CLASH BETWEEN GOD AND SOCIETY. In our world today, there seems to be a constant clash between what God has commanded us to do and societal norms. On which side do you stand? On the commandments of God or on societal norms.

We continue our study of the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14; within this context, we look at the seal of God found in His ten commandments.

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Let Us Invite God’s Presence: (Split)

Holy Father, place your seal in our minds and give us the power we need not to yield to societal norms when they clash with your word. In Jesus Name, Amen.

God’s commandments are unchangeable and provide a moral framework for his followers. In contrast to His commandments, society has its own set of rules and laws that sometimes clash with the laws of God. The question is, what do you do when the laws of society clash with the law of God?

Notice what the Book Maranatha says about yielding to societal norms and customs.

“Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. (Maranatha, p. 200)

In the time of crisis, in the competition between the commandments of God and the commandments of humanity, God’s people will remain loyal to Him. They will not yield to the powers of the sea beast. They refuse the mark of the religiopolitical power that will rule during the final battle between good and evil. They, instead, receive the seal of God. And, by His grace and through His power, they stand firm in their convictions to obey and follow Him. Their minds are made up; they have decided that there is no turning back.  They refuse to yield to societal pressure.

In Ancient times, seals were used to attest to the authenticity of official documents or contracts. This seal or mark indicated that the people who made the contract could be trusted to keep the agreements included in the contract.

God’s law, the ten commandments, is no different. In it, we should expect to find God’s seal or mark in His law. Ancient seals had distinctive, individualized marks. No two marks were alike. Isaiah, in Isaiah 8:16, refers to the seals or marks put on agreements saying: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).

And when you carefully look at Exodus 20:8–11. You will notice that a seal or mark is included in the fourth commandment. This commandment is different from all the other commandments. It says:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. (Exodus 20:8-11)

In Ancient times, an authentic seal or mark had three elements or three parts. Like ancient documents with a seal of authenticity, the fourth commandment has three parts.

First is the name of the person making the agreement. In Exodus 20:10, we find that God is making the agreement. “‘The Lord your God.’”

Second, the seal contains the title of the sealer. Exodus 20:11 tells us God “made.” Thus, His title is Maker or Creator.

And Third, the seal included the territory ruled or controlled by the sealer. Exodus 20:11 tells us that God rules “ ‘the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. ”

Revelation 7:1–3 indicates that God’s seal or mark is placed on our foreheads.

1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

2 Then 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 granted to harm the earth and the sea,

3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:1-3)

The seal of God is placed only on our foreheads.

Why there? The forehead symbolizes our minds. Therefore, it is an indication that the seal of God is placed in our minds.

You see, Jesus respects our freedom of choice. Therefore, He invites us now to allow him to shape our minds by the power of His Holy Spirit. When we submit our wills to Him, His Spirit will help us remain faithful, steadfast, unmovable, and grounded in His Word. So that when the issue of worship comes before us, we will not yield and receive the mark of the beast because our minds are made up. Therefore, with the faith of Jesus, we trust God and keep His commandments, including the fourth, which establishes his day of worship and is His seal. But you cannot wait until the time of the end to give your will to Him; the time to give Him your will is now!

Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church

 7902 Wheatly Street

Houston, TX 77088

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