It seems like we've been in Matthew
27 for a long time, but there's 66 verses in this chapter, and
there's a lot going on. Let's begin reading in Matthew
27, verse 45. Now from the sixth hour there
was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 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? Some of them that stood there
when they heard that said, this man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran
and took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it on
a reed and gave him to drink. The rest said, let me, let us
see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he cried
again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. What I want to do this morning
is just kind of give you a verse-by-verse commentary, beginning here in
verse 45. From the sixth hour there was
darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And we know that
the Holy Ghost don't put things in the Scriptures just to fill
in space. when he tells us something about
the hour, or the day, or the month, or the year, or the genealogies,
or whatever it is that he's put in the Scriptures, they all are
put there for a purpose. This sixth hour is the hour in
which the Passover lamb was to be slain. Go back in the Old
Testament and read as God gave them instruction concerning the
Passover lamb It was about the sixth hour that they were to
take this lamb and slay it. And then it must be prepared
and dressed and laid upon the brazen altar and offered up before
God. And in all likelihood, we're
not told this anywhere, but in all likelihood, this could have
been about a three-hour process. between the slaying of the lamb,
the dressing of the lamb, the laying it out on the burnt altar,
and all that had to take place, it could very well have been
a three-hour process. And then the sixth hour was 12
o'clock noon. That's what this sixth hour was.
We get it in our mind that it was like 6 o'clock. Well, it
wasn't 6 o'clock. It was 12 o'clock noon. And the ninth hour was about
three o'clock. And three o'clock was about the
time of the evening sacrifice, that daily evening sacrifice. So that what I see in these times
is a fulfillment of all the sacrifices for sin. That's what's being
accomplished here. All of the sacrifices for sin
are being fulfilled. And all of those Old Testament
sacrifices were pointing to this one. And so John the Baptist
confirms him as such when he said, Behold, the Lamb of God
that taketh away the sin of the world. All of those Old Testament sacrifices
were pointing to this one. And as it is in this one, it
is fulfilled. Now, from the sixth hour until
the ninth hour, as the sacrifice of God was being offered up,
we're told that darkness was over all the land. Now, we know
in our day that light does not shine everywhere
in the world all at the same time. Part of the world is in
darkness while the other part is in light. But in this place,
in this land, and as far, history tells us as far out as, well,
let's put it this way, very far away from them where that light
would have been shining, it's all recorded in their various
histories as a three hour eclipse of the sun. They all word it
a little differently, but all these nations and countries around
here, who didn't have any idea what was going on in Jerusalem,
suffered this darkness and recorded it in their history not knowing
what it had to do with. Well, what was this darkness
all about? Let me give you four things that
the commentators talk about. There's probably 15 or 20 things
when you get into it, and they begin to speculate on them. But
there was only four that made any sense to me. And so those
are the four that I kind of weeded out and will give you this morning. First of all, some say God refused
to allow His Son to shine upon the land because of the heinous
crimes they were committing against His Son. look at what's going on. I know
Herod was in a political ploy by the Jews and he couldn't get
out of it. They baited him. He took the
bait. He couldn't get out of it. He had to do what he did
or else just give up his station and give up his nobility and
so on with Rome because they would have had him and told him
so that they'd have him as an enemy of Rome if he didn't carry
out this because this man said and confessed that he was a king. Well, God's eternal purpose of
grace in the death of Christ did not excuse these men's sins,
nor does it say that in the Scripture. It was according to the eternal
purpose of God that these men did what they did. They did what
they did to fulfill the Scriptures. God foretold what they'd do,
what they'd say, their very actions. Thousands of years before it
ever took place. But it didn't excuse what they
did. And so they're right. There were
heinous crimes going on at this time, even though these crimes
accomplished the will of God. And there's heinous crimes in
our day. It's carried out all the time.
And they're according to the purpose of God. But it doesn't excuse the crime.
Because God is able to make all things work together for our
good and His glory does not relieve man of his accountability to
God. And then secondly, some of the
old writers say this about that darkness. We're talking about
that three-hour darkness over in Matthew 27. That three hours
of darkness as our Lord hung on that cross. And some say that
this darkness was a sign of God's wrath and vengeance being poured
out upon the sin bearer, the Lord holding nothing back as
He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. There is a verse
of Scripture in Romans chapter 8 that as often as I read it, it still amazes me. Every time
I read the Scripture where He says, and He spared not His own
son. He not only didn't spare him
from being the substitute, but he didn't spare any of that wrath
against our sins. And that's what these commentators
are saying about this darkness. This was a sign of God's wrath
against the sin bearer, that this is God's wrath being poured
out on him. This is not just a legal transaction. Folks got all upset at me here
a while back because I wrote an article on that. This is not
just a legal transfer of sin going on here. This is God pouring
out His wrath upon His Son. We have a tendency, I think,
to just get all this down to legalities and all this down
to imputation, but let me tell you something. Our Lord typified
this in one place in the Old Testament that set this forth
clearer than anywhere else, and some of you may remember the
message I brought on it, is on Abraham offering up Isaac on
Mount Moriah. Why in the world would God have
Abraham offer up this chosen son, this son of promise that
he gave to And there's only one reason I can find in all of Scripture,
and that is that Abraham would know beyond a shadow of a doubt
that there's more to this than just a legal transfer of sin.
This is taking your child, this is taking the one you loved and
pouring out your wrath on him. That's what this is. I know we
can't enter into it. We can't begin to enter into
it. But that's what's going on here. God spared not His own
Son. He poured out His wrath on Him. And He caused darkness to fall
upon all the land. He showed no leniency. He overlooked
nothing but exacted from Him the full payment from our sins.
And then thirdly, some of the old preachers taught that this
darkness was a sign of the judicial blindness brought upon Israel
who were crucifying their the very promised Messiah that they
looked for. They rejected Him. And blindness,
isn't that what the Scripture said? Blindness in part has happened
to Israel that the Gentiles might. There is a judicial blindness
against the nation of Israel because of their rejection of
the Messiah that God had promised and for which they all professed
to hope. But when He came and when they
saw Him face to face, they wouldn't have Him. He wasn't happy. Peter
said, this is the stone which you builders have set it not,
talking to Israel. And again in Acts 3 verse 14,
but you denied the Holy One. That's the Messiah. That's how
He was known in the Old Testament, the Holy One. He said, you denied
the Holy One and desired a murderer to be granted unto you. And then
in Romans 10 verse 21, But to Israel he saith all day long,
I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gang-saying
people. And then fourthly, some of the
old commentators say that this darkness was to show the hour of darkness as the glory
of God was eclipsed from the sun in his day of judgment. humiliation and shame. That glory was taken away to
every natural eye. It was gone. And this is that
time when our Lord was made to be sin for us. All this poor
ignorant sinner, and I'm talking about myself, really knows about
this is that my great substitute took my place before the holy
bar of God, and He stood there as me. As me. That's what you need to see in
this thing of salvation. You have to see the substitute. This is how God is going to treat
every sinner that comes before Him. Everyone. He's going to
pour out His wrath on him unto death. Unto death. As I, the sinner, stood there
in Him, God exacted from us, because we are one with Him,
the full payment for my sins. And then back in Matthew 27 and
verse 46, it says, "...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?" Now, this declaration is partly
Hebrew and partly Chaldean. You know, a lot of times, like
if you're looking up, some of you may look up words in a strong
concordance and see what they mean. But you'll notice if you
go in the Old Testament, I'm just going to throw something
out to you here, Noah will be spelled N-O-A-H. No. That's how you're going to find
it in the Old Testament. When you come over into the Greek,
it's not. It's translated Noe, N-O-E. And you go back and forth and
you see how these words were translated from one language
to another. He spoke this here and then told
you what it meant. But this was, He did this on
purpose. This declaration is partly Hebrew
and partly Chaldean because that's how the Old Testament is worded. And there's all kinds of speculations
why our Lord would speak this way here and not at other times. But if you'll take time to look
at it, this is an exact quote from Psalm chapter 22 verse 1.
It is an exact That's how it starts, isn't it?
Winston's familiar with that verse of Scripture. I personally believe this. I
believe he said it this way so that the Jews who were sitting
around him mocking him as the Messiah would recognize this
quote as the Old Testament song. That's why he said it that way.
All those who knew knew the Word of God, knew exactly, those Jews
knew exactly what he was talking about when he uttered those words. Our Lord was all wise and He
did not ask this question looking for an answer. I'm amazed at
how many reputable writers wrote this off as a delirious Christ. I just, I couldn't hardly believe
it. I won't mention their name, but they're very notable writers,
writers that I read all the time, have confidence in. Wrote this
off as a man delirious on the cross. He wasn't out of his mind
or even confused in his person. Why then would the Lord of Glory
ask such a question? One of the best explanations
that I've ever heard on this subject was given by Brother
Henry Mahan some 30-some years ago. He said he cried this out
before God so we wouldn't have to. That's exactly right. Thousands will one day cry this
out, still under the darkness and deceit of religion, only
to hear him say, depart from me, you workers of iniquity.
I never knew you. You remember earlier in the book
of Matthew, where he talked to them, and he said, some will
tell me in that day. Some's going to say unto me in
that day. Now, just hold off now on this thing of judgment.
We preached in your name. We preached in your name. We
cast out demons in your name. We've done many wonderful works
in your name. And he said, I never knew you.
Called them workers of iniquity. And that's basically what they're
asking, isn't it? My God, my God, why are you forsaking
me? Why are you casting me into hell?
Thousands will cry this out, still under the darkness and
deceit of religion. He asked this question so his
own would have to. And then secondly, he cried this.
that all who hear it might know that he alone has fulfilled all
that was written of him. In John's account it says, and
he knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scriptures
might be fulfilled, saith I thirst. The Old Testament weaves a garment
that will just fit one man, and these scriptures were written
of him that we might know that he is the Christ. These things
were written for our admonition upon whom the end of the world
has come. You remember that Scripture I
read to you in Acts 17 last week, that Paul reasoned with the Athenians
out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ's most
needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and that
this Jesus that I preach unto you, This is the Christ. He is
the Christ. The Jews believed in a Messiah.
They looked for a Christ, but their Christ was not the Christ
of Scripture. What about yours? What about
yours? I worshipped a Jesus for years
that has no similarity to the Jesus of Scripture. I was taught
about a Christ for years who has no similarity to the Christ
of Scripture. It was of the utmost importance
that Jesus of Nazareth fulfill all the Scriptures to confirm
Him as the Christ. And millions in that day, and
in our day too, believe in a Christ that's so opposed to the Christ
of Scripture that they're convinced, as were the Jews, that this was the Christ. He cried, my God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me? Because the scripture said he
would. And then thirdly, he cried this in a loud voice that all
his elect might be convinced that he really and actually was
forsaken of God on their behalf. He cries, one man said, in a
solitary solemnness, as only our Redeemer could and because
no other could or would. That is why he cried. All of
the Old Testament types and figures fall short. Even that of Isaac
was not sufficient to show the glory of this man's suffering. On this cross hanging between
heaven and earth is offered up the one sacrifice for sins forever. You think about that. What a
mystery is the death of Christ on the cross. The one righteous
man of all times Forsaken of God on a cursed tree. And then, let's look now at verse
50. Jesus, when He cried again with
a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. I'd like for you to turn
with me to Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2. The ultimate act of obedience
is to commit your soul into the hands of your God. That's what
faith is. It's the committal of your soul
into the hands of your God. Now look here in Luke chapter
2. Well, let me just quote this here in Luke and then we'll look
at Philippians chapter 2. In Luke 23, verse 46, it said,
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave
up the ghost. Now look here at Philippians
2, verse 5. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus. who being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself
of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death."
Now watch this, even the death of the cross. That's the ultimate
act of faith or obedience is to commit your soul into the
hands of your God. And this He did not only unto
death as we do, but He did it even unto the death of the crop.
What a model of faith and obedience our Lord has left us. Dying under
the wrath of God in the darkness and the very ground that that
suspended that cross that he was nailed to, it was quaking
just like that mountain at Sinai. And he calmly and faithfully
commits his soul into the hands of his Father. You think about
that. Even the death of the cross.
Now let me tell you something. There was never a time when God
did not see you and know you as you are. Never a time. He
saw things exactly as they are now before the world was ever
created. Else there would have been no
need for the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. He knows you exactly as you are,
a vile, wretched sinner. He knew you that way when He
chose you in Christ before the world began. And you and I are
represented in those who are gathered around His cross. Do you know that some of those
same men, it could have been that man who was over there on
the bank saying he cried for our lives, or it could have been
out of that group there that mocked Him and said, well, just
leave Him alone. Just leave Him alone. Let's see
if the license is going to come and get you. Some of those very
men who were in that crowd who cried, crucify Him, crucify Him,
were saved on the day of Pentecost. And many others in the days that
followed. It was in His suffering at our
hands that His love is manifested on the cross. It says in Romans
5, 8, God commended His love toward us. And while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us. And then turn with me to
Romans chapter 8. What I'm saying to you this morning
is to let each one of us look at his faithful committing of
his soul into his Father's hands and find in this the assurance
needed to do the same. That's what I'm saying. This
is how the gospel was preached by his disciples and by his apostles
and by the early preachers of the church. In Romans chapter
8, Paul gives to the church what some call the golden chain of
assurance. We find assurance in God's everlasting
purpose of grace back in Romans 8.28. Those who are the called
according to His purpose know that all things work together
for their good and His glory. And they find assurance in the
predestinating purpose of God. You find that right underneath
that. They find assurance secondly in their calling. Believers are
the called according to His purpose. And then thirdly, we find assurance
in His justification being justified freely by His grace. Whom He
called, He said, them He also justified. And then fourthly,
we find assurance in our glorification of which we're sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise and see our Lord as the first fruits
of that glorification sitting at the right hand of God. And
then lastly, by the particular effectual and unchanging love
of God in Christ. Paul said in Romans 8 verse 38,
For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ
Jesus the Lord." You know why he was persuaded of that? Because
Christ couldn't be separated from him for the same reason.
That's why. That's why. All of our enemies were his enemies
before they were ours. And every last one of them did
everything in their power to stop him from accomplishing our
redemption, and none of them could succeed. And this is an act of incomparable
love to commit your souls into the hands of your Father. And
the difference is, he committed his on the basis of his person
and work. And we commit ours on the same
basis he did, on the basis of his person and his work. God help us to do just that every
day of our life.