The Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross
It was the words of the Lord which brought the world into being. For what purpose? To prepare a home for man in this world. But man forfeited that home when he sinned, for the wages of sin is death. So that same God spoke again this time on the cross to provide man with a heavenly home instead.
How important then are the words of the Lord spoken on the cross His seven sayings. They are the subject of this chapter. Truly "the words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" Psa. 12:66The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (Psalm 12:6).
The Setting of the Seven Sayings on the Cross
The seven sayings of the Lord on the cross can only be appreciated when we understand His circumstances when He uttered them. A skilled craftsman knows how to display the natural beauty of precious stones by setting them in their proper place in a diadem. Is God less understanding than man? Of course not. The setting of the seven sayings is the Lord's sufferings from man, the power of Satan against Him, and the wrath of God.
Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. He was bound and delivered to the High Priest. False witnesses accused Him; the High Priest rent his clothes. After being denied sleep all night, He received an unjust trial from Pilate. Herod and his men of war set Him at naught. The soldiers of Rome humiliated Him and mocked Him. Although God, He was also man, and had the sensitivities of a man. He deeply felt these indignities. "In His humiliation His judgment was taken away" Acts 8:3333In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. (Acts 8:33). The low point in His humiliation was when the soldiers parted His garments and cast lots for His vesture. "And sitting down they watched Him there.”
Then there were the indignities to His Person. When the Jews had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face Luke 22:6464And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? (Luke 22:64). One of their officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand John 18:2222And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? (John 18:22). They spat in His face Matt. 26:6767Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, (Matthew 26:67). They led Him bound to Pilate whose soldiers also spat on Him and smote Him with a reed Matt. 27:3030And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. (Matthew 27:30). The treatment He was to receive from His own nation was foretold in the verse preceding the prophecy of His birth at Bethlehem... "they shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek" Mic. 5:11Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. (Micah 5:1). Isaiah prophesies... "I gave... My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair" Isa. 50:66I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6). The final indignity was the crown of thorns. It will be noted that these abuses were all heaped upon the Lord's blessed head. Was it Satan's desire to frustrate the divine sentence that the woman's seed Christ should crush his head was it hatred at the gracious words He uttered, and the intent to still them forever? Whatever the reason, Bernard of Clairvaux noted it in the hymn he composed well over 800 years ago:
O head! once full of bruises
So full of pain and scorn
Mid other sore abuses
Mocked with a crown of thorn.
Scourging followed the first rite in crucifying a man "the plowers plowed upon My back they made long their furrows" Psa. 129:33The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows. (Psalm 129:3). His hands and feet are nailed to the cross and it is erected. What will He say now, this Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief He who was silent before the High Priest, Herod and Pilate? Ah! listen to these matchless words "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." This from the One who made heaven and earth. This from the One who had obtained a more excellent name than angels being crucified by those for whose forgiveness He prays. In this beginning of the cross God's greatest work do we not see God reverting to His first thought when as Creator He began His work at the darkness and the waters? This was their hour and the power of darkness. The waters lay ahead. But what did God do in the darkness of old? He said, "Let there be light." So, on the cross, surrounded by the moral darkness whose wickedness we have just described, the glory of God is displayed and God Himself magnified in that prayer beyond all prayers— "Father forgive them." This brings to light the Father's heart in a way the creation never could. It wins our hearts too. Then He attributes their sin to a sin of ignorance "for they know not what they do." So it is that Peter, the Apostle to the Jews, and Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, unite to speak and write on this theme. To the Jews Peter says "and now brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers" Acts 3:1717And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. (Acts 3:17). To the Gentiles Paul writes "which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory" 1 Cor. 2:88Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8). Peter and Paul were chosen by the Spirit of God to utter such words because Jew and Gentile comprise the world of man, and the message of forgiveness was to be carried to the four corners of that world.
The Three Sayings in Luke's Gospel
“Father forgive them" is the first of three sayings recorded in Luke's gospel which we should now consider as a group.
At the beginning of Luke's gospel, we find the story of the Lord, as a child of twelve, saying "wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:4949And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2:49). At the end of that gospel His Father's business took Him to the cross. Only in this gospel are we given His two cries to His Father and His message to the dying thief. In between these events comes the story of the prodigal son, which ties them both together.
The prodigal son in Luke 15 is in marked contrast to the Lord Jesus, the True Son, who told the parable. But we must not forget that the Lord Jesus said, "a certain man had two sons." The "two sons" are the Jew and the Gentile, both of whom are guilty of crucifying Christ. In the parable the bad conduct of the elder son is partly obscured by the grosser sins of the prodigal. That is why, in the parable, the prodigal son the one farthest from his father really represents the state of both for all have sinned and it is only a matter of degree. The prodigal's cries, then, give us the true story of man. Thank God another Man the Lord Jesus Christ the Last Adam responded to each cry with a corresponding cry of grace, at the cross. The prodigal's FIRST CRY "father give me" the source of his downfall is responded to by the Lord's FIRST CRY on the cross "Father, forgive them. "The prodigal's LAST CRY "I have sinned" is answered by the Lord's LAST CRY on the cross "Father into Thy hands I commit My spirit" since "the body without the spirit is dead" James 2:2626For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:26). (1)That is, He accepted the judgment of God for the prodigal's sins. Each of these two cries of the prodigal, then, were answered by corresponding cries of the Lord Jesus, the True Son, at the cross.
It is Luke, too, who gives us the Lord's words of comfort to the dying thief "verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise" Luke 23:4343And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43). These words must be connected not only to the parable of the prodigal son but to the fall of man. The story of the prodigal is the story of a thief who squandered his father's substance in riotous living. But man was a thief from the beginning, eating the forbidden fruit so that he had to be driven out of the paradise of God. Luke tells us what man was like ever after that. The prodigal son went into "the far country" (the world) of his own accord. By way of contrast the True Son also left His Father's house and went into the far country, but only because His Father sent Him. The prodigal son fed the swine there; the True Son fed His Father's sheep. The prodigal son disgraced his father's name, whereas the True Son glorified His Father. But is there no hope for the prodigal no way back to paradise, no return to the Father's house for man? Yes! If the root of man's misery was eating the fruit of a tree in the Garden of Eden, and so bringing sin in, the Lord Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree see 1 Peter 2:2424Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1 Peter 2:24). Small wonder, then, that two thieves were crucified with Christ a constant reminder of what man is. One died without Christ, but one repented, just as man is divided to this day. How beautiful to hear one thief say, "we indeed justly... but This Man hath done nothing amiss" and then turn to Christ "Lord remember me" with the gracious reply "verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." This was the work of the True Son. It was on the cross He left this world and went to His Father. So the way was opened up for the prodigal to return to his father. In the parable, there was no entrance to the Father's house until the fatted calf was killed. And so the dying thief went to be with the Lord in paradise no earthly vista that, but the paradise of God Himself the answer to that matchless prayer Father forgive them.
In the three sayings we have just considered, then, Luke presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man; in three further sayings John presents Him as the Son of God. The Son of Man in humiliation and outgoing grace is also the Son of God superior to all His circumstances.
The Three Sayings in John's Gospel
The Lord's triumph over the woes of the cross shines forth in the command "woman behold thy son" and to John "behold thy mother." There is no denial of affection, but rather the contrary care for His earthly mother at a time of extreme suffering which has the effect of turning all other men in on themselves. But the Lord ever spent Himself on others, yet at the same time maintained the distinctive glory of His Person. "Woman" makes it clear that she was but a creature, never intended to be the object of idolatrous worship. By her own admission, she needed a Savior Luke 1:4747And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. (Luke 1:47). In the address to the church at Thyatira, figure no doubt of the system that worships "the mother of God" and where "the depths of Satan" are found read Rev. 2:18-2918And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28And I will give him the morning star. 29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 2:18‑29) the Lord sternly says "these things saith the Son of God" a rebuke to those who would deny His title and call Him Mary's son as others had called Him the carpenter's son. Again, let us note that a divine Person is speaking. Man requests or negotiates such an arrangement as the Lord dictated for the care of Mary. God is not the Author of confusion 1 Cor. 14:33,33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:33) and the Lord would not have entrusted His earthly mother to John's care unless the natural means for her support were gone. Several Scriptures mention Mary but omit Joseph see Matt. 13:5555Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? (Matthew 13:55); Mark 3:3232And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. (Mark 3:32); Mark 6:33Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (Mark 6:3). His words are not a request but a command, and are instantly acted on by the Apostle "from that hour that disciple took her to his own home" John 19:2727Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (John 19:27).
John also gives us the heart rending cry "I thirst." The Lord does not plead for water as any man would do in such circumstances. The evangelist, in this cry, records man's ill treatment of God's blessed Son. The Psalmist before him had prophesied it "My throat is dried" Psa. 69:33I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. (Psalm 69:3)... "My strength is dried up... My tongue cleaveth to My jaws... Thou hast brought Me into the dust of death" Psa. 22:1515My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. (Psalm 22:15). In life He had offered the water of life freely to man. When He asked a drink from the woman at Sychar's well there is no record that He received it. About to die, a sponge filled with vinegar is all that man can put up to His mouth. He was the True Joseph "they took him and cast him into a pit; and the pit was empty there was no water in it" Gen. 37:2424And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. (Genesis 37:24).
When Jesus had received the vinegar He said "it is finished" and having bowed His head He delivered up His spirit. He addressed the Father at the beginning and ending of the cross "My God" during the three hours of darkness. But "it is finished" like "I thirst" is for all to hear. God did not say "it is finished" in Gen. 1, although Moses records the fact. Sin was soon to enter in, causing the Lord to say "My Father worketh hitherto and I work" John 5:1717But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. (John 5:17). His Father had worked hitherto to provide man with an earthly home but man had forfeited it by sin. Now the Lord Jesus has finished all God's work and says so. He will return to His home with His Father. "I came forth from the Father and am come into the world; again I leave the world and go to the Father" John 16:2828I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. (John 16:28). But before He went to that bright home He would not forget God's original purpose to provide man with a home. So he addresses a woman Mary to provide her with a temporary home down here, and a man, the dying thief to provide him with a permanent home up there. He attests to all, that the work the Father gave Him to do is complete, before laying down His life, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God.
His divinity, again, is the great subject before us. No man, dying on a cross, could deliberately bow his head, but would simply drop it in weakness. He had once said that the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of Man had nowhere to lay (i.e. rest) His head Matt. 8:2020And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Matthew 8:20). Now He rests it on the cross, His work completed. But He rests it Himself just as He Himself delivers up His own spirit. Man can do neither when he dies his strength vanishes and his spirit is taken from him. In this closing act, then, the Lord's own words are fulfilled concerning His life "I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again, this commandment have I received of My Father" John 10:1818No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:18).
The Seventh Saying—the Summit of Them All—the Cry of Abandonment by God
By this time it will be clear to the reader that we have not been considering the Lord's sayings in the order in which they were spoken, but rather by the order in which they are presented in each gospel. This method of presentation leaves us only two more gospels Matthew and Mark both of which give us the cry of abandonment... "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" It was uttered "about the ninth hour" Matt. 27:4646And 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) that is, toward the close, and in a loud voice.(2) The cry of abandonment is omitted in Luke and John. God maintains the glory of His Person as the only begotten Son in the bosom of the Father by these two omissions, as we shall see.
The cry of abandonment would be inappropriate in Luke, who gives us the opening and closing of the cross, marked by that expression of uninterrupted relationship "Father" in both cases. The first cry "Father forgive them" was before the three hours of darkness the last cry "Father into Thy hands I commit My spirit" after the three hours of darkness, at the close. In the first cry, He was suffering from man, not God, so He cries "Father." In the last cry, His sufferings from man and God are over, for He is about to enter into death. The three hours of darkness are finished, His bearing our sins is past and the cry of relationship is heard once more "Father." It is into the Father's hands He commits His spirit. In between, in those three hours of darkness, it is not "Father" but "My God." He is conscious of the distance and the darkness, the forsaking of God because of being made sin. From a past eternity God had this moment before Him, and even enshrined it in His order of creation. His work there began with the darkness and the deep. We find both again at the cross the three hours of darkness and the deep too "deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy waterspouts... all Thy waves and Thy billows are gone over Me" Psa. 42:77Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. (Psalm 42:7). "Save Me, O God, for the waters are come in unto My soul... I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow Me" Psa. 69:1, 21<<To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.>> Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. (Psalm 69:1‑2). How awful to think that our sins brought our precious Savior into this position... "ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin" 1 John 3:55And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1 John 3:5). The Bible always maintains the distinction between sin and sins. Sin may be compared to the root of a tree; sins to the fruit the individual acts of corruption and violence that appear in a sinner's life. Sin was a challenge to God's throne. But in that awful moment when He was made sin "then" note that "I restored that which I took not away" Psa. 69:44They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. (Psalm 69:4). Not only did He not take away God's glory like other men, but in restoring it He added the fifth part Num. 5:7, 87Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. 8But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him. (Numbers 5:7‑8). That is, He brought greater glory to God's throne than if sin had never entered the universe. But at what a cost to Himself! "Why hast Thou forsaken Me?" is a penetrating question coming as it does at the close of the cross and summarizing all it had meant to Him. He had fulfilled the type of the Passover Lamb roast with fire that is, the judgment surrounded Him there was no escape from it see Ex. 12:99Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. (Exodus 12:9). Yet He knows why, for He cries prophetically "but Thou art holy.”
The cry of abandonment is omitted from John's gospel, too, for that gospel presents Him as the Son of God whose dwelling place was always the Father's bosom. Surely there never was a moment when He was more agreeable to God than when He offered Himself to Him through the eternal Spirit, without spot see Heb. 9:1414How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14). It is true that the Lord Jesus was forsaken by God when as Man 'He bore our sins on the cross. It is also true that as the Son of God in the Godhead, He never left His Father's bosom. "Yet I am not alone" He said, "but the Father is with Me" John 16:3232Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. (John 16:32). And again "He that sent Me is with Me the Father hath not left Me alone" John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29). Then the type of Abraham and Isaac confirms this "and they went both of them together" Gen. 22:66And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:6). But as Man He was forsaken by God.
It is astonishing how much of the gospels are taken up with what the Lord suffered from man which could never save us and how little with the forsaking in the three hours of darkness the entire basis of our salvation. The reason for this apparent imbalance is clear. We can understand what man did to Him, but we can never understand what God did to Him, nor are we meant to. And this is just the point. No man is ever saved by believing with his mind, but with his heart Rom. 10:9, 109That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9‑10). The cross is meant to stir our affections once and for ever. What more could God possibly do for us than give up His only begotten Son? The cross never appeals to nature. Peter shrank from the thought and said "be it far from Thee, Lord. This shall not be unto Thee" Matt. 16:2222Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (Matthew 16:22). Nor can it ever appeal to man's intellect for the preaching of it literally 'the word of the cross' is foolishness to those who perish see 1 Cor. 1:1818For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18). Well, God veiled the scene in darkness when the Lord became the sin bearer and suffered the storm of God's judgment, abandoned by God, and fulfilling the prophecy "I will cause the sun to go down at noon and will darken the earth in the clear day" Amos 8:99And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: (Amos 8:9). "Shall Thy wonders be known in the dark? and Thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" Psa. 88:1212Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? (Psalm 88:12). It is worth repeating that our salvation was entirely wrought as the result of Christ's being made sin during the three hours of darkness, for it is a vital truth. Nothing that He suffered from man could ever save us only what He suffered from God. His humiliation, the scourge, the spitting, the crown of thorns, the very crucifixion, could not save us. No, He must sustain the wrath of God against sin in those three hours of darkness to do that God "hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" see 2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). Scripture clearly maintains this distinction "He showed them His hands and His side" John 20:2020And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:20). His hands are man's part in the cross the piercing of crucifixion. His side is God's part in the cross. God required the blood "the life of the flesh is in the blood" Lev. 17:1111For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (Leviticus 17:11) claimed the life which the blood represented and that came from His spear pierced side after He expired. "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin" 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
The Lord Jesus Christ divides men. At His birth there was no room for Him in the inn, but the angels praised God saying, "glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward man" Luke 2:1414Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:14). At the end of His path of worth man said "away with this Man." So His precious body was committed to the rich man's tomb. A woman, Mary, anointed Him before His death— against the day of His burial with spikenard very costly John 12:3 7. A man Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes after His death, winding His body in linen clothes with the spices John 19:4040Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (John 19:40). Thus before and after His death, His loved ones a woman here, a man there, expressed their understanding of what He was to God fragrance. His life began with angelic praise since man gave Him none and ended in fragrance. "Thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the virgins love Thee" SoS 1:33Because of the savor of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. (Song of Solomon 1:3).
“O teach us, Lord, Thy search-less love to know,
Thou, who hast died.
Before our feeble faith, Lord Jesus, show
Thy hands and side;
That our glad hearts, responsive unto Thine,
May wake with all the power of love divine.”
The Father's Answer
What is God the Father's answer to the seven sayings of the Lord on the cross? As recipients of the Father's mercy in the gospel we know that the Lord's opening prayer "Father forgive them" has been answered. But this is not enough, for the cross goes beyond our blessings. It is the moral center of the universe and has filled it with the light of God's glory. Indeed the very cry "why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Psa. 22:11<<To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.>> My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Psalm 22:1) is a question. David adds another one prophetically "why art Thou so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?" In the same Psalm, the second verse should read "but Thou answerest not." We know that the Father always heard Christ see John 11:41, 4241Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 11:41‑42). But God could not answer His cry of abandonment in the three hours of darkness. He had to turn away His face from the sin bearer. But before He laid down His life, communion was restored, the mighty work finished, and it was into His Father's hands He committed His spirit. It is important to see this. The cross begins and ends with "Father." For this reason, then, a divine answer must be given to His sufferings and forsaking on the cross. This answer is in two parts.
a. God glorifies His Son in Manhood: If we were writing the Bible we would put Psa. 21 after Psalm 22, for Psalm 22 gives us the cross, Psa. 21 The answer to the cross. But God, well knowing how man would treat His Son, anticipates the honors He will bestow on Him. Instead of a crown of thorns He is to have a crown of pure gold. Man awarded Him a shameful death God raised Him from among the dead so that He might ever be a Man before Him "He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it Him, even length of days for ever and ever.”
There is more. We know Him now as "being by the right hand of God exalted" Acts 2:3333Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33) that is, there is a Man in the glory, seated on the Father's throne Rev. 3:2121To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21). The thought of the throne is rule. Had not man given Him a reed in mockery? Very well, God gives Him a scepter of righteousness "but unto the Son He saith Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom" Heb. 1:88But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8). Man bowed the knee in mockery when they arrayed Him in a royal robe. But Paul tells us that "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" Phil. 2:10,1110That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10‑11). This statement, connected as it is with the cross, makes it clear that time is running out for His enemies, who will soon be made the footstool of His feet.
b. God awards His Son the kingdom man denied Him: The gathering storm of judgment is depicted in Revelation in seven thunders, which are the seven answers to the seven sayings of the Lord on the cross. The symbolism teaches us that a storm of judgment is about to fall on the earth because man claimed it as his inheritance after denying the Lord's claim to it. When the storm is over God will award Christ the rule of the world for 1000 years.
The Bible employs symbolical language freely. This being the case, it is not hard to grasp the thought that thunder is connected with a storm in nature, and that the seven thunders in Rev. 10 represent the storm of God's judgment on the ungodly... especially when we connect them with the lightning in Matt. 24:2727For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:27) when the Son of Man comes in judgment. There are good reasons for the storm of God's judgment, one of them being man's denial of Christ's rights to the earth. When the Lord was on the earth they said "this is the Heir, come let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance" Matt. 21:3838But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. (Matthew 21:38). By this crowning act of iniquity man took wrongful possession of the world and has misruled it ever since. God does not recognize man's seizure of the inheritance and instead offers man a home in heaven if he will believe the gospel. Those who reject the gospel message after hearing it are called "those who dwell on the earth" in the Book of Revelation. It is evident that they are singled out, for they are mentioned nine times in that book. They are the people who have heard the gospel call to the Father's house with its many mansions, but ignore it, preferring to dwell on the earth instead. But the earth belongs to Christ, not them, and they must be dispossessed of it, so that He, in Manhood, might reign over it with His bride, the Church.
All believers know that the Lord sold all that He had to buy the field the world Matt. 13:4444Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (Matthew 13:44) for the treasure in it that He valued. But possession has not as yet been taken. A striking illustration is provided in the transaction recorded in Jer. 32; namely, the purchase made by Jeremiah of a field from Hanameel. The records of this purchase and its completion the sealed book and the open book are placed in an earthen vessel where they are to remain for many days v 14; that is, until the purchased piece of land can be openly taken possession of. In 2 Cor. 4:77But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Paul may be thinking of this transaction when he tells us that "we have this treasure in earthen vessels.”
In Rev. 5 the first book, sealed with seven seals, is produced. In that chapter the second coming of the Lord has taken place and we are in heaven. We sing a new song "Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for Thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation... and we shall reign over the earth" v 9, 10. The book had been sealed while we, who are now seen in heaven, preached the gospel while we were on earth. When the book is opened in heaven, the raptured saints acknowledge His purchase. But this has no effect on the enemies of God and of the Lamb... "those who dwell on the earth." So the Lord must produce the other book... the little book open. But since it is earth, not heaven, which disputes His purchase, He comes down from heaven, pictured as 'a mighty angel,' to assert His rights where they are denied in the world. He is the "First born of all creation" Col. 1:1515Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15) because He is the Creator God. But His rights to the earth are not based upon that, as we have just seen, but on the work of the cross. It is time for a public display of the mind of God "Thou halt put all things in subjection under His feet" Heb. 2:88Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. (Hebrews 2:8) for He claims the world by setting "His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth" Rev. 10:22And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, (Revelation 10:2). He cries with a loud voice and seven thunders utter their voices. But a voice from heaven tells John to "seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered and write them not" v. 4. Only then could the mystery of God be finished. "The mystery of God" in this chapter is why evil had been permitted in the world without God interfering with it. But "there should be time no longer" v. 6 that is, sin will not be allowed to reign when Christ takes over the world.
God had rebuked the world before with thunder in answer to its sin Ex. 9:2323And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. (Exodus 9:23). Here seven thunders answer to perfect righteousness. Those seven cries of Christ upon the cross had not gone unheard. The seven thunders are God's answer to the claims of Christ to "all things" heaven, earth, and sea, based upon the blood of His cross. How blessed that we will share "all things" with Him. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Rom. 8:3232He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
God—Creator, Savior, Judge
The Spirit of God, the author of Scripture, uses the number seven to indicate what is complete and perfect, either in good or evil. Mary Magdalene was possessed of seven devils perfect evil. For perfect good we have the example of the Lord's seven sayings on the cross. It is of great interest to note that there are seven sayings of God in creation too, in Gen. 1. For the expression "and God said" is found seven times before God, in counsel, willed the creation of man. "Create" is a summit word, expressing both purpose, the highest end of that purpose and the prerogatives of the Creator. But we know from Scripture that there is another creation a moral one called the new creation. We should not think of the new creation as the new heavens and the new earth, although true enough in their time. They will be brought in when the time comes to banish all traces of sin in the universe. But the emphasis on the new creation for the day in which we live the present truth is the Scripture "if any one be in Christ there is a new creation the old things have passed away behold all things have become new" 2 Cor. 5:1717Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
It is instructive, then, to compare the seven sayings of Christ on the cross the basis of the new creation with the seven sayings of God in the old creation.
The old creation was finished that is, the work of making the world a home for man when God ended His seven sayings “He spake and it was done, He commanded and it stood fast”
Psa. 33:99For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. (Psalm 33:9). Then He spoke again in counsel, to create man, and again to bless him after his creation. Man was given dominion over everything and suited food "every herb producing seed... and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree producing seed" Gen. 1:2929And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Genesis 1:29). But if God's seven sayings in the old creation are followed by the introduction of a man Adam into the scene, then how wondrous that the seven sayings of the same God on the cross have introduced the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ into the scene to replace the first Adam. This last Adam is the Head of new creation glory "the beginning of the creation of God" Rev. 3:1414And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14) that is, of the new creation. This Man, and not the first man Adam, is to have dominion over everything. The first man never could, because of sin, and was barred from eating of the tree of life. Now that we have been transferred from the headship of Adam, the man of dust, to the headship of Christ, the Man of glory, we can eat the food God had in mind for us in the beginning the Tree of life. "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the Tree of life" Rev. 22:22In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2).
“Soon we taste the endless sweetness
Of the Tree of life above;
Taste its own eternal meetness
For the heavenly land we love.
In eternal counsels founded
Perfect now in fruit divine;
When the last blest trump has sounded,
Fruit of God for ever mine!”
The Man of Peace
The Psalmist had said "the voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of glory thundereth, the Lord is upon great waters" Psa. 29:33The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters. (Psalm 29:3) for the voice of the Lord broke forth in creation, beginning with the waters. But man had sinned and ruined all that. Christ spoke seven times on the cross, and accomplished a work that redeemed us. And when the seven seals are opened, and the seven thunders utter their voices, creation will be restored to Him whose right it is. And so David closes his Psalm on the voice of the Lord by reminding us that "the Lord sitteth King for ever... the Lord will bless His people with peace" Psa. 29:10, 1110The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever. 11The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace. (Psalm 29:10‑11). This is the end, so to speak, of the voice of the Lord. On His way to the cross, and knowing what should befall Him, He said "peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you... let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" John 14:2727Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27). Such are the deep perfections in which His people rejoice. "Unto you therefore who believe He is precious" 1 Peter 2:77Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (1 Peter 2:7).
In the knowledge of doing His Father's will He had entered into death with perfect serenity the Man of Peace. He made peace by the blood of His cross, where "righteousness and peace have kissed each other" Psa. 85:1010Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10). In resurrection His message, twice repeated, was "peace be unto you." We worship that blest Son of the Father's love, the darling of His bosom the Man of peace. As we close our musings on the words of the Lord, and the central part of them all His seven sayings on the cross, the words of the Psalmist come before us "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace" Psa. 37:3737Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (Psalm 37:37).