How can Jesus' cry of abandonment deepen our trust in God's faithfulness? Setting the Scene at Golgotha • Matthew 27:46–47 records Jesus’ loud cry: “About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, ‘He is calling Elijah.’” • The words echo Psalm 22:1, written a thousand years earlier by David, demonstrating exact prophetic fulfillment. • Spectators misunderstood the moment, yet the Spirit preserved every syllable so believers could grasp its significance. Prophecy Kept, Faithfulness Proved • Psalm 22 unfolds in precise detail at the cross—mocking by onlookers (v.7-8), pierced hands and feet (v.16), casting lots for clothing (v.18). • God’s meticulous fulfillment shows that even Christ’s sense of abandonment served a divine schedule, inviting confidence that the Father keeps every promise (Joshua 21:45; 2 Corinthians 1:20). Real Abandonment, Real Identification • Jesus truly tasted the separation sin deserves (2 Corinthians 5:21). • Because He experienced forsakenness, He can fully sympathize with human alienation and pain (Hebrews 4:15-16). • The cry assures believers that no anguish is foreign to their Savior, encouraging transparent trust. Substitution Accomplished, Security Guaranteed • Isaiah 53:10 affirms it pleased the LORD to crush the Servant as a guilt offering. • Christ bore the wrath that would have fallen on sinners, so the Father’s gaze can rest on believers with unbroken favor (Romans 8:1). • “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) stands on the bedrock of Jesus being forsaken in our place. Darkness Lifted, Resurrection Validated Faithfulness • The Father did not leave His Holy One to decay (Acts 2:27). • Resurrection on the third day vindicated the Son and displayed that apparent abandonment was temporary, purposeful, and victorious. • Because God raised Jesus, believers know that every valley has an appointed sunrise (1 Peter 1:3-5). Daily Trust Strengthened by the Cross Practical implications: – When guilt whispers, look to the cry and remember sin is paid in full (John 19:30). – When circumstances feel silent, recall that God was working salvation in the darkest hour (Romans 8:28). – When loneliness strikes, lean on the promise that Christ’s presence abides precisely because He once stood alone (Matthew 28:20). Summing Up the Assurance Jesus’ anguished words were not evidence of divine unfaithfulness but the very means by which faithfulness shone brightest. The forsaken Son secured unforsaken children, turning the most painful cry in history into an anchor for unshakeable trust. |
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