838. To give them a mark on their right hand, or on their foreheads. That this signifies a testification of acknowledgment that they belong to the church, and are in the truths and goods, so called, of that faith, is evident from the signification of a mark, as denoting a sign or witness of acknowledgment, in this case that they belong to that church; and from the signification of the right hand, as denoting the truth of faith in its power (concerning which see above, n. 298); and from the signification of forehead, as denoting the good of love (concerning which see also above, n. 427). In this case, therefore, by the right hand and forehead are signified the truths and goods, so called, of that faith, which, nevertheless, are either not truths and goods, or falsities and evils. The acknowledgment of them, however, as being truths and goods, is signified by giving and receiving a mark upon their right hands and upon their foreheads.

A mark also signifies a sign of acknowledgment in the following passages in the Apocalypse (14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4); the meaning of mark is similar to that of

"The sign" set by Jehovah upon Cain (Genesis 4:15).

Also

"The sign" which the prophet was commanded to set upon the foreheads of the men in the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 9:4).

As also by "the sign" in Moses:

"Thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might; thou shalt bind these words for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes" (Deuteronomy 6:5, 8; 11:18).

10017. 'And the priesthood shall be theirs' means the stages, following one after another, of the Lord's work of salvation. This is clear from the meaning of 'the priesthood' or 'the priestly office' as that which is representative of the Lord's whole work of salvation, dealt with in 9809. The reason why the stages following one after another is meant is that the priesthood of Aaron's sons is the subject here, and his sons represent the things which emanate and so follow in order one after another, 9807. The situation in all this is that the priesthood which Aaron represents consists in the work of saving those who are in the Lord's celestial kingdom, this kingdom being the proper meaning in the Word of 'a kingdom of priests'. But the priesthood which Aaron's sons represent consists in the work of saving those who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom emanating directly from His celestial kingdom. From this it is evident that 'the priesthood' is used in the present instance to mean the stages, following one after another, of the Lord's work of salvation. But the priesthood which the Levites represent consists in the Lord's work of salvation at a further stage.

[2] There are three realities which follow one another in order. These are the celestial, which is the good of love to the Lord; the spiritual, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour; and the natural springing from these, which is the good of faith. Since these three are realities which follow one another in order there are also three heavens, and in them the types of good follow in that order. The work of saving those with whom celestial good exists is represented by Aaron's priesthood; but the work of saving those with whom spiritual good exists is represented by the priesthood of Aaron's sons, and the work of saving those with whom the natural good springing from these exists is represented by the priesthood of the Levites. And since the things following one another in order emanate from the good of love to the Lord, which is represented by Aaron and his priesthood, it is said of the Levites that they were given to Aaron. For things which emanate belong to that from which they emanate; such emanations or stages following one after another owe their very existence to that source, as accords with what has been stated a little above in 10011. The fact that the Levites were given to Aaron and his sons to perform priestly duties under them, see Numbers 3:1-end.