Ronald Weinland
Ronald Weinland - Author of “The Prophesied End-Time” & “2008 - God’s Final Witness”
GOD’S CHURCH REUNITED
May 23, 2012
After the apostasy (“falling away” – KJV) in God’s Church in December of 1994, the Church eventually became scattered into over 600 different organizations and smaller groups. In this “falling away” from the truth that God had restored in the Church through Herbert W. Armstrong during the Philadelphian Era, approximately one-third of the Church moved away from those teachings and adopted the teachings of traditional Christianity. Another third of the scattered Church simply gave up on the truth and religion of any kind.
This left approximately 32,000 baptized members who became dispersed among these 600+ splinter groups. Within these scattered groups of people, there are many who have held onto a similar hope that the Church might once again become one—reunited by God into His one true Church in a single organized body.
Although some groups have met with one another to discuss various kinds of cooperation, there has never been any real move toward any uniting into a single organization. As some of these scattered “baptized members” have come to understand, only God can really bring people together again because the leadership in these groups are fully void of any such ability or purpose.
The good news is that God is going to reunite His Church into a single organized body once again. It will begin to happen in only a couple of days and the potential number of previously baptized members (before the apostasy in 1994) that God is going to grant this opportunity to is 63,000. This will include previously baptized members from some who became deceived and went the direction of “traditional Christianity,” and it will include even more who will come from those who simply gave up on the Church, and finally the largest percentage will include those who were dispersed into the 600+ splinter groups.
This is indeed very good news! It is good news that has only now been given in these last few weeks, and it all reveals the kind of love and mercy God has for His Church and those who were scattered through the apostasy.
A Contradiction for the Scattered Church
The word “contradiction” describes a unique condition expressed in one manner or another by the vast majority of baptized people who were scattered after the “falling away.” Although the Church experienced the kind of dispersion (scattering) referenced above, very few seem willing to acknowledge that the Church experienced the Biblical “falling away” from the truth that is described in II Thessalonians. Yet the evidence that nearly two-thirds of the scattered Church no longer holds onto the foundational truths of God’s Church, reveals that there was a very great “falling away” from the truth of God—indeed an apostasy!
The reality that the remaining third, who have desired to hold onto some form of the foundational truths, cannot agree on those truths and are all scattered into over 600 different bodies of people, reinforces the truth of the effects of an apostasy. The denial of such devastation upon God’s Church being the result of an apostasy is to compound the contradiction that exists in so many people’s lives.
Though a very few will acknowledge an apostasy occurred, these same “few” cannot grasp the contradiction in their lives to deny that the apostasy was the very sign of Christ’s return to this earth at this end-time. God stated through Paul that Christ’s return could not and would not take place until this event happened in His Church. To acknowledge that Christ’s return is now at hand and that an apostasy did occur would mean that the rest of the story in II Thessalonians 2 would need to be acknowledged. It is about the “man of sin” who is also referred to as the “son of perdition.”
There was one who betrayed Jesus Christ and was referred to as the “son of perdition” at the time of Christ’s quick trial and sentence of death at his first coming. God revealed through Paul that at the time of the apostasy there would be another man who would betray Jesus Christ—one who was “set” in authority in His Church. These basic truths have been published for the scattered Church from the beginning by this organization of the Church of God – PKG. Acceptance of this basic message from God in II Thessalonians 2 is necessary for anyone who was baptized before the “falling away” in order for them to progress forward in understanding of “how” and “why” this apostasy occurred and what it portends.
Some scattered people can acknowledge portions of these events but seem unwilling or unable to “hear” the whole matter. Many still hold to a belief that the “man of sin” referred to in these verses is about the Pope. Nothing could be farther from the truth, as the Pope has never known the truth and he has no power or affect upon God’s Church.
Having said all this, as it has been said so many times before over the past 14 years, we have now come to the end and Jesus Christ is now going to return on May 27th. This event will catch the whole world off guard—even the Church that was scattered. But it will afford a great opportunity to 63,000 baptized people who were scattered after the apostasy to once again be reunited as God’s Church into a single organized body and to be given opportunity to live on into the new millennial age of Christ’s rule on earth.
The very fact that people have not received the “sign” of Christ’s coming being the events of II Thessalonians 2 is the very reason they have not received what was to follow just before the return of Jesus Christ. It is the story contained in Revelation about God sending His two end-time witnesses (and prophets) who would lead His Church up to the very moment of Christ’s coming. We are NOW there! The job of God’s two witnesses is nearly complete.
Christ’s coming is at hand, and it is just as God said it would be: “But as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the coming of the Son of man. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and they did not know until the flood came, and took them all away. So shall it also be in the coming of the Son of man” (Mat. 24:37-39).
It will be the same right up until nuclear weapons begin to be used on the earth. An automatic response of nations will spark immediate retaliation to real or imagined enemies. Such events will be so rapid and have the potential of being so devastating that God must quickly intervene by stopping it as He sends His Son back to this earth to become King of kings.
Man’s governments must be brought to an end before mankind annihilates himself. God’s timing is perfect at the end of 6,000 years of man’s self-rule. Man cannot govern himself without destroying himself. That is God’s recorded message to mankind through all the prophets—that only His Son, the Messiah (Christ), can govern mankind in righteousness and true justice for all people. Thank God the millennial reign of Jesus Christ has now come.
Thank God that the resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire is so short lived. That system is perfectly described in the Book of Daniel as iron mixed with clay. It is strong in phases of its construction and power, but not held together by anything that fully binds it as one. This describes ten nations who form the nucleus of the European Union today. Yet this union will only experience power together for one hour. It arises quickly as one and is brought to an end as quickly as it arose: “And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast” (Rev. 17:12).
Yes, events during the end-time have materialized in ways that have not been fully clear to God’s Church through time—even to now, but the events are sure and prophecies certain. But all is happening in a manner that God only reveals when it is His time to do so.
Why 63,000?
Although we are now ready to enter the Millennium and the world must experience one more quick and very painful war of horrific destruction, the story contained throughout the pages of the New Testament is about His Church—and it still is. When God individually “calls” and brings anyone into the special and personal relationship of fellowship in His Church, with Him and His Son and others who have been called, He enters into a “spiritual” relationship of Godly love experienced in and with each and every person called.
That relationship is far more important and of far greater value than the “physical” kind of relationship that existed with the nation of Israel. The “spiritual” relationship with “spiritual Israel”—His Church—is one that leads into His Family—into everlasting life with God. Though God loves all His creation, all of mankind, His timing and purpose in them does not fully begin until they are “called” into a relationship with Him—“called” into His Church where that relationship can blossom and grow.
However, the Church became lukewarm at the end of this age of mankind, and it was spewed out of God’s mouth—separated from His “spiritual” presence and from a “spiritual relationship” with Him. That is simply a “fact!” It is a “fact” that potentially 63,000 previously baptized members will have to address very quickly now, once they come face to face with the reality of Christ’s coming on this Pentecost, for these scattered baptized members do not “see” nor believe that Christ’s coming is imminent for this world.
After being separated from God’s “spiritual” presence and from a “continuing” spiritual relationship with Him, the scattered Church grew weaker and weaker after the apostasy in 1994. It could not accept the truths contained in II Thessalonians 2, and as the scattered body became weaker it began to lose basic spiritual thinking and insight. Before Herbert W. Armstrong died and the Philadelphia Era of God’s Church ended, he spoke many times of the Church being the “spiritual” temple. He explained how the Jews were not qualified to rebuild a physical temple and how the temple being spoken of in scripture was actually about God’s Church.
It is understandable how the Jews in Christ’s day did not understand the concept of a “spiritual temple,” as they mocked him concerning what they did not understand about the temple being rebuilt in three days. Jesus spoke of his resurrection—of his spiritual life and his spiritual temple. Today, the vast majority of those scattered “look” for a physical temple or at least an altar to be built in the temple region of Jerusalem. People have simply slid backward, farther and farther from spiritual insight and understanding. That which is spiritual is foggy or not seen at all, and now those truly spiritual things have only physical meaning to most.
But God has a plan to reawaken and rekindle His life “in” previously baptized members. As God’s words have not been received from God’s own end-time prophet, He is going to bring all living baptized members to a day of shock and reality that will finally provide the most powerful moment of truth. The reality of nuclear devastation striking the earth along with another very “personal” and shocking event will awaken most to reality, fear, and repentance.
The final event that is coming upon God’s Church that was scattered is one they all will come to personally experience and cannot deny—for all other warnings, pleas, and admonitions have been denied and ignored. Nuclear war cannot be denied! Neither can the death of 7,000 previously baptized members be ignored (denied) which will consist mostly of those in leadership and especially those in the ministry. God has made it clear that such people are not going to be allowed to live on into the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, but they must await the final hundred years to be resurrected and then repent of their part in the devastation and direct involvement in the weakening of God’s own Church.
This matter of 7,000 dying is the story that follows the job God gave to his two end-time witnesses. His own witnesses to His own Church have been rejected, mocked, and ridiculed. This response of God’s own scattered people is in reality a response to God and not to two people who are easily looked down upon in physical expectation and stature.
As “spiritual” understanding of God’s temple (His Church) is not perceived any longer by God’s scattered Church, neither do people grasp the meaning of “spiritual” Jerusalem being the same kind of reference to God’s own Church.
The answer to “why 63,000” is because that is what God says it can be! More information concerning the 63,000 scattered members who can potentially be reunited after Christ’s coming is covered in the most recent sermon series entitled, “God’s Infinite Mercy.”
But as a synopsis, I will cover the basic meaning of what God reveals as the finish of His work through His two end-time witnesses. Not only has the Church that was scattered failed to recognize the sign of Christ’s coming to the Church contained in the events of II Thessalonians 2, but God’s two witnesses have not been recognized and their job is nearly over. That is the timing where we come into the story contained in the Book of Revelation about God’s two witnesses.
Revelation 11 states that God’s two witnesses die in the streets of Jerusalem. This is not a literal physical death in a literal physical location as has been believed. It is about an attitude and spirit of God’s scattered Church toward His own two witnesses for the time of their work—3 ½ years. Jerusalem is about the scattered Church and streets concern the “ways” of all the 600+ scattered groups that make up this “spiritual” condition of Jerusalem at the end.
“After three and one-half days [prophetic 3 ½ years] the Spirit of life from God entered into them [not physical life, but spirit life as the two witnesses are changed from mortal to immortal at Christ’s return], and they stood upon their feet [were made to “stand” in God—in His truth—in the sight of others once God shows all the scattered body irrefutable proof of their “standing” with Him through this resurrection] and great fear fell upon them who saw them” (Rev. 11:11). This is not talking about the world, but it is talking about the scattered Jerusalem who is struck with fear when they are brought face to face with this reality and truth of the resurrection of God’s two witnesses to immortal life as part of the 144,000.
“And they [God’s two witnesses] heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, ‘Come up here.’ And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies beheld them” (Rev. 11:12). These two witnesses are not received by the scattered body as being brothers spiritually, nor as sent from God, but spiritually they are received as enemies to their belief and understanding of God’s will.
“And the same hour [when they are resurrected to spiritual life] there was a great earthquake [Gk – “shaking.” Used prophetically of a shaking of God’s people], and the tenth part of the city [Jerusalem—the scattered Church, not physical Jerusalem] fell, and in the earthquake [shaking] there were 7,000 ‘individually named’ [Gk. word omitted from KJV] people who were slain, and the remainder [Gk. – ‘the others’, ‘the rest’] were made afraid [brought to fear], and gave glory to the God of heaven” (Rev. 11:13-14).
This describes a scattered Church that God awakens through the reality of what they must now face. A nuclear war has erupted and Jesus Christ is returning in the atmosphere of this earth. God’s two witnesses are changed from mortal to immortal. Then 7,000 “named” (literally named by God and not random) individuals die, which includes first and foremost the ministry and other leading and well known people in the scattered groups. It also includes those who push themselves forward as “teachers” or individuals who are in the “know” about matters in God’s Church, especially in their attacks against God’s witnesses.
The 7,000 who die are the ten percent of the city that fell. There remains 63,000 who can now come to an awakening where they can now truly “give glory to the God of heaven,” after accepting His truth given through His two witnesses.
At this point, our job is done. Our work has come to an end as God’s witnesses. This is the final posting for this site and it is the final admonition to God’s scattered people. The Church is about to be reunited—just not in a manner that anyone scattered can conceive. The end-time is nearly over and the long awaited millennial reign of Jesus Christ is now nearly here.
Final Sermon
As a final posting I am also informing all readers that a final prerecorded sermon will be posted on the Church site that can be used this Sabbath. It is recommended for those who want to use that sermon for this Sabbath that you download it as soon as it is posted so you will have it on hand. It is also recommended to those in the U.S. and Canada to either listen to it on Friday evening, especially for those in the western time zones or early Sabbath morning for those in the east.
As it was written in the last words of the first book, The Prophesied End-Time, I will end this final post with what was stated in that last sentence.
As it says in the next to the last verse of God’s word, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
MAY 27, 2012
April 29, 2012
As readers of this site know, May 27, 2012, is the time that I have stated as being the date Jesus Christ will return as King of kings over all government on this earth. For such an event to come to pass, the Trumpets of Revelation must all sound, the United States and dollar collapse, the ten nations of Europe arise to fulfill the final revival of the Holy Roman Empire, and Russia with China must unite against Europe in WWIII.
As an aside, readers of this site should also grasp that as far as prophecy is concerned, ten nations in Europe have already combined in association with one another to the degree that the mixture of clay and iron is fulfilled. All that remains is their entrance into a final war, a prophecy that can be fulfilled quickly, as this posting will cover.
How is it possible or even conceivable that all these things can happen in such a short time? And what if none of these events have occurred as late as five, four, or even three days before Jesus Christ is to return? Is it truly reasonable that Christ is coming on May 27th? No, it is not reasonable, not within the parameters of man’s thinking. When this date was given just over three and a half years ago, it was not reasonable to people then, and now it has simply become that much more unreasonable.
But as the last apostle in this age, and as God’s end-time prophet, I am still telling people that this is true and that a short-lived WWIII is now at our doorstep. Due to this strong conviction, the Church of God – PKG is putting all its resources into promoting this final message of Christ’s impending return in order to complete the “work” that God has given us to do. This “work” is nearly complete. As my previous post was written over two months ago, this may well prove to be my final one, since there are only four weeks remaining in this age.
When I began writing posts for this site, I initially envisioned the possible need of writing more often, primarily due to our preparing for the possibility of “great tribulation” beginning at the very start of this final three and one-half year period. However, great physical tribulation did not begin at that time, and it thankfully has not yet begun. So the need to write more often in order to help people deal with tribulation that could have begun early on has not been needed. But rather, in the midst of horrifying prophecies for this end-time, God has revealed in a most powerful manner one of His greatest attributes toward His creation—toward mankind. It is the awesome quality of “mercy”!
As the Church was fully ready to immediately enter into the period of “great physical tribulation,” or at the least, within six to nine months after this final period of three and one-half years began, God began to reveal His will for “how” this final end-time would unfold. It would be in a manner that would give (or allow for) the greatest possible potential to deliver the largest number of people into a new age upon Christ’s return. Therefore, God inspired His Church early on to enter a two-day fast in order to draw closer to God and then petition Him to provide the means whereby “more” people could be saved alive to live into the new millennial period. That means and manner whereby God would accomplish this was revealed to be through His love filled “mercy” for His creation.
What Seems Right
A fast approaching fixed date of May 27th for Christ’s return does not seem reasonable to people. It just does not seem right. Throughout time, those things that God has given to people in the form of prophecy and instruction just do not seem right to mankind. Human nature has always resisted the true ways of God.
To those who watched for decades as Noah and his family built a large ship, it wasn’t reasonable to people that this ship would ever be set adrift or that God would destroy the rest of mankind in an ensuing flood. All this seemed so far fetched that people simply ignored the possibility and even ridiculed Noah—all the way up until the very day when it began to rain.
It didn’t seem right that God would lead the Israelites out of Egypt to a place that would close them in before the Red Sea, with mountainous regions on each side. It did not seem the right “way” to be lead out of Egypt. Even Pharaoh and his army believed that the Israelites had entangled and trapped themselves there. Not even Moses could imagine how God would deliver them out of such a predicament. But at the last moment, as Pharaoh and his army approached, God opened a “way” through the Red Sea.
There are many examples of events in the lives of God’s people that did not seem reasonable to them and to those around them. Yet, God has always fulfilled His word and He brings to pass exactly what He reveals through His prophets. Most often He does so in a manner that cannot be readily seen or understood.
Those in the world and in the Church that was scattered who hear (or read) what I have said about the timing of Christ’s return and all the horrific end-time events that will precede it respond in similar manner—with utter disbelief. Oftentimes, the response is also mixed with ridicule, slander, anger, mockery, chiding, correction and a seemingly endless barrage of other negative human emotions regarding the “message.” God actually addresses this exact kind of response, for this exact moment in time, by a prophecy given through Ezekiel (Ez. 12).
Summarizing what God said, He begins by declaring that there are those who have had the ability to hear, but would not, and had eyes to see, but would not. He refers to these people as a rebellious people. The only ones who fit such a description are those who have been part of God’s own Church, those who have rebelled against Him and will not listen to Him as He speaks through His prophet.
God says He will scatter such people and they will be taken into captivity. This next part will make many mad and upset with me, but this is from God and not from me. This is speaking of the vast majority of the Church that was scattered after the apostasy. They have become so spiritually sluggish that they cannot and will not accept truth that God has given since the apostasy—truth that He has given to His end-time prophet.
The Church that was scattered will not accept the truth that there was an apostasy in God’s Church (2 Thes. 2), yet their very state of being scattered, and in much smaller numbers, testifies to this truth. They will not accept that after Mr. Armstrong’s death, the Church was thrust into the last era of Laodicea, and that at the time of the apostasy, the Church was spewed out of God’s mouth. They will not acknowledge the truth God spoke concerning each and every person in the Church at the time of the apostasy—that they had become lukewarm. Refusal to repent of not believing these basic truths led to even greater rebellion against God—with greater condemnation than being lukewarm and spiritually sluggish. Then the Church became filled with stubborn pride and would not accept the ones sent to it, with God’s very own message to deliver to it.
There is much more to this story that is now being covered in a new sermon series entitled, “God’s Witnesses.” This sermon also explains that God’s two end-time witnesses do not physically die before Christ’s return, but live up to the very day they are changed from mortal to immortal. This sermon is about God’s Church that became scattered. It is the last great message that God is giving about His Church and the two witnesses He sent to it.
As Ezekiel continues to describe God’s message to His scattered people and their response to what He has told them, God declares that there is an attitude of condemnation and disbelief that His scattered people are casting upon His message to them. God says this attitude is summed up in a saying or proverb that describes their aspersions. In one way or another, they critically convey this response to God: “These days (for Christ’s return) are not upon us, but are much farther away, for all that you have told us (prophecies) has failed (has not come to pass).” [Most translations from Hebrew are awkward, but this is the thrust of what God is addressing in Ez. 12:22-23.]
This perfectly describes how such people have responded to end-time events described in the book, 2008 – God’s Final Witness. Because great physical tribulation has not yet come upon the world, and the last six Trumpets have not yet sounded, such people have fully dismissed the message God has sent to them. These things are “still” going to happen, but because of God’s great mercy, mankind has not had to suffer throughout the past three and one-half years!
So God goes on to give His answer to their rebellion: “For I am the Eternal and now I will speak [with action], and the word that I shall speak shall [now] come to pass. Now those days will come upon you. Rebellious house, these words that I have spoken, I will now perform them, says the Lord Eternal” (Ez. 12:25). These words are for this exact moment in time. May 27th is fast approaching and God will perform what He has spoken through His prophets.
WWIII Closing In
The previous posting was entitled, “WWIII: The Stage Is Being Set.” This too seems fully unreasonable to the vast majority of mankind. To most, it is unthinkable that the world might soon be thrust into such a time when nuclear bombs will suddenly destroy over one-third of all the earth. Refusal to think that this is a reasonable scenario does not prevent it from becoming a reality.
There have been long periods of war and short periods of war everywhere on this earth, but there has never been as short a period of war with such great destruction as is almost upon us. The world has not witnessed a nuclear war. Mankind has only a very limited experience with using nuclear weapons, and that was during WWII. The two cities in Japan where these atomic weapons exploded caused horrific destruction.
The examples of Nagasaki and Hiroshima have nearly been erased from the mind of mankind. But these need to be remembered. Understanding what happened then can help you have a small glimpse into what is coming. The two weapons used on these cities were small compared to the weapons of today. Over 200,000 people died as a result of those two explosions back in 1945. So let’s consider what happened then and make a few comparisons to today’s nuclear arsenal.
The atomic bomb used on Hiroshima was equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT (15 kilotons) and that used on Nagasaki was equivalent to 21,000 tons of TNT (21 kilotons). Grasping the magnitude and destructive power of such weapons is not easy. Yet the only real means to do so is through this limited experience that mankind has had with those two bombs. It is indeed unthinkable and unimaginable to consider the affects of the fiery inferno that a modern-day war can produce, yet it is wise if you stop to consider what is about to transpire in exactly such an event.
There are facts that need to be considered about modern-day nuclear weapons. The largest nuclear weapon tested by the United States was a 15 megaton bomb, and the largest tested by Russia was a 50 megaton bomb. The 15 megaton bomb tested by the U.S. was 1,000 times larger than the 15 kiloton bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Our ability to understand such a powerfully destructive device is nearly impossible.
Today, there is an estimated arsenal of 23,000 nuclear weapons in the world, which is enough to destroy the earth and every living thing on it many times over. That is the kind of world we live in today! Of these weapons, over 10 percent are on “High Alert,” meaning they are ready to be launched on a moments notice.
WWII lasted nearly six years with a death toll that is estimated to have reached 60,000,000 people. It is a horrifying truth that a 5 megaton weapon contains more explosive power than all the explosives used during WWII. What massive death could follow such an explosion in any large city of the world from simply one such nuclear device? The truth is, in one day humanity can erase itself from the earth. It is prophesied that when China and Russia enter WWIII that they themselves will destroy a third of the earth’s population. It doesn’t take a lot of time to fulfill end-time prophecy concerning world war.
Consider the destructive power carried by a single Trident Submarine. The U.S. currently has 14 such ballistic-missile submarines. Each submarine can carry 24 ballistic missiles. A single missile can carry eight 100 kiloton nuclear warheads. There are multiples of a 100 kiloton nuclear warhead and a 455 kiloton nuclear warhead that can be used on these ballistic missiles. It is reported that the number of kilotons deployed by the Trident fleet is 345,000 or 345 megatons of destructive power.
The small arsenal of this Trident fleet alone carries nearly 70 times the total explosive power used in all of WWII. People simply cannot imagine such power that can be unleashed on the world in less than an hour of time. What kind of death toll would follow if only the number of weapons equivalent to this fleets’ power were unleashed on the earth? It could easily erase over half of all life from the earth. We have only considered a very small percentage of all the nuclear weapons in the hands of mankind. All this should help give a clearer perspective of the times in which we live and the real potential for the literal annihilation of all life from the earth in less than an hour.
The world could not endure a nuclear war that would last for 3 ½ years. Long before such a period of time would elapse, mankind would not exist on earth. A nuclear war cannot last for three months, nor for three weeks. God, in all His mercy, is controlling the final time before He will allow mankind to begin such a war—a war of man’s own doing.
God’s timing is based on the day He has set for the return of His Son as world ruler. God will allow mankind to begin his final war, but He will also quickly stop it. The reason should be obvious! “Why” massive destruction from end-time events has not yet begun is due to the reality of how massive such a war will become as soon as it starts. Once a single nuclear device is detonated, and it will happen very soon now, who will refrain themselves from retaliating? Who will be the first to limit the response of their attack once the cycle begins?
It is because of such destructive power in the hands of mankind that God has shown that if He did not intervene quickly, once such a conflagration begins, mankind would destroy itself. That is exactly what God is going to do. He will cut short the war that man begins, and He will do so on May 27th, which is also the day Jesus Christ returns.