In Distant Ages

In distant ages, when the Hebrews strayed
Amid the desert sands, without a shade,
(A little nation, small, but greatly bless’d
And though rebellious, she was promised rest)
Then in a tent of goat and badger skin
The supplicant sought Isra’l’s God within.

Alone upon a sea of empty sand –
No soaring steeple, and no temple grand –
Just in a tent, the Most High made his name
To dwell in dust (though nations must acclaim
A God who broke the stay of Egypt’s pow’r
And fed his people with angelic flour!).

No careless Hebrew was admitted there
Lo, even priests and Levites must beware,
The God who dwells within! His anger quick
May crush the evil, and with flames may lick
Up offering, wood, earth, dust, and water too,
And more – the sinner who his sins ne’er knew!

With fear and trembling came the sinful one
But not inside (because he was undone) –
But to a priest the fearful task would fall
To run the gamut, enter Yahweh’s hall,
And offer incense, change the sacred bread,
And tend the flick’ring flames with oil fed.

Yet priests could only, to their certain doom
Enter within God’s holi’st inner room;
The sacred priv’lige (if a priv’lige be
To risk one’s life to praise the one in three)
Fell to this one: the highest priest of God
Who with a pallor’d face, trembling and awed,
Would enter with thick plumes of burning coal
(Which smoke alone would hide his sinful soul)
Then, sprinkling blood of sacrificial beast,
He did his work, until he was released
To flee the glory and the constant fear
Of least offense, and judgment most severe.

But in these distant days, the end of time
God tore the curtain, and the most sublime
Is found in CHRIST, who bids our trembling frame
To calm our worries, and in his great name
To make a prayer. (Ah, what a blessed thought,
That man can pray and, scholar or untaught,
Can give his griefs to God, e’en to an ear
That hears, and hearkens, and is ever near!)

Such grace is found in Him, who took our shame
And gave to us the key to heaven’s claim!
No more with priestly robes and scents come near
The God of heaven: but in CHRIST appear
Before the throne of grace, where He sits down,
Calls thee within, and banishes God’s frown.