The Sabbath and God's Seal by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 4, 1907

The Sabbath and God's Seal

By C. M. S.

THE seal of God is the name of God and the badge of his authority. We find it stamped upon his law. We find its impress upon the Sabbath. We find it shining forth upon the foreheads of his victorious saints when their warfare is ended.

As the greater portion of Satan's time is taken up in counterfeiting God's work, we may expect to see him tampering with the seal of God.

That seal is given complete in the law of God, the ten commandments. So it need not surprise us to see an attempt made by a strong power so to emasculate that law as to destroy the seal. That effort is made along two lines. First, the day which the law designates as the Sabbath is displaced by another; and second, the command is taught from catechisms which give but the first sentence, leaving out the name of the Author, his title, and his jurisdiction.

Thus the law of God is made to teach what it does not teach, and is deprived of all its authority to teach or command anything at all. This is a direct fulfilment of that prophecy, which, speaking of the work of the papacy, says: “He shall think to change the times and the law.” Dan. 7:25, R. V.

That expression “the law” can refer to no law but God's law; for human powers are always changing human laws. But here was a human power that was to arrogate to itself the right to remodel the very law of Jehovah. The papacy, in substituting Sunday for the Sabbath of the Lord, has fulfilled the prophecy. That she does not hesitate to claim the right is shown in her declaration that the occupant of the chair of St. Peter is above all law, even the law of God.

When the culmination of the gospel work is at hand, and God is placing his seal upon those who have stood loyal to him, Satan also brings forward a sealing work. Concerning God's sealing work we read:—

“After these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 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, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Rev. 7:1-3.

The following tells us what was in that seal: “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.” Rev. 14:1.

When that seal is placed on the foreheads of these people, the Father's name shines forth upon the brow of each victorious saint. That signifies that they were loyal to him, have met his approval; that they are his, and that heaven is theirs; that they have honored his law and kept the faith.

Does that sealing work go on without its counterfeit?—No, indeed. A power arises which “causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13:16, 17.

There is the seal and the sealing work of the other power. It is Satan's last counterfeit; for it is a counterfeit of the last work that God will do among his people on this earth. These are the two culminating acts of the two great powers that have contended with each other over the human race since Satan overcame Adam. Inasmuch as the rebellion began in heaven against the government of God, it is but logical that the law of God should be the point of attack in the warfare on this earth. Inasmuch as that law was to be the object of attack, it is but logical that the portion of that law which contained the seal of God's government should be the focal point of attack in that law. That command being the focal point of Satan's attack, it is but logical that the specific thing commanded should be attacked by him. And that is what he has done in substituting Sunday for the Sabbath, and commanding obedience to the mutilated law, and conformity to the substitute sabbath.

Seeing that this is so, let us “bind up the testimony, seal the law,” that the seal of God may be placed upon our foreheads before that solemn work is finished.

C. M. S.