Friday, March 27, 2009

Question 36 - The Sabbath and Antichrist
As with all or our Blogsites, we ask that our readers take a moment to pray for God's Spirit to be your only Guide as we study. This is especially important here because we will be examining some very important and controversial subjects. Thank you SO much!!

Purpose of the Sabbath
The Sabbath's first and foremost importance is that it is the Memorial Day for God being our Creator (see Gen.2:1-3). Sabbath is the Day He set aside for us to spend special time with Him. Sabbath is a Day in which God desires His people to refrain from their own pleasures and pursuits, and call the Sabbath a delight. (see Isa.58:13-14). It is the Day all of His people will meet with Him and worship Him throughout eternity (see Isa.66:22-23)! With all of this being true, Dear Reader, what would you guess Satan's and Antichrist's would be concerning the Sabbath?

Pre-Trib Books and Movies
Over the past 30 years Pre-Trib Rapture enthusiasts have produced hundreds of books and dozens of movies about the Great Tribulation, and none EVER mention Antichrist's connection to the Sabbath or his war against those who "keep the Commandments of God, and have the Testimony and Faith of Jesus" (Rev.12:17 and 14:12). When the Bible makes mention of Antichrist, there's almost always a connection to God's Law and how he will be at war against God's People because they obey it. If we combine this with the prophecies from Jesus warning us that Satan will use false prophets and false teachers in the last days to deceive people into believing God's Law is annulled until Jesus comes, we have a serious Point to Ponder!! Pastor, as you know, Pre-Trib has as it very foundation a doctrine stating that we are presently in a "Grace Age" and free from the Law.

The Point to Ponder
What would happen if Pastors explained directly from Scripture how Satan will use anti-Sabbath and anti-10 Commandments in his last stand against God's People during the Tribulation? How would their congregation react? Let's be honest!! Congregations would seriously question why their Pastors are ranting against those 10 Commandment/Sabbath observing Christians, calling them "Legalists" and "Cults,"  and claiming these Sabbath observers are just trying to "Work their way to Heaven."  Would these congregations Ponder whether or not God is truly insisting they disobey His Sabbath Commandment if  that Commandment will be strictly observed during the Millennium and throughout eternity? If the congregations of these anti-Sabbath Pastors were taught that it will be Antichrist who "Thinks to change God's Times and Laws" (Dan.7:25), would they Ponder why their Pastors are telling them that it was actually Jesus who changed God's Time Law by dropping the Sabbath and replacing it with Sunday? In a moment we'll look closer at how Satan could make anti-Sabbath the Mark of the Beast. 


Is it possible that the Last-Day Tribulation Antichrist will not need to "Change Times and Laws" because almost all Christians have already been taught by their Pastors that Jesus made that "Change?" Actually, most Anti-Sabbath Pastors say Paul "changed God's Time Law."

Satan's "Bait and Switch"
Throughout human history Satan has always tried to switch places with God. If Satan could somehow spread the false rumor that Jesus performed the exact deed that Bible prophecy says Antichrist will fulfill, and convince all Christians to believe his lie, would he do it? He would absolutely! Let's be certain we understand the question. If Satan could invent a doctrine that would teach unwitting Christian ministers to proclaim that Jesus was actually "The Antichrist"  and if he could trick Christian ministers into actually proclaim this doctrine of demons he invented, he would do this absolutely, and we suggest this is exactly he has done.

If Satan falsely accuses Jesus of  "Changing the Times and the Laws,"  is there a particular day Satan would claim that Jesus chose for this "change?" Would he pick a day that would be the easiest to get the masses to go along with him? How convenient and satisfying for Satan would it be if he could use a day that has represented success for him in his battle against God for centuries before Jesus was crucified, while at the same time, set up a day that would be easy for Christians to accept? What if Satan's Memorial Day was actually a day that, for centuries he used it for his Heathenism, Paganism, and Sun worship? We suggest Satan did exactly that, and has been very successful.

Sun God
According to the only recorded history mankind now has, the first "Sun God" was Nimrod. When Nimrod died, his followers declared that he became the Sun. The ancient Egyptians worshiped "RA" claiming he was the Sun. When Israel left Egypt, Baal or Baalim was the Canaanite "Sun God." During the time of Jesus and the Apostles, the Roman Empire's state religion was Paganism, and Paganism's "God" was the Sun. Pagans called their day, "The Venerable Day of the Sun." What better day could Satan choose? Pastor, as you know, Pre-Trib says the Sabbath, or Sabbath observance, did not exist till Moses. It is true that the Bible doesn't record any Sabbath observance before Moses, but do we really believe God never explained the Sabbath to Adam and Eve? Note the Following:

The Sabbath at Creation
"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" (Gen.2:2-3).

Pastor, does anyone really believe that Jesus "Sanctified" the Sabbath, and "rested" that first Sabbath of our planet, and He rested all by Himself?  Does anyone really believe God told Adam and Eve to ignore the Sabbath? So, why would God tell Adam and Eve's children, and their children's children to disregard the Sabbath? We suggest that all of God's true people from creation till Christ's birth observed the Sabbath, and we do not believe Jesus annulled the Sabbath during this present Grace Dispensation. 
 
God's Commandment Keepers
John was shown in vision that there will be a small part of earth's inhabitants that will NOT worship Antichrist and will NOT obey his "changed Time Law" (Dan. 7:25). He saw, "The patience of the Saints keeping the COMMANDMENTS of GOD (instead of Antichrist's changed commandments) and having the FAITH and Testimony of JESUS" (Rev.12:17 and 14:12). Like Daniel's three friends that refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's giant image (See Dan.3), God's last day people will refuse to bow to Antichrist's Sabbath. John also saw how Satan, "Went to make war with the Remnant of her seed, who keep the COMMANDMENTS of GOD (obey Jesus' true time Commandment instead of Satan's changed time commandment) and have the TESTIMONY of JESUS CHRIST" (Rev. 12:17). Is John the only prophet seeing the "Whole World" go along with Antichrist's "Changed Time Law?" Pretty much every prophet that wrote about Antichrist saw him attacking God's Law. 

 Isaiah's ANTICHRIST Prophecy
"The earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof [all the world wondered after and worshiped the Beast]; because they have transgressed the Laws, changed the Ordinance [change times and laws], broken the Everlasting Covenant. Therefore [because of this] hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men [the Remnant] are left" (Isa.24:5).

"Changed Ordinance?" The Hebrew word for "Ordinance" in this text is "Choq" and means: "An appointment of TIME, a Commandment, Law, Ordinance, a set TIME, a statute." An "appointment of TIME"? A "SET TIME." The Sabbath Commandment is the ONLY "Time Ordinance".

Jeremiah Prophesied "God's Law FORSAKEN"
"The land perished and burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through. And the Lord saith, Because they have forsaken My Law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, neither walked in it, But have walked after their own heart and after Baalim [the Sun god], which their fathers taught them" (Jer. 9:12-14).
 In the Website, Antichrist's Name we show how Paul called Antichrist ANOMOS, which is a Greek word that means, "Annul God's Law." In the website The Mark of the Beast, we show evidence from Scripture that this change is the Mark of the Beast. 
There's an ironic twist to the Sabbath debate. Our preachers tell us that, "keeping the Sabbath is trying to work our way to Heaven." But the Sabbath Commandment says we should "Not Work" but rather give our time to the Lord on that day and "Rest." How is "Not Working" an attempt to "Work our way to Heaven?" How can "Resting" be "Working?" Strange indeed that our preachers tell us to "Forget" the only Commandment that begins with the word "Remember."

"Spiritual Dyslexia"
Dyslexia is a condition causing things to appear reversed. Isaiah explained Spiritual Dyslexia: "Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter" (Isa. 5:20). Then Isaiah told us how we develop it: "Because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel" (Vs.24).
A Point to Ponder is, should we, "Cast away God's Law" and choose Antichrist's Changed Law? May God give us the wisdom to choose right.
Thank you SO much, Pastor, for your time and interest. Let's continue to pray for God's Spirit to guide us as we prepare for Jesus to come SOON!
Your brother in Christ
Walter C. Martin Jr.
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Check Our Other Blogsites:

Pre-Tribulation Rapture
Post-Tribulation Second Coming of Jesus
Will We Eat Pigs During the Millennium?

Planet Earth WILL be Destroyed After the 1000 Years!
New Jerusalem - How BIG is It?
Great White Throne Judgment Seat - When and Where
Christ's Kingdom - Millennial or EVERLASTING?

 Hell Fire
Is God Torturing People Now
Did Jesus Suffer ALL of Your Hell?
The Rich Man and Lazarus?
Death
The Dead - Dead or Alive - What is Death?
Did Jesus Die YOUR Death for You?
Will Satan Ever Die - Bible Says "YES!"
Testing Our Doctrine About Death
The Dead Stand Before Great White Throne Judgment Seat

 The Gnostics Attack the Sabbath
Were Gnostics Really Christian?
Were Gnostics Satan's Implants into the Church?
Is Gnosticism Alive and Well in Today's Churches
Church is Israel - Israel is Church
Is the Church Israel and Israel the Church?
Is the Bride of Jesus the 144 Thousand?
Did Jesus Offer the Jews a Millennial Kingdom in His Ministry?
Will New Jerusalem Sit in Israel? How Big is It?
Christ's REAL EVERLASTING Kingdom is for ALL Believers!

The Sabbath
Is it a Sin to Observe the Sabbath?
Is There a Connection Between the Rapture and the Sabbath?
Will the Sabbath Be Observed By God's People During the Tribulation?
Who REALLY Changed the Sabbath in Early Christianity?
Un-Answered and Un-Answerable Sabbath Questions For Popular Preachers
How to Test Your Doctrine Concerning the Sabbath

Heaven
Marriage in Heaven - Millennial Kingdom?
Strange Animal/Demons the Millennium?
Why Jesus Hasn't Come to Take Us To Heaven?
Teachers of Anomia (Law Annulling)
Good Ministers Teaching Against God's 10 Commandments?
Teaching of Anomia - The Reason Jesus Hasn't Come Yet?
Pre-Trib Rapture and Sabbath
Pre-Trib Rapture and the Sabbath?

Walter C. Martin Jr.
Everlasting Gospel Ministries

These are just a few of the questions we examine in our Websites.
Thank you, Dear Reader,  for checking them. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback if you look at our Sites.  If you send us your questions or comments, we will try to answer and add your question to these Websites. We will Not give your name or E-Mail address to ANY ONE or ANY Church Group or Denomination! Nor will we send you ANY annoying E-Mails!! It is NOT our purpose to get you to withdraw from your present Church, but to invite you to present things you learn here to your Pastor and Friends.
Let's pray that God will continue sending His Holy Spirit to guide as we prepare for Jesus to come. Thank You!
Your Brother in Christ!
Walter C. Martin Jr
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