Human beings are naturally self-centered, especially in our egocentric age. So it is no wonder if, when surveying the death of Christ, we view it from our own standpoint, instead of seeing it from Heaven’s –for the glory of the God whose plan it was.
The death of Christ was an act between the Father and the Son, and while it was for man’s good, never forget that it was also for God’s glory. The great aim of God in Christ was not only the reconciling of the world to Himself but also the glorifying of His Name. If man could be convinced no other way, surely the cross should convince him of the following:
Through Christ’s obedience and death God magnified His LAW (Isa. 42:21). The Lord Jesus kept the law of God in a world of sin, which made Him as conspicuous as a fire burning in mid ocean. Even in the midst of all the suffering He never deviated, but was obedient to the very last letter and thereby honored God’s law more than it was dishonored by Adam’s fall. He was even willing to hang there in agony a little longer “that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
God magnified His LOVE by sending His only begotten Son to save rebellious men; and when men treated Him so wickedly, He did not withdraw the Saviour from this world, but gave Him up to death, because God had set His heart on fallen man to redeem him to Himself. It is love unchangeable, incomprehensible, and unfathomable. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:10).
God magnified His JUSTICE, for when the Lord Jesus made Himself responsible for our sin, God called upon the sword to smite Him (Zech. 13:7). Justice and judgment are the foundation of God’s throne (Ps. 89:14), not love and mercy, as many would have us believe. Mercy follows justice but does not exist without it. Mercy can be extended to sinners only because God’s just demands were fully met.
He magnified His HOLINESS. It is true that God manifested His love to the sinner at Calvary. It is also true that He showed His hatred of sin more at the death of His Son than He ever will in eternal judgment. The cross shows us how awful sin must be!
He magnified His TRUTH by fulfilling all His promises and prophecies concerning Christ, so that not one failed but all are fulfilled as touching the great event; and He will yet magnify His truth by fulfilling the whole of His promises to His Son. But at the present time, the Son is waiting till the right moment comes for His enemies to be put down (Ps. 110:1). This is a promise that the Father never seems to weary of repeating (Mt. 22:44; Mk. 12:36; Lk. 20:43; Acts 2:35; Heb. 1:13; 10:13).
He magnified His WISDOM by proving to the universe His ability to deal with the question of sin in justice and yet in love and mercy. Apparently Michael the archangel did not fully understand how this was to be (Jude 9) but today it is clearly demonstrated and thereby God is magnified. The apostle Paul worshiped God for this; no one but God could have thought of such a plan (Rom. 11:33-36).
He magnified His POWER by proving to our wondering eyes that His Son could endure all the punishment that was measured out to Him as the result of sin. How great was His sustaining power, especially when we consider that He was “crucified in weakness.” If the greatest manifestation of power was done in His weakness, how strong must He be!
He magnified His GRACE by condescending to touch poor fallen man and to allow His holy Son to have the iniquity of us all laid upon Him (Isa. 53:6). “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.”
He magnifies His MERCY by receiving sinners on the ground of that work. Even in the intensity of His suffering, the Lord said to a criminal, who, only moments before, had been cursing Him, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past tracing out! (Rom. 11:33).