2015-02-27 Beards


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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 pray this newsletter finds you in good health and happy in the service of IAUA. This is the 8th day of the 12th month of God's Sacred Calendar in the estimated year 6018 Anno Mundi.

The Spring Sabbaths begin in 5 weeks and one day. God's New Year's Day is the first Sabbath of Unleavened Bread, the 15th day of the 1st month (Sunday, April 5th of the 2015, Gregorian Calendar, at sunset Saturday, April 4th).

On God's Calendar the Sacred month begins on the world day after lunar conjunction and the sacred year begins with God's New Year's Day after the spring equinox (Spring Passover Rule). The Millerite Calendar (Spring New Moon Rule) is the same this year. The Calculated Rabbinical Calendar is one day early.


A newsletter reader responds to last weeks newsletter:

I am not entirely sure what makes you uncomfortable about praying for others repeatedly, but we are told to be persistent in prayer, and I think that James is also saying this.

My personal concern is when we are being asked to pray for the health of people who we have witnessed to and still persist in unhealthful practices which are making them sick, so they ask us to pray for their healing. Can we sincerely pray for them while they are refusing to follow the counsel of our Lord? Or should we just pray for them to follow the counsel of out Lord so He can heal them? In fact in Jeremiah, God tells Jeremiah repeatedly not to pray for His people while their heart is not with Him. (eg. Jer 7:16; 11:14; 14:11, and the incident in Jeremiah 42. How do we apply this?

I think repeated prayer for our close relatives or our children to fully choose to be God's people is necessary. But repeatedly praying for the health of people who we know are not following God's counsel is not effective and cannot be answered by God.

Just a few thoughts.


I responded:

It is good to hear from you.

The emphasis was on the "vain" repetition such as specifically noted by prayer lists passed on second hand of people we don't even know. You made an important observation I did not mention of knowing whether they are following God's guidance or not.

Excellent observations.

Be at peace,


I have pondered deeply the penetrating words, "How do we apply this?" I am sad because it appears that the latter day children of Israel and the "remnant" denomination with all their excuses have refused to obey the voice of God. The result will be the same with the former children of Israel.

Jeremiah 7:23-28
23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

...

I was rereading some Adventist Messianic studies this week and my thoughts were drawn to visualizing various feast-keepers, Messianics, and rabbis I have known or pictures I have seen. My thoughts were also drawn to the fact that most wear beards since shaving is forbidden by God's Law as recorded by Moses.

Leviticus 19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Leviticus 21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Repeated and enlarged by the prophet Ezekiel concerning the priests. Remember that we are all priests in service to God.

Ezekiel 44:20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only trim their heads.

It is interesting to note the various extremes. At one extreme is complete disobedience by non-Torah Adventists who shave the face and some even shave the top of the head. At the other extreme are rabbis and some others with long shaggy hair and beards a foot long and more. Perhaps I should repeat that I am not intending to be critical or judgmental. I am observing and evaluating without any intent to judge others or prescribe a certain practice.

Each person must seek God's guidance in their own heart and in their own lives on this subject. This my personal witness to my own understanding of applying the principles of God to my appearance. I am not telling you what you should do. I do encourage you to study all the guidance God has provided for us in His word and seek His guidance on what He expects from you.

It is appropriate to trim, comb, and arrange the hair/beard for neatness and attractiveness. Excessively long hair on men is against the natural distinction of the sexes as created by God. Paul gave some difficult teachings in this chapter but here is a statement to consider.

I Corinthians 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

As I have gotten older I have become more and more uncomfortable with long or even medium hair on my own face. Those who are particularly vain (men and women) are very careful to arrange their hair a specific way and keep it plastered with oil or spray.

I prefer to use a simple, functional hair style that is just cut to a short length and combed straight back wet, once in the morning. After it dries and goes through the day it tends to go several different directions but I never bother to comb it again. Occasionally I may run my fingers through my hair to tame it a bit.

I trim my hair and beard short and let it grow for several months until it gets annoying and cut it short again. I am becoming a bit severe with my mustache. I can't stand it after only a couple of months when it starts to get in my mouth or fails to stay clean from food or drink. Modern clippers are handy to get it very short but I never shave.

A razor has not touched my head for many decades. Long before I knew it was forbidden by God, I despised the practice of shaving. It seemd silly to keep shaving off something God caused to grow.

I apologize for sounding offensive but I cannot understand why a person would shave their whole head. Even beyond the command of God it doesn't make sense to me. However, I understand that some may be concerned that their hair doesn't look the way they want, so they decide to shave it off. I can certainly appreciate someone who decides to clip it very short, but shave?

Again I remind you. I am not judging or criticizing. These are observations, thoughts and evaluations of what I see compared to what the Bible says. Other than the importance of considering and following the command of God, these are only my opinions. I hope that sharing my thoughts with you is not seen as being offensive.

Are you demonstrating your faith and belief in God by your personal appearance?

I pray we may all continue to seek love, peace, and unity in truth preparing for the soon coming of IAUShUO (ee-ah-oo-shoo-oh) Messiah, the Son of God.

Frank T. Clark
Eliau@IAUA.name
www.IAUA.name

Next: 2015-03-06 Love vs Doctrine


Revised 2015-03-06