there is nothing God doesn't see

There are countless articles, sermons, and messages that say God "turned his face" while Jesus was on the cross, that God couldn't or wouldn't look at Jesus hanging there in innocent, sinless, unspeakable agony and suffering. Let's look at a rational for this thinking and reasons why I don't think it's biblically correct.

One justification I read for thinking God "turned his face" stated that God couldn't bear to see such an evil act committed; "God's "eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk1:13)." I agree that that the crucifixion of Christ is nothing less than murder, the most evil murder that has ever been or that ever will be committed. A terrible sin. But of course God does look at terrible sin. He is aware of it. He knows all about it. Nothing escapes His knowing at its most basic and intimate level. If the author of the statement above would have read Habakkuk further he would have seen the next verse which says, "why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?" The writer of Habakkuk isn't saying God is too pure to look at evil and therefore doesn't - the writer of Habakkuk is saying God is righteous, pure, and holy and then takes exception to how God who is all those things could bare to look at the wicked sin rampant in the world and not do something about it. It's a outcry to the fundamental problem of man: why does the omniscient all powerful God allow bad things happen to good people?

Did not Abel's blood cry out to God from the earth? (Genesis 4:10). God senses evil at dimensions we don't even understand. He abhors it but He sees it. It enrages, revolts, and sadness Him at levels we don't and probably can't fathom and yet He doesn't become corrupted by His knowing.

Psalm 22 begins with, "God my God! Why have you forsaken me?" which mirror the words of Christ on the cross. I remember something I read years ago, that stated in biblical times when someone would refer to the beginning of a Psalm, it was actually reference to the entire Psalm. Psalm 22 goes on in verse 24 to say, "For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help." If it can be agreed that Psalm 22 holds certain messianic references then it must also be agreed that the verse shows GOD DID NOT HIDE HIS FACE FROM CHRIST especially at the moment when Christ needed Him most, when Jesus' obedience was at its utmost His Father was looking. Horrified and proud, sad and awed. But looking. He couldn't stop Christ from suffering but He never left him. The price of sin is something innocent must die. Sin is an affront to the glory of God and the penalty is ultimate because His glory is ultimate. 

You may be asking, "Geeze Jenny, why make this such a point?" Because it's very important to remember that there is nothing God doesn't see especially when it appears that one is forsaken and alone. Obedience to God may cause others to abandon, mock, even want to physically hurt you. Think of Stephen who while being stoned to death prayed for those throwing the rocks. Nothing stepped in and stopped Stephen from dying but that doesn't mean that God didn't care or wasn't paying attention. Nothing may step in and stop the hurt you are experiencing in a moment but God is with you in the midst of it - to the end.

God sees every corruptible, despicable, and deceitful act, thought, and word. And yet He is still pure, holy,  righteous - and here is the kicker - willing and mighty to save us. If God could not bare to look upon sin, He would never have saved us, been concerned with us, able to see us. Ezekiel 16 - The Lords Faithless Bride:

And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. ⁵ No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.⁶ “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ ⁷ I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment.

We from our first breath we are wallowing in sin and filth and impurity. Psalm 51:5 "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." We are born dead spiritually and have no affinity towards the Light because we love darkness and our deeds are evil. We all need not only physical birth but spiritual birth and we can't make it happen. And no amount of "good" deeds or sacrifices we can offer can make us pure and spiritually alive in the eyes of the Father. Jesus - only Jesus - could do that and did do that. "For all who believe He gave the right to be children of God. And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:2) His Father loved Him, was greatly pleased with Him, and watched Him suffer the greatest injustice ever to be the justice that would reconcile us back to Himself. Romans 8:33.

God sees everything at its utmost deepest motivation and layer. May we all tremble before that terrifying beautiful truth and embrace the seen sacrifice of Christ. He see's us to our marrow and runs towards us like the Father of the prodigal son full of forgiveness, compassion, and love. Remember the words of the song "Jesus paid it all." Come home to Him and live for Him. xo