This Advent season, I’m running a series of the text (libretto) to Messiah by George Frederic Handel. You’ll find below the biblical text (King James Version, of course) used in Part 3, whose theme is “A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death”, broken up by musical section according to the 1959 Novello edition. The link after each passage will take you to the appropriate location in a video of a live performance at the Sydney Opera House. Each of these passages is well worth the time to carefully read through and listen/watch, but if you’re short on time, the sections from Job 19 and 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Corinthians 15:55-56, and the Amen are my personal favorites from a musicality perspective.
“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:” – Job 19:25-26
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” – I Corinthians 15:20 – 2:01:57
“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” – 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 – 2:08:14
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:” – 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 – 2:09:54
“…for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 – 2:10:30
“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” – 1 Corinthians 15:54 – 2:14:30
“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” – 1 Corinthians 15:55-56 – 2:14:45
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57 – 2:15:40
“What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?…..Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemned? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” – Romans 8:31,33-34 – 2:17:45
“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature wish is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” – Revelation 5:11-13 – 2:23:04
Amen – 2:26:16
In these last few days of Advent, as we complete our final preparations and anticipate Christmas morning, may we, like the Apostle John, echo the words of Christ with our minds, hearts, and mouths: “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly, Amen, Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)
Merry Christmas to each of you.
I want to thank you for sharing Handels’ Messiah like this. The amount of time and work you put into this shows your depth of Gods’ love that He shines through you. As Romans 8 says “If God be for us, who can be against us” No matter how the year has been, this is the promise that we cling to. May God richly bless you as you have blessed us with your sharing.