Whilst hanging on the cross
A last second substitute
Before all was lost?
Is this why he cried out
'My God, My God' so loud
Showing disappointment
Before a hostile crowd?
Would God not intervene,
Offer another lamb
Or would he be passed over
A dangling great I AM?
Abandoned but begotten
Left to face his fate?
Would help arrive in ‘nick of time’
Or would it come too late?
Where’s the lamb, asked Isaac
And told ‘God will provide’
But Jesus died in plain sight
No place for grace to hide.
Jesus, like old Isaac
An only begotten son,
Isaac was no substitute
But Jesus was the one.
We like sheep have gone astray
Unblemished lambs we’re not
God led the One to slaughter
The Passover he’d begot.
Offering isn’t ‘finished’
Until the sacrifice
For any true atonement
Blood shed must suffice.
Behold the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin
God accepts no substitutes
For Jesus, in the end.
Nov. 8, 2007
BW3
2 comments:
This is a REALLY good poem! The dangling I am line is picturesque, and the line about God accepting no substitutes for Jesus is catchy and so true! Amen! My wife is something of a poet, so I'm going to email it to her.
Marc
Thank you, Dr. Witherington.
Naturally, I had thought about AKEDAH pointing forward to Jesus, but I had never imagined Jesus thinking back to the deliverance of Isaac.
Meditating on the cross has always been such a source of perspective, humility, love, and strength for me. Thank you for adding another very powerful and poignant image.
Beautiful poem as well. God bless you!
(I finished school this summer and I miss Asbury greatly!)
--Clay Brackeen
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