“He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers, is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.”
The Unspoken Word
“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels.”
By HEYMAN WREFORD
One word—and skies aflame shall rock
Beneath the judgment’s rending shock,
As angel legions earthward flee
To garrison Gethsemane;
And marshalled hosts surround their Lord,
Obedient to His will and word.
One word―and from the embattled skies
Ten thousand times ten thousand rise
And shining cohorts line the road
With heaven, to light the feet of God.
One word, and sinless heralds bring,
God’s answer to the earth-born King.
One word―and Rome’s imperial power
Had perished in that judgment hour,
One word—and Caiaphas had met
The doom he dared on Olivet,
And Jew and Gentile in their pride
Had sinned, and in their sinning, died.
But He Whom heaven and earth obey,
Whom men forsake, and friends betray,
With sorrow’s crown upon His brow,
Stands silent ‘mid the shadows now;
Through gates of sorrow He has come,
“As sheep, before her shearers, dumb.”
And men and devils round Him wait,
With scornful insolence of hate;
With eyes that blaze, and tongues that flame,
They pour dishonor on His name;
And hell’s contempt around him fling,
“Behold the Man! Behold your King!”
Oh, earth that shuddered when He died!
Oh, heaven that darkened when He cried!
Oh, temple veil, now rent in twain!
Oh, dead, restored to life again!
God’s mighty witnesses are ye―
He loved―He gave Himself for me.
Gethsemane’s unspoken word,
Will nevermore on earth be heard―
For human souls His life He gave,
It was Himself He could not save.
This is the wondrous mystery
Of death and life on Calvary!