inspects His domain.
Denouncing religion, He upholds the truth.
Healing the cripples and relieving all pain,
Lord Jesus has power to restore our youth.
It is their last chance. Prophecy unfolds.
Time has run out. The Savior weeps.
The King has gone. Now history holds
Jerusalem probated, and her glory keeps.
He leaves the Temple and foretells its destruction.
Until they bless Him in the Name of the Lord
The Gentiles will hear and receive His instruction
While Israel mourns and flees from the sword.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem your Savior cries.
You’ve missed it again, but it’s worse, this last.
Your house is left desolate, your Jesus sighs.
You’ve rejected your future; you’re left with your past.
You’ll grind through the centuries like Samson sorrowing
Who held to his God though his light was dim.
The blind Judge of Israel, some guidance borrowing,
Foreshadowed the mourning of the sons of Shem.
Your temple was given to you to serve God
Whom you have rejected and condemned as a liar.
You give Him to Gentiles who think it not odd
That to all He gives life and The Spirit’s fire.
101
The nations receive Him because you have sent Him
Away from yourselves that He might be killed.
He sends you to the nations. That’s the thought that you lent Him.
Now the nations are saved, but that’s what God willed.
You’ll thrive again just as Samson’s hair grew.
Your God may chasten, but not cast you away.
He’ll bring you again. His mercies are more true.
He’ll call you with love. There’ll be a new day.
But, now to the cross and the tomb goes Messiah.
Dark tragedy blankets the land with grief.
The loss is profound, but the prophets did prophesy
His sacrifice would save us and bring us relief.
There’s an upper room where the Savior goes
To celebrate the ancient feast.
Passover is the time when Israel shows
They were saved by Lamb’s blood, and their slavery ceased.
He took His apostles from the old to the new.
With loving hands He washed their feet.
As He talked their understanding grew
To release the past, the Kingdom to greet.
The Kingdom of God is soon to come.
The fruit of the vine no more He’ll drink
Until He drinks it new with some
Whose faith will understand the link.
The link is between the new and the old.
One covenant paves the way for another that’s better.
The law makes us see God’s grace untold.
Christ’s truth enforces beyond the law’s letter.
His kingdom of righteousness has a solid foundation,
A perfect covenant of truth and grace.
Sins are forgiven, but the new creation
Makes holiness happen in depravity’s place.
Satan’s defeated. His efforts backfire.
Christ he wounds, but Jesus kills death.
Life is triumphant. Mankind can aspire
To see God’s face and forever draw breath.
We’ve won, but those nails pierce flesh that’s holy.
The daughters of Zion wail and lament.
The sight of the Savior hung so coldly
Pierces their souls, but His head is unbent.
From thorns on His head to stripes on His back
A redeeming river flows like a flood.
The world’s weight of sins is a tortuous rack.
He dissolves that load with His own holy blood.
He exhausts the curse of God’s holy law.
Christ fulfills the requirements of a kinsman redeeming.
He removes the world’s guilt and every flaw
That fouled God’s image in man once gleaming.
But His soul is suffering more than His flesh.
Banished from paradise because He is one
With a bride, entangled in love’s dark mesh,
So separated from God that He feels undone.
“My God, My God, forsake me not.”
The scapegoat’s cry escapes His lips.
His soul is an offering for dark sin’s blot.
He’s trapped in our sin and our punishment grips.
His soul is an offering for humanity’s sin.
But, by His stripes the believer is healed.
His misery makes Satan sneer a silly grin.
But Christ acquires a new power to wield.
The right to redeem from the enemy’s grasp
Is a privilege the devil could never foresee.
Christ breaks the lock and undoes the hasp
That held hell’s prisoners, and now we are free.
Free to serve God and become His children,
We can stand in the light and rebuke the night.
The new day has dawned that will have no end.
We repent of our wrong and embrace Christ’s light.
But, into the tomb goes the Lord’s cold corpse.
For three days He lays in the heart of the earth.
Not a bone was broken for God’s word supports
God’s purpose to witness to His awesome worth.
Guards seal the tomb, but angels protect
Him who expectantly, powerfully lies within.
He foretold His own death, but none could suspect
How correctly He predicted, “I will rise again.”
The tide of power against the grave arises.
A surge of victorious triumph explodes.
A glorious morning of miracle surprises,
And the doom of all evil valiantly forebodes.
“I rose again”, is Jesus’ credential.
“I’ll come again”, is His promise certain.
“You’ll live again”, is His gospel essential.
Heaven will open like a majestic curtain.
The Kingdom of God has a sure foundation.
Christ is the solid cornerstone.
Serving God is an effectual vocation.
The barrier between God and man is gone.
Rejoice, you hills and you ancient mountains,
You rivers of grace and of love’s allure.
You crashing waves and gleaming fountains,
Your God has cleansed you, and now you are pure.
The River of Life fulfills your destiny.
An ocean of love receives your homage.
The Garden of God is watered by the intensity
Of God’s grace through Christ who displays His image.
For all eternity our future is blessed.
Forever we dwell with a family of love.
We’ll never be banished from heavenly rest,
Securely comforted by our Father above.
The power of grace is to forever cleanse
The immortal souls of guilty men.
The pardon of God permanently rescinds
The decree against the offence of sin.
“Our life is hidden with Christ in God”,
Is written in a holy epistle of Paul.
We’re as dead in sin as if under the sod,
But we live again when we answer Christ’s call.
We rose with Christ if we’re joined with Him.
He died because He was willing to be us.
He had no sin, but full to the brim
Was our cup which He drank in order to free us.
All glory to Jesus, our risen Lord.
All praise to our mighty Father above.
Blessed be the Spirit whose word is His sword.
Thanks be to God for redeeming love.
End
About the Author
John Lowstreet has spent his life trying to know God personally and to more deeply understand God. His one quest is to have more experiences with God. John studied the Bible to find God, and as he found Him, grew to love Him. His writings and poems reflect deeply held convictions about the character of God and the importance of Jesus Christ. Christ is not complicated. He is profound, however.
There are other books by John Lowstreet at e-book retailers for your use and enjoyment.
How To Be Blessed By Christ
How To Be Blessed By Jesus
In Cadenced Thought
The Power of His Christ
Looking Askance
How to Pray Like Jesus
Evangelism in Verse
You are invited to place a review of this book at your favorite e-book retailer.
Thank you for reading.
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