THE CHARACTER AND TRIUMPH OF GOD’S REMNANT PEOPLE.
Review Questions.— (a) What is the beast, his image, and mark? (b) What is it to receive his mark? (c) Whose character do we thus receive? (d) How many will worship him? (e) How great will be Satan’s deceptions? 2 Thess. 2:8-12.
1. What class of people is developed by God’s great threefold message?
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.
2. What does God call them? What are they, then, indeed?
3. What have they developed? Ans.—Patience, or patient endurance, showing that they have had tribulation. See Rom. 5:1-5.
4. What proof do they give that they are saints?
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” 1 John 3:7.
“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.
5. Could they be said to be keepers of God’s commandments if they were transgressing one?
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10.
6. Where are this people elsewhere brought to view?
“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. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps; and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. 14:1-5. See note.
7. How are they distinguished?
“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.
8. What is this mark elsewhere called? Ans.—“The seal of the living God.” Rev. 7:2, 3.
9. Where else is this work of sealing brought to view?
“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him. Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Sion.” Isa. 8:16-18.
“And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Eze. 9:4.
10. Who are thus sealed?
“Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.” Rev. 7:3.
11. Who are the servants of God? Ans.—Those who obey him, or keep his commandments. Rom. 6:16; Rev. 14:12.
12. What is the seal of God’s law?
Ans.—That part of his law which shows his name, authority, and extent of dominion. These three characteristics of a seal are shown in the fourth commandment alone of the ten.
13. Of what is the Sabbath a memorial and sign?
“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Ps. 111:4.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex. 20:8-11.
“Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Eze. 20:12.13
14. How will the remnant church regard this token of God’s power and love?
“Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee; to thy name and to thy memorial is the desire of our soul.” Isa. 26:8, R. V.
15. What is God’s name and its significance?
Ans.—The wonderful name of Jehovah, embracing in its manifold meaning God’s wonderful character of justice, mercy, love, and power, eternally pledged for those who trust him, is an ever-present supply. God is the I AM all things needful for his people. His name in their foreheads, even as his seal, signifies that they are made like him, holy in his holiness.
16. What further proves that this is the significance of the name and seal on their foreheads?
“And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. 14:5.
17. Were they always thus?
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14.
18. What word kept them through the great temptations and delusions?
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” Rev. 3:10.
“Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5.
19. How were they kept from the plagues and judgments which fell upon the wicked?
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isa. 26:20, 21.
“Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” Ps. 91:9, 10.
20. What is said of their song of triumph?
“And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” Rev. 14:3.
21. Over what foes do they triumph?
“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Rev. 15:2.
22. What is their new song there called?
“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” Verse 3.
23. What do they say in that song?
“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” Verses 3, 4.
24. What is represented in the song of Moses?
Ans.—Victory over all earthly foes in a sense not known since God delivered the children of Israel from the power of Pharaoh. See Jer. 16:14, 15. God’s “judgments are made manifest.” Rev. 15:4. God’s mighty, glorious power delivered them. Compare with the similar expressions in Ex. 15:1-18.
25. What is represented in the song of the Lamb?
Ans.—Glorious, eternal, and all-comprehending victory over sin within and without, such as was never before realized by any generation, through the wonderful name or character of God, which Christ possesses, and which he placed upon them. See John 17:6, 11, 26. The two wonderful victories combined were never before known by any company; hence, no others could sing the song, because they have never had the experience.
