“… a crown of thorns …”
(John 19:2, NKJV)
In the teaching of Day 1634-1635, in our examination of the unicorn, we pointed out that the reference from the Encyclopaedia Judaica, which strangely enough notes, under the lemma buffalo, that it is the Hebrew word מְרִיא (meri), and should be translated as “fat cattle” or “fatling”, and that they for instance offer 2Sam. 6:13 and 1Kings 1:9 & 19 as examples. If, according to this source, Ezek. 39:18 notes, “them fatlings of Bashan”, the Biblical Bashan, in the Beteha valley, at the foot of the Golan heights, is apparently known for its buffalo. This strange equivalence is assuredly maintained, and even if it may initially seem strange, it also carries an exciting and important symbolic association, which we need to examine. But before we could do this, the path first diverted into the symbolic meaning of animals in general. We can now return to the buffalo, and the case we were making about Isa. 34.
In the “cause of Zion” (verse 8) all the different animals are drawn together to play a particular role in the wilderness (verse 10), so that the Bride can be purified of all the idols within herself, all the Baals. And it is no longer strange that an ark of these animals is then listed, which the Lord uses to accomplish this task: the pelican, the porcupine, the owl, the raven, jackals, ostriches, wild dogs, the arrow snakes and the hawks. They are mentioned in the same breath as the field devils and the night creatures. And the home of all these terrifying demonic animals is overgrown with thorns, nettles and brambles (verses 11-15).
Part of the curse that man has been saddled with since Adam, is Gen. 3:17-18: “Then to Adam He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat of it”: Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you …” There is much to be said about this, and also about the symbolic meanings of the animals and manifestations mentioned above, but we will return to it later.
The most important element to point out now is that this wilderness home, with all its demonic manifestations, is WITHIN you. It is here where the enemy awaits you around every corner. Do not forget – it is the Spirit that takes you into the wilderness (Matt. 4:1). This is confirmed in Isa. 5:6: “And now, please let Me tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it shall be burned; and break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.” God can tame these manifestations, animals, and domain – it is his gift – “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions …” (Ezek. 2:6). In Num. 33:55 God makes it clear to man: “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.”
There is no other way out – it is a path where you are often subjected to a crown of thorns, just as Jesus was: “And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe …” (John 19:2); we are undeniably called to be “partakers of the suffering” (2Cor. 1:7). We have not only been called to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him (Phil. 1:29).
In Heb. 11, the amazing story of many famous heroes of the faith who all died without receiving what God had promised to them, is quickly recounted. These believers only saw the promises from afar, and “having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth”. They saw the New Jerusalem in the future, and declared that they were seeking a fatherland. But there was also a gallery of unknown figure, about which the writer of the book of Hebrews writes from verse 32 to verse 38: “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.” This is where the prosperity gospel perishes.
Might obtain a better resurrection? What on earth could this mean? Two Scriptures explain the mystery that undergirds this strange phrase:
- “For it was fitting for Him, for whom areall things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Heb. 2:10); and
- “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” (Phil. 3:10-12).
There is a particular resurrection from death that occurs while we are still alive – the AMP presents Phil. 3:11 as follows: “That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual …] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body].” The more suffering, the better the resurrection, in other words, the more glory! Again, AMP’s 2Cor. 4:17 – “For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!] …” Glory increases in a progressive and unfolding manner, from “glory to glory” (2Cor. 3:18).
The measure of sharing in His suffering is directly equivalent to the measure of the power in His resurrection! Selah!
Just one example to illustrate this point, which 2Tim. 3:12 spells out: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” If you are thus never persecuted, you are not bearing any godly fruit!
Back to Isa. 34:6: “The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made overflowing with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.” We need to ask the question of Isa. 63:1: “Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? ‘I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’”
- Selah: How do you approach suffering?
- Read: 26-31
- Memorise: 26:34
