In The Tomb

Now all is silent in the tomb;
He rests at last, the gauntlet o'er,
The flesh at peace, though broken sore;
His first respite since Mary's womb.

Quiet broken by a cough without,
And the shuffle of measured feet;
The guards patrol their steady beat,
Watching the tomb to keep men out.

Hear the rustle of angel wing,
Softly stirring the stagnant air.
Their silent tears fall unseen there,
As they hover about their King.

They know to whence His Spirit's gone,
In way of harm to hell's vile cave;
They know as well, this tomb's no grave;
Death can't hold Him, nor death disown!

Yet still they mourn in sorrow rapt,
At the body He wore in life,
So bruised and bloody from the strife,
Lying so still in shroud so wrapped.

Look! The stains fade and wounds repair;
Color returns to His pale face;
Eyelids flutter, then ope to gaze
Upon the friends about Him there!

Unbounded joy! The angels smile,
To see their King back safe from hell;
Their hymn of praise, no mournful knell,
Wafts about God in sweet beguile!

"It's done! It's done!" the angels cry,
"Death overcome! Sin's wages paid!
All hail to Christ! Satan's unmade!
All pow'r is His! His throne on high!"

The cloth unwound and cast aside,
Christ stands upright, flesh unriven;
His arms widespread, all's forgiven,
"Come all to me, fore'er abide."

The stone unrolled at His command;
Out walked Jesus; the tomb left bare;
He lives! He lives! Let hell despair!
The earth re-won, by Jesus' hand!

This poem is not a sonnet, of course. Its subject is the time Jesus spent in the tomb from late Friday afternoon until just before dawn on Sunday. Since He was resurrected on a Sunday, the first Christians adopted it as their day of worship, which was Saturday for Jews. His resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity. Because He lives, we also will live again after we die. Some believe that during His time in the tomb Jesus went to hell and suffered torment. He lived a sinless life here, but He voluntarily took all the sins of the world upon Himself by dying on the cross. Others believe He went there to preach to all those who died in the flood of the earth during the time of Noah. His family of 8 were the only survivors. Some of the events in the poem above are imaginary, such as the presence of angels. He lives today as supreme God and King of the universe, and He's coming back to earth soon in power and glory.