Why don’t you preach the truth door to door?

We realise that some groups approach the preaching of the gospel by going from door to door. But this is not in accordance with Scripture, and it can do more harm than good.

First of all, we have to realise that this is not the only day of salvation. In 2 Corinthians 6:2, it states the following: “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you..’.” We have long understood that this verse is a mistranslation of Isaiah 49:8 where it states that this is “a day of salvation” (Authorized Version). If today was the only day of salvation, then Satan, who has the world in the palm of his hand, would be winning the battle outright. Of course, that is not the case.

Many Christian denominations have this idea that if we are not “saved” now, we will be lost for all eternity. They do not realise that God does the calling and in His own good time. John 6:44 gives Christ’s answer to this mystery: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” This critical truth is repeated again in John 6:65.

It is important to understand the principles that today–this present day and age–is not the only day of salvation, and that God has to do the calling. However, those who do not have this biblical understanding have an urgency to convert the world. Whilst we should want as many as possible at this time to come to a knowledge of the truth, we have to realise that God is in charge, and His timing as to our calling is perfect.

Nevertheless, those comments should in no way stop us from setting the very best example we can and to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…..” (1 Peter 3:15).

But Scripture tells us that going from door to door is not what we should be doing. In Acts 20:20 which many use as their reason for conducting themselves in this way, we read Paul’s words: “…and how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly AND from house to house…”

Paul’s next words in Acts 20:21 show that he was speaking about a ministry to non-believers, for he states: “… testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is surely because Christianity was fairly new and so many would be enquiring about it – both Jews and Greeks. This would be by invitation, not by an ad hoc door knocking exercise. He was not going from door to door of just about everyone in town, trying to convert those who happened to open their door to him. If we look to the example of Jesus Christ, He didn’t try and convert people and force His will on others. Shouldn’t we follow His way by not causing the offence that can happen when someone calls unannounced with a religious message?

We also need to understand that many times, the church brethren met in private homes for Sabbath services (compare Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19). One commentator stated that “Paul’s ministry from house to house is contrasted with his public ministry and probably refers to house churches. If so, each elder was possibly the overseer of a house church. Paul both preached and taught.”

Another commentator wrote: “Paul’s statement that he has proclaimed the gospel in public and in houses refers to his open… proclamation before kings and in public spaces, and to his ‘private’ ministry in synagogues (considered as private spaces) and in house churches.”

And a further comment was made as follows: “The private home was a centre of intellectual activity and the customary place for many types of speakers and teachers to do their work. Occasional lectures, declamations and readings of various sorts of philosophical, rhetorical and literary works often took place in homes. Such sessions might be continued for two or three days. The speaker might use his own house or be invited to speak or teach in another home. These were private affairs and audiences came by invitation.”

One large group who do go from door to door, use Acts 5:42 as their biblical reasoning to do so. This verse reads as follows: “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” This was after the apostles had been beaten and “commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus…” (verse 40).

A commentator observed as follows: “In Acts 5:42, it shows that first the Apostle Peter taught publicly at the temple. Communities of Christians were formed. Possessions were sold and equally distributed to all, every day they went to the temple and met in private homes to break bread and pray and build each other up in Christ as a community, a close knit family in Christ. In the temple more persons would be converted and baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and would be invited to meet in private homes to further bond and become a part of the Christian brotherhood. These private homes acted as small house churches of communities of love and fine works towards one another to build each other up in the Christ. They met in small groups, as close knit families, in private homes. No door to door activity was even remotely involved or part of the daily routine of the early Christian brotherhood.”

Acts 2:46 is another passage that can be misunderstood. It states: “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart…”

In a Church of God publication some years ago it said: “This is simply talking about people who ate together as one might have close friends to his home. It says nothing about preaching to strangers. In this instance, many had come to Jerusalem from many nations to attend one of God’s annual festivals, Pentecost. Because they had no home in Jerusalem, the people who lived there invited them to come to their homes and eat.”

We know that Paul had his own rented home and received all who came to him, “preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31). There is no mention of him going from house to house to call unexpectedly on those who were not interested and who could show resentment to someone trying to convert them. Of course, like today, if he would have had opportunity, he would have visited those who requested him to do so, much like ministers at this time who are invited to visit, in their own homes, those who are interested in the truth.

Luke 10:7 follows on from the story of when the seventy were sent out. Here Christ states: “And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.” There are those that think that you can eat anything that is put before you. But we know that the food laws are still in full force and effect. It also says “do not go from house to house” but again, there are those who will try and explain this away, saying that this phrase should be translated as, “you shall not move.” However, Christ was not talking about moving to another place, when circumstances dictate or warrant, but He was addressing the manner of preaching the gospel.

The apostles taught in the synagogue; they taught in members’ houses; they went into houses when they were invited; and “Paul stood in the midst of the Aeropagus (Mars Hill)…” where he preached the truth of God, “…and said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious…'” (Acts 17:22) There were many ways at that time where the truth could be preached without going from door to door as indeed there are many different ways of preaching the truth in the 21st century.

We are to set the very best example possible (compare Matthew 5:16) and not be hypocritical in any way. There is an old saying that we must never forget: “What You Do Speaks So Loudly I Cannot Hear What You Say.” We are to be ready to give an answer when sincerely questioned about our faith–and not, when we are just asked for the purpose of engaging us in contentious arguments and debate. We are to be fully supportive of the Church of God in all of its activities, which will assist all those who are being called at this time.

Those who do go from door to door often get a reputation for being a nuisance and to be avoided. Let us realise that this is not the best approach and not supported by Scripture.

In a letter that was used by the Worldwide Church of God in 1988 about this question, it was stated: “The apostle Paul had his own hired house at Rome where he ‘received ALL that CAME IN UNTO HIM, preaching the kingdom of God’ which Jesus had commanded His true servant to preach (Acts 28:30-31). The apostle Paul was taught the Gospel personally by Jesus Christ Himself (I Cor. 15:8; Gal. 1:11-2:2). One of the teachings of Jesus was that we should not force the Gospel upon anyone (Matt. 7:6). Therefore, it is evident that Paul did not go from house to house trying to convert people. When Paul preached publicly, it was primarily in the synagogues of his day.”

Finally, let us remember that those who do come to our door and do “not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him, for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11).

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (Great Britain)

What would have happened if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life? What kind of a world would we have today? Would they still have sinned from time to time? If so, what would have been the consequence?

First, let us explain what the two trees in the Garden of Eden symbolized.

We are quoting the following excerpts from chapter 2 of our free booklet, “Human Suffering–Why…And How Much Longer?” :

“When God created the first human being, Adam, and his wife, Eve, He placed them in a garden—the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. God also created two special trees in this garden—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He told man that he was allowed to eat from all the trees in the garden with the exception of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This means that man could eat, and should have eaten, from the tree of life.

“These two trees had special symbolic meaning. They represented two ways of life: Eating from the tree of life would have meant following God in obedience to His Word, thereby reaping the benefits of happiness, joy and peace. Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil meant disobeying God, and listening to and following Satan instead, thereby reaping the curses of unhappiness, sadness, suffering and war!…

“God said that man could eat FREELY from the tree of life. If man had done that, he would have received the free gift of the Holy Spirit of God, and with it, godly understanding and wisdom as to how to live. He would have received a down payment—a guarantee—of future eternal life, and he would have been changed—in due time—to an immortal Spirit being.

“God WANTED Adam and Eve to partake of the tree of life—the Holy Spirit. Today also, God wants us—those He has specifically called for His salvation—to partake of the Holy Spirit, and to teach others about it. When man partakes of the tree of life—symbolic of the Holy Spirit—then he reaps the benefits and responsibilities already in this life, as well as the gift of future eternal life…

“Adam and Eve did not eat from the tree of life, but they did eat, instead, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God CREATED that tree, too, but He told man NOT to eat from it. He did not tempt man to sin, but He did test man, and by offering an opportunity to man to eat from the tree of life, He enabled man to obey Him. However, man decided to disobey God and to obey, instead, the serpent—Satan the devil.

“In not eating from the tree of life, and in eating, instead, from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man made the decision to reject godly wisdom and eternal life, and to accept the wisdom of this world, which leads only to death. Man rejected God (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13) and became the slave of Satan. God had informed man of the consequences of his decision well in advance. Genesis 2:17 reports that God told them that they would die if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Presumably, He had also told them that they would have to live in sorrow and pain (compare Genesis 3:16–19)…

“Suffering, pain, misery, and even death entered this physical world with Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God and follow Satan instead. And since man has, in general, continued to disregard God’s injunctions, suffering continues to this day.”

In addition, let us quote the following comments from Herbert W. Armstrong’s book, “Mystery of the Ages”:

“What if Adam had taken of the tree of life?… That symbolic tree is offered today to those called and drawn by God to Jesus Christ. There is one difference between the original Adam and the called Christian. Adam had not yet sinned and no repentance was necessary if he had chosen the tree of life. Otherwise the repentant and believing Spirit-begotten Christian is in the same position Adam would have been had he taken of the tree of life.

“Adam would have received the Holy Spirit of the immortal God to join with his human spirit. Of course, since Adam was required to make a choice, he would have rejected the way of Satan by taking the tree of life…

“He would have received the Holy Spirit of God to unite with his human spirit. The man was not mentally or spiritually complete until receiving the Spirit of God. This would have united him, mentally and spiritually, with God. He would have been begotten as a child of God, just as is the converted Spirit-begotten Christian.

“He would have received the Holy Spirit of God to join with his human spirit, begetting him as a son of God, imparting to him the earnest of immortal life, and making him at one with God… the very mind of the Eternal would have been in Adam. But instead the mind and attitude of Satan entered into him and worked in him, even as it has in all his children that have composed this whole world…

“God would have revealed to Adam God’s way of life—which is God’s spiritual law… But, even as a human embryo has been begotten by human parents, and just as the embryo must develop through the process of gestation before being born, so is the Spirit-led Christian, and so would have been Adam.

“But he would have experienced a direct connection and contact with God… So Adam would have had the in-depth spiritual knowledge to live God’s way, and also would have been supplied with the divine love that, only, can fulfill that perfect law of love and put it into action.

“He would also have received by the Spirit of God the very faith of God. He would have received knowledge, guidance and help from God. He would have had reliance on God to intervene in matters beyond his control. In such matters God supernaturally does for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. In other words, God fights our battles for us.”

Also, notice this quote from the Worldwide Church of God’s old publication, “Answers from Genesis”:

“If Adam and Eve would have eaten the fruit of this tree [of life], God would have given them His Holy Spirit and ultimately eternal life. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the other hand, symbolized disobedience. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of this tree, their disobedience cut them off from their Creator and they embarked on a course of false education that produced sin and death.”

Based on this understanding, we see that if Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life and refused to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, our world–this world’s present societies–would have been quite different.

Again, let us continue with quoting from our booklet, “Human Suffering–Why… and How Much Longer?”:

“This brings up a hypothetical question. What would have happened IF Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of life, while also refusing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus fully obeying God?

“There would have been, presumably, no weapons or war; no killing of Abel through Cain; no hunger, famine, hard labor, misery or pain; no slavery; and no vicious animals. Instead, this earth would have been a happy place—a peaceful, prosperous, free world!

“BUT—due to Adam and Eve’s wrong decision, this world witnessed murder when Cain killed his brother, Abel. It witnessed polygamy (Genesis 4:19); weapons made of bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22); more violence and murder (Genesis 4:23); and finally, grievous worldwide wickedness (Genesis 6:5–6, 11–13).”

God created Adam and Eve with the express purpose of bringing forth offspring. They were commanded to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28). If Adam and Eve had shown obedience to God and rejected Satan, then their descendants–mankind–would not have been cut off from God and His Holy Spirit, as is generally the case today. The fact that mankind was cut off from God was God’s punishment for Adam and Eve’s disobedience–a direct consequence of Adam and Eve’s conduct. After they sinned, the tree of life was no longer accessible to them and in general, to mankind as a whole, and mankind was allowed, under the sway and deception of Satan, to create his own societies, which are ALL in opposition to God’s Way of Life.

Today, the entire world is under Satan’s rule. This includes ALL countries, including the United States of America, South America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain, continental Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, including India, Russia, China, Japan and Korea. This means, no human government today is righteous in God’s eyes. This is one reason WHY true Christians are to come out of the “Babylon” of this world and its politics; to be separate; and not to touch or associate with or embrace or adopt or feed on the uncleanness of this world’s economic, military, educational or religious systems.

Focusing on Adam and Eve, this does not mean that they would have been changed to immortal beings immediately upon their partaking of the fruit of the tree of life. As explained above, eating from the tree of life symbolized receiving the Holy Spirit, which is a downpayment, an earnest, a guaranty for eternal life. But they still would have had to continue to live a godly way of life (as we all must do today), to PROVE to God that they were willing to live under His rule. They still would have had to develop godly righteous character, by continuously rejecting the wrong and accepting and living the right–as we all must do. Please read our Q&As [http://eternalgod.org/qa/7809 and http://eternalgod.org/qa/7837] on character development.

Beyond this, it is hard to say what else would have been different. The Bible does not dwell too much on this possibility, as the fact of the matter is that Adam and Eve DID eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and became thereby responsible for a world cut off from God.

Would Adam and Eve have stayed sinless? Would they have continued to reject eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil–that is, would they have been always obedient to God, without ever violating any of His commandments? If they had sinned, we would be safe to conclude that Jesus Christ would still have had to come to die for them and all of mankind, to make possible the gift of forgiveness and eternal life for man, as the wages of sin is eternal death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Romans 6:23).

Since the Bible tells us that there is no man who does not sin, it is to be assumed that Adam and Eve would have slipped into sin from time to time, as we all do today. Nevertheless, the entire situation for them and their children and descendants–the “world”–would have been quite different. Assuming that mankind would have followed Adam and Eve’s good example, the world would not have ended up in total opposition and rebellion to God, as it is today. When we receive the Holy Spirit, after we have shown to God that we are willing to obey Him, we are basically on the same wavelength with God. We WANT to obey Him ever more perfectly. We do not WANT to sin. We do not WANT to live in abject defiance or total lack of interest in His Word.

Maybe Satan would have been replaced and dethroned at the time of Adam and Eve. Maybe God would have used Adam and Eve to rule this world, as He later used David to rule Israel. The circumstances might have been comparable with those which will be prevalent during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment period. At that time, Satan will be banned so that he cannot deceive the nations anymore. The world’s spiritual and mental condition will be very similar then, as it was at the time of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, before Satan tempted Eve to sin.

Still, as it is the case today for called-out Christians, mankind will have to prove to God during the Millennium and the Great White Throne judgment period that they will be willing to obey Him. Those who will be willing to repent and obey God and accept the Sacrifice of Christ will be given the Holy Spirit, but they will not, at that moment in time, be changed to immortality. Rather (as it is true for converted Christians today), they will have to live with the lead of the Holy Spirit within them for a certain amount of time to show God that they are willing to eat continuously from the tree of life, while rejecting the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Based on the biblical description of what will happen in the future, when Satan is banned, we can deduct, to an extent, what would have happened to Adam and Eve and their children and descendants, IF they had obeyed God and eaten from the tree of life, while rejecting to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

How can we have complete or full joy in our lives?

In John 17:13, we read: “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they [His disciples] may have MY JOY fulfilled in them.”

Joy is one ingredient of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:6). When Christ, through the Holy Spirit, lives in us, then HIS joy is in us and will remain in us, and our joy will become more and more full or fulfilled (John 15:11). As we need to ask God the Father for the daily renewal of the Holy Spirit, so we need to ask for the fullness of God’s and Christ’s joy in our lives (compare John 16:24). It is God who can fill us with all joy (Romans 15:13)–even and especially in times of trials and difficulties. It is possible for us, then, to rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; compare 2 Corinthians 6:10).

We must be careful, however, not to confuse godly and right joy with worldly and wrong “joy.” Solomon rejoiced in his labor, but it was the wrong kind of labor (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11). The ancient Israelites rejoiced in the works of their hands–but it was the work of building the golden calf (Acts 7:41). It would be the wrong kind of joy to trust in great physical wealth (Job 31:24-25, 28), or to rejoice when our enemies are destroyed or fall (Job 31:29; Proverbs 24:17-18). It would also be wrong to rejoice about our sinful ways (compare James 4:8-9).

When Christ works with us and when He lives in us through the Holy Spirit, then our joy will be godly and right. We rejoice because we know the truth about the kingdom of God (Matthew 13:44). We rejoice in the truth of God (1 Corinthians 13:6). We rejoice over God’s statutes (Psalm 19:8). We rejoice over the way of God’s testimonies (Psalm 119:14). And we rejoice over God’s Word in general, appreciating and embracing it as great treasure (Psalm 119:162). Jeremiah said that God’s Word was the joy of his heart (Jeremiah 15:16).

With Christ’s joy in us, we rejoice over the fact that we belong to God–that God is our Father and that we are His children. We rejoice that our names are already written in God’s Book of Life (Luke 10:20), and that we have fellowship with God the Father and His Son and our brethren (1 John 1:1-4). We also rejoice over the fact that we are to inherit God’s glory (Romans 5:1-2).

In addition, we rejoice because we understand that at the time of our resurrection and change, we will enter into God’s joy–we will experience the very same joy which God has. His kingdom is defined and described as “joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17); and we will enter into the joy of our Lord (Matthew 25:21). There will be exceeding joy–or fullness of joy–when we stand in God’s presence (Jude 24-25; Psalm 16:11). Even though these passages talk about experiencing God’s joy in the future, the knowledge and anticipation of that experience can give us already today exceeding or “inexpressible” joy (1 Peter 1:8).

Christ’s joy in us must be put to use. We do something with it. We serve God joyfully today, especially, but not exclusively, on the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days (Deuteronomy 16:13-15; Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 12:43; Isaiah 56:7; but compare also Deuteronomy 28:47). We pray to God with joyful lips (Psalm 63:5). In addition, we rejoice when we put our trust in God and when we love Him (Psalm 5:11), and when we are righteous (Psalm 33:1). Put differently, God and the things of God are to be our exceeding joy (Psalm 43:4).

With this kind of joy dwelling in us, we should even be joyful in times of trials, when we focus on our eternal future and not on our present temporary problems. We should leap for joy when men persecute us because we are righteous and serve God (Luke 6:22-23; Acts 5:40-41). We should rejoice in our trials, knowing that we partake of Christ’s suffering, so that we can partake of His exceeding joy, when His glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12-13). We should rejoice in our trials, knowing that they help us to become more perfect (James 1:2-4). We should even endure joyfully the plundering of our goods, knowing that a better and enduring possession is awaiting us (Hebrews 10:32, 34).

Paul was exceedingly joyful in all his tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4), knowing that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). He wanted to finish his race with joy (Acts 20:22-24), even though he knew that “chains and tribulations” were awaiting him. He knew that those who sow in tears shall reap in joy (Psalm 126:5), and that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5).

Christ’s joy in us must endure. We cannot receive God’s Word with joy, only to stumble when persecution comes (Matthew 13:20-21). We cannot be like those who only rejoiced in John the Baptist’s presence for a while (John 5:35). Rather, we must hold fast the rejoicing of the hope firm to the very end (Hebrews 3:5-6).

To fully appreciate Christ’s joy in us, and how it works, we must realize that it is not selfish, but outgoing. Even when we rejoice that we understand the truth and have fellowship with God, we ought to realize that this is for a greater purpose. God called us today to train us to become teachers to teach others His truth when the time comes. Our salvation is not selfish–God is saving us today for a purpose. We are to help in proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness, making it thereby possible for Christ to return and establish that very Kingdom here on earth to bring truth and peace and understanding and prosperity to this miserable and down-trodden hopeless humanity.

Jesus rejoiced and thanked the Father that He revealed His truth to “babes” (Luke 10:21). He was willing to become a man and to die for us, “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus was willing to set aside His divine attributes for a while, so that we could have eternal life with Him in the Family of God. This thought and this anticipation filled Him with joy, which was so strong that it motivated Him to suffer and die for us to make our salvation possible.

Jesus’ joy was in His true disciples as well. They greatly rejoiced when they heard about the conversion of Gentiles (Acts 15:3). Paul was filled with joy when he looked at the faith of those in Philippi, being confident that they would make it into the Kingdom (Philippians 1:3-6). He said that the brethren fulfilled his joy when they were likeminded (Philippians 2:1-2). He said that even though he had to die, the brethren should rejoice with him, knowing that they would see each other again at the “Day” of Christ’s Second Coming (Philippians 2:14-18). Paul rejoiced when he heard about the steadfastness of the faith of the brethren (Colossians 2:5). He said that the faithful enduring brethren were his joy and crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

John said too that he had no greater joy than to hear that the brethren–his spiritual “children”–walked in truth (3 John 4). We even read that there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents (Luke 15:7). God and the angels rejoice when a sinner turns to God and lives righteously. And that, in turn, should fill us with joy – we, too, should rejoice with God and the angels when a sinner repents and turns to the truth.

A true Christian is a happy person. He has so much for which he should be thankful. What a terrible tragedy it would be if he gave up and replaced the joy which he once had with feelings of doom and gloom. There is really no reason for a true Christian to despair or become depressed. When we have the joy of God in our lives, we should be glowing examples of joy and happiness.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

If Satan cannot heal, how do you explain "miraculous healings," which apparently do not originate with God?

In our last Q&A, we explained that God did not give Satan or his demons the power to heal human beings. In this Q&A, we want to explain “miraculous healings,” “caused” by Satan, which, upon further scrutiny, prove to be not true healings at all.

In our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” we wrote the following in Part 2, “The World of Demons,” on pages 42-44, 51:

“We must not underestimate the power and influence of Satan and his demons. The Bible tells us that Satan ‘deceives the whole world’ (Revelation 12:9). His biggest deception, no doubt, is to convince unsuspecting man that he does not even exist. He deceives others by pretending that he is an ‘angel of light’ (2 Corinthians 11:14). Many preach as ‘his ministers,’ transforming themselves ‘into ministers of righteousness’ (verse 15).

“John later said that ‘many deceivers have gone out into the world’ (2 John 7), and he warned us in 1 John 4:1 to ‘…test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’ Christ prophesied for the end time that ‘…false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect’ (Matthew 24:24).

“Satan and his demons can show great signs and wonders. It is prophesied that Satan will ultimately give his power to a religious leader who will work ‘signs… by which he deceived’ the people (Revelation 19:20). False religious teachers, inspired by demons, might even be able to accurately foretell the future (Deuteronomy 13:1–4; Acts 16:16–19).

“Satan has the power to inspire people to go to war (Job 1:9–15; Revelation 16:13–14; Revelation 20:7–10). He has the power to throw down fire to consume man and beast (In Job 1:16, people felt that God brought this fire, but the context shows that Satan was the power behind it). As the ‘prince of the power of the air’ (Ephesians 2:2), he can bring destruction through mighty winds…

“There are many Scriptures that prove that Satan or demons can possess animals and people, forcing them to do terrible things (Luke 22:3; John 13:27). Demon-possessed people can be extremely violent (Matthew 8:28) and self-destructive (Mark 5:2–5). They lose all sense of decency (Luke 8:27).

“The Bible also shows that demons can possess or influence people to make them spiritually, psychologically, and physically sick. Even Paul was sick because ‘a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me’ (2 Corinthians 12:7). Through the influence of demons, people can be mute, deaf and dumb (Mark 9:17, 25), epileptic (Matthew 17:15–18), and infirm (Luke 13:11, 16). When a demon leaves such a person, it may appear as if the person has been healed from a physical sickness…

“Sorcery, witchcraft, hypnosis, and certain meditation practices are further methods of Satan to overpower the mind of a human being and to make him or her into a helpless victim…

“In Job 2:1–7, we are told that Satan obtained permission from God to bring terrible sickness upon Job, but he was not allowed to kill him. Again, we see that Satan must act within the limits given to him by God.”

Based on these comments, we should be able to see that even though Satan does not have the power to heal, it might appear that sick people are “healed” when Satan removes sicknesses from them with which he had inflicted them in the first place. But this has nothing to do with true godly healing.

It is also explained in Scripture that such Satanic or demonic withdrawal (leading to the perception of “healing”) might be very temporary. When Jesus Christ cast out demons, He would give the command to that demon not to return into the human being, and the healing of the sickness, initially caused by Satan or that demon, would be permanent. Compare, for example, Mark 9:25:

“… Jesus… rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!'”

On the other hand, when a demon voluntarily departs or goes out of a person, he may return together “with other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is WORSE than the first” (Matthew 12:43-45; compare Luke 11:24-26). These kinds of “voluntary departures” are not permanent “exorcisms,” nor do they constitute physical healing.

In addition, Satan or his demons could make someone physically or mentally sick, without actually possessing a person. In the case of King Saul, the demon would plague him at times, coming and leaving, but while the wicked spirit severely influenced him, King Saul acted irrationally and with extreme violence.

Satan wants to deceive people, and he is a liar and the father of lies, as well as the destroyer. He does not really have the welfare of people in mind. He would not truly heal people, even if he HAD the power to do so, except for the purpose of deception. Since he does not have the power to heal, he deceives mankind by pretending that he heals people. He and his demons will “cooperate” with religious preachers, giving the appearance that these false ministers have power to heal, by voluntarily withdrawing from sick people whom they had made sick in the first place.

As we read above, Satan is pretending to be an angel of light, and “his ministers” are transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. Satan gives power to his servants and ministers to show great signs and wonders to deceive. They will be working LYING wonders, including apparent healings and exorcisms. It may appear as if God had used those ministers to heal a person or cast out a demon, but in reality, these “signs and wonders” by satanic ministers are LIES.

We read in Luke 13:11-16, that Satan, through a “spirit of infirmity,” had inflicted a woman for eighteen years with a sickness, causing her to bend over and being unable to raise herself up. But since Satan and his demons are inferior to God, Jesus cured the woman by casting out the demon, and that spiritual and physical healing was permanent.

On the other hand, demons may not always cooperate with those who pretend to work miracles by using the name of Christ, without having obtained godly authority to do so. This is especially true for those unordained persons who claim to be followers of Christ and think they can cast out demons. You might want to read what happened to some who tried to do this, as described in Acts 19:13-16.

We also need to state that some people may think they were healed while they were not, and others, claiming, testifying and “witnessing” their healing, are just simply frauds, being in conspiracy with fraudulent “faith healers,” whose goal it is to draw a paying following after themselves.

It is true, of course, that the mind of a person can have such a powerful influence on the body that a person may in fact experience physical improvement. God has put in motion automatic laws, pertaining to sickness and healing. The body can regenerate itself to an extent. When we cut ourselves with a knife, the wound will heal after a while. The same is true for psychosomatic symptoms, which might cause physical problems. Envy and jealousy can make us sick, quite literally. Once these wrong feelings are being dealt with, a revival of the body may be the automatic consequence.

But these are laws that are set in motion by God–they have nothing to do with the working of Satan or his demons. If, however, a person who is experiencing a natural improvement attributes the same to some kind of a healing power caused by “miracle-working holy water” or actions by a minister who is in reality a minister of Satan, then that person has inadvertently fallen into the trap of Satan’s deceptions.

We do take note of the fact that God has intervened to heal people in different ways and in different circumstances. For instance, He healed Naaman who followed the instructions of Elisha and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan (compare 2 Kings 5). In John 5 we read about the Pool of Bethesda that existed in Jerusalem and that was used by God in similar fashion to point to Himself as the true Healer (Psalm 103:3). In fact, Jesus came to this location and healed a man who had been infirm for thirty-eight years, showing that the Father had given to Him the power to heal–something He did for many sick people during His ministry, and the very thing that He commissions and empowers His true ministers to continue (Please see our free booklet, “Sickness and Healing–What the Bible Tells Us”).

We don’t want to deny the fact that God, in His mercy, might heal sick people who pray to Him, even though they do not really know Him. Or, true servants of God may pray for someone who is sick, and although the sick person might not know God, God might hear the prayers of His servants and heal the sick person. But in any case, such healing would be of God, not of Satan. Sadly, in far too many cases, people who were healed by God don’t give God the glory, but attribute their healing to false gods, “saints in heaven,” the “Virgin Mary,” far-Eastern powers or other such sources.

In addition, it appears likely that Satan or his demons may give the ability to some persons not to feel pain (we might think of certain gurus who walk on fire with their bare feet or who pierce themselves with spears or cut themselves with knives), or who, through the influence of satanic forces, appear to be able to make others sick by pronouncing a curse on them (we might think of the horrible practice of Voodoo sorcery and witchcraft, etc.).

Again, when these demonically inspired or possessed sorcerers “lift their curse,” the sick person may recover due to the fact that the demonic influence, which caused the “curse” of sickness, might cease, at least for a while. It should be clearly seen, however, that none of these evil practices have anything to do with the workings of the Holy God of the Bible.

We are to test the spirits whether they are of God. “Healing waters” are not of God, and neither are false ministers (pretending to be servants of God). Even though they might offer to pray for the sick (sometimes right over television) or they misappropriate the biblical concept of an anointed cloth and offer to send a “healing cloth,” they are in truth ministers of Satan, and any ensuing “healings” are neither genuine, nor are they of godly origin.

The Bible tells us how we can distinguish a servant of God and a servant of Satan. For one, he must understand and teach the truth about who and what God was, is and will be; as well as who and what Jesus Christ was and what He did; what He is doing today; and what He will do in the future (John 1:1-2, 5, 14; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 John 2:22-23; 4:2-3, 14-15; 5:6; 2 John 7; Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14; 2 Peter 3:1-12). In addition, he must understand and teach the righteous law of God (Isaiah 8:16, 20; 1 John 2:4; 3:10). Otherwise, there is no light and godly power in such a person, and whatever he or she may do in regard to “healing” is tantamount to ungodly deception.

Christ warned, however, that some of the lying miracles and signs shown by the human instruments of Satan, claiming to be godly “teachers,” “preachers,” “ministers,” “priests,” “faith healers,” “evangelists,” “prophets” or “apostles,” will appear so real that even God’s very elect could be deceived, if it were possible. We must be careful not to fall for such deception, and reject any and all kinds of fellowship with Satan and his evil works of darkness (2 John 9-11; Ephesians 5:8, 11; 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Acts 2:44 describes the beginning of the Church of God, and it states that everyone “had all things in common.” How does this apply, today?

As other Scriptures show, this event was unique to that time in the building of the Church of God; however, this example also reveals the type of commitment that may be needed when the necessity arises.

The context of this account happened surrounding the Day of Pentecost and then the immediate period of time subsequent—perhaps several weeks and months.

Let’s first take a look at the account as recorded in Acts 2:42-47:

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart…”

The fact that this sharing attitude was sustained for some period of time is borne out in another account, as found in Acts 4:32-35:

“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”

In verses 36-37 of Acts 4, the specific example of the generosity of Joses (Barnabas) is given. Then, in Acts 5:1-11, the deceptive actions of Ananias and Sapphira are recounted. In both examples, these people were free to make the choice to contribute their possessions. Note what Peter stated to Ananias, “‘While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?” (Acts 5:4).

Understand that many who were called had assembled in Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost. While some obviously lived in that area, many did not—that included the apostles and many of those disciples who had followed Jesus (compare Acts 1:15). In fact, it is evident that these early disciples had already made great personal sacrifices: “Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You…’” (Matthew 19:27).

The example of such whole-hearted commitment to God is not without precedent: “And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying ‘This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying: “Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD…”’” (Exodus 35:4-5).

This command from God was for the making of the Tabernacle, and the children of Israel gave abundantly and willingly—to such an extent that Moses had to stop them:

“So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, ‘Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.’ And the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—INDEED TOO MUCH” (Exodus 36:6-7).

When Solomon prepared and dedicated the Temple of God, the offerings were overwhelming, “…because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings” (1 Kings 8:64).

Likewise, in the accounts of the restorations led by Hezekiah, Josiah and later on by Ezra and Nehemiah, the people willingly gave special offerings.

That special period that followed the founding of the New Testament Church of God drew to a close following the death of Stephen (compare Acts 7). “…At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1).

Christianity was destined to spread, and as this way of life was preached to both Jews and Gentiles, the Church of God was administered accordingly.

When Paul confronted the Corinthians for their wrong behavior regarding observing the Passover service, he makes this statement: “What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in…?” (1 Corinthians 11:22). In the context, he even addresses those who are poor in contrast to those who were not. However, his focus was the way all should behave when assembling as the Church of God in order to properly keep the Passover.

Paul, in bringing the gospel to the Thessalonians, worked: “…nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us” (2 Thessalonians 3:8-9).

Carefully note the next verses in Paul’s letter: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).

In this same context, Paul teaches: “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

Also, Paul instructs: ”…that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you” (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

We see, then, that following the remarkable establishment of the Church of God, the necessity was for individuals to set the right kind of examples—both within the church and to those outside (compare Galatians 6:10). They were to work and to provide for their own needs:

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

The strength of the Church of God is that its members live as examples, as ambassadors of Christ. That includes having “willing hearts” for good works and service to others. While the current situation does not necessitate that we have all things in common in the same manner as mentioned in Acts, there indeed will arise a time when the things we have will be left behind. Days are coming in which we, as brethren, will be persecuted and will have to rely on one another— not so unlike that beginning history of God’s Church following Pentecost.

We must never lose sight of the unequaled example of both God the Father and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, when it comes to their willingness to give what they have for us:

“‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

Why did Sarah lie?

Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is described in Scripture as a faithful and righteous woman (Isaiah 51:1-2; Hebrews 11:11; 1 Peter 3:5-6). Still, we read that she broke the ninth commandment and lied on several occasions. There are mainly two different sets of circumstances, inducing Sarah to lie.

Sarah’s first lie is recorded in Genesis 18. God appeared with two angels to Abraham and Sarah and promised them that they would have a son within a year. Genesis 18:11-15 states:

“Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?” Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied it, saying, ‘I did not laugh,’ for she was afraid. And He said, ‘No, but you did laugh!'”

Sarah denied or lied against the truth because she was afraid. She did not want to admit that she had not enough faith.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible states:

“‘She denied, saying, I did not laugh,’ thinking nobody could contradict her: she told this lie, because she was afraid; but it was in vain to attempt concealing it from an all-seeing eye; she was told, to her shame, ‘Thou didst laugh…’ It is a shame to do amiss, but a greater shame to deny it; for thereby we add iniquity to our iniquity. Fear of a rebuke often betrays us into this snare. See Isaiah 57:11, ‘Whom hast thou feared, that thou hast lied?’ But we deceive ourselves if we think to impose upon God; he can and will bring truth to light, to our shame. ‘He that covers his sin cannot prosper,’ for the day is coming which will discover it.”

The second set of circumstances involving SARAH’S deceitful conduct is described in Genesis 20, when ABRAHAM told the lie that Sarah was his sister, denying the truth that she was his wife. As a consequence, King Abimelech took Sarah to become his wife. One might ask why Sarah did not speak up and tell Abimelech that she was Abraham’s wife. Why did she keep silent? Why did she cover up Abraham’s lie?

We read of an earlier account in Genesis 12:11-13:

“And it came to pass, when he [Abram, later called Abraham] was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai [later called Sarah] his WIFE: ‘Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, “This is his wife”; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER, that it may be well with you FOR YOUR SAKE, and that I may live because of you.”‘

God revealed to Pharaoh that Sarai was Abram’s wife. BOTH Abram and Sarai lied to Pharaoh about this. And later, BOTH repeated the same lie to Abimelech.

As God did in the case of Pharaoh, He revealed the truth to Abimelech–this time in a dream. We read in Genesis 20:4:

“But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, ‘Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? Did he not say to me, “She is my sister”? And she, even SHE HERSELF SAID, “He is my brother.” In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.'”

Why did Sarah participate in Abraham’s lie? Why did she even repeat it herself?

We read in Genesis 20:10-13:

“Then Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?’ And Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, “This is YOUR KINDNESS that you should do FOR ME: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, ‘He is my brother.”‘

Abraham’s and Sarah’s lies are not justified by the fact that Sarah was Abraham’s half-sister. In God’s eyes, they were husband and wife, and God calls them consistently that way in His word. Abraham and Sarah suppressed the truth that they were married, with the intent to deceive their neighbors.

Abraham had asked Sarah to lie in order to save his life, placing a guilt trip on her by suggesting that she would be unkind to him if she did not tell the lie, and she would be without the protection of her beloved husband if they killed him and let her live. Sarah obeyed her husband and broke one of God’s commandments in the process. She should have never done this. Even though we read that wives are to submit to their husbands, we are also told that this must be done “in the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). That is, they must never violate God’s Will, and if a demand or request of their husbands would violate God’s Word, they must disobey. We are told that we must obey God, rather than man, in a conflict situation (Acts 5:29).

Of course, Abraham should have never asked Sarah to lie for him or to actively or passively participate in or condone his lie. Both showed a lack of faith. They were afraid that if they were to tell the truth, Abraham would be killed. They did not fully believe that God would be powerful enough to protect them.

But we also read that both Abraham and Sarah grew in faith, as we all must do (Romans 4:19).

Wives are not to obey their husbands when they are asked to do wrong. And husbands must not listen to the voice of their wives when they ask or suggest to them that they do or say something which would violate God’s Will.

Even before God appeared with two angels to tell Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son within a year, God had already promised descendants to Abraham (Genesis 15:1-5, 18). God had specifically said to Abraham (then called Abram) that “one who will come from your own body shall be your heir” (verse 4).

But as time progressed and Abraham and Sarah remained childless, they began to doubt in God’s promise and reasoned that they had to produce offspring through Abraham and Sarah’s maid, Hagar (Genesis 16:1-2). This episode showed a lack of faith of both Abraham and Sarah. This is perhaps another reason why Sarah later denied that she had laughed when God repeated His promise that they would have a son. She realized that she had again, for a second time, manifested a lack of faith in God’s Word and Power.

However, there were other occasions when God told Abraham to listen to the voice of his wife (Genesis 21:8-12). It is always a matter of what God’s Will is in a particular matter.

Generally, Abraham and Sarah obeyed God and kept His commandments. But they were not perfect and sinned on occasion–and every lie is a sin against God and neighbor. When they realized their sin and repented, God forgave them, and they will be in God’s Kingdom and one of God’s born-again sons and daughters, ruling under Christ in the Millennium and beyond (Hebrews 11:39-40).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Would you please explain Zechariah 13:3?

The passage in question refers to the time of the Millennium, after Christ’s return, when the Kingdom of God will be established here on earth.

Zechariah 13:2-3 reads:

“‘(Verse 2) It shall be in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. (Verse 3) It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him,”‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the LORD.” And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies…'”

This passage is adopted from and reverts back to laws which God gave Old Testament Israel, to be found in Deuteronomy 13:1-11 (compare also Deuteronomy 18:20).

In explaining the passage in Zechariah 13:3, the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary points out:

“The substantial truth expressed is that false prophecy shall be utterly abolished. If it were possible for it again to start up, the very parents of the false prophet would not let parental affection interfere, but would be the first to thrust him through. Love to Christ must be paramount to the tenderest of natural ties… Much as the godly love their children, they love God and His honor more.”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, adds the following:

“This parental correction would hold in check the foremost cause of the adulteration of true religion. Such discredit would be cast on the false prophet by his own kin that he would be ashamed to wear the tokens of which he had formerly boasted (verse 4). His garb and his dream would be discredited.”

We see from this passage that God will not permit idolatrous and demonic doctrines, as well as sorcery and witchcraft, to be taught or practiced in the Millennium. At the same time, the passage above refers to a rebellious, wicked and incorrigible person who refuses to be submissive and obedient to God, even though he has been repeatedly warned (compare Isaiah 30:20). During the Millennium, the death penalty will be “on the books” and will even be enforced, either directly by God or human beings, in case of flagrant presumptuous violations (compare an early incident at the beginning of the Millennium, in Ezekiel 38:18-23; 39:6; also compare a similar incident at the end of the Millennium, in Revelation 20:7-9).

We should also note, however, that the death penalty will be administered rightly and justly. For more information on this highly misunderstood matter, please read our Q&A, explaining “our” position on the “death penalty.” In that Q&A, we wrote:

“Even in Old Testament times, judicial safeguards were built into God’s law to provide for the rights of the accused in order to prevent injustices, i.e. guilt had to be firmly established; circumstantial evidence was not sufficient, and at least two witnesses were required to establish guilt. False witnesses were themselves subject to death. Difficult cases could be sent, on appeal, for judicial review. Once rightly convicted, however–and since the nation of Israel was at that time a theocracy, God would see to it that no innocent person would be wrongly convicted—the death penalty was mandatory, and it was swift and sure… Eventually, following Christ’s Return, the administration of justice, including capital punishment, will be rendered by God’s saints as Kings, Priests and Judges. It will be meted out fairly and equitably.”

At the same time, we should clearly understand that members of the Church of God–true Christians–are not to be involved in any way today, directly or indirectly, with the administration of the death penalty or the execution of a convicted criminal. We wrote in the Q&A, mentioned above:

“In the meantime, God’s Church is to have no part in administering man’s ‘justice’ and the death penalty, and Church members are not to serve as judges or jurors.., ‘if the State is not fulfilling its obligations, it is not up to the individual to take to himself the State’s authority which was conferred by God Himself. It is not for the individual to “execute wrath on him who practices evil.” For Christians this is even more so as we are not to be the ruling executives, legislators or judges of the civil government. Paul explained this in 2 Corinthians 3. Though the administration of “the letter” which kills (verse 6) is from God—and a civil authority that administers it is even “God’s minister” of this particular function (Romans 13:4)—true Christians are to administer only “life” through the administration of the Spirit.'”

We are also to understand that at the time of Moses, God gave Israel certain temporary, civil, sacrificial and administrative laws, and because of their sins, He added certain penalties to His spiritual timeless Law. We wrote the following in our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound,” on page 52:

“From a general standpoint, the laws in the Old Testament are divided into several categories. They may deal with temporary national or ritual circumstances, or they may address lasting principles to be incorporated in our personal lives. For instance, Deuteronomy 20 contains laws and regulations about national warfare. These laws are clearly not binding for Christians today, as a Christian is not to participate in war (Matthew 5:44; 26:52; Romans 12:20; 2 Corinthians 10:3–4; James 4:1–2; 1 John 3:15).

“In addition, God gave Israel certain national laws, for instance in Deuteronomy 16 and 17, dealing with the punishment and, in certain cases, the execution of criminals. Converted Christians are servants of the New Covenant, which gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6). They are not to judge or condemn another person. Christ said that he who is without sin may cast the first stone (John 8:7). At the same time, we are told that nobody can claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8). Therefore, Christians are not to participate, for instance as jurors, in the judicial systems of this world. In addition, the Church today is not to carry out the death penalty, either. Rather, the ministry is to preach today reconciliation and eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:18–21).”

Even when considering conditions during the Millennium, we need to understand that the nations will be “gradually” led to the truth. Foreigners will hear about God’s true and righteous rule in Jerusalem, and they will want to go there to learn more about it (Isaiah 2:1-3). We also read that God will introduce certain sacrifices in Jerusalem, at a New Temple, although we are clearly taught that because of Christ’s death, sacrifices are no longer necessary. Still, sacrifices will be given, at least temporarily, for the possible reason of leading people to Christ and making them understand the tremendous significance of Christ’s Sacrifice. (For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Sacrificial System and the Tabernacle in the wilderness,” pages 5-6.) The same concept might apply to certain other Old Testament laws, which God gave Israel at the time of Moses. Even though not applicable to or enforceable by God’s Church today, they might be reintroduced, perhaps on a temporary basis, for civil and criminal administration of the nations at the time of the Millennium.

When discussing the future role of true Christians–that of being kings and priests in the Millennium–we wrote the following in our free booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” on pages 34-36:

“Some people will respond quickly to Godly teaching and guidance. Micah 4:1–3 explains that they will want to learn to do what is right. They will not want to learn the way of war any more; but rather, they will be willing to replace their weapons with useful tools. God’s rule will start in Jerusalem and will spread out from there, to include countries that had never heard, learned or understood the truth before (Isaiah 66:19, 23)… But not everyone will readily follow your guidance nor respond to your oral teaching when they hear your voice behind them telling them to go the straight and narrow way. Some will need to be dealt with in more drastic ways, such as the temporary withholding of physical blessings (compare Zechariah 14:16–19)…

“Total rebellion will be dealt with quickly and thoroughly. Those who refuse to obey God will be destroyed. This will also serve as a lesson to others, so that they will not feel motivated to rebel also (compare Ezekiel 38:8–12, 15–23; 39:3–10)…

“Many Old Testament laws will be applied in the Millennium, including the commandments regarding the Sabbath, the Holy Days, clean and unclean meats, and the sacrifices. When someone steals, he will have to make restitution. He will have to pay ‘an eye for an eye,’ that is, he will have to restore the value of the eye (compare Exodus 21:24–25, 18–19, 22)… The Old Testament ‘an eye for an eye’ principle was never meant to be applied literally by actually maiming an offender. It was meant to outlaw the personal vindictive ‘self-help’ approach and to allow, instead, a magistrate or a judge to consider the case and render righteous judgment by ordering the offender to pay just compensation to the victim…

“You might not allow it to go so far as an individual actually losing an eye, so that the offender would have to restore its value, but the law, and the penalty for breaking the law, will be taught. Even if you did allow such an offense to happen, you could immediately heal the person who lost an eye. Christ allowed Peter to strike the servant and cut off his ear, but then He healed the servant right away (Matthew 26:51; John 18:10; Luke 22:50–51).”

In conclusion, God will not allow rebellion, idolatry, witchcraft or false teachings and prophecies to be practiced during the Millennium. He will do everything which is necessary to prevent those evil practices from occurring.

Let us also note and be reminded that the children of Israel, at the beginning of their deliverance from Egypt, oftentimes sought to return to their idolatrous lives (compare Psalm 106). They even began to worship idols–although God had revealed Himself to this people! In the future, some may also look back at this present age of darkness, as did some of ancient Israel; however, when Jesus Christ rules the earth, wrong practices, such as those mentioned in Zechariah 13:2-3, will be quickly stopped.

Today, the Church of God has the duty to teach mankind God’s way of life and to proclaim the soon-coming Kingdom of God when righteousness will dwell in the land. But the Church and its members are not to participate today in the administration of man’s political, legal, religious or military systems, knowing that this is not God’s world.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Would you please explain Matthew 24:20?

In Matthew 24, containing the famous “Olivet prophecy,” Jesus Christ explained the “sign of His coming and the end of the age” (verse 3). After discussing the “beginning of sorrows” (verse 8), He pointed at the worldwide preaching of the gospel (verse 14), followed by the Great Tribulation (beginning with verse 15). In that context, Jesus said, in verses 19-22:

“(19) But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies IN THOSE DAYS. (20) And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. (21) For THEN there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until THIS TIME, no, nor ever shall be. (22) And unless THOSE DAYS were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake THOSE DAYS will be shortened… (29) Immediately after the tribulation of THOSE days the sun will be darkened… (30) THEN the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and THEN all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Even though some commentaries state that Jesus’ sayings were restricted to the time of 69 A.D. and 70 A.D., when true Christians fled to the city of Pella before the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem, it is clear from the context that those events, even though constituting a forerunner, did not describe the final fulfillment of the prophesied events. There was no “Great Tribulation” at the time of 70 A.D.–worse than it ever had been or will be–nor did those events precede “the end of the age”–this present civilization–and “the coming of Christ.”

It is true that Christ specifically addressed first “THOSE who are in Judea,” telling them to “flee to the mountains” (verse 16). But then, His statement is all-encompassing, stating in verse 20: “And pray that YOUR flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.”

Regarding His statement that the flight should not be in winter, John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible remarks about the winter season:

“When days are short, and unfit for long journeys, and roads are bad, and sometimes not passable, through large snows, or floods of water; and when to dwell in desert places, and lodge in mountains, must be very uncomfortable: wherefore Christ directs to pray to God, who has the disposal of all events, and of the timing of them, that he would so order things in the course of his providence, that their flight might not be in such a season of the year, when traveling would be very difficult and troublesome.”

Christ was clearly saying in verse 20 that the Sabbath (as well as “winter”) would still be in existence “in those days,” just prior to His return. Notice this: The Sabbath will still be in force and effect just prior to Christ’s Second Coming! The notion that Christ came to abolish the law of the Ten Commandments (including the commandment to keep holy the Seventh-Day Sabbath), is utterly false. Paul said in Hebrews 4:9: “It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the sabbath” (Lamsa translation). The New King James Bible translates, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God,” but in the Greek, the word for “rest” is “sabbatismos” and means, literally, “keeping of the Sabbath” or “Sabbath-rest.” The time of the Sabbath rest referred to here begins Friday evening, at sunset, and lasts to Saturday evening, at sunset, according to the Hebrew calendar.

At the same time, the Bible makes it clear that it is not a sin to “flee” on the Sabbath. The Bible says that the ancient people of Israel left Egypt on the First Day of Unleavened Bread (an annual Sabbath or Holy Day), and, according to tradition, they crossed the Red Sea during their flight from the Egyptians on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread (another annual Holy Day). Also, according to tradition, the Israelites invaded and conquered Jericho on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread.

Again, what Jesus says is to pray that our flight not occur during either of these times. Implicit in His instructions is the fact that should the flight fall during these periods, then real difficultly would follow. Also, His warnings do act as a preparation for us–watching and being ready to escape from the horrific events that will follow is something we must pay attention to. Examples from the Word of God do show that God warned righteous people in advance, and that He also saw to their safety and deliverance.

However, it would most certainly not be easy “in those days” to have to flee “in winter or on the Sabbath.” Remember, Christ said in Matthew 24:19: “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies in THOSE days.” A flight under those conditions might be very burdensome, and Christ was encouraging His end-time disciples who would be aware of the signs of the time, to pray that their flight would NOT be in winter or on the Sabbath.

Christ focused specifically on the Sabbath for several reasons:

At the time of the end, the Satan-induced governments of this world will have begun a thorough persecution of all those who keep the Sabbath. We read of a worldwide martyrdom of God’s disciples, who will keep the Sabbath. These martyrs will include those who will have rejected the “mark of the beast.” This “mark of the beast” includes those who keep Sunday, instead of the Sabbath, and man-made holidays, such as Christmas and Easter, instead of God’s annual Sabbaths or Holy Days.

As happened before in history, the followers of “orthodox Christianity” will persecute all those who don’t keep holy their “weekly day of worship”–Sunday, the day of a pagan sun-god, as well as their annual “holidays” such as Christmas or Easter–days originally dedicated to pagan sun-gods–and who instead insist on keeping holy God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days.

The “mark of the beast”–designating those working or not working on certain days–will identify all those who belong to the universal “Christian” church in existence “in those days.” By extension, it will also single out those who do NOT belong to that universal church. For more information on the “mark of the beast,” please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “Is That in the Bible–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

We read that Satan will influence the governments of this world to persecute those who will be fleeing to a place of safety here on earth (compare Revelation 12:14-16). Those who keep the Sabbath and have probably already been under surveillance by the governments, will be in danger of additional persecution, and the governments might step in to prevent their flight. If that were to happen on the Sabbath, one can easily see how difficult, even mentally and spiritually, the conditions would be for the continuation of the flight.

Christ also prophesied that some outside the Church of God would keep the Sabbath. For instance, the Sabbath is being kept even today–more or less–in the state of Israel. Since it is possible that the place of safety will be located in the Middle East, it would be difficult to flee there, if it somehow involved a route through the state of Israel. According to prophecy, the Jews in Israel will have begun, by that time, to become more zealous in their religion; to build the Third Temple; and to re-institute the daily sacrifices. It stands to reason that true Christians would have to encounter resistance even from certain Jews if they had to flee on the Sabbath. (Since most Jews reject the New Testament, they would not take Christ’s warning seriously to flee to a place of safety to escape the Great Tribulation).

If most of the Jews in the state of Israel were to re-institute their (unbiblical) traditions regarding the Sabbath, which is highly likely, it would be very difficult to pass through their region on the Sabbath day. Note what the commentary of Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible has to say about the ancient traditions of the Jews:

“Long journeys were prohibited… The law of Moses did not mention the distance to which persons might go on the Sabbath, but most of the Jews maintained that it should not be more than 2000 cubits. Some supposed that it was 7 furlongs, or nearly a mile. This distance was allowed in order that they might go to their places of worship. Most of them held that it was not lawful to go further, under any circumstances of war or affliction. Jesus teaches his disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath, because, if they should not go farther than a Sabbath-day’s journey, they would not be beyond the reach of danger, and if they did, they would be exposed to the charge of violating the law [as interpreted by the Jews–not taught by the Bible]. It should be added that it was almost impracticable to travel in Judea on that day, as the gates of the cities were usually closed.”

John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible gives a similar explanation, which, even though referring to the time of Jesus’ First Coming, might be applicable to a renewed, but misguided zeal of the Jews in the future:

“And the reason why our Lord put them on praying, that their flight might not be on the Sabbath day, was, because he knew not only that the Jews, who believed not in him, would not suffer them to travel on a sabbath day more than two thousand cubits; which, according to their traditions…, was a sabbath day’s journey; and which would not be sufficient for their flight to put them out of danger… And though the Jews did allow, that the sabbath might be violated where life was in danger, and that it was lawful to defend themselves against an enemy on the sabbath day; yet this did not universally obtain; and it was made a question of, after the time of Christ, whether it was lawful to flee from danger on the sabbath day.”

We read that Christ’s true disciples will be hated by all nations in those days (Matthew 24:9). This would include professing Christians, because true Christians won’t accept the pagan concepts and worship which have become part of orthodox Christianity. This would also include the Jews, because true Christians won’t accept Jewish traditions and they will confess Jesus Christ as the ONLY Savior of the world, which concept the Jews (as well as the Arabs and other non-Christian religions) universally reject. True disciples will become the target of worldwide persecution from every corner, and fleeing on the Sabbath would contribute to additional hostilities.

Christ’s statement also shows that the specific day of the flight is not yet fixed, but that it is within the Father’s authority to decide when exactly the day of the flight will occur. So let us pray then, that our flight will not occur in winter or on the Sabbath day.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Would you please explain Revelation 12:17?

Reading Revelation 12:17 in context, it shows that in the future, just prior to Christ’s return, some in God’s Church will be protected from the Great Tribulation and Satan’s wrath, while other Christians will have to go through that terrible time of martyrdom.

Revelation 12:17 reads: “And the dragon [Satan the devil] was enraged with the woman [the Church of God], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

We begin our discussion of this passage by quoting from chapter 13 of our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation“:

“Commencing with Revelation 12:7, events that will take place at the time of the end—still future—are being described. A new war is depicted between Satan and God—another demonic attempt to dethrone God. But Satan will fail again and will be cast back down to the earth, to subsequently persecute the woman with ‘great wrath’ (Revelation 12:7–13).

“While the woman has flown to her place of safety, here on earth, with two wings of a great eagle (compare Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 1:31; 32:11; Isaiah 63:9), to be nourished there for 3-½ years (Revelation 12:14), Satan will spew water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman. This might perhaps allude to an army or to a military force (compare Daniel 11:10; Jeremiah 47:2–3). The earth will open its mouth to help the woman (compare Numbers 16:31–32). All of this will happen on earth—not in heaven, as some who believe in the false concept of a secret rapture erroneously teach.

“Satan will proceed to persecute others within the Church who will not be at the place of safety here on earth (those belonging to the prophetic ‘church of the Laodiceans,’ compare Revelation 3:14–19, including 144,000 Israelites and the great multitude of Gentiles, mentioned earlier).”

For further information on the existence of the place of safety here on earth, and the protection of some of God’s people (the “Philadelphia” Christians, compare Revelation 3:7-13, especially verse 10), please read our Q&A on the subject.

But why does God not protect other members of the Church of God–even though they “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”?

First, it is obvious that not all true Christians will be protected at the place of safety. God has decreed that some will have an important responsibility to fulfill during the Great Tribulation. The Bible speaks of two witnesses who will preach during the time of the Great Tribulation, and who will be killed a few days prior to Christ’s return. It stands to reason, based on Scripture, that the two witnesses will be supported by other Christians who will not be at the place of safety–and some, if not many of them, might likewise have to endure martyrdom–not necessarily because of any character flaws, but because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake and God’s glory (compare Revelation 6:9-11; John 21:17-19; Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:12-19).

It is also true, however, that many Christians described in the Bible as “Laodiceans” (compare Revelation 3:14-22), will have to go through the Great Tribulation. They are “lukewarm” Christians, thinking that they are rich and pure and righteous. They could be compared with the Pharisees who were spiritually blind, even though they were convinced that they were righteous and able to see. They kept the commandments of God, but not in the way that was pleasing to God. Rather than looking for God’s righteousness, they tried to establish their own righteousness.

Likewise, “Laodicean” Christians include people who are not really zealous in doing the Work of God, as well as those who think that they are, but they are not zealous in their self-examination to really see themselves as God does. They “keep” God’s commandments and “have” the testimony or the words or teachings of Christ–confessing Christ and claiming to be His true most dedicated followers–but they are not really willing to live God’s Word from the heart and with uncompromising and unwavering determination and conviction.

All of us are called upon to examine ourselves to see whether we are really in the faith–whether Christ really lives in us. Christ will tell those who did many miracles in His name and who preached the gospel in His name: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23). Christ never knew them to the extent that He could count on their unwavering and unconditional obedience. Even though they knew and perhaps even taught the commandments of God and the Words of Christ, they did not really live them–certainly not from the heart. They might have thought they were righteous–but they were not in God’s eyes.

Even though most commentators identify the persecuted Christians in Revelation 12:17 as dedicated, zealous and blameless followers of Christ, based on the fact that they “keep” the commandments and “have” the testimony, that understanding may not be correct.

The Elberfelder Bible comments that the word for “keep” can either convey the meaning of “to preserve” or “to do.” It does not have to mean both. God told the Israelites through Moses to “keep” and “do” the commandments (compare Deuteronomy 4:6. Authorized Version). The Elberfelder Bible translates: “to preserve and do them.” Generally speaking, the scribes and Pharisees “preserved” or “kept” the Law of God, but they most certainly did not “do” it (compare Matthew 23:1-3).

The Greek word for “keep” is “tereo,” and it includes the meaning of “watch over, preserve, keep, watch” (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). The passage in Revelation 12:17 could then be understood to say that they persevered or “watched” or “watched over” the commandments, but they were not really doing them. They called themselves Christians, but were not really conquered and led by God’s Holy Spirit.

But even if those who will not be protected at the place of safety keep the commandments and confess Christ in the sense that they will actually be obeying and doing them, they still might not have embraced them in the sense that they had become part of their nature–they would not have obeyed them from the heart; they would have not fully convinced themselves that they had to be kept; they would not have developed in themselves a LOVE for the truth.

The Great Tribulation will change all of this for many of them. In facing and experiencing martyrdom, many will come to the conviction that it is necessary, in the eyes of God, to embrace God’s Word wholeheartedly, as it defines His nature, and as true Christians are developing God’s divine nature within them. God would like to see this kind of unwavering commitment and conviction in His disciples now, in order to spare them from the terrible time to come–but for many, if not most Christians today, this goal will only be achieved through severe pain and suffering in the future.

In context with the annual Passover and the admonition to Christians to partake of it in a worthy manner, Paul warns us in 1 Corinthians 11:29-31:

“For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

God knows best what is needed for us to be able to enter His Kingdom. And when He calls someone to His truth in this day and age, He is not easily giving up on such a person. When Jonah tried to run away from his calling, God performed many miracles–some were very unpleasant for Jonah–to see to it that he would fulfill his task. Still, Jesus warns and admonishes all of us:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of life, and that Day come upon you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be COUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Why does the Church of God keep the annual Passover one day earlier than the Jews?

It is indeed correct that the Church of God keeps the Passover one day earlier than the Jews do today. The reason is that based on the Bible, the Jews keep the Passover one day too late.

This year, the Church of God keeps the annual Passover on Sunday evening, March 28, after sunset. However, the Jews keep the Passover, beginning on Monday evening, March 29, after sunset. As we said, they keep it one day too late. They keep the Passover when the Bible commands to keep the “Night to Be Much Observed”–two totally different and separate occasions.

Please notice our comments in our free booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days”:

“Today’s Jewish community is totally confused about the distinction between the Passover night and the Night to Be Much Observed. In fact, they keep the PASSOVER at the END of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th day [of the first Hebrew month of Nisan or Abib, according to the Hebrew calendar], TOGETHER WITH the Night to Be Much Observed, as if the two events were one and the same. But this is not according to Scripture. These are two separate events that are to be observed at two separate times… Scripture commands that the Passover is to be observed at the BEGINNING of the 14th day, while the Night to Be Much Observed is to be kept at the beginning of the 15th day—one entire day LATER! God said that at the END of the 14th day (or the beginning of the 15th day) unleavened bread is to be eaten until the END of the 21st day—that is, for seven days (Exodus 12:18).

“… the answer to the question of why the Church of God does NOT keep the Passover at the same time as the Jews, is simply because the Jews do NOT keep the Passover on the day as instructed in Scripture. The Church of God follows the example of Jesus Christ. Jesus and the apostles kept the Passover on the evening when Christ was betrayed (which would be [at the beginning of] Abib or Nisan 14)… this was one day earlier than the Jews keep it today. The Jews actually keep the first Day of Unleavened Bread (on Abib or Nisan 15), also called the ‘Night to Be Much Observed,’ AS the Passover, confusing the two occasions, by treating them as one and the same, and failing to see the distinction between the two…

“Although the Passover is at times referred to as a feast day (compare Leviticus 23:4–5), the Bible distinguishes between the day of Passover (on Nisan or Abib 14) and the seven Days of Unleavened Bread (on Nisan or Abib 15–21)…

“We find that Christ and His disciples kept the Passover on Nisan or Abib 14. At that time, the Passover was sometimes included in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, but… the entire time was then counted as lasting eight days, not only seven (compare Matthew 26:17–20; Mark 14:12–18; Luke 22:1, 7–16). However, the distinction between the Passover evening and the seven Days of Unleavened Bread was still clearly understood (compare Mark 14:1–2).

“When the New Testament speaks of the FEAST during the spring season, it refers to the first Day of Unleavened Bread, not the Passover evening (compare John 13:1). During the Passover evening, Christ told His betrayer, Judas, to ‘do quickly’ what he had planned to do (John 13:27). Judas left the house, and the disciples thought that Jesus had asked him to buy those things they needed for the FEAST (compare John 13:29)—that is, the first Day of Unleavened Bread, which would start at sunset on Nisan 15—more than 20 hours later…

“The evidence that the Passover was, and still is, to be kept at the BEGINNING of Nisan or Abib 14, not at the end, is overwhelming. Christ and His disciples… kept the PASSOVER at the BEGINNING of the 14th, and they should have known when to keep it. Further, the death angel went through Egypt on the night of the 14th, not the 15th, and that event is called Passover because the death angel passed over the Israelites when he saw the blood at the doors of their houses (Exodus 12:27). ‘Passover’ [and this has to include the actual event of the death angel’s PASSING OVER the Israelites] was on the 14th—not the 15th (Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 28:16). Also, the Israelites were not to leave their houses during the Passover NIGHT until morning (Exodus 12:22), yet we read that they left Egypt by night (Deuteronomy 16:1). Since it could not have been the night of Nisan 14, it had to be the next night—Nisan 15.”

To elaborate on this, it is clear from Scripture and virtually undisputed that Jesus and His twelve apostles kept the PASSOVER during the week of Christ’s death AT THE BEGINNING of the 14th day of Nisan–not at the beginning of the 15th day of Nisan (compare Matthew 26:1-2, 17-20; Luke 22:1, 7-16.) It is also clear that already during Jesus’ time, some of the Jews kept the Passover one day too late (compare John 18:28). That is one of the reasons why it was called the “Passover of the Jews” (John 11:55)–not anymore “the Passover of the LORD” or the “LORD’s Passover” (Leviticus 23:5). However, we learn from history that the Samaritans kept the Passover at the right time–at the beginning of the 14th day of Nisan–when Jesus and the disciples kept it.

George Carlow wrote in “A Defense of the Sabbath,” ed. 1847, on page 108: “[The Jews] kept the Passover on the wrong day… If you say that the Jews kept the right day, you must say that Jesus kept the wrong day.”

But Jesus kept it on the right day–He was the One who instituted it in the Old Testament. He had told the disciples to prepare the Passover for Him, and when the evening had come, He said, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15). None of the disciples asked Him: “Why do we keep it one day too early?” They KNEW when the Passover was, as they had kept it with Jesus before–at the beginning of the 14th day of Nisan–not at the beginning of the 15th.

The Israelites left Egypt by night (Deuteronomy 16:1). But this could not have been during the Passover night, when the lamb was eaten and the death angel went through Egypt, as they were forbidden to leave their houses until morning (Exodus 12:22), and they were to burn in the morning what remained of the lamb (Exodus 12:10). The Bible is very clear that “night” and “morning” are opposites–NOWHERE does the Bible say that “morning” could be part of the “night” (compare Numbers 9:15-16; Deuteronomy 28:66-67; Joshua 8:9-10; 1 Samuel 15:10-12).

The Passover was to be slain “at twilight, at the going down of the sun” (Deuteronomy 16:5-6). But they left Egypt one day later, “on the fifteenth day of the month; on the day AFTER the Passover” (Numbers 33:3). Since they left Egypt by night (compare again Deuteronomy 16:1), it had to be the night AFTER the Passover, at the beginning of the 15th day–it could not have been during the night of the 14th day, as they were forbidden to leave their houses until morning.

AFTER the Passover night and DURING the daylight portion of the Passover DAY, they received from the Egyptians articles of silver and gold. Notice Exodus 12:35: “And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses, and they borrowed [better: asked, demanded, required] of the Egyptians jewels of silver; and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Authorized Version. Some say, “had borrowed,” but this is an incorrect rendering). God had preordained that this would happen (Exodus 3:22). Subsequently, they left Egypt in the NIGHT of the First Day of Unleavened Bread–one full day AFTER the Passover.

We also read that the Passover lamb was to be slain “at twilight” on the 14th day of Nisan (Exodus 12:6). The Hebrew for “at twilight” is “ben ha arbayim” or “beyn haarbayim,” and means, literally, “between the two evenings.” Many commentators are confused on this phrase and conclude that it refers to the time between afternoon and sunset. This is wrong. Rather, the phrase refers to the time between sunset and dark (compare Moffat and the annotation of the German Menge Bible) or between sunset and complete darkness (compare the Imperial Bible Dictionary). The Revised English Bible says that it means, “between dusk and dark.”

Remember that the Passover had to be slain on the 14th day of Nisan, “at twilight, at the going down of the sun.” Since days begin and end with sunset, according to the Hebrew calendar, this had to happen AT THE BEGINNING of the 14th day, in order to be a PART of the 14th day. If it had occurred at the end of the 14th day, as the Jews believe, than in actuality, it would have occurred AFTER the 14th day had ended (after sunset, before nightfall); that is, at the beginning of the 15th day, after sunset. But the Bible says, it occurred on the 14th day; that is, “BETWEEN the two evenings”; i.e., AFTER sunset, but before nightfall.

The biblical evidence from both the Old and the New Testament shows overwhelmingly that the Passover was to be and must be kept at the beginning of the 14th day of Nisan–not at the end of the day. Consequently, this year, it is to be observed in the evening of March 28, after sunset. Those who keep it at the beginning of the 15th day (e.g., on March 29) do not keep the “Passover of the LORD,” nor do they follow Christ’s example as to when to keep it (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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