Elder Enoch Ofori Jnr

(Acting President)

On the Occasion of Fundraising and Thanksgiving Service held December, 30, 2007  

2008: A New Beginning of Greatness 

As a Church, we entered the year 2007 with high hopes, expecting abundant blessings and greater grace. For some of us, the year might not have gone the way we anticipated. But despite everything that might have befallen us, God hasn’t failed us. A new year is about to be born, and we are alive and well.

Although we lost our dear leader just three months to the year’s end, the year 2007 should still be seen as having a special significance for us. It marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in the seamless unfolding of God’s plan for our Church.

The number ‘7’ in 2007 signifies completion—the completion of Apostle Ofori’s work begun forty years ago in 1967, just like Moses’.

With the dawn of 2008 has begun a new beginning—the eighth day, the day after the seventh day of completion (7+1)! In Hebrew, number eight is known as “Sh’moneh”, from the root word “Shah’meyn”, which means ‘to make fat, to cover with fat, to super abound’. Bible Scholar E.W. Bullinger explains in his book Number In Scripture: “As a numeral eight is the super-abundant number. As seven was so called because the seventh day was the day of completion and rest, so eight, as the eighth day, was over and above this perfect completion, and was indeed the FIRST of a new series, as well as the eighth. Thus it already represents two numbers in one, the first and the eighth (p. 196).”

Symbolically, then, eight is not just the start or first day of a new weekly cycle but the continuation of the perfection of the seventh day in a NEW BEGINNING of super abundance and greater accomplishment!

Biblical examples of eight as representing a New Beginning include Noah the eighth person who began a new family of mankind with eight souls (2 Pet. 2:5; 1 Pet. 3:20). David, the eighth son of Jesse, began a new dynasty in Israel after Shaul (1 Sam. 16:10-11; 17:12).

Above all in the Greek Gematria, the Name Jesus (Iesous) adds up to 888—A NEW BEGINNING in Whom all things will be restored and renewed. A Definitive, Determined Eight! (Acts 3:21).

Of the seven yearly feasts in the Bible, the one that sheds some light on the significance of the number eight is the Feast of Tabernacles. It was to be kept for seven days, and on the eighth day, there was to be a Sabbath—the high point of the feast marked by rejoicing (Lev. 23:39-40).

In John 7:37, the eighth day is described as “the last great day”. It was on this day that Jesus stood up and cried out to the gathering: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”—a reference to the outpouring of His Spirit (vs. 38-39).

Here, Jesus was making a promise of a New Beginning of hope and salvation for God’s people, with His atonement and subsequent outpouring of His Spirit.

To the poor and needy will He “open the rivers of water” in the most unlikely places—in the wilderness will spring pools of water (Isa. 41:17-18).

So don’t be afraid or worried. With joy shall He cause you to draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isa. 12:3).

A New Beginning of Greatness has been ushered in for our Church, but the same faithful God of yesterday shall accompany us wherever we may go (Heb. 13:8; Josh. 1:9). 

What is more, He will perfect the excellent work begun with Apostle-Elder Ofori (Philippians. 1:6). For forty years, He stood with him; He will not fail us now. Indeed, He has proved His faithfulness since the departure of His servant. He continues to heal the sick and deliver the oppressed through His remaining ministers.

As He has shown by vision to Evang. Danquah which ‘coincided’ with my Ark of the Covenant-centred message on Sabbath, December 22, 2007, He has renewed His covenant with us (first made with and under Apostle Ofori) with us, and His Ark of the Covenant is right here with us!

His faithfulness endures to all generations (Ps. 100:5). So He’s worthy of praise today; He’s worthy of thanks, and He’s worthy of honour. For this reason we have come. His mercy endureth forever (Ps. 136).

Thus far has He brought us, Ebenezer, our Help (1 Sam. 7:12). Greater victory and blessings are in sight, for we have entered the eighth day. Faithful is He that has called us; He also will do it (1 Thess. 5:24). Amen!