A number of people try and quote Mr Armstrong's last coworker letter to prove that an even greater work than Mr Armstrong's should be our focus today. They particularly refer to the phrase "the greatest work lies yet ahead" found in that letter. However such phrases do not seem to fit with some of Mr Armstrong's other comments - about how he was the one given the job to reach the world with the gospel as a witness, and that this job had been accomplished, leaving the current job predominantly to get the Church - the Bride - ready.
We had heard on a number of occasions, that the final coworker letter in 1986 was not written by Mr Armstrong - but by his aid, Mr Aaron Dean. Someone therefore wrote to the Church Mr Dean attends, and asked if he would comment on this. Here is the question and his reply:
I have heard from various sources that Mr. Aaron Dean more or less wrote the last co-worker letter that was published before Mr. Armstrong died. Could he please comment on this. Thank you.
I recently answered this to someone who made a comment on a forum ... Obviously there was a lot going on the last few years of HWA's life, and I helped him with many things. He was too weak to write this one himself. I knew he was going to die, and this needed to go out before his death....
From: AARON DEAN To: Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 8:15 PM Subject: Re: "The greatest work lies yet ahead." FYI, the simple answer is I did write his last letter for him - in his style of course. He was too weak to even dictate. I did read it to him however, and told him it wouldn't go out unless I knew he understood it. He squeezed my hand, and added a couple words, so I knew he got it. It was the truth as I knew it, and I felt we needed a send off more than "I did the work, so hang on till Christ comes". He really felt he had done the commission and that the purification of the bride was to be next. He didn't expect a great work to continue, but I felt we needed a bit more encouragement as as send off for the next phase of what God would do. I had asked if he could prove from scripture that that part of the work had been done, and he replied, "no", so even though he strongly felt this, it would have been a let down not to try to be positive in light of the sorrow of his death. Personally, I think God is preparing the bride (what HWA said would be next but didn't know how) through all these tests. We have had to individually account for what we believe, and see if Jesus Christ is our head, or a man or group of men. Salvation does not come from being in the 'right' corporation, but by our individual relationship with God. HWA always made the distinction, and I should have caught it as we worked those years, but WCG and the church always seemed one and the same while he was alive. We have grown, painfully at times, although some sadly want people to believe "their corporation" is the only way to the place of safety, and others, at best, will make it only by going through the tribulation. This is probably the greatest danger to members of the spiritual body, judging based on who you attend with. Anyway, FYI. I always wince a little when people make this "the greatest work lies just ahead...." out to be his last wishes for the church. I didn't even say anything about me writing this until years later when others started misusing it to their own ends. We should do all we can, but it was simply for encouragement to help continue. Aaron Dean
Notice these co-worker letters, showing this thinking, written just a few months before:
Also notice the following quotes from Mystery of the Ages, where Mr Armstrong saw himself as having been specifically used to fulfil Matt 24:14:
page 158:
At last the weapons of mass destruction have been invented and produced that can erase all life from this planet earth. In these last days of mankind's last gasping of breath, Jesus foretold how it would all end. After Jesus' gospel had been suppressed, replaced with a false gospel of men about a different Jesus, he said, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end of this world come." This gospel now has been preached into every nation.
page 291:
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 fulfil 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.