Monday, April 25, 2022

SEVENTH DAY of Unleavened Bread Sermon

                                                                                               

Leonard V. Johnson





     Greetings EVERYONE! Including our dear brethren and friends in Springfield, Missouri; Elkview, West Virginia; across the ocean in Kingston Upon Thames, United Kingdom and up in Toronto, Canada. Welcome to the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries, I’m Leonard V. Johnson.
     Well, here we are on the glorious SEVENTH DAY of the LORD our God’s holy Feast of Unleavened Bread!
     One of the major proofs of the very existence of a CREATOR is CREATION. And it is creation that actually identifies God. And, the weekly Sabbath is a memorial of creation. Every week it should be a reminder to us all of God’s awesome creative power and majesty! It should keep us all in remembrance of the true worship of God and of the true God. Indeed the SEVENTH DAY OF THE WEEK is a sign {1} with great and significant meaning. It was implemented by God to help keep us in the true worship of the CREATOR!

Why the HOLY DAYS!?

     This early morning, our 9-year-old niece enters the office, crying. She was crying because the Easter rabbit didn’t deliver an Easter basket full of chocolate “bunny” eggs to our house as she was spending the night! My wife speaks up and says that the Easter rabbit didn’t know that she was spending the night – that surely he had left a basket at her house!! I just shook my head in bewilderment.
     Thank God, dear brethren, that we know God’s living truth in regards to Easter, {2} but also that God gave His Church seven annual feasts. And these Holy Days are to keep His begotten children in the true memory and worship of God by helping us to be constantly in the understanding of His Master Plan – from the beginning. These annual feasts picture the different epochs of His Master Plan for the redemption of all mankind. They mark the dispensations and their meaning.
     Like I was explaining briefly to my wife the other day that our great and loving God has shown all mankind what death is like, along with what happens after death – with sleep. Throughout the day we grow tired to the very point of going to bed and falling asleep - sleep is defined as a state of unconsciousness from which a person can be aroused. Eight hours can pass by in the blink of an eye, and before we know it, we’re awake and refreshed – ready for a brand new day! Death and the resurrection unto life are reenacted day after day after day continually.
     These worldly churches continue to incorrectly teach that Jesus Christ finished the “work” of redemption on the cross. But the very FIRST event in God’s Master Plan for the redemption of all mankind was our Lord and Savior’s death on the cross. At the acceptable year of the LORD ‘the Spirit of the Lord GOD was upon Him because the LORD had appointed Him to preach good tidings to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and open the prison to those who are bound’ – Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-19. And this great operation began… well… let’s begin in the Book of Genesis, the 3rd chapter. Many biblical commentaries tell us that this is one of the very first messianic prophecies in the Holy Bible. This is where God extends His curse on mankind for sinning and to Satan the devil himself.
     Verse 15 – “’ And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, …’” – talking, of course, of Satan the devil and Eve. “ … ‘And between your seed …’” – speaking here about the followers of Satan the devil  {3} – “ … ‘and her Seed; …” – the followers of her Seed – the living Jesus Christ - which would come after her.
     “ … ‘He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.’” – that may sound confusing here, but the commentaries realize that this is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. That He would eventually bruise the head of Satan the devil. In other words, He would overcome Satan and put him down. Yet, before that happened Satan would ‘bruise His heel.’ And, of course, the reference here, is when he would succeed in bringing about the death of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. So, here we see a great prophecy which is some six-thousand-years old, which points to the Messiah.
     Also, in the Book of Jude, he quoted from a portion of something which the prophet Enoch had written. He said, “Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15) to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’”
     So here is a man – the prophet Enoch – whose life actually overlapped Adam’s. They lived contemporaneously for 365 years! And the prophet Jude is quoting a statement here from the prophet Enoch that is talking about the returning LORD returning with ‘ten thousands of His saints.’ So, we’re moving forward in time and we see another prophecy about the Messiah.
     And we find the operation of this great sacrifice, which began in the garden of Eden when Abel sacrificed a substitute lamb – cf. Genesis 4:3-5. We see what the apostle Paul says in Hebrews 9 –
     “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” – verse 22.
     But, why blood? Of all things, why blood for the remission of sins?
     Let us notice what God’s living word says about blood. Genesis chapter 9 –
     “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2) And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, and on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3) Every moving thing that lives [and is clean according to God’s law of clean and unclean meat {4}] shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4) But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.’”
     Blood is the source of life. {5} God would later tell the children of Israel: “’ For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. 14) for it is the life of the flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.’” – Leviticus 17:11, 14.
     And it’s reiterated in Deuteronomy chapter 12 –
     “’ Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat.’”
     So we see, brethren, that in the Old Testament blood sacrifices were a type of the perfect blood sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that provides a total and complete, and permanent, forgiveness of sins – and more importantly “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” – Romans 6:23. We are spiritually dead in and of ourselves: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” – Ephesians 2:1.
     And so we see God’s plan in the redemption of all mankind in Genesis 18.
     Verse 1 – “Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2) So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, [he sees what appears to be] three men [walking towards him]. … he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, …” – and why does he bow down!? Because he knows who one of them is! It is the One we now call Jesus Christ! Verse 3 – “and said, ‘My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.” – and then what does he say!? He tells his servants, verse 4 – “Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.’” – so there’s a little foot-washing ceremony taking place. And then he says in verse 5 – “’ And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that, you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.’” They said, “‘Do as you have said.’ 6) So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.’” – so, when you take a little flour and a little oil and knead it up and put it on the grill – you have unleavened bread. Doesn’t have time to leaven. And so, they’ve got a foot washing, they’ve got unleavened bread Verse 7 – “And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, …” butchered it, and they have themselves a meal. A little pre-Passover meal.
     So, upon delivering His people from Egypt, God taught them the proper time. {6} God said, “’ This MONTH shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you’” – Exodus 12:2.
     Certainly many keep the beginning of this first feast of the LORD’s in observing Passover. Yet, they never go on to learn the awesome “depth of the riches” of God’s grace and mercy pictured by the following feasts! Let us ALWAYS look unto JESUS, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” unto salvation! – Hebrews 12:2.
     On the 10th day of this first month, the children of Israel were instructed to take a lamb without blemish. And they were to keep it UNTIL – not after – the 14th of the same first month, at “EVEN” – which is sunset – and then kill it.
     This was within – not AFTER – the 14th day. {7} They shed the blood of the lamb, which pictured Jesus Christ’s sacrifice which was to come. And they ate the flesh of the lamb THAT NIGHT. Then, at midnight the death angel came but PASSED OVER (hence, PASSOVER) every dwelling where the BLOOD had been sprinkled.
     THERE ARE some very important details. And it is vital that we notice them. It proves that the Passover is to be observed on the 14th, not the 15th.
     Now, I want you to see another vital point. Turn to the Book of Numbers chapter 28 –
     Verse 16 – “’ ON the FOURTEENTH DAY [not after it] of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. 17) And ON the FIFTEENTH DAY [not before it] of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.’”
     And the last writings of Moses talk about this – Deuteronomy 16:3 – “’ You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction …’” – and that’s one of the meanings of the Days of Unleavened Bread. “…’ the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4) And no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, …’” – so, that’s very clear. Verse 8 – “’ Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a [holy convocation, a solemn assembly] …’”
     Minister Michael C. Garrett wrote:
     “So, what have we concluded from all of those … biblical passages!? During the Days of Unleavened Bread, you are to eat – every day – at least some unleavened bread. And for those seven days, you will not eat leavened bread. Now that’s all it said. It didn’t say, “Get down on your hands and knees and look for old cookie crumbs.” It just didn’t say it. It is not the Days of Unleavened Beer. You know, in order to make beer you have to have yeast. Yeast, the number one leavening agent in the history of mankind, always has been always will be. It is not the Days of Unleavened Wine. It is not the Days of Unleavened Toothpaste. Because some toothpaste has baking powder in them, I am told. And all the other things you can worry about. A lot of people think, ‘Well I’m not supposed to eat leavening.’ You’re not supposed to consume leavened bread. Didn’t we read that!?”
     Truly, one way you can understand the Days of Unleavened Bread is by understanding the very central focus of the Days of Unleavened Bread – Jesus Christ!
     Sadly, many minds were soiled concerning the true meaning and the teaching points which are associated with the Days of Unleavened Bread! And many of these misconceptions continue to grip many people – many remnant church groups. {8} Well, they continue to teach ritualistic housecleaning. And to so many, the Days of Unleavened Bread is a campaign to “find leavening.” And they always claim that leaven is equated with the term sin. While that is a tradition, it is not Scriptural. And I want you to understand that they were teaching this as Judeo-Christianity – not as part of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ! In fact, there is no Scripture that declares that leaven (which is short for leavened bread) is sin. There is certainly a passage that tells us exactly what sin is. It’s 1st John 3:4 – “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”
     Our Lord and Savior – the true Messiah - never called leaven sin. An example can be found in the Book of Matthew chapter 13 –
     Verse 33 – “’ The kingdom [from] heaven is like leaven, …’”
     And another passage that offers a perspective is in the Book of Luke chapter 13 –
     “’ To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21) It is like leaven, …’”
     Here’s another example – when our Lord Jesus compared the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees with leaven.
     “’ How is it you do not understand that I DID NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD? – but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’” – Matthew 16:11.
     Verse 12 – “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine [Strong’s 1322, didache, teaching or instruction] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
     Yet, so many ministers would get up at the podium during the LORD God’s holy Feast of Unleavened Bread and announce, “YOU MUST PUT SINNNNN OUT OF YOUR LIFE!” {9} Claiming that leavening equals sin. And they would jump from there to the next conclusion, “One must go around the house and find every little crumb of nine-month-old bread crumbs! Wherever they might be!” And out goes the toaster into the garbage! And sadly, they taught this as one of their main doctrines for the Days of Unleavened Bread! And this ideology is continuing to be propagated!
     Well, we believe they misinterpreted, as well as misrepresented just what the Days of Unleavened Bread truly means. The meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread is powerful! And as Minister Michael C. Garrett states – it is truly like an onion. You peel an onion, and what do you get? More layers!
     But, again, the 14th day is the PASSOVER. And it is the first of the feasts of the LORD mentioned after the weekly Sabbath (Leviticus 23:4-5). “’ On the FOURTEENTH DAY of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s PASSOVER.’” – Leviticus 23:5. And, the apostle Paul teaches us distinctly that the New Covenant Passover is not the LORD’s Supper {10} – cf. 1 Corinthians 11:20, 34. On the “’ FIFTEENTH DAY of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; …’” The FEAST day begins after Passover has ended.
     With this in mind, let us turn to the Book of Exodus chapter 12 –
     Verse 1 – “Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron … 14) ‘So this day shall be a MEMORIAL; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS. You shall keep it as a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE. 15) Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses.’” – Exodus 12:1, 14-15.
      Again, Minister Michael C. Garrett:
     “Exodus 12:15 – and what’s our little objective here in this part!? To find out EXACTLY what the Bible says about Unleavened Bread - and not the Jewish Talmud. “’ Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. … ’” – pretty simple, isn’t it!? Now, the next part is where they got tricked up, it says, “… ‘On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whosoever eats leavened bread …’” – what’s the implication!? The word leaven is a shortened contraction meaning what-leavened bread. The whole idea was that for seven days you’re going to have in your house, and on your person, unleavened bread, and for seven days you are NOT going to eat leavened bread. Now, that’s all these verses are going to say.”
     So, what day is established as a MEMORIAL, a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE!? Not a shadow, but a memorial!? Again, notice, it is the day that is the feast “’you shall keep it as a feast …’” It is the day that is a feast day – the 15th of Abib/Nisan – not the Passover! And it is to be kept as a Sabbath – or holy convocation, FOREVER!
     Verse 16 – “’ On the FIRST DAY [the first day of the seven – the 15th of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day [the 21st of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work [as in labor or occupation] shall be done on them; …’”

It was not abolished with the Old Covenant

     Notice that the Days of Unleavened Bread is a PERIOD – having two DOUBLE holy days. And this period is established FOREVER! The Living Bible translates this verse – “’ You shall celebrate this event each year (this is a permanent law) – to remind you …’” – Exodus 12:14, TLB. The whole period is included.
     That alone should prove that the HOLY DAYS – including the seven Days of Unleavened Bread – are binding today, and FOREVER!
     The Passover is again referred to in verse 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. … 24) And you shall observe this thing as an ORDINANCE for you and your sons FOREVER.’”

Purpose of the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread

     We Christians understand and recognize that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate penalty for our sins on the LORD’S Passover and was sacrificed smack dab in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!
     And brethren, all of the LORD’s Holy Days are what we call Christocentric. Meaning that they are all centered around JESUS CHRIST! And as Minister Garrett has so boldly proclaimed unto the world, we should LOOK TO JESUS, NOT MOSES! In other words, we shouldn’t be so steeped and so misguided by Judeo-Christianity that we lose focus of who we are to look to! JESUS CHRIST! Recall, that Jesus built His Church! The New Covenant Church!
     So, if you go to JESUS CHRIST, He will forgive you – and we are told this back in the epistles of John. He is faithful to forgive!
     John 6 –
     Verse 48 – “’ I AM the bread of life.’”
   Recall earlier I called all the Holy Days Christocentric!? Again, the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to ONE THING – Jesus Christ! Brethren, He is that Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth! He is the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Now, that may sound as if we here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches are part of the “Jesus Only” churches – we are certainly not!
     Verse 49 – “’ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. …’”
    Now, I’ve had this thought for some time here in regards to what our Lord Jesus Christ said of the Jews’ fathers who ate the manna in the wilderness for forty years. I think, personally, that that generation which saw the LORD our God’s Works for those forty years, blasphemed the very Holy Spirit! And we get a clue of this in Exodus chapter 17, verses 2 and 7, along with in the Book of Psalm chapter 95, verses 7 to verse 11. And in the Book of Hebrews chapter 3, verses 7 to 11. God swore in His wrath, ‘They shall not enter His rest!’ The Jamieson Fausset and Brown Commentary has this to say concerning this very verse – Verse 11 of Hebrews chapter 3 –
     “’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’
     “ … the threat extended farther than the exclusion of the unbelieving from the literal land of rest, and that the rest promised to the believing in its full blessedness was, and is, yet future.”
     Let’s turn and notice this in the Book of Psalm chapter 25 –
    Verse 12 – “’ Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 13) And himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth.”’
     Psalm chapter 37 –
    Verse 9 – “For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. 11) But the meek [the humble] shall inherit the earth, … 22) For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 29) The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever.”
     And, of course, our Lord Jesus Christ repeats this in His beatitudes Matthew 5:5!
     So I think there is an even greater meaning behind what our Lord stated in verse in verse 49 – “’ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. …’”
     Returning now back to the Book of John chapter 6 –
     Verse 50 – “’ This is [speaking of Himself] the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51) I AM the living bread which came down from heaven. If ANYONE eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.
   Sadly, as I stated earlier, this Judeo-Christian – Old Covenant – ideology is continuing to be propagated and taught around the world on such websites as https://www.hwalibrary.com/. And I’m not stating that everything on that website is wrong, but there is a whole generation with the mindset, “I don’t want to learn any more than I did in 1972!” {11} I guess, completely forgetting what the apostle Peter admonished of us –
     “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, BEWARE lest you also fall from your own steadfastness [the quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering], being led away with the error of the wicked; 18) but GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST” – 2 Peter 3:17-18.
     The Jews of our Lord Jesus’ day just couldn’t handle Jesus saying, ‘Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ The Jews arguing amongst themselves, saying, verse 52 – “ … ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’” And sadly, to this very day, many still have no clue of what He is saying to them and what He said to their fathers. But, those of us who participated in the New Covenant Passover ceremony the other night, we know what our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking of! We partook of His Body which was sacrificed for us. We partook of His blood which was shed for us. We re-upped our annual covenant with Jesus Christ our Master, Elder Brother, and Savior.
     This whole week I have re-posted a series of sermons that Minister Garrett gave back in 2017 – “Christ In You.” And this very concept comes from the Book of Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 –
     “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
     A very meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread – “Let this mind be in you …”
     For seven days practice this imbibing Jesus Christ.
     So let us dear brethren and friends hear this inspiring and glorious word of God through the prophet Moses in the Book of Exodus chapter 14 –
     Beginning in verse 13 – “ … ‘Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD … 14) The LORD will fight for you, …”
     How wonderful!
    We are to stand still – stand firm – and see the salvation of the ETERNAL! He shall fight for us. Because we cannot conquer sin – we cannot conquer Satan the devil, ourselves, and this world, alone. But it is the risen Christ Jesus – our High Priest and Advocate – who will cleanse us, sanctify us, deliver us, who said He would never leave us for forsake us! Now, we cannot keep His holy, righteous and relevant LAW  {12} – summed up in the Ten Commandments in our own power and strength. But CHRIST IN US, we can. We Must always rely on Him – in faith.
     So, thank you for listening and watching today. We hope and pray that you had a most wonderful, glorious, and very spiritually fulfilling Feast of Unleavened Bread 2022! God bless every one of you!
     Very soon the Day of Pentecost will be here!
     Thank you so very much, and we pray for you always – wherever you may be, and we hope that you are continuing to pray for us here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries and our affiliated churches.
     Until next time, this is Leonard V. Johnson.
     Goodbye for now.


{1} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson had in mind this very article - "'It is a sign.'"

{2} Editor's Note: Though Mr. Johnson didn't mention the article, he was surely referring to an article such as "Lent, Ash Wednesday and Easter - Did the Original Christians Observe These!?"

{3} Editor's Note: There are a growing number of worldly churches that are incorrectly teaching that Satan the devil cohabited with the "daughters of men" called the "Seed of Satan." A perverted teaching of Genesis 6.

{4} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson added this, with the article in mind "Is God's Biblical Food Laws Still In Effect!?"

{5} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson was thinking - "this is the main reason of why I don't donate blood."

{6} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson almost added here, "Have we lost time? It is truly the year 2022!? And, is there a way to know for sure!?"

{7} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson just recently purchased a book written by Minister Coulter entitled The Christian Passover, which he didn't mention in this sermon. But certainly had this book in mind with this thought.

{8} Editor's Note: The many "remnant church groups" Mr. Johnson has in mind here are the innumerable churches which sprang up from the Worldwide Church of God. 

{9} Editor's Note: Even though Mr. Johnson gets this phrase from Minister Garrett, he personally heard a version of this at the Feast of Tabernacles 1986, Eugene, Oregon.

{10} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson had this in mind still from the notes from Passover Service 2022.

{11} Editor's Note: The generation Mr. Johnson is referring to is that are some in the generation that was members of the Worldwide Church of God (1968 - 1986) under Herbert W. Armstrong with this mindset.

{12} Editor's Note: Mr. Johnson began using the word "relevant" in regards to God's Ten Commandments after listening to Minister Garrett's powerful and spiritually enriching 20-part sermon "The Eternal Relevancy of the Ten Commandments."

Monday, April 18, 2022

Commentary: Familiar Traditions


 by Guy C. LaMar

People are used to holding onto their religious traditions over truth and facts because familiar traditions are comfortable to people - but regardless, it doesn't make it truth.

JESUS did not die on a Friday and rise on a SUNDAY morning! That is an old Roman Catholic ideology that has been embraced by religiosity. Plus, "EASTER" is not in the original biblical text. Ishtar (Akkadian), Sumerian Inanna, was worshiped as a goddess of war and sexual love. Basically, a whore.

But religious familiar traditions overshadow God's living TRUTH!

JESUS makes it clear in His standpoint of such things. He said, "'And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments (or ways) of men'" - Matthew 15:9.

People would rather hold onto their familiar traditions of men than embrace the living TRUTH of God - cf. Mark 7:8.

The TRUTH is: that when our Lord Jesus Christ died, it was around 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, and He rose from the dead THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS later, as the prophet Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so was our Lord Jesus lying dead in His tomb for THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS ... 72 hours ... and thus rose from the dead at the same time that He died, around 3 p.m. on a holy Sabbath (Saturday). So, when the women came to the tomb - "Now after the Sabbaths, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb" - Matthew 28:1, NKJV. Verse 6 - He was already alive!

NOTE: God counts days from sunset to sunset. Unlike what this world does, it counts a day starting at midnight.

It is like the yearly seasons. Deceived mankind believes that a new year begins in the DEAD OF WINTER! But God's NEW YEAR begins in the SPRING when all things are coming alive!

Satan the Devil has deceived the whole world (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9) and has gotten people off course to buy into lies - as he is the great liar and is the god of this world. Thus we live in a world of deception.

But our people would rather buy into this ready-made world belief system of religious familiar traditions instead of thinking outside the box and looking to the plain truth of the matter that can be easily found in just a simple search! Sadly, none of this is a mystery! It has always been common knowledge, but when it comes to religion, our people would rather hold onto their version of Churchianity instead of TRUE CHRISTIANITY!

There is nothing like our people being "willfully ignorant" - 2 Peter 3:5. □





Additional items and commentaries

Are You But A Traditionalist?Why in this world is there such grave religious confusion!? Also, why in these worldly churches do they look to a different Jesus than the living Jesus Christ of God’s living word!? [...]
Commentary: Is Passover For The Unbaptized?Should unbaptized people attend a Passover service and partake of the foot-washing? [...]
Stones of JudgmentHERE ARE two utterly unpleasant judgmental ladies in a church that has inspired me to write this article. [...]

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Do Animals Have A Spirit?




This question is brought to the forefront of my mind because my wife and I just recently lost to death one of our dear and beloved cats – named Mocha. She had been our loving and devoted companion for roughly fifteen years, and we
will miss her greatly.

Do animals have a spirit?

Certainly, evolutionists are not certain. They believe, for the most part, that all humans are mere descendants of primitive apes by the process of what they deem evolution – and what I have discovered is that online places such as Quora are but breeding grounds for ignorance when it comes to asking “the world” - Why haven't all primates evolved into humans?

But are they correct? Is man nothing more than an animal, that has an “immortal soul” in a mortal body (as the majority of religionists would have us believe)!? And, can we know for sure!?

Well, thank Almighty God, we can! The Bible plainly reveals to us the living truth of God.

Now, to get to the very heart of the matter, I want to take you back. As I’ve said before, it’s often good to be refreshed of what we have learned – as well as growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For some of you, this may be redundant, but for some of our brethren in countries like Kenya in Eastern Africa, all this may be certainly a great revelation from our Lord and Savior!

It began long ago, in what seems to so many of our peoples as but a story, in the garden of Eden; and it certainly has not been fully understood – not even in the Church of Jesus Christ’s. Certainly, this world’s science doesn’t rightly understand it. I certainly don’t hear my little niece who is 9-years old excitingly talking about it! I don’t hear our nephew who recently graduated from Eckerd College talking about it! Certainly, there is no church that completely comprehends it. Yet it is in black and white – right there in your Bible. And it's been there for some 3,400 years! – conservatively – But, most have never seen it before!

But I want to bring something to you that you might not have thought of before. And later I will mention something that Minister Michael C. Garrett stated in a sermon that certainly should bring great love, joy, and hope to all of our hearts – I know it does mine.

OPEN YOUR EARS AND LISTEN TO WHAT THE SPIRIT HAS TO SAY!

Again, it all gets right back to the garden of Eden. Sadly, so many of our peoples all they know of the garden of Eden is the famous painting of Michelangelo's on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel! But it has to do with the forbidden fruit and the two trees that were in front of Adam and Eve.

When our great God – and in Genesis 1:1 the word God is Elohim, a noun or a name, plural in form, yet normally singular in usage – created Adam (and henceforth mankind) he actually needed TWO THINGS. He needed two kinds of knowledge. Certainly, one kind of knowledge was that he needed to deal with physical matter. And, God created man with the ability to do that. And, here we are 21 years into the 21st century and mankind certainly has done that! One can certainly look all around this world and see the great miraculous things mankind has accomplished so far from the late 1700s up to this century! At least, a great many of them seem miraculous to us.

But man also needed knowledge to have a relationship with his own CREATOR, as well as how to deal with his fellow man. And God did not create man with that knowledge! Do you find this shocking? Many will.

In a Personal I wrote back in September I reminded you that even if Adam had taken of the tree of Life he was going to die anyway – no matter if they were to choose the tree of Life or the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The first death is NOT the ultimate penalty of sin! Had they chosen the tree of Life, they would still have lived out their days and died. But, like what the apostle Paul wrote, “at the twinkling of an eye” they would have been resurrected as wholly spiritual beings. Have you ever thought of this before!? Now, what did his choice have to do with your life today!? After all, Adam lived nearly 6,000 years ago! Well, the answer is – it gets right back to creation.

Now, many will incorrectly quote Romans 5:12 claiming that there was no death before Adam sinned. The apostle Paul was speaking, however, of this second death which has passed on to us - because all have sinned - NOT because of Adam's sin.

Who and what is … God?

A few moments ago I freely gave an answer to a “matter-of-fact” statement someone left on Facebook in regards to the soon-coming Passover, the 14th beginning at sunset, “Shalom - Which God? The God of the Catholics or the God of the Hindus, etc.?” Now, the person who gave this statement is apparently Jewish and mentioned YaHVaHShooa ha MASHIYACH (which is Hebrew for Jesus the Messiah). And when I stated to him that I don’t want to be Jewish (as in Judaism or Judeo-Christian), I wish to be a true Christian – which means follower of Jesus Christ – he wrote back, “Shalom, all these anti-semite sentiment [sic] were inspired by the enemy to distract but haven't you read, ye worship ye know not what, we worship that which we know for salvation is of the Jews. Yachanan 4:22. And so they change and replace and make Xtianity [which I had to actually look up; it means Christianity] another Gospel with a other [sic] Savior Jesus Christ with God and Amen.”

Well, in a typical fashion they quote a partial Scripture, but not the full Scripture. He indeed quoted John 4:22 when our Lord Jesus Christ was speaking to a Samaritan woman, “’ You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.’” He did not, however, finish our Lord’s answer – verse 23 – “’ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit [which answers – just what is the Holy Spirit? – it’s God – not a separate being], and those who worship Him MUST worship in spirit [or rather through the Spirit of God aided by the very mind of Jesus Christ] and truth [and what is truth? – the living Word of God].’

It's interesting that we’ve been accused before of preaching another Jesus! And, a few days later he went on to call me Satan himself.

Anyway - yesterday, we had a friend over to the house, and she and my wife were talking about religion. And my wife speaks up and says, “It’s better for a person to go to any church than no church at all.” And I had to vehemently disagree with her. Now, you have all these different religions, but, you gotta understand, they can’t all be right! You know, a whole lot of them have to be wrong! I reminded her of the Catholic Inquisitions – of which I had to explain to her and our friend what they were. The Muslim idea and the Buddhist idea are NOT compatible! Either one of them is right, or one of them is wrong, or they’re both wrong! And so many, you can do that with any religion you can think of. Ask the question: Are some of them right or are some of them wrong!? Have some of them gone astray!? And we’re told there’s only ONE PLACE to find the Truth of God – and that is from the Bible, and that is to be our guide. And this I told them in no uncertain terms.

God is the ultimate Source of all life. He is the Source of everything! God is the CREATOR. And what He is creating in us is character. And a wise man once told us that God cannot create His holy and righteous character by fiat. His character has to have time to build in us. I’m speaking of righteous and perfect SPIRITUAL character in His own created entities.

But, who is… God?

What is… God?

I could have asked my wife and our friend these questions, and I’m sure they would have looked at me dumbfounded. There are a greater number of people jumping on the bandwagon of: “The question of a supernatural God’s existence is unprovable and un-disprovable simply because it’s outside of nature by definition. That no one really can know if a God exists. There’s no way to know.

Do you know that of all the religions in this world – including this religion called traditional “Christianity” – not one of them knows who and what God is! Again, does that statement come as a shock to you!? Is God one being? Is God three beings in one? Well, the greater majority of this world’s Christianity thinks God is a Trinity – three beings in one God. They are wrong! They just do not understand.

The very first place in God’s living word where God is mentioned in time sequence is in the Book of John chapter 1 – we should all be familiar with it:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2) He was in the beginning with God. 3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” – John 1:1-3.

Again, this revelation from Jesus Christ may seem redundant to some, yet this is knowledge that so few in this world truly grasp. The Word was a personal being; and He was called “the Word.” Originally written in the Greek language, the word was Logos – which translates to Spokesman, or the One who speaks. So, this Word was with God.

God is another being. So now we have two beings. Because then apostle John says, “and the Word was God.”

It’s been explained to us this way: you have a man named Johnson. And there is a man named Robert, and Robert is with Frank, and they are both named Johnson. In other words, Frank’s father is Johnson; and Frank is the son. They are both named Johnson as their surname. Yet, they are both two different people.

Verse 4 – “In Him was life [eternal life], and the life was the light of men.”

So, in “the Word” was life. And unlike what Stephen Hawking hawked and Carl Sagan avoided (he virtually countered any question relating to God by answering, “First of all, what do you mean when you use the word God?”) God is the SOURCE of all life! And life can only come from life! It cannot come from nothingness. And it cannot come from the not living. And in verses 3 & 4 we read that.

Verse 14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

What the apostle John is saying – and he received this awesome knowledge directly from the mouth of the living Son of God – is that the Word became Jesus Christ. And our Lord Jesus has been gone for some 1,992 years – conservatively. He has existed always. Notice in the Book of Hebrews chapter 7

Verse 3 – “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, …”

Certainly, our minds cannot understand that. We just cannot understand someone having always existed. So, there never was a time when He didn’t exist. And that is true of the Word and the One who is called God the Father.

Again, in the Book of Ephesians chapter 3, the apostle Paul says –

Verse 9 – “ … from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.”

“For He [the Word] spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” – Psalm 33:9.

It was done by the Spirit that emanates from the very being of God the Father and from the being God the Son – the Word.

A Temporary Life Is Not Life

So, getting back to the title of this article – do animals have a spirit? There is a huge difference between animals and man. And there certainly is a vast difference between God and man. Yet, man was created in the very image of God. Both man and animals were created out of physical matter.

The very living word of God tells us that animals only have a temporary existence. 

"For what happens to the sons of men [to humans] also happens to the animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely THEY ALL have one breath; man has no advantage over animals [speaking physically here], for all is vanity. 20) All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. 21) Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?" - Ecclesiastes 3:19-21, NKJV.

The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible translates this verse -

Verse 21 - "Who knows that the ªbreath7307  of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?776" - NAS.

The word spirit here is from the Hebrew word rûah, which is more akin to "breath." In my theological wordbook, it is written, "In living beings, the rûah is their breath, whether of animals (Gen. 7:15; Ps. 104:25, 29), men (Isa. 42:5; Ezk 37:5), or both (Gen. 7:22-23); whether inhaled (Jer. 2:24) or on the lips (Isa. 11:4; cf. Job 9:18." 2

God is wholly composed of Spirit. In other words, He does not have to get life from a breath of oxygen, the circulation of blood, or fueling Himself up with food and water. Man came from the ground. We only have a temporary existence, just like the animals.

Every breath we take we are closer to the process of dying. Man does not have life as our Lord Jesus Christ has. “In Him was life, …” JESUS CHRIST IS THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE – but, He didn’t give man life. Again, man only has a temporary existence, just like the animals.

There Is A Spirit Within Man

I’d like to show you a huge difference between man and animals.

The prophet Job wrote – through the inspiration of God’s Spirit –

“But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” – Job 32:8.

Animals do not have a spirit. Man needed this spirit to empower his brain with mind power - see 1 Corinthians 2:11. This human spirit enters the human embryo at conception. The spirit is like the “hard drive on a computer” – it stores information. The spirit essence is NOT an immortal soul or an eternal spirit. The spirit in man is NOT the man. It is something in the man. It has no life of itself. At death, it has no consciousness of itself, for it sleeps (1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Like a tape recorder, it forms a permanent record of the qualities of mind and character built by a man during his lifetime. And much like a used tape is stored lifelessly on a shelf till activated in a recorder, so also does the spirit of man “return to GOD who gave it” after death, until the resurrection when life is again given to a person (Ecclesiastes 12:7). This was the way that our Lord Jesus Christ – through His servant – explained it to me and I hold fast to this that is good. Furthermore: the spirit in man was transmitted from Adam. Spirit comes from the father from a sperm cell – from Adam all down through all humanity.

The FAMILY of God

In Genesis chapter 1, we see a little more about God and THE BEGINNING -

Verse 1 – “In THE beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

God – and the word here for “God” is Elohim, the Family of God which consists at this present time of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ – is SUPREME RULER of the universe, HEAD of the GOVERNMENT OF GOD and over the finite universe.

I'd like to add: the other day I saw in the news that astronomers have discovered that there is a “bubble” around this solar system called a heliosphere – that all the planets in this solar system are encased in a magnetic bubble! I found that of most interest!

But, God is more than one being – but one God; and God is a Family. He created man to eventually be born into His Family and to become part of His Family – to literally become a God. Sadly, this world does not know this at all! They don’t know why they were born or for what purpose! They don’t even know the purpose of God!

So, what is to be said of the genetics of God?

This may come as a shock to you who are evolutionists, but when God created the animals on the earth, in the sky, and in the seas, He spoke them into existence! God said, "Let there be" - and there was. But, He did not do this with man.

In the 1st chapter of Genesis, we learn the genetics of animals and ‘everything that creeps on the earth” –

Verse 24 – “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind’; and it was so. 25) And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.”

Animals were created by the Word of God, and when He spoke they were able to exist and to operate in their full capacity.

Verse 25 speaks of the very genetics of God – “Then God [plural in form] said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; …’”

So, notice it does not say, “My image,” it says, “’ Our image, according to Our likeness.’” And God did. Man is in the same form and shape as God. God has two hands, two feet, and five fingers. God has two arms and two legs. God has a mind. Yet, God did not make man of the same composition of which He is composed – Spirit.

’ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’

God created physical matter. Notice chapter 2 of the Book of Genesis, we know this well –

Verse 7 – “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living [soul].”

an atom

I underlined the word life because recall what we just read – “In Him was life.” Minister Michael C. Garrett once spoke of something that is most relevant here. He said something to the effect wouldn’t it be fantastic to discover that every single atom has within it the Spirit of God!?

“DESIGN – throughout the whole of the universe, there’s design. From a snowflake to different mineral deposits. You look – the scientists tell you – at an atom, that you have a little nucleus and flying around it like little satellites are electrons. But it’s the same thing you see when you look at the Earth! You see the Earth (the nucleus) and flying around it is a satellite. Well, you look at the entire solar system. You see the Sun (the nucleus) and surrounding it are these little satellites. The design is consistent throughout nature. It’s consistent because it had ONE DESIGNER! The Almighty God!”

(Garrett, M.C., The Confusion About Death! 2019, pgs. 13-14).

I myself find it most fantastic that the Juno spacecraft discovered that the massive storm on Jupiter's south pole is in the shape of a hexagon! Evolution News @DiscoveryCSC wrote, "In living examples of hexagons ... A digital code made of DNA dictates the placement ... we know of one cause that can generate codes or instructions that lead to functional geometries - intelligence" 1 

Now, I know that I'm getting off subject here, but I just have to quickly say - I have since my youth had an understanding that God had purposely created His universe to inexorably run down to a lower energy state - hence the Law of Entropy - see Psalm 102:25, 26. And, I had asked myself, why didn't God create a "perfect" universe where there was no decay, pain, suffering, evil, or death!? And it wasn't until I was twelve years old that I began learning God's answers to these and many more questions!

So, God formed man not out of spirit, but out of the ground – physical matter. Animals breathe too in and out of their nostrils the breath of life - cf. Genesis 7:22. In other words, what came from the dust of the earth became a soul. And in God’s living word He says “’ Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die’” – Ezekiel 18:4, 20. And to this very soul, He stated ‘if you partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, “you shall surely die”’ – meaning, the second death spoken of in the Book of Revelation chapter 20, verses 14-15.

I’m sure you’ve read that many times before. But, do you believe what God said!? What God told Adam “You shall surely die’”!?

Now, in the garden of Eden Satan the devil was there – and he was not in the form of a serpent. The word serpent is but a symbol for evil – cf. Matthew 23:33. Be sure to read “Satan’s World” to discover just what Eve saw when she looked upon Satan the devil in the garden of Eden! Well, Satan the devil got to Adam through his wife, Eve. Saying, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” Twisting that question. So Eve said, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” And the evil one said, “You’re not going to die! You’re an immortal soul.” And all of humanity has been believing this MOST HORRENDOUS LIE PERPETRATED UPON MANKIND ever since - period. The first known lie told by Satan the devil!


So, animals have never been given FAMILY relationships (as humans experience it). Even angels have not experienced FAMILY status. The family was built upon the GOD-PLAN. And our loving and glorious merciful God bestowed it on MAN! Because MAN is to be born into the GOD FAMILY!

Minister Michael C. Garrett once stated in a sermon – in which he was speaking of a very special cat that he once had called Squirrel. “I hope I get to see her again someday.” In that sermon, he lovingly said something to the effect that when (God willing) he becomes a born member of the FAMILY OF GOD, what keeps him from resurrecting his little fuzzy-faced friend!? – God willing of course. As I stated earlier – this certainly should bring great love, joy, and hope to all of our hearts – I know it does mine.

So, of all life forms – be it amoebas, humpback whales, or spiritual angels – in all of God’s creation, MAN ALONE was created to eventually be born into the FAMILY OF GOD!

Humans, by repentance of their sins, their surrender unto God, and acceptance of Jesus Christ, may be in mind and in attitude – converted. May receive God’s Holy Spirit. Thus, being begotten as God’s children. Being reconciled to God through Jesus – calling Him FATHER!

Humans are, if converted through our Lord Jesus Christ, heirs of the GOD FAMILY. They are to enter His divine FAMILY! They are, even now, the begotten children of God. □


Bibliography:

1) Evolution News & Science Today, "Are Hexagons Natural?" 27 Oct. 2015, Retrieved 14 April 2022.
2) Harris L. R., Archer, L. Gleason, Jr., and Waltke K. Bruce. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 1980, # 2131a, pg. 836.


Commentary: Is Passover For The Unbaptized?


by Guy C. LaMar


You can now listen to this article. Click the orange play button below.


Should unbaptized people attend a Passover service and partake of the foot-washing?
Foot-washing at Passover is a command by Jesus which is still in force and effect today (Exceptions apply if a person is alone and partakes of the Passover at home).
Passover service is in remembrance of Jesus’ death, and it is only to be observed by properly baptized true Christians who have received the Holy Spirit.
Those who have not been baptized in accordance with Scripture should not participate in the yearly Passover service.

The Old Covenant demanded that no male who was "uncircumcised" was to participate in the Passover - Exodus 12:48.

The New Covenant Christians, baptized, Holy Spirit led begotten children of God, are "circumcised" spiritually - Colossians 2:11-12; Romans 2:26-29.

Our Lord Jesus' disciples had been baptized (even though in the extraordinary case of the eleven apostles, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit - they would, however, receive it, on the Day of Pentecost A.D. 31).

Notice: During the Passover evening, Jesus told the apostle Peter along with the other apostles, when He proceeded to wash their feet, that they had been "bathed" or baptized - John 13:10.

Jesus waited until Judas Iscariot had left before He changed the Old Covenant symbols of the Passover to the New Covenant symbols of unleavened bread and wine. A reason for Judas Iscariot's exclusion from participating in the New Covenant symbols of unleavened bread and wine was that Judas had not been properly baptized. His entire lifestyle and conduct showed that he did not have GODLY REPENTANCE. Judas was not qualified to participate in the new symbols - although he was present for the Lord's Supper (the Passover meal) along with the foot-washing. The spiritual symbols of unleavened bread and wine DID NOT apply to Judas!

"'He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him'" - John 6:56.

So, notice that after Jesus gave Judas the "dipped" piece of bread (which was not the same as the unleavened bread representative of the broken body of Christ, but rather it was just a piece of the Passover meal - compare Psalm 41:9).

" ... And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27) Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. ..." - John 13:26, 27.

Judas left immediately following the traditional Passover meal and the foot-washing, before the institution of the spiritual symbols of the unleavened bread and wine.

No male was allowed, in the Old Covenant, to partake of the Passover, unless he was circumcised.

True Christians are circumcised spiritually, of the heart, by and through the Holy Spirit dwelling within them - after proper baptism.

THEREFORE, only properly baptized members of the spiritual Body of Christ - the Church - who don't hold grudges against anyone, who doesn't have hatred toward anyone in their hearts, are to partake of the annual spiritual symbols of unleavened bread and wine - the body and the blood of Christ.

In doing so, they reflect on the grave suffering and death of our Savior Jesus Christ.

This teaching is supported by the fact that Jesus waited until Judas had left them before He introduced the New Covenant spiritualized symbols of the unleavened bread and wine.

So, even though Judas betrayed Him for money, the other apostles did not know what Judas was going to do until after the foot-washing ceremony had been completed.

The fact that Judas was allowed to participate in the foot-washing shows us our Lord Jesus Christ's great love, His humility, and servant attitude in that He washed Judas Iscariot's feet, even though He knew that His friend was going to betray Him.

So, to answer the question: For Passover observance, a spiritually "uncircumcised", unbaptized, or improperly baptized (as in "dipped" or "poured"), person SHOULD NOT be participating in the Passover Service.
Additional Items to Consider:

Commentary: Some Food For Thought - For MANY years this idea has floated around but has been generally REJECTED by the churches of God. [...]
Commentary: Conspiracy Theories - Now, for a long time in various churches, I have listened to this person and that person ramble on about this or that conspiracy theory. [...]
Repent For Salvation by Michael C. Garrett

In Swahili: Tubuni kwa Ajili ya Wokovu na Michael C. Garrett