Sunday
September 20
1. THE SEAL
a. What is the seal or sign of the living God that will be placed upon the foreheads of God’s servants? Ezekiel 20:12, 20; Revelation 7:2, 3. Are “seal” and “sign” to be understood as synonymous expressions? Romans 4:11.
“The sign, or seal, of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord’s memorial of creation.”—Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 117.
“The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. It points to God as the Creator, and is the sign of His rightful authority over the beings He has made. Those who obey this law will bear the seal of God, for He has set apart this day as a sign of loyalty between Himself and His people.”—The Signs of the Times, March 22, 1910.
b. Why is the seventh-day Sabbath the seal of God’s law? To what event does the Sabbath point? Exodus 31:14–17.
“The seal of God’s law is found in the fourth commandment. This only, of all the ten, brings to view both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It declares Him to be the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence and worship above all others.”—The Great Controversy, p. 452.
“In the fourth commandment we have the proof that our God is the true and living God. In it is the seal of His authority.”—The Bible Echo, October 12, 1896.
Monday
September 21
2. THE FOUR WINDS
a. What vision was given to John the Revelator about a work that should take place under the sixth seal? Revelation 7:1. What do the winds represent? Jeremiah 51:1, 2; Daniel 7:2.
“Why is it that all this wickedness does not break forth in decided violence against righteousness and truth? It is because the four angels are holding the four winds, that they shall not blow upon the earth. But human passions are reaching a high pass, and the Spirit of the Lord is being withdrawn from the earth.”—In Heavenly Places, p. 96.
“John sees the elements of nature—earthquake, tempest, and political strife—represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go. There is the safety of God’s church.”—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 444.
“The accidents by land and by sea; the loss of life, steadily increasing, by storm, by tempest, by railroad disaster, by conflagration; the terrible floods, the earthquakes, and the winds will be the stirring up of the nations to one deadly combat, while the angels hold the four winds, forbidding the terrible power of Satan to be exercised in its fury until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.”—My Life Today, p. 308.
“Men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they shall not blow until the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture.”—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 408.
b. How long will the angels hold back the winds? Revelation 7:2, 3.
“I saw that the four angels would hold the four winds until Jesus’ work was done in the sanctuary, and then will come the seven last plagues.”—Early Writings, p. 36.
“Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.”—The Great Controversy, p. 614.
Tuesday
September 22
3. THE SEALING TIME
a. In the early days of the great Advent Movement, what did they understand to be the “present truth”? 2 Peter 1:12.
“Satan is now using every device in this sealing time to keep the minds of God’s people from the present truth and to cause them to waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over His people to protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was decided on the truth and was pure in heart was to be covered with the covering of the Almighty.”—Early Writings, p. 43.
“The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.”—Ibid., p. 58.
b. What has Satan been doing since 1844, when the sealing work commenced? 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:12. What should the faithful ones do? Luke 21:34, 36.
“Those that overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, will be the favored ones who shall receive the seal of the living God. Those whose hands are not clean, whose hearts are not pure, will not have the seal of the living God. Those who are planning sin and acting it will be passed by. Only those who, in their attitude before God, are filling the position of those who are repenting and confessing their sins in the great antitypical day of atonement, will be recognized and marked as worthy of God’s protection.”—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445.
c. Where does Christ also have true followers who have not been reached by the “present truth”? Revelation 18:4. How should we approach them?
“God has jewels in all the churches, and it is not for us to make sweeping denunciation of the professed religious world, but in humility and love, present to all the truth as it is in Jesus. Let men see piety and devotion, let them behold Christlikeness of character, and they will be drawn to the truth. He who loves God supremely and his neighbor as himself will be a light in the world. Those who have a knowledge of the truth are to communicate the same. They are to lift up Jesus, the world’s Redeemer; they are to hold forth the Word of life.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, p. 1184.
Wednesday
September 23
4. THE SEALING ANGEL
a. Against what does the third angel of Revelation 14 warn the people, and what will be the result of his message? Revelation 14:9, 10, 12; 15:2.
“The third angel closes his message thus: ‘Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus’ (Revelation 14:12). As he repeated these words, he pointed to the heavenly sanctuary. The minds of all who embrace this message are directed to the most holy place, where Jesus stands before the ark, making His final intercession for all those for whom mercy still lingers and for those who have ignorantly broken the law of God. This atonement is made for the righteous dead as well as for the righteous living.”—Early Writings, p. 254.
“In the issue of the contest all Christendom will be divided into two great classes—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark.”—The Great Controversy, p. 450.
b. What did John see coming up from the east, what did he have in his hands, and who is he? Revelation 7:2 (first part).
“A parchment was placed in the [third] angel’s hand, and as he descended to the earth in power and majesty, he proclaimed a fearful warning, with the most terrible threatening ever borne to man. This message was designed to put the children of God upon their guard, by showing them the hour of temptation and anguish that was before them. Said the angel, ‘They will be brought into close combat with the beast and his image. Their only hope of eternal life is to remain steadfast.’”—Early Writings, p. 254.
“The third angel’s message is to be regarded as of the highest importance. It is a life and death question.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 980.
“Satan is making desperate efforts to make himself god, to speak and act like God, to appear as one who has a right to control the consciences of men.”—Ibid., p. 981.
“When the law of God is most derided and brought into the most contempt, then it is time for every true follower of Christ, for those whose hearts have been given to God, and who are fixed to obey God, to stand unflinchingly for the faith once delivered to the saints.”—Ibid., pp. 981, 982.
Thursday
September 24
5. THE NUMBER OF THE SEALED
a. As a result of the work of the third angel, what company did John see, and how many are they? Revelation 7:4.
“When Jesus leaves the [heavenly] sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living God.”—Early Writings, p. 48.
“The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring the day and hour of Jesus’ coming.”—The Great Controversy, p. 640.
“The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice [of God].”—Early Writings, p. 15.
b. What should be our concern today in regard to the sealing work? Will any be saved having the knowledge of the third angel’s message without having the seal of the living God? Ezekiel 9:4–6; Luke 13:24.
“Only those who receive the seal of the living God will have the passport through the gates of the Holy City.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 970.
“All self-righteousness must be given up, for we have no righteousness of ourselves. It is the gift of God; therefore we should not be exalted, or by any means pretentious, for it is an offence to God. What have we that we have not received? Man cannot rely upon himself for anything good or righteous. Christ, only Christ and His righteousness, will obtain for us a passport into heaven.”—Testimonies to Southern Africa, p. 32.
Friday
September 25
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
a. What spiritual significance is involved in true Sabbathkeeping?
b. How is God extending His mercy to us in this sealing time—and why?
c. Describe Satan’s strategy against Sabbathkeepers in this sealing time.
d. If we are serious about receiving God’s seal, what should we consider?
e. What will the universe be able to see in the life of all who are sealed?