His Orphan Cry

by GRIERSON, G. | Category: Watchers At The Cross | Mar 2003

I invite you to draw near with me to watch reverently at the cross of our Lord Jesus and to see the love of God unfold.

It is about the ninth hour and Jesus cries out with a loud voice, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me,' (1) and, shortly afterwards, He lays down His own life, saying, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.' (2)

Earlier that day the soldiers of the governor (Pilate) had subjected the Lord to a mock coronation, nailed Him to the cross, and set up over His head His accusation, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mat.27:37). Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right hand and one on the left. Passers-by hurled their insults at Him, goading Him to come down from the cross and save Himself, if He really is the Son of God! The Chief Priests with the teachers and elders also mocked Him. 'He saved others,' they say, 'himself he cannot save.' (3)

Initially, the robbers who were being crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him, until one of them, accepting his own guilt and the justness of the punishment he was receiving, but convinced that Jesus had done nothing wrong, said to Jesus, 'Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise,' Jesus replies. (4) Between the sixth and ninth hours there is darkness over all the land, for the sun stops shining. During the hours of darkness, one robber is hanging on his cross, still in his sins, while the other robber also hangs there, his life slowly ebbing away, but resting on the promise of Jesus.

Unseen by the watchers at the cross, during those hours of darkness a transference takes place. The sins of the robber who has turned to the Lord in repentance and faith are placed on the Lord Jesus.

We remember the scapegoat on whose head the High Priest placed his hands and confessed the sins of the people of Israel annually on the Day of Atonement. Then the living goat was taken away into the wilderness to a solitary place and released bearing the sins of the people. 'And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a solitary land (place-NIV) and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.' (5) That unprotected goat was left in the wilderness, probably to be found and set upon by wild beasts. What plaintive cries might have been uttered before it met its violent end, forsaken in a solitary place? As Jesus cries out on the cross, do we hear the voice of One crying out in a solitary place, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure,

That He should give His only Son,

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away,

As wounds which mar the Chosen One,

Bring many sons to glory. (Stuart Townend)

What cost to the Father, who 'spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.' (6) What cost to the Son, 'who was wounded for our transgressions.' (7)

As the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement was bearing the sins of the people, so the Lord Jesus wasn't just carrying the sins of the one robber, but 'the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' (8)

Our sins were laid upon Him,

And thus our debt was paid. (9)

On the cross, He was being forsaken that we might never be forsaken; cut off that we might be brought in; laying down even His life to cancel our debt and give us everlasting life; having nothing so that we might have everything and one day, be brought by Him, as sons, to glory.

O God, our hearts united

Would praise Thee for Thy Son. (9)

(Scriptural quotations are from the RV)

1) Mat.27:46 2) Luke 23:46 3) Mat.27:42 4) Luke 23:42-43 5) Lev.16:22

6) Rom.8:32 7) Is.53:5 8) Is.53:6 9) PHSS 101

GRIERSON, G. | Mar 2003
Watchers At The Cross