It’s early Sunday morning. “Hell” and “Death” are pacing back and forth, restlessly monitoring the tomb that previously belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, but now entombs the body of
Jesus Christ. Nervously, they had watched for signs throughout Friday night—nothing happened. Then the Sabbath drew on and … nothing. As the Sabbath wore on, their confidence grew, for still nothing happened. All throughout Saturday night they watched and listened … nothing happened. Saturday was silent.
But, early Sunday morning, just at the dawning of the day, a sound was heard. It was only audible to someone on the watch—“someone” like Hell and “someone” like Death.

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What is that I hear? Death, I thought you said you had Him?

Well, of course I have Him, I even have the key!

Don’t you mean “our key”, the key of hell and death?

Listen! It’s faint now, but with each beat it’s steadily rising
I’m absolutely sure, I can hear it now, His heartbeat is returning
Whatever we do, He must not leave that tomb
For if He does, forever our fate will be doomed

That can’t be, I was there last Friday eve
I waited ‘til He hung His head surrendering to me
I didn’t leave His side till the guarantee that He was mine
I saw His Father’s confirmation in the earth and in the sky

I thought He would have fought me, like so many others before
But, it’s as if He took His life and laid it at my door
I wanted Him to struggle against my stranglehold on Him
But, He acted more like a victor, accepting the ultimate penalty for humanity’s sin

Oh yes, it was magnificent that moment when I heard his farewell cry:
Father … my Father … Your only Son You will deny?”
Finally, after waiting and plotting this sweet life-wrenching revenge
Lifeless—suspended between heaven and my hell—hung the One who was my challenge

Be silent Death! No more time to reminisce
This man … the Christ … He is our nemesis!
No time to think of what could be or what we didn’t do
His life is returning, heartbeats reverberating from the tomb

Hurry your “evilness”, back to the tomb of the Nazarene!
He must not resurrect for He will take away our key
Together we rule this earth, this is our domain
Who is this man to think we’d allow Him to live again?

As if on cue, Gabriel—heaven’s Archangel—stands before Hell and Death, garbed in the majesty of heaven. Staring them squarely in the eyes and with the adoration of the heavenly hosts embodied within him, exclaimed as like a song:

Who is this man?!
He is the only Son of God, begotten from the world’s foundation
He is the Rock of Ages on which will be your eternal destruction
He is the Conquering Lion, Jesus Christ, humanity’s redemption
He is the Good Shepherd, in Him there is no consternation
He is the First the Last, the Last the First, in Him there is continuation
He is the Beginning and the End, the Way and the Resurrection
He is Elohim. Shalom. Jireh. Rapha. Raah.
He is El-Shaddai. Adonai. Nissi. Rohi. Jah.

And with a voice penetrating the hollow of the tomb, Gabriel shouts the Father’s command:

Jesus! Arise! Stand up! Come forth!
Your Father calls You home!

But Hell was not ready to concede. He positioned himself before the tomb and beckoned Death to join him.

This cannot be, only I have the key
The key to hell and death and I will not concede to thee
Death, bind Him closer, hold Him, don’t you dare let Him leave
He, and all humanity, must surrender and worship the god in me

While Hell and Death held on to the last shreds of their short-lived victory, Jesus adhered to His Father’s call—He unwrapped the shroud and stepped out the tomb as the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. And in a voice clear, majestic and triumphant proclaimed:

Oh Death, where is your sting, and Hell your victory?
Did you really think My Father would allow you to conquer Me?
Now recognize I am He—He who has the master key
Through my life, you’re both condemned for all eternity

Did you not hear, when it was declared—I am the Way, the Life?
My life I gave to save the world from sin’s dreadful strife?
Did you not hear when Gabriel proclaimed My Father called me home?
I’m heaven-bound to rule with Him, at the right hand of His throne

And looking down through the portals of time to you and I, Jesus exclaimed:

Dear children of mine, don’t despair even in the darkest night
At the break of dawn I’ll come again, take you on a cosmic flight
For I am He who was dead and now I’m alive forevermore
Hell and Death will be devoured in the fire I have in store

So, Death where is your sting and Hell your victory?
I’m on my way to Heaven and I AM the MASTER KEY!

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In creative solidarity, Dee