Bible Readings for the Home Circle Part 126

18. What will be the dragon's att.i.tude toward the remnant people who keep the commandments of G.o.d?

"And the dragon _was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed_, which keep the commandments of G.o.d, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.

19. How strongly will this false wors.h.i.+p and the enforcement of this mark be urged?

"That the image of the beast should both speak, and cause [decree] that as many as would not wors.h.i.+p the image of the beast _should be killed_. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive _a mark_ in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and _that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark_." Rev. 13:15-17. See note under question 19, on page 227.

20. Over what do the people of G.o.d finally gain the victory?

"And I saw as it were a sea of gla.s.s mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory _over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name_, stand on the sea of gla.s.s, having the harps of G.o.d." Rev. 15:2.

The G.o.d that made the earth, And all the worlds on high, Who gave all creatures birth, In earth, and sea, and sky, After six days in work employed, Upon the seventh a rest enjoyed.

The Sabbath day was blessed, Hallowed, and sanctified; It was Jehovah's rest, And so it must abide; 'Twas set apart before the fall, 'Twas made for man, 'twas made for all.

R. F. COTTRELL.

The Lord's Day

[Ill.u.s.tration.]

John's Vision On Patmos. "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev.

1:10.

1. From what time was Christ, the Word, a.s.sociated with G.o.d, the Father?

"_In the beginning_ was the Word, and the Word was with G.o.d, and the Word was G.o.d. The same was in the beginning with G.o.d." John 1:1, 2.

2. By whom were all things created?

"Which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in G.o.d, _who created all things by Jesus Christ_." Eph. 3:9.

3. By whom were the worlds made?

"G.o.d, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by _His Son, ... by whom also He made the worlds_." Heb. 1:1, 2.

4. How does Paul again express this same truth?

"For _by Him were all things created_, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, ... _all things were created by Him_, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist." Col.

1:16, 17.

5. Was there anything made without Christ?

"All things were made by Him; and _without Him was not anything made that was made_." John 1:3.

6. Was the Sabbath "made"?

"And He said unto them, _The Sabbath was __MADE__ for man_." Mark 2:27.

7. Then by whom was the Sabbath made?

By Christ.

NOTE.-This conclusion is inevitable. If all things were made by Christ, and without Him was not anything made that was made, and the Sabbath was one of the things that was made, then it follows that the Sabbath must have been made by Christ. This being so, the Sabbath must be the Lord's day.

8. What did G.o.d do in the beginning on the seventh day?

"And on the seventh day G.o.d ended His work which He had made; and _He rested on the seventh day_ from all His work which He had made." Gen. 2:2.

NOTE.-If all things were made by Jesus Christ, then He, with the Father, rested on the first seventh day from all His labor in the work of creation.

9. After resting on the seventh day, what did G.o.d do?

"And G.o.d _blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested_ from all His work which G.o.d created and made." Verse 3.

NOTE.-And inasmuch as this blessing and this sanctification of the day were a part of the _making_ of the Sabbath, as well as the _resting_ upon the day, these also must have been done by Christ; for the Sabbath was _made_ by Him.

10. How much honor is due to Christ?

"That all men should honor the Son, _even as they honor the Father_." John 5:23. "I and My Father are _one_." John 10:30.

NOTE.-In keeping the Sabbath, then, we honor Christ equally with the Father.

11. Did Christ keep the Sabbath?

"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, _as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read_." Luke 4:16. "_I have kept My Father's commandments._" John 15:10.

12. Did Christ's followers keep the Sabbath after His death?

"And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; _and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment_." Luke 23:56.

13. Did they observe it after His resurrection?