ARE ALL DAYS ALIKE? by T. M. Steward

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 20, 1876

ARE ALL DAYS ALIKE?

By T. M. Steward

THE assertion is so often made that “there is no difference in days,” that I would like to present a few thoughts on the subject. The Bible is the only book that pretends to give us any instruction in reference to the origin of the days of the week, so we will go to that for light. It gives us an account of the beginning of the weekly cycle of just seven days. In the first chapter of Genesis, we learn how the first six days of this cycle were made. They were employed by the Creator in labor, and were consequently designed for working days.

“Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.” Ex. 20:9. If they were to do all their work in six days, there are but six working days. “The gate . . . shall be shut the six working days.” Eze. 46:1. This text leaves us to infer that there is one day in each week that is not a working day. Let us turn to the record of the first weekly cycle, and we shall find how the Creator was employed on the seventh day. Gen. 2:2: “And he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Six days for work—one day for rest. Who dare say all days are alike?

“In it [the seventh day, the Sabbath], thou shalt not do any work.” Ex. 20:10. Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man”—for all mankind. Mark 2:27. Then again, God has especially honored the seventh day. Gen. 2:3: “And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.” Ex. 20:11: “Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” God never rested on either of the first six days of the week, but he did rest on the seventh day. He never blessed or hallowed either of the first six days, but he did both bless and hallow the seventh day.

The Sabbath is the Lord’s day. Gen. 2:3; Ex. 16:23; 20:8, 11; Isa. 58:13; Mark 2:28; Rev. 1:10. Please read Isa. 58; Prov. 28:9. He calls the seventh day holy, “my holy day.” Isa. 58:13. He “hallowed it,” or made it a sacred or holy day. Ex. 20:11. Moses said of it, “To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” The Lord showed marked respect for the Sabbath while feeding the children of Israel with manna from heaven. Ex. 16:26: “Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”

“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Ex. 20:8. Do not keep it to make it holy (for we cannot make a day holy by keeping it), but keep it because it is holy. Are all days holy? No, only one day of the seven, and that is the seventh day. The Lord complains of his people for shutting their eyes to his Sabbath. They put no difference between the holy and profane; they claim that all days are alike, losing sight of the sacred and holy character of the Sabbath, and thus he is profaned among them. Eze. 22:26.

After God has bestowed such especial honor upon one, and only one, of the seven days, can we say, There is no difference in days, but one is just as holy as another? Those who say this make God a liar and his word false. This is a fearful charge, truly. “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” “Thy word is true from the beginning; and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.” Ps. 119:160.

T. M. STEWARD.