Apocalypse Revealed #613
613. Having His Father's name written on their foreheads. This symbolizes the acknowledgment out of love and faith among them of the Lord's Divinity and of His Divine humanity.
The name of the Father means the Lord in respect to the Divine called the Father from which springs all else, and at the same time in respect to His Divine humanity called the Son, since the two are one and the same person, united like a soul and body. In heaven, therefore, no other father than the Lord is meant by God the Father, and in the new heaven the Lord is also called Father.
We are told here that they had the Father's name on their foreheads because the Father also means the Divine goodness of the Lord's Divine love, which in the Gospels is everywhere meant by the Father when referred to by the Lord, while the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom is meant by the Son. When the Lord glorified His humanity, these two were united like a soul with its body and a body with its soul (see nos. 21, 170).
Because the two are one, therefore we find reference elsewhere to the name of God and of the Lamb being "on their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4). Therefore, with respect to the people who are the subject here, we are told that they had the Father's name written on their foreheads, inasmuch as the 144,000 that were sealed of the twelve tribes of Israel mean angels of the higher heavens, all of whom are prompted by the goodness of celestial love, and that is, as we said, the love meant by the Father.
That the angels who are the subject here are angels of the higher heavens may be seen in the exposition of chapter 7, especially in no. 369 there.
Having the name written on their foreheads symbolizes an acknowledgment in them out of love and faith - having it written or inscribed symbolizing an acknowledgment in them, and the forehead symbolizing love and the resulting intelligence or faith (nos. 347, 605).
[2] We say that the Divine called the Father and the Divine humanity called the Son are one like a soul and body, consequently that people must approach the Lord in His Divine humanity, and that in this way and in no other is the Divine called the Father approached; and this can be seen from so many passages in the Word that they would fill pages if we were to cite them all. We cited a number of them in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 29-36 38-45, and later, and by way of confirmation we will present only some of them here, as follows:
The angel said to (Mary), ."..behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest...."
But Mary said..., "How shall this be, since I do not know a man?"
The angel answered..., "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore... the Holy One who is to be born of you will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:30-35)
...an angel of the Lord appeared to (Joseph) in a dream, saying, ."..do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit...." ...and (Joseph) did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. (Matthew 1:20, 25)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh..., and we beheld His glory, as though the glory of the only begotten of the Father... (John 1:1-2, 14)
...the Jews sought... to kill (Jesus), because He... said that God was His Father, making Himself equal to God. Jesus answered..., ."..whatever (the Father) does, the Son also does in like manner. ...as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. ...assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming... when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. (John 5:18-25)
...as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself... (John 5:26)
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."
Philip said to Him, ."..show us the Father...."
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long a time, and have you not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how then do you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I dwell in the Father, and the Father in Me? ...Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me...." (John 14:6-11)
"I give (My sheep) eternal life... I and My Father are one."
(Then the Jews were angered that He made Himself God. And He said, "I do the works of My Father.") ."..believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." (John 10:28-38)
"He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me." (John 12:45)
"All things that the Father has are Mine." (John 16:15)
...that the Father had given all things into His hands... (John 13:3)
"Father..., ...You have given (Me) authority over all flesh... This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only... God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent... All that is Mine are Yours, and what are Yours are Mine...." (John 17:1-3, 10)
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Matthew 28:18)
"Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do...." (And) "I will do it." (John 14:13-14)
."..the Spirit of truth... will not speak on its own, but... will take of what is Mine and declare it to you." (John 16:13-14)
He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
[3] And so on. There are still more passages in the Old Testament, some of which we will present also:
...unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
A virgin shall conceive... a Son, and His name shall be called God-With-Us. (Isaiah 7:14)
"Behold, the days are coming... when I will raise to David a righteous offshoot, who shall reign as a King... And this is His name by which He will be called: JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33:15-16)
Then it will be said in that day: "Behold, ...our God, for whom we have waited, for Him to free us, ...Jehovah, for whom we have waited; we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:9)
God is in you only, and... there is no other God. Surely You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! (Isaiah 45:14-15)
Is it not I, Jehovah? And there is no other God besides Me; a just God and a Savior, there is none besides Me. (Isaiah 45:21-22)
I... am Jehovah, and besides Me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)
I am Jehovah your God... and you shall acknowledge no God but Me; and there is no Savior besides Me. (Hosea 13:4)
...You (Jehovah) are our Father..., our Redeemer from of old Your name. (Isaiah 63:16)
Thus said Jehovah, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth: "I am the First and the Last, and besides Me there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer...: "I am Jehovah, who makes all things, ...all alone, ...by Myself." (Isaiah 44:24)
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am Jehovah your God...." (Isaiah 48:17)
...O Jehovah, my rock, and my Redeemer! (Psalms 19:14)
Their Redeemer is strong, Jehovah Zebaoth His name. (Jeremiah 50:34)
...Jehovah Zebaoth is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He shall be called the God of the whole earth. (Isaiah 54:5)
That all flesh may know that I, Jehovah, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 49:26, cf. 60:16)
As for our Redeemer, Jehovah Zebaoth is His name... (Isaiah 47:4)
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer... (Isaiah 43:14, cf. 49:7)
And so elsewhere, as in Luke 1:68; Isaiah 62:11-12; 63:1, 4, 9.
And in Zechariah:
In that day... Jehovah shall become King over all the earth. In that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His name one. (Zechariah 14:8-9)
These are but a few of the passages.
Isaiah 44
1
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
2
Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
4
And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.
5
One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.
6
Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
7
And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9
They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10
Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
11
Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12
The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.
13
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.
14
He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16
He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18
They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19
And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21
Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22
I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23
Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
24
Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27
That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
28
That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
