Richard III - Historical Enigma in Honor of Royal Re-Burial March 26, 2015

I wrote this for my college English lit research paper (for which I received an A+!)...I still find Richard's story fascinating. Given our modern media's propensity to "slant a story," it shouldn't surprise me that the same could be true hundreds of years ago. I hope you enjoy...

Richard III:  Historical Enigma

            "I am a villain:  yet I lie, I am not...every tongue brings in a different tale, and every tale condemns me for a villain.  Perjury, in the highest degree."

            So speaks Shakespeare's King Richard in the most famous characterization of the Yorkist king who ruled England from 1483 to 1485.  Richard III's short reign, however, is not the reason for his fame.  Richard is best remembered as a diabolical hunchback who murdered his way to the throne.  The question of Richard's guilt or innocence in the alleged murder of his nephews has been argued for centuries.  On one hand, loyal Ricardians staunchly maintain Richard's innocence.  Yet on the other, history books still refer to Richard as the most probable perpetrator in the disappearance and likely murders.  Researchers have been unable to uncover any contemporary evidence.

            Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, was an excellent administrator and soldier, a fact acknowledged by historians certain of Richard's guilt in addition to defenders of his innocence.  A loyal subject who supported his brother, King Edward IV, even to the point of sharing his exile.

            Richard's brother, Edward IV, ruled during civil war -- the War of the Roses.  The Plantagenets were Yorkists, whose coat of arms depicted white roses.  The Lancastrian dynasty represented by roses of red.  Edward IV reigned during this turbulent period striving to resume peace and unity during his 22 years on the throne.  England embraced the blonde six-foot 'Sun of York' king with open arms and hearts.

            Three Yorkist brothers hold a unique notoriety in English history.  Edward, the eldest, was a renowned ladies' man; George, Duke of Clarence and the middle brother, remembered for drowning in a vat of ale.  And Richard, the youngest, remembered as a murderous uncle.

            The defamation of Richard's character can be traced to historians and chroniclers under Tudor reign.  Shakespeare's famous tragedy was written in 1597 -- 112 years after Richard's death.  Shakespeare's characterization was based upon Sir Thomas More's The Life and Reign of Richard the Third.  Sir Thomas More was five years old at the time of Richard's death in the Battle of Bosworth and a protege of Richard's worst enemy.

            Edward secretely married Elizabeth Woodville, an older, ambitious widow regarded as an upstart by peers of the realm.  After he made every effort to lure her, she admitted she was not good enough to be his queen, but protested she was far too good to become his mistress.  With Edward's reputation, it is surmised that the blue-eyed enchantress fended off Edward's amorous advances until he offered marriage and fulfilled his promise on May 1, 1464.

            This Queen Elizabeth exercised considerable influence over her husband.  Edward frequently detained his brother, George of Clarence, for overstepping the bounds of familial tolerance.  Edward eventually arrested Clarence for subtle and overtly treasonable acts.  Elizabeth Woodville's power was significant; it is probable Clarence was put to death at her insistence.

            Richard married Anne Neville in 1472, after securing her sanctuary from his brother Clarence.  Married to Anne's sister, Clarence's interest in who married his sister-in-law centered on the Neville sisters' inheritance.  King Edward interceded between George and Richard; Clarence agreed Richard could marry his sister-in-law provided Clarence did not have to share the Neville estates.  To the king's relief Richard accepted.

            The twenty-year-old bridegroom and his sixteen-year-old second cousin seemed compatible as they departed from court life.  In 1473, Anne gave birth to a son, whom they named Edward, doubtless in honor of his uncle.  It appears Richard's marriage was happy, that he gave Anne Neville his heart as well as his name.

            The drama of Richard's alleged treachery arose after the death of Edward, whose indulgent lifestyle eventually took its toll.

            At his deathbed, Edward summoned his court's two rival factions, but not his Queen.  Edward addressed those assembled with the authority not of a king, but of the dying.  Without love between them, his son, the kingdom and his court would all be brought to ruin.  They were moved to tears as Edward sighed and dismissed them.  The strength which the kingdom and his sons needed did not lie in these men.  There was only one man capable of ordering the realm and subduing the actions which split the court.  A man he loved well and who, he knew, loved him... Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

            Edward summoned his executors.  Lord Stanley was added to the king's will; the queen Elizabeth dropped.  With real humility, the weakening King asked his executors to pay his debts and distribute a good portion to the poor.  Then, aware his last minutes were numbered, he added the important codicil to his will, bequeathing his boy heir and his realm to the protection of his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester.. Richard's popularity gave Edward more than one reason to trust his remaining brother whose political allegiance, unlike that of Clarence, had not wavered. 

            Edward IV died on April 9, 1483, three weeks before his forty-first birthday.

            On learning of the death of his brother and liege, Richard hastened to London from the North in mourning attire.  Richard wrote letters to console the queen and assured all duty, fealty, and due obedience to his new king and lord, Edward the fifth.  Richard journeyed to York with a small retinue of knights where he performed a solemn funeral service and the accompanying nobility took oaths of fealty to the late king's son.  Taking the oath first was Richard himself.          Upon reaching the young king, Richard greeted him with affection and respect, kneeling to him as a king.  Edward V announced his impending departure so he could be crowned in all haste.

            Arrangements were made for Edward's funeral.  He lay in state for eight days attired in red leather shoes and wrapped in a white robe, watched over night and day until his burial on Sunday, April 20th.

            Custom required Parliamentary sanction of the Council's arrangements to govern the realm during Edward V's minority.  The English people were not entirely pleased by the prospect of another child-king and Richard made some effort to postpone the coronation.  The Council debated two options:  That Richard govern because Edward had so directed or that the government be carried on by many with the duke as chief.  The latter was chosen.

            Richard postponed the coronation until June 22nd.  On June 21, Robert Stillington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, revealed to Richard that the children of Elizabeth Woodville and King Edward were illegitimate because the King had been betrothed to another when he secretly married Elizabeth.

            In medieval times, a betrothal contract was as binding as marriage vows.  Stillington officiated a ceremony in which Edward plighted his troth to an earl's daughter; therefore committed to marry her.  And so, the king's subsequent marriage to another woman was unlawful and their offspring illegitimate.  As Protector of the Realm and next of kin among Edward's legitimate family, Richard was within his rights in assuming the crown.

            Bishop Stillington was not a crony of Richard's, divulging his tale at a suspiciously opportune time.  Edward IV's amorous propensities were notorious enough to make Stillington's claim credible.  Stillington was closely associated with Richard's brother, the proverbial bad-penny-Clarence.  Shortly after Clarence's execution, Stillington was detained.  He paid a heavy fine and received a royal pardon upon his release in 1478.  His offense?  Uttering prejudicial words to the king and his state.

            It seems quite probable that Stillington let the precontract between Edward and Lady Eleanor slip to Clarence.  The king's coveting sibling likely intimidated Edward with this dangerous knowledge.  Perhaps this was the true reason for Clarence's execution and Elizabeth's  interest in his punishment.  Although pardoned and released, Stillington was held the Woodvilles' enmity.  Stillington explained to Richard that the betrothal was a secret undertaking which he alone witnessed.

            On June 22, 1483, Richard rode to hear Friar Ralph Shaa, who announced, "Bastard slips shall not take root".  Friar Shaa went on to say that by God's law as well as by worth, Richard was entitled to the crown as Edward's heir apparent was illegitimate due to the precontract with Lady Eleanor.  Thus, King Edward's offspring put aside and the Duke of Clarence's son disabled by Clarence's attainder, Richard of Gloucester was the true heir of York and rightful king.

            On Thursday, 26 June, Richard the Protector was offered a petition to become King.  Parliament's acceptance of Stillington's claim was incorporated into a statute entitled Titulus Regius which proclaimed Edward's children illegitimate and declared Richard the king of England.  After Richard agreed to accept the kingship, he rode to Westminster, beginning his reign the same day.

            Richard's short reign was fraught with intrigue.  He repressed an uprising in the favor of Henry Tudor, an heir to the house of York on the wrong side of the blanket many times over.  Preoccupied with matters of state, Richard endeavored to fulfill his promise to Elizabeth Woodville to see to the welfare of Edward's children. Edward's sons, Edward and Richard, were seen playing in the Tower as late as the summer of 1483.

            Although Richard's military and administrative campaigns proved successful, his personal life crumbled. In April 1484, a messenger informed Richard and Anne that their little son was dead.  Queen Anne did not outlive her son a year; her sorrow compounded by her inability to bear other children.  A solar eclipse occurred on the exact date of Anne's death, blotting out the light of the sun as Anne's demise darkened Richard's life.

            On August 22, 1485, atop a white destrier in full armor, Richard and his troops rode to Bosworth Field to meet Henry Tudor in battle.  Richard wore his crown upon his helmet to demonstrate to friend and foe alike that a King rode into battle. 

            Although Richard's men outnumbered Henry's, two allies withheld their assistance until Richard rode into the fray.  Henry Tudor stayed behind his force.  There may be factual foundation for the Shakespearean line, "A horse!  A horse!  My kingdom for a horse!" as Richard's courser may have floundered in the marsh before Richard was struck down and killed.

            Richard's crown landed upon a thornbush where it was retrieved and placed on Henry's head.  Richard's battered body stripped bare and slung over the back of a horse, he is the only English monarch since 1066 whose remains do not rest in a royal tomb.

            Henry Tudor became King Henry VII by force of arms.  As a great-grandson of an illegitimate son of a younger son of a king, Henry's claim to the throne was precarious.  To strengthen his claim and unite the houses of York and Lancaster, Henry married Edward's daughter, Elizabeth, in 1486.  But as a bastard herself, she was not worthy of being queen.  Henry repealed Titulus Regius to re-legitimize his prospective bride.  If the young princes were alive at that time, they were more of a threat to Henry than they had ever been to Richard.  By repealing Titulus Regius, Henry made the older boy king.

            How true were Shakespeare's lines, "I must be married to..." [Elizabeth] "...murder her brothers and then marry her" and "If I did take the kingdom from your son, to make amends, I'll give it to your daughter".  Although attributed to Richard, this speech would have been more appropriately consigned to Henry.

            No one knows the fates of the princes in the Tower.  Henry VII released the information that Sir James Tyrrel and a servant named Dighton confessed to the murder of the princes and their subsequent burial in the Tower.  But his action came only after Tyrrel's execution in 1502 -- almost twenty years after the supposed crime.  Only when threatened by Perkin Warbeck, posturing as Richard's nephew and namesake, did Henry acknowledge the boys' deaths.

            In the Tower for treason against Henry, It is suspicious that Henry gave Tyrrel a general pardon on June 16, 1486.  Even more incriminating, a scant month later, Henry gave Tyrrel a second general pardon.

            The Shakespearean-Tudor myth persists...perhaps an achievement in art, but an apparent travesty to historical justice.

                                                                   Works Cited

Armstrong, C.A.J., ed.  The Usurpation of Richard III.  New York:

            Oxford University Press,  1969.

Brandewyne, Rebecca.  Rose of Rapture.  New York:  Warner Books,

            1984.

Chrimes, Stanley Bertram.  Lancastrians, Yorkists, and Henry VII.

            New York:  St. Martin's Press,  1964.

Clark, Sir George.  English History.  New York:  Oxford University

            Press,  1971.

Costain, Thomas B.  The Last Plantagenets.  Garden City, New York:

            Doubleday & Co., Inc.,  1962.

Hanham, Alison.  Richard III and His Early Historians, 1483-1535.

            London:  Oxford University Press,  1975.

Kendall, Paul Murray.  Richard the Third.  New York:  W.W. Norton

            & Co., Inc.,  1956.

Murph, Roxane C.  Richard III:  The Making of a Legend.  Metuchen,

            New Jersey:  Scarecrow Press, Inc.,  1984.

Polley, Jane, ed.  Quest for the Past.  Pleasantville, New York:

            The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.,  1984.

Ross, Charles.  Richard III.  Los Angeles:  University of California

            Press,  1981.

Seward, Desmond.  Richard III, England's Black Legend.  New York:

            Franklin Watts,  1984.

Shakespeare, William.  King Richard III.  London:  J.M. Dent & Sons

            Ltd.,  1935.

St. Aubyn, Giles.  The Year of the Three Kings, 1483.  New York.

            Atheneum,  1983.

Tey, Josephine.  [Mackintosh, Elizabeth].  The Daughter of Time.

            New York:  Pocket Boods/MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc.,  1977.

Williamson, Audrey.  The Mystery of the Princes, An Investigation into a Supposed Murder.        Totowa, New Jersey:  Rowman and Littlefield,  1978.

Memorial to Tim

Snowed in (or rather iced in) again today. So, I'm reminiscing instead of cleaning out the closets or doing something productive. Thought I'd rummage through the computer archives and update the old blog. Re-read what I had read at Tim's memorial service. I'll post it here. As a tribute. To the man I've loved for more than 35 years now. Miss you, babe.

I wanted to tell you about Tim. Well, actually he will always be Timmy to me. I wanted to share who he is to me. For someone who loves to write, it’s hard to admit that I have no words to paint that picture. These last few days, we’ve been reliving memories through family photos. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me show you snapshots of the man who will always be my hero, Timmy Dwane Casteel White:

Some of you know the story of how we met, but I’ll briefly share it. 35 years ago Billie took my sisters and I swimming at his apartment pool. I was almost 16 and he had just turned 21. Yet, robbing the cradle wasn’t his only theft that day because he stole my heart, too. When he asked me if I wanted a ride home on his motorcycle, I didn’t think anything of it. When we stopped at a red light, he popped the kickstand and turned off the bike as he hopped off. I watched as he went over to a car stopped beside us, pulled this guy out of the driver’s seat and proceeded to pound the snot out of him. I’m thinking, “I’m on a motorcycle with a maniac! Where is Billie with my sisters? What do I do now?”

Dazed, I watched as he stuffed the guy back in the car (mind you, there were 2 other guys in the car and they didn’t move a muscle) and walked back to me and the bike and said, “That guy hurt my sister. I kick his ass every time I see him.” And in that moment, he became my hero.

He hopped back on, started up the bike and we had only gone down the road just a bit when he said over his shoulder, “I’d like to take you out sometime.” I didn’t know what to say except, “You’ll have to ask my daddy.” Which he did…and we fell in love.

When we went to Galveston with Daddy and Billie, we saw someone trying to break into a room where we were staying. Timmy yelled, “Hey!” at the guy and he took off running. So did Tim. I know he was always skinny, but the Dallas Cowboys would’ve signed him up right then when they saw his flying tackle. He caught the guy and marched him back to the motel’s office just like you see on Cops. We got a free night out of it!

Another heroic moment was at Possum Kingdom lake. We loved camping and going to the lake. He skied with such grace. It was great to watch him ski…sailing back and forth, shooting rooster tails in the water. One year we celebrated the 4^th of July on the water with family and friends. We had our own little flotilla going with a couple of boats while we watched fireworks that night. As we rode back toward where we were camped, Timmy had to drive the boat super slow because it was so dark. Some of the guys were passing beers back and forth between the two boats as we were going along when suddenly, we watched in horror as Timmy’s brother Shannon lost his balance, slipped and fell between the boats. In an absolute instant, Timmy shut off the motor, ran and flew through the air to dive off the back of the boat. Shannon and Timmy both surfaced, and we breathed a sigh of relief. But that was my hero…in instant action.

I could tell you story after story after story. He lived his life with integrity and loyalty. He worked hard for 29 years to provide a good living for me and the kids. He loved us and protected us. He was a good husband, a good father, a good man.

You all know how much he loved to hunt and fish. Thanks, James! And he was good at it. He loved sitting in the woods. He tried to take me hunting and fishing with him and we tried that for a while until I fell asleep against a tree turkey hunting and then I almost shot him deer hunting. That’s when we figured out I was a city girl and he could hunt while I stayed home with the kids and read a good book.

Around 1999, he found a deer lease that was a bit more family friendly and I learned the joys of camping out at the deer lease complete with heating, a/c, lights and electricity.  We settled in and I could read while he went hunting. It was the best of both worlds until he got sick.

ALS or Lyme and ALS took a lot away from us, but it didn’t take away his fierce determination, or stubbornness. The doctor told us people stricken with ALS typically only make it about 3 to 5 years. I think Tim added the two together because it’s been 8 years since I finally convinced him to go to the doctor to get checked out. I wish the doctor had told him 10 to 20 years, then we would’ve had him another 30 years.

I won’t take much time explaining how courageously Tim fought ALS. Most of you have seen it. I will say that the silver lining to that dark cloud is that it forced us to face our mortality. 100 out of every 100 people die. So unless the Lord returns before us, that will happen to each and every one of us. Timmy realized that.

People say I’m strong for battling this disease alongside Tim, but it’s not my strength you see. It’s the gift that God has given me. When He forgave my sins, they were no more.

His Son saved me and His Spirit lives in me. He is the Light that shines in me for all the world to see...Jesus came to reach, teach, touch and heal. Not long after we started this journey, the Lord told me he would heal Tim. He’s done that now. Not the way I had wanted, but Tim is fully healed and enjoying heaven with His savior.

This is the comfort we have...not just that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but that He rose from the grave and lives even now. So we can know with absolute certainty that Timmy is not dead, but more alive now in heaven. Fully healed.

That same savior reaches out for YOU. Fall into His arms and rest in His gentle strength.

We all know the verse: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."  John 3:16

Because you are so precious to Him, substitute the word "you" for "the world" and know and accept the greatest gift you could ever receive:

For God so loved YOU that He gave His only begotten Son,

that if YOU believe in Him, YOU shall not perish, but have everlasting life!

I have that assurance. Timmy has that assurance. I hope and pray you do, too.

You know I could talk about Jesus and Timmy forever. I was so worried I wouldn’t have any words to say. But I prayed for something to say and after Justin told me he’s already said everything that he needed to say, I realized that I did, too. I’ve been writing love letters to Timmy for 35 years. I already had the words I would need for today.

So I’ll finish with a poem I wrote for Timmy on our 10^th anniversary that’s still true today.

                        It's been ten long and short years since I put my heart in your hands.

                                          A neverending circle like our wedding bands.

                                                                             

                                      We don't have to recreate the first bloom of youth.

                                  We need only look to our hearts and seek out the truth.

                                                                             

                                      It hasn't been all rosy; our love's often been rough.

                                    But that young love endured and real love is enough.

                                                                             

                                        Our love gave us children who look just like us.

                                         They are the mirrors of our hope and our trust.

                                                                             

                                     These past ten years seem like a lifetime sometimes.

                           But the future holds promise because I'm yours and you're mine.

                                                                             

                                              Deep down inside I'm still the same girl

                                    Who captured your heart when you gave me a whirl.

                                                                             

                                                          You can look in my eyes

                                                             And see into my soul.

                                                       You know my every thought.

                                                             Alone, I'm not whole.

                                                                             

                                  I wish I could show you how much you're a part of me.

                                     If I could open my heart, you could look in and see.

                                                                             

                                            I celebrate each day that you share my life.

                                                     And I thank God in my prayers

                                                              That I am your wife.

I love you, Sugar Britches. I hate that you went to heaven before me, but I’m grateful that you know Jesus…and now know Him really, really well. Save a place for me, sweetheart. I love you, always and forever.

Easter Courtroom by Angela E. White (Copyright 1999)

Narrator:          At the Passover meal, Jesus gave thanks, broke the bread and said, “This is my body given for you;” (Luke 22:19) and in the same way, after the supper he took the cup, said, “This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20)  Shortly after that Passover, a so-called trial was held in Jerusalem -- a trial which made a mockery of justice -- and the world’s only innocent man was condemned to die on a cross.  Today we present a trial in Heaven (Prosecutor leads/shoves defendant to table), where Satan stands as mankind’s accuser and evidence is weighed by God the Father.  Some defendants proclaim their own merit.  Others know the Truth and are represented by Jesus Christ, before the judgment seat of God the Father. He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9).  The Lord takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people (Isaiah 3:13).

(All are standing as Judge enters; Jesus is already standing in the rear near defendant.)

JUDGE:           Review the past for me, let us argue the matter together (Isaiah 43:26a).  (Judge & Defendant sit; prosecutor, stands at podium.)

Prosecutor:       (Snidely accusing)  Before you is one who claims to be blameless, yet I have gathered the evidence of this one’s sin.  (Shakes papers)  Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4).  There is no one righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10).

JUDGE:           State the case for your innocence.  (Isaiah 43:26b)

Defendant:       I am not alone.  Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.  (Galations 3:22)

JUDGE:           Yet you have disobeyed my commandments.  I bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.   (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

Prosecutor:       (opens folder) These sins are hidden no more.  (Holds Bible)  This is the book of the Law and it remains as a witness against you (Deuteronomy 31:26).  (To the judge) Give her to me so she may be punished.

Defendant:       But I tried to be a good person....and not do any “real” evil, especially in comparison to the sins of the world around me.

Prosecutor:       But Scripture says, “... whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”    (James 2:10)

JUDGE:           (Cautions) All man’s ways seem innocent to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.  (Proverbs 16:2)

Prosecutor:       So you see punishment is deserved!  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2).  (Demanding) Give this one to me!

JUDGE:           (Rebuking) It is mine to avenge; I will repay (Deuteronomy 32:35).  (Gently)  I am compassionate and gracious... slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and I do forgive wickedness, rebellion and sin.  Yet I do not leave guilt unpunished (Exodus 34:6-7).  There must be atonement for sin. 

Prosecutor:       The look on her face testifies against her.  She has paraded her sin and does not hide it.  Woe to those who have brought disaster upon themselves by rejecting the law of the Lord and spurning the word of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 5:24). 

Defendant:       (acknowledging guilt)  It is true I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.  Yet... everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:10-11).  I did the best I could; is that not enough?

JUDGE:           Who speaks for this sinner? (PAUSE FOR SILENCE   Looks around, then resigned, speaks with a sigh) For justice to be done, the scales must be balanced.  The sin must be reconciled.  Although it grieves my heart, you may take this one. 

Prosecutor:       (Judgmental; to defendant) You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting (Daniel 5:27).

Narrator:          And the Lord will carry out his sentence…with speed and finality (Romans 9:28).  (Defendant hangs head in shame.) Thus concludes this trial...but let us examine a vastly different outcome.

Defendant:       (Pleading) ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18:13)  Out of the depths I cry to you.  O Lord, hear my voice.  Hear my cry for mercy. (Psalms 130).   I acknowledge my sin to you and will not cover up my iniquity.  I confess my transgressions to you, Lord.  Have you not forgiven the guilt of my sin?  (Psalms 32:5)

Prosecutor:       How could he have possibly forgiven this sin?!?

JUDGE:           I have provided a way...through the atonement of blood.

Prosecutor:       With all due respect, it’s a little late to sacrifice a goat or a calf.

JESUS:             I am here.  I, Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life -- am here to intercede.  (Romans 8:34)

(Prosecutor tosses down papers in disgust. Jesus takes a seat beside the defendant and places a hand on the shoulder of defendant.  Defendant looks relieved..)

Narrator:          For Christ did not enter a manmade sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. (Hebrews 9:24)  He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.  (Hebrews 9:12)

JUDGE:           This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17)  Whoever believes in him receives forgiveness and everlasting life. (John 3:16)  (Jesus nods his head in acknowledgement of this praise.)

JESUS:                         I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)  I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.  (To defendant) Do you believe this?  (John 11:25-26)

Defendant:       Yes, I do believe.  (To Jesus; grateful for being saved.)  You reached down from on high and took hold of me; you drew me out of deep waters.  You rescued me from a powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.  (2 Samuel 17-18)

Narrator:          The Lord redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him (Psalms 34:22).   For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10a).  For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  (Ephesians 1:4)

JUDGE:           (To defendant) So now you have been reconciled by Christ’s physical body through death to present yourself holy in my sight -- without blemish and free from accusation.  (Colossians 1:22)

Prosecutor:       (Angry) I object!  This is not justice!  The laws were broken and the debt of sin must be paid!

JESUS:                         I have not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.  (Matthew 5:17)   Let me cite a case in Rome...when a debtor was imprisoned for his debts, a certificate of debt was nailed to the door to remain until the sentence was carried out and the debt was paid.  Then “paid in full” or “it is finished” was written across the certificate.  The prisoner kept this certificate as proof so he would never be punished for that crime again.  When I received the drink on the cross, I said, “Tetelestai; It is finished,” and I gave up my spirit. (John 19:30)   I canceled the written code against all who believed in me, I took away the sin of the world and nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14) with my body and my blood.

Prosecutor:       (In sarcastic disbelief) And this satisfies all the sin of the entire world?  Everyone hung on a tree is cursed!  (Deuteronomy 21:23)

JESUS:                         I redeemed sinners from the curse of the law by becoming such a curse (Galatians 3:13).  With this one’s confession and belief in me, the sinner’s debt has been paid in full -- completely, finally, once and for all.  It is indeed finished.

JUDGE:           (to defendant) There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:1-2)

JESUS:             (to defendant) You know the truth...and the truth has set you free.  Although you are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).  In me you have redemption through my blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on you with all wisdom and understanding.  (Ephesians 1:7-8)

JUDGE:           And I am the one who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers your sin no more.  (Isaiah 43:25)

Prosecutor:       (Still sarcastic)  What kind of judge are you who pardons and forgives sin?

JUDGE:           (Forceful)  I am a righteous God!  (Ezekiel 9:15)  I do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy (Micah 7:18).  (To defendant) I have compassion for you  (Isaiah 54:10.  My Son has tread your sins underfoot and I have hurled all of your iniquities into the depths of the sea  (Micah 7:19).  This is my verdict (John 3:19): though your sins were like scarlet, you are now white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)

(Defendant is incredibly relieved; shows weary gratitude.)

(Explains gently.)  I do not give as the world gives.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is my love for you; as far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions.  (Psalms 103:11-12)

JESUS:             (Takes hand of defendant and exits) Come, let us share the bread and the wine and rejoice in the grace of the Father.  My peace I give to you.

(Jesus leads defendant by the hand past Judge, who holds out his arm in welcome invitation; defendant is eagerly in awe; prosecutor shakes head in disbelief.)

Narrator:          For he himself is our peace, who has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.  He reconciled mankind to God through the cross, by which he put to death all hostility (Ephesians 2:14).  Having disarmed the powers and authorities of Satan, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15).  Instead of the sinner, the prince of the world now stands condemned (John 16:11).  (Prosecutor hangs his head in defeat.)

(To audience) What will you do on the day of reckoning?  To whom will you run for help?  (Isaiah 10:3)  This defender, known as Jesus Christ offers eternal life, and those he defends shall never perish; praise God for no one can snatch those who believe out of his hand.  (John 10:28)

The belt of Truth . . . Jesus tells us the truth (repeatedly in the Gospels) and is the Truth (John 14:6)

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

 

The breastplate of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10; Romans 3:22; Galatians 3:26-27)

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." (Isaiah 61:10)

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Romans 3:22)

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)

 

Feet fitted with the gospel of peace [The peace Jesus gives (John 14:27) . . . peace with God (Romans 5:8) . . . the peace of God (1 Thessalonians 5:23) . . . the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) . . . from the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)]

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

“and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

 

The shield of faith [Beth Moore explains it as four fingers & a thumb holding the shield]:

1.                  God is Who He says He Is (Deuteronomy 7:9)

"Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." (Deuteronomy 7:9)

2.                  God will do what He promises (Hebrews 6:13-20)

"When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:13-20)

3.                  I am who God says I am (Colossians 3:12)

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12)

4.                  I can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13)

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)

5.                  The Holy Spirit is alive and active in me (Romans 5:5)

"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:5)

 

The helmet of salvation (Psalm 149:4; Philippians 4:7)

"For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation." (Psalm 149:4)

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

 

The sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 45:3)

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

"Gird your sword upon your side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty." (Psalm 45:3)

 

Pray, be alert & keep praying (Daniel 9:4-10)

"I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets." (Daniel 9:4-10)

 

This passage is also an echo of the prophecy in Isaiah 59:12-21 . . .

¹²     For our offenses are many in your sight,

and our sins testify against us.

Our offenses are ever with us,

and we acknowledge our iniquities:

¹³     rebellion and treachery against the Lord,

turning our backs on our God,

fomenting oppression and revolt,

uttering lies our hearts have conceived.

¹⁴     So justice is driven back,

and righteousness stands at a distance;

truth has stumbled in the streets,

honesty cannot enter.

¹⁵     Truth is nowhere to be found,

and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased

that there was no justice.

¹⁶     He saw that there was no one,

he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;

so his own arm worked salvation for him,

and his own righteousness sustained him.

¹⁷     He put on righteousness as his breastplate,

and the helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on the garments of vengeance

and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.

¹⁸     According to what they have done,

so will he repay

wrath to his enemies

and retribution to his foes;

he will repay the islands their due.

¹⁹     From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord,

and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.

For he will come like a pent-up flood

that the breath of the Lord drives along.^a

²⁰     “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.

²¹ “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

^[1]

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^a Or When the enemy comes in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight

^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 59:12-60:1). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.