Look at Matthew 27 vs 46 ‘My God, my god, why hast thou forsaken me’.
The first cry was the cry of forgiveness, the second cry was the cry of salvation, The third cry was the cry of affection, the cry we are looking at now is the cry of anguish. It is possibly the deepest saying of the cross. Jesus was crucified at 9:00 in the morning, between then and midday the first 3 cries were spoken. In those three HR’s Jesus was ridiculed, mocked on scorned. Naked he hung there, he despised the shame, his strength was dried up he thirsted. The assembly of the wicked enclosed him; they gaped upon him with their mouths as a ravening and roaring lion. He was poured out like water. His bones were out of joint. Stand at the cross and see him hung there. This was our Lord dying for us.
At midday there was suddenly a great darkness, a mysterious darkness so deep and so dense. It was a supernatural darkness. All was silent as God turned his back on his son. Just before 3:00 PM Jesus cried out with a loud voice ‘Eli, Eli lama sabach-thani’ that is to say ‘My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?’ It was a startling cry, it was a strange cry, it was a revealing cry.
- It reveals the unseen suffering of Christ
Study the suffering of Christ in Psalm 22. His face was battered, a crown of thorns Round on his head, his back was for furrowed from the scourge. You can see the spikes in his hands and feet. The agony that was crushing him. These were the physical sufferings of our Lord but there is something deeper done this at Calvary. If his physical suffering was all there was we would be lost souls. If Christ was only battered by men then the atonement would never be made. God the father had to deal with the atonement, the acceptable sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the whole world. Therefore this cry can draw us into the depths of his sacrifice and gaze into the unseen suffering of Christ and his separation from the Father. Where he was cursed of God. See the unseen suffering of Christ.
- It reveals the Unshakable faith of Christ
In his sufferings he was in the deep depths of separation from God, where there was no standing. God had forsaken him yet out of the darkness comes the cry ‘My God. My god, why has thou forsaken me’. But within that cry though abandoned by God he is still holding on to his God. His trust is still in God. He is still resting on the promises. The scriptures tell him that ‘God will not leave my soul in hell’. ‘Neither will he suffer his holy one to see corruption’. Job proclaims ‘though he slay me yet will I still trust him’. Christs faith though forsaken of God was still in God. This was not just trust but triumph to. That my friend is unshakable faith. A question is would the our faith stand in life threatening circumstances?
- It reveals the Unquestionable Love of Christ
The revelation seen through this cry is a love that many waters could not quench. He knew all that lay before him. He knew the depths, he knew what was coming. He knew what it meant, he knew the horrors he would have to endure. He could see the darkness into which he must step. He knew he would have no standing with God, forsaken. That word forsaken means to leave, to let down, to abandon in hostile circumstances. Persona;, prophetical, then actually forsaken. We can understand now why when he was in the garden he asked the Father to let the cup of suffering pass. But because he loved his Father and Obeyed him (John ch14 vs 31) and because he loved us he went onward to the cross. This is the holy one then, that has become the sinner’s substitute. How can we ever come to understand the deep depth of his verse. Forsaken of God. Stand at the cross and contemplate on the deep depths he went through that you might be saved. See the love of God.
- It reveals the unquestionableness of sin
The word WHY deserve out thoughts. Sin is real. He didn’t cry WHY because he did not know. He cried why that you might think about the why of the cry. The answer to the why is found in the whole books of the bible. He was made sin for us who knew no sin. That is in his own self was bearing out sin in his own body on the cross. Gaze past the physical and see him being made sin for us. Can we imagine in the darkness the gates of God’s wrath abiding on him. The flood tide coming in and crushing him. Sin is real and God hates it. Sin lifted t’s head against God’s throne. When God judges sin he is just in his judgement. Because of what Christ did for us there is now no condemnation to those who have trusted Jesus as their saviour. For those who haven’t there is judgement.
- It reveals the Unbending justice of God
Consider the angels that sinned 2nd Peter ch2vs 4
Satan’s 5 wills Isaiah ch 14 vs 13-16
The old world before the flood Gen 6 vs 5-7
Sodom and Gomorrah Gen ch 19
God spared not his own Sonn Romans ch8 vs 32
God is just Unbending Justice
God is love, love him, have faith in him, follow him, abide in him, trust him
God bless
Michael Whitehouse