When Time Was Full, God Sent His Son

This text was written in the Easter season of 1999 and focuses upon Christ as the second and greater Jonah.   Jesus compared Himself to Jonah when He spoke about His forthcoming resurrection triumph.  In 2005, Walter Pelz wrote a tune for this text called VALIANT ONE.

1.  When time was full, God sent His Son

          To save those under Law;

     His destined path, Christ did not shun,

          But faced death's hungry maw.

     As Life was swallowed up and died,

          Creation shook and groaned:

     Its Lord and Maker crucified,

          Deposed, entombed, disowned.

2.  This holy Jonah undecayed

          Lay still with the whale;

     This Lord of Life on death then preyed,

          Hell's titan to impale:

     From gaping jaws came forth this King,

          With death the casualty!

     Colossal foe, where now your sting?

          Where grave, your victory?

3.  God's valiant One, once sacrificed,

          Is high-exalted now,

     That at the name of Jesus Christ

          Each knee should surely bow;

     Each tongue confess and praise the Lamb,

          Our resurrected Lord,

     The First and Last, the great I AM--

          Acclaimed, enthroned, adored!