In Defense of the Faith

Saturday the True Seventh Day

“But to the facts in the case,” continues Canright. “Follow us carefully, and see if there is not an abundance of proof that Saturday is the true seventh day from creation. Genesis 1 gives a concise history of the first six days of time. Chapter 2:1-3 says: ‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.” DOF 94.1

“Here we have a sure starting point. God worked the first six days. He rested the seventh. Then He blessed the seventh day. After that He sanctified it. To sanctify is to set apart, to appoint to a holy use. (See Webster.) This shows that God there appointed this day for Adam and his family to keep holy. By thus keeping it, it would weekly mark off a period of seven days. Hence originated a week of seven days, which we find so often mentioned in the history of the patriarchs, and afterward of the Jews. Notice a few instances. Just before the flood, God said to Noah, ‘For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth.’ Genesis 7:4. Of Noah it is said: ‘And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.’ Genesis 8:10. And again, ‘And he stayed yet other seven days, and sent forth the dove.’ Verse 12. Laban said to Jacob: Fulfill her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shall serve with me yet other seven years. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week.’ Genesis 29:27, 28. These quotations ... show that the week, composed of seven days, was known and observed by the patriarchs both before and after the flood. Hence, it is strong proof that they had the Sabbath and observed it. Of the antiquity of the week and the Sabbath among all nations, Gilfillan, in his large book on ‘The Sabbath,’ published by the American Tract Society, says: DOF 94.2