My stomach turns and I am grieved in my spirit when I read or hear this statement.
The Father turned his back on Jesus because he can not look upon sin. Let us take a look at why some would say this.
In (Matt 27:46) and (Mark 15:34). And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
So if Jesus asked why. Are we not allowed to ask why? Now I understand what people mean to say about the Father turning his back on Jesus on the cross. They say because it was dark outside for 3 hours. But I would like to put my butt in the way and say Jesus asking does not mean we make a doctrine of God hating sin so much he could not stand to look upon his son or had to turn away.
So in order for me to clearly defend my position as to why I disagree with God turning his back on himself. I will us the written word to do so. I do not find anywhere in holy writ where it is prophesied or it is written that the Father turned his back on or did actually forsake his only begotten son Jesus ever, even for a moment. I do find many scriptures as follows.
(John 8:28-29) Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
(John 10:30) I and my Father are one.
(John 16:32) The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered. Each of you will go your own way and leave me all alone. Yet, I’m not all alone, because the Father is with me.
(John 17:21-23) That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
Jesus seems to be very confident that he and his Father are one and he is in the Father and the Father is in him. What does Paul say…
(2 Cor 5:19)……God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(Colossians 2:9) For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
(Philippians 2: 5-9) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.
We know that Jesus reflects God’s glory and is the exact representation of His being (Heb 1:3)
So we have 3 witness that say He will never leave us nor forsake us. So why would the Father forsake the son or turn his back on him?
(Hebrews 13:5) Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
(Deut 31:6) Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
(Joshua 1:5) No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
So in the mouth of 2 or 3 witness let everything be established. Jesus was God in the flesh. He became a man like us. He had feelings got hungry and could bleed. He became sin in his body not in his spirit. (Heb 10:10) (Colossians 1:22). The Father is Spirit. Jesus is the life-giving Spirit who was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Word that became flesh a man.
( Heb 4:15-16) For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So Jesus had every right to sweat blood and cry in the garden of Gethsemane. Even when he was fully aware of who he was. He was fully man and had every right to identify with pain only feeling forsaken in the flesh like we would. He also knew what he was doing when he cried out “ My God , My God why has thou forsaken me”.
If we were not so saturated with this western form of Christianity we would understand that in Jewish culture to quote the first phrase from a Psalm is to lead them the hearers to the complete Psalm. Jesus was crying out Psalm 22. The messianic Psalm of David written 1000 years before his birth, it is an exact play out of what was happening at the cross. Jesus is pointing to the scriptures to substantiate His messianic mission.
(Psalm 22:1) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
The Psalm is prophetic of everything that was happening to Jesus and around the cross like the attitude of the mockers, the casting of lots, the vinegar and his mother. Then we come to verse 24.
(Psalm 22:24) For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
I know all things are possible with God. But I really do not think he turned only his back to Jesus and his face toward him like an owl. The fulness of the Godhead was fully engaged and participating in the greatest event on planet earth so far. God was they’re looking through the 3 hours of darkness from noon to 3pm. God does not turn his back on sin or sinners. God came looking for Adam. He was with his people always through their disobedience. Jesus came to the publicans, sinners, hookers and sick. How is God going to turn away from the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world? He chose us in him before the foundation of the world. God is omni present he is everywhere. David put it this way.
(Psalm 139:7-12) Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me;
Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
“If I make my bed in hell, behold you are there”. Why because are God is a consuming fire. Where you gonna go? Where you gonna hid from God who is everywhere in everything?
So based on scripture I did not like to use the statement “The Father turned his back on Jesus”.
What about God not being able to look upon evil? This idea comes from (Habakkuk 1:13) You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,
And cannot look on wickedness.
Read the complete verse and also the context of what is going on. The verse continues…
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he?
So why do you look on them Habbakkuk says. So God does look upon evil and sin. This has nothing to do with Jesus on the cross asking why have you forsaken me?
What about Jesus suffering spiritually?
Some say Jesus suffered in his Spirit. I can not find scriptural proof of Jesus suffering in his Spirit or a spiritual suffering. Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost to fulfill his ministry and calling to death. A death in which he said no one takes my life I give it up. Jesus was filled with the fullness of the Godhead all the way through death and resurrection. When Jesus said it was finished he gave up the Ghost. He then tells Thomas after his resurrection how can you say show us the Father after I have been with you so long? If you have seen me you have seen the Father.
When Jesus cried out on the cross my God my God why have you forsaken me during the 3 hour afternoon he was quoting from Psalm 22. Then we see Peter quoting from Psalm 16 in Acts 2:27-28. You will not leave my soul in hell. I do not believe this is speaking of Jesus suffering spiritually separated from God in Hell. Peter and Paul write to tell us Jesus was pretty busy for the 3 days and 3 nights. I do not believe that hell is separation from God literally. David writes in Psalm 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there. Were are you going to go from God who is Omni present
What about Isaish 53: 10-12?
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him;
he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days,
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he hath poured out his soul unto death:
and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
Looking at the Hebrew word soul #5315 nephesh: a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion, that which breathes, the breathing substance or being , the soul, the inner being of man:
Jesus suffered a physical, emotional death in soul and body.
(1 Peter 2:24) Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
(1 Corinthians 15:45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a life-giving spirit.
The life giving Spirit did not die or suffer or was touched by sin. It was the fully alive life giving Spirit that overcome the grave.
(Hebrews 9:14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Jesus was spotless because he is the life giving Spirit. The perfect flawless sacrifice whose blood was shed to purge your conscience.
(Colossians 1: 19-22) For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.
It pleased the Father to have made peace through the blood and to reconcile us in the Body of His flesh.
We were and some still are only enemies with God in their own minds. This is How when we hear the Gospel the good news that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. We repent turn change our minds to know that even when God knows and sees us as sinners he is there. The price has been paid he welcomes us to receive his free gift right in the middle of our brokenness and sin.
If we think Father, Son or Holy Spirit can turn away from us or be angry with us because of sin. We will never feel worth or able always striving pushing and pulling. This causes a works mentality and the wrong kind of fear and condemnation.
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https://kingdomhealer.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/no-condemnation/
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