“LAYING HOLD OF THE SABBATH.”
By G. W. AMADON
The question sometimes arises, Why it is that the observers of the Sabbath are so firm and inflexible in regard to their particular views of the fourth commandment? People generally receive the Sabbath with a fixedness of purpose which is a marvel to some, and by others is often regarded as obstinacy. The true reason why Sabbath-keepers are so unbending in their faith is, that the doctrine is so manifestly taught by the Bible. This truth generally comes home to the conscience with “much assurance” (1 Thess. 1:5), and like the “lost piece of silver” that was found, it brings great joy. The commandments of God become, to those who receive them, more precious than gold, or gold highly refined, and are sweeter to the spiritual taste than honey or the honeycomb. Ps. 19:10. But prophecy described the manner in which the long-neglected and down-trodden Sabbath truth would be embraced in the last days, just prior to the second coming of Christ. Isa. 56:1, 2, says, “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment [Heb., מִשְׁפָּט, mish-pat, a word which nearly one hundred times points directly to obedience to the LAW of God], and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this [mark what it is and the manner in which it is to be done], and the son of man that LAYETH HOLD on it; that keepeth THE SABBATH from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” This latter-time prophecy shows the decided and determined spirit in which the Sabbath will be received. Men and women will LAY HOLD of it. They will not simply take it in the ends of their fingers; but they will seize it with might and main as they would a physical object. The Hebrew word translated “lay hold,” is חזק, chah-zaq, and means literally, according to Gesenius’ Hebrew Lexicon, “1. To bind fast, to gird tight. 2. To hold fast to anything, to cleave to, to adhere to firmly. 3. To make firm, strong, to strengthen. 4. To be strong upon any one.” In another species of the verb it means “to show one’s self strong, to be courageous.” The word has some eight derivatives, in all of which the idea of strength, power, and force, are particularly prominent. These passages, with half a dozen instances which have no particular bearing on the point, are all the cases in which chah-zaq appears in the same tense (hiphil, future) as in Isa. 56:2. It might be observed, however, that in addition to the places already mentioned, the word appears in the Hebrew Concordance some two hundred and sixty times. It is quite interesting to note its extensive use in the Old Testament Scriptures. The foregoing is at least a partial answer to the question why the people of God lay hold of the Sabbath with such inflexibility of purpose—prophecy said that they would do so, and the Lord promises a blessing to those who do it.