Hello Chestnutmare,
There was this interesting statement in the article you linked:
It was not that the Father hated his Son on the Cross. There was no emotional anger on the Father’s part. He never ceased to love the Son in whom he was well pleased. There was, however, a judicial suffering caused by God. God’s wrath in this context should be seen not as a divine emotion, but as a divine act, a point that is stressed by Shedd in his masterly treatment of the subject. Calvin makes the same point:
Yet we do not suggest that God was ever inimical or angry toward him. How could he be angry toward his beloved Son, ‘in whom his heart reposed’? (cf. Matt. 3:17). How could Christ by his intercession appease the Father towards others, if he were himself hateful to God? (Institutes 2:16:11).
So, according to the article, the wrath of God that the Son endured on the cross was not an "emotional anger" but it was a "divine act".
Here is another quote from the article:
‘When it is stated that ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us’ (Gal. 3:13), not only is it implied that we were ‘the children of wrath’ (Eph. 2:3), and under God’s curse, but also it is implied that when Christ was made a curse for us he was the object of divine wrath.
The author doesn't give us any definitive biblical statement that the Lord Jesus Christ was the object of the wrath of God but only says that it is "implied" within the statement that Jesus Christ became a curse for our sake.
Joseph is a type of Christ. The "cross" and "curse" that Joseph had to endure for the sake of his brethren was being sold into slavery and then cast into prison. In all of his trials and sufferings, Joseph's "quality"-- his faithfulness, obedience, endurance, devotion, etc.--shone through. His worthy qualities were manifested with his trials and even Pharoah could see that Joseph was a man worthy to be exalted to Pharoah's right hand to save Egypt from famine and death.
In scripture, sufferings and trials are a prerequisite for ruling and reigning. Paul says, "...and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we
suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."(Rom 8:17) Can you imagine suffering with the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we enduring the wrath of God when we suffer with Him?
In Matthew 20:20-23 the mother of the sons of Zebedee come to Jesus and asks if they can sit on Jesus's left hand and right hand to rule with Him and Jesus asks them "are you able to be drinking the cup which I am about to be drinking?" That cup of trial and suffering is a prerequisite for reigning.
"Now you are those who have continued
with Me in My trials. And I am covenanting a covenant with you, according as My Father covenanted a kingdom to Me that you may be eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom. And you will be seated on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."(Luke 22:28-30)
Do you notice the connection between partaking in the trials with Jesus Christ that the 12 disciples would endure and being seated on 12 thrones in the kingdom?
Here is the same promise to those who suffer for their faith in the tribulation:
"The one who is conquering, to him will I be granting to be seated with Me on My throne as I, also, conquer, and am seated with my Father on His throne."(Rev 3:21)
Jesus Christ conquered the world. He remained faithful and true no matter what trials and sufferings the world put Him through. His reward is to be seated on God's throne. Likewise, there is a reward for those who suffer with Christ also.
Suffering is a gift: "...for to you it is graciously granted, for Christ's sake,...to be
suffering for His sake also, having the same struggle such as you are perceiving in me..."(Phil 1:29)
We can suffer for Jesus Christ's sake. If you suffer for someone's sake that doesn't automatically mean that you are suffering as their substitute. In this context, we can suffer for the truth of Who Jesus Christ is and what He has done and will do.
Why did Jesus Christ die? "For this Christ died and lives, that He should be Lord of the dead as well as of the living."(Rom 14:9)
"He humbles Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, also, God highly exalts Him..."(Phil 2:8,9)
God highly exalted Him because of His worthy qualities such as humility and obedience. When Israel left Egypt God told them that if they were obedient then God would bless them by making them into a kingdom of kings and priests and they would then be a blessing to the nations. So, hypothetically speaking, this is what "could" have happened(of course it really couldn't happen since the flesh is unable to keep the law):
Israel's obedience-->God's delight-->blesssing, power, authority-->blessing to the nations
What happened though was this:
Israel's disobedience(unworthiness)-->God's wrath-->curses of the law
Here is how we are blessed through Christ's obedience:
1) Christ's obedience, humilty, etc.(worthiness)
2) God delights in His obedient, worthy Son
3) God rewards and blesses His obedient Son with a throne, a kingdom, all power and authority in heaven and on earth, the inheritance of all things, etc.
4) The Son uses the power and authority given to Him to judge the living and the dead, abolish death, subject all to himself, etc.
Charles