“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
– Exodus 20:8-11
By the first angel, men are called upon to “fear God, and give glory to him,” and to worship him as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. In order to do this, they must obey his law. Says the wise man, “Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” [Ecclesiastes 12:13.] Without obedience to his commandments, no worship can be pleasing to God. “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” [1 John 5:3; Proverbs 28:9.]
The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that he is the Creator, and that to him all other beings owe their existence. And wherever, in the Bible, his claim to reverence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the evidence of his creative power. “All the gods of the nations are idols; but the Lord made the heavens.” [Psalm 96:5.] “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.” “Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; … I am Jehovah; and there is none else.” [Isaiah 40:25, 26; 45:18.] Says the psalmist, “Know ye that Jehovah, he is God; it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” [Psalm 100:3; 95:6.] And the holy beings who worship God in Heaven state, as the reason why their homage is due to him, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things.” [Revelation 4:11.]
In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the Creator, and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the result of the threefold message, are keeping the commandments of God. One of these commandments points directly to God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God…. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” [Exodus 20:10, 11.] Concerning the Sabbath, the Lord says, further, that it is “a sign, … that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” [Ezekiel 20:20.] And the reason given is, “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” [Exodus 31:17.] (1)
Charge for the Day: Memorize the 4th commandment and share it with someone this week.
1. The Great Controversy, pp. 436-437