1. AN INVISIBLE MARK Sunday July 16

a. In contrast to those entrusted as guardians of God’s temple, what was Ezekiel shown? Ezekiel 9:1–4. “What is the seal of the living God, which is placed in the foreheads of His people? It is a mark which angels, but not human eyes, can read; for the destroying angel must see this mark of redemption.”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, p. 1161. b. How does the seal of God relate to faithful Sabbathkeepers today? Revelation 14:1; Exodus 31:13, 14. “Those that overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil, will be the favored ones who shall receive the seal of the living God. Those whose hands are not clean, whose hearts are not pure, will not have the seal of the living God. Those who are planning sin and acting it will be passed by. Only those who, in their attitude before God, are filling the position of those who are repenting and confessing their sins in the great antitypical day of atonement, will be recognized and marked as worthy of God’s protection. The names of those who are steadfastly looking and waiting and watching for the appearing of their Saviour–more earnestly and wishfully than they who wait for the morning–will be numbered with those who are sealed.”–Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445.

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2. THE MEANING OF THE SEALING MESSAGE Monday July 17

a. Discuss the seriousness of the sealing message. Ezekiel 9:10. How does this message relate to the third angel of Revelation 14:9–12? “Those who link in sympathy with the world are eating and drinking with the drunken and will surely be destroyed with the workers of iniquity.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 212.“The most fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals is contained in the third angel’s message. That must be a terrible sin which calls down the wrath of God unmingled with mercy. Men are not to be left in darkness concerning this important matter; the warning against this sin is to be given to the world before the visitation of God’s judgments, that all may know why they are to be inflicted, and have opportunity to escape them.”–The Great Controversy, pp. 449, 450. b. What should cause us to think soberly about the sealing message? Jeremiah 25:33. “Our own course of action will determine whether we shall receive the seal of the living God or be cut down by the destroying weapons. Already a few drops of God’s wrath have fallen upon the earth; but when the seven last plagues shall be poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation, then it will be forever too late to repent and find shelter. No atoning blood will then wash away the stains of sin.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 212.

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3. WILLFULLY DECEIVED Tuesday July 18

a. When the destroying angel goes forth, who suffers first and why? Ezekiel 9:5–7. “Here we see that the church–the Lord’s sanctuary–was the first to feel the stroke of the wrath of God. The ancient men, those to whom God had given great light and who had stood as guardians of the spiritual interests of the people, had betrayed their trust. They had taken the position that we need not look for miracles and the marked manifestation of God’s power as in former days. Times have changed. These words strengthen their unbelief, and they say: The Lord will not do good, neither will He do evil. He is too merciful to visit His people in judgment. Thus ‘Peace and safety’ is the cry from men who will never again lift up their voice like a trumpet to show God’s people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins. These dumb dogs that would not bark are the ones who feel the just vengeance of an offended God.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 211. b. What is especially offensive to God? Ezekiel 9:8, 9. “The abominations for which the faithful ones were sighing and crying were all that could be discerned by finite eyes, but by far the worst sins, those which provoked the jealousy of the pure and holy God, were unrevealed. The great Searcher of hearts knoweth every sin committed in secret by the workers of iniquity. These persons come to feel secure in their deceptions and, because of His long-suffering, say that the Lord seeth not, and then act as though He had forsaken the earth. But He will detect their hypocrisy and will open before others those sins which they were so careful to hide.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 211, 212.

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4. THE COMING DESTRUCTION Wednesday July 19

a. What will come upon the whole earth as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads? Revelation 16:1. “The angel with the writer’s ink horn is to place a mark upon the foreheads of all who are separated from sin and sinners, and the destroying angel follows this angel.“Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads–it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved–just as soon as God’s people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, p. 1161. b. How did several prophets describe the destruction that is coming upon the world? Isaiah 26:21; Jeremiah 25:31; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 2. “When [Jesus] leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God’s long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy, despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old.”–The Great Controversy, p. 614.“In the mad strife of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of God’s unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth–priests, rulers, and people, rich and poor, high and low.”–Ibid., p. 657.

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5. PROTECTION PROMISED Thursday July 20

a. What was shown to John the Revelator? Revelation 7:2–4. How must we prepare to receive the seal of God? “Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth–these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.“Now is the time to prepare. The seal of God will never be placed upon the forehead of an impure man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of the ambitious, world-loving man or woman. It will never be placed upon the forehead of men or women of false tongues or deceitful hearts. All who receive the seal must be without spot before God–candidates for heaven.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 216. b. What is promised to those who receive the seal of God? Malachi 3:17; Revelation 21:7. “The day of wrath to the enemies of God is the day of final deliverance to His church. The prophet declares: ‘Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you.’ ‘He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it’ (Isaiah 35:3, 4; 25:8). And as the prophet beholds the Lord of glory descending from heaven, with all the holy angels, to gather the remnant church from among the nations of earth, he hears the waiting ones unite in the exultant cry: [Isaiah 25:9 quoted].”–Prophets and Kings, pp. 727, 728.“Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand.”–Maranatha, p. 241.

REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS Friday July 21

1. Who will not be passed by during the sealing work? 2. Why will many professed Sabbathkeepers fail to receive the seal? 3. How will the soon-coming destruction be inflicted? 4. Who will suffer the most during the time of God’s destructive judgments, and why? 5. What should inspire and motivate us to persevere in faith today?