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Our Father’s Sign

1. What is one of the outstanding, distinguishing features between the living God and the gods of the heathen?

"But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an ever­lasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion." Jeremiah 10:10-12.

Answer:  Our Father alone can create.

“God's claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is based upon the fact that He is the Creator, and that to Him all other beings owe their existence. Thus it is presented in the Bible.” Patriarchs and Prophets, page 336.

 

2. How did our earth come into existence?

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1.

 

3. Who made the heavenly bodies?

"God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:16-18.

"Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched them out." Isaiah 42:5.

 

4. What was man's origin?

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 1:27.

"I have made the earth, and created man upon it." Isaiah 45:12.

Given At Creation

5. When was the Sabbath made?

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2: 1-3.

Answer: It was made at the end of creation week, the first week of this earth's history.

   

6. What great memorial did God give to man of His creative power?

"Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work... For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore [for this reason] the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11.

Answer: The seventh-day Sabbath. These verses show clearly that the weekly Sabbath was instituted for the purpose of giving men a constant reminder of the fact that God was their Creator and also the Maker of all things. It was meant to protect them from being led away after false gods.

   

7. On which day was the Sabbath instituted?

"But the seventh day is the sabbath .... Wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it." Exodus 20:10, 11.

Answer: Out the seventh day, He made the Sabbath.

 

8. Which day of the week is the seventh day?

Answer: The day commonly called Saturday.

NOTE: “In the law given from Sinai, God recognized the week, and the facts upon which it is based. After giving the command, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy," and specifying what shall be done on the six days, and what shall not be done on the seventh, He states the reason for thus observing the week, by pointing back to His own example: "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 20:8-11. This reason appears beautiful and forcible when we understand the days of creation to be literal. The first six days of each week are given to man for labor, because God employed the same period of the first week in the work of creation. On the seventh day man is to refrain from labor, in commemoration of the Creator's rest.

But the assumption that the events of the first week required thousands upon thousands of years, strikes directly at the foundation of the fourth commandment. It represents the Creator as commanding men to observe the week of literal days in commemoration of vast, indefinite periods. This is unlike His method of dealing with His creatures. It makes indefinite and obscure that which He has made very plain. It is infidelity in its most insidious and hence most dangerous form; its real character is so disguised that it is held and taught by many who profess to believe the Bible. . . . The Bible recognizes no long ages in which the earth was slowly evolved from chaos. Of each successive day of creation, the sacred record declares that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days that have followed. At the close of each day is given the result of the Creator's work. The statement is made at the close of the first week's record, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created." Genesis 2:4. But this does not convey the idea that the days of creation were other than literal days. Each day was called a generation, because that in it God generated, or produced, some new portion of His work.” Patriarchs and Prophets, page 111.

 

9. What kind of a day is the seventh-day Sabbath?

"If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day." Isaiah 58:13.

Answer: It is a holy day.

NOTE: “God has given men six days wherein to labor, and He requires that their own work be done in the six working days. Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided. '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 . . . honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure.' Isaiah 58:13. Nor does the prohibition end here. 'Nor speaking thine own words,' says the prophet. Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon His holy day.” Patriarchs and Prophets, page 307.

 

10. How did God make the Sabbath?

Answer: After spending six days creating the earth and man, He rested on the seventh. Thus, it became God's rest day. After resting, He blessed the seventh day (for all future time), and this day became God's blessed rest day. Then He sanctified it (set it apart for a holy and religious use by man), thus making it God's blessed, sanctified, rest day. See Genesis 2:1-3.

“The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator's work. Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are worshipers of Jehovah. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of man's allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve Him. The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.” Patriarchs and Prophets, page 307.

 

11. Of what is the Sabbath a sign?

"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 20:20.

Answer: It is a sign of the true God. When people observe the true Sabbath, it serves as a sign that they are worshipers of the Creator, the true and living God. It is also a sign to the world that they are His people.

NOTE: “'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. Andrews, History of the Sabbath, chapter 27. It was to keep this truth ever before the minds of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden; and so long as the fact that He is our Creator continues to be a reason why we should worship Him, so long the Sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial.” The Great Controversy, page 437.