George H. Warnock — Eschatology
b3 — Feed My Sheep
Resurrection Life as Eschatological Principle
Warnock argues that the resurrection of Christ is not exclusively a future historical event but a present reality already being manifested in the Body of Christ. This is the core of his eschatological thought in this work:
“Resurrection Life! Not just a future historical event, but the living Christ walking and living in the hearts of men!” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 4)
Interpretation: Warnock reinterprets resurrection as a present-eschatological principle — the powerful reality of resurrection life is experienced now in the mortal bodies of believers, according to his reading of 2Cor. 4:11.
As scriptural basis for this principle he cites:
“For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” (2Cor. 4:11, ch. 4)
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken (give life to) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Rom. 8:11, ch. 4)
Warnock connects resurrection to the restoration of foundational truths in the church:
“And of resurrection of the dead. THIS IS NEXT! We have talked about it. We profess to have the Resurrection Life of Jesus within us… but God will yet manifest the fulness of the resurrection Life of Jesus here in the earth.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 4 — concerning the foundational truths of Heb. 6)
Greater Works as End-Time Fulfillment in the Body
A central thesis in “Feed My Sheep” is that the ‘greater works’ (John 14:12) are not completed in the person of Jesus himself, but in his many brethren in the earth while he is glorified at God’s right hand:
“And GREATER WORKS THAN THESE shall he do, because I go to my Father.” (John 14:12, ch. 3)
“The GREATER WORKS that Jesus said the Father would shew the Son are to be accomplished in His many brethren in the earth, while He Himself is glorified at God’s right hand.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 4)
Warnock connects this to the authority of the Son and the work of the Spirit:
“For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him GREATER WORKS THAN THESE, THAT YE MAY MARVEL.” (John 5:20, ch. 4)
Harvest Time as Eschatological Principle
Warnock employs the harvest as a central eschatological principle — the end times are the ripening of the seed that Christ was, into the full fruit in the Body. This is not a loose metaphor but a law of life:
“Now Christ was the true Seed, because He was the Word; and the Harvest is the end of the age, as Jesus said. So we may rest assured that we are now in the hour of the formation of the FRUIT.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 6)
“Every gardener knows that the whole process is governed by THE LAW OF LIFE IN THE SEED… the fruit of the harvest will be far more glorious than the seed which he planted… and so entirely different…” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 6)
Interpretation: Warnock uses the harvest principle to emphasize the discontinuity between the early church (the seed) and the end-time church (the full fruit). The glorious church is not a reconstruction of the early church pattern, but the organic ripening of the seed of Christ.
The harvest he also connects to the ministry of the Word:
“Ministry in the Holy Place must give way to SONSHIP in the Holiest of All, as faith must give way to Hope, as Hope gives way to Love… as the Blade gives way to the Ear… as the Ear gives way to the Full Corn in the Ear…” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 5)
The Lamb on the Throne — Rev. 7:17 and 14:4
The eschatological climax of “Feed My Sheep” is found in chapter 7, devoted to “The Lamb-Shepherd.” Warnock identifies the central imagery of Rev. 7:17 and 14:4 as the key principle for the end-time overcomers:
“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed (shepherd) them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Rev. 7:17, ch. 7)
“And of the overcomers it says, ‘These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.‘” (Rev. 14:4, ch. 7)
Warnock draws from this a fundamental ecclesiological-eschatological conclusion:
“A bleeding Lamb became the conquering, triumphant Lion of the tribe of Judah. But even as He assumed that character, He was still the Lamb that was slain… and the overcomers that we find coming forth in the Book of Revelation are those who ‘follow the Lamb’… not those who follow the Lion.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 7)
“For it is the lamb that reigns with Christ on the throne, and therefore a shepherd has no preeminence above a sheep.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 7)
Warnock connects the nature of the Lamb directly to the character of the end-time overcomers:
“He reigns as a Lamb-Shepherd, because God is raising up lamb-shepherds in the earth, and it is the office work of the Holy Spirit in the earth to establish in the Body of Christ the nature, and the character, as well as the authority… of Him who sits on the throne.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 7)
Overcomers and the Glorious Church
Warnock closely links the theme of the overcomers to the promise of Rev. 2:17:
“TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDDEN MANNA, AND WILL GIVE HIM A WHITE STONE, AND IN THE STONE A NEW NAME WRITTEN, WHICH NO MAN KNOWETH SAVING HE THAT RECEIVETH IT.” (Rev. 2:17, ch. 7)
The glorious church he describes as the end result of organic ripening:
“The ‘Glorious Church’ that Christ is bringing into being is as far different from the New Testament Church as the pumpkin fruit is from the pumpkin seed.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 6)
“…that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:27, ch. 6)
Interpretation: Warnock consistently contrasts the present church (seed, partial fulfillment) with the end-time church (full fruit, glory). This is not perfectionism or moralistic idealism but an eschatological principle based on the organic laws of seed and harvest.
Manifestation of the Sons of God
Warnock anchors his eschatology in Rom. 8:19 as the central longing verse of creation:
“For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the SONS OF GOD.” (Rom. 8:19, ch. 5)
“Creation is longing for liberation as she groans and travails, and her groaning is bringing forth SONS OF GOD, not kings and dictators…” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 5)
“If Divine Government were God’s ultimate purpose… But God’s ultimate is SONS… Sons from Adam’s race… fallen so low, yet to be raised so high… even unto UNION WITH HIMSELF… Sons walking in love, in truth, in meekness, in mercy, in grace…” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 5)
The Kingdom of God
Warnock describes the Kingdom as a heavenly reality that is prayed into manifestation in the lives of believers:
“That is why we pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…’ His kingdom is sure, and steadfast, and very REAL… but it is IN THE HEAVENS. Our prayer is that it take on manifestation in our lives…” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 6)
“Fear not little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (ch. 2, cited as Jesus’ word to the disciples)
Interpretation: Warnock’s kingdom theology is consistent with his broader Kingdom Now orientation: the Kingdom is already present in the heavens, and the end-time church (glorious church / manifestation of the Sons of God) is the instrument of its advancing manifestation on earth.
Judgment and End-Time Transformation
Warnock also references end-time judgments:
“Winds of judgment are about to be released in the earth; and when the tables are turned, and God’s judgments engulf the earth, God would have us to know the reason for it all.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 2)
“And let us be assured that this effectual warfare in the Spirit will bring about whatever changes in the earthly and the ecclesiastical realms that God has determined.” (Feed My Sheep, ch. 2)