THE OLD TESTAMENT IN RHYME

IN THE BELLY OF A REALLY BIG FISH (Jonah) The word of the Lord came to Jonah; I want you to go and preach. Go to Ninevah and see, How many of them you can reach. So Jonah paid the travel fare, And sailed in the other direction. But he was soon to discover, He no longer had God’s protection. The Lord was upset with Jonah, So He sent a great wind on the sea. Jonah had run away from God, But God he could not flee. While the sailors cried to their gods in fear, Jonah was fast asleep, Unaware of the trouble he’d caused, For he was sleeping so deep. “Get up,” cried the sailors, “and call on your god; We’re sinking faster and faster.” They then drew lots to determine, Who caused this near disaster. The lot fell upon Jonah, So they questioned, “Who are you? Who and where are your people?" He answered, “I am Hebrew.” I worship the Lord God of heaven, Who made the land and the sea. “What have you done” they asked him then, “That your God caused this storm to be?" The sea got rougher an...

THE MAN THE LIONS COULDN'T TAME (Daniel 6) Daniel of Judah was captured, When God’s remnant refused to obey. Taken to Babylon, now Iran, For 70 years they would stay. Daniel was taught to serve the king; He was strengthened in every way. But when brought the king’s food and wine, He refused to eat that day. The food and wine he was offered, God had deemed “unclean.” So Daniel was defiant — Not unusual for one just sixteen. Daniel discussed with his captors; What he would put in his gullet. When the veggie-only diet worked, One could say he dodged a bullet. At the end of the set 10 days, Daniel was smarter and stronger. So he was admired by many, And he feared his food no longer. Daniel was liked by the king; He was handsome, smart and strong. He could also interpret visions and dreams; In fact, he could “do no wrong.” So the king declared him prime minister; His appointment caused much strife. Jealous men devised a plan, Intended to end his life. Administrators and lesser rulers— T...

  THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL (Daniel 5) King Belshazzar gave a banquet, For a thousand nobles and his harem. They toasted their gods with goblets of gold, From God’s holy temple in Jerusalem. They praised the gods of gold and silver, As they all drank their mighty fine wine. While praising gods of bronze, wood and iron, God’s vessels they would malign. There in the royal palace, On a wall near the lampstand, They couldn’t believe their eyes; There appeared the fingers of a hand. The king watched the hand as it wrote; His face turned deathly pale. He was so afraid his knees knocked together, And his legs began to fail. Enchanters, astrologers and diviners; The king called his “wise” men to him. The one who could translate the writing, Would be third ruler over them. But none of the “wise” men could read it, So the king turned the color of cream. The queen reminded him of Daniel, And how he had solved his dad’s dream. Daniel told King Belshazzar, How God had made the ruler's dad kin...

(Daniel 4) THE KING WHO GRAZED ON GRASS     While Daniel was captive in Babylon Nebudchanezzar was the king. He oppressed the poor and exalted himself, But God saw him worth teaching. One day the king had a vivid dream, While he was rich and content. The dream he had made him fearful; He didn’t know what it meant. So he called together his “wise” men, That consisted of magicians and enchanters. The crowd of “wise” men also included, Astrologers and diviners. But none could interpret the dream, Then Daniel entered his presence. The king remembered Daniel’s God, And no mystery could master His brilliance. Dan was to tell details of the dream, But its meaning left him spent. Although Daniel was afraid to respond, The king asked what the dream meant. Daniel at first was puzzled, And his thoughts terrified him. He knew his reply might trouble the king, So he was feeling grim. The king told Daniel to have no fear, If the meaning he would disclose. Daniel said it would be better, If ...

    THAT’S HOT! (Daniel 1:7, 2:49, Ch.3)  Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, Were fine young Hebrew men. But when Babylon captured Judah, They were taken captive then. The king was Nebudchanezzar, He was arrogant and full of pride. He built an idol 90 feet high, Which measured 9 feet wide.  The king issued a decree: When a musical instrument was heard, All hearers should bow to his image of gold; The three thought the law was absurd, So the three young men refused to bow, For the idol had no power. They chose to be faithful to God; They weren’t about to cower.  The men were quite obedient, But not to the earthly king. Though their faith was very impressive, What trouble it would bring.  A furnace was prepared for them. And the fire made seven times hotter. When their guards got close to the heat, One could clean them up with a blotter.  Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, Fell into the blazing fire. Their unyielding faith got them there; Such faith we can onl...

  AN ARMY OF DRY BONES (Ezekiel 37) The prophet Ezekiel went to a valley, Where he had once seen God’s glory, But this time he would witness, What is known as an allegory. The valley was full of dry bones, From an army slain in battle. Though hope was lost for their return, Their bones began to rattle. The Lord told Ezekiel what to say, To the bones in complete disarray. Ezekiel promised their bones would be covered, And be restored right away. Flesh and tendons then covered their bones, Then God breathed His Spirit on them. Hope returned; they were raised from their graves, Where for years they lay limb from limb. God was teaching a lesson To a spiritually dead Hebrew nation. Though spiritually lifeless and cut off from God, There was hope for transformation. May this story teach each one of us, Who from sin have not survived. Whether a person or a nation, There is hope we can be revived. Becky L. Wall

Based on Ezekiel 14 & 33:7-18 Sin began with Adam and Eve, But we each account for our own. When deeds are judged, whether good or bad, I shall reap only what I have sown. The soul who sees his father’s sins, But chooses not to repeat them, Will not have to die for his father’s sins; God above will judge only him. If a good and righteous man, Does what is just and right, He will live eternally, When favor is found in God’s sight. But if in time a man becomes wicked, His good deeds will not be remembered. He will fall from grace and then, From Christ’s body will be dismembered. The righteous God will give credit, And He’ll charge the wicked man. But if the wicked man turns from sin, God forgives, as only He can. Becky L. Wall We are not held accountable for our father's sins or those of our brothers or sisters or even  our mother's sins.

EZEKIEL'S DUTY TO A WICKED MAN (Ezekiel 3:18-21) Ezekiel was a prophet t o the Israelites; He was also the people's watchman. Whose duty was to warn against sin, He was not to disobey God's plan. If Ezekiel didn’t warn a wicked man, That for his sins he will die, He would be held accountable, Should he never even try. But if he warned the wicked man, Who still from his ways won’t turn, The wicked man will die for his sins; But Ezekiel himself would not burn. The righteous things a wicked man does, Will be remembered not. Good doesn’t cancel out evil, Evil hurts, no matter what. But if a righteous man is warned, He should continuously behave, That man will surely live, And Ezekiel himself God will save. Becky Wall beckyowall.blogspot.com

  Jeremiah used the 22 Hebrew letters to shape the first four chapters but not the 5th chapter. It compares to using our alphabet from A-Z to express the extent of his misery. MISERY FROM A to Z (Based on Lamentations) Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, Had reason to be melancholy; He foretold Jerusalem’s demise, A result of the people’s folly. He warned and warned the people, Though to them he was an outcast. Mistreated, despised and rejected, Before the Lord he stood fast. His warnings lasted for 40 years, But now it was too late. The Babylonians conquered them; Jerusalem had met its fate. God’s remnant became rebellious, And their sins God needed to purge, So the prophet Jeremiah wrote five laments, As for a funeral dirge. He wrote of their suffering from A to Z, For themselves and their ruined city. Though they had behaved very wickedly, He still had sorrow and pity. Seventy years in captivity, For the covenant they did not keep. The city would rise and fall again, But this time Je...

  I JUST CAN'T KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT (Psalm 71:15-18, Jeremiah 20:9, Job 32:17 - 33:3) If I say I will not mention God, Or speak anymore in His name, When it comes to the love of my life, My tongue I cannot tame. For in my heart is a burning fire; It is smoldering in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; The Spirit within me groans. I too will have my say; I will tell others why I live free. For I am full of words, And the Spirit within compels me. Inside I’m like bottled-up wine, Or new wineskins ready to burst. I must speak and find relief, From the words that are immersed. I will show partiality to no one, Nor will I flatter with ease, For if I were skilled in flattery, My Maker I would not please. Now, listen to my words; They’re on the tip of my tongue. I’m about to open my mouth; They are worthy to be sung. My lips speak of what I know. They come from an upright heart. But the problem has always been, I can’t shut up once I start. Becky Wall Jeremiah 20:9 But if I say, “I will ...

  HOW TO SOLVE ANY PROBLEM (Based on Isaiah 41 and 47) Problems come in all sizes; There are many different kinds. Some of them are obvious; Others are all in our minds. But when a problem does arise , Making your stomach churn, To whom do you turn for your answers? To which god will you turn? Will you rush to speak to a sorcerer, Or rely on a witch’s spell? Will you look to Satan’s black magic, To insure that all will end well? Y ou may prefer astrology , Or your psychic friend on the phone, But your ultimate fate can only be told, By Christ at H is judgment throne. You can turn to your earthly idols, To lessen the pain in your heart, But they may bring more problems, And split your family apart. To force a solution with terror, Is many a person’s quest. They look for an easy answer; They care not what is best. And it doesn’t help to worry , When looking for a solution. Use prayer, patience, and faith , For God is the resolution. Becky Wall beckyowall.blogspot.com