“Hallelujah!”

This morning, in many cities, towns and villages around the world, there’s gatherings of “God lovers” attending “Sunrise Easter Services.”  People who normally sleep in until after the sun has already brought its light into the day ~ rise early to gather and celebrate Jesus’s Resurrection… they are celebrating The Gift of God’s Grace that saves mankind from the penalty of death.

I’ve been to a number of “Sunrise Easter Services.”  There is one word that is common in every one of these services I’ve attended…  It’s the word “Hallelujah”.

Although I didn’t attend a “Sunrise Easter Service” this morning ~ I woke up with “Hallelujah” on my heart…

Hallelujah is the combination of the two Hebrew words Halal - הָלַל and Yah - יָ֔הּ ~ ”Yah” is short for “Yahweh” (The Lord God).

So what is that word Halal all about?   

I looked it up and it means to “shine / flash brightly, to boast, to praise, to act like a fool or madman“.  This word occurs 165 times in the Old Testament and it is most commonly translated “praise”.  In Psalm 150 alone it occurs 13 times!

• God is deserving of our adoration. 

The Bible repeatedly urges us to praise with adoration ~ over 100 times with this word alone.

• God is deserving of our flashing / shining / exuberant / animated / passionate praise.  Halal means “to shine or flash.” 

Halal doesn’t give us a picture of a quiet and dignified reading of a psalm.  Halal paints a picture of a bright ~ flashing praise that demands attention.  When we praise God with Halal, we draw attention to Him, like a light flashing in the darkness. It reminds me of the old hymn ~ "Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee"

Joyful, joyful, we adore You,God of glory,

Lord of love;Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You,

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!

• God is deserving of our boasting!

Halal means “to boast.”  Our God is so GREAT that we can’t help but boast in WHO He is.  Halal is our response to God’s Goodness in the way a child would boast about how strong his father is, we are so enthralled by the Greatness of our Father that we can’t help but boast about Him to everyone we meet!  (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

• God is deserving of our foolishness. 

Halal means “to act like fool.”  One of the greatest mistakes we can make when praising God is to worry about what others may think...  I found it interesting that the same word that is translated “praise” is also translated “fool” in other passages.  Our unashamed praise of God is so bright and full of joy that we may appear to be acting foolish to others!

Halal and Yah in this combines to make the word “Hallelujah” and it means “praise Yahweh” or “praise the LORD”

We rise this Easter morning with a “Hallelujah” because God, in the death and resurrection of Jesus, has overcome the curse of death!

“Hallelujah!” ~ The Lord HAS Risen!