WHEN THE GATES OF HADES TREMBLED

Fallen angel satan sat in underworld-hall, with keys of sin and death firmly in his clasp. The ruler of Hades felt secure in this strange kingdom of the dead, with countless people incarcerated behind the realm-gates. Thereupon a Voice of authority and purpose shattered the stillness with command. Demon-guards shivered as hell-gates eased open, and one from the realm of the dead was called forth, Lazarus by name. Demons were unable to hold back their captive as he went through the gates, back to earth once more. Adversary satan was livid with rage as he feared what resurrections of the man from Nain, daughter of Jairus and Lazarus from Bethany portended for Hades.  The actions of Jesus sounded the first note of the death-knell of satanic rule ...

When the gates of Hades trembled

In shadowed halls where silence fell,
Deep in the realm of ancient Hell,
satan ruled underworld with iron might,
Over dead souls in existence-blight.

He held the keys of sin and grave,
Of every soul he thought his slave;
And all beneath his shadowed throne
Lay cold as stone, and all alone.

No sun broke through that endless night,
No mercy pierced that dread affright;
The underworld, in stillness bound,
Reeked of loss and hopeless sound.

Yet then a Voice rang through the gloom,
It shattered through that hopeless tomb;
A thunder not of wrath or fear,
But living Word with tone so clear.

The demon guards, in disarray,
Recoiled in hell with stark dismay;
For they - despite their fallen pride,
From that great Voice felt need to hide.

Hell's heavy gates, they groaned and swayed,
As if by unseen Hand obeyed;
And from the realm where death had reigned,
One called by name was unrestrained.

“Lazarus!” the Voice called with clarion tone,
While satan started up from throne;
For death itself began to break
At every step the soul did take.

He walked out past shadows strained,
Of countless captives kept enchained;
And through the gate he passed once more,
To breathe the air of earthly shore.

The satan rose in furious flame,
For none had dared such sacred claim;
“Who dares invade my ancient right,
And tear a soul from endless night?”

The echo came like rising sun,
“By Nazareth, the Holy One.”
A Name that split both earth and hell -
And rang like some immortal knell.

For in that moment, unhallowed throne
First felt a crack in carved-in-stone;
A tremor through his deathly reign,
A whisper that it would not remain.

So the shadows learned to fear,
The Living Voice that draws souls near;
For every grave that hears command,
Cannot the Holy One withstand.

With thanks to youtube

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tv4nAZliRKk