ABRAHAM AND THE SABBATH.
By T. B. Snow
THE Sabbath was given as a sign between God and Israel, “that ye [Israel] may know that I am the Lord.” Ex. 31:13. Those who keep the Sabbath according to the commandment, for the purpose of keeping in memory the creation and the Creator, will “know” Him. Had the true Sabbath been properly kept from the beginning, there would have been neither atheists nor infidels, for all would have known Him. The Sabbath being the “sign” given to keep the people in memory of the true God, it follows that when the observance of the “sign” was neglected, they ceased to “know” Him. The heathen who know not God, do not keep the Sabbath. No one can possibly keep the Sabbath if he does not know God; for true Sabbath-keeping is the sign that they do know Him. God calls the Sabbath His “holy day.” Isa. 58:13. Jesus says that He “is Lord . . . of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:28. Jesus “is Lord . . . of the Sabbath,” and it is His “holy day,” because it was He who made the Sabbath for man by resting on that day from all His works (Gen. 2:1-3), and commanding man to follow His example (Ex. 20:8-11). The Jews kept the right day—the seventh day of the week—but they did not keep it in the right way. In consequence of their rejecting God as their King, and choosing a man instead, they soon lost sight of the Sabbath, forgot the true God, and went after false gods. To them the Sabbath soon lost its true significance, and was buried beneath the rubbish of formalism and unscriptural ideas. They would not allow proper attention to be given to the sick on the Sabbath, and accused the disciples of doing that which was not lawful, because they shelled the grain from the heads to eat on that day. They even sought to slay Jesus because He had healed a man on the Sabbath day, who had been afflicted for many years. John 5:5-16. In John 7:22, 23, the same subject is under consideration, and Jesus defends His position in regard to healing on the Sabbath. There were some present who knew about the Sabbath discussion recorded in the fifth chapter of John. See, also, John 7:25. Jesus declared that they knew Him, and whence He came, referring, of course, to their human knowledge of Him as a man among them. But referring to their knowledge of God, in verse 28, He said they did not know Him. In John 8:1, we learn that He was still at, or near, Jerusalem. He was still talking to the same people as in the scriptures above referred to. He again tells them (John 8:19) that they neither know Him nor His Father; and, in verse 39, He even denies their being Abraham’s children, giving, as the reason, that they did not do the works of Abraham. Abraham kept God’s commandments. Gen. 26:5. Then in John 8:55, He says, “Ye have not known Him; but I know Him; . . . but I know Him, and keep His saying.” What saying of God was it that tells us how we may know Him?—The Sabbath is a sign that ye may know Him. Hence the fourth commandment is the “saying” He referred to. Abraham did not hide his eyes from the Sabbath. He kept it. God Himself says of Abraham: “Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Gen. 26:5. All who keep the commandments of God as Abraham kept them, will know God as Abraham knew Him, and share in the blessing which God pronounced upon him. “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.” Isa. 56:2.