Monday, July 15 – Psalm 15, Psalm 22 – Additional Reading, “The God-forsaken God”, https://ssnet.org/blog/the-god-forsaken-god/

1. Who can live in God’s presence? Psalm 15:2-5

2. What words does the Psalmist cry out that Jesus also cried out from the cross? Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46.

3. What other things does the Psalmist describe that also happened to Jesus on the cross? Psalm 22:7-8, Psalm 22:16, Psalm 22:18.

Commentary and Reflection:

Psalm 15 tells us that those who do what is right can live in the presence of God. Psalm 22 describes the total abandonment Jesus felt on the cross, even though He always did what was right. This reminds me of a passage from the Desire of Ages,

“Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes, we are healed.” Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 25.

Psalm 22:1 describes the abandonment Jesus felt on the cross. While Jesus did nothing wrong and deserved all the benefits described in Psalm 15, He died the death we deserve so we may have the life He deserved. Before Jesus cried out, “My God my God, why have you forsaken me!” He had always called God His Father. “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” “I always do those things that please my Father.” My Father and I are one.” But when Jesus was on the cross, being treated the way you and I deserve to be treated, He could not call God His Father, and He cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” He was not crying out “why have you forsaken me” till Sunday morning. You don’t forsake someone when you leave them for half the weekend. You forsake someone when you leave them forever. Jesus was not dying the death of the righteous. Jesus did not save us from the death of the righteous. We die that death ourselves. Obadiah 1:16 tells us the wicked will be like they had never been. Jesus was dying the death of the wicked. When He cried out, “Why have you forsaken me?”, He was not facing a mere 6-hour pain endurance marathon. He was facing going into total oblivion and it being as though He had never existed. He was treated the way sinners deserve, so sinners can be treated the way He deserves.

Jesus endured more abuse and ridicule than we ever will, for our sake. Something that may be uncomfortable for us to talk about is the fact that He also suffered sexual abuse on the cross. Psalm 22:18 tells us they cast lots and divided up all Jesus’ clothing. You know that towel you see around His waste in the pictures? There was no towel. Jesus hung naked in front of the entire universe, even His angels. This may be why it says the women “stood afar off.” While it may make us uncomfortable, it is important for us to know that we will never experience any form of abuse that Jesus did not also suffer for us and overcome for us. “With His stripes, we are healed.”

In John 12:32, Jesus says that if He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. Psalm 22:27 tells us all the ends of the world will remember to come and worship God.

In Psalm 15, we see the rewards of the righteous, and in Psalm 22, we see how Jesus was punished for our sins so we could have the rewards of His righteousness. We need to remember that not only was Jesus treated the way we deserve so we can be treated the way He deserves, but He was also treated the way our enemy deserves so we may treat our enemy the way Jesus deserves. We are not healed by the stripes of those who have abused us. The stripes of Jesus heal us.

In John 14:18, Jesus says, “I will not leave you as orphans.” At that moment, Jesus cried out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” He felt like an orphan, so you will never have to feel forsaken by the Father. We will always have a Father. Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us. We will never have to cry, “My God, why have you forsaken me,” because Jesus was forsaken for us, so we will never be forsaken. May we always abide in God’s presence and worship on His holy hill.