Seventh-day Sabbath Sign: The Sign Of Our Allegiance To God

The Seventh-day Sabbath is a sign of the creative and redemptive power of Christ. 

It points to Him as the source of life, knowledge, love and truth.

It recalls mankind's ancient glory, and thus witnesses God's purpose to re-create us in His own image.

The Sabbath is to be a sign between God and His people as long as He should have a people upon the earth to serve Him.

Thus declaring to the world their loyalty to the only true and living God - the Sovereign of the Universe.

The Law of God existed before the creation of humanity. The angels were governed by it. 

Satan fell because he transgressed the principles of God's government.

The principles of the Ten Commandments existed before the fall. They were of a character suited to the condition of a holy order of beings.

God made known His Law to Adam and Eve. It wasn’t then written, but rehearsed to them by Jehovah.

The Sabbath of the fourth commandment was instituted in Eden. 

He made the Sabbath for humans right after He created them and their home - the earth.

Nothing was taken from the Law of God after the fall of our first parents. 

The principles of those precepts were not changed, but additional precepts were given to meet humanity in their fallen state.

Furthermore, the principles of those precepts were not changed, but additional precepts were given to meet humanity in their fallen state.

God designed that by a faithful observance of the Sabbath, Israel should continually be reminded of their accountability to Him as their Creator and their Redeemer.

While they should keep the Sabbath in the proper spirit, idolatry could not exist.

On the other hand, should the claims of this precept of the Decalogue be set aside as no longer binding, the Creator would be forgotten and people would worship other gods.

Sabbath as a sign of God's power and love

God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it - set it apart to a holy use. He gave it to Adam as a day of rest. 

It was a memorial of the work of creation, and thus a sign of God's power and love.

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. Psalms 111:4.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead. Romans 1:20.

All things were created by the Son of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God...All things were made by Him; 

and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:1-3.

And since the Sabbath is a memorial of the work of creation, it is a token of the love and power of Christ.

The Sabbath points to nature

Thus brings us into communion with the Creator.

Moreover, as we behold His power in nature we find comfort, for the Word that created all things is that which speaks life to the soul.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number…

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary…

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Isaiah 40:26-29.

This is the message written in nature, which the Sabbath is appointed to keep in memory.

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; 

yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. Isaiah 45:22.

When the Lord bade Israel hallow His Sabbaths, He said:

They shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Ezekiel 20:20.

Why is the Sabbath a sign of Divine worship?

The Sabbath is the memorial of God’s creation of humans and this planet. 

Thus it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God - He is the Creator and we are His creatures.

Moreover, it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner.

God instituted the Sabbath in Eden. 

Thus, as long as the fact that he is our Creator continues to be a reason why we should worship him, so long the Sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial.

The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the only true God - Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:7.

Therefore, It follows that the message which commands people to worship God and keep His commandments, will call upon them to keep the fourth commandment.

Seal the law among my disciples

The Lord commands through the prophet:

Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. Isaiah 8:16.

The seal of God's law is found in the fourth commandment. Only this, of all ten, brings to view both the name and the title of the Lawgiver.

It declares Him to be the Creator of Heavens and earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence and worship above all others.

Aside from this precept, there is nothing in the Decalogue to show by whose authority the law is given.

The seal was taken from the law when the Sabbath was changed Sunday by the papacy.

Christ calls today His followers to restore it to its rightful position as the Creator's memorial and the sign of His authority.

Object of the Sabbath

Christ would teach His disciples and His enemies that the service of God is first of all. 

The object of God's work in this world is the redemption of humankind.

Thus that which is necessary to be done on the Sabbath in the accomplishment of this work is in accord with the Sabbath law.

Therefore, the redeeming power of Christ is the object of the Sabbath. Moreover, He declares Himself the Lord of the Sabbath.

If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. Matthew 12:7.

In other words, their many heartless rites could not supply the lack of that truthful integrity and tender love which will ever characterize the true worshiper of God.

Christ emphasizes the truth that the sacrifices were in themselves of no value. Their object was to direct people to the Savior, and thus to bring them into harmony with God.

It is the service of love that God values. When this is lacking, the mere round of ceremony is an offense to Him.

So with the Sabbath. It was designed to bring people into communion with God. 

Therefore, when the mind was absorbed with wearisome rites, the object of the Sabbath was thwarted.

Thus its mere outward observance was a mockery.

For the benefit of humanity

The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Mark 2:27.

The institutions that God has established are for the benefit of mankind.

For all things are for your sakes. 2 Corinthians 4:15.

Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; 

all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. 1 Corinthians 3:22, 23.

The law of Ten Commandments, of which the Sabbath is a part, God gave to His people as a blessing.

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. Deuteronomy 6:24.

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God:

It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Psalm 100:2-4.

Everyone that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Isaiah 56:6, 7.

The Seventh-day Sabbath is the Lord's day

The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. 

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath. Mark 2:27, 28.

Moreover it is the Lord's day and belongs to Christ.

For all things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. John 1:3.

By Him the Sabbath was set apart as a memorial of His work of creation. It reminds us that He is our Creator and Sanctifier.

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: 

all things were created by him, and for him. Colossians 1:16.

Then the Sabbath is a sign of Christ's power to make us holy. Moreover, it is given to all whom Christ makes holy.

He is the head of the body, the church. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself. Colossians 1:18, 20.

I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifies them. Ezekiel 20:12.

As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.

My holy day

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...then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord. Isaiah 58:13, 14.

Sabbath will be a delight to all who receive it as a sign of Christ's creative and redeeming power. 

Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him.

The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption.

While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Savior.

God is no less particular now in regard to His Sabbath than when He made this requirement of the children of Israel.

The Sabbath tended to distinguish the Jews from their surrounding nations. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers.

It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. 

In order to keep the Sabbath holy, people must themselves be holy.

Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ.

When the command was given to Israel, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, the Lord said also to them - Ye shall be holy men unto Me. Exodus 20:8; 22:31.

Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God.

Some professed Sabbath-keepers will intrude upon the Sabbath in doing those things which should have been done previous to the Sabbath.

Thus they employ time for their own use which belongs to Him.

Such may think they gain a little time. 

Nevertheless, instead of being advantaged by robbing God of holy time, which He has reserved to Himself, they will lose.

It will prove a curse to them.

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty

To us as to Israel the Sabbath is given for a perpetual covenant. 

To those who reverence His holy day the Sabbath is a sign that God recognizes them as His chosen people.

Those, who accept the sign of God's government, place themselves under the divine, everlasting covenant.

The Sabbath question is to be the issue in the great final conflict in which all the world will act a part.

People have honored Satan's principles above the principles that rule in Heaven. 

They have accepted the spurious sabbath, which Satan has exalted as the sign of his authority.

Nevertheless, God has set His seal upon His royal requirement.

Thus each sabbath institution bears the name of its author, and a sign that shows the authority of each.

The observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the State will be contrary to the fourth commandment.

Furthermore, it will be an open declaration of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God.

On the other hand, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's Law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator and Redeemer.

It is of vital consequence whether they bear the mark of God's kingdom or the mark of the kingdom of rebellion.

For they acknowledge themselves subjects of the kingdom whose mark they bear.

When the final test will be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not.

While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers receives the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receives the seal of God.

Conclusion

The Seventh-day Sabbath is a sign of the relation existing between God and His people. 

Moreover, a sign that they honor Him as their Creator and Redeemer.

God declared that the Sabbat is a sign between Him and the children of Israel forever. 

Today He gives to all spiritual Israel the Sabbath as a witness that One omnipotent, infinite in goodness and mercy, created all things.

As the Sabbath was the sign that distinguished Israel when they came out of Egypt to enter the earthly Canaan, 

so it is the sign that now distinguishes God's people as they come out from the world to enter the Heavenly rest.

Through the observance of the Sabbath He desires to:

• preserve among people the knowledge of Himself

• direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace.

References:

1. Ed 250; 3SM 256; 1SP 237; DA 281, 286, 288; 1SP 261; GC88 437, 451; 1SP 259; PK 183; 6T 349 - The Ellen G. White Estate

2. The Bible, King James Version (KJV)