Our True Sabbath Rest
by JWing
This doctrine of the Sabbath has become a hotly contended one even though a few decades ago it was unheard of. That is because in these last days, there has been a strong increase in activity and motivation on the part of false teachings and false gospels. What makes this teaching so difficult to resist is that those are pulling this directly from the 10 commandments specifically the 4th command. It is no wonder many Protestants find themselves ensnared as these 7th day people use their own Bible against them. Even I was ensnared by their smooth and seeming rational arguments. So what are these people using from the Bible?
Exodus 20:8-11
8 REMEMBER the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 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 manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 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. |
You will probably immediately notice the word "Remember". Sabbatarians will say this was because God knew we were prone to forget. They also contend "keep it holy" means that God has chosen the 7th day as the day He would meet his people when they worshiped. Because of this, they claim that the Sabbath was never changed and that it was none other than the Roman Catholic Church was the one who changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. They claim because of this change, anyone worshiping on Sunday is automatically and unknowingly worshiping the Beast (Satan) because Sunday worship is the Mark of the Beast and Saturday worship is the Seal of God.
Although they will not admit it and others may not know it, most of the Sabbath keepers get this doctrine of Sunday being the Mark of the Beast and Saturday being the Seal of God from Ellen G White's writings. This doctrine is specific only to her and is shared by no other writers.
Although they will not admit it and others may not know it, most of the Sabbath keepers get this doctrine of Sunday being the Mark of the Beast and Saturday being the Seal of God from Ellen G White's writings. This doctrine is specific only to her and is shared by no other writers.
- (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p.605, p.640)
- "The sign, or seal, of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord's memorial of creation . . .The mark of the beast is the opposite of this--the observance of the first day of the week." —8T 117 (1904)
- “To the church of God who keeps the Sabbath—the seal of the living God.” —Ms 3, 1849, p. 2. (To Brethren and Sisters, January 18, 1849.)
Resting on the 7th day
First off if you look at the passage you will see that it makes no mention that it is a day of worship. All it says is remember what was done on that first seventh day. Then it proceeds to repeat Genesis 1-2 the 7days of creation ending with God resting on the 7th day. However, everyone will agree that God being an infinite God would not need rest as in He's exhausted. But God rested more as in there was nothing left to create. So just as a lawyer who is finished with all his arguments for his case and has nothing more to add to his arguments "rests his case" before the court. God finished all His creating and had nothing more He wished to add to His creation. And so God "rested His creating case".
Who is it for?
First off if you look at the passage you will see that it makes no mention that it is a day of worship. All it says is remember what was done on that first seventh day. Then it proceeds to repeat Genesis 1-2 the 7days of creation ending with God resting on the 7th day. However, everyone will agree that God being an infinite God would not need rest as in He's exhausted. But God rested more as in there was nothing left to create. So just as a lawyer who is finished with all his arguments for his case and has nothing more to add to his arguments "rests his case" before the court. God finished all His creating and had nothing more He wished to add to His creation. And so God "rested His creating case".
Who is it for?
Exodus 31:13
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. Exodus 31:16-17 16 Wherefore THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL shall KEEP the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 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. Deuteronomy 5:1-3 (KJV) 5 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, and do them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. Malachi 4:4 4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Ezekiel 20:11-13 11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 12 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. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume Ezekiel 20:19-21 19 I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; 20 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. 21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness. Acts 15:7,10-11 7 Peter got up and addressed them: ... 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” |
We see over and over again in the Old and New Testament that the law of the covenant was made between God and Israel. It was not with the Gentiles and in fact Peter directly speaks out against placing it upon the Gentile Christians. Those who insist on applying the 10 commandments and especially the 4th commandment as a requirement for salvation are no different than those Pharisees of Peters day. And the response by the church and the apostles are equally clear.
Acts 15:5
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. Acts 15:24 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and KEEP the LAW: to whom we gave NO such COMMANDMENT: Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye COULD NOT BE JUSTIFIED by the Law of Moses. Acts 20:7 And upon THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. |
The reason why these Sabbatarians insist upon keeping of the Sabbath day even tho that covenant was for Israel to keep, is because they have another unBiblical doctrine called Replacement Theology. This Theology holds that since Israel rejected Jesus, God has rejected them. Therefore God has replaced Israel with the Church. The Church now receives all the blessings and promises once given to Israel and Israel retains all the curses. This is a dangerous and false theology but I will cover in another paper. Also this amounts to self-righteousness, a way to show God and man that you somehow deserve heaven because you act more pious that others.
Ephesians 2:14-15 (KJV)
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; |
Fortunately Paul puts all this to rest with this statement. Basically Jesus made Jew and Gentile one in Him by breaking down the law of Moses that kept Jew and Gentile apart. Simply put the laws of Moses are no longer in effect, which includes the Sabbath. So does this mean Christians are free to sin all they want? No because Jesus commanded us to love God and love our neighbor.
Romans 13:10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. |
- EGW: In these things I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God. This seal is the Sabbath. To Those who are receiving the seal of the living God. —January 31, 1849, paragraph 11.
- EGW: "Those who would have the seal of God in their foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." —7BC 970 (1899).
- EGW: "The sign, or seal, of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord's memorial of creation . . . . The mark of the beast is the opposite of this--the observance of the first day of the week." —8T 117 (1904)
However let's let the Bible speak for itself about what John saw as the Mark of the Beast being.
Revelation 13:16-18
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. |
Verse 16 reveals that this a real literal mark, one received upon the right or in the forehead. Currently we have computer chips the size of a grain of rice, with humans attempting to make them as small as a grain of sand. These chips in tantum with computers would allow nearly foolproof methods to handle ones finances. Currently Canada already has many of their citizens chipped for this very purpose and as of September Israel is moving to a cashless society. This is more likely candidate for the Mark of the Beast.
http://novascience.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/hitachi-develops-worlds-smallest-rfid-chip/ http://nationalreport.net/rfid-chip-now-being-issued-in-hanna-wyoming-as-part-of-new-obamacare-plan/ http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/172028#.Ukj759JOPxA Scientists discover way of beaming power to microimplants deep inside body... NBC News:All Americans will Receive a microchip implant in 2017 |
If you think this is technology for far in the future, guess again. This picture was taken in Torocamp, Washington dated 2012-08-12 at 11.15.35-PM.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/08/13/want-an-rfid-chip-implanted-into-your-hand-heres-what-the-diy-surgery-looks-like-video/ Thousands of Swedes are getting microchip IDs inserted into their hands to swipe into homes, offices, concerts and even to access social media |
But back to the subject of the Seal of God. Let's see what the Bible has to say about this.
2 Cor. 1:21, 22
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set HIS SEAL of ownership on us, and put HIS SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Eph. 1:12-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. HAVING BELIEVED, you were marked in him with A SEAL, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. Eph: 4:30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were SEALED for the day of redemption. |
Again clear as can be the Holy Spirit is the Seal of God, not the Sabbath. Simply put a day of worship can not be God's seal of ownership since it is a work that we can do to earn. And God makes it clear salvation is not by works but rather a free gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For by grace are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast. |
Therein lies the true Sabbath rest that God promises. Instead of having man forever striving and coming short of the perfection God requires to be able to enter heaven, God asks us rather to cease our efforts and instead embrace his gift of Jesus. Jesus took care of everything that God required us to do perfectly and took upon himself ALL our sins (past, present, & future), suffering God's required punishment for them all (death and separation from God). How can any of us truly refuse such an awesome free gift? Just pray this prayer:
Dear Lord God. I know I am a sinner and need your gift of salvation from my sins. I BELIEVE IN JESUS, the Son of God, as my personal Savior. I believe that His death on the cross and resurrection provides forgiveness for ALL my sins past, present, & future. Please forgive all my sins and come into my heart and life. I hereby trust in Jesus FINISHED WORK alone, and NOT upon me & my "good works", as sufficient to make me right with you and fit for Heaven. Please forgive ALL my sins and come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Seal me with your Holy Spirit until the day you come to take me home. In your Son Jesus’ name. Amen.
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