The ghost of Tottering Towers had no manners. His behaviour was that of a teenager who had grown up having never been scolded by his parents. Afterall, who goes around scaring innocent 3-year-olds?
I was terrified. Marmaduke would stand silently at the top of the stairs and remove his head. He tucked it under his arm and just stood there. I never knew why he was dressed in a full suit of armour, nor why he chose to act in such an impolite fashion. People with etiquette don’t take their heads off in public.
I am assuming by his weird conduct, that old Marm’ was the spirit that once lived in the house. Tottering Towers was a large, dark mansion where a few people dwelled, but it was never made clear to me why the silent knight in this 1970’s T.V. programme was allowed to continue this delinquent behaviour.
It certainly made me scared to go upstairs to bed. How my knees shook! As a toddler, I was certain that while ascending to the pinnacle of the stairs, he was going to suddenly show up on the landing, with just a neck visible at the top of his metal torso.
After Jesus died, more than 500 people reported to have seen him, walking around Israel, and this was on 12 separate occasions. On top of that, many of the eyewitnesses had been non-believers who had a dramatic change of heart when they realised that dead people do not come back to life. Certainly not ones who had been abused so viciously, bled out all their blood and been stabbed in the gut.
He was traditionally bound in white linen and laid inside a heavily-guarded tomb. Not even the muscly soldiers who were stationed outside to protect it could have shifted the massive stone that was placed at the opening to make sure he didn’t escape. Well, they knew he was dead. Most people wouldn’t have survived the pre-cross violence, let alone the rest of it. But they had heard Jesus stating that in 3 days he would rise again and so assumed a few disciples would try to steal his body at night and then proclaim, ‘He is risen!”
Well, what a sight that must have been! Never mind Marmaduke strolling around on the first floor – this was a real man walking around the country, speaking to people and telling them, “All is well.”
All was not well for the Devil though. He was one of them whom Jesus decided to pay a visit.
He Took the Keys
He went deep into the prison,
The core of Satan’s lair.
Standing in the stinking Hell,
With all the demons there.
Each demonic creature
Looked to their master for a cue,
But Satan stood there petrified,
Not knowing what to do.
Jesus was alive,
And they all could feel his power.
After three days of laughter,
The atmosphere, now sour.
Jesus passed away,
So how could he be here…
Standing tall in victory,
Filling them all with fear?
He said, “I have won the battle,
And I’ve come to crush your head.
You thought you’d got rid of me,
But I’m no longer dead.
I’ve risen to life for evermore,
There’s power in my breath.
I’ve conquered sin forever,
And suffering, pain and death.”
He then snatched the keys from Satan’s hand,
As he cowered on the ground.
This evil one defeated,
Dared not make a sound.
Seventy two hours of mocking,
With boasting and so much pride.
But now seeing the Holy Son of God,
Made him tremble and want to hide.
He had revelled at the volume
Of blood that Jesus shed,
But the power in that same blood,
Rose his body from the dead.
Jesus said, “The keys to sin and death,
Are now held in my hand.
You have no hold upon the world,
You no longer stand.
The blood that poured out of me,
Now has power to set souls free.
The cross I was nailed to,
Now a symbol of victory.
The lonely can now smile,
Their heartache’s at an end.
For now they have a Saviour,
A dependable best friend.
A secret place to go,
To receive joy and peace,
Comfort in the hard times,
Love that will never cease.
The hopeless who close their eyes,
Wishing the day to be their last,
Will find strength to face tomorrow,
And forgiveness from the past.
The sad will have much joy,
And there’s courage for the fearful.
All the wounded in spirit,
Will be no longer tearful.
But tears of joy will flow
From sinners who look to me,
Believing I’m the Son of God
Who died to set them free.
As the ground shook beneath them,
Jesus left with the keys.
It went darker than the darkest night,
As they all fell to their knees.
Their master was defeated,
Jesus was the King.
And while the demons wailed in agony,
You could hear the angels sing.
