The Som Sabadell video - May 19, 2012 street performance of final movement of Beethoven’s 9th symphony in Barcelona - begins with a small offering by a little girl. A lone musician begins playing a tune that is only recognizable if you are familiar with this piece of music. Slowly more musicians with instruments appear and join in. As the music develops, the song is recognizable. Choir and the conductor appear as the music swells to its climax. The symbolism is unmistakeable.
Friedrich Schiller’s poem worships joy - one dimension of the fruit of the Holy Spirit - as the source of happiness and fellowship and the object of celebration. The culminating verse in Beethoven’s adaptation of Schiller’s poem focuses in on worshipping the source of joy and fellowship.
Do you bow before Him, you millions?
Do you sense your Creator, O world?
Seek Him above the canopy of stars!
He must dwell beyond the stars.
But in the Incarnation, Jesus came to earth to seek and save the lost. He returned to heaven, but He does not dwell beyond the stars. (Matthew 18:20) He was that first lone musician playing the song of redemption. After His resurrection He was joined by a small, gallant band of believers. The chorus grew to be mighty. But what the music does not capture in its rapture is the rapture of the saints and the opposition that Jesus must overcome to establish His kingdom on earth. Like Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, triumphal worship in heaven focuses on the end stage. Even the lyrics that were written for this music in 1907 in English, by Henry van Dyke and sung as a hymn of the church, portray the process to the final consummation as ever upwards, with only the slightest hint of strife.
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee, op’ning to the Sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays;
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain flow’ry meadow, flashing sea;
chanting bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blest;
well-spring of the joy of living ocean-depth of happy rest.
Thou the Father, Christ our Brother— all who live in love are Thine.
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the Joy Divine.
Mortals join the mighty chorus which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us, brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife;
joyful music lifts us sunward in the triumph song of life.
What Jesus taught, and what history has demonstrated, is that as the gospel is spread throughout the world, many would accept it and become a family in Christ, but that it brings a sword to divide those who accept from those who reject. Ultimately the objectors will attempt to eliminate the gospel, bringing the apocalyptic unveiling of Christ. We can enjoy the music, but must remember that the ultimate plan of His story, to bring His kingdom on the earth, is not going to be a gradual spreading of that kingdom until all join in a capstone chorus. The cross must be embraced before the crown can be realized.
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