◄ My God My Father (Easter Reflections - (6) ►

Easter Reflections - STUDY

     4th word from the cross

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying:- 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani – that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?'
Matthew 27:46

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luke 23:44

Deep Darkness

What a mysterious and supernatural three-hour darkness must have shrouded the whole earth, that day. This most painful intimate time was not to be witnessed by the inquisitive eye of man..nor the angelic host, as Father and Son in unison suffered excruciating pain, through this momentous, agonising separation.  And a fathomless darkness, never witnessed within eternity before, hung heavily over the Son of His love.

Eternal Light

Jesus’ sinless body was wrapped in a gloom of death, so that WE might be eternally clothed in garments of life. He willingly experienced death, that we may walk through its shadow.. into the splendours of heavenly light. He endured agony’s timeless darkness, that we may have joy and life, "and have it more abundantly". John 10:10. And thus He cried with a piercing voice:- "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Overwhelming Loss

This was the fourth word uttered by our Lord, from the cross. It was not the barbaric, brutal beating, the razor-sharp nails, or the piercing sword.. that caused this outcry. It was not the malicious mocking, the ignominious insults, or the cruel thorny crown that occasioned this cry. The loss of the Father’s presence, for the first moment, since time and eternity kissed each other, was for our Lord Jesus, a loss so overwhelming, that human and angelic minds can only wonder.

God and Father

Why does He call out, “My God,” in this hour of distress? Why does He not cry out to the Father? His Father’s business in the Father’s House, was His first important service.. at the tender age of twelve. His Father's approval in Jordan’s’ waters, were displayed to His Beloved Son – "in Whom I am well pleased". His Father was the One to whom His disciples were pointed, as they pleaded: "teach us to pray". His Father was the One Who commanded, “Hear Him” – as He glistened on the mountain of transfiguration. It was to His Holy Father that His magnificent prayer of John 17 was offered, in gracious reverence. It was to the Father that He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, "not My will but Thine be done". Luke 22:42

Hour of Distress

"Father.." was Christ’s first word from the cross. "Father.." was the One to Whom His parting breath was addressed. Why does He call out, "My God",  in this hour of distress? Why does He not appeal to His Father? What had happened in this bitterest hour of trial? Had the Lord lost consciousness of His Son-ship? In this, His darkest hour is He aware that He is pushed far from the Father’s heart of love? In His agony does He understand that He no longer reposes in the bosom of the Father? This seems to be the reason. This appears to be His understanding.

Separation – Death

This seems to be the point where He was made sin for us.. where He became our substitute Man. This seems to be the pivot in the history of humanity.. where He became our representative Man. This seems to be the point that as the second Man, the last Adam, He was covered with our guilt, "God hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him". 2 Cor.5:21

Exhibition of Faith

Yet our Lord, in this terrible hour, continues to exhibit such faith that would remove mountains… as He cried out "My God.. My God…. My God". Through all of this, our Lord clung in faith to… "My God" – just as we, in Christ, must cling in faith to… "our Father, Who art in Heaven". Just as we, in Him, must cling in faith to… "My Father, and your Father – to My God, and your God". John 20:17

Christ Our Substitute

Remember, He experienced this for you, and He endured this for Me too. This, He endured for you and for me, so that His God would be our God and His Father become our God and Father. For His sake.. for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are no longer the criminals deserving death. For HIS sake we are children of heaven and adoptive sons of the Father. For HIS sake we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness, into His glorious kingdom of light. For HIS sake we are joint-heirs with the Son of God’s love. For HIS sake there is now no condemnation for we who are in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:1. For HIS sake – we are truly accepted in the Beloved – Forever.