The Seal of the Holy Spirit and the Seal of God.

[Angelina]

Has anyone noticed the marked difference between the Holy Spirit as a seal of our inheritance and the Seal of God spoken of in Revelation 7 :huh:

2 Corinthians 1
21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

2 Timothy 2
19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

How was the Holy Spirit received?
Luke 3:22, John 20:22, Acts 2:2-4, Acts 8:16-17, Acts 10:42, 43, 44, 45, Acts 19:5-6,

Revelation 7
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

Revelation 9
Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Note: revelation 7 speaks of an angel having the seal of the living God whose purpose was to seal the servants of God on their foreheads. These servants are defined as "all the tribes of the children of Israel."

This seal was sent by the hand of an angel. We NT believers have been sealed by the promised Holy Spirit by faith, believing that Jesus being the Son of God, was resurrected by the Spirit of God and now sits on the right hand of Father God, interceding on our behalf.

Revelation 9 speaks of God's protection of those who have his seal while those without the seal will be tormented....

There seems to be a period of time between NT believers re; salvation and the promised Holy Spirit and those who are sealed by the angels...

What has happened to the Holy Spirit during this period of time?... or does this indicate that the fulness of the gentiles had come in? :huh:

Romans 11
24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Shalom!

 

[Wormwood]

In my opinion, Revelation is depicting an end judgment similar to that which Egypt faced when the people of God were being set free from their captivity. Israel was protected from many of the judgments God poured out on Egypt and Revelation is depicting the same thing. I think it is also important to note that the seal of the Holy Spirit and the mark of the beast are antithetical. In my opinion, just as people today are walking around who are sealed by the Holy Spirit, there are also those today who are marked by the beast. The mark of the beast is not a mark placed on people by the Antichrist in the "Great Tribulation" anymore than the seal of the Holy Spirit is a physical mark people wear now.

Ultimately, Revelation depicts that God's people will be delivered from the evil and oppression of this world in similar fashion to the two great deliverances of Israel in the OT (Egypt and Babylon). The wicked who persecute the people of God will be punished as God's people are freed and those who are marked by the blood of the Lamb/sealed with the Spirit. They will be protected from the God's wrath during that deliverance. Moreover, that deliverance will happen in an instant. Just as great Babylon that held the people of God captive thought their city could never be conquered but were overthrown in one night (by the Medes and Persians misdirecting the Euphrates river that flowed through the city...they walked under the "impenetrable walls" surrounding the city), so too the powers of this world will be overthrown in one moment at the coming of Christ.

Very powerful images that the people of God would have related to and serve as a promise to those who are faithful, yet suffer in this world.

 

[afaithfulone4u]

Rev. 7 is the sealing of the Elect, chosen holy ones who will inherit the bride. The 144,000 only ones REDEEMED from the earth who FOLLOW the Word where ever THEY go. They are protected from all the horrible trials(tornados, oil spills, hurricanes, earthquakes etc.. and tibulations(broken family's, lost income,diseases, famine etc.)that are upon the earth right now which are the birth pains of the earth to bore the son's of God to our mother heavenly Jerusalem and they will be caught up to God's throne and come with Christ, the head, for the Great Supper, Wedding Supper of the Lamb, Armageddon for the WRATH of God for all who rejected His Son.
The seal in the forehead is the WORD OF GOD for they have the mind of Christ.
Many are called, few are chosen.
Few find the path to life.
Just as many, many of believers have passed on before, yet they are saved to LIVE AGAIN so are those who are not really growing in Christ but have believed(Someone has to "serve" the best wine saved till last in the new earth) Hope you got that!
Saved to live on earth again does not mean they inherit the Heaven or heavenly Jerusalem.. they are the meek who inherit the rest of the earth outside of Jerusalem being the saved nations who did not make the high calling that Paul told us about.

They will come back in the second resurrection GWTJ when the Books are opened and the only time the book of life is opened, ALONG with those who have CHOSEN the lake of fire as their destination as they would not allow themselves receive the gift of God and the salvation of Christ. But we must remember Christ's warning, not all who say Lord Lord will have been perfected when Christ returns for his holy body the one new man, the 144,000 VIRGINS, BLAMELESS ones who were found worthy to escape the wrath of God. They are the wise Virgins in the 10 virgins. OH... did you think virgin meant a woman? No, there are no genders in the spirit.

Matt 20:16
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
KJV
Matt 7:14
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
KJV
Matt 7:21-24
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
KJV
Rev 21:27
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
KJV

Rev 22:14-15
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
KJV

Did you notice there is no unbeliever's mentioned?

Eph 1:16-18
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
KJV
Heb 6:4-6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
KJV
John 6:44-45
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
KJV

 

[Angelina]

Rev. 7 is the sealing of the Elect, chosen holy ones who will inherit the bride. The 144,000 only ones REDEEMED from the earth who FOLLOW the Word where ever THEY go.

These ones are not the body of Christ [the Church] as we know them to be. These ones are the remnant of Israel. I do not believe in replacement theology and these verses clearly indicate that the body of Christ have already been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1
22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession

Ephesians 4
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The Revelation 7 folk have not been sealed yet....but will be, in the midst of the tribulation, by an angel of the Lord.

Rev 7
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.

Rev 9
4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Please take off your doctrinal glasses so that you can see! :blink:

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

Angelina .... just a quick comment for now
I see them as being different ,

---Revelation talks of "The seal of the living God"
--------and it is placed on the forehead

---Corinthians talks of a "seal of ownership
-------and it is placed "in our hearts"
----------- and it is just a deposit (ie: we get the rest later)
Pretty much what you said in your OP

Then you asked
There seems to be a period of time between NT believers re; salvation and the promised Holy Spirit and those who are sealed by the angels.... What has happened to the Holy Spirit during this period of time?... or does this indicate that the fulness of the gentiles had come in?

Some scholars feels that it refers to "the restrainer" being removed .... (Restrainer being the Holy Spirit ) .... (Maybe also indicates Christians removed via rapture) ... I lean that way myself but not totally convinced. It is one of those difficult areas..... And yes , I feel it is the fulfillment of the times of the gentiles as well.

Great topic , hopefully you get some good personal viewpoints without the ten mile long posts that some people like to dump here.

 

[Angelina]

Some scholars feels that it refers to "the restrainer" being removed .... (Restrainer being the Holy Spirit ) .... (Maybe also indicates Christians removed via rapture) ... I lean that way myself but not totally convinced. It is one of those difficult areas..... And yes , I feel it is the fulfillment of the times of the gentiles as well.

Thank you for replying to my question Arnie. I did not realize that when people talked about the restrainer, they were referring to this particular event.

Notice that the seal on the forehead and the seal of the Holy Spirit are given while folks are on earth. Both can be considered deposits as both parties have not been redeemed yet. :)

Also, after the sealing of the 144,000 in Rev 7...did you notice that straight after that the scene changes to heaven where all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes...this verse states that " “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

If the Church were the 144,000 called Israel, then who are these? and why are they not also numbered amongst the 144.000 and why are they not called Israel??? :unsure: I'll tell you why, because replacement theologists are wrong!

Bless you!

 

[afaithfulone4u]

These ones are not the body of Christ [the Church] as we know them to be. These ones are the remnant of Israel. I do not believe in replacement theology and these verses clearly indicate that the body of Christ have already been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1
22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Ephesians 1
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession

Ephesians 4
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

The Revelation 7 folk have not been sealed yet....but will be, in the midst of the tribulation, by an angel of the Lord.

Rev 7
2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.

Rev 9
4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Please take off your doctrinal glasses so that you can see! :blink:

I don't believe in replacement theology either, but I do believe in a new covenant of which those who do not believe shall be judged under the law which the end will be DEATH.
I just happen to know that it is not the children of the flesh that are the children of God and that Christ is the promise seed through Isaac and that there is neither Jew or Gentile male or female in the body of Christ as some of the olive branches were broken off an some Gentiles grafted into the olive tree. And that those in Christ will be a holy nation born in one day. And the actual remnant is 7,000 OT saints for all since Christ must be born again, but these mentioned again in Romans will be devout Jews.
1 Kings 19:18
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
KJV
Rom 11:2-5
2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.
4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
KJV
Since all MUST BE BORN AGAIN, these are the same 7,000 remnant still alive to this day who are the whole house of OT Israel and came out of their graves at Christ's resurrection to fulfill the DRY BONES Ez.37 that once the debt was paid, they were released.
Rev 11:13-15
13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.
15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
KJV
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
KJV
Rom 9:6-8
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
KJV
Rev 7 and 9 are the same ones sealed from the harm.

1 Tim 1:4
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
KJV

 

[Angelina]

I don't believe in replacement theology either, but I do believe in a new covenant of which those who do not believe shall be judged under the law which the end will be DEATH.

Agreed!

I just happen to know that it is not the children of the flesh that are the children of God and that Christ is the promise seed through Isaac and that there is neither Jew or Gentile male or female in the body of Christ as some of the olive branches were broken off an some Gentiles grafted into the olive tree.

True but the verse continues on to say;

Romans 11
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Also note the folks in heaven in Rev 7 - are they not a Holy Nation born in one day? :huh:

Shalom!!!

 

[afaithfulone4u]

Matt 21:42-45
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
KJV

Rom 11:30-32
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
KJV
Rom 10:12-13
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
KJV

Saved and inherit the kingdom of God are two different things. And if all Jews were going to be saved, then why does Paul say that he hopes that Israel MIGHT be saved?
Rom 10:1
10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
KJV

Agreed!




True but the verse continues on to say;

Romans 11
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;

Also note the folks in heaven in Rev 7 - are they not a Holy Nation born in one day? :huh:

Shalom!!!

The 144,000 are sealed so that no harm comes to them in Rev 7 and they go through the first half of the 7 yrs. and are caught up in Rev.12:5. They are the same ones with the seal of God in Rev 9 as well as it says do not harm those with the seal of God!

And yes they are the holy nation born in one day the 144,000 blameless virgins.
Rev 14:1-5
14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. {In the beginning was the Word... the Word was God}
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
KJV

Angelina .... just a quick comment for now
I see them as being different ,

---Revelation talks of "The seal of the living God"
--------and it is placed on the forehead

---Corinthians talks of a "seal of ownership
-------and it is placed "in our hearts"
----------- and it is just a deposit (ie: we get the rest later)
Pretty much what you said in your OP

Then you asked
There seems to be a period of time between NT believers re; salvation and the promised Holy Spirit and those who are sealed by the angels.... What has happened to the Holy Spirit during this period of time?... or does this indicate that the fulness of the gentiles had come in?

Some scholars feels that it refers to "the restrainer" being removed .... (Restrainer being the Holy Spirit ) .... (Maybe also indicates Christians removed via rapture) ... I lean that way myself but not totally convinced. It is one of those difficult areas..... And yes , I feel it is the fulfillment of the times of the gentiles as well.

Great topic , hopefully you get some good personal viewpoints without the ten mile long posts that some people like to dump here.

The restrainer is THE BODY OF CHRIST who will be caught up in Rev 12:5 so escape the wrath for they come with the Head who is Christ.

 

[Angelina]

I think we are in danger of veering off topic here but I will post this last time re; your reply...

Isaiah 45:17
But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.

“Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
23 By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
24 They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone
are deliverance and strength.’”
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.
25 But all the descendants of Israel
will find deliverance in the Lord
and will make their boast in him.


Jeremiah 23:5-7
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 31
1 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Romans 9
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
‘You are not My people,’
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”

27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:

“Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,
The remnant will be saved.
28 For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness,
Because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”

The restrainer is certainly not the body of Christ. The body cannot restrain the evil one. The restrainer is the Holy Spirit! :huh:

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

There seems to be a period of time between NT believers re; salvation and the promised Holy Spirit and those who are sealed by the angels...

What has happened to the Holy Spirit during this period of time?... or does this indicate that the fulness of the gentiles had come in? :huh:

I am thinking I misread your question ..... are you talking about when the early Christians were told to wait for the Holy Spirit ?

 

[veteran]

It's actually the same sealing. The difference is the time. Each generation is sealed for its own time and trials, which was Paul's Message.

For those living at the end (us) it also includes being sealed with understanding the seven seals our Lord Jesus opened. No one can understand them without The Holy Spirit having sealed them for the end.

 

[Angelina]

Hi Arnie
I am talking about a period of time between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all who believe in Jesus by faith and the end-time event of the Angel carrying the Seal of God to stamp the foreheads of the 144,000. :huh:

It's actually the same sealing. The difference is the time. Each generation is sealed for its own time and trials, which was Paul's Message.

I agree that the sealing is similar in the sense that God has/is sealing his believers however, the way in which it is administered differs tremendously... This difference implies that a specific set of variables are in place which are not present in our time.

Blessings!

 

[Saint]

There are those who have been regenerated and sealed having accepted Yeshua and there are those who are predestined to be regenerated at the very end. I think it is Gods way of protecting those who have been chosen. In ways not explained I think all predestined believers are sealed and protected in their lives prior to their time of conversion; Gods way of assuring those chosen will be around to accept Christ. Otherwise many predestined as described in Romans 8:29-30 would perish before their time of salvation like the sealing accounted for in Eze 9:4-6.

 

[Angelina]

There are those who have been regenerated and sealed having accepted Yeshua and there are those who are predestined to be regenerated at the very end

Hi Saint...This is what I am referring to as per the statement in the O/P

Note: revelation 7 speaks of an angel having the seal of the living God whose purpose was to seal the servants of God on their foreheads. These servants are defined as "all the tribes of the children of Israel."

This seal was sent by the hand of an angel. We NT believers have already been sealed through the promised Holy Spirit by faith, believing that Jesus being the Son of God, was resurrected by the Spirit of God and now sits on the right hand of Father God, interceding on our behalf.

There is not only a marked difference in the administration of how these end-time people were sealed but also in who they were as a people. I do not believe in "replacement theology."

Blessings!!!

 

[Saint]

Hi Angelina...I don't believe in replacement theology either, what did Yeshua say about His ministry: He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
(Mat 15:24 ESV)

 

[Angelina]

I agree with your understanding on these points Saint but am always open to other possibilities.

He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Yes...and we [Gentile believers] have been included at the cross.

Ephesians 1
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.

Blessings!

 

[gregg]

this seal of GOD is with judgement . a fire (judgement) goes before them and a flame follows. the disciples had it '

 

[Guestman]

When a person is sealed with the holy spirit (God's active force and not a third person of a trinity, Gen 1:2), as the apostle Paul wrote (at Eph 1:13), that this "is a token in advance of our inheritance ("heavenly calling", Heb 3:1), for the purpose of releasing God's own possession (that is to become a spirit as God is upon their resurrection) by ransom."(Eph 1:14; see also 2 Cor 1:22; 5:5)


What does it mean to seal something ? In the Bible, there are two meanings, one literal and one figurative (1) literal is an object to make an impression (usually on clay or wax) that indicated ownership, authenticity, or agreement, such as King Darius sealing an official document (against his wishes) for Daniel to be thrown into the lions pit for petitioning "any god or man for thirty days".(Dan 6:7, 8, 17)


Or of king Ahasuerus, who sealed an official document (with his signet ring) at the request of Haman (in which Haman said that he would put 10,000 talents of silver in the king's treasury, equal to $239, 577,600 as of October 17, 2013) for the decimation of Mordecai's people, the Jews.(Esther 3:9) The actual uses for literal seals provide the basis for a number of figurative expressions found in the Bible.

(2) Figuratively, for someone or something to be "sealed" means that when it comes to a person being sealed with holy spirit, they are "anointed" with holy spirit (2 Cor 1:21, in ancient Israel, kings were at times literally anointed with holy anointing oil [1 Sam 10:1 with regard to Saul, making his status as king official in Jehovah's eyes as was David years later, 1 Sam 16:13]), chosen by Jehovah God as a perspective "king and priest".(Rev 1:6)


This ' sealing ' or being chosen by Jehovah God as "sons", causing them to call out "Abba (Aramaic word meaning "the father", or "O Father !", Gal 4:6 and of which Jesus used the expression at Mark 14:36 before his death), Father", can be lost or rescinded.


The apostle Paul wrote that those who "have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit....but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame."(Heb 6:4, 6)


When something is "sealed", as the "scroll written within and on the reverse-side, sealed tight with seven seals" (Rev 5:1), it is closed to everyone, except to those to whom God wishes to reveal it and at his appointed time.

Concerning the book of Daniel (that brings to the fore the "pushing" [Dan 11:40] of the king of the north against the king of the south at Daniel 11), an angel told him: "As for you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book, until the time of the end (that began with Jesus installation as king of God's kingdom in 1914). Many will rove about (during "the time of the end"), and the true knowledge will become abundant."(Dan 12:4)

Also, when something is "sealed", it is stamped as authentic as well as closed to those not qualified by God to understand it, as at Daniel 9 with regard to the ' seventy weeks of years ' (490 years) and the Messiah.


Daniel 9:24 says that "there are seventy weeks that have been determined upon your (Daniel's) people and upon your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, and to finish off sin, and to make atonement for error, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies."

 

[guysmith]

If the Church were the 144,000 called Israel, then who are these? and why are they not also numbered amongst the 144.000 and why are they not called Israel???

Hello Angelina,

I have an explanation, but I don't think you are going to like the response.

The fifth trumpet plague is designed to afflict all man kind. All except the 144K which have the seal of God in their foreheads. In effect, this scripture is informing us that the 144K are the only male believer alive at that time. The rest of Christendom will have been martyred. If there were any other believers alive at that time then they would also be afflicted by the plague.

This is a simple explanation. It is much deeper than this.

In Yehoshua,
Guy Smith