This is the New Moon of the Ninth Month called Chislev. The Accuser of the Brethren is a term that is applied to Satan in Revelation 12:10. He is cast down after the war in Heaven and his angels with him. Then comes the Kingdom of our God. The term Accuser is the name applied to Satan, but it is not just he that accuses us all day and night. It is a spirit that lives in them all. Those influenced by Satan elevate themselves at the expense of others, and seek to slander the elect in order to justify themselves. This behaviour is seen everywhere and there is often a spirit of dishonesty in these accusers.

This week a radio interview with some media authorities drew our attention to the concept of the Internet Blog systems, and their popularity in the US versus other countries.

The Church of God has been plagued for centuries by people infiltrating the churches and using whatever they can against the brethren. Many people simply are religious hobbyists and go from church to church, and when they leave they accuse the brethren of the churches they have left. We have seen them come into CCG and depart, making false and railing accusations and then go on to the next and do the same there. There is nothing healthy about the mindset. If they do it unto others it is a matter of time before they do it unto you. Sometimes it is deliberate and sometimes it is simply an unhealthy mind. However, always it is a spirit of accusation. The experts have noted that the Blog Internet is being used for corporate and commercial purposes in the US, but also it is more popular there than anywhere else in the world, and the spirit of accusation that is emerging in it is very serious. Intolerance and false accusations are rising in this media promoted by the accusers of the brethren. The spirit of accusation is accelerating.

Blessed are we when they revile us for Jesus Christ’s sake. When they speak well of us, we should be wary for so they did to the false prophets.

Many people have been given up and put to death simply because they believed what they did. The spirit of accusation has always been in those who do not like to be challenged by the existence of a group of people, no matter how small, that simply obey what God tells them to do even if they sin or carry it out imperfectly. Religious bigotry has always existed since it was polarised by the Roman State some seventeen hundred years ago.

We can see that it is reaching a crescendo now in the Last Days. Essentially, religion is being again politicised and used as an ideological tool for the radicalisation of human conduct. Because Satan broke the nexus of the Law and it now rains on the just and the unjust, people see no consequence in what they do say or believe. Very soon that will come to an end. When that happens people will clearly see what is required of them by God and what the consequences are of disobedience. At the present there is no obvious process of divine intervention.

When Josiah ruled Judah, which he did for 31 years, he tried to restore the Faith as his ancestor David had done. In his 18th year he decided to restore the Temple, as they had not sanctified the Temple and kept the Passover for decades, and even centuries. While they were cleansing and refurbishing the Temple they found the Book of the Law and it was read. Josiah rent his garments when he heard what was required of him, and he realised that they had not done what God required of them.

He enquired of the prophets what was to be done and was told that Judah was to be sent into captivity for not keeping the Laws of God. However, Josiah was told that because he had sought God and tried to do his best the captivity would not happen in his time. He reigned for 31 years and was killed at Megiddo by the Egyptians under Pharaoh Necho because he tried to stop them going north to support the Assyrians against the Babylonians. We will deal with these matters in the new work The Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon (No. 250B).

What we see in God’s judgment on Judah is that there is a consequence of our actions and activities, and God deals with us as and when He sees fit; and often it is not for decades.

He deals with us all in His own time just as He deals with the fallen Host in their failings and arrogance and accusations.

We have little strength, and both Christ and God know that fact. They give us what we need at the time and no more. In that way we know that what we do is not of our own might and power but by the Holy Spirit.

We should all thank God for each other. Greater love hath no man but that he lay down his life for another. If we have problems we should be reconciled to our brethren and then be ready for the Passover to go before God. The Church of God is of one mind because it is of the Spirit of God and is guided by truth and the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who have served before you guide those who are new to the Church and the Faith. They will guide and exhort you to greater things. Help the old ones and exhort them as you would your own parents.

The Fifth Commandment is the first with a promise. “Honour thy father and thy mother that thy life might be long in the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee.” When your parents live long rejoice in their righteousness. When my father died my wife became to my mother as Ruth was to Naomi, and she has honoured her and looked after her in our house for 31 years. So too should we honour our elders in the Church and pray for them and bless them and exhort them.

We are a family before God under Jesus Christ. We always feel encouraged by the little things when someone says: “I liked that piece of work”; and so do the elders and deaconesses or workers who serve us all. We often get encouragement from people outside of the Church who are using the materials and have study groups in the different countries. We have no idea where the work goes and how many people use it. We know of many groups that download the papers and copy them and distribute them to their local churches.

It is a great step to commit to the Faith in CCG with the Laws of God so central to the Faith. We had one person write to us not so long ago and say: “You have it all correct and nothing is missing. It is just too hard to follow”. He was sorrowful because he could not do it all because of some problem he had. Usually it is with employment. The New Moons are the test of the dedicated.

There is a spirit of division coming upon us in these Last Days that sees accusation as a weapon. Self-righteousness is rampant. The Religious Right is politicising the Christian faith and using it in ways that it was never meant to be used. They form lobby groups now that ignore the weightier matters of the Law. Do justice and mercy and take care of the poor and needy. Seek equity and do not be swayed by the false gospel of prosperity and self-interest. Do not be like the Pharisees saying: ”Thank God I am not like they are, being righteous, and they are sinners”.

They called Christ a drunkard and a winebibber because he drank with publicans and sinners. Self-righteousness is the worst sin we have because it accuses others and is so hard to deal with.

This year we have another three New Moons to go and then the New Year and the Passover are upon us. Prepare for it and give thanks for each other. Praise the God who called us and gave us to Christ. None of us will be lost who were called according to God’s purpose.

Wade Cox
Coordinator General