Today’s program is a special Christmas Edition of Well Placed Faith! 

And especially featured today is Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, from his larger Messiah musical masterpiece.

Paul Trask gives the background of Handel and his Messiah composition, and explains its relevance for today’s Christians. Many surprises here!

• Originally composed for Lent, but came to be more closely associated with Christmas
• Hallelujah Chorus actually composed to celebrate the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, at the hand of Roman troops
• Why did King George II of England stand for the Hallelujah Chorus?
• The Hallelujah Chorus, and the Church of Handel’s day understood the book of Revelation as largely fulfilled in the 1^st century, and specifically in the Destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD – so unlike today’s Church
• Today’s American Church is out of step with the Church of Handel’s day, and of most of Church history
• A multitude of both Old Testament and New Testament scriptural indications that Revelation had a 1^st century fulfillment, according to Jesus own Word 
• The Roman Colosseum and Arch of Titus are trophies, memorializing Rome’s destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 70AD
• Dating the book of Revelation
• The Destruction of Jerusalem & its Temple is of profound scriptural and historical importance

So why have we never heard about these things before?

Handel helps us rejoice in the victory of God over His enemies, in defense of His Holy Honor, and in defense of us, His people.

Hallelujah! Merry Christmas!

(Revelation 1:1, 3, 11:15, 19:6, 16 , 22:6, 7, 10, 12, 20, 1:7; Matthew 24:30; Daniel 7:13; Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 11:8, 18:21–24; Luke 13:34, 11:49–51; Revelation 18:20; Deuteronomy 32:35, 41, 43; Luke 21:20–22, 19:41–44; 1 Thessalonians 2:14–16)