Sunday
May 7
1. A TOKEN OF GOD’S MERCY
a. When did God make the Sabbath, and why? Genesis 2:1-3; Mark 2:27, 28.
“God is merciful. His requirements are reasonable, in accordance with the goodness and benevolence of His character. The object of the Sabbath was that all mankind might be benefited. Man was not made to fit the Sabbath; for the Sabbath was made after the creation of man, to meet his necessities. After God had made the world in six days, He rested and sanctified and blessed the day upon which He rested from all His work which He had created and made. He set apart that special day for man to rest from his labor, that, as he should look upon the earth beneath and the heavens above, he might reflect that God made all these in six days and rested upon the seventh; and that, as he should behold the tangible proofs of God’s infinite wisdom, his heart might be filled with love and reverence for his Maker.”-Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 582, 583.
Monday
May 8
2. A SYMBOL OF LOVE
a. What is the spiritual meaning of the Sabbath? Exodus 31:16, 17; Ezekiel 20:20.
“As the Sabbath was the sign that distinguished Israel when they came out of Egypt to enter the earthly Canaan, so it is the sign that now distinguishes God’s people as they come out from the world to enter the heavenly rest. The Sabbath is a sign of the relationship existing between God and His people, a sign that they honor His law. It distinguishes between His loyal subjects and transgressors.”-Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 349, 350.
“The Sabbath is a golden clasp that unites God and His people.”-Ibid., p. 351.
“We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life.”-Ibid., p. 353.
b. Why should our heart abound with gratitude every Sabbath? Hebrews 4:4, 5, 9-11.
“God . . . saw that the wants of man required a day of rest from toil and care, that his health and life would be endangered without a period of relaxation from the labor and anxiety of the six days.”-Testimonies, vol. 1, pp. 532, 533.
“Weekly [God] brings to us the Sabbath, the day which He has blessed and sanctified for the good of man. We enjoy freedom from the world’s hurry and bustle and wearisome labor, and may worship God.”-The Review and Herald, January 4, 1881.
c. What is a major benefit we receive by investing in this time with God? Mark 6:31.
“Our heavenly Father desires through the observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace.”-Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 349.
Tuesday
TuesdayMay 9
3. TO SANCTIFY AND EDUCATE
a. Why is the Sabbath so vital to our spiritual growth? Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:12.
“The Sabbath given to the world as the sign of God as the Creator is also the sign of Him as the Sanctifier. The power that created all things is the power that re-creates the soul in His own likeness. To those who keep holy the Sabbath day it is the sign of sanctification. True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through obedience to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through obedience.”-Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 350.
“This sanctification makes the loyal subject like his great Head, Jesus Christ. He is brought into peculiar and eternal relations to the Saviour on condition that he maintains his allegiance to the end.”-The Signs of the Times, November 22, 1899.
“Sanctification is the measure of our completeness. The moment we surrender ourselves to God, believing in Him, we have His righteousness. We realize that we have been redeemed from sin, and we appreciate the sacrifice made to purchase our freedom.”-The Review and Herald, July 25, 1899.
b. How does faithful Sabbathkeeping promote happiness and progress in our Christian walk? Isaiah 58:13, 14; 2 Peter 3:18.
“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 among men, in its glorious beauty, the pattern of His temple in the heavens, the token of His presence on the earth. So the portion of our time which He claims is given again to us, bearing His name and seal. . . . The Sabbath is a sign of creative and redeeming power; it points to God as the source of life and knowledge; it recalls man’s primeval glory, and thus witnesses to God’s purpose to recreate us in His own image.”-Education, p. 250.
Wednesday
May 10
4. HEARTS KNIT TOGETHER
a. How do we know that Christ our Example intends that we worship together as His body on the Sabbath day? Leviticus 23:3; Luke 4:16; Hebrews 10:25.
“The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him. . . . It is necessary that the people of God assemble to talk of Him, to interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in His word, and to devote a portion of time to appropriate prayer.”-Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 583.
b. Why is the Sabbath a real blessing for families seeking to draw closer together? Psalms 84:4; 118:24.
“The Sabbath and the family were alike instituted in Eden, and in God’s purpose they are indissolubly 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 of his household, and both father and mother as teachers and companions of their children. But the results of sin, having changed the conditions of life, to a great degree prevent this association. Often the father hardly sees the faces of 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 toil. Over the Sabbath He places His merciful hand. In His own day He preserves for the family opportunity for communion with Him, with nature, and with one another.”-Education, pp. 250, 251.
“The Sabbath should be made so interesting to our families that its weekly return will be hailed with joy. In no better way can parents exalt and honor the Sabbath than by devising means to impart proper instruction to their families and interesting them in spiritual things, giving them correct views of the character of God and what He requires of us in order to perfect Christian characters and attain to eternal life. Parents, make the Sabbath a delight, that your children may look forward to it and have a welcome in their hearts for it.”-Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 585.
Thursday
May 11
5. A BLESSING AND DELIGHT
a. What wondrous promises are assured to faithful Sabbathkeepers, especially in the last days? Isaiah 56:1-5; 58:13, 14; Psalm 27:5.
“All heaven was represented to me as beholding and watching upon the Sabbath those who acknowledge the claims of the fourth commandment and are observing the Sabbath. Angels were marking their interest in, and high regard for, this divine institution. Those who sanctified the Lord God in their hearts by a strictly devotional frame of mind, and who sought to improve the sacred hours in keeping the Sabbath to the best of their ability, and to honor God by calling the Sabbath a delight-these the angels were specially blessing with light and health, and special strength was given them. But, on the other hand, the angels were turning from those who failed to appreciate the sacredness of God’s sanctified day, and were removing from them their light and their strength.”-Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 704, 705.
“Some will urge that the Lord is not so particular in His requirements; that it is not their duty to keep the Sabbath strictly at so great loss, or to place themselves where they will be brought in conflict with the laws of the land. But here is just where the test is coming, whether we will honor the law of God above the requirements of men. This is what will distinguish between those who honor God and those who dishonor Him. Here is where we are to prove our loyalty. The history of God’s dealings with His people in all ages shows that He demands exact obedience. . . .
“If parents allow their children to receive an education with the world, and make the Sabbath a common day, then the seal of God cannot be placed upon them. They will be destroyed with the world; and will not their blood rest upon the parents? But if we faithfully teach our children God’s commandments, bring them into subjection to parental authority, and then by faith and prayer commit them to God, He will work with our efforts; for He has promised it. And when the overflowing scourge shall pass through the land, they with us may be hidden in the secret of the Lord’s pavilion.”-Historical Sketches of SDA Missions, pp. 216, 217.
Friday
May 12
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTION
1. How can I better utilize my Sabbath hours to promote more love for God and for others?