Sabbath Desecration and Apostasy
By William Covert
The Jews Carried Captives to Babylon — Clear Testimony as to Why It Was Done — Thousands Slaughtered When They Would Not Fight on the Sabbath — Jewish Leaders Change Their Plans in Consequence THE prophet Jeremiah was left in the land of Judah when the princes and many of the people were carried into Babylon as captives; but Ezekiel, a contemporary prophet, was God’s spokesman for the captives, and was carried into Babylon. Jeremiah wrote of the state of things in Jerusalem after the people were carried away. He spoke of the solitary condition of that city which had been so great. Her few poor people would weep in the night until their cheeks were wet with tears, because of the reverses that had overtaken them. He said: “Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old: . . . the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her Sabbaths.” Lam. 1: 2-7. The people passing by would hiss, and say in derision, “Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?” Lam. 2: 15. THE HARVEST OF TRANSGRESSION
Their transgressions had borne fruit, and they were reaping the harvest of their own sowing. We follow the captives into the land of their exile, and listen to their prophet reciting to them the steps which led to their dispersion. It was idolatry mingled with Sabbath desecration that brought them into their troubles. Study Ezekiel, chapters 20-22, entire. Toward the end of the seventy years of captivity in Babylon, there was a partial reformation on the part of Israel, and they were permitted to occupy again the land where their fathers had dwelt, and Jerusalem was rebuilt. It was then that Nehemiah, in a prayer in the presence of that people, said to God, “Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: and madest known unto them Thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses Thy servant.” Neh. 9: 13, 14. TOOK PLEDGE OF SABBATH-KEEPING
This prayer was uttered about 445 B. C. The people were impressed with the importance of renewing their obedience to God, so they made a covenant, and set their seal to it, to refrain from Sabbath transgression from that time. Neh. 9: 38. The pledge they took read, “And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath.” Neh. 10: 31. But Nehemiah did not abide with the people constantly, and so they again became negligent, and their covenant was forgotten. Then Nehemiah returned about B. C. 434; and he says: “In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.” Neh. 13: 15-21. The testimony of this leader of Israel shows conclusively that the destruction of Jerusalem and their captivity came because of Sabbath transgression. REFUSED TO FIGHT ON THE SABBATH
With this citation we are brought to the end of the Old Testament history of the Sabbath; but there is Jewish history of importance relating to the Sabbath and to the experience of the Jews in regard to the Sabbath before we reach the birth of Christ. At times during this period of more than four hundred years, the Jews suffered much persecution from the heathen on account of their religion. In the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, about B. C. 170, there was great oppression of the Jews, and thousands of them were slain. Probably no people ever suffered more intensely for their religious faith than did many of the Jews during this time. History tells how a thousand men, women, and children were slaughtered on the Sabbath day without resisting their executioners. They were simply hiding in the wilderness because they had refused to obey the heathen king’s decree, which said they should profane the Sabbath day. Also about the same time, King Antiochus sent twenty-two thousand soldiers into Jerusalem, who, pretending peace, waited until the holy Sabbath day came, then followed the people to their places of worship, and murdered great multitudes, and running through the city with instruments of destruction, slew great numbers without trial or mercy. JEWISH LEADERS CHANGE TACTICS
But the Jews, seeing that their heathen enemies were selecting the Sabbath as a day on which to slaughter the non-resisting Sabbath-keepers, changed their conduct, and gave commandment to give battle when assaulted on the Sabbath day. The historian says that Mattathias, the father of Judas Maccabeus, and his friends, decreed that “whosoever shall come to make battle with us on the Sabbath day, we will fight against him; neither will we die all, as our brethren that were murdered in the secret places.” 1 Mac. 2: 41. Therefore, just before the days when Christ was upon the earth, the Sabbath question was in contention, and multitudes were slain in the controversy. The wicked “King Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed, according to the commandment of the king.” 1 Mac. 1: 41, 42.615This unholy decree, like all others of its kind, when interfering with men in matters of conscience, resulted in great cruelty. Many thousands were slain in the struggle which ensued. So will it ever be when men try to be conscience for their fellow men.