The Whipping Post

The Whipping Post
An Early Morning Revelation
1/17/19
By Mary Ann Wray

“So then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged (flogged, whipped). And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe around Him; and they kept coming up to Him, saying [mockingly], “Hail, King of the Jews [Good health! Peace! Long life to you, King of the Jews]!” And they slapped Him in the face.” John 19: 1-3 AMP

  As I awoke this morning I had a quick vision. I saw Jesus’ back being torn to shreds by the cat of nine tails while he stood silently tied to a Roman Scourging Column. There He stood; totally innocent of any wrong doing and being punished for being righteous. He told me today “Write about the whipping post.” I asked, “Lord, why do you want me to write about the whipping post?” He said, “I want my people to see that it’s one thing to suffer for wrong doing but it’s another to suffer for love and righteousness. Many of my people think they are suffering for my sake when in fact they are suffering for the wrong reasons. They have been deceived by the enemy and their own hearts thinking they are doing me a service when in fact they are serving themselves and their own ideas, not Me.”

  “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”  1 Peter 4: 14-16

  The book of Acts (10: 38) tells us that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was anointed by the Holy Ghost and went about doing good, healing all manner of sickness and disease and all those who were oppressed by the devil because “God was with Him.” We see this fact described in great detail throughout the Four Gospels and the apostolic writings in the following epistles. These were men and women that were eye witnesses to Jesus’ work, lifestyle and character. In fact, after His bodily resurrection, Jesus appeared to upwards of 500 different people and walked among them for 40 days eating and drinking while in His glorified form.

  Before and after His death and resurrection, Jesus was a compassionate miracle worker. He forgave the vilest sinner. He cleansed those who were pronounced unfit and unclean by the law whether it be a skin disorder, a crippling disease or a bloody flow.  He showed mercy when the legalistic Pharisees wanted so called justice for those who broke the law and were caught in their sins. Jesus was completely intolerant of the Pharisees and rebuked them openly for their hypocrisy. The Pharisees were more interested in gathering money into the treasury than they were healing the sick and oppressed on the Sabbath or any day for that matter. He rightly accused the Pharisees of loving titles, desiring the chief seats in the synagogue, closing the door of the Kingdom in people’s faces, being prideful blind guides, greedy of gain,  self-indulgent priests, whitewashed tombs, a brood of vipers with venom under their tongues, rejecting the prophets, and straining at the smallest gnat (trifling matter) while swallowing a camel. (Matthew 23: 1-36).
  He said they were blind guides because their spiritual discernment was dulled by legalism, the tradition of men and selfishness. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is the same yesterday today and forever. He doesn’t change ‘game plans’ when things don’t work out the way man thinks they should. He never fails and His ways were and are perfect (Psalm 18: 7-10).

  It’s safe to say that Jesus intensely disliked the Pharisees. But why? After all, they were ordained priests and scribes of the law. They had God given authority: positions of spiritual leadership, religious titles, keepers of the Temple’s Treasury, and were very well educated. What was so bad about that? Evidently, it was the condition of their hearts Jesus hated. You see, men look at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. That’s what Jesus did and does and that’s what His true prophets still do today. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Prophecy isn’t true prophecy unless it can uncover ulterior motives as well as call people up to a higher level of faith while calling others out of darkness that has them bound (see Acts 5: 1-11; 8: 9-25 & Acts 13: 6-12). Jesus never gives a diagnosis without a remedy. Jesus Himself is the cure to what ails our souls and bodies!

  “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53: 4-5

  The scripture references previously cited from the Book of Acts are examples of Biblical Apostolic authority that called out impurity in the hearts of men which threatened the move of God in the early church. Any Pharisee can call out sin, but not everyone has the compassion and spiritual authority to see into hearts and or identify impure motives. I believe we are going to see a resurgence of true prophetic and apostolic authority in the days ahead before Jesus’ imminent return. Its purpose was and is to cleanse and prepare Jesus Bride…this time before His return.
  I also believe it will start with leadership and trickle down by example to the flock. It will put the true reverential fear of God back into the Body of Christ. When the flock of God sees the judgment and results of ulterior motives, greed for dishonest gain and positions, and hypocrisy in the pulpits, they will look to and honor Christ as the Head over all things ~ not a man or a woman (Ephesians 1: 22 & Colossians 1: 17-18).  It’s already starting. Hearts will be exposed good or bad with subsequent remedies or judgments-whatever the case calls for.  Whether it be healing for deep wounds created through trauma or chastisement for religious hypocrisy in leadership Jesus is about to cleanse His House. Ulterior motives of pride, vying for position and a desire for financial gain at the expense of everyone else, including the poor, will be brought to trial by the Father Himself who tests the hearts of all men.

  “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4: 17-19

  Jesus ‘saw through’ facades and peered into hearts of humanity to determine inner motives. When Jesus saw Nathanial approaching Him with his friend Philip Jesus said, “A true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." Next Jesus revealed that he saw Nathanael sitting under a fig tree before Philip called him. Nathanael responded to Jesus' revelation by proclaiming him to be the Son of God, the King of Israel! Peter wasn’t the first and only disciple to recognize Jesus as the Christ. Martha also had the same revelation when Jesus finally came to their home at the death of Lazarus (John 11: 3-27). The Pure in Heart shall see God (Matthew 5: 8)! To the pure all things are pure but to the corrupted and unbelieving even their hearts and consciences have been corrupted (Titus 1: 15).

  All through the Old and New Testaments we see stories of false prophets who worked for mammon and notoriety versus those who worked purely for God, not looking for any earthly reward or praise. The former were satisfied temporarily on this earth through a system authored and influenced by Baal. The latter were usually cave dwellers, loners, rejected by most, and put to death, either through character assassination or physical death. Prophets have a way of upsetting the apple carts of religion and the false system of peace and security it offers. They knew and know the hearts of man through intimacy with God and the deceitfulness of their own hearts. They have what some refer to as “the camel hair syndrome.”  
  Prophets wear an internal scrub brush of self-examination. They endure chastisement and correction from the Father and suffer rejection greatly for righteousness sake because of it. Their words pierce souls like a sword. The Pharisee’s hearts were hardened by the law and life. They were covenant breakers and would write a letter of divorcement for anything and anyone they were displeased with. They were greedy for gain and honor. They cared more about keeping the temple up and running than the condition of the flock of God who gathered there together for salvation and healing. They misidentified the true Temple of God. Jesus came to dwell in the hearts of men; not buildings of stone. The Pharisees would save a work animal on the Sabbath to keep temple business going smoothly, but would let a cripple suffer on the same day. Jesus called them out on it. They failed to properly discern the Body of Christ.

  “He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?  Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”  Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.” Matthew 12: 9-14

  The Pharisees were like so many physicians today who see chronic pain and the dysfunction of humanity but wind up doing their jobs begrudgingly out of duty. However, they continue to enjoy the financial security their positions and practices offer them. The concept and practice of compassionate care has taken a back seat to many so called physicians or it’s nonexistent altogether. The Pharisees put more trust in a man-made system they helped manufacture, rather than the fact the promised Messiah who was foretold by prophets for centuries, stood in front of them fulfilling Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 61. They weren’t ready or willing to relinquish their old wine skins of culture and tradition. Jesus’ love and power were undeniable yet they rejected Him. Jesus rebuked them for being spiritually blind and unable to ‘see’ love and grace manifested in the flesh (John 1). There is no doubt Jesus was and is thoroughly ‘good’ and thoroughly ‘God’. 

He said to me this morning…

  “Many of my people today think like Pharisees. They believe they are doing good when in fact they are mixing and corrupting my goodness with their own ideologies and teachings. They are teaching the commandments of men as the commandments of God (Matthew 15: 9). There is little to no healing power manifested in their gatherings because their hearts are not right. When healing or deliverance does take place it is out of my grace and mercy for those who truly seek it not because of man. Their admixture is leading my people down a path of doubt, unbelief and error as to who I am. It would be better to have a millstone tied around their neck than cause on of my little ones to become offended at me. Doubting my love, affection and grace towards them through a mixture of law with my grace causes too many of my lambs and sheep to become angry and offended at me. They don’t see Me manifested in their presence because they are hearing the commandments of men. Law and grace doesn’t mix. I am about to turn over their money changing tables in order to spare my flock. Their pride is leading to their downfall. If they don’t repent of their pride, greed and hardness of heart, they will fail. My flock is beautiful to me. I have purchased her with my own blood. They do not belong to man but to me. I am jealous over my flock and I am tired of seeing them manhandled. Tell them I am coming to judge this. Judgment beings in my house with spiritual leaders-not my flock.”

  I've been guilty of the same hypocrisy and pride. Thank God for His blood, forgiveness and mercy. Pride leads to captivity. The victims of spiritual pride are God’s people and He hates it. Here is what the Prophet Jeremiah said in Chapter 13: 12-27…I think it is pertinent now. Pride goes before a fall. If we won’t humble ourselves under The Father’s hand of authority through Jesus, the Head of the Church, then He will have to humble us. It’s time to repent and become like little children in our faith. It’s time to get back to Our First Love-Jesus Christ: His works, His word, His worth and His selfless sacrifice. Lives are at stake. There is nothing more precious to God than a soul.

“Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive. Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory. The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive. Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail? And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood. Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.  have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?”