No End to the Third Epistle of John

The biblical books of Acts, James and 3 John have no “amen”—no conclusion. When we dig into this, we find that even the omitting of a conclusion is a message from God. We can gain depth by exploring the lack of amens.

During the “lost century” from a.d. 70–170, Church history was blotted out of secular history. The only Church records from this time are in the Apostle John’s epistles.

God’s Church went into the lost century preaching the gospel message of Jesus Christ. A very different church emerged from the lost century preaching a false gospel message about Christ Himself. The Babylonian mystery religion appropriated the name of Christianity despite teaching nothing that Christ taught. This was a well-organized conspiracy to attack and destroy God’s one true Church!

Revelation 17 explains this conspiracy against God’s Church—a conspiracy that continues to this day. It is mainly about the seventh and last Church era, and the seventh and last head of the Holy Roman Empire!

The lost century is just the beginning of a massive conspiracy that lasts all the way up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. John describes some of it in his epistles, Revelation puts it in the larger time order, and Daniel unlocks Revelation.

John couldn’t give the whole picture of these tragic events in his epistles, so he ended 3 John without writing “amen.” For greater context, we must go to Revelation—also written by John.

The no-amen message of 3 John is part of the depth of God’s mind. He didn’t want John to reveal the full Church conspiracy in his epistles—only the part during the lost century. Instead, John exposed all of the conspiracy in Revelation, which puts all prophecy in time sequence.

Diotrephes and Antiochus

“I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church” (3 John 9-10).

What happened in the lost century is only a type of the Church rebellion in this end time. Back then, Diotrephes attacked God’s Church from within. More recently, a Satan-possessed Antiochus destroyed God’s Church from within. What a frightening situation!

Here is the end of 3 John, in which the usual conclusion is omitted: “I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name” (verses 13-14). John had more to write about the Church conspiracy, but he withheld it for the book of Revelation.

3 John has no conclusion because the Church rebellion is still in force! Before it’s all said and done, the conclusion will be added by God’s very elect today.

One Epic Verse

One verse in Revelation covers the history of this end time, showing the timing of the Holy Roman Empire in relation to God’s Church: “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space” (Revelation 17:10).

A minister in the Worldwide Church of God, the church founded by Herbert W. Armstrong, said that Mr. Armstrong uncovered this prophecy. But that is not true at all! Mr. Armstrong didn’t uncover anything. Men can’t uncover prophecy or any of God’s truth, really. God must reveal it!

There is so much deception in the world because men always try to figure things out on their own. Only God has the answers, and He showed the meaning of Revelation 17:10 to Mr. Armstrong.

God the Father knows everything about Bible prophecy. All revelation originates with Him (Revelation 1:1).

“[F]ive are fallen, and one is”—the one here is the sixth head of the Holy Roman Empire. As the sixth head was rising, God unlocked the truth about this verse for Mr. Armstrong to understand! Mr. Armstrong warned that Germany would rise from defeat in World War ii to lead the Holy Roman Empire and terrorize the world once again!

God used Mr. Armstrong as the end-time Elijah (Matthew 17:10-11; Malachi 4:5-6; 3:1-2). This man restored all things to God’s Church—all that was lost after the first century. While he was alive, it was the sixth era of the Church (Revelation 2-3). By the time he died in 1986, the sixth head of the Holy Roman Empire was long gone. The sixth Church era ended with his death.

This means there is just one more Church era—and one more resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire! What a pivotal time in the history of both institutions. What amazing truth in Revelation 17:10!

The Seventh Head

Let’s look at the seventh resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire more specifically. “And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns” (Revelation 17:7).

The woman—a great false church—rides and controls the beast. The beast—this deadly war-making empire—has seven heads that come on the world scene one by one.

The seventh and final head has 10 horns—10 kings. This prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes today! The 27-nation European Union will be pared down to a core of 10 leaders, just as your Bible says.

Ninety percent of Bible prophecy is coming to pass during the last two Church eras. When Mr. Armstrong declared the message of Revelation 17:10, the seventh head was “not yet come.” We live in the time when the seventh head has come!

Bloody Persecution

“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration” (Revelation 17:6). For almost 2,000 years, God’s Church has battled a powerful counterfeit church. This wicked woman is drunk on the blood of God’s saints!

The first resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire was in a.d. 554. The Roman Catholic Church began to control empires and persecute God’s Church with even more success. This is how Revelation 17 connects to the Church conspiracy exposed by John.

Soon, all mankind will see where the lost-century conspiracy against God’s Church is leading. It is the worst news and the best news you could ever hear!

Unless we repent of our sins, we will become the latest martyrs of the Holy Roman Empire!

Watch Germany

We need to watch Germany because it will lead the Holy Roman Empire again very soon. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has appointed a new defense minister, Boris Pistorius, who is known for getting things done. Mr. Pistorius will be a pro-Russia defense minister at a crucial moment in the Russia-Ukraine war. Everyone was already accusing Germany of not doing enough to assist Ukraine, and now this!

Mr. Scholz is a weak chancellor, and appointing such a strong defense minister could spell the end of his government.

Daniel 8 foretells a German strongman to take charge in this end time—a king of “fierce countenance” who understands “dark sentences”! (verse 23). He will be powerful, but “not by his own power” (verse 24). This man will be empowered by the devil!

But the seventh head of the Holy Roman Empire will be the last one. “[H]e shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand” (verse 25).

Jesus Christ is about to destroy the Holy Roman Empire forever, bringing happiness, joy, prosperity and hope to all mankind! The bad news is also good news. This is the end result of the lost-century Church conspiracy.