Heaven viewed with grief and amazement Christ hanging upon the cross, blood flowing from His wounded temples, and sweat tinged with blood standing upon His brow. From His hands and feet the blood fell, drop by drop, upon the rock drilled for the foot of the cross. The wounds made by the nails gaped as the weight of His body dragged upon His hands. His labored breath grew quick and deep, as His soul panted under the burden of the sins of the world. All heaven was filled with wonder when the prayer of Christ was offered in the midst of His terrible suffering,--"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Yet there stood men, formed in the image of God, joining to crush out the life of His only-begotten Son. What a sight for the heavenly universe!

Med sorg og forfærdelse så Himmelen Kristus hænge på korset, medens blodet flød fra hans sårede tindinger, og sved, der var farvet af blod, brød frem på hans pande. Dråbe for dråbe faldt blodet fra hans hænder og fødder ned på klippen, hvor der var boret et hul til korsets fod. Sårene, der var frembragt af naglerne, blev større, fordi hans legemes vægt blev båret af hænderne. Hans åndedræt blev hastigt og tungt, medens hans sjæl våndede sig under byrden af verdens synd. Hele Himmelen fyldtes af undren, da Kristus midt under sin frygtelige lidelse opsendte denne bøn: "Fader! tilgiv dem; thi de ved ikke, hvad de gør." Luk. 23,24. Og dog stod der mennesker, som var skabt i Guds billede, og enedes om at udslukke Guds enbårne Søns liv. Hvilket syn var ikke dette for det himmelske univers!