Yes, and that they needed it before man was created.

There's another thread for this topic that you can find HERE.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

I still have a problem trying to understand the answer to the question. "Did the sabbath exist before creation?" Biblically, no. Unless Mark 2:27, 28 is wrong.

The Bible speaks to us and about us, earth inhabitants; it doesn't speak about heavenly inhabitants being subject to God's law, like us.

According to both the Bible and Ellen White, the Sabbath was created during Creation Week. It belongs to our planet. There is no indication ever given that other planets have anything similar. It is possible, of course, but it seems unlikely that it would be the same time.

An analogy that perhaps falls short of the mark would be our independence or national days. Every country has a different one. It would make little sense for folk in England to celebrate September 21, just because it's Belize's day, or July 4, which is America's day. Likewise, we all have different birthdays. The Sabbath is essentially the "birthday" of our world. That is one reason it should never be changed to Sunday. Would you accept your birthday being changed because someone said it should be a different day?

Again, if Ellen White and the Bible are to be believed, the Sabbath did not exist before our Creation Week.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

GC, that's sure an interesting thought. But you don't believe God set the day in motion to coincide with the Sabbath of all the other worlds?

What is the purpose of our Sabbath to the other worlds?

All heaven is keeping the Sabbath, but not in a listless, do-nothing way. {6T 362.1}

The Sabbath commandment is placed in the midst of the Decalogue, and it was instituted in Eden at the same time that God instituted the marriage relation. God gave the Sabbath as a memorial of his creative power and works, "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." He made its observance obligatory upon man, in order that he might contemplate the works of God, dwell upon his goodness, his mercy, and love, and through nature look up to nature's God. {ST, February 13, 1896 par. 7}

"The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God"--because He is the Creator, and we are His creatures. "The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and His creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be forgotten."--J. N. Andrews, History of the Sabbath, chapter 27. It was to keep this truth ever before the minds of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden; and so long as the fact that He is our Creator continues to be a reason why we should worship Him, so long the Sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial. {GC 437.2}

We are told that all heaven is keeping the Sabbath. And if we look at the reasons why the Sabbath command exists in the first place, it is not a stretch to see that all of God's creatures would benefit from it. They might not have it the same way, but "a memorial of his creative power and works" would do them good.

While it seems a nice theory that the Sabbath exists on other worlds, or existed for aeons before creation, there is absolutely no evidence to support it. In fact, both Scripture and EGW explicitly state that it began at the creation of this world.

How then do you explain that we will be stopping to spend the Sabbath on one of those unfallen worlds on our way to the New Jerusalem in Heaven?

First of all, let's consider a few facts:

1) Planetary motions differ for every known planet--no two are alike that we know of

2) Orbit times also differ

3) Our Sabbath depends on a 24 hour rotation of the earth

4) On other planets, the rotation may be 12, 48, or any other number of hours for one rotation

Now, let's look at the above and make an observation. Suppose we say that every time we reach the 144th hour, we have a Sabbath for the next 24. That is the way it is on our planet. Now, let's go to another planet where the day is 36 hours long instead of 24. Do we make it still the same formula? Of course, if we did that, the "sabbath" would be only 2/3 of a day, and it would immediately follow 4 full days. So each week would then be 4.66666 days long. Not quite seven, eh?

On the other hand, we could say the "sabbath" on each and every planet is always their seventh day. Now we have some planets on a different schedule, like the one with a 36-hour day, which would start sabbath after 216 hours and have it for the next 36 hours. Nice long sabbaths, compared to ours, but very quickly their "sabbath" would be out of sync with ours.

In other words, for "THE SABBATH" to apply to each and every planet equally, you imply that every single inhabited planet enjoys a 24-hour day, just like we do. There's no other way, as I see it.

I don't see our Sabbath having a direct purpose for other worlds. I think, however, that when the earth is made new again, God may institute a universal commemoration of it--tied only to the times of our planet--a sabbath especially for humans, with other planets being invited guests to join in the glad occasion with us.

We know for sure that we will keep Sabbath for eternity. I'm not familiar with any inspired passage telling us that other worlds will be required to join us. I'm sure they would be invited to do so.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.