Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! The Presidential election is coming in a few months in the United States. The television ads—the “attack ads”—and all manner of references to the election are swirling around the American public. Things seem to be getting a little “meaner” than usual in this Presidential campaign. For even the issue of “men marrying men,” President Obama’s big health care program and America’s massive national debt are all big issues and heavily debated ideas along with other contentious problems.
In Europe, the entire “EU Project” is in danger of failing. Many nations in the Eurozone are near bankruptcy. Germany—the only completely solvent nation there—does not want to bail out an ever-increasing number of its southern neighbors. So German Chancellor Angela Merkel is now insisting on forming a more complete fiscal and political union for the Eurozone members. Even a number of European and British newspapers are calling it a “United States of Europe”! Of course, as some of you older readers know, I have been personally preaching and writing on this for about 60 years.
Yes! A United States of Europe is on the way, with Germany as its leading power. It will actually be a revival of the ancient “Holy Roman Empire” as described in Revelation 17:7-13 in your Bible. This time, rather than German tanks swooping up north around the Maginot Line, Germany will gain its power by peaceful means. For the coming Leader will already possess such power and influence that other European leaders “will give their power and authority to the beast” (v. 13). As we have said repeatedly, Britain will not be part of this revived Roman Empire in its final form. It will either leave—or it will eventually be pushed out.
So as the present European Union comes apart, as the Middle Eastern nations continue to explode with various uprisings—with dictators being overthrown and Islamic extremists coming into power—it should be clear that mankind cannot govern himself. Events over the next several years will make this increasingly clear. For Jesus Christ Himself directly predicted that the end-time would be a time of “wars and rumors of wars.” And then, Jesus said, “There will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).
At that point, man will have reached the end of his rope. Then, the very real God of the Bible will finally intervene and “save” man from himself! All the vain promises of the American politicians, all the claims and promises of European leaders, Middle Eastern leaders, etc., will all eventually come to absolutely nothing.
Just two weeks ago we mailed more than 300,000 “semi-annual letters” to our subscribers around the world. In that letter I offered a brand new DVD entitled “Is the Rapture Your Incredible Future?” Thousands and thousands of responses are now pouring in to our Mail Processing Center here in Charlotte, as well as our other offices around the world. You as a member or co-worker do not need to request the DVD, because I am having it sent to you as a token of our gratitude for your service, support and commitment to God’s Work in these end times. We are expecting upwards of 40,000 to 50,000 responses to the semi-annual letter. Your prayers can help boost the response even higher!
Already, in the previous five months of this year, we have sent out 322,000 booklets, reprints, lessons, DVDs and doctrinal articles. In just five months we mailed out more literature than we did in the entirety of any year in our first six years from 1999 to 2004, and more literature than in our first three years combined. All of this literature, of course, was sent out totally free of charge, made possible by your tithes and offerings. On top of all this, we also sent out 1.3 million Tomorrow’s World magazine copies! This has been a very busy year!
Back in April we added a new TV network here in the United States, called the ION Network. I’m letting you U.S. TV viewers know because some of you have been calling or writing us about your local TV stations disappearing. Yes, I had to cut some TV stations because of exceptionally high costs. We are doing all we can to make every cent count that we receive in tithes and offerings. Jesus Christ has given us a mission that we take very, very seriously. So, even though I did cut some stations, all of them were replaced by a local ION Network TV station. These stations air Wednesday mornings at 6:30 a.m. Eastern Time, Pacific Time and Mountain Time, and 5:30 a.m. Central Time. I am not happy with such an early time, but it was a time we could afford and an opportunity to get our foot in the door, as it were, for a very productive TV network for this Work. With the addition of the ION Network, the Tomorrow’s World telecast is now able to reach into 105 million homes in the United States and Canada, which is 82 percent of all TV homes. We are not always on at the best times, but your prayers can help change this! And over time we will buy the best TV times we can afford. For we must reach this world with increasing power before the Tribulation begins! Remember, if you have a Roku box, you can watch the program on your television at any time, and you can always watch it on the Internet from your computer.
So we in this Work must do everything we can to prepare the way for Christ’s return and help all people understand God’s purpose in guiding world affairs. Truly we do have a huge challenge and responsibility to proclaim God’s Word to this confused world.
Soon after this coming Great Tribulation and the horrifying suffering it will bring, there will be loud voices in heaven saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15). And this time Jesus Christ will return as “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). He will come to rule nations “with a rod of iron” (v. 15). He will have to use overwhelming force to humble a rebellious humanity which has come to think that human ideas and human approaches to government are the right way to go. Finally, they will be willing to do it God’s way. But it will be a shocking and humbling process beyond anything the world has ever experienced.
At that point, all humans will begin to realize that there is a real God—a real Jesus Christ who sits at His Father’s right hand and is about to return here to this earth to set up a literal government here on earth (Revelation 5:10). This government will be directed according to the biblical pattern which reveals the “mind of God.” Throughout the entire Bible, it is made very clear that there will be no “democracy” and no “voting” in Christ’s Government. For as we read in Hebrews 13:8: “Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
As the “Rock of Israel” (1 Corinthians 10:4), Christ guided Moses to appoint the leaders under him in governing the entire nation of Israel: “Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens” (Exodus 18:21). This was definitely practiced through all the history of ancient Israel. When Samuel was told to select a king to replace Saul (who had disqualified himself), he was tempted to anoint one of David’s older brothers who looked more impressive. But Christ explained why this was wrong: “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
How much better it will be in Tomorrow’s World, when Jesus Christ—who “knows the hearts” of men—selects leaders who will function under His direction as King of kings! For Jesus Christ is very God. And He has perfect wisdom, total power and infinite love. He has great compassion for every human being, and will exercise total outflowing concern for our good. “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:11–14).
The inspired word of God tells us: “But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4). Also: “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (v. 9). So there will be no more war! And God’s knowledge—God’s approach to all things—will fill the earth.
In another prophecy for the “latter days” (Micah 4:1), God tells us: “But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken” (v. 4). God’s word clearly describes a time of prosperity when each family will own its own property—when God will bless the weather and the crops and men will learn a way of life based on God’s law of love. God describes that His people will be prosperous and happy when He redeems them from the soon-coming Great Tribulation: “Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs” (Isaiah 61:7).
The current practice of “politicking” and voting for leaders whom we really do not know or understand will soon cease. Although democracy may be one of the best humanly devised forms of government, it is not the “wave of the future” by any means. Truly, we all need to learn and understand God’s form of government, for the true saints of God will soon be called on to administer that form of government in Tomorrow’s World. All genuine Christians—and all men of goodwill—should learn to pray, with understanding: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith