The greatest educational tool available to man leading him to understand the dignity of his origin and the perfect destiny
to which he has been ordained is the Holy Bible. Our Creator's purpose is to redeem His children from the selfishness
of sin and restore His intended purpose for life. And this required that He become as one with the fallen race.
The Apostles describe the saving grace of GOD in His condescension to become a man: “In the beginning was the
Word [an old Jewish term for the Creator who spoke all into existence], and the Word was with
GOD, and the Word was GOD. He was in the beginning with GOD. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made.” “For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” “And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us.” Jn.1:1-3; Col.1:16,17; Jn.1:14a.
The leading attribute of
Jesus Christ according to the Bible is that of Creator. He is the Father of the human race. Over 800 verses testify to this
fact that before His human birth Jesus Christ is the Creator of stars, angels and men. Said Christ Himself in the book of
Revelation, “I am the Root and Offspring of David.” The prophet Isaiah wrote of Him, “And
His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty GOD, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Only the Father of Adam could redeem the children of Adam by becoming as one of his children, living the sinless
life that they could not and conquer the domain of death that its jurisdiction over the family of Adam would be forever ended
for those who believe His good news of deliverance from the condemnation, power and presence of sin.
Of the Ten Commandment Law, two point us directly to Jesus Christ: the 2nd and the 4th Commandments.
Let us read the 2nd Commandment: (Exodus 20:4-6)
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them
that love me, and keep my commandments.”
This exquisitely perfect Law points to Jesus Christ as
the source of all "mercy" for "them" GOD said, "that love me and keep my commandments." Ex.20:6.
That "mercy" written with "the finger of God" in the permanence of stone could only be granted through
the greatest event of all eternity: the day Jesus Christ laid down His life on the Cross of Calvary. That "mercy"
in the 2nd Commandment points every man to the sacrifice of Christ. Jesus Himself directs us to the 2nd Commandment
when He said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Jn.14:16. Every verse of Scripture associated with
man's love for GOD points us to the 2nd Commandment.
Let us read the other Commandment that points
every man to Jesus Christ:
"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." Ex.20:8-11.
What
is so perfect about the Seventh-day Sabbath Rest: A sacred Law through whose desire to obey you were drawn here today? As
GOD entered the Sabbath hours He entered a time of solemn joy. Why? Because He knew that He had provided everything that will
meet the desires of His children forever. This is the essence of Christ’s words when He said, “the Sabbath was
made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” GOD calls the human race to enter the joy of His rest: His rest in accomplishing
everything that will bless our lives with peace and prosperity—forever. And when the selfish government of sin took
dominion of this world through the deceptive ploys of Creation’s arch deceiver, Satan (the hidden rebel behind every
atrocity of earth), GOD inaugurated the great plan of redemption to save His children from Satan's destructive powers,
and this in turn preserved the joy of His Sabbath Rest. Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, spilling His life’s blood,
the joyful rest of the Seventh-day was preserved.
“Before the foundation of the world” GOD designed the
rescue of the human family. GOD knew before He created the first star, angel or man that He had to lay down His life to preserve
Life. In summation, GOD could only redeem what man is by becoming what man is in order to bring man to Him where He is. This
was the purpose of Jesus Christ. He alone is the bridge spanning heaven and earth, a bridge whereby all may cross to heaven
“without money, and without price.”
The fundamental teaching of the Bible is simple: GOD lives
to one purpose and one purpose alone: to serve you and me, of which the Seventh-day Sabbath is the seal of GOD'S everlasting
provision. The words of Jesus Christ verify the foundational doctrine of salvation: "the Son of man came not
to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." Matt.20:28. This ministering
of the Savior will continue when the saints are resurrected from the dead and translated from the living: "Blessed
are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and
make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Lu.12:37. The character seen in the life of
Jesus Christ is identical to the character of "our Father which art in heaven:" again, as Jesus said, "he
that hath seen me hath seen the Father:" "I and my Father are one." Jn.14:9;10:30. Subservient
love is the law of the Universe, of which the Seventh-day Sabbath is the seal of that love. Every component throughout
the Creation, both living and non-living exists for one purpose and one purpose alone: to preserve the eternal safety and
happiness of life, of which the Seventh-day Sabbath is the seal of that peaceful assurance. Man is called to rest in
what GOD has said will be. And when that day comes the universal tranquility of life will stand forever of which the Sabbath
is the everlasting sign.
