THE MARK OF GOD - ALLOWING THE BIBLE INTERPRET ITSELF

 

Now that we have established the process of allowing the Bible to interpret itself lets look at a specific issue in the word--The Mark of God.

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. 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, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” 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 7.1-4


In these verses we see the sealing of the 144,000 with a mark on their foreheads (v3). We have several issues here. The 144,000 are sealed on their foreheads with a mark--what is it for? Why are they sealed? Who are the 144,000? It says they are from the tribes of Israel. Are they Jews? Who is a Jew?

The more we meditate on this scripture the more questions it raises. In Revelation 7.13-14 it gives us additional information about these people:

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

They came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and have made them white. We have a lot more questions than we have answers so far. Where do we start? If we listen to what most teachers say this is basically what we will believe:

The church has been raptured out at this point. The 144,000 are Jews who have come to faith in Jesus during the tribulation, and since the church is raptured out, we don’t really have to think too much about these scriptures. Is that what you’ve been taught? Are we going to listen to this or are we going to do some research on our own? What is the truth here?

If you want to proceed further it would be good for you to read these blog posts first:

http://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2014/01/part-one-second-coming-second-coming-is_17.html

http://burningbush647.blogspot.com/2014/01/part-two-oringination-of-pre.html

If you’re still with me we can continue. If not, I would like to ask one question. Why would God rapture out a church that watches Christians being killed in the Middle East without making any attempt to help them in their time of distress? God would have to seriously apologize to all those who have been persecuted without being raptured out.

We now ask who are the 144,000? In Romans 9 through 11 the Apostle Paul discusses the plight of the Jewish people and how their disobedience has opened the door for the Gentiles to be grafted into Israel. They have been temporarily blinded in order that the Gentiles be grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2.8-22). You’re going to have to do some study on your own now.

The Bible says we, the Gentiles, have been grafted into the root, Israel. We have come into them. Yeshua told the woman at the well (John 4.22) that salvation is of the Jews. Salvation is not of the “Christians” it is of the Jews. They have preserved the scriptures and all the promises of the Bible are to them first.

Therefore, if we are grafted into Israel, we too receive all the promises made to them. Read Romans 9-11, Ephesians 2 and 3, and Genesis for all the promises to Abraham. We have become, in affect, Jews! If you despise the nation of Israel and Jewish people you are heading into some serious error. We are part of them. That is what the Bible says when we allow it to interpret itself.

For further thoughts on all of this you might want to begin reading this blog from January 1, 2014 where I try to explain who the “lost tribes” of Israel are. It is a very interesting study that raises a lot of questions. It is a 14 part series.

If we are grafted into Israel this raises many interesting questions. The Old Testament describes all the promises to Israel. These include land inheritance in the Millennial Kingdom. I’ve covered all these issues in various postings throughout the blog with many scriptural references to support them.

If we are grafted into Israel then we are grafted into all the promises. The “church” is not separate from the Jews, but rather, grafted in. We share the same destiny in Yeshua. The Millennial Kingdom (MK) is going to be God’s government on earth with Yeshua as King. The law will go forth from Jerusalem--this is what your Bible says!

Therefore, it stands to reason that the 144,000 are made up of both believing Jews and Gentiles since we share the same promises. In other words, once we are grafted in, we become members of a tribe! At the present time we may not know which tribe we are grafted into--but we will know the answer in the MK. That is very exciting!

What is the sealing or mark on the 144,000? We get some clues in Ezekiel 9 where it talks about an angel putting a mark on God’s obedient followers. Read Ezekiel 9 in the context of chapters 8 and 10. In chapter 8 God tells us of His anger toward His apostate people--he is talking prophetically to the church in our day. In chapter 10 He speaks of coals of fire and judgment towards the disobedient false believers. At that time the disobedient were His people Judah and Israel.

In Ezekiel 9 an angel is sent to put a mark on those who sigh and cry for all the abominations in God’s house:
“...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.”

God is marking those who are obedient and are sighing and crying about all the unrighteousness taking place in Jerusalem. These are only a small remnant of the people in Jerusalem--these are those who walk closely with the Lord. The others in Jerusalem claim to be God’s people--but they are rebellious and disobedient.

Only the Lord knows our hearts and the hearts of everyone who claims to be His. I cannot judge--only discern. Many of my “brothers” are living in sin. They are rebellious. We are to practice righteousness. We are to obey His commandments. These say, “We are not under the law.” Just what is it they are under? If they are under Yeshua, then they are obeying His commandments (1 John 2). They must be under some other spirit, rather than the Holy Spirit if they are not obeying His commandments (Torah). The Lord searches the hearts of men. Only He can judge.

These scriptures point out the necessity of walking closely with Yeshua and complying with His commands. If we are obedient there is a place of spiritual protection. There is protection. God tells us  not to fear those who can kill the body:

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 10.28).

If we are obedient and follow closely there is a place of spiritual protection (ref: Jeremiah 29; Isaiah 63.1-4; Micah 2.12-13; Ezek 20.35). Some of those who are spiritually protected may still be martyred. They may choose that path. God is having some serious conversations with many of His saints on this very issue. He is going to give many a choice:

“Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. Hebrews 11:35

What happens to our physical bodies is not to be feared. In that day, many will choose a difficult path. There are many rewards in heaven. There is much we will not understand until we are resurrected from the dead.

SUMMARY
I contend that if we let the Bible interpret itself we begin to see the real truth. If we are grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel then we also share in the promises. The church and Israel have a common, connected destiny. Salvation is of the Jews--we are grafted into them.

The 144,000 are believers from the tribes. If we are grafted in we belong to a tribe. When you seek what the scriptures (especially Old Testament) have to say about the MK many things become clearer. Most churches never discuss any of these things--because they do not understand, they do not seek, and they refuse to allow the Bible to interpret itself.

The 144,000 have the seal or mark of God in their foreheads. They have a deep relationship with Yeshua and will have a powerful testimony of Jesus Christ during the tribulation period. God is preparing these for that day. Many will come to be saved through their testimony in those dark days of the tribulation. They will be both believing Jews and Gentiles. Some will choose death and obtain a better resurrection.

We should understand the terrible time that is coming upon the earth. This understanding alone should draw us closer to Yeshua--whether we are the generation that experiences these things or not. It will be a most terrible time. We should not be anxious for it to arrive:

Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21.36

I exhort everyone to seek the truth of what the word says. Will our generation go through these events? I cannot say. I believe the foundation is being laid for all of this in our day. How quickly it begins I cannot say. I can only say that I have a clear understanding of what it will be like. Until then I am watching and praying, hoping that I will be able to stand before the Son of Man.

I hope that this brief example of allowing the Bible to interpret itself will help you in your personal studies. Seek with a sincere open heart--if you seek the truth you will be shown the truth! It all starts with Yeshua!

Blessings in Yeshua!