Nineteen hundred eighty-seven years ago, a new order of beings came into existence. The first being of that order was Jesus Christ, the spirit born Son of God. The Old Testament wave offering was offered on the morrow after the sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The best of the best barley grain of the wave offering was sifted for purity and parched with fire before being offered up. Likewise, Jesus Christ, the spiritual fulfillment of the wave offering humbled himself as servant being tried, perfected and offered up as a sacrifice for sin. Today, we too are being sifted and tried in preparation to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Donald Ward

Elder, United Church of God

Before his retirement in 2021, Dr. Donald Ward pastored churches in Texas and Louisiana, and taught at Ambassador Bible College in Cincinnati, Ohio. He has also served as chairman of the Council of Elders of the United Church of God. He holds a BS degree; a BA in theology; a MS degree; a doctor’s degree in education from East Texas State University; and has completed 18 hours of graduate theology from SMU.