Revelation Now :
Daily Devotional Bible Studies in Revelation
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The Seal of God is Opened : Day 30 
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulon 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000. (Revelation 7.1-8)
Seal on a Scroll
A seal on a scroll or document identifies and protects its contents. Whatever is marked under the wax impression of one's signet ring belongs to that person and is under his protection. God places his own seal on his followers, identifying them as his and guaranteeing his care over their souls. As circumcision was the seal of loyalty of the Jew to the Chosen People, and as baptism is the mark of the Christian in the fellowship of believers so the seal in the End Times marks out and protects God's faithful followers. Our physical bodies may be beaten, maimed, or even destroyed, but nothing can harm our souls sealed by God. We are valuable to him.
The Mark of the Beast
An identifying mark akin to the seal of God is found in the mark of the beast "He (Satan) also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead" (1) These two marks place the people in two distinct camps, those who are subject by God and those owned by Satan
Number Symbolizing Completeness
The number of those who are sealed is given as one hundred and forty-four thousand which is twelve by twelve by one thousand symbolizing completeness. All God's followers will be brought safely to him and not one will be overlooked or left behind. The list of the 12 tribes of Israel sealed does not correspond with any of the eighteen lists of the twelve tribes in the Old Testament because it includes all of God's true followers. Judah from the tribe of David and Jesus is listed first. Levites worked for God in the temple and possessed no tribal allotment, but here they are rewarded for their faithfulness. Dan is omitted because of it's unfaithfulness. This new Israel embraces the faithful from every nation, race, people, and tongue - an army of the true believers in the service of God.
Words to meditate on
At baptism, we are sealed with the sign of the cross to show that we are Christ's own forever.
Words to pray
"Yesterday, Today, Forever, Jesus is the same, All may change but Jesus never, Glory to his name" (2)
Notes
(1) Rev. 13:16 (2)
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place."
