Ellen White on the Sabbath

[MoreCoffee]

The Sabbath was not for Israel merely, but for the world. It had been made known to man in Eden, and, like the other precepts of the Decalogue, it is of imperishable obligation. Of that law of which the fourth commandment forms a part, Christ declares, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law." So long as the heavens and the earth endure, the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator's power. And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God's holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. "From one Sabbath to another" the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up "to worship before Me, saith the Lord." Matt. 5:18; Isa. 66:23.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)The words of Christ are in red.

They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. For I know their works and their thoughts:

it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 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. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.​

(Isaiah 66:17-24)

Ellen White says

And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God's holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. "From one Sabbath to another" the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up "to worship before Me, saith the Lord."
​

she is quoting a couple of verse fragments from isaiah 66:17-24 and applying the fragments to the new heavens and the new Earth. The problem with what she's done here is that the new testament does not indicate that the 7th day rest (sabbath) has any significance in the new heavens and the new Earth. And she is treating the mention of a time period "from one sabbath to another" as if it were a reference to keeping the 7th day sabbath in eternity. That is, of course, not what the passage teaches. The reference is to time, "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", and not to 7th day sabbath keeping.

 

[Elder 111]

I am serious about the thread on the Catechism being the proper place to discuss Catholic teaching on the sabbath. The thread's title is "Catechism of the Catholic Church on Sabbath observance." Click the link and see for yourself.

That is not I am taking about am I? You did not answer the question now or in my earlier post.

 

[mmksparbud]

The Sabbath was not for Israel merely, but for the world. It had been made known to man in Eden, and, like the other precepts of the Decalogue, it is of imperishable obligation. Of that law of which the fourth commandment forms a part, Christ declares, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law." So long as the heavens and the earth endure, the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator's power. And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God's holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. "From one Sabbath to another" the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up "to worship before Me, saith the Lord." Matt. 5:18; Isa. 66:23.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20)The words of Christ are in red.

They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD. For I know their works and their thoughts:

it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 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. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.​

(Isaiah 66:17-24)

Ellen White says

And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God's holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. "From one Sabbath to another" the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up "to worship before Me, saith the Lord."
​

she is quoting a couple of verse fragments from isaiah 66:17-24 and applying the fragments to the new heavens and the new Earth. The problem with what she's done here is that the new testament does not indicate that the 7th day rest (sabbath) has any significance in the new heavens and the new Earth. And she is treating the mention of a time period "from one sabbath to another" as if it were a reference to keeping the 7th day sabbath in eternity. That is, of course, not what the passage teaches. The reference is to time, "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", and not to 7th day sabbath keeping.

"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."
Sounds like He is saying that "from one sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me."---Sounds like that is exactly what that passage is teaching.---If that bothers you, then by all means, make it say whatever fits your theology. The elderly gentleman back in Rome somewhere has told you what to think, so go ahead and think it. I'll take the old lady's version as it sounds just like what the scripture says. And even if she had never said that--the bible says it and that's good enough for me.

 

[MoreCoffee]

"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."

Sounds like He is saying that "from one sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me."---Sounds like that is exactly what that passage is teaching.---If that bothers you, then by all means, make it say whatever fits your theology. The elderly gentleman back in Rome somewhere has told you what to think, so go ahead and think it. I'll take the old lady's version as it sounds just like what the scripture says. And even if she had never said that--the bible says it and that's good enough for me.

Did you read post #58?

 

[MoreCoffee]

No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ. When the command was given to Israel, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," the Lord said also to them, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me." Ex. 20:8; 22:31. Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God. (THE DESIRE OF AGES by Ellen White, The Sabbath, page 283)


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. (Exodus 20:8-11)


And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs. (Exodus 22:31)


​

Ellen White writes about the identifying mark that the 7th day rest of Israel was and how it marked them as separate from the surrounding nations. There isn't anything particularly remarkable about Ellen White's comment in this paragraph. I do, however, think that the statement "No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath." is hyperbolic for surely the monotheism of Israel was at least as distinguishing as a mark of Israel's separation from the surrounding cultures.

The observation that "But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy." although true from a Christian perspective may not be how Jewish people see the matter. And the further observation, true enough in itself, that "Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ." is a Christian perspective and not one that Jewish people share.

My bible makes these observations about the first passage in its footnotes:

[20:8] Keep it holy: i.e., to set it apart from the other days of the week, in part, as the following verse explains, by not doing work that is ordinarily done in the course of a week. The special importance of this command can be seen in the fact that, together with vv. 9–11, it represents the longest of the Decalogue’s precepts.

[20:11] Here, in a formulation which reflects Priestly theology, the veneration of the sabbath is grounded in God’s own hallowing of the sabbath in creation. Compare 31:13; Dt 5:15.


​

 

[bbbbbbb]

No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ. When the command was given to Israel, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," the Lord said also to them, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me." Ex. 20:8; 22:31. Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God. (THE DESIRE OF AGES by Ellen White, The Sabbath, page 283)


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. (Exodus 20:8-11)


And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs. (Exodus 22:31)


​

Ellen White writes about the identifying mark that the 7th day rest of Israel was and how it marked them as separate from the surrounding nations. There isn't anything particularly remarkable about Ellen White's comment in this paragraph. I do, however, think that the statement "No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath." is hyperbolic for surely the monotheism of Israel was at least as distinguishing as a mark of Israel's separation from the surrounding cultures.

The observation that "But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy." although true from a Christian perspective may not be how Jewish people see the matter. And the further observation, true enough in itself, that "Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ." is a Christian perspective and not one that Jewish people share.

My bible makes these observations about the first passage in its footnotes:

[20:8] Keep it holy: i.e., to set it apart from the other days of the week, in part, as the following verse explains, by not doing work that is ordinarily done in the course of a week. The special importance of this command can be seen in the fact that, together with vv. 9–11, it represents the longest of the Decalogue’s precepts.

[20:11] Here, in a formulation which reflects Priestly theology, the veneration of the sabbath is grounded in God’s own hallowing of the sabbath in creation. Compare 31:13; Dt 5:15.


​

Actually, the chief distinguishing sign that set Israel apart from the Gentiles was, and is, circumcision. That is the reason that circumcision was a primary focus of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 and the Sabbath was not mentioned at all. The question then was whether or not Gentile believers were required to enter the covenant of Juadiaism of which its primary sign was circumcision.

Concerning monotheism, one can easily posit that as being the primary difference (as well it was) but it was not a visible sign that distinguished the Jews from the Gentiles.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Actually, the chief distinguishing sign that set Israel apart from the Gentiles was, and is, circumcision. That is the reason that circumcision was a primary focus of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 and the Sabbath was not mentioned at all. The question then was whether or not Gentile believers were required to enter the covenant of Juadiaism of which its primary sign was circumcision.

Concerning monotheism, one can easily posit that as being the primary difference (as well it was) but it was not a visible sign that distinguished the Jews from the Gentiles.

You are, of course, right that circumcision did distinguish Israelites from the surrounding cultures. It is interesting that Ellen White makes a bee-line for the sabbath, but since the chapter that I am quoting from in my posts is called "The Sabbath" it is not too surprising that Ellen White seeks out sabbath connections to add to what she writes.

 

[Elder 111]

You are, of course, right that circumcision did distinguish Israelites from the surrounding cultures. It is interesting that Ellen White makes a bee-line for the sabbath, but since the chapter that I am quoting from in my posts is called "The Sabbath" it is not too surprising that Ellen White seeks out sabbath connections to add to what she writes.

Which would be more obvious, the observance of the Sabbath or a man's penis? Come on Brothers let's not be unreasonable now!

 

[mmksparbud]

What??---You mean circumsized men did not go around proudly displaying their --uhm--handywork??

 

[Elder 111]

What??---You mean circumsized men did not go around proudly displaying their --uhm--handywork??

LOL. It seems that others would have us believe they did that more than observing the Sabbath. No one told Ellen White either.
Anything to avoid the truth.

 

[Lysimachus]

MoreCoffee likes to make unwarranted arguments, that the expression "The Law" always means something other than the Ten Commandments.

"The Law" sometimes meant only The Decalogue

"The Law" sometimes meant only The Law of Moses--or the Ceremonial/Remedial Law for that matter.

"The Law" sometimes meant BOTH The Decalogue AND The Law of Moses.

"The Law" sometimes only meant the Civil Laws---of capital judgment/punishment.

"The Law" sometimes meant the hygienic laws.

"The Law" sometimes meant the Dietary Laws.

Context demands which Law is being spoken about.

When one says, "The Law says we must not go through a Stop Sign"--are we to assume that perhaps this law is listed in the category of Pharmaceutical Laws? Of course not. Anyone can see that the context shows that "The Law" being discussed is in the category of "Traffic Laws".



It's very simple MoreCoffee.

God makes a plain distinction:

“And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone. And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it” (Deuteronomy 4:13, 14).

Please notice how Moses clearly separated the Ten Commandments, which “he commanded you,” from the statutes which “he commanded me” to give the people. The big question now is whether those statutes and judgments, which Moses passed on to the people, were designated as a separate and distinct “law.”

God answers that important question in such a way that no doubt can remain.

“Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them” (2 Kings 21:8).

Here we are assured that the statutes which Moses gave the people were called a “law.” Any child can discern that two different laws are being described. God speaks of the law “I commanded” and also the “law ... Moses commanded.” Unless this truth is understood properly, limitless confusion will result.

Daniel was inspired to make the same careful distinction when he prayed for the desolated sanctuary of his scattered nation.

“Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him” (Daniel 9:11).

Once more we see “thy law” and “the law of Moses,” and this time the two are recognized as different in content. There are no curses recorded in the Ten Commandments that God wrote, but the law which Moses wrote contained an abundance of such curses and judgments.

The major point of difference between the law of God and the law of Moses, though, lies in the way they were recorded and preserved. We have already cited Moses’ statement that God “wrote them (the Ten Commandments) upon two tables of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13). Compare that with Exodus 31:18, “two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”

When Jesus spoke of The Law in Matthew 5, he most certainly was including the Ten Commandments, for just a few verses after, he alludes to two of those commandments of "Thou shalt not Kill" and "Thou shalt not commit adultery"--and "magnifies" and "expands" the meaning of both of them---by taking it to the "heart level".

Those who love God, will keep ALL Ten Commandments from the heart.

And the Sabbath is what puts the SIGNATURE in your life---it is a SIGN that God sanctifies you, and it is not of your works, but His works.

But to Sunday sacredness is the Mark of the Beast. While nobody HAS the Mark of the Beast presently, they will receive it if they continue to observe it and pay any homage to it after it is enforced by National, and eventually Universal Law.

The true Sabbath keepers who keep God's commandments will not budge. They will be willing to die for the Sabbath, and His Law. The Law is Holy, Righteous, Good. We will do anything to safeguard His Holy and Immutable Law---which is a transcript of the character of God.

Christ is the personification of The Law.

No true Christian is "under the law". Every true Christian is IN the Law, and the Law is IN him. That means you are in Christ, and Christ is in you.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Elder111, More obvious than either sabbath observance or circumcision would be the monotheism of the Israelites.

 

[MoreCoffee]

MoreCoffee likes to make unwarranted arguments, that the expression "The Law" always means something other than the Ten Commandments.
...

I make no such argument.

 

[Lysimachus]

Paul agrees that the expression "The Law" also at times meant the Ten Commandments:

"What shall we say then? is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." (Romans 7:7)

He's alluding to The Law of Ten Commandments here. It takes no rocket scientist to discern this.

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if [there be] any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:8-10)

Paul is very clear. Paul just described what "love" looks like. What does "love" "look like"? It is manifested in the keeping of those few example Ten Commandments he listed.

And the fact that he said, "if there be any other commandment" proves that there are more.

 

[Lysimachus]

I make no such argument.

Then your arguments are very confusing, because almost no one seems to understand what case you're making. You make these LENGTHY posts, and I read them, and don't comprehend what your point is.

My rule of thumb: If it is long and complicated, and very complex, then it is confusion, for which God is not author of.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Then your arguments are very confusing, because almost no one seems to understand what case you're making. You make these LENGTHY posts, and I read them, and don't comprehend what your point is.

My rule of thumb: If it is long and complicated, and very complex, then it is confusion, for which God is not author of.

My argument is not confusing nor is it confused. Read my posts, see for yourself, I've not made the argument that you claim I have. It appears that the problem with confusion is in your responses to what I've written.

 

[MoreCoffee]

As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them. Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ. The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God's rest day with burdensome requirements. In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father. The rabbis virtually represented God as giving laws which it was impossible for men to obey. They led the people to look upon God as a tyrant, and to think that the observance of the Sabbath, as He required it, made men hard-hearted and cruel. It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions. Although the rabbis followed Him with merciless hostility, He did not even appear to conform to their requirements, but went straight forward, keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God. (THE DESIRE OF AGES by Ellen White; The Sabbath, pages 283 & 284)
​

Ellen White writes that "Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ." Where does this explanation come from? No scripture is given as support for it. Is there a passage anywhere in the bible that teaches that Satan intended to pervert the sabbath? I doubt that there is. The tone of the above quote is speculative, but what else could it be when what is written is written about the private thoughts and motives of men and angels?

Ellen White also writes "It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions." While it is true that Christ did in fact clear away various misconceptions while he carried out his work of redemption it is not true that his work was to clear away misconceptions about the 7th day rest (sabbath).

The overall tone of the quoted paragraph is to emphasize the sabbath out of proportion to the level of emphasis that new testament scripture gives to the sabbath. The truth is that Jesus comments directly on the sabbath in only two stories:

1. The incident in the fields with the disciples plucking grain, and
2. the healing of the man with the withered hand

These are recorded in Matthew 12:1-13.

Aside from the above issues there is nothing particularly objectionable in the quoted paragraph.

 

[Elder 111]

As the Jews departed from God, and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith, the Sabbath lost its significance to them. Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ. The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God's rest day with burdensome requirements. In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father. The rabbis virtually represented God as giving laws which it was impossible for men to obey. They led the people to look upon God as a tyrant, and to think that the observance of the Sabbath, as He required it, made men hard-hearted and cruel. It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions. Although the rabbis followed Him with merciless hostility, He did not even appear to conform to their requirements, but went straight forward, keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God. (THE DESIRE OF AGES by Ellen White; The Sabbath, pages 283 & 284)
​

Ellen White writes that "Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ." Where does this explanation come from? No scripture is given as support for it. Is there a passage anywhere in the bible that teaches that Satan intended to pervert the sabbath? I doubt that there is. The tone of the above quote is speculative, but what else could it be when what is written is written about the private thoughts and motives of men and angels?

Ellen White also writes "It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions." While it is true that Christ did in fact clear away various misconceptions while he carried out his work of redemption it is not true that his work was to clear away misconceptions about the 7th day rest (sabbath).

The overall tone of the quoted paragraph is to emphasize the sabbath out of proportion to the level of emphasis that new testament scripture gives to the sabbath. The truth is that Jesus comments directly on the sabbath in only two stories:

1. The incident in the fields with the disciples plucking grain, and
2. the healing of the man with the withered hand

These are recorded in Matthew 12:1-13.

Aside from the above issues there is nothing particularly objectionable in the quoted paragraph.

Luke 13: 10-17 is another account of Jesus correcting Jews on Sabbath observance. The woman who was sick for 18 tears
Again Luke 14:1-4. The man with the drowsy.
John 5:5-18. The man by the pool in Jerusalem.
John 7:14-24. Jesus addresses the problem directly.
John 9: The blind man.
Does this make it clearer that Jesus was making the point as stated by Ellen white? The thing is that these are not all for the writers of the Gospel stated that they could not write all the things that Jesus did.
Why is the truth so hard to take? Just as stated, satan is at war against all that is of God including the Sabbath.

 

[toLiJC]

the biblical concept "sabbath" presents the millenary somnolence of God (which can continue until no more than 5-6 millennia), and that He has made/given the faith in order to be the means for sanctification of the creature/creation on the part of (the) spiritual servants while He is in the state of somnolence

Genesis 2:2-3 "And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested(ie and He has fallen into a state of millenary somnolence) on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested(ie because in it He has fallen into a state of millenary somnolence) from all his work which God created and made.",

Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the sabbath day(ie do not forget the situation while God is in a state of somnolence), to keep it holy(ie to sanctify the creature/creation during it). Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work(ie in principle you are absolutely free to do everything by which is not caused harm to any human): But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God(ie but because of the somnolence of God): in it thou shalt not do any work(ie do not omit to keep the Peace, Purity, Sanctity, Good, Virtue, Benediction, and Welfare for all humans, which things God from the beginning laid to be for all of them), thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle(ie nor in your work), nor thy stranger that is within thy gates(ie in the faith): For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested(ie and He has fallen into a state of millenary somnolence on) the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it(ie wherefore He made/gave the faith as a means of sanctification, so that the spiritual servants to be able to awaken God).",

Isaiah 58:13-14 "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath(ie from the faith), from doing thy pleasure on my holy day(ie in faith's activity); and call the sabbath a delight(ie so that the faith to be good for you), 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, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

the right faith can wake Him up completely and permanently

Matthew 18:19-20 "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing(ie any good thing) that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three (or more) are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.",

Matthew 24:22 "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

Blessings

 

[MoreCoffee]

...


The truth is that Jesus comments directly on the sabbath in only two stories:

1. The incident in the fields with the disciples plucking grain, and
2. the healing of the man with the withered hand

These are recorded in Matthew 12:1-13.
...

Luke 13: 10-17 is another account of Jesus correcting Jews on Sabbath observance. The woman who was sick for 18 tears

Sorry, my mistake. I ought to have said "The truth is that Jesus comments directly on the sabbath in only two stories in Matthew's gospel"

Again Luke 14:1-4. The man with the drowsy.
John 5:5-18. The man by the pool in Jerusalem.
John 7:14-24. Jesus addresses the problem directly.
John 9: The blind man.
Does this make it clearer that Jesus was making the point as stated by Ellen white? The thing is that these are not all for the writers of the Gospel stated that they could not write all the things that Jesus did.
Why is the truth so hard to take? Just as stated, satan is at war against all that is of God including the Sabbath.

I repeat my comments regarding the paragraph from Ellen White

Ellen White writes that "Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ, and he worked to pervert the Sabbath, because it is the sign of the power of Christ." Where does this explanation come from? No scripture is given as support for it. Is there a passage anywhere in the bible that teaches that Satan intended to pervert the sabbath? I doubt that there is. The tone of the above quote is speculative, but what else could it be when what is written is written about the private thoughts and motives of men and angels?

Ellen White also writes "It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions." While it is true that Christ did in fact clear away various misconceptions while he carried out his work of redemption it is not true that his work was to clear away misconceptions about the 7th day rest (sabbath).


The overall tone of the quoted paragraph is to emphasize the sabbath out of proportion to the level of emphasis that new testament scripture gives to the sabbath. The truth is that Jesus comments directly on the sabbath in only two stories [in Matthew's gospel]:

1. The incident in the fields with the disciples plucking grain, and
2. the healing of the man with the withered hand

These are recorded in Matthew 12:1-13.

Aside from the above issues there is nothing particularly objectionable in the quoted paragraph.