Marks
in the Old Testament:
There
are various classes of marks/ marking in the Bible. Cain was protected by the
mark God gave him. Genesis 4:15, “And the Lord said unto him, Therefore
whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord
set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”
The
night of the Passover, the blood of an unblemished lamb was applied to the door
posts so that the angel of death would pass by. By rearranging the marks left
by the blood a cross of sorts is formed.
Samuel’s
mother was marked, 1 Samuel 1:12, “And it came to pass, as she continued
praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.” Hannah prayed for a
man-child and Eli thinking she was drunk marked her mouth. I’m not sure why,
however, Hannah gave birth to Samuel who became a great Prophet.
In
his many trials was marked, Job 10:13-15, “And these things hast thou hid in
thine heart: I know that this is with thee. If I sin, then thou markest me, and
thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if
I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion;
therefore see thou mine affliction;
Here
the perfect man was marked. Psalm 37:37-40, “Mark the perfect man, and behold
the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be
destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation
of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And
the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the
wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Another
marking for protection is found in Ezekiel 9:4, “And the Lord said unto him, Go
through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark
upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations
that be done in the midst thereof.” Ezekiel 9:6, “Slay utterly old and young,
both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom
is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men
which were before the house.” The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the “tav”
which resembles a cross.
Added later:
Early
followers of the way were martyred for their faith. Their bodies testified to
this with lash marks, burns and marks from animal teeth.
The
Apostle Paul was beaten, stoned and finally beheaded for spreading the Gospel, Galatians
6:17, “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks
of the Lord Jesus.” All the apostles except John were also martyred.
During
the tribulation 144,000 were sealed, 12,000 from each tribe, Revelation 7:3-4, “Saying,
Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the
servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which
were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of
all the tribes of the children of Israel.”
Then
there is the down-side, taking the mark of the Beast. Revelation 13:16-18, “And
he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive
a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or
sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his
name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the
beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore
and six.” Revelation 14:11, “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever
and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his
image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”
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