Sabbath-School Lesson Notes
By A. T. Robinson
Lesson XII—The Closing Conflict
JUST as long as it remains a fact that the Lord made the heavens and the earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath will be the sign of his creative and sanctifying power; and Sabbath-keeping will be recognition of the Creator and the Redeemer. “For it is a sign between me and you, . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. . . . It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested.” Ex. 31:13, 17. Just as long as apostasy is in this world, Sunday will be the mark, or sign, of apostasy, and Sunday-keeping will be the outward recognition of the power back of all apostasy. This is true because Sunday is declared to be “the wild solar holiday of all pagan times.” “Its origin is lost in the most remote antiquity.” It took its original name, dies solis, day of the sun, from the fact that before the earliest historical times that day was set apart for the worship of the sun, and sun worship is declared to be the oldest form of idolatry that the world has ever known. After the church of Jesus Christ had apostatized from the pure principles of Christianity, she borrowed this pagan festival day, the sign of apostasy, and put it in the place of the Sabbath of Jehovah. In the great, closing conflict, Satan claims on the part of all a recognition of his power and authority, to be shown by the acceptance of the mark, or sign, of his power. The acceptance of the false, or counterfeit, sabbath as the mark of the beast will be enforced upon all, under the penalty of death. On the other hand, the Lord sends a message of warning, announcing to the inhabitants of earth, that every one who worships the beast, or accepts the sign of his power and authority, shall drink of the seven last plagues. The issue is one that is clearly defined: worship the beast and his image, and receive the mark, or sign, of his power, and escape the wrath of the dragon, which will be exercised in all its fierceness against those who keep the commandments of God; or “worship him that made heaven and earth,” and accept the sign of his power and authority, and thus escape the unmingled wrath of Jehovah, which will be poured out in the seven last plagues. Now, having taken a square look at the issue before the world, let us see what the outcome will be, on the part of those who shall have been arrayed on either side of the conflict. John had a view of these two companies, after the smoke of the battle had cleared away, and he beheld those who had stood firm and loyal to the God of heaven, stand upon the sea of glass, having harps of victory, and he heard them sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. As he beheld the wrath of God falling, in the seven last plagues, he says, “The first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.” Lesson XIII—Gathering out of His Kingdom All Things That Offend
IN the beginning Satan misrepresented God, as an arbitrary ruler, and claimed to be able to establish a better government. After less than two thousand years of experiment, Satan’s rulership had so far ruined this world that there was but one righteous man left, and the Lord destroyed the world by a flood, and saved that one righteous man, through whom the promised seed, or rightful rulership, should be perpetuated. In less than five hundred years more the world was again brought so near the brink of ruin that the Lord saw but one righteous man left, and he called him out from the surrounding darkness, and promised to make of him and his seed a righteous and holy nation. Thus the Lord sought to establish his form of organized government in the territory usurped by Satan. His purpose was that the righteous and holy principles of his government should prevail over all evil, until his kingdom should fill the whole world. It was only22Israel’s disloyalty to their King that made it necessary for the Lord’s plan to be worked out in another way. But the original purpose will be finally accomplished, even though it be delayed by man’s unbelief, and the consequent desolation of the earth. At the close of the thousand years of desolation the commission will be given to the angels to “gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Matt. 13:41-43. A. T. ROBINSON.