May/June 2008

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height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> GOD'S APPOINTED TIMES!</div> <bR> <bR> <div> James Russell, Elder</div> <bR> <div> To God's scattered brethren and co-workers,</div> <bR> <div> Greetings from the "Show Me State"of Missouri. Some of you have asked how we are coping with the change of weather here. Joyce and I have now been here for almost five months and it has proved to be an eye opener for us. We have come to the opposite side of the weather pattern from dry and sunny Southern California, where the seasons do not change much! We did not realize Missouri had so many differing weather events within a season: first high winds - 60 to 90 miles an hour, then tornado threats, rain, ice storms, snow, hail - and these actions can happen within a 24 hour period of time! But this did not stop us from having a solemn Passover service, a rejoicing Night to be Much Observed and seven days of Unleavened Bread. I pray yours was as fulfilling.</div> <div> What else is new? Well, we had to change the Church's address; so we could have a larger post office box. The new Church of God, in Truth address is: P.O. Box 1120, Kimberling City, MO., 65686-1120. This post office is larger and carries a bigger variety of supplies.</div> <div> This year again, there is a great variety of dates on which God's Holy Days are being kept amongst the various Churches of God. Most groups are keeping God's Holy Days a month later than the Church of God, in Truth; the reason being, the great majority are following the so-called Hebrew Calendar. This has resulted in most of the splinter groups of the Church of God, observing God's 2008 Holy Days a month later than commanded! The Eternal has specific appointed dates in mind for HIS Holy Days! Who's right? How can we know?</div> <div> From past and present experience, we know that we should "Study to show ourselves approved unto GOD, a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15). We can "Prove All Things" right from our own Bible.</div> <div> In looking for evidence on the timing of God's Holy Days, we have Leviticus 23, which tells us the Passover shall be on the 14th day of the first month: "In the fourteenth day of the <B>first</B> month at even is the LORD's Passover"(Lev 23:5), and the Feast of Trumpets is on the 1st day of the seventh month: "In the <B>seventh</B> month, in the first day of the month, shall you have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation"(Lev 23:24). But this chapter does not tell us <B>when</B> the first month occurs, so we must look elsewhere, in accordance with Isaiah 28:10: "Precept upon precept, Line upon line, here a little, there a little."</div> <div> In God's initial revelation of the Passover and its explanation, we read: "This month shall be the beginning of months for you" (Exo 12:2). From this, and other Scriptures in harmony with historical details elsewhere recorded, we know that the Passover is to be observed <B>on or after</B> the Vernal Equinox. We should always keep in mind, <B>every</B> year tracks the same God given Biblical calender rules!</div> <div> We are NEVER to postpone or add an extra month to a 12 month year until God's tools in the Heavens reveal it is time to do so! We will know to add the extra month when the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes do <B>not</B> fall within God's planned parameters of within 30 days of the equinoxes. God gives us instructions on what is to be looked for within the first month and the seventh month. God's Spring Festival season <B>must</B> have these events fall within a parameter of 30 days: 1) A New Moon, 2) A Full Moon, 3) A Spring Equinox, 4) Passover, 5) Night to be Much Remembered, 6) 7 Days of Unleavened Bread, and 7) Start the Count for Pentecost. God's Autumnal Festivals month must have within its parameter, 1) A New Moon, 2) A Full Moon, 3) A Autumnal Equinox 4) The Feast of Trumpets, 5) A Day of Atonement, 6) A Feast of Tabernacles, and 7) A Last Great Day. The Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes are <B>never</B> to be more than 30 days from any of God's appointed Festivals times!</div> <div> An example: those keeping the Hebrew Calender this year observed their Last Day of Unleavened Bread 38 days away from the Vernal Equinox, 8 days past God's created 30 day parameter limit that He tells us to keep them in! "uThis month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you"(Ex 12:2). Going outside of God'us planed month can only happen when SYNCRETISM is being applied! All God's Holy Day Festivals must start and finish within a parameter of 30 days of the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes, so there is no chance of any Holy Day Sabbath drifting out of its appointed time [season], as they are this year 2008.</div> <div> In Exodus chapter 23 we read: ''And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of your labors, which you have sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when you have gathered in your labors out of the field"(Exo. 23:16). This Feast, which is also commanded to be kept in the seventh month (Lev. 23:34-43) - <B>mu</B><B>s</B><B>t</B>, in fact be at the end of the growing season, or at the end of that period of time. God knows there are 12 months in the year, so it's apparent that the seventh month is <B>not</B> the 'end of the year" as specified in Exodus 23:16, but the "<B>turn </B>of the year,"the Autumnal Equinox, meaning the turn from the North to the South by the Sun.</div> <div> From the above then, we are told that the Feast of Tabernacles should fall approximately 6 months after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and this works out to fall at the time of the Autumnal Equinox (Sept.21-23). This then, is the Scriptural proof that those who are keeping God's Holy Days on the schedule from His Word, are following properly and obeying His command. The Autumnal Equinox will always fall within the frame work of a 30 day parameter! This keeps all of God's Holy Days always in there "2appointed time" [season]!</div> <div> There is a warning which most COG leaders seems to have misread. We know from Matthew chapter 23, that our Lord had no respect for the Pharisees in His day. He called them "hypocrites" and "blind guides" and "a generation of vipers" in this chapter. Earlier in this chapter we read: "therefore, all that they [Pharisee's] tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say things and do not do them" (Matt. 23: 3). The words "all that they tell you, do and observe .. " have been used by Church of God leaders to support the use of the Hebrew Calendar. WHY? Because Rabbi Hillel, the originator of the present Hebrew Calendar in A.D. 359 ("uA.D." meaning <B>after</B> Christ died), was the Pharisee in charge of POSTPONING God's Annual Sabbaths! In fact, however, Christ is telling us: "DO NOT DO ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS." In other words, <B>don't follow</B> the Pharisaical Jewish Calendar which utilizes Postponements for convenience and tradition, and was instituted in it's present form long after our Lord and His Apostles had died! In closing, let us pray that GOD will open the eyes of the various Churches of God leadership to HIS truth before it is too late!</div> <bR> <div> Church of God, in Truth</div> <div> P.O. BOX 1120</div> <div> Kimberling City, MO 65686-1120</div> <div> Tel: 417-338-0033</div> <div> Fax: 417-338-0031</div> <bR> <div> Contact: James Russell, Elder Or Pete Fleming, Elder</div> <div> Tel: 417-338-0033 Tel: 830-885-5502</div> <div> E-Mail: cogit@flash.net E-Mail: pmf@gvtc.com</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>