The Broken Heart
Commentary
Much discussion has gone on in the church regarding God's attitude on Good Friday. Where was he? What was he doing? What was his attitude?
There have been those who have cast him as a holy God, whose opposition to evil and sin required him to turn his back while Jesus suffered the penalty for all ages.
Others have seen him as a God of law and order, who requires obedience that has not been forthcoming. Therefore, wrath must spend itself while God turns his back and does not look.
Still others have imagined him to be as the Deists have pictured him and taking the whole matter rather stoically while man works out his will. All has been set in motion and God is not free to intervene.
Surely Hosea gives us a better clue. The heartbroken lament of God is echoed everywhere in the Scripture.
For instance: Check out the Noah story again; read Genesis 6:6. “God was sorry ..."
Read Hosea 4:17 "let him alone ..."
And Romans 1:24 "God gave them up ..."
What you are viewing here is the broken heart of God. If one needs to conjure up any image of God for Good Friday, it surely must be a picture of God watching all events that day, and, even though he surely knew how it would work out, standing with tears streaming down because of the selfishness and willfulness that led to the crucifixion.
So, if you need a word for what was going on with God on Good Friday, be sure to keep that word in tune with the broken heart.
There have been those who have cast him as a holy God, whose opposition to evil and sin required him to turn his back while Jesus suffered the penalty for all ages.
Others have seen him as a God of law and order, who requires obedience that has not been forthcoming. Therefore, wrath must spend itself while God turns his back and does not look.
Still others have imagined him to be as the Deists have pictured him and taking the whole matter rather stoically while man works out his will. All has been set in motion and God is not free to intervene.
Surely Hosea gives us a better clue. The heartbroken lament of God is echoed everywhere in the Scripture.
For instance: Check out the Noah story again; read Genesis 6:6. “God was sorry ..."
Read Hosea 4:17 "let him alone ..."
And Romans 1:24 "God gave them up ..."
What you are viewing here is the broken heart of God. If one needs to conjure up any image of God for Good Friday, it surely must be a picture of God watching all events that day, and, even though he surely knew how it would work out, standing with tears streaming down because of the selfishness and willfulness that led to the crucifixion.
So, if you need a word for what was going on with God on Good Friday, be sure to keep that word in tune with the broken heart.
