End Times, Ezekiel, Revelation
The letter above is the archaic Hebrew Taw, it meant salvation for people about 2400 years ago.
Commentary, Bibliography, and Sources
Mark of Salvation
Ezekiel 9:1, 2 In this chapter, six executioners are seen coming from the north (the direction from which the Babylonians were to come) to destroy the idolaters of the previous chapter. The man clothed with linen may symbolize grace.
Ezekiel 9:3 The glory cloud (symbol of God’s presence) leaves the holy of holies in the temple, grieved away by the idolatry of the people. The glory cloud moves to the threshold of the temple where its brightness fills the court.
Ezekiel 9:4 Those faithful Jews who opposed the idolatry were sealed by a mark on their foreheads so that they would not be killed. This verse should challenge us. How do we react, if some do not follow the Lord? Do we join them? Will they influence us? Do we justify them? Do we show indifference? These faithful men and women sighed and cried; this reaction showed what was in their heart and kept them from judgment.
The sign—or mark on the forehead—was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet (tau or taw), which the rabbis said suggested completeness. It is also the first letter of toraĆ (law). Feinberg notes a "remarkable similarity between what is stated here and in Revelation 7:1–3." He adds a fascinating parallel from much later times:
Christian interpreters have seen a somewhat prophetic allusion to the sign of the cross. In the earlier script the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet (taw) had the form of a cross. Ezekiel, of course, could not have thought of Christian symbolism nor is the passage a direct prediction of Christ’s cross. It is a remarkable coincidence, however.1
Ezekiel 9:5–7 Then the executioners began to slay the idolaters, starting with the elders (ancient men). "Do not come near anyone on whom is the mark," says God. We don’t know if they were aware of the mark, but believers today can be sure on the basis of the Word that they are safe from judgment. How frightening not to have this assurance!
Ezekiel 9:8–11 When Ezekiel interceded for the people, the Lord said that He would not spare or have pity. The people were saying that because the Lord God had forsaken them and no longer saw their plight, they owed no loyalty to Him. "The Lord does not see" sounds like a very modern quotation!
Judging from this and other texts (Noah and the ark), it seems to be characteristic of God to deliver true believers before pouring out judgment on the ungodly. 2
1 Charles Lee Feinberg, The Prophecy of Ezekiel: The Glory of the Lord, p. 56. As cited in MacDonald below.
2
William MacDonald; edited with introductions by Arthur Farstad, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1995 by William MacDonald.Alphabet Comparison Chart Bibliography and Biblical Resources for the Taw
Chadwick, John, Documents in Mycenaean Greek, Cambridge at the University Press, Cambridge, London, 1973.
Schultz, Samuel J. and Smith, Gary V. Exploring the Old Testament, Copyright © 2001 by Samuel J. Schultz, Gary V. Smith, Published by Crossway Books a division of Good News Publishers,1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.
Fell, Barry, Bronze Age America, Little Brown and Company, Boston, 1982.
Fell, Barry, America B. C., Pocket Books, New York, 1989.
Fell, Barry, Saga America, Times Books, New York, 1980.
Fell, Barry, The Phaistos Disk ca 1600 B.C., Occasional Publication of the Epigraphic Society, Vol. 4 No. 79, October, 1976.
Gusmani, Roberto, Neue Epichorische Schriftzeugnisse Aus Sardis (1958-1971), Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1975.
Lochore, Reuel A. A Text to Change the History of the World, Occasional Publication of the Epigraphic Society, Vol. 4 No. 81, September, 1977. Reprint by permission of the New Zealand Listener.
Packard, David, Minoan Linear A, University of California Press, Berkeley, CA, 1974.
Strong, James, New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, ©1996.
Strong, James H., Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1985.
The Holy Bible, 1901 American Standard Version, Oak Harbor, WA, Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1994.
The Holy Bible, The Complete Jewish Bible, Stern, David H., (Translator, Editor), Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville, MD, 1998, © 1998 David H. Stern.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™ Copyright© 2000; 2001 by Crossway Bibles, A Division of Good News Publishers, 1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, USA.
The Holy Bible, The King James Authorized Version, Cambridge, Cambridge, 1769.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, 1982.
The Holy Bible, The New Revised Standard Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1989.
The Holy Bible, The Revised Standard Version, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. 1973, 1977.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., King James Version Study Bible, [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 1997, ©1988 by Liberty University.
Totten, Norman, Phaistos Disk: The Oldest Printed Text, Occasional Publication of the Epigraphic Society, Vol. 4 No. 82, October, 1976.
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