(Rev. 21:3)
He is coming! our Beloved!
We shall soon behold His face,
Who hath filled our earthen vessels
With the treasures of His grace;
Who, through all our desert journey,
Leadeth onward by the light,
O'er the path of faith that shineth
Through the watches of the night.
He is coming! we are looking
For the Day-star in the sky,
And the groaning creature waiteth
The Redeemer from on high:
For He comes to purge His kingdom,
And His sovereign throne to take-
Bid the sword of God in judgment
And avenging power awake.
But, ere judgment-seals are opened,
He will come from off the throne,
With the voice of the archangel
Home to gather all His own.
And the saints of all the ages ,
His redeeming shout shall hear-
Quick and dead, o'er death triumphing,
Shall in glorious life appear.
All who trod faith's pilgrim pathway
In the ages that have passed,
Every promise of Jehovah
Shall reap blessedly at last;
And the Bride, made meet divinely
For His glory by His grace,
Shall behold, beyond the desert,
Her Beloved face to face!
When Redemption's song resoundeth
O'er creation's vast domain,
Every tongue shall tribute render
To the Lamb that once was slain-
Judah's Lion, God's Anointed,
Lord of all, by all confessed,
Heir of all, shall all inherit-
Satan shall be dispossessed!
From the heavenlies, foiled, defeated,
All his power on high overpast,
The accuser of the brethren
With his angels shall be cast.
To the earth the foe malignant
Shall in vengeful wrath descend,
For he knoweth his dominion
Draweth near its doomful end.
But, ere dawneth earth's redemption,
Comes a night of utter woe:
Unrestrained, the power satanic
As a flood shall overflow.
Though the "everlasting gospel"
Coming judgment maketh known,
In rebellious pride the creature
The Creator would dethrone.
For the worship due Jehovah
Shall the Antichrist demand;
Then apostate Jew and Gentile
God shall smite with wrathful hand:
And when passed the tribulation,
And while men's hearts fail for fear,
On the clouds of heaven coming
Shall the Son of Man appear.
He will come in kingly glory,
And omnipotent in might,
To redeem His earthly people,
And His enemies to smite.
He will come as the Avenger
Of unrighteousness, of blood,
And in fury tread the winepress
Of the holy wrath of God.
He will come His purchased kingdom
To redeem from Satan's sway,
And the nations' hosts embattled
With the sword divine shall slay:
Sin's dominion shall be broken,
And the arch-deceiver chained,
And the Light shall shed its glory
Where the power of darkness reigned.
Richly blessing and fulfilling
Every promise to His own,
King of kings He'll reign in Zion-
David's Son on David's throne;
And the nations, yielding homage
Unto God's anointed King,
Shall their glory and their honor
To His glorious city bring.
From the holy, heavenly city
There shall living waters flow,
And the Tree of Life perennial
Shall its healing leaves bestow;
And to utmost isles of ocean,
And from shore to farthest shore,
The Sun of Righteousness o'er all
Its gladdening beams shall pour.
In the light and love begotten
Of the knowledge of the Lord,
All kindreds of the earth shall dwell
In peace and blest accord:
And the jubilant hosannas
That a glorious Israel raise
Shall before His throne commingle
With the Gentile songs of praise.
When the Second Man assumeth
Over all His sovereign sway,
All defiling blight shall vanish,
And the curse be done away.
Earth shall yield in blest profusion;
Every creature-groan shall cease;
All creation bask in blessing
'Neath His benison of peace.
Ah! but e'en the age of blessing
And of glories that transcend,
Shall, like every age preceding,
At the last in judgment end.
For the carnal seed of Adam,
Born in sin, and sin-defiled,
Still impenitent remaineth,
And to God unreconciled.
E'en Messiah's reign millennial,
Though restraining, judging sin,
All unrighteousness suppressing,
Changeth not the heart within.
And the hosts at heart disloyal,
(Though they have obedience feigned)
Swell the rebel ranks of Satan
When on earth again unchained.
Long the fight 'tween Light and Darkness
Over all earth's ages spread,
But the Woman's Seed shall surely
Bruise at last the serpent's head.
And when darkness' power embattled
Dares contest God's sovereign claim,
Fire divine in judgment endeth
Earth's sad tale of sin and shame.
But of man 'neath sin's dominion
Shall the direful fruit be shown,
When the dead, arraigned for judgment,
Stand before the great white throne.
Long hath God forborne with evil,
But 'twill reap its due at last,
When the wicked from His presence
Are in outer darkness cast.
Power and place supreme were given
Unto the Incarnate Son,
Things on earth and things in heaven
All to reconcile in one.
All the will Divine accomplished-
All destroyed that held in thrall-
Christ delivers up the kingdom:
God shall then be all in all.
For Redemption's full fruition
Lies beyond time's little span;
God Himself will tabernacle
In eternity with man.
All things new, behold! He maketh;
Former things will pass away;
O'er new heavens and earth irradiant
Dawneth God's eternal day!
And the sons of God angelic,
Who acclaimed earth's primal morn,
Shall rejoice with joy exultant
O'er a fallen world re-born.
They had seen God's gracious purpose
Through the rolling years unfold,
Now the glorious consummation
They'll adoringly behold.
New Jerusalem! God's city!
Grace enthroned in light divine,
Shall through never-ending ages
To His praise and glory shine.
And within its pearly portals
Ransomed myriads shall adore-
All the glories of Immanuel,
Blest beholding, evermore!
And the earth, in new creation-
Blest abode, divinely fair-
Shall in holy, blest communion
God's eternal Sabbath share.
And the songs of earth and heaven
Shall as fragrant incense blend,
Gladsome praise and glory giving,
That shall never, never end.
O beloved, He is coming!
We shall soon behold His face,
And in highest heights of glory
Learn how deep the depths of grace.
All the triumphs and the glories
Of our souls' Beloved we'll see-
But o'er all His crowning glory
Evermore the Cross will be!
W. L. G.