ANGEL FROM THE EAST- JESUS OR A MAN? ( REVELATION 7:2-3 )
Daniel A Oliva/03/07/2024
" Then I saw another ANGEL rise up from the EAST, who had the SEAL of the Living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were empowered to harm the earth and the sea: ' Don't harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the slaves of our God on their foreheads,' " Revelation 7:2-3
INTRODUCTION
A. This particular passage is being misused and misapplied by ONE particular group.
1. This group claims that the angel from the east is a man ( a messenger or a " sugo " ) who became their founder before World War I
2. Does the Bible prove that the " angel from the east" is a human being or Christ Himself? Let us know the TRUTH, John 8:32
B. Our approach in the study shall be as follows;
1. Identifying The Angel From The East?
2. Who Were The Four Angels? Their Mission?
3. What Was The SEAL of the Living God?
4. The Angel From The East- His Mission?
DISCUSSION
A. Identifying The Angel From The East
1. Clearly, this angel is NOT a literal or a physical one.
2. One religious group started in the Philippines in 1914 claims that this " angel " refers to its founder.
3. They say that the " four angels" of Revelation 7:1 refer to the four " world leaders" before World War I erupted.
4. But are their claims TRUE? Let us examine them:
5. In Revelation 7:1, angels are to restrain the four winds until God's chosen ones are SEALED.
a. This fits Matthew 24:31, " He ( the Son of Man ) will send out His angels..and they will gather the elect from the FOUR winds..."
b. It appears God ( through the Angel from the East ) delivers His elect ( 144,000 ) before judgment falls.
6. When Jesus returns, He will come from the EAST:
a. " For as the lightning comes the EAST and flashes as far as the WEST, so will be the COMING of the Son of Man," Matthew 24:27; Ezekiel 43:1-7.
b. This ANGEL or the SON of MAN comes from the EAST to do a great work on the Lord's behalf, the SEALING of the slaves.
7. The Angel from the East refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of Man as stated in Matthew 24:27,31 and Ezekiel 43:1-7.
B. Who Were the Four Angels? Their Mission?
1. The CULT that started in the EAST ( c.1914 ) claimed that the Four Angels in Revelation 7:1 were the World Leaders who tried to prevent World War I to happen.
2. The Big Four ( World History, p.494 ) were Lloyd George of Great Britain; Georges Clemenceau of France; Vittorio Orlando of Italy and Woodrow Wilson of America.
3. But this interpretation has NO spiritual proof.
4. The four angels are holding back the FOUR winds until something happens.
a. the winds are destructive agents of God, Jeremiah 49:34-36
b. the Angel from the East shouted at the four angels NOT to harm the earth, Revelation 7:3
5.The four angels were ready " to harm the earth " but a more important event must take place.
C. The Seal of the Living God
1. The Angel from the East put the Seal of the Living God on the foreheads of the servants of God, Revelation 7:3
2. Those who were sealed from all the tribes of Israel were 144,000.
a. Some refer this number to the faithful Jewish remnant of the great tribulation, Revelation 7:14
b. Others believe the 144,000 is symbolic of all faithful believers who live during the period of the great tribulation
3. The " seal of the living God " refers to the name of God stamped on the foreheads of His followers, Revelation 9:4; 14:1; cf. 22:4
4. Its purpose is " to protect the people of God in the coming judgments."
a. From Ezra 9:4, we learn that the mark was the Hebrew letter " taw " made like an X or +
b. sealing is for protection against tampering, Matthew 27:66;
c. to show ownership and destination, 2 Timothy 2:19
d. to ascertain genuineness, Esther 3:12
5. The Holy Spirit is the " deposit, seal and earnest of Christians."
a. the Greek word for " earnest " is " arrhabon " which means PLEDGE
b. The Holy Spirit is the " seal for the Christian's heavenly reward or inheritance."
D. The Angel From The East- His
Mission?
1. Matthew 24:27, 31 and Ezekiel 43:1-7 prove that the Angel from the East refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of Man
2. That ANGEL does not refer to a MAN falsely claimed by ONE religious group as their founder coming from the Far East!
3.The East mentioned in Revelation 7:2 does NOT refer to the present day FAR EAST which includes the Philippines!
4. The mission of the Angel from the East was to put the SEAL of God on the foreheads of His servants.
5. Forehead is the most visible part of identifying a person. It refers also to the MIND.
6. The Angel from the East ( Jesus ) will stamp the saints on their foreheads and take them to Heaven, John 14:1-3
CONCLUSION
A. Many twist the scriptures and assign various meanings to the symbols in Revelation, 2 Peter 3:16
1. The Bible, written by God through the Holy Spirit, interprets itself, 2 Timothy 3:16
2. We have to be careful not go beyond what is written and not " to add or subtract from God's words," I Corinthians 4:6; Deuteronomy 4:2
B. To be sure that we have the Seal of God on our foreheads, we must do the following:
1. Believe and be baptized to be saved, Mark 16:16
2. Repent and be baptized in Jesus' name to be forgiven of sins and to receive the " gift of the Holy Spirit," Acts 2:38
3. " Now is the acceptable time. Today is the Day of Salvation," 2 Corinthians 6:2
4. Jesus is inviting everyone to come to Him for " spiritual rest," Matthew 11:28-30