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

Dear Family,
Once again we begin our Counting to Pentecost. There will be an entry for each day. We will start with Day-1.

Please have a blessed and inspiring FDUB. Happy Holy Day and Day of the Wave Sheaf!.

Love and Blessings to you and your families,
Ben Faulkner

Dear Family,

Today is Sunday, June 16, 2024. It is the 50th Day as we conclude our Count to Pentecost. Happy Feast of Weeks, and Happy Pentecost, as the Day of Pentecost has fully come!

As we assemble before our awesome and loving God today on this Holy time, let us all rejoice with praise and thanksgiving, ready to receive the blessings He has in store for us.

May each one of us pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace for all the Body of Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

May we all have Godly love and respect for one another.

Romans 12:10 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

John 13:34-35 (34) A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

May our Great God also bless each one of us with His truth, His mercy, and His love during this Holy time; the Feast of Weeks!

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
© Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,
Today is Sabbath, June 15, 2024. It is Day 49 and Day 7 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.

Today concludes the Counting of the Weeks toward the Feast of Weeks, also known to us as
Pentecost. Tomorrow is the target day for this special one of God‛s annual feast days.

Not only did God instruct His people to “Count” the 50 days between the Wavesheaf and the
festive celebration, He also instructed the 7 Weeks to be counted in several different passages.

Deuteronomy 16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks
from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.

Numbers 28:26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the
LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:

Leviticus 23:15-16 (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.

Because of the timing of the Wavesheaf offering, the Feast of Weeks always occurs on the first day of the week. And, of course, that means there are back-to-back days for holy convocations. As we physically rest today during the time God blessed and sanctified (Genesis 2:3), let us continue to spiritually prepare for the blessings of this very special annual Sabbath.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God

Dear Family,

Today is Friday, June 14, 2024. It is Day 48 and Day 6 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.

As the 50th day following the Wavesheaf approached, God gave Moses explicit instructions that Mount Sinai was not to be touched because “the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.” On pain of death, God forbade animals, the ancient Israelites, and the elders of Israel to even touch the border of the mount.

Exodus 19:9, 11-13 (9) And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD; (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. (12) And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying; Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: (13) There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

Moses gave the people God‛s instructions and His warning.

Exodus 19:16-24 (16) And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. (17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. (18) And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. (19) And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. (20) And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. (21) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. (22) And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them. (23) And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it. (24) And the LORD said unto him; Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest He break forth upon them.

On the 50th day, the “I AM THAT I AM” (YHVH) made His presence known upon the mount in a very dramatic display with, fire, smoke, thunder, lightning, trumpet sounds, thick clouds, and the quaking of the earth. Observers, including Moses, were fearful and quaked at the experience (Hebrew 12:21).

Brethren, as we are in the last days of our preparation for Pentecost this year, let us realize that what occurred at Mt. Sinai over three thousand years ago is a small thing compared to the spiritual reality of what we can experience at the everlasting mount Sion, heavenly Jerusalem, where God has invited us.

Hebrews 12:18-29 (18) For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, (19) And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (20) (For they could not endure that which was commanded; And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: (21) And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) (22) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (25) See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (26) Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying; Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. (27) And this word; Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (28) Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (29) For our God is a consuming fire.

Indeed, we are living near the end of 6000 years of mankind‛s existence and are on the precipice of a whole new way of relating to our faithful God, both Father and Son. Let us be sure we approach God with the thanksgiving, praise, reverence, humility, and proper kind of “fear” our Omnipotent God expects from us.

Ben Faulkner, Pastor
@ Copyright 2024, Church of the Sovereign God