“Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”” (Luke 2:28-32)
In verse 25 Simeon is described as a righteous and devout man in Jerusalem. He was waiting for the one who would bring comfort to Israel in the midst of her suffering. He went to the temple courtyard, led by the Holy Spirit, where he found Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. While Jesus was born to a Jewish mother and the Israelites were the chosen people of God, it is interesting that Simeon would mention the Gentiles. God’s plan was to include all mankind, not just the Israelites. Due to the Jews rejection of Jesus as the Christ, their deliverer, Gentiles were then allowed to be grafted into God’s family tree. Nevermore would the non-Jew be lost. It was evidence of God’s deep, abiding love for the entirety of His creation, not just a certain portion. This is borne out in the statement, made by Paul in Acts 10:34, when he says that God is no respecter of persons. This means simply that He shows no favoritism or partiality towards any one person or group over another. His love, mercy and undeserved favor are available for all who would come to Him. What wonderful news!
Time is irrelevant to God. So it should be no surprise to us when we find in scripture the length of time some had to wait to see the Messiah with their own eyes. Simeon was old and yet God had fulfilled His promise to him. Down through the ages men have waited for the Messiah to come. In Jesus He had come. He was fully God and yet also fully man. He would feel pain and sorrow just as any of us would. He came to redeem mankind. Mankind knew Him not, yet He came not because they sought Him, but because He knew they needed Him. Oh, Israel sought a Messiah and still do to this very day. They missed His appearing because of the form in which He came. They expected a warrior king who would deliverer them by force from Roman oppression. They didn’t see themselves and their own sinful disobedience as the real reason for the coming of the Messiah. The deliverance He would provide would be from themselves and their own penchant to do wrong in the sight of God, not from the oppression they were experiencing from the government.
Our deliverer is here. Embrace the freedom He provides for those who place their faith and trust in Him.
WALK WITH THE KING AND BE A BLESSING!!
