Hallelujah! 哈利路亚
Dexu Xia
He will reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15
Astonishingly, it took Handel only twenty-four days to write the orchestral music for the Messiah oratorio—today perhaps the world’s most famous musical composition, one performed thousands of times every year around the world. The magnificent work reaches its climax nearly two hours after it begins with the most famous part of the oratorio, the “Hallelujah Chorus.”
As the trumpets and timpani announce the beginning of the chorus, voices layer on top of each other as the choir sings the words of Revelation 11:15: “And he shall reign for ever and ever.” It’s a triumphant declaration of the hope of eternity in heaven with Jesus.
Many of the words in Messiah come from the book of Revelation, the apostle John’s account of a vision he had near the end of his life describing events culminating with the return of Christ. In Revelation, John returned again and again to the theme of the return of the resurrected Jesus to earth—when there would be great rejoicing with the sound of choirs (19:1–8). The world will rejoice because Jesus will have defeated the powers of darkness and death and established a kingdom of peace.
One day, all the people of heaven will sing together in a magnificent choir proclaiming the majesty of Jesus and the blessing of His forever reign (7:9). Until then, we live, work, pray, and wait in hope.
How does the return of Jesus to reign over the earth provide you with hope now? What songs encourage you with reminders of the majesty of Jesus?
Come quickly, Jesus, to establish Your reign over the earth.
祂要作王，直到永永远远。—启示录11章15节
韩德尔只花24天就完成了清唱剧《弥赛亚》的交响乐创作，令人啧啧称奇。这可能是当今世上最负盛名的一部音乐作品，每年在世界各地被人演奏成千上万次。这部宏伟的作品在演奏近两小时之后，就会进入全剧的最高潮，也就是这部清唱剧最知名的片段《哈利路亚合唱曲》。
在小号与定音鼓带进大合唱之后，合唱团的各声部陆续加入、层层堆叠，吟唱启示录11章15节的经文：“祂要作王，直到永永远远。”这段凯歌宣告了我们将在天国永远与耶稣同在的盼望。
在清唱剧《弥赛亚》中，许多歌词都出自圣经的启示录。这卷书记载了使徒约翰在人生将尽之际所见的异象，其中以基督再来为叙事的高峰。在启示录中，约翰一而再、再而三的重述同一个主题，就是那位复活的耶稣将要再临，那时众人要欢欣喜乐地高声颂扬（19章1-8节）。那时普世都将欢腾，因耶稣要败坏黑暗与死亡的权势，建立一个和平的国度。
将来有一天，在天堂的所有人都将聚在一起，成为阵容庞大的合唱团，一起扬声赞美耶稣的威荣，并颂赞祂永远掌权（7章9-10节）。在那之前，让我们继续好好地生活、工作、祈祷，并且带着盼望等候耶稣再临。
耶稣将再临治理全地，如何使你今天得着盼望？
哪些歌曲能激励你，让你想到耶稣的威荣呢？
耶稣啊，愿祢快来，掌权治理全地。