p. 3 | Hard Nuts for Seventh Dayists by George B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 19, 1911

Hard Nuts for Seventh Dayists

By George B. Thompson

GEO. B. THOMPSON

Under the above heading, several journals have published recently a list of so-called “hard nuts” for those to crack who keep the Bible Sabbath. As requests have been sent in that they receive some attention, we have decided to consider them, for the benefit of those who may, with an honest and true heart, be seeking for the truth on the Sabbath question.

Ever since our existence as a people, now more than half a century, we have, on many different occasions, taken the time to crack these same nuts. But in a short time some new theologian comes to the front with these same questions which have been answered, labels them “Hard Nuts,” and parades them around as if they were a fresh lot; and this he does with a self-satisfied air, as if a number of negative assertions proved something.

In the article under review no proof is given why we should keep Sunday.

Not a single text is cited to establish its claim as a day of rest. No proof is given why this heathen festival day should usurp the place of God’s holy day, which he made, and gave to man, and which the Son of God, man’s example, kept. The writer simply sits as a critic to quibble, pick flaws, ask questions, and cavil about this and that. But anybody can ask questions. A child can ask a question which may puzzle a sage. But the fact that a question is difficult to answer, proves nothing as to the erudition of the questioner, neither does it prove that the doctrine against which the question is directed is not the truth.

The business of propounding so-called ‘hard nuts’ for other people to hammer on is centuries old. Considerable business can be done in this way on a small investment. The Saviour met this in his day. The Pharisees, Sadducees, and other self-denominated learned people of his day manufactured some theological nuts about paying tribute, the resurrection, and other questions; not that they desired light, or were searching for the truth, but to entangle the Saviour, if possible, in his talk. The Master, however, was able to discern the motives which prompted them to quiz him, and he pointed out the real difficulty of his questioners by saying, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ Matt. 22:29. Men still err for the same reason. Then with some of the sayings of Moses, Jesus demolished their theological quibbles at one blow. So completely did the ‘book of Moses’ rend the web by which they hoped to ‘entangle him,’ that we are told they were put to ‘silence,’ ‘left him, and went their way.’

So much by way of introduction. Now for the ‘hard nuts:’—

‘1. Where is the proof that any man ever kept the seventh day, except by special commandment, prior to the proclamation of the ten commandments at Mount Sinai? Gen. 2:2, 3; Ex. 16: 1-30; 19:25; 20:1-17.’

Just what the writer has in mind by the words ‘except by special commandment,’ is uncertain. It looks like a hole to crawl through when faced with the proof that the Sabbath was kept before the children of Israel reached Sinai. Evidently the writer believes there were some commandments given before that time concerning the Sabbath observance. This is true. God commanded its observance when he blessed and made holy the day.

The texts quoted in the query answer the question. Gen. 2:3 says that ‘God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.’ The Standard Dictionary defines sanctify as follows: ‘To set apart as holy or for holy purposes; consecrate; hallow; as, the Sabbath was sanctified by God.’ The only way God could ‘set apart’ the holy Sabbath as a day of rest was to give a command concerning its observance, which he did.

‘And sanctified it’ (Heb., Kadash). It is by this term that the positive appointment of the Sabbath as a day of rest to man is expressed. God’s sanctifying the day is equivalent to his commanding men to sanctify it.’—Notes on Gen. 2:3, by George Bush, formerly Professor of Hebrew and Oriental Literature in New York City University.

The fact that periods of seven days (the week) were known, is also further proof that the Sabbath was known and kept, as the Sabbath is the only thing which divides time into weekly periods.

Then, too, the instruction concerning the gathering of the manna was given prior to the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. See Exodus 16.

‘2. If Christians are required to keep the seventh day, why do you depart from your dwelling on that day, seeing those to whom the law was given were plainly commanded not to do so? Ex. 16:29.’

The text (Ex. 16:29) referred to reads as follows: ‘See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ The next verse explains it: ‘So the people rested on the seventh day.’ The prohibition was against going out to gather manna, against working on the Sabbath. A double portion of manna was to be gathered on the sixth day so none would need to ‘go out of his place’ on the Sabbath to engage in the work of gathering food. In harmony with this prohibition, ‘the people rested on the seventh day.’ There was no restriction against assembling for worship on the Sabbath; in fact, the Sabbath was to be a ‘holy convocation.’ Lev. 23:3.

But now that the matter of the proper observance of the Sabbath is up, we shall be glad if those who teach that Sunday should be kept holy will cite (a) a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ for its observance, and (b) the instruction given by the Lord as to just how it should be kept. We have read the Bible through many times without finding it. It is not some statute enacted by a State legislature we are asking for, but chapter and verse in the Bible which tells what things are proper and what are not on Sunday. Here is a nut we have been waiting to have cracked for several decades. How much longer must we wait? Perhaps some of the papers which have been passing around these hard nuts, evidently with the idea that they are dainty morsels on the Sabbath question, can produce chapter and verse. Where is it, please? No dodging here. Proof! It is a poor policy for those who observe a day concerning which no divine instruction can be found for its observance, to find fault with the way those observe the day that the Lord sanctified and instructed his people how to keep. See Isa. 58:12-14.

‘3. If you keep one Sabbath—the seventh day—why not keep them all, the seventh year and the year of jubilee? Who authorized you to make distinction in favor of the seventh day? Lev. 25:1-22.’

God has made a distinction; therefore we do the same. There were seven annual sabbaths; namely, the first day of unleavened bread, the seventh day of that feast, the day of Pentecost, the first day of the seventh month, the tenth day of that month, the fifteenth day of that month, and the twenty-second day of the same. These were ceremonial sabbaths, and were not commanded in the decalogue. All these were ‘beside the Sabbaths of the Lord.’ Lev. 23:38.

‘4. If Christians are required to keep the Sabbath, how are they to live in cold climates? Ex. 35:1-3.’

It is absurd to endeavor to make the prohibition against kindling fire on the Sabbath apply to lighting fires for warmth and comfort in places where, on account of cold weather, fire is an absolute necessity. This command evidently was a temporary statute which related to the Israelites. We read of one man who ‘gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day.’ Num. 15:32. He intended, perhaps, to kindle a fire, not for comfort, nor to cook necessary food, but to show his contempt of the Sabbath institution. The instruction is no part of the Sabbath law, and pertained to the special needs of the children of Israel in the wilderness. The principle underlying it, however, of abstaining from unnecessary work on the Sabbath will apply to all time.

(To be continued)

Washington, D. C.