ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TU’APULELULU NOVEMA 23, 2023

Sealed on the Forehead

Tā ha kolosi ‘i he la‘e

EZEKIEL 9:3-4

[GOD] CALLED TO THE MAN CLOTHED IN LINEN, WHO HAD THE WRITING CASE AT HIS WAIST. AND THE LORD SAID TO HIM, "PASS THROUGH THE CITY, THROUGH JERUSALEM, AND PUT A MARK ON THE FOREHEADS OF THE MEN WHO SIGH AND GROAN OVER ALL THE ABOMINATIONS THAT ARE COMMITTED IN IT."

‘ISIKELI 9:3-4

3 Pea na‘a nau omi, ‘o tu‘u ofi ki he ‘ōlita. Pea ko e Sikaina ‘o e ‘Otua ‘o ‘Isileli na‘e ma‘ama‘a hake mei he funga selupimi, ‘a ia kuo ne ‘afio ai, ki he tu‘unga matapā ‘o e fale, ‘o ne ui ki he tangata kofu tupenu hinehina, ‘a ia na‘e ‘i hono kongaloto ha ‘ainga vaitohi faka-tangatatohi. 4 Pea folofola ‘a Sihova kiate ia, Laka atu ‘i he loto kolo, ‘i loto Selusalema, ‘o tā ha kolosi ‘i he la‘e ‘o e kau tangata ‘oku māpuhoi mo to‘e koe‘uhi ko e ngaahi fakalielia ‘oku fai ‘i loto kolo.

The Bible is punctuated with narratives of God sealing people to protect them. The Lord "put a mark [oth] on Cain" to shield him from attack (Gen. 4:15). The lamb's blood on Israelite homes was a "sign [oth]" to protect them from the Destroyer (Exod. 12:13). In Ezekiel's vision, a scribe writes on the foreheads of the faithful "a mark," literally, a tav (also written as taw), the final letter of the Hebrew alphabet. We know from archaeological finds that, in Ezekiel's day, the tau was written in the shape of a cross. While everyone else in Jerusalem was slain, those marked with this cross - shaped letter were saved.

Finally, in Revelation, the servants of God are "sealed .. on their foreheads" (7:3). What is this seal? It is the name of the Lamb "and his Father's name" (14:1). "His name will be on their foreheads" (22:4), the holiest name, Yahweh, which was also written on the headband of the OT high priest. We are sealed in baptism, marked by the cross, claimed as God's priests by his holy name inscribed on us.

With your finger of grace, holy Jesus, trace on our brows the name that is above every name.