Dear Brethren and Co-Workers with Christ,
Greetings from Charlotte, NC! Thousands of us have just returned from a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles celebration. The warmth and enthusiasm and dedication engendered by keeping the festivals which God describes in the Bible—and which Christ and the apostles kept—certainly adds a great deal to one’s understanding of true Christianity. The people returning from the festival are really inspired to more fully walk with God.
Not only in the true Church of God, but around the world, thousands of others keep at least some of the festivals of God as many sincere people realize that these biblical festivals are part of genuine Christianity—and that they will be observed in Tomorrow’s World. As Zechariah 14:16-19 clearly shows, our Creator intends that His people keep these festivals and that they will be kept by all nations within a few years. Notice God’s inspired Word on this: “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. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16-19).
As Zechariah 14:1-4 certainly indicates, this is describing the time soon after Christ’s return as King of kings, when “all the nations” will begin to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. It may be helpful for all of us to understand that we are, in fact, “pioneers” if we will surrender our lives now to follow God’s teachings and begin to keep the annual festivals which He commands, which Christ and the apostles kept, and which the true Church of God should keep following God’s clear instruction. My friends, we will certainly be blessed if we learn to actually practice what God clearly commands in the Holy Days we keep, the way we live our lives, and the emphasis we have on truly preparing for the coming Kingdom of God—the World Government which will soon be set up on this earth under Jesus Christ and the true saints of God.
Thousands of you have come to realize that this very Work—publishers of Tomorrow’s World magazine and sponsors of Tomorrow’s World telecast around the world—is being used powerfully to directly prepare for that coming World Government. We have been trying to help our people clearly understand that real Christians are now “in training” to become those kings and priests described in Revelation 5:8-10. Notice some of these inspired verses. Here the true saints are pictured with the singing of a “new song” describing how Christ has been “slain” and He has “redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (vv. 9-10).
So, the true saints in the coming Kingdom of God will reign with Christ on this earth—not up in heaven with nothing to do! Again, the biblical Holy Days which Christ and the apostles observed directly picture this part of God’s Plan and, in fact, all of the Plan of God which He is working out in the lives of His true people. However, though tens of thousands of people in various religious fellowships partly observe some of God’s Holy Days, very few really understand the meaning of God’s commanded annual festivals. They do not comprehend that these festivals actually picture the Plan of the Creator as it relates to our personal salvation—and how God, step by step, is working with mankind to eventually bring all human beings into His divine Family. Therefore, especially for thousands of you co-workers, I would like to give a brief “overview” of the Plan of God as shown by these seven religious festivals commanded in His inspired word. Please remember, these festivals were not only given to Israel and commanded to be kept “forever,” they were observed by Jesus Christ and the early Church of God—setting us an example. And they will be observed in the coming one thousand year reign of Christ when His religion—true Christianity—will be practiced all over the world. Let us briefly describe each of God’s seven religious festivals and its meaning.
- The Passover: This spiritual “feast” was observed by Israel with the slaying of an unblemished lamb—picturing in advance the death of the ultimate “Lamb” of God, Jesus Christ.
- The Days of Unleavened Bread: These days portray that as ancient Israel came out of Egypt—biblically indicating a type of sin—so true Christians should also come out of sin. After the Passover, which pictures our acceptance of Christ’s shed blood, we are to “grow” in grace and in knowledge. In this festival God uses “leaven” as a type of sin—since it spreads throughout the dough in the making of bread products just as sin invisibly “spreads” through a person’s life unless forcibly and deliberately checked. The spiritual analogy in this is that as we are commanded to put leaven out of our homes during the Days of Unleavened, so we must put sin out of our lives (1 Corinthians 5:6-8).
- Pentecost: The day of Pentecost was often referred to as the Feast of “Firstfruits” in the Old Testament (Exodus 34:22), as it was a celebration of the early harvest in Palestine—and pictures the “firstfruits” of God’s salvation. It clearly indicates that God is not trying to “save” everyone now, but that today’s true Christians are merely the “firstfruits” of salvation—awaiting the time of Christ’s return when He will set His hand to save all human beings.
- Trumpets: The Feast of Trumpets is a time of the “blowing of trumpets”—as described in the Old Testament and in Revelation 8 and 9. Clearly, it pictures the “alarm of war”—as trumpets were used to indicate—the time of chaos, massive wars and troubles immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings. That day will be exciting! It clearly pictures the time we are now approaching—and the soon coming of our Savior to rule this entire world!
- Atonement: The Day of Atonement was a time when ancient Israel put away a goat which is designated as the “Azazel”—the Adversary—picturing the ultimate putting away of Satan the Devil, to typify Satan’s part in our sins being put right back on him, and Satan being sent “away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man” (Leviticus 16:21). This same event is foretold in Revelation 20:1-2.
- The Feast of Tabernacles: The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the fact that we, as true saints, are simply “pilgrims” in this world today—looking forward to what the coming Kingdom of God pictures. It also pictures the great harvest of souls when Christ will set His hand to save everyone during His coming Millennial reign. Therefore, in Exodus 34:22, it is also called the “Feast of Ingathering” at the harvest’s end. For it takes place at the time of the great fall harvest in Palestine and, again, describes the time when God really does attempt to “save” everyone in the tremendous “ingathering” of souls during the Millennium. It is indeed a joyous time—replete with much singing and celebration among God’s people!
- The Last Great Day: Even the coming Millennial reign of Christ does not complete God’s Plan. For, as many in the world wonder about but still do not understand, what happens to the untold billions of human beings who have never been converted to any form of Christianity—many of whom never even heard the name of Jesus Christ? This day clearly pictures the time when God will give them their first opportunity for genuine salvation. Many scriptures indicate the meaning of this day—an awesome day picturing the time when many of our own friends and unconverted relatives will have a chance to really understand the Truth of God in a way they never did before, and to obey their Creator with the help of His Holy Spirit!
Dear brethren and co-workers, all of these days—in this entire “Master Plan” of God—are clearly described and explained in our free booklet entitled: The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. If you don’t already have a copy, be sure to call or write us immediately and request your free copy of this informative and inspiring booklet. It will “open your eyes” to help you really understand the days Jesus and the apostles kept and why they will be kept in the soon-coming reign of Jesus Christ. We all ought to want to be “pioneers” in the true ways of God our Creator! We will be blessed forever if we seek for the understanding and courage to act on what our Creator is revealing to us through His inspired Word!
Even as I have been writing this letter, news has come to my desk from The Independent newspaper in Great Britain that a secret treaty is right now being planned by a number of major world powers—a treaty which will drastically change the American and British “way of life” within the next several years! The article entitled, “The demise of the dollar” was written by Robert Fisk. Mr. Fisk writes:
“In a graphic illustration of the new world order, Arab states have launched secret moves with China, Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading.
In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning—along with China, Russia, Japan and France—to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.
Secret meetings have already been held by finance ministers and central bank governors in Russia, China, Japan and Brazil to work on the scheme, which will mean that oil will no longer be priced in dollars.
The plans, confirmed to The Independent by both Gulf Arab and Chinese banking sources in Hong Kong, may help to explain the sudden rise in gold prices…” (The Independent, October 6, 2009).
Dear friends, this article goes on to show that Brazil and India have both “shown interest” in collaborating in this plan to do away with the dollar as the major world reserve currency. Other nations will probably become involved down the line, as indicated. This article has great current significance because many of the events it describes are now underway! Just this past summer, China detached itself from the bilateral exchange rate with the U.S. dollar, instead choosing to compare itself to a “basket” of other currencies. One reason was to deflect attention away from the U.S. dollar (Reuters, July 22, 2010). Nations of the world are increasingly concerned about the U.S. dollar and spiraling U.S. sovereign debt. The U.S. debt is also acting to polarize nations and even drive some nations together—for example the gulf nations. The Bible makes clear that debt can move one from a position of leadership to one of being a servant (Proverbs 22:7). We are right now watching this global power-shift occur! And these events are certainly “setting the stage” for America’s demise and for a powerful confederation of Arab states, the prophesied “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-45).
As the American and English-speaking British-descended peoples of the world are being brought down by God because of our mounting sins, our Creator is indeed beginning to “break the pride of our power” (Leviticus 26:19) through economic and other means. Though it is exciting to read about and to sense that Christ’s coming is soon, it is also very sobering. Time is short. We must indeed be about our Father’s business. We must teach the Truth of God to all nations. We must, ourselves, begin to more zealously obey what the Bible actually says and enthusiastically observe His commanded festivals which picture His Master Plan.
We must go all out to obey and to serve our Creator. It will indeed be “worth it” when Christ returns and, hopefully, most of us can be given crowns as those “kings” under Jesus Christ—assisting Him in straightening out the horrible mess this world is coming to and from which God alone will have to deliver us. God speed that day! And may God help all of us catch the vision and truly get involved in the Work to which Jesus Christ has called us at the very end of this 6,000 years of Satan’s rule over a very confused and very deceived world. So let’s do our part, with zeal, in getting out the message of Jesus Christ while we have the opportunity! Please let us hear from you as we need your help to increase the real impact of this end-time Work to which God has called us.
With Christian love,
Roderick C. Meredith
P.S. Don’t forget to order your copy of our free booklet, The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. Do it today!