Spreading Light
Handel’s Messiah: His Yoke Is Easy
Come to him, all ye that labor, come unto him, that are heavy laden, and he will give ye rest. . . . [Y]e shall find rest for your soul. . . (Matthew 11:29) His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light” (Matthew 11:30).
Handel began The Messiah with the LORD saying “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people”.
Now, having told us that Jesus is the Messiah, Handel describes how the LORD comforts his people.
Initially, the Comfort is intended for the people of Israel who are in exile in Babylon. Now, the Comfort is extended to include all people who are “exiled” from the Presence of the LORD.
This means:
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame [person] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. (Isaiah 40:11).
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: and he shall gather the lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11).
Come unto him, all ye that labour, come unto him, that are heavy laden, and he will give ye rest. Take his yoke upon you, and learn of him; for he is meek and lowly of heart: and he will give you rest. . . [Y]e shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29).
To summarize how the Messiah comforts his people, Handel has the Chorus sing:
“His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light”. (Matthew 11:30).
I write about this Comfort in word pictures that tell us more about Jesus than volumes of theological speculations or hundreds of pages of my writings:
Jesus—the Messiah—is our best friend who blesses children, welcomes sinners, weeps with us, washes our feet, and laughs with us.
In this Way, Jesus—the Messiah—truly embodies the Presence of the LORD:
compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands of generations, and reducing the bad effects of our bad choices as much as feasible. (Exodus 34:6-7).
In this Way, Jesus—the Messiah—truly gives us rest unto our souls.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
Have you ever been in exile from the Presence of the LORD? How? Why?
How did the LORD comfort you? Why?
How did you return to the Presence of the LORD? Why?
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For related ideas, please read my blogs “The Star of Bethlehem Was a ‘Can of Tuna Fish’”; “Overcoming Oceans of Despair”; The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Hopeless Confusion”; “Overcoming Oceans of Fears”; “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Doubts”; and “Overcoming Oceans of Failures”.