The golden river that flows through time

The Golden River that Flows through Time 43 but gave the Christian church its mandate. We will examine the significance of some of the events over this weekend for various people groups. Superstition Put on Notice God’s intention from the commencement of Christ’s time on earth was to reach as many people groups as possible. We might consider the Magi who came to visit at his birth. They were possibly the official priests of Babylon who were steeped in pagan worship and who well understood the significance of astral events (Crow 1972, pp. 78-79). However, they were among the first to acknowledge Christ’s birth (Matt. 2:1 margin), and we can be reasonably sure that his life events would have been followed by them. God was intensely interested in this group of people. The astral body that ruled a day had particular significance to the Babylonians and others. At this time in the history of the Middle East, the chief gods were the seven stars: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn. All were considered emanations of the Sun, the chief star. In time Chaldean astrology and Greek thought intermingled and was brought to maturity by Greek thinkers in Alexandria who incorporated ideas from Egyptian and even Hebrew thought. As a result, a planetary seven day week, much as we know it today, with twenty four hours and sixty minutes to the hour, was launched in Egypt and was made popular by the Romans. This way of reckoning was known in Roman circles before Christ’s birth and was well accepted by the beginning of the third century (Waterhouse 1982, pp. 310-314; Sutton 1983, pp. 53, 111; Zerubavel 1985, p. 14). Having set the scene we will attempt to make the discussion simpler by reminding the reader continually of our reference points, which are the days of the week. The line of reasoning is accepted that places the crucifixion on Nisan fourteen, which was a Friday (Theissen & Merz 1998, p. 157). Venus Day—Jesus was crucified and died on a cross and he was placed in a tomb. The day stood for sexual love and lust and thus glorified the phallic symbol. Pagan tradition commonly taught that the serpent (the destroyer) introduced sex (Vance 1991, pp. 47, 52, 140). In addition, the cross on which Christ died was a symbol of the sun and of the destroying serpent. Hence, we find that Christ died on the serpent’s symbol. He died naked and displayed to the wondering crowd the symbol of thwarted life. The reality was that Christ contributed nothing in support of the proposition that perverted sexual love was acceptable. It is true that on the day of his death (Fria or Frigga – Teutonic substitution for Venus), sexual love was exalted (O’Neill 1975, p. 36). The most licentious and unorthodox sexual practices were celebrated at the temples of Venus (Schaff & Wace,

The Golden River that Flows through Time 44 1982, pp. 534-536). In contrast, Jesus exalted agapē or unconditional love to the highest pinnacle by his death (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). Thus he indicated, through inference, that the marriage union (originally instituted on the Friday of creation week) could only fulfil its original function as agapē (God’s love) was experienced in the believers’ lives and given full expression in the relationship. The serpent’s symbol, the cross, which is a symbol of the sun, was dealt a telling blow on Friday. Instead of the sun shining in all its glory on the dreadful scene when Jesus died, the cross was bathed in darkness from the sixth to the ninth hour (Matthew 27:45). Thus was signalled that the crucified Christ held a central place in the cosmic drama being enacted. The darkness enclosing Jesus was actually an acknowledgment by the Father of his approval of the sacrifice just made (Matthew 27:51). As the centuries passed and Islam arose, Friday was chosen as their holy day. Taking a day different from both the Jews and the Christians functioned to distinguish and segregate them (Zerubavel 1985, p. 26). In choosing Friday as the day to worship, the Muslims unwittingly acknowledge that Christ died for their sins. By choosing Friday, the prophet Muhammad acknowledged the seven-day week (cf. Dickie 2006, p. 116) and, more significantly, maintained the close connection with the Sabbath, just as Sunday worshippers do. They both acknowledge the connection with the original God-given day of rest and silently admit that their practice is derived and not original. Saturn Day—Christ rested in the tomb. The day stood for the triumph of the lord of death. Saturn was sometimes termed “star of the sun” and “Lord of Hades.” The planet was represented as a goat that is actually a symbol of Satan (Vance 1991, pp. 24- 25). In mythology, the day was associated with “inhibition, caution, old age” and “apathy and [the] irresolute” (Cumont 1956a, pp. 172-173; Smith 1975, p. 52). When Christ died, he did not struggle with the agents of darkness in the depths of the earth as some mythologies depicted as occurring in the immediate afterlife (Cumont 1956a, p. 159). Christ had already disposed of this notion when he declared on Friday, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). His ultimate victory over evil was grasped by faith. Christ contended with Satan’s claim on this pre-resurrection Sabbath by resting on his day in the tomb (Mark 2:27-28). He rested in prospect of his resurrection (Hebrews 4:4) and challenged all unbelievers to exercise faith in God. By resting on this day, the same day of the week on which humans first rested with their Creator, Christ declared that his love for the human race had existed unchanged from creation.

The Golden River that Flows through Time 45 Sun Day—Christ arose and witnessed. The day stood for the Sun as the generator and giver of life. At death the believers of significant Oriental religions believed that the soul (divine spark) returned to the Sun from where it came (Sutton 1983, p. 69). For example, the Persian god Mithra, who represented the sun, supposedly acted to ease the souls of the pious to immortal life. Then, at the end of the world, the soul joined the body to enjoy immortality (Cumont 1956a, pp.158-159; Witt 1975, pp. 489-490). The events on this resurrection Sunday shattered these concepts. Christ shattered belief in such religions for he rose before dawn! The combined witness of the gospel writers tells us that Jesus arose before the rising of the sun. The apostle John is the most emphatic and says that the women came “early, while it was still dark” (John 20:1). Finally, the physician Luke recorded (Luke 24:1-2) that the resurrection event was “very early in the morning.” It would be around four in the morning that twilight began (i.e., when Mary arose and started the journey from Bethany – John 20:1), the sun rose about five thirty in the morning (when Mary arrived at the tomb at Calvary – Mark 16:2; Nichol et al. 1956, pp. 553-554, 558). It seems evident from the texts that the women arrived just before sunrise for it was “yet dark.” Christ had already arisen at this time in fulfilment of the anticipated triumph mentioned in Revelation 22:16, where he is described as “the Bright and Morning Star.” Superstition was overtaken by Reality. When Jesus arose before sunrise, belief in worship of the sun and the serpent were questioned, for some power other than the sun was shown to be the giver of life. At the dawn of the Christian era, astrology dominated all aspects of life in the Roman Empire as it did for the Persians (Cumont 1956a, pp.165-167, 172). The Sun-god was the royal star, the ruler of the zodiac. Being the dominant celestial body, the sun was given the sacred number one; its day was Sun-day and its summary number was 666. Moreover, the Sun, as creator god, was symbolised by the serpent or bull (Sutton 1983, pp. 33, 53-69). Christ rose before sunrise as he had generative power in himself, which was energized by the regenerative power of the Father and the Holy Spirit (John 2:19; 5:26; 10:18; Romans 6:4; 8:11). Imagine the impact of the resurrection event on the soldiers. They had witnessed the crucifixion of a supposed criminal. However, the bands of the tomb are thrown wide by a mighty angel, whose countenance was as brilliant as lightning (Matthew 28:2-4). Here, amazingly, a mighty angel came to assist the visible Christ. Later they would have heard that other angels were present at his ascension (Matthew 28:2; Acts 1:9-11). Their mystery beliefs were being discredited (Cumont 1956b, pp. 143-145). Christ rose in defiance of the seal of the Roman governor, a seal of authority of the pagan Roman Empire. The nature of this seal is unknown. Some have suggested that it was the seal of the sun. This speculation aside,

The Golden River that Flows through Time 46 the issue of importance is that the authority of Rome stood behind the seal. In saying this we remember that the emperor was considered to be connected with and to share some qualities of the divine and was deified at death (Beard et al. 1998, pp. 140-149). Christ’s resurrection was no less shattering to Greek philosophy (a philosophy, which was later to sweep through the Christian church) that the body and soul are separate entities. Plato taught that after death the soul gained the company of the gods in the absence of the body (Louth 1981, pp. 14-15). Christ possessed a body, which bore the crucifixion marks at his resurrection and he lived among the disciples for some time carrying out ordinary human activities (Luke 24:41-43; John 20:20; 21:5-13). This created unsolvable problems in the minds of those willing to think. Jesus dismissed the idea of separation of soul and body in the statement “Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). When the Egyptians heard of Christ rising on Sun-day before the sun arose, some would have contrasted this spectacular event with the story attributed to their creator god Osiris, who came back to life (Cumont 1956b, pp. 15-16, 95, 101, 107-109, 120-121, 183-184). Osiris, so the myth went, had a most unfortunate encounter with a rival god who overcame him and cut him into 14 pieces. His wife Isis carefully retrieved the pieces from the regions where they were scattered and buried them. Unfortunately, the penis was missing having been eaten by fish. Not to be deterred she moulded one and placed it in a coffin to be worshipped in a solemn festival. His violent death was the central concept in Egyptian idolatry and phallic worship originated there (Cumont 1956a, p. 74; Ferguson 1970, pp. 23-24; Hislop 1976, pp. 56, 179). Our pagan observers on day one, 31 CE could not fail to recognise that the Christian god was whole at death (Venus day) and that no helping hand was required to collect any pieces for burial. He did not require the regenerating rays of the sun to rise. Thus, it was evident that the Christians served a living Creator God. They would have noted that this god did not need to be dressed and fed daily in order to retain his immortality (Cumont 1956a, pp. 95-96). Clearly this god was superior to theirs, a lesson Christ had previously taught through Moses and Aaron to their ancestors (Exodus 7:8-13). On this particular resurrection day, unexpected events happened. It was not a lucky day as might have been anticipated. The lucky days of the week were considered to be Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. The unlucky days were Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday (Budge 1978, pp. 465- 466). The Sunday our Lord arose was most unlucky for the Roman soldiers. They were believers in other gods and in all likelihood were worshippers of a sun god and believers in the teachings of the astrologers about the days of the week. Before dawn a great earthquake occurred (Matthew 28:2), the

The Golden River that Flows through Time 47 keepers were scared witless by the angel at the tomb (Matthew 28:3), and their lives were in danger from the Roman governor on account of the story, which the Jews were spreading, namely, that the disciples stole the body (Matthew 28:11-13). They could be accused of sleeping on the job. The consequences of such an act would be death, hence the chief priests and elders promised to secure their future (Matthew 28:14; Theissen & Metz 1998, pp. 472-473). Even prior to this event the centurion in charge of the tomb site and those soldiers accompanying him had declared, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54). In saying this, he admitted that a person greater than the Caesar had appeared among humans. We remember that Caesar claimed the appellation “son of god” (Schowalter 1998, p. 526). Christ was breaking through the superstitions of nonbelievers. The raising of the dead at Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 27:51-53) conveyed a powerful message to believers in the gods, in Fate, Chance, and the Stars. In their cosmos, the astrologers were the slaves of the stars and they, in turn, enslaved others by their predictions (Lindsay 1971, pp. 394- 396). Release from the Fate of death and slavery in this prison house is dear to the heart of many including Christians. Christ’s resurrection and the victory of those who rose with him shattered the notion that the stars ruled over the lives of people. Christ had already predicted this event (John 2:19) showing the intervention of divine purpose. He declared that the tomb was not “my eternal home.” His resurrection gave vibrant hope to his followers, something that was conspicuously absent among the believers in folk religions, as revealed on their grave inscriptions (Ferguson 1970, pp. 134- 136). The events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday emphasised to nonbelievers the Christian qualities of love, faith, and hope, respectively. These qualities were instrumental in sweeping the superstitions of paganism aside, for they reflected a philosophy, which originated from God. It was such beliefs that induced the Christians to become martyrs for a cause, something that was foreign to the pagans. Christianity Established The distinction that we wish to highlight in the following section is that while most believed the day changed at midnight the Jews and early Christians held that it started at sunset. Following is a review of the events surrounding the death, rest, and resurrection of Jesus with particular reference on their significance for Christians and Jews. Day of Preparation—Christ suffered and died and began his rest in the tomb. Jesus established the Communion meal at his last Passover and thus

The Golden River that Flows through Time 48 signified that the system of sacrifices and ceremonies of the Old Testament were to cease (for clarification refer to Nichol et al. 1956, pp. 532-537; Theissen & Merz 1998, pp. 423-427). However, at the same time the necessity and significance of the one-time death of the Lamb is ever held before the believer by this simple ceremony. In the early Christian church there is evidence that the Communion service was held on different days of the week and sometimes more than once a week (Theissen & Merz 1998, p. 426). If we restrict ourselves to Bible examples, we notice that the first Communion service was held on the Preparation day (Jewish reckoning of the day was from sunset to sunset) or Thursday night (Roman reckoning from midnight to midnight). Again, when the apostle Paul took his leave from Troas, the Communion was held on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7-13). The instruction given in first Corinthians 7:26, does not mention the ceremony as being day dependent. Consequently, the debate in the early Christian church about the day on which to hold the Pascha (Easter celebration) and the associated Communion service took place without appropriate anchor points and the final decision made functioned to elevate tradition over revelation, something which God forbade (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7; Odom 1977, pp. 105-106, 134-135, 298). To the Jews, Christ’s death on Preparation day was highly significant. The paschal lamb was selected from the flock on Nisan ten (Exodus 12:3, 11). The perfect male lamb or kid was kept in a public place until it was slain on Nisan fourteen (Exodus 12:5-6). Jesus was condemned to death by the Sanhedrin the day after he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, that is, on Nisan ten. After the excitement of his public entry into Jerusalem, his name was on every lip; truly his public exposure could hardly have been greater. The high priest sought to arrange Jesus’ death on a day other than the Passover (Matthew 26:4-5; Mark 14:1-2), but this could not be managed. Events moved too quickly and on Nisan fourteen the powerful in Israel, supported by the common people, appealed to the Roman authorities to crucify the Christ (Matthew 27:1-31; Luke 22:7, 15). Jesus was slain before sunset on Nisan fourteen in accordance with the custom associated with the Passover. The veil of the temple was rent in two at the moment of his death by invisible hands (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38). This event signalled that type had met antitype. Jesus our Passover was slain for humanity (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) on account of his unconditional love. As the eventful and fearful day of Nisan fourteen drew to an end, darkness enveloped the scene and an earthquake sealed it (Matthew 27:45, 51; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:45). Thus was signalled that no ordinary man had died. If the church had taken more notice of these significant events, much difficulty would have been prevented. Sabbath—Christ rested in the tomb according to the commandment.

The Golden River that Flows through Time 49 The rest of creation, signifying a perfect, completed work, was reemphasised in a powerful manner by the resting of Jesus in the tomb (Hebrews 9:28; 10:12-14). In retrospect, it can be observed that Christ reaffirmed his claim as the Creator of the universe by this act. By permitting this rest, God signified that the sacrificial atonement of Christ was perfect and complete and that salvation was assured. The Father thus signalled that he would accept Christ’s sacrifice (Matthew 28:9-10; John 20:17). The Sabbath thus attained a new significance in that it was now a powerful symbol of redemption based on Christ’s actual blood sacrifice. God invites all to enter into his rest on the Sabbath and to celebrate the certainty of their salvation. The day is primarily a symbol of faith, a quality that Christians are asked to display in abundance (without faith it is impossible to please God – Hebrews 11:6). Such faith was reflected by the Saviour’s confidence in his own victory over Satan (John 16:16, 28, 33). How could this day be regarded as a day of sadness! Yet, some in the early Christian church sought to make it a day of sadness in remembrance of the disciples’ experience on that day (Odom 1977, pp. 103-104, 298). What a tragedy, what contorted reasoning that would seek to turn a day symbolising faith and hope into a day invested with the deadly shroud of sadness. Sabbath represents a day of hope, of joy, of eager anticipation of Christ’s return. The resounding message of the Saviour to his church today is “Rejoice” (Matthew 28:9). What might the Jews be thinking on this Sabbath when Jesus rested? The Jewish believer commenced the week long Feast of Unleavened Bread on Nisan fifteen. Both the first and last days were days of solemnity (sabbaths – Leviticus 23:6-8). This ceremony reminded the people of their special relationship with God and that daily they were dependent upon him (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Most importantly, all the ceremonies pointed to liberation through the blood of the Saviour, the Lamb of God, an acknowledgment, which John the Baptist had made (John 1:29; cf. Exodus 12:3, 11-17). What more fitting day for the special ceremonial sabbath to occur than on the seventh-day Sabbath, which symbolised the invitation to enter into the divine rest of fellowship and salvation (Hebrews 4:4-11). The Sabbath henceforth would attain a new significance as the symbol and reminder of salvation. Hence it is the day of hope and assurance and not of sadness. It is a continual reminder of the second coming of the Saviour. First Day—Christ rested in the tomb, rose, and gave witness to Mary Magdalene, the other women, and to at least two disciples. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the foundation of the Christian hope. If we take away this assurance, Christianity would crumble (1 Corinthians 15:14). The Christian church started under the most difficult circumstances. Neither believers in folk religions nor the Jews wanted it to

The Golden River that Flows through Time 50 succeed, yet it did succeed. This was on account of the soundness of the evidence, which the apostles presented regarding Christ’s resurrection. It was really incontrovertible for both Christ and a cloud of risen witnesses mingled with the people for forty days after this event (Matthew 27:50-53; Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8). The history of the times witnesses to this fact. Even those unsympathetic to Christianity affirm the account. In the original records, no such claims are made on behalf of Buddha, Muhammad, or Abraham (Misch et al. 1972, p. 398; McDowell 1979, pp. 180, 185-187; Theissen & Merz 1998, pp. 64-68; Strobel 2007, pp. 106-126). Christianity began as a “resurrection-movement.” The certainty of the resurrection was the “central driving force.” The enemies of Christianity dared not argue that the Romans did not know how to kill and they were never able to produce a body in support of the claim that Christ did not rise. Neither could they support the idea of cheating by the disciples (Wright 1999, pp. 93, 130-133). Yet there was plenty of incentive to produce evidence. On the second day (Nisan sixteen) of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Sunday in the year of our Lord’s death), a ripe sheaf of first fruits (barley) was harvested and waved before the Lord in gratitude (Leviticus 23:10-14). Jesus was indeed the first fruits of them that slept (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23). He rose on Sunday morning (Nisan sixteen) in accordance with the prophecy that he would “rise the third day” (Matthew 16:21; 20:19). With him many also were raised to life; the captives of the grave were set free (Matthew 27:51-53). Again type met antitype. To the Jew, the unfolding evidence must have been almost overwhelming. The constant demand by the rulers of the Jews that Jesus perform a miracle (Matthew 16:1; John 4:48) was answered in a remarkable manner, but it was answered according to God’s timetable. The resurrection on Sunday occurred in fulfilment of prophecy: Daniel’s prophecies predicted his death and triumph (Daniel 9:24-27; 12:1- 2). Isaiah’s prophecy tells us the very nature of Christ’s trial and burial and assured readers of his ultimate victory (Isaiah 53:3-11). Christ prophesied about his own victory (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; Mark 8:31). This latter prophecy burned like fire in the minds of the chief priests and Pharisees (Matthew 27:63-64). Christ declared that he would rise on the third day or in effect Sunday. In fulfilling the prophecy, Christ thus signalled to the Christian church that the rest established at creation (Genesis 2:2) was now fully invested with new meaning (Hebrews 4:3-11). This is his message until the close of probationary time (Romans 14:6-12). On Sunday when he arose, Christ demonstrated that his word was true and that henceforth the prophetic word should be the focus of attention. The focus was not on a day, but on his word!

The Golden River that Flows through Time 51 Second Day—Christ gave witness to his followers (Matthew 28:9-10; Luke 24: 13-45; John 20:11-18; Acts 1:1-3). Christ appeared to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus just before sunset. As they neared the end of the journey, the disciples invited him to spend the night with them, which suggests that the sun had set already – the text says the day was “far spent” (Luke 24:29). To most of the disciples the revelation of Christ’s resurrection was on Monday for the sun had set by then (Luke 24:29, 33-36; John 20:19). This is confirmed by the fact that the two disciples from Emmaus (located seven miles or eleven kilometres distance from Jerusalem) had just arrived when Jesus again revealed himself (Luke 24:33-36). In subsequent days, Christ was seen by many disciples (Acts 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:6). The important message that the two disciples from Emmaus gave to the others was that they were to study and rest their faith on the entire prophetic word (Luke 24:25-27; 33-35; cf. Acts 1:15-20). Christianity would have been a poor starter without the appearance of Christ to the disciples in person. A resurrection without confirmation to the leaders of the fledgling Christian church would have been totally unconvincing to many (Luke 24:11; John 20:25). The other important function of Jesus’ appearance was to establish the relationship between faith and works in the believers’ minds. Faith leads to vibrant witnessing in the manner in which Christ was now witnessing to them. Works are the fruit of a meaningful relationship with Christ, not the means of salvation. Message from the Heavens God always takes the initiative in his interactions with humanity. His last call to the human race has fundamental links to the call given on the crucifixion-resurrection weekend. The messages from heaven recorded by John the Revelator (Revelation 14:6-12) are proclaimed in cosmic terms and have distinct appeals to unbelievers, Muslims, Jews, and Christians, for they call for the abandonment of misunderstandings and the gods of our day and treasured customs. The God of the cosmos is the Creator God, the Lord of history, and the God of destiny. The mystery of righteousness is based on the principle of love, these messages declare. They give hope and its only currency is faith. In Revelation, the first angel says clearly, “Fear God and give Him glory” (Revelation 14:7). The emphasis is on the Creator God. He wishes the world to understand love of the agapē type and the gift of salvation. People everywhere are urged to “Worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Revelation 14:7). The second angel messenger urgently cries, “Come out of her, my people” (Revelation 18:4) because Babylon the great has fallen (Revelation 14:8, 12; 18:2). Faith in the

The Golden River that Flows through Time 52 Creator God is required rather than faith in human ideas, such as life arising on earth through chance events. The third and final angel in effect, says, “Do not worship the beast and his image and do not receive his sign of authority” (Revelation 14:9-11). The only hope for the human race is in following the ways of the Lord. The saints obey the commandments of God and exercise faith in Jesus as their response to the love God has shown (Revelation 14:12). They alone have vibrant hope. They alone understand that the sign of God’s authority is connected with his role as Creator. These messengers establish the foundational significance of faith in the Creator God and his unchangeable moral law. The saints are eager to share this news with others and to witness to God’s saving power (Revelation 14:6, 8-9 – eagerness is represented by the flying angels). Now, perhaps not unsurprisingly, God has given us a symbol to remember his unchangeable promises. In Remembrance of Me On the way to Emmaus Jesus pointed the two disciples to the witness of the prophets contained throughout the entire Old Testament writings (Luke 24:13-16, 25-27). This naturally included the Decalogue, for the words were spoken by him on Mount Sinai (Isaiah 33:22; James 4:12). This establishes for us that Jesus reminded his church of God’s unchangeable nature. In doing this, he confirmed that he is the Lord of the seventh-day Sabbath until the end of time, for it continues to remind the saints of the surety of their salvation. It is his sign of authority. In the new heavens, the story of redemption will be remembered continually by two ceremonies: the Communion service and the Sabbath (Isaiah 66:23 – secondary application; Matthew 26:29). The presence of Jesus around his Communion table, bearing the wounds of his cruel death, eating the Communion meal with the redeemed is a continual reminder of the completeness of God’s great plan of redemption. The one symbol that stretches from Eden to Eternity is the Sabbath. It is the golden thread, which reminds of God’s power and love. References Beard, M., North, J. & Price, S. 1998. Religions of Rome, vol. 1. A history. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Budge, E. A. W. 1978. Amulets and superstition. New York: Dover Publications. Crow, W. B. 1972. A History of magic, witchcraft and occultism. London: Abacus. Cumont, F. 1956a. Oriental religions in Roman paganism, authorized translation. New York: Dover Publications. Cumont, F. 1956b. The mysteries of Mithra (T. J. McCormack translator). New York: Dover Publications. Dickie, S. 2006. Islam: God’s forgotten blessing. Kasson, MN: Strawberry Meadow. Ferguson, J. 1970. The religions of the Roman Empire. London: Thames and Hudson.

The Golden River that Flows through Time 53 Hislop, A. 1976. The two Babylons (4th ed.). London: S. W. Partridge. Lindsay, J. 1971. Origins of astrology. London: Frederick Muller. Louth, A. 1981. The origins of the Christian mythical tradition. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Misch, I., Vögtle, A., Spitzberger, G. & Kernig, C. D. 1972. Jesus Christ. In C. D. Kernig (Ed.), Marxism, communism and western society: A comparative encyclopedia, vol. 4, pp. 398-418. New York: Herder and Herder. McDowell, J. 1979. Evidence that demands a verdict. San Bernardino, CA: Here’s Life Publishers. Nichol, F. D., Cottrell, R. F., Neufeld, D. F. & Neuffer, J. (Eds.). 1956. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible commentary, vol. 5, pp. 532-538. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. Odom, R. L. 1977. Sabbath and Sunday in early Christianity. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. O’Neill, W. M. 1975. Time and the calendars. Sydney: Sydney University Press. Schaff, P. & Wace, H. (Eds.). 1982. A select history of Nicene and Post-Nicene fathers of the Christian church (2nd ed., vol. 1). Eusebius: Church History, life of Constantine the Great, and oration of praise of Constantine. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. Schowalter, D. N. 1998. Churches in context: the Jesus movement in the Roman world. In M. D. Coogan (Ed.), The Oxford history of the biblical world, pp. 517-559. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Smith, R. F. 1975. Prelude to science; an exploration of magic and divination. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Strobel, L. 2007. The case for the real Jesus. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Sutton, W. J. 1983. The new age movement; and the illuminati 666. Cedar Springs, MI: Institute of Religious Knowledge. Theissen, G. & Merz, A. 1998. The historical Jesus: A comprehensive guide. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press. Vance, M. 1991. The trail of the serpent. Pune, India: Oriental Watchman Publishing House. Waterhouse, S. D. 1982. The planetary week in the Roman west. In K. A. Strand (Ed.), The Sabbath in scripture and history, pp. 308-322. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. Witt, R. E. 1975. Some thoughts on Isis in relation to Mithras. In J. R. Hinnells (Ed.), Mithraic studies, vol. 2, pp. 479-493. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Wright, N. T. 1999. The challenge of Jesus. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Zerubavel, E. 1985. The seven day circle. New York: The Free Press.

54 5 – From Son of Life to Sun of Salvation Key thoughts: The seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) challenges readers to acknowledge God as their Creator and Redeemer in the face of widespread opposition to these concepts throughout the course of history. The trail of evidence regarding the change in emphasis from the creation-salvation motif on Saturday (original Sabbath) to the resurrection motif on Sunday (so-called Lord’s Day) is chronicled. In adopting the latter practice, proponents initially were influenced heavily by pagan practices, but now the elevation of the day as sacred for worship is justified on the grounds of tradition. In contrast, God calls his people everywhere to worship the Creator God on his special day of promise. This day is a memorial of his creative power and saving love. It keeps our focus on the Giver of Life and honours his revealed will rather than tradition. He challenges all to be loyal to him and his words. od’s purpose in the creation was to make a new order of beings in his image, with unique powers of thought, communication, and the ability for planned procreation (Genesis 1:26-28). He intended to continually associate with these beings on the earth and in a special manner on the memorial day of creation. The relationship was to be one of openness based on love. The plan could not be fulfilled as designed as an intruder interposed himself between God and the human pair. The attention of Adam and Eve was momentarily taken off God, and they succumbed to Satan’s suggestions and disobeyed (Isaiah 59:2). Before God proclaimed the immediate consequences of their disobedience, he gave them hope that his G

The Golden River that Flows through Time 55 purposes for humanity ultimately would be fulfilled (Genesis 3:11-19). God undertook to save humanity without compromising the principles of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19). These principles were recognised by inhabitants of earth from the beginning (Genesis 4:6-11). Their sinful behaviour was recognised as being contrary to God’s law of love. The application of the law written in the consciousness of those living was enunciated in specific terms in the Decalogue at a later date. We notice in particular the statements, “‘You shall have no other gods before Me’” and “‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image ... you shall not bow down to them nor serve them’” (Exodus 20:3-5). These admonitions were meant to protect all subsequent generations from excursions into other forms of worship and to prevent all from falling prey to Satan’s devices. God desired to keep the channels of communication open, so that a saving relationship could be established and maintained. However, Satan had different plans. Satan’s Plan Unfolds The rebellion, which commenced in heaven over Lucifer’s dissatisfaction with his position, came to this earth. Satan devised a plan to convince the new order of beings here to rebel against God (Genesis 3:1-6). Several key elements are noted in his strategy. He contended that: • God cannot be relied upon as a source of truth (Genesis. 3:3-4). God is amoral. • God is selfish in that he has restricted access to knowledge that would be beneficial to human existence (Genesis 3:5). God is not a being of love. • Immortality is assured to those with the new knowledge offered (Genesis 3:4). Obedience God-ward is not essential for immortality. • Good and evil can coexist for eternity (Genesis 3:4-5). The principles of God’s government are flawed. • God is the author of evil (Genesis 3:5). God is not righteous. • God is not the only source of life. Satan said, through the serpent, “‘you will be like God,’” making it appear that he (Satan) had creative power. God is a liar. • Gen. 3:1, 5. Creation is not the prerogative of God. God revealed to Adam and Eve that evil existed and could be avoided (Genesis 2:16-17). This advice was not accepted fully by the first or by succeeding generations. Through ancient civilisations we can trace the rise of practices that turned human attention away from God. Taking the focus off the Lamb, the Son of God, was centre stage to Satan’s plans. However, God made it clear what his attitude was to religious practices of human devising, which focussed on the creature and things in nature.

The Golden River that Flows through Time 56 God and Astral Worship One of the strategies that Satan followed after the fall of Adam and Eve was to turn the attention of people everywhere to the worship of creatures or inanimate objects and away from the eternal, living God (Romans 1:18, 25). Celestial bodies were universally observed by the ancients. From antiquity the idea existed regarding the lordship of these bodies over this world. In different civilisations the worship of the Sun, along with other celestial bodies, rose to prominence. God Spoke Against Astrology The Scriptures contain many clear condemnations of folk religions based on astrology. Adoption of these practices even occurred in those claiming to be followers of God. Members of Abraham’s own household were given to forms of idolatry (Joshua 24:2). The small figures (“teraphim”) used by Rachel and her father’s household (Genesis 31:19, 30) were artefacts associated with divination (Budge 1978, p. 214). These heathen practices were found among the Israelites in later times (1 Samuel 19:13; Judges 17:5; 18:24). Objects such as these were soundly condemned by the prophets (1 Samuel 15:23; 2 Kings 23:24). Amulets (“lahash”) used in association with incantations, spells, charms, and prayers also were prohibited (Isaiah 3:20; Budge 1978, p. 215). During the Mosaic dispensation, the Hebrews made several well documented excursions into idolatry. One was the worship of the golden calf at Sinai (Exodus 32) and another was their participation in Moabites’ idolatry (Numbers 25:1-2). The worship of the golden calf at Mount Sinai represented worship of the Egyptian deity, Osiris, who was represented as the bull Apis (Hislop 1976, p. 45). Osiris was regarded as the creator god (Sutton 1958, p. 53). We remember that at Mount Sinai God recently had reminded the people that he was the Creator and should alone be worshipped. The rejection of this instruction by the Israelites, and God’s reaction to their behaviour (Exodus 32:30-35), stands as a warning to all today. Wholesale worship of alien gods became common during different periods of Israel’s history (Psalm 106). God unequivocally spoke against these practices particularly through his prophets (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:8). Prime examples are when Elijah made a courageous stand against idolatry (1 Kings 18:19-40) and King Josiah purged Jerusalem and the surrounding areas of the worship of Baal and the planets (2 Kings 23:4-21). Baal worship was particularly degrading, especially the fertility cult, which descended into sacred prostitution, homosexuality, and various bizarre rituals (Bright 1960, pp. 108-109). God responded to this concerted assault on his character by calling a people out of the prevailing apostasy.

The Golden River that Flows through Time 57 God Brought a People out of Ur Abraham was brought out of Ur (southern Iraq) to the Promised Land (about 1875 BCE), in order to remove his family from unfavourable influences and to break the power of heathen practices (Genesis 31:19; Joshua 24:2). Ur was a centre of trade, learning and culture in the ancient world and was the capital of the region (Nichol et al. 1953, p. 290; Horn 1960, p. 1119). The Moon god was the city deity and was housed at the top of an impressive ziggurat, which supposedly provided a means of communication between their god and his worshippers. In Sumerian theology, the Moon and Sun gods and the goddess of fertility formed a trinity of gods above, which were the creator gods (Hawkes 1962, pp. 77- 79; Raphael 1990, p. 58). God led his people away from these superstitious practices. God Brought Israel out of Ancient Egypt. The birth of the nation of Israel is described in Exodus (meaning “departure”). God delivered the Israelites from the pagan influences of Egypt. In other words, he put these influences to death in order to redeem the Israelites. Later, we find he used the language of escape from and return to Egypt to express ancient Israel’s changeable relationship with him (Hosea 11:1; cf. Jeremiah 2:14-19; Hosea 8:13). The Exodus took place about 1447 BCE according to the new chronology (Rohl 1995, pp. 282-286). In that period of Egyptian history the Sun god Re (worshipped as Amon-Re) was pre-eminent. Re was considered the creator of the universe (“the breath of life, the spirit”) and the supreme deity, the original king of Egypt. In turn, the pharaohs were considered divinity incarnate. In the service of the Sun god and the king, the Egyptians toiled to erect the great pyramid temples with their powerful solar symbols, the obelisk (Hawkes 1962, pp. 89-97, 105-106). In turning their backs on Egypt, God wished the Israelites to move into a new style of believing and living. He chose to dwell among them in a simple sanctuary as their Creator God (Exodus 25:8). His presence was visible in the cloud by day and fire by night, which were powerful symbols of his presence (Exodus 13:21). His continual miracles to sustain and keep them provided overwhelming evidence that the gods of Egypt accounted for nothing. God Brought Captives out of Ancient Babylon Much later, when the majority in Israel rejected the covenant that God had established with them, they were allowed to go into Babylonian captivity (Jeremiah 11:1-17; Ezekiel 16). After seventy years, God brought out a repentant people to the Land of Promise under a renewed covenant

The Golden River that Flows through Time 58 relationship (occurred in 437 BCE; Jeremiah 32:36-38). This can be thought of as the second exodus. After the return, the Jews rejected idolatry and isolated themselves from the surrounding nations (John 4:9; Acts 10:28; Bright 1960, pp. 407, 432-433, 439). Their rejection of idolatry was so intense that they even objected to Caesar’s effigies on the ensigns brought into Jerusalem by Pilate’s soldiery. They humbly prostrated themselves before the procurator and showed genuine willingness to die for their beliefs; at this Pilate relented (Whiston 1936, pp. 534-535). In coming out of Babylon, they came from a civilisation steeped in idolatry, for Babylon was the birth place of astrology (Lindsay 1971, p. 1; Zerubavel 1985, pp. 12, 14). The Babylonians taught that everything was dependent upon the stars (Sutton 1983, p. 31). In the time of Nebuchadnezzar, it was also a place where the creator god Marduk was worshipped. This god had links to the sun, for he is shown with the rays of the sun arising from him. Here and at other places the sun god was worshipped as the leading deity (Hawkes 1962, pp. 81-87). So we find that God was asking his people to disassociate themselves with everything connected with the worship of the sun or other celestial bodies. This call still comes to us today. A Call to Come out of Spiritual Babylon The New Testament church arose primarily among the Gentiles who were former believers in alien gods. Hence, we observe early in the history of the church the tendency for practices from the “gods of the nations” to enter its doors through nominal converts (e.g., 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; Ephesians 5:5; Revelation 21:8; 22:15). The apostle Paul prophesied that there would be a falling away in the Christian church (2 Thessalonians 2:3- 4) and the apostle John records some details of the sad experience (Revelation 2 & 3). The struggle in the controversy is pictured as reaching its climax in Revelation thirteen where the governments of this world agree to support Satan’s plans against the people of promise (Revelation 13:15). God counteracts these powerful movements with his own great and last celestial call to come out of spiritual Babylon (Revelation 18:1-4). This involves making an intellectual and practical stand for biblically-supported ideas. The parallels with ancient Babylon are reflected both in the name and the description of her spiritual trade. The beauty and simplicity of the truths of salvation are to be restored to the world just before the return of Christ to bring down the curtain of history (Revelation 14:6-12). The falling away of the Christian church from its purity happened gradually at first and then in a flood. But the forces of change waiting to infiltrate the Christian church were exposed from the beginning. Christ himself primarily spoke against alternative philosophies and the principles of Satan’s kingdom by elevating the truth. The apostles more specifically

The Golden River that Flows through Time 59 attacked alien ideas infiltrating the church. We will notice several examples from both sources. Jesus’ Declarations God declared against astrology with the announcement of Jesus’ birth by means of a spectacular sign in the heavens. The Gnostics believed that Jesus’ birth shattered the influence of the stars and demoralised the astrologers, for in the events associated with his birth the course of the stars was altered. While we do not wish to accept their cosmology, we can note that Jesus’ birth was signalled by a star or an unusual astronomical event (Hughes 2000, p. 82; Gill 2012). In this act, God signalled the weakness of the astrologers supposed stronghold. Jesus’ attacks on alien ideas sometimes were made though pointed references to pagan practices. Two instances come to mind. He commented on the elevation of the Caesars to virtual godhood. Notice his words, “the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you” (Luke 22:25-26; Ferguson 1970, p. 89). In order to understand his meaning, we need some background information. Augustus Caesar was considered a saviour and took the title “son of god.” Tiberius (42 BCE to 37 CE), his successor, placed this title on the Empire’s coins and was feted as a benefactor (Schowalter 1998, pp. 518-526). Thus, the Roman emperors proclaimed their connection with the gods (stars), from whom they claimed protection and favour (Beard et al. 1998, pp. 140-145). Jesus, by his words, led his hearers to a higher plane of thinking and believing. The second reference to paganism is noted when he scolded the scribes and Pharisees in the words, “Do not call anyone on earth your father” (Matthew 23:9). This appears to be a reference to a familiar practice taken from pagan ritual. In Egypt the kings and priests took the title of “Father” or the “mighty bull,” which proclaimed their connection with the serpent and serpent god(s), the life giver (Vance 1991, pp. 51-52). Jesus, by his statement, reminded his hearers that this practice was a denial of God, the Father (cf. John 5:17). Apostles’ Declarations The apostles made a number of clear statements against prevailing religions and their practices. Others can be understood when the historical background of the times is clarified. There were many gods with special functions in Roman religion. In the cities of Asia Minor, the persistence of these traditional, celestial gods was evident. In the apostles’ time, they were even taken as gods. Their reaction indicates the attitude of the Christian church, in its purity, towards astrology. At Lystra, the superstitious people identified Barnabas and Paul

The Golden River that Flows through Time 60 with Zeus-Jupiter (the sky-father; the giver of light) and Hermes-Mercury (his attendant and chief speaker – Ferguson 1970, pp. 33, 73; Acts 14:7-18). The apostles rent their clothes and urgently implored the people not to worship them. The apostles, by their action, rejected both tradition and the worship of celestial gods. Astral connections were slammed by the Peter. He warned about the devil’s ways and likened him to a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). In these terms he referred to the solar seals in which the god of the seal was pictured as a lion (Vance 1991, pp. 107-108). Hence, the apostle warned the believers about any association with astrological matters and magic numbers, as they originate from the wily Serpent, the author of all these mysteries. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, added his voice to that of the prophet Amos in condemning star worship. The god Remphan, which he mentions in his account in the Acts of the Apostles, probably refers to the planet Saturn (Acts 7:43; cf. Amos 5:26; Sutton 1983, p. 31). In condemning astral worship, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he added to the consistent voice of the Scriptures against such practices. The apostolic church rejected the idea of Fate and the influence of the stars in regulating the fortunes of the state and of kings. In recognition of this idea, the dominance of the state over the individual also was rejected. The rejection of slavery followed from the rejection of Fate. Some see in the declaration of the apostle Paul (Romans 8:38-39) an allusion to the rejection of Fate decided by the stars. Certainly, this is the case when translated as, “I am persuaded that neither the ascension of the stars nor their declination will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Lindsay 1971, pp. 394-395). The imagery of Revelation, with its colourful language, alludes to practices in the ancient pagan mysteries. One example worth noting is the warning that God will not countenance anyone receiving a mark in the forehead or hand (Revelation 13:16-18 to 14:1). While this event is yet future, the imagery was borrowed from the experience in John’s contemporary society. Entrance into the Mithraic brotherhood and other secret fellowships required the receipt of a mark. When the seven steps in the process of induction came to an end, the initiate received a mark on his forehead in the form of a tattoo or branding (Bouyer 1990, p. 70; cf. Leviticus 19:28). In its ultimate fulfilment, in John’s prophecy, all will be forced to give allegiance to a religious power, infiltrated with trappings from astrology, backed by the power of the nations. The apostles also contended with the Stoics, Epicurians, and Gnostics (e.g., Acts 17:32; 1 John 1:1-3; Revelation 2:14-15). These groups possessed elements of philosophy connected to astrology (Kidd 1922, p. 195; Hastings 1967a, pp. 235-237; Sandbach 1975, pp. 16, 72-73, 79-83, 166, 173; Rudolph 1983, pp. 113-117; Jones 1989, pp. 46-52, 85, 96-98). While it is

The Golden River that Flows through Time 61 not entirely relevant to look at the fine details, the apostles exercised firm and decisive action against those who wished to construct any association between magical arts and the Christian faith. The struggle with the Gnostics (those with mystical or special knowledge) became more intense with the passing of time. Gnostic ideas attained some strength in the second century so that the great cities of Rome and Alexandria became leading centres (Rudolph 1983, pp. 308-309; Metzger 1987, pp. 76-84). In response, the Christian church sought to establish uniformity of creed and worship and to enhance the position of bishops. These developments had their own down side. Despite this, Gnostic ideas were assimilated into the church. Their influence was seen in the movement to a more ascetic religious experience, the elevation of the ritual of the sacraments, and an emphasis on mystic elements of faith (Hastings 1967a, pp. 240-241). Accompanying these developments, other practices from the “gods of the nations” (Isaiah 36:18- 20) entered the church. Sun Worship Waits in the Wings The prophet Daniel viewed in vision the succession of nations, which would impact specifically on the people of God from his day right to the end of time. In panoramic view, he saw the great empire of Babylon superseded by the empires of Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel 2:28-45; 7:2-7, 17-27; 8:2-26). Each culture contributed to that of the next, particularly in the area of mysticism. Pagan Rome finally gave way to papal Rome, as a dominating force, and today we find ourselves near the end of the prophetic time scale. The prophet declared that the later power would change practices based on the clear scriptural record (Daniel 7:23-26; 8:10- 11, 23-25). In tracing the influence of alien ideas on Christianity, it is most fruitful to commence our search in the Mesopotamian region (a possible site of the Garden of Eden), which was also the home of Nimrod, the first empire builder (Micah 5:6). Astral Beliefs in Mesopotamia and Persia The belief that the stars exerted a controlling influence on individuals, their characters, and their affairs is of ancient origin. The Sumerians (placed by some from around 3300 BCE; Rohl 1998, pp. 123-124) and Babylonians were some of the earliest known exponents of the art of astrology. In these cultures, the sun and moon were the recipients of high veneration (Hastings 1967b, p. 85). As late as the neo-Babylonian period, Nebuchadnezzar II (reigned 605-562 BCE) and Nabonidus (reigned 556-539 BCE) spent lavishly to refurbish the temple of the sun at Sippar, not far from the capital Babylon. It has been noted that emphasis on the sun god increased with the brilliance of her kings and their unified rule and system of justice (Hawkes

The Golden River that Flows through Time 62 1962, pp. 86-87). In Mesopotamia (the area between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers), we find the devotion of the indigenous peoples to the celestial deities was facilitated by new ideas coming into the region from the East. Sun worship already existed among these people, but our attention is focussed on the worship of the supreme creator god, Ahura Mazda, and one of his emanations, Mithra, who was god of the rising sun and who also granted the right of monarchs to rule. The concept of Mithra in Persian belief shared similar elements to that of Mitra in India, for at one time Indian and Iranian peoples were speaking the same language (Hawkes 1962, pp. 166- 167, 171; Thieme 1975, p. 21; Mark 2020). At an unknown time, the deity Mithra took on a new significance and eventually became the centre of the cult of Mithraism (Hawkes 1962, pp. 175-181). The beliefs in this deity were enriched/changed by contact with Chaldean (Babylonian) astrology, so that the god became elevated as a ruling and living deity, a mediator (and therefore akin to the sun) between the supreme god (Ahura-Mazda) and humanity (Witt 1975, pp. 489-490; Waterhouse 1982, pp. 315-316; Bouyer 1990, p. 69). In the following Medo-Persian empire, Darius the Great (reigned 522- 486 BCE) was a believer in the god Ahura Mazda. In the bas relief carved at Behistun or Bisotun (in the Kermanshah Province of Iran), he is shown raising his right hand in praise to this god, represented as a winged disk. His praise was on account of the belief that it came to his aid in battle (Hawkes 1962, pp. 174-177). It is instructive and significant to note that above his tomb the symbols of both Mazda and Mithra are displayed (Crow 1972, p. 79). In the Seleucid period (312-64 BCE), the Persians also honoured the sun, which they called Mithres (Frye 1975, p. 65). Of importance to us, the strongest aspects of the cult of Mithraism were transmitted in turn to the Graeco-Roman world (Hawkes 1962, pp. 178-179; Ferguson 1970, pp. 47- 48). Mithraism Enters the Western World Mithraism continued to be modified by contact with other ethnic groups, and eventually came to the Western world after Alexander the Great’s conquests. Greek culture was largely uninfluenced by it, but the Romans were fascinated. The strict moral code of the cult, with emphasis on courage and endurance, the exclusion of women and the mystic feasts, where relaxed good cheer was emphasised, appealed especially to the soldiery; consequently it spread rapidly to the extremities of the Roman Empire (Herbermann 1913, p. 402; Hawkes 1962, pp. 184-185; Kane 1975, pp. 349-350; Waterhouse 1982, p. 316). Each group it came into contact with readily identified Mithra with their own sun god (Babylonians with Shamash; Greeks with Helios and Apollo; the Romans with Sol Invictus –

The Golden River that Flows through Time 63 Hawkes 1962, pp. 182-183). It is not altogether surprising that fusion of ideas (syncretism) occurred and that the Roman emperors embraced both the cults of Isis (Egyptian origin) and Mithra. This fusion of ideas could be achieved as each deity was regarded as a personal saviour “personally involved in the ‘transport’ of the human worshipper through the astral bodies” (Witt 1975, pp. 486-491). The Romans succumbed to Mithra’s influence in the first century BCE. This was slow at first but then it occurred with urgency as the emperors greedily sought to establish the idea of a divinely inspired reign (Hawkes 1962, pp. 182-183). The first emperor of the Roman Empire, Augustus (31 BCE-14 CE) absorbed the sentiments of the time and accepted the designation of a divine ruler and was venerated. He set the pattern for the future. At Rome his rise to godship was gradual. After his death, the Senate decreed that he should be regarded as a god of the state, divine Augustus (Ferguson 1960, pp. 89-91). In this religion under the Romans, the sun (“Invincible Sun”) was regarded as the master of all nature, the creator and preserver of humans. It was worshipped as the “Mediator” and “Lord of the Covenant,” “the Word,” and “Enlightener.” Entrance into the mysteries of the religion was through baptism (Hislop 1976, pp. 70, 132, 194). The support of the emperors for this new religion coincided with a movement to picture the emperor himself as the image of the sun on earth, showing similar qualities of invincibility. The worship of Mithra became supreme in the third and fourth centuries. This was made easier when the Emperor Aurelian made the cult of Sol Invictus the state religion in 274 CE. A pontifical college administered the religion and Aurelius himself accepted the title of “Lord” and “God” on his medals. The state-centred religion in effect proclaimed that the sun, the greatest among the celestial seven, had its counterpart among men in the form of the emperor (Cumont 1956, pp. 90-101; Hawkes 1962, pp. 193-198). In the next sections, the influence that Mithraism exerted on Christianity will be addressed. A Weekly Affair with Astrology In the creation account recorded in Genesis, no words were used to describe the days of the week, for the emphasis was on God the Creator. This practice was to change. Even though the idea of a seven day week was maintained, God was displaced from the thinking of people in another way. This was reflected in the names given to the days of the week. We will pick up the story primarily by referring to trends in the Roman Empire. In the Roman Republic, as well as the following Empire, there was a rather elaborate system of festivals and lucky and unlucky days on which various activities could be carried out (Lindsay 1971, pp. 232-233). The ancients also associated a god with a planet. As a consequence, certain days

The Golden River that Flows through Time 64 were considered to be more favourable than others. Saturn’s day (Saturday) was considered unlucky for travel, particularly disagreeable, and full of misfortune (Lindsay 1971, pp. 202, 233). Every hour in the day was assigned to a planet, so that a planet could be the regent of the day and also control certain hours. From the astrological viewpoint, each moment of a person’s life was controlled by the stars (Colson 1927, pp.43-47; Zerubavel 1985, p. 16). The planetary week was introduced into the West by the Romans after their conquest of Greece, Babylon, and Egypt. These great civilisations, when brought together, gave rise to the evolution of the astrological seven day week (Zerubavel 1985, p. 19). In the Roman Empire, the days were ruled by the seven planets, which took their names from the gods. The names of the week included the sun (dies Solis – Sunday) and moon (dies Lunae – Monday) and the five planets then known (Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn). Later, when Latin names were translated into the Germanic languages, other deities were substituted (e.g., Woden for Mercury, Thor for Jupiter). These names remain with us today. The weekly system of reckoning was used anciently by the Hebrews and is associated commonly with the creation account, for the seven day week is not connected to any astronomical cycle (Smith 1975, pp. 43-44, 73; Zerubavel 1985, p. 9; Goetz 1988a, p. 555; Encyclopaedia Britannica Editors, 2020). In Hebrew practice, no words were used to distinguish the days of the week; they were referred to merely by ordinal numbers, with the seventh day being set apart as the Sabbath. Friday became known as “Preparation [day]” by the time of Christ (e.g., Matthew 27:62 – Hastings 1918, pp. 581- 582; O’Neill 1975, p. 36; Zerubavel 1985, p. 21). The church fathers, particularly during the fourth century, complained and condemned practices such as veneration of the heavenly bodies and the belief that the stars influenced human affairs. But there was by no means a complete break with astrology. Much later we see apologists like Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 CE) agreeing that the stars determine character and lead into sin (Seznec 1961, p. 48; Bacchiocchi 1977, p. 252). It was really the dominant Church of the period that fused the Jewish and astrological weeks together and ensured the spread of the seven day week with their planetary names throughout the then known world. By the end of the second century of the present era, planetary names were commonly used in Christian circles. Only in relation to the Sabbath and the first day of the week, then called the Lord’s Day, did the Church manage to establish ideas somewhat divorced from astrology, although it made only timid efforts to displace the planetary names with Christian terminology. One important contribution of the Church was to keep Sunday as the first day of the week in contrast to the Hellenistic astrological week, which commenced on Saturn’s day (Seznec 1961, p. 43; Zerubavel 1985, pp. 20, 23-25). This

The Golden River that Flows through Time 65 practice has now changed according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 8601) so that Sunday is the seventh day of the week (Kuhn 2020). This has drawn scant protest from Christians. The Serpent’s Symbols Today we use symbols differently from the ancients. The symbolism of numbers was of great significance to them and some of this symbolism is reflected in the Bible. We need to understand the main points, particularly the symbols of the serpent, Satan. The symbolism of numbers was at the root of ancient and medieval systems of mysticism. The science of sacred numbers and harmony theory has its roots in astrology (Goetz 1988b, p. 828). For example, numerical values were given names of the gods to indicate their place in the astrological system. A rich lore was associated by ancient peoples with the numerical values of certain letters of the alphabet (Vance 1991, pp. 23-25, 53). The number six represented the “manifestation (or fullness) of evil” (Grant 1953, appendix 2, p. 29) and undoubtedly represented the number of the serpent, Lucifer. It is represented in many languages by the symbol of the snake (Vance 1991, pp. 47-52, 79, 149). The greatest number in the mysteries was 666, the number found on sacred solar seals, for it represented the god of the heavens or cosmos – the Sun (Revelation 13:17- 18, 4; 12:9; Vance 1991, pp. 96-97, 104-109). Secrecy and mysticism are hallmarks of Satan’s enterprise. As part of the philosophy of numbers, meaning was assigning to numbers. The numbers one to thirty six were particularly significant as they represented the thirty six rooms of the Zodiac. These numbers could be arranged in an astrological chart consisting of six columns and six rows (magic square). In any direction the numbers added to 111 and the summary number of the six rows or columns was 666. This number “was a summary number of the Sun-god, because it was the sacred number as the Ruler of the Zodiac” (Sutton 1983, p. 67). It is small wonder that the mystic number 666 is referred to in the Scriptures as the symbol of apostate religion (Revelation 13:18). Slowly the pagan practices from astrology infiltrated the Old Testament church (e.g., Job 31:26-28; Ezekiel 22:26 in Old Testament times). Later, the Christian church adopted such practices as Christmas, with its associated customs, and came to consider Sunday sacred. This day was dedicated to the sun anciently (Sutton 1983, p. 266). There is no scriptural mandate for the change; its observance is an ordinance of human invention as indicated by the following quote from a Catholic source: “Perhaps the boldest thing, the most revolutionary change the Church ever did, happened in the first century. The holy day, the Sabbath, was changed to Sunday. ‘The day of the Lord’ (dies Dominica) was chosen, not from any

The Golden River that Flows through Time 66 direction noted in the Scriptures, but from the (Catholic) Church’s sense of its own power .... People who think that the Scriptures should be the sole authority, should logically become 7th Day Adventists, and keep Saturday holy” (Broderick 1995). Alien Ideas Enter the Christian Church From the time of the apostles, alien ideas began to enter the Christian church. The entrance of these ideas was given impetus when large numbers of nominal Christians began to enter the church. These found the Christian faith rather drab in comparison to the rites they practised formerly within their religions. Their presence increased the pressures to introduce more elaborate rituals. In addition, as a reaction against the apostasies being experienced due to the Decian persecutions (250 CE), the Church introduced an elaborate ceremonial at baptisms and a script or ritual for public worship. These two factors hastened the growth of ritualism and the teachings of some of the church’s influential men accelerated the trend. For example, Origen the philosopher, Christian scholar, and ascetic (184-253 CE) had already prepared the ground for he taught that Christ died for the sun, moon, and stars, as well as for humans and that the celestial bodies worshipped him (Cowan 1910, pp. 23-25; Hawkes 1962, p. 201). In the ancient world, as in the modern, different philosophies experienced their periods of attraction and decline. Around the year 300 CE, history records that religious ferment was in the air, with many of the ancient gods losing their attraction. But two great streams of influence forced their attention on the masses, the worship of the sun god (Mithra) and Christianity. In this mix the influence of the Gnostics also strove for recognition (Alföldi 1948, pp. 5-6). Mithraism appeared to be on the verge of dominating as the state religion, but it was to be denied this victory (Cumont 1956, p. 200). A figure of central importance in shaping the religious history of this period was the Emperor Constantine. In the year 312 CE, Constantine claimed that Christ gave him a military victory at the Milvian Bridge (a bridge over the Tiber in northern Rome). He declared that he saw the cross in heaven with the inscription, “Conquer by this,” and that Christ appeared to him in a dream as he was marching against Maxentius, a rival claimant of the throne (Burckhardt 1949, p. 296; Schaff & Wace 1982, p. 490). From this time, the attractions of paganism began to wane for him and a corresponding recognition and admiration of Christians filled its place. His deep seated revulsion of the persecutions of his predecessors had its roots in the Christian leanings of his father’s house. These feelings, together with a growing general recognition that the persecution of the Christians was futile, led first to toleration and then to open acceptance. Toleration came quickly after his vision. The Edict of Milan (313 CE) gave Christians the

The Golden River that Flows through Time 67 same status as non-Christian cults, but also gave them advantages over so called heretical Christian cults. This toleration included placing Sunday and other Christian festivals on the same legal footing as competing festivals (Burkchardt 1949, pp. 294-296; Carroll 1986, p. 76). The movement towards monotheism was helped by the public perception that the success of the emperor was due to a gift from a deity and due to the strength of the emperor’s devotion (Alföldi 1948, pp. 6-11). Against this background, we find that the Church had a well-developed social organisation and the ability to demand allegiance from its members and to enclose them in the mantle of unity based on love. Thus the church offered to Emperor Constantine an attractive ally in his quest for power. He was not dull in recognising and using the Church to achieve his ends. This recognition became evident in his inclusion of bishops in his inner circle just prior to and following his triumphal entry into Rome. Little by little Constantine increased the privileges of the bishops and included Christians in high administrative posts in an apparent attempt to harness the organisation and strength of the Church as a mainstay of the empire. He also set about to help the Church financially and politically and to grant the clergy privileges. From 314 CE onwards, he showed his admiration of the Church by his grand gifts of property. This wealth was supplemented by “contributions” from pagan temples energetically acquired by Christian officials. Constantine, after his victory at Milvian Bridge, is said by some to have emblazoned Christ on his helmet and standard showing that he ruled the world in Christ’s name. He encouraged Church festivals (Alföldi 1948, pp. 12-14, 42-43, 46-52, 130; MacMullen 1984, pp. 48-51; Carroll 1986, p. 87). There was a progression to equality for Christianity with paganism, then domination and, after Constantine’s death, the outlawing of pagan rituals and the discouraging of paganism in general (Alföldi 1948, pp. 53, 54, 108; Carroll 1986, pp. 76-77). Constantine’s links to the past were not immediately broken, nor indeed could they be, bearing in mind the overwhelming numbers of non-Christians in positions of power. Sol Invictus was prominent among the images of the gods and lasted the longest on the bronze coins of the empire. Constantine early held these two forms of monotheism (based on Christ and Sol) in some sort of balance. Many coins bore inscriptions such as, “To the unconquered sun, Mithras” and others upheld Christ. Christ was spoken of as “Sun of Truth,” “Sun of Resurrection,” and “Sun of Salvation.” In this fashion the worship of Sol could be rationalised with the worship of Christ. Gradually Constantine restricted pagan practices involving emperor worship and pagan rites at official festivals, but this was really a purging of the most objectionable elements. He never abandoned the two religious confessions (Palanque et al. 1949, p. 65). He required the soldiers to pray every Sunday, but the pagans

The Golden River that Flows through Time 68 were allowed to recite a prayer in the open fields. To the end of his life, he allowed the cult of the emperor to persist in a form stripped of pagan aspects objectionable to Christians. Traces of paganism clearly persisted in his thinking (Alföldi 1948, pp. 89, 106-107; Burkchardt 1949, p. 298; Seznec 1961, p. 43). He was baptised just before his death (Kee 1982, p. 57). Constantine was a master of compromise to suit his purpose, which was to unify the empire (Kee 1982, p. 102). To call this egotistical, mass murderer of his friends, wife and son a Christian would be inconceivable. He “conceived of Christianity as a world power and ... acted accordingly,” which was entirely in self-interest (Burkchardt 1949, pp. 283, 293-301). It is not surprising that the Church was filled with the insincere, the self-serving, and the politically motivated. Quite naturally these brought with them pagan influences, which were observed in “church ceremonial, liturgy, costume, music, organization, burial, iconography, architecture” (MacMullen 1984, pp. 56-58, 85; cf. Cumont 1956, pp. 193-196, 227-228). Some of the changes are more explicitly recorded in the following account: When Christianity conquered Rome the ecclesiastical structure of the pagan church, the title and vestments of the pontifex maximus, the worship of the Great Mother and a multitude of comforting divinities, the sense of supersensible presences everywhere, the joy or solemnity of old festivals, and the pageantry of unmemorial ceremony, passed like maternal blood into the new religion, and captive Rome captured her conqueror. The reins and skills of government were handed down by a dying empire to a virile papacy ... the revolting provinces, accepting Christianity, again acknowledged the sovereignty of Rome. (Durant 1944, pp. 671-672). When the official state religion of Rome changed from Mithraism to Christianity, Christ took the place occupied by Seraphis and Mithra and the Madonna took over from Isis. This was not accomplished without the support of the Church leaders who were prepared to adopt the rites and customs of the populace, that were associated with their worship, in order to evangelize them. The Church fathers perceived a need to explain the Christian mysteries to non-believers in terms that were familiar to them. Indeed, it was held that Christianity had the ability to resist “the infection of evil” and so it “sanctified [various practices] by their adoption into the Church” (Cardinal Newman 1878, pp. 372-373; James 1960, pp. 248-250). The office of the high pontiff familiar to worshippers of Mithra was retained as well. The title of the high priest of the alien religion was taken by the pontiff – Pontifix Maximus, literally the one building a bridge between this life and the next (Hawkes 1962, p. 202; Boettner 1974, p. 125). Further adaptation of foreign ideas to Christian festivals and the replacement of

The Golden River that Flows through Time 69 pagan gods with Christian saints continued as the centuries rolled along (Ferguson 1970, pp. 239-240). Without a doubt the predictions of Daniel the prophet were being fulfilled (Daniel 7:25; 8:11). Sunday Becomes a Day of Rest There is clear evidence that the pagan day of light and of the sun (Sunday) was accepted and promoted in some Christian circles around 260- 340 CE, particularly in centres such as Rome and Alexandria. It was given priority over the Jewish Sabbath on account of the creation of light on the first day of creation and the resurrection of Christ (“Sun of Justice”) on Sunday. Scriptural support for such an association was sought and ostensibly found in references to God in terms of the “Sun” and “light” (Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:78, 79; John 1:4-5, Revelation 22:5 and others; Hastings 1967c, pp. 104-105; Bacchiocchi 1977, pp. 261-268). Sunday, the day of the resurrection, was also the day of the solar festival of the pagans, so this pagan festival to the god Mithra was given Christian significance. We notice with interest that Mithra was addressed as “Dominus” or “Lord.” Hence, Sunday apparently was considered by some as “the Lord’s Day” before Christian times (Weigall 1928, p. 145; cf. Lewis 1892, p. 156). As added leverage, we have noted already that the day of Saturn (Saturday) was regarded as an unlucky day whereas Sunday was held to be lucky in the Roman world. Thus, Christ’s claim that the seventh-day Sabbath was the day of worship, the true Lord’s Day (Mark 2:27-28), was set aside in favour of Sunday. The Christian church, as noted already, had moved gradually towards the idea of Sunday worship before the time of Constantine. He established the practice of rest on that day and aided in the wider adoption of Sunday worship. He was shrewd enough to realise he could use Christianity and its leaders as a tool in his game of political domination. The interests of the state were always given priority over the two religions, Christianity and paganism. He catered for Christians magnificently and allowed for nonChristians to a lesser extent, as their numbers and influence demanded (Palanque et al. 1949, pp. 60-69; McIver 2015, pp. 30-34). As an indication of how easily both Christian and pagan could fulfil the requirement to celebrate Sunday, we read that Constantine Taught all armies zealously to honor the Lord’s Day, which is also called the day of light and of the sun .... The pagans too were required to go forth into an open field on Sunday, and together to raise their hands, and recite a prayer learned by heart to God as giver of all victory: “Thee alone we acknowledge as God and King, Thee we invoke as our helper, from Thee have we obtained our victories, through Thee conquered our enemies. Thee we thank for past favors,

The Golden River that Flows through Time 70 of Thee we hope for future favors. Thee we all beseech, and we pray Thee that Thou long preserve to us unharmed and victorious our Emperor Constantine and his God-loving sons. (Burckhardt 1949, p. 298). The pagans were provided for somewhat in the phrase “the day of light and of the sun,” which would have allowed them to acknowledge Mithra on his special day, Sunday. Their minds were turned primarily to the Emperor, army, and victory and to the stars and the chief star, the sun (Burckhardt 1949, pp. 292-293, 298; Cumont 1956, pp. 97-99). A little later, at the Council of Laodicea (assembled 363-364 CE), the practice of resting from work on the seventh-day Sabbath, as undertaken by the Jews, was forbidden. Rather, believers were ordered to work on the Sabbath and rest on Sunday, attend church, and cease from work if it could be arranged (canon 29) – Percival 1900. Strict Sunday observance was enforced later (Second Synod of Macon, 585 CE, and the Council of Narbonne (589 CE) (Strand 1982). These initiatives did not lead to Sabbath rest being abandoned entirely. In fact, the schism (1054 CE) between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church (based in Constantinople) involved, among other things, a debate over fasting on the Sabbath. Fasting was adopted by the Roman Church in the fifth century in opposition to the Jewish practice, but this variation was rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is clear from Cardinal Humbert’s comments on the attitude of the Eastern Church that he objected to them holding festal dinners, showing abstinence from work, and resting on the Sabbath. At its base, the differences between the two segments of the church involved the assumption of absolute power by the bishop of Rome, which the Eastern Church was unwilling to accept on account of deferring to the “precept of Moses.” Initially the Eastern Church resolved to honour the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day equally. This resolve dissipated gradually (Odom, 1963, pp. 76-80; Antić 2011). Given the further passage of time, Sabbath observance has all but disappeared from the Christian church (McIver 2015). Now we find that Sunday (the so called eighth day of creation or the Lord’s Day) is said to fulfil the Sabbath (seventh day of the original creation—Pitt 2019). It is said that the Lord’s Day (commonly considered Sunday) was not meant as a substitute for the Sabbath (Saturday). Rather it represented the “day of Messianic fulfilment” and the beginning of a new age and the day of the Eucharist according to a long held tradition (Schmemann 1975, pp. 60-63). This means that Catholic Christians do not worship on the Sabbath but on the Lord’s Day (Sunday). The Sabbath has been replaced by Sunday in honour of Christ’s resurrection on that day. Hence, they are bound to keep this day rather than the Saturday Sabbath (Frye n.d.). For the casual observer, matters could be a little confusing in

The Golden River that Flows through Time 71 that the International Organization for Standardization has declared Sunday the new seventh day of the week (Kuhn 2020). Truly, Paul’s prophecy was being fulfilled in the church. He warned of a departure from the faith and the emergence of religious enterprises not fulfilling God’s purposes. The real issue he identified was that “the love of the truth” would be superseded (2 Thessalonians 2:3-10). The Son of Man, the Creator, and his teachings are to be held supreme in our minds, for he admits no competitors. References Alföldi, A. 1948. The conversion of Constantine and pagan Rome. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Antić, R. 2011. The controversy over fasting on Saturday between Constantinople and Rome. Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 337-352. Bacchiocchi, S. 1977. From Sabbath to Sunday. Rome: Pontifical Gregorian University Press. Beard, M., North, J. & Price, S. 1998. Religions of Rome, vol. 1. A history. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Boettner, L. 1974. Roman Catholicism, 11th printing. Philadelphia, PA: The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company. Bouyer, L. 1990. The Christian mystery: From pagan myth to Christian mysticism. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Bright, J. 1960. A history of Israel. London: SCM Press. Broderick, L. 1995, May 21. Pastor’s page. Sentinel, 50, p. 1. Algonac, MI: Saint Catherine Catholic Church. Budge, E. A. W. 1978. Amulets and superstitions. New York: Dover Publications. Burckhardt, J. 1949. The age of Constantine the Great (M. Hadas translator). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Carroll, M. P. 1986. The cult of the Virgin Mary. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Colson, F. H. 1927. The week. Cambridge: The University Press. Cowan, H. 1910. Landmarks of church history. London: A. & C. Black. Crow, W. B. 1972. A history of magic, witchcraft and occultism. London: Abacus. Cumont, F. 1956. The mysteries of Mithra (T. J. McCormack translator). New York: Dover Publications. Durant, W. 1944. The story of civilization. Part III. Caesar and Christ. New York: Simon and Schuster. Encyclopaedia Britannica Editors. 2020, April 20. Week. Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/week Ferguson, J. 1970. The religions of the Roman Empire. London: Thames and Hudson. Frye, P. n.d. Did the early church move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/qa/did-the-early-church-move-the-sabbathfrom-saturday-to-sunday Frye, R. N. 1975. Mithra in Iranian history. In J. R. Hinnells (Ed.), Mithraic studies, vol. 1, pp. 62-67. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Gill, V. 2012, December 23. Star of Bethlehem: The astronomical explanation. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20730828 Goetz, P. W. (Ed.) 1988a. Week. The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Micropaedia (15th ed.), vol. 12. Chicago, IL: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Goetz, P. W. (Ed.) 1988b. Pythagoreanism. The New Encyclopaedia Britannica: Macropaedia

The Golden River that Flows through Time 72 (15th ed.), vol. 25. Chicago, IL: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Grant, F. W. 1953. The numerical Bible (6th printing). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers. Hastings, J. Ed. 1918. Dictionary of the apostolic church. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Hastings, J. Ed. 1967a. Gnosticism Encyclopaedia of religion and ethics, vol. 6, pp. 231-242. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Hastings, J. Ed. 1967b. Mysteries. Encyclopaedia of religion and ethics, vol. 9. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Hastings, J. Ed. 1967c. Sunday. Encyclopaedia of religion and ethics, vol. 12. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Hawkes, J. 1962. Man and the sun. London: The Cresset Press. Herbermann, C. G. (Ed.) 1913. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 10, pp. 402-404. New York: The Encyclopedia Press. Hislop, A. 1976. The two Babylons. London: S. W. Partridge. Horn, S. H. 1960. Ur. Seventh-day Adventist Bible dictionary. Commentary reference series, vol. 8, p. 1119. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. Hughes, D. 2000. Stars at Christmas. New Scientist, vol.165, no. 2218, p. 82. Kane, J. P. 1975. The Mithraic cult meal in its Greek and Roman environment. In J. R. Hinnells (Ed.), Mithraic studies, vol. 2, pp. 313-351. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Kee, A. 1982. Constantine versus Christ. London: SCM Press. Kidd, B. J. 1922. A History of the Church to AD 461, vol.1. Oxford: The Clarendon Press. Kuhn, M. 2020, June 16. A summary of the international standard date and time notation. https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html James, E. O. 1960. The ancient gods. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Jones, H. 1989. The Epicurean tradition. London: Routledge. Lewis, A. H. 1892. Paganism surviving in Christianity. New York: Knickerbocker Press. Lindsay, J. 1971. Origins of astrology. London: Frederick Muller. Mark, J. J. 2020, January 9. Twelve gods of Persian mythology. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1486/twelve-gods-of-persianmythology/ McIver, R. K. 2015. When, where, and why did the change from Sabbath to Sunday worship take place in the early church? Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 15-35. Metzger, B. M. 1987. The canon of the New Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. MacMullen, R. 1984. Christianizing the Roman Empire (A.D. 100-400). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Newman, J. H. (Cardinal). 1878. An essay on the development of Christian doctrine (6th ed.). Notre Dame, ID: University of Notre Dame Press. Nichol, F. D., Cottrell, R. F., Neufeld, D. F. & Neuffer, J. Eds. 1953. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible commentary, vol. 1. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. Odom, R. L. 1963. The Sabbath in the great schism of A.D. 1054. Andrews University Seminary Studies, vol. 1.1, pp. 74-80. O’Neill, W. M. 1975. Time and the calendars. Sydney: Sydney University Press. Palanque, J. R., Bardy, G., de Labriolle, P, de Plinval, G. and Brehier, L. 1949. The Church in the Christian Roman Empire, vol. 1. The Church and the Arian crisis (E. C. Messenger translator). London: Burns Oates & Washbourne. Percival, H. R. (Ed.). 1900. The Nicene and Post-Nicene fathers of the Christian church, vol. 14, p. 399. New York: Christian Literature Company. https://ia800501.us.archive.org/27/items/TheSevenEcumenicalCouncils/seven_e cumenical_councils.pdf

The Golden River that Flows through Time 73 Pitt, D. A. 2019, November 26. What’s the difference between Sunday and the Sabbath? U.S. Catholic. https://uscatholic.org/articles/201911/whats-the-differencebetween-sunday-and-the-sabbath/ Raphael, C. 1990. The festivals: A history of Jewish celebration. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. Rohl, D. M. 1995. A test of time, vol. 1: The Bible - from myth to history. London: Century. Rohl, D. M. 1998. A test of time, vol. 2: The genesis of civilization. London: Arrow Books. Rudolph, K. 1983. Gnosis: The nature and history of an ancient religion. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. Sandbach, F. H. 1975. The Stoics. New York: W. W. Norton. Schaff, P & Wace, H. (Eds.) 1982. A select history of Nicene and Post-Nicene fathers of the Christian church (Second series), vol. 1. Eusebius: Church history, life of Constantine the Great and oration in praise of Constantine. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing. Schmemann, A. 1975. Introduction to liturgical theology (2nd ed.). Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. https://jbburnett.com/resources/schmemann/schmemann_intro-2-8th-day.pdf Schowalter, D. N. 1998. Churches in context: the Jesus movement in the Roman world. In M. D. Coogan (Ed.), The Oxford history of the biblical world, pp. 517-559. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seznec, J. 1961. The survival of the pagan gods (B. F. Sessions translator). New York: Harper & Brothers. Smith, R. F. 1975. Prelude to science; an exploration of magic and divination. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Strand, K. A. 1982, May. How Sunday became a popular day of worship. These Times, pp. 17-23, 39. https://www.izmiradventistchurch.org/how-sunday-became-thepopular-day-of-worship-p3.html Sutton, W. J. 1983. The New Age movement; and the Illuminati 666. Cedar Springs, MI: The Institute of Religious Knowledge. Thieme, P. 1975. The concept of Mitra in Aryan belief. In J. R. Hinnells (Ed.), Mithraic studies, vol. 1, pp. 21-39. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Vance, M. 1991. The trail of the serpent. Pune, India: Oriental Watchman Publishing House. Waterhouse, S. D. 1982. The planetary week in the Roman West. In K. A. Strand (Ed.), The Sabbath in scripture and history, pp. 308-322. Washington, DC: Review and Herald Publishing. Weigall, A. 1928. The paganism in our Christianity. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons. Whiston, W. 1936. The life and works of Flavius Josephus. antiquities of the Jews, book 17, chap. 3. Chicago, IL: John C. Winston. Witt, R. E. 1975. Some thoughts on Isis in relation to Mithras. In J. R. Hinnells (Ed.), Mithraic studies, vol. 2, pp. 479-493. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Zerubavel, E. 1985. The seven day circle. New York: The Free Press.

74 Sabbath Guidance and Songs n all ages of earth’s history, falsehoods have abounded. The fool has said repeatedly, “There is no God.” The vastness and complexity of the cosmos, the abundance of evidences of design and beauty, the higher order abilities possessed by humans, and the undeniable nature of the religious experience all speak of a Creator God, as do the evidences of history, which confirm prophecy. The Sabbath continually reminds us of these evidences. As we accept the proposition that God is Creator, we begin to understand aspects of his character. Nature is God’s second book of information about himself. From the beginning the Sabbath has directed humanity to this book, which reinforces the idea that the human race was created. The Sabbath rest, from the beginning, was inclusive of all nature. This informs us that nature’s care and conservation are issues that cannot be regarded lightly. We are asked to enter into a pact of cooperation with God in the preservation and care of the natural world and to praise him for providing such an abundance of good things. When we think of the Sabbath, we think of joy. From the beginning, when the Sabbath was set apart, blessed, and sanctified, it was meant to be a day of close fellowship with the Creator and to be filled with fond memories about him. The three fold blessing placed by God on the Sabbath also represents an assurance of the receipt of blessings by the honest worshipper. The Sabbath is a continuing reminder of God’s undertaking to develop a special bond of love and fellowship with believers. I

The Golden River that Flows through Time 75 Today, in this sin plagued world, we are invited to sing a song of joy. It contains elements of both the song of creation and redemption. We can express our appreciation to God for his blessings and mercies in fullness especially on God’s special day of celebration, the Sabbath. Many Bible characters, including Christ, have sung the Sabbath song. The glory song of the redeemed (song of Moses and the Lamb) incorporates the Sabbath song. The Sabbath is a day of special pleasure, God-inspired pleasure. The Sabbath calls us back to the pure principles of God’s kingdom. These principles neither support the idea of enjoying ourselves to the full without reference points nor of a ceaseless battle against the body so as to glorify affliction and repress joy. Many activities are pleasing to God. We are urged to serve God at all times with joy and gladness, as we remember his creation, sacrifice, character, and watch care. We can also rejoice as we share our knowledge with others and care for our own personal needs. God emphasises the positives of Christian living and urges us to make the Sabbath a thoroughly positive experience and in all our activities to bring glory to God. In this section, the following themes will be examined: 6. The Cosmos and Earth Speak (God’s created works reveal both the hand of the Creator and his invisible qualities. The Sabbath challenges all to acknowledge their Creator joyfully) 7. Singing for Joy (The elements of the Sabbath song) 8. A Day of Pleasure (Activities God recommends on his day)

76 6 - The Cosmos and Earth Speak Key thoughts: Modern philosophers have declared that God is dead. Information coming from studies of the cosmos and those conducted in the biological realm indicate that God is the author of the laws that govern life. He is alive. Furthermore, some of the invisible attributes of God can be deduced from the study of nature and the heavens. The Sabbath reminds us of these attributes and the evidences of God’s existence. It protects us against falsehoods. he philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche triumphantly wrote in 1887 that the Christian God was dead. He was commenting on what he believed was the impending triumph of modern atheism in the decades leading up to the French Revolution (Nietzsche 1974a, p. 279; Goetz 1988, pp. 897-898). The rise of modern atheism was hastened by religious scandals, intolerance, and oppression, but it had its real roots in the philosophical discussions of the times (Buckley 1987, pp. 272, 322-363). Nietzsche pictured this great event, the death of God, in terms of a madman with a lantern in the market place crying incessantly: I seek God! I seek God!” – As many of those who did not believe in God were standing around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost? asked one. Did he lose his way like a child? asked another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? emigrated? – Thus they yelled and laughed. T

The Golden River that Flows through Time 77 The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes. “Whither is God?” he cried; “I will tell you. We have killed him – you and I. All of us are his murderers. …. “How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent, must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it? There has never been a greater deed; and whoever is born after us – for the sake of this deed he will belong to a higher history than all history hitherto.” (Nietzsche 1974b, p. 181). The murders of God were natural philosophers who systematically eliminated him from their minds when they generated arguments to explain the nature of knowledge and of being. Their strong efforts were made to oppose the arguments made by theologians who asserted that God was a necessity first cause in any satisfactory attempt to explain the nature and the origin of human life and its purpose. The religious arguments successively failed, as they were based initially on propositions derived from incorrect views of nature with liberal doses of superstition thrown in. As scientific knowledge expanded, there was less need to call on the existence of God to explain aspects of the operation of the universe. Religionists thrust other arguments into the breech to blunt the advances of atheism, but the counter response was vigorous (Buckley 1987, pp. 332-333). In the informed environment, in which we live today, there is sufficient evidence for the existence of God. First, we have God’s books of information left for our perusal and consideration. God’s Books Speak The Bible is God’s the book of revelation. This is complemented by the book of nature. These sources of information were recognised in Jewish tradition and accepted by some of the thinkers in the early Christian Church. They said: “both the law of nature and the law of instruction [revelation] are one” (Wolfson 1982, pp. 307-308). These sources lead us to consider history, archaeology, the natural world, and personal experience so as to gain an understanding of God and the principles of his government. The realization also comes that preserving nature serves to preserve the great truths of God’s second book of information for future generations. Unfortunately, some of the ideas promoted in Christian circles are detrimental to the interests of preserving the wonders of the natural world. The duty of care was given to human beings at creation. They were to have “dominion” over the living organisms and they were to multiply and “subdue” the earth (Genesis 1:26, 28; Psalm 8:6). The “dominion” spoken

The Golden River that Flows through Time 78 of in the English language cannot be separated from the root meaning of the Latin word from which it derives, namely, “caretaker” (Egri 1999, p. 67). Certainly there was the right to utilize earth’s resources (Psalm 104:14- 15). but not to wantonly destroy the planet (Revelation 11:18). We are reminded that the “earth is full of Your [God’s] possessions” (Psalm 104:24). On account of this and because God is Creator (e.g., vs. 2-5, 9-10, 13), we are indebted to him (vs.14-15). We are stewards and the Sabbath rest reminds us of this fact. The concept of rest is explicitly connected to the care for the environment in the Bible. Take for example the resting of agricultural lands. Notice God’s statement, “When you come into the land, which I give you, then the land shall keep a sabbath to the Lord” (Leviticus 25:2). God’s displeasure at Israel’s non-compliance is clearly recorded (2 Chronicles 36:21). The sabbaths of rest for the land are linked conceptually to the seventh-day Sabbath rest by presenting them side by side in the account recorded in Exodus (23:10-13). The seventh-day Sabbath focuses our minds not only on creation but on the principles on which the world operates at the hands of the Creator. The apostle Paul reminds readers that “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” This truth also is expressed also by King David the psalmist (Psalm 19:1-4). If we accept this view, then it is morally derelict to destroy information in nature, which God has given so that we might understand something of his character and the laws of the universe. The Verdict: God Exists The verdict of Scripture is that those without wisdom have said “‘There is no God’” (Psalms 14:1; 53:1). For millennia men and women have struggled with the questions: Is it true that God exists? And, if so, on what evidence is the claim based? Theologians and philosophers have addressed the questions with contrasting conclusions. We cannot undertake to prove the existence of God as is commonly undertaken in scientific circles, but, nevertheless, powerful propositions can be generated and evidence accumulated. On special occasions God has given evidence of his existence at the request of his servants. For example, God’s existence was put to a practical test in Egypt when the children of Israel proposed to depart under the guidance of Moses and Aaron at God’s command. The reigning Pharaoh demanded a miracle and this was given in order to establish their credentials. Further evidence was quickly offered in the ensuing plagues at God’s hand, but the response was still one of unbelief. Finally, with the

The Golden River that Flows through Time 79 death of the Egyptian first born in the tenth plague, reluctant permission was given for the Exodus under Moses. Now, a certain amount of confirmatory evidence has been found by archaeologists of these and some preceding events recorded in the Bible—a substantial slave population of Asiatics was present in Egypt at the proposed time of the Exodus, evidence of the slaughter of Israelite male children has been found (associated with the time of Moses’ birth), there is interpretive evidence of the death of the first born during the last plague, and evidence of the conquest of Jericho by the Israelites (Rohl 1995, pp. 268-289, 299-305). The God we are talking about is an eternal spirit who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and perfectly good and is Creator of all. The intelligent creatures that he has made, he made with the power of choice. In other words, we are talking of the Christian God as commonly conceived (Swinburne 1979, pp. 90-106). The evidence that God exists is substantial and much more impressive than can be gathered in a few short sentences. We merely point to the conclusions of selected arguments rather than formulate the arguments in depth. Ultimately, no unique proof for the existence of God can be given that will convince all. Those who choose to believe that the universe came into existence by random events have no place for the following considerations, but, unfortunately, they also have no ultimate purpose in being. As one evolutionist wrote recently: “Why is there anything at all instead of nothing?” (Shiga 2007, p. 33). The Cosmos The mere presence of a vast physical universe with its myriad galaxies, stars, and planets all interacting in a complex manner is an argument for the existence of God. Not only is the cosmos complex, but it is finely tuned and operates by scientific laws. Further, it has been observed by some that if we accept that there are laws, then a Mind must have generated them in the first place (Shepherd 2005, pp. 204-205; Flew 2007, pp. 97-110). God reminded Job of a similar line of reasoning when he asked for the hearer to tell him about the foundations of the earth and what principles governed the sea and the tides and the movement of the heavenly bodies. These questions were posed as a prelude to a discourse on the creation of life in our world (Job 38:1-11, 31-33). It can be argued that such a universe is unlikely to have existed without a cause. It is more sensible to imagine that a superior being, God, brought the universe into existence than to argue that the universe arose without a cause. In terms of explanation, the one invoking the birth of the universe as an act of a Cosmic Designer is simpler than any other explanation and hence is preferable from a purely philosophical viewpoint (Swinburne 1979, pp. 116-132; Dembski 1998, pp. 333-334). Not only is an Originator required to explain the existence of the universe, but equally a self-existent

The Golden River that Flows through Time 80 being is required to explain its continuing existence (Rice 1991, p. 135). In the domain of science, it is a common argument that the universe had a beginning—the Big Bang. It represents an event where a dense mass of primordial substance heated up and then exploded. The proposal is based on a number of assumptions, which for those making them appear justified. In fact, they are “statements of faith” by the astrophysicists who made them. Furthermore, they are “as untestable and non-rational as any statement of faith made by a religious person” (Boyle, 1982; Geisler & Turek 2004, pp. 76-84). The question is: Where did the primordial matter come from, what was the cause of our universe coming into existence? Not surprisingly, different models have been invented in an attempt to account for the origin of the universe out of nothing without the need of an Intelligent Designer (Dembski 1998, pp. 346-354). They have failed uniformly and may call for a radical departure from the scientific method, such as postulating that all the known laws of physics were not applicable before the Big Bang, the point where time began (Hawking, 1996). Milton Boyle, professor of philosophy and religious studies has observed that “Experience and faith both deny a spontaneous origin. It is far more reasonable, I submit, to ascribe creation to an eternal and superhuman power” (Boyle, 1982). Design The great works of art, architecture, and all engineering feats stand as evidence of intelligent and imaginative minds. Thus, the occurrence of order and predictable movement of the heavenly bodies is evidence of complex design and the existence of laws and is a clear argument for the existence of God for they declare his glory (Psalms 19:1-6; 104:19-20). Such order is seen most evidently in the biological realm (e.g., Job 39:19-22; 40:15-19). Indeed, the song for the Sabbath day includes in it an acknowledgment that God’s “thoughts are very deep” and those who are not thinking clearly do not recognize this (Psalm 92:5-6). It is inconceivable to many that life and order arose from non-life and disorder. The arguments of Darwin and his followers notwithstanding, there has not been any convincing demonstration that life can arise from non-life. Formless, lifeless matter does not possess the capabilities of becoming living with goals and the ability to self-reproduce (Flew 2007, pp. 124-132). There is no question that the features of plants and animals and other life forms change within limits in response to environmental change (i.e., microevolution or change is demonstrable in the laboratory and field). The leap from inanimate to animate is believed possible by some under circumstances thought to have existed on the primitive earth. Such a scenario is bolstered, in the minds of proponents, by the observation that limited amounts of amino acids form when an electrical discharge occurs in

The Golden River that Flows through Time 81 specialised gaseous atmospheres. Other scientists are sceptical as the building blocks for nucleic acids need to be present making the delivery of chemicals necessary from meteors and comets (Fox, 2007). The distance between such observations and the appearance of life is enormous and without experimental support (the domain that science is most comfortable about). The expressly complicated and interlinked cellular events, which accompany death, are understood imperfectly, and yet some presume to explain the generation of life. No adequate explanation has been made concerning the emergence of life, which takes these interlinked complexities of biological systems into consideration. All biological systems must work at a minimum level of efficiency for them to be of any use. It is inconceivable how a complex, interrelated system could have emerged gradually. The lack of an adequate explanation has led one agnostic scientist, to say: “Ultimately the Darwinian theory of evolution is no more or less than the great cosmogenic myth of the twentieth century. Like the Genesis based cosmology, which it replaced ... it satisfies the same deep psychological need for an all embracing explanation for the origin of the world” (Denton 1985, pp. 268-270, 358; cf. Dembski 1998, pp. 134-138, 178-182). The answer to this dilemma by main stream scientists is that many random events in a cumulative series explain the miracle. Life simply arose by luck and was an unplanned event (Dawkins 1986, pp. 141-147, 165) with a chance of 10138 of occurring (Geisler & Turek 2004, p. 126). Evolution theory does not argue for progress in the absolute sense. “The whole thing is not going anywhere” states Cartwright (2000, p. 328). This surely is an astonishing admission of failure. An equally puzzling issue is that when the universe is investigated it can be explained by physical and biological laws (if not completely, then at least substantially). These laws have predictive value. The lower level laws fit into the framework of more general laws and so on. These laws exist independently of the activities of humans. The highest level laws cannot be explained. How is it possible to explain that many of the fundamental characteristics of particles and larger bodies in the universe are finely tuned to support life? Science is unable to offer an explanation and there remains only one postulate, which makes simple sense, i.e., that there is a God of infinite power and wisdom who has ordained these things (Swinburne 1979, pp. 136-142, 180-181; Ross 1994, pp. 111-117). This is substantially the argument given to us by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 33:20-26). He asserted that the regular behaviour of the heavenly bodies under the “covenant” or laws determining the procession of day and night is evidence of God. Beauty

The Golden River that Flows through Time 82 If there is no God, then it is just as rational to expect as much natural beauty as ugliness. However, there is a predominance of beauty, an observation about which few would argue. The predominance of beauty rests on the idea of order in the universe. It has been observed by great minds that the universe is governed by laws of regularity or symmetry. The well-known laws of physics, chemistry, and biology remind us that nature is regulated by law causing some to declare “he who knows nature knows God” (Flew 2007, pp. 95-101; cf. Romans 2:14-16). Even the ancients were struck by the order and beauty resident in nature and inferred that there was “some Maker, the Creator of the world, and that there must needs be a Providence” (Sanday & Headlam 1964, p. 43). Biblical writers assert that the presence of beauty is, of itself, a strong argument for the existence of an omniscient God, for he has “made everything beautiful in its time.” The beauty of the flowers cannot be bettered by the creations of human hands (Ecclesiastes 3:11; Matthew 6:28- 29). We do not need to postulate beauty in order to explain nature’s ways; it is largely superfluous, as it cannot easily be connected with survival ability or other life events (cf. Cartwright 2000, pp. 148-150 who attempts to explain the beauty of the peacock’s tail). The aesthetic senses of humans, too, are superior to those of animals and also do not possess any apparent survival value. It has been said that “Aesthetic values are closely associated, and often inextricably interwoven, with ethico-religious values. God reveals Himself ... in many ways; and some men enter His temple by the Gate Beautiful.” The beauty present in the world in abundance speaks that God is “mindful of him [humans]” (Tennant 1964, pp. 134, 135; Swinburne 1979, pp. 150-151). Consciousness and Morality The existence of conscious beings with the ability to think and possessing a moral sense is not explicable in terms of chance in the minds of many (Dembski 1998, pp. 252-254; cf. Ruse 2001, pp. 191-204; Varghese 2007, pp. 165-180). How does a materialistic philosophy, which argues the all sufficiency of natural events to provide a mechanism for the appearance of life, explain the development of reason, language, higher level enjoyments experienced by humans, moral knowledge, the capacity for worship, and the ability to act intentionally (free will)? Humans universally has a moral sense of right and wrong and it is more convincing to argue that this sense arose from outside of the human race, from a power, which is interested in goodness, rather than that it arose by chance. Every law has a lawgiver, and moral law is no exception (Geisler & Turek 2004, p. 171). We see here rather than chance the “footprints of the divine” (Lewis 1952, pp. 31-39; Swinburne 1979, pp. 152-175; Rice 1991, pp. 145-149). This is the strong point made by the apostle Paul. He asserted that the invisible

The Golden River that Flows through Time 83 characteristics of God could be deduced from a study of nature (Romans 1:20) and that the urgings of conscience is God-given and designed to lead those who follow its directions to salvation (Romans 2:14-16). Humans alone have a moral awareness among conscious organisms and there are certain moral principles, which appeal to all peoples (Lewis 1973, pp. 95-121; Geisler & Turek 2004, pp. 170-172). Moral ideals can be explained if we believe in a Mind beyond ourselves, i.e., God (for ideals and morals are mind-derived). Consistent with the idea of absolute morals is the idea that the universe is directed according to a purpose, towards some end, which is good (Rashdall 1964, pp. 147-152; Isaiah 66:22-24; Revelation 22:1-5). Indeed, the Christian Scriptures speak of the Mind behind the universe in terms of wisdom (Proverbs 8:12, 22-30). In other words, this divine attribute, wisdom, is personified in the Bible or attributed directly to God (Psalms 104:24; 136:5; Proverbs 2:6; 3:19-20). Religious Experience. Religious phenomena often are experienced privately (Swinburne 1979, pp. 249-253; Larson & Witham 1997, p. 436). Events of a more regular occurrence and unusual events may be viewed as evidence of the supernatural in the right setting. Take, for example, the appearance of a light on the Damascus road to the Pharisee Saul. The light was unusual. It was viewed as a supernatural revelation by Saul, but perhaps not by his companions. They heard a voice but saw no supernatural light (Acts 9:2-7). Again, the two men walking to Emmaus on the Sunday of Jesus’ resurrection were to all intents and purposes overtaken by and walking with an ordinary traveller, but they finally recognised the event as evidence of the risen Christ (Luke 24:13-31). The Scriptures clearly speak of visions and dreams as part of the private experience of some until the end of time (Joel 2:28-29). We may not personally have experienced these phenomena, but others have witnessed them. Then there are the intensely private experiences involving the leading of God in the life, with associated feelings of peace and of forgiveness (Psalm 32), strong impressions to perform a particular action (Nehemiah 2:1-6), the occurrence of unusual events in response to prayer requests (e.g., Hannah – 1 Samuel 1:9-20), or deliverance from injury and death in response to the prayer of faith or on account of action by one’s guardian angel (Daniel 6:16-23; Matthew 18:10). While philosophers, in general, are dismissive of religious experience (e.g., Ruse 2001, p. 125) it must be taken seriously, for it represents an important component of human knowledge. The scientific community is constrained to take the idea of spirituality seriously as it is associated with positive health outcomes and psychological well-being (Giorando & Engebretson 2006, p. 216; Bożek et al. 2020, p. 1; Papaleontiou-Louca, 2021). The question, which most insistently comes to us is: “Would the atheist be able to recognise the evidences of a god” (Swinburne 1979, pp. 254-260). Many have had forceful experiences, which to them are evidence of

The Golden River that Flows through Time 84 God (e.g., Morris 1986, autobiography of a man wrongly accused of robbery and murder). It is the life changing experiences, which Christianity offers, that is able to break through the scepticism of the unbeliever (Acts 4:13). This evidence has challenged the claims of philosophers, psychologists, hardened criminals, addicts, Satanists, and ordinary persons leading them to rejoice as Christians. The evidence transcends cultures, nationalities, age or status, background, and former experience (McDowell 1979, pp. 325-359). The Scriptures give us examples from the lives of the apostles. John and Peter pointed to their experiences with Christ as evidence worthy of outstanding consideration (2 Peter 1:16-19; 1 John 1:1- 3). Such evidence demands a verdict from all. History and Prophecy: The Reader’s Digest nominated Man of the Millennium, Jesus (Johnson 1999, pp. 18-20), has changed history more than any philosopher, politician, or general. The reality of his life, death, and resurrection is written in history as are the deeds of his followers after his resurrection. There are many other Bible prophecies that give powerful evidence for the involvement of God in human affairs besides those relating to Jesus Christ (Maxwell 1981, pp. 109-129; McDowell 1979, pp. 267-320). The secular mind sees only political and military history in the making; the believer sees the footprints of God (Jeremiah 50:1-2, 13, 51). God is a person revealed in history (cf. Daniel 9:24-27). Professor F. F. Bruce has noted, “Some writers may toy with the fancy of a ‘Christ-myth,’ but they do not do so on the grounds of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the ‘Christ-myth’ theories.” (McDowell 1979, p. 81). To the challenge of who Jesus was, C. S. Lewis, a converted agnostic, wrote: I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. (Lewis 1952, pp. 40-41). Napoleon Bonaparte, the great French general, said, “I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever other religions the distance of infinity” (McDowell 1979, p. 106).

The Golden River that Flows through Time 85 You must decide. Friedrich Nietzsche, who wrote of the madman declaring God dead, died in 1900 as a madman (Goetz 1988, p. 897). Jesus Christ is the Man of history, the Man of Bible prophecy who was born as prophesied around 500 years before the event (Daniel 9:24-27). He died as predicted and rose and spawned an immense following on that evidence (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Wilbur Smith wrote: No weapon has ever been forged, and ... none ever will be, to destroy rational confidence in the historical records of this epochal and predicted event. The resurrection of Christ is the very citadel of the Christian faith. This is the doctrine that turned the world upside down in the first century, which lifted Christianity pre-eminently above Judaism and the pagan religions of the Mediterranean world. If this goes, so must almost everything else that is vital and unique in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile.’ (McDowell 1979, p. 183). Jesus is the most persuasive figure in history. If this was a pure invention, a catalogue of lies perpetrated by his followers, it would have been contradicted at once. If such contradictions could have been found, the hated group could have been eliminated readily. History is silent about such contradictions; they could not be produced. Pagans in the period immediately after Christ died took the existence of Christ for granted. “The denial of the existence [of Christ] seems never to have occurred even to the bitterest Gentile or Jewish opponents of nascent Christianity” (Durant 1944, p. 535). The empty tomb was not disputed effectively. Fanciful tales were invented about the behaviour of the Roman guard to account for this. These suppositions are not credible, bearing in mind the military discipline of the Romans (McDowell 1979, pp. 209-223; Wright 1999, pp. 93, 130- 133; Geisler & Turek 2004, pp. 299-324). The witness of the disciples was distinctly different to any of the doctrines current in Jewish society. Until the second century, Christians believed in a future bodily resurrection and so the account about Jesus went against all ideas current in the church. For one person to be raised before the other saints was a radically new idea (Flew 2007, pp. 197-199). We might well ask: Have the names of the philosophers Socrates and Pythagoras, both sacrificed by their fellow men, lived in hallowed memory and infected millions with hope? No! No, indeed, they have not. Their philosophy was largely bankrupt and their deaths were final. God’s Invisible Attributes Those who accept the biblical account of Jesus death and resurrection and his creative activity in the beginning, together with wellsupported scientific evidence, possess a broader range of information

The Golden River that Flows through Time 86 from which to construct scenarios about the early world. They are able to promote the viewpoint that there can be unity among the different domains of knowledge (McDowell 1979, pp. 15-367; Roth 1998, pp. 355- 363). The verifiable nature of the historical details recorded in the Bible, and other information given there (e.g., Thiele 1965; Rohl 1996), provides certainty to the correctness of its religious concepts and claims. This leads one to assert the correctness of the biblical record that says humans were made in God’s image (unlike the animals) and he communicated with the progenitors of the race and continues to do so through His inspired word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, it is observed readily that humans have abilities not shared by the remainder of the animal kingdom. This is shown in the uniqueness of our aesthetic sensibilities, ethical sensitivities, ability to form and communicate abstract and other ideas, and the ability to experience and appreciate a spiritual dimension. Furthermore, the Scriptures indicate that significant knowledge about God comes to us as we accept the proposition that he is indeed the Creator. Consider the words of the apostle Paul (Romans 1:20): “For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” If we take up this challenge, it becomes evident that some attributes of God’s character can be derived from the created works about us, his second book of information. Those who accept God as its Creator can discern this readily (Psalms 8, 19, 104, 148), but this does not mean that others who are not yet full believers are excluded. This thought is strengthened as we review Paul’s speech on Mars’ Hill (Acts 17:22-31). He declared that “The Unknown God” whom the Athenians worshipped was none other than the One who impresses upon humanity his moral law (Romans 2:14-15; Lewis 1952, pp. 31-35). It is recorded that some listeners believed for they recognized the evidence to which Paul alluded. Even today some not of the Christian tradition are obliged to admit that there is something mysterious about the universe and that there are unexplainable issues that defy resolution by the best scientific minds. Such may even admit that this indicates that there is a Mind behind the universe (Haught 2000, p. 9). The Mind behind the universe appears to have at least the following characteristics. 1. The Maker is orderly, precise, and systematic and with incredible powers of mind (e.g., generates the laws that exist in the physical, chemical, and biological domains – He is omniscient). In the biological world, we find that the simplest free-living organisms are constructed in a highly complex manner. Such cellular complexity cannot be reduced

The Golden River that Flows through Time 87 beyond a certain level and the cells still retain functionality. This makes postulated step-wise progress according to the evolutionary model unconvincing. This model demands a progression from very simple, nonliving structures to highly complex structures found in minimally functional organisms such as simple bacteria. However, the model does not explain a mechanism for achieving this. The problem seemingly cannot be resolved by modern science and gives credibility to the concept of an Intelligent Designer being involved without defining the nature of the Designer (Dembski 1998, pp. 140, 178-182; Dembski 2004, pp. 292- 299; Flew 2007, pp. 74-75). In the universe, laws are seen to govern the behavior of inanimate and animate entities. These are “precise, universal and ‘tied together’” (Flew, 2007, p. 96). Other explanations are regarded by some as simply “an audacious exercise in superstition” (Varghese 2007, p. 173). 2. The Maker is a lover of beauty and pleasing symmetry (Job 40:9- 10; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Luke 12:27). Beauty outweighs the non-beautiful and symmetrical and pleasing shapes and designs are noted everywhere from the microscopic to the macroscopic world. It has been observed by great minds that the universe is governed by laws of regularity or symmetry causing some to declare “he who knows nature knows God” (Flew 2007, pp. 95-101; Gross 1996, p. 14256). Even the ancients were struck by the order and beauty resident in nature and inferred that there was “some Maker, the Creator of the world, and that there must needs be a Providence” (Sanday & Headlam 1964, p. 43). 3. The Maker is a caring individual. First, we readily make the observation that all living creatures are able to find food (Psalm 145:16; Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:24). Hence, it might be concluded that the Maker of all things is gracious and compassionate. This thought may be derived also from the fact that he provides for those who trust in him; he keeps his undertakings (Psalm 111:4-6). Second, a study of the cosmos points many to the quality of steadfastness and watch-care in its Maker in that it functions without disaster and to serve the needs of all living creatures (cf. Job 38:41; Matthew 5:45; Luke 12:6-7; White 1952, p. 115). Third, the steadfast presence of rocks in the natural world reminds some believers of Christ who is the “rock of my strength.” (cf. Psalm 62:7) 4. The Maker is a proactive individual. Healing abilities are evident throughout nature (e.g., DNA repair mechanisms exist and wound healing and blood clotting is common place). Now, we understand that an individual who is caring will make provisions for emergencies. Since only one creation event is described in Scripture, we conclude reasonably that these mechanisms were in place before they were required on account of the entrance of sin. Their usefulness became especially evident as a consequence of the Fall. In a similar fashion, God provided for the

The Golden River that Flows through Time 88 healing ability of Christ in spiritual matters before the actual Fall (1 Peter 1:18-21). 5. The Maker is a person of justice. The fury of the waves and the existence of the fossil record speak to the existence of a God of justice to whom the forces of nature answer. God’s previous judgment of the world at the Flood is evident in the fossil record (2 Peter 3:5-6). Such judgment may also be read into the overthrow of nations renowned for their pride and military achievements (Daniel 2; Saunders 1952, pp. 619- 630). Evidence of God’s coming judgments may be found in the destructive and distressing global warming engulfing the globe on account of human greed, extravagance, neglect, and destruction of the natural world (Revelation 11:18). Now, the application of justice presupposes the existence of an ethical/moral code of behaviour (Exodus 20:2-17 – the Decalogue). Indeed, it is no coincidence that the existence of such a code has been recognized widely among different cultures (Lewis 1973, pp. 97- 121). The fact that we have a sense of justice turns out to be an argument against atheism. In this belief system it is held that the universe has no meaning and there is no God (Lewis 1952, pp. 45-46). 6. The Maker is an individual who values diligence. The proposition is made that a creature or product can never shows higher qualities than its creator. Hence, the one who possessed the imagination to make diligent social insects such as bees and ants must possess the same qualities in abundance (Job 12:7-8; Proverbs 6:6). 7. The Maker is a person who values social behavior and group responsibilities. For similar reasons as argued in the last point, the existence of social behavior and group responsibilities in ensuring survival and the transmission of values (activities of social insects and by the creation of the human nuclear family unit with strong social bonds) presupposes the existence of such qualities in the Maker of the product (Genesis 2:23-24; 4:1). 8. The Maker is an individual who is faithful. The existence of faithfulness in the Maker is illustrated by the existence of the numerous cycles of nature. For example, the heavenly bodies move through their allotted circuits (cf. Psalm19:1-6), nutrient cycles are the basis for the continual operation of the biological world, and biochemical cycles are pivotal to life. Now God places considerable value on faithfulness irrespective of the perceived significance of the task. The bow of promise, the rainbow, illustrates the quality of God’s faithfulness rather well against the backdrop of the events of history (Genesis 9:12-13; White 1952, pp. 115, 117). 9. The Maker is the essence of perfection and an eternal person. The Designer of perfection in the works of nature must of necessity share the same characteristics (Matthew 5:48). We might argue that perfection is a

The Golden River that Flows through Time 89 necessary prerequisite to the qualities of righteousness, truthfulness, and goodness that elevate an individual to a state of holiness. Such qualities are all subsumed by the concept of agapē, for God is love (1 John 4:8; White 1956, pp. 76-77). Such love was shown in abundance by Christ’s death on the cross, the righteous for the unrighteous. The concept of perfection has resident within it the idea of the eternal. A machine which is perfect and remains so will last forever. This principle is shown in biological systems in the reverse fashion. Here the generation of inefficiencies and imperfections through mutations and the like lead to a shortening of the life span (Wallace 2005, p. 359). On the other hand, cell lines may be established without inbuilt operational deficiencies and these are immortal when cultured under ideal conditions (Cooper 2004, pp. 19-20). In addition, the moral understandings of humans, shown across cultures, races, and time, suggests the existence of a self-existent, eternal God whose character is described in terms of moral rectitude. This makes sense, for of necessity, that which is perfect is immutable (James 1:17). 10. The Maker is a merciful individual. The expression of compassion and altruistic acts in the noblest of God’s creation, the human race, indicates the existence of a pure source in their Maker (Exodus 34:6; Matthew 5:7; Romans 5:8). Indeed, the life and ministry of Christ has revealed this truth to us. The existence of a pure source of mercy makes the expression of grace (access to benefits or favours for which we have no claim as a right) also a recognizable quality of God’s character (Romans 3:24). Now the existence of grace and the length of time unworthy individuals may be given to receive it (almost an entire life time), implies strongly that the Giver is an individual of plenteous patience (2 Peter 3:15; cf. Luke 23:39-43). In summary, it may be said that the things of nature reveal God’s goodness, wisdom, power, and majesty. He is perfect and excellent whether we look at His created works, providential acts, or divine judgments (Sproul et al., 1984, pp. 45-46). Keen observers of the book of nature are irresistibly drawn to acknowledge a Superior Mind and may experience salvation as a consequence of giving obedience to the call of conscience sanctified by the promptings of the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:14- 16). Undoubtedly some will be challenged as a result of these discoveries to pursue an experimental knowledge of God and to develop noble character traits. Admirable character traits are at the foundation of all cultures that possess lasting value. Observing and admiring the character traits of Jesus will induce a sense of longing, a feeling of inadequacy, a state of dependency on and an unreserved commitment to God, a desire to be a member of the kingdom of God, and an urge to praise him. When the patriarch Job considered God’s attributes he was led to exclaim:

The Golden River that Flows through Time 90 “Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. …. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:3, 6). The Praise Response of Creation The living creatures who praised God following the creation of this world extended beyond the ranks of humanity (Job 38:4-6). In Psalm 148, the writer calls for praise from the intelligent hosts of the universe, the creatures of the earth and the deep, and also from inanimate objects in the universe such as the sun, moon, and stars. While the writer is not suggesting that all these can do so, the clear implication is that the wonders of “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), but they only present an imperfect representation of God’s majesty (Psalm 148:13). The writer issues thirteen praises in this fourteen verse chapter! The first six verses relate to the praise given to God by the beings and inanimate things in the heavens and the remaining verses speak of the praise given to God by things on earth. This psalm is the final one in a group of Hallelujah psalms (Psalms 146-148). Its message is linked to those of the previous two psalms. This rhapsody of praise continues to the end of the book of psalms where every creature is asked to join in praise to the Lord. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6). This hopefully will be the response of all readers. In the earth made new, we are assured by the prophet Isaiah that God will be worshipped at the time of the new moon and on the Sabbath (Isaiah 66:22-23—secondary application). The weekly and monthly cycles, as we now know them, will continue. All the redeemed will gladly celebrate creation, redemption, and restoration at these appointed times. The proposed ceremonies at the time of the new moon in the new earth carry a greater meaning. The new moon festivals spoken of in Scripture were heralded by two silver trumpets. Silver signified obedience and the sounding of silver trumpets reminded the Israelites of the events at Sinai, of the formal giving of the principles of God’s government, of the approaching Day of Judgment (Day of Atonement), and of the Feast of Tabernacles, which pointed forward to eternal rest in the heavenly mansions. The participants in these ceremonies remembered God’s faithfulness and renewed their consecration (Hardinge 1991, pp. 420-422; cf. Numbers 10:2, 10). So it is not surprising that the Bible indicates there will be a great remembering of Christ’s sacrifice when the redeemed gather on the new earth. There the redeemed proclaim their gratitude and confidence in God and his ways. The angels and other creatures present join their voices in praise (Revelation 7:9-12). The redeemed undoubtedly will rejoice in their new freedoms in an earth made new by their Creator, for they are with him, free from sorrow and pain, and able to enjoy fully the

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