Amen! And Merry Christmas!

Issues – December 2009 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Amen!
And Merry Christmas!

During this season of the year it’s traditional to hear some portion of George Frederic Handel’s Messiah. Virtually everyone in the western world has heard the well-known “Hallelujah Chorus” from this famous oratorio written in 1741. It may come as a surprise to many to learn that this work – composed entirely of direct quotations from Isaiah, Job, Psalms, Haggai, Malachi, Zechariah, Luke, Matthew, John, First Corinthians, and Revelation – was originally written as concert hall entertainment for the public. It wasn’t until nine years after it was first performed that this inspiring work was presented in a church setting and viewed as worship for believers. Times have changed! Handel’s Messiah is divided into three parts. Part one draws the listeners’ attention to the prophecy which revealed God’s wondrous plan to redeem mankind from sin and death through the work of His Son, the Messiah. Part two focuses our attention on the actual birth, life and redemptive work of our Lord on the cross. Part three is a hymn of thanksgiving for the final overthrow of sin and death, concluding with a great chorus of the verse to the right (Rev. 5:12). If the script of the Messiah is read apart from the musical score, it’s easy to see why the work has such enduring appeal – it is the story of salvation quoted directly from God’s Word. As we were leaving the concert hall where we heard this oratorio performed, I heard a man criticize Handel’s musical score. His companion retorted: “Handel may have fallen short in how he presented the story, but the story itself is perfect.” To her comment I added, “Amen! And merry Christmas!” By Larry Ondrejack “Worthy
is the
Lamb
who was
slain to
receive
power
and
riches
and
wisdom,
and
strength
and
honor
and
glory
and
blessing!”
Revelation
5:12 NKJV