My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? (Pt. 2 of 2)
Christ could turn to no one but the Heavenly Father in his time of greatest need. Writhing in agony and pain as the multitude mocked and scorned the loving Savior, Jesus no doubt felt betrayed and forsaken. How many of us, if put in this situation, would not have uttered the same words, or at least would not have felt the same sentiment? The cry of our Lord was not an accusation against the Heavenly Father. Remember that in Job’s case, he often thought that it may have been God who was placing the burden of pain and suffering upon him, but the Bible makes it clear that in all he endured at the hands of Satan, Job never sinned with his lips (Job 1:22; 2:10). The cry of Jesus from the cross was that of confusion and despair, of human understanding in the face of great suffering. These words echo the humanity of the Son of Man. Truly our Great High Priest can sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15), albeit he suffered to a degree that none of us will ever experience. These words should bring comfort to all of us, especially as we face some great trial in our lives, knowing that the Lord above understands.
Even beyond this, however, is the thought that perhaps God actually did forsake His only begotten Son, if but only for a moment. God is perfect in holiness and purity (1 Peter 1:16), and as such, He is of purer eyes than to behold evil (Habakkuk 1:13). The Lord Jesus did no sin (1 Peter 2:22), yet upon him was placed the burden of every sin ever committed (1 Peter 2:24). Although the pain and agony of the cross must have been excruciating and burdensome, the weight of sin that Jesus bore must have been the most difficult burden to endure. Nevertheless, Christ bore the burden of sin with joy (Hebrews 12:2). Consider what God saw as he looked down from heaven on that dreadful Friday. Here was His only begotten Son (John 3:16) who was sinlessly perfect, being tormented on a cross for nothing he had done. Like any loving parent, no doubt God wanted to stop the pain and bind up the wounds of Jesus. But Christ was made sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) so that we might be righteous before God. Mind you, Christ was not a sinner, for he had committed no sin. He was merely the scapegoat upon which the sins of the world were placed. The innocent was made to suffer for the guilty. For the good of mankind, God had to avert His eyes in Christ’s darkest hour. He could not (not in the sense that it was impossible, but in the sense that it would thwart His own purpose) stop the horrendous events of that day. As the piercing cries of the sinless Son of God rose up to the throne room of heaven, God was powerless to intervene. As His heart filled with grief and pain, He was made to endure the terrible proceedings on Calvary’s mount.
Indeed we are comforted by the promise that God will never forsake us so long as we never forsake Him. Because God forsook the Savior but for a moment as the sinless sacrifice was made for our sins, we have the promise that God will never forsake those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. When we consider that Christ endured all of this for us, it boggles the mind. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15). Hallelujah! What a Savior!
-Patrick Morrison
Want to comment?
