THE WONDERFUL WORLD TOMORROW What It Will Be Likeby Herbert W. Armstrong 1966, 1973, 1979 edition Contents
Three World Views -- Only One is Going to Happen!
Humanity won't bring it about -- it is going to be done to us. Humanity is going to be forced to be happy -- to enjoy world peace --to see universal abundance and joy fill the earth. Utopia? Why not. Why should it be an imaginary or impossible pipe-dream? There is a cause for today's world chaos and threat of human extinction. That cause will be supplanted by that which will bring a utopia that is real, that is successfully functioning! Why today's world evils? How will they be ended? What will cause this world to erupt into peace, and plenty? How will such incredible changeover be brought about? And what will this world tomorrow be like? How will it be governed? Who will rule? You are going to take a sober look at the conditions, facts, causes and trends in today's sick, sick world. You are going to read what world leaders, scientists, technologists and educators say about today's trends, and what they envision for the next decade or two. And then you will be given a surprising, excited look into what is certain in the transformed world tomorrow, what really is ahead -- and why. Today there are three views -- two widely held by world leaders. Only one is going to happen. And it's the best big news ever reported in the history of mankind. What is actually going to be the outcome of all this, for our frenetic, entertainment-crazed, gadget-buying, yet chaotic, divided and sick world, is something totally unseen by statesmen, scientists, educators, and world leaders.
Many world leaders now expect -- though they probably don't dwell on the thought -- that nuclear destruction eventually, perhaps soon, will erase human life from this earth. Besides nuclear annihilation, there are at least five other means by which mankind could be destroyed from off the face of the globe: chemical warfare, biological warfare, overpopulation and resulting famine, disease epidemics, and environmental pollution. Consider these facts: Human life is sustained by air, water, and food. Today man is polluting his life-sustaining supply of these three necessities at a fast-accelerating rate. Air pollution, filling the air with gasses, smoke, smog, fallout from nuclear test explosions, and fluorocarbons from aerosol spray cans, not only threatens man, but renders plant life sick. Many rivers and lakes worldwide have been so seriously polluted that the water supply in many places is reaching a crisis stage. Man has depleted and ruined the soil out of which food must grow. Artificial fertilizers, poisonous sprays, and erosion caused by floods have robbed vegetables, grains and fruits of life-sustaining minerals and vitamins. Food factories have further extracted these vital elements out of grains, rice, sugar, in the greed for profits. Add to these the worldwide revolution in the weather -- droughts and floods -- resulting in mass starvations in some parts of the world, and widespread epidemics of disease. During the past 50 years in Africa, India and South America alone, weather and environmental damage has caused the loss of over one million square kilometers of agricultural land. If all these fast-accelerating evils do not destroy humanity soon, the experts say the population explosion will. According to United Nations studies, world population at the end of this century will increase another 1.8 billion over the present four billion, bringing the total to nearly six billion people! At that time --just two decades from now -- China and India will each have populations of over one billion. Statistics further reveal that world population is increasing by some 76 million annually, which would lead to a doubling of world population to over 8 billion by the year 2013. And projections say that a century from now, a full 12 billion people would be crowding the earth. Even now, with our population of 4 billion, nearly 500 million are gravely undernourished. As global population soars, the imbalance of human numbers and rapidly dwindling resources threatens to become even further aggravated. If the world cannot now adequately care for 4 billion, just how will it cope with 6 billion ... or 8 billion ... or 12 billion? Leading scientists look at this world picture, and say they are frankly frightened. They warn us that man's only hope lies in the admittedly impossible -- that the nations form a super world government, capable of unitedly acting on these problems on a global scale before it is too late. But the nations, hostile against one another, could never form such a government. And the humans then in authority would be no more able to cope with all these nonmilitary evils that threaten the extinction of mankind than present leaders. This widely held view of the future offers no hope.
--------------------PHOTO CAPTION: AIR POLLUTION not only threatens man, but renders plant life sick. Leading scientists look at this world and say they are frankly frightened. Yet, paradoxically, science and technology dangle before our eyes a fantastic world of lasers and luxury. They produce unbelievable material devices in the hope of converting this world into a glorified dreamland. Left, a view of the real world; above, laser technology with laser beam passing thorough two Quantel lenses. --------------------
How true. And also how ironic, that those voicing the most glamorous predictions of science and industry seem to totally exclude the stark reality of world conditions -- and, for that matter, seem unable to comprehend the additional snarls and problems their own predictions would bring. However, leaving the facts aside, let us take a look at some of the speculations for our future. In his book, "The Next 200 Years" (1976), futurist Herman Kahn -- Director of the Hudson Institute "think tank" in New York --suggests that the world economy will continue to grow well into the next century, bringing a growing standard of living and increasing affluence to the majority of the world's population. He paints a picture of a prosperous global utopia by the year 2176, brought about by continuing technology advances -- with plenty of energy, food and raw materials for all. "Two hundred years from now, we believe, people almost everywhere will be rich, numerous and in control of the forces of nature," Kahn predicts. In his scenario, the world two centuries from now will contain some 15 billion people, with a staggering per-capita income of some $20,000, compared with only about $1,300 today. In a previous study focusing on life in the United States in the years to A.D. 2000, Kahn forecasts a glittering utopia coming a great deal sooner than the world at large. He predicted that in the years just ahead, Americans would be enjoying "three-day weekends, three-or four-month vacations, Southern California-type living with the emphasis on family and home, high income, an abundance of material things ...." He asserted that people will live in ten-room houses, earn a disposable income (after taxes) of multiple tens of thousands of dollars, and enjoy a four-hour work day, five days per week -- or maybe even a six-hour work day and a three-day week, with a four-day weekend. In essence, we are to look forward to a life of almost complete idleness and leisure -- the "good life" day after day after day. In short, a perpetual vacation!
Think about these glowing predictions. Then think of the utter impracticability, and of the many problems they would create, rather than solve. Yet multiple millions, especially in the United States, anticipate such developments, hopefully in their own lifetimes, while turning a blind eye to the ominous warnings by other respected scientists who see instead impending doom for large segments of the world through famine, pestilence and war. Can a tiny segment of the population of one nation expect to succeed in achieving ever more dizzying heights of material wealth, playing with an ever more dazzling assortment of mechanical gadgets, and ignore the awesome problems of the rest of the world? Reporting on the paradoxes posed by the projected advancements in store for future society, a science writer of a leading newspaper asked a few years ago "What sort of world in 20 years?" The answers were interesting. He first told of new knowledge in biological science applied to medicine, giving new insight into, and partial control of, aging, heredity, mental illness, heart disease, cancer and virus infections. Whole hosts of ingenious devices in the fields of applied physics and advanced engineering would provide super-sophisticated computers, communication satellites, novel transportation techniques, space exploration probes, and a newer and more glittering array of medical instruments and techniques. He envisioned bigger crowds at bigger stadiums watching bigger athletic contests. Recreation, physical pleasure, fun, would be widespread. More golf courses, more swimming pools, tennis courts, dance halls, bowling alleys, color television sets -- these were predicted to aid society in seeking ever more heightened pleasures. But, he said, the years ahead "will have increased crime, gambling, sexual promiscuity, riots, air and water pollution, traffic congestion, noise, and lack of solitude." "More and more," continued the prediction, "there will be 'no place to hide.'" Even Dr. Kahn, in his study of the United States of the future, admits that the "utopian" changes in life-styles and work patterns could carry with them some traumatic consequences. "Many," he explains, will be satisfied but others will find such a life meaningless and purposeless, and they will look for something to fulfill them. Kahn suggests that we may see more riots and irrational movements, along with a turn to mysticism, cults and drugs as a means for such fulfillment. We have seen an upsurge in drug usage, with certain drugs --notably marijuana and cocaine -- becoming increasingly accepted by large numbers seeking escape from modern society, with the use of the latest popular drug, "angel dust" (phencyclidine, also called PCP), becoming a crisis of epidemic proportions in the U.S., according to police and hospital officials. Accidents, suicides, homicides -- all have been the end result of using angel dust. Yet multiple thousands continue to "find reality" through its use. After drugs ... then what? What other forms of escapism would the supposedly affluent, leisurely utopian life of tomorrow bring with it, assuming it comes about at all? Reading such reports of the "bad news," as well as the "good news," we may well have doubts about whether we want to be around in such an age.
The same report adds that, because of intensified social, ethnic and racial problems, the cities of the future will be "seething centers of periodically great turmoil and confusion. --------------------PHOTO CAPTION: AN UPSURGE in gambling and drug and alcohol usage is increasingly accepted by large numbers seeking escape from modern social problems -- all the while believing they are "finding reality". Others stand patiently in unemployment lines. --------------------
Then, almost incredibly, the report said probably "for the first time in history, every child everywhere will be at school --if they are not starving in a famine"(!). And so go the paradoxical and often conflicting prognostications of science, industry, and technology. Not very happy predictions, are they? Other prognostications abound, even about our personal futures. Some include: Choosing the sex of children before they are conceived -- 1980. Artificial plastic and electronic organs for humans -- 1982. (Wouldn't you far rather avoid getting sick, and keep healthy organs of your own?) Artificial heart implantations; brain linked to computer --1985. Chemical synthesis of inexpensive, nutritious food; cancer conquered -- 1990. First human clone; brain transplants commonplace -- 1995. Transplantation of almost all organs of the body -- 2000. Alteration of the processes of aging -- 2005. Biochemicals to aid the growth of new organs and limbs -- 2007. Widespread use of artificial insemination to produce genetically superior offspring -- 2010. Drugs to raise the level of intelligence -- 2012. Fetuses grown in artificial wombs -- 2015. Genetic engineering in humans by chemically modifying their DNA chains; human brain linked with computer to enlarge man's intellect -- 2020. Total mastery of human genetics and heredity -- 2030. Suspended animation of life -- 2040. Complete control of the aging process; man-made immortality --2050. The above prognostications were adapted in part from "The Post-Physician Era: Medicine in the 21st Century", by Jerrold Maxmen (1976). The predictions are almost endless. Economists, sociologists, geneticists, psychiatrists, even zoologists and anthropologists, are having a hand at predicting the varicolored and kaleidoscopic never-never land of tomorrow -- glittering and glamorous for the few; filled with grisly spectres of horror for the many.
But both of these concepts are false! Man wants desperately to save the society he has established upon this earth. But this society -- this civilization can't be saved! Man, himself, is bringing this world to destruction. God Almighty will soon step in, and create a new, peaceful, and happy society -- the world tomorrow. Top
Of course many see only the glitter, glamour, and tinsel of today's world and think it is good. They see the temporary pleasures, blind their eyes to the hard cold facts of reality. Others, more aware of the world they live in, seek escape to remote, unspoiled areas, where they can start anew, "away from it all," and in harmony with the ecology. However, there isn't really anywhere to go -- remember the man who, before World War II started, thought the safest place to be was Guadalcanal?
We look at modern education first, because it is the mother --the alma mater -- which has spawned the scientists, captains of industry and business, the politicians and rulers, the leaders in the modern social order, and the theologians. Today's world is what its leaders have made it. And the leaders are the product of modern education. Education is defined by the Encyclopaedia Britannica as a system by which adult leaders of a society inject their philosophies, ideas, customs and culture into the minds of the growing generation. Education is, and has been through the centuries, essentially pagan in origin and character. The academic system was founded by the pagan philosopher Plato. The 19th and 20th centuries have witnessed the absorption of German rationalism into the educational bloodstream -- an approach that regards human reason as the chief source and test of knowledge. There has been a dangerous drift into materialism and collectivism. God is ignored. Revelation is rejected. The ancient belief of gnosticism, meaning we know, was succeeded by agnosticism, meaning we don't know (we are ignorant!). This ignorance is glorified as knowledge. Professing themselves to be wise, have not the educated become fools? Compare this with Romans 1:22 in the Bible. Modern education trains students to earn a living in the professions, occupations and vocations -- but fails to teach them how to live! It commits the crime of developing the machine, but it fails to develop the man. In modern education we find perpetuation of false values, the teaching of distorted history, warped psychology, perverted arts and sciences, worthless knowledge. Recently a leading expert on educational philosophy, Dr. Donald M. Dozer (professor emeritus of history at the university of California at Santa Barbara), in an article entitled "Educational Humbuggery," wrote this about contemporary university education: "Ours is an age dominated by half-truths, and for this situation many causes can be found, not the least of which are attributable to the processes of higher education. "American universities," he added, "have succumbed to the cult of faddism, sensationalism, and even vulgarism. New courses in scatology, whether masquerading as sociology, anthropology, or literature, have been given classroom platforms and respectability .... As students have become increasingly involved in curricular planning they have encouraged the idea that courses rich in content inhibit their creative impulses and represent an imposition upon them. This has led to the multiplication of colleges of creative studies, which might better be called colleges of undisciplined studies where lectures are eschewed as 'bourgeois' and students educate themselves in 'rap' sessions" (The University Bookman, winter, 1978). A tree is known by its fruits. A mixed-up, unhappy and fearful world in chaos, divided against itself, filled with heartaches, frustrations, broken homes, juvenile delinquency, crime, insanity, racial hatreds, riots and violence, wars and death; devoid of honesty, truth and justice; now facing extinction by man-inflicted cosmocide -- that is the fruit of modern education. This materialistic knowledge God calls foolishness -- "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God ..." (I Cor. 3:19). So what's the cause of this educated foolishness? This day of man -- from creation of the human race to Christ's coming back to rule -- has been a period of 6,000 years during which God sentenced the human world -- except for those specially called of God -- to being cut off from God and His revealed knowledge. Human knowledge without the Holy Spirit of God has been confined to the physical and material. The first man, Adam, having the opportunity to make a choice between being thus limited in knowledge, or yielding to God's Government (and hence receiving God's Holy Spirit), chose the former. Actually, the natural human mind, with only the human spirit (discussed under explanation of human nature later), is only half complete. Man needs God's Spirit as well as the human spirit given from birth. Yes, today's educational intellectualism is ready to die. It will be replaced by the right and true educational system of the world tomorrow. This new-day system already has been introduced, and, like the proverbial grain of mustard seed, already is beginning to spread around the world -- teaching young men and women the true values; the purpose of human life; the way to peace, prosperity, happiness, abundant living. All this is made possible only through the Holy Spirit, providing spiritual comprehension. In the world tomorrow this true education will banish illiteracy, and cover the earth as the ocean beds are covered with water!
Science and technology, teamed with commerce and industry, promise the magic, push-button dream world of leisure, luxury and license. But modern science has failed utterly to reveal to the world the purpose of human life or explain its true meaning. It remains ignorant of the true values. It does not know the way to peace! It has failed miserably to deliver the world from poverty, famine, disease, fears and worries, unhappiness. It has not rid the world of broken homes, crime, insanity, immorality. A realistic look at the fruits of modern science leads only to disillusionment. Science and technology confine their attention to the realm of the material and the mechanical. Purpose and meaning of human life? The true values? Finding the way to peace, happiness and joy? We find these basics to human welfare are not their concern! These essentials are outside their field. Look again to their fruits. True enough, we find the accelerating invention and production of intricate mechanical devices, labor-saving mechanisms that inspire admiration, and spectacular entertainment and amusement devices. But, then, we also observe that people have not been taught to put added hours, days, and weeks of leisure to beneficial uses. The fruit here is increasing idleness, aversion to work, covetousness, desire for more and more -- and dissatisfaction with it when it is acquired! These turn out, in practical application, to be false values, which only increase unhappiness. Also we find an increasing segment of adolescents, who, with money to spend and nothing but idleness on their hands, become frustrated, staring a hopeless future in the face, turning to immorality, drugs, violence, and -- too often -- suicide! And, after all, the principal contribution of modern science and technology has been the production of constantly more terrifying weapons of mass destruction. Push-button world? Yes, today either of two men could push a button, and destroy two whole continents, probably culminating in the total extinction of mankind. Modern science stands exposed as a false messiah -- the Frankenstein monster threatening to destroy the mankind that created it.
The telephone, radio, television, the motion picture in full color, the motor car, hundred-mile-an-hour railroad trains, mammoth oil-tankers, jet planes, spacecraft hurtling astronauts around the earth in outer space in 90 minutes, and that send men to the moon and back, unmanned spacecraft that take close-up photographs of the surfaces of Mars and Jupiter, the gadgets and modern electrical devices, the incredible modern computers -- just to name a few. Commerce and industry each is a world within a world -- a fast-moving, pulsating world of high-geared activity. Surely all these magic productions cannot be bad? No -- but most of them are being made to serve bad purposes, as well as good. And, if we look further, we find these vibrant, high-pressure fields of activity based on competition and greed, appealing too often, in marketing their products, to vanity and wrong desires, utilizing dishonesty, misrepresentation, deception, unfair dealing. The motivating incentive is to give less, while charging more! "Is honesty the best policy?" A magazine survey some years back put this question to 103 business executives -- all high in their fields. An overwhelming majority doubted whether a strictly honest policy would enable a man to rise to the top in the business world. Only two answered "Yes," and one of these said he knew he was being naive. Said one: "People who don't get dirty don't make it." "In thirty years," said another, "I've known of only three men who've reached executive positions cleanly, and I admit I'm not one of them." "The higher the executive is in the management ladder," said a third, "the more likely he is to do some dirty work." An appraisal of the field of modern business reveals selfish motivation, disregard for public good, sharp practices, dishonesty, dog-eat-dog competition! We emphatically do not find here the true values and the outgoing concern for others that would give happiness to the world.
When we turn the searchlight on government in today's modern world, we meet, once again, with sad and discouraging disillusionment. Today, as in ancient times, too many of those who seek offices of power over the people of cities, states, districts, or nations, promise great benefits, pose as public benefactors, while their inner motives are ambitions for personal power and wealth. The modern world has produced three more-or-less new forms of government. Each promises peace, happiness, and prosperity for its people. They are: 1) French and United States republics; 2) Swedish- and British- type limited monarchy; 3) atheistic communism. All three are based on a system of industry, and on diffusion of education, and all three are predicated on the theory that every individual has the right to share in the benefits of science, industry, and the modern life. But actually too often what we find is selfish, greedy men of excessive vanity, ambitious in their lust for rule, scheming to get their hands on the throttle of power for personal aggrandizement and monetary gain. We find secret deals, graft, immorality, deception, dishonesty, running rampant in high places. Governments promise peace -- but bring wars. They promise benefits for the people, and then extract from the people the cost of the benefits plus excessive costs of government. Government promises are empty. The people are the pawns who fork over the money, in order to get a part of it back. We fail to find in human government any knowledge of life's purpose, or dissemination of the true values.
People would exclaim, horrified, "What? Destroy civilization?" as if that would mean the destruction and ending of everything worthwhile -- everything people have to live for. People think of civilization as the sum-total of everything good that mankind has struggled from the dawn of history to establish. People think of civilization as the far-advanced, intelligent, well-ordered human society that is good to the point of perfection. The acme of human progress! Perhaps you have accepted this popular assumption. But is this world's civilization really good? If the facets of human life and organization so far examined have brought disillusionment, surely, we would think, the social order ought to be good -- evidencing great human progress -- a proud monument to human advancement. So now we look behind the scenes. Now we turn the searchlight of truth on the social order of civilization. We look first at the most populous nations, where far more than half the world's population lives -- China, the countries of Southeast Asia and Indonesia, India, the Arab countries of the Middle East, and most of Africa -- as well as much of South America. And what do we see here? Illiteracy, ignorance, retrogression, famine, disease; people living in unbelievable poverty, filth, squalor, stench beyond description. Victims of famine and widespread epidemics of disease -- in many places half of all babies die during their first year of life. Wretched beings, ill-housed, ill-fed, ill-clothed. --------------------PHOTO CAPTION: ISN'T IT TIME we ask: If there be a God, why does He allow wars? If God is all powerful, He could prevent wars. So why doesn't He? The answer is certainly God could stop it -- and in very few years will! But, why in the future? Why did He ever allow it? Because a purpose is being worked out here below! Man was put on earth to develop righteous character! It is absolutely necessary that man be given both the prerogative and the ability to make his own choice, and exercise his own will! Otherwise -- no character! When we turn the searchlight on government, we meet once again, with sad and discouraging disillusionment. The U.N. General Assembly, above, is powerless to curb the nuclear threat facing all mankind. In the Middle East smoke fills skies from direct hits on oil refinery, while soldier stands in awe before the ugly scene. Nation rises against nation and people against people, as Jesus forewarned in His Mount of Olives prophecy. --------------------
But now focus the floodlight of truth on the affluent "have" nations. Do we find the social order of the Western world based on understanding of life's purpose and true meaning, pursuing the true values that produce universal happiness? Regretfully, quite the contrary. In purely social functions and contacts -- especially among the elite of high society -- we find an unhappy competition in snobbery and vanity, with class distinctions, racial discrimination, religious bigotry, selfish motives. Look at amusements and recreations. The prevailing format in motion pictures and television is illicit sex, violence, and murder. Young twelve- to fifteen-year-olds hear the beat and see the wiggle, and give themselves over in a virtually possessed frenzy to rock music. Children start going steady about age twelve or thirteen, and a theologian-labeled new morality becomes "understanding" about premarital sex, adultery and perversion. Juveniles stare in the face a hopeless future, descend into delinquency, and in rebellion against society, organize into gangs. One in ten today is mentally sick. Crime and violence are on the upsurge. Divorce stalks the Western world (one for every three marriages), leaving broken homes and frustrations in its wake. Even those who "mount the ladder of success" -- the millionaires --relentlessly seek more millions; and are never satisfied with what they acquire when they have it. This world's civilization is mentally, morally and spiritually sick! It supplies no purpose for life, knows nothing of the true values, has no concept of the right meaning of the word "success." This world's civilization has been making progress in reverse. It has become decadent, putrid, rotten, filthy, and is now bringing about its own destruction! But the future is not hopeless. This present evil world is to be replaced -- in our time -- by the happy, joyous, peaceful world tomorrow.
Here, at last, we must surely find a stabilizing and uplifting influence for society. Yet, shocking though it be -- incredible though it is -- if we put the searchlight on the facts, and view them realistically with an open mind, we find here the most sickening disillusionment of all. Reluctant though we are to recognize it, we find the established religious organizations which profess the name of Jesus Christ teaching the diametric opposite of His teachings --condemning the customs He practiced -- following, instead, the pagan customs He condemned! The churches of the Western world are divided and in confusion. They have not converted, saved, and reformed the whole world as they profess to have been commissioned to do. If that be their mission, they have failed miserably. Methodist Bishop Hazen G. Werner once said: "We have been dried out by the hot winds of secularism. We who are to overcome the world have been overcome by the world." "The Church," said Harvard Divinity School's Dean Miller, "simply does not have a cutting edge [it has thrown away the 'two-edged sword' -- the Bible]. It has taken the culture of our time and absorbed it." To this, Yale's Chaplain Coffin agrees, "We church men are gifted at changing wine into water -- watering down religion." This world's so-called Christianity has taken the name of Christ -- has proclaimed to the world that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ -- has preached the name of Christ with a Message about His Person -- but they have rejected His Gospel -- the Gospel God sent for all mankind by Him -- the Gospel He taught. Look at the other religions of the world -- Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Confucianism, Moslemism, Hinduism, and the others. In most countries where these religions are embraced, we find illiteracy, poverty, degeneration, misery, suffering, despair -- general unhappiness. None of them has produced a happy world. They have spawned communal wars, hatreds, and violence.
And where have these major branches of civilization brought us? Just what is the status of 20th century "progress"? What is the actual state of the world today? Just this. When we take a hard, cold, realistic view of conditions and trends, they do point inevitably to a fast-approaching world crisis of combined nuclear war, starvation, uncontrollable disease epidemics, crime and violence, and the extinction of human life on this planet. Man has no solution! The farther he goes, the more destructive are his efforts. And yet -- absolute utopia is soon to grip this earth in our time, and we shall see world peace. We shall see sickness banished; vigorous health restored; ignorance replaced with universal right education; poverty replaced with universal prosperity; weeping and wailing turned into happiness and joy! Incredible? Why should it be? Why? -- yes, why should we have a world where more than half of the world's people are living in abject ignorance and poverty, wracked with disease and pain, living in filth and squalor and wretchedness? Why, even in our prosperous Western nations, should our lands be filled with sickness and pain; plagued by crime, violence, riots; broken and unhappy homes, juvenile delinquents of delinquent parents, frustrations with no hope for the future? Why? Does it make sense? Do we not realize that there is a cause for every effect? Why are people blind to the cause of all this degeneration?
There is no other alternative. One may blind his eyes to existing facts, and trends, and say, "Now, come on! I can't see that this world is any worse than it ever was -- nothing's going to happen. If we just ignore the conditions and don't worry, perhaps they'll just go away." But these conditions and trends won't just go away. Not unless they are caused to go away! The Scriptures of the Holy Bible, the inspired revelation of that Supreme God to mankind, have foretold today's world conditions and trends -- and give us the advance news of coming peace on earth -- of universal prosperity -- of happiness and joy -- of veritable utopia! This is the good news of the world tomorrow. And it is absolutely sure. It is sure, because it does not depend on men, or anything men might do. God is going to do it, in spite of rebellious man. Man would fail. Man always did fail. God never fails! Top
Now let's take a look into the newspaper headlines of the near future, of the new world tomorrow that is going to come in our time. And remember, it won't become utopia all at once. (That will be explained later.)
But these might be the headlines you will read in the newspaper of the future: "Crime Rate Drops to Zero." "No Wars During This Year. Former Soldiers Being Rapidly Assimilated into Food Production and New Industries." "Disease Epidemics Disappear. Millions Have Been Supernaturally Healed of Sickness and Disease. All Vaccines and 'Shots' Banned. Causes of Cancer, Heart Attacks, Other Fatal Diseases Revealed. Authorities Predict All Such Diseases to Disappear, by Avoiding Causes, Within Coming Year." "Thousands of Hospital Properties Up for Sale. Sensational Decline in Sickness and Disease Releases Increasing Hundreds of Thousands of Doctors, Nurses, Attendants and Staff Personnel for Happier and More Useful Occupations. Knowledge of Causes Reduces Sickness and Disease. Thousands of Afflicted Now Being Divinely Healed." "Rapid Increase in Food Production. All Records Broken for Increased Food Production. Agricultural Authorities Reveal Abolition of Artificial and Synthetic Fertilizers, and Return to Nature's Laws of Soil Enrichment Resulting Not Only in Bumper Crops, but Vastly Improved Quality and Flavor." Well, how are those, for a starter? We repeat, there's a cause for every effect. If crime is to be greatly reduced, then wiped out, there will be a reason. People may have many guesses, opinions, theories about what causes crime, but the answer is -- human nature. What is the cause of wars? The answer is -- human nature. Why do people steal, murder, commit adultery or fornication, covet what is not theirs? Human nature. We shall never have utopia on earth until human nature is changed. But, you say -- "Man can't change human nature." Oh, but God can! And that's precisely what the living Christ is going to do, when He returns to rule all the nations of the earth.
But wait a moment. Stop and think. If there be a Creator God, did He design and create within humanity this thing we call human nature? Or, if one accepts the theory of evolution, did man inherit it from a lower species of vertebrates from which he is supposed to have evolved? There are both tame and wild animals. But take, for example, a cow, a dog, or an ape. They have instincts not hereditary in man. But human nature? Just what is human nature? I define it as vanity, lust and greed toward self -- and as jealousy, envy, hostility and resentment of authority against others. The Bible defines it thus: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jer. 17:9) -- and: "The carnal [natural] mind is enmity [hostile] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7). You cannot ascribe that attitude or nature to the dumb animals. Does it make sense to suppose a God of love, mercy and great outgoing concern for His human family, deliberately created us to be naturally hostile toward our Maker -- not subject to His law, deceitful and desperately wicked?
But from Genesis 3, all through the Bible to Revelation 20, much is said repeatedly about Satan. Isaiah 14 identifies him as the former archangel Lucifer. And Ezekiel 28 affirms that he was a created super being, perfect in all his ways until by his own free choice, iniquity was found in him. The former Lucifer turned to rebellion against God, to deceit, hostility, becoming cunning, subtile and desperately wicked. He came to be filled with vanity, lust and greed. He turned from God's way of love -- which is outflowing concern and desire to help and share, the way of giving -- to the way of getting.
The first man Adam, after Satan got to him through his wife, had turned to the way of get. But we did not inherit that get way of life at birth from Adam. Adam was not created with it -- he acquired it from Satan. And acquired characteristics are not passed on by heredity. Those who are called by God, and come to real repentance and belief in Christ, become partakers of -- or acquire -- the Divine Nature (II Pet. 1:4). But the children of one who has acquired it will not receive by heredity that divine nature. Adam and Eve, by making the wrong decision, acquired the get attitude from Satan. All their children -- the entire human family, with the single exception of Jesus Christ -- have acquired it, after birth, from Satan. How, you may ask, can that be? Satan was still around when Jesus was born. Satan tried to have the Christ-child killed. He tempted Christ -- unsuccessfully. Satan was still around when the Apostle Paul wrote his inspired second letter to the Church at Corinth. "... I fear," he wrote, "lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted ..." (II Cor. 11:3). Those in the Corinthian Church were not born with this corruption of mind -- they were in danger of acquiring it.
When God wanted to put it into the mind of King Cyrus of Persia to issue a proclamation to send a contingent of Jews back to Jerusalem to build the second temple, He "stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia" to do this (Ezra 1:1). Every human has, from birth, not "human nature" but a spirit (in the form of essence -- not a "soul" or ghost), which imparts the power of intellect to the human brain. This human spirit cannot see. The physical brain sees through the eyes. Knowledge enters the brain through the senses of hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling. But the brain cannot see, hear, smell, taste or feel spirit. It is confined to physical, material knowledge. Yet what knowledge enters the physical brain through these five senses is automatically "programmed" as in a computer --recorded in memory into this human spirit. This spirit in man, therefore, acts as a computer. It gives instant recall of knowledge stored in it to the brain. The brain utilizes this instant recall in the process of thinking, reasoning, decision-making. The human spirit does not think -- it empowers the physical brain to think. This human spirit does not supply human life. The human life is supplied by the physical breath of air, and by physical blood. Yet, just as the spirit of ancient King Cyrus was utilized by God as a medium through which to transmit the thought into Cyrus's mind to issue the decree, so Satan transmits through the air --broadcasts -- attitudes, impulses, desires of vanity, lust and greed, jealousy and envy, competition, rebellion against authority.
Satan has no power of duress. He cannot force any human mind to submit to the attitude he broadcasts and attempts to instill. Every human is a free moral agent, responsible for his own attitudes, decisions and actions. Satan does not broadcast in words -- merely in attitudes. If the human mind is willing, it will accept and yield to Satan's attitudes -- attitudes we have mistakenly called "human nature"! The human mind is not born with Satan's hostile, self-centered attitudes. Neither is a human born with the Divine Nature which the thoroughly converted Christian may acquire. Yet as soon as an infant or little child begins to exercise his brain in the thinking process, Satan's broadcasts of the self-centered attitude begin reaching his brain through his human spirit. Jesus, and He only, had the Holy Spirit in full measure from human birth. Yet even He was tempted in all points as are we all -- yet without ever yielding (Heb. 4:15). Since the normal child mind begins receiving these impulses to accept Satan's attitudes very early in childhood, unless counteracted by parental teaching and influence he will automatically begin accepting these carnal attitudes. They became habitual -- by habit they are acquired as a nature. But, just as the converted human may acquire -- become partaker of -- the divine nature (II Pet. 1:4), so off-guard humans acquire and exhibit what we call "human nature"!
Now we can begin to understand. First, consider how the living Christ, as our High Priest, changes this human nature in those whom God calls to salvation in this present day of man. Each individual is a free moral agent, and God won't change that prerogative! Each must be brought, of his own free will, to repentance and to faith in Jesus Christ. Those are the conditions. Those do not change human nature. They are the conditions God requires of us. But when we, of our own free choice, do yield to those two conditions, then God starts the changing process. God doesn't abolish human nature -- not as long as we are in the human flesh. But He does, upon real repentance and faith, give the precious gift of His Holy Spirit, which enters into the mind of the individual. And this is the Divine Nature. It is not human nature -- it is God's Nature. Yet it does not drive out or eliminate human nature. Satan is still broadcasting -- if you will listen. But if one has really repented, and fully believes, he will want to be willingly led by God's Spirit. And it is "as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). If one makes the decision to be led by this new Divine Nature, God's Spirit in him is also the power of God and the faith of Christ that will enable him to resist his human nature, and follow the Divine Nature. As the converted individual resists the pulls of human nature, and is led by God's Holy Spirit into obedience to God's ways, he grows in spiritual character, until at the time of the Resurrection, his human nature will be gone -- only the Divine Nature will remain.
Let's see just how tomorrow's utopia is to be ushered in. Remember, this wonderful world-state will not be achieved all at once. Every major step of these soon-coming events is laid bare before our eyes in biblical prophecy. The same Jesus Christ Who walked over the hills and valleys of the Holy Land and the streets of Jerusalem more than 1,900 years ago is coming again. He said He would come again. After He was crucified, God raised Him from the dead after three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40; Acts 2:32; I Corinthians 15:3-4). He ascended to the Throne of God, Headquarters of the Government of the Universe (Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; Revelation 3:21). He is the "nobleman" of the parable, who went to the Throne of God -- the "far country" -- to be coronated as King of kings over all nations, and then to return to earth (Luke 19:12-27). Again, He is in heaven until the "times of restitution of all things" (Acts 3:19-21). Restitution means restoring to a former state or condition. In this case, the restoring of God's Government on earth, and thus, the restoring of world peace, and utopian conditions. Present world turmoil, escalating wars and contentions will climax in world trouble so great that, unless God intervenes, no human flesh would be saved alive (Matthew 24:22). At its very climax when delay would result in blasting all life from off this planet, Jesus Christ will return. This time He is coming as Divine God. He is coming in all the power and glory of the Universe-Ruling Creator. (Matthew 24:30; 25:31.) He is coming as "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16), to establish world super-government and rule all nations "with a rod of iron" (Revelation 19:15; 12:5). Think of it. The glorified Christ -- coming in all the splendor, the supernatural power and the glory of God Almighty --coming to save mankind alive -- coming to stop escalating wars, nuclear mass destruction, human pain and suffering -- coming to usher in peace, abundant well-being, happiness and joy for all mankind. But will He be welcomed by the nations? World famous scientists now say frankly that the only hope for survival on earth is a supreme world-ruling government, controlling all military power. They admit that is impossible for man to accomplish. Christ is coming to give us just that. But will He be welcome? A leading American news-weekly gave the following surprising appraisal of man's only hope: The once optimistic hope of Americans, the article said, for a well ordered and stable world, is fading. Expenditures close to a trillion dollars have failed to provide stability. Rather conditions have worsened. This appraisal indicated that among officials, the prevailing view is gaining acceptance that tensions and world problems are becoming too deep-seated to be solved "except by a strong hand from someplace." "A strong hand from someplace." God Almighty is going to send a very strong Hand from "someplace" to save humanity!
They will not! They will believe, because the false ministers of Satan (II Corinthians 11:13-15) have deceived them, that He is the Anti-Christ. The nations will be angry at His coming (Revelation 11:15 with 11:18), and the military forces will actually attempt to fight Him to destroy Him (Revelation 17:14)! The nations will be engaged in the climactic battle of the coming World War III, with the battlefront at Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:1-2) and then Christ will return. In supernatural power He will "fight against those nations" that fight against Him (verse 3). He will totally defeat them (Revelation 17:14)! "In that day His feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives," a very short distance to the east of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4).
Want to see a description of that battle -- and what will happen to those hostile human armies? In Revelation 17, the armies of the now-rising United States of Europe -- the resurrected Roman Empire -- are referred to in verse 14: "These shall make war with the Lamb [Christ], and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings ...." But how will He overcome them? We find that in the 14th chapter of Zechariah: "And this shall be the plague wherewith the [Eternal] will smite all the people [armies] that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth" (Zechariah 14:12). Perhaps it is even plainer in the Revised Standard Version: "And this shall be the plague with which the [Eternal] will smite all the people that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh shall rot while they are still on their feet, their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths." This rotting of their flesh off their bones will happen almost instantaneously -- while they are still on their feet. What a divine retribution against armies that will fight against Christ. What a demonstration of the Divine Power with which the glorified Christ will rule all nations. Rebellion against God's Law and God's rule must, and speedily will be put down. Can you realize that every unhappiness, every evil that has come to humanity, has been the result of transgressing God's Law? If no one ever had any other god before the true God; if all children were reared to honor, respect, and obey their parents, and all parents reared their children in God's ways; if no one ever allowed the spirit of murder to enter his heart, if there were no wars, no killing of humans by humans; if all marriages were kept happy and there were no transgressions of chastity before or after marriage; if all had so much concern for the good and welfare of others that no one would steal -- and we could throw away all locks, keys, and safes; if everyone told the truth -- everyone's word were good -- everyone were honest; if no one ever coveted what was not rightfully his, but had so much outgoing concern for the welfare of others that he really believed it is more blessed to give than to receive -- what a happy world we would have! In such a world, with all loving and worshipping God with all their minds, hearts, and strength -- with all having concern for the welfare of all others equal to concern for self -- there would be no divorce -- no broken homes or families, no juvenile delinquency, no crime, no jails or prisons, no police except for peaceful direction and supervision as a public service for all, no wars, no military establishments. But, further, God has set in motion physical laws that operate in our bodies and minds, as well as the spiritual Law. There would be no sickness, ill health, pain or suffering. There would be, on the contrary, vigorous, vibrant good health, filled with dynamic interest in life, enthusiastic interest in constructive activities bringing happiness and joy. There would be cleanliness, vigorous activity, real progress, no slums, no degenerate backward races or areas of earth.
These changed, converted saints, now made immortal, will then rule the nations -- nations of mortals -- under Christ (Daniel 7:22; Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21).
The coming of Christ in supreme glory as King of kings and Lord of lords is recorded in Revelation 19. But in Revelation 20:1-3, the advance news is recorded: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that, he must be loosed a little season. The day of man, swayed, deceived, misled by Satan for 6,000 years, will be over. No longer will Satan be able to broadcast through the air into the spirit in man. No longer shall he be able to inject into unsuspecting humans his satanic nature -- which we have been misled into calling "human nature."
Yet God has made us humans free moral agents. He has given us control over our own minds, except as we may be blinded by Satan's pull of evil by deception. But no longer will earth's mortal humans be deceived! Now the all-Powerful Christ, and the immortal saints ruling under Him, will begin removing the scales that have blinded human minds. That is why I say complete utopia cannot be ushered in all at once. Multiple millions will still hold to the attitude of rebellion -- of vanity, lust and greed. But with Christ's coming shall begin the process of re-education -- of opening deceived minds -- of undeceiving minds, and bringing them to a voluntary repentance. From the time of Christ's supernatural take over, and Satan's banishment, God's Law and the word of the Eternal shall go forth from Zion, spreading over the whole earth (Isa. 2:3). The 6,000-year sentence God placed on Adam's world, of being cut off from God, will be ended. Christ will begin calling all mortals on earth to repentance and spiritual salvation! God's Holy Spirit shall flow out from Jerusalem (Zech. 14:8). What glory! A new day shall have dawned. Peace shall soon come. Men shall turn from the way of "get" to the way of "give" --God's way of love. A NEW CIVILIZATION shall now grip the earth! Top
It will not be man's government over man. Man has proven his utter incapability of ruling himself. It will be Divine Government--- the Government of God. It will not be government from the bottom up. The people will have no votes. It will not be government of or by the people -- but it will be government for the people. It will be government from the top (God Almighty) down. There will be no election campaigns. No campaign fund-raising dinners. No dirty political campaigns, where each candidate attempts to put himself forward in the most favorable light, defaming, denouncing, discrediting his opponents. No time will be wasted in mudslinging campaigns in the lust for power. No human will be given any government office. All in government service will then be Divine Spirit beings, in the Kingdom of God -- the God Family. All officials will be appointed -- and by the Divine Christ, who reads and knows men's hearts, their inner character, and abilities or lack of ability. You'll find a description of Christ's supernatural insight into the very character of others in Isaiah 11:2-5. Notice it: "And the spirit of the [Eternal] shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the [Eternal]; and shall make him of quick understanding ... and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears [hearsay]: but with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth ..." (Isaiah 11:2-4). Remember, God is the Supreme One who is love -- who gives -- who rules with outgoing concern for the ruled. He will rule for the highest good of the people. The most able, the most righteous, those best fitted for office will be placed in all offices of responsibility and power. There will then be two kinds of beings on earth -- humans, being ruled by those made divine. Some resurrected saints will rule over ten cities, some over five (Luke 19:17-19). Think of it -- no money wasted on political campaigns. No splits in political parties with quarreling and hatreds. No political parties!
When God's Laws are in our hearts -- when we love God's ways, and in our hearts want to live by them, human nature will be put under subjection -- people will want to live the Way that is the cause of peace, happiness, abundance, joyful well-being! But remember, the humans remaining on the earth after Christ's return -- ruled then by Christ and those resurrected or changed to immortality -- will themselves still have human nature. They will be still unconverted. But Christ and the governing Kingdom of God, then set up as the Governing Family, will bring about the coming utopia by two basic courses of action.
2) Christ will then set His hand to reeducate and to save or spiritually convert the world. Notice, first, how the social and religious customs will be changed by Divine force. Originally God gave seven annual Festivals and Holy Days He commanded to be observed. They contained great and important meaning. They pictured God's Master Plan for working out His purpose for humanity. They were established forever. Jesus observed them, setting us an example. The apostles observed them (Acts 18:21, 20:6, 16; I Cor. 5:8, 16:8). The Church -- including Gentile converts -- kept them. They were God's way -- God's customs for His people. But people rejected God's ways and customs, and turned, instead, to the ways and customs of the pagan religions. People did what seemed right to themselves. These same wrong ways seem right to most people today! We realize they seem right -- not wrong -- to most who will be reading these words. But can we realize that "there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death?" (Proverbs 14:12). And if you turn to Proverbs 16:25 you will see the same thing repeated: "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." God said through Moses: "Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes" (Deuteronomy 12:8). And again: "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them [pagan religious customs] ... and that thou enquire not after their gods saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the [Eternal] thy God: for every abomination to the [Eternal], which he hateth, have they done unto their gods ..." (Deuteronomy 12:30-31). Today the professing Christian world rejects God's Holy Days; holy to Him, but which a deceived "Christianity" hates. They observe instead the pagan days -- Christmas, New Year's, Easter, and others -- "which God hateth"! Many know and confess that these are pagan -- but they argue, "We don't observe these in worshipping the pagan gods, we use their customs in worshipping Christ and the true God." That is the way that "seemeth right" to people. They may not mean any wrong. They are deceived. A deceived man doesn't know he is wrong. He thinks he is right. He may be as sincere as those who have found God's way and obey it. Yet God says He will not accept that kind of observance or worship. It is an abomination to Him --"which He hateth." But it is those who have been deceived, whose eyes God will open to His truth, when Christ returns to rule all nations of mortals still left alive.
Go back to the 14th chapter of Zechariah: "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem [that is, those who were not in the armies supernaturally destroyed] shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the [Eternal] of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" (verse 16). This Feast of Tabernacles is one of the seven annual Festivals God commanded His people to observe. But ancient Israel rebelled. They rejected God's Festivals, and turned to pagan festivals. The Jewish people, after Ezra and Nehemiah, observed them. But false "Christian" ministers taught that God's Festivals were "part of the old Mosaic system -- not for us today." The clergy deceived and prejudiced the people. The people were deceived into believing that Christmas, New Year's, Easter, etc., were days Christ ordained. But now Christ is returning to earth to restore God's ways --including God's Festivals. Those who rebelliously won't keep God's Holy Days now -- who sneer at them in scathing contempt -- will observe them when Christ returns. Notice what this scripture says: "And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth [including Gentile nations] unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the [Eternal] of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the [Eternal] will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:17-19). These passages give us the method by which Christ will "rule with a rod of iron" -- of how He will use supernatural force to bring people of all nations to His right ways -- ways that are the cause of real blessings.
But He is not going to do this ruling, supervising, all alone, by Himself. He is coming to set up world government. It will be a highly organized government. There will be many positions of authority. Right here, it is time we stop to explain the mechanics of this perfect form of government. First, it is the Government of God -- not human government. Man won't acknowledge it yet, but man has demonstrated by 6,000 years of inefficient, bungling, wasteful efforts of human government that mortal man is utterly incapable of rightly governing himself. As for man being qualified to rule and administer government, God says of government officials today: "None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity ....Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace." --------------------PHOTO CAPTION: HUMAN LEADERS arise in the wake of failures of past human governments to solve their people's problems. Man won't acknowledge it yet, but mortals are incapable of rightly governing themselves. --------------------
Then, in this chapter foretelling our time, the final solution is given: "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion ..." (verse 20). And, continuing: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the [Eternal] is risen upon thee" (Isaiah 60:1). The only hope of justice -- of peace -- of truth -- of right solutions to all this world's problems, is the coming in power and glory of Christ to set up world government. Right government. The Government of God! In this, and many other passages, God shows in His Word to mankind how utterly helpless man is to govern himself and his fellows. Now 6,000 years of human experience has brought mankind to the very brink of world suicide. The world's leading scientists and statesmen say the only hope, now, is world government. I attended the San Francisco Conference in 1945, where world leaders attempted to form a world organization of nations. They called it "The United Nations." There I heard chiefs of state ring out the warning that this was the world's last chance. But it has failed. The United Nations has no power over the nations. It has no power to settle disputes, stop wars, or prevent wars. The so-called United Nations are not united. This effort has degenerated into a sounding board for communist propaganda. Man has failed his last chance! Now God must step in -- or we perish! Sir Winston Churchill, before the United States Congress said, "There is a purpose being worked out here below." God Almighty had great purpose in creating the human family and placing us here on this earth. And He has a perfect master plan for accomplishing that Purpose. That Master Plan involves a duration of 7,000 years. The seven literal days of Creation were a type. They set the pattern. The first six were days of physical creation. The seventh day of that first week began the spiritual creation, still going on. On that day God created His Sabbath, setting it apart as holy, for spiritual use. On that day God instructed the first man and woman in His spiritual truth. On that day He preached the Gospel to them, explaining about and offering them, freely, His wonderful gift of eternal life -- symbolized by the "tree of life" in the Garden. He also explained that the wages of sin -- rebellion against His Government -- was death. With God, "one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day" (II Peter 3:8). So God allotted the first six thousand years to physical man, to live his own way (deceived and swayed by Satan), to prove by 6,000 years of suffering mountainous evils, that only God's Way can bring desired blessings. That 6,000 years we may call "The Day of Man." So, in other words, the first 6,000 years were allotted to allow Satan to labor at his work of deceiving the world, followed by 1,000 years (one millennial day) when Satan shall not be allowed to do any of his "work" of deception. Put another way, God marked out six millennial days to allow man to indulge in the spiritual labor of sin, followed by a millennium of spiritual rest, under the enforced Government of God.
Now we come to a revealed insight into the wonderful planning, preparing, and organizing of the perfect Government of God. There will be no incompetent and selfishly ambitious politicians seeking to get their covetous hands on the throttle of government power by the deceptive political methods of this world. Today people are asked to vote into office men they know little about -- men whose qualifications are largely misrepresented. In the soon coming Government of God, every official placed in authority shall have been tried and tested, trained, experienced and qualified, by God's qualifications. God has planned ahead, but not only for His government to rule the earth. He had said to Adam, in effect, "Go, plan your own human governments, create in your own imaginations your own gods and religions; develop your own knowledge and educational structure, plan your own social systems (in a word, organize your own human civilization)." But in sentencing man to 6,000 years of being cut off from God, He reserved the prerogative of calling to special service and contact with God such as He should choose for His purpose. During this Day of Man, God has prepared for His own millennial civilization, in all its phases -- governmental, educational, religious -- His whole civilization. It all began with Abraham. In his day, there was only one man on earth who was at once a man of strong character and at the same time meekly and wholly submissive and obedient to God -- to God's Laws and His direction and rule. That man was Abraham. God began training men for top positions of authority in His coming world, with Abraham. Abraham lived in the most "advanced" civilization -- the most developed and, as people thought, most desirable locality. God said to Abraham (then named Abram), "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12:1). There was no argument. Abraham didn't say, "But why? Why must I give up all the pleasures of this civilization -- give up even my relatives and friends?" Abraham didn't argue or delay. It is written, simply, "So Abram departed"... (verse 4). Abraham was put to severe tests. But, after he died, God said, "Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes [of government], and my laws" (Genesis 26:5). Abraham was being trained for high position in the Government of God, now soon to rule the world. He believed in, was obedient and loyal to, God's Government -- its statutes and laws. Abraham received the promises on which the salvation of every person, through Christ, is based. He is called the Father (humanly) of the faithful (Galatians 3:7). To the Gentiles of Galatia, the Apostle Paul wrote: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye [Gentiles] Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). In the 16th verse, he had said: "Now to Abraham and his seed [descendant -- Christ] were the promises made ...." God was starting to prepare for His Kingdom -- to train topflight personnel for positions in God's civilization -- with Abraham. When Abraham proved obedient, God blessed his labors and allowed him to become wealthy. God gave him experience in the wise handling of vast wealth, and in directing a great force of men under him. Isaac was reared by God-fearing, God-obeying Abraham, in God's ways, obedient to God's Government. He became heir along with his father Abraham. He too, was trained in obedience, and also in directing and ruling over others. Then Jacob, born with this rich heredity, was educated to follow through on the same pattern Abraham and Isaac had learned. Even though his father-in-law deceived him, and held him down, Jacob also became wealthy. He was human -- as were Abraham and Isaac and all humans. He made mistakes. But he overcame. He repented. He prevailed with God. He never quit! He developed the qualities and character of leadership. He became the father of the twelve greatest nations-to-be in the soon-coming world tomorrow.
We know that Christ is to be King of kings, and Lord of lords --over both state and church, united through Him. We know that King David of ancient Israel (details later) will be king over the twelve great nations composed of literal descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel. We know the twelve apostles will each be a king, sitting on a throne, over one of those great nations descended from the tribes of Israel. We know it will be government from the top down. There is to be a definite chain of authority. No one will be elected by the people. Mortal humans have proved they do not know how to judge qualifications, and do not know the inner minds, hearts, intents, and abilities, of men. All will be divinely appointed from above. All, in positions of governmental authority, will be resurrected immortals, born of God -- no longer flesh-and-blood humans. With this in mind -- with the knowledge that Abraham is (humanly) the father of all who are Christ's and heirs of salvation -- it becomes plain that Abraham will be given a greater position of authority in God's Kingdom than David -- and that he will be over both Israelites and Gentiles. He is "father" of Gentile converts as well as Israelites. Then again, repeatedly the Bible uses the phrase, "Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," grouping them together as a team, and calling them, together, "The Fathers." For the promises were repromised, also, to Isaac and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. What is plainly revealed indicates, then, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will function as a topflight team, with Abraham as chairman of the team, next under Christ in the coming world Government of God. Jesus Himself said, definitely, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shall be in that glorious and glorified Kingdom (Luke 13:28). Joseph qualified in a very special way, but we shall come back to him a little later.
Three men -- Peter, James and John, among the original twelve disciples -- were privileged to see the Kingdom of God in a vision (Matthew 17:9). In this vision, Jesus, who was actually with them in person, became transfigured -- appearing as the glorified Christ. His face became bright, shining as the sun, His clothing white as light. Two others appeared with Him in this vision -- this glimpse into the coming Kingdom -- and they were Moses and Elijah. These two, in the vision, represented the offices of Church and State, with and under Christ, as they will be in God's Kingdom. Both Moses and Elijah qualified in their human lifetime for very high positions in the Kingdom of God. Moses was the one through whom Christ (yes, He was the God of the Old Testament, as many, many scriptures prove) gave the laws and the statutes of government for the nation Israel. Moses was trained as a son of a pharaoh (king of Egypt). His training and experience was among Gentiles, as well as the children of Israel. Elijah, above all others, is represented in Scripture as the prophet who restored the worship of the true God -- and obedience to His Commandments. When Elijah ordered King Ahab to gather on Mount Carmel "all Israel" (I Kings 18:19-21) and the prophets of Baal and of Asherah (Easter), he said: "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the [Eternal] be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him ...." (verse 21). And when, at Elijah's 18-second prayer (verses 36-37), the fire fell miraculously from heaven consuming Elijah's sacrifice, the people fell on their faces, and said, "The [Eternal], he is the God; the [Eternal], he is the God" (verse 39). The vision of the Transfiguration (Matthew 16:27 through 17:9), gave the Apostles Peter, James, and John a preview of Christ coming in His Kingdom -- as He shall come. The indication is thus given that Moses and Elijah represented the heads, under Christ, of state or national world government (under Moses), and church or religious activity (under Elijah). These two men, like the "fathers," Abraham, Isaac and Israel, will then be resurrected immortal, in power and glory. Certainly the indication is given us that, under Christ as King of kings, and under Christ's top team -- the "fathers" -- will be Moses over all organized national and international government; and Elijah, over all organized church, religious and educational activity. Actually, the Gospel and religious development is merely spiritual education. And it is significant that Elijah had organized and headed three schools or colleges (II Kings 2:3, 5; 4:38 -- at Bethel, Jericho, and Gilgal) teaching God's Truth in a world corrupted by false pagan education.
On the purely national level, the nations descended from the two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (descended from Joseph), will become the two leading nations of the world (Jeremiah 30:16-18; 31:4-11, 18-20; Isaiah 14:1-2; Deuteronomy 28:13. But, next to them will be the nations descended from the other tribes of Israel. And, after them, but still prosperous and full of abundant blessings, the Gentile nations. King David, resurrected, immortal, in power and glory, will be king, under Moses, over all twelve nations of Israel (Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24-25). Each of the original twelve apostles will be king, under David, over one of these then super-prosperous nations (Matthew 19:28). Under the apostles, each now king over a great nation, will be the rulers over districts, states, shires, counties or provinces, and over cities. But, in every case, these kings and rulers will be resurrected immortals, born into the Kingdom (Family) of God as Spirit beings ---not flesh-and-blood mortals. And, in every case, they will be those who qualified not only by conversion, but by overcoming, spiritual character development, growth in Christ's knowledge --training in being ruled by God's Law and Government, as well as learning to rule. The parables of the pounds (Luke 19:11-27) and talents (Matthew 25:14-30) make this very clear. The one who multiplied his spiritual abilities ten times over is pictured as ruling over ten cities. The one who developed only half as much in God's character and abilities is pictured as being given rule over five cities. The parable of the talents shows the same thing, but also we are to be judged by how well we do with what we have to do with. That is, one of lesser ability will be judged according to motivation, application, diligence, and persistence according to ability. To whom much -- in natural ability, and spiritual gifts -- is inherited and given, much will be required. The one of lesser ability stands just as good a chance for reward in God's Kingdom as the one of great ability -- if he tries as hard. But what of all the Gentile nations? Who will be given top positions of rule over them? There is strong indication -- not a definite, specific statement -- but indication, according to principles and specific assignments that are revealed, that the Prophet Daniel will be made king over them all, directly under Moses. What prophet -- what man of God -- did God send to be trained at top-level government authority, in the world's very first world empire? And what man refused to follow pagan ways and customs, even while serving next in authority to the king himself? What man proved loyal to God, and the worship of God, and obedient to the laws of God -- even while serving at the top in the first world empire? Why, of course it was the Prophet Daniel. At first thought, one might suppose Christ will put the Apostle Paul at the head -- under Moses and under Christ -- of all Gentile nations. And indeed Paul qualified for high position over Gentiles. But Daniel was thrown into almost daily contact with the king in the world's first world government. And though that was human government, Daniel proved completely loyal and obedient to God and God's rule. He was used, to reveal to King Nebuchadnezzar, and immediate successors, that it is God who rules over all kingdoms. Daniel refused the king's rich food and delicacies -- including what was unclean according to God's health laws. He prayed three times a day to God, even though it meant being thrown into the den of lions. He trusted God to protect and deliver him from the lions. He gained knowledge and wisdom in the affairs and administration of government over nations. When God, through the Prophet Ezekiel, named three of the most righteous men who ever lived, He named Daniel as one of them. The other two were Noah and Job (Ezekiel 14:14, 20). And it is evident that God will assign Noah and Job to offices of very great magnitude. More of that, later. God in His Word gave Daniel the assurance that he shall be in the Kingdom of God, at the time of resurrection (Daniel 12:13). It is an interesting possibility, in passing, to consider that Daniel's three colleagues in this Chaldean Empire service --Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego -- might serve as a team directly with and under Daniel, even as the three "fathers" very possibly may serve as a team directly with and under Christ Himself. In fact there are a number of such teams which appear to be possibilities. But what about Paul? As the twelve original apostles were sent to the "lost" House of Israel, Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. That is the key. Christ Himself said specifically that each of the twelve shall be a king over one of the nations of Israel. It is inconceivable that Paul would be over no more than one Gentile nation. It might even be inferred that Paul rated a little higher in ability and accomplishment than any one of the Twelve Apostles. And, again, no Gentile nation will be as great as one of the Israelite nations. The indication, then, seems to be that Paul will be given position over all Gentile nations, but under Daniel. Of course there will be kings appointed by Christ over every Gentile nation. And district rulers under them, and rulers over cities. There is no indication as to the identity of any of these, except that those apostles and evangelists who worked with and directly under Paul -- Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Titus, Luke, Mark, Philemon, etc. undoubtedly will be given offices of importance. And what of other saints of that same time, in the first flush years of the Church, when its membership at first multiplied in number of converts? And what of many converted since, and down to our present day? We can mention, here, only what seems to be rather clearly indicated from what God has already revealed.
Since Noah lived first, we now take a look at Noah. In Noah's day, the chief cause of the violence and chaos of world conditions was racial hatreds, interracial marriages, and racial violence caused by man's efforts toward integration and amalgamation of races, contrary to God's laws. God had set the boundary lines for the nations and the races at the beginning (Deuteronomy 32:8-9; Acts 17:26). But men had refused to remain in the lands to which God had assigned them. That was the cause of the corruption and violence that ended that world. For 120 years Noah had preached God's ways to the people -- but they didn't heed. At that time, even as today, that world faced a population explosion. It was when men began to multiply on the face of the earth" (Genesis 6:1). Jesus said, of our time, right now, "But as the days of Noe [Noah] were, so shall the coming of the Son of man be" (Matthew 24:37) -- or, as in Luke 17:26, "And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." That is, the days just before Christ returns. Today race wars, race hatreds, race riots, and race problems are among the world's greatest social troubles. Noah merely preached to people in his human lifetime. But Noah, in the resurrection, immortal, in power and glory, will be given the power to enforce God's ways in regard to race. It seems evident that the resurrected Noah will head a vast project of the relocation of the races and nations, within the boundaries God has set, for their own best good, happiness, and richest blessings. This will be a tremendous operation. It will require great and vast organization, reinforced with power to move whole nations and races. This time, peoples and nations will move where God has planned for them, and no defiance will be tolerated. What a paradox. People are going to be forced to be happy, to have peace, to find abundant and joyful living! Above, we said we would come back, later, to Joseph, son of Israel and great-grandson of Abraham. Joseph became food administrator of the greatest nation on earth of that time -- Egypt. Joseph was synonymous with "prosperity." "And the [Eternal] was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and ... the [Eternal] made all that he did to prosper in his hand" (Genesis 39:2-3). He was made actual ruler for the pharaoh of the world's greatest nation. But his specialty was dealing with the economy -- with prosperity. And what he did, he did God's way. It seems evident, therefore, that Joseph will be made director of the world's economy -- its agriculture, its industry, its technology, and its commerce -- as well as its money and monetary system. These systems will be on the international level, the same in every nation. Undoubtedly Joseph will develop a large and perfectly efficient organization of immortals made perfect, with and under him in this vast administration. This will be an administration that will eliminate famine, starvation, poverty. There will be no poverty-stricken slums. There will be universal prosperity! Another tremendous project on the worldwide international level will be that of rebuilding the waste places, and the construction of whatever really great and large buildings or structures Christ will require for the world He will create. "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations" (Isaiah 61:4). Job was the wealthiest and greatest man of the east (Job 1:3) and a noted builder. (Compare Job 3:13-14 with God's challenge in Job 38:4-6.) He was so upright and perfect, God even dared Satan to find a flaw in his character. Actually, there was a terrible sin in his life -- self-righteousness. But God brought him to repentance. (See Job chapters 38-42.) Once this man, of such strength of self-mastery that he could be so righteous in his own strength, was humbled, brought to reliance on God, filled with God's Spirit --well, surely no man who ever lived could equal him as an engineer over vast stupendous world projects. Indication is strong, therefore, that Job will be director of worldwide urban renewal, rebuilding the waste places and the destroyed cities, not as they are now, but according to God's pattern; vast engineering projects, such as dams and power plants --or whatever the ruling Christ shall decree. At least one other man seems indicated as a top assistant in this vast administration. That is Zerubbabel (Haggai, and Zechariah 4). So much for the new world super-civilization on the national and international level. Now we come to the world tomorrow on the individual level --the church -- the religion -- the educational system. Top
When He sits on the throne of His glory, in Jerusalem, all nations composed of flesh-and-blood mortal humans will be there before Him. He shall begin dividing "His sheep from the goats." To the sheep, on His right hand, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). Those converted, now, are heirs. We shall inherit the Kingdom at Christ's coming. The dead in Christ shall be resurrected, rising first -- changed to Spirit immortality. We which are then alive, in Christ, shall be instantaneously changed to Spirit immortality, and caught up with the resurrected ones, to meet the descending Christ in the air. We shall then be separated by immortality from the mortal humans on earth. Wherever Jesus is, from there, we shall be ever with Him. Where, then, will He be? His feet shall stand that same day on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). It is after this that He separates the sheep (those who repent, believe, and receive His Holy Spirit) from the goats (those who rebel). This separation -- this educating converts for God's Kingdom -- will continue throughout the entire thousand years of Christ's reign on earth. Christ will give to all nations a new and pure language: "For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the [Eternal], to serve him with one consent" (Zephaniah 3:9). The pure truth of God will be proclaimed to all people. No one will be deceived any longer. But "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the [Eternal], as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). Christ is the "root of Jesse," father of David. To Christ, then, will the Gentiles seek (Isaiah 11:10). Christ will set His hand to save all Israel (verse 11). (See also Romans 11:25-26.) But all this work of world evangelism -- of spiritually saving the world (as a whole, not necessarily every individual but surely a majority) -- will require, simultaneously, reeducating the world. Close to half of all people on earth today are illiterate. They are so ignorant they simply could not be given even what might be called bare "saving knowledge." A man in a country in the interior of Central Africa had heard "The World Tomorrow" program on Radio Elisabethville. He was a steady listener, and he received The Plain Truth magazine. He wrote us letters. He wanted to represent this Work of God, and raise up a church among his people. We sent two ministers stationed in London to visit this man, get to know him, and determine by personal contact what should be done. They found he was the only man of any education among them. The others were illiterate people. They were so ignorant, it was impossible for them to comprehend anything about God, or Christ, or salvation. Sadly, our ministers said such people would have to receive at least elementary education before they could be reached with the Gospel.
We covered a section on this world's paganized, agnostic, decadent education earlier in this book. The academic system was founded by the pagan philosopher Plato. It has always remained pagan. Injected into it, in more recent times, has been German rationalism, and the atheistic theory of evolution. Evolution, the atheist's explanation of a creation without a Creator, is the basic concept on which modern education has been built. Modern education is a mixture of truth and error, fact and fable. The educated of this world started, at birth, from scratch, so far as knowledge goes. At the hour of birth, they knew nothing. The process of education in this world is one of funneling knowledge into minds. It is a process of memorizing. The student is taught from texts. Textbooks are supposed to be true and authoritative. The student must read, study, accept and memorize. In exams he is graded on the accuracy of repeating what was "in the book." He is not supposed to question, but to accept and believe. Modern education has been based on a false, erroneous, untrue foundation. The supposedly educated of this world -- even the great minds -- have absorbed false knowledge. They have been trained in a false approach to knowledge. Almost always, error is based on a false assumed premise or hypothesis, taken for granted, never questioned -- and, of course, unproved. The "educated" minds have been filled with such false hypotheses. They have allowed a false sense of values to flood their minds. Truth appears to them to be fable. What is right may be to them foolishness. That which may be utterly wrong appears to be right. They come to view things through the false concept of evolution. This mis-education holds their minds captive. It has been explained how the natural carnal mind, devoid of revealed knowledge from God, is limited to knowledge of the physical and material. The approach to all knowledge in the Western world has been through the evolutionary hypothesis -- never through God's revealed knowledge. In God's millennial civilization, the basis of all knowledge dissemination will be revelation. Light will replace darkness --truth will replace error. Understanding will replace crass materialism. True knowledge will replace intellectual ignorance. --------------------PHOTO CAPTION: THE EDUCATING and reeducating of this world will be one of the most important tasks the Kingdom of God will face. Young people today follow too often false and deceptive values. Their entire thinking will require reorientation -- a change of direction. --------------------
One of the great problems facing the returned glorified Christ, will be that of reeducating the supposedly educated. These minds -- and they are, indeed, the world's finest and best minds --have become so perverted with false education that they will be unable to accept truth until they first unlearn error. And it is at least ten times more difficult to unlearn error, firmly imbedded in the mind, than it is to start from "scratch" and learn new truth. It may actually take them longer to come to a knowledge of truth -- to become truly educated -- than the illiterate of this world. God's inspired Word, the Holy Bible, is the foundation of knowledge. But they have been trained to hold this true foundation in prejudiced contempt. Yes, indeed, the educating and reeducating of the world will be one of the most important tasks the Kingdom of God will face, after Christ returns to rule. Today people follow the false and deceptive values. Their entire thinking will require a reorientation -- a change of direction.
The Prophet Micah gives part of the answer: "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the [Eternal] shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it" (Micah 4:1). Prophecy uses "mountain" as a symbol of a major nation, and "hills" as a symbol of smaller nations. In other words, the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of resurrected immortals -- the ruling Kingdom ---will be established in complete authority over the major nations (of mortals) and exalted above the small nations -- and people will flow to God's Kingdom. Now continue: "And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the [Eternal], and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, |