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A Taste of
'The Messiah'
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I have been enjoying listening to some 'Messiah Christmas Highlights'. It is music on a CD (I have at last entered the 21st century!), chosen to be a topical selection that can be played at the time when Christ's birth is traditionally remembered. The pieces all come from Handel's 'Messiah', an oratorio written in 1741 and still frequently performed today, especially at Christmas and Easter. Messiah is a Hebrew word meaning 'anointed one'. "The idea of anointing a person for a special mission is applied to kings and priests (Leviticus 4.3), prophets (1 Kings 19.16), patriarchs (Psalm 105.7‑15) and even of a heathen king, Cyrus (Isaiah 45.1).... this use of anointing to indicate a specific office.... became applied to the one who would be God's chosen instrument in the deliverance of his people…. The hope of the coming Messiah took many different forms, but the predominant one was the idea of the Davidic king who would establish an earthly kingdom for the people of Israel and would banish Israel's enemies.... a political agent, but with a religious bias." (Guthrie) The coming Messianic age offered bright prospects to the people of God (Isaiah 26‑29, 40ff Ezekiel 40‑48 Daniel 12 Joel 2.28‑3.21). "But the origin and character of the coming Messiah was not clearly understood." King Herod ascertained that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, John the Baptist and Jesus himself were asked if they were the Messiah. Jesus at his trial was accused of being 'Messiah, a king' (Luke 23.2). But Jesus saw his mission of redemption as redeeming the hearts of the people, not acting as a nationalist. The Greek word for Messiah is Christ. "Jesus Christ" means "Jesus the Messiah". George Frederic Handel when he composed his work 'The Messiah', was setting to music scriptural texts which had been chosen by Charles Jennens. Jennens was a rich and cultured man, a friend and collaborator with Handel, who had a new home in Leicestershire, Gopsall Hall, where Handel worked when he was composing this work. Jennens believed in the authority of the Bible and he accepted the fact of God's intervention in human affairs, which many educated people at that time did not. His selection of scriptures began with God's promises as spoken by the prophets and ended with Christ's glorification in heaven. The work was not a history set to music, but assumed knowledge of the story, and chose words which pointed out the significance of each stage. Since it consisted completely of words of scripture, the words could be 'incomprehensible to those ignorant of the biblical accounts' (Burns). But to those who knew the story, Handel's music brought out the joy and the excitement. Because of this joy and excitement I have greatly enjoyed listening to the 'Messiah Christmas Highlights'. It is a choice of items mostly from the first part of 'The Messiah', which necessarily misses out some sections which are important from a theological perspective, but consists of what is thought to sound specially good musically. Even so, it provides a lot to think about. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. (Is.40.1,2) Cheer up ! cheer up! is what we might say today. This is not to make light of what is being said, for it is God speaking to his special people. They are in trouble, in captivity. So far as He is concerned, they are forgiven. The people of Israel had been at the mercy of the Great Powers, Egypt and Assyria, for many years, and they finished up as captives in Babylon. If this is God's punishment, the consequence of their sins, they have served their time. It is the same for all of us in trouble who look to God, He is on our side. What He will do may not at this point be revealed. The important thing is, He forgives our sins and wishes us well. Look at a modern translation and see that this verse is not just a statement about God's love, but the prophet is being given a job to do. "Comfort my people" says our God. "Comfort them! Encourage the people of Jerusalem. Tell them they have suffered long enough and their sins are now forgiven." The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Is.40.3) These are the words that John the Baptist quoted hundreds of years later, when people asked him who he was. His task was to prepare the way for Jesus. He knew that if they were to be receivers of God's love and forgiveness, they must get themselves in a fit state to receive it. We can understand here the picture of work being done in the
desert to make a road fit for a king, who would come and help them. For
us, now, it is a way for God to come, into our hearts. A voice cries out, "Prepare in the wilderness a road for the Lord. Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God." Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.(Is.40.4) This part of Isaiah's message is full of excitement and urgency, a spirit which fills chapter 40 and the ensuing chapters. Someone constructing a modern motorway would recognise the picture - to take the top off hills, fill the valleys, perhaps build a few bridges, make a roadway suitable to modern transport. Just as there were obstacles for the traffic to be removed, so there can be internal blockages in our lives. John the Baptist's message was for people to repent. Earlier, restoring the Israelites from captivity involved preparation on their part, making ready to go home. Restoring our lives does not just happen without effort. Restoring the world is what the Messiah would come to do - and has the world up to now ever been ready for it? Fill the valleys, level off the hills. Smooth out the ruts, clear out the rocks. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Is.40.5) What did Isaiah mean by 'the glory of the Lord'? Was he looking back through 500 years of Jewish history to when the pillar of fire led the Israelites through the wilderness? Did he have a vision like Ezekiel of a majestic being sweeping in on the new highway to come to his captive people? - or to go as a beacon before them, as he led the throng back to their old home? Or is 'the glory of the Lord' something more inward to us, softer but empowering? After listening to this music one morning I went out into the early dawn. There was a freshness in the air, a glinting dew on the grass, and a soft light in the sky which grew in brightness until the sun burst out over the treetops and there was the glory of the morning for all the world to share. God's people, whoever they have been, have always desired all the world to see God's glory, shining in upon their lives and shining out for the good of the world. But did Isaiah realise how many hundred years of history would pass before the Messiah appeared? Then God's bright glory will shine and everyone will see it. Yes. Just as God has said. When Jennens selected the texts for Handel, the ones he chose next sounded a note of warning. He went to Haggai and Malachi - a shaking of all nations - and then, who can stand up when Messiah appears, for he is like a furnace which refines metal. This is the theme which the next selection takes up. And he shall purify the sons of Levi that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Mal.3.3) When Malachi prophesied there were still 400 years to pass before Messiah appeared. What Malachi looked at was his own people at the time - God's people! - and their obvious unsatisfactory ideas and habits. He brought his focus on to the Levites, a tribe chosen specially to serve God among the chosen people. They had become slack. What could you say to men who went along with evil magic, adultery, lying under oath, cheating workers of their pay, cheating widows and orphans and immigrants, and who disrespected God by making second‑rate offerings? It is easy to join in this condemnation, but there is a lesson for all those in every age who consider themselves God's special people, his special servants, his church. Take the warning from Malachi. Do not get slack. Do I myself need to be purified? He will purify the Levites, refining them like silver or gold, until he finds them to be men who will bring honest sacrifices. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion get thee up into a high mountain. Lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Be not afraid. Say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God. (Is.40.9) We are back in Isaiah 40. Good news to tell - effectively. What good news is it? Verse 10 - "See, the Lord God comes with might and his arm rules for him. His reward is with him, and his recompense before him." It is God acting, taking command, putting things right. Surely, this is good news. But when? Should those who were listening to the prophet expect it right away? (the people were actually restored to their land at that time). Or should the readers wait, expectant generation after generation, for God to act? (they were still waiting when Jesus came). Or are we still waiting for his work to be completed? (though indeed he has been working in the hearts and minds of millions already). Whoever has good news to tell dare not be afraid to tell it. Not just the towns of Judah, but the whole world is waiting. Jerusalem, go up on a high mountain and proclaim the good news. Call out with a loud voice, Zion, announce the good news. Speak out and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah that their God is coming. The next verses selected in 'The Messiah' fill out the picture: darkness covering the earth, and then a great light shining (Is.60.2). The 'highlights' omit this and leap forward to the prophecy of Isaiah 9.6, of the Messiah actually being born. And look who he is! For unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called wonderful counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the prince of peace. Again the choice of music leaps forward again to the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem, and the sound of the heavenly host. Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill towards men. (Luke 2.14) Messiah has come. He has come to be ruler over the nation that had been expecting him, but with an international mission. Ever since Abraham, the Israelites the descendants of Abraham had known that the reason they were chosen was to be a blessing to all the human race. That hope now has its focus in the child born at Bethlehem. So there is a lot of joy. But not yet widespread. One modern version instead of 'goodwill toward men' has peace 'toward those with whom he is pleased'. John's gospel, writing afterwards, says " He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him. Some, however, did receive him and believed in him: so he gave them the right to become God's children." (John 1.11,12). Yet the prophet Zechariah urges the nation: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout O daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy king cometh unto thee. [He is a righteous saviour.] ..... and he shall speak peace unto the heathen. These words are from Zechariah 9.9 and 10. In Zechariah these verses are written in the context of their land being protected. No more foreign armies sweeping through. No more foreign dictators, but their own peaceful king who will impose peace on their neighbours. If only they had accepted him when he came! However, he did come. He does speak peace. Shout for joy you people of Jerusalem - look, your king is coming to you... your king will make peace among the nations. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd and he shall gather his lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young. (Is.40.11) We are back in Isaiah 40, but in our minds is Jesus, saying 'I am the good shepherd.' Like a shepherd he will care for his flock, gathering the lambs in his arms, hugging them as he carries them, leading the nursing ewes to good pasture. In Matthew 11.28, Jesus says "Come to me... and I will give you rest." The version Handel used says, 'Come unto him' . Come unto him all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you and learn of him, for he is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls. This is the way the Messiah is ruling - with the consent of the governed, we might say. All governments depend on the consent of those they govern, even if they compel the consent by force. But the Messiah earns more than consent, he receives our gratitude, our deep thankfulness, our love. The 'Christmas Highlights' end at this point. It is far from the end of Christ's story. There is sin, rejection, death; there is resurrection to glory; there is a gospel age to follow, and a work of preaching; there is the time to come when the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever. 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!' Hallelujah! Note: thinking back over the experience of listening to this music, there have been four things in particular which I found encouraging.
1. The prophets with their words of hope and joy for the Israelites of old.
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