Hi Locally there is a fairly new radio station called Three ABN and occasionally I listen to it ( they have wonderful health programs) and I think I heard all of the following on various programs, so.......
Hi EJM, yes I know of that radio station.
More questions, The Pope is the one who thinks to change times and laws (Dan 7:25) and changed the Old Testament Jewish Sabbath to Sunday, is that correct? No man has the authority to change God’s Word, not even a little. Is that correct?
Great questions EJM, to answer your question more fully, there is
no such thing as a Jewish Sabbath that is
not biblical. The reason being is that according to the very Words of JESUS, the Sabbath was made for mankind *Mark 2:27 and he is the Lord and creator of it *Mark 2:28; John 1:1-4; 14. There was
no JEW,
no Israel,
no law and
no Moses when God made the Sabbath on the "
seventh day" of the creation week according to the scriptures in Genesis 2:1-3.
As to Daniel 7:25 which is talking about the "little horn" (Daniel 7:20). There is two phases to the fourth beast (Romans Empire) the horns represent rulers of the Roman (pagan) empire *Daniel 7:24 while the small one that is stouter and
different to the others represents papal (religious) Rome or the Romans Catholic Church as we know it today. It is said in Daniel 7:25 that this power would 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 Christians during the apostolic era, from about 35 to 100 A.D., kept Sabbath on the designated seventh day of the week. For the first 300 years of Christian history, when the Roman emperors regarded themselves as gods, Christianity became an “illegal religion,” and God’s people were scattered abroad (
Acts 8:1). Judaism, however, was regarded at that time as “legal,” as long as they obeyed Roman laws. Thus, during the apostolic era, Christians found it convenient to let the Roman authorities think of them as Jews, which gained them legitimacy with the Roman government.
However, when the Jews rebelled against Rome, the Romans put down their rebellion by destroying Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and again in A.D. 135. Obviously, the Roman government’s suppression of the Jews made it increasingly uncomfortable for Christians to be thought of as Jewish. At that time, Sunday was the rest day of the Roman Empire, whose religion was
Mithraism, a form of sun worship. Since Sabbath observance is visible to others, some Christians in the early second century sought to distance themselves from Judaism by observing a different day, thus “blending in” to the society around them.
During the Empire-wide Christian persecutions under Nero, Maximin, Diocletian, and Galerius, Sabbath-keeping Christians were hunted down, tortured, and, for sport, often used for entertainment in the Colosseum.
When Emperor Constantine I—a pagan sun-worshipper—came to power in A.D. 313, he legalized Christianity and made the first Sunday-keeping law. His infamous Sunday enforcement law of March 7, A.D. 321, reads as follows:
“On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.” (
Codex Justinianus 3.12.3, trans. Philip Schaff,
History of the Christian Church, 5th ed. (New York, 1902), 3:380, note 1.)
The Sunday law was latter officially confirmed by the Roman Papacy. The Council of Laodicea in A.D. 364 decreed,
“Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ” (Strand,
op. cit., citing Charles J. Hefele,
A History of the Councils of the Church, 2 [Edinburgh, 1876] 316).
Cardinal Gibbons, in
Faith of Our Fathers, 92nd ed., p. 89, freely admits, “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 [the Catholic Church] never sanctify.”
Again, “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, Sept. 23, 1893).
“Protestants do not realize that by observing Sunday, they accept the authority of the spokesperson of the Church, the Pope” (
Our Sunday Visitor, February 5, 1950).
“Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change [Saturday Sabbath to Sunday] was her act... And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical authority in religious things” (H.F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons).
The Catholic Church claims that “the church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact” (Catholic Record of London, Ontario Sept 1, 1923).
So this change was started gradually under pagan Rome (although pagan Rome did not change the Sabbath in Christianity) under Constantine first as a civil law (see
post # 2 linked for historical records). When on March 7, 321, however, Roman Emperor Constantine I issued a civil decree making Sunday a day of rest
While established only in
civil law rather than religious principle, the Church welcomed the development as a means by which Christians could the more easily attend Sunday worship and observe Christian rest. At Laodicea also, the Church encouraged Christians to make use of the day for Christian rest where possible, without ascribing to it any of the regulation of Mosaic Law, and indeed anathematizing Hebrew observance on the Sabbath. The civil law and its effects made possible a pattern in Church life that has been imitated throughout the centuries in many places and cultures, wherever possible. {
Wiki}
In those early times the Church only included the Roman Catholic Church of the west and the Eastern Orthodox Church (EOC) ) which the Romans Catholic church eventually separated from (the EOC still keeps God's seventh day Sabbath today).
Anyhow some time latter we see the continued departure of the Roman Catholic Church from scripture in favor of man made teachings and traditions which led to the great reformation which much of Protestantism has its origin today. Hence the unbiblical claim to "Sunday" being "the Lords day" and the replacement of the true Christian Sabbath of God's 4th commandment being handed down to Christianity today.
The Pope’s decree to change the day of worship to Sunday constitutes the mark of the beast, (Rev 13) and all who keep Sabbath on Sunday have that mark. Is that correct?
No dear friend, That is a misconception and a falsehood. According to God's Word no one is held accountable to sin until they have been given a knowledge of the truth of God's Word and reject it in order to continue in known unrepentant sin *James 4:17; Acts of the Apostles 17:30-31; Hebrews 10:26-31. God's people according to the scriptures are in every church living up to all the light of God's Word he has revealed to them *John 10:16. The hour is coming and now is according to the scriptures that God's true people (where ever they may be) will worship Him in Spirit and in truth as God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth *John 4:23-24. God is calling us all out from following man-made teachings that break the commandments of God back to his Word alone to worship Him according to his Word *Revelation 18:1-5. JESUS says those who knowingly follow man-made teachings and traditions that break the commandments of God are not worshiping God in Matthew 15:3-9. No one according to the scripture receives the "mark of the beast" until they have been given a knowledge of the truth of God's Word and reject it once Sunday worship becomes enforced on people *Revelation 13:15-18; Revelation 14:8-12. These Sunday laws are already on the books in the USA called "
Blue Laws"
at the moment they are not enforced under prosecution but are dormant and can be re-enacted at any time.
All those who keep the seventh day Sabbath completely as outlined in the Old Testament have the seal of God. (Rev 7) Is that correct?
Correct. The seal of God represents God's Spirit who is given to those who worship God in Spirit and in truth (2 Corinthians 1:22; Hebrews 8:10-12; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30; John 6:63; John 17:17; Revelations 7:3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 14:12; Revelation 22:14; 1 John 2:3-4; 1 John 3:4-10; James 2:10-11)
Some day soon, there will be a universal law requiring all to rest on Sunday and all work and commerce will be outlawed. If anyone does not abide by this law they will not be able to buy or sell. Ellen White first prophesied this sometime in the 1800s. Is that correct?
This is based on the scriptures from the books of Danial and Revelation (beastsmark.com) *Revelation 13:15-18 and Revelation 14:6-12. As posted above no one according to the scripture receives the "mark of the beast" until they have been given a knowledge of the truth of God's Word and reject it once Sunday worship becomes enforced on people. These Sunday laws are already on the books in the USA called "
Blue Laws" at the moment they are not enforced under prosecution but are dormant and can be re-enacted at any time.
That’s all for now (PS we also have an EWTN radio station not far away I listen to occasionally, so I’m trying to understand it all and miss nothing but sometimes the messages are confusing. I don’t have a TV so I read a lot and occasionally listen as I drive. I have formed a conclusion, but I want to be open to correction if I’m proven wrong)
Good for you EJM, always remember though to always prayerfully seek God's guidance asking him to be your guide and teacher according to his promises in *John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 John 2:27 etc. Also, if you are interested in the prophecies have a look at
beastsmark.com. It is the Sabbath my time now so happy Sabbath
Hope this is helpful