Suffering of our Savior

 

Some scholars call attention to two divisions of Psalm 22: they note that the first twenty-one verses speak of Christ's suffering and the remainder speak of His glory. 

As we study these verses we will learn of how Jesus suffered -- all from the prophetic words of David, many years before.

For the choir director; upon Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. (Psalm 22:1)

With the very first verse, we jump right in to the incomprehensible mystery of the gospel. We find our companion verse in Matthew:

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (Matthew 27:46)

There was darkness over the land in the middle of the day, as Jesus cried out the haunting words from the psalm. Every single Jew who stood watching or who heard His cry would recognize those words.

He was forsaken by God.

Can we really understand what this means? We can try.

Think of the most loving, the most intimate, the closest, the most reliable relationship that you may have with another human being. For some of us, this will be our spouse. For others, a sibling, a child, a devoted friend.

Now, imagine that human being walking away from you in your deepest, darkest hour. You need them desperately and all you see is their back as they move away from you. You raise your arms and cry out to them; your heart is breaking at their betrayal . . . 

Now, let's think about Jesus, the Son of God, and His relationship with Father God. Through all eternity, He has enjoyed complete fellowship. Perfect fellowship. (Until we reach heaven, we may never truly understand the trinity, as it is something we humans have difficulty "getting our heads around." But we can understand in these simple terms, no?) They share the same holy nature. 

But right now, sin separates them.

Jesus Christ bore God's curse upon the sin of the world. Somehow, in these three hours of darkness, God in His holiness was forced to turn His back upon His Son while He bore that sin.  Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God -- He never, ever sinned. But He was made sin for us.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (II Corinthians 5:21)

He was cursed; He bore the wrath of God - which we deserve:

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "-- (Galatians 3:13)

(This quote comes from Deuteronomy 21, where in the Mosaic law we find those words.)

He was forsaken by the Father. 

So, while the physical pain was terrible, and the agony within His body was excruciating, the spiritual agony must have been infinitely worse. We cannot possibly understand the depth of that pain - we have not enjoyed perfect fellowship with God from all eternity as Jesus had. We have not shared God's holy nature as Jesus had.  We can't imagine what it was like for Jesus to become sin. To be forsaken by God.

But that is what happened on the cross.

We see more evidence of this in the second verse:

O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. (Psalm 22:2)

Jesus cried out for deliverance; He asked if it be possible that this cup should pass from Him. And that was not because He dreaded the pain. He did not want to bypass the humiliation. 

He asked if He could be spared the separation from the Father.

He was not delivered from death, and He was not spared the cup of separation.

He went through death and was delivered in the resurrection. 

How awful it must have been for Jesus Christ, Who enjoyed unbroken fellowship with the Father, to cry out to Him -- only to have Him not answer.

As we begin the Advent season with all of its lights and gaiety, let us not forget each day to thank God for the cross . . . .