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Antichrist (The Rebellious Son) | The Son of Man | Christ (The Obedient Son)
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|  |  |  |  | Tree Cut Down | Scape Goat |  |  |  | Lord's Goat |  |  |  |  |  |
Satan | Dragon | Tomb | House Falls | Unclean | Released | Killed | Branch | Clean | Temple | City | Lamb | God
On the Cross | Death | Falls with Cross | Cross | Exchanged for Barabbas | The Tree of Life Sprouts to Life
Honor Lost | People Cursed | Land Cursed | Land Restored | People Restored | King
The Son on the Left Hand (Cursed) | The Son on the Right Hand (Blessed)

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Ezekiel 28 Isaiah 14 Daniel 4

Sandwiched between the righteous and the wicked is the Son of Man Who came to bear the burdens of sin away from the children of God. As a result, He was tarnished with the image of sin to the point where He was seen as Satan. So as He carried away our sins He looked more and more like the greatest sinners and was so intimately linked with our sins that He was condemned to death and executed for them.
» The Greatest Injustice. Looking at the diagram above you can see the fate of the righteous on the right and the wicked on the left. However, in a human court, the wicked was set free while the righteous Son was killed and suffered the fate of the rebellious.
» The Injustice Reversed (The Son on the Right Hand). When the righteous court of God convened the injustice was reversed. The righteous tree that was cut down to a stump was a Branch from the Tree of Life. His slandered name was restored. He sprouted to life and His fallen house was restored.
» The Injustice Reversed (The Son on the Left Hand). The wicked who were released for a short time were arrested and put in chains and suffered the punishments of the rebellious.

God foreshadowed this story of the triumph of justice through many people whose lives would tell the tale of the innocent Messiah who was treated as a guilty sinner. The sins of Satan, Adam and Eve are echoed in the famous sinners who became a type of sins that were heaped upon Christ.

- The Friend Who Betrays. The betrayal of a close, trusted friend began the collapse of the kingdom.
  This is the covering angel at the side of God who slanders God's name and started an insurrection.
  He was betrayed by Judas, one of His twelve disciples.
- The Serpent. Satan came in the form of a serpent to lure Adam and Eve into sin.
  As the seven headed dragon, He spreads the rebellion by luring all generations into sin.
  As the Lamb of God with seven eyes, He saves us from our sins by submitting to God.
- The Corrupted Tree. The tree was corrupted and it dried up and was stripped of its leaves so it had to be chopped down to a stump.
  Satan came to earth wrapped around the tree of knowledge. He corrupted knowledge in order to corrupt the innocent Adam and Eve. This corruption of the Tree of Knowledge made the Tree of Life unavailable. Knowledge and life were cut off from the children of Adam. Lies and death remained.
  Christ was the Branch from the Tree of Life Who was planted in the earth for 33 years. He was chopped down to His stump and roots and His name was cut off, but He sprang to life in three days.
- The Rebellious Son. Earth became the center of rebellion as generations of the children of Adam ignored God.
  Both Satan and Adam became symbols of the rebellious son who lost preeminence because of disobedience.
  He was the Son Who voluntarily gave up preeminence so that He could restore the honor of the Father through trust and obedience.
- The Unfaithful Woman. Eve became a symbol of Israel, the wife who was beguiled by lies and what was beautiful to her eyes so that she did not remain faithful.
  He was the Son Who remained faithful and humbled Himself and submitted like a woman.
- The Unclean Beast. We were quarantined from the rest of the creation, like lepers and unclean beasts.
  He was the unclean beast who defiled the house of God.
  He was the burden bearer Who became unclean as He bore away our sins.
- The Fallen House. The house fell and lay in ruins and was given to another.
  He corrupted the house of Adam and assumed the property and enslaved the children.
  He was the burden bearer Who stumbled and fell under the weight of our sins and His house lay in ruins.

Christ Was Cut Down Like Satan
Because Christ received the punishment of the sinner, He was condemned to the same fate as all sinners so that His offering would cover all people and all sins. So even if you believe that your sins have made you as bad as Satan, Christ has already paid the penalties for the worst of sinners.

- The Wrath of God ("The Seven Last Plagues"). Christ suffered the final wrath for all people.
- The King of Tyre ("Satan"). Christ was treated like the scapegoat and suffered Satan's punishment.
- The King of Babylon ("King Nebuchadnezzar"). He suffered the same pattern of events as Nebuchadnezzar.
  In Isaiah 14 we see the prophet mocking the king of Babylon and he also transitions to Satan. It is the parallel prophecy to Ezekiel 28 but there is one difference. While we can compare the actions and punishment of the king of Tyre to the fate of Christ, every judgment against the king of Babylon is opposite the fate of Christ.
- The Antichrist ("666"). Christ may also have been counted as the man of sin.
- The Serpent on the Cross ("The Sinful Messiah"). When Christ became the curse for our sins, He was lifted up on the cross like Moses lifted up the serpent that cured Israel.
- The Leaders of the Occupying Nations. The fall of the first leaders of the four nations that occupied Israel were patterned after the fall of Christ.

Christ As The King Of Tyre: The Scapegoat That Was Cut Down
Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat
Strong Man. and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness.
Wilderness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Leviticus 16: 21-22)

The Scapegoat and the King of Tyre | The King of Babylon
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Punishment | Satan | Judas | Jesus | Antichrist
Strong Man | Angel | Judas | Simon of Cyrene | Became weak | Shook kingdoms
Wilderness Solitary Land | Earth (1000 years) | Potter's field | Grave (1 day) | Built cities | Made the earth a wilderness
Thrown from a Cliff | Mount Zion | 30 pieces of silver thrown in temple | Throne of David | Sent from heaven | Fell from heaven
Cast to Earth | Millennium | Fell with Cross | Righteous Branch | Rejected branch
Burning, Ashes | Hell Fire | Hinnon Valley Field of Blood | Burnt offering (Fiery trials) | Went to Sheol as a volunteer | Banished to Sheol
Fire Within | Hell Fire | Disembowel | Internal grief | Fire
Out of Belly | Fire | Intestines spill | Springs of living water (blood, water) | Unclean spirits (frogs)
Stones of Fire | Hail stone | Intestines | Angry People | Survives trials | Walks among corpses
Appalled | Mocked | Betrayer | Mocked | Covered in honor | Covered in maggots
Corrupts temple by trade | Profaned sanctuary No buying or selling | Priests bribe Judas | Removes trade from the temple | Rebuilds temple. Purchased us | Destroys temple
Violence | Mark of the beast | Arrested by army | Cleansed temple | Frees prisoners | Constant persecution
Before kings | Judgment | Before priests | 4 trials | Resurrected kings | Dead kings aroused
Heart lifted up | Pride | Pride | On cross as ugly | He is God | Wants to be God
Lifted up | By beauty | Hanged | Humbled Himself | Wants throne of God
Sinned | Yes | Betrays the innocent | Became sin | Saves the guilty | Antichrist
Profane | Yes | Treated as a leper | Perfect | Rejected
Terrified | At hell fire | Remorse | Felt forsaken | Sweeps | Broom of destruction
Cease to be Forever | Eternal death | Suicide | Lives forever | Conquers death Given a name | Causes death Cut off survivors

Although Satan is the real scapegoat, for a brief moment the people chose Christ as their scapegoat and they treated Him like Satan and punished Him as a wicked Man.
The following verse is the condemnation of Satan as the king of Tyre.
Violence and Trade. By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence and you sinned, Therefore I cast you as profane from the mountain of God.
Covering Cherub. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub from the midst of the stones of fire.
Lifted Up. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.
Cast Down. I cast you to the ground. I put you before kings, that they may see you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries.
Fire from Within. I brought fire from the midst of you. It has consumed you.
Burnt to Ashes. And I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you. All who know you among the people are appalled at you. You have become terrified and you will cease to be forever. (Ezekiel 28: 16-19).
Christ suffered this same humiliation at His crucifixion. He became the burnt offering in our stones of fire until He was reduced to ashes. His fiery suffering came from within as He was devastated emotionally by the rejection. He fell to the ground under the weight of the cross. He was paraded before kings. His heart was pierced after the cross was lifted up, but on the cross we were not attracted to Him (Isaiah 53: 3). Although He became sin by bearing our sins, He was never corrupted and He will live eternally.
At the moment when the people chose Barabbas instead of Christ, He became sin and He became their scapegoat who was thrown down from their heights. Five days before they had tried to make Him their king. Now they wanted to throw Him from their throne. He would bear their sins as they shouted obscenities at His head.

- Violence and Trade. They had profaned the sanctuary by their unrighteous trade, but He cleansed it. However, this act of violence caused them to reject Him and try to kill Him as a sinner.
  And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them "It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves". (Matthew 21: 12-13)
- Covering Cherub. It is entirely possible that just as Christ took the role of a human and the captain of the angelic host (Michael), He was also the second covering cherub next to Lucifer so that God was also His own covering cherub. It explains why Satan was jealous of Christ and thought that he could also be God. So Jesus also became a covering cherub that was sent to the earth.
- The Strong Man. Satan is led away to the wilderness for 1000 years by an angel (Revelation 20). For Christ, the strong man who stood in readiness was Simon of Cyrene (Matthew 27: 32).
- Thrown off a Cliff ("Cast Down"). It was Satan who was thrown from the mountain of God as profane at the crucifixion. The prince of the world was judged by heaven as a criminal on that day. He lost access to heaven as our representative. Adam ceded his title to the earth when he sinned. Christ got this title back at the crucifixion.
- Fire from Within. When Jesus became the burnt offering it was symbolized as tearing out His insides and burning them on the altar.
  Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his insides gushed out. And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field was caused Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood. (Acts 1: 18-19)
  According to Acts 1: 18, Judas fell and his intestines burst out in the Field of Blood which was located in the Hinnon Valley where "the fires of Gehenna" burned continuously. He also hanged himself (Matthew 27: 5-7) and the 30 pieces of silver used to betray Jesus bought the Potter's Field for burying strangers. That same Potter's field was also the Field of Blood.
  Jesus was spiritually disemboweled as He suffered as the burnt offering, but Judas was physically disemboweled. Satan will also have fire from within.
- Satan is the Scapegoat of Heaven. But in the great Plan of Salvation it was Satan who would ultimately bear this title and the guilt and the same series of punishments and he would cease to be forever.

Christ And The King Of Babylon: The Christ And The Antichrist
It will be a day of rest when the evil one is defeated.
Day of Rest. And it will be in the day when the LORD gives you rest from your pain and turmoil and harsh service in which you have been enslaved, that you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say, "How the oppressor has ceased, and how fury has ceased!
The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution. The whole earth is at rest and is quiet; they break forth into shouts of joy. Even the cypress trees rejoice over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, "Since you were laid low, no tree cutter comes up against us." (Isaiah 14: 3-8)

- Taunt the King of Babylon on the Day of Rest. We begin to taunt the king of Babylon on the day God gives us rest. This is fulfilled on two occasions on the Day of the Lord.
  - Crucifixion (The Beginning of the Day of the Lord). Jesus set us free from the penalty of sin. During the one day that Christ was dead, you could hear Satan and the evil angels rejoicing over what they thought was a victory over Christ. But it was Satan that was cast out of heaven.
    And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. (Luke 10: 18)
    Jesus was mocked by the people on the day He gave us rest from sin. (Matthew 27: 31,39-44)
  - Second Coming (The End of the Day of the Lord). Jesus set us free from all traces of sin. These are the events that will happen to Satan in the millennium.
- Cast Down to the Earth. Both Christ and Satan came to earth. But Lucifer was thrown out of heaven.
  Evicted. "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! (Isaiah 14: 12)
  Volunteered to Come to Earth as a Lower Creature. Jesus fell under the weight of the cross, but this image is related to being cast down from Heaven. Jesus came to volunteer to help us by becoming human.
  Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2: 6-8)
- Cast Down to Sheol. Both were cast down to the land of the living, and also to the land of the dead.
  Resurrection. "Sheol from beneath is excited over you to meet you when you come. It arouses for you the spirits of the dead, all the leaders of the earth; It raises all the kings of the nations from their thrones.
  Weak. "They will all respond and say to you, 'Even you have been made weak as we, you have become like us.
  Maggots and Worms. 'Your pomp and the music of your harps have been brought down to Sheol; Maggots are spread out as your bed beneath you and worms are your covering.'
  Shock and Awe. Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, saying, "Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms"
  Prisoners. Who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who did not allow his prisoners to go home?' (Isaiah 14: 10-11, 16-17)
  - Resurrection. At the third coming, the wicked dead will be raised.
  - Weakened. Satan lost everything, including his position and power as a covering cherub.
  - Maggots and Worms. During the millennium he will walk among the magots of rotting corpses. When he lies down to rest the worms will crawl over him.
  - Shock and Awe. His disgrace and downfall is unbelievable.
  - Prisoners: Indefinite Captivity. Satan takes people as prisoners, tortures and never released them.
  Christ in Sheol. Christ won all victories because He went down to Sheol to retrieve the keys of death and hell.
  - Resurrection. The righteous dead are excited to meet Him because He will free them.
  - Weakened. Jesus became like a human, even submitting to death.
  - Maggots and Worms. God did not allow His body to decay. However, He was treated so badly that He said that he was as low as a worm.
  - Shock and Awe. When Christ was dead the evil empire must have been dancing with joy over His grave. They mocked what they thought was His downfall. Even the righteous angels must have wondered, "How can God die?".
  - Gives Freedom to Prisoners. Christ frees all prisoners from sin and death and gives them hope.
    The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. (Isaiah 61: 1)
- The Rejected Branch. Even Sheol does not want Satan. He is never allowed rest in the first death like all the other wicked. Wicked kings get to lie in elaborate tombs, but Lucifer gets to walk among rotting corpses and skeletons for one thousand years.
  All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb. But you have been cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch, clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a trampled corpse. (Isaiah 14: 18-19)
  The Righteous Branch. In contrast, Christ is the servant of God named the Branch.
  The Branch of Peace. Then say to him, Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD. Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices. (Zechariah 6: 12-13)
  The Branch of Justice. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. (Jeremiah 33: 15)
- Lifted Up Like God ("I Am King of the Universe!") In his pride Satan tried to make himself like God.
  Lifted Himself Up. But you said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north.
  Tried to be Like God. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." "Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. (Isaiah 14: 13-15)
  » Antichrist. Like Satan, the Antichrist will also try to set himself up in the temple of God as God.
  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2: 3-4)
  God Lifted Up on the Cross. In His humility, God became a human so that He could lift us up out of our desperate predicament. To accomplish this He had to submit to the undignified treatment at the crucifixion. When He was lifted up and crucified, He demonstrated how much God loved us.
  » He is God. Now He sits on the right hand of God as King of Kings forever.
- Causes Death. For 1000 years Satan walks among their dead corpses to see how he ruined the earth.
  "You will not be united with them in burial, because you have ruined your country, you have slain your people. May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever. (Isaiah 14: 20)
  Conquers Death. For one day Christ was united with the dead in burial, and resurrected some.
- Cut Off Forever. Satan and all who followed him will not inherit the earth or have children.
  "Prepare for his sons a place of slaughter because of the iniquity of their fathers. They must not arise and take possession of the earth and fill the face of the world with cities." "I will rise up against them," declares the LORD of hosts, "and will cut off from Babylon name and survivors, offspring and posterity," declares the LORD. "I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of hosts. (Isaiah 14: 21-23)
  An Eternal Kingdom. Christ was cut off and He had no biological children, but all people are spiritually born through Him. He will have a name above every name.
  » New Name. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name. (Philippians 2: 9)

Christ As Nebuchadnezzar: The Branch That Was Cut Down
He was cut down for seven periods of time like Nebuchadnezzar.

# | Power | Daniel 2 | Daniel 4 | Jesus | Wrath of God
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Metal Man | Tree | Tree Cut Down | # | Christ | Last Plagues
1 | Babylon | 609 | Head of gold | Leaves stripped, fruit scattered | No fruit, torn skin, disciples scatter | 1 | Beaten, torn skin | Sores
2 | Medo-Persia | 539 | Chest of silver | Axe, stump | 2520 Years (7 Years) | Cut up | 7 Days | 2 | Spit | Sea
Two Arms | Two groups
3 | Greece | 331 | Belly and thighs of brass | Brass band | Brass shoes | 3 | Vinegar | Drinks blood
4 | Pagan Rome | 197 BC | Legs of iron | Iron Band | Iron shoes | 4 | Trial Darkness | Heat
5 | Papal Rome | 538 AD | 5 | Darkness on the cross between 2 cursing thieves | Darkness on the Throne of the Beast
Europe | Ten toes | Roots in clay | Dried up, shattered clay pottery | 6 | Water, blood | Euphrates dried up
6 | Atheism | 1798 | The feet and toes of iron and clay can be compared to the branched root system in the clay of the earth
7 | USA | 1981 | Tree Revives after 7 Years | Resurrected, Earthquake | 7 | First Resurrection, Earthquake
Papacy

This was the punishment Nebuchadnezzar received when He was cut down for His pride. He was sentenced to live like an animal for seven years.
The Tree is Cut Down. "I was looking in the visions in my mind as I lay on my bed, and then, an angelic watcher, a holy one, descended from heaven. "He shouted out and spoke as follows: "Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit; let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
The Stump. "Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it In the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth.
The Man who is a Beast. "Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let a beast's mind be given to him,
Seven Times And let seven periods of time pass over him.
Judgment. "This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,
The Lowliest Man. and bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men." (Daniel 4: 10-17)

- Babylon: The Tree And Branch. Jesus is the righteous Branch from the tree of Israel.
  In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. (Isaiah 4: 2)
  Nebuchadnezzar is also the tree that was filled with pride. But he had no basis for his pride.
  - Chop Down the Green Tree. Normally, a dead or dry tree was cut down. But the death of Jesus was symbolized as cutting down a green tree.
    For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23: 31)
  - Cut Off its Branches. Jesus was the Branch.
    Listen, O high priest Joshua and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch. (Zechariah 3: 8)
  - Strip Its Foliage. They tore His outer covering when they beat Him.
  - Scatter Its Fruit. The twelve disciples fled. (Matthew 26: 31 and Zechariah 13: 7)
  - Beasts and Birds Flee. Everyone else abandoned Him.
  - Leave the Stump with the Roots. Later, the disciples would remain attached and start a new church.
  - Band of Iron and Bronze. The Messianic blessings of Moses to Naphtali mention the iron and bronze shoes of Jesus (Deuteronomy 33: 24-25).
- Medo-Persia: Tree Cut Down and Stripped. Jesus was planted 3.5 years earlier but He bore no fruit. So He was cut down and stripped of his outer covering and valuables and his disciples were scattered.
  Stripped. He was beaten until his skin was stripped. His clothes were also stripped and taken away.
  » Two Arms. On the cross the people of God were split into two groups, the Jews were the right arm and the Gentiles were the left arm. These two branches functioned like the Medo-Persian empire. They both rebuilt the sanctuary of God and preserved its treasures. In addition the Christians branch that would be higher came up last.
  » The Axe. God cut down the Jewish tree and left Christ as the stump, the Branch. But Christ Himself also suffered this same fate as He was cut down and thrown in the fires of an unjust trial and conviction because of our sins.
  The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3: 10)
- Greece And Rome: Stump and Roots. Jesus is the stump and the disciples are the root who would continue His ministry during the same phase of global history.
  » The Beast Man. Jesus became the animal sacrifice and they treated Him like an animal.
  » Judgment. He suffered the judgments of God so that God could bring justice to the world.
  - New Grass of the Field. This is the Gentiles who would be the new field.
  - Dew of Heaven. This is the Holy Spirit who was sent to the new church.
  - Share Grass with the Beasts. The beasts of Satan would still be powerful in the world.
  - Band of Bronze and Iron. The church will be controlled by the Greco-Roman empire until the end.
  Giving a shoe was a sign of redemption. With His divinity and humanity Jesus Christ redeemed us.
  » Greece: Bronze Band. In the sanctuary the base or shoes of the pillars, the laver, the utensils and the clasps that held the curtains together were all made of bronze. Moses held up a bronze serpent in the desert that healed the people who looked at it. In Ezekiel, the description of God was a man who was bronze. So bronze appears to represent the divine who came down to the earth to be a human who would redeem the world.
  » Rome: Iron Band. Christ redeemed us when He submitted to the four nails that became His rod of iron and the bands of iron that held Him. God will redeemed us at the end of the Greco-Roman empire with a rod of iron.
  » The Iron Kingdom. The Papal empire aligns with the phase when there would be darkness on the throne of the beast because the Antichrist is subverting the temple.
- Europe: River Dried Up ("Shattered Clay"). A dried river bed looks like broken pottery. This is the symbol of the end time nations who are also pictured as the shattered feet and the dried up root system of a stump in the earth.
  Jesus' strength was dried up like a piece of shattered pottery as He poured out blood and water from His side.
  Shattered Pottery. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. (Psalm 22: 15)
  The armies of Babylon the Great also lose their source of strength and support when the Euphrates river dries up.
- Babylon The Great: Seven Times "Pass Over". The total punishment of Christ occurred during "pass over" in seven days. Between Nisan 10 and 16, He was the Lamb of God as they inspected, selected, crucified Him before He rose from the dead.
  » Tree Revived. He was resurrected at the end of the seven day period after an earthquake.
  » Ruled by the Lowliest Man. The stone that they rejected and treated like a despicable leper is their king forever.

David: The Afflicted King
The drama between David and Absalam is two pictures of Christ. One righteous and the other as a sinner.
David is the king chosen by God who would suffer affliction at the hands of his own loved ones.
Absalom is the rebellious son who tried to take his father's throne and was killed.

- Passover Exodus. After the Passover, Jesus crossed the Kidron on the way to prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Through His gift, all the people of the world passed over.
  Kidron. While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people passed over. The king also passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. (2 Samuel 15: 23)
  However, after the Passover, the people are symbolized as being in the wilderness. This is the same picture of the first exodus, where the people went into the wilderness after celebrating the Passover. At the moment Jesus crossed the Kidron, we were passing over with Him.
  When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. (John 18: 1)
- Garden of Gethsemane. Here we have some insight into what happened in the heavenly realms during the time Jesus was praying in Gethsemane.
  The Ark Returned to Heaven. The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and its habitation." (2 Samuel 15: 25)
  In Gethsemane, the covenant was ratified in blood and returned to heaven in the covenant box and placed in the heavenly temple. At the resurrection, Jesus found favor before God and was brought back from the dead. So He went to the heavenly temple where He saw the Ark of the Covenant in its permanent home in the city of the New Jerusalem.
  Waiting in the Wilderness. See I am going to wait for you at the fords of the wilderness until word come from you to inform me. Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. (2 Samuel 15: 28-29)
  Jesus waited at the gates of hell until the two angels who always accompanied the Ark of the Covenant returned to inform Him of the decision of God. These two angels returned the new covenant to heaven, signed with the blood of Jesus shed in Gethsemane.
  On the Mount of Olives. And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. (2 Samuel 15: 30)
- The House of Saul. While insurrection was consuming the house of David, the members of the house of Saul waited to reclaim the throne. There were two different responses from them.
  - Blessings. This story seemed to indicate how Jesus knew that He would be given a donkey and a room for the Passover supper while He was on the mount of Olives.
    Donkey, Bread and Wine. Now when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. (2 Samuel 16: 1)
    Donkey. When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. (Matthew 21: 1-2)
  - Curses. Next, a relative of Saul cursed David as he walked on the hill side. He accused him of being a man of bloodshed who was responsible for the destruction of the house of Saul. However, David did not retaliate. Instead he chose to let the man curse him just in case it was the will of God.
    Man of Bloodshed. When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came.
    Cursed and Stoned. He threw stones at David and all the servants of king David; and all the people and all the mighty men who were at his right hand and at his left. Then Shimei said when he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!
    So David and his men went on the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him and as he went he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him. (2 Samuel 16: 6-7,13)
    This is the walk to Calvary where he was cursed and spit on from every side by His own countrymen.
- The Council of Elders (Judas, Caiaphas and The Sanhedrin). This planning allows us to understand how Judas and the elders conspired to capture Jesus with a mob of soldiers. The story indicates that it was Judas who came up with the plan to sieze him.
  Raiders. Furthermore, Ahihtophel said to Absalom, "Please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.
  Wait Until He is Weary. I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and terrify him, so that all the people who are with him will flee.
  Strike Down One Man. Then I will strike down the king alone, and I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek; then all the people will be at peace. So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. (2 Samuel 17: 1-4)
  Judas attacked Christ after He was weary from praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Then all the disciples fled, just as he planned. The elders also determined that the death of one man would save the entire nation.
- The First Counselor. Like David, Jesus had a trusted counselor, Judas, who betrayed him to the Elders.
  Betrayed: The Wicked Counselor. Now someone told David, saying, "Ahihtophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O Lord, I pray, make the counsel of Ahihtophel foolishness." (2 Samuel 15: 31)
  A Respected Advisor. The advice of Ahihtophel which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahihtophel regarded by both David and Absalom. (2 Samuel 16: 23)
  His advice was to embarass David by openly taking his harem and then to take troops and attack him when he is tired so that everyone will desert him.
  » The Advice of the First Counselor. Satan failed when he took the advice of his first counselor. He waited to tempt Jesus after He was weakened by 40 days of fasting, but Jesus resisted him. So Satan tried the advice of another counselor when he had the next opportunity three years later.
  Caiaphas listened to the first counselor and believed that he had won.
- The Second Counselor. While Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin actually followed the counsel of Judas (Ahihtophel), Absalom actually followed the advice of a counselor sent by David to thwart Ahihtophel's advice. The implications are astounding when you apply this information to the spiritual realm. Satan was himself betrayed by a counselor who advised him to personally participate in the death of Christ. The plan succeeded, Christ was killed. But it was the death of Christ that would ultimately defeat the empire of Satan!
  - The Hidden Afikoman. He was told that Jesus would be hidden and could launch a surprise attack which could discourage his troops.
    Hidden. Behold, he has now hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place ... (2 Samuel 17: 9)
    Jesus was hidden in a cave that was His tomb. He is also the hidden Afikoman at the Passover.
  - Personal Engagement. So he was told to wait until all Israel was gathered and convince them to help him to uncover the hidden man even if it means tearing down the city brick by brick. By law, all Israel was supposed to gather in Jerusalem on three feasts. Passover was one of those feasts. So Satan was personally present at the crucifixion to stir up the mob at Passover.
    Satan at the Crucifixion. But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea in abundance, and that you personally go into battle. (2 Samuel 17: 11)
  - Destroy the City. We can find Him if we destroy the city. The disciples are the city and Jesus is the temple. So they dragged Jesus by ropes into the city for trial, then outside the city and tore down the city and the temple and even the small stone, named Peter, could not be found.
    Dragged Outside. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there. (2 Samuel 17: 13)
  » The Identity of the Counselor. Who was this counselor that God sent among the ranks of Satan's angels who became a personal advisor? He comes to us in our wicked state to lead us to Christ and He apparently encouraged Satan to execute a plan that was doomed to fail spectacularly. The counselor is the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
  - Foreigner. He was a foreigner who did not need to pass over with the people, but he would be in the company of two priests.
    The Mourning Counselor. It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshipped, that behold Hushai, the Archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head. David said to him, "If you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so I will now be your servant, then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me." (2 Samuel 15: 32-34)
    The Holy Spirit is the foreigner from Heaven. On the cross, on the summit of Calvary, the Holy Spirit departed before Jesus died. His coat was torn and He was covered in dust as a sign of mourning because Jesus' coat was torn and He was about to be laid in the dust.
  - Two Priests. He would send messages secretly by two priests. These messengers had to hide in a well to escape Absalom.
    Priests Hidden in a Well at En-Rogel. And the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known. (2 Samuel 17: 19)
  - Resurrection. Jesus and some people were resurrected at dawn when He was called out of the grave.
    Called Out of the Well. It came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told king David; and they said to David, "Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you. Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan; and by dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan. (2 Samuel 17: 21-22)
    Jesus was hidden in the grave with two guardian angels. The well itself is a sign of life that can spring from the earth.
  It is the death, resurrection, the well of life-giving water and giving of the Holy Spirit that ultimately defeats Satan.
- The Death of the Wicked Counselor. The traitor killed himself.
  Ahihtophel Hangs Himself. Now when Ahihtophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city and set his house in order, and strangled himself. Thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. (2 Samuel 17: 23)
  When Judas saw that his plans had also failed, he hanged himself.
  Judas Hangs Himself. And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27: 5)
  There appears to be a contradiction concerning the death of Judas. He was either hanged or disemboweled (Acts 1: 18-19). Both incidences occurred in the "Field of Blood". Since both fit the experience of Christ, both must be correct. So Judas must have fallen and been disemboweled in the Field of Blood after he had purchased it. Then, realizing his error, he must have tried to set his affairs in order, including returning the money to the priests. Then he went back to the Field of Blood and hanged himself. Then the priests themselves bought the same field with the money returned by Judas.
- The Final Battle. Satan will flee when the people attack him in the territory of Ephraim. The righteous are symbolized as trees and Ephraim is a symbol of the Christian church.
  The Deadly Forests. Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. The people of Israel were defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great, 20,000 men. For the battle there was spread over the whole country side, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. (2 Samuel 18: 6,8)

Absalom: The Rebellious Son
This is a story that contrasts Christ and the Antichrist.

- The Beautiful Son. Absalom was a handsome and popular prince just like Lucifer.
  Handsome and Perfect From Head To Toe. Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him. (2 Samuel 14: 25)
  His name means "father of peace", but Absalom worked to cause insurrection so that he could take away his father's kingdom. In him we see Christ portrayed as a wicked man on the cross. In him we also see the Antichrist, Satan, who betrayed his father.
- The Great Pretender. Satan turned the hearts of the unfallen away from God to himself while he was still pretending to serve God.
  The Popularity Contest. In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 15: 6)
  Jesus was popular for 3.5 years.
- Four Years. After four years Absalom was ready to launch his rebellion.
  The Popularity Contest. Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron." (2 Samuel 15: 7)
  Some manuscripts say forty years, not four. However, since we know that David was king for 40 years, then Absalom could not have been planning an insurrection for 40 years.
- Hanging In A Tree. Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the branches of a thick oak. And his head was caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going. (2 Samuel 18: 9)
  - Riding A Mule. Jesus also came to meet the people riding on a donkey.
  - Branch Of An Oak Tree. Then He was caught in the branches of the wooden cross.
  - Head Caught on a Tree. First, the patibulum (cross bar) was strapped to His shoulders, then He was hoisted up on the stipes (upright pole) to hang. Since His head with the crown of thorns was resting between the junction of the patibulum and the stipes, it gave the appearance of His head being caught in the branches of a tree by the thorns.
  - ★ Hanging Between Heaven And Earth. He hung on the cross, suspended between heaven and earth.
  - Beauty And The Beast. From head to toe Jesus was morally perfect, but He was so physically scarred that nobody was attracted to His outward appearance.
  - Mule Kept Going. The people and the disciples deserted Him, causing Him to be hung on the tree.
    Riding A Stubborn Mule. When Satan betrayed God and lead earth in rebellion, he essentially jumped on the back of stubborn mule that will desert him. We are the mule that he is riding. Like Absalom's mule and Baalam's donkey, we will lead him to destruction and abandon him. (Numbers 22: 23-27)
    Ironically, he thinks that he is spiting God by leading us to destruction and beating us constantly. In God's sense of justice Satan is getting what he asked for and he will be regretting every minute of it.
    - Open Field. The donkey left the path and turned aside into a field when he saw the angel with the sword. Balaam struck the donkey to get him back on the path.
      Angel With A Sword In The Garden Of Eden. An angel with a sword blocked the entrance to the Garden of Eden, so Adam and Eve had to turn aside into the field.
    - Narrow Path. In a narrow path in a vineyard, between two walls, the donkey crushed the foot of Balaam when an angel blocked the path.
      Angel In The Garden Of Gethsemane (Vineyard). In the vineyards where Jesus was being crushed, one angel came to comfort Him and the victory won in Gethsemane caused Satan to be cast to this earth. He could no longer walk about as if he owned the planet. His access was denied. His foot was crushed. He no longer has access to heaven or rule over the earth.
    - Confined Space. The donkey sat down when the angel blocked the path because she could not turn right or left.
      Angel In The Bottomless Pit (No Garden). The Garden of Eden has become a graveyard. The destroyed earth with the rotting dead scattered across the surface is like a garden of death.
      The strong angel casts Lucifer into the confined space of the abyss after the people are forced to lie down in the sleep of death under the feet of Satan. The angel did not kill him, but chained him and confined him to prison.
      » Confined By A Noose. Absalom's donkey also rode him into a confined space. Since Satan will suffer all the indignities he poured on Christ, he must also be suspended between heaven and earth in humiliation. The events prior to the milliennium and at the final judgment are the only chance for this to occur.
      After this confinement he will be killed by the forces of the king.
  - Long Hair. Absalom had long hair. Jesus appears to have made the Nazarite vow after drinking the third cup. So He would not drink wine or cut His hair. Therefore Jesus can be seen as the Nazarite Who got His head caught in a tree by His long hair. This is another image like that of the ram caught by his horns in a thorn thicket.
  Since that is also the destiny of the Antichrist then Satan must suffer a similar fate.
- The Spear In His Side. In this image, the killer is seen as one soldier. The Roman soldier thrust the spear through His side, and probably ruptured His heart.
  Spear In The Heart. Then Joab said, "I will not waste time here with you." So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. (2 Samuel 18: 14)
- Ten Killers. And ten young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him. (2 Samuel 18: 15)
  In this image, the killers are seen as ten people. The lessons on the offering and the twelve tribes teach us that ten tribes were responsible for His death, the Levites and nine other tribes except Joseph and Benjamin.
- ★ Buried. They took Absalom and Cast him into a deep pit in the forest and erected over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled, each to his tent. (2 Samuel 18: 17)
  Jesus was buried with a stone rolled over Him.
- The Monument In The King's Valley. Now Absalam in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the King's valley, for he said, "I have no son to preserve my name." So he named the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day. (2 Samuel 18: 18)
  When the wicked are cursed, one consequence is that their name is cut off forever. Both Christ and Absalom died without leaving a son who could continue their name. So both set up a system that would perpetuate their name. Absalom set up his monument in the King's valley. According to Genesis 14: 17, the King's valley (Valley of Shaveh) was the place where Melchizedek ate bread and wine with Abraham. Shaveh means, "the plain, that makes equality". It is an image of making a level playing field. Jesus set up His monument at the Passover Seder. There He ratified the new covenant with His body and blood and called the twelve disciples. So the new covenant can be correctly seen as a place where the great High Priest put His eternal name and reputation on the line and leveled the playing field for all humanity.
- The King Who Dies Instead of His Son. The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (2 Samuel 18: 33)
  The mourning of David over Absalom gives us a view of God's sorrow over the death of Adam, Jesus Christ and even impending the death of Satan. In the case of Adam, God came to die in his place, but Satan will be lost forever.
- ★ Rebellious Prince. Absalom was a popular rebellious prince like Lucifer. He charmed the people in an attempt to usurp his father's throne.
  ★ Anarchy. Both resorted to revolution in an attempt to overthrow the throne. Lucifer Wanted to be like the Most High God.
  ★ Corrupted Beauty and Charisma. Both were corrupted by their beauty and popularity.

Solomon: The Builder Of The House Of God
David was a faithful man of God who fought heroically for the cause of God, yet He was not allowed to build the house of God because of his violence. Some of this violence was necessary to preserve the people of God, yet it disqualified him.
David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. (1 Chronicles 22: 7-9)
However David can be credited with contributing to the project because he collected all the material and the craftsmen and the advisors and left it for the young Solomon to build the temple. The story of David and Bathsheba and their children is a story of Christ and His people.

- David. He is the man, beloved by God, who loved a woman so much that he sinned to have her as his wife.
  Jesus is the Son of Man, beloved Son of God, who loves a woman so much that He bore her sins and died so that he could have her as His wife. He was barred from building the house of God because of sin and violence. Our sins are His sins. He showed violence when he threw out the money changers.
- Bathsheba. She is the woman that the king desires but she belongs to another. The children of God and the people of earth belonged to Satan after He stole them. However, Jesus took them back.
- The First Son. He is like the first generation that began the exodus but never entered the Promised Land. The first child from this union died, even though David fasted and prayed for seven days after God sentenced him to death (2 Samuel 12: 14-18). Neither he nor his father would build the house of God.
  Jesus lived one final week in Jerusalem after He was selected for death as the Lamb of God.
- Solomon (The Second Son). He is like the second generation that completed the exodus.
  Solomon had two names which were indicative of the Messiah.
  - Jedidiah (Beloved of the Lord). Jesus was loved by God because He gave Himself for the people.
  - Solomon (Prince of Peace). Jesus builds the house of God through peace.
  The efforts of Jesus seemed like a failure at the crucifixion, but in the future a child, the final generation, will build the House of the Lord with the foundation and material gathered and laid by Jesus Christ.

The Division Of The Kingdom
The division of the kingdom is the pattern for the division of Israel and the giving of the covenant to the Gentiles, the servants.

- Foreign Women. Solomon and Israel committed adultery.
  Now king Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian and Hittite women. (1 Kings 11: 1)
- Idolatry in Old Age. Like Israel, Solomon was wise in his youth when he was first attached to God. However, in their old age they allowed foreigners to turn them away from the Lord.
  For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. For solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. (1 Kings 11: 4-5)
- The Lord Appeared Twice. The Lord also appeared twice to Israel. He appeared on Mount Sinai when they began their exodus. Then He appeared as Jesus Christ at the beginning of the exodus to the Promised Land in heaven.
  Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. (1 Kings 11: 9)
- Given to The Servant. The covenant was given to the Gentiles who are also symbolized as being from the tribe of Ephraim. When Jeroboam was given ten tribes it fulfilled the prophecy that the younger shall be greater than the older.
  So the Lord said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant."
  Ephraim. Then Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. (1 Kings 11: 11, 26)
- In The Days Of His Son. The kingdom was not divided until the days of the son. Vengeance did not come on Israel until the days of the son of Caiaphas. It took forty years after the crucifixion for Israel to lose their temple and another 70 years to lose their city. It took 3,5 years for the covenant to officially go to the Gentiles.
  Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. (1 Kings 11: 12)
- Hope For A Remnant. The covenant was not taken away completely from Israel.
  However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen. (1 Kings 11: 13)
- The Edomites. Herod Antipas was an Edomite who worked against the Messiah.
  Then the Lord raised up an adversary to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was of the royal line of Edom. (1 Kings 11: 14)
- Division of The Kingdom. The Gentiles received the greater share of the kingdom, while the Jews received the beginning and ending portion.
  Then Ahijah took hold of the new cloak which was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. He said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Behold I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes." (1 Kings 11: 30-31)
- Not Forever. The Jews will not be afflicted forever, but will return at the end.
  Thus I will afflict the descendants of David for this, but not always. (1 Kings 11: 39)
- The Yoke. Jesus carried the yoke of sin for Israel. The yoke was symbolized by the cross he carried.
  Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard sevice of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us and we will serve you. (1 Kings 12: 4)
- Three Days. Jesus resolved the issues over three days.
  Then he said to them, "Depart three days, then return to me." So the people departed. (1 Kings 12: 5)
- The Council of The Elders. The leaders of Israel did not take the council of the elders. These are Moses and all the prophets before them.
  Then the spoke to him saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today and will serve them and grant their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." (1 Kings 12: 7)
- The Council of The Young Men. Instead they took the council of their generation. They decided to give the yoke of a cross to Jesus after having Him whipped. The Romans even had a type of whip called a scorpion which had more sharp pieces to tear the flesh.
  "Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplines you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions."
  The king answered the people harshly, for he forsook the advice of the elders which they had given him; and he spoke to them according to the advice of the young men ... (1 Kings 12: 11, 13-14)
- The Will of God. Like Abraham offering Isaac, this was the will of God.
  So the king did not listen to the people for it was a turn of events from the Lord, that he might establish his word, which the Lord spoke to Ahijah the Shilohite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. (1 Kings 12: 15)

The Wrath In Other Belief Systems
There are many concepts in the plan that appear in other religions in a twisted form that often reinforces the goals of Satan. Many of these concepts can be traced to the same language as the curses. Satan wrote those curses and with it He would paint a distorted picture of God as he demanded the most humiliating terms of ransom for our release.

- Human Sacrifice and Child Sacrifice. The need for a living sacrifice was introduced to Adam and Eve and passed on by Noah to all families of the earth. Eve was promised a Son to save her. The intention of God was that only one special and innocent Son would be given as a human "sacrifice" and He would become that special human. When Jesus resisted evil to the point of pouring out blood in Gethsemane with tears it was sufficient as the sacrifice. Genuine repentance is the sacrifice.
  Then He was given to Satan as payment for sin but Satan chose to torture and murder Him as the people surrounding the cross mocked Him, spit on Him and essentially chewed Him up. That behavior by Satan was memorialized as a sacrifice in which God had no pleasure.
  The only reminder that humans were taught about this horrible event was the sacrifice of an innocent animal. This sacrificed meat was also used for food so that the sacrificial system was not divorced from a legitimate use. It was not a barbaric and wasteful practice used to appease a sadistic god.
  Humans distorted this into human sacrifice and even worse. They sacrificed their children to the gods.
- Ying and Yang (Good and Bad). The dual picture of an innocent and righteous Christ dying on the cross as a wicked, sinful and evil serpent reminds us of the concept of ying-yang. This is the belief among eastern religions that everything is balanced and opposite and both good and evil are necessary.
  Instead of being accurately portrayed as the destroyer of evil, God is pictured as needing evil, causing evil or cooperating with evil. Good and evil will never be balanced because evil is mortal and it will be destroyed. It is treason for the children of God to believe that evil must peacefully coexist in balance with good. Never!
  God was unjustly accused of being evil and He eliminated evil by His willingness to be tarnished as an evil Man. Never confuse the difference.
  In nature, there is a creative outcome that happens with the harmonious union of two good opposites. We see this in male and female producing children and positive and negative charges producing electricity. However, being opposites in certain features does not make this the union of good and evil. Rather, the variety of God's good creation necessitates the acceptance and cooperation of legitimate differences which can result in some unique and incredible new creation which can only exist in peace if good is the only environment.

Study to show yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15 | Time: 60 minutes Print: 12 pages
Copyright Separated : April 2010 Credits: The Bible and the Holy Spirit. All of this information is as a result of the gift of knowledge. ★ Absalom. Part of this story was learned from Doug Batchelor speaker of Amazing Facts. Author: Laverna Patterson Editor: Patterson (January 2008) All images were created by Laverna Patterson and are the property of teachinghearts.