of the church were convened from all the world . In nearly every council the Sabbath which God had instituted was pressed down a little lower , while the Sunday was correspondingly exalted . Thus the pagan festival came finally to be honored as a divine institution , while the Bible Sabbath was pronounced a relic of Judaism , and its observers were declared to be accursed .
The great apostate had succeeded in exalting himself " above all that is called God , or that is worshiped ." 2 Thessalonians 2:4 . He had dared to change the only precept of the divine law that unmistakably points all mankind to the true and living God . In the fourth commandment , God is revealed as the Creator of the heavens and the earth , and is thereby distinguished from all false gods . It was as a memorial of the work of creation that the seventh day was sanctified as a rest day for man . It was designed to keep the living God ever before the minds of men as the source of being and the object of reverence and worship . Satan strives to turn men from their allegiance to God , and from rendering obedience to His law ; therefore , he directs his efforts especially against that commandment which points to God as the Creator .
Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on Sunday made it the Christian Sabbath . But Scripture evidence is lacking . No such honor was given to the day by Christ or His apostles . The observance of Sunday as a Christian institution had its origin in that " mystery of lawlessness " ( 2 Thessalonians 2:7 , R . V .) which , even in Paul ' s day , had begun its work . Where and when did the Lord adopt this child of the papacy ? What valid reason can be given for a change which the Scriptures do not sanction ? In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established . Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city , and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church . Paganism had given place to the papacy . The dragon had given to the beast " his power , and his seat , and great authority ." Revelation 13:2 . And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation . Daniel 7:25 ; Revelation 13:5-7 . ( See Appendix .)
Christians were forced to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship , or to wear away their lives in dungeons or suffer death by the rack , the fagot , or the headsman ' s ax . Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus : " Ye shall be betrayed both by parents , and brethren , and kinsfolks , and friends ; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death . And ye shall be hated of all men for My name ' s sake ." Luke 21:16 , 17 . Persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before , and the world became a vast battlefield . For hundreds of years the church of Christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity . Thus says the prophet : " The woman fled into the wilderness , where she hath a place
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