Another cla.s.s say they believe it is impossible to know which is the _seventh day_, although they have no difficulty in ascertaining which is the _first_.
Some are so bold even as to declare that _Sunday is the original seventh day_.
Others, with equal certainty, say that those who keep the seventh day are endeavoring to be _justified by the law_, and are _fallen from grace_.
Another cla.s.s, with more liberal views, say they believe that every one should be fully persuaded in his own mind, whether he keep this day, or that, or none at all.
Still again, as if having found the great desideratum or missing link in the argument, men credited with even more than ordinary intelligence, will sometimes declare that it is _impossible to keep the seventh day on a round and rolling earth_; and yet, strange to say, they find no difficulty in keeping _Sunday anywhere_, and believe that this day should be observed _the world over_!
Lastly, and more terrible and presumptuous than all the rest, some, like Herod of old in slaying all the children of Bethlehem in order to make sure of killing Christ, have gone so far as to teach that _all ten commandments have been abolished_, in order to avoid the duty enjoined in the _fourth_. But as in the case of Herod, G.o.d"s Anointed escaped the murderous blow of this wicked king, so in the judgment such will have to meet G.o.d over His broken law, and will find that the Sabbath precept stands there unchanged with the rest.
Said Christ, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt.
5:19.
16. What does the Lord say will become of this wall thus daubed with untempered mortar?
"Say unto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that _it shall fall_: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, _O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it_." Eze. 13:11.
17. When are these hailstones to fall?
"Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen _the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war_?" Job 38:22, 23.
18. Under which of the seven last plagues will this hail fall?
"And _the seventh angel_ poured out his vial into the air; ... and the cities of the nations fell: ... and every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men _a great hail_ out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent." Rev. 16:17-21.
19. In order to prepare His people for that terrible time, what does G.o.d expect His ministers to do?
"Ye have not _gone up into the gaps_, neither _made up the hedge_ for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Eze. 13:5.
20. Instead of trying to close up this breach made in G.o.d"s law [the loss of the Sabbath], and so make up the hedge, what have they done?
"They have seen vanity and lying divination, _saying, The Lord saith: and the Lord hath not sent them_: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word." Verse 6.
21. During these closing scenes, what message is G.o.d sending to the world to turn men from false worship to the worship of the true and living G.o.d?
"Fear G.o.d, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.... Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.... If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of G.o.d, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation." Rev. 14:7-10.
NOTE.-This is the last gospel message to be sent to the world before the Lord comes. Under it will be developed two cla.s.ses of people, one having the mark of the beast (the Papacy), and the other keeping the commandments of G.o.d, and having His seal, the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. See readings on pages 259, 446.
22. What, besides attending and taking part in religious services (Luke 4:16), did Christ do on the Sabbath day?
"Who _went about doing good_." Acts 10:38. See Matt. 8:14-17; 12:1-15; Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-6; Luke 6:1-11; 13:11-17; 14:1-6; John 5:1-18; 9:1-41.
NOTE.-When we come to study the life of Christ, we find that He did not make the Sabbath a day of idleness, nor even a day confined wholly to public and private worship, but one of active service in blessing others. On this day especially He went about doing good, ministering to the sick, and bringing relief to those long bound by Satan. Luke 13:15, 16; John 5:5, 6. And as He is our pattern in all things, we, too, like Him, should seek to make the Sabbath a day for helping and blessing others. To loose the bands of wickedness, undo the heavy burdens, deal bread to the hungry, clothe the naked, and let the oppressed go free, is the fast which G.o.d has chosen, and the Sabbath-keeping most acceptable to Him.
Isa. 58:1-12. In this kind of work and ministry there is room for a world-wide Sabbath reform.
Brother! up to the breach For G.o.d"s freedom and truth; Let us act as we teach, With the wisdom of age, and the vigor of youth.
Heed not their cannon-b.a.l.l.s; Ask not who stands or falls; Grasp the sword of the Lord, And-Forward!
PART X. CHRISTIAN LIBERTY
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Christ And The Tribute-Money. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar"s, and to G.o.d the things that are G.o.d"s." Mark 12:17.
The Author Of Liberty
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Peter Delivered From Prison. "I am the Lord thy G.o.d, which have brought thee ... out of the house of bondage." Ex. 20:2.
1. How is the bondage of Israel in Egypt described?
"And the children of Israel _sighed_ by reason of the bondage, and they _cried_, and their cry came up unto G.o.d by reason of the bondage." Ex.
2:23. Compare with James 5:1-4.
2. Who heard their groaning?
"_G.o.d_ heard their groaning, and G.o.d remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." Verse 24.
3. What did G.o.d say to Moses?
"Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt." Ex. 3:9, 10.
4. In giving Israel His law, how did G.o.d describe Himself?
"I am the Lord thy G.o.d, which have _brought thee out of_ the land of Egypt, out of _the house of bondage_." Ex. 20:2.