Christians Wrestled With Persecution

2. Christians Wrestled With Persecution 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. ESV I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faitheven in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. ESV Rev. 2:10, 13 3:10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world… ESV

3. Christians Wrestled With Persecution The Revelation was written to…give insight to the struggle Rev. 2:10, 13 3:10 …give hope …give courage, and …build their faith

4. W.E. Vines Dictionary of N.T. Words Seal: signet, emblem of ownership and security

5. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.” Rev. 7:2-4

6. The Seal Was... • a mark of identification • a mark of ownership • conspicuously located

7. “And I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” Rev. 14:1

8. The Seal Was... • a mark of identification • a mark of ownership • conspicuously located • Christ’s name

9. In the scriptures one’s name was an indication of one’s character

10. “These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” Rev. 14:4

11. “And they were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” Rev. 9:4

12. The Seal Was... • a mark of identification • a mark of ownership • conspicuously located • Christ’s name • a sign of freedom

13. “And he stood on the sand of the seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.” Rev. 13:1

14. “And he causes all… to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.” Rev. 13:16-17

15. Anothers Seal Meant... • submission to blasphemy

16. Anothers Seal Meant... • submission to blasphemy • submission to worldliness

17. “And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Rev. 14:9-10

18. Anothers Seal Meant... • submission to blasphemy • submission to worldliness • doomed to sin’s penalty

19. “And the first angel went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.” Rev. 16:2

20. Anothers Seal Meant... • submission to blasphemy • submission to worldliness • doomed to sin’s penalty • caught in a malignant disease

21. There is a serious difference between the two marks Rev. 20:4 - the reward Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

22. We have choices to make Matt. 7:13-14, Rom. 6:16, Col. 1:13 Paths, service, kingdoms, or seals

23. The mark on the forehead is conspicuous and revealing

24. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Eph. 4:30

25. “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” 1 Cor. 9:27

26. “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Eph. 4:26

27. “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Heb. 13:4

28. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.” Matt. 6:33

29. “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please… Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality.” Gal. 5:17, 19

30. “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly… ...by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness.” 1 Tim. 2:9-10

31. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Eph. 4:31-32

32. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.” Col. 4:6

33. “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come.” Col. 3:5-6

34. “I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove that the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Rom. 12:1-2

35. Everyone HAS an influence of one kind or another, and everyone wears a mark “on their forehead.” Which mark do you wear?