The Conflict

The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God’s law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. {GC 605.2}

The apostle John proclaims to us from his exile on the Mount of Patmos, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17). Essentially, God’s servants are relating to us that there would be a great conflict revolving around the law of God, particularly His Sabbath commandment, in the final days of earth’s history. We are verily in the midst of that conflict and each will have to choose whose side they’re on.

God’s word teaches us to honor Him by keeping His Ten Commandments, including His Sabbath Commandment, which enjoins all men to keep holy His blessed Sabbath-day, today called Saturday. Contrary to God’s command are the movements,  calling for Sunday sacredness, a tradition of men. This call for Sunday to be observed as the holy Sabbath-day is rapidly intensifying. The church of Rome is the prime promoter and instigator of the establishment of Sunday sacredness, which she claims is her mark of authority in religious matters.

God’s Law vs Man’s Tradition

Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, the current pope urges and proclaims that Sunday should be protected as a sacred day of rest and worship. Francis calls the world to follow him in opposition to God: “On Sunday, our participation in the Eucharist has special importance..Sunday, like the Jewish Sabbath, is meant to be a day which heals our relationships with God, with ourselves, with others and with the world.Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, the “first day” of the new creation, whose first fruits are the Lord’s risen humanity, the pledge 0f the final transfiguration of all created reality. It also proclaims ‘man’s eternal rest in God” (LAUDATO SI’, Section 237).

But God disagrees; hence the conflict. Moses declares on behalf of the God of creation: “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” (Exodus 20:8-11).

Further, God’s call goes out today, ” Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7). This is a call to the world to honor and worship the God of creation by keeping holy His blessed Sabbath day, today called Saturday.

As Pope Francis travels around the world proclaiming peace and safety, many are enamored by his appeals. In promoting Sunday rest, he recently declared, “Sunday is a holy day for Christians, sanctified by the Eucharistic celebration, the living presence of the Lord among us and for us. It is necessary to revive this awareness, to recover the meaning of the celebration, the meaning of the joy, of the parish community, of solidarity, of the rest which restores body and soul.” This is of course, blatantly in opposition to the God of Creation and sets the stage for the final battle in the Conflict of the Ages.

Little do many know, as in ages past, that unimaginable persecution is being planned for those who do not follow him. The apostle Paul warns us, “For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). The prophet of Patmos educates us on the nature of the destruction and conflict: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Essentially, the pope’s peace plan calls for men and women to reject the God of creation and accept him as lord and savior. Thus he declared, “fundamentalism is a disease of all religions..fundamentalism is always a tragedy. It is not religious, it lacks God, it is idolatrous”. Further, he persuaded the representatives of the world’s nine largest religions, gathered in Assisi to listen to him, that their message should be clear: to denounce fundamentalism as an instrumentality of God. Fundamentalism being referred to is one to believe in  God’s word, the Holy Bible, which teaches that Jesus Christ is the Only Savior of the world and that all of His commandments, particularly His 7th-day Sabbath Commandment, should be kept by all.

John the Revelator not only enlightens us on the ultimate objective of Francis’ unity plan; but he foretells the final outcome: “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast…These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:13-14).

The question is, whom will you obey, which movement will you join– the God of creation or the pope of Rome? All will have to make a decision.  What will yours be? It’s a matter beyond the days.

The book, God’s Sabbath Truth, will help you understand the issue at hand, the dangers ahead, and guide you into making the right decision. We invite to choose God’s side, join the movement, share God’s Sabbath Truth, and encourage others to do likewise.