It's the last day of 2012. Moreover these days after Christmas lead up to the Epiphany - an event seldom celebrated or acknowledged in Evangelical churches in the West.
This is the 5th and last of Luke's "Christmas Songs".
Epiphany is the event in scripture in which Mary and Joseph took the infant Jesus to the Temple for his consecration, and circumcision - all of which marked him as part of the Covenant of Abraham. The specific passage is Luke 2:22-35 (ESV)
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of
Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Simeon represents every person whose "looking" for God in their life. He was 'waiting' and it was all led by the Holy Spirit. He was an elderly person who had waited his whole life for the revelation of the Messiah.
This is the 5th and last of Luke's "Christmas Songs".
Elizabeth in 1:42-45
Mary in 1:46-56
Zacharias in 1:67-79,
The Angels in 2:13-14
NOW, Simeon.
What kind of a song is it?
It is a song about Salvation - "my eyes have seen your salvation."
It is a song about God's heart for the world - "that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."
It is a song of Prophecy: The Sign, The Sword.
Jesus is the sign - literally, a "miracle". He is not so much a demonstation of God's power as he is a demonstration of God, his truth, his mercy, his love, his grace and his heart. But this sign is "appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, a sign that is opposed."
The most important question we must face is Matthew 22:42 (NIV)
42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"...
42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?"...
Jesus is a Sword that pierces Mary's heart. Mary would watch her son grow up, take on the mantle of his work the Father had sent him to do; and then she would stand on the side and watch him die on the cross.
What did Joseph and Mary hear in Simeon's words.
They were marveled at all...and probably sobered. How could a new born baby have so much put upon him?
For them, it was a time of new beginnings. Their lives were forever changing, and they were entering into a future that would change the world.
Here's where we are at...it's the end of the old year and the beginning of the New Year. Simeon speaks for all of us that God's heart is still for the world to know His Son and to understand what Jesus has done in coming into the world.
God so loved....that's the beginning and the End.
Peace
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