GOD'S SIGN by Guy M. Green

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 17, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 58.

GOD'S SIGN.

By Guy M. Green

BY GUY M. GREEN.

WHEN was the Sabbath instituted? "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." Gen. 2:2.

Why did God sanctify (set apart) the seventh day? "And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Gen. 2:3.

What constitutes a day? "And the evening and the morning were the first day." Gen. 1:5, last part.

Does the Sabbath begin and end at evening? "From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your Sabbath." Lev. 23:32, last part.

What does God say the Sabbath shall be to those who keep it? "And hallow my [not man's] Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Eze. 20:20.

How long is the Sabbath to be a "sign" between God and the children of Israel, the seed of Abraham? "It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31:17.

Who are the real Israel of God, and seed of Abraham? "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Gal. 3:28, 29.

Does the command to keep the Sabbath constitute a part of God's law? "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11.

Is there any limit to the time in which the commandments are to be in force? "The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast [margin, "are established"] forever and ever." Ps. 111:7, 8.

What special promise has God made to those who keep the Sabbath from polluting it? "If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; . . . then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. 58:13, 14.

By which of the commandments do we know to what god they belong? Answer.—By the fourth, and the fourth only. There is not a word in any one of the other nine precepts which designates what god's commandments they are. Not so with the fourth; he (the God who gave them) is here described as the Creator of heaven and earth. The fourth commandment is, therefore, the sign and seal of the great God who gave them all, that he is God. Take the Sabbath of the fourth commandment out, and put a spurious sabbath in its stead, and you take the authority out of them all, and render them of no effect. True worship is perfect obedience. Which God will you worship? God says the seventh day is the Sabbath; the Roman Church says the first day is the Sabbath. They are just as far apart in their statements of the case as seven days will let them be; one of them must be falsifying. Reader, who will you charge with the lie, the pope, or God? "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh [not the first] day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:8-11.

Is there a power brought to view in prophecy that would (and did) assume to change the law of God? "And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws." Dan. 7:25, first part.

What will be the fate of the one who presumes to add to or take away any part of the word of God? "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Rev. 22:18, 19. See also Dan. 7:11; Rev. 14:9-12; 16:1, 2; 19:20.

Is the first day of the week referred to as a holy day in the New Testament?—No. Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2, 6; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; and 1 Cor. 16:2. In five cases the "first day" is mentioned after the Sabbath had

already been kept "according to the commandment;" once where the disciples were assembled "for fear of the Jews;" once in reference to the collections for the poor brethren in Jerusalem; and once, to the breaking of bread.

What class of people does the last message of mercy to the world reveal? "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.

With whom does the dragon (Satan) make war? "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.

What is finally said of those who do the commandments of God? "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22:14.

What is the testimony of Jesus? "Worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10, last part. See 1 Peter 1:10, 11, and John 1:1-3.

Who testifies to these things? "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches." Rev. 22:16, first part.

Who are invited to come and partake of the water (salvation) of life? "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Rev. 22:17.