Have you ever been lonely? Have you ever felt as though there was no one on whom you could lean – no one to share your burden, no one to wipe your tears as they rolled down your sad face? I am sure we have all faced moments like that in life. Being alone is not a good feeling. Interestingly, Leviticus 16 describes the Day of Atonement, on which day the high priest would go into the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle all alone to offer sacrifice for his own sins and for the sins of the people. No one could accompany him there; it was all up to him, alone, to enter and complete the task at hand. Bible students can see the beautiful picture God was painting in this “type” of lone sacrifice of which our High Priest is the antitype. As Jesus entered the Most Holy Place to offer Himself as the sacrifice for sin, ironically, He did not make an offering for His own sins but for ours only. Jesus left His family, friends and even His foes to sacrifice Himself all alone. Although Jesus knew of His lonely plight before it began, still He entered all alone and forsaken! From His burden-filled, lonely heart came the saddest words ever heard, “My God My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). All alone and forsaken shows a number of things.
His Association. “My God, my God…”
It is surely bad enough to be forsaken by a mere acquaintance, but being forsaken by a close friend, a true loved one, is a hurt that cannot really be described. While it is true that Jesus was left all alone and forsaken by His friends and acquaintances, sadder still is the fact that His own Father left Him alone at Calvary’s climax. The relationship between the Father and the Son is like no other relationship! “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). That close association appears in that “The Word [Jesus] was God” (John 1:1), sharing the same divine attributes as the Father. Our Lord knew that close and personal association would be broken for a period, and yet, our Jesus Christ never wavered in His Divine mission! It is beyond our finite minds to grasp the relationship within the Godhead, let alone to fully comprehend the heart shattering pain that came from being alone and forsaken!
His Agony. “…Why have You forsaken Me?”
Jesus prayed so fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane that His sweat become as great drops of blood (Luke 22:44). Is there any way to fully comprehend the Lord’s agony in His forsaken hour? I try each Lord’s Day, as I remember my Savior when I partake of the Lord’s Supper, but I always come away feeling a bit unsuccessful at comprehending how much agony Jesus endured for me. As a human, I sometimes feel as though my burden is too hard to bear in life. Day to day struggles seem monumental, but then, I hear Jesus’ words again, “Why have You forsaken Me?” These words give new meaning to agony! No one has ever been through what Jesus underwent when He was alone and forsaken! “Just to show His matchless grace, Jesus suffered for the race in Gethsemane alone!” (Reed).
His Affection.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for His friends” (John 15:13). “So loved” is the only adequate way to describe such a gift and affection for another (John 3:16). This abandonment was not the result of any defect in either the Father or the Son’s character, but rather, it was a separation that had to take place for sin to be properly addressed. “For our sake he made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was alone and forsaken for me! “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). He was cursed on the tree (Galatians 3:13) so that we may be cured of our trespasses! “If that is not love, then the ocean is dry; there’s no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can’t fly…” (Rambo). The true measure of love and affection was first seen as our dear Savior walked alone and forsaken the last mile of the way, up that forsaken hill called Golgotha. Shredded flesh on His bloody back, along with sweat, tears, blood-filled eyes and a humiliation like He had never seen before, Jesus displayed His affection for lost humanity, alone and forsaken! “Oh, what wondrous love I see, freely shown for you and me, by the One Who did atone!” (Reed).
As we think about Jesus being alone and forsaken, surely the question arises, “Why?” Dear friend, you and I are the “Why.” We are the reason Jesus endured the cross alone and forsaken! We separated ourselves from the Father because of our sins (Isaiah 59:1-2), but Jesus willingly and lovingly separated Himself from the Father to heal us and to bring us back to a right relationship with God. “My God, my God, ‘Why?’” Though I try to understand, I come up short. So, I can only respond with praise and gratitude. Though sorry that it had to be, I’m thankful to Jesus for being alone and forsaken for me!
Works Cited
Rambo, Dottie. “If That Isn’t Love.” Brentwood, Tennessee: Capital CMG P., 1969.
Reed, Samuel E. “In Gethsemane Alone.” Waco, Texas: Trio Music Co., 1912.
