The Gospel of Luke: Foretelling of the Faithful

Transcript

JRNT 74
01/19/2025
The Gospel of Luke: Foretelling of the Faithful
Luke 2:25-35
Jesse Randolph

Well, where we left off last time in our study of Luke’s Gospel was Luke 2:24, where you’ll recall, Luke the historian, the human author of this divinely-inspired book, highlighted the seriousness with which Joseph and Mary took their obligations, as Jews, to follow the Law of the day. To follow the Law of Moses to the letter. Specifically, in connection with the circumcision of their Son, Jesus; the ritual cleansing of Mary that they went through; the presentation of the baby Jesus there at the temple in Jerusalem; the offering of a sacrifice, two turtledoves or pigeons, it says, which is all that this young couple could afford. And we saw last week that all of this pointed to the fact that Joseph and Mary were devout in their faith. They were righteous Jews. They were very serious about their obligations in that time, in that day, to keep the Law. We also saw that we have to be careful as we read these Gospel accounts, which are very much steeped in Judaism. To not read them as though we are under the Law, when we’re not. We remember that passage, John 1:17, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

So, last week, we looked especially at righteous Joseph and righteous Mary. Now, this week, as we continue to march through Luke’s Gospel, we’re going to speed it up for one Sunday. Maybe because of the pancakes, maybe. As we consider what Luke has recorded here about another righteous person, who was there on the scene in connection with the birth of our Lord. And that man would be named Simeon.

Now, we’ve got a lot to cover this morning. So, we’re going to get right into it with Luke 2:25. And we’re going to go all the way to verse 35. I know the announcement said verse 38, but I’m a realistic man. And I realize I cannot get to verse 38 today.

So, Luke 25-35, God’s word reads: “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 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. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms and blessed God, and said, ‘Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of Your people Israel.’ And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well – that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”

So, Simeon, who we’re zeroing in on this morning in our study of God’s Word, was another one of these persons of godly character and devotion who Luke mentions in connection with the birth of Jesus. And each time that Luke mentions one of these godly figures, what he’s doing is intentionally painting a picture of contrast. See, the days leading up to the birth of Jesus were a dark time in Israel’s history. The people of Israel had no political independence, but instead were ruled by Rome. They were under that cruel thumb of wicked King Herod. They had this religious landscape of the day, which was flooded by legalistic scribes and Pharisees and worldly Sadducees. And to top it off, God had gone silent, as it were, for about 400 years. The point being, Israel was in a low spiritual condition when Jesus came to dwell among them. The people of God weren’t acting like it. On the whole, they were unfaithful. But at the same time, when we read these stories of men like Simeon, we see that there was still this faithful remnant of godly people yet in Israel. We’ve already encountered a few of them in our study of this Gospel. Zechariah. Elizabeth. Joseph. Mary. And now, as we keep making headway into the narrative . . . Simeon.

Take a look at the text again, we’ll zero in on the first few words of verse 25 here, where it says:
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.” “Behold”, it begins with. Older translations have the “lo” interjection. And this is just classic storytelling language from Luke, as he keeps moving the narrative forward. Now, this is the only place in the bible, by the way, where Simeon is mentioned. Apart from what we have recorded of him, here in Luke’s Gospel, we know nothing else of this man. We aren’t told if he was a priest as Luke says of Zechariah. We’re not told if he held a prophetic office, as Luke will later tell us of Anna. We’re not told which house of Israel or family of Israel he was from, as we learned of with Joseph. We’re not told what town he was from, as we learned with Mary. All that Luke says of Simeon, at least initially here, is that he was “a man.” There was nothing inherently wonderful or great about this man. He wasn’t a man, at least by description here, of high office, or standing, or power. He was just a “man.” And then he elaborates here and says he was “a man in Jerusalem”, which apparently was where Simeon called home.

So, the setting here then is still Jerusalem. All of what we saw last week, in verses 21-24 -- the circumcision of Jesus, the naming of Jesus, the cleansing of Mary following the birth of Jesus -- the presentation, the consecration of Jesus, the sacrifices that were offered on account of the birth of Jesus -- it all took place in Jerusalem. So, we’re no longer in the Bethlehem scene, the manger, the shepherds, the fields, those are all in the rearview now. We’re now in Jerusalem.

And as we read on through the rest of verse 25, and into verse 26 you’re going to see that Luke highlights three traits concerning this man, Simeon. And he also offers one key historical detail about this man. Let’s pick it up in the middle of verse 25, where we see these words: “and this man,” it says, “was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 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.”

So note the three observations there, we have first, that Simeon was this “righteous and devout” man; second, that he was “waiting for the comfort of Israel;” and third, that “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” And then there’s that historical detail, “it had been revealed to him,” verse 26, “by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” We’ll take these now, one by one.

First, Simeon is described, verse 25, the middle there, as being “righteous and devout.” Now, that word “righteous” is the very word Luke used of Zechariah and Elizabeth over in Luke 1:6, where he says: “they were both righteous in the sight of God.” Now, to be clear, Luke here is not saying that Simeon was some sort of do-gooder. You know, he’s not saying, by saying he’s righteous that he was a nice guy that obeyed the speed limit. Or shoveled his neighbor’s sidewalk on really snowy days. (They didn’t have those in Jerusalem.) No, he was justified before God, is what this is saying. He was in a right relationship with God. Meaning, if he were to stand at this very moment before the bar of God’s holy justice, and if God was readying to bring down His divine hammer of justice, the divine gavel of justice of this man Simeon, God would have said, “Justified. He’s one of mine. He is a true child of Abraham.” That’s what Luke means here when he says that Simeon was “righteous.” He wasn’t self-righteous. No, he was righteous before God. He truly knew the living God.

And that comes out in the next word that Luke uses to describe him, when he says, verse 25, that Simeon was not only “righteous”, but he was “righteous,” and you see it there, and “devout.” His faith, in other words, resulted in action. Simeon was no hollow shell of empty religiosity. He wasn’t like the Pharisees of his day. But he also didn’t use his righteous standing, his position before God to fuel an excuse to simply coast. To put it in spiritual cruise control, while he waited for glory. No. He was “devout” it says. And there’s a tie in back to Zechariah and Elizabeth. In fact, go with me over to Luke 1:6. We were here many, many months ago. Where those two, Luke 1:6, are described as: “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord.” Now, that summary statement, “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord”, that’s a good summary statement of what it means to be, as Simeon is described here – “devout.” A devout person is one who walks “blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord.”

And not only is that a good word of Simeon for his day. That’s a good word for us in our day. To make sure that if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, if we are in Christ, if we’ve been justified, if we’ve been saved, to make sure that we aren’t engaged in mere check-box “churchianity.” But instead, to be examining our behaviors, to be examining our actions, examining our conduct, our thoughts, our affections, our motivations. And asking ourselves very seriously, am I a devout follower of Jesus Christ? If someone were to write a biographical sketch of your life, as Luke here has Simeon, would that biographer be able to say of you: he was, she was, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord”? What about your spouse? Or your children? Or your neighbors? Or your co-workers? If they were to get up here one day to eulogize you, what would they say? Would they say, he was, she was, “walking blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord”?

Simeon was such a person. He was a righteous man before God. He was an upright man before men. He didn’t merely talk the talk. He walked the walk. He had integrity of heart, and it showed in his practices. His “righteous and devout” character in fact, made him a credible witness to testify to what he testified to here in Luke’s Gospel.

Well, he was not only “righteous and devout”, was Simeon. The next description Luke provides for him is that, you will see it there, still in verse 25, is that he was “waiting for the comfort of Israel.” Now, that’s a messianic reference. Meaning, it’s a reference to the anticipation, the expectation that the people of Israel had at this time that their Messiah was coming. Simeon, being this “righteous”, “devout” Israelite, was actively looking for, “waiting for” the “comfort”, the consolation of Israel. It’s an expression that refers to the consolation, the comfort, the help that Messiah would bring on His future day of arrival. When He came to reign. And He came to strike down the enemies of God’s people. And He came to set up His kingdom on earth. Well, for that era of Messianic blessing and comfort to arrive in its fullness, what had to happen was the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins. They needed to have their hard hearts softened. They had to have their stiff necks loosened. But that’s not what happened though when the Messiah, Jesus, came to earth; rather, the people of Israel, they rejected Him. And not only that, they murdered Him. And because they rejected Him, the promised rule, the Messianic rule of the promised Messiah on earth was postponed.

Now, that detail that we’re all aware of, that the kingdom would be offered and rejected, that the kingdom would be offered and then rejected and then delayed, that wasn’t known in its fullness to the Jews of Simeon’s day. Rather, in his context, in this original first-century context, all that was known was that the Messiah was coming. So, when Simeon here is described as saying, he’s “waiting for the comfort of Israel”, that’s not like the way we would think of it. Like he would come in two phases, come a first time and come a second time. No. he was only thinking of the Messiah coming, and the comfort that that coming would bring Israel. And his messianic hope was anchored in certain passages of the Old Testament. Specifically, in the book of Isaiah.

Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Isaiah. And by the way, you’ll want to keep a ribbon or a finger, or a paper clip, or a pen, in Isaiah this morning. We’re going to be going back to Isaiah several times. But we’re going to see here, starting in Isaiah 40, a couple of clear references to what Luke is alluding to here, when he says, that Simeon was “waiting for the comfort of Israel.”
Isaiah 40 is where we’ll start. And look at verse 1. Isaiah 40:1: “’Comfort, O comfort My people,’ says your God. ‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has been fulfilled, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received from the hand of Yahweh double for all her sins.’ A voice is calling, ‘Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.’”

So, a righteous, devout man like Simeon, he would have been familiar with these words. He knew that God, Yahweh, would one day bring “comfort” to His people as He sent them their Messiah. Simeon would also have been familiar with this one, go over to Isaiah 66, Isaiah 66, the very end of this prophecy. Isaiah 66, we’ll pick it up in verse 10, near the end of the book here. Isaiah 66:10: “Be glad with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; be exceedingly joyful with her, all you who mourn over her, that you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, that you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom. For thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I stretch out peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will be nursed; you will be carried on the hip and played with on the knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.’” See, Simeon was looking forward to this day. He was waiting for the comfort of Israel. The consolation of Israel.

Now, we live in a different era than Simeon did. Right? He was a Jew, and we are Christians. He lived under the Law, we don’t. But still, there’s a principle laced into his perspective that we can learn from. See, Simeon was waiting for the Messiah, the Christ, to come. And we are, too, are we not? We are. We’re not waiting for His first coming though. That happened 2,000 years ago. We’re waiting for His second coming. And that whole series of events kicks off, we know, with this sign-less event known as the Rapture.

Turn with me, if you would, over to 1 Thessalonians 4. Where we’re going to get our eyes on the page here, to see what the Rapture is, and how it fits into our comfort. 1 Thessalonians 4, please. We’ll go to 1 Thessalonians 4:13, it says: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
Now, there are all sorts of incredible details in this passage, that we’ll get into some other time. But look at the las two statements there, verse 17 and 18: “we shall always be with the Lord,” it says, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Are you looking forward to that day? Are you looking forward to that day of being with the Lord, more than seeing your child graduate? Are you looking forward to that day of being with the Lord, more than seeing your granddaughter or grandson get married? Young people, are you looking forward to that day of being with the Lord, more so than getting married yourself, and starting a family?
That’s the perspective we’re each called to have. To remember the words of Jesus in John 14:3, where He says: “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” That’s the “comfort” that we are to find, as it says here in 1 Thessalonians 4. To know that a day is coming where we will be with the Lord. He will take us to be with Him. And we’ll be with Him forever, worshiping in glory.

Well, back to Simeon, back to Luke 2, he had that “comfort.” In the midst of the spiritual darkness there in Israel, he was one of these righteous few who were clinging to this “comfort” that was rooted in the reality that the Christ, the Messiah, was coming. He was, again, “waiting,” verse 25, “for the comfort of Israel.”

Then we get to this third description of Simeon by Luke. Still in verse 25, it says: “and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” That’s a very Old Testament-sounding way of saying that Simeon was directed by, moved by, guided by, the Holy Spirit. In the same way that various Old Testament figures were. Like Balaam, in Numbers 24. Or in the book of Judges, the Spirit of God is said to be resting upon or rushing upon various individuals like Otniel, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson.
In 1 Samuel 10:10, the Spirit of God is said to have come “mightily” upon Saul.
1 Samuel 16:13, the Spirit of God is described as coming “mightily” upon David.

And here in our text. Luke reports of Simeon, at the end of verse 25, that: “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” Meaning, Simeon, in some manner, had the Holy Spirit resting abidingly upon him. He was operating constantly under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

And the work of the Spirit in Simeon’s life leads us into this next historical detail that Luke offers, verse 26: “it had been revealed to him,” to Simeon, “by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

Now, back in Luke 1, we learn of Zechariah and Mary, both being prompted and communicated to by an angel. But here, there’s no mention of an angel in this Holy Spirit revelation that we see mentioned in verse 26. All we’re told is that Simeon received some form of revelation by the Holy Spriit. Luke doesn’t tell us the means or the mechanism. He doesn’t tell us exactly how the Holy Spirit gave this revelation to Simeon. There’s no mention of a dream or a vision or an angelic visitation. But what the text hints at, is some sort of direct communication from the Spirit where Simeon learned, you see it there: “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

Now, note, he doesn’t say, Luke doesn’t say, that the Holy Spirit told Simeon, or revealed to Simeon, that he would see everything about the Christ’s life, or His death, or His resurrection. It just says he would see “the Lord’s Christ.” There’s also no indication, and you’ll often read this account and just sort of assume that Simeon was an old man. There’s nothing of the sort said here. And I think where we get that assumption that Simeon was old, is that we think of the concept of a “bucket list.” Right? And a bucket list is something that, typically, older people have. The whole concept is, before I kick the bucket, I want to go do this, I want to go to Rome, I want to ride a motorcycle. Right? Whatever.
So, Simeon here, has a Holy Spirit directed “bucket list” item, Which is that he was going to witness and behold the Messiah. And that just sort of sounds like an old man thing. Because not many young men, again, have bucket lists. But again, the text doesn’t tell us that. The text doesn’t say specifically that Simeon was old. He could have been old. I’m not saying he wasn’t old. But the reality is, the text is silent on the matter of his age. So, either way, we can’t be dogmatic. What we know though is what we have here in verse 26, which is that “it had been revealed” to Simeon, who may or may not have been old, “by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” He wouldn’t taste death until he beheld the One who had come to give life.

Well, that same Spirit who “was upon” Simeon, and that same Spirit who had “revealed” to Simeon “that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ”, ultimately led Simeon to the temple. Where he was about to experience now the most crowning moment of his life. Look at verse 27: “And he came in the Spirit into the temple.” It “just so happened”, you know that’s a fallacy. Nothing “just happens to happen.” But it “just so happened” that the Spirit led Simeon into the temple on the very day that Joseph and Mary were there in Jerusalem, in the temple court area, presenting their newborn Son to God. This wasn’t chance. This wasn’t luck. This wasn’t happenstance. This was a specially-ordered divine arrangement, set in motion by the providential hand of God. And then here comes the moment that Simeon had been waiting for all this time. As somehow, through the guidance of the Spirit who was upon him, it became evident to him that right there, in his line of sight was the Christ Child, the Messiah.

Look at the rest of verse 27, it tells us that “the parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law.” Now, that’s referring to the custom of the Law there, is referring to that presentation ceremony we looked at last week. Where the baby Jesus was presented to God. And because He was not of the tribe of Levi, the parents had to essentially buy Him back. They had to pay a redemption tax of five shekels to purchase Him back, to redeem Him.

And by the way, don’t be spooked by that word “parents” there in verse 27, when the “parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law.” Some theological liberals have tried to argue that this directly undercuts what Luke has recorded on earlier about the virgin conception of Christ. Because God would have been Jesus’ Father. But that’s not an issue at all. Luke isn’t reversing course here on what he reported earlier about the Holy Spirit being the agent by which Jesus was conceived in the womb. Rather, the “parents” here, that word “parents” is being used in a legal sense. The reality is Joseph was the adoptive father of Jesus. In fact, it you look over the page at Luke 2:48, we’ll see Mary saying to Jesus her Son, this is Luke 2:48, she says: “Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
Again, that’s not undercutting what the scriptures teach about the Spirit being the divine agent of conception. This is just telling us that Joseph was faithfully fulfilling a father’s role toward his wife’s child who was conceived by the Spirit.

So, Mary and Joseph are there in this outer court area of the temple. Still in verse 27. They’ve gone through this consecration process, this presentation process. They’ve paid their five shekels to redeem their Son. And it catches the attention of this man, Simeon, who had been waiting this whole time for their Son to arrive. And when Simeon saw this Chirld, he knew that He was the One. In verse 28: “then he took Him,” meaning Simeon took Him, “into his arms and blessed God.” Now, that’s not saying that Simeon snatched the baby out of Mary’s arms. That would frighten any mother, no matter what era that was in. That would have been culturally inappropriate even at that time. This is just saying that Simeon would have stretched out his arms and Mary would have responded by placing the child in his outstretched arms. And then, with the infant Son of God in his arms, it says, Simeon “blessed God.” The word “blessed” there is the same Greek word for “thanked.” He thanked God. And he did so because he had this heart full of gratitude and praise. He did so, Simeon did so, because God had delivered on His promise. Allowing Simeon not only now to see, but to hold the promised Messiah of Israel.

And then, apparently with the infant Jesus still in his arms. Simeon burst out in these words of praise in verses 29-32, he says: “Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of Your people Israel.” This is now actually the fourth word of blessing that we see in Luke’s Gospel up to this point. We had Elizabeth giving a word of blessing back in Luke 1. We, of course, had Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1. We had Zechariah’s prophetic word of blessing over John the Baptist, in Luke 1. And now, we have Simeon’s word of praise here.

And note, he begins by praising God for His faithfulness to His Word. Verse 29: “Now Master.”
Note the reverence there. He recognizes God, the sovereign Lord. And he is His slave. And he says: “You are releasing Your slave in peace.” How so? By letting Simeon die. Simeon was prepared to die after encountering the Lord Jesus. The worry, the fears, the sting of death were all gone. He was prepared to die in peace. And it was all because God had been faithful to keep His promises. All that God had promised, would come to pass, had come to pass. He had been faithful, end of verse 29: “according to Your word.”

God is always faithful to keep the promises He has given us in His Word. In seasons of embattlement. In seasons of grief. In seasons of loss. In seasons of homesickness. In seasons of hope deferred. God is always faithful to keep the promises He has given us in His Word.
“But what about my bank account?” “And what about my bills?” ‘And what about this lump in my breast?” “And what about this lump in my throat?” “And what about these tears?” “And what about these scars?” “And what about this heartache?” “And what about this suffering I’m going through?” “And what about the suffering the world is going through?” Again, God is always faithful to act in accordance with the promises He has given us in His Word. Simeon knew it. We know it. And we’re called, like he did, to live faithfully in light of that truth.

Well, his words of praise continue on in verse 30, he says: “For my eyes have seen your salvation.” That’s another allusion back to the Old Testament. That’s actually another messianic reference from the book of Isaiah. Go back with me again, to Isaiah. This time we’ll look at chapter 52, Isaiah 52, and we’ll look at verse 9. Isaiah 52:9-10, it says: “Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem. Yahweh has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.”

Sight, seeing, this is the passage that Simeon seems to have had in mind, over in Luke 2:30, where he says “my eyes have seen Your salvation.” Now, this doesn’t mean that Simeon saw or would see salvation come to every single person that Jesus would ultimately save. Rather, this was Simeon’s way of recognizing that the Child that he was now holding in his arms was the source of salvation. He was the One whose name Jesus, Joshua, means, “Yahweh is salvation,” which points to what He came to do. He was the One, who we’ve seen over and over already in Matthew 1:21, came to “save His people from their sins.” That’s all loaded into that phrase, “For my eyes have seen your salvation.”

Then the words of blessing and praise continue on in verses 31-32, where Simeon, he’s still on the subject of salvation, he’s still on the subject of the Messiah’s saving purposes, continues by saying: “which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory of Your people Israel.” Now for you who have studied the Word for many years, you note here that Simeon is reversing the order of what we’re used to seeing in the New Testament. Romans 1:16 says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Or Galatians 3:28 says: “There is neither Jew nor Greek . . . for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” But remember, Simeon here is speaking decades before either Romans or Galatians was written. And while the Romans and Galatians rightly articulate how salvation went out from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth, Simeon is not even thinking in those terms. Because those items of revelation haven’t been written yet. He’s going back to the Old Testament, to certain Old Testament prophies that he was familiar with. Where it was highlighted that God would send His Messiah, to offer salvation to Israel. But then, light for the Gentiles would also fan out from there.

Go back to Isaiah. I told you Isaiah was going to be where we’ll be today. Isaiah 42 this time, to see what he might be referring to, Simeon might be referring to. Isaiah 42:5 says: “thus says the God, Yahweh, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, ‘I am Yahweh, I have called You in righteousness; I will also take hold of You by the hand and guard You, and I will give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who inhabit darkness from the prison.’”
Or flip ahead to Isaiah 49, and we’ll see something similar. Isaiah 49:5 says: “So now says Yahweh, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to return Jacob back to Him, so that Israel might be gathered to Him (for I am glorified in the sight of Yahweh, and My God is My strength), He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to cause the preserved ones of Israel to return; I will also give You as a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’”

That’s what Simeon was alluding to here, in his words to Joseph and Mary, as he blesses God and thanks God. He knew that now that the Messiah had arrived, not only could he die in peace, but he could die in peace knowing that God’s word, His promises, had been fulfilled by the sending of the Messiah. But also, he could know that these promises from the Old Testament about salvation going to Israel first, but then also being a “Light” to the Gentiles, these also were in motion. And all through the Child he was now holding in his arms.

Not only that, though, you see it there, I’m still in verse 32, after saying he would be “a Light for revelation to the Gentiles,” he says, and for “the glory of Your people Israel.” So, even though God’s mighty work of salvation would ultimately extend to all the peoples, all the nations, that does not mean that Israel’s place of preeminence would be lost. And that’s an important thought to hang onto. Because here in our study of the Gospel of Luke, we’re going to see Gentile people described. And we’re going to see mention of Gentile salvation. You get into Luke’s second work, the book of Acts, and you see even more of that. But the fact that salvation was eventually extended to Gentiles, through Christ, does not mean that God no longer has a plan for Israel in His overall plans. It is true that Israel would go on in this narrative to reject their Messiah. And it is true that even today Israel lives in a state of rebellion against the Messiah who was sent for them.

But we can’t lose sight of what even the angel Gabriel said to Mary, back in Luke 1:30-33, that this Child, the Messiah would have “the throne of His father David, He [would] reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.” If those words have any meaning, it means that Israel has not been set aside in God’s overall plan of redemption. Israel is in a state of disobedience today. Israel is in a state of partial hardening today. That’s Romans 11:25. But Israel has not been cast to the side by God. Because Romans 11:26 tells us that a day is coming when “All Israel will be saved.” And when that day comes, when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, something tremendous is going to happen.

Turn with me, back to Isaiah again. This time, Isaiah 46. We should have just preached through Isaiah today. Look at Isaiah 46, because this is actually the passage that I believe Simeon had in view when he gave this word of blessing to this couple in the presence of God. Isaiah 46:12 says: “Hear Me, you stubborn of heart, who are far from righteousness,” that’s God addressing Israel here, “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; and My salvation will not delay. And I will grant salvation in Zion, and My glory for Israel.”
See, when Israel eventually returns to the Lord, when they recognize, Zechariah 12:10, the One whom they have pierced, when they recognize that it is His finished work on the cross in which salvation is found, Israel will see glory. They’ll see glory in the truest and fullest sense of finally recognizing the Son of God for who He is. That’s how, verse 32 of Luke 2 here, that’s how “the glory of Your people Israel” will be experienced. When they embrace Jesus as God’s long-anticipated Messiah.

So Simeon there with the baby Jesus in his arms, he offers up these profound words of thanksgiving and praise and blessing in verses 29-32. And then look what these words prompt, in verse 33. It says: “And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him.” Again, Joseph here is being referred to as “father” in the legal sense of the term. And “mother”, of course, refers to Mary. And then look at their reaction to Simeon’s words of blessing. It says they were “marveling at the things which were being said” about their Son.
But why? Right? I mean, at this point, Mary and Joseph had heard, through distinct separate angelic visitations, that salvation and the kingdom would be offered through their Son. So, why the sense of wonderment now? Why are they “marveling” now? I think the answer lies in the source. See, now it wasn’t an angel who was telling them these things about their Son. Which would be its own source of wonderment and fear and marveling, as we saw before. Rather, it was a man, and a mere man at that. And a man who they had just happened to bump into at the temple. And he knew, as they knew, that this Child of theirs was special. And not only special, but the Savior. And not only the Savior, but the Savior of the world. The Light of the world. Through whose gospel would provide “revelation to the Gentiles.” How did this man know this mystery about their Child? How was he able to single out their Baby like this? That’s why they marveled.

As we get to verses 34 and 35, we see that Simeon wasn’t quite finished expressing what the Spirit was prompting him to communicate to Joseph and Mary. Look at the next two verses, it says: “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well – that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”

Now, immediately here, note how Simeon has shifted from praising to prophesying. From delivering very hopeful, joyful news to now delivering this very ominous news. And not only that, he goes from addressing Joseph and Mary together to addressing Mary directly. Fixing his attention on her. Note the language there in verse 34, it says: “Simeon blessed them.” By the way, that’s again, not a priestly blessing. He was just a “man”. This might have been some brief word of praise that this Son had been born. But then here comes this shift, still in verse 34, from Joseph and Mary to Mary alone. It says: and he “said to Mary His mother.”

And then to Mary, he gives this four-part prophecy concerning the Child that he as holding in his arms.

It starts with: “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel.” In other words, those who humbled themselves. Those who welcomed and received the Lord Jesus. Those who repented of their sins. They would “rise,” They would receive salvation. They’d be raised up, spiritually speaking. In a similar manner to what we see in Ephesians 2:5-6: “even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us with Him.” But those who did not believe in Him. Those who rejected Him. Those who were arrogant, unrepentant, unbelieving. They would ultimately “fall” and be punished. For them, Jesus would be that stone of stumbling, the stone of stumbling that was prophesied in Isaiah 28:16. And that’s exactly how Peter describes Him over in 1 Peter 2. Turn with me over to 1 Peter 2. And note what this New Testament author says about those who would reject Christ and stumble over Him. 1 Peter 2:4 says: “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone,’” that’s alluding to Isaiah 28, “’and he who believes upon Him will not be put to shame.’ This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, ‘the stone which the builders rejected, this has become the chief corner stone,’ and, ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed.”

In other words, it was determined and foreknown that it would be this way. That some would reject the Messiah of Israel when He came. While others would, by sovereign grace, accept Him. Some would “rise” and some would “fall”, as Simeon prophesied here in verse 34.

Now, the second part of his prophecy is found at the end of verse 34, where this man says to Mary that her Son was appointed “for a sign to be opposed.” Jesus’ birth itself was a sign.
Recall Isaiah 4:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” So Jesus, as “Immanuel”, God with us, Himself would be “a sign” through His incarnation, His person, His work. And that sign would point Israel to the salvation they so desperately needed. And though Israel would see this sign and behold this sign, they wouldn’t heed it. They wouldn’t embrace it. And they would reject it to their peril and shame.

Then there’s this third part of the prophecy, verse 35. And just imagine how young Mary would have received this. Luke records this, of Simeon saying this to Mary: “and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well.” Simeon here is predicting, as he’s holding Mary’s newborn Child, the grief that would later flood her heart when she witnessed that very Child’s crucifixion. As she witnessed the life which had taken root in her womb, leaving Him as He struggled, and suffered, and bled and died. In fact, go with me over to the Gospel of John. John 19, we’ll start in verse 16: “So he then delivered Him,” speaking of Pilate there, Pilate delivered Him, “over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. And Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.’ Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, ‘Do not write, “The King of the Jews;” but that He said, “I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’ Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, a part to each soldier and also His tunic; now that tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be;’ this was in order that the scripture would be fulfilled: ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things. But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’”

So, there was Mary, some 30 years later, beholding her Son. Beholding His death on the cross. Watching the life of her firstborn slip away. Watching the nails go into His hands and His feet. Watching Him heave and struggle to breathe. Watching His life leave Him through the crimson stream that was pouring out of His wounds.

And the waves of grief that she went through on that fateful day as she sat at the foot of the cross, going back to our passage in Luke 2, were predicted by Simeon in verse 35, when he said, “a sword will pierce through your own soul as well.” He was telling this teenage, new mother, of the great anguish she would one day experience. Just days after giving birth to her newborn son, she was already being told to ready herself for His death. What an overwhelming message to receive for anybody, let alone a teenage girl. Thank the Lord, as we’ve seen in our study of Luke so far, though she was young in years, she was advanced in faith.

That brings us to the last aspect of his prophecy, Simeon’s prophecy, end of verse 35, where he ends with these words: “that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” In other words, how people reacted to Jesus’ message, how they reacted to His offer of the kingdom and salvation, would test and measure and reveal where their true motivations lie. Though many would receive Him, many more would reject Him. Which would reveal what John 3:19 says: that “the Light has come into the world,” but “men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” See, the reality is, no one is neutral when it comes to Jesus Christ. We’re either in the dark. Or we’re in the light. We ‘re either blind. Or we can see. We’re either lost. Or we’re found. And it boils down to one event, the death of Jesus Christ at Calvary. It boils down to one truth, what Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15: “that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

Gracious God, we again say thank You for the provision of Your Son, even as we just heard that arrangement from Sam and Katie. We remember the lyrics of that song, “that there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains.” God, may we with Your help, never forget that we are a blood-bought people. May we never forget of the magnitude of the sacrifice that was made on our behalf. May we never lose sight of the preciousness of our Saviour’s shed blood. And may we never divorce the reality of our standing before You in Christ through His shed blood. And the call on our lives to now go live for Him, to live upright and godly lives through Christ Jesus, to encourage and spur one another along. And all the more as the day draws near. And of course to share the hope that we have in Christ with a lost and suffering and dying world. Help us to be a holy people, an upright and devout people like we say today with Simeon. May we glorify You through Your Son. Its in His name we pray. Amen.