Sabbath… unique and on a level all it’s own - It is foundational to remember at the outset of this discussion that the doctrinal beliefs of the Church of God(Seventh Day) clearly state that our celebration, even of Sabbath, is NEVER suggested as the means of our salvation. Our 6^th doctrinal statement states that salvation is based upon the merits of Christ [1]. Therefore, we believe and teach that we are saved by God’s grace AND that we are created unto good works (Eph 2:8,9)… including God’s gift of the seventh day “Sabbath” from creation.

    We also believe that the seventh day Sabbath still exists in time and space and it is something we must consider as relevant in God’s plan for mankind as long as the earth turns on its axis in this present age. In fact, the prophet Isaiah 66:23 teaches us the relevance of this day even into the New Heaven and New Earth and the reference in its solar context is clear by reference to the monthly cycles of the New Moon as well.

     The seventh day Sabbath is a unique and peculiar CREATION that I will address briefly but clearly so as to remove ANY doubt as to my own dedication to God’s revelation in His written word of the seventh day Sabbath. I will begin with a brief reflection on the biblical seventh day Sabbath for it serves as the clear precedent in the appropriation of a solar day to the memorial of a specific event with eternal significance as well.

     The observance of the seventh day Sabbath is clearly not the essential basis of our stand before God that is by faith in Christ alone but it is relevant and even essential to us organizationally. It is the reason that I am a member of this church organization and not another one. I want to work with those who conscientiously see in Sabbath the rest that we have in Christ alone as well. The seventh day Sabbath is NOT a primary issue in this study because it is unique in God’s creative plan but it must be addressed to some extent in order to avoid ANY attempt to link it to this presentation. What is at issue here are the days OTHER than the Sabbath that some might attempt to elevate to that unique level.

     I truly intend and aspire to worshipping my God EVERY moment of every day but most specifically dedicating myself to considering His work in eternity on the special day he created just for that purpose… weekly. We should aspire to be the Church of God (Seven Days). The Seventh Day was and is set apart at creation and God’s word clarifies that he actually set it apart by HIS own rest after the physical work of creation ceased;

¹Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. ²And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. ³Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Gen. 2:-3(NKJV)

     I want to suggest in this section that the seventh day “Sabbath” of creation is unique when compared to the dedication of any other solar day to the glory of God by God’s own design. To be biblically accurate it was the seventh solar day [Strong’s H3117  יוֹם, yôm, yome] that was set apart at creation before it was even called “Sabbath” later in Exodus 16:23 and forward in the Hebrew text. The title “Sabbath” is NOT in the text of the entire book of Genesis but the ‘blessed” and “sanctified” Seventh day is a fact in time and space. However, the fact that the dedicated Seventh day was later revealed to the nation of Israel as a specific day in the week in Exodus as God’s Sabbath is important as to its uniqueness apart from the Law of Moses.  It wasn’t just any day but a specific day from creation. It was a day, a reality, that the LORD YHWH revealed to them. A. W. Pink in his book “The Christian Sabbath” deals with the issue of the use of the word Sabbath very well;

“Lest any should wish to cavil because the word “Sabbath” is not found in Gen. 2:2, 3, we call attention to the fact that in Ex. 20:11 Jehovah Himself expressly terms that first “seventh day” the “Sabbath day”: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” [2]

     Therefore, if we believe the Decalogue to have been written with the very finger of God, then we must consider that this seventh day was set apart at creation and was Sabbath from creation and later revealed to Israel by the creator God. How ironic that the only command that the Decalogue tells is to “remember” mankind for the most part chooses to forget. We must also keep in mind that this solar day dedicated by God is the only one of its kind stemming from creation itself. It is therefore unique among all other days.

    The Character of the Sabbath in Genesis is important for us to consider as well. The Genesis seventh day of rest is given as a gift and a blessing from God for all mankind but it is NOT given as a commandment nor does the creation account attempt to do so. The Seventh Day is a FACT that exists in time and space. It is the day of rest set apart by God at creation. The seventh solar day in the weekly sequence is unique. An anthropological language study will reveal that the concept of Sabbath is a fairly pervasive one not just one associated with the nation of Israel. The Sabbath relating to the day we call Saturday in English is associated with many different languages and cultures.  On that solar Day God entered into His eternal rest and nothing can change that. God set it apart and made it specially for the purpose revealed. The only LAW articulated in the garden of Eden was NOT to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Genesis 2:16-17.  No warning or threat is given in association with the gift of the Sabbath at creation unless one were to associate the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as analogous to self determination and therefore rejecting all of God’s revelation up to that time. I suppose it could be argued that the Seventh Day wasn’t questioned until mankind ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thereby taking to himself to consider all the options on all subjects rather than trusting in the revelation of God and resting in Him but that is basically conjecture.

    The later appropriation of the term Sabbath to the seventh day should not diminish from the importance of its dedication by God for special use at creation. To the contrary, it should establish its origin apart from the system of Law given to the nation of Israel. The seventh day is a historical fact on this planet in space and time NOT merely a temporary solar religious tenet for a specific people historically. In the words of Jesus, the seventh day Sabbath was “made for man” at creation and NOT merely for the Jews(Mark 2:27). The special seventh day Sabbath will exist as long as the planet exists in its orbit from the week of creation. It will NOT cease until the new heavens and earth are established and when solar time becomes meaningless as we enter into the Eternal’s Sabbath of rest literally where the glory of the Lord our God and of the Lamb will be the light from the very city of God, whatever that means in its fullness(see Rev. 21:23 and context)! The Sabbath is a revelation of God’s gracious intention to assure rest for the universe for eternity from creation itself as we shall see.

    The critics like to make reference to the absence of the term Sabbath as applicable to the seventh day set apart at creation and they like to make mention that the phrase “evening and morning” is absent as well from the text associated with the primal seventh day as well. However, as we shall see these facts further emphasize the uniqueness and importance of the seventh day rather than denigrating it in any way. Turning first to the absence of the word “Sabbath”, the use of the word “seventh” even in modern critical scholarship recognizes a deeper significance rather than a lesser one. The word Sabbath etymologically has the word seven in its background but this ‘seventh’ has significance beyond mere numerical ordinal usage. ”The seventh day was the day of rest, the Sabbath. The structure of verses 2 and 3 in the Hebrew is well ordered in its clauses with parallel emphases on the adjective seventh. The number “seven” often represents the covenant (the verb “swear” is related etymologically); thus it is no surprise that the Sabbath became the sign of God’s covenant at Sinai (Ex. 31:13, 17)” [3]   

     Could it be that the primal seventh day Sabbath in Genesis actually speaks to God’s assurance and dedication as to all of creation? Can we trust in the fact of God’s intent and commitment to see everything He has made through to its intended conclusion?  I am personally convinced that God is so pleased with his work at creation and so sure of His efforts to finish what he started that He rested from all of His creative endeavors. He entered into His Eternal Rest and sanctified the seventh Solar Day.  After all, we learn from Peter that God’s plan was assured by His commitment to the ONLY resolution to our need through Christ “before the foundation of the world” in 1 Peter 1:20;

¹⁸Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  ¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  ²⁰Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, ²¹Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.  (KJV, emphasis mine)

      The fact that the phrase “evening and morning” is missing in reference to this dedicated seventh day is important as well. This sets the primal seventh day apart from the rest of the days in the Genesis account. We see once again that the seventh day Sabbath is a unique and special issue. God entered into his Eternal Sabbath and at the same time set apart the seventh solar day of the week as a memorial of HIS rest from creation itself. For this reason a careful study will show that unlike the other days of creation, “the evening and the morning were the ____ day” repeated phrase is NOT mentioned with regard to the seventh day. The seventh day is a weekly reflection of an eternal reality that is best reflected in the commitment of God to finish what he started on the cross of Calvary. The temptation to attempt to tie the implications of God’s eternal Sabbath rest ONLY to the weekly Sabbath day is the reason I believe that the evening and morning statement is left out relating to the Sabbath. The Sabbath or Rest of God represents God’s confidence and assurance in what he has set out to accomplish in creating all things. He rested from all the works of creation at a specific point and time in history but His rest did not relieve Him of His responsibilities to that which He has created throughout eternity. To have limited Sabbath rest ONLY to that solar day would neglect the fact that God entered into His eternal Rest from creative work on that day and that there are many timeless implications associated with the concept of His Sabbath or rest. Also, we must consider that He is actually inviting us to enter into rest as the crowning achievement of creation week and that the weekly cycle continues to extend that invitation for those willing to accept it. We can trust in the creator God to finish what He started and to have ALL of our needs well within the scope of His plan.

     His rest, while including the weekly Sabbath, extends far beyond the confines of time as we know it. The concept of entering into rest on a level transcending time and space is explained well in Hebrews chapter 4:3-11. This scripture reveals the Sabbath concept on many levels;

1)God’s Rest that is entered into by the believer in Christ

2)The Weekly Sabbath Rest as a memorial to creation and redemption,

3)Another reference to a “today” sense of being called to God’s rest at any moment; “Today harden not your hearts…”.

     Based upon this teaching, the understanding of rest reflects a “Sabbath-ing” for the people of God on daily, weekly and eternal levels. To deny any of them is inappropriate. The Sabbath Day as a memorial of God’s entering into His eternal rest from his creative work represents a unique and fundamental use of a solar day to reflect upon God’s working with His creation. Other days may be elevated to a special purpose depending on God’s instruction to do so but no other weekly celebration has the testimony of creation and it’s Creator to back it up. Attempts have been made by many religions to elevate “other days” to this level. “Judaism” with its God given and designed Holy Days or historic “Christianity” with its “Lord’s Day” have attempted to do so but ONLY the Sabbath stands on the unique level that it does… creation itself. Other days may be given special significance by God in His giving of the shadows of the realities of Christ as evidenced in the Holy days of Israel and it may arguably be the right of Christians to choose to celebrate even the significance of the resurrection by creating a “Lord’s Day”, but no day is on the unique level of the seventh day Sabbath of creation. It transcends the rest because it was created by God to do so from the beginning.

     The Sabbath was made for mankind (not just Israel)… not mankind for the Sabbath. He never intended that we make a God out of it!  Jesus is Lord even of the Sabbath Day, a statement that reveals the uniqueness of Sabbath. After all, God has been working redemptive works of EXTREME service at great sacrifice since He entered into His ETERNAL rest at the first Sabbath of creation. When Jesus was condemned for his act of mercy in delivering a man stricken for 38 years on the Sabbath, he reminded his accusers in John 5:17 (KJV) “¹⁷But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” The priests of the OT and NT pastors are not condemned for their hard labor on Sabbath when that labor is offered in redemptive sacrifice for the spiritual and even emergency physical NEEDS of mankind as a whole. It has ALWAYS been lawful to do good on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is unique and on a level all it’s own by God’s design. It reflects the assurance that God is able to complete what He started and that His entering into rest from physical creation in no way means that He was removing himself from the process. In fact, His most difficult work was done after he entered into His rest. Therefore you and I can REST assured of His ability to finish what He has started!

    Some of that Christian History I mentioned earlier is an interesting study in the understanding of this Sabbath of creation. A little known fact of history is that the Ante-Nicene writings even of the third and fourth centuries give testimony to the Sabbath of creation. This is true though the dispute over Sabbath rages within it various author’s writings and even though erroneously giving more credibility to the “other day” that they said had been chosen for honor by Christians because of the resurrection, Sunday.  They still refuse to deny the uniqueness of Sabbath As well. The controversy between the Eastern and Western church is reflective of the East’s unwillingness to deny the facts of scripture as they relate to Sabbath even though asserting the right to the new day they contend is now to be honored as the “Lord’s Day”. Note the following objectively;

“O Lord Almighty Thou hast created the world by Christ, and hast appointed the Sabbath in memory thereof, because that on that day Thou hast made us rest from our works, for the meditation upon Thy laws. Thou hast also appointed festivals for the rejoicing of our souls, that we might come into the remembrance of that wisdom which was created by Thee; how He submitted to be made of a woman on our account; He appeared in life, and demonstrated Himself in His baptism; how He that appeared is both God and man; He suffered for us by Thy permission, and died, and rose again by Thy power: on which account we solemnly assemble to celebrate the feast of the resurrection on the Lord’s day, and rejoice on account of Him who has conquered death, and has brought life and immortality to light. For by Him Thou hast brought home the Gentiles to Thyself for a peculiar people, the true Israel, beloved of God, and seeing God. For Thou O Lord, broughtest our fathers out of the land of Egypt, and didst deliver them out of the iron furnace, from clay and brick-making, and didst redeem them out of the hands of Pharaoh, and of those under him, and didst lead them through the sea as through dry land, and didst bear their manners in the wilderness, and bestow on them all sorts of good things. Thou didst give them the law or Decalogue, which was pronounced by Thy voice and written with Thy hand. Thou didst enjoin the observation of the Sabbath, not affording them an occasion of idleness, but an opportunity of piety, for their knowledge of Thy power, and the prohibition of evils; having limited them as within an holy circuit for the sake of doctrine, for the rejoicing upon the seventh period. On this account was there appointed one week, and seven weeks, and the seventh month, and the seventh year, and the revolution of these, the jubilee, which is the fiftieth year for remission, that men might have no occasion to pretend ignorance. On this account He permitted men every Sabbath to rest, that so no one might be willing to send one word out of his mouth in anger on the day of the Sabbath. For the Sabbath is the ceasing of the creation, the completion of the world, the inquiry after laws, and the grateful praise to God for the blessings He has bestowed upon men.[4]”

    Finally, I personally celebrate Sabbath because God has saved us by His grace in Christ. I rest in HIM and I believe that the rest of all eternity is bound up in HIM. Jesus never sinned even once! Jesus kept the Sabbath and his practice infused it with clear emphasis so there is definitely a right way to remember the Sabbath still yet in Christ.

    I find it amazing that a even recent edition of “The Kingdom of the Cults” by the now deceased Walter Martin has been revised under the editorship of Dr. Ravi Zacharias. Many of you will recall this book because it has been often used against us for our Sabbath observance as “legalists”. Even though the book gives extensive kudos to the Worldwide Church of God for the abandonment of Sabbath among other things, it later goes on under the appendix relating to Seventh Day Adventism, to say something that should even give the WCG a conscientious hesitation. While the WCG has reversed itself because of its affiliation with a certain theological perspective, that is at its core antinomian, in the final analysis their moves may be no more than validation of their actual cult status in my opinion. Rather than following the directive of the Apostle Paul to “follow me as I follow Christ” and thus establishing our individual responsibility to square even organizational demands with the teachings of Christ, they made forced changes and many followed under their influence. Some coming through that process of reorientation feel they were coerced to abandon the Sabbath of creation and begin observing Sunday in it’s place.  

     This appendix on the SDA goes on to state the fact, that even the writers of this appendix in “The Kingdom of the Cults” now recognize someone could be a Christian AND observe the Seventh Day Sabbath. Here’s a very interesting quote;

“It is my conviction that one cannot be a true Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Christian Scientist, etc. and be a Christian in the biblical sense of the term; but it is perfectly possible to be a Seventh-Day Adventist and be a true follower of Jesus Christ despite certain heterodox concepts, which will be discussed.” [5] 

    While not being a revelation to any of us, we know that contemporary Christianity has seen little evidence of those that accept the grace of God in Christ and still choose to remember the Sabbath. It appears that if it weren’t for the unfortunate addition of the emphasis on the writings of Ellen White, the appendix author might even see merit or at least tolerance of the SDA. The elevation of the writings and dedication to this “White” woman denies them of their clear testimony to their only grounds for salvation resting in Christ alone. What a pity!

    The Sabbath has been and always will be a gift from God to mankind and it is difficult for any Bible reading Christian to deny that reality. What has been denied to mankind is a clear testimony by those choosing to remember the Sabbath and stand upon the grounds of salvation by faith in Christ alone. Will we be willing to be that organization and still hold to the Sabbath of creation?