45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” --which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He's calling Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
How fitting that an extraordinary light by way of a bright star gave notice of our Lord’s birth and now we see an eclipse of light - an extraordinary darkness - notifying of His death. Jesus is the Light of the world. God uses the heavens to declare His glory. I am reminded of Psalm 19 penned by King David:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:1-4 (NIV)
It was during this period of darkness that Jesus became the sin offering for the world. The sins of mankind were placed upon His holy body so that, in turn, His righteousness would be placed upon our unholy ones on all who would trust in Him. The lack of light signified that He was being made sin for us. He was delivering us from utter darkness and destruction yet He, in the depth of His sufferings, experienced the hellish darkness and was without light. For three black hours He did not utter a word as He accomplished the great work of redemption and salvation for mankind. The cross epitomized both the love of Christ and the love of God. It was the highest expression of the Father and Son’s devotion and love towards mankind.
3 The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” Jer 31:3 (NIV)
“Never were there three such hours since the day that God created man on earth, never such a dark and awful scene; the crisis of that great affair of man’s redemption and salvation.” Matthew Henry
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV)
“Hast thou, O my soul, felt the weight of thy own guilt and misery, and been enabled, in reality and truth, to lay hold by faith of the blood of Christ for thy redemption, and faithfully to devote thyself to him in heart and life? Then hast thou a sure foundation to go upon: let it be thy constant care firmly to depend upon these and such like blessed declarations; look to Jesus for every blessing thou standest in need of. Has Christ brought life and immortality to light? Then look unto him and live. Is there redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins? Then throw all thy guilt upon his atonement. Has he blotted out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against thee? Then shake off self-righteous dependences, and legal fears also. Did he die for thy sins? Then let his goodness and love lead thee to unfeigned repentance; let the sense of thy sins break thine heart, but encourage thy hope in the gospel.” K.H. Von Bogatzky
Those viewing the crucifixion misunderstood our Lord’s Words upon the cross. He was not calling out for Elijah rather for God as He sensed a separation with the Father that He had never known. In becoming sin for us, the Father had to turn judicially from His Son. Sin must be atoned for and its wages are death.
“Certain of my brethren are very fond of preaching Christ in his second advent—I rejoice wherein they preach the truth concerning Christ glorified, but my beloved, I entreat you to build your hope not on Christ glorified, nor on Christ to come, but on ‘Christ crucified.’ Remember that in the matter of taking away sin, the first thing is not the throne, but the cross, not the reigning Saviour, but the bleeding Saviour, not the King in his glory, but the Redeemer in his shame. Care not to be studying dates of prophecies if burdened with sin, but seek your chief, your best comfort in the blood of Jesus Christ which ‘cleanseth us from all sin.’ Here is the pole star of your salvation; sail by it and you shall reach the port of peace.” Charles H. Spurgeon