Although he was on the cross, Christ still had one last battle to fight: to take back from the devil the power he had stolen from Adam, with which he oppressed mankind. The Savior went all the way in His mission to give man complete freedom: Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2.15).

The Son of God never sinned, but the moment He received our iniquities, sicknesses and infirmities, the Father abandoned Him, because He couldn't stay by His side. The Most High is the Holiness of holies, the Consuming Fire. So, if He had remained by the Son's side, He would have struck Him dead. When God left Him, the Savior exclaimed: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27.46) What an hour!

On the cross, Jesus died twice. The first time was spiritual death, separation from God. You see, Christ is the second Adam. The first died when he disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3). In the second, the sins and evils were laid on the Savior. At that crucial moment, Jesus said He was thirsty and was given vinegar: So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19.30). Then He descended into hell (see Isaiah 63).

The prophet spoke about Christ's fight against the devil in order to strip him of the authority that was actually ours, but was usurped from Adam when he fell into transgression: Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? – “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” (Isaiah 63.1). Hallelujah!

No one was with the Lord when He went to hell, not even an angel. He had to win our victory by Himself: “I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes. (Isaiah 63.3). This symbolic language expresses the fierce battle against the kingdom of death.    

The Son had left all His glory as God and came as a man to carry out the Father's plan. Being the only one without sin, the choice fell to Him: As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; (Romans 3.10). You see, our salvation almost didn't take place. The Holy One came to sanctify us with His blood and will soon return to take us to Heaven!

We should never waste time on religious matters and cults that promote someone as an intermediary between the Lord and man. This has nothing to do with the Gospel. It is a practice to be rejected by sensible people. The only One we can glorify is the heavenly Father, in the person of His Son, Jesus. Anyone who departs from this truth is lost in a religious tangle and, if they don't turn to the Word, they will remain that way. Mercy!

   In Christ, with love,

           R. R. Soares