The Atoning Sufferings
“Thou hast laid Me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps” (Psalm 88:6).
The Lord suffered untold agonies at the hand of God. On the cross of Calvary the suffering of the Lord from man was nothing compared to what He felt when God forsook Him in those three hours of darkness, and He cried, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34).We will never know the extent of His atoning sufferings. We just get some heart-rending words in the Scripture that show how bad it was. Thankfully Jesus bore the punishment for our sins and we have the wonderful privilege of a full and free salvation through faith in Him.
Here is another verse that describes for us something of what the Lord Jesus felt when He experienced the wrath of a holy God against sin. “Thy wrath lieth hard upon Me, and Thou hast afflicted Me with all Thy waves” (Psalm 88:7).
Jesus was forsaken by His God. God turned His back while He was punished for our sin. Awful sin — awful suffering — awesome Saviour.
