Rejoice in God's Sabbath!
You need to know HOW to keep the Sabbath as God
intended! Here are the ANSWERS to vital questions about the
Sabbath that many of you have recently asked.
YOU MAY be missing out on some of the greatest
blessings of life through IGNORANCE!
In this chaotic, hell-bent age in which we live, man
NEEDS a right understanding of the laws of PEACE and JOY
that Almighty God has set in motion. Many lack the
enthusiasm -- the zest for life -- that would make their
lives really full and complete. "Every day is the same old
thing!" you hear so many people say.
But God has given us one blessing which doesn't make
every day alike, which -- when rightly used -- will make our
lives more JOYFUL and ABUNDANT, and give us a ZEST for life
we otherwise lack. This is the Sabbath day.
Once you fully understand and appreciate the BLESSINGS
and OPPORTUNITIES afforded by this day, you will literally
REJOICE in keeping it. Far too many converted people look
on the Sabbath as a day when they "can't" do this or that.
But IF you really WANT to draw closer to God and do His
will, then begin to look on the Sabbath as the day when you
CAN take time for needed prayer, study, meditation,
spiritual fellowship and rest. When viewed in this light
the Sabbath is a TREMENDOUS BLESSING!
Sabbath Made to Serve Man
Christ said, "The sabbath was made FOR MAN, and not man
for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27). He didn't say it was made for
the Jew, but for MAN -- for ALL MANKIND in other words. And
it was made FOR him a blessing.
KEEP this principle in mind. It was made FOR YOU, to
help YOU, to enable YOU to live a happier and more godly
life.
God's true Sabbath is one of the greatest blessings
that has ever been bestowed upon mankind. It SIGNIFIES that
the Creator is our God and we are His children. Our
Creator knew that we would need a period of rest every
seventh day, and this is one of many opportunities the
Sabbath affords. Each of us tends to become overly absorbed
in our daily cares during the week, but God foresaw this,
and set aside the Sabbath as a time when we can completely
forget our routine work and GET CLOSER TO GOD in STUDY,
MEDITATION, and PRAYER.
The wonderful part of it all is that we can keep this
period of rest and spiritual revival with complete
confidence that God will BLESS and PROSPER us because we
have done this! If we would quit working every few days and
take a needed rest, we might naturally expect to get behind
in our finances and material pursuits. BUT God has said
just the opposite! So if we keep His Holy Day, we can rest
assured that it will be GAIN instead of loss, even looking
at it materially.
Do you realize what this amounts to? God is GIVING us
a PAID VACATION every seventh day!
Human reasoning might not grasp this right at first.
But God has PROMISED this, and the EXPERIENCES of hundreds
of people have shown that God meant what he said. You may
not be prospered IMMEDIATELY if you begin keeping God's
commandments and paying your tithe faithfully as He has
commanded. But in His way and time, God will begin to bless
and prosper you in ways that you may never have expected.
In Isaiah 58:13-14, God inspired Isaiah to write that
IF we kept the Sabbath and delighted in it, we would
remember Him and He would cause us to have life in
abundance, spiritually and materially. Notice that we are
not to SEEK OUR OWN PLEASURE on the Sabbath. YET, we are to
DELIGHT in it. This means that we should be SO BUSY doing
good to others, and getting closer to God in prayer and
study, that we will not even desire to seek any earthly
amusements. We will be HAPPY because we are able to rest,
to worship God with peace of mind, and because we have a
special time to do good.
This same passage says we are NOT TO SPEAK OUR OWN
WORDS on the Sabbath. What does this mean? It shows that
we should not spend the Sabbath in idle talk, but should be
reading, discussing and meditating upon God's word. Then we
will be drinking in the ideas of God instead of mere human
notions. What a privilege it is to have a whole day in
which we can read and discuss the WAY OF LIFE that is
revealed to us in the Bible!
In order that we may have our minds free from last
minute duties on the Sabbath, God has commanded that we
prepare for it the day before. Exodus 16:22-25 shows that
we should do any baking or time-consuming boiling before the
Sabbath. Long hours of cooking and stewing should NEVER
clutter up God's day.
So do all your "sprucing up" and any heavy cooking on
Friday, the preparation day. Then at sunset Friday evening,
when the Sabbath begins, you will have put all worldly cares
aside and will be able to enter the Sabbath in a spirit of
rejoicing and worship toward God.
Duties on Sabbath
Your time should never "drag" on God's Sabbath! Some
people experience this when they first begin to keep the
sabbath, but it certainly isn't the way God intended. When
we understand it properly, the Sabbath will be filled with
INTEREST and JOY.
The true Sabbath is NOT a NEGATIVE thing!
Christ set us an example of how to keep it. In Mark
2:23 to 3:5, Jesus showed that it was all right to procure
food on the sabbath IF it is necessary. He told the
Pharisees that He was Lord of the Sabbath -- not Sunday!
Then Christ healed an infirm man on the Sabbath, and showed
that it is lawful to DO GOOD on that day.
What KIND of GOOD should we do on the Sabbath day?
God commanded in Exodus 20:10, that we should NOT WORK
on the Sabbath. So the kind of good that we do on that day
is not the kind of hard physical labor which we might do on
other days. "Doing good" is not to be used as an EXCUSE for
performing those material duties, however helpful to others,
which can just as well be done some other day. There is one
exception to this prohibition. That is in the case of an
"ox in the ditch" (Luke 14:5). This refers to a GENUINE
EMERGENCY, not some material duty you "put off" until the
Sabbath.
The principal example of doing good on the sabbath that
Christ gave us was that of healing the sick or infirm THAT
CAME TO HIM (Matt. 12:9-13). He did NOT go abroad seeking
them. Also, we find that He was constantly meeting with
others and teaching them God's ways on this day.
We can all use the Sabbath as a time to comfort and
minister to those who are sick and infirm on this day. But
this does not mean that we should burden ourselves with
purely material services. Jesus didn't when he helped the
sick according to their faith. Remember what he told
Martha: "Thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good
part, which shall not be taken away from her" (Luke
10:41,42). We should especially try to help those who are
interested in the true teachings of the Bible, because in
this way we can minister to them both spiritually and
physically.
A Wonderful Opportunity
STUDY the word of God (II Tim. 2:15)! This should
usually be your first duty on the Sabbath. THEN you will be
READY to answer the questions of those you are trying to
help (I Peter 3:15).
Many of you brethren desperately NEED to spend MUCH
MORE TIME in earnest, prayerful Bible study. And most of
you WANT to do it, but say that you just don't find the
time."
Well, learn to TAKE time on the Sabbath. In this day
you have a wonderful opportunity to study INTENSIVELY, to
PRAY and not feel "rushed" or that you ought to be doing
something else. USE this opportunity! Be THANKFUL for it!
The Sabbath is the day when you CAN and SHOULD study
the Bible, study the Correspondence Course, and review the
back issues of The PLAIN TRUTH and the GOOD NEWS. On this
day you can discuss points of truth and Christian living
with your wife or husband, and you can have a Bible study
session with your CHILDREN.
Yes, the Sabbath is the day on which you CAN do all
these things that most of you WANT and NEED to do anyway --
but SIMPLY CAN'T FIND ENOUGH TIME FOR DURING THE WEEK!
Remember that the principal command is to REST from our
usual routine on the Sabbath, and to WORSHIP God and
remember him as Creator. The Bible reveals that "doing
good" on the Sabbath is serving others in a way that shows
the POWER OF GOD in our lives. Christ didn't LABOR for
several hours to heal the sick on the Sabbath. Instead, He
invoked the very power of the Creator to release others from
the bonds of sickness. So we should NOT spend most of the
Sabbath caring for the physical needs of other people. By
drawing closer to God on this day, we will then be able to
help others in a LASTING way through the power of God's
Spirit.
"Sewing for charity" and other physical services may be
worthy at the proper time, but such routine labor should not
fill up God's Sabbath day.
Physical things will "perish with the using. So use
the Sabbath primarily to learn GOD'S WAYS and make them a
part of your CHARACTER -- and help others to do the same.
The Spirit of God in you will last FOREVER!
REJOICE in the Sabbath as a wonderful OPPORTUNITY for
the physical REST, and or the STUDY, PRAYER and spiritual
FELLOWSHIP you need!
A Commanded Assembly
In Luke 4:16, we find that Christ customarily met with
others on the Sabbath and read from God's word. Lev. 23:1-3
tells us that the Sabbath is to be a HOLY CONVOCATION for
God's people. A convocation is a COMMANDED ASSEMBLY. God
commands you to convoke or meet with other TRUE believers
WHENEVER THIS IS POSSIBLE on the Sabbath.
However, this does NOT mean that you are to meet on
that day or any other day with those who are blinded to
God's truth and refuse to keep ALL His commandments. Paul
commanded Christians in II Cor. 6:14, "Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HATH
RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH UNRIGHTEOUSNESS and what communion hath
light with darkness?
Christian fellowship should be with other people ONLY
through God and his Spirit. God gives the Holy Spirit to
them that OBEY Him (Acts 5:32). So remember that you CANNOT
have true fellowship through Satan, or his ministers, or his
churches who refuse to obey God's commandments.
When it was impossible to meet with others in a church
on the Sabbath day, the apostle Paul and his helpers "went
out of the city by a river side where PRAYER was wont to be
made (Acts 16:13). This is an admirable example for many of
us, because petting closer to the natural handiwork of the
Creator brings one closer to God. The hand of God is seen
in everything good and beautiful. Notice that instead of
going to the river to fish, as so many do on the "day of the
Sun," Paul went to a river to help others seek God in
prayer.
How to Be a Light to the World
Christ told his followers, "Ye are the LIGHT of the
world" (Matt. 5:14). How much the world needs people who
will fearlessly show it the way out of this spiritual
darkness!
BUT can you be a "light" to other people while
continuing in the same man-made doctrines and practices they
do?
NO you can't! You must live by God's word to show
forth the true light that will eventually turn people from
darkness. You must be DIFFERENT from other people by
obeying God -- by having his SIGN. Most people won't like
you for doing this. Christ said in John 3:19. "And this is
the condemnation that LIGHT is come into the world, and MEN
LOVED DARKNESS rather than light, because their deeds were
evil." Men were so STEEPED in their own customs, then as
now, that the true light of the gospel offended them.
So you can see that real Christianity is not the way to
be popular with men!
But doesn't this show what an important "light" your
keeping of the Sabbath can be to others? It is a SIGN that
sets you apart from those following the broad way that leads
to destruction.
Your Special Problems?
It is easy to use the latitude and privileges of the
Sabbath as a means to ABUSE it. You should NOT be overly
strict or self-righteous like the Pharisees. On the other
hand, humans are usually inclined to "stretch" the freedom
God gives us and begin doing our own work or pleasure on the
Sabbath.
Taking a walk on the Sabbath is fine so long as it
doesn't turn into a "hike. Some people ask about the
mention of "a sabbath day's journey" in Acts 1:12. There is
no special command ANYWHERE in the Bible limiting travel on
the Sabbath. This "sabbath day's journey" was a custom of
the Jews and is not a biblical command. However, you
certainly shouldn't walk or drive so far on the Sabbath as
to tire yourself unduly or to interfere with your worship of
God.
After sitting in church or studying for some time, a
leisurely walk is very refreshing and beneficial. Also, a
lengthy drive is sometimes necessary to enable you to meet
with other true worshippers on the Sabbath. Within reason,
this is not wrong. It serves to strengthen you spiritually
and therefore glorifies God.
Here is another problem. Should you kindle a fire on
the Sabbath day?
The command in Exodus 35:3 was inserted in connection
with instructions regarding work on the tabernacle. It was
chiefly intended to forbid the kindling of a fire to melt
metals or sharpen tools. However, it certainly can refer to
unnecessary work done in preparing food which could be
prepared on the day before.
So it would NOT be breaking the spirit of the law to
light a fire for heat in wintry weather or to warm up a
previously prepared food.
Feeding and watering stock is necessary on the Sabbath
and permissible (Luke 13:15). BUT if you are raising so
many cattle or chickens that your "chores" add up to three
or four hours hard work, then you had better cut down on the
number of your livestock or else change occupations. Our
age of "specialization," when a few farmers become virtual
slaves to provide food for hundreds of city dwellers, is NOT
God's way.
No man should be "tied down" to his occupation as so
many are today.
DON'T try to justify breaking the Sabbath by saying
that "your occupation requires it"! Remember that this
worldly competitive system is called "Babylon" in the Bible
and you are commanded to "come out of her" (Rev. 18:1-4).
How to Instruct Children
God inspired Solomon to write "train up a child in the
way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from
it" (Pro. 22:6). This command would certainly apply to
teaching your child to keep the Sabbath. However, you
should remember that even sweet little children are by no
means converted. They are basically selfish, and usually
lack the understanding and will power to keep God's law as
an adult.
BUT they should be taught to rest from their routine
work or play on the Sabbath as much as possible. They
should be instructed in a kindly and straight-forward manner
that the seventh day is holy to their Heavenly Father, and
that they can show their love for Him by refraining from
their usual play on that day and by thinking and learning
about God, instead.
Your children should be taught these things gradually
and only as their age makes it possible for them to
understand. If trained properly from infancy, a ten or
twelve year old child should have enough respect for God's
Sabbath that he does not spend his time reading "funny
books" or listening to radio serials on that day.
Love and chastening must go hand in hand in this
training. But a child so trained in God's ways would have a
priceless advantage in his knowledge of life and its real
meaning in relation to the Creator.
It Is HOLY Time
In Exodus 20:8, we find the original command, "Remember
the sabbath day TO KEEP IT HOLY." Never forget that God has
made the seventh day HOLY TIME! You and I are commanded to
KEEP it that way.
We have already found in God's word that we are not to
do our own work, pleasure, think our own thoughts, or speak
our own words on God's Sabbath day. To keep the Sabbath day
HOLY:
You cant spend a lot of time in worldly visiting or
"shooting the breeze," or even courting your girl.
You can't be running down town for a cup of coffee or
an ice-cream soda. That kind of procuring food is ENTIRELY
UNNECESSARY.
You can't spend several hours listening to worthless
radio programs or reading the "funnies."
You can't wait until after sunset on Friday evening to
begin your cleaning up and preparing for the Sabbath,
unless, of course, a GENUINE emergency has interfered.
I could go on, but I think you should get the point and
grasp the principle involved.
Let's NOT "kid" ourselves!
When God said to put the Sabbath day to a HOLY use, He
means EXACTLY what He said. But we should learn to be so
happily employed in doing the good things prescribed for
that day, that we will have no time or inclination to
violate the prohibitions anyway.
So let's keep the Sabbath in a POSITIVE way! Use the
Sabbath as a day to rest from worldly labor, to get closer
to God in PRAYER and STUDY. Take time to DO GOOD to others,
to care for the sick, to visit the afflicted. Assemble with
other TRUE BELIEVERS on the Sabbath if this is possible.
Then you will truly be a "light" to those around you.
The Sabbath SEPARATES true Christians from this world's
churches with their pagan holidays and "day of the sun."
And it gives the true children of the Living God an
opportunity for REST, STUDY, PRAYER and WORSHIP -- for
DIRECT and SUSTAINED contact with their Creator which they
would otherwise not enjoy.
So KEEP HOLY the day God MADE holy! REJOICE in the
BLESSINGS and OPPORTUNITIES that the Sabbath affords, and
remember that it is a identifying SIGN of DIRECT
RELATIONSHIP between you and your Creator.
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