by GC LaMar
God’s living word reveals to us that the keeping of the holy Sabbath will continue
throughout eternity ──
“’ For as the new heavens and the new earth [see: Revelation 21:1] Which I will make
shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘So shall your descendants and your name
remain. 23) And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another [which
signifies a recurring cycle of worship], And from one Sabbath to another, ALL
FLESH shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD.” – Isaiah 66:22-23.
So, suppose the holy seventh-day Sabbath was merely a temporary “Jewish” commandment. Why would God’s living word tell us ── by the Prophet Isaiah,
inspired by God’s Spirit ── that it will continue even after a new heaven and a new
earth come down out of the atmosphere? Its eternal nature confirms for us its role as
a permanent sign of the LORD God’s chosen people.
Worldwide Observance In the Kingdom of God
The Prophet Zechariah has prophesied that beginning in Jesus Christ’s Millennial
Reign, all nations will be required to keep and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles ──
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came
against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of
hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17) And it shall be that whichever of the
families of the earth do not come up to [New] Jerusalem to worship the King, the
LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18) If the family of Egypt [the nation
of Egypt] will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive
the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the
Feast of Tabernacles. 19) This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment
of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.” – Zechariah
14:16-19.
This passage shows us that the LORD God’s annually appointed Feast of
Tabernacles will not be abolished, but will be observed worldwide, beginning with our Lord Jesus Christ’s Millennial Rule—the establishment of the glorious kingdom of God. It will be mandatory that all nations (delegations of all
nations) come up to New Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, with severe
punishment for those nations that refuse to do so.
The Prophet Isaiah also confirms this truth ── “And it shall come to pass That from
one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to
worship before Me,’ says the LORD.” – Isaiah 66:23.
All flesh──which means every human being will be remembering and observing
the holy seventh-day Sabbath even after the establishment of the new heaven and the new
earth.
Whom Do You Serve & Worship?
God’s living word makes it clear that there are two masters.
The Prophet Elijah ── whose name literally means “My God is YHWH,” who was
a prophet for the LORD God in the northern kingdom of Israel during the 9th century
BC ── makes this clear to those who were worshipping Baal ──
“Then it happened, when [King] Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, ‘Is that
you, O troubler of Israel?’ 18) And he answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel, but you
and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the
LORD and have followed the Baals. … 20) So Ahab sent for all the children of
Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21) And Elijah came to
all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the
LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him
not a word.” – 1 Kings 18:17-18, 20-21.
Every person on planet earth either serves the LORD God or Satan the Devil ── the
god of this age. There is no neutral position.
Our Lord Jesus points out to us ── “’ No one can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.’” – Matthew 6:24.
The Greek word for “mammon” is mamōnas, which means “wealth, assets.”
The Patriarch Joshua, gathering all the tribes of Israel, speaks the same truth ──
“Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented
themselves before God. 2) And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the LORD
God of Israel: ‘Your fathers, including Terah, the father of Abraham and the father
of Nahor, dwelt on the other side of the River [Euphrates] in old times; and they
served other gods. … 15) And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for
yourselves this day WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, whether the gods which your
fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.’” –
Joshua 24:1-2, 15.
Each person must choose. Obedience to the LORD God of Israel──which includes
the keeping and observance of His Sabbath and His Holy Days──or the gods of the
peoples who are all around you (for the LORD your God is a jealous God among
you).
Satan the Devil and His Demons Are Religious
Have you ever thought about the fact that Satan, the devil, and his demons are
religious?
The Apostle Paul speaks volumes concerning this very truth ── “ … from those
who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they
boast. 13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into apostles of Christ. 14) And NO WONDER! For Satan himself transforms into
an angel of light. 15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform
themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their
works.” – 2 Corinthians 11:12, 13-15.
Satan the Devil, doesn’t always appear as an evil-looking being. He, more often than
not, appears as righteousness. And, his ministers appear as ministers of
righteousness. They deceive people into believing that they are serving the LORD
God, when in fact they are serving Satan the Devil ── either on purpose or because
of ignorance. And, there is a saying, “ignorantia juris non excusat.” Ignorance of the
Law of God is not a valid defense.
The Prophet Hosea underscores this truth ── “’ My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget
your children.’” – Hosea 4:6.
Speaking of the end-times of this present evil age, our Lord Jesus Christ says ── “’
Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
24) For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders
to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25) See, I have told you beforehand.’” –
Matthew 24:23-25.
So often, the deception can be so powerful and convincing that even the elect of God
can be deceived. Our Lord Jesus has warned us, brethren, beforehand. He who holds
fast what we have, brethren, till He comes, and who overcomes and keeps all His
works until the end, shall escape and stand before the LORD God in the glorious
kingdom of God!
We are warned that in the end-time a most-popular and powerful religious figure will
stand up and announce that he is God ── “Let no one deceive you by any means;
for that Day [the Day of the LORD] will not come unless the falling away comes
first, and THE MAN OF SIN IS REVEALED, the son of perdition, 4) who opposes
and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as
God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. …
9) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all
power, signs, and lying wonders, 10) and with all unrighteous deception among those
who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be
saved. 11) And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should
believe the lie, 12) that they all may be [judged] who did not believe the truth but
had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12.
Those who reject the living truth of God ── again, either on purpose or because of
ignorance ── God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe that
this lawless one is God. Thinking that they are serving Jesus Christ, but instead ──
in reality ── they are serving Satan the Devil.
There is a WIDE GATE
Our Lord Jesus Christ speaks of this wide gate ── “’ Enter by the narrow gate; for
wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many
who go in by it. 14) Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads
to life [eternal life], and there are few who find it.’” – Matthew 7:13-14.
The majority of our peoples are traveling along the broad road that leads to
destruction. And this includes the multitudes who are claiming Christianity while
outright rejecting God’s commandments. The narrow way ── the path to eternal life
── is traveled during this present age by only a few, those who have within them
the Spirit of God and who obey all of God’s commands!
Our Lord Jesus Christ was asked, ‘are there few who are saved?’ ── “ … ‘Strive to
enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not
be able.’” – Luke 13:24.
Many will be seeking to enter into His kingdom, but will not be able ── because
they refused to obey the LORD God in their lifetime.
‘Come out of her, my people’
The LORD God calls for His people ── those that Father God has called out of this
world, have properly repented, been baptized, and have had hands laid upon them,
receiving the glorious Holy Spirit ── to completely separate themselves from this
world’s religions and this world’s religious practices ──
In vision, the Apostle John heard a voice from heaven saying ── “ … ‘Come out of
her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’” –
Revelation 18:4.
The Apostle Paul, too, has this same warning for us ── “Therefore, ‘Come out from
among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I
will receive you.’ 18) ‘I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and
daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.’” – 2 Corinthians 6:17-18; see also Isaiah
52:11; Ezekiel 20:34, 41; and 2 Samuel 7:14.
The LORD God (the Elohim, the family of God – which at this time consists of God
the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ) promises to receive and acknowledge as sons and daughters those who come out from false religions and unclean
practices.
Partial Obedience is Disobedience
To quote Yoda in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, “Do or do not.
There is no try.”
The LORD God values ── inspiring His Prophet & Judge Samuel to announce to King
Saul ── full and faithful obedience above any religious ritual. He explains
to us that rebellion is equated to witchcraft ──
1st Samuel 15:22-23 ── “So Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. 23) For rebellion is as the sin
of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have
rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.’”
The rejection of the word of the LORD will result in the LORD God rejecting you.
Life or Death
The LORD God tells the children of Israel that there is set before us all, life and death,
and that we are to choose ── “’ I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life,
that both you and your descendants may live; 20) that you may love the LORD your
God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your
life and length of your days; and that you my dwell in the land which the LORD
swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.’” – Deuteronomy
30:19-20.
The LORD God has set before every person a choice of life or death. Choosing
life means loving God, obeying His voice, clinging to Him, that you may dwell
safely in the land. And this obedience includes ── the remembering and keeping
holy His seventh-day Sabbath and keeping and celebrating His Holy Days.
The Seal of God vs. The Mark of the Beast
The apostle John, under divine inspiration of the Spirit of God, describes for us a
grave warning ──
Revelation 13:16-17 ── “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and [bond], to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17) and
that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name.”
There are quite a few places - Revelation 13:16-17; Revelation 14:9-11; Revelation
15:2; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:4 that speak concerning the
‘mark of the beast.’
Now, the term ‘the mark’ – if you look it up in your concordance or your lexicon under
your Bible study helps – it describes an actual something. An actual thing – a symbol.
It’s not a concept or an idea. And, it's not “Sunday worship.”
Revelation 14:9-10 ── “’ If ANYONE worships the beast and his image, and
receives his mark on his FOREHEAD or on his HAND, 10) he himself shall also
drink of the wine of the WRATH OF GOD, which is poured out full strength into
the cup of His indignation. ...”
Just as the LORD God has a seal upon the begotten children of God, BABYLON
THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, has also “marked” their followers.
The identifying sign of the churches of false Christianity is the cross, from the time
of the Roman Empire down to today. At the end of this present evil age will center
upon worship ── as in, Whom do you serve & worship?
The grave consequences of having received this “mark” ── either you have already
received this “mark” or you will receive it in the near future ── could be eternal
without proper repentance.
Sadly, those who have either outright rejected or have allowed themselves to be
misled concerning God’s commandments ── including the remembering and
keeping holy His seventh-day Sabbath and keeping and celebrating His Holy Days
── have most likely accepted the “mark” of the beast, and do not have the seal of God.
God's Eternal, Unchanging Marks of His People
The LORD God has not changed in standards ── from the beginning, the LORD
God has “marked” their people through their faithful obedience to their
commandments. From Eden, the seventh-day Sabbath has stood as a perpetual sign for the children of God. Divine appointments that identify those who belong
exclusively to Him.
These are not cultural “Jewish” customs and rituals that were only temporary in the
Old Testament, that were abolished upon the cross. We are told that these are eternal
statutes that were established by the Lord Himself, and that were observed by our
Savior Jesus Christ and His apostles, and are destined to be kept and observed in His
Millennial Reign and beyond.
We are told by the LORD God of Israel, “’ For I am the LORD, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob. 7) Yet from the days of your
fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to
Me, and I will return to you,’ Says the LORD of hosts. …” – Malachi 3:6, 7.
We are also told that our Lord Jesus Christ changes not ── “Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8.
The LORD God does not change their standards ── their commandments are not
going to change.
God Commands All Men Everywhere To Repent
Inspired by God’s Spirit, the Apostle Paul tells us ── “Truly, these times of
ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” –
Acts 17:30.
Hebrews 3:15 ── “while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, DO NOT
HARDEN YOUR HEARTS as in the rebellion.’” – and he went on to explain, 16) For
who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by
Moses? 17) Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who
sinned, … 18) And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to
THOSE WHO DID NOT OBEY? 19) So we see that they could not enter in because
of unbelief.” – vs. 16, 17, 18.
2nd Corinthians 6:2 ── “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you
not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2) For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have
heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the
accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
My friend, won’t you seek the Lord while He may be found, won’t you properly
repent, be properly baptized, and have hands laid upon you ── receiving the gift of
the Holy Spirit, receiving the seal of the living God? Won’t you be “marked” as
belonging to Him by keeping His holy commandments, remembering and keeping
His seventh-day Sabbath, and keeping and celebrating His Holy Days? Or, will you
continue in the traditions of men, remaining spiritually dead and under the dominion
of Satan the Devil?
The choice is yours. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has spoken. His living words
are eternal. Choose life. Choose the LORD God. Choose the glorious seal of the
living God ── today. □
