The concept/topic of sealing is a central aspect of Seventh-Day Adventist theology. But it’s important to understanding there are two contexts in which this can be referring and it’s easy to confuse the two, especially as it pertains to Adventist history.
1. The sealing message of the 144,000
In 1916, SDA pioneer J.N. Loughborough published a little booklet titled Questions on the Sealing Message which sought to answer questions as it pertains to the “sealing” of 144,000 mentioned in Revelation. This is after years of confusion over this matter the preceding decades due to Ellen G. White’s visions.
In reference to the subject matter of this book—the sealed 144,000—I have been greatly moved by the Spirit of God to write and publish the facts as to how the sealing message was obtained—not only from the Bible, but by direct instruction in visions of Sister E. G. White; also as to how the message was received and taught by our ministers and people down to the year 1894, when the “new light” theory found its advocate in one who afterwards apostatized from the faith, and died without seeing the fulfillment of his expectation that he would live to the end of time, and hence be one of the 144,000. His claim was that later testimonies of Sister White taught that all the 144,000 would be made up of those who had never died.
When I found that some were teaching that “all of the 144,000 who will be sealed are now living,” I thought it time that someone should speak, and show that it is not the manner of God’s prophets to make positive statements at one time, and afterwards teach entirely contrary to them. Such surely was not the course of Bible prophets. The whole of this “new light” is produced by taking words out of their connection, and away from the things of which they are spoken, and giving them a general application, as you will see when we come to the analysis of the matter.
J.N. Loughborough, Questions on the Sealing Message, pg. 3 (QSM 3.3)
As Loughborough notes, Ellen White’s visions played a role in influencing varying understandings of the “sealing message” and led to the charge that certain individuals were misinterpreting and misusing Ellen’s visions to support their “new light” on the subject. Wherein Loughborough sought to disprove these individuals and their theories.
But he also notes how the SDA Church was reluctant to officially publish on this subject in their publications so he sought to do so himself:
I presented the substance of this tract in two discourses on the Stockton camp ground. Those who heard the discourses, requested that it might be published, so that they could have the reading of it. As the subject is one on which there is some controversy, I thought our publishers would not wish to print the matter in their papers, or take the responsibility of publishing it in any form.
J.N. Loughborough, Questions on the Sealing Message, pg. 4 (QSM 4.2)
He then explains what the commonly held belief on the subject amongst Adventists was until 1894:
I will quote from a tract published in 1852, a vision given to Sister White, at the home of Brother Harris, at Centerport, New York, August 24, 1850: “I saw that Satan will work now more powerfully than ever before, for he knows that his time is short, and that the sealing will soon be over. And he will now work in every insinuation to get the saints off their guard, and get them to sleep upon present truth, and doubting it, so as to prevent their being sealed with the seal of the living God.” We read in “Early Writings,” “Experience and Views,” page 49, old edition: “The sealing time is very short, and soon will be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.”
It was because of these plain statements, that our people and ministers, down to 1894, believed and taught that the sealing work had been going on since 1848, and that the 144,000 were being sealed. I do not see how we could draw any other idea, from the testimonies we have quoted, than that the sealing work had begun in 1848-1850.
J.N. Loughborough, Questions on the Sealing Message, pg. 20-1 (QSM 20.2)
Due to the very clear plethora of statements made by Ellen White from visions, Loughborough recognized that the “sealing work” began between 1848-1850 and Adventists believed that work had been going on since then until 1894.
The claim was being made that the only ones that would be among the sealed 144,000 are those who live until Christ’s actual second coming. This led to the question, “What about those who had died during this sealing period?” Loughborough then speaks to this after referencing a number of Ellen White quotes:
If there is still a doubt of the resurrected Sabbath keepers’ being numbered with the 144,000, consider the following from Sister White’s words in 1909. At the General Conference in 1909, Elder Irwin had a stenographer accompany him in a call upon Sister White. He wished to ask her some questions, and have an exact copy of the words of the questions, and the exact words of the replies. Among other questions was this one: “Will those who have died in the message be among the 144,000?” In reply, Sister White said: “Oh, yes, those who have died in the faith will be among the 144,000. I am clear on that matter.” These were the exact words of question and answer, as Brother Irwin permitted me to copy from his stenographer’s report.
J.N. Loughborough, Questions on the Sealing Message, pg. 31 (QSM 31.1)
Even until 1916 there was great confusion over this subject within Seventh-Day Adventism. Which explains why Loughborough himself was confused on the subject. Throughout the book he seems to put forth the idea that the “sealing message” came around between 1848 and 1850 with his proof being a vision from Ellen White in 1849.
But he failed to reference Ellen White’s first alleged vision in 1844 which clearly references this, but notes something interesting:
While praying at the family altar, the Holy Ghost fell on me, and I seemed to be rising higher and higher, far above the dark world. I turned to look for the Advent people in the world, but could not find them—when a voice said to me, “Look again, and look a little higher.” At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, [Matthew 7:14.] cast up high above the world. On this path the Advent people [Millerites] were traveling to the City, which was at the farther end of the path. They had a bright light set up behind them at the first end of the path, which an angel told me was the Midnight Cry. [Matthew 25:6.]
This light shone all along the path, and gave light for their feet so they might not stumble. And if they kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, who was just before them, leading them to the City, they were safe. But soon some grew weary, and they said the City was a great way off, and they expected to have entered it before. Then Jesus would encourage them by raising his glorious right arm, and from his arm came a glorious light which waved over the Advent band, and they shouted Hallelujah! Others rashly denied the light behind them, and said that it was not God that had led them out so far. The light behind them went out leaving their feet in perfect darkness, and they stumbled and got their eyes off the mark and lost sight of Jesus, and fell off the path down in the dark and wicked world below. It was just as impossible for them to get on the path again and go to the City, as all the wicked world which God had rejected.
They fell all the way along the path one after another, until we heard the voice of God like many waters, [Ezekiel 43:2. Joel 3:16. Revelation 16:17.] which gave us the day and hour of Jesus’ coming. [Ezekiel 12:25. Mark 13:32.] The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. [John 12:29.] When God spake the time, he poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai.
Ellen G. White, Early Writings, pg. 14 (EW 14.1)
In this vision, she claimed to be shown a number of things, but two in particular regarding the sealing message. That the 144,000 is an actual number and that they are “living saints.”
This same thing was reiterated in an alleged vision from 1847 which is documented in the Word to the Little Flock:
The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake. [John 12:29.] When God spake the time, he poured on us the Holy Ghost, and our faces began to light up and shine with the glory of God as Moses’ did when he came down from Mount Sinai. [Isaiah 10:27.]
By this time the 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious Star containing Jesus’ new name...
Then Jesus’ silver trumpet sounded, as he descended on the cloud, wrapped in flames of fire [2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8] He gazed on the graves of the sleeping saints, then raised his eyes and hands to heaven and cried out, [John 5:25.] Awake! Awake! Awake! ye that sleep in the dust, and arise. Then there was a mighty earthquake. The graves opened, and the dead came up clothed with immortality. The 144,000 shouted, Hallelujah! as they recognized their friends who had been torn from them by death, and in the same moment we were changed and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. [1 Thessalonians 4:17.]
We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought along the crowns and with his own right hand placed them on our heads. [2 Esdras 2:43.] He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory. [Revelation 15:2. Revelation 7:9.] Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some of them had very bright crowns, others not so bright.
Ellen G. White, Word to the Little Flock, pg. 14 (EW 14.1)
Very clearly, Ellen White believed the 144,000 would be alive to witness these things occur with the sealing process already underway and the sealed 144,000 would be alive to witness the resurrection.
In the same vision from Early Writings she claimed that after being shown these things the angel told her that she had to go back to earth and that, if she was faithful, her along with the 144,000 would have the privilege of visiting all the other worlds God had created to see His handiworks.
Then I was taken to a world which had seven moons. There I saw good old Enoch, who had been translated. On his right arm he bore a glorious palm, and on each leaf was written “Victory.” Around his head was a dazzling white wreath, and leaves on the wreath, and in the middle of each leaf was written “Purity,” and around the wreath were stones of various colors, that shone brighter than the stars, and cast a reflection upon the letters and magnified them. On the back part of his head was a bow that confined the wreath, and upon the bow was written “Holiness.” Above the wreath was a lovely crown that shone brighter than the sun. I asked him if this was the place he was taken to from the earth. He said, “It is not; the city is my home, and I have come to visit this place.” He moved about the place as if perfectly at home. I begged of my attending angel to let me remain in that place. I could not bear the thought of coming back to this dark world again. Then the angel said, “You must go back, and if you are faithful, you, with the 144,000, shall have the privilege of visiting all the worlds and viewing the handiwork of God.”
Ellen G. White, Early Writings, pg. 39 (EW 39.3)
She apparently saw Enoch on another world who had been translated where she asked him if the world she saw was the heavenly city to which he said no, he was simply traveling to this world. To which Ellen begged her angel messenger that she wanted to stay and leads to the angels telling her that she had to go back, remain faithful, and if she did, her and the 144,000 would have the privilege of returning.
Again evidencing that the 144,000 was understood to be a literal number and would be “living saints” like she said earlier. She continued by saying that this “sealing time” was soon to be over because it is very short. This was in 1849 mind you:
My dear brethren and sisters, let the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ be in your minds continually and let them crowd out worldly thoughts and cares. When you lie down and when you rise up, let them be your meditation. Live and act wholly in reference to the coming of the Son of man. The sealing time is very short, and will soon be over. Now is the time, while the four angels are holding the four winds, to make our calling and election sure.
Ellen G. White, Early Writings, pg. 58 (EW 58.2)
Which means it was understood that the 144,000 number of living saints would be reached in their time. Since Christ hasn’t returned yet, this has morphed into “very short” being redefined as 170+ years later.
Fast forward to 1850 and a letter that Ellen White wrote to an Adventist, Mr. Hastings, that was grieving the loss of his wife where Ellen White writes, in part:
I saw that she was sealed and would come up at the voice of God and stand upon the earth, and would be with the 144,000. I saw we need not mourn for her; she would rest in the time of trouble, and all that we could mourn for was our loss in being deprived of her company. I saw her death would result in good.
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 2, pg. 263 (2SM 263.3)
Now we see a transition from the 144,000 being “living saints” that will witness those coming up from the grave to including some of those who have been sealed and died. Mrs. Hastings, who was deceased, was a part of the 144,000.
In his booklet, J.N. Loughborough points out how Adventists of the day loved to point to a citation from The Great Controversy where Ellen White states that the living saints that make up the 144,000 would be the ones who pass through the time of Jacob’s trouble and have stood without an intercessor:
These are they which came out of great tribulation;” they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation; they have endured the anguish of the time of Jacob’s trouble; they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of God’s judgments. But they have been delivered, for they have “washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pg. 648 (GC 648.3)
This would be cited by Adventists to state that clearly Ellen White taught that all of the 144,000 would be alive.
Jumping ahead to 1901 and Adventists were still perplexed as to if they could be one of the 144,000, what Ellen White really believed and taught, etc. We read this in Selected Messages, Book 1:
Christ says that there will be those in the church who will present fables and suppositions, when God has given grand, elevating, ennobling truths which should ever be kept in the treasure house of the mind. When men pick up this theory and that theory, when they are curious to know something it is not necessary for them to know, God is not leading them. It is not His plan that His people shall present something which they have to suppose, which is not taught in the Word. It is not His will that they shall get into controversy over questions which will not help them spiritually, such as, Who is to compose the hundred and forty-four thousand? This those who are the elect of God will in a short time know without question.
Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, Book 1, pg. 174 (1SM 174.3)
By this point she is saying that it isn’t God’s will for people to inquire about matters such as if they are a part of the 144,000 as it will not help them spiritually. But in a short time, those who are the elect of God will know without question.
But four years later, in a sermon she gave in 1905, she exhorts Adventists to strive with all the power that God has given them to be among the 144,000:
Let us strive with all the power that God has given us to be among the hundred and forty-four thousand. And let us do all that we can to help others to gain heaven. We are to have an intense interest in Christ Jesus; for he is our Saviour. He came to this world to be tempted in all points as we are, to prove to the universe that in this world of sin human beings can live lives that God will approve.
Ellen G. White, Review & Herald, March 9, 1905
Is it any wonder that SDAs who looked to Ellen White for guidance were confused? On the one hand they were being told to not get bogged down in matters of who is and isn’t part of the 144,000—focus on the tasks at hand. While on the other, she’s saying to strive with all power to make sure you are among the 144,000.
But remember what Loughborough documented regarding the 1909 General Conference session where he examined the transcript of the stenographer. Ellen White said, “Oh yes, those who have died in the faith will be among the 144,000. I am clear on this matter.”
Which explains why there was such confusion amongst the early Adventists over this matter. Ellen White herself was confused.
2. The Sabbath seal
The sabbath seal is a matter entirely distinct from this “sealing message” referred to by Loughborough and has to do with the seal of God’s law being contained within the fourth commandment of the Ten Commandments, given to those in the end of time who “keep the commandments of God” and have the “faith of Jesus.”
Do not confuse these two sealings.
