Revelation (Written)

Wednesday, 9 December 2020

of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed; Revelation 7:6

The listing of the servants of God in relation to who their tribe is continues in this verse, beginning with John saying, “of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed.”

Asher was the second son born to Leah’s handmaid Zilpah. His name means “Happy.”

Next, John says, “of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed.”

Naphtali was the second son of Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah. His name means “My Wrestling.”

The verse then finishes with, “of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed.”

Manasseh was the firstborn son of Joseph, Rachel’s oldest son. His name means “Forgetting.”

When Israel moved to Egypt, he took Joseph’s two sons for his own, to be counted as a part of his clan. By doing this, they were elevated to the same level as his eleven other sons and this meant that the double portion which came with the birthright was given to Joseph. Although this may be a bit confusing, it was a way for Israel to honor Joseph. The blessings bestowed upon these three by Israel are:

To Asher –

“Bread from Asher shall be rich,
And he shall yield royal dainties.” Genesis 49:20

To Naphtali –

“Naphtali is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.” Genesis 49:21

To Manasseh (and his brother Ephraim) –

“God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
The God who has fed me all my life long to this day,
¹⁶ The Angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
Bless the lads;
Let my name be named upon them,
And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
And let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.” Genesis 48:15, 16

Life application: The two sons of Joseph were elevated to the same status among Israel as the sons of Jacob, thus being entitled to the status as tribes of Israel. They had done nothing to merit this, but Jacob decided it would be so. And more, Jacob knowingly guided his hands in order to place his right hand upon the younger brother, Ephraim, elevating him above his brother Manasseh. And yet, it is Manasseh who is named in Revelation as a tribe, and Joseph stands in place of Ephraim.

In each of these actions, the sons received what they were given apart from any merit. Thus, what they received was grace. It is important for us to remember that Christ Jesus died for us while we were sinners. We had done nothing to merit the favor of God in Christ, and yet we – through a simple act of faith – are brought into the family of God and are made sons in His family. In fact, Scripture tells us that we are made “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” in this relationship (Romans 8:17).

Such is the nature of God’s wonderful hand of grace. Believe the gospel, trust that it is sufficient to save your soul with an eternal salvation, and then be sure to contemplate the love of God in Christ. He is the Heir of all things and He has offered to share that with His people. Great and glorious is He. He is JESUS!

Lord, it is so wonderful to see how You have worked through real people in human history to unfold Your beautiful plan of redemption. Use each of us also, Lord, in the way that will bring You the most honor and glory. We thank You that we can be a small part of Your loving work in and through the people of the world. Amen.

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed; Revelation 7:5

The instruction to withhold judgment on the earth until the sealing of God’s servants has been called out. The total number of them to be sealed is one hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. That number is now further refined.

The amount of analysis and of speculation on the order of the names is immense. Of particular note concerning the tribes is that Joseph is given instead of his son Ephraim, and that the tribe of Dan is also omitted.

Some other relevant facts are that the sons are not listed according to birth order. For example, Reuben was the firstborn. Judah is the fourth son, and yet he is mentioned first. They were both born to Leah.

Also, the twelve names specifically form six pairs. Placing Judah first seems reasonable because it became the prominent tribe, and it is also the tribe Christ Jesus came through. Reuben being second is paired with him.

The next pairings are Gad and Asher who were both born to the maidservant Zilpah and in that order. Next are Naphtali and Manasseh. Naphtali was born to Bilhah and Manasseh was born to Joseph and his wife in Egypt. Next, Simeon and Levi are mentioned. They were both born to Leah and in that order. They are followed by Issachar and Zebulun, they were the last two born to Leah, and they were born in that order. The last paring is Joseph and Benjamin, the two naturally born of Rachel.

In the list, then, six come through Leah, three come through Rachel (because Manasseh is from Joseph who is from Rachel), two come through Zilpah, and one comes through Bilhah.

As all of the four mothers of the children of Israel are represented, the main idea here is that the list does not neglect any of those four main branches. To come to the number of tribes as twelve varies in lists from the first in Genesis to those in Deuteronomy 33 and to those in Ezekiel. In these varied lists, different inclusions or exclusions are made. There are many speculations on why this is so, and none are without their own difficulties. In the end, a listing of twelve is given to retain the Bible’s standard of “perfection of government.”

With that as an all-too-brief accounting for the names, John begins the list, saying, “of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed.” The modern term “Jew” comes from the name Judah. Judah means “praise.”  It is therefore the prominent tribe even today. Here we have a lesson which is seen time and again throughout the Bible – “Let the Praise of God always go first.” This is a great spiritual application that we should apply to our own lives and our prayer time as well.

It next says, “of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed.” Reuben was the firstborn of Israel, but he lost his right to the birthright because he slept with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Reuben means “See, a Son.”

John next says, “of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed.” Gad was the firstborn of Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah – Jacob’s first wife. Gad means “A Troop” or “Fortune.”

These are the blessings for each of these sons of Israel as given by their father before his death –

 “Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise;
Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;
Your father’s children shall bow down before you.
⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.
¹¹ Binding his donkey to the vine,
And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,
He washed his garments in wine,
And his clothes in the blood of grapes.
¹² His eyes are darker than wine,
And his teeth whiter than milk.” Genesis 49:8-12

“Reuben, you are my firstborn,
My might and the beginning of my strength,
The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power.
⁴ Unstable as water, you shall not excel,
Because you went up to your father’s bed;
Then you defiled it—
He went up to my couch.” Genesis 49:3, 4

 “Gad, a troop shall tramp upon him,
But he shall triumph at last.” Genesis 49:19

Life application: The sealing of those of Israel is a record of the faithfulness of God to His covenant promises. Israel was (and to this day is) faithfully unfaithful to the Lord, and yet their unfaithfulness in no way negates His faithfulness.

We have in the sealing of these people of Israel a listing that demonstrates that the Lord is not through with this group of people, and they will be used in the future to meet His purposes. Over-analyzing the listing may cause us to miss the most important point, which is that Israel has been preserved, they stand today, and they will stand in the future. This is because the Lord is faithful and true to His word.

As this is true with Israel, it is certainly true with each person who has entered into the New Covenant through the precious shed blood of Christ.

You have ordained all things, O Lord, and You have safely protected what You have ordained, including the children of Israel. Thank You for Your everlasting faithfulness to those who have not always been faithful to You. We can know that because of this, we are equally secure in You. Amen.

Monday, 7 December 2020

And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed: Revelation 7:4

News Flash: When the Bible says “Israel,” it is speaking of an ethnic group of people who today are the Jewish people, not anyone else. Israel does not refer to the Jehovah’s Witnesses; British Israelism; Black Hebrew Israelites; Israelite Church of God; the Church of God, International; or a litany of other people who falsely claim they are the descendants of the Hebrew people (Israel) found in Scripture, or the “ten lost tribes” (which are not lost at all).

Nor does the church replace the people of Israel to become “spiritual Israel,” as claimed by replacement theologians. These are false claims and/or extremely poor analyses of Scripture. They are to be rejected outright.

Concerning the subject verse, the words of this verse are referring to “the servants of God” who are to be sealed on their foreheads, as was noted in the previous verse. Of them, it now says, “And I heard the number of those who were sealed.”

A specific number of the “servants of God” are to be sealed, and the number is heard by John. There is a specific number decided upon, just as there are a certain number of Gentiles who will be included in the portion of the redemptive narrative known as the church age. This is explicitly stated by Paul in Romans 11:25 (see commentary on Revelation 6:11).

God is building a house out of His people who are “living stones” (1 Peter 2:4, 6). This is “for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). Such terminology means that God has a plan. He is building something out of the redeemed. As this is so, it would hardly be expected that he would be imprecise in numbers. Rather, with God there is only perfection. Every aspect of what He is doing is precise and serves an exacting purpose. Concerning these servants of God to be sealed, the same is true. Understanding that, John hears the number. It is “One hundred and forty-four thousand.”

The number is precise and obviously serves its own particular purpose. That will be analyzed as the verses continue. However, and getting a bit ahead of the narrative, it will be seen that there are twelve tribes mentioned, and there will be twelve thousand from each tribe that are sealed. It calls out for understanding what the number twelve signifies in Scripture. EW Bullinger states that it –

“…is a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule. The sun which “rules” the day, and the moon and stars which “govern” the night, do so by their passage through the twelve signs of the Zodiac which completes the great circle of the heavens of 360 (12 x 30) degrees or divisions, and thus govern the year.
Twelve is the product of 3 (the perfectly Divine and heavenly number) and 4 (the earthly, the number of what is material and organic).
While seven is composed of 3 added to 4, twelve is 3 multiplied by 4, and hence denotes that which can scarcely be explained in words, but which the spiritual perception can at once appreciate, viz., organization, the products denoting production and multiplication and increase of all that is contained in the two numbers separately. The 4 is generally prominently seen in the twelve.”

In short, twelve is the number of perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. With this understood, John says, “of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.”

As noted in the important News Flash above, this is referring to actual descendants of the people of Israel who have been regathered as a people, and who are living in the land of Israel today, with many still living in the nations of the world, but who are identified by their Jewish heritage. As a proof that this is referring to this group of people, and not the church having replaced Israel, one can go to the final Leviticus 26 sermon from the Superior Word which clearly reveals this.

This truth is also discussed throughout the Deuteronomy sermons of the Superior Word. One of note is the sermon on Deuteronomy 8:10-20, entitled “And You Shall Remember the Lord Your God.” Sermons such as these clearly reveal that God is faithful to this unfaithful group of people, and that it is they who are referred to in the book of Revelation.

As an example of the lightbulb properly lit on this issue, even scholars of the past – long before Israel was regathered as a nation – were able to deduce this. For example, speaking of the regathering of the people, Israel, Amos 9:14, 15 says –

“’I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
¹⁵ I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,’
Says the Lord your God.”

Although most scholars of the past spiritualized or disregarded these words as some type of allegory, several scholars looked to the seemingly impossible, and anticipated a literal fulfillment of them –

“And they shall no more be pulled up – Most certainly this prophecy has never yet been fulfilled. They were pulled out by the Assyrian captivity, and by that of Babylon. Many were planted in again, and again pulled out by the Roman conquest and captivity, and were never since planted in, but are now scattered among all the nations of the earth. I conclude, as the word of God cannot fail, and this has not yet been fulfilled, it therefore follows that it will and must be fulfilled to the fullness of its spirit and intention. And this is established by the conclusion: “Saith the Lord thy God.” He is Jehovah, and cannot fail; he is Thy God, and will do it. He can do it, because he is Jehovah; and he will do it, because he is Thy God. Amen.” Adam Clarke (1762-1832)

“…and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God; by which it appears that this is a prophecy of things yet to come; since the Jews, upon their return to their own land after the Babylonish captivity, were pulled up again, and rooted out of it by the Romans, and remain so to this day; but, when they shall return again, they will never more be removed from it; and of this they may he assured; because it is the land the Lord has, ‘given’ them, and it shall not be taken away from them any more; and, because he will now appear to be the “Lord their God”, the ‘loammi’, Hosea 1:9, will be taken off from them; they will be owned to be the Lords people, and he will be known by them to be their covenant God; which will ensure all the above blessings to them, of whatsoever kind; for this is either said to the prophet, “the Lord thy God”, or to Israel; and either way it serves to confirm the same thing.” John Gill (1697-1771).

First and foremost, to understand sections of the Bible – such as these words in Revelation 7 – there must be an acceptance of God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises. If God were unfaithful to the nation of Israel, there would be no security for the believer in Christ. But God has used Israel as a template for eternal security in the individual believer. When the Bible speaks of Israel, it is referring to this group of people, and none other.

Life application: There is a complete structural unity to the number of people being sealed. And, this is occurring during the tribulation period, which is the 70^th “week” or 7-year period of Daniel’s 70 weeks (see Daniel 9:24-27). This is speaking about the Jewish people and it is centered on Jerusalem, not the church. Only an extremely poor and/or anti-Semitic view of the Bible could come up with a “spiritual Israel” interpretation. Further, only an arrogant but false claim by fringe cults can be made by groups who attempt to co-opt the right to be called something they are not (as noted in those named in the News Flash above).

Rather, those referred to in this verse are the descendants of Abraham, through Isaac, and then through Jacob/Israel. They are Jews who are being sealed for God’s purposes as He deals with the world through the Jewish nation once again.

In accepting this truth, we – as believers in Christ through the New Covenant in His blood – can have the absolute confidence that He will deal with us according to the same covenant faithfulness that He has dealt with the disobedient people, Israel. Their unfaithfulness to Him in no way negates His faithfulness to His word. In Christ, we have the absolute surety of eternal salvation because God – who is ever faithful – has done it.

God in Christ has spoken, and He will perform. He is the embodiment of faithfulness and truth. He is JESUS!

Lord God, help us to not be deceived by those who would purposely or carelessly misapply the clear and concise statements of the Bible for selfish, hateful, or other reasons. May You open our eyes to the truth of Your word and lead us in the proper handling of it so that You will be glorified through our studies. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sunday, 6 December 2020

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:

These are the words of the “angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God” from the previous verse. Before analyzing them, it should be noted that because there were four angels and He then came, it means He is now the fifth angel in the scene. EW Bullinger defines the number five, saying –

——————————————

Five is four plus one (4+1). We have had hitherto the three major Offices of the Godhead. Now we have a further revelation of a People called out from mankind, redeemed and saved, to walk with God from earth to heaven. Hence, Redemption follows creation. Inasmuch as in consequence of the fall of man creation came under the curse and was “made subject to vanity,” therefore man and creation must be redeemed. Thus we have:

Father
Son
Spirit
Creation
Redemption

These are the five great mysteries, and five is therefore the number of GRACE.

——————————————

Five, being the number of grace, is exactingly seen in this Angel. He is the Redeemer of His people, and it is by faith in Him that one is sealed as a sign and a guarantee of this redemption. He is Jesus, the Giver of God’s grace.

He now instructs with a loud voice the four angels who are holding back the four winds of the earth, “saying, ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees.’” In this, it is evident that the judgments to be unleashed upon the earth will affect everything, and there will be great destruction as the winds accomplish their tasks. This would include everything that the earth produces and all that is established on the earth. It is a time of grace, regardless as to its actual length. Understanding this order, the voice next says, “till we.”

The use of the plural indicates that the process of sealing is not done solely by the Angel crying out. Rather, it is similar in thought to the sealing of those to be saved before the destruction of Jerusalem in Ezekiel 9 –

——————————————

Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, “Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.” ² And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.
³ Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; ⁴ and the Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
⁵ To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. ⁶ Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. ⁷ Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.

——————————————

As these things are symbolic of truths that occur in the spiritual realm, it may be that the word “we” is referring to Jesus as the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit as the Sealer, as is the case noted by Paul several times, such as –

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14

A process is set forth with intent. It is looking to “have sealed the servants of our God.” These are people who will be sealed because of faith in Christ’s accomplished work. They will be brought into the household of God, and in their salvation, they will become witnesses of the truth of God in Christ Jesus.

This designation, servant, is used to speak of those who minister the gospel to others. The word is one that Paul, James, Peter, and Jude each use as a title when referring to themselves. Paul designates several others as such as well. The word is doulos, and it signifies someone who belongs to another. He is a bonded slave without any of his own ownership rights. It is used by Paul in this manner, including when referring to Jesus in Philippians 2 –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

These to be sealed are thus to be considered bondservants of Christ for the purpose He has determined. With this understood, like the typology from Ezekiel 9, these servants are to be sealed “on their foreheads.” Some translations incorrectly say, “in their foreheads.” It is a mark upon the head which is clearly visible (in a spiritual sense). They are known for their faith in Christ. Having acknowledged Him, they are marked as His.

The nature of the mark is revealed later in Revelation 14:1 –

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

Life application: After the task of marking the people in Ezekiel 9 was accomplished, by the one with the inkhorn, the others were told to destroy anyone without the mark. The mark in that account is the Hebrew word tav.

The word is the same as the 22^nd letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. The ancient tav was in the shape of crossed sticks, resembling a cross. In other words, these “servants of God” in this verse in Revelation have accepted the work of Jesus Christ and are being sealed just as those in Ezekiel’s time were. This seal isn’t necessarily a visible mark, but a change in attitude; an understanding in their minds of who Jesus is and their role in His work.

Such a mark is given with the inner sealing of the Holy Spirit. These people are being saved by God, and for His purposes. Hence, it is defined in Revelation 14 as being that of the Father’s name. What God has done in Christ, and through the cross of Christ, is a witness in these servants.

As noted, the term for “servants” signifies a bondservant (or a slave). Such a person was often captured during battle. These to be sealed are won in the great battle for the human soul. It is the spiritual battle between light and darkness. These people of the tribulation period are to be sealed, having been brought into the marvelous light of the glory of Jesus Christ before the angels are unleashed to bring destruction on the earth.

At this time in human history, during the church age, we too must be sealed by the Holy Spirit. That can only happen by placing one’s faith in Christ according to the gospel. None deserve what God offers in Christ, but when that grace is received, it is a guarantee of salvation. This is because God is pleased to save them. Through Christ, He has done the work. He is the God/Man. He is JESUS.

Lord God, it is ever so comforting to know that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit from the moment we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We know that You don’t make mistakes and, therefore, we are eternally saved despite our failings. When we stumble and fall, we can still trust that You have already forgiven us of our sins. Great and wonderful You are, O Lord! Amen.

Saturday, 5 December 2020

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, Revelation 7:2

John continues here with the scene that was newly presented in verse 7:1 which saw the four angels who were holding back the four winds of the earth. Now, another angel is introduced. As John says, “Then I saw another angel.” This does not have to be another angel in the sense of a being who has never been seen before, but simply another angel coming into this new scene that began in verse 7:1.

The word “angel,” (in Greek, aggelos) as has been explained previously, simply means “messenger.” It is one who brings tidings. The comparable Hebrew word (malak) is used, at times, to speak of the Lord (Yehovah) of the Old Testament, such as in Malachi 3:1 where it is used twice. In that passage, once it refers to the coming of John the Baptist, and once it refers to the coming of Jesus Christ –

“’Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,’
Says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:1

This angel is said to be “ascending from the east.” Rather than “from the east,” the Greek reads, anatolēs hēliou – “from the rising of the sun.” Scholars debate who this angel is, but the wording seems sufficient to answer the question. Returning again to Malachi, this time Chapter 4, there it says –

“But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.” Malachi 4:2

In that verse, the word “arise” is translated from zarach, a verb with the same basic meaning as the Greek anatolé. This is the same Lord described in Malachi 3:2 as an Angel, and who is now in Malachi 4:2 said to rise as the “Sun of Righteousness.” Thus, the implication is “from the east.” This then is equated to Christ in Luke 1:78 –

“Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us.” Luke 1:78

There, the word “Dayspring” is anatolé, the same word translated as “rising” in the analysis above. With this understanding so far, John next says, “having the seal of the living God.” The same word, sphragis, translated as “seal,” is found also in 2 Timothy 2:19 –

“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’”

This Messenger carries the seal of the living God. Paul says that the seal by which believers are identified indicates that the Lord, meaning Jesus, “knows those who are His.” The corresponding verb, sphragizó, is used when referring to the sealing of believers with the Holy Spirit in 2 Corinthians 1:22, Ephesians 1:13, and Ephesians 4:30. This sealing comes by faith (believing) in Christ.

The purpose of the seal of the living God here in Revelation will be explained in the coming verses. It is to seal one hundred and forty-four thousand of the tribes of Israel. That is then explained in verse 14:1 –

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.”

John next notes, “And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea.” This Messenger is giving instruction to the angels of the four winds, meaning He has control over the elements to withhold or let loose destruction. This is an attribute of the Lord as well. When He spoke, the storm on Galilee abated. At His command, the elements obey – symbolized by the four angels of the four winds.

Thus, this Messenger is another revelation of the Lord Jesus. It is why the book is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The many aspects and manifestations of Him are being presented to us so that we can have faith that what was spoken of Him in the Old Testament, and what is spoken of Him in the New, is a reliable witness to who He is.

Life application: In Genesis 3:24, we read, “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Later, when the temple was built in Jerusalem, it was oriented east and west. The Most Holy Place was to the extreme west and so worshippers appropriately would face west, away from the rising sun. One reason for this was certainly to prevent idolatry of the rising sun. Instead, the people would look to God for their life.

It was also to allow for the coming promised Messiah, to be the one to rise from the east in order to make entrance into God’s paradise possible once again. The east, qedem in Hebrew, signifies both the direction and “aforetime,” meaning eternity past. Micah 5 tells us that Jesus is the One who would come “from of old,” meaning “from the east,” using the word qedem –

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.” Micah 5:2

In Ezekiel 10, the glory of the Lord departed from the temple because of the idolatry of the people. When it did, it left going out over the threshold which is on the east. In Ezekiel 43, when describing a future temple, the glory of the Lord returns from the east.

These, and many other clues, are given in Scripture to reveal the coming of Messiah. In the future, there will be a group of Jewish people who will come to understand this and accept Him as the Messiah they had long rejected.

The coming verses will explain what will be done to and for them. Believers today are marked with the seal of God, which is the Holy Spirit, the moment they put their trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1 tells us that this seal is a deposit or guarantee of our future redemption. As God is sealing us, there is no greater seal possible. It is given as a guarantee, and therefore our salvation is eternal; it can never be lost. The Angel in this verse carries such a seal – an everlasting mark of God’s faithfulness. This Angel is JESUS!

What a majestic and splendid display to behold! We can look to the pages of the Bible and see a heavenly drama being played out before our very eyes. It is awesome to our souls to be allowed to peer into these events and see the very workings of the heavenly throne room, if we will just pick up the word and read it. Thank You, O God, for Your wonderful, precious, and superior word! Amen.