March/April 2002

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>   |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters to the Brethren"><B>Up Level</B></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="novemberdecember_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2008">November/December 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="septemberoctober_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2008">September/October 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="julyaugust_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2008">July/August 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="mayjune_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2008">May/June 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="id430.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2008">March/April 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="id422.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2008">January/February 2008</A>   |   <A HREF="id417.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2007">November/December 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id410.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2007">September/October 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id409.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2007">July/August 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id399.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2007">May/June 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id391.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2007">March/April 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id385.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2007">January/February 2007</A>   |   <A HREF="id377.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2006">November/December 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id369.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2006">September/October 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id368.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2006">July/August 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id354.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2006">May/June 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id346.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2006">March/April 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id338.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2006">January/February 2006</A>   |   <A HREF="id332.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2005">November/December 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id331.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2005">September/October 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id326.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2005">July/August 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id322.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2005">May/June 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id309.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2005">March/April 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id308.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thank You Letter">Thank You Letter</A>   |   <A HREF="id302.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2005">January/February 2005</A>   |   <A HREF="id295.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2004">November/December 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id291.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2004">September/October 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id287.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2004">July/August 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id283.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2004">May/June 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id275.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2004">March/April 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id254.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2004">January/February 2004</A>   |   <A HREF="id253.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2003">November/December 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id245.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2003">September/October 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id242.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2003">July/August 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id238.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2003">May/June 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id231.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2003">March/April 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id228.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2003">January/February 2003</A>   |   <A HREF="id221.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2002">November/December 2002</A>   |   <A HREF="id215.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2002">September/October 2002</A>   |   <A HREF="id211.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2002">July/August 2002</A>   |   <A HREF="id207.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2002">May/June 2002</A>   |   March/April 2002   |   <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2002">January/February 2002</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Church of God, In Truth</B></div> <div> <A HREF="novemberdecember_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2008">November/December 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="septemberoctober_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2008">September/October 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="julyaugust_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2008">July/August 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="mayjune_2008.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2008">May/June 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id430.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2008">March/April 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id422.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2008">January/February 2008</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id417.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2007">November/December 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id410.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2007">September/October 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id409.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2007">July/August 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id399.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2007">May/June 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id391.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2007">March/April 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id385.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2007">January/February 2007</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id377.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2006">November/December 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id369.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2006">September/October 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id368.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2006">July/August 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id354.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2006">May/June 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id346.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2006">March/April 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id338.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2006">January/February 2006</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id332.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2005">November/December 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id331.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2005">September/October 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id326.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2005">July/August 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id322.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2005">May/June 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id309.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2005">March/April 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id308.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thank You Letter">Thank You Letter</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id302.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2005">January/February 2005</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id295.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2004">November/December 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id291.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2004">September/October 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id287.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2004">July/August 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id283.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2004">May/June 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id275.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2004">March/April 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id254.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2004">January/February 2004</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id253.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2003">November/December 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id245.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2003">September/October 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id242.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2003">July/August 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id238.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2003">May/June 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id231.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="March/April 2003">March/April 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id228.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2003">January/February 2003</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id221.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="November/December 2002">November/December 2002</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id215.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="September/October 2002">September/October 2002</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id211.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="July/August 2002">July/August 2002</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id207.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="May/June 2002">May/June 2002</A></div> <div> <B>March/April 2002</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id199.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="January/February 2002">January/February 2002</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>March/April 2002</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>MEMORIAL</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT></div> <div> James Russell, Elder </div> <div> To God's scattered Brethren. </div> <div> We are now just days away from the blessing of memorializing God's Passover. Keeping the right day for God's Passover will be the most important decision we will ever make this year, our eternal life depends upon it. Among the earliest of Apostle's Paul's writings he was inspired to write "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thess. 5:19-21,23). Are these verses just spiritual sounding? Are they instructions for us today? According to mans traditional Hebrew Calendar, March 27, 2002 is Passover. But, is it truly the correct day? </div> <div> For the passed eight years the Church of God, In Truth, has been explaining how the Postponements are calculated in the Hebrew calendar. This year, 2002, Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are going to be kept one day late, or is it one day too late for some? </div> <div> Why am I saying Passover is going to be kept one day late? Molad is the Hebrew word used for their New moon: meaning, rebirth or conjunction. In past "Prove all Things" we have given sources for the definition of new moon. One from Maimonide's book "Sanctification of The New moon," Pg. 89, Chapter 6. The second, was from New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon. Third, was Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. Fourth, "Understanding the Jewish Calendar" by Nathan Bushwick, Pg 71, titled the "Molad", "As the moon moves around the earth there is one moment that it is exactly between the earth and the sun. At that moment, the earth faces the dark side of the moon. Already for about a day before this moment the moon has not been visible from any point on the earth and it will remain invisible for about a day more. This moment is called the molad, the birth of the new moon. We [Hebrew Calendar] use the molad (conjunction or rebirth) as the official beginning and end point of the cycle of the moon"(Rambam KHC 1:3 and Rambam KHC 6:1,3). Notice, this is not taken from God's word, the bible! On page 51, Rabbi Nathan Bushwick continues, "In the time of the Sanhedrin there were no published calendars as there are today. The Sanhedrin declared the beginning of each month when the moon was actually sighted." </div> <div> Where in God's Word are the Sanhedrin's, [who never received God's Holy Spirit], given the authority over God's inspired Word to declare and sanction their young crescent new moon phase, to have precedence over God's true New Moon phase ? Satan's moon is the crescent moon. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary definition: "Crescent is, the moon at any stage between the new moon and first quarter and last quarter." </div> <div> The Hebrew calendar today is calculated as Nathan Bushwick explains from a astronomical [mean/middle] dark moon, the moon that is neither in its beginning or ending stages, just luke warm, neither hot nor cold, Laodicean-ish. </div> <div> Satan has fooled most Israel nations into believing that Sunday is the Sabbath, and now he is fooling most of God's called out ones into believing the astronomical moon is the beginning of a new month. By keeping the astronomical moon for the first day of the month, you can be as much as 15 to 48 hours late for what God calls the first day of the new month. The true New Moon is when the beginning dark side of the moon is facing the earth. That is when the true conjunction phase of the Sun and Moon first start PASSING each other, and on that day the new Month Begins. The new month begins on the day the dark conjunction phase first takes place. It happens everywhere on earth at the same time, the crescent moon light from the waning moon has disappeared and a new month begins, just as a day begins at sunset when the sun can no longer be seen [Psa. 104:19]. God always starts at the beginning and in harmony [Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1]. The Hebrew Calendar that calculates the Postponements into the Holy Days of God, and sets Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread a day later this year is of Satan. These types of lies, is why Christ throughout His inspired word condemns the Sanhedrin who became tied in with the Scribes and Pharisees. We need to rid ourselves from Satan's influence. Satan has many worshiping on his counterfeit holidays that are set by his counterfeit, new moon. </div> <div> In the book of Matthew, written in 50 A.D, tells us a lot about what Christ thought of the Scribes and the Pharisees, "All their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogue" (Matt. 23:5-6). Read the rest of chapter 23 and you will find Christ's concluding remarks, "Woe unto you Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites, you serpents, you generation of vipers". History now revels it is through the sect of these Scribes and Pharisees who Christ called "Hypocrites" that the Hebrew Calender was created and passed off as God's sacred calendar </div> <div> Christ is our example and He did not keep the Jews' Passover. Had He kept it John would not have called it the Jews' Passover and the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles. "And the Jews' Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem" (John 2:13). And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh" (John 6:4). </div> <div> "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples. And the Jews' Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves" (John 11:54-55). "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand" (John 7:1-2). </div> <div> John could not have made it any clearer. These are not God's Feasts. John is talking about the Jews' Passover and Feast of Tabernacles. Remember they [those who practice Judaism and the keeping of the crescent moon for there first day of a month] wanted to have Christ killed. </div> <div> Looking at John 8 where Christ was in another conflict with the Pharisees He said. " I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill Me, because My word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with My Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father. Why do you not understand My speech? even because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, you believe Me not. He that is of God hears God's words: you therefore hear them not, because you are not of God" (John 8:37-38, 43-45, 47). </div> <div> Those are stinging words coming from Christ's own mouth, as He spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees who wanted to have Him killed. The Pharisees are responsible for the Postponements and using the astronomical moon to calculate God's Holy Days today. The people that keep the Hebrew Calendar Dates and days for Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread are being misled. Why?? Because Judaism never accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore they did not receive God's Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Why would you want to keep their dates for God's Holy Days? </div> <div> Keeping the Passover on March 27th instead of March 26th is like keeping Sunday for God's Sabbath. Is this what God means by separating the wheat from the chaff ? The sheep from the goats ? There are some Pastors and Evangelists who have been in God's Church for over 30, 40 years, that cannot explain why Judaism themselves say, "God's Holy Days are kept 60% of the time on the wrong day!" </div> <div> Ask your local Minster why you are keeping the Passover March 27, 2002, 15 days after the New moon [new month] when Lev 23:5 clearly expresses "In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD'S Passover." "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, [at midnight] and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exo 12:12-13). </div> <div> Where in the Bible does it say we are to count backwards 177 days from the Feast of Trumpets to establish the first day of God's year? Why can't the last day of the Feast of Tabernacle fall on a Sabbath? Where in God's word is the word "POSTPONEMENTS" found ? Where does it say in God's word we cannot have a Sabbath day and a annul Sabbath day back to back? See article "Postponements Rules" in this issue. </div> <div> You don't want to be like the five virgins caught without oil in your lamp. "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding" (Pro 23:23). "Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth. (John 17:17) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5: 21). </div> <div> When proving all things, MARCH 26, 2002, will be God's memorial PASSOVER!! </div> <div> Passover in Hebrew is Pesah, which has a root meaning of, to hop, skip over, or spare. This refers to the death angle skipping over or hopping over the houses that had the blood on the door posts. These houses were protected from the first born being killed. If we take our Savior's Passover on the wrong day we are not covered under His saving sacrificed blood. We must be sure we are keeping Passover at the right time and observing the correct day. It is an IMPORTANT decision, only individuals can make! </div> <div> I have heard people say they are going to keep both March 26th, and March 27th, 2002 just to be safe! The Jews, started doing that a long time ago. Gateway to Judaism, page 335, says, "The reason people in the out lying communities of Palestine kept two days for the Feast and Holidays were, the first was based on their own observation of the [crescent] new moon, and the second was in deference to the authority of the Sanhedrin's [men in high authority]." They are not sure which day is the Pesah [Passover]. WHEN YOU KEEP TWO PASSOVER'S YOU ARE WORSHIPING TWO GODS. Is that what God said to do? You need to "PROVE ALL THINGS" like God's Word clearly commands. </div> <div> I sincerely hope this letter and the "Prove All Things" magazine will help those who are having problems with this subject. It is with our most fervent prayer and hope that you are PROVING ALL THINGS, you are responsible for your actions!! </div> <div> The Apostle Paul sends us a warning in the letter to the Hebrews, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:25-31). </div> <div> God's Word is clear. Passover is to be observed starting sunset [of March 25th], the beginning of the fourteenth of Abib, March 26, 2002!! May God give us all, more of His Holy Spirit to do His will, and not what the traditions of men say. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> In Christian Love, </div> <div> The Church of God, In Truth </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>