From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice…"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Don’t look at it! That’s what my parents told me and my sisters as we anxiously waited to experience our first solar eclipse.
Gradually, as the moon moved between the earth and sun, the light of day turned to eerie darkness. We took turns looking through the welder’s mask dad brought out on the lawn.
This was something most unusual – an eclipse of the sun! It didn’t last long though. Soon the brightness of day returned.
But there was another dark day – three full hours of blackness as Jesus hung on the cross! Was this the Father’s way of saying – Don’t look at this!
There on the cross something moved between Jesus and His Father. We know what it was. The sin of the world Jesus bore that day.
As His Father pulled down the shade of night to cover the scene, the world should have understood the blackness of sin.
In this cover of darkness – this eclipse of the Son - Jesus cried out, My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?
This was not a cry for explanation. Jesus knew why? Rather it was a cry of anguish over the pain and loneliness.
We know the rest of this story. The glad brightness of day would return. And very soon a resurrection Sonrise!
They mocked.
ReplyDeleteThey spat out some stupid statements.
"He saved others, but he can't save himself."
"Let God rescue him, if he wants him."
"Let him come down from the cross,
and we will believe"
"Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
What would they have done had he come off the cross?
Had God sent the legion of angels?
Had Elijah come down?
Could you imagine their reaction had Jesus actually come off the cross? Or had Elijah actually appeared to save him?
They wouldn't have had a chance to repent.
Ever heard, "Don't tempt God?" Like building a ship and saying "Even Go couldn't sink this ship" (We all know how wellt hat went over, that statement was claimed of the Titanic!)
It was actually good for them that Jesus didn't come off the cross - for they would have a chance to repent. For their sake, I hope they did!