"Why Was Jesus Forsaken on the Cross?"

Psalm 22:3-5: But you are holy, enthroned in the praises of israel, our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them.  They cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed.

 

This paragraph of Psalm 22 explains . . .

 

   Why Jesus was forsaken:

a.     The Holiness of God—Jesus became a curse for us (Gal. 3:13) and was “made sin”  (2 Corinthians 5:21) in order for us to be reconciled!  What a paradox—that our holy God had to forsake His Son in order to reconcile lost sinners to Himself!

b.    The Glory of God—Jesus blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat, which was the spot in the OT where the glory of God dwelt (Exodus 40:34).  Our salvation brings glory to God (Ephesians 1:6-14).  The mercy seat on the ark in the Holy of Holies in the Temple was the very throne of God, and it was there that God’s glory dwelt (Exodus 40:34).  Our salvation, purchased by the blood of Christ, has for its ultimate aim the eternal glory of God.  Out of the darkness of Calvary came glory to the Father!  A young person asked me if we bring more glory to God when we are alive or when we are dead.  The answer is both, and to be in God’s will.  My college president’s son had a fatal illness, and died slowly in the hospital—he was witnessing and leading everybody who came near his bed to Christ.  When he died, that ended.  A man prayed for an enormous amount of people to be saved, and when he died all but one had come to Christ.  That one came to Christ, during the funeral.  So both!

c.     The Character of God—God could briefly turn away from His Son (vs. 2), but then reconciliation comes in verse 21.  Read verses 4-5.  God has always been faithful to His people, maintained His covenant, and kept His promises.  When you read OT history, you see clearly that God cared for His people and answered their cries.  From a human point of view, it appeared that God had abandoned His Son, but this proved to be a false conclusion.  God’s character was at stake.  If the Father had permanently turned away from His Son, the Father’s own character would have been open to attack.  Christ’s suffering begins in verse 2 with “but Thou hearest not” and ends in verse 21 with “Thou hast heard me.”

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