Judgment Time

Mark A. Little

In I Corinthians 10, the apostle Paul states plainly God “was not well-pleased” with the ancient Israelites He brought out of Egypt.  Paul cites several examples of Israel’s rebellious behavior in justifying God’s displeasure and pointing out these examples were for the learning of God’s Church (GC).

“Now these things became our (GC) examples, to the intent that we (GC) should not lust after evil things as they (Israel) also lusted” (vs 6).

Paul adds a critical time element to his writing in verse 11. These examples are highlighted for a specific group of people within God’s Church living at “the ends of the ages.”

“Now all these things happened to them (Israel) as examples, and they were written for our (GC) admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

When prophesying about the final era of God’s Church, Jesus Christ confirms that the lessons from  ancient Israel have not been learned by God’s Church prior to Christ’s 2^nd Coming.

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (Rev. 3:14-18).

God is not "well pleased” with the final era of His Church.

Reason for displeasure

Why is this?

The era of Laodicea is the era in which Jesus Christ will return. And sadly, the vast majority of God’s Church is not spiritually ready for this world changing event (Heb. 5:12).

GOD’S CHURCH IS NOT READY FOR JESUS CHRIST’S RETURN!!!

How come?

Because God’s Church has failed to learn the lessons of the past.

God’s people have allowed themselves to become idolaters, sexually immoral, testers of and complainers against God. This is why Christ describes Laodiceans as “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

Most in God’s Church do not view themselves as “lukewarm.”. Their ministers do not view themselves as “lukewarm” either. For proof of this, examine various Church of God websites and look at the titles of sermons and articles being produced for Church consumption. This is why the ministry is incapable of warning God’s people about their lukewarm spiritual condition.

Important Anniversary

January 16^th, 2026 marks 40 years since the death of God’s apostle, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. Over the course of this time, God’s Church has experienced a steep spiritual decline. It has fractured and splintered into many parts. The cause of this decline has resulted because of an unbelief in God’s Word. This is the same problem that kept the 1^st generation of Israelites coming out of Egypt from entering the Promised Land (Heb. 3:19).

Mr. Armstrong was a unique man in history. God called him into His Church at the end of the Sardis era. Sardis confirms Christ’s promise that God’s Church would not physically die out (Matt. 16:18), but it had become spiritually dead. Notice how Christ describes this era of God’s Church.

“I know your works, that you have a name (Church of God) so that you are alive (physically), but you are dead (spiritually)” (Rev. 3:1b).

When God began to work with Mr. Armstrong, God’s Church was nearly non-existent. Over the course of time since the Church’s founding in the 1^st century, compromise, false doctrine and persecution led to much biblical truth being lost.

God used Mr. Armstrong to restore lost biblical truth back into His Church (Mal. 4:5-6, Matt. 17:10-11) prior to Christ’s 2^nd Coming. He also used Mr. Armstrong to take the Gospel to the world as a witness, proclaiming God’s Kingdom would soon be established on this earth to rule all nations (Matt. 24:14).

When Mr. Armstrong died, fundamental Church doctrine had been restored and the whole world had received witness that God was soon going to establish His Kingdom on the earth. The challenge for God’s Church going forward was to maintain God’s Truth until Jesus Christ returned.

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Rev. 3:11).

Mr. Armstrong’s death signaled a change from the Philadelphia era (Rev. 3:8) to the final Church era of Laodicea (Rev. 3:15).

The leadership of Joseph Tkach Sr. following Mr. Armstrong’s death led to the prophesied “falling away” Paul wrote about in (II Thes. 2:3). This apostasy occurred because Mr. Tkach and much of the ministry under his leadership failed to hold fast to the doctrinal truths God used Mr. Armstrong to restore back into His Church.

The falling away was a major test for God’s Church to show God who understood the value of restored truth and who didn’t. This test has proven over 40 years the vast majority in God’s Church have failed to learn the lessons from ancient Israel.

“So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation said to them, If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? So they said to one another, Let us select a leader and return to Egypt” (Nu 14:1-4).

Just like ancient Israel, the vast majority of Laodicea has chosen to return to Egypt (sin).

God punished Israel and sentenced them to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness before He would allow them to enter the Promised Land.

“According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years , and you shall know My rejection. I the Lord  have spoken this , I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered  together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and they shall die” (Num. 14:34-35).

The number 40 signifies a period of testing, trial or probation. In the Bible it applied to Moses’ time in Egypt, his exile from Egypt and his time leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The number 40 also applies to the number of days Christ fasted in His battle against Satan the Devil. And today it now applies to God’s Church following the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.

Based on observable action, many in God’s Church have not learned the lessons of history. Many have returned to the world. Many fail to understand Matthew 24:14 is a fulfilled prophecy. While others have embraced foolish ideas promoted by ministers that simply are not biblically true.

Mr. Armstrong was concerned many in God’s Church really did not understand God’s Truth and their purpose for being in God’s Church. He also expressed a lack of confidence in the ministry’s understanding too.

These concerns were expressed in Mr. Armstrong’s 1985 Pentecost sermon titled, “Why the Firstfruits?”

“We are NOT called just for salvation; and, if it were for salvation, we wouldn't have been called at all. You wouldn't have been called at all just to get you into the kingdom. That’s NOT why you were called. You were called to become a student. You were called to learn how to save others when God's kingdom comes, when Jesus is sitting on the throne on this earth. Brethren, YOU DON'T GET IT.”

“I've heard ministers speaking as if they never heard of that. I've said to some of them, "I don't think our people understand that." They say, "Oh yes, they do, Mr. Armstrong." Oh no, you don't. You just don't understand that. We're not called to just be the first ones to get into the kingdom of God. We are called for a special mission - to become teachers. We are not called to become some to go out and convert the world now. We are called to learn how, in the resurrection, we can be rulers and teachers.”

Looking at the fragmented condition of God’s Church today and the prophesied words of Jesus Christ concerning Laodicea after 40 years confirms Mr. Armstrong’s concerns were correct.

Mr. Armstrong went on to question if God’s people would ever learn and understand the purpose of being in God’s Church.

“To the CHURCH - and not to anyone but the Church - Jesus said, "If you overcome (you that are studying to be teachers, if you overcome) I will grant for you to sit with Me on My throne (Rev. 3:21) and help Me rule the world and teach the world." Jesus is the Teacher, and Jesus is a Ruler. (Rev. 5:10) We will be "kings and priests; and we shall RULE on the earth." Brethren, I don't think you'll ever learn that.”

“Has my teaching been in vain, brethren? Sometimes I wonder. I get terribly discouraged. I don't think you get it. I think so much Protestantism has rubbed off on you that you just don't understand the truth when I give it to you.”

After 40 years it has been proven that many in God’s Church do not understand the purpose for  being called into God’s Church. Now that God knows where people stand, it is time for His judgment to take place.

Pay now or pay later

Mr. Armstrong closed his 1985 Pentecost sermon speaking about judgment on the Church now.

“Judgment is ON the CHURCH of God. Judgment is on US. We're being judged, brethren. The world hasn't been called, and the world is not yet judged. God isn't trying to save the world yet, not yet. The way to help save the world, brethren, is to learn to be a good teacher, so that, when God's time comes, then you can be a real POWER in helping to save people when God's time has come. But God's time hasn't come for them yet. God's time has come for you to learn how to be a king or a priest. God help you, brethren, to understand.”

For those who fail to hold fast now to God’s Truth, they will have to prove their faithfulness to God during the Days of Vengeance (Luke 21:22, Rev. 3:18). You can choose to repent now or repent during the Days of Vengeance. As the old Fram oil filter commercial said, “You can pay me now or pay me later.”

Laodiceans will have to give up their physical lives to become members of the 144,000 firstfruits (Rev. 14:1, 4). This price will have to be paid because the lessons of ancient Israel were not learned.

Information describing what Laodiceans will go through for not following Paul’s admonition is given when Christ opened up the 5^th seal in Revelation 6.

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest (remain in their graves) a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. (Rev. 6:9-11)”

Who is warning the brethren of God’s Church about the dangers they are facing for being “lukewarm”? The ministry has certainly proven incapable of doing it.

Only those who are following Christ’s instruction to hold fast can provide this warning.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (Rev. 3:19).

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”