Final Faceoff

“Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more… And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more” (Exodus 10:28,29).  “Who is like unto the LORD our God?” (Psalm 113:5).  “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death” (Proverbs 14:32).  “God… hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son… when he had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high… But unto the Son He saith… Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool” (Hebrews 1:1-13). 

We see the faceoff come at last

As Pharaoh stood with hardened pride

When all the plagues (but one) were passed,

Before his firstborn son had died. 

The Lord brought ample circumstances

To prove the power of His arm,

Till Pharaoh used up all his chances

To wisely spare himself from harm. 

The wrath of God had been outpoured;

At times it looked like Pharaoh turned,

But hardened hearts against the Lord

Will soon forget what they once learned. 

Does not his stubbornness seem odd,

For what could Pharaoh hope to gain?

Shall mortal man resist our God?

Is not the very thought insane?

And yet it is the same today:

In spite of all the chances given,

How many sinners turn away

Until to death they have been driven!

The faceoff in our day is here: 

The Gospel is our Savior’s voice. 

His grace still prompts the heart to fear

And trust Him when there’s yet a choice.

Our Savior by Himself has purged

Our sins by dying in our place.

Now by the Gospel He has urged

The rebel to be saved by grace.

Yet Christ still has His enemies

Who, to the end, His rule oppose. 

Prophetic Scripture clearly sees

A footstool made of all His foes. 

Lord, thank You for this great account  

That shows the great futility

Of all Your foes that plan to mount

Their self-defeating strategy.

O Lord, amid this awful blindness,

We preach the Gospel of salvation  

That turns the rebels to Your kindness

And saves our souls from condemnation. 

So teach us, Lord, to bring to light

That You have come be our Friend,

Yet those who faceoff for a fight

Shall know their folly in the end.