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The Legacy Collection

Things Unfinished

Volume X

"Satan's Rebellion and the Day of Atonement"

By
Dennis Fischer

Summary: By Blow the Trumpet

The message you are about to hear was originally presented by Dennis Fischer in 2000 to a small fellowship in Southern California and more recently to two prominent COG Associations one in 2010 and two in 2015 & 16. All but one was given on the Day of Atonement.

Although not an ordained COG minister, Mr. Fischer is a long standing member of God’s Church who has spoken as well as written prolifically about His Kingdom, His Plan, and His people.

This particular message provides a dramatic portrait of this day and the pivotal events that occurred on it throughout history past, as well as history yet to come. It was received from one member as very moving saying, “the message brought to life a truth about Atonement in a way I couldn’t imagine—so beautiful.”

Now we at Blow the Trumpet are profoundly honored to include it as the tenth installment in our legacy collection.

Sermon

Satan’s Rebellion and the Day of Atonement

Salutation/Introduction:

Brethren. the gospels of Matthew and Luke describe an extraordinary event which took place at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This event involved a titanic spiritual war between Jesus of Nazareth and Satan the devil.

When examining this event, it is important to understand that throughout history there are what are called “DEFINING MOMENTS” These are events that can mold and shape the destiny of a people. And to be sure, this is such a moment

Notice the words the apostle Matthew employs when introducing this moment

Matthew 4:1

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

Brethren, it is hard to imagine a moment in human history that possessed greater drama than that which Matthew begins to chronicle in this chapter. Here in a secluded Judean desert stand the two greatest opposing forces in the history of the universe. On one side, the "Lamb of God” and the "Savior of the World,” while on the other, the "prince of darkness” and the embodiment of evil – a being totally bent on destroying every fragment of hope mankind ever had.


This moment stands as the quintessential struggle between good and evil, between decency and depravity, between hope and despair. And as monumental as this moment was, it all took place in private.

No fanfare.

No great crowds cheering on their champion.

No television cameras.

No reporters or analysts.

Just a Galilean Jew in the throes of death, and a spirit being so consumed with evil that the apostle Peter once described him as “a roaring lion... seeking whom he may devour" (1Pe. 5:8).

Brethren, these were the characters in this great drama and at stake was the destiny of the universe.

At stake was your destiny

Why Stones to Bread?

Brethren, when examining this moment in the life of the Messiah, a question emerges:

Why would it have been wrong for Jesus

to turn stones to bread?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? Why would it have been wrong for the Messiah to accept this challenge? Certainly, there was no Biblical prohibition against it. And on more than one occasion, Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people using meager portions of bread (Mt.14:15; Mk. 8:1). Certainly, His own hunger would justify taking such action, wouldn’t it?

But your Savior chose not to. Why?

A Benign Temptation

And why did Satan advance what appears to be such a benign temptation – turning stones to bread? Now brethren, one would think that the temptations that followed must have been the big ones... you know: “Throw Yourself off a pinnacle of the temple and God will give His angels charge over you” (Mt. 4:5-7).

That would be a great test of faith.

Or, “Bow down and worship me and I will give you all the kingdoms of the world” (Mt. 4:8-10). That must have been the greatest temptation, wasn’t it? After all, the offer of wealth and power has broken many a man and must have been a far more formidable challenge.

But why stones to bread?

A Popular View

Brethren, there are some who believe that what Satan was trying to do with his first test was to manipulate Jesus in preparation for the greater temptations that would follow—ostensibly getting Him to cooperate a little before advancing the greater trials.

But is it possible that the challenge for the Messiah to turn stones to bread was THE BIG TEST—THE GREATEST TEMPTATION if you will? In other words, is it possible that what Satan was doing at this moment was placing before the Messiah was the source of all human suffering and cloaking it in something that appeared so innocent? And is it possible that this particular moment was far more significant than God’s people today could ever have imagined?

SPS

Brethren, these are just some of the questions I intend to address in this message and when doing so provide a clear link between each one of them and the Day of Atonement?

First, let’s examine the day we are now observing

What is required and why we do it?

We will then examine this day historically (past, present and future) and its impact on eternity itself

Finally, we will examine what this day should mean to us in our spiritual journey toward God’s infinite Kingdom.

With that said, let us begin.

The Day of Atonement

Brethren, the Day of Atonement represents the fifth of seven annual Holy Days. Notice how Moses addresses it in the book of Leviticus. Now Leviticus 23 identifies all of God’s holy days and reveals their precise cylindrical position as a matter of fact it is the only chapter in all the Bible that does so. Once again notice what it says about this day.

Leviticus 23:27-29

Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be a holy convocation unto you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord. And you shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his People.

Notice on Atonement God commands His people to “Afflict their souls.”

Brethren, the term “afflict” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word “Anah.” Literally translated anah means

to “beat down,”

to “depress,”

to “abase,”

to “chasten,” and

to “humble.”

It is the same word God used when speaking to Pharaoh through Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 10:3

And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, “Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will thou refuse to humble (anah) yourself before Me? Let My People go, that they may serve Me...’” (Ex. 10:3)

The affliction God commanded His people was that they fast on this day.

As a matter of fact, in the book of Acts, the day of Atonement is actually referred to as “The Fast.”

Why Fast on the Day of Atonement?

With this in mind, a very important question needs to be addressed:

Why does God want His people to fast on THIS day?

Why not fast on the Passover?

Why not on Pentecost?

Why not on Trumpets?

Or, during the Feast of Tabernacles?

What is it about this particular day both spiritually and historically that compels God to direct His children to fast on it?

The Answer

Brethren, in order to discover the answer to this question we need to go back to the very beginning to a place called Eden.

The Creation of the first Human Family

In the Book of Genesis God’s word indicates that on the sixth day of creation the Almighty made man in His image, after His likeness. He then placed him in a garden and provided him with specific instructions concerning how to thrive in his new home.

With that said, here is a question of critical importance when understanding this day: Here it is. When did God create man? In other words, is there a way to determine the precise day of the year this moment took place?

Well brethren, there is an abundance of Jewish scholarship that argues that Adam was created on Rosh Hashanah, or as we understand it, the Feast of Trumpets—the day we just celebrated last week According to the Jewish website Chabad.org, and I quote:

Chabad.org

The festival of Rosh Hashanah—the name means “Head of the Year”—is observed for two days beginning on 1 Tishrei, the first day of the Jewish year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and their first actions toward the realization of mankind’s role in Gd’s world.

Now, in a moment you’re going to discover why I bring this up

God’s Instructions Concerning Two Trees

Brethren, God then instructs Adam regarding two trees and informs him that one is the source of life while the other is the source of death. Notice how He reveals this truth.

Genesis 2:16-17

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Now on a personal note, if you ask me God was providing Adam with some VERY critical information.

However, it is incomplete without knowing how to identify what these trees are as well as what each one represents. This now brings us to another critical question.

What were the Two Trees?

Well brethren, opinion—even within the Church is divided over what these trees picture. However, I submit that the scriptures provide a valuable clue.

The Scriptures actually identifies one of these trees as the source of death while the other is the source of life. So, if you could identify scripturally what causes death as well as what leads to life, you’d have your answer

First let’s examine what the scriptures reveal about death and man inability to avoid it on his own:

Proverbs 14:12

There is a way that seems right to a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.

Jeremiah 17:9

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

The point here is that when it comes to mankind the sacred writings portray him as hugely incapable of navigating his own moral path. But there is more. In Psalm 19:12 King David wrote:

Psalm 19:12

Who can understand his own error?

Brethren, the question David asks is rhetorical. The Plain Truth is that no one can understand his own error. That is why man makes so many

David is not the only person to make this observation. The great prophet Jeremiah weighed in on this as well. Notice what he wrote. It oretty much says it all.

Jeremiah 10:23

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his own steps.

Here’s the point:

If the scriptures tell us anything it is that man cannot navigate his own moral path—and any attempt to do so is destined to fail.

Brethren, the God of the Bible is the one and only unimpeachable moral authority in the universe. It is He who decides what is good and what is evil

The forbidden tree is man choosing to make that decision on his own

The Tree of Life

We now come to the Tree of Life

What is it that engenders life?

Brethren, the Bible provides the answer to this question and doe so throughout the 119^th Psalm. Notice its words.

Quicken me according to your word. (verse 25)

Quicken me in your way. (verse 37)

Quicken me in your righteousness. (verse 40)

Your word has quickened me. (verse 50)

Quicken me, O Lord, according to Your word. (verse 107)

Quicken me, O Lord, according to Your judgments. (verse 149)

Quicken me according to Your word. (verse 154)

Quicken me according to Your judgments. (verse 156)

Brethren, the Hebrew word for “quicken” is khawyaw. It means:

“to revive,”

“to keep or make alive,”

“to nourish or preserve,” and

“to restore to life.”

“The Great Deception”

With this understanding we now come to a pivotal point in human history

A point where innocence and evil collide.

It is recorded in Genesis chapter III

It is here that although God warned that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was lethal Satan argued that it was not life threatening at all. On the contrary it was empowering. Notice how he expresses thiis.

Genesis 3:1-6

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.


The First Day of Atonement

At this point we are faced with another critical question. Here it is.

When did the meeting of Eve and the serpent specifically take place? Is it possible to know?

Well brethren, like the creation of man, Jewish tradition as expressed by scholars has an opinion on this as well. The answer: The Day of Atonement. These learned thinkers universally regard Atonement as a day of reflection and repentance of sins committed—of which the first occurred in a place called Eden.

In essence this day pictures the entrance and the exit of evil. It first entered when Satan deceived Eve in a beautiful garden and will be removed when he is bound in a bottomless pit and ultimately cast into outer darkness.

Returning to Eden

Brethren, as a result of sin man was cut off from the tree of life and death came into the world.

The Bible says, “For as in Adam, all die... (1Cor. 15:22).

However, the scriptures also reveal something else…There was a second Adam.

A Second Adam

Brethren, two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ came to earth to reconcile man back to his Creator. To do so He would have to face the greatest adversary the world has ever known.

And He did just that



To prepare for this great trial, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights, leading Matthew to make what just might be the greatest understatement of all time: Notice what he wrote.

Matthew 4:2

“And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered” (Mt. 4:2).

Hunger would hardly seem like the appropriate word to describe the state of a man who had gone without any nourishment – food or drink, for well over a month.

Quite frankly, Jesus must have been a physical wreck.

His body may even have been convulsing with the effects of starvation.

However, at this point, He was also totally tethered to the Source of all strength.

As he prepared to meet the enemy of your hope Jesus rejected that which sustains the physical and instead embraced that which sustains the spirit.

When did this happen?

With this in mind is it possible to know when this great battle occurred.

And does God’s word provide enough clues to discover the answer?

Brethren, I believe it does.

Consider what we can know through the scriptures.

First, we know that it took place at the very beginning of His ministry. But when was that?

We also know when His ministry ended

Additionally, we know that according to Daniel Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 ½ years.

Therefore, by aligning the prophecies in Daniel with the gospel record of Jesus’ life and death it is possible to ascertain when the Messiah’s temptations took place.

Here is the formula

It is also highly possible that what was taking place in this Judean desert was a re-enactment of the Garden of Eden only this time Jesus didn’t lean to his own understanding.

NOTE:

It is also interesting that Jewish tradition believes that Moses received the second writing of the Ten Commandments on the Day of Atonement after fasting for forty days and nights.



With this as the backdrop, Satan advances his first temptation.

Matthew 4:3

... If you be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Here, at this precise moment, Satan began his testing of God’s beloved Son by doing the same thing he did to Adam and Eve over four thousand years earlier.

He appealed to Him to rely on the physical when making a moral judgment.

However, Jesus knew what this temptation was really all about.

IT WAS ABOUT TWO TREES.

Thus, He responds by delivering the true Source of life – God’s word.

Matthew 4:4

But he [Jesus] answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

With these words, Jesus was declaring that although bread will temporarily sustain the physical, it has absolutely no impact on that which is spiritual.

Furthermore, Jesus knew that everything in God’s Kingdom was spiritual and could only be sustained by spiritual food.

Furthermore, He knew what that spiritual food was, and He declared it to the Jews of His day.

John 6:48-51

I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eats of this bread, he shall live forever...

Brethren, here, Jesus was declaring that He is the true Source of life.


A Great Victory

Brethren, the scriptures reveal that Satan the devil tried to prevent man’s access to God at the very beginning – and succeeded.

This was almost surely done on the Day of Atonement.

The Bible also declares that He tried to do the same thing to the Messiah.

Only this time he failed.

And once again, this was very likely done on the Day of Atonement.

Here is the Point

When the Messiah overcame Satan in the wilderness, He paved the way for the fulfillment of God’s Plan concerning the Destiny of man.

He was able to do this because He had a profound understanding concerning physical and spiritual nourishment.

At one point in His ministry, Jesus shared this understanding

A Food that Endures

The gospel of John indicates that shortly after feeding several thousand people, Jesus spoke to the Jews concerning what real food was.

He indicated that physical food may, in fact, be overrated.

John 6:27

Labor not for the meat that perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you...

Props: An Apple and a Roll

Brethren, I brought some props: an apple and a roll—and I didn’t do this to torment you.

There is a point to this illustration.

Brethren, if you were to leave these pieces of food out on that table, after a few days, the apple would begin to soften, and the bread would become hard.

After a few more days, the apple would begin to rot, while the bread would begin to mold.

Finally, if these two pieces of food were left on that table long enough, they would start to decompose, and eventually, they would become nothing but dust.



Here is the point.

No matter how great the nutrients in the apple or the roll, they will only sustain you for a little while.

Furthermore, there is no physical meal on earth that will protect man from death.

No matter how healthy our diet, eventually, we will die.

Another Prop

The Bible

However, I also brought another prop—A Bible

God’s word as expressed in the scriptures possesses life-sustaining properties that are so powerful that those who partake of them will actually live forever—Jesus said as much.

Matthew 24:35

Heaven and earth will pass away but My words shall not pass away.

Isaiah 40:8

The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Conclusion:

Brethren, I’d like to conclude with a question

Why do God’s people fast on the day of Atonement?

Brethren, here is the answer and you can take it to the bank.

God’s people fast on this day because by doing so, they acknowledge that the true Source of nourishment for those destined to be in God’s Kingdom is not bread, but rather the Bread of Life.

This was the challenge to Adam and Eve in the garden. They failed.

It was the challenge to Jesus Christ in the wilderness. He succeeded.

And it is the challenge to every true believer today.

When God’s people say, “No!” to the physical, they are saying, “Yes!” to the spiritual.

They are saying, “Yes!” to the tree of life.

A Post Script

Brethren, there is a post script to this It concerns Satan and his fate

Revelation 20:1-3

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

It is not by accident that Satan’s confinement was actually portrayed in the Old Testament and ironically it took place on the Day of Atonement.

The Story of Two Goats

Brethren, the sixteenth chapter of the book of Leviticus records specific instructions given by God to Moses regarding entrance into the inner sanctum of the tabernacle.

This inner sanctum is called the “Holy of Holies” or the “Most Holy Place.”

God informed Moses that only Aaron, the high priest, may enter the “Most Holy Place”

Furthermore, he may only do so once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

Failure to obey this instruction would result in death.

Brethren as many of us know the “Most Holy Place” is the location of the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat, and according to God when speaking to Moses, “AND I MYSELF AM PRESENT” (Lev. 16:2).

A Special Service

God then informs Moses that every year on this precise day, a special service was to be conducted.

He explains that this service is to make atonement for the sins of all Israel.

So important is this ceremony to God that He gave very specific instructions concerning what Aaron must do prior to, during, and after he enters and exit the Most Holy Place.

Included in these instructions is:

A description of the clothing he must wear

The sacrifice he must offer on behalf of himself and his family

The selection of animals to be offered

The protocol for the offerings

And the specific steps to be taken upon leaving this inner sanctum

Two Goats



God explains to Moses that at one point during this service, Aaron is to present two male goats to the Eternal at the entrance of the tabernacle.

At that time, he is to cast lots to determine the fate of each goat.



The First Goat

One goat will be chosen to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the entire nation of Israel.

Its blood will be brought into the Most Holy Place and sprinkled on and before the Mercy Seat.

This blood will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the sins of God’s people. This is explained in verse16.



A Second Goat

However, there was a second goat that was not sacrificed, but rather is presented to the Lord alive.

This second goat is called a “scapegoat” and has immense significance.

God instructed Moses that Aaron was to lay both his hands on this goat and confess over it all the sins of Israel.

He then explained that by doing this, their sins would be conveyed to this goat and placed on his head.

Finally, God tells Moses that this scapegoat is then to be exiled from the camp and led away into a desolate place.

Who Is the Scapegoat?



Brethren, the identity of this second goat has been at the center of considerable discussion among many Biblical scholars. Some have even suggested that it is a symbol of Jesus Christ—an opinion that is actually gaining traction among some splinter groups within God’s Church.

However, this understanding is not true.

Notice that the second goat’s blood could not atone for the sins of the people.

It is true that the act of conveying their sins onto this goat did constitute an act of atonement, but the question is why?

Furthermore, why was this second goat not killed?

The answer to these questions can be found in understanding who this goat is and what it represents.

The “Azazel”

Brethren, the Hebrew word translated as “scapegoat” in these verses is azazel.

According to the book of Enoch, Azazel was the leader of evil spirits (Enoch 8:1; 10:4).

This being the case, it is inconceivable that the scapegoat mentioned in connection with the Day of Atonement isn’t a symbol for Satan the devil?

The Bible indicates that diabolical being will one day be exiled to a desolate place, where he will no longer be able to deceive mankind. At that time, all the sins he has orchestrated throughout history will be conveyed back to him and the misery he has wrought upon man will be removed forever.

The Day of Atonement not only pictures man being reconciled back to his God, but the removal of the very being who orchestrated his estrangement in the first place.

In a very real sense, this day pictures the first and last chapter of Satan’s influence on mankind.



Satan is Bound

Imagine what the world would be like without the devil. His influence on man and his life is overwhelming. Consider just some of the accomplishments the Bible attributes to Satan. The scriptures declare that Satan has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:9). God’s word also certifies that he is responsible for snatching the word from hearers (Mt. 13:19), sowing tares among the wheat (Mt. 13:38) and working in disobedience (Eph. 2:2). He has been called a liar, a murderer, and a perverter of scripture. The apostle Paul labeled Satan as the one responsible for blinding the minds of unbelievers (2Cor. 4:4).

While in the Garden of Eden, he seduced Adam and Eve to reject God’s law (Gen. 3:1-20). He moved David to number Israel (1Chron. 21:1) and he caused Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2Cor. 12:7).

This once-beautiful archangel became so consumed with himself that he actually thought his wisdom was greater than God’s. As a result, he waged a rebellion that was so filled with hate, his entire character became immersed in evil. The apostle John once called Satan a murderer and a liar (Jn. 8:44) and his influence on society throughout history has been so devastating that at the end of man’s reign on earth, the evil and violence he has spread will be so horrible that God will have to intervene or man will destroy himself (Mt. 24:22).

Satan, who is called the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) and the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), has done everything in his power to destroy God’s plan for mankind. He put betrayal in the heart of Judas Iscariot (Jn. 13:2) and will give power to a God-rejecting beast and false prophet (Rev. 13:4). Satan has sought to destroy everything that shows God as just and merciful and he has perverted society to actually reject its Creator and Sustainer.



The apostle Peter called Satan the great adversary and compared him to a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8). Paul indicated that Satan fashions himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:4). As a result, man has been deceived from the beginning and that deception has not let up for six thousand years of human history.

Now imagine a world without this adversary. Such a world would be one in which all nations, races, and cultures live with one another in peace, happiness, mutual respect, and cooperation. In that world, war will be a thing of the past. Crime and violence in the cities will be eliminated.

The world without Satan will be a planet free of the pollution that now destroys it (Isa. 35:1). The terrible ravages of sickness and disease will be gone (Isa. 35:5-6). There will be no more hunger (Isa. 30:23). Even the animals will no longer hurt one another (Isa. 6-9). The world without Satan will be a world filled with supreme joy and happiness for all mankind (Isa. 35:10).

The words recorded by John in Revelation 20 which describe Satan being cast into a bottomless pit stand as one of the most powerful declarations of hope for mankind ever uttered.

The day will come when the enemy who has enslaved this world with every imaginable evil will be removed and a new King will come who will establish a government driven by mercy, judgment, and faith.

Conclusion:

Brethren, we now come to the conclusion of the matter and it is here that I would like to return to the first scene of this message in which the Lamb of God and a powerful adversary engaged in what can only be characterized as mortal combat—after which I would like to leave you with a final thought that captures what I hope you will take from this message.

Brethren, six thousand years ago, in the fall of the year and very possibly on the Day of Atonement – the great adversary, Satan the devil, deceived man into rejecting God’s will, and as a result, brought death on all mankind.

Two thousand years ago, in the fall of the year – and very possibly on the Day of Atonement – Satan tried to destroy God Himself, but was overcome by the Savior of the world. As a result, the hope of life was restored to all mankind.



Brethren, when Jesus squared off with the great enemy of all that is decent, He brought a profound spiritual strength that was fueled by a remarkable relationship with His Father—A relationship built on uncompromising trust and devotion.

As He stood in that Judean desert, He knew that a great battle was about to be waged. At stake was hope versus despair.

Hope Won

Brethren, with that said I’d like to leave you with something to think about and it addresses why we are here at this time. Here it is.

On this and every Day of Atonement, God’s people act out what took place in the Garden of Eden and a Judean desert.

Two trees are figuratively placed before them.

One tree will sustain the physical but has absolutely no power over eternity.

The other tree will engender eternal life—a life that cannot be destroyed by anything.



Here is the POINT.

Every year on this day billions of people around the world eat from a tree that has no real power to sustain them and in doing so actually go hungry.

Meanwhile, every year on this day thousands of God’s people around the world feast on a tree that engenders life—and that tree is sitting in your lap.

Brethren, thank you for sharing this special time and as always, it’s been an honor.

Volume XI
Giving Something Extra

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