2.― “Forsaken”

“God forbid that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods,” were the people’s words to Joshua, in reply to his heart-searching request, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve”; and years after the voice of the prophet Elijah rang out on Mount Carmel’s summit, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” But all that happened between Moses and Christ was, with few exceptions, the same sad story of Israel’s forsaking God, and worshipping idols. To deliberately forsake God must end, however, in being forsaken of God. Yet, nevertheless, does His heart delight in mercy; and hence the precious record runs, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
The voice of wisdom still crieth, “Forsake the foolish, and live.” And yet again, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Mercy and truth met together at Calvary’s cross, where God’s Holy One was “made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” But what a sight it was for men and angels! “Then all the disciples forsook him and fled”; and, amidst the jeering’s of the crowd, the taunts of the soldiers, and the bitter reviling’s of the robbers that were crucified with Him, the sixth hour drew nigh, and from the sixth unto the ninth hour “there was darkness over the whole land.” During those three solemn hours the stupendous question of sin was forever settled, and its awful judgment could only be adequately expressed by the bitter cry that came from the lips of the divine Sin-bearer, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Pause then, my soul, and gauge, if thou canst, the awful meaning of those solemn words. That thou mightest be forgiven, Jest’s was forsaken; and that thou mightest be justified, Jesus was judged. “Deep called unto deep at the noise of God’s waterspouts,” as judgment’s bitter cup was being drained to its dregs. Yes, my soul, it was for thee that that holy Victim was thus forsaken, that thou mightest fully know the truth of the psalmist’s words, “They that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for Thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek Thee,” as was surely proved that very day in the conversion of the dying but repentant robber. Seated now upon His Father’s throne, faith hears and believes the voice of that triumphant Saviour, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”