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Letter to the Brethren: October 10, 2024

Letter to the Brethren: October 10, 2024

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Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings from Grover Beach, California.

Regarding Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the only reports we have related to CCOG members is that they are well. In this time of troubles (Mark 13:8), that is something to be thankful for.

On other matters, this week we received more translations of our English language booklet The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Let us all rejoice (cf. Romans 15:10) in that and not be “weary in well doing” (2 Thessalonians 3:13) as we continue to take steps to prepare for the short work (Romans 9:28; see Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word) as well as to assist with the fulfillment of various prophecies such as are shown in Matthew 24:14 and Revelation 7:9. Throughout the entire church age (which began at Pentecost in Acts 2 and which ends after Jesus returns with the seventh and last trumpet), no Church of God group has ever translated information on the good news of the Kingdom of God in anything close to the number of languages and dialects that we in the Continuing Church of God have had done.

Matthew 24:14 will be fulfilled, and yes, that prophesy, specifically along with Revelation 7:9, points to the use of multiple languages.

Feast of Trumpets

The Feast of Trumpets went well here and I have only received positive reports from other areas on it as well.

Here is a report we received from Moise Nshimiyimana:

Dear Pastor Dr Bob ,

Greetings from Rwanda and Congo DRC .First of all , let me thank you because I received the books and booklets you sent through the Post Box .It help us to spreading the gospel of the Kingdom of God .Again , The Feast of Trumpets was good in the Congo where I was that day and the brethren of Rwandan , Uganda and Burundi prepare to will go to Congo in the Feast of Tabernacles this month .We Thank you for your support about that.

Best Regards,

Moïse.

We are glad that the Feast of Trumpets went well there and that the church literature also arrived.

The Fasting Day of Atonement

This Sabbath is also an annual Holy Day. It is the Day of Atonement. It runs from sunset October 11th through sunset October 12th. Those physically able, fast on this day.

Most of the Greco-Roman churches generally do not keep the biblical holy days that often occur in the Fall. Yet, these Holy Days portray many pivotal events in God’s plan.

Above photo of people fasting on the Day of Atonement on front cover of the Asante Twi translation of the English language booklet Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?

Notice the following scriptures related to the Day of Atonement:

26 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 27 “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. 28 And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. 29 For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. 30 And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31 You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (Leviticus 23:26-32).

7 ‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall afflict your souls; you shall not do any work. (Numbers 29:7)

Fasting is historically mainly how the phrase “afflict your souls” has been interpreted by the Jewish and Church of God communities (this is also verified by such passages as Psalm 35:13; 69:10 and Isaiah 58:5) to mean fasting, unless one is somehow ill, and thus is already afflicted. Evening to evening means from sunset to sunset.

The New Testament itself calls the Day of Atonement, “the Fast” (Acts 27:9), which not only indicates that the Apostle Paul was keeping it (which he would be per statements in Acts 21:18-24; 28:17), but that Greek-named Theophilus (the Christian which the Book of Acts was addressed to in Acts 1:1), also must have been or another term would have been substituted.

Observant individuals affiliated with the Churches of God will fast from sunset this night until sunset the next night (if they are physically able–nursing mothers, small children, pregnant women, and various afflicted others are not expected to fast–this is consistent with Jewish practices in this area as well). In this fast we go without food or drink.

Oddly, one Protestant report claims that one reason Christians do not need to keep the Day of Atonement is because there is no Jewish temple today (Cocherell BL. SHOULD THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST FAST ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT?). Yet, the biblical reality is that the children of Israel kept the Day of Atonement for centuries before there was a temple and the other reality is that the New Testament shows that Christians are now the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

In the Old Testament, the Day of Atonement included a ceremony where the Azazel goat was sent to the wilderness (Leviticus 16:1-10). Christians see this sending of the Azazel goat away as picturing the time during the millennium when Satan will be bound and sent away for a thousand years in the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-4). This means that Satan will not be able to tempt and deceive during that time. The Azazal goat was not slain, nor is Satan pictured being slain.

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, a goat is not sacrificed by Christians to observe this day (cf. Hebrews 10:1-10).

Yet, although Jesus was our Passover lamb sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) and He was slain only once (Hebrews 9:28), we also see a time other than Passover where Jesus is ceremonially slain.

Why?

Many have speculated, but there could be clues along with the fact that this sacrifice happens before the release of the second goat.

The original Passover only resulted in the children of Israel being passed over for their sins. In this age, those who are true Christians claim the sacrifice of Jesus on His final earthly Passover for paying the penalty for our sins. But real Christians are a small minority of the population of the world (Luke 12:32; Romans 11:5).

Since the Bible calls Satan “the god of this age” who has “blinded” the world (2 Corinthians 4:4), most have been blinded and have not yet been covered by the sacrifice of Jesus. Yet this will happen for nearly all who will be called–either in this age or the age to come (Matthew 12:32). Showing the sacrifice, ceremonially after the church age ends, helps demonstrate that the sacrifice of Jesus was not just for those called in the church age, as God’s plan includes offering salvation to all, and not just today’s elect.

By showing the sacrifice prior to the other goat being released, this shows that Jesus was not taking away the sins of Satan.

Jesus took the penalty of all human beings. But it doesn’t apply to humans until after God calls us and grants us repentance (John 6:44) and we come to be willing to repent and we come to believe. Not only in Jesus, but we believe the Son and we believe the Father, that is, we believe what They say.  Also, we prove it by repenting, being baptized, being granted the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and actually trying to live as They would have us live (cf. 1 John 2:6).

The Day of Atonement was kept in the 4th century according to John Chrysostom who preached against it (John Chrysostom. Homily I Against the Jews I:5;VI:5;VII:2).

This can also be seen in Canon 69/70 of the Syrian Apostolic Canons near this time which tried to ban it (Seaver JE.  Persecution of the Jews in the Roman Empire (300-438), Issue 30 of University of Kansas publications: Humanistic studies. University of Kansas Publications, 1952, pp. 34-35).

A Muslim document, dated from the fifth through the tenth century, states that Jesus and His disciples kept the fast on the same days as the Jews. It indicates that Judeo-Christians were still keeping the Day of Atonement while the Greco-Romans came up with a 50 day Lenten-fasting period that Jesus did not keep (Tomson P. Lambers-Petry L. The Image of the Judaeo-Christians in Ancient Jewish and Christian Literature, Volume 158, 2003, pp. 70-72; Stern SM. Quotations from Apocryphal Gospels in ‘Abd Al-Jabbar. Journal of Theological Studies, NS. Vol. XVIII, (1) April 1967: 34-57).  Reports from other historians support this view (e.g. Pines, pp. 32-34). Furthermore, we see historical reports that it was still being kept in Transylvania in the 16th century (Liechty, pp. 61-62).

The old Radio Church of God observed the Day of Atonement (and the other Holy Days) throughout the 20th century. We in the Continuing Church of God continue to observe it today.

In its Statement of Beliefs, the Continuing Church of God states:

The Day of Atonement called “the Fast” in the New Testament (Acts 27:9), helps show our own weaknesses and need to be closer to God (Isaiah 58:5,11). This day shows that Jesus was the atoning sacrifice for our sins now (1 John 4:9-10; cf. Leviticus 16:15-16) and those that will be called in the “age to come” (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; cf. Acts 3:21). It also helps picture that Satan has a role in the sins of humankind and that he will be punished by being bound for one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3; cf. Leviticus 16:20-26; Isaiah 14:12-16).

Yes, the Day of Atonement should be highly relevant for Christians.

The Day of Atonement is one of God’s Feasts per Leviticus 23 and is referred to in the New Testament (cf. Acts 27:9).

Feast of Tabernacles

Church services for the Feast of Tabernacles in 2024 are to begin the evening of October 16th and run (including the Last Great Day) until sunset October 24th.

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures a culminating event in God’s plan. After Jesus died for our sins to redeem humankind, and after He sent us the Holy Spirit and picked out a people for His Name to become kings and priests to reign with Him on earth (Revelation 5:10), and after His Second Coming, and after He has finally placed all the sins upon the head of Satan separating both him and the sins from the presence of God and His people (making us finally joined at-one with Him, atonement), then we are ready for that final series of events, the commencement of the establishment of the millennial Kingdom of God on earth.

The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the spiritual and material abundance that will occur during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ when people will keep God’s laws without Satan’s deceptions (Revelation 20:1-6). This is in contrast to what is happening now in a world deceived by Satan (Revelation 12:9). Satanic deception, which will be gone then (Revelation 20:1-3), is part of why most who profess Christianity have been misled by ‘nice’ false ministers as well as why many of those ministers have been misled (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Jesus himself, kept the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day, and also taught it per John 7:10-37.

Here are some instructions about it from the Hebrew scriptures:

33 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 34 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord. 35 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it.

41 You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, (Leviticus 23:33-35,41-42)

13 “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, … 14 And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. 15 Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.

16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you. (Deuteronomy 16:13-17)

God had ancient Israel dwell in booths/tabernacles (‘sukkos’ in Hebrew) in the wilderness for decades before they entered the promised land. Those booths, in a sense, pictured that they were only heirs to the promised land. Even during the Millennium, when the Kingdom of God is ruling over mortal nations, the mortal people will be only heirs to the Kingdom. They must overcome and grow in knowledge and wisdom to inherit the promises.

God says of Ephraim (sometimes portraying a type of all Israel in scripture) that they will “dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the feast” (Hosea 12:9, Douay-Rheims). Israel, in the wilderness, was a type of all people who must go through trials and tribulations to inherit the promises (1 Corinthians 10:11). They were sojourners, waiting to inherit the promises of God.

We Christians are to realize that we have no permanent city in this age and look to the one to come (Hebrews 13:14). The staying in temporary dwellings during the Feast of Tabernacles helps remind us of that.  Christians should attend church services, if possible, each day of the Feast of Tabernacles to learn (Deuteronomy 31:10-13; Nehemiah 8:17-18) being living sacrifices, which is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

The Feast of Tabernacles is a time to rejoice (Deuteronomy 14:26; 16:15). The use of the related tithe (commonly called “second tithe”) shows that this is to be a time of abundance (Deuteronomy 14: 22-26), but also that the ministry should be taken care of in this age (Deuteronomy 14:27). The Feast of Tabernacles helps picture the time of millennial abundance.  This gives us a glimpse into the time after Jesus returns.

The millennium represents the seventh day of God’s 7,000 year plan. Interestingly, every seven years, the book of the law was commanded to be read at the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). This helps picture that the law, including the Ten Commandments, will be kept in the millennium, as the Bible shows the law will be taught then (Isaiah 2:2-3; more on the commandments can be found in our free online booklet The Ten Commandments). It is living according to God’s laws that will bring blessings and abundance during the millennium.

We Christians now await the coming millennium and the change that occurs at the last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:52), which is also called the first resurrection:

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)

The Bible show that after Jesus gathers the Church to Himself, and after He is seated on His throne where we will be ruling with Him, He will gather the nations before Him and say to the Christians:

34 Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom

prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew 25:34).

Now, those who keep the Feast of Tabernacles look forward to this as it helps picture the millennial kingdom.

In the early second century, Papias of Hierapolis said:

[T]here will be a period of some thousand years after the resurrection of the dead, and that the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this very earth.

The observance of the Feast of Tabernacles is a shadow of the coming millennial kingdom of God that faithful Christians have kept since New Testament times.

The Feast of Tabernacles is essentially a ‘pilgrimage’ (Psalm 84:1-5) period, meaning it usually involves travel outside of one’s normal community. Jesus ‘tabernacled’ with humans when He was here (As the Greek word ἐσκἠνωσεν in John 1:14 can be translated per Green JP. Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Baker Books, 1996, 5th printing 2002, p. 282).

While some falsely claim that the Feast of Tabernacles from the past through current times must only be kept in Jerusalem, this is in error. The children of Israel were not even in Jerusalem for centuries after the commands for its observance in Leviticus 23 were recorded—hence Jerusalem was not an initial option for them. The Bible shows the Feast of Tabernacles can be kept in cities other than Jerusalem (Nehemiah 8:15; cf. Deuteronomy 14:23-24). During the second temple period (530 B.C – 70 A.D.), Jews often kept it elsewhere (Hayyim Schausse noted, “Sukkos was a great festival even outside of Jerusalem.” Schausse H. The Jewish Festivals: A Guide to Their History and Observance, 1938. Schocken, p. 184).

It may also be of interest to note Polycarp of Smyrna in the 2nd century (Life of Polycarp, Chapter 19.) and certain others in Asia Minor in the late 4th century kept the  Feast  of  Tabernacles  in  Asia  Minor, not  Jerusalem.  This is confirmed by sources such as the Catholic saint Jerome (Patrologia Latina Volumen MPL025 Ab Columna ad Culumnam 1415 – 1542A) and research done by the 20th century Cardinal Jean Danielou (Danielou, Cardinal Jean-Guenole-Marie. The Theology of Jewish Christianity. Translated by John A. Baker. The Westminister Press, 1964, pp. 343-346).

A nineteenth century anti-millennial scholar named Giovanni Battista Pagani wrote the following about the Egyptian Bishop Nepos of the third century and those who supported the millennium:

…all those who teach a millennium framed according to Jewish ideas, saying that during the millennium, Mosaic law will be restored…These are called Judaical Millenarians, not as being Jews, but as having invented and upheld a millennium according … The principal authors of this error were Nepos, an African Bishop, against whom St. Dionysius wrote his two books on Promises; and Apollinaris, whom St. Epiphanius confound in his work against heresies. (Pagani, Giovanni Battista. Published by Charles Dolman, 1855, pp. 252-253)

It should be of interest to note that neither Bishops Nepos nor Apollinaris were Jews, but were condemned for having a religion that had “Jewish” beliefs. And since Apollinaris is called a Catholic saint, it should be clear that the respected non-Jewish Christian leaders in the early third century clearly did hold to ideas that were condemned by the allegorists. The fact that they held to “Mosaic law” is evidence then that they both understood the meaning of and kept the Feast of Tabernacles, but with a Christian emphasis.

The Greco-Roman bishop & saint Methodius of Olympus in the late 3rd or early 4th century taught that the Feast of Tabernacles was commanded and that it had lessons for Christians:

For since in six days God made the heaven and the earth, and finished the whole world, and rested on the seventh day from all His works which He had made, and blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, so by a figure in the seventh month, when the fruits of the earth have been gathered in, we are commanded to keep the feast to the Lord, …it is commanded that the Feast of our Tabernacles shall be celebrated to the Lord … For like as the Israelites, having left the borders of Egypt, first came to the Tabernacles, and from hence, having again set forth, came into the land of promise, so also do we. For I also, taking my journey, and going forth from the Egypt of this life, came first to the resurrection, which is the true Feast of the Tabernacles, and there having set up my tabernacle, adorned with the fruits of virtue, on the first day of the resurrection, which is the day of judgment, celebrate with Christ the millennium of rest, which is called the seventh day, even the true Sabbath. (Methodius. Banquet of the Ten Virgins, Discourse 9)

The Roman Catholic priest and scholar Jerome said that Nazarene Christians kept it and that they believed that it pointed to the millennial reign of Jesus Christ (Patrologia Latina Volumen MPL025 Ab Columna ad Culumnam 1415 – 1542A). This keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles by Nazarene Christians in the late fourth century was also confirmed by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox saint Epiphanius of Salamis.

Mainly based upon New Testament scriptures, Christians keep the Feast of Tabernacles a bit different than the Israelites did.

Records indicate that the Feast of Tabernacles seems to have been kept in Europe during the Middle Ages (Ambassador College Correspondence Course, Lesson 51.  “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place …” Rev. 12:6. 1968) as well as specifically in Transylvania in the 1500s (Liechty, pp. 61-62), at places without palm branches. There is some evidence to suggest that it was kept in the Americas in the 1600 and 1700s. It was kept by the old Radio Church of God and Worldwide Church of God all around the world in the 20th century.

We in the Continuing Church of God continue to keep it in places around the world and we also teach that the Feast of Tabernacles points to the millennial reign of Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God.

The Feast of Tabernacles has been observed by many modern Christians in either tents or motel/hotel rooms functioning as “tabernacles”—temporary dwellings— and not just in palm-branch huts that the Israelites normally used. The New Testament shows that Christians have a different tabernacle (cf. Hebrews 8:2; 9:11-15), which is consistent with not having to personally to build a palm-booth. The Bible shows that the children of Israel dwelt mainly in tents per Exodus 33:8 (and sometimes other apparently temporary, per Deuteronomy 4:45-49, homes) while they were in the wilderness for forty years and that God considered those as “tabernacles” per Leviticus 23:43. Living in tents or motel rooms is a similar type of temporary dwelling/tabernacle today.

The Bible shows Christians need not make animal sacrifices/offerings (Hebrews 9:9) like the burnt offerings which the children of Israel used to provide during the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:36-37). Instead, we are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1)—which normally includes regularly attending church services during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Some may wonder why attending services is done for all the days at the Feast of Tabernacles, yet this is not required for the Days of Unleavened Bread. The basic scriptural reason is that the command says, ”You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days … Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses” (Deuteronomy 16:13,15), but that is not so stated related to the Days of Unleavened Bread—the commands for it says to eat unleavened bread for seven days in Leviticus 23:6 and Deuteronomy 16:3, as opposed to observe the feast for seven days (we make a ‘sacrifice’ the seven days of unleavened bread by eating unleavened bread on each of the days). The Bible also says to be in temporary dwellings during the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:42), but does not state this related to the other Holy Days.

Since Satan will be bound for the millennial reign (Revelation 20:1-2), there will be less deception then. Going away for the time of the Feast of Tabernacles and meeting daily helps picture a time when the world will be quite different than it now is.

“Your Kingdom Come!” (Matthew 6:10).

Bible prophecy shows that the Feast of Tabernacles will be kept in the millennium:

16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 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. 18 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. 19 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 (Zechariah 14:16-19).

So the Bible teaches that God will expect all to keep the Feast of Tabernacles in the future. Even Catholic commentators recognize that God’s plan includes the Feast of Tabernacles. A Catholic commentary on passages in Zechariah 14 states:

In the mean time such as before persecuted the Church shall be converted, & with great devotion will celebrate the festivities, and exercise religious rites to Gods honor: and shall merit great rewards. (The Original And True Douay Old Testament Of Anno Domini 1610 Volume 2, p. 824)

The kingdom of God will replace all the kingdoms of this world (Revelation 11:15), and this festival helps picture this by separating (cf. Revelation 18:4; 1 John 2:18-19) Christian pilgrims (1 Peter 2:1-12) from their usual routine.

The keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles gives us a glimpse in this age of what will happen in the future millennial kingdom. The Bible also shows that later, “the tabernacle of God” will be on the earth “and He will dwell with” us (Revelation 21:3).

Keeping the Feast of Tabernacles now is a foretaste of things to come in the Kingdom of God.

In its Statement of Beliefs, the Continuing Church of God states:

The Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-39) which shows a time of abundance, helps picture the millennial kingdom reign (Revelation 20:4-6) of Jesus Christ and His saints on the earth (Zechariah 14:6-21; Matthew 13:1-30; Luke 12:32; John 7:6-14; Acts 17:31; Revelation 5:10, 11:15; 12:9). This future paradise, following the near total destruction that humanity will have brought upon itself through its activities and the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord (Matthew 24:21-31), will help show humanity the advantages of God’s way of life. Every seven years, the law is to be read during this festival (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).

Yes, the Feast of Tabernacles should be highly relevant for Christians.

The Feast of Tabernacles is one God’s Feasts per Leviticus 23 and helps picture the millennial portion of the coming Kingdom of God–it also contradicts Satan’s false gospel that humanity, apart from the true God, will solve the problems of the world.

Galveston Site Activities

In the Letter to the Brethren: October 3, 2024, I asked if any one had additional suggestions related to non-services activities at the CCOG Feast of Tabernacles site in Galveston, Texas.

Dawn Parr, who has been to the area, sent in several ideas including:

Hi Dr. Thiel,In the Letter to the Brethren you mentioned taking suggestions for activities. Our family is hoping to spend some time each day (other than the annual and weekly Sabbath days) at Moody Gardens. Purchasing an annual membership seems like the most affordable way to do that. I realize that isn’t in everyone’s budget, but it seems to make the most sense for our budget and our interests. I’m not sure if you will find the information below helpful or not, but I’m sharing it just in case it could be helpful.Dawnhttps://www.moodygardens.com/membershipsAnnual Pass $120/person – grants you access to the Rainforest Pyramid, Aquarium Pyramid, Discovery Museum, Audience Recognition Theater, MG3D Theater, 4D Special FX Theater, Colonel Paddlewheel Boat (weather permitting and subject to availability), Ropes Course, Festival of Lights and Ice Land (seasonal).

Member Benefits

15% off any attraction ticket purchase (not valid with other coupons, discounts, special exhibits, or events)

20% off at gift shops

50% off a photo print (must be purchased in person)

20% off at concessions and restaurants (excludes alcohol and Shearn’s)

Up to 25% off on best available room rate at the Moody Gardens Hotel (excludes third party booking and is subject to availability – must showmembership card upon check-in)

And more!Some things to consider about Moody Gardens:Special Discounts

These discount tickets are only available for purchase on-site

Military Discount

20% Off Value Pass with Valid Military ID – For Active-Duty Military Personnel & Veterans, Spouse and Children Under 18

First Responder Discount

20% Off Value Pass with Valid ID – For First Responder Only
(Police, Fire, EMS)

Mommy Wednesday

$35 Value Pass every Wednesday for moms (or dads) and their child aged 4-5 ($35 for child and $35 for one parent).

Good Grades

A Parent or Guardian of the student should present a report card within 30 days with nothing less than a B and receive free admission into one educational attraction.Only Students K through 12 are eligible for the Good Grades Program. Groups are not applicable for this discount.

Educational Attractions: Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid, Discovery Museum, Colonel Paddlewheeler, MG 3D Theater, 4D Special FX Theater, or Audience Recognition Theaterhttps://tickets.moodygardens.com/webstore/shop/viewitems.aspx?cg=ti&c=admission&_gl=1*9ogjcc*_gcl_au*nji1otiymzu2lje3mtgzmdi0ode.*_ga*mtexotc3ntawms4xnzayntg5nzkz*_ga_sxn7grecd9*mtcxotu5mtewmy42os4xlje3mtk1otkxmdeuntyumc4wThere is a One Day Value Pass       Adults (ages 13+) – $80-85       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $70-75Visitors can save on attraction tickets with the best deal being the One-Day Value Pass that includes admission to the Aquarium and Rainforest Pyramids, Discovery Museum; Colonel Paddlewheel Boat (weather permitting); MG 3D, 4D Special FX, and Audience Recognition Theater, Palm Beach, and Ropes Course (if available).Aquarium Pyramid       Adults (ages 13+) – $38-$41       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $31-33Rainforest Pyramid       Adults (ages 13+) – $34-36       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $27-29Discovery Museum       Adults (ages 13+) – $20       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $173D Theater       Adults (ages 13+) – $13-14       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $10-114D Theater       Adults (ages 13+) – $13-14       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $10-11Colonel Paddlewheel Boat       Adults (ages 13+) – $15-16       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $12-13They also have Combo TicketsAquarium and Rainforest       Adults (ages 13+) – $53-56       Children (4-12) and Seniors (65+) – $43-46There are some other combination tickets listed as well.

I was unaware of any annual pass, and it is not something one might normally think of for just being somewhere for nine days, but apparently that could be cost-effective for those interested in the activities at Moody Gardens–which is also the place we are scheduled to hold church services each day.

Dawn also sent the following ideas:Kemah Boardwalk is 25-30 miles from Moody Gardens. My search indicates about 40-50 minutes of travel time to get there. It does not allow outside food or beverages.https://www.kemahboardwalk.com/all-ridesThere is a Greek restaurant called Cafe Petra in Texas City. It might be a neat place to eat at on the way to Kemah or on the way back if anyone decides to go to Kemah.https://texascity.cafe-petra.com/The Galveston Children’s MuseumClosed Monday and TuesdayWed-Sat: 9:30a – 5p, Sun: Noon – 5phttps://galvestoncm.org/

INDIVIDUAL PRICING

Members: Free
Under 2: Free
Adults and Children: $10
Military Families and Seniors: $8
SNAP/Medicaid: $3FerryThe ferry is a free activity. You can drive on or simply walk on. You are sometimes able to see jelly fish, dolphins, and other wildlife while on the ferry. I enjoyed it as a young person, and I’ve enjoyed it as an adult. It operates 24-7. Our family has found it to be a neat activity.

We’ve just enjoyed the scenery on the way across and we stay on the ferry and enjoy the trip back. I’ve never done any thing on the other side. We just enjoy looking out over the water. We like to just walk on to the Ferry.I’m sorry I don’t know about activities on the other side.https://www.txdot.gov/ discover/ferry-boat-schedules/ galveston-port-bolivar-ferry. html

So, those are a few additional suggestions.

For information on our sites around the world, as well as some recommended video messages, go to the article: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2024.

Suggested Sabbath Day Services

Here is a suggested Day of Atonement service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:

Here is a suggested Day of Atonement service for our scattered brethren and other interested people who prefer to have two services:

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 cellular 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.

Suggested Feast of Tabernacles Services

For those in the South Pacific, as well as those not attending a festival site, here is a link to the: Feast of Tabernacles Opening Night Message 2024.

Here is an offertory:

12:24

Feast of Tabernacles Offertory

Connor Parr gives an offertory message for the Feast of Tabernacles. He provides various scriptures related to offerings and giving.

Offerings can be mailed to the Continuing Church of God, 1036 W. Grand Avenue, Grover Beach, CA 93433. Offerings can also be given online via PayPal–check out: https://www.ccog.org/donations/

Here is a link to our offertory: Feast of Tabernacles Offertory.

Some may wish to watch the following sermon which was given on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles in 2023: The Millennial Kingdom of God.

Messages produced in 2024 will likely be uploaded to the following throughout the Feast of Tabernacles this year: https://www.cogwriter.com/news/

World News Items

Last Thursday, the UK announced it would turn the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius –the recommended sermonette for this Sabbath is related to that (watch Prophecy: UK’s Loss of Chagos Islands). After the UK announcement, Argentina stated that it expects to end up with the Falkland Islands, but the UK says that will not happen (see After Chagos announcement, Argentina pushes for Falkland, UK says no, but …). However, despite the UK denials, the UK will lose the Falklands and its other territories as well.

We continue to watch the situation in the Middle East. Israel and Hezbollah keep taking actions against each other, and Iran and Israel continue threaten each other (see Israel intends to attack Iran, whereas Iran says Israel ‘will not last long’). The matter in the Middle East is likely to be a factor in the coming deal of Daniel 9:27. A deal that we may well see confirmed by the end of Spring in 2025.

More and more secular sources are pointing to the end of the US dollar dominating global trade (see MW: Can America Survive Global De-Dollarization? COGwriter: No!). The impact of the US dollar losing its position as the global trading currency will result in massive inflation and other problems for the US. Because of rising US debt, sanctions, and financial threats, the US government has been pushing away other nations, which hurts its financial influence. As I have written before, the time will come when the US dollar is worth no more than the scrap value of the cotton-paper it is printed on or its nostalgic value to some.

Concluding Comments

The New Testament shows that the the Gentile Gospel writer Luke knew about the Day of Atonement, when he wrote:

9 … sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over (Acts 27:9).

What was Luke referring to according to Protestant commentators who do not keep God’s Holy Days?

Why the day of Atonement.

Notice two such commentaries (note italics/bolding are from the sources cited):

Acts 27:9-11 … Sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was already past, that is, the famous yearly fast of the Jews, the day of atonement, which was on the tenth day of the seventh month, a day to afflict the soul with fasting (from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.).

Acts 27:8-9 … The fast to which Luke refers is the Day of Atonement (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press).

The fact that Luke (who wrote in Greek, writing to a Greek) used that term for a Christian audience (Acts 1:1) demonstrates that the Day of Atonement was known, recognized, and observed by early Christians. He presumed that Christians would realize when “the Fast” was as they would have been keeping it. If they had not been keeping it, then Luke probably would have used a different expression. But he did not use a different word as he knew his Greek-reading Christian audience would understand what he was referring to.

Brethren, we all should also be keeping it as well.

My wife Joyce and I have been doing so for over four decades.

Sincerely,

Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer