ALMOST everything is today designated by either a mark or a name. At first thought, little difference may be apparent between the two, a mark and a name. However, considerable difference does exist.
In the Bible the distinction between a mark and a name is clearly delineated. God is referred to always by name, never by mark. His name is to be reverenced, praised, and glorified. Whoever or whatever is called by His name is expected to show forth the divine nature. The name of God is considered in the Bible to be the most holy word that can be uttered, and all that He has named as His creation partakes of that holiness.
A mark, on the other hand, may be a token of some kind, such as that placed upon Cain after he had killed his brother, Abel, and was made "a fugitive ... in the earth" (Gen 4:12). It may also be used to indicate a condition of servitude or as a brand, not unlike that identifying ownership of livestock.
