IAUA End Time Ministry
Preparing for the End of Time
The Lord is Coming! Are you ready?
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IAUA End Time Ministry |
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Preparing for the End of Time | |
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The Lord is Coming! Are you ready? | |
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in
IAUA
(ee-ah-oo-ah) our Father,
Greetings on this day of preparation for the weekly Sabbath. I hope this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of the Lord. This is the 2nd day of the 7th month of God's Sacred Calendar. It is one week until the evening of the 10th day of the 7th month which is Atonement Sabbath (Saturday, September 22 on the 2007 Gregorian calendar). It is one week and five days until the evening of the 15th day of the 7th month which is Tabernacles Sabbath (Thursday, September 27 on the 2007 Gregorian calendar). It is two weeks and five days until the evening of the 22nd day of the 7th month which is Last Day Sabbath (Thursday, October 4 on the 2007 Gregorian calendar). Tabernacles Sabbath yesterday was a refreshing time of Bible study, prayer and meditation. I was also busy preparing this weeks newsletter and starting research on next weeks newsletter. I think it is very appropriate that these fall holy days are opened with the Amazing Facts "Here We Stand" revival, 3ABN fall camp meeting begins at Tabernacles, and the fall holy day season ends with the "His Harvest Is Ready" series in Chicago. Truly this is the time to know where we stand, to meet together, and recognize that the harvest is ready as we prepare for the end of time. I have been asked to share some thoughts on the special meanings of the yearly Sabbaths as they approach. Lets start with a review of statutes concerning Atonement Sabbath.
Leviticus 23:26-32
Numbers 29:7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: The entire chapter of this next scripture is valuable reading and study for Atonement Sabbath because it describes the rituals and meanings of the Atonement Sabbath for the cleansing of sin and the scapegoat.
Leviticus 16:29-31
In these verses we see the typical words "holy convocation" and "no work" which indicate the proper observance of all weekly and yearly Sabbaths. Atonement Sabbath has something more, "ye shall afflict your souls". The primary interpretation of this command is to fast. This was mentioned even in the New Testament. Acts 27:9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, The act of fasting from food and drink is a healthy act of self-denial of pleasure which can be so easily over-indulged for the gratification of lust and appetite. This is a valuable act of healthy self-discipline which is medically safe and has well known benefits. Some practice the exclusion of even water during a fast. This does not make any sense to me. Water is not a pleasure which can be over-indulged for the gratification of lust and appetite. The opposite is true. Water is vital to health. Abstaining from water is not self-denial and self-discipline but rather self-destructive. It reminds me of the practice of self-flagellation and other mortifications (self-destructions) of the soul practiced by some in the Catholic church in some regions. It is true that God can sustain us if there is a need to go without water. The first question in my mind is are we tempting God if we abstain from water for supposed religious reasons which are our own traditional devising. Deuteronomy 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. It is important to note that there are special warnings for those who fail to observe the fast that day "he shall be cut off from among his people". Those who fail to abstain from work that day "the same soul will I destroy from among his people". Sabbath next week is a high Sabbath because it is also Atonement Sabbath. All those who observe the weekly Sabbath will also partially observe Atonement Sabbath. Atonement Sabbath is expected to be the day of the close of probation for the world. All will have made their final choice for good or evil at that time. I suspect that anyone who does not observe Atonement Sabbath by that time will be "cut off from among his people" and "the same soul will I destroy". A valuable Atonement Sabbath activity would be to look up the Hebrew word for "afflict" (#H6031) in Strong's Dictionary and meditate on its application. www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/words.pl?word=06031&page=1 There are other valuable lessons and disciplines associated with the word. Humbleness and self-examination are also valuable practices. II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Will you be in proper observance on God's holy days or will you be cut off and destroyed? I pray that we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-uh-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God. Shabbat Shalom,
Frank T. Clark
Next: 2007-09-21 Tabernacles Sabbath |
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Revised 2007-09-21 |