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Chapter 29—The Sabbath
The value of the Sabbath as a means of education is beyond
estimate. Whatever of ours God claims from us, He returns again,
enriched, transfigured with His own glory. The tithe that He claimed
from Israel was devoted to preserving in its glorious beauty the
pattern of His temple in the heavens, the token of His presence on
earth. So the portion of our time that He claims is given back to us,
bearing His name and seal. “It is a sign,” He says, “between Me and
you; ... that you may know that I am the Lord,” because “in six days
the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in
them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the
Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
Exodus 31:13
;
20:11
.
The Sabbath is a sign of creative and redeeming power. It points
to God as the source of life and knowledge. It recalls our first parents’
primeval glory, and thus witnesses to God’s purpose to recreate us
in His own image.
Both the Sabbath and the family were instituted in Eden, and in
God’s purpose they are forever linked together. On this day more
than on any other it is possible for us to live the life of Eden. It was
God’s plan for the members of the family to be associated in work
and study, in worship and recreation, the father as priest, and both
father and mother as teachers and companions of their children. But
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sin has changed the conditions of life, and often the father hardly
sees his children throughout the week. He is almost wholly deprived
of opportunity for companionship or instruction. But God’s love has
set a limit to the demands of work. He places His merciful hand
over the Sabbath. In His own day He preserves opportunity for the
family to commune with Him, with nature, and with one another.
Since the Sabbath is the memorial of creative power, it is the
day above all others when we should acquaint ourselves with God
through His works. In the minds of children the very thought of
the Sabbath should be connected with the beauty of natural things.
Fortunate is the family that can go to the place of worship on Sabbath
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