The Bible in Poetry: Revelation

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation
 

This is the revelation of Jesus that was given to the apostle John,

Concerning the end of time and the advent of a glorious new dawn;

John was on the isle of Patmos where he was banished from society,

It’s there that Christ would meet him and give him the final prophecy.
 

It’s a letter to some churches that were located in the Asian kingdom,

A message from the One who is and that was and now is to come;

I am the Alpha and Omega says Jesus, the Beginning and the End,

Write all that you see, John, and to the seven churches in Asia send.

To the church at Ephesus write, they from their first love had rested,

While to those at Smyrna write some of you will be greatly tested;

To the church at Pergamum Jesus said they had held fast his name,

But the way that some were going Balaam’s teaching was to blame.

The church at Thyatira: I know your deeds of love faith and service,

Tolerating Jezebel and misleading my servants is really taking risks;

To the angel of the church at Sardis, some of you think you are alive

But immorality and eating the food of idols you have taken a dive.

To the church at Philadelphia, I know in my word you are resting,

Since you have persevered I will keep you from the hour of testing;

To the angel of the church at Laodicea you are neither cold nor hot,

Though you have great wealth you are a wretched and miserable lot.

Then the chants repeated: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty!

Worthy art Thou, Our Lord, to receive honour and power and glory;

To Him who sits on the throne; to the Lamb be glory again and again,

Many angels joined in the chorus: Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.
 

Then there were the seals opening one through six then seven,

Followed by the seven trumpets all God’s judgment from heaven;

Then a woman, a great red dragon and beasts rising from the sea,

The beast having great authority blasphemed God most arrogantly.
 

Then the angels with their bowls did pour plagues upon the earth,

From the first angel until the seventh, this was no matter of mirth;

Next judgment against immorality; the woman on a scarlet beast,

Drunk with the blood of the saints she enjoyed a gluttonous feast.
 

An angel came from heaven saying Fallen is Babylon the great,

Her sins had piled to heaven but with judgment she kept her date;

Woe to the city of Babylon; the moment of her judgment had come,

God did judge her great wickedness by the power of His kingdom.
 

Finally the marriage of the Lamb; the bride has been approved,

Next appears a white horse on which sat the Faithful and True;

The beast and the false prophet were thrown in the lake of fire,

The rest of the dead provided a meal satisfying the birds’ desire.

After one thousand years is passed evil will be banished forever,

But the blessed redeemed of the Lord will part from Him never;

There, there’s no need for the sun or moon for Jesus is the Light,

Come Lord Jesus come, we pray, let our faith become our sight.

Conclusion

He who is the way and the truth is coming again some day,

It matters not the views and opinions or what the critics say;

Some say he was coming so long that maybe He has forgot,

Repent is the word that comes to them or hell will be their lot.

True as there’s a sky above there’s heaven and there’s hell,

Many arguments will ensue and will take some time to quell,

But faithful is He that has promised and faithful is he to fulfill,

Do give Him your all today while He is pleading with you still.

Stewart Russell © 2013

The Bible in Poetry: Hebrews to Jude

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

Hebrews to Jude

There is still much discussion concerning the writer of Hebrews,

Many argue it must be Paul but many commentators still refuse;

Whoever its writer may be none can deny its powerful truths,

Concerning the deity of the Christ there are many infallible proofs.

Jesus radiates of God’s glory; the exact representation of His nature,

Outside him there is no salvation and neither is there any Saviour;

Jesus, mediator of the new covenant, has everything under his feet;

Because God has given us a new covenant the first is now obsolete.

The chapter of the faithful in this book presents a lengthy list

Of them that gained God's approval but died short of the promise;

Disregard not the Lord’s correction for those He loves he disciplines,

God reproves His children for their good; of that they can be certain.

This epistle to the Hebrews speaks of better in so many ways

Of Jesus, better than the angels, a more excellent name than they;

The law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope

In Jesus, the surety of a better testament in which we now can cope.

For Jesus is our mediator in that he mediated a better covenant

Established on better promises for all the contrite and the penitent;

The faithful saints desired a better country, one that is an heavenly

Where God, pleased to be their God has prepared for them a city.

On that grand old list of the faithful some were delivered out of peril

Others saw a better resurrection as they were tortured by the devil;

That they without us would not be perfect God provided a better thing

In Jesus the mediator of the new covenant to the blood of sprinkling.

James the brother of Jesus has been credited with this book,

Now for a synopsis of its message we will take a brief look;

Consider it all joy he said when ever you fall into various trials,

Because trials develop and build patience; there’s no use in denial.

  

One of its abiding lessons is that a living faith produces works,

A dead faith is like an employee that does nothing but shirks;

Be careful with the tongue says he, it is a world of iniquity,

The tongue can no man tame; it’s unruly and its poison is deadly.

Be careful when you make your plans, be it tomorrow or today,

Your life is like a vapour that appears and quickly goes away;

Swear not by heaven or by the earth for this is not God’s way,

However convincing you want to be, yes is yes and nay is nay.

 

Peter’s first letter to Christians warns against the former lusts,

In the midst of persecution in Christ they should always trust;

Love always from the heart and feed on the milk of the word,

Be kind to one another; treat your brother as a good steward.

Peter’s second letter to Christians focuses on the end times,

Of mans’ many perplexities and divers wonders and signs;

God has freely given us everything pertaining to godly living,

We partake of the divine nature, compliments of His indwelling.

The last days mockers will increase heaping upon us much scorn,

Concerning the coming of Jesus and why he has not returned;

But the Lord is very patient not willing that any should perish,

And the signs of his coming are evident; soon we will get our wish.

First John highlights the fellowship we have with God and each other,

Some claim to have this fellowship yet walking in light is a bother;

What great love of the Father that we should be called His children!

Hatred fills the world around because the Son dwells not within them.

We must not love with empty words but love in deed and in truth,

When we help a brother in need our love is shown by such proof;

Do not believe every spirit John warns, each spirit ought to be tested,

If we ask anything in His will He will grant what we have requested.


2nd Letter of John

In the second letter of John he personifies the church like a lady,

He admonishes to be careful in dealing with the Gnostic heresy;

For those who did not believe that Jesus had come in the flesh

Abided not in the doctrine of Christ and they too had transgressed.


3rd Letter of John

 The third letter of John was written to a man whose name was Gaius,

The apostle was very assured he was walking in the truth of Jesus;

John chastised Diotrephes who had displayed unchristian behavior,

Never imitate that which is evil but always emulate the Saviour.

Jude was the brother of James and the Lord Jesus’ half-brother,

To take advantage of such relationship to him really did not matter;

He warns us to contend for the faith that once was delivered to us,

And keep ourselves in the love of God by His Son the Lord Jesus.

Stewart Russell © 2013

The Bible in Poetry: Galatians to Philemon

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

Galatians to Philemon 

The Galatians were admonished concerning another gospel,

While heeding the traditions of men they too could be sinful;

When the fullness of time had come God sent forth His Son

To redeem those under the under law and give to them freedom.

Christ has called us to freedom, away from the grip of slavery

So we ought to walk in the Spirit reflecting God’s sovereignty;

The deeds of the flesh are evident: immorality, strife, idolatry,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace and humility.

The Ephesians had lost their love; Paul had written to Timothy,

They concentrated on their deeds while forgetting God’s mercy;

In Christ we are redeemed; with the Holy Spirit we were sealed,

Christ’s hope, his glory, his greatness to us are being revealed.

 

Paul wrote to the Philippians to thank them for their love gift

But he also paid attention to a dangerous and widening rift;

He admonished us to think on things that are true and pure,

We can do all things through Christ; of this we can be assured.

The Colossians were being bombarded with a Gnostic heresy,

Paul sought to draw their attention to Christ’s deity and supremacy;

He told them to forgive one another as Christ had forgiven them

And to seek those things are above was another precious gem.

Three more spiritual commodities were peace and love and unity,

The peace of God should rule our hearts for we are all one body;

Wives are to submit to their husbands; husbands love their wives,

Children must obey their parents; this is how the family thrives.

 

Thessalonians number one: to persevere despite persecution,

To moral laxity and laziness some were showing an inclination;

Paul had to refute charges of preaching to fatten their wallets,

And when he did not return that he was a coward and hypocrite.

Satan having thwarted him he decided to send to them Timothy,

Paul taught on sanctification; abstaining from sexual immorality;

Love one another and lead a quiet life; two of the other concerns

And those who die in Christ will be first to rise when he returns.

The day of the Lord will come, said he just like a thief in the night,

People will say peace and safety then sudden will be their plight;

Do not quench the Spirit and examine all prophecies carefully,

And may the peace from God himself sanctify all of us entirely.

Thessalonians number two; Paul spoke to the church condition,

The Thessalonians continued to grow in spite of persecution;

But there was some false teaching concerning the Lord’s return,

Some saints had quit their jobs and this was a serious concern.

Some of them were undisciplined and were not working at all,

Let them eat their own bread was the instruction given by Paul;

Do not grow weary in well doing was given to those of diligence,

And the Lord of peace grant them peace in every circumstance.

Paul’s first pastoral epistle was addressed to Pastor Timothy,

To instruct certain men to restrain from the teaching of heresy;

He spoke of the mercy of God, about His enduring patience,

About fighting the fight of faith and having a clear conscience.

Paul addressed relationship like between a woman and a man,

Adam was created first; how the woman was deceived, not Adam;

Overseers must be above reproach; free from the love of money,

How Deacons must first be tested; they should be men of dignity.

In the second letter to Timothy Paul was confined to a Roman jail,

He encouraged Timothy even in times of hardship he must prevail;

In God was no spirit of fear but of love, a sound mind and power,

To guard the treasure entrusted him should be his sole endeavour.

For men will love themselves and vigorously attacked the truth,

But all Scripture is good for teaching, for correction and reproof;

Paul had fought a good fight; the time of his departure had come,

He was certainly confident that he would enter God’s kingdom.

 

Titus was a Gentile convert that had travelled with the apostle Paul,

Working with the church in Corinth he answered the master’s call

To organise the churches in Crete and appoint elders in every city,

Called to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those that disagree.

Philemon had a slave, Onesimus, that robbed him and ran away,

But divine providence would have it that he met Paul a certain day;

Philemon was Paul’s brother in Christ so Paul did write him a letter

To receive the repentant Onesimus, not as a slave, but as a brother.

Stewart Russell © 2013

The Bible in Poetry: Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

Romans, 1st & 2nd Corinthians

Romans highlights the gospel given to a man through grace,

About Jesus departing heaven and taking a sinner’s place;

Providing our justification and progressive transformation,

Complete in the image of Christ and our coming glorification.

In the book of Romans we read how eternal life we can receive,

The Gospel is the power of God to salvation to any who believe;

Being justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus,

For while we were yet sinners the Lord Jesus Christ died for us.

  

Therefore we are dead to sin and alive in God in Christ Jesus,

Sin should not reign in our bodies nor should we obey its lusts;

The result of sin is death but obedience ends in righteousness,

Being freed from sin and enslaved to God leads unto holiness.

To those who are in Christ Jesus there is now no condemnation,

Not only are we justified but in Christ Jesus we have redemption;

Christ fulfills the law of righteousness to every one that believes,

Both to the Jew and Gentile and all those that Christ receives.

We should never be conceited but show love without hypocrisy,

Bless those that persecute and be subject to them in authority;

Put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light,

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ as we walk by faith not by sight.

Corinthians number one tells of a church that is struggling,

God’s Spirit less counting, the spirit of the world pervading;

Taken up with the gift but ignoring Him that did the giving,

Concerning Christianity Paul sought to bring understanding.

The cross is folly to the lost but the power of God to the saved,

Wisdom to the fool He promised, strength to the weak He gave;

Concerning things of the Spirit the natural man cannot discern,

But to flee from immorality should be each Christian’s concern.

We are the servants of God and stewards of God’s mysteries,

And so as God’s custodians we ought to be found trustworthy;

Our body is the Spirit’s temple meaning really it is not our own,

We must glorify God in our body, His Son and His Spirit alone.

Knowledge can make one arrogant but love will edify,

The discipline of the Lord is critical; on Him we must rely;

The greatest gift is love and we should desire to prophesy,

That they were given to the church we should never deny.

 

In Corinthians number two Paul defends his apostleship,

Conferring praise to the Father lest they should let this slip;

Satan blinds the unbeliever; stops him from seeing the light

But they that are in Jesus Christ walk by faith and not by sight.

If a man sows in abundance an abundant harvest will be reaped,

A determination to sow a little is a creed we should not keep;

For God loves a cheerful giver and to him He gives sufficiently,

He multiplies the sower’s seed and gives harvest abundantly.

Paul who was taken to heaven saw things he couldn’t describe,

To keep him in humility a thorn in the flesh was prescribed;

God’s grace is sufficient for us; in our weakness it is perfected,

The power of Christ indwells us; therewith we can be contented.

Stewart Russell © 2013