Was Herbert Armstrong The Elijah Of The Endtimes?

 

From an LCG source:

The topic has come up recently about whether HWA viewed himself as Elijah. Below are some excerpts from WCG literature and correspondence, which hopefully will clear it up. Members of the Church seemed to believe he was Elijah, and there is no indication that HWA attempted to correct this. The fact that the Church chose to publish, rather than squash, such comments indicates approval of and agreement with the comments, and the intent to influence the readers to favor that view.

Comments From Monthly Church Reports, PGR May 15, 1981.  

MIAMI, FL--AL KERSHA: Mr. Herbert Armstrong's sermon (delivered via the movie screen) was as strong and motivating as I have ever heard him in the 15 years I have been in the Church. The message was clear, earnest and powerful. Certainly an excellent message in preparation for the Passover and days of Unleavened Bread. In physical appearance Mr. Armstrong looked about 70; in spirit and power he sounded like a 35-40 year old man. The spirit and power that was in Elijah is obviously moving him. 

 

Weekly Letter Comments, PGR June 5, 1981. 

Yesterday we were blessed to hear from Mr. Gerald Waterhouse! I don't believe anyone left not having learned something new, or realizing even more the importance of God's Work and you (Mr. Armstrong) being the Elijah of this end time. He was, as always, very interesting and quite humorous! We are thankful for him and his helping all of us to speak the same thing. T.B. (Fincastle, VA) 

 

H.W.A. Diary by Robert E. Fahey, PGR Aug. 7, 1981. 

When Mr. Armstrong began I was all prepared to hear about the two trees once more. But I was in for a surprise. The beauty and blessings that we had seen seemed to inspire Mr. Armstrong to the sobering awareness that the national sins of the House of Joseph would cause God to remove the peace and prosperity from our peoples. "Britain and the United States are going down! And OUT!!" he thundered. "Like Elijah, I say to you, if God be God, GET OVER ON HIS SIDE! If this is God's Church, GET OVER ON HIS SIDE!" Then he went on to show that as Zerubbabel had prepared a physical temple among physical Israel for the physical Jesus to come to, so he was called to prepare a spiritual temple (the Church) of spiritual Israelites for the resurrected SPIRITUAL CHRIST to come to and make His own. 

 

Comments from Monthly Church reports, PGR Oct. 21, 1983.  

ROANOKE, VA--ROBERT PERSKY: All of the brethren who attended the Feast thought it was the best Feast ever. They all wished Mr. Armstrong had spoken longer on the Last Great Day. They always look forward with great anticipation to hearing him speak. They know he is God's end-time apostle and the "Elijah" of Malachi 4. 

 

Members' Reflections About the Church, PGR Nov 4, 1983.  

What a wonderful privilege it is to help hold up Elijah's hands and to have a small part in preparing the way for Christ to return, which shall end mankind's suffering. A.D. (Somerset, KY) 

 

From Ministerial Services, PGR June 7, 1985.  

Jesus Christ told His disciples, "Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things" (Matt. 17:ll). The many truths of God's plan and supreme purpose for His Church and eventually all mankind have been restored in God's Church through His end-time Apostle. Yet, as Paul warns, we can, through neglect, let these things slip away from us! Mr. Armstrong has brought into sharp focus these "mysteries," now restored to God's Church, in his book MYSTERY OF THE AGES. As he has mentioned in the Refreshing Program, this is a book that should be reread as soon as we finish it the first time, in order to really soak up what God is teaching us. Learning is indeed a lifelong process. We must continue to study and review God's Word all our lives. 

 

Booklet: Inside Story of The World Tomorrow Broadcast 

But Who Is Behind All This ? 

Just as Noah, a "preacher of righteousness" (II Pet. 2 : 5 ) , stood ALONE in warning the world of his day of its impending destruction ; just as Abraham, with his family, stood ALONE in obeying God in his day; just as Moses, "whom they refused" ( Acts 7 : 35 ) , stood ALONE when God first began dealing with ancient Israel and bringing them out of slavery in Egypt; just as Elijah warned ancient Israel and cried out : "I am left ALONE, and they seek my life" ( Rom. 1 1 : 3 ); just as John the Baptist stood ALONE, not affiliated with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes or any of the other religious groups of his day warning Israel of his day "like a voice in the wilderness" ; so Mr. Armstrong and this prophetic Work stand ALONE as God's instrument in warning the modern descendants of ancient Israel America and the British Commonwealth of Nations-of their coming national punishment, and heralding the second coming of Jesus Christ JN PERSON as King of kings and Lord of lords !  

 

Just as Elijah trained the "sons of the prophets" to aid him in ancient Israel 

( II Kings 2 : 35); just as John the Baptist had his disciples and assist ants ; just as Jesus Christ Himself trained young men as disciples to assist Him in the ministry as He stood ALONE against religionists of His day; so Mr. Armstrong has founded the Ambassador Colleges to train dedicated servants of God who bring forth the "fruits" showing that Goo has called them to aid in this ministry of preaching the true Message of God's soon coming, world ruling Government, and standing ALONE as God's "watchman" (Ezek. 33:2) to warn modern Israel of exact and SPECIFIC punishments from God! These prophesied punishments on our people are right NOW beginning to have a great effect on the lives of every one of you who is 1'eading this booklet.' As I have already shown you, the men in this Work of God are alert, intelligent, successful and balanced men. But we DARE to preach a Message that is definitely DIFFERENT from the hackneyed, sentimental ideas going about today under the name of "religion." 

 

Mystery of the Ages, pp. 290-291 

This era of the Church was to produce fruit. To this era-or to its human leader-God had set before it an open door. It is recorded in I1 Corinthians 2:12 and also Acts 14:27 how Christ opened the door for Paul to go into other countries to preach the gospel. This Church and/or its leader had but little strength. Neither were of great and powerful stature in Satan’s world but those of this era were faithful to the Word of God. Though much of the original gospel truth, imparted to the original apostles by Jesus in person, had been lost, it was restored through the Bible to this era of God’s Church who were faithful in keeping it. It is revealed in Malachi 3:l-5 and 4:5-6 that God would raise up one in the power and spirit of Elijah, shortly prior to the Second Coming of Christ. In Matthew 17:11 Jesus said, even after John the Baptist had completed his mission, that this prophesied Elijah “truly shall first come, and restore all things.” Although it is plainly revealed that John the Baptist had come in the power and spirit of Elijah, he did not restore anything. The human leader to be raised up somewhat shortly prior to Christ’s Second Coming was to prepare the way-prepare the Church-for Christ’s coming, and restore the truth that had been lost through the preceding eras of the Church. Also a door was to be opened for this leader and/or the Philadelphia era of the Church to fulfill Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” It was to be at a time when, for the first time in the history of mankind, the weapons of mass destruction were produced that could erase all humanity from the earth (Matt. 24:21-22). This also was to occur just before the Second Coming of Christ (verses 29-30). These prophecies have now definitely been fulfilled. The true gospel has been restored and has now gone in power into every nation on the face of the earth.