THE RAINBOW IN THE CLOUD.
By A. Smith
The Lord declared the Ten Commandments to be His covenant. “And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone.” Deut. 4:13. God made covenants with the nation and with individuals that depended for their perpetuity upon the mutual faithfulness of the contracting parties. Man often failed on his part, and in consequence nullified the covenant. See Heb. 8:9. But the Ten Commandments were not a covenant made with the people, but one enjoined upon them, a commanded covenant, dependent for its perpetuity, not upon the people, but upon God, who changes not. God’s righteousness is declared to be everlasting, and His “commandments are righteousness.” His law is also declared to be “the truth.” See Ps. 119:142, 172. So long as God continues to be righteous, His commandments will continue righteousness. God is the Creator of all things, and it is said that “He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.” Ps. 111:4. How “to be remembered”?—By keeping the Sabbath: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore [for which reason] the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” So long, therefore, as the reason for keeping the Sabbath remains, that institution will continue unchanged. The Sabbath, as part of the Ten Commandments, is declared to be “a perpetual covenant.” See Ex. 31:16 and Gal. 3:7, 29. Have you seen a rainbow in the clouds the past summer? If so, you have seen an example of what God means by the term “perpetual.” See Gen. 9:12–17. The Sabbath will continue at least as long as the rainbow beautifies the face of the storm-cloud. Will you be in harmony with God and nature? Will you keep the memorial of the Creator’s wonderful works in earth, and sea, and sky? No longer continue to respect the counterfeit Sabbath (Sunday) of the man of sin, who laid his hand upon the law of God to mutilate and change it. Worship God.