Passover will be after sunset Friday evening 11 April in 2025.
How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? We have an article: Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread
This is a Passover service by the Continuing Church of God. This is intended to be used by scattered baptized Church of God members around the world after sunset on the 14th day of the first month of the biblical calendar, or for those who biblically legitimately missed it per Numbers , after sunset on the 14th day of the second month of the biblical calendar. This service covers footwashing, breaking and consuming unleavened bread, taking wine, and reading words of Jesus as well as additional scriptures. Leaders of the local Passover service (even if there is only one person) should have some unleavened bread, wine, a towel, and one or more water basins available.
Again, Passover is to be observed shortly after sunset on April 11th in 2025.
Night to Be Much Observed
After sunset on the 12th of April 2025 begins the Days of Unleavened Bread, which starts off with what is commonly called ‘the night to be much observed.’
The Bible records the following:
42 It is a night to be much observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations. (Exodus 12:42, KJV)
42 This is the observable night of our Lord, when he brought them forth out of the Land of Ægypt: this night all the children of Israel must observe in their generations. (Exodus 12:42, Original Douay Rheims)
For Christians, the Night to Be Observed pictures our taking action to leave spiritual Egypt (cf. Revelation 11:8)–this is something that should cause Christians to rejoice.
Furthermore, notice the following scriptures:
3 And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. (Exodus 13:3-4 NKJV)
3 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. (Deuteronomy 16:3 NKJV)
Yet despite what the Bible teaches, the night after the biblical Passover is observed by many Jews as Passover as they seem to have forgotten there were were two different events.
But even the Jewish Encyclopedia admits that the Bible shows that Passover is on the 14th:
Lev. xxiii., however, seems to distinguish between Passover, which is set for the fourteenth day of the month, and (the Festival of Unleavened Bread; ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, Luke xxii. 1; Josephus, “B. J.” ii. 1, § 3), appointed for the fifteenth day. (Passover. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)
Yet, most ‘observant Jews’ keep the 15th as Passover, however it is the first Day of Unleavened Bread as the Hebrew scriptures show.
Historically, the Night to Be Observed normally involved a festive dinner. The dinner normally included, but was not limited to, unleavened bread. Normally, someone hosts it and invites other families to join. The other families usually bring with them some portion of the dinner for everyone in attendance.
Some may wish to watch the following animation on that night:
What is it? When is it? The KJV refers to it as “THE NIGHT TO BE MUCH OBSERVED.” This scripture-packed animation includes background and specific information related to the children of Israel. It also gives some of the Old and New Testament prophetic ramifications of this event. How the NTBO is typically observed is also covered. The animation also includes a chart of scriptures and biblical dates to determine when that NTBO actually is. Furthermore, the animation provides information from the “Jewish Encyclopedia” which, through scripture, shows that many Jews have confused Passover with the “night to be observed.” This is a great animation to give background on the NTBO and is also appropriate to be watched on the NTBO.
The Night to Be Observed reminded the Jews that they should be thankful for God’s deliverance from the bondage of Egyptian slavery (Exodus 12:42). For Christians, the Night to Be Observed teaches we are to rejoice and be thankful for the release Jesus provides from the bondage of sin (John 8:34-36).
Days of Unleavened Bread
From sunset April 12th through sunset April 13th is the first Day of Unleavened Bread. That time should be kept like a Sabbath, but also involves eating at least a very small amount of unleavened bread (which does NOT have to contain wheat–it could be made of other grains, like corn, for example).
Unleavened Bread (Public Domain Pictures)
We Christians recognize that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on Passover and that we are to try to live, as He did, without sin and hypocrisy, of which leaven symbolically can represent (Luke 12:1).
The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about this:
And, as the Israelites went out with a high hand (Numbers 33:3), in great exultation and elation over their deliverance from bondage, so does the newly begotten Christian start out his Christian life — up in the clouds of happiness and joy. But what happens?
The devil and sin immediately pursue after the newly begotten son of God — and soon the new and inexperienced Christian finds he is down in the depths of discouragement, and tempted to give up and quit.
Notice Exodus 14, beginning verse 10 — as soon as the Israelites saw this great army pursuing them, they lost their courage. Fear came over them. They began to grumble and complain. They saw it was impossible for them to get away from Pharaoh and his army, because he was too powerful for them. And they were helpless. So it is with us.
Our Strength Not Sufficient!
But notice the message of God to them through Moses: “Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord … for the Egyptians … ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you”! How wonderful!
Helpless, we are told to stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. He shall fight for us. We cannot conquer Satan and sin, but He can. It is the risen Christ — our High Priest — who will cleanse us — sanctify us — deliver us — who said He would never leave us nor forsake us!
We cannot keep the Commandments in our own power and strength. But Christ IN US can keep them! We must rely on Him in faith. (Armstrong HW. God’s Holy Days-or Pagan Holidays-Which? Worldwide Church of God, 1976)
Purpose of Festival
But let us learn the full significance of this. WHY did God ordain these feast days? What was His great PURPOSE? Turn now to Exodus 13, verse 3: “…Moses said unto the people, Remember THIS DAY, in which ye CAME OUT from Egypt…” This was the 15th of Abib. Verse 6: “Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and the seventh day shall be a FEAST unto the Eternal… This is done BECAUSE of that which the Eternal did [a MEMORIAL]… and it shall be for a SIGN” — (miraculous PROOF of identity) — “unto thee upon thine hand, and for a MEMORIAL between thine eyes” — WHY? –”that the LORD’S LAW MAY BE IN THY MOUTH… Thou shalt therefore KEEP this ordinance…”
Oh, beloved brethren, do you see the wonderful meaning? Do you grasp the true significance of it all? Do you see God’s PURPOSE? The PASSOVER pictures the DEATH OF CHRIST for the remission of sins that are past. The accepting of His BLOOD does not forgive sins we SHALL commit — it does not give LICENSE to continue in sin — therefore WHEN we accept it, our sins are forgiven only up to that time — PAST SINS.
But shall we stop there? Past sins forgiven. But we are still flesh beings. We still shall suffer temptations. Sin has held us in its clutch — we have been SLAVES to sin, in its power. And we are powerless to deliver ourselves from it! We have been in BONDAGE to sin. Let us understand the picture — the meaning. (Armstrong HW. What You Should Know About the Passover and Festival of Unleavened Bread. Good News, March 1979)
To what degree should Christians put away sin? Completely, as Jesus taught, “you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Leaven symbolically can be a type of sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Like sin, leaven puffs up.
As seven is God’s number symbolizing completeness, Christians are to follow the Passover with seven days of unleavened bread. The meaning and the symbolism is not complete with just Passover. Passover pictures the acceptance of Christ’s blood for the remission of past sins and the death of Jesus.
Should we leave Christ symbolically hanging on the tree of His death (cf. Galatians 3:13)? No. The seven days of unleavened bread following Passover help picture to us the complete putting away of sin, the keeping of the Commandments — after past sins are forgiven as the result of Jesus’ sacrifice.
The Days of Unleavened bread picture the life and work of the risen Jesus. Jesus ascended to the throne of God where He is now actively at work in our behalf as our High Priest, cleansing us of sin (Hebrews 2:17-18) delivering us completely from its power!
Here is some of what the Hebrew scriptures say about the Days of Unleavened Bread:
15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 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. 17 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. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’” (Exodus 12:15-20)
Leviticus 23:6-8 teaches about it as well. And Deuteronomy 16:16 shows that offerings were expected to be given on the Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, and the Fall Holy Days.
Originally, there were no “burnt offerings or sacrifices” when God “brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 7:22). They were added because of disobedience (Jeremiah 7:21-27) and the New Testament is clear that we do not need to have burnt offerings or animal sacrifices now (Hebrews 9:11-15).
As we eat unleavened bread each of the days, we realize that we have to avoid sin that is so prevalent in the world around us.
As far as the sequence of events, Passover was after sunset on the 14th of Nisan/Abib (Exodus 12:6) and the death angel passed-over at midnight (Exodus 12:23-29). During the early daylight hours on the 14th of Nisan/Abib, the children of Israel received gold and precious things from the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36). They left Egypt at night of the 15th of Nisan/Abib (Exodus 12:42; Deuteronomy 16:1).
Later, apparently on the 18th of Nisan/Abib, Pharaoh decided to pursue them (Exodus 14:5). On the 20th of Nisan/Abib, Pharaoh’s armies get near the children of Israel (Exodus 14:9).
North America Feast of Tabernacles Site for 2025
Yes, we need to also consider plans for the Feast of Tabernacles.
Church services for the Feast in 2025 are to begin at sunset on October 6th and run through (including the Last Great Day) sunset October 14th in 2025.
We now have a signed agreement to have the Embassy Suites by Hilton Oklahoma City Downtown Medical Center in Oklahoma as our festival site for North America. Here is its location and mailing address: 741 North Phillips Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73104. This is where services are expected to be held in North America.
The room rate is $120 per night (plus taxes) and includes breakfast and parking.
The hotel sent the following:
INDIVIDUAL CALL IN: I have set up a booking link (your link is below) for your group to use to make booking their rooms a little bit easier.
Please copy and paste the link below into your browser window:
Receive greetings in the name of Jesus Christ here at Riftvalley, Kenya. We had a wonderful sabbath yesterday, 5th April 2025 at Sigor Sogororbei. We were welcomed by brethren from those places. They were so happy after teaching them. They were requesting the visit by Evangelist Ochieng soon because they already knew him. The church population is fast growing and they are requesting for the church installment. We were with Pastor Cheruiyot from North Rift region, Elder from Bomet Town Church and other brethren from various places. I had written in the previous letters about the books, kalenjin Bible and food support because of the nature of the famine there. The attendees were overwhelmed and they promised to fully attend the continuing church of God. Lets pray for them so that we receive more of them. God bless you. I will attached some photos taken on the same day. Regards,
PASTOR SAWEK
Despite comments from naysayers, thousands in Kenya respect the leadership of evangelist Evans Ochieng.
We continue to have growth in Kenya.
Partial Solution for Rwanda?
As mentioned before, the government of Rwanda has changed its rules and has made it impossible for the CCOG to legally function there as planned. I asked for prayers for this in the Letter to the Brethren: March 13, 2025.
Here is some information from the government of Rwanda on its rules for churches:
These Regulations determine – (a) additional requirements for the registration and operation of faith-based organizations; and (b) requirements for an organization to fight against the crime of money laundering, terrorist financing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction…
Article 3: Additional requirements for an organization for application for legal personality Subject to provisions of Law n°72/2018 of 31/08/2018 determining the organisation and functioning of faith-based organisations, an organization applying for legal personality must address to the Rwanda Governance Board the following additional documents: (a) a certificate issued by the District or the City of Kigali, confirming that the building designated for worship activities adheres to the legal construction requirements applicable to the specified location; (b) a document confirming the exclusive use of building for worship activities; (c) a document confirming the conduct of all religious rituals, ceremonies and practices exclusively within the building of the organization designated for worship activities; (d) documents of the legal representative of the organization and his or her deputy required by laws. If such documents were issued abroad, they are channelled through the Rwandan Embassy located in the country of issuance and authenticated by the Ministry in charge of foreign affairs in Rwanda to ensure their validity; (e) a proof of payment of a non-refundable service fee of FRW 2,000,000 as a requisite for the legal personality application, paid to the national treasury; (f) notarized declaration of exclusive representation of the legal representative and his or her deputy certifying that they do not serve as representatives of any other organization registered in Rwanda; (g) an equivalence certificate of a certificate or degree in theology obtained by the Legal Representative and his or her deputy from foreign higher learning institutions, issued by the competent authority; (h) an evidence of religious studies completion demonstrating that the legal representative and his or her deputy, whose qualifications are unrelated to theology, have completed at least 1,200 hours of religious studies from an institution accredited by the competent authority.
Article 4: Prerequisites for the issuance of a collaboration letter to an organization An organization applying for collaboration with a District or City of Kigali submits to the Board of the following: (a) an application letter applying for collaboration; (b) a notarized copy of the organization’s statute; (c) a notarized copy of the organization’s doctrine principles; (d) action plan aligned with development priorities of the District or City of Kigali; (e) a certificate of building compliance confirming that the building designated for worship activities complies with the legal construction requirements for the location in which the organization operates issued by competent authority; (f) a list of at least 1,000 members of the community where the organization intends to operate, supporting the organization with their signatures, national identification or passport, and telephone numbers.
The rules obviously favor large churches, like the Roman Catholics and certain Protestant faiths.
It is impossible for small churches to comply as they do not have 1,000 people who are part of them with various documents etc. The education requirements also are biased against churches that differ from large groups.
Because of those rule changes, we have been prohibited from finishing the building in Rwanda as a church nor use it as a church building.
While there are still issues in Rwanda, Moise Nshimiyimana sent the following report and phoo:
Dear Pastor Dr Bob ,
Greetings from Rwanda and Congo .
Dear Pastor , help us to pray because we have prayers through Habakkuk 3:1-2 and Psalm Chapter 2 through second song in Bible hymnal , … we as CCOG Rwanda we are now living like Waldensians of piedmont about persecution as we reading in Bible News Prophecy of October -December 2023 because law of our country. …
Prayers for me because I’m very sick and doctors who has lost a disease . …
Prayers again for conflict between Congo and Rwanda through in rebels of M23 ( Movement du 23 Mars /2012 ) in the Republic of Democratic of the Congo , it’s been a reason that a great nations punish Rwanda.
Dear Pastor , we decided now to use another way during of worship , now we created zoom meeting has … at 10am Kigali hour . And we started to use it this past Sabbath . However , it is difficult for a few knowledge of technology with a few materials when one is teaching , but we are preparing the way to make two young men we have Moses and Asifiwe will help us in the technology when we meet every Sabbath .
About the building , I went to ask for a government officials to set up the roof , told me that it requires to wait the certificate they given of the year for building church be expired then I will apply again for certificate of business or to use other . Here in Rwanda every thing is rules and regulations .
Attached there is a picture we took past Sabbath like screenshot when we tried to meet to zoom for the first time. …
Thanks .
Moïse.
Our prayers for a way to function seem to have been answered as Moise Nshimiyimana is hoping that having Zoom services will work. I wrote him back, and among other things, suggested that he try to including brethren in Burundi and the Congo in these zoom services. I also made a couple of suggestions on how to try to hold an actual Feast of Tabernacles in the region, that perhaps may work.
Anyway, continue to pray about the church situation in Rwanda, the health of Moise Nshimiyimana, and the physical safety of our people in the Congo.
Suggested Sabbath Day and First Day of Unleavened Bread Services
Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:
2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
Here is a suggested holy day service for the First Day of Unleavened Bread for our scattered brethren and other interested people:
2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
Sermon, which for most who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one. The one suggested is: Leaven, Avoiding Sin, and God’s Ways Are Best. Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
Final hymn.
Closing prayer.
For those interested in two services, here is a suggestion for the second service:
2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
Other sermons are also available at the ContinuingCOG channel.
Final hymn.
Closing prayer.
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some mobile telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.
IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.
In case one or more of our video channels are unavailable, down, restricted, or ?, understand that we are on multiple platforms.
For sermons in English:
ContinuingCOG YouTube channel. Dr. Thiel has produced video sermons for this channel.
Bible News Prophecy radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos on one of our internet stations as well as our radio broadcasts in English. The BibleNewsProphecy.net website also has information about our international radio presence for Europe, Asia, and North America. That page is also available as a mobile app.
Bible News Prophecy International radio. This has links to our non-English language online radio station as well as materials in multiple languages.
Over in Canada, it is reportedly faster to get approval for assisted suicide than it is to get a lot of health care (see Canadian government suicide assistance easier to attain than health assistance). Government promoted assisted suicide is consistent with the warning from the Apostle Paul about “inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:30).
Concluding Comments
The Apostle Paul wrote:
7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, 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)
Brethren,the Spring Holy Days are almost here.
Remember to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
(the Festival of Unleavened Bread; ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, Luke xxii. 1; Josephus, “B. J.” ii. 1, § 3), appointed for the fifteenth day. (Passover. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)
