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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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 23rd day of the 7th month of God's Sacred Calendar. We have now ended the fall Holy Day season. I have not yet calculated the next year calendar. If you are eager to know I have found this calendar to be accurate in the past. http://www.avoiceinthewilderness.org/bibcal/6003_index.html Continuing with the subject of Last Day Sabbath is a thought that I hesitated to share. This an observation of patterns and interpretations which has no specific Biblical basis. The pattern of seven days ending with the Last Day Sabbath has a clear parallel to the mention by Ellen White of the seven day journey to heaven. Therefore Last Day Sabbath could be fulfilled when we reach heaven as the marriage supper of the lamb or similar celebration. This pattern has a parallel that creation and the re-creation could occur during the seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles with the final fulfillment of Last Day Sabbath as the final celebration of the end of sin when all tears will be wiped away. Similarly the Day of Atonement could be the final judgment when Satan is thrown into the lake of fire and the final cleansing of the earth by fire would finish by Tabernacles Sabbath. Do you think it is going too far to ponder and mention these possibilities? There have been rumors of special meetings by church theologians to discuss the problem of the controversy in the church caused by those who believe in observing the commands of God set forth in Leviticus 23. This group is usually referred to as "feast-keepers". The term "feast-keepers" is confusing and misleading. There is a poorly understood difference between the "seven feasts" and the seven yearly Sabbaths. The confusion is compounded by the fact that these overlap. There is much I could say about this subject which I will leave for another time. The reactions to these rumors is a matter of concern to me. I have resolved in this type of situation to be careful about getting caught up in excessive concern and discussion about something which has few actual facts. It is wise in these situations to avoid spreading rumors and carefully share only clear facts from first hand verbatim sources. It is so easy for facts to become rumors, then gossip, as tales get spread which change from person to person. Remember the grade school game of "Whisper down the Hallway". (I have heard this game called many different things but I am reasonably sure you understand what I am saying.) The credible sources I have heard on this subject indicate that the Biblical Research Institute (BRI) is part of these meetings. This makes sense because the BRI is the theology defining arm of the General Conference. It is unlikely that they are going to change from previous viewpoints. The public views of the BRI can be found at their website in some past statements: "Should Christians Observe the Israelite Festivals?" dated July 1987. http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/israelitefestivals.pdf "Passover and Pentecost: Optional or Obligatory?" dated June 1996. http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/Passover%20&%20Pentecost.htm "A Note about Easter" undated. http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/documents/easter.htm I do not believe that there will be any change in the view of the BRI and the church in general. Present truth will never be accepted by the majority. What may happen is that increased focus on the subject will result in actions against and excluding those who disagree. There is no reason to be concerned. God will guide and direct those who follow His leading. In particular, we must stand by the truth without attacking and pressuring others to see our understanding. Those who follow the Saviour's counsel have nothing to worry about. Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Please read the entire chapter for we are warned that there will indeed be persecution. Pray that persecution comes from standing by the truth and is not triggered by our own belligerence. Sometimes tales become slander when a third person's views are discussed and passed on without a clear understanding of the truth. Remember that sometimes we all say things which if taken out of context and distorted can be used against us. When an issue is complicated our own viewpoints can be difficult to describe and even change as we continue to investigate and study. It is so important to go straight to the source and find out what a person actually believes. A case in point involves things I have heard about Samuele Bacchiochi. I have heard people say he doesn't believe in Ellen White. I have heard people say he believes in "keeping the feasts" and others say he doesn't. Fortunately he has a public website where you can easily find exactly what he does say and believe. http://www.biblicalperspectives.com He has a regular "ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER" which describes his views in great detail. "Should Adventists Celebrate Passover or Easter-Sunday?" http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_169.htm "Should Adventists Observe the Festivals?" http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_170.htm "Ellen White and the Future of the Adventist Church" http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/et_172.htm In summary, the Holy Spirit has led Samuele right to the subject of God's Sacred Calendar in a very powerful way and he supports it wholeheartedly but stops just short of saying the yearly Sabbaths should be observed. He believes in Ellen White as a prophet of God who was still a human being and made mistakes. Are you deep into studying your Bible for present truth? Do you depend on others for your understanding of your beliefs? 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
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Revised 2007-10-12 |