No Peace Until His Return Poem by Terence George Craddock

once upon a time in a far far away land
a long long time ago a baby was born
the baby grow up to become a man
some said he was a teacher a wise man
some said he was a prophet others claim
he was the son of God others a blasphemer
mockers demanded his death demanded
he be publicly tortured killed crucified

just before his death he gathered together
his disciples for a meal told them one of them
would betray him one deny him three times
they did not believe him when it happened
his disciples all ran away hid in a house in fear
except the betrayer for thirty pieces of silver

that disciple was said to have hung himself
the other disciples heard he was resurrected
remembered he had said the temple destroyed
he could he would rebuild in just three days
he was dead in a tomb three days then alive
he had said not a stone would be left on stone
in 70 AD the Romans destroyed the temple
in Jerusalem with not a stone left on a stone

many wild claims were made about him
written in four books called gospels
these were books about his life miracles
other books letters were written about him
how strange how strange to write much
about a man crucified as a common criminal

stranger still stories were told of his disciples
disciples who ran away hid in a house in fear
how they claimed he was the Son of God
were also tortured put to death for this crime
Jesus claimed he would return to the world
claimed there would be no peace until his return

time passed then a man called John of Patmos
claimed to have a Revelation from Jesus Christ
he wrote an apocalypse with four horsemen
in the Old Testament's prophetic Book Zechariah
in the Book of Ezekiel these four horsemen
were mentioned named as punishments from God

is it real is it fantasy the United Nations said
there will be peace had a big statue made
a man hammers swords into plough shares
American Presidents said there will be peace
in the Middle East all proved to be wrong
there has been was no peace still is no peace

only wars wars an endless blood river of wars
wars who can deny this you know it is true
if you do not believe this watch wars on news
look up lists of wars wars happening today
do a simple search on the internet enter wars
it seems impossible not a single day no wars

or instead look up four horsemen of apocalypse
Hollywood seems to tell distorted tales about them
so in dusty not read much King James version in
Bible I will turn to look up read of four horsemen
apparently this is an opening of the first four seals
the tale is told in Revelation 6: 1-8 where we read

"Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals;
and I heard one of the four living creatures saying
with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." And I
looked, and beheld, a white horse. He who sat on it
had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he
went out conquering and to conquer."Ok but what

does this mean? It represents power authority. It
represents the rule of kings and lords on earth,
from Roman Caesars until kingdoms nations
present. The bow symbolizes conquering, wars,
the crown symbolizes dominion, power, control.
White horse its rider is earthly rule it is authority
dominion "nation shall rise against nation" wars

empires rise empires fall true ok so far no peace

"When He opened the second seal, I heard
the second living creature saying, "Come and see."
Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was
granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from
the earth, and that people should kill one another;
and there was given to him a great sword." wars

Ok but again exactly what does this mean?
A fiery red horse, a great sword, this rider
with the sword represents slaughter bloodshed,
people killing people, violence, murder, wars.
Read history multiple crusades Napoleonic Wars,
World Wars I and II fiery red horse is riding riding...

Jesus claimed no peace until his return?

"When He opened the third seal, I heard the third
living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked,
and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had
a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in
the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart
of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley

for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."
A black horse, a rider carrying, weighing scales?
Does this mean commerce our economic system
problems with corruption poverty debt inflation
unemployment financial loss even our boom bust
share market is this a prophecy of economic crisis?

It seems to spell trouble economic calamity a voice
a merchant selling small amounts of grain for what?
A denarius an entire day's wage for very little food
withholding oil wine from sale is a starvation diet?
Do we see this in the world depressions wall street
collapse droughts famine hunger killing people?

Black horse rider, carrying weighing scales, riding?

"When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice
of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."
So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name
of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed
with him. And power was given to them over a fourth
of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death,

and by the beasts of the earth." What does this mean?
The macabre pale rider is death. The realm of the dead.
All human beings all creatures living must fall in death.
People will die of natural disasters disease famine wars
accidents old age modern medicine failed to cure old age.

This is presently still true nothing more to be said?
There are choices live in peace or support national wars?
There are choices live safe or break laws take risks?
There are choices hard drugs excessive alcohol bad diet?
There are choices good diet exercise to prolong good health?
There are choices take a happiness pill relax live long prosper?

Now what will we citizens of the world do
now choose to lie steal cheat hate murder?
Choose to turn over new leaf heal planet?

Perhaps we should remember to pray for peace?
Perhaps we should remember to pray for prosperity?
Perhaps we should remember to pray for love?
Perhaps we should remember to pray for a better world?

Now I know my tale is done will you hide will you run?
Will you sow peace or adversity, or nothing hide head in sand?