Demise and Redemption
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesThe demise of man very quickly began
Soon after he was placed in the garden,
For, Adam’s wife Eve, Satan did deceive,
And, for them, there was found no pardon.
Satan told her a lie to get her to try
The fruit God forbade them to eat.
She was tempted and then she ate and did sin
And caused Adam, his sin, to complete.
They had disobeyed God so it wasn’t odd
That, from paradise, He drove them out.
They discovered, now, by the sweat of man’s brow,
They must earn their bread, without doubt.
While in paradise, everything was so nice;
They were fed from the bounty of Eden.
With the advent of sin, did their trials begin
To provide all the things they’d be needin’.
Also, while there in God’s loving care
They had access to the tree of life.
For sin, God’s revulsion, caused the expulsion
Of Adam, and of Eve, his wife.
There are none who can say, on that very day
That their souls did not “surely die”.
They were no longer whole, having lost their soul
In succumbing to Satan’s black lie.
Then ages rolled by, but most didn’t try
God’s will and commands to obey.
In vile sin they stood, so He sent them a flood
To wash all the evil away.
He ordered an ark for eight souls to embark;
They rose safely above the great flood,
Which drowned out the mirth of a sin filled earth,
Looking forward to Christ’s sinless blood.
Then it was learned that sin, soon, returned,
But before time, God had started a plan.
Tho in sin man was dead, God had looked far ahead
To eternal redemption of man.
But, on the long way to that historical day
Much more time was to intervene,
So God called a man from his native land
To a place he had never seen.
God promised to him, though his way be dim,
In his seed all nations would be blessed,
And, he was promised the land, on which he did stand,
But must prove himself by passing each test.
His acts proved his faith, as the scriptures saith
From his travels to the slaying of his son.
From the Ur to the grave, and the son that he gave,
That, in all, God’s will would be done.
Then, later, his heir, Jacob, lived there,
Known as Israel, a God given name.
Another 400 years, before his living heirs
Could, truly, the promised land, claim.
Jacob and his dependents, ev’ry one of his descendants
Went to live in Egypt, for a while.
Pharaoh put them in bondage, so it wasn’t a fond age;
Their burdens were so great they couldn’t smile.
Slavery lasted for years, causing bitter tears,
Before the prophet, Moses, came along.
Yet, God blessed them so well that Pharaoh could tell-
They numbered now into a mighty throng.
Then, when Moses came in the “I AM’s” name
Miracles were wrought to set them free.
The blood of a lamb sprinkled on the door jamb
Finally brought the Pharaoh to his knee
Ev’ry first born male–bringing death’s wail–
Was taken from the land, as they slept,
Except Jacob’s kin were protected within;
Under the blood of the lamb, they were safely kept.
Just like the flood, this looked to the blood
To be shed by the sinless “Lamb Of God”.
To redeem sinful man was always God’s plan,
From the sinfilled earth on which he trod.
As Israel fled, there arose a great dread
For the army of Pharaoh was following behind.
When blocked by the Red sea, God set them free–
He parted the water; dry land they did find.
They came to the shore–God helped them once more,
The army which followed, came on in.
God then closed the water, causing great slaughter
Of those evil representatives of sin.
Much like the sea, to cleanse you and me,
Immersion in water was to come along.
Still many a day–it was still far away,
But, to the plan it would belong.
They traveled on toward the dawn,
To a mount, where God gave a law.
It couldn’t forgive; in sin they would live,
For God had inserted a flaw.
Though it couldn’t forgive those who would live
Before Christ would come upon the scene,
If they’d only obey, looking to that day,
His blood would still wash them clean.
After receiving the law, Moses returned and saw
The people worshiping an idol of gold.
His heart was grieved; Satan had once more deceived;
The scene was too sad to behold.
They came to the land God had promised them and
Weak faith in God caused them to sway.
They sent in twelve spies, ten didn’t realize
That God would uphold them all the way.
In fear they were weak and they didn’t seek
His blessings, so He turned them away.
Only two who were men, when the trek did begin
Would be allowed to enter, someday.
Many trials and fears o’er the next forty years
Came through their lack of faith and trust.
Though there surely had been many wonders seen;
Their clothes didn’t wear and their tools didn’t rust.
When they entered the land, God told them to stand
Upon His word, obeying ev’ry command.
They promised to obey and for many a day
They found a life beautiful and grand.
Through animal sacrifice, which could never suffice,
They remembered their sins, year by year.
Again they turned away; from the law went astray—
Of God’s vengeance they had little fear.
God gave them up to life’s sparkling cup
And put them in slavery once more.
They had slipped God’s bridle to worship an idol
So the wrath of God was in store.
When at last they returned to the land they had spurned
They worshiped the idol, never again.
But when Jesus came in the Father’s name,
Their rejection was a heinous sin.
Great crowds he would draw, His miracles they saw
But most would not follow God’s son.
For they had great pride and would only deride
After seeing the wonders He’d done
The eternal plan for redemption of man
Was now to be put into action,
For Christ, alone, man’s sins could atone;
He was sinless, to God’s satisfaction.
On the cross, crucified, for all sins He died,
And sacrificed His sinless blood.
God gave a new law, got rid of that flaw;
Christ’s blood was that cleansing flood.
No more sinful priest, that practice had ceased;
With Christ, the old law was nailed to the cross.
Though He was deceased, He became our high priest
With His sacrifice to God for our dross.
His blood first cleansed the obedient who had sinned
From Adam, at the very beginning,
Who had tried their best to pass God’s test,
But none could live without sinning.
Then those who would live after the cross and give
Their obedient lives to the Christ
Being immersed in water will miss the slaughter,
For His sinless blood has sufficed.
Now, in being away from that tree til this day
Man’s body will continue to decline.
But the guilt, I bear not, of Adam’s dark blot,
But for sins, which surely are mine.
Without His blood, that cleansing flood,
My soul would be a continuing loss.
But He has paid, and the cost defrayed,
Of my debt, by His death on the cross.
But faith alone He does not condone—
The devils tremble as they believe.
They’ll ne’er enter the path, but feel God’s wrath.
True obedience, they could never conceive.
But–as the flood and the sea, immersion would be
That which would wash all of our sins away.
As Christ, then, arose, I know all of those
Who follow His word will see endless day.
Then, praise the Lord for His holy word,
And–for the blood which He shed.
For my crimson sins He died to cleanse
And to raise me from the dead.
By L. B. Strawn,
March 3, & July 9, 1994