IN the realms of heaven, on that first Good Friday long ago, the angels were hushed. They could not believe what they were seeing down below; their Lord and Master, their very God, nailed to a rough wooden cross, after being beaten, whipped and humiliated by the very ones He had once created in an Eden long ago!
“How can this be?” cried a young angel, watching horrified at the horror scene below, “How can the most Mighty not show His power?”
“He is!” whispered an old angel, even as huge tears rolled his angelic face, “He is showing power beyond any power ever shown before!” “How?” asked the young angel, shuddering as a nail crunched into flesh below. “The power of love!” said the old angel, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends!” “Friends?” asked the young one, “Who are His friends?”
“The very ones who are killing Him!” sighed the old angel, “The very ones who cried, ‘crucify him’ yesterday! They are His friends! Even if they are killing Him, even if they shouted to kill him, they are all forgiven. Even those who sin in future are all forgiven by this act of love!”
They watched as the Man on the Cross cried out for water. They watched as He forgave the thief on His side, and through their tears they glimpsed divinity at work, even as soldiers scoffed and laughed at Him.
“Listen!” shouted the young angel suddenly, “Listen!” Both the young angel, the older angel and all the angels of heaven listened and heard a great moaning coming from hell below. They heard the great Deceiver, the one, who tempted men and women to lie and move into the dark areas of wickedness screaming with frustration.
“The great deceiver is going mad!” cried the young angel. “Yes,” said the older angel, “Now do you see the meaning of what is happening? In a few moments, the hold that satan has over the earth will be finished!” “It is finished!” cried the agonizing voice of a God who became man to die for the sins of world.
“We are finished!” cried the great Deceiver. “Into thy hands I commend my spirit!” said the Man on the cross, and even as the great deceiver cried out in frustration that his rule was now over, up in heaven the young angel rushed along with other angelic voices to join the heavenly choir as they burst out in rejoicing, their voices filling the heavenly realms, “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
God’s creation was now given the option of walking with God again, without paying the price of their past sins, because of a death on that first Good Friday! “Hallelujah!” sang the angels, rejoicing in a heavenly crescendo..!
