Is our God a tattooed God?

Published 9:00 am Friday, January 29, 2016

What do you think about tattoos? 

Many Bible scholars believe that the Old Testament prohibition against tattoos was not about the marking of skin but instead about the worship of false gods. 

In ancient times, people would sometimes get tattooed to solicit the favor of false gods such as Baal. 

The image of the god would be tattooed on their hands to secure a good harvest, prosperity, or whatever they wanted. 

It was not about ink on the skin but about idolatry in the heart, thus the prohibition. 

Amazingly, God tells us that He is tattooed! 

Listen to what He says: “Can a mother forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her birth? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16). 

Here is the amazing truth: instead of God asking us to get a tattoo to show our allegiance to Him, He flips it. 

He has tattooed us on His hands as a show of allegiance to us! 

This is a fundamental truth that sets the Gospel apart from everything else. 

All of life is quid pro quo (something received or promised for something done). 

Perhaps it is because of reality of life, people assume that God functions the same way. 

We give Him allegiance, toil, church attendance, service, money and He in turn looks upon us with favor and blessing. 

Isaiah 49 tells us something revolutionary – it tells us God loves us more than a mother and tattoos us on His hands. 

How do we respond to that? It is called Worship.

Jim Danner is Pastor of Grace Community Church in Valdosta (gccvaldosta.org)