Page 14 - March 2026 - Truth & Tidings

ur last article considered the undoubtedly a “thick darkness” that “may
Lord’s Crucifixion, focusing on be felt” (Exo 10:21-22).
OGabbatha and the first three Desolation – “And at the ninth hour Jesus
hours at Golgotha. We should not become cried with a loud voice …” (v34). As He
too scientific in our consideration of the emerged from the darkness, the Lord’s cry
Lord’s death, but we must recognise that provided an immediate explanation: He
each synoptic Gospel divides His six had been abandoned, left alone, forsaken
hours of suffering into two three-hour in the depth of His suffering. “My God,
periods. my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
From 9am until noon, the Lord suffered His forsakenness appears to be the worst
in the daylight. From noon until 3pm, aspect of His sufferings. Direct dealings
He suffered in the darkness. During the have taken place between the Servant
first three hours, His words communi- and His God. In keeping with Isaiah, the
cate compassion and blessing on those “LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us
who surrounded Him (Luk 23:34,43; Joh all” (53:6); “he hath put him to grief” (v10).
19:26-27). In the final three hours His Paul draws out the significance of this:
words express His own suffering and ac- “God made the one who did not know
complishment (Mat 27:46; Mar 15:34; Joh sin to be sin for us, so that in him we
19:28,30; Luk 23:46). would become the righteousness of God”
In this article we’ll consider the final (2Co 5:21 NET). God acted in judgment
three hours at Golgotha. These three hours upon Christ at Calvary and, in these final
provide us with seven subjects: darkness, hours of forsakenness, every human eye
desolation, derision, death, demonstra- was excluded. God “spared not his own
tion, declaration and devotion. Son” (Rom 8:32). He who was infinitely
Darkness – “And when the sixth hour holy was treated by God as sin would be
was come, there was darkness …” (v33). treated. His abandonment was the price
1
The sun’s light failed and the whole land for our acceptance, His suffering the cost
of our salvation.
became shrouded in darkness for three
hours. This miraculous darkening sym- Derision – “And some of them that stood
bolised divine judgment (Exo 10:21-26; by, when they heard it, said …” (vv35-36).
Isa 5:30; Amo 8:9-10; Zep 1:14-15). It was When the Egyptians suffered the plague
of darkness, they “saw not one another,
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV neither rose any from his place” (Exo
unless otherwise noted. 10:23). They remained where they were.

78 TRUTH kTidings March 2026