Are You Keeping the Sabbath?

The Ten Commandments are almost universally accepted as rules to live by. Yet one of them has been thrown under the bus for centuries. Look at the Fourth Commandment—keep the Sabbath holy—with fresh eyes. We magnify what's been forgotten, why it's been forgotten and why it's important to remember.

More resources to learn about the Sabbath, including answers to questions about whether it was changed in the New Testament to Sunday:

Scriptures referenced (explicitly or implicitly) in this episode:
00:00:17 - Exodus 20:13
00:00:21 - Exodus 20:15
00:01:37 - Exodus 20:8-9
00:02:06 - Exodus 20:11
00:02:39 - Leviticus 23:3
00:03:00 - Genesis 2:1-3
00:05:50 - Mark 2:27
00:07:02 - Psalm 34:8

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We produce entertaining videos that deliver a robust biblical education. Natively speaking the language of meme culture and rife with cultural references, we aim to bring the hope of the gospel into a modern, very online context.

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[lornaburger]

Thank you for sharing the truth of our Heavenly Father's Word. The church has mislead so many of His chosen.
May all His chosen hear the call in their hearts to return to His ways!
Shabbat Shalom beloved!

[SamPandiangan]

I am blessed that I found the truth about the Sabbath and keep it as stated in The Ten Commandments.

[billyh]

I love this - great job Micah. Happy Sabbath!

[yasminedghill]

Yes 🥰 I delight in the Sabbath.The "Sabbath", is the best day of the week for me.

[dianneseab]

I enjoy the Magnified videos. They are short but very informative and thought provoking. Thankfully, we have the freedom to worship God and fellowship on His seventh day Sabbath.

[robertjackson]

Yes, ever since I honored my life has changed.

[kengillis]

Unfortunately, many are missing out on the importance of the Sabbath by ignoring the blessing and sanctification that God had ingrained in the remembrance of His works.

[chrisofblades]

You're absolutely right, as without God's sabbath day we couldn't know Him. How and when would anyone find or make the time to learn and study and have services without knowing of a separated day specifically made for that purpose.

[jimijames]

Mathew 11:28-30
Hebrews 4:1-10 ANOTHER DAY!
Today enter into Him 24/7 365
And yes I keep Sabbath on Saturday but I’m in Christ and have Rest in Him and His Holy Word.

[gerryroush]

Leviticus 19:30 (KJV) Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

[peteryoutube]

In Isaiah 66:23 It says about heaven "From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me, ” says the Lord." Has God changed what He said? I don't think so!

[AlwaysknowsMe]

Yes. I observe Shabbat. It is the crown of The Moedim. Do it.

[nathaliec]

Sad that many reject this simple test of obedience and will be found guilty of breaking one of the commandments. Wise up everyone it’s a command if you love Jesus we should follow his commands and example 🙏

[AcademyApologia]

Are you aware the concept of “The 10 Commandments” is a manmade concept? The bible nowhere states God gave us “10 Commandments.”

There are typically 3 verses in the English translations which use the English “10 Commandments.” Those verses are Exodus 34:28, Deut. 4:13 and Deut. 10:4. In each of these cases the Hebrew word translated as “commandments” is דָּבַר, transliterated as dāḇār and this word is defined as: speech, words, speaking, verbal intercourse, etc. Of the 1, 455 occurrences of dāḇār in the Old Testament, these 3 verses are the only ones translated as “Ten Commandments.”

Here is the problem English translators have caused. The Hebrew word for “Commandments” is מִצְוָה, transliterated as miṣvâ. But English translators have mis-translated dāḇār (words) into Commandments, which is a completely different Hebrew word (miṣvâ). Translating dāḇār means “words” and miṣvâ means commandments. However, in Ex. 34:28, Deut. 10:4 and Deut. 4:13 the Hebrew word translated “Commandments” is dāḇār (words) NOT miṣvâ (commandments). miṣvâ (Commandments) does not appear in these 3 mistranslated verses.

God nowhere gave 10 miṣvâ (Commands), but God did give 10 dāḇār (words). The concept of 10 Commandments is not supported in the original Hebrew and is a man made concept.

1. VanGemeren, William A. Editor. New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, pp. 912-915

[_nj]

Sadly, unless you're an SDA or a Messianic Jew, I and a few other believers in my church keep the Sabbath holy but come to Sunday worship because there's nowhere else to go. The thing that really makes me grieve is that we can't tell the church for fear of being ostracised.

[frankmckinley]

Many have not forgotten they accept the lie that the LAW was nailed to the cross when in reality it was the Eminity that was nailed to the cross. Sadly many in the church system have no clue what the Eminity even is.

[RoryTyner]

What greater mark than the one he gives us when we keep his commands. More and more becoming natsirim, the branch of the vine.

[philipbuckley]

how does this factor in to this discussion....“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” is a verse from the Bible, Romans 14:5.

[brightrealmsmountmenora]

Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Ten Commandments, Sabbath and (Thou shall not kill- aka Abortion)

The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church strongly emphasizes the Ten Commandments, particularly the fourth commandment on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11). However, its stance on the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13), is more complex when it comes to abortion. This has led many to question whether the SDA Church is consistent or hypocritical in its interpretation of the commandments.

1. The SDA Church and Commandment-Keeping

The Seventh-day Adventist Church considers itself a commandment-keeping church, meaning it upholds all ten commandments as God’s moral law. This is one of its defining doctrines, as seen in Revelation 14:12:

> “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”



Among these, the Sabbath commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) is given special emphasis. The SDA Church teaches that the seventh-day Sabbath is a test of loyalty to God and that Sunday worship is part of the mark of the beast in end-time prophecy.

The Sixth Commandment – “Thou Shalt Not Kill”

While Sabbath observance is enforced without exceptions, the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13) against killing is interpreted with exceptions in cases of abortion. This has raised concerns about moral inconsistency within the SDA Church.




2. The History of Abortion in Adventist Institutions

Historically, the SDA Church has been involved in abortion services, especially within its healthcare institutions. This involvement became public in the 1970s and 1980s, sparking controversy.

Key Historical Facts on SDA Involvement in Abortion

1970s-1980s – SDA hospitals, including Loma Linda University Medical Center, Washington Adventist Hospital, and Castle Memorial Hospital, performed elective abortions (not just for medical emergencies).

Edward C. Allred, an SDA-trained doctor, became one of the largest abortion providers in the U.S., running Family Planning Associates Medical Group in California. He claimed to have performed over 50, 000 abortions.

Roe v. Wade (1973) – After abortion was legalized in the U.S., many SDA hospitals continued to perform the procedure.


Due to growing criticism, the SDA General Conference released the 1992 Guidelines on Abortion, which did not prohibit abortion outright but limited it to cases of:

Rape

Incest

Severe fetal abnormality

Threat to the mother’s life


Why Wasn’t Abortion Fully Banned?

The SDA Church argues that in certain circumstances, abortion is a moral gray area, and individual conscience should guide the decision. However, critics argue this contradicts the church’s stance on commandment-keeping.




3. Biblical and Theological Tensions in the SDA Position on Abortion

The SDA Church’s approach to abortion creates theological tensions when examined in light of biblical teachings.

A. The Biblical View on Life in the Womb

The Bible consistently presents unborn children as human beings, known by God even before birth:

1. Psalm 139:13-16 –

> “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”




2. Jeremiah 1:5 –

> “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”




3. Luke 1:41-44 –

> John the Baptist leaped in the womb of Elizabeth when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, arrived.





These passages suggest that life begins before birth, making abortion a direct violation of Exodus 20:13.

B. The SDA Church’s “Freedom of Conscience” Argument

The SDA Church defends its stance by saying abortion is a matter of personal conscience, unlike the Sabbath, which is a universal requirement. However:

The Bible never grants “freedom of conscience” regarding murder.

If the unborn child is fully human, then abortion is not just a personal decision—it is the taking of innocent life.


This inconsistency has led many to challenge the church’s abortion policy.




4. Ethical and Logical Contradictions in the SDA Position on Abortion

The SDA Church’s handling of abortion creates logical and moral contradictions:

If the SDA Church truly upholds all Ten Commandments, then why does it strictly enforce one while compromising on another?




5. The Role of SDA Healthcare in Abortion Services

Despite the 1992 guidelines, some SDA hospitals continue to offer abortion services, particularly in cases of fetal abnormalities or maternal risk.

Many pro-life Adventists argue that no Adventist institution should ever perform an abortion.

Some SDA hospitals have quietly stopped abortions, but the church has never issued a full ban.


This has led critics to say the SDA Church is allowing murder within its own healthcare system.




6. Current Debate: Should the SDA Church Adopt a Strict Pro-Life Stance?

Many pro-life Adventists argue the church must:

1. Ban abortion entirely in SDA hospitals.


2. Revise the 1992 Guidelines to explicitly condemn abortion.


3. Acknowledge past involvement in abortion and take responsibility.



Others defend the current policy, saying it provides compassionate exceptions for extreme cases.

However, the moral and theological contradictions remain unresolved, and the SDA Church continues to face pressure to clarify its stance.




Conclusion – Should the SDA Church Change Its Position?

The SDA Church’s stance on abortion is one of the greatest ethical inconsistencies within Adventism. It upholds the Sabbath commandment as absolute, yet allows exceptions to the commandment against killing.

To resolve this contradiction, the church must:

1. Adopt a fully pro-life position and condemn abortion as a violation of Exodus 20:13.


2. Ensure all SDA hospitals refuse to perform abortions.


3. Clarify that human life begins at conception and that abortion is not a personal choice but a moral violation.



Until then, the question of why the SDA Church enforces the Sabbath while allowing abortion remains an open challenge to its theological integrity.

[tasiaflynn]

Exodus 31:12-17 Mk 2:28 Mt 17:5 John 6:27 This is the food which the Son of Man will give you, because God, the Father, has put his mark of approval on him Col 2:16-17 Heb 8:9-11 13 Lk 22:19-20 Mt 26:26-30 Mk 14:22-26, 1 Cor 11:23-25. Heb 4:1-10