What’s so good about Good Friday?

Our earth has seen some pretty dreadful days throughout human history. Some that quickly come to mind include: the fall of mankind into the slavery of sin, the first ever murder (Cain killed Abel), the flood, human slavery, infanticide, and that’s just to name a few from the first two books of the Bible. There is of course, many more examples from this last century alone such as: WWI, WWII, the continual unease in the middle east, governmental dictatorships in countries like North Korea, September 11 terrorist attacks and the list could go on and on.

There seems to be no end to the tragedies that planet earth has experienced. However, there is one event that has shaken not just our plant but the entire universe and the heavens far above to its core; the death of the second person of the Godhead, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Martin Luther, one of the key men responsible for reformation period of the church, once spent 3 days alone in his study contemplating the words of Jesus from Calvary’s cross; “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me” (Matt 27:46). On the third day he emerged from his study gaunt and dishevelled; turning to his wife he declared “God forsaking God, who can understand such a thing!” He was right, who can possibly understand the transaction that occurred between the Father and the Son that day. For the first and the last time in human history the perfect communion that exists between the Godhead was broken for 3 long, agonising hours before Jesus declared “Its is finished” (John 19:30) and offered up His Spirit in death.

On reflecting on this event, an event that certainly the angels in Heaven would profess as the worst day they have ever witnessed, it seems odd that Christians today declare the commemoration of this day as “Good Friday”. I’ve often thought to myself “do unbelievers think Christians are insane?” I mean what type of twisted person celebrates the death of their Lord?

The answer… one that understands what it was His death accomplished. Hebrews 2:14-16 sums it up perfectly:

¹⁴Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Did you catch that? It was by the death of the Christ that He destroyed the power of death, that is, the devil. Satan has been rendered powerless at the foot of the cross. He has no authority, no hold, no threat of fear in the life of the one who has surrendered their life to the Saviour Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

So to that I simply say, what a good Friday indeed!