PRÉCIS ON THE JESUS AMERICA HAS FORGOTTEN: FOLLOWUP DISCUSSION OF ANOTHER KIND OF “MARK”

SCRIPTURE. “Then He called out in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, ‘Let those who have charge over the city draw near, each with a deadly weapon in his hand.’ And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer’s inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the Lord said to him, ‘Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a MARK on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.’

To the others He said in my hearing, ‘Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.’” – EZEKIEL 9:1-5, NKJV

KEY TERM: “MARK.” ‘Tav’ [תָּ֜ו]: “From a primitive root meaning, ‘To mark out, scratch [as signature] or imprint;’ indicative in this context of ‘God’s desire.’” NOTE: “In the Hebrew Bible, ‘tav’ refers to a mark or sign, often used to denote ‘a distinguishing feature or symbol.’ It is a term that signifies a physical or metaphorical Mark that sets something apart for a specific purpose or identification.”

QUOTATION. “It appears that too many Christians want to enjoy the thrill of ‘feeling’ right but are not willing to endure the inconvenience of ‘being’ right.” ― A.W. TOZER, The Root of the Righteous, 1955; edited

COMMENTARY. “It is a great comfort to believers, that in the midst of destroyers and destructions, there is a Mediator, a great High Priest, who has an interest in heaven, and in whom saints on earth have an interest. The representation of the Divine glory from above the Ark, removed to the Threshold, denoted that the Lord was about to leave His Mercy-Seat, and to pronounce Judgment on the people. The distinguishing character of this ‘Remnant that is to be saved,’ is such as sigh and cry to God in prayer, because of the abominations in Jerusalem. ‘Those who keep pure in times of general wickedness, God will keep safe in times of general trouble and distress.

The Slaughter must begin at the Sanctuary, that all may see and know that the Lord hates sin most in those nearest to Him!’ [1 Peter 4:17]. He who was appointed to protect, reported the matter. Christ is faithful to the trust reposed in Him. Is He commanded by His Father to secure Eternal Life to the Chosen Remnant? He says, ‘Of all that Thou hast given Me, I have lost none [of the obedient]. If others perish, and we are saved, we must ascribe the difference wholly to the mercy of our God, for we too have deserved Wrath. Let us still continue to plead in behalf of others. ‘But where the Lord shows No Mercy, He does No Injustice; He only Recompenses men’s ways.’” – MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK’S TAKE. To complete our Introduction to the ‘Mark of the Beast’ upon all the Wicked in the previous Commentary, we now distinguish it and are greatly comforted by this ‘Mark of the Lion of Judah’ on the Faithful Remnant in the Times of Great Distress rapidly gathering force all around us.

‘These “Mighty Ones” of the Lord shall stand fast against the Dark Violence of Antichrist, shall maintain their confession of The Christ no matter what, and even be willing to go to the death if it is required.’ But even those shall only be martyred at the Divine Permission of the True King and are also thereby also protected from Satan’s wrath.

CODA. Real Christianity and Real Followership is at our door as ‘God’s Final Sifting of Wheat from Chaff’ comes to its conclusion. Choose well, beloved, and be sure to Invite Him to make you mightier than you have ever been before.

For Him, for your family, for your neighbor, and lastly – for yourself!  Selah.