When Did Herbert W. Armstrong Teach the Work Would End?

Everyone affiliated with the old Worldwide Church of God realizes that Herbert W. Armstrong worked ceaselessly to attempt to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14).

The photos below show him attempting to do with with world leaders (below specifically India):

He also wrote that he did fulfill part of Matthew 24:14. But did he mean that the church was to stop proclaiming the gospel?

No.

But when did he teach that the organized efforts to proclaim the gospel to the world would end?

That is easy.

He felt that it would be 45 days prior to the abomination of desolation being seen as mentioned in Daniel 11:31 and then he felt that the Philadelphians would flee to a place of safety. Notice quotes from old official writings:

“Revelation 3:7-13 ‘And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.’ The great door that God has opened to this work is the facility to go into all the world and preach the gospel; the door of radio, the door of the printing press, plus many other such doors. God has set before us an open door that no man can shut it, and He will when the work is finished and the Philadelphia Church goes to a place of safety” (What is the “Laodicean Church”? Plain Truth. August 1959, p.10).

Our work in the hands of Christ is NOT YET FINISHED, and He will not allow the Work to stop until it is finished. And when will that be?…And the abomination that maketh desolate set up.” What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…From this time (Daniel 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to the 1335 days.” Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290. and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us–GOD”S CHURCH–who wait and endure until the 1335 days–approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming. But since no one can know the day or hour of His coming, we probably shall not be able to know the exact day this 1335 days begins. But apparently that is the time when OUR WORK SHALL END. That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beasts armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics; another third will dies of the war–our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12). Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).

The PURPOSE for which Christ built the Church exemplifies its WORK…1) To ANNOUNCE to the world for its witness the coming Kingdom of God…2) To prepare the people to whom God adds to the Church…God has always worked with humans. He has worked with O N E M A N at a time…The WORK consists of proclaiming the Gospel, by radio, by television, in print (Armstrong HW. JUST WHAT IS THE WORK? PASTOR GENERAL’S REPORT – VOL.3, NO.6 February 6, 1981).

“God has given his Church dual responsibility: 1) ‘Go ye into all the world’ and proclaim the good news–announcement–of the coming kingdom of God. 2) ‘Feed my sheep’. But in feeding the ‘sheep’, developing in them God’s spiritual character, God has given them their part in supporting, backing up, the great commission: ‘Go ye in into all the world’ “(Armstrong, HW. Mystery of the Ages, p.265).

“Since no one knows the day of Christ’s coming (Matt. 24:36 ; Acts 1:17) , we may not know the exact time when the 1335 days begin. Apparently, however, at that time, the organized efforts of God’s Work to proclaim the Gospel to the world will end. Forty-five days later, or 1290 days before the return of Christ, the beasts armies will surround Jerusalem. Those who are worthy will have been warned and taken to a place of refuge God has provided for them (Rev. 12:14-16).” (Personal Correspondence dated 2/89, Note: This is the same information that would have been in it on the day HWA died, I simply do not have that original–but note that this quote confirms what HWA wrote in the citation above).

Thus, it should be clear to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear that Herbert W. Armstrong felt that the gospel had to be proclaimed in an organized way by the church until just prior to the time that the Philadelphians flee to a place of safety.

Hence groups like COG-ff (who taught that the door to proclaim was closed for a while), RCG (who initially taught that the top priority should not be to proclaim the gospel), and other groups who refuse to place their top priority on proclaiming the gospel now, are not faithful to the Bible, nor the practices and teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong.

More blatant, however, are groups such as GCW and CGG who still directly teach that the church’s first priority should not be proclaiming the gospel.

And actually, there is one, and only one, COG who does and always has placed the same priority on proclaiming the gospel as Herbert W. Armstrong did, and that is the Living Church of God.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?

There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church.