The Sabbath of the Lord
NP
June 28, 1897
Portions of this manuscript are published in ST 03/31/1898, 04/07/1898. +NoteOne or more typed copies of this document contain additional Ellen White handwritten interlineations which may be viewed at the main office of the Ellen G. White Estate.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so; but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” [Psalm 1:1-6.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 1
The Hebrews were held in bondage by the Egyptians, but the Lord delivered them from their bondage with a strong arm. Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, Christ, their invisible Leader, guided them through the wilderness. Through Moses, their visible leader, He educated and instructed them, that they might love and serve the only true and living God. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 2
For their food the Lord gave them manna from heaven. This miracle testified constantly to the Sabbath commandment, which was given in Eden before it was given from Sinai. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 3
The Lord brought the children of Israel to Mount Sinai, and there He spoke the ten commandments, and enjoined upon His people the observance of the Sabbath. To Adam and Eve in Eden the Lord gave the use of every tree in the garden save one. So the Lord has given to men six days in which they are to engage in common business; but He has put His sanctity upon the seventh day, declaring it to be holy. That day is to be sacredly observed as a memorial of creation. “God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that in it he had rested from all his work.” [Genesis 2:3.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 4
“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also 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 holy 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 the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy unto 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.” [Exodus 31:12-16.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 5
In the temple service the Lord gave special directions that the priests were to use on their censers the sacred fire of God’s own kindling, which was kept burning day and night. But Nadab and Abihu perverted their senses by the use of wine, so that they could not distinguish between the sacred and the common. They “took either of them his censer, and put fire thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out a fire from the Lord, and devoured them.” [Leviticus 10:1, 2.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 6
Those who ignore God’s Sabbath, to keep as holy the first day of the week, offer strange fire to the Lord. It is a strange sabbath, which He has commanded them not. Will He accept it at their hands? Men have sought out many inventions. They have taken a common day, upon which God has placed no sanctity, and have clothed it with sacred prerogatives. They have declared it to be a holy day, but this does not give it a vestige of sanctity. They dishonor God by accepting human institutions, and presenting to the world as the Christian Sabbath a day which has no “Thus saith the Lord” for its authority. As did Nadab and Abihu, they offer the common, in place of the sacred. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 7
The penalty of death fell upon the sons of Aaron for thus dishonoring the Lord God of Israel. They died before the Lord. And the penalty for transgressing the Sabbath command, which God has made the sign of obedience, and exalting a common working day, is death. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 8
The day God set apart to be kept free from secular labor He designed should be respected in commemoration for His wisdom, power, and goodness in creating the world and man. It was instituted before the Jews were distinguished as a people, and was given to all mankind to keep holy, “that ye may know,” God declares, “that I am the Lord which do sanctify you.” [Exodus 31:13.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 9
Sanctification is claimed by professed Christians who ignore God’s holy rest day for a spurious sabbath. But God declares that the sanctification coming from Him is bestowed only upon those who honor Him by obeying His commands. The sanctification claimed by those who continue in transgression is a spurious sanctification. Thus the religious world is deceived by the enemy of God and man. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 10
Every man in God’s world is under the laws of God’s government. God has placed the Sabbath in the bosom of the Decalogue, and has made it the criterion of obedience. Through it we may learn of God’s power, as displayed in His works and in His Word. But today the world is following the example of those who lived before the flood. Now, as then, men choose to follow their own inventions, rather than to obey the commandments of God. The inhabitants of the antediluvian world glorified themselves instead of commemorating the glorious works of creation. They did not obey the law of God; they did not honor the Sabbath. Had they done this, they would have recognized their duty to their Creator. This was the original and supreme object of the command, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” [Exodus 20:8.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 11
And today men could not place themselves more decidedly in opposition to God’s work and to His law than by upholding a day that is without one evidence of sanctity, and professing to worship Him on that day. Those who have corrupted the law by substituting a false sabbath for the holy Sabbath of God, and who compel the observance of this false sabbath, exalt themselves above God, and honor the spurious above the genuine. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 12
The seventh day is God’s chosen day. He has not left this matter to be remodeled by priest or ruler. It is of too great importance to be left to human judgment. God saw that men would study their own convenience, and choose a day best suited to their inclinations, a day bearing no divine authority; and He has stated plainly that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 13
God has declared in His Word that the seventh day is a sign between Him and His chosen people—a sign of their loyalty; “I am the Lord your God: walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” [Ezekiel 20:19, 20.] If the Sabbath is accepted, the rest of the commands in the Decalogue will be obeyed, for no one can truly keep the Sabbath, and disregard one precept of the law. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 14
All who have intelligence and a knowledge of the Scriptures are without excuse in regard to the day which God has enjoined upon man. From the pillar of cloud Christ constantly set before His church in the wilderness the requirements of God. “And Moses called all Israel and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep them, and do them. ... Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 15
“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, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out hence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm; therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.” [Deuteronomy 5:1, 12-15.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 16
“And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thine house, and on thy gates. ... Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers. To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 17
“And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God hath commanded you? Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s bondmen in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: and the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: and he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.” [Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 17-25.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 18
How positive are these words! How full of assurance! Here it is plainly stated that obedience to the Lord’s specified statutes would bring the richest blessings and prosperity. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 19
“Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 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 covenant to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them; he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day to do them.” [Deuteronomy 7:6-11.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 20
“Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day. Lest when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage: who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water: who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint: who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy Fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end: and [thou] say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 21
“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant, which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish: because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.” [Deuteronomy 8:11-20.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 22
The Lord often tested His people, to see if they would have faith in Him. He allowed the supply of water to fail, that the Israelites might be reminded of their past deliverance, and [be] led to put their trust in God. But their continual blessings, for which they should have been ever grateful, led them to forget their dependence. No sooner did their supply of water fail, than they forget God, and blamed Moses as the cause of their calamity. In the place of trusting God, who had so long and so liberally supplied their wants, they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron, and bitterly reviled them for bringing them out of Egypt. O how easily this unbelief springs into life. This is the danger today. The people of God must keep a continual watch over their hearts, lest they allow Satan to interpose between them and God. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 23
God has a controversy with the inhabitants of this world. Satan has come to them disguised as an angel of light, and under his direction, the majority of Christians bow at idolatrous shrines and worship an unknown god. If man had always obeyed the fourth commandment, there would not now be an infidel or an atheist in our world. All would recognize and honor the power of the Creator. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 24
How vain will be the resistance of humanity against God. With His infinite power He called the world into existence. With a word He could depopulate it, and return it to its original state, and with a word raise up a new race of beings. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 25
Man broke the law of God and defied His will. This law reveals to the world the attributes of God’s character, and not a jot or tittle of it could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. But God gave man unmistakable evidence that He loved them; and that justice is the foundation of His throne and the evidence of His love. He carried out the penalty of transgression, but let it fall upon a substitute, even His only begotten Son. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 26
God could not abolish His law to save men; for this would immortalize transgression, and place the whole world under Satan’s control. But “he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16.] In this wonderful gift is shown the depth of God’s goodness. He so loved sinful men that He gave Himself in His Son, that sinners might have another opportunity, another trial, another chance to show their obedience. He so loved men that in order to save them He gave His Son to the world, and in that gift He gave all heaven! This was the only provision God could make. By this gift a way was provided for sinners to return to their loyalty. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 27
God is calling upon all to behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Christ lifts the guilt of sin from the sinner, standing himself under the condemnation of the Lawgiver. He came to this world to live the law in humanity, that Satan’s charge that man cannot keep the law of God might be demonstrated as false. He kept the law in humanity, and when He was accused falsely by the Pharisees, He turned to them, asking with a voice of authority and power, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” [John 8:46.] He came to reveal to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to sinful men, that every provision had been made by God in behalf of humanity, and that through the imputed righteousness of Christ, all who receive Him by faith can show their loyalty by keeping the law. As the repenting sinner lays hold of Christ as his personal Saviour, he is made a partaker of the divine nature. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 28
We may all rest in the assurance that whatever the love of God has devised in man’s behalf will be executed. Justice and judgment are the habitation of His throne; mercy and truth go before His face. In the cross of Christ mercy and truth met together; righteousness and peace kissed each other. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 29
But it is not by abolishing one jot or tittle of the law of God that salvation is brought to the fallen race. If God were a changeable being, no confidence could be placed in His government. If He retracted what He had said, we could not then take His Word as the foundation of our faith. Had He changed His law to meet fallen man, Satan’s claim, that man could not keep the law, would have been proved true. But God did not alter the law which He gave to govern all human intelligences. Had this been done, Christ need not have died on Calvary’s cross. But the death of Christ testifies to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to all the sons and daughters of fallen Adam, that the law of God is immutable, and that in the judgment it will condemn every one who has persisted in transgression. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 30
That God who rules the world in love and wisdom testifies, in the death of His only begotten Son, to His changeless character. He could not change His character as expressed in His law, but He could give His Son, one with Himself, possessing His attributes, to a fallen world. By so doing, He did not change His character, but He magnified His name and glory as a God above all gods. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 31
Every false religion is of Satan’s originating, and the warning must be given to the world. The truth of God’s Word alone is permanent and eternal. The loyal subjects of God’s kingdom will not be found trampling upon His law, pronounced by Inspiration to be “holy, just, and good.” [Romans 7:12.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 32
Why do men continue so blindly in unbelief when the Word of God is so plain and unmistakable? When the judgment shall sit and the books are opened, what excuse will they give for taking sides with the first great rebel, thus making the Word of God of none effect in their lives? 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 33
Christ has declared, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.” [Matthew 5:18.] God’s wisdom and truthfulness are changeless, and in that great day when sentence is executed against the despisers of His law, the cross of Christ will show that He is a God of love in thus executing justice. Those who refuse to obey His law during probationary time could not with safety be received into His kingdom, for they would labor as earnestly and zealously against the law of God’s government as did the first apostate. There would be a second rebellion in heaven. 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 34
God is true. He reigns and will reign, notwithstanding that the church and the world have entered into a confederacy to abolish His law. Age after age Satan has been blinding men by his wiles. He has cooperated with human agencies in an effort to make falsehood truth. He has worked with intensity to defy the God of heaven by making His law of none effect. But He has not done this; for in the ark of God in heaven are the tables of stone upon which are written the precepts that are the foundation of God’s government. And the Sabbath, which God declares to be the sign of the loyalty of His people, is placed in the bosom of the Decalogue. Its sanctity reaches into eternity, for God declares that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, His subjects shall come up to worship before Him in the earth made new. [Isaiah 66:23.] 12LtMs, Ms 63, 1897, par. 35