Ellen White - Time to Begin Sabbath

As we continue looking at Ellen White's work Testimonies to the Church, a discussion about the time to begin the Sabbath is talked about. Here Leviticus 23:32 is quoted "From even unto even shall you celebrate your sabbath."

The early Adventists kept the Sabbath from 6pm to 6pm. Joseph Bates defended the practice in one of the early writings on the subject. However, more and more people began to question this practice. The early Adventists found the answer in the scripture for Leviticus 23:32 gives the timing of the Sabbath.

Was it Sin?

Another question arises on whether the frown of God was on the people of God while they used the wrong timing. Ellen White notes that an Angel told her that it is when light comes and it is rejected that sin comes. I am reminded of the text Acts 17:30.

The Bible always said that the Sabbath (in this case the Day of Atonement) commenced at "even," but Ellen White said that many interpreted this "even" to mean "6 o'clock."

Truth is Progressive

I think there are a few points to bring out of this situation. First God's truth is progressive. The early Adventists were right in the Sabbath being still valuable to Christians, but wrong in the start time. They found the truth later.

The second point is that we must be willing to continue study even on issues we think we are sure of. Continued study was needed to break through this incorrect interpretation of the start of the Sabbath.

The final point is that we need to be willing to move forth into the truth as it comes. In this case the early Adventists moved forward and today we follow the Biblical injunction to keep the Sabbath "from even to even."