What is this mark on the right hand and on the forehead?
Rev 13:16. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads.
We will now do a word study from the Bible on what it means to have a mark on the right hand and on the forehead.
Exodus 13:9. It shall be a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes (forehead), that the Lord´s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. Verse 14. So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come saying, “What is this?” that you shall say to him, “By strength of the hand of the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Verse 16. It shall be a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes (forehead), for by strength of the Lord brought us out of Egypt. (The mark on the right hand and on the forehead is related to the law of God which are the Ten Commandments).
Ezekiel 3:7-9. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted. Behold I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their forehead. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. Context: (Ezekiel’s forehead was made strong by God to condemn the Israelites of their sins. Hence, the forehead is related to spiritual strength).
Ezekiel 9:1-11. (The subject are those who are worshipping idols in Jerusalem, shall be slain). Verses 3-7. God said to an angel, “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 alone 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. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. They went out and killed in the city. Verse 11. The man clothed with linen who had the inkhorn at his side, reported back and said, “I have done as you commanded me.”
(Context: A mark on the forehead means those who believe in God and his commandments, and therefore sigh and cry over abominations of Israel. Those who do not have God´s mark on their foreheads are those who do not believe in God and his commandments but worship idols, do iniquity, shed blood and indulge in perversity).
Deuteronomy 5:6-22. The context of the next chapter gives an explanation of this chapter, and is about God who wrote the Ten Commandments and gave them to Moses.
Deuteronomy 6:6-8. And these words which I command you to day shall be in your heart. (These words refer to the previous chapter Deuteronomy 5:6-22, which are the Ten Commandments). Verses 7-8. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes (foreheads).
Deuteronomy 6:4.5. Hear O Israel: The lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. (Mark12:29-31. Matthew 22:36-40. Love to God, is the first commandment and how you do this is by observing the first of the four of the Ten Commandments. Love your neighbor is the second commandment and how you do this is by observing the last six commandments of the Ten Commandments).
Rev 7:3. Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. Verse 4. And I heard the number of those were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousands of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed. Verse 9. After these things I looked and behold a great multitude, which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands. Verse 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes and where did they come from?” Verse 14. And I said to him, “Sir, you know,” so he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Foreheads are related to those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb: salvation through Christ alone).
Conclusion
The mark on the right hand and on the forehead, is related to the following: God´s law. The hand of the Lord and his strength, spiritually strength, spiritual decisions, sigh and cry over all abominations, Gods commandments especially observing the Sabbath which is on a Saturday and not on Sunday, worship God, love to God, love to your neighbor, the seal of the Holy Spirit, white robes washed in the blood of the lamb. (The fore mentioned mark, is related to Gods mark on the right hand and on the forehead. The opposite to this mark for example the mark of the beast, are those who practice the opposite to worshipping God and his ten commandments, like observing another holy day apart from the Sabbath on a Saturday).