Jesus' - Words from the Cross #4

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“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' -- which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'” – Matthew 27:45

  

In Mark 15:25 we are told that it was the third hour that they crucified him.  This would have been somewhere around 8 or 9 AM by our standard clock.  The hours were counted from the point at which dawn broke on the horizon.  So if daybreak were 5:30 to 6:00 AM that morning, the walk to Golgotha, and the nailing to the cross took approximately 3 hours. 

At the 6^th hour, darkness fell over the land until the ninth hour.  This would have been mid-day (noon to 3PM) when the sun would have been at it’s apex and high in the sky.  As the sky became dark, those that remained behind on Golgotha that day began to see a transformation in this man who was born to save the world.  There must have been some sense that this was no ordinary man as the light of the sun was hidden from the world and darkness covered them eerily, like death overcoming light.  I can imagine many began leaving the hill during those three hours, fearful that the wrath of God might be poured out on them at any minute.

Then, those that remained behind heard Jesus cry out to His Father in a voice of a child wanting to know why.  Was this a weakness in his spirit, or a telling statement that indeed Jesus was alone on that cross?  God sent Jesus Christ to the world as a sacrificial lamb to take on the sins of the world and wash them with his blood.  His only begotten Son, He sent to the slaughter like the perfect spotless lamb of the Passover.  I propose that during the three hours of darkness, as Christ hung upon that cross, the sins of the world were being poured into his spirit.  God’s purpose was coming to fruition right before the eyes of those onlookers that day, and Christ was abandoned with the iniquities of mankind.

Jesus had to have felt that pain, the anguish, the suffering, the hatred, the evil and the unrighteousness upon his spirit.  Where there had only been a strong, loving, merciful presence of God in his life up to that point; he was now being subjected to the sin of mankind.  This emptiness of the Father’s presence must have been overwhelming to the Son of God.  He had been abused, neglected and punished by mankind up to that point, but he could always turn to his Father.  Now, here he was in the ninth hour, alone, isolated and very human.  Every breath was a laborious task now.  Weakened and in excruciating pain he bore the sins of the world on the cross that day.  Taking on these sins separated him from God the Father, who reigns in righteousness and perfection only. 

For those of you who are parents, you realize how heartbreaking it is to say “No” to your children at those times when they really need or want something.  Some call it tough love and there is nothing more painful than to hear your child cry out for help and you must choose not to.  God, the Father, in His sovereignty and love for all mankind; turned from His Son in this darkened hour and allowed the pain and suffering of the world to be placed upon him.  He did this knowing full well what was to come 3 days later.  The by the resurrection, His Son would be raised once again spotless, blameless and perfect to receive His crown of glory and rightful seat upon the throne.

Why did God forsake Christ during this hardest hour of his life?  Because you and I would be born into sin one day and would require the redemption provided on that cross and through the resurrection.  His love for you pushed Him to look past His love for His own Son.  You are the reason God forsake Christ that day on the cross.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
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