pletho

When I first finished this painting it looked a lot different than it does now.  One day I decided to paint over it. I called out in frustration and asking for God's help.  As I was finishing, I loaded my palette knife with paint and lightly dragged it over different areas on the canvas to add color and texture. When doing this, the paint adhered in certain places and not in others, thus giving it a more rugged, thick, and rough look. I named it Pletho because of the golden drips that looked like they were flowing out of the circle. The word pletho means to be filled to overflowing and is used in the context of the Holy Spirit. At this time, neither I nor anyone else, who viewed the painting, thought it was spiritual or saw any of the hidden pictures in it.  A couple of years passed and our family fellowship was watching a movie about the crucifixion.  Afterward, I commented that as horrible as that beating seemed, it was minor compared to what Jesus actually endured. I then shared Psalm 22.  

I decided I wanted to do an abstract of the crucifixion, but did not feel qualified to do it.  God laid it on my heart to look closer at Pletho.  I felt as if He was telling me I had already done one. I went upstairs and stood in front of the painting. My jaw dropped and my mouth came open; the first word I could utter was, “Wow!” I was amazed to see that right there in the center of the painting was what looked like an abstract side view of Jesus on the cross. His head has fallen forward, and his right knee is bent.  You can't really see the actual cross.  I could not walk away and spent at least two hours studying the painting. By the time I finally went to bed, it was 2 am.   We have no idea how terrible those three hours of darkness were for our precious Savior; mankind was spared the details. The portraits of Jesus hanging on the cross with a few trickles of blood and a stab wound in His side way under-represent the pain and humiliation He actually endured. Jesus could see His own bones through His ravaged flesh. The fairest of ten thousand, our beautiful and lovely Savior was beaten beyond recognition as a man.  Follow this link to read Psalm 22 to help lay a foundation for these images. 

  There is another representation that I see in this crucifixion picture. It is a little harder to visualize in the photo. But I’ll try to explain it. Down by Jesus’ knee you can see what looks like a whisp of smoke. It curves up around the torso of Jesus and over His head. Originally this reminded me of the sacrificial fire sent from God. I still believe it represents that. But, I also saw another picture in it as I studied it. Above Jesus head, it resembles the large head of a snake with his mouth open and a long tongue coming out. The swoosh of what looks like smoke also resembles the body of this snake. When I first noticed this, I was reminded of the brass serpent on the pole.

NUMBERS 21:9 And Moses made a fiery serpent of brass, and put it on a pole and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when the man beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

In this passage of scripture, poisonous serpents were in the Israeli camp and everyone who was bitten died. Moses followed God’s instruction to make a serpent of brass and put it up on a pole. Anyone who was bitten was told to look up at the serpent. As they beheld it, they were healed and lived. As we look up and behold Jesus and what He accomplished for us on the cross, we too shall live (eternal life) and be healed (through His stripes we were healed). Brass stands for judgment. Christ became sin for us; He took upon Himself all the judgment we deserved. Repent and receive forgiveness. Plead the blood of Jesus over your body and the circumstances surrounding your situation. There is supernatural power in His blood.

JOHN 3:14-15 TPT And just as Moses in the desert lifted up the brass replica of a snake on a pole for all the people to see and be healed, so the Son of Man is ready to be lifted up, so that those who truly believe in him will not perish but be given eternal life. For this is how much God loved the world –he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it!  

The picture at the left is found in the upper right hand corner of the painting.  Just about halfway across you can see the eye of one of the demonic looking creatures. It looks almost like a lizard or a bird eye. The other half of the face is in shadow. This picture reminds me of something you would find on a totem pole–a false God. This could be the devil, he takes on many forms. Toward the top next to it resembles the profile of a black dog with a  white nose tall white ear and white eye. (dogs have compassed Me). In the very corner is the mane of a lion, front view (as a ravening and roaring lion).  

This picture is in the bottom left hand corner of the painting. To the left reminds me of a batman-looking character, running off in fear.  This is because Christ has finally released His Spirit and laid down His head.  IT IS FINISHED!  Darkness came and the earth trembled.  They can do no more harm to Him. The victory has been won and now they see they are in BIG trouble. You will probably have to enlarge the photo to see the other two figures.  Next to it at the bottom is a smaller figure that resembles a soldier holding a shield (believers?)  To the right is a little elf-looking creature that is stepping up stairs and looking down at something he is holding in his hand.  

 This looks like a new believer on his/her knees, a sign of repentance and humility. They are being washed in the blood of Jesus and covered in a robe of righteousness. This robe of righteousness represents the Holy Spirit, the gift and glory of God imparted to mankind through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Revelation 7:14, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.  

Revelation 1:5-6 To Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to God.  

 In this section all the pictures seem to portray what Christ accomplished for us once His sacrifice was complete. I see representations of the Holy Communion and of the Holy Spirit.  

 I believe the white circle represents the bread used for communion.  The color in this area is olive green.  The Holy Anointed Oil (representing the Holy Spirit) is released by crushing the olive (represented by Jesus). His crushing began in the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane literally means olive press. This is represented by the drops of gold flowing from the bread.  Through Him believers are filled (pletho) with the Holy Spirit. This dark maroon colored splash looks like the blood of Jesus pouring down from the crucifixion into an olive colored goblet, like those used for communion.     

  This part of the painting had me puzzled. Originally, I thought the figure might be an angel. Later, it was revealed to me that it represented Christ in His resurrected body. He is standing in what looks like a doorway with light/glory shining on Him. His left arm is out straight to the side and the right arm is stretched up toward the light. There is a crown on His head and His head is slightly tilted. You can see a darker belt around the waist of His robe.