Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: 11 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.

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Why is it that this message comes in at the last, right at the very close of earth’s history?

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

In these last days we are told that life will be very fast paced.

Nahum 2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men [are] in scarlet: the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. 4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.

Is this not a clear depiction of the very day in which we live? Are we not living in the day of God’s preparation? Cars in peak hour traffic jostling against one another on the highways zipping to and fro, racing here and racing there. Do they not run like the lightning? Fast paced life – the fast life they call it. Through cars, computers and mobile phones it’s now possible to get more done in a day than ever before. We race here and we race there doing this, doing that like lightning.

We say at the end of the day, where did the day go? We get so busy with life, so caught up with it that once a week a little voice has to whisper in my ear: Remember, the Sabbath day and oh when we work, we work so well. We do such a good job. We stand back and look at what we have accomplished and wow, I did that? I did such a good job. Indeed, are we not told that we ought to rejoice in the works of our hands?

Ecclesiastes 3:22 Wherefore I perceive that [there is] nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that [is] his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Indeed but remember the Sabbath day. In the world in which we live, we forget that we are creations. We think we are something when we are not. We behold what I have done and the thought comes, I have done this. We live in a society where we think we can live our own lives, do as we please. That we are the rulers of our own destinies, indeed do we not have the power of choice?

There are two lies that are foremost in the delusion of Satan today – Sunday sacredness and the immortality of the soul. They are both the one and the same lie. By doing away with the Sabbath, we do away with the fact that we are created and in doing away with the fact that we are created, we cease to be accountable to a creator, to one who predestines my life.

By doing away with these 3 things, by stating that I am not created, therefore I am not accountable to anyone but my own self and therefore am in charge of my own destiny, ye shall be as Gods, was Satan’s words. Has man believed this lie? Indeed. We think that we have a right to live our lives as we please. I forget God, I forget that I am a creation and think that I can create. That I can create my own future, my own destiny, life and I can create my own way.

I can create my own identity through adorning myself with whatever clothing I choose, be it the modest dress of the conscientious reformer or the first class business person or perhaps the hard Yakka tradesman or the housewife or the pauper. I can create my own identity. I can create muscle by eating the right vitamins and minerals. I can create a well-toned body by regular exercise and a careful diet. Then there are those who believe that they can create life itself within their own being by eating only living food that is organically grown fruits and vegetables and nuts, picked only at its ripest stage and prepared in the most simple and heat free manner that and that as long as they partake of this living food, their life will be perpetuated.

I can create. I can create another’s positive affection toward me. By gifts of love, by kind deeds and selfless acts or by flattery or I can create enemies by rude looks and sharp words. I can create within my mind a world of bliss of indulgence, sensuality or perhaps of great enterprises and terrific accomplishments and then commencing with these dreams create them into a reality. I can create my own feelings, be it anger, or intelligence or sentimentalism by choosing to listen to my favorite musical tracks. I can create. I can create whatever I want.

As we consider the week, the work of my own hands, the many results of my labours. The green crops waving in the fields, the sound of a skillfully built and tuned engine, the well-balanced accounts, the luster of the gemstone, the savoury dish or desert that just looks and smells so appetizing. Wow, I am good.

I Am Good

In the days of Laodicea – rich and increased with goods and needing nothing, I have created for myself something that is worthwhile. I am God. Is it any wonder that God says Remember? Our first parents were created formed out of the dust of the earth they were. God’s own words were, “Let us make.” Man was made. He was created formed of the dust of the earth. But what happened? Why?

Eve, unconsciously at first, separated from her husband in her employment. When she became aware of the fact, she felt that there might be danger; but again she thought herself secure, even if she did not remain close by the side of her husband. She had wisdom and strength to know if evil came, and to meet it. This the angels had cautioned her not to do. Eve found herself gazing with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the fruit of the forbidden tree. She saw it was very lovely, and was reasoning with herself why God had so decidedly prohibited their eating or touching it. Now was Satan’s opportunity. {1SP 35.2}

Eve had become so occupied with the works of her own hands, that she forgot the works of God. She felt a sense of danger, but oh she was so good, so wise, so strong. Had not she trained these beautiful vines so expertly? In this frame of mind, she plunged headlong into the temptation and then her husband fell likewise. How could they do this? They had walked with God personally. They had seen Him face to face. He had given them a beautiful Eden home. How could they do such a thing? They forgot the Sabbath.

God gave the Sabbath as a memorial of his creative power and works, “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.” He made its observance obligatory upon man, in order that he might contemplate the works of God, dwell upon his goodness, his mercy, and love, and through nature look up to nature’s God. If man had always observed the Sabbath, there would never have been an unbeliever, and infidel, or an atheist in the world. If Adam and Eve had contemplated the works of God in creating the world, if they had considered the reason that God had in giving them the Sabbath, if they had looked upon the beautiful tokens he had given them in withholding nothing that would add to their happiness, they would have been safe, they would have adored him for his goodness and love toward them, and in place of listening to the sophistries of Satan in casting blame upon God, in ascribing to him motives of selfishness, they would have considered the works of his hands, and songs of melody and thanksgiving and praise would have burst forth from their lips in adoration of him who had bountifully supplied them with every good thing. If they had considered how he had made them the object of his overflowing love, they would not have fallen; but they forgot the presence of God. They forgot that angels surrounded them to guard them from every danger, and they looked away from their great Benefactor. {ST, February 13, 1896 par. 7}

And because they forgot the Sabbath, the curse was pronounced:

Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

Man was supposed to live forever. By eating of the tree of life, their lives would have been prolonged throughout eternity. Even though they were created beings, the creator would be continually imparting His life to them. But now as sin enters, the judgement is, “From dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.”

Never before had this been stated. It was only by disobedience that man would return to the dust – only by disobedience was this dustiness, this earthliness of man countenanced. God had formed that dust into a man after His own image and that was how God regarded him but now that dust which had once been shaped into comeliness was now but dust – passing through various phases and then settling in once more into the earth.

Ashes to ashes

Dust to dust.

From the ground thou came

And return thou must.

Through the entrance of sin into the being, man became subject to death. He lost his beauty, his God-given glory and he ceased to be in the image of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity.

3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

And therefore, it is written:

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Dust, unprofitable and useless all because man forgot the Sabbath day. Remember the Sabbath day – Fear God and give glory to Him because there is no glory due to you. Worship Him that made heaven and earth because all that you have made is a mess. If you think you are, then remember the Sabbath day. Six days we have to be proud of the works of our hands but on the seventh, remember you are only a creation. You were made and it doesn’t matter how much you make, you were still made.

Not only is man just a creation, but because he has sinned and come short of the glory of God, he is but dust, useless. So if you think you’re good, think again. This is one reason to remember the Sabbath day – to bring me back down to planet earth and face reality. To remind me that I am but dust. And if I am but dust, what is the use of thinking that I am something? Have I not yet realized that by thinking I am something all I do is make matters worse?

Have I not yet realized that there is no use living my life as I myself would please? God created me and if God created me, then He owns me. I am not my own. What right do I have to do as I please? What right have I to dress and eat as I please? It is not mine to decide.

The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God. For the worship of God is based upon the fact that he is the Creator and that all other beings were created by him. The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and his creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be forgotten. To keep it in man’s mind, God gave to him the Sabbath. He received it in his innocency, and notwithstanding the perversity of his professed people, God has preserved this sacred institution through the entire period of man’s fallen state. THE SABBATH IN AMERICA. page 0510 paragraph 1

Another Reason

I could finish here but in calling man to worship God, the Creator, the first angel preaches the everlasting gospel. What is so everlasting about dust? Therefore, there is another reason to remember the Sabbath day:

Deuteronomy 5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.

5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

5:14 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and [that] the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.

The Sabbath day is a day to remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt and that the Lord brought you out thence by a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Egypt is a very dusty place. By our disobedience we came under the curse of dust – this earthliness, this sinfulness. But by the atonement of Jesus Christ, we have been brought forth out of the bondage – out of the dust of sin. We have been released from the dominion of this dust, from the dominion of sin and death. We have been led forth from the bondage of Egypt – from the dominion of dust.

The Sabbath day is a day to remember the atonement of Jesus Christ. God so loved the world that He sent His own Son. Who? His own Son and who was His Son?

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

He was God – the very one who made the world – who made man – who made you – who made me. He was the Creator.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Word was what? Made. The Creator was created. Can you comprehend this reality? What kind of flesh?

Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

2:16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham.

2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

He was made for what purpose?

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

But He was God? The creator of all things. Without Him was not anything made that was made? Why should He die? Because He was made. He was made flesh. What kind of flesh? Just the same flesh as you and I have.

Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Sinful flesh, dust. From the dust it was and to dust it would return – because the wages of sin is death – hence it was that He was made to die. The very dust that you are, He was made to be.

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

He who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, because He Himself was God, made Himself of no reputation and was made in the likeness of men. Being found but dust, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even returning to the dust.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Through this atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, man becomes once again profitable. Where once there was none righteous, no not one, where once man was useless, unprofitable, there is value, there is the righteousness of God. In Christ man becomes the very attribute that makes God righteous.

Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Jesus Christ laid His glory in the dust. The Creator was created but never did He cease to be the Creator. Laid in that dust was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, immortality and eternal life. Even though He subjected Himself to the consequences of sin, it was not possible that death could hold Him. Sin had no dominion over Him. Yes, He chose to be obedient to that death, but never was He obedient to sin. He never once came under its dominion. And so it is that the Sabbath is a day to remember. A day to consider, to contemplate, a day to comprehend.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Jesus Christ laid His glory in your dust. He took upon Himself your flesh, your temptations and your sinfulness. The very dust that you are, He became and if you lay hold of this reality, then as Christ was filled with all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and Christ dwells in your heart by faith you are filled with all the fullness of God. Then shall sin have dominion over you? Will you any longer dwell in the dominion of dust?

Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

6:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.

6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

When Jesus comes, there will be those who have not tasted of death, a tiny little remnant.

Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

52:2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, [and] sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

52:3 For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

52:4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

52:5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day [is] blasphemed.

52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore [they shall know] in that day that I [am] he that doth speak: behold, [it is] I.

52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

52:9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean [thing]; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel [will be] your rereward.

These it will be who shall never taste of death because they have shaken off the dust. This earthliness, this sinfulness has ceased to have dominion over them. It has been shaken off. These are they who are without sin before the throne of God – because they have ceased from sin.

The 144,000

What is written of them?

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Will you be among them? Then don’t forget the Sabbath.

Amen.