Before I turned my eyes back to God, I used to like to think, Jesus was some mythological creature like Zeus or Venus, but that is an ignorant man's bluff, anyone worth their weight in salt will tell you that the ancient historian's speak of Yeshua Mesiach, in other words, Jesus Christ. Although I thank God in heaven for His birth, it's his death i will focus on here. I grew up knowing Jesus was crucified, but I was clueless as to what it truly meant, if you have the stomache for it, read on.

Flogging Roman Legal Limit 40 lashes, Instrument of Torture- a whip, made of metal balls and sharp bones(Good for tearing through flesh.). How it was Done A victim of flogging including Jesus was beaten on their bare flesh from their shoulders to their ankles, the sharp bones of their whips tore through flesh, muscle, and occaisionally many died from such a beating, those who survived would suffer from a large loss of blood called Hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemic shock causes, increased heart rate, drop of blood pressure, fainting or collaspe, the kidney's would quit producing urine, and the victim would be wracked with terrible thirst. It was in this condition, that Jesus was forced to carry his cross through the streets, and explains his weakness and stumbling along the way. Imagine doing that after nearly being beaten to death!

Golgotha Jesus was laid down and his arms were outstretched across a horizontal beam; then a spike, 5-7 inches long and tapered to a point, was driven through his wrists, crushing the largest nerve leading to the hand causing a pain so horrific a word had to be invented to describe it...excruciating, which means out of the cross. Jesus was then hoisted up and the cross bar was attached to a vertical stake, and then his feet were nailed, crushing the nerves in his feet as well. His arms would have immediately been stretched about half a foot and his shoulders would have been dislocated. Crucifixion caused slow asphxiation because of the stress on the muscles and diaphragm was put into the inhale position. In order to breathe, Jesus would have to push up with his feet (tearing the nail further through his feet.) to exhale. This would be done over and over until Jesus was so exhausted he could not push up to breathe anymore. (Imagine how it irritated the wounds on his back from the flogging.) Jesus would die from cardiac arrest brought on by suffocation. When the Roman soldier plunged his spear into Jesus' heart and lung, he was already dead. Christ hung on the cross from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the same time the Passover lambs were being slaughtered on the Temple Mount. All of this He endured for you an me, he could have said, "Forget this, I'm outta here." but, he didn't, he endured unspeakable torture, as the true sacrificial lamb, to save us and insure our forgiveness, Thank You, Jesus!

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary's mountain.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o'er me.

Near the cross I"ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Words: Fanny Crosby, 1869

As I finish up this page, I want to leave you with the words of John Hagee,
"Victory doesn't come without a fight,
There is no sunrise without a night,
There is no purchase without a cost,
There is no crown without a cross,
Don't curse the darkness, turn on the light."