#WALKWITHJESUS 17

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Mark 15: 34

Reading: Mark 15: 33-35; Psalm 22

Today we're continuing our study of these last words of Jesus on the cross, recorded by both Matthew and Mark. The words, as we said yesterday, are the exact same words that open Psalm 22. We noted that Jesus knew this whole Psalm was about him..and particularly about the way he would die. 

Why did he shout out these words? 

Firstly, it was a true cry of complete abandonment. He shouted out these words because, for the first time in his life, he knew abandonment by his Father. He was bearing our sin and because of this, God's wrath was being poured out on him. 

"To be forsaken by God is the cry of the damned, and he was damned for us." John Piper. 

Secondly, despite the fact that Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, he did not know it in an experiential way until he lived it.

“Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’” (John 18:4).

He gave himself up. So he knew. He knew it was coming. But when it came, it wrought a forsaken cry from a forsaken human soul.

Thirdly, we need to understand that Psalm 22 is Jesus' life. It's not so much that he's quoting Psalm 22, rather, Psalm 22 was a prophetic picture of what would happen to the Messiah and how he would react. Jesus was completely aligned with Psalm 22 - and in a horribly macabre way, his words showed us that everything was going according to plan. Yes, he would suffer and die. But ultimately, he would triumph. 

Prayer

Lord, you were not just quoting Scripture..you were living Scripture, or rather, Scripture was bearing witness to your holy life. I love you. 

For the family

Continue doing this 15-day devotional study about Easter that is suitable for children.