Jesus’ Last Test

By Thomas Fullmer

When Jesus came before the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knelt at a rock that
He had found there in the exploration of the Garden many times before. “Oh Father,” he
said, “What is thy will concerning me? Let it be done! Thy will be done, not mine. I
subject myself willingly unto thee. What must I yet do that these who believe in Me
might have Eternal Life? What must I do to return to thee? What sacrifice do you
require of me?”

In His mind came a voice which said, “I require as a final sacrifice everyone who has
ever lived or will ever yet live. For none are acceptable unto Me!”

“What do you mean everyone that has ever lived? That is why I make this sacrifice so
the righteous may enter thy presence.”

“They are not worthy! Only you are worthy to enter my presence.”

“But they are those who believe in me, my friends, my family, those I love with all of my
heart. What am I doing all this for if not for them!”

“Nevertheless,” said the voice in Jesus’ mind, “Justice must be satisfied. They are not
worthy. No unclean thing can enter my presence. Only you are clean. Only you are
worthy of Me and My presence.”

Jesus was taken aback. Was this not the plan they had discussed from the beginning of
time that he would redeem mankind. Had the Father betrayed Him? Had He had a
different plan all along? Had Satan actually been right? Was God the Father the liar?
No it could not be. He trusted the father implicitly. He knew he was a God of truth and
could not lie.

“But what about Thy promise? What about Thy plan? Thy plan to bring to pass the
immortality and eternal life of man! What say ye about that?”

“What can I say, none are acceptable before me but you My only begotten son in the
flesh. I cannot rob justice, or I would cease to be God.”

Christ considered this a moment and then slowly he said, “Then take them before me. I
will dwell in the awful pit with Satan for all eternity if you will but accept them into the
presence, all those who love and believe on me, whom I also love with all of My heart.
Take them and let me suffer for eternity. I will give up all for them.” It tore at His very
being to say this. He could feel the weight of evil bearing down on Him even as he spoke
the words crushing him, forcing great drops of sweat to down His cheeks, His back, His
forehead, His chest, His whole body, Huge drops of blood fell like rain as the great
weight descended upon him, the weight of an eternity and universe full of sin, evil, and
spiritual darkness, of which he had never before tasted. It would crush him, obliterate
him. Northing he had ever experienced had ever prepared him for this. How could it be?
He was pure? He was so perfect? His robes were spotless before the Father.

“Father!” He cried out in agony and pain, such as no being had ever felt. “Father!”

“Just let them suffer their fate and enter into my presence, that is all you must do. Accept
that they are not worthy of My kingdom. Accept that only you are, and the agony will
end.”

“I can not!”

“Yes you can! End your own suffering and leave it to them! There is no need for you to
bear the weight of eternity for all eternity. Let them take responsibility for their own
suffering.”

“I will not!”

“Why? Why not? Are You too good or something? Will You be a martyr anyway, even
though all is lost? Why not let them their punishment, and you will get your just reward,
eternal life.”

“I cannot! Because I will not abandon them!” cried out Christ as he fell first to one hand
and then to two, to the side of the great rock he prayed at.

“Why not?”

“Because I love them with all of my heart. Dear Father, because I…love…them!””

“Nevertheless, they are not worthy of me.”

“Take them instead of me!” cried out Christ as he fell prostrate on his belly. “Take them
instead of me! Them,” reach up with one arm as he lay on his right side on the ground.
Them! Not me! I sacrifice all I have and all I am for them! Oh Father it is not supposed
to be like this.”

“Nevertheless…”

Jesus’ body twitched as his raised arm fell, hit his side limply and fell on the groun. denly
there was a silence as Jesus’ body fell still, and did not, could not move. One last
“Father” escaped his tortured throat as his body lay rigid as if in excruciating pain on the
ground. The weight of all eternity blocked any more cries, and kept him motionless. He
was trapped beneath it, the only hope for all mankind trapped beneath the weight of all
eternity. All the sins man ever could commit, or ever would commit he bore. The wind
blew over him and his clothes rustled, but he did not stir. It was as if he had no power to
even raise a finger. It he had not been a god, perhaps he would have died. But he was a
son of God and could not die. But he could suffer. And so he did under the weight of all
eternity. So he did suffer.

All was still as a song bird echoed the cry, and greeted the approaching dawn.

Then suddenly from beneath the invisible weight of the eternities, Jesus began to stir, first
a finger moved, than a hand, than an arm, then he struggled to his feet, as if he were a
prized gladiator who though badly wounded refused to go down. He stood there shaking
as he bore up the impossible weight that bore down upon him. Great drops of blood fell
from every pore pores as he struggled to remain standing.

“I will sacrifice myself for these!” He cried out. “I will for all eternity! I will sacrifice
myself for these! Please father let them enter into thy rest! Let them enter into they
rest!” He stood there shaking, then fell to one knee, then to two, and then…

A voice pierced the night, a still small voice, that of the father. “Oh My Beloved Son, in
Whom I am well pleased, thy sacrifice is acceptable unto me,” said the voice that had
first testified of the divinity of His son when John had first baptized Him. “Ye shall soon
enter into My rest with all ye deem worthy of eternal life.”

The weight was gone as the first ray of sun broke the dawn sending its light into the
Savior of mankind and giving him strength and lighting his face so that it glowed with
white heat. And in that moment became he the Christ, Savior and King.

He staggered back and forth and spoke with great effort, “Thank you Father! Thank
you!” He wept sweet tears of joy for those souls that he now would save, because there
was no bitterness in him, nor could there ever be.

Ahead lay the agony of the cross, physical torture and torment, but compared to the
spiritual pain he had endured it was child’s play, for mere mortals. He had born up under
the weight of all eternity, something only a God could do. Any man could die on a cross,
but only he could pay the price and pass the test as he had just done in the Garden of
Gethsemane.. The bitterest part of the cup was drank from, he could endure the rest, and
then all man kind would have the chance at eternal life if they would but come unto him.
The atonement was not quite complete, but the hardest part of his journey was over. He
had WON!