Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing on His heart. All His life Christ had been publishing the good news of the Father's pardoning love, but now with the terrible weight of guilt upon Him He could not see the Father's reconciling face. This pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. HLv 502.2
Satan with fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror or tell Him of the Father's acceptance. Christ felt the anguish the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath on Him as man's substitute, that broke the heart of the Son of God. HLv 502.3
The hosts of heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. The sun refused to look on the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday, when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out. Complete darkness enveloped the cross. “There was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.” There was no natural cause for this darkness, which was as deep as midnight without moon or stars. It was a miraculous testimony given by God that the faith of after generations might be confirmed. HLv 503.1
In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden. God and holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. In that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence. HLv 503.2
In the thick darkness God veiled the last human agony of His Son. All who had seen Christ in His suffering had been convicted of His divinity. Through long hours of agony He had been gazed on by the jeering multitude. Now He was mercifully hidden by the mantle of God. HLv 503.3
A nameless terror held the throng gathered about the cross. Cursing and reviling ceased. Vivid lightnings occasionally flashed from the cloud and revealed the crucified Redeemer. Priests, rulers, executioners, the mob, all thought their time of retribution had come. Some whispered that Jesus would now come down from the cross. HLv 503.4
At the ninth hour the darkness lifted from the people, but still enveloped the Saviour. No eye could penetrate the deep gloom that enshrouded the suffering soul of Christ. Then “Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?” Many voices exclaimed: The vengeance of heaven is upon Him because He claimed to be the Son of God! Many who believed on Him heard His despairing cry. Hope left them. If God had forsaken Jesus, in what could His followers trust? HLv 503.5