[00:00] Speaker 1: This is the Bible News Prophecy Program, bringing you news and analysis of world events in the light of Bible prophecy. The following program is brought to you by the Continuing Church of God.

[00:16] Speaker 2: Greetings, friends. This is Steve Dupuis for the Bible News Prophecy Program with Dr. Bob Teal, bringing you news and analysis of world events in the light of Bible prophecy. Dr. Teal, did the Temple Institute cite Haggai 2?

[00:31] Speaker 3: Yes. In its newsletter yesterday, the Temple Institute had, uh, quotes from the second chapter of the Book of Haggai, and basically it starts off with, "The glory of this last house shall be greater than the first." Then it mentions that Zerubbabel from the House of David and the High Priest Joshua consulted the Prophet Haggai, who instructs them to waste no time in rebuilding the holy temple. Now, the Temple Institute's interested in actually building a massive third temple in Jerusalem.

[01:03] Speaker 2: Well, is that what Haggai was prophesying about?

[01:06] Speaker 3: Not at all. He was actually (laughs) talking about what was called the second temple. Now before we get into the meaning of the stuff from Haggai, note the Apostle Paul told Christians in First Corinthians 3:16, "Don't you know your temp- the temple of God?" And in Second Corinthians 6:16, he says, "For you are the temple of the living God." So in the end times, by the way, it needs to be pointed out, a Jewish temple cannot be the temple of God. Now that being said, many of us were part of the old Worldwide Church of God. They had over a 150,000 congregants. They had a very fancy building in Pasadena that some may actually consider to be a beautiful temple.

[01:51] Speaker 2: Okay.

[01:51] Speaker 3: You know, the old church was impressive. It was wealthy. Its magnificent headquarters was the envy of many, even outside of the church, and even had the number one religious telecast for a short period of time in the United States, which is a pretty i- impressive accomplishment for a church that only made up about two-tenths of one percent of the world's population. Now, we see a much smaller church with people scattered amongst scores of groups.

[02:20] Speaker 2: Well, has God forsaken the Church of God, or has this type of thing happened in the past?

[02:26] Speaker 3: Well, there's a lot of similarities to the past. Consider that the first temple in the Old Testament was essentially what you would call a headquarters work. King David saw a need. He wanted to build a temple to God, but he was prevented from doing so. But he was allowed to use the wealth of Israel to collect the building materials for it, though his son Solomon actually ended up building it. And, uh, that temple was magnificent, and it was completely covered with, with gold, which is actually sort of similar. There's a lot of gold in the old Ambassador College of the Worldwide Church of God.

[03:01] Speaker 2: Hmm. So are you comparing the grandeur of the headquarters church of the old Worldwide Church of God to the grandeur of the headquarters work of the first temple built by David's son Solomon?

[03:14] Speaker 3: Absolutely. Now consider, by the way, that the second Old Testament temple was different. First of all, there was a call to find out which of the children of Israel would be faithful to do the work of rebuilding it. We read in Ezra Chapter 1. Basically, they were told to begin again, even without as much support or finances.

[03:35] Speaker 2: So then the second old temple of Haggai would now be compared to the present day?

[03:43] Speaker 3: Yeah. Now consider, I'm gonna g- read Ezra 1:5, that those whose spirit God moved among His people, they went to do the work. It says that, "The heads of the fathers' houses and all those whose spirits God had moved, they rose to go and build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem." Now that suggests that not all of God's people responded to support God's work at the time.

[04:11] Speaker 2: Mm-hmm.

[04:12] Speaker 3: Okay? Additionally, this temple was not physically as impressive as the first one. Actually, when the foundation of the second temple were laid, those who saw the magnificence of the first temple, they didn't rejoice. They wept! This temple, though, seemed to be very important to God. Now it should be mentioned that those who hadn't seen the former temple were actually rejoiced when the new temple was b- begun. Anyway, but the Bible teaches that there was a lull in the construction due to opposition. Even though King Darius the Mede eliminated the official opposition and advised the people to be diligent about rebuilding the temple in Ezra 6, many of the people weren't diligent. Apparently, many decided it was not the time to, to rebuild it, and we read about that in Haggai.

[05:03] Speaker 3: Haggai Chapter 1, starting with verse 1, it says, "The word of the Lord came by Haggai the Prophet to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, 'Thus sa- speaks the Lord of hosts, saying, "This people says the time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built."'" End quote. So they seemed to think it was, per the next couple of verses, it was time to take care of themselves. They didn't see a fancy temple, apparently didn't seem the need to support the work of God at that time. But God felt otherwise. Furthermore, God had to tell the people to do the work of rebuilding. In Haggai 1, picking up in verse 5, it says, "'Now therefore,' says the Lord of hosts, 'Consider your ways. You've sown much, you bring in little. You eat, you don't have enough. You drink, but you're not filled with drink. You clothe yourself, but no one's warm.'""And he who earns wages, earns wages to be put in a bag with holes.

[06:09] Speaker 3: Thus says the Lord of Hosts, 'Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain and bring wood and build the temple that I may take pleasure and it be glorified,' says the Lord.' Now, this building of this temple, even though it was directed by headquarters, involved a lot more of the regular people directly than the first temple did. Now, Second Chronicles tells us that the old temple was magnificent and glorious, yet many people felt a comparison that this new temple was nothing. But what did God say about that? Well, this is what the Temple Institute quoted. Haggai 2:9. "The glory of this latter temple should be greater than the former." Now remember, you know, God doesn't think the same way humans think. Uh, you can read that in Isaiah 55:8-9. This temple was not more glorious because it was as elaborate or wealthy. It may have been more glorious because it represented the work of God under adversity.

[07:10] Speaker 3: By the way, once the work was finished, God promised to provide, uh, blessings to His people in Haggai 2:19.

[07:19] Speaker 2: It di- it's interesting to me that the latter work is represented as being completed by common people. What else did Haggai have to say?

[07:28] Speaker 3: In Haggai, we see that someone who saw the old temple and only had a remnant to lead the work of God at the end. When we go to Haggai chapter 2, starting in verse 2. "Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying, 'Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison to it, is it not in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says the Lord. 'Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and be strong all you people of the land,' says the Lord. 'And the work, for I am with you,' says the Lord of Hosts. 'My spirit remain- remains among you. Don't fear. Once more I'll shake heaven and earth.'" That's verse 6. "'And seeing the dry land,'" that's at verse 7, "'I'll shake all the nations and they shall come to the desire of all nations and I'll fill this temple with glory,' says the Lord of Hosts." Verse 9.

[08:35] Speaker 3: "'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the Lord of Hosts. 'And in this place, I will give peace,' says the Lord of Hosts."

[08:45] Speaker 2: You, well still, how do you know Haggai 2 relates to this end time?

[08:50] Speaker 3: Because verse 6, talking about the shaking of heaven and earth as mentioned in Revelation 16. Plus, all nations didn't come yet, which is supposed to happen according to Zechariah 14. And the time of peace was not fulfilled really at the time of Haggai either. There are also parallels with the Laodiceans about not accepting biblical hierarchy as well as not being hot about the work. Many have to see large things. You know, my question is, do Christians, do you, do you despise small things? Or do you rejoice in the work that God is doing? So I want to go to Zechariah, Zechariah chapter 4, starting in verse 6. "He answered and said, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel. "Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord of Hosts. Who are you, oh great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you'll become a plain.

[09:44] Speaker 3: He'll bring forth the capstone which shall c- grace to it.' Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, 'The hand of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple. His hand shall also finish it. Then you'll know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?'" Now, in the past, some people thought Herbert Armstrong could've been Zerubbabel, but he, he died, he didn't finish the work. Before he died, he said, "The greatest work lies ahead." And since God says Zerubbabel's gonna finish the work, that obviously is not, uh, Herbert W. Armstrong, but it would, somebody would've been alive when that old temple was ground. Zerubbabel essentially restored the work of the second temple. An end times Zerubbabel is doing the same thing for restoring the Philadelphia work.

[10:33] Speaker 3: It's obvious to all that the work of God at this time appears smaller than it was before, but the work is to be spiritually a strong one that reaches the world as faithful witness.

[10:44] Speaker 2: Though it may be obvious that the work of God appears smaller than it was before, could you shed some more light on the work that is being done now?

[10:54] Speaker 3: Well, in the Continuing Church of God, we're doing part of this removable work by preparing for the short work that the Apostle Paul talked about in Romans 9:28. And we're also being involved in restoring all things that were to happen as Jesus said in Matthew 17:11, and that Herbert Armstrong agreed needed to be done. Look, more than back in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, we need to support the work, 'cause it wasn't ended then. And it was Jesus said, "Blessed is the servant he finds so during when he comes." Now, as prophesied, though, a lot of people don't see what's going on. In the Continuing Church of God, we are leading what I call final phase of the work. We've got literature in more languages, we have the largest radio presence of any church of God that I know of. Yet as prophesied, many won't believe it, and that's warned about, for example, in Acts 13:41. It says, "Behold, you despisers.

[11:55] Speaker 3: Marvel and perish, for all work, the work in your days, the work which you will know by means, believe, even though no one will declare it to you." You know, so my question to end time Christians, will you believe? You know, we've reached people in, uh, over 220 countries and territories.Um, and other people say, "Oh, it won't happen unless we have more unity in the church." Uh, and the problem with that, and I- I got an email from somebody last week about that, is I said, "Well, you can't have unity unless you have the same organization, which means you have to agree on governance." And hierarchical church governance, instead of responding, the person sent me a link to an article, The Post, on hierarchal church governance, eh, which means there's no way things are gonna get together. And this guy is one of these people who thought Herbert Armstrong was Zerubbabel, but Herbert Armstrong said that God always carried u- things through one man. Let me read you something.

[12:55] Speaker 3: "God chose one man, for example, Zerubbabel," Armstrong said, "In the Philadelphia era st- take on new life and vitality, restoring truths that have been lost." God always raises up one man, and uses one man. It's what we've been doing in the Continuing Church of God, and we've restored more than any other group in terms of governance. And Herbert Armstrong actually said that one of the reasons that God raised him up was to restore governance, and he said that it was govern of God was restored or established in the Philadelphia era of the church. Other people don't wanna believe that. You know, we shouldn't let naysayers, grumblers, accusers of brothers convince us that we can push aside proper hierarchal church governance and still be a Philadelphian. It's the rejection of true Philadelphian hierarchal government which is why the flock is so scattered.

[13:49] Speaker 3: And one of the reasons there's not the same physical temple and scope like the old Worldwide Church of God is because, what are Christians supposed to do? Second Corinthians 5:7, we're supposed to walk by faith, not by sight. Therefore, there's no major physical thing we saw in the last century. The issues are spiritual, and, you know, and that's part of why the glory of this latter temple will be greater than the former. And those are the things that we've been doing in the Continuing Church of God.

[14:20] Speaker 2: Thank you, Dr. Teal. For more interviews with Dr. Teal in addition to written as well as audio articles, visit our website at biblenewsprophecy.net. This is Steve Dupuis for the Bible News Prophecy program.

[14:32] Speaker 1: (instrumental music) This Bible News Prophecy program was sponsored by the Continuing Church of God. For more information, including access to our free literature, visit biblenewsprophecy.net or www.ccog.org. You can also reach us by email. Our address is biblenewsprophecy@gmail.com.