Jesus’ Final Heartbreak

For 6,000 years God has been pleading with men and women to turn toward him and be rescued from sin. The prophet Ezekiel conveys a typical appeal:

“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”
—Ezekiel 33:11. (Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptural texts in the DISCOVER guides are from the New International Version of the Bible [NIV].)

Jesus continued the same appeal during His ministry on earth:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened [by sin], and I will give you rest.”
—Matthew 11:28.

When Jesus cried out on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” He laid bare His aching heart (Luke 23:34). Then He added, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Soon afterward Jesus yielded up His life. Some physicians believe He died of a broken heart (John 19:30 and 34). The cross revealed how much God wants to rescue fallen humanity.

But even with this powerful demonstration of divine love, many individuals will still not turn to Jesus. And those who persist in holding on to sin will eventually be destroyed by fire. That will be a heartbreaking time for Jesus as He sees the fire consuming the ones He died to save.