I Plead the Fourth
The First Three Commandments
God asserts Himself in each of the first three commandments.
Exodus 20:1-3 And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
The Fourth Commandment
God asserts Himself
three times in the fourth commandment.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exodus 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exodus 20:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Lord of the Sabbath
- In six days, God created the heaven and earth, and then rested on the seventh day, blessing and hallowing it.
- In the fourth commandment, God says the Sabbath is His. He points back to creation.
- Jesus says that, because the Sabbath was made for man (He points back to creation), He is Lord of the Sabbath.
A Day of Remembrance
- The Sabbath day was blessed and hallowed at creation.
- Leviticus 23:3 says that the Sabbath is a holy convocation.
- The fourth commandment says to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.
- Exodus 31:16 calls the fourth commandment a perpetual covenant.
The Seal of God
The Seal of God is found in the fourth commandment.
Name: The Lord
Title: Creator (made)
Territory: Heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is
- Exodus 31:13, and Exodus 31:17 call the fourth commandment a sign, and points back to creation.
The Last Call to Worship
The last call to worship points back to creation, just as the fourth commandment does.
Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Revelation 14 continues...
Revelation 14:8-11 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 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, 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.
In stark contrast...
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Conclusion
Scripture keeps pointing back to creation.
- Exodus 20:8-11 The Sabbath commandment.
- Mark 2:27-28 The Lord of the Sabbath.
- Exodus 31:13-17 The Sabbath a sign and perpetual covenant.
- Leviticus 23:3 The holy convocation.
- Exodus 20:8-11 The Seal of God.
- Revelation 14:6-12 The last call to worship.
God might be trying to tell us something.