Basic HTML Version
190
Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
Christ felt much as sinners will feel when the vials of God’s
wrath shall be poured out upon them. Black despair, like the pall
of death, will gather about their guilty souls, and then they will
realize to the fullest extent the sinfulness of sin. Salvation has been
purchased for them by the suffering and death of the Son of God. It
might be theirs, if they would accept of it willingly, gladly; but none
are compelled to yield obedience to the law of God. If they refuse
the heavenly benefit and choose the pleasures and deceitfulness of
sin, they have their choice, and at the end receive their wages, which
is the wrath of God and eternal death. They will be forever separated
from the presence of Jesus, whose sacrifice they had despised. They
will have lost a life of happiness and sacrificed eternal glory for the
pleasures of sin for a season.
Faith and hope trembled in the expiring agonies of Christ because
God had removed the assurance He had heretofore given His beloved
Son of His approbation and acceptance. The Redeemer of the world
then relied upon the evidences which had hitherto strengthened Him,
that His Father accepted His labors and was pleased with His work.
In His dying agony, as He yields up His precious life, He has by
faith alone to trust in Him whom it has ever been His joy to obey.
He is not cheered with clear, bright rays of hope on the right hand
[211]
nor on the left. All is enshrouded in oppressive gloom. Amid the
awful darkness which is felt by sympathizing nature, the Redeemer
drains the mysterious cup even to its dregs. Denied even bright hope
and confidence in the triumph which will be His in the future, He
cries with a loud voice: “Father, into Thy hands I commend My
spirit.” He is acquainted with the character of His Father, with His
justice, His mercy, and His great love, and in submission He drops
into His hands. Amid the convulsions of nature are heard by the
amazed spectators the dying words of the Man of Calvary.
Nature sympathized with the suffering of its Author. The heaving
earth, the rent rocks, proclaimed that it was the Son of God who
died. There was a mighty earthquake. The veil of the temple was
rent in twain. Terror seized the executioners and spectators as they
beheld the sun veiled in darkness, and felt the earth shake beneath
them, and saw and heard the rending of the rocks. The mocking
and jeering of the chief priests and elders were hushed as Christ
commended His spirit into the hands of His Father. The astonished