Another Essential Proof to Recognize the True Church of God

HAVE you ever heard a sermon proving ── beyond a shadow of any doubt ── that Sunday is the Lord’s rest day, what the churches of this world call “the Lord’s Day”? Have you ever heard a sermon teach from one passage to another passage, and down even to another, PROVING AND CLARIFYING, that Sunday is the Lord’s Sabbath? If you have, please let me know in the comments section down below ── because I haven’t.

Well… you haven’t, and you can’t. 

Why?

Because there are none. 

Have you ever looked into this and proved it, researched it, sincerely ── without religious prejudice? Concerning which day of the week is truly to be ‘remembered and kept holy’!

Hundreds of Excuses

This world’s “Christian” churches are mighty proud of their pagan derived holidays. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, New Year’s Day, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, and even becoming popular ── Groundhog Day! Along with, of course, their “Lord’s Day.” A great many know that some keep and celebrate the Lord’s Sabbath on what is today called Saturday. I, myself, have had family members at our home ask me before, “Why do you keep God’s rest day on Saturday?” And, I proceeded to explain to them ── but they had no true interest. In fact, on our latest “A Morning Bible Study – Is God’s Spirit Within You?” I was called a moron because we believe in a God. 😢

Of course, I’ve seen large amounts of Sunday-going church literature claiming to PROVE, and absolutely substantiate their belief in resting on Sunday. In fact, looking through my office’s paperwork, I came across a letter sent to me from JW.org (they keep the Sabbath on Saturday), trying to invite me to “the annual commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ” back in 2021. They actually had the correct date for the Lord’s Passover. Some of their beliefs are in line with the true Church of God. Yet, sadly, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are gravely confused about a great many other truths of God.

Truly, every angle of attack against the LORD God’s true Sabbath Day, along with the annual Holy Days, has been hurled at us. One method ── like the algorithmic response you receive from Bing-- “the Sabbath as a command specifically for ancient Israel, not binding on Christians today.” O’, that’s one of their popular ones. Also, sadly, the Bible illiterates are led through corridors of Scriptures that twist and turn every which way to try and “prove” that all of the LORD God’s Law is “done away”! Which, they claim, includes the holy Sabbath. 

Or, they reason amongst themselves, “O’, that’s a Jewish thing.” People reason that you don’t have to keep the Sabbath if you’re not Jewish. Or, they reason about the International Date Line, or that not everyone’s Sabbath is the same, that it can be  ── and I love this line from The Godfather, “I know English. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, Saturday.” 

And those are only a few of the arguments I have personally heard being argued.

Most Important to Know

You, as a called begotten child of God, truly need to know the answer to these “arguments,” and you need to know that you know that the Lord’s holy Sabbath must be kept and observed faithfully, and that the Lord’s annual Holy Days must be kept and observed as well. 

You must prove ── again, beyond a shadow of doubt ── that the TEN COMMANDMENTS were commanded by the LORD God to be kept in the time of the Prophet Moses – and that they are and ever shall be in force on Earth. Also, that they never were considered part of the “law of Moses.” Rather, they are the LAW OF GOD ── the Lawgiver and Judge! A couple of articles of interest, “Under Law” or “Under Grace”? along with “Personal From… ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’”. You need to prove that “grace” does not mean that you have a “license to sin.” In other words, that you are free to disobey the LORD God! Since 2011, copious amounts of articles, booklets, sermons, and audios have been made available to God’s people on this subject! 

It's also important to think about proving the weekly time cycle. I speak of this very subject in “The Calendar That Christ Used.” The weekly cycle has not been broken or changed. You also need to prove, infallibly, and thoroughly, and once and for all ── don’t only take your minister’s word for it ── that our Lord Jesus Christ’s glorious RESURRECTION WAS NOT ON A SUNDAY! I speak of this in “The Firstfruits From the Earth” along with “‘The Firstfruits – Unto God’”.

A couple of years ago, we posted, “A Morning Bible Study – Are You Handling God’s Test?” along with ” ‘It is a sign’” ── that addresses which day is the Christian Sabbath. Minister Guy LaMar posted an article of great interest, “Saturday Sabbath with Jews and Sunday with Gentiles?” If you haven’t read these articles yet, then be sure to read them today ── and be sure to PRAY AND STUDY along with them!

I can remember riding my bicycle back in 1981 along Stayton Rd. in Oregon into Stayton to visit the library to look up information concerning the origin of Christmas and Sunday observance to help “prove” to myself their falsehoods. Be sure to read, if you haven’t yet, “ChristMas… Its Origin” along with “Who or What Is the BEAST That Rises Out of the Sea?”  

So, the other essential proof to recognize God’s True Church, is the keeping and celebrating the weekly ordained Sabbath, which identifies God’s true begotten people, and the keeping and celebrating of God’s annual Holy Days, which the LORD God gave the true Church of God ── and of which are continuing to be kept and observed TODAY. □ 

Pentecost is June 1st, 2025

Blessings to you, our Brethren, Friends, and Co-Workers in Christ around the world ── also in Forest City, N.C., Prineville, OR., Altoona, IA, and then those across the pond there in Romania, Clonee, Ireland, and Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Germany! Thank you for being a part of the LORD God’s begotten family, and for visiting us and reading our articles and additional important information available on our websites https://www.churchofjesuschristonlineministries.org/ and https://www.owensborocojc.com/. 

The LORD’s Day of Pentecost for 2025 is here, and it begins May 31st at sunset to June 1st at sunset. Unlike other God ordained Holy Days, some version of the Day of Pentecost is observed by many worldly churches, both by the Roman Catholics and her daughter Protestants. Of course, since Pentecost is a God ordained Holy Day, it is observed by our Lord Jesus Christ’s Church. Pentecost is the very day that God’s Spirit descended upon the disciples in the shape of fire ── Acts 2:3-4.

The majority of worldly churches that profess Jesus Christ consider that Pentecost marked the “official” beginning of the New Testament Church.

The very term Pentecost is a Greek term, which means FIFTY. And this term is derived from the following Hebrew description of calculating the date ──

15 וספרו לכם ממחר יום המנוחה מיום הבאתם את העומר להנפה שבעה שבועות; הם יהיו שלמים.

16 תספור עד ליום שאחרי השבוע השביעי, יום החמישים, [אשר בו] תביא מנחה חדשה לה'.

15And you shall count for yourselves, from the morrow of the rest day from the day you bring the omer as a wave offering seven weeks; they shall be complete.

16You shall count until the day after the seventh week, [namely,] the fiftieth day, [on which] you shall bring a new meal offering to the Lord. (Leviticus 23:15-16, Torah (The Pentateuch)

“’ And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16) Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.” – Leviticus 23:15-16, NKJV. 

True Christians of the first century A.D. knew that they were supposed to keep and observe the Day of Pentecost. And they knew this from the apostles and God’s living word ── as well as the apostles were keeping and observing the Day of Pentecost. 

As an example, our beloved Apostle Paul was continuing to keep and celebrate the Day of Pentecost decades after the Day of Pentecost was spoken of in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts. Notice this from about the year 55 A.D. ── 

“For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost.” – 1 Corinthians 16:7-8.

This certainly shows us that the Christians there in Corinth knew when Pentecost was, as well as the Christians in Ephesus. Thus, it was being kept and observed by the Apostle Paul and the converted Gentiles in Ephesus and in Corinth. 

Also, notice that in a following year, the Apostle Paul also wished to be in Jerusalem for the Day of Pentecost ── it was around the year 6o A.D. ──   

“For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost.” – Acts 20:16.

So, true Christians who were in Jerusalem were keeping and observing the Day of Pentecost. Otherwise, there would have been no logical reason why he desired to be in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.

A very old document (that was likely altered in the 4th century) titled The Life of Polycarp specifically mentions the Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost. And it records that the Apostle Paul said that they were to be kept ──

In the days of unleavened bread, Paul, coming down from Galatia, arrived in Asia, considering the repose among the faithful in Smyrna to be a great refreshment in Christ Jesus after his severe toil, and intending afterwards to depart to Jerusalem. So in Smyrna he went to visit Strataeas, who had been his hearer in Pamphylia, being a son of Eunice, the daughter of Lois. These are they of whom he makes mention when writing to Timothy, saying; Of the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and in thy mother Eunice; whence we find that Strataeas was a brother of Timothy. Paul then, entering his house and gathering together the faithful there, speaks to them concerning the Passover and the Pentecost, reminding them of the New Covenant of the offering of bread and the cup; how that they ought most assuredly to celebrate it during the days of unleavened bread, but to hold fast the new mystery of the Passion and Resurrection. For here the Apostle plainly teaches that we ought neither to keep it outside the season of unleavened bread, as the heretics do, especially the Phrygians, nor yet on the other hand of necessity on the fourteenth day: for he said nothing about the fourteenth day, but named the days of unleavened bread, the Passover, and the Pentecost, thus ratifying the Gospel.

22) And on the sabbath, when prayer had been made long time on bended knee, he, as was his custom, got up to read; and every eye was fixed upon him. Now the lesson was the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and to Titus, in which he says what manner of man a bishop ought to be. And he was so well fitted for the office that the hearers said one to another that he lacked none of those qualities which Paul requires in one who has the care of a church. When then, after the reading and the instruction of the bishops and the discourses of the presbyters, the deacons were sent to the laity to enquire whom they would have, they said with one accord, 'Let Polycarp be our pastor and teacher.' 1

Notice that the Apostle Paul is shown teaching the Gentiles to keep and celebrate God’s ordained Holy Days, which includes the Day of Pentecost. Brother Polycarp, was a true and faithful servant who was (apparently) ordained by the Apostle John. 

Here is a sermon intended for the Day of Pentecost:

 

Since the Apostle Paul and other faithful Christians kept Pentecost, shouldn’t you? 

The LORD’s ‘Second Passover’

This Sunday, May 11th, after sunset, is the 14th of Iyyar of the LORD God’s sacred calendar. Our brethren who were unable to keep and celebrate the LORD’s Passover on the 14th of Nisan (for whatever legitimate reason) are authorized by God’s living word to keep and celebrate the Passover at this time.

This living truth is based on God’s living word in the following passage ──

“Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, in the FIRST MONTH of the second year they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2) ‘Let the children of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. 3) On the FOURTEENTH DAY OF THIS MONTH, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time. According to all its rites and ceremonies, you shall keep it.’ 

4) So Moses told the children of Israel that they should keep the Passover. 5) And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, at twilight, in the Wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.

6) Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. 7) And those men said to him, ‘We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the LORD at its appointed time among the children of Israel?’ 

8) And Moses said to them, ‘Stand still, that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.’

9) Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10) ‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If anyone of you or your posterity is unclean because of a corpse, or is far away on a journey, he may still keep the LORD’s Passover. 11) ON THE FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH, at twilight, they may keep it. They shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12) They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break one of its bones. According to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. 

13) But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and ceases to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people, because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time; that man shall bear his sin.’” – Numbers 9:1-13. 

The churches of God ── such as the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries ── observe the LORD’s Passover at its appointed time. 

Nearly everyone knows that our Lord Jesus Christ kept the LORD God’s Passover, even from the time of His youth ── 

“His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42) And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.” – Luke 2:41-42. 

And, of course, our Lord Jesus continued to keep and celebrate the Feast of the Passover throughout His entire life. Annually (Exodus 13:10) ──

“’ On the FOURTEENTH DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH AT TWILIGHT IS THE LORD’S PASSOVER.’” – Leviticus 23:5.

Our Savior, Master, and Elder Brother also had His disciples keep and celebrate it as a remembrance of Him ── 

“Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8) And He sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.’ 

9) So they said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare?’ 10) And He said to them, ‘Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11) Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, ‘Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 12) Then he will show you a large, furnished, upper room; there make ready.’ 

13) So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. 

14) When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15) Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16) for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ 

17) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18) for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ 

19) And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ 

20) Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” – Luke 22:7-20. 

Truly, if you have properly repented, been properly baptized and have had hands laid upon you, receiving the glorious gift of God’s Spirit ── and you were unable to keep and celebrate the LORD’s Passover on the 14th of Nisan (for any legitimate reason), you can keep and celebrate it after sunset May 11th. Following is an online Passover Service ──

A Morning Bible Study: The Days of Unleavened Bread ── A Part of God's Master Plan!

The LORD’s Passover. Besides the weekly holy Sabbath, it is the first of the LORD God’s annual commanded feasts (Leviticus 23:5), it pictures for us the first of many steps in the LORD God’s (the Elohim; the family of God – which at this time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) MASTER PLAN for the redemption of all mankind. It was Jesus Christ, “our Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7), who was sacrificed for our past sins. Yet, just accepting the Lord and His living sacrifice is not enough. 

Once we have truly repented of our transgressions against the LORD God, been properly baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, having received the gift of the Holy Spirit ── we must continually have CHRIST IN US! 

We must come out of this world and its religious institutions ──

“ …’ Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’” – Revelation 18:4.

Just as the children of Israel left ancient Egypt ── used in God’s living word as an analogy to represent the people of God’s bondage to sin. We must strive to PUT ON CHRIST! That is our part in the LORD God’s Master Plan.

The LORD God gave His begotten people the annual Feast of Unleavened Bread. The keeping and observance of this glorious feast impresses upon us the great need to daily imbibe within us God’s living Spirit. 

Let’s understand.  

1) What feast did the LORD God command the children of Israel to proclaim, to keep, and celebrate immediately after the LORD’s Passover?

“’ And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; SEVEN DAYS you must eat unleavened BREAD.’” – Leviticus 23:6.

 “’ So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS as an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE.’” – Exodus 12:17.

So, the children of Israel were to keep and observe this feast throughout all their generations as an everlasting ordinance.

To help you understand who the successive generations are of the children of Israel  ── be sure to read our article "Freedom ── A True Blessing From God." Or, "Judah's Sceptre and Joseph's Birthright" by J.H. Allen.

2) How many days is the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Notice ──

“’ And on the fifteenth day of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for SEVEN DAYS.’” – Numbers 28:17.

“’ The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. SEVEN DAYS you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt.’” – Exodus 34:18.

Was the first day and the seventh day set apart as “holy” days on which God’s people were to assemble together? Notice ── 

“’ On the FIRST DAY there shall be a holy convocation, and on the SEVENTH DAY there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat ── that only may be prepared by you.’” – Exodus 12:16. 

The very first month of God’s sacred calendar, which the LORD God has preserved through the Jews, though they don’t keep it accurate ── is called Abib or Nisan in Hebrew. It corresponds to our pagan Gregorian calendar to the time that falls during March and April. March is named after the pagan god Mars. Interestingly enough, the Anglo-Saxons called April ēastre-monaþ ── which The Reckoning of Time states that this month ēastre is the root of the word Easter. Therefore, the Feast of Unleavened Bread begins the evening of the 14th immediately after the LORD’s Passover. It continues for seven days until the sunset of the 21st. Both the 15th and the 21st are holy Sabbaths ── annual “holy convocations.”

3) Were the children of Israel to have no leaven (which means, leavened bread) in all their territory for those seven days? Notice ──

“’ You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life. 4) And no leaven [leavened bread] shall be seen among you in all your territory for seven days, …’” – Deuteronomy 16:3-4.

So, that’s very clear. During the Days of Unleavened Bread, you are to eat – every day – at least some unleavened bread. And for those seven days, you will not eat leavened bread. Now that’s all it said. It didn’t say, “Get down on your hands and knees and look for old cookie crumbs.” It just didn’t say it. It is not the Days of Unleavened Beer. You know, to make beer, you have to have yeast. Yeast, the number one leavening agent in the history of mankind, always has been and will be. It is not the Days of Unleavened Wine. It is not the Days of Unleavened Toothpaste. Because some toothpastes have baking powder in them. A lot of people think, ‘Well, I’m not supposed to eat leavening.’ You’re not supposed to consume leavened bread. Didn’t we read that?

4) Is leaven ever used metaphorically in God’s living word?

Yes. Our Lord Jesus did speak of leaven metaphorically ── 

“Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. 6) Then Jesus said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ 

7) And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘Is it because we have taken no bread.’

8) But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? 9) Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? 10) Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?

11) How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? ── but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’

12) Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” – Matthew 16:5-12. 

The ‘doctrine’ of the Pharisees ──

• The importance of keeping rituals. 

• The overwhelming desire to convert Gentiles. 

• The Way to God was by obeying the physical Law. 

• Extending Jewish practices into life outside the temple. 

• Instilling greater piety in “the common people.”

To name but a few. 

Additionally, they put significant weight on the “oral tradition,” or the traditions of the elders, believing this interpretive framework helped clarify the written Law. Ancient rabbinic sources and later compilations, such as portions of the Talmud, reflect the Pharisaic influence in codifying and teaching these traditions. This oral tradition functioned to address practical questions about Sabbath observance, dietary laws, ritual purity, and other facets of devotion.

Our Lord Jesus is showing us that His New Covenant does not match the old rites of the Pharisees, which required a lot of fasting. Our Lord Jesus taught against syncretism ── which is the mixing of beliefs, such as Judeo-Christianity.

Having a show of piety, without true holiness, is like leaven in that it gradually increases and spreads corruption, puffing up a person with vanity. Indeed, friends, the very nature of leaven (or, rather, yeast) is to change whatever it contacts. Yeast does its job slowly, secretly, and silently, but no one can deny its effect on bread. Yeast is microscopic in size, and only a little is kneaded into the dough. Yet, given time, the yeast will spread through all the dough.

The ’doctrine’ of the Sadducees ── 

• Rejection of the Resurrection and Afterlife. 

• Adherence to the Written Law. 

• Temple Worship and Sacrificial System.

The Sadducees’ interactions with our Lord Jesus were marked by theological disagreements, particularly concerning their rejection of a resurrection. In Matthew 22:29-32, our Lord Jesus addresses their unbelief by affirming that there is a resurrection unto life and correcting their misunderstanding of His living word.

5) Does the LORD God specifically command the people of God to consume unleavened bread during this feast?

Yes.

“’ Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the FIRST DAY you shall remove leaven [speaking of leavened bread] from your houses.’” – Exodus 12:15. 

So, not only were the children of Israel to remove any leavened bread from their houses, they were also commanded to eat unleavened bread during the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Why some want to make this command complicated is beyond me! This act of eating a little bit of unleavened bread every day of the feast symbolizes the imbibing of CHRIST IN US! 

6) Upon our proper repentance, proper baptism, and the laying on of hands, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit ── our Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice blots out all our past sins. And when the apostle Paul asks if we, as true Christians, should continue in sin ── he gives the answer! 

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law [speaking of the Old Covenant] but under grace? Certainly not! 16) 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 leading to death [speaking of the second death], or of obedience leading to righteousness?” – Romans 6:15-16. 

What was his admonishment for us to put on?

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” – Romans 13:14.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was tortured, beaten, and sacrificed so that mankind did not have to pay the penalty of eternal death ── 

“For if by one man’s offense death [speaking of the second death; eternal death] reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life [eternal life] through the One, Jesus Christ.)” – Romans 5:13-17. 

7) Did our beloved Apostle Paul admonish us ── through the inspiration of God’s Spirit ── to keep and observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

Yes.

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, …” ── recall what the old leaven he is speaking of. False doctrines. “ … that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.

The unleavened bread of sincerity and truth is JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD!

The Holy Days are all Christocentric! The Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to one thing – Jesus Christ! He is that unleavened bread of sincerity and truth!

The LORD God knows that to properly overcome and faithfully obey Them, we need Their spiritual help! We must eat unleavened bread every day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread to symbolize us imbibing the glorious Spirit of God ── Their mind, Their strength! □   

Additional Bible Studies

Passover Begins ── God's Master Plan From the Beginning!

What Is Repentance?

Water Baptism?

Just What Is the Holy Spirit?

The Day of Atonement ── A Great Prophetic Meaning!

Feast of Trumpets - The Return of our Lord Jesus!

What the Feast of Tabernacles Pictures

The Last Great Day - How It Completes God's Master Plan

A Time of Spiritual Examination

by Leonard V Johnson

The LORD God’s Feast of Unleavened Bread began this year at sunset on April 12th and runs until sunset on the 19th. 

Notice here what WVTM13 writes ── 

April 12th, 2025, 

One of the holiest holidays of the year begins for the Jewish community in Alabama and worldwide. 

Passover begins at sundown Saturday and is a time of reflection and celebration, which lasts eight days. 

This special time commemorates the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt. Those who celebrate … remove leavened foods and eat … unleavened bread. 

(Read More: https://www.wvtm13.com/article/time-of-reflection-andcelebration-as-passover-begins/64465319).

However, brethren, this Passover season means so much more to us than just the Exodus from Egypt.

Indeed, many keep the beginning of this first feast of the LORD’s in observing the LORD’s Passover. Yet, they never go on to learn the awesome “depth of the riches” of God’s grace and mercy pictured by the following feasts! Let us ALWAYS look unto JESUS, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” unto salvation! – Hebrews 12:2. 

On the 10th day of this first month, the children of Israel were instructed to take a lamb without blemish. And they were to keep it UNTIL – not after – the 14th of the same first month, at “EVEN” – which is sunset – and then kill it. Notice above ── the secular source speaks of it being the 15th.

This was within – not AFTER – the 14th day. They shed the blood of the lamb, which pictured Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, which was to come. And they ate the flesh of the lamb THAT NIGHT. Then, at midnight, the death angel came, but PASSED OVER [hence, PASSOVER] every dwelling where the BLOOD had been sprinkled.

THERE ARE some very important details. And we must notice them. It proves that the Passover is to be observed on the 14th, not the 15th. 

Now, I want you to see another vital point. Turn to the Book of Numbers, chapter 28 –

Verse 16 – “’ ON the FOURTEENTH DAY [not after it] of the first month is the Passover of the LORD. 17) And ON the FIFTEENTH DAY [not before it] of this month is the feast; unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days.’”

Truly, one way you can understand the Days of Unleavened Bread, is by understanding the very central focus of the Days of Unleavened Bread – Jesus Christ!

Sadly, many minds were soiled concerning the true meaning and the teaching points which are associated with the Days of Unleavened Bread! And many of these misconceptions continue to grip many people – many remnant church groups. Well, they continue to teach ritualistic housecleaning. And to so many, the Days of Unleavened Bread is a campaign to “find leavening.” And they always claim that leaven is equated with the term sin. While that is a tradition, it is not Scriptural! And I want you to understand that they were teaching this as Judeo-Christianity – not as part of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ! In fact, no Scripture declares that leaven (which is short for leavened bread) is sin. There is certainly a passage which tells us exactly what sin is. It’s 1st John 3:4 – “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”     

Our Lord and Savior – the true Messiah - never called leaven sin. An example can be found in the Book of Matthew, chapter 13 –

Verse 33 – “’ The kingdom [from] heaven is like leaven, …’”

Is He saying that the kingdom of God is like sin here? No.

And another passage which offers a perspective is in the Book of Luke, chapter 13 –

“’ To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21) It is like leaven, …’”

Again, is He saying that the kingdom of God is like sin? No.

Our Lord Jesus is saying that the kingdom from heaven is like leaven because it's likened to the concept that “’ the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, ...’” ─ Matthew 13:31.

The work of faith that grows from such an insignificant beginning. Now, if you’ve ever looked at a mustard seed – they’re the tiniest of all seeds! Yet, the Bible describes the kingdom growing into a tree in whose branches the birds of the air can rest and receive shade. Also, the faith in which we have and how it grows can signify the work of God in a person’s life.  The kingdom of God begins quite small, but will become exceptionally large. The kingdom of God will have people from all over the world. Now, some biblical commentators believe that – because He mentions leaven, it could be a warning from Jesus. Leaven is often spoken of in the Bible as a metaphor for false doctrines and self-righteousness. That ‘leaven’ could be false doctrine that began and eventually engulfed the whole earth. Jesus spoke of this false doctrine in the Book of Revelation, which will be extent at His return – and it will be immensely powerful. Like Revelation 6:2 and the ‘white horse’ – you could conceivably go either way with this. Either way – remember that these are ‘hidden truths’ which Jesus revealed to His disciples.

Here’s another example – when our Lord Jesus compared the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees with leaven.

“’ How is it you do not understand that I DID NOT SPEAK TO YOU CONCERNING BREAD? – but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’” – Matthew 16:11; see also Luke 12:1.

And sadly, even today, many ministers post on their websites during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, “leavening equals sin!” And they would jump from there to the next conclusion, “One must go around the house and find every little crumb of nine-month-old breadcrumbs! Wherever they might be!” And out goes the toaster into the garbage! And sadly, they taught this as one of their main doctrines for the Days of Unleavened Bread! And this ideology is continuing to be propagated!

And certainly, a true Christian should strive daily to keep sin at bay. But to outright say that leaven is equated to sin is not Scriptural. Now, we’re dead to sin, but we’re alive through Jesus Christ! We live unto Jesus Christ! “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” ── Book of Romans, chapter 6, verse 12. He is saying, ‘Don’t let sin have control over you anymore.’ You’re free! Like the man that was on death row – now you find yourself walking down the road and you say, “How in the world did I get off of death row and now walking along here a free man!?” You’re not in the dungeon anymore! You’re not in chains; you’re not waiting for execution anymore! You’re out of prison – you’re walking freely down the road! That is the analogy that he is making here.

Well, we believe that Worldwide misinterpreted, as well as misrepresented, just what the Days of Unleavened Bread truly mean. The meaning of the Days of Unleavened Bread is powerful!

So, what day is established as a MEMORIAL, a feast by an EVERLASTING ORDINANCE? Not a shadow, but a memorial? Again, notice, it is the day that is the feast “’ you shall keep it as a feast …’” It is the day that is a feast day – the 15th of Abib/Nisan – not the Passover! And it is to be kept as a Sabbath – or holy convocation, FOREVER!

Exodus 12:16 – “’ On the FIRST DAY [the first day of the seven – the 15th of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day [the 21st of Abib/Nisan] there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work [as in labor or occupation] shall be done on them; …’”  

We Christians understand and recognize that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate penalty for our sins on the LORD’S Passover and was sacrificed smack dab in the middle of the Feast of Unleavened Bread!

And brethren, all of the LORD’s Holy Days are what we call Christocentric. Meaning that they are all centered around JESUS CHRIST! In other words, we shouldn’t be so steeped and so misguided by Judeo-Christianity that we lose focus on who we are to look to! JESUS CHRIST! Recall, Jesus built His Church! The New Covenant Church!

So, if you go to JESUS CHRIST, He will forgive you – and we are told this back in the epistles of John. He is faithful to forgive!

John 6 –

Verse 48 – “’ I AM the bread of life.’” 

The Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are pointing us to ONE THING – Jesus Christ! Brethren, He is that Unleavened Bread of sincerity and truth! He is the meaning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread! Now, that may sound as if we here at the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries are part of the “Jesus Only” churches – we are certainly not!

It was not abolished with the Old Covenant

Notice that the Days of Unleavened Bread is a PERIOD – having two DOUBLE holy days. And this period is established FOREVER! The Living Bible translates this verse – “’ You shall celebrate this event each year (this is a permanent law) – to remind you …’” – Exodus 12:14, TLB. The whole period is included. 

That alone should prove that the HOLY DAYS – including the seven Days of Unleavened Bread – are binding today, and FOREVER!

The Passover is again referred to in verse 21 – “Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. … 24) And you shall observe this thing as an ORDINANCE for you and your sons FOREVER.’”

A Little Bit of History 

Let’s go back into Catholic history. The Roman Catholic writer, Eusebius, recorded that Polycrates of Ephesus ── and I want to note here: Polycrates of Ephesus, as well as some other church leaders of the 2nd century (those in Asia Minor) refused to accept the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, especially when it came in conflict with God’s true teachings from His living word – the Holy Bible. But Polycrates of Ephesus, around 195 AD, wrote the following – admonishing strongly those who had changed the Passover from the 14th of Nisan to a Sunday ──

“2. We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate.

3. He fell asleep at Ephesus.

4. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna.

5. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?

6. All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven.

7. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said, 'We ought to obey God rather than man.' Acts 5:29.” 

 (Book V, Chapter 24 - https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/250105.htm).

Please note ── it was reported that Polycrates had said that he and some of the other early church leaders (such as the apostles Philip and John, Polycarp in Smyrna, Thraseas, Sagaris, Papirius, and Melito) who were not adding or taking away from God’s living word ── because they knew just what God’s word says regarding keeping and observing the holy Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread on the correct dates. Notice also that they “observed the day when the people put away the leaven.” 

Again, here is a link to an article entitled, “What Is Meant... 'Nothing Leavened'?” 

Also, here is our suggested holy day sermon for the FIRST DAY of the Feast of Unleavened Bread for our scattered brethren and other interested people ──  “First Day Unleavened Bread.” □

What Is Meant... 'Nothing Leavened'?

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is here! The LORD’s feast began at sunset on April 12th and will run through to sunset on April 19th.

What does the LORD God mean ── “’ You shall eat NOTHING LEAVENED’”? 

I have typed up an article entitled, “What Is Meant… ‘Nothing Leavened’?” on our website https://www.owensborocojc.com/. 

For nearly a century, there have been those who have taught that faithful Christians are to participate each year in a commanded traditional Jewish housecleaning ritual. But is this truly what the LORD God meant by not having any LEAVEN in all your dwellings? What is meant by the LORD God saying, ‘leaven’? Leaven (not yeast; while yeast is a type of leavening agent, not all leavening agents are yeast) causes BREAD TO RISE. To truly simplify ── To commemorate the children of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, the LORD God commanded the children of Israel to keep and celebrate a week of feasting following the holy Passover (the 14th day of the FIRST MONTH on God’s holy Calendar). It is called the “Feast of Unleavened Bread.” And, during this time, the children of Israel were commanded to remove all leaven from their homes and to eat no BREAD containing leaven ── Exodus 12:15; 13:6-7.  

Leaven is also mentioned to us in the New Testament. In Matthew 16:6-12, our Lord Jesus compares the false doctrines of the Sadducees, the Pharisees, along with the Herodians, to leaven. He was speaking metaphorically. They put significant weight on the “oral tradition,” or the traditions of the elders, believing this interpretive framework helped clarify the written Law. Ancient rabbinic sources and later compilations, such as portions of the Talmud, reflect the Pharisaic influence in codifying and teaching these traditions. This oral tradition functioned to address practical questions about Sabbath observance, dietary laws, ritual purity, and other facets of devotion. Our Lord Jesus specifies that the “leaven” of the Pharisees is indeed “hypocrisy.” Because just having a show of piety ── without true holiness ── is like leaven that gradually increases, spreads, and puffs up a person with vanity and self-righteousness. Hypocrisy can poison one’s very character. 

Here is a link to this important article: “What Is Meant… ‘Nothing Leavened’?” 

Let us always be honest with the living word of God.

The LORD's Passover ── sunset April 11, 2025

by Leonard V Johnson

Grace to you and peace from our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ ── April 11th, just after sunset, is the 14th of Nisan on the LORD God’s holy calendar! The LORD God (the Elohim, the family of God ── which now consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ). All true Christians will be keeping and observing this night as the LORD’s Passover (Leviticus 23:4-5). We have posted on our website ── https://www.owensborocojc.com/ ── a Passover Service, which is a step-by-step instruction video.

Our Lord and Savior kept the LORD’s Passover from the time of His youth ── now, many people call it the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. Truly, it doesn’t really matter ── 

“And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. 41) His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42) And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.” – Luke 2:40-42. 

Our Lord Jesus continued keeping and celebrating the LORD’s Passover throughout His entire human life. He kept it “every year.” The LORD’s Passover is an annual feast (Exodus 13:10). It is observed on the 14th day of the FIRST MONTH (which is called Abib in Deuteronomy 16:1, and it’s also called Nisan in Esther 3:7).

And also, our Lord Jesus’ apostles continued keeping and celebrating His Passover as a remembrance. We are to remember this occasion until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. I’m not sure why there are people who won’t even read that very statement, which says – to PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DEATH UNTIL HE COMES. And He absolutely shows us in His living word that He is soon coming again. Jesus Christ also said on that very occasion – “’ This do in remembrance of Me.’” A command directly from our Lord Jesus Christ. Because He wanted us to never forget what He did for all mankind. And so we are reminded every year through this very ceremony – through this annual holy day, a holy convocation. To remember what Jesus did for all of us. Notice ──

“Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8) And He sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.’

9) So they said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare?’ 10) And He said to them, ‘Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11) Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, ‘Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 12) Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.’

13) So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

14) When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15) Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16) for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’

17) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18) for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’

19) And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ 20) Likewise, He took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” – Luke 22:7-20. 

On our Lord Jesus’ last Passover, He had changed the customs associated with the LORD’s Passover ── but He in no way changed it from being an annual feast, nor did He change the time or the day on which it is to be kept and celebrated. 

Interestingly, even Constantine the Great understood that the Passover was to be an annual event ── at least according to a fifth-century influential theologian and biblical commentator, Theodoret of Cyrus. Again, antisemitism is on full display ── 

“Hence it follows that they [speaking of the Jews] have so far lost sight of truth, wandering as far as possible from the correct revisal, that they celebrate a second Passover in the same year. What motive can we have for following those who are thus confessedly unsound and in dire error? For we could never tolerate celebrating the Passover twice in one year. But, even if all these facts did not exist, your own sagacity would prompt you to watch with diligence and with prayer, lest your pure minds should appear to share in the customs of a people so utterly depraved. It must also be borne in mind that upon so important a point as the celebration of a feast of such sanctity, discord is wrong. One day has our Saviour set apart for a commemoration of our deliverance, namely, of His most holy Passion.” 1

I also want to note that the Roman Catholic Church ── at least according to Joseph Ratzinger ── teaches that our Lord Jesus kept ….

“The evening of the first day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Paschal lambs are slaughtered in the Temple, is the vigil of the Passover feast. According to the chronology of the Synoptics, this was a Thursday. … The Resurrection took place on the morning of the “first day of the week”, on Sunday.” 2

And, of course, they are blatantly wrong! – and I say this with all the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ! Our article, “Firstfruits From the Earth” helps you understand the LORD God’s living truth regarding their misunderstanding of this. 

The Apostle Paul properly understood that our Lord Jesus was (and is) the Passover Lamb that the Jewish people were slaughtering annually. He also taught that all true Christians are to continue keeping and observing the LORD’s Passover ──  

“Therefore purge out the old leaven …” ── and he was speaking about purging out the leaven of the churches of this world. Purging out their false doctrines and their self-righteousness! “ … that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. 

Now, how do you think our beloved Apostle Paul came to properly understand that our Lord Jesus was (and is) the Passover Lamb? Before his conversion, Paul was an ethnic Jew, raised in the culture of first century Judaism. How he came to properly understand was that He was taught directly by our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Book of Galatians, Paul emphasizes that he received God’s living Word, Truth, and Plan from our Lord Jesus directly for some three years.

Sadly, there were some in the 2nd century who wanted to keep and observe the Passover on the 15th (as most Jews do today), and Apollinaris Claudius (a church leader of the 2nd century and Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia who held strong beliefs similar to the original Church of God) wrote the following ── 

“The fourteenth day, the true Passover of the Lord; the great sacrifice, the Son of God instead of the lamb, who was bound, who bound the strong, and who was judged, though Judge of living and dead, and who was delivered into the hands of sinners to be crucified, who was lifted up on the horns of the unicorn, and who was pierced in His holy side, who poured forth from His side the two purifying elements, water and blood, word and spirit, and who was buried on the day of the passover, the stone being placed upon the tomb.” 3

Epiphanius of Salamis, of the 4th century, even admitted that the Catholic Church used to observe the Passover on the 14th. He wrote ──  

“Audians … (2) For they choose to celebrate the Passover with the Jews ── that is, they contentiously celebrate the Passover at the same time that the Jews are holding their Feast of Unleavened Bread. And indeed, <it is true> that this used to be the church’s custom ── … (4) And some, again, declare with a contentiousness of their own, ‘You changed the Passover to Constantine’s birthday.’” 4 

The Audians were a sect of so-called Christians in the 4th century in Syria and the Pontic–Caspian steppe, named after their founder Audius.

The Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries, along with certain other church groups, have always kept and celebrated the LORD’s Passover on the 14th of Nisan ── and we will continue to do so. 

So, from the very time of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ── and on throughout this present age ── a “little flock” (cf. Luke 12:32) of faithful servants will continue keeping and observing the LORD’s Passover on the 14th of Nisan annually. 

And then, the following night is THE NIGHT TO BE MUCH OBSERVED.

Let’s review this for a moment. Exodus 12:41-42 ── “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years ── on that very same day ── it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42) It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.”

The night when they started to leave Egypt was the beginning of the Days of Unleavened Bread.

To the best of my knowledge, the meaning of those Hebrew words says, “it is a night of watching.” “The Lord’s vigil.” This verse 42 does not establish a separate holy day, or holy ceremony to be observed on the first night of Unleavened Bread. This verse doesn’t do it. Again, ‘a night to be much observed.’ A night of watching. 

Well, think about all the things that happened that night! You have this ceremony where you’re putting blood on the front of your house, and you’re told not to go outside. Stay inside and you’re protected. Imagine the cacophony that took place! When the Egyptian people, and the people who did not put blood on their doorway, when they realized that their firstborn children, or anything firstborn – animals included – started dying! Imagine the agony and the voices. The wailing that took place all over the nation of Egypt! It was a horribly sad moment for the Egyptians. 

Now, if you want to get together with your Church friends and have a dinner on the first night of Unleavened Bread, is there anything wrong with that? No. But, according to God’s living word, it is not a separate holy day or holy ceremony. Again, don't get caught in church traditions!

Our Lord Jesus kept His final Passover just after sunset on the 14th of Nisan. And He commanded His followers to continue to do so. Will you?

For our baptized brethren worldwide without a local minister, the Church of Jesus Christ Online Ministries is pleased to present and make available a Passover Service ── a step-by-step sermon. □

 

 Bibliography

1 Schaff, Philip, A Select library of Nicene and post-Nicene fathers of the Christian church. Second series, Cornell University Library, New York, The Christian literature company, 1890, pp. 47-48. 

2 Ratzinger, J., The Dating of the Last Supper, CERC, Retrieved 11 April 2025. 

3 https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/apollinaris.html. 

4 Epiphanius, The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Leiden ; New York : E.J. Brill, 1987, pp. 410, 411. 

Wine ── or Grape Juice?

by Leonard V Johnson

Are true Christians supposed to use real fermented wine or unfermented grape juice for the LORD’s Passover?

In 2014, I was invited to visit a small Sunday-keeping Open-Bible Church! Oh, they’re sincere. They’re beautiful people ── but they’re being gravely deceived! They were taking “communion” once a month!

So, I tried explaining to the minister that the LORD’s Passover is annually. But, sadly, like most leaders of a church organization, they will not be corrected by a “commoner.” Our Lord Jesus Christ kept the LORD’S Passover annually (Exodus 13:10).

At COJCOM, we use just a small amount of fermented red wine. And, yes, even for pregnant women. We are unaware of any scientific evidence that the small amount of wine we use during the LORD’s Passover is harmful to the child (unless one is allergic to wine ── It is rare to be allergic to wine, but it is possible to have an intolerance to certain ingredients found in wine, including histamines, sulfites, and tannins. Then kosher wine would be better).

Indeed, the Greek word commonly translated as “wine” in the New Testament is oîνος – oinos, which means “a beverage from fermented grapes.” Our Lord Jesus’ first recorded miracle was to make fermented wine ── John 3:3-11.

Our Lord Jesus introduced the use of a wine cup ──

“Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the New Covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” – Luke 22:20.

The cup symbolizes His blood ── as blood is the color of red, as was the color of first-century produced fermented wine. Red and purple grapes would produce a deep red or purplish juice. God’s living word teaches us that wine is the blood of the grape ── Deuteronomy 32:14.

Now, since so many of our peoples will want to argue that the Greek means “grape juice,” let us emphasize ── “Wine was rarely kept for years in the first century, … Usually, wine was consumed the year it was made.” 1

I have traveled extensively ── and even picked up and delivered numerous loads of grapes while driving over the road as a commercial truck driver ── in a climate similar to the land of Israel. So, when are grapes harvested in Israel? The answer to that question depends on several factors, including the variety of grape, the climate, and the location of the vineyard. Typically ──

The grape harvest season in Israel varies depending on the region. The northernmost region of Israel, the Galilee, has a cooler climate and a longer growing season, so the harvest season here begins in late September or early October. The central region of Israel, which includes the Golan Heights and the Judean Hills, has a warmer climate and a shorter growing season, so the harvest season here begins in late October or early November. The southernmost region of Israel, the Negev Desert, has a very hot climate and a very short growing season, so the harvest season here begins in early November or early December. Israeli grapes should be stored in a cool, dry place. They will keep for up to two weeks. 2

Also, a medicinal use for wine ── that unfermented grape juice would not have sufficed was that most people drank their wine watered, with more water than wine. Water was rarely clean and tasty, so the bacteria-fighting properties of alcohol helped make water safer to drink. 3

The LORD’s Passover is usually in the Gregorian calendar called April.

Let us also note that Jews used fermented wine at Passover ── “There were different kinds of wine. ‘Yayin’ was the ordinary matured, fermented wine, ‘tirosh’ was a new wine, and ‘shekar’ was an old, powerful wine (‘strong drink’).” 4 And, according to Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, “It may be stated at this point that no trace can be found, among the hundreds of references to the preparation and use of wine in the Mishna, of any means employed to preserve wine in the unfermented state. It is even improbable that with the means at their disposal the Jews could have so preserved it had they wished (cf. Professor Macalister’s statement as to the ‘impossibility’ of unfermented wine at this period, in Hastings’ DB II. 34b)” 5

So, only fermented wine kept cool can remain unspoiled for many years. Now, note ── the use of alcohol or fermented wine is endorsed during the holy Feast of Tabernacles. Cf. Deuteronomy 14:26. Yet, it is not mandatory.

True Christians are not to be “drunk with wine, in which is dissipation,” as the apostle Paul wrote under divine inspiration ── Ephesians 5:18.

The definition of “drunk” is “affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one's faculties or behavior.” And “dissipation” is “gradually disappearing or wasting away.”

Only a small amount of wine is normally consumed during the LORD’s Passover. □

Bibliography

1 Hamel, K.D., Winemaking in First-Century Israel, 24 March 2021.

2 Cook, A., When Are Grapes Harvested in Israel? plant4harvest.com.

3 Ibid. (1)

4 Hisrch EG, Eisenstein JD. Wine. Jewish Encyclopedia. 1907, pp. 532.

5 Hastings, J., Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 2005, pp. 974.

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Easter  - or Passover? ── It's so very sad that so many people - especially among the English-speaking nations of the world - do not understand that the holiday they call Easter is truly supposed to be Passover.

Commentary - Is Passover For the Unbaptized? ── Should unbaptized people attend a Passover service and partake of the foot-washing?