Church of God News

(photo by Guy Courtois)

COGwriter

A potential exit of France from the European Union has been reported by Church Militant, a Roman Catholic site:

Frexit Fracas

April 14, 2022

A French nationalist wants to cut her country off from the globalist agenda — and it just might work.

Over the course of this week, French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen teased the possibility of pulling the eldest daughter of the Church out of the European Union — and even NATO — if she wins the runoff election on April 24.

Although Le Pen’s party, the National Rally, backed off its official “Frexit” policy after the 2017 election, the decision seems to have been in name only. In a speech Sunday, after winning entry to the second round of voting for the presidential election, the National Rally leader declared, “I will bring back France’s sovereignty in all areas — which means the freedom for the French people to decide for themselves and decide their interests. I will control immigration and re-establish security for all.”

Le Pen’s opponent, globalist and apostate-Catholic Emmanuel Macron, is running on a pro-New World Order platform, with more EU and Ukrainian flags present at his campaign rallies than French flags. Macron claimed yesterday his opponent had a “dishonest” plan to covertly unplug France from the EU socket, announcing, “This election is a referendum on Europe.” …

But is “Frexit” feasible? Le Pen stated Tuesday that “a large majority of French people no longer want the European Union as it is today.” She’s right — the most recent EU-conducted “Eurobarometer” reports only 32% of French citizens actually trust the EU. https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/frexit-fracas

The fact that a majority in France do not want the EU as it is today does not mean that they necessarily want to leave it–only that they want it changed.

The word of God teaches that Europe will reorganize and change:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.  (Revelation 17:12-13)

Is a French exit from the European project on the horizon?

Will France not be part of the Beast power of Revelation 17:12-13?

Here is the position of some in the current Living Church of God (LCG):

France Before Europe

As France’s federal election looms in the months ahead, multiple candidates for the presidency are seizing on Poland’s decision and advocating for French legal superiority over EU laws, and rhetoric against the EU comes from French candidates across the political spectrum (Politico, October 15, 2021). Former socialist governmental minister and presidential hopeful Arnaud Montebourg summarized the position: “France, which doesn’t share Poland’s political leanings, will nevertheless have to carry out the same affirmation of the superiority of its laws over European decisions.” Another candidate affirmed that “Europe is a Europe of nations.… That means that our constitutional laws, our constitutional identity, each one, each sovereign state, must take precedence over European jurisdiction.”

France is an Israelite-descended nation that until now has been a strong supporter of the “European project” and the EU. Could France step away from the EU and prioritize domestic interests over those of Europe? If so, what would be the consequences? The French national elections are set to occur in April 2022 and could have a powerful impact on the future of the nation and the European Union. (France Before Europe. TW News & Prophecy, October 29, 2021).

French Influence in Europe Waning

Bible prophecy reveals the Israelite-descended nations will go into captivity under the European “beast” power at the time of the end. But, will France be inside or outside the “beast” power? The increasing EU frustration with France will be interesting to watch. (French Influence in Europe Waning. TW News & Prophecy, March 27, 2015).

France’s Tumble from the Top

France has been a major player in the development of the EU. However, France is an Israelite-descended nation. (France’s Tumble from the Top. TW News & Prophecy, June 30, 2014).

Whom Will France Support?

As core nations in the EU seek to form a European military, Britain and France are formulating other plans. …

For decades the Church of God has taught that a European Beast power composed of 10 nations or kings will emerge at the end of the age and play a dominant role in the world (Revelation 17 and 18). Bible prophecies indicate that most Israelite nations will not be a part of this empire (Ezekiel 23:9, 22-27; Hosea 11:5-7; Amos 5:3). The question is, will France support Europe or join with “brother” England? Time will tell. (Whom Will France Support? TW News & Prophecy, November 11, 2013).

Will France Exit the EU? …

While France may not leave the EU in the immediate future, the Front National’s win highlights changing political winds in France and the growing unrest with the Brussels-centered EU. Some experts suggest this recent local election win is just the “tip of the iceberg”…

For decades the Church of God has understood that the end-time European Beast power will be ten kings or nations who give their power to that Beast (see Revelation 17). Bible prophecies indicate that most Israelite-descended nations will be overcome by that Beast and not be part of it (Ezekiel 23:9, 22-27; Hosea 11:5-7; Amos 5:3). It will be interesting to see what France will do. (Will France Exit the EU? TW News & Prophecy, October 21, 2013)

A coming “world political authority”? …

The Bible predicts that, at the time of the end, ten kings will temporarily give their authority in an uneasy alliance to the “King of the North” (Daniel 2:41-43; Revelation 17:12-13)! The result will be a German-dominated European economic, military and religious superpower. It will reign for a short time, and it will not be friendly to the United States, England or France. A coming “world political authority”? TW News & Prophecy, November 3, 2011)

So, what’s ahead for France?

Well, LCG’s positions above disagree with the those of the Continuing Church of God (CCOG), as well as seemingly of those of two of its late evangelists.

First consider something its from its founding evangelist, the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith:

Our past publications have also described the history of the Holy Roman Empire and its various resurrections. The Bible reveals one final resurrection of that Empire to come. That extensive revival will be centered in Europe – and as we have been pointing out for many years, the European Union has been a model or nucleus for the end time superpower. 01/06/2005 https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/commentary/new-superpower-on-the-rise

The reason that is mentioned is that if one looks at the old Holy Roman Empire, one sees that at least part of France was always in it. So, since Dr. Meredith (as well as many others in LCG) have taught that there would be a revival of the old Holy Roman Empire to become the end time Beast power, then that would have to include France. That does not mean that France could not have problems with the EU or even leave it, but that when reorganization of Revelation 17:12-13 occurs (see Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?), French territory will be included.

Now notice something that specifically discusses France that the late evangelist Dibar Apartian wrote over 56 years ago:

A Striking Parallel

There may be a striking parallel between Reuben’s behavior in the past and that of France today. Indeed, in a few years, Reuben’s modern descendants will be at the side of the prophesied “beast” of Revelation when the Anglo-Saxons (the descendants of Joseph) are taken captive. France, like her forefather Reuben, will probably seek a compromise to prevent her former allies – the very SONS of Joseph – from being taken captive by the enemy. But what good will that really do? What good did it do to Joseph?

A compromise never relieves one from one’s own responsibilities. Without a doubt, Reuben loved his brother; he exerted himself in his own ways, through his own human reasoning, to save him. But the fact remains that he ended up by acting like a foe! France today also likes her “kin,” her natural allies. But, unless she repents, France will end up BEING a foe!

(Apartian D. France: The Enigma of our Time. Plain Truth, August 1966, p. 32)

Like all nations today, France has turned away from God. Catholic by faith, 9 out of 10 Frenchmen have never read their Bible, nor do they believe that, in its entirety, it represents the WORD OF GOD. What then will happen to France? Will she win the next WAR? She is presently a member of the “Common Market” which is already becoming a POLITICAL union. It will eventually include TEN nations or kingdoms.

Will this union win the third WORLD WAR?

God says that though He will allow it for a short while to conquer the descendants of Joseph (the BRITISH and AMERICAN peoples), He Himself will intervene to deliver His people. Jesus Christ, at His second coming, will fight and destroy those nations who rebel against Him (Rev. 17 : -14). (Apartian D. De Gaulle and the Next World War. Plain Truth, September 1964, p. 41)

At the second coming of Jesus Christ, the TEN KINGS or KINGDOMS-including France-will be of “one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Rev. 17:13).

“These shall make war with the Lamb , (Jesus Christ, and the lamb shall overcome them; for he is LORD of lords, and KING of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Rev. 17:14).

This is the infallible prophecy of the Bible. Unless France wakes up and repents, she and the other nations will fight the Lord at His coming. They will be punished by sword, by famine and pestilence-by the plagues of Almighty God! (Apartian D. Prophecy Reveals the Future of France. Plain Truth, August 1963, p. 22)

Thus, unlike some in LCG, Dibar Apartian realized that some of the Israelitish nations would be part of the Beast and will betray the sons of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh; see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

The late Pastor General of the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, agreed:

Poland, and as you know Romania is not really very enthusiastic with the Soviet, and neither is Yugoslavia. And I can begin to see some of those nations breaking loose from the Russian orbit and going in.

Instead of the Scandinavian nations, they will go in with France and Germany; and with Spain and Portugal and Italy, and form the ten … with the Roman…and that will be the same territory that was occupied by the old Roman Empire. That is coming along. (Armstrong HW. Beasts of Daniel and Revelation. Bible Study, Date: November 8, 1980)

Perhaps it should to be pointed out that several of the “Israelite nations’ are ethnically mixed (per Davidiy Y. The Tribes, 4th edition. Russell-David Publishers, 2011 and other sources) and it may take them some time for the actual Israelites to separate out. Including some of Reuben.

The Bible, in the Book of Daniel tells of a military power called the King of the North (Daniel 11:21-44) to come from Europe (not Russia). In Revelation, he is called the Beast of the Sea:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:1-10).

This leader is described as a warring man who essentially changes religion and gets people to ultimately worship him. France will initially support this Beast power. The Bible also shows that this Beast power will have a “great army” (Daniel 11:25) and specifically eliminate the nominally Protestant USA (Daniel 11:39) and then the predominantly Muslim nations of the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40-43). Later, Russia will be a problem for him (cf. Daniel 11:44).

The French will be induced to follow the Beast. This Beast will control buying and selling:

14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:14-17)

The world, including for a time the French, will prosper from this, but it will not last (Revelation 18). Those who think that they are God’s people, French or otherwise, are warned to NOT remain part of this coming Babylonian Beast power:

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day — death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ (Revelation 18:4-10)

And at least some of Reuben will resist (see Revelation 7:1-5). France itself, will end up with problems from the European King of the North Beast power, after a time.

Ezekiel 5 shows that after the USA and probably its Anglo-Saxon descended allies are eliminated, problems will spread to “all the house of Israel”:

1 “And you, son of man, take a sharp sword, take it as a barber’s razor, and pass it over your head and your beard; then take scales to weigh and divide the hair. 2 You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them. 3 You shall also take a small number of them and bind them in the edge of your garment. 4 Then take some of them again and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From there a fire will go out into all the house of Israel. (Ezekiel 5:1-4)

Notice that after one third is destroyed by fire (perhaps a reference to nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction), a third struck by other weapons, and one third will be scattered, then there is other fire and after all of that, “fire will go out into all the house of Israel.” This will affect France! This, in a sense, will be the Frexit!

Some have wondered if Israelitish-descended nations such as France could be part of the final Beast power. Yet, as mentioned before, history shows us that France was part of the old Roman Empire and parts of it were part of the so-called ‘Holy Roman Empire.’ The fact that at least part of France was part of the beasts in Daniel 2:40-43 and 7:2-8, should show all that it, for a time, can be part of the final Beast power. But the French will ultimately be hurt by it.

Even if it looks like France could leave the EU for a time, France will, for a time, support the coming European Beast power.

Night to be Observed animation

COGwriter

Tonight is to be observed by Christians.

Before going more into that, the Jewish Temple Institute sent out in a past newsletter:

Nisan 14, 5779/April 19, 2019

Freedom. That’s what the holiday of Passover is all about. …

This is the number one requirement of freedom, for an individual and for a people: responsibility to oneself, for oneself. Only with this ability to determine its own path can a nation determine who it is today and who it will be tomorrow. Responsibility for the passage of days and the setting of the seasons is the ticket to freedom.

But the nature of that freedom will determine the nature of that people. …

By commanding Israel to risk it all, to literally slay an Egyptian deity while still in Egypt, revealing to the world that there was but One G-d and One G-d only, G-d was asking Israel to take its new-found self determination and to attach it forever to the knowledge of G-d and to the path of Torah that Israel was yet to receive in Sinai.

(Note: The Jews consider that the “holiday of Passover’ also includes the Days of Unleavened Bread.)

For Christians, what happened to the children of Israel in Egypt was to serve as an example and warning for us to be faithful (see 1 Corinthians 10:6-11).

During the night of the Passover in Exodus, the following happened:

29 And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” 33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. (Exodus 12:29-34)

Now consider the following:

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. 24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.'” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. (Exodus 12:21-28)

The above is important because it shows that the children of Israel were in their homes from around sunset on the 14th until the daylight hours of the morning of the 14th.

Then they did the following in the morning:

35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36)

They left Egypt at night of the 15th of Nisan/Abib:

37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds–a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves. 40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years–on that very same day–it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations. (Exodus 12:37-42)

Since the children of Israel were inside from sunset on the 14th to the morning of the 14th, they did not fully leave Egypt proper until the 15th. The first day of unleavened bread.

Thus after the Passover, they put Egypt, in a sense, behind them.

After the sacrifice of Jesus, our Passover, we are to put sin behind us:

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7-8)

As Christians, these days have meaning for us.

Early Christians kept them.

Notice what a respected Protestant scholar reported about the second century Christians:

The most important in this festival was the passover day, the 14th of Nisan…In it they ate unleavened bread, probably like the Jews, eight days through…there is no trace of a yearly festival of the resurrection among them…the Christians of Asia Minor appealed in favor of their passover solemnity on the 14th Nisan to John (Gieseler, Johann Karl Ludwig. A Text-book of Church History. Translated by Samuel Davidson, John Winstanley Hull, Mary A. Robinson. Harper & brothers, 1857, Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Feb 17, 2006, p. 166).

Christians are to be unleavened and properly handle the freedom, the liberty, we have from Jesus being our Passover sacrifice:

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. …

9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:1, 9-13)

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men– 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. (1 Peter 2:15-16)

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:23-25)

Christians gain freedom in Christ, but it is not a freedom then go and become slaves of sin:

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.

13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:1-23)

So, after accepting Jesus’ Passover sacrifice, Christians are not then to become slaves of sin, but instead slaves of righteousness, which previously quoted verses show brings liberty.

As far as what happens after Passover, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following:

The PASSOVER pictures the DEATH OF CHRIST for the remission of sins that are past. The accepting of His BLOOD does not forgive sins we SHALL commit — it does not give LICENSE to continue in sin — therefore WHEN we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time — PAST SINS.

But shall we stop there? Past sins forgiven. But we are still flesh beings. We still shall suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its clutch — we have been SLAVES to sin, in its power. And we are powerless to deliver ourselves from it! We have been in BONDAGE to sin. Let us understand the picture — the meaning. Quitting sin utterly To what extent shall we put away sin? Not partially, but COMPLETELY! And, as leaven is also a type of sin — leaven puffs up, and so does sin — and, as SEVEN is God’s number symbolizing COMPLETENESS, we are to follow the Passover with the seven Days of Unleavened Bread! The picture — the meaning — the symbolism, is not complete with Passover alone. Passover pictures the acceptance of Christ’s blood for the REMISSION of past sins. It pictures the CRUCIFIED — the DEAD — Christ.

Shall we leave Christ hanging on the cross? The seven Days of UNLEAVENED BREAD, following Passover, picture to us the COMPLETE putting away of sin, the KEEPING of the Commandments — after past sins are forgiven. They picture the life and work of the RISEN CHRIST — who ascended to the throne of God where He is actively at work in our behalf as our HIGH PRIEST, cleansing us of sin — delivering us completely from its POWER! To observe Passover alone, and then fail to observe the seven Days of Unleavened Bread, means, in the symbolism, to accept Christ’s blood, and to continue on in sin — to say with the Sunday churches the LAW is done away, we are under grace, meaning license, to continue in sin! The seven Days of Unleavened Bread picture the keeping of the Commandments, which is another way of saying the putting away of sin.

And, as Rome’s followers have the MARK of the BEAST in their right hand and forehead, so God’s true Church is to have these feast days, the first of which is a MEMORIAL picturing deliverance from sin, in OUR right hand and forehead, as God’s SIGN, in order that we shall KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. And since the forehead is the seat of the intellect and symbolizes ACCEPTANCE, and the right hand symbolizes WORK, we have this SIGN OF GOD thereby accepting this truth about the Holy Days and Days of Unleavened Bread, and by NOT WORKING on these Holy Days! Not only is the weekly Sabbath God’s SIGN (Exodus 31:12-17) but annual Sabbaths are SIGNS as well! (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979)

We in the Continuing Church of God keep God’s festivals today.

After the Exodus Passover, the children of Israel left their homes in Egypt. They arrived outside a portion of Egypt on the evening of the first Day of Unleavened Bread. And God told them to remember that night.

The CCOG put together an animation about that night:

What is it? When is it? The KJV refers to it as “THE NIGHT TO BE MUCH OBSERVED.” This scripture-packed animation includes background and specific information related to the children of Israel. It also gives some of the Old and New Testament prophetic ramifications of this event. How the NTBO is typically observed is also covered. The animation also includes a chart of scriptures and biblical dates to determine when that NTBO actually is. Furthermore, the animation provides information from the “Jewish Encyclopedia” which, through scripture, shows that many Jews have confused Passover with the “night to be observed.” This is a great animation to give background on the NTBO and is also appropriate to be watched on the NTBO.

Here is a link to the animation: Night to Be Observed.

The Night to Be Observed reminds us that we have our part in our ultimate salvation. We must repent of sin and walk out of spiritual Egypt. This night pictures the beginning of that journey. We learn from this Feast that we cannot stay in the slavery of spiritual Egypt. We are not to be joined unequally with this present evil world. Even as God separated His people from Egypt, we must be separated from modern day Egypt with all of its lures and attractions. Just as ancient Israel had to put forth effort to get out of bondage, so we too must put forth effort to remove ourselves from the bondage of this world.

Christians attain freedom in Christ. It is a freedom from being a slave to sin.

God’s plan of salvation, as revealed through His Holy Days, help us to better understand that.

The Christian Passover was observed after sunset on April 14th in 2022 nd the Night to be Much Observed is to be observed after sunset April 15th in 2022.

Those who wish to learn more should also study the following:

Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: Les Chrétiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain?Here are some YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread: Let’s Talk About the Days of Unleavened Bread, Unleavened Bread: No Tolerance for Sin, Leaven and Sin, and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Lesson 34 – Days of Unleavened Bread – Your Part In God’s Master Plan Radio COG 1965 unedited lesson.
How to Keep God’s Festivals Many have heard of God’s Holy Days and wonder how they are kept in the 21st century. This is an overview article. A related sermon is also available titled: How to Keep God’s Feasts. Here is a link to a related article in Spanish: ¿Cómo guardar los Festivales de Dios?¿Cómo guardar los Festivales de Dios?
How often should we partake of THE LORD’S SUPPER? Herbert Armstrong answers that question.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out a CCOG Passover Service. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
Examine Yourself before Passover This article goes into some of why real Christians are to do this. Two related sermons are Really examine yourself before Passover and Passover Examination.
Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the real COG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct? A related sermon is titled Is Passover on the 14th or 15th for Christians?
Unleavened Bread recipes A Serbian COG member, now CCOG elder, sent these recipes for those who would like more ways to prepare unleavened bread. Here is a link to recipes in Spanish: Recetas de Recuerdo.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation?
Offertories: Unleavened Offering and 7th Day of Unleavened Bread Offertory for 2018.
Living as a Christian: How and Why? In what ways do Christians live differently than others. What about praying, fasting, tithing, holy days, and the world? There is also a YouTube video related to that also called: Living as a Christian: How and Why?
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is a link to a version in Mandarin Chinese: QKg f/‘͉v„. Here is a link to a version in Spanish: Vencer al pecado. Here is also a link to a video in English titled How YOU Can Overcome Sin.
Early Christianity and the Eucharist? What does ‘eucharist’ mean? Did early Christians tie it in with Passover? Should it be a rounded host? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eucharist, Passover, and Easter.
Marcus, the Marcosians, & Mithraism: Developers of the Eucharist? Marcus was a second century heretic condemned for having a ceremony similar to one still practiced by many who profess Christ. Might he also be in the apostolic succession list of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria?
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Easter? If not, when did this happen? Where did Easter come from? What do scholars and the Bible reveal?
Why Easter? Did early Christians observe Easter? What are the origins of Easter? What does Easter have to do with the goddess Ishtar. Where did the word Easter come from? Where do Easter eggs come from? What do rabbits have to do with Easter? Was Jesus resurrected on a Sunday? This is a video.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2033, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
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? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

(from Pixabay)

COGwriter

MishTalk posted the following:

Inflation Has Eaten Up Nearly 100 Percent of Hourly Wage Gains Since 1973

Accounting for CPI inflation, wages for production and nonsupervisory workers is nearly the same today as February of 1973.

In nominal terms, wages rose from $4.05 in February of 1973 to $26.95 in March of 2022 but inflation ate nearly 100% of those gains. …
A soaring CPI had led to negative real earnings. The drop in purchasing power was steep in March of 2022.  04/13/22 https://mishtalk.com/economics/inflation-has-eaten-up-nearly-100-percent-of-hourly-wage-gains-since-1973

Because of shenanigans from the government economists, I believe that the inflation rate is actually significantly higher than the official numbers. Hence, there has been a loss of buying power since 1973.

Notice the following report about inflation:

April 14, 2022

As expected, the March Consumer Price Index was smoking hot with a 1.2% month-on-month increase and an 8.5% annual gain. …

Core inflation wasn’t quite as high as expected leading many to conclude that we’ve reached “peak inflation.” In his podcast, Peter Schiff said this is just wishful thinking.

The March CPI reflected the first impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the spiking oil prices that followed. Although the CPI was slightly above the consensus expectation, many thought it would surprise to the upside. Peter said some people were relieved the numbers weren’t even higher.

The annual CPI gain was the biggest since 1981, but Peter reminded us that this is basically comparing apples to oranges.

Forty years ago, we used entirely different CPI than we use today. And as far as I can tell, we are generally missing the mark by about half, meaning that if we use the 1981 CPI to measure the 2022 price increases, we probably would see a year-over-year rise of 17%, which is twice eight-and-a-half.”

… Peter noted that in 1981, the last time CPI was this high, interest rates peaked at 20%.  https://schiffgold.com/peters-podcast/peter-schiff-peak-inflation-is-just-wishful-thinking/

And yes, if inflation was 17% in the past year, and was higher than the official numbers prior to that, yes, the purchasing power has diminished.

Could the loss of gain in purchasing power since 1973 be an abortion curse?

Yes, I believe part of the reason for this is a curse for legalizing abortion.

The US Supreme Court “legalized” abortion On January 22, 1973 in the famous Roe vs. Wade decision.

This has not been good for the USA in economic, moral, and non-economic ways.

Yet taking the opposite view in 2018, Chelsea Clinton promoted the view that abortion has been a major positive contributor to the economy of the USA:

August 15, 2018

Clinton, daughter to former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, hosted the Rise Up for Roe event in New York. She was speaking to the potential threat to reproductive rights posed by President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Bret Kavanaugh, and why people should care.

“Whether you fundamentally care about reproductive rights and access right, because these are not the same thing, if you care about social justice or economic justice, agency – you have to care about this,” Clinton said, according to the Media Research Center.

Clinton continued: “It is not a disconnected fact—to address this t-shirt of 1973—that American women entering the labor force from 1973 to 2009 added three and a half trillion dollars to our economy. Right? The net, new entrance of women—that is not disconnected from the fact that Roe became the law of the land in January of 1973.” …

It is unclear exactly what statistic or study Clinton was citing about the additions to the U.S. economy since abortion became legal. https://www.newsweek.com/clinton-trillions-abortion-added-economy-1074390

Disgusting: The Left has always gone out of its way to justify abortion — the flat-out murder of an unborn baby — since Roe v. Wade in 1973, but former first daughter Chelsea Clinton just won the award for the most barbaric. … Democrats never pass up on an opportunity to ‘defend’ a woman’s ‘right’ to kill her unborn baby. At a “Rise Up for Roe” event on Saturday, Clinton promoted the ‘economic advantages’ of abortion…

“It is not a disconnected fact – to address this t-shirt of 1973– that American women entering the labor force from 1973 to 2009 added three and a half trillion dollars to our economy. Right?

Not only is this one of the sickest reasons any Democrat has come up with to justify the murder of unborn human beings, how did she even arrive at this figure? …

“The net, new entrance of women – that is not disconnected from the fact that Roe became the law of the land in January of 1973.”

Thus, no matter what other things Americans may care about, everyone should appreciate the economic value of legalized abortion, Clinton said…

What a great political thinker Chelsea is! We can hardly wait until she becomes president! https://thenationalsentinel.com/2018/08/15/the-way-chelsea-clinton-just-justified-the-murder-of-unborn-babies-is-sick/?mc_cid=7c97e45fc8&mc_eid=c2cbcbc77c

It is not “social justice” to allow unborn babies to be killed.

Chelsea Clinton also said, “Reproductive rights have always been economic rights.”

So, she believes that killing babies is some type of positive economic stimulus.

Notice the following:

13 “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. 14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it. 15 I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. (Ezekiel 22:13-15)

CBS reported the following:

For most Americans, income is on the decline

July 3, 2017

President Ronald Reagan might have clinched the 1980 election when he asked: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” Today the question is: Are you better off than your parents were 50 years ago?

According to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the answer — at least in terms of paychecks — is no. Most Americans are worse off, and becoming even more worse off, if possible.

In particular, men have endured “stagnation in lifetime incomes,” said the NBER report, with earnings that have dropped 19 percent when inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), is taken into account. In real dollars, males have lost close to $300,000 in lifetime earnings compared to the generation that came of age during the 1950s and 1960s boom years. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/for-most-americans-income-declines/

Fifty years prior to 2017 would be 1967.

What started to happen then?

Fifty years ago, the abortion industry begin to rise up and have legislative success in various US states:

Between 1967 and 1973 one-third of the states liberalized or repealed their criminal abortion laws. However, the right to have an abortion in all states was only made available to American women in 1973 when the Supreme Court struck down the remaining restrictive state laws with its ruling in Roe v. Wade. (History of Abortion. National Abortion Federation. http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html viewed 04/02/13)

Since States began to “liberalize” or repeal anti-abortion laws, the economic situation in the USA began to change (bolding and italics in source):

Until 1970, the United States had a trade surplus and an inflow of money sometimes called a favorable balance of trade. After 1970, for the first time in a century, the United States was buying more goods abroad than it sold. It moved from a trade surplus to a trade deficit, when imports exceed exports, and money was flowing out of the United States in payments to foreign countries for imports. Since 1970, the unfavorable trade balance and trade deficit has grown…

After World War II until 1970, the United States was a creditor nation lending money to other countries. As a creditor nation, other countries owed more money to the United States than the United States owed to foreign countries.

After 1970, the United States became a net debtor nation. As a debtor nation, the United States owes more money to foreign countiress than the foreign countries owe the United States. The United States is now the largest debtor among all nations. (Howard J. Sherman, E. K. Hunt, Reynold F. Nesiba, Phillip Anthony O’Hara. Economics: An Introduction to Traditional and Progressive Views, 7th edition. M.E. Sharpe, 2008, p. 175)

Since 1973, pay and productivity have diverged.

From 1973 to 2016, net productivity rose 73.7 percent, while the hourly pay of typical workers essentially stagnated—increasing only 12.5 percent over 43 years (after adjusting for inflation). This means that although Americans are working more productively than ever, the fruits of their labors have primarily accrued to those at the top and to corporate profits, especially in recent years. (The Productivity–Pay Gap. https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/ accessed 02/01/18)

Economists like puzzles, and recent economic data have generated a fair share of them. For instance, the U.S. labor market recovery has been underway for years, yet growth in inflation-adjusted wages remains weak. More broadly, the male median wage still is in the general range of where it was in 1973. (https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-08-29/the-something-s-not-quite-right-economy)

Average wages, when adjusted for inflation, have remained near where they were in the 1970s … (Semuels A. This Is What Life Without Retirement Savings Looks Like. The Atlantic, February 22, 2018)

It should be pointed out that although others believe that the line from an overall creditor to debtor nation happened in the 1980s (as opposed to annually which began around 1971), the process began earlier:

March 22, 2010 – Only a few decades ago, the United States was the world’s largest creditor nation. American capital spanned the globe financing all types of investments in virtually every country. But that dominance began to erode in the 1960s … By the 1980s, the inevitable happened. As generations of accumulated wealth disappeared, a line was crossed. America now owed more to the rest of the world than the world owed to it. The United States had become a debtor nation, and it has continued to run up the tab in the decades since. (Turk J. Debtor Nation. http://www.fgmr.com/debtor-nation.html viewed 04/03/13)

Notice some prophecies from the Book of Deuteronomy:

5 … if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today. 6 For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.  (Deuteronomy 15:5-6)

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.  ….

43 “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.  (Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 43-44)

Since “legalizing” abortion, the USA has gone from the world’s largest creditor nation to the world’s largest debtor nation.

And it remains committed to increasing its debt. That is also something the Bible warns will lead to destruction (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may wish to view the YouTube videos: Abortion and Birth Control: History and Scriptures. Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt, American Infanticide, Euthanasia: Mercy killing or murder?, and Land of ‘Free’ Abortions and Debt.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2022, 2023, or 2024? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2029 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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. 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.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details. A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle), you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kin

Artist’s portrayal of Peter and John
going to prepare for the Passover

COGwriter

Tonight, after sunset, is the 14th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. Christian groups, such as the Continuing Church of God, will observe tonight as the Christian Passover. In addition to information on how to keep it in English (read Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and/or watch the step-by-step instructions in the video CCOG Passover Service) we now also have an article on preparation for it in the Spanish language: Examínese antes de la Pascua.

Today, we received a new Spanish Service Passover video:

Spanish title: Servicio de la Pascua

Spanish youtube link: https://youtu.be/Dp4cYswEkE0

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to make available its suggested Passover service: CCOG Passover Service available online at its ContinuingCOG channel.

Here is a link: CCOG Passover Service.

Although some have erroneously said that Passover is to be observed on the 15th after sunset instead, they have overlooked the Bible and what the original practice was.

The Bible is clear that the 14th of the month is God’s Passover and the 15th day begins a different time:

5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD (Leviticus 23:5-6, NKJV throughout, unless indicated).

16 ‘On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord. 17 And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days. (Numbers 28:16-17)

There is only one “twilight” for the 14th and that is right after sunset that BEGINS the day. Thus, the 14th is clearly the day of God’s Passover.

Daniel the prophet worked for many Gentile leaders, including Darius the Mede (Daniel 6; 9:1; 11:1). Darius was also ruling during the time of Ezra (cf. Ezra 6:14; 7:1).

Notice the proclamation Darius made, most likely at Daniel’s request:

3 Now this year, the 5th year of King Darius, word was sent from the king to Arsawes, saying :

4 In the month of Tybi (?) let there be a Passover for the Jewish garrison. Now you accordingly count fourteen
5 Days of the month Nisan and keep the Passover, and from the 15th day to the 21st day of Nisan
6 (are) seven days of Unleavened bread. Be clean and take heed. Do no work
7 On the 15th day and on the 21st day. Also drink no beer, and anything at all in which there is leaven
8 Do not eat, from the 15th day from sunset till the 21st day of Nisan, seven
9 Days, let it not be seen among you ; do not bring (it) into your dwellings, but seal (it) up during those days. 10 Let this be done as Darius the king commanded. (Cowley AE. Aramaic Papyri of the Fifth Century B.C. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2005-reprint, p. 63)

This clearly tells of Passover being on the 14th followed by the Days of Unleavened Bread from the 15th through 21st.

This is based upon a lunar, not Roman, calendar.

Up until Ezra’s time, the Jews kept Passover on the 14th:

19 And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. (Ezra 6:19)

Although the Jews now keep the 15th and call it Passover, the Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Jews should realize that Passover is on the 14th:

Lev. xxiii., however, seems to distinguish between Passover, which is set for the fourteenth day of the month, and  (the Festival of Unleavened Bread; ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, Luke xxii. 1; Josephus, “B. J.” ii. 1, § 3), appointed for the fifteenth day. Passover. (Passover. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)

Here are three other explanations as to why there has been confusion amongst Jews:

Two Passovers

The gospels appear to say that the Messiah ate a Passover meal with the twelve on the evening beginning Nisan 14, and John appears to say Jews were having their Passover meal one day later. There are different theories to explain this.

1. The Sadducees and Pharisees disagreed on the day of Passover. The Sadducees (more conservative group) believed the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread were separate feast days. They held Passover on the fourteenth as God decreed in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. Those of the majority opinion, including the Pharisees, held Passover on the fifteenth. Jesus may have been following both dates by having Passover with the disciples on the fourteenth and becoming the Passover lamb on the fifteenth.

2. Thousands of people would come to Jerusalem to have their lambs ritually slain in the Temple. If they only had one day in which to prepare for the Passover, it would have been extremely difficult to have slaughtered all the lambs brought in to be sacrificed. Therefore, they worked on two different time scales. The northern part of the country went with the old way of dating (starting from morning and going to the following morning). The southern part of the country followed the official dating method (from evening to evening). Thus, there were two times when lambs were being killed in the Temple for sacrifice (Sampson R & Pierce L. A Family Guide to the Biblical Holidays. Heart of Wisdom Publishing June 2001, p. 112)

Thus this shows, for whatever reason, the Jews got a little bit confused. With some keeping the correct date–the same date that Jesus kept (and He would have known which date was biblically correct).

Notice one explanation as to why Jews got confused:

Why Nisan 15?

You would think that the Jews need to learn to read their own Scriptures, for they seem to be illiterate in regard to the Passover. God tells us, in the clearest of language, that the Passover is to be held on the evening of Nisan 14. Nowhere in the Bible does it state otherwise. But they keep Nisan 15. Where did such a practice come from?

The answer to this is found in the history of the Jews in the third century before Christ.

From 301 B.C. to 198 B.C., the Palestinian Jews came under the control of Egyptians. These Gentiles imposed their philosophies and religious beliefs upon the Jews in profusion.

Dr. Lanterbach, one of Judaism’s greatest historians, admits that this period was one of religious anarchy among the Jews of Palestine (Rabbinic Essays, p. 200). They accepted, on a very large scale, many outright Egyptian customs. For example, Herodotus who visited Egypt in the fifth century before Christ, reported that the Egyptians would only drink out of pots and pans which had been scoured every day. They would religiously bathe themselves twice each day-they shunned all foreigners, especially Greeks, and would destroy any vessel or utensil which had been touched by a Greek. Such silly laws were inaugurated by the thousands by the Egyptians, said Herodotus (Book 11, pp. 37-41).

Prior to the Egyptian domination of Palestine, the Jews possessed none of these absurd customs, but after that period of religious anarchy, the Jews began practicing, with utmost vigor, those same EGYPTIAN laws. See Matthew 15:2 and Mark 7:3-8. There can be no question of this.

But what about the Passover? It can be shown that prior to this Egyptian domination, the Jews always kept the Passover on Nisan 14. Notice especially Ezra 6:19-22. Here it shows Nisan 14 as Passover and Nisan 15 as the first day of Unleavened Bread (which it is), not as the Passover day. But, after the Egyptian period, the Jews began to ob- serve Nisan 15 for Passover.

Why?

Corruption From Egypt!

The answer again is found in Egyptian customs. The Egyptian day customarily commenced with sunrise (Wilkinson, Vol. 11, p. 368). God’s day, however, begins at sunset (Lev. 23:32). This is where the trouble lay with the Passover reckoning after this period of Egyptian influence on the Jews. While the Egyptians allowed the Jews to retain their ancient calendar, there was a change made in the beginning of the day-it became common to begin the day at sunrise. This custom was adopted, and persisted among the Jews even down to New Testament times (see The Jewish Qziarterly Review, April, 1946). …

With the 14th of Nisan supposedly beginning at sunrise, that puts what God calls the evening of Nisan 15 as still being on Nisan 14. This is where the problem arises. Even later on, when the Jews finally got back to an evening-to-evening reckoning for the day, they refused to abandon what had become the tradi- tional way of observing Passover. The principle, “What was good for my fathers, is good enough for me,” was too strong for the Jews to leave it. So, today, they are still one day out of phase with God (Martin E. The Jews DON’T Observe Passover. Good News magazine. April 1963, pp. 11-12)

Anyway, Passover is tonight after sunset.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out a CCOG Passover Service; in Spanish got to Servicion de Pascua CCOG. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
Examine Yourself before Passover This article goes into some of why real Christians are to do this. Two related sermons are Really examine yourself before Passover and Passover Examination. Here is a link to this article in the Spanish language: Examínese antes de la Pascua.
Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the real COG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct? A related sermon is titled Is Passover on the 14th or 15th for Christians?
Unleavened Bread recipes A Serbian COG member, now CCOG elder, sent these recipes for those who would like more ways to prepare unleavened bread. Here is a link to recipes in Spanish: Recetas de Recuerdo.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
How often should we partake of THE LORD’S SUPPER? Herbert Armstrong answers that question.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Hebrew Calendar This writing helps explain why we in the Continuing Church of God use the calendar that we do and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: Les Chrétiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain?Here are three YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread: Unleavened Bread: No Tolerance for Sin, Leaven and Sin, and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation? A related sermon video is also available: 7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons.
Perfection? Does God have faith in humans? A message for the seventh-day of unleavened bread. A related sermon is titled: Does God have faith in humans?
UCG and Its Unleavened Bread Study Paper What does the Bible say about eating unleavened bread for seven days? What has UCG officially said about it?
Why Holy Day Offerings? This is a slightly updated version of an article originally by WCG evangelist Leroy Neff that was published in the old Good News magazine in September 1983. Here is a link to a related video message: Why Holy Day Offerings?
Michael’s Feasts and Fasts Quiz 15 questions, amusing wrong answer screens.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2033, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.

(from Pixabay)

COGwriter

Notice the following question and responses:

How far has America gone down the path to totalitarianism?

April 14, 2022

Does anybody still think totalitarianism can’t happen here in America? Ask yourself how many of these steps we’ve already galloped past. …

Any belief in a higher power is threatening to the State. If there is a “higher law” that takes precedence over government orders, then personal morality is a justifiable reason for disobeying the State.

America’s founding was a product of the Enlightenment’s understanding that natural rights and liberties exist apart from and superior to the State’s edicts. These God-given rights, some of which are recorded in the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution as the Bill of Rights, cannot be abridged or usurped by the State. For individual sovereignty and personal liberty to be extinguished, then, spiritual belief in a higher power is antithetical to the goals of an overbearing government. …

Eminent English jurist William Blackstone succinctly observed: “Free men have arms; slaves do not.” Americans prepared to defend their lives are prepared to defend their freedom. That Democrats have made gun control and confiscation one of their most pressing issues says everything about the direction in which we’re heading. …

There is a reason Western governments have begun aggressively attacking free speech as “misinformation” or “disinformation”: the power to communicate ideas to the broader public threatens governments’ monopoly over “official” truths. …

In effect, the use of fiat currencies allows governments to tax their populations without ever taking a vote. By controlling the only legal medium of exchange, government inserts itself into all commerce. Free markets become controlled. …

Government power rests on citizens’ acceptance that only the State can tackle big problems. Therefore, government has a natural incentive to invent big problems for its citizens. …

Governments have used COVID-19 to mandate personal health treatments, lock down entire economies, censor dissenting points of view, and keep people monitored or under house arrest. Governments have used apocalyptic tales of climate change to push for greater state control over industry. …

Objecting to the State’s infusion of cultural Marxism into education can get one labeled a “domestic terrorist.” Objecting to schools’ increasing exposure of young children to “transgenderism” and graphic sexual content can get one labeled a “bigot.”

Even objecting to young white children being taught to feel guilty for the color of their skin is ironically cast as “racist.” …

What started with Obamacare, socialized medicine and quickly expanded with Democrat cities’ experimentation with COVID-19 digital passports, is now set to go into overdrive with the introduction of central bank digital currencies.

If government-issued cyber-monies replace the relative anonymity of physical cash, then no purchase, donation, or investment can be free from the prying eyes of the State. Combined with government control over health care and the imposition of mandatory digital IDs, the State will have created the perfect surveillance system. When all human activity is monitored and social credit scores are the norm, personal choice disappears. https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/how-far-has-america-gone-down-the-path-to-totalitarianism/

Yes, the USA has been moving towards totalitarianism in many ways.

Do not think that its Constitution will protect its citizens from that.

Although the President of the United States takes an oath to defend its Constitution, notice something Joe Biden said last year:

April 8, 2021

“No amendment, no amendment to the Constitution is absolute,” (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-repeats-debunked-second-amendment-claim-says-no-amendment-absolute)

The founders of the USA claimed that rights were given by God. To attempt to insure them, they adopted the following first ten amendments to the Constitution on ratified December 15, 1791. They form what is known as the “Bill of Rights.” Here is what they stated as viewed today at https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights-transcript:

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

In my book, Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction, I warned that Joe Biden was taking totalitarian positions.

But it is not just him. Much of the media and Big Tech have gone along with that, leading to what has been considered as ‘cancel culture.’

As bad as it is starting to get in the USA, it will later get much worse for the world.

The Bible warns that a totalitarian power will rise up (Revelation 13:1-18) and have the type of totalitarian control beyond what we have so far seen (cf. Revelation 13:15-18).

We are getting closer to that time.

Those who think that the USA will be in a position to stop it are believing a lie.

Do not place your confidence in any governments in this world, but in Jesus and the coming Kingdom of God.

Some items of related interest may include the following:

Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. Two related sermon are available: Identifying the USA and its Destruction in Prophecy and Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2029 or or 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Might the U.S.A. Be Gone by 2028? Could the USA be gone by the end of 2028 or earlier? There is a tradition attributed to the Hebrew prophet Elijah that humanity had 6,000 years to live before being replaced by God’s Kingdom. There are scriptures, writings in the Talmud, early Christian teachings that support this. Also, even certain Hindu writings support it. Here is a link to a related video: Is the USA prophesied to be destroyed by 2028? In Spanish: Seran los Estados Unidos Destruidos en el 2028?
The Great Tribulation: What Happens First? What events have happened? What are some events that are now happening? And what events need to happen for the Great Tribulation to start? Here is a link to a related sermon video: Counting Down to the Great Tribulation. Here is a video in the Spanish language: Contando los eventos y el inicio de la Gran Tribulación.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2022, 2023, or 2024? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.
Is a Great Reset Coming? Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum has proposed a societal change that has been basically endorsed by the Vatican and many world leaders. Does the Bible prophesy a major reset? Here is a link to a related video: Will there be a “Great Reset”?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy,Roman Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy.
Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here are links to two related videos: The King of the North is Alive: What to Look Out For and The Future King of the North.
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Greco-Roman Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Greco-Roman Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction Can the USA survive two full presidential terms? In what ways are Joe Biden and Kamala Harris apocalyptic? This book has hundreds of prophecies and scriptures to provide details.  A Kindle version is also available and you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to your free Kindle reader app (or if you already have one or a Kindle),  you can go to: Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction (Kindle) to get the book in seconds.
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Roman Catholicism shortly after leaving his offic

Artist’s portrayal of Peter and John
going to prepare for the Passover

COGwriter

Tonight, after sunset, is the 14th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. Christian groups, such as the Continuing Church of God, will observe tonight as the Christian Passover. In addition to information on how to keep it in English (read Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread and/or watch the step-by-step instructions in the video CCOG Passover Service) we now also have an article on how to keep it translated into the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura. Plus, here is a link to another article in the Spanish language: Examínese antes de la Pascua.

As most everyone knows, Jesus kept the Passover, from the time of His youth. Luke records:

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast (Luke 2:41-42).

Jesus continued to keep the Passover throughout His entire life. He kept it once per year. Passover was an annual event for Him and others (Exodus 13:10) and was observed on the fourteenth day of the first month (called Abib in Deuteronomy 16:1 or Nisan in Esther 3:7):

5 On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover (Leviticus 23:5).

And Jesus had his disciples also keep it and told them to keep it as a remembrance to Him:

7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.” 9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?” 10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”‘ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.” 13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. 14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:7-20)

On Jesus’ last Passover as a human being, He changed many of the practices associated with the Jewish version of it. But He in no way suggested that it was not an annual Passover, nor did He change the time of day until the morning.

Even the Emperor Constantine understood that Passover was to be a one-time, annual event when, according to the fifth century historian Theodoret, he declared:

“For we could never tolerate celebrating the Passover twice in one year. But even if all these facts did not exist, your own sagacity would prompt you to watch with diligence and with prayer, lest your pure minds should appear to share in the customs of a people so utterly depraved. It must also be borne in mind, that upon so important a point as the celebration of a feast of such sanctity, discord is wrong. One day has our Saviour set apart for a commemoration of our deliverance, namely, of His most holy Passion” (Theodoret of Cyrus. Ecclesiastical History (Book I), Chapter IX. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 3. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1892. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

It may be of interest to note that, even in the 21st Century, the Roman Catholics still teach that this Passover (which they call the Last Supper) was kept by Jesus on a Tuesday night and that He was betrayed on a Wednesday (Zanchettin L, ed. Meditations, Tuesday, April 11, Wednesday April 12. the WORD among us–The #1 Monthly Devotional for Catholics. 2006; Volume 25, Number 4, pp. 63-64).

The Apostle Paul realized that Jesus was a substitute for the Passover lamb that the Jewish people used. He also taught that Christians should still continue to observe Passover:

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

The medieval historian and Catholic Priest Bede (also known as “the Venerable Bede”) recorded from a Catholic Abbot named Wilfrid that the Apostle John kept Passover on the 14th:

Far be it from me to charge John with foolishness: he literally observed the decrees of the Mosaic law when the Church was still Jewish in many respects, at a time when the apostles were unable to bring a sudden end to that law which God ordained…So John, in accordance with the custom of the law, began the celebration of Easter Day in the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month, regardless of whether it fell on the sabbath or any other day (Bede (Monk). Edited by Judith McClure and Roger Collins. The Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Oxford University Press, NY, 1999).

Thus, the last of the original apostles kept Passover on the 14th of Nisan.

Apparently, some in the second century wanted to observe the 15th (like most Jews now do), but Apollinaris (a church leader of Hierapolis in Phrygia of Asia Minor) wrote the following around 180 A.D.:

The fourteenth day, the true Passover of the Lord; the great sacrifice, the Son of God instead of the lamb, who was bound, who bound the strong, and who was judged, though Judge of living and dead, and who was delivered into the hands of sinners to be crucified, who was lifted up on the horns of the unicorn, and who was pierced in His holy side, who poured forth from His side the two purifying elements, water and blood, word and spirit, and who was buried on the day of the passover, the stone being placed upon the tomb (Apollinaris. From the Book Concerning Passover. Translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Excerpted from Volume I of The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, editors; American Edition copyright © 1885. Copyright © 2001 Peter Kirby).

There are some today, who still erroneously cling to the 15th, but they seem to misunderstand scripture and early church history; see TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th?.

The fourth century historian Epiphanius even admits that “the church” used to observe the 14th when he wrote:

Audians…they choose to celebrate the Passover with the Jews–that is they contentiously celebrate the Passover at the same time as the Jews are holding their Festival of Unleavened Bread. And indeed that this used to be the church’s custom (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 8,11; 9,2. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp. 410-411).

The fifth century historian Socrates Scholasticus noted:

In Asia Minor most people kept the fourteenth day of the moon…Moreover the Quartodecimans affirm that the observance of the fourteenth day was delivered to them by the apostle John (Socrates Scholasticus. Ecclesiastical History, Book V, Chapter XXII. Excerpted from Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume 2. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. American Edition, 1890. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

In the introduction to his English translation of The Key of Truth, F.C. Conybeare provides this information on the practices of the Paulicians in the Middle Ages and later:

John of Otzun’s language perhaps implies that the old believers in Armenia during the seventh century were Quartodecumans, as we should expect them to be (Conybeare F.C. The Key of Truth: A Manual of the Paulician Church of Armenia. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1898, p. clii).

We know from a notice preserved by Ananias of Shirak {Shirak is a province of Armenia} that the Pauliani, who were the same people at an earlier date, called Quartodecumans, and kept Easter {Passover} in the primitive manner on the Jewish date…

But the Paulini also keep the feast of the Pascha on the same day (as the Jews), whatever be the day of the full moon, they call it Kuriaki, as the Jews call it Sabbath, even though it be not a Sabbath (Conybeare F.C. The Key of Truth: A Manual of the Paulician Church of Armenia. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1898, p. clii).

Here is a report about a church in Rhode Island in the 17th and 18th centuries:

The church in Rhode Island was founded the year 1671, and Ephreta, Pennsylvania, May, 1725, with numerous other congregations throughout the eastern states as previously mentioned in this work. During these early colonial days congregations were at first isolated because of distance and a lack of means of travel with no roads between them. Thus being isolated from fellowship with one another, we find companies in one place called the Church of Christ, and the Church of God, while in other communities they were simply called “Sabbatarian Congregations,” but the belief was practically the same. They stood for the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, observing the true Sabbath, keeping the Lord’s Supper yearly on the 14th of the first month, with other tenets of faith in harmony with the true faith today. Owing to the isolation of these scattered companies they were known by different names which evidently gives rise to the Scriptural statement relative to the Sardis period, “I know thy works, that thou hast a NAME,” Revelation 3:1 (Dugger AN, Dodd CO. A History of True Religion, 3rd ed. Jerusalem, 1972 (Church of God, 7th Day). 1990 reprint, pp. 252-253).

The Church of God, Seventh Day kept the Passover on the fourteenth of Nisan in the 19th and 20th centuries (and still does so today–I verified that last year with the Denver branch, though they tend to call it the ‘Lord’s Supper’).

The pre-1986 Worldwide Church of God did so in the 20th century.

The Continuing Church of God, and certain other groups, have always kept the Passover on the 14th of Nisan, and continue to do so in the 21st century.

Thus, from the time of Christ and throughout history, small groups of people trying to be faithful Christians observed Passover on the 14th of Nisan, which in 2021 is tonight. Tomorrow night is the night to be much observed (a related, but separate event). Here is a link to an article Passover and the Early Church, here is a link to a YouTube titled History of the Christian Passover, here is a link to a YouTube titled Preparing for Passover, here is a link to how one should be Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, here is a link to a Passover Service. Real Christians have always kept Passover on the 14th of Nisan.

Now, some have allowed themselves to be confused about Passover vs. Easter Sunday.

24:02

Did Peter, Paul, & John keep Easter Sunday or Passover?

The fifth century historian Socrates Scholasticus wrote that those of Asia Minor said they kept Passover on the 14th of Nisan following the practices of the Apostle John, whereas those of the Romans and the West observed what is now called Easter Sunday following the practices of the Apostles Peter and Paul. Socrates claimed that neither side had written evidence to back up their claims. But what does the Bible reveal? Do the earliest records outside the Bible point to the apostles keeping the 14 of Nisan or Easter Sunday. What does the Catholic Encyclopedia reveal? What about the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox writings? Was Passover supposed to be a nocturnal observance or a Sunday morning one? Can you know? Does this make any difference for Christians today? Dr. Thiel addresses these points from the Bible, historical records, and later church writings.

Here is a link: Did Peter, Paul, & John keep Easter Sunday or Passover?

Jesus kept the final Passover just after sunset on the 14th of Nisan, which will be this evening. He told His followers to continue to do so, if you are one, will you?

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to make available its suggested Passover service: CCOG Passover Service available online at its ContinuingCOG channel.

Here is a link: CCOG Passover Service.

We also have the service in the Spanish language:

37:24

Servicio de la Pascua 2021

Este es un servicio de Pascua paso a paso que los cristianos bautizados deben seguir si no pueden asistir a un servicio de Pascua en vivo. La Pascua es normalmente el día 14 del mes de Nisán en el calendario hebreo. Este servicio es por el pastor supervisor de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios (CCOG). Los líderes del servicio de Pascua local (incluso si solo hay una persona) deben tener pan sin levadura, vino, una toalla y uno o más recipientes de agua disponibles.

After conducting His last Passover service, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and await His arrest (Mark 14).

For those who have limited internet speed access and/or prefer a written outline to follow for Passover, the article Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread contains step-by-step instructions for Christians to keep it. There is also a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out a CCOG Passover Service; in Spanish got to Servicion de Pascua CCOG. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
Examine Yourself before Passover This article goes into some of why real Christians are to do this. Two related sermons are Really examine yourself before Passover and Passover Examination. Here is a link to this article in the Spanish language: Examínese antes de la Pascua.
Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the real COG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct? A related sermon is titled Is Passover on the 14th or 15th for Christians?
Unleavened Bread recipes A Serbian COG member, now CCOG elder, sent these recipes for those who would like more ways to prepare unleavened bread. Here is a link to recipes in Spanish: Recetas de Recuerdo.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
How often should we partake of THE LORD’S SUPPER? Herbert Armstrong answers that question.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Hebrew Calendar This writing helps explain why we in the Continuing Church of God use the calendar that we do and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a link to this article in the French language: Les Chrétiens devraient-ils observer les Jours des Pains sans levain?Here are three YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread: Unleavened Bread: No Tolerance for Sin, Leaven and Sin, and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation? A related sermon video is also available: 7th Day of Unleavened Bread: Prophecy and Lessons.
Perfection? Does God have faith in humans? A message for the seventh-day of unleavened bread. A related sermon is titled: Does God have faith in humans?
UCG and Its Unleavened Bread Study Paper What does the Bible say about eating unleavened bread for seven days? What has UCG officially said about it?
Why Holy Day Offerings? This is a slightly updated version of an article originally by WCG evangelist Leroy Neff that was published in the old Good News magazine in September 1983. Here is a link to a related video message: Why Holy Day Offerings?
Michael’s Feasts and Fasts Quiz 15 questions, amusing wrong answer screens.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2033, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.

COGwriter

Science Alert posted the following:

STDs in The US Are Dramatically Increasing, And There’s a Key Factor to Blame

April 13, 2022

Reported cases of many types of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) went up in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the frequency of screenings decreased, an official report said Tuesday.

The pandemic worsened an underlying trend of increasing STDs over the past decade, blamed on declining public health funding, said Jonathan Mermin, a doctor and senior official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which authored the report.

Reported cases of gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis were up 10 percent and 7 percent respectively, compared to 2019. …

Overall, 2.4 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis were reported. …

Reported cases of STDs initially decreased during the early months of 2020 when lockdowns enforced social distancing, but they resurged by the end of the year.

Factors blamed for the spike include reduced frequency of in-person healthcare services resulting in less screening; diversion of health workers from STD work to respond to the COVID pandemic; STD test and lab supply shortages; and lapses in health insurance due to unemployment. …

Over half of reported STDs were among 16 to 24-year-olds. … 42 percent of cases of primary and secondary syphilis were among gay and bisexual males. https://www.sciencealert.com/fewer-routine-screenings-during-pandemic-saw-a-30-rise-in-these-preventable-diseases

The ‘key factor’ in not getting an STD (sexually transmitted disease; also known as VD for venereal disease; also known as STIs, sexually transmitted infections) is not lack of funding. The key factor is that American society encourages fornication, pornography, and other forms of sexual immorality.

I recall a statistic, from last decade, that indicated about 1/4 of unmarried British females got a sexually transmitted infection the first time they had sex and about 1/5 of unmarried USA females did as well. Years back, it was reported that about 1/2 of sexually-active unmarried USA teenage females reportedly have a SDI/STD (Reuters, March 11, 2008). Homosexual males may have the highest rate of STDs of any group (http://www.cdc.gov/std/life-stages-populations/stdfact-msm.htm). Promiscuity in the UK, USA, and elsewhere continues. New Zealand females have been reported to be the most promiscuous in the world (New Zealand women most promiscuous Sydney Morning Herald AAP – Oct 13, 2007. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/13/1191696214489.html).

Norman Edwards had the following in an edition of Shepherd’s Voice magazine:

This is the first commandment God gave to Adam and Eve:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:24-25).

Mankind has, to a large degree, obeyed this command through the centuries, though too often out of order. Today, it is common for young people to do it backwards: get naked and have sex (“one flesh”), then think about getting married and/or being able to afford to leave mother and father. Such a practice is absolutely devastating to family and future. But it essentially taught in most public schools. Most secular counselors today teach sex between consenting adults (and maybe teens) is fine as long as love is involved. But what does God say?

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Ob – scene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes — these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do (Ephesians 5:1-7, NLT).

The goal of public school sex education is to help teens make “informed choices” and practice “safe sex”—avoiding diseases and unwanted pregnancy. But after decades of that kind of education, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention tells us there are still 110 million Americans with Sexually Transmissible Infections. Also, in round numbers, there are about 2 million unwanted babies born in the USA each year. Half of them are aborted, the other half are raised by somebody who may or may not love them: maybe both parents, but more likely one parent, a grand parent, a friend, a foster family or a combination of the above.

The Tough Lessons of Reality

These unplanned children are the focal point of family fights, custody battles, child support cases, abuse, government assistance cases, and so many other things that make their lives and our lives unhappy. This writer has worked in a ministry to homeless people for the past four years and has experience first-hand the children—some now adults—who grew up knowing they were unwanted by one or both parents.

In our brief experience helping homeless single women with unplanned pregnancies, we have experienced nearly the full spectrum of difficulties: The mother wants to keep her baby and her family wants him (babies are “him” for clarity) aborted. Her family wants the baby but her mother wants him aborted. The mother wants the baby and the father does not—and vice versa. A women wants a baby so bad they are willing to get pregnant by almost anyone—because she wants someone to love and hopes the baby will love her. The mother wants a baby to get his government assistance and child support. A woman wants a baby, but frequently leaves him with family and friends for extended periods of time— sometimes without warning. Some men do not care about child support because they never planned to work. Our courts often do become wise to these situations and terminate current and future parental rights to these irresponsible parents.

We have known people who told partners they were infertile so that they could have unprotected sex—but were actually lying. Our homeless ministry once housed three women who were all told a similar story by the same man—and who had all gotten pregnant by him. On the opposite side, we have seen women claim to be pregnant when they were not—either hoping a man would marry her thinking she had his baby, or simply because others would give things to a poor single mom. All of these lies just make it more difficult for people to practice the truth of God and to care for the real babies and mothers who honestly want help, and who often got into such a mess without knowing what they are doing. Indeed, some of them grew up with their parents frequently lying to them and having sex with whoever was convenient at the moment.

Men have long-term consequences as well as women. Once a court orders a man to pay child support, if he gets behind in his payments, he is likely to have his wages or bank account garnished or his driver’s license suspended—anywhere in the country. This is in some ways like the biblical requirement for a single man who has sex with a single women—me must pay the “bride price” no matter what, but the woman’s father can refuse him as a husband (Ex 22:16- 17). Needless to say, immoral men who are able to earn a good living do not like the prospect of paying child support for 18 years to someone they do not really care about.

One future-thinking immoral man we knew, when a girl friend told him she was pregnant by him, committed a burglary and used the proceeds to pay for their baby’s abortion. He was sentenced to a couple years in prison for the burglary, but the abortion was legal. Another woman who previously stayed with us had an immoral boyfriend who was not so future-thinking. She obtained court- ordered child support, so he moved to another state hoping to avoid it. When back child support payments caught up with him, his solution was to come back and kill their baby. He is now doing a life sentence in prison. This is just part of the mess that grows out of unmarried sex. Our nation, legislature and our courts will some day be judged for telling our mothers and fathers it is all right to kill their babies—as long as they do it before they are born. But so many young people simply do not think about any of these complications when they want sex without commitment.

Almost as sad, are some of the parents who decide to keep and love their unplanned children, but simply are not able to. Some of them have so little knowledge of the things they need: how to build good relationship, why a lifelong marriage is important, how to get a job, how to work hard at a job, how to keep their home organized, how to teach and train a child, etc. Most of them are running on the media’s teaching that sex and relationships are fun, and the “sex education” they had in high school.

Sex education teaches “informed choices”, but sometimes all of the choices are bad. A parent with an unwanted child is often left to choose between:

1) Abort (kill) the baby.
2) Raise the baby knowing one or more people will likely be forever angry at the baby (because of child support payments or because the baby will remind them of someone’s illegitimate sex).
3) Put the baby up for adoption (which may be a disaster for the parent who loves the baby—and a future nightmare when the child later decides to find out who are his or her real parents and who abandoned him or her).

The “sex education” method to prevent this problem is to better educate them to practice “safe sex”. But that goes against the nature of sex. It is so powerful; it is so emotional. When sex is awesome, one’s logical processes give way to one’s passion. And that is good. People should experience sex to the fullest. God said it was very good (Genesis 1:31). But that is why He said sex belongs in marriage—where there are loving, committed parents to raise any babies that come along— planned or not. But when sex is outside of marriage, when powerful passions cause people not to remember the pregnancy prevention they learned in high school, the result is millions of unplanned pregnancies and STIs. Sure, there are many birth control methods that boast over 95% effectiveness. This writer has met individuals who claimed to have gotten pregnant while using nearly every one of the different available “foolproof” methods.

Even if sex education programs had 10 times the budget and could become 10 times as effective, they would still be failures. 11 million Americans with STD’s and 200,000 unwanted babies born every year would still be way too many.

Many of those stories Norman Edwards relates are heartbreaking. (Norman Edwards was once in the old WCG and was on the board of the old GCG.)

All need to heed the following from the Apostle Paul:

13 Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body… 1 Corinthians 6:18

18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:13,18; KJV)

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:24-32)

8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:8-13)

Christians are not to get close to sexual immorality, nor condone it.

Jesus taught:

27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)

10 I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

The body and mind are not for fornication, homosexuality, or other forms of sexual immorality.

That is a way that leads to misery and destruction.

The Bible says that obeying God’s laws protects from diseases:

9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.

12 “Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. 13 And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock. 15 And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you. (Deuteronomy 7:9-15)

Even the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) agrees that avoiding promiscuity is the best defense:

The most reliable ways to avoid transmission of STDs are to abstain from sexual activity, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. (Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/msmhealth/STD.htm, viewed 03/24/13)

Being faithful to biblical admonitions against fornication, adultery, and homosexuality are the “most reliable ways to avoid transmission” of sexually-transmitted diseases.

STDs affect society in many negative ways.

The Bible has long warned against sexual immorality (Exodus 20:14; 1 Corinthians 6:18), including homosexuality (Jude 7), and that deadly pestilences would be around in the end times (Matthew 24:4-8; Revelation 6:7-8). They were prophesied to increase for those who disobeyed God’s laws:

58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues — great and prolonged plagues — and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:58-61)

As far as diseases of Egypt, it is reported that Egyptian prostitutes would get a tattoo in their pubic regions to supposedly prevent STDs (see Tattoos: History and Biblical Teachings).

Notice also an end time prophecy:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-8)

The CDC is ever learning about STDs, but does not emphasize abstinence for the unmarried and other aspects of sexual morality.

Keeping God’s laws prevents STDs and their resulting problems.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Love, Marriage, and Sex It is important to get them in the right order.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Why sex and marriage? What are each spouse’s responsibilities regarding sex in the marriage? What is not allowed according to God’s word? Why is there sex and why is there marriage? Parental discretion is advised as to whether or not everything in this article is now appropriate for their children. Dr. Thiel goes over scriptures, The Missing Dimension in Sex, and provides answers to questions many have had. A related sermon is available: Sex and Marriage. Here is that sermon in the Spanish language: Matrimonio y sexo.
Are any types of birth control scripturally allowed? Did Jesus make a statement that might be consistent with birth control? Are there any methods that might be appropropriate? What methods would be biblically prohibited? Here is a link a related video: Can Christians Use Birth Control?
Pornography: A scourge on society Is pornography harmless fun? Does the Bible teach anything about it? What are the views of some involved with it? A related sermons is titled: Pornography, False Comfort, and False Religion. Here a shorter YouTube video Pornography: Harmless Fun or a Scourge on Society?
Ashley Madison: Your Sins Will Find You Out A website promoting ‘secret’ affairs (adultery and fornication) was hacked. This video discusses some of the Bible’s perspectives on that.
Dating: A Key to Success in Marriage, a practical dating guide for Christians This is a scripture-filled dating guide. It discusses many aspects of dating, as well as who to not consider for marriage. Two related sermons are available: The Art of Christian Dating. and No One to Date? Teen Q&A? Engagement? 2nd Marriage? A short animation is also available: First Date: Worldly vs. Christian.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not also easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的

“O black Jesus, please kill all the whiteys”

Frank James, the person of interest in the #Brooklyn mass shooting, posted a photograph of the Dallas #BLM shooter who killed 5 cops. He also posted a prayer asking for whites to die. One of his videos is titled, “We once were kings.” pic.twitter.com/s97iXfiyBH

— Andy Ngô ?️‍? (@MrAndyNgo) April 13, 2022

UPDATe 1210:

BREAKING: New York City subway attack suspect Frank James is in custody.#NewYork #brooklyn #nypd #breaking #SubwayStation #brooklynsubway #nyc#SunsetPark #BreakingNews #Arizona #FrankJames #uhaul #fbi pic.twitter.com/rR28tHAsNJ

— NY Actions (@NY_ACTIONS) April 13, 2022

COGwriter

More information has come out about the New York subway shooting suspect:

April 13, 2022

As New Yorkers confront the latest in what seems like an unceasing stream of increasingly gruesome and brutal crimes (unfolding during the opening months of former NYPD Captain and newly inaugurated Mayor Eric Adams, who has promised to combat crime), law enforcement is facing up to the realization that the suspect (as is tragically common in mass shootings and other incidents of ‘terrorism’ extreme violence) had previously set off flags that probably should have warranted a closer look.

It started yesterday with Newsweek reporting that the suspect (still at large) in the shooting – Frank James – had been investigated and cleared by the FBI in 2019. Soon after that report emerged, thousands of people scouring James’ social-media presence made a truly shocking (if unsurprising) discovery: the suspect who shot at least 10 people in a terrifying and meticulously planned mass shooting (police found explosive devices that didn’t detonate) has been publishing bizarre, hate-filled rants on YouTube praising other mass shooters terrorists and calling on people to kill “whitey”.

Amazingly, YouTube hasn’t yet taken down the page, which – as far as we can tell – still includes all of the hateful videos that media outlets have reported on extensively overnight.

In one video, James verbally attacked NYC Mayor Adams, saying he had been through the city’s mental health system due to a “mental health” issue that had gotten him “locked up”. In the system, he said, he experienced a kind of violence that would make someone “go and get a gun and shoot {bleep}.”

In his videos, he appears to express support for an extreme “black nationalist” ideology. At certain points, he even expresses a hatred or dislike for black people, referring to them as racial slurs which we won’t repeat here (although you can find some examples over at the Daily Beast).

At one point, James calls upon “black Jesus” to “kill all the whiteys”. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/kill-all-whiteys-suspect-brooklyn-subway-shooting-spouted-hateful-black-nationalist

Before going further, note the hypocrisy of YouTube, which refers to promotion of biblical values as hate speech, hence it removed one of my videos denouncing promoting sexual immorality to children, yet has kept up calls for murdering people up.

Now as far as the shooting suspect goes, it sounds like he has a history of mental problems, misunderstandings about Jesus, and has been a promoter of violent racism. Some have also indicated that the shooter as also anti-Asian.

My prayers go out for those affected by the horrible shooting.

As far as Jesus goes, He was non-violent.

The same is the case for His true followers (see also Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence?).

Jesus, also, was not black.

What about His appearance?

A while back, the BBC addressed the fact that the commonly seen pictures claiming to be of Jesus are false, but instead are of a Byzantine version of Zeus:

Everyone knows what Jesus looks like. He is the most painted figure in all of Western art, recognised everywhere as having long hair and a beard, a long robe with long sleeves (often white) and a mantle (often blue).

Jesus is so familiar that he can be recognised on pancakes or pieces of toast.

But did he really look like this?

Probably not.

In fact this familiar image of Jesus actually comes from the Byzantine era, from the 4th Century onwards, and Byzantine representations of Jesus were symbolic – they were all about meaning, not historical accuracy.

They were based on the image of an enthroned emperor, as we see in the altar mosaic of the Santa Pudenziana church in Rome. …

Jesus is dressed in a gold toga. He is the heavenly ruler of all the world, familiar from the famous statue of long-haired and bearded Olympian Zeus on a throne . . . Byzantine artists, looking to show Christ’s heavenly rule as cosmic King, invented him as a younger version of Zeus. What has happened over time is that this visualisation of heavenly Christ – today sometimes remade along hippie lines – has become our standard model of the early Jesus. December 24, 2015 http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35120965

From the above, we can also conclude that when we have reports of people who claim to have seen Jesus in various ways, those who claimed He had long hair, etc., clearly were not seeing Jesus.

Some have tried to claim that the Jews were black, hence Jesus was black. Because of that claim, I researched and located some photos of 1st century A.D. coins–the century Jesus was executed in. After General Titus conquered Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Emperor Vespasian issued coins–the back side of which shows conquered Jews:

Titus on left, Jewish man on bottom right (CNG coins)

Vespasian on left, captured Jewish soldiers on right, 71 A.D. (CNG coins)

Notice the the Jews were not African (which is clear from the hair of the man on the first coin as well as the hair of the man to the left of the second coin). The second coin inscription in Latin Ivdea means Judea. These coins are clear evidence that the Jews of the first century–like Jesus–were not black Africans.

If most Jews of Jesus’ time were black, the coins would have been expected to portray that–but they do not. These are absolute proof, no matter what color people may think the ancient Egyptians were or what their DNA was. The issue is whether the ancient Jews of Jesus’ were predominantly black–the Roman coins prove that they were not.

Additionally, notice that below is the oldest known surviving picture that is supposed to represent Jesus:

From a church at the ruined city of Dura-Europos on the Euphrates (dating from first half of the 3rd Century AD)

The above does not show a black Jesus.

Additionally, consider that Jesus was a Jew. Here is a picture of a mosaic from a Jewish synagogue:

While Jesus would have been tanner/bronzer than most in places like the UK or Germany, He was not black.

More information on Jesus’ and the colors of the ancient Israelites is in the following online sermon:

1:10:38

Were Ancient Hebrews Black? What About Jesus?

Were the ancient Hebrews black as asserted by Frank Cherry and William Crowdy? Was Jesus black? Was Jesus a Jew? What about the ancient Egyptians? What about the descendants of Noah: Ham, Japheth, and Shem? What does the word Egypt mean? Does Cush mean black? What do hieroglyphics, statues, coins, Fayum mummy paintings, the Mereneptah Stele, the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III, ostraca, coins, and mosaics show? What about the mummy of Ramesses II? What about Prince Ra-Hotep and Princess Nofret? What about DNA? What about Cleopatra VII? Where the ancient children of Israel mainly Negroid, Mongoloid, or Caucasoid? Do Jews have genetics consistent with Mediterranean peoples like the Arabs of the Middle East? Are the bulk of the descendants of the tribe of Judah Negroes? Were the bulk of the ancient Egyptians black? Must Joseph’s wife Asenath have been black? Could British-Israelism be true or does the identity of Puerto Rico and Cuba make more sense? Which nations best represent the tribes of Israel based upon what Jacob said in Genesis 48 and 49? What does the Bible teach on these matters? How did Roman Emperor Vespasian depict conquered Jews on coins with himself and General Titus in 70 A.D.? How have the Jews portrayed themselves? What do we learn from the Song of Solomon and Job? What about the Khazars of the 8th century? Does any of this have to do with salvation? Does properly understanding this aid in understanding biblical prophecies? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link to the sermon video: Were Ancient Hebrews Black? What About Jesus?

Jesus said:

24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23)

The truth is that Jesus was not what we would call black.

Furthermore, anti-white, anti-black, anti-Asian, and other racism is wrong and should not be encouraged.

Many do not understand the truth about race and why God made people of different races/colors.

However you can.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

22:07

Mystery of Race

Where did the various races come from? Did they evolve? If God created them, why? What is a Cushite? Is one race superior to any other? Why are people different shapes and sizes and with different hair color, etc.? Were Adam, Eve, Noah, Noah’s children and their wives involved? From whom did coastal people descend according to Genesis 10? Why are some weaker and others not? What is the purpose of multiple races? How could this be part of God’s plan? Does God have a plan for each INDIVIDUAL?

Here is a link to our video: Mystery of Race.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU.
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does? Here is a shorter message: Mystery of Race.
Were the Ancient Tribes of Israel Black? Was Jesus Black? Some claim this is so. But what do the Bible and ancient artifacts show? Here is a link to a related sermon video: Were Ancient Hebrews Black? What About Jesus?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book.
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Jesus: Married with Children? Was Jesus the Christ married? Did He have two children as some claim the so-called “Lost Gospel” teaches? Was He married to Mary Magdalene as the “Da Vinci Code” and others have stated? How many gospels are there? Are the supposed ‘historical records’ that Jesus was married, simply false? When were the gnostic gospel accounts written? Did Polycarp of Smyrna list any of the extra or so-called “lost gospels” in his letter? Does the Bible clearly contract the assertions of the book “The Lost Gospel”? This is a video.
Clear Proof that the Shroud of Turin is Fake: Debunking the ‘reasons’ that the Shroud of Turin is real There is NO proof that the Shroud of Turin has Jesus’ image and those who are willing to believe the Bible can prove it is fake. Here is a link to a related video: Could the Shroud of Turin Be Real? 12 Reasons to Consider.
Self-defense and Christians In these perilous times, how should a Christian view defense for self or family members? Here is a link to a related video: Christians and Self-Defense.
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians? A related sermon would be: Christians, Violence, and Military Service.

Garden Tomb location (Pixabay)

COGwriter

Was Jesus actually resurrected on a Sunday? Is that possible?

What does the Bible teach? (For some information about the ‘crucifixion’ in Spanish, please click on ¿Murió Jesús un día miércoles o un viernes?)

Here is one explanation, primarily using New Testament texts, about the day of the crucifixion and the day of the resurrection, from the 1952 booklet of the old Radio Church of God titled The RESURRECTION was NOT on Sunday by the late Herbert W. Armstrong explaining this:

It is commonly supposed, today, Jesus was crucified on FRIDAY, and that the resurrection occurred about sunrise on Easter Sunday morning.

It would seem that no one, until recently, ever thought to question or to PROVE this “Good-Friday-Easter” tradition. Yet the Bible tells us to PROVE all things. And you will be literally astounded by this proof.

For PROOF there is but one dependable authority; a sole historical record — the Bible…

The doubting Pharisees were asking Jesus for a SIGN– a supernatural evidence — in proof of His Messiahship.

Jesus answered: “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of man be THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:38-40). Now consider, please, the tremendous import — the overwhelming significance — of Jesus’ statements!

He expressly declared that the ONLY SIGN He would give to prove He was the Messiah was that He should be just THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the rock-hewn sepulchre in “the heart of the earth.”

The Significance of the Sign

These Christ-rejecting Pharisees demanded PROOF. Jesus offered but one evidence. That evidence was not the fact of the resurrection itself — it was the LENGTH OF TIME He would repose in His grave, before being resurrected.

Think what this means! Jesus staked His claim to being your Saviour and mine upon remaining exactly THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS in the tomb. IF He remained just three days and three nights inside the earth, He would PROVE Himself the Saviour — if He failed in this sign, He must be rejected as an imposter!

No wonder Satan has caused unbelievers to scoff at the story of Jonah and the “Whale!” No wonder the Devil has set up a tradition that DENIES Jesus is the Messiah!…

The BIBLE Definition

But the BIBLE definition of the duration of “nights and days” is simple.

Even these same higher critics admit that in the HEBREW language, in which the book of Jonah was written, the expression “three days and three nights” means a period of 72 hours — three twelve-hour days and three twelve-hour nights.

Notice Jonah 1:17: “And Jonah was in the belly of the fish THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS!” This, they admit was a period of 72 hours. And Jesus distinctly said that AS Jonah was three days and three nights in the great fish’s belly, So He would be the same length of time in His grave!

As Jonah was in the “GRAVE” (see marginal reference, Jonah 2:2) 72 hours, after which he was supernaturally resurrected by God, by being vomited up, to become a saviour to the people of Ninevah upon proclaiming the warning to them, so should Jesus be 72 hours in His grave, thereupon being resurrected by God to become the saviour of the world!

Did Jesus know how much time was in a “day” and in a “night”? Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day … but if a man walk in the NIGHT, he stumbleth.” (John 11:9-10).

Notice the BIBLE DEFINITION of the expression, “THE THIRD DAY.” Text after text tells us that Jesus rose THE THIRD DAY. See how the BIBLE defines the time required to fulfill “THE THIRD DAY.”

In Genesis 1:4 God “divided the LIGHT from the DARKNESS. And God called the LIGHT Day, and the DARKNESS He called Night. And the evening (darkness) and the morning (light) were THE FIRST DAY … and the evening (darkness) and the morning (light) were THE SECOND DAY, … and the evening (now three periods of darkness called NIGHT – three nights) and the morning (now three periods of light called DAY — three days) were THE THIRD DAY.” (Gen 1:4- 13).

Here we have the ONLY BIBLE DEFINITION which explains and COUNTS UP the amount of time involved in the expression “THE THIRD DAY.” It includes three dark periods called NIGHT, and three light periods called DAY — three days and three nights, and Jesus said they contained TWELVE HOURS for each period — a total of 72 hours!

That ought to be conclusive! Any seven-year old, near the end of the second grade, could figure it easily. We praise God that His plain truths are revealed UNTO BABES, and hidden from the wise and prudent!

What Is Wrong?

What is wrong with these plain, simple words of Jesus? How do these wise and prudent theologians KNOW Jesus was crucified “Good Friday” and rose “Easter Sunday?”

The simple answer is, THEY DO NOT KNOW IT — for IT IS NOT TRUE! It is merely TRADITION — a tradition we have been taught from childhood, and carelessly ASSUMED! Jesus warns against making “the Word of God of none effect through your TRADITION.” (Mark 7:13).

We have examined two scriptural witnesses, in Matthew and in Jonah, both setting the duration of the body of Jesus in the tomb as three days and three nights, which the Scriptures plainly define as 72 hours of time. Now let us examine four other Scriptural witnesses the PROVE THE SAME THING.

Notice Mark 8:31 “And He began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and AFTER three days rise again.”

Our young second grader can figure this. IF Jesus had been killed on Friday, and then AFTER one day He had risen, the resurrection would have occurred on Saturday evening. IF AFTER TWO DAYS, it would have occurred Sunday evening, and if AFTER THREE DAYS, it would have occurred MONDAY EVENING!

Examine this text carefully. You cannot, by any process of arithmetic, figure any less than a full 72 hours — three days and three nights — in a resurrection which occurred three days AFTER the crucifixion! If Jesus was in the grave only from Friday sunset to Sunday sunrise, then this text too, must be torn out of your Bible or else you must reject Jesus Christ as your Saviour! If He rose AFTER THREE DAYS, it might have been more than 72 hours, but it could not have been a second less!

Notice now Mark 9:31. “… they shall kill him; and AFTER that he is killed, he shall rise THE THIRD DAY.” The duration expressed here must be between 48 and 72 hours. It could not be one second PAST 72 hours, and Jesus still rise THE THIRD DAY. And it could not be Friday sunset to Sunday sunrise, because that is only 36 hours, carrying us into the middle of the second day, AFTER He was killed.

In Matthew 27:63 Jesus is quoted as saying, “AFTER THREE DAYS I will rise again.” This cannot possibly be figured as less than 72 full hours.

And in John 2:18-22, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and IN three days I will raise it up … but HE spake of the temple of his body.” To be raised up IN three days after being destroyed, or crucified and buried, could not be more than 72 hours.

If we are to accept all the testimony of THE BIBLE, we must conclude that Jesus was exactly three days and three nights — three full 24-hour days — 72 hours in the grave or the only supernatural proof He gave must fail.

The TIME OF DAY of the Resurrection

Now notice carefully this fact: In order to be three days and three nights — 72 hours — in the tomb, our Lord had to be resurrected at exactly THE SAME TIME OF DAY that His body was buried in the tomb!

Let us realize that very vital fact.

If we can find the TIME OF DAY of the burial, then we have found the TIME OF DAY of the resurrection! If the burial, for instance, was at sunrise, then in order to be left an even three days and three nights in the tomb, the resurrection likewise had to occur at sunrise, three days later. If the burial were at noon, the resurrection was at noon. If the burial was at sunset, the resurrection was at sunset, three days later.

Jesus cried on the cross soon after “the ninth hour” or three o’clock in the afternoon. (Matt. 27:46-50; Mark 15:34-37; Luke 23:44-46).

The crucifixion day was called “the preparation,” or day before “the Sabbath.” (Matt. 27:62; Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; John 19:14). This day ended at sunset, according to Bible reckoning (Lev. 23:32).

Yet Jesus was buried before this same day ended — before sunset. (Matt. 27:57; Luke 23:52-54). John adds, “There laid they Jesus, therefore, because of the Jews’ preparation day.” According to the laws observed by the Jews all dead bodies must be buried before the beginning of a Sabbath or feast day. Hence Jesus was buried BEFORE SUNSET on the same day He died. He died shortly after 3 p.m.

Therefore — notice carefully — the BURIAL OF CHRIST’S BODY WAS IN THE LATE AFTERNOON! It was between 3 p.m. and sunset as these Scriptures prove.

And since the RESURRECTION had to occur at the SAME TIME OF DAY, three days later, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST OCCURRED, not at sunrise, but IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, near sunset! Startling as this fact may be, it is the PLAIN BIBLE TRUTH!

If Jesus rose at any other time of day, He could not have been three days and three nights in His grave. If He rose at any other time of day, He failed to prove, by the only sign He gave that He was the true Messiah, the Son of the living Creator! Either He rose near the END of a day near sunset, or else He is not the Christ! He staked His claim on that one and only sign!

So a time-honored tradition must be shattered! Let us praise God for His TRUTH which has been preserved through the dark ages, so that the true light may now shine forth, if our hearts and minds are still willing to receive it! Praise His name! Do you LOVE the TRUTH as it is revealed, or despise it and love the traditions you have heard? “Whosoever despiseth the Word shall be destroyed!” Let us say with David, “How precious also are THY thoughts unto me, O God!”

What Day Was the Resurrection?

Now which DAY OF THE WEEK was the resurrection day? The first investigators, Mary Magdalene and her companions, came to the sepulcher on the first day of the week (Sunday) very early, while it was yet dark, as the sun was beginning to rise, at dawn. (Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1).

Now here are the texts most people have SUPPOSED stated the resurrection was at sunrise Sunday morning. But they do not say that!

When the women arrived, the tomb was already OPEN! At that time Sunday morning while it was yet dark — JESUS WAS NOT THERE! Notice how the angel says “HE IS NOT HERE, BUT IS RISEN!” See Mark 16:6; Luke 24:3; John 20:2; Matt. 28:5-6.

Jesus was ALREADY RISEN at sunrise Sunday morning! Of course He was. He rose from the grave IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, near SUNSET!

And since we know the resurrection was just shortly prior to that Sunday morning, and that it occurred in the late afternoon of the day, we now may know THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST OCCURRED LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

The Sabbath day ended at sunset. It was late on that day, before the beginning of the first day of the week. It was not, then, a Sunday resurrection at all — it was a Sabbath resurrection!

Three days prior to Saturday afternoon is Wednesday afternoon. Hence, since Jesus was killed on a Wednesday and resurrected on a Saturday, there is no biblical reason for “Easter” to be on a Sunday. The resurrection was not on Sunday.

Some have claimed that one of following scriptures (vs. 21) proves a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection:

13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.

17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?”

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:13-27)

But it does not. The strongest evidence in favor of Wednesday as the crucifixion is Jesus’ own words about being in the grave three days and three nights, plus the fact that the Sabbath He was interned prior to was a high day. As far as the counting of three, different people use different expressions to mean things. For example, in modern times, to say something will happen next Sunday may mean tomorrow or a week from tomorrow, hence I do not believe that the “third day since” argument is adequate to discount Wednesday.

Furthermore, notice this explanation from the late Herbert W. Armstrong:

Another passage that might confuse is Luke 24:21: “… And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.” “These things” included all the events pertaining to the resurrection — the seizing of Jesus, delivering Him to be tried, the actual crucifixion, and, finally, the setting of the seal and the watch over the tomb the following day, or Thursday. Study verses 18-20, telling of “these things” and also Matthew 27:62-66. “These things” were not completed until the watch was set, Thursday. And the text says Sunday was the third day since these things were done. Sunday truly was the third day since Thursday. But it was not the third day since Friday, so this text could not prove a Friday crucifixion. (The RESURRECTION was NOT on Sunday, Radio Church of God, 1952)

Notice that “these things” were not limited to placing Christ in the tomb. Yet some have erroneously concluded otherwise.

Notice the following:

62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. (Matthew 27:62-66).

The day “which followed the Day of Preparation” was a Thursday and the third day since that would be Sunday.

Even some Protestant scholars have long realized that there is biblical support that Jesus’ resurrection may have been on Saturday. Notice what one wrote in 1907:

…the Bible nowhere says or implies that Jesus was crucified and died on Friday. It is said that Jesus was crucified on “the day before the Sabbath“…Now, the Bible does not leave us to speculate which Sabbath is meant in this instance; for John tells us, in so many words, in John 19:14, that the day on which Jesus was tried and crucified was “the preparation of the Passover” (emphasis added). In other words, it was not the day before the weekly Sabbath (that is, Friday), but it was the day before the Passover Sabbath, which came that year on Thursday–that is to say, the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified was Wednesday. John makes this as clear as day… To sum it all up, Jesus died just about sunset on Wednesday. Seventy two hours later, exactly three days and three nights, at…Saturday at sunset, He arose again from the grave. (Torrey R.A. Difficulties in the Bible. Originally published 1907; Whitaker House; Updated edition, October 2003, pp. 168-169, 173).

Furthermore, see what the late Jerry Falwell, a Sunday-keeper, and others have admitted:

The Bible is actually silent on the precise moment of resurrection. Jesus’ followers came to His tomb before dawn on the first day of the week (Sunday), but they did not witness Him coming back to life. They merely found an empty tomb. Even the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, a Sunday-keeper and chancellor of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., agreed with that timetable, telling WND in 2001, “I personally believe He was crucified on Wednesday evening … and rose after 6 p.m. Saturday evening.” Most Christians today think Jesus died on a Friday and rose on Sunday. They point to Scriptures indicating a Sabbath day followed Jesus’ execution. But Sabbath-keepers claim it was not the weekly Sabbath of Saturday approaching. Rather, they say it was an annual Sabbath, a “high” holy day in the Hebrew calendar known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which supposedly occurred on a Thursday the week Jesus was killed. The Gospel of John mentions that Sabbath was the annual type. “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) … .” (John 19:31) In other words, Sabbatarians say there was more than one day of rest that week. Their timeline has Jesus slain on Wednesday – the day before the “high day” annual Sabbath on Thursday. They believe Jesus was in the grave for a full three days and three nights, finally arising Saturday evening, the second Sabbath of the week. The mention of “three days and three nights” is important for many, as Jesus used that phrase to prove His divine identity: “For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so I, the Son of Man, will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:40, New Living Translation) (Kovac, Joe. ‘Deception’: Christians war over worship day. Posted: March 16, 2008 5:24 pm Eastern. WorldNetDaily).

Hence, some do know the truth. And it is not just some Protestants. It is interesting to note that even into the 19th century, there was a ceremony in Rome that indicated a Saturday resurrection. Notice:

This ceremony is thus graphically described by the authoress of Rome in the 19th Century:”…the Pope himself, who walked beneath a crimson canopy, with his head uncovered, bearing the Host in a box; and this being, as you know, the real flesh and blood of Christ, was carried from the Sistine chapel through the intermediate hall to the Paulina chapel, where it was deposited in the sepulchre prepared to receive it beneath the altar…I never could learn why Christ was to be buried before He was dead, for, as the crucifixion did not take place till Good Friday, it seems odd to inter Him on Thursday. His body, however, is laid in the sepulchre, in all the churches of Rome, where this rite is practised, on Thursday forenoon, and it remains there till Saturday at mid-day, when, for some reason best known to themselves, He is supposed to rise from the grave amidst the firing of cannon, and blowing of trumpets, and jingling of bells…*” * The above account referred to the ceremonies as witnessed by the authoress in 1817 and 1818. It would seem that some change has taken place since then, caused probably by the very attention called by her to the gross anomaly mentioned above; for Count Vlodaisky, formerly a Roman Catholic priest, who visited Rome in 1845, has informed me that in that year the resurrection took place, not at mid-day, but at nine o’clock on the evening of Saturday. This may have been intended to make the inconsistency between Roman practice and Scriptural fact appear somewhat less glaring. Still the fact remains, that the resurrection of Christ, as celebrated at Rome, takes place, …on the day of Saturn…(Hislop, Alexander. Two Babylons. Loizeaux, Neptune (NJ), Second American Edition, 1959–originally expanded in 1858).

Whether the above ceremony still exists, this writer does not know. But it is interesting that at least one Roman ceremony involving the pope acknowledged a Saturday resurrection that late. Perhaps, this ceremony was originally adopted by Rome partially because the early Romans knew that Jesus was actually resurrected on Saturday.

Irrespective of that celebration, it is clear that there is evidence outside the Bible that among those that professed Christ, there were some who understood that the crucifixion was on a Wednesday and the resurrection was on a Saturday.

Some items of related interest may be include:

What Happened in the ‘Crucifixion Week’? How long are three days and three nights? Was Palm Sunday on a Saturday? Did Jesus die on “Good Friday”? Was the resurrection on Sunday? Do you really know? Who determined the date of Easter? (Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Murió Jesús un día miércoles o un viernes?) A sermon of related interest is titled What did and did not happen in the ‘Crucifixion week’?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Easter? If not, when did this happen? Where did Easter come from? What do scholars and the Bible reveal? Here is a link to a video titled Why Easter?
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? A related YouTube video would be Origin of the Cross.
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled The Night to Be Observed.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here is a YouTube video intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread:
Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
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? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

Poster advertising the cash reward (Facebook)

COGwriter

Israel365 News posted the following:

Cash rewards being offered for sacrificing Pascal lamb on Temple Mount

April 12, 2022

In an effort to encourage the Biblical commandment to sacrifice a Pascal lamb on Passover, the Chozrim Lahar (Return to the Temple Mount) organization is offering financial compensation for anyone who attempts to sacrifice a Pascal lamb on the Temple Mount.

Those attempting to even bring a lamb or goat as a sacrifice to the Temple Mount will likely get detained by the Israeli police with their animal confiscated. But anyone who gets arrested for making the effort will receive financial compensation of NIS 400 ($124) for getting arrested. If they get arrested with a lamb or kid, they will receive NIS 800 ($248). If they succeed in sacrificing a Pascal lamb, they will get NIS 10,000 ($3,103).

Sacrificing a Pascal Lamb is not a crime, but the police have detained those trying to make the sacrifice in the past. https://www.israel365news.com/268417/cash-prizes-being-offered-for-sacrificing-pascal-lamb-on-temple-mount/

Well, technically, Israeli courts have ruled that because of the current distress it cannot be done, hence in that respect it is illegal.  Whether or not a financial reward will motivate any, remains to be seen. But the reality is that Jews in several groups want this type of sacrifice.

Notice something in 2016 from the then leader of the Sanhedrin:

April 19, 2016

Breaking Israel News asked Rabbi Hillel Weiss, secretary of the Nascent Sanhedrin, if the mitzvah of korban pesach is incumbent upon the Jews today by Jewish law, despite the lack of a Temple or an altar. “Of course. There isn’t even a question,” Rabbi Weiss answered. “There is nothing in Jewish law that prevents us from performing this sacrifice. The only obstacle is the government that will not allow the Jews to do this great mitzvah, so the sin is on them, and not, God forbid, on the Jewish people.”

The Sanhedrin established a committee in 2004 concerning the korban pesach to work in cooperation with all religious, legal, and administrative authorities. The committee has attempted several times to obtain the government’s permission. Legal documents were sent to the Prime Minister, the Supreme Court, and the Chief of Police. The Prime Minister did not respond. The Supreme Court appeared to uphold the right to perform the sacrifice, but denied it on grounds of security. This answer was reiterated by the Chief of Police.

Indeed, the korban pesach is not dependent on the presence of a Temple and continued long after the Second Temple was destroyed. http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/66076/passover-sacrifice-makes-comeback-overlooking-temple-mount-photos/#zchLRxxm8yeAtXsO.99

This group has made some attempts to offer sacrifices in the past, but has often ran into political opposition. Israeli courts have generally agreed that Jews have the right to perform animal sacrifices, but have repeatedly denied this right as the timing would have excessively negative consequences. And to rebuild a temple in the area that the Muslims consider sacred would be even more problematic politically–especially at this instant. Yet, because the Muslims have a strong presence at the site of the old Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) with their al-Aqsa Mosque, some consider the actual construction of a Jewish temple there to be impossible.

Various Jews have had some type of ‘Passover’ sacrifice from time to time. For example, back in 2019, people associated with the Sanhedrin (like Baruch Kahane) and the Temple Institute performed a ceremonial reenactment but on the wrong day and not on the areas called the Temple Mount (see Sanhedrin has ‘Passover’ sacrifice in Jerusalem).

And last year, some prominent rabbis asked for permission from then Israeli Prime Minister to sacrifice one or more lambs on the Temple Mount for Passover (see I365: Prominent Rabbis Ask Netanyahu to Allow the Passover Sacrifice on Temple Mount). Such permission does not seem to have been granted as we saw no reports of this being successfully done in 2021 on the Temple Mount.

The observant Jews realize that the Hebrew scriptures teach:

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. (Exodus 12:5-6)

Twilight on the 14th day of the first month on the Hebrew calendar would be after sunset this Thursday for 2022.

As far as animal sacrifices go, they will be resumed.

Though it may well take a war, peace deal, and/or political gridlock for that to happen.

Currently, the government of Naftali Bennett is not in a position to allow them. Last week, his coalition lost an observant Jewish parliament member because his government would not restrict leaven at hospitals during the upcoming Days of Unleavened Bread (see I365: The prohibition of leavened bread on Passover just took down the Israeli government … a harbinger of the Messiah). Prime Minister Bennett cannot afford to lose more in his coaltion and since he has some Arab members, he realizes he would lose his governmental power if he publicly allowed the resumption of animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount.

However, such sacrifices will be resumed.

Why?

Because scriptures teach that they will again be stopped (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11)–hence they must be started again.

It remains my view that Israeli politics will be a factor in getting regular animal sacrifices resumed in Israel–and not just for Passover.

Although some believe that the Jews must build a massive temple in Jerusalem for this to occur, that is not true.

While many do wish to build another temple  it should be pointed out that:

1. Biblical prophecies do not require that a Jewish temple be built in Jerusalem before Jesus returns (for details, see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).
2. There is no biblical requirement for a temple to be built for sacrifices to resume (cf. Ezra 3:6).
3. Jewish leaders have long recognized the second point (see also Nascent Sanhedrin structure and high priest: The plan is to start animal sacrifices–this would fulfill prophecy!)–which is part of why there have been animal sacrifices the past 15 years or so.
4. The Bible also tells of daily sacrifices being stopped (Daniel 9:27, 11:31)–and since they have not started, their start is a prophetic event to look out for.

Furthermore, members of the Temple institute and Sanhedrin have personally informed me that they do not need a massive temple to resume such sacrifices.

They say they have basically all they need to start.

Furthermore, on December 10, 2018, the Sanhedrin had a sacrificial ceremony to dedicate the altar they want to use. The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to it:

6:57

Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!

The Reconstituted Sanhedrin performed a ceremony on December 10, 2018 to dedicate a new altar for the use of daily sacrifices. High Priest Rabbi Baruch Kahane officiated. How does this align with Bible prophecy? Daniel wrote three times that the daily sacrifices must stop, hence they first must resume. The Great Tribulation will begin shortly after these sacrifices stop. In this video Dr. Thiel, who has also been to Israel and spoken with The Temple Institute quotes several scriptures and explains why the actions by the Sanhedrin align with prophecy and the end times.

Here is a link to our video: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!

As far as animal sacrifices go, notice that the Bible shows that during the time of Ezra animal sacrifices in the Temple were made before the second Jewish Temple was built:

2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings. 4 They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. 5 Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not been laid. (Ezra 3:2-6)

An actual rebuilt temple on the Temple Mount is not biblically required for the resumption of animal sacrifices, and many Jewish religious authorities realize this.

From a Christian perspective, the Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus was a substitute for the Passover lamb that the Jewish people used. He also taught that Christians should still continue to observe Passover:

7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

But how were Christians to do this?

The Apostle Paul explains:

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

So Christians are to keep the Passover in the manner that Jesus observed His final Passover. And that was at night as a memorial–a memorial is an annual, not a weekly event. And we do not need to sacrifice a lamb.

But one day, the Jews will.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to two related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out a CCOG Passover Service. Here is a link to a related article in the Spanish language: Guardando la Pascua y los Días de los Panes sin Levadura.
Examine Yourself before Passover This article goes into some of why real Christians are to do this. Two related sermons are Really examine yourself before Passover and Passover Examination.
Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
The Passover Plot What was the first Passover plot? Which plots have Islam and the Greco-Roman faiths perpetuated about Passover? A sermon video of related interest is The Passover Plots, Including Easter.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well. Here is a related sermon, also titled Melito’s Homily on the Passover.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the real COG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct? A related sermon is titled Is Passover on the 14th or 15th for Christians?
Unleavened Bread recipes A Serbian COG member, now CCOG elder, sent these recipes for those who would like more ways to prepare unleavened bread. Here is a link to recipes in Spanish: Recetas de Recuerdo.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers. Here are two YouTube videos intended to be viewed for the first day of unleavened bread:Leaven and Sin and Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? A related animation is available and is titled: Night to Be Observed.
The Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread What happened? Does this day have any type of fulfillment in the Book of Revelation?
Does the Church of God need to be headquartered in Jerusalem? Some say so. But what does the Bible teach? A related short video is also available: Does the Bible endorse Jerusalem as the Church of God headquarters now?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but …