Our Bible Reading

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, Cal. · Sep 17, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 36.

Our Bible Reading

The Sabbath a Memorial and Sign

1. What expressions in the fourth commandment show that the Sabbath is a memorial of some great event?

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." Ex. 20: 8.

"For [because, or for this reason] in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20: 11.

NOTE.—Because the infinite God created this great earth in six days, He gave us the Sabbath, so that on each seventh day we could suitably commemorate the wonderful fact. Hence if all men everywhere had the true idea of the Sabbath in mind, there could be no idolatry. For no one who truly sensed the fact that God is the mighty Creator, could be induced to build a god himself and bow down and worship it. When the Sabbath is really understood, it becomes one of the strongest in morality of the great moral precepts. Some have said that they can not see anything moral about the Sabbath. But that is solely because they do not understand the meaning of the Sabbath, nor what the Sabbath stands for.

2. Is the Sabbath ever called a sign?

"Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31: 16, 17.

3. For how long will the Israel of God remain, or endure? and will the Sabbath be perpetually kept?

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith Jehovah." Isa. 66: 22, 23.

4. Had the promise of the "new heavens and the new earth" been fulfilled in the days of Christ and the apostles?

"According to His promise, we [the apostles and the Christian church] look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3: 13.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God: and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away." Rev. 21: 1-4.

NOTE.—Isaiah, in the text quoted in the foregoing, tells of the "new heavens and the new earth" which God "will make," showing that He was giving a promise of the future. And the New Testament texts quoted show that the promise is still in mind, and that this wicked old earth is to pass away, and a "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," will be given in place of it. And do not overlook the fact that the texts show that the Sabbath is to be as enduring as the new heavens and the new earth that our God has promised.

5. For what purpose is the Sabbath given as a sign to the people of God?

"Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth them." "I am Jehovah your God: walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them; and hallow My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am Jehovah your God." Eze. 20: 12, 19, 20.

6. Does the Christian need a sign of creative and sanctifying power?

"Wherefore if any man is in Christ, there is a new creation: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." 2 Cor. 5: 17, margin.

"But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." Gal. 6: 14, 15, margin.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them." Eph. 2: 10.

NOTE.—The Sabbath comes with an added power and blessing to the truly converted Christian. For he not only has in it a memorial of his God's great power and handiwork in the creation of the world, but it is to him also a memorial of the power that was exercised in his conversion when he was "created anew in Christ Jesus," when he became the "workmanship" of the One who made him a "new creation."