Lest we forget, I wrote an article titled 'Sabbath Myths' which was a response to two letter writers who commented on a man who rescued people who were involved in the accident in Portland in which 14 people died. This man said he broke the Sabbath in helping persons involved in the accident. Unfortunately, another writer insensitively used the opportunity to criticise other persons' beliefs concerning the Sabbath by giving some myths.

Sadly, the Sabbath myths continued. Jonathan Smith said, "The United States Naval Observatory reported in 1932 that there has never been any change [my emphasis] in the continuity of the weekly cycle. The same Seventh-day Sabbath that we have today is the same that Jesus observed, and the same Adam observed" (January 3, 2008). That statement attributed to the US Naval Observatory is a falsehood.

Different concept

What was said was quite different. James Robertson, director, America Ephemeris Navy Department US Navy Observatory, states, "There has been no change in our calendar in the past centuries [my emphasis] that has affected in any way the cycle of the week" www.seventh-day.org/week lycycle.htm. There is a huge difference between "never been any change' and no change "in the past centuries". The writer has added ideas to the statement. Furthermore, it was not an official statement from the institution but a comment by an employee of the organisation.

Nobody knows how old the world is so it is impossible therefore, to know if the seventh day of creation is the exact seventh day observed today. One would have to be able to trace from now going back to creation to be sure. Additionally, there was a break in the cycle when Joshua asked God for the sun to stand still until he had victory over the enemies and the sun stood still for "about a day" Joshua 10:12-13.

Brother Smith, there is no record that God commanded Adam to observe the Sabbath or that Adam observed the Sabbath.

The other myth is to pretend the reason for Sabbath was because of creation only. However, Deu-teronomy 5 has a list of the Ten Commandments and states, "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath Day" 12-15. It is clear that the reason for keeping the Sabbath is not creation on redemption as Joseph Patterson stated (January 10). The Deuteronomy passage gave only one reason for the Sabbath, which is different from and irreconcilable with what is in Exodus.

Since Deuteronomy was written after Exodus and written by Moses to whom God spoke on Mount Sinai, sending him to warn the Children of Israel, it is improbable to think that Moses would correct a command from God and insert his opinion and call it God's. It is, therefore, more likely that the latter writing of Deuteronomy would have then been current and more accurately reflected the mind of God.

We should be mindful of the impact of time zones on the observance of a Sabbath Day that lasts from sunset to sunset. Persons in the same country and in different countries would experience a Sabbath Day at different times. There is, therefore, no universal seventh day that applies to everybody at the same time.

Some countries have daylight for six months, therefore they could not, on a weekly basis, use sunset and determine the Sabbath day. Therefore, the best they can do is, every seventh day (every seventh 24 hours), make it a Sabbath Day. Smith, in responding to that assertion got it right when he said, "With good conscience toward God, they arrive at sensible conclusions on the Sabbath period." To that I say Amen!

Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of Rebellion to Riot, the church in nation building. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com