“Remember God does things in DUAL stages. As Zerubbabel built the first

temple of MATERIAL stone, wood and other materials, he was a forerunner or

type of one through whom Christ would raise up or build the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE

-- His Church of our time, prior to the Day of the Lord and Christ's Second

Coming. As John the Baptist prepared the way, in the PHYSICAL wilderness of

the Jordan River for the first coming of the HUMAN Jesus (both man and God),

then coming to His MATERIAL temple, and to His PHYSICAL people Judah,

ANNOUNCING the Kingdom of God to be set up more than 1,900 years later, SO God  

would use a human messenger in the SPIRITUAL wilderness of 20th-century

religious confusion, to be a voice CRYING OUT the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF

GOD, about the SPIRITUAL CHRIST, coming in SUPREME POWER AND GLORY to His SPIRITUAL TEMPLE, to actually ESTABLISH that spiritual KINGDOM OF GOD.

      Brethren, HAS THAT BEEN DONE BY THIS CHURCH?

      Did God raise up a one-man LEADERSHIP to be used by Him in building this

spiritual TEMPLE and in proclaiming after 1,900 years the true GOSPEL OF THE

KINGDOM OF GOD in ALL THE WORLD -- to even go to kings and heads of nations

(Rev. 10:11) -- in bringing the Church back to the FAITH ONCE DELIVERED (Jude

3)?

      HAS THIS HAPPENED, IN YOUR DAYS, AND HAS GOD BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT AS A PART OF IT?

      HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE IT?

      Brethren, HOW did the living Christ prepare me from youth to lead you?

      At age 16, on my first job away from my home city, my employer aroused

the spark of ambition within me. At age 18, I began fulfilling the "7 Laws of

Success" -- all but the seventh, which is guidance from God in being led into

the RIGHT goal, and general divine guidance. But I was trained in WRITING both

advertising copy and magazine articles. I was trained in the magazine and

newspaper business. I was led where I would have continual contact

with successful men who had built some of the biggest industries and biggest

banks in the United States or the world. I was trained in speaking to

businessmen.

      At age 34, God had me disturbingly CHALLENGED as I had never been before

about keeping GOD'S SABBATH. I was forced into the most intensive and in-depth

night-and-day study and research of my life. I then believed just the OPPOSITE

of what GOD SAYS in His Word. I was trying to prove I was right -- to HAVE MY

OWN WAY. In that first beginning six months' deep study of the Bible, I

learned I had believed the very opposite of WHAT GOD SAYS.

      In that period God OPENED MY UNDERSTANDING to most of the MAJOR BASICS OF GOD'S TRUTH THAT THE CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS OF THIS WORLD HAD LOST -- indeed, even the flickering remnant of the TRUE Church had lost!

      He opened my mind to HIS LAW. Not only the Ten Commandments and the

Sabbath, but the annual festivals and Holy Days. I learned the truth about

God's GOVERNMENT having been established on earth under the archangel Lucifer,

and the origin of Satan and PURPOSE of God in restoring God's Government over

the earth. I learned Jesus was born to be a KING, which traditional

"Christianity" seems not to know. I learned our identity as being of the

lost tribes of Israel, and the difference between the kingdoms of Judah and

Israel. This gave me the KEY to understanding PROPHECIES! God revealed to me

the symbols and truths of the book of Revelation as revealed through Matthew

24 and Daniel. I learned the Kingdom of God will be ON EARTH.

      NO MAN taught me these truths. As the original apostles were taught by

Jesus IN PERSON, so was I taught by Jesus Christ IN WRITING. It is the SAME

WORD -- the SAME TEACHING.

      I LOST that challenge. I had to GIVE UP MY WAY! I had to give up MYSELF

-- and give myself to Christ, who had bought and paid for me. It took an inner

battle -- a struggle against having my own way. I made, in my mind, heart and

innermost intention, a COMPLETE SURRENDER to God. I told Him if He could use

such a worthless life as mine, He could have it.

      Two can't walk together except they be AGREED! I now AGREED with Christ.

I have NEVER DISAGREED. You yourself -- every begotten child of God -- does,

through human weakness, commit sin even after the most deep conversion. None

has lived perfectly but JESUS. But when I stumbled through human weakness,

Jesus picked me back up on confessing to Him and repenting, and asking help

never to repeat the sin. At no point did I DISAGREE nor water down HIS TRUTH.

      He used me in building the Philadelphia era of HIS CHURCH -- and in

proclaiming His Gospel IN ALL THE WORLD!

      Now He has brought this Great Commission near its FINISH. Neither I nor

you know how much longer will be required completely to finish it!

      But as I said at the beginning, some, even in the public press, are

beginning to ask, WHO is the "heir apparent," as the newspapers put it? WHO

will rule the Church after Mr. Armstrong?

      The answer is, NOBODY!

      I have gone to considerable length in this letter to show you how God

does His Work among humans through one man at a time. He specially prepared me

for the Work He has called me to do. I know of NO ONE ELSE who has been so

prepared.

      My son Garner Ted Armstrong, as I have said, and he has said, has NOT

AGREED with me as I was brought to agree with Christ. Some newspapers have

speculated that Mr. Stanley R. Rader would succeed me as Christ's apostle. But

as he himself has said before our brethren, and in the public press, his

qualifications ARE ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT. He is a man of brilliant mind and

expertise in accounting, finance, law and in many respects in this world's

governments. But he is not qualified to lead God's people SPIRITUALLY, nor to

become the human leader of the Church under Christ, if I have the mind of

Christ (Phil. 2:5) and I think I have.

      Beginning with the massive legal attack on this Church by the State of

California, January 3, 1979, sweeping changes were necessarily made in the

organizational structure of the Church and Work. God providentially had moved

me out of California to Tucson, Arizona, almost a year before. A new

corporation was formed, the Herbert W. Armstrong corporation sole. All tithes

and offerings were directed to Tucson. That, for the present, is continuing.

      But while God has always worked through one man at a time as leader over

His people, He also has given wise instruction, and those He has chosen should

heed it. 1) We are not to put our trust in MAN, but in God. On the other hand

through Solomon God says that IN MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS there is safety.

      I have always followed that principle, calling from time to time on

various ones competent in whatever field was in question, for advice and

counsel before making the decision.

      I have used the board members of both the Ambassador College corporation

and the Worldwide Church of God, Inc., board as counselors.

      But now, in the corporation sole, under which the day-to-day operations

are now conducted, there is no board of directors, and none called for by law.

In lieu thereof, I have formed the new ADVISORY COUNCIL OF ELDERS. That

Council, at present, is composed of the following experienced elders, all of

many years' faithful and loyal experience as ministers in God's Church.

      The Council of Elders, as of now, consists of Dibar Apartian, Dean

Blackwell, Robert Fahey, Ellis LaRavia, Raymond McNair, Leroy Neff, Joseph

Tkach, Leon Walker and, as adviser to the Council, Ralph Helge.

      Now as to any possible successor to me. God has never removed a man

called to a specific leadership or assignment or commission until his mission

is COMPLETED.

      1) Has the commission of carrying the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to

the world been completed? How far does God expect it to go? Only HE knows. It

has gone to multiple millions. It has gone into all continents. It is still

going. I am preparing to speed up its proclamation to the world as we come in

on the homestretch. But I DO NOT KNOW, nor does any but GOD know, where that

finish line is! WE MAY BE CLOSER TO IT THAN WE REALIZE!

      2) The CHURCH for this present era has been raised up. God's TRUTH has

been restored to it. IF, and AS God may reveal any more truth, I will

assuredly share it with you. I have done, and am doing, the best I can with

God's help to help you all to GROW in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and

Savior Jesus Christ. I am doing what I can to HIGH PRESSURE YOU into a DEEPER

spiritual life with Christ, a deeper, more fervent PRAYER LIFE.

      Perhaps my job in these areas is not yet finished. GOD WILL KEEP ME

ALIVE AND ON THE JOB AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME, and I will serve Him to my utmost as long as He leaves me FREE to do so, and gives me the breath of life.

      I have shown you that the book of Haggai is a PROPHECY. Zerubbabel's

temple, to which Jesus came at His first coming, was a TYPE of the SPIRITUAL

TEMPLE (God's CHURCH) to which, in its resurrected GLORIFIED state, it will be

the GLORIOUS TEMPLE to which Christ will come SOON NOW IN OUR TIME.

      Zerubbabel, therefore, was the typical forerunner of one Christ would

use to build that GLORIFIED SPIRITUAL TEMPLE -- God's Church of this END TIME.

      In Zechariah 4:6 and 9, God says of this former type: "This is the word

of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power (humanly), but

by MY SPIRIT, saith the Lord of hosts." In Revelation 3:8, Christ says of the

leader of today's Church, "I know thy works; behold I have set before thee an

open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength (only a

little strength humanly), and has kept my word, and hast not denied my name."

This Work in our day has not been done by human strength or power, but by

FAITH and the POWER OF GOD'S SPIRIT.

      Further, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house

(the first temple); his hands shall also FINISH IT!" So far as I know, GOD HAS

NOT RAISED UP ANYONE ELSE TO FINISH THIS WORK HE HAS USED ME IN DOING!

      God could take my life in the next breath -- or He has power to keep me

on the job as His instrument for as long as He deems necessary.

      I have NEVER SAID I expect to live until Christ comes.

      But, just in case of my disability for any reason, to prevent Satan from

causing division, I feel God has inspired me to delegate power to the Advisory

Council, during any such complete disability, to take full charge of the Work

and all its assets and activities.

      The CHURCH must not be scattered. It must not become scattered, because

there is no COMPETENT, CHRIST-CHOSEN SPIRITUAL SHEPHERD, TO BECOME MEAT FOR BEASTS (human) OF THE FIELD! (See Ezekiel 34:5.) This is a safeguard for YOUR protection.

      This letter is already overlong, but I felt important.

      I urge all who have not already asked for it, to request the new Lesson

13 of the Bible Correspondence Course.

      Brethren, NEVER were your prayers so URGENTLY NECESSARY -- both for YOU

and the Work -- and for me! My life has been threatened -- but by faith in God

it shall be spared until my work is complete. I now have to ask you to

sacrifice and send in special EXTRA generous offerings more than ever before.

Time is short. Soon there shall be a FAMINE of hearing the Word of God (Amos 8:11). If we work harder now, SO WILL SATAN. SO PRAY AS NEVER BEFORE!”

                                    With deep love, in Jesus' name,

                                    Herbert W. Armstrong

COMMENT:  Isn't it INTERESTING that in the last couple of paragraphs of this letter, Mr. Armstrong warned (prophesied!) that the Church MUST NOT become SCATTERED! And he said it was because there was no competent SHEPHERD (to take his place) !  He quoted from Ezekiel 34, and indeed that whole chapter applies more today than ever to the Church(s) of God.  This prophecy clearly shows that there is NO shepherd or minister holding fast at this time. But notice in this chapter of Ezekiel it does NOT say that some of the sheep or flock wouldn't be holding fast! That's why God is addressing the shepherds or ministry. They are the ones responsible for FEEDING the flock. But it is not being done according to God's standards or God's way.  Therefore God says He will do it (the feeding) HIMSELF, and that HE HIMSELF will gather together His flock!    

Perhaps the one minute sound bite below will show why Mr. Armstrong said there was no competent shepherd to take his place: