PROPHECY AND THE SABBATH.
SATAN has plotted shrewdly in the theological and religious world. He could not check the Reformation of the sixteenth century; but he divided its forces. Still, faith in the Bible as the book of God held. Then he brought in evolution, and later, higher criticism. By the former the creative power of God becomes a matter of slow growth, the development of millions of ages; and by the latter the Bible is a compilation of myths, allegories, legends, traditions, and superstitions, containing good instruction morally, but better fitted for a less enlightened age. Thus we are told. Under these influences the Sabbath as a divine supply for man's moral, social, and religious need is not recognized. Its divine origin is set aside as mythical legend. Its divine spiritual rest is utterly lost sight of. It has come to mean an arbitrary day of man's decision, and as Sunday is kept by the vast majority, that is the day for all regardless of the teaching of the Bible. The disciples of evolution and higher criticism would make it a social, non-work, semi-religious day, supported by church sentiment, and, having in itself no moral worth, amply supported by civil law. There are still honest hearts in the various churches who believe in a Sabbath with Bible sanction. They believe in a vague sort of way that Sunday has this, and that in view of its “desecration” it ought to be enforced by civil law. But this class is dependent upon the “scientific” religionists to secure and enforce laws, and hence compromise their faith to that end. To forestall all this God gave His prophetic word, His “more sure word of prophecy,” “declaring the end from the beginning,” revealing the apostasy to come which would endeavor to wrest the Sabbath from the Decalogue, and would seem to accomplish its purpose. That Word clearly points out the subtle evils which would destroy faith in God and His Book; and, to leave men without excuse, it predicted from eighteen to twenty-six hundred years ago that in these days there would be reform on God’s law respecting the Sabbath. One of these predictions is found in the following passage from the great Gospel prophet:— “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” “Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.” “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.” Isa. 8:16–18. Taking occasion from the confederacy by which Israel hoped to withstand the king of Assyria, the Lord gives the prophet a view of the last days of the Christian dispensation. The same principles which were applicable then are applicable now. That was spoken to Ahaz and Israel then, but it is written for us who live now. The Spirit of God also applies it to this dispensation. Verse 13 of the above is quoted in 1 Peter 3:15; verses 14, 15 are referred to in Luke 2:34; Rom. 9:33; and 1 Peter 2:8, and elsewhere, and applied to Christ Jesus; “My disciples” in verse 16 has direct reference to the followers of the divine-human Jesus; verse 18 is quoted in Heb. 2:13; and verse 17 has especial reference to the second coming of our Lord when His people will be waiting and watching for Him. 1 Thess. 1:10. How applicable it is now as applied to men's attitude toward God's law. Many, conscientiously, no doubt, believe in the substitute which apostasy has foisted upon the church, the pagan-papal sun's day, “the wild, solar holiday of all pagan times,” in the place of the Sabbath of the Lord, aye, of the Lord Jesus Christ. To enforce it legislation is demanded. To induce legislation all denominations are confederating, Catholic and Protestant, Unitarian and Orthodox, Episcopal and Congregational, with wholly secular organizations. All this to uphold a man-made institution. It will not work. No association is strong against God. His disciples, the few and weak, are more mighty through Him than all the earth beside. And therefore God appeals to His people not to confederate, not to walk in the way of those who were thus doing. There is but one way to do God's work. Human law and force will not accomplish it. We appreciate the effort that many are putting forth to suppress drunkenness, gambling, rioting, the effort and legislation for which largely centers around the Sunday question. The power of a backslidden church will not check the tide of evil, and they know it; but they do not see that form without the life is mockery. The Lord presents the only source of help, the only true basis of reform. The source of help is Jehovah of hosts. Sanctify, set apart, Him; not in secular statute, not in man-made substitutes, but in your heart. Let Him be your fear. Let the wrath which comes from transgressed law be your dread. Make Him supreme in heart and church. Let all else sink out of sight. And then from all coming ills “He shall be a sanctuary,” a hiding-place, a holy refuge. He will also be a stumbling-stone, but only to the transgressor. The first house stumbled at Him because they kept the right Sabbath in the wrong way. John 5:10–16, et al. The second house of Israel—the present people of God—are stumbling at Him because they keep the wrong Sabbath instead of the right. And because of it many will be snared with the last-day delusions, and be taken captive of the enemy. That this is evident the following verse shows: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law [not among unbelievers, not among the Jews as such, but] among My [Christ’s] disciples.” The testimony, God’s witness against sin, the Decalogue (Ex. 32:15), has been unbound among God’s people; they have lost regard for its holy character, as set forth in the life of Christ Jesus, and they have done this in respect to that very precept which points out who the Creator is, and hence the only One who can redeem, namely, the Fourth Commandment. (See the article on “The Seal of the Living God,” page 3.) To this God’s people are called in this time of waiting; and those who will allow that work to be wrought in their hearts, who will let the Spirit of God write the whole law upon their hearts, including the sign between Himself and His people (Eze. 20:12, 20), those who will thus sanctify the Lord of hosts will find no call, no desire, for religious legislation. The power of God’s living Word will be all-sufficient.