Revelation Day 24

What about the mark on the forehead or right hand (Revelation 14:9)?

Day 24

B. Hodge, Biblical Authority Ministries, June 17, 2020

There were a number of places where marks and signs appear on the forehead/frontlets and/or the hand in Scripture. Please see Exodus 13:9-16, Deuteronomy 6:6-8, and Ezekiel 9:4-6. Deuteronomy 11:18 says,

"Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.(NKJV)

Marks were to distinguish someone as either a believer or a non-believer by their actions. For example in 1 John 3:12, discussing Cain, it says he belonged to the wicked or evil one and his actions reveal murder (John 8:44) and Cain was given a mark in Genesis 4:15.

Whereas in Deuteronomy and Exodus, the sign was for those who were godly. Perhaps the mark was significant, in that it represented both thoughts (forehead) and actions (hand) as in Job 10:12-14 where Job would receive a mark if his actions were sinful toward the Lord. For the thoughts and actions (i.e., the fruit they produce) of someone reveal to whom they belong (Matthew 7:20).

Bear in mind that some of these marks were not physical marks. Instead, it was like taking a mental note. As a practical example, if someone in your congregation is sinning and refuses to be corrected, then believers often make a mental note of that person and avoid them (e.g., Romans 16:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:14, etc.). In other words, this person was "marked". Of course there are those who are "marked" and noted in a good sense too (e.g., Romans 16:7)

With this in mind now read Revelation 17:5 coupled with Jeremiah 3:3. The harlot was clearly not after the heart of God. Furthermore, these marks didn’t necessarily mean something physical.  

Re-read Exodus 13:9-16, Deuteronomy 6:6-8, and Ezekiel 9:4-6.