3 Sermons on the Hallelujah Chorus

John Newton preached three sermons on the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Today, Stephen Nichols explores how Newton used these sermons to remind believers that Christ reigns as King of kings and calls all people to repent and believe the gospel.

Last week, we looked at Charles Jennens, the compiler and arranger of the biblical passages for Handel's oratorio, the Messiah. I briefly mentioned John Newton's sermons, 50 of them, on those biblical texts. And some years back we did an episode on Sermon 1: The Consolation. This week, let's look at Newton's 3 sermons on the Hallelujah Chorus. The first is Sermon 36. Newton titled it The Lord Reigneth. The Book of Revelation can be a little confusing and perplexing. In fact, Newton begins this sermon by saying that the book “Being chiefly prophetical will not perhaps be fully understood until the final accomplishment of the events shall draw near.” But while “The learned commentators have been hitherto divided and perplexed in their attempts to illustrate many parts of it, there are other parts of this book well adapted for the instruction and refreshment of plain Christians.” Newton is talking about those passages that give us a vision of heaven, such as the passage before us, Revelation 19:6.

Of course, Revelation 19 is proceeded by Revelation 18, and there we have the destruction of Babylon, which paves the way for this song of triumph, and Newton picks it up from there. The performers are all interested in the subject. They fear God. They're devoted to His service and glory. Their united voices are here compared to the voice of many waters, of mighty thunders. And this is the solemn close, the chorus of their song, “Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” But then Newton turns to the earthly choirs and the singing of this passage from the oratorio. He says, “the impression which the performance of this passage in the oratorio usually makes upon the audience is well-known.” So many people are moved by this, but do they really know that beyond a moving musical performance is truth, is the living God? Newton goes on to say, “But do the professed lovers of sacred music in this enlightened age generally live as if they really believed that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth?” This leads Newton to end his sermon with an invitation, “Jesus must reign. He will reign. You must either bend or break before him.”

Then he moves on to Sermon 37 on Revelation 11:15 with the words, “And He shall reign forever and ever.” Of course, Handel has those words cascading through the Hallelujah Chorus. Newton opens his sermon with a great illustration, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You will need to find it and discover it for yourself.

So, on to Sermon 38, this is on Revelation 19:16, “King of kings and Lord of lords.” I love this observation by Newton. He says, “The kings of the earth are continually disturbing the world with their schemes of ambition. They have seldom any higher end in view than the gratification of their own passions. But in all they do, they are but servants of this great King and Lord and fulfill His purposes as the instruments He employs to inflict prescribed punishment upon transgressors or to open a way for the spread of the gospel.”

As Newton comes to the end of this sermon and the end of these “3 Sermons on the Hallelujah Chorus,” he looks to that great day of judgment where all will stand before the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Newton writes, “Oh, the solemnities of that great day when the frame of nature shall be dissolved, when the Judge shall appear, the books opened, and all mankind summoned. Will not you tremble and bow before Him while He's seated upon a throne of grace and while the door of grace stands open? Once more, I call, I warn, I charge you to repent and believe the gospel. Seek His face that your soul may live.” That's Newton on Handel’s the Hallelujah Chorus, which is to say on Revelation, the revelation of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And I'm Steve Nichols and thanks for listening to 5 Minutes in Church History.