<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Handel's Messiah is one of the most beloved musical works of the western world, playing an especially sentimental role in many people's Christmas traditions. The libretto of the work, taken directly from the King James text of fourteen books of the Bible, has turned many otherwise forgettable phrases into memorable, singable, cherished lines of...<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p>Handel's <i>Messiah</i> is one of the most beloved musical works of the western world, playing an especially sentimental role in many people's Christmas traditions. The libretto of the work, taken directly from the King James text of fourteen books of the Bible, has turned many otherwise forgettable phrases into memorable, singable, cherished lines of Scripture.</p><p>This gift-worthy book will delight and inspire classical music fans and those for whom <i>Messiah</i> is a beloved Christmas tradition with essays exploring the theological, historical, and pastoral implications of the Scriptures that make up Handel's <i>Messiah</i>.<p> Forty reflections journey in order through the oratorio, taking the reader deeper into less-often studied texts like Malachi 3:3 and bringing new light to oft-recited passages like Luke 2:9-14. Each reflection offers the libretto from <i>Messiah</i>, the same passage in NRSV, and a brief commentary on the text, written by a respected scholar or pastor. Readers can peruse the book at leisure or examine one reflection per day throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons.</p><p/><br></br><p><b> From the Back Cover </b></p></br></br><i><p>Ev'ry valley shall be exalted, <p/><p>and ev'ry mountain and hill made low . . . <p/> <p>For unto us a child is born, <p/><p>unto us a son is given . . . <p/> <p>All we like sheep have gone astray . . . <p/> <p>Hallelujah! <p/><p>for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. . . <p/> </i>p>These memorable words can easily be heard in a kind of sentimental haze, familiar from countless church choir concerts and Christmas Eve services. But the scriptures Handel set to music in his most beloved oratorio also tell a powerful story--of God's promised one, from prophetic foretelling to birth, death, resurrection, and ultimate victory. Find inspiration for your holiday season and year-round faith with these forty insightful meditations.