Monday: Sealed for Heaven
Daily Lesson for Monday 17th of June 2024
In the coming crisis over worship, God’s faithful people will not yield to worldly pressures (Revelation 14:12). They will be sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) and cannot be moved. In ancient times, seals attested to the authenticity of official documents. They were a distinctive, individualized mark. Since the final conflict centers on worship and God’s authority as revealed in His law, we would expect God’s seal to be embedded in His law (compare Isaiah 8:16).
Read Exodus 20:8-11. What elements of a seal are contained in the Sabbath commandment?
Image © Steven Creitz Goodsalt.com
Here we have three elements of an authentic seal: (1) the name to whom the seal belongs, “the Lord thy God;” (2) His title, the One who “made”—the Creator; (3) and His territory, “heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.” A seal is sometimes called a sign in the Bible (Romans 4:11). The two words are interchangeable. As God’s sign or seal in the heart of God’s law, the Sabbath is at the center of the final conflict over worship (Ezekiel 20:12,20; Revelation 12:17).
Compare Revelation 7:1-2 and Revelation 14:1 with Revelation 13:16-17. Where are the seal of God and the mark of the beast received? Why do you think there is a difference?
The seal of God is placed on the forehead. The forehead is a symbol of the mind and represents a conscious decision.
The mark of the beast is received either in the forehead or in the hand indicating that people are convinced intellectually and by their own choice accept Satan’s lies or, alternatively, they conform to false worship to avoid being killed.
The devil hates those who are obedient to God. The great controversy comes to a climax when the dragon (Satan) wages war on the believing remnant, who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12, NKJV). They are settled in their loyalty to Christ.
Why is day-by-day faithfulness to the Lord the key to being prepared when the final crisis arrives?
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There is a lot of discussion about what the Seal of God is, when it is applied and who gets it. Some of the discussion is speculative an unproductive. So, perhaps it is time for an illustration.
I have a piece of paper in one of my drawers with the University of Newcastle's Great Seal on it. It is my PhD testamur. It is an important document and the fact that the piece of paper belongs to me has enabled me to keep my job as a lecturer. But the real value of the paper is not in itself. It is a sign that I have done the research work to be granted a PhD. I know people who have given themselves a piece of paper that looks exactly like mine and they have even fooled people that they too have a PhD, but when it comes to the crunch, their bit of paper is worthless because they do not have the experience of real research to back it up.
The seal of God is not just a physical sign, given at a "graduation". It is a heart condition - the relationship between us and God. If we do not have that, then any sign is just a fraud.
Do our friends and associates know whose side we are on now?
i always look forward to reading your comments on the daily lessons, sir.
beautiful
It is also worth noting that the seal of God will not be granted to just about anyone, Maurice said he had to do the work to obtain this document. Therefore we too as professed Christians will have to daily surrender ourselves to the will of God, and keep our hearts and eyes on Christ who will give us the strength to remain steadfast.
When Christ steps out of the Most Holy place where He is interceding for us now and said, ‘it is finished’ there will be no more opportunity for us to receive the seal of God, and we will not be able to make that conscious decision against the enemy in that time of grave persecution .
It is not enough to have a knowledge of God, we need to have a deep connection with Him. He has given us enough to equip us with all we need to overcome the enemy and obtain eternal life.
Genesis 15:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred Years, and begat sons and daughters: 23,
And the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years:
Genesis 15:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not for God took him.
Here we have a man just like us in nature ,finding the gospel of Salvation, which will always be Christ in us the hope of glory, Enoch found Christ and walked with him (as Enoch walked day by day his MIND(thinking) became fix in Christ or seal into the truth that he couldn't be move .o what a blessed hope for us today ,let us Endeavor by Gods Grace to receive that seal on out Frontal lobe so as to have the proof to prove God right.which is Christ in us the hope of eternal life!
Last week we discussed the difference between the mark of the beast worship, and worship by those who have the Seal of God. I will post here Evangilist Mark Finley's thoughts on those who are sealed though it was not identified as that yet, today it fits. You will have to go back to Tuesdays lesson to get the mark of the beast identification by worship, the the 3rd paragraph of last Tuesdays lesson.
"Worshiping the Creator through keeping the commandments of God stands in direct opposition to worshiping the beast. God will have an end-time people who are loyal to Him despite the greatest opposition and fiercest persecution in history."
The seal of God is all about who we worship. Do we spend more time with worthless youtubes then we do with youtubes of worship of God, and youtubes that keep our minds on God? Years ago it was, do we spend as much time with topics that keep our minds on Him, as we do with TV?
As you see Sabbath observance is not only laying aside our weekly labor it is keeping our minds stayed on Him. I would say that doing this would give us the peace of mind that God will or has put His seal on us.
Isaiah 26:3-4. AMPC is my favorite.
By having our minds stayed on Him, worshiping Him on His special day, the Seventh-day-Sabbath, and throughout the week, I do believe, we can be at peace, knowing that we are identified as a Sabbath keeper, or if you prefer having the seal of God.
Amen Pandria,
"Daily surrending ourselves to the will of God, and keeping our hearts and eyes on Christ will give us the strength to remain steadfast."
An interesting...and somewhat puzzling....EG White quote about "the sealing":
"Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come." FLB 287.7
I understand fairly well the "settling into the truth...intellectually". But if the sealing is largely about the Sabbath truth, what does it mean to be ---settled-- (into the truth) SPIRITUALLY?
The way I see it, Jeff, is this:
The "seal" and the "truth" are not principally about keeping a particular day, the seventh-day Sabbath. Instead, God's people are sealed by the Holy Spirit as true followers of Jesus who "sabbath"/rest in Him and do not rely on their own works to save them. I think this is the "spiritual" aspect. Keeping Sabbath on the seventh day is the outward sign or seal of their heart condition. I believe Maurice addressed it very well in his comment.
I've been reading Martin Luther: The Man Who Rediscovered God and Changed the World, by Eric Metaxas, and this morning, I read this, which clarifies what salvation by faith, which the Sabbath symbolizes, really means. It addresses the spiritual dimension, and the longer excerpt I am supplying also clarified the relationship between faith and works, which is a conundrum for many:
PS The book is a fascinating read, and I am finding that much of what I thought I knew about Luther, and what is, incidentally portrayed in films about him, is largely based on folklore, and the facts are often quite different.
Interesting. I've not seen this book.
I find the quotes of Luther to resonate well with my understanding of Scripture, but I find more problematic some of Metaxas assertions (eg "Once we embrace Christ, we are instantly made righteous").
However, I do not yet see (via this lens of Luther) any better understanding of what it might mean to be "spiritually settled" (versus intellectually settled). This former construct does not appear to be describing a behavior. Nor is it theological understanding (which would fit better in the "intellectually settled" category). The "spiritually settled" concept might, however, be speaking of some sort of "depth or intensity of supernatural experience".
EG White might be hinting at this: "The “time of trouble, such as never was,” is soon to open upon us; and we shall need __an experience__ which we do not now possess and which many are __too indolent to obtain__." GC 622, 623
Jeff I would like you to listen to an oldy but goody. The Friday night sermon part one of a series talked about the shaking as on going since the conception of our church till Christ comes in the air. Also I have not heard such a good message on how God has preserved our church since it's conception, as his. I don't have the link, so just type in at youtube, the final shaking of Adventism by Roger Coon. He was one of my most revered Bible professors when I went to college at Pacific Union College 50 years ago.
Our readiness for heaven should be seen by our obedience to God in all aspects of life.A follower of Christ is seen by:
how he/she dresses
how he /she worships through tithe/offering and Sabbath keeping
how he/she eats
I would say those are outward things that are readily visible but I would propose that our readiness should be seen by
How we deal with disappointment or frustration
How we treat others who are irritating
How we treat others in general.
Those will be a better indication of whether or not our hearts are submitted to the Lord.
I know some people (thankfully not many) who are “perfect Adventists” (because they dress right, eat right and memorize great portions of scripture) and who are perfectly awful if you do anything “wrong”.
Please note: I definitely believe we should dress in a way to honor the Lord, eat in harmony with God’s diet, read the word and return tithe and offerings.
I just don’t think that should be “the test” and I think more will be drawn to a loving spirit than to the perfect Adventist clothing style and food.
Elsie might also agree with the above and was just coming from a different thought. My first response was because I just recently dealt with one of those “perfect” Adventists.
It is said that we can worship our God only in spirit and truth – His Spirit and His Truth - John 4:21-24. If satan has a 'seal', then our God must have His own, original seal; two seals – His and the adversary’s.
God's seal is established by His Spirit and Truth, it is His visible ‘sign’ of Who's we are, as it establishes and testifies to who He is that asks us to worship Him; the revelation that we must worship Him in His Spirit and His Truth is because it is His seal.
In my opinion, to know this is where our focus should be placed to protect us from giving 'occasion' to His adversary. I believe it to be paramount to our faith to know the identifying marks of God's Seal because His seal will protect us. All the efforts by the adversary of God are focused on undermining and refocusing the spiritual allegiance of the followers of God; derailing the application of the knowledge of His Truth regarding who He is and what God's Plan of Salvation for man is all about.
God seeks those who have an ear to hear and a heart willing to love Him exclusively. It is He who promised that He will do all the ‘heavy lifting’ - to keep us safe - through the Holy Spirit which leads us into all Truth.
‘The devil hates those who love God with all their heart’, because they cannot be persuaded by his lies and temptations. The Holy Spirit reflects the Light of the Spirit of God in our lives; His Seal is our shield and guard against the adversary’s attempts to impress on us his seal of condemnation – Rom.8:1.
Gen.1:2; John 1:1-10; John 16:7-16.
Brigitte, I don't see that Satan has a "seal," but he does have a mark that goes in the forehead (indicating being persuaded) or on the hand (indicating just going along with things without protest). Along with the mark, I believe Satan uses chains ...
God will protect those who are sealed!
Praise the Lord! Last week the Holy Spirit reminded me that surrender and obedience to God along with the daily baptism of the Holy Spirit who imparts wisdom and discernment is needed as we study the Scriptures. Praying throughout our waking hours to receive Divine help, strength, and guidance is doing our part to make our calling and election sure. It is a wonderful experience to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Praying for all my brothers and sisters that we will commit much time in communion with Christ by discarding the spiritual warfare of distractions that steal our time.
Every day, we can consciously decide on the truth.