*The following is a poem based on C.H. Spurgeon’s sermon, “Christ, Destroyer of Death” by CBTS student Luke Schmeltzer. You can read that sermon here.
The King of Glory conquers still,
Yet the final foe remains.
Christ, the God-man, upon Calvary’s hill,
Struck to free us from Death’s chains.
Death appeared when man was young,
No part of good creation he.
Unwelcome guest of the curse begun,
The cost of Adam’s sin to be.
Born to do the Devil’s work,
Tearing the work of Maker’s hand.
Across the ages, and in darkness lurk,
Snatching prey from every land.
No man yet living has fully fled,
For Death respects no family crest.
All saints and sinners still join the dead,
As newborns snatched from loving breast.
The souls of saints now gather around,
The great white throne where Christ is seated.
For justice and vic’try, these martyrs crowned,
Cry for bodies restored and Death defeated.
The Reaper comes to in due season,
Yet that time to every man unknown.
He comes without warning, rhyme, or reason,
And he comes with never mercy shown.
Death, our enemy, is not all yet destroyed,
But Christ, the Conqueror, has already won.
Christ came, all grace and glory employed,
To ransom the sinner and to make him a son.
The Spirit’s work already applies
New spiritual life to Christ’s elect.
His work of healing already defies,
And justifies souls without defect.
The cross was the place His mercy displayed,
And justice satisfied for our vindication.
He arose with all glory and honor arrayed;
Now the tomb is for us only preparation.
The resurrection proved to be the pledge,
The hope to which all believers may turn.
A future share of which believers allege,
For Death itself shall die at Savior’s return.
Death entered the world as consequence of sin,
And so following sin, shall suffer downfall.
When all the glorious saints enter in,
Death will be defeated, last foe of all.
Death remains only a tool in His hand,
For love displays most in the martyrs cry.
Death is now turned against all Satan’s band,
And used to bring Savior’s chosen on high.
Death is still our hateful foe,
And its damage to our world we lament.
Yet Christ shall put an end to its woe,
When trumpet sounds and sky is rent.
About the author
Luke Schmeltzer has been an M.Div student at CBTS since 2022. He is currently the church planter of Shepherd Reformed Baptist Church near Joliet, IL, and he is especially interested in studying the Doctrine of God and early Particular Baptist ecclesiology. Luke is husband to Jess and father to Olivia and Annabelle.
This blog post is authored by a student of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary.
