We received a book in the mail this past week from - would you believe it?...God's final end time prophet and lead spokesman of the "two witnesses" of Revelation chapter 11!
Many will recall Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of "The Worldwide Church of God" and, for many years, featured speaker on "The World Tomorrow." His theology represented an amalgamation largely derivative Seventh Day Adventism, Jehovah's Witness doctrine, British Israelism and, toward the end, Mormonism in terms of the possible ultimate attainment of a human deified state. His following, nonetheless, was considerable.
Following Armstrong's death, his "Church" was not long in fragmenting - particularly following his successor's determination of the fact that Armstrong had been wrong on several fundamental points. Indeed, under Joseph Tkach's leadership and influence the organization eventually endorsed the primary tenets of traditional Christianity and joined the National Association of Evangelicals! Many adherents left in consequence of this downgrading of "God's end time apostle," and formed various splinter groups, each purporting to be the one "true" Body committed to Armstrong's revelatory insights.
Interestingly, one of the subsequent self appointed successors to Armstrong (as well as alleged recipient of even greater revelation) has now revealed his divinely appointed role as God's final and, next to Christ himself, greatest of all prophets. We are further advised that he is also the principle of the "two witnesses" of Revelation 11 (the other witness, destined to a lesser role, having not yet been revealed).
One need not proceed far into the book to discern its conformity to classical heresy. As contrasted to the apostle Paul who "preached not himself, but Jesus Christ the Lord" (II Cor. 4:5), the work's focus is not Jesus Christ, but rather this great "end time prophet" - Christ entering the picture primarily in a subset context concerned primarily with proving that he was neither God nor present in the eternal past, but was rather a creation of the Father at the time of his earthly conception. Having subsequently been awarded a state of divinity, Christ thus prefigures those who, by means of, and in accordance with, the revealed "truths" of Armstrong and this greatest of prophets, will also one day be granted divine status.
There is little point in further belaboring the matter. One does, however, wonder where the money comes from. While free, the book (as also an earlier work by the same author) is not a cheaply produced volume, nor have advertising costs relative to the books been inconsequential.
Will the man gain a following? Probably.
One is reminded at this point of Jesus' warning concerning "many" false "prophets and christs" preceding his return (Matt. 24:4; Mark 13:22; Luke 21:8). What is sometimes overlooked is the fact that Jesus places this massive proliferation of religious imposters within the setting of "the beginning of birth pangs" ("sorrows," KJV). As attested by history, logic also applies. Distressing times inevitably lend themselves to frauds and charlatans purporting to answer the fears and uncertainties of an increasingly apprehensive world.
That Jesus advises the Church to be mindful of such development - a state yet to be manifested in the full scope of his prediction - constitutes insight as well with regard to the "easy escapism" promulgated by some within the community of faith. If the Church is no longer present at such time, Christ's warning is superfluous.
Whatever the sphere of question, "Take heed that no one deceives you" (Matt. 24:4).
Burl Ratzsch
