Читать книгу Why God Gave His Spirit - Kenneth Psy.D. Dobbin - Страница 7

Why has God revealed the Promised Holy Spirit as a seal? Throughout the Old Testament a seal played an important role in identifying the owner or the person of issuing authority. At the same time, a seal is not seen as a person, but as a means to preserve, identify and certify the contents of a container as being genuine and authentic. By the same token, inanimate things used to preserve contents are not considered attributes that are associated with a person.

One of the more unusual stories of the bible tells us of the passion of a man named Judah. In the story Judah went to town and seeing a temple prostitute made arrangements to sleep with her. In the morning he went home leaving some personal effects behind as collateral. Those effects were to be returned to Judah when payment was made. Although Judah sent the payment demanded by the temple prostitute, she was never found. Instead she kept the collateral in her possession. In the months that followed Judas’s daughter in law was found to be with child. Being a man of law he asked Tamar for an accounting of how she became pregnant? Tamar responded in the following manner.

"I am pregnant by the man who owns these," she said. And she added, "See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are." Genesis 38:25

The seal, cord, and staff opened a can of worms identifying Judah as the person she conceived the child through. The seal of Judah was of a unique design similar to a registered trademark or logo we see today that is used exclusively to identify a particular person or product. For the most part the seal was engraved to make a three-dimensional impression in wax, putty or lead attached to documents to confirm its content for authenticity.

By the same token, a signet ring was given to a number of responsible persons and among them were Joseph, Mordecia, Zerubbabel and Daniel. When these men used the signet ring in their official capacity, they signed official decrees in the king's name because the king had placed this responsibility on them. The signet ring is similar to the seal of the public notary, which is entrusted to reliable people that attest to the transfer of title, deeds, birth and death certificates, passports, and decrees ordered by the Court. The signet ring was pressed into the sealing substance leaving an impression on the official document of an higher authority. Since then the notary seal has become an impression pressed into the surface of an official document. The seal has become the universal means to witness legal agreements. The person holding the seal has a power of attorney that empower individuals with the authority to perform deeds in the interest of the authorizing agency or person.

In other cases the seal was used to protect something of value placed inside a container. The opening of a typical container was sealed with wax or putty to prevent the seepage of outside elements that could contaminate and destroy the contents. The deed for the property Jeremiah bought was placed in a container to preserve it (Jeremiah 32:10-15). Today this is a common process used to preserve homemade Jellies, jams and marmalade we use on our toast.

The tomb where Jesus was laid was another container that was sealed. The seal was placed on the entrance to attest that the body of the deceased, Jesus Christ was in the tomb. As long as the seal remained unbroken it attested that the body of Jesus was still there. The High priest wasn’t taking any chances when he asked Pilate to post guards to insure that no one tampered with the tomb. However, God would not let his son see decay and sent his angels to roll the stone away. Terrified at the sights seen by the guards they became like dead men. Makes me wonder if they actually saw Jesus rise from his grave.

We also see an official seal on government buildings, which attests to the right of governing authority to own property, identify the seat of authority and the dignitary representing authority. By the same token, we were bought for a price (1 Corinthians 6:20), God placed his seal of ownership on us (2 Corinthians 1:22). God comes with the Lord Jesus Christ and makes his abode in us (John 14:23). Then because we are his possession, he has placed his seal attesting to the ownership of our body, which has become the temple where God dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16) and moves us to obey his decrees (Ezekiel 36:27). God has done all of these things to guarantee us of what is to come saying I will never leave nor forsake you. (Hebrews 11:5)

The signet ring of the king gave Daniel and Mordecia the right to speak for the king. The seal also authorizes us to speak on behalf of God in an official capacity such as an Ambassador (1 Corinthians 5:20) and those who have become a witness to offer a testimony attesting to God’s grace.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Your testimony makes you a witness attesting to the genuineness of God with first hand authentication of what God has done for you. Just as Joseph, Mordecia, Zerubbabel and Daniel were given the symbol of authority to govern, the followers of Christ have been given a ministry of reconciliation (1 Corinthians 5:18-20). As ambassadors of Christ we are to carry the message of God to men and women who are not citizens of the kingdom of God. The seal of God is the mark and emblem of authority that authorizes you to carry on the work of Jesus Christ to uttermost parts of the world.

The Bible tells us that having believed you were marked in Christ with a seal (Ephesians 1:13) the promised Holy Spirit. In addition the seal of God is a means of identifying the property of God, which becomes the guarantee of the redemption when Jesus returns.

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4-5

The seal that God places on you is spiritual in nature and similar to the notary’s seal that leaves a raised impression that associates you with a number of God's official functions. This seal is a raised image that identifies the authority of God, but is also the difference that other people see in you. On the other hand when the Holy Spirit makes his abode in you what kind of impression does he make on your life? Is it an impression that allows your fellow man to see the image of Christ in you? Doesn’t the seal of God make you an officially adopted child of God’s grace that the world can see and read?

Lets also consider that every spirit being has a mark on his or her person. Those who belong to God have God’s seal of ownership on him that certifies them to be children of God and a citizen of the kingdom of God. When God witnessed about his son at the river Jordan saying, this is my son whom I am well pleased, his witness was the seal of approval God placed on his Son.

On the other hand, Satan has his mark of ownership, which is known as 666 or the number of man. This mark certifies the person wearing this mark does not belong to Christ and has no certification or the proper credentials to enter the kingdom of God.

The bible tells us that God knows whose are his and on the day we pass under his rod the seal, the promised Holy Spirit will become the very credentials you need to certify that you belong to Christ and are citizens of heaven. The seal of God guarantees us of what is to come – life more abundantly, with eternal rights as children of God.

At the same time those with the mark of the beast have similar credentials certifying that they belong to those who rebelled against God’s Authority. Although, they have been deceived and are ignorant that Satan has influenced them to rebel against God. Those who refuse to accept Jesus as Lord will be rejected and slain, then thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We have been empowered by God with the rights of a son born into his family to act on his behalf, and have become his witness and ambassador. Our task is to witness to the world that God sent his son as a demonstration of his love for them. Through his love Jesus was sent to pay the penalty that our sins deserve. Because the penalty has been paid through Jesus Christ we can have relationship as sons with God. We are his witness because we accepted Jesus as Lord of our lives and have experienced the love of God and his Son Jesus Christ.

The world will never know the truth unless we become that witness and share our experiences and the love of God with them. On the other hand the seal serves another purpose. The seal that has been placed our person is an official declaration of God that we have been adopted as his child with an official capacity to act on behalf of our Father.