The Seal of the Living God - 21

Revelation chapter 7.

Let me read through verse eight 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 or the sea or on any tree that 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, saying do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their four head and I heard the number of those who were sealed.

144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed of the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Reuben 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Gad 12,000 were sealed.

Of the tribe of Asher 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Naphtali 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Manasseh 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Simeon 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Levi 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Issachar 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Zebulun 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Joseph 12,000 were sealed. Of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 were sealed. Wells would come to chapter 7 this evening. This chapter is the opposite of chapter 6, chapter 6, dealt with the enemies of God and what will happen to the enemies of God. Chapter 7 reveals the people of God and what the people of God will be doing chapter 6 the enemies of God, and they will suffer the wrath of God. The judgment of God. They will run and flee to the hills and call upon the rocks to hide them from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Again, in contrast, chapter 7 is dealing with the people of God and where we find the people of God, we find the people of God standing before the throne of God and the Lamb of God in their engaged in praise and worship. That's the contrast between chapter 6 and chapter 7 chapter 6 asks some questions that are answered in chapter 7. Remember the martyrs who were found under the altar of God, and they work crying out for vengeance upon the blood that had been shed. They cried with a loud voice, chapter 6, verse 10, saying how long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth.

And the answer to their question. In this context. Chapter 6 was to wait.

Wait until again. Verse 11. It was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were were completed and we find in chapter 7 that that number is completed and that their weight is over those who are the enemies of God conclude there try with who is able to stand for the great day of his wrath is come, and who is able to stand. Obviously, not them there running and fleeing in terror and judgment. I don't know if you've ever seen. Probably portrayed in a movie that we all have seen terror fixed on the face of a person, but here is terror and dread upon men who are enemies of God running from the face says running from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. I can't imagine what that terror will be like. But I think it's good for us to get a mental image fixed in our mind of terror that people have shown and expressed in one way or another. Because this terror in this dread is unprecedented because they are running in fear and terror from God Almighty fearing his judgment yes indeed. Let's take a look at what we see in these opening verses, John says after these things I saw again. John is communicating the content of visions that he's privileged to see and hear. He is in the spirit and he's seeing things and he's recording them force. As I said there are a few times where he says I saw this and then he tells us what it means, but most of the time he's just given us, giving us a description of what he sees.

That's what we see here after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth were they doing. He says they were holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth over the sea or on any tree.

These four angels have been given authority by Almighty God over the winds that blow on the earth, and their able to hold the destructive power of those wins and check I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth that the wind what should not blow on the earth on the sea or on any tree.

So the picture is here are messengers of God. Powerful angels doing the bidding of God set ready to dispense with another manifestation of judgment from Almighty God at his bidding. But there holding back. This judgment then John says, then I saw verse two. Another angel, unlike the four angels. Here's another angel that he sees 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.

So here is another angel dispatched by Almighty God with a message in the messages for the four angels that are mentioned in verse one. He comes from the east Jerusalem is that the temple is built toward the east. The Magi were told came from the East.

The sun rises in the east. It's a place where there's light and there's hope and there's good news that comes in. I think that's the idea here.

This angel is coming with a message. What is that messages says and he cried with a loud voice. I think John is communicating that this is a message that all for the Angels need to hear. So he's crying with a voice loud enough for these four angels to hear cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea.

What is the message that this angel has, to the four angels. Here it is in verse three saying do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

Do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. What we have been taught here, communicated to us will it's teaching us that while God gathers his people, and God is gathering his people.

God is calling the redeemed the elect of God from the four corners of the earth. God is gathering his people and while God gathers his people. He suspends judgment until the last of the saints has been gathered and sealed. Notice again, do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till not we not I but we so he's making reference to an Army a host of angels who have a task before them, and what is that to seal the servants of our God on their forehead so judgment is going to be suspended until all the elect. All the people of God have been gathered in and sealed. That's the message now are we to take this reference. This message here that the ceiling will take place on literally on people's florets. Most people who make reference to marks on the four head are thinking of the mark of the beast but the Bible tells us that there are those that God will mark belonging to him and the way those who are marked who are belonging to the evil one who are not committed, not surrendered to God Almighty, but are yielded to the beast and have cast her allegiance to him. So what's being communicated here is that all people will have a mark will be sealed will end up bear the mark of one or the other where is John getting this line. This seal of God on their foreheads. Let me turn you to Ezekiel chapter 9 and will see very similar language.

Ezekiel chapter 9.

Get there. Here Ezekiel 9 Ezekiel says. Then he called out in my hearing with a loud voice saying, let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand and suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battleax in his hand.

One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writers Inc. horn at his side they went in and stood beside the bronze altar. Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub where it had been to the threshold of the temple and he called the man clothed with linen, who had the writers Inc. horn at his side, and the Lord said to him, go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it. God was giving Ezekiel a vision, foretelling the judgment of Jerusalem before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC the Jewish people had been guilty of idolatry and God was marking out those who were not guilty and God was going to preserve his people. All this idolatry. All this immorality. All of this sin, the true people of God were grieved by they were troubled by. They were they were exercised in the spirit over if that were true. In Ezekiel's day how much true it ought to be in our day. How callous and different and unmoved.

We can be in the face of sin and immorality in God hating that we see all around us, we ought to be troubled by it ought to grieve us as it did these people because that was the identifying mark. Those are the ones who were not complicit in the idolatry in the Senate on the morality they were grieved by May God cause us to be brief.

Similarly, in our day there was a mark or seal here that was put upon them. Now back to Revelation chapter 7 do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

Chapter 13 speaks of the mark of the beast. Chapter 14 with a look at chapter 14 verse one with me again. John is speaking to us in language of vision. He says then I looked, and behold a lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000, having his father's name.

What written on therefore heads same hundred and 44,000 John mentions in chapter 7. Here they are, having his father's name written on therefore heads.

What is that mean well there marked as identifying to Almighty God.

They belong to him. They bear then mark so just as Ezekiel 9. Those were bore the seal or mark will not be harmed by the calamities that will come upon the nation of Israel and Jerusalem. As a result of their commitment Almighty God the same is true here.

These who bear the mark. These two are sealed by God are protected from the wrath of Almighty God. Remember again how long they ask in chapter 6. How long until you avenge our blood and the answer was, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were were completed so were talking about God's protective care of his own.

There's a day coming day of judgment is going to fall upon this earth.

And God is going to pour that wrath out upon an unbelieving world when he comes, that will be again the great day of his wrath. Chapter 6 and verse 17 and it will be a manifestation of wrath unknown by man. Any time in human history.

It'll bring an end to this world order the be the destruction of the earth as we know it and will be a new heaven and earth made made in its place. So does that mean does this mean that God intends to insulate to protect us from harm and persecution.

What are some who would teach that if you have faith in God. You're his child got a protect you from all harm and hills and if you get sick you will be. God didn't bring that upon you. Your faith wasn't strong enough and they talk like this, but they don't understand the Bible. Remember what Jesus said to the church the persecuted church of Smyrna chapter 2 in verse 10 do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

So just for clarity purposes. I think we hear beacon Baptist Church understand this, but I don't who always else is listening and may not all understand this, we are not saved from life's calamities.

We are saved through life's calamities. There's a big difference in acts chapter 14 and verse 22 Paul said this, we must through many tribulations.

What enter the kingdom of God. Paul said in second Timothy chapter 2 in verse 19. Nevertheless, the solid foundation of God stands, having the seal, the Lord knows those who are his, having the seal. So let's talk a bit about what it means to be sealed not get lost in the speculation of whether this is a literal seal or whether this is simply symbolic. I have an opinion but I don't think that's really germane to the to the point here this evening, but seals what what what purpose do they serve will seals number one signify protection.

You remember when Jesus was crucified and died. He was put in the tomb and they did what they sealed the tone with a stone, why to protect it. Protect the body that was inside so seals protect seals are a statement of ownership.

I think that's what's being communicated here in chapter 7 and chapter 14 the father's name. Reading written on the forehead. It's God making a statement you belong to me and then to authenticate seals authenticate you remember this series of seals are broken began with the scroll on the right hand of God Almighty.

The seven sealed scroll and it was the Lamb who took the scroll and removed the seals disclosing what was inside so it authenticated the seals authenticated that the scroll belonged Almighty God. It was his.

He sealed it. It bore his mark and according to Paul Basile that you and I bear as believers in Jesus Christ is the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Notice these words in Ephesians chapter 1 Paul says in him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in him. Also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory, the Holy Spirit, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit were told. Here he guarantees the fullness of the salvation that we have been given we've only entered into it. We've only received a down payment will have the guarantee of our inheritance, but it's to guarantee that we will one day enter into the full measure of that which is been secured for us by our Savior on the cross so a seal. Basile identifies a true believer is identified not by an outward profession of faith, not by signing a card, not by walking and I'll but he is identified by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the transforming of facts that the Holy Spirit of God produces in that life, Basile identifies remember the words of Jesus, you will know a tree all you know a tree, you will know a tree by its fruit.

You will know a true believer in Jesus Christ by the fruit of their life.

The evidence of the work of the Spirit of God in that person's life so the Holy Spirit authenticates to the Christian that the word of God is true. And it all the promises of God are trustworthy. Holy Spirit protects our faith unto salvation.

He preserves us in the faith, and we must be careful not to grieve the Spirit of God, a believer who is out of fellowship with God if he has a true assessment of two true awareness he will lack an assurance of his salvation.

Why is that because God will not encourage a believer to continue on in unbroken fellowship. The spirit of God is great, the spirit of God is withdrawn.

A true believer will sense that distance that breaking of fellowship and in the spirit of God will use that to drawn back into fellowship. I'm always concerned when I'm talking to somebody who is violating the word of God and walking in open rebellion and say well I know one thing I know I'm a Christian.

On what basis you should. The basis is something they did something they did one time in their life. The basis isn't the evidence of the spirit of God, the fruit that he's producing in the life because a person walking in disobedience to God is not bearing the fruit of the spirit is bearing the fruit of the flesh. That's why Paul would say in Galatians walk in the spirit and will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The implication is if you're not walking in the spirit you'll be producing the deeds of the flesh.

That's the way it works so this begs the question, how do I know how do you know that you been sealed by the Holy Spirit of God. How do you know you have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is a very good question. We don't want to be deceived by this critical question. Remember the discussion that Jesus had with Nicodemus, the Pharisee recorded in John chapter 3 Jesus in that context was talking to him about the work of the spirit.

The work of the Holy Spirit and Jesus said this, the Holy Spirit is like the wind.

What did he mean by that white one on the say you can't see the wind but you can see its effects. You can see what the wind produces and then he says so is everyone who is born of the spirit.

So what he saying is that the Holy Spirit affects change in the lives of those who are truly born again, not just some not just a few, but everyone who is born of the Spirit of God as the evidence in the mark of the work of the Spirit of God. I think one of the greatest books written to help us with this question was written by arguably the greatest American theologian of our time and that would be Jonathan Edwards and he wrote this book in the middle of the great awakening in the was a need to write this book. To address this question because that was an awful lot of strange phenomena that was being associated with the work of the spirit, but a discerning person really was wandering away in a minute. The Bible tells us that where the spirit of God is at work. This is what he produces and or a lot of awed crazy phenomena that were being pointed to as the evidence of the spirit of God barking like a dog and all kinds of strange things you remember. Perhaps you do.

This goes back 2025 years or so ago, the Toronto Blessing. This was marketed for trade is a work of the Spirit of God among charismatic church in Toronto. The Vineyard movement in the Toronto Blessing was associated with initially holy laughter that if you had the spirit of God come upon you.

The Toronto Blessing was laughing uncontrollably and were told that the traffic in the Toronto airport was the highest traffic of any airport in the country because people work going to Toronto to get the Toronto Blessing and a ready begs the question, are people that undiscerning are the people that gullible that this is the evidence of the spirit of God holy laughter. But that's what was going on. So back to Jonathan Edwards.

He wrote a book in the title the book was the distinguishing marks of the work of the spirit of God, and he wrote it to address the counterfeits in his day and to bring clarity to the question, what are the distinguishing marks of the work of the Spirit of God and his theme verse was first John chapter 4 verse one. This is the verse beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God, because Manny false prophets have gone out into the world. Yes indeed. So let me let me just give you a summary of what Edwards was trying to communicate by giving you five distinguishing marks of the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is what Jonathan Edwards says, and I believe that it squares with Scripture, and I think it's something that we need to hear and be armed with and equipped with we might speak perhaps to others who are deceived. He said the first mark of the Holy Spirit's presence is an elevation of the steam in Jesus Christ as son of God and Savior St. were not to be looking for phenomena, bizarre experiences were not to be looking for feelings were looking for when the spirit of God is present in the life they will be a work of the Spirit of God, to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ to make much of him to elevate him to esteem him.

There will be a preoccupation and a desire for the glory and the esteem in the exaltation of Jesus Christ revealed in the Scriptures, and unfortunately we have to qualify that in our day. When we say, to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, we have to say that is the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in Scripture, not the Lord Jesus of the Jehovah witnesses or some other false religion.

He said that's the first mark of the Holy Spirit's presence. Jesus said this in John chapter 12 I'm sorry John chapter 16 again I want you to know that these marks are just coming out of a brilliant mind but coming out of the word of God. John Jesus said this in John chapter 16 Jesus said to the disciples. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

However, when he the spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth for he will not speak of his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you things to come, he will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the father has our mind. Therefore I said that he will take of mine and declare to you, Jesus said when the Holy Spirit comes, he will glorify me, he will draw attention to himself. The draw attention to me. In any such so-called working the spirit of God that draws attention to phenomena and signs and wonders is off-base because the work of the spirit is to point and in deflecting attention from the spirit to the Lord Jesus Christ.

That's the first mark of the Holy Spirit's presence.

Number two. The presence of the Holy Spirit is opposed to the reign of Satan and it causes us to turn from sin, the spirit of God is the spirit of holiness. That's the work of the spirit is the holy spirit's purpose is design his desire is to lead us in holy living. Tony Honeycutt spoke at our tri-state particular Baptist Fellowship and he said he wouldn't and probably doesn't surprise you that every man that comes to the mission and they're all they've all been saved. All ISI been saved so Tony has a series of questions he begins asked the man, one of the questions is so you been saved, you say he said what he been safe from said usually they don't have an answer to the question. So I'm asking you if you're saved what he is safe from and then use this illustration. He says if you were drowning and somebody threw a life preserver and pulled you out.

What did they save you from only save me from drowning.

If God has saved you. What is he saved you from C. The spirit of God saves us he releases us from the grip of Satan, but he saves us from sin. A life of sin and where there is the presence of habitual sin, enslaving sin, the question is got to be is that the evidence of the spirit of God, no, that's the absence of the evidence of the absence of the spirit of God because the spirit of God is committed to making us holy, changing us, freeing us from the very power of sin. Edwards went on to say, the presence of the Holy Spirit will be seen in an increased interest in the word of God.

He said there will be an increased appetite for the word of God and personal devotion and incorporate gatherings. Nubia sincere milk of the word to be a hungering for the truth of God. Unfortunately in our day. In many churches. There's a moving away from the centrality of the word of God church growth gurus say hey. People don't want preach to the days of expository preaching are for a bygone day there. They're not popular today, people won't come and listen.

The long-winded preachers or is that coming from what's coming from the premise that were asking the lost man, what is it that you would want if you were to come to church so we we cater to that we build the church we have a program that's designed to meet the carnal needs of lost man. So when they come in they feel good about church. All of a sudden really that's what were going take our cues from the world. No, Edward said one of the evidences of the work of the Spirit of God is to create a hungering and a thirsting and a longing for the word of God. I know that was true in my life. I had read the Bible much but when God saved me. I was working 11 to 711 and 97 in the morning I would call home party was teaching school, which she would leave for school. I would take a shower and I would have the radio on and I'd be sitting on the floor in the dining area in the in the in the den with my notebook of my Bible open listening to sermons, drinking in the word. I couldn't get enough of it single are you tired me as I was tired I worked all night, but that's when the program came on. I had an interest in the word of God, where did it come from the spirit of God at work. Many of you can attest to the same thing you had no interest in the word of God. You had no interest in church or church that made the word of God. Central but now you can't think of going to church without workplace with up to a place where that isn't true. Again, evidence of the work of the spirit.

What else did he say there were five marks that he had in this book number four.

He said there will be an understanding and his zeal for the doctrines of the Bible. An understanding of and his zeal for the doctrines of the Bible what what is he mean by that. Well, you've heard us say this over and over again here that salvation is a mighty big subject, a large subject that there are so many things that are scripturally addressed under that big topic.

There is adoption and propitiation and justification in progressive sanctification and all kinds of doctrines, but asked the average Christian tell me what you believe about justification. Get ready for a blank stare back okay will have a buggy, what you believe about the doctor propitiation. What is the Bible say about the doctrine of adoption. Unfortunately in our day. People have a shallow understanding of the gospel and are satisfied with that. A mark of the spirit of God is an interest in, and his zeal for the doctrines of the Bible. We want to understand the Bible. We honor we want to understand the rich doctrines of the Bible and number five.

He said the evidence of the spirit of God is the spirit of love with the spirit of love is manifest may quote Edwards pieces of the spirit at work among the people operates as a spirit of love to God and to love of man that is sign of the spirit of God. We we have a love for the brother and this is not a feeling it's were willing to do were willing to care were willing to minister were willing to bear one another's burdens were willing to pray for one another willing to extend ourselves, deny ourselves for the sake of our brothers. That's something that spirit run audits and evidence of the spirit of God. Now all of that is certainly what we were were striving in those areas. We have arrived at perfection were our love for these things can Wayne we we are praying often Lord, stir me up. Lord, help me not to become blue so but this is this is these are the areas that the spirit of God has a concentrated interest in and is exercising the spirit of these exercising the hearts of the people of God in these areas. So back to Revelation chapter 7 do not harm the earth, the sea or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads folks. It's a wonderful thing to be possessed by God to have a sense that God has reached into my life and has saved me, got his changed me. God has moved me from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light translated me out of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of his dear son in the spirit of God is working in me. He worked in May. He is continuing to work in me both to will and to do according to his good pleasure. And when we see the evidence of that. It's it's cause for rejoicing that will put a song in your hearts that will cause you to want to lift your voice in praise and worship to God.

When we gather as a church, it'll motivate you to want to live for him to cooperate with the spirit of God to be walking circumspectly in this world not as a fool, not as a non-wise person. That's what the spirit of God does like anticipated that we probably wouldn't get much further than verse three because I really felt compulsion to deal with this issue of being sealed by God, and what does that mean for us. So when we come back together will be considering the hundred and 44,000 is a lot of things there that are worth spending some time in thinking through and weighing we might understand the word of God right so again, thank you for your interest in the word of God, thank you for the evidence of the spirit of God at work in you were not were not were not interested in just doing church were not interested in just a formality were not interested in just going through the motions work work were interested in being yielded to the spirit of God, who is active and working with an end in mind.

He's preparing us for heavenly habitation he's changing is from 1° of glory to the next.

He is working to conform us more and more into the image of his dear son, and all that is praiseworthy world knows nothing of this.

You will get this any other place, but in a healthy, growing church, a place where you we open the word of God and study the word of God and see what the word of God is saying to us.

So again, thank you for your interest tonight and let us conclude with prayer father how we thank you for the operation of the spirit of God, we thank you for your electing love father Lord Jesus, thank you for your willingness to common take the place of hell deserving sinners on the cross and bear their punishment bear their sin pay their sin debt and live a life of perfection that that life of perfection might be transferred to our account that we might be seen by God the father and his court of judgment is free, free of condemnation, but Holy Spirit of God, thank you for your work of regeneration. Your work of convicting your work work of renewing and transforming us from the inside out Holy Spirit of God, thank you, thank you for your work. Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for what you will do by taking the word of God. It's been preached tonight and applying it to the lives of those who have been converted and we as a church long for that day when we will be in the company that innumerable multitude we will join our voices and we will say amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen