◄ What Does Matthew 27:46 Mean? ►

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Matthew 27:46(KJV)

Verse of the Day

Numerous prophetic Scriptures were fulfilled during three hours of supernatural darkness that covered the entire earth, as God incarnated (the sinless Son of Man) hung. Falsely accused, shockingly condemned to death, hated by humanity, mocked by the people, abhorred by the rulers, scorned by all, despised by those He loved, and rejected by those He came to save, Jesus hung upon the Cross. Truly, our Saviour was a Man of deep sorrows and acquainted with inexpressible grief.

He alone bore the indescribably wrath of Almighty God, which was poured out upon Him in fullest measure. He willingly and obediently bore the accumulated sin of the Christ-rejecting, God-hating, sinful world of man, as the accumulated punishment of all humanity, which we justly deserve, was compressed into those three most bitter hours in time and through eternity. And He did this so that you and I would not perish but have everlasting life.

God cannot look on sin. Indeed, sin has its deadly consequences and sin must be punished, for the wages of sin is death. And the eternal bond which knit together the Father and Son was severed for the first time: "At about the ninth hour of the day." And for three of the deepest and darkest hours of history, Jesus the beloved and anointed Son of God, hung on the Cross as our Kinsman-Redeemer, paying the price in full, for our sins.

God looked away from the Son of His love when He became our sin-substitute, taking the sin and guilt upon Himself in our stead. It was then that He was heard to scream out in bitter anguish: "MY GOD, MY GOD! WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" Oh yes, Jesus endured the Cross, was made a curse for us, and felt the full flood of God's righteous wrath upon Him, for your sin and for mine too.

Praise His holy name.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, when I consider the enormity of what Christ did for me at Calvary, I cannot begin to comprehend what it meant for Him to be separated from You as He took the full force of Your justified wrath upon Himself, on account of my sin, and bore the full weight of my transgressions and guilt upon His sinless shoulders. My heart is unfeignedly thankful and I pray that I show forth my thanks and love, not only with my lips but in my life, by presenting my body as a living sacrifice unto You and giving myself up to Your service. In Jesus' name, AMEN.