The Glory of the Lord

Having spent my entire childhood (besides 2 years on the mission field to Aurora, CO), my exposure to radio was pretty limited to AM KFDI when traveling to Wichita and 810-WHB when at home in KC. I was exposed to some choral music in High School, but I had zero exposure to Pipe Organs and very little awareness of a classical music style known as Oratorio.

You can imagine my shock when, as a freshman in college, I was told that all members of school music groups were required to enroll and participate in Oratorio Chorus. Fortunately, it was only a 3-month stint of my college career that ended the week before Thanksgiving, but singing Handel’s Messiah alongside some of Chicago’s most talented musicians changed my impression of George Frideric Handel. I quickly learned that the Hallelujah chorus is only 1 of 53 songs in the collection, and thankfully we only performed 15 of the pieces.

There is folklore associated with this masterpiece.

The idea that King George II stood up during the "Hallelujah" Chorus at the London premiere of Messiah in 1743 is a well-known but unproven story: · The story - King George II was so moved by the music that he stood up, and the audience followed suit out of respect. · The evidence - The earliest known account of the story was written in 1780, almost 40 years after the event. There are no newspaper or eyewitness accounts that mention the king's presence at the concert. · The tradition - The tradition of standing during the "Hallelujah" Chorus continues today. I have heard some say that the concert was so long that the King needed to stretch his legs. [the fact that this song is the last of part 2 gives some credibility to this idea]. Others say that it's because the passage refers to a King greater than the king, and that the Christian king must show respect to the King of Kings. Some say that it's because it was considered proper etiquette to stand when the king stood.

After finding out how many songs were part of the collection, the 2nd thing I learned about the Messiah is that each song is connected to Scripture.

During this Advent we will be looking at the Scripture behind 4 of the choruses that most impressed me as a performer.

TRANSITION: We start this week with an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah who would come to His people.

Let us turn to Isaiah 40, hear the Scripture, then listen to the way that Handel set it to music.

Glory Defined

‌ The word Isaiah uses here is kavod or kabod and it appears some 200 times throughout the Scriptures. Interesting to those of us in this part of the state is that the negative of this word is the mascot for Washburn University.

‌ Besides 1 obscure reference in Jacob’s blessing of his sons in Gen 49, the idea of glory comes to prominence in the book of Exodus where the glory of God is set against the backdrop of the burden imposed upon His people. in Egypt.

‌Taken Seriously (Ex 14:4)

Exodus 14:4 ESV:2016

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

‌ Pharoah dismissed God’s desires and ability, so God demonstrated that He was serious

‌ While this word is usually translated glory or honor, the root has the idea of abundance or someone weighted down by all his stuff.

In the idea of “he who dies with the most toys wins” a person with lots of abilities, lots of riches, or lots of power became associated with honor.

It could be said that Pharoah ‌“made light of” God’s demand to let His people go, so God weighted down Pharoah with the burden of grief (death of the firstborn). Pharoah sent his army to chase the Israelites and God sent a cloud of glory as a barrier that the chariots and horsemen could not penetrate.

‌Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21)

After the conquest of the Promised Land but before the first King (Saul), God led his people through the priests and judges (military commanders). Each of these judges feared God less than the previous. These wicked military leaders had an influence on society as a whole and on ceremonial worship specifically to the point that when Eli’s grandson was born, Eli’s daughter in law named her son Ichabod.

1 Samuel 4:21 ESV:2016

21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

The wife of Phineas carrying out religion without God’s provision and saw that it was a huge burden. When God’s provision, God’s abundance, is absent religion becomes a heavy weight. This is why many unsaved people consider church boring. If a relationship with the living God is not indwelling, then prayers, offerings, singing, and listening can easily become dreary and a drudgery.

‌ TRANSITION: When God’s people were burdened down leaving Egypt, God promised His glory.

Glory Promised & Repromised

Children of the Exodus (Exodus 16:7)

‌‌Their burdens caused grumbling. I dare say every time we hear grumbling (either from our kids, our neighbors, or ourselves) it is probably rooted in a sense of heaviness or obligation that is not being done in the power of the Lord.

Even the miracle of Passover as the families who applied the blood had observed the death angel skipping their home, within days they were grumbling as soon as they forgot God’s provision.

Moses told Aaron to tell the people that they were about to see God’s abundant resources overcome the burdens and worries that they were focused upon.

Exodus 16:7 ESV:2016

7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”

4. Sure enough 3 verses later.

Exodus 16:10 ESV:2016

10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

TRANSITION: Fast forward 800 years, Judges have given way to a Monarch, the kingdoms have split and been overtaken by foreigners, then God promises to those under the weight of captivity that relief is coming.

Children of the Exile (Is 40:5)

The descendants of Jacob did not return from Egypt when the famine was over. They got comfortable, then they were overtaken and began under the burden of slavery when God delivers them.

The Northern Kingdom turned their backs on God and found themselves serving under the weight of the Assyrians.

The Southern Kingdom rejects God and finds the Babylonians conquer them, then the Persians overthrow and the people are once again under the weight of oppression.

It is to these burdened people that God sends Isaiah with a message of comfort. The abundance of oppression will give way to the abundance of provision, aka glory.

Isaiah 40:5 ESV:2016

5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

5. ‌the Lord provides what no earthly judge or king, domestic or foreign, ever could.

TRANSITION: Fast Forward another 700 years and an Angel tells a virgin that she will conceive a son who would save His people from their sin. According to Luke 1:32 Mary absolutely knew what her Son would do.

Glory of the Lord Revealed.

Glory in the First Advent (Matthew 11:29-30): rest for your souls

Luke 1:31–33 ESV:2016

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

This son came for 1 purpose: to undo the weight of the curse that fell on Adam and all his descendants.

This infant boy grew up and made a claim that His reign would not be a burden, but His glory would make burdens light.

Matthew 11:29–30 ESV:2016

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Those in Christ do not grieve as those who have no hope. While difficult times come, they no longer enslave! While tribulations exist, we lean into the glory of God who makes all things right in His own time

2 Corinthians 4:8 ESV:2016

8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

4. His glory will be magnified and multiplied when we are ultimately rewarded for the sufferings or opposition we endure for His sake.

‌Glory in the Second Advent (2 Cor 4:17): reward for affliction

2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV:2016

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Conclusion:

Glory is the opposite of burden. Many of us are carrying burdens. Burdens that Christ has commanded that we cast upon Him.

When we exchange our guilt and sin through faith and repentance for the salvation and righteousness He secured on Calvary, we begin to taste His glory. Then we say with the Apostle John

John 1:14 ESV:2016

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Glory, the glory of the Lord Has been revealed and His name is Jesus. This Christmas season can be the time when you first begin to wonder in His glory.

Yes, the baby came, but the baby became a man and took your sin guilt upon himself so that you can have an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

As the children meet the Education team in the gym, let us invite Christ into our lives, exchanging our burden for His glory, by singing…#127