James Russell, Elder
Dear Scattered Brethren and Co-workers,
With a new year about to begin, we find life can take unusual turns as did the cloud in the wilderness.
So we must always be ready to move in the direction His truth leads us. There must be a willingness to follow
God's direction as He leads us in the way of truth! He tells us through Apostle John, "You shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free" ( John 8:32). Truth is freedom, and truth sets us apart, leaving us free
to teach God's truth from His Word - the Bible. Not bound by man's traditions!
The human mind rejects truth, at initial contact, said our Lord "Because the carnal mind is enmity against
God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" ( Rom 8:7). The late Sir Winston Churchill
once said, " Most people sometimes in their lives stumble across the truth. Most jump up, brush themselves off
and hurry on about their business as if nothing had happened." That brings us to the question, How important
is Passover to you? Does it matter which day you keep and observe for Passover?
Passover 2013 is rapidly approaching and we must make a decision (a conscious choice) to partake of
the Lord's Passover at His appointed time or keep Hillel II Hebrew Calendar date for Passover at its postponed
time? What will your decision be? From which table will you take the Lord's Passover from in 2013? Making
the right decision to these questions could save you and those in your family from death!
The Apostle Paul urgently admonished the Corinthians to flee from idolatry. Paul warned them not to
give the least degree of sanction to a form of worship that honors any other being than the one true God. Our
God must come first at all times, and His service must have first consideration-always. Notice Paul's inspired
warning, "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The
cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is
it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all
partakers of that one bread. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils [demons]: ye cannot be
partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils" ( 1 Cor 10:14-17, 21).
This cup of demons is a symbol of the "tradition of man" seeking to oppose and thwart the Lord's true
appointed time for Passover. There can be no compromising between God and Satan, between truth and error,
or between righteousness and sin! Every man is called upon to choose whom he will serve. "For if we sin
wilfully after that we have received [been shown]the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for
sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He
that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
( Heb 10:26-29).
Again, does it matter which day we keep for the Lord's Passing over? Did our forefathers living in
Goshen Egypt, think it mattered. "The LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, For I will
pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;
and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a
token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood [ on your door post ], I will pass over you, and
the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, that at
midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his
throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose
up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was
not a house where there was not one dead" (Exo 12:1,12-13, 29-30). That is a very frightening picture. The
Israelites in Goshen believed, in doing what they were instructed to do, they were saved by the "blood of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8).
We are no different than those Israelites. We are to obey the instructions given in the Word of God. Our
goal is to follow the Living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Words found in the scriptures. Yet many
professing Christians insist on playing Russian Roulette with God's written words. This is done by practicing
syncretism, believing half of what our Messiah said and practiced and believing half of what the Pharisees and
scribes said and practiced. Case in Point, try to find in the Bible where God gave the Pharisees or the scribes
(who were never given God's Holy Spirit) permission to postpone Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread
The mystery's of God Word challenges you to find the rules of postponements that Hillel II, the Pharisee,
used for inserting into the Hebrew Calendar that determines God's sanctified Holy appointed times. We as God's
called, must obey God the Father and His Son, Jesus the Christ! Not "the traditions of man" which our Lord
condemned!
The signs in the heaven have not changed. God set them there for our calculating His Holy Days, at their
appointed time! May God give to each of His called the courage and fortitude to partake of His Passover
and His Days of Unleavened Bread at their appointed time! Our Lord leaves all who read this letter with
a question , "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow
him...." (I Kings 18:21).
God's new year begins on March 11, 2013, following God's word from Geneses 1:3-5. God's appointed
Passover is on March 24th and Days of Unleavened Bread, starts on March 25th and ends on March 31st .
CHURCH OF GOD, IN TRUTH
P.O. Box 1120 Kimberling City, MO 65686
Tel: 417-338-0033 Fax: 417-338-0031
James Russell, Elder Tel: 417-338-0033 E-Mail: cogit@flash.net
Pete Fleming, Elder Tel: 830-885-5502 E-Mail: pmf06@gvtc.com
Spanish
Martin Martinez, Deacon Tel: 787-786-5856 E-Mail: marty@yahoo.com
Philippines
Romeo Samudio, Rep Tel: 090-8536-4415 E-Mail: romesamudio@yahoo.com
Kenya
George Otieno Rep Tel: +254728546497 E-Mail: georgeoti47@gmail.com
There are learned men that overlook the simplicity of Christ and interpret the Gospel of Matthew as if
they are to follow the doctrines of the Pharisees rather than obey God. We are told to Prove all things and let
the Bible interpret itself.
"Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying the scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat: All
therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and
do not" (Matt 23:1-3). Christ is paraphrasing a physical civil judgmental law-a judgmental law that He had
instituted through Moses.
Christ is claiming the Pharisees and scribes adopted this civil job by appointing themselves to it. . Christ never
gave the disciples or the Pharisees permission to change his commands. At the time Christ said "The scribes and
the Pharisees sit in Moses seat", the Pharisees and scribes were not in charge of the temple. The Sadducees were
in charge of the temple until 69 or 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed. The Pharisees and the scribes were
in charge of the synagogues where they held open forums. Read the rest of Matthew chapter 23 and you will
see what Christ thought about the Pharisees and scribes!
"If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and
between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up
into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose; And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto
the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: And thou
shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and
thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: According to the sentence of the law which they
shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline
from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left" (Deu 17:8-11). Christ told the
disciples how to make judgments in the church. "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell
him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not
hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let
him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican" (Matt 18:15-17)
History tells us Hillel II, a Pharisee, in the 4th century A.D. established a fixed calendar called the Hebrew
calendar. Later in the 19th century A.D. the Radio Church of God, under the leadership of Mr. Herbert W.
Armstrong adopted the same postponements and interculations as the Hebrew calendar, changing it's calendar
name to God's Sacred Calendar. I find it interesting that March 22, 1997 and March 22, 1940 have a lot in
common. Both are the correct dates for Passover.
In 1940 Mr. Armstrong did not accept March 22, 1940 as being the correct date for Passover. The
following is a direct quote from the 1981 reprint article from the Worldwide Church of God, titled "The Hebrew
Calendar-Authoritative for God's Church Today". "Herbert W. Armstrong addressed this problem head-on in
the Good News Letter of 1940. The man the referred to above had published earlier that year the date March
22 as Passover. The Stanberry, Missouri and Salem, West Virginia, organizations (of the Church of God,
Seventh Day) published the date as April 21 (each meaning the night at the end of the day, of course). Mr.
Armstrong wrote "that many of the brethren are in doubt and want the facts". And he gave them facts--in detail.
Then he added: In conclusion, unless God has preserved His sacred calendar through the Jews, then
we do not know how to figure Passover or any of the Holy Days this year. For there is no authority for any other
way. There is no Bible authority whatsoever for figuring the first day of the first month from the new moon
nearest the spring equinox.
"As soon as I learned", Mr. Armstrong continued, of [the man's] published dates for the festivals this
year, I sent him a telegram asking his authority for his dates. His reply is that he based his method of figuring
on certain statements of profane history found in encyclopedias. He replies, "In some Bible dictionary, or
encyclopedia, or Jewish Encyclopedia, I read something like this: "The ancient reckoning of Passover was from
actual sight of the new moon nearest the vernal equinox" After quoting various views from sources then extant,
Mr. Armstrong concluded: "Surely we can see that profane history only contradicts itself, is inaccurate, cannot
be depended upon and has no authority whatsoever. There is no Bible authority for any of it. "God did not
commit His oracles, or the preservation of His times, to profane history...they have been preserved by the Jews".
"After thorough study of the Bible, of the Hebrew calendar, of history and every angle - after going
into the matter with all the Eugene brethren and other brethren who have made a special study of this question,
we have unanimously agreed that the Hebrew calendar has been preserved correct by the Jews" (page 1 & 2).
You just read with your own eyes that Mr. Armstrong gave man, not God credit for establishing the
calendar. This is the same scenario that is taking place in 1997. By following a man, not God, error will be the
result. We are to "Keep the Passover in its appointed season (appointed time), Numbers 9:2. Mr. Armstrong's
booklet, "How Often Should We Partake of the Lord's Supper?", published in 1952, 12 years after his statements
in the Good News Letter of 1940, states on page 7, "This date 14th of Abib is calculated by the moon. The first
day of the new year always begins with the day nearest the spring equinox, when the new moon is first visible
to the naked eye at Jerusalem (not the United States)."
God's Sacred calendar that the churches of God follows the Hebrew calendar. The Hebrew calendar has
interculated (added) 4 leap years for the sake of convenience. There are 7 leap years (these are years with 13
months in them) in a 19 year cycle. Twelve years have 12 months and seven years have 13 months. To keep the
Feast of Tabernacles at the turn of the year as commanded you count from the 7th month to the 12th month. If
Passover, the 14th day, comes before the spring equinox, then you can physically see God has added a 13th
month. Example, in the year 2000, the 14th , will fall one day before the spring equinox. This means we are to
go to the next new moon for Abib 1, to keep the Passover in its appointed time!
This year-1997 the first day of the year falls on March 9th , Passover is on the 14th day. Counting March
9th as the first day, 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. This year-1997 the spring equinox is on March
20th. This places Passover two days past the vernal equinox.
The date marked on the Hebrew calendar and on God's Sacred calendar (the one used by the Churches
of God today) for Passover in 1997 is April 21st. Taking Passover on April 21st, means you will partake of the
second Passover. Do you clearly understand why a second Passover was instituted? Notice that certain Israelites
united with Judah kept the second Passover. "Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to
Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover unto
the LORD God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem,
to keep the Passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priest had not
sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem" (2 Chron
30:1-3).
Authority for the observance of the Passover in the second month, instead of the first, is given in Numbers
9:1-14. I would like for you to look at verses 10-11, 13, "Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man
of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep
the Passover unto the LORD. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs. But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the
Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the
LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin". What excuse will you give to your Creator when
asked why you did not keep the Passover in its appointed season (time)?
Let me quote this verse to you out of two other sources to help you get a clearer picture of the very serious
consequences of not keeping the first Passover. The Good News Bible says, "But anyone who is ritually clean
and not away on a journey and who does not observe the Passover, shall no longer be considered one of my
people, because he did not present the offering to me at the appointed time. He must suffer the consequences
of his sin". The Moffatt translation says, "But if any man, who is neither unclean nor absent on a journey, fails
to keep the Passover, that person shall be outlawed from his kinsfolk, because he has not offered to the Eternal
at the proper time: that man must take the consequences of his sin" (Num. 9:10-11,13).
You are being warned and shown the error Mr. Armstrong made in 1940. By not keeping the new moon
nearest the vernal equinox for the first day of the new year, in 1940, Mr. Armstrong kept the second Passover.
By 1952, twelve years later he came to see his error and repented of the mistake. Mr. Armstrong realized that
he had caused others to make the same mistake.
This is a warning as the Apostle Paul did when he said, "For I have not shunned to declare unto you all
the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath
made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood. Therefore watch
and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And
now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give
you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:27-28,31-32). The Apostle Paul set the
example of a watchman before the Ephesian Church for three years sanctifying them with truth. We are not
sanctified by the number of people in a specific group. We are not "set apart" by the many millions of dollars
we accumulate. If that is the way of measuring God's chosen, then the Catholic Church wins!! No brethren,
Christ said, "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17).
Brethren, not only the Church of God, In Truth, says that the Holy Days will be one month late this year.
Arthur Spier, the expert and scholar of the Hebrew calendar, said it in his book, The Comprehensive Hebrew
Calendar, 1960 Edition. I quote on page 227: "From the two tables following, it is evident that the advance of
Nisan toward May, at a rate of 4 days in a thousand years, has postponed Pesah (Passover) already in the 8th
and 19th year of the cycle more than a month from the astronomical spring equinox." "It will be the task of the
Sanhedrin to make a decision as to when and how the sanctified calendar of Hillel II is to be modified in
accordance with the requirements of astronomy and the Torah." Brethren, 1997 is the 19th year of the 19 year
time cycle. On page 226 it says: "Table V shows the Gregorian dates of the first day Passover, Nisan 15, as
they oscillate in the 19 year cycle 1941-59. They are practically the same in every cycle of our century, apart
from an occasional deviation of one or two days." If we add two 19 years cycles, we can see that 1997 is the
19th year of the 19 year time cycle!
In Christian Love,
Church of God, In Truth
THE HOLY DAYS FOR 1997
PASSOVER MARCH 22, 1997 (EVENING BEFORE)
1ST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD MARCH 23, 1997
LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD MARCH 29, 1997
PENTECOST MAY 11, 1997
FEAST OF TRUMPETS SEPTEMBER 2, 1997
DAY OF ATONEMENT SEPTEMBER 11, 1997
FEAST OF TABERNACLES SEPTEMBER 16, 1997
LAST GREAT DAY SEPTEMBER 23, 1997