Let me ill.u.s.trate: our earth, something in the form of an orange, is whirling over every twenty-four hours. It measures three hundred and sixty degrees, or about twenty-one thousand six hundred miles round, in the manner you would pa.s.s a string round an orange. Now divide this three hundred and sixty degrees by the twenty-four hour day, and the result is fifteen degrees, or nine hundred miles. Then every fifteen degrees we travel or sail eastward, the sun rises and sets one hour earlier in the period of the twenty-four hours: therefore those who live in Palestine, one hundred and seven degrees east of us, begins and closes the day seven hours earlier, so in proportion all the way round the globe, the sun always stationary! Then the Sabbath begins precisely at 6 o"clock on Friday evening, every where on this globe, and ends at the same period on what we call Sat.u.r.day evening. G.o.d says "every thing on its day," "from even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath;" "the evening and the morning was the first day." He is an exact time keeper!
I say then, in the name of all that is holy, heavenly and true, and as immortality is above all price, let us see to it that we are found fearing G.o.d and keeping his COMMANDMENTS, for this, we are taught, "is the whole duty of man." The proof is positive that the seventh day Sabbath is included in the commandments.
[44]Bro. Marsh says, "Keeping the Sabbath is embraced in this covenant.
Deut. v: 1-6, made with the children of Israel at h.o.r.eb. It was not made with their Fathers (the Patriarchs) but with us, even us, who are all of US HERE ALIVE THIS DAY. v. 3. This testimony first _negative_, he made it not with our Fathers, and then _positive_ with _us_, is conclusive.
Not a single proof can be presented from either the old or new testament, that it was inst.i.tuted for any other people or nation." Now it is clear and positive that if the Sabbath is not binding on any other people than the Jews, by the same rule not one of the commandments is binding on any other people, who dare take such infidel ground? Was not the second covenant written on the hearts of the Gentile, even the law of Commandments? which Paul says "is Holy, just and good." Thirty years after the crucifixion he directs the Ephesians to the keeping the fifth commandment, that they may live long on the _earth_ not the land of Canaan. vi: 2, 3. Did not G.o.d say that Abraham kept his commandments, statutes, and laws? This embraced the Sabbath for circ.u.mcision, and the Sabbath were then the only laws, or statutes, or commandments written.
The fourth commandment was given two thousand years before Abraham was born! Is not the stranger and all within their gates included in the covenant to keep the Sabbath? See Exod. xx: 10. And did not G.o.d require them to keep THE Sabbath before he made this covenant with them in h.o.r.eb? See Exod. xvi: 27-30. Does not Isaiah say that G.o.d will bless the _man_, and the _son_ of _man_, and the _sons_ of the _stranger_, that keep THE Sabbath? These certainly mean the Gentiles. lvi: 2-3, 6-7.
Also, in the lviii. ch. 13, 14, the promise is to all that keep the Sabbath. To what people did _the_ Sabbath belong at the destruction of Jerusalem, nearly forty years after the crucifixion? Matt. xxiv: 20. The Gentiles certainly were embraced in the covenant by this time! Why was it Paul"s manner always to preach on the seventh day Sabbath to Jews and Gentiles?
By what authority do you call the seventh day Sabbath, the Jewish Sabbath? The bible says it is the Sabbath of the _Lord our G.o.d_! And Jesus said that he was the "Lord of the Sabbath day." He moreover told the Jews that the Sabbath was made for MAN! Where do you draw the distinguishing line, to show which is and which is not MAN between the _natural seed of Abraham_ and the Gentiles? "Is he the G.o.d of the Jews only? Is he not also of the [45]Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also!"
Then Paul says "there is no difference," and that "there is no respect of persons with G.o.d." Is it not clear, then, that the Sabbath was made for Adam and his posterity, the whole family of _man_? How very fearful you are that G.o.d"s people should keep the bible Sabbath! You say, "let us be cautious, lest we disinherit ourselves by seeking the inheritance under the wrong covenant." Your meaning is, not to seek to keep the Sabbath covenant, but the one made to Abraham. If you can tell us what precept there is in the Abrahamic covenant that we must now keep to be _saved_, that is not embraced in the one given at Mount Sinai, then we will endeavor to keep that too, with the Sabbath of the Lord our G.o.d. If the Sabbath, as you say, is abolished, why do you, JOSEPH MARSH, continue to call the first day of the week the Sabbath. See V. T., 15th July. If you profess to utter the VOICE OF TRUTH from the bible, do be consistent, and also willing that _other papers_, besides yours and the Advent Herald, should give the present truth to the flock of G.o.d. I say let it go with lightning speed, every way, as does the political news by the electric telegraph. If the whole law and the prophets hang on the commandments, and by keeping them we enter into life, how will you, or I, enter in if we do not "keep the commandments." See Exod. xvi: 28-30.
Jesus says, "therefore whosoever shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom," &c. "Fear G.o.d and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Amen!
In the x.x.xi. ch. of Exod., G.o.d says, "Wherefore the children of ISRAEL shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations for a _perpetual_ covenant; it is a _sign_ between me and the children of ISRAEL _forever_." 16, 17 v. _Who are the true Israelites?_ Answer, G.o.d"s people. Hear Paul: "Is he the G.o.d of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also; from uncirc.u.mcision through _faith_." Rom. iii: 29, 30. G.o.d gave his re-enacted commandment or covenant to the natural Jew in B. C. 1491.
They broke this covenant, as he told Moses they would, for which G.o.d partially destroyed and dispersed them; G.o.d then brought in a new covenant which continued the sign of the Sabbath, which was confirmed by Jesus and his Apostle about 1525 years from the first. See Heb. viii: 8, 10, 13; Rom. ii: 13. Their breaking the first covenant never could [46]destroy the commandments of G.o.d. Therefore this new, or second covenant, made with the house of ISRAEL, Heb. viii: 10 v. (not the natural Jew only,) is indelibly written upon the heart. Now every child takes the name of his parents. Let us see what the angel Gabriel says to Mary concerning her son: "The Lord G.o.d will give him the throne of David _his_ Father, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever." Luke i: 31, 33.
Now the prophecy: "There shall come a star out of _Jacob_ and a sceptre shall rise out of _Israel_." Num. Now 1735 years before Jesus was born, G.o.d changed Jacob"s name to _Israel_, because he prevailed with him.
This then is the family name for all who overcome, or prevail. G.o.d gave this name to his spiritual child, namely, _Israel_. Then Jesus will "reign over the house of _Israel_ forever." This must include all that are saved in the everlasting kingdom. Further, Joseph was the natural son of Jacob or _Israel_. In his prophetic view and dying testimony to his children, he says, Joseph is a fruitful bough, from _thence is the shepherd_ the stone of _Israel_. Gen. xlix: 22-34. Then this Shepherd (Jesus) is a descendant, and is of the house of _Israel_. Does he not say that he is the Shepherd of the Sheep,--what, of the Jews only? No, but also of the Gentile, "for the promise is not through the law (of ceremonies) but thro" the righteousness of _faith_." Rom. iv: 13. Micah says, "They shall smite the Judge of _Israel_, that IS to BE the RULER in ISRAEL. v: 1, 2. Now Jesus never was a _Judge_ nor _Ruler_ in _Israel_. This, then, is a prophecy in the future, that he will judge, and be the Ruler over the whole house of _Israel_. All the family, both natural Jew and Gentile, will a.s.sume the family name, the _whole Israel_ of G.o.d. The angel Gabriel"s message, then, is clear; David is the Father of Jesus, according to the flesh, and Jacob, or rather Israel his Father, and Jesus reigns over the house of Israel forever. Paul says, "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly." Rom. ii. "There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, (or Gentile) for they are not all _Israel_ which are of _Israel_, neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children."
Why? Because the children of the promise, of Isaac (is the true seed.) ix. and x. ch. To the Gallatinns he says, "Now to Abraham (the Grandfather of Israel) and his seed were the promises made; not to many, but as of one and to thy seed, which is CHRIST--then says, there is neither Jew nor Greek--but one in Christ Jesus, and if [47]ye be Christ then are ye Abraham"s seed and heirs according to the promise." iii.
"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the ISRAEL of G.o.d." vi. This, then, is the name of the whole family in heaven; Christ is G.o.d"s only Son and lawful heir; none but the true seed can be joint heirs with Christ in the covenant made with Abraham. Ezekiel"s prophecy in x.x.xvii. chapter, G.o.d says "he will bring up out of their _graves_ the WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL," "and I"ll put my spirit in you and ye shall _live_." 12-14. If G.o.d here means any other than the spiritual _Israel_, then Universalism is true--for the _whole_ house of natural Israel did not die in faith; if the wicked Jews are to be raised and live before G.o.d, then will _all_ the wicked! For G.o.d is no respecter of persons: "And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify _Israel_ when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forever more." 28 v. Here, then, we prove, that the dead and living saints are the whole _Israel_ of G.o.d, and the Covenant and Sign is binding on them into the gates of the holy city. Rev. xx: 14.
[48]RECAPITULATION
Page 3. _When was the Sabbath inst.i.tuted?_ Here we have endeavored to show when, and how it continued until its re-enactment on Mount Sinai.
Page 9. _Has the Sabbath been abolished since the seventh day of creation? If so, when, and where is the proof?_ Here we believe we have adduced incontestible proof from the scriptures; from the two separate codes of laws given, viz: the first on tables of stone, called by G.o.d prophets, Jesus, and his Apostle. 3. The commandments of G.o.d. 2d code, the Book of Moses, as written from the mouth of G.o.d, the book of ceremonies, combining ecclesiastical and civil law, which Paul shows was nailed to the cross with all _their Sabbaths_ as _carnal commandments_, because their feasts commenced and ended with a Sabbath. See Lev. xxiii.
Please read from 16th page onward, how Jesus and the Apostle make the distinction.
Page 27. _Was the seventh day Sabbath ever changed? If so, when, and for what reason?_ Here we find, by examining the proofs set forth by those who favor and insist upon the change, that there is not one pa.s.sage of scripture in the bible to sustain it, but to the contrary, that Jesus kept it and gave directions about it at the destruction of Jerusalem.
Paul also, and other Apostles taught how we were to keep the commandments.
Page 42. 4th, The History which is uncontroverted.
5th, The time when the Sabbath commences.
6th, Who are true Israel.