In the history of creation, as given in the Bible Genesis, we find that the Lord commenced and ended the labor of creating the world in six days or periods of time. That also, he ceased his labors on the seventh day and devoted it to rest.

As we have shown in the article on pre-existence, in this work, these seven periods of creative time were occupied in the creation and perfection of spiritual organizations. These have since given life to the organizations formed out of the crude elements, from which all animal and vegetable life is formed.

When Adam was formed out of these elements, and the Lord made every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food, to grow out of the ground, another series of creative days, or periods of time, commenced. The six days of labor, which, according to present reckoning, is supposed to be about six thousand years, has nearly passed away.

The Christian world anticipate the time when antagonisms will cease, and there will be a time of universal peace, called the Millennium. While the Christian sects may entertain various theories as to how this millennium will be brought about, and what will be its practical results, to the Latter-day Saints it assumes a well defined outline, as delineated in the sacred books.

Typical of these great, creative sabbaths, the Lord has commanded man to rest every seventh day, according to his reckoning, as measured by one revolution of the earth on its axis. The sabbath was instituted for man's especial benefit, for the Savior, when on the earth, declared that "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath;" Mark 2. 27.

There is nothing to indicate that the sabbath was a new institution at the time Israel came out of Egypt, but, being the beginning of a new dispensation, the institution was strengthened by direct commandment. In about one month after their deliverance from Egypt, when the Lord had commenced to feed them on manna, they were commanded to gather on the sixth day enough for the seventh day also. This obviated the necessity of gathering food on the sabbath, for the Lord said, "To-morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the Lord;" Exo. 16. 23.

In the third month after Israel came out of Egypt, amidst a wonderful display of his glory and power upon Mount Sinai, the Lord gave to Israel ten commandments, one of which was, "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh 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;" 20. 8-11. This commandment is very sweeping and comprehensive, and the Lord makes it typical of the creative, sabbatic period of time.

In the Pentateuch the passages are quite numerous in which the children of Israel are reminded of the importance of keeping this commandment. The importance of keeping the sabbath day holy is urged upon Israel in the following passage, if possible, with still more force than in the Decalogue: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a SIGN between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you;" 31. 12-18.

A very important feature of this subject is expressed in the last verse. The keeping of the sabbath day was to be a sign throughout the generations of Israel, that the people continually remembered that it was the Lord that sanctified them through keeping his commandments.

In verse 14, the Lord says, "Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people." The command is repeated in a little different form in verse 15.

The sabbath was to be a perpetual covenant between the Lord and the children of Israel. "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant;" verse 16. In verse 17 they are commanded to observe it as a sign that they remember that the Lord made heaven and earth, and rested on the seventh day.

In these quotations from Exo. 31, and in the Decalogue the most positive and weighty reasons are given by the Lord to the fathers of the house of Israel, for keeping the sabbath day. The obligation is evidently as binding upon the Latter-day Saints as it was upon their fathers, and they in like manner will reap the reward of obedience.

Israel was also required to give the land rest. "Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; but in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard;" Lev. 25. 3, 4. After seven sabbaths of years had been numbered, making forty-nine years, then the fiftieth year was to be a year of Jubilee. This was a year of general release from all bondage. "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family;" verse 10. Both the forty-ninth and fiftieth were years of rest for the land. This chapter should be well studied for information with regard to the sabbatic year.

The Lord, in his revelations through his prophet Joseph, has commanded the saints to keep the sabbath day holy. "For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High. * * * And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full;" Doc. & Cov., 59. 10, 13. In verse 15-17, great blessings are promised as the result of keeping this commandment. To keep the sabbath holy is again positively enjoined upon the saints "And the inhabitants of Zion shall, also, observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" Sec. 68. 29.

Bible.

Lev. 19. 3 shall fear every man his father and mother, and keep my sabbaths. 30.

26. 34 then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths as long as it is desolate.

Num. 15. 32-36 a young man stoned for breaking the sabbath.

Neh. 10. 31 the people covenanted not to buy victuals on the sabbath.

13. 15-22 Nehemiah sharply reproved the people for laboring on the sabbath.

Isa. 56. 2 blessed is the man that keepeth the sabbath.

3-7 the eunuch and the stranger that keep the sabbath shall be blessed.

58. 13, 14 great blessings promised to those who keep the sabbath. Jer. 17. 21-27.

Sam. 2. 6 caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion.

Ezek. 20. 12 I gave my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them.

22. 26 have hid their eyes from my sabbaths.

Matt. 12. 8 for the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath.

10-12 lawful to do good on the sabbath day.