Dear Family,

Today is Wednesday, April 20, 2022. This is Day 4 of Week 1 in our Count to Pentecost.

After several days of walking, the ancient Israelites neared the Red Sea. Until Israel had crossed the Red Sea, they were technically still in the land of Egypt even though they had walked for several days. It was at the Red Sea that they realized Pharaoh was in hot pursuit.

But God was not caught off guard! He had one last blow to deliver to Egypt and its gods. Not only had God promised deliverance to the Israelites, He also promised to judge the Egyptians and their gods so that all the world would know that HE was God. And, at the Red Sea, God took the opportunity to do just that!

God had sent the plagues to reveal Himself to the Egyptians in a mighty, spectacular way. The plagues were against the Egyptians as well as all of their gods, including the god-Pharaoh. Through the centuries, many unbelievers have attempted to explain away God’s supernatural intervention against Egypt and its gods by insisting the plagues were simply natural disasters. But they were true miracles specifically directed at what God had judged to be worthy of destruction.

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

Exodus 7:4-5 (4) But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

When the ancient Israelites walked away from their Egyptian slavery, the nation of Egypt was in shambles. Yet, it was at the Red Sea that God completed His plan. God did not finish His judgment against Egypt and its gods until Pharaoh and his horsemen were cast into the sea and destroyed. We find a song of triumph in Exodus 15, and a clear statement from God in Romans 9 about His purpose for dealing with Pharaoh as He did.

Exodus 15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh; Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Let us pray for God’s purposes and will to be done as He again declares His name in these last days!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2022, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Tuesday, April 19, 2022. This is Day 3 of Week 1 in our count to Pentecost.

Traditionally, the Jewish community has read the Song of Songs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This small book of the Old Testament never mentions God, but many have read this beautiful love story about a king and a Shulamite woman and concluded that it is some type of allegory or parable about the love of God for His people, and Christ’s love for the Church.

Most of this book contains the sensuous words of the Shulamite, the bride to be, and the words of love from the bridegroom for his bride. Interspersed among the lovers’ dialogue are short narratives that support the main theme. The book opens with passionate words.

Song of Songs 1:1-4 (1) The song of songs, which is Solomon’s. (2) Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (3) Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. (4) Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

It is possible that this book does indeed provide a glimpse for us of the depth and magnitude of the love Christ has for His Body, the Church of God. The book ends with an impassioned plea for the beloved bridegroom to make haste. Perhaps this entreaty is an earnest request for the soon return of our Savior to claim His bride.

Song of Songs 8:14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.

All in all, this little book of eight short chapters continues to be a great mystery… one which God has surely preserved for His Church as part of inspired Holy Scripture, and worthy to be read and studied just as all other parts of God’s Word (Matthew 4:4, 2 Timothy 3:16, and 2 Peter 1:21). Reading this book may become very profitable for God’s Church in our near future, as He continues to reveal His mysteries to the Church, and as we wait expectantly and yearn for the return of our Savior, Messiah, and Beloved Bridegroom.

God certainly has had this unusual book remain as a part of His inspired Holy Scriptures. And, God always has purpose for what He does. The tradition of reading this book during this season of Unleavened Bread may be one of the best traditions from God’s Old Covenant people that we can acknowledge and assume for ourselves.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2022, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Monday, April 18, 2022. This is Day 2 of Week 1. It is Day 2 in our Count to Pentecost.

During several more days of this first week of our count to Pentecost, our homes are unleavened, and we will continue to avoid eating leavened bread for that period of time. Hopefully, as we have prepared physically and try to remain on guard against eating leavened bread, let us, at the very least, be just as careful to avoid the sin that the leavened bread symbolizes for us.

In the context of the entire fifth chapter of 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul exhorted the brethren at Corinth to purge out the spiritual leaven that was among them. Paul stressed that the Corinthians not go back to the patterns of the “old leaven” (verse 8), nor to hold onto the leaven of malice and wickedness. Rather, he urged them to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:7-8 (7) Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: (8) Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The metropolitan city of Corinth, and the early Church in that city, had many of the same kinds of problems and temptations that we find on our modern society today.

In this 21st century’s fast pace and our culture of accepting sin as we see it all around us in real life, as well as in our crazy world of entertainment, it is easy to be caught up in what the world is doing. Sometimes we can miss identifying the leaven that is all around us.

Let us follow Paul’s admonitions to the Corinthians in order to seek God’s sincerity and truth enthusiastically. It is Jesus Who is the epitome of God’s sincerity and truth! It is Jesus Christ Who is our Living Bread. Let us eat this Bread daily with clean hands and a purified heart.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2022, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sunday, April 17, 2022. This is Day One of Week One. It is Day 1 in our Count to Pentecost. This special day is the Day of the Wavesheaf.

In Leviticus 23:15-16 we are told to “complete” seven Sabbaths and also to “number fifty days” from the day the sheaf was brought to be presented as a “wave offering.”

The Wavesheaf ceremony, which is described in Leviticus 23 and occurs during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, has important prophetic significance for God’s Church.

The Wavesheaf is the prophetic foreshadowing of the risen Christ! And, the priest’s waving this sheaf of the firstfruits is a picture of Jesus Christ’s appearance before His Father to be accepted for us.

Leviticus 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.

The ceremony of the Wavesheaf prophetically explains an integral part of God’s plan of salvation for mankind. The Wavesheaf pictured the resurrected Christ; Who is the first of the firstfruits of God’s early harvest.

The rest of the firstfruits pictures God’s harvest of Christ’s brethren. The children in whom God has planted His seed of everlasting life will finally be harvested just as Jesus was harvested. They too will become the everliving children, born of Almighty God, our Father.

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Through the Apostle Paul’s writings to the Corinthians, we learn that without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the True Wavesheaf, we would still be dead.

1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

As the Sheaf of the firstfruits, waved and accepted, Jesus was first to be a fully born spiritual Son of God. Because of His life, death, and first-of-its-kind resurrection to a future everlasting life, we can also live forever with Him.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2022, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Once again we begin our Counting to Pentecost. There will be an entry for each day. We plan to have a write up for each day in our Counting to 50 for 2022.

The Wave Sheaf is Day 1.

The 2022 counting is being added so that it can be referenced on the website though it is not 2022 when it was added.

Love and Blessings to you and your families,
Ben Faulkner

Dear Family,

Today is Pentecost, May 28, 2023. It is Day 50; we have come to the end of our Counting.We have completed 7 cycles of 7 weeks, and the Day we have looked forward to has finally arrived.

Historically, this Day has had great significance for worshippers of the true God. Ancient Israel entered into a marriage covenant with their Creator. And, the New Testament Church was born on this Day about 2000 years ago when God poured out His Holy Spirit on those who had gathered faithfully to observe this festive Holy Time.

In the year our Savior completely fulfilled the Passover sacrifice and the symbolism of the Wavesheaf, everything was ready for God to perform more of His wonders!

In accordance with the instructions of our risen Savior, the disciples had obediently gone to Jerusalem to wait.

Acts 1:4 And [JESUS} being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me.

They were there in one accord. They knew something significant was about to happen. And, it did!

Acts 2:1-4 (1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

May God bless us richly as we focus our entire being upon Him, worship Him, and rejoice before Him today!

Happy Holy Day!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sabbath, May 27, 2023. It is Day 49; Day 7 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost. Tomorrow is the day we have been anticipating now for many weeks.

As the sun set at the beginning of this day, we moved into holy time, and when the sun sets this evening, we will continue to be in holy time. That happens infrequently during the 365 days of the year. This weekend we have two days of time God has set apart for His people to fellowship with Him.

“Set apart” is another way of saying “sanctify.” It means that God has a significant purpose for something that is sanctified. God has set apart the weekly Sabbath. He has set apart the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). He has also set us apart as His people. And, God expects that we will also sanctify what is important.

Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying; Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Deuteronomy 5:12 Keep the Sabbath Day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

Leviticus 11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

May God bless us to enjoy our own sanctification as an integral part of the process of salvation that God has designed in His infinite wisdom!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Friday, May 26, 2023. It is Day 48; Day 6 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.

God expected Israel to be ready to meet Him at Mt. Sinai. And, God also expects that of His people today!

God certainly does allow a lot of variations in many things. However, when God makes a point about something He wants to be done exactly as He tells us, we had better pay close attention.

That is what happened with the ancient Israelites at Mt. Sinai during that Pentecost season long ago.

Exodus 19:10-11, 14-15 (10) And the LORD said unto Moses; Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, (11) And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. (14) And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes. (15) And he said unto the people; Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.

When we are summoned before God for Holy Convocations during the three annual festival seasons, God wants us to be sanctified, clean, and mentally prepared. The focus of our attention needs to be on what God wants, what He tells His people to do, and what God intends to bestow upon us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (12) Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

May God bless each of us with hearts that are willing to prepare, hearts that are willing to be cleansed, and hearts that truly seek our God.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Thursday, May 25, 2023. It is Day 47; Day 5 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.

As they camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai, most of ancient Israel had little idea of what was about to transpire in a few days. One of the wonderful features of the covenant God was making with ancient Israel was the point of their being chosen as a people. This involved many things, including having blessings passed on to future generations. God had promised this to Abraham and his seed.

Genesis 12:1-4 (1) Now the LORD had said unto Abram; Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: (3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (4) So, Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

It is a marvelous thing to be one of the chosen of God and to walk among His people. As disciples of the One True God, we have just such an opportunity. What an awesome blessing!

Because of the work God has done and is continuing to do in us through Christ, the Messiah, we are the seed of Abraham. God has called us to go into a land He will show us also. God has bestowed great promises upon us and our children, just as He did on ancient Israel. We are the seed of Abraham by faith.

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not; And to seeds, as of many; but as of One; And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Let us move forward in faith. May God grant us that we will receive all the blessings and the promises He has prepared for us and for our children.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Wednesday, May 24, 2023. It is Day 46; Day 4 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.

In order to strike the rock at Mt. Horeb, Moses and the elders had gone ahead to camp near the base of the mountain. The people followed and arrived soon after. It is at this camp that Jethro brought Moses’ family to him.

We know little about Jethro except that he was a priest in Midian (Exodus 3:1). Of course, God had not set up His priesthood yet. That would be done in the months following Pentecost. However, Jethro recognized something special about the God Who had delivered Israel from Pharaoh and Egyptian slavery.

In Exodus 3:18 we learn Jethro also had another name. The name Reuel means friend of God.

Exodus 3:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said; How is it that ye are come so soon to day?

Apparently, Jethro was quite discerning and had a bit of wisdom. He noticed how overworked Moses was in dealing with the everyday leadership of the people. Much of Moses’ time was used in settling squabbles and various disputes. Jethro suggested a way to ease Moses’ efforts and share the responsibilities with other leaders. And, Jethro also suggested that Moses ask God about the suggestion.

Exodus 18:13, 16, 19-23 (13) And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. (16) When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and His laws (19) Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: (20) And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. (21) Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: (22) And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. (23) If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

There are many lessons we can learn from this account. Here are several to ponder:

• Moses’ ceaseless efforts on behalf of God’s people
• Moses’ humility in taking wise counsel from others
• Jethro’s wisdom
• Sometimes we learn important things from unexpected sources (Jethro)
• God can use anybody for His purposes (even a non-Israelite priest of Midian)
• Statutes, ordinances, and laws of God were already in existence and being used

May God bless us all with the spirit of wisdom, insight, and humility.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God