Do you know which day God wants you to keep as the Sabbath?

The 4th commandment says: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you are to labor and do all your work but the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God: In it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle or your stranger that is in your gates. 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.

  I have many very dear people as friends who love Jesus with all their hearts. Jesus says He has many lambs in every fold. They are very loving to others and always keep Sabbath.  The good news is that God loves you and knows your heart. He will help you understand what you will be tested over. He will not allow any test to come to you that He does not help you bear.

I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]. 

There is a forgotten detail in this commandment. Many Christians believe they are keeping the commandment but they have not looked closely at the number 7. Which day is the 7th in the week?

There is a prospect before us of a continued struggle at the risk of imprisonment, loss of property, and even of life itself, to defend the law of God, which is made void by the laws of men.--Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 712. {ChS 157.3}

In Revelation 21, again, John is measuring. This time after he measures, he says that no one will enter heaven who will do evil things and whoever makes a lie.

Rev. 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 

What is the measuring rod that measures the heart? The Bible has the rules for God's team to live by. Those who are on God's team obey His rules. You cannot forget the rules if you think about them and memorize them. King David did this. He said how he did it in Psalms 119:11 He said he hid God's word in his heart to help him not to sin.

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee" Ps. 119:11

Memorizing the ten commandments and repeating it in song is a good way to remember God's rules. The ten commandments teach us how to treat God and each other.

An excellent resource for this is the cassette and illustrated music book put together by Alice Meyer at Route 76 Box 28, Glenville, West Virginia, USA  26351. My children learned this in one day because of the music. Even my youngest at the time at age 3 and 4 was singing it by heart. 

Some wonder if time has been lost or gained. I've heard that many calendars in Europe today say thta Monday is the first day of the week, making Sunday the 7th. 

First of all the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, DC has this to say in a letter dated March 12, 1932. James Robertson states:

". . .We have had occasion to investigate the results of the works of specialists in chronology and we have never found one of them that has ever had the slightest doubt about the continuity of the weekly cycle since long before the Christian era. . . There has been no change in our calendar in past centuries that has affected in any way the cycle of the week.. .

Jesus did not have any trouble knowing which day was for worship. Luke 4:16 says, "As his custom was, he (Jesus) went into the synagogue on the sabbath day."

Jewish people all around the world know which day is the 7th. Luke 23:54 says Jesus died on the preparation day.  In Luke 24:1 it says that Jesus rose from the grave on the first day of the week.

The whole world recognized "good Friday" as the day Jesus died. Everybody also knows on Easter Sunday He rose to life. The day between those two days is SATURDAY, the Sabbath. 

If God's law was nailed to the cross, then there really is no need to encourage someone to ask forgiveness for stealing, lying or murdering is there?

He honors those who keep His commandments. Those who win in the final days on this earth, are those who pass the Sabbath test. It will be made a test of your loyalty to God.

"It is a sign between Me (God) and the children of Israel forever,"

Exodus 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, 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. 
31:14 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it [is] holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth [any] work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 
31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh [is] the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth [any] work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 
31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, [for] a perpetual covenant. 
31:17 It [is] a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 
14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. 

The only commandment concerned with time is the fourth.

The Catholic Church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday.". . .The Christian Sabbath is therefore to this day the acknowledged offspring of the Catholic Church. . .without a word of remonstrance from the Protestant world." (The Christian Sabbath, 2nd edition, "The Catholic Mirror," Baltimore, 1893.)

Q. Which is the Sabbath day?

A Saturday is the Sabbath day.

Q. Why do we observe Sunday instead of Saturday?

A. WE observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday (Peter Geiermann, The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, St. Louis, 1957)

Q. Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept?

A Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her;--she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority (Stephen Keenan, a Doctrinal Catechism, New Your, 1876)

 Cardinal Gibbons, in his work entitled The Faith of our Fathers, p. 111 states:

"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change (of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday) was her act. . . And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power (Letter by h.F.Thomas, chancellor of Cardinal Gibbones)

In France, during the time of the Revolution, the leaders said it was forbidden to have or study the Bible.  They burned the Bibles. They had every 10th day as a day of worship.  They tried to destroy all memory of God's holy 7th day of worship and any book which stated God's law. One night as the bell rang it was the signal to wipe out the lives of those who followed Bible truths. There were many present for a wedding and sadly the work of killing went on for many days. The only "crime" of those killed  was that of believing in the Bible and following it's teachings. The St. Bartholomew massacre is an example of Satan's anger at those who treasure and keep God's law. There was a celebration when the work was finished.

I quote from the book Great Controversy by one of my favorite Christian authors:

A medal was struck to commemorate the glorious massacre; a picture, which still exists in the Vatican, was painted, representing the chief events of St. Bartholomew. The pope, eager to show his gratitude to Charles for his dutiful conduct, sent him the Golden Rose; and from the pulpits of Rome eloquent preachers celebrated Charles, Catherine, and the Guises as the new founders of the papal church." {GC88 272.3} 

 

TIME PERIOD of this trouble: 1500's to 1793. During this time, the French assembly banished Bibles. Three and 1/3 years later they took away the law (rescinded) and all could have Bibles again. 

The great and terrible Lisbon earthquake was felt in France (1755). This date did not really fit the prediction "at the same hour" timing in Revelation that the witnesses were killed.  The main point  of this Bible text is a WARNING for all those who try to destroy or change the LAW of God. The lack of His law will result in murders, thefts, and violent behavior everywhere. No one can keep any control. All is hopeless like in France.

Satan did what He wanted in France.

He will do the same for every country who disobeys the law of God. The 10 commandments are rules for happy living.

True freedom and joy and safety is found in obedience to God's laws.  It is written, Oh, that you had obeyed My commandment! Then your peace would be like a river. There is no peace for the wicked. (Isaiah 48:18,22) Whoever obeys God will dwell in safety, and will be quiet from fear of evil. (Proverbs 1:33)

Tomas Jefferson expressed his fears that rulers would become corrupt. He said the time to fix every essential right on a legal basis was while our rulers were honest and united.

He predicted that our rights would be eventually disregarded. He stated that his concern was people would just think of money. He stated that whatever rights were not clearly stated at the making of the national laws, would never be. (Notes on Virginia, Query 17, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. VIII p. 402)

Two hundred years had not erased the horror of the massacre in France. Other like massacres had also occurred. These memories came to America in the hearts of our great leaders.  They were determined to establish a government with liberty and freedom.

   President George Washington had a Huguenot ancestor, as did at least 5 other Presidents: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Tyler, James Garfield, and Theodore Roosevelt. They knew about the horror of the St. Bartholomew massacre (1572) and wanted to make sure the United States avoided any repeat of history. (read about this massacre in Revelation chapter 11)

  A Huguenot refugee named Apollos de Revoire settled in Boston, and had a son who signed his name Paul Revere! Remember his famous midnight ride? Three members of Continental Congress - Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and Elias Boudinot were Huguenots.

  Other great names of Huguenots in America include Francis Marrion, General George Patton, Clair Chennault, Admiral Dewey, Du Ponts, Henry Thoreau, Longfellow, etc.  A Huguenot colony was founded in Florida in 1572 many years before the English group landed in America. The Florida Huguenot colony was later demolished by Spanish raiders.

The two horns are a symbol of power. Church and state were separate in their activities. One did not dictate the other. The previous power (Leopard) did have the two united. The United States kept them separate. This is the secret of the power of our nation.

Still in the future is the rest of this prophecy.

It says the lamblike beast talked just like the dragon. Some big change happened in the government. Tomas Jefferson predicted that the nation could come to ruin. The Bible speaks of dragon words and powers being used in the future.

The United States will begin talking just like the dragon.

Rev. 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,  13:14 And deceived them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.  13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

This is a sketch of an engraving or relief that is displayed in the courtroom of the Supreme Court of justices in Washington D.C. It shows the important place that the law of Moses has in our government. (Exodus 20) The first half of the 10 commandments has the man's knee over it.

This suggests that a person's relationship to God is personal. The rest of the commandments are to be enforced by the state. The US courts do not look favorably on lying, stealing, adultery, and killing. There are punishments for each of these.

Abraham Lincoln is one of our favorite presidents (1860-1865). He was called "honest Abe". He came from a humble home and was self educated. He always thought of others, not himself. He was chosen to be president in 1860. He brought the country through the greatest crisis in its history. The southern states wanted to keep slaves. This was against the country's beliefs that all are created equal. All have the right to life, health, and the pursuit of happiness.

The slaves could not even chose who to marry. They were beaten up and made to live in little shacks while their owners lived in nice homes.

There are many dear sincere Christians in every faith who long for more light from Jesus. God is the Shepherd Who promises to call all His sheep. His sheep will respond to His voice. I am not talking about individual sincere members but about leadership who are not following Bible teachings but man made ideas and traditions. We must stand on the Bible only for what is truth.

War broke out in America between the North and the South. Pope Pious IX had many conversations with President Abe Lincoln over the slave issues. The Pope supported the South. Records of this part of history can be found in the book called Fifty Years in the Church of Rome by Father Charles Chiniquy. President Lincoln knew that Rome was involved in the war.    The North won but many Americans were killed. Later Honest Abe was shot (1865). He was shot by Roman Catholics. The man who shot him was also shot. He was running away from a burning barn. Four of those planning Lincoln's death were hanged for their crime in 1865. John Surrat who did the most of the planning to kill Abe Lincoln, fled to Canada. There he was sheltered by Catholic priests. From Canada he fled to London where he was sheltered by Catholic priests. From London he went to Rome. When he was finally caught, he was found in the Pope's private army. He was sent back to the US for punishment.

The United States was founded by protestants. There was a great desire by our founding fathers to have religious liberty. The nation was set up so that the church was not run by the government. Also the government was not run by the church. Protestants are people who protested the cruelties in the old Roman Catholic faith. Something happened and they began to forget their differences.

The Bible says the day will come when the United States will command everyone to worship the image to the leopard power beast (Roman Catholic church) or be killed. If people obey and worship as told, they will receive a mark which allows them to buy and sell. If they refuse, they cannot even buy food or clothing. This method of force for obedience shows that the new nation changes its foundation blocks of separation of church and state. They boycott those who refuse to worship on Sunday.  That raises the question, what is the image to the beast that the US causes people to worship?  "image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas. . . . {FLB 286.4}

Just as France had terrible trouble when it burned up Bibles and killed God's people starting at midnight, the lamblike nation will have trouble. When the United States takes away the foundations stones, our liberty will fall. The foundation stones of our nation were set by noble men who knew how dearly freedom was purchased. They warned against taking out the foundation stones.  What happens when foundations stones are taken from a building? The building crumbles. These are basic foundation stones: 1. All have the right to live. 2. We believe and practice religious liberty and civil liberty.  3. All have the right to pursue happiness. All are created equal.

If you have more questions over any puzzling texts and want these cleared up, you can write to Dr. Rose at:   Biblelessons@starband.net

There is a prospect before us of a continued struggle at the risk of imprisonment, loss of property, and even of life itself, to defend the law of God, which is made void by the laws of men.--Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 712. {ChS 157.3}