In Hebrews 2:9 we read that “Jesus … by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” How is it that Jesus tasted death for every man? Ellen White says, “Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race.” {Desire of Ages, Page 753}. What is this “anguish”?
If we want to know the anguish Jesus experienced, we should look into His face as He died crying, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46; Ps. 22:1). Then, as we look to the face of the Father, we see that He was right there by His Son; “… neither hath He hid His face from Him; but when He cried unto Him, He heard.” (Ps. 22:24).
“God and His 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.” {Desire of Ages, Page 753}.
In that darkness Christ could not sense the abiding presence of His Father, just as the wicked in the end will not be able to sense the Father’s presence due to their disbelief in His everlasting mercy. They, as did Christ, will sense they are forsaken. And as we wrongly “did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted”, the wicked in the end will wrongly believe they are “stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." (Isaiah 53:4)
