Sabbath 18/4/42/120B
Dear Friends,
It has been drawn to our attention that a few people were of the view that one couple could not keep the Passover (No. 098) on two grounds.
These views are incorrect for a number of reasons.
There is no exclusion if one is not in the land of Israel as we know from the historical records. In the Captivity under Babylon and Persia the Passover instruction was issued to the Jews everywhere. The orders were issued throughout the Persian Empire to the Satraps and the instructions were sent to Egypt under the satrap Arsames, and sent to the Temple at Elephantine in the Fifth Century BCE regarding the keeping of the Passover. The Temple was also constructed in Egypt at Heliopolis by Onias IV ca. 160 BCE in accordance with Isaiah 19:19. All Jews no matter where they were throughout the world kept the Passover in accordance with Deuteronomy 16. It was never to be kept within their gates as instructed in Deuteronomy 16 and this text superseded the text in Exodus 12 which concerned the Passover in Egypt. The texts in Acts shows that the Jews were keeping the Passover into Ethiopia and into Parthia and Scythia and throughout Israel which had been dispersed into captivity in 722 BCE and then at the fall of the Parthian Empire moved into Europe to take up their inheritance there.
Now the requirement to be circumcised was superseded by the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Baptism was all that was required. This was the circumcision of the heart required by God and the Acts 15 Conference (No. 069) confirmed that to be so, and particularly concerning members who were slaves, thus the burden was removed. It is still the practice among the Churches of God to circumcise their males on the eighth day.
Anyone who does not keep the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread is cut off from their people (Ex. 12:15,19) which is now also the nation of Israel as the Body of Christ. More importantly the meal of the 14 Abib was set aside by Christ as the Lord’s Supper (No. 103) which is the Second Sacrament of the Church (No. 150).
If you do not keep it you are removed from the First Resurrection (No. 143A). These forms of arguments are put forward by unconverted Jews to disrupt the body of Christ and must be disregarded as serious error. Do not be deceived and misled by these arguments. Your faith depends on you keeping the full period of the Lord’s Supper and the Passover and Unleavened Bread or you go to the Second Resurrection (No. 143B).
Wade Cox
Coordinator General