MESSIAH OVERTURE

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned.

Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain … and the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

And I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.

But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire … and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness.

Behold,a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

0 Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God … Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Is 40:1-2; Is 40:4, Is 40:5; Hg 2:6-7; Ma 3:2, Ma 3:3; Is 7:14; Is 40:9, Is 60:1 (all verses in the KJV Handel used)