Dear Family,

Today is Tuesday, April 22, 2025. This is Day 3 of Week 2 in our Counting toward Pentecost. It is our 10th day of Counting.

Tracing the steps of ancient Israel’s journeys outside of Egypt, today we would find them moving in the wilderness on the east side of the Red Sea.

Exodus 15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.

The Bible tells us Israel found no water. Now, not having water might be a real problem for some people. However, let us briefly remember the other circumstances that were fresh in Israel’s mind.

They had just been delivered from hard slavery, delivered through massive supernatural occurrences like a river turning to blood, plagues of frogs and lice, plagues of darkness and great hail, and the death of all unprotected firstborn. Supernaturally, the Red Sea opened for their safe passage, then slammed close to wipe out the mightiest army then on the face of the earth. Israel also was enjoying the presence of God in the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

In view of these recent circumstances, do you think finding no water was going to be a big problem for Israel? Well, of course, it was no problem to God. But, Israel tended to forget about God’s power and mercy. They tended to jump to ideas of disaster overtaking them in spite of God’s faithfulness. They tended to gripe and complain FIRST.

By the time God called us to repentance, every one of us had experienced God’s miraculous intervention in our lives. Is there any tendency in us to jump to ideas of disaster when we are challenged with a new trial? The enemy of God would have us believe God will neglect us in some way. However, using the striking stories and warnings in the example of ancient Israel, we can quickly move past the lies and doubts created by the enemy.

The solution to each new challenge is to choose to trust God, call out to Him in a humble attitude, and expect His intervention. He will never fail us. He will never leave us or forsake us. God started us on the road to salvation. He has set His heart on saving us. He will complete His part of the task. No enemy can stop Him. And, with Him all things are possible.

May God grant us all the ability to respond the way He wants us to respond to every situation He sends or allows to come into our lives. He is worthy to be trusted!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Monday, April 21, 2025. This is Day 2 of Week 2 in our Counting toward Pentecost. It is our 9th day of Counting.

As we move through this Counting and tracing the activities of ancient Israel, please notice the vast number of times that Israel cried out and God delivered them. Also, notice just how infrequently Israel’s attitude was good. God did not save them out of Egypt because they had repented in any way. He saved them according to His will and for His name’s sake. He did it as a witness to other nations that He is God!

From this perspective where we see Israel’s “poor” example, one overwhelming lesson is regarding God’s goodness. In this story we discover the depths of God’s grace. He demonstrated restraint, patience, forgiveness, kindness, gentleness, generosity, and many other aspects of His divine nature when He dealt with Israel.

There is no way we can come to the conclusion that Israel deserved any of God’s mercies, yet, God poured out His mercy over and over. Grace! Israel received God’s grace!

The pure truth is God has prepared the entire family of man to received God’s grace. We learn of it in John 3:16 and in other Scriptures like 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

As part of the Church today, we need to realize we are recipients of even greater measures of God’s grace than ancient Israel received. God has given us life and numerous talents and abilities. He has watched over us, protecting us and bringing us to a place where He has called us to repentance. He has forgiven us and granted us the gift of His Holy Spirit. He is placing His divine nature within us, daily teaching us and fellowshipping with us. Now, that’s GRACE!

Truly, God does none of this because we deserve His favor in any way. We have these blessings because He is a determined GRACIOUS God!

We are truly a blessed people. Let us strive to really get our minds around this kind of perspective about Who and What God is as He deals with us. God did not fail ancient Israel. He will not fail us. All of us who will put our trust in Him will be delivered!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sunday, April 20, 2025. this is Day 1 of Week 2 in our Counting toward Pentecost. It is our 8th day of Counting.

Today, as we trace the journey of the Israelites out of Egypt let us pause as they did and give God thanks for ALL that God is, and ALL that He does. We find in Exodus 15 an outstanding example of a praising and thanking God for deliverance. It is one of the songs of Moses referred to in the Bible. The first song of Moses is found in Exodus 15 while the second song of Moses is in Deuteronomy 32. These songs are referred to again in the book of Revelation (3:1-4). Clearly, they are important to God’s people throughout past history and future prophecy.

Let us all take time to read the entire song of Moses in Exodus 15 and praise and thank God along with Moses and the ancient Israelites.

Exodus 15:1-19 (1) Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying; I will sing unto the LORD, for He hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. (2) The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. (3) The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is His name. (4) Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. (5) The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. (6) Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: Thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. (7) And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against Thee: Thou sentest forth Thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. (8) And with the blast of Thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. (9) The enemy said; I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. (10) Thou didst blow with Thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters. (11) Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (12) Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. (13) Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which Thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation. (14) The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. (15) Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. (16) Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of Thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till Thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which Thou hast purchased. (17) Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which Thy hands have established. (18) The LORD shall reign for ever and ever. (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.

If Moses, the leader, the statesmen, the worker of miracles, the 80-year-old, past general of Egypt’s armies can lead a praise and worship of God, then let us participate with our whole hearts in singing a song about our deliverance unto the LORD.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Today is Sabbath, April 19, 2025. This is Day 7 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost. Today is also the Last Day of Unleavened Bread.

It was on the Last Day of Unleavened Bread several thousand years ago that God finally brought ancient Israel completely out of Egypt. Although the Israelites walked out on their own two feet, clearly, they were not able to free themselves from Egypt. That was God’s job. And, God was more than capable of all of the additional mighty miracles required to complete the job.

As the massive group of people moved toward the Red Sea, they became aware that they were being pursued by Pharaoh and his massive army of chariots and horsemen. Of course, being typical Israelites, they panicked and began to criticize God’s process of salvation.

Exodus 14:9-12 (9) But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon. (10) And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. (11) And they said unto Moses; Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? (12) Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

As true Believers we want to be very careful to avoid ALL of the mistakes that Israel made. God recorded many of the events and Israel’s weaknesses to warn us, to benefit us, and to keep us on track with God’s plans and purposes.

Psalm 106:7-12 (7) Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked Him at the sea, even at the Red sea. (8) Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power to be known. (9) He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: So He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness. (10) And He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. (11) And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. (12) Then believed they His words; they sang His praise.

Israel did not understand what God was doing in Egypt. Let each of us pray God will grant us understanding. And, let each of us pray we remain steadfast and faithful during the time that any specific understanding may be delayed for a season of our lives.

All Israel had to do was stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. The 14th chapter of Exodus brings the story of the Exodus to a close. Israel was saved, God’s name was glorified, and the enemies from Egypt were destroyed.

God does the same for us today.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Friday, April 18, 2025. This is Day 6 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost.

Looking back into ancient history on this 6th day of the first week, we find the children of Israel being brought out of Egyptian slavery. Yet, they are still within the boundaries of Egypt. The Bible says they journeyed from Ramses to Succoth.

Israel started out on their journey after the Passover and a time of spoiling the Egyptians. They were a motley bunch, hundreds of thousands of Israelites, with all of their “stuff” and their animals, as well as a “mixed multitude” of people, perhaps many of them Egyptians ready to leave their homeland, now devastated by the 10 plagues. Yet, their diverse grouping was carried out in an orderly fashion. The children of Israel were not fleeing from Egypt like some kind of mob. Even the archaic language of the King James Version reveals structure in the movement of the group.

Exodus 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

While Israel walked toward their crossing at the Red Sea, Pharaoh was reconsidering his decisions to let Israel go.

Exodus 14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?

Prior to Israel’s being out of Egypt-proper, there was to be one more major attempt from the enemy to subdue Israel. This was all a part of God’s plan to permanently deal with the enemy and to make His name known throughout the earth.

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.

God bless you richly! He knows how to deliver His people!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Thursday, April 17, 2025. This is Day 5 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost.

There is much in the Bible (Old and New Testaments) about bondage, about slavery, and about freedom. And, it has been easy for casual Bible readers to become confused about these ideas through the centuries.

Philosophers, preachers, politicians, sociologists, and other professionals have spoken and written profusely on their ideas of bondage and freedom. And, indeed, there are many dimensions of freedom. There is a “freedom from” and a “freedom to.” There is “freedom within” and “freedom without.” There are other types of “freedom,” also.

Some have taught that “freedom” means lack of interference or restraint from doing whatever it is we want to do. Some feel that “freedom” is an unhampered self-determination. But, can any of these specific ideas really be so?

During these DUB, as we review the Scriptures involving the great Exodus from Egypt and other passages about slavery/freedom, we have an opportunity to ponder the “freedom” truths found in the Bible.

While ancient Israel was made free, in a literal sense, from the physical bondage and affliction of the Egyptian slavery, today, we realize that God’s real concern is for our complete spiritual freedom, because it leads us toward eternal life.

Even with ancient Israel, God’s purpose in freeing His people was so that they might serve Him.

Exodus 8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

We come out of the slavery of sin and take God’s YOKE (paradoxically, a symbol of our “spiritual” freedom) upon ourselves. We become His dedicated, faithful SERVANTS. And, we begin living a life of “freedom to” live, love, and serve God and others as our Savior has done. In time, God brings forth the good fruit of His own divine nature within us. He makes us His true Sons.

Matthew 11:28-30 (28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Whatever it is that “freedom” means, our Savior has provided for it! He has paid ALL that is necessary! Yes, when the Son makes us FREE, we are FREE indeed! That is one of the greatest pieces of good news we can ever hear!

John 8:31-36 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Brethren, thank God that WE ARE FREE INDEED! And, now that we are a FREE people, we SERVE the Living, Sovereign God!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Wednesday, April 16, 2025. This is Day 4 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost.

We find that unleavened bread is described in different ways in the Scriptures.

It is called the bread of affliction in Deuteronomy 16:3.
Deuteronomy 16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.

It is called the bread of sincerity and truth in 1 Corinthians 5:8.
1 Corinthians 5:8 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.

Both of these descriptions can be helpful to us as we keep this Feast of the LORD during this week.

Each time we eat unleavened bread, let us remind ourselves that ancient Israel was afflicted as slaves in Egypt. And, this is an appropriate idea to recall for us as Believers, because our spiritual slavery to sin does cause a great deal of suffering and affliction.

Let us also remind ourselves that the unleavened bread symbolizes the Body of our Savior who was severely afflicted to free us from the bondage of spiritual slavery and its afflictions.

Then, let us also follow Paul’s admonition to the Brethren at Corinth. As we eat unleavened bread, let it remind us that we are to live our lives in sincerity and in truth, avoiding all of the leaven of malice and wickedness.

God bless each of us as we continue to celebrate this Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Tuesday, April 15, 2025. This is Day 3 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost.

The command God gave in Leviticus 23 is for His people to Count or to number 50 days, as well as 7 Sabbaths (Leviticus 23: 15-16). This Counting or numbering clearly ties the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread with Pentecost, also referred to as the Feast of Weeks.

Exodus 34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest…

We find in some religious groups that great significance is placed on Passover and “counting the omer,” as many Jews refer to it. Sometimes we humans can participate in so much tradition and focus on HOW to do something that we loose sight of why we do what we do.

The offering of the wave sheaf is the key occurrence that marks the beginning of the counting. And, the wave sheaf itself has tremendous meaning. For ancient Israel, the wave sheaf offering marked the beginning of their early harvest. For the Church of God today, the wave sheaf is a symbol of our Savior, raised to eternal life by God the Father, and accepted by God. God was truly “well-pleased” with His Son. Jesus Christ became the FIRSTBORN from the dead.

Let us all realize that the particular kind of resurrection Christ experienced had NEVER occurred. Yes, the Bible records that there had been resurrections from the dead, but in each of these situations, there were ONLY resurrections back to human life.

The Father resurrected His only begotten Son to an ETERNAL existence. And, the wave sheaf being offered just prior to the grain harvest is a prophetic representation that there is more to God’s spiritual harvest. The risen Christ was the FIRST. His resurrection to eternal life was only the beginning. Jesus was the first of the firstfruits. Paul understood this connection and wrote of it in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.

In this daily and weekly counting that we carry out each year, let us put some thought and effort into preparing ourselves to be part of God’s upcoming spiritual harvest. Passover provides for believers the necessary sacrifice required so that we can be forgiven. We partake of the unleavened bread as a symbol of the sinless, divine nature of God in Jesus Christ, the True Bread of Life. Then, at Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), God has provided the power for us to become the sons of God. (Reference John 1:12).

May God bless each of us as we partake daily of unleavened bread, symbolic of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Monday, April 14, 2025. This is Day 2 of Week 1 in our Counting toward Pentecost.

This first week of the Counting is generally referred to as the week of crossing the Red Sea. It took a full week for Israel to move out of Egypt and be completely free of the threat of Pharaoh and the Egyptian army.

During that first Passover in Egypt all of the firstborn died except those covered by the blood of the lamb of the Passover. It was a foreshadowing of the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not ritten in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

All of the commandments to celebrate the Feasts of the LORD contain symbolic details that relate to God’s plan of salvation. They are a witness of His plan, and they help to explain what God is doing.

Why do we count toward Pentecost? We count the days and the weeks because God told us to do that. Let’s look at the context of the command found in Leviticus 23:4-16.

Leviticus 23:4-16 (4) These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. (5) In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s Passover. (6) And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. (7) In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. (8) But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. (9) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying;
(10) Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them; When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: (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. (12) And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. (13) And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. (14) And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (15) And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: (16) Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

During that Passover in Egypt there was no mention of the wave sheaf or the Counting. The instructions regarding the wave sheaf appeared later. The first time we learn of the wave sheaf is in Leviticus 23.

This “wave sheaf” example shows how God reveals specific things regarding His plan in His time! Much of His plan is revealed little by little. God deliberately sequences events according to His purposes. Let us remember when the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy were written. Instructions for the wave sheaf and counting the omer were written in the wilderness, after Israel was completely out of Egypt.

The wave sheaf command required the people to have access to grain that was still in the field. And, it was only when Israel moved into the promised land after approximately 40 years of wandering in the wilderness that the wave sheaf command could be properly followed on a yearly basis.

This year the Counting of the omer began yesterday, on the First Day of Unleavened Bread (Abib 15). This parallels the year when Israel entered the promised land and God gave them the victory at Jericho.

Jericho was conquered on Abib 21; the Last Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That year, the Last Day of Unleavened Bread was a weekly Sabbath, just as it is this year. Counting of the omer had begun on Abib 15, which was both the day of the wave sheaf and the First Day of Unleavened Bread. (Reference Joshua 5:9-12 and Joshua 6 for the details of when Jericho fell.)

May our great God bless you richly!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Sunday, April 13, 2025. It is a very special day, because it is the First Day of Unleavened Bread, one of the annual Feasts of the Lord (Leviticus 23:1, 6-23). This Day 1 of Week 1 as we begin our Count to Pentecost.

On Friday evening, as Believers, many faithful followers of God’s way of life took the Passover to show the Lord’s death until He come (1 Corinthians 11:26). In the year that our Savior suffered and died for us, He ate an Old Covenant type of Passover with His disciples, and then instituted the new symbols of the bread and the wine for the New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-27).

This is also a special day as this year we recognize the WAVE SHEAF OFFERING on this annual Feast Day of the Lord. Therefore, on this day, we also begin our Counting of 50 days toward the Feast of Weeks. For most years, the WAVE SHEAF does not occur on this annual Feast Day during Unleavened Bread. And, during this first week of Counting toward Pentecost, we will examine some of the issues related to the WAVE SHEAF and its wonderful symbolic meanings.

So today, we begin the Counting of 50 days toward the Feast of Pentecost as we have been instructed. Let us rejoice before God as we enter the First Day of Unleavened Bread and move toward Pentecost.

Let us keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5:8 Wherefore 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.

God bless you with spiritual insight and wisdom! Happy Holy Day!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2025, Church of the Sovereign God