That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life ( 1 John 1:1)

Scenes more graphic than my imagination can conjour, tattoo my mind as for the strongest in a long time, I remember. Now not only with my mind, but with my heart as I remember the prophecies.

“He was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes, we are healed.”

Supper was not pleasant for unbelief and ignorance strove there. The power of darkness now seeking to overthrow Him, He went to the garden to pray. Each step, the weight grew heavier as in the flesh He was now to bear the infirmities of our sin, our death. “Father (his humanity cried) if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” Then He beheld his sleeping friends and the frailty of our humanity; “Father, if this cup will not pass from me except I drink it, then let not what I will but thine be done.”

“He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief yet we hid as it were our faces from him.”

How can the pen of a writer trace or accurately describe the anguish of the Lamb of God, God the Lamb? His story shown in the typology of Abraham, “For the LORD will provide HIMSELF, a sacrifice.” Yet, the parental agony that Abraham must have felt at the command of God cannot equate the agony of the FATHER or the pain of the SON. His sweat became as blood as in agony of spirit he wrestled for the redemption of man from the hands of sin, from the grasp of satan.

“Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted… He is bought as a lamb to the slaughter and  a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so openeth he not his mouth.”

“Rabbai”, betrayed with a kiss. Perfect submission, yet not all was at rest for visions of death and suffering awaited the man of sorrows yet. He was taken to the High Priest, condemned as a rebel, his own people forsook him, Peter denied him thrice.

“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 iniquity.”

The death of the cross loomed before him and so did the wrath of a Holy God. For the first time in eternity, the SON was to ask of the FATHER: “Eloi, Eloi lama sabacthanai?” My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Contemplate the Cross.

Contemplate the love of him who endured such contradictions against himself for the salvation of man. Contemplate your future, your destiny. You get to choose but there are only two choices: life or death. In Christ alone can eternal life be found. Choose life.

*Based on Isiah 53 and adapted from FaithIt Ministry by S. Hibbert