Very few have ever realized that Jesus Christ came as a newsman—reporting news for the future. He spoke of 20th-century world conditions—and world government to come. The world has misunderstood, perverted, maligned His unique message.
The word gospel means “good news.” And His was news for the future.
He described today’s violent, chaotic world. In the pivotal prophecy of the New Testament of the word’s best-selling book, He graphically described the international chaos into which the world is rapidly plunging right now. He said the violence would explode into a world trouble so great, that unless God intervened, no human would remain alive.
Yet, He promised, the all-powerful God would intervene supernaturally to cut short this world chaos (Matt. 24:21-22).
No book has so great a sale as the Holy Bible. No book ever was so misunderstood, maligned, distorted, misrepresented. Those who profess to use it as the source of their religion promulgate doctrines diametrically opposite from its teachings. They quote (or misquote) only a fraction of its verses.
Few know that a whole third, approximately, of that book is devoted to future news of world happenings. News about various governments. News about the great master plan for solving all this world’s troubles. News of the now soon-coming peaceful and happy world tomorrow—on through century 21.
It’s the best news you ever read!…
Humanity will survive! There will be a happy world tomorrow. Mortal humans do have a stern lesson to learn first. Human bungling will bring accelerated world trouble before God-ignoring humanity will be willing to learn. But we shall learn!…
Jesus’ Gospel (and remember gospel means “good news”) was actually His advance news report of the Kingdom—the government—of God, soon now to bring us world peace.
The Kingdomof God is, simply, the world-ruling government of God. It is absolutely not a sentimental, ethereal, imaginary something “set up in the hearts of men.” It is real! It is soon coming!
And Jesus Christ was born to be the King of that world government (Luke 1:30-33; John 18:36-37; Revelation 19:11-16; 11:15). As General Douglas MacArthur promised the Filipinos he would return, so Jesus promised His disciples He would return—and now, soon, to rule the whole earth!
—Herbert W. Armstrong (The Good News, September, 1985)