A Bad Good Friday

 

 

The first Good Friday was a bad one:

The Lord Jesus was crucified,

For his followers and those he had healed

It was day to be despised.

 

The one upon whom their hope lay

Was suddenly taken away,

Their champion, like none from before,

Was crucified on that day.

 

Crushed were their expectations

And devastated would have been apt,

All that was left to do was run and hide;

All their gains were rolled back.

 

 

Things looked bright and hope was alive;

Their conquerors were held at bay

But the tables were turned unexpectedly,

As in the tomb their champion lay.

 

They gazed from afar afraid to come near;

Fear was then their greatest torment,

Betrayal and denial were in evidence

And Judas did not live to repent.

 

A bad Good Friday is an apt summary

As we looked back on that dreadful scene,

For his disciples, it was a nightmare

But for the Jews, a realistic dream.

 

They had planned with bedevilment

And had yearned for this eventful day:

The day they would see the back of Christ

And under the ground he would lay.

 

 

They rode on the backs of the Romans

Since crucifixion was without their remit,

They were bent on killing the Lord Jesus

But were actually following his script.

 

He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquity,

The chastisement of our peace was on him

And with his stripes we are healed.

 

It was a horrid day to the faithful few,

For the Jews, it was a dream come true,

But to everyone that believes in Jesus,

It is salvation to both Greek and Jew.

 

The first Good Friday was a bad one

But the resurrection removed the bad

So that each born-again believer ever since,

Has had every reason to be glad.

 

Stewart Russell © April 14, 2022