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early 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
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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
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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
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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 declared of the seventh…day Sabbath： 〃It is a sign between Me and you throughout your
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generations。〃 〃It is a sign 。 。 。 forever。〃 Exodus 31：13； 17。 The changed signpost is pointing the wrong way； but God has not changed。 He is still the mighty God of Israel。 〃Behold； the nations are as a drop of a bucket； and are counted as the small dust of the balance： behold； He taketh up the isles as a very little thing。 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn； nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering。 All nations before His are as nothing； and they are counted to Him less than nothing； and vanity。〃 Isaiah 40：15…17。 And He is just as jealous for His law now as He was in the days of Ahab and Elijah。
But how is that law disregarded！ Behold the world today in open rebellion against God。 This is in truth a froward generation； filled with ingratitude； formalism； insincerity； pride； and apostasy。 Men neglect the Bible and hate truth。 Jesus sees His law rejected； His love despised； His ambassadors treated with indifference。 He has spoken by His mercies； but these have been unacknowledged； He has spoken by warnings； but these have been unheeded。 The temple courts of the human soul have been turned into places of unholy traffic。 Selfishness； envy； pride； malice all are cherished。
Many do not hesitate to sneer at the word of God。 Those who believe that word just as it reads are held up to ridicule。 There is a growing contempt for law and order； directly traceable to a violation of the plain commands of Jehovah。 Violence and crime are the result of turning aside from the path of obedience。 Behold the wretchedness and misery of multitudes who worship at the shrine of idols and who seek in vain for happiness and peace。
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Behold the well…nigh universal disregard of the Sabbath commandment。 Behold also the daring impiety of those who； while enacting laws to safeguard the supposed sanctity of the first day of the week； at the same time are making laws legalizing the liquor traffic。 Wise above that which is written； they attempt to coerce the consciences of men； while lending their sanction to an evil that brutalizes and destroys the beings created in the image of God。 It is Satan himself who inspires such legislation。 He well knows that the curse of God will rest on those who exalt human enactments above the divine； and he does all in his power to lead men into the broad road that ends in destruction。
So long have men worshiped human opinions and human institutions that almost the whole world is following after idols。 And he who has endeavored to change God's law is using every deceptive artifice to induce men and women to array themselves against God and against the sign by which the righteous are known。 But the Lord will not always suffer His law to be broken and despised with impunity。 There is a time coming when 〃the lofty looks of man shall be humbled； and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down； and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day。〃 Isaiah 2：11。 Skepticism may treat the claims of God's law with jest； scoffing； and denial。 The spirit of worldliness may contaminate the many and control the few； the cause of God may hold its ground only by great exertion and continual sacrifice； yet in the end the truth will triumph gloriously。
In the closing work of God in the earth； the standard of His law will be again exalted。 False religion may prevail；
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iniquity may abound； the love of many may wax cold； the cross of Calvary may be lost sight of； and darkness； like the pall of death； may spread over the world； the whole force of the popular current may be turned against the truth； plot after plot may be formed to overthrow the people of God； but in the hour of greatest peril the God of Elijah will raise up human instrumentalities to bear a message that will not be silenced。 In the populous cities of the land； and in the places where men have gone to the great