"And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein," ISA 35:8.

I want to speak about how Christ opened a way which shall be called the way of holiness.

John 17:25a says, "O righteous Father...." The Lord Jesus Christ was offering His intercessory prayer just before He was to descend under the wrath of God to make the way that we are going to speak about, and He was there before the righteousness of the Father.

The righteous and just demands of the law demanded payment in full. There was absolutely no way that God could allow His justice to fall. The Father was too Holy, too righteous, and too just to allow even one sin to go unpunished.

The Lord Jesus Christ was standing before this righteousness, and He was facing that baptism under the wrath of the Father in order to pay the penalty of sin.

It is a paradox when we speak of the righteousness of God on one hand, and then we speak of Him as the Father on the other hand. There is a paradox between His righteous and just demands under the law, and the tenderness and love of the Father.

"The tender love a father has for all of his children dear. Such love the Lord bestows on them who worship Him in fear." Oh, the power of those words.

It is such eternal love that God the Father had for His fallen church, and that tender Fatherly love of His heart was so drawn out and bestowed on those who worship Him in fear.

What did God do? He brought forth His own Son out of His bosom to pay the penalty of sin, so His church could be reconciled. This is how He made a way for those whom He had loved from all eternity.