Hiding from the death angel
The spiritual Gestapo agents in Edmond Oklahoma, at Gerald Flurry's command, have laid down the law on who is invited to The Night To Be Much Observed, a night of food and drink that was manufactured by Herbert Armstrong and not found in the Bible. (cue Bob Thiel meltdown right now...)
From Exit and Support Network:
For the days of Unleavened Bread, John Krueger, in a recent sermonette, decided to quote from an article by laughing Brian Davis in the Philadelphia News Nov/Dec 2010, “Who should Attend the Night To Be Much Observed?” Krueger quotes Davis [emp mine] as saying: “If individuals attend who would hinder this fellowship, or lackthis understanding, or in some cases could even be hostile to this type of fellowship, our observance would not be up to the standard that is pleasing to God. That is why it is imperative that we not only know how to observe this night, but also who should keep it with us.”
In addition to wearing their very best clothing that night, paying careful attention to detail, and being “moderate in food and drink” (Note: We all remember far too many members getting high on alcohol this night and eating too much roasted lamb and rich desserts) here are the rules:
Who should we invite to observe the night with us?
1. Those in God’s inner circle
2. Members’ children who are sanctified
3. Those who attend church on a regular basis but have not yet been baptized but desire to be
Who should not be attending?
1. Non-converted mates who do not attend services on a regular basis
2. Those in the outer court –the Laodiceans
3. Teens who have decided not to attend services
Herbert Armstrong never ever made such a command. If so-called unconverted spouses and non-attending children felt compelled to attend the meal they were invited. And, what's with this Laodicean crap? This night meal is not a New Covenant command and is beyond the boundary of a minister telling people who can and cannot attend. Besides, nowhere in the entire Bible are Christians told to keep this night.
EXODUS 12:41-42, the scripture the COGs use to establish this fabricated celebration, tells us the observance in question is to be solemn. The Passover is unarguably solemn, because of what occurred that night - the slaughter of a lamb, and thousands of firstborns, and even moreso because of what it foreshadowed - the death of the Savior. This tone of the COG Passover service seems much more in line with what verse 42 describes than the alleged Night to Be Much Observed. It doesn't appear that the Israelites celebrated their deliverance until Exodus 15, after Pharaoh's army was drowned in the sea. Humanly speaking, this makes sense to me. Would I have been pleased the morning after the Passover, to learn we were leaving? Absolutely. But I can see myself a little shell shocked. Grieved at the deaths of so many Egyptians. A little post traumatic stress disorder from the plagues. And then there was the matter of the Egyptian army pursuing them. All in all, I suspect the day after the Passover was not a big party for the children of Israel.
And really, it's not exactly a reason to party for Christians today, either. The COGs tell us that this supposed Night to Be pictures Israel's deliverance from Egypt and our deliverance from sin through Christ's death. It is a night to prepare an elaborate meal, gather with brethren and rejoice. The tone of this tradition is tragically incongruent with what the evening allegedly marks.
What do the COGs tell us we are celebrating? Christ's victory over sin, achieved by His death. Is the end result of the story something to celebrate? Absolutely. But is His actual death something to celebrate? I think not. Do you start planning an elaborate party when a close relative passes? "Hey guys, Aunt Edna is dead, would you please pass the prime rib? And did you SEE the dessert table?"
Should Christians Celebrate the "Night to Be Much Observed"?
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