Satan Sought To Crush
Christ.
At the thought of the grievous character of the guilt of the world, Christ felt that He must go apart, and be alone. The hosts of darkness are there to make sin appear as extensive, deep, and horrible as possible. In his hatred of God, in falsifying His character, in manifesting irreverence, contempt, and hatred toward the laws of His government, Satan had made iniquity reach unto the heavens, and it was his purpose to swell iniquity to such great proportions, that it would make atonement seem impossible, so that the Son of God, who sought to save a lost world, should be crushed beneath the curse of sin. The working of the vigilant foe in presenting to Christ the vast proportions of transgression, caused such poignant pain that He felt that He could not remain in the immediate presence of any human being. He could not bear that even His disciples should witness His agony as He contemplated the woe of the world. Even His most dearly loved friends must not be in His companionship. The sword of justice was unsheathed, and the wrath of God against iniquity rested upon man's substitute, Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father.
In the Garden of Gethsemane Christ suffered in man's stead, and the human nature of the Son of God staggered under the terrible horror of the guilt of sin, until from His pale and quivering lips was forced the agonizing cry, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:" but if there is no other way by which the salvation of fallen man may be accomplished, then "not as I will, but as thou wilt." Human nature would then and there have died under the horror of the sense of sin, had not an angel from heaven strengthened Him to bear the agony.
The power that inflicted retributive justice upon man's substitute and surety, was the power that sustained and upheld the suffering One under the tremendous weight of wrath that would have fallen upon a sinful world. Christ was suffering the death that was pronounced upon the transgressors of God's law.
It is a fearful thing for the unrepenting sinner to fall into the hands of the living God. This is proved by the history of the destruction of the old world by a flood, by the record of the fire which fell from heaven and destroyed the inhabitants of Sodom. But never was this proved to so great an extent as in the agony of Christ, the Son of the infinite God, when He bore the wrath of God for a sinful world. It was in consequence of sin, the transgression of God's law, that the Garden of Gethsemane has become pre-eminently the place of suffering to a sinful world. No sorrow, no agony, can measure with that which was endured by the Son of God.
Man has not been made a sin-bearer, and he will never know the horror of the curse of sin which the Saviour bore. No sorrow can bear any comparison with the sorrow of Him upon whom the wrath of God fell with overwhelming force. Human nature can endure but a limited amount of test and trial.
5BC 1103
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When in the garden of Gethsemane, the cup of suffering was placed in the Saviour's hand, the thought came to Him, Should He drink it or should He leave the world to perish in sin? His suffering was too great for human comprehension. As the agony of soul came upon Him, "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44). The mysterious cup trembled in His hand. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, the mighty angel who stands in God's presence, came to the side of Christ, not to take the cup from His hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love.
Christ drank of the cup, and this is the reason that sinners can come to God and find pardon and grace. But those who share in Christ's glory must share also in His suffering. . . .
Shall we take up the cross, and intelligently understand what it means to follow Christ, practicing self-denial at every step?
TDG 49
- Home
- Work Earnestly
- Watchmen
- Came With You
- Prayer Of Faith
- Urgent Voice
- Co-operate With Angels
- No footprints In Snow
- Deliverance
- Ask And Share
- Dog Watched
- Trust Jesus
- Deliver From Prison
- Angel From Heaven
- Daughter's Prayer
- Angels Help Us
- Angel protection
- Angels Of God
- Angry Mob
- Angel's Hand
- Angel Over Tent
- Guided Philip
- Enthroned Amid Angels
- Attended By Angels
- Converse With Angels
- Train Wreck
- Work For Children
- Faithful
- Angels Watch
- Stormy Night
- Heavenly Messengers
- Gratitude
- Eyes Of Angels
- Angel Helpers
- The Very Angels
- Time Of Temptation
- William Miller
- Angels Sent
- Not Samuel
- Satan's Kingdom
- Mighty Truth
- Winds Of Strife
- Harmonious Work
- Deceptive Work
- Open Our Eyes
- Reward Of Holiness
- Study The Scriptures
- Abraham And Strangers
- Angel Host
- Sent His Angel
- Donkey Talks
- Poignant Pain
- Redemption
- Lord Is Risen
- Shining Cloud
- Resurrection
- Rival Powers
- Life Giver
- Unknown
- Moses
- Two Columns
- Answer To Prayer
- Christ Is Coming
- Same Jesus
- Nondis
- Angel Beside Me
- Runaway Horses
- Struck Thirteen
- Bushman Story
- Companion In Trouble
- Alone With Wolves
- The Angel's Hand
- Angel On Patrol
- Angels In Sierras
- Helped Lift
- Haiti
- Miracle In Boston
- In The Night
- Triple Blast
- Rustlers Prowl
- Awakened By Snake
- Helped By An Angel
- Walls Of Jericho
- Earthquake 1964
- Where's The House
- Rain And Flood
- Heaven's Modern Guard
- The Unseen
- Two-Week Hideout
- Liberty
- Poisoned In Tibet
- Three Dreams
- Tiger On The Trail
- Voice Of An Angel
- She Loved Her Lord
- Lost Carabao
- Angel In A Boat
- Dogs And More Dogs
- Vacation Brakes
- Angel Power
- Two Chairs
- Clock Struck Ten
- Touch Of Angel Hands
- So Many Lights
- Swords Of Straw
- Big Or Little
- Night Visitor
- Six Little Girls
- Credentials
- Only One Key
- In The Fire
- Twice Delivered
- All She Suffered
- Miraculous Deliverance
- Manna From Heaven
- The Ship's Crew
- Angel Report
- Persecutor To Persecuted
- James White
- Banks Closed
- Doing Here
- Do It Now
- Who Pushed The Car
- Only One Dollar
- Open The Prison
- Datu Dream
- In The Garden
- Twing
- Civil War
- God's Acre
- Fainting
- African Wilds