Wheels on fire

After Daniel 7:9-14

After the four beasts,

I looked to see,

and what I saw was

no game of thrones, 

but thrones being placed

in deadly earnest,

arranged to allow him

to take his seat, him

with his electric-white hair,

the ancient one, of days,

the wheels of his throne

on fire, fire streaming

before him, him served

by millions, him now

facing billions standing

before him, awaiting

judgment. 

 

Court is now in session,

the Ancient of Days presiding,

The books are opened;

judgment is on the menu.

First to fall is the beast,

killed, destroyed, consumed

by fire. The other beasts are

stripped of authority, of power,

to await the judgment to come.

 

Photograph by Monil Andharia via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Visions in the night

After Daniel 7:9-14 

The clouds of heaven

accompany the one

like a song of man

presented before

the thrones, presented

to the Ancient of Days,

given dominion,

given glory,

given the kingdom

of all peoples,

of all nations,

of all languages,

a kingdom to serve

him, the son,

forever, everlasting,

imperishable,

indestructible.

He is like a son

of man, gaining

his inheritance.

 

Photograph by Luca Bravo via Unsplash. Used with permission.

The end of history

After Isaiah 65:17-25

This is how it ends:

not with a bang

not with a whimper,

it ends with the light

peeling back the mists

hiding the new Jerusalem,

sorrow banished

from the city of life,

the place where the works

of our hands is realized

and enjoyed, where

nothing is vanity, when

nothing is vanity.

The end of history

is not the end

of the story.

Photograph by Sebastian Kanczok via Unsplash. Used with permission.