His Name Will Be on Their Foreheads

There’s some interesting imagery in Revelation 22:4.

There’s a mark on the forehead of all who belong to God.

When I first read this, it brought to mind another kind of mark mentioned in Revelation. Those who worship and serve the Antichrist will have some kind of mark on their foreheads or hands. This is a mark of ownership. If you want to buy or sell in the tribulation world order, you’ve got to carry the sign of citizenship. If you don’t, you’ll have to turn to the black market, the underground economy that has existed as long as there have been people doing business.

It’s interesting that this mark is on the forehead because God’s mark is in the same place. Satan has a counterfeit for every good thing God has. God offers peace in Christ. Satan offers it in sinful indulgence. God offers security in salvation. Satan offers it in promises of power here and now. The difference goes further though; God keeps His promises just as He says. Satan performs a bait and switch operation that leaves you empty and frustrated. But if you’re blind to his tactics, you’ll surmise that it’s just the way the ball bounces.

Moses gave us a glimpse of what it’s like to see God face to face. Now Moses didn’t actually see God’s face but he did go into God’s presence. God talked with Moses as you and I would talk with a friend on the phone. It was intimate and familiar. But there was the wall of mortality that prevented the relationship between Moses and God from being totally free and unfettered.

When we get to Heaven, all the shackles of sin, guilt, and ignorance will fall away like the fall leaves in December. We won’t remember the way things were because we’ll be so enthralled to be in God’s presence. We’ll be able to do something we never could before – see God and live.

Now that is something to write home about!

Imagine a relationship with someone you love that is never punctuated with occasional criticism, emotional variations, and fatigue. Picture the sort of progress in intimacy that transcends any of the promises the best-selling authors on love offer to sell their books. That is heaven. It’s real unconditional love, unbound and unleashed.

Then our joy and redemption will really be complete.