G.F. Handel's 'Messiah' is Going to Be Turning a New Page

I came across this image today, by Jonathan Mayer of Scapegoat Studios.

After getting over the shock of it, the more I looked at it, the more I said, “Wow, that is really cool.” It says a lot.

So, I wondered where it came from. It turns out, it is our work for a new book that is set to be published this year, entitled "Messiah: The Greatest Sermon Ever Sung." 

The artist has put some of his artwork out on the Internet. You can find it here:

http://www.scapegoatstudio.com/illustration.html

http://elandain.deviantart.com/gallery/11575951

I'm only struck by artwork that conveys multiple messages, in subtle or maybe not straight-forward ways. And that's why this image really struck me. It is titled, "Behold the Lamb of God."

For those that may not be aware of the theology behind the term "Lamb of God," it is in reference to Jesus dying as a sacrifice; to God, for the sins of all humans. This image is to accompany the second part of Handel's "Messiah" that talks, or sings, of Jesus. The song itself is a culmination and a homily, if you will, on the entire Bible.

Considering that the song was composed and created in the year 1741 and is still being sung around the world today is a testament to the composition itself and its creator, not to mention the subject matter.

Even though I was not as impressed with the rest of the artwork that I have seen by this artist, I'm still looking forward to seeing what this book may entail.

If you would like more information on the song “Messiah” by George Frederick Handel, Wikipedia has a pretty good article put together, and if you would like to read the lyrics of the song, I found this from a performance in 2001.

If you wish to listen to the entire performance of Handel's "Messiah," I've created a playlist here.

And if you have not seen it, the Opera Company of Philadelphia did what they call a "Random Act of Culture" on Oct. 30, 2010, with the "Hallelujah!" chorus of Handel's Messiah. It can be seen here.