By What Authority
(Malachi 3,4 and Matthew 21)
By what authority
Do you do these things?
In their robes of power
They question the one who brings
Refining fire, cleansing water,
True righteousness to purify
And to be a witness
Against those who terrify
Widows and orphans, strangers
And those oppressed
By self-righteous men
In their purple robes dressed
Now to find fault with
The messenger of the covenant
Was the way
To prove that He wasn’t sent
In the name of the LORD
“Hosanna in the highest!”
The crowd had shouted
From tyranny they wanted rest
To prove that He had no right
To enter the temple and flip the tables,
And call them thieves
He wasn’t able
To heal the lame,
Give sight to the blind
He had no authority
To be this kind
To sinners!
Mere infants and babes
While calling chief priests
Robbers and knaves
So now they had him
Who gave you authority?
They haughtily asked
Breathlessly waiting to see
I’ve a question for you
He said to them
Knowing their hearts
He exposed their sin
I do the will of the father
But I say to you
That tax collectors and prostitutes
Will see God's Kingdom before you
The land owner’s Son is here
But in your pride and arrogance
You’ll capture and kill Him
And seize His inheritance
The Father’s kingdom
Will be taken from you
And given to sinners
Who produce the fruit
Of faith in the Son
They repent of their pride
They fear His name
And from their sin don’t hide
Elijah the prophet has come
The children’s hearts to restore
The arrogant Pharisee
Will be no more
Like chaff in the wind
They fly away,
God’s chosen like the sun
Will shine on that great day