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bered。〃 〃The things that are made；〃 declare 〃the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world；〃 〃even His everlasting power and divinity。〃 Gen。 2：3； Ps。 111：4； Rom。 1：20； R。 V。
All things were created by the Son of God。 〃In the beginning was the Word； and the Word was with God。 。 。 。 All things were made by Him； and without Him was not anything made that was made。〃 John 1： 1…3。 And since the Sabbath is a memorial of the work of creation； it is a token of the love and power of Christ。
The Sabbath calls our thoughts to nature； and brings us into communion with the Creator。 In the song of the bird； the sighing of the trees； and the music of the sea； we still may hear His voice who talked
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with Adam in Eden in the cool of the day。 And as we behold His power in nature we find comfort； for the word that created all things is that which speaks life to the soul。 He 〃who commanded the light to shine out of darkness； hath shined in our hearts； to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ。〃 2 Cor。 4：6。
It was this thought that awoke the song；
〃Thou； Lord； hast made me glad through Thy work； I will triumph in the works of Thy hands。 O Lord； how great are Thy works！ And Thy thoughts are very deep。〃 Ps。 92：4；5。
And the Holy Spirit through the prophet Isaiah declares： 〃To whom then will ye liken God？ or what likeness will ye compare unto Him？ 。 。 。 Have ye not known？ have ye not heard？ hath it not been told you from the beginning？ have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth？ It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth； and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers； that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain； and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in。 。 。 。 To whom then will ye liken Me； or shall I be equal？ saith the Holy One。 Lift up your eyes on high； and behold who hath created these things； that bringeth out their host by number： He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might； for that He is strong in power； not one faileth。 Why sayest thou； O Jacob； and speakest； O Israel； My way is hid from the Lord； and my judgment is passed over from my God？ Hast thou not known？ hast thou not heard； that the everlasting God； the Lord； the Creator of the ends of the earth； fainteth not； neither is weary？ 。 。 。 He giveth power to the faint； and to them that have no
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might He increaseth strength。〃 〃Fear thou not； for I am with thee： be not dismayed； for I am thy God： I will strengthen thee； yea； I will help thee； yea； I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness。〃 〃Look unto Me； and be ye saved； all the ends of the earth： for I am God； and there is none else。〃 This is the message written in nature； which the Sabbath is appointed to keep in memory。 When the Lord bade Israel hallow His Sabbaths； He said； 〃They shall be a sign between Me and you； that ye may know that I am Jehovah your God。〃 Isa。 40：18…29； 41：10； 45：22； Ezek。 20：20； R。 V。
The Sabbath was embodied in the law given from Sinai； but it was not then first made known as a day of rest。 The people of Israel had a knowledge of it before they came to Sinai。 On the way thither the Sabbath was kept。 When some profaned it； the Lord reproved them； saying； 〃How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws？〃 Ex。 16：28。
The Sabbath was not for Israel merely； but for the world。 It had been made known to man in Eden； and； like the other precepts of the Decalogue； it is of imperishable obligation。 Of that law of which the fourth commandment forms a part； Christ declares； 〃Till heaven and earth pass； one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law。〃 So long as the heavens and the earth endure； the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator's power。 And when Eden shall bloom on earth again； God's holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun。 〃From one Sabbath to another〃 the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up 〃to worship before Me； saith the Lord。〃 Matt。 5：18； Isa。 66：23。
No other institution which was committed to the Jews tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as did the Sabbath。 God designed that its observance should designate them as His worshipers。 It was to be a token of their separation from idolatry； and their connection with the true God。 But in order to keep the Sabbath holy； men must themselves be holy。 Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ。 When the command was given to Israel； 〃Remember the Sabbath day； to keep it holy；〃 the Lord said also to them； 〃Ye shall be holy men unto Me。〃 Ex。 20：8； 22：31。 Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the worshipers of God。
As the Jews departed from God； and failed to make the righteousness of Christ their own by faith； the Sabbath lost its significance to them。 Satan was seeking to exalt himself and to draw men away from Christ； and he worked to pervert the Sabbath； because it is the sign of the
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power of Christ。 The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God's rest day with burdensome requirements。 In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father。 The rabbis virtually represented God as giving laws which it was impossible for men to obey。 They led the people to look upon God as a tyrant； and to think that the observance of the Sabbath； as He required it； made men hard…hearted and cruel。 It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions。 Although the rabbis followed Him with merciless hostility； He did not even appear to conform to their requirements； but went straight forward； keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God。
Upon one Sabbath day； as the Saviour and His disciples returned from the place of worship； they passed through a field of ripening grain。 Jesus had continued His work to a late hour； and while passing through the fields； the disciples began to gather the heads of grain； and to eat the kernels after rubbing them in their hands。 On any other day this act would have excited no comment； for one passing through a field of grain； an orchard； or a vineyard； was at liberty to gather what he desired to eat。 See Deut。 23：24； 25。 But to do this on the Sabbath was held to be an act of desecration。 Not only was the gathering of the grain a kind of reaping； but the rubbing of it in the hands was a kind of threshing。 Thus； in the opinion of the rabbis； there was a double offense。
The spies at once complained to Jesus； saying； 〃Behold； Thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the Sabbath day。〃
When accused of Sabbathbreaking at Bethesda； Jesus defended Himself by affirming His Sonship to God； and declaring that He worked in harmony with the Father。 Now that the disciples are attacked； He cites
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His accusers to examples from the Old Testament； acts perfo