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Title: Some thoughts on why Handel's Messiah at Christmas is so compelling
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URL Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/blo ... hristmas_is_so_compelling.html
Published: Dec 26, 2022
Author: Monica Showalter
Post Date: 2022-12-26 10:00:45 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 697
Comments: 9
At Christmas, instead of a lot of pop Christmas songs, I have been listening to passages from Handel's Messiah" oratorio, including the powerfully beautiful Christmas-oriented "For unto us a child is born" based on the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, and the soaringly magnificent Hallelujah Chorus. To hear these, compared to everything else makes me ask if this was the pinnacle of human musical achievement? Will there ever be anything greater? An argument can be made for it at least this far. This oratorio, after all, is touched by eternity. We listen to this joyful piece today, nearly 300 years after it was written, with its variations like angelic choirs, and that fierce lyric "the mighty God" turning the piece to conclusion and can only feel the same emotion that King George II must have felt in 1743 when it was first performed in London and the king unexpectedly stood up for it as if to honor it, to express his joy at its soaring sound. Yes, he may have been standing up in response to the verses themselves, taken from the Bible, as this writer argues, the lyrics of which speak of the king of kings, meaning, King George recognizes that he's just a little king at the service of the big one, so he needs to stand up same as peasants stand when a king enters the room. But I don't buy it entirely -- King George couldn't hear that oratorio performed in the rough conditions 18th century life, with no telephones, no tech, no flush toilets, no running water, and hear the sound of angels as we do? How could King George have not felt what we feel today when we hear this divine music? Someone could have read him a passage about 'the king of kings' and he would have just sat there, knowing that it was just reporting he was hearing. That he stood suggested he considered something happening, something 'in the moment' with something real and in front of him with that music, as if it were alive. For me, it seems so fresh, so new, so alive because its words sing of praise with melodies of joy, breaking out of its seemingly stilted musical era and our world is so bereft of praise as well as joy at the moment. When was the last time we heard any leader speak in terms of praise? It's liberating to hear these words of praise. Think of today's dominant culture of victimhood and the insipid Christmas songs sung now, particularly the modern pop songs, and think how sharply it contrasts with the entire focus of the Messiah, which is to put self aside to praise God as a collective in a beautifully layered sound of a choir -- in a majestically beautiful composition, that in the end glorifies the humanity that God loves, who are glorifying God in their song. It's beautiful. It's so beautiful it makes me wonder if God Himself could applaud this piece. I know that must seem impossible given that anything done by anyone on earth is "as dirty rags," to recall the Biblical passage, compared to what is in Heaven, but I wonder if God wrote it and gave Handel the means to put it down. The guidance of God seems to have been present somehow in this piece. The sound is so heaven-reaching that it makes me feel there had to have been some divine spark inspiring it, some Godly hand that must have moved their creation. Yes, I feel that only emotionally, but I don't think it should be entirely dismissed given that many art creations entirely baffle their artist creators as to how they came to them, sometimes, as art critic Jerry Saltz has noted on several occasions, beginning as utter rubbish, continuing as utter rubbish, and then coming together as art very suddenly. We all feel this way, it's a universal appreciation, it extends across ages, and perhaps we can predict with confidence that this music will be appreciated as much in 300 years as it is today, and as it was in 1743. Handel, many historians note, understood the power of showmanship, but he also understood the power of the content informing his majestic pieces. If he was going to write something great, he needed a great topic, the greatest topic. Note how many pieces he wrote that were derived from the sheer power of the Old Testament. He got some kind of artistic energy from that. The praise that Handel garnered for this work, and his many magnificent pieces prompted Beethoven to call Handel the greatest composer of all time. According to historian David Wyn Jones, who wrote a delightful piece about that here:
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#1. To: Ada (#0)
Amen, and thank you for the post. “ On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. ” ~ H. L. Mencken
..It's beautiful. It's so beautiful it makes me wonder if God Himself could applaud this piece. I know that must seem impossible given that anything done by anyone on earth is "as dirty rags," to recall the Biblical passage, compared to what is in Heaven, but I wonder if God wrote it and gave Handel the means to put it down. The guidance of God seems to have been present somehow in this piece. The sound is so heaven-reaching that it makes me feel there had to have been some divine spark inspiring it, some Godly hand that must have moved their creation... I saw this at Christmas, but wasn't feeling well, and didn't want to be uncharitable on that day anyway, so I have been waiting for enough time to pass before I commented. Yesterday I lost hundreds of windows among which were some of the things I am going to refer to now, some of which I had had on my computer for a couple of years. So before I forget, and because the antichrist spirit has come home to roost with physical harm to someone dear to my heart, I am going without further adieu to add my two cents' worth now. I feel strongly that God moved Handel to write this piece, and in fact, the Hallelulah Chorus was written as a celebration of the prophesied destruction of the Old Jerusalem and the Old Covenant Temple. see here: "...Unsettling History of That Joyous ‘Hallelujah’ By MICHAEL MARISSEN Published: April 8, 2007 in the New York Times IN New York and elsewhere a “Messiah Sing-In” — a performance of Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” with the audience joining in the choruses — is a musical highlight of the Christmas season. Christians, Jews and others come together to delight in one of the consummate masterpieces of Western music. The high point, inevitably, is the “Hallelujah” chorus, all too familiar from its use in strange surroundings, from Mel Brooks’s “History of the World, Part 1,” where it signified the origins of music among cavemen, to television advertising for behemoth all-terrain vehicles. So “Messiah” lovers may be surprised to learn that the work was meant not for Christmas but for Lent, and that the “Hallelujah” chorus was designed not to honor the birth or resurrection of Jesus but to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in A.D. 70. For most Christians in Handel’s day, this horrible event was construed as divine retribution on Judaism for its failure to accept Jesus as God’s promised Messiah...." more: preteristarchives.org/201...ain-body-handels-messiah/ see here: After warning the Iraelites over and over and over throughout the Old Testament.... "The Destruction Of Jerusalem This message was preached by Pastor Chuck Baldwin on Sunday, August 25, 2019, during the service at Liberty Fellowship. The destruction of Jerusalem is one of the most significant events in world history. It is no hyperbole to say that the destruction of Jerusalem is the single most terrifying episode in the annals of military conquest. Between one and two million Jews lost their lives in this horrific Roman siege. The destruction of Jerusalem is also one of the most prophesied events in Holy Scripture. Scores of prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments point to the destruction of Jerusalem. Sadly, these prophecies are almost universally ignored by modern clerics—or totally misapplied. Tragically, the vast majority of Christians know next to nothing of the destruction of Jerusalem. The great truths that God taught through this seismic event are all but lost to today's Christians. The lack of knowledge and understanding about the destruction of Jerusalem is a sign of the great "falling away" that has taken place in the Church over the past one hundred years. A proper understanding of the destruction of Jerusalem is the key to unlocking our understanding of how God symbolized the abolishment of the Old Covenant and His gift of the New, Better and Everlasting Covenant. Ignorance of what God did when He destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD is a root cause of the vast (and often crazy) misinterpretations of prophetic Scriptures running rampant today. In this message, Pastor Chuck Baldwin expounds and explains not only the facts dealing with Jerusalem's destruction but also the great lessons and meanings that Jerusalem's destruction teaches the Church. Pastor Baldwin considers this message to be one of the most important and powerful messages he has ever delivered. Plus, this message contains a surprise ending that will shock most Christians. You will probably never hear another message like this one in your entire lifetime. This message is truly a modern classic! To order Pastor Chuck Baldwin’s DVD message, The Destruction Of Jerusalem, go HERE..." libertyfellowshipmt.com/N...ruction-Of-Jerusalem.aspx Video of the Sermon is at the bottom of the above link. SPOILER ALERT: When he first published it, he played the Hallelujah Chorus at the end. It has been cut out of the online video (you can see where they spliced it), but you can hear him leading up to it somewhere around 1:13:00 minutes. Frankly, I think this is some good ol' punctuation of the fulfillment of God's word. As He said: Isaiah 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart... (Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See! www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE ) ...But you shall cry for sorrow of heart, And wail for grief of spirit. (Jews at Wailing Wall www.gettyimages.com/photo...-wall-in-jerusalem-israel ) https://www.biblehub.com/isaiah/65-14.htm Jews COULD end their wailing by joining the family of God through the final sacrifice of the Son, Jesus Christ. What a wonderful world that would be. Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. "...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
I disagree. If you listen, "hallelujah" is proclaimed because "the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth" and has nothing to do with the destruction of Jerusalem.
mmmm...I disagree with THAT. Revelation 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. biblehub.com/revelation/19-6.htm Rev. 19 starts out: Rejoicing in Heaven 1And after these things ((in Revelation 18)) I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. The Marriage of the Lamb 6And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.... biblehub.com/kjv/revelation/19.htm Rev. 19 of course follows Revelation 17-18 which describes the Great Whore, and that was the Old Jerusalem, which is now destroyed, so I think it is absolutely about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (which has been replaced by the new Temple, the Church : 8And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.... ...As opposed to the now-defunct purple, scarlet, blue, gold and fine linen of the Tabernacle/Temple/Priestly garments. biblehub.com/exodus/25-4.htm ) see The Whore of Babylon = Old Jerusalem You might also want to take a look at David Chilton's Days of Vengeance on Revelation 19:1-8 : ia800200.us.archive.org/1...ngeance_David_Chilton.pdf : page 489 of 740 (at the top of page) to page 496 of 740 "...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
"My kingdom is not of this world", i.e., neither Jerusalem nor Babylon.
That does seem a bit much. Handel wrote all those OT operas and oratorios ptly to attract jew sponsors. Little changes from century to century in that respect :[ While a very devout Xian, GFH was a man of the world too. I'm sure "anti- semitic" statements by him are squirreled away somewhere in locked filing cabinets, but if he was thinking of the destruction of Jewrusalem etc here it could only be proved from the historic record -- not conjecture ;) _____________________________________________________________ USA! USA! USA! Bringing you democracy, or else! there were strains of VD that were incurable, and they were first found in the Philippines and then transmitted to the Korean working girls via US military. The 'incurables' we were told were first taken back to a military hospital in the Philippines to quietly die. – 4um
“My kingdom is not of this world.” What did Jesus mean? He was heir to the throne of King David. Wise men had recognized Him as a King at birth. The people proclaimed Him the highest son of David when He entered Jerusalem.1 He preached a kingdom at hand2 and told us to do the same.3 He took,4 gave,5 and appointed6 the Kingdom. The Kingdom had been on earth from generation to generation.7 It was already there when He said He was going to take it away from the Pharisees and appoint it to the little flock and then He did. He said he would not eat again until He did so with them in the Kingdom with all things fulfilled8 ---and then He did eat,9 because all things were fulfilled,10 that Kingdom was there, and the power came11 when they were in Jerusalem as He said it would be, with all power.12 He had said the Kingdom of God is at hand, and told us to preach the same. He came in Spirit and Truth.13 When did His Kingdom become only spiritual? Why did He tell His ambassadors in Matthew 20:25, Mark 10:42, and Luke 22:25, not to be like other princes and kings? The word world in today's society might conjure up a picture of a blue planetary globe hanging marble like in the blackness of space like a photograph from the moon, but when the gospel was preached, man's viewpoint of earth had not reached such astronomical heights. There are many different words in the New Testament that are translated into the single English word 'world'. Which Greek word was used by Jesus, according to John 18:36? Was it the word aeon? ‘Aion’14 means an unbroken age, and is far more often translated into variations of the word age or time. Another Greek word translated world is ‘oikoumene,’15 which originally meant "the portion of the earth inhabited by the Greeks, in distinction from the lands of the barbarians." It commonly has to do with inhabited places including Israel. It was your national home place. The word ‘ge’16 is also translated world, once, but is translated earth about 188 times, land 42 times, ground 18, and country, twice. This is the closest word to meaning planet earth that you will find in the text. If you were to say “I am from the United States,” you would not be using ‘ge’. If you said you went all over the continent or even the whole planet and have seen its mountains and valleys, deserts and rich farmland, then the word ‘ge’ might be appropriate. But ‘ge’ is not the word used to demonstrate Jesus' statement about His Kingdom not being of this world. The word 'world' in John 18:36 is translated from the word ‘kosmos.’ Some might think that kosmos is like the modern word cosmos, and therefore means the whole universe, but that was not its common use at the time. Kosmos in Greek had the sense of an orderly arrangement, and the Romans were the New World Order arrangement of their day. From that word the Greeks produced other forms, such as the Homeric kosmeo, used in reference to the act of “marshaling troops.”17 From the Greek and Roman point of view, the “... encroachment of one opposite on another was spoken of as injustice, (adikia) and the due observance of a balance between them as justice (dikê). The later word kosmos is based on this notion, too. It meant originally the discipline of an army, and next the ordered constitution of a state.”18 The word kosmos is defined in Strong's Concordance as an “orderly arrangement” and in another Greek concordance as "an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government."19 Was Jesus simply telling Pilate, who was sitting in the judgment seat, “My Kingdom is not a part of your constitution, order, or government and you have no jurisdiction to judge Me or My Kingdom”?... www.hisholychurch.org/news/articles/world.php Matthew 13:10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. ... The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30-34; Luke 13:18-19) 31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The Parable of the Leaven (Judges 20:18-23; 2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Luke 13:20-21) 33Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.... biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/13.htm Likewise Luke 13 The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-34) 18Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. The Parable of the Leaven (Judges 20:18-23; 2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Matthew 13:33-33) 20And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.... (I must have missed the part where it talks about sheep and goats, but moving along...) Do these contradictions of good and evil exist "out there" somewhere in a "Kingdom of Heaven" or a "Kingdom of God" where God dwells? I don't believe so. The Parable of the Weeds Explained Matthew 13…40As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. 42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.… biblehub.com/matthew/13-41.htm Jesus said "I create all things new". He was setting up His New World Order. The "New World Order" today is actually trying to set up the Old World Order that Jesus destroyed. "...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
Out of curiosity, why do you believe the writings of old Jewish men that lived several thousand years ago? Or those of the Romans who had their hands in the writing of the "New Testament"? more: preteristarchives.org/201...ain-body-handels-messiah/ So I wonder...when, why, and for how long this site is down. I HATE when this happens. wth is this: "Warning: require_once(/home/customer/www/preteristarchives.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/simply-static/src/integrations/class-cookieyes-integration.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/customer/www/preteristarchives.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/simply-static/src/class-integrations.php on line 45 Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required '/home/customer/www/preteristarchives.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/simply-static/src/integrations/class-cookieyes-integration.php' (include_path='.:/usr/local/php74/pear') in /home/customer/www/preteristarchives.org/public_html/wp-content/plugins/simply-static/src/class-integrations.php on line 45" It was working fine when I posted it...still on duck today... preteristarchives.org › 2015-88-main-body-handels-messiah Maybe Truth hurts and has to be censored. "...as long as there..remain active enemies of the Christian church, we may hope to become Master of the World...the future Jewish King will never reign in the world before Christianity is overthrown - B'nai B'rith speech http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/luther.htm / http://bible.cc/psalms/83-4.htm
The sound is so heaven-reaching that it makes me feel there had to have been some divine spark inspiring it, some Godly hand that must have moved their creation.
#2. To: Ada (#0)
I have been listening to passages from Handel's Messiah" oratorio, including the powerfully beautiful Christmas-oriented "For unto us a child is born" based on the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, and the soaringly magnificent Hallelujah Chorus.
#3. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt, neoconsnailed (#2)
the “Hallelujah” chorus was designed not to honor the birth or resurrection of Jesus but to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in A.D. 70.
#4. To: AdaC (#3)
If you listen, "hallelujah" is proclaimed because "the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth" and has nothing to do with the destruction of Jerusalem.
#5. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#4)
#6. To: AdaC, AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#3)
the “Hallelujah” chorus was designed not to honor the birth or resurrection of Jesus but to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in A.D. 70.
#7. To: AdaC (#5)
"My kingdom is not of this world", i.e., neither Jerusalem nor Babylon.
#8. To: AllTheKings'HorsesWontDoIt (#7)
"After tomorrow those SOB's will never embarrass me again. That’s not a threat. That’s a promise.” – LBJ to his mistress Madeleine Brown on the eve of JFK assassination 
#9. To: Ada (#2)
(Edited)
So “Messiah” lovers may be surprised to learn that the work was meant not for Christmas but for Lent, and that the “Hallelujah” chorus was designed not to honor the birth or resurrection of Jesus but to celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in A.D. 70. For most Christians in Handel’s day, this horrible event was construed as divine retribution on Judaism for its failure to accept Jesus as God’s promised Messiah...."
2015-88-Main Body-Handel's Messiah - Preterist Archives
2015-88-Main Body-Handel's Messiah COLLECTIONS FROM THE ARTS : DRAMA & PLAYS ORATORIO Georg Fredric Handel's "Messiah" 1742 "The resurrected Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, unleashed his anger on the Jews by having the Roman armies lay waste to Jerusalem and its temple in A.D. 70."
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