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: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, 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. xx, 8—11.
The Lord our God, spake these words with his own hallowed lips, and wrote them with his own finger on tables of stone. “And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.” Ex. xxxii, 16.
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING, Speak thou unto the children of Israel, saying, verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to DEATH; for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done, but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord; whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath-day he shall surely be put to DEATH. 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 for ever, for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. Ex. 12—17.
Under Moses' law the Sabbath-breaker was put to death. Num. xv, 35, 36. Under the gospel, God for Jesus' sake spares him that he may repent. When Jesus ceases to plead for Israel, and steps out from the Father, the great day of God's wrath begins; in which all sinners will be destroyed.
Surely here is language strong enough to bind every honest-hearted soul that lives, and moves in God. “It is the Sabbath of the Lord.” “It is the holy of the Lord.” It is the rest of the Lord, the day he was refreshed himself. It is to be kept for a perpetual covenant.”—Without limitation, just like the kingdom of Jesus, “there shall be no end.” See Luke i, 33. All flesh shall worship God on the Sabbath. See Isa. lxvi, 23. All flesh never have, nor ever will keep the seventh-day Sabbath in his sinful state, as shown by Isaiah, for they cannot until it is restored from the dominion of the papal beast, and his image. This is the work of those who are laboring in the third angel's message. See Rev. xiv, 12. This holy truth is a sign, a token; a memorial, given by God to Israel to be kept throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant. If this had reference to the literal descendants of Abraham, and not to the Gentiles, (as some say,) then it is in as full force to-day, as it was when given at the seventh day of the creation, for it was required to be kept throughout their generations; therefore, until it can be proved that the generations of literal Israel have ceased, and the millions, now living are entirely extinct, it would be folly to teach that the Sabbath is either changed or abolished. “His truth endureth to all generations.” Ps. c. 5. “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.” Deut. vii, 9. His holy Sabbath truth is included in this covenant of the ten commandments. A thousand generation would give at least thirty thousand years. This certainly reaches beyond the resurrection where all flesh will keep it.
The reason why the Sabbath is a sign, and to be kept by Israel forever, is because God created the heaven and the earth in six days, and rested the seventh, showing most clearly that the sign was given at creation and at no other time. This certainly was more than two thousand years before there was any of the literal descendants of Abraham on the earth. Is this the Sabbath of the Jews only? Is it not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.
“Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you.”—Sanctify, signifies, to separate, set apart, and to appoint any thing to a holy use. This then is God's sanctified, holy truth. Holy to himself, and holy unto man, set apart for man's use. See Gen. ii. 3. Jesus says it was made for man, in connection with his preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. Saying, repent ye, and believe the gospel.—Compare Mark, i, 14, 15; ii, 27.
This shows that it was made for all men without distinction, and is the only, so called, holy, sanctified truth which God ever gave to man. No marvel then, that the man of sin, and all wicked men raise so much opposition to it, saying, “There is no Sabbath, it is abolished, or it is changed.” What says the Law-giver? “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” Ps. lxxxix, 34.
Under the law of Moses, Sabbath-breakers were stoned to death.—Num. xv, 35, 36. Under the gospel, God for Jesus' sake gives the Sabbath-breaker, and all other sinners space for repentance, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.” Heb. x. 26. After the death of the sinner comes the judgment.
THE WORD OF THE LORD TO EZEKIEL. “Moreover, also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Eze. xx, 12, 20.
NEHEMIAH, God's faithful servant, most strictly enforced the Sabbath law.—See chap. xiii, 15—22.
JEREMIAH's prophecy respecting the sacredness of the Sabbath, shows God's great condescension to his people, if they would listen and obey him in relation to keeping his Holy Day. He said, if they would bear no burdens on the Sabbath, then Jerusalem should stand forever, but if they would not hearken to him then he would destroy it. This he did in a few years after. See Jer. xvii, 19—27. Also Chap. lii.
ISAIAH shows that all may keep the Sabbath, both Jew and Gentile, and all that do so, God will make joyful in his house of prayer; for it is for all people. See Chap. lvi, 2, 3, 6, 7. He further shows the restoring of it, and how holy we should keep it. “Not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words,” &c. &c. See Isa. lviii, 12—14. These verses should be well understood by every Sabbath-keeper. Let us now come to the
NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
It was the custom of Jesus to teach the people in their synagogues on the Sabbath-day. See Mark vi, 2; Luke iv, 16, 31. He said it was lawful, or according to the law, to do well on the Sabbath-days. He accordingly wrought miracles in healing the sick, on that day, and allowed his disciples to eat corn. For this, and healing the sick, he was condemned by the wicked Pharisee. But never did he, in one instance, violate the law of God or in any way relax the Sabbath. Whoever intimates that he did, contradicts Jesus, and thus all hope of eternal life would be blotted out. He says he kept his Father's commandments.—The Sabbath is embraced in them. I marvel that any man should dare take such Infidel ground. Jesus spake the truth. He was Lord also of the Sabbath. He was with the Father before the world was. He was with him the day before the Sabbath. See Gen. 1, 26. Without any doubt he was with him on the seventh day, and there, and then, was made Lord of the Sabbath. I believe there is no scripture that teaches where he received this power, up to the time he speaks of it. Therefore,58we plainly see where Jesus became Lord of the Sabbath, and how unheard of, to re-enact a law under the gospel which he had kept inviolate more than four thousand years. The following passages of scripture will show about all of the works of Jesus which he performed on the Sabbath day. Every one of them were lawful. See Matt. xii, 1—15; Luke xiii, 10—17; xiv, 1—6; John v, 1—20; vii, 19—24; ix, 13—17. He also referred them, in relation to the sanctity of the same Sabbath, at least 39 if not 1820 years in the future. See Matt. xxiv, 20. This point is fastened beyond all controversy. We will now refer to a few circumstances in relation to the Sabbath,
AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION.
All four of the Evangelists show the Sabbath after the crucifixion; hence it was not nailed to the cross. If the Sabbath law was not nailed to the cross, then all controversy about it is ended. For the main pillar to sustain such a view is drawn from Col. ii, 14.
“In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week,” the disciples found that Jesus had risen. See Matt. xxviii, 1, 6. Mark gives the same testimony, Chap. xvi, 1, 6. Also John xix, 31; xx, 1. Luke is more full. “And that day was the preparation and the Sabbath drew on.” [Mark says it was the day before the Sabbath. See Chap. xv, 42.] “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath-day according to the commandment.” Chap. xxiii, 54—56. “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared,” &c. Jesus had arisen. Chap. xxiv, 1, 6.
Here is the New Testament rule, for keeping the true Sabbath, by the followers of Jesus, since “the sacrifice and oblation” of beasts, and birds ceased, and was nailed to his cross. Compare Dan. ix, 27; Col. ii, 14.
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Then said he, [Jesus,] Lo I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.” Heb. x, 4, 9.
The blood of beasts atoned for sins, until Jesus' blood flowed from the cross. Here was an end to beastly sacrifice and offerings, but not the Sabbath of the Lord our God. How can that be against us, that was made expressly for us?
“They rested the Sabbath-day according to the commandment.” Compare Luke xxiii, 56; Ex. xx, 8—11; Isa. lviii, 13, 14. These three texts in connection, lay a broad foundation for the observance of God's Holy Rest Day.
THE GREAT APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES followed the “cu stom” of Jesus, in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. He came to Thessalonica, “And Paul as his manner was, went in unto them and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures.” Acts xvii, 2. At Antioch, Paul held meetings on the Sabbath also, and drew out almost the whole city, the greater portion of whom were Gentiles. See Chap. xiii, 42—44. At Philippi, he held the Sabbath meeting at the river side. See Chap. xvi, 13. He came also to Corinth where he continued eighteen months. “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” See Chap. xviii, 4, 11. Paul was a special chosen messenger to the Gentiles; to declare the whole truth. If the Sabbath of the Lord our God had been changed or abolished twenty-three years before he closed his seventy-eight successive Sabbath meetings at Corinth; how could he have been so remiss as not to have referred to it in some way or other? Surely any honest soul that is hungry for Bible truth can see that Paul was teaching on the true Sabbath, and that he never intimated that there was any other. I should think any sane person would be ashamed, or afraid to say that the above testimony did not clearly teach the perpetuity of THE Sabbath. Paul expressly declares, “I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” See Rom. vii, 22. The Sabbath is included in the law of God. Therefore, he delighted in the Sabbath of the Lord our God.
JOHN advocates the same Sabbath, thus; “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.” i John ii, 7. See also i, 1. This of course refers to the Sabbath given at the beginning, at creation.
Surely the Sabbath is a perpetual covenant, and all that delight in it will delight themselves in the Lord, and keep it now in the third angel's message, viz: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. xiv, 12.
The carnal Jew keeps the fourth commandment, but does not believe the testimony of Jesus. The seventh-day Baptist keeps the day also, but does not believe all the testimony of Jesus. Those who keep it in the message are in the Philadelphia state of the church, clear from all sectarian organizations, believing the message of Jesus, applicable to them at the end of the 2300 days, also, at the end of the first and second angel messages, viz. “He that openeth and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth. I know thy works: behold I HAVE [in the past] set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” See Rev. iii, 7, 8.
The time, then, to begin to restore the true Sabbath, in the third angel's message; was from 1844. This being a holy truth, both to God and man, and the last, in the last message to the remnant, makes it the crowning truth of all, and consequently, the seal of the living God; because the sealing cannot take place until the truth is first believed. See Eph. i, 13.
Dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Let us grasp this mighty truth with all our might, and mind, and strength, and keep it according to the new Testament rule. If we are sanctified in the keeping of this most precious of all truths, called “the holy of the Lord,” we shall delight ourselves in the Lord, and rejoice in every truth contained in the holy bible. Our whole being will then be swallowed up in God, and every unnecessary worldly thought will be crowded out, and leave the mind free and happy in Him.
In such a state of mind as this, we shall readily apprehend our duty in regard to works of necessity and mercy. And feel more deeply the increasing duty and labor for the salvation of our dear children, that had their names borne in on the breast-plate of Judgment, at the end of the 2300 days.
Our unbelieving neighbors will not teach them to keep the commandments of God, nor how to restore the Sabbath of the Lord our God.—This duty devolves on the parents or guardians. Let us attend to it without delay, and bring them within the Sabbath-day instruction, where the keeping of the Sabbath is taught in its true light. Let us see to it that we press this subject home now. Then God in mercy will save us from the agony of seeing them cut down before our eyes, in the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Our pretended friends would fain make us believe that we are deluded because we keep the seventh day. We say that while they are without one “saith the Lord,” for keeping any other day of the week for the Sabbath of the Lord; we have a great many for the seventh day. Yes, we feel that we are in the very best of company and we know that the mention of their names will give us fresh courage.
First of all, the Great Law-giver, and Sovereign of the universe, sets us the example, Then Moses, Joshua, Ezra, Nehemiah, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Amos, teachers and keepers of it under the first covenant. Secondly, At the beginning of the gospel, the Lord Jesus, God's beloved Son, appears as the Mediator of the new covenant, and Lord of the same Sabbath that was in the old covenant, and keeps it with his followers. After he is nailed to the cross his disciples continue to keep it according to the commandment. See Luke xxiii, 56. Then the great Apostle to the Gentiles keeps, teaches and delights in it. Also John, 59 years after the Lord of the Sabbath left the earth. John also is shown in holy vision, that 144000 living saints will be sealed with this holy truth, which seal will pass them through the time of trouble such as never was. And then the Lord of the Sabbath, will redeem them from the earth, and convey them up to the Holy City, and present them as the first-fruits to God and the Lamb. There, with sacred, increasing delight, we shall keep this shining, unending, glorious Sabbath of the Lord our God forever and ever. See Isa. lxvi, 22, 23.
With such a glorious prospect now before us, let us prayerfully, earnestly, and zealously seek for its holy, and sanctifying influence to be shed all about us, so that the seal of the living God may be so indelibly stamped in our foreheads that we shall pass through the mighty conflict of the great and terrible day of the Lord, unharmed and undismayed, clear down to the day of redemption. Amen.
Boston, Mass., March 23, 1851.
JOSEPH BATES.