I’ve heard it said by people and pastors, “You know, the reason why Jesus was so distraught in Gethsemane and during the flogging was that He didn’t think He would live long enough to make it to the cross.” Are they serious? Jesus wasn’t distraught because He didn’t think He wasn't going to make it to the cross, He was distraught because of what was waiting for Him at the cross (separation from God and man).

Let’s get this straight: There was no option for Him NOT to go to the cross. Had Jesus not gone to the cross, all the Old Testament prophesies foretelling of the cross would’ve been made into lies. And we all know that it is impossible for God to lie. So, his destiny was the cross. Another thing: it’s not like He could’ve “tried again later”. For the prophesies were time-sensitive. Since the proto-evangel ion (Genesis 3:15) and even before the foundation of the world, the fact of the Messiah’s death on the cross and the point in time it was to happen was absolutely and totally fixed. Jesus’ destiny had been set before the creation of the universe by the triune Godhead.

He locked Himself into this position, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  With every subsequent prophecy made to the sons of men about the coming Redeemer, it was just more “loops” that the promise would be fulfilled through. It was just one more lock locked onto the inevitable fulfillment of the promise. The promise was immovable, irrevocable and indestructible by either angel or man. It would not only happen HOW He wanted it, but it would happen WHEN He wanted it. It was pinpointed to an exact point in history.

God wanted this to happen. He wanted to show His love and His self-sacrifice for sinners like us. He has ALWAYS been self-sacrificing within the triune Godhead. He has ALWAYS been our Savior-Redeemer-Kinsman. He’s ALWAYS been the Savior of the world, even before the world was made. He has ALWAYS been “carrying His cross” even before crosses were invented. For God to stop loving would mean that He would cease to exist—another impossibility.

Praise be to the God of heaven and earth—my Redeemer! “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.”— Mark 13:31

March 4, 2004