April 2: He Shall Reign Forever
Saturday, April 2
Scripture: Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER
Forever is a long, long time.
So many things that are good for a time, even a long time, eventually spoil. And so it’s far from obvious that an everlasting kingdom is a good thing. In the welter of this election season, consider the prospect of one of our presidential candidates occupying the office forever. No matter how much you believe in him or her, would you want Mr. Cruz or Ms. Clinton in office forever?
Now consider that candidate being granted absolute power. No matter how much you trust him or her, would you trust Mr. Cruz or Ms. Clinton with absolute power? We know intuitively the truth of Lord Acton’s quip that “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” An everlasting kingdom seems more likely to be hell than heaven. In fact, it seems almost inevitably to be so.
Unless this kingdom is the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. Unless he is the one who shall reign forever and ever. Jesus Christ is, in fact, the only King whose eternal and absolute reign could possibly be good news for us. He is the only King whose reign means blessing and life, justice and peace. His reign restores. Fittingly, then, so many of these images of Christ the King find him with blessing in one hand and the book of life in another. Only if this one reigns would we ever be moved to sing, “Hallelujah!”
But he does, and he shall. Jesus shall reign forever and ever. This one, as “The Hallelujah Chorus” puts it and as Scripture proclaims, is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” He reigns over those who reign. He is king in such a way that all other kings are subjects. He is lord in such a way that all other lords are servants.
In fact, the coronation of this King marks the end of all other kings. In his everlasting kingdom, he will reign without rival. The kingdom of this world—all of it!—has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. His reign is universal in scope and everlasting in duration.
Abraham Kuyper once wrote that “There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, ‘Mine!’” At the last day, we will see the final, effective, eternal realization of this cry. At last, we will see that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. He will reign, justice and peace will embrace, and we will erupt in jubilant song. Because he reigns everywhere and forever, we will worship him everywhere and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord will be praised.
Handel anticipates the triumphant glee of this praise. It is as if the very words—Hallelujah! King of kings! Lord of lords!—are about to burst, so ripe are they with the glory of the risen Lord. The best the singers can do is repeat them again and again, at one moment in grand unison, at another in antiphonal ecstasy. These are the voices of those dizzy with elation who can’t do anything but sing of this blessing King.
All of this is gathered together in the final image of today’s video—the “Christ the Redeemer” statue against the backdrop of a full moon. Here the one who has redeemed his people with his own blood rises above Rio de Janeiro as the Almighty One. He reigns in majesty over the city teeming with saints and sinners, holding out his hands in power, yes, but a power that is formed by the cross. The glorious king bids all who are thirsty to come and drink the water of life in his kingdom, which will never end—for he shall reign forever and ever!
PRAYER
Come, Almighty King, help us your name to sing. Help us to praise. You are worthy, majestic and merciful Christ, to receive all glory and honor and praise. There is none like you. You shall reign forever and ever!
Amen.
Matt Jenson, Associate Professor of Theology, Torrey Honors Institute
Hallelujah
CCCA Video
About the Video
The other worldly qualities of the majestic “Hallelujah Chorus,” one of the greatest works of art in the canon of western music is coupled here with gigantic paintings of “Christ the Pantocrator,” or “Lord of the Universe,” or “Ruler of All,” or “Sustainer of the World.” For centuries it has been the practice in Eastern Orthodox churches and cathedrals throughout the world to place these large images of Christ in their domes, which soar high above the earthly spaces occupied by the congregation, indicating that the victorious Christ is indeed, the center of all things. The video ends with images of colossal statues of Christ found in various international locals, towering above metropolises and visually proclaiming, “He shall reign forever and ever!”
About the Music
“Hallelujah Chorus”
Lyrics
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!
For the lord God omnipotent reigneth!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, 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!
King of kings, forever and ever, hallelujah, hallelujah,
and Lord of lords, forever and ever, hallelujah, hallelujah!
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.
Forever and ever, and ever and ever,
King of kings and lord of lords!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,
Hallelujah!
About the Composer
George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1759) was a German Baroque composer who spent the bulk of his career in London, becoming well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. He was strongly influenced by the great composers of the Italian Baroque and the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition. Musicologist Winton Dean writes that his operas show that "Handel was not only a great composer; he was a dramatic genius of the first order.” Handel composed more than forty operas in around thirty years.
Handel’s Messiah was first performed in Dublin on April 13, 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later. After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in western music. Handel's Messiah has been described by the early-music scholar Richard Luckett as "a commentary on Jesus Christ's Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension," beginning with God's promises as spoken by the prophets and ending with Christ's glorification in heaven. The music for the Messiah was completed in 24 days of swift composition. At the end of the manuscript Handel wrote the letters SDG -- Soli Deo Gloria, “To God alone the glory.”
There is a story told about Handel’s writing of the “Hallelujah Chorus.” It is said that Handel's assistant walked into Handel's room after shouting to him for several minutes with no response. The assistant reportedly found Handel in tears, and when asked what was wrong, Handel held up the score to this extraordinary chorus and said, "I thought I saw the face of God.” In many parts of the world, it is accepted practice for the audience to stand when the “Hallelujah Chorus” is performed. The tradition is said to have originated with the first London performance of the Messiah, which was attended by King George II. As the first notes of the triumphant “Hallelujah Chorus” rang out, the king was so moved that he rose to his feet and remained standing until the end of the chorus, initiating a tradition that has lasted well over two centuries. Indeed, the “Hallelujah Chorus” is one of the most awe inspiring pieces of music ever written.