Comment on The Origin of the Sabbath and the 7-Day Week by Sean Pitman.
@Ken:
Nowwhere in the text does it say, and I quote Sean: “God specifically created a 7 – day weekly cycle of work and rest that was to be of benefit to mankind”?
Where does it actually say “benefit of mankind”? Is it OK just to imply that as a progressive might or should one stick to the literal text?
As noted in my original article and several other times in my responses to your comments in particular, it was Jesus himself who explained that the Sabbath (and therefore the seven-day weekly cycle of work, worship and rest) was “made for man” – Mark 2:27.
In other words, we have none other than Jesus Himself claiming that God created a cyclical period of time, the seven-day week, to include a rest/worship day within that period of time, not for any arbitrary reason on God’s part, but specifically for our benefit.
That’s a scientifically testable empirical claim. It has the potential of falsification upon testing. And, if testing demonstrates the validity of this claim, this adds additional credibility to the claims of the Bible in general as a trustworthy witness. As already noted, “It’s just one more piece in the puzzle”. There is a reason why Seventh-day Adventists, who actually follow the biblical guidelines promoted by the church organization, are the only long-lived ethnically diverse group of people in the world (The Blue Zone: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest (National Geographic Books, 2008).
Consider also that the 7-day weekly period of time is especially highlighted in the Bible, noting God’s claim that one should especially strive to “remember” its observance. – Exodus 20:8. If God really does exist, why would He tell us so specifically to remember the Sabbath cicaseptan cycle? Probably because He knew that we humans would be prone to forget this cycle and, according to Jesus anyway, miss out on the inherent benefits of observing it.
In short, the Bible clearly claims that the weekly cycle was created by God so that no only man, but various forms of animal life, would enjoy the benefits of said weekly cycle. That is in fact what the Bible claims. There is no real argument on this particular point.
Now, you may argue that the Bible is in fact wrong in what it claims regarding the supposed benefits of the weekly cycle, but you cannot really argue that the Bible makes no promises of a blessing or benefit for those who choose to observe this particular cycle of work and rest. The Bible is quite clear in this regard in many places. – Isaiah 58:13-14
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Sean Pitman Also Commented
The Origin of the Sabbath and the 7-Day Week
@ken:
No, since the God of the Bible called everything “Good” at the end of creation week – which he would not have done if predation of sentient creatures existed on this planet before the moral fall of mankind. After all, the God of the Bible is pictured as experiencing pain in sympathy with animal as well as human suffering.
Given this background, it is quite clear that the eating of the fruit was only symbolic of allegiance. God made the tree and the fruit on it after all. It had no inherent power of its own, outside of God’s will and creative power, to prolong life…
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
The Origin of the Sabbath and the 7-Day Week
@Ken:
I do not disagree that there are numerous factors involved, to include genetics and overall lifestyle. However, it is interesting to me that there are other healthy groups of people out there who are also ethnically diverse. Yet, Adventists, in particular, live the longest among such ethnically diverse groups of people (note that the Okinawans are not ethnically diverse).
Again, all I can suggest is to try it out for yourself and see if you don’t notice a difference in your own personal experience…
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
The Origin of the Sabbath and the 7-Day Week
@Ken:
Consider that I’m presenting three different arguments at the same time. One argument is that there appears to be this intrinsic genetically-coded rhythm in all living things that is based on a 7-day cycle. That, by itself, is quite surprising and non-predictable form a naturalistic perspective – but not from a Biblical perspective.
After all, it was only the Bible that proposed, long before the circaseptan science came on the scene, to explain the origin of this 7-day rhythm as a creative act of God. The Bible also tells us how to best take advantage of this 7-day pattern by working six days and resting on every seventh day (my second argument) and that this work/rest cycle was given to us for our benefit (“The Sabbath was made for man”). In addition to this, the Bible claims that the original order of the days is important to God as a symbol between him and his people of their allegiance to God and he promises an additional supernatural blessing on those who strive to keep holy the true Sabbath day of his original blessing (my third argument).
In my opinion, these are all testable statements. The weekly cycle, by itself, has been shown to have intrinsic elements or biorhythms within all living things (first argument). If certain things are done in accordance with this pattern, living things function better (to include a lengthening of life for different kinds of creatures). On top of this, adding a “Sabbath” day of rest every 7th day appears to be beneficial to mind and body regardless of the actual 7th day chosen for rest – be that day Sunday or Saturday or Friday or whatever 7th day is chosen (second argument). So far, I don’t think there is very much disagreement with these arguments – even within the scientific community at this point (given the new information on circaseptan biorhythms within humans and all other living things and the general benefits of resting mind and body one day a week).
But, beyond this, it seems to me, from my own personal experience and the experience of certain key individuals that I have known, that if one strives to keep Holy the Biblical 7th day in particular (i.e., the Sabbath of the Jews or Saturday), that God actually gives such an individual an additional supernatural blessing (third argument).
Now, I’m sure that many will scoff at my last proposal. But, don’t be too hasty if you haven’t tried it out for yourself… If you haven’t actually tried to keep the Biblical Sabbath, Saturday, holy as the Bible describes. I think that this element plays a role in explaining why Adventists, among all ethnically diverse peoples of the world (to include other groups of people who try to be religious, healthy, and even vegetarian) live the longest and are generally the most blessed ethnically diverse group of people in the world.
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
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