Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

January 1, 2006
Volume 5 Number 1

The Seal of the Living God

End-time events unfold in the Book of Revelation with the opening of the seals of a book by the Lamb of God:

1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. -Revelation 6

As each seal is opened, tremendous events unfold. These include wars, famines, and "beasts of the earth" (which could include the causes of global plagues and pestilence), resulting in the death of millions of people on earth.

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. -Revelation 6

Unfazed by the significance of these events, many continue in great persecution against those people who believe in the Word of God and who testify of the gospel of Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ):

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: -Revelation 6

Cataclysmic events, such as earthquakes, falling stars, and the darkening of the sun and the moon, begin to occur. Finally, the people of the earth, including its leaders, realize what is happening. The great day of the "wrath of the Lamb" has come:

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? -Revelation 6

As the time of judgment comes upon the earth, the question is asked, "Who shall be able to stand?"

That question is answered as the winds, or spirits, causing the cataclysmic global events are miraculously held back:

1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. -Revelation 7

Much like the still winds in the eye of a hurricane, there is a lull in the storm of judgment. The quietness is temporary, as the storm of judgment is interrupted to allow God’s servants to receive the "seal of the living God" in their foreheads:

2 And 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 given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. -Revelation 7

The seal is given to 144,000 of all the tribes of Israel. (Some suggest this is a literal number, while others believe it is a figurative number, representing all of the true believers from each of the globally dispersed twelve tribes.*)

4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. -Revelation 7

What is the seal of the living God?

Like many of the mysteries of God, Yahweh has already revealed the answer through the patterns that He showed to His prophets. When He brought Moses upon Mount Sinai, He left him there in a cloud for six days. On the seventh day, Yahweh finally revealed His glory to the people of Israel in the appearance of a "devouring fire:"

17 And the sight of the glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. -Exodus 24

After revealing a brief glimpse of His glory, Yahweh brought Moses back into the cloud:

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and got him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights. -Exodus 24

During those forty days and nights, Yahweh showed Moses heavenly patterns and told him to imitate them:

40 And look that you make them after their pattern, which was shown you in the mount. -Exodus 25

These patterns were imitated on earth, as commanded by Yahweh. They were made as imperfect physical representations based on the pattern of heavenly truths. The tabernacle, temple, feast days, methods for worship, and even priestly garments were among the earthly things that were made according to heavenly patterns.

The priestly garment for Aaron, the high priest, showed the great importance that Yahweh placed on remembering names. He had the twelve names of Israel written twice upon the garment, which was called an ephod. First the names of Israel were engraved upon two stones that were placed upon the shoulders:

12 And you shall put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial to the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh upon his two shoulders for a memorial. -Exodus 28

Next, each of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel was engraved upon a precious stone, which was mounted upon Aaron’s breastplate:

15 And you shall make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shall you make it.

21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. -Exodus 28

Finally, the name of Yahweh was sealed upon the front of Aaron’s turban. It was engraved in pure gold and placed upon Aaron’s forehead:

36 And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO YAHWEH.

37 And you shall put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the turban; upon the forefront of the turban it shall be.

38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh. -Exodus 28

The seal worn on Aaron’s forehead read, "HOLINESS TO YAHWEH." The seal bearing the name of God was to always be upon Aaron’s forehead.

As we continue our study, we learn that Aaron’s seal, bearing the name of God, is a representation much like that shown in the Book of Revelation. There we find that the 144,000, who had been sealed with the "seal of the living God," have the "Father’s name written in their foreheads:"

1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. -Revelation 14

Those who bear the name of the living God, which is hwhy (YHWH, pronounced as Yahweh), in their foreheads, are identified as belonging to Him. He says that a "book of remembrance" would be written for those who "feared Yahweh, and that thought upon his name:"

16 Then they that feared Yahweh spoke often one to another: and Yahweh listened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared Yahweh, and that thought upon his name. -Malachi 3

He will remember and spare those who remember Him:

17 And they shall be mine, says Yahweh of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. -Malachi 3

As we believe upon Yahshua (Jesus) the Messiah, who came in the name of the living God, the promise of our salvation is sealed with the "holy Spirit of promise:"

13 In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, -Ephesians 1

David wrote:

7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of Yahweh our God.

8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

9 Save, Yahweh: let the king hear us when we call. -Psalms 20

Will we trust in chariots or in horses, or will we remember His name? Will we be able to stand?

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* The son of Joseph, Menassah, replaces the displaced tribe of Dan, which does not receive the seal.

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper King James Version (PKJV)