Friday: Further Thought ~ Covenant Sign
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, pages 968-970, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7; “The Observance of the Sabbath,” pages 349-351, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6; “From the Red Sea to Sinai,” pages 295-297, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
The Ten Commandments define comprehensively and fundamentally the divine-human and human-human relationships.
Image @ Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
The commandment at the center of the Decalogue is the Sabbath commandment. It identifies the Lord of the Sabbath in a special way and indicates His sphere of authority and ownership. Note these two aspects: 1. the identity of the Deity: Yahweh (LORD), who is the Creator (Exodus 20:11, Exodus 31:17), and who thus holds a unique place; 2. the sphere of His ownership and authority — “the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them” (Exodus 20:11; compare Exodus 31:17). In these two aspects, the Sabbath commandment has the characteristics that are typical of seals of international, ancient Near-Eastern treaty documents. These seals are typically in the center of the treaty documents and also contain 1. the identity of deity (usually a pagan god) and 2. the sphere of ownership and authority (usually a limited geographical area).
“The sanctification of the Spirit signalizes the difference between those who have the seal of God and those who keep a spurious rest day.
When the test comes, it will be clearly shown what the mark of the beast is. It is the keeping of Sunday …
God has designated the seventh day as His Sabbath [Exodus 31:13, Exodus 31:17-16 quoted].
Thus the distinction is drawn between the loyal and the disloyal. Those who desire to have the seal of God in their foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.” — Ellen G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, pages 980, 981.
Discussion Questions:
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Summary:
The Sabbath is a covenant sign that reaches forward to the time when the plan of salvation will be consummated. It points back to Creation and, as a sign of the covenant of grace, it points us to the final re-creation, when God makes all things new.
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I have to warn that my illustration this morning is not an invitation to start a discussion on wedding rings.
Like most Australian married men, I wear a wedding ring. It is a sign to others that I am married. If I was to go to work or social activities without it, that would indicate that I was masquerading as an unmarried man. And, conversely, if I am wearing it and a woman gives me the "come hither" treatment (not that there is much chance of that now that I look a bit past it) I can respond by showing her my ring and reminding her that I am married.
The wedding ring is a sign that I have a covenant relationship with a woman. To be honest the wedding ring is about as useless as an extra pair of legs on a centipede if I do not have a loving relationship with my wife. The wearing of the wedding ring is not the thing that holds our marriage together, nor does it protect me from wandering after other women. The reality is in the loving relationship between husband and wife. The wedding ring is a public sign of the underlying relationship.
We have been discussing the Sabbath as a covenant sign this week. Like the wedding ring/marriage relationship, if we wear the Sabbath and do not have the underlying relationship with God, what is the value of the sign. I mentioned yesterday, God's view of signs when the relationship has soured. He is sick and tired of people waving signs, and longs for us to have the relationship with him.
The big take-away message from this week's lesson is that if we want to communicate the case for Sabbath-keeping to others we must have a strong relationship with God which is reflected in our love for one another. Then the sign becomes meaningful.
I am so glad that we have spent the week discovering the depths of meaning the Sabbath has in respect of our Covenant relationship with the LORD.
In addition, I note that today's study guide has introduced the fact that the sign of the covenant is also the seal in our foreheads and hands that identifies to whom we belong as opposed to the mark of the beast enforced by the Image of the Beast in the last days of earth's history.
We are told He has set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; Eph 4:30; Rev 7:1-3.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and those verses Shirley, I needed to read them today. Tammy
Sometimes we face challenges to prove our loyalty to God‘s holy Sabbath. A few years ago when I was still working full time, I enrolled for courses on tax law and corporate finance (in Germany) to attain higher qualification at work. We had 6hours evening lectures during the week and another 6 hours on Sabbath. I decided not to attend and worked on the manuscripts passed on to me on Sundays for two and a half years. When the final exams came, I knew I had missed out on 200 hours of lecture. Many partakes were assuring me I wouldn‘t pass, yet with diligent work, sincere prayer and divine support I made it. I must say, this experience had strengthened my faith and still does today.
Amina- Amen to that. There is the SAT, ACT, AP, CLEP, and many other exams offered on the sabbath. Many SDA do take them instead of going through the other route of waiting or traveling to do them on Sunday. We have to stand up for something or we will fall for everything.
'When the test comes, it will be clearly shown what the mark of the beast is. It is the keeping of Sunday …
God has designated the seventh day as His Sabbath [Exodus 31:13, Exodus 31:17-16 quoted].'
I am so glad the author clearly stated the mark of the beast is Sunday worship. During 2020 and the Covid19 disease many were saying if they receive the Covid19 vaccine, the vaccine signified the mark of the beast. Even some SDA who have been in the church for 'donkey' years were also joining in that notion. It was surprising, yet not surprising to hear many who walked among us saying those words. Even today, many did not take the vaccine because they still hold that view about the vaccine is connected to the mark of the beast. Satan is a master deceiver and many whose faith is not grounded in Christ now, will be swept away with any deception of men. Church goers on Saturday is different to sabbath keepers.
I agree this week was a great refreshing of our memories, and encouragement to stay the course. We want the seal of the Sabbath in our minds, this week gives us the fortitude to not only just desire it, but to choose to let Christ transform our hearts making our desire a reality. I choose life. Thank God He has allowed me to appropriate His Sons merits by putting my hand in Christ. Yes by confessing my sins. 1John 1:9.
Yes accepting the gift from Christ of repentence and pardon. Acts 5:31. Oh yes we must remember 1st believe in Jesus Christ. Acts 16:31.
Believing, have faith my friends, accepet God's grace. And God will live His life within us, we have the privilege of being His transparent medium. Choose life. Deuteronomy 30:19.
John- you stated 'we have the privilege of being His transparent medium'. Are we his transparent medium or is he our transparent medium? There is a difference between the two. To me, a transparent medium is the unseen being that comes between. Therefore we are not his transparent medium but he is our transparent medium. He is the unseen being that comes and lives in us as our guide, protected, provider etc, etc. When he dwells in us he gives us a new heart/mind. He speaks through us, therefore we speak his words and not ours.
Lyn, I believe John is using the phrase from the hymn "Live out Thy Life Within Me"(#316), the last line from the first verse: "I, the transparent medium Thy glory to display".
Lyn, I didn’t mean to confuse any one, by not quoting the complete phrase. I thought all would catch the partial phrase of the song; live out Thy life within me oh Jesus King of Kings. Yes the words Thy glory to display cleared up confusion. Thank-you lyn for pointing that out. And thank-you Robert for the solution to the problem I did not intent to raise.
Happy Sabbath
John
The National Sunday Law implementation will see many Adventist getting "caught with their pants down." Too many believe that putting aside secular activities and worshipping on the 7th day is all there is to Sabbath keeping...and "keeping Sabbath" to them has become a "get out of jail free card"
The 'pen of inspiration' wrote that "All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind and be making preparation to keep it according to the commandment. We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life.
"All who regard the Sabbath as a sign between them and God, showing that He is the God who sanctifies them, will represent the principles of His government. They will bring into daily practice the laws of His kingdom. Daily it will be their prayer that the sanctification of the Sabbath may rest upon them.
"Every day they will have the companionship of Christ and will exemplify the perfection of His character. Every day their light will shine forth to others in good works. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 353).
Arlette St. Ville on March 4 commented in this blog that "the real issue with the Jews was they thought observing the sacrificial ritual was more important than changing their hearts. The Jews wanted to give God sacrifices so they could "have God" and His blessings." Are we any different today?
Today there are alot of online prayer services and "Sabbath keeping" but where is justice and mercy in our congregations? Are we guilty of self-centredness, lack of concern for the brethren, a piety that's only seen in "empty words" on social media, with no true concern that spurs us into action?
Even today 'priests and Levites' are still crossing the road to the other side...
The big question now is; if keeping the Sabbath holy is more than about "the 7th day" is the mark of the beast more than just worshipping on Sunday? Something to think about.
If the aim of all Covenants between God and man is the sanctification of man, than His Sabbath is part and parcel of man’s sanctification.
If the aim of our sanctification is to live in Christ’s Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, than it is those living in this spiritual, invisible kingdom who gather together to worship the Creator on His ‘Day of Rest’.
‘The Observance of the Sabbath’- Ellen White: “Our heavenly Father desires through the observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace.”
I venture to say that if our Sabbath worship is expressed through the observance of mere ritualistic practices, we miss the mark of the Lord’s Sabbath. If we consider the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ to be the object of our personal worship, then the redeemed soul lifts up its praise to worship its Redeemer with an ever grateful heart.
The call goes out to all who believe to come out of Babylon! What is the sign of Babylon? Is it not the unregenerate heart and mind of man which keeps him in bondage to the ways of Babylon; man’s world void of the Light and Truth of God?
The believer lives his life according to the Faith of Christ – His Gospel message, His living testimony which sanctifies when lived by/in it - the Will of the Father!
We are all fellow believers who choose to live in the heavenly kingdom and worship the Father and Son by living our lives in His Spirit and Truth, so drawing the lost to live their lives by His heavenly light as well.
While we have been commanded to "Remember the Sabbath...", I find that the Sabbath is a weekly reminder for me of where I am, why I am here, that this is NOT home, and our stay is brief. It has made me wonder this week if the Sabbath day rest was a new thing at the creation of our world, given God's ability to see what would come. Why would unfallen worlds need a Sabbath? Whatever the answer, the Sabbath, rightly understood, will be for eternity.
To elaborate on "why I am here", we are given life here to make a simple choice for eternity(Acts 17:26-28), and will demonstrate that choice by how we live each day in this fallen society. Suddenly every action and even "idle words" become magnified in their importance, which will all be examined in the final judgment, unless we are found hid in Christ. In this context, His invitation to "come unto Me...and I will give you Rest" looks like an oasis in a barren land, and becomes our greatest desire, unless we are found in unbelief.