Things Seen at the Cross - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

He who did not spare His own Son.
Romans 8:32 NKJV

Things Seen at the Cross
The Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God, humbled Himself and became Man. He took the lowest place. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. What must this have been for the Lord! What must it have been for the Lord when Judas betrayed him with a kiss! What must it have been for Him to have soldiers spit in His face, to be scourged by them, and to become the object of their rude mockery and scorn!

Yet more, how must it have affected Him to have to carry our sins, to be made sin for us, and then to be judged by a holy God who could not tolerate any sin! Under these circumstances He was surrounded by the world in its various aspects, an object of its mockery and scorn, with the full force of evil rushing upon Him. Hear Him crying out in the Psalms, looking for pity and finding none, calling to God, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" In these very moments, while suffering unspeakably in obedience to God, He perfectly revealed God, glorifying God to the utmost.

God's righteousness was seen when He struck His Son, bringing judgment over Him when He was carrying my sins. God's holiness was seen when the Lord cried, "Why have You forsaken Me?" Greater yet, there it was gloriously revealed that "God is love"! There we see a God who was giving His only begotten Son into death; yes, a God who personally was judging His Son to save guilty lost sinners from that judgment! Never did God look upon His Son with more delight then during these very moments when He had to hide His face from Him because He was bearing my judgment. What must it have been for God to forsake His Son when He was hanging alone upon the cross, surrounded by His enemies, and when God seemingly had to side with His enemies!

-- H. L. Heijkoop