Those who were hit by the title
It is the seal of the living God. In Revelation 7:2, it is called “the seal of the living God.” ① It meant the absolute sovereignty of God. ② It meant the immutable eternity of God. ③ It meant safety and ownership that comes from God's absolute power. It means a person who has eternal effect that no one can take away, nullify, or suspend its effect.
2. What does seal mean?
Revelation 7:3 says, “Until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
1) It is a sign of self-ownership.
Song of Songs 8:6 says, “Take me like a seal in your heart, and put me on your arm like a seal.” This is a sign of possession. Isaiah 43:1 says, “Now the LORD who created you speaks, O Jacob, now speaks the LORD who created you, Israel who formed you. Do not be afraid, I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.” A slave has a seal on his hand, forehead, or body, which is the name of the master to which he belongs. It is an indelible mark of the owner's possession.
Those who have the seal of the living God belong to the living God forever.
2) It is a sign of absolute safety.
When the sovereign's seal is put, no one can touch it.
For example, Pilate sealed the tomb of Jesus (Matthew 27:66). It has an authority that cannot be opened by anyone but Pilate. Of course, the power of God overshadowed the authority of the human Pilate. The book sealed with seven seals (Revelation 5:1) was not opened by anyone in heaven, on earth, or under the earth. Only the Lord Himself could open it.
Revelation 7:3 says, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees until they are sealed.” Those who are sealed receive absolute safety and protection. This is one of the purposes of the writing of Revelation. It is the ultimate victory of Christians, the ultimate victory.
3) It is a sign of gender.
Revelation 7:3 also says, “Until the foreheads of the servants of God are sealed.” This is a mark that distinguishes them from those who are not God's people. It is a mark that distinguishes those who have received Satan's seal (mark), 666.
The imprint of the owner on the property is a sign of transferring it to the new owner. It is a sign of separation. It is a mark that distinguishes the ownership of the buyer and the seller.
4) It is a mark of authenticity.
It is “the seal of the living God” (Revelation 7:2). The fishman of King Darius (Daniel 6) and the fishman of King Ahasuerus (Esther 3:2) all represent the person of the king himself. It is a sign that the statute is genuine. The seal on the foreheads of God's servants is a sign that proves the true existence of God Himself and the truthfulness of the salvation received by the saved saints. A seal or seal certificate is for the purpose of verifying the facts.
5) It is the sign of the ultimate salvation of the saints.
Those who have the seal of the living God will not perish. Even in the face of all kinds of persecution of death, such as the scarlet dragon, the beast from the earth, the beast from the sea, the mark of the beast 666, and the fear of the harlots of Babylon, their faith is not betrayed or their spirit is destroyed. The authority of God's seal is the pillar of fire and cloud that protects and protects the saints until the end of the world. He cannot lose anything (Luke 15:3-4), and the evil one cannot touch it (1 John 5:18). The seal effect is as long as the person is alive. It is the seal of the living God. If so, the effect of the seal is eternal. The effect of the seal is eternal, assuring the ultimate salvation of the saints.
3. To whom did you seal?
Revelation 7:3 says, "Until the foreheads of the servants of our God are sealed."
This does not refer to any particular person. It is a generic term for the holy group destined to be saved in Christ, the children of God. It is spiritual Israel. In the Bible, these are expressed in various ways, such as children of light, the righteous, saints, believers, and Christians.
However, in the text, it is referred to as “the foreheads of the servants of our God,” implying its deep meaning.
1) They are the people who bought it.
Those who have paid a price and redeemed themselves. As revealed in Revelation 5:9, it refers to those who were “slain and bought for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation”.
those who have changed their affiliation. It refers to those who have been transferred from the servants of Satan to the servants of God.
2) It is a word that shows their loyalty.
By calling them 'servants of God', it is implied that they are servants of God. It shows that they are the ones who enjoy the blessings and honors of serving God for the rest of their lives, even for eternity. So Paul testified that he had the marks of Jesus on his body (Galatians 6:17).
3) It shows that they are the saved elect.
They are one hundred and forty-four thousand (Rev 14:1), an uncountable multitude gathered from every nation, tongue, and tribe, clothed in white, and holding palm branches in their hands (Rev 7: 9).
4. Where did you put the seal?
Revelation 7:3 also says, "Until the foreheads of the servants of our God are sealed." In Revelation 14:1, 144,000 people stood on Mount Zion, saying, “The name of the Lamb and the name of its Father are written on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:4 says that only those who have the seal on their foreheads will enter the new heavens and new earth.
What does it mean to put a seal on the forehead here? It means that the gospel of salvation has been planted in the most holy place of his person. The reason is that the forehead is a symbol of character.
The seal of the living God!
Its essential expression is the love of salvation on the cross. To put it on the forehead has a deep meaning of renewing the image of God, which had been lost due to sin. It is said that the saving love of the cross of Jesus Christ regenerated us and put a seal on our foreheads by referring to the fact that we were created anew. It refers to receiving the grace of a new person (Ephesians 4:23-24, 2 Corinthians 5:17) who has been created through righteousness and holiness of truth. It means the image of God engraved on the soul rain (2 Corinthians 2:3).
5. How did you seal it?
1) He sealed it in the name of Heavenly Father (the seal of creation).
In Revelation 14:1, it is said that God the Father's name was engraved on his forehead. This is the seal of creation of God the Father. It is the culmination of God's creation. God's wisdom and riches of knowledge were revealed through the creation of man. Man is never a product of chance. It has received the creative seal of God. Therefore, the source of man is God.
2) Sealed in the name of the Lamb Jesus (seal of redemption).
Revelation 14:1 says again that the name of the Lamb is on his forehead. This is the seal of the Son Jesus Christ. When the person created by God the Father fell and was lost due to sin, Jesus Christ bought him with the blood of the cross to confirm that it belongs to God.
3) The seal of the Holy Spirit was sealed (seals of sanctification and glory).
Ephesians 1:13 says, "In him you also heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." Ephesians 4:30 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed until the day of redemption.”
The Holy Spirit calls us, regenerates us, causes us to believe and repents, leads us to be justified, enables us to live as children of God, makes us grow, and finally refines us into people of glory.
To seal with the Holy Spirit means to be moved by the Holy Spirit to make a profession of faith, to call on the name of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:3), and to testify of Him (1 Corinthians 9:2, 2 Timothy 2:19). So, in Isaiah, God the Father created, Jesus the Son redeemed, and the Holy Spirit called them by name, so Israel (children of God) was declared mine, that is, God's (Isaiah 43:1).
6. Total number of those who are sealed
In Revelation 7:4 it says, "I heard the number of those who were sealed, and out of every tribe of the children of Israel were four hundred and forty-four thousand sealed."
whose person is it?
1) Wrong interpretation
(1) It is a feminine interpretation.
It is an interpretation that the number of those who will be saved is actually only 144,000. If so, will all other expressions that appear a lot in the book of Revelation be interpreted as feminine?
(2) It is an interpretation of the number of Jews saved.
The 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 is the number of salvation by the Jews in the homeland (Rev. 7:5-6), and in Revelation 7:9, “A great number that no one can count in every nation, tribe, people, and tongue. “The crowd” is an interpretation that considers the number of the salvation of the Gentiles.
Then, in Revelation 14:1, the number of salvation standing on Mount Zion is 144 million. Where did the Gentiles go?
The 144,000 in Revelation 7:4 are like the uncountable great crowd in Revelation 9:10. The symbolic number of 144,000 was repeatedly expressed differently as a large crowd that no one could count.
(3) Interpretation of a particular class of Christians, namely, martyrs or other specific groups.
However, this is impossible. Can there be 12 thousand martyrs out of the 12 tribes of Israel?
(4) Or, there is an interpretation that is a case in which pseudo-Christian groups are taking over.
2) true interpretation
This means the total number of spiritual Israel. It is the sum of the predestination determined to be saved in Jesus Christ after the fund.
The reason is,
(1) Because the church is the true Israel.
Whether Gentile or Jew, the church is true Israel (Romans 2:9, 29, Gal 6:16, James 1:1).
(2) The names of the 12 tribes of Israel are written in the gates of the twelve pearls of the kingdom, because it says that they are the same as the church (Revelation 21:12).
(3) It is because Revelation 14:1 clearly refers to the 144,000 people as the saved people.
Therefore, it is ‘Revelation 7:4 + Revelation 7:9 + Revelation 14:1’. In Revelation 7:9, it is repeatedly explained that the 144,000 people in 7:4 are universal members of the church, and it is impossible to express it as a feminine number, so it is “a great crowd that no one can count” (Rev 7:9). ) is expressed as ‘Each country’ here is a group of this world. ‘Family’ is a pedigree relationship. A ‘tongue’ refers to a perspective between races and races that converge and converge along languages. ‘People’ are groups of political communities.
Then, the 144,000 are universal in their region, universal in their race, universal (transblood) in their lineage, and super-political in their political group. It is a supernumerical number that cannot be expressed mathematically.
Then, it should be borne in mind that in the act of salvation, God is showing that ① he has an absolutely sovereign plan, ② he is just love, and ③ he aims for the salvation of the greatest number of people.