June 2, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
EGYPT’S HATRED TOWARDS THE SABBATH See Exodus 5: 4-14.
Long before the Ten Commandments were written on two tables of stone by the Creator’s own finger and given to Moses atop Mt. Sinai, the Sabbath day observance and worship was already a point controversy even while Israel was still slaves in Egypt— the first atheistic empire!
Moses and Aaron tried to teach the Israelites to observe the Sabbath day in Egypt. But resting on the Sabbath angered the pharaoh and he issued a DECREE that made Sabbath-keeping impossible in Egypt.
The TEST came on the Sabbath commandment, and Sabbath-keeping brought oppressive legislation and persecution.
Israel was “called out” of Egypt in the Exodus Movement (the type of the Advent Movement of the last days) to enable them to keep the Sabbath holy and obey all the rest of the Law. To Israel, even before they reached Mt Sinai, the Sabbath was already a TEST OF OBEDIENCE and SIGN OF ALLEGIANCE. See Exo. 16:4,22,23.
This happened A MONTH BEFORE the law was given at Sinai. THE SABBATH COMMANDMENT WAS PLACED AS THE LITERAL CENTER OF THE LAW.
In the original translation there are 146 words of the whole law on each side of the statement, ‘Seventh day is the Sabbath.’
The eminent Bible scholar Dr. Adam Clarke (not an SDA) said that the law was first spoken at Sinai in the Sabbath day and that PENTECOST was actually a MEMORIAL of that event!
Moreover, the Law Written on two tables of stone was placed in the CENTER of the ARK OF THE TESTIMONY, and this ark was placed in the CENTER of the most holy or ‘holy of holies’ in the SANCTUARY, which was located IN THE MIDST of the priestly tribe, the Levites, which was in the MIDDLE of the camp of Israel. Christ then placed Israel in the center (of attention) of the world! And how terribly they failed this high and holy calling and privilege!
To ancient Israel then (and spiritual Israel today) the Sabbath was a memorial of Creation and its observance was the CELEBRATION OF THE BIRTH OF THE WORLD. See Exo.29:8-11. It is part of the Everlasting Covenant and a SIGN (mark or seal) between the Creator and His faithful people from the very beginning to the ceaseless ages of eternity.
It was also the unmistakable SIGN and TOKEN that they had been delivered from the IDOLATRY and enslavement of Egypt and that they were worshipping the one and only true God, who was distinguished from all “the other gods” by His exclusive power to create! Exo. 20:20.
In the plan of redemption of the gospel, the Sabbath is also the sign of sanctification, holiness or redemption FROM the power of sin. Ezekiel 20:11,12; Isa. 66:2.
Any diligent Bible student can quickly see that the final test of spiritual Israel in the last days would be an IDOL SABBATH, right? God bless. NMF