| Author | Message | ||
| Kelly |
How is the seal of God in Rev. 7:3 different from the seal that is in Eph. 4:30? Rev. 7:3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Eph 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" If those who believe are sealed at the moment of salvation then why do they need to be sealed outwardly? Is it because the angels are the inflictors of destruction and they can not see the "heart" as God can see? (i.e., the plague in Egypt where all the first born would be killed if the doorpost were not covered with blood) Of course, I know the Adventist church teaches that this outward seal is directly related to Sabbath observance but if the Sabbath is not binding today then this can not be the reason for the seal. Thanks | ||
| Colleentinker |
Kelly, that's a good question. There's a lot about the 144,000 prophecy that I don't know for sure. Actually, there are several different interpretations of it. The one thing I do deduce from Revelation 7, however, is that the sealing it discusses is the "mark" God places on all his people to deliver them from the coming trials and judgments. In Revelation 7:2, the angel who brings the warning to withold harm until the people of God are sealed has the seal of God himself. He already has what he is facilitating in God's people. Notice Revelation 9:4 has a direction for the plague of locusts. They are to harm "only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads." Revelation 14:1 actually tells us what the seal of God is. This text even recalls the setting of chapter 7 which is about the 144,000 being sealed. Rev. 14:1 says, "Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads." This text ties in with Rev. 7:3 where the angel says to hold off harm until the seal has been put on the foreheads of the "servants of our God." The next five verses discusses the sealing of the 144,000. The seal, according to Rev. 14:1, is the name of Jesus and God the Father. The idea of the seal of God being the name of the Lord is "sealed" in Revelation 22:4: "They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." The Holy Spirit is the living presence of Jesus in us. When we become Christ-followers and receive the Holy Spirit, we bear the name and the power of Christ in the world. The seal in Ephesians 4:30 is the Holy Spirit. It is the same seal of which the Revelation texts speak. The seal in Revelation 7:3 does not have to be, necessarily, a visible, physical mark on our foreheads. It can be a spiritual mark, which is what the Holy Spirit is. The Holy Spirit protects our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. He convicts us of sin and convinces us that Jesus is real. The Holy Spirit is God just as surely as Jesus is God. When we have his living presence in us, we have Jesus in us, and we are in Jesus. I don't believe Revelation 7 is speaking of a future time when believers will be sealed again. It is, I believe, a passage painting a generalized picture of God's power witholding persecution until those who will be his have come to him. I don't think we need to worry too much about what symbols in Revelation are physical and which are spiritual. When the time comes, we will know, and we will understand the prophecies. And you're right, Kelly; the seventh day has nothing to do with the seal! Jesus himself marks us with his name. We are sealed by His Spirit, and we are his for eternity! Colleen | ||
| Snowdove |
Hi we just left the SDA church resently. It would take too long for my testimony at this time but I do plan on sharing it in the near future. But I do have not really a question but something God has shown me about His seal. I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you. Here it goes. There are three passages in the bible that clearly state that the Seal Of God is the Holy Spirit. ( I know that you understand these passages.) Ephesians 1:13-14 Ephesians 4:30 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 But I also found this passage: John 6:27 "Which the Son of Man will give you because God the Father has set His seal on Him." This got me really thinking about the teaching of the Sabbath being the seal. Why would the Lord of the Sabbath need to be sealed with the Sabbath? Then I was impressed to search the encyclopedia about seals. Did they all have three things found on them as the SDA proclaim? And this is what I found " In ancient Greece and Rome, seal rings and portrait seals, incised with the owner's likeness, became widespread. After the fall of Rome the use of seals declined, but was revived in the 12th century. From then until the 18th century, heads of church and state and various civic dignitaries employed seals carved with heraldic designs to stamp their documents." "Seal (art)," MicrosoftÆ EncartaÆ 98 Encyclopedia. © 1993-1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. So during John's time seals had the image of the ruler on it. Then I started to pray about all that I have discovered and this is what came to me. The Seal of God is His image and we are seal with His Image by the Holy Spirit. We take on the likness of Jesus who was sealed by His Father with His (Father's) likeness. I just don't have anyone with an open mind other then my husband to run this by. Then I found this thread. And what I read confirmed what I have found out. All I know is God is revealing more and more truth to me each and everyday. May the Spirit of the Lord Guide you always. Your Sister in Christ snowdove P.S. Colleen I e-mailed my revelation earlier to you a litlle while ago but I thought I would give it a shot trying to post (first time). | ||
| Lydell |
Snowdove, welcome....that was really great. | ||
| Lucias |
Thats a very good point Snowdove. It really is. | ||
| Rey_cantu Registered user Username: Rey_cantu Post Number: 11 Registered: 2-2004 |
snowdove, I enjoyed reading your study on the seal of God. congratulations! rey cantu former sda pastor. |
