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- OVERLOOKING THE SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH AND SALVATION
- FALSE PROPHETS OR SERVANTS OF YAHWEH?
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- CONCERNING BABYLON AND CURRENT EVENTS
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MESSAGE MENU #3
- THE FIRST VISIBLE LUNAR CRESCENT
- TITHING CHART BASED ON WEEKLY INCOME
- HOW TO TITHE BASED ON YOUR ANNUAL SALARY
- MAP OF ANCIENT KHAZARIA
- MAP OF EPHRAYIM AND MANNASAH, ACCORDING TO THE ANGLO-SAXONS
- THE NEW COVENANT IS CONDITIONAL
- BARACK OBAMA: A PROPHET OF ISLAM
- TIMELINE CHART OF YAHSHUA'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION
- THE SACRED NAMES IN ANCIENT PALEO-HEBREW
- ZECHARYAH 12:9
- THE 24 ELDERS ARE ALREADY IN THRONES IN HEAVEN
- THE INFAMOUS "AN EYE FOR AN EYE" LAW: ABOLISHED OR IN EFFECT?
- RE LOST TEN TRIBES
LIST OF
FAILED PROPHECIES
BY FAMOUS PREACHERS
A Few Notable False Predictions by Famous
"Church of God" Teachers
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG!
KENNETH L. HERMANN!
RODERICK C. MEREDITH!
HERMAN L. HOEH!
RON KELLY!
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of Yahweh,
if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,
that is the thing which Yahweh hath not spoken,
but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:22)
"The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name.
I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them;
they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility
and the deception of their own minds." (Jeremiyahj 14:14)
"But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name
which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the
name of other gods, that prophet shall die." (Deut 18:20-21)
"But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death,
because he has counseled to turn away from Yahweh your Elohim,
who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from
the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which
Yahweh your Elohim commanded you to walk. So you
shall purge the evil from among you." (Deut. 13:5)
"But you have become arrogant and have not mourned instead,
so that the one who had done this deed would be removed
from your midst." (1 cOR. 5:2)
The following are all FALSE PROPHECIES made by Herbert W. Armstrong and his team, and published by the Worldwide Church of God. (Names and dates of publications are provided).
As you read through all these blatant lies you are about to see, you might really want to ask yourself: are these men and their followers, the "leaders" who want to judge you without any mercy and compassion today? Are these people the ones who dare imply you have not even been "called by Yahweh" simply because you dont "belong" to them? Are they the ones that claim that everyone outside of their "church" is outside of the "body," and refuse to assist them as is their duty---being that Scripture teaches that their failed predicitions provoke the scattering of the sheep of Yahushua into many different groups and sects..?
Did Yahushua and His apostles or disciples set such specific dates for prophecy as some of these men did? Hardly so.
Why? Mainly because Yahweh wants faithful and trustworthy servants guiding His people, that the sheep can trust in. TRUST is very important, because there are many false teachers one cannot trust in being spoken of in the Scriptures, and they should act diffrerently from one another. (At least the faithful should). They are the leaders, (or at least that is what they market themselves as to Yahweh's called-out), and the sheep are their followers, not vice-versa. The leaders should set the example, not the other way around.
As an introduction to this shameful and horrendous list of falsely dated prophecies, Roderick Meredith stated the following about "God's true prophets" being themselves:
"Where are God's true prophets today? ... This work has been warning America of definite and tremendous events to come for many years!""...on THE WORLD TOMORROW broadcast and in this magazine we have dared to unlock the Bible prophecies and apply them to specific nations and events that are now being affected. Do you grasp the significance of this'?"- PLAIN TRUTH, August 1957, pages 3, 6, R. C. Meredith
!!!!
"Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972---or earlier ...." -- The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, May 1965, p. 45.
It did not happen. It turned out FALSE!
"The 'Day of the Eternal'---a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies---is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!... I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, on authority of the living Christ!" --- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1967, p. 47.
Again, it did not happen on those dates. In fact, it has not yet even happened more than 45 years later! Again, this was not Yahweh speaking, for those words turned out FALSE!
But this shameful and arrogant style of predicting the future started way back in the 1950s (and even before then) when Roderick Meredith, Herman Hoeh, Garner Ted Armstrong and others began to assist Herbert Armstrong in proclaiming his prophetic witness to the world. Nobody can deny that there is a certain degree of pride and evil when speaking falsely in Yahweh's or God's name. A few times in Deuteronomy Yahweh says such people speak presumptuously. Believing the Great Tribulation would start in 1972---instead of around 1936 as Herbert had previously prophesied ---they busied themselves with the task of writing new and terrifying doomsday prophecies based on Herbert's somewhat shaky understanding of Bible prophecy in those days. Here are a few of those failed prophecies:
"God Almighty has spoken through His servants the prophets that He will punish our people for their sins. He will let our own lust cause such droughts, floods, pestilences and famines that we will be totally consumed and carried away captive to other nations as slaves within twenty years." - The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, Oct. 1955, p. 16.)
FALSE!
"Plagues are coming-and, according to this prophetic warning, in about two years from now! Our cattle have already suffered from the drought. Soon we shall find that the hoof-and-mouth disease will spread out of control! Rabid foxes, squirrels, muskrats will attack our children. For seven long and frightful years, we are going to suffer as never before-until we be left 'few in number.'..."This seven years of national trouble takes us---if the dates which appear so definitely indicated by these prophecies are correct---from 1965 to 1972!" -- The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, April 1956, p. 22.
FALSE!
"Two years ago, Mr. Herman Hoeh showed in this magazine how God's word prophesied disease epidemics would strike the United States in two short years! (REFERENCE TO ABOVE) Those epidemics are beginning now! And they will grow much worse! God prophesies that finally, within the next fifteen years, fully one third of our whole population will die of disease and famine!" -- The Plain Truth, Garner Ted Armstrong, Dec. 1957, p. 23.
FALSE!
"The popular, denominationally supported evangelists often make statements like this: 'I believe that God may use Russia to punish America for her sins.' Or, 'It now seems likely that World War III may come within five years.'... They use the words 'may,' 'could,' or 'might.'... The truth of the matter is that they dare not be specific about the future because they just do not know what the Bible says is going to happen! But on 'The World Tomorrow' broadcast and in this magazine we have dared to unlock the Bible prophecies and apply them to specific nations and events that are now being affected.
"There is no other church or work on the face of this earth that either understands or dares to proclaim these vital warnings!... This is the very Work of God!... You are now being warned!" - The Plain Truth, Roderick Meredith, Aug. 1957, p. 6.
Yes, WCG "the Church of God"... but there is a certain thing in Scripture called prophesying falsely, and confusing people and scattering some of them...as we shall see that later happened due to this unrepentant error. "Unrepentant," because this trend continued and got even worse, AS WE SHALL SEE BELOW.
These words uttered by Rod Meredith constitute quite a claim...QUITE A CLAIM...and, in the interest of truth, bears further investigation. The fairest way to find the answers to these questions is to examine some of their most significant predictions over the last 40 years. First, let's look at some of Herbert's earliest predictions (the distinctive "Plain Truth" excessive capitalization and italicization of words have been deleted in all quotes in this article to facilitate typesetting and readability):
"Germany's coming Führer---who will lead within probably 13 years from now a 10-nation union in Europe (Rev. 17:12-13)---is 'the king of the north.' He will 'stretch forth his hand upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape' (Dan. 11:42). There is going to be a falling out between Nasser and his German supporters. Nasser's Nazi advisers are yet to turn upon him. Germany will take over the Suez from Egypt. Germany will take over Syria's oil pipelines, now under Nasser's control." (The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, Oct. 1958, p. 4.)
None of this ever happened. It's totally
FALSE!
In 1959, Rod Meredith----despite so MANY previous predictions made during the previous decade turning out totally FALSE--- once again humbly assured Plain Truth readers that his church alone was accurately predicting the future:
"We have been daring, as no other church on earth, to proclaim definite, specific prophetic events to occur---and they have been happening!... For the specific prophesied events which this Church alone proclaims will soon be demonstrated as a physical reality! There will be no reasoning or argument about this. You will see and feel these things happen!" -- The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, June 1959, p. 32.
FALSE!
As the years ticked by, Herbert and his followers sensed Christ's return was nigh, and they redoubled their efforts to shout their prophetic message to the whole world with more power and conviction than ever:
"In Joel 1, in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 and John 13--in Revelation 6, and in other prophecies, a revolution in the weather-leading to unprecedented famine by around 1970-72 is prophesied. In its wake is prophesied frightful disease epidemics! A third of the people of the U.S. and British Commonwealth nations will die of this scourge." - The Plain Truth. Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1962, pp. 5, 7.
FALSE! TOTALLY FALSE!
"The unification of Germany? Perhaps it will take place sooner than we expect! The unification of ten nations in Europe is certain to be brought about within a very few years." -- The Plain Truth, Ron Kelly, Sept. 1964, p. 20.
FALSE!
"Frankly, literally dozens of prophesied events indicate that this final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe---and its bestial persecution of multitudes of Bible-believing Christians---will take place within the next seven to ten years of your life!" - The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, Feb. 1965, p. 48.
FALSE!
That false prophecy was published in February 1965. Again, in a 1966 article in the Plain Truth, Meredith again noted a spectacular Bible event which was to happen in 1972. I quote the article:
"What was 'The meaning of Hitler's fake suicide?' 'It's meaning could SHOCK an awed and astonished world within the next five to seven years! Its meaning could precipitate the END of this present age and the second coming of Jesus Christ! . . . It is a most interesting date because Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972 -- or earlier if this final work of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is cut short" --- May 1965, p.45
In his first newsletter to the Global Church of God readership, Roderick Meredith maintained his interest in Bible prophecy, challenging others by saying: "God insists that His servants the prophets will understand and fearlessly teach what the future holds. If teachers cannot see the revealed future, then are they true servants of God?" (Global Church News, vol.1, no.1, p.5, quoted in Watchman Expositor, p.22).
Judging by Meredith's own words and his failed timings, then, one must ask: Is he a true servant of God? His own predictions, in his 1965 article, were as wrong as can be. His prediction of World War III starting by the spring of 1972, of course, fell flat as a pancake! Read again his dates:
"Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972----or earlier ...." - The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, May 1965, p. 45.
FALSE!
In all honesty, this is not Yahweh speaking through one of his servant because Yahweh does not make such mistakes. In fact, He doesnt make ANY mistakes!
"The 'Day of the Eternal'---a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies----is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!... I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, on authority of the living Christ!" The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1967, p. 47.
FALSE!
"As nearly as we can calculate from the dates of ancient history, the year 1936 will see the END of the Times of the Gentiles.... We may expect the present worldwide depression, time of trouble and fear of war to CONTINUE until the year 1936! ...quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling ... which shall be followed by the 'Day of the Lord'"- PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, page 5, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Mussolini and the Pope will hatch up an idea between them of setting up a world headquarters at JERUSALEM-and so Mussolini's armies will enter into Palestine (Daniel 11:41), and eventually will capture just half of the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2)."- PLAIN TRUTH, March 1938, page 8, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"MUSSOLINI WILL FIGHT CHRIST!" - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1939, Page 4, H. W. Armstrong
UTTERLY FALSE!
"But HITLER (or his successor if there is one), and the False Prophet shall fight against Christ!" -- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, March-April 1943, p. 6.
FALSE! FALSE! FALSE!
"Once World War is resumed, it must continue on through the Great Tribulation, the heavenly signs, the plagues of the Day of the Lord, and to the Second Coming of Christ, at the last battle, at ARMAGEDDON!...But this you MAY KNOW! This war will be ended by CHRIST'S RETURN! And war MAY start within six weeks! We are just THAT NEAR Christ's coming!" --- PLAIN TRUTH, August 1939, page 6, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE! FALSE! FALSE!
"The Italians will capture both Palestine and Egypt." - PLAIN TRUTH, August-September 1940. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Turkey will cause British defeat. But God will rescue and restore the British and cause Turkey utterly to be wiped out." - PLAIN TRUTH, May-June 1941, page 6, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"PLAIN TRUTH readers know world events, before they occur!...Bible prophecy does indicate that Hitler MUST BE THE VICTOR, in his present Russian invasion! ...Hitler will emerge from his Russian campaign stronger than ever, free to turn the entire might of his forces against Britain-and AMERICA!" - PLAIN TRUTH, September- October 1941, page 7, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
" God has decreed that Joseph---Great Britain and the United States---are to utterly consume and annihilate the Turks from off the earth!" -- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Nov.-Dec. 1940, p. 7.
FALSE!
"Yes, it seems that God is allowing us another 19-year cycle to COMPLETE THE CARRYING OUT OF HIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM TO THIS SICK AND DYING WORLD.... There is a tremendous job to be done in the very short period that lies ahead of us." - PLAIN TRUTH, June 1953, "Man's Greatest Battle" by R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"The idea of men climbing around on the outside of their space ships clad in pressurized suits is fantastic in the light of these facts.... Man will not be allowed or permitted to utilize the moon in suicidal warfare! Neither will God allow the moon to become the possession of any nation now struggling for world domination." - PLAIN TRUTH, May 1954, page 8, Kenneth Hermann
FALSE!
"God prophesies that finally, within the next fifteen years, fully ONE THIRD of our whole population will die of disease and famine." - PLAIN TRUTH, December 1957, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"God Almighty has spoken through His servants the prophets that He will punish our people for their sins. He will let our own lust cause such droughts, floods, pestilences and famines that we will be totally consumed and carried away captive to other nations as SLAVES WITHIN TWENTY YEARS." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1955, page 15, H. L. Hoeh
FALSE!
"...it is the coming dry cycle in the early 1970s that ... ought to frighten us all! By THAT TIME, rural, city and industrial demands WILL HAVE DEPLETED OUR REMAINING UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES."- PLAIN TRUTH, January 1955, "Weather changes Threaten Disaster for USA" by H. L. Hoeh
FALSE!
"Germany's coming Fuhrer-who will lead within probably 13 years from now a 10-nation union in Europe (Revelation 17: 12-13)-is 'the king of the north'! He will 'stretch forth his hand upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape' (Daniel 11:42)...There is going to be a failing out between Nasser and his German supporters. Nasser's Nazi advisers are yet to turn upon him. GERMANY WILL TAKE OVER THE SUEZ FROM EGYPT. Germany will take over Syria's pipelines, now under Nasser's control." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1958.
FALSE!
One would think that after such a series of gigantic prophetic failures, ones after another, during a span of over 40 years that Herbert Armstrong would throw in the towel and give up trying to foretell the future giving precise dates for prophetic fulfillment---or at least buy a new Steuben "crystal ball." Instead of that, he and his "prophets" continued doing the same thing he did in the late 1940s and early 1950s----that is, moving his erroneous predictions forward two or more decades into the future and claiming with all certainty they will occur at that time:
"During this generation---within 60 to 90 years or less from 1927---Christ will come again ...." Co-worker letter, Jan. 20, 1977, p. 4.
TOTALLY FALSE!
"Somewhere along about seven to ten years from now the REVOLUTION IN THE WEATHER will become a national and international calamity. Drought, epidemics of disease, will reap a mounting harvest of death across North America-and in Britain. Economic depression will strike." - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1963, page 21, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Our strength further sapped: 1963 shall increase drought and upheavals in the prophesied revolution in the WEATHER pattern. We may have an occasional good year in the weather, but the trend in general will continue until-probably by 1971-1972-it will become an acute disaster, especially to the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia." - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1964, page 4. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Frankly, literally dozens of prophesied events indicate that this final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe-and its bestial PERSECUTION of multitudes of Bible-believing Christians will take place within the next seven to ten years of YOUR LIFE!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1965, page 48. R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"The unification of Germany? Perhaps it will take place sooner than we expect! The unification of ten nations in Europe is certain to be brought about within a very few years." - PLAIN TRUTH, September 1964, page 20, Ron Kelly
FALSE!
"It is the most interesting date because Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U. S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast Power' could easily be launched perhaps as early as the Spring of 1972---or earlier if this final work of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is cut short." - PLAIN TRUTH, May 1965, page 44, R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"That is NOT a message to ancient Israel-but to OUR NATIONS of TODAY. The 'Day of the Eternal'-a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies-is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1967, page 47, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Although we do not set exact dates, every indication from the time table of prophecy is that this will take place within the next five to seven years or less!...This revival of Germany's dominant interest and influence in the Middle East, the building of a literal Temple, the eventual takeover of Israel and Egypt by a revived Roman Empire of European nations culminating in a great religious leader making his Headquarters right in that Temple in Jerusalem. This is a definite 'SIGN' to the true believers of God heralding the END of this age!" - PLAIN TRUTH, March 1968, page 41. R. C. Meredith
FALSE! FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"The 6000 years are about up. We may have another three, five, or ten years to go." - PLAIN TRUTH, November 1968, page 39, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"There will very soon be a Temple in Jerusalem, with daily sacrifices once again being offered.... Jerusalem will be surrounded and captured (Zechariah 14: 1-2) by the Fascist-Nazi armies of the European Empire, already starting to rise now out of the Common Market. They will invade Jerusalem, and take charge of the temple." - PLAIN TRUTH, June 1967, page 2. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"But your Bible reveals Britain will not be one of the ultimate ten nations that will unite to resurrect the final restoration of this prophesied Roman Empire." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1967, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Will Britain ever be admitted into the Common Market? Probably not!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1970, page 27, Raymond McNair
FALSE!
"We do not set dates!...Yet in our human zeal and enthusiasm for getting this greatest mission on earth done, we have a few times come close to it or appeared to-and that we deeply regret...if we...appear to set a date, I FEEL I DO NOT NEED TO APOLOGIZE!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"If we KNEW of any error still remaining now, we would CHANGE it! If and when we find one in the future, we shall correct it!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD. February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Right now, just prior by probably not more than five to seven years to the coming terrible DAY OF THE LORD, the Living Christ has moved swiftly to OPEN THE ALL-IMPORTANT DOOR THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE THE DAY OF THE ORIGINAL APOSTLES. After TURNING HIS BACK on Jerusalem ever since 69 A.D....after turning Jerusalem, because of the rebellious transgressions of his people Israel, over to be 'trodden down of the Gentiles', since 69 A. D., ALMIGHTY GOD HAS OPENED TO THE WORLD TOMORROW, EXCLUSIVELY, THE GIGANTIC DOOR OF THE SUPER-POWER RADIO FROM JERUSALEM...further we have signed with the Hashemite Government of Jordan a FIVE-YEAR BINDING CONTRACT, with option to RENEW another five years!...and when the time came, to WHOM did God open up these precious radio facilities? Not to the Roman Catholics-though they have shrines and buildings there! Nor the Protestants! Nor the Coptics, nor the other professing 'Christian' sects. No, He has opened it EXCLUSIVELY, by binding contract with the government of Jordan, to HIS WORK, to which He has called YOU as a Co-Worker! This PROVES which voice on earth today is GOD'S OWN VOICE, through human servants He has called! If you ever had any doubts whatever about where the real WORK OF GOD is, you can be SURE now!"- CO-WORKER LETTER, April 17, 1967, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Jerusalem Radio, over which I have a contract with the Jordanian government, was not destroyed.... If indeed the Living Christ wants His message to go, NOW, from Jerusalem, as certain prophecies surely seem to indicate, then NO MAN CAN PREVENT IT! He will give us favor in the eyes of whoever controls that powerful station. If God does not so will, then we surely don't want to broadcast over it." - TOMORROW'S WORLD, June 1967, page 5, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
Editor's Note: Isn't it strange that the Living Christ would lead His prophet to sign a binding five-year contract with the Jordanian government to send His message out from Jerusalem, Jordan, when two days after the first broadcast was to go out (Wednesday, June 7, 1967) there would be no Jerusalem, Jordan? The Six-Day War of June 1967 nullified all the positive declarations he made about Christ being behind this contract with Jordan.
"And the greater pity is that the very ones most deceived are the ones who RESENT having the Scriptures opened to CORRECT them, to REPROVE, and to set them right!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
!!!
"The flu epidemic at the time of World War I was "the worst pestilence in history"; 10 million died in Russia recently in "the most colossal famine the world ever saw.
All these (Mat. 24:8) are the beginning of sorrows" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 4.
FALSE!
"We have been in the Tribulation since 1929 in the United States and since 1928 in Europe" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 4.
UTTERLY FALSE!
"The present time of trouble will continue until the year 1936. And at, or quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling - and... the sign of the coming of the Son of man in heaven" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 5.
FALSE!
"As of the present I, and a majority of our historians in Ambassador College, and researchers in the School of Theology, feel that it is utterly unsafe to try to set dates in regard to prophesied events." - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
!!!!
"This year, 1935, is destined to witness an event foretold in the Bible 2,400 years ago: "the great drought." The year 1935 is destined to see the final fulfillment of "God's great army of a nation of bugs" prophesied in Joel 1:4,6-7. The "time of God's wrath-the last plagues-is at hand" - PLAIN TRUTH, March 1935, pp. 1-2
FALSE!
"The present time of trouble and distress will continue until the Resurrection" (March 1935, p. 7). Mussolini is the "beast" - PLAIN TRUTH, Feb. 1938, p. 3).
FALSE!
"Zechariah 8:10 foretold a time when there would be "no hire for man or beast." This description of the great Depression was prophesied to occur just before Jesus' second coming. "Never before has there been unemployment to match that since 1929" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 3). [HWA was basing these conclusions on the premise that 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Tribulation.]
FALSE!
"More millionaires committed suicide between 1929 and 1934 than in all previous years combined!" This was prophesied in James 5:1-8" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 6).
!!!
"Soon France will be induced to bury the hatchet with Germany and join a new kind of alliance purporting to guarantee permanent peace in Europe" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 6). [In this March 1938 PT article HWA prophesied that Germany and France were on the verge of forming a new alliance; yet by June 1940 France had been buried by a German blitzkrieg, much to HWA's consternation - Editor.]
FALSE!
"Bible prophecy shows that the Catholic Church, through its pope, "must officially rule over this coming Empire," but Mussolini and the 10 dictators shall eventually destroy the church" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938. p. 8
FALSE!
"Mussolini's soon-appearing reborn Roman Empire is the 'beast' power, and Mussolini undoubtedly is the 'beast'!!" Revelation 17 shows the Beast will be associated with a great fallen church called a "whore" - the Catholic church" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 3
FALSE!
"Many have thought Hitler is proving to be the number one man in Europe," but Mussolini will finally emerge "as number one man over all!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 4
FALSE! FALSE!
"Mussolini will capture Egypt, conquer one half of Jerusalem, and fight Christ at his second coming" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 4
FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"It appears certain, from these prophecies, that Benito Mussolini is the...'BEAST' of Rev. 19:19-20..." - PLAIN TRUTH, Feb. 1939, p. 1
FALSE!
"Britain shall be invaded and conquered. Turkey will cause British defeat. But God will rescue and restore the British and cause Turkey utterly to be wiped out" - PLAIN TRUTH, Nov. - Dec. 1940, pp. 2, 7
FALSE!
"Bible prophecy does indicate that Hitler must be a victor in his present Russian invasion!" Then Hitler will be "free to turn the entire might of his forces against Britain - and America!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Sept.- Oct. 1941, p. 7
FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"Unless America quickly wakes up, repents, turns to God... the punishment we are already suffering... shall continue until there is invasion, defeat - and utter slavery!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar.- Apr. 1942, p. 11
!!!!
Are these MEN the "prophets of God"
that have "all the truth"?
Are these men and their followers the ones who want to judge
you without any mercy?
(If so, may Yahweh have mercy on them!)
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of Yahweh,
if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,
that is the thing which Yahweh hath not spoken,
but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:22)
"The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name.
I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them;
they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility
and the deception of their own minds." (Jeremiyahj 14:14)
Perhaps not to "God" but to Yahweh surely is, prophesying falsely is not a light matter. The Bible carries dozens of warnings from Yahweh for believers to watch out for false prophets who "through covetousness" with "feigned words" shall "make merchandise" of them" (II Peter 2:3). (Another translation renders it: "In their greed they will exploit you with false words.")
How could one recognize a false prophet? "You will know them by their fruits," Yahushua answers (Matt. 7:16, RSV). Continuing the analogy Yahushua explains, "A good tree is incapable of producing bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit" (Phillips translation). What do you think Christ would say about the WCG's false prophecies in view of Matthew 7? To those "splinter-group" ministers who remain unrepentant He will declare: "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7: 23).
Looking at the "Fruits." The leading WCG ministers attempt to rationalize their UTTERLY FAILED prophecies with half-thought-out quips like "a few wrong predictions never hurt anybody" or "we were just trying to fulfill our commission in Matthew 24:14 to preach a witness to the world." (Evidently many have never realized Matthew 24:14 is a prophecy, not a commission to the church.) Speaking in a ministerial conference in January 1974, Garner Ted Armstrong was also at first reluctant to admit that the church's false predictions had caused serious problems for anybody:
"[We prophesied in] fifteen years the U.S.A. will no longer be a nation, and 15 years has come and gone. Was that a mistake or not ? Yes! But why get violently emotional about it? We were utterly sincere at the time it was said! We all believed it, and furthermore that kind of copy never caused anybody to lose out on salvation, or drop out of church, or make a wrong move in their personal lives, or to throw the word of God to the ground...!"
Only a few moments later Ted all but contradicted himself by offering justifiable reasons for a person to "get violently emotional" about a prophecy that failed. He began to name a few of the "wrong moves" that had been made in personal lives:
"But '72 was the date that, you know, everything hinged on that. Nobody saved any money, nobody bought any property, nobody thought about laying up for his children's children.... We [thought we] were all going to flee or be taken away to a place of safety and everything would be left behind so [we thought]: "Why put any roots down"?"
So even Ted begrudgingly admitted false prophecies do cause harm in people's lives. (Besides, Yahweh says so in Scripture!) Some WCG members, believing the "end of the world" was coming between 1972 and 1975----as the church had prophesied so often-postponed badly needed dental work. Others decided not to buy homes, while still others sold theirs and gave a portion of the cash they received to the church. Some young people decided not to go to college but took jobs instead to earn money for the church, hoping to thereby help Herbert fulfill the prophecy found in Matthew 24:14. Many gave their savings to the church and even borrowed money in response to Herbert's pleas to help his church avert another financial crisis-especially after being told Christ was coming soon and their money would be worthless then. A short time later, some of those people were left almost penniless for having believed their "prophets," but the church says to them, "I never knew you"!
I dont think anyone wants their "blood" for having falsely prophesied anything, even though Yahweh calls for their inmediate death in Scripture. But in these days of mercy and grace these ministers and their followers and successors should be thinking more about showing some good repentance and undoing all the harm and evil they have caused to so many of Yahushua's sheep, so that they can have some mercy and compassion to bank on when its their turn at judgement. Instead of continuing to ignore, persecute and make it hard for those long-suffering sheep!
Yahushua taught that a true pastor goes after the sheep, escpecially if it he has been negligent, accomplice or directly caused that sheep to swerve from what that pastor calls TRUTH. In such cases it is never the duty of the sheep to go after the pastor. Pastors will have to give account for every sheep they dont tend to and cause to be lost. And if pastors and prophets---whoever they might happen to be--because Yahweh does not make distinction of persons---should show repentance from that evil they, their peers and their teachers, caused.
REPENT FROM HAVING CAUSED SUCH DIVISION, GRIEF AND PERSECUTION OF SO MANY OF YAHWEH'S AND YAHWSHUA'S CALLED-OUT SHEEP!
To Yahweh, if something is not true, then its a LIE. There is no other way of calling it!
In Yahushua's love and mercy,
Rafael
As you read through all these blatant lies you are about to see, you might really want to ask yourself: are these men and their followers, the "leaders" who want to judge you without any mercy and compassion today? Are these people the ones who dare imply you have not even been "called by Yahweh" simply because you dont "belong" to them? Are they the ones that claim that everyone outside of their "church" is outside of the "body," and refuse to assist them as is their duty---being that Scripture teaches that their failed predicitions provoke the scattering of the sheep of Yahushua into many different groups and sects..?
Did Yahushua and His apostles or disciples set such specific dates for prophecy as some of these men did? Hardly so.
Why? Mainly because Yahweh wants faithful and trustworthy servants guiding His people, that the sheep can trust in. TRUST is very important, because there are many false teachers one cannot trust in being spoken of in the Scriptures, and they should act diffrerently from one another. (At least the faithful should). They are the leaders, (or at least that is what they market themselves as to Yahweh's called-out), and the sheep are their followers, not vice-versa. The leaders should set the example, not the other way around.
As an introduction to this shameful and horrendous list of falsely dated prophecies, Roderick Meredith stated the following about "God's true prophets" being themselves:
"Where are God's true prophets today? ... This work has been warning America of definite and tremendous events to come for many years!""...on THE WORLD TOMORROW broadcast and in this magazine we have dared to unlock the Bible prophecies and apply them to specific nations and events that are now being affected. Do you grasp the significance of this'?"- PLAIN TRUTH, August 1957, pages 3, 6, R. C. Meredith
!!!!
"Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972---or earlier ...." -- The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, May 1965, p. 45.
It did not happen. It turned out FALSE!
"The 'Day of the Eternal'---a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies---is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!... I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, on authority of the living Christ!" --- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1967, p. 47.
Again, it did not happen on those dates. In fact, it has not yet even happened more than 45 years later! Again, this was not Yahweh speaking, for those words turned out FALSE!
But this shameful and arrogant style of predicting the future started way back in the 1950s (and even before then) when Roderick Meredith, Herman Hoeh, Garner Ted Armstrong and others began to assist Herbert Armstrong in proclaiming his prophetic witness to the world. Nobody can deny that there is a certain degree of pride and evil when speaking falsely in Yahweh's or God's name. A few times in Deuteronomy Yahweh says such people speak presumptuously. Believing the Great Tribulation would start in 1972---instead of around 1936 as Herbert had previously prophesied ---they busied themselves with the task of writing new and terrifying doomsday prophecies based on Herbert's somewhat shaky understanding of Bible prophecy in those days. Here are a few of those failed prophecies:
"God Almighty has spoken through His servants the prophets that He will punish our people for their sins. He will let our own lust cause such droughts, floods, pestilences and famines that we will be totally consumed and carried away captive to other nations as slaves within twenty years." - The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, Oct. 1955, p. 16.)
FALSE!
"Plagues are coming-and, according to this prophetic warning, in about two years from now! Our cattle have already suffered from the drought. Soon we shall find that the hoof-and-mouth disease will spread out of control! Rabid foxes, squirrels, muskrats will attack our children. For seven long and frightful years, we are going to suffer as never before-until we be left 'few in number.'..."This seven years of national trouble takes us---if the dates which appear so definitely indicated by these prophecies are correct---from 1965 to 1972!" -- The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, April 1956, p. 22.
FALSE!
"Two years ago, Mr. Herman Hoeh showed in this magazine how God's word prophesied disease epidemics would strike the United States in two short years! (REFERENCE TO ABOVE) Those epidemics are beginning now! And they will grow much worse! God prophesies that finally, within the next fifteen years, fully one third of our whole population will die of disease and famine!" -- The Plain Truth, Garner Ted Armstrong, Dec. 1957, p. 23.
FALSE!
"The popular, denominationally supported evangelists often make statements like this: 'I believe that God may use Russia to punish America for her sins.' Or, 'It now seems likely that World War III may come within five years.'... They use the words 'may,' 'could,' or 'might.'... The truth of the matter is that they dare not be specific about the future because they just do not know what the Bible says is going to happen! But on 'The World Tomorrow' broadcast and in this magazine we have dared to unlock the Bible prophecies and apply them to specific nations and events that are now being affected.
"There is no other church or work on the face of this earth that either understands or dares to proclaim these vital warnings!... This is the very Work of God!... You are now being warned!" - The Plain Truth, Roderick Meredith, Aug. 1957, p. 6.
Yes, WCG "the Church of God"... but there is a certain thing in Scripture called prophesying falsely, and confusing people and scattering some of them...as we shall see that later happened due to this unrepentant error. "Unrepentant," because this trend continued and got even worse, AS WE SHALL SEE BELOW.
These words uttered by Rod Meredith constitute quite a claim...QUITE A CLAIM...and, in the interest of truth, bears further investigation. The fairest way to find the answers to these questions is to examine some of their most significant predictions over the last 40 years. First, let's look at some of Herbert's earliest predictions (the distinctive "Plain Truth" excessive capitalization and italicization of words have been deleted in all quotes in this article to facilitate typesetting and readability):
"Germany's coming Führer---who will lead within probably 13 years from now a 10-nation union in Europe (Rev. 17:12-13)---is 'the king of the north.' He will 'stretch forth his hand upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape' (Dan. 11:42). There is going to be a falling out between Nasser and his German supporters. Nasser's Nazi advisers are yet to turn upon him. Germany will take over the Suez from Egypt. Germany will take over Syria's oil pipelines, now under Nasser's control." (The Plain Truth, Herman Hoeh, Oct. 1958, p. 4.)
None of this ever happened. It's totally
FALSE!
In 1959, Rod Meredith----despite so MANY previous predictions made during the previous decade turning out totally FALSE--- once again humbly assured Plain Truth readers that his church alone was accurately predicting the future:
"We have been daring, as no other church on earth, to proclaim definite, specific prophetic events to occur---and they have been happening!... For the specific prophesied events which this Church alone proclaims will soon be demonstrated as a physical reality! There will be no reasoning or argument about this. You will see and feel these things happen!" -- The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, June 1959, p. 32.
FALSE!
As the years ticked by, Herbert and his followers sensed Christ's return was nigh, and they redoubled their efforts to shout their prophetic message to the whole world with more power and conviction than ever:
"In Joel 1, in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 and John 13--in Revelation 6, and in other prophecies, a revolution in the weather-leading to unprecedented famine by around 1970-72 is prophesied. In its wake is prophesied frightful disease epidemics! A third of the people of the U.S. and British Commonwealth nations will die of this scourge." - The Plain Truth. Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1962, pp. 5, 7.
FALSE! TOTALLY FALSE!
"The unification of Germany? Perhaps it will take place sooner than we expect! The unification of ten nations in Europe is certain to be brought about within a very few years." -- The Plain Truth, Ron Kelly, Sept. 1964, p. 20.
FALSE!
"Frankly, literally dozens of prophesied events indicate that this final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe---and its bestial persecution of multitudes of Bible-believing Christians---will take place within the next seven to ten years of your life!" - The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, Feb. 1965, p. 48.
FALSE!
That false prophecy was published in February 1965. Again, in a 1966 article in the Plain Truth, Meredith again noted a spectacular Bible event which was to happen in 1972. I quote the article:
"What was 'The meaning of Hitler's fake suicide?' 'It's meaning could SHOCK an awed and astonished world within the next five to seven years! Its meaning could precipitate the END of this present age and the second coming of Jesus Christ! . . . It is a most interesting date because Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972 -- or earlier if this final work of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is cut short" --- May 1965, p.45
In his first newsletter to the Global Church of God readership, Roderick Meredith maintained his interest in Bible prophecy, challenging others by saying: "God insists that His servants the prophets will understand and fearlessly teach what the future holds. If teachers cannot see the revealed future, then are they true servants of God?" (Global Church News, vol.1, no.1, p.5, quoted in Watchman Expositor, p.22).
Judging by Meredith's own words and his failed timings, then, one must ask: Is he a true servant of God? His own predictions, in his 1965 article, were as wrong as can be. His prediction of World War III starting by the spring of 1972, of course, fell flat as a pancake! Read again his dates:
"Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U.S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast' power could easily be launched perhaps as early as the spring of 1972----or earlier ...." - The Plain Truth, Rod Meredith, May 1965, p. 45.
FALSE!
In all honesty, this is not Yahweh speaking through one of his servant because Yahweh does not make such mistakes. In fact, He doesnt make ANY mistakes!
"The 'Day of the Eternal'---a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies----is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!... I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, on authority of the living Christ!" The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Feb. 1967, p. 47.
FALSE!
"As nearly as we can calculate from the dates of ancient history, the year 1936 will see the END of the Times of the Gentiles.... We may expect the present worldwide depression, time of trouble and fear of war to CONTINUE until the year 1936! ...quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling ... which shall be followed by the 'Day of the Lord'"- PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, page 5, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Mussolini and the Pope will hatch up an idea between them of setting up a world headquarters at JERUSALEM-and so Mussolini's armies will enter into Palestine (Daniel 11:41), and eventually will capture just half of the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2)."- PLAIN TRUTH, March 1938, page 8, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"MUSSOLINI WILL FIGHT CHRIST!" - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1939, Page 4, H. W. Armstrong
UTTERLY FALSE!
"But HITLER (or his successor if there is one), and the False Prophet shall fight against Christ!" -- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, March-April 1943, p. 6.
FALSE! FALSE! FALSE!
"Once World War is resumed, it must continue on through the Great Tribulation, the heavenly signs, the plagues of the Day of the Lord, and to the Second Coming of Christ, at the last battle, at ARMAGEDDON!...But this you MAY KNOW! This war will be ended by CHRIST'S RETURN! And war MAY start within six weeks! We are just THAT NEAR Christ's coming!" --- PLAIN TRUTH, August 1939, page 6, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE! FALSE! FALSE!
"The Italians will capture both Palestine and Egypt." - PLAIN TRUTH, August-September 1940. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Turkey will cause British defeat. But God will rescue and restore the British and cause Turkey utterly to be wiped out." - PLAIN TRUTH, May-June 1941, page 6, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"PLAIN TRUTH readers know world events, before they occur!...Bible prophecy does indicate that Hitler MUST BE THE VICTOR, in his present Russian invasion! ...Hitler will emerge from his Russian campaign stronger than ever, free to turn the entire might of his forces against Britain-and AMERICA!" - PLAIN TRUTH, September- October 1941, page 7, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
" God has decreed that Joseph---Great Britain and the United States---are to utterly consume and annihilate the Turks from off the earth!" -- The Plain Truth, Herbert Armstrong, Nov.-Dec. 1940, p. 7.
FALSE!
"Yes, it seems that God is allowing us another 19-year cycle to COMPLETE THE CARRYING OUT OF HIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM TO THIS SICK AND DYING WORLD.... There is a tremendous job to be done in the very short period that lies ahead of us." - PLAIN TRUTH, June 1953, "Man's Greatest Battle" by R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"The idea of men climbing around on the outside of their space ships clad in pressurized suits is fantastic in the light of these facts.... Man will not be allowed or permitted to utilize the moon in suicidal warfare! Neither will God allow the moon to become the possession of any nation now struggling for world domination." - PLAIN TRUTH, May 1954, page 8, Kenneth Hermann
FALSE!
"God prophesies that finally, within the next fifteen years, fully ONE THIRD of our whole population will die of disease and famine." - PLAIN TRUTH, December 1957, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"God Almighty has spoken through His servants the prophets that He will punish our people for their sins. He will let our own lust cause such droughts, floods, pestilences and famines that we will be totally consumed and carried away captive to other nations as SLAVES WITHIN TWENTY YEARS." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1955, page 15, H. L. Hoeh
FALSE!
"...it is the coming dry cycle in the early 1970s that ... ought to frighten us all! By THAT TIME, rural, city and industrial demands WILL HAVE DEPLETED OUR REMAINING UNDERGROUND WATER RESOURCES."- PLAIN TRUTH, January 1955, "Weather changes Threaten Disaster for USA" by H. L. Hoeh
FALSE!
"Germany's coming Fuhrer-who will lead within probably 13 years from now a 10-nation union in Europe (Revelation 17: 12-13)-is 'the king of the north'! He will 'stretch forth his hand upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape' (Daniel 11:42)...There is going to be a failing out between Nasser and his German supporters. Nasser's Nazi advisers are yet to turn upon him. GERMANY WILL TAKE OVER THE SUEZ FROM EGYPT. Germany will take over Syria's pipelines, now under Nasser's control." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1958.
FALSE!
One would think that after such a series of gigantic prophetic failures, ones after another, during a span of over 40 years that Herbert Armstrong would throw in the towel and give up trying to foretell the future giving precise dates for prophetic fulfillment---or at least buy a new Steuben "crystal ball." Instead of that, he and his "prophets" continued doing the same thing he did in the late 1940s and early 1950s----that is, moving his erroneous predictions forward two or more decades into the future and claiming with all certainty they will occur at that time:
"During this generation---within 60 to 90 years or less from 1927---Christ will come again ...." Co-worker letter, Jan. 20, 1977, p. 4.
TOTALLY FALSE!
"Somewhere along about seven to ten years from now the REVOLUTION IN THE WEATHER will become a national and international calamity. Drought, epidemics of disease, will reap a mounting harvest of death across North America-and in Britain. Economic depression will strike." - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1963, page 21, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Our strength further sapped: 1963 shall increase drought and upheavals in the prophesied revolution in the WEATHER pattern. We may have an occasional good year in the weather, but the trend in general will continue until-probably by 1971-1972-it will become an acute disaster, especially to the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia." - PLAIN TRUTH, January 1964, page 4. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Frankly, literally dozens of prophesied events indicate that this final revival of the Roman Empire in Europe-and its bestial PERSECUTION of multitudes of Bible-believing Christians will take place within the next seven to ten years of YOUR LIFE!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1965, page 48. R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"The unification of Germany? Perhaps it will take place sooner than we expect! The unification of ten nations in Europe is certain to be brought about within a very few years." - PLAIN TRUTH, September 1964, page 20, Ron Kelly
FALSE!
"It is the most interesting date because Bible prophecy indicates that the final attack on the U. S. and Britain by this coming 'Beast Power' could easily be launched perhaps as early as the Spring of 1972---or earlier if this final work of preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is cut short." - PLAIN TRUTH, May 1965, page 44, R. C. Meredith
FALSE!
"That is NOT a message to ancient Israel-but to OUR NATIONS of TODAY. The 'Day of the Eternal'-a time foretold in more than thirty prophecies-is going to strike between 5 and 10 years from now!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1967, page 47, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Although we do not set exact dates, every indication from the time table of prophecy is that this will take place within the next five to seven years or less!...This revival of Germany's dominant interest and influence in the Middle East, the building of a literal Temple, the eventual takeover of Israel and Egypt by a revived Roman Empire of European nations culminating in a great religious leader making his Headquarters right in that Temple in Jerusalem. This is a definite 'SIGN' to the true believers of God heralding the END of this age!" - PLAIN TRUTH, March 1968, page 41. R. C. Meredith
FALSE! FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"The 6000 years are about up. We may have another three, five, or ten years to go." - PLAIN TRUTH, November 1968, page 39, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"There will very soon be a Temple in Jerusalem, with daily sacrifices once again being offered.... Jerusalem will be surrounded and captured (Zechariah 14: 1-2) by the Fascist-Nazi armies of the European Empire, already starting to rise now out of the Common Market. They will invade Jerusalem, and take charge of the temple." - PLAIN TRUTH, June 1967, page 2. H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"But your Bible reveals Britain will not be one of the ultimate ten nations that will unite to resurrect the final restoration of this prophesied Roman Empire." - PLAIN TRUTH, October 1967, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Will Britain ever be admitted into the Common Market? Probably not!" - PLAIN TRUTH, February 1970, page 27, Raymond McNair
FALSE!
"We do not set dates!...Yet in our human zeal and enthusiasm for getting this greatest mission on earth done, we have a few times come close to it or appeared to-and that we deeply regret...if we...appear to set a date, I FEEL I DO NOT NEED TO APOLOGIZE!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"If we KNEW of any error still remaining now, we would CHANGE it! If and when we find one in the future, we shall correct it!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD. February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Right now, just prior by probably not more than five to seven years to the coming terrible DAY OF THE LORD, the Living Christ has moved swiftly to OPEN THE ALL-IMPORTANT DOOR THAT HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE THE DAY OF THE ORIGINAL APOSTLES. After TURNING HIS BACK on Jerusalem ever since 69 A.D....after turning Jerusalem, because of the rebellious transgressions of his people Israel, over to be 'trodden down of the Gentiles', since 69 A. D., ALMIGHTY GOD HAS OPENED TO THE WORLD TOMORROW, EXCLUSIVELY, THE GIGANTIC DOOR OF THE SUPER-POWER RADIO FROM JERUSALEM...further we have signed with the Hashemite Government of Jordan a FIVE-YEAR BINDING CONTRACT, with option to RENEW another five years!...and when the time came, to WHOM did God open up these precious radio facilities? Not to the Roman Catholics-though they have shrines and buildings there! Nor the Protestants! Nor the Coptics, nor the other professing 'Christian' sects. No, He has opened it EXCLUSIVELY, by binding contract with the government of Jordan, to HIS WORK, to which He has called YOU as a Co-Worker! This PROVES which voice on earth today is GOD'S OWN VOICE, through human servants He has called! If you ever had any doubts whatever about where the real WORK OF GOD is, you can be SURE now!"- CO-WORKER LETTER, April 17, 1967, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
"Jerusalem Radio, over which I have a contract with the Jordanian government, was not destroyed.... If indeed the Living Christ wants His message to go, NOW, from Jerusalem, as certain prophecies surely seem to indicate, then NO MAN CAN PREVENT IT! He will give us favor in the eyes of whoever controls that powerful station. If God does not so will, then we surely don't want to broadcast over it." - TOMORROW'S WORLD, June 1967, page 5, H. W. Armstrong
FALSE!
Editor's Note: Isn't it strange that the Living Christ would lead His prophet to sign a binding five-year contract with the Jordanian government to send His message out from Jerusalem, Jordan, when two days after the first broadcast was to go out (Wednesday, June 7, 1967) there would be no Jerusalem, Jordan? The Six-Day War of June 1967 nullified all the positive declarations he made about Christ being behind this contract with Jordan.
"And the greater pity is that the very ones most deceived are the ones who RESENT having the Scriptures opened to CORRECT them, to REPROVE, and to set them right!" - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
!!!
"The flu epidemic at the time of World War I was "the worst pestilence in history"; 10 million died in Russia recently in "the most colossal famine the world ever saw.
All these (Mat. 24:8) are the beginning of sorrows" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 4.
FALSE!
"We have been in the Tribulation since 1929 in the United States and since 1928 in Europe" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 4.
UTTERLY FALSE!
"The present time of trouble will continue until the year 1936. And at, or quickly after that time, we may expect to see the heavenly signs of the sun and moon becoming dark, the stars falling - and... the sign of the coming of the Son of man in heaven" - PLAIN TRUTH, June-July 1934, p. 5.
FALSE!
"As of the present I, and a majority of our historians in Ambassador College, and researchers in the School of Theology, feel that it is utterly unsafe to try to set dates in regard to prophesied events." - TOMORROW'S WORLD, February 1972, H. W. Armstrong
!!!!
"This year, 1935, is destined to witness an event foretold in the Bible 2,400 years ago: "the great drought." The year 1935 is destined to see the final fulfillment of "God's great army of a nation of bugs" prophesied in Joel 1:4,6-7. The "time of God's wrath-the last plagues-is at hand" - PLAIN TRUTH, March 1935, pp. 1-2
FALSE!
"The present time of trouble and distress will continue until the Resurrection" (March 1935, p. 7). Mussolini is the "beast" - PLAIN TRUTH, Feb. 1938, p. 3).
FALSE!
"Zechariah 8:10 foretold a time when there would be "no hire for man or beast." This description of the great Depression was prophesied to occur just before Jesus' second coming. "Never before has there been unemployment to match that since 1929" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 3). [HWA was basing these conclusions on the premise that 1929 marked the beginning of the Great Tribulation.]
FALSE!
"More millionaires committed suicide between 1929 and 1934 than in all previous years combined!" This was prophesied in James 5:1-8" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 6).
!!!
"Soon France will be induced to bury the hatchet with Germany and join a new kind of alliance purporting to guarantee permanent peace in Europe" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938, p. 6). [In this March 1938 PT article HWA prophesied that Germany and France were on the verge of forming a new alliance; yet by June 1940 France had been buried by a German blitzkrieg, much to HWA's consternation - Editor.]
FALSE!
"Bible prophecy shows that the Catholic Church, through its pope, "must officially rule over this coming Empire," but Mussolini and the 10 dictators shall eventually destroy the church" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar. 1938. p. 8
FALSE!
"Mussolini's soon-appearing reborn Roman Empire is the 'beast' power, and Mussolini undoubtedly is the 'beast'!!" Revelation 17 shows the Beast will be associated with a great fallen church called a "whore" - the Catholic church" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 3
FALSE!
"Many have thought Hitler is proving to be the number one man in Europe," but Mussolini will finally emerge "as number one man over all!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 4
FALSE! FALSE!
"Mussolini will capture Egypt, conquer one half of Jerusalem, and fight Christ at his second coming" - PLAIN TRUTH, Jan. 1939, p. 4
FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"It appears certain, from these prophecies, that Benito Mussolini is the...'BEAST' of Rev. 19:19-20..." - PLAIN TRUTH, Feb. 1939, p. 1
FALSE!
"Britain shall be invaded and conquered. Turkey will cause British defeat. But God will rescue and restore the British and cause Turkey utterly to be wiped out" - PLAIN TRUTH, Nov. - Dec. 1940, pp. 2, 7
FALSE!
"Bible prophecy does indicate that Hitler must be a victor in his present Russian invasion!" Then Hitler will be "free to turn the entire might of his forces against Britain - and America!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Sept.- Oct. 1941, p. 7
FALSE! UTTERLY FALSE!
"Unless America quickly wakes up, repents, turns to God... the punishment we are already suffering... shall continue until there is invasion, defeat - and utter slavery!" - PLAIN TRUTH, Mar.- Apr. 1942, p. 11
!!!!
Are these MEN the "prophets of God"
that have "all the truth"?
Are these men and their followers the ones who want to judge
you without any mercy?
(If so, may Yahweh have mercy on them!)
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of Yahweh,
if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,
that is the thing which Yahweh hath not spoken,
but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:22)
"The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name.
I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them;
they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility
and the deception of their own minds." (Jeremiyahj 14:14)
Perhaps not to "God" but to Yahweh surely is, prophesying falsely is not a light matter. The Bible carries dozens of warnings from Yahweh for believers to watch out for false prophets who "through covetousness" with "feigned words" shall "make merchandise" of them" (II Peter 2:3). (Another translation renders it: "In their greed they will exploit you with false words.")
How could one recognize a false prophet? "You will know them by their fruits," Yahushua answers (Matt. 7:16, RSV). Continuing the analogy Yahushua explains, "A good tree is incapable of producing bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit" (Phillips translation). What do you think Christ would say about the WCG's false prophecies in view of Matthew 7? To those "splinter-group" ministers who remain unrepentant He will declare: "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7: 23).
Looking at the "Fruits." The leading WCG ministers attempt to rationalize their UTTERLY FAILED prophecies with half-thought-out quips like "a few wrong predictions never hurt anybody" or "we were just trying to fulfill our commission in Matthew 24:14 to preach a witness to the world." (Evidently many have never realized Matthew 24:14 is a prophecy, not a commission to the church.) Speaking in a ministerial conference in January 1974, Garner Ted Armstrong was also at first reluctant to admit that the church's false predictions had caused serious problems for anybody:
"[We prophesied in] fifteen years the U.S.A. will no longer be a nation, and 15 years has come and gone. Was that a mistake or not ? Yes! But why get violently emotional about it? We were utterly sincere at the time it was said! We all believed it, and furthermore that kind of copy never caused anybody to lose out on salvation, or drop out of church, or make a wrong move in their personal lives, or to throw the word of God to the ground...!"
Only a few moments later Ted all but contradicted himself by offering justifiable reasons for a person to "get violently emotional" about a prophecy that failed. He began to name a few of the "wrong moves" that had been made in personal lives:
"But '72 was the date that, you know, everything hinged on that. Nobody saved any money, nobody bought any property, nobody thought about laying up for his children's children.... We [thought we] were all going to flee or be taken away to a place of safety and everything would be left behind so [we thought]: "Why put any roots down"?"
So even Ted begrudgingly admitted false prophecies do cause harm in people's lives. (Besides, Yahweh says so in Scripture!) Some WCG members, believing the "end of the world" was coming between 1972 and 1975----as the church had prophesied so often-postponed badly needed dental work. Others decided not to buy homes, while still others sold theirs and gave a portion of the cash they received to the church. Some young people decided not to go to college but took jobs instead to earn money for the church, hoping to thereby help Herbert fulfill the prophecy found in Matthew 24:14. Many gave their savings to the church and even borrowed money in response to Herbert's pleas to help his church avert another financial crisis-especially after being told Christ was coming soon and their money would be worthless then. A short time later, some of those people were left almost penniless for having believed their "prophets," but the church says to them, "I never knew you"!
I dont think anyone wants their "blood" for having falsely prophesied anything, even though Yahweh calls for their inmediate death in Scripture. But in these days of mercy and grace these ministers and their followers and successors should be thinking more about showing some good repentance and undoing all the harm and evil they have caused to so many of Yahushua's sheep, so that they can have some mercy and compassion to bank on when its their turn at judgement. Instead of continuing to ignore, persecute and make it hard for those long-suffering sheep!
Yahushua taught that a true pastor goes after the sheep, escpecially if it he has been negligent, accomplice or directly caused that sheep to swerve from what that pastor calls TRUTH. In such cases it is never the duty of the sheep to go after the pastor. Pastors will have to give account for every sheep they dont tend to and cause to be lost. And if pastors and prophets---whoever they might happen to be--because Yahweh does not make distinction of persons---should show repentance from that evil they, their peers and their teachers, caused.
REPENT FROM HAVING CAUSED SUCH DIVISION, GRIEF AND PERSECUTION OF SO MANY OF YAHWEH'S AND YAHWSHUA'S CALLED-OUT SHEEP!
To Yahweh, if something is not true, then its a LIE. There is no other way of calling it!
In Yahushua's love and mercy,
Rafael