Transfigured

by Jarvis, A. G. | Category: General | Sept 1966

The sun is sinking in the western sea;

The snows on Hermon's height all seem to be

Tinted with lovely opalescent hues,

Whilst palest pink doth yet the whole suffuse.

The shades of evening fall; the waning light

Recedes before the darkening gloom of night.

Ascending up the mount, four men are seen,

One Man, and three; a slight space in between.

Though weary with the arduous toil of day,

With steadfast steps they tread the upward way,

The One, though young, yet bears upon His face

The signs of grief and sorrow, patient grace

And tender love; for on His heart He bore

Such burdens as no man had known before.

(Anticipating the approaching hour,

When He would face hell's dark and dreadful power.

And more than that, alas, when He would be

Made sin; accursed victim on the tree!)

But now He climbs with eager pace

Towards the sacred spot, the trysting place.

Where through the night His inmost soul shall be

Wrapt in communion's awful mystery:

And prayer, too, shall rise, mingled with praise,

And He shall strength receive for future days.

The three toil upwards too; the Man ahead

They love, and follow gladly. He has led

Their footsteps since they first obeyed His call

"Come, follow Me" (though it meant leaving all).

Well nigh three years had sped since that glad day

When they obeyed, and followed in the way.

They upwards toil; thus to be near Him still,

But little dream of what their eyes shall fill

E'er morning dawns. To see that careworn face

TRANSFIGURED in that dark and lonely place.

They sit, He prays, alas that it should be

As later 'twas in dark Gethsemane!

They wish to watch with Him, but yet they doze;

And so, heavy with sleep, their eyes they close.

Then suddenly the mount's suffused with light.

From Him a radiance shining glorious, bright.

Awakes then; and they see His glory, then

Behold His countenance, all bright, as when

The midday sun rides in unclouded sky,

With brilliance far too dazzling for the eye.

Oh! What a vision of that glorious Man,

The great Outworker of redemption's plan!

These men of Galilee upon Him gaze;

The scene fills all their hearts with great amaze.

His face with marks of many sorrows traced,

But in this glory light, these are effaced.

His garments, too, perchance with travel stained,

In that transfiguring moment, naught remained

Of stain or soiling, but most dazzling white,

As from His body streamed the holy light.

With Him in glory now two men are seen;

Men who in ancient years on earth had been.

Moses is one, through whom God gave the Law;

Also Elijah, who the grave ne'er saw.

And now they speak with Him of His decease

By which for men He'd purchase endless peace.

And as they speak, the three men clearly see

Things which the prophets wrote in mystery.

For all the prophets, since the world began,

Foretold the great divine redemption plan;

But Law and Prophets must perforce withdraw.

A bright cloud comes, and the disciples saw

No one. But as the cloud did them enshroud

They heard a Voice, Oh! "such a Voice". They bowed

Down to the ground, they fell. Prostrate they lay;

And then the Father's voice to them did say,

This is My Well-Beloved, Him shall ye hear.

Then all was still. Jesus Himself drew near;

His kindly hand was then upon them laid.

His gentle voice said, Rise, be not afraid.

No one but "Jesus only" now they see,

Jesus their Friend: Jesus of Galilee!

Whose tender love had stayed the widow's tears,

Whose touch had lifted burdens borne for years,

Whose voice had spoken peace to sin-tossed hearts;

And at whose word the demon-host departs.

Yes, "Jesus only," He who from the mount

Came down and opened mercy's flowing fount,

Brought blessing to a poor afflicted boy,

And filled his father's aching heart with joy.

The glorious revelation at an end,

With Him they slowly from the mount descend.

He told to His disciples once again

How He would win the crown through cross and shame,

How He unto Jerusalem must go,

And suffer there in bitter grief and woe.

He said to them, The vision no man tell

Till I victorious rise, o'er death and hell.

For on the third day He would rise again

And reap eternal fruit from all His pain.

Jarvis, A. G. | Sept 1966
General

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