Peel away the outer layer of today’s modernized event and you’ll find the Passover. Israel remembered this day when God saved them from death through the blood of an innocent lamb. The fulfillment of their Passover occurred when Jesus, The Lamb of God, died on the cross. The work done on Golgotha paid the ransom for our sin. Nevertheless, while our sin was atoned at Calvary, the power to live an abundant life came on the third day when Jesus rose from the grave! Jesus paid it all as He conquered the grave. O death where is your sting; grave where is your victory?
The scripture is filled with Types concerning this momentous occasion. All of it stands as a witness to the wonder of His divine plan. Yet I am consumed by a small word found in the narrative of Abraham. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah. This is the same mountain where the Temple would be built and the same region where Jesus was later crucified. Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son until the angel of the Lord stayed his hand. Then God provided Himself a lamb (ram) caught in a thicket. The sacrifice was held in place by thorns.
The Hebrew word for thicket or thistles is çebâk, derived from the Hebrew word çâbak, which depicts interwoven branches with thorns and thistles. Thorns trapped the sacrifice so that Abraham could make the sacrifice. The curse levied against Adam was thorns: Genesis 3:1 “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…” Jesus was The Lamb crowned with thorns. He took the curse on His head to set us free. Incredibly enough, Moriah was the early habitation of a small tree or shrub called acacia. It was the same wood used to make the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark where God rested, or where they “arrested” God, produced the thorns that held the ram for Abraham and were later woven to create the Crown of Thorns that adorned The Lamb!
Jesus wore a crown of thorns…but that was before the empty tomb. Today He is crowned with Glory and Honor (Hebrews 2:9). He is the King of all kings and the Lord of lords. He is the Resurrection and the Life.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole