November Message From Pastor

As we conclude our journey through the book of Hebrews, I want to reflect on the priesthood, the tabernacle, and the various practices—all of which culminate in Jesus. My story plays a significant role in my faith, as Jesus gives me peace of mind, free from fear and terror.

My experience began many years ago when my father woke me from my sleep. It was spring, the rainy season in our area, and much colder at night. I remember emerging from the hut half-naked, with no sheet or blanket covering my upper body. The only things I could use to cover myself were my hands. I wrapped my hands around my neck to create some warmth. My father was leading the way, and I followed him. Soon, we arrived at "Wïmaac," a place designated only for men. Wïmaac is where men gather to share meals, discuss matters, and resolve familial issues. Four or five families formed a Wïmaac, with their wives bringing food to share. While the men partook together, their wives shared their food in the women’s court, and the children did the same. It was part of the culture and tradition passed down through generations. A young man joins Wïmaac when he reaches mature age.

Although I wasn’t old enough to join Wïmaac, as a male in the family, I was included in the unfolding of the practice that I was about to witness. For some reason, my father had visited a witchdoctor, who informed him that she had seen a spirit of death hovering over our family. She warned that if he didn’t provide a goat for sacrifice, one of his children would die to appease this spirit. As the youngest in the family, I was to be the first prey for the gods.

Then, under the cover of darkness, a woman witchdoctor appeared with a spotted goat. About seven to ten of us were sitting in a circle when I suddenly heard the goat bleating. The witchdoctor cut into the back of the goat and pulled out its small intestine. As the goat continued to cry out, I felt a cold touch on my back; the witchdoctor was circling us, using the goat’s intestine to loop us together. She declared, “The spirit of death is alienated.”

Two things stood out to me: first, that the spirit was only “alienated” and would soon return, and my father would sacrifice another goat; and second, the scream of the goat traumatized my soul more than any healing the sacrifice meant to provide. These sacrifices were endless and took many forms, sometimes involving a hen, a cow, or even fermented drink or the consecration of a farm.

The author of Hebrews seeks to disqualify such practices as insufficient, weak, outdated, and obsolete. His aim was to convince first-century Jewish converts to recognize the fulfillment of these practices and connect them to Jesus Christ as the culmination of everything God has promised. He wanted to discourage readers from reverting to Judaism and its endless ritual ordinances, emphasizing that Christ completed our redemption once and for all through faith. 

As someone who has experienced these ritual practices like the Jews’, I cannot express enough the peace and freedom that come from receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am continually reminded of where I came from, and the writer of Hebrews encourages us to spur one another on, as we come from different walks of life, toward love and good works, which are the fruits of our faith.

Pastor Owar Ojulu