Gods Last Messenger— The Angel ascending from the east...
(Revelations 7:2-3)
THE BELIEF THAT Brother Felix Y. Manalo is God’s messenger in these last days is one of the fundamental doctrines the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) upholds. We believe that his commissioning as God’s last messenger is based on the words of God written in the Bible.
This study will focus mainly on Revelation 7:2-3, one of the passages of the Holy Scriptures that prove the truthfulness and validity of this doctrine. It reads as follows:
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads‘.” (Rev. 7:2-3 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
THE "OTHER ANGEL" OF REVELATION 7:2-3
There are keywords in Revelation 7:2-3 that must be studied closely in order to acquire a clearer understanding of the prophecy in question. The first word that needs clarification is the term “angel.” There are people who react when the word “angel” is mentioned; what immediately comes to their mind is the common concept that “angels” are heavenly beings and spirits in nature, traditionally portrayed as human-looking beings with wings on their backs and halos above their heads.
THE MEANING OF THE WORD "ANGEL"
However, the word “angel” does not only refer to spiritual beings but also to human beings sent by God. The word “angel” itself comes from the Greek word “aggelos. This Greek word translated by many English versions of the Bible as “angel” (the double gamma, the “gg”, is pronounced as “ng”). This Greek word does not mean “a heavenly being” or “a spiritual being” but literally means “a messenger”:
“Agg’-el-os: …a messenger; … by implication, a pastor: – angel, messenger.”
(Reference: King James Bible Strong’s Greek Dictionary by James Strong, p. 114, Emphasis Mine)
To say then that there was “another angel” means that there was “another messenger.” Thus, in Young’s Literal Translation of the Bible, the opening sentence of the verse reads:
“And I saw ANOTHER MESSENGER going up from the rising sun, having a seal of the living God.”
(Reference: Rev 7:2 YLT, Emphasis Mine)
THE WORD "ANGEL" DENOTES OFFICE AND NOT THE NATURE OF THE ONE BEING SENT
The term “angel” denotes the office or duty of the one sent by God. Even Catholic authorities testify that the word “angel” denotes not the state of being but the office of the one being sent by God:
“They are called ‘Angels,’ from a Greek word which means messenger. The word ‘Angel,’ therefore, does not express the nature of these spirits, but rather the offices…”
(Reference: Discourses on the Apostles’ Creed by Clement H. Crock p. 72, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the word “angel” literally means “messenger” and does not denote the nature but the office of the one sent by God.
THERE ARE HUMANS CALLED "ANGEL" IN THE BIBLE
The words “another angel” mentioned in Revelation 7:2-3 is strongly opposed by many people that it refers to a “human being,” because they believe that the word “angel” is exclusive to heavenly beings. However, this belief is based solely on their own false understanding and not on biblical facts. In the Bible, there are human beings referred to as “angels.”:
And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. For THIS IS HE OF WHOM IT IS WRITTEN: BEHOLD I SEND MY ANGEL BEFORE THY FACE, who shall prepare thy way before thee. Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist.”
(Reference: Matthew 11:7-11 Douay-Rheims, Emphasis Mine)
Referring to John the Baptist, the Bible stated, “Behold I send my angel before thy face.” It is clear here that John the Baptist was called an “angel.” Take note that Douay-Rheims is a Catholic version.
In many English versions of the Bible, the word used is “messenger.” However, in the Greek text of Matthew 11:10, the word used is “ángelón”:
“ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου.”
(Reference: Revelation 20:12-13 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
“idoú egó apostéllo tón ÁNGELÓN mou pró prosópou sou, ós kataskevásei tín odón sou émprosthén sou.”
(Reference: Transliteration, Emphasis Mine)
The Greek word “ángelón” used to refer to John the Baptist is the same word used to refer to the Angel Gabriel:
“καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐγώ εἰμι Γαβριὴλ ὁ παρεστηκώς ἐνώ πιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἀπεστάλην λαλῆσαι πρὸς σὲ καὶ εὐ αγγελίσασθαί σοι ταῦτα·
(Reference: Luke 1:19, Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th Revised Edition, Emphasis Mine)
“kaí apokritheís o ÁNGELOS eípen aftó: egó eimi Gavriíl o parestikós enó pion toú theoú kaí apestálin lalísai prós sé kaí ef angelísasthaí soi tafta.”
(Reference: Transliteration, Emphasis Mine)
Because the word “anggelos” indeed meant “messenger” that’s why many English versions of the Bible translated the “aggelon” of the Greek text of Matthew 11:10 as “messenger.” Thus, Douay-Rheims is not wrong in translating it as “angel” because the Greek word used by Matthew 11:10 (referring to John the Baptist) was also the same Greek word used by Luke 1:19 (referring to Angel Gabriel).
THE USE OF THE WORD "ANGEL" BY THE BOOK OF REVELATION
There are others who do accept that a human can be called an “angel” in the Bible, and this word literally means messenger. But they insist that when referring to the Book of Revelation, when the word “angel” is employed, it only refers to “heavenly beings.” Again, this belief is also based only on their own false understanding and not on biblical facts.
The Book of Revelation used the word “angel” about 83 times to refer to both heavenly and human beings. In Revelation 5:11 reads:
“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.”
(Reference: Revelation 5:11 NKJV)
The Book of Revelation uses the word “angel” in this verse to refer to “heavenly beings.” However, the Book of Revelation also uses the word “angel” to refer to human beings. Revelation 2:1 reads:
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things say He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.”
(Reference: Revelation 2:1 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The “angel of the church of Ephesus” mentioned in the verse we quoted above was one of the “seven angels of the seven churches” the Book of Revelation clarifies:
“He had seven stars in his right hand, and the words coming form his mouth were the sharp doubled-edged sword of truth. His face radiated energy like the sun at midday…
“So write what you have seen ― what is happening now and what will take place in the future. The meaning of the seven stars you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars represent seven messengers responsible for ministering to the seven churches, and the seven lampstands represent the seven churches which are to be lights of truth to the world.”
(Reference: Revelation 1:16,19-20 The Remedy New Testament, Emphasis Mine)
The “seven angels of the seven churches” are the “seven stars” meaning the seven “messenger” who minister in the seven churches mentioned by the Book of Revelation. The Bible itself explained that the “wise” or those who turn many to righteousness, are likened to stars:
“The wise leaders will shine with all the brightness of the sky. And those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like the stars forever.”
(Reference: Daniel 12:3 GNT, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the “seven angels of the seven churches” were the pastors or bishops of the seven churches that were likened to “stars.” Even Catholic authorities testify that the “seven angels of the seven churches” or the “seven messengers responsible for ministering to the seven churches,” mentioned in the Book of Revelation, were indeed referring to “bishops of the seven churches”:
“Angel: the guardian angel of the Church, or the church itself, or, and this is the common view, the bishop of the church. If St. John addresses the bishops, he regards them as the incarnation of their respective churches.”
(Reference: Footnote of Revelation 2:1, Douay-Rheims, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the Book of Revelation uses the word “angel” to refer to both heavenly beings and human beings.
THE ANGELS WHO ARE SPIRIT IN NATURE AND THE ANGELS WHO ARE HUMAN BEINGS
We have already established the fact that the word “angel” means “messenger.” We must also take into consideration the biblical fact that “messengers” (“angels”) who are spirit in nature or heavenly beings are also sent by God for specific purposes like the Angel Gabriel:
“And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.”
(Reference: Luke 1:19 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Angelic entities, who are spirit in nature, were sent to deliver a specific message and then afterward would return to heaven. Another example is the angel sent to Cornelius:
“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.”
(Reference: Acts 10:1-5 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Like other heavenly angels sent to men, the angel sent to Cornelius brought to him a specific message saying “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.” Why Cornelius was commanded to send for Apostle Peter? Acts 10:31-34 and 42 answered this question:
” …Suddenly a man dressed in shining clothes stood in front of me and said: ‘Cornelius! God has heard your prayer and has taken notice of your works of charity. Send someone to Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.’ And so I sent for you at once, and you have been good enough to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God, waiting to hear anything that the Lord has instructed you to say.” Peter began to speak: “I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.
“And he commanded us to preach the gospel to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead.”
(Reference: Acts 10:31-34, 42 TEV, Emphasis Mine)
Apostle Peter is indeed a messenger of God, and remember that the word “angel” means “messenger.” Through an angel, God commanded Cornelius to send for Apostle Peter because he was the messenger that would preach to him the Gospel of the Lord.
The messenger (angel), who are spirit in nature, are sent by God to deliver a specific message and then return to heaven. The messenger (angel) who is human in nature is the one sent by God to preach to men the Gospel of the Lord.
THE "OTHER ANGEL" OF REVELATION 7:2-3 BEARS THE SEAL OF THE LIVING GOD
What makes us so certain that this messenger (angel) in Revelation 7:2-3 is not spirit in nature? Let us examine the angel’s function, referred to as “another angel” in Revelation 7:2-3. The Bible explicitly states that this angel, as the “another angel” or (messenger), bears the seal of the living God and would seal His servants:
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’.”
(Reference: Rev. 7:2-3 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
What does this mean that the “angel” of Revelation 7:2-3 bears the seal of the living God and his task is to seal the servants of God by biblical terms? In the following verse, we can find the answer:
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.”
(Reference: Eph. 1:13-14 NIV, Emphasis Mine)
The seal is the Holy Spirit. The sealing function is the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord. Those who are sealed are the ones who believed in the words of truth or the Gospel of the Lord that were preached.
Thus, the angel or messenger spoken of in Revelation 7:2-3 is not a being that is spirit in nature, but rather a human being who is a preacher of the Gospel.
A MESSENGER FROM THE EAST
We already established the fact that the word “angel” means “messenger” and denotes the office and not the nature of the one being sent and that the messengers (angels) who are spirit in nature are those sent by God to deliver a specific message and afterwards will return back to heaven, and the messengers (angels) who are human in nature are those sent by God to preach the Gospel of the Lord.
The “another angel” of Revelation 7:2-3 is a messenger who bears the seal of the Living God, and his task is to seal the servants of God; thus, this angel (messenger) is human in nature because the Bible testified that the “seal” is the Holy Spirit and that “sealing” is the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord.
Another indication given by the prophecy to identify the one being prophesied in Revelation 7:2-3 is that this messenger is “ascending from the rising of the sun”:
“And I saw ANOTHER MESSENGER going up FROM THE RISING SUN, having a seal of the living God.”
(Reference: Rev. 7:2, Emphasis Mine)
Other translations of the Bible rendered “ascending from the rising of the sun” as “ascending from the east”:
“Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God…”
(Reference: Rev. 7:2-3 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, the one being prophesied in Revelation 7:2-3 is a MESSENGER FROM THE EAST sent by God having the seal of the Living God and tasked to preach the Gospel of the Lord.
WHAT MAKES US MORE CERTAIN THAT BROTHER FELIX Y. MANALO IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE "MESSENGER" PROPHESIED IN REVELATION 7:2-3?
The Bible gave the specific time of the fulfillment of the prophecy mentioned in Revelation 7:2-3. In fact, the Book of Revelation also prophesied the events before and after Revelation 7:2-3, giving us a clearer understanding of how to identify the one being prophesied in Revelation 7:2-3.
(NOTE: For a more comprehensive explanation, click here the following link to visit the article: “The Seven Seals Of Revelations”)
In Apostle John’s vision, he saw “another angel ascending from the east” at the end of the “sixth seal” and before the “seventh seal,” who “cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
The four angels or messengers prophesized are the ones seen “holding the four winds of the earth,” at the time when the fifth angel or messenger was seen ascending “from the rising of the sun” or the east.
Before we proceed, let’s clarify the term “winds” mentioned in the prophecy, which is being held back by the four angels. According to the Book of Revelation, this means “war.”:
“At that time it will be said To this people and to Jerusalem, “A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people— Not to fan or to cleanse— A wind too strong for these will come for Me; Now I will also speak judgment against them.’ ‘Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!
“O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.“
(Reference: Jeremiah 4:11-13, 19 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
The Book of Jeremiah mentioned a “war” likened to a “wind.” Wind, as mentioned in the verse came “not to fan or to cleanse” as the literal wind does, but it came up with “chariots like a whirlwind” and “horses [that] are swifter than eagles.” The use of these instruments or weapons of war, as described, is heralded by “the sound of a trumpet” (“air raid sirens” that were used to warn civilians to take cover during the Great War), which was prophesied to cause pain in people’s hearts. This is a war unlike any seen or occurred in the past:
“The First World War was unlike any war in the past. … This was the first war, ‘in three dimensions,’ the first war in which cities were bombed from the air and winged warriors fought among the clouds. Of course the airplanes of 1914 were not so fast, so formidable, nor so numerous as those of today. They were really more important as scouts (a kind of ‘aerial cavalry’), photographing enemy movements from above.”
(Reference: World History, Vol. 2, pp. 478–479, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, “horses swifter than eagles” were the planes or wing warriors that were first used as war machines during the First World War, used as “a kind of aerial cavalry,” “which cities were bombed from the air.” Then “chariots like a whirlwind” were the Battle tanks, first used in this Great War which carried such destructive force that is likened to a whirlwind that turns 360 degrees and travels on rough ground like a battle chariot and built like a tractor:
“…British had invented the tank, or land battleship – an armored automobile which could move on rough ground because it was built like a tractor.”
(Reference: World History, Vol. 2, p. 479, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, this war is no other than the “Great War” or known as “World War I.” The four angels or messengers who were seen holding back the “four winds” at the “four corners of the earth”; “four corners” representing a―global war were no other than the “Big Four” who met in Paris to confer concerning the Treaty of Versailles which put an end to the Great War. These four prominent leaders of nations were:
David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of Great Britain; Vittorio Emanuele Orlando, Prime Minister of Italy; Georges Clemenceau, Prime Minister of France; and President Woodrow Wilson of the United States.
Further, validating this Great War, which led to the four angels holding back the “winds” or war, what was seen in Apostle John’s vision prior to the four angels appearing?:
“Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.”
(Reference: Revelation 6:15 The Holman Christian Standard Bible, Emphasis Mine)
The hiding in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains were the “kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person” mentioned by the Book of Revelation took place during the Great War of 1914-1918. The heavy bombing by aerial bombers is why “soldiers had to turn themselves into beavers and moles and dig deep trenches…” to take cover while civilians and others took shelter in air raid shelters or went underground and in caves:
“The First World War: The British public’s very reasonable response to the growing number and severity of air raids from 1915 onwards was to take shelter. The scientist J. B. S. Haldane reported that in London as many as 300,000 went into underground stations, while another 500,000 slept in cellars and basements. Railway viaducts such as the Tilbury Arches in Stepney were also popular refuges, although the protection offered is doubtful. In Ramsgate, caves and tunnels in the chalk cliffs were employed as shelters for several thousand people.
(Reference: https://www.military-history.org/feature/air-raid-shelters.htm, Emphasis Mine)
We have established that the “wind” mentioned in Revelation 7:1 refers to “war.” This wind or war is what the four angels or messengers, as mentioned in the prophecy are seen holding back. No man can stop the blowing of the natural wind. However, the war referred to by “wind” can be stopped, and such is the work of the prophesied four angels that are seen “holding the four winds of the earth.”
Does this mean that the Book of Revelation is referring to “four wars?” Revelation 7:1 is not referring to “four wars” although it mentions “four winds” the verse also mentioned the following: “…holding the FOUR WINDS of the earth, THAT THE WIND should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.”
In the Book of Revelation, it is noted that the passage emphasizes “that the WIND should not blow on the earth,” although it mentions “four winds of the earth.” The verse itself explained why it mentioned “four winds of the earth.” Let us again cite Revelation 7:1 but this time from the Bible Basic English translation:
“After this I saw four angels in their places at the FOUR POINTS of the earth, KEEPING BACK THE FOUR WINDS IN THEIR HANDS, so that there might be no moving of the wind on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.”
(Reference: Rev 7:1 Bible Basic English, Emphasis Mine)
Four angels or messengers standing at the four corners or points of the earth “holding back the four winds in their hands.” Truly, the Bible is referring to the “wind at four corners of the earth.” The “four corners of the earth” refers to the “four directions of the earth”:
“To the four winds they were opening these gates, to the East and to the West and to the North and the South.”
(Reference: Chronicles 9:24 Peshitta Holy Bible Translated, Emphasis Mine)
Thus, “the wind of the four corners of the earth” refers to the war at the four corners of the earth, a ― GLOBAL WAR, as pointed out earlier.
THE OTHER ANGEL ASCENDING FROM THE EAST
Revelation 7:2-3 explicitly mentioned that when the “four angels” were holding back the “winds” at “the four corners of the earth,” the “other angel” was seen “ascending from the east”:
“After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
(Reference: Rev. 7:1-3 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
OR from the Literal Standard Version:
“And after these things I saw four messengers, standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind may not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree; and I saw another messenger going up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, …”
(Reference: Emphasis Mine)
The “other angel” ascending from the east was contemporary of the “four angels.” These make us more certain that Revelation 7:2-3 was not referring to the Lord Jesus Christ, nor other messengers of God from the past.
But, the prophecy also explicitly said that the “another angel ascending from the east…And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels.” This messenger is no other than the late Bro. Felix Y. Manalo. Because of this statement, “cried with a loud voice to the four angels” of the biblical prophecy, others immediately dismiss Brother Felix Y. Manalo as the fulfillment of Revelation 7:2-3 because he did not have any communication with the “Big Four.”
To understand what the biblical prophecy meant when it said that the other angel “cried a loud voice to the four angels,” let us refer to the preaching of John the Baptist. The preaching of John the Baptist was depicted in the prophecy of Isaiah as a “cry in the wilderness.” He said, “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ‘” (cf. Jn. 1:23, NKJV). Why is John’s preaching depicted as a “cry in the wilderness”? Below is the account of the evangelist Luke:
“And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.
“Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.”
(Reference: Lk. 3:3-4, 8 NKJV, Emphasis Mine)
John’s preaching was contrary to what the people believed during his time. Hence, his preaching was likened to a “CRY in the wilderness” – a lone and righteous voice among the multitudes of his time.
In like manner, the function of the angel ascending from the east having the seal of the living God was to seal the servants of God on their foreheads for their salvation, which signifies the stark contrast between his work which is evangelization and salvation whereas the work of the “four angels” (Big Four) which was purely secular and had something to do with destruction through war.
Hence, the biblical prophecy mentioned that the other angel “…cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads” only shows that the work of the “other angel” was contrary to work of the “four angels.”
The “four angels” were granted the power “to harm the earth and the sea” or they had the authority either to continue the war or to stop it. Such really was the case as recorded in history:
“Early in May, 1919, the representatives of Germany were invited to the Peace Conference and asked to sign the treaty which was handed to them. They objected to the hard but just conditions which the treaty imposed upon their country and spent several weeks in pleading for easier terms. Some minor changes were made in the treaty, and on June 16th the final conditions were presented to the Germans, who were told that if they did not accept them the Allies would resume operations against their country. When faced with this possibility, Germany gave way and agreed to accept the terms of the Allies.”
(Reference: World History, Vol. 2, p. 594, Emphasis Mine)
History affirms that it was within the power of the “Big Four” to resume military operations against Germany. Had the Germans refused to accept the provisions of the treaty, the Allied powers would have certainly resumed operations against them. Hence, the cry: “Do not harm the earth and the sea.”
In contrast, the work of the “other angel” is to seal the servants of God. As we covered earlier, the sealing function is the preaching of the gospel of truth of salvation, and those having received the gospel and believed were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. For sake of clarity let us again quote Ephesians 1:13-14:
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.” (NIV, Emphasis Mine)
The Holy Spirit is the “seal” and the act of “sealing” is the preaching of the word of truth, the Gospel of salvation, unto those who believe. This sealing function is done by God’s messenger (cf. Rom. 10:14-15). “Sealing” or preaching the Gospel is a work leading to salvation, unlike the work of the “four angels” or the “Big Four” who were granted the power “to harm the earth and the sea.”
The Bible also explicitly mentioned that the “other angel” is “ASCENDING from the East” when the “four angels” was seen holding back the “four winds of the earth.” So, during the time when the Big Four met in Paris in 1919, the work of the “other angel” was already “ascending” as a grand evangelist from the Far East accompanied by his workers or minister under his commission. Hence, “till WE have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” The prophecy indeed came to pass and was fulfilled in God’s last messenger, the late Bro. Felix Y. Manalo.
In the year 1919 (five years after the Church was registered with the Philippine government on July 27, 1914, concurrent with the outbreak of World War I), there were already 21 local congregations of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) throughout the City of Manila and the provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga. The young Church was already spreading throughout Luzon (Northern Philippines), rapidly growing and attracting attention. Presently, in 2024, the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) has an international membership comprising 151 racial and ethnic backgrounds. It maintains nearly 7,000 congregations and missions grouped into more than 178 ecclesiastical districts in 165 countries and territories on six of the world’s inhabited continents.
IN CONCLUSION
1
WE KINDLY EXTEND our visitors an invitation to explore the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ. These teachings present the path that leads to eternal life for all people on the appointed day:
God's Last Messenger
AFTER THE GREAT Apostasy, it was prophesied by the bible that the true Church Of Christ, necessary for man’s salvation, would reemerge in the Far East through God’s last messenger in these last days. This messenger’s mission is to restore the original Church Of Christ and its pristine teachings of Christ and to introduce the one true God – the Father…
Reach Out
If you wish to acquire a deeper understanding of our Church Doctrines and have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We would be delighted to direct you to one of our local resident ministers in your vicinity. Kindly include any queries you may have so that we may forward your inquiry in advance. Thank you.
Please note, we only read and respond to messages that do not contain hate speech or insults...
“Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].”
(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
“Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)