Librettist Charles Jennens is right in intimating of the timeless masterpiece composed entirely from biblical texts, \u201cthe Subject excells [sic.] every other Subject. The Subject is Messiah.\u201d[1]<\/a> The libretto in three parts corresponds to the Christian liturgical calendar. Part II, in seven scenes, pictures Lent, Easter, the Ascension, and Pentecost with reflections from several Psalms, Isaiah, Romans, Hebrews, and Revelation. These movements herald Messiah\u2019s redemption of ruined humanity through his own conquest of death, rebellious humanity\u2019s striving against its Deliverer, and finally sin\u2019s conquest by the King of kings and Lord of lords who will reign forever and ever. In this article, after giving some context, I will focus on the second through the seventh scene in Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shadows of Messiah<\/em> whisper through Part I of the oratorio. Then, as the curtain of the old covenant falls, Part II opens with this fading covenant\u2019s greatest prophet, John, at long last declaring to the world, \u201cBehold the Lamb of God!\u201d The Lamb\u2019s foretold suffering quickens his and his Father\u2019s glory through his defeat of death to take away the sin of the world and inaugurate the kingdom of God. The \u201cministry of death\u201d is abrogated by the \u201cministry of the Spirit\u201d (2 Cor. 3:7\u201311<\/a>) to \u201cdeliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery\u201d (Heb. 2:15<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n After Part II Scene 1 introduces the Lamb of God to the sheep who have gone astray, the oratorio depicts his sacrificial atonement on their behalf. Scenes 2\u20137 doxologize Messiah\u2019s underworld \u201ctast[ing of] death for everyone\u201d (Heb. 2:9<\/a>) and his subsequent grand reception by the worshipping hosts of heaven as the mission-accomplished and returned Son of God who is adoringly coronated as King of glory (Ps. 24:7\u201310<\/a>; cf. Heb. 1:6<\/a>). Such cosmic climax cannot but resound throughout the Creator\u2019s cosmos. The heralding of such victory over death and all that was rendered unholy by creation\u2019s insurrectious fall cannot be contained to heaven; \u201ctheir voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world\u201d (Ps. 19:4<\/a>; Rom. 10:18<\/a>). Though \u201cthe nations furiously rage\u201d against this proclamation of consummate judgment in mercy (Ps. 2:1\u20133<\/a>; cf. Hab. 3:2<\/a>), the newly coronated Subject of eternal oratorio \u201claughs\u201d (Ps. 2:4\u20136<\/a>; cf. Zeph. 3:17<\/a>) as he magnifies his victory to worshipful choruses of \u201cHallelujah\u201d from the cosmos he has now redeemed by his own vicarious blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of core importance in Messiah\u2019s victory over death is the implication for those on whose behalf he won that victory. As the curse of death was promised (and duly enacted) in conjunction with humanity\u2019s rebellion against Life (Gen. 2:16\u201317<\/a>), so also with equal fiat does the Sovereign promise life for repentant humanity (Rom. 5:15\u201317<\/a>). Just as Messiah\u2019s soul could not be abandoned to Sheol, so also is it no longer possible for death to hold those united to him by faith (Ps. 16:10<\/a>; cf. Acts 2:22\u201332<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the ancient Israelite (as well as other ancient people groups), life and living were deemed divine blessing, and death and dying were deemed divine curse\u2014no longer being granted the grace of partaking in the joys and privileges of life under the sun (Deut. 30:19<\/a>; Eccl. 9:4\u20136<\/a>). Corporate and familial solidarity (so unlike contemporary Western rugged individualism) meant that Israelites solemnly reposed in the blessing of life extended through their offspring even beyond one\u2019s own individual dismissal to Sheol (death). Still, though Sheol was universal and inescapable (post-fall), no one anticipated favorably this grim reaping. Moreover, the thought of spending eternity in this underworld of rephaim<\/em> or \u201cshadows\u201d\u2014where the gift of one\u2019s life-force is diminished to near complete poverty\u2014was even more literally damning. To be granted, then, the promise from the sovereign Creator of heaven and earth himself that one would not be abandoned to Sheol nor his life-force see decay was otherworldly good news worthy of resounding, eternal praise! Handel passionately sets to music the rejoicing commensurate with such a promise of life beyond the grave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Messiah\u2019s apostle Peter, under divine inspiration, communicates King David\u2019s grasp of the significance of Yahweh\u2019s promise of life beyond Sheol at the institution of the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7:5\u201317<\/a>. Peter writes of David\u2019s Psalm 16:10<\/a> declaration that<\/p>\n\n\n\n 30<\/sup> he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 <\/sup>Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 <\/sup>God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it (Acts 2:30\u201332<\/a>, NIV).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n David\u2019s grasp of the significance of Yahweh\u2019s promise included awareness (and declaration) that this promise extends not only throughout David\u2019s generations but also as a binding axiom \u201cfor all mankind\u201d (2 Sam. 7:19<\/a>). Under the reign of this eternal King could all humanity receive Yahweh\u2019s blessing of life beyond Sheol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The blessing\u2014life (Ps. 133:3<\/a>)\u2014is a non-quantifiable essence that the living God alone possesses and bestows upon whom he wills (John 5:21, 26<\/a>). All those who heed the \u201cinstruction for mankind\u201d by hailing the King eternal promised in 2 Samuel 7:5\u201317<\/a> will not only escape the eternal decay of Sheol. Far beyond that, they will also share in this \u201clife\u201d by being made partakers of the divine nature of the living God (2 Peter 1:4<\/a>) to sustain them eternally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The nations are literally deluded as they rage against this \u201cgood news of great joy that will be for all<\/a> the people\u201d (Luke 2:10<\/a>; cf. Ps. 2:1\u20133<\/a>; 2 Thess. 2:11\u201312<\/a>). Nevertheless, anyone who brings this message of ultimate and universal hope should be welcomed heartily by rebels who are graciously offered a truce of peace\u2014shalom\u2014and, more, an invitation to dine at the table of the King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the prophet Isaiah, Israel\u2019s covenant Lord declares that he will relent of his chastisement of his disobedient people and redeem them from their Babylonian exile. This deliverance will (again) confirm not only to Israel but also to raging nations who God is (Isa. 52:6, 10, 15<\/a>). This deliverance will further reveal the pattern of God\u2019s rescuing his covenant people. The pattern was originally seen in the Exodus. It is seen here in Isaiah at the conclusion of Israel\u2019s promised seventy-year captivity (Jer. 25:8\u201314<\/a>; 29:10\u201314<\/a>; Dan. 9:2<\/a>). It is seen prophetically of Messiah\u2019s first advent to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21<\/a>; cf. Luke 2:11<\/a>). It is seen consummately at Messiah\u2019s second advent \u201cto reconcile all things to himself\u201d (Col. 1:15\u201320<\/a>; 1 Cor. 15:22\u201328<\/a>; Heb. 9:28<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n That this herald of good news arrives \u201cupon the mountains\u201d is not insignificant. In addition to \u201chigh places\u201d being the ascents where God and man meet, \u201cthe mountains of Israel\u201d had served as a metaphor for the people of Israel themselves (see, for example, Ezek. 36:8; 37:22; 38:8). In the present aria, they serve as host of the herald who hastens good news of captive Israel\u2019s ransom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7 How beautiful upon the mountains The apostle Paul appropriates Isaiah\u2019s proclamation in correspondence with anyone who heralds the good news of great joy of God\u2019s ultimate ransom of humanity from bondage to sin and death. Paul makes this legitimate interpretive correspondence because in Messiah, Isaiah\u2019s prophecy is fulfilled, namely, \u201cTherefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am\u201d (Isa. 52:6<\/a>; cf. John 8:24, 28, 58<\/a>; 18:6<\/a>). Paul further quotes Psalm 19:4<\/a>, asserting in regard to this message of Messiah\u2019s victory, \u201cTheir voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world\u201d (Rom. 10:15\u201318<\/a>). The report in heaven of Messiah\u2019s victory indeed is heralded in all the earth not only at Christmas and Easter, but whenever and wherever this gospel of the Kingdom is proclaimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two-movement Scene seven of Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/em> concludes Part II with the perfect segway into choruses of the worshipful exultation due the Messiah for his vanquishing of unholiness in his cosmos and redemption of his people such that \u201cthe dwelling place of God is with man. He will <\/a>dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God\u201d (Rev. 21:3<\/a>). Such a perfecting consummation of the age can contain the composure of the redeemed, it seems, for no more than \u201chalf an hour\u201d (Rev. 8:1<\/a>). Gloria in excelsis Deo<\/em>\u2014glory to God in the highest\u2014bursts forth. Probably the most famed of the entire oratorio is movement 44, the Hallelujah<\/em> chorus written entirely from Revelation 19:6, 16; 11:15<\/a>. In John\u2019s apocalypse, we are given eschatological glimpses of the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven, \u201ca great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, \u2018Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns\u2019\u201d (Rev. 19:6<\/a>; cf. Isa. 52:7<\/a>)! Whether or not the legend is true that King George II rose to his feet in salutary approval of the masterpiece\u2019s 1743 London premier, the tradition is fitting to rise with the hosts of heaven and praise God in the highest\u2014literally, \u201cHallelujah!\u201d\u2014for his \u201ctast[ing of] death for everyone\u201d in order to provide salvation for the cosmos he loves (Heb. 2:9<\/a>; John 3:16<\/a>). For this unparalleled display of love, Messiah alone is both worthy of praise, and \u201che shall reign forever and ever\u201d(Rev. 11:15<\/a>)!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Part II of Handel’s Messiah builds towards an exultant “Hallelujah!” What merits such praise?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17443,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Part II of Handel's Messiah builds towards an exultant "Hallelujah!" What merits such praise?","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[32,12,1814,38],"tags":[823,187,662,1460,714,1074,257,326,1693],"scripture-reference":[],"post_folder":[],"ppma_author":[968],"class_list":["post-17437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-concise","category-december-2024","category-theme","tag-christ","tag-christmas","tag-easter","tag-handels-messiah","tag-king-jesus","tag-kingdom","tag-messiah","tag-music","tag-suffering-servant"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/jennings-article-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-01-13 11:52:17","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"authors":[{"term_id":968,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"toby-jennings","display_name":"Toby Jennings","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Toby-Jennings.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Toby-Jennings.jpg"},"author_category":"","job_title":"","church_city_state":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","church_site":"","user_url":"","description":"Dr. Toby Jennings<\/b> is author of \u201cRace and Racism in the Bible\u201d<\/a> and Precious Enemy: A Biblical Portrait of Death<\/i>. Toby worships at Desert Hills Bible Church as serves as Director of Desert Hills Bible Institute<\/a> in Glendale, Arizona."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17437"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17437\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17449,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17437\/revisions\/17449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17437"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-reference","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-reference?post=17437"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=17437"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=17437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. Simon Heighes, \u201cGeorge Frideric Handel (1685\u20131759)\u2014Messiah<\/a>\u201d (London: Hyperion Records Limited, 1997), retrieved 16 November 2024.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Scenes 2\u20134: But Thou didst not leave his soul in hell<\/em> (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:22\u201332).<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Scenes 5\u20136: How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news<\/em> (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15).<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, \u201cYour God reigns\u201d (Isa. 52:7; cf. Isa. 40:9 and Part I movement 9).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nScene 7: Hallelujah!<\/em> (Revelation 19:6, 16; 11:15)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n