United Church of God

Letter From Dan Dowd - August 30, 2019

Letter From Dan Dowd

August 30, 2019

Sabbath Thought - Liberation

June 6, 1944 saw the largest assembly of military forces the world has ever seen on one day - "D-Day" for the invasion of Normandy, France.  This military action was designed for the Allied Forces of WW2 to gain a foothold on the European continent in order to push Nazi forces back to Germany, and ultimately to end the war.

The invasion was officially known as "Operation Overlord" and was by no means considered to be an easy undertaking nor was success guaranteed.  Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, General Eisenhower, actually expected Allied loses to be much higher than they turned out to be.  It would be more than a year after Operation Overlord until WW2 would end, but in the meantime German resistance was fierce now that the war was being pushed into their own backyard.

Surprisingly, the liberation of Paris was not an initial objective of the Allied forces, but came about because French liberation forces seized the opportunity when General Patton's forces pushed south into France.  From August 15-19 the Battle for Paris and Belgium took place.  France's 2nd Armor Division successfully made their way into Paris on August 24th, and on the next day U.S.'s 2nd Armored Division and the 4th Infantry Division entered the city as well.  With the bulk of German forces retreating to the Rhine to regroup, Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, surrendered on August 25, 1944.  The city of Paris, France was liberated from Nazi occupation.

The very sad legacy of mankind's rule is one filled with violence and war.  WW2 exposed mankind to unimaginable atrocities never before seen, but unfortunately those will be surpassed in the war to come before Jesus Christ's return.  The interesting parallel to the liberation of Paris, is that the whole world will be liberated at the return of Christ!  What a time of great joy and excitement that will be!

Adam and Eve were created with the potential to become children of God.  Even though they were not yet begotten into the family, they had the potential to be so.  However, once they submitted to Satan's way of life choosing to be their own god, they became spiritual captives of Satan.  All of mankind has followed in their footsteps and become spiritual captives of Satan as well.  As the Allied forces of WW2 paid a huge price to liberate Europe from Nazi oppression, God the Father and Christ the Son were willing to pay the huge spiritual price necessary to free us (and all of mankind) from that spiritual captivity.

God's fall Holy Days picture liberation for all of mankind from the spiritual captivity they are in without even realizing it.  The stage has been set in the fulfillment of the spring Holy Days for God to complete His plan of salvation for mankind.  In a few short weeks God's people will again rehearse the meaning of the fall Holy Days and rejoice in knowing that God will indeed free mankind from Satan's reign and from the penalty of sin.

The Sabbath too, is part of God's plan of salvation.  God has called us now to be begotten (but not yet born) into His family, and through our keeping of God's Sabbath we have freedom and rest from this world.  May God speed the day when all of mankind will be liberated from the tyranny of Satan and realize God's plan for each one of them!  May we stay the course in order to be there to serve and help them become part of God's family for eternity!

I wish you a profitable and value filled Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

30 August, 2019