By Your Cross and Resurrection

“Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced within it.” Ezekiel 9:4

What a very intriguing passage from the Old Testament! Obviously during this time Ezekiel was prophesying about, there was a lot of wickedness, specifically idolatry.  This mark on the forehead would mark those who were not worshipping other gods, as righteous and save them from destruction. What’s fascinating to me is that the prophecies of Ezekiel occurred from about 593–571 BCE. That mark is the Hebrew letter T (Tau or Thau or Tav) which at that time when the proto-Hebrew or paleo-Hebrew script was in use, was written as a cross!  

In his commentary on Ezekiel, Origen of Alexandria, interprets the meaning of the mark:

“The shape of the letter ‘Tau’ presented a resemblance to the figure of the Cross and that therein was contained a prophesy of the sign which is made by Christians upon their foreheads, for all the faithful make this sign in commencing any undertaking and especially at the beginning of prayer or of reading Holy Scripture. (Origen, 185—254 C.E., one of the most well known and influential Christian theologians) 

Even hundreds of years before Christ, God shows us through His prophet Ezekiel that the cross was a sign of salvation. How exciting! 

By Your cross and resurrection, Jesus, You have set us free!