By John Thiel

Revelation 7:1 And 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. 2 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, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

The hymn ‘How Far From Home’ is an early advent hymn that our early Adventist brethren sung. They thought Jesus would come in their time but here we are in the third and fourth generation from there and still here. We are still not home but how near are we?   I wish to contemplate the experience of the sealing time in which we are living and the present engagement right now. Is the sealing time and the sealing work now? As we look at that sealing time, how serious a matter is this? What are the social ramifications in this sealing time? What is required of us to be sealed? How does it impact on our readiness for Christ’s coming?

The Seriousness of This Subject

We have as Adventists have grown up with the messages of the three angels and it has become very familiar to us and sometimes we look upon it as a mere interesting subject. There is seriousness in this subject that should captivate us. It is plainly reflected in our scripture reading. The angel says to the four angels that they should hold the four winds of the earth;

Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Read the rest of this entry →