When God's mystery is finished, Jesus shall make the awesome pronouncement: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still" (Revelation 22:11), and He shall come for His people who will be fully reflecting His character. These holy, righteous people (referred to as the 144,000) will have put away all sin and received "the seal of the living God" in their foreheads (Revelation 7:2, 3).
In Revelation 14 we are told it is the "Father's name written in their foreheads" (Revelation 14:1). They are seen in the closing chapter of Revelation standing in the presence of God and it is again declared that "his name shall be in their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4). This name is "in" their foreheads, not "on" their foreheads. This has nothing to do with an outward mark, but rather it is an inward, evident transformation of their minds (Romans 12:2). In the Bible a name is indicative of character (i.e. Jacob the deceiver, the supplanter, becomes Israel, God ruled). Those who have "the seal of the living God" in their foreheads (Revelation 7:2, 3) will have received the mind of Christ (Philippians 5:2) and will fully reflect His character. Thus, they have the "Father's name written in their foreheads" just as Jesus had the Father's name in Him (Exodus 23:20, 21).
We find in inspiration that this "seal of the living God will be placed upon those only who bear a likeness to Christin character"[1] and "Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them."[2] Therefore, "Those who receive the seal of the living God and are protected in the time of trouble must reflect the image of Jesus fully."[3]
Our Saviour stands poised on the threshold of heaven, waiting, longing to come for His people, but our unbelief will not permit Him to come. He cannot seal us by His Spirit while we remain impure, unholy, unbelieving, and unwilling to allow Him to change us into His image. He continues to wait for one thing. "Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own."[4]
It is only as we place ourselves totally under His control that we can hope to receive His seal. His truth must be rooted in our hearts and our lives transformed by His Spirit. "As wax takes the impression of the seal, so the soul is to take the impression of the Spirit of God and retain the image of Christ."[5] What God is waiting for is for us to allow Him to change us, to allow Him to take control of our lives, our very thoughts and actions, and to bring us to the very sinlessness of Adam before the fall?
"Those only who through faith in Christ obey all of God's commandments will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression."[6] Do you have the faith to accept this?
This message was of such importance that the following year the Lord repeated this message to His people. "Everyone who believes on Christ, everyone who relies on the keeping power of a risen Saviour that has suffered the penalty pronounced upon the transgressor, everyone who resists temptation and in the midst of evil copies the pattern given in the Christ-life, will through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Christ become a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Everyone who by faith obeys God's commandments, will reach the condition of sinlessness in which Adam lived before his transgression."[7]
What an awesome thought, yet many of God's people are too easily satisfied with their attainments. They are neglecting the preparation so needful in these last days. What about you? "What are you doing ... in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth -- these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.
"Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the foreheads of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God -- candidates for heaven."[8]
The word of God teaches "us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:12). Have we perhaps forgotten that Jesus died and rose again "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14)? Therefore, when Jesus returns, His people will constitute "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27).
Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God and be a part of these people. But we, as a people, remain in a state of spiritual stupor, so self-satisfied with our attainments. "There has been so little self-denial, so little suffering for Christ's sake, that the cross is almost entirely forgotten. ... So long as we choose the easy path of self-indulgence, and are frightened at self-denial, our faith will never become firm and we cannot know the peace of Jesus, nor the joy that comes through conscience victory. ... Oh, for a living, active faith. We need it; we must have it, or we shall faint and fail in the day of trial."[9]
So many are neglecting the needed preparation and "if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God."[10] Therefore, "let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand."[11]
Of these people John has recorded that "in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Revelation 14:5). However, centuries before John ever penned these words God described His last day "remnant" and declared: "The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. ... The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more" (Zephaniah 3:13, 15).
As amazing as it may seem, through the grace and power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we can be transformed to reflect His character fully and to live the life He lived; we can reach that sinless condition in which Adam lived before his transgression. This can be a reality for each of us. But "are we striving with all our power to attain to the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for His fullness, ever pressing for the mark set before us -- the perfection of His character? When the Lord's people reach this mark, they will be sealed in their foreheads. Filled with the Spirit, they will be complete in Christ and the recording angel will declare, "It is finished."[12]
There is no doubt that what we, as a people, need most in these last days is the faith of Abraham, who "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform" (Romans 4:20, 21).
Remember, dear reader, God's promise to you is that "you need never yield to temptation; for One stands by your side who is able to keep you from falling."[13] I don't know about you, but that makes me want to shout for joy, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen" (Jude 1:24, 25).
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