On the 17th of June, 2020, 'Crisis Magazine', Catholic laity magazine, released an article by Casey Chalk titled 'Bring Back the Blue Laws'. This article makes multiple references to Alexis de Tocqueville's 1835 piece, 'Democracy in America', where he outlines the benefits of a Sunday rest law to the prosperity of the USA. The article outlines a need to refocus on God through Sunday worship as the key reason for introducing these laws. It infers that such redirection would lead to temporal prosperity by improving personal virtue and social cohesion. To deter people from exploiting others in the desire for selfish gain, it is argued that religion is required to reorient people to the benefits of uplifting virtue and focusing on the betterment of others. In the current climate of a global economic decline, rapidly increasing rates of crime and violence, and a general state of unrest, it is being urged that the reintroduction of Sunday Blue (Rest) laws are what is needed.
"America, for the sake of its own emotional and spiritual welfare—for the sake of its own sanity—needs to restore the blue laws."
Further quotes better clarify their reasoning behind such a move:
“Americans in those early quarantine days—after the haze of their Netflix-binge had evaporated—woke up with a surprised appreciation for what earlier generations had considered normal: Sunday laws, otherwise known as blue laws. As America returns to normality, we should consider these laws and their manifold benefits afresh.”
“Sabbath laws, in their implicit (or explicit) endorsement of the transcendent, remind citizens that there are greater, more noble pursuits than “self-actualization” and “self-realization.” … in directing citizens towards transcendent ends, Sabbath laws inspire men to pursue societal goods that will endure beyond their own circumscribed lives.”
They conclude the article by stating that Sunday laws would lead to a necessary restriction of freedom to promote social virtues, support businesses, and improve peace and prayer "now, when America needs them most".
How does this fit into Bible prophecy? If you haven't already, I suggest reading 'The Final Crisis', which can be found on the home page of this website. This article will provide the basic outline of the significance this news has to the fulfillment of Revelation 13.
The Bible has predicted that Sunday worship laws will be globally enforced. This push will come from both Catholics and Protestants within the USA, and will eventually be enforced upon the entire world. This may sound crazy and impossible, yet in the past few years both religious and secular groups have been persistently sounding the alarm for the need of a global rest day. This is largely urged in the context of reducing greenhouse emissions by forcing a regular weekly shutdown every Sunday, but it is also being promoted as necessary to increase family and community cohesion, reduce stress, improve individual productivity, encourage religious pursuit, and reduce crime. These are all good things, and I agree that a weekly rest day is a good way to achieve this. However, this will not end with rest laws, it will continue to a command to worship every Sunday.
It is Satan's desire to force the entire world to worship him above God (Isaiah 14:12-14). To do this he is leading people and churches to turn away from the simple truths of the Bible to follow after the commandments of men. With time the churches will appeal to civil governments to enforce their dogmas. Any violation of God's law is sin (1 John 3:4). God has a rest day, the Sabbath (Exo 20:8-11), which is the seventh day of the week (Saturday). When we choose to follow man-made tradition over the law of God, we give our allegiance to the system that creates these laws. Soon we will find ourselves presented with two options, to keep the commandments of God and receive His seal (Rev 14:1, 12), or worship the beast and its false sabbath and receive its mark (Rev 13:15-17).
"Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them." Ezekiel 20:12
It is God's desire to see all of humanity saved, He takes no pleasure in destroying those who reject His gift of grace (Ezekiel 18:32). Knowing how the world will end or being able to point out prophecy as it fulfils cannot save us. It is only as we get to know the God of prophecy and develop a relationship with Him that we can take hold of eternal life. Jesus has already paid the penalty for our sins, to us life is freely offered if we will take it. God does not ask us to give up anything that is for our good. He accepts us just as we are, with all our flaws and faults, but He does not leave us here. If we allow Him, He will turn our lives into ones of victory, to be a blessing to others and be the best we can be.
If you would like to learn more about Bible prophecy and how to get to know God, please return to the home or offers page and submit an application for a free copy of 'The Great Controversy' (only available in Australia). You can also access our free Bible study series on the website under the 'Q4T Bible Studies' tab.
To read the full article 'Bring Back the Blue Laws', click here.