Each succeeding century brings different elements into the development of Sunday as a universal day of worship.
First some background understanding…
Before looking at the history of the change of the Sabbath it is important to see why the changes were made and why they were so important to Christianity.
The festival of Sunday is very ancient.
We have already discovered that idolatry in the form of worship of the sun, moon and stars, was a counterfeit religion which stood as a rival to the worship of the true God. The true and living God is the Creator. He points to His Creation as the proof of His claims to be the one and only God. He said to Job,
‘Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?’ Job 38:4.
But Satan, a created being said
‘I will be like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:14
and this includes the desire to receive worship, to which no creature is entitled and the setting up of a system of worship in opposition to the worship that God has given and blessed.
An alternative system of worship has therefore, from very early times run alongside God’s instructions for worship, and for most of recorded history has been the dominant pattern of worship among world peoples.
This worship has often had elements of the occult within in it, with miracles and signs of some supernatural power, which lend strength and attraction to the worship. Sunday has also been described as, ‘the wild solar holiday of all pagan times.’ In Dialogues on the Lord’s Day, pp22, 23, it is stated concerning Sunday, ‘It is not to be denied but we borrow the name of this day from the ancient Greeks and Romans, and we allow that the old Egyptians worshipped the sun and, as a standing memorial of their veneration, dedicated this day to him. And we find by the influence of their examples, other nations, and among them the Jews themselves doing him homage.’
We have proof that the Sabbath was also known very early and observed widely, even before there was a Jewish race. The Arabs are a very ancient nation but the seventh day is known as Yom-es-Sabt – the day of the Sabbath.’
The Asiatic Journal has this item, ‘The Prime Minister of the Empire affirms that the Sabbath was anciently observed by the Chinese, in conformity to the directions of the King.’
Josephus states, ‘There is not any city of the Grecians, nor any of the Barbarians, nor any nation whatsoever, whither our custom of resting on the seventh day has not come.’