Tue devo Rev. 7:3

Revelation 7:3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servfant of our God."

The harm that is about to come upon the earth is the judgement of God coming against Rome for it's persecution of the children of God. But God sends and angel (probably Christ) to hold up the judgment until his could seal his own people. The seal is probably not the Holy Spirit since that was given to them when they were baptized. Often when we want to keep other people from putting their hands on our stuff we will simply put our mark or name on our stuff. This shows ownership and basically says hands off. This mark or seal was basically to signify to the angels bringing judgment on the earth that they were not to bother the saints they belonged to God. It was a seal of protection. This seal was spiritual and not physical. The seal did not keep some Christians from dying at the hands of the Romans but even in death God's seal protected them and delivered them. As I think about this verse we are also sealed and protected by God. Nothing in life not even death itself will destroy us since we are protected by God. This doesn't mean that bad things cannot happen to us physically, they can and do. But Spiritually we belong to God and His protection is all around us. I don't know about you the this is very comforting to me and I am sure it was for those being persecuted in Rome. May we live knowing full well that God is our protector.

MIke