The origin of the title: God, through the Holy Spirit, had been inspiring and revealing some of the information given in this article. I was troubled because somehow the information would not coalesce in the way it usually does.
I was also an avid hunter. It was deer season; it was raining, the wind was blowing and I was following the scuff marks and blood trail of a big buck. I was traveling fast to try to follow the trail before the rain washed it out.
I would occasionally look ahead to try to see the deer. But my head was down when I walked head, neck and right arm into a native to this area thorn bush with one to two inch thorns. It hurt and I staggered back because of the pain and grunted; “Unhhhhh! Oh God! Them thorns hurt!”. I was standing in momentary confusion when God spoke to me; “YOU GO WRITE, I’LL TAKE CARE OF THE DEER!” I had my title!
I went as fast as I could. I set my wet rifle in a corner. I did not change my wet clothes nor did I try to tend to my thorn wounds. I immediately started writing and it was late in the afternoon when I realized it was going to take much longer than that day to write what God was inspiring me to write so I cleaned my rifle, took a shower and went back to work.
It was a few days before I realized my zeal for hunting had somehow evaporated. In the years since that event I have never hunted deer, squirrels, rabbits or game birds again, not even once!
Before we start this article, please understand this: (Rom. 1:20) The Godhead (Supreme Divinity) is one who is composed of three who are totally and completely one in identity, thought, power, purpose and will. God’s presentation of Himself to man is (Gen. 1:1-31 & John 4:24) #1 God-spirit-essence of life itself/Creator, (John 4:29-42 esp. V.42) #2 Jesus-body/Saviour and (John 14:15-26) #3 Holy Spirit-God’s soul/Comforter. (Col. 2:8-9) In Jesus dwells all the Godhead bodily. (Gen. 1:26) “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” (John 1:1 & 14 & 1John:1:1-4) Jesus is the living Word of God. Your Bible is alive with Jesus! AND (2Tim. 3:16) ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD.
(John 1:1-4 & 14 esp. V.1 & 14) (V.1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“ (V.3) “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.“ (V.14) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.“ (1John 1:1-4) (V.1) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” (1Thess. 1:23) And man (Gen. 1:26) made in God’s image is also body (the temporary flesh in which you live) soul (the personality, self, you, character) and spirit (eternal life itself that has nothing to do with breathing). (Luke 16:19-29 & Rev. 20:10-15 esp. V.14-15) The only question is where will you chose to be in eternity?
There is even an ignorant group that believes only parts of the Bible are given by inspiration of God and that the bad things written that are said by bad people are not given by inspiration of God. EXAMPLES: (Matt. 4:1-11 & 15:21-28, Mark 5:1-17 esp. V.9-12 & 11:27-33, Luke 4:28-36 esp. V.34 & 13:10-17 esp. V.13 and John 4:1-43 esp. V.42 & 8:1-13 esp. V.3-6 & 9:1-34 esp. V.20-22 and thousands of others in both the OT and NT) In all these situations the evil people or evil spirits spoke or acted in an evil way and if that was not written (inspired) Jesus would have been talking to Himself! Both sides must be expressed (inspired writing) for the whole situation to be understood. GOOD GRIEF! PEOPLE STRUGGLE SO HARD TO DISBELIEVE!
YES, (Matt. 3:16-17) Jesus had just been baptized, the Holy Spirit was descending in the form of a dove and God was speaking from heaven. BUT: (Luke 1:37) Nothing shall be impossible with God and God can present Himself any way He chooses. (Matt. 24:36) Jesus can even leave certain information in heaven that He does not want to divulge and He does not lie when He says; “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”
Let’s put Jesus on trial! You are on the jury; if four witnesses told exactly the same story word for word you would be suspicious that they were ‘rigged’ witnesses. If four witnesses, due to their powers of observation, sense of the importance of events, their intellect, their degree of being influenced by their religious background (Judaism), their attention span and etc. told their story their way and all arrived at the same conclusion You would surely find Jesus guilty!
And charge Him with being the Son of God teaching His disciples the rudiments of founding a church, (Acts 1:3) that Jesus would resurrect Himself and come back from the dead for forty days, (Luke 24:44-51 & Eph. 1:20-22) that Jesus would ascend into heaven (Heb. 4:14-16) and seat Himself upon the throne of grace, (John 14:15-26 esp. V.16-18, 20, 23 & 26) promising that He would come back to them in His Holy Spirit person after His death on the cross (Acts 2:1-47) which Jesus did AND (Luke 22:48 thru 23:56 then Heb. 9:11-28) that His blood would cleanse mankind of sin (Rom. 10:8-13 then Rom. 8:9-17) if they believed (John 14:23-26) and He would inhabit them through the Holy Spirit.
PART 1
(1John 4:8 & 16) God is love itself. (Matt. 5:48) God’s love is Pure Love. God’s pure love is infinite because it cannot be measured. Pure Love is filled with tender pity, grace and kindness. Pure Love is gracious, generous, merciful and is a giver of gifts. Pure Love is useless unless it is expressed so Pure Love wants what is best for another.
Of course you know the Biblical story of the creation and fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. Briefly: (Gen 1:1 thru 3:24) God’s creation sequence: (Ezek. 28:28:13 keyword: created) God had created the angels. God (Pure Love) had created a perfect world and in that world he formed (mold, to shape as a potter) Adam (turn rosy, show blood in the face), the first man. He planted a perfect garden eastward in Eden (soft, pleasant, pleasure) filled with pleasant trees and also the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and put the man to dress (work) it and keep (attend to) it. (Gen. 2:16-17) God told the man he could freely eat of every tree in the garden BUT to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because if he did he would surely die.
Man was given the power of choice. Think! When Adam first opened his eyes he knew nothing, how could he? God obviously taught him a language (Gen. 2:19) and God obviously gave Adam a language test when he let Adam name the beasts of the field and fowl of the air. Research backward and you will see the ancient names were descriptive of what they were! Then God made a woman from Adam’s rib. (not scripture–>) When God introduced Adam to Eve Adam’s heart must have lurched and he thought “WOW”!
(Ezek. 28:13-17 esp. V.15 keyword: perfect) God placed a perfect angel with the power of choice in that Garden in Eden. (14) He was the anointed cherub angel that was assigned to covereth (guard and protect). There was only one thing to guard and protect, the people. But from what? There was only one thing that was a danger to them, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
(Gen. 3:1-5 esp. V.4 & Isa. 14:12-15 esp. V.12 keyword: fallen) The anointed cherub angel betrayed God, called God a liar and helped (Gen. 3:7-24) the woman, (Gen. 3:3) who knew about God’s instructions to Adam, and man disobey God. Spiritually the man and woman (Isa. 5:13-16) held the keys to death and hell and by their choice, (Heb. 2:2:14 & Rev. 1:18) expressed by their actions, they gave those keys (Isa. 14:12) to the anointed cherub angel named Lucifer who was called (Gen. 3:1) the serpent (Heb. definition: a snake that hisses, to whisper, to prognosticate: prognosticate defined is: to predict from present indications, diligently observe and learn by experience, an enchanter). Satan obviously knew Eve’s curiosity and Adam’s infatuation with her.
(Gen. 3:14-24) God cursed the serpent, the woman, the man and the earth. (Gen. 3:15) God said a (one) seed was coming from the woman sometime in the future that would bruise the serpent’s head (think skull) and the serpent would bruise his (man) heel (think nail, something sharp). (Gen. 3:21 keyword: skins –plural) God also showed them what death was when He killed innocent animals to cover their nakedness. Sheep are relatively small, only the skin of the back is used for durable clothing: 1 skin for Adam’s loins and 2 skins for Eve’s torso and loins. Three innocents to shed blood for man’s sins; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Is it a hidden prophesy, (1Cor. 2:6-8 & 1Tim. 3:16) a mystery? We will find out in this article.
(Gen. 3:18 keywords: thorns and thistles- which are lesser thorns) When the earth was cursed thorns were part of the curse. It is obvious there are two types of thorns, the physical thorns which pierce the body and the spiritual thorns which pierce the soul because Adam and Eve faced physical thorns in their physical work of survival in a cursed world and they also faced the spiritual thorns of their emotional stress of survival, their separation from God and their approaching death. If you wish to read the complete Biblical story of Jesus’ conception and birth please see the Jesus commentary the menu article Jesus’ Conception and Birth and you will understand the below completely.
(1Tim. 3:16) In the great mystery of His existence God, Pure Love, manifested Himself (physically born) as His own Son, Jesus, (John 14:5-9 & Col. 2:8-9 esp. V.9) in whom dwelt all the Godhead bodily. Why a Son? Because we can understand there is no greater price than a Son that a Father, Pure Love, can give for something. AND: (James 1:13 keywords: God cannot be tempted with evil & Psa. 18:30 keywords: As for God his way is perfect) All the attributes of God show that He is perfect in all His ways. BUT: The only way God could experience (Luke 4:1-13 & Heb. 4:14-15) temptation as does mankind was to be physically born and live in a man’s body. SO:
UNDERSTAND THIS: (Psa. 126:1-6) The Holy Spirit of God goes forth weeping, bearing precious seed, (Gal. 3:16) one seed, which is Christ, a male, (Gen 3:15 & Isa. 52:14 thru 53:12) as was prophesied, to turn the captivity of Zion. The Holy Spirit is weeping because only God understands the terrible purpose His beloved Son, the promised seed, will serve. (Luke 1:26-56 esp. V.35 keywords: that holy thing which shall be born of thee: holy thing is defined: Strong’s w #40: sacred, morally blameless, most holy) The Virgin Mary is overshadowed and the Holy Seed is planted in her in a way that is beyond the normal course of nature in a manner that is beyond human knowledge or experience because Mary is left a virgin.
(James 1:13) “God cannot be tempted with evil” (Matt. 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-37, 2Cor. 5:21 & 1John 3:5) Jesus was born without the fallen, carnal nature that came to all of mankind from the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden SO: Jesus did not need the (Titus 3:5) regeneration of the (John 3:3 & 1Pet. 1:23) born again salvation event (2Cor 5:17 keyword: creature: defined: creation) to become a new creation. (Matt. 3:13-17) (V.15) Jesus was baptized by John to fulfill the righteousness of the Jewish Law (law of Moses) because a priest had to be washed (baptized) to start his duties. (V.16-17) God Himself anointed Jesus to show Israel Jesus was a special Man with a special mission.
Jesus could be tempted just like man because He had a man’s body. (Luke 4:1-13) Jesus was born sinless but it was up to Him to remain sinless in His lifetime! (Read Heb. 4:14-16) That’s why Jesus is our great High Priest! HE KNOWS HOW IT IS WITH US! HE UNDERSTANDS OUR WEAKNESSES! Jesus did not sin but He knows and He sits on the throne of grace “where we can come boldly that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” PRAISE GOD! PRAISE GOD!!
Pure Love puts itself in the place of another, to walk in their shoes, (John 2:1-2) to share their laughter, to share their company, to be with them, (Luke 22:44) to feel their sinking inside in the face of danger and the threat of death. (Matt. 14:12-21) Love wants to share their burdens, (Mark 11:15-17) feel their disappointment, (Luke 22:41-44) to feel their anxiety and uncertainty, (John 11:35) and feel their tears on Love’s own face. Pure Love will share all their earthly life from the beginning of it to ending of it. (2Cor. 5:21) Pure Love will even take their judgment and pay their penalty and Pure Love is willing to give His life for our life, mine and yours.
*** (Matt. 1:20-23 Esp. V.23 keywords: God with us and 1Tim. 3:16) And God, Pure Love, Jesus, did come to share our life. (Luke 2:9-14) From a squalling baby, (Luke 2:41-46) to a curious child, (Luke 4:16-22) to a grown man, (John 19:1-5 keywords: crown of thorns) and on to wearing a crown (the insignia of royalty) of thorns (sharp points) to become THE KING OF THE THORNS. ***
THE ORIGIN OF THE THORNS
(Rev. 12:9, N.T., keyword: serpent- a new word is added to the O.T. definition of serpent: sharpness which is the state or quality of being sharp. Thorns are sharp.) (Rev. 12:9 again) “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan” (Gen. 3:15) was about to see the ancient “word” of God’s prophesy come true and it would stun him (Heb. 4:12) with the blinding “quickness” of a powerful, supernatural two-edged sword that was infinitely “sharper” than any earthly “two-edged” sword! Any paragraph reference to this will be identified by the scripture (Gen. 3:15).
THE ORIGIN OF THE SKULL
(Gen. 3:15 key thought: Satan had rebelled against God’s anointing to guard and protect and had become the anti-anointed.) (1Sam. 16:1-13 esp. V.1) God told Samuel the prophet to anoint David (the anointed) the King of Israel because God had rejected Saul (the ex-anointed). (1Sam. 17:1-11) The Philistines, the army of Satan, who was represented by Goliath (the anti-anointed) came to fight the army of Israel (the un-anointed). The only anointed were a few prophets, judges, a very few kings and they gave God’s orders to the rest of Israel.
(V.8-9) Goliath, physically representing Satan, challenged Israel. (V.11) Saul and all of Israel were “dismayed and greatly afraid” and refused to fight him. (1Sam. 17:19-29) David (the anointed) took up the challenge; “Is there not a cause?” (1Sam. 17:38-39) Saul offered his earthly armor but David refused because armor is a personal thing. (Psa. 84:11 by David: keyword: grace & Eph. 6:10-17) David chose the armor of grace (truth, righteousness, faith, 2Sam. 6:14-17 Law of Moses- peace, 1Sam. 16:13 physical– salvation) it is personal.
(1Sam. 17:40) David chose five (the Biblical number of grace) smooth stones (John 4:14 keyword: water) out of the brook of Elah which gave the valley of Elah its name and he carried his staff (David was still a shepherd) and David intended to kill Goliath. BECAUSE:
(Psa. 23:4 keywords: rod and staff) A shepherd’s staff was a deadly weapon with which the shepherd could crack the skull (1Pet. 5:8) of a charging lion. (Heb. 12:5-11) A shepherd’s rod was used to tap (chastise) a sheep and drive it away from danger (poison plants, cliffs where it might fall to its death and dark places where a predator might ambush it) and to keep the flock together (Psa. 23:4 & 1Pet. 2:11) as they traveled. Sometimes Christians use our own weapons (2Cor. 11:13-15) in our struggle against Satan and his darkness (Eph. 6:10-18) but only God’s weapons of grace can give us victory.
(1Sam. 17:43-44) “Goliath cursed David by his Gods” (Goliath’s spiritual thorn aimed at David). It was common practice in ancient times for one people to disdain another people’s gods when they were going to war by saying; “our gods are stronger than your weak, puny, wormy God.” (1Sam 17:45-48) David said; “I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, and the God of the armies of Israel.” (V.46) And David promised to take Goliath’s head from him.
(V.46-48) Then David exhibited his faith and brought God into the fight; “This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands.” The whole Philistine army rose up to watch Goliath the anti-anointed destroy this (1Sam. 16:3-13) anointed pip-squeak Hebrew boy. (Num. 1:3 keywords: twenty years old) David was not old enough to serve in the Israelite army. (1Sam. 17:17-19) His father Jesse had sent David to bring his brothers food. (1Sam. 17:48) The Philistines were shocked when David ran toward their whole army to fight Goliath directly in front of them!
Somewhere along the way David had decided to lay down his own weapon, the staff, and fight with God’s weapon, grace, because the staff is not mentioned any more. (Lev. 24:16) The Law of Moses said a blasphemer must be stoned. (1Sam. 17:49-53) Goliath’s anti-anointed, (Isa. 14:12-14 & 2Cor. 4:4) counterfeit god Satan whom Goliath represented was too weak and puny (V.40) and David stoned Goliath (V.50 keyword: slew) to death with grace. Only one stone was needed to bring Goliath down so why were there four stones left?
Scripture shows there were four more giants left in Goliath’s family. (1Chron. 20:4-6 keywords: Sip’pai, Lah’mi, and V.6 one unnamed but with 24 fingers and toes then 2Sam. 21:15-16 keyword: Ish’bi-be’nob) God was sending them a spiritual, personal message; “Grace is ready to stone you all to death”. (John 5:29 & Rev. 20:10-15 esp. V.14 keyword: death) It is the same message God is sending today.
A COMPARISON: (Gen. 3:1-15 esp. V.14) Satan’s own sharp tongue (a spiritual thorn) spoke lying words to Eve, God cut off Satan’s anointing and he became the anti-anointed with a curse upon him. (1Sam. 17: 51 keyword: sword) Goliath the anti-anointed came to kill David the anointed with a sharp sword (a physical thorn) but David cut off Goliath’s head with Goliath’s own sharp sword (1Sam. 17:50-51) and the curse of death was upon Goliath.
David cut off Goliath’s head and took his armor. Obviously Goliath’s body was left on the battlefield as food for the worms, wormy. God had turned Goliath’s curse back upon him. Goliath’s god was too weak and puny to give him victory, Goliath became wormy then Goliath was no more! But what about the head, why the head? It was a physical event that would have severe spiritual consequences for Satan in the far future.
(Gen. 3:15 keywords: her seed; it shall bruise thy head,) (1Sam. 17:54-57) Obviously David brought Goliath’s head to Jerusalem as a trophy of war. David put the armor in his tent but what in the world was he going to do with a giant’s already stinking, probably 16 to 20 inches long, maggot ridden head? He got rid of it after the victory parade.
David went out the eastern gate and buried Goliath’s head on a small hill and they obviously named the hill the place of a skull (Golgotha, also Calvary) because the worms ate the flesh (source: very ancient rabbinical records called Midrashim) but the skull remained and Goliath was no more. Weak, puny, wormy physical Goliath, Satan’s physical representative, was gone (never shalt thou be any more).
(Ezek. 28:14-19 esp. V.19) “never shalt thou be any more.” was the curse placed on Satan and physically fulfilled on Goliath. (Rev. 20:10) It would be thousands of years before it would be spiritually fulfilled upon Satan.
SEVEN HIDDEN TRUTHS REVEALED ON THE PLACE OF A SKULL
#1) (Gen. 3:15 keywords: and thou shalt bruise his heel- think: nails- thorns- piercing) He truly is a king wearing a king’s robe (Mark 15:17) lined on the inside with royal purple (Matt. 27:28) and on the outside the robe was royal scarlet. The King of the Thorns (read these: Matt. 27:37 & Luke 2:32 keywords: Gentiles and Israel) is a king on the inside bleeding on the outside for His people.
(Matt. 27:33, Mark 15:22 & John 19:17) Then they took Jesus to Golgotha (Hebrew word) “the place of a skull” and (Luke 23:33) Calvary (Greek word) also defined as; the place of a skull and there they crucified Him.
#2) At one time the three Rs were considered the basics of education; Reading, Riting and Rithmetic. Even there in the horror of the crucifixion, there, (Luke 23:33) where three lonely crosses stood, a great hidden truth of the three Rs of basic Christianity dramatically unfolded; (Luke 23:33 then 39-42) Rebellion was on one side, Repentance was on the other side and Redemption was in the middle.
(Rev. 4:8) God is holy and holiness demands pure judgment against sin. (1John 4:8 & 16) God is Love and Love demands pure mercy for repentance. How could two things so diametrically opposed in one Perfect Person ever possibly come together?
The KING OF THE THORNS, JESUS, wearing his crown of thorns brought judgment and mercy together on his cross (John 19:18) between two thieves in his living Pure Love heart. REDEMPTION was in the middle with one nailed hand extended to REBELLION on one side and one nailed hand extended to REPENTANCE on the other side in silent agonized supplication; “Come to Me” (John 3:16 & Rom. 5:8) because Pure Love loved them both! (Luke 23:39) Rebellion railed on Pure Love and did not believe and Rebellion was ignored because Rebellion had chosen death!
(Gen. 3:15) (Luke 23:40-42) Repentance did believe and gasped to Pure Love; I am guilty of sin but you did not sin, please remember me, when you have your kingdom. Pure Love always answers Repentance; (Luke 23:43) “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Repentance had chosen life!
(Matt. 27:46-50 & Rom. 5:8) And then, wearing His bloody crown of thorns, Pure Love died. (John 8:12) Pure Love had been the light of the world (Matt. 27:45-51 esp. V.45 & Eph. 6:12 keyword in both: darkness) but the darkness came and the Light died. (Matt. 1:20-23 esp. V.23 keywords: God with us & Rom. 5:8 keywords: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us) From birth on through death Pure Love had shared the full spectrum of the human life (John 3:16 keyword: whosoever) lived by those He loved.
WHY THAT WAY? Mankind, all of us, is born with a carnal (human nature with its frailties and passions, unregenerate) nature that came from Eden. EXAMPLE: It is first manifested in the very young; as soon as a child learns something has value to the child is to take it by any means possible AND as soon as a child understands it is in trouble its first instinct is to lie to avoid punishment and that continues with age. (Gen. 3:5-24) Just like Adam and Eve, we know the difference between good and evil. SO: #1) Man has nothing valuable enough with which to buy his way back into a personal relationship with God. #2) Man cannot live perfect enough or do enough works to deserve a personal relationship with God. #3) Man is too weak to force his way back into a personal relationship with God.
Read these in the order given. (Eph. 1:13-14 keyword: sealed, Rom. 10:8-10, Rom. 8:3-17, John 14:15-23 esp. V.16-18 & 23, John 18:19 thru 21-25: to become Matt. 27:29 the KING OF THE THORNS) Spiritually Pure Holiness demanding pure judgment and Pure Love demanding pure mercy came together in the perfect person of God when (John 20:19-31 esp. V.28 keywords: My Lord and my God) My Lord and my God (JESUS) took the punishment I, and all of us, deserved and paid a price I could not pay (1John 1:7-10) to cleanse me of my sins.
(Rom. 8:5-28 & Heb. 4:14-16) THEN MY LORD AND MY GOD OFFERED ME, AND ALL OF US, (Rom. 5:15-18 keyword in all: gift) SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM. (Eph. 1:13 thru 2:22) I ACCEPTED HIS OFFER FROM HIS NAIL SCARRED HANDS AND I RECEIVED A SPIRITUAL PARDON IN MY SOUL (HEART); “NO CHARGE! PAID IN FULL!”; SIGNED IN THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD!
#3) (John 19:30-33) Another great, hidden truth is revealed when the King of the Thorns died first. (Isa. 52:14 keywords: marred more than any man) Physically the King of the Thorns had been fist beaten more than any man ever was (John 19:1) and nearly scourged to death. (Heb. 9:1-25 esp. V.7-12) When the King of the Thorns died He became the Great High Priest and He entered into the holy place alone and offered His own blood on the great golden altar before the throne of God to cleanse sins and thus redeem those who will believe AND:
(Heb. 4:14-16) He could keep His promise; (Luke 23:43) “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” The King of the Thorns had conquered (Luke 19:10 & Rom. 10:9-13) the thorns of being lost (1John 1:7) and of sin (Psa. 23:4, John 11:26, 1Cor. 15:55 & Heb. 2:9-11) and of death. And His word was true to the man who repented on the cross beside Him and so His Word is truth to us.
#4) BUT FIRST: Let us go back to an even greater hidden truth said on Calvary that few even dare to believe. Let us go back and remember (John 1:1 & 2Tim. 3:16) that the Holy scriptures were written in God’s mind before they were physically written by Holy Spirit inspired men.
Let us go back and remember because now it is written the King of the Thorns said; (John 11:26) “He who liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” It is written; (2Tim. 1:10) “Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death.”
And it is written (Heb. 2:9) Jesus tasted death for every man and that is clarified by stating (Heb. 2:11–15 esp. V.11 keyword: brethren and V.15 keywords: deliver them who through fear of death: defined: to die) those who are sanctified, (defined: made holy, purified, consecrated), and Christians, (BRETHREN), will not have to experience physical death.
There on their crosses the man on his cross who had repented, and Jesus said; “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Acts 26:18) Jesus had sanctified him and accepted him! (Heb. 2:11) He had become Jesus’ brother. Let us go back and explore anew Love’s experiencing. Let us investigate Pure Love’s desire to put Himself into the place of another, to know, to experience. You must understand that Pure Love goes all the way.
(2Cor. 5:21 keywords: For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. & 1Cor. 15:56 keywords: the sting of death is sin) The King of the Thorns’ naked body was soaked in blood, He sweated and strained against the all-consuming pain which was like a fire that engulfed every part of His body. He knew he had been physically weakening ever since it had started. He blinked to see better but His vision was still dim and Pure Love knew His retinas were dying.
(Luke 23:46) Jesus cried out; “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:” (1Cor. 15:55 keywords: the sting of death: defined: something sharp, to prick- like a thorn) Then the fetid breath of death had him in its gaping jaws and Jesus felt as if His brain was exploding from the screaming, pain shrieking nerve overload as every atom, every cell, every nerve, every organ, every bone, all of Him suffered endlessly while the burning sting, thorn, of death consumed him and He died.
Let me ask you something and you decide. If you had suffered as Jesus did and your physical brother or sister had to die and you had the power to prevent their sting of death; would you? Of course, even with your finite capacity to love, you would prevent it. (John 15:13-15 & Heb. 2:9-11) Jesus, with His infinite capacity to love, (Heb. 9:11 keywords: he is not ashamed to call them brethren) will and does prevent those He loves best, Christians, His brothers and sisters, from feeling the sting of dying!
(Heb. 2:11) Tenderly Jesus spiritually aided His first, new brother. The suffering man’s eyes widened, of course they did, (Acts 10:43-45) when Jesus is there a person knows it beyond any doubt. Then Jesus took the man’s soul out of his body before the thorn of death could come and they went away. Please click on the Jesus commentary, scroll the menu to the article Jesus Takes the Keys to Hell and Death and read it for full Biblical information about other places Jesus went in the spirit world while His body was dead.
The autonomic nervous system in the man’s brain kept his physical body alive but the spiritual man (the soul, the person, self) was gone. The Roman soldier broke the man’s legs, the body’s autonomic nervous system caused the body to flinch and gasp, the soldier laughed with a soldier’s cruelty but the King of the Thorns’ new brother felt nothing (Acts 7:54-60) just like a man named Stephen would in the near future. Pure Love goes all the way.
Please see the two articles Part 1 and Part 2 of I have Experienced Christian Physical Death that are listed in the Table of Contents on this commentary for a true life experience, with the required scriptural witnesses, that Jesus does prevent His Christian brothers and sisters from experiencing the sting (thorn) of death. Jesus also went all the way with my son and me!
(Ex. 30:10 & Heb. 9:7-12) Spiritually the King of the Thorns had become the Great High Priest (Rev. 5:9 & 8:3) when He offered His blood on the golden altar; then He had returned to prevent the actual dying, thorn, of the repentant man (John 19:31-33) when they broke the legs of the two malefactors so they would die faster and the Jewish celebration of Passover would not be defiled.
#5) (Rom. 11:25) The Jews did not know the genuine Passover had already happened that day! (Ex. 11:1 thru 12:51 esp. 12:13-14 keywords: ordinance for ever & 12:49 keywords: and unto the stranger defined as a foreigner, an alien- of a non-Jewish bloodline, Acts 2:10 & 13:43 a proselyte to the Jewish faith) These scriptures give the complete story of the origin of the Passover celebration. We all know the story of the blood of the lambs that protected Israel (Ex. 12:48-49) and the strangers (Gentiles) among them from the death angel.
#6) (Matt. 1:20 thru 2:1) Jesus, the Son of God, was spiritually born into the physical world with a gush of blood and water, a thorn, from His Mother’s womb. (Luke 22:20, John 19:34 & Col. 1:13-22 esp. V.18 keyword: church and V.22 keywords: in the body of his flesh through death) On Golgotha when the spear, a thorn, was thrust into Jesus’ side and went upward into Jesus’ heart the church was physically born into the spiritual world with a gush of blood and water from the physical womb (heart) of Jesus’ love. (Acts 2:1-41) And the church was spiritually born into the physical world by the Holy Spirit through the Jewish disciples (learners) when they became apostles (sent ones) by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
#7) (Gen. 3:15 and thou shalt bruise his head) There in the spirit world surely Satan, (Heb. 2:14 keywords: power of death) the god of death, was spiritually there to claim another victim but this was something new! (Matt. 28:18) Spiritually Jesus, the KING OF THE THORNS, was also there, He radiated a new and terrible power and Satan could not touch the repentant man!
Jesus’ blood was a horrid, frightening, offensive spiritual thing of power and sanctification to Satan and Satan ignominiously fled. (1Cor. 2:7-8) With stark, blinding, bitter, hateful clarity Satan finally understood the curse God had placed on him in Eden.
(Gen. 3:15 and thou shalt bruise his head) Time did not mean anything to Satan because he was in timeless. But he knew by man’s accounting of time more than a thousand years had passed since he had inspired the Philistine giant Goliath, a thorn, to lead his people to once again try to destroy God’s covenant people. Satan thought he would win that time because he was also controlling Israel’s own King Saul. BECAUSE:
Saul had disobeyed (thorns) God over and over. That was one thing about God, He played fair; “If you want the Devil you can have him.” (2Cor. 6:11-18) God still does! (1Sam. 16:14-15 keywords: evil spirit from the Lord) Saul had the devil but more important the devil had Saul. Satan scoffed and smirked at God’s sense of fairness; (John 8:44 & Rev. 12:9) “I’ll take them any way I can get them, thorns.”
(1Sam. 17:49-54) “Then this, this, this, &$@#&* David came along and ruined my plan.” Satan had nearly spiritually suffocated with simmering anger as he watched David show off Goliath’s huge head. Then David had buried the stupid relic outside Jerusalem and they had named the hill; “a place of a skull (Golgotha in Hebrew & Calvary in Latin).”
(1Cor. 2:6-8) Satan did not know God had a secret plan to redeem man. God did know Satan had plans of his own and God set a trap for Satan. (1Tim. 3:16) “God came in the flesh (Matt. 1:23) as His own Son Jesus.” (Luke 4:1-13) “Jesus defeated me with words.” (Matt. 8:16 & Mark. 1:39) “Jesus cast out (Eph. 6:12) a lot of my possessing spirits (thorns).”
(John 18:36) “Jesus told Pilate His kingdom was not of this world. (Acts 1:6) But Satan asked himself; “why else would He come in the flesh except to bring Israel back to be a world power like they were under David and Solomon?”
(2Cor. 4:4) “I’m the god of this world, it’s mine, and I knew I would eventually find a way to kill God in the flesh (thorns) and win.” (Luke 22:3) “I inspired Judas (a thorn) to betray Jesus.” (Luke 22:31) “I inspired Simon Peter (a thorn) to deny Jesus.” (John 8:44) “I inspired the Jews (thorns) (John 19:12-16) to force Pilate (a thorn) to crucify Jesus.” (2Cor. 4:4) “I blinded the Romans (thorns) and they killed Jesus.”
(Read this: 1Cor. 2:7-8) Satan had wondered and wondered what God had meant; (Gen. 3:15) “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head and thou shall bruise his heel.” Now he knew! God had come in a body of flesh named Jesus and spiritually Satan was enjoying the slaughter of Jesus, especially when they nailed (thorns) His tender hands and feet to the cross. THEN:
They dropped the cross upon which Jesus was nailed (thorns) into the hole in the hill named “a place of a skull” where Goliath’s head had been buried. And there in the spirit world Satan’s head felt like it had exploded with excruciating pain. He had not understood the curse but now he did! (Gen. 3:15 from above) It was a seed (one) of the woman and that seed was a man (his) and now Satan knew that one man was named Jesus. (1Cor. 2:7-8) Satan’s heart sank within him. “I inspired them to kill Jesus and it was a trap!”
(Luke 4:1-13, & 2Cor. 5:21 keywords: who knew no sin then 1John 3:5 keywords: in him is no sin) “I could not tempt Him to sin and I did not have the right to have Him killed. I spilled His innocent blood and now look what that blood has done to me. I cannot get the repentant man on the cross! What else is His blood going to do to me?” And the excruciating spiritual pain in Satan’s spiritual head when Jesus’ cross was dropped into its hole, spiritually bursting the head (skull), grew and grew inside Satan’s spiritual head as he fled across the expanse. (Rev. 1:18) There in the spirit world Satan could not run far enough, he could not run fast enough and he could not hide.
(Heb. 2:14 keywords: power of death) Satan’s only sanctuary was his dark, stinking, rotted, horrid throne of death. But a chariot of fire was there as quick as thought. (Eph. 6:12) One of his horrified devils whispers in awe; “That driver is the man on the third cross. You put away the first man on the first cross fast enough but why did you not put away Jesus and the other man? It was deathly silent now and they could not take their eyes off Jesus.
(Isa. 62:1-4) Jesus is no longer the Forsaken One (Rev. 14:14) because upon His head is the royal diadem of the greatest, the eternal *King, (Ex. 28:4-31 esp. V.15-30, Hosea 3:4; and Heb. 4:14) and upon His breast is the ephod of the greatest eternal *High Priest. An awful, shrinking dread fills Satan (Psa. 45:6 & Heb. 1:8) as Jesus casually leaves His scepter of mercy leaning against the flaming chariot.
(Eph. 6:10-12 & Rev. 20:10) No quarter and no mercy would be shown these fallen ones who have become the epitome of all that is evil. There in the spirit world, (Rev. 5:6-9) true enough, it is the Lamb as it had been slain (Matt. 17:2) but this time Jesus’ face is shining like the sun, He is dressed in light and He radiates (Rev. 20:10) danger (Matt. 28:18) and power as He strides (Mark 1:23-25 & 5:1-18 esp. V.12) toward the shrinking, horrified devils. (Eph. 6:12 keyword: darkness) The light He radiates burns upon them but they are afraid to move.
The face of the beautiful Son of the Almighty God of all glory, the Lord of all lords, the King of all kings, the God of all gods, the KING OF THE THORNS (Matt. 17:2) is set with SHINING VICTORY and He plainly speaks; (Isa. 53:1-12) “I took all the THORNS of temptation, cruelty, pain, degradation and humiliation you had and you did not have enough! You are beaten! I did not sin, you did not have the right to kill Me, you killed My sinless body unjustly and that unhooked sin and death! You have lost the keys to hell and death!”
In the spirit world: (Isa. 14:22-32 esp. V.13-14 key: Satan had revealed his five I wills’ of anti-grace.) Now Jesus states His five I wills’ of grace; “I was born as a man, I did shed My blood for the sacrifice for sin, I will resurrect My body, I will have My blood bought Church, I will have Me a people in My Kingdom of peace and safety (Rev. 21:4) where there shall never be any more 1) tears, nor any more 2) death, neither 3) sorrow, nor 4) crying, neither shall there be any more 5) pain!”
NOTE: I have never heard Grace truly defined and explained in church. If you wish to know the true definition and meaning of Grace please see the article THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GRACE on this commentary. END OF NOTE.
(Rom. 5:12-21) No explanation is offered and none is needed when His cold voice rings out with a triumphant, whiplash clarity; (Rev. 1:18) “Give Me the keys of hell and death, now!” With lowered head and averted eyes; with cringing, shrinking, craven, drooling servitude Satan, the epitome of absolute evil, hands over the keys of the thorns of hell and death to THE KING OF THE THORNS.
(John 3:14-19) (V.16) “God gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth (defined: Strong’s #4100-4002: reliance upon Christ for salvation, to entrust ones future spiritual well-being to Christ) in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (V.18) “he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” The victorious KING OF THE THORNS gave the keys to hell and death back to mankind! (Rom. 10:8-13) Do you choose Jesus and receive everlasting living with Him? OR: (Rev. 20:10-15 esp. V.10 keywords: tormented day and night for ever and ever) Do you choose Satan, the devil, and everlasting dying in (Luke 16:19-31) hell (Rev. 20:12-15) and then in the lake of fire?
This message of choosing a promised land is as old as time. (Gen. 2:16-17 & 3:6 then 19-24) Adam and Eve chose death. (2Ki. 17:11-24 the northern ten tribes named Israel) Israel chose death. When the word repent is used in connection with God it has an entirely different definition than that of man!!! (Jer. 26:1-6 esp. V.3 keyword: repent: defined: to sigh, breathe strongly, in a favorable sense to pity, console, in an unfavorable sense to avenge oneself) God did not change His attitude, His word, nor did God change His mind.
God sent Israel a judgment message. They were offered a choice to return to keeping His word and return from their evil doings or continue and become a curse. Again Judaea (Israel, the southern 2 tribes) chose death (Isa. 14:31 keyword: Palestina) and eventually the last Jews were killed or removed from Israel and the Romans named Israel Palestina on their Roman maps!
All the above were physical offerings of choice that were actually foreshadowings and prophecies (<-the origin of these definitions are explained below) of the offer of eternal spiritual choice that was coming sometime in the future. And then God brought the same message of choosing by His own Son Jesus and it was and is a spiritually permanent message that determines each individual’s eternal destiny forever. (Rom. 10:8-13 & Rev. 21:1-27) Do you choose Jesus and receive everlasting living with Jesus? OR: (Rev. 20:10-15 esp. V.10 keywords: tormented day and night for ever and ever AND V.14 keywords: death and hell were cast into the lake of fire) Do you choose Satan, the devil, and everlasting dying in hell then in the lake of fire with Satan the devil?
Jesus said; (Matt. 5:29) “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Strong’s w #1067: defined: Originally called the valley of Hinnom, Ge-Hinnom, sometimes called Gehenna of fire, south of Jerusalem where filth and dead animals were cast out and burned) (Luke 16:19-31) It is a fit physical symbol of spiritual hell.” (Matt. 25:41) Hell was made for the devil and his angels. BUT: (Isa. 5:13-16 esp. V.13 keywords: my people & V.14 keywords: hell hath enlarged herself) Hell enlarges as people decide to go there by their decisions, attitudes and actions. What is your decision?
The Royal Chariot thunders away and it is dark and putrid again. There is silence in the darkness. Satan, the devil, is writhing in the shame of frustrated defeat. He will not meet the other, lesser devil’s eyes. Finally, his trembling hand waves them away from him. Seven, God’s number of perfection. –> (Gen. 3:15, Isa. 14:12-14 & John 8:44) In his satanic rebellion against God and hatred toward man Satan had become the epitome (a perfect example of a particular quality) of pride, rebellion, hatred, evil, jealousy, lies and murders and he would not change! (2Cor. 4:4 keyword: god & 11:13-15 keyword: Satan, then Rev. 12:7-9 esp. V.9 keywords: great dragon, old serpent, Devil, Satan & Rev. 20:7-10 esp. V.7 keyword: Satan) “I am the god of this world, it is mine and I will win in the end.” END OF THE SEVEN HIDDEN TRUTHS.