The Change of the Sabbath

The Destruction of Jerusalem

One of the last instructions of our Lord to his disciples, about two days before his crucifixion, shows his interest in them and his solicitude for the Sabbath: “Pray you that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.” Matthew 24:20. He was foretelling the terrible destruction of Jerusalem, and giving his disciples directions how to escape it. Eleven hundred thousand Jews, rejecting that instruction, miserably perished. He says, “When you shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.” Luke 21:20. Some little time previous to the final surrounding of Jerusalem by the Roman army under Vespasian and Titus, the sign was fulfilled. Cestius, another general, did compass Jerusalem with a Roman army, and according to Josephus (Jewish Wars, Book 2, Chapter 19) might easily have taken it; but “he retired from the city without any reason.” Whereupon, every Christian left the city, and fled away to Pella, sixty miles distant. When the Romans returned to invest the city, the disciples were in safety. ChSa 50.1

Christ foretold this event, and instructed his followers to pray that the time of this flight might not occur upon the Sabbath day or during the winter season. In the latter case it would have involved much suffering, as they were to go in the greatest haste. No other reason can be given why they were instructed to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath, than the Lord’s desire that they should not be compelled to break it in order to escape. ChSa 50.2

For nearly forty years, the disciples in Judea, as instructed by the Lord of the Sabbath, were to plead with God that their flight might not occur on the Sabbath. This proves, (1) That there was to be a Sabbath in the year A. D. 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed. (2) That this was certainly the Sabbath which was in existence when Christ spoke these words, viz., the seventh day Sabbath, as it would be most absurd to suppose that Christ spoke of any other day than the one they were then keeping. (3) That we have here the strongest indication of the Savior’s desire that his disciples should keep the ancient Sabbath after the Christian dispensation had begun. ChSa 51.1

If he wished them to keep it, is not his desire just as great that we should keep it? Could such an injunction be found in the words of Christ, that the disciples should thus regard Sunday, how eagerly would first-day observers claim it as evidence in their favor! ChSa 51.2

In view of these considerations, we again ask, Why should any one conclude that Christ had the remotest idea of instituting another Sabbath, and setting aside the ancient Sabbath of four thousand years’ standing? No intimation of it is given in a word of his or of his historians. That ancient Sabbath had answered all the wants of God’s patriarchs, prophets, and holy men for all these ages. He had told the Jews that if they would keep it sacred, their city should stand forever. Jeremiah 17:25. Christ himself had observed it all his life, as had all his disciples. What reason can be assigned for its being changed? Do not Christians as well as Jews need to keep in mind the great work of creation? We must conclude that no such change occurred. ChSa 51.3