^7:3 saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."

saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees,

It appears that there is an order or ranking of angels in heaven. The four worker angels in verses 1 and 2, are the ones who are granted to HARM the earth. Here the fifth angel, a superior angel, commands them to NOT do what they were granted. Some interpret the four angels as evil angels, but then it is unclear why the fifth would give this command. Others say that even the physical aspects of this earth are under angelic control, and this group of good angels are granted to carry out the WRATH of GOD.

until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."

During the quiet (Habakkuk 3:2) between seals 6 and 7 , the sealing of the bond-servants takes place. A bond-servant was one, who after "working off" a debt, requests to remain a servant. Then that person's ear was pierced to indicate this status, Deuteronomy 15:12-18.

Consider that if a servant commits themselves to be a bond-servant for an earthly debt, then how much more wonderful is the SEALING of a bond-servant (we believers) for the spiritual debt that has been paid!

The sealing mark, here, is on the forehead. A similar marking was done in Ezekiel's day. A divinely-inspired writer was given the task to mark those who deplored the idolatry being committed before the tabernacle, Ezekiel 9:3-11. God's patience ran out such that even the glory of the God of Israel was moved to leave the cherub where it had been. Here, the apathetic or passive person, not unlike the ones in Revelation 3:15, did not get the mark and died.

If you received this seal, you have divine protection.