Fifth of six partsTHE relationship between the greener pastures and Filipino migration in Hawaii and California was portrayed.It happens that among the Filipino migrants in Hawaii and California included members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church Of Christ.The transcript of the last part of the article titled 'God's promises fulfilled' written by Brother Dennis Lovendino, INC Minister of the Gospel, published in the Editorial Section of the Special Issue of the 'Pasugo: God's Message' was quoted.It narrated how the Church has expanded in various states of America.To corroborate the previous discussion on how the Lord God fulfilled His promises to the Church, an article titled 'From the Far East to the Far West and Beyond' written by Brother Dennis Lovendino, INC Minister of the Gospel published in the Editorial Section of the 'Pasugo: God's Message' in its July 2023 issue is hereto quoted.'Fifty-five years ago, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), which began in the Philippines in 1914, held its first worship service in the Far West––in Ewa beach, a suburb of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, known as 'The Gathering Place' (beyondhonolulu.com).'For the Church members, such a pivotal event that took place on July 27, 1968, the year Time magazine dubbed annus mirabilis or 'the year of wonders,' was the wonderful unfolding, of God's prophetic words: 'From the far East will I bring your offspring, and from the far west I will gather you' (Isa. 43:5 Moffatt Translation).'The 'offspring' or descendants whom God would bring from the Far East and gather from the Far West are His sons and daughters from 'afar' and from the 'ends of the earth': 'Fear not. For I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, And gather from the Far west; I will say to the North, 'Give them up!' And to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, And My daughters from the ends of the earth' (Isa 43:5-6 New King James Version).'The place referred to as 'afar,' as stated in verse 5 (Moffatt), is the Far East. To know the meaning of 'ends of the earth,' we need to find out what 'end of the earth' means: 'And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Thy coming and the end of the world' (Matt. 24:3 21st Century King James Version).'The end of the earth is the end of the world, the day when Christ will come again. The 'ends of the earth' is the period when the end 'is near – at the doors': 'So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors!' 'And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows' (Matt. 24:33, 6-8 NKJV).'The Lord Jesus told His disciples that there are events which, when seen, signify that the end of the world is near. These events will take place during the period the Bible describes as the 'ends of the earth' – or the last days (2 Tim. 3:1) – the time when Judgment Day is already near.'Among those occurrences are 'wars and rumors of wars' or armed conflicts, the news of which will be heard throughout the world. In several previous articles, it was proven in the light of the Scriptures and supported by historical evidence that the wars referred to by the Savior are World War 1 and World War 2 which erupted on July 27, 1914 and Sept. 1, 1939, respectively. History also testifies that 19 out of the 20 'largest earthquakes in the world' (usgs.gov), six of the 10 deadliest famines (worldatlas.com), and two of the most devastating plagues or disease epidemics (history.com) on record took place after those two global wars.'On the same date when World War 1 broke out in Europe, on July 27, 1914, the Iglesia Ni Cristo was officially registered with the government in the Philippines. Thus God's prophetic word that His sons and daughters from the Far East would be called from the 'ends of the earth' was fulfilled. And the country in the Far East wherein God's children would emerge found fulfillment in the Philippines – where the Iglesia Ni Cristo began 109 (now 110) years ago.'God states in the prophecy that from the Far East, there would be those of His children who would be gathered in the Far West (Isa. 43:5 Moffatt). The Bible specifies when this would take place in a related prophecy also written in the Book of Isaiah: 'till in the far west men have awe of the Eternal, and in the east they see his brilliant deeds' (Isa.59:19 Moffatt).'Based on God's plan, the gathering of His people in the Far West will happen when His brilliant deeds are already seen in the East. True enough, when the Iglesia Ni Cristo has already made its strong presence known throughout the Philippine archipelago, the Church began its overseas mission.'This happened when Brother Eraño G. Manalo, then the Executive Minister of the Church, officiated at the first worship service of the Church Of Christ in Hawaii, on July 27, 1968 – coinciding with the Church's 54th founding anniversary. After that momentous event, the San Francisco, California congregation of the Church was established. Both the states of Hawaii and California are in the Far West (newworldencyclopedia.com; geolounge.com), in fulfillmentof God's prophecy.'* * *If you want to know more about the things that you ought to do to be saved come Judgment Day – the Second Advent of Lord Jesus Christ, please call telephone numbers +632 981-4311/9811111/719-78000 or email queries to pasugo@iglesianicristo.org.ph.Antonio Papa is a trustee of the New Era University in Quezon City and the second head deacon at the Local Congregation of Indang, Ecclesiastical District of Cavite South. He is a retired university professor at the College of Economics, Management and Development Studies, Cavite State University in Indang, Cavite. In 2018, he served as a scientist 1 and consultant at Marinduque State College now Marinduque State University in Boac, Marinduque. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education degree at the Don Severino Agricultural College now CvSU in 1978, and both Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Extension Education at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna in 1986 and 1991, respectively.
