3675 — Beginning and Ending of the Sabbath
By Editor
Why do Seventh-day Adventists think the Sabbath day begins at sundown, instead of at midnight? Can you refer me to any scriptures on this subject? R. Z. First, in the record of the first week of time, Genesis 1, we are told that the day is composed of two parts,—the evening and the morning, and this is repeated regarding the six days mentioned,—"The evening and the morning were the first day," and "the second day." We read in Lev. 23:32, "From even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath." The evening begins at sunset, as clearly shown by the Gospels themselves. For instance, we read in Matthew 8 that Jesus healed some of the sick on the Sabbath day, even tho the Jews themselves were prejudiced against it, but some of them would not come until the day was over. "When even was come, they brought unto Him many possessed with demons: and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick." See verse 16. Mark, in recording this very event (1:32) says: "And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto Him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons." And Luke is equally clear in chapter 4:40, placing the close of the day "when the sun was setting." We have another illustration of this in the 13th chapter of Nehemiah. The Jews had become lax regarding the Sabbath, and Nehemiah was determined to bring about a reform, especially in Jerusalem, over which he was governor; and therefore we read, "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." When the gates were shaded by the high wall of the city, at the time of the setting of the sun, Nehemiah commanded that they should be shut, showing very clearly that the Sabbath began when the sun was setting, as taught in the Gospels. The Gospel accounts clearly show when the Sabbath ended. Nehemiah teaches when it began, and of course this is also clearly taught in Genesis 1.