347. Till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads, signifies before they are separated who are in truths from good from the Lord, thus who are interiorly good. By "sealing them in their foreheads," is not meant to seal them there, but to distinguish and separate those who are in the good of love from the Lord; for "the forehead" signifies the good of love. That they who are in truths from good from the Lord are meant, because these are signified by "the servants of God" (n. 3). The reason why "the forehead" signifies the good of love, is, because the face is the image of man's affections, and the forehead is the highest part of the face; the cerebrum, from which is the origin of all things of man's life, being immediately under the forehead. As "the forehead" signifies the love, good love in the good, and evil love in the evil, therefore by "sealing them on their foreheads," is signified to distinguish and separate one from another according to the love. Similar is the signification of this passage in Ezekiel:
Go through the midst of Jerusalem, and seal a seal upon the foreheads of the men that sigh over the abominations (Ezek. 9:4-6). [2] As "the forehead" signifies love, therefore concerning the plate of gold on the mitre of Aaron, on which was engraven Holiness to Jehovah, it is written:
That it should be over against the face of his mitre, that it might be over the forehead of Aaron, and that it should be upon the forehead of Aaron continually, that they may be in good favor before Jehovah (Exod. 28:36-38). And moreover it was commanded:
That these words, Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, were to be upon the hand and upon the forehead (Deut. 6:5, 8; 11:18). That they should have the name of the Father written on their foreheads (Rev. 14:1). And the name of God and of the Lamb in their foreheads (Rev. 22:4). It should be known, that the Lord looks at the angels in the forehead, whilst they look at the Lord through the eyes; by reason that the Lord looks at all from the good of love, and wills that they, on their part, should look at Him from the truths of wisdom; in this manner conjunction is effected. [3] "The forehead," in the opposite sense, signifies evil love in these passages:
Who have the mark of the beast on their forehead (Rev. 13:16; 14:9; 20:4). And also the name of Babylon upon their foreheads (Rev. 17:5). The forehead of a woman a harlot (Jer. 3:3). Obdurate of forehead, and hard of heart (Ezek. 3:7-8). Thou art hard, and thy forehead is brass (Isa. 48:4).
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church