The seal of God

The Seal of the Living God Tonight’s topic – The Seal of God. In our last lecture we identified the antichrist power of Rev 13 and Daniel 7 And we found that it is the papal SYSTEM. NOT THE PEOPLE! We know that this power has a mark called the “Mark of the Beast.” It is vital that we know what this Mark is – as there is a terrible warning given against those who receive it Lets look again at the verses about the Mark of the beast. We read this verse in our last lecture. Revelation 14:9-10 “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,” This mark is obviously a serious thing that we need to avoid. We are going to identify the Mark tomorrow night. But the bible tells us that God also has an identifying mark – it is called the seal of God. We are now going to discover that in the future there will be two groups – one with the seal of God, & one with the Mark of the beast. The Seal & the mark will distinguish who you give your allegiance to! One distinguishes your allegiance to the Beast. (Papacy) One distinguishes your allegiance to the Lord. But what is the seal of God? We find the seal of God in Revelation chapter 7 READ FROM BIBLE Rev. 6:14-17 Who shall be able to stand is the great question We get our answer in the next verses READ FROM BIBLE Rev: 7:1-3 Notice it is “the servants of God” – Christians who receive the seal. It’s not the wicked. – Notice that these are “servants” of God already – Christians that are missing something in there Christian experience. Notice where the seal of God is – it is in there foreheads. This is the same place the mark of the beast is placed. – In the forehead. Now: What is the seal of God? The first thing we need to ask is: What is a seal? A SEAL IS LIKE AN OFFICIAL SIGNITURE In ancient times the ruling official or king would have a seal that would be in the form of a stamp or often a ring. Wax would be melted and the impress left in the wax. Example: An ancient seal Esther and king Ahasuerus seal. King Ahasuerus se al. Esther 8:8 “…for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and seale d with the king’s ring, may no man reve rse .” What is a seal? Note: An official signature – So powerful that it couldn’t be changed. Contains three elements 1. Name 2. Title 3. Territory - Ahasuerus - Persian Empire - King Three elements that make up a seal: Example: A modern seal 1. Name: 2. Title: 3. Territory: President U.S.A. 1. Name: George Bush Kevin Rudd Prime Minister Australia 1. Name: 2. Title: 3. Territory: God’s Seal would be as follows 1. Name: Lord God 2. Title: Creator 3. Territory: Heaven & Earth A seal validates a worldly law or official document. It is a mark of ownership and authority. Does God’s seal have to do with His great legal document – His law? YES! Isaiah 8:16 “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Seal has something to do with the law. In Revelation 14:12 we find God tells us who are the ones that don’t receive the Mark of the Beast Notice who they are Revelation 14:9-10 “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God,” Revelation 14:12 “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” The distinguishing mark of those that receive the seal of God is that they keep the COMMANDMENTS. They are sealed into the forehead. What does the Bible say God wants to put into our forehead? Hebrews 10:16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.” Law in written in their minds. In the forehead not on the forehead God’s seal has something to do with His Law! Where in God’s law do we find His seal? Now remember three things make up a seal: 1. Name. 2. Title. 3. Territory. Which law constitutes the seal. Mention commandments at random before the 4th. The only place we find God’s seal – his official signature – is in the fourth commandment! Exodus 20:8-9 “Remember the S abbath day, to keep it holy. S ix days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. Exodus 20:10 “But the seventh day is the S abbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work…” Exodus 20:11 “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Remember the Sabbath day. Only the fourth commandment contains these three. The Lord your God Made -Creator Heaven &Earth This is the only commandment which constitutes God’s seal. Without this signature in God’s law any other God could claim this law as his. Buddha Mahomed God’s of India and China I could say I am God and claim it Only the God of the Bible has the ability to create which makes it His law. Note: The Sabbath is the seal of God. Note: I can hear someone say “but isn’t there any other scripture that says the Sabbath is God seal?” YES THERE IS. Ezekiel 20:12 “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.” Ezekiel 20:20 “And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.” The Sabbath, a sign or seal. These words can be used interchangeably Romans 4:11 “And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised.” A Sign = A Seal Note: Sign & Seal are both synonymous Now why is the Sabbath important? Because it is an indicator of who you worship, look at this; Notice the 1st angels message – the three are given just before Jesus comes. Revelation 14:6 “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, > Revelation 14:7 “S aying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters .” Fear God and give glory to Him Note: In verse 7 it says “Worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Rev 14:7. These words are taken from the 4th commandment And this message [the first angel’s message] is a last day message that is calling us back to the creator, and calling us back to His memorial of creation, the Sabbath. Today people are being deceived into worshipping almost anything – even them selves But the call of God today is to worship Him and the sign of that worship is keeping the Sabbath day holy The Sabbath was instituted at creation – it is the memorial of God’s creative power. Today because of the loss of the Sabbath, people have lost contact with God. Today people don’t believe in creation week. WHY? Because they have lost that seal that connects them with creation – the Sabbath. As the Sabbath came in around the world every week, it was to be a sign that God created us and all that we see. But today man is rejecting God for evolution! Evolution has taken the place of creation! – Never existed if Sabbath was kept. Evolution is the Devils counterfeit to creation. The Bible says that our father is - The almighty God. Evolution says that our father is – A monkey! How could you think that you came from a monkey if every week you bowed the knee to your Creator? Friends, you have been created by God almighty, and you were not a mistake!! The Bible says that God knew you before you were born. Don’t let any one tell you that you were a mistake!! Now all Christians know the ten commandments – and they all know the largest commandment is the Sabbath But it gets very interesting here with our next question This is where this topic begins to be come very important What Day is the Sabbath Day? Exodus 20:10 "But the seventh day is the S abbath of the LORD thy God." ? But how do we know which day is the seventh day? Dictionary Definition Note: But of course we can’t take our theology from the dictionary. Let’s see what day the Bible defines as the 7th day Sabbath. Luke 23:52 “This man we nt unto Pilate, and be gge d the body of Je s us .” Luke 23:53-54 “And he took it down, and wrappe d it in line n, and laid it in a s e pulchre that was he wn in s tone , whe re in ne ve r man be fore was laid. And that day was the pre paration, and the S abbath drew on.” Luke 23:55 “And the wome n als o, which came with him from Galile e , followe d afte r, and be he ld the s e pulchre , and how his body was laid. Luke 23:56 “And the y re turne d, and pre pare d s pice s and ointme nts; and re s te d the S abbath day according to the com mandm e nt. Luke 24:1 “Now upon the firs t day of the we e k, ve ry e arly in the m orning, the y came unto the s e pulchre , bringing the s pice s which the y had pre pare d, and ce rtain othe rs with the m.” The whole Christian world knows what day Good Friday is & what day Easter Sunday is; the Sabbath is the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It is on Saturday Now you maybe thinking - why do most Christians BREAK the Sabbath and keep Sunday? Was the Sabbath changed by Jesus or the disciples? According to the Bible, Christ or early Christians never kept or sanctified Sunday. Jesus kept Sabbath. Notice; Luke 4:16 “And he came to Nazare th, whe re he had be e n brought up: and, as his custom was, he we nt into the s ynagogue on the s abbath day, and s tood up for to re ad.” As His custom was, he went to synagogue on Sabbath Let me ask you, what was Jesus’ custom? It was to go into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. That’s what His custom was. A custom is something you do habitually, all the time. Apostles kept Sabbath. Notice; Acts 13:42 “And whe n the Je ws we re gone out of the s ynagogue , the Ge ntiles bes ought that the s e words m ight be pre ache d to the m the ne xt s abbath.> Acts 13:44 And the ne xt s abbath day came almos t the whole city toge the r to he ar the word of God.” Gentiles heard the word of God on the Sabbath In fact: Jesus kept the Sabbath – the disciples kept the Sabbath – the early Christians kept the Sabbath Jesus or the disciples never changed it. One of the greatest evidences that Jesus never intended the Sabbath to change after his death IS: Matt 24:20 SEE NEXT SLIDE Matthew 24:20 “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winte r, ne ithe r on the S abbath day.” Jesus was referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD The fact that Jesus commanded to pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath day forty years after His death, proves that Jesus, when prophesying, understood clearly the Sabbath was not done away with. And remember this, forty years after the crucifixion the Jewish people were no longer representatives of God. Therefore, Jesus implied that forty years after the crucifixion, the Gentiles would keep the Sabbath. 7 Misunderstandings about the Sabbath. Now your probably thinking to your self – hang on a minute – what about….. Objections: Now I want to spend a little time answering the objections that people bring up. Seven main objections. 1. The Lord’s day is Sunday. Revelation 1:10 “I was in the spirit on the Lords day” The first thing we see here is that the Lord had a special day This is about 70 years after Jesus died. What day is the Lords day John knew exactly what day the Lord’s day was – he heard Jesus say: Mark 2:27-28 “And he said unto them, The S abbath was made for man, and not man for the S abbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lod l fth Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath – which is Saturday the seventh day Note: He is the author, the maker, the sanctifier, and the architect of the Sabbath. Rev 1:10 p908 - proves that John kept the Sabbath. 2. Sabbath was made for the Jews. Mark 2:27 “And he said unto them, The S abbath was made for man, and not man for the S abbath.” Mankind not Jews! God made the Sabbath 2000 years before there was a Jew. Abraham was considered the father of the Jewish nation 3. We keep Sunday in honour of the Resurrection. God never made it Holy. – Why not keep Friday holy too…. 4. The Sabbath was lost. Video of time line The Sabbath has been kept until the day in which we live – it was never lost but it was changed. 5. I worship Godevery day. The Bible commands you to do so But the Bible also commands you to rest on one day and work on the other six. There is a difference between worshipping and having a day of worship. You can’t keep the Sabbath every day unless you go on the dole! 6. Any day in seven will do! Try telling your wife that next time you forget your wedding anniversary!!!!!!!!! To illustrate: Just say now I got seven women out the front here. The lady here on the end is my wife Paula. Now what would you think if I took a look over these seven women and decided to take number 3 or number 4? After all, they might suit me better. And after all, one is as good as the other. Any one will do. The Sabbath is connected to an event like your birthday, you can’t change it! Your birthday is an historical fact – you cannot change that. God designed us to be in tune with a seven day week – French revolution – made a ten day week it did not work. Why? Because God tuned us to a seven day week We don’t know where the seven day week came from – months and years come from the cycle of the sun and moon – but why a seven day week – god created it at creation. Genesis 2:2 “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and Sanctified & blessed the Sabbath God did three things on the 7th day that He NEVER DID ON ANY OTHER DAY OF THE WEEK. God Rested on the Seventh Day God Blessed the Seventh Day God Sanctified the Seventh Day 7. The Sabbath was nailed to the cross. This is a misunderstanding that people often bring up when discussing this subject and at first glance it seems like a very good argument Lets read the verses that bring this point out Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinance s that was agains t us , which was contrary to us , and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cros s ; Colossians 2: 16 “Le t no m an the re fore judge you in m e at, or in drink, or in re s pe ct of an holyday, or of the ne w m oon, or of the S abbath days .” Colossians 2:17 “Which are a s hadow of things to com e ; but the body is of Chris t.” When referring to these passages there are some who come to the conclusion that Paul was talking about the ten commandments and the 7th Day Sabbath, therefore the Ten commandments and the Sabbath was nailed to the cross & was done away with. But what is the Bible telling us here? What was nailed to the cross? 2 Laws given Ten Commandment Law. Ceremonial Law -Hand writing of ordinances 2 types of Sabbaths Seventh-day Sabbath. Ceremonial Sabbaths. Spoken by Moses – Lev. 1:1, 2 Written by Moses – Deut. 31:24 Written in a book – Deut. 31:24 Placed on the side of Ark – Deut. 31:26 Finished at the cross – Col. 2:14 Ceremonial Law Ten Commandments Spoken by God – Deut. 5:22 Written by God – Deut. 5:22 Written in stone – Deut. 5:22 Placed in the Ark – Deut. 10:5 Everlasting -Psalms 111:7, 8 In the ceremonial law was ceremonial Sabbaths Ceremonial Sabbaths Feasts of Trumpets Day of Atonement Feast of Tabernacles Feast of First Fruits Passover Feast These special feast days were ceremonial Sabbath days – because the people were not to work on these day In Colossians, Paul is talking about ceremonial Laws and ceremonial Sabbaths that were nailed to the cross because they were all pointing to Jesus who was to come – and when he came there was no need to keep these any more. Notice the ord in Colossi ai Colossians 2:16-17 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days : Which are a shadow of things to come.” In Paul’s time there were lots of Jewish converts that were still advocating old laws – circumcision was one – it was hard for them in changing from old to new covenants. So What Law and what Sabbath was nailed to the cross???? The ceremonial law and Sabbaths!!!! Not the weekly Sabbath from creation. The bible said this law was a “Shadow of things to come” - To Come Note: To point forward. Sabbath of Creation Ceremonial Sabbaths In fact, the Sabbath will be kept in heaven for all eternity Isaiah 66:22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. Isaiah 66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one S abbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” Wouldn’t it seem strange for God to give us the Sabbath from creation until Jesus came the first time; then abolish it for 2000 years; and then re-establish it for eternity after the second coming of Jesus? But doesn’t the church claim that the change of the Sabbath comes from the Scriptures? “You may re ad the Bible from Ge ne s is to Re ve lation and you will not find a s ingle line authoriz ing the s anctification of S unday. The S cripture s e nforce the re ligious obs e rvance of S aturday.” Faith of our Fathe rs by Cardinal Jam es Gibbons p.561 “The authority of the church could the re fore not be bound to the authority of the S cripture s be caus e the church had change d the S abbath into S unday, not by a comm and of Chris t, but by its own authority.” Canon and Tradition p.263 “I hone s tly be lie ve that this com m andm ent the S abbath is jus t as binding today as it e ve r was … The S abbath was binding in Ede n, and it has be e n in force e ve r since .> How can me n claim that this one com mandm e nt has be e n done away with whe n the y will adm it that the othe r nine [adulte ry, m urde r, lying, the ft, e tc.] are s till binding?” Dwight L. Moody. W e ighe d and W anting, 1898, p 46-47. $1000 REWARD “But S unday is not the Sabbath. Any school boy knows that Sunday is the first day of the week. I have repeatedly offered one thousand dollars> $1000 REWARD to anyone who will prove by the Bible alone that S unday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money.” T. Enright, in the American Sentinel. 1893 REWARD $100,000 for anyone who can find in the seminar Bible where the S abbath was changed to S unday. In Matthew 15 there is controversy about the 5th commandment and how the Jews had a tradition that allowed them to break this commandment. Jesus said to them: Matthew 15:9 "But in vain the y do worship me, teaching for doctrine s the commandmen ts of me n." Tomorrow Night we are going to find out what the dreaded mark of the beast is, and why the Sabbath is going to become Especially important in the future. 666 AND THE MARK OF THE BEAST • What is the mark? • Who will receive it? • How can we avoid it?