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The Great Controversy 1888
seal is placed upon God’s people as a safeguard to preserve them from
the evil impending. But “the forehead” is evidently used as a figure,
to denote the intellect or mind, as “the heart” is used to denote the
disposition or affections. To mark or seal in the forehead is the same
as to “write in the mind.”
Hebrews 10:16
.
The Sabbath is the sign of God; it is the seal of His law.
Isaiah 8:16
.
It is the token of His authority and power. It is a sign whereby we may
know that He is God, and therefore it is appropriately said to be placed
in the forehead. The worshipers of the beast (
Revelation 13
) are said to
receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands. As the forehead
represents the intellect, the hand represents power, as
Psalm 89:48
,
“Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?” Compulsory
worship is not acceptable to God; His servants are sealed only in their
foreheads. But it is acceptable to wicked powers; it has always been
craved by the Romish hierarchy. See chapter 25 for proof on the nature
of this mark. The sign or seal of God is his Sabbath, and the seal or
mark of the beast is in direct opposition to it; it is a counterfeit Sabbath
on the “day of the sun.” According to
Revelation 14:9-12
, they who
do not receive the mark of the beast keep the commandments of God;
and the Sabbath is in the fourth precept; they keep the Sabbath of
the Lord; they have his sign or seal. The importance of this sign is
shown in this, that the fourth commandment is the only one in the law
which distinguishes the Creator from false gods. Compare
Jeremiah
10:10-12
;
Acts 17:23, 24
;
Revelation 14:6, 7
, etc. and it is that part of
his law for keeping which his people will suffer persecution. But when
the wrath of God comes upon the persecutors who are found enforcing
the sign or mark of the beast, then they will realize the importance of
the Sabbath,—the seal of the living God. They who turn away from
that which the Lord spoke when his voice shook the earth, will confess
their fatal error when his voice shall shake the heavens and the earth.
Hebrews 12:25, 26
;
Joel 3:9-16
, and others. See also pages 639, 640
of this book.