Come and See: Jesus The Purifier

Lord Jesus created a whip of cords for driving animals and moneychangers out of the temple and off holy ground. He drove sinful behavior out of the house meant for prayer. (John 2:15)

The whip was used by Jesus to purify the temple—the outer court, where Gentiles came to worship God, but remained under Jewish authority.

The whip’s cords were called schoinion in Greek. These were small cords, twisted together to make the whip. The cords were prepared from rushes or flag plants, those that grow in the mire near water.

In the Old Testament, rushes were called go-meh in Hebrew.

The word for “flag” plants was most likely the Egyptian word aw’-khoo.  (Job 8:11) The name of the plants used to make the Lord’s whip were both Hebrew and Egyptian. Egyptian words are those of the Gentiles. Egypt is a type of the world in the Old Testament.

Jesus purifies. Just as He used a whip made of two types of plants to cleanse the temple, He also cleanses both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Him. (John 3:16) The Hebrew and Egyptian words are a type of the church which Jesus cleanses.

Believers are as stones, built upon a cornerstone (Jesus), into one building—as a temple. (1Peter 2:5)

The physical cleansing of the temple that Jesus did with the whip is a type of the spiritual cleansing which occurs within the church.

When a person comes to believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior, he repents of sin. It is only then he may be cleansed. (Hebrews 9:22) The Lord cleanses him with the blood of Jesus. (Revelation 1:5)

The first miracle Jesus performed was the turning of water into wine, using jars filled with water for purification purposes. As the water was poured out, it turned into wine. The water is a type of the Holy Spirit. The wine is a type of the Lord’s blood. The wedding guests drink the wine and proclaim that the best was saved for last! (John 2)

Jesus referred to this process as being “born again.” (John 3:3-8) It is not optional. The Lord said “You MUST be born again.” To be born again is to be born of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives birth to spirit—the human spirit.

The presence of God is holy and pure, just as Jesus is—sin cannot come in.

Purification of the person must occur to enter the kingdom of heaven. Without the blood of Jesus (Revelation 1:5), without the forgiveness of sin, without the birth of the human spirit, the physical man will die and his spirit cannot enter into God’s presence.

This first miracle of Jesus’ is a type of His crucifixion. After being lanced by a Roman soldier’s spear, the Lord’s blood and water poured out onto the ground. The water for the wedding and the purification vessels were created by Jesus and for Jesus; the wine too was created by Jesus, in the form of a miracle.

Jesus went to the cross to purify His church of her sin. Without this act of His, by His own decision to obey the Father’s will, there would be no remission of sin.

In the Old Testament, leprosy was a contagious skin disease requiring separation from the people of God until the sick person was healed. (Leviticus 14:1-3) Afterward, the priest would perform a cleansing ceremony which allowed the formerly ill person to rejoin the Israelite encampment and live closely to the tabernacle, where God dwelt. Without the cleansing by the priest, he would not be permitted within the camp.

Leprosy is considered a type of sin in the New Testament. Just as leprosy meant separation from God’s presence and society, so too does sin separate an unbeliever from where God dwells in heaven and from God’s people, the church.  

The leper was inspected by the priest outside the camp. So too does Jesus, the High Priest, inspect the hearts of believers and unbelievers, looking for true repentance of sins. Jesus knows the hearts of all men (Acts 15:8; John 2:24).

The Holy Spirit does the searching of men’s hearts. (Romans 8:27; Philippians 1:19)

Nothing can be hidden from God. (Hebrews 4:12) The Word of God judges thoughts and attitudes within men. Jesus is the Word of God. (John 1:1) He is the Judge.

Afterward, the former sinner is cleansed of his sin, just as the priest performed the cleansing ceremony:

“Then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds, cedar wood, a scarlet string, and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. The priest shall also give orders to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood, the scarlet string, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the running water. He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field.” (Leviticus 14:4-7)

The priest is a type of Jesus, who went to the cross, the cedar wood, of His own accord. He went bound to it with nails, just as the living bird is bound to the wood and the hyssop with the scarlet string.

Jesus went as the final sacrifice for sinners—the leper is a type of all sinners.

The scarlet string is a type of the blood of Jesus upon the wood of the cross.

The hyssop was used to lift up vinegar to the Lord upon the cross. Hyssop branches were utilized for the sprinkling of water or blood. (Psalm 51:7)

Running water, from a moving source, is a type of the water that poured out of Jesus’ side when lanced with a spear.

The bird’s blood was also a type of the blood of the Lord, which poured from His side, together with the water.

The clay vessel is a type of the physical body of Jesus who died upon the cross. The Hebrew word for the “vessel” is rooted in the verb kaw-law’, meaning “to be finished.” These were the final words the Lord spoke from the cross. (John 19:30)

The entire sacrifice of the bird is a type of the Lord crucified upon the cross outside the walls of Jerusalem.

The former leper was sprinkled with a mixture of the blood and water from the clay vessel seven times. Then he was pronounced “cleansed.”

Believers are sprinkled with the blood of Jesus seven times. Seven means completeness within the Scriptures. As the new believer receives the blood, he also simultaneously receives the water, a type of the Holy Spirit. Freedom occurs after these spiritual actions, called purification. “He who the Son sets free is free indeed.” (John 8:36)

As the leper was cleansed, and welcomed back into the encampment of the Israelites, so too is the believer made free of the chains of sin, is given access to God the Father, is welcomed and interceded for by Jesus, is cleansed by the blood of Jesus, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and is made part of the church.

Whereas the dead bird is a type of the Lord Jesus who died upon the cross, the living bird is a type of the Lord Jesus who is alive, His robe dipped in blood. As He sits in heaven next to His Father, His clothing bears the scarlet dye of blood. (Revelation 19:13)

The sins of men are made white as snow by the blood of Jesus. (Isaiah 1:18)

Jesus, the Son of God, was raised from the grave on the third day and was seen by many witnesses, as recorded in the Scriptures. He is alive!

To believe or not to believe, is the choice of each and every man. Those who believe have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (John 1:29; Revelation 7:14)

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More about the art piece: “I AM”

(C) Kelly Jadon 2025

The Georgian "I AM"

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus; an important location, it is the juncture of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. The area has been contested for by the ancient Persian and Roman Empires and in modern days, by the former USSR.

Georgia first heard the Gospel in the first century from the Apostle Andrew. Upon this apostolic account, the Georgian Orthodox Church is founded.

God’s timing is perfect.

Around the year 300 AD, a young Roman woman, remembered as Saint Nino, came to Georgia. A believer, she led key individuals to the Lord, and they too became known as Christians. This included King Mirian III, who founded the Chosroid dynasty. A royal family, they were descendants of Iranian Mihranids (Persians).

God can use just a few obedient persons as His witnesses to alter a nation for good. He can use women as well as men to lead others to the knowledge of Christ. “For there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11)

It is important that government leaders are true believers. Those who are not may be put in place by God to become godly leaders. Brave men and women who will give a true account of Jesus to political figures are necessary to lead them to the Truth.

Archeological evidence demonstrates that Christians lived in Georgia during the 3rd Century.

The ancient city of Mtskheta is a holy city to the Georgian Orthodox Church; it is considered the birthplace of Christianity in Georgia. In 337 AD, it was in the nation’s capital of Mtskheta that Christianity was declared the official religion of Georgia. The city today remains the headquarters of the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church. UNESCO

The Chosroid dynasty sat squarely at the crossroads of the East (Persian Empire) and the West (Roman Empire) which went to war with one another. The Georgian king was a vassal of the Persians, but his faith was that of the Christians in Rome.

Persian influence spread Zoroastrianism, but the Georgian Church stood against it.

Zoroastrianism is no friend of Christianity.

About 400 AD the Georgian alphabet was created to bring the written Gospel to Georgians. The first reference comes from an inscription on a church in Israel/Palestine.

Literacy is important for the spread of the Truth of Jesus.

Known as Asomtavruli, the oldest Georgian alphabet was based upon the Greek Gospel and birthed by King Parnavaz (Ministry of Education, Georgia). This written script united the Georgians in language, giving it dominance over any other tongue spoken. (Chkhartishvili, Mariam. 2021. Narrative Sources on the Creation of Georgian Alphabet PRO GEORGIA.JOURNAL OF KARTVELOLOGICAL STUDIES. .No 31 — 2021,pp.. 101 -113 ISSN 1230-1604. 31. 101 -113.)

The creation of the written Georgian language was a work of God for His people, the church.

The Georgian letter called “jani” looks like the letter “X” in English. The Georgian word ჯვარი or “cross” begins with “jani” (X).

Jesus is described as “The Word” by John in the Gospel. Words are formed from letters. Jesus stated, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” These are Greek letters.

Jesus also said, “I am the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)

The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the “tav.” It too in its first form is the shape of the cross. (Theopolis Institute) In the book of Ezekiel, all those marked with the “sign” or the “tav” would be saved from destruction. (Ezekiel 9:4)

All true Georgian believers are spiritually marked with the sign of the cross or “jani” which is a reminder to them everyday in the usage of their alphabet.

Asomtavruli is still utilized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in religious texts and ceremonies. It is a holy alphabet, a Christian language, as are its descendants, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli.

The unique Georgian language is included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity.

The Georgian tongue is an early church language. The Georgian people are the physical and spiritual descendants of the early church.

By 500 AD, pilgrims were already making the trek from Georgia to the Holy Land to see where the Lord was born in Bethlehem and where He grew up in Nazareth. Their presence was notable as well in Jerusalem.

In 1226 AD, the Mongol Sultan Jalal al-Din captured the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. It was a city of Christians. Those who would not give up Jesus were put to death. Thousands became martyrs.

In 1624, Queen Consort Ketevan of Georgia was tortured and executed in Iran because she would not give up Jesus.

Islam is no friend of Christianity.

The Georgian Orthodox Church has withstood 2,000 years of the world and its ways. It endured 70 years of Soviet communism, governing control and purges. Churches were closed. Monks were imprisoned and executed. Persecution by the Soviets aimed to banish the Church and promote atheism.

Atheism and Communism are no friends of Christianity.

After that time, the Church rose again, to establish itself as the “custodian” of Georgian nationalism. The Georgian people trust their Church because it has been stable throughout history.

Today, Georgian Orthodox Church leadership stands against immorality, specifically coming from Western allies.

“…one leading Georgian cleric, Metropolitan of Vani and Baghdati Diocese Anton Bulukhia, publicly rebuked the U.S. and EU embassies in Tbilisi and said he was closing a European club in his diocese. ‘You want to force your profligate, obscene and depraved ideals’ on Georgia, he said on July 11. (Archil Gegeshidze and Mikheil Mirziashvili, The Orthodox Church in Georgia’s Changing Society, July 23, 2021, Carnegie Endowment Org.)

Immorality is no friend of Christianity.

Generations of men, like the grass of the field, come and then fade quickly. But the Church must stand. To stand, unity is necessary. The Lord prayed for this unity. In fact, He gave up His life, that the church would be one body, each part covered with His shed blood.

Jesus prayed, “I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:20-21)

The Georgian Orthodox Church has stood together both with the Lord and with the Georgian people, even at the point of martyrdom for 2,000 years. They have survived and will continue to do so. This branch of the church is an inspiration for others, “that the world may believe” that Jesus was sent by God the Father.

What has held the Georgian Orthodox Church together? The Lord Himself. He has prayed that the church would be united. (John 17) His Gospel, His Word, the Name of Jesus is the power of God to stand firm.

Paul equated the ability to “stand firm” to a phalanx—a military unit of eight men across and eight men deep with shields overlapping one another, armed with spears. Together, holding the shield of faith, they hold their place and their faith. (Ephesians 6:13)

The phalanx is armed with prayer, calling upon the power of God. It moves forward in offense and can also maintain a defense against every fiery dart of the enemy.

They are as the church praying to God for the release of Peter from the prison. (Acts 12:5)

All branches of the church—Orthodox, Catholic, Protestants, Oriental and the Church of the East, must stand together peacefully with the Georgian Orthodox Church against immorality which is indeed consuming the world. (Romans 1:24) It should not consume the church as well. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

All branches of the church should be speaking out against immorality. (Colossians 3:5)

When the Lord returns, He will find His bride spotless. To be clean of sin is to be free of immorality. The bride must make herself and keep herself ready. (Rev 19:7)

To honor the Lord and the witness of the Georgian Orthodox Church for Jesus among the Persians, Mongols, Muslims and Communists for 2,000 years, I have embroidered in Georgian მე ვარ , meaning “I AM” from John 18:5 into this artwork titled “I AM.”

Listen to the Lord’s prayer in Georgian:

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More about the art piece: “I AM”

(C) Kelly Jadon, 2025