Stones

A new dawn rising, Olivet now bathed

In bright new astral rays to scatter night

And bring to life all from their slumbers deep,

The Lamb of God descending Olivet

Renewed by sleep and prayer now made His way

Unto the temple courts once more to teach

Humanity the Kingdom of Heaven

To touch all human hearts that came to Him

And lead them in the most excellent way,

Along the path to Paradise. But now,

The Law of Moses must now be fulfilled

According to the teachers of the Law

And Pharisees still blinded by their own

Interpretation and perception of

That same Law, yet their cunning knew no bounds

For now a woman caught in carnal act

And helpless to escape what would for her

Be inescapable punishment, laid down

In laws decreed to bring retribution

To rid the nation of adultery.

Black thoughts now clouding this woman’s mindset

As she, held captive, by the Pharisees

And her own thoughts of punishment that seemed

Inevitable, paralysed was she

With fear of brutal execution of

Sharp stones to rain down on her, causing her

To fall, helpless to stop the violent blows

Inflicting severe cuts and scars whereby

Bleeding and loss of consciousness would bring

Her poor life to a premature ending.

Forced now to stand before the crowd gathered

Before the Lamb of God, the Pharisees

And teachers of the Law with cunning wiles,

Fuelled by their own self-righteousness (of which

Isaiah in his prophecy declared

Such righteousness as nought but filthy rags*

Questioned the Lamb of God, and said to Him:

“Teacher, this woman stood before you and

This multitude has tainted herself by

Acts of adultery. According to

The Law of Moses, she should be taken

And stoned to death. What would you say to this?”

The Lamb of God, in seeing through the trap

They set before him, knelt down to the ground;

With His finger started to write upon

The ground before His feet, words that to Him

Would spell out wisdom simple, pure and sweet

Allowing his actions to speak louder

Than any verbal sound and syllable

Could make. Persistent was their questioning,

Until at last the Lamb of God stood up

And said to them: “If any of you here

Have never sinned, then let him be the first

To throw a stone at her.” Again he knelt

And wrote once more upon the ground, thereby

Ignoring their questions which now, devoid

Of any force or substance soon dried up.

The Pharisees and teachers of the Law,

Once more rebuked and struck dumb by His words

Left His presence, soon followed by the crowd,

Self-righteousness laid bare and wiped away.

The woman, now alone, looked at the Lamb

Of God, now standing upright and who asked:

“Woman, where are they? Who has condemned you?

Did no-one that was here condemn you thus?

The woman, looking into His pure eyes

Of love was clothed with inner peace, and said:

“No-one sir”, and then looking to the ground

Saw by His feet the words etched in the dust:

“Love does not condemn you”. Soon gentle tears

Fell from her eyes, such tenderness divine

Now welled up in her heart. The Lamb of God,

Who with Yahweh and Holy Spirit is

The fount of forgiveness and purest love,

With gentle fingers raised her face to His

And with such love looked into her clear eyes,

And said: “Then neither do I condemn you.

Go from this place and leave your life of sin.”

*Isaiah Ch64, v6.

Copyright – Peter Thompson TSSF 2020.