keeping of the law of God ; for " without faith it is impossible to please Him ." And " whatsoever is not of faith is sin ." Hebrews 11:6 ; Romans 14:23 .
By the first angel , men are called upon to " fear God , and give glory to Him " and to worship Him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth . In order to do this , they must obey His law . Says the wise man : " Fear God , and keep His commandments : for this is the whole duty of man ." Ecclesiastes 12:13 . Without obedience to His commandments no worship can be pleasing to God . " This is the love of God , that we keep His commandments ." " He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law , even his prayer shall be abomination ." 1 John 5:3 ; Proverbs 28:9 .
The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence . And wherever , in the Bible , His claim to reverence and worship , above the gods of the heathen , is presented , there is cited the evidence of His creative power . " All the gods of the nations are idols : but the Lord made the heavens ." Psalm 96:5 . " To whom then will ye liken Me , or shall I be equal ? saith the Holy One . Lift up your eyes on high , and behold who hath created these things ." " Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens ; God Himself that formed the earth and made it : . . . I am the Lord ; and there is none else ." Isaiah 40:25 , 26 ; 45:18 . Says the psalmist : " Know ye that the Lord He is God : it is He that hath made us , and not we ourselves ." " O come , let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker ." Psalms 100:3 ; 95:6 . And the holy beings who worship God in heaven state , as the reason why their homage is due to Him : " Thou art worthy , O Lord , to receive glory and honour and power : for Thou hast created all things ." Revelation 4:11 .
In Revelation 14 , men are called upon to worship the Creator ; and the prophecy brings to view a class that , as the result of the threefold message , are keeping the commandments of God . One of these commandments points directly to God as the Creator . The fourth precept declares : " The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : . . . 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 ." Exodus 20:10 , 11 . Concerning the Sabbath , the Lord says , further , that it is " a sign , . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord your God ." Ezekiel 20:20 . And the reason given is : " For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth , and on the seventh day He rested , and was refreshed ." Exodus 31:17 .
" 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 " --because He is the Creator , and we are His creatures . " 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 ." --J . N .
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