And wing their passage to the upper sky;
Meantime the heavens rend while wrapt in fire,
The nations see the glory of Messiah!
With all the saints to earth he bends his way;
In flames descends, who can abide the day?
The great, the rich, the mighty loudly call,
Saying, ye rocks and mountains on us fall.
But fire consumes the wicked, branch and root,
And leaves their ashes trodden under foot.
Behold the Mount of Olives rend in twain,
While on its top he sets his feet again!
The islands at his word obedient flee!
While to the north he rolls the mighty sea!
Restores the earth in one, as at the first,
With all its blessings, and removes the curse.
CHAPTER VI.
The binding of Satan—Pouring out of the spirit upon all flesh—Harmony of all the beasts of the earth, while peace and the knowledge and glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea—The faith of Abel the first martyr—Enoch's song—The testimony of many of the holy prophets and apostles—And the general expectation of all the saints in all nations and generations.
Lo! Satan bound in chains shall rage no more,
Nor tempt mankind till thousand years are o'er;
But perfect peace and harmony extend
Their wide domain to earth's remotest ends,
All flesh shall feel the spirit from on high,
The wolf and lamb in peace together lie.
The cow and bear shall feed in pastures green,
While in the shade their young ones shall be seen,
The lion cease to be a beast of prey,
And like the harmless ox shall feed on hay;
The little child secure from harm shall stray
O'er poisonous serpent's dens shall fearless play;
In all God's holy Mount shall naught destroy,
But men for pruning hooks their spears employ;
Their swords to ploughshares turned, shall till the ground,
While plenteous harvests flourish all around,
And earth o'erwhelm'd with knowledge of the Lord,
Like as the waters fill the mighty flood;
While king Messiah reigns the king of kings,
And saints and angels join his praise to sing.
Hail glorious day, by prophets long foretold;
And sought by holy men from days of old;
Who found it not, but readily confessed,
As pilgrims here, they sought a promised rest.
Hear Abel groan, as first he yields to death,
And is succeeded by his brother Seth;
He dies in faith to wait till Christ appears;
To rise and reign with him a thousand years.
Hear Enoch too, the wondrous scene foretell,
While future glories did his bosom swell;
The vail was rent, while wonders strange and new
Before him rose, and opened to his view.
Long, long he heard the earth in anguish mourn;
Saw heaven weep, while oft his bowels yearn'd;
While all eternity, with pain beheld
The scenes of sorrow which his bosom swell'd:
He saw the Lamb on Calvary expire,
While rocks were rent, and cities wrapt in fire;
He saw him burst the tomb, and mount on high
Enthroned in glory 'mid the upper sky.
Obtain'd the promise, he would come again
To earth, in triumph with his saints to reign;
His soul was glad with joy he tuned the lyre;
And sung the glorious reign of king Messiah.
Hosanna to the Lamb that shall be slain;
All hail the day when Zion comes again;
Out of the earth the truth in power he sends,
While righteousness from heaven shall descend,
And these shall sweep the earth as with a flood,
To gather out the purchase of his blood;
Unto the Zion which he shall prepare;
And Enoch with his city meet them there,
When all the ransom'd saints shall join the lay,
And shout Hosanna in eternal day.
Wide o'er the earth, the Saviour's name extend;
And peace o'er all prevail from end to end.
Thus Enoch sang, while all the heavenly choir;
Join'd in Hosanna to the king Messiah.
Noah too, by faith beheld the scene afar;
And as a type, he did the ark prepare.
Condemned the world, by water overthrown,
While to his view the light triumphant shone,
He gazed with joy on all the glorious scene,
But mourn'd the darkness that should roll between.
Abram with joy beheld the day of rest;
When in his seed all nations should be bless'd,
And gladly wandered as a pilgrim here;
And fell asleep to wait till Christ appears—
In sure and certain hope to rise and reign
In Canaan's land, a right he had obtained.
Isaac and Jacob had the glorious view,
Rejoiced in death and so did Joseph too;
While patient Job in pain look'd far away,
Saw his Redeemer in the latter day,
Stand on the earth, while he himself should rise
And in the flesh behold him with his eyes.
Moses and Joshua, Samuel and Isaiah,
Did each in turn this solemn truth declare;
While David tuned the lyre in joyful lays,
Spake of Messiah's reign, and sung his praise.
Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Zachariah,
And Malachi, have spoken of Messiah;
When he should set his feet on earth again,
Burn up the proud, and o'er the nations reign.
Jesus and Peter, John and James, and Paul,
The time would fail me here to mention all;
Who wrapt in vision clear in turn foretold,
The day of wonders I would fain unfold.
Lehi, Nephi, Alma and Mosiah,
Abinedi, who once rejoiced in fire;
Mormon, Moroni and Ether testified;