The Change of the Sabbath

The Weekly Cycle

As we have already seen, the book of Genesis commences with the origin of the weekly cycle, as brought to view in the account of creation, and the institution of the Sabbath, without which that cycle would never have existed. The division of time into days, months, and years is easily traceable to nature. The revolution of the earth on its axis, the changes of the moon, and the circuit of the earth around the sun, originate these divisions of time. But no such origin can be found for the weekly cycle. Beyond all question, it owes its existence to the act of Jehovah in setting apart the seventh day at the creation of the world. Not even a plausible conjecture has ever been found for any other origin of it. It is a well-attested historical fact that the weekly cycle was observed, and the seventh day was kept sacred, by nearly all the most ancient nations of the earth besides the Jews. There are decisive evidences to show that the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Arabians, Greeks, and Romans, and even the Chinese, knew of the Sabbath, and at an early period regarded it as a sacred day. We may notice this point more fully hereafter, but will introduce brief evidences of it here. ChSa 19.2

John G. Butler, a Free-Will Baptist author in his Natural and Revealed Theology, p. 396, says: “We learn, also, from the testimony of Philo, Hesiod, Josephus, Porphyry, and others, that the division of time into weeks and the observance of the seventh day were common to the nations of antiquity. They would not have adopted such a custom from the Jews. Whence, then, could it have been derived but through tradition, from its original institution in the garden of Eden?” ChSa 20.1

The Asiatic Journal says: ChSa 21.1

“The Prime Minister of the empire affirms that the Sabbath was anciently, observed by the Chinese, in conformity to the directions of the king.” ChSa 21.2

The Congregationalist (Boston), Nov. 15, 1882, referring to the “Creation Tablets” found by Mr. Smith on the banks of the Tigris, near Nineveh, gives the following: ChSa 21.3

“Mr. George Smith says in his Assyrian Discoveries (1875): ‘In the year 1869 I discovered, among other things, a curious religious calendar of the Assyrians, in which every month is divided into four weeks, and the seventh days, or Sabbaths, are marked out as days on which no work should be undertaken. The calendar contains lists of work forbidden to be done on these days, which evidently correspond to the Sabbaths of the Jews.’” ChSa 21.4

Much more testimony on this point might be presented, but this is sufficient to show that the weekly cycle and the Sabbath were extensively known among these ancient nations. Brief references to the same thing in the books of Genesis and Exodus demonstrate the existence of the week and the Sabbath previous to the giving of the law. ChSa 21.5

In the history of the deluge there are several references to the weekly division of time. “For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth.” Genesis 7:4. “And he stayed yet other seven days,” etc. Genesis 8:10, 12. Three different weekly periods are brought to view in this short account of the flood. It could not have been accidental that this period of seven days should be chosen three successive times. It points unmistakably to the fact that the weekly cycle was in constant use in that age of the world. ChSa 21.6

In the history of Jacob’s marriage to the daughters of Laban, the week is also mentioned. “Fulfil the week of this one, and we will give thee the other also for the service which thou shall serve with me yet seven other years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week.” Genesis 29:27, 28. ChSa 21.7

The Sabbath is inseparably connected with the weekly division of time; hence, if the week existed, the Sabbath must also have been known. We are forced to conclude, therefore, that these inhabitants of Chaldea were well acquainted with its sacred obligation. Notice the testimony, already referred to, of those tablets dug out of ancient ruins found in that country. ChSa 22.1