November 22

But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place. — Luke 24:21 BSB

What a test of faith the death of Jesus must have been for his disciples and followers! When their Lord and Master died, it seemed as though their hopes died with him—at least for a time. To the human eye, it looked like truth, holiness, and innocence were all crushed by violence as Jesus hung on the cross. From the perspective of those watching, everything—his miracles of love and mercy, his gracious words, his holy and spotless life, his claims to be the Son of God, the Messiah, the Redeemer—seemed to be extinguished as he took his last breath, surrounded by the triumph of his enemies.

But now we see that through his death and the shedding of his blood, Jesus accomplished redemption, finished the work the Father gave him to do, removed sin through his sacrifice, reconciled the Church to God, defeated death and hell, conquered Satan, upheld the law, exalted justice, brought forth mercy, and displayed the perfect harmony of God's attributes. He glorified his heavenly Father and saved countless souls with eternal salvation.

But could we have understood this had we stood at the cross with Mary and John, listening to the taunts of the scribes and Pharisees, the mocking laughter of the Roman soldiers, and the jeering crowd? Could we have seen it as we do now, beneath a darkened sky and standing on shaking ground? Where would our faith have been? Only a miracle of grace could have sustained it in such a moment of darkness, with so many conflicting emotions, such opposition from unbelief, and such powerful forces at work.

This is how it has always been, and how it will always be in this life. Truth, righteousness, and godliness—everything that represents God's cause—suffer crucifixion just as Jesus did. We live in a godless world, where Satan, not Jesus, is seen as the ruler. Therefore, evil, not good, seems to prevail, just as it did at the cross. This is a challenge to our faith. Yet, our hope lies in looking to the cross, seeing the suffering Son of God, and understanding that the victory of the wicked is temporary. Though truth suffers now, it suffers with Christ, and just as he died and rose again, so too will truth rise in glory and triumph eternally.