| In reading HWA's literature
we can see that he gave constant reference to the "next 5-10-15-20
years." While authoritarian splinter groups
of the Worldwide Church of God may
be more careful today in setting dates, they still tell members that the "time
is short," "the end is near," and certain prophecies will be fulfilled "very
soon."
Between early 1938 and mid 1945 Herbert Armstrong
had given 21 major prophecy failures.1
By the time he died, he had given over 200 false prophecies! Are we still waiting
for them to be fulfilled?2
Read: Haven't HWA's prophecies
just not come to pass yet? (for those who like to use this reasoning). Also
read: Memories About Petra which
shows HWA would resort to justifying his prophecies whenever they didn't come
to pass. [All bolding below is ESN's.]
| And if thou say in thine heart, How shall
we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in
the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the
thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him. ~ Deuteronomy 18:21-22 |
1967:
"The God who is REAL says of OUR PEOPLES:
'Prophecy against the prophets of Israel . . . O Israel, thy prophets are like
the foxes of the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up
a hedge for the House of Israel TO STAND in the BATTLE IN THE DAY OF THE ETERNAL
(Ezek. 13:1-5).' That is NOT a message to ancient Israel—but
to OUR NATIONS 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!
You will know, then, how REAL it is. You will wish, then, you had heeded.
I am not writing foolishly, but very soberly, ON AUTHORITY of the living CHRIST!"
("HOW
the U.S. Can END the Vietnam WAR . . . NOW!" Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain
Truth, Feb. 1967, p. 47)
"A STAGGERING TURN in world events is due to
erupt in the next four to seven years. It will involve violently
the United States, Britain, Western Europe, the Middle East."
(The United States and British Commonwealth
in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong, Introduction, 1967, p. IX)
3
"Now, other prophecies reveal, we are
to have soon (probably in about four years) such drought, and
famine, that disease epidemics will follow taking millions of lives ... Well,
we have been getting foretastes of that! That condition is coming! And I do
not mean in 400 years—nor
in 40 years—but
in the very next FOUR or FIVE!" (The United States and
British Commonwealth in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong, 1967, p.184)
"You need to look at the prophecies
of Jesus of Jeremiah, of Isaiah, and others, describing how much more
INTENSE is to be the punishment God is going to lay on the British and
American people in five to seven more years!" (Ibid., p. 185)
1956:
The title of this article was, "U.S.A.
Riding to Total Collapse in 20 Short Years!" and it was subtitled: "Here
are the naked FACTS that ought to astonish and shock you into immediate action."
The first paragraph reads:
"You're going to be shocked
to read what goes on undercover in the United States. Five major vices
threaten the total collapse of our country inside of 20 years.
The handwriting is on the wall of America, now!"
After fostering many scare tactics in
the article concerning how many in the U.S.A. are going to die of famine, pestilence
and war "in less than 20 years," he goes on to say:
"I've shown you from the very word
of God what is next coming in prophesied events...It's prophesied
for 15 to 20 years or less." ("U.S.A. Riding to Total Collapse in 20
Short Years!" Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth, Feb. 1956)
1960:
"In 12 years or less the U.S.A. will suffer the worst depression ever
suffered by any nation." (Herbert W. Armstrong, December 1960 Co-Worker letter)
1963:
"We may now have only eight or nine more years to FINISH
His Work!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, October 27, 1963 Co-Worker letter)
1965:
"We are in the grand smash climax--only six more years left." (Herbert W.
Armstrong, December 13, 1965 Co-Worker letter)
1969:
"If
that unseen Hand does not exist, humanity will not survive on earth
another 25 years, or less! I know whereof I speak, for no
organization on earth has a more knowledgeable grasp and understanding of world
conditions, trends, and causes, than ours. ..." (The Ambassador College
Correspondence Course, Lesson 5, 1969, p. 15)
"There is very little time remaining. You now know only a minority
of humanity will remain alive just a few years from now." (Ibid.,
Lesson 44, 1969, p. 16)
1956:
"Indications of prophecy
are that this drought ... will strike sooner than 1975—
probably between 1965 and 1972!" ...
"Yes, millions of lukewarm inactive professing
Christians will suffer MARTYRDOM—and
that before the anticipated push-button leisure-year of 1975 dawns upon
us!" (1975 in Prophecy,
Herbert W. Armstrong, 1956, pp. 10, 20)
[Note: Be aware that this booklet
contains grotesque and horrifying pictures drawn by
Basil Wolverton.
These pictures were originally black and white but were later colored by Basil's
son, Monte Wolverton.]
1959:
"I say to YOU, now, that your money—your
home—every
material thing you have—will
be taken from you SOON—probably
in 12 to 13 years, certainly in 15 or less!"
(Herbert W. Armstrong, August 13, 1959 Co-Worker letter)
1963:
"In eight years all of our
ministers will be silenced!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, November 23, 1963 sermon)
1953:
"Now HERE IS SOMETHING STARTLING! Herman
Hoeh, in his eye-opening article you will read in the June number of The PLAIN
TRUTH on the Times of the Gentiles shows that the Times of the Gentiles—if
chronologies are correct—will
come to their final end in the year 1982."
.............
"Now if this chronology is correct, that means Christ shall return some
very few years PRIOR to1982! NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY, HOUR, OR YEAR OF
CHRIST'S RETURN. But we CAN know exact dates
of one or two other events."
...........
"IF THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES END IN 1982, in October, as Mr. Hoeh has it figured,
THE INVASION OF AMERICA AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION MUST BEGIN NOT LATER
THAT MARCH-APRIL, 1972!" (Herbert W. Armstrong, Co-Worker Letter,
May 22, 1953)
1980:
"The actual movement of world events as prophesied WARNS US that all this
MAY
now occur in the decade we entered day before yesterday--and, if delayed past
1990, most certainly during the decade of the 90s." (Herbert W. Armstrong,
Co-worker Letter, January 3, 1980)
1985:
Right up to the end of his life HWA continued to make false predictions. Here
is just one quote from his Mystery of the Ages:
"And, secondly, to reveal—preserved in writing for us TODAY—what is to happen
"in the latter days"—actually within the next two decades—THIS LAST HALF
OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY! (Mystery of the Ages, Herbert W.
Armstrong, p. 298)
How many times did members
sit on the edge of their seat while reading these numerous letters and articles?
The end was always "right around the corner" and members needed to give more
and more offerings before time ran out! Herbert Armstrong was proved
wrong time and time again, but leaders who follow his prophetic teachings
today have learned that this kind of continual date-setting (laced
with fear) works well and will bring in the money from the trusting flock.
Prophecy is the proof of divine revelation!
If One, in the Bible, speaking and claiming to be God, can make prophecies
and tell what is going to happen in the future to nations, to cities, to
empires, then if it actually happens in every case, and without
a miss, you'll know that was a real God speaking.
But, if it were some person writing this, some human mortal writing
in ignorance, groping in superstition, making great boasts, and claiming
that he could foretell what was going to happen to proud cities, to nations,
to great empires, and then it never happens, you know that that man was merely
writing make- believe out of his own imagination. ("Prophecy is the PROOF
of God," The Proof
of the Bible, Herbert W. Armstrong, 1958)
|
NOTE: The above words were removed by
Gerald Flurry when he re-printed this booklet
(it is posted on his website). He changed the sub-heading to say, "Prophecy is
a PROOF of God," and
also removed other words from the original booklet and added words of his own.
The following are quotes from Herbert
W. Armstrong stating that there is no prophet today (notice this was written
after his 1972 prophecy failure):
"There is no such human
prophet living today!" "The Bible is the written Word of God—and, for our time now, it is
COMPLETE! Never have I believed or claimed that God reveals to me new truths
not contained in the Bible—in addition to, or apart
from the Bible… "Let's take a look at the Church of God of the first century,
as we find it revealed in the Book of Acts, beginning from the day of Pentecost,
31 A.D. The Bible was not fully written—only the Old Testament—in 31 A.D. God
then was still communicating new truth, instruction and knowledge directly and
personally to prophets. As the Church progressed, it was the function of a prophet
to communicate TO THE APOSTLES special messages which God had personally revealed
to them. Others were inspired in the writing of the books of the New Testament.
"So we read, in Acts 11:28 and 21:10-11, of the prophet Agabus. But today
we have the COMPLETE Word of God, for our time, in the Bible. There are
no such prophets—EXCEPT FALSE ONES." (Herbert W. Armstrong
Personal, "The 19-Year Time Cycles -- What HAPPENED January 7--What My Commission
IS! Tomorrow's World, 2/72 [emp. ours]
HWA stated that he,
himself, was not a prophet:
"But I definitely have NOT been called to be a PROPHET...Emphatically
I am NOT a prophet, in the sense of one to whom God speaks specially and directly,
revealing personally a future event to happen or new truth, or new and special
instruction direct from God--separate from, and apart from what is contained
in the Bible." (Herbert Armstrong, "Personal from Herbert W. Armstrong," Tomorrow's World, February, 1972, p. 1)
In response to this last quote, Paul N. Benware writes:
Mr. Armstrong emphatically states that he is not a prophet,
like those of old who received new revelation from God. However, in
spite of his denials, the fact still remains that he does claim that
new truth, embedded in the Bible, has been revealed in him. (Benware,
Ambassadors
of Armstrongism, 1984, p. 25, 26) [emp.
ours]
So we can see by the above
quotes how Herbert Armstrong backpedaled and lied, because he is saying here
that there are no human prophets living today, and (in a clever twist of words)
declares that he is not a prophet. Yet we know that
he gave prophecies2 by telling such and such was
going to happen "in 5 years," "in 20 years," "in your lifetime," "in a few more
years," and especially with his book,
1975 in Prophecy (later
withdrawn), making members think he was "speaking for God" (the definition
of a prophet). HWA is saying that he doesn't have truths, yet he later
told members he did have new truth; i.e., on makeup, divorce and remarriage,
the spirit in man, observance of Pentecost, etc. The Church of God 7th day, which
HWA was associated with in his early years in Oregon, stated that HWA previously
called himself a prophet and the congregation actually believed it!
HWA incriminated himself by his own
words.
"HWA tries hard
to bail himself out of the January 7, 1972 date--his former terminal date--by
planning more advertising, more buildings, and more radio propaganda--BUT his
hundreds of blunders expose him as a continuing false prophet." (S. E. Anderson,
Armstrongism's
300 Errors Exposed - by 3000 Bible Verses, 1973, p. 195; referring
to HWA's February 1972 World Tomorrow personal).
"When one claims
that he has been ordained of God, baptized by Jesus Christ...and dares to tell
in specific, point-by point, and in detailed order, the events that are to occur,
the real meaning of the mysterious books of prophecy...he ought not to have
made predictions which have never come to pass. ... And if he is God's true
prophet for these times, he should never have made such predictions as have
miserably failed." (Radio Church of God Vs. Church of God, 7th Day - John Kiez.
Quoted from p. 211 of
Armstrongism: Religion or Rip-Off? An
Exposé of the Armstrong Modus Operandi)
To read more about specific HWA false prophecies
see: Robert Gerringer 1975 letter
and John Kiesz Furnishes Information
on Herbert W. Armstrong. A comprehensive
list of 209 of Herbert W. Armstrong's false prophecies [offsite link]. (Note that ESN does not endorse any of the agnostic/atheistic
views on this website.)
Biblical Titles Gerald Flurry Has Appropriated
for Himself (one of his titles is "that Prophet.")
NOTE:
In 2004 Gerald Flurry deleted and changed
portions of Herbert Armstrong's book Mystery of the Ages, removing the
part where HWA said there were no prophets in the N.T. church and substituting
his own words. (Read
letters which show this.) One of the reasonings members in PCG have used in
order to excuse away this editing is that MOA "wasn't Scripture" and it has merely
been "updated for the times." But didn't HWA claim that God inspired him when
he wrote MOA? Notice what HWA said:
"But I think, in a way, God inspired it.
But not in the sense that it is the word of God. It's as God inspired
Herbert Armstrong." (Video presentation, Sept 9, 1995, HWA speaking)
[emp. ours]
HWA also stated:
"I candidly feel it may be
the most important book since the Bible." (Dear Brethren & Co-Worker
letter, September 1985, by HWA)
So, if God "inspired
the words" in MOA, and HWA considered it "the most important book since the
Bible," then how can someone decide to "update it for the times"?
Info compiled by
D. W.
Exit & Support Network™
February 26, 2003
Updated March 8, 2007
| For they prophesy falsely unto you
in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. ~ Jeremiah 29:9 |
Footnotes:
1
Armstrongism:
Religion or Rip-Off? (An Expose of the Armstrong Modus Operandi) by
Marion J. McNair, p. xvii.
2 Worldwide
Church of God, along with certain WCG offshoots (especially Church of the Great
God, founded in 1991 by John Ritenbaugh, and Philadelphia Church of God, have
stated that these were not prophecies that HWA gave, but
only "speculations." This
is a false assumption since Herbert Armstrong claimed he was "God's Apostle"
(a. k. a. "Christ's Apostle"--read
several statements by him)
and that he had received "revelation from God."
HWA was dogmatic about prophecy (read his articles and Co-Worker letters online).
The only exceptions to this were when he had to backpedal out of a failed prophecy,
such as the 1975 one, in which thousands of people changed their entire lives
because of it (refer to his booklet
1975 in Prophecy). This
was not based on "speculations." A prophet is "one who speaks for God." HWA placed
himself in this role. So for anyone to claim that "Herbert Armstrong never said
he was a prophet or an apostle and, therefore, he didn't give prophecies," is
merely skirting the facts. HWA was unofficially hailed as a prophet (Armstrongism:
Religion or Rip-Off?, xvii) and his over 200 false prophecies have been
documented on the Internet. According to Scripture, doesn't it only take
one failed prophecy to be qualified as a false prophet? Read
our Q&A: Haven't
HWA's prophecies just not come to pass yet? which shows how those in O.T. times knew whether someone qualified as
a true prophet of God. Interestingly, one of
these "predictions" HWA continually emphasized was the "6,000 year plan." According
to this belief, Christ was to return after the 6,000 years of mankind was up.
HWA's "math" for this 6,000 years has been proven wrong.
Read this part in ESN's
review of Mystery of the Ages, Chapter Three to see this theory completely
dismantled.
3 In the1972
version of The United States and Britain in Prophecy HWA substituted
the word "several" (years) in place of "four to seven" (years) which was originally
in the 1967 edition entitled, The United States and British Commonwealth
in Prophecy.
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