Letter to the Brethren – November 6, 2003

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

As we return to our daily activities and begin to face the season ahead, having enjoyed immensely the fall festivals, we now must endure these next five months before the spring festivals begin and, we must not let down in our pursuit of God’s Way in our lives. Our purpose must continually be in the forefront of our thoughts, which purpose is to see God’s Kingdom established on this earth and our part in it.

Church doctrine remains critical to God’s Way of life, yet so many seem to have abandoned the teachings we have received. Eternal life hinges on sound doctrine as outlined in God’s Word. We must prove these things to ourselves over and over and we must reject anything that contradicts these truths.

Paul addresses these things in his two epistles written to the young evangelist, Timothy. Paul cautioned Timothy to be certain those under him were not teaching contrary to the doctrine as he had been taught (1 Timothy 1:3ñ4). He continued this line of thinking in 2 Timothy 3:1ñ5, where he stated that at the end time (our time today) there would be those in the Church who would go contrary to these teachings and would cause much trouble for the people of God.

It is imperative, brethren, that we not get caught up in such activities. We must prove and hold fast to God’s Truth. His Truth does not change over time! God does not change (Malachi 3:6). We as a people must strive to remain faithful to the teachings we have received. Satan will tempt us, just as he tempted Christ, because he wants to see us fail. Christ, however, always went back to God’s Word in disputing the lies of Satan (Matthew 4:1-11).

We will live our lives, either by God’s Ways or by the ways of this world. Time will test us all in these things. Will we be faithful?

We have strong instruction concerning these things in the prophecies of the book of Daniel. We can read of one of these in Daniel 11:32-35:

“Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by the sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purge them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.”

We see additional instruction in Paul’s epistle to the Romans, chapter 6; verses 16-18: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves to sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.”

What are we willing to endure, brethren, for the prize of the calling to which we have been called? Paul tells us in 1Timothy 4:16 that we should take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine. If we continue in the doctrine, we will save both ourselves and those who hear us. Are we committed to this Way? If we are ashamed of God and His Way, today, Christ will be ashamed of us at the time of His return (Mark 8:38).

In speaking to Titus, Paul noted that one who was to be ordained as a bishop must be a member who holds fast to “the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict”(Titus 1:9). Since we have all been called to learn to become teachers of God’s Way, these words of Paul apply directly to each of us. Now is the time when we must be learning these things.

In verse 16 of Titus, chapter 1, Paul notes those who “profess to know God, but in works they deny Him…” Yet, we read of Daniel, even after he knew a decree had been signed against him concerning His faithfulness to God” he continued to openly serve God, praying to Him and giving thanks, as was his custom (Daniel 6:10). Are we that committed to God and to His Ways that we will continue to serve God, even to the point of being willing to lose our physical lives for this Way? We must come to that level of commitment!

Now is our day of salvation, brethren (2 Corinthians 6:2; 1 Peter 4:17ñ18). We must continually grow in God’s Way and we must not allow the customs and seasons of this world to affect our loyalty to God and to His Way of life. We must never compromise with God’s Word. No doubt, in the past, we have all sinned by breaking God’s Law. As the appointed time approaches, we must be ever more diligent in committing our lives to His Way! Let us use these days, weeks, and months ahead as an opportunity to learn even more of God’s Way and let us draw near to Him in prayer and in fasting…both for our own benefit and for the benefit of all who may come in contact with us, who “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

In Christian love,

J. Edwin Pope

God’s Commanded Holy Days

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Are the Weekly Sabbath and Annual Holy Days Still Binding on Us Today?

Why did ancient Israel and  Judah have to go into captivity? Was God angry with them? And why does God warn this modern world that calamity is fast approaching? Is God angry with us?  Is there a correlation?

Could our failure to observe God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Feast Days have anything to do with it? Before we shrug our shoulders and scoff at such an idea, let us review God’s Word—the Bible—to learn what our Maker has to say about our national, collective and individual sins.

To suggest that God still requires man to observe the Seventh-Day Sabbath and His annual Holy Days sounds strange, indeed, to most people. After all, weren’t those days given only to the Jews, ultimately to be replaced by Christians with Sunday and with such festivals as Christmas, Easter, and even Halloween? Wouldn’t the keeping of the Sabbath and the annual Feast Days mean returning to Old Testament rituals that were done away by Christ when He died for us? Weren’t the Sabbath and the annual Festivals just part of the Old Covenant that was replaced by the New Covenant?

Undoubtedly, these are some of the arguments you have heard over the years, intended to convince you that the observance of the original Holy Days, and especially the weekly Sabbath, is no longer required or even permitted. Are these arguments based on Scripture, or are they based on human reasoning and opinion? How can you know the truth of the matter?

We believe this booklet will present the Biblical truth regarding the Sabbath and Holy Day observances. First, though, a word of caution: If we prove to you from the Bible that God requires you to keep the Sabbath and His annual Holy Days, then you are bound to do so and God will hold you accountable if you don’t. If you want to know the truth and you want to obey God, then this booklet is for you.

Part 1: The Holiness of the Weekly Sabbath

Throughout both the Old and the New Testaments, the Bible commands the observance of the weekly Sabbath. In fact, God made the Sabbath when He made man. Christ would later explain that the Sabbath was made holy for man (Mark 2:27) and was to be kept holy by man. The Sabbath was made for all of mankind. It was not made exclusively for the Jewish people, as they did not exist at the time God created Adam and Eve. They are the descendants of Judah—one of the sons of Jacob—a grandson of Abraham.

The Sabbath Was Made in the Beginning

God created Adam and Eve on the sixth day of the week. He finished His work by “resting” on the seventh day. We read in Genesis 2:2–3, “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

The Hebrew word for “rested” is “shabath.” It literally means “to cease, rest, keep Sabbath” (Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible). God rested, or ceased, from His work of creating in the first six days, and He kept the Sabbath on the seventh day. God did not have to rest from His work. He was not tired or weary. God is never weary (Isaiah 40:28). But He did it for us—for mankind—to give us an example to follow in observing the Sabbath. (Similarly, Christ would later allow John the Baptist to baptize Him though He did not have to be baptized, since He had not sinned and had nothing to repent of. He did it for us—to give us an example to follow in being baptized—in order to “fulfill all righteousness,” Matthew 3:13–15.) In the same manner, then, God showed us how to keep the Sabbath as He did—by resting from our daily work—even though He Himself did not need to rest.

We read in verse 3 of Genesis 2 that God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Now, when someone, or something, is “sanctified,” he, or it, is set apart “for a holy purpose.” The Sabbath was set apart as holy time by God at the creation of man, and God intended it to be kept holy by man. How can man keep it holy unless he learns how and when to do so?

When the Sabbath Starts and Ends

God has revealed in His Word exactly when the Sabbath starts and when it ends. God reckons each day, including the Sabbath, beginning at sunset and continuing through until the following sunset. Today, we would say that the Seventh-Day Sabbath starts Friday evening, when the sun sets, and lasts until Saturday evening, at sunset.

We know from the Jewish people when to keep the Sabbath. It is the Jews to whom God committed His revelations or His “oracles,” as Paul clearly explains in Romans 3:1–2. These “oracles of God” included the Old Testament Scriptures, as well as the knowledge of the week and of the Sacred Calendar. The Jews preserved the knowledge of which day the seventh day of the week is. Without an understanding of when a week begins and ends, we would not have been able to tell, from the Bible alone, which day the seventh day of the week actually is. Today, the Jews keep the Sabbath on Saturday, beginning Friday evening, at sunset. Nobody questions today that the Sabbath, as preserved by the Jews, is the seventh or last day of the week. All understand that Sunday is the first day of the week—although there have been some attempts in Europe to actually change the calendar in order to deceitfully pretend as if Sunday, and not Saturday, was the seventh day of the week.

The Bible reveals that days start and end at sunset, in the evening. Notice Genesis 1:5: “God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.”

Many Scriptures associate the meaning of the word “evening” with “sunset.” For instance, a period of one day regarding a ritualistic, temporary law is noted in Leviticus 22:6–7: “The person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening… And when the sun goes down he shall be clean.” (Note the same definition in 2 Samuel 3:35.) Further, we are told in Leviticus 23:32 to keep God’s Sabbath “from evening to evening.”

Sabbath in Effect Before the “Old Covenant”

Some would argue that God introduced the Sabbath to the “Jews” (erroneously believing that the ancient house of Israel was identical with the “Jews”) at the time of the Old Covenant and, since the Old Covenant is no longer binding, neither is the Sabbath. The Bible shows that this is not a valid argument.

First of all, this argument does not take into account that a covenant and a law are two different things, and that abolishing a covenant does not automatically annul the law(s) on which the covenant is based (For an in-depth study of this important question, write for our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”).

Secondly, the Sabbath command was in effect long before the “Old Covenant.” We have already seen that God instituted the Sabbath at the time He created man. Now notice what happened later—several weeks before the Old Covenant at Mount Sinai was made. God had led Israel out of Egyptian captivity, through the wilderness, and toward their destination of Mount Zion. During their travel, they complained that they did not have anything to eat. Although this was not true—they did have plenty of livestock—God honored their request, telling Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not” (Exodus 16:4).

What law was God concerned about? What was the law by which the people were to walk? Verse 5 gives us part of the answer: “And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” Why were they to gather twice as much on the sixth day? Verses 23 through 26 explain, “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning. So they laid it up until morning… Then Moses said, Eat that today, for today is the Sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.”

Again, these events took place before the Old Covenant was made. God had to reintroduce the people to the Sabbath law because they had been in Egyptian captivity where they were not allowed to keep the Sabbath and ultimately had forgotten about it. At this time, then, God chose to show them—through a miracle—that the extra “bread from heaven” or “manna” that they gathered on the previous day in preparation for the Sabbath, remained fresh on the Sabbath, while on other days it became uneatable when left over (Exodus 16:19–20, 24). In spite of this, some would still go out on the Sabbath to gather manna. Notice God’s response to this conduct (vv. 28–30): “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day [that is, in order to gather manna]. So the people rested [Hebrew, “shabath”] on the seventh day.” They had to learn, from God, how to keep the Sabbath.

There are some principles we can learn from this account. We learn that the Sabbath command was a law that God required to be kept. It had been in force for a long time—in fact, since the creation of man. He asked the people, “HOW LONG do you refuse to keep it?” We also learn that the Sabbath is holy to God. God sanctified the seventh day when He created man. It was set aside for a holy purpose. We learn that God gave the Sabbath to man—the Sabbath is a gift from God. James 1:17 tells us that God only gives us “good and perfect gifts.” Finally, we learn that the people rested—“shabath”—kept the Sabbath on the seventh day by not going out and engaging in the work of gathering bread.

The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20

Weeks later, God thundered the Ten Commandments to the people from the holy mountain. He did not, however, just suddenly bring the Ten Commandments into existence at that time. They had been already in existence since the creation of man (for detailed proof, see our booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”).  But God found it necessary to remind the people of His law and to impress upon them the absolute need to observe it.

Notice the wording of the Fourth Commandment in Exodus 20:8–11: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

Again, we see that God created the Sabbath when He created man. He blessed the Sabbath day and “hallowed it,” that is, He made it “holy.” That is why He tells His people to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. We also find that the Sabbath belongs to our God. It is His, but He gave it to us to honor Him on that day. One way to keep the Sabbath day holy is to cease from working, just as God ceased from His work. He expects us to do likewise.

Later, in Exodus 23:12, God repeats this command, but He adds another piece of important information. He says, “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest [Hebrew, “shabath”], that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.

All of us—be it ourselves or be it any employees or animals under our control—are to rest on the Sabbath day, in order to be refreshed. (Later in this booklet, we will discuss in more detail the fact that the Sabbath is not to be a burden for us, but rather a joy.) While animals are to be refreshed in a physical sense, God’s people are to be refreshed in a spiritual way, as well as being physically refreshed by not working on that day.

A Separate Sabbath Contract

It is true, of course, that the Fourth Commandment was part of the Old Covenant. But, the Old Covenant did not bring the Ten Commandments into existence, since they were in force and effect since the creation of man. Rather, the Old Covenant was based on the Ten Commandments. To clarify this, we need to first understand that a covenant is simply a contract that is based on law—it does not create law—and when a contract is annulled, the law on which it is based is not annulled along with it.

Additionally, we are introduced to a separate contract in Exodus 31. The subject matter of that contract is the Sabbath. We read in Exodus 31:14–17: “You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest holy to the LORD… Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested [Hebrew, “shabath”] and was refreshed.”

We can glean several important principles from this passage. First of all, we are told that everyone who did not observe the Sabbath in ancient times had to be put to death—physically. Today, the penalty is spiritual death—eternal death—for those who know they must keep the Sabbath but refuse to do so, and deliberately and maliciously refuse to repent from such a transgression. Secondly, the Sabbath law here is incorporated into a separate or special agreement or covenant. It is referred to as a “perpetual” covenant between God and the people of Israel throughout their generations. So then, if you are a physical descendant of the house of Israel, this contract is binding for you. But it also applies to all of us who are spiritual Israelites today (compare Romans 2:28–29), and as such, we are obligated under this contract. The contract has never been abrogated, or nullified. Thirdly, the Sabbath is holy to God, and it must be holy to us. When we work on the Sabbath, we profane, or defile, what God has made holy, in this case the Sabbath. Finally, the Sabbath is considered a “sign” between God and the children of Israel (both physical and spiritual) forever.

Indeed, the keeping of the Sabbath is an identifying sign in several ways:

(1)   It identifies us to God. God made the Sabbath holy for us, and when we keep it, we are showing God that we want to belong to Him. God says in verse 13 of Exodus 31 that the Sabbath is a sign between Him and us, so that we may know that it is He “who sanctifies us.” God sanctified the Sabbath when He created man, and when we keep His Sabbath holy, God is willing to sanctify us as well.

(2)  It identifies us to others as belonging to God. When we keep the Sabbath, it will be noticeable to those with whom we have close relationships—our family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Our lack of participation in sports, school or college events that are scheduled on the Sabbath, as well as not going to theaters or working on the Sabbath, will become very obvious, and so these people will come to realize our commitment to God.

(3)  It identifies God to us. When we keep the Sabbath, showing by our actions that it is holy to us, then we “may know that [God is] the LORD” (verse 13).

Additional Sabbath Instructions in the Book of Exodus

The Bible can be viewed as a big puzzle. It contains pieces of the puzzle in different places—here a little, there a little (Isaiah 28:10). We must put all the pieces together in the right way in order to get an accurate and complete picture. In studying the Scriptures on the Sabbath that are sprinkled throughout the Old and New Testaments, we find that they complement each other, shedding more light on certain passages and giving us further explanations, additions, or clarifications.

For instance, we read in Exodus 34:21: “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest [Hebrew, “shabath”]; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest [Hebrew, “shabath”].” Here we find that the Sabbath command, indeed, applies to the time of plowing and harvest. The reason for this is that our focus needs to be on God on the Sabbath day, rather than on our own personal pursuits or our work. We are told in Exodus 35:2, “Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death.”

God tells us that the Sabbath is holy to Him. That is the reason—and quite frankly, the only reason—why the day is holy to us. Only God can establish anything as holy. Our focus must be on God on that day. It is a Sabbath rest “TO the LORD.” Working on that day would detract from the holy purpose of the Sabbath.

The very next verse, however, has created a problem for some. It reads, “You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day” (Exodus 35:3). Remember, the context of the passage is working or not working on the Sabbath. God instructs us here not to kindle a fire for the purpose of working. He is not talking about kindling a fire to warm ourselves, or to cook a meal, or, as some interpret this today, to turn on a light switch. In the original Hebrew, the thought is conveyed of “kindling a consuming fire.” The context in which this command was given was the work of building the tabernacle (compare Exodus 35:10–19).

This understanding is confirmed when reviewing Exodus 12:16. Here we read: “… No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you.” While this passage deals with an annual Holy Day, we will see later in this booklet that annual Holy Days are also referred to in Scripture as “Sabbaths.” What we find here is a Biblical definition of work that can be done and work that must not be done on a Sabbath. We can do what we must do in order to prepare a meal; this is not considered prohibited work. At the same time, it follows from Exodus 16:23, that baking and boiling should be done on the previous day (Friday). Put together, we find, then, that heavy baking or boiling should be done on Friday, but that it is not prohibited to “kindle a fire” to cook or heat a meal on the Sabbath day.

Sabbath Instructions in the Book of Leviticus

When we focus on a few pertinent passages in the book of Leviticus, we find that God repeats the theme of the holiness of the Sabbath, while adding further important information and instructions. We read in Leviticus 19:2–3: “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.”

Why the connection between holiness, Sabbath keeping, and respect for our parents? We have already seen that the Sabbath is holy to God. Since we are to become holy, we are to keep the Sabbath holy, thereby showing God that we respect His holiness. The word “Sabbaths” is used here in the plural, showing that God is speaking about the weekly and the annual Sabbaths (more about this later). At the same time, we are to revere our parents, who teach us the holiness of the weekly and annual Sabbaths. The Sabbath command may sound strange to young people. Humanly speaking, it makes no sense to keep the Sabbath holy, as distinguished from Friday, Sunday, or any other day of the week, or to observe certain annual Holy Days. The only reason why we must do so, is because God has decreed it. We are to respect our parents for teaching us God’s word, and accept and learn from them, rather than looking down on them and their “strange religion.”

One of the most famous Old Testament Scriptures relating to the weekly and annual Sabbaths can be found in the 23rd chapter of the book of Leviticus. Notice the important details God gives us, teaching us not only that we are to keep the Sabbath, but also how we must do it. We read in Leviticus 23:2–3: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.”

God wants us to assemble together on His holy days. The Sabbath assembly is called a holy convocation. Those who are able to attend Church services should do so. (This means they have to leave their house for the purpose of assembling for worship services. The prohibition in Exodus 16:27–30, as discussed earlier, only refers to leaving our home for the purpose of working or pursuing our own pleasures on that day.) Those members who are scattered should do the best they can to assemble with Church members in their minds—whether by participating in live Internet Church services, by listening to sermon tapes, or by reading the Bible or Church literature. God warns us NOT to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as [had become] the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

The Sabbath is a FEAST day. It is GOD’s Feast day. Rather than doing our customary work on that day, we are to reflect on the solemnity and holiness of the day. We should keep the Sabbath as a means of glorifying God by “feasting” with God’s people on His word (compare Matthew 4:4).

Sabbath Instructions in the Book of Numbers

Moses and the children of Israel were introduced to a new situation when one of them went out on the Sabbath “gathering sticks” in the wilderness. God instructed the congregation to stone the man (Numbers 15:32–36). Why? This certainly seems to be a harsh penalty, but we must understand the background. The gathering of sticks in the wilderness was obviously a time-consuming and laborious task. It also appears that this man gathered the sticks for the purpose of “kindling a fire” on the Sabbath so that he could work. He apparently was in a hostile and defiant attitude against God, because if he had deeply regretted what he had done and was repentant, then God, who is merciful and compassionate, would not have ordered the execution of the man. God was using this situation to teach the congregation of Israel that He would not allow His holy Sabbath to be defiled. The execution of the violator was to serve as a warning and an example for others.

Although the Bible states very clearly that “no work” must be done on the Sabbath, we are also told that certain types of “work” are permitted. We have seen that it is not wrong to kindle a fire on the Sabbath for the purpose of warming ourselves or to heat a meal. Work that is permitted on the Sabbath is mentioned in Numbers 28. God commands the congregation to bring Him His offerings “at their appointed time” (verse 2). While two lambs had to be offered each day (verse 3), God required the sacrifice of two additional lambs on the Sabbath day (verses 9–10). Later, Jesus Christ commented on this enjoined practice in Matthew 12:5, “Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?”

This means that, even though they worked on the Sabbath, they were blameless because they brought offerings to God, and in doing so they focused on God, not on their own pleasures or selfish pursuits. In the eyes of Pharisaic critics, they “profaned” or “desecrated” the Sabbath (Christ used these words to show the mindset of the Pharisees), but Christ said that they were “blameless” when they brought the sacrifices because it was a directive from God.

Numbers 28:25 explains more about what kind of work cannot be done on the weekly and annual Sabbaths. This Scripture refers specifically to the annual Sabbath of the Last Day of Unleavened Bread, but it can be applied to all weekly and annual Sabbath days. God says: “And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation [as is also the case for the weekly Sabbath]. You shall do no customary work.” (Also compare Numbers 28:26 for the annual Sabbath of Pentecost; Numbers 29:1 for the annual Sabbath of the Feast of Trumpets; Numbers 29:12 for the annual Sabbath of the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles; and Numbers 29:35 for the annual Sabbath of the Last Great Day, the eighth day immediately following the Feast of Tabernacles. We will cover these annual Holy Days in more detail later).

We see, then, that the kind of work prohibited on the Sabbath is “customary work.” This kind of work draws our attention away from the holiness of God and His Sabbaths. “Customary work,” by Biblical definition, does not include kindling a fire to warm oneself or cooking or heating a meal, and it does not include the bringing of sacrifices by the priests. Later in this booklet, when we cover the New Testament Scriptures about the Sabbath, we will discuss how this applies to us today.

The Fourth Commandment in Deuteronomy

Careful consideration of the wording of the Fourth Commandment given in Deuteronomy 5:12–15, as compared with the wording in Exodus 20:8–11, reveals several important distinctions. In the book of Exodus, God emphasizes the sanctity of the Sabbath in view of His rest from work on the seventh day, while in the book of Deuteronomy He gives us an additional reason why we are to keep the Sabbath holy. He says in Deuteronomy: “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy [margin, “to sanctify it”], as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; THEREFORE the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”

We see, then, an additional reason why the Israelites were to keep the Sabbath day holy—because God had freed them from slavery. There is a spiritual correlation for us today. We were all, at one time, slaves. We were slaves of Satan the devil, slaves to the world around us, and slaves of our own carnal desires and human nature (compare Hebrews 2:14–15; Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:12–15; 2 Timothy 2:24–26). Most people still live in this kind of slavery today. Only those whom God has called out of this world—to give them His Holy Spirit—has He freed from spiritual captivity. The observance of the weekly Sabbath reminds them continuously of the fact that God has freed them in order to bring them into His very Family. When we keep His Sabbath holy, we tell God by our actions that we
appreciate our freedom and that we thank Him for it.

Ancient Israel and Judah Violated the Sabbath

After Joshua led the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, they began, in due time, to disobey God and forsake His law, including His commandments regarding Sabbath observance. God subsequently sent His prophets to warn them of dire consequences if they did not repent of their transgressions and return to God’s instructions.

The Warnings of Isaiah

The famous prophet Isaiah gave the house of Judah an encouraging, albeit embarrassing, message to the effect that even Gentiles would soon begin to keep the Sabbath. Why then, Isaiah asks, does the very house of Judah refuse to do so? Isaiah’s message is as relevant for us today as it was at the time of ancient Judah. Reading from Isaiah 56:1–7: “Thus says the LORD: Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man [not just the ancient Jews] who does this, And the son of man [not just the modern Jews] who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil. Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from His people; Nor let the eunuch say, Here I am, a dry tree. For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant—Even them I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer.”

How can one read those statements and reject the plain meaning that God intends that everyone keep His Sabbath? God made the Sabbath for man, and He wants all of mankind—not just the Jews—to keep His Sabbath holy. God says that the man—the person—is BLESSED who keeps His Sabbath. He will experience joy and blessings if he does so.

Isaiah was trying to encourage the house of Judah to cease violating the Sabbath, showing them that eventually everyone will keep it. He gave another prophetic admonition in Isaiah 58:13–14: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure [or pursuing your business] on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words, Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

So then, we see that we delight in God when we delight in His Sabbath. God instructs us not to do the things that we normally do during the week in order to make a living. It also includes our own pleasurable interests, hobbies, or affairs that have no direct focus on God and His Work and Creation—as all of these things detract from concentrating on God and His holiness on His holy day. These admonitions from Isaiah bring out the fact that the Sabbath is holy to God, that it should be holy to us, and that we must focus on God, His Word and His Work on His Day.

The house of Judah, though, would not listen, even as the house of Israel had not listened. Isaiah tries again in Isaiah 66:23: “And it shall come to pass That… from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the LORD.” What a powerful future message he conveys in these few words, but his audience does not get it! It will happen very soon, God says through his prophet Isaiah, that everyone will keep the Sabbath. He asks why those who are privileged to know about the holiness of the day aren’t already keeping it. The same question is being asked today. What is your response?

The Warnings of Jeremiah

The prophet Jeremiah also chided the ancient house of Judah for violating the Sabbath. Notice how he addresses this issue in Jeremiah 17:21–27: “Thus says the LORD: Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow [keep holy] the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they did not obey nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction. And it shall be, if you heed Me carefully, says the LORD, to bring no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work in it, then shall enter the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, accompanied by the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever… But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.”

Viewed in context, Jeremiah specifically addresses the carrying of burdens for the purpose of selling them. The people violated the Sabbath in that they continued to trade their merchandise. This will be discussed in more detail later in this booklet when we look at additional Scriptures in this regard.

Sadly, the house of Judah did not heed God’s warning. They continued violating the Sabbath day, just as they also continued to break the other commandments of God. Since they did not appreciate the gift of the Sabbath and the Holy Days that God had bestowed on them, God took the gift away from them. We read in Lamentations 2:6 that God “has destroyed His place of assembly; The LORD has caused The appointed feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion.”

This can be said, to a large extent, to us today. As we will see, the New Testament Church continued to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days for a while, but as time passed, Sabbath-keeping became more and more a thing of the past, or just a Jewish observance. Today only a very few churches claiming to be Christian observe the Sabbath. Most observe Sunday, a day which God NEVER sanctified. And even those Christians who do keep the Sabbath and the annual Festivals must be careful that they appreciate the gift that God has given them. If they observe God’s weekly and annual Holy Days only as a matter of routine—not really from the heart—or if they only do it because they have to, rather than really wanting to, their understanding of the continuing sanctity of the Sabbath and the Holy Days will  gradually slip away and they won’t even realize it.

The Warnings of Hosea

When Jesus Christ returns to this earth, He will enforce the observance of the weekly and annual Sabbaths, as we will soon see. The Bible predicts, however, that prior to His return, most, who hear the gospel preached to them, will not heed. Even many of those in God’s Church, who—at one time—believed in the sanctity of God’s holy days, might very well let it slip. Sadly, the history in the Church of God shows that this did happen to quite a number of people.

Notice God’s frightening warning for the modern nations of Israel and Judah, as well as His Church today, in Hosea 2:11: “I will cause all her mirth to cease, Her feast days, Her New Moons, Her Sabbaths—All her appointed feasts.” And in Hosea 9:5–6: “What will you do in the appointed day, And in the day of the feast of the LORD? For indeed they are gone because of destruction” (Hosea 9:5–6).

In addition to containing a warning for God’s end-time Church, these passages also show a repeat of history of the nations of the houses of Israel and Judah. What happened to ancient Israel and Judah has also happened to the modern nations of Judah (falsely called “Israel” today) and of Israel—the United States of America, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and other Commonwealth nations. Just as it happened then, the violation of God’s commandments—including those enjoining the observance of His Sabbath and His annual Feast Days—have much to do with the disaster decreed for the modern houses of Israel and Judah. (For a thorough discussion of these frightening times, soon to come upon us, ask for our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”)

We pray that you will not be one of those who are being addressed in these Scriptures. You and I can obey God now by keeping His Sabbath, or we will suffer the consequences.

Judah’s Worship After Their Return From Captivity

God led the ancient houses of Israel and Judah into captivity because they had consistently violated God’s laws and refused to properly keep the weekly and annual Sabbaths. The house of Israel never went back to the Promised Land. However, many from the house of Judah did. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah report how the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem and the surrounding areas. In the ninth chapter of the book of Nehemiah we read how the Levites confessed their sins and the sins of the people—sins that led to their captivity—and how they made a covenant or contract with God to never practice these sins again. In Nehemiah 9:13–14 we read, “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant.”

However, the people had not listened carefully. “They refused to obey” it says in verse 17. Skipping to verse 26: “They were disobedient, And rebelled against you, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets.” Then in verse 34: “Neither our kings nor our princes, Our priests nor our fathers, Have kept Your law, Nor heeded Your commandments and Your testimonies.”

We learn here that the Levites and the people wanted to learn from their mistakes. They were now dedicated to upholding the law. The covenant, or contract, that they made with God included the following provision: “… if the peoples of the land brought wares [merchandise] or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day [an annual Holy Day]” (Nehemiah 10:31).

Human nature being what it is, they initially may have had a desire to keep God’s laws, but the willpower to follow through was lacking and the people soon slipped back into old habits. In Nehemiah 13:15–22 we are told how the Jewish people violated the Sabbath and how they let merchants and strangers enter Jerusalem on the Sabbath to sell their merchandise. Notice the stern condemnation of such practices by Nehemiah: “In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions.” [Note: They carried burdens into the city to sell them. The context here is engaging in trading and selling of merchandise.]

Continuing in verse 16: “Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burden would be brought in on the Sabbath day. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you! From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.”

Here we see a description of a very common practice in our Western world today—a farmer’s market being conducted on the Sabbath. People were carrying burdens into the city to sell them there. But God did not—and does not—approve of such practices. If we want to be God’s people, we are not to participate in such activities.

Wrong Sabbath-“keeping”

Part of the problem was that the people might have been “keeping” the Sabbath “pro forma” for a while, but they never did it from the heart. If the Sabbath is kept only by not working, yet anxiously waiting until the sun sets so we can pursue our own pleasures and activities, then we have missed the entire purpose of Sabbath-keeping. It’s not really in our heart to keep the Sabbath holy as God made it holy. In addition, when we compromise in one aspect of God’s law, we soon compromise in other aspects, as well.

Notice how the prophet Amos described the attitude of the people in ancient Israel prior to their captivity: “The end has come upon My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore… Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail, Saying, When will… the Sabbath [be past], That we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit, That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of sandals—Even sell the bad wheat?” (Amos 8:2, 5–6).

Although they might have ceased from working and trading merchandise on the Sabbath, their minds were not directed toward the sanctity of the day at all. Rather, they were focused on worldly endeavors. This led to their willingness to cheat and defraud others, making the poor even poorer and forcing them into slavery to pay off their debts. One transgression—one violation—of the spiritual intent of the Sabbath commandment led to the next violation—dishonesty and fraudulent conduct. No wonder God was very angry with His people!

Right Sabbath-keeping

Notice, in contrast, Psalm 92—a psalm for the Sabbath. This psalm focuses on God. It encourages us to thank God for what He does in our lives and it inspires us to meditate over God’s past, present, and future works. It gives us ideas on how to spend our time on the Sabbath day to please God. Rather than thinking or talking about our customary work, we should focus on God and His work, as well as pray to God and read His words for us—the Bible.

The Sabbath a Burden?

Since the Jews were very much aware that their past Sabbath-breaking was a  primary reason why God led them into Babylonian captivity, and since the people who had returned to Jerusalem still fell repeatedly into the trap of breaking the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders wanted to make sure that the Sabbath would not be violated again. By the time of Jesus Christ’s first coming as a human being, they had adopted many Sabbath rules and regulations that were not found in the Bible, but which were meant to protect the heart and core of the Sabbath law. They felt that these additional man-made rules constituted a “fence” to protect the substance of the Sabbath. They reasoned that no one would violate the heart and core of the Sabbath law if they were prevented from breaking certain provisions that “fenced in,” and thereby “protected,” the Fourth Commandment. Although the motives might have been laudable, the net effect was that the Sabbath was no longer a day of joy, but rather a burden and a heavy yoke.

Human Inventions of Sabbath “Rules”

From God’s perspective, the Sabbath is a Feast Day, intended to be a day of joy and happiness, as well as physical and spiritual renewal. We can learn from the mistakes of the Pharisees and avoid repeating them today. By adding humanly devised restrictions to God’s Sabbath commandment, the Pharisees did, in fact, violate God’s law (Matthew 23:4; Mark 7:8–9, 13). The Jewish historian, Moses Hodas, explains in “Hellenistic Culture,” on page 82: “The rabbis were men of faith, and their object was the service of religion, but their method of securing discipline was, like Plato’s, to provide authority for men’s smallest actions.”

The Pharisees totally misinterpreted the prohibition against carrying burdens on the Sabbath. They decreed that a person was guilty of breaking the Sabbath if he carried a sheet of paper, or any food that weighed as much as a dried fig, or if he carried more than one swallow of milk, or enough oil to anoint a small part of the body.

If a fire broke out in a person’s home on the Sabbath, he could carry out only the necessary food to be consumed on the Sabbath. This meant that if the fire broke out at the beginning of the Sabbath—right after sunset—the person could take out enough food for three meals; but if the fire broke out on the afternoon of the Sabbath, he could only take out enough food for one meal. The rest could not be carried out and had to be left behind, to burn with the building. Further, only necessary clothes could be taken out of a burning house on the Sabbath.

Very likely, the Pharisees had been subconsciously influenced by their former Babylonian environment when they devised those Sabbath rules. The Babylonians had set apart the seventh day of the Babylonian week, called “Shabattum,” as “ill omens” or “evil days.” For instance, it was forbidden on those days to eat flesh cooked upon coals. One must wonder whether we find a reason here why some Orthodox Jews have misunderstood the above-described passage in Exodus 35:3 regarding “kindling a fire,” falsely concluding that even turning on a light switch was prohibited. The Babylonians also forbade the change of garments on those days, as well as calling for a physician. As we will see, Christ had to deal with a similar Pharisaic concept. The Pharisees in His day insisted that He should not heal anyone on the Sabbath—that people were not supposed to request healing on that day. Again, the parallel to Babylonian superstition is evident.

We might laugh about those restrictions today, but these were no laughing matter at the time of Christ. He had confrontations with the Pharisees on numerous occasions when He refused to abide by their man-made Sabbath rules.

We must be careful today not to create for ourselves, and others, similar rules on how to keep—or not keep—the Sabbath, when such rules cannot be found in Scripture.

Christ Shows Us How to Keep the Sabbath

Jesus Christ restored the original intent of the Fourth Commandment, using much of His time to show us how to observe the Sabbath. Since the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes had created many prohibitions, Christ began to show the people all that could be done on the Sabbath. The fact that the Sabbath had to be kept was not in doubt, but Christ had to show—by words and deeds—how to keep it. He also clarified the spiritual intent and purpose of the Sabbath law, which cannot be ascertained by simply saying, “Unless the Bible tells us that we can do a certain thing on the Sabbath, we cannot do it.” Rather, Christ came to “exalt the law and make it honorable” (Isaiah 42:21). A strict set of do’s and don’ts does not exalt the law, nor does it honor God.

The Pharisees were quick to condemn Christ and His disciples because they did not keep the Sabbath in accordance with their own Pharisaic ideas and opinions. Christ showed that their ideas were wrong, and in fact, added insult to injury when condemning those who kept the Sabbath correctly. Let’s notice some individual situations where Christ shows how to correctly observe the Sabbath law.

Plucking Heads of Grain on the Sabbath

We read in Matthew 12:1–8: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath! But He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord [even] of the Sabbath.”

This important episode teaches us a great deal about the right attitude toward observing the Sabbath. First of all, Christ points out that it is not the Pharisees—or any human being for that matter, but only God Himself, through His Son Jesus Christ—who is to tell us how to keep the Sabbath as far as what is permitted and what is prohibited. This is not just a matter of pointing at a particular statement in the Bible. One has to focus on the context and on the spiritual application. Christ was chiding the Pharisees for being merciless. They did not allow the disciples to pluck heads of grain on the Sabbath, even though they were hungry. Christ compares this situation with David when he and his men ate from the showbread because they were hungry. The law against eating from the showbread was not given, however, for a situation where someone was hungry and had nothing else to eat. Likewise, as we already discussed, the commandment against work did not apply to the priests who brought sacrifices at that time, nor to God’s ministers today who engage in ministerial functions on the Sabbath.

Christ—the LORD of the Old Testament

Christ makes it very clear that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8). [Note that the word “even” in this passage was added by the translator.] God the Father created everything, including the Sabbath, through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16; John 1:1–3; 1 Corinthians 8:5–6; Hebrews 1:1–2). God the Father addresses Jesus Christ in this way in Hebrews 1:8–12: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever… You, LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands… You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” These passages from Hebrews are direct quotes from Psalm 45:6 and Psalm 102:25–27, addressing the “LORD.” These passages apply to Jesus Christ, showing that it was Christ who dealt with the people in the Old Testament as the “LORD.”

Christ is also the “Lord of the Sabbath” because He created the Sabbath and He set it aside as a holy day. In fact, in spite of many wrong ideas to the contrary, it was actually Jesus Christ—not God the Father—who dealt directly with humanity as the God of the Old Testament, as is substantiated in many Scriptures. We read, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 10:4 that it was Christ who accompanied the Israelites when they left Egypt. Paul warns us not to tempt Christ in the same way that ancient Israel did in the desert (1 Corinthians 10:9). He explains in Hebrews 11:26 that Moses esteemed the “reproach of Christ” greater riches than the passing pleasures of Egypt. We are told in 1 Peter 1:10–11 that the Spirit of Christ was in the prophets of old.

Christ said that no one ever heard the Father’s voice nor saw the Father’s form (John 5:37; compare also John 1:18; 6:46 and 1 John 4:12). However, we know that people did see the glorified “form of the LORD” (Numbers 12:8; Exodus 33:18–23; 34:5–8), and they did, of course, hear His voice (Exodus 19:19–21; 20:1). The “LORD” of the Old Testament, then, who dealt directly with the people, was the One who would later become Jesus Christ.

Don’t Condemn the Innocent

It was Jesus Christ—the LORD of the Sabbath—who created the Sabbath, following the directive and command of God the Father. It is God—both the Father and the Son—who expects man to keep the Sabbath holy. Only God has the right to tell us how to keep the Sabbath holy. In Matthew 12:1–8, Christ tells us that mercy allows for a hungry person to get and eat food on the Sabbath. We see here a very important distinction to the time when God did not provide ancient Israel with manna from heaven on the Sabbath. In Christ’s day, food was available. The disciples could pluck heads of grain from the field. Under the law, the landowners were not allowed to harvest completely all grain, but they had to leave some of it in the field, so that those who were hungry could pluck and eat it.

While this is true, it must be emphasized that the disciples did not “harvest” the field on the Sabbath. They just plucked a few heads of grain to satisfy their hunger. We should also take note of what the Scripture does not address here. Notice that is does not reveal whether the disciples were traveling or whether they were close to home. We are not told why the disciples were hungry to begin with, and why they had not prepared food on the previous day for the Sabbath. The reason we are not told is that it is irrelevant for the point that Christ is making here. The message rings loud and clear: Don’t condemn the innocent as to how they keep the Sabbath. They will have to give account to their own Lord and Master—Jesus Christ (Romans 14: 4, 9–13). Instead, WE are to show mercy and compassion. Mercy teaches us that it is wrong to prohibit a hungry person from getting food for himself and to eat it on the Sabbath.

This is not to say, however, that a Christian should engage in shopping on the Sabbath, except in a real emergency (compare Nehemiah 13:15-22). Nor should this episode be used as justification or an excuse for a refusal to prepare for the Sabbath on the previous day.

Note also that the disciples were in the presence of Christ while they were eating. They were with God—in the person of Jesus Christ—and were focusing on God. They did not profane the Sabbath by forgetting the sanctity of the day when they plucked grain to eat it. If Church members today eat occasionally in a nice, quiet restaurant on the Sabbath or a Holy Day after Church services, for instance, while, at the same time fellowshipping with other brethren and speaking about the things that pertain to God, then we must not condemn them for that. For instance, Church members might be traveling for quite a distance to attend Church services, looking forward to spending additional time with their brethren after services. If, on the other hand, your conscience does not allow you to go to a restaurant on a Sabbath or a Holy Day, then you must not do so, since “whatever is not from faith [or conviction] is sin” (Romans 14:23). It would be advisable, though, to review the Scriptures to see whether your conscience is based on the Bible or merely on man-made traditions. God never accepts our conviction as justification for the violation of His law, and man-made regulations can, as we saw, cloud the intent of God’s commandments in the minds of men.

Healing on the Sabbath

Following this episode, Christ comes under attack again by the Pharisees because He heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. He explains that His act is lawful by giving them an example. He asks them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:11–12).

According to the Pharisees Christ sinned. He “broke” the Sabbath, based on their opinion (compare John 5:18). However, from God’s point of view, He did not break the Sabbath. Christ never sinned—otherwise you and I would not have a Savior (Hebrews 4:15). The religious leaders told the people, “Don’t come on the Sabbath to be healed. You can come to be healed during the remaining six days of the week” (compare Luke 13:14). Christ’s approach was quite different, however. This man was not plagued with a life-threatening disease that needed immediate attention. Still, Christ was willing to heal him on the Sabbath. In the parallel account, in Mark 3:4, He asks the Pharisees, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”

Christ emphasized mercy. If it is merciful to lift a sheep out of a pit on the Sabbath, or to feed and water our animals on the Sabbath (compare Luke 13:15), then it is much more merciful and proper to heal a sick person on the Sabbath! He “saved” life in the sense that He made life more enjoyable for that person. Rather than focusing on strict literal rules, Christ encouraged us to look at the spiritual meaning behind the rules. God desires mercy—not sacrifice. There was no need for this sick man to stay sick. It pleased Christ to bring joy to the man by healing him—doing something good for him. Christ was grieved “by the hardness of the hearts” of the Pharisees, who were unwilling to consider that they might be wrong with their rigid and legalistic approach.

As we already saw, one reason why we keep the Sabbath is to remind ourselves that God has freed us from the bondage or slavery of Satan, this world, and our own desires and human nature. With this understanding, then, we can see why Christ healed people—even on the Sabbath—who had been sick for a long time because of what Satan inflicted upon them. We need to realize that not every sickness is strictly a “natural” consequence of heredity or of wrong conduct by the sick person or others. As it was true then, so it is also true today that Satan and his demons do afflict persons at times with sickness (compare 2 Corinthians 12:7). Christ freed those persons from that very real form of slavery, and He did so—purposefully—on the Sabbath, which pictures release from captivity (Luke 13:16). Remember, He did it to show mercy.

Sabbath-keeping and Mercy

When we are tempted to condemn others for their Sabbath-keeping because it does not match our ideas and concepts of how to keep or how not to keep the Sabbath, let us remember to show mercy. We may not know all the circumstances prompting the person to do what he or she does, and our understanding of Godly Sabbath-keeping might also be flawed at times. We all need to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ concerning how to live in accordance with the law of God (2 Peter 3:18). Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13). God wants us to show mercy to our fellow man. We cannot love God if we don’t love our neighbor, and we cannot love our neighbor if we don’t show him mercy and grant him the benefit of the doubt. We are specifically commanded not to condemn a brother (James 4:11–12).

Assembly on the Sabbath

As we pointed out, Christ taught us by His words and His deeds how to keep the Sabbath. We read that He went to the synagogue to teach on the Sabbath “as was His custom” (Luke 4:16; Mark 1:21). He understood—after all, it was He who gave this commandment to ancient Israel—that the Sabbath is a holy “convocation,” during which time we assemble with others. Today we are to assemble in Church, if this is possible for us, thereby following the custom of Jesus Christ.

Carrying a Bed on the Sabbath

In John 5 we find another remarkable example of how some of the Jewish leaders at that time had perverted and misinterpreted the meaning of the Sabbath command. As stated earlier, this was probably due to Babylonian thinking and superstition that had been passed on. We read that, on the Sabbath, Jesus healed a man of an infirmity that he had been afflicted with for 38 years. This man was lying on his bed and when Christ healed him, He told him to “Rise, take up your bed and walk” (verse 8). One would think that the people would have been extremely grateful to God that this man was healed. Far from it! Notice what they told the man, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed” (verse 10).

They grossly misapplied the law against carrying a burden to this particular situation, rather than glorifying God for having worked a mighty miracle. Christ, though, had shown mercy to this man. His bed was apparently all that the man had. Further, the command against carrying burdens applies foremost, as we have seen, to carrying merchandise to be sold. This does not mean, however, that we should engage in the work of moving our belongings from one house to another on the Sabbath, except, of course, in a real emergency.

Christ told the people that His Father and He were “working” on the Sabbath (John 5:17). Christ did not do His customary work as a carpenter—but He did do the work of God, that is, He did do good things on the Sabbath, including healing people.

Sabbath Observance in the New Testament Church

After Christ’s death and resurrection, His disciples continued to keep the Sabbath. They did not believe, as so many erroneously do today, that Christ’s death and His resurrection made Sabbath-keeping obsolete. Paul taught on the Sabbath in the synagogues “as his custom was” (Acts 17:2), thereby following the example of His Master, and ours, Jesus Christ, who did the same “as His custom was” (compare, again, Luke 4:16. See, too, Acts 13:14, 42–44; Acts 18:4).

Paul did not keep the Sabbath just when he was in the company of Jews. He also kept the Sabbath when he worshipped with the Gentiles. In Acts 13:42 we read: “the Gentiles begged him that thesewords might be preached to them the next Sabbath.”

Yes, Paul kept the Sabbath—as Christ also had done—and he taught the Gentiles to do likewise. He gave them a specific commandment to keep the Sabbath—he commanded them to “imitate” him as he “imitated” Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Paul had not heard—nor would he have followed—the argument that Christians had to observe Sunday instead of the Sabbath because “Christ was resurrected on Sunday.” The reason for Paul’s refusal to accept such a false teaching is twofold:

First, even if Christ had been resurrected on Sunday, there is no statement in the Bible commanding us to keep that day holy.

Also, Christ was not resurrected on Sunday, but rather on the late afternoon of the Sabbath (Saturday), just before sunset. Although we will not discuss this issue in detail here, please realize that Christ prophesied He would be in the grave three days and three nights. He said that this was the only sign He would give to prove that He was the Messiah (Matthew 12:38–40). If He had been crucified on Friday afternoon and resurrected on Sunday morning, He could not have fulfilled that sign. He would have been in the grave for less than two days. He did, however, fulfill the sign. He was laid in the grave on Wednesday afternoon (just prior to the annual Sabbath or “high day”; i.e., the First Day of Unleavened Bread, which fell that year on Thursday; compare John 19:31), and He was resurrected late Saturday afternoon. (Later in this booklet, we will explain in more detail that the reference to the “Sabbath” in John 19:31 applies to an annual Holy Day, the First Day of Unleavened Bread, and not to the weekly Sabbath.)

Notice in John 20:1 that Jesus had already risen on Sunday—the first day of the week—when it was “still dark.” He did not rise Sunday morning. As Matthew 28:1 tells us, the resurrection took place “in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week” (Authorized Version). Many commentaries realize that the expression, “as it began to dawn toward the first day,” does refer to the end of the Sabbath, not to Sunday morning. They point out that the phrase, “dawn toward,” is also used, in the Greek, in Luke 23:54 (translated there with “drew near”; the literal meaning is “shining upon”). It does not refer to sunrise, but it refers to the fact that lights were kindled for the evening, as the new day, beginning at sunset, drew near. In Luke 23:54, this phrase can only refer to the evening of the day, and not to the next morning. (Remember that days start with the evening, according to the Hebrew calendar.)  In translating the phrase as, “dawn toward,” the Authorized Version has contributed to the wrong idea that Christ’s resurrection took place on Sunday morning. However, it happened “in the end of the Sabbath”—when the new day drew near at sunset. On the other hand, even the phrase, “dawn toward” does not need to refer to the morning. Webster’s dictionary defines “dawn” with “beginning or rise of anything,“ or with “to begin, open, develop.” In other words, a new day was “dawning”—beginning at sunset, and not in the morning.

The truth that Christ was resurrected on Saturday, just before sunset, rather than Sunday morning, had been clearly understood by the early New Testament Church. In his “Easter Sermons,” Gregory of Nyssa (335–394 AD) expresses the understanding of the New Testament Church, although he himself might have believed in and taught other wrong concepts. He writes, “The only testimony about the time of resurrection is produced by Matthew 28:1, ‘Late on the Sabbath.’ That means…, it was already late in the evening (this evening being the beginning of the night before the first day of the week)…The time of resurrection is Saturday evening according to Matthew 28:1.”

Other New Testament Scriptures that allegedly “prove” that the early disciples held religious worship services on Sunday are likewise without merit. When it says, for instance, that they “broke bread” on the first day of the week, it only means that they had a common meal together on that day. The Bible consistently shows that the early disciples continued to have worship services on the Sabbath.

For a discussion of the false arguments that the Sabbath became obsolete when the Old Covenant was abolished, or that Jesus Christ brought a “new law” that did away with the Fourth Commandment, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” This booklet also explains, in much more detail than we’ll go into here, that all of the Ten Commandments, including the Sabbath commandment, are still the constitutional foundation for every Christian.

Christ even warns the end-time generation of His disciples to pray that their flight from evil things to come would not occur on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20). He expects that His Church will still be keeping the Sabbath up until the time He returns, and He is pointing out in this passage that fleeing in a time of turmoil and oppression is surely not the best way to keep the Sabbath peacefully. It would be almost impossible on such a day to focus on God and His holiness under those circumstances. Of course, God’s people would clearly be permitted to flee on the Sabbath, as this would constitute an “ox-in-the-pit” exception. (Luke 14:5, “Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”) Fleeing on the Sabbath would, however, not be the most desirable way to keep the Sabbath.

Further Proof That the Sabbath Must Be Kept Today

There is a most powerful statement in the New Testament that makes it abundantly clear that God’s people must still keep the Sabbath today. This proof can be found in Hebrews 4, where Paul explains that after God renewed the surface of the earth and created man, He rested from His work on the Seventh Day—the Sabbath (verse 4). This weekly rest also pictured the Millennial rest for all of mankind under the soon-coming rulership of Jesus Christ upon His return to this earth (verses 6–8, 10). Our weekly Sabbath observance today is a reminder that none of us have entered our final rest yet. This is why Paul states in verse 9: “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.”

In this verse, Paul uses a different Hebrew expression for the word “rest” than he does elsewhere. Normally, he uses the word “katapausis” (in Hebrews 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3, 5, 10, 11). In verse 9 of Chapter 4, though, he uses the word “sabbatismos.” It literally means “Sabbath rest” (Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible) and conveys the meaning of “keeping of the Sabbath.” The New International Version reads, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.” Perhaps the clearest rendering is in the Lamsa translation, which reads, “It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the Sabbath.” If we claim to be God’s people, then it is our duty to keep the Sabbath. When we do so, we look back at the time when God created man, and we look forward to the time when man will finally reach his ultimate potential. Far from being obsolete, keeping the Sabbath holy, as God made it holy, is very relevant for the life of every Christian today.

There is coming a time—very soon now—when all of us will be tested on the issue of Sabbath observance. Immediately prior to Christ’s return, the proverbial “mark of the Beast,” spoken of in the book of Revelation, will be imposed on this world. You need to know what this “mark” of the Beast is, and how it relates to Sabbath observance. God says that if you accept the mark of the Beast, God will punish you severely. If, on the other hand, you refuse the mark of the Beast, you may very well be tortured by men, unless you have God’s protection. For more information, please write for, “Europe in Prophecy: The Unfolding of End-Time Events.” This free booklet also gives you historical evidence of how Sunday worship replaced the seventh day Sabbath observance, including many quotes by Catholic priests and Protestant ministers, who admit that the Bible does not sanction such a change.

Summary

The Biblical teaching regarding the Sabbath is consistent from beginning to end. God made the Sabbath, in the beginning, for man, and man is to remember the Sabbath by keeping it holy because God made it holy. God’s people, especially, have a duty to keep the Sabbath holy. The Sabbath has not been abolished. Whenever God’s people—and others who should know better—refuse to keep the Sabbath, they can expect punishment from God for their disobedience. In keeping the Sabbath holy, we are identified to God as His servants and as those who truly seek to please Him. Likewise, others will note that we literally keep the Sabbath in the way God’s Word reveals. Soon, in the very near future, the whole world is destined to observe the Sabbath as God commands. This will be accomplished when Jesus Christ establishes the rule of God’s Kingdom on the earth.

We keep the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset by attending Church services (if possible) and by refraining from secular labor, or customary work, which includes school, college or university attendance. We devote, instead, God’s holy time to worship, spiritual study, prayer, fellowship with Church members, and
physical rest.

When we keep the Sabbath, we are reminded of the Eternal God—the Creator of all there is—who made the Sabbath for man. We are reminded that God freed us from pain and suffering and from the slavery and bondage of sin, just as He freed ancient Israel from Egypt. We look forward to the ultimate Sabbath rest, as pictured by the Millennium—soon to be established on this earth—when Satan’s activities and influences have ceased and all of mankind will finally rest from their unprofitable labors and begin to live God’s way of life.

The Sabbath is a perfect gift from God, full of meaning and instruction in living God’s way. Let us be thankful for it, and let us not treat it lightly.

Part 2 – The Holiness of God’s Annual Feast Days

Overview of God’s Annual Holy Days

In addition to the weekly Sabbath, God enacted seven annual Holy Days for His chosen people. Beyond their being kept by the ancient houses of Israel and Judah, they are also to be observed by God’s Church today. Once fully understood, these Holy Days explain in great detail God’s plan for all of mankind. Before we get into a discussion of the necessity of keeping the annual Sabbaths, we offer a brief overview of all seven annual Festivals and what they mean for us today.

As will become fully apparent in this booklet, it is a tremendous blessing to know about, and to keep, God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days. These special days picture the entire plan of God for all of mankind. They give us hope for the future and an understanding of why this world is in constant turmoil, with problems continually mounting and solutions out of reach.

God originally decreed that angels were to live on this planet, which had been created in a beautiful state. When Lucifer (the “lightbringer”) and his angels rebelled against God—thereby becoming Satan (the “enemy”) and his demons—this earth became void and empty, and God’s government of love, cooperation, justice, peace, and equity was removed from this earth. Satan, the “ruler” of this dark world (compare John 14:30) and the “god of this age” (compare 2 Corinthians 4:4), had replaced it with his government of anger, competition, hate, prejudice, injustice, and war. God subsequently renewed the face of this earth within six days and created Adam and Eve to replace Satan and his rulership, and to restore God’s government on this earth.

The Weekly Sabbath

When God renewed the earth He set aside the weekly Sabbath (as was discussed in the first part of this booklet), to be kept holy by man (Genesis 2:2–3; Exodus 20:8–11). The Sabbath was established to remind man that GOD is the Creator of everything. It was also established to provide a special time for the development of a personal relationship between God and man, thus constantly reminding man to be subject to God and to resist Satan. Adam and Eve, however, gave in to Satan’s deceptive influence by eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Thus, mankind lost that close relationship with God. Now being cut off from God, mankind also lost the opportunity—at that time—to restore God’s government on this earth.

God, however, had already devised a plan to ultimately replace Satan and to restore happiness and peace on this planet. While this plan would encompass some 7,000 years in developing, the weekly Sabbath would continually point to man’s future of universal happiness (compare Hebrews 4:1–10).

But, the weekly Sabbath is just the beginning of God’s plan for mankind. It is followed by seven annual Feasts or Holy Days, which are listed in numerous places of the Bible, including the 23rd chapter of the book of Leviticus.

Passover

The list starts with Passover. Although Passover is not a Holy Day, per se, it is vitally important that God’s people partake of it once a year. In due time, Jesus Christ—the “Word” or “Logos” in John 1:1—became a flesh and blood human being for the purpose of dying for man’s sins, thereby paying the death penalty for sin (Romans 6:23), and restoring a unique relationship between God and those who would be called by God to repentance (John 6:44), accept Christ’s sacrifice and follow His way of life. As an outward symbol of acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, Christ’s disciples observe the death and sacrifice of Christ as a memorial once a year, during the evening Passover ceremony (Luke 22:14–20; 1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

Seven Days of Unleavened Bread

Even after one’s past sins have been forgiven, he must strive to live in obedience to God. Therefore, immediately following Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread are to be observed for seven days. The first and the last days of this seven-day period are set aside by God as annual Holy Days. As part of this observance, leavened food is not eaten throughout these seven days, since leaven is used in the Bible as a symbol for sin and false teaching (Matthew 16:6, 12). These days remind us of our commitment to live a sinless and truthful life (compare Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7–8).

Pentecost

We know, however, that it is impossible for man to live in obedience to God and His truth without God’s Spirit dwelling in us. God decreed that after man repents and receives forgiveness of his past sins, and after he has shown his willingness to remain obedient to God’s Word, he would receive a Helper to enable him to stay obedient—that Helper being God’s Holy Spirit of power. God founded the New Testament Church on the annual Holy Day of Pentecost by pouring out His Holy Spirit on those whom He had individually called. He also spoke His Holy LAW—the Ten Commandments—to the ancient nation of Israel on the day of Pentecost.

Man will become more and more able, with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to keep God’s law. When, in that process of becoming more and more perfect, man breaks the law—after having received the Holy Spirit—he can again obtain forgiveness, IF he repents of, and confesses his sin, 1 John 1:7–9. He can thereby continue—with the help of the Holy Spirit—to overcome sin in his life. The observance of the Feast of Pentecost is a reminder of God’s precious gift of His Holy Spirit that He bestowed on His church. This is the same Holy Spirit that He bestows on individuals called by God after repentance of their sins, acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, and baptism as an outward sign of their repentance and faith (Acts 2:1–4; 20:16; 1 Corin-
thians 16:8).

Feast of Trumpets

However, only very few are chosen at this time to receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit and to prepare for the time when God will replace Satan and restore His government over all the earth. These few who are chosen are called “firstfruits” (James 1:18; Revelation 14:4). They are being taught and trained by God so that they can later teach mankind to reject the rule of Satan and to submit to God’s authority. That time of massive re-education will begin when Jesus Christ returns—in great power and great glory—as the KING of kings and the LORD of lords. He is coming back to restore ALL THINGS on this earth. God wants us to keep the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Trumpets as a reminder of the monumental future event of Christ’s return. Those in Christ still alive when He returns will be changed to immortality, and those who have died in Christ, will be resurrected from the dead to eternal life (1 Corin-thians 15:49–54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17; John 3:3–8).

Day of Atonement

In order to bring perfect peace and happiness to this earth, Satan—who has become the arch enemy of God and man—will have to be removed from his power over this earth (compare Revelation 2:13). Only then can man truly become “at one” with God. God created the annual Holy Day of Atonement to foreshadow the event of Satan’s removal in the near future (Acts 27:9; compare, too, Romans 16:20).

Seven Days of Feast of Tabernacles

Following the removal of Satan, Christ and His saints will begin the awesome task of restoring all things. Those who qualify, will rule with Christ on this earth for 1,000 years (the “Millennium”) (Revelation 20:4), governing those who survived the incredible time of suffering just prior to Christ’s return, as well as those who will be born during the Millennium. Under Christ’s leadership—and along with Him—we will restore what had been taken away through Satan’s rebellion and what Adam and Eve failed to restore. We celebrate this unique and unparalleled time in the entire history of mankind every year for seven days when we observe the Feast of Tabernacles (see John 7:2–14; Daniel 7:27). The first day of that seven-day Festival is to be observed as an annual Holy Day.

The Last Great Day

God’s plan, as pictured in His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days, will still not have been completed by the end of the Millennium. One tremendous event will still occur. It involves the masses of people who have died without ever having been called by God (John 6:44) or known about Jesus Christ, without whom none can be saved (Acts 4:12). God established that all of those people will be resurrected to physical life after the Millennium and will then have the opportunity to accept Christ and to live a godly life. It is the same opportunity being given to those being called by God today, an opportunity that will also be given to mankind during the Millennium. Virtually no one outside the Church of God understands this vital aspect of God’s plan for mankind, but God has revealed it to His people. God is fair in His dealings with man, and He had to make it possible that EVERYONE would be given an equal opportunity to respond to—accept or reject—God’s calling.

The final annual Holy Day of the Last Great Day, which immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles, symbolizes a period of—most likely—100 years (Isaiah 65:20), called the “Great White Throne Judgment” (Revelation 20:11–12). This is that time during which all persons who had not been called before will be resurrected to physical life and, will then be given their first real opportunity to accept or to reject God’s calling (John 7:37).

Those who will have become immortal members in the very Family of God, will rule with God and Christ for all eternity over all things (Revelation 22:5). This will be the KINGDOM OF GOD ruling over creation, with God’s plan for mankind having been completed.

Without the weekly Sabbath and God’s annual Festivals, including His seven annual Holy Days—the First and Last Day of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, First Day of Tabernacles, Last Great Day—we could never understand God’s great plan for mankind. Without obeying God by keeping these days faithfully—in their entirety—we would eventually lose this tremendous knowledge as to what they picture. What a great privilege it is to understand what most people cannot comprehend. What a priceless gift it is to be able to keep God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths in spirit and in truth, realizing the awesome and incredible human potential they portray. What a tragedy it would be to reject this precious knowledge, or, once understood, to lose it again—to just let it drift away. This is the only knowledge that can truly give us hope, comfort, and strength in times of trials and discouragement.

But… ARE the Annual Holy Days Still to Be Observed Today?

Most professing Christians today claim that one of the Ten Commandments—the keeping of the weekly Sabbath—is not necessary to observe. We have discussed and proved from the Bible the error of that position.

At the same time, most—even some who do keep the weekly Sabbath—claim that God’s annual Sabbaths are no longer binding for Christians. That concept is equally untrue, as will be explained in this part of the booklet.

Many people embrace the erroneous argument that God’s annual Holy Days are no longer binding for us because they allegedly came into being with the so-called Old Covenant, and when the Old Covenant was done away, so were the Holy Days. (We have already touched on this false concept in discussing the keeping of the weekly Sabbath. Again, we would encourage our readers to study our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…,” which addresses the entire concept of the Old and the New Covenants in great detail.) Furthermore, some will say that the Holy Days were not binding prior to the events at Mount Sinai, a statement that is also not true.

Annual Holy Days in Effect Prior to Old Covenant

Notice, for instance, just when the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread—including the first two of God’s annual Holy Days—were officially instituted. We read in Exodus 12:6 and 11 that the Passover (although not a Holy Day per se, it is a commanded assembly—one of God’s annual Festivals—to be observed annually) became a binding law in Egypt, before Israel was led out of slavery. It was associated with the eating of the Passover lamb, which is specifically called the “LORD’S Passover.” It also refers to the destroyer passing over the houses of the Israelites who had placed the blood of the lambs on their houses (vv. 13, 23, 27). In addition, God instituted the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and with it the first two annual Holy Days, in Egypt at the same time, long before Israel had reached Mount Sinai. Exodus 12:15–16 and Exodus 13:6 inform us that the Israelites had to eat unleavened bread for the seven days of the Festival, and that there were to be holy convocations on the first day and on the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as these two days were annual Holy Days.

Exodus 13:7–10 gives us additional instructions pertaining to the Feast of Unleavened Bread: “Unleavened Bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came up from Egypt. It shall be as a SIGN to you on your hand and as a MEMORIAL between your eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was designated as a SIGN, so that God’s law would be remembered—the law of observing God’s Festivals and of keeping His annual Holy Days holy. Recall that the weekly Sabbath is also a SIGN (Exodus 31:16–17). Those who claim that we must keep the weekly Sabbath but we do not have to keep the annual Holy Days, must explain why they make such a distinction, given the fact that BOTH are signs between God and His people, setting them aside for His holy purpose. As we saw earlier in our study of the weekly Sabbath, God brought all of us out of slavery—the slavery of Satan, the world around us, and our own carnal nature. One reason we keep God’s annual Holy Days—in this case the Days of Unleavened Bread—is to show our appreciation for the fact that we were FREED from our spiritual “Egyptian” captivity.

God’s Annual Holy Days Part of the Sacrificial System?

Some claim that we don’t have to keep God’s annual Holy Days anymore because they were supposedly part of the sacrificial system, and when that system was done away, the Holy Days were done away as well. Note the error of that argument in reading Jeremiah 7:22–23: “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.”

God did not command them at the time He brought them out of Egypt to offer sacrifices. The sacrificial system was not in place yet. It was instituted one year after God spoke the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. But God DID command them, when He brought them out of Egypt, to walk in ALL His ways. We have already seen that God commanded them—while they were still in Egypt—to keep the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread from then on. So, God’s annual commanded convocations and His Holy Days are clearly different from the sacrifices and must still be kept today by God’s people.

However, God’s commandment to observe His annual Festivals does not only apply to the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, as we will see shortly. In addition, we need to point out that sacrifices were not given only on the annual Holy Days, but also on the weekly Sabbath, and, as a matter of fact, on every day—in the morning and in the evening. Those who claim that the annual Holy Days don’t have to be kept today because they were part of the sacrificial system [which they were not], yet still keep the weekly Sabbath [although sacrifices were given on that day as well], do have a problem with consistency. So do those who keep Sunday “holy,” as sacrifices were also given on that day.

Weekly and Annual Sabbaths—A Complete Package

Our primary focus here is that the weekly Sabbath and all of God’s annual Holy Days stand and fall together. They are all part of the same package. When you understand that you must keep the weekly Sabbath, then you must continue with your understanding and keep the annual Sabbaths as well. It is, in principle, the same concept explained by James, an apostle of Jesus Christ: When you break one of the Ten Commandments, you break all of them (James 2:10–11). The Ten Commandments are also a package that cannot be separated. If you remove one of the commandments from that package, you no longer have a complete package (compare our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”).

In order to see the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days as a complete package, let’s return to the 23rd chapter of the book of Leviticus. We read in verses 1 and 2: “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”

Note that all the Holy Days that follow (including the annual Passover) are designated as the “feasts of the Lord.” They are ALL holy convocations. The first feast and holy convocation listed is the weekly Sabbath (verse 3). The weekly Sabbath is followed by the feasts and holy convocations of Passover and the First and the Last Days of Unleavened Bread (vv. 4–8); then Pentecost (v. 21); Trumpets (v. 24); Atonement (vv. 27, 32); Tabernacles (vv. 34–35); and the Eighth or Last Great Day (vv. 36, 39). The way this is listed shows us that the weekly Sabbath, Passover, and the annual Holy Days belong together.

In addition, some of the annual Holy Days are specifically called “Sabbath.” In reference to the Feast of Trumpets, God says in Leviticus 23:24: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.”

In the original Hebrew, the word for “sabbath-rest” is “shabbathon,” meaning “Sabbath” (Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible). The Authorized Version translates this word correctly with “sabbath.” The above-cited rendering of the New King James Bible, “sabbath-rest,” does convey, quite accurately, the intended meaning of the word “Sabbath.”

We find that Leviticus 23:27 and 32 also describe the annual Holy Day of Atonement as a “Sabbath.” We read in the Authorized Version: “Also unto the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls… It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.”

God calls the annual Holy Day of Atonement “a Sabbath.” While the time from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset designates the weekly Sabbath, certain times within the year are annual Sabbaths or Holy Days. We see, then, that the annual Holy Days are called Sabbaths, too. It is inconsistent to keep the weekly Sabbath and then neglect or refuse to keep the annual Sabbaths.

Notice a third example in Leviticus 23:39, which refers to the annual Holy Days of the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last or Eighth Day: “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath” (Authorized Version). Both annual Holy Days are called “Sabbath” here. They are to be kept holy and holy convocations are to be held on those days.

We already alluded to another example in the New Testament, in John 19:31, where the word “Sabbath” is used for the annual Holy Day of the First Day of Unleavened Bread. It reads: “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”

The reference to the “Sabbath” here is NOT a reference to the weekly Sabbath, but rather to the annual Sabbath at the beginning of the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The margin of the New King James Bible points out that John 19:31 is referring to the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, giving as a parallel Scripture, Exodus 12:16, which discusses that very annual Holy Day.

This Holy Day is called both a Sabbath and a high day in this passage, showing thereby that this was not a weekly Sabbath, but an annual Sabbath. It was still a Sabbath, and a very special Sabbath at that. It had to be kept holy in the same manner as a weekly Sabbath.

As was already discussed, there is a clear connection between the weekly Sabbath and the 1000-year Sabbath of the Millennium in the fourth chapter of the book of Hebrews. Most accurately translated in the Lamsa translation, Hebrews 4:9 reads: “It is therefore the duty of the people of God to keep the Sabbath.” Note that the remainder of the passage, beginning in verse 1, speaks mainly about the Millennial rest still ahead of us, which is symbolized by the Feast of Tabernacles. Paul is telling us in Hebrews 4 that when we keep the weekly Sabbath, we should also keep the annual Sabbaths—God’s annual Holy Days—as they do reveal to us God’s plan for salvation.

We can conclude from all of these references that the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbaths belong together. God is serious about us keeping all of them holy—so serious that He gives stern warnings against breaking His Sabbaths.

The Warnings of Ezekiel

Let’s look at an interesting passage in Ezekiel 22:8, 26 regarding breaking the Sabbaths: “You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths… Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and the unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”

These are powerful words! God was angry with His priests in ancient times because they did not teach His people the sanctity of the Sabbaths. Notice that the word Sabbaths used here is plural, referring to God’s annual Sabbaths or Holy Days. The word “Sabbaths” can refer to the weekly Sabbath as well, but it usually does so exclusively only when another word or reference in the same context relates to the annual Holy Days, such as “feasts” or “festivals.” If used in the plural by itself, as is the case here in Ezekiel 22, the expression “Sabbaths” focuses mainly on the annual Sabbaths, although it would still include the weekly Sabbath. (Remember that the weekly Sabbath is included as a total package with the annual Sabbaths. Remember also from Isaiah 58:13–14 that the weekly Sabbath is described as God’s holy day, showing that both the weekly and annual Sabbaths are described in the same way—as “Sabbath” and as “holy day”—and are inseparable.)

We might also add here that God does not change. As He was angry with the priests of Israel for not teaching His people, He is angry with His ministers of spiritual Israel today who do not powerfully proclaim the continued sanctity of His Holy Days. God blamed the priesthood then, and He blames the ministry now, for the fact that He is profaned among His people.

The time will come, though, when all of God’s ministers will do the job they were given by God to do. Notice Ezekiel 44:23–24: “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.” In the future, this truth will be taught by ALL of God’s ministers to ALL of the people. However, there are, in fact, some few true ministers today, in whose hearts God’s law abides and who are teaching God’s people right from wrong, as God has directed. These few are BOLDLY teaching the holiness of God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths already.

We find another remarkable passage in Exodus 31. We already discussed this chapter in the context of the weekly Sabbath, pointing out that the Sabbath is a sign and a separate perpetual covenant between God and His people. Verses 14 through 16 clearly talk about “the Sabbath,” the weekly Sabbath in this context.

But now notice how this entire passage is introduced in verse 13. God tells Moses: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations…” In this verse, it talks about “Sabbaths” in an unqualified way, therefore addressing—or at least including—the annual Holy Days. The entire passage in Exodus 31, then, speaks about both the weekly and the annual Sabbaths. Recall that not only the weekly Sabbath, but also the annual Sabbaths, are signs between God and His people, as we saw in Exodus 13:7–10 when discussing the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Notice another proof of the fact that God’s annual Holy Days are a sign for true Christians—spiritual Israelites and Jews—in Ezekiel 20:10, 12–13, 19–20. God speaks about the rebellious house of Israel, saying: “Therefore I made them go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness… Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness; they did not walk in My statutes; they despised My judgments which, if a man does, he shall live by them; and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths…I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.”

Both the weekly and the annual Sabbaths are signs. They identify God to us. They identify us to God. They also identify us to the world. They can’t be separated. They stand and fall together. They are all regarded as statutes for all people—not just the Jews.

Jesus Christ Kept the Annual Holy Days

Those who claim that we do not need to keep the weekly Sabbath, nor the annual Holy Days, should think about the fact that Jesus Christ kept them both. We have already seen that He kept the weekly Sabbath. Let’s notice the fact that He also kept the annual Sabbaths.

We are specifically told in John 2:13 and in Luke 22:1–15 that Christ kept the Passover. We are also told in John 7:2–14 that Christ kept the Feast of Tabernacles. In addition, John 7:37–39 points out that He kept the Last Great Day—“the last day, that great day of the feast.” Since Christ kept these annual Holy Days, in addition to the weekly Sabbath, there is no reason to assume that He did not keep the other Holy Days as well.

The Early Apostles Kept the Annual Holy Days

After Christ’s death and resurrection, the apostles and the New Testament Church followed Christ’s example and continued to observe the annual Holy Days. We are specifically told that the early Church kept the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread (1 Corinthians 5:6–8). We are also told that Luke wrote the book of Acts to Theophilus, a Gentile, who had become a Christian. Luke makes reference, in Acts 12:3–4 and Acts 20:6, to the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. When Luke wrote this, he took it for granted that Theophilus—a Christian with a Gentile background—knew about these annual Holy Days. If the Gentiles were not required to keep those days, Luke’s reference to these days in a report to a former Gentile would make little sense. (Imagine, for instance, that you would write to an American about the “Bretzelfest” in Germany. He would not know what you are talking about, since he never kept this local festival. He would understand, however, if you were to write him about the Fourth of July, or Thanksgiving Day.)

We can also clearly see from the Bible that the New Testament Church kept the Feast of Pentecost. Acts 2:1 reports that it was on that day, when the Church was assembling together, that they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. We read in Acts 20:16 that Paul wanted to keep the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem. He had kept it all the time, whether in Jerusalem or not. He would, of course, still have kept it, even if he had not been able to arrive in Jerusalem on time.

The early Church continued to keep the Day of Atonement as well. In Acts 27:9, we find a reference to “the Fast.” This is describing the Day of Atonement, as the margin of the New King James Bible points out. It also gives parallel Scriptures from Old Testament passages that deal with the Day of Atonement. (The Scriptures quoted in the margin are Leviticus 16:29–31; 23: 27–29; and Numbers 29:7.)

There is another reference to the annual Holy Days in the New Testament, namely in Jude 12: “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear…” The word “love” in “love feasts” is a translation from the Greek word, “agape,” that is, Godly love. When we keep God’s annual Holy Days, we are expressing God’s love in us by doing what God tells us to do. 1 John 5:3 explains: “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments.”

Annual Holy Days to Be Kept in the Future

Looking to the future through God’s Word, we can see that His annual Holy Days will be kept by all of mankind. Isaiah 30:27–29 contains a prophecy for the future that describes the final punishment of end-time Assyria, especially its last king. We read: “Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire. His breath is like an overflowing stream, Which reaches up to the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, Causing them to err. You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept.”

We see here that God’s judgment on the king of Assyria (vv. 31, 33) is being compared with a song in the night when a holy festival is kept. This could refer to the Night to be Much Observed at the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:42), or to the Opening Night of the First Day of the Feast of Tabernacles (compare Psalm 134:1).

We find another remarkable prophecy in the 45th chapter of the book of Ezekiel, describing the time after Christ’s return. Notice that man is asked to observe, for instance, the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten” (Ezekiel 45: 21).

We are also told in Ezekiel 46:9 that the “people of the land” are to “come before the LORD on the appointed feast days.”

We might note, in passing, a strong admonition to God’s Church in Nahum 1:15. In addressing the end-time work of God’s Church, God prophesies and warns: “Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace. O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.”

God admonishes the modern house of Judah to keep His designated annual Holy Days, showing them that they will be keeping them in the Millennium. Part of the message that is directed toward the people of this world today—including the Jews—is that we are still to be keeping God’s annual Holy Days. Many Jews today don’t keep them at all—physically nor spiritually. Others only keep some of the Holy Days, but not all of them.

Additionally, there is a strong indication in Nahum 1:15 that the “wicked one”—perhaps the “beast” or the “false prophet”—will specifically try to prevent those Jews who want to keep the Holy Days from doing so. Since true Christians are spiritual Jews, this could be a warning for us, as well. We already mentioned the warning in Hosea 9:5–6 in our discussion about the holiness of the weekly Sabbath. Hosea includes in his warning the annual Holy Days: “What will you do in the appointed day, And in the day of the feast of the LORD? For indeed they are gone because of destruction.”

In the Millennium, God will deal with those nations and peoples who refuse to keep His Holy Days. Zechariah 14:16–19 describes, in very vivid terms, the punishment of nations and individuals in the Millennium who refuse to keep the Feast of Tabernacles: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations… shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Yes, the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept by everyone—not only by the Jews. When God is so determined that His annual Holy Days will be kept in the Millennium, why would it not matter to Him that they be kept today? The fact of the matter is, they are to be kept today by everyone, and a world oblivious to this fact will soon be shaken up to the reality that God is not mocked, and that man reaps what he sows. God has told us in His Word what we must do. Will you choose to do it?

Part 3 – The Holiness of the Sabbath and the Annual Feast Days in the New Testament

Some claim that several New Testament Scriptures; i.e., Colossians 2:16–17; Romans 14:5; and Galatians 4:10, clearly prove that the annual Holy Days, as well as the weekly Sabbath, are not commanded to be kept today. In this part of the booklet, we will discuss these arguments in detail, letting the Bible provide the truth of the matter.

Is Colossians 2:16–17 Proof That the Weekly and Annual Sabbaths Are No Longer Binding on Us Today?

Colossians 2:16–17 reads, in the New King James Bible, as follows: “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival [margin: “feast day”] or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

Does this passage mean that the Christians in Colossae did not keep the Sabbath or the Holy Days, and that Paul was essentially telling them not to worry about the fact that they didn’t keep them?

First of all, note that “Sabbaths,” “a festival,” and “a new moon” are mentioned. As stated before, the plural word “Sabbaths” can refer to the weekly Sabbath in the same context as the annual Holy Days. That is the case here, as the annual Holy Days are mentioned in the same sentence, being identified as “festival” or “new moon.” It does not say here in the Greek, “new moons,” as some inaccurately quote this passage, but “a new moon,” referring to the Feast of Trumpets—the only annual Holy Day to be celebrated on a new moon. Therefore, Paul is addressing both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days.

Is Paul telling the Colossians that they do not have to keep them anymore? This would be rather strange, as he was so diligent in teaching both the Jews and the Gentiles the continued observance of the weekly Sabbath, as we already saw.

Let’s first look at the phrase, “the substance is of Christ.” The word “is” is not in the Greek. It was added by the translator in an attempt to make the meaning clearer; however, this addition has, to the contrary, confused and perverted the meaning. Without the word “is” in that particular phrase, it simply states, “…but the substance of Christ.” What is the substance of Christ?

The Body of Christ

If you have a New King James Bible, you might want to check the margin. It says there that the literal meaning for the word “substance” is “body.” That is correct. The Greek word here is “soma,” and it is otherwise translated as “body” throughout the New Testament.

Limiting this discussion just to the letter to the Colossians, the New King James Bible has translated the word “soma” consistently as “body.” Only here, in Colossians 2:17, it is translated as “substance.” Why? Simply because the translators did not, and do not, understand the meaning of the passage.

Notice it for yourself. Notice, too, what is being referred to when the phrase “body of Christ” is used elsewhere in the following passages:

Colossians 1:18: “And He is the head of the body [“soma” in Greek], the church.” Christ is identified here as the Head of the body, which is the Church.

Colossians 1:24: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body [“soma” in the Greek], which is the church.” Again, we see that the body of Christ is identified here as His Church.

Colossians 2:19: “… and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body [“soma”], nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.” Again, the reference is to the spiritual body of Christ, the Church.

Finally, let’s notice Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body [“soma”].” We all belong to that one body—the Church, of which Christ is the Head.

These Scriptures clearly show that the references in that letter to the body of Christ is to the Church of Christ. With that understanding, let us turn again to Colossians 2:16–17, where Paul says: “Let no one judge you… regarding a festival or Sabbaths… but the body of Christ.” In other words, let no one, except the body of Christ—the Church—judge in those matters. The Church, the body of Christ, the preserver of the truth, can and should judge in that regard.

“Let the Body of Christ Judge…”

It is interesting that Greek scholars recognize—in simply looking at the Greek structure of the sentence—that the first part of the statement, “Let no one judge you…” requires a second statement to explain who should do the judging.

Professor Troy Martin wrote an article entitled, “But Let Everyone Discern the Body of Christ (Col. 2:17),” which was published in the Journal of Biblical Literature in the Summer of 1995. In that article, he confirms—based on the Greek structure of the sentence—that the second part of the statement in Colossians 2:16–17 explains who is doing the judging.

He first points to a parallel passage in 1 Corinthians 10:24 that states: “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well being.” In order to understand this passage correctly, one has to repeat in the second phrase the opposite of the beginning of the first phrase. In other words, the clear and intended meaning of this passage is: “Let no one seek his own, but let each one seek the other’s well being.”

This Scripture is grammatically structured in the same way as Colossians 2:16–17. Therefore, according to Professor Troy in regard to both 1 Corinthians 10:24 and Colossians 2:16–17, “The verb judge determines the action that is forbidden [by the first phrase = let no one judge you…] and then enjoined [or commanded, by the second phrase].”

With this understanding, the sentence in Colossians 2:16–17 has to read this way: “So let no one judge you… regarding a festival or Sabbaths…, but let the body of Christ judge you.”

Professor Troy gives a second example to prove this conclusion, namely Romans 14:13, which reads: “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” In the Greek, the word for “judge” and “resolve” is exactly the same, namely “krino.” This word is used in Colossians 2:16–17 and translated there as “judge.”

Romans 14:13 tells us that we must not judge one another, but that we must judge how not to become a stumbling block for others. This statement in Romans 14:13 is identical in structure with the structure used in Colossians 2:16–17. No one is to judge the Colossians regarding the Sabbath and the Holy Days, except for the body of Christ, the Church. This means, then, that Colossians 2:16–17 says exactly the opposite from what critics of the Sabbath and the Holy Days want us to believe. The Colossians were not criticized for NOT keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days, but rather, they were criticized for KEEPING them.

Comparing Romans 14:13 with Colossians 2:16–17, Dr. Troy concludes that Paul is telling the Colossians in Chapter 2 that they should not let a man judge them for keeping the Holy Days and the Sabbath, but that the Church—the Body of Christ—should judge this matter. The Colossians were criticized by their opponents, not by Paul, when they kept the Sabbath and the Holy Days. Paul is essentially saying to them: I am speaking on behalf of the Church, when I tell you that you should continue keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days, as this is what the Church has judged and resolved to do, based on the Biblical
Scriptures.

The Church has understood the correct meaning of this passage in years past. In 1976, Herbert Armstrong, late Pastor General of the Church of God, wrote a booklet entitled, “Pagan Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which?” On page 35 he writes: “So these little-understood verses ought to be translated clearly: ‘Let no man therefore judge you… but [rather let] the body of Christ [determine it].’ Let Christ’s body judge these church matters. Greek scholars recognize that the last clause ‘but [rather] the body of Christ’ demands that a verb be added, but have often not seen that the missing verb should be supplied from the most logical and grammatical parallel clause so as to read properly, ‘Let the body of Christ judge [these matters].’”

Unfortunately, a few years after Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986, the wording of this section in the same booklet was changed. A new and unauthorized explanation was given regarding Colossians 2:16, paving the way, of course, for subsequent drastic changes. The revised wording was: “Therefore the Christians at Colossae were not to let themselves be taken to task by heretical teachers concerning matters such as eating, drinking, holy days, new moons and Sabbaths. [In passing, as explained, it does not say in the Greek, “new moons,” but “a new moon,” referring here to the Feast of Trumpets, the only annual Holy Day to be celebrated on a new moon.] After all, how could such matters possibly transcend Christ? He is the body, the substance, the very center of God’s plan of salvation. All else is a mere shadow that holds no value as a replacement for him.”

One can easily see how this “new” explanation, adopted from Protestant and Catholic thinking that wants to do away with God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths, clouds the correct
understanding and misinterprets the intended meaning.

A Shadow of Things to Come

What did Paul mean when he described these things as being a shadow of things to come? Let’s review once again the insightful comments of Prof. Troy in the above-mentioned article. He states: “These Christian practices may comprise the shadow, and they are not presented negatively except by the opponents…The tense is present [Note carefully that the text reads, “these ARE,” not “WERE” “a shadow of things to come”], and affirms that these things are now shadows. [Some] commentators translate the past tense and conclude that these stipulations have ended now that the true substance has arrived since they were only shadows… In spite of this…, the text affirms a present… validity to the shadow.”

The weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days have tremendous meaning for us today, foreshadowing events to occur in the future, when the whole world will be ruled by Christ and taught by Him to keep God’s Law—including the weekly and annual Sabbaths—as God’s people already do today.

Rather than doing away with Sabbath and Holy Day keeping, Colossians 2:16–17 teaches the exact opposite. It teaches us not to worry about people who say that we should not do so, but to concern ourselves with the truth, as taught by Christ’s Body—the Church.

Many of us can identify with what Paul is telling the Colossians. When one begins to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days, he or she is open to criticism from relatives and friends.

Paul wrote to Christians in Colossae, which was a predominately Gentile city, although some Jews undoubtedly lived there as well. Paul told the Christians in Colossae who had begun to keep the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days: “Don’t listen to your former friends and your relatives, who try to convince you not to keep those ‘Jewish traditions’—but rather, listen to what the Church is telling you.”

How to Keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days

It is very likely that Paul was not only addressing criticism from those opponents who tried to persuade the Colossians NOT to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days at all, but that he was also addressing criticism from those who were not necessarily opposed to Sabbaths keeping per se, but who wanted the Sabbath and the Holy Days to be kept in a very stringent way. Recall how the Pharisees condemned Christ and His disciples for the manner in which they kept the Sabbath. Undoubtedly, the Christians in Colossae found themselves to be objects of similar condemnation.

Since both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days are Feast days, the Christians in Colossae kept them of course as FEAST days. They would eat and drink on those days (except, of course, during the “Fast”—on the Day of Atonement). Some, though, apparently criticized them for that, teaching that no eating and drinking should take place on any of those days.

Colossians 2:16, correctly translated from the Greek, states: “Let no one judge you regarding eating and drinking.” Paul is addressing here the ACT of eating and drinking, not the KIND of food and drink being partaken of. Some critics felt, however, that Christians should fast on those days, rather than eating or drinking anything. Notice Paul’s reference to this kind of self-imposed ascetic, or austere, religion in Colossians 2:20–23 (“…why… do you subject yourselves to regulations—‘Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?”).

Rather than agreeing with these human ideas, Paul states that this kind of philosophy is useless and is a doctrine of man that is derived from the “principles of this world.” He specifically condemns such teaching in Colossians 2:8: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Some were apparently trying to introduce those philosophies into the Church, especially pertaining to how to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days. Paul, in addressing these attempts, essentially told the Colossians: “Let no one judge you for keeping the Sabbath or the Holy Days with eating and drinking, rather than fasting, but let the Church determine or resolve this.”

In conclusion, Paul told the Colossians to continue keeping the Sabbath and the Holy Days in the same way as they were doing it, rather than listening to those who were trying to tell them not to do it at all, or not to keep them as feast days.

Is Romans 14:5 Proof That We Do Not Have to Keep the Weekly and the Annual Sabbaths Today?

Some quote Romans 14:5 to argue that the Sabbath and the Holy Days are no longer mandatory holy convocations. Romans 14:5 reads: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Note carefully the context here. Romans 14:2–3 is addressing the consumption of vegetables and meat (“For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables”). Some thought that they must not eat meat. They had become vegetarians for religious reasons. Part of the reason for their decision might have been that the meat, which could be purchased in the market, was probably offered to idols. Knowing this, some had a conscience problem with eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols (compare 1 Corinthians 8:1–13).

The context in Romans 14:5 is the consumption of certain foods. Paul addresses the fact that some esteem a certain day above another. In the very next verse, he shows the connection between the consumption of food and the regard for days. He says in verse 6: “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does notobserve it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.”

What is the connection between eating food and observing days?

The connection here is conscience. Paul talks about new Church members who still had a weak conscience and thought they had to FAST on particular days. That is, they thought they could not just fast on ANY weekday of their choice, but that it could only be done on particular designated days. (Note again verse 6, “… he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat.” The context of the discussion is FASTING.) Others understood that one can fast on ANY day of the week, and that God does not enjoin us, except for the Day of Atonement, to fast on a specific day during the week.

This is the reason Paul says, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike.” The context is eating and drinking and fasting. Paul is really saying in verse 6, “He who observes [or better, “regards,” as the Authorized Version has it] the day [as a fast day] observes [or regards] it to the Lord; and he who does not observe [or regard] the day [as a Fast day] observes [regards] it to the Lord, too, because the one who does not eat on that day, does it to the Lord, and the one who does eat on that day does it to the Lord, too, as he thanks God for the food he partakes of.” Paul’s point is to not judge another for the way they worship God, as long as it is done on the basis of Scripture.

Surprising as it may sound to those who read Romans 14:5 with preconceived notions, the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days are not even addressed there. By contrast, in Colossians 2:16–17, Paul does seem to address the issue that fasting is not a requirement for Sabbath-keeping. There, he specifically mentions the Sabbaths and a Festival and a new moon, in addition to eating and drinking. In Romans 14:5, however, he does not mention the Sabbaths or a Festival at all, showing that he was not addressing them in that passage.

Certain commentaries agree that Paul did not have the Sabbath or the Holy Days in mind when he wrote Romans 14:5. Both the Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Book 10, page 146), and Hasting’s Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, point out that Jews and Gentiles had set aside specific days on which to fast [we might think of the Pharisee in Luke 18:12, who was proud because he fasted two times a week], and that Paul was only addressing the issue of prescribed fasting in Romans 14:5.

Is Galatians 4:10 Proof that the Weekly and Annual Sabbaths Are No Longer in Force Today?

Let’s examine a third passage that is sometimes used to “explain” that the Sabbath and the Holy Days are no longer valid. Galatians 4:10 reads: “You observe days and months and seasons and years.”

The interpretation given by opponents of Sabbath-keeping is that Paul was rebuking the Galatians for still keeping God’s Sabbath and God’s Holy Days. Is that what Paul meant? Again, we need to look at the context in which it was written, and we also need to notice an important principle in order to properly understand Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Whom is Paul addressing?

When Paul addresses Jews, he says, “we,” since he himself is a Jew from the house of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5). When Paul talks to Gentiles, he says, “you,” because Paul was not a Gentile. Now notice this distinction in the following examples:

In Galatians 3:23–25, he uses the words “we” and “our” four times, referring to himself and other Jews.

In Galatians 3:26–29, however, he uses the word “you” five times, referring to non-Jews, or Gentiles.

Returning, then, to the fourth chapter of the letter to the Galatians, we notice that the entire passage, beginning with verse 8 and including verse 10, is addressed to non-Jews or Gentiles, as Paul consistently uses the word “you.” In Galatians 4:8–9, Paul reminds the Galatians that prior to their conversion they did not know God, but instead served pagan gods. (By contrast, when Paul addresses the Jews, he makes clear that they did know—to an extent—the true God; compare Galatians 2:15, “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles…” Also compare Romans 9:3–5, “…my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain… the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God…”). Paul is clearly not addressing Jews in Galatians 4, but rather Gentiles.

These Gentiles had come to a knowledge of the true God upon conversion, but after that initial understanding, they returned to those “beggarly elements” (compare Galatians 4:9) that they had originally worshipped, by observing again “days and months and seasons and years” (verse 10). This practice cannot refer to God’s Sabbath and Holy Days, as those had not even been known, let alone observed, by the Gentiles before their conversion. Rather, Paul is talking here about pagan festivals, such as Christmas, Easter or Halloween (For an in-depth study of the subject of “Christmas,” you might want to read our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”)

In addition, Paul would not be addressing God’s Sabbath and Holy Days here, as those days don’t come from “beggarly elements,” but were, in fact, enacted by GOD. Paul would NEVER have said that the Sabbath or the Holy Days were derived from “beggarly elements.”

Some claim that the converted Gentiles in Galatia had begun to keep the Sabbath and the Holy Days only because Jews allegedly induced them to do so, and that Paul was now opposing this practice. This claim is false, however, because we read in verse 9 that the Galatians turned AGAIN to the weak and beggarly elements (“But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?”). The Galatians had RETURNED to what they had done BEFORE they became Christians. Jewish influence on them AFTER their conversion is clearly NOT what Paul is addressing here.

What then, specifically, did Paul have in mind when speaking about the Gentile practice of “observ[ing] days and months and seasons and years”? To answer that question, we need to consider first the meaning of the word “observe.”

The Greek word for “observe” is “paratereo.” [As an aside, this is a different word than the one used in Romans 14:6, where we read that he who observes the day observes it to the Lord]. In our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” it is explained that the Greek word, “paratereo,” is always used in Scripture in a negative way. Some commentators point out that the “observation” that Paul is addressing here, is done in a superstitious way, which just does not fit when talking about God’s Sabbath and the Holy Days. It does, however, fit in connection with astrology and Gnostic speculations. Looking at it from that point of view, we can see that Paul was talking about an observation of times and seasons that were controlled by heavenly bodies and spirits.

Observation of Seasons or Times

Let’s focus in more detail on the observation of seasons, or “times,” as more correctly translated in the Authorized Version (“Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years”). Looking for the Biblical explanation, we’ll read some other Scriptures pertaining to this subject.

In Leviticus 19:26, we read, in the Authorized Version: “Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.”

We find the same prohibition in Deuteronmoy 18:10, in the Authorized Version: “There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.”

Finally, in Deuteronomy 18:14, in the Authorized Version, God says: “For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners; but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”

So then, what is meant by the phrase, “observers of times?” Literally, it means, “to observe the clouds.” This practice is associated with divination by the observation of the clouds. The study of the appearance and motion of the clouds was a common way of foretelling good or bad fortune.

This superstitious observation of times was often accompanied by lighting candles and decorating the doors with garlic. Its connection was clearly demonic. Note 2 Chronicles 33:6, in the Authorized Version: “[Manasseh] caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit [a demon], and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.”

Observation of Days

Remember, Paul also rebuked the Galatians for observing days. The Greeks, for example, did observe days to worship their dead. On those days, no work was to be done. Actually, both the Greek and the Roman calendars designated one-third of all the days as days of misfortune. On those days, one could not perform any political or legal activities and the people were supposed to abstain from any private pleasures. One was not to engage in war on those days, or marry, or travel.

Observation of Months

Paul also addressed the superstitious practice of observing months. The pagan world had set aside certain months for the worship of their gods. Pagan festivals were kept during the months of April and October to honor the goddess Apolla, while the highest Greek god, Zeus, was worshipped during the months of February and June. The month of April was also set aside for the worship of the god Artemis. The wine god, Baccus, was honored during the month of January.

Observation of Years

Finally, Paul rebuked the Galatians for the observance of years. Indeed, certain years had been set aside for worship activities by the Greeks and the Romans. For example, the Olympic Games were already being celebrated at that time in certain yearly intervals, but they were accompanied with pagan worship and rites.

By now, we can clearly see what Paul was addressing in Galatians 4:10. He was not talking about God’s Sabbath and the Holy Days, but rather was concerned about the Galatians returning to pagan worship customs—celebrating again the heathen days, months, seasons and years.

Conclusion

As we have shown you throughout this booklet, God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Festivals are still to be kept holy today. God wants EVERYONE—including YOU—to observe them. There is no Scripture in the New Testament that does away with God’s requirement to keep His weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days holy, as He made them holy. God had to severely punish ancient Israel and Judah for violating His commandments, including profaning His Holy Sabbaths. God is very angry with the world today—especially the modern houses of Israel and Judah, who should know better—for trampling His Sabbaths under foot. His judgment is coming soon on the whole world.

You have now heard the truth. You have read it in this booklet. You now know better. God expects you to choose to “worship Him in Spirit and in truth” (compare John 4:24). Do you really want to know God? Do you want to be known and accepted by Him? You cannot really be part of God’s Family, and God will not be a real part of your life, unless you keep His commandments, including His weekly and annual Sabbaths—ALL of His Holy Days. Jesus Christ, the “Lord of the Sabbath,” tells us, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Remember, too, 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments.” God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). He wants everyone to obey Him. Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Authorized Version).

If you have never kept God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths, NOW is the time to begin (compare Hebrews 3:7–11). Once you start, you will experience a joy and inner peace that you have never felt before. God promises that He will be found “if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 4:29). To those of you who once kept God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths, but forsook the truth that you first learned, NOW is the time to return and begin again to act on the truth that you once understood (compare Ezekiel 33:14–16). God will accept you back, if you want to return to Him. He says in Zechariah 1:3, “Return to Me… and I will return to you…”

The choice is yours. God wants you to make the right choice, and so do we.


God’s Annual Holy Days

Summary and Calendar

The Passover is observed once a year in the evening by engaging in a foot-washing service as an example of humility in accordance with Christ’s example, and partaking of the unleavened bread and wine, symbolizing physical and spiritual healing and forgiveness of sin. The entire service symbolizes a remembrance of Christ’s death (Leviticus 23:5, Luke 22:14-20; John 13:1-5; 1 Corinthians 11:20-29).

The Days of Unleavened Bread are observed once a year by not partaking of any food prepared with leaven for a period of seven days following the Passover. The partaking of the unleavened bread symbolizes the commitment to live a sinless life (Leviticus 23:6-8; Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 6:7-8).

The Feast of Pentecost is observed once a year. This day symbolizes the coming of God’s Holy Spirit for the purpose of converting those called by God at this time (Leviticus 23:15-16, 21; Acts 2:1-4; 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8).

The Feast of Trumpets is observed once a year. This day symbolizes the soon coming return of Jesus Christ to this earth (Leviticus 23:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16), and our resurrection or change to immortality, to be born again into the Kingdom or Family of God (1 Corinthians 15:50-54, 42-49; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; John 3: 3, 5-8).

The Day of Atonement is observed once a year by refraining from partaking of any and all solid food or liquid for a period of 24 hours. This day symbolizes those called by God during this life, having received at-one-ment with God, and the transfer of sin to Satan as the one who is ultimately responsible for all sin (Leviticus 23:27-32; Acts 27:9).

The Feast of Tabernacles is observed once a year, for seven consecutive days, by attending one of the Church’s designated sites around the world. This period symbol- izes the reign of Christ for 1,000 years, together with His saints made immortal, during which time Satan will be bound and the entire world will be living under the govern- ment of God (Leviticus 23:33-35; John 7:2-8, 10-14; Daniel 7: 27; Revelation 20:4).

The Last Great Day which immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles, is observed once a year. This day symbolizes a 100-year period called the “Great White Throne Judgment,” during which all persons who have ever lived and who were never called by God for salvation during this life, will have their first opportunity to accept Christ as their Savior (Leviticus 23:36; John 7:37; Revelation 20:11-12). At the end of that pe- riod, there will be a judgment during which all people who have ever lived and who have refused to accept Christ as their Savior, will be finally condemned to eternal death and destroyed in Gehenna fire (Revelation 20:13-15).

God’s Holy Days

Roman Year
First Day of Sacred Year
Passover*
Days of Unleavened Bread
Pentecost
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
Last Great Day
2015
March 21
April 3
April 4–10
May 24
September 14
September 23
Sept 28–Oct 4
October 5
2016
April 9
April 22
April 23–29
June 12
October 3
October 12
October 17–23
October 24
2017
March 28
April 10
April 11–17
June 4
September 21
September 30
October 5–11
October 12

*Passover observed evening before. All Holy Days begin evening before.

Letter to the Brethren – September 29, 2003

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Dear Brethren and Friends,

In this third and final season of the dramatic master plan of God as revealed in His commanded Holy Days, we will soon be assembling together to observe these deeply meaningful annual Feasts. This is a time when we as brethren appear before God with both an attitude reflecting the seriousness as well as the joyous aspects of what lies ahead for all of humanity.

In particular, this is a very special time for Church members to come together in unity. As never before, this world is divided. In Matthew 24 Jesus prophesied of this time in which deception would reign and in which there would be wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes. He also warned of betrayal and persecution for those who believed in and followed Him. Just as we now see, truth is overwhelmed and violence among men and even in nature is the order of the day—all things that will increase more and more in the days immediately ahead. Obviously, we are all in one way or the other touched by these things.

We must rise above these events. One very important help for us in this regard is to keep these Feast days with a whole hearted attitude—just as God desires of us. Brethren, when we consider what has happened to the people of God during the past few decades, we know that we have been turned inside out. Due to doctrinal heresy and confusion and an increasing lack of interest in and zeal for God’s truth, the great unity of earlier years has now given way to a scattering of the people of God. Many scriptures specifically point out that this was to occur, but note the great underlying ultimate purpose as revealed in Daniel 12:10: “‘Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.’”

Whether or not we understand is reflected in part in our continued faithful observance of God’s Holy Day plan. Especially in these times when brethren are scattered literally around the earth, these Days are times when we can come together to establish a bond of deep friendship and brotherly love. Of course we each have an individual relationship with Jesus Christ and our Father through the Holy Spirit, but we must also develop a relationship with each other.

Paul explained this continual need for the Church of God in this way in Ephesians 4:13: “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” He is here explaining the role and responsibility of the ministry as it relates to the body of Christ—the Church. However, he goes on to make this point in verse 16: “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” What, then, is your role or your individual responsibility? Can you affect the unity of the body of Christ? The answer is yes—you absolutely have a role in establishing unity in the body of Christ! Note the scripture again that was just quoted—“by what every joint supplies” and “by which every part does its share.”

These statements are beacons of understanding as well as challenges for each of us! So then, how will this relate specifically to the upcoming Festival season—for each of us, individually?

First, we must come with the goal of being a unified part of the body of Christ. Second, we must do what we can to add to unity, and we must make every effort to avoid causing disunity. Finally, we must always take our lead from God. In John 17, in verses 11, 21 and 23, Jesus very directly asked the Father that His disciples would experience the oneness that He and the Father had. Verse 11 has this very insightful comment: “‘Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.’” That name, the name of the Father, is in the Church of God. You see, we do have a role that involves our Church relationship if we are becoming unified as are the Father and His Son.

Just as we are about to assemble to picture future events in God’s plan, it is especially timely to note what God is planning. Notice this prophecy in Ezekiel 11:19: “‘Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh.’”

Again, in Jeremiah 32:38–39: “‘They shall be My people, and I will be their God; then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.’”

Brethren, our calling is to be forerunners of this very thing! We have been given God’s Holy Spirit as ambassadors of that future way as revealed in the life and work of Jesus Christ. Like Him, we have a job to do-—a great responsibility to fulfill! Let us not forget or neglect something else that Jesus taught in Matthew 24. In verse 14, He said: “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.’” For us to effectively fulfill our part of this charter, we must be unified! Now is a time of renewal. As we observe the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day, we must be ever mindful of the great and over-riding purpose of God’s calling. It is God Who calls each and every one of us! Let each and every one of us strive to answer that calling by serving one another and by seeking to become unified in the bond of the love of God!

In Ephesians 4, Paul was inspired to write that each one of us should “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (verse 1), and in verse 3, this challenge: “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Let each of us keep these Feast days with this Psalm of David in mind: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—Life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1–3).

Brethren, it is our fervent desire that each of you are able to greatly rejoice before God and with your brethren in these upcoming Feast days of God. As you do, may you also experience the kind of unity that Jesus requested for us when He established the Church of God—a unified Church. Let each of us do what we can to preserve that timeless unity that surely does picture the wonderful coming Kingdom of God! In Christ’s Service,

J. Edwin Pope

Norbert Link

David J. Harris

Rene Messier

Brian Gale

Letter to the Brethren – September 5, 2003

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Dear Brethren,

We are all looking forward with anticipation as the time for the Feast of Tabernacles rapidly approaches. Even before the Feast, which is just five weeks away, come the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement.

These two days, which we observe annually based upon the instruction and command of the Eternal God, picture very important events we commemorate each year at the appointed times for our edification.

The Feast of Trumpets, of course, portrays the very return of Jesus Christ to the earth for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth and to save mankind from total destruction. Today, conditions on earth are totally contrary to what God desires for mankind. Yet, conditions will continue to worsen before the return of Christ. Then, there will come a point when God will determine that the time has come when Christ must intervene to stop man from destroying himself completely!

Christ discussed many of these conditions with His disciples as He sat and spoke with them on the Mount of Olives. We find this discussion in Matthew 24:3–51. Christ noted in this prophecy several key conditions which would exist just prior to His return to the earth.

He stated that we would find this time to be a time of apostasy (verses 4–5, 11). It would also be a time of anarchy (verses 6–8), a time of affliction (verses 9–10), a time of apathy (verses 12–13), but also a time of accomplishment (verse 14). Notice that Christ speaks here of a work being accomplished!

Christ continued in this prophecy to show that wickedness toward God and man would continue to grow (verses 15–26). The abomination of desolation will take place during these times (verse 15). The time of the Tribulation on the earth, which depicts Satan’s wrath (Rev. 12:12), will begin and will last for two and one half years followed by the Heavenly Signs and then the Day of the Lord, a year of which will be completed prior to Christ’s return—a total of three and one-half years of chaos on the earth (verses 21–22). (See, also, our booklet “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” page 19).

Because the wickedness of man continues to increase, God will intervene on behalf of His people and all of mankind. Just prior to the beginning of the Tribulation, Christ will have His elect gathered together in a “place of safety” (verses 16–20, 28). After the Tribulation is completed, God will begin to pour out His wrath upon the face of the earth (verse 29). This period is the beginning of the Day of the Lord.

As these events begin to unfold the Heavenly Signs appear with the sun being darkened, the moon giving off no light, and many other cosmic events occur in the heavens. Then God’s people will be sealed from all God is about to unleash upon the face of the earth. God will carry out this phase of His Plan through His mighty angels as is described in the book of Revelation and in other prophecies found in the books of the prophets. God has allocated one year for this purpose of affecting His wrath upon the earth, thus completing a total of three and one half years of destruction, encompassing the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and all the earth will see this event taking place. As the Scriptures point out, when they see this they will mourn! All of mankind will see Christ as He comes on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (verse 30). At this juncture, Christ’s angels will gather up His elect from around the earth, all of the dead in Christ shall rise and all living in Christ who survived the Tribulation will join them and they will all be transformed from physical beings into spiritual beings and will be filled with God’s Holy Spirit. They will all meet Christ in the air as He comes to establish His Kingdom on the earth!

We can observe from Christ’s instructions that many things must occur in a short period of time; all before Christ actually establishes the Kingdom on the earth!

1. The publishing of the gospel must be completed.

2. The Abomination of Desolation must take place.

3. The Great Tribulation and the Heavenly Signs must occur.

4. The Day of the Lord must begin. (See our booklet “The Great Tribulation and The Day of the Lord,” pages 48,52–53)

5. And, the second coming of Christ will then occur.

Of these five major events, we find ourselves in the final stages of the first event. It is critical that we continue in this work to which we have been called until Christ clearly reveals that our work is complete. We must remember that the work has always been defined as the publishing of the gospel and the teaching of those God has chosen to be a part of the work. That job is certainly not complete as of this date.

We must all remain diligent in carrying out our part in this work with our prayers and fastings, with our tithes and offerings, and with our love and concern for one another. Of course, our personal example to the world in the way we live our lives, based upon the example set for us by Jesus Christ, including our continuing observance of God’s laws, His statutes and His judgments—i.e., His Way of Life, is critical as we proclaim this Way to the world (verses 44– 47). To not do these things is sure destruction for God’s people (verses 48–51).

The Day of Atonement which follows the Feast of Trumpets by nine days pictures the downfall of Satan, that powerful enemy of the people of God and of all of mankind. Christ has, of course, already defeated Satan, but will, on this day, allot to him his just rewards. Once the sins of the world are placed squarely on the head and shoulders of Satan, since he is the deceiver of mankind, then the way is open for the beginning of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on the earth for one thousand years. This is pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles, which we will be observing just five weeks from now.

As we noted in the opening paragraph of this letter, we look eagerly to the beginning of the Feast this year and all that the Feast signifies for us. Yet there is still much for us to learn in the time between now and Christ’s establishment of the Kingdom, especially in applying the things we have learned. So, let’s all continue to grow in God’s Truth as we enter into this wonderful time of the year which God has made special for all of His people.

In Christian love,

J. Edwin Pope

P.S.—For an in depth study of the events discussed in this letter please review our booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.” If you have not received a copy of this booklet, please write us for your copy at no charge to you.

Also, please find enclosed our new booklet, “Baptism—a Requirement for Salvation.” This booklet is a very meaningful addition to the body of materials available to those desiring an indepth knowledge of God’s Way of Life.

A special member letter with reference to the Feast of Tabernacles will be sent out prior to the Feast.

Letter to the Brethren – August 5, 2003

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Dear Brethren:

When we look around us, we can tell that Christ’s return is near. Prophetic end-time events, that have been written about thousands of years ago in the pages of the Bible, are beginning to unfold. We know, for instance, that there is going to be one last resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire,” consisting of ten European “core nations” that will give their power and authority to an influential military leader, called in prophecy “the beast” (Revelation 17:12–13), the “king of the North” (Daniel 11:40), or “King Jareb of Assyria” (Hosea 5:13). This “beast” will be supported by a religious leader, referred to as “the false prophet” (Revelation 19:20), the “little horn” (Daniel 7:8), “the man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), or “a woman sitting on a scarlet beast” (Revelation 17:3). We are told that this last resurgence of the “Holy Roman Empire,” that will be hostile toward the modern tribes of the houses of Israel and Judah, will only “continue a short time” (Revelation 17:10). In fact, these ten core nations and their leaders will “receive authority for one hour with the beast” (v. 12). Other Scriptures, such as Daniel 7:23–25, indicate that they will exert their full power for three-and-a-half years.

We see the beginning stages of the last resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire” in continental Europe. We observe the Catholic Church’s heavy involvement to bring about a “Christian” European unification. We are also experiencing an unprecedented alienation of the relationship between the United States of America and Europe, especially Germany and France. We are confronted with constant and reoccurring problems in the Middle East, especially involving the State of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. In spite of all attempts to the contrary, there is no peace in that region.

We read in Matthew 24 about the events leading to Christ’s return—“wars and rumors of wars,” “earthquakes,” “famines,” and “pestilences.” Any honest observer must admit that these events have become common place. Christ warned that the very next event would be “the Great Tribulation”—a term including the persecution of true Christians as well as an attack by a powerful united Europe on the United States of America, Great Britain, and the State of Israel.

No human being knows how close we are to these prophesied events. Christ warned us: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! … But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, AND DID NOT KNOW until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be… Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming… Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24: 32–44).

No human being knows the exact hour, but to watch end-time events and our own lives will help us to be READY when Christ comes. We can know the approximate time or season. We are to follow Christ’s admonition in Luke 21:34–37:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on 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.”

While mankind in general WILL BE caught by surprise when the prophesied terrible times–just prior to Christ’s return–come on this earth, God’s true servants need not be in ignorance. Notice Paul’s statement in 1 Thessalonians 5:1–5:

“But concerning the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”

We are to live and walk in the light. We are to have the light of understanding, illuminating for us Biblical prophecy. If we are not careful, however, by not constantly watching and examining ourselves, as to where we stand, we, too, could become “spiritually dead.” To the remnant of the Sardis church, Christ — 2 — says in Revelation 3:2–3, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God… Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” This is a warning which all of God’s people should heed (compare Revelation 3:6).

Time is short (1 Corinthians 7:29). We have to diligently be about our Father’s business, “always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58) by preaching the gospel and feeding the flock (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:18–20). We know that God’s work will be finished and cut short in righteousness, and that “the LORD will make a short work upon the earth” (Romans 9:28). Satan knows that he has “but a short time” (Revelation 12:12), and that God will “crush Satan under [our] feet shortly” (Romans 16:20). The entire book of Revelation, which has been opened to our understanding, describes things “which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1; 22:6).

We are encouraged to “walk properly, as in the day” (Romans 13:13), “knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” (Romans 13: 11–12). We are asked to “redeem the time” (Ephesians 5:16; compare Colossians 4:5), that is, to make the most of our time to please God. We are told to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Watching prophetic events can and should help us to draw closer to God, seeing that the time is near. Just watching what is going on in the world and not doing anything about it in our own personal lives is useless. At the same time, we must not make the mistake and think, “Since everything is going to end soon, why should I prepare for the future? Why should I even look for a job, or find a better job? Why should I go to college or university to acquire a good education? Why should I think of getting married or having children?”

First of all, no human being knows when these terrible times will begin. Every indication is that they are not too far away from us, but we can’t know for sure. The Church thought in the 70’s that Christ would return soon, within a few years, and many made the mistake of not continuing to live responsible lives or preparing for the future. The Church had understood for a long time that Europe would unite and become the most powerful union of nations on the face of the earth. We expected all the things to happen then that are beginning to happen now. How long, though, did it take? Even now, we are seeing just the beginning stages of Europe’s unification. It might still take quite a few years until the final power bloc of Europe has arrived on the world scene, as prophesied in Scripture.

The Biblical principle is to always be spiritually ready. If we should die tonight, we should be ready to meet our Maker when we awake—which would be at the next moment of our consciousness. At the same time, we are to live, on a physical plane, as if a whole lifetime is still ahead of us. For instance, it is a sin not to work and make a living, if we have opportunity to do so (2 Thessalonians 3:10–12). In order to live successful lives, we need to have vision—a plan as to what to do with our lives (Proverbs 29:18, Authorized Version). We are not to just drift through life, like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. We need to be productive. We are told in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.”

When God grants us fortunes, we are to use them and share them with others (1 Timothy 6:17–18). All of us are to “learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that” we may not be “unfruitful” (Titus 3:14). Paul tells us, “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). At the same time, we must always live a humble life subject to God’s Will (James 4:13–16).

Christ admonishes us to prepare for His return and the terrible times ahead. While becoming more and more perfect (compare Matthew 5:48), we are also, as productive citizens of God’s kingdom, to “increase[ ] in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (compare Luke 2:52).

With brotherly love,

Norbert Link

Angels, Demons and the Spirit World

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Introduction

It is amazing how many professing Christians refuse to believe in angels or demons, let alone a spirit world “in heaven.” They consider such ideas as relics or superstitions from the distant past. While many have no problem believing in UFOs or alien life forms, they scoff at the idea of the existence of real angels and real demons. At best, they consider such beings as symbols of good and evil—a figurative way of describing a sense of right and wrong within us. The Bible clearly reveals, however, that angels and demons do exist.

There are others who do profess to believe in angels but swing the pendulum all the way to the other side and actually worship angels. The Bible is very clear that only God is to be worshiped, not angels.

In this booklet, we will present the biblical revelation of the little-understood spirit world. While it is important to believe what God’s Word reveals about the existence of angels and demons, it is even more important to have a true understanding of what these spirit beings are doing today, how they affect us, and what their existence means for us. In looking at the Scriptures and accepting the awesome truth contained therein, the spirit world will become plainly visible before our “spiritual eyes” and we will gain a clearer perception than ever before!

Before the Physical Creation

The Bible reveals to us that there was a time when only God existed. However, that statement is coupled with the biblical understanding that God actually consists of two beings—the Father and the Son. John 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning [before anything else was created] was the Word [the Son of God—Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God [God the Father], and the Word was God.” God has always existed. There was never a time when God (both the Father and the Son) did not exist.

The Bible does not tell us what God did before He began creating within the spirit world and then the physical universe. We are told, however, that there was a time when God started His Work of creation. We might speculate that God spent a lot of time in planning His creation. We are not told, however, how long this took nor what God did before He began to plan His creation.

We humans tend to think of creation as referring to the physical universe—the galaxies, the suns, the stars and planets, and our own earth and the life forms on it, including man. God, however, did not start His work of creation by creating physical things. He first created spiritual things. This spirit realm still exists today, but since it is invisible to the human eye, many choose not to believe in it. However, when rightly understood, the spirit world is much more real than the physical world. It is, in fact, permanent, unlike the physical world, which is temporary. The created spirit world has existed much longer than anything physical, and it will continue to exist for all of eternity.

Part 1 – The World of Angels

Introduction

It is revealed to us in God’s Word that God created angels. Angels have not lived forever. Angels did have a beginning. Psalm 148:1–2, 5 tells us: “PRAISE the LORD!… Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!… For He commanded, and they were CREATED.”

Paul confirms in Colossians 1:16 that angels—invisible to the human eye—were created. They have not existed forever. “For by Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible.”

Angels Cannot Die

Angels were created as immortal spirit beings, to live forever. Christ compared the immortality of angels with the POTENTIAL of man to become immortal when He said in Luke 20:36: “… nor can they [man made immortal in the resurrection] die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.” This truth is confirmed in 2 Corinthians 4:18: “… For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Angels are invisible; they are “not seen” by the human eye (compare Colossians 1:16).

Angels Don’t Marry

Angels don’t experience physical marriage in the spirit realm, and resurrected Christians who are changed to Spirit beings won’t marry either. Christ confirmed this in Matthew 22:30: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.”

Angels Enjoy Eating

Angels were created as spirit beings—they are composed of spirit. As such, they are not dependent on physical things, including food. Nevertheless, angels do enjoy eating. In fact, we are told that they have special food. Psalm 78:24–25 tells us: “[God] Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven. Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.” Genesis 18:1–8 shows that the two angels (compare Genesis 19:1), accompanying the One identified as the LORD, also ate a meal that Abraham prepared.

Mightier Than Man

As spirit beings, angels are much stronger and mightier than physical man. The Bible confirms in 2 Peter 2:11 the obvious fact that “…angels…are greater in power and might” than humans.

Not As Knowledgeable As God

Angels do not have the same knowledge and understanding that God has. In 1 Peter 1:12, we are told that God reveals spiritual knowledge to His church that even angels do not possess: “…things which angels desire to look into.” In fact, Ephesians 3:10 confirms that the time has come when “…the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church [to which God revealed His wisdom] to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places” [different ranks of angels, see below].”

How Many Angels Exist?

Man has no comprehension of how many angels exist. The revealed number is indeed mind-boggling. In Revelation 5:11, the number of angels that had assembled before the throne of God is given as “…ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.” Hebrews 12:22 goes even further: “But you have come to… an innumerable company of angels.” The Greek word for “innumerable” is “anarithmethos,” literally meaning, “unnumbered” or “without number.” Certainly God knows how many angels He created but for man, angels are “without number.”

Angels Have Feelings

God did not create angels as robots. Rather, they are individual beings with emotions and feelings. In Job 38:7, angels sang together and shouted for joy when they saw God’s beautiful creation of the earth. Also, they “rejoice” when a sinner repents (compare Luke 15:10).

Angels Have Their Own Language

Angels speak their own language, a language that is different from the languages of man. In 1 Corinthians 13:1, Paul says: “Though I speak with the tongues [languages] of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become [as] sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”

Angels Have Their Own Names

As individual beings with feelings and emotions, and with their own language, God also knows them by individual names. The Bible reveals two angelic names to us—Michael and Gabriel. It also talks about a third angel—Lucifer—who became Satan the devil. It appears, however, that all of the other angels have God-given names too. In Hebrews 1:4, we are told that Christ “…obtained a more excellent name than they,” and Ephesians 1:21, in comparing Christ with the angelic world, states that Christ was seated at the right hand of God the Father, “…far above…every name that is named.” (Compare, too, Philippians 2:9.)

God’s Angels Are Not Always in Heaven

Many Scriptures tell us that the abode of God’s angels is in heaven. Revelation 7:11 points out: “All the angels stood around the throne… and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God.” This does not mean, however, that the angels always stay in heaven. Jacob saw in a dream God’s angels ascending and descending on a ladder reaching heaven. He understood that he had been shown the “gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:12–17). Christ explained to Philip that God’s angels were ascending and descending upon the Son of Man (John 1:51). We will also see later in this booklet that angels are sent by God to “…walk to and fro throughout the earth” (Zechariah 6:7).

The Angel of the LORD

The Bible repeatedly makes mention of “the angel of the LORD.” Some claim that this expression always refers to Jesus Christ, as the Messenger of God the Father (see discussion below). However, in most cases, the word “LORD” in the Old Testament refers to Christ, though it can refer to the Father as well. (Refer to our free booklet, “God is a Family.”) We also read in Luke 2:9 that an “angel of the Lord” appeared to the shepherds in the field after Christ was born. In that passage, the term “angel of the Lord” could not possibly refer to Christ Himself, otherwise, He would have been in two different locations at the same time.

It appears that the phrase, “angel of the LORD,” often designates an angel sent by God. For instance, we read in 1 Kings 19:5 that “an angel” touched Elijah. In verse 7, the angel is referred to as “the angel of the LORD.” The New King James Bible arbitrarily capitalizes the word “angel” in some of those passages. Such rendering is simply an interpretation of the translator, and is of course not found in the original.

Other Difficulties with the Word, “Angel”

We read in Hosea 12:3–4 that Jacob “…struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed.” We also read in Genesis 32:28, 30 that Jacob “…struggled with God,” and that he had seen “…God face to face.”

In addition, we are told in Exodus 3:2 that “…the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire.” In verse 4, we are told that Moses was called by God from the midst of the bush. However, in Acts 7:35, Stephen said that “…the Angel… appeared to him in the bush.”

As a third example, Exodus 19:18–21 tells us that “the LORD” and “God” spoke to Moses on the top of Mount Sinai. Stephen said in Acts 7:38 that “the Angel… spoke to him on Mount Sinai.”

How do we explain these apparent contradictions?

In Hebrew, the word for “angel” is “malak” or “malech,” which is derived from the Hebrew, “l’k,” meaning, “to deliver a message,” or “to carry out an assignment.” The word “malak” can be translated as “angel” or as “messenger.” The Greek word for “angel” is “angelos,” which also means “messenger.” The Latin word “angelus” is derived from the Greek word, “angelos,” and means, “angel.” Therefore, the words “malak” and “angelos” can refer to a created angelic being, and they can refer to human messengers. (Compare Genesis 32:3; Haggai 1:13; Matthew 11:10; and James 2:25. In these passages, the words “malak” and “angelos,” referring to human beings, are translated as “messenger.”) These words can also refer to Jesus Christ, the “Messenger” of God the Father, as is the case in Malachi 3:1.

The “angel” or “messenger” who appeared to Moses and Jacob was Jesus Christ. It was Christ who dealt directly with ancient Israel and Judah. (For Biblical proof, please read our free booklet, “God is a Family.”) Therefore, the above-quoted passages in the books of Hosea, Genesis and Exodus identify the Person within the God Family who struggled with Jacob and who spoke with Moses—Jesus Christ, the “messenger” of the Father. In other passages, as we will see, the Bible may say that God did certain things, but the context reveals that He did it through His angels.

Different Orders of Angels

There seem to exist different orders, categories or ranks of angels, with varying degrees of power and authority. When describing the angelic world, Colossians 1:16 speaks about “…thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” Ephesians 1:20–21 refers to angels as “…principality and power and might and dominion.” In Ephesians 3:10, angels are identified as “…principalities and powers in the heavenly places,” and 1 Peter 3:22 describes the created world of spirit beings as “…angels and authorities and powers.”

In light of these Scriptures, the Swiss Zürcher Bible does refer to ranks among the angels. The Ryrie Study Bible states in an annotation to Ephesians 1:21: “These words (i.e., principality, and power, and might, and dominion) in rabbinical thought of the time, described different orders of angels.”

As will become clearer in the remainder of this booklet, angels have been given varying degrees of power and glory. All of them are powerful and glorious, but not to the same extent. Revelation 5:2 speaks about a “strong angel.” Revelation 10:1 and 18:21 describe “mighty” angels. Revelation 18:1 introduces an angel “…coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.”  Other Scriptures imply that specific angels were given special powers over fire (Revelation 14:18) and water (Revelation 16:5).

The following brief overview will summarize the varying orders or categories of angels, as revealed in Scripture:

(1) Archangels

The Bible talks at times about certain “archangels.” The meaning of this word is, “chief messenger.” Only Michael is specifically referred to in Scripture as an “archangel.” The name “Michael” means, “Who is like God?” Jude 9 identifies him as an “archangel.” He is also referred to as “one of the chief princes,” (Daniel 10:13) showing that there must be additional “chief princes.” He is also described as “the great prince” (Daniel 12:1). He is clearly in charge of other angels, as Revelation 12:7 explains (“Michael and his angels fought…”).

Whether the second named angel in the Bible, Gabriel, is an archangel, is not clearly revealed. The name “Gabriel” means, “God is mighty.” While the Bible nowhere describes the appearance of Michael, the angel Gabriel has the “appearance of a man” (Daniel 8:15; 9:21; see also the detailed discussion later in this booklet). He “stands in the presence of God” (Luke 1:19) and is sent oftentimes by God to man with positive and important news (Luke 1:26, 31). He was sent several times to Daniel, and he was sent to Zacharias (Luke 1:11–13), and to Mary. Since the meaning of “archangel” is “chief messenger,” and since Gabriel is sent by God with important messages, the assumption is compelling that Gabriel is an archangel. He has been traditionally viewed as one of the other archangels and one of the chief princes.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 speaks of an “archangel” without specifically explaining his identity. We read, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” This wording indicates, too, the existence of more than one archangel; otherwise, it would just say, “the archangel.”

(2) Seraphim

The Bible specifically refers to angelic beings as “seraphim” in one place. The word “seraphim” means “burning” or “noble.” These beings are depicted as standing above God’s throne, each having “…six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew” (Isaiah 6:2). The voice of a seraphim is so powerful that “…the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out” (Isaiah 6:4). Isaiah 6:6 describes one of the seraphim as touching a burning coal with his hand.

Whether this passage makes clear that seraphim look like men, is uncertain. The reference to “face,” “feet” and “hand” might suggest this. On the other hand, the Hebrew word for “seraphim,” “saraph,” (compare Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, under “Seraphims” and “Serpent”, Number 8314) is also used in other passages, describing dragons or serpents. We read in Isaiah 14:29, “Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, Because the rod that struck you is broken; For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper, And its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.”  The Hebrew word for “fiery serpent” is “saraph.” The New Jerusalem Bible gives the rendering, “a flying dragon.” An additional passage can be found in Isaiah 30:6: “The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent (“saraph” in Hebrew)…”

The Hebrew word “saraph” is also used in Numbers 21:8–9, when God instructed Moses to “‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole…”

Rienecker’s Commentary to the Bible states the following: “Passages such as Isaiah 14:29 and 30:6, describing flying seraphim (plural of saraph, translated by Luther as ‘flying dragon’), as well as Isaiah 6:2, 6, using the word to describe six-winged beings above the throne of God, go beyond the idea of an ordinary snake or serpent, and impress on the reader the concept of dragon-like creatures…”

(3) Cherubim

Perhaps the best-known angelic beings mentioned in the Bible are the “cherubim.” As we will explain in more detail later in this booklet, the common idea as to what cherubim are, or how they look, is totally false. The meaning of “cherub” or “cherubim” is “those grasped, held fast.” God “…placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24). God “dwells between the cherubim” (Psalm 99:1; 2 Samuel 6:2), riding “upon a cherub” (Psalm 18:10; 2 Samuel 22:11). Moses was instructed to “…make two cherubim of gold… at the two ends of the mercy seat… And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another… and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony” (Exodus 25:18, 20, 22).

We also read that the veil of the tabernacle “…shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim” (Exodus 26:31); that the walls of Solomon’s temple were carved with “…figures of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers” (1 Kings 6:29); and that “…on the panels [of the carts] that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim” (1 Kings 7:29).

A mighty and powerful angel is described in Ezekiel 28:14–16 as the “anointed cherub who covers…You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you… And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.” Other passages, such as Isaiah 14:12, tell us that this cherub was “Lucifer,” who sinned against God and became Satan the devil (much more on this later).

The Bible does not tell us how many cherubs exist. Ezekiel, chapters 1 and 10, mention at least four cherubs, in addition to the former cherub Lucifer, who is now Satan.

Some have speculated whether Michael and Gabriel are not only archangels, but also cherubs. The Bible nowhere identifies these two angels as cherubs.

(4) Four Living Creatures

The Bible speaks about “four living creatures” in the book of Revelation that appear before the throne of God. Although their description is, to an extent, similar to that of seraphim, there are nevertheless distinctions, implying that these angelic beings belong to a separate category or order. Revelation 4:6–9 explains that they have six wings, and that all of them look different. One looks like a lion, one looks like a calf, one looks like a flying eagle, and one has the face of a man. In addition, they have voices of thunder (Revelation 6:1) and they carry out God’s Will by directing other angels (compare Revelation 15:7).

(5) The Twenty-Four Elders

The book of Revelation also speaks about twenty-four high-ranking spirit beings within the angelic realm, called the “twenty-four elders.” They are in heaven, clothed in white robes, wearing crowns of gold on their heads and sitting on twenty-four thrones before the throne of God, whom they worship and serve (Revelation 4:4, 10–11). The high rank of the “four living creatures” and the “twenty-four elders” is expressed in Revelation 5:11: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne [of God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ], the living creatures, and the elders…” (Compare, too, Revelation 7:11.)

(6) The Seven Spirits of God

As will be discussed later in more detail, the Bible reveals to us the existence of seven special angels of God, referred to as the “Seven Spirits of God,” (Revelation 5:6) whose responsibility it is to walk through the earth to report their observations to God. It is possible that these seven spirit beings are identical with “…the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given [the] seven [last] trumpets… So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound” (Revelation 8:2, 6). These seven spirit beings are perhaps also identical with the “seven thunders” mentioned in Revelation 10:3–4, and with the seven angels of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 1:20, as well as in Revelation 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, and 14.

(7) The Remaining Angels

Many times, the Bible speaks in general terms of angels. We read of the archangel “Michael and his angels” (Revelation 12:7). 1 Peter 3:22 speaks of “angels and authorities and powers.” Angels are also referred to as “sons of God” (compare Job 1:6; 38:7) or as “stars” (compare Isaiah 14:13; Revelation 12:4; Revelation 9:1–2; Revelation 1:20). As each physical star has a name given by God (Isaiah 40:26; Psalm 147:4), so it appears, as mentioned before, that God gave each angel his name, too, since “angels” are many times figuratively described as “stars.” High-ranking angels are sometimes referred to as “morning stars,” compare Job 38:7.

Don’t Contact and Worship Angels

The more we study the Scriptures about the world of angels, the more we will be struck by the awesome truth that unfolds in front of our eyes. We will learn about unknown and unheard of powers and abilities that angels possess. Their tremendous strength and might could perhaps motivate us to worship angels in our thoughts. The study of the angelic world might also tempt us to seek to get in contact with angels, and to literally worship them. These actions would be a terrible mistake. The Bible warns us explicitly NOT to do so.

John, an apostle of Jesus Christ, had to overcome the very same temptation that we are speaking of. After a mighty angel had shown John in a vision what would happen in the future, John thought that he had to worship this angel. Revelation 19:10 tells us: “And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!’”

Human memory is short-lived. A few chapters later, John is about to repeat the same mistake. Revelation 22:8–9 records, “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.’”

In addition, the Bible warns us not to make contact with angels. When God wants to send an angel with a message to us, He will do that. To attempt to make contact ourselves with angels is very dangerous. As we will see later in this booklet, we might end up making contact with the wrong kind of angel. Colossians 2:18 states: “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.”

Most commentaries and translators point out that the Greek conveys here the meaning of someone who tries to initiate contact with the spirit world. For instance, the New Jerusalem Bible renders this verse as follows: “Do not be cheated of your prize by anyone who chooses to grovel to angels and worship them, pinning every hope on visions received…” The Revised English Bible states: “You are not to be disqualified by the decision of people who go in for self-mortification and angel-worship and access to some visionary world.”

We must keep firmly in mind that angels are created beings and that all worship must be directed toward the Creator, rather than anything or anyone created. Romans 1:25 tells us of pagans who “…exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.”

We read that God the Father created everything, including the spirit world of angels, through Jesus Christ (compare again Colossians 1:16). We have seen that God the Father gave Jesus Christ a name which is far above the name of anyone or anything else (compare again Hebrews 1:4; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9). Only Jesus Christ was worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals (Revelation 5:1–5) in order to show God’s servants “things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 1:1). No angel was worthy enough to do so!

When reading about the mighty deeds of angels, we need to always remember that God gave them such power. Rather than worshiping angels, we must worship the Creator God and stand in awe of His abilities and strength. Likewise, Exodus 20:4 sternly forbids creating any image of anything that is in heaven above for the purpose of worshiping it.

Don’t Disrespect Angels

On the other hand, the fact that we must never worship angels does not mean that we should ever look down on angels or speak evil of them. God would not leave a person unpunished who showed disrespect for angels, as such a person would thereby show disrespect and contempt for God, the Creator of the angelic world.

The Bible condemns those who speak evil of angels. We read in Jude 8 of “dreamers” who “defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.” As the margin of the New King James Bible points out, the Greek word for “dignitaries” means “glories.” Jude is referring here to angelic beings. The New International Version and the Revised English Bible render this word as “celestial beings.” The Revised Standard Version says, “glorious ones,” and the New American Bible states, “glorious beings.”

In addition, 2 Peter 2:10 reiterates that those “who walk according to the flesh” are “not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.” Again, in the Greek, the meaning is “glories.”

We find an example of a self-willed individual who is not afraid to speak evil of angels, in Revelation 13:6. This human being is also referred to in Scripture as the “beast,” the final leader of a resurrected Roman Empire in Europe. We read, “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.

What Angels Look Like

We know from Scripture that angels, in their created and glorious state, are invisible to the human eye. We also read, however, that angels did manifest themselves at times so as to be seen by humans. It may be surprising to learn HOW angels manifested themselves to humans. Many people have an entirely wrong idea as to what angels look like. When we see pictures of little naked babies with wings and golden trumpets or a bow with arrows, purporting to be angels, we get a totally wrong idea as to how angels really look. In fact, those pictures constitute a violation of the very command not to belittle or disrespect angels.

(1) Some Angels Have Man-like Features

The Bible reveals that some angels, when they appear to man in a physical state or in a vision in their glorious state, actually look like men. They have a body, a head, eyes, arms, hands, and feet. Let’s examine a few Scriptures in that regard.

Daniel 8 gives a description of one mighty and powerful angel, Gabriel, who appeared to Daniel. Although he looked like a man, his appearance was so overwhelming that Daniel was afraid and became sick. We read in Daniel 8:15–18, 27:

“Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, ‘Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.’ So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.’ Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright… And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business.”

What Daniel encountered here was, in fact, a vision, as Daniel 9:20–21 explains: “Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.”

Even in vision, the appearance of the angel Gabriel was so powerful that Daniel was afraid; he fell into a deep sleep; he fainted and became unconscious; and he was sick for several days. Gabriel did not look like just any man, although he had man-like features. We also learn from these verses that Gabriel could fly swiftly, although we don’t find that Gabriel is expressly portrayed with wings.

It is highly likely that Gabriel was sent a third time to Daniel with a message. If so, his glorious appearance is described in detail in Daniel 10:5–9: “I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.”

Some claim that this is not a description of an angel, but of Christ, as the description of Christ in Revelation 1 is similar. However, Daniel could not possibly speak about Christ in that passage. As we will discuss fully in this booklet, the “glorious man,” the angel, reveals to Daniel that he was unable to overcome a demon without the help of another mighty angel, the archangel Michael (compare Daniel 10:13). Since Christ is much more powerful than any angel or demon [after all, He created all those beings in the first place], Daniel was visited by a mighty angel—in all likelihood, Gabriel—and not by Christ Himself. Further descriptions of Gabriel’s appearances can be found in Luke 1:11–19 and 26–38.

There are other passages that tell us more about angels who look like men when they manifest themselves to the human eye. One such encounter with angels is described in Luke 24:4–5, relating the account when the women went to Jesus’ grave, but could not find His body: “And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living among the dead?’”

These two men were angels, as the parallel account in John 20:11–12 reveals. Notice, too, this additional account of one of the two angels, in Mark 16:5, 8: “And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed… So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.” Their appearance was such that the women were afraid. Although having man-like features, they did not look like ordinary men.

The reason for their flight and emotional upheaval was not only because they could not find Christ’s body, it was also caused by the way in which the angel appeared to them. We find a detailed description of his appearance in Matthew 28:1–5, 8: “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid…’ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy.”

The appearance of this angel, although having man-like features, was like lightning, so that the guards who saw him shook for fear, as did the women, when they saw him. The guards then fainted and became unconscious.

In Ezekiel 40:3, an angel is described in this way, “…there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze.”

John further describes a powerful angel with man-like features in this way, “I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire… and [he] cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars” (Revelation 10:1–3).

(2) Some Angels May Look Like Women

We saw that angels commonly appear with man-like features, and some of them looked like young men. In addition, there is one Scripture that might perhaps indicate that some angels may look like women.  Notice Zechariah 5:9–11: “Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were two women, coming with the wind in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. So I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘Where are they carrying the basket?’ And he said to me, ‘To build a house for it in the land of Shinar [Babylon, Genesis 11:2, 9]; when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base.”

(3) Unrecognized Angels 

‘Angels have manifested themselves at times to humans without being recognized as angels. This means that they did not appear at those times in their glorified form, but in a different form. Angels can manifest themselves in such a way that they look entirely like ordinary men. Hebrews 13:2 tells us: “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” One such example can be found in Genesis 19:1–11, where Lot invited two angels into his house. Lot, as well as the men of Sodom, did not realize that these two strangers were angels. That is the reason why the depraved men of Sodom wanted to deal “carnally” with the strangers, and why Lot wanted to protect the strangers by foolishly offering his daughters to the citizens of Sodom. Nobody realized the power that these two angels possessed (compare verse 11).

Another episode has been recorded for us in Acts 12:13–15 when Peter had been imprisoned and the disciples prayed for his release. Unbeknown to the disciples, Peter had been freed by an angel: “And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. But they said to her, ‘You are beside yourself!’ Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, ‘It is his angel.’”

The disciples thought it was possible that an angel could appear as Peter, speaking with Peter’s voice. After all, they had experienced that Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, could also appear in a different form. Christ did not appear to His disciples in His glorified state. He did not appear, prior to His ascension to heaven, with all His power and glory that He has today. We can find a description of His glorious appearance in Revelation 1:10, 12–17. We also find a description of His glory, prior to His human birth, in Ezekiel 1:26–28. When He appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He appeared just as an ordinary man, so much so that they did not recognize Him. Accounts of His appearances can be found in John 20:14–16 and John 21:4–7. They only came to recognize Him after He spoke a certain way or performed a certain miracle that He had performed earlier before His death.

We read that the disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize the resurrected Christ until He “…took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:30–31). The reason that they did not recognize Him earlier is explained in Mark 16:12: “After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.”

Angels, too, are given the power to manifest themselves “in another form,” looking like ordinary people so that they cannot be recognized by men as angels.

(4) Some Angels Look Like Animals

Not all angels have man-like features. The Bible contains many descriptions of angels that have animal features. For instance, as mentioned before, four very powerful angels—the “four living creatures”—are described in the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation in this way: “Before the throne [of God in heaven] there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:6–8).

Here we are introduced to angelic beings that look like a lion, a calf, and a flying eagle. One angelic being has the face of a man, implying that the rest of his appearance may not resemble that of a man. In addition, all have six wings.

(5) Some Angels Look Like Horses

We find additional accounts in the Bible, describing angels as fiery horses. Note, for example, 2 Kings 2:11–12: “Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, ‘My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!’ So he saw him no more.”

A similar account can be found in 2 Kings 6:15–17: “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

Elisha knew that God had sent His angelic army to protect them. His servant Gehazi did not realize it. God “opened his eyes” so that he could see them, that is, God showed him in his mind the angels that had encamped around them. Again, this angelic army is described as “fiery horses.”

We find a similar description of angels as horses in several places in the book of Zechariah. Let’s review some of these accounts: In Zechariah 1:8–11, we are told, “I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. Then I said, My lord, what are these?’ So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.’ So they answered the Angel [better rendered: angel] of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.’”

We are specifically told in this passage that God sent “red, sorrel and white horses” to walk to and fro throughout the earth. These horses are angelic beings. Zechariah 6:1–8 confirms this conclusion:  “Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ And the angel answered and said to me, ‘These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.’ Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, ‘Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.’ So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, ‘See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.’” 

The “Eyes of the Lord”

The angel who spoke directly to Zechariah is described as a man. The horses walking to and fro throughout the earth are called “spirits of heaven.” They are spirit beings, or angelic beings, that look like horses. In Revelation 5:6, some of those spirit beings are described as “seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits [better translated: “spirits” or “spirit beings”] of God sent out into all the earth.” Notice that Zechariah, too, identifies these spirit beings as the “eyes of God,” in Zechariah 3:9 and 4:10: “Upon the stone are seven eyes… They are the eyes of the LORD, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 adds, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” Proverbs 15:3 goes on to state, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

These spirit beings that look like horses are called “the eyes of God,” or “watchers,” as they “keep watch on the evil and the good.” In Daniel 4:13–14, 17, Nebuchadnezzar told the prophet Daniel one of his dreams, stating, “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. He cried aloud and said thus: ‘…This decision is by the decree of the watchers, And the sentence by the word of the holy ones…” Daniel interpreted the dream for the king, recognizing that God had shown the king in a vision an angelic being or a watcher—one of the “spirits of heaven” or “eyes of the Lord.” Daniel said in verses 23–24, “And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven… this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king…”

These watchers—“the eyes of the Lord”—are spirit beings, holy angels of God, having the appearance of horses. They run to and fro throughout the earth, keeping watch on the good and the evil.

Many commentaries agree that the term “watchers” in Daniel 4 refers to some of God’s holy angels. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown make these insightful comments to Daniel 4:13, which refers to “…[a] watcher, a holy one”: “Only one angel is intended, and he is not one of the bad, but of the holy angels. Called a ‘watcher,’ because ever on the watch to execute God’s will.”

We are told about another episode in 1 Kings 22:19–23, where God was talking to His angels as to how to bring about a certain outcome: “Then Micaiah said, ‘Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. And the LORD said, “Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?” So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. Then a spirit [perhaps a demon, see discussion below] came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, “I will persuade him.” The LORD said to him, “In what way?” So he said, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.” Therefore look! The LORD has put [allowed] a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.’”

God’s angels watch on the good and the bad, and they report their findings to God. When doing so, they also express their feelings to God, participating thereby in God’s decisions and decrees.

White Horses At Christ’s Return

We find another description of angelic beings that look like horses in the famous passage in Revelation 19:11, 14, describing the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. Notice, however, what the Bible actually says in this little-understood passage: “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.”

We are told here that Christ and His armies in heaven will come, riding on white horses. These horses must be spirit beings, because they come from heaven down to this earth. The armies in heaven, riding on white horses, are angelic beings that presumably look like men. As we will see later in this booklet, certain angels are “warriors.” Their main function is to fight the forces of evil. Other angels, like those who look like horses, have different or additional functions, including the task to carry Christ and His warrior angels.

(6) Some Angels Combine Man-like and Animal-like Features

The most spectacular group of angels is those called “cherubs” or “cherubim.” Unfortunately, due to a totally wrong concept conveyed through “art” and “mythology,” this world thinks that “cherubim” look like little naked boys, blowing trumpets, and shootings arrows. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible describes “cherubim” as extremely powerful and awesome-looking spirit beings. Most of them do not look like ordinary human beings at all, let alone little children or babies.

We find a very detailed description of their appearance in the book of Ezekiel. We read in Ezekiel 1:5–14: “Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward. As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies… As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.”

We are later told that these four living creatures were “cherubim” (Ezekiel 10:20–22). They were transporting a throne on which the “LORD” sat. Notice Ezekiel 1:26–28: “And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it… This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.” We are told, for instance, in Psalm 18:10 that the LORD “rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind.”

Ezekiel 10:14 also reveals that the predominant facial features of a cherub are those of an ox. While we had read in Ezekiel 1:10 that the four cherubs had the face of an ox, a man, a lion, and an eagle, Ezekiel 10:14 lists those characteristics as the face a cherub, a man, a lion, and an eagle. Taken together, the Scriptures equate the predominant facial features of a cherub with that of an ox. Some have suggested that cherubs look mainly like oxen. Notice, though, that they are described with the “likeness of a man.” Only their facial features and the soles of their feet are different from the “likeness of a man” (in addition to the fact that they have wings).

In additional passages, cherubs are depicted with “… two faces, so that the face of a man was toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion toward a palm tree on the other side; thus it was made throughout the temple all around” (Ezekiel 41:18–19). We also find in 1 Kings 6:23–27 that Solomon, when building the temple, made cherubs with two wings each.

There are several passages that imply that some of the cherubs might only have one face (as distinguished from the four faces of each cherub in Ezekiel 1). We read, for example, in Exodus 37:9: “The cherubim spread out their wings above, and covered the mercy seat with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.” (Compare, too, Exodus 25:20 and 2 Chronicles 3:13.)

Rienecker’s Commentary to the Bible points out that “cherubim appear where God is personally present or where He reveals Himself in His glory… The cherubim are witnesses of the personal presence of God on earth… Today, cherubs are pictured similar to the winged creatures, called ‘kurubu,’ that have been dug out in Mesopotamia, Palestine and Syria.” Some of these “kurubu” look like creatures with a body of a lion, with wings, and with the head of a man, while others have the appearance of a man, with animal heads.

We need to remember that the Bible does not portray cherubs as having a body that resembles an animal. However, the four living creatures, as well as the “seven spirits,” are described in that way. One of the “living creatures” actually has the face of a man, suggesting that the body of that living creature may not look like the body of a man.

As angels that look like horses are associated with chariots, so the cherubs are associated with amazing wheels. Ezekiel 1:15, 19–20 tells us, “Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces… When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up… for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.”

Ezekiel mentions at least four cherubs. They are described as powerful angelic beings, having the likeness of a man, with four wings and four faces, three of which have animal features. Ezekiel 10:12 states: “And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around.” There are similarities with the four living creatures described in the book of Revelation (see above), but there are also obvious differences. The cherubs are introduced to us as carrying and transporting the throne of God.

Primary Angelic Functions and Responsibilities

There exists a very special relationship between angels and man, but it is far different than most people think. Yes, angels were created to assist and help people, but we need to understand just how they do that. The Bible shows us that they are assigned by God to help those whom God is calling to salvation.

Hebrews 1:14 says about angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” Psalm 34:7 adds: “The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him [that is, “who will inherit salvation”], And delivers them.”

Why does this special relationship exist? Simply put, because it is the potential of man to rule over everything there is, along with, and under, Jesus Christ and the Father. Man, in fact, will rule over angels. Notice Hebrews 2:5–8: “For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that you take care of him? You have made him a little lower [or: a little while lower] than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’ For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.”

Paul tells us in the above-quoted Scripture that God has decreed to put everything in subjection under man. This has not happened yet, but it will. This is part of man’s salvation. Since everything will be put under man, man will rule over angels. Notice this in 1 Corinthians 6:2–3: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?”

God sends forth His angels to “minister,” that is, to serve and help man achieve his potential to inherit salvation—eternal life in the Family of God. With this understanding, let’s take note of the particular services that angels are called upon to perform.

(1) God’s Angels Protect Us From Harm

God makes the following promise to us in Psalm 91:9–13: “Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.”

Jacob knew that God had sent a special angel to protect him from harm during his lifetime. He stated in Genesis 48:15–16: “And he blessed Joseph and said, ‘The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has led me all my life long to this day, the angel who had redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads…’” (Revised Standard Version).

Later, God promised Moses that He would send an angel to go with Israel, to protect them and to bring them to the Promised Land. We read in Exodus 23:20–23, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since [My] Name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out” (New International Version).

It is possible that this angel, sent by God, was the archangel, Michael. We read about this powerful angel in Daniel 12:1. Daniel is told in this Scripture that Michael “stands watch over the sons of your people.” We also find another reference to this particular angel, used by God to protect Israel, in Exodus 19:4: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” Compare this with Isaiah 63:9: “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old” (Authorized Version).

Let’s take a closer look at some examples of how God uses His angels to protect His people. For instance, when Israel left Egypt, God used His angel to save them from harm: “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night” (Exodus 14:19–20, Authorized Version).

In another instance, two angels were sent to protect Lot and his daughters by striking the evil citizens of Sodom with blindness. God had sent the angels to destroy Sodom, but they were also instructed to protect Lot and to keep him alive. Let’s read this encouraging account, in Genesis 19:15–16: “When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, ‘Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being MERCIFUL to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.” When Lot asked for permission to flee to a small city nearby, one of the two angels responded, “Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there” (verse 22).

We see the tremendous responsibility that God assigned to these two angels—they could not destroy Sodom until they had protected Lot and brought him to safety.

Some of the most spectacular examples of angelic protection can be found in the book of Daniel. For instance, we read in Daniel 6:16: “So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.’… Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?’ Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him, and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.’ Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God” (Daniel 6:16, 19–23).

Daniel was protected by an angel because he served God day and night and because he believed in God’s protection. The vicious nature of the lions had not changed. The only reason that they did not devour Daniel was because an angel had restrained them from doing so. Notice what happened, once the angel ceased from preventing the lions to attack others: “And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions—them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den” (verse 24).

New Testament Scriptures relative to the early church contain several spectacular examples of angelic protection. When studying some of the passages, we might ask ourselves why we don’t experience similar incidents today. First of all, it is important to understand that God is the same—He does not change—and His protection of His saints through angels is ongoing. Although angelic protection might not be as spectacular today as it was in the early New Testament Church, we certainly have been saved many times from harm and even death. Who is to say that God’s angels did not protect us in miraculous ways, well beyond human comprehension?

Still, one reason why we don’t experience angelic protection to the same spectacular degree as described in numerous passages in the Bible could be that we don’t believe in such protection anymore. We might believe in it theoretically, but are we really convinced that God could do today what He did so often in times past?

Notice Acts 5:17–21: “Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.’ And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught.”

They obeyed the voice of the angel, just as God had instructed Moses and the Israelites to obey the angel in their time. Believing in God’s protection and obedience to God’s commands are fundamental requirements and prerequisites if we are to count on angelic help.

Later, as recorded in Acts 12:5–11, Peter was again thrown into jail, because he obeyed God and did not cease from preaching the gospel and teaching God’s Way of life. The disciples prayed constantly and persistently for Peter’s deliverance and God sent an angel to rescue and free Peter. “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, ‘Arise quickly!’ And his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself and tie on your sandals’; and so he did. And he said to him, ‘Put on your garment and follow me.’ So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, ‘Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

God has promised to send His angels to minister to and protect those whom He has called for salvation. When we have such angelic protection, what is there to fear?

The Bible shows that angels may sometimes appear in dreams to people to warn of impending danger. This is another way that angels fulfill their responsibility to minister to the saints.

One such example can be found in Matthew 2:13: “Now when they [the wise men from the East] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’”

If we are obedient to God in our daily lives and honor Him in the way we live, then we can trust that He will provide angelic help and protection. When Jesus Christ was arrested, He knew that His Father could send Him more than twelve legions of angels—more than 72,000 spirit beings—to protect Him from the Romans. He also knew, however, that it was not the WILL of the Father to do so at that particular time, because the very reason Christ had come was for the purpose of being arrested, tortured and killed so that Scripture could be fulfilled (compare Matthew 26:52–54).

Do Guardian Angels Really Exist?

Many have speculated over the years whether or not the Bible teaches the existence of “guardian angels,” that is to say, a specific angel that God has assigned to a particular person. The Bible leaves no room for doubt that guardian angels do exist. We have already quoted Genesis 48:15–16, where Jacob acknowledged the presence of his guardian angel throughout his life. We read in the Revised English Bible, “The god in whose presence my forefathers lived, my forefathers Abraham and Isaac, the god who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who rescued me from all misfortune, may he bless these boys.” Jacob was convinced that God had been with him all of his life, and He was specifically present through a particular angel whom He had assigned to watch over Jacob.

Acts 12:15 shows that the disciples thought that Peter’s angel had appeared, as they believed Peter to be in prison. They specifically said, “It is his angel.” In other words, they thought it was the particular angel whom God had assigned to watch over Peter.

Notice, too, the following remarkable statement of Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:10, in talking about little children that believe in Him, as well as true Christians who must become “as” little children: “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.”

In addition, Paul makes an interesting comment in 1 Corinthians 11:10. The context is the wearing of long hair for women. We read, “For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority [i.e., long hair, compare verse 15] on her head, because of the angels.” Paul’s point is this: A woman is to submit to the authority of her husband (compare verse 3), and her wearing long hair is an outward symbol of such willingness. Paul went on to say that a woman should do so “because of the angels,” implying that in such case, the woman can be assured of angelic protection. Here, angels are referred to in the plural, showing that God may sometimes assign several guardian angels to one person. Notice also Psalm 91:11 where it says God “shall give His angels charge over you.”

We read that a star appeared to the wise men from the East, leading them to the place where Jesus Christ dwelt, after He had been born. We read in Matthew 2:1–2, 9–11:

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’… When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.”

This star appeared to them in the East and led them to Jerusalem and from there to the place where Christ lived. This was not an ordinary star, but a bright, shining angel. The Bible identifies and compares stars with angels on numerous occasions (compare Revelation 1:20; 9:1–2; 12:4). Note that the wise men from the East refer to this star as “HIS star”—that is, the star, or angel, of the Christ Child. They understood that Christ was the newborn King and they came from the East to worship Him.

If they understood that the star was an angel, then they also knew that this angel was assigned to the Christ Child. This is not to say, of course, that only one angel watched over Christ. On one occasion, He mentioned to Peter that He could ask His Father for “more than twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53)—more than 72,000 angels. Remember also that “angels” ministered to Christ after His lengthy fast (Matthew 4:11). Notice, too, Christ’s statement in John 1:51: “…hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Christ knew that He was surrounded by angels. Angels were very real to Him. He did not doubt their existence—after all, it was He who created all of them.

We also saw that God may assign one angel to guard or protect numerous people, or an entire nation. For instance, the archangel Michael is described to Daniel as “The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people” (Daniel 12:1).

(2) God’s Angels Lead Us Toward Salvation

Just as God’s angels protect us from harm, they are also sent to direct, guide and lead us on our path to spiritual salvation. Sometimes God sends His angels to direct His human servants in the Work of preaching the gospel and feeding the flock. In Old Testament times, God gave Israel the sacrificial law system through the hand of angels (Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:19), while God Himself spoke the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1; Deuteronomy 5:4–5). Even when God gave Israel the spiritual law of the Ten Commandments, He was accompanied by “myriads of holy ones” (Deuteronomy 33:2, New Revised Standard Version; Revised English Bible; New International Version). Later, when Jesus Christ was born as the Savior of mankind, an angel appeared to the shepherds in the field, and “suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God” (Luke 2:9,13).

One striking example of an angel participating in the salvation of a human being is recorded in Acts 8:26–28: “Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, ‘Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is desert. So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.” God’s Spirit inspired Philip to begin a communication with the eunuch, and after some time, the eunuch asked Philip to baptize him. We see, then, that an angel of God directed Philip to meet with the eunuch in order to ultimately baptize him.

A similar example has been recorded for us in Acts 10. Again, it is an angel who appeared to Cornelius to send for Peter to baptize him. We read in verses 3–7: “About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!’ And when he observed him, he was afraid (note, in passing, that the appearance of the angel was not that of just an ordinary man), and said, ‘What is it, lord?’ So he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.’ And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually.”

While on their way, God sent Peter a vision to instruct him to follow the three men to Cornelius, where he ultimately baptized him and his household. Again, an angel of God was involved in the events that led to the baptism of some loyal people.

Angels are, in fact, intimately involved with our salvation. They are not robots, mechanically obeying God’s Word. They joyfully and eagerly fulfill their task to minister to those who will inherit salvation. Jesus told us in Luke 15:10 that “there is JOY in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Repentance is a requirement for man’s salvation. The angels rejoice when they see that a sinner repents of his sins and turns to God.

Paul also alluded to the involvement of angels in our lives relative to our salvation. He stated in 1 Corinthians 4:9: “For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.”

The margin explains that the literal meaning of the Greek word, “theatron,” translated as “spectacle,” is “theater.” The same word is used in Acts 19:29, where it is correctly rendered as, “theater.” The Amplified Bible translates 1 Corinthians 4:9 as follows, “God has made an exhibit of us… a show in the word’s amphitheater—with both men and angels as spectators.”

Paul is viewing himself as standing in the arena of a great amphitheater with both men and angels—the observing audience—looking down on him as a spectacle. Men might watch, perhaps, in order to scoff and malign, while God’s angels observe us with a sincere desire for our success, eager to help us.

Paul instructed and charged Timothy in 1Timothy 5:21: “…before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.”

Paul does not specifically explain who these “elect angels” are, but it is possible that they are chosen angels, specifically assigned in a special way to look after individual Christians, and even entire Church organizations or Church eras.  In Revelation 1:20, we read about seven angels of the seven churches, in other words, individual angels assigned to particular churches.

The involvement of God’s angels in the lives of Christians who are to inherit salvation will find its climax at the time of Christ’s return, when He comes to reward the faithful. We are told in Matthew 24:30–31: “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. And He will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

The angels of God will have the privilege and honor to bring the faithful to Christ so that they may receive from Him their reward. Matthew 16:27 tells us: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”

Christ will send out His angels who accompany Him to bring the resurrected and changed Christians to Him, to be rewarded by Him. He gave us this promise, “Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8).

(3) God’s Angels Guide Us in Physical Ways

When Joseph, Mary and Jesus had stayed long enough in Egypt, God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream, directing him what to do next. “Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead’” (Matthew 2:19–20).

When Abraham sent out his servant to find a wife for Isaac, both Abraham and his servant knew that an angel of God would accompany him on his travel and direct him to the right place to find a wife for Isaac. We read the servant’s words in Genesis 24:40: “But he [Abraham] said to me, ‘The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with you and prosper your way; and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father’s house.’”

Such angelic guidance and help might even lead to bringing necessary physical sustenance. When Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He was very hungry and obviously very weakened. First, though, He had to overcome Satan, who tried to tempt Him to sin. Christ did not succumb to this temptation and the devil left Him. After that, “…behold, angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:11).  They served Jesus Christ—the firstborn among many brethren destined to inherit salvation—by providing Him with food and drink.

We also find that an angel provided Elijah with food when he was discouraged and was ready and willing to die. We read in 1 Kings 19:5–8: “Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’ Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, ‘Arise, and eat, because the journey is too great for you.’ So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food [obviously, this was not just ordinary food] forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.”

We read in John 5:2–4 where an angel of God assisted in the physical healing of people: “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.”

(4) God’s Angels Give Us Encouragement and Strength

When Jesus Christ was facing His arrest, torture and crucifixion, He wished desperately to not have to go through this grievous ordeal. He was human, having laid aside His divine nature. He had become totally human (John 1:14), and as such, it was His HUMAN DESIRE to escape such a violent, physical death. His death, though, was preordained so that mankind could be saved from eternal death. In that hour of trial, He prayed to God the Father, saying, “‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:42–44). God sent one of His angels to give Jesus Christ encouragement. We don’t know what exactly the angel did, but we are told that he “strengthened” Christ.

A similar episode is recorded in Acts 27, where Paul, who was under arrest, was being transported by ship to Italy. He and his shipmates, as well as the soldiers who were transporting them, were troubled by a violent wind and had lost all hope for survival. Finally, Paul stood up to encourage his friends, the soldiers, and the sailors of the ship with these words: “‘And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.” Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me’” (Acts 27:22–25). As happened with Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, God sent an angel to Paul to encourage him so that he could, in turn, encourage others.

(5) God’s Angels Serve Us by Punishing the Unrighteous

God’s people are called out of this world, but they still must live in it. This world is filled with temptation, and many times unrighteous people will try to tempt Christians to sin. The Bible tells us that God uses angels to punish the unrighteous—those who live contrary to God’s Way of life.  He uses angels to help His people and to show them that He is just, and that judgment and condemnation awaits those who rebel against Him.

The terrible and uncompromising revelation of God’s righteousness will begin to take place at the return of Jesus Christ, as Matthew 13:41–42, 49–50 explains: “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth… So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

The same future for unrepentant rebellious people is prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10: “… it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.”

Note, though, that God’s angels don’t necessarily have to wait until the time of Christ’s return to punish wicked people. They have often intervened in this day and age to punish sinners so that God’s word can be spread without hindrance. A spectacular and frightening account of such punishment can be found in Acts 12:21–24: “So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting. ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

Also, we read in 2 Kings 19:35 a remarkable account of the power and might of just one of God’s angels who punished Assyria for fighting against Israel: “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead” (compare 2 Chronicles 32:21).

Exodus 12:23 tells us that God destroyed all the firstborn of Egypt through the hands of a mighty angel: “For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you” (compare Hebrews 11:28).

In 1 Corinthians 10:10 we read that an angel killed many of the Israelites in the wilderness, because they murmured against God. They were “destroyed by the destroyer.” God also sent two angels to Sodom to destroy it. We also read that God destroyed it—He did so through His angels (Compare Genesis 19:12–13, 24–25, 29).

A future destruction of the people in this world will occur just prior to the return of Christ, as the sins of man will have reached a climax. Along with them, many of God’s people will also lose their lives because of having lost their “first love” and having become “lukewarm.” They will think that they have need of nothing, that they “have it made,” spiritually speaking. Yet, they will believe lies and fall for spiritual deception and error. They will even hate their fellow brethren and they will betray them, dragging them before courts and worldly powers, as well as religious authorities. God will use His angels to punish everyone who is not specifically marked by Him for protection.

We read in Ezekiel 9:1–11: “Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.’ And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’ To the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, ‘Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!’ And they went out and killed in the city… Then He said to me, ‘The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of bloodshed, and the city full of perversity; for they say, “The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see!” And as for Me also, My eye will neither spare, nor will I have pity, but I will recompense their deeds on their own head.’ Just then, the man clothed with linen, who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, ‘I have done as You commanded me.’”

Angels will destroy many of the people during the time described as the “Day of the Lord” who have not received, through the hands of angels, God’s seal of protection (Revelation 7:1–4). The book of Revelation describes in great detail how God’s angels will carry out His Will to punish the earth and many of those living on it.

For example, one angel will cause “noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake” (Revelation 8:5). Four angels will kill “a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:15). The seven angels with the seven last plagues will kill “every living creature in the sea” (Revelation 16:3) and they will “scorch men with fire” (Revelation 16:8).

(6) God’s Angels Serve Us When They Punish Us for Our Sins

The primary function of God’s angels is to minister to those who are to inherit salvation. We will never obtain eternal life in God’s Kingdom, however, unless we overcome our sins (compare Revelation 3:5). To help us in conquering sin, we must be “chastened” (Hebrews 12:4–11). At times, God’s angels carry out His Will in that regard. We read in Psalm 103:20–21: “Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.”

In carrying out God’s Will, God’s angels serve us, even if this means inflicting punishment upon us for our sins. This is done for our good, so that we can become pure and clean in God’s eyes.

We read about an awesome account regarding one of God’s angels, bringing a plague over Israel. Although the immediate cause was David’s sinful conduct, God also wanted to punish the nation for their sins. 2 Samuel 24:15–17 reports: “So the LORD sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. And when the angel stretched out His [better translated: his] hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, ‘It is enough; now restrain your hand.’… Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, ‘Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.’”

In the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:16, 27, and 30, note the following interesting details: “Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem… So the LORD commanded the angel, and he returned his sword to its sheath… But David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.”

Warrior Angels

Angels who punish man for their sins are often times described as “soldiers” or “warriors.” They have a sword in their hand to strike. In Numbers 22:23, God had sent an angel to strike the false prophet Balaam who was asked by king Balak of Moab to curse Israel.  Christ used military language to describe the angels at His disposal, referring to them as more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53). Jesus Christ appeared to Joshua as the “Commander” of His many warrior angels to give Joshua encouragement for the upcoming battle with Jericho: “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ So He said, ‘No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped…” (Joshua 5:13–14). As an angel would not permit a man to worship him, the “Commander of the army of the LORD” was none other than Jesus Christ, leading the angelic army of His Father.

As we have seen already, this angelic army will fight against and punish men. Compare Revelation 19:19: “And I saw the beast [end-time military leader], the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His [angelic] army.” Even this angelic war serves God’s people, in that it constitutes punishment of the unrighteous (compare under point (5)).

(7) God’s Angels Serve Us by Fighting Satan and His Demons

The Bible reveals that spiritual warfare is going on right now. We can’t see it, but we can feel and perceive its consequences. Scripture teaches that God’s holy angels fight against Satan and his angels, in order to carry out God’s Will and Purpose, and in order to help and serve God’s people. We are even reminded that we, too, are engaged in spiritual warfare, and that we must resist Satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:12).

The fact that God’s angels serve us when they fight Satan and his demons will be discussed more fully later in the second part of this booklet. First, we need to address the truth that Satan and demons exist, and what exactly they do today.

Part 2—The World of Demons

Introduction

Just as most people don’t believe in the existence of angels, they also doubt that Satan and his demons really exist. The Bible teaches, however, the very real existence of the devil and his fallen angels. Where did they come from? Did God create a devil? If not, how could there be a devil and demons today?

Lucifer and Satan

The Bible reveals that God created all of the angels. They were not created as robots, but as spirit beings with the power to choose and to decide. One high-ranking angel, a cherub by the name of Lucifer, rebelled and sinned against God (Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:11–17). Lucifer wanted to “ascend to heaven” to dethrone God (Isaiah 14:13). He wanted to “ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Isaiah 14:14). This shows us that he was here on earth, because he wanted to ascend above the clouds of the earth to go to heaven. When he sinned, he was thrown back to this earth (Isaiah 14:12). He became Satan, which means enemy or adversary. Lucifer, or Satan, was already here on earth when Adam and Eve were created. We are told that the serpent was already here in order to deceive Eve when Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden. The serpent is identified as Satan the devil (Revelation 12:9). Since Satan appeared to the first man and his wife as the deceiver, he must have lived on this earth prior to man as Lucifer—when he was not yet the deceiver—before he tried to “ascend to heaven.”

Actually, before he was sent to earth, Lucifer had been trained in heaven before the very throne of God, and he had angels under his command. We read in Ezekiel 28:14 that he was the anointed cherub who covers. Recall that the cherubs covered the throne of God when God appeared to Moses in the Tabernacle. Also, we read in Ezekiel 28:14 that Lucifer was on the holy mountain of God in heaven (compare Hebrews 12:22). When he sinned by trying to ascend from this earth to heaven to dethrone God, he was cast out of the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:16). Christ later said that He saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:18).

In the Hebrew, the word translated as “Lucifer” in the Authorized Version and in many other translations, is “helel,” or “heylel,” which means “lightbringer,” “shining one,” “morning star,” or “shining star of the dawn.” The word “Lucifer” is the Latin translation of the Hebrew word “helel,” or “heylel,” conveying exactly the same meaning. It is therefore appropriate to use this word in describing the cherub who later became Satan (“sawtwan” in Hebrew).

Satan, the prince of darkness, is still ruling on this earth. Revelation 2:13 tells us expressly that Satan has a “throne” here on earth. He holds the people of this world captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26). He has authority over all the kingdoms of this world (Luke 4:5–7). He is called the “ruler of this world” in John 14:30. He is even called the “god of this age” in 2 Corinthians 4:4. Satan is called “the prince of the power of the air” in Ephesians 2:2.

Angels Became Demons

Lucifer was not the only spirit being who rebelled against God. The angels under his control accompanied him and became known as demons thereafter. A reference to that rebellion is made in Revelation 12:4, stating that one-third of the angels (referred to as “stars”) followed Satan and became demons. This indicates that the other two-thirds of the angels stayed loyal to God.

Another attempt by Satan and his demons to fight against God is described in Revelation 12:7–9. This attempt will take place just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. This event is not the same as the event described in Revelation 12:4, but it shows the pattern. In both cases, Satan and his demons are thrown back to earth.

We read in Jude 6 about angels who did not keep their own domain (the earth), but left their own abode in order to go to heaven to dethrone God. They are now reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, that is, they are angels of darkness. They are still ruling this earth under Satan (compare Ephesians 6:12 where demons are called “the RULERS of the darkness of this age”). They are “chained,” or held captive, by their own spiritual perversion. We read in 2 Peter 2:4 that “…God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell [in Greek, tartarus, describing a condition, rather than a place] and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”

Satan and his demons are VERY REAL. They are not just symbols or metaphors of some unidentifiable “force” of evil. Satan tempted Christ. Satan offered him all the kingdoms of the world if Christ would only fall down and worship Him. Christ cast out many demons when He was here on earth. At one time, he asked a demon, “What is your name?” The demon answered, “Legion,” because Christ was dealing at that moment with many demons (Luke 8:30). As God’s holy angels have individual names, so do demons.

The Power of Satan and His Demons

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.

Though many people don’t believe in the existence of Satan and demons, they are quick to dabble in the occult, being ignorant of the danger therein. Demons are called “familiar spirits” because they want to familiarize themselves with man (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27). Haunted houses, poltergeists, séances, communication with the dead, and contacts with “aliens” are all clearly of demonic origin. Satan and demons are destructive. They love to torment people (Luke 6:18). Once we have made “contact” with demons, we can’t get rid of them anymore, barring a miracle from God (Luke 11:24–26).

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.

Satan and demons have the power to transport a human being from one place to another (Matthew 4:5, 8; Luke 4:5, 9). This explains strange encounters with UFOs, where “abducted” people are sometimes found hundreds of miles away from their residence, without knowing how they got there.

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. Whenever we give ourselves “over” to another influence, we have become victims of the powers of darkness.

Satan and Demons Cannot Materialize Themselves

It appears from Scripture that demons cannot materialize themselves the way that angels can. Demons cannot appear as men. They can, however, create an illusion, or an apparition that might look very real to people. Examples of those illusions would include the appearance of “ghosts,” or of a “lady,” claiming to be “Mother Mary.”

We find the following interesting record in Mark 6:47–50: “Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost [Authorized Version: a spirit], and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’”

The disciples thought they saw a ghost or a spirit, that is, a demon. The Greek word for “ghost” is “phantasma,” which has the meaning of “phantasm” or “apparition.”

In Luke 24:36–42 we find another passage that sheds some light on the inability of demons to materialize themselves. We read: “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.”

Christ manifested Himself to the disciples as a being with flesh and bones. He even ate food in their presence to convince the disciples that it was He, not a spirit or a demon. The Greek word for “spirit” is “pneuma” and can refer to demons (compare Matthew 8:16; 10:1; 12:43, 45; Luke 4:33, 36; 6:18; 7:21, etc.). We understand, of course, that Christ is not a being with flesh and bones. Rather, at His resurrection He received a spiritual body and became a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:44–45, 50). He was able to manifest Himself, however, as a person with flesh and bones. We saw earlier that angels can manifest themselves as human beings as well. Demons cannot. Christ used this opportunity to show His disciples that He was not a spirit or a demon, because demons cannot manifest themselves as human beings with flesh and bones.

We read in Job 4:12–16 about Eliphaz’ encounter with a spirit: “Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men. Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair on my body stood up. It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; then I heard a voice…”

Eliphaz saw some kind of a form before his eyes but he could not discern the appearance of the spirit. This indicates that it was a demon, as the Bible does not show that God’s angels appear to man in such a way. It was something like an apparition—a phantasm. It was what the disciples thought they saw, too, when Jesus was walking on the water.

Another encounter with a demon is recorded for us in 1 Samuel 28. This encounter is discussed in detail on pages 38 and 39 of our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”  To summarize here, King Saul consulted a witch to find out his future. During a séance, the witch “saw” a demon, who pretended to be the dead Samuel. Saul could not see the demon. The demon spoke through the witch to Saul. We note again that the demon did not materialize himself as a being with flesh and bones. Rather, it was an illusion.

We should never participate in any séance or “consult” demons. We should never contact fortune-tellers, sorcerers, witches, New Age “prophets” or “mediums” to “learn about” our future. In many cases, we would be contacting frauds. In other cases, we would be listening to demons communicating to us through their human agents. (For further information on the false idea that we can communicate with “departed loved ones,” and who is, in fact, “communicating” with us, please read pages 37 and 38 of our booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?” We also recommend that you read pages 28, 31–33 of our booklet entitled, “Baptism—a Requirement for Salvation?” for the erroneous concept that just any member of God’s Church can cast out demons, and what “speaking in tongues” may have to do with communicating with demons.)

The good news is that God’s people don’t have to be afraid of Satan and his demons, because the One who is with us is more powerful than the god of this world. If we follow God, the demons will be subject to us (Luke 10:17–20).

However, if one rejects the existence of Satan and his demons, then he is rejecting the clear Word of God—the Bible. In addition, he becomes an easy prey for Satan’s devices, of which God’s true disciples must not be ignorant (2 Corinthians 2:11).

How God’s Angels Fight Demons

Scripture contains several accounts of a spiritual warfare between God’s angels and Satan and his demons. For instance, we read in Daniel 12:1: “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.”

Michael will “stand up” at that time—at the time of the Great Tribulation—to literally fight against Satan and his demons, in order to protect God’s people. We read in Revelation 12:7–8 that “war broke out in heaven.” This war follows Satan’s original rebellion, described in verse 4, and the birth of Christ, described in verse 5. The Bible tells us in verse 7 that at the beginning of this new spiritual war, “Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought; but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.” This means that until that time, Satan and his demons could continue to appear before God in heaven.

Reading on in verse 9 of Revelation 12: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Satan’s expulsion from heaven will lead to the Great Tribulation, mentioned by Daniel. Revelation 12:13 states, “Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman [that part of God’s Church that is counted worthy to escape the terrible times ahead, compare Luke 21:36 and Revelation 3:10] was given two wings of a great eagle [angelic protection], that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time [3 ½ years], from the presence of the serpent.”

Verse 17 shows that not everyone in God’s Church will be protected: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, 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.” Yes, Satan will continue to try to destroy God’s people until Jesus Christ comes to overpower him. That is why the Bible warns us to be on guard and to wear the armor of God.

The Bible reports additional battles between angels and demons. Daniel 10:12–13, 20–21; 11:1 reveal a mind-boggling and awesome fight in the spirit world. A mighty angel—perhaps Gabriel—who had appeared to Daniel twice before, was sent to the prophet with a message. The angel told Daniel: “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia [a powerful demon ruling over Persia] withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings [demons] of Persia… And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece [another powerful demon ruling over Greece] will come… No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince. Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him.”

There are literal, terrible gigantic battles going on in the spirit world. Demons were ruling at the time of Daniel over Persia, Greece and Media. The demon of Persia fought with the angel of God—most likely Gabriel—for twenty-one days, trying to prevent him from reaching Daniel with his message. The archangel Michael had to help Gabriel by fighting in his stead with the demon of Persia, so that Gabriel could appear to Daniel in a vision. This is one way in which God’s angels serve us—they fight demons who want to destroy us.

The Bible tells us that something similar will happen again in the very last days. Revelation 16:13–14 reads: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [unclean animals] coming out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan], out of the mouth of the beast [the final military leader of a united Holy Roman Empire in Europe], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [the final religious leader of the Holy Roman Empire in Europe]. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

Satan will use powerful demons to literally possess the “beast” and the “false prophet,” and to inspire all kings of the earth to fight against the returning Christ and His angelic army.

The archangel Michael once fought with words against Satan, as Jude 9 states: “Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”

This, too, was a service for God’s people by the archangel Michael. According to tradition, Satan was apparently trying to display the body of Moses, so that it could be worshiped. The Bible prohibits such conduct, as only God is to be worshiped.

Why Doesn’t God Intervene?

When reading about angelic warfare with demons, we might ask ourselves the question: “Why does God let these spiritual battles go on?”  Since God is the Almighty, He could most certainly intervene at any time to stop Satan and his demons from trying to fight against God and His angels. Yes, He could have cut short Gabriel’s fight with the demon of Persia but He chose not to. Gabriel had to fight the demon for twenty-one days before he could bring a message to Daniel. A related question might be: “Why doesn’t God simply take away Satan’s power over this earth right now, and immediately establish His Kingdom on earth?”

How God Uses Demons

In order to answer these questions, we need to analyze, in detail, the Biblical information pertaining to the roles of angels and demons as revealed in Scripture. For instance, we have read already in 1 Kings 22 that God discussed with the host of heaven how to overtake king Ahab. Why did God consult His angels? Certainly God does not need to obtain counsel from anyone (compare Isaiah 40:13). As the discussion went on, a “spirit” volunteered to lie to all of Israel’s prophets. Although God wanted to cut short Ahab’s life, it was the spirit’s choice. The Bible makes it very clear that God cannot and does not lie (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18). On the other hand, God does not force others not to lie. The spirit decided that he wanted to become “a lying spirit.” He knew that he needed God’s permission. When he received it, he went and became a lying spirit in the mouths of all the prophets. Since God is in ultimate control, and since the spirit could only act with God’s express permission, it would be correct to say that God “sent” the lying spirit to the prophets. Who or what was this spirit? Was this a demon? Or was this an angel of God who decided at that moment to lie, and therefore, to sin? We will come back to these questions later in this booklet.

In a similar way, God will “send” lying spirits to men in the end time. We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12: “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion [or, as the New American Bible says, “a deceiving power”], that they should believe the lie…”

Again, we read that God “sends” a strong delusion or a deceiving power so that people believe lies, just as He did in 1 Kings 22. There are several additional Scriptures showing that God allows deceiving spirit beings to do what they want to do. Nothing happens against God’s Will, and God does not allow anything without a reason.

We read in Isaiah 19:14 that God has mingled “a perverse spirit” in the midst of Egypt. Other translations render this as, “a spirit of confusion (Revised Standard Version),” “a spirit of deceit (Lamsa),” “a spirit of dizziness (New American Bible),” or “a spirit that distorts their judgment (Revised English Bible).”

In Isaiah 37:7, we read God’s words: “Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.” God sent an evil spirit to spread a rumor—a false report.

In Judges 9:23, we are told that “God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.” The Revised Standard Version translates, “an evil spirit,” and the New Jerusalem Bible says, “a spirit of discord.”

There are also indications that God might have allowed evil spirits, or demons, to participate in the destruction of Egypt at the time of the Exodus. Psalm 78:49 reads, in the Authorized Version, “He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.” Lamsa states, “He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation, and trouble, by the hand of an evil angel.”

A Demon From God?

You may be familiar with the Biblical account of King Saul’s rejection by God. Notice how this rejection is described in 1 Samuel 16:14–16: “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.’” Most translations say, “evil spirit.” So we see that an evil spirit—a demon—from God plagued Saul.  Why did God allow this to happen?

Saul had been disobedient to God, by refusing to carry out God’s commandment. God had decreed that David would replace Saul. The demon “from the LORD” was a necessary link in the chain of events that would bring David to Saul’s court. God allowed the demon to do his bidding, so that God’s plan could be carried out. Since the demon could not do anything contrary to God’s Will, it is correct to say—in the ultimate sense and analysis—that the demon “from God” plagued Saul.

We find an additional account in 1 Samuel 18:10–12: “And it happened on the next day that the distressing [evil] spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied [ notice this!] inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. And Saul cast the spear, for he said, ‘I will pin David to the wall!’ But David escaped his presence twice. Now Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, but had departed from Saul.”

The demon again played an important role in God’s plan. Saul deteriorated spiritually more and more, until he finally died in war, and David became the next king.

Satan and Job

A very famous example of Satan’s involvement in God’s plan can be seen in the life of Job. Satan appeared before God, telling Him that he had been “going to and fro on the earth,” and that he had been “walking back and forth on it” (Job 1:7). Recall that God’s angels go to and fro on the earth, to serve and to strengthen God’s people. Satan and his demons walk back and forth on the earth, too, but their goal is to destroy God’s people (compare 1 Peter 5:8).  Still, Satan can only do what God permits him to do. Satan told God that Job served God for ulterior motives. God allowed Satan to take away from Job all of his children and material possessions, but he was not permitted—at first—to “lay a hand on his person” (Job 1:8–12). We see that God set the limits of Satan’s actions. Satan the destroyer went out to destroy everything that Job had. Job’s reaction to this calamity is recorded in Job 1:21: “… The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away.” Job attributed his calamity to God, and he was not wrong in doing so, as the next verse tells us, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong” (Job 1:22).

Although Satan brought this disaster on Job, he did it with God’s express permission. It was not wrong for Job to say that God was ultimately responsible.

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. Again, we are told that Job accepted this adversity from God, and that he did not sin in saying that it was God who had brought calamity upon Job (Job 2:10).

So then, why did God allow Satan to deal in this way with Job? Why didn’t God intervene and stop Satan? Why does God still allow Satan today to rule this world and continue to try to destroy God’s people?

According to James 5:11, God allowed this calamity to come upon Job for a reason—God wanted to show Job how merciful and compassionate He is. Job needed to see a very serious problem that he had, which, if he did not overcome, would have prevented him from entering the Kingdom of God. This problem was Job’s self-righteousness (compare, Job 32:1–2; 27:6; 40:8). Once God opened Job’s eyes to see himself, he confessed his guilt and repented (Job 42:1–6).

Job had to learn—and he did—that every human being sins (compare Romans 3:10; 1 Kings 8:46; 1 John 1:8–10; Ecclesiastes 7:15–20; 3:17–18). This included Job. In comparison with God, he was nothing, although he might have been “blameless” in comparison with other people. This does not mean that Job never sinned. In fact, pride and self-righteousness are sins.

God allowed Satan to plague Job so that Job could see his own self-righteousness and his pride, so that he could overcome these sins and ultimately enter God’s Kingdom. This shows God’s great mercy and compassion for Job.

We note that God used Satan, and in a sense, “sent” him to Job in order to accomplish an important role in God’s plan. However, Satan himself did not realize the role he was playing.

Satan and David

We already read about David’s sin when he numbered his army. In 2 Samuel 24:1 we note that God’s anger was aroused against Israel, and “He moved David against them to say, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’” When we read the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 21:1, we are told that, “Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.” Plainly, it was Satan who directly influenced David, but God allowed it because it was part of God’s plan to test David and to punish Israel.

Demons Are Limited in What They Can Do

Satan and his demons know that they can only do what God and Christ allow them to do. James 2:19 tells us that demons believe in God “and tremble.” They believe that God exists and they know that He created them; moreover, they can still see Him. They tremble because they know that God has authority over them. They don’t want to be obedient to God, but they know that they can’t go against God’s Will. They are very aware of the sins they commit, and they don’t want to repent of them. They tremble, though, because they know judgment and condemnation are waiting for them.

One example showing the limitations of demons is when the demons had to ask Christ for permission to possess a herd of swine. Christ told them, “Go” (Matthew 8:32). It was stated as a command, but it was, in fact, Christ’s permission for the demons to do what they wanted to do (compare Mark 5:12–13; Luke 8:30–32).

When God permits demons to do what they want, it does not mean that what the demons want is good or right. Demons are free moral agents. God forces no one to sin or not to sin. He has told both angels and man what sin is, but it is up to them to decide whether or not to sin.

Since God permits demons to do certain things, the Bible sometimes says that God “sends” demons. It might even be worded in such a way that a demon “from God” appeared, or that God commanded the demon to do something. If the action is against God’s Law, however, those statements must be understood exclusively in the way that God permits demons to do what they want to do.  Even then, God allows such demonic activities for a reason.

The Fate of Satan and His Demons

We have already discussed the fact that a full one-third of God’s angels sinned in times past, thus becoming demons. God did not prevent them from sinning. He created them as free moral agents and He knew that they could sin. The angels who sinned are presently in chains of darkness, to be reserved for future judgment (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6). They are living today in a state of darkness. They are spiritually imprisoned by their own perversions. Sin has enslaved them. Before God frees us from sin, we, too, are slaves of sin. The same is true for Satan and his demons. They are not literally imprisoned and jailed at a certain place. Rather, they are roaming to and fro on this earth. Satan is compared to a roaring lion, walking about, to see whom he can devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Demons are waiting for their judgment. Demons asked Christ whether He had come to “torment” them “before the time” (Matthew 8:29). Luke 8:31 adds that they begged Christ not to command them “to go out into the abyss.” At this point in time, they are not yet in that “abyss.” Satan is not in it either; rather, he will be placed in it at the beginning of the Millennium (Revelation 20:1–3, 7—the word “abyss” is translated there as “bottomless pit”).

What is the “abyss?” The word is used in Romans 10:7, where we read, “Who will descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”

In Romans 10, the “abyss” is used as an analogy in association with the dead who are buried. It is also used as an analogy in Luke 8 and in Revelation 20. When Satan and his demons will be placed in the “abyss” at the beginning of the Millennium, they will be as good as dead—unable to influence and deceive the nations any longer during that time period (compare Revelation 20:3). The fact that they won’t be able to destroy others will give them spiritual torment—that is why they asked Christ whether He had come to torment them before “the time.”

Satan’s spiritual torment, and that of his angels, will continue. After a time period called the Great White Throne Judgment, Satan and his demons will be cast into the lake of fire, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41). Their torment will be spiritual, as they will see all of their evil works destroyed by fire (compare 2 Peter 3:10–13), and their influence on others will be gone forever. Their final fate might be revealed in Jude 13, referring to “wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Compare, too, 2 Peter 2:17.

God knows what is in store for them, and so do they.

God Is Testing the Spirits

This brings us back to the question asked earlier as to why God does not intervene when angels fight with demons. Why does He not intervene right now and set up the Kingdom of God on earth and dethrone Satan?

God has set aside a time period of about 6,000 years during which He calls certain people to be trained to become kings and priests and to rule in the world to come. During this time of training, Satan must stay on his throne. In fact, our testing today involves our will and determination to resist Satan and to submit to God.

Also, God is the Creator of the spirit world. Angels were created as free moral agents. God wants them to make a final decision as to whether to sin or to live in righteousness. We know that the angels sinned when they followed Satan. What we don’t know is whether all of them committed the unpardonable sin; in other words, whether or not some of them can still repent. We also don’t know whether all of the angels who did not follow Satan thereby made the irrevocable decision to always stay loyal to God. As we will see, this may be the reason why God does not intervene when angels fight with demons.

Could Demons Still Repent?

We are told in 1 Peter 3:19–20: “… by which [the Spirit] also he [Christ] went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water” (Authorized Version).

The correct understanding of this passage is that Jesus Christ preached to the spirits in prison—the demons—at the time of Noah, when God was about to protect Noah from destruction. Christ used this example to show that the demons who had sinned “sometime”—before the creation of man—were still awaiting their judgment.

Why did Christ preach to the demons? Was the only purpose to announce to them what they already knew, that they would be punished in the future? Or, was it done in order to bring some of them to repentance so that they could be spared from punishment?

Proverbs 16:2 tells us that “the LORD weighs the spirits.” If the fate of all spirit beings—good and bad—is sealed, why would God still weigh the spirits?

We are also told, in 1 Corinthians 6:3, that we will judge angels. This judgment might include demons who are called “angels” in Revelation 12:7. “Judgment” can mean “condemnation.” “Judgment” can also refer to a process of judging, leading, guiding and directing, which requires time, until at the end of the process, the verdict is pronounced. Is the Bible telling us that we are to judge demons, not only in the sense of condemning them for what they did, but also for the purpose of trying to lead some of them to repentance?

What does the Bible tell us about those angels who did not follow Satan? We are to judge them, but how? Did all the angels who refused to follow Satan at the time of his rebellion thereby make the irrevocable decision never to sin? Is it still possible for some of them to sin?

The Bible sometimes refers to the angels who followed God as being “holy.” This does not necessarily mean that they cannot sin. We who are called by God today are considered “holy” (1 Peter 2:9). Still, we do sin from time to time. ONLY God CANNOT sin. The Bible does not say that the angels who did not follow Satan, could not sin anymore. Since God cannot sin, we have to become God, higher than the angels, to guarantee that we, too, will not sin anymore as born-again members of the God Family. This is why God is in the process of reproducing Himself, through man, not through angels. (For more information, please read our free booklet, “God is a Family.”)

Could Angels Still Sin and Become Demons?

Paul makes this alarming comment in Galatians 1:8: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Apparently, Paul felt it might be possible that an “angel from heaven” could sin, by preaching a wrong gospel message.

We also read that “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:20–21).

It appears that God was told by some of His angels how sinful the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were, and that God wanted to see for Himself whether these reports were totally accurate. This would be one way God tests the spirits—to check out the accuracy of their reports.

In reference to the spirit being in 1 Kings 22 who wanted to become a lying spirit in the mouth of all the prophets so that king Ahab would fall in battle, was this spirit being a demon? It is very possible. We know that Satan has been appearing before God to accuse God’s people day and night (Revelation 12:10). Satan appeared before God twice to accuse Job, as recorded in the book of Job. Also, it appears from Zechariah 3:1–2 that Satan stood before God to accuse the high priest, Joshua.

On the other hand, the spirit being in 1 Kings 22 who is not described as an evil spirit or a demon, could very well have been an angel of God—part of the hosts of heaven—who decided at that moment to become a lying spirit. This would be an example of an angel who had not sinned before, but who decided at that time to sin because of pride about his own intelligence, as no one else came up with a solution as to how to defeat Ahab.

God might have conducted His council with His angels for the very reason to see what the angels would suggest to do in that particular situation—would they stay loyal to God’s Way of Life, even in times of difficulties, or would they be willing to deviate from it for the sake of “easy” solutions?

Does God allow spiritual battles between angels and demons to go on in order to allow character-building, either good or bad? Actions prove where one’s heart is. An angel who consistently and tenaciously fights for God, and against demons, will not be easily persuaded to deny God and to sin, while a demon who consistently and tenaciously fights against God will not easily repent and accept God and His way of life.

God is concerned for all of His created beings, including His angels, both those who stayed loyal to Him and those who fell away from Him. Maybe God lets them continue to do what they want to do—be it good or bad—so that their final judgment will be manifestly righteous without any shadow of doubt. Perhaps God is still testing His angels and the demons to see which of the angels might not yet have made a final commitment never to sin, and which of the demons might not yet have made a final commitment to never repent. God might want us to participate in that process in the future, when we will be called upon to “judge angels.”

Why God Does Not Intervene Right Now

Why does God not replace Satan and his demons right now? After all, God has already decreed that Christ WILL replace Satan’s rule (John 12:31; 16:11) at the time of His return (Revelation 11:15).

The answer is, God wants us to build holy, righteous, godly character. We must develop the will to never sin, as well as the ability to carry out that will to never sin. We are to prove to God that we mean business. That requires time, and it requires the help of God’s Holy Spirit in us. We have to learn to resist the downward pull of Satan and his demons. We must overcome temptations to sin, even in the face of satanic persecution. God wants to see that we will not give in to the “dark side.”

Further, God may not be done yet in determining the ultimate fate of all of His created spirit beings. As free moral agents, they too need to come to the point where their character has been formed and will not change. This has undoubtedly already occurred in many cases, but there might be other cases where God is still testing the spirits to see exactly where they stand.

Part 3—The Reality of the Spirit World

Introduction

God is Spirit. He has always existed. God created a spirit world after, perhaps, millions or billions of years, as man would count it. (Understand, though, that time is only a measurement for man’s benefit, and that to God, time is irrelevant. The Bible doesn’t reveal God’s timetable for creating non-physical things.) God eventually created a physical world—our physical universe with all of its galaxies, suns and planets, including our galaxy and our sun, the earth and all the planets in our solar system. God’s creation of the physical universe—of physical matter—is described in Genesis 1:1. It is also alluded to in Hebrews 11:3, where the New American Bible states: “By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.” In Job 26:13, we are told that God, through His Spirit, adorned the heavens. We know that God the Father gave the command, and that the Word—Jesus Christ—spoke, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, the universe and the earth came into existence.

It is interesting how the German Luther Bible translates Hebrews 11:3: “Through faith we understand that the world has been created by the Word of God, so that everything which one can see came into being out of nothing.”  What is meant here is that what is visible—what human eyes can see—came into being out of nothing visible, that is, out of nothing that the human eyes can see. In other words, it came into being out of Spirit.

In due time, a catastrophe destroyed the surface of our earth. Approximately 6,000 years ago, God renewed the face of this earth. At that time, He created something else, which was physical—modern man. The ultimate purpose of the creation of physical man was not for man to always remain a physical being, but rather, if man would qualify and meet the conditions given to him by His Creator, he was to become a Spirit being, the same as God is a Spirit being. John 4:23–24 tells us that God the Father is a Spirit being. 2 Corinthians 3:17 reveals to us that Jesus Christ is a Spirit being. 1 Corinthians 15:42–44 explains that it is the potential of man to become a Spirit being.

We also know that angels are spirit beings. They were created before anything physical was created. In that sense, God is even called “the Father of spirits” in Hebrews 12:9.

Physical World Patterned After Spirit World

A careful analysis of the Scriptures shows that the created physical world, which we see, has been patterned after the Spirit world, which we can’t see.

We read, for example, in Genesis 1:26 that God created man in the image of God, according to the likeness of God. This is to be understood quite literally. Although man is physical, he nevertheless looks like God, except that God is composed of Spirit. We can understand this from the viewpoint of Genesis 5:3, which tells us that Adam brought forth a son, “in his own likeness, after his image.” As Adam’s son looked like Adam, God’s son and daughter, Adam and Eve, looked like God. We also saw from Scripture that Christ, although a Spirit being, looks like a man. Better put, man looks like God and Christ, since God and Christ existed before the creation of man.

We discussed the appearance of angelic beings. We saw that they sometimes look like men, sometimes look like animals, and sometimes may appear as having combined features of animals and men. So we see again, that both men AND animals were apparently created after the pattern of the Spirit world, that is, God and angels.

Spiritual Objects

The Spirit world is not limited to God and His angels. Revelation 3:5 speaks of a “Book of Life.” Revelation 4:2 mentions a “throne set in heaven.” Revelation 4:4 describes several thrones in heaven. Revelation 4:6 speaks of a “sea of glass” before the throne in heaven.

In addition, Revelation 5:1 mentions a spiritual scroll, sealed with seven spiritual seals. Revelation 5:8 talks about a spiritual harp and golden bowls. Revelation 8:2–5 reveals the existence of a spiritual golden censer, a spiritual golden altar, and even spiritual fire.

We are informed in the book of Hebrews that all of these spiritual objects were used as a pattern for the creation of physical objects at the time of Moses.

We read in Hebrews 9:23–24, in the Living Bible: “That is why the sacred tent down here on earth, and everything in it—all copied from things in heaven—all had to be made pure by Moses in this way…But the REAL things in heaven, of which these down here are copies, were made pure with far more precious offerings… It was not in the earthly place of worship that He did this, for that was merely a copy of the REAL TEMPLE IN HEAVEN.”

So, there is a spiritual temple in heaven (Revelation 11:19; 15:5–6, 8). Further, we read about the temple of the tabernacle. God showed Moses exactly on the mountain how to build the earthly tabernacle. Time and again we read (Exodus 25:9; 25:40; 26:30; and 27:8) that God showed Moses a pattern as to how to build the tabernacle, the altar, the golden lamp stand and the sanctuary. God showed Moses what the real spiritual heavenly things look like. Moses was also instructed to form two cherubim, which were to cover the mercy seat. Again, God showed Moses, if he did not already know, what cherubim look like.

The Bible even tells us that there is a spiritual mountain in heaven. Isaiah 14:13 reports that Satan, formerly Lucifer, said: “I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation.” Ezekiel 28:14 adds what God said about Lucifer: “You were the anointed cherub who covers…You were on the holy mountain of God.” This spiritual mountain of God in heaven is also described in Hebrews 12:18–24.

We read about a city in heaven, the spiritual or heavenly Jerusalem (compare Hebrews 11:9–10; Revelation 3:12). It will come down to this earth in the future (Revelation 21:2–3, 10–21; 22:1–2).

Revelation 2:7 says that the tree of life is in the Paradise of God. Ezekiel 28:13–16 adds that Lucifer, who became Satan, was in the garden of God at the time of his creation, long before there ever was a physical world. So we see that there is a spiritual garden of God, a Paradise, in heaven. 2 Corinthians 12:2–4 mentions that “Paradise,” the spiritual garden, is in the third heaven where God dwells [The first two heavens—the physical heavens—can be divided into the earth’s atmosphere and the space beyond our atmosphere—commonly called the universe. In addition, the Bible speaks about another heaven, a heaven composed of spirit—the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2), where God lives (Psalm 11:4; Hebrews 9:24)]. The physical garden of Eden, which God later created for Adam and Eve, was patterned after the spiritual garden that exists in heaven, and in which is a spiritual tree of life. When the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to this earth, the heavenly garden, with the tree of life in it, will come down to this earth as well.

Revelation 21:1 tells us that the heavenly Jerusalem will come down from heaven to this earth, AFTER God has created a new heaven and a new earth. This will take place after all human beings have been changed into immortality, or have been burned up and destroyed in the lake of fire. By that time, as we read in Revelation 20:14, death will no longer exist. We are told that death will have been cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 21:4–5 confirms that there will be NO MORE DEATH from that time on.

It is true that during the Millennium, certain of the things mentioned in Revelation 21 and 22 will be found on this earth as physical forerunners (Ezekiel 47:1, 7–8, 12). There are differences, however. Ezekiel 47 talks about the existence of a physical temple. When the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to this earth, after the Millennium, there will be no temple in it, “for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22).

New Heavens and a New Earth

The heavenly Jerusalem will come down from heaven, after the physical earth and the physical heavens are burned up, and after God creates new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:7, 10–13). Isaiah 51:6 adds that “the heavens will vanish away like smoke.” Isaiah 34:4 tells us that “All the host of heaven shall be DISSOLVED,” and that “…the heavens shall be ROLLED UP like a scroll.” God will create new heavens and a new earth, which will remain (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22).

So, just what remains or endures? Does matter last forever? Will our new solar system, if we can call it that, even have a sun and a moon? Apparently not, as we read in passages such as Isaiah 60:19–20 and Revelation 21:23.

We find a description of God’s new creation in Psalm 102:25–26: “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.”

In what way will God change them? 2 Corinthians 4:18 tells us: “…For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Note also in Hebrews 12:25–29: “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, ‘Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.”

Lamsa renders verse 27 in this way: “And these words, once more, signify the CHANGE of things which may be shaken, because they are made in order that things which cannot be shaken may remain.”

Change into Spirit

Romans 8:18–23 tells us very clearly what those invisible things will be: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption INTO the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption [sonship], the redemption of our body.”

We saw in verse 21 that the creation will be delivered from corruption “into” (“eis” in Greek) the glorious liberty of the children of God. Moffat renders verse 21 in this way: “The hope being that creation as well as man would one day be freed from its thralldom [bondage] to decay and gain the glorious freedom of God’s children.”  The Revised Standard Version writes: “…the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and OBTAIN the glorious liberty of the children of God.” The Luther Bible states, “The creation, too, will be freed from bondage of temporary existence INTO the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

The Greek word for corruption or decay that is used in verse 21 is “phthora.” It is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 15:42, where we read: “The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” It is also used in Galatians 6:8: “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption.”

This physical creation, patterned after God’s spiritual creation, waits to be delivered from corruption to obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. The glorious freedom, which the universe will receive, includes freedom from death. In that new universe, DEATH will be unknown, and so will decay and corruption.

We will be changed into Spirit. Spirit endures. Spirit cannot die or decay. Spirit remains. Spirit is INCORRUPTIBLE. The universe will obtain that same freedom from decay, corruption and death. In order to obtain such freedom from death and corruption, this universe will have to be changed into SPIRIT, as we also will be changed into Spirit beings. In this way, the new heavens and the new earth will remain, for only the things that the human eye cannot see will remain.

When the heavenly Jerusalem comes down to this earth, as a spiritual city, after God has created new heavens and a new earth, it will remain as a spiritual city. It will not be changed into matter, into something physical. Why should it become physical? By that time, all of mankind who have chosen to live God’s way of life will have become Spirit beings. Physical human beings will no longer exist. God will not become a physical being. Angels will not become physical beings. Every physical thing will have been destroyed in the all-encompassing fire that burns up the earth and dissolves the physical universe, as we read in 2 Peter 3:11. This will include those humans who have willfully refused to live God’s way of life. (For further proof for that aspect of God’s Master Plan, request our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?”)

It is true that Ecclesiastes 1:4 says that the earth will remain forever. However, this does not necessarily mean that this earth will remain forever in a physical state. We know that ultimately, everything physical will decay and cease to exist. After all, we will remain forever, but we will not remain in this physical body. Rather, we will be changed into Spirit beings.

God will restore a condition that existed at the beginning of His creation when He first created spirit beings and spiritual things. Ultimately, all physical things, which have been patterned after things in the Spirit world, will be changed into spiritual things.

What an awesome potential man has! We, as insignificant, tiny, mortal, physical, temporary human beings, have the potential to become immortal members of God’s Family, actually God beings, sharing in His spiritual world. We need to free ourselves from the bondage of temporary shortcomings and sufferings, step out of the restraint of physical limitations, and climb up, as it were, in our minds, to the real spiritual existence of God’s world, which we can already visualize with our spiritual eyes. Let us keep our focus on those things, which are above, knowing that God will share them with us very soon.

Letter to the Brethren – June 30, 2003

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Dear Brethren, Co-workers and Friends,

As we come to the end of the second full year for the Church of the Eternal God, we have so many blessings for which to be thankful. It is surely amazing how rapidly time has gone by and how much has been accomplished during this short time span. God has been merciful to us as a group, and we are also very grateful for your unswerving loyal support as we continue to jointly serve our God and those of His people who have decided to look toward us for guidance.

God, of course, has given us many words of encouragement which have helped us to move forward in spite of unforeseen trials. David wrote in Psalm 34:19, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” As long as we continue in the fundamental truths God has revealed to us, and we remain loyal to God’s Way as outlined in His Word, The Holy Bible, God will continue to be with us.

We are admonished in Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 9 to “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase,” and in verses 5 and 6 to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” This must be our approach as we continue now into this new, 3rd year of opportunity to serve Him!

We are very excited as this 3rd year begins. We are enclosing our 11th booklet in the two years we have been operating. This booklet is entitled “God Is a Family.” It covers in depth this subject, revealing all the Scriptures, which teach this truth; that God is not a trinity, nor a closed circle, which is not possible to become a part of. We know that the Scriptures do not reflect such a concept, but, that this whole idea is a satanic lie which has been fostered off on the Christian religions of the world in order to cover up God’s plain truth concerning His Great Plan.

The Scriptures clearly reveal that God is a Family and that He is calling certain people during this age to understand His clear intent; His firm desire to see His Family grow; and while Christ was the First of the “Firstfruits” to be called from physical life to become a born again member of the Family of God through a resurrection, there are other “firstfruits,” who will be called during this age, who through a similar resurrection at the second coming of Christ will become born again members of the God Family.

An even greater revelation is made in the Scriptures that this opportunity will be made available to all of mankind at a later time. All of this wonderful knowledge is covered in detail in our new booklet, “God is a Family.” Your copy, of course, is included in this mailing! We hope you enjoy reading it and that it will become a part of your regular study material as you continue to prove God’s Truths as revealed to His people at this end time.

Other booklets which are available now by writing to us; Church of the Eternal God, P.O. Box 270519, San Diego, CA., 92198; are:

1. Europe in Prophecy: The Unfolding of End-Time Events

2. The Theory of Evolution – a Fairy Tale for Adults?

3. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God-2-

4. Don’t Keep Christmas

5. Is God a Trinity?

6. Do We Have an Immortal Soul?

7. The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families!

8. And Lawlessness Will Abound…

9. The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord

10. God’s Commanded Holy Days

We are also offering a reprint article on “Biblical Meditation.” As we noted earlier, the enclosed booklet, “God Is a Family,” is our 11th booklet. Number 12, covering the subject of “Baptism,” has been written and is currently going through the first review cycle. We plan to publish at least two, perhaps three additional booklets before the end of this calendar year, including the baptism booklet.

Of course, our weekly “Update” (#100 coming up this week), is a regular publication of the Church. It includes a weekly editorial covering a pertinent subject of interest to our readership; a Biblical Q&A; a personal section relative to our membership, close friends and associates; plus a Current Events Section which discusses things going on in the world in light of Bible prophecy.

Our weekly Church services are available on the website, and past sermons are posted to the site. We have a regular Tape Program whereby sermons are mailed to those who desire them. Those not having computers with the ability to receive the messages posted are encouraged to write in for past sermons and to be added to the mailing list for future mailings.

Also posted on our website on a continuing basis is all our literature, including articles in German. We are desirous to post articles in French and in other languages. If you are fluent in any language in addition to English and interested in serving by helping us with translations, please contact us. We are also excited as we have begun our new internet program: Standing Watch, with Pastor and commentator, Norbert Link, bringing to our listeners a brief message concerning current happenings in the world as they relate to Bible prophecy.

Therefore, you can see why we are more thrilled as each week passes and God continues to bless our efforts. This gives us all an opportunity to have a part in doing an end time work that is certainly pleasing to Him; especially at a time when so many of our called-out brothers and sisters seem to be slacking off as the time rapidly approaches.

So, let us continue to remain faithful to our calling and to pray for Christ’s soon return at which time we’ll eagerly await to hear His Words: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21).

In Christ’s service,

J. Edwin Pope

Letter to the Brethren – May 27, 2003

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Dear Brethren, Co-workers and Friends,

In just under two weeks time, we will be celebrating the Feast of Pentecost. We have understood for decades that out of all the billions of people alive, only a tiny minority has had the priceless privilege of being called today into God’s true Church. We understand, of course, that this is not the only day of salvation. Those who are not called in this day and age will be called at a later time. Those, however, who have been called, or who are now being called, are identified as the “firstfruits” (compare Romans 8:23; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4). That we are called the “firstfruits” indicates that others will be called later. Being part of the first group to be offered salvation is a priceless privilege—one that we must not take lightly.

Acts 2 gives us a ringside seat at what must have been a truly awe-inspiring sight on that fateful day in 31AD, when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. They were all together “with one accord in one place,” as we read in Acts 2:1. The Greek word translated as “one accord” means “likemindedness.” It shows the unity of purpose that the early disciples had. God would not have given them His Spirit if they had not been unified in approach and goal. The coming of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by the sound of a rushing mighty wind and cloven tongues like as of fire. That was one of the great moments in Bible history. If the early disciples had not been faithfully and “with one accord” keeping this Holy Day, they wouldn’t have been the recipients of God’s Holy Spirit at that time.

Today, upon repentance, belief, baptism and the laying on of hands, we can also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). We then have to use and exercise that precious gift. Galatians 5:22-23 clearly shows the fruit that we have to produce after our conversion: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

God’s Holy Spirit gives us the supernatural power to help us live the way that Jesus Christ lived some 2,000 years ago. How much do we exercise the Holy Spirit? The fruit of the Spirit is in very short supply today. The world we live in exercises the works of the flesh in an ever-increasing way. The consequences of such wrong actions are there for all to see. Notice how Paul summarizes those works of the flesh, which are prevalent today:

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21). We, who are Christ’s, are to “crucify the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24). We are to “live in the Spirit.” We are to “walk in the Spirit” (verse 25), showing the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

As we look forward to this most important annual Holy Day of Pentecost, let us meditate on the fruit of the Spirit and how well we are doing. These Christian attributes of the Holy Spirit are a reflection of how God’s mind works, whereas the works of the flesh reflect how the human mind, without God’s Spirit, works.

The first Godly characteristic listed by Paul in Galatians 5:22 is “love.” Love has been defined as an outgoing concern for the good and welfare of others. Love is something that should be part and parcel of the way that we live our lives. Failure to live up to this basic Christian admonition is a dereliction of our duty as a follower of Christ.

Joy, the second attribute of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned by Paul, is a deep, abiding, inner confidence in the realization that God exists, that He cares for us and that He has a wonderful future in store for us. The next Christian character trait, peace, is a unique and unparalleled tranquility. A war has just been fought to preserve the peace in the Middle East—yet the suffering and heartache that many have experienced will live with them for the rest of their lives. True peace comes from the One who is utterly reliable in all things, not from mortal human beings.

Paul lists as the fourth Godly attribute the quality of longsuffering—a patient endurance and steadfastness under provocation and forbearance under ill will with no thought of retaliation. This is a pretty good summary as to what our behavior should be. How truly longsuffering are we? God expects of His children the continued practice of longsuffering. As sure as the rising of tomorrow’s sun, one cannot be a Christian and not develop this vital quality.

The next Christian attribute listed is that of kindness. How kind are we to other people, even if they are not kind to us? Are we only interested in treating those with kindness who treat us kindly? A true Christian will possess the quality of kindness toward others, regardless of what reaction he or she may receive from them. One does not have to be a Christian to be a kind individual. Many who are adherents to other creeds, or who may even be atheists or agnostics, may be kind individuals—up to a certain extent. A true Christian, however, must develop the attitude of kindness toward others, no matter what the circumstances.

Goodness, the sixth character trait of the fruit of the Spirit of God, describes our readiness to do good and to put into action the other fruits of the Spirit. When we have goodness in our hearts, we love others, exhibit joy toward them, live in peace with them, and are longsuffering and kind towards them. We are told to do good to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

The seventh Christian attribute listed by Paul is the quality of faithfulness. Faithfulness to God the Father and Jesus Christ must be our top priority. In addition, fidelity to our spouse, our children, brethren and friends is a quality that God is looking for us to exhibit. Remember that only those who are called, chosen and faithful are truly Christ’s disciples (Revelation 17:14).

Next, Paul lists the character trait of gentleness or meekness. Meekness is not weakness, but controlled strength. A meek person is someone who is piously humble and submissive—qualities that are all too rare today. The world would have you believe that an aggressive approach pays dividends. In the short term this may appear to be the case. This is why we have so much violence, hatred and so many wars in this world—because people think that wars may bring them peace. The lesson to be learned by man is, however, that wars don’t produce peace. Christ told Peter, “Put your sword in its place, for ALL who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26: 52). We are to develop the quality of gentleness or meekness toward others—and this quality is to last for eternity.

The ninth and last character trait of a Christian, as listed by Paul, is self-control—something that most of us have to look at very carefully. We are encircled by a society where all restraint seems to have been cast off. This can rub off on us, if we allow this to happen. We need to make extra efforts to let God develop His attribute of self-control in our lives.

The passage in Galatians 5:23 finishes by stating that “against such there is no law.” The law exists for the purposes of restraint and there is nothing here to restrain. When we let God produce His character attributes in our lives, we are fulfilling His law. For instance, we read in Romans 13:10, “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

As we approach Pentecost, we should meditate on our calling. With the gift of the Holy Spirit, God will enable us to develop the fruit of the Spirit, which is so important in a Christian’s life. Those who have been called into God’s Church have been freely given His Spirit and the opportunity for salvation. We are the “firstfruits.” We have a wonderful calling in spite of all the tests, trials and problems that affect so many of us. We are told that we must endure to the end (Matthew 24:13; 10:22; Mark 13:13), and that nothing can separate us from the love of God toward us (Romans 8:38-39). With the help of God’s Holy Spirit, which was made available to the Church on the Day of Pentecost some 2,000 years ago, we can and will persevere.

Our prayer for all of you is that you will have a rewarding, profitable and spiritually uplifting Day of Pentecost.

With brotherly love,

J. Edwin Pope

Norbert Link

Dave Harris

Rene Messier

Brian Gale

Letter to the Brethren – May 12, 2003

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Dear Brethren, Co-Workers and Friends,

What has changed?

Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there was a spontaneous reaction among many people around the world that things had dramatically changed and that nothing would ever be the same again. And to a large degree, the world we now live in is different.

That difference is most notable in the realignment of national interests. Today, we find old alliances such as NATO now being challenged and crumbling into fragmented groups. The United Nations is suffering from its own inability to effectively influence international events or to actually resolve serious conflicts. Coalitions led by the United States and Britain have now fought two wars in an effort to deal with the threat of terrorism. For those most intimately affected by these actions, great change has swept through their lives.

In fact, it seems that each day’s news brings reports of events that threaten to change all of our lives in one way or another. Diseases without cures, disastrous and deadly storms, economic instability, unspeakable violence—all this and more only serve to keep everyone in an unsettled state of anxiety and fearfulness.

How about each one of us? What has changed in our lives? Have we allowed ourselves to become so engulfed in the events of the moment that we, too, have begun to focus on the things of this age—this fading world?

Jesus Christ left an outline for His followers so that we could understand and prepare for these times. As He introduced end time events that would quickly unfold leading to His return to the earth, He interjected this statement: “‘All these are the beginning of sorrows’” (Matthew 24:8). Those who will live through these tumultuous times will witness and experience great change! Later on in this same chapter, Jesus says of the world that it will not understand the times, and that people will live their lives OBLIVIOUS to the true meaning or staggering consequences (verses 37-39).

However, we are instructed to watch and to be prepared. In Hebrews 10: 24-25, we find this warning: “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Not only are we commanded to nurture and strengthen one another in the Church of God, but we are also to be witnesses of the true hope and the certain future that resides with God. Note the commission given to all Christians at all times by Jesus Christ: “‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven’” (Matthew 5:14-16).

When God first called us into His truth, we had to begin to change. We were called upon to place God first in our lives. Everything else had to take second place—so to speak. That meant that we had to walk differently than the world, and, in many cases, to give up jobs, friendships and even family relationships. We can be reminded of the need to change by the carnal actions of two of Christ’s disciples—prior to their conversion. After a Samaritan village refused to receive Christ and His disciples, we find this exchange: “And when His disciples James and John [the “sons of thunder”] saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them’” (Luke 9:54-56).

These same two, however, did change. James gave his own life for the truth at the hand of king Herod (Acts 12:1-2). John went on to write under inspiration from God some of the most profoundly deep insights into the life of Christ. His loving attitude for others is beautifully reflected in his three letters, to be found in the “General Epistles.” Both James and John changed! They grew in Christian maturity to become more and more like God the Father and Jesus Christ (compare 1 John 4:7-12, 16). — 2 — The reason they changed is the same reason we may all change. The Holy Spirit of God was given to them (1 John 4:13). All who are called, who repent, believe and who are baptized for the remission of sins are promised the incomparable gift of God’s Holy Spirit by which we can change. But our change doesn’t stop when we receive God’s Holy Spirit!

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, brings to light this model for our ongoing change: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles (the world)—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you” (1 Peter 4:1-4).

Paul, another apostle, also succinctly states the way for a Christian to change: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

What has changed?

Hopefully, brethren, our lives have changed! We have continued to grow and to mature as Christians. 2 Peter 3:18 states: “…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” In speaking about the purpose for the Church of God and the way in which Jesus Christ organized it, Paul explains our process of change and growth with this goal: “…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:13-16).

Brethren, as we approach the Feast of Pentecost, it is important to reflect on our calling—where we have been, and where we are going! This is something we must finish! The way for us to endure all the way to the end is for us to continue to change—to change to become more and more like our Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ. In doing this, we will fulfill what Christ instructed us to do: “‘…therefore you shall be [become] perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect’” (Matthew 5:48).

Grasping the tremendous meaning of this verse just cited is something unique to the Church of God, because its true understanding is only revealed through God’s Holy Spirit. This awesome truth includes the revelation of another mystery hidden from this world—WHY we are to become perfect as God the Father is perfect. The answer has everything to do with who and what God IS—and WHY man was created in the first place. We are nearing the completion of our latest booklet entitled—God Is A Family. You will find this to be an absolutely comprehensive presentation that thoroughly proves from the pages of the Bible that God is a Family and that the God Family has always existed—and that it will always exist. The booklet also goes on to show the awesome future which mankind has been offered—to become the very sons and daughters of God and to be born into the Family of God! This is the ultimate reason for our change—we are to give up in this life worldly ways and thoughts and develop instead the character and mind of God (compare 1 John 2:15-17), so that Jesus Christ can in the end “change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21, Authorized Version).

Once again, brethren, we wish to thank you for your prayerful support of the mutual work God has given to us. The new STANDINGWATCH webcast is nearing its inaugural program. Designed to recap timely events reflecting Biblical fulfillment, this represents yet one more opportunity for the Church of the Eternal God to let the light of truth and love for others shine forth. Please continue to pray specifically that God will guide the things we are doing in order that we may truly seek and fulfill His will.

Finally, as we all face our daily lives and the troubled world in which we now live, consider this counsel found in 1 Peter 4:7-8: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers, And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’”

In Christ’s Service,

David J. Harris

Baptism – A Requirement for Salvation?

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Introduction

Should you be baptized? If so, how, and when? Does it matter whether you are baptized as a child or as an adult? Does it matter whether you are placed under water, or whether the minister or priest pours water over your head, or whether you are just sprinkled with a few drops of water? Does it matter whether you understand the symbolic meaning of baptism before you undergo the ordinance? Is baptism ESSENTIAL for your salvation?

Many people cannot see the reason to be baptized as an adult, especially if they were baptized as a little baby. Others think it makes no difference for salvation whether a person is baptized or not. All that is required, so they say, is an honest heart and the will to live a good life.

There are, indeed, endless arguments and perceptions of baptism, but in seeking the truth on the subject and dispelling any false opinions, we must go to the source of truth—God’s Word—the Bible. One cannot prove truth based on human opinion. God’s truth is easily available to those who seek it, and truth stands up to scrutiny.

The Need for Baptism

In order to accept the biblical teaching on this matter, which we MUST do if we are to be called Christians, we must admit that baptism is a godly ordinance—a command by God Himself. Peter “commanded” the Roman centurion, Cornelius, and his relatives and close friends “to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). Cornelius was a “devout man and one who feared God with all his household” (Acts 10:2). God showed through a miracle that, although Cornelius was a Gentile, he had been called to salvation and God had already opened his mind to understand the truth. Still, Peter commanded that he be baptized. Even Jesus Christ Himself was baptized. Though He had no personal need for baptism—He was without sin—He had John baptize Him in order to fulfill all righteousness and to set an example for us to do the same (Matthew 3:13–15).

Yes, God’s Word makes it very clear that we need to be baptized if we expect to attain salvation. Yet, we must fulfill certain requirements before we undergo baptism. Let us examine what those requirements are.

Faith is Required

Jesus Christ commanded His early disciples to baptize those who believed. We read in Mark 16:15–16: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe [and is therefore not baptized] will be condemned [better translated: judged].’”

So, then, before we undergo baptism, we must first believe. Faith is a necessary prerequisite to baptism. Christ said, “Those who believe and are baptized will be saved.” How can one believe unless one is old enough to believe? How can a little baby believe? The answer is, it can’t. A little baby cannot comprehend faith. It does not even realize what is going on when it is “baptized.” That kind of “baptism” is not in accordance with Christ’s express mandate that one “believe and [be] baptized.”

Repentance is Required

In addition to faith, repentance is required prior to baptism. When Peter gave his first inspired sermon after receiving God’s Holy Spirit, his audience was moved with fear. They were, in fact, shocked. They came to realize that they were responsible for the death of their Savior. After having been convicted, in their minds, of actually murdering Jesus Christ, they asked, in despair, what they should do. Notice Peter’s answer in Acts 2:37–38: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

So we see that before being baptized, we need to repent of our sins and we need to believe in the gospel (Mark 16:15–16). We also need to believe that the death of Jesus Christ was necessary and that His death is sufficient payment for our sins, thus prompting forgiveness of our sins by God the Father. We are to be baptized only upon repentance, which must be coupled with faith, and not before then. A little baby has no concept of what to repent of. It does not even know what repentance is. Some say that a baby does not need to repent of anything because it has not committed any sins. If that were true, then why is the baby even being baptized to begin with, given that baptism is an outward sign of inward repentance?

It is clear from Scripture that a person must be old enough to comprehend the meaning of repentance and faith. Baptism, in accordance with biblical teaching, is an outward sign, or symbol, of inner repentance from sin, AND it is a manifestation of our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By the ordinance of baptism we outwardly express our inward faith in our Savior—our acceptance of His death, burial, and resurrection for us, as well as our repentance of the old life and burial of it, rising to a new life and mindset. This thought process and change of heart is something a baby could never engage in.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

As Peter pointed out to his stunned audience in Acts 2, upon proper baptism we WILL receive the GIFT of the Holy Spirit. Without baptism based on biblical teaching, we normally would not receive the Holy Spirit and we would not be in a position to look forward to salvation. (An obvious and extremely rare exception to this rule would be, of course, when it is physically impossible to baptize someone, because the person is physically incapable of being baptized.) We understand, of course, that the situation was different in Old Testament times because God did bestow His Spirit on a few people without prior baptism, so that they could fulfill His specific commission for them.

This is no longer true in New Testament times. We read in Acts 8:16–17 [more fully discussed later in this booklet] that the Holy Spirit was given to people only AFTER they were baptized and had hands laid upon them—not before then. There is only one recorded incident since the establishment of the New Testament Church where someone received the Holy Spirit prior to baptism, and that is the Gentile Cornelius and his household. This was an exception for a specific purpose—God wanted to make it clear to the disciples that He had called Gentiles into the Church, and indeed, to salvation. Before Cornelius, only Jews had been accepted as Church members. As we noted in our earlier discussion, God still required Cornelius and those who were with him to undergo proper baptism (Acts 10:44–48).

Notable exceptions in New Testament times also include John the Baptist, who received God’s Holy Spirit from birth (compare Luke 1:15), and, of course, Jesus Christ Himself, who was brought forth by the Holy Spirit—possessing the Holy Spirit from birth without measure (compare Luke 1:35; John 3:34, AV). Aside from these specific examples of God’s Spirit being given without prior baptism, we cannot find that any of Christ’s disciples in the New Testament, and especially since the establishment of the New Testament Church, received the gift of the Holy Spirit without having first been baptized.

When Paul was brought to conversion he had to be baptized before receiving the Holy Spirit: “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road [to Damascus] as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight [since Saul had been blinded after he had seen Christ on his way to Damascus] and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized” (Acts 9:17–18; compare, too, Acts 22:12–16).

Accordingly, when Paul baptized people, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit after Paul had baptized them and laid hands on them, as stated in Acts 19:5–6: “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them.”

Were the Twelve Apostles Baptized?

Some claim that the twelve apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost without having been baptized first. If so, this would have been another extraordinary exception. The purpose for this exception would have been to prove to the people in attendance that God had, indeed, given His Spirit to His disciples, and that He had now begun to build His Church, thus making it possible for others to enter into the spiritual body of Christ. Now, we know that God confirmed the giving of His Holy Spirit to the early apostles on the day of Pentecost through extraordinary signs and wonders, but it does appear that some, if not most, of the apostles had been disciples of John the Baptist and had already been baptized by John—a baptism of repentance (compare Mark 1:4).

As we discussed earlier, repentance is one of the necessary requirements for receiving God’s Holy Spirit, but it is not the only one. As such, the baptism of John—a baptism of repentance—was not sufficient to receive the Holy Spirit. Later, however, Jesus also baptized—through His disciples—as we read in John 3:22: “After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.” John 4:1–3 adds: “Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.”

It is safe to assume, then, before Christ’s disciples baptized others, Christ had already baptized them. This is not to say that baptized people received the Holy Spirit at that time. The Holy Spirit was only given to Christ’s disciples on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 1:15; 2:1–4). However, Scripture indicates that those who received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost had been baptized. This assumption is supported by Christ’s statement to Peter in John 13. During the last Passover meal, prior to His death, Christ began to wash the feet of His disciples, showing them that He loved them and that He was willing to do everything for them, including washing their feet—a menial task that was usually assigned to the lowest servant. When He came to wash Peter’s feet, Peter said to Him: “You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8). Christ explained to him that He had to wash Peter’s feet or else he would have no part with Christ. Peter then responded by saying: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” (John 13:8–9). At that moment, Christ replied, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you” (John 13:10).

This conversation is full of meaning and there is much to be gleaned from it. While proper baptism is to be done only once in a person’s life, the foot-washing ceremony at Passover time is to be repeated year by year. Thus we show that we are continuously willing to obtain forgiveness of the sins we commit after baptism, and we show that we are willing to humble ourselves in our desire to help others go the same way toward perfection that we are going. We are not better than others. We are to serve others in whatever way we can.

Christ told Peter that he and the other disciples (except Judas) were clean, since they had been bathed. We read in Titus 3:5 that God saves us “through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” We are also told that we are “cleansed” or “made clean” from our old sins (2 Peter 1:9). At baptism, our bodies are “washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22), figuratively “washing away” our sins (Acts 22:16). Christ’s statement to Peter and the other apostles that they had been bathed and were clean (except Judas who would betray Him) strongly implies that they had already been baptized in anticipation of receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (John 20:22; Acts 1:8; Luke 24:49).

Requirements Prior to Receiving God’s Holy Spirit

God has ordained that certain steps be accomplished before He shares His Holy Spirit with us. They are, in proper sequence: 1) repentance, 2) belief, and 3) baptism [the elements of baptism are explained later]. After these are accomplished, THEN, as it says in Act 2:38, “you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”—not before. It is only after we have received the gift of God’s Holy Spirit that we are truly His children—belonging to Him—and rightly called “Christians.”

Paul tells us in the book of Romans that we are Christians ONLY if the Holy Spirit dwells in us: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). Paul goes on to explain that God the Father will raise us from the dead and change us to spirit ONLY if the Holy Spirit dwells in us—whether we died having God’s Spirit, or whether we are still alive and have God’s Spirit when Christ returns. He says in Romans 8:11: “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who [better translated: which] dwells in you.”

Biblical baptism, though clearly an outward ritual, is, in fact, an ordinance established by God and IS ESSENTIAL for our salvation.

Proper Baptism

What is the proper, biblical way to be baptized? Do we need to be fully immersed, or is it sufficient to just be sprinkled with water?

The English word “baptism” is derived from the Greek word, “baptizo.” The meaning of this Greek word is “to immerse,” “to place completely under [water],” or “to plunge into.” The Bible shows that the New Testament method of baptism was one of immersing the person under water. “Sprinkling” or “pouring” was never used because the symbolism attached to baptism only makes sense with complete immersion (Note that the Greek word for “sprinkle” is “rantizo,” while the Greek word for “pour” is “cheo”—completely different words NOT used in the Bible when describing baptism).

The Symbolism of Baptism

Paul explains the symbolism of baptism in Romans 6:3–4, 8, 11: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life… Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him… Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Baptism is likened to burial in a watery grave. Just as Christ died and was laid in a tomb, so we—by analogy—die in baptism, having first repented of our sins and having laid to rest our old habits and our old desires. (As will be fully explained later in this booklet, it is God, of course, who leads us to baptism and who enables us to repent and to change.) Just as God raised Christ from the dead and brought Him out of the tomb, so we are to be brought out of the watery grave, in a figurative sense and, upon receiving God’s Holy Spirit, we begin to live a new way of life. We certainly know that if we were to stay under water long enough, we would literally die of drowning. Baptism by immersion is, therefore, a perfect symbol of the death and burial of our old sinful self.

Notice Paul’s further explanation in Colossians 2:12–13: “[You were] buried with Him [Christ] in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses…He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

Sprinkling or pouring with water clearly does not exhibit this important symbolism of being dead and buried in a watery grave, and then being raised to life from the dead out of the watery grave. Only full immersion under water can adequately picture this.

How the Early Church Baptized

When the disciples in the New Testament were baptized, it was done so by immersion in water. In John 3:23, we read how John baptized: “Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there.” Much water was needed in order to immerse the body fully under water. If baptism were accomplished by sprinkling, much water wouldn’t be needed.

In Matthew 3:16, we read that Jesus, after His baptism, “came up… from the water.” He was fully under water for a moment, and He came up from under it. John did not just sprinkle Him with a few drops of water, nor did he just pour some water over His head.

We also find baptism by immersion described in Acts 8:36–39: “Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch WENT DOWN INTO the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up OUT OF the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.” Philip placed the eunuch fully under water when he baptized him. He did not just pour some water over his head, nor did he just sprinkle a few drops of water on him.

Counting the Cost

We have already seen that a person should not be baptized unless he or she fully understands what this ordinance symbolizes. Jesus Christ admonishes us to “count the cost” before we make important decisions, such as baptism. For instance, we read in Luke 14:25–33 that we must consider the matter and know the consequences before we decide to “follow Christ”:

“Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to Me [when we undergo baptism, we come to Him], and does not hate [love less by comparison] his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me [he needs to be willing to suffer for righteousness’ sake] cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Or what king, going to make war against another king [once we follow Christ, we will be fighting a war against Satan and his demons], does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.’”

Baptism is not an ordinance to pursue hastily. It requires prior meditation as to the full meaning and symbolism, as well as what all is entailed in becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ. It requires a “counting of the cost.”

True Repentance

What is true repentance? People commonly feel sorry when they are caught doing something wrong, but prior to being caught, they had no thought of “repentance.” True repentance is more than just an emotional feeling or a temporary regret that one has done something wrong and must now suffer the consequences.

True repentance means to stop doing what is wrong, and begin doing what is right. True godly repentance will produce a change in a person. The person will cease doing wrong things because the heart and mind of the person is changing. The Greek words for “repent” and “repentance” are mainly “metanoeo” and “metanoia.” They literally mean, “to have another mind,” and, “a change of mind,” respectively. This kind of godly repentance—a change in the way we think—leads to a new kind of action, and, in fact, brings about obedience to God’s Word. Such change must ALREADY be evident in a person’s life BEFORE baptism.

When the multitudes came to be baptized by John the Baptist, he refused to do so, because he did not see evidence of repentance in their lives. We read in Luke 3:7–9: “Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE, and do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father! For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear GOOD FRUIT is cut down and thrown into the fire.’”

John expected to see good deeds in those who wanted to be baptized. He looked for fruits worthy of true godly repentance. The multitudes understood what John was talking about. They responded by asking, “What shall we DO then?” (verse 10; compare also verses 12 and 14). They began to understand that repentance was a prerequisite of baptism and that it must be EVIDENCED BY OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WILL. As John explained to them, this obedience would become evident in their daily living.

Later, the apostles would explain to the high priest and the Sadducees that God gives His Holy Spirit ONLY to those who have already shown, prior to their baptism, that they are willing to obey Him. We read in Acts 5:29–32: “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And so we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom [better translated: which] God has given to those who obey Him.’”

Again, we see a designated order: 1) repentance, 2) forgiveness of sins [as a consequence of repentance and faith], and 3) the giving of the Holy Spirit [as a consequence of baptism].

Repentance must be accompanied by obedience to God’s will. Only then is our repentance true, genuine and godly. Temporary remorse is not true repentance. Paul calls this kind of regret “worldly sorrow,” which is only fleeting. Godly repentance, however, will lead to eternal life. We read in 2 Corinthians 7:9–10: “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner… For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

We might think of Judas, in this context, who betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver. When he fully realized what he had done and that he was responsible for Christ’s murder, he “was remorseful.” He “brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood’” (Matthew 27:3–4). So far, so good. He was SORRY for what he had done, and he even DID something relevant—which was right—he gave the “blood money” back, with the hope that this might somehow free Jesus. Of course, the chief priests and the elders were not interested in the least about letting Christ go, so they claimed that they had no responsibility for Judas’ actions. Judas’ further reaction shows that he did not have true godly repentance, but only worldly remorse. He felt so devastated and helpless that he “departed, and went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5). By doing this, Judas added to his prior sin of betrayal, the sin of suicide—murdering himself.

Contrast this with Peter’s conduct. He denied Christ three times, but when he realized what he had done, he “went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:75). He was truly repentant of his actions, realizing that he could do nothing to reverse his actions, but, unlike Judas, he did not proceed to add another sin to his previous ones. His repentance led to the gift of the Holy Spirit and ultimately to eternal life.

True repentance does not try to hide wrong actions, nor does it refuse to accept responsibility. True repentance does not blame others for one’s sins. True repentance makes us realize how rotten and carnal we are. It lets us break down and cry bitterly at times over our own shortcomings, weaknesses, and failures.

True repentance leads us to make right decisions and to engage in right actions. It motivates us to leave behind what is bad for us. We read a good example in Acts 19:18–19 of right conduct following godly repentance, “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.”

They did not want to keep those books, perhaps fearing that they might be enticed later to return to their habit of practicing magic. That is why Christ encourages all of us to break completely with our sinful past. He tells us, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast if from you… And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and cast it from you” (Matthew 5:29–30). Christ did not mean that we are to apply this literally by actually dismembering ourselves. He was addressing the principle of leaving wrong habits behind. The Lamsa Bible explains that these phrases are Aramaic idioms, encouraging the listeners to “stop envying,” and to “stop stealing.”

Ongoing Spiritual Battle

True repentance does not stop at the time of baptism. True repentance is an ongoing process, because even after baptism, we will still sin at times. Overcoming sin is a life-long spiritual battle. However, as we will see later in this booklet, upon receiving God’s Spirit at baptism, we acquire a new mind and a new heart. Our focus in life will become different. From then on, it will be God’s Holy Spirit within us that leads and guides us in a different direction, inspiring us to make right choices and exhibit right actions that are based on God’s will instead of our own carnal will. We will fully comprehend that what we did in the past, as well as what we were, was totally wrong, and we will recognize that we need to become a different person. This is not easy. It is an ongoing spiritual battle as the old carnal nature in us keeps trying to dominate our thoughts and actions.

Note the inspired words of Paul, an apostle of Christ, in describing his ongoing fight with sin. Paul actually wrote this many years after his baptism. He says, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself, because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp.

“It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin.

“So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in!” (Romans 7:15–24, Living Bible).

Paul is describing here the ongoing spiritual battle of a converted person to overcome sin. Some claim that Paul is describing his spiritual fight prior to his conversion. This is not correct. The context shows that he is pointing out his ongoing fight with sin after his baptism. We read in 1 John 1:8 that we deceive ourselves and that the truth is not in us if we say that we have no sin—that we don’t sin—even after baptism. It is true that the realization that we do sin and must repent of sin begins when God calls us and grants us repentance. However, without God’s Spirit in us, it is IMPOSSIBLE to overcome sin. Even WITH God’s Spirit in us, the fight is still difficult, as our old sinful nature in us does not want to die. Notice that it is Christ WITHIN US (through His Spirit in us) who fights our battles FOR us. That is why Paul can confidentially exclaim, “Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord! He has set me free” (Romans 7:24–25, Living Bible).

With God’s Spirit in us, the fight against sin CAN be won, since it is Christ who is fighting for us. Still, we must YIELD to Christ. We must LET HIM fight our battles. We must reject our own carnal selfish nature within us. Notice James 4:5, 7–8: “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who [better translated: which] dwells in us yearns jealously’? [God—through His Spirit within us—wants us to submit to Him and He wants us to resist our carnal desires.]… Therefore submit to God… Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

We have to be single-minded, having as our focus, a fervent desire to live God’s way of life. We have to continuously repent of following the evil desires of our heart. Yes, we DO have a part to play in the process. We DO have responsibilities. Notice 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, Living Bible: “In a race, everyone runs but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win. To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with the purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadow-boxing or playing around. Like an athlete I punish [or discipline] my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand aside.”

We CAN become successful! We CAN conquer sin! How? By following the lead of God’s Spirit that dwells IN US. Otherwise, we CANNOT become victorious! Without God having called us and granted us godly repentance (Acts 5:31; 2 Timothy 2:25; Romans 2:4), we simply COULD NOT overcome. In fact, we WOULD NOT even realize that we must overcome, and we would not even see how rotten and evil our carnal nature really is. The majority of people today do not know that they must repent of wrong thoughts and actions, and make real changes in the way they live. God has not called them yet. He has not opened their minds to that important fact. Christ told the Jews of His time: “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word… He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God” (John 8:43, 47).

God did not call them at that time (John 6:65: “… no one can come to Me [Christ] unless it has been granted to him by My Father”). Consequently, they are not yet judged for their conduct because they are basically “ignorant” of what they are and what they are doing. Paul reflects on his own carnal conduct prior to his conversion and his subsequent change in this way: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent [violently arrogant] man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:12–13).

Prior to our calling, all of us were ignorant of God’s values and standards. Peter confirms that the murder of Christ was done “in ignorance” (Acts 3:17). Still, sin is sin and it needs to be repented of once the realization of wrong conduct sinks in. So then, Peter continues to admonish his listeners: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Paul adds this important fact, in Acts 17:30–31, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men [all who have been called, compare Acts 2:39] everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Most people today are still living in ignorance. Their time of salvation has not come yet. We read in Ephesians 4:17–18, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.”

Before our calling, we were no different. God has called us OUT OF this lifestyle—not to return to it again. Notice 1 Peter 1:13–15, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober… as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”

 The time will come when God WILL remove from ALL of mankind the ignorance and blindness of their hearts and grant them an understanding of His way. This time has not yet come for most people, but it will, in accordance with God’s great plan and purpose. (Regarding this little-understood aspect of God’s plan for all of mankind, please read our free booklets, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” and “God IS a Family.”)

What to Repent of…

What, exactly, is it that we need to repent of prior to baptism? Simply put, we must repent of the sins we have committed. What is sin? The biblical definition is: “…sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4, AV). Which law? The law of God’s Ten Commandments. James calls it the “royal law according to the Scripture” (James 2:8). It defines our love toward God and our love toward neighbor. When we break even one of the Ten Commandments, we are guilty of having broken them all and have become a transgressor of the law (James 2:10–11). The law of the Ten Commandments is a spiritual law, as Paul explains in Romans 7:14, because it regulates not only our actions, but also the motives and intents of our heart. We sin when we commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), but we also sin when we desire or covet the wife of another man (Exodus 20:17), or when we look at another woman with the desire to commit adultery with her (Matthew 5:28). Additionally, we sin when we kill someone (Exodus 20:13), but we have already sinned by violating God’s spiritual law of the Ten Commandments when we even hate another human being (Matthew 5:21–22; 1 John 3:15).

The spiritual intent of the law of the Ten Commandments regulates what is in our heart, subsequently leading to either right or wrong actions. Christ tells us in Matthew 15:19: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”

Sin is the transgression of God’s spiritual law of the Ten Commandments. The penalty—the wages (what we earn)—of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Sin begins in our own heart with our own evil desires, then it leads to the actual sin, and ultimately to eternal death (compare James 1:14–15), unless repented of. Godly repentance means to be deeply sorry not only for what we do but for what we are. It must be accompanied by a desire to change what we do, how we think, and what we are.

We must come to the realization, prior to our baptism, that we have been living a life contrary to God. God says that we have been His enemies in times past, prior to our conversion (compare Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21). We have been living with hostility toward God’s law, perhaps without realizing it. God says that the carnal mind—the unconverted mind—is hostile toward the law of God, and it is unwilling, and therefore unable, to keep it. (Compare Romans 8:6–7: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”)

This applies to every human being prior to conversion, whether or not he or she grew up in a Sabbath-keeping Church of God, even though that Sabbath-keeping Church of God stayed loyal and faithful to the truth. Peter, James and John lived with Jesus Christ for several years, yet Christ had to point out to them that they were under Satan’s influence when they wanted to respond to the desires of “their father,” the devil. In Matthew 16:23, Christ even called Peter “Satan,” because Peter desired at that moment “the things of men,” not “the things of God.” In Luke 9:55–56, Christ rebuked James and John, the “Sons of Thunder (compare Mark 3:17),” because they followed Satan’s spirit when they asked for the destruction of the Samaritans.

Satan’s Nature in Us

All of us have acquired, to some degree, Satan’s nature. We were all influenced and, in fact, held captive by Satan to do his will. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:24–26, “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

We all walked at one time “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit [Satan the devil] who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others” (Ephesians 2:2–3). Remember, we all “were once darkness” (Ephesians 5:8). That is exactly what we were, having acquired Satan’s nature. When God calls us (Romans 8:28–29; 2 Timothy 1:9) to grant us repentance (Romans 2:4), we need to respond to God’s calling by repenting of our sins—what we did, what we desired, what we thought, and what we were, and still are to some degree.

At the time of Christ, many of the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes and other “noble people” refused to repent. They didn’t think they had anything to repent of. It was very difficult for them to recognize that they were sinners and that they had to repent. On the other hand, “sinners,” such as tax collectors and prostitutes, could easily see how badly they had lived their lives. Christ said that they would enter the Kingdom of God before the Pharisees.

The same can be said today. Some have a hard time understanding that they, too, must repent. They think they have led a pretty good life, so what should they repent of? The answer is that ALL must repent, because ALL HAVE SINNED (Romans 3:9–19; 1 John 1:10). All of us have earned the death penalty, and without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sin. We ALL have MUCH to repent of.

Even if we have not engaged in such glaring sins as idolatry, dishonoring parents, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, killing (including war), or Sabbath-breaking, are we not familiar with hot tempers, wrong emotions, feelings of hate, judgmental attitudes, jealousy and envy toward others, or desire for physical things that are harmful for us? Haven’t we all lied “a little” at times, “shading the truth” somewhat? Haven’t we all spent too much time on wrong thoughts and actions?

Remember, sin is not only what we do—it is what we think and what we are. We all need to acquire a new heart and a new mindset. Even after baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit, we have to continuously let God’s Spirit lead us, thus purifying us and making us acceptable to God (Titus 2:14). The “old man” in us (Romans 6:6) does not want to die, and he will try, instigated by Satan, to come back out of the grave where we have buried him in baptism, to creep back into our lives and to take over, like a zombie (compare Romans 7:18–24). All of us must always be on guard and not allow that to happen (1 Corinthians 9:27).

“Re-”Baptism?

As we have seen, godly repentance is a prerequisite to baptism. A young baby, who has no concept of repentance, or a young child who is not mature enough to make a valid, irreversible decision after first counting the cost, should not be baptized. The same is true for an adult who does not yet know what sin is. If we don’t know what sin is, how can we repent of it? How can our baptism reflect the burial of our old nature with its lusts and evil desires—including the natural desire to break God’s law—if we don’t know how we have been breaking God’s law? How can our being raised out of the watery grave reflect our dedication to walk in newness of life and to live obediently to God’s law, if we don’t even know what God’s law requires of us?

People who have been baptized as a baby or as a young child would need to be “re”-baptized, that is, properly baptized for the first time, when they are called by God to genuinely repent of their sins. The same would be true for adult persons who were baptized without realizing what they were really guilty of and what they needed to repent of. For instance, people who do not know the importance of keeping ALL of God’s Ten Commandments, including the commandment to keep God’s Sabbath holy, the commandment not to fight or kill in war, not to worship idols, and not to pray to “Mother Mary” or other “heavenly saints,” have not really repented of their sins. They lack understanding of what sin is and, therefore, do not cease from their sins. They continue to engage in the same wrong conduct, showing that they did not begin to live in “newness of life.”

When someone is in doubt whether his or her prior “baptism” was valid in God’s eyes and resulted in receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, he or she needs to look at the fruits after that “baptism.” Since God’s commandments regarding idolatry and Sabbath-keeping are of such fundamental importance, the Holy Spirit would lead a person who is called by God to immediately recognize and accept this truth before or at the time of baptism, or very shortly thereafter. The person would immediately feel a compelling desire to keep the Sabbath and to cease from committing idolatry. If such an action did not take place at the time of “baptism,” or at least within a reasonably short time thereafter, we can safely say that such a “baptism” was not valid in God’s eyes and did not lead to the pouring out of God’s Spirit on the person. If the person begins to understand now the importance of keeping all of God’s commandments, is repentant of his or her prior conduct, believes in Christ’s sacrifice for the forgiveness of his or her sins, and is willing to obey whatever God’s Spirit might reveal to him or her in the future, then that person should now consider being properly baptized.

In order to determine whether a previous “baptism” of an adult person was valid in God’s eyes, we should ask ourselves the following questions:

(1)   When I was baptized by immersion, did I understand what sin is? Did I repent of my sins? Did I ask, in faith, for forgiveness of my sins? Did I understand that forgiveness was bestowed on me because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who died for me, so that I could live for Him?

(2)   Did I understand, at the time of my baptism, what I was—not only what I did—and did I repent of my very evil and carnal nature that is hostile against the law of God? Did I actually bury my old self in the watery grave?

(3)   Did I make a commitment with God to let the Holy Spirit create in me a new heart, to make a new person out of me, to live in me, to guide me, to help me avoid sin, and to give me strength to strive against sin so that I would be able to acquire a new nature—the divine nature of God Himself? Did I actually come up from the watery grave “clean,” a new person, knowing that from then on I would have to strive as never before to avoid sinning and to live righteously, and that I would have to continually work at keeping all of God’s commandments, including those that would be revealed to me in the future?

If we cannot substantially answer all of the above questions with “yes,” then our previous baptism would not be valid in the eyes of God and we would not have received God’s Holy Spirit at that time.

Again, godly repentance is a necessary prerequisite for proper baptism and receiving God’s Holy Spirit. We need to know WHAT WE ARE and WHAT WE DID so that we can REPENT of our carnal ways and set our course to become a different person—to think, to speak, and to act differently from then on. We need to know, additionally, that based on human strength alone, we will NOT be able to accomplish this perfectly. That is why we NEED to have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in us, directing us and giving us the needed power and strength to live a life in subjection to God. There is no promise in the Bible that we will receive God’s Spirit, unless we are first properly baptized.

What to Believe In…

As mentioned before, the second most important prerequisite of baptism is belief, or faith. Christ said in Mark 16:16, “He who BELIEVES and is baptized will be saved.” What exactly are we to believe?

Prior to that statement, in Mark 16:15, Christ had pointed out that the disciples had to preach the GOSPEL to every creature. He then said in verse 16, “He who believes…will be saved.” Obviously, before being baptized, we must believe the GOSPEL. What is the gospel? Paul warned us that if we preach another gospel, other than the one that was preached by Christ and the early apostles, we are accursed (Galatians 1:6–9). It is imperative that we preach and believe in the gospel of Christ—Christ’s gospel—the gospel that He preached (verse 7, “[some] want to pervert [or distort] the gospel OF Christ.”). What was the gospel that Christ preached?

Mark 1:1, 14–15 tells us: “The beginning of the gospel OF Jesus Christ, the Son of God… Now after John [the Baptist] was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. REPENT, and BELIEVE in…’” What are we to believe in? “‘…the GOSPEL.’”

Before we can be baptized, we are to repent and believe in the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM OF GOD. There is only ONE gospel. It is the gospel OF Christ—the gospel that Christ preached. It is Christ’s gospel ABOUT the KINGDOM OF GOD.

The gospel of the Kingdom of God includes, of course, the fact that Jesus Christ is the coming KING of the Kingdom of God, and that He died for us so that we could obtain eternal life IN the Kingdom of God. The message about Christ, and faith in Christ, is NOT the entirety of the gospel. Neither is faith in Christ and in His name something separate and apart from the gospel. Rather, it’s all part of the one and only true gospel.

Our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” describes in detail what the true gospel message entails. It includes the wonderful message that we can become full members of the Kingdom of God, and it explains how this can be accomplished. It also makes plain what exactly the Kingdom of God is. Shocking as it may sound, most people today have NO IDEA as to what the Kingdom of God really is. They have been taught to believe in a different gospel. Without understanding and believing the TRUE gospel of the Kingdom of God, we cannot be properly baptized.

The gospel of the Kingdom of God reveals who and what GOD is. It shows that GOD IS the Kingdom of God, ruling over His creation. It shows that God is a FAMILY, currently consisting of TWO God beings—God the Father and God the Son, who is Jesus Christ. It shows that converted Christians will become members of the God Family at the time of Christ’s return to this earth. It shows that the Kingdom of God will rule on this earth. It reveals that the Holy Spirit is NOT a separate God being at all, but rather the power of God that emanates from God—both God the Father and God the Son.

It explains that Jesus Christ was God before He became a human being, but that He gave up His divine nature to become a human being—flesh and blood—so that He could experience human suffering and so that He could die for us, thus paying the death penalty that we had earned because of OUR SINS. It shows that God the Father resurrected Christ from the dead and brought Him back to the glorified state of the God being that He was before His human birth. It reveals that through Christ’s suffering and death—through His supreme sacrifice—we can have forgiveness of our sins. It explains that the death penalty for our sins can be removed from us, if we accept, in faith, Christ’s sacrifice for us.

Believe in the Gospel

The gospel of the Kingdom of God is so much more than most people realize or want to admit! It is imperative that we BELIEVE in the gospel before getting baptized. We must believe who and what God is, believe what our human potential is, believe that we have incurred the death penalty because of our sins, and believe that Christ’s sacrifice, as the Lamb of God, brought about our reconciliation with God the Father. We must understand and believe that our sins have separated us from God (compare Isaiah 59:1–2), and that ONLY through Christ’s sacrifice could that separation be removed (compare Ephesians 2:14–18).

We must also believe that there is NO OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED than through Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We must also believe that it is the Father who draws us and brings us to Christ (John 6:44, 65).

How many people who were baptized in times past really believed all of that? If they believed in a false gospel, then God did not accept their baptism.

For instance, did they believe that God is a Trinity? (Our free booklets, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God,” “Is God a Trinity?” and “God Is a Family,” prove from the Bible who and what God really is.) If they believed that God is a Trinity at the time of their baptism, how could the true God consider their baptism as being genuine? Did they have a clear understanding as to what will happen to them when they die? Did they believe that they go to heaven when they die or that they have an immortal soul? (Our free booklet, “Do You Have an Immortal Soul?” explains from the Bible what man really is and what man is to become.)

Did they know and believe what God says about sin? Did they understand and believe that sin is the transgression of the law? That the observance of Sunday, as well as certain annual holidays derived from paganism, such as Christmas and Easter, is sin because it violates God’s law? (Our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” proves from the Bible why we are not to keep such annual holidays as Christmas, Easter, or Halloween.)

Further, did they know and believe that it is sin NOT to keep the weekly Sabbath—the seventh day of the week—as well as God’s annual Holy Days—Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles? (Our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days,” explains in detail the biblical command to keep these days holy.)

Now, this may seem like a lot to believe in if you have never heard the true gospel message as Christ preached it. There’s even more!

We also need to believe that we must have additional power, from God, in order to be able to keep God’s laws after our baptism. We must understand and believe that God the Father will give us the Holy Spirit—the very SAME SPIRIT that emanates from both the Father and Jesus Christ—when we come out of our “watery grave” at baptism, followed by prayer and laying on of hands (see discussion below). We must believe that God’s Spirit in us enables us to begin the process of changing our hearts and minds, replacing our carnal nature that we acquired from Satan with a divine nature that God will give us. This is the ONLY way we can become more and more like God and Jesus Christ. We must believe that God’s Holy Spirit will actually dwell in us from that time on, that it will lead us and guide us, and that we can and MUST follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in us. We must also believe and understand that we are considered true Christians ONLY when God’s Spirit lives in us. We must believe that the Holy Spirit in us is a downpayment, or earnest, or guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13–14) that God will resurrect us from the dead and change us to immortal beings.

We must believe and understand that we must obey God. True godly belief in the gospel means obedience to Christ and His words. We must believe that we have to GROW in the knowledge of Christ—the same knowledge that Christ has—and that baptism is just the BEGINNING of our converted walk toward total obedience (compare 2 Peter 3:18 and Ephesians 4:15). Although we will sin from time to time after baptism, we must believe that Christ will, upon our genuine and heartfelt repentance, continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Believe in Christ

You may have heard the expressions, “Believe the gospel,” or “Believe in Christ.” To believe IN Christ means to BELIEVE Christ—believe what Christ taught—the message that He preached, the gospel message, the good news about the Kingdom of God. Everything we covered in the previous section about believing the gospel is included in the simple phrase “Believe in Christ.” To believe in Christ means to believe in Him as our God, our Savior, and our King who rules over us. When we believe in Christ, we also believe in the Father. When we believe in Christ, we believe who and what Christ was before His human birth, what He was during His stay here on earth, as well as what He is now. When we believe in Christ, we believe that Christ is now our High Priest, continually intervening for us before the Father to obtain help and strength for us in time of need. When we believe in Christ, we obey Him, and when we obey Him, we obey God the Father. When we believe in Christ, we believe in His return to this earth to reward us according to our works.

Again, we ask, “How many really understood and believed the TRUE gospel message before they were baptized?”

As we have explained, “repentance” is a life-long process. It does not cease at the time of our baptism. Repentance is a godly change of mind from breaking God’s law to obeying God. To say that God accepts us “as we are” if we only “believe in Jesus” is a total misinterpretation of Scripture. Such a statement denies the need for change on our part.

When we believe IN Christ, then we BELIEVE Him and will OBEY Him. Paul spoke about “OBEDIENCE to the faith” on numerous occasions (Romans 1:5; Romans 16:26). We read that the disciples, including a great many of the priests, became “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

Faith and obedience are not exclusive of each other. They are very much connected. James speaks about a “dead” or useless “faith,” and, conversely, a “living” faith. Faith without works—without obedience—is dead (James 2:14–26). When we believe in Jesus Christ, we must obey Him. Otherwise, our faith is dead and we worship Him “in vain” (Mark 7:6–13).

Christ told those who believed in Him that they had to “abide in My word” in order to be “My disciples indeed” (John 8:31). To abide in Christ’s word means to obey and live by His words. Only he who “DOES the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:17). We have to DO the things that we have learned (Philippians 4:9). We are blessed if we “do His commandments” (Revelation 22:14). In fact, Christ tells us in John 13:17, “If you KNOW these things, blessed are you if you DO them.”

If we say that we believe in Christ and that we love Christ, we must also keep His word. He tells us in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Compare John 14:21, 23; 15:10).

Christ is the light of the world (compare John 1:9) and He wants us to come to Him. How do we do that? John 3:20–21 gives the answer: “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who DOES the TRUTH comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Coming to Christ—believing in Christ as our Savior, the one who DIED for OUR sins—means that we must be willing to live a life obedient to God’s law. Just believing in Christ, while continuing the practice of sin, is useless. Christ will NOT accept us that way! He tells us that we are His friends IF we do whatever He commands us (John 15:14). He even calls us His brothers, His sisters and His mother, if we do the Will of God (Mark 3:35). On the other hand, if we refuse to obey God’s commandments, reasoning that all that matters is to just “believe” in, and know of, the person of Jesus Christ, we are called liars in whom there is no truth. 1 John 2:4 makes this very plain: “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

It is very clear that to believe in Christ means to obey Him. Notice John 3:36, Revised Standard Version, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.” Some translations replace the word “obey” with “believe,” however, the rendering of “obey” is correct according to the original Greek (compare, also, the Revised English Bible; the New American Bible; the Elberfelder Bible; the Menge Bible; the Zürcher Bible; and the Luther Bible).

When to Be Baptized?

Consideration for baptism requires an in-depth personal examination. It is not something to rush into. It is not a decision to be made based on emotions. We don’t simply “give our heart to the Lord.” We need to understand, repent and believe, as previously discussed. Why? Because baptism is a covenant—a contract—with God. Baptism represents an agreement that we make with God to obey Him—a promise to live by His requirements for the remainder of our lives. If we break that promise later, God certainly holds us accountable for doing so.

God does require us to be baptized in order to receive His Holy Spirit. The question of whether or not to be baptized depends on whether or not a person is old enough to understand and believe in the gospel. This includes the following: an understanding of what sin is; the fact that the death penalty hangs over our heads because of our own sins; the fact that Christ died for us so that we can have forgiveness of our sins when we truly repent of them and accept His sacrifice as payment for our sins; the fact that we need to put our carnal nature into the watery grave, and leave it there; the fact that we can acquire God’s divine nature ONLY through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us; and the fact that we must be baptized in order to receive God’s power to be able to change the way we think, speak and act. If you can grasp the meaning of the aforementioned and genuinely believe these things, then we say, “yes, you ought to go ahead with baptism as soon as possible.”

True, we must not rush into baptism. On the other hand, once we understand what sin is and have truly repented of our sins, and once we believe in the gospel message of Jesus Christ and all that it entails, we are to be baptized immediately. We must not make the mistake of lingering and avoiding our responsibility to be baptized. Thoughts and ideas can easily come into our mind to discourage us from doing so. You can be sure that these ideas DO NOT come from God.

God WANTS us to be baptized. He COMMANDS us to be baptized. Satan, on the other hand, HATES nothing more than seeing one of “his children” leave him in order to place him- or herself under the government and rule of God. Satan will attempt to thwart our intentions by putting into our minds certain concepts, ideas and arguments in order to make us think that we should not get baptized—at least “not yet.”

These diverting ideas come in different disguises. For instance, we may think that we don’t even need to be baptized because, after all, we are not such a bad person. Make no mistake, EVERYONE SINS, and EVERYONE MUST REPENT. Another argument might be that, if we are baptized now, then all the fun stops, so, let’s have our fun now and repent of it and get baptized later. A third line of reasoning may go this way: “I need to be perfect before I can get baptized. I am still trying to get rid of a particular bad habit or a sin and I don’t want to get baptized before I have got rid of it.”

All of these arguments miss the entire point as to WHY we must get baptized. Perfection will not be achieved in this life based on our own strength. That is why we MUST HAVE GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT OF POWER to help us to overcome our problems. We must, of course, WANT to change. That means, we must not engage deliberately in wrong conduct, knowing that it is wrong. Our weakness and inability to overcome our bad habits only proves that we must get baptized and that we must receive God’s Holy Spirit to HELP us with our battle against our sins.

If we reason that we don’t want to get baptized yet because we don’t want to miss the fun, then our concept of what “fun” is must be corrected immediately. If baptism is a hurdle to us because we don’t want to give up “fun,” then we are, indeed, missing the point. Perhaps we have a false concept of what it means to be a Christian. For instance, some teach that a Christian must not dance, watch television or movies, drink alcohol, or play cards. None of these prohibitions, however, are biblical. Rather, they are based on human traditions and simply constitute self-imposed religion. On the other hand, if baptism would be contrary to certain habitual actions of “fun,” then our concept of “fun” is contrary to God’s word—with or without baptism. Anyone, who KNOWS better, actually SINS by engaging in sinful “fun.” When we know to do good and to avoid evil, and don’t live accordingly, we sin, whether baptized or not. As we explained before, SIN must be repented of BEFORE our baptism. To delay repentance is dangerous. God holds us accountable for what we know and what we do with the knowledge we have been given.

When we examine the biblical record, we find that when people were ready for baptism, they were baptized immediately. They did not delay, nor did the ministers have the disciples go through time-consuming “courses” of baptismal “requirements” before they were willing to baptize the person.

We find that on the day of Pentecost, 3,000 believers were baptized the same day when they heard Peter’s inspired sermon and were motivated to come to genuine repentance (Acts 2:41). We find that Philip immediately baptized the eunuch who had worshipped God in Jerusalem, and who was studying the Bible on his return to Ethiopia (Acts 8:35–38). Philip explained to him the Scriptures as they relate to Jesus and the eunuch was baptized within a few hours. Paul—formerly Saul—was baptized by Ananias within a few days of Paul’s encounter with Christ. Later, Paul described his experience with these words, “‘Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law…came to me; and he stood and said to me…“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord”’” (Acts 22:12–16). Paul baptized the jailer and his household “the same hour of the night” (Acts 16:33).

When an adult person has genuinely repented and believes, he or she should be baptized without the necessity of prior laborious requirements. A person who has repented and believes and obeys the gospel, who believes in, and keeps the Sabbath and the Holy Days, who has shown fruits worthy of repentance in his or her life, who tithes and gives offerings according to God’s commandments, and who understands the future that God has in store for us, should get baptized. It is simply unconscionable to require of such a person—as some ministers have done—to first study a laborious Bible course or watch lengthy biblical videos that begin with a simple lesson as to whether or not “God” exists!

Who Should Baptize?

Once a person is truly ready for baptism, a true minister of Christ should perform the baptism, though it may sometimes require a waiting period by virtue of the fact that a minister of Christ is not immediately available. We need to understand, though, that God is in charge and that when He calls someone and leads them to baptism, He will also work out the necessary details to send one of His ministers to perform the baptism. For instance, God sent Peter to Cornelius, and He sent Philip to the eunuch so that they could be baptized.

The biblical record indicates that only ordained ministers of God should perform baptisms. The reason is that the baptism is done for the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that following baptism by immersing under water, the minister is to pray over the person and to lay his hands on their head so that the person can receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible shows that without the laying on of hands, a person normally does not receive the Holy Spirit.

Notice this in Acts 8:12–17: “But when they believed Philip [one of the original seven deacons, Acts 6:5] as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized… Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He [better translated: it—the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given…” (Compare, too, Acts 19:5–6).

We read later in the same chapter that Philip was sent, through an angel, to the eunuch, and that Philip baptized him. If this baptism led to the gift of the Holy Spirit, then Philip, who by that time would have been a minister, would have prayed over the eunuch and laid his hands on him. We note that Philip is called an “evangelist” in Acts 21:8.

We cannot reach a different conclusion by virtue of the fact that Christ’s apostles baptized others before they received the Holy Spirit themselves. The twelve apostles were in quite a different position than the rest of us are today, having been specifically chosen by Christ for a very unique and particular purpose. They were sent out by Christ to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the gospel, prior to their conversion (Luke 22:32, AV; compare regarding conversion, 1 Samuel 10:6, 9). These activities, especially healing the sick and casting out demons, are reserved today for God’s ordained ministers. You may want to read the stirring account in Acts 19:13–16, reporting about the futile and unsuccessful attempt of unordained people to cast out a demon.

The fact that Christ allowed His apostles to baptize does not mean that unordained people have the authority to do so today. This would also include ministers from churches that do not teach and practice the law of God, including the observance of the Sabbath and the Holy Days. (Note that in unusual circumstances, God might grant His Holy Spirit to someone who is baptized by a minister outside the Church of God, or by an unordained person within the Church, if the baptized person fulfills all the requirements for proper baptism, as discussed earlier in this booklet. There is no promise, however, that God would grant the Holy Spirit under those circumstances, especially when the person to be baptized understands the role and function of God’s true ministers in His Church.)

Every example pertaining to the New Testament Church identifies Christ’s chosen ministers as those who would baptize people, pray over them and lay their hands upon them, so that the Holy Spirit could be given to them. We find, for instance, that only God’s ministers were given special authority from God to pray for the sick and to lay their hands upon them (while anointing them with oil). Notice it in James 5:14–15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” (This is not to say that God might not give power to heal to some other people, but how sure can we be of that? We can be sure, however, that the elders of God’s Church have the authority and power to pray for healing of the sick.)

Baptism in the Name of Christ

Some wonder whether baptism “in the name of Christ” is sufficient. They claim that a valid baptism must include the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (compare Matthew 28:19). Is this claim correct? Let’s notice, from the Scriptural record, how the early apostles baptized the disciples.

One of the early baptisms is described in Acts 8:14–17. This passage (discussed earlier in this booklet) summarizes for us the exact ceremony of baptism leading to the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read it again: “Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He [better: it—the Holy Spirit] had fallen upon none of them.They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

Notice carefully that they first received or accepted the word of God. They heard the message, accepted it, believed it and repented of their sins. They were then baptized “in the name of the Lord.” Following their baptism, the ministers prayed for them and laid their hands on them to set them apart for the holy purpose of following God and His way of life. It was THEN that they received the Holy Spirit.

So we see that baptism in the name of Christ was sufficient. Some have said that this passage just describes the fact that the apostles baptized the people with Christ’s authority. Although certainly included, the Scriptural meaning is more encompassing.

We must realize that in the phrase, “in the name of the Lord,” the Greek word for “in” is “eis,” and the Greek word for “name” is “onoma.” The Greek word “eis” can mean “in” or “into,” depending on the context. Scriptures such as Matthew 2:23; 18:6; Mark 2:1; 13:16, translate the Greek word “eis” correctly as “in.” Other passages, such as Matthew 2:11, 12 and 13 (AV), correctly translate the Greek word “eis” as “into.”

Additionally, the Greek word for “name,” “onoma,” can also mean, “possession.” It would therefore be accurate to render the phrase, “baptism in the name of Christ,” as “baptism into the possession of Christ.” This phrase not only describes the fact that baptism must be done with Christ’s authority, it also shows the result of baptism—we become Christ’s property because He died for us and bought us with His blood (compare Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Peter 2:1).

Now notice another revealing passage in Acts 19:1–6: “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’ And he said to them, ‘INTO what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘INTO John’s baptism.’ Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

These disciples had been baptized into the baptism of John. That baptism was not sufficient to receive the Holy Spirit. John’s baptism was an outward sign of inner repentance, but it did not include the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Another baptism—baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—was necessary to receive the Holy Spirit. This passage implies that Christ’s baptism, which He accomplished through His apostles, was different from John’s baptism (compare again John 3:22; 4:1–3). Paul seemed to have known this distinction and that is why he asked the disciples, “Into WHAT [baptism] then were you baptized?”

Let’s notice again the distinction. The disciples were baptized “into John’s baptism.” The Greek word for “into” is “eis.” After they learned of the need of another baptism to receive the Holy Spirit, they were baptized “in [or into] the name of the Lord.” In the Greek, the word for “in” is also “eis,” which can also mean “into.” As they were baptized into John’s baptism, they were now baptized into the name or possession (“onoma” in Greek) of Christ, that is, into Christ’s baptism. This passage shows that baptism in, or into, the name of Christ is not only necessary, but is also sufficient, so that the Father will forgive our sins and give us His Holy Spirit.

Speaking with Tongues

There are only three recorded events in the Bible when people spoke with tongues after receiving the Holy Spirit. These special events occurred to provide evidence that the people had, in fact, received the Holy Spirit. This also provides further proof that baptism in, or into, the name of Christ is sufficient.

The first event is recorded in Acts 2, when the New Testament Church was born. God wanted to make it very clear that His disciples received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The second event occurred in Acts 10, when, for the first time, Gentiles received the Holy Spirit. God did not want to leave any doubt that He had now opened the door of repentance and faith to the Gentiles (Acts 10:45–46; 11:15–18). The third event is the one in Acts 19 that we just discussed. Here, God wanted to make it very clear that ONLY the baptism into Christ is sufficient to receive the Holy Spirit (and not, as in that case, the baptism into John). We are not baptized into a man. This is very important to understand, as our baptism does not become invalid if the minister who baptized us subsequently leaves the Church.

We need to understand, too, what actually happened when people spoke with tongues in these given instances. Some claim that baptism with the Holy Spirit causes the baptized person to fall backwards, begin rolling on the floor, and speaking and screaming in an unintelligible way, allegedly showing that he or she has received the gift of the Holy Spirit and can now “speak in tongues.”

However, that kind of conduct is not what is meant when the Bible talks about speaking in tongues. Acts 2 explains that speaking in tongues means speaking in another language. In Acts 2:4 we read: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Beginning in verse 6 and continuing in verses 8 and 11, we find the explanation of “speaking with tongues.” Verse 6: “…everyone heard them speak in his own language… (verse 8) ‘And how is it that we hear, each in our own language [Authorized Version: “tongue”] in which we were born?… (verse 11) We hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.’”

The Greek word for “language” in verses 6 and 8 is “dialektos,” from which our word “dialect” is derived. The Greek word for “tongue” or “language” in verses 4 and 11 is “glossa.”

To speak in tongues, then, simply means to speak in a different language or dialect—but it is still a language or dialect “in which people are born.” They speak in a dialect or language, which other people understand due to their background, environment or upbringing. As mentioned, the Bible records only three incidents when people were given that gift immediately upon receiving the Holy Spirit. However, this gift has been given over the years to numerous baptized people, not necessarily at the time of their baptism, but in time, as they matured in their Christian lives.

Paul said specifically that “speaking in tongues,” or speaking a different language, should not be done unless someone is present to interpret what is said. The concept that one can speak in a “different tongue,” or in a foreign language, without understanding what the person is saying, is totally unbiblical and very dangerous. We are told that angels have their own language (1 Corinthians 13:1). This means, demons—fallen angels—have their own language, too.

Note 1 Corinthians 14:4–5: “He who speaks in a tongue [Greek: “glossa”] edifies himself… he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues [Greek: “glossa”], unless he indeed interprets, that the church may receive edification.”

In other words, if a minister preaches to the audience in a foreign language, the audience won’t understand him. The one who is speaking the language knows what he is saying (if he does not, then he is in all likelihood already in contact with and under the influence of demons), but nobody else in the audience will understand. Unless he or someone else who knows both languages interprets what he says, the audience is not benefited.

Paul continues, in verses 9: “So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue [Greek: “glossa”] words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.”

In the Greek, the word for “tongue” and “language” is the same; i.e., “glossa.” The translator decided to sometimes use the English word “tongue” and sometimes “language.” Translations, however, are not necessarily inspired. The Living Bible, for example, translates verse 9 this way, “In the same way, if you talk to a person in some LANGUAGE he doesn’t understand, how will he know what you mean?” Clearly, speaking in a foreign tongue means speaking in a foreign language.

Let’s note Paul’s command in 1 Corinthians 14:27–28: “If anyone speaks in a tongue [or foreign language; Greek: “glossa”; the Living Bible translates here, “No more than two or three should speak in an unknown LANGUAGE…”], let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God.”

We should not expect the immediate gift of being able to speak in a foreign language at the time of our baptism. As we said, God granted this gift only on three separate occasions, for a very specific and important reason. If, however, God were to grant such a gift, it would be one that would manifest itself “decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). It would not be done in “confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). It would be a gift of speaking in a foreign language and the speaker would know what he or she would be saying, thereby “magnifying God” (Acts 10:46). Based on Paul’s comments, those present would either understand the language being spoken, or someone present would be able to understand and interpret what is being said.

Church Members Are Not the Property of a Man

God bestowed the gift of speaking in tongues—foreign languages—on the disciples in Acts 19 in order to show that baptism must occur into Christ, not into any man. Paul reiterates the fact that baptism in or into the name of a minister is not sufficient. (After all, there is no other name than the name of Christ by which we can be saved; compare Acts 4:12.)

We read in 1 Corinthians 1:13–17: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.”

Baptism in the name of a man is not sufficient to obtain the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the phrase, “in the name of Paul,” the Greek word for “in” is “eis,” which can also mean “into,” and the Greek word for “name” is “onoma,” which can also mean, “possession.” Paul tells us here that it is not sufficient to be baptized into the name or possession of a minister. We are not the property of a man. We are the property, or possession, of Jesus Christ who has purchased us with His own blood. (Compare again Paul’s words to the ministry in Ephesus, as recorded in Acts 20:28, “‘Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.’”)

Baptism in the Old Testament

Ancient Israel was “baptized,” but again, that baptism was not sufficient for them to be saved from sin and to receive the Holy Spirit. (We understand that the Holy Spirit was not offered to the people of ancient Israel, except for a few people in Old Testament times who were selected by God to receive the Holy Spirit for a special purpose. These would include Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, David, and the prophets of old, among others.)

We read in 1 Corinthians 10:1–5: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

They “drank” from the Spiritual Rock—Jesus Christ—who was with them and who taught them, but they were not baptized into His name or possession, and they did not subsequently receive His Holy Spirit. We read that they were baptized “into” (Greek, “eis”) Moses. Such a baptism is not sufficient to obtain the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Peter draws an analogy between true baptism and the flood at the time of Noah. While true baptism saves us from eternal death, the “baptism” that Noah and his family experienced saved them only from physical death. We read in 1 Peter 3:20–21: “…when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.”

The “baptism” of Noah, his wife, his sons and his daughters-in-law did not, of course, lead to them receiving the Holy Spirit. It appears from the biblical record that only Noah—perhaps Shem—had God’s Holy Spirit at the time of the flood. It is also strongly indicated in the Bible that Noah had received God’s Spirit prior to the flood (compare Genesis 6:8–9, 22; 7:1). There is no biblical indication that Noah’s other children and daughters-in-law had God’s Holy Spirit. The “baptism” of the flood was not a baptism that led to spiritual salvation because it was not a baptism “in the name,” or “into the possession,” of Jesus Christ. However, Peter’s analogy points at today’s baptism and links it to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (We could not receive God’s Holy Spirit if Christ had not been raised from the dead.)

The Elements of Baptism

To reiterate, baptism in the name, or into the possession, of Jesus Christ is not only necessary, but is also sufficient to obtain forgiveness of our sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We need to remember that there is no recorded biblical incident where the early apostles baptized people other than in, or into, the name of Jesus Christ. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, explained this very well in Romans 6:1–4. Let’s read this passage again: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Paul says that we are baptized into (Greek, “eis”) Christ and into His death. As Christ died a physical death, so we die spiritually in baptism. As Christ was literally resurrected from the dead, so we, too, are raised by the Father from the spiritually dead to live in newness of life. This part of the symbolism of baptism—death in the watery grave—clearly compares symbolically only with the death of Christ. Neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit—God’s power—died in any way. Only Christ, as a human being, died. Further, it is Christ’s death that is not only sufficient, but also necessary, for our forgiveness (Matthew 1:21). That is the reason why baptism into any other human being, be it Paul or Moses or John, would not have the effect of granting forgiveness and receiving God’s Holy Spirit. Their death did not, and could not, accomplish what Christ’s death accomplished.

Clearly, the ordinance of baptism consists of several key elements:

(1)   Baptism begins with our spiritual death in the watery grave.

(2)   It is followed by our resurrection from the spiritually dead by the Father through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

(3)   The third part is the minister’s prayer to God the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the minister’s laying on of hands on the baptized person to receive God’s Holy Spirit (compare again Acts 8:14–17).

As we have seen, all of these parts are important, because without any one of them, the Holy Spirit is not generally bestowed upon a person.

Let us also read again Colossians 2:11–13: “In Him [Christ] you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”

When we are baptized into Christ—into His death—our old man dies, and we “put on” Christ—the new man of God. Notice Galatians 3:27, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Compare, too, Romans 13:14.

Baptism pictures our death and burial in a watery grave in the same way that Christ died and was buried in a tomb. Baptism also pictures our resurrection from the dead and our leaving the watery grave, just as Christ was resurrected from the dead and left the tomb. Finally, it pictures walking in newness of life as we put on Christ, who is now living in us through His Holy Spirit. 2 John 7 tells us that only deceivers don’t confess Jesus Christ “as coming in the flesh.” Christ is coming today in the flesh. He does so by living His life in us. Christ lived in Paul (Galatians 2:20). He lives in us today. In this way, He is coming “in the flesh,” since we are flesh-and-blood human beings.

Baptism in the Name of Christ

We read in Acts 2:38 that we must be baptized IN the name of Christ. Peter tells us to “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Greek word for “in” in this clause (“in the name of Christ”) is “epi.” The Greek word for “name” is again, “onoma.” Peter tells us, then, that we must be baptized “in” the name, or possession, of Christ and then we will receive the Holy Spirit. After all, it is Christ who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, as Matthew 3:11 tells us: “[Christ] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Compare, too, Matthew 3:14.)

We also read in Acts 10:48 that Peter commanded them “to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” The Greek word for “in” within the phrase, “in the name of the Lord” is “en.” We find here a biblical command, through the mouth of Peter, to be baptized “in the name of the Lord.” In the passages in Acts 2:38 and Acts 10:48, discussed above, the additional thought is conveyed that baptism must be done with Christ’s authority. Only then, the Father—through Jesus Christ—will bestow on us the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26; Titus 3:5–6).

Laying On of Hands

It is necessary that the minister lay his hands on the person he has baptized, before the person can receive the Holy Spirit. This shows that the Holy Spirit of God, flowing out from God the Father and Jesus Christ (Galatians 4:6; Philippians 1:19; Romans 8:9) through the baptizing minister into the baptized person, sets the baptized person aside from the rest of the world for a holy and righteous purpose. The baptized person is now sanctified—set apart—to walk in newness of life. The power of God’s Spirit within that person will now guide, lead and direct the person in the way that he or she should go, giving the person the ability to walk in the right path, as well as giving the strength to not give up and return to the world, thus purifying that person from sin.

The Role of the Holy Spirit During Baptism

Notice the important role of the Holy Spirit during the baptism ceremony. Without baptism, we don’t receive the Holy Spirit. With proper baptism, we do receive it, as it is a baptism WITH the Holy Spirit. We read in Acts 1:5: “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit…” Compare, too, Acts 11:16.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit is done through the ordinance of water baptism, as was the case with the baptism that John performed. John’s baptism, however, did not go far enough, as we have already covered. It was not a baptism WITH the Holy Spirit. Only baptism in the name of Christ—baptism into Christ—can accomplish this.

It is through the baptism into Christ—the baptism WITH the Holy Spirit—that we become members of the Church, the spiritual body of Christ. We are baptized into the Church, a spiritual organism, not a particular human organization. We read in 1 Corinthians 12:13 (RSV): “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

We were baptized “into one body”—the Church—by one Spirit. The Greek word for “into” is “eis.” In the phrase, “by one spirit,” the Greek word for “by” is “ek” and can also mean “out of.” We are told here that it is “out of” the Holy Spirit of God that we were placed into the Church. The Holy Spirit flows out of God—both the Father and the Son—into us, making us thereby a part of the spiritual body of Christ.

We are also told in 1 Corinthians 12:13 that we were all made to drink of the same Spirit. This means that we must continuously take in, or partake of, God’s Spirit in order to remain in Christ’s spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 6:11 tells us that we “were washed… sanctified… [and] justified in [Greek, “en”] the name of the Lord Jesus and BY [Greek: “ek”] the Spirit of our God.”

The Role of the Father During Baptism

The role of the Father is also very important during the baptismal ceremony. It was the Father who gave His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. It was the Father who resurrected Christ from the dead. It is the Father who raises us from the spiritually dead in baptism, and who gives us His Holy Spirit. Both the Father and Jesus Christ begin living in the converted person, through the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of both the Father and of the Son—dwells in us, and when we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in making life-changing choices, we begin to acquire the very nature of God—the divine nature of both God the Father and God the Son (compare 2 Peter 1:2–4). Ultimately, we will be changed to immortal God beings through this same Spirit and will become permanent members of the Kingdom—the Family—of God.

Does Matthew 28:19 Teach a “Baptismal Formula?”

We are all familiar with the passage in Matthew 28:19–20, where Christ told His apostles, “‘(verse 19) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (verse 20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…’”

Much has been written about whether or not Matthew 28:19 is genuine. We don’t need to be concerned that much about it, as long as we understand that this passage does not teach a mandatory “baptismal formula,” and that it most certainly does not teach a Trinity and the personhood of the Holy Spirit. (Regarding the false concept of the Trinity, please read our free booklet, “Is God a Trinity?”)

In regard to the issue whether Matthew 28:19 sets forth a mandatory baptismal formula, note the following: In the phrase, “in the name of,” the Greek for “name” is “onoma,” and the Greek for “in” is “eis.” Therefore, the phrase can also be translated as, “baptizing them into the possession of…”

We need to remember and bring into focus the symbolic meaning conveyed with the ordinance of baptism and its different components so that we can properly understand this passage. When the Bible speaks about baptism, it may not always mention all of the different components in a given passage. For instance, the necessary components of prayer to the Father, or of the laying on of hands, may not be specifically mentioned in a particular passage. They are, however, necessary in order to receive the Holy Spirit.

We have seen from the biblical record that the disciples were baptized in, or into, the name, or possession, of Jesus Christ. There is no biblical example where someone was actually baptized in, or into, the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We read consistently that disciples were baptized in, or into, Christ, or in, or into, the name of Jesus Christ ONLY.

We discussed Acts 8:14–17 and Acts 19:1–6 as proof of this assertion. Note that in those passages, the Greek term for “in the name of” reads, “eis to onoma tou,” exactly as it does in Matthew 28:19. (Compare, as proof, “The Englishman’s Greek New Testament; giving the Greek Text of Stephens 1550, with the various readings of the Editions of Elzevir 1624, Griesbach, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford, and Wordsworth: Together with An Interlinear Literal Translation, and The Authorized Version of 1611.”) The occasional claim that the expression “eis to onoma” only appears in Matthew 28:19, is therefore incorrect.

Is there a contradiction, then, to Matthew 28:19 where Jesus commanded the apostles to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”? How can we resolve this apparent contradiction?

Some insist that Christ was giving His apostles in this Scripture a “baptismal formula” to be used during baptism. They even go so far as to say that baptism is not valid unless the baptizing minister uses that exact formula. Does their reasoning have biblical support?

If Christ had given His apostles a command in Matthew 28:19 to use a particular “formula” during baptism, then His disciples would have been in flagrant violation of His command, as they never used that “formula.” At least, there is no biblical record that they ever used it. Rather, we find that Paul told the disciples to be baptized in, or into, the name of Christ (compare Acts 19:1–6), not, in or into, the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Remember, though, what happened after the persons came out of the watery grave. The baptizing apostles prayed over them, and they laid hands upon them (compare Acts 8:14–17). We pray to the Father, as Christ instructed us to do (compare Matthew 6:9), so in laying hands on the persons and praying over them, the apostles asked the Father to give those people the Holy Spirit to set them aside from the rest of the world.

Rather than viewing Matthew 28:19 as a “formula” to be used verbatim by the minister when he baptizes a person into the death of Christ, the passage in Matthew 28:19 sets forth a description of what happens during the entire ceremony, including the prayer for the person—after he or she has been baptized, and the laying on of hands on that person. Note that Matthew 28:19 is not worded as a command to be repeated as a formula, but as a clarification how to “make disciples.” We are to make disciples by baptizing them and by teaching them to observe all things that Christ commanded. Baptism into Christ and His death is the beginning, followed by the “resurrection” from the watery grave, the minister’s prayer to the Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the laying on of hands. It describes the total process. In the same way, when Christ’s ministers teach “all things” that Christ commanded us, it encompasses a lengthy process of teaching the entire Gospel message, rather than a certain “formula” of words.

So, then, Matthew 28:19 does not set forth a particular word-for-word “baptismal formula,” given as a command. Neither does it set forth a particular word-for-word “teaching formula.” Rather, the command to “teach all things” is a summary term, describing the process of teaching. The same is true for the command to baptize. When a minister baptizes us in, or into, the name, or possession, of Jesus Christ, we recognize that we are baptized into Christ’s death. Note that the Bible nowhere states we are baptized into the death of the Father or the Holy Spirit. Such an analogy simply does not fit. It was ONLY Christ who died, and it was ONLY Christ who was resurrected, by the Father, through the Holy Spirit. (Compare again Romans 6:1–13.)

At the same time, it is also recognized that the Father gave Christ, His only begotten Son, to die for us; that the Father resurrected Christ; that the Father raises us up, spiritually speaking; and that the Father gives us the Holy Spirit. When we come out of the watery grave, God’s minister places his hands on our head and asks God the Father for the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit that emanates from both the Father and the Son. It is this Spirit of God flowing into us that enables us to walk in newness of life. We also recognize that, at that very moment, we enter into the Family of God as begotten—not yet born again—children of God the Father, and brothers and sisters of our elder Brother, Jesus Christ. In that sense, we become the possession, or the “property,” of the God Family (Whatever Christ owns, the Father owns too, and vice versa; compare John 16:15). All of this is made possible, then, through God’s Holy Spirit. So, rather than teaching a particular baptismal formula, Matthew 28:19 teaches how God makes it possible for us, through the Holy Spirit in us, to become part of the Family of God.

Notice Christ’s words in the parallel account in Mark 16:15–16: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe [and is not baptized] will be condemned [better translated: judged].’” There is not even a hint of a baptismal formula here.

Even some outside the Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations have concluded that Matthew 28:19 does not set forth a particular “baptismal formula,” concluding, rather, that baptism in the name of Christ is sufficient. The Catholic Church determined at the Synod of Nemours in 1284 that baptism in the name of Christ is quite sufficient. Further, around 1913, a Pentecostal group concluded to baptize “in the name of Jesus rather than using the traditional… [baptismal] formula” (Susan Lynn Peterson, Timeline Charts of the Western Church, 1999, page 201). In 1945, the United Pentecostal Church was formed, through the merger of two Pentecostal groups. They continued to baptize in the name of Jesus (Peterson, p. 209).

The basis for what we believe and do must be the Bible. In view of all the Scriptural evidence presented in this booklet, the Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates, the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada, and the Global Church of God in the United Kingdom, have concluded that Matthew 28:19 does not set forth a mandatory “baptismal formula,” and that baptism in the name of Christ is both necessary and sufficient. This means that baptism in the name of Christ is valid, as long as the following requirements have been understood by the person to be baptized:

(1)   The person must have repented of his or her sins and his or her carnal human nature.

(2)   The person must have accepted Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior.

(3)   The person must believe the gospel, including the fact that Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient payment for the penalty of his or her sins.

When we are baptized, we also need to understand that baptism is the first step toward entering the Kingdom, or Family, of God. The ordinance of baptism, then, includes the following concepts:

(1)   One is baptized in, or into, the name, or possession, of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

(2)   One is baptized and buried into the death of Christ, to be resurrected by God the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.

(3)   One is baptized with God’s Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit in us enables us to put on Christ and to walk in newness of life.

(4)   One is baptized by, or “out of,” the Holy Spirit into the spiritual body of Christ, the Church. The Church is a spiritual organism and could be described as the Kingdom of God in embryo. Through baptism and receiving of God’s Holy Spirit, we become begotten children of God the Father, begotten brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, and begotten members of the Family of God, currently composed of God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son.

(5)   One is baptized by, and with the authority, of our elder Brother, Jesus Christ.

Christians who have been baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” however, do not need to worry that their baptism is invalid, as long as they understood the proper meaning of baptism, including the facts that God is not a Trinity and that the Holy Spirit is not a separate divine being. After all, when one is baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” the baptism “in the name of Christ” is included, and, as we have explained, the Father and the Holy Spirit have an important role during the baptismal ceremony. As long as a person understands, at the time of his or her baptism, the functions and the nature of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, his or her baptism is valid.

Conclusion

We have presented in this booklet the biblical proof that water baptism through immersion is a necessary requirement for salvation. Without it, there is no promise in the Bible of receiving God’s Holy Spirit, and without God’s Spirit dwelling in us, we are not true Christians, and God will not grant us His gift of everlasting life in His Kingdom.

If you are old enough to understand the meaning of baptism, and what it entails, and if you genuinely desire to begin a new chapter in your life, now is the time to contact one of God’s true ministers for help and guidance. If you have been baptized in the past, but wonder whether your baptism was valid in God’s eyes, please don’t hesitate to contact us for counsel. We are here to help.

Don’t delay. Remember the stirring words of Ananias to Paul, as recorded in Acts 22:14, 16—words that apply to all of God’s called and chosen disciples, “‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth… And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’”

If you understand what you have read in this booklet, God is calling you. So, we say with Ananias, “…Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized…”

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