1913

July 15, 1913

Faithful Observance of the Sabbath

EGW 

Particular directions were given of God in regard to the manner of observing the Sabbath. All unnecessary work was strictly forbidden, and the day before the Sabbath was made a day of preparation, that everything might be in readiness for its sacred hours. “This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” ST July 15, 1913, par. 1

The Israelites were not in any case to do their own work on the Sabbath. The divine direction was, “Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.” In the busiest seasons of the year, when their fruits and grains were to be secured, they were to remember that their temporal blessings came from the bountiful hand of their Creator, and He could increase or diminish them according to their faithfulness or unfaithfulness in His service. ST July 15, 1913, par. 2

The Lord places a high estimate upon His Sabbath. Through His prophet He has promised: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor 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.” ST July 15, 1913, par. 3

With God there is no respect of persons. Those who fear Him and work righteousness are precious in His sight; but He requires His people to show their allegiance by strict obedience to all the precepts of the moral law, the Sabbath commandment with the rest. God is jealous of His honor, and let men beware how they remove one jot or tittle of that law that He spoke with His own voice and wrote with His own finger upon tables of stone, and that He has pronounced holy, just, and good. ST July 15, 1913, par. 4