Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

A new member letter
was written and sent out on Wednesday, November 8. You can find a copy
of the letter on the Web. In the letter, Norbert Link discusses some of
the reasons why God’s Church is not voting in governmental elections,
encouraging all of us to keep watching world conditions and to keep
praying. We enclosed with the letter a copy of our booklet, “Teach Us to Pray.”

A new StandingWatch
program was recorded and placed on our Webpage and also on Google
Video. It is titled: “Germany In Trouble!” Set forth is a brief summary
of the program:

“Just to name a few of the mounting problems of
Germany’s Grand Coalition: The travesty in Afghanistan, involving
scandalous photos of German troops; Israel’s attack on German aircraft
and vessels in the Middle East; Lebanon’s position that Germany cannot
operate in the region without prior approval in certain circumstances;
the charge that the German government misrepresented the true scope of
authority and responsibility of German marines in the region; Germany’s
failure to implement an acceptable social welfare system; and President
Koehler’s refusal to sign legislation to privatize German airlines…
What does it all mean for the development of Biblical prophecy?”

The
video-recorded version of Norbert Link’s latest sermon, “Jonah Speaks
to Us,” was placed on Google Video (The audio version was placed, as
usual, on our Webpage).

Would you please explain Matthew 5:21-22? Why are there distinctions in judgments and penalties, and what do they mean?

In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus speaks about literal murder as well as feelings and expressions of hate. The passage reads as follows:

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ [Margin: Lit, in Aram., Empty head] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell [Margin: Gr. Gehenna] fire.”

As seen above, the New King James Bible, as well as most translations, render the last expression as “fool.” However, as this word is understood today by the common reader, it does not seem to be much worse than the term “Raca” (i.e., “empty head”). Why, then, the strong difference in potential judgment?  Some commentaries and
translations admit that they don’t really know what the word means, which they render “fool.” Some say, one cannot translate this word.

Others equate the word for “fool” with “child of hell” or “profane.” Some say, “godless person,” or, “go to hell.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words feels, the word means, “a morally worthless person.”

An interesting possibility is proposed by the Lamsa Bible, which renders the passage in this way:

“You have heard that it was said to those who were before you, You shall not kill, and whoever kills is guilty before the court. But I say to you that whoever becomes angry with his brother for no reason is guilty before the court; and whoever should say to his brother, Raca (which means, I spit on you) is guilty before the congregation; and whoever says to his brother, you are effeminate [Footnote: Aramaic, brutish; abnormal. We might want to add here that the word “effeminate” conveys the thought of being “womanly” or “unmanly”–a sexual reference to homosexuality], is condemned to hell fire.”

Throughout the Bible, the concept of a “fool” is equated with one who denies the existence of God or His role in man’s life. In Romans 1:21-22, 26-27, Paul explains the truth that man, when acting and being foolish, may engage, in some cases, in the practice of homosexuality: “… although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their FOOLISH hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became FOOLS [Note that this is not the same word as the one used in Matthew 5:22, but it conveys a similar concept]… For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful…”

The Nelson Study Bible gives the following explanation to Matthew 5:21-22:

“‘You have heard’ refers to the teaching of various rabbis rather than to that of Moses. Jesus was questioning the interpretation of the Jewish scholars, not the Old Testament itself. The scribes and Pharisees said that a person who referred to another as Raca, meaning empty head, was in danger of being sued for libel before the council (or the
Sanhedrin). On the other hand, Jesus said that whoever calls another a fool will have to answer to God. That is not to say that calling someone a fool will condemn a believer to eternal punishment in hell. Rather Jesus was saying that to utter such words is to place oneself in a worse condition at the time of judgment (see 1 Cor. 3:12-15).”

We might note, in this context, Christ’s warning in Matthew 12:36-37:

“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew Henry makes the following well-considered comments to Matthew 5:21-22:

“The laws of God are not novel, upstart laws, but were delivered to them of old time; they are ancient laws, but of that nature as never to be antiquated nor grow obsolete. Killing is here forbidden, killing ourselves, killing any other, directly or indirectly, or being any way accessory to it. The law of God, the God of life, is a hedge of protection about our lives.”

We remark, in passing, that these comments do not leave any room and do not give any exception or justification for killing in war. God considers killing in WAR as MURDER as much as any other intentional killing of a human being, including abortion and suicide (Please read our free booklets, “Should YOU Fight in War?” and “Are You Already Born Again?”). To continue with Henry’s comments:

“[The Jewish teachers contended that] the law… was only external, and forbade no more than the act of murder, and laid no restraint upon the inward lusts, from which ‘wars and fightings come’ [compare James 4:1-2]. This was indeed the fundamental error of the Jewish teachers, that the divine law prohibited only the sinful act, not the sinful thought… Christ tells them that ‘rash anger’ is ‘heart-murder’ (v. 22)… he that is thus angry [please note here that righteous indignation is excluded, i.e. godly anger with cause; compare Mark 3:5], would kill if he could… he has taken the first step towards it… He tells them, that giving opprobrious [i.e., showing scorn or reproach; abusive] language to our brother is tongue-murder, calling him ‘Raca,’ and ‘Thou fool’… ‘Raca’ is a scornful word, and comes from pride, ‘Thou empty fellow.’… ‘Thou fool,’ is a spiteful word, and comes from hatred; looking upon him, not only as mean and not to be honoured, but as vile and not to be loved… ‘he that is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment’ and anger of God; he that calls him ‘Raca, shall be in danger of the council,’ of being punished by the Sanhedrin for reviling an Israelite; ‘but whosoever saith, Thou fool,’ thou profane person, thou child of hell, ‘shall be in danger of hell-fire,’ to which he condemns his brother. Christ would thus show which sin was most sinful, by showing which it was the punishment whereof was most dreadful.”

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown likewise point out in their “Commentary on the Whole Bible,” that Christ, as the “Lawgiver and the Judge,” gave the “true sense” of the law against murder, explaining with an “authoritative tone” the “deep rich of the commandment.” The violation of the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” leads to “judgment,” that is, “to the sentence of those inferior courts of judicature which were established in all the principal towns, in compliance with Deuteronomy 16:16. Thus was this commandment reduced, from a holy law of the
heart-searching God, to a mere criminal statute, taking cognizance only to outward actions.”

The commentary continues to explain that Christ focused on the heart and mind of the perpetrator.  We might add that John later explained: “Whoever hates his brother IS a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).

Jamieson, Fausset and Brown also take the position that all three punishments, listed in Matthew 5:21-22, are references to “divine retribution… though this is expressed by an ALLUSION to Jewish tribunals. The ‘judgment’… was the lowest of these; the ‘council,’ or ‘Sanhedrin,’–which sat at Jerusalem–was the highest; while the word used for ‘hell fire’ [in Greek: Gehenna fire] contains an allusion to the ‘valley of the son of Hinnom’ (Josh. 18:16). In this valley the Jews, when steeped in idolatry, went [to] the length of burning their children to Molech ‘on the high places of Tophet’–in consequence of which good Josiah defiled it, to prevent the repetition of such abominations (II Kings 23:10); and from that time forward… a fire was kept burning in it to consume the carrion and all kinds of
impurities that collected about the capital.”

The commentary continues to explain that the ancients understood that “the final punishment of the [unrepentant] wicked [was] described in the Old Testament by alluding to this valley of Tophet or Hinnom (Isa. 30:33; 66:24).”

In other words, Christ’s allusion to punishment in Gehenna–elsewhere described as the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15), which will DESTROY or “BURN UP” the wicked [compare Malachi 4:1]–has reference to those who maliciously refuse to repent of their evil ways. Christ said that EVERY sin can and will be forgiven man, upon repentance, except the sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). If we reject the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we reject God’s power in us which could change us. Permanent refusal to change is tantamount to sin against God and His Spirit. For instance, if we refuse to overcome hate toward others, God’s Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, will ultimately leave us (compare again 1 John 3:15).

To understand why it is so serious to call a brother a “fool”–the meaning of which might include a “child of hell” or an “effeminate,” that is, a sexually abnormal person–is because it is the fate of those kinds of people to end up in the lake of fire, unless they repent (compare Revelation 21:8; 22:15). It is a serious matter to falsely call a brother or a sister in Christ a sexually immoral person or a “dog,” i.e., a homosexual. This is not to say that we must blind our eyes to true facts. Paul was not afraid to point out that some, including in the church, were–or had been–sexually “abnormal” (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 5:9-13). However, Christ warned us not to make incorrect charges of immoral conduct against others, and especially our brethren, because of motivation of hate and malice.

To conclude, we want to quote from the following helpful analysis, found in The Broadman Bible Commentary:

“Jesus traced sin back to disposition, attitude, or intention. The overt act of murder has its root in anger, hostility or contempt for another. Jesus cited anger…, insulting one’s brother… and calling another fool… as being crimes for which one is [or should be] brought before the court (local court of 23 persons), the Sanhedrin (highest ruling body of the Jews), or for which he is liable to Gehenna. No court seeks to convict a person on the grounds of feeling or attitude, but feelings of anger or contempt are as dangerous as are the outward crimes for which one is brought into the courts or considered liable to hell [i.e. Gehenna fire–that is, ultimate extinction]. Jesus’ words… are to be understood as radical protests and warnings against wrong feelings toward another… That Jesus had his own community in mind is reflected in the recurrence of ‘his brother,’ a term reserved in Matthew for a Christian brother. Anger and contempt are not only self-destructive but destroy the fellowship of the church.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Christian Suffering

On November 11, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, addressing the topic of Christian suffering.

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

We are saddened to report that Donald W. Hobbs, a long-time member
of the Church of God, died peacefully on Sunday, October 1. Mr. Hobbs
was 89 years old. He resided in Texas with his daughter and his
son-in-law. His daughter wrote us that Mr. Hobbs was hospitalized for 2
weeks, but he had no pain. He was just weak. His daughter added: “He
loved all of you very much… You were his last church home.”

Lois Nelson wrote:

“Dear
all, I wanted to send a note to tell everyone thank you for the
beautiful cards sent during our recent months of grief and illness.
Also, thank you all for the card and photo of the beautiful little
flock in San Diego that was sent during the Feast of Tabernacles. From
the Update it sounds that this was the best Feast ever!  My ribs
are finally well, but I have to be careful what I pick up. I didn’t get
a chance to say thank you for the delicious treats that we received
prior to the Feast, but I’m saying thank you now. That was a thoughtful
gesture and oh so delicious and cute!”

We received a beautiful card from our member in Kenya, Cege Muinamia. Cege wrote on his behalf and on behalf of his family:

“To
my brothers and sisters in the land of Manasseh: Brethren, by the time
you receive this card you’ll have joyfully kept the 2006 F.O.T., so
congratulations for accomplishing that.”

We received the following note from Raymond and Eve McNair:

“Dear
Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Your card of Feast greetings was very
encouraging to us. Our time at home during this Feast was enjoyable as
we shared it with visitors and enjoyed the many thoughtful gifts of
love sent to us. We look forward to the time when none of us will be
alone and we will be with Christ serving Him and teaching those what
God has taught us. During this time we must stay focused and stay the
course. May God continue to be with you all. In Christian love.”

A
member letter for November is being prepared by Norbert Link and should
be mailed out next week. We will enclose a copy of our new booklet, “Teach Us To Pray,”
for those who did not receive it at the Feast sites in the USA and
England. The English subscribers already received their copy.

Our new booklet on suffering will enter its last review cycle shortly.

A new StandingWatch program is scheduled to be recorded on Friday.

The German translation of our booklet on “Mysteries of the Bible” will be posted shortly on our different Websites in the USA, Canada, Great Britain and Germany.

Each Day!

by Aaron Hooper (21)

Sometimes I stop and think: “Wow. I’m
actually alive. I… exist.” Pretty powerful when I think about it. All
the people that have come before us did what they did, died, and their
chance in this life is over. But I still have my chance.

A chance
to do what? To “make my mark on the world?” To be someone noteworthy?
Or an entertainer or writer worth recording? To live, reproduce, and
nothing more?

Hmmmm…

Other times I think: “Wow. Right
now, where I am, the opportunities that I have… I only get today
once.” Truly I have to imagine that 40 years from now I would give
anything to have it all over again.

Wow.

So what am I trying to offer? I have no new philosophies. I have no special formulas on how to get the most from each day.

But
it has recently occurred to me that each day is a precious thing. And
each day we can choose what we do. Do we serve ourselves and our own
selfish desires, or do we serve and honor our Creator God? Do we live
for our own glory, or do we put God and others before ourselves?

These are questions that we cannot afford to stop asking.

Because
when it’s all said and done, I think we’d all rather be someone worth
recording. But not in books or on CDs, but in God’s Book of Life.

Would you please explain which animals are clean (and may be eaten) and which are unclean (and must not be eaten)?

The Bible clearly prohibits the consumption of animal meat which it describes as “unclean” in Old and New Testament passages (such as Leviticus 11:1-47; Deuteronomy 14:3-20; and Acts 10:1-21, 28). For more information on this prohibition, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound.”

According to the Biblical designation, certain animals are considered “clean” and their meat is therefore appropriate for human consumption (compare, for example, Leviticus 11:3: “Among the animals…that you may eat…”). Although some have chosen to abstain from the consumption of animal meat, it should be noted that such a teaching, if adhered to and followed for RELIGIOUS reasons, is described in Scripture as a doctrine of demons, compare 1 Timothy 4:1-3.

We can safely say that the following animal meat constitutes food that may be eaten. We will not attempt to list ALL clean and unclean animals, but will list the more common ones. As a general rule, if in doubt whether or not the flesh of a particular animal may be eaten, we should refrain from doing so, as “he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

INSECTS AND OTHER “CREEPING THINGS”:

Among insects, only certain types of locusts may be eaten. However, the Biblical designations of those types might not be entirely identifiable today (Leviticus 11:20-23). Soncino states that “the word [for grasshopper] denotes a kind of locust, but we are unable to identify it.” Some claim that today’s “grasshoppers,” as designated by modern Science, and some types of crickets might be fit for human consumption. All other insects and “creeping things,” including Frogs, Lizards, Salamanders, Slugs, Snails (including the so-called “edible snail”), Snakes, Toads and Worms, clearly, must not be eaten.

FISH AND OTHER SEA CREATURES:

Regarding fish, the following animals are counted among those that may be eaten, as they have both fins and scales, compare Leviticus 12:9-11:

Anchovy, Bass, Carp, Cod, Flounder, Haddock, Halibut, Hardtail, Herring, Mackerel, Mahi-mahi, Pike, Pollack, Red Snapper, Salmon, Sardine, Sea Bass, Snapper, Sole, Trout, Tuna, Whitefish.

Regarding fish, other sea creatures and animals living partly in the water and partly on land, which must not be eaten, the following are worth mentioning:

Alligator, Catfish, Crocodile, Dolphin, Eel, Jellyfish, Octopus, Otter, Porpoise, Seal, Shark, Shellfish (including clam, crab, lobster, mussel, oyster, scallop and shrimp), Squid, Sturgeon (including most kinds of caviar), Turtle, Whale (including whale oil).

Caution is mandated regarding some Jewish publications, listing the swordfish as a clean fish, appropriate for human consumption. The reason for this conclusion is that the swordfish, when young, has scales, but it loses them when growing older. According to the Soncino commentary, “fish that possessed fins and scales while in the water, shedding them when caught and brought on dry land, are permitted to be eaten.” Most, including the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America, feel that the swordfish is an unclean animal and should not be eaten.

BIRDS:

The following birds are considered to be among those that are clean and may be eaten:

Chicken, Dove, Duck, Goose, Grouse, Partridge, Pheasant, Pigeon, Prairie Chicken, Ptarmigan, Quail, Turkey.

The Bible specifically lists many of the unclean birds which are not to be eaten (including their eggs). Many of those are birds of prey and include:

Albatross, Bat [the Bible considers the bat to be a bird, even though modern scientists invented their own classification], Buzzard, Condor, Cormorant, Crane, Crow, Cuckoo, Eagle, Falcon, Flamingo, Hawk, Ostrich [many Muslims don’t consider the ostrich as unclean, even though the Bible specifically says so], Owl, Parrot, Pelican, Penguin, Raven, Roadrunner, Seagull, Stork, Swallow, Vulture, Woodpecker.

Disagreement exists regarding the swan. Although the Authorized Version lists the swan as unclean in Leviticus 11:18, the Jewish Publication Society renders the Hebrew word for “swan” as “horned owl,” while the Jewish Tanakh translation states, “white owl.”

MAMMALS:

Regarding mammals, the following are among those that may be eaten, as they divide the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud, compare Leviticus 11:3:

Antelope, Beef, Buffalo, Caribou, Deer, Elk, Gazelle, Giraffe, Goat, Hart, Lamb, Moose, Ox, Reindeer, Sheep, Veal

The following mammals and other land animals must not be eaten:

Ape (including Gorilla), Armadillo, Badger, Bear [in addition to not having the criteria for clean mammals, bears, as well as cats, have paws, Leviticus 11:27], Beaver, Camel [even though Hollywood has erroneously portrayed the camel in Biblical movies as clean, which could be eaten] Cat (including all wild cat species, such as lion, tiger), Civet Cat, Coyote, Dog, Donkey, Elephant, Fox, Hare, Horse, Hyena, Jackal, Kangaroo, Llama, Monkey, Mouse, Mule, Opossum, Rabbit, Raccoon, Rat, Swine (including the boar, peccary and the pig, as well as pig products, such as sausage, pepperoni, hog, bacon, ham, lard and pork), Squirrel, Weasel, Wolf, Zebra.

At one time in recent history, some Jews considered the tapir as a clean animal, until it was discovered that it belongs to the pig family. Again, caution is mandated with some listings of uncommon or “exotic” animals.

God considers the consumption of unclean animals as a SERIOUS violation of His timeless health law [In applying the spirit of God’s health laws to modern times, smoking cigarettes, cigars or pipe, chewing tobacco or consuming illegal drugs would fall in the same category of prohibited activities]. “Human thinking” of what is right and wrong notwithstanding, God thunders at us through His prophet Isaiah HIS “viewpoint” in a telling prophetic warning for our time:

“I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face… Who eat swine’s flesh And the broth of abominable things [Margin: “unclean meats”; Tanakh: “unclean things”] is in their vessels… I will not keep silence, but will repay… Your iniquities… ‘Those who [are]… Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination [Tanakh: “the reptile”] and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,’ says the LORD” (Isaiah 65:2-7; 66:17).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Deus ex Machina

by

In ancient Greek plays when a plot came to an impasse, a god would
be lowered onto the stage by a machine, thus the term deus ex machina
or “god from a machine”. This character would then in turn “save the
day”.  Often this would happen near the end of the story when
humans had seemingly irreconcilable differences or insolvable problems.

With
modern technology and computer graphics the need to lower anyone via a
wooden crane with heavy ropes and pulleys is mostly a thing of the
past.  Today the term has evolved to mean an unexpected solution
when all hope is lost. In some shows it can be manifested as the good
guys appearing on the hill top at the last minute or winning the
lottery so the hero can continue in his noble cause.

While some
literary purists just call it poor writing, this plot device parallels
reality all too closely.  As events on the world stage continue to
play themselves out, man unwittingly acts out his role with uncanny
accuracy.  Following the script to a tee, the last scene is
unfolding with wars, pestilence, famine and false prophets…no need to
cue the special effects.

Then with the world on the brink of
total and utter annihilation… enter God and what an entrance it will
be.  Though there won’t be any ropes, there will be strings
attached.  You will have to listen to the Director’s commands. In
order to be saved, you will have to exit stage right when you have been
going left.   

Our lines have been written out for us
and we have seen the example of the Lead Man.  As His understudy,
let’s read our part, memorize it, and ACT accordingly.

Jonah Speaks to Us

On November 4, 2006, Norbert Link will give the sermon, “Jonah Speaks to Us.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

We are presenting two reports covering the Feast of Tabernacles in the United Kingdom and in the United States:

Feast Report for the United Kingdom
by Brian Gale

Millennial type surroundings for the Feast of Tabernacles are not always easily available but the Global Church of God in the UK again held God’s autumnal festival at Chatsworth House in beautiful rural Derbyshire in central England. Six years out of the last seven, this venue has been used, and all the approaches to Chatsworth House for services ensure that the beautiful countryside including sheep, deer and other animals, form part of a wonderfully picturesque landscape. The Peak District in Derbyshire is the second visited National Park in the world (only Mount Fuji in Japan has more visitors) and Chatsworth House is the most visited stately home in the UK. It is no surprise, therefore, that visitors are so impressed with the surroundings which are appropriate to what the Feast pictures. It is very difficult to envisage any Feast site anywhere in the world which more accurately reflects a millennial setting of peace and tranquility – and the quality of surroundings.

There were a number of organised activities which included a social evening, a superb Feast dinner and a coach tour of the beautiful surrounding area. Other activities were suggested for those interested in the many attractions in the area.

A public lecture was organised in Derby where Evangelist Norbert Link spoke on “Europe in Prophecy.” Mr Link
has written a booklet on this subject and his dynamic presentation was appreciated by both church members who attended this lecture in Derby and those who accepted the invitations to attend that were sent out.

Of course, the main thrust of any Feast are the church services and the sermons and sermonettes that are given, and these carefully prepared messages were given by Norbert Link, Brian Gale, Bill Koeneke, Terry McQuire, Andrew Burns, Peter Cartwright and Edwin Pope (on DVD). These outstanding messages contained much millennial content which inspired all those in attendance.

The Global Church of God in the UK welcomed visitors, as they do to weekly Sabbath services so long as they worship in peace and harmony, and these are characteristics that will prevail in God’s Kingdom in the World Tomorrow.; The eight days passed quickly, and what the Feast pictures – the Kingdom of God – cannot come quickly enough!

Advertising Report.

Advertising in the UK for the recently produced booklet “Mysteries of the Bible” attracted nearly 1,100 replies. The usual media was used and, whilst the response was slightly short of the level expected (around 1,400 was expected), nevertheless this booklet was requested by many who would be new to the truth of God and other responses may still be forthcoming.

Feast Report for the United States
by J. Edwin Pope

The Church of the Eternal God, for the past three years, has been blessed with the beautiful surroundings along the central coast of California, in the area of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay for the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles. Set in the natural beauty of ocean, mountains, and rich rolling hills, with a beautiful harbor and with the magnificent Morro Rock rising out of the waters of Morro Bay, this wonderful area was again named as the site for the Feast of Tabernacles, 2006.

As one takes sight of the coastline, The Bay Estuary is one of the largest unspoiled coastal marshes in the state and attracts over 200 species of native and migrating birds, including hummingbirds, mockingbirds, and great blue herons, as well as being a reserve for the Peregrine Falcon. Marine life and land based animals are also found in abundance. Marine life includes such species as elephant seals, sea otters, and gray whales. Monarch Butterflies migrate by the tens of thousands into the coastal areas.

San Luis Obispo County has approximately one hundred miles of stunning coastline, from the dramatic shores of the northern coast (Ragged Point, San Simeon, and Cambria) to spectacular Morro Rock (Morro Bay) to the smooth, diamond white sands of the southern beaches (Oceano, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach), truly a delight for the sight of all who love the beauty of God’s great Ocean of the Pacific!

Truly God has blessed the church for these past four fall festival seasons by inspiring His Name to be placed in this area for His Feast of Tabernacles!

Many truly magnificent restaurants are scattered along the coast and other areas of this paradise, but the favorite
physical food of most as we assemble here each year is the wonderful fish and chips served magnificently by restaurants throughout the area.

The official meeting site once again was on the premises of the Sea Pines Golf Resort located on Morro Bay in the small community of Los Osos – Baywood Park. The Mediterranean type climate enjoyed in the area added significantly to the overall enjoyment of our fellowship together.

Adding to the beauty of the area is the fact that San Luis Obispo County is a world-class wine producing region, which has attracted award winning acclaim. The wines made here are among the best in the world. The area includes two incredible wine growing regions, with over 80 wineries which are said to match any in the world. In California, only Napa and Sonoma exceed the grape production of this region. The soils and climate are perfect for growing grapes used in the production of superior wines. Numerous varieties of wines are produced here. San Luis Obispo has been exporting wines for over two hundred years.

This wonderful area, where God has placed His name for His annual festival has surely been a blessing to His people.

Once again, we had several planned activities which added to the fellowship enjoyed by all as we rejoiced together in God’s wonderful festival. Most everyone participated in a “game night” as well as a “70’s disco dance,” both of which were organized by the young adults of the church. We also enjoyed, together, a wonderful southern style Bar-B-Que.

An additional event which has been one of the central events occurs on Thursday night – “the Farmers’ Market” held in downtown San Luis Obispo. This event involves more than 120 vendors. Farmers park their trucks in the center of the street and restaurateurs wheel out massive barbeque pits for grilling ribs, chicken, tri-tip and even calzones under the evening sky. There are various food booths that offer everything from sandwiches, pizza-by-the-slice, to warm-from-the-oven cookies.

Also, one can find freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, bouquets of garden-grown flowers, hand-pressed cider and other seasonal treats.

Arts and crafts plus live entertainment are also found in abundance.

The entire event is “a street fair and produce market” and covers six downtown city blocks. Local shops are open late for shopping.

During the eight day festival, spiritually we were served fantastically – eight (8) sermons, six (6) split-sermons, and seven (7) sermonettes – a total of 21 presentations covering in depth God’s Great Plan! Speaking were David Harris, Terry Grade, Bob Bourque, Rene Messier, Kalon Mitchell, Norbert Link (DVD), Bill Grams, Eric Rank, Robb Harris, Michael Link, Gilbert DeVaux, and Edwin Pope.

This was truly a dynamic Feast of Tabernacles and all in attendance rejoiced in it. We were pleased to have several new families attend with us this year, and as usual several were unable to attend due to illness. These were kept in our prayers throughout the feast. We were pleased that once again we were able to send out via internet each day’s service, which many were able to pick up and thus able to enjoy with us God’s wonderful Feast of Tabernacles!

Is the Biblical story of Noah's Ark based on fact, or is it mere fiction or folklore?

The Biblical account of Noah’s Ark is clearly factual. Some have
advanced arguments saying that Noah could never have built the Ark, and
that the Ark would not have been big enough to hold all the animals.
Both objections are without foundation.

Some of the following
material has been published in “The Good News” magazine, February 1980,
and in “Exploring Ancient History–The First 2500 Years,” Imperial
Schools, 1967.

Based on the Holy Scriptures, God spoke directly
to Noah, telling him of His decision to destroy wickedness from the
earth (Genesis 6:13). He told him to build a great ship through which
his family and all birds and land animals would be saved alive, while
God covered the earth with a flood (Genesis 6:14-21). The building of a
gigantic sea craft presumes a knowledge of workmanship with brass and
iron–showing that all the fundamental crafts of culture and society
were known in that day. God said that Noah would not have to go looking
for the animals, for they would come to him (Genesis 6:20), but he
would have to provide quantities of food and grain.

Skeptics have
claimed the Ark could not possibly hold all those animals and
provisions, but simple fact proves otherwise. The physical dimensions
alone, as given in Genesis 6:15, stagger the imagination: “The length
of the ark shall be three hundred cubits [450 feet-based on an 18-inch
cubit, its commonly accepted length, compare the notes in the margin of
the New King James Bible], its width fifty cubits [75 feet], and its
height thirty cubits [45 feet].” Based on the 18-inch cubit
measurement, the figures show that the Ark was ocean-liner size in
cubic capacity. It had a volume exceeding 1.5 million cubic feet, and
virtually the entire capacity of the Ark could be used for storage, as
it had no engine room or fuel tanks. It had three decks totaling more
than 2-1/2 acres of surface. The Ark had a capacity equal to more than
500 standard American railroad freight cars! That was equivalent to 175
modern one-bedroom apartments! No ship of such size was again built
until the 19th century AD!

Building the Ark, then, was not a
simple undertaking. Considering that all the work was done without the
help of modern equipment, it must have taken Noah and his
sons–undoubtedly with the aid of hired laborers and craftsmen–decades
to build and outfit it with supplies. Some suspect it may have taken
the full 120 years that God had allotted mankind (compare Genesis 6:3).

Noah
also must have possessed considerable resources and wealth, as enormous
quantities of timber, building supplies and foodstuffs–plus labor–had
to be purchased or obtained by barter. Yet, his wealth shouldn’t
surprise us. God demonstrates time and again throughout the Bible how
He physically blessed those who humbly served Him, like Abraham,
Daniel, Job and Joseph whom God raised from prison to wealth and
rulership.

In addition to wealth and resources, Noah had to be an
engineer and an architect to direct the building of this enormous
vessel. He also had to employ thousands of servants–architects,
carpenters, craftsmen, contractors and sub-contractors (to use modern
terminology)–to fulfill all the details of this fantastic work! And
then, there was the task of collecting all the provisions for
sustaining them. Noah and his family may haven taken decades of
planning and preparation. All the zoological and botanical knowledge
necessary to carry this out took highly technical understanding and
information.

But could Noah get all those animals into the Ark;
that is, was the Ark big enough for all those animals? To quote from a
publication of the Worldwide Church of God, dated 1980, titled “In The
Beginning–Answers to Questions from Genesis”:

“God specifically
instructed Noah to select one pair of every ‘kind’ of unclean animal
and seven pairs of every ‘kind’ of clean animal. The Bible term ‘kind’
refers generally to a group of creatures, all of which interbreed. The
horse kind could be represented, therefore, by one pair of animals
having the genetic potential to produce after the flood all varieties
we have today. The same would be true also for dogs, cats, etc. Second,
only air-breathing, terrestrial animals were included in the Ark…
This excludes all sea creatures and simple forms of life which could
survive the deluge.
“… Only 40 percent of the animal kingdom lives on land, and 70
percent of all species of land animals are insects. The remaining 30
percent of the terrestrial animal kingdom are on a mean average the
size of a rhesus monkey [or a medium-sized dog]. Most animals can be
maintained in small confinement for long periods and remain healthy…
Estimates of the number of land mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian
species on earth today total about 18,000.

“Recognizing that
only kinds, not species, were included, it would have been necessary to
have far fewer than 18,000 animals on the Ark… But let’s be liberal
and say 40,000 animals, whose average size is that of a rhesus monkey,
were on the Ark. How much room in the Ark would be needed for all these
animals? About 40 percent of the Ark’s 1.5 million cubic feet would
suffice! What about insects? Remember, the Ark had a storage capacity
of 500 freight cars. Two hundred cars would be occupied by mammals,
birds and reptiles. Giving every pair of known species of insects 16
cubic inches of space, another 21 such freight cars would be
required… [When] viewed from the perspective of simple arithmetic,
only about half of the space on the three decks would have provided
plenty of room to accommodate all those animals. That left the other
half of the ship for food and supplies and for Noah and his family.”

There
are no valid reasons to doubt the accuracy of the Biblical account
about Noah’s Ark and the Flood. We should take note of the fact that
Jesus Christ Himself confirmed its HISTORICAL accuracy. We read, for
example, in Matthew 24:37-39: “But as the days of Noah were, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days of Noah before
the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day THAT NOAH ENTERED THE ARK, and did not know
until the FLOOD CAME and took them all away, so also will the coming of
the Son of Man be.”

The early apostles accepted the account of
Noah’s Ark as HISTORICAL FACT. Paul wrote in Hebrews 11:7: “By faith
Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly
fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he
condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is
according to faith.”

Neither did Peter doubt the historical
accuracy of Noah’s Ark. He spoke about the “days of Noah” in 1 Peter
3:20, “while the ARK was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight
souls, were saved through water.”

Today, many who profess to be
“Christians,” neither believe in the historical accuracy of “Noah’s
Ark,” nor in the return–or Second Coming–of Jesus Christ to this
earth. Peter warned of such ignorance and denial of God’s Word, which
will have serious consequences for those who are guilty of it. He wrote
in 2 Peter 3:3-7: “… scoffers will come in the last days, walking
according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His
coming?… for they willfully forget: that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the
water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded
with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by
the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.”

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Bill Grams

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