ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT.
By George B. Thompson
THE Bible speaks of some who kept the "Sabbath day according to the commandment." After the crucifixion of the Saviour, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and others came forward, and, taking His bruised and lacerated form from the tree, placed it tenderly in Joseph's new tomb. The earthly pilgrimage of the Redeemer was ended; the Creator of the universe was at rest. "And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." Luke 23:54. The following day was the Sabbath, for it "drew on." Supernatural darkness had enshrouded the earth from noon till three o'clock, when, in a voice which seemed to resound through creation, the Lamb of God cried out, "It is finished," bowed His head, and died. Then, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross over the Sabbath which "drew on," having secured permission from Pilate, they prepared Him for burial, and placed Him where man had never before been laid. "And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how His body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Verses 55, 56. That which every Christian should, and does, desire is to "keep the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Not according to men's opinions, or any human tradition whatsoever, but "according to the commandment." Notice, the foundation of the Sabbath is not the edicts of councils, or the bulls of popes, but it rests on the immutability of the "commandment." It is in the singular number, too, indicating that there is but one commandment, one law enjoining Sabbathic observance; and that one commandment is incorporated into the very bosom of the Decalogue, and was spoken to quailing humanity as they were assembled around the burning, trembling mountain. And that commandment says that the "seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20:10. It does not say that it was the Sabbath, but that it is the Sabbath. It says that it is the Sabbath now. No one will deny that the commandment as it now reads, once enjoined the observance of the seventh day of the week, and that a terrible penalty was attached to its transgression. But the commandment reads the same to-day, and if it reads the same why does it not mean the same? It does mean the same, and the death penalty is still hanging over its transgression: "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. Now the "Sabbath day according to the commandment" is the day before the first day of the week; for "upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them." Luke 24:1. Then the first day of the week, or Sunday, is not the "Sabbath day according to the commandment," for they had kept the Sabbath "according to the commandment" before they came to the tomb. To keep the "Sabbath day according to the commandment" we will certainly need to keep the day enjoined by the commandment. But this is the seventh day, therefore, keeping Sunday is not, and never was, keeping the Sabbath "according to the commandment," and only those who keep the day mentioned in the commandment can ever keep the Sabbath "according to the commandment." Reader, do you keep the "Sabbath day according to the commandment"? If not, I can testify from experience that there is a blessing in doing so. Another thing: To keep the "Sabbath according to the commandment" means more than simply physical rest. We can obtain physical rest one day as well as another, but we can not obtain Sabbath rest except on the Sabbath. The Lord put His rest into the Sabbath when He instituted it, and we will have to find it where He put it, and He put it in the seventh day. He "rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31:17. This was not physical rest, for He was not weary (Isa. 40:28); but He was delighting Himself in divine contemplation of the things which He had made. It was a day of joy for those who rested. As they beheld the power displayed in creation, love for the Maker of all filled every heart, and praises ascended around the throne. In Job 38:4, 7 we are told how the first Sabbath was observed: "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." What a Sabbath that was! It was observed "according to the commandment." And it is this kind of rest that is in the Sabbath, and we never can "keep the Sabbath day according to the commandment" till this rest and joy has been placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Never, till we are converted, and have received the peace of God which passeth all understanding, can we keep the Sabbath as we are commanded. In other words, we do not keep the Sabbath to be saved, but we keep the Sabbath because we are saved. "I cried unto Thee; save me, and I shall keep Thy testimonies." Ps. 119:146. In view of this, how vain and wicked are all human laws compelling us to keep a Sabbath. The best they can do is to demand a hypocritical recognition of a day. Even tho they commanded obedience to the right day, the result would be the same, for they can not legislate the rest which is "according to the commandment" into the soul. Righteousness, peace and joy can not be administered to mankind like an emulsion; it must be given through the operation of the Holy Spirit. What the church of God needs to-day is more of the Holy Spirit; then they will not need any legal enactments, administered by some thumb-screwing reformers. And those who have the Holy Spirit will keep the Sabbath "according to the commandment."