The following are four excerpts from Mr. Armstrong concerning the work, his commission, and the role of the 'Elijah to Come'. Many organizations have stated that they are fulfilling the same commission as Mr. Armstrong, some others have proclaimed to be an Elisha following Mr. Armstrong (being the Elijah to Come) or being Elijah himself. Rather than the editor going into beliefs to the contrary of these individuals, Mr. Armstrong's words speak a loud and clear refutation of these individuals.
"I once appointed my son Garner Ted to succeed me. I didn't know any better. Today I wouldn't. What I've told you today is something, as I said, I would not have said a few years ago. But I look back and I look at the fruits and I see what prophecy says and I see that prophecy has been fulfilled. I wonder if you brethren see it?
And brethren, I have to say to you, no one is going to succeed me. God has called me to a job, to a commission. Mr. Rader has said time and again publicly that he doesn't expect anyone to succeed me, that God has never let anyone die until what God has called him to do is completed.
I think that when God lets me die, the thing He's called me for will have been completed, preparing the way for the Second Coming of Christ carrying that Gospel of the Kingdom to the world for a witness to all nations.
I don't know whether God's going to keep me alive for the rest of this day. I don't know whether He's going to keep me alive until next year. I don't know whether He's going to keep me alive for the next five or 10 years. I know He's able to keep me alive for 20 or 30 more years if that's what God wants to do. My God is that powerful. He can do it!
I have been persecuted ever since I gave myself to God. I try to be on the giving and not the getting side. I've been practicing the way of giving for just about 54 years now.
But I think God has called me for a job to do. If I have been someone in the power and the spirit of Elijah, remember there is no prophecy that God will have an Elisha following Elijah. There is no one in the Church that has the qualifications, the experience that could carry on the work that God has given me to do.
Who is there among you who can do it? If you will tell me I would like to know. It would be so nice if I could retire, because it's a pretty heavy load I have to carry. But I'm not thinking of myself, I'm thinking of what I've been called to do. And it must be done. And God's will will be done.
If anything happened to me I would expect the Church to continue right on and the local churches and the local church ministry. But the job God has called me to do is a prophesied job. It has been being done." (end of excerpt)
“Remember God does things in DUAL stages. As Zerubbabel built the first temple of MATERIAL stone, wood and other materials, he was a forerunner or type of one through whom Christ would raise up or build the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE -- His Church of our time, prior to the Day of the Lord and Christ's Second Coming. As John the Baptist prepared the way, in the PHYSICAL wilderness of the Jordan River for the first coming of the HUMAN Jesus (both man and God), then coming to His MATERIAL temple, and to His PHYSICAL people Judah, ANNOUNCING the Kingdom of God to be set up more than 1,900 years later, SO God would use a human messenger in the SPIRITUAL wilderness of 20th-century religious confusion, to be a voice CRYING OUT the Gospel of the KINGDOM OF GOD, about the SPIRITUAL CHRIST, coming in SUPREME POWER AND GLORY to His SPIRITUAL TEMPLE, to actually ESTABLISH that spiritual KINGDOM OF GOD.
Brethren, HAS THAT BEEN DONE BY THIS CHURCH?
Did God raise up a one-man LEADERSHIP to be used by Him in building this spiritual TEMPLE and in proclaiming after 1,900 years the true GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD in ALL THE WORLD -- to even go to kings and heads of nations (Rev. 10:11) -- in bringing the Church back to the FAITH ONCE DELIVERED (Jude 3)?
HAS THIS HAPPENED, IN YOUR DAYS, AND HAS GOD BROUGHT YOU INTO THIS PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT AS A PART OF IT?
HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE IT?
Brethren, HOW did the living Christ prepare me from youth to lead you?
At age 16, on my first job away from my home city, my employer aroused the spark of ambition within me. At age 18, I began fulfilling the "7 Laws of Success" -- all but the seventh, which is guidance from God in being led into the RIGHT goal, and general divine guidance. But I was trained in WRITING both advertising copy and magazine articles. I was trained in the magazine and newspaper business. I was led where I would have continual contact with successful men who had built some of the biggest industries and biggest banks in the United States or the world. I was trained in speaking to businessmen.
At age 34, God had me disturbingly CHALLENGED as I had never been before about keeping GOD'S SABBATH. I was forced into the most intensive and in-depth night-and-day study and research of my life. I then believed just the OPPOSITE of what GOD SAYS in His Word. I was trying to prove I was right -- to HAVE MY OWN WAY. In that first beginning six months' deep study of the Bible, I learned I had believed the very opposite of WHAT GOD SAYS.
In that period God OPENED MY UNDERSTANDING to most of the MAJOR BASICS OF GOD'S TRUTH THAT THE CHURCHES AND RELIGIONS OF THIS WORLD HAD LOST -- indeed, even the flickering remnant of the TRUE Church had lost!
He opened my mind to HIS LAW. Not only the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath, but the annual festivals and Holy Days. I learned the truth about God's GOVERNMENT having been established on earth under the archangel Lucifer, and the origin of Satan and PURPOSE of God in restoring God's Government over the earth. I learned Jesus was born to be a KING, which traditional "Christianity" seems not to know. I learned our identity as being of the lost tribes of Israel, and the difference between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. This gave me the KEY to understanding PROPHECIES! God revealed to me the symbols and truths of the book of Revelation as revealed through Matthew 24 and Daniel. I learned the Kingdom of God will be ON EARTH.
NO MAN taught me these truths. As the original apostles were taught by Jesus IN PERSON, so was I taught by Jesus Christ IN WRITING. It is the SAME WORD -- the SAME TEACHING.
I LOST that challenge. I had to GIVE UP MY WAY! I had to give up MYSELF -- and give myself to Christ, who had bought and paid for me. It took an inner battle -- a struggle against having my own way. I made, in my mind, heart and innermost intention, a COMPLETE SURRENDER to God. I told Him if He could use such a worthless life as mine, He could have it.
Two can't walk together except they be AGREED! I now AGREED with Christ. I have NEVER DISAGREED. You yourself -- every begotten child of God -- does, through human weakness, commit sin even after the most deep conversion. None has lived perfectly but JESUS. But when I stumbled through human weakness, Jesus picked me back up on confessing to Him and repenting, and asking help never to repeat the sin. At no point did I DISAGREE nor water down HIS TRUTH.
He used me in building the Philadelphia era of HIS CHURCH -- and in proclaiming His Gospel IN ALL THE WORLD!
Now He has brought this Great Commission near its FINISH. Neither I nor you know how much longer will be required completely to finish it!
But as I said at the beginning, some, even in the public press, are beginning to ask, WHO is the "heir apparent," as the newspapers put it? WHO will rule the Church after Mr. Armstrong?
The answer is, NOBODY!
I have gone to considerable length in this letter to show you how God does His Work among humans through one man at a time. He specially prepared me for the Work He has called me to do. I know of NO ONE ELSE who has been so prepared.
My son Garner Ted Armstrong, as I have said, and he has said, has NOT AGREED with me as I was brought to agree with Christ. Some newspapers have speculated that Mr. Stanley R. Rader would succeed me as Christ's apostle. But as he himself has said before our brethren, and in the public press, his qualifications ARE ALTOGETHER DIFFERENT. He is a man of brilliant mind and expertise in accounting, finance, law and in many respects in this world's governments. But he is not qualified to lead God's people SPIRITUALLY, nor to become the human leader of the Church under Christ, if I have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5) and I think I have.
Beginning with the massive legal attack on this Church by the State of California, January 3, 1979, sweeping changes were necessarily made in the organizational structure of the Church and Work. God providentially had moved me out of California to Tucson, Arizona, almost a year before. A new corporation was formed, the Herbert W. Armstrong corporation sole. All tithes and offerings were directed to Tucson. That, for the present, is continuing.
But while God has always worked through one man at a time as leader over His people, He also has given wise instruction, and those He has chosen should heed it. 1) We are not to put our trust in MAN, but in God. On the other hand through Solomon God says that IN MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS there is safety.
Now as to any possible successor to me. God has never removed a man called to a specific leadership or assignment or commission until his mission is COMPLETED.
1) Has the commission of carrying the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world been completed? How far does God expect it to go? Only HE knows. It has gone to multiple millions. It has gone into all continents. It is still going. I am preparing to speed up its proclamation to the world as we come in on the homestretch. But I DO NOT KNOW, nor does any but GOD know, where that finish line is! WE MAY BE CLOSER TO IT THAN WE REALIZE!
2) The CHURCH for this present era has been raised up. God's TRUTH has been restored to it. IF, and AS God may reveal any more truth, I will assuredly share it with you. I have done, and am doing, the best I can with God's help to help you all to GROW in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am doing what I can to HIGH PRESSURE YOU into a DEEPER spiritual life with Christ, a deeper, more fervent PRAYER LIFE.
Perhaps my job in these areas is not yet finished. GOD WILL KEEP ME ALIVE AND ON THE JOB AS LONG AS HE NEEDS ME, and I will serve Him to my utmost as long as He leaves me FREE to do so, and gives me the breath of life.
I have shown you that the book of Haggai is a PROPHECY. Zerubbabel's temple, to which Jesus came at His first coming, was a TYPE of the SPIRITUAL TEMPLE (God's CHURCH) to which, in its resurrected GLORIFIED state, it will be the GLORIOUS TEMPLE to which Christ will come SOON NOW IN OUR TIME.
Zerubbabel, therefore, was the typical forerunner of one Christ would use to build that GLORIFIED SPIRITUAL TEMPLE -- God's Church of this END TIME.
In Zechariah 4:6 and 9, God says of this former type: "This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power (humanly), but by MY SPIRIT, saith the Lord of hosts." In Revelation 3:8, Christ says of the leader of today's Church, "I know thy works; behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength (only a little strength humanly), and has kept my word, and hast not denied my name." This Work in our day has not been done by human strength or power, but by FAITH and the POWER OF GOD'S SPIRIT.
Further, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house (the first temple); his hands shall also FINISH IT!" So far as I know, GOD HAS NOT RAISED UP ANYONE ELSE TO FINISH THIS WORK HE HAS USED ME IN DOING!
God could take my life in the next breath -- or He has power to keep me on the job as His instrument for as long as He deems necessary.
I have NEVER SAID I expect to live until Christ comes.
But, just in case of my disability for any reason, to prevent Satan from causing division, I feel God has inspired me to delegate power to the Advisory Council, during any such complete disability, to take full charge of the Work and all its assets and activities.
The CHURCH must not be scattered. It must not become scattered, because there is no COMPETENT, CHRIST-CHOSEN SPIRITUAL SHEPHERD, TO BECOME MEAT FOR BEASTS (human) OF THE FIELD! (See Ezekiel 34:5.) This is a safeguard for YOUR protection.
...
Brethren, NEVER were your prayers so URGENTLY NECESSARY -- both for YOU and the Work -- and for me! My life has been threatened -- but by faith in God it shall be spared until my work is complete. I now have to ask you to sacrifice and send in special EXTRA generous offerings more than ever before. Time is short. Soon there shall be a FAMINE of hearing the Word of God (Amos 8:11). If we work harder now, SO WILL SATAN. SO PRAY AS NEVER BEFORE!”
Of the Philadelphia era of God's true Church we read: "To the angel of the church...." This word angel translated from the Greek aggelos means messenger or agent. This is not necessarily always referring to a spirit angel but can refer as well to a human agent. It is possible that God's principle of duality may apply here. It may apply to an actual spirit-composed angel that has been assigned as an overall agent or helper of this particular era of the Church. Or it may also apply to the human messenger or agent God has raised up to lead this era of his Church.
At the same time another principle of duality may apply to verses 7-13. It may apply to the Church of this era as a whole, and also it could apply to the human leader God had raised up to this era of his Church.
Continue with verse 8: "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
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 II 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 3:1-5 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.
I want you, brethren, to think about and understand what happened to God's Church in the 1970s "lest history repeat itself!" I want you to see the "fruits" of rebelling against God's way and God's government.
After all, the basic issue all along was that of God's government in the Church. One who followed one liberal who, as the apostle Paul had predicted, sought to draw away followers after himself (Acts 20:30) said, "We are liberated from that church government and now have a loosely knit organization, and that's the way we like it."
Those liberals, who are no longer in God's Church, actually seem to be more interested in news of the Church -- especially false accusations, criticisms and persecutions of enemies -- than are the loyal members of the Church. It would seem the chief interest in their lives is to hear false reports, accusations and innuendos against the church.
Daniel prophesied of our time: "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10). Truly this has been a time of trying and testing. We are the first fruits called to be students that we may become kings and priests and rule with Christ (Revelation 5:10). We in the Church are students, and we are in the time of final exams.
Little groups, splintering off, centered in Washington, D.C.; Eugene, Ore.; Tyler, Tex.; Monterey, Calif.; and other places with groups too small to mention. They are not bearing fruit for the Kingdom. They are not pleasing God or being blessed by Him. Jesus said, "By their fruits you shall know them." They usually claim to be "branches" of the Church of God. But Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). He did not say denominations, sects, cults, branches or a church divided against itself. Rather He said a house divided against itself cannot stand. There is one true Church and one only. The apostle Paul pictured humanly self-appointed "branches" when he said to the elders of the local church at Ephesus that some of their own selves would depart to draw a following after themselves.
Paul said, "But now are they many members, yet but one body" (I Corinthians 12:20). How was that one body organized? Did it have one government? "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues" (verse 28). Verse 25 shows there should be no divisions in the body -- no branches or branch organizations.
The Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy Temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:20-21). Note, the Church is organized and fitly framed together, not organized with competing and differing branches.
Notice Ephesians 4, there is only one organized church "fitly joined together and compacted" (verse 16) -- compacted as if welded together into one well organized body. And how did He organize this body? How was it governed? "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith ... (Ephesians 4:11-13). It is not DISunity or some other type of organization and government. Paul also said "that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10).
....
Most of the dissension of the past in the Church had been over the matter of government. The dissenters believe in a very liberal government -- the way of Satan and his world. The whole purpose of the Gospel is to call those chosen by God out of this world and its ways into the ways of God. God's government is based on God's law. All government, even in the world's nations, is based on a foundation of law. A law is simply the rules of human conduct and behavior. The righteousness of God merely means righteous conduct and behavior based on the great spiritual law of God.
....
The Church is the embryo of the coming Kingdom of God, which is the family of God. There will be no divisions in that Kingdom. There must be none in the Church.
A final personal word. In a few days I will be 93 years of age. For some years now, there have been some, like vultures, waiting for me to die. They would like to come back and take over the leadership of the Church in my stead. I have been deeply concerned about this, but in no sense worried. This is the Church of God, not of any man. Jesus Christ is the living Head of this Church. I am not.
And Jesus Christ will never receive any of those who have gone out to draw a following after themselves to come back and lead God's Church into Satan's liberalism. It would be no longer God's Church, even as Ambassador College was no longer God's college, and Christ had to start it all over again through me with one freshman class.
The tithes and offerings of this small church began the work of proclaiming 1,900 years later the Gospel of the Kingdom -- the only true Gospel -- throughout Europe after it had gone forth for 19 years over the United States and Canada.
It is now true that this Gospel has been proclaimed within EVERY NATION ON EARTH BY THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD.
NO OTHER CHURCH has proclaimed THIS true Gospel at all!
Following are current worldwide figures you should know for the year 1985.
+ Seventy-four million PLAIN TRUTH magazines were either mailed to subscribers or distributed through newsstands.
+ Seven million GOOD NEWS issues were sent out.
+ Two million YOUTH 85 magazines went to young and old alike.
+ Six million booklets, books and reprint articles were mailed upon request.
+ More than one million Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course lessons were sent to students.
+ Our Mail Processing Center received more than one million phone calls, mostly in response to the WORLD TOMORROW program on television.
+ Our offices around the world received more than 10 million letters from subscribers responding to the work of the Church.
What tremendous accomplishments your tithes and offerings have made possible in 1985. Now let's keep it up in 1986!
It is clear that Mr. Armstrong believed that he was responsible for carrying the work to the world, fulfilling Matthew 24:14, and that no one else would do this role. That work changed after his death in 1986 and the Church had to carry on to what was next, the fulfilment of other end-time prophecies.