Season 4 Podcast 114, In Defense of Christianity, “The Sabbath Day, Part I, The Law of the Sabbath.”

Season 4 Podcast 114, In Defense of Christianity, “The Sabbath Day, Part I, The Law of the Sabbath.” It is very possible that the least regarded and least understood law is The Law of the Sabbath. Today we see an alarming rise of atheism, a decline in church attendance, and an increasing disregard for the Sabbath day even among professed Christians. The term bellwether originated from a sheep (wether) that led the flock by having a bell around its neck. Many of our words have an analogical or metaphorical background. Today we use bellwether to refer to an indicator or predictor of a trend. The decline of Sabbath Day observance is the best bellwether of the increase or decrease of our commitment to Christ. To use a term from Mills Methods, it is in concomitant variation. As Sabbath Day observance increases, dedication to Christ increases. As Sabbath Day observance decreases, dedication to Christ decreases. Claiming to be a Christian is perhaps one of the weakest bellwethers of our commitment to Christ.  Sabbath Day observance one of the strongest. To understand the Law of the Sabbath we must go back to the creation story for that is where it originates.  Here we shall review the creation story, but first let me refer you to Season 4, Podcasts 105, 108, and 111 in which I analyze Genesis Chapter’s 1-3.Here I should like to make a small correction as well as add an addendum. In the podcasts referred to I said that Chapter one ended with verse 1 of Chapter two as indicated by the parallelism. Upon closer analysis I see I was mistaken. Chapter 1 ends with verse 3 of Chapter 2. Let me explain why for it relates to the Law of the Sabbath.As explained in the podcasts on creation, though there are seven days of creation, there are two distinct periods of creation, running parallel. One is spiritual, the other is temporal.  Here I want to show the unique qualities of each period of creation and how they relate to the Sabbath Day.Chapter 1 of Genesis and Chapter 2 of Genesis verses 1-3 refer to Elohim or God, the Father.  Chapter 2 verses 4 – 25 refer to Jehovah, the son of God who is the God of the Old Testament and of course the New Testament and creator of the world and all things in it, including man. Let me illustrate. Chapter 1 and the first three verses of Chapter 3 use the following clauses. I have listed both the clause and the number of times it appears. For example, Chapter 1 uses the term “God” which refers to Elohim.1.     God blessed (2)2.     God called (3)3.     God created (1)4.     God divided (1)5.     God made (3)6.     God said (10)7.     God saw (6)8.     God set (1)9.     God ended (1)10.  God blessed (1)11.  God created. (1) Chapter 2, verses 4-25 uses the term “The Lord God” which refers to Jehovah. 1.     The Lord God made the earth and the heavens,2.     The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, 3.     The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.4.     The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.5.     And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight,