December 11-17

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There are a million themes mingled throughout the chapters for this week in Revelation, and honestly, it’s rather overwhelming to me. That makes sense because John was trying to describe a vision about the history of the world. I digress. One of those themes is about the mark we seek to set upon ourselves. Here are a few contrasting verses that teach this principle.

Revelation 7:2-3

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

The four angels represent the four directions on a compass; they are the four corners of the earth. Essentially, there is a destruction awaiting from God that will encompass the entire earth, but it was paused long enough for the servants of God to be sealed in their foreheads. This imagery brings to mind a couple of different meanings. It’s a metaphor for their devotion to God. Another way to think of this concept is allowing the wheat and tares to grow together. They are indistinguishable at first, but if you let them go on for a bit, the difference becomes apparent between the two. 

In contrast, we find these verses:

Revelation 13:16-17 

16 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.

17 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.

The definitive meaning of the mark of the beast has not been defined. The institute manual suggests that the marks found in their hands could suggest their actions, and the mark on their foreheads suggest their beliefs. Either way, they have marked themselves as Satan’s. 

The interesting thing about symbols is that they can bring many different things to mind. This has felt overwhelming to me in the past because I like the idea of a “right” answer. I like the idea of being told the correct interpretation and then just running with that. However, when I take a step back from my Type-A tendencies, I remember that there doesn’t need to be a completely right answer. These symbols can bring many different “answers” to mind, and they can all be true in a sense. They can add layers of meaning in comparison to just one right answer.

Let’s talk about some of the “answers” that can be brought to mind regarding these specific symbols. Some of it may seem disjointed, but I’ve decided that I’m not really trying to give definitive answers. Rather, I hope to give some suggestions for layers that will inspire change.

His name

There is another verse (Revelation 14:1) that describes having the Father’s name specifically written on the foreheads of the righteous. Though this mark on the forehead is not usually specified as His name, we can still find just another layer of meaning. 

When we are baptized, we promise to take His name up on us. Not everyone who makes that promise keeps that promise. That’s why there is another commandment, part of the Ten Commandments, that teaches us to not take the Lord’s name in vain. It doesn’t matter if you made a promise to take His name if you don’t actually take His name. In fact, when you pretend to take His name but don’t act accordingly, you usually find yourself in deeper water than not promising to take His name at all. 

When I think of taking the Savior’s name, I think of the fact that I took my husband’s name when I married him. I know that’s not a practice everyone adopts anymore, but there are still metaphors that we can find so I’m going to use them. When I took Conner’s last name, it was just one of the ways that I was signifying my special relationship with him. It was just one outward expression that I was going to give myself to him and simultaneously make him mine. 

I could take Conner’s last name and still run around on him. Just because I made his last name my own doesn’t mean that I took it to heart. That would obviously break his heart more than if I had just refused to take his name at all. It’s also confusing to everyone who watched it happen. What was I expressing about the concept of this relationship by taking his name but doing what I wanted? What would that teach others, specifically my children, about the concept of that special relationship? Everyone can very plainly see how I feel about my relationship not because my last name is Dickson, but by how I act as a wife.

It is the same when we promise to take the Lord’s name at baptism. Until it is written on our foreheads by our countenances and actions, we will not be protected by it. There will be no special, salvation-producing relationship with the Savior if we have not taken on the responsibilities that come with taking His name. There will be none of the true benefits from having that kind of relationship. If I run around on Conner even if I take his name, I will not experience the kind of happiness that comes from that specific type of eternal relationship. If I take the Lord’s name but run around Him, I will likewise find myself without the benefits.

Satan’s counterfeits

Right before the verses about the mark of the beast, we are taught by John that Satan will be able to deceive men by performing “miracles.” In so many ways, Satan counterfeits the real thing. He counterfeits the miracles and makes it appear as though there is “life unto the image of the beast (Revelation 13:15).” Satan likes to make people think he can give them something worthwhile. The verses surrounding the mark of the beast talk about how a man will not be able to buy or sell unless he has this mark, suggesting that many may feel that by following Satan, they will receive some amount of goodness or ability or freedom. 

This is especially sad when you consider that when the destroying angels are finally released, it will be the mark on the forehead of the righteous and the mark of the beast that distinguishes who is destroyed and who is saved. 

Satan is not capable of delivering on his promises. It is simply impossible. He does not have the power to grant you happiness because happiness comes from living by eternal principles. You may be able to buy or sell for a while. You may be amazed by the apparent living image of the beast, but in the end, it is all smoke in mirrors. 

Oddly enough, this makes me think of modern technology. Technology can bring beautiful things into our lives. It can also offer a mere counterfeit. Scrolling constantly through social media keeps our minds drunk on dopamine, but choosing to go out and invest in real relationships brings lives that are literally, physically healthier. There are physical differences that follow the choices we make. When we choose to invest in the eternal, we receive of the eternal. When I invest time in my relationship with Conner, I receive something very real. When I invest excessive amounts of time into a screen, I can only receive as much as the screen can offer and it is a mere whisper of what relationships are supposed to bring into your life.

The institute manual suggests that the mark on the foreheads of the righteous are metaphors for their righteous deeds and lives. This isn’t really about a mark. This is about making choices that affect what you grow into: a wheat or a tare. How you choose to live your life will be spelled out on your face, or in this case, your forehead. 

Apostate Nephites

In Alma 3, we read about a group of apostate Nephites who literally marked their foreheads before going to war. Why did they do this? Because they looked exactly like the people they were fighting. The Nephites and apostate Nephites were going to war; how else would you know who you were supposed to kill? You were literally brothers; you all came from the same family.

The implications of this mark are many. My first thought is that those who receive the mark from the Savior versus those who receive the mark of the beast may look eerily similar. They may hold similar jobs or even callings. They may call themselves members of the church. They may come from the same family. It is the mark that distinguishes which side they are choosing to fight on.

And what is the mark in Revelation? It is a metaphor for actions. Sometimes I shy away from this idea of “actions” because even actions can be misleading if we don’t know what to look for. Interestingly enough, that plays even more into the idea of the apostate Nephites. Those with the mark of the beast and those with the mark of the Father may be doing very similar actions which means we have to be even more vigilant. That’s why I always stress the state of your heart. You can be doing all the right actions, but if you’re doing it for selfish reasons, you’re still not partaking in any level of salvation and its accompanying happiness. Luckily, if you look closely enough and pray for the gift of discernment, you can also see the motives behind the actions of others and find protection.

Those are just some of the many layers we can consider as we think about this one principle pulled out of the book of Revelation. There is much more goodness in there. Rather than trying to soak in its entirety, perhaps there are a couple of symbols that can be focused on in order to glean the most out of these chapters. 

I testify of a Savior who stands by His own. I testify that He is really the only One who can deliver and protect. I testify that the mark on our foreheads will appear as we grow into what our choices build. The choices you make will build your character, and who you are will be made apparent by that mark. That mark will likely look like the eternal rewards that naturally come with following the Savior.