My interest in George Frideric Handel’s (1685-1759) Oratorio,  Messiah (1741), dates back to my high school days in the church youth choir.  Our Minister of Music introduced us to what I now know was a rather simplistic version of one selection from Handel’s Messiah, the Hallelujah Chorus.  He challenged our fifty voice choir to learn and sing it from memory in four-part harmony in a Palm Sunday night service … quite an assignment for a bunch of students with little to no musical training and mostly interested in just about anything except music.  However, when presented, the congregation enthusiastically stood once we began singing and at the conclusion exploded with applause and verbal amens.   I can still feel the goosebumps!  Only later did we find out that standing during the Hallelujah Chorus was a long-time tradition!

Title page of Handel’s autograph score

Later as a first quarter freshman in college, with a declared major in music, I decided to learn more about the Oratorio and chose it as the subject of my first quarter English term paper.  Though I did not receive a good grade on the paper it was a thrilling experience.  I can still recall how amazed I was that one man could compose such an amazing piece of music.  It took Handel only twenty-four days to complete the composition including all of the parts.  And it took me only one quarter to change my major! Many years later I was privileged to learn and sing through much of the Oratorio with an Adult Choir accompanied by an orchestra.

Charles Jennens; painting by Thomas Hudson – Public Domain

To me the most amazing thing about Messiah is not the much-loved musical score.  No, it is the libretto (lyrics, text) assembled with such great understanding of the promised fulfillment of God’s Word by Charles Jennens.   The composition covers the Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus and is presented in three parts: 1) Isaiah’s prophecy of salvation; 2) Christ’s Passion; and 3) the promise of eternal life.  To the Christian, there is no doubt that the Biblical text of Messiah confirms that Jesus of Nazareth is the hoped for Redeemer so longed-for and long-expected by the oppressed Jews … the Immanuel, The Son of God, The Son of Man,  The Good Shepherd, The True Vine, The Last Adam, The Light of the World, The Sun of Righteousness, The Alpha and The Omega, The Author of Eternal Salvation … and most assuredly,  THE MESSIAH!!

Christians hold fast to the promise that Jesus Christ, THE MESSIAH, will return to us for a second time (Acts 1:11). No one knows the time when this marvelous event will occur, but Scripture provides countless clues.  Mark 13 provides just one of those insightful times when Jesus Himself discussed His future with one of His disciples (Mark 13:1).  Jesus cautioned that man is not to be deceived by the innumerable “False Christs (Messiahs)” (Mark 13:22) that will come alleging to be Him.  History has proven the words of Jesus true as over the centuries so many have falsely claimed that they are the Christ (Christos, Χριστός), the Anointed One, the promised Messiah.  Most recently you may recall just two:  Sun Myung Moon and David Koresh.

My dear brother or sister, do you know THE MESSIAH, the Anointed One, the Christ as your personal Savior?  Have you accepted His free gift of salvation?  If your answer is “yes” then praise the Lord and tell someone else just as Andrew did with his brother Simon – “He first sought out and found his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found (discovered) the Messiah!—which translated is the Christ (the Anointed One) (John 1:41 AMP).”  If your answer is “no” then will you consider turning your life over to THE MESSIAH today?  Here is a link that will help you to Become a Christian.

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Father God, thank you for sending Jesus Christ, THE MESSIAH, into the world to be my Savior.  May many more believe this day that accepting Jesus is truly the one and only way to eternal salvation.  We love and praise You for Your matchless gift of Jesus.  Amen and amen.