God Turned His Face Away: Where In The Bible Does? 2025

There are few moments in Scripture that stir up as much emotion as Jesus’ cry from the cross. In Matthew 27:46, we read, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? ”

It’s a verse that echoes with pain, confusion, and deep sorrow. For many, this moment feels like a turning point in history when God turned His face away, beloved Son, leaving Jesus in isolation on the cross.

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When Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was expressing deep pain while fulfilling prophecy from Psalm 22. In that moment, He carried the weight of our sins, showing God’s love and justice, so we’d never have to feel truly separated from God.

Where In The Bible Does It Say God Turned His Face Away?

Did God, in fact, abandon Jesus during His most vulnerable moment? As we dive deeper, it’s important to acknowledge how personal this feels to many of us. When life hits hard whether through loss, betrayal, or loneliness we, too, might wonder if God has turned His face away from us.

I’ve had those seasons myself, questioning if He’s still there. But this moment on the cross, known as the cry of dereliction, is not just about Jesus’ suffering it’s also about fulfillment of prophecy and God’s ultimate plan of redemption.

Jesus wasn’t simply quoting random words when He cried out. He was referencing Psalm 22, a psalm written by David centuries earlier. This psalm prophetically outlines much of what Jesus experienced on the cross, tying together both Old Testament prophecy and the New Testament fulfillment through the crucifixion of Jesus.

Understanding the depth of this cry helps us grasp not only the magnitude of Christ’s suffering but also the beauty of God’s love and presence, even when things feel distant. Let’s explore this profound moment and what it means for us today.

Key Scripture about God Turning His Face Away

When Jesus hung on the cross during the ninth hour of His earthly life, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). These words, often referred to as the cry of dereliction, are more than just an expression of deep anguish they are a direct quotation from Psalm 22:1, the first line of the psalm.

This cry raises profound questions about God’s presence and the Father’s love at that agonizing moment.

Psalm 22 is a psalm of David, and while it reflects David’s suffering in his time, it also prophetically points to the suffering of Christ. Jesus, while hanging on the cross, bore the sins of the entire world. The weight of humanity’s sin and the resulting separation from God were crashing down on Him.

This was not just a physical suffering but also a spiritual one, as He felt the full wrath of God against sin. Yet, this moment was not outside of God’s control it was part of the foreknowledge of God and His divine plan for our redemption.

Consider the gravity of this:

Jesus, who had always experienced sweet fellowship and perfect unity with the Father, was now bearing the full weight of separation that sin causes.

The method of execution, crucifixion, was physically excruciating, but the spiritual agony of being cut off from the Father’s intimate presence added another layer of torment.

Jesus’ cry from the cross wasn’t just an expression of His suffering, but a fulfillment of prophecy, as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53:10: “It was the will of the Lord to crush Him.”

Here’s the heart of it: This moment wasn’t an accident, nor a tragic end to Jesus’ life. It was, in fact, the will of the Lord* to send His innocent Son to bear the sins of the world. God’s love for us was so immense that He allowed Jesus to endure what we deserved separation, suffering, and death so that we could be offered eternal life.

As Isaiah 53 illustrates, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for our redemption, taking on the punishment that was rightfully ours.

This passage reminds me of times when I’ve felt abandoned by God, especially during seasons of struggle or silence. But reflecting on this moment, I’m reminded that Jesus experienced the ultimate separation so that I never have to.

To sum it up:

Jesus’ cry on the cross points us back to the Old Testament prophecy in Psalm 22.

His experience wasn’t just about enduring physical pain but bearing the weight of sin and the wrath of God.

The cross demonstrates both God’s justice and love, offering believers a pathway to eternal life.

Even in the hardest seasons, when it feels like God has turned His face away, the truth remains: His love is steadfast. He is always at work, even when we can’t see it. This is something I hold onto when my cries seem unanswered.

Theological Perspectives: Did God Really Turn His Face Away?

One of the most emotionally stirring theological concepts surrounding the crucifixion is the rejection theory. This idea suggests that when Jesus bore the sin of the world, He experienced the full extent of God’s wrath, leading to God literally turning His face away.

According to this view, Jesus’ cry of dereliction (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) reflects a moment of deep abandonment.

Theologians like John Calvin align this with systematic theology, which emphasizes the justice of God being satisfied through Jesus’ sacrificial death. In this interpretation, Jesus endured the separation from God that we, as sinners, deserve.

The Rejection Theory

Suggests Jesus experienced the full separation from God due to the sins He bore.

Emphasizes God’s divine justice and the necessity of punishment for sin.

Frames Jesus’ cry as a reflection of the punishment for humanity’s sin being poured out on Him.

However, some theologians propose a different view that God’s presence never fully left Jesus, even as He felt the weight of humanity’s sin. They argue that Jesus’ sense of abandonment was real in His human nature, but it wasn’t a literal severing of the triune union. While Jesus bore the punishment for sin, God’s love and presence remained intact.

This perspective highlights the idea that the Holy Spirit had sustained Jesus throughout His ministry and didn’t depart at the cross. In this view, Jesus’ cry from the cross reflects the agony of sin’s burden, but not total separation from God.

Alternate View

Argues Jesus still felt the Father’s love and presence, even in His suffering.

Highlights that Jesus bore the weight of sin but wasn’t entirely cut off from the Trinity.

Interprets His cry as a deep feeling of abandonment, but not the literal departure of God’s presence.

Personally, this view resonates with me. There have been times in my life where I’ve felt distanced from God but looking back, I can see He was always there. Even in Jesus’ moment of greatest despair, God’s love and foreknowledge were at work, fulfilling the divine plan.

It’s comforting to believe that even when Jesus carried the full burden of our sins, God’s presence didn’t fully leave Him, just as He never fully leaves us.

This theological debate whether God’s turning away was literal or symbolic holds significant implications for how we view God’s justice and His relationship with humanity. It affects how we interpret moments of suffering in our own lives.

Does God truly abandon us in our pain? Or does He remain, working even in the shadows? One thing is clear: Jesus bore the full weight of sin to restore our relationship with the Father, ensuring we never have to experience that level of separation.

Reflecting on this brings me a lot of peace. Even when we feel forsaken, God is still present. His love never wavers, and the justice that was satisfied on the cross guarantees that we are never truly alone.

This delicate balance of God’s love and divine justice is what makes the cross so powerful and so personal. It’s a reminder that while Jesus bore the full weight of our sins, He did so to ensure we would never be separated from God.

Foreknowledge, Prophecy, and the Old Testament Context

When we reflect on the cross, it’s essential to remember that Jesus’ death wasn’t a random event it was woven into God’s divine plan from the very beginning. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies pointing toward this moment, with Isaiah 53:10 being one of the most direct: “It was the will of the Lord to crush him.”

This prophecy shows that God’s purpose was to redeem humanity, not out of anger or frustration toward His beloved Son, but as a deliberate act of love. The whole of Psalm 22 also provides a detailed depiction of Jesus’ agony on the cross, vividly foreshadowing the suffering He would endure.

Old Testament Prophecies Foreshadowing the Cross

Isaiah 53:10: “It was the will of the Lord to crush him and cause him to suffer.” This verse underscores that Jesus’ suffering was not an afterthought, but a fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan.

Psalm 22: Written centuries before Christ, this psalm describes the emotional and physical agony that Jesus experienced, pointing toward His cries of abandonment and suffering on the cross.

These prophecies remind us that Jesus’ ultimate act of sacrifice was necessary to pay the equivalent payment for our sins. He absorbed the full weight of our sin and bore the wrath of God that was meant for us. Personally, when I think about this, it leaves me in awe.

It’s deeply humbling to consider that Jesus took on the punishment I deserved, and because of that, I’m set free. There’s an overwhelming sense of gratitude that comes with knowing He did it out of love for me, for you, for all of us.

The Significance of the Old Testament Sacrificial System

The Old Testament sacrificial system was a temporary solution, a shadow of what was to come. Sacrifices of lambs and bulls were offered regularly to atone for sin, but they were never permanent they couldn’t fully cleanse the guilt of humanity.

These sacrifices were constant reminders that something greater was needed a perfect, lasting sacrifice that would bring complete reconciliation between humanity and God.

Enter Jesus, the perfect Son. He didn’t just fulfill the requirements of the sacrificial system He surpassed them. By becoming the sweet-smelling aroma before God, Jesus offered Himself as the perfect and final sacrifice. His death on the cross was sufficient once and for all, paying for the sins of the world and reconciling us to God. No more temporary sacrifices, no more guilt just complete and total forgiveness.

For me, understanding the role of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament makes the cross even more profound. It wasn’t just a death; it was the culmination of centuries of longing and waiting for redemption.

The sacrifice of Jesus completed what the lambs and bulls never could. It’s the reason we no longer have to strive or perform ritual after ritual to be close to God because of Jesus, we are already reconciled to Him.

Where in the bible does it say god turned his face away?

What Did Jesus Experience on the Cross?

When Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), it was not just an expression of physical pain. It was a very real human reaction to the immense spiritual burden He was bearing.

In that moment, Jesus wasn’t simply suffering from the excruciating pain of crucifixion, but He was carrying the sins of the entire world past, present, and future.

The Old Testament speaks of Him as the man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), someone deeply acquainted with grief, and this moment on the cross brings that description to life in a vivid, heart-wrenching way.

Jesus, who had always known perfect unity with the Father, now felt the deep, gut-wrenching anguish of separation caused by sin. The weight of sin was overwhelming, and He was plunged into the dust of death a place of ultimate despair and suffering. His suffering was not just physical but deeply spiritual, as He carried the full consequences of humanity’s brokenness.

Jesus’ Human Nature on Display

Physical Suffering: Jesus endured one of the most painful methods of execution known in history. The Romans designed crucifixion to be a long, torturous death that not only inflicted immense physical pain but also psychological suffering.

Spiritual Suffering: More than the physical pain, what strikes me most is the spiritual anguish Jesus bore. He experienced the feeling of separation that sin causes between us and God a feeling of abandonment that we can all relate to in our own struggles. Yet, despite His suffering, Jesus never stopped trusting in the Father’s love.

What’s incredibly moving is how Jesus’ human nature is revealed in this moment. Yes, He was fully divine, but He was also fully human. He felt the depth of fear, agony, and abandonment that we all experience in our darkest hours. When we feel weighed down by sin or distant from God, it can seem like He has turned His face away.

But even in this unimaginable suffering, the divine connection between the Father and the Son was never completely severed. Jesus bore the feeling of eternal separation so that we wouldn’t have to. This reality gives me so much comfort, knowing that even in my own darkest moments, God’s love is still constant and unshakable.

Eternal Unity of the Trinity

Despite the human experience of separation, evangelicalism’s trinitarian thinking reminds us that the Triune God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remains eternally united. While Jesus, in His human form, felt the full weight of sin and its consequences, He was never outside the eternal love of the Father.

This moment of suffering, though real and intense, didn’t break the divine connection within the Godhead. Jesus bore that unimaginable burden for us, so that we would never experience the kind of separation from God that sin deserves.

Reflecting on this, it’s so personal to me. Jesus knows what it feels like to suffer, to feel abandoned, and to carry a weight that seems too heavy to bear.

When I’m going through a hard season and feel alone, it reminds me that I’m not alone Jesus has already walked through it. And what’s even more powerful is that He endured it all out of love for us, making sure we never have to bear that weight ourselves.

Key Takeaways

Jesus experienced both physical and spiritual suffering on the cross, taking on the weight of the world’s sin.

His cry of abandonment reflects the human experience of separation, but the divine connection between Him and the Father was never fully broken.

His suffering ensures that we never have to endure the kind of separation from God that sin brings, offering us the hope of eternal connection with the Father.

Did God Really Forsake His Son? The Social and Relational Model

When we explore Jesus’ cry from the cross “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” it can easily feel like a moment of complete abandonment by the Father. However, a deeper understanding of the social model of the Trinity suggests a more nuanced perspective. While God’s face may have seemed distant, there was no actual severing of the triune union.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remained eternally united, even in the face of this profound suffering. The cross wasn’t a breaking of their relationship; rather, it was Jesus bearing the relational weight of humanity’s sin.

Relational Abandonment vs. Actual Separation

Relational Abandonment: Jesus, in His humanity, felt the burden of the world’s sinful acts both past and future. In that moment, He experienced the separation that sin creates between humanity and God. This was a relational burden, but not a complete severing of His connection with the Father.

Divine Union: Despite the emotional and spiritual weight of isolation, Jesus never lost His divine connection. The pain He felt was a reflection of the relational effects of sin but did not indicate a literal breaking of the triune union.

This perspective aligns with modern scholars like Lucas Sharley, who argue that Jesus’ sense of abandonment was deeply human, yet it didn’t represent true abandonment by God.

The foreknowledge of God means this was all part of the divine plan for salvation. Jesus was fulfilling His role in the grand redemption story, and even though He felt the crushing depths of isolation, the Father was still present.

The Social Model of the Trinity

Eternal Unity: The Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—remained united, even as Jesus bore the sins of the world. The suffering of Jesus was real, but it didn’t involve a complete separation from God.

Redemptive Purpose: The foreknowledge of God reminds us that Jesus’ suffering was a planned part of the salvation narrative. God’s love for His Son never wavered, and His presence remained intact, even though Jesus carried the relational burden of sin.

For me, this truth brings immense comfort. In our worst moments, when we feel utterly alone or forsaken, God’s presence never truly leaves us. Jesus bore the feeling of abandonment on the cross so that we would never have to face it ourselves. Even when God feels distant, His love and presence remain with us.

Personal Reflection

This understanding of the cross highlights the deeply relational nature of God. Jesus didn’t just endure the cross in a legal sense He experienced the relational consequences of human brokenness. Yet, even then, the Father’s love wasn’t removed.

This gives me such peace when I go through seasons of feeling distant from God. Like Jesus, I may feel alone at times, but I can trust that God never truly abandons His children. His love is steadfast, even in the most difficult moments.

The Father’s Role: Love, Anger, and Justice

At the cross, we witness a profound intersection of two essential aspects of God’s heart: the Father’s love for His beloved Son and His righteous anger against sin. This tension is central to understanding what took place as Jesus bore the wrath of God on our behalf.

On one hand, God’s love for Jesus never wavered Jesus was His perfect, sinless, beloved Son. On the other hand, God’s holiness required that sin be dealt with, and the burden of the world’s sin rested on Jesus.

The Father’s Love and Anger at the Cross

God’s Love for Jesus: Despite Jesus’ suffering, the Father’s love for Him never diminished. Jesus remained God’s perfect, cherished Son, even as He carried the sins of the world.

Righteous Anger Against Sin: God’s holiness demands that sin be addressed. At the cross, the *Father’s anger* was poured out on Jesus, not because of any fault in Him, but because He bore the sin we deserved to carry.

The wrath of God against sin was not arbitrary; it was the necessary fulfillment of divine justice. In His holiness, God could not ignore sin. Jesus willingly took on the punishment we should have endured.

I remember a season in my life when I felt weighed down by my mistakes, and burdened by guilt, and I realized that Jesus had borne the full brunt of what I deserved. That realization humbled me, knowing the depth of His love is beyond comprehension.

Wrath Poured Out in Love

Divine Justice Fulfilled: Jesus wasn’t just absorbing the penalty of sin; He was creating a pathway for us to be reconciled to God. His sacrifice satisfied God’s justice and paid the price for sin, once and for all.

A Loving Sacrifice: The cross is the ultimate expression of both God’s justice and God’s love. In His death, Jesus opened the way for us to receive forgiveness, healing, and eternal life.

For me, this is where the cross becomes intensely personal. It is the place where God’s justice met His relentless love for you and me, offering us a chance to have a restored relationship with Him. Jesus didn’t die just to satisfy God’s wrath; He died to fully express the Father’s love, making a way for us to come home to God.

This truth has carried me through many moments of doubt and guilt, knowing that Jesus bore the punishment so I could walk in freedom and grace.

What This Means for Believers: Good News in Christ’s Suffering

For us as believers, knowing that Jesus’ feeling of abandonment on the cross was part of God’s redemptive plan gives profound hope. Jesus didn’t just endure physical pain; He carried the sins of the whole world yours and mine offering us eternal life and the assurance of God’s presence. Even in our hardest moments, we can trust that Jesus bridged the gap between us and the Father, ensuring we’re never truly alone.

Key Takeaways

Jesus’ Sacrifice: By taking on the world’s sin, Jesus ensured we would never have to face that kind of separation from God.

Hope and Freedom: The cross isn’t just about suffering it’s about good news, reminding us that because of Jesus’ victory, we can live free and forgiven.

Reflecting on this truth brings peace. The cross shows us that God’s love and grace are always near, even when we feel distant.

Final Thoughts: God’s Love and Presence in Our Suffering

Jesus’ experience on the cross, though filled with unimaginable suffering, was the ultimate demonstration of both God’s love and His divine justice. He bore the heavy burden of our sin so that we wouldn’t have to carry it ourselves.

In His deepest moment of isolation, when He cried out to the Father, it may have seemed like He was forsaken. But in reality, God’s love was still present, working out His perfect plan of redemption.

For us as believers, this truth holds incredible comfort. Just as Jesus never truly experienced separation from the Father’s love, we can rest in the assurance that God never forsakes His children. Even in our most difficult seasons, when life feels overwhelming and God seems distant, we are never far from the loving care of our Heavenly Father.

I’ve had moments in my own life where I felt burdened by anxiety and confusion, questioning if God was still near, but time and time again, I’ve found that His love remains steadfast, even when I can’t see it in the moment.

As you walk through your own present circumstances, remember that just as Jesus experienced the weight of sin and the darkness of the cross, He also overcame it all for us. His suffering wasn’t the end of the story, and neither is ours. We are held by the same God who carried His Son through that pain, and His love for us is unfailing.

Take comfort in knowing that you are never alone no matter what you’re facing. God’s love and presence are with you, always.

xoxo

Where In The Bible Does It Say God Turned His Face Away?

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Where In The Bible Does It Say God Turned His Face Away?