Sabbath Cooking Excuses Investigated

Sabbath Cooking Excuses Investigated
Copyright 2016 Winelfred G. Pasamba

Foreword

"God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front, and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God's means of provoking inquiry, and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber."—Testimonies for the Church 5:453. ChS 159.2

This is a very difficult, very shaking, very testing, very new and controversial (for many who are not oriented) topic and I request the readers not go to Chapter 3 & 4 unless they have read Chapter 1 & 2.  If you go directly to Chapter 3, you probably will be highly uncomfortable if you have no testimony of avoiding cooking on the Sabbath.

Readers need utter humility and gratitude-to-God, for this material not to offend them.  Love for God must be more than love for food, love for comfort, and love for their and their friends own opinions.

"Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." Proverbs 9:8


Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Cooking on the Sabbath (Review article June 1, 1897, Ellen G. White)
Chapter 2 Cooking on the Sabbath (continued, Review, June 2, 1897, Ellen G. White)
Chapter 3 Excuses and Explanations (author)
Chapter 4 Official Statements of the Seventh-day Adventist Church & Author's Conclusion
Chapter 5 Tips & Examples How to Avoid Sabbath Cooking


Chapter 1 Cooking on the Sabbath 
(Review article June 1, 1897, Ellen G. White)

EGW Responds to Sabbath Cooking article published on Review
June 1, 1897
Cooking on the Sabbath
“What Shall We Have for Sabbath Dinner?” is the heading of an article in a recent Review. The question is asked, “What shall we have for our Sabbath dinner? Good housewives, can’t you tell us?” We refer all who read this article to the law of God, spoken in awful grandeur from Mount Sinai: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” This is the precept of Jehovah. {RH June 1, 1897, par. 1}
The Sabbath bears the sanctity of Jehovah. Through Isaiah the Lord has spoken: “If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 2}
Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.” “They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 3}
It is far more essential for all who claim to believe on Jesus Christ to understand by experience what this scripture means, than to be in such perplexity as to what shall be cooked on the Sabbath to be placed on our tables. It is of far greater consequence for us to know what is our spiritual nourishment. “Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 4}
“My flesh,” says Christ, “I will give for the life of the world.” He tells us that we have no life unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood. He could not possibly mean temporal eating and drinking. Christ made this statement over and over again, because the spiritual life of the world depended upon their understanding his words and doing them. He took no apparent notice because those who heard him were offended, but repeated his lesson over and over again. {RH June 1, 1897, par. 5}
All who will consult their Bibles will know, “What saith the Lord?” “And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.” “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 6}
There is a way of quoting Scripture—the words that Christ considered of so much consequence that death was the penalty of transgression—so as to pervert it. Should we not handle the words of Christ with sacredness? It was said, in the article mentioned, “There are numerous victims, too, of such a regimen who can say, as did certain murmurers of old, and with far more reason, ‘Our soul loatheth this.’” This is mixing up the restrictions of the plain, “Thus saith thy Redeemer,” with the murmuring of the children of Israel in loathing the light bread which was angels’ food. “Persons inclined to doubt the universal application of those ancient laws, still scruple to cook food on Sabbath, but merely rewarm what has been previously cooked; though one might question why there is more offense in baking or boiling what has been prepared beforehand than in rebaking, reboiling, or restewing what has been already cooked.” Did the writer take the word of God just as it reads? The Lord has said: “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord; bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 7}
That manna was given by a miracle of God. Please read this entire chapter. Who was the leader of the children of Israel?—Jesus Christ enshrouded in the pillar of cloud. Chapters thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen of the book of Exodus give the history of the children of Israel. Chapter thirteen tells of the wonderful works of God in causing the Red Sea to stand up as a wall on one side, so that the waters should not overflow, and how a passage was made through the waters. Thus the whole of the vast army of more than a million people went safely over. The cloud that went before them rose high above them, and settled down as a wall of fire between them and the Egyptians; and not one of them perished. “And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 8}
Their Leader was a mighty general of armies. His angels, that do his bidding, walked on either side of the vast armies of Israel, and no harm could come to them. Israel was safe. Who would have supposed that Israel could ever murmur again? Then came the sacred song of triumph, led by Miriam. Moses did not hesitate to join in the sacred song with timbrels. But when the armies of Israel came to Marah, they found that they could not drink of the waters; for they were bitter. Then the people had an opportunity to express their belief in the Lord, their invisible leader, and in Moses his servant, their visible leader. Did they wait patiently, and see what the Lord would do with and for them as they called upon him for relief? “And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” Why did they not consider the wondrous work of God, and say, The Lord hath shown himself mighty to deliver, and he will not let us die of thirst? But they murmured against God. Moses cried unto the Lord, and again the Lord heard him. He showed Moses a tree which, when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet. “There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, and said, If thou wilt diligently harken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. And they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm-trees: and they encamped there by the water.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 9}
Thus a loving, gracious, heavenly Leader was guiding the travels of the children of Israel. “And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: and the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” {RH June 1, 1897, par. 10}
O why were the children of Israel so faithless? How wondrously the Lord had worked for them, that they should not die! He had called his armies from heaven to fight in their behalf, and gained for them a glorious victory, and yet how little faith and confidence they had under the proving of God! He gave them his ordinance, a statute which he would never fail to keep, yet at the first trial, they complained and murmured against their leaders. Their store of corn was nearly exhausted, and there was no apparent prospect of procuring more. The Lord knew what he would do, but he would try their faith to see if they would take the words of assurance that he had given them of his merciful protection and care. He was educating his people to have faith in him. Their complaints against the servants of God, who were bearing responsibilities and heavy burdens in the work, were against God in their work. {RH June 1, 1897, par. 11}
(Concluded next week.)



(continued, Review, June 2, 1897, Ellen G. White)
June 8, 1897
Cooking on the Sabbath
(Concluded.)
After all the experiences of Israel and the pledges of God to his people, we marvel at their hardness and their unbelief. But the expression of the feelings of one is contagious, and Satan stands by to inspire other hearts with the very same spirit. Their present inconvenience, their thoughts of what might be, the hopeless, discouraging picture of the desolate wilderness, they were inspired by Satan to charge upon Moses and Aaron. They accused their leaders of bringing them from the slavery of Egypt to kill them and their children with hunger. All their lives they had been accustomed to walk by sight. Here they had every evidence that they had an unseen Leader. He had just given them a statute, assuring them how much he would do for them if they would keep his commandments. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Please read this whole chapter. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 1}
“And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” The Lord had graciously promised to relieve all their grievances. He desired to give them a religious training under the eye of God, “that I may prove them,” he said, “whether they will walk in my law, or no.” The first lesson taught them was that their constant dependence for daily nourishment was upon God, and that by him their wants would be abundantly supplied. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 2}
Speak not lightly of the restrictions placed upon Israel in Sinai regarding the cooking of manna. The Lord has placed barriers around his Sabbath, that it may not be regarded with the least carelessness or irreverence. When the Lord said, “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe,” he meant that Friday should be our preparation day, in which we are to do all our cooking. The Sabbath is not to be a day when titbits shall be prepared or cooked. If it is really essential to have beans on the Sabbath, let them be cooked on Friday, and kept warm in the oven. They need not be eaten cold unless preferred. But let no remarks be made as though it were a very light thing whether or not we regard the special requirements of God in regard to the Sabbath. It is not left for any man or woman to venture to disregard one requirement of God. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 3}
I see no question in this matter as to what we shall have on the Sabbath day. The food which we have provided on the preparation day can be placed on the table warm, especially in cold weather. In traveling, persons eat cold lunches for days together, and realize no inconvenience or harm. We want palatable, healthful food every day of the week; but upon the Sabbath, let your cook have her day of rest, in the place of cooking for a family. Let every provision be made on Friday. But do not let the Sabbath be regarded as a day in which to get something especially gratifying to eat. Educate your children and every member of the family to enjoy plain, simple food, and to be ready to receive the blessing which the Lord of the Sabbath is waiting to bestow upon all who are in an attitude to receive it. He has this for every one who shows his love for God in keeping holy the Sabbath day, God’s great memorial of creation. Speak softly, walk softly. Let not a word of lightness or trifling come from your lips. This is God’s day. He has blessed the seventh day, as his Sabbath, to be sacredly observed. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 4}
The Sabbath is not to be a gloomy day, a day of unrest and uneasiness. Parents may take their children outdoors, in the groves, in the flower garden, and teach them that the Lord has given them these beautiful things as an expression of his love. Christ has said: “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” {RH June 8, 1897, par. 5}
Let the mind be directed to the lessons of the book of nature, and to nature’s God, who made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh; “wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Do not make light of the Sabbath requirements; and when it comes to eating on the Sabbath, those who would feed on Christ, who would have the rich blessing of God, will partake of a very simple diet on that day. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 6}
The thoughts are not to be educated to be full of what we shall eat, and what we shall drink, and wherewithal we shall be clothed. We need to prepare for the Sabbath. The clothing that we shall wear on that day is to be put in order. The boots should not be left unblacked or unpolished until the Sabbath. You dishonor God by doing this work on that day. How easy it is to allow reckless neglect of the preparation for the Sabbath! {RH June 8, 1897, par. 7}
Teach the children that God means just what he says. The very same Jesus who has given us the Sabbath, and has directed us how to keep it holy, is the Alpha of Genesis, and carries us step by step through the ages, through the incarnation, through his offering of himself as a living sacrifice for the redemption of a fallen world. He was tried, but was not condemned, because there was nothing to condemn. After the trial Pilate said, “I find no fault in him.” Yet he gave himself up to be murdered because his own nation was jealous of him, and hated him. Christ died as a malefactor on the cross of Calvary. He was laid in the grave. The third day he rose from the dead, and proclaimed, over the rent sepulcher of Joseph: “I am the resurrection, and the life.” He ascended to his Father, and today he is our advocate in the courts of heaven. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 8}
We trace Christ all through the Old Testament and the New. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” {RH June 8, 1897, par. 9}
Here we have the Alpha of Genesis and the Omega of Revelation. The blessing is promised to all those who keep the commandments of God, and who co-operate with him in the proclamation of the third angel’s message. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” That which Christ has spoken in the Old Testament is for all the world. What he has said in reference to his commandments is not yea and nay, but yea and amen. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 10}
In this perilous period, when we see universal contempt placed upon the law of God, when the world is choosing between the holy Sabbath of the fourth commandment and the spurious sabbath, shall we say one word that will detract from the words of the Lord of the Sabbath? The Lord God of heaven knew what a deadening influence the abounding iniquity would have upon the chosen believers, what a paralyzing power it would be against piety and true loyalty to God. In giving us the statement of the occurrences which would mark the approach of the second advent of our Lord and Saviour, Christ says, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” We see this fulfilled to the letter. The experience of many is becoming dwarfed and sickly and wonderfully deformed. Everything that surrounds us creates an atmosphere that is saturated with unrighteousness. Even under the most faithful surroundings, it is difficult to hold fast the Christian profession of faith unto the end, to stand decidedly and earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. But it is most difficult to keep true and loyal to God’s holy commandments, when there are few in number to help and encourage one another, and when many of these are sickly and ready to die because they do not honor God by keeping his commandments truly and loyally. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 11}
Much so-called Christianity passes for genuine, faithful soundness, but it is because those who profess it have no persecution to endure for the truth’s sake. When the day comes when the law of God is made void, and the church is sifted by the fiery trials that are to try all that live upon the earth, a great proportion of those who are supposed to be genuine will give heed to seducing spirits, and will turn traitors and betray sacred trusts. They will prove our very worst persecutors. “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them;” and many will give heed to seducing spirits. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 12}
Those who have lived on the flesh and blood of the Son of God—his holy word—will be strengthened, rooted, and grounded in the faith. They will see increased evidence why they should prize and obey the word of God. With David, they will say, “They have made void thy law. Therefore love I thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” While others count them dross, they will arise to defend the faith. All who study their convenience, their pleasure, their enjoyment, will not stand in their trial. “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.” Precious words! “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” {RH June 8, 1897, par. 13}
The fifty-eighth chapter of Isaiah is to be read, studied, and practised. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drouth, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” {RH June 8, 1897, par. 14}
Let no one yield to temptation and become less fervent in his attachment to God’s law because of the contempt placed upon it; for that is the very thing that should make us pray with all our heart, and soul, and voice, “It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.” Therefore, because of the universal contempt, I will not turn traitor when God will be most glorified and most honored by my loyalty. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 15}
What! shall Seventh day Adventists relax their devotedness when all their capabilities and powers should be placed on the Lord’s side; when an unflinching testimony, noble and uplifting, should come from their lips? “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” When the law of God is most derided and brought into the most contempt, then it is time for every true follower of Christ, for those whose hearts have been given to God, and who are fixed to obey God, to stand unflinchingly for the faith once delivered to the saints. “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” It is time to fight when champions are most needed. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 16}

Those who make light of the third angel’s message do so because they know little of Daniel or the Revelation. They have not read these prophecies with a determination to find out the meaning by prayer, by study, and by fasting. If they had had the experience of Daniel or of John, they would know that the third angel’s message will go forth unto perfect victory. Those who proclaim that message because they see and believe it, will understand that very much is comprehended by it. The third angel is represented as flying through the heavens with a banner on which is inscribed, “The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” All who will gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their defections, and loyalty from their treason, will triumph with the third angel’s message. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 17}
Chapter 3 Excuses and Explanations 
by Winelfred G. Pasamba


Excuse #1. Exodus 12:16 says "in the seventh day ... no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat"
  • This seventh-day in this verse is the seventh-day of the feast of unleavened bread (Ex 12:14-28) which is not necessarily the seventh-day of the week.
  • The feast of unleavened bread is at the 14th day(Ex 12:18) of the first month(Ex 12:18) of the Jewish calendar.
Excuse #2. Warming of food allowed by EGW.
  • Cooking on the Sabbath should be avoided; but it is not therefore necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather the food prepared the day before should be heated. And let the meals, however simple, be palatable and attractive. Especially in families where there are children, it is well, on the Sabbath, to provide something that will be regarded as a treat, something the family do not have every day. {CCh 226.2}
  • Therefore heating is not entirely the same as from cooking.
  • Why would you heat newly cooked food?
  • When the Lord said, “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe,” he meant that Friday should be our preparation day, in which we are to do all our cooking. The Sabbath is not to be a day when titbits shall be prepared or cooked. If it is really essential to have beans on the Sabbath, let them be cooked on Friday, and kept warm in the oven. They need not be eaten cold unless preferred. But let no remarks be made as though it were a very light thing whether or not we regard the special requirements of God in regard to the Sabbath. It is not left for any man or woman to venture to disregard one requirement of God. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 3}
  • I see no question in this matter as to what we shall have on the Sabbath day. The food which we have provided on the preparation day can be placed on the table warm, especially in cold weather. In traveling, persons eat cold lunches for days together, and realize no inconvenience or harm. ... Let every provision be made on Friday. But do not let the Sabbath be regarded as a day in which to get something especially gratifying to eat. Educate your children and every member of the family to enjoy plain, simple food, and to be ready to receive the blessing which the Lord of the Sabbath is waiting to bestow upon all who are in an attitude to receive it. He has this for every one who shows his love for God in keeping holy the Sabbath day, God’s great memorial of creation. Speak softly, walk softly. Let not a word of lightness or trifling come from your lips. This is God’s day. He has blessed the seventh day, as his Sabbath, to be sacredly observed. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 4}
Excuse #3. Cooking of food was laborious in the wilderness, now it does not require much work.
  • This is a common but unofficial excuse. I have not found any official church documents w/c support this.
  • With all the refrigeration today, it should be easier to avoid cooking on Sabbath.
  • In Creation week, God could have said "let there be food" on the 7th day, but he did it on the 6th day.  Even if it could have been an effortless voice command only.
  • The angels could have provided manna on the Sabbath with less effort than cooking with a rice cooker but they did not.
Excuse #4. That was only during Manna time.
  • So Sabbath keeping is only during Manna time?
  • There is still Manna in the Adventist Mission Station in Angola according to Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division Media Team and Signs of the Times
  • Is the Sabbath universal or only in the wilderness?
Excuse #5. EGW said to provide hot gruel on Sabbath morning
  • People mistakenly think she was instructing hot gruel to be cooked on Sabbath morning because she instructed how to cook hot gruel in Counsels on Diet and on another book she said hot gruel should be given on Sabbath morning. 
    • I would advise all to take something warm into the stomach, every morning at least. You can do this without much labor. You can make graham gruel. If the graham flour is too coarse, sift it, and while the gruel is hot, add milk. This will make a most palatable and healthful dish for the camp-ground. And if your bread is dry, crumb it into the gruel, and it will be enjoyed. I do not approve of eating much cold food, for the reason that the vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food until it becomes of the same temperature as the stomach before the work of digestion can be carried on. Another very simple yet wholesome dish, is beans boiled or baked. Dilute a portion of them with water, add milk or cream, and make a broth; the bread can be used as in graham gruel. {TSDF 142.5}
    • On Sabbath morning, if the weather is cool, let hot gruel be provided. Further than this, all cooking should be avoided as a violation of the Sabbath. {RH May 8, 1883, par. 10}
  • BUT CONTEXT clarifies the misinterpretation:
    • And let us not come to the camp-meeting to break the Sabbath by cooking on that day. The instructions which God gave to Israel should not be disregarded: “Bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe;” for “tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord.” God meant what he said; and shall we who are presenting to the people the claims of the divine law, break that law ourselves, merely to please the appetite? God forbid! I know that frequently the Lord has withheld his blessing because we have failed to honor him by keeping the Sabbath according to the commandment. There has sometimes been nearly as much cooking done on the Sabbath as on other days. I would prefer to eat bread and water only, rather than to run any risk of breaking the fourth commandment. All needful preparation for the Sabbath should be made on Friday. On Sabbath morning, if the weather is cool, let hot gruel be provided. Further than this, all cooking should be avoided as a violation of the Sabbath. {RH May 8, 1883, par. 10}
    • THEY INTERPRET THE LAST TWO SENTENCES TO CONTRADICT THE WHOLE PARAGRAPH.
  • SHE FURTHERMORE CLARIFIES THAT
    • Cooking on the Sabbath should be avoided; but it is not therefore necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather the food prepared the day before should be heated. And let the meals, however simple, be palatable and attractive. Especially in families where there are children, it is well, on the Sabbath, to provide something that will be regarded as a treat, something the family do not have every day. {CCh 226.2}
Excuse #6. Are you a pharisee? This is pharisaistic legalism.
  • Sabbath cooking prohibition is a "thus saith the Lord" and not like the rules/policies/commandments-of-men which the Pharisees invented.
  • Sabbath rules like walking too far, plucking of corn, etc... are not in the Bible, nor in SOP, but were just invented by the Pharisees.
  • The Pharisees were accusing (Mark 2:23) Jesus of disobeying their rules/policies/commandments-of-men.
  • We should know which commands are from God and which are from men.
Excuse #7. Will there be a stoning-to-death?
  • Adultery also deserved stoning-to-death (Lev 20:10, John 8:1-11) but we don't stone adulterers anymore.  Does that mean that adultery is not a sin anymore?
  • As in the case of adultery, so with the Sabbath.  The delay of punishment does not mean change of prohibition.
Excuse #8. Are you an offshoot?
  • No
  • Bible, SOP, adventistbiblicalresearch.org, adventist.org, docs.adventistarchives.org all agree:
    • "-the buying and preparing of food, the readying of clothes, and all the other necessities of everyday life--will be completed before sundown Friday." http://www.adventist.org/information/official-statements/documents/article/go/0/sabbath-observance/
    • "-the buying and preparing of food, the readying of clothes, and all the other necessities of everyday life--will be completed before sundown Friday."
      https://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/materials/practical-christian-living/sabbath-observance%E2%80%94guidelines
    • "-the buying and preparing of food, the readying of clothes, and all the other necessities of everyday life--will be completed before sundown Friday." (typewritten) http://docs.adventistarchives.org/docs/GCC/GCC1990-07.pdf‎
    • "On this day those who make the family's meals should prepare food for the Sabbath so that during its sacred hours they also can rest from their labors (see Ex. 16:23; Num. 11:8)." Seventh-day Adventists Believe ... A Biblical Exposition of 27 Fundamental Doctrines Copyright 1988  by the Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists http://sdanet.org/atissue/books/27/index.htm
  • I believe that "God Will Set Everything In Order" according to Last Day Events chapter on God's Last Day Church
Excuse #9. Are we going to hell just because we cook on Sabbath?
Excuse #10. It has nothing to do with salvation.
  • We are not saved by the 10 Commandments.  Nor are we saved by the Sabbath.  We are saved by grace (Eph 2:8)... unto good works (Eph 2:10)...
  • However, Food is a big test, and Sabbath will be the biggest test. Combining both tests seems to be the Sabbath Cooking test.
  • It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord. God says: “Them that honor Me I will honor.” 1 Samuel 2:30.474 {CCh 264.4}
Excuse #11. Can anybody actually follow that?
  • Compilation of Tips how people / organizations have (in different degrees) avoided cooking on Sabbath.  The goal is that these tips can help encourage people to fully avoid cooking on Sabbath

    1. Universitas Klabat (formerly Mount Klabat College) cafeteria cooks their viand before the Sabbath (according to president, in his presentation, International Student Services Conference 2014 at Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies)

    2. Pastor Houtman Sinaga (SSD Associate Ministerial Secretary) agrees with adventist.org (official sda website) tip on Sabbath observance that preparation of food should be done before Sabbath. in his hour of worship message at the 2014 AIIAS Asian Theological Forum.

    3. Ms. Habla, a retired teacher of Naga View Adventist College, while spending some time as a missionary cafeteria matron in some island, successfully cooks their food before Sabbath, and storing them in a hole in the ground covered by leaves to be still warm until Sabbath. (source, Mrs. Paez, another retired teacher from NVAC)

    4. Vender Saddul's grand parents avoid cooking on Sabbath. of course by cooking ahead of time, during friday - preparation day.

    5. In our house, my mother, cooks most of the food before Sabbath.

    6. Cafeteria in unspecified Adventist Institution says they can avoid cooking on Sabbath if cold storage is sufficient.

    7. LIGHT missionary, Jacob Bayona, says they have avoided cooking on Sabbath by eating bread, fruits, and granolas during Sabbath.  Also says that food cooked on friday will spoil on sunday.

    8. Layman & Elder Jun Lumingkit of Puting Kahoy SDA Church, says that they have succeeded avoiding cooking on Sabbath in their province by placing kaldero in dayami on friday and it will still be warm the next day.  He also says sawdust can be used.  and mixing salt with dayami (rice straw) for thermal insulation.

    9. How to approach it: It's basically a matter of cooking ahead and keeping things warm, either by using a blech (cover for the stovetop) or by using a slow cooker. Water is kept hot using an urn that is plugged in before Shabbat. To properly keep this important aspect of Shabbat, careful study is required. (http://www.aish.com/sh/l/48971331.html)

    10. Dan Dizon and family, prepares all food friday, and finds it a blessing.

    11. Jerry Gonzales Tulod, says fasting (no need to cook).

    11.5. (fasting) I agree and have tried this.  It has another effect for me, God uses me more in His work.  When i was fasting the whole Sabbath for one semester, miraculously God used me as speaker for two evangelistic efforts, was able to help start two new congregations, and helped in evangelistic activities that brought hundreds to the church that year, and my religious (random or planned) speaking appointments were too much.  God even arranged my class schedule for several semesters so i could attend plenty of week of prayers and theological meetings in other sda institutions.  (make sure you are already doing something/many things in ministry before fasting)

    12. Ryan James Jimenez says: Let's just eat fresh fruits and veggies on the Sabbath.

    13. Mike Jeven Rivera says they also use dayami (palay leaves) around kaldero and wrap it with cloth to keep it warm.  Also they cook viand without sabaw to avoid spoiling.  Also they use special kaldero for Sabbath food (to avoid spoiling).

    14. Joy O. says if cooking for many people, a ref is needed, so the food will not spoil.

    15. In many churches, they also avoid washing dishes by using wax paper or paper plates or disposable paper plates.

    16. In one church which has a big ministry, i observe that they require trainees to wash their own utensils.  My interpretation is maybe to avoid "washing dishes", at least they only "wash a dish" and not "dishes".  But disposable wax paper on the plate is better.
    17. Charlie Arroz Vidal says, "my father in law did not cook on sabbath almost 28 years na. about 20 percent of our church members practice that." "they have no rice rice cooker  but the food still warm during sabbath. they put the caldero inside the box with rice haul." " labhang. yong lumalabas sa rice mill na balat ng rice."  "ang brother ko they cook rice like ibus we called that in our dialect as puso." "yon ang ginagawa ... how to preserve their foods."

    18. one coworker says, she can just prepare camote and other salads or rootcrops on friday and put the food in the refrigerator, and on Sabbath she doesn't need to prepare.  she also says she doesn't need to warm the food since it will become warm by the time they need to eat them at lunch.

    19. Elmond Ray Mondigo says:  I remember  back in CVCYC we had miracle of "feeding thousands" because the family cooking for the event wont cook on sabbath. ... They're vegan experienced cook. This is their ministry. .... Villavicencio family. From cagayan de oro city. They also bake vegan bread... Food were cooked on friday stays fresh on saturday right after sunset the food is already spoiled.

    20. Michael Caroro says: businessman C... A... is said to not cook and also not bath on Sabbath. a very religious man. he says because of airconditioning, bathing on sabbath is not needed.

    21.     Michael Caroro says: wealthy health reformer and businessman T... M.... and family asks driver to fetch food from their vegan restaurant friday afternoon. they put some in the ref, and others not in the ref, depending on the food.  and don't even need to warm it on Sabbath. plus the church they visit also benefit because they bring a lot of food.

    22. Pastor & Mrs. Mambu, says the choose food that don't easily spoil, like beans, and others, to cook on friday in the cafeteria.  They don't use cold storage, but choose food that don't need cold storage instead.  In their homes, before there were refrigerators and "keep-warm" rice cookers, they used to cook rice, then wrap it with thick cloth-sack, to keep it warm till the Sabbath.  They also say it is easier to keep food warm these days because of technology and electricity, compared to before.

    23. Gandeeswaran Gandhithason, from Sri Lanka, says they do friday cooking instead and will teach me how to do it.

    24. Aias Cabaca says, in Angola, cooking on Sabbath is a very strong no-no for adventists.  you really have to hide if you want to do it. if you don't hide, many people will reprove you.

    25. My auntie Evelyn Jardinico says, our grandfather avoided cooking rice on sabbath by wrapping the kaldero with newspaper to keep it warm from friday to Sabbath.     

    26. Reynelyn Valencia, of HCBN, says, "we just cook beans on friday for breakfast and rice.the rice will not easily spoil and also the beans".

    27. G. M. says in the church at Pinamalayan, Mindoro, where he works as an evangelist, most if not all of the church avoids cooking on Sabbath.  He told them "we don't need to be offshoots to obey this".

    28. K. de Gracia, says one lady evangelist, Jade Hintay, in Central Luzon Conference, successfully avoids cooking on Sabbath by fasting.

    29. Mrs. Barro in Buklod Church says they were able to avoid cooking for church fellowship a long time ago, by doing enough preparations.

    30. Sister Tania Zaeits, from Kiev, Ukraine, says that most adventists she knows in Ukraine do not cook on Sabbath, and if they know you are giving them food cooked on Sabbath, they will not eat it (egw says, "those who employed others to perform them were as guilty as if they had done the work themselves" {DA 204.1}). When she was working up to 6pm daily (including friday), she would cooker her friday and Sabbath food on thursday and put them in the refrigerator.  She further says that Adventist families in Russia and other post-Soviet countries also do the same. "We were taught not to cook on Sabbath when we were converted".

    31. Mrs. Keena de Castro, from philippines, says that her grandfather had a rule that no food should be cooked on the Sabbath.  They just lower the fire by reducing the firewood to keep the food warm on the pots.

    32. Philippine Youth for Christ 2015 avoided cooking on Sabbath by requesting food caterers to deliver friday night food on friday afternoon, and also meals for Sabbath morning to saturday night were delivered beforehand. though not perfect (some food spoiled, some of delivery was late), improvement still needed.  campers were also obedient and did not cook anything in the camp on sabbath, by cooking the food on friday instead. fasting is better than disobeying. plan for next pyc2016 is to only put on sabbath menu food items that can last three days and contract it to be delivered thursday (so 1 day late will still be safe).

    33. Frellyn Franche says fried food usually lasts longer, and food with milk or tomatoes will spoil quicker.

    34. Philippine Youth for Christ Bicol 2015 avoided Sabbath cooking by scheduling the camp meeting from sunday thru wednesday.

    35. Grocery stores and supermarkets have a "canned vegetables", cereal, and bread sections which contain many items that can last for many months. here are some pictures taken from one supermarket: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153908606351522.1073741831.600051521&type=3
    36. Prayer and Fasting ministry, prepares the food on friday, and quickly cooks them after saturday sunset in big caserola and big burner (for speed).

    37. Sister Tania Zaeits, from Kiev, Ukraine, says that in the adventist school she attended in Ukraine  (Ukrainian Adventist institute http://ugi.edu.ua/), sabbath cooking was not a question, they just obeyed what was in the Bible as taught when they came to church. The cafeteria was closed on Sabbaths, food was given in packed form friday afternoon. (watch her youtube testimony)







    38. Pastor Frederick Paul from India demonstrates how they preserve rice with lemon/calamansi, oil, and salt.  It lasts until sunday.  Ishan says lemon rice is what they prepare when they have to go to a long trip of several days and they want to keep rice good thru the trip.

    39. Pastor Frederick Paul from India demonstrates how tamarind rice (rice, tamarind paste, oil, salt) is made and lasts even until sunday.

    the rest are at https://winelfredpasamba.blogspot.com/2014/09/tips-how-to-avoid-cooking-on-sabbath.html

Excuse #12. Romans 14:13 "Let us not therefore judge one another any more"
  • John 7:14 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
  • Actually I am not judging you. You might feel judged but it is actually reproof/rebuke/instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16) "That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim 3:17).
  • Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Pro 9:8
Excuse #13. Kindling of fire rule was relaxed in Canaan.
  • During the sojourn in the wilderness the kindling of fires upon the seventh day had been strictly prohibited. The prohibition was not to extend to the land of Canaan, where the severity of the climate would often render fires a necessity; but in the wilderness, fire was not needed for warmth. {PP 408.4}
  • Yes, but the Sabbath Cooking Prohibition was upheld in the Bible and elsewhere in SOP.
  • Kindling of fire for warmth is not the same as cooking.
Excuse #14. Kindling of fire (Ex 35:3) rule had exception with the candlesticks in the temple.
  • Fire in the temple came from heaven and was not kindled by men.  Nor was it allowed to die.
    • The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. (Lev 6:13)
  • "Strange fire", or fire made by men, was not allowed in the temple.
    • And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. (Lev 10:1)
Excuse #15. Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
  • Great blessings are enfolded in the observance of the Sabbath, and God desires that the Sabbath day shall be to us a day of joy. There was joy at the institution of the Sabbath. God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All things that He had made He pronounced “very good.” Genesis 1:31. Heaven and earth were filled with rejoicing. “The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Job 38:7. Though sin has entered the world to mar His perfect work, God still gives to us the Sabbath as a witness that One omnipotent, infinite in goodness and mercy, created all things. Our heavenly Father desires through the observance of the Sabbath to preserve among men a knowledge of Himself. He desires that the Sabbath shall direct our minds to Him as the true and living God, and that through knowing Him we may have life and peace. {CCh 261.1}
  • Curse in disobedience:
    • Ezekiel 20:13
      "But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, by which, if a man observes them, he will live; and My sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.
  • Blessing in obedience, curse in disobedience.
Excuse #16. We should take care of the sick.
  • Often physicians and nurses are called upon during the Sabbath to minister to the sick, and sometimes it is impossible for them to take time for rest and for attending devotional services. The needs of suffering humanity are never to be neglected. The Saviour by His example has shown us that it is right to relieve suffering on the Sabbath. But unnecessary work, such as ordinary treatments and operations that can be postponed, should be deferred. Let the patients understand that physicians and helpers should have one day for rest. Let them understand that the workers fear God and desire to keep holy the day that He has set apart for His followers to observe as a sign between Him and them. {CH 236.2}
  • The sick and suffering require care and attention upon the Sabbath, as well as upon the other six days of the week; and it may be necessary for their comfort to prepare warm food and drinks upon the Sabbath. In such instances, it is no violation of the fourth commandment to make them as comfortable as possible. The great Lawgiver is a God of compassion, as well as of justice. {1SP 226.1}
Excuse #17. Jesus even plucked corn on the Sabbath.
  • Plucking corn on the Sabbath is not prohibited by God, but was prohibited by the Pharisees.
  • That is why Jesus says they are "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mat 15:9).
  • We have to know the difference between "thus saith the Lord" and "thus saith the Pharisees".
  • Sabbath Cooking prohibition is a "thus saith the Lord" (Ex 16:22-30).
Excuse #18. Jesus said David even ate consecrated bread in response to the Pharisees accusation of Sabbath breaking.
  • At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. 3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? (Mat 12)
  • Jesus was saying it is ok to pluck corn.  But he did not say it is ok to cook corn or bread on the Sabbath.
  • "If it was right for David to satisfy his hunger by eating the bread set apart to a holy use, then it was right for the disciples to pluck grain on the Sabbath. Again, the priests in the temple performed greater labor on the Sabbath than on other days. The same labor in secular business would be sinful, but they were performing rites that pointed to the redeeming power of Christ, and their labor was in harmony with the Sabbath." {HLv 188.1}
    "The object of God’s work in this world is the redemption of man. Therefore that which is necessary to do on the Sabbath in the accomplishment of this work is in accord with the Sabbath law. Jesus then crowned His argument by declaring Himself the “Lord of the Sabbath”—One above all questions and all law. This infinite judge acquitted the disciples of blame, appealing to the very statutes they were accused of violating." {HLv 188.2}
    "Jesus declared that in their blindness His enemies had mistaken the object of the Sabbath. He said, “If ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” Matthew 12:7. Their heartless rites could not supply the lack of that integrity and tender love which characterize the true worshiper of God. "{HLv 188.3}
Excuse #19. Priests cooked shewbread on the Sabbath.
  • Leviticus 24:8 does not say "cook" but set/arrange:
    • New International Version
      This bread is to be set out before the LORD regularly, Sabbath after Sabbath, on behalf of the Israelites, as a lasting covenant.
    • New Living Translation
      Every Sabbath day this bread must be laid out before the LORD. The bread is to be received from the people of Israel as a requirement of the eternal covenant.
    • English Standard Version
      Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the LORD regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever.
    • New American Standard Bible
      "Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel.
    • King James Bible
      Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
    • Holman Christian Standard Bible
      The bread is to be set out before the LORD every Sabbath day as a perpetual covenant obligation on the part of the Israelites. 
    • International Standard Version
      They are to be arranged every Sabbath day in the LORD's presence as a gift from the Israelis—an eternal covenant. 
    • NET Bible
      Each Sabbath day Aaron must arrange it before the LORD continually; this portion is from the Israelites as a perpetual covenant.
    • New Heart English Bible
      Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually. It is on the behalf of the children of Israel an everlasting covenant.
    • GOD'S WORD® Translation
      Every day of worship [a priest] must arrange the bread in the LORD's presence. It is a continual reminder of my promise to the Israelites. 
    • JPS Tanakh 1917
      Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is from the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant.
    • New American Standard 1977
      “Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is an everlasting covenant for the sons of Israel.
    • Jubilee Bible 2000
      Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually: an everlasting covenant of the sons of Israel.
    • King James 2000 Bible
      Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
    • American King James Version
      Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
    • American Standard Version
      Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before Jehovah continually; it is on the behalf of the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant.
    • Douay-Rheims Bible
      Every sabbath they shall be changed before the Lord, being received of the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant: 
    • Darby Bible Translation
      Every sabbath day he shall arrange it before Jehovah continually, on the part of the children of Israel: [it is] an everlasting covenant.
    • English Revised Version
      Every sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually; it is on the behalf of the children of Israel, an everlasting covenant.
    • Webster's Bible Translation
      Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
    • World English Bible
      Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before Yahweh continually. It is on the behalf of the children of Israel an everlasting covenant.
    • Young's Literal Translation
      'On each sabbath-day he arrangeth it before Jehovah continually, from the sons of Israel -- a covenant age-during;

  • "The priests were not only to set the hot bread upon the table on the Sabbath day, but later that same bread was to be eaten and become a part of their very being." {CIS 57.4}
    • The "hot bread" here might give us the only allowed instance of Sabbath cooking in the Bible, in fact Jesus said in Mat 12:5, "Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?"
    • However the ceremonial laws don't apply anymore since they were fulfilled at the cross, hence the tearing of the curtain in the temple. On the other hand, the Sabbath commandment still remains.
    • EGW herself also used "set" and did not put "cook".  See Excuse #5 on her saying to provide "hot gruel" on Sabbath morning but saying it should be cooked the day before.
Excuse #21. Where is the "do not cook" in Exodus 16:23?
  • Speak not lightly of the restrictions placed upon Israel in Sinai regarding the cooking of manna. The Lord has placed barriers around his Sabbath, that it may not be regarded with the least carelessness or irreverence. When the Lord said, “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe,” he meant that Friday should be our preparation day, in which we are to do all our cooking. The Sabbath is not to be a day when titbits shall be prepared or cooked. If it is really essential to have beans on the Sabbath, let them be cooked on Friday, and kept warm in the oven. They need not be eaten cold unless preferred. But let no remarks be made as though it were a very light thing whether or not we regard the special requirements of God in regard to the Sabbath. It is not left for any man or woman to venture to disregard one requirement of God. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 3}
  • Wrong question:
    • Was Cain prohibited from offering vegetables as sacrifice?
    • Is the transfer of the Sabbath from 7th to 1st day prohibited?
    • Is infant baptism prohibited?
  • The right question is "is it according to the Word?", "is it prescribed in the Bible?"
  • Did God command something and we are thinking of another thing?
  • God plainly commanded to cook food on friday for the Sabbath. Ex 16:23
  • Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Excuse #20. Sabbath should be a delight.
  • If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: (Isa 58:13) Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD;

Excuse #21. How about the daily sacrifices of the priests w/c they roasted and ate.
  • Similar to "Thou shalt not kill" (Ex 20:13) and God's direct command to annihilate the Cananites (Deu 20:17), the direct command is more important.
  • The daily sacrifices are a direct command by God. (Dan 12:11)
  • Lev 11 whole chapter specifies all the daily sacrifices w/c can be cooked and eaten by the priests.
  • Because it was a direct command by God, Jesus said in Mat 12:5 "he priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless".
  • If you are sure it is God who is directly commanding you to cook on Sabbath, God will be your judge.

Excuse #22. Time and place should be considered.
  • Yes but we have to be careful of presumption against God's direct commands.
    • "And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God." 1 Chr 13:9-10
  • Only cooking for the sick seems to be allowed:
    • The sick and suffering require care and attention upon the Sabbath, as well as upon the other six days of the week; and it may be necessary for their comfort to prepare warm food and drinks upon the Sabbath. In such instances, it is no violation of the fourth commandment to make them as comfortable as possible. The great Lawgiver is a God of compassion, as well as of justice. {1SP 226.1}

Excuse #23. It was not cooking God was angry about in Ex 16:28 but the going out to pick manna.
  • But Jesus also went out and plucked grain/corn on the Sabbath. (Mat 12:1)
  • There are two groups of commands in Exodus 16:22-29:
    • 1st group of commands is from God
      • This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning
    • 2nd group of commands is from Moses (policy)
      • And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
      • 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
  • God was angry because some did not obey His commands WHICH ARE ABOUT COOKING
    • And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
  • Jesus went out but did not cook

Excuse #24. There is what we call "Context".
Excuse #25. We should look at the "Context".
  • But who will tell up to how much context to look at? Or how much to explain away with "context"?
  • Who claims the authority of using context to explaining away a point both Bible and EGW agree upon?

Excuse #26. EGW also says not to buy bicycles...

  • But Bible does not say so, not like cooking on Sabbath which both Bible and SOP prohibit.
  • And more expensive chariots are in the Bible.

Excuse #27. But somebody said / wrote that this is not important anymore ...
Excuse #28. According to some scholar / preacher / writer ...

  • Is that somebody included in the Spirit Of Prophecy?
  • Is that somebody included in the Bible writers?
  • Are you sure that somebody passes the test of prophecy on this point?
    • Does that somebody "speak according to this word"? (Isa 8:20) Or is he/she contradicting both Bible and SOP?
  • If Ellen G. White herself was humble enough to say that if any of her writings contradict the Bible, that the reader should follow the Bible instead, how much more should pastors, scholars, students, laymen, and members be afraid to contradict the Bible and EGW when both agree on a point.
  • There is a way of quoting Scripture—the words that Christ considered of so much consequence that death was the penalty of transgression—so as to pervert it. {RH June 1, 1897, par. 7}
  • Speak not lightly of the restrictions placed upon Israel in Sinai regarding the cooking of manna. The Lord has placed barriers around his Sabbath, that it may not be regarded with the least carelessness or irreverence. {RH June 8, 1897, par. 3} 
  • In this perilous period, when we see universal contempt placed upon the law of God, when the world is choosing between the holy Sabbath of the fourth commandment and the spurious sabbath, shall we say one word that will detract from the words of the Lord of the Sabbath?  {RH June 8, 1897, par. 11}

Excuse #29. But Bible only prohibits seething and boiling... how about frying, roasting, microwaving, etc...?


Excuse #30.  The "rules" were written when women didn't have to work outside the home.
  • Many outdoor women even in the bible
    • And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. Gen 29:9
    • Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Exo 2:16
    • And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 1 Sam 9:11
    • My mother’s sons were angry with me; they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept! Song of Solomon 1:5-8


Excuse #31. If Exodus 16:23 is absolute, then Exodus 16:29 should also be absolute, that " let no man go out of his place on the seventh day"?
  • Jesus went out on the Sabbath day, but did not cook. "And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn." (Mark 2:23)

Excuse #32. Now, if cooking is prohibited by God, then why we did not consider also verse 29 
  • But Jesus also went out and plucked grain/corn on the Sabbath. (Mat 12:1)
  • There are two groups of commands in Exodus 16:22-29:
    • 1st group of commands is from God
      • This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning
    • 2nd group of commands is from Moses (policies)
      • And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
      • 29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
  • God was angry because some did not obey His commands WHICH ARE ABOUT COOKING
    • And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
  • Jesus went out but did not cook
Excuse #33. What about security guards?
Excuse #34. What about non-SDA guards?
  • Nehemiah himself guarded the gate on the Sabbath with soldiers from the non-Jewish king
    • Neh 2:9  Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. 
    • Neh 13:19  And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 
    • Neh 13:20  So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 
    • Neh 13:21  Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. 
Excuse #35. Daniel 12:11 says that the priests or the Levites did their daily sacrifices and one of them is that they cook and roasted the bread and eat even on sabbath days as God directed them.
  • This is probably same level of authority as the command not to cook. So if you are a priest in the old testament, maybe you can eat the remains of the burnt sacrifices even if burnt on the Sabbath? But the ceremonial laws are finished already.
  • also see Excuse #19. Priests cooked shewbread on the Sabbath.
    Excuse #36. We should consider the principles and not only the letter.
    • Who will affirm that the "principles" are right?
    • Do the principles contradict with the letter?
    • When the Bible + SOP + Official Voted statements align on an issue, can we refute it by virtue of "principles"?
    Excuse #37. My Friday food spoiled on the Sabbath not unlike in the wilderness, therefore it might not be applicable anymore.
    • We cannot make that assertion unless the bible says so.
    • God works no miracles where He has provided means for accomplishing His work {FE 123-4}; {5T 724-5}
    Excuse #38. We should not cook using firewood on Sabbath
    • Angels didn't use firewood but they didn't deliver manna on Sabbath.
    • God prepared all the food before Sabbath on creation week. (It is not the amount of effort, but the command itself).
    • EGW allows heating (using firewood){CCh 226.2} but not cooking {CCh 226.2}. Therefore it is not firewood that is prohibited but cooking (Exodus 16:23).
    Excuse #39. We should "interpret" it properly.
    • to legalize sabbath cooking we need to edit/interpret/pervert the bible, egw, adventist.org, bri, gc archives, gc ministerial fundamental beliefs book, npum tagalog book, amazingfacts website, randee skeete sermon, bibleflockbox, 2 review&herald articles, adventistmission testimony, etc... to fit our practice/understanding. coz all of them say the sabbath food should be cooked before the sabbath.
    • or we edit ourselves to align with all of those

    Excuse #40. I don't think rice cooker is sin because you just have to put water and rice. You don't actually do the cooking.
    • even with normal fire cooking, it is the fire the cooks. what are we going to say, we are not the ones cooking but the fire?



     Chapter 4 Conclusions

    Cooking on Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists - Bible, EGW/SOP, Church Documents

    • Bible

      • Manna in Exodus 
        “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.”         16:27 (NIV)         Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.         28 Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you[c] refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29 Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days.

    • SOP / EGW

      • Those who neglect to prepare for the Sabbath on the sixth day, and who cook food upon the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law. All who are really anxious to observe the Sabbath according to the commandment, will not cook any food upon the Sabbath. They will, in the fear of that God who gave his law from Sinai, deny themselves, and eat food prepared upon the sixth day, even if it is not as palatable. God forbade the children of Israel baking and boiling upon the Sabbath. That prohibition should be regarded by every Sabbath-keeper, as a solemn injunction from Jehovah to them.
        https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_3SG.253.2&para=106.980
      • On Friday let the preparation for the Sabbath be completed. See that all the clothing is in readiness and that all the cooking is done.... The Sabbath is not to be given to the repairing of garments, to the cooking of food, to pleasure seeking, or to any other worldly employment. Before the setting of the sun let all secular work be laid aside and all secular papers be put out of sight. Parents, explain your work and its purpose to your children, and let them share in your preparation to keep the Sabbathaccording to the commandment. {OFC 64.5}https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_OFC.64.5
      • Cooking on the Sabbath should be avoided; but it is not therefore necessary to eat cold food. In cold weather the food prepared the day before should be heated. {CCh 226.2} https://egwwritings.org/?ref=en_CCh.226.2

    • Church Documents of SDA Church (adventist.org, BRI, GC Ministerial)



    • Tagalog/Filipino Document says       "Dapat tingnan ng ina na ang pagkain ay handa na."
      section: "Paghahanda Para Sa Sabado"
      chapter: "PAANO NATIN INIINGATAN ANG SABADO NA BANAL?"
      book: "PAGHUBOG NG LIKAS SA MGA BATA". Samahan ng mga Magulang, Tahanan, at Paaralan. Christian Home Series C
      Parent Home Education Department, North Philippine Union Mission PO Box 401 Manila
      Oct 30, 1968








    • Central Luzon Conference Tagalog Bible


    Author's Conclusion

    by Winelfred G. Pasamba

    • The official publications of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (cited in Excuse #8) thru its official website http://www.adventist.org, the Adventist Biblical Research website http://adventistbiblicalresearch.org, and the GC archive website http://docs.adventistarchives.org/ all agree with the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy by Ellen G. White on the Sabbath Cooking question.
    • The many excuses floating around from some scholars, pastors, laymen, members and some unofficial publications, point that more education and examples should be propagated to help people remember how to observe the Sabbath.
    • The many examples show that God is restoring the truth to the Remnant Church in preparation to be the pure bride-church whom Jesus will come-for in the second coming.
    • The rising awareness and "remembering" of the commandments of God regarding the Sabbath, seem to show that the end is near, and that a people will demonstrate to the whole world that the commandments can, thru God's power, be actually obeyed.

    Popular posts from this blog

    Cooking on Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists - Bible, EGW/SOP, Church Documents

    Image
    Cooking on Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists - Bible, EGW/SOP, Church Documents Bible Manna in Exodus  “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe ; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.”  16:27 (NIV)  Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.   28  Then the  Lord  said to Moses, “ How long will you [ c ]  refuse to keep my commands  and my instructions?   29  Bear in mind that the  Lord  has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. SOP / EGW Those who neglect to prepare for the Sabbath on the sixth day, and who cook food upon the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law . All who are really anxious to observe the Sabbath according to the commandment, will not cook any food upon the Sabbath. They will, in the fear
    Read more

    Wearing Makeup -- Related Quotes from Bible and EGW Writings

    Image
    Wearing Makeup -- Related Quotes from Bible and EGW Writings Lev 19:28 Ye shall not ... print any marks upon you : I am the LORD. Jer 4:30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting , in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. 1Pet 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 1Pet 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit , which is in the sight of God of great price . 2Ki 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face , and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 1Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel , with shamefa
    Read more