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SABBATHS AND THE SABBATH

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 8, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 14.

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SABBATHS AND THE SABBATH.

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There is but one weekly Bible Sabbath, namely, the seventh day. This existed before sin entered (Gen. 2: 2, 3); its law was spoken of God from heaven, and written by him on the tables of stone (Ex. 20: 8-11; Deut. 5: 22). It was set forth as a memorial of creation and a sign of the only true God—Creator and Redeemer. Ex. 20: 8-11; Eze. 20: 12, 20. It is declared to be the Lord’s day (Isa. 58: 13), made and observed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 2: 27, 28). It is based on the eternal facts of God’s creative power, man’s relation thereto, and his needs; and is as eternal as the Lord’s creation. There were other sabbaths, yearly, typical, shadowy, which fell on certain days of certain months and feasts. They naturally fell on all days of the week. They were typical of certain events in the work of redemption, and expired by limitation when the thing typified was reached. Then the shadow reached the substance and the shadow ended. This expiration of type in antitype is set forth in Col. 2: 16, 17. These yearly sabbaths and feasts were seven in number, and are set forth in Lev. 23: 4-37, not as connected with the weekly Sabbaths of the Lord, but “beside the Sabbaths of the Lord.” Verse 38.
We note these facts in reply to readers who have sent us copies of papers contending that “the first-day sabbath” was warranted (1) by types of yearly sabbaths “which came on the first day of the week;” (2) by the prophecy of Ps. 118: 22-24, a prophecy relating to the whole period of the day of salvation and triumph of Christ, not to a day of the week; (3) by “the fact that the change from the seventh day to the first took place under apostolic recognition and authority,” a “fact” of which the Scriptures are silent. The only Bible Sabbath is the seventh day. Jesus knew no other. His apostles were to teach what he commanded, and to walk as he walked. Matt. 28: 19, 20; 1 John 2: 6. They record no change of the Sabbath. Why not, then, take the Bible Sabbath and Christ’s example?