Behold the Lamb of God 

I- The Impasse of the Fall

What other death could the fangs of Death shatter?

What other death could from its sting deliver? 

Generations of Adam to Death’s horrors in thrall,

Withered and wasted away from the day of his fall;

Pining for freedom from their ruthless slayer,

No escape could they find, nor relief for their pain.

But God sent His holy Son, our souls to reclaim –

The perfect Son of God, in sinners’ stead, was slain,

His precious blood supplied to clear our guilty stain.

II- The Lamb Conquers Death and Sheol

What other death could strip Death of its rigor?

Offspring of Adam, for ages, writhed in terror,

Swallowed up by Death, their cruelest foe.

None could deliver or undo their woe;

From the womb engulfed by death’s shadow,

Lifeless in the dust dwelled their helpless souls –

Till the appearing of the Lamb: Christ the Victor.

Death sought to number Him with transgressors, 

But He who is Mighty ushered it into the blazing coals.

O Death, where now is your lethal sting?

Behold the Lamb of God, Christ the Savior King!

He has broken your scythe like a charred bud;

With a single blow He laid you low in the mud.

O Death – you who drank the Savior’s precious blood! 

You ingested it with great pomp upon the cross –

Little did you know you were sealing your eternal loss.

How the venomous hunter has become the game!

Your days shall be spent in the lake of flame.

Death is dead, swallowed up in victory,

Utterly consumed by the Lord of glory.

The Author of life is He – majestic in power.

Where is now your might, O you who devour?

O Death, innumerable are your slain;

And insatiable for souls are you, O Sheol!

But the Holy One you could not claim;

O Sheol, Him you could not retain;

His holy body you could not profane, 

For unto our King belongs the eternal reign –

The LORD of hosts is His name!

All you who once dwelled in the dust of the earth,

Rejoice and sing praises to Him who is Sovereign!

From the belly of the earth, our King has risen,

Bringing freedom and immortality to His own.

Behold, Death shall no more be known,

For life everlasting we have been graciously given.

The Lamb has conquered Death for His chosen;

Our vicious foe He has utterly overthrown

And by His glorious Spirit given us a new birth,

Proving Himself faithful to the words He had spoken.

III- The Lamb Gives Life to His Bride, Justifies and Clothes her with Glory

Behold the Beloved and His virgin Bride!

She, who once was deprived of breath,

Now shares in the life of Christ – her living Head.

He died so that she might be set free and live,

And rose so that fullness of joy she might receive.

His death for her eternal redemption;

His death for her everlasting peace;

His death for her total justification;

His death for her complete victory;

His death for her resplendent glory.

O Death, what has become of your reign?

You–the slayer of souls – have become a slain,

Triumphed over by Him whose name is Holy.

He who sits on the Throne is our Captain –

Christ Jesus, the Hope of eternal glory.

The voracious grave He has conquered;

Peace and life to His own He has offered.

From our necks He has broken the slavery chain

And brought healing to our incurable pain.

None but the Lamb could sanctify Adam’s race,

And afford for us access to the holy place.

IV- The Defeat of the Serpent by the Lamb

What other death could fill him with such dread?

The one who holds the power of death 

And keeps souls captive to do his will instead.

Adam’s progeny, for ages, fell to his vicious guiles.

But at the advent of the Seed of the woman,

He knew God’s decreed curse in the Garden

Was about to fall swiftly upon his head.

So he sought to keep Him from giving up His breath –

But surely to no avail were all his demonic wiles.

Like a flint, our Great High Priest set His face –

Despising the cross’ overwhelming disgrace –

And offered up His precious life in our stead.

O blessed ones, give glory to our Passover Lamb!

By His blood He has conquered the Serpent.

He fearlessly climbed death’s hill

And willingly offered up His tender frame; 

His humble shoulders He lovingly lent, 

The full weight of our sins to bear.

In obedience to the Father’s gracious will,

He took the cup from His righteous hand –

The cup of holy wrath for us prepared.  

To the last drop He drained it then,

And gave the victory cry: “It is finished!”

O cherished Bride of the Lamb, be astonished!

The Deceiver and his minions are clothed with shame.

Let us worship Christ our King and praise His name!

He has satisfied for us God’s righteous demands.

He who wields as a weapon the fear of death,

And longs to keep Adam’s offspring forever in his grip,

Now sees the shackles from his captives’ necks fall.

The Captor of the sons of the earth has been brought low –

The Lamb with seven horns has overthrown His foe; 

He has slain the Serpent with the breath of His lips;

He has stripped His archenemy of his breath.

To the head He has given him a fatal blow,

And delivered His own from the usurper’s shadow.

No more could he our souls by his schemes enthrall.

V- The End of Hostilities between Jews and Gentiles

What other death could cast to the ground

The pernicious and dividing wall of hostility? 

Adam’s offspring, in the sea of hatred drowned,

Long lived as bitter foes – divided and bereft of ease –

Till the Father sent His Son, The Prince of peace,

Whose blood without blemish was poured down,

Reconciliation to bring between man’s posterity.

Once devoid of light, we dwelt on futility from our youth;

To us the Lamb has come, bringing grace and truth; 

He has stinted the strife that spanned generations –

He has caused brotherhood to prosper but pugnacity to cease.

His Spirit of love He has given us, making us a new creation; 

Our hearts He has clothed with imperishable beauty –

Jews and Gentiles He has sealed in a bond of peace.

VI- The Restoration of Peace between God and Man

What other death could end our enmity with the Almighty?

Blessing, honor, glory, and might belong to the Lamb!

For He Himself is our ransom and propitiation.

Once severed from our God and unclean in His sight,

Now, in Christ, we have received adoption and sanctification. 

Instead of torment, fullness of blessedness to us He has given –

Former slaves of darkness, now heirs of His Kingdom of light;

Souls once laden with iniquity, now clothed with purity;

Hearts once of whoredom, now a priesthood to God Most High, 

A holy nation on whom His own name He has written;

Ex-offspring of lawlessness, now made oaks of righteousness;

Children once reprobate, now graciously turned into God’s delight!

VII- Doxology

Glory be to Christ the eternal King – the Horn of salvation!

All you, ransomed of the One whose dominion transcends time,

Sing praises and give glory to The LORD our righteousness;

For He has done gloriously, setting us free by His blood divine.

Our gloom He has turned into everlasting gladness

And clothed our nakedness with His garment sublime!

He has crowned us with life and made us His eternal possession.

Blessed be the glorious Lamb, the King of the nations!

In His grace, He has shattered the darkness of our night

And brought us into His presence and the glory of His might.

Themes and Scripture references

I- The Impasse of the Fall – Genesis 3:6-8, 16-19, 23-24;  Romans 3:10-18; Romans 5:12. 

II- The Lamb conquers Death and Sheol – Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55-56;  Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:4.

III- The Lamb gives life to His Bride, justifies and clothes her with glory – Isaiah 9:6-7; John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Romans 8:3; 1 John 4:14; Romans 4:25;  Ephesians 2:1-7;  1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:17;  2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:9.

IV- The Defeat of the Serpent by the Lamb – Genesis 3:15; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14-15;  Revelation 12:11.

V- The End of Hostilities between Jews and Gentiles – Ephesians 2:14-19; Galatians 3:28.