SABBATH Section One of Biblical Holy Days Compiled by Richard C. Nickels Distributed by: Giving & Sharing PO Box 100 Neck City, MO 64849 Revised Edition, copyright 1995 by Sharing & Giving, Inc. Introduction Section One of Biblical Holy Days covers the Sabbath, one of the foundational teachings of the Bible. Understanding the Bible Sabbath is a key to unlocking the Truth of God. Rather than a legalistic requirement of do's and don'ts, the Sabbath is a delight, a foretaste of the Kingdom of God. If you keep the Sabbath, God will keep you. Here is a summary collection of Sabbath data: Sabbath "There remaineth therefore a rest [margin: keeping of a sabbath'] to the people of God," Hebrews 4:9. "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, honourable: and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord: and I will cause the to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it," Isaiah 58:13-14. "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," Isaiah 66:23. Table of Contents Why the Sabbath is Important 3 History of the Sabbath in the Bible. Shows how the Patriarchs, Israel, Jesus and the Apostles kept the Sabbath, as well as Gentile Christians. Proof texts that Sunday is not the day of Christian worship. Sunday came into the professing Christian church from Roman sun worshipers who were anti-Jewish. Catholics and Protestants agree that the Bible does not authorize Sunday keeping. Sunday is a mark of the Beast, while the true Sabbath is an important sign of God's people. When Does Your Sabbath Begin? 36 Bible proof that the Sabbath begins at sundown Friday evening and ends on sundown Saturday evening. How the Sabbath can be kept in polar regions of continuous sunlight and/or darkness. Keeping the Sabbath in a Non-Sabbath World 41 Shomer Shabbat are Sabbath observers, who sometimes have difficulty keeping the Sabbath and their jobs in a non-Sabbath keeping world. Kalal Shabbat are Sabbath polluters who water down the Sabbath. The Sabbath and Ecology 43 Protecting our environment, including recycling, is an essential aspect to proper Sabbath keeping. How to Keep the Sabbath HOLY 45 Principles of Sabbath-keeping, what proper Sabbath-keeping is all about. Explains "Sabbath Day's Journey" and "Ox in the Ditch" principles. Positive aspects of Sabbath-keeping, examples of Sabbath-breaking. Why it is not proper to eat in a restaurant on the Sabbath. Preparation for the Sabbath is important. The Sabbath and Service 60 The Sabbath is a time to serve God, ourselves, others, and our habitat. The Truth About Sabbath and Sunday 67 The contrast between the Bible Sabbath and Sunday. The Good News of the Sabbath 70 Dr. Samuele Bacchiochi shows how the Sabbath illustrates the Gospel, how that the Eternal created the world perfectly, and will restore all things to their original perfection. Table of Contents Sabbath Facts 75 Search the Scriptures, Can You Find One Text...? Sabbath and Sunday in Your Bible. 100 Bible Facts on the Sabbath and Sunday. Can You Find...? Etc. etc. Jubilee and the Sabbath Year 85 Israel went into captivity for breaking the Land Sabbath and Jubilee Year. Jesus' ministry is tied to the Jubilee Year. When is the Jubilee Year? Sabbath Quiz 89 Matching, True-False, and Fill in the Blanks questions on the Sabbath. Answers are given at the end of the article. Why the Sabbath is Important The weekly Sabbath day is a foretaste of the "rest" of the millennial kingdom. The Bible is replete with instructions pointing out how to keep the Sabbath, the meaning of the Sabbath, the blessings of keeping the Sabbath, and why the seventh day of the week is important to mankind. Outline I. God Sanctified the Sabbath on the Seventh Day of Creation II. Patriarchs Kept the Sabbath III. God Gave the Sabbath to Israel IV. Israel Went Into Captivity for Sabbath Polluting V. Nehemiah Reinstituted Proper Sabbath-Keeping VI. Savior Kept Sabbath as Special Day of Service VII. Apostles and Gentile Christians Kept the Sabbath VIII. Sabbath Will Be Kept in the Millennium IX. The Sabbath Is a Sign of God's People X. The Bible Does Not Authorize Sunday Keeping A. Eight Uses of Term, "First Day of the Week" B. "Lord's Day" Does Not Refer to Sunday C. Jesus Was Not Resurrected on Sunday Morning D. Pentecost is Not on Sunday E. "Difficult" Scriptures Don't Do Away With Sabbath F. Sunday Worship is Pagan Sun Worship G. Sunday-Keeping Resulted From Anti-Jewish Bias H. Roman Catholics Admit Sunday Is Not Biblical I. Protestants Admit Sabbath is Biblical, Not Sunday J. Sunday is A Mark of the Beast I. God Sanctified Sabbath on Seventh Day of Creation Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it [set it apart, made it holy]: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made. The Creator placed His presence in the Sabbath by resting on that day. He "sanctified" the Sabbath, i.e., separated it, set it apart for holy use or purpose. He, not man, made the Sabbath Holy Time. There were not six days of creation, but seven. On the Seventh Day, the Creator ended His work, not His creating. He created the Sabbath by His rest. He wasn't tired, Isaiah 40:28, but He was refreshed on the Sabbath day, Exodus 31:17, by gaining the satisfaction of contemplating what He had created. The Sabbath day from Creation has never been lost. Human calendar changes have never upset the weekly cycle. Jewish historians have carefully preserved the Calendar and the weekly cycle down through the ages. See the article, "Has Time Been Lost?" published by the Seventh Day Church of God and the Worldwide Church of God. II. Patriarchs Kept the Sabbath There is a 2,500-year gap after the Bible mentions the Sabbath in Genesis until it is again brought up at the time Israel leaves Egypt and arrives at Sinai. Nevertheless, it is provable scripturally that the patriarchs kept the Sabbath. Noah Kept Sabbath and Preached it to Others Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. II Peter 2:5 And [God] spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. Psalms 119:172 My tongue shall speak of Thy word: for all Thy commandments are righteousness. Abraham Obeyed Laws and Commandments Genesis 26:4-5 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Isaac and Jacob Followed Abraham's Obedience Hebrews 11:8-10, 13, 20-21, 23 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God . . . . These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth . . . . By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff . . . . By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. The Sabbath and the seven-day week have continuously been observed. "The Sabbath was recognized as a weekly day of rest in Babylonia as early as 3800 B.C.," (Peloubet's Bible Dictionary, article "Sabbath," p. 573). Epics of Creation, on clay tablets found in the ruins of Babylon, Nineveh, Nippur and Ashur, were in circulation before the time of Abraham. They tell of the seventh day as a "holy day" on which we should "cease from all business," (Halley's Bible Handbook, p. 62). The Sabbath is an ancient venerable institution. III. God Gave the Sabbath To Israel At Sinai: Exodus 16:4-5, 14-30 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily . . . . And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none. And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore He giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day. God performed this special miracle of withholding manna on the Sabbath for forty years while Israel was in the wilderness. Thus there were some 2,080 individual miracles spaced exactly seven days apart, solely for the purpose of burning into the minds of the people that He commanded the seventh-day Sabbath to be kept. What a blessing! Israel could rest on the Sabbath and still be as well off as though they had worked! Exodus 20:8-11 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, 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 manservant, nor thy maidservant, 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. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, 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 thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day. Nehemiah 9:12-13 Moreover Thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go. Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments. Exodus 23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed. Exodus 31:12-13 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. Exodus 34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. Exodus 35:2-3 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the Sabbath day. This refers to industrial fires, not fires to heat from winter's cold, warm food previously prepared, or lighting. Leviticus 19:3, 30 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the Lord your God . . . . Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. Leviticus 23:2-3 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. Leviticus 26:2 Ye shall keep My Sabbaths, and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. Numbers 15:32-36 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the Sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses. The death penalty for Sabbath-breaking shows how serious Sabbath-keeping is in the eyes of the Eternal. The Sabbath breaker had sinned presumptuously, defiantly reproaching God. The Sabbath is preceded by a preparation day for work such as gathering wood. Exodus 12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. The Sabbath and other laws didn't apply only to Israelites, but also to strangers. If we are Christ's, then we are Abraham's seed, spiritual Israelites, Galatians 3:29. Isaiah 56:1-7 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. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one 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: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. Isaiah 58:13-14 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, honourable; and shalt honour Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words [see Isaiah 55:8-9]: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The Sabbath, properly observed, teaches us to become more like God. We do not naturally think spiritual thoughts. The way we begin to think Godly thoughts on the Sabbath is to study, discuss and meditate on God's Word, as well as pray to Him. On the Sabbath we literally saturate our minds with the principles of God's laws which reveal His character, how He thinks and acts. In so doing, we act out or portray our future destiny, that of being Sons of God in the Kingdom of God. (See Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson 28, page 12.) IV. Israel Went Into Captivity for Sabbath-Polluting Nehemiah 13:17-18 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 our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. Jeremiah 17:9, 21-25, 27 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? . . . Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the Sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. And 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 for ever . . . . 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. This prophecy was fulfilled, Jeremiah 52:12-13. Verse 22 in the Living Bible says "do no unnecessary work on the Sabbath day." It is easy to deceive yourself that you are keeping the Sabbath, when you are not. Ezekiel 20:10-25 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them My statutes, and shewed them My judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 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. 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 them. But I wrought for My name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; Because they despised My judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless Mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: 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. 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. Nevertheless I withdrew Mine hand, and wrought for My name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth. I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries; Because they had not executed My judgments, but had despised My statutes, and had polluted My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live . . . Ezekiel 22:8, 26 Thou hast despised Mine holy things, and hast profaned My Sabbaths . . . . Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the profane . . . and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths . . . . V. Nehemiah Reinstituted Proper Sabbath-Keeping Nehemiah 10:29, 31 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes; . . . And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the Sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the Sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. Nehemiah 13:15-22 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 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 our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day . . . . VI. Savior Kept Sabbath as Special Day of Service The word "Sabbath" occurs over sixty times in the New Testament. Jesus Taught In the Synagogue on the Sabbath Mark 1:21-22 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day He entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 6:2, 5 And when the Sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto Him, that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands? . . . . And He could there do no mighty work, save that He laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. Luke 4:16, 31 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read . . . . And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days. Luke 13:10 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. It is Lawful to Heal on Sabbaths Matthew 12:10-13 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him. And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. Mark 1:21-27 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day He entered into the synagogue, and taught. And they were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. Mark 3:1-5 And He entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse Him. And He saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And He saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. Luke 13:10-17 And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And He laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? And when He had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. Luke 14:1-6 And it came to pass, as He went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath day, that they watched Him. And, behold, there was a certain man before Him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath day? And they held their peace. And He took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer Him again to these things. John 5:5-18 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place. Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. This was a Sabbath, probably during the Feast of Tabernacles. Sabbath, Holy Days Focal Points of Messiah's Ministry It is likely that the so-called "Sermon on the Mount," Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7, was given on a Sabbath, when Jesus escaped the multitudes and went up to a mountain with His disciples. Some few of the multitude followed Him up to the mountain, and were "astonished at His doctrine," Matthew 7:28. The rest would not travel a Sabbath day's journey and stayed behind. There is no time break in the story flow into Matthew 8, where Jesus went into Capernaum and healed Peter's wife's mother, verses 14-15. At the end of the Sabbath, at evening, many brought to Him demoniacs to be healed, because they felt it wrong to heal on the Sabbath. Mark 1:21-34 records the same event, and clearly shows it was on a Sabbath when Jesus entered into the synagogue in Capernaum and taught with such authority that the people were "astonished at His doctrine," verse 22. Also in verses 30-31, Mark records the healing of Peter's wife's mother. Finally, verse 32 records the deluge of people coming to be healed at even, at sunset as the Sabbath was ended. Thus, the Sermon on the Mount, the heart and core of the New Testament gospel, was given on the Sabbath! The Messiah magnified the Sabbath and all of His laws. Later, He was to die on the annual Passover, and found His New Testament Church on the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Pentecost. Jesus' 3-1/2 year ministry ended on an annual Passover. There are six months between Passover and the fall Feast of Tabernacles. Therefore, the Savior's ministry must have begun around the Fall festival season! We would be surprised to know just how many times in the Bible great and important events occurred on the weekly Sabbath or on one of the annual Sabbaths or Holy Days. The Gospel of John, written late in the First Century, is centered around the Sabbaths and Holy Days that occurred during the Savior's ministry. This is unique, considering that some people think the Sabbath is done away! Writing some 60 years after the events transpired, the Apostle John remembered the major events of the Messiah in relation to the Sabbaths and Holy Days. John 2:13-3:21 describes events at Jerusalem during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. John 4:35 alludes to Pentecost, which is four months before the fall harvest. Verse 45 shows that the Galileans had seen Jesus at the previous Feast. John 5:1-47 describes Jesus' healing during a Sabbath at a Feast in Jerusalem, probably the Fall Feast. Chapter 6 shows another Passover Feast. In line with the meaning of the spring Holy Days, Jesus said He is the bread of life, verse 35. In verses 53-58, Jesus says you must symbolically eat His flesh and drink His blood or you have no life in you. John chapters 7-10 cover events surrounding another Fall Feast of Tabernacles, with verses 37-39 giving the famous Last Great Day message of living waters. In chapter 9, on a Sabbath right afterwards, Jesus heals a man born blind. In John 10:22, Jesus taught in the Temple during the winter Feast of Dedication. Finally, the third and last Passover of Jesus' ministry is covered from John 11:55 through chapter 19. Wavesheaf Sunday is given new meaning in chapter 20. Thus, we have seen that the Sabbath and Holy Days were the very focal point of the Messiah's ministry. These days remain the center of the true believer's life. The Sabbath is mentioned sixty times in the New Testament, and never is there any hint it was abolished or done away! The Sabbath is Made for Man Matthew 12:1-8 At that time Jesus went on the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto Him, Behold, Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day. But He said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the Sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is One greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath day. Mark 2:23-28 And it came to pass, that He went through the corn fields on the Sabbath day; and His disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto Him, Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day that which is not lawful? And He said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And He said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath. Do you obey the Lord of the Sabbath? Pray That Our Fleeing Is Not on the Sabbath Matthew 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: VII. Apostles and Gentile Christians Kept the Sabbath Paul preached to both Jews and Gentiles on the Sabbath at Antioch: Acts 13:13-16, 42-44 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down. And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience . . . . And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabus: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. Acts 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures. It was Paul's custom to keep the Sabbath, as it was the Messiah's, Luke 4:16, 31. Acts 18:4, 11 And [at Corinth] he [Paul] reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks . . . . And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Paul worked on a job six days a week, then observed the Sabbath day resting and preaching. Paul commanded Gentile Christians at Corinth to follow him exactly as he followed Christ, I Corinthians 11:1. He commanded the Philippians to do likewise, Philippians 3:17. VIII. Sabbath Will Be Kept in the Millennium Isaiah 66:23 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. The Sabbath is closely linked with the New Moon as a regular time of worship. See also II Kings 4:23, Hosea 2:11, Amos 8:5, Isaiah 1:13-14. Ezekiel 44:15, 23-24 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me, and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God . . . . And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to My judgments: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all Mine assemblies; and they shall hallow My Sabbaths. Isaiah 11:9-10 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious. Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Hebrews 4:1-11 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it . . . . For we which have believed do enter into rest . . . . For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day . . . . There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [of ancient Israel, verses 2, 6]. The Sabbath pictures the restful 1000-year Millennium, the Messianic Kingdom on this earth. Resting from our daily labors on the Creator's Holy Sabbath pictures our glorious future as spirit-born Sons in the Family of God. Sabbath-keeping pictures "rest" from our struggles against sin, which the Eternal promises to give His obedient children. God has a seven thousand-year Master Time Plan, II Peter 3:8 (one day = 1,000 prophetic years): God's Master Time Plan CreationMessiah of manreturns 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Day Day Day Day Day Day Day 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 years years years years years years years |<------ Six Thousand years allowed for man to go his own way ---------->Millennium |<-------------------- Creator's "Week" of 7,000 years ------------------------>| IX. The Sabbath Is a Sign of God's People Exodus 31:12-17 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 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. Ezekiel 20:20 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. The way we "show" to God the Sabbath is a "sign" is to do what He says on that day: rest from our physical labors. Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest [Greek sabbatismos, "keeping of a Sabbath"] to the people of God. Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Keeping, or not keeping, God's Sabbath Days reveals an attitude! By keeping them, we demonstrate a childlike, simple, faithful obedience and a willingness to forsake our thoughts and to learn to develop Godlike character. "Sabbath-keeping plainly is a test of our attitude to reveal whether we really want to obey and depend on God and receive His Holy Spirit!" "If you worship God every Sabbath by praying to Him and studying His Word and its application in your life, and put it into DAILY PRACTICE during the week, then you will have God's Sabbath 'sign' in the true and saving sense. You will be PREPARING to enter God's Kingdom as a priest and ruler! (Rev. 5:10). "And if you continue to grow and overcome, at Christ's coming, God will CHANGE you by giving you an efficient spirit body capable of tremendous spiritual service in His eternal Kingdom!" (Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson 27, pages 6, 15.) Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. Ancient Israel never did become the holy nation, the model nation for others that the Almighty intended them to be. Today, spirit-begotten New Testament believers are spiritual Israelites, Abraham's "seed." They are set apart for the Almighty's holy use. The Old Covenant Israelites refused to rest on the Holy Sabbath, Ezekiel 20 and Hebrews 4. With the Holy Spirit, we can keep the Sabbath and exercise the faith they lacked. Faith to step out in obedience to the Master is the key to Sabbath-keeping, and a true Christian life. The older generation of Israel who rebelled against God in the wilderness did not enter the promised land because of unbelief or lack of faith, Hebrews 3:19. Faith is the key element and without faith, we will not enter the millennial kingdom. It takes faith to keep the Sabbath and conquer our carnal human nature. We need to boldly ask the Almighty for faith to obey Him, Hebrews 4:14-16. X. The Bible Does Not Authorize Sunday-Keeping Eight Uses of Term, "First Day of the Week" Matthew 28:1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. Mark 16:1-9 And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils. Luke 23:53-56, 24:1 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. 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. 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, and certain others with them. John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. Acts 20:7-13 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. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted. And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. I Corinthians 16:1-4 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. None of the above references to the first day of the week indicate that Sunday is a day of worship. After the crucifixion, holy women rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. The disciples assembled on the Sunday after the crucifixion for fear of the Jews, not for worship. Paul walked across a peninsula on the first day of the week. He asked the Corinthians to gather up food to send to Jerusalem on the first day of the week, a normal workday. "Lord's Day" Does Not Refer to Sunday Revelation 1:1, 7-10 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John . . . Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. In Old Testament prophecy, the term "Day of the Lord" refers to the prophetic time of the return of the Messiah as conquering king and world ruler. "Lord's Day" is the same as saying "Day of the Lord." John, in Revelation, was referring to the Day of the Lord, not the first day of the week. Mark 2:28 says that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the only "Lord's Day." Jesus Was Not Resurrected on Sunday Morning Matthew 12:38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. You cannot count three days and three nights from Friday evening to Sunday morning. Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, the Passover of 31 A.D., placed in the tomb just before sundown, and was in the grave until His resurrection near sundown Saturday evening, 72 hours later. Pentecost is Not on Sunday Leviticus 23:15-16 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord. A supposed Sunday resurrection and a supposed Sunday Pentecost are the two pillars of evidence Sunday-keepers use to justify keeping the first day of the week holy. Both are false ideas. Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, is on a Monday. See our article, "Pentecost, Day of Difference," in Section 4 of Biblical Holy Days. "Difficult" Scriptures Don't Do Away With Sabbath Colossians 2:14-17 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the New Moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. In the last sentence above, "is" is in italics in the KJV, showing that it is not part of the original Greek. Let the body of Christ, the Church, do the judging. Don't let the world judge you and say you are wrong in keeping the Holy Days, New Moons, or Sabbaths. Rather than do away with the Sabbath, these verses show that Gentile Colossians were admonished to let nothing dissuade them from faithfully keeping the times God has ordained. Galatians 4:8-11 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. The days, months, times and years referred to here are not God's special times. Some Gentile Galatians were returning to the pagan times they had observed prior to becoming Christians. Paul was warning them not to do this. Romans 14:5-6 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. This passage does not refer to the Sabbath, but to times of eating or not eating, i.e., fast days. Sunday Worship is Pagan Sun Worship Ezekiel 8:15-18 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: Mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in Mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. Deuteronomy 17:2-5 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and inquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. Job 31:26-28 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above. Jeremiah 8:2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. II Kings 23:5 And he [Josiah] put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. Sun, Fire, and Serpent, Worship Comes From Babylon Worshipping on Sunday goes back at least two thousand years before Jesus Christ. Shortly after the flood in Noah's time, Nimrod and his mother-wife, Semiramis, founded the great pagan religions. Sun worship is related to fire worship. Both are in reality a worship of the fiery serpent, the great red dragon, Satan the Devil. From the beginning at the Tower of Babel, sun worship spread throughout the ancient world. Documentation for this is found in The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop, and Babylon Mystery Religion, by Ralph Woodrow (available from Giving & Sharing). On pages 226-227, Hislop states, "Nimrod is singled out by the voice of antiquity as commencing this fire-worship . . . . The sun, as the great source of light and heat, was worshipped under the name of Baal [another name for Nimrod, who was Satan's earthly representative] . . . . the sun, under that name [Baal] was worshipped in the earliest ages of the world . . . . The beginning, then, of sun- worship and of the worship of the host of the heaven, was a sin against the light -- a presumptuous, heaven-daring sin. As the sun in the heavens was the great object of worship, so fire was worshipped as its [the sun's] earthly representative . . . . Along with the sun, as the great fire-god, and, in due time, identified with him, was the serpent worshipped . . . the serpent is universally the symbol of the sun. In Egypt, one of the commonest symbols of the sun, or sun-god, is a disc with a serpent around it. The original reason of that identification seems just to have been that, as the sun was the great enlightener of the physical world, so the serpent was held to have been the great enlightener of the spiritual, by giving mankind the `knowledge of good and evil' . . . we have evidence, both Scriptural and profane, for the fact, that the worship of the serpent began side by side with the worship of fire and the sun." Satan Behind Sun Worship Most pagan religions, with their many and varied gods and goddesses, worshipped the sun as their main deity. Lucifer meant "light bringer." However, he rebelled and became Satan, "adversary." Rebellious mankind has always worshipped Satan as a light bringer instead of worshipping the true Creator, II Corinthians 4:4. In Revelation 12:3, Satan is called "a great red dragon," which could also be translated "a fiery dragon, fiery serpent, or Serpent of Fire." Sun Worship In Rome Israel profaned the Sabbath and substituted Baal worship, which is sun worship. Sun-worship was the dominant religion in all ancient civilizations, spreading from Mother Babylon to India, China, Africa, Greece, Rome, Mexico, South America, Egypt and Europe. Sun worship was a very prominent religion and Sunday was the main day of worship in the pagan Roman Empire by the time of Jesus Christ, just as it was in ancient pagan Babylon. Today, false religions do the same thing. Hislop, page 236, "In Pagan Rome, this fire-worship and serpent-worship were sometimes separate, sometimes conjoined; but both occupied a pre-eminent place in Roman esteem." Page 238, "Now, if this worship of the sacred serpent of the Sun, the great fire-god, was so universal in Rome, what symbol could more graphically portray the idolatrous power of Pagan Imperial Rome than the `Great Fiery Serpent'? No doubt it was to set forth this very thing that the Imperial standard itself -- the standard of the Pagan Emperor of Rome, as Pontifex Maximus, Head of the great system of fire-worship and serpent-worship -- was a serpent elevated on a lofty pole, and so coloured, as to exhibit it as a recognised symbol of fire-worship." Julius Caesar became Pontifex Maximus 40-50 years B.C. From that time until Emperor Justinian, the Roman Emperors were heads of the state religion of fire- serpent-sun worship. In the 6th Century A.D., Justinian submitted to the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Thereafter, the Popes became the Pontifex Maximus of the Babylonian Mystery Religion. Sun-day and The Planetary Week The weekly cycle has been preserved by the Jews. The first six days of the week are numbered. The seventh day of the week is called the Sabbath. Pagans in worshipping the sun, moon and stars (planets, which look like stars), borrowed the Hebrew seven-day week and gave names to each day of the week to signify worshipful adoration of the heavenly bodies. The week with astronomical names for the days is called the "planetary week." It appears that Jews in Alexandria, Egypt, had a role in this amalgamation of paganism and the Creator's ways. In ancient Babylon, "evil days" were set apart on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days of the month. The seventh day of each Babylonian week was called a shabattum. Instead of a day of spiritual and physical joy and rest, the Sabbath was termed an "ill omen," a day on which the pagans had to afflict themselves and do penance, not eat flesh cooked upon coals, nor change garments (Webster's Rest Days, p. 230, 232). "This seven-day week, in its astrological form . . . probably first appeared . . . [in] Syria, certainly not before the second century B.C. had passed . . . thence to Alexandria . . . and about the age of Augustus (31 B.C.-14 A.D.) . . . into the Occidental (Roman) land" (Ibid., pages 218-219). The English language for the days of the planetary week borrowed the Teutonic versions of Roman and Greek gods' names: Planetary Week Heavenly Name Body Sunday Sun Monday Moon Tuesday Mars Wednesday Mercury Thursday Jupiter Friday Venus Saturday Saturn Samuele Bacchiocchi, in his book, From Sabbath to Sunday, pages 242-246, gives evidence that the planetary week was in popular existence in Rome before the time of Christ. "Various Sun-cults were predominant in ancient Rome by the early part of the second century [A.D.]. That these attracted the imagination and interest of Christian converts from paganism, we found evidenced by the development of the theme of Christ-the-Sun, and by the adoption of the eastward orientation for prayer [true Christians are inclined to pray to the north, where God's throne is located, Psalms 48:2] and of the date of the 25th of December . . . . The valorization of the day of the Sun over that of Saturn, as a result of the diffusion of the Sun-cults, possibly oriented Christians (who desired to differentiate themselves from the Sabbath of the Jews) toward such a day. This choice however, it must be stated again, was not motivated by their desire to venerate the Sun-god on his day, but rather by the fact that its symbology could fittingly commemorate two important events of the history of salvation -- creation and resurrection: `it is on this day that the Light of the World has appeared and on this day that the Sun of Justice has risen.' Moreover, the day of the Sun enabled Christians to explain also the Biblical mysteries to the pagan world by means of an effective symbology that was very familiar to them." (pages 268-269). "The early Christians had at first adopted the seven-day week with its numbered week days, but by the close of the third century A.D., this began to give way to the planetary week. The use of planetary names [Monday, etc.] attests to the growing influence of astrological speculations introduced by the converts from paganism" (Webster's Rest Days, page 252). "[Roman Emperor] Constantine's famous edict (321 A.D.) definitely enrolled Sunday among the holidays of the Roman State religion. The change from Saturn's day [Saturday, the Sabbath] to Sunday must have further commended the planetary week in Christian circles, where the Lord's Day . . . beginning the week, had long been observed as the day on which Christ, the Son of Righteousness [supposedly] rose from the dead. Thus a pagan institution [Sunday observance] was engrafted upon Christianity" (Ibid., p. 222). This edict commanded that "On the venerable day of the sun let all magistrates and people . . . rest" (Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, article "Sunday Legislation"). Emperor Constantine was a pagan sun worshiper who saw that religion could be a unifying factor in his kingdom. "Constantine . . . persevered till he was near 40 years of age in the practice of the established religion [of pagan sun worship]. But the devotion of Constantine was more peculiarly directed to the genius of the sun . . . the sun was universally celebrated as the invincible guide and protector of Constantine," (Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. I, pages 636-638). Even after Constantine's supposed "conversion," he continued his devotion to the Sun. His enforcement of Sunday worship, under the guise of Christianity, continued to brand followers of the state catholic religion with the mark of pagan sun worship. "The SABBATH -- which word means REST' -- depicts the kind of eternal REST from sin which God has in mind for man. But ironically, Satan by deluding man into keeping the fiery day of the Sun -- SUNDAY -- causes man to commemorate the kind of rest' Satan has in mind for man -- the rest' of eternal death brought about by sin" (Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lesson 30, page 5). Christmas, December 25, and Sun Worship The adoption of December 25 for the celebration of the birth of Christ is the most striking example of the influence of Sun worship on Romish Christians. It is a well-known fact that the pagan feast of dies natalis Solis Invicti -- the birthday of the Invincible Sun was held on December 25, long before Christ. Church fathers were careful to admit that they borrowed the date from pagans. However, Mario Righetti, renowned Catholic liturgist, writes, "After the peace [of the Council of Nicaea] the Church of Rome, to facilitate the acceptance of the faith by the pagan masses, found it convenient to institute the 25th of December as the feast of the temporal birth of Christ, to divert them from the pagan feast, celebrated on the same day in honor of the `Invincible Sun' Mithras, the conqueror of darkness." In the East, the birth of Christ was celebrated on January 5 and 6. Sun Worship in Roman Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church rites and ceremonies are loaded with relics borrowed directly from pagan sun worship. Hislop, pp. 162-163, notes that the wafer used by the Roman Catholic Church in their "sacrifice of the Mass" is round like the sun, and symbolically has been carried over from sun worship. "In Egypt, the disk of the Sun was represented in the temples, and the sovereign and his wife and children were represented as adoring it . . . . In the great temple of Babylon, the golden image of the Sun was exhibited for the worship of the Babylonians . . . . In the worship of Baal, as practised by the idolatrous Israelites in the days of their apostasy, the worship of the sun's image was equally observed; and it is striking to find that the image of the sun, which apostate Israel worshipped, was erected above the altar. When the good king Josiah set about the work of reformation, we read that his servants in carrying out the work, proceeded thus (2 Chron. xxxiv.4): And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence, and the images (margin, SUN-IMAGES) that were on high above them, he cut down.' . . . And here, in a so-called Christian Church, a brilliant plate of silver, in the form of a SUN,' is so placed on the altar, that every one who adores at that altar must bow down in lowly reverence before that image of the Sun.' Whence, I ask, could that have come, but from the ancient sun-worship, or the worship of Baal? And when the wafer is so placed that the silver SUN' is fronting the `round' wafer, whose roundness' is so important an element in the Romish Mystery, what can be the meaning of it, but just to show to those who have eyes to see that the Wafer' itself is only another symbol of Baal, or the Sun." Sunday Keeping Resulted From Anti-Jewish Bias Besides the planetary week and its Sunday worship, another major factor led to the introduction of Sunday in the professing Christian world in the early part of the Second Century, beginning at Rome. This was a strong anti-Jewish sentiment. In addition, Jews hated Christians. All these factors led some professing Christians to change from Sabbath to Sunday as the day of worship. The Roman Empire had originally recognized Judaism as a legal religion, and even shown respect and admiration for their religious principles. Because of the Sabbath, early Roman emperors exempted Jews from military service. That was all to change in the years just after the Messiah's death. Paul's letter to the Romans indicates that the Gentile-Christian element (of pagan descent) in Rome was the majority, while Jewish-Christians there were a minority. The Jewish-Christian minority seems to have created "disputes" (Romans 14:1) over the value of the law, 2:17, the need for circumcision, 2:25-27, and salvation by obedience to the law, chapters 3, 4, 5, and foods offered to idols, chapters 14-15. In A.D. 49, Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome supposedly for having "rioted constantly at the instigation of Chrestus [Christ]." There may have been up to 50,000 Jews in Rome at this time. Converted Jews like Aquila and Priscilla were expelled along with non-Christian Jews, Acts 18:2. This shows that Roman police had not yet come to distinguish Christians from Jews. The situation was changed in 64 A.D., when Emperor Nero identified the Christians as a separate entity, blaming them for arson in setting Rome on fire, which in fact Nero started. Tacitus reports that Nero "fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abomination, called Christians by the populace." Nero had married Poppea Sabina, a Jewish proselyte and friend of the Jews. Some historians think Nero was instigated by the Jews to blame the Christians. Both Jewish and Christian groups in Rome tried to distance themselves from the other. Nero's death removed the Jews from favor. Nationalistic Jewish feelings led to the first (A.D. 66-70) and second (A.D. 132-135) Jewish wars. Between the wars, anti-Jewish riots occurred in Alexandria, Caesarea and Antioch. Jewish revolts occurred in Mesopotamia, Cyrenaica, Palestine, Egypt and Cyprus in which they slaughtered thousands in revenge. In the end, the Jews became a scattered homeless people. Christians often suffered as victims of these outbursts of Jewish violence, because they were regarded as traitors to the Jewish faith and competitors because they were gaining more converts than the Jews did. In 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed the Temple and ended the first Jewish war. Some 600,000 to 1,000,000 Jews perished, and 97,000 were taken captive. In the second, or Barkokeba War, 580,000 Jews were killed in action, besides numberless who died of hunger and disease. The Romans suffered many casualties as well. All of Judaea became almost a desert. Under Vespasian (A.D. 69-70), both the Sanhedrin and office of High Priest were abolished, and worship at the destroyed temple site was forbidden. Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117-138) prohibited any Jew, under penalty of death, to enter the area of the new city. He outlawed the practice of the Jewish religion and particularly the observance of the Sabbath. Jews were singled out for a discriminatory tax to finance the pagan temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, built in Jerusalem on the old Temple site. Leaders of the Church of Rome introduced Sunday worship to distinguish Christians from Jews and avoid payment of this discriminatory tax. Roman writers railed against the Jews in such a way that would make Goebbles and Hitler applaud. Seneca (ca. 4 B.C. -- A.D. 65) referred to the Jews as an "accursed race," and especially was against their Sabbath-keeping: "By introducing one day of rest in every seven, they lose in idleness almost a seventh of their life, and by failing to act in times of urgency they often suffer loss." Persius, 34-62 A.D., said that the Jewish Sabbath was proof that superstition enslaves man. For Martial (ca. A.D. 40-104), circumcised Jews and their Sabbath were a synonym for degradation. Plutarch (ca. A.D. 46-119) labeled the Jews as a superstitious nation and singled out their Sabbath-keeping as a time of drunkenness. Juvenal was against the corrupting influence of Jews who spent "each seventh day in idleness, taking no part in the duties of life." The historian Tacitus (ca. A.D. 55-120) wrote, "All their customs are perverse and disgusting" and as a people, they are "singularly prone to lust." Perhaps some of this was well-deserved, because Jews had severely departed from the Eternal. Nevertheless, true Christians keeping the Sabbath had to face guilt by association with the hated Jews. Apostate Christians Were Anti-Jewish By the time of Roman Emperor Hadrian (A.D. 117-138), most "Christians" in the Roman Empire were reconciling themselves to the empire, and at the same time trying to distance themselves from Jews. Hadrian was virulently anti-Jewish, but sympathetic toward the Romish Christians. A plethora of anti-Jewish literature came forth from the so-called Christians. The Epistle to Diognetus (ca. 200 A.D.) states, "As to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice . . . ." This literature emphasized the Jews as a wicked people who were guilty of murdering the Messiah. There were four factors influencing the false Christians to go against the Sabbath: (1) Rome was fighting the Jews, (2) Christians were barred from synagogues and often directly persecuted by Jews, (3) Imperial Rome worshipped the sun and were anti-Sabbath, although they somewhat protected the Christians, recognizing that they were not a nationalistic threat, and (4) Judeo-Christians in the Church, insisting on literal observance of certain Mosaic regulations, fostered resentment among Gentile Christians. Judaizers Made the Sabbath Repugnant to Others The Jerusalem conference of Acts 15 did not rid the Church of Jews who insisted Gentiles be circumcised and obey all the Jewish rites and customs. Their continuing influence in the Church caused the Sabbath to be degraded in the eyes of others. Irenaeus, Bishop of Antioch (A.D. 98-117) argued against judaizing Christians, "Let us therefore no longer keep the Sabbath after the Jewish manner, and rejoice in days of idleness . . . . But let every one of you keep the Sabbath in a spiritual manner, rejoicing in the meditation on the law, not in the relaxation of the body, admiring the workmanship of God [the creation] . . . ." From Irenaeus, we move to Barnabus (Epistle of Barnabus, A.D. 130-138) who totally repudiates the Sabbath. He argues that the seventh day rest is a picture of the millennium when Christ will return, that sanctification of the Sabbath is impossible for man at the present since man is impure and unholy, and that God has explicitly stated that "Your New Moons and Sabbaths I cannot endure," therefore the present Sabbaths are not acceptable to Him, but only the one which is future. Thus, for Barnabus, the Sabbath has no validity in this present world. Further, he lauds "the eighth day," Sunday, as a foretaste of the Sabbath of the millennium, and the day on which Christ (supposedly) rose from the dead. Justin Martyr Attacks Sabbath In order to distance themselves from the hated Jews, apostate Gentile "Christians" needed to divorce themselves from Jewish religious customs and rites, and substitute new ones. Justin Martyr (ca. A.D. 100 - ca.165) wrote a most devastating and systematic condemnation of the Sabbath. He said that the Sabbath was a temporary ordinance, derived from Moses, and not intended to be kept literally. The Sabbath, Justin says, was imposed by God on the Jews as "a mark to single them out for punishment they so well deserved for their infidelities." To Trypho, Justin explains, "We, too, would observe your circumcision of the flesh, your Sabbath days, and in a word, all your festivals, if we were not aware of the reason why they were imposed upon you, namely, because of your sins and your hardness of heart." Justin's arguments are: (1) There were no Sabbaths and festivals before Moses, and they are not needed now. (2) God does not intend the Sabbath to be kept because He does not stop controlling the universe on that day, and the priests violated the Sabbath with the sacrifices. (3) There is a new dispensation in which Christians are to observe a perpetual Sabbath not by idling one day but by abstaining themselves continually from sin: "The New Law demands that you observe a perpetual Sabbath, whereas you consider yourselves pious when you refrain from work on one day of the week, and in doing so you don't understand the real meaning of that precept. You also claim to have done the will of God when you eat unleavened bread, but such practices afford no pleasures to the Lord our God. If there be a perjurer or thief among you, let him mend this ways; if there be an adulterer, let him repent; in this way he will have kept a true and peaceful Sabbath." (4) Justin felt that the Sabbath and circumcision are not to be observed, since he feels they are the signs of the unfaithfulness of the Jews, imposed by God to distinguish and separate them from other nations. Justin says "Sunday, indeed, is the day on which we all hold our common assembly because it is the first day on which God, transforming the darkness and prime matter, created the world; and our Saviour Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the same day." Thus, he links the pagan day of the sun with the first day of creation. He also emphasized that Sunday is "the eighth day" and fulfills spiritually the rite of circumcision, which was done on the eighth day. It is interesting to note that ancient Rome had an eight day week, or nundimae based upon a custom of holding market day every eight days. Sabbath Changed From Feast to Fast Day Marcion (ca. A.D. 144) ordered his followers "to fast on Saturday . . . . Because it is the rest of the God of the Jews . . . we fast in that day in order not to accomplish on that day what was ordained by the God of the Jews." For the Jews, the Sabbath was anything but a day of fast or mourning. Even the strictest Jewish sects objected to fasting on the Sabbath. The transformation of the Sabbath from a day of feasting and joy to a day of fasting and mourning was a measure taken by the Church of Rome in order to enhance Sunday worship. Marcion was expelled from the Church of Rome because of his dualistic-Gnostic views, but the custom of fasting on the Sabbath was retained. The Eastern church and other areas were not in favor of Sabbath fasting, and gave special reverence to both Saturday and Sunday. The Sabbath fast came to Rome even before Marcion, possibly from the (false) custom of fasting on the Sabbath before "Easter Sunday." In spite of the protests from Eastern churches, Rome maintained Sabbath fasts until the Eleventh Century. Sometimes the Day of Atonement falls on the Sabbath. Times of crisis or urgency may dictate fasting on the Sabbath to get one closer to the Almighty. But generally, the Sabbath should not be a fast day. Friday and Sabbath fasting were Roman Christian attempts to show sorrow for the time Christ was taken away under death, and contempt for the perpetrators of His death, the Jews. Pope Sylvester (A.D. 314-335) wrote in defense of Sabbath fasting: "If every Sunday is to be observed joyfully by the Christians on account of the [supposed] resurrection, then every Sabbath on account of the burial is to be regarded in execration of the Jews." In addition, Roman Catholic churches did not take the Eucharist on the Sabbath, nor did they hold church meetings. Thus, Rome led the effort to wean Christians away from the Sabbath and enhance Sunday worship exclusively. Easter/Passover Controversy Irenaeus traces the origin of Easter Sunday to Bishop Sixtus (ca. A.D. 116-ca. 126), who administered the Church of Rome during the time of Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian prohibited Jewish festivals, and apostate Christians instituted the new Easter Sunday to avoid appearing to be "Judaizers" to the Roman authorities. There is a direct relationship between observing an Easter Sunday and a weekly Sunday as a day of worship. Each Sunday is held to be a "mini Easter" in commemoration of the (supposed) resurrection of Christ. Tertullian states, "On Sunday it is unlawful to fast or to kneel while worshipping. We enjoy the same liberty from Easter to Pentecost." Origin states "The resurrection of the Lord is celebrated not only once a year but constantly every eight days." Eusebius says, "While the Jews faithful to Moses, sacrificed the Passover lamb once a year . . . we men of the New Covenant celebrate every Sunday our Passover." The same causes that led to the abandonment of the Sabbath for Sunday were instrumental in the abandonment of Passover for Easter: "the inclination to break away from Judaism" (J. Jeremias), to avoid "even the semblance of Judaism" (J.B. Lightfoot). With the abandonment of Passover came the abandonment of the Hebrew Calendar. M. Righetti states that Rome and Alexandria after "having eliminated the Judaizing Quartodeciman tradition [annual Passover on Nisan 14], repudiated even the Jewish computations, making their own time calculations, since such a dependence on the Jews must have appeared humiliating." This anti-Jewish sentiment is very much evident today in Sabbath keepers who believe in the Biblical Holy Days, yet reject the Hebrew Calendar. The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) settled the Quartodeciman Controversy in favor of Easter. It enjoined "All the brethren in the East who formerly celebrated Easter with the Jews, will henceforth keep it at the same time as the Romans, with us and with all those who from ancient times have celebrated the feast at the same time with us." Further, Constantine's Nicean letter stated "Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd . . . ." The Council of Nicaea was a major turning point in Sabbath history. After 325 A.D., it became illegal and dangerous to keep the Sabbath and Passover. True Christians had to flee! The Church of Rome led the adoption of Sunday, Easter and Christmas (December 25), and the abandonment of the Sabbath and Passover. In all, it was consciously done to oppose the Jews and the Sabbath, and to amalgamate truth with the pagan custom of Sun worship. Sabbatarians Claim Sunday is the Sabbath Today, Sabbatarianism can refer to those professing Christians who regard the first day of the week as the Sabbath, the continuation of the fourth commandment. "The transference of the name Sabbath to Sunday was first made by Alcuin (8th Century)," Encyclopaedia Britannica, article "Sabbatarianism." In 1647, the Westminster Assembly Shorter Catechism, question 59, stated, "From the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the weekly Sabbath; and the first day of the week, ever since, to continue to the end of the world, which is the Christian Sabbath." Sabbatarians such as Puritans and Scottish Presbyterians have instituted rigorous "blue laws" enforcing Sunday observance and prohibiting certain business activities on Sunday. Roman Catholics Admit Sunday Is Not Biblical Catholics claim to have the authority to change worship from Sabbath to Sunday. "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify," James Cardinal Gibbons (1877-1921), The Faith of Our Fathers (1917 edition), pp. 72-73. "Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day -- Saturday -- for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes. Did Christ change the day? I answer no!" Signed letter of James Cardinal Gibbons. "The Catholic Church, . . . by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday," The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, September 23, 1893. "Question: Which is the Sabbath day? Answer: Saturday is the Sabbath day. Question: Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Answer: We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday," Peter Geiermann, C.S.S.R., The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine (1957), p. 50. "Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday . . . . Now the Church . . . instituted, by God's authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory long before the Bible was made. We have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for Sunday," Martin J. Scott, Things Catholics Are Asked About (1927), p. 136. Priest Offers $1000 Reward for Scripture Authorizing Sunday "My brethren, look about you upon the various wrangling sects and denominations. Show me one that claims or possesses the power to make laws binding on the conscience. There's but one on the face of the earth -- the Catholic Church -- that has the power to make laws binding upon the conscience, binding before God, binding under the pain of hell fire. Take, for instance, the day we celebrate -- Sunday. What right have the Protestant churches to observe that day? None whatever. You say it is to obey the commandment, `Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' But Sunday is not the Sabbath according to the Bible and the record of time. "Everyone knows that Sunday is the first day of the week, while Saturday is the seventh day, and the Sabbath, the day consecrated as a day of rest. It is so recognized in all civilized nations. I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to any one who will furnish proof from the Bible that Sunday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money. If any person in this town will show any scripture for it, I will tomorrow evening publicly acknowledge it and thank him for it. It was the Holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week. And it not only compelled all to keep Sunday, but at the Council of Laodicea, A.D. 364, anathematized those who kept the Sabbath and urged all persons to labor on the seventh day under penalty of anathema. "Which church does the whole civilized world obey? Protestants call us every horrible name they can think of -- anti-Christ, the scarlet colored beast, Babylon, etc., -- and at the same time profess great reverence for the Bible, and yet by their solemn act of keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the power of the Catholic Church. "The Bible says: `Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' But the Catholic Church says, `No, keep the first day of the week,' and the whole world bows in obedience." "Father" T. Enright Roman Catholic Priest Kansas City, MO Catholics Do Not Accept the Bible Only "If we consulted the Bible only, we should have to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is, Saturday," John Laux, A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies, 1936 edition, vol. 1, p. 51. "Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts: "(1) That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies [causes them to appear foolish] them in the eyes of every thinking man. "(2) We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws. "(3) We also say that of all Protestants, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination is the only major Protestant denomination that reasons correctly and is consistent with its teaching. It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible." "Father" Peter R. Kraemer, Catholic Church Extension Society, Chicago, Illinois Catholics Claim Power to Change Bible Laws Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. "The Catholic Church . . . by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday," The Catholic Mirror, September 23, 1893. "The Catholic Church of its own infallible authority created Sunday a holy day to take the place of the Sabbath of the old law," Kansas City Catholic, February 9, 1893. "Question -- How prove you that the Church hath power to command feasts and holydays? Answer -- By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of [by observing it]; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church," Priest Henry Tuberville, An Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine, p. 58. "Protestants . . . accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship after the Catholic Church made the change . . . . But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that in accepting the Bible, in observing the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the Pope," Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950. "It was the Catholic Church which, by the authority of Jesus Christ, has transferred this rest [from the Bible Sabbath] to Sunday . . . . Thus the observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] Church," Monsignor Louis Segur, Plain Talk About Protestantism of Today, 1868, p. 213. "Question -- By what authority did the Church substitute Sunday for Saturday? Answer -- The Church substituted Sunday for Saturday by the plentitude of that divine power which Jesus Christ bestowed upon her," Peter F. Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, 1923 edition, p. 59. "If Protestants would follow the Bible, they should worship God on the Sabbath Day. In keeping the Sunday they are following a law of the Catholic Church," Albert Smith, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Baltimore replying for the Cardinal in a letter dated February 10, 1920. "All of us believe many things in regard to religion that we do not find in the Bible. For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles changed [the day of worship] from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath Day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the Church outside the Bible," Article, "To Tell You The Truth," The Catholic Virginian, October 3, 1947, p. 9. "We Catholics, then, have precisely the same authority for keeping Sunday holy instead of Saturday as we have for every other article of our creed; namely, the authority of the [Catholic] Church . . . whereas you who are Protestants have really no authority for it whatever; for there is no authority for it in the Bible, and you will not allow that there can be authority for it anywhere else. Both you and we do, in fact, follow tradition in this matter; but we follow it, believing it to be a part of God's word, and the [Catholic] Church to be its divinely appointed guardian and interpreter; you follow it [the Catholic Church] denouncing it all the time as a fallible and treacherous guide, which often `makes the commandments of God of none effect' [Matthew 15:6]," The Brotherhood of St. Paul, The Clifton Tracts, Vol. 4, tract 4, p. 15. "For ages all Christian nations looked to the Catholic Church, and, as we have seen, the various states enforced by law her ordinances as to worship and cessation of labor on Sunday. Protestantism, in discarding the authority of the Church, has no good reason for its Sunday theory, and ought logically, to keep Saturday as the Sabbath. The State in passing laws for the due Sanctification of Sunday, is unwittingly acknowledging the authority of the Catholic Church, and carrying out more or less faithfully its prescriptions. The Sunday as a day of the week set apart for the obligatory public worship of Almighty God is purely a creation of the Catholic Church," John Gilmary Shea, American Catholic Quarterly, January 1883, p. 139. "Question -- What Bible authority is there for changing the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week? Who gave the Pope the authority to change a command of God? Answer -- If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, the Seventh-day Adventist is right, in observing the Saturday with the Jew . . . . Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher, should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Catholic Church?" Bertrand Conway, The Question Box, 1903 edition, pp. 254-255, 1915 edition, p. 179. "Reason and common sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday, or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible," Catholic Mirror, September 2 and December 23, 1893. "Prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says `Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' The Catholic Church says, No. By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week. And lo! The entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the Holy Catholic Church," Priest Thomas Enright, CSSR, President of Redemptorist College, Kansas City, Missouri, in a lecture at Hartford, Kansas, February 18, 1884. "From this same Catholic Church you [Protestants] have accepted your Sunday, and that Sunday, as the Lord's day, she has handed down as a tradition; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as a tradition, for you have not an iota of Scripture to establish it. Therefore that which you have accepted as your rule of faith, inadequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church," D.B. Ray, The Papal Controversy, p. 179. Protestants Admit Sabbath is Biblical, Not Sunday ANGLICAN/EPISCOPAL: "The Bible commandment says on the seventh-day thou shalt rest. That is Saturday. Nowhere in the Bible is it laid down that worship should be done on Sunday," Philip Carrington, Anglican Archbishop of Quebec, quoted in Toronto Daily Star, October 26, 1949. "We have made the change from the seventh day to the first day, from Saturday to Sunday, on the authority of the one holy, catholic, apostolic church of Christ," Episcopal Bishop Seymour, Why We Keep Sunday. "And where are we told in the Scriptures that we are to keep the first day at all? We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day . . . . The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, not because the Bible, but because the church, has enjoined it," Isaac Williams, Plain Sermons on the Catechism, vol. 1, pp. 334, 336. "There is no word, no hint, in the New Testament about abstaining from work on Sunday . . . . Into the rest of Sunday no divine law enters . . . . The observance of Ash Wednesday or Lent stands exactly on the same footing as the observance of Sunday," Canon Eyton, The Ten Commandments, pp. 52, 63, 65. BAPTIST: "There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday . . . the Sabbath was transferred from the Seventh to the First day of the week . . . . Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament -- absolutely not. There is no scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the Seventh to the First day of the week . . . . Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism," Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, paper read August 20, 1893, at a Baptist ministers' meeting at Saratoga, New York. "The Lord's Day [sic. `Sunday'] is not sanctified by any specific command or by any inevitable inference. In all the New Testament there is no hint or suggestion of a legal obligation binding any man, whether saint or sinner, to observe the Day. Its sanctity arises only out of what it means to the true believer," J.J. Taylor, The Sabbatic Question, p. 72. "I honestly believe that this commandment [the Sabbath commandment] is just as binding today as it ever was. I have talked with men who have said that it has been abrogated [abolished], but they have never been able to point to any place in the Bible where God repealed it. When Christ was on earth, He did nothing to set it aside; He freed it from the traces under which the scribes and Pharisees had put it, and gave it its true place. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). It is just as practicable and as necessary for men today as it ever was -- in fact, more than ever, because we live in such an intense age. "The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word `remember' showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote this law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine (adultery, murder, lying, theft, etc.) are still binding?" Dwight L. Moody, Weighed and Wanting, 1898, pp. 46-47. "There was never any formal or authoritative change from the Jewish seventh-day Sabbath to the Christian first-day observance," William Owen Carver, The Lord's Day in Our Day, p. 49. CONGREGATIONALIST: "It is quite clear that, however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath . . . . The Sabbath was founded on a specific, Divine command. We can plead no such command for the obligation to observe Sunday . . . . There is not a single sentence in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday," Dr. R.W. Dale, The Ten Commandments, (New York: Eaton & Mains) pp. 127-129. "The Christian Sabbath [Sunday] is not in the Scripture, and was not by the primitive church called the Sabbath," Timothy Dwight, Theology: Explained and Defended, Sermon 107 (1823 edition), Vol. III, p. 258. "The current notion that Christ and His apostles authoritatively substituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in the New Testament," Dr. Lyman Abbott, Christian Union, June 26, 1890. CHRISTIAN: "It is all old wives' fables to talk of the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day. If it be changed, it was that august personage changed it who changes times and laws `ex officio' -- I think his name is Doctor Antichrist," Alexander Campbell (founder of Disciples of Christ), The Christian Baptist, February 2, 1824, vol. 1, no. 7, p. 164. "The first day of the week is commonly called the Sabbath. This is a mistake. The Sabbath of the Bible was the day just preceding the first day of the week. The first day of the week is never called the Sabbath anywhere in the entire Scriptures. It is also an error to talk about the change of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. There is not in any place in the Bible any intimation of such a change," First Day Observance, pp. 17, 19. LUTHERAN: "The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance, and it was far from the intentions of the apostles to establish a divine command in this respect; far from them, and from the early apostolic church, to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday," Dr. Augustus Neander, The History of the Christian Religion and Church, Henry John Rose, tr. (1843), p. 186. "They [the Catholics] allege the change of the Sabbath into the Lord's Day [Sunday], as it seemeth, to the Decalogue [the ten commandments]; and they have no example more in their mouths than the change of the Sabbath. They will needs have the Church's power to be very great, because it hath dispensed with a precept of the Decalogue," Melanchthon, The Augsburg Confession, 1530 A.D., part 2, article 7. "We have seen how gradually the impression of the Jewish Sabbath faded from the mind of the Christian Church, and how completely the newer thought underlying the observance of the first day took possession of the church. We have seen that the Christians of the first three centuries never confused one with the other, but for a time celebrated both," The Sunday Problem, a study book of the United Lutheran Church (1923), p. 36. "But they err in teaching that Sunday has taken the place of the Old Testament Sabbath and therefore must be kept as the seventh day had to be kept by the children of Israel . . . . These churches err in their teaching, for Scripture has in no way ordained the first day of the week in place of the Sabbath. There is simply no law in the New Testament to that effect," John Theodore Mueller, Sabbath or Sunday, pp. 15, 156. METHODIST: "It is true there is no positive command for infant baptism . . . . Nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week. Many believe that Christ changed the Sabbath. But, from His own words, we see that He came for no such purpose. Those who believe that Jesus changed the Sabbath based it only on a supposition," Amos Binney, Theological Compendium (1902 edition), pp. 171, 180-181. PRESBYTERIAN: "It being expedient to overthrow superstition, the Jewish holiday was abolished and as a thing necessary to retain decency, order, and peace in the church . . . the early Christians substituted what we call the Lord's Day for the Sabbath," John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I, p. 343. "The Sabbath is a part of the decalogue -- the Ten Commandments. This alone forever settles the question as to the perpetuity of the institution . . . . Until, therefore, it can be shown that the whole moral law has been repealed, the Sabbath will stand . . . . The teaching of Christ confirms the perpetuity of the Sabbath," T.C. Blake, D.D., Theology Condensed, pp. 474, 475. Sunday is A Mark of the Beast "Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [from Sabbath to Sunday] was her act . . . . And the act is a MARK of her ecclesiastical power," from the office of Cardinal Gibbons, through Chancellor H.F. Thomas, November 11, 1895. " . . . Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the sun-god, then adopted and sanctified by the Papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism," Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, paper read August 20, 1893 at a Baptist ministers' meeting at Saratoga, New York. Sunday observance, along with Christmas, New Year's, Easter, etc., is a mark of the beast. The following scriptures explain the beast and the mark of the beast, with our comments in brackets: Roman Empire is the Beast Revelation 13:1-8 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea [Roman Empire, beginning 31 B.C.], having seven heads [seventh head of prophetic Babylon] and ten horns [ten resurrections, or stages, see also Daniel 7:7], and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard [Greco-Macedonian Empire, 333-31 B.C., which was divided into four parts], and his feet were as the feet of a bear [Medo-Persian Empire, 558-333 B.C.], and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: [Chaldean Empire of Babylon, 625-538 B.C. The Roman Empire swallowed up and absorbed all the preceding world ruling empires, Babylon, Persia, and Greece, and embodied the strongest physical and military characteristics of its predecessors] and the dragon [Satan] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death [first fall of Roman Empire, 476 A.D.]; and his deadly wound was healed ["Imperial Restoration" of Justinian, 554 A.D., when he recognized the supremacy of the Pope and submitted to him]: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [1260 prophetic days, or 1260 years, 554-1814 when Holy Roman Empire was dissolved]. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them [great martyrdom of dark ages, 50 million tortured and killed because they resisted the Catholic church]: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Catholic Church, Two-Horned Beast, Enforces Mark of Beast Revelation 13:11-17 And I beheld another beast [besides the first beast] coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon [great false universal Catholic church]. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him [Catholic church patterned itself after Roman civil government and is today an ecclesiastical world Empire], and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed [554 A.D.]. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men [future miracles by end time false prophet], And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast [Roman Catholic church government, patterned after Roman civil government], which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed [martyrdom of saints when the Church turned over "heretics" to the Roman Empire civil government for torture and execution]. And he causeth all [the Roman Catholic Church forces others to receive the mark of the Roman beast], both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 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. "Buy or sell" means being able to buy. By refusing the "mark" one would not be able to earn a living, to earn a wage or salary, or to engage himself in business. Roman Emperor Constantine's Edit of 321 A.D. said, "On the venerable day of the sun, let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed," Codex Justinianus, lib. 3, tit. 12:3; translated in History of the Christian Church by Schaff Vol III, p. 380. The reason for Constantine's decree was to harmonize the discordant religions of the Empire under one common institution. Those who resisted resting on SUNday and stuck with the Bible Sabbath were threatened with death: To speak of your criminality as it deserves demands more time and leisure than I can give . . . . Why not at once strike, as it were, at the root of so great a mischief by a public manifestation of displeasure? Forasmuch, then, as it is no longer possible to bear with your pernicious errors [of obeying God's Commandment by Sabbath-keeping], we give warning by this present statute that none of you henceforth presume to assemble yourselves together. We have directed, accordingly, that you be deprived of all the houses in which you are accustomed to hold your assemblies: and forbid the holding of your superstitious and senseless meetings [on the Sabbath day], not in public merely, but in any private house or place whatsoever . . . . We have commanded . . . that you be positively deprived of every gathering point for your superstitious meetings, I mean all the houses of prayer . . . that any other places be confiscated to the public service, and no facility whatever be left for any future gathering [on God's Sabbath] in order that from this day forward none of your unlawful assemblies may presume to appear in any public or private place, (from Eusebius' Life of Constantine, book III). Once Sunday was established as a day of worship by Constantine, the false church took over the furtherance of Sunday. The Catholic Church became responsible for causing the civil government of the Empire to put people to death if they refused to keep Sunday. The Council of Laodicea, 365 A.D., stated, "Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, resting rather on Sunday. But if any be found Judaizing, let them be declared anathema from Christ," Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Vol. XIX, p. 148. As a result of these laws, no Sabbath-keeper could hold a job. True Sabbath-keepers were forced to flee! Clearly, enforced Sunday keeping is a mark of the beast! The "mark of the beast" is the mark of the Roman Empire, NOT the Catholic Church. Remember, Roman Emperor Constantine was not a priest but was a civil ruler. The civil Roman government, not ecclesiastical, imposed Sunday as the accepted day of rest and worship in the Empire. But the Catholic Churches forced others to take this mark, using the power of the Roman civil government to enforce the mark. The Roman Catholic Church even patterned its church government after the old Roman civil government. Myer's Ancient History, p. 582, states: "During the reign of [Pope] Leo I, the Church set up, within the Roman Empire, an ecclesiastical state which, in its constitution and its administrative system, was shaping itself upon the imperial model. This spiritual empire, like the secular empire, possessed a hierarchy of officers." The Encyclopaedia Britannica refers to it as an "Ecclesiastical World Empire." About 400 A.D., Augustine declared: "The holy doctors of the church have decreed that all glory of the Jewish [sic.] Sabbath is transferred to it [Sunday]. Let us therefore keep the Lord's Day as the ancients were commanded by God to do the Sabbath" Sabbath Laws, p. 284. Pope Gregory of Rome, anathematized "Those who taught that is was not lawful to do work on the day of the Sabbath" (History of the Popes, Vol. II, p. 378). Sabbath-keeping was completely obliterated from Rome by the sixth century (Andrews, History of the Sabbath, p. 375). It took another four hundred years to accomplish the same evil deed in the Eastern churches. Those Who Have Mark of Beast Receive Seven Last Plagues Revelation 14:9-10 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead,or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God . . . . Revelation 15:1-6 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. Revelation 16:1-2 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. Catholic Church Martyrs Saints Daniel 7:21-22, 25 I beheld, and the same horn [the little horn, the Catholic Church] made war with the saints, and prevailed against them [during the Great Tribulation]; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom . . . . And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws [change Sabbath to Sunday, do away with Passover and other Biblical Holy Days and Biblical laws]: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Matthew 24:9-24 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake [coming Great Tribulation]. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation [the Great Tribulation is NOT the wrath of God, it is the wrath of Satan against the saints], such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake [the persecuted saints] those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Revelation 6:9-11 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held [martyrdom of the Middle Ages]: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled [coming future martyrdom precedes return of Jesus Christ]. Revelation 12:9, 12-17 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him . . . . Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath [Satan's wrath, manifested in a great martyrdom of the saints], because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 17:1-18 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters [false church that rules over many nations]: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH [Roman Catholic religion is a continuation of the Babylonian Mystery Religion, and her harlot Protestant daughters continue in her spiritual harlotry]. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth [Rome has seven hills]. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city [what other great city with seven hills besides Rome has a church government which rules over other nations?], which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Revelation 18:1-5, 8-10, 20, 24 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities . . . . Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come . . . . Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her . . . . And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Mark of Beast Involves Commandment-Breaking Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands [why were the millions martyred? because they refused to join in this worship of Church and Empire, they refused to take the mark of the beast!]; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 14:9-12 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God [seven last plagues will be poured out on those who have the mark of the beast], which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. [But on the other hand, those who do not take the mark] -- Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. The saints keep the commandments of God; those who have the mark of the beast disobey the commandments of God. Therefore the mark of the beast has to do with commandment-keeping! What commandment more than any other has to do with a man's job or his business? the Sabbath! Ephesians 5:5-6 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience [again, the wrath of God, the seven last plagues, come on those who break the commandments of God]. Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 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; so that they are without excuse. Colossians 3:5-6 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Zephaniah 1:14-17 The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Daniel 7:25 And he [little horn, the Catholic Church] shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: [what law has been altered by the Roman Empire and Roman Church? The Sabbath has been changed! It is the changing of times and laws that wears out the saints because they refuse to accept these changed times and laws, and are persecuted and martyred.] and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time [3 1/2 prophetic years]. True Sabbath is the Mark of God's People Just as Sunday worship is the mark of the beast, so true Sabbath-keeping is the mark of God upon His saints. Notice the parallels between the Sabbath being a mark on the hand (what you do, your work) and the forehead (what you think, your intellect or mind) and the mark of the Beast on the hand and forehead: Exodus 31:12-17 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 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. Exodus 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the Lord's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 6:1-8 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 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. Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. The world acknowledges all the other nine Commandments. The only one the world totally rejects is the fourth. The Sabbath Commandment sets one apart from the world, and identifies one as belonging to God. The Sabbath is a sign of God on His people. This sign you must have. The mark of the beast, Sunday-keeping, will be forced upon the whole world by the revived Roman Empire, at the behest of the Catholic Church, in the last days. Computerized control may play an integral part of this enforcement. Don't take the mark of the beast! If you do, you will suffer the seven last plagues! Revelation 18:4 Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. We have shown that Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, Congregationalists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Church of Christ all admit that the Bible Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday! Historical Factors Against the Sabbath Which Led to Adoption of Sunday Worship By Professing Christians Roman-Jewish Hatred and Constant Wars Roman Sun Worship, Anti-Sabbath Bias Jewish Persecution of Christians Judaizing Christians Who Insisted on Sacrifices and Circumcision of Gentile Converts Sunday or Sabbath? Which Day Will YOU Choose? Sunday Religious observance originated in pagan sun worship, enforced by Roman government Not authorized by Bible Not the day of Messiah's resurrection Not a substitute for the Passover Sabbath Created by God, commemorates the Creation Bible commands Sabbath observance Generally not a fast day A day of festive joy Many sources were used for this article. Credit is especially given to the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, and the booklet The Mark of the Beast, formerly published by the Worldwide Church of God; The Christian Sabbath, Which Day is It? Saturday or Sunday? published by the Biblical Church of God; and the book, From Sabbath to Sunday by Samuele Bacchiocchi.ê When Does Your Sabbath Begin? ============================== ______________________________ I ============================== have been car pooling to work each day. A fellow worker and I take turns driving to work. Late last fall, I needed to tell him about the Sabbath. On Fridays I would have to get to work by 7:00 AM and leave at 4:00 PM, so we would have to drive separately on Fridays. My friend is a zealous Protestant. Several days later he wanted to know why I keep the Sabbath, so I gave him an article to read on the subject. Later he began discussing the Sabbath issue. As an "honest" student of the Bible, he admitted that Sunday is not the Bible Sabbath. The first issue he was concerned with was exactly WHEN the Sabbath begins. "When does your Sabbath begin?" I replied that the Bible indicates that Friday sunset is the beginning of the Sabbath. He said, "do you mean that at the exact split second of sundown, the Sabbath begins, and that if you are working after this time, it is sin, but if you are working before the exact moment of sundown, it is not sin?" Sabbath No Different Than Other Commandments I replied that such a hairsplitting view was Pharisaical and contrary to the spirit of love and obedience to the Creator. The Sabbath is no different than any other Biblical law. There are definite, explicit dividing lines between obedience and disobedience. It is the natural human tendency to attempt to get as close to the dividing line as possible. On the other hand, some want to say that there is no dividing line, but instead they say there is a large grey area, which gives them a great deal of latitude to do as they please. Like any other Biblical law, the Sabbath law has to be rightly interpreted, that is, applied, to our personal lives. Let's look at another of the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." If adultery is the act of illicit sexual intercourse, suppose I get in bed with my neighbor's wife and caress her, but don't complete the sexual act. Would I have committed adultery? Of course. The Messiah came to magnify -- expand to the full spiritual intent and purpose -- the law. He said that even to lust after another woman is the same as committing adultery. The Sabbath is no different. To go right up to the edge is NOT keeping the Sabbath in its spiritual intent. Are You Consistent? That is why I try to leave work at 4:00 PM on Fridays when sundown is at 4:30 PM. I want to be on the safe side, and be home by sundown. I don't always make it as a result of busy highway traffic, but that could happen even if I left work at 3:30 PM. I do NOT want to be at work a few minutes before sundown Friday. It is typical in our office for a "crisis" to occur on Friday afternoons. Some "crash project" simply "has" to be done. It must be Satan who causes this to happen. It is often difficult to get off work early in the midst of critical work. Nobody said the Christian life was easy. To go right up to the edge is tempting, but to do so would lead to occasionally going over the edge, and this would destroy the credibility of my religious beliefs in the eyes of my employer. You see, "unconverted" people are often very logical. They can instantly spot religious inconsistencies and contradictions, "phonies." Suppose I did once work a half hour after sunset to help out because of a truly critical need. The next time I wanted to leave before the Sabbath, my employer would say "But you worked past sundown last time." If I worked past sundown for a big crisis why wouldn't I do it for a crisis almost as big? The road to compromise is easy to take, but there is no turning back. Non believers usually respect believers who are totally consistent, even if they do ridicule their beliefs. A believer who is unsure of himself will earn no respect. "When does your Sabbath begin?" My Protestant friend wanted to know. The underlying, unasked question was really, "Does your belief make logical sense, and are you consistent in doing what you say?" The Sabbath and Sunset Recently, the issue of when the Sabbath begins was addressed by Desmond Burke in his article "Sunset," which appeared in the September-October 1985 issue of The International News, published by Church of God, International, led by Garner Ted Armstrong. Mr. Ted Armstrong has recently written that "Sabbath breaking is a sin." Supposedly he keeps the Sabbath, so the article on Sunset would tell us what Sabbath breaking is so we would know how not to sin. One of the major functions of the ministry is, and should be, to show God's people their sins. Mr. Burke states that the Bible does not say a new day begins at sunset. He says this is a false assumption that has been preached by a Pharisaical dictatorial ministry "born out of an insatiable lust to be correct to the letter no matter what the cost in human blood, sweat and tears." The Bible does say the Sabbath is "from even to even," Leviticus 23:32. According to Mr. Burke, "Evening is an undefinable period of time during which one day fades into history and a new one begins." Also, he says that it is a "satanicallyinspired Pharisee-propagated lie that the day ends at sunset." Mr. Burke says that Jesus died "as the sun was setting." For him, "sunset" could be anywhere from 3:00 PM to some time after dark. Burke concludes that if you have the right attitude, God will honor you, and there is no reason to lose your job for refusing to work a little past sundown. Sarcastically, Mr. Burke says that a person that insists in getting off work prior to sundown will lose his job and no longer have to worry about being off by sundown. He would not be able to provide for his household, and as a result is now worse than an infidel, I Timothy 5:8. All because of heeding a Pharisaically inspired lie. Let us honestly look at the Bible. A Lesson in Bible Time If Sabbath breaking is a sin, punishable by eternal death as Garner Ted Armstrong says, then certainly in the Bible we ought to be able to find when the Sabbath begins. Exodus 31:12-18 shows that the death penalty was administered to Israelites who broke the Sabbath. They didn't have electronic watches nor computerized sunset tables. They had the sun to go by. Would it make sense to administer the death penalty for a nebulous law? It wouldn't be possible for anyone to tell who was breaking the Sabbath according to Mr. Burke, because for him the Sabbath is "an undefinable period of time." Genesis 1:3-5, 14-18 says that the Eternal uses the sun and moon to divide day and night, light from darkness. Does it usually begin to get dark at 3:00 PM in the afternoon? No. The "evening and the morning" differentiate each day. When the sun went down, it was dark, Genesis 15:17. This began a new day, verse 18. Jacob stayed for the night at a place, because the sun was set, and he lay down to sleep, Genesis 28:11. A priest who became unclean by touching a creeping thing was "unclean until even." He was to wash himself "and when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things," Leviticus 22:5-7. An unclean person had to stay out of the camp, wash himself when evening comes on, and when the sun was down he could come into the camp again, Deuteronomy 23:11. Time and again, when the sun is down (sunset) is a distinct Biblical demarcation of time. A hanged dead body was to be buried as soon as the sun was down, Joshua 8:29. Samson gave his thirty wedding guests seven days to guess his riddle. On the seventh and last day the men came to him "before the sun went down" with the answer to the riddle that they had gotten from his wife, Judges 14:12-18. At the news of Abner's death at the hands of Joab, David fasted until sundown, II Samuel 3:35. He fasted for dead Saul and Jonathan until evening, II Samuel 1:12. The morning is when the sun is up, Judges 9:33. In darkness the young lions stalk and at sunrise, they go to their dens while man gets up and goes to his labor until evening, Psalms 104:19-23. Thus, man is designed to work by day. During Jesus' day, many Jews thought it was wrong for Him to heal on the Sabbath. They came to Him just after sunset Saturday night to be healed, Mark 1:32, Luke 4:31,40. We are not to hold grudges, or let our anger build up to the explosion point. This is expressed in the verse "let not the sun go down on your wrath," Ephesians 4:26-27. Don't let the day pass without getting rid of your anger. We are to use the lights God created to divide time, to differentiate between day and night. In the New Heavens and New Earth, there will be no need for the sun and moon, Revelation 21:23, 22:5. Based on the above scriptures, it is evident that according to the Bible, sunset divides one day from another. Far from being a Pharisaical Satanic lie, the Sabbath does begin on Friday sunset and ends on Saturday sunset. When Did Jesus Die? Jesus did NOT die as the sun was setting, nor did He die when the evening sacrifice was being given. The evening sacrifice was given "at even," Numbers 28:4. The margin explains "between the two evenings." the Hebrew phrase here is ben ha erevim, which means after sundown and before dark. Detailed proof of this is given in our free article, "Passover: 14th or 15th?" The evening sacrifice was given at sundown. The Savior died just after "the ninth hour," Matthew 27:45-50. During the time of the spring equinox, sunrise is about 6:00 AM. Counting from sunrise, the ninth hour would be about 3:00 PM. Jesus said "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" John 11:9-10. There are twelve hours of daylight around the time of the equinoxes. During the summer, there are more than twelve hours of daylight. During the winter there are less than twelve hours of daylight. Twelve hours of daylight is the median. Some have concluded that days begin and end at 6:00 PM. Joseph Bates and other early Adventists in the 1850's observed Sabbath all during the year from 6:00 PM Friday to 6:00 PM Saturday. To do this is to use Roman time, which disregards sunrise and sunset. The context of John 11:9-10 disproves such an observance. The day, Jesus said, is when there is light, and the night is when there is darkness. Jesus clearly stated that sunset divides day and night. Did Jesus Relax The Sabbath? Matthew 5, 6, and 7 gives the account of the so-called Sermon on the Mount. Jesus made the laws of the Old Testament much more binding and expanded the law to its full spiritual intent. Jesus said even to look lustfully at a woman is adultery, 5:27-28. Rather than relax or water down the laws, He made them stricter. Those who "break [Greek luo, relax or loosen] one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven," 5:19. Unless our righteousness exceeds -- goes far beyond -- that of the Pharisees, we will not be in the Kingdom of Heaven, verse 20. Does it sound like Jesus relaxed the Sabbath? NO! The Pharisees had added false traditions to the Sabbath, such as the prohibition of healing on the Sabbath. The Bible tells when the Sabbath begins: on sunset of the end of sixth day. The Savior went beyond this to the spiritual intent of the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, He demonstrated by His own actions that we must not just rest physically on the Sabbath, but we must also perform spiritual work of helping others. Yes at times even attending to human needs. Yet to Mr. Burke, we can now "relax" and not worry about working past sundown on the Sabbath. He has totally and completely missed the intent of the Sabbath. Will You Lose Your Job Because of the Sabbath? Some people ask the question "What if my employer tells me he will fire me if I do not work past sundown, or on Saturday? Jobs are hard to find. Should I keep the Sabbath regardless, and trust God for another job?" According to Mr. Burke, the answer is "Relax. Don't throw away your livelihood over mint, anise and cumin'." "How am I going to support my family?" you may ask. It takes real courage and faith to obey God. Time and time we have the promise in His Word that if we obey Him, He will bless us. Have you ever seen the righteous begging bread? See Psalms 37:25. Here are two cases of Sabbath-keepers who faced the problem of not working on the Sabbath. One man I know is very strong and healthy, although he is lazy. He continually showed up late for work. When he asked not to work on the Sabbath he was fired. Another man was diligent, a real go-getter. "Why, you do the work of two men," he was told. When it came time to ask for time off early for the Sabbath, what do you suppose was the response? You're right! He was allowed to get off. Somebody may indeed lose their job because of the Sabbath. God may give you a different, or even better job. Even if there is a period of trial and hardship, the Eternal will never leave nor forsake you. If you seek His kingdom first, all other blessings will be added unto you, Matthew 6:31-33. I make this a challenge to anyone: step out in faith, be a diligent worker, keep the Sabbath day holy, without compromising, and see if the Eternal doesn't bless you. You may lose your job because of the Sabbath and suffer temporary economic hardship. But in the long run, the Eternal guarantees to bless you. To lose your job because of the Sabbath does not make you guilty of being an infidel and denying the faith, as Mr. Burke twists I Timothy 5:8. As Wise As Serpents, Harmless as Doves Over the years that I have observed the Sabbath, I have had many different bosses. Some have ridiculed my beliefs. I still loathe when the time comes that I must inform my supervisor of my need for time off early for the Sabbath, or for a Holy Day. My palms sweat, and my knees quake. One time I made the mistake of talking too much religion. The arrogant, demanding, self-righteous approach in discussing your need to obey God's Sabbath will not work well. Pray for wisdom to say the right thing, and not too much. Be calm, soft spoken, firm and to the point: "My religious beliefs forbid me from working from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. I would be glad to work extra hours at other times if needed." If your work record, no matter how brief, has been outstanding, there will seldom be any problem. We need to stand up for our convictions without being offensive. Pray for wisdom to be as wise as serpents, as harmless as doves, Matthew 10:16. Altitude and Fowls Roosting Alfred Edersheim, in The Temple, page 179, states "Formally, the Sabbath commenced at sunset on Friday, the day being reckoned by the Hebrews from sunset to sunset . . . the Rabbis mention that the inhabitants of a low-lying city, like Tiberias, commenced the observance of the Sabbath half an hour earlier, while those who lived on an eminence, such as at Sepphoris [near Nazareth], continued it half an hour later than their brethren. If the sun were not visible, sunset was reckoned from when the fowls went to roost. But long before that the preparations for the Sabbath had commenced." Thus, it is apparent that altitude and mountainous obstructions can affect when the Sabbath begins and ends in your area. Sheridan, Wyoming lies up against the east side of the lofty Big Horn Mountains. Sunset is earlier in Sheridan than in towns on the west side of the mountains, even though separated by scarcely 50 miles. We have raised chickens and have noticed how each evening they all go to roost like clockwork, at or even a little before sundown. The phrase, "to go to bed with the chickens" means to retire around sundown, before dark. Chickens go to roost at about the same time each day, regardless of whether the sun is visible. They are like a natural sunset clock. The Sabbath on a Round World How can one observe the Sabbath in polar regions during periods of continuous daylight or continual darkness? Doesn't this invalidate the sunset to sunset doctrine? Not whatsoever. An interesting book on this subject is The Lord's Day on a Round World, by Robert Odom (Seventh Day Adventist). During the winter at the Arctic Circle and further north, as well as in southern polar regions, there are times when the sun is invisible for 24 hours, and other times when it is visible for 24 hours or longer. During the time of complete darkness, Sabbath-keepers should observe the Sabbath from Friday approximately at noon to Saturday noon because that time was when the sun rose and set in Arctic midwinter. That is, before the sun disappeared, it both rose and set at noon. Conversely, during the period of complete light, the Sabbath is observed from midnight Friday to midnight Saturday, because the sun is at its lowest point around midnight during the time of the "Midnight sun." The rule is clear: at whatever time the sun went down before the period of total darkness or total light is the time to initiate the Sabbath. In regions below the Arctic Circle, there is never a period of 24 hour darkness nor 24 hour sunshine, and whenever the sun sets on Friday is the beginning of the Sabbath. The Antarctic region works the same way. So the skeptic who says the Sabbath cannot be observed in polar regions does not have a leg to stand on. We can be glad that the Creator did indeed make it possible for His Sabbath to be kept, worldwide! Another question involves the International Dateline. This is an imaginary line west of the Hawaiian Islands, in the central Pacific Ocean. When one crosses this "line" going west, it suddenly becomes the next calendar day! Imagine that it is Friday near sunset and you cross the Dateline going west. Now it is suddenly Saturday sunset. You have "missed" the Sabbath altogether! If you crossed the line from west to east, you could end up with two consecutive Sabbaths! Since the Sabbath-keeper would not normally be making a boat or plane trip over the International Dateline around Friday sunset, this situation should rarely, if ever, come up. When traveling, you should always stop and keep the Sabbath where you are, not where you have been. Conclusion It is the natural, carnal human approach to either split hairs and come up to the edge of sin, or to believe there are no boundaries. On the one hand, we have those who will work until 4:29 when sunset is 4:30. On the other hand, we have those who will work up until or even after dark and still claim to be keeping the Sabbath. Neither are in reality keeping the Sabbath. How you keep the Sabbath is a direct reflection of your relationship with your Creator. "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," Exodus 31:17. When man observes the Sabbath, he is imitating his Creator and commemorating the creation itself. You keep the Sabbath and the Eternal will keep you! Observing the Sabbath, especially with others in fellowship, promotes spiritual health and well being so one can remain in the proper relationship with the Heavenly Father the other six days of the week. The Sabbath is a natural law without which man spiritually deteriorates. Just like the soil in many parts of the world is seriously eroding, so those who pollute the Sabbath by watering it down and corrupting it have deep spiritual gullies. We need to repent of our polluting the Sabbath. See Ezekiel chapter 20. Isaiah 58:13-14, "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, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth . . . ." Psalm 92, the Sabbath Psalm, is a helpful Sabbath meditation. It points us back to the Sabbath of Creation, and forward to the Age of the Eternal Sabbath. The wicked will perish like the grass. The righteous will flourish like the cedars of Lebanon, noted for their vigorous growth, longevity, usefulness, fragrance and beauty. Even in old age we should still be green and fruitful, proclaiming that the Eternal is upright, our Rock, with no unrighteousness. Let us keep the Eternal Sabbath now, and for all eternity. Material to Write For You may request a free sunset table for your nearest major United States city.ê Keeping the Sabbath in a Non-Sabbath World Stocks Close Mixed, Sabbath Up 2 Points In Heavy Trading On Thursday, July 17, 1986, the Sabbath became business news. The front page of the Wall Street Journal, the renowned business daily, carried a feature story, "Delicate Balance: Keeping the Sabbath and a Worldly Career Tests Religious Jews." Shomer Shabbat The subject of the news story was the 500,000 or 600,000 American Jews, mostly Orthodox, who strictly observe the Sabbath. They are a minority of a minority, for 5 million of their fellow Jews do not have the same scruples as the Shomer Shabbat (Sabbath observers). As these Sabbath-keepers plunge into the American mainstream business world, their religious dedication is being tested, as well as the willingness of the majority to tolerate the religious practices of the few. Never Forget the Sabbath Wall Street Journal reporter Selwyn Feinstein describes several observant Jews, including Yoni Mozeson, whose father and grandfather are orthodox rabbis. Yoni writes copy for a Madison Avenue advertising agency, but is nevertheless true to his forebears. In the winter, Mozeson leaves work on Fridays as early as 3 p.m. to be home with his wife before sunset, the beginning of the Sabbath. He takes off as many as 13 days a year for Jewish holidays, leaving work early on the days before. His adherence to Bible dietary laws limits what he can eat with clients and colleagues. Mozeson states, "I never forget I'm a Jew living in a non-Jewish society." Pioneering Jewish Sabbath-keepers For generations, many strict Jews shunned the outside world. Jewish professionals served other Jews. Since the 1950's and 1960's, this has been dramatically changing. Many Jews began attending Ivy League colleges, where they were successful in getting kosher kitchens and alternatives to Saturday classes and exams, making it easier for other Sabbath-keepers to follow in their path. Sabbath observant Jewish women have particular difficulties. They must leave work earlier to prepare Sabbath and holiday meals. Because of their religious convictions, a Shomer Shabbat woman may interrupt her career to care for a baby. Most Sabbath-keeping Jews stay in the big cities where there are other Jews to share religious and social life, and yeshivas, or religious schools for rabbis. How To Keep the Sabbath and Not Lose One's Job As the Journal states, "Most problems [of Sabbath observance] can be handled by deft planning and a willingness to make up for missed time." Frederick Lawrence, as an assistant U.S. Attorney, works "plenty of Saturday nights and Sundays" to catch up with work left over from early Friday departures and other religious days off. A Sabbath-observing lawyer advises, "you have to make people aware that you're going to be gone." Dietary restrictions can be as easily handled. A Shomer Shabbat account coordinator keeps kosher at client lunches by ordering a green salad or fruit plate. A traveling metallurgist buys tuna from a store and turns in a low expense account. A Test of Religious Conviction Many non-Jewish employers are learning to accommodate the religious practices of today's pioneering Sabbath-observant Jews. Some older Jews are fearful that the expansion of Jews into the business mainstream is a threat to the Jewish religion. They believe many of these Jews will gradually give up their Sabbath-keeping in order to compete in the business world. "The real test," says Samuel Heilman, a professor of sociology at Queens College," is whether their children continue to be orthodox." Constant Vigilance The Wall Street Journal is to be commended for carrying such an informative, thought provoking article. I am a Messianic "Shomer Shabbat," who works in the daily business world of a large corporation. I say hats off to the half million Jews who honor the Eternal's Sabbath. Sometimes I too fear that business will lead me away from the Sabbath. Would it be possible for me some Friday to "forget" the Sabbath and stay late working on a "crash project"? Yes indeed, it could happen. The answer is, as the Jews say, "constant vigilance." We must NEVER forget we are Messianic Sabbath-keepers living in a non-Sabbath-keeping world. Delicate Balance There are probably close to half a million non-Jewish Sabbath-keepers in the United States. Seventh-Day Adventists, Worldwide Church of God, Church of God 7th Day, Seventh Day Baptists, Sacred Name, Independents, etc. "The world" is contrary to the Sabbath. Messianic Sabbath-keepers' convictions are being tested no less than those of Jewish Shomer Shabbat. It is a profound truth that people generally are reasonable. A hard-working employee who is an asset to the company, who plans skillfully and is willing to make up for missed time, can usually stay Shomer Shabbat and employed. The employer knows that a good employee increases the company's profit. Five or six days from one hard worker is better than six or seven days from a lazy one. Let people know where you stand, in a positive way, and they will usually respect you for it. The Journal hit the nail on the head. It is a delicate balance, to not let the cares of the business world choke one's religious convictions, and especially Sabbath observance. We need to be aware of this, and be lights illuminating this world of spiritual darkness. The real test is whether children of Shomer Shabbat will continue to be Sabbath-keepers. Will Sabbath-keepers be diligent enough to properly train their children in the Eternal's ways? Kalal Shabbat Unfortunately, there are many Sabbath "keepers" who have watered down the Sabbath. They are like the Reform Jews mentioned in the Journal article who wanted to pay a young Jewish singer to perform for Saturday afternoon parties, but the strict Sabbath-keeping woman and her colleagues would not work on the Sabbath. Jews who take the Sabbath so lightly give the Sabbath a bad name. Shomer means "keeper" (Strong's #7763, from #8104 shamar "to guard, protect, attend to, be circumspect, take heed, observe, preserve, regard, (lay) wait (for), watch." All these words should describe the way we feel about the Sabbath. The word kalal (Strong's #2490, 2491) has the opposite meaning: "pollute, profane, to wound, to dissolve, to break, to begin (as if by an opening wedge'), defile, prostitute, slay." Eight times this word is used in Ezekiel 20 to describe the pollution of the Holy Sabbath by the Almighty's own people. Another word, tame, (#2930), means "contaminated, defile, pollute, make unclean" and is used three times in the same chapter. Don't follow the five million American Jews who water down and pollute the Sabbath. Be a Shomer Shabbat (Sabbath Observer), not a Kalal Shabbat (Sabbath Polluter). Keep the Sabbath, and the Eternal will keep you!ê The Sabbath and Ecology The lanky minister walked slowly towards the podium, as over 10,000 people waited in anticipation for his sermon to begin. Before reaching the lectern, he stopped, leaned over, and picked up a piece of paper that someone had carelessly littered on the floor. Dr. Herman Hoeh put the scrap into his pocket, arrived at the speaker's stand, and paused, as the audience sheepishly squirmed in their seats. Before opening his mouth, he had "preached" one of the most powerful messages I have ever "heard." It is a message that few professed Bible believers will heed. Nearly two thousand years before this scene in Canada, Jesus taught a similar lesson near the Sea of Galilee, John 6:1-14. Multitudes had followed Him around the lake, and there was no food for the five thousand men and their families. Nothing except five barley loaves and two little fish freely contributed by a small boy. Jesus had everyone sit down, gave thanks, and broke and distributed the pieces of this little lunch. Miraculously, everyone was filled. Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost" verse 12. Twelve baskets remained. This incident teaches us several things: that an unselfish act of giving is blessed and greatly multiplied; that Jesus is the bread of life that we need more than physical food. These and other deep spiritual lessons can be gathered from this account. Yet there is a more obvious physical lesson as well. The Modern Language Bible translates verse 12, "Gather up the fragments that are left over, in order that nothing may be wasted." The Creator is not wasteful. He teaches us that thrift and economy, rather than waste and wantonness, is the right way of life. Resources are precious, not to be thrown away with no thought of tomorrow. Likewise, our time is valuable and not to be wasted. Everything is to be used judiciously, in a wise and careful manner, not thoughtlessly discarded. "He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Proverbs 18:9. Why waste your life doing only that which produces more material goods to be thrown to the garbage heap? Dedicate yourself to that which is truly important: following the will of the Almighty. Don't be like the prodigal son who "wasted his substance with riotous living" Luke 15:13. Don't let God accuse you of being an unjust steward who wasted His goods, Luke 16:1-2. "He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach," Proverbs 19:26. From the rubble and ruin of giant "tels," successive cities built upon the ruins and garbage piles of older cities, to our modern "throw away" society, mankind has left a sorry record of wasting this earth's resources, and life itself. "A lazy man won't even dress the game he gets while hunting, but the diligent man makes good use of everything he finds," Proverbs 12:27 (Living Bible). "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up," Proverbs 21:20. The message of Jesus feeding the thousands from a few loaves and fish is the same message of the minister who picked up the litter: conserve and wisely use the resources of food, money, time, talents and material goods the Almighty gives you. Be efficient. "Make it do, do without, use it up, wear it out." That is why even the simple practice of recycling is the "Christian" thing to do. I would put it even stronger: if you are not doing what you can to conserve the earth's resources through such basic practices such as recycling your aluminum and steel cans, old newspapers, kitchen food scraps, and limiting the volume of your "throwaways," then you have not even grasped the fundamental concepts of the Eternal's ways of life! Granted, this society produces too many material goods of inferior quality that have to be thrown away after brief use. Useless packaging alone is a sickening waste of this earth's resources. We live in Babylon. We must come out of it as much as possible. If we are not even attempting to lessen this stampede of waste from our effluent society, over the areas of which we have control, then we are certainly not following the Creator's code for righteous living. Most people are lazy about doing what is right. It is so much easier to toss a can into the garbage, than to crush it, store it, and later take a whole pile of cans to a recycling center, if you can find one, which usually isn't easy. If you zealously recycle, you might be ridiculed as a "garbage man." One of the great lessons that the observance of the Sabbath should teach us is an admiration and respect of nature. Samuele Bacchiocchi in his book, Divine Rest for Human Restlessness (pages 204-214) demonstrates how the Sabbath holds the key to the solution of the ecological crisis facing mankind. On the Sabbath day, the Christian must leave nature untouched. To change it by building on it or by destroying it would be a violation of "rest." The Sabbath is the day not to alter nature, but to admire it as an expression of the beauty and glory of God's handiwork, Psalms 19:1. Instead of plundering natural resources, the Sabbath teaches us to cease pollution, to appreciate and respect God's creation, and especially other human beings. As Bacchiocchi quotes another writer, "What people do to, for, and with others and their environment depends largely upon what they think of God, nature, themselves and their destiny." The Ruler created the universe. It is His. How we dress and keep it, Genesis 2:15, shows what we think of Him. If we can't be faithful in even little things, how can He entrust us with rulership of the universe? Luke 16:10-12. "Sabbath keeping is an exercise in responsible stewardship of the whole earth . . . . The acknowledgement of God's ownership, expressed on the Sabbath by surrendering the right to use gainfully human and natural resources, affects the Christian's general attitude toward God and the world. It teaches a person to view himself not as a predator but as a curator [guardian, protector] of God's creation." The Sabbath presents a vision and a foretaste of "another day" Hebrews 4:1-11, beyond the present day when "the earth lies polluted under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse devours the earth," Isaiah 24:5-6 (RSV). Happily, the Sabbath points to the millennium, when "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain [government]." Isaiah 11:6-9. The creation groans and awaits, Romans 8:21-22, the "new heaven and new earth" Revelation 21:1-4, II Peter 3:11-14. The time when we shall "build the old waste places" Isaiah 58:12. This concept is directly related to the Sabbath, verses 13-14. How can we "repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations" Isaiah 61:4 if we are guilty of causing this pollution? Abraham Joshua Heschel states in The Sabbath, Its Meaning for Modern Man (pages 28-29), "on the Sabbath we live, as it were, independent of technical civilization: we abstain primarily from any activity that aims at remaking or reshaping the things of space." Instead, we stand back from and admire the creation and its beauty. To litter, to waste by throwing away garbage, is totally out of place on the Sabbath, or any other day. The Sabbath should teach us respect for and reverence of the Almighty's world. That is why the simple act of crushing and recycling a metal can is for me a religious act. It is one small thing that I can do to show my appreciation for the natural resources God gave us on this good earth. It shows I do not want to waste what God has given me. Metal cans probably should not be used at all, but I have no control over this. I do have control over my use and recycling of cans. Recycling is not a new idea. The Eternal Himself is going to conduct the most gigantic recycling campaign of all time: "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war [or pollution] any more," Isaiah 2:1-4. Give a hoot, don't pollute! Learn this important lesson of the Sabbath and the feeding of the five thousand. Respect and honor God's creation and you will inherit all things.ê How to Keep the Sabbath HOLY Purpose of the Sabbath The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. We should keep the Sabbath holy unto the Creator who made it for us. How should we keep the Sabbath HOLY? Only those who continue to obey God's command to keep the Sabbath will finally enter the glorious "rest" of God's Kingdom and receive the gift of eternal, spiritual life! Keeping, or not keeping, God's Sabbath reveals our attitude. Keeping the Sabbaths shows that we are willing to forsake our own thoughts for periods of time specified by God. It shows a willingness to learn, study, think and meditate on the really important things. Sabbath-keeping shows an attitude of simple obedience. It is a test of our attitude, revealing whether we really want to obey and depend upon God and receive His Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Sabbath is to rest from physical labor and to worship God. On His Holy Day, we can forget our daily routine and draw closer to the Creator God in study, meditation, and prayer, and have a foretaste of our glorious future eternal rest. By thinking upon God, the purpose of human existence, God's revealed laws of life and God's plan for mankind, we add great strength and meaning to our life. The Sabbath is truly one of the greatest blessings God has bestowed upon mankind. When we keep the Sabbath day, we show faith and belief in God's promise of a future eternal rest with a glorified spiritual body in the Kingdom of God. By resting on the Sabbath, we are actually "acting out" the Kingdom of God and what it will be like to be Sons of God in His Kingdom. God, from the very beginning, set one-seventh of man's time to the honoring of the great work of creation which God is bringing about within man. (See Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, Lessons 27 and 28.) "When you have properly worshipped God on the Sabbath and studied His word and its application, and then put it into daily use and on the Sabbath Day too, then you will have God's Sabbath sign in the true and saving sense. You will be prepared to enter God's Kingdom as a priest and ruler, and, of course, God will save you and give you an efficient restful body for service in His eternal Kingdom" (Lesson 28, page 11). Sabbath-Keeping Confusion The Jewish Pharisees in Jesus' day had added many do's and don'ts to the Sabbath law. Jesus did not agree with all their restrictions. His healing miracles on the Sabbath seem to show that the Messiah went out of His way to show the Jews how wrong they were in Sabbath observance. In "breaking" the man-made Sabbath restrictions of the Pharisees, did Jesus thereby tell us that there are NO restrictions on the Sabbath? Did He tell us that man may do as he pleases on the Sabbath? By no means! Let us examine the Bible teachings of how to keep the Sabbath, and apply these principles to modern day circumstances. Literature from Sabbath-keeping Messianic groups is mainly concerned with proving the Sabbath rather than showing how to keep the Sabbath. In an effort to avoid the Pharisaical approach of petty laws, modern day Sabbath-keepers give few positive statements of Sabbath-keeping. In fact, they often claim that there are no Biblical "do's and don'ts" about the Sabbath. This is not so, for there are many Bible guidelines. By learning the Bible principles of Sabbath-keeping, we answer most of the questions about the application of the Sabbath, thus eliminating confusion. Principles of Sabbath-Keeping 101 Imagine you are taking a college course in Sabbath-keeping. You have before you the textbook, the Bible, and the appropriate sections marked that relate to the Sabbath (see "Why the Sabbath Is Important," Section 1.0 of this series on Biblical Holy Days). These are the Bible principles of Sabbath-keeping: (1) The Sabbath is a day to cease our creating, working with the creation, and appreciate what God has done in the world and is doing in us, Genesis 2. (2) The Sabbath is a day to realize that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (3) Heavy food preparation is to be done on the day before the Sabbath so that there is no baking or heavy cooking on the Sabbath, Exodus 16. (4) We should not do any servile work on the Sabbath. This includes our entire family, even our servants and beasts of burden and strangers who live among us, Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. (5) We are not to kindle fires for industrial purposes on the Sabbath, Exodus 35. The Eternal's whole intent is to allow us to be free to rejoice and rest on the Sabbath, unburdened by routine physical responsibilities. (6) The Sabbath is an holy convocation. We should meet with others in worship if at all possible, Leviticus 23. We should read the Bible aloud, study God's laws and statutes, Nehemiah 8, Luke 4, Acts 13. Staying at home is not a Biblical Sabbath rule. In Exodus 16:29, God said, "abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." This refers to going outside the camp to gather manna, to do physical work of gathering food. It is not a general prohibition against leaving one's abode on the Sabbath. (7) Gathering sticks on the Sabbath is breaking the Sabbath, Numbers 15. (8) The Sabbath should be a day of delight and rejoicing, a day which we forsake our thoughts and think God's thoughts, Isaiah 56, 58. (9) We are not to do unnecessary work on the Sabbath, such as carrying burdens, Jeremiah 17, so we can be free to rest and worship the Creator. (10) We are not to buy or sell on the Sabbath, Nehemiah 13. (11) In following the Savior's example, we should do good on the Sabbath, visit and comfort the sick, contact people and serve them, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. We should do spiritual work on the Sabbath, serving others, John 5. (12) We can pluck a few ears of corn to eat on the Sabbath, but not harvest the whole crop, Matthew 12, Mark 2. (13) The Sabbath is a time of prayer, Acts 16:13. (14) The Sabbath is a time to reason with others about spiritual principles, and for ministers to teach the word of God, Acts 17:2, 18:4, 11. (15) The Sabbath is a time of healing, Matthew 12, Mark 1, 3, Luke 13, 14, John 5. (16) Singing is a part of Sabbath worship, Ephesians 5:19-20, Colossians 3:16, Psalms 33:1-3, 92:1-4, 95:1-7, 96:1-3, and 98:1-9. Psalms 92 is called the "Sabbath Psalm" and it speaks of singing on the Sabbath. These basic Sabbath principles show that the Bible does specify many Sabbath "do's and don'ts." Jewish Sabbath Rules Looking to the history of Sabbath-keeping, we find that the Jewish Talmud specified 39 main categories of work prohibited on the Sabbath. Writing more than one letter of the alphabet was prohibited. Practicing medicine was not allowed, unless life was endangered. Hence, a man with a toothache could rinse his mouth with vinegar on the Sabbath, as long as he and swallowed it (that was eating); but he could not rinse his mouth then spit out the vinegar (that was practicing medicine). Precepts prohibiting Sabbath work are suspended in case of danger to life. "It is better to profane one Sabbath for the sake of making possible the observance of many Sabbaths" (Yoma, 85b). There are also positive duties of Sabbath observance for the Jew: Wear one's best clothes. Rejoice. Eat at least three meals during the day. Read the Kiddush, a special blessing of sanctification before the evening meal. Read the Pentateuch in synagogue service (the Sidroth) and the prophets (Haftarah). Read a special blessing at the end of the Sabbath, the Havdalah, emphasizing the separation and distinction between the Sabbath and weekdays. Josephus wrote, "And the seventh day we set apart from labour; it is dedicated to the learning of our customs and laws, we thinking it proper to reflect on them, as well as on any [good] thing else, in order to our avoiding of sin" (Antiquities of the Jews, 16:2:3.) Down through the ages, "More than the Jew kept the Sabbath, the Sabbath kept the Jew" by making them a cohesive people who knew their God. Abraham ibn Ezra (12th Century) said, "I keep the Sabbath, God keeps me; it is a sign between Him and me." Ultra Orthodox Jews still keep the strictly legalistic Jewish Sabbath regulations. In Jerusalem, Israel today, only about 30% of the Jewish population of 340,000 strictly observes the Sabbath. According to a 1987 Associated Press story, here is how an ultra Orthodox Jew observes the Sabbath: Before the Jerusalem Sabbath siren wails at sundown Friday night, Orthodox Jews unscrew the light bulbs in their refrigerators so as not to inadvertently turn them on and violate the Sabbath. They turn off their water heaters. They hide money because it is a reminder of daily labor instead of divine rest. They cut their toilet paper in advance because ripping it would violate religious regulations. They light tall white candles moments before sundown because striking a match is banned during the Sabbath. These are some of the acts prohibited during the Sabbath: taking a bath, opening an umbrella, touching a pen (because they feel writing is work). Strict but complicated "carrying laws" govern what objects may be lifted and how far they may be moved. Much of the Sabbath is spent in three long ritual meals, usually shared with friends who arrive on foot and interrupted frequently by blessings and ancient Hebrew songs. Each meal begins with bread seasoned heavily with salt, which all must eat to remind them of coming out of Egypt with Moses. Cooking is forbidden. Pre-cooked food is kept warm by turning a burner on low before the Sabbath and covering it with a copper plate that stays hot. Games are permitted during the Sabbath but restricted. "Fish" a card game of making pairs, is preferable to "Monopoly" which requires use of play money. Even conversation is regulated. Topics of work, politics or commerce are banned. Yitzhak Wexler, a Orthodox Jew, says, "The Sabbath celebration following six days of work is an inalterable contract with God. Either we keep the contract as God commands, or we lose the Jerusalem He gave us." Orthodox Jews strictly limit travel on the Sabbath. Unless one lives within the prescribed allowed walking distance, he cannot attend synagogue services. Many of these regulations are well intentioned but carried to the extreme. The Savior condemned the Scribes and Pharisees for their picayunish view of the Sabbath, when they ignored the big picture, Mark 7:1-13. A "Sabbath Day's Journey" How much travel is allowed on the Sabbath? Jesus told us to pray that our fleeing would not be on the Sabbath, Matthew 24:20. Jews defined a "Sabbath day's journey" as 2,000 cubits (about 1,000 yards) beyond the city walls. The Mount of Olives was about a Sabbath days journey from Jerusalem, Acts 1:12. In Exodus 16:29, God told the Israelites not to go out of their places on the seventh day. The 2,000 cubit limit was conjectured from the space to be kept between the ark and the people, Joshua 3:4, and the circumference outside the walls of the Levitical cities to be counted as their suburbs, Numbers 35:5. The "Sabbath day's journey" being 2,000 cubits outside the city walls is not a law of God, but an interpretation or tradition of the Jews. Today some may have to travel long distances in order to fellowship with brethren on Sabbath worship services. Nevertheless, the principle is that unnecessary travel is not consistent with Sabbath rest. Ox in the Ditch In Luke 14:5, Jesus said, "Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the Sabbath day?" From this, many have argued that their job was an ox in the ditch because their employer required them to work on the Sabbath or they would lose their job and be unable to support their family. Or some less liberal would say that an occasional "emergency" on the job might require them to work on the Sabbath. To avoid losing their jobs, some have gone ahead and worked on the Sabbath and given the whole day's pay as an offering. However, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams," I Samuel 15:22. God doesn't want sacrifice and offerings as much as sincere trusting obedience! How often do "ox in the ditch" emergencies occur. The ox and the ass are surefooted creatures. Someday our family hopes to ride donkeys down to the bottom of Grand Canyon. We will be literally entrusting our lives to surefooted donkeys, that they will not fall off the edge. The odds against oxen and donkeys falling into the ditch on a regular basis are very high. A farmer could go through a whole lifetime and count on one hand the times he had to pull cattle or burros out of the ditch. Since the Sabbath is one day in seven, the odds are at least seven to one against these instances falling on the Sabbath. Use of the "ox in the ditch" principle should be rare indeed! The principle of the ox in the ditch includes such genuine emergencies such as personal injuries, burning houses, power failures, accidents and other occurrences which would entail injury, loss of life or personal property. It does NOT include circumstances when a person pushes his ox into the ditch by not properly preparing for the Sabbath. Nor does it include harvesting or plowing on the Sabbath (see Exodus 34:21). A veterinarian once used the "ox in the ditch" principle to justify conducting his normal business on the Sabbath. This is NOT proper. The Savior did not look for people to heal on the Sabbath. Of the last days, following the abomination of desolation, Jesus said in Matthew 24:20, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day." This is proof that the Sabbath would not be done away, even to the time of the end. An emergency flight, while not strictly prohibited, would not be in keeping with God's purpose for the Sabbath, as a day of rest, worship and rejuvenation. Example of the Messiah On the Sabbath, Jesus DID NOT: -- sleep until 10:00 A.M. -- stay by Himself and pray and study all day -- prepare a large meal -- buy or sell, or go on a long trip. On the Sabbath, Jesus DID: --attend worship services, where He read and expounded Scriptures -- pray to His Heavenly Father and study the Bible -- take a walk through corn fields and appreciated God's creation -- heal people and tend to their physical and spiritual needs. What Should We DO on the Sabbath? People legitimately want to know which activities are appropriate or inappropriate on the Sabbath. Should the Sabbath be viewed and observed primarily as a time of inactivity? The intent behind our action or inaction is the important thing with the Eternal. The Savior, as we have seen, spent the Sabbath not in restful relaxation but in active service to others. Thus we see that the Sabbath should be viewed as a day of special activities rather than of inactivity. People are different and have different physical needs. "Resting" on the Sabbath could mean different things to a lumberjack and an office worker, or to an older person and a youth. Sabbath-keepers sometimes neglect to recognize that their children have different needs than adults. Sitting long hours may be a burden to children. Yes, children should be taught to sit still and listen to the adults talk about the Bible and spiritual matters. However, parents should spend quality time with their children on the Sabbath, to ensure that it is a day of delight for them too. Samuele Bacchiocchi in his book, The Sabbath of the New Testament, page 228-231, gives three guidelines for determining suitable Sabbath activities: (1) Sabbath activities should be God-centered rather than self-centered. Any recreational activity should not be an end in itself, but as a means to express delight in the Lord. Playing a Bible game to see who can score the most points in a competitive spirit is selfish. The challenge is not only to choose the proper Sabbath activities, but also to engage in them in a way that will contribute to honoring the Eternal. (2) Sabbath activities should ensure the freedom and joy of everybody. A good example is a Sabbath afternoon picnic. This activity can be a time of joy for everyone, if adequate preparations have been made before the beginning of the Sabbath. On the other hand, if some persons have to spend a long time during the Sabbath preparing the food, then it deprives them of the joy of the Sabbath and this is not right. (3) A third guideline to selecting proper Sabbath activities is that they should contribute to our mental, emotional and physical renewal, not create exhaustion or dissipation. After the Sabbath is over, you should be mentally and physically recharged to face another work week. Truly, everyone can experience the joys of the Sabbath by following these overall guidelines. How People of All Ages Can Keep the Sabbath Children: Dress up, play games with the family, listen to Bible Stories, ask questions on Bible from their parents, not play with neighborhood friends, not engage in competitive sports. Teenagers: Dress up, play family Bible games, read the Bible, listen to family Bible Studies, answer and ask Bible questions, put school work behind them, not work on homework, not engage in school sports nor activities with non-believing friends. Adults: Put work behind them, no housework, cleaning, ironing, washing, heavy cooking. Dress up, take the family to Sabbath services if available, otherwise conduct a Family Bible Study and prayer time. Take a Sabbath drive and/or walk in a beautiful place. No buying or selling. Spend time with the family! Visit the elderly. Read. Elderly: Invite young people over. Write letters, Go on a walk. Read. Do some physical activity in God's creation. Examples of Sabbath-Breaking "More people reject the Sabbath because of the unsatisfactory Sabbath observance of Sabbatarians than for any other reason . . . . A non-propagating faith in the Sabbath is a dying or dead faith." (Herbert Saunders in Sabbath Sentinel, June 1978, pp. 7,9.) If we are to keep the Sabbath, we had better really keep it, and not pollute it. Also, we must spread the Sabbath truth to others or we will lose it. The Bible gives several specific examples of Sabbath breaking. The man who defiantly gathered sticks on the Sabbath, Numbers 15:32-36. Buying or selling on the Sabbath, Nehemiah 10:29, 31 and 13:32-36. In Amos 8:5, some carnal minded Israelites couldn't wait for the Sabbath to end, so they could get back to getting things done: "Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat . . . falsifying the balances by deceit?" Anyone who counts down the hours and minutes of the Sabbath, feeling that the Sabbath is a burden, has missed the whole purpose and intend of God's Holy Day. The Sabbath is not a day of can'ts and dont's, but a day of delight. Jewish Maccabees such as Mattathias broke the Sabbath. They decided "Whosoever shall come against us to battle on the Sabbath day we shall fight against him and we shall in no wise all die." The Babylonian Talmud, Sabbath 19a says that in war, Sabbath laws are suspended. Carnal warfare is condemned by God, but these Sabbath-breaking Jews had totally departed from Him. The Worldwide Church of God, as Joseph Hopkins noted, has "a more relaxed approach to the Sabbath" than they used to (Christianity Today, April 1, 1977). The Worldwide Church has allowed contractors to work at Ambassador College, Big Sandy, Texas on the Sabbath, as I personally observed in 1972. The excuse given was that the church had no control over the contractors, and it was the contractor's responsibility when to complete the job. In reality, with a multitude of companies vying for a contract, it is easy for the manager to stipulate no Sabbath work in the contract. After all, he is paying the bill! In early 1974, the Ambassador Auditorium was in its final stages of construction, and was behind schedule. The church's leader ordered the contractors to work on the Sabbath in order to complete the building by the desired time. Money, a root of evil, has led some groups to break the Sabbath. Rather than just collect money on the Sabbath, they have spent a great deal of work processing tithes and offerings and depositing them in the bank! One year I was Assistant Treasurer for a Feast of Tabernacles site at Jekyll Island, Georgia. There were eight to ten thousand people present. On the Holy Day, as usual, a collection was taken up during the morning service. As part of my responsibilities, I had to immediately leave with garbage cans full of money to a large back room of a building in town. A team of many dozens of church members opened the envelopes, stamped the checks, counted the paper money and coins, and filled out bank deposit slips. This took several hours of hard work, so we missed the afternoon service. When the money was all counted and ready for deposit, myself and the chief treasurer took it to a local bank. The bank officials were amazed to see such a large deposit of about $100,000. All this work we did on the Sabbath. It could have been done the next day after the annual Sabbath. However, the church organization didn't want to lose a single day's worth of interest. So we, like dumb sheep, obeyed and broke God's Holy Sabbath! I later came to my senses and repented of this gross Sabbath breaking. A personal friend, a church deacon, had a teenage son who wanted to play a little league baseball game on the Sabbath. He took the son to the game, and justified it by saying that God would use the situation to teach his son a lesson by causing him to lose the game! This deacon failed to realize that God doesn't work that way, and that parents are responsible for their children living at home to observe the Sabbath. Ronald L. Dart, in the Spring 1987 Twentieth Century Watch, article, "Keeping the Sabbath Holy," p. 10, said, "There is nothing in the fourth commandment to prohibit money or goods changing hands on the Sabbath." He says that the example against this in Nehemiah is a narrow judgment for that day only. The truth is, money is the result of work. Money is wages, labor turned into currency. Nehemiah 13:15-22 is a living principle for all time. If we keep God's Sabbath holy, we will not pollute God's Holy Day in such manner. When you buy gasoline, food or other items, unless it is an "ox in the ditch," you force someone else to work, which is a direct violation of the Fourth Commandment. To be fair, Mr. Dart's article does have some good points. He shows clearly how wrong the Pharisees were in that they could see no difference between plucking a couple heads of grain and harvesting acres, or between carrying one's bed roll and lugging a heavy burden of wares to sell. A simple human need like hunger CAN take precedence over the fourth commandment. The difference is intent. "One man might have gone out to collect sticks on the Sabbath to build fire to keep warm after a sudden [unexpected] cold snap -- this man might have gone unpunished while another man who performed exactly the same act might have been stoned. One was reluctantly working to meet a human need, and the other was arrogantly flouting God's law" (p. 11). Sabbath Pollution Leads to Apostasy During the mid-1970's, myself and many others were deeply troubled by doctrinal liberalization in Sabbath-keeping groups. Why have so many of God's people gone astray? Where did the apostasy begin? Why is there so little fear of God? Ezekiel 20 and Sabbath-keeping church history since the early 1800's teaches us a clear lesson that the path to apostasy began with the first step of Sabbath pollution. In 1971, the President of the Seventh Day Baptist Milton College of Wisconsin admitted to me in a personal interview why the Seventh Day Baptist church had declined in numbers: Seventh Day Baptists have not promoted the Sabbath and are considerably more liberal as regards Sabbath observance and Biblical inerrancy than they used to be. Most SDB pastors today preach also on Sunday to others. Many Seventh Day Baptists go to church on Sabbath, then pursue their own interests the rest of the day. They are very ecumenical, stating that Sabbath-keeping is not a test commandment nor important in obeying God, nor is it a key factor in one having the Holy Spirit. Here were some signs of Sabbath pollution observed at a Sabbath-keeping church college in the late 1960's: Young male students played basketball almost up to sundown Friday. Female students made purchases from a nearby grocery store on Sabbath afternoon. The church's leader watched professional basketball games on television on the Sabbath. Given enough time, such a tendency of watering down would lead to a total abandonment of the Sabbath, and the rest of God's Truth. When you pollute the Sabbath, YOU are polluted, and you pollute the Creator's name, Ezekiel 20:24-26, 39. Just as Sabbath pollution led to Israel's captivity in the past, so Sabbath pollution leads to the end time apostasy. Sabbath pollution is a "leading spiritual indicator" of a falling away from God's Truth. Conversely, restoring proper Sabbath observance is a first step in returning a people to their God. The Sabbath was the first thing the Eternal revealed to the children of Israel after He led them out of polluted Egypt, Exodus 16. Proper Sabbath observance was a major restoration initiated by Nehemiah with the Jews who returned from Babylonian Captivity (which resulted from Sabbath breaking in the first place), Nehemiah 13:15-22. You haven't really proven the Sabbath until you keep it! Most of us have to LEARN how to keep the Sabbath a delight to the maker. Should You Eat in a Restaurant on the Sabbath? When I attended the Worldwide Church of God, it was common to go to restaurants on the Sabbath, and to buy food in the grocery store on the Sabbath. Indeed, going to a restaurant on the Sabbath, and especially the Holy Days, was a major custom in the church when I attended in the late 1960's. Now, however, I have come to believe that restaurant going is improper Sabbath conduct, for three reasons: (1) Exodus 16:23 says that heavy baking and cooking is to be done on the day before the Sabbath. This means ourselves and anybody that fixes meals for us, our servants. (2) The fourth commandment says that we and our servants must rest on the Sabbath. By going to a restaurant on the Sabbath, one is actively hiring servants to work for him. They would not be employed if people were not in the restaurant. (3) Nehemiah shows that we must not buy food or produce on the Sabbath days. Arguments have been raised against our position. One man said that Exodus 16:23 was only a requirement of Israel in the wilderness. When dining out, he says, he is doing no cooking at all, and the cooks and waiters are hired by the restaurant owner. Ronald Dart says Nehemiah's rules were only applicable to Nehemiah's day, not ours. He wrote, "it is not wrong for you to benefit directly or indirectly from the work of others" on the Sabbath, pointing to the example of electricity. Use of electricity and restaurant going on the Sabbath are tied together by those who say it is not wrong to go to a restaurant on the Sabbath. Certainly the human need of food and warmth from the cold at times requires us to use electricity in this modern age, although our forefathers got along just fine without electrical power. Electric power companies could switch to a low maintenance power supply mode on the Sabbath, which would require few if any personnel. We as Sabbathkeepers should limit our usage of electric power on the Sabbath. In the millennium, there will not be huge, polluting power plants and miles of distribution lines. The energy system for the world tomorrow will be vastly different than what we have today. Food service is one of the largest businesses in the western world. As people become more affluent, they cook less and less at home and eat out more often. The life of the true Bible believer is at variance with such worldly trends. We cook natural foods at home, and prepare Sabbath meals before the Sabbath begins. A Sabbath-keeper regularly going to a restaurant on the Sabbath or any other day is demonstrating his disregard for the Eternal's laws of health. As Mr. Dart correctly says, "The commandment forbids you to require work of anyone who is under your control." You cannot control the electric power company. You can control whether or not a restaurant cook who is a "stranger" to you, prepares YOUR food on the Sabbath day. Samuele Bacchiocchi states: "The Fourth Commandment enjoins us to grant freedom to all on the Sabbath, including the stranger. Any attempt to enjoy the freedom and joy of the Sabbath at the expense of others represents a denial of the values of the Sabbath." He goes on to show that a Sabbath-keeper who buys goods and services on the Sabbath sanctions these business transactions, which the scriptures in Jeremiah 17:21-23 and Nehemiah 13:19-22 clearly condemn. "Purchasing goods or services on the Sabbath, such as eating out in restaurants, will turn the mind of the believer away from the sacredness of the Sabbath to the secularism and materialism of the world." Yes, there may be emergency situations where one must buy food on the Sabbath. With proper planning, this situation should rarely if ever occur. (See The Sabbath of the New Testament, pages 242-243.) Three Important Facets of Sabbath-Keeping How can we apply the principles of the Sabbath? God gave the Sabbath to man as a day of rest and recuperation from a vigorous, work-filled week. We need to take advantage of the liberty of the Sabbath. Enjoy it. Rest up and "recharge your batteries"! Plan to sleep in a little and not feel guilty about it. Don't be a sluggard, but get a little extra special rest. This will relieve you of the stress of daily life. Based upon Isaiah 58:13-14, there are three important parts to keeping the Sabbath holy as you should. Let's look at these three facets. (1) Don't do your own ways. This means your employment, enterprises, finances, the serious business of making a livelihood and caring for your physical responsibilities. Devote the Sabbath to God's business. (2) Don't find your own pleasure. As Bill McDowell wrote, this means "Your desire, delight, that which you take extra pleasure in doing -- hunting, fishing, golfing, swimming, cards, movies, boating -- those things which take up the majority of your 'leisure' time. This would also include the many time-consuming hobbies such as the 'ham' radio operator, woodworking, shop, stamp collecting, etc . . . . Whatever your pleasure, or leisure-time activity is, you should not engage in it on the Sabbath" (The Good News, March 1968, article "Keep God's Sabbath Holy" p. 17). Instead, engage in God's pleasure on the Sabbath, His creation (Revelation 4:11). (3) Don't speak your own words. Talk about God's way of life and His wonderful creation. Serve God with your mind. "Those who can't or don't control their minds call the Sabbath bondage, because they can't wait 'til sunset to be about their ways and pleasures which they have been thinking about all day anyway!" (Ibid.). Once you get your mind and thoughts on God's ways on the Sabbath, you will find out what a real delight and joy the Sabbath really is! "Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD," Isaiah 58:14. You do this by extra Bible study, prayer and meditation. The Sabbath is the one time of the week that nothing should hinder you from becoming completely absorbed in God and His word, the Bible. Preparation For the Sabbath The sixth day of the week, which we call Friday, is the preparation for the Sabbath, Exodus 16:23. It is the time to get everything ready for the Sabbath so you won't even be tempted to do it on the Sabbath. As the saying goes, "the only man who ever had all his work done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe." In this rush, rush world you have to address priorities. There will be things undone. Part of keeping the Sabbath is to get the major things done before the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath to forget about the minor things. Everything which can be done before the Sabbath should be done, such as cooking a roast, baking a cake or pie, cleaning house, getting chores done, etc. Food which will keep ahead of time should be prepared on Friday. A good idea for Sabbath-keepers is to keep a checklist, so you won't forget something major that has to be done. The sixth day of the week is not the only day to prepare for the Sabbath. It is not a day to catch up on what you should have been doing all week. Get the essentials done so that you can greet the Sabbath with delight, and completely put chores and work behind you. Sabbath Legalism? People naturally have many questions about Sabbath-keeping. Bill McDowell wrote, "The main reason God has never 'listed' in the Bible any 'do's and don'ts' for the Sabbath is that He wants us, as individuals, to learn to think, be personally responsible and use the PRINCIPLES He has given us. It is too easy to lose sight of the goal when you have a myriad of legalistic lines drawn up for you. But once you know and can apply the principles, you will be able to almost automatically answer your own questions." (Ibid., p. 18). This article may expose us to charges of "legalism." We are not attempting to be modern Pharisees, spelling out detailed laws and ignoring the big spiritual principles. In Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, "legalism" is defined as: "strict conformity to a code of deeds and observances as a means of justification...an adherence to the letter as distinguished from the spirit of the law, an emphasis on the importance of formulated rules (as for governing conduct)." Let us make it plain that law keeping, even Sabbath-keeping, does not "justify" you, or make your past evil actions right with the Almighty. We are freely justified by grace, unmerited pardon, for our past sins. Being justified, we are commanded by the Eternal to obey Him in Spirit and in Truth. You cannot "keep" the Sabbath spiritually without also keeping it physically. To fail to answer specific questions about the Sabbath places us on the other side, the liberal side which tells the lie that all you have to do is keep the Sabbath in a right attitude and forget about the details. Let us be balanced. Sabbath-Keeping Questions You have studied the course. Now take the examination. Put it into practice, using the Holy Spirit to discern right from wrong, with the Eternal's help. For those interested, we have prepared a list of commonly asked questions about Sabbath-keeping, along with our answers. Please note that these are GENERAL GUIDELINES, of how we would respond most of the time. Let us strive for balance. Keep the Sabbath as a Holy Day, a delight to ourselves and to the Almighty who sanctifies it!ê Questions on Sabbath Observance Question Answer SCHOOL: School homework on the Sabbath? Take a school test on the Sabbath? Send children to school? EATING: Go to a restaurant? Buy food at a grocery store? Wash the dishes? Pick a few vegetables from your garden for a Sabbath salad? Fast on Sabbath? No. Light reading is permissible. No. No. In some parts of Europe, attendance is compulsory on the Sabbath. In this case, maybe you should flee! Resist! The Worldwide Church of God said, "It is better to allow them to attend school that half-day than to lose them [the children] altogether! Of course, it's not ideal -- but it is the best thing to do under the circumstances." ("Statement on Sabbath Observance," May 1976). This is compromise. No. See section earlier in this article. No. Generally no. Depends on how many dishes you have. Try to reduce the output of dirty dishes on the Sabbath. Use paper plates. If you have plenty of extra dishes and utensils, just stack them up and clean them after the Sabbath. Yes. Generally, no, unless it is the Day of Atonement. The Sabbath is a day of delight and festive meals. The apostate Roman Church ordered Sabbath fasting to show contempt for Jews. This was a major factor in the switch to Sunday. Question FELLOWSHIP: Drive a couple of hundred miles to Sabbath services? Visit other brethren, have a joint meal, talk about the Bible, sing songs together? Listen to Bible Study sermon tapes. PERSONAL HYGIENE: Polish your shoes? Make your bed? Take a bath or shower? Iron dress clothes? OTHERS WORKING: Put mail in your mailbox for Saturday pickup? Allow a contractor to work on your premises? Buy non-food items? RECREATION: Go swimming? Go to the beach? Answer Yes, if that's the closest group of true believers you know of to meet with. Try to limit such traveling so that part of the trip is not on the Sabbath. Yes! Yes, providing they are Bible based. No. You should prepare for the Sabbath. Yes. Yes. No. No. No! Never! No. Generally no. On a hot day, you might have a quick dip to cool off, depending on the atmosphere of the swimming place. Maybe a free beach for a picnic and walk along the shore. If there's wall to wall people in a commercial atmosphere, stay away. Question Take a drive in the country? Picnic and barbecue? Play outdoor games with the family? Play indoor games with the family? Take a family walk or short hike, to appreciate God's Creation? Ride a bicycle? Camp out over Sabbath? Watch TV sports? Answer Yes. Yes, but keep cooking work to a minimum. Yes, but keep them low key, without great physical exertion. Games such as croquet, catching a ball, basketball foul shooting rather than a rousing game of baseball, basketball or football. Yes, but make sure such games don't become competitive and take away from Bible Study time. Games of competition and mental exertion are not appropriate on the Sabbath. Yes! Yes, if distance is moderate and course is not strenuous, and allows you to appreciate God's creation. Yes. Pitch your tent and set up camp before the Sabbath begins. No. Watch TV news, nature shows, religious movies like The Ten Commandments? Listen to radio music, play musical recordings? Play golf? Hunt on Sabbath? SOCIAL: Go to a funeral? Yes. Yes. Remember, the quality of music should be conducive to Sabbath rest. No. God's ministers do not schedule funerals on the Sabbath, because Sabbath joy should not be dampened or superseded by other emotional events. Attending funerals of relatives and Question Celebrate weddings? Receive as guests uninvited relatives and friends? Answer the telephone? Make telephone calls? Answer close friends should be carefully evaluated. Perhaps climatic conditions and limited facilities may dictate holding funerals without delay on any day including the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not to be a day of mourning, but a day of joy! Righteous Joseph of Arimathea rushed to get the Messiah's body down from the stake before the annual Sabbath. The holy women interrupted funeral preparations in order to observe the Sabbath, Luke 23:55-56. Both the Sabbath and marriage are sacred institutions from Creation. The considerable work involved in marriage ceremonies would tend to disrupt Sabbath celebration. Preserve the restful, quiet worshipful Sabbath spirit, by not having Sabbath weddings. Do not attend a wedding that you know is a divorce and remarriage situation. Yes. Do not offend others. However, let them know you are keeping the Sabbath and don't fail to attend services and/or have a family Bible Study. You might ask them in the future to drop by on some other day. If you are likely to receive business calls on the Sabbath, get a telephone answering machine. Otherwise, you may answer the phone and if it is business related, ask the other person to call back after sundown. Yes, to other believers to speak about spiritual matters, or to your close friends or relatives as long as business is not discussed. Question Have normal marital relations on Sabbath? Conduct church business meetings? TRAVEL: Fly on a commercial aircraft? LAWN AND GARDEN: Pick flowers? Pull weeds? Plant flowers? Water lawn or garden? COMMON SABBATH PROBLEMS: Perform compulsory public service work, such as garbage collection? Turn on electric lights? Answer Yes. Sexual intercourse in a Godly marriage is the epitome of a loving physical one flesh relationship. No, unless it is an emergency meeting to deal with problems relating to sickness or accidents. No. Yes, a few flowers for a bouquet to appreciate the creation. No. No. Some African countries require such work on the Sabbath. The Worldwide Church of God said: "If a man is to be imprisoned and taken from his family who rely upon him to provide for and support them, it is better that he perform a public service without pay (e.g. garbage disposal), if the law requires it, than to allow this to happen . . . . Those who fail to do so are considered `worse than infidels!'." ("Statement on Sabbath Observance," 1976). Yes. Large electric power plants with distribution lines are not God's way. Even so, automated equipment should make it so work is not required. Limit your power usage on the Sabbath so that others need not work even as we rest. Question Should a Sabbath keeper employed by a secular or religious public service organization agree to work routinely on the Sabbath? What should a Sabbath keeper do if denied the privilege of observing the Sabbath? How can a minister rest on the Sabbath when he works hardest on the Sabbath? Answer No. Should you work at all? You need to distinguish between essential and non-essential services. For example, a fireman may respond to an emergency to put out a fire on the Sabbath to save life and property, but not to work on equipment maintenance. Stand for your convictions, even if it means losing your job. See our article, "Keeping the Sabbath in a Non-Sabbath World." "On the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless," Matthew 12:5. There were special sacrifices commanded for that day, Numbers 28:9-10, Leviticus 24:8-9. WHEN does the Sabbath begin and end? Is it ever wrong to just rest on the Sabbath and do nothing? The priests didn't get another day off during the week. God's instruments today have to work on the Sabbath day to give us spiritual nourishment, and this is what the Eternal intends. This spiritual work, even though at times physically exhausting, is commanded by God. It is work which provides true rest. The Sabbath begins at sundown Friday night and ends at sundown on Saturday night. See our article, "When Does the Sabbath Begin?" Yes! You should fellowship and communicate with brethren, spend time with your family, visit the sick, and the elderly, read your Bible, pray, meditate, study Spiritual principles.ê