Fifth Sunday in Lent – Saturday

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? – Matthew 27:46.

And when the sixth hour was come, at noon, the sun was darkened, and there was a darkness over all the land until the ninth hour, until three o’clock in the afternoon. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice: “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:45-46; Mark 15:33-34; Luke 23:44), which is, being interpreted: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Some of those that stood there, when they heard that, said: “This Man calleth for Elias [the Prophet Elijah]” (Matthew 27:47; Mark 15:35).

That must have been a gruesome darkness in those three hours! What did Jesus all go through in those three hours? Pain and agony, that no other human has ever experienced in this earthly life, even the pains of hell itself, as our Substitute under the curse of the Law. In those three hours, Jesus was forsaken by God. We know this from the cry He uttered. To be forsaken by God, no living man can comprehend what that is. In body and soul, Jesus was forsaken of God. He, who was made to be sin for us, was made also a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). More than this we cannot say; it defies our comprehension. Terrible! Inconceivable! But the Savior overcame it all. All the onslaughts against Him came to naught. And thus He redeemed us from the power of the devil and from eternal damnation. We, who in faith, are His own, shall never experience what it means to be forsaken by God. No; God, for Jesus’ sake, receives us into His full Fatherly favor. And, what all that includes, we shall perceive and enjoy and experience in the blessed life to come.

PRAYER. – My Lord and Savior, I thank Thee that Thou wast forsaken by God in order that I might not be eternally forsaken by Him. My heavenly Father, for the sake of Christ, whom Thou didst make a curse for me, do continue to receive me, and do continue to bless me with the infinite fullness of Thy blessings. God, the Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and of the Son, let me continue to apprehend these mercies in true faith, until, in heavenly bliss, I shall fully comprehend all things and extol Thee for them eternally. Amen.

“My God, My God, O why Forsake me?”

Hark, the awful cry! Lord,

Thou was here forsaken,

That we might be received on high;

Let this hope not be shaken.

Hymn 177, 6.  [TLH]