Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 KJV
v.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
v.14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The everlasting gospel is to "Fear God and keep his commandments... For God shall bring every work into judgment."
Keeping the Sabbath holy is part of the "everlasting gospel... to worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
How wide or universal is the "everlasting gospel" proclaimed?
The everlasting gospel is a world-wide call to repent and obey God.
Revelation 14:6 KJV
v.6 ... preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people
The "everlasting gospel" goes to every person living on earth. Every nation, kindred, tongue [language] and people will need to make a decision for or against God.
It is a universal call.
What does the "everlasting gospel" contain?
The everlasting gospel contains God's seal as Maker or Creator.
Revelation 14:7 KJV
v.7 ... give glory to him... worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
The "everlasting gospel" contains a call to give glory to God and to honor Him in worship and loving service because God made or created us.
Psalm 29:2 KJV
v.2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
When we "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name... " in true worship, God places His name or seal upon us that we belong to Him!
Worshipping God is the "seal" of our love for Him. True worship is a total life commitment to God.
The Bible furnishes an example of a seal in Esther 3:12-13 and Esther 8:7-9.
The Persian king contained his seal in three parts, his name, his title, and his dominion.
His name was Ahasuerus.
His title was king.
His dominion was from India to Ethiopia.
The "everlasting gospel" contains God's seal in three parts, His name, His title, and His dominion.
1. The seal in the "everlasting gospel" contains God's name.
Revelation 14:7 "Fear God..."
Isaiah 9:6 KJV
v.6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
God's seal contains His name, "The mighty God" and "The everlasting Father" among others in Isaiah 9:6 above.
2. The seal in the "everlasting gospel" contains God's title.
Revelation 14:7 "Worship him that made [Maker or Creator]..."
Isaiah 40:28 KJV
v.28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
God's seal contains His title, "The everlasting God" [Name] is "The Creator" [Title] in Isaiah 40:28.
3. The seal in the "everlasting gospel" contains God's dominion.
Revelation 14:7 "heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."
Exodus 20:11 KJV
v.11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
God's seal contains His dominion, "Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is" in Exodus 20:11 above.
In summary, what does God's seal in the "everlasting gospel" contain?
God's seal contains His name, title or authority and His dominion over us as His creation.
Name= God; The Mighty God; The Everlasting Father
Title= Creator; The Lord made
Dominion= Heaven and earth; The sea, and all that in them is
Therefore, the "everlasting gospel" contains God's seal of authenticity.
God identifies Himself by His seal.
God also places "the seal of the living God" (Rev 7:2) in His children.
God identifies His people with His seal.
Do you know what that is?
First we will discover where it is and then what it is.
Where is the identifying seal of God found in His children?
The identifying seal of God is found in the forehead of His children.
Revelation 7:2-3 KJV
v.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,
v.3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
The seal of God is found in the foreheads of His people. It is not a visible seal, but the sealing of their thoughts and affections upon their Creator. God has first place in their heart and mind. God has complete dominion over their life. The things of this world do not attract them.
What is the identifying seal of God in their foreheads?
The identifying seal in their foreheads is their heavenly Father's name magnified through Sabbath rest.
Revelation 14:1 KJV
v.1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Revelation 22:4 KJV
v.4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
The seal in the forehead of God's children is the "Father's name", "The everlasting Father." In these last days, the thoughts of God's people center on their heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They read the Word of God daily. Their prayers ascend continually to the Father in Jesus name. They willingly worship God each Sabbath by resting their thoughts on their Creator. They "seal" their relationship with God by observing the 7th day Sabbath— the weekly capstone. The Sabbath is the seal of God.
Besides the Father's name, what else is sealed in our foreheads and by whom?
The commandments of God are also sealed in our foreheads. The Holy Spirit seals the Father's name and commandments in our mind.
Isaiah 8:16 KJV
v.16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law [commandments] among my disciples.
John 14:15-17 KJV
v.15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
v.16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
v.17 Even the Spirit of truth;
As it says in John 14:15 above , "If ye love me, keep my commandments" that we show our love for our heavenly Father.
Then as it says in John 14:16 above, "... and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever" that God seals our love for Him through the Comforter [Holy Spirit].
The Comforter, the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit (John 14:26) is the Spirit of truth that seals us because we obey God's truth.
Ephesians 4:30 KJV
v.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
The law of God is sealed in our mind or forehead. Obedience to God's commandments is love to God. When we seek to "keep [God's] commandments", God gives us the Comforter or Holy Spirit. God seals us with the Holy Spirit, "even the Spirit of truth."
Which of the Ten Commandments bears our Father's name and seals our love for Him?
The Fourth Commandment to worship God on the 7th day Sabbath bears our heavenly Father's name, "the Lord thy God." Worshipping our Creator God seals our adoration and love for God the Father and Son.
Exodus 20:8-11 KJV
v.8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
v.9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
v.10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
v.11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
In a special sense, we express love to God by worshipping God on the day God set aside as a special day for us to remember Him as our Maker and Creator.
Thus the "Father's name" is written on our hearts and sealed in our minds when we obey God's Ten Commandments out of love. Specifically, the Father's name ["the Lord thy God" - His Name] is found in the Fourth Commandment revealing Himself as the Creator ["the Lord made" - His Title] of heaven and earth [His dominion].
Therefore, the seal of God is found in the Fourth Commandment.
What does God ask us to do on the Sabbath?
Exodus 20:8,10 KJV
v.8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
v.10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.
God asks us to do three things on the Sabbath day.
1. Remember it.
2. Keep it holy.
3. Rest from labor.
REMEMBER IT
It is the only commandment that starts with the word "Remember."
To "remember" the Sabbath means to "turn unto the Lord" and "worship" before Him.
Psalm 22:27 KJV
v.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
Even in the earth made new, we will all come before God and worship Him on the Sabbath.
Isaiah 66:22-23 KJV
v.22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.
v.23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.
KEEP IT HOLY
"Holy" means dedicated or consecrated to God.
To keep the Sabbath "holy" we must be holy or consecrated to God.
1 Peter 1:16 KJV
v.16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Holiness is a requirement to worship God. Only holy beings can come and worship before a holy God.
Psalm 99:9 KJV
v.9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.
Revelation 15:4 KJV
v.4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
REST FROM LABOR
To "rest" on the Sabbath means to refrain from all regular labor and do good.
The Bible says Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, the "Lord's day" (Revelation 1:10).
Mark 2:28 KJV
v.28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Therefore, what did Jesus do on Sabbath? Jesus did good deeds on the Sabbath.
Mark 3:4-5 KJV
v.4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.
v.5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
These three attributes of worshipping God on the Sabbath exist nowhere in the Bible for Sunday observance.
Sunday observance is a tradition of the Catholic Church handed down to Christian churches.
The Father and Son are Co-creators of heaven and earth and therefore deserve our worship on the 7th day of each week as is commanded.
Our Creator and Lord is our heavenly Father, the "everlasting God" Isaiah 40:28, who gives His people and all nations the "everlasting gospel" proclaimed in these last days, Revelation 14:6 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel..."
Isaiah 40:28 KJV
v.28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
God's people worship the Creator (The Father and His Son Jesus Christ).
God's people keep ALL of God's Ten Commandments.
Revelation 14:12 KJV
v.12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
This includes the Fourth Commandment to worship God and rest on the 7th day.
Worship of God, our Creator, on the 7th day Sabbath is the seal of our love for our Heavenly Father and Jesus, His Ten Commandments and His divine character.
Nowhere in the Bible are we told to remember, keep holy, or rest from work on Sunday!
Nowhere in the Bible are we told to worship God on Sunday, nowhere!
Today while so many professed Christians disobey the standard of God's Ten Commandments and misrepresent His character, I want to obey God's commands and reflect His character because I love Him. I want the seal of God. I want to keep all of God's Ten Commandments, including the Fourth Commandment, to "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8)
What about you?