A common defense given for the seventh-day Sabbath by the SDA Church is that Isaiah 66:22-3 proves that the seventh-day Sabbath is eternal, it was kept in Heaven before the creation of earth, and will be observed into eternity. Since this is the case, the seventh-day Sabbath is binding right now as well.
This is ultimately coming from Ellen G. White who they believe was divinely inspired and corrects inaccurate interpretations of scripture so her interpretation of the text ultimately stands.
But this is not what the text is saying.
In his book, Sunday as the First-Day Sabbath, Dr. Philip Kayser explains that Isaiah 65-66 is pointing to the person and work of Jesus Christ. It anticipates the time when all things will be made new as a result of His incarnation (Isaiah 66:7-9). This includes a new heavens and earth (Isaiah 65:17), but prior to that time there will be changes in God’s people (Isaiah 65:18-19; 2 Corinthians 5:16-7), changes in the extent of Deuteronomy 28 type blessings (Isaiah 65:20-25), and even changes in worship (Isaiah 66:1-4) and church government (Isaiah 66:18-21).
If priests and Levites in the new covenant will no longer be from the tribe of Levi but will be from the Gentiles (Isaiah 66:21), it is not out of the ordinary that the Sabbath would be included in the “new” things when “from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before” God (Isaiah 66:23). Both chapters anticipate the New Creation by Christ’s making all things new (2 Corinthians 5, Revelation 21:5).
This new covenant creation was typified in the Old Testament feast days by the “eighth day Sabbath” which pointed figuratively to Christ (Leviticus 23:39). What is the eighth day? Sunday—the day “after the sabbath.” This “eighth day” concept occurs repeatedly in the festivals (Lev. 23:5, 10, 15, 34-36, 39).
This new creation was typified by the Jubilee year which was the year after the seventh seven. Christ declared Himself to be the fulfillment of the Jubilee (Luke 4:19). Every Sunday is the day after the seventh—which is like a miniature jubilee.
This new creation is recognized to be a new “day which the LORD has made” (Psalm 118:24); namely the resurrection day when Christ entered His rest. This resurrection “day” fulfills in the new creation the function that the old day “made” by God had—it is set apart as His day (Revelation 1:10). This is why Hebrews 4:8 indicates that when Psalm 95 is referring to “another day” (namely the resurrection) it signifies that “there remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:10). We’ve shown this here.
The new creation is seen to be here presently, by Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:16-7, where he explains that believers, by virtue of being in union with Christ, are made “new creatures.” This isn’t merely behavior modification, but also a change in the believers actual being. They are then awaiting the glorification of their body in resurrection when the curse is lifted off of the creation (Romans 8:18-25). Because human beings are a part of the creation, and Paul tells us God makes believers new creatures, that means the New Creation is already here—just not in it’s fullness yet.
In light of Peter’s exposition of Psalm 118 in Acts 4:10-12, it appears reasonable that when Psalm 118:24 says, “this is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it,” it is a reference not just to Christ’s resurrection, but the making of a new day of our weekly celebration. It most certainly applies to the resurrection of Christ, but it appears to be an ongoing day of celebration as well.
Isaiah is not talking about the seventh-day sabbath being observed into eternity. He is foretelling of the incarnation and Jesus’s work of redemption and making all things new. For the SDA Church to be consistent, they would need to say there will be new moon celebrations in eternity, yet we’re told that there will be no sun and moon there (Revelation 21:23), both of which are necessary for weekly sabbaths and new moon celebrations.
