Did The Father Forsake The Son?

We're all probably familiar with this particular verse out of Matthew 27, or we've at least heard it preached once in our lives.

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”- Matthew 27:46

What you normally hear when this sermon is preached is "God forsook Jesus, so we wouldn't be forsaken," but, as you know me, I have a curious mind. Of course, I began to question that statement these preachers would make because it made me wonder and ask myself "Does God pick and choose whom He wants to love?" "Is God afraid of sin?" Is God disgusted with humanity?" "Is God really the loving Father He claims to be because He left His one and only son to die a gruesome death alone?" Come on God, Your son is crying out to you. He is suffering, and you're really sitting there with the heavens silent. You are sitting there silent.

The Father forsaking the son was something that wasn't sitting well with me because that was not the God that I have grown to know and dearly love. The Papa God I grew to know and love is a God of patience, kindness, and love. The very essence of Papa's being is love. He cannot be contrary to His nature. He cannot lie, nor can He pretend. When Jesus said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" Is that what He really meant?

Jesus said this right before He died, but why did He say it? What was the symbolism behind it? Did God really forsake Jesus? Or do we misunderstand the mystery?

Jesus said this because the people who were crucifying Him didn't believe He was actually the son of God, and they also believed that he was alone (forsaken). In the Bible, the cross was looked at as a curse. ( 13 ......it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.....” Galatians 3:13) . When Jesus said this He was actually quoting a song. Songs were how a lot of people remembered things and this is how they knew what Jesus meant. Jesus was referring to the Psalm of David, Psalm 22 that was sung to the tune "The Doe of The Morning." In the song, it starts off saying, "My God, my God why have You forsaken me?" But if people would read the entire chapter, towards the end of the song it says, in verse 24,............

24 "For He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; He has not hidden his face from Him but has listened to His cry for help."

Jesus was letting them know right then and there, from the beginning, His Father is and will always be with Him just as He is always with us. We are one with God. He lives on the inside of everyone, and yes, when I say everyone I mean the entire planet. Guess what? There is nothing you can do about it. He loves living in you. Just because man separated himself from God, in the beginning, doesn't mean that God ever left man (He didn't and never will). Don't ever think that Jesus endured the cross alone because the Father endured it too.

Hearing about this answered all of my previous questions. God does pick and choose who He wants to love because He chose everyone in Christ from the foundation of the world. God is not afraid of sin, in fact, He became it, conquered it, and said "Your sins and iniquities, I will remember them no more. (Hebrews 8:12)." God is not disgusted with humanity because, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). God really is a loving Father. If it was possible to measure how far the east is from the west, He loves us way more than that. To be unconditionally loved, with the kind of love, that has no beginning nor end is overwhelming.

God did not forsake Jesus, nor has He forsaken us. Sometimes, we just misunderstand the mystery.

p.s...... I highly recommend that you read or watch "The Shack" by Wm. Paul Young. It has 100% changed my life and perspective of Papa God, the trinity, and people!

I love you so much, beautiful! Have a blessed day!!