Judgment

“Why have you forsaken me?”

The Father’s abandonment of his Son reveals the horror of sin, the necessity of judgment, and the mercy of God.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Mark 15:34

Martin Luther once spent hours motionless and immersed in deep contemplation over this text. Observers thought he was in a trance, neither eating nor drinking. He finally emerged, saying, “God forsaking God! No man can understand that.”

We cannot comprehend Christ’s agonizing cry on the cross. In that hour, the sinless One suffered the horror of sin. His bitter lament betrayed the torment of hell. It was the sound of sin’s price paid in full. Eternity will not exhaust the story of what Jesus endured in those dark hours on Calvary’s cross.

The cross reveals the most violent and mysterious outpouring of God’s wrath in all the Scriptures. God abandoned his Son to satisfy the demands of justice. Jesus bore the full measure of divine wrath against the sins of the world when God “laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The Father descended in judgment on Golgotha to unleash his fury not against sinners but against the Sin-bearer.

When a judge delivers a verdict on a guilty criminal, he decrees justice or mercy; he cannot pronounce both. But when God delivered his sentence against guilty humanity, justice and mercy met in perfect harmony. The penalty paid for sin affirmed God’s justice, and our purchased pardon demonstrated his mercy.

Isaac Watts’ hymn captures the awe we feel when we contemplate Christ upon the cross:

Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?

Was it for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace unknown,
And love beyond degree!

Reflection

Consider how the cross reveals both God’s justice and mercy. How does this understanding affect your view of God’s character and his actions in your life?

Application

Pray for an opportunity to share your testimony with another person, highlighting God’s mercy on your life.

Pray

Heavenly Father,

We come to you in awe and gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” reminds us of the horror of sin and the necessity of judgment. We cannot fully grasp the depth of Christ’s suffering or the weight of the divine displeasure he bore on our behalf.

Thank you for your mercy shown through Jesus, who took our punishment and offered us forgiveness and eternal life. Teach us to show the same mercy to others.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.