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Signs of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 26.

CONSPIRACY OF THE PRIESTS AND PHARISEES

Signs of the Times

Jun 28, 1877

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 28, 1877

CONSPIRACY OF THE PRIESTS AND PHARISEES.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
After the resurrection of Lazarus the spies hurry away to report to the rulers this work of Jesus, and that the “world is gone after him.” In performing this miracle, the Saviour took a decisive step toward the completion of his earthly mission. The grandest evidence of his life was now given that he was the Son of God, and had control of death and the grave. Hearts that had long been under the power of sin, in rejecting this proof of the divinity of Jesus, locked themselves in impenetrable darkness and came wholly under the sway of Satan, to be hurried by him over the brink of eternal ruin.
The mighty miracle wrought at the grave of Lazarus intensified the hatred of the Pharisees against Jesus. This demonstration of divine power, which presented such unquestionable proof that Jesus was the Son of God, was sufficient to convince any mind under the control of reason and enlightened conscience.
But the Pharisees, who had rejected all lesser evidence, were only enraged at this new miracle of raising the dead in the full light of day, and before a crowd of witnesses. No artifice of theirs could explain away such evidence. For this very reason their hate grew deadlier, and they watched every opportunity of accomplishing their secret purpose to destroy him. In heart they were already murderers.
The Jewish authorities counseled together as to what course they should pursue to counteract the effect of this miracle upon the people; for the news spread far and wide that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, and the reality of the event was established by many eye-witnesses. Still the enemies of Jesus sought to circulate lying reports, perverting the facts in the case as far as they were able, and endeavoring to turn the people away from one who had dared to rob the grave of its dead.
In this council of the Jews were some influential men who believed on Jesus; but their wishes were overruled by the malignant Pharisees, who hated Jesus because he had exposed their hypocritical pretensions, and had torn aside the cloak of precision and rigorous rites under which their moral deformity was hidden. The pure religion that Jesus taught, and his simple, godly life, condemned their hollow professions of piety. They thirsted for revenge, and nothing short of taking his life would satisfy them. They had tried to provoke him to say or do something that would give them occasion to condemn him, and several times they had attempted to stone him, but he had quietly withdrawn and they had lost sight of him.
The miracles performed by Jesus on the Sabbath were all for the relief of the afflicted, but the Pharisees had sought to use these works of mercy as a cause by which they might condemn him as a Sabbath-breaker. They endeavored to arouse the Herodians against him; they represented that Jesus was seeking to set up a rival kingdom among them, and consulted with them how they should destroy him. They had sought to excite the Romans against him, and had represented him to them as one who was trying to subvert their authority. They had tried every pretext to cut him off from influencing the people, but they had so far been foiled in their attempts; for the multitudes who witnessed the works of mercy and benevolence done by Jesus, and heard his pure and holy teachings, knew that these were not the words and deeds of a Sabbath-breaker and a blasphemer. Even the officers sent by the Pharisees had been so influenced by the divine presence of the great Teacher that they could not lay hands upon him. In desperation the Jews had finally passed an edict that if any man confessed that he believed on Jesus he should be cast out of the synagogue.
So, as the priests, the rulers, and the elders gathered together for consultation, it was their fixed determination to silence this man who did such marvelous works that all men wondered. Nicodemus and Joseph had, in former councils, prevented the condemnation of Jesus, and for this reason they were not summoned on this occasion. Caiaphas, who acted as high priest that year, was a proud and cruel man; he was by nature overbearing and intolerant; he had studied the prophecies, and, although his mind was shrouded in darkness as to their true meaning, he spoke with great authority and apparent knowledge.
As the priests and Pharisees were consulting together, some of them said, “If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Romans shall come, and take away both our place and nation.” Then Caiaphas spoke out loftily: “Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” The voice of the high priest decided the matter; even if Jesus was innocent, let him die; he was troublesome, drawing the people to himself, and lessening the authority of the rulers. He was only one, it was better that he should die, even though he was guiltless, than that the power of the rulers should diminish.
Caiaphas, in declaring that one man should die for the nation, indicated that he had some knowledge of the prophecies, although it was very limited; but John in his account of this scene takes up the prophecy, and shows its broad and deep significance in these words: “And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” How blindly did the haughty Caiaphas acknowledge the mission of Jesus as a Redeemer!
Nearly all the council agreed with the high priest that it was the wisest policy to put Jesus to death. This decision having been made, the question was still to be determined how it should be carried out. They feared to take rash measures lest the people should become incensed and the violence meditated toward Jesus should be visited upon themselves. The Saviour was continually benefiting and teaching the people, they knew him to be one without blame, and his influence over them was very strong; it was on this account that the Pharisees delayed to execute the sentence which they had pronounced against him.
The Saviour understood the plottings of the priests against him; he knew that they longed to remove him from their midst, and that their wishes would soon be accomplished; but it was not his place to hasten the culminating event, and he withdrew from that region, taking his disciples with him. Jesus had now given three years of public labor to the world. His example of self-denial and disinterested benevolence was before them. His life of purity, of suffering, and devotion, was known to all. Yet this short period of three years was as long as the world could endure the presence of its Redeemer.
His life had been one of persecution and insult. Driven from Bethlehem by a jealous king, rejected by his own people at Nazareth, condemned to death without a cause at Jerusalem, Jesus, with his few faithful followers, finds a temporary asylum in a strange city. He who was ever touched by human woe, who healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and speech to the dumb, who fed the hungry and comforted the sorrowful, was driven from the people whom he had labored to save. He who walked upon the heaving billows and by a word silenced their angry roaring, who cast out devils that in departing acknowledged him to be the Son of God, who broke the slumbers of the dead, who held thousands entranced by the words of wisdom which fell from his lips, was unable to reach the hearts of those who were blinded by prejudice and insane hatred, and who resolutely rejected the light.
It is not the plan of God to compel men to yield their wicked unbelief. Before them are light and darkness, truth and error. It is for them to decide which to accept. The human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between right and wrong. God designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence, carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice, and compared written prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, they would have perceived a beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean.
It was nearing the time of the passover, and many came to Jerusalem from various parts of the country to purify themselves according to the ceremonial custom of the Jews. There was much talk and speculation among these people concerning Jesus, and they wondered if he would not be present at the feast. “Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him.”

The Life of Christ.

Lowly and meek his sainted life, And mercy, love, and truth it taught; No din of war, no sound of strife, The heaven-anointed Saviour brought.
The gleams of light were few and faint, That fell upon the sainted One; He murmured not, breathed no complaint— “Father, thy holy will be done!”
Before his steps no banner waved, No shouts of victory rent the air, The Jews' stern wrath he calmly braved, Familiar grew with want and care.
The sick and suffering round him clung, The friendless poor before him bowed; The mourner blessed the sainted One, And children raised hosannas loud.
The world looked on with scornful eye, And Jew and Gentile mocked his power; He knew the death that he must die, Yet shrunk not from the dreadful hour.
Darkness closed round him, and he stood Alone amid the garden's shade; The Son of God, the pure, the good, Knelt in his agony and prayed!
Friendless he stood, and met his fate, And taunts and scoffs fell on his ear, And brows grew dark with rage and hate, And strong hearts shook with doubt and fear.
Torn was the brow that beamed with love; By his own friends, betrayed, denied; He raised his pleading eyes above, “Father, forgive them!” thus he died!
Then sudden darkness veiled the land, And rock bound tombs were opened wide, And thence walked forth a holy band Of saints, who long before had died.
And thus he lived; this holy life, It broke the heathen's gods of clay. It calmed the din of earthly strife, And taught the hearts of men to pray.
It broke upon the mourner's night, It bound the bleeding sorrowing heart; It led the straying by its light, And bade the weak from bondage start.
It was the truth, but oh! it came In no deep tones of thunder forth; Not in the storm nor in the flame, It broke upon the startled earth.
It was the truth—a still, small voice Came softly from the realms above, It bade the weary world rejoice, It was the truth—it came in love.

Do What Is Right

NEVER attempt to do anything that is not right. Just as sure as you do, you will get into trouble. If you even suspect that anything is wrong, do not do it until you are sure your suspicions are groundless.

True Piety Is Cheerful

True piety is not a morose, but a cheerful thing; whilst it makes one joyful it delivers him from frivolity, yet it causes him to be pleasant and glad.

Knowledge of the Bible.

[The following is selected from “Nelson’s Cause and Cure of Infidelity,” a valuable book which all should read, especially the youth and those inclined to unbelief. Doubt oftener comes from the lack of a knowledge of what the Bible contains, and irreverent associations, than from intellectual reasoning.]
If men would put forth one-half of the vigorous research after Bible knowledge which they expend after skill in gainful pursuits, they would not be ignorant; yet their ignorance is their excuse for not being able to judge concerning revelation.
If we were to receive a kind letter from some powerful earthly monarch, some noted king, making us very rich offers, and proposing to us honor and wealth, telling the terms over and over, that we might not mistake, it would be expected of us that we should inform ourselves perfectly as to who brought it, its contents, its authenticity, etc. If we were to have it a full year, and never read it at all, it would be deemed strange indeed.
Most unbelievers do not know one-fortieth part of the great King’s letter, of the evidence of its genuineness, of its beauties, its grandeur, its proposals, promises or threatenings; while one-half of the time they waste in wickedness, or at least in nonsense and frivolity, would be enough to furnish them with that knowledge, the want of which aids in their ruin.
The decisive characteristics and distinguishing marks between the true and false religions in the world are more numerous and more notorious than are the marks between counterfeit coin and pure gold or silver; yet men become judges in the last case, and remain uninformed in the other. If a young man were to hold up an article formed of brass, but made to resemble gold, and were to exclaim, “I can see but little difference between this and gold; I do not know that there is any; this seems as bright and as smooth and as beautiful as any that I have seen,” his friends would tell him that there was a difference between brass and pure gold—that it was to be distinguished by the sight, and by the ring, and by trial or chemical tests. They would tell him that unless he would inform himself in this matter he must suffer, but that by noting two or three signs scrupulously he might decide without danger.
A system of truth sent from Heaven always forbids what man is much inclined to love; forbids sensual indulgence, fraud, wickedness, injustice, impurity, revenge, hatred, feasting, revelry, and all that man by nature is prone to reach after. The Koran allows of many wives, of revenge, and unending or exterminating war. The pagan creeds enjoin or permit gluttony, intoxication, and sensuality of every kind to any possible extent.
God’s revelation orders the doing of that which men do not love. A wicked man would rather go through days of painful toil than to hold prayer in his own house, or to spend an hour in heart devotion. This requires a change of soul, and promises a paradise of holiness. The false volumes claiming to be from Heaven ask no regeneration or holiness of heart, and promise a futurity of carnal indulgence and satiated appetites.
A true prophet is not applauded by the majority of the wicked or by the mass of the depraved. He is generally disliked by those farthest from God, and spoken evil of by those who sink deepest in sin. He is often not only reviled, but put to death, if the laws permit; but the false prophet is neither stoned nor sawn asunder. He is often extolled greatly by the most dissolute, and is at least tolerated or praised to some extent by the leaders in depravity or the officers of sin.
In detecting false gold or in marking pure, the chemical test deceives no one. The trial of the pure religion never fails those who test it by actual experiment. No other evidence is wanting; but it is hard to prevail on those who hate it to make this trial—to obey its precepts.

THE BIBLICAL INSTITUTE.

HELD IN OAKLAND, CAL., APRIL 1–17, 1877.
[In this form we give a synopsis of the lectures presented at this Institute, the aim being to give principal facts, dates and references, with as few words as will serve to connect them. The lessons are not intended to measure the recitations. A lesson embraces an entire subject; but some of these occupied a number of recitations in the class.]

LESSON NINE.

BIBLE VIEW OF THE SABBATH.

WE are accused of going back to Moses and falling from grace, if we now keep the original Sabbath. It is therefore a matter of interest to mark how God formerly regarded that practice of Sabbath-keeping which some now claim that he considers so heinous in his sight. We have seen how the Sabbath was instituted in Eden before sin had entered our world, and how a law was given for its observance which had its place among the primary, immutable and eternal laws. We have seen how at the exode God took the Sabbath precept as the one by which to test Israel’s allegiance to himself. And now we mark, further, that he took the Sabbath to be permanently a sign between himself and them: “It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.” Ex. 31: 13. It was the pre-eminent institution through which was to come his acknowledgment of them as his people, and through which they were to manifest their recognition of him as their God. This was to endure throughout their generations. When the natural branches were broken off, the Gentiles were grafted in, taking the place of the severed branches, and keeping the olive tree perfect in all its proportions. Hence the generations of Israel are perpetuated in a spiritual seed, and the Sabbath is still a sign between God and them. A man who does not keep the Sabbath cannot show that he is a worshiper of the true God who made the heavens and the earth.
God further sets forth that his honor is involved in the keeping of his Sabbath. Isa. 58: 13: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable, and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord,” &c. Thus the observance of the Sabbath is not merely for man’s necessities and his physical good; it is to honor God. By keeping it we honor, by disregarding it we dishonor, the Maker of the heavens and the earth.
The Lord further told the people through Jeremiah what he would do for them if they would keep the Sabbath, and what judgments he would bring upon them if they would not regard it: “It shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day to do no work therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain forever. . . . But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.” Jer. 17: 24, 25, 27.
And when Jerusalem was overthrown by the Babylonians, the record states that it was to fulfill the word of the Lord by Jeremiah. 2 Chron. 36: 17–21. Nehemiah recognizes the same fact in the restoration. He says: “There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” Neh. 13: 16–18.
Here is an explicit acknowledgment that Jerusalem had been destroyed because their fathers had profaned the Sabbath, and that they would bring more wrath upon themselves if they continued in its violation. This is the way the Sabbath stood, the light in which it was held, and the promises and threatenings connected with its observance or violation, from Moses to Christ. And now can we for a moment suppose that such an institution that originated in Eden, that was a test of Israel’s loyalty to God, that was declared to be a sign between God and them, and that forever, that was declared to be God’s peculiar property, holy to him and honorable, one in the keeping of which his honor was involved, and one which if it had always been kept by that people, Jerusalem would have stood to this day, the pride and joy of that nation, and the ornament of all the earth,—can we suppose that this institution so suddenly changed its position and nature at the coming of Christ that it became at once the symbol of apostasy from God, rejection of Christ, and trust in the flesh? or rather, that God so changed his nature that now he abhors that in which he once took such delight and pronounces a curse upon that to which he once attached the greatest of blessings? The idea is preposterously absurd. What imperfect ideas of God and his plans, must they have who can entertain such a thought.
In all the prophecies given in the former dispensation concerning the present one, and setting forth the position of the law and Sabbath under this new covenant, and the relation of Christ to these institutions, and the effect of his work upon them, the perpetuity of the law and the continuance of the Sabbath is in the strongest manner affirmed. Thus in the prophecy of the new covenant, Jer. 31: 31–34, God promises to write his law in the hearts and minds of his people. Instead of being abolished, it would thus be enshrined in their inmost affections.
Again, in the prophecy concerning Christ, it is said that he should “magnify the law and make it honorable.” Isa. 42: 21. This could not be said of any law which he had to take out of the way by nailing it to his cross. And when Christ came into the world, his motives and purpose of action were set forth in the following language: “I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart.” Ps. 40: 8; Heb. 10: 6, 7.
There is one prophecy of a change of the law; but the power that was to change it, or rather think to change it (for that was all he would be able to do), was not Christ, but the little horn of the fourth beast of Dan. 7, the blasphemous papal power which was to speak great words against the Most High, wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws. The secular history of the Sabbath will show how this has been attempted, and that this prophecy can have been fulfilled in nothing but the change of the Sabbath. The feast days, new moons and ceremonial sabbaths which as shadows were to cease at the cross, God declared that he would take away. Hos. 2: 11.
Thus we are brought to the time of Christ; and in his first recorded sermon he speaks thus definitely in regard to the law: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matt. 5: 17, 18. Here is some law the perpetuity of which is affirmed in the strongest terms till the end of time; till all things spoken by the prophets are fulfilled. This certainly is not the law of ordinances and ceremonies, which he took out of the way, nailing it to his cross within less than three years and a half of the time when these words were spoken. Eph. 2: 15; Col. 2: 14. The law of which Christ speaks and declares that not a jot or tittle shall pass from it to the end of all things, is that law which determines the degree of our righteousness. Matt. 5: 20. But man was to be righteous from the beginning, and all laws regulating that were primary laws applicable to him before the fall. The Sabbath law, as we have seen, was one of this kind. The perpetuity of the Sabbath, therefore, throughout this dispensation is most expressly affirmed in this passage. For whatever is affirmed of a code of laws as a whole, is equally affirmed of every precept composing that code. Hence the solemn admonition which Christ utters, not to the Jews as such, but to his disciples, that whosoever should break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he should be called least in the kingdom of Heaven, and the blessed promise to all who should both do and teach them, to be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.
In his ministry, our Lord seems to take especial pains to rescue the Sabbath from the burden of Jewish traditions. He declared that it was made for man, for his good, for Christians as well as Jews. It was not among those laws and requirements which were against us, and contrary to us, and which therefore were taken out of the way. He recognized the Sabbath law by repeatedly declaring that what he did, though contrary to the traditions of the Jews, was lawful to be done on that day. By all his teachings in reference to the law, and in all his life here upon the earth, declaring its holiness and perpetuity, and rendering perfect obedience to it, he magnified it and made it honorable, as the prophet declared he would do. By his death upon the cross he infinitely magnified and made it honorable. There he demonstrated its immutability and perpetuity by showing that nothing less than the death of God’s divine Son interposed could release men from its inexorable claims.
The apostles took up the subject, and we hear Paul declaring that the law, the law of which the Sabbath is a part, is not made void by faith in Christ, but is established, confirmed, by such faith. Rom. 3: 31. This cannot by any possibility refer to the typical law; for the moment we have faith in Christ, we set that law aside as an inevitable consequence. They frequently bring the Sabbath to view showing that they were accustomed to worship on it, Acts 17: 2, that they knew of no other Sabbath but the seventh day then in existence, Acts 15: 21, and that that was the day they took upon which to preach not to the Jews merely but also to the Gentiles. Acts 13: 42, 44. The Sabbath is mentioned in the New Testament 59 times, always in a way to show its still binding obligation.
Finally prophecies were given of a great Sabbath reform to take place just before the coming of Christ. Isa. 56: 1, 2: “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” The Lord’s salvation is near when the coming of Christ is near; for it is then brought to us. Heb. 9: 28; 1 Pet. 1: 5. And at that time a blessing is pronounced upon those who lay hold on the Sabbath. The third angel’s message, Rev. 14, brings out a company distinguished as commandment keepers, by their observance of the Sabbath, just before the coming of Christ. The remnant, or last generation, of the church are distinguished in the same way. Rev. 12: 17. And when in the closing testimony of the book, the Lord declares that he is coming quickly, he pauses to pronounce a blessing upon those who at that time are found keeping the commandments of God, and to promise them an abundant entrance into the city and free access to the tree of life. And even there the Sabbath attends them as a day of joy and worship; for about 800 years before this, the Lord, by the pen of Isaiah, had put this promise on record: “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, saith the Lord, 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 the Lord.” Isa. 66: 22, 23.
Thus the Sabbath comes to view in Paradise restored, as it stood at first in Paradise lost; and in all the world’s dark history between these two bright periods, it has been the golden clasp to bind earth to Heaven, and man to his Creator.
The Sabbath and the first day of the week in the New Testament will be the subject of a separate lesson.

CLASS QUESTIONS ON LESSON IX., WITH ANSWERS.

1. How long after the disappointment in 1844, was it before the sanctuary question was brought out, and the Sabbath adopted by the Adventists?
ANS. The Sabbath began to be observed among Adventists in that same year, 1844. Almost the entire church at Washington, N. H., besides several Adventist ministers, commenced its observance during that year. The subject of the sanctuary, as now held by us, was first written upon by O. R. L. Crozier in 1846.
2. Is there positive proof that Paul kept 78 Sabbaths at Corinth? It says that he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath; but after a short time he left the synagogue and went into Justus’ house and “continued there a year and six months.” Acts 18.
ANS. The regular time of Paul’s meeting is at first particularly mentioned. It was every Sabbath. His object was to persuade, not the Jews alone, but the Greeks also. His change of place, verse 7, was not a change of city, nor even of his own lodgings, but only of his place of preaching; he left the synagogue, and continued his meetings in the house of one Justus, who lived close by the synagogue, but still in Corinth. His object and work was the same there, to teach the word of God among them. And the chief ruler of the synagogue, Crispus and all his house and many Corinthians were brought over. And this went on for the space of a year and six months, 78 weeks. Now where is there the first shadow of a reason to suppose that Paul did not use every Sabbath of this time as the day for religious gatherings and instruction, according to the manner in which he commenced? There is none. He says, indeed, verse 6, “Henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” But we have found him a little before preaching to the Gentiles at their own requests, but doing it on the very day that meetings were held in the synagogue, namely, the seventh-day Sabbath. Acts 13: 42, 44. We have no right to presume a change of circumstances which have been once fairly described, unless some necessity for a change can be shown, or some testimony proving a change can be produced. But in this case the only change mentioned is the place of preachingand the class to whom he directed his efforts; no change in the nature of his preaching, nor in the time of his preaching. Therefore we consider the testimony positive that Paul kept 78 consecutive Sabbaths in Corinth.
3. On what day of the week did the 15th of Abib occur?
ANS. On all days of the week. The 15th of Abib was simply the 15th day of the month, and a day of the month comes on different days of the week from year to year.
4. Will the Sabbath be observed by the saints during the thousand years they are in Heaven? If so, what will mark the succession of days, which are here determined by the revolution of the earth?
ANS. Inasmuch as the Sabbath is binding upon us here till the end of time, and the prophet presents the fact that it will be observed after the close of the thousand years, when we come into possession of the new earth, we see no reason why there should be any break in the observance during the thousand years. And if we can there measure and determine the succession of years, as the record makes it sure that we can, we can also determine that of months and weeks.
5. Do angels keep the Sabbath day?
ANS. On this question we can do little more than conjecture, or perhaps draw a fair inference. We read in Ps. 103: 20, that the angels “do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” And our Lord taught his disciples to pray, “Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven.” Matt. 6: 10. From this we infer that when earth is brought into harmony with Heaven, God’s will will be carried out in the same manner, and by the same worship, in both places. Hence we may reason from what we know would be carrying out God’s will here, to what it is there. But here God has ordained that we keep the Sabbath in honor of himself; hence we infer that the higher orders of his intelligences keep the Sabbath also. Indeed it seems to us a consistent and beautiful idea to suppose that all God’s creative work has been so performed with reference to periods of rest, that the Sabbath of each of his creatures will be the Sabbath of all the rest, so that all will observe the same period together for the same purpose.
6. Would it be right for a person to go to his place of business before the Sabbath had ended with the intention of doing business after it had ended, if he had to walk or ride some distance to reach it?
ANS. The commandment forbids our doing any of our own work or business on the Sabbath day. Going to or from our place of business is certainly a part of our work. It plainly is not God’s work and should not be performed on his time.
7. Are the tables on which the commandments were written and the ark which contained them still in existence? Where in Bible history are they last mentioned?
ANS. The ark is last mentioned historically, we believe, in 1 Kings 8: 4–9, when it was brought with great pomp and rejoicing and placed in the temple which Solomon had built, according to Usher’s chronology, B. C. 1005. Here it remained till the destruction of this temple by Nebuchadnezzar, B. C. 588. What then became of it is not positively known. A passage in the book of Maccabees leads some to suppose that it was concealed by Jeremiah the prophet, and will be discovered again before the end. The passage reads as follows: “Jeremy the prophet, ‘being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain where Moses climbed up, and saw the heritage of God. And when Jeremy came thither he found a hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. And some of those that followed him, came to mark the way, but they could not find it; which, when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them saying, As for this place it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together and receive them unto mercy.’” 2 Mac. 2: 4–7.
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