Listen (2:52)
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.
Reflection: One of the things that sets an oratorio apart from an opera, of which Handel also wrote many, is the choruses. This is the first taste we get of the choir at full volume, echoing back and forth, playing with the melody other sections have just sung. The word translated "glory" here also means abundance, wealth or splendor. This is a promise to the exiled Judahites that God's glory will once again shine in Jerusalem.
But I have to also think that Handel has in mind the "glory of the Lord" that shines all around the terrified shepherds in Bethlehem. To me, this chorus sounds like a preview of the angels singing "Glory to God in the highest" on Christmas night.
It certainly must have been a potent image for this nation which endured such suffering, to hear that one day God's glory will be revealed again, for all flesh to see. I think sometimes when we lose something important to us--whether it's a home, a relationship, a job, or some sense of the way the world is--it can be very tempting to want to rewind the clock, and imagine what it would be like if everything was "back the way it was." But this promise of God's glory being revealed was fulfilled in a very different way than what God's people first pictured. Ultimately, instead of on a battle field or in a throne room, God's glory was revealed in a manger. Sometimes if we dwell too much on "past glory," we may be less able to see the glory being revealed right in front of our eyes, because it looks so different from how we pictured.
Prayer: God, reveal your glory to us and to all flesh. Help us to see your presence in places and people we never would have imagined.
Discussion Questions:
1) What does "glory" mean to you? Why is it a good thing for God's glory to be revealed?
2) How can people of faith avoid the mistake of trying to bring power and glory to ourselves instead of God?
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