Tuesday: The Seal of God
A seal, like a signature, is used to validate a document. In ancient times it was a stamp pressed onto soft wax or clay to show authenticity or ownership, having the authority of its owner behind it.
What is the seal of God, and how and when is it given? Eph. 1:13-14; Eph. 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:19; Rev. 7:1-4; Rev. 14:1.
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
The seal of God is a sign of God’s ownership and protection of His people. Paul describes a sealing in connection with conversion and reception of the gift of the Holy Spirit. He calls this gift a “deposit” or “down payment” given to all believers as an assurance of the complete redemption and future inheritance they will receive when Jesus comes.
The book of Revelation pictures another sealing just prior to the second advent. This final seal is given to the 144,000 at the time of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. They have God’s name (or signature) written in their foreheads. Through the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives they come to reflect God’s character.
Contrast the seal of God with the mark of the beast. What differences between them are mentioned? Rev. 7:3, Rev. 14:9.
The seal is given to true worshipers of God while the mark is given to worshipers of the beast. The seal is given only in the forehead, indicating a definite choice of the mind to worship God in the way that He has commanded. The mark, on the other hand, is given either in the forehead or in the hand. This means that people may worship the beast for one of two reasons. Either in their minds they agree with it, thinking that they are truly worshiping God, or else they don’t agree with it but they go along because they are afraid of the serious consequences of not conforming: being unable to buy or sell and eventually being killed (Rev. 13:17, Rev. 13:15) .
“Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth — these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads”. — Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church , vol. 5, p. 216.
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Shirley said: I believe that is good to share with others the truth about the "seal of God" - what does the Bible tell us about it?
1) it is in the forehead Rev 7
2) it is the name of the Lamb & the Father Rev 14
3) he who overcomes will have God's name written on him/her Rev 3
4) we are sealed by the Holy Spirit
2Co_1:22 who also has sealed us, and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Eph_1:13 in whom also you, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph_4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Rev 14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father having been written on their foreheads.
Rev 7:1 And after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that a wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
Rev 7:2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it had been granted to harm the earth and the sea,
Rev 7:3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until we shall seal the servants of our God on their foreheads."
Thank you Shirely, we will now mark our Bible Study Bible's and/or memorize them, so that we can be held accountable when asked or when proselytizing is appropriate, to my knowledge proselytizing is still legal in the US of A. Though I read a couple of years back that Putin put out a law in Russia that proselytizing is only legal within the walls of a church. We have something to be thankful for here in the USA. And you thought that Proselytizing was spreading the good news of the gospel. No, it is an attempt to convert from one religion to another, atheism is not a religion. I wounder if we are missionaries in Russia, maybe we can get around Putin's executive order, and spread the gospel. Lets spread the good news here in the good old US of A, while we still have a chance. Down under in the outback too. James 3:18. (James 3:18, at least it imply's spreading the gospel, lets be wise fruitful stewards).
“Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.”
They receive the seal of God because they did not partake in the sin but they actually grieved and lamented over the condition of Israel.
The purpose of the seal is to distinguish the people of God.
The first three plagues fell on the Egyptians and the Israelite but the last seven plagues did not harm the Israelite.
God's command do not harm until we shall seal the servants of our God on their foreheads.
Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their MINDS set on what the Spirit desires.
Is this number of 144000 a literal number or symbolic? Will they be the only people who will be the living righteous when JESUS comes? Someone with a clear understanding, please help
It's not so much about whether the number is literal or symbolic (I believe it's symbolic, because it is in Revelation, and Rev has mostly symbolic content). It's more about the characteristics of those who have the Seal of God, meaning they have Christ's righteousness and have settled deep into the truth of God. "That" is the key and should be our spiritual emphasis/priority.
Yes, they will be the living righteous when Jesus comes for the 2nd time.
May the Spirit give you wisdom to learn and know the truth of God.
Is the number 144000 a literal number or a symbolic number? Will they be the only living righteous when Jesus comes?
We probably know more about 144,000 than any denomination. Infact EGW makes it sound literal in one of her books, I believe it is Early Writings she mentions the number many times. As I remember, she even saw the number written in the sky. No, I do not believe it to be a literal number. I am going to be # 144,001. There will be many more seats left on the trollys to heaven. Speculation, is what we have to go on with that question. How do you know where symbolism begains and stops in Revelation. If you took the dementions of the Holy City, coming down from heaven after our 1000 year stent in heaven. You would have a city the size of Oregon 365 miles square, feasible. But then also it would extend 365 miles into the sky, hard to comprehend. Revelation 21:16. I can wait on the Lord for some of these questions to be answered when he comes. I would be more concerned about my relationship with Christ and daily baptism with the Holy Spirit than wheither I am #144,000, or #179,000.
E.G.White says silence is the greatest eloquence regarding this issue of 144,000, in fact.The difference between what John heard and saw shades a greater light in the inclusiveness of God.
Here is a excerpt on the 144,000 from Jon Paulien's blog on Revelation and end times:
For example, we noticed in the blogs on Revelation 14 that God’s faithful end-time people are called remnant in 12:17 and 144,000 in 14:1. The allusion to Joel 2:32 in Rev. 14:1 made it clear that John sees the two groups as the same. But this is not the only place in Revelation where two different expressions for the people of God are clearly parallel.
We noticed in Revelation 7 that the 144,000 and the Great Multitude appear to be opposites. One group contains a fixed number of people drawn from the twelve tribes of Israel. The other group contains an uncountable number from every nation, tribe, language and people. But these two seeming opposites are drawn together by the fact that John never sees the 144,000, he only hears about them, when he turns to look he sees the Great Multitude. So these are also two ways of describing the same end-time group (see Rev 5:5-6 for the literary pattern).
Chapter 7:1-8 ends with 12,000 chosen from the last tribe of Israel to make up the 144,000. Then, immediately, verses 8-17 describes a great numberless multitude that seem to have the same characteristics of the 144,000 group. So maybe it is just a way that GOD gives John the revelator to show how even though the saved will not be as many as the unsaved, yet they will be a significant and GREAT GROUP and all worth HIS WHILE and THE SPILLED BLOOD OF HIS ONLY SON 2,000 + - years ago. May God Be Praised!
Also, my understanding is that several of the original 12 tribes of Israel have been lost of any trace of them making it impossible to have 12,000 from each of those lost tribes to represent them in the end just before Jesus returns again to this earth making the 144,000 number to have to be symbolic to say the least.
I like Jon Paulin, many years ago by listening to one of his lectures, he taught me exegesis. For instance, grieving the Holy Spirit is talked about in Ephesians 4:30. Then the question of how you grieve the Holy Spirit is answered in Ephesians 4:17-29.
please give more information on the 144 000
All true . But why did they stop difining exactly who the beast is . Did anyone notice that ?
I believe that 144,000 is symbolic, because of the literary device which occurs several times in Revelation. Where what he heard is explained by what he sees.
John says "I heard the number" then he says "I saw an unnumbered multitude"
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousands, having been sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel.
7:9 I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number,
In Rev 1 he says "I heard a trumpet, I saw One like the Son of man"
Rev 1:10 I came to be in the Spirit in the Lord's day and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Rev 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Rev 1:13 And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the seven lampstands I saw One like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the feet, and tied around the breast with a golden band.
Rev 5 he says "elders said (heard) the Lion of Judah, I looked and saw the Lamb"
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals of it.
Rev 5:6 And I looked, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, amidst the elders, a Lamb stood, as if it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
The most important thing for me is to be prepared for heaven! Earthly things have to be managed wisely, but much more important is my connection with Jesus, because from it I get the true sense of existence, that I was created to live in harmony and in love and peace with the rest of the Universe! Not against the Creator! But in favor. To this, I need to choose Him everyday!
What is involved in the second sealing just prior to the second advent? I was hoping that the author would have shed more light on that since this is an end-time quarterly. I would like to know...
Have you noticed that Jesus described to the disciples the difference as those who helped others while in revelation it is who they worship, is He changing His message or do end time people need an additional message to the gospel/good news of love?
I recognize for the first time today, the mark of the beast parallels the sins of Adam and Eve. She received it in her forehead as she believed the serpent. Adam received it his hand, as he was not deceived (1 or 2 Tim. 2:14).
A preface to my thoughts on the 144,000 which I take as both literal and metaphorical: 1) I take it that there are 12 basic personality types as illustrated by the 12 tribes, 12 apostles,12 gates to the holy city. Most of us are combinations or permutations of those 12 types, making 144 total varieties. 2) (Jesus gave the 10 commandments) x (Jesus became human and lived the 10 commandments) x (Jesus lives in us the fullness of the 10 commandments [as we allow]) = 10 love x 10 love x 10 love = 1000. The statement then implying that "No matter who you are or where you have been, God is able to pour Himself fully into you". These are they that have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and are without spot or guile. They are the proof of Christ in us.
Jamie Light bulb moment for me too!
Now at this time God sends forth a message and is urging it upon us. What is it? Why, it is the righteousness of Christ. Why does he send this? Because he is preparing a people for translation. Now what will be the condition of that people who are translated? The same as described in Revelation 14:5. “And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” This refers to the 144,000 that stood on Mount Zion. They are without fault; they are blameless; they are just like Christ, - without spot or blemish. Now God is at work to prepare a people for that condition. What will prepare a people that they may be without fault and unblameable? Righteousness. And nothing else will do it. They must have the character of Christ. No other character is without blemish and without fault. So he is sending now with special urgency this message. Just have the white raiment now,-the righteousness of Christ. GCDB February 24, 1893, p. 387.1
My understanding is that whether the number “144,000” is actual or figurative, rather that this special group “must have the character of Christ ... righteousness. And nothing else will do ...” How we live our daily lives now should be developing Christ’s character in us NOW. “Because he is preparing a people for translation.”