Librettist Charles Jennens is right in intimating of the timeless masterpiece composed entirely from biblical texts, “the Subject excells [sic.] every other Subject. The Subject is Messiah.”[1] 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’s redemption of ruined humanity through his own conquest of death, rebellious humanity’s striving against its Deliverer, and finally sin’s 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’s Messiah.
1. Simon Heighes, “George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)—Messiah” (London: Hyperion Records Limited, 1997), retrieved 16 November 2024.
Shadows of Messiah whisper through Part I of the oratorio. Then, as the curtain of the old covenant falls, Part II opens with this fading covenant’s greatest prophet, John, at long last declaring to the world, “Behold the Lamb of God!” The Lamb’s foretold suffering quickens his and his Father’s glory through his defeat of death to take away the sin of the world and inaugurate the kingdom of God. The “ministry of death” is abrogated by the “ministry of the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:7–11) to “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Heb. 2:15).
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 2–7 doxologize Messiah’s underworld “tast[ing of] death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9) 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. 24:7–10; cf. Heb. 1:6). Such cosmic climax cannot but resound throughout the Creator’s cosmos. The heralding of such victory over death and all that was rendered unholy by creation’s insurrectious fall cannot be contained to heaven; “their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” (Ps. 19:4; Rom. 10:18). Though “the nations furiously rage” against this proclamation of consummate judgment in mercy (Ps. 2:1–3; cf. Hab. 3:2), the newly coronated Subject of eternal oratorio “laughs” (Ps. 2:4–6; cf. Zeph. 3:17) as he magnifies his victory to worshipful choruses of “Hallelujah” from the cosmos he has now redeemed by his own vicarious blood.
Scenes 2–4: But Thou didst not leave his soul in hell (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:22–32).
Of core importance in Messiah’s 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’s rebellion against Life (Gen. 2:16–17), so also with equal fiat does the Sovereign promise life for repentant humanity (Rom. 5:15–17). Just as Messiah’s 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; cf. Acts 2:22–32).
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—no longer being granted the grace of partaking in the joys and privileges of life under the sun (Deut. 30:19; Eccl. 9:4–6). 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’s 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 or “shadows”—where the gift of one’s life-force is diminished to near complete poverty—was 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.
The Messiah’s apostle Peter, under divine inspiration, communicates King David’s grasp of the significance of Yahweh’s promise of life beyond Sheol at the institution of the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7:5–17. Peter writes of David’s Psalm 16:10 declaration that
30 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 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 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it (Acts 2:30–32, NIV).
David’s grasp of the significance of Yahweh’s promise included awareness (and declaration) that this promise extends not only throughout David’s generations but also as a binding axiom “for all mankind” (2 Sam. 7:19). Under the reign of this eternal King could all humanity receive Yahweh’s blessing of life beyond Sheol.
The blessing—life (Ps. 133:3)—is a non-quantifiable essence that the living God alone possesses and bestows upon whom he wills (John 5:21, 26). All those who heed the “instruction for mankind” by hailing the King eternal promised in 2 Samuel 7:5–17 will not only escape the eternal decay of Sheol. Far beyond that, they will also share in this “life” by being made partakers of the divine nature of the living God (2 Peter 1:4) to sustain them eternally.
Scenes 5–6: How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15).
The nations are literally deluded as they rage against this “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10; cf. Ps. 2:1–3; 2 Thess. 2:11–12). 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—shalom—and, more, an invitation to dine at the table of the King.
Through the prophet Isaiah, Israel’s 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). This deliverance will further reveal the pattern of God’s rescuing his covenant people. The pattern was originally seen in the Exodus. It is seen here in Isaiah at the conclusion of Israel’s promised seventy-year captivity (Jer. 25:8–14; 29:10–14; Dan. 9:2). It is seen prophetically of Messiah’s first advent to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21; cf. Luke 2:11). It is seen consummately at Messiah’s second advent “to reconcile all things to himself” (Col. 1:15–20; 1 Cor. 15:22–28; Heb. 9:28).
That this herald of good news arrives “upon the mountains” is not insignificant. In addition to “high places” being the ascents where God and man meet, “the mountains of Israel” 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’s ransom.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
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, “Your God reigns” (Isa. 52:7; cf. Isa. 40:9 and Part I movement 9).
The apostle Paul appropriates Isaiah’s proclamation in correspondence with anyone who heralds the good news of great joy of God’s ultimate ransom of humanity from bondage to sin and death. Paul makes this legitimate interpretive correspondence because in Messiah, Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled, namely, “Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am” (Isa. 52:6; cf. John 8:24, 28, 58; 18:6). Paul further quotes Psalm 19:4, asserting in regard to this message of Messiah’s victory, “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Rom. 10:15–18). The report in heaven of Messiah’s 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.
Scene 7: Hallelujah! (Revelation 19:6, 16; 11:15)
The two-movement Scene seven of Handel’s Messiah 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 “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev. 21:3). Such a perfecting consummation of the age can contain the composure of the redeemed, it seems, for no more than “half an hour” (Rev. 8:1). Gloria in excelsis Deo—glory to God in the highest—bursts forth. Probably the most famed of the entire oratorio is movement 44, the Hallelujah chorus written entirely from Revelation 19:6, 16; 11:15. In John’s apocalypse, we are given eschatological glimpses of the will of God being done on earth as it is in heaven, “a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns’” (Rev. 19:6; cf. Isa. 52:7)! Whether or not the legend is true that King George II rose to his feet in salutary approval of the masterpiece’s 1743 London premier, the tradition is fitting to rise with the hosts of heaven and praise God in the highest—literally, “Hallelujah!”—for his “tast[ing of] death for everyone” in order to provide salvation for the cosmos he loves (Heb. 2:9; John 3:16). For this unparalleled display of love, Messiah alone is both worthy of praise, and “he shall reign forever and ever”(Rev. 11:15)!
