingdom of God and to warn Israel until the Great Tribulation. Remember, the former has always been the Church’s responsibility—and the Church is STILL HERE! Christ promised the “gates of the grave” would never prevail against it, and that He would “never leave nor forsake it.” So, the Church will be here until He returns, meaning until the Tribulation arrives! Only then will the Work cease.
I mentioned how some have misquoted The Incredible Human Potential (pp. 116-117), portraying Mr. Armstrong as contradicting his own many statements above. In that book, he appears to say that only apostles—exclusive of the Church as a whole or of one of lesser rank—can take the gospel to the world. You may wish to get the book and carefully read his statement to see that he is actually saying that the Church was not established by Christ to “persuade the whole world into a spiritual salvation, now…to evangelize and save the world—NOW!”, as he put it. This statement is being misused and circulated by a few people as supposed proof that only apostles were commissioned to preach the gospel—that the Church, if initially led by one of lesser rank, cannot do this. It has also been explained that Mr. Armstrong only saw his office as that of apostle after a full 19 years of the Philadelphian age had passed.
This is another example of how some ignore clear statements, reflecting Mr. Armstrong’s true perspective, while taking a single statement out of context to distort for their own purpose. Ultimately, certain people do this in order to conclude that they need no longer exert the effort to do the Work. But others seek an excuse to keep for themselves—to plain STEAL! (wittingly or unwittingly)—God’s tithes and offerings!
Again, the above thinking parallels the violation of a key rule of Bible study. I repeat from before: All of God’s people were taught, as a basic rule of studying God’s Word, to always start with the most basic, clear scriptures to understand an entire doctrine. The same must be done when understanding ALL of what Mr. Armstrong taught about carrying on with the same Work until the age ends. Carefully reflect upon this before continuing.
Notice how this final quote incorporates virtually all of the critical elements that we have discussed, including the all-important tie-in of what is the true Body of Christ, the purpose of that Body or Church, and what is the only gospel that Church will be taking to all nations:
“God started His Gospel WORK—proclaiming the Gospel (good news) of HIS KINGDOM—through the individual human BODY of Jesus. But after His resurrection, Jesus sent the same HOLY SPIRIT on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 31, and thereafter, to enter into the COLLECTIVE BODY of those constituting GOD’S CHURCH.
“The CHURCH, then, is the COLLECTIVE BODY Christ uses as HIS INSTRUMENT, empowered by God’s Spirit, to carry onGOD’S WORK. Jesus Christ heads and directs it from heaven!”
“But WHAT is the divine MISSION of that Church? What is its PURPOSE? The answer is to do the WORK OF GOD, which Jesus started and now continues through His Church.”
“Wherever God’s true Church is—the ONE Church that is CHRIST’S—it will be preaching THAT GOSPEL to the whole world—over all continents—today. For we are near the END! That is the Gospel of the living Christ! It is theGOOD NEWS of the coming KINGDOM OF GOD to RULE THE WORLD! ”
“But wherever that ONE true Church is, it will be named the Church of God…But that is not all. Many have appropriated God’s name, but are not proclaiming the KINGDOM OF GOD …
“That true Church is preaching the imminency of the coming of CHRIST as King of kings and LORD of lords, to RULEall nations for a thousand years on earth.
“There is only ONE such Church! [Author’s note: Can you—will you—believe this once again?]
“It is doing THE WORK OF GOD. It is, as Jesus said it would be, a ‘little flock,’ persecuted, despised by the world.”
“Personal,” GN, Aug. 1983
In contrast to this clear picture of the Church painted by Mr. Armstrong, most of the “church” today—I am speaking of the splinters—came to take on a completely different look—and thinking. We now examine it to learn of yet one more astounding memory loss suffered by most of God’s people—the role of the brethren within the Work…
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