prophets and kings-第31章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
little its importance。 His master stroke has been an attempt to change the law itself； so as to lead men to violate its precepts while professing to obey it。
179
One writer has likened the attempt to change the law of God to an ancient mischievous practice of turning in a wrong direction a signpost erected at an important junction where two roads met。 The perplexity and hardship which this practice often caused was great。
A signpost was erected by God for those journeying through this world。 One arm of this signpost pointed out willing obedience to the Creator as the road to felicity and life； while the other arm indicated disobedience as the path to misery and death。 The way to happiness was as clearly defined as was the way to the city of refuge under the Jewish dispensation。 But in an evil hour for our race； the great enemy of all good turned the signpost around； and multitudes have mistaken the way。
Through Moses the Lord instructed the Israelites： 〃Verily My Sabbaths ye shall keep： for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations； that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you。 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore； for it is holy unto you： everyone that defileth it shall surely be put to death： for whosoever doeth any work。 。 。 in the Sabbath day； he shall surely be put to death。 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： for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth； and on the seventh day He rested； and was refreshed。〃 Exodus 31：13…17。
In these words the Lord clearly defined obedience as the way to the City of God； but the man of sin has changed the signpost； making it point in the wrong direction。 He
180
has set up a false sabbath and has caused men and women to think that by resting on it they were obeying the command of the Creator。
God has declared that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord。 When 〃the heavens and the earth were finished；〃 He exalted this day as a memorial of His creative work。 Resting on the seventh day 〃from all His work which He had made；〃 〃God blessed the seventh day； and sanctified it。〃 Genesis 2：1…3。
At the time of the Exodus from Egypt； the Sabbath institution was brought prominently before the people of God。 While they were still in bondage； their taskmasters had attempted to force them to labor on the Sabbath by increasing
181
the amount of work required each week。 Again and again the conditions of labor had been made harder and more exacting。 But the Israelites were delivered from bondage and brought to a place where they might observe unmolested all the precepts of Jehovah。 At Sinai the law was spoken； and a copy of it； on two tables of stone； 〃written with the finger of God〃 was delivered to Moses。 Exodus 31：18。 And through nearly forty years of wandering the Israelites were constantly reminded of God's appointed rest day； by the withholding of the manna every seventh day and the miraculous preservation of the double portion that fell on the preparation day。
Before entering the Promised Land； the Israelites were
182
admonished by Moses to 〃keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it。〃 Deuteronomy 5：12。 The Lord designed that by a faithful observance of the Sabbath command； Israel should continually be reminded of their accountability to Him as their Creator and their Redeemer。 While they should keep the Sabbath in the proper spirit； idolatry could not exist； but should the claims of this precept of the Decalogue be set aside as no longer binding； the Creator would be forgotten and men would worship other gods。 〃I gave them My Sabbaths；〃 God declared； 〃to be a sign between Me and them； that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them。〃 Yet 〃they despised My judgments； and walked not in My statutes； but polluted My Sabbaths： for their heart went after their idols。〃 And in His appeal to them to return to Him； He called their attention anew to the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy。 〃I am the Lord your God；〃 He said； 〃walk in My statutes； and keep My judgments； and do them； and hallow My Sabbaths； and they shall be a sign between Me and you； that ye may know that I am the Lord your God。〃 Ezekiel 20：12； 16； 19； 20。
In calling the attention of Judah to the sins that finally brought upon them the Babylonian Captivity； the Lord declared： 〃Thou hast。 。 。 profaned My Sabbaths。〃 〃Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them； I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath： their own way have I recompensed upon their heads。〃 Ezekiel 22：8； 31。
At the restoration of Jerusalem； in the days of Nehemiah； Sabbathbreaking was met with the stern inquiry； 〃Did not your fathers thus； and did not our God bring all this evil
183
upon us； and upon this city？ yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath。〃 Nehemiah 13：18。
Christ； during His earthly ministry； emphasized the binding claims of the Sabbath； in all His teaching He showed reverence for the institution He Himself had given。 In His days the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of God。 Christ set aside the false teaching by which those who claimed to know God had misrepresented Him。 Although followed with merciless hostility by the rabbis； He did not even appear to conform to their requirements； but went straight forward keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God。
In unmistakable language He testified to His regard for the law of Jehovah。 〃Think not that I am come to destroy the law； or the prophets；〃 He said； 〃I am not come to destroy； but to fulfill。 For verily I say unto you； Till heaven and earth pass； one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law； till all be fulfilled。 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。〃 Matthew 5：17…19。
During the Christian dispensation； the great enemy of man's happiness has made the Sabbath of the fourth commandment an object of special attack。 Satan says； 〃I will work at cross purposes with God。 I will empower my followers to set aside God's memorial； the seventh…day Sabbath。 Thus I will show the world that the day sanctified
184
and blessed by God has been changed。 That day shall not live in the minds of the people。 I will obliterate the memory of it。 I will place in its stead a day that does not bear the credentials of God； a day that cannot be a sign between God and His people。 I will lead those who accept this day to place upon it the sanctity that God placed upon the seventh day。
〃Through my vicegerent； I will exalt myself。 The first day will be extolled； and the Protestant world will receive this spurious sabbath as genuine。 Through the nonobservance of the Sabbath that God instituted； I will bring His law into contempt。 The words； 'A sign between Me and you throughout your generations；' I will make to serve on the side of my sabbath。
〃Thus the world will become mine。 I will be the ruler of the earth； the prince of the world。 I will so control the minds under my power that God's Sabbath shall be a special object of contempt。 A sign？ I will make the observance of the seventh day a sign of disloyalty to the authorities of earth。 Human laws will be made so stringent that men and women will not dare to observe the seventh…day Sabbath。 For fear of wanting food and clothing； they will join with the world in transgressing God's law。 The earth will be wholly under my dominion。〃
Through the setting up of a false sabbath； the enemy thought to change times and laws。 But has he really succeeded in changing God's law？ The words of the thirty…first chapter of Exodus are the answer。 He who is the same yesterday； today； and forever； has declar
