This is an awesome poem that I really enjoy, and would like to memorize sometime. I love all the names of Christ that the author includes throughout.
As far as I can tell from doing a google search, it is public domain, so posting the whole thing should be no problem.
Out of the Ivory Palaces
by Janet R. Banse
God has a Son.
King Solomon, gifted with the wisdom from above,
This proverb wrote: "What is His name, and what
Is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?"
Heaven knew the answer then.
Now earth does know, and hell.
How still the Ivory Palace! The heart of Heaven
Missed a beat, a token of parting soon to come.
That great appointment, made while the world was
Still a thought, will now be kept.
At last the day!
What trembling within the angel throng! They
Minister, but do not understand this mystery.
Is something wrong? The bright and morning star
Has dimmed its glow, as from His Father's bosom
The Son prepares to go.
No! The robe of glory laid aside? How can it be!
Yet, there He stands, the fullness and the image
Of the Father. Bright Glory, and pure Deity.
His chief delight to do the Father's will.
Oh, still! Keep still! Heaven and earth and
All creation, each holds its breath.
The Son of God goes forth to war, obedient
Unto death. And who can know, and who can tell
The height and depth and length and breadth
Of love? With morning, joy will come, though
Now in Heaven is sorrow's night. The Dayspring
From on high must wear a veil to cover up His light.
How still the night-clothed stable! This is the
Place where lambs are born, not kings.
The stricken angels whispering, "Could such a great
Mistake be made? No earthly king or monarch yet,
Was ever in a manger laid. And this, the King of
Kings, and Lord of lords!"
"But Lamb of God, is this eternal Word."
A mystery—God manifest in flesh! The heart of
Heaven placed within the hands of men! An awful
Risk such fallen creatures thus to bless? But
God so loved, He gave. The end and the beginning
Known to Him as one. Tonight, end and beginning
Have come together in His Son.
The robe of glory? Kept in store in Heaven for
Him. He shall return to take if off no more.
Now for a little while, in city streets and country
Roads, beside the shore, God will walk clothed
In the common robe of men.
The time, a moment's span across Eternity.
The bridge, the Son of God, the Son of Man, tonight
Is lowered into place. Jesus. Love's pathway Home
For Adam's fallen race.
But why a special pathway back to God? Why
Should one Man, God's Son, be called the Way?
One Path. One Man alone could be the Door.
It was through just one man that all men went astray.
We went by just one path that costly, brokenhearted
Day...
Soft call of the bird, sweet breath of the flower,
Low voice of the serpent. All lovely that hour
To Eve, a child deceived.
"Oh, is this really wrong? I'll just look—.
I'll just touch—. I must taste!" Now haste!
Run! Make haste to the man with a portion for him!
"Adam!"
How still can one heart be and live? Death is
Only a name. But now, beyond the name, the fact
None can deny. "Of this tree's fruit you shall not eat.
Or else you die."
This fruit is poison? No. But somewhere God
Must draw a line—somewhere man bow to Godly
Rule, "Thus far, no farther shalt thou go."
And all within the circle of that holy will is
Peace, unbounded joy and pure delight. And all
Without that circle drawn is danger in a foreign
Night that man need never know.
And so he took the fruit, and ate and fell. And
All creation with him crashed. It was the fall
That cleared the road to hell.
This is creation—ruined, black, a different race
Than left the Maker's hand. And no way back.
Sons He would have. But now, a rebel band led by
The master rebel of all time.
A daystar turned to a serpent in the slime.
Though Love had drawn the circle wide, creation's
Crowning glory, man, without its rim in guilty
Shame must hide. To whom then could he go?
Satan, the seducer, has retreated to his lair.
Man has fallen! Man has fallen! Man has fallen!
Leave him there.
But lost in sin hear Adam cry, "To whom now shall
I flee?" And Love comes walking, God comes calling
"Adam, I am He! Bring now a lamb. Behold, and
See while in defeat, the Victory. This lamb must
Die. But as its blood is shed, look close, and know
And understand. The lamb dies in your stead. The
Unprotesting, gentle One shall bruise the serpent's
head."
The Promised One!
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and
All who sought the God of Israel, to worship Him.
Day after day they watched long year on year.
"How long! How long! 'til Shiloh shall appear?"
He came. And things proceeded much the same.
Some sought the stable where He lay at first.
Some sought the Youth, the Man, and those who
Knew real thirst came soon to understand that this
Was God, the Son. The veil the Dayspring wore
Shut off more glory than their eyes could bear.
But God was there. Some said, "A prophet."
Others said, "At least, the greatest man of any
Age is in our midst."
And so He walked in city streets and country lanes,
Beside the shore, in common dress. To heal, to
Bless, this was His will. But yet a mightier plan
Would He fulfill. The bridge must anchor fast
Upon the other side. And so one day men came and
Led the Holy One away.
The nails were driven deep. Oh, make the bridge
Secure! And raise it high and make it wide, that
Whosoever travels it may find a footing sure.
The shoulders of the earth are bent. And as the
Dayspring's veil is rent, rocks leap, earth quakes
On every side!
Sun—hide your face.
Creation has been crucified.
And men discuss the price of grain (not gain).
They do not know that God is slain.
For sin, no lamb need any more upon an altar die.
It shall suffice. This is the Great, the final
Evening Sacrifice.
Between the death of midnight and the
Birth of morning, Love once again came walking,
Calling for His own. Not this time seeking for
A sinner hiding, but for the sinner's Saviour,
Briefly abiding for him in the tomb.
He tasted death for every man. That full and bitter
Cup came to Him from His Father's hand.
"Herein is Love."
But when the last drop had been drained, the
Overflowing heart of God breathed out the Name.
Only a whisper...
"...Jesus."
God's quiet voice pierced through the substance
Of the earth, and from that grave death was cast out.
The morning stars, dumb since that aching
Day of parting, flung their joyful shout
Across the heavens! And in that bright, that
Justifying hour, my Lord arose! Declared to be
The Son of God with power!
Lift up your heads, eternal Gates! Lift! everlasting
Doors. The royal Heir is coming Home triumphant
From the wars!
Lift up your hearts, redeemed of God! Loud let the
New song swell. The dynamite of Calvary has
Smashed the gates of hell!
The bright and morning Star shines once again on
Heaven's adoring band. And now we see Him not.
Until the day of His appearing. Waiting, we walk
As those whose home is in Immanuel's land;
Whose hearts and full eternal destinies securely
Lie in God's almighty hand.
He lives in us! We live in Him! Two are made one
At Calvary. Henceforth, no more our own are we.
Thus, all of earth's dear images must dim, though
Bright they shine, though good and boundless fair
They seem. For over there within the palace of the
King, by faith alone, we see beyond the Cross, the
Lamb—the wondrous prize, the crown, the throne.
King Messiah! Prince of Peace! Mighty Saviour!
Glorious God! Long Thy coming's been delayed.
Though the price of sin is paid. Thy feet, the
Earth, the grave, the heavenliness, have trod in
Victory for me! How long until we see Thee
Face to face Thou conquering Captain of Thy
Father's ransomed, re-born race? How long before
Thy righteous rule shall bow the earth's dark
Powers; the lamb and lion gently play, and every
Once-cruel beast of prey drink in with thirst the
Showers of Thy peace, the lifted curse?
Thou Right Arm of the Lord! Thou Servant of Jehovah!
Thy precious blood has bought us. Thy Holy Spirit,
All the days of this our pilgrimage, hath taught us.
Rend the veiled day, when in Thy presence we shall say,
"Our Jesus all the way to Glory now hath brought us!"
