®Would you be surprised to learn that God has a special sign, seal or mark that He places upon His people?

®

®Would you be startled to learn that unless a person bears this mark at Jesus’ return, he/she cannot enter God’s Kingdom?

®Would you be shocked to discover that most people are totally unaware of God’s mark, and thus ignore it?

®

®Would you be dumbfounded to find out that one great prime purpose of Revelation is to identify and restore God’s mark to His people?

®Well, incredible as it may seem, the above statements are true! Few things are as important to God as His mark. And, tragically, when God looks at most of His people today, He can only shake His head and say, "The mark is missing." It would be difficult to find a more important topic for study. Please pray much as you consider this most vital matter.

1. Why does God delay earth’s final destruction? Rev. 7:1 - 3

®Answer:

®"Hurt not the earth … till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."

®Note:

®God will not permit the final winds of war to bring total destruction upon the earth until His people have received His mark, or seal. Winds in prophecy represent war, bloodshed and destruction.

®Jer. 25:31 - 33; 49:36,37

2. How widely will God’s message about His seal be proclaimed?
Rev. 14:6

®"To every nation and kindred and tongue and people".

®We shall discover that the seal or mark of God is an important part of the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14 which will be proclaimed worldwide with great power, just before Jesus returns. Remember that "seal", "sign" and "mark", often are used interchangeably in scripture.

®Romans 4:11, Ezekiel 9:4, Rev. 7:2,3.

3. How is a seal used symbolically in scripture?
Romans 4:11, Eze. 9:4, Rev. 7:2,3, Eph. 4:30.

®"… a seal of the righteousness of the faith." Rom. 4:11

®"… hurt not the earth … until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."

®Rev. 7:3

®"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30

A Government Seal

4. What three things does a government seal contain?

Government seals are used to officially identify legal documents. Such a seal gives the national leaders’:

®A. Name

®B. Title

®and

®C. Territory

®over which he rules or has authority.

5. Identify God’s Seal in His Holy Law. Exo. 20:8 - 11

®"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD THY GOD … for the Lord MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH."

®The fourth commandment reveals God’s seal!

® 1. Name "Lord thy God"

® 2. Title "Creator" (He made)

® 3. Territory "Heaven and Earth"

6. What is God’s Sign or Seal of His Creating and Redeeming Power?
Exo. 31:17, Eze. 20:12, Rev. 4:10,11

®The Sabbath is the sign that God is Creator and Redeemer!

®Note:

®God, Himself, made the Sabbath to be a sign of His creating and redeeming power.

®Note: The forehead represents the mind; we serve the Lord with our minds (Rom. 7:25). So when we consent to keep God’s Sabbath, we are marked or signed in our minds, represented by our foreheads.

God’s Holy Sabbath

®8. When did God make the Sabbath?

®Gen. 2:1-4

®Answer: When "the Lord made the heaven and the earth".

®Note: After the six days of creation, God made the Sabbath on the seventh day.

®"The seventh day is the Sabbath".

®Note: God made the Sabbath from a 24-hour day - the 7th day. It is made of time, and time is what it takes to develop a true friendship with the Lord. He offers me 24 - hours a week of His priceless time so He and I can become warm, close friends. How can I ignore such an offer?

®Answer:

®"He rested on the seventh day … and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it."

®Note: "Sanctify" means to set aside for a sacred use.

®Answer:

®"It shall be blessed forever."

®"The Sabbath was made for man."

®Note: Some say the Sabbath was made for the Jews only, and not for Gentiles, but Jesus says it was made for all mankind, or people everywhere, from the very beginning of time.

®"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."

®Note: This command is so clear that a person would have to try hard to misunderstand it. It is the only one of the ten beginning with the word "Remember". God saw that men would forget.

The New Testament Sabbath

®14. Were the ten commandments ever repealed?

®Answer: No! "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail."

(A "tittle" is the horizontal / cross portion of the letter "t")

®Note: God’s law and His commandments are the same thing. Matt. 5:17-19, Rom. 13:8-10

15. What day did Jesus and Paul keep? Luke 4:16, Acts 17:2 (Acts 18:4)

®Answer: " The SABBATH day."

®16. How should it affect me to learn that Jesus kept the Sabbath? 1 Peter 2:21

®Answer: I should follow His example.

®Note:

®Since Jesus set an example for me in Sabbath-keeping, surely I will want to follow Him in keeping it.

®Answer: YES.

®Note:

®Verse 43 reveals that the Sabbath-keeping Gentiles were also living under grace.

18. Did Jesus plan for His disciples to keep the Sabbath after His resurrection? Matt. 24:20

®Answer:

®Yes! He instructed them to pray that their escape would not be on the Sabbath.

®Note:

When Jesus made this statement He knew Jerusalem would be destroyed almost 40 years in the future; so He clearly expected them to be keeping the Sabbath 40 years after His resurrection.

God’s People Identified

®19. How does Revelation refer to those who will be saved? Rev. 14:12, 12:17

®Answer:

®As people who "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus."

®Note:

®This includes Sabbath-keeping since it is the fourth commandment (Exo. 20:8 - 11)

20. Why is breaking God’s commandments or laws, so serious?

1 John 3:4, Rom. 6:23

®Answer:

®Because breaking God’s law is SIN and the wages of sin is DEATH.

21. What sin does God especially name in Isaiah 58:1,13?

®Answer:

®He said they were trampling upon His Sabbath.

®Note:

®God calls Sabbath-breaking a sin. In Isaiah’s day they were trampling upon God’s holy Sabbath, which is His sign or seal. Men today are doing the same serious thing. His command is to "Cry aloud!" and explain the Sabbath to them. Jesus the Good Shepherd knows His loving sheep will gladly follow Him in Sabbath-keeping when they understand, because they love to please Him.

®Answer:

®The Sabbath!

®Answer:

®Love for Jesus!

®Answer:

®"Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth."

®Note:

®God commands that I keep the Sabbath day holy as proof that I accept and worship Him as Creator.

®Answer:

®Because the Sabbath is the Lord’s day.

®Note:

®Remember! Jesus created everything in cooperation with His Father (John 1:1-3,10,14; Heb. 1:1,2; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:13-17). This, of course, includes the seventh day Bible Sabbath.

®The Sabbath is thrilling and exciting to Christians because it centers in Jesus. It is His day. It represents HIS power to create, HIS love, HIS power to save from sin, and HIS miracles.

Most exciting of all, Jesus set His wonderful day aside to be with us and to help us become like Him. Jesus, at Eden, gave people two wonderful institutions to make them supremely happy - marriage and the Sabbath. He must often weep that so many people today ignore and misuse these two loving gifts, and thus end up with lives of misery and woe.

®26. In John 14:15 Jesus says: "If you love me keep my commandments." Do you love Him enough to keep all of His commandments now?

®

®Your answer: ________

Please accept Him today. He wants to save us. Heaven can hold everyone who choose to be saved. Wont you choose Him today?

There is absolutely no reason why any human being should be lost.

Lesson 5       Lesson 7