Please help me understand what scripture means when it uses ‘seal’ or ‘sealed.’
In the scripture, the word ‘seal’ has a couple of different meanings; therefore the context of the verse will define it.
One meaning has to do with closing something up with the intention to open it up again at a later date. This is what the angel tells Daniel about his prophecies:
Daniel 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
The second, and most referred-to use of the word ‘seal/sealed’ has to do with a stamp of a king's insignia—showing authority, that no man can change; thus preventing anyone for messing with something that belong to him.
1 Kings 21:8
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
Esther 8:8
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
Daniel 6:17
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
Revelation 7:2
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,
Now in the bible, people could be sealed also.
We today, as members of the church the body of Christ have been sealed by God with the Holy Ghost...
2 Corinthians 1:22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Ephesians 1:13
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,
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
But God does not just seal those who are his in this present dispensation of the Mystery, He also sealed those Jews who were his in prophecy [Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21].
Revelation 7:3-4
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Notice that in prophecy, those that were sealed by God were 144,000 Jews; 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel in the future tribulation period!
By the way, God knows who they are...they themselves don't know whether they are sealed or not!
All this from Revelation with these Jews was prophesied about in type/picture in the book of Ezekiel 9. During the Tribulation period, God will not allow the death angel to touch those Jews that trust Him. What must they do to trust Him? They must keep Christ’s commandments!!
Ezekiel 9
He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar. And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city. And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem? Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head. And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.
So we see that those who are sealed in the prophecy program (God’s word that was spoken of by the mouth of his holy prophets…since the world began) are Jews in the future, and they endure to the end and go into the earthly kingdom. And those who are sealed in the mystery program (God’s word that was kept secret since the world began)are we who are in his body and go up at the rapture!
Hopefully this
helps...Maranatha!
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P.S. Therefore, by biblical definition, since we are sealed with God, the Holy Spirit, himself, at the moment we believe the gospel of grace, no man—not even ourselves—can break that seal. Once saved, always saved!
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