Razor Planet



SONGS OF CHRISTMAS: SIMEON’S SONGSunday, December 18, 2016“Declaring God Always Keeps His Promises”In 2007, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman were in a movie called “The Bucket List,” playing two terminally ill men who head out on a road trip with a wish list of things to do before they expire. What’s your bucket list? At the top of my own list is a transcontinental motorcycle trip, from Maine to California, among several other travel-related wishes. Today, we’re seeing the fulfillment of a bucket list, celebrated with a song.In our series “The Songs of Christmas,” we’ve looked at three songs in Luke 1 and 2. We saw Zechariah praising God for remembering His people. We heard Mary praising God for exalting the humble. We witnessed the crowd of angels praising God, giving glory to Him. The last one we’ll look at in Luke’s gospel is the song of Simeon, from 2:25-35.25?Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26?It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27?Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28?Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:29?“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30?For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31?which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32?a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”33?The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34?Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35?so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”We see in this encounter the devotion and commitment of Jesus’ earthly parents. Verses 22 and 23 show us their attention to God’s law:22?When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23?(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”[b]). This comes from Exodus 13:2,12, “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal. . . . you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb.”We also learn about their family’s financial status. Verse 24 says, “24?and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”[c] This goes back to Leviticus 12. A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised. The woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified. When the days of her purification for a child are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her. But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.Joseph and Mary bring two birds for sacrifice, the sacrifice of a financially-strapped family. From this Leviticus passage and from the devotion of the Holy Parents, we also learn how old Jesus is at this encounter with Simeon. Jesus was born on His birthday. He was circumcised on the eighth day. Mary brings a purification offering thirty-three days after that. So, Jesus is brought to the temple on day 42, at six weeks old.A righteous and pious, religious man is looking for, expecting the Messiah, the comfort and refreshment of Israel. The Holy Spirit told him that he wouldn’t see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah (Christ), hence the expectation. Under the prompting of the Spirit, Simeon went to the temple and met Mary and Joseph and Jesus. He took Him into his old arms and held Him close. He praised and blessed God for this meeting and the infant Jesus.“Lord, according to Your own words, release your servant in peace now. I have seen the One Who brings your salvation, which You made ready in view of ALL people. He is a revealing light for those Gentiles in darkness and the glory of/for the Jews.” I imagine that as Joseph and Mary are marveling and wondering at the old man’s words—“How did he know? Who have you told?”—that Jesus is flashing Simeon a big toothless smile, making all the right adorable baby noises, having a “moment” with the old man.He was promised by the Lord that he would see the Messiah. But he didn’t just get to see Him from a distance, from across the room, in His parents’ arms. Simeon got to see the Messiah up close. AND he got to hold Him! Even better than promised! God usually delivers more than we have dreamed or imagined! We don’t want to miss God’s divine appointments. How did Simeon end up at the temple that day? He listened to the Holy Spirit. How often do we get some leading from the God’s own Holy Spirit and fail to act upon it? God fulfilled the promise to this godly old man in part because that godly old man was willing to listen to God’s direction. When we hear God’s Spirit whispering to us, urging us to act, we should listen and comply. Who knows what sort of amazing event—even a miraculous one—we’d get to experience?Simeon is the first one to prophesy about this child, and he sees a future that is more than what the Jews have expected. That’s a little surprising, considering what the prophet Isaiah spoke centuries earlier. Simeon’s words echo Isaiah 9:2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” This child Messiah will be a blessing to Jew and Gentile alike.Simeon blessed them, too. Sweet and adorable in his infancy, but a dark future would be revealed. He warned Mary of the child’s future. He would cause the crashing and the rising of many in Israel. There would be a day of pain for Mary down the road. Through Mary’s eventual pain, hearts would be revealed. Humanity would be redeemed through that pain. ................
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