p. 109 | THE SABBATH A DELIGHT by Ada A. Dawson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 6, 1876

THE SABBATH A DELIGHT.

By Ada A. Dawson

An article in a recent number of the American Christian Review (Disciple) entitled, “Sermon on the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day,” contains this statement: “The Sabbath was a day of awful self-denial and profound religious gloom.”

One wonders when reading such passages where all the mistaken ideas of the teachings of God’s word originate, and how it happens that so much which is in direct opposition to the Bible is taught as Bible truth. A fearful responsibility rests upon those who teach in the name of God. When we enter upon the study of the Bible with our minds filled with the traditions of our fathers, it is difficult to rightly understand its plainest assertions. Early training and prejudice often bias our minds in our interpretation of the Scriptures. This seems particularly true in respect to the Sabbath; and although the word of God is full and explicit in its teachings in regard to the character of the Sabbath and man’s relation to it, very many false views are entertained concerning these things.

If the writer of the article alluded to had obtained his ideas of the Sabbath from the Bible, he would not associate profound gloom with keeping God’s holy day. The Scriptures represent the Sabbath as a day set apart for the special purpose of worshiping God, and bringing to remembrance his work of creation. It is not a gloomy task to contemplate the wondrous power and goodness of our Creator, and render him the homage due so exalted a being. We cannot more easily secure a happy frame of mind than by turning away from the unsatisfying and transitory things of the world, and directing our thoughts to the perfect and unchangeable love of our heavenly Father. This great love of God for us is plainly manifest in the law he has given for our guidance. The psalmist declares this law, of which the Sabbath commandment is a part, to be perfect. The obedience of a perfect law cannot in any manner produce gloom; on the contrary, it must cause joy and gladness. We have direct testimony from the Bible on this point. In the 119th psalm David exclaims, “Oh, how love I thy law!” “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies.” “I will delight myself in thy commandments which I have loved.” “Unless thy law had been my delight, I should have perished in mine affliction.” “Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” Solomon says, Prov. 29:18, “He that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

We are told in Lev. 23:3, that the Sabbath is a day of holy convocation, or in other words, a day for religious assembling. The psalmist says, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Ps. 122:1. And he tells the people how to appear before God. He says, “Come before his presence with singing.” “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” Ps. 100:2, 4. “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord.” Ps. 134:2.

David also wrote a Psalm for the Sabbath, in which he enumerates some appropriate subjects for consideration on that day. He mentions God’s lovingkindness, his faithfulness, and the greatness of his works; also the glad triumph and prosperity of the righteous. Surely David did not regard the Sabbath as a day of gloom. In Isaiah 56, a blessing is pronounced on him who “keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it,” and a promise is given that “he shall be made joyful in God’s house of prayer.” Again in the 58th of Isaiah, we are told that he who shall turn away his foot from the Sabbath, from doing his own pleasure on God’s holy day, and “shall call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable,” he “shall delight himself in the Lord,” and he shall be greatly blessed.

We find abundant evidence in the Bible that the Sabbath was not considered by God’s ancient people as a day of gloom.

“Profound gloom” finds no place in the worship of God. He designs all his service to be a pleasure. He says, “Serve the Lord with gladness.” Ps. 100:2. “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye upright in heart.” Ps. 32:11. And again, “Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.” Ps. 68:3.

As to the Sabbath’s being a day of “awful self-denial,” the unregenerate heart considers obedience to any of God’s commands great self-denial, while the Christian knows that to obey God is to seek one’s highest good and most perfect happiness.

Let us remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and be glad in the Lord, rejoicing that he has given us this memorial of his goodness in creating us. ADA A. DAWSON.