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In Revelation 7:3 we read, “..Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.“(KJV)

But why does God’s word say “in their foreheads”? Why not in their hearts? Or in their soul or spirit?

Many of us have picked a beautiful flower and looked at it closely. We’ve noticed the small patterns, the tiny straight perfect lines, the order, the design. We are awestruck at the detail, are we not? Well, how much more detailed is God concerning His almighty Word? The Word that can save us for eternity?

Yes, there is exact design in His Holy Word, each word, each phrase, each sentence is packed with His omniscient knowledge. So with this understanding let’s look at just why it is that the 144,000 are to be sealed–in their foreheads.

First, from a human viewpoint, we know that the forehead contains the “frontal lobe” of the brain. This area is involved in our thinking . But it is also known as the  “moral conscience” area.

Wikipedia research article explains the frontal lobe.  “The executive function of the frontal lobes involve the ability to recognize future consequences resulting from current actions, to choose between good and bad actions (or better and best), override and suppress socially unacceptable responses, and determine similarities and differences between things or events.

So we can see that our Lord has instructed the marking angel to place the seal in an area that involves our decision-making, thinking, and our moral response area.

But why?  We can see that we must have an understanding of something, a type of understanding of some sort. As we mentioned this detail of placing the seal in that area must mean something.

Before we go on about this specific seal let’s review other aspects of the “seal of God”.

What about the Sabbath seal? Aren’t we taught as SDA that this is THE seal that protects us in these last days? Yes we are but,  no it’s not what Rev. 7 sealings are about. This is an addition to this basic seal.

Let us read some specific  words in regards to our  subject.

Question No. 21:

What is the seal of God upon the foreheads of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:3)? Is it the Sabbath seal or something else?

Answer:

Being sealed in Christ “with that Holy Spirit of promise,” after having “heard the word of truth” (Eph. 1:13- 4:30), the saints are consequently sealed by Present Truth—the truth preached in their own day.

“The seal of the living God,” the Truth, by which the 144,000 are sealed (Rev. 7:2), is a special seal, being the same as “the mark” of Ezekiel 9. (See Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445; Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 267; Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 211). It demands one’s sighing and crying over the abominations which defile him, and which desecrate both the Sabbath and the house of God, especially against selling literature and raising goals during Sabbath services. As the saints have this seal or mark on their foreheads, the angels will pass over them, not slay them. It is equivalent to the blood on the door post on the night of the Passover in Egypt. The angel is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who by sighing over their own sins, and over the sins in the house of God, show fidelity to the Truth. Then the destroying angels will follow, to slay utterly both old and young who have failed to receive the seal. (See Testimonies, Vol. 5, p. 505)

So, the former seal enables the receiver to rise from the dead in the resurrection of the just, while the latter seal enables the sighing-crying one to escape death and forever to live for God.

We see that in order to be sealed by  God, it  will require us to do something —  accept present truth from God. Notice also that the 144,000 are to be the sighers and criers of sins in the midst. This double action done by those who show they are affected deeply by “sins in the midst” appears noticed by the marking angels and consequently they are “marked” as in the days of Egypt’s Passover.

In addition to the above, Ellen White explains  more light, “Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p.214)

Now we are  building the case for what the seal of God entails today, the total package. Not only are we to know and accept the present truth but we are to walk therein. That means we are to apply what we learn to our DAILY walk. The world, the flesh and the devil are ALL to be overcome. With the clear mental understanding of His word of today and the strength He gives us, we cast away “every defilement” by His power.

So let’s recap what we’ve learned.

The seal consists of:

1) An understanding and acceptance of “present truth”. The truth taught right now, in our day. Not yesterday’s truth but today’s.

2)The requirement that we sigh and cry for the “abominations” done in the church and our lives.

3)An overcoming of sins, the overcoming of  spot or stain of repetitive and willful sinning.

In regards to point one,  how do we develop a clear understanding of the present truth today? We just go to that old reliable handbook for us humans–the Bible.

“If any man  will do His will, he will know  of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of Myself. ” (John 7:17)

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13)

Those two powerful quotes automatically eliminate people such as “Sunday keepers”, who as we know make up the vast so-called “Christian” church today. Breaking His Commandments is not doing “His will”. No wonder we have so many private interpretations and theories of Scripture!

When we  decide to do His will as in obeying His Commandments(truly) and listening to His voice (John 10:27) and acting upon it, we are then found to be doing His will. And we are then given the promise of the Spirit of Truth to “guide us into ALL truth.” We have that natural radar to help us discern what is truth and what is not.

It’s like the Lord places a  strong magnet within us that attracts us to His truth today. Our mind is led to read and understand what His word says for us TODAY not yesterday.

Here is the great trap, the masses are “stuck” on rehashing the old truths instead of advancing with the sun rays of truth pouring down right now. Every Sabbath we most likely will hear a soft fluffy message some past truth, such as Noah’s message, Paul’s message, Enoch’s message, etc. How about the current present truth message of Elijah?

Present truth is specifically what did the Lord promised before the “great and dreadful day of the Lord”?  A prophet –Elijah.

What was to be his purpose? If you guessed– to bring a message of present truth to get us sealed in our forehead, you’re right! There is the crux of truth for our day. Our “testing truth”.

“God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God’s means of provoking inquiry and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber.” (Test. for the Church, vol.5, p. 453)

Sadly, just as in the days of Abraham, Jeremiah, and our Lord, the majority of “God professors” or  church goers either are self-satisfied, careless, or just downright stupid. Ellen White speaks the straight testimony–

“Men and women are in the last hours of probation, and yet are careless and stupid, and ministers have no power to arouse them; they are asleep themselves.  Sleeping preachers preaching to a sleeping people!” (Testimonies, vol. 2, 337.)  

But there is a cure for that dreadful last condition.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

In closing, my beloved brethren (term always includes our dear sisters) , let us step forward and embrace His final message of love and repentance. The marking angel is searching us, His people, to find those who show in their forehead the acceptance,  understanding, and obedience to His message that will “restore  all things” .

He answered them, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things.” (Matt. 17:11)

This entry was posted on April 5, 2014 at 4:28 am and is filed under God's sealings, Present Truth. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.