Marked Foreheads

by J.L. Ferguson, Barrhead | Category: General | Sept 1979

On Aaron's forehead was a golden plate for all to see, day after day. It was held in place by a lace of blue on the forefront of the mitre, his priestly head-dress. On the golden plate were engraved the awesome words, HOLY TO THE LORD. The message to the nation was that their high priest bore the iniquity of the holy things. Someone was needed to reconcile the iniquity in the offerers with the holiness of their gifts. The deeper truth was that God saw in the priesthood of Aaron shadows of the coming priesthood of His Son and in this way He was able to bear with Israel's failure in the service of His house (Ex. 28:36-38).

We are not pursuing here the typical teaching of the mitre with its golden plate and lace of blue. We are thinking simply of a man walking about every day, in the presence of God, in the company of the people outside, and on his forehead was this testimony to personal consecration - HOLY TO THE LORD.

The forehead stands related to personal characteristics in various ways in Scripture. For example, King Uzziah had a leprous forehead, indicating an inward condition of pride and deliberate trespass against the Lord (2 Chr. 26:19).

Israel in her national depravity was described by God as having "a whore's forehead". She had completely lost her early love for the Lord and gone after the meaningless idols of the nations (Jer. 3:3).

Ezekiel, dedicated to taking the word of the Lord to rebellious Israel, had, metaphorically, his forehead made "as an adamant harder than flint" so that he could stand against a people who were "of an hard forehead and of a stiff heart" (Ezek. 3:7-9).

The Hebrew word translated forehead is rooted in the thought of 'clear' or 'prominent'. Thus from the Old Testament allusions the message comes to us today in all its power. Clearly evident in our lives, prominent for all to see, should be a sense of being "holy to the LORD", avoiding pride and trespass against Him, strong in our desire not to let our hearts wander after tawdry priorities, and determined in our defence of the faith.

In the New Testament there are two extremely unpleasant instances of marked foreheads. In the tribulation period those who, against all divine warning, stand boldly and impudently for the worship of the first beast of Rev. 13, and his image, will doubtless be those who receive his mark on their forehead; others on their hand. This will be their authority from the man of sin for a brief period of trading but at the fearful cost of their eternal doom (Rev. 13:16,17; 14: 9-12).

John also saw that on the forehead of the woman sitting on the scarlet coloured beast was a name written: "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth". The name is indicative of her character; the woman herself of the vast ecumenical movement, already in evidence today, but to be thrust into violent momentum by the departure of every born again person at the Rapture.

With joyful, contrasting relief we turn to other marked foreheads in the New Testament. Again they are in the Revelation. First the 144,000; the seal on their foreheads indicating that they are the servants of God (7:3; 9:4).

Then another group of the same number are seen standing with the Lamb on the heavenly Mount Zion. These, in their dedication, follow the Lamb wherever He goes. And His name and that of His Father are written on their foreheads (14:1-5).

But what shall we say of 22:4? There, in the New Jerusalem, "His servants shall do Him service; and they shall see His face; and His name shall be on their foreheads". What an ultimate for the disciple! What a sublime prospect for us all! Assigned to a place in the service of the everlasting kingdom; looking for ever on the King's face: marked as His for the eternal day of God.

Is it not worth-while to be a known disciple today? to be men and women, young men and maidens of the marked foreheads?

"On Thy brow we see a thorn-crown,

Blood drops in Thy track,

O forbid that we should ever

Turn us back".

J.L. Ferguson, Barrhead | Sept 1979
General