After having received confirmation just prior to the March
2009 new moon that the barley was in the ear in Israel, we were certain that the new moon most certain to had become visible
on Friday (Sabbath)
evening 27th march 2009 would have been the beginning point for a new year on the Bible calendar. Some of us here
having seen the silver crescent of the paschal moon on the evening expected (I saw it at 6:34pm), Sabbath 28th march 2009 was therefore when
the Bible New Year began with the new moon day of Abib with the fourteenth day to arrive to observe Yahweh’s Passover in commemoration of our
Savior’s Passover death which we did when it arrived, in the evening of Thursday 9th April 2009.
Out of the thirty-one
persons including children/youth who were present at the Passover memorial service were nineteen immersed adults (eight brothers
and eleven sisters) able of partaking of the Passover emblems of our Savior’s body and blood. The twelve witnessing
the Passover observance comprised of both adults and children. Deacon Bertrand cited quite a number of passages of Scripture
(Ex. 6:6; 15:13;
Deut. 7:8; Job 19:25;
Psalm 35:1; 71:23; 107:2; 49:15; John 1:29; Rev. 5:8-14; Acts 20:28; John 6:51; 10:11; 15:12-14) in support of the Passover message he presented, entitled, “Redeem,
Redemption, Redeemer.”
After special singing
from two sisters, it was time for saints to get into the washing of each others feet before partaking of the emblems.
Having performed
the foot washing ceremony which was preceded by the reading of two portions
of scriptures from John 13:25-35
& 7-13, we also read from John 13:14-17 following the washing of feet. We then partook of the unleavened bread, signifying the
body (but not before having read from Matt. 26:26), and the fruit of the vine (not wine), signifying the shedded
blood of our holy Master and Savior (but not before having read from Matt. 26:27-28), ensuring that we did not do so unworthily
(1 Corinthians 11). The emblems were being administered by Elders Jno. Baptiste
and Ophar.
Have you ever tried
entering the evening of Passover from at least a one day of fasting and partake of Passover in that condition (John 11:55)? Not only did I
do it that way this year one more time but as well for the first time neither ate nor drank anything after partaking of the
emblems, until that the Friday sunset 10/04/09 beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread had arrived, bearing in mind that this is exactly how
it was with our Savior and what He went through throughout the remainder of Abib 14th, without being able of eating and drinking
anything more, after observing the Passover with His disciples in the evening.
There was an evening
worship service welcoming of the weekly Shabbat and the annual Shabbatowm
first day of the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread on Friday evening 10th March. Nine of us were present for
that evening service. The following morning of Sabbath 11th was the double Sabbath grand worship service in observance
of both the weekly Sabbath and the annual Sabbath first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread at which fifty of us, including
visitors, were present. We nurtured on the meal from the word that was dished out to us by Elder Jno. Baptiste entitled, “A
New Season Followed By New Minds and Clean hearts,” to support which, the scriptures he presented were John 14:1-9,
1 Corinthians 10:21-24 and 5:6-8.
There was the laying on of hands by the Presbytery on 69-year-old Emmanuel Thomas who was immersed
into our Savior’s name Yahshua earlier that same morning by his nephew Elder John Felix Thomas. At the time of special
singing, his testimony before he gave his special offering in song was that “I don’t want to put Him to an open
shame. For when Yahshua came out from the water, the voice said, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. I want
Him to be proud of me and to please Him with the remainder of my life. I don’t want to put Him to an open shame.”
His special offering in song after his testimony was the popular chorus rendition, “I have decided to follow Yahshua.”
Special singing from various brethren ended with a dance from a group of three female teenagers in the Assembly.
Following the morning
service was our usual buffet style lunch fellowship as is our custom on annual holy days. We continued later down in the afternoon
after lunch with an afternoon session which included rejoicing until sunset.
In only a few minutes
after sunset, we went into proclaiming a wave sheaf evening worship service for about an hour or so during which, all who
were present keenly gave a listening ear to Deacon Bertrand’s short message focusing on the significance of the Old Testament wave sheaf observance pointing to Yahshua who was to later become
the wave sheaf. It was a message well delivered which was the same message that he delivered for last year 2008 wave sheaf
evening service, I can remember quite clearly. It was nice that I could have heard that interesting message yet once more
for a second consecutive year during the same annual observance.
The turning out
for the remaining evenings of the feast in worship to Yahweh with our spiritual sacrifice by fire was extremely encouraging,
spiritually uplifting and inspiring from all that was done on each evening of the feast.
With the exception
of the wave sheaf evening service which was moderated by Elder Ophar, I was charged with the responsibility on each evening
of the feast to moderate the service which I did with great zeal, happiness and joy without wavering. I can’t for whatever
reason, remember any previous Feast of Unleavened Bread that we’ve enjoyed like this year.
It is even the first Feast of Unleavened Bread that anyone of us has experienced such great turning
out in such large numbers on each and every single one of the evenings after the day of the wave sheaf in numbers such as
twenty-two on the third evening, twenty-eight on the fourth evening, twenty-nine on the fifth evening, thirty on the sixth
evening and twenty-eight on the seventh and last evening. We were privileged to have visitors at most, if not all, of our
evening services.
The speaker for
the third, fourth and fifth evenings was Elder Thomas with extremely awakening messages, boosting our spirits, I must say,
to the highest level, concerning what is expected of us in terms of Passover and this feast not only during this time of year
but for all time. Among his messages was “Yahweh’s Passover – What It Means to Us.” Among the things
he said in admonishing us is that “you cannot make yourself unleavened by yourself. You cannot remove leaven when you
reject correction.”
It was Elder Ophar’s
turn to deliver the word on the sixth and seventh evenings with the messages, “Puffed Up” and “Get Your
Priorities Right.”
A never ending word
of thanks is being continually extended to Elder Thomas and Deacon Bertrand who, through having provided transportation, made
it possible for most living distances away, to have been able of being present at each of the evening services in such large
numbers throughout the days of the feast.
Came Friday morning
17th March, we were again gathered in a holy convocation for the second time in the feast being the seventh and
last day of the feast which I was again privileged with the opportunity of moderating after leading the congregational reading
of Psalm 105:26-45 and offering up a word of prayer following the opening three songs lead by Deacon Bertrand. It was due
to health circumstances beyond his control that I ended up having to continue with the moderating.
The day’s
message was to have been delivered by no one else than the very same Elder Thomas who so dearly inspired us with Yahweh’s
unleavened messages on the third, fourth and fifth evenings of the feast. The message he delivered this time was entitled
“Faith” to a Sabbath gathering of forty-eight of us.
The day did not
come to a sunset-end without our usual annual High Day Sabbath buffet style lunch fellowship followed by a Sabbath afternoon
session until sunset.
What can we say
then but well spoken the word of Yahweh and thank Him for every good thing from heaven that transpired throughout the days
of the Feast of Unleavened Bread this year that we may continue into being an unleavened people progressing in Yahweh’s
provided Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread freedom from all types of evil practises that we are seeing is the norm in
pagan Egypt all around us today.
By Way of Announcements
It is only a pity that there are no Passover and Feast
of Unleavened Bread pictures from our end this year to share as photographing was not a possibility due to circumstances beyond
the control of last year’s photographer.
Time fleets by rather
quite quickly, doesn’t it? Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread are already come and gone but was nevertheless well
spent. No doubt about that in the minds of each and every one of us who fully participated throughout, here at Yahweh’s
New Covenant Assembly in DominicaŽ. As soon as Abib 21st the last day of unleavened bread is over, this tells us
that we are at the close of the third quarter of the Bible lunar first month and will be entering into the Bible lunar second
month Zif in only a matter of a week time as soon as the fourth quarter of the Abib moon is ended which is expected for this
week Sabbath sunset 25th
April 2009 here in the Americas with twenty-nine lunar days going to this moon of Abib. Click on the “sign up”
button at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LookForEachNewMoon, if you haven’t as yet done so, to be enlisted among the many recipients of outgoing reporting via e-mail confirming
the sighting of the new moon on a month by month basis. I do look forward to us all remembering to search for this upcoming
new moon come this week Sabbath sunset 25th April 2009 which will mark the beginning of the Bible lunar second
month Zif. If it becomes visible on the evening expected, the new-moon-first-day of the Bible lunar second month Zif will
be on the first day of the week 26th April 2009. The second month Zif is as well of Passover importance for the reasons given in
Numbers chapter 9.
We now look forward
to the next Bible annual observance which is the Pentecost (fiftieth day) Sabbath Feast of Harvest/Weeks/First Fruits on the first day of the week
31st May 2009.
All are invited to celebrate this Bible commanded Sabbath feast day with us. Will you be coming? Pentecost Sabbath worship
service begins at 10:30am sharp!
I should not end
with this my continuing to glory in our observance of this just concluded 2009 Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread without
informing that we, Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly in DominicaŽ (www.YAIY.org), as we did last year 2008, will be migrating to our sister Caribbean twin island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago as a
body in observance of Yahweh’s Bible commanded seven-day Feast of Booths/Ingathering/Tabernacles again this year 2009.
Whoever feels spirit-led
to join with Caribbean brethren this year 2009 in observance of Yahweh’s Bible commanded Feast of Booths/Ingathering/Tabernacles
on the Caribbean twin island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, may contact us (Yahweh’s New Covenant Assembly in DominicaŽ
- www.YAIY.org) here in the Commonwealth of Dominica at (767) 448-8143/615-6379; ElderJosephFrancis@hotmail.com or the brethren
(Yahweh’s New Covenant AssemblyŽ - www.YAIY.org) on the island of Trinidad at (868) 665-8865/750-2397; LocksleyJoseph@yahoo.com for any further information that is
being required.
The Bible calendar
set date of the 15th to the 21st day of the seventh month Ethanim for the observance of the Feast
of Tabernacles, followed by the Sabbath eighth day or Last Great Day on the 22nd, is expected to most likely
coincide with October 5th-12th,
if the seventh new moon becomes visible on Sunday evening 20th September 2009 to
make Monday 21st the new-moon-first-day of the Bible seventh month and the Sabbath day of Blowing of Trumpets.
Because of the likelihood
that the new moon might become visible a day earlier on Saturday evening 19th September which would make Sunday 20th instead the
new-moon-first-day and the day of the Sabbath Feast of Trumpets, every precaution must be taken in preparing to attend the
Feast of Tabernacles that it could end up coinciding with either 4th-11th or 5th-12th October 2009.
The greater expectation is for the latter.
Shalom and Yahweh bless each and all,
Augustus Paul
25 Emergency Housing Scheme
Balisier Lane , Bath Estate, Roseau
Commonwealth of DOMINICA
Windward Islands, West Indies
(767) 245-8369/316-1525
StudyTheBible@PraiseYahweh.com
http://AugustusPaul-ivil.tripod.com
Monday 20th April 2009
