LCG Preparing For A Feast Like No Other. Will They Take The Interests Of Others To Heart For Once?

Greetings from Charlotte, 

 

Numerous countries around the world are locking down as a result of the rapid spread of the Delta and other COVID variants, making Festival planning very difficult as governments and venues impose restrictions. Mr. Rob Tyler wrote, “Much of the region is now quite affected by lockdowns and restrictions. It’s a real mess in many countries.” Mr. Paul Shumway wrote regarding Trinidad, “We were praying and expecting the government in Trinidad to lift restrictions before the Feast to allow live Church meetings for our 160 members. Unfortunately, this has not happened. Most of the members stayed in ‘temporary’ housing last year and are planning to do the same this year. Surprisingly, I heard more comments from Trinidad last year that it was ‘the best Feast ever’ than I’ve heard in a long while!” He went on to report that in Barbados there is a 25-person limit for churches and a 90-minute limit to services. “One of the biggest challenges is dealing with the uncertainty. The landscape is constantly changing and in a number of cases, it is impossible to make definite plans. This does encourage remaining flexible and looking more to God for His guidance and direction. A real faith builder!” This is once again a very challenging year for our Festival planners, especially those in our international areas. Those of us who are able to attend in person should be thankful when we consider the lockdowns many of our brethren around the world face. As we approach these special days, let us take time to review and meditate on Philippians 2:3–8.—Gerald Weston

Philippians 2:3–8 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that wasa in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,

did not regard equality with God

as something to be exploited,

7 but emptied himself,

taking the form of a slave,

being born in human likeness.

And being found in human form,

8 he humbled himself

and became obedient to the point of death—

even death on a cross.

If LCG and other COG's actually took this verse to heart then they would cancel this year's Feast of Tabernacles. God certainly is not going to be upset if they do. Instead of looking after their own interests (huge amounts of offering money rolling in at the Feast), isn't it about time they looked after their members? With LCG's aging membership which is comprised of people highly susceptible to the ravages of the pandemic, wouldn't this year be the ideal time to let go and be merciful to their followers? God isn't going to put a black mark in some mysterious book because they canceled the Feast this year.

UCG: Relax, COVID is not a sign of the end times, but is a "Dress Rehearsal"

 

We must never forget that the boys in Cincinnati are the authority on all kind of things, and in this case, prophecy. They have determined that there is no need to worry about the pandemic being a sure sign of the end times. Whew! What a relief!

Interest in Bible prophecy has been sharpened by this pandemic. Very early on, we said this was not the time of pestilence defined by the fourth horseman in Revelation 6. Certainly, it has been a serious health emergency, but we understand there were other pieces of the prophetic puzzle not yet in place. There will be larger disease pandemics in the future. To use Mr. Mead’s phrase, this has been a “dress rehearsal.” 

 

More recently some have concluded that an impending vaccine for this virus could be the “mark of the beast” mentioned in Revelation. Such speculation does not match the biblical descriptors of what will come upon the world during the coming great tribulation. God’s elect will know when this mark arrives and will have the fortitude to resist its defining features. Unsound and unscriptural speculation today should be avoided. We are not yet at the moment when the beast power has appeared and is enforcing its mark. 

They know this is not a sign of the end because Darris McNeely has not seen the 4 Horsemen ride across the country. 

We haven’t run with the horses yet. But we have come through a period we should consider as a dress rehearsal for bigger things to come. Let’s learn from what we’ve experienced.

So there you have it! Bob Thiel eat your heart out!