In the beginning, God created man in His own image. While there can be a great deal of speculation about this, there are two areas in which we can be fairly certain that man is like God.
God is triune, which is defined in the dictionary as three persons in one. Man is biune (not in the dictionary unfortunately), being made of male and female or two persons in one.
Just as God brought forth after His own kind, so mankind, male and female, can bring forth after their own kind. In these two ways, man is like God.
Man has a responsibility to his Maker, to whom he owes his very existence. God has a responsibility to His creation, the beings He brought into existence.
When mankind, male and female, bring children into being, society holds them responsible for the children's welfare (i.e., food, clothing, shelter, etc.). If the children damage the neighbor's property, the parents are held responsible. Likewise, God is accountable for His children.
Of the two, God and man, which is more capable of meeting his responsibility?
Has God met His responsibility?
In the Bible, one who had been sold into servitude could be redeemed, but it had to be by a kinsman. In order to meet His responsibility, in order to redeem man, God had to become man.
The Apostle Paul describes the incarnation and the execution of the plan of salvation as the mystery of godliness. Just how God became man is a mystery. That He would was kept secret from mankind.
As God's children were partakers of flesh and blood, "... He also Himself likewise took part of the same ..." and being " ... made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest ...". Jesus, being made a little lower than the angels, is one with the children of God and is not ashamed to call them brethren (Hebrews 2:9-18).
For how long did Jesus take human nature that He might be a high priest for His people? "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:6).
It has been said that God, the Trinity (i.e., Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere at once).
However, since human beings can only be in one place at one time, and Jesus is as truly a human being as He is truly God, He can no longer be in more than one place at one time. He gave up His omnipresence capability. Think of this sacrifice!
Although He said, "I am with you always", it was expedient that He leave in order to present His sacrifice to the Father so the Father could send the Holy Spirit, Jesus' representative, to be with believers always (John 15:26; 16:7,8). Think of this sacrifice! This great, supernatural being who could speak into existence this world with all its marvels, including life itself, who dwells in light and majesty unapproachable, who was willing to forever lower Himself below the angels, so that He might be the elder brother of those created in His image, and redeem them from sin and death.
" ... learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).
God made the momentous
decision to create man, knowing full well what the cost would be for God
to meet His responsibility to the works of His hands.
We live and move and have our being because the great Power of the cosmos
was willing to humble Himself and to pay the price of our existence.
This noble, majestic act should shame, debase, humiliate, and mortify every proud human heart.
But there is more.
Remember when, as a child, you were found in the wrong and how ashamed you were to look your parents, your teacher in the eye. Guilt weighed heavily on your soul.
At the end of the world, at the Second Coming of Christ, the high and the lowly of this earth who have not accepted God's acceptance of them through the sacrifice of His son, will be acutely aware of their tremendous guilt. Guilty not so much for committing some wrong act but guilty of refusing the unspeakable gift of the Sovereign of the Universe.
It must be the most agonizing time in all of human history. It must be the most horrible, embarrassing, odious, and ignominious experience ever. It will be so debasing, so demeaning, that those who experience it call for the rocks and the mountains to, "... Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb" (Revelation 6:16).
In speaking of the lost we are told, "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation" (Revelation 14:10).
This punishment of the wicked Jesus bore for us. It was so devastating that our Savior hesitated saying, "... Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39).
Jesus drank the cup
of the wine of the wrath of God, which was poured out without mixture.
He hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows ... .
He was wounded for
our transgressions ... bruised for our iniquities.
With His stripes we
are healed.
The Lord hath laid
on Him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53)
What more could be asked? But here is more.
It is appointed to men to die once, but after this judgment (Hebrews 9:27) those found unworthy at the judgment are appointed to die the second death - eternal separation from God (Revelation 20:11-15).
Jesus told His disciples that He would go up to Jerusalem, be crucified, and rise from the dead on the third day.. Yet when His death came, His disciples could not see through the tomb. Their weakened humanity was not able to hold on to this truth.
Thousands and thousands have been executed on a cross by political powers, including Greeks and Romans. Jesus did not die from crucifixion.
He died because the sins of a guilty world were placed on Him and He was forsaken of the Father.
He, who could have called twelve legions of angels to His rescue did not, but did the Father's will and drank the cup of the wine of the wrath of God which was poured out without mixture. He drank it to the very last dregs, the cup of God's indignation.
With the enormous weight of the guilt of sin pressing down on the Lamb of God, His humanity was so weakened that He could not see His way through the tomb!
Jesus could not, at that moment, see His way through the tomb, but made that agonizing cry:
"My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46)
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34)
Jesus died the second death, forsaken of God. The self-existent One gave up His existence for you and for me, that we might live and move, and have our being. He could not see His way through the tomb. He gave Himself that we might be.
In order to redeem sinners, Christ had to experience the penalty of sin which is the second death - eternal separation from God. Just as the wicked have no hope of a resurrection from the second death, Jesus in those final moments with the sins of the world upon Him, had no hope of a resurrection but gave up His life FOREVER that we might live forever.
O' wonder of wonders! Who can comprehend it?
One blind woman, Fanny J. Crosby, was able to catch a glimpse of this wonder and recorded these words:
"To God be the
glory - great things He hath done!
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise
the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice!
O' come to the Father thru Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory - great things He hath done!"