Why Did Jesus Cry “Forsaken”? The Scream That Shattered Heaven

Dezheng Yu August 22, 2025

85 3 minutes read

Jesus Christ's cry from the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" during the supernatural darkness. — A vivid visual representation of Jesus' agonizing cry from the cross, reflecting His spiritual burden and the profound meaning of His suffering.

🌑 The Ninth Hour: When the Light of the World Went Dark ✨

Have you ever felt completely abandoned? Like your prayers were hitting a ceiling and God had walked out of the room?

Imagine that feeling multiplied by infinity.

In Matthew 27, the crucifixion scene shifts from physical torture to spiritual cataclysm. For three hours—from noon to 3 PM—the sun refused to shine. Total, supernatural darkness covered the land.

Out of that blackness came a scream that has haunted history:

“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” —Matthew 27:46 (KJV)

Why did Jesus say this?

Was He losing His faith? Was He confused? No. In this terrifying moment, Jesus was doing two things: He was experiencing the full horror of Hell (separation from God) for you, and He was quoting the ancient lyrics of Victory.

Part I: The Theology of the Darkness 🕯️

The Cup of Wrath 🍷

Why did the sky turn black? It wasn’t an eclipse (Passover happens during a full moon, making a solar eclipse impossible). It was Judgment.

In the Old Testament, darkness is a sign of the Day of the Lord and judgment (Amos 8:9). For those three hours, God the Father poured out the accumulated wrath of human history onto His Son.

2 Corinthians 5:21 says He was “made to be sin.”
Isaiah 53:6 says the Lord “laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Jesus was experiencing the spiritual consequence of sin: Separation. He was “forsaken” relationally so that we could be accepted eternally.

For more on the emotional weight of this moment, read Through His Eyes: The Reflection of Love, Pain, and Sacrifice.

Part II: The Prophecy of Psalm 22 📜

It Wasn’t a Question; It Was a Citation 🎼

To a modern ear, this sounds like despair. To a Jewish ear in the first century, it sounded like a hymn. Jesus was quoting the opening line of Psalm 22, written by King David 1,000 years earlier.

This Psalm is a photographic prophecy of the Crucifixion:

Verse 16: “They pierced my hands and my feet.”
Verse 18: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots.”
Verse 7: “All they that see me laugh me to scorn.”

By shouting the first verse, Jesus was telling the crowd: “Look at Me! I am the fulfillment of David’s song.”

The Twist Ending 🏆

Here is the secret: Psalm 22 ends in victory. It concludes with: “They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness… that he hath done this.”

Jesus knew the ending. He wasn’t screaming in hopeless defeat; He was screaming the prelude to “It Is Finished” (John 19:30).

For more on prophetic warnings, read Revealed: The Hidden Reason Jesus Wept Over Jerusalem.

Part III: 3 Common Misconceptions About the Cry 💡

Misconception 1: The Trinity broke apart.

Correction: The Father, Son, and Spirit are eternally one. God cannot be divided. The separation was relational, not essential. Jesus was treated as if He were an enemy, but He remained the beloved Son.

Misconception 2: Jesus died spiritually.

Correction: Jesus commended His spirit into the Father’s hands (Luke 23:46). His spirit remained pure and alive; it was His relationship with the Father’s comfort that was interrupted by the weight of sin.

Misconception 3: God is angry with believers when they sin.

Correction: Because Jesus drank the full cup of wrath, there is none left for you. God disciplines His children, but He never forsakes them. The price has been “Paid in Full.”

For more on how this payment works, read Justified by Faith: The Cornerstone of Christian Salvation.

Conclusion: You Will Never Be Forsaken 🌟

Why did Jesus cry out?

He was forsaken so you would never have to be. He took the silence so you could hear the Father’s voice. He took the darkness so you could have the light.

When you feel alone, remember: The only Person who truly deserved to be embraced was abandoned, so that people who deserved to be abandoned (us) could be embraced.

Reflection: Do you believe that God has truly forgiven you, or are you still trying to pay a debt that Jesus already settled in the dark?