The Books of the Bible

Perhaps this will be Term Three's poetry selection...

The Books of the Bible

In Genesis the world was made by God's creative hand;
In Exodus the Hebrews march to gain the Promised Land;
Leviticus contains the Law, holy, just and good,
Numbers records the tribes enrolled, all sons of Abraham's blood.
Moses in Deuteronomy records God's mighty deeds.
In Joshua their rebellion oft provokes the Lord to smite,
But Ruth records the faith of one well pleasing in His sight.
In 1st and 2nd Samuel of Jesse's son we read;
Ten tribes in 1st and 2nd Kings revolted from his seed.
In 1st and 2nd Chronicles we see Judah captive made,
But Ezra leads the remnant back by princely Cyrus' aid.
The city walls of Zion Nehemiah builds again,
While Esther saves her people from the plots of wicked men.
In Job we read how faith will live beneath afflictions' rod,
And David's Psalms are precious songs to every child of God.
The Proverbs, like a goodly string of choicest pearls, appear;
Ecclesiastes teaches men how vain are all things here.
The Song of Solomon exalts sweet Sharon's lovely rose,
While Christ the Saviour and the King the rapt Isaiah shows.
The warning Jeremiah apostate Israel warns,
His plaintive Lamentations their awful downfall mourns.
Ezekiel tells in wondrous words the Kingdom's mysteries,
While God's great Kingdom yet to come Daniel in vision sees.
Of judgment and of mercy Hosea loves to tell,
Joel describes the blessed days when God with man will dwell.
Among Tekoa's herdsmen Amos received his call,
And Obadiah prophesies of Edom's final fall.
Jonah enshrines a wondrous type of Christ, our risen Lord;
Micah pronounces Judah lost - lost but to be restored.
Nahum declares on Nineveh just judgment shall be poured
When Christ our risen Saviour shall come to be adored.
A view of Chaldees coming doom Habakkuk's vision gives,
While Zephaniah warns the Jews to turn, repent and live.
Haggai wrote to those who saw the Temple built again,
Zechariah prophesies of Christ's triumphant reign.
Malachi was the last to touch that high prophetic cord;
His final notes sublimely show the coming of the Lord.
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John the Gospel story give,
Describing how the Saviour was born and died that man may live.
Acts tells how well the apostles preached with signs in every place,
And Paul in Romans proves that man is saved through faith by grace.
The Apostle in Corinthians instructs, exhorts, reproves;
Galatians proves that faith in Christ alone the Father approves.
Ephesians and Philippians tell what Christians ought to be;
Colossians bids us live for God and from all sin be free.
In Thessalonians we are taught the Lord will come from heaven,
In Timothy and Titus a shepherd's rule is given.
Philemon marks a brother's love as only brethren know;
Hebrews reveals Christ's priestly works prefigured long ago.
James teaches without holiness, faith is but vain and dead;
While Peter points the narrow way in which the saints are led.
John in his three epistles on love delights to dwell;
But Jude gives warning terrible of those once who fell.
The Revelation prophesies that tremendous day
When all the kingdoms of the earth with noise shall pass away.
"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."