Bible Verses for Death Was Arrested

The tombstone of Samuel Burr in Saint Marys, Georgia reads: 

“Here rests what was mortal of Samuel Burr, age 42.
In search of health far from his endeared home, Death arrested his progress on April the 2nd, 1831.Quietly he fell asleep in the Christian hope of immortality and glory forever. Oh, the vanity of man in his best estate. Traveler pause and drop a tear at a grave Of one so worthy and so deeply lamented and learn wisdom for eternity."

The inscription on this tombstone stuck with Brandon Coker for more than two years before a discussion with Adam Kersh, Heath Balltzglier, and Paul Taylor led to the writing of the song Death Was Arrested. The song turns on the idea that death doesn't arrest the progress of life (like Samuel Burr's tombstone says), but Jesus has arrested death and so a believer's death is the beginning of a new chapter. For believers, eternal life continues after we die on this earth, but it begins the moment we believe in Christ and his death for our sin (John 3:16).

Death Was Arrested

by Adam Kersh, Brandon Coker, Heath Balltzglier, and Paul Taylor

Verse 1:
Alone in my sorrow and dead in my sin,

Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

Lost without hope with no place to begin,

Jesus said in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Your love made a way to let mercy come in

Ephesians 2:4-8 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

When death was arrested and my life began.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 2:
Ash was redeemed only beauty remains,

Isaiah 61:3 To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

My orphan heart was given a name,

Isaiah 65:15 “You will leave your name for a curse to My chosen ones, And the Lord God will slay you. But My servants will be called by another name.”

Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’ 

My mourning grew quiet my feet rose to dance

Psalm 30:11-12 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

When death was arrested and my life began

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, and the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, and He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.

Chorus:
Oh your grace so free washes over me

Romans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

You have made me new now life begins with you

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

It's your endless love pouring down on us

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”

You have made us new now life begins with you

Verse 3:
Released from my chains I'm a prisoner no more

About Jesus in Luke 4:17-19 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon ME, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”

My shame was a ransom he faithfully bore

Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 13:13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

He canceled my debt and he called me his friend

1 Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

 Jesus said in John 15:15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

When death was arrested and my life began

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.

Verse 4:
Our Savior displayed on a criminal's cross

Luke 23:33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

Darkness rejoiced as though heaven had lost

Luke 23:44-45 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

But then Jesus arose with our freedom in hand

About Jesus in Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.”

That's when death was arrested and my life began
That's when death was arrested and my life began

2 Timothy 1:10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

Chorus:
Oh your grace so free washes over me
You have made me new now life begins with you
It's your endless love pouring down on us
You have made us new now life begins with you

Bridge:
We're free, free, forever we're free.

Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Come join the song of all the redeemed.

Revelation 5:9-10 (KJV) And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Yes, we're free, free, forever. Amen.

Hebrews 2:14-15 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

When death was arrested and my life began.

Revelation 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.