Hope and Horror

“And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel… And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar… behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, JOSIAH by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee” (1 Kings 13:1,2, fulfilled 326 years later, 2 Kings 23:16).  “I remembered Thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.  Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Thy law” (Psalm 13:3,4).  “The lion hath roared, who will not fear?  The Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8). 

I have remembered the judgments of old,

Which God had declared He would surely fulfill,

Such as the time when His prophet foretold,

JOSIAH, by name, would perform all His will.

Marvelous prophecies, far in advance,

Declaring the time, the location, and name,

Rule out the notion that this was just chance,

With details only the Lord could proclaim.

Thus we’re reminded by what we have heard,

That all those who trust in the Lord will do well.

This is the hope that we find in God’s Word,

By which we escape the great horror of hell.

And this is the blessed assurance of bliss

For every believer who trusts in the Lord.

With such a great contrast before us as this,

How can we be silent?  The lion has roared!

We thank You, O Lord, for the comfort ahead;

The promise of heaven is glorious indeed!

Yet judgment approaches, as You clearly said,

So help us to clearly show sinners their need.