{"id":741,"date":"2017-12-15T07:57:52","date_gmt":"2017-12-15T15:57:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=741"},"modified":"2017-12-15T07:58:31","modified_gmt":"2017-12-15T15:58:31","slug":"devotion-revelation-71-5-part-1-god-protects-his-own","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=741","title":{"rendered":"Devotion   Revelation 7:1-5 Part 1  God Protects His Own"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"D_F ek_BB H_6D6F\">\n<div id=\"app\" class=\"D_F ek_BB H_6D6F cZ1RN91d_n s_1HCsWR aw_lnvys\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-test-id=\"mail-app\">\n<div class=\"I_ZnwrMC D_F em_N o_h W_6D6F H_6D6F\" data-test-id=\"content-area\">\n<div class=\"D_F em_N o_h s_1HCsWR a_1Ie4E3 cZTwBjA_1Ie4E3 cZTwBjK_1EAG48\" data-test-id=\"content-below-tabs\">\n<div class=\"D_F em_N ej_eUh\">\n<div id=\"mail-app-component\" class=\"em_N gl_C I_52qC j_ZlOSbd o_h p_R D_F s_e5X\" data-yaft-module=\"norrin_main\" data-test-id=\"mail-app-component\">\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB p_a Z_0 L_0 R_0 T_0 B_0 cZ1RN91d_GG I_ZnwrMC\" data-test-id=\"message-group-view\">\n<div class=\"iz_A em_0 Z_0\" data-test-id=\"message-group-view-scroller\">\n<div data-test-id=\"focus-group\">\n<ul class=\"hd_n M_0 X_0\" data-test-id=\"cards\">\n<li class=\"m_Z12nDQf D_F ek_BB ir_0\">\n<div class=\"p_R b_2w4l8N I_52qC em_N X_fq7 N_6LEV ir3_Z1gmY1F it3_689y j_ZlOSbd message-view\" tabindex=\"40\" data-test-id=\"message-view\" data-test-expanded=\"true\" data-iskeynav=\"true\">\n<div data-test-id=\"message-body-container\">\n<div data-test-id=\"message-view-body\">\n<div class=\"msg-body P_wpofO iy_A\" data-test-id=\"message-view-body-content\">\n<div class=\"jb_0 X_6MGW N_6Fd5\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\"><b>Revelation 7-1-5<\/b>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners\u00a0of the earth, holding back the four winds\u00a0of the earth to prevent\u00a0any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.\u00a02\u00a0Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal\u00a0of the living God.\u00a0He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:\u00a03\u00a0\u201cDo not harm\u00a0the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.\u201d\u00a04\u00a0Then I heard the number\u00a0of those who were sealed: 144,000\u00a0from all the tribes of Israel.\u00a0 5\u00a0From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, 6\u00a0from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, 7\u00a0from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,\u00a0from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, 8\u00a0from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">\u201c<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners\u00a0of the earth.<\/span>\u201d Doubters think they can, at the expense of scripture, say here, \u201cAha!\u201d\u00a0 They point to this scripture and think they find an error in the Bible because of the mention of \u201cthe four corners\u00a0of the earth.\u201d\u00a0 That\u2019s just silly.\u00a0 This is still a common expression that may be heard in the news, or read in a newspaper or book, or heard in a conversation.\u00a0 It merely means that the entire world is being referred to. \u00a0\u00a0No problems here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">\u201c\u2026<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">holding back the four winds\u00a0of the earth to prevent\u00a0any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0 The four angels are stationed in position, overseeing the entire earth, to prevent harmful winds from coming.\u00a0 The \u201caction\u201d in chapter six was coming fast with terrifying judgements.\u00a0\u00a0 Now we see these four angels holding back four winds. \u00a0There is a calm before the following storm.\u00a0 The Word used here anemos (transliteration) is here used as a type for judgement.\u00a0 \u00a0This coming judgement that will bring great harm on the lands, on the seas and on the trees of the earth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">\u201c<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal\u00a0of the living God.\u00a0He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea<\/span>\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Another angel appears.\u00a0 That the angel comes from the east may mean that it comes from the source of blessings.\u00a0 Eden was in the east (<b>Genesis 2:8<\/b>).\u00a0 In\u00a0<b>Ezekiel 43:2<\/b>\u00a0the glory of God approaches from the East. The Magi that came to worship baby Jesus, bearing gifts for Him were from the East (<b>Matthew 2:1-2, 11<\/b>). This fifth angel had the authority to hold back the four strong and violent winds that were straining to burst forth upon the earth.\u00a0 But God has a reason for holding them back for a time.\u00a0 God is still, is always, in control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">\u201c\u201c<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Do not harm\u00a0the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God<\/span>.\u201d\u201d\u00a0 God in control, holds back the coming harm to the world so that He can put a seal of ownership of the ones who are the following listed. Again we see the protection of God for His remnant.\u00a0 God is the only true Savior and here He is saving.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">It is interesting that He had not previously put the seal of ownership and protection on this people.\u00a0 We know that God knows all and that He knows best.\u00a0 Why did He not seal these people sooner, maybe before the start of the judgements?\u00a0 It seems that He now seals His servants because as bad as the previous judgements were, and they were overwhelming and terrifying to those on the earth, the judgements coming are stronger, more terrifying and His servants now need to be sealed that the coming judgements do not harm these servants.\u00a0 Yet then again, we must always remember that God has from eternity past always known those who are His, so He protects them even before they are born.\u00a0 Family, we see that the evil that is coming may not rush in as they may like, but will only be released in God\u2019s perfect plan.\u00a0 God is still, is always, in control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">In scripture a seal indicates ownership and protection.\u00a0<b>Ephesians 1:13-14\u00a0<\/b>states that all the people of God are sealed with the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 The Holy Spirit entered us (the unredeemed are called by the Holy Spirit, but He does not live within them) and is a deposit guaranteeing that we belong to God and we are protected by God.\u00a0 Let\u2019s say that again.\u00a0 We belong to God.\u00a0 We are protected by God.\u00a0 See, the people who are about to be sealed by God are clearly seen by the approaching evil to be God\u2019s servants.\u00a0 Because they are, they are protected by God and the harm that is coming cannot harm them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">Who sees this seal?\u00a0 It is evident that God is not placing a physical wax seal on their foreheads that all the world can see.\u00a0 No, the unbelieving man will not see the seal of God.\u00a0\u00a0 Just like unbelieving men of our day cannot see that we have been sealed by God.\u00a0 They have no idea who we are (<b>1 John 3:2<\/b>).\u00a0 The unbelieving man, by his own design, is clueless now and then.\u00a0 It is the evil that is coming on the world that will see the seal of God and avoid all who bear it.\u00a0 There will be no error.\u00a0 There will be no sealed servant of God who will be picked off by the enemy. Just as Jesus loses none (<b>John 6:39<\/b>) of His, none of these servants will be lost.\u00a0 How do we know this?\u00a0 In\u00a0<b>Revelation 14:1-3<\/b>\u00a0we see them standing on Mount Zion with the Lord.\u00a0 All of them are there.\u00a0 None have been lost!\u00a0 Praise the Lord!\u00a0 He loses none of them and He loses none of us!\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">That the sealed of God are not harmed in the midst of the horrors of the time surely cannot be entirely missed by those who oppose God.\u00a0 While the unregenerate world is suffering and dying, those who belong to God are spared the then present evil.\u00a0 It will be obvious to all, and all are suffering, that certain people are not suffering from the judgement that is on the earth.\u00a0 Just as the death bypassed the Jews in the Passover (<b>Exodus 12:12<\/b>) the judgement on the earth shall also bypass these sealed servants of God. \u00a0God is faithful and sure!\u00a0 He is also consistent.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!\u00a0 While the unredeemed cannot see the seal on the servants of God, they will hear and see the strong witness of God that they live out. \u00a0Oh that we all may live a life that so clearly shows we are God\u2019s children.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\">Family, God is faithful even though we often are not (<b>2 Timothy 2:13<\/b>).\u00a0 He is faithful to us and He will be faithful to these servants.\u00a0 Our situation and circumstances here on earth are not what is important.\u00a0 What is important is our God who is control and loves us.\u00a0 God has always protected His own and He always will.\u00a0 That does not mean that trouble will not come upon us, what it means is that the biggest and best promise that God has given us, eternal life with Him, cannot be taken.\u00a0 Also that if harm comes our way, we know God is watching and controlling.\u00a0 If we should suffer trials or harm and God will be glorified, that His will be fulfilled, we should all say \u201cYes and amen\u201d to God (<b>1 Peter 4:12-13<\/b>).\u00a0 Our job is to believe in God and to follow where He leads.\u00a0 Let\u2019s let go of worrying, God takes care of His own! We are His very own! Praise God!<\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\"><b>Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\"><b>Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"ydpe60e21b2MsoNoSpacing\"><b>Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jb_0 X_6MGW N_6Fd5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"H_7jIs D_F ab_C Q_69H5 E_36RhU\" data-test-id=\"toolbar-hover-area\">\n<div class=\"D_F W_6D6F r_BN gl_C\" data-test-id=\"card-toolbar\">\n<div class=\"D_F ab_C en_0 b_Z14vXdP e_3mS2U I_52qC P_Z1otBpf\">\n<hr class=\"M_0 P_0 cn_0\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB iz_A iy_h\" data-test-id=\"mail-right-rail\">\n<div class=\"D_F en_0 gl_FM Y_6Fd5 U_6Fd5 N_6Fd5 X_6Fd5\" data-test-id=\"comms-properties-bar\">\n<div class=\"D_F W_A\" data-test-id=\"comms-properties\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"D_F ab_C cdPFi_Z2aVTcY C_Z2aVTcY r_P C4_Z29WjXl cdPFi4_Z29WjXl\">\n<p><span class=\"D_n N_fq7 u_b A_6EqO cZ1YE9AC_B\" data-test-id=\"settings-link-label\">Settings<\/span><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"U_36Jhx\" data-test-id=\"message-read-contact-card\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB I_52qC r_BN a_n cZ1RN91d_GG M_Ijln0 U_6Fd5 je_6Eb4 W_3v1qi\" data-test-id=\"contact-card\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"D_F A_6DUj je_6Eb4 jb_eo6 X_6LEV N_6LEV\">\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB gl_C\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB o_h J_x mq_CZ G_e i_6EqO Q_6Fd5 U_eo6 Y_fq7 a_3nX9X s_3nG7c\">\n<div class=\"D_F ek_BB gl_l\">\n<div class=\"o_h J_x mq_CZ G_e A_6EqO D_F u_b U_eo6\" title=\"Bob Lopez\" data-test-id=\"contact-card-name\"><span class=\"o_h J_x mq_CZ G_e\">Bob Lopez<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"o_h J_x mq_CZ G_e U_eo6\" title=\"justbfornow@yahoo.com\" data-test-id=\"contact-card-email\">justbfornow@yahoo.com<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"U_eo6\" title=\"(310) 561-3735\" data-test-id=\"contact-card-phone\">(310) 561-3735<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"em_N P_6Fd5 k_w W_3o4BO iy_h cWeabD_3vpWV cZ1YE9Aj_3vpWV\" data-test-id=\"right-rail-ad\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div data-test-id=\"stackedLRECs\">\n<div id=\"slot_LREC\" data-yaft-module=\"norrin_ad_lrec\">\n<div id=\"sb_rel_tgtLREC\" class=\"darla\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"tgtLREC\" tabindex=\"-1\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/rq\/darla\/3-1-1\/html\/r-sf.html\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"no\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slot_LREC4\" data-yaft-module=\"norrin_ad_lrec4\">\n<div id=\"sb_rel_tgtLREC4\" class=\"darla\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"tgtLREC4\" tabindex=\"-1\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/rq\/darla\/3-1-1\/html\/r-sf.html\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" frameborder=\"no\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Revelation 7-1-5\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners\u00a0of the earth, holding back the four winds\u00a0of the earth to prevent\u00a0any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.\u00a02\u00a0Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal\u00a0of the living God.\u00a0He called out in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[1841,2257,705,1865,100,101,94,90,17,711,2036],"class_list":["post-741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-ephesians","tag-exodus","tag-ezekiel","tag-genesis","tag-john","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-peter","tag-psalm","tag-revelation","tag-timothy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=741"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":743,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741\/revisions\/743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=741"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=741"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=741"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}