ATONEMENT FOR SABBATH-BREAKING.
By R. F. Cottrell
SABBATH-BREAKING was once a sin. The Sabbath commandment was written in the midst of the moral law, in the former dispensation, which was placed in the ark of the covenant, and covered by the mercy-seat. No one could come to that mercy-seat but the high priest, and he could only come with the blood of a sin-offering to make atonement for the transgressions of that law which was beneath the mercy-seat in the ark. But all the blood that was there offered could not take away a single sin. The blood could only typify the blood of Christ, the real sin-offering, and the high priest in offering the blood to atone for sin, could only typify Christ as our real high priest, as offering his blood in behalf of all his people, from the beginning to the end of the world. The Jews were often guilty of the violations of the fourth commandment—the sin of Sabbath-breaking. Blood was offered for their cleansing; but it could avail them nothing, only to point them to the blood of Christ. The priest offered the blood for them; but this could only point them to the fact that Christ would offer his own blood for that sin. Hence, unless Christ shall offer his blood for their sin, not one of those Sabbath-breakers can be saved. Christ shed his blood for man's violations of the ten commandments; and this act did not blot out or change any one of those commandments except the fourth. He offers his blood for the violations, in these days, of nine out of the ten commandments; and, in behalf of the ancients, for their sin of Sabbath-breaking, besides. Is it not barely possible that such a sin exists at the present day? And that it consists in the same acts; viz., the profanation of that very day which God reserved to his own special honor at the beginning? There will be Sabbath-keeping in the future world. Isa. 66 : 22, 23. Will there be two classes of Sabbath-keepers, and two days in the week kept? "All flesh" shall observe the Sabbath—there will be none that neglect it, none will hold the doctrine of "no Sabbath" there; May God bless these suggestions to the opening of some eyes. Is it not possible, friendly reader, that that law, for the transgression of which a real atonement was shadowed forth in the former dispensation, is still the moral law of God, without the abatement of "one jot or one tittle"? Matt. 5 : 18. And does it not consequently bind us to the observance of the same day which it required the ancients to keep? Is not sin the same thing in all dispensations? And will not Sabbath-keepers in the world to come all observe the same day?