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The Beginning of the End
would divorce them from Himself. In this way the seed (descendants)
of Abraham that was to preserve the knowledge of the living God,
and through whom the true Seed was to come to conquer Satan
would become extinct. But the great rebel was again defeated.
While those who stubbornly placed themselves on the side of Satan
were cut off, the rest of the people, humbled and repentant, were
mercifully pardoned. The whole universe had watched the scenes
at Mt. Sinai—all had seen the contrast between the government of
God and that of Satan.
The True Sign of Loyalty to God—The Sabbath
God’s claim to reverence and worship above the gods of the
heathen is based on the fact that He is the Creator. The prophet
Jeremiah ways, “The living God ... has made the earth by His power,
He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out
the heavens at His discretion. ... Everyone is dull-hearted, without
knowledge; every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; for his
molded image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are
futile, a work of errors; in the time of their punishment they shall
perish” (
Jeremiah 10:10-12, 14, 15
). The Sabbath, as a memorial
of God’s creative power, points to Him as the maker of the heavens
and the earth. It is a constant witness to His greatness, wisdom, and
love. If the Sabbath had always been sacredly observed, there could
never have been an atheist or an idolater.
The Sabbath originated in the Garden of Eden—it is as old as
the world itself. It was observed by all the patriarchs, from creation
onward. When the law was proclaimed at Sinai, the first words of the
fourth commandment were, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it
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holy,” showing that the Sabbath was not just then instituted. We are
pointed back to creation for its origin. Satan aimed to tear down this
great memorial. If people could be led to forget their Creator, they
would make no effort to resist the power of evil, and Satan would
take them captive.
Satan’s hatred against God’s law had driven him to war against
every principle of the Ten Commandments. Disrespect for the au-
thority of parents will soon lead to disrespect for the authority of
God, so Satan has worked to lessen the responsibility of the fifth