Today’s picture is a bit different than normal because it’s a collaboration that I did with a friend. Sean Eha is an excellent weaver of words and he writes poetry over at https://rebornbyfire.blogspot.com/
A few weeks ago Sean and I were talking about working on a poetry/art collab and we decided to base our work around Isaiah 6:1-7 and the way John brings the throne/altar/atonement imagery to its climax at the cross of Christ, as it is revealed in Revelation to be the Altar-Throne of God (Rev.22:1-3, etc) (you can see an entry I made about this concept a few weeks ago if you track back through the daily pictures).
So, there’s no picture description today since the poem IS the description. Please take a moment to read it over and consider how word and image mutually illuminate one another.
The Altar-Throne — by Sean Eha
Isaiah’s cleansing altar-coal, smoke-veiled, by seraph brought
In temple courts united ‘neath the robe of Most High God,
A promised Servant suffering to bear his people’s sin,
The glory of the Lord beheld like rainbows shine within
The clouds– All in Christ combined, the rainbow turned to white,
Condensed into a single beam of unrefracted light.
The veil divided: On the cross, the high, exalted King
Descended on the altar of mankind’s sin offering,
And there in place of sacrifice was lifted up and shone
His glory in the outer court, the altar made his throne.
Now Heaven has subsumed the Earth, the outer court’s drawn in,
The Lord within the inner court atoning for our sin,
Revealing there the glory that above the Ark was bared
Is smoke from the self-sacrifice by which his name’s declared:
“YHWH, gracious, merciful…” whose timeless throne above
Has always been the altar of his steadfast, outpoured love.
Thus John in revelation saw a slaughtered Lamb upon
That ancient throne, around which Earth and Heaven turn as one —
Together the Most Holy Place enshrining Calvary:
The Mercy Seat, the center of Time and Eternity.
There is no other altar, neither any other throne
Which can redeem and order all Creation, but alone
This both-in-one amidst which stands the slain and risen Lamb:
Temple, Priest, and Sacrifice, exalted King, I AM.
