Earlier text: GOD'S KEEPING POWERRESTORATION from BABYLON
By Alonzo Trevier Jones
BACKSLIDING TO CONFIRMED APOSTASY.
In the history of the restoration from the captivity to Babylon there is one notable thought that runs so like a thread through the whole, that until now it could not be considered in its full strength of meaning. That thought—that truth—is that after the first coming-out of Babylon, the real strength and hope of the cause of God lay in the other comings-out of Babylon, and not at all in any development or growth from within, of those who were out of Babylon and in the Lord’s land, and possessed there of the full light of His Word, His prophets, and all the opportunities and blessings of His true worship. The Course and Cause of Backsliding.
The first coming-out of Babylon was a glorious deliverance; a wonderful manifestation of God’s power and grace, both through the powers of the world and upon His people. The most perfect freedom in work and worship in the world, was theirs. Heaven and earth were united in their favor. But instead of being absolutely swallowed up in pure devotion out of gratitude for all this wondrous favor of God, they soon began to drift into formality and worldliness; they neglected the cause and work of God and thought of worldly gain; they so slighted the truth of God, so lost true love for it, that they neglected to instruct their own children; the children, therefore, easily swung into the ways of the heathen, into essential sympathy with the heathen, so that they could readily choose the heathen in marriage; and the parents were themselves so in essential sympathy with heathenism in principle, that they could readily assent to their children’s marriage with the heathen, not seeing “but that the children were about as well off in marrying the heathen as in marrying among their own people.” And this was true, because by the general neglect of the parents among their own people, the young of their own people had grown up so like the heathen that any vital difference was difficult to see. And yet in the presence of all this essential confusion, these people were willing to pride themselves on being “out of Babylon.” “We have the truth.” “God speaks to us by prophets.” And when down in Babylon devout souls, seeking the full truth, longing for light and freedom, and for deliverance from the confusion and darkness and corruption around them, really found deliverance and came “out of Babylon” indeed, glad even to know that God was really speaking by living prophets to His people who were out of Babylon,—when these dear souls came, all expectant, up to Jerusalem to the people of God, as to the very gate of heaven, they were so disappointed and pained at the low and loose condition of the people in worship, in morals, and in mixing with the world, that they were made ashamed and to blush to lift up their faces to God in view of the iniquities that had increased over their heads, and trespasses that were grown up unto the heavens. Nevertheless by this second coming-out of Babylon—that under Ezra—there was a great revival wrought, and the backslidden people were again separated from corruptness and worldliness, and joined once more to God. But soon the power of the revival was allowed to wane; again the people drifted into the former condition of worldliness, of money-getting, of neglect of the cause and work of God, and of marriage with the heathen. The Final Coming-out and Apostasy.
And still there were in Babylon devout souls, loving God, and longing to see His cause rise in its true dignity and power, and move prosperously in the world; souls longing for deliverance from the corruption of Babylon into the light and freedom and joy of God’s own land, among God’s people who were out of Babylon. Again there was a coming-out of Babylon, the third, under Nehemiah, unto Jerusalem. And again these were disappointed and grieved at the low and loose conditions of the people whom they thought to be out of Babylon; grieved at the neglect of the cause and work of God which those people professed; and grieved at the deplorable unity of heart and mixture of marriage between them and the open enemies of God and His cause and work in the world. Nevertheless, again as the consequence of these comings-out of Babylon, there was a great revival, and a cleansing, and a separating from the heathen, among the backslidden ones who professed to be “out of Babylon.” And still again, but now for the last time, the power and blessedness of the revival was allowed to wane, the people drifted into formalism, worldliness, love of money, neglect of the cause and work of God, and now—even worse than the confusion of marriages with the heathen—a confusion of relationships among themselves by the use and multiplying of divorce. The backsliding was now so great that there was a total separation of their own interests from the cause and work of God; so much so that if they did for the cause so little a thing as the shutting of the doors of the house of God, or the kindling of a fire on His altar, they considered that they ought to be paid for it; because that was “not their work,” but the work of those whose time was devoted to that and who consequently were paid for it. When they made offerings to the Lord, instead of making them from the first and the best, it was from what was left after they had consumed upon themselves the first and the best—from the refuse, that would be unfit to offer to their human governor. Yes, and even when the first and best was still in their possession unconsumed—instead of making offerings from that, they would actually pick out that which was inferior, and make that their offering to the Lord. And all this as a professed expression of their faith that God had given for their salvation and redemption His First and Best! But in truth it was the expression of their unbelief in God’s having made, or that He would make, any true offering at all; but only the refuse, if any. The Depth of Backsliding.
The backsliding was now such that the priests, the ministers and teachers to the people, “departed out of the way,” and actually caused the people to stumble at the very law that they were set to teach. They forgot the fear of God, and of course feared the people. Then they would not declare the clear and plain Word of God, for fear that the people would resent it and they would lose their place; for tho the office of priest was of God, as a consequence of such example the people, seeing that the priests had become political and were afraid of them, because themselves political and unruly, and would turn out of office even a priest who did not please them. Thus the priests did not keep the straight way of the truth, but practised partiality in the law of the Lord, and so made the Lord “contemptible and base before all the people.” The men dealt treacherously, committed abomination, and profaned the holiness of the Lord and the covenant of fatherhood, in dealing treacherously against the wife of their youth by divorcing her for another, and especially for a younger. “For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that He hateth putting away; for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts; therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” They were so far backslidden from God that they would keep the tithe, paying it not at all; thus robbing God. They were so far in the dark that they actually drew comparisons between themselves and the wicked, to the advantage of the wicked. And when in their darkness and discontent with God, because of their own perverseness, they concluded that the wicked were having a better time than themselves were, they declared, “It is vain to serve God;” and there is no profit in trying to do right and walking mournfully before the Lord; for while we are doing this and having a hard and cheerless time of it, the proud are happy, the wicked are prospered, and they that actually go so far as to tempt God, are even delivered. And with all this looseness of life, this darkness of spirit, this corruption of morals, they would go to meeting on the Sabbath, and go through the forms of worship, and pray, and weep; and they counted themselves very religious because of all this. But the Lord rebuked this with the rest of their iniquity; and declared that it was this formalism that was the cause of His rejecting their offerings: “This have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that He regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.” But amidst this dark and dismal mass there were still a few, a little flock, who feared the Lord. These “spake often one to another” of the goodness of the Lord, of the joy of serving Him, and the wealth of happiness found in the loving-kindness of the Lord. “And the Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth His own son that serveth Him.” Thus was it with the few; but as for the people themselves, the nation, they were gone. They had neglected the light and joy and blessing of the three messages of God calling out of Babylon; they had worn out the Lord’s good Spirit of reviving; they had confirmed themselves in backsliding. All that is left for the Lord to do is by His prophet to testify to the real condition of things and the end thereof; close up His revelation, cease to speak; and let them reap what they had so persistently sown—the rejection of God when He came in the person of His Son to offer Himself finally for them; and then appeal directly to the heathen to whom they had persistently allied themselves, and whose salvation they had so long hindered by so allying themselves to them. It was a wonderful thing to be delivered from Babylon, and brought to the freedom, and light, and joy, and blessing, of the Lord in His own chosen land. It was a wonderful thing to have God enlist in their favor all power of earth as well as of heaven. It was a wonderful thing that God should speak to them by living prophets. And it was a most deplorable thing that they should allow the love of the world and fellowship of the heathen to frustrate and make utterly vain, so far as they were concerned, this whole tide of heaven which had been made to flow upon earth. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” [“From Religious to Political!” is the title of the next article.] THE HEART'S BEST WISH.
By Daniel W. Sumner
O GIVE me the flowers that never fade,
And the fruits that never decay,
And let me bask in the bright sunlight
Of that never-ending day! O give me to drink of that living stream
Whose waters so peacefully flow!
O let me eat of the tree of life,
And never a sorrow know! O let me walk and let me talk
Where the theme of that talk is love!
And all that love shall be centered in
The King of that world above. But the bliss of that life we shall live above
Will be found in the words that He speaks in love;
As the years of eternity onward roll,
They will gladden the heart of the ransomed soul. —Edmore, Mich. DANIEL W. SUMNER. BLESSED THAT WE MAY BLESS.
God’s law of giving, which is the law of life, is expressed in these words to Abraham, “the father of all them that believe.” “I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.” Gen. 12:2. The Revised Version renders the last clause, “And be thou a blessing;” showing that man is not a mere passive agent in God’s hands, but an active co-operator. “Be thou a blessing” involves active duty rather than passive privilege. This was the lesson to Israel which so many failed to learn. Said the Lord to them, “Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine; and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” Ex. 19:5, 6. The duty of the priest is to teach the knowledge of God, to show forth His praises, to minister of His goodness. (See Lev. 10:11; Deut. 17:9, 10; Ezra 7:10; Mal. 2:7.) The Lord appointed priests for His people; but it was His design that His entire people should so thoroughly know Him that they might be His priests to all the nations of earth, teaching the nations the way of life. For this they were given “the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.” Rom. 9:4. These were given Israel in trust, not alone that Israel might be blessed, but alone that they might be blessed in the only way true blessing can come to humanity, namely, by making themselves a channel of God’s blessing to others. Their prayer was to be, “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; . . . that Thy way may be known upon earth, Thy saving health among all nations.” Ps. 67:1, 2. Read the rest of the psalm, and note that in the Revised Version and original it is “peoples,” plural and not singular, referring to different nations of earth. Their duty was to “declare His glory [goodness, character, truth,] among the nations [heathen]; His marvelous works among all the peoples.” “Let them say among the nations, The Lord reigneth.” 1 Chron. 16:24, 31. The New Testament is a larger echo of all this, because the early church was better prepared to do God’s work. Read 1 Peter 2:9, and compare with Ex. 19:5, 6. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” This was true of God’s people anciently. It is God’s way of blessing His people in all ages. It is not alone His purpose to bless His people generally, that His people generally may be a blessing; but to bless His people individually, that individually each may be a blessing. Esther came to the throne of Persia that she there might be a blessing. Hezekiah, upon the throne of Judah, was healed of his sickness (see Sabbath-school lesson), that he might be a blessing in telling to the heathen kings the glories of a living God, who bestowed life and health. And this is as true of the soul in the humblest place. We are never where we are by accident. It may not be God’s will; but even then, if we submit to Him, He will do the best that can be done with the circumstances we have made. Many souls are in fearfully perilous environments and greatly disagreeable surroundings. Some flee apace from this, others whine, and mourn, and rebel, and preach the gospel of selfishness instead of that of God. They are looking for human help, human sunshine, and in God’s goodness they are placed where they can not receive it. Why?—So that they may learn that the true source of life and blessing is in God, and may exercise the privilege of giving it to others who are around them, more needy of spiritual blessings than themselves. God gives blessings that we may bless. We are kindled by Jesus Christ, and constantly supplied by the oil of His grace, that individually we may be, as was John the Baptist, “a burning and a shining light.” We are to drink of the water that He gives, that individually it may, in us, be “a well of water springing up into everlasting life,” “a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” It does not deceive the weary traveler who seeks it for life. Its fountainhead is the throne of God. Only so may we retain God’s blessing. Only in so using shall we receive more. Otherwise the water of life will become stagnant, the bread of life moldy, the fruit designed to feed the needy will rot; opportunity will become occasion for stumbling, and the soul will die spiritually. To give of God’s blessing is to live; to withhold is to die. God thus sets before us life and death, blessing and cursing, and beseeches us to choose life. The Purpose of the Sabbath
The Purpose of the Sabbath.
GOD blessed and sanctified, or made holy, the seventh day because He had rested in it. Sanctifying the day was to set it apart, or appoint it, to a holy use. Appointing a day for a rest-day was to proclaim it, or to command that it be used, as a holy rest-day. God’s rest on that day was a spiritual rest, because He is spiritual; His rest was holy because He is holy. As “the Sabbath was made for man,” it was to man that the appointment was announced, to whom the commandment was given. God’s rest was in commemoration of the new creation; hence the commandment was in order that this memorial be perpetuated. There was a far-reaching reason for this. God knew the end from the beginning; He knew that man would be tempted, and would fall; that there would be a long conflict between righteousness and unrighteousness; that there would be strenuous and persistent effort on the part of the adversary to draw men away from the allegiance due to God. The observance of the weekly Sabbath was to be a continual help to him in maintaining his hold upon God. It would always be a reminder of the connection between the true God and the creation of the world. By the observance of the Sabbath day, this lesson would be especially emphasized every week. Just as long as man would remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, as God had kept it holy, he would be protected from idolatry. On the same day that Adam sinned, the Gospel was presented to him, and he accepted it. This is evident from the fact that he did not die on the day that he ate of the forbidden fruit, according to the sentence, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Like the Sabbath day the Gospel was given for man. Adam was not deceived by Satan (1 Tim. 2:14); the woman was deceived, and Adam ate because she did, he knowing just what he was doing. Therefore the offer of salvation would appeal to him as extraordinary leniency on the part of the Creator, and would be more readily accepted and the more highly appreciated. Christ maintained the principle that he who is forgiven most will love the most. Luke 7:41–43. The postponing of the sentence of death, and the granting of a new probation to Adam on his repentance, has its counterpart in the case of Nineveh. Jonah was sent to proclaim, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” But the people repented, and the execution was stayed. Obedience the Fruit of Faith.
Now that Adam had received the Gospel, he renewed his allegiance to God and obeyed His commandments. Naturally he became the teacher of his family, and the principal teacher of his race while he lived. His renewed allegiance implied renewed obedience, and the Sabbath would logically be the object of renewed obligation and of renewed delight. Adam became a teacher of “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Being the head of his race, he was a type of Christ (Rom. 5:14); therefore he kept the Sabbath day, of which Christ was Lord. Every true type of Christ must have kept the law of God, for that was the purpose of His coming to the earth (Ps. 40:7, 8); and no part of the law of God has been so specially emphasized as the command to keep holy the Sabbath day. It is therefore clear that Adam taught the keeping of the Sabbath day. His descendants through the line of Seth were the recognized people of God, down to the time of Noah; therefore they recognized God’s holy day in commemoration of His creative work—the one great indicator that points to the true God. “All the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens.” Ps. 96:5. According to the chronology of the Common Version of the Bible, the whole period of time from creation to the flood was covered by Adam, Lamech, and Noah. Adam and Methuselah spanned the time from creation to within one year of the flood. There is no doubt that the “patriarchs” in the line of Seth were recognized as the people of God in contradistinction to the descendants of Cain. In this patriarchal line we have Enoch especially mentioned as walking with God three hundred years (Gen. 5:22); so faithful was he that God translated him at the age of 365 years without his experiencing death. Whatever may have been the degree of faithfulness manifested in the lives of Methuselah and Lamech, Noah was found righteous before the Lord. Notwithstanding the fact that in Noah’s time there was a general apostasy on the part of God’s nominal people, this condition had been reached gradually, and the Lord had not been without representatives. There were all the time those who kept the commandments of God. Therefore they kept the Sabbath, and a neglect of the Sabbath obligation would be the very thing that would lead to apostasy. It would be a neglect of the memorial especially designed to keep men in touch with the true God—to keep Him in their mind, and therefore to retain a knowledge of Him and a reverence for Him. That the law of God was in force in the patriarchal age is evident from the facts that “death reigned from Adam to Moses” (Rom. 5:14); that “death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (verse 12), and that “sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). From the very beginning the law of God contained the command to keep the Sabbath day. Abel “obtained witness that he was righteous” (Heb. 11:4); Enoch had this testimony, that he “pleased God” (verse 5), and the Lord said to Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me in this generation.” Gen. 7:1. Now the psalmist tells us that all the commandments of God are righteousness (Ps. 119:172); therefore these men must have obeyed the commandments of God in order to gain His testimony to their righteousness. All these men had faith (so says the record in Hebrews 11), and this is how and why they kept the law of God; for “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” Without faith there can be no inclination to please Him by literal obedience. But the faith that pleases God is the “faith which worketh by love.” Gal. 5:6. As in the case of Abraham, it was by works that faith was made perfect. James 2:22. It was because of Enoch’s righteous “walk,”7 his obedient life, or life of faith, that God translated him. It was because of Noah’s righteousness, his obedience of the commandments of God, actuated by his spirit of faith, that he was commissioned to build the ark. It was not merely the faith manifested in the building, but the faith shown in his previous life, that caused him to be entrusted with so great a work. Gen. 6:7, 8, 17, 18. After the flood, evidently because of neglect of God’s memorial institution, men again drifted into idolatry. So God called out Abraham, and began the building of a new nation that would exercise the obedience of faith. God said of Abraham, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” Gen. 18:19. And after Abraham’s death the Lord testified of him, “Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” Ch. 26:5. This was the characteristic that distinguished the “friend of God” from those who served other gods. It always was true that, of all the institutions of God, the Sabbath day was the special sign of allegiance to Him. Ex. 31:13, 17; Eze. 20:12, 20. It was appointed for that special purpose; hence the commandment, and the blessing attached to its observance. In the great day of final awards I would rather stand in the place of Voltaire, Ingersoll, or Tom Paine, than in the place of those professed ministers of the Gospel who have stood in the sacred desk and cast discredit and doubt upon the Word of God. Those were open enemies in the field; these are traitors in the camp. Those drew their sustenance from the followers of the enemy while working for him; these draw their support from the church of Christ while working against it and against its Founder. The hungry soul expects through the doctor of divinity the bread of life and the water of life—and has a right to expect it; and such a professed servant of the Lord who feeds to such a soul a stone of unbelief or a serpent of doubt has assumed the most fearful responsibility that can possibly rest upon the shoulders of mortal man. It was of such that Christ said, “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” The consistent, open infidel will fare better in that day than he, who, in the garb of religion, has taught men to look upon the Word of God as a myth, an unreality, the work of human hands and minds. It is better to anchor to the Rock of Ages than to flounder and swamp and sink in the sea of doubt; better to believe the Word of Him for whose glory we were made, and then live and reign with Him eternally, than to fill a world with the philosophy of doubt, and then perish on the grave of our false theories. THIS WORLD WILL HAVE AN END.
By G.
Most people treat with indifference the idea of the world's coming to an end. This is not surprising, for it is a matter of prophecy. Indeed, it is one of the features of the last days. The nearer we approach the end, the greater the tendency to scoff at truthful allusion to the important event. The Word of prophecy tells us that “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3: 3, 4. But it is remarkable that on the occurrence of some great catastrophe through the disturbance of nature, or some unusual phenomenon in the heavens, the minds of the masses instinctively turn to the end of the world. It is especially noticeable that those who do not believe the promise of His coming are suddenly alarmed by anything which they do not readily understand in the line of catastrophe or unusual appearance. The “dark day” of May 19, 1780, suggested to many people the end of the world, and great fear came upon the masses as far as the wonderful occurrence was manifest. So with the extensive phenomenon of the falling stars, or meteoric shower, of Nov. 13, 1833. From all parts wherever the great display was visible, there came reports of the terror of the people because they thought the end of the world had come. Such, too, has invariably been the sentiment when great earthquakes have occurred. Notably when the great earthquake of 1755 shook all of Europe, destroying in the city of Lisbon alone, 60,000 people, there was the dread that the end of the world had come. It is also said that when the great earthquake and volcanic eruption took place on the island of St. Vincent in 1812, the inhabitants were terrified by the thought of the end of the world. On the appearance of the notable comet of 1857, scientists said it was coming directly toward the earth, and there were all kinds of speculations as to what would be the result of a possible collision. Many people, scientists as well as commoners, were fearful that it meant the end of all things earthly; and many others kept up a semblance of courage by laughing at the fears of the timid ones. An amusing incident occurred at Leavenworth, Kansas, at that time, which shows how many people will manifest a superstitious dread of that which they do not believe, or at least do not believe in a practical way. Leavenworth was then a new town, and for the most part the people were decidedly worldly. There were many steamboats plying on the Missouri River in those days, as travel westward was largely by river conveyance. One night, after most people were asleep, a steamer that had just been fitted with a new calliope (or steam organ) came up the river. Being the first one of that class of musical instruments that ever had been brought up that river, the people were not prepared for it. So when it suddenly poured forth its huge volume of music, that could be heard a distance of about three miles in a still night, it struck terror to many of the sleeping populace, who thought for the moment that the end of the world had come. It is a very common thing to hear people relate instances of sudden fright, and describing their feelings by the expression that they thought the end of the world had come. It is an exaggerated expression that has passed into a joke in common conversation; yet with all the professions of unbelief in such an event, at least as an event near at hand, it is a fact that there is an instinctive dread of such an occurrence in the minds of a large share of the world's population. What a pity that this dread can not more extensively be changed into intelligent belief, based on the Word of God. The Lord has promised to come again to take His people to Himself; and when He does come, even before His coming (which will be as a thief in the night to those who are unprepared), there will be an end of this world's probation. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3: 9. An intelligent faith in His Word will change the instinctive fear of His coming, and of the end, into a feeling of real joy. “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Verse 10. But the promise takes away from the believer all dread of this terrible time; for “we [believers], according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Verse 13. With such a promise, all true believers, “they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14: 12), will rejoice at the prospect, will be glad to know that the end is near. “Perfect love casteth out fear.” In the day when the unbelievers will be calling upon the rocks and mountains to hide them (Rev. 6: 16), the righteous will look up and say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Isa. 25: 9. G. The SIGNS has several times taken the position that before Jesus became man, He had already taken one step in His humiliation by leaving His position and form as God, and becoming as an angel. Was it possible for Him to sin while in this form of Michael, the Archangel? Mrs. B. D. The belief of the SIGNS is based, among other reasons, on the following: “Who [Christ Jesus], being originally in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” Phil. 2:6-8, R.V., margin. “When He [Christ] ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.” Eph. 4:8-10. When the eternal Son of God went down, He passed through every stage of intelligent existence till He reached the very depths of the curse caused by sin; but overcoming in all, He ascended, filling all things, meeting every vacancy made by sin in His own fulness. God in His love remained on the throne of the universe that the universe might be preserved despite of sin. God in His love stepped down from that throne to meet all needs that sin had caused or might cause, and be an eternal example of perfection through the service of faith. Heb. 5:5, 8, 9. Therefore in the beginning He gave Himself in purpose utterly. The various steps downward afterward were but the fulfilment of the purpose. When, therefore, He became an angel, the Angel of Jehovah, the Archangel, chief of all the angels, it was because He was first in service, even as He became the first Man because He was greatest in service. Angels are God’s ministers, His servants that do His pleasure. Heb. 1:14; Ps. 103:20, 21. As Servant of God His service is what the service of all God’s servants should be, willing, of His own volition. He could then have refused to obey, just as He could have done when He became man. It was impossible only as sin will ever be impossible. He did not have it in His heart to disobey. “Look you, what I will not that I can not do.” Just there man must come through Christ. There all the redeemed will be, and therefore “affliction shall not rise up the second time;” for “there shall be no more falling away.” Nahum 1:9; Rev. 22:3, Etheridge’s Syriac translation. 1247.—Proof for Sabbath-keeping.
Where is the proof from the Bible that a person must keep the seventh-day Sabbath, or any other day for that matter, in the face of Rom. 14:5? for according to this a man that keeps the Sabbath is not any more right in the sight of Christ than one that works all the time and keeps no day whatever; for “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.” Gal. 4:10, 11. G. T. 1. Proof for observing the Sabbath of the Lord is found in God’s immutable law, in man’s deplorable need, and in the perfect example of Jesus Christ. What more does the loyal child of God need? See articles now running in this paper on the Sabbath. 2. Rom. 14:5 says absolutely nothing as to what day is right or wrong, or what man is right or wrong. It does teach that each man should know of himself what is right; and the reason is given in the same chapter: “For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;” “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Verses 10, 12. The whole teaching of the chapter is that we are not the judge of our brother; that despite any judgment of ours God is able to make him stand, and that we must look to ourselves and our personal relations to God. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Faith pertains to God’s Word. Rom. 10:17. Surely that Word gives sufficient foundation for Sabbath-keeping. Rest it in the Word, not on some man’s say-so. 3. Gal. 4:10, 11 has no reference to the Sabbath of the Lord, or any of God’s appointments. Read the context. Notice (a) The Galatians had been idolaters. Verse 8. (b) The idolatrous nations observed times, such as the first day in honor of the sun, Easter, the Saturnalia, and many others forbidden of God. Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10, 14; 2 Kings 21:6; Ex. 32:5, 6. There is no doubt that the “times” of Manasseh were in honor of the sun-god; for he was a sun-worshiper. The horses he stalled in the temples were especially devoted to the sun. So the feast-day proposed by Aaron was a festival to the sun-god of Egypt, represented by the calf. (c) The Galatians in their backsliding had gone back to the old idolatrous days and times and moons and years. Gal. 4:9, 10. No wonder that the apostle was afraid of them. Gal. 4:10, 11 has nothing whatever to do with God’s requirements. Who named the days? and are they correct names according to the Bible? What is the right name for the first day? How will it be with those who are misled by preachers and believe they are right? P. L. H. 1. The present names of the days are of heathen origin, and come from various heathen sources. Sunday comes from the sun; the day was dedicated to its worship. Monday comes from the moon. Tuesday comes from the Norse god Tyr; Wednesday comes from the Norse god Woden; Thursday from the god Thor; Friday from the goddess Frigga; Saturday from Saturn. These names are wholly unscriptural, and are not even mentioned in Scripture. 2. The true names of the days, the Bible names, are the First Day, the Second Day, etc. to the Sabbath, or Seventh Day. The old Hebrew numbering is the First Day to the Sabbath, Second Day to the Sabbath, Third Day to the Sabbath, Fourth Day to the Sabbath, Fifth Day to the Sabbath, Sixth Day to the Sabbath (or Sabbath Eve, or Preparation Day), Sabbath. So every day by its name called attention to the holy day commanded of God. 3. Those who are misled, desiring with all the heart to know God’s will and to do that and that alone, will we believe be saved of God. He will not deny the soul that seeks only harmony with Him. There are some who do not wish to study, who long for an easier way, who are willing that some one else shall point out an easier way. We must not lay it all to the preachers. God knows just how to do justice to each and all. To us Jesus says, “Follow Me.”