Whose Mark Is Showing On My Forehead?
BRD REFLECTION 2025
Revelation 14 and Psalm 136 (NIV)
(Karen Lim from Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Revelation 14 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
What vivid imagery in this chapter of Revelation – angels flying in midair, smoky burning sulfur, blood flowing out of a winepress. Like a blockbuster horror movie with contrasting scenes:
– people singing a new song in worship (v3) vs people tormented in burning sulfur (v10, 11)
– a sickle reaping the harvest (v16) vs a sickle gathering grapes that are trampled in a winepress (v19, 20)
– people with God’s name on their foreheads (v1) vs those with the mark of the beast (v9).
Those with God’s mark were redeemed and got to rest from their labour (v3,12,13). Those with the mark of the beast had no rest and were tormented with burning sulfur 24/7 forever (v10,11).
APPLY:
Yikes! Of course, I want to belong to the group with God’s name on their foreheads. But how do I ensure this? How do I avoid unwittingly worshipping the beast and steer clear of the devil’s temptations through the many distractions in this worldly life? Just whose mark is showing on my forehead?
The passage offers me answers:
V4 – “follow the Lamb wherever he goes”.
V7 – “Fear God and give Him glory… Worship Him…”
V12 – “patient endurance… keep His commands and remain faithful to Jesus”
As someone who works in the arts and entertainment with a culture full of alternative views and lifestyles, the call to follow the Lamb wherever He goes is challenging. I need to consistently pray and ask the Lord for guidance and discernment in my work choices while showing the mark of God through love and kindness in my actions.
I need to also be consistent with reading and studying the Bible as it will be hard to keep His commands and remain faithful if I am not familiar with His commandments to begin with.
DO:
I will:
– Be more consistent with my daily Bible readings and prayers.
– Start a prayer journal to further develop my prayer life.
PRAY:
Lord, forgive me for my shortcomings and thank You for loving me. Help me navigate the challenges of this world and keep my focus on You and what You intend for me. Show me how to be someone with Your mark visible so that others will see and know that You indeed are the loving sovereign God.
