Now is the time for Philadelphian Christians to support the work and short work (Unsplash photo)
What about the short work of Romans 9:28? What needs to happen before it is time to flee? Won't having the gospel of the kingdom in 2000 languages be a factor in Matthew 24:14? What about John Ogwyn and the final phase of the work? Some aspects of the work need to be done before the famine of the word of Amos 8:11-12. Louis Rubin proposes some ideas on how others can help support the work. He also goes over some steps that some in the Continuing Church of God are doing. What is unique about the Philadelphian church? What about the mantle and the need to form the CCOG? Is the work to continue until the return of Jesus the Christ? Will God cut short the work?
BibleNewsProphecy: Our Closing Act – the Short Work and You
The Apostle Paul wrote (three translations are being shown):
25 As He says also in Hosea:
“I will call them My people, who were not My people,
And her beloved, who was not beloved.”
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘ You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:
“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”29 And as Isaiah said before:
“Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed,
We would have become like Sodom,
And we would have been made like Gomorrah.” (Romans 9:25-29, NKJV)27 And Isaiah doth cry concerning Israel, ‘If the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, the remnant shall be saved;
28 for a matter He is finishing, and is cutting short in righteousness, because a matter cut short will the Lord do upon the land.
29 and according as Isaiah saith before, ‘Except the Lord of Sabaoth did leave to us a seed, as Sodom we had become, and as Gomorrah we had been made like.’ (Romans 9:27-29, YLT)
27 And Isaias crieth out concerning Israel: If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.
28 For he shall finish his word, and cut it short in justice; because a short word shall the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Isaias foretold: Unless the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been made as Sodom, and we had been like unto Gomorrha. (Romans 9:27-29, Douay-Rheims Challoner)
(Note: Lord of Saboath means “Lord of Hosts’ or ‘Lord of Armies’.)
We in the CCOG have been preparing for that short work, which is why we have our gospel booklet in so many languages online (see also Preaching the Gospel in Over 1500 Languages). We prepare for it and God will finish it.
Notice that a short work/word/matter (matter is also in the LSV) will be cut off and proceed a time of destruction. The message of God’s word will go forth, and this will happen–Gentiles and Israelites are to be reached.
An important part of the short work relates to the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14, which, in a sense, is cut short as it triggers the end coming:
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
So, there are connections between Romans 9:28 and Matthew 24:14.
Some with a Church of God background, as well as others, may be interested in seeing what the late Herbert W. Armstrong taught about this. Here is something he wrote about the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28:
Just as Jesus said God will cut short the days of the Great Tribulation, so He tells us through the Apostle Paul He will CUT SHORT THIS WORK! Listen! Read it carefully! “For He will finish the Work, and CUT IT SHORT in righteousness: because a SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Romans 9:28.) …
There is precious little time left! We need to be stirred – to be frightened just enough to realize the SERIOUSNESS of the TIME – and the SERIOUSNESS of THIS WORK! This is GOD’S DOING! – not mine! YOU are privileged, as well as I, to have A PART in it! We need to dedicate ourselves to it, as the MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR LIVES, by far! (Armstrong HW. Co-worker letter, July 29, 1968)
Here is something that he wrote in letters in 1979:
In Revelation 7 is the prophecy of God HOLDING UP — DELAYING — world events until the sealing of the 144,000 and the other innumerable multitude out of all nations. But God says also: “For He will FINISH THE WORK, and CUT IT SHORT in righteousness, because A SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth” (Rom. 9:28). From now on, things may happen SUDDENLY, RAPIDLY, to finish the Work God has called us to do. (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, August 20, 1979)
God was HOLDING UP world events in Satan’s world, to give His Church more time to FINISH THE WORK, and be PREPARED ourselves for His coming. But now many evidences are appearing that prophesied world events are readying to move swiftly, bringing on the DAY OF THE LORD, and Christ’s divine interference preparing for His coming. Jesus has said “… He will finish the Work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short Work will the Lord make upon the earth” Rom. 9:28). (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, October 26, 1979)
Almighty God has been HOLDING BACK the progress of prophesied world events. There is a time, foretold in Revelation 7, when He will do this again.
But then, again, “He will finish the Work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a SHORT WORK will the Lord make upon the earth”! (Armstrong HW. Co-worker Letter, November 9, 1979)
So, he felt then that a short and important work would later happen, but felt in 1979 that it was being held up. But he also said people needed to be PREPARED!
He seemed to have a similar view about being delayed in 1983 as the following transcription from one of his sermon’s states:
God has delayed certain events, but He says that He will make a short work and cut it short suddenly. Jesus gave us the expression of how it will come when it is least expected. And like a rat getting caught in a trap that snaps, when it didn’t even know it, until it is caught. And that’s how suddenly things are going to happen very, very soon. How much longer God will delay before He does that, I don’t know. (Armstrong HW. Success Based On God’s Law Sermon Date: July 30, 1983 http://www.hwalibrary.com/cgi-bin/get/hwa.cgi?action=getsermon&InfoID=1330874371&SearchWhat=KeyWord&SearchFor=god%27s%20true%20church&page=97&return=search#.Ug-Q6T_NvXA)
Yes, there was a delay, and that delay continued for decades after he died. Jesus warned that many, including Christians, would not expect what is happening and warned that we need to pray to be counted worthy (Luke 21:34-36). Could that not also include preparation?
John the Baptist prepared for the first coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-7), and the Philadelphian faithful in the Church of God are preparing for His second coming–and the full number of Gentiles must come in before Jesus returns per Romans 11:25-27 (see also What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?).
Here is something Herbert W. Armstrong wrote in a letter dated September 17, 1982:
It is written in Romans 9, concerning this very END TIME, “For he (Christ) will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth” (verse 28).
While we were not in the very end time then, we are much closer to it now. In a letter dated October 18, 1983 he wrote that he realized that the ‘short work’ was for the future:
I feel God will move swiftly soon to make a short work preparatory to Christ’s coming.
The short work most definitely involves preparation now. This is part of why more materials, literature, articles, books, booklets, and websites are being developed and/or added to.
Here is what was in Herbert W. Armstrong’s last letter:
The greatest work lies ahead … Never before in the history of the Church has it been possible to reap so great a harvest. It has only been made possible through modern technology, beginning with the printing press, radio, television … Each of you must commit yourself to support God’s Work…God’s work must push ahead as never before. God is opening up new doors in television (Letter, 1/10/86).
Presuming he was correct that the greatest work lies ahead, that is consistent that more needed to happen to fulfill Matthew 24:14. New doors, like internet television have been opened during the 21st century. And we in CCOG do use various forms of radio (see Does the CCOG go through the ‘door’ of radio to reach the world?).
The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermonette from its ContinuingCOG channel:
Here is a link to our sermonette video: Our Closing Act – the Short Work and You.: Our Closing Act - the Short Work and You
Related Items:
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? What about modern censoring, censorship, and shadow banning? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here are two related YouTube videos titled Final Phase of the Work: Need and Background and The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra. And here is a link to a related Spanish language sermon: La obra corta y el Hambre de la Palabra de Dios.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to two related sermons: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
What is the Ezekiel Warning? Should the end-time descendants of Israel and Joseph be warned? What should the watchman warn about? Regarding a watchman, you can watch the following video: Go, Set a Watchman.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant Though the era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D., but a remnant has continued. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God were part of the era, and now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a related sermon: Philadelphia Church Era: History & Teachings.
Click here to read free online books and booklets in the English Language.
Click here to listen to free audio books.
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