Isaiah 58:1 , 2 . Here is brought to view a class who think themselves righteous and appear to manifest great interest in the service of God ; but the stern and solemn rebuke of the Searcher of hearts proves them to be trampling upon the divine precepts .
The prophet thus points out the ordinance which has been forsaken : " Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations ; and thou shalt be called , The repairer of the breach , The restorer of paths to dwell in . If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath , from doing thy pleasure on My holy day ; and call the Sabbath a delight , the holy of the Lord , honorable ; and shalt honor Him , not doing thine own ways , nor finding thine own pleasure , nor speaking thine own words : then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord ." Verses 12-14 . This prophecy also applies in our time . The breach was made in the law of God when the Sabbath was changed by the Roman power . But the time has come for that divine institution to be restored . The breach is to be repaired and the foundation of many generations to be raised up .
Hallowed by the Creator ' s rest and blessing , the Sabbath was kept by Adam in his innocence in holy Eden ; by Adam , fallen yet repentant , when he was driven from his happy estate . It was kept by all the patriarchs , from Abel to righteous Noah , to Abraham , to Jacob . When the chosen people were in bondage in Egypt , many , in the midst of prevailing idolatry , lost their knowledge of God ' s law ; but when the Lord delivered Israel , He proclaimed His law in awful grandeur to the assembled multitude , that they might know His will and fear and obey Him forever .
From that day to the present the knowledge of God ' s law has been preserved in the earth , and the Sabbath of the fourth commandment has been kept . Though the " man of sin " succeeded in trampling underfoot God ' s holy day , yet even in the period of his supremacy there were , hidden in secret places , faithful souls who paid it honor . Since the Reformation , there have been some in every generation to maintain its observance . Though often in the midst of reproach and persecution , a constant testimony has been borne to the perpetuity of the law of God and the sacred obligation of the creation Sabbath .
These truths , as presented in Revelation 14 in connection with " the everlasting gospel ," will distinguish the church of Christ at the time of His appearing . For as the result of the threefold message it is announced : " Here are they that keep the commandments of God , and the faith of Jesus ." And this message is the last to be given before the coming of the Lord . Immediately following its proclamation the Son of man is seen by the prophet , coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth .
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