When Jacob loved Rachel, he served seven years for her - he bore the summer's heat and winter's cold. But Jesus bore the hot wrath of God and the winter blast of His Father's anger for those He loved. Jonathan loved David with more than the love of women, and for His sake He bore the cruel anger of His father, Saul. But Jesus, out of love to us, bore the wrath of His Father poured out without mixture. It was the love of Christ that made Him leave the love of His father, the adoration of angels, and the throne of glory. It was love that made Him not despise the Virgin's womb - it was love that drove Him into the wilderness; love made Him a Man of sorrows - love made Him hungry, and thirsty, and weary - love made Him hasten to Jerusalem - love led Him to gloomy, dark Gethsemane - love bound and dragged Him to the judgment hall - love nailed Him to the cross - love bowed His head beneath the amazing load of His Father's anger. "Greater love hath no man than this." "I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."
Sinners were sinking beneath the red-hot flames of hell; He plunged in and swam through the awful surge, and gathered His own into His bosom. The sword of justice was bare and glittering, ready to destroy us; He, the Man that was God's fellow, opened His bosom and let the stroke fall on Him. We were set up as a mark for God's arrows of vengeance; Jesus came between, and they pierced Him through and through - every arrow that should have pierced our souls stuck fast in Him. He, His own self, bare our sins in His own body on the tree. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. This is the love of Christ that passeth knowledge. This is what we shall see on the throne - a Lamb as it had been slain. This will be the matter of our song through eternity: "Worthy is the Lamb!"
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