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THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL 7
WHAT IS THE DIVINE SEAL OF GOD?
If the 144,000 are sealed with the seal ef God
in their foreheads, Rev. 14, then it becomes us to know
with no uncertainty what that seal is. There has been
much said about ‘the seal of God,” and “the mark
of the beast.” Some have said, “The mark of the
beast was sprinkling for baptism,” others said it was
the Sunday institution in the place of the observance
of the proper Sabbath. The opposer of the money
power says it is the money power, and the love of
money. That is the mark or seal of the beast. As
to what it is there has been no end to the positions
taken. Sabbath keepers (and myself, also in the
past, included) claimed the seal of God to be the
Sabbath. They show that that commandment con-
tains every requirement of a legal seal as affixed to a
law in order to place the law in force. This argument
is placed in a plausible setting. They also then reason
on the same basis to show that the Sunday institution
18 of Papal origin and it constitutes the mark of the
beast. This also at first thought looks very plausible.
But can a law or any single commandment of a law
be truly said to be the seal to that law? We reply,
No. No law or seal is so used in the world. In every
transaction of legality where a seal is required the
law and the seal are two seperate things. The seal
is that which places and gives power to the law or
document when placed to it by an official authorized
to affix the seal of his authority and office he holds.
This is too positive and plain to question by any
hence no commandment of God or of any other power
cal possibly be the seal or mark of that power.
Every child of God that will ever be saved must be
sealed. Paul says:
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which arein heaven
and which are on earth; even in him.
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being pre-
destinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will:
“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first
trusted in Christ.
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye
believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
“Which is the earnest of our inheritance yntil the redemption
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”—Eph.
The apostle is very plain in the above showing
how all are saved. He says, “They heard the word
of truth and after they heard it were then sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise till the day of our redemp-
tion. He further says that seal is the earnest (or
pledge) given us. This needs no comment as to the
manner of the sealing of God’s children. Namely, it
is the Holy Spirit that does the work after the indivi-
dual has hearf and accepted the word of God. The
Holy Spirit witnesses to it and thus places its seal
upon them. In our civil national order the official
appointed for the purpose affixes his seal and that
place the document in full force. Just so in God’s
realm the word is taught. If the mind receives it,
then the Holy Spirit, the one divinely appointed,
places its seal of the acceptance of the word by the
individual, and they are sealed by writing that word
in the mind and heart of the individual by the Holy
Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:1-4.
The individual’s name is then recorded in the
heavenly record, The name of Israel and Jew is ap-
plied to them by the Lord and thus they are sealed.
Then we ask again, What is the seal? We reply,
It is the Holy Spirit. With men the impression is
made either by writing with a pen or some instrument
made for the purpose, with God the impression is made
by the Holy Spirit upon the heart.
The Next Point.
In order to obtain the seal of God the individual
in his reception of the word receives Christ as his King
His Redeemer. They then become citizens of His
kingdom. They obey His laws and no other. Christ
alone is their Master. Him alone they serve. In
every test as to which power they will obey, they obey
but one and that is Christ. They cannot serve two
masters. Strict loyalty is ever the test. So far as
Christ's word permits and no further can they go to
please others. This includes every commandment
Christ ever gave, as the Author and Finisner of our
faith. It includes every testimony of Christ througn
His divinely appointed prophets as recorded in the
Bible. They add nothing to His word, neither take
anything from it. The Father’s name is then in their
forehead (mind). They know nothing but Christ and
Him crucified as their Redeemer and Master. Thus
they are sealed (marked) for the kingdom of God.
Their character is accepted.
The Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand.
The last work to be done, is to seal 144,000 of all the
tribes of Israel, 12,000 of each tribe. It is said of this num-
ber that they get the victory over the beast and his image.
They have the name of their God in their foreheads. The
prophet Ezekiel calls this work of Sealing in the ninth
chapter, the marking of them in their foreheads, by the one
having the writer's ink horn by his side. The one thus de-
scribed is a representative of the Holy Spirit. The individuals
marked are those who cry and sigh for the abominations
done in the midst of Jerusalem. (The professed Church.)
Following the work of marking, the remainder of
Jerusalem are all slain, both old and young. Thus the word
mark, and seal are synonmous in this case. The work here
described is the same as the gathering of the Remnant out
of Babylon before her destruction takes place by the falling
of the plagues.
Note: Babylon is composed of the various organiza-
tions of Christendom. Hence, the time of separation finally
comes when every false doctrine held must be given up be-
fore the seal can be placed on the mind of the Remnant of
Israel. But that is not all there is to consider. There is anoth-
er power that demands obedience to it and that power is the
Beast and Its Image, which has a mark or seal also. How
shall we learn what is the mark of the beast? We reply just
as we did the Seal of God. We learned that in order to have
the seal fo God we were to hear God’s Word and receive
it in our hearts and acknowledge God as our sovereign, our
King, and with willing hearts obey His laws and require-
ments. From His organization of Government down, It re-
quired strict adherence to all the Lord required, just so with
the civil power of the beast. The beast is simply carrying out
its King’s (Satan's) demands. Its King is Satan, he is the
god of this world. It is he that says *‘I will exalt my throne
above the throne of the most high.” It is he that demands
obedience from all his subjects. His system of worship is
baal worship from the earliest times. He worships the planets
and nature as his god. “He is the Prince of the power of the
air. His doctrines are the doctrines of devils.” His organiza-
tions are a counterfeit of God's organization, in both church
and state. His system is under the rule of the beast. It js the
union of Christianity and Baal combined. It is the mystery
of iniquity. The authority at the head of his work on earth
is ‘‘the son of perdition.”
He sits in the temple of God, showing himself to be
God.” His daughter is the Mother of Babylon, his grand
daughters are the daughters as now organized throughout
Christendom.