Hallelujah!
Christ is Risen!
April 20, 2025
George Frideric Handel’s Messiah was
originally an Easter offering.
Even though Handel was from London, he introduced his composition as it burst onto the stage of Musick Hall in Dublin, Ireland on April 13, 1742.
The very first word of the oratorio is
‘Comfort’. “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God…” (Isaiah 40, vv.1–3)
John 14:16-17- “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, …but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” KJV
We tend to overlook that one of the main ministries of God the Holy Spirit is ‘to comfort
His people.’
Isa 61:1-3- “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners…
To comfort all who mourn, 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. …”
NASU
Hasn’t Jesus brought liberty and freedom to you, who were in bondage and held captive to sin and spiritual death? Hasn’t the Lord Jesus brought you gladness, knowing that you belong to Christ and His world and not to this world?
…at His Second Coming…every hurt, every wrong, every injustice ever done, God will make right by His people, and they will reign with Him over His new Kingdom.
The Shepherd of the Psalms is now the sacrifice of the Prophets. Isa 53:3-7- “…But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him…like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.” NASU
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. Acts 8:34-35
NASU
Jesus said: “…Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into
His glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” Luke 24:25-27 NASU All of the sacrifices over a thousand years made it clear that before the Lion of Judah would wear the Crown as King over all the Earth, He would first become the Lamb of God…and would wear a crown of thorns..
Who put Jesus on that Cross? Everyone did! We all did! But Jesus didn’t have to let it happen. There were 10,000 Angels ready to rescue Him! But He did let it happen, became that’s why Jesus came…He came to rescue the perishing and to save the lost.
“It….is…finished!” The penalty for your sin and mine was paid in full and the provision for our forgiveness was now complete.
Hallelujah! Indeed!
One of the many remarkable things about Handel’s Messiah is that when he introduces the Resurrection into it all, it’s a rather quiet introduction.
Mary thought He was the Gardener, until He said “Mary”, and she realized it was Jesus Himself. And when He entered the room where the Disciple’s were, He didn’t break down the door…He just appeared in the room.
Jesus is still quietly coming to people as He said in Rev 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” NASU
Jesus doesn’t knock our door down…instead Jesus is standing at the door of every person’s heart, just knocking…waiting…and why…because He wants to be wanted. How astounding that Jesus wants to be wanted!
Jesus has come for everyone who wants Him to be their Lord and their Savior. And those who are wise will not keep Him waiting, for one day the time for waiting will over, and it will become the time for
‘Judging’…judging those who kept
Jesus waiting outside of their lives…
Be sure, that this Resurrection
Sunday, that you have opened that door of your heart and asked Jesus to come into your life, to forgive your sins, and raise your spirit from the dead to have new life with Jesus.
Even before Handel introduces the Hallelujah Chorus concerning the great resurrection of Jesus, he points to the glorious Second Coming of Jesus and the Judgment Day that follows. And with this, Handel paints
the entire picture of the Easter
story…
Rom 8:31-34- “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” NASU
No wonder there had to be a
‘Hallelujah Chorus!’ The
Resurrection is our celebration! Our part is to be loud about our great Savior and His coming again to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords!