Tonight I was checking the news feeds and came across this story about a group doing random acts of culture – singing or performing classics in public spaces. Of course I love this idea and watched this amazing video. The Philadelphia Opera decided it would be cool to do Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus in Macy’s. And oh gosh, how they did it. This is such a phenomenal work, and to imagine hearing it in the vast Macy’s store in Philly … it must have been awesome. Then I started thinking, “Wow, you know, the Lord’s name is being publicly proclaimed right now. All these people from all walks of life are here, in a department store, and are hearing these words:
Hallelujah! (this is a shout of praise to GOD)
For the Lord God omnipotent (all powerful) reigneth.
Hallelujah!
The kingdom of this world
Is become the kingdom of our Lord,
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign for ever and ever,
For ever and ever, forever and ever,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
King of kings, and Lord of lords,
And Lord of lords,
And He shall reign,
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings, forever and ever,
And Lord of lords,
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
And He shall reign forever and ever,
King of kings! and Lord of lords!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Handel was inspired as he wrote the Messiah directly from the Word of God, and the Hallelujah Chorus is the most famous part of the work and was taken from these verses:
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.
Revelation 11: 15 – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 19: 16 – And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS.
I am so thrilled by the reality that no matter how much the workers of darkness and the enemy thinks that they can fill this world with their darkness, sexuality, perversion and filth, as if they will somehow quench the praising of the Lord, they will always fail utterly. No matter what, even in the strangest places, even in our religiously tolerant and correct society, the message of the ultimate victory and triumph of the ONE AND ONLY TRUE LORD gets trumpeted from a Macy’s. The LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT reigns, forever and ever as KING of kings and LORD of lords. Gosh I love that! There is no denying the power of that phrase. The beauty is … it is not just here, it is all over the world. The praise of the Lord will ring forth across the world, and if we humans will not shout, creation itself will broadcast his praise! For NOONE can suppress the reality of the risen Son of God! Halleljuah!
You know it’s tradition to stand during the Hallelujah Chorus, in honor of Handel. However, when I stand during the Hallelujah Chorus I always try to posture my heart standing before this great King of whom they sing, the Giver and not the gift!