“I am sending you grain, new wine and oil, enough to satisfy you fully;

TAPAT
never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations.” Joel 2:19

sa Promesa
Issue: 848 April 1, 2018 WEEKLY NEWSLETTER 16 Nisan 5778 ‫כ״ט ְּבכִ ְּסלֵ ו תשע״ח‬
45 General Bautista Street, San Juan, Metro Manila Tel: 027445216 www.gnwom.org

Shabbat Shalom! Chag Sameach Pesach!!

Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread and Feast of First Fruits 2018
Greetings of Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach Pesach were exchanged and exclaimed Friday night at
GNWOM San Juan as we observed both Erev Shabbat and Passover2018. From our Roman Catholic background
the traditional Holy Week started with the waving of fronds of palms on Palm Sunday that progressed into the
week as Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday. Holidays to be
taken advantage for provincial vacations and family gatherings but we now know those days as the fulfillment of
preparation for the prophetic fulfillment and observation of Jesus Christs in the Passover as described Leviticus
23:5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight, is the LORD’s Passover.
Remember on the 10th day of Nisan, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on His donkey thus our Palm Sunday. This
happened on the very same day that the Israelites were to select their unblemished lambs from Bethlehem, to be
sacrificed by the whole congregation four days later (Ex. 12:3-6). Like the unblemished lambs, Jesus, born in
Bethlehem, was presented to Israel in Jerusalem as being perfect (i.e. sinless) before being sacrificed on the 14th
day of Nisan or the beginning of Passover (John 19:14). The Passover lambs died at twilight (Ex. 12:6; Lev.
23:5) as did Jesus (e.g. Matt. 27:45-50).
Passover (Heb. Pesach) began on the 14th of Nisan. By then traffic on the roads of Manila were like what
it was back in the 1990s. No traffic! Anyways, The feast was to observe when the Israelites were passed over by
the wrath of the LORD as He moved through Egypt slaying the firstborn of each family, as Pst Ching mentioned
Friday night in her Welcome Address, it was the Final of the Ten Plagues which we saw in the short video clip.
The LORD passed over each home that had the blood of a sacrificed lamb applied to the lintel and doorposts (Ex.
12:1-28). Even before the first Passover occurred, Moses ordered that the day would be kept as a memorial and
a feast (Ex. 12:14).
Of course Jesus is the ultimate Passover lamb which the others were only pointing to. Jesus was truly the lamb
without defect (1 Peter 1:19) as He knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus was the lamb who takes sin away from the
world (John 1:29). Paul even identified Christ as the Passover lamb that had been sacrificed (1 Cor. 5:7). The
Jewish day begins at sundown. Jesus shared the Passover meal with His disciples at sundown as Passover began.
He was crucified the next day before sundown, therefore, on Passover.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins on the 15th of Nisan and lasts for seven days. The first and last days
of the seven day feast are identified as holy convocations or high Sabbaths. The feast looked to recall how the
Israelites were not able to add yeast to their bread as they fled from Egypt (Ex. 12:33-34). The prohibition against
eating leavened bread during the feast was so severe that the all of it had to be removed from the Israelites homes
so even the floor was swept clean of yeast. If any person did eat leavened bread then he or she was cut off from
Israel (e.g. Ex. 12:15).
 Recall that Jesus died only hours before sunset on Nisan 14 or Good Friday. He would have been buried on
the 15th of Nisan and thus on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. While the burial of Jesus clearly
fulfilled this feast, it is not immediately obvious as to how. The answer lies in that Scripture often uses leaven as
a picture of sin and its corrupting nature.
The Feast of Firstfruits is on the 17th of Nisan. On this day the harvest was celebrated by waving a sheaf of the
first ripened grain before the LORD. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and therefore on the Feast of
Firstfruits. His resurrection was like a wave offering before the Father that signaled that there would be many
more to follow (Rom. 8:23). Paul verifies this in 1 Corinthians 15:20: But in fact Christ has been raised from the
dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Pesach 2018/5778 was observed at GNWOM San Juan with visitors and guests outnumbering the usual
congregation with many members being out of town on vacation or just being with family. After the Shofar
Blowing Pst. Ching gave the Welcome Remarks sharing how she had been busy caring for Senior Pastor Francis
who had to overcome his health challenges. Sis. Amy prayed for the Tsedaka and Sis Baby Doc lit the Shabbat
candles.
A prayer for cleansing and repentence was given by Psta. Nora Alvarez after which we were treated to the
angelic singing of soprano Dita Alcaide, wife of the Bro. Noel Alcaide who gave the Pesach Word.

Bro. Noel Alcaide is a bank executive and is familiar with the End Times so his sharing had the Title Slide: What
Time Are We Living in Today. He pointed out that we are living between Christ’s Two Comings. He was born,
died and Rose two thousand years ago and with the blooming of the fig tree where Israel was reborn and
Jerusalem united and in Jewish hands, the signs are that these are the End Times: End of Ages/End of Days. No
one escapes “suffering”-spirit of the anti-Christ with the world dominated by Babylon and Mammon but a
“tsunami of change is now happening.” As a banker he showed how the richest 1% in the world possess 82% of
the wealth while the poorest 50% or 3.8 billion get by with almost NOTHING.
He prophecied that in the world economic disasters to come, there will be TWO countries to survive and prosper
from the financial upheaval, both small countries surrounded by large antagonists: Israel and the Philippines.
He shared Gensis1:2-3 YHWH’s Word framed and established the order of creation from Day 1-6. YHWH
established a pattern for all creation, established Seasons(Moadim) and Times. Moadim means testimonials-
time where the Creator gaves testimony of Himself, Times when the God of Creation shows us a dimension of
who He is and YHWH set aside special days for his people for remembrance and rest. These Appointed Times
or Mo’Ed where the Lord required from man a specific time of us, in a specific place, Jerusalem. Think of it as a
Date with God. Through Leviticus 23’s Feasts of the Lord, we know WHEN and we know WHERE.
Deut 8:11-14 Reminder before entering the Promised Land. Romans 1:22-25 where we know God through not
just triumphs but through tests/trials where we glorify Him as a Testimony of God.

We know that Israel celebrates 70 Years of Independence since 1948 and Bro Noel shared the Significance of
70: Seventy has a sacred meaning in the Bible that is made up of the factors of two perfect numbers: Seven
(representing perfection) and ten (representing completeness and God’s Law). As such, it symbolizes perfect
spiritual order carried out with all power. It can also represent a Period of Judgment.
70 elders werer appointed by Moses (Numbers 11:16). After reading the covenant God gave him to read to
the people, Moses took 70 elders, along with Aaron and his sons up Mount Sinai to have a special meal with
God himself! (Exodus 24: 9-11)
Ancient Israel spend a total number of 70 years in captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10)
Seventy is also specially connected with Jerusalem. The city kept 70 years of Sabbaths while Judah was in
Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 25:11). Seventy sevens (490 years) were determined upon Jerusalem for it to
complete its transgression, to make an end for sins and for everlasting righteousness to enter into it. (Daniel
9:24).
Anecdotally he relates how Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you
will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere: in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to
the ends of the earth.” St. Thomas had established a church in India in 52AD and from there Messianic Jews
went through the Silk Road to find their way to the Philippines so that when Magellan arrived to complain the
land was full of “Moors and Jews” and the Filipinos had their own alphabet and were already familiar with the
Word.”
We are to Make a Personal Stand. Don’t go with the crowd. Take the Road less traveled: the narrow road that
leads to Life. Paul spells this out in more detail in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no
longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Pst. Nora relates how Last Friday, March 30 at 6pm, GNWOM had a peaceful and successful celebration of
PASSOVER (PESACH). Surprisingly, the whole family of the late Bro. Yosef Aliazar, A retired military Jewish
man who used to stay wuth the GNWOM family came . Ptr. Francis prayed over them. On the other, the Alcaide
family attended. Sis. Eliza, wife of Ptr. Noel Alcaide, praised God with her beautiful voice before and after Ptr.
Noel's exhortation. Ptra Ching Nicolas, being the indefatigable host of the event made it. She deserves a
commendation for a job well done. Thanks for some elders and deacons who supported the Celebration.
From a belated Tapat sa Promesa issue for March 18, 2018-
Milestones: Arch. Tiana Cruz
Nothing can stop God's plan for you! Honestly, I entered Mapua without even hearing
I remember when I was a kid, I dreamed of having a about it beforehand, or kung anong meron ba dun.
title connected to my name. One of my options was, Yet in my heart, there was a strong conviction to
Ar. Kristiana Louise E. Cruz. obey. So yes, I pursued architecture without any
But growing up, I already forget about it. Fast heart for it. At first.
forward to my last year in high school, where
everyone was busy about what course and school to First year, first term palang, discouragement na agad
enroll in for college. I was very firm with my "Tiana, maybe architecture is not for you" so I said
decision that time, if ever I was asked, I would to myself, If I fail the pre-board exam on our second
always answer year, I'll stop pursuing it. But God didn't allowed it
School: UP Diliman (It was my dream school) to happen, by His grace, I passed the pre-board and
Course: Advertising (I was telling this to everyone even bagged the highest grade on our thesis during
since grade 6) my last year. I will always say, PAMBIHIRANG
Everything was well-planned. Not until four months GRACE! Though in between all those victories came
before I graduated from high school, I don' know the numerous discouragements, "Sure ka bang gusto
how but I thought of why not Architecture? or mo maging arkitekto?" , "I pursue mo nalang kaya
Interior Design? ang singing" , and "Baka hindi talaga para sayo ang
Of course, Dad who was very passionate about architecture". I was all ears for that, thinking maybe
Architecture gives his all our support for me to they are right but God's voice tells me different-
pursue it. Still, I was hesitant. "Tiana, finish the race"
Then again, I obeyed.
By His grace, I graduated maybe not "in time" with Finally! By God's grace, I passed the board exam and
our curriculum, but definitely in His perfect time. the little girl's dream came to pass. Now officially,
When I graduated, I said to myself- "Yes tapos na!" Ar. Kristiana Louise E. Cruz. It was more than just a
but one thing I realized, God always goes the extra little girl's dream or my dad's, I know- It was God's
mile, HE WANTS THE BEST FOR US. plan. It was written in His plan for me. It was a long
Si God pala, kapag may plano, He will eventually written plan. Daddy would tell me before how
complete it. frustrated he was with his "almost passing rate" but
Rev. 3:8 "...See, I have placed before you an open after 25 years, NO MORE TAKE TWOS. God made
door that no one can shut..." a very beautiful testimony out of it, it was definitely
God gave me an instruction to take the boards. It was worth the wait.
given to me in the time when I am already OKAY
with my situation, but God wants me to dream
bigger. Just like in college, madami rin ang naging
discouragement, I can't even remember how many
times I messaged or told my parents na- AYOKO
NA.
Yung mga prepared nga, stressed na. What more ako.
By God's grace, I was able to take the ALE January
2018. I literally witnessed how God provided, guided
and favored me throughout the process. BONUS pa
ang maka-meet nang maraming kaibigan. It was for
a bigger purpose, I find in my heart a bigger heart for
the people, so I started to pray that God will bless
them as well.
Truly, WHERE GOD LEADS, HE PROVIDES.
It was also an answered prayer to have our school
Whenever I would fell discouraged, He will send
bagged the TOP 2 MOST PERFORMING
people and messages to cheer me up and kept on
SCHOOL, and those friends I'm telling before, they
moving. Truly, God was on my side. I literally
all passed as well. One even on the 5th place, it gives
experienced hoe God favored me even on the day of
me such joy in my heart that as God blesses me, He
exam, it manifested in such a way that it brought me
also bless the people around me. Allow me to
to tears- hindi dahil sa exam, pero dahil sa
encourage you that wherever you're foot may set,
PAMBIHIRANG GRACE.
conquer it for God and be a blessing.
I ended last on out of all the 200 plus examinees on
Truly, this testimony was NEVER BY MY MIGHT,
the first day of the exam. I barely noticed that I was
NOR BY MY POWER, BUT ONLY BY HIS
the only one left, 'cause my thinking was, "binigay
SPIRIT.
na sa'kin to ni God, all I have to do is to do my best."
To God be all the glory!!

Notes: