Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 137, 13 Iune 1894 — THE SABBATH. [ARTICLE]

THE SABBATH.

i | ( N. F. Burgess vs Bisliop , WilUs i i Bī»hop Willi*. beg;ns by * nootiog a portion of tbe Cotnroaodix)ent«, and acknowledges tbeir nniTersaI obligation, ihen * *-Hys tbat because tbe Chrit- ( tian world ba» labored ou tbe Seventb <L«y for fifteen or ( sixteen eeulune-. that Le bas no 1 donbt in hi« mind that everyon** <l*»e i« perfectly sati»fie<l tbat they are n«>t traosgre*sing tbe 1 tUe Fourth Comm indraent in !••••.-i:.g tl»e Seventh on the F.r>t (1 >y c f tbe weok. He * states tbat all are satisS-.d that tbe Cboicb Las from tbe time of tlie Aj<>stel« regarded the fir>t day of tbe week as the Lord’s day, making it tne Sabbath. Here we shall beg to differ witb Mr. Willia for two ! reascus; the first is, that tbe Bible nowhere stutes tbat one of tbe Apostels ever obsened tiie fir>t duy of tho week as tbe S.tbbatb; the second Teason is, that it caunot be fouud in history wbere the day was observed as a holy or Sabbatli day, nutii some time in the fourth ceutury, of whieh aiuple prouf is at hand if required. iie also admits at the end of creation week, GolI did rest oa the Scventh day of tbe week, aud thcn bccauso this Seventh d«y w as Adaui’s first, d.«y, tho next Seveuth daj' of rost ! uiarkod tbe beginuing of auuther or tbird woek, you will see tbat by so reckonitig tbe first week would have seveu days while the secoiid woaUi oniy have six. \ From this time until tho inanna was given, as he says uotbing “ was kuown iu rcgard to tho Sabbath, but let us quote further. On the iDOrning of the lfith the manua was gatberod for the first j timo. For six consecutive days thev fouu>l it. But ou tho sixth d,«v. evervone gathered twioe ns niueh jib ou previous days. Would it not be roasonable to i suj>poso that a great iuany of them hnd previously kept the Sibbath nud w*s now prepairing for the Sui)bath by g!ithering j twico as mueh on that day. For we have no reoord that Moses had told them to gnther double the amouiil untd after it was done and theu (not to tho galherer or congregation ouly to Uio ruleis, who liko many others h:ul neglected to keep the Sabbath, and even ufler Moaee st ited to them, that eu the Sab b»th they should not fiud any; thev still wero j ersistent in disobeying God’s eommam). The Commat>dinent says the Sevonth day is the Subbath (rest), Govl ,etted on the Seventh day, the eml of cre»tiou week, the Comuiaudment poiuts to creation, then tbe l»ishop says he does uot kiiow whether it meant that the Seventb day was ou the tirst day or iu tho uiuUlle or end of the weok. Let ns care fullv exainino a fewr poiots in wbnt is termed iho old dispoosation. Before bo was made flesh aiul dwclt among us, Jesus Chnst was manifested upon thc oarth. One instance is recordcd iu Ex. 3:*2-4: “And vhe Angol of tbe Lonl oppearod unto him (Mosos) in a fiame of fire out of the midst ot a busb. aud he looked. aud. beheid, ihe bu>h burned with flie, and tbe bnsh w*s not coasume<i. Aad Moees said, I will (oow tum astde, ami see this preat sight, why tbe busb is uot burot. And wheu the Lonl >aw that bo turued astde to see. God caiied uuto him out of tbe midst of Uie bosh. *nd said, Moses, Moses And he said. IIere an» l." Two or three seriptures read in this oonneelion will show tbat the one who appe<red in that buruiag bash was Josas Christ. Tbe first scripture is in Acts 7*35; *‘This Moses wh »m they refnsed. sayiug.who made tbeea ruler uid a judg*7 The samc did God seud to be a ru»cr and a vlelivcier by the haud of tbe Angel whieh appc*rei lo hiiu in the hmih." W l*u vus ii from to lasl k s wttb the cLi)urea of f>iaci us their gu:de. and helper? “And did ali driuk the same spiritoal dripk, for tbey drank of

tLai spirito«l Bock th»t f<‘llowed ; them (or, margin. “went with j tben>’')aod that Rock was Christ ’ —ICor. 10:4, in tbe 9th verse: ‘•Neither iet as tempt Cbrist, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.” i Tben who was it by whose hand , the Lord de!irered the cbildren { of lsraeH lt was oar Lord Jesu» ; Chri*t. Then it was Jesas Cbrist in his dirimty who appeared to . Mosea in the borning bush, The ! fire was simplv a m«nifestation 2 of his gloiy: “And tbe sigbt of the glon- of the Lord was like devouring fire on tbe top of tbe moanl in the ews of cbiidren of Israel.’’—Ei. 24:17, It was i throogh Cbrist as tbe agent tbat God created all things. *‘All things were made by Lim; and withont him was not anything made that was made.”—Jobn 1:3 That is. Jesas Christ was the ageut tbroagb whom the power of God was manife»ted in creating the world. * By the word of i the Lord were the heavens made; j and ail the hart of tbem by the . bieatb of his moulh. “For he spoke, and it was done; he eom- j maiuled, and it stood fast.’—Ps. j 33 6-9, It was God 8{>eakicg tbrough his Son Jesus Cbrist. i an l it was the voice of C’hrist whieh was keard. la the nrst cuapter of Genesis, “And God said,” And C»od said,’ it is clear that the speaking was j tbrough Jesus Christ. So, wheu God said “ Let there ; be light,” it was Christ who , is himself “the light of the ( , world,” who spoke that w»>rd. lt 1 was tbrongh Christ tbat God has spoken in eveiy piaee in the , Scripture where we have the record ‘God said,” or “Jehovab saiJ,” or ‘‘the Lord spake and ; said." It was Christ who indict- i | ed all the writicgs of the Script- j ures. For we read in 1 Peter 1:11, speaking of the prophets: “Searobing what, or wliat manuer of time the Spirit of Cbrist whieh was in them did sigaify, whon it tcstified before the sotterings of Christ and the glorv tbat sbould follow.” It was the Spirit of Christ speakingthrough the prophets So all tho way lbrough tbe prophetic record whioh g\ve to tbe world wbat was to eome. It was his Spirit that inspired tho prophets. So it is Cbrist, it is Cbrist all the way through, Christ the agent iu creation, Christ the spokesman for God, Christ whose Spirit iu>pired tho prophets. “The works of tbe Lord are great, sought out of all tbem that have pleasure therein. His woik is honorable and glorious, aiul his righteousness endureth forever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remeinbered.” —Ps. 111:2-4. In , the Jewish translation the last clauso reads in this way: “He I iiaih made a memoria1 of bis woaJerf«l works.’ M T bat tben is tbe ; tnemorial< “Keinember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shnit thon labor and do a 11 thy work, but the aeventh day ia the Sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work. thou. nor tby son, nor tby daugb- , j ter. lby manservant, nor tby ; maidscrvant, nor thy cattle, nor • thy stranger that is within thy i gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven aud eartb, and the , 1 sea. aiul all that in tbem is, and [ rested on the seventh day. 1 j Wherefore tbU reason) tha f j Lorvl blessed the Sabbath dav and hallowed it.”—Ex. 20:8 11 • i > Wbat is tbe reasou giveu for tbe < iustitntion of the Sabbath ? BeI ! cause in six davs tbe Lord made * i beaven aud eartb, and rested oo I I the eeventh day. Tbere(ore tha I Sabbath is designed to eall our . ; attention to the Creator. It is . j his memorial. But we have al- , ready learned that it was Jesas Christ through whoni God oreatII e.i tbe he.wen and the earth; ; ! therefore it was Jesns Cbrist who rested on the seveuth day. It was . | Jesus Cbrist who blessed tbe s | seventh day: it was Jesns Christ . | who hallowcd tbe serentb d«y; | it was JesnsCbrist who sancti$ed { i ihe seventh day; aud the pcrposa 1 1 ol this d*y thus blessed. thus r 2 hallowed, thus sanctified, is lo , | eali the aUeuiion of the mea ’ | even where to the Creator. Bu! , the Creator is Jeaus Cbrist. Tbe [ purpose, therefore, of all created . tbings to whieh our aiteatīoa b i tbos ealleU by tha Sabbath. ii f that we may nodersUsd the pow

er *od tbe dĪTiBitj o( Jcsbs ' i Christ. This is made clesr bv *Dotber Scrip!ure: “Andballow ' mv sabbaths; tod there «hall be a siga betweei. me and vou, that re mar know *hat I am the Lonl tby God.”—I-ze. 20 20. So the force of tbe Scrtptore is tbis; I iTh*t re may kuow Jesos Christ, | * that tbas knoaine him ye taay know the Father. So the S*bbath institation is for tbe par- > posse of rerealing Jesn9 Christ,of . teacbing «&of his power, of his dirinity. Anu it foliows. therefore tbat be who obserres tbe sereatb ilay. ti;e day upon whicb ■ God in Jesus Christ rested, the , , dar opon whieh God in Jesns | Christ iet his blessings rest, the dar whieh w.iS thos hailowed and sanctified the one who observes tbe sere.itb day,tbos blessed, Lallowed, and sanctified, ae- ,, j knowle<lges b,’ this act before ; ; be«ven aad ea Ih tbat he believes ' in tbe dirinitj of Jesos Cbrist. 1 A ble$sing wa> placed npon tbe 1 seventh day. What is the pnr-( * poseof the ble;sicgof God? ‘Unto i ' yonfirst Gi>d. baving raised op his son Jesas seut him to bless ; yon. in tnrniug away eveiy one of yon from bis iniqnities.’ —Acts i 3;2(i. Tbe b!e<s!ng of God is nut put upon a m m because he is good. bnt the blessing of God is pnt npon him 4 o make him good. ; It is to tnrn Lim «\vay from bis j iniquities Ai d it is tbe power \ of God in Chr st that saves from siu. So tbe Sabbath blessing is I the biessing of beiugturned away froin our iniqcities as we are re- | , minded of the great power of God in Jesns Christ to save from sin. Thnt is to 83v. the Sabbath blessing is the b!< ssing of sanctific ation. Can ai.y one truly keep the Sabbath « f our Lord Jesus Christ unless he is a oouvertecl person? He ;annot. It is only a converted pcrson who ean keop the Sabb.»tb. lecausetheSabbath is tbe blessing of conversion, the blessing of ret eeming power, the blessing of 5anct;ficution; and only that man can keep Ihe Sabbath of our Lord aml Saviour Jesus Christ. in whom creative j power is wionght. So that the : Subbath becomes to him a sign, a memorial of the great power of God workiug in hīm to turn him ! away frora 1 is iniqnities,—the I sign of the g-eat power of God ; working through Jesus Christ b)! save him from sin. Not only is I it stated that he rested on that ! day, and ble?sed that day, and ' made it a rest Iay for man, a time I for spiritual iefresbing, but it is ; said thut he hallowed the day; 1 vhat is he made that day boly. 1 The veiy thin;>; that made it Sab» ■ bat!i, hallowcvl it, roade it holy, And two or tl ree very farailiur 1 passages of Scriptures will sbow this pluiuly. Eefer again to tbe * experience of Moses at the buru- * , ing bush; when the Lord ' i called to him out of the bash, 1 j he said, ‘‘Dn w not nigh bither; ’ : put off thy fhoes from off thy * feet, for the p aee whereon thou standest is hoiy ground.” The I day before th it time the ground * around that b ish was not particularly holy ground. It is true, ‘ ! God is everyahere, and it is true in that gentril sence, that everyr thing is holy is belonging to the ' Lord; but tba particular portion | of tbe earth was no raere bo!y } ■ the dav belcre that oocorance II • * i than any othe: particular portion ; * but jast as sot u as Christ revealed * bimself ther>. —that plaee be- * eame holy, 1 ecause of his presl enee. So in the fifth cbapter, 3 when the Pnnee of the bart of ■ the Lord ap >eared to Joshua, 0 he said, “Ioose thy shoe from off 1 ; thy (oot; for the plaee whereon a ihon standes is hoIy.” Christ r ; bimself was il ere. The presence 8 | of Christ maee tbat groand holy. ■ so tbe coraraand to loose the shoe 8 i £rom off the foot, was becsuse it -1 was holy or hallowed ground. •, The Mount of Traosfigaration 0 ; was called h>>ly, because Ghrisl 3 \ in divinity wr s manifesied there. e | t It is none ;he !ess trne today .. that presence of Jesus Christ bas j mada holy a particuUr portion 8 1 of time, the Seventh day, tbe a >Sabbath. aad so tbe Scriptores 0 ya: “H tbca tarn away tfcy ft jfoot from the Sabbath, fn>m I doing thy p’easnre on my ho!y * | dAv.” Isa. oS13. It is uone J tbe Iess trua that man may gc s about as uul, may attend tc ia bis osoal avooatioua on six d*yt r- q| vreek, but wb«B h« wom

e I to that bonodary line whi. I marks off thetime that Chris: L aia-ie holy by his own presen « in it. if he knowingIy steps ovor that Hne, aod treats tbat tin» . as4 as he treats the other tim J \ he does it at the risk of his o»c i ■ Iife. It is trae that. becac e sentence against an evil work i ; not speedily execoted, therefor»-, j the heart of tbe sons of xn«-a s foily set to do eril.” But th;s i doea not !essea the force o( tbe i conc!osion. The Lord has ii-j dicated his mind in tbis mitter and be will “give every uaai ; according to his w*ys and a< - | cordingto the fra«t cf bisdoings.' | It is the presence of Christ :hat makes holy. So jast as tb ) j presence of Cfarist at Sinai mad» ; that monnt ho!y, jnst so Ih); presence of Christ in the inc.iv - j dcal makes him holy. ■ Sabbatb was designed as a eoe - stsnt reminder of the work el God throngh Christ in rede:nj - i tion. Witboat holioess no ma i | shall see the Lord. W'e are eom- • i msnded, “Be ye holy, £orJanl holy." But we canuot mak? ourselves holy. There is on) thing that always makes hol; . ; and th»t is the presence of Jesi5 i Christ. When Christ dwel.s ie our hearts by faith, we are maee holy by his presence, aud this s tle blessing of Sabbath-keepinj;. ; That is Christian experienc>> I that is the Cbristians life. Whee ■ CLrist dwells in the beari tv J { faitu, he by his presence m «kcs the believer boly. So then wheu i the chnrch exalts herself an5 ! se.)-s: She ean make, or even keep holy, a day,otber than th.J made holy by the presente ( I Jesus Christ; Is it not tio;o e heeel the injuuction: “Cont forth, my people, out of hcr, tb ye bave no fellowsbip witb h< i sins,and that ve receivenot o h> i plagues; for her sius liave rea>:hcc evfh unto heaven, nnd God ,ia«b reraembered her iniquities. .Ro • 18:4-5. God blessed the Seven1b i day and sanctified it;” i.e., fet ,t | apart to a ho!y uso. And ii. tl e Commacdment ifself, the fanfj faot is stated: “The Lord bles? ! ed the Sabbath day aml b«ll(>wct it;” i. e., appointed it to a bo ) use. The one statemeat aflirn t that “God blessed the Seveu 1 I I dny, an«l sanctified it;” the cth<>i 1 ■ that, “tbe Lord blessed tl ** 1 ; Snbbath dav-, and hallowed it ’ 1 : These two statemeuts refer totl tsame acts. God blessed tl t ' . Seventh da\-, and sauctifle«l ;t. * ; and tbis day thus blessed aie ’ i hallowed was his holy Sabl«at i > or rost day. Thus estublisiitg tbat both were oneaml the sim j r and that they were perpetml On the sixth day of the wee e Moses, ia the wilderness of si i :; said to Israel, “To-morrow is t. «• : rest of tbe holy Sabbath nn :t> ' tbe Lord.” Ei. 16;22-23. Wh»; had been done to the Seven l * j «lay since God blessed and san »j tified it as his rest day in par.. ' i dise? Notbing. What did Mos 1 do to the Seventh day to make i; } j the rest of the boly Sabbath un o the Lord? Notbing Mosos t n * the sixth day simply states tl o * fact that the morrow is the rest )f 0 ihe holy Sabbath unto tbe Lor l * , Tbo Seveath day had been 5Ut h 0 ever since God blessed and ha;a L)wed it by his presonce :n l, as his rest day, or day of ti? 0 r3st. | (Tobe eonlinueā.)