THE TIME OF PHILADELPHIA

The sixth era of Christ's true Church belongs to those of Philadelphia. This era was prophesied to be very different from the one preceding it and also the one that follows -the Laodicean era.
The Philadelphian Era begins with one man Herbert W. Armstrong who restored God's truth to the Church. It began in 1933 shortly after he was ordained as a minister of the Church of God located in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

Through diligent study of the Bible, Mr Armstrong came to realise that Christ's true Church bears The Heavenly Father's name (John 17:12), and that the term Church of God was listed 12 times in the Bible. There is also Christ's promise in Matthew 16:18 that His true Church would never die out. His evangelistic efforts through teaming up with ministers of the Sardis Era produced no fruits. However, when he began to work alone God blessed his efforts and spiritual fruits were evident.

As the Sardis ministers rejected what Mr Armstrong had to teach from the unadulterated Word of God, he began to disassociate himself from them. With a small congregation of 19 members led by Herbert Armstrong, they became the pioneers of the Philadelphian Era. The Lord began to open doors (Revelation 3:8) for Herbert Armstrong to begin the Philadelphian phase of His Work, first by radio and later through the printing press since 1934. Within a period of 19 years till 1953, the radio broadcast reached almost the whole of North America.

When God starts something on the divine level, it is hugh and incredibly amazing, like the creation of the universe, the earth and man. But when He starts something through man, it is usually small like a grain of mustard seed, and sets to grow as the spiritual character of man develops. The radio broadcast brought to listeners a greater depth of understanding of what the Bible really teaches as compared to what man would like to hear from their preachers through the pulpits.

The Plain Truth magazine, the radio and television broadcast reach out to an estimated 250 million people around the world. It is truly an amazing Work of God that bear much spiritual fruits. Perhaps no other human preacher or evangelist has ever reached a fraction of that number in the history of God's Church!

Mr Armstrong saw the significance of the Ezekiel warning (Ezekiel 33:1-19). One aspect of the Work of God in these last days is to watch international events unfolding in accordance to bible prophecies and to warn the House of Israel (mainly the present day descendants of the people in America , UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) and the House of Judah (nation of Israel), and also the Laodiceans of the Laodicean church of this present time. Ezekiel never carried out the role as the Watchman warning his people of his days as they were already migrated out of the mother land when he wrote the book that bears his name. God used Ezekiel to write the prophetic warning meant for the last days - the time we are currently living in!

The Church of God did recognise the role of Herbert W. Armstrong fulfilling the role of the final Elijah who would come to prepare the way for the Second Coming of Christ (Matthew 17:11). He did come to restore all truths that had been lost since the first century Church founded by Christ's Apostles. The ' first Elijah' that came to prepare the way for Christ first advent was John the Baptist, but he did not come to restore all things (Matthew 17:11-13; Malachi 3:1-5). Herbert Armstrong did come to restore the biblical truths that were lost throughout the Church Age until the twentieth century when he started the Philadelphian Era. Which means to say that many doctrines that were taught and preached in churches in the preceding eras were on the wrong track! Sad to say, but it is true.

Those of the Philadelphian spirit understands the true gospel of the Kingdom of God for which a door will be opened for the Philadelphians to 'preach it in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come' (Matthew 24:14). One after another, Herbert Armstrong restored doctrines that had been adulterated by liberals and watered down by social preachers pampered to congregations with 'itching ears', wanting to hear what they wish to hear.

Christ's words in Revelations 3:10 is unequivocally clear that the Philadelphians will be counted worthy to escape (Luke 21:36) the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord ('I also will keep you from the hour of trial') which will come upon the earth with unprecedented sufferings and destruction. In His mercy God will keep it short for the elect's sake (Matthew 24:22). Herbert Armstrong had indeed turned the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers (Malachi 4:6). This represents the close knit family relationship restoring the headship role of the fathers just like God's people restoring the honor due to God the Father as the Head of the God Family which will soon be established to rule and reign on earth!

Herbert Armstrong did preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God (the coming God's Government ruled by Christ and His Bride - the sons of God who will be resurrected to become God-beings in God's Family) to many kings and heads of states as a witness. He led the Worldwide Church of God he founded from 1934 until his death in 1986. Throughout the years of his ministry, he faced major attacks against his teachings and uncompromising stand on the truth of God's Word. Many rejected his teachings and rebel against God's Word. However, the warning from the Lord is to 'hold fast what you have (the truth), that no one may take your crown' (Rev 3:11).

Out of the seven Church eras, only the time of Smyrna and the Philadelphian Era had the Lord Jesus Christ as the Head of their Church Government. The other five 'lost their head' and instituted man's systems of church governance. The result was, and still is, catastrophic as divisions and confusions prevailed. The church leaders have caused many to 'stumble at the law of God' (Malachi 2:8). Different denominations and independent churches have sprung up all over the world teaching different doctrines and practices, many of them contrary to what the Holy Scriptures say should be the real truth. Such corruption of the Word of God will intensify as The Lord Christ warned in Matthew 24, and later the Apostle Paul and others too that would happen after they had passed on. History always repeat itself, and the only lesson man learn from history is that they never learn from history! It seems that only those disciples with the Philadelphian spirit, attitude and understanding of the real truth will be given the privilege to spread the message that Christ came to preach as given by God the Father, whom Jesus Christ came to reveal and honor.