The fact is, Christ, as is true also of us, had to lean totally on the faithfulness of God. During those dark hours in Gethsemane, Christ was being required to give back to God His inheritance, His glory, His very eternal Life in the Presence of God. Would they ever be restored? How could He be certain? After all, He was bearing on Himself the sins of the whole world.

What if He was doomed to spend eternity among the demons? What if God did not raise Him from the dead? The demons to the present hour claim that Jesus is chained to a rock in the underworld and is hurling profanities at God. This is what they threatened Him with that night in the garden of Gethsemane.

This is why Christ sweat, as it were, great drops of blood. This is why a holy angel was sent to strengthen Him. Christ was being cut off from God. He was bearing our sins on Himself and paying the penalty for our sins. He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf. He became the bronze serpent that was lifted up.

Christ understands, as does no one else, the extent of God's wrath against sin and rebellion.

This was the moment of supreme obedience, the obedience that reversed the effect of Adam's disobedience.

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)

Christ drank a frightful death from the cup. In doing so, He surrendered His will to the Father in absolute obedience.

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)

Obedience! We learn obedience to God through the things we suffer. As in the case of Abraham, Joseph, Christ, the Apostle Paul, and countless others less well known, when we are faithful in our prisons and sufferings other people are blessed.

Will there ever be an end to our sufferings? Yes, there shall indeed be an end. As soon as we are perfectly righteous, perfectly holy, perfectly obedient there will be no more need for chastening.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (I Peter 5:10)

We are chastened more severely than is true of the world. We receive of the Lord's hand double for all our sins. The sailors were not swallowed by the fish, only Jonah, only the man of God. But as soon as our "warfare has been accomplished" the Lord speaks comfortably to us.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:2)

What a blessed thought it is to realize we shall not be chastened forever! If we remain faithful, praying in our afflictions, there will come a time when the chastening is concluded. It shall come to an end!

God will not be forever scolding us. One day we will walk in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. (Isaiah 57:16)

We can prolong our sufferings by refusing to learn obedience; or we can shorten the program by being quick to learn, quick to obey.

But in no case can the sufferings of the righteous be avoided, for obedience must be formed in us so deeply, so perfectly, that God will be able to trust us with the power and glory of the ages to come.

We must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God. (from Learning Obedience Through Suffering)