The doctrine of thorns

1. Thorns are associated with the curse of mankind and nature at the time of the fall — Genesis 3:18.

2. Thorns are used to designate divine punishment — Numbers 33:55; Judges 2:3; 2 Corinthians 12:7.

3. Thorns are used to designate national discipline, the fifth cycle of discipline — Isaiah 34:12.

4. Thorns are related to economic depression and recession under an agricultural society - Jeremiah 12:13.

5. Unconquered people in the land of Canaan were thorns in the side of the nation — Numbers 33:55; Joshua 23:13; Judges 2:3.

6. Thorns are used for negative volition toward Bible doctrine — Proverbs 22:5; 26:9.

7. Thorns describe the various stages of reversionism — Hebrews 6:8.

8. Thorns are used for the details of life which cause negative volition toward doctrine — Matthew 13:7,22.

9. Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns on the cross. This signified that He was being made a curse for us when He was bearing our sins in His own body on the tree — Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2 cf. Galatians 3:13.

10. The Millennial deliverance of nature from the curse of the fall is expressed by the removal of the thorns - Isaiah 55:13; Ezekiel 28:24.